Outside the northern gate of Fengtai Commandery in Huizhou, in the Extreme Eastern Ice City's camp.
As Changsun Bingquan dragged his battle-weary body back, he heard the officers and soldiers nearby talking.
"-That business recently. Have you heard about it?"
"You mean the City Lord marrying the Limitless Saber Lord? Surely that's false. Utter nonsense. You actually believed it?"
"There's no smoke without fire. The rumors sound remarkably convincing. And I heard Ice City has already been arguing furiously over it. Apparently, many ministers have submitted memorials hoping to bring it about."
"Really? Still, if they actually married, it would be a good thing for our Ice City. The Limitless Saber Lord can fight ten thousand troops, while the City Lord is unrivaled beneath heaven. The Imperial Court certainly couldn't withstand them, and our army wouldn't have to remain bogged down here."
"Insolence! This is outright treason! What marriage? Where would that leave the Young City Lord? Where would it leave the two princesses?"
As the heavily armored officer reprimanded them, those around him wore differing expressions.
Some looked grave, some deeply agreed, some sneered, and others openly argued back.
"Young City Lord? I don't know of any Young City Lord. Which decree from the city ever named one?"
"What makes that boy of unknown origins the Young City Lord?"
"A marriage is treason? What a joke! The City Lord led our forebears in carving out Ice City's realm with their blades. What does it have to do with the Changsun family?"
Changsun Bingquan appeared cold and unmoved.
Yet the nails of both hands had dug deep into his flesh, and a pent-up fire surged within his chest.
He continued forward, voices still reaching his ears from time to time.
"The Limitless Saber Lord? I've heard of his deeds. They