Return to Azure Cloud Ridge

Three days after rewards were bestowed according to merit, the army left Jade Sun City and went to occupy Azure Cloud Ridge.

"Finally, they're gone."

With the army gone, every official in Jade Sun City heaved a sigh of relief.

During the army's stay in the city, they had been under immense pressure.

Not only did they have to provide every kind of supply, they also had to tread on thin ice, not daring to offend anyone from the army.

Even a mere Battalion Commander was enough to make a county magistrate afraid to provoke him, while those Thousand-Man Commanders could order county magistrates around at will.

Colonel Zhou Xingzhan could even dispose of a county magistrate. How could the officials of Jade Sun City not spend every day trembling with fear?

When the army returned to Azure Cloud Ridge, the place had already undergone earth-shaking changes.

"Damn it, those Barbarians are hateful beyond measure."

"Those damned Barbarians should have been slaughtered to the last one."

"The Barbarians are too despicable."

"..."

The buildings of Azure Cloud Ridge had been reduced to ashes by a great fire, leaving nothing behind.

This had clearly been the work of the Barbarians. Everyone was filled with towering fury and cursed loudly.

Zhou Xingzhan stared at Azure Cloud Ridge, now a field of ashes, his brows tightly furrowed.

"Clean it up! Start rebuilding."

There were vast numbers of trees nearby, so building a camp was not difficult.

The Barbarians had suffered devastating losses and would be unable to launch another attack for a short time, giving the army time to construct defensive fortifications.

Everyone immediately got to work, and after ten days of effort, they finally rebuilt the camp.

From time to time, Li Xuancang led his soldiers on patrols, wiping out the Demons in the surrounding area as his strength steadily increased.

"Something's wrong. Why are so many civilians coming here?"

During this period, civilians had continuously entered the nearby region, dragging their families along as though they were fleeing famine and disaster.

This was a borderland. Even if the civilians were fleeing disaster, they should have fled elsewhere rather than coming here. Such abnormal circumstances left Li Xuancang deeply puzzled.

"Stop."

Li Xuancang called out to a group of fleeing civilians, intending to learn what had happened.

Hearing Li Xuancang's voice and seeing the soldiers surround them, the civilians' faces instantly turned deathly pale. Their bodies trembled, and they did not even dare breathe loudly.

"Gulp..."

One man swallowed hard, forced himself to be brave, and bowed to Li Xuancang.

"This military... military sir..."

Facing Li Xuancang, the man's body shook, and even his words trembled.

Li Xuancang paid it no mind and asked directly.

"Where are you from? Why have you come here?"

Faced with Li Xuancang's questions, the man tried hard to calm himself and answered in a trembling voice.

"Replying to military sir, we are from... from Cloudmist Commandery. We fled here... fled here to escape disaster."

"What happened in Cloudmist Commandery? Why are you fleeing disaster?" Li Xuancang pressed on.

Seeing that Li Xuancang was not as ferocious and vicious as the other Battle Soldiers, the man relaxed somewhat, and his speech was no longer so halting.

"Military sir, Prince Fu of Cloud Prefecture has rebelled. He colluded with the evil White Lotus Sect and Demons, turning all of Cloud Prefecture into a living hell. They cut off the connections between the Imperial Court and the other regions, so we could only flee to Peace Prefecture."

Buzz!

After hearing the man's words, Li Xuancang's entire body shook, and his expression changed drastically.

Cloud Prefecture had actually betrayed the realm and colluded with an evil sect and Demons. This was a thunderbolt from a clear sky for the declining Great Yan Dynasty.

Cloud Prefecture was rich, vast, and densely populated, ranking among the foremost of Great Yan's twenty-five prefectures.

Prince Fu was also an unfathomably powerful cultivator with countless experts under his command. His rebellion was a fatal blow to the Great Yan Dynasty.

The area where Li Xuancang was stationed belonged to Profound Sun Commandery of Peace Prefecture. Now that Cloud Prefecture had rebelled, it had completely severed the connection between several nearby great prefectures and the Imperial Court. This was no good news.

"Come with me to the military camp."

This matter was of great importance. Li Xuancang did not dare take it lightly and needed to report it to Zhou Xiong at once.

"Military sir, I can go with you, but you must let them go first."

Faced with Li Xuancang's demand, the man knew he had no right to refuse. Gritting his teeth, he spoke, hoping to let his family leave first.

Li Xuancang saw through the man's concerns at a glance. He likely believed that following him to the military camp would bring more danger than safety.

"Fine!"

The man's worries were entirely unnecessary, but Li Xuancang did not explain.

After reporting to Zhou Xiong, he would naturally let the man leave.

"Thank you, my lord."

When Li Xuancang agreed to let his family leave, the tension in the man's body finally eased, as though a heavy burden had been lifted.

"Go!"

As the man was taken away, his family was filled with worry, yet they did not dare speak up to stop it. They could only watch helplessly as he left.

Li Xuancang had just returned to the military camp when a soldier came to summon him.

"Commander Li, Lord Zhou summons you."

Upon hearing this, Li Xuancang did not dare delay. He instructed Nangong Zhan, "Take him to my tent."

"Yes."

Nangong Zhan led the man away while Li Xuancang hurried toward Zhou Xiong's tent.

By the time Li Xuancang arrived, the three Battalion Commanders and nine Hundred-Man Commanders had all gathered.

"Greetings, my lord."

Li Xuancang cupped his hands and bowed to Zhou Xiong.

"Sit."

Zhou Xiong slightly raised a hand, signaling Li Xuancang to take a seat.

After Li Xuancang sat down, Zhou Xiong's expression was incomparably grave as he spoke in a deep voice.

"News has come from the Commandery Governor's Residence. Prince Fu of Cloud Prefecture has rebelled."

The moment these words were spoken, everyone except Li Xuancang turned pale with shock. Some even involuntarily rose to their feet.

"What?"

"Prince Fu has rebelled? How is that possible?"

"What should we do?"

"..."

After their shock came disbelief and endless worry.

They all knew what Cloud Prefecture's rebellion meant. Peace Prefecture had been completely cut off from the Imperial Court, and the situation was hanging by a thread.

If Cloud Prefecture launched an attack on Peace Prefecture, they would receive no support from the Imperial Court and could not possibly be Cloud Prefecture's match.

"Silence!"

Seeing the agitated crowd, Zhou Xiong gave a loud shout, quieting them all.

"Colonel Zhou has ordered that patrols be strengthened during this period. If any suspicious person is discovered, report it immediately. There must not be the slightest negligence."

Cloud Prefecture's rebellion had come too suddenly. Peace Prefecture had no idea how to respond for the moment and could only remain unchanged in the face of a thousand changes.

"Yes, sir!"

Everyone was weighed down with worry, feeling lost and terrified about the road ahead.

"Dismissed."

Zhou Xiong sent everyone away, while he himself headed for Zhou Xingzhan's tent.

Li Xuancang had originally intended to report the matter to Zhou Xiong, but since Zhou Xiong already knew of it, he could only let it go.

After returning to his tent, he released the man.

"Personally escort him out of the military camp."

Li Xuancang worried that the man might be harassed by other Battle Soldiers, so he had Nangong Zhan personally escort him out.

"Thank you, military sir, thank you, military sir..."

The man repeatedly thanked Li Xuancang and followed Nangong Zhan away.