As the harsh winter recedes, the early spring wind sweeps across the wasteland Blackstone City, and the frozen ground gradually thaws, revealing moist, dark soil.
In just six months, Blackstone City was no longer the desperate frontier fortress that was once exploited by tyrants.
The ironclad rule of "three years of tax exemption and only a small amount of grain tax" spread rapidly across the northern wasteland like a ray of dawn piercing the Chaotic Territory, carried by adventurers and traveling merchants. Countless starving people displaced by the wars among the various duchies, farmers fleeing exorbitant taxes, and even scattered soldiers who had lost their leaders all flocked to Blackstone City.
Today, Blackstone City's permanent population has surged to 150,000, and the villages within a hundred miles of the city have gathered nearly a million civilians, with smoke rising from chimneys and land being cultivated, making it exceptionally vibrant throughout the entire Chaotic Territory.
On the training ground, the sounds of battle shook the heavens.
After months of rigorous screening and reorganization, the previously loose city guard was expanded into two fully-equipped " Blackstone Elite Division," each with 9,000 soldiers.
Under the rigorous training of the Barker brothers, these men, who received three times the pay of ordinary soldiers and were entitled to generous compensation for dying in battle, had developed a truly fierce and daring spirit in their eyes.
In a quiet courtyard deep within the city lord's mansion, Linley, dressed in an elegant blue robe, sat cross-legged on a bluestone platform.
The Black Jade Heavy Sword rested horizontally in front of his knees. The heavy blade, weighing 3,600 jin, did not ripple in the breeze. However, the Earth Element and Wind Element elements around it seemed to be drawn to it, flowing slowly around the sword.
Bebe lay comfortably on the courtyard wall, basking in the warm early spring sun, its tail swishing idly back and forth; Haeru, on the other hand, dozed under the shade of a tree, its dark golden beast eyes occasionally opening to reveal a wary glint.
"Tap tap tap..."
Light, tinkling footsteps stopped outside the courtyard. Jenny, dressed in a Danlan fitted long dress and holding a delicate ledger pen, walked in with light steps.
In the past six months, Jenny has been in charge of civil administration and food supplies, while Lina and Rebecca have been studying necromancy with Sessler and secretly monitoring spies. The once frail girl now has a calm and capable demeanor between her brows.
Only when she looked at Linley did the gentle warmth in her eyes never change.
" Big Brother Lei," Jenny called softly, afraid of disturbing Linley's meditation.
Linley slowly opened his eyes, the dark golden light within them subdued, and smiled, " Jenny, you seem to be in a hurry. Is there some trouble with the spring planting accounts outside the city?"
"With Grandpa Lambert leading the farmers in managing the spring planting, everything is going smoothly." Jenny smiled, then took out a plain white letter sealed with sealing wax and emitting a faint, elegant fragrance from her sleeve pouch, and handed it to Linley with both hands. "This is a top-secret letter personally delivered by the highest-ranking deacon of the Dawson Chamber of Commerce in Blackstone City. It was sent via the highest-level express avian channel, and is dedicated to Big Brother Lei for his personal opening."
Linley paused slightly, his gaze falling on the exquisite and elegant cursive script, and a thought struck him.
In the lower right corner of the envelope is a pale gold emblem of a swallow in flight.
That was a unique mark of the Ryan Clan of the Yulan Empire, and also a mark that belonged exclusively to Delia.
A gentle breeze stirred in the void nearby, Doehring Cowart, clad in a moon-white robe, quietly appeared. The old man, his hair as white as snow, stroked his long beard as he looked at the letter, a playful smile in his eyes, "Little fellow, it seems someone in the Yulan Empire in the far south is thinking of you day and night."
Linley coughed slightly, a little embarrassed, and took the letter. His fingertips touched the sealing wax, and a faint but refined barrier of Wind Element magic dissipated.
Unfolding the letter, familiar handwriting leaps into view, delicate yet possessing a spirit and decisiveness no less than that of a man:
Linley:
Greetings.
By the time this letter reaches you, you must have already laid the first foundation in the Chaotic Territory.
The awe-inspiring battle at Tujiao Mountain had already spread throughout the entire Yulan Continent. The noble elders of the Yulan Empire marveled at the emergence of the peerless Dragonblood Warrior at the age of twenty-seven, but when I read the words "mountains collapsed, blood stained the sky" in the battle report, I only felt a restless heart that could not be calmed all night.
I know you bear a deep-seated hatred, and your path ahead is destined to be fraught with peril, but no one can stop you.
A few days ago, I formally resigned from my post as special envoy to the Imperial Senate and His Majesty the Emperor, and took full control of the family's secret trade routes across the continent. My teacher, Master Longers, wanted to persuade me to stay, but seeing that my mind was made up, he only left with a long sigh and gave me a protective item.
Now, though I am in the capital, my heart has already flown to that desolate and wild land in the north.
I know your ambition is to completely wipe out the Radiant Church's henchmen and rebuild the Baruch Clan's supreme glory. Linley, if you merely occupy a corner of a lonely city, surrounded by powerful enemies on all sides, it will not be a viable path to survival.
We once made a vow—the day you truly sweep away all the rivals on this chaotic land and establish the Duchy of Baruch, that will be the day I step into the Chaotic Territory and stand shoulder to shoulder with you for the rest of my life.
Despite countless obstacles, you shall go first. I will await the day we hold hands.
I hope you take good care of yourself, and don't let the wind and snow chill your heavy sword.
--Written by Delia in the Spring of Crimson Flames"
The letter was light, landing in his palm, yet Linley felt it was surprisingly heavy.
Between the lines, there is no trace of the usual sorrow and lament of a young woman, but rather the most resolute and profound trust and entrustment of a wise, intelligent, and world-minded socialite to her beloved.
She understood the hatred in his eyes and the pride in his bones, so she was unwilling to become his weakness. Instead, she chose to pave the way behind him and quietly wait for the moment when he would draw his sword and become the king.
"Call..."
Linley let out a long breath, carefully folded the letter, and put it into the safest corner of his spatial ring.
He stood up, the Black Jade Heavy Sword silently falling into his palm, and his aura suddenly became as solid as a mountain.
"Grandpa Doehring, Sessler is right." Linley looked at the elder beside him. " Blackstone City alone cannot support tens of thousands of troops, nor can it withstand the ever-present threat of a counterattack from the Radiant Church. To establish a foothold on this land, we must use swift and decisive measures to forge a truly iron-fisted duchy!"
Doehring Cowart nodded and laughed, "Good! A real man should stand between heaven and earth, wielding his sword and riding a horse, conquering thousands of miles! Back in the day, I saw many powerful rulers expanding their territories in the Pouant Empire. With such ambition, you truly deserve this indomitable spirit of dragon blood and battle bones!"
Half an hour later, in the inner council hall of the city lord's mansion.
On a heavy, dark wooden table, a huge military sheepskin map of the northern province of the Chaotic Territory was laid out flat.
The Barker brothers, Sessler, and Jenny all stood solemnly on either side of the long table, the air in the room heavy and tense.
"Sir, we brothers have been waiting for this day for so long, our bones are practically falling apart!"
Gates' eyes were filled with fighting spirit. He slammed his hand on the table, making the bronze candlesticks on it jump three times. "The granaries around Blackstone City are overflowing with provisions, and those brats who just switched to heavy steel armor are howling for blood every day! Just give the order, which dog-headed city gate should we smash first?!"
Sessler, leaning on his bone cane, chuckled hoarsely, " Gates, don't be reckless. Linley, the old man's ghostly scouts released over the past six months have thoroughly investigated the area within an eight-hundred-mile radius of Blackstone City."
The withered fingers tapped on several raised black dots in the center of the map:
"South of Blackstone City lie three small fortresses: Tuer, Waga, and Coldwater, each garrisoned with between three and five thousand troops. Their lords are all greedy, cruel, and mediocre, constantly scheming against each other, like a disorganized mess."
His finger pressed down sharply, landing on a large, imposing city outlined in crimson paint:
"But beyond these three small towns lies the true choke point of the northern Chaotic Territory — Mote Prefectural City! This county has a permanent population of over 600,000, governs nearly 3 million people within its jurisdiction, has a garrison of over 20,000, and boasts city walls as high as 30 meters, with deep moats surrounding the city!"
Sessler raised his emerald green eyes, his voice suddenly lowering:
"More importantly, behind the Mote Prefectural City, a large temple established by the Radiant Church stands in secret. The bishop who resides there has a close personal relationship with the city lord, and a 500-strong black-armored ' Judgment Knight Order ' is secretly stationed in the city's villa!"
" Radiant Temple?"
Barker said in a deep voice, "If we directly attack Mote Prefectural City, these three small towns will cut off our supply lines from the rear, which will inevitably cause some trouble."
"Then let's capture four cities in quick succession and decide the fate of the world in one battle!"
Linley's voice was calm and steady, yet left no room for argument.
His finger traced the three small towns of Tuer, Waga, and Coldwater:
" Ankh, Hazer, and Boone, I order each of you to lead an elite battalion and launch a simultaneous attack at dawn tomorrow! The Chaotic Territory reveres pure power. Once you reach the city walls, do not waste words with the defenders; simply use ' Wielding Heavy Weapons as Though They Were Light ' to smash the city gates and kill the stubborn general! Then announce a three-year tax exemption. Within half a day, I want these three small cities to change hands and be transferred to new garrisons!"
"Understood!!"
Ankh, Hazer, Boone stepped forward, clasped their hands in a fist salute, and gave a silent reply.
Linley turned to look at Barker and Gates:
" Barker, Gates! You two will accompany me, leading ten thousand heavily armored infantry and cavalry, along with the vanguard. Ignore all the passes along the way and march straight to the Mote Prefectural City! Haeru will advance with the army, Bebe will provide cover and support, and Sessler will use the undead to block all roads. Not a single messenger bird will be allowed to escape!"
"Yes, sir!" Barker and Gates replied in unison.
" Jenny, once the army sets out, the logistics, provisions, laborer allocation, and public announcements to the surrendered cities are all entrusted to you."
Jenny met Linley's trusting and unwavering gaze, straightened his robes, and solemnly said, " Big Brother Lei, rest assured, wherever the battle flag points, the supply lines will be perfectly secure!"
The storm arrived suddenly before dawn.
The next morning, before the thick fog had even dissipated, the four heavy gates of Blackstone City were simultaneously raised!
A torrent of steel armor, gleaming with a chilling light, surged out of the city, carrying a violent and murderous aura suppressed for half a year. It split into several long dragons tearing through the plains, roaring and killing towards the vast southern sky!
The winds of the North changed color completely on this day.