You Zhongli bit his lip slightly, looked at his hesitant father, then at the soldiers clamoring in the distance. With his heart set, he swept aside his official robes, dropped to his knees, and solemnly said, "This junior, You Zhongli, greets True Person Xiao. This junior will now go forth to battle Murong Hanping. I dare not ask Senior to save Yifeng Kingdom, but once this junior is gone, the You family will belong to You Zhongquan. I ask Senior, for the sake of... the bond of incense and lineage with Zhongquan... please extend a hand and save my You family!"
Watching his son kneel, You Yun felt not grief, but profound remorse and self-reproach. Earlier, Xiao Hua had made it perfectly clear that he wished to take his son as a disciple, yet he had ruthlessly refused, even uttering harsh words. Now, at this critical juncture, how could he possibly beg the man again? If he had formed a good bond back then, why would he need to say another word now?
"Forefather..." At that moment, a somewhat childish voice rang out in the distance. A boy clad in imperial robes arrived seated in a dragon carriage, surrounded by a host of palace maids. Along with that voice came another powerful divine sense sweeping over from beyond Yifeng Kingdom's capital. You Yun was exceedingly familiar with this divine sense. Was it not Murong Hanping, State Teacher of Donglin Kingdom?
You Yun understood clearly. Back when Donglin Kingdom invaded Xin Kingdom, Yifeng Kingdom had formed an alliance with Xin Kingdom and sent troops because of the marriage between You Zhongquan and Chang Yuan. With the assistance of Confucian cultivators friendly with the Chang family, Xin Kingdom had barely escaped disaster. Now Donglin Kingdom had raised its army to invade again.