Slave Empire [Complete] - 20

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Volume 8, Chapter 161: Love Like a Tide
Night fell. In the back garden of the Marshal's Mansion, several pots of flowers from "Hundred Flowers Garden," the most renowned flower shop in Changlong City, were in full bloom, their fragrance intoxicating. The flickering candlelight on a large round mahogany table illuminated Feng Yanran, who sat at the head of the table, making her face blush and appear indescribably alluring.
To Feng Yanran's right was an empty seat. The owner of this empty seat tonight was probably the happiest man in the world—for all those seated around the table were stunningly beautiful women: Liu Yufei, Xue Qianqian, Miao Youlan, Liu Lan, Liu Ju, and two female guests specially invited by Liu Yufei: Nangong Chuchu and Bai Sisi, a Bai ethnic minority saintess dressed as a young girl but always veiled in a light gauze.
Hua Yinghong doesn't consider himself handsome, nor is he a womanizer or a philanderer, yet he somehow has gotten himself into a lot of romantic troubles: besides the nickname "Son of Freedom," he also has the reputation of "Romantic Marshal"—all because the five beauties around him have made thousands of men envious. Now, Nangong Chuchu, ranked fifth on the list of beauties of the Hualong Continent, is frequently seen visiting the Marshal's mansion, and it's an open secret that "Free Army Flower" Feng Yanran secretly loves Marshal Hua!
If it weren't for Hua Yinghong's formidable reputation as the Marshal of the Free Army and the "God of War," and if it weren't for the protection of three thousand Free Army Iron Guards and bodyguards, an ordinary person with such good fortune would probably have been repeatedly defeated and trampled underfoot by thousands of handsome young men, their feet stomped on until they were crushed! They would have been brutally beaten by thousands until they were completely destroyed!
As for Bai Sisi, the holy maiden of the Bai ethnic group, although she has never let outsiders see her true face, in the Bai people, who have always been known for their beautiful women, she cannot be anything less than stunning. Just looking at her long hair cascading down her shoulders, her graceful figure, her flawlessly beautiful curves, and her elegant and poised demeanor is enough to drive people mad.
Her sisters, Liu Yufei and Xue Qianqian, have naturally seen Bai Sisi's true face, and even the Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian exclaimed, "Sisi must not be a mortal, a fairy from the heavens descended to the mortal world!" Bai Sisi's beauty is evident from this. Such a stunning beauty actually accepted the invitation to the Marshal's Mansion's banquet, causing many young talents in Changlong City who harbored fantasies to cry out in despair: "Another peerless beauty will fall under the spell of the Son of Freedom's 'Magic Eye Skill'!"
The "Magic Eye Skill" wasn't some kind of divine skill, but rather a rumor circulating about Hua Yinghong's eyes: the five beauties around Hua Yinghong all admitted that they were first captivated by his eyes—deeply affectionate, gentle, wild, sharp, and intelligent…
One beautiful Fire Phoenix Guard boldly told her companions, "He just glanced at me, and his eyes seemed to have magic, making my heart pound. If he would look at me a few more times, I would do anything…" Interestingly, several other equally beautiful Fire Phoenix Guards exclaimed in unison, "Tch! You only just realized it? I knew it all along!"—thus, the "Magic Eye Skill" spread far and wide.
The beautiful women chatted casually among themselves. Feng Yanran still seemed a little nervous, but it was clear that the five women beside Hua Yinghong were sincerely welcoming her in various ways: Miao Youlan gave her clothes, Xue Qianqian gave her a headdress, Liu Lan gave her a jade bracelet, Liu Ju gave her beautiful embroidered shoes made by her own hands, and Liu Yufei, who was the leader of the group, was even more special: a special fund was allocated from the "Hongfei Foundation" as the start-up capital for the "Hongyan Foundation," which was also entrusted to Nangong Chuchu to manage, specifically for raising orphans. The meaning was obvious...
The two female guests were also extremely generous: Nangong Chuchu gave a piece of newly acquired thousand-year-old warm jade from the Alang Mountain area, which was quite valuable; Bai Sisi gave a drop of perfume extracted from ten-thousand-year-old lavender, a specialty of the Baiyi Mountain area, which was even more astonishingly valuable!
It was said that there were only ten bottles of perfume extracted from ten-thousand-year-old lavender in the entire Hualong Continent, with no more than ten drops in each bottle. One bottle had once sold for a sky-high price of three million gold coins at a rare treasure auction in the capital of the Later Tang Empire! And now, it's said that a single bottle has risen to five million gold coins, and there's no market for it! A woman only needs a drop of this essence diluted in water to bathe, and her whole body will naturally possess an alluring fragrance that makes men infatuated and intoxicated, absolutely fragrant but not cloying, and it will never fade—in the harems of various countries, the fierce struggle for favor among concubines is terrifying, so the value of such a rare treasure is naturally unimaginable.
In the past eighteen years, Feng Yanran had never felt such excitement on her birthday: besides the gifts and affection from her sisters, it was because the man she loved so dearly had personally arranged a celebration for her birthday and personally cooked for her birthday banquet…
“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…” Hua Yinghong smiled, and even his “magic eyes” revealed the genuine smile in his heart, softly singing the birthday song, while holding a plate of exquisite cream cake with eighteen small red candles, on which a lifelike little pig representing Feng Yanran's zodiac sign was displayed.
"I hereby declare Yanran's eighteenth birthday celebration officially open! The first program is: make a wish, blow out the candles, eat cake, and sing 'Happy Birthday.' Yanran, according to the legend of my hometown, if you make a wish on your birthday, it will surely come true."
"I hope..." Feng Yanran's eyes welled up with tears, and she was about to speak her wish.
"Don't say it out loud, or it won't come true!" Hua Yinghong pointed to his lips and gently shushed her.
Feng Yanran closed her beautiful eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks, and silently made a wish in her heart...
"Now blow out all eighteen candles in one breath," Hua Yinghong said, "Just one breath, and everything will go smoothly! Let's all sing for Yanran... Happy Birthday!..." Hua Yinghong clapped his hands and sang first. The beautiful women had never seen such a novel way of celebrating a birthday. Their eyes sparkled with delight, and their melodious voices sang along…
“The cake is sweet but not cloying…” “Another piece…” “I want to eat cake on my birthday too…” “I never knew Brother Hua had this skill!”… A chorus of praise made Hua Yinghong feel a little smug. He never imagined that the skills he learned while working a summer job would be enjoyed so much by these stunning beauties who had never even seen a cake before!
“If Brother Hua opened a cake shop, he would definitely make a fortune,” Nangong Chuchu praised Hua’s Cakes endlessly, but she couldn’t shake her shrewd business acumen as a successful businesswoman.
"Chuchu's idea is great! Cakes are easy to make, and the ingredients are easy to find." Hua Yinghong's eyes lit up. "Send a few people to the Marshal's Mansion another day, and I'll teach them how to make it after one try. It would be best to name it Hongyan Cake Shop, apply for a trademark, and operate it exclusively. The profits can be invested in the 'Hongyan Fund.' Yanran, what do you say?" Hua Yinghong's "magical eyes" gazed deeply into Feng Yanran's eyes. Since he had decided to accept her, he had resolved to do everything he could to make her feel the same deep affection, the same love, and even a little more tenderness. The 'Hongyan Fund' was one such way.
Feng Yanran couldn't help but burst into tears, nodding frantically. With such a lover and such thoughts, what could she do but nod?
"No need to send anyone, just teach me!" Nangong Chuchu couldn't help but feel a sudden pang of sadness for her unrequited love: Why...?
Hua Yinghong, who rose from humble beginnings as a slave, has risen to prominence within months, creating one incredible miracle after another in both literature and martial arts, undoubtedly becoming a new hero and idol in the hearts of countless young women in Hualong. His
romantic escapades with five beauties have become the focus of attention for the entire continent's youth. In particular, his unexpectedly domineering yet gentle romantic gestures have conquered beauties of different backgrounds and temperaments, including Princess Liu Yufei of the former Tang Dynasty, Miao Youlan, the princess of the Gaoshan tribe, and Xue Qianqian, a libertine from the Demonic Sect. This has not only not damaged his image but has instead generated a unique and irresistible charm. Even a top-tier beauty like Nangong Chuchu, who is highly regarded and has high standards, has developed admiration and curiosity towards this extraordinary young man—the more she interacts with him, the more unconsciously her heart is drawn to him.
"Alright! Yanran, stop crying. Today is your eighteenth birthday, you should be happy and joyful." Hua Yinghong didn't shy away from the tears on Feng Yanran's pretty face, then clapped his hands together with a "smack" sound, and said softly, "The second activity is watching fireworks and eating good food. I cooked all of this myself, you know?"
"Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!..." Countless fireworks, already prepared, exploded in the sky above the Marshal's Mansion, each colorful burst illuminating the sky in a breathtaking display. The most lively Liu Lan clapped her hands excitedly, shouting, "Again! Again!..."
"Nine people, nine dishes, symbolizing everlasting happiness. Please offer your valuable suggestions; any shortcomings will be improved next time." Hua Yinghong's eyes were full of smiles. What he had learned during his work-study period had truly come in handy: besides his signature barbecue, he had mastered nine home-style dishes—garlic twice-cooked pork, dragon and phoenix fish meatballs, crispy pork in broth, and shredded pork with fish-fragrant sauce—all rendered with unparalleled skill and artistry. In this strange world, he was absolutely unique, unmatched in any other restaurant. In a word: stunning!
"So fragrant!" "Delicious!" "This dish is arranged like a flower, so beautiful, I almost don't want to eat it..." A chorus of praises rang out, even the usually reserved Bai Sisi couldn't help but lift half of her veil, taking several bites of each dish, her diamond-like eyes sparkling with a strange light.
"Brother! If you opened a restaurant and added more dishes, you'd probably make a fortune, don't you think, Sister Chuchu?" Liu Yufei, seeing Nangong Chuchu's somewhat dejected expression, knew what was going on and deliberately started a conversation.
"Yes!" Perhaps because seeing others so happy made her feel more lost, Nangong Chuchu's voice sounded a little strange.
"Brother! How about opening a restaurant?" Liu Yufei winked at Xue Qianqian and the other women.
"Brother! How about setting up a fund for this restaurant?" Miao Youlan said knowingly.
"Okay!" Hua Yinghong's mind was completely focused on Feng Yanran, who was crying tears of excitement beside him. He reached under the table and took her soft hand in his. How could he refuse the two women's pleading? He was completely unaware that he was about to fall into a trap.
"How about letting Sister Xue choose the name?" Liu Lan, being clever as ever, continued the conversation.
"Okay! Sister Qian is very talented; the name she chooses will definitely be good. Yanran, watch the fireworks! I specially asked 'Qiaoshou Zhang,' the best fireworks shop in Tianshui City, to make them." Hua Yinghong still couldn't detect anything unusual.
In the sky, twelve fireworks rose simultaneously, exploding and condensing into twelve large characters: "Happy Birthday Feng Yanran, may you always be happy," which lingered for a long time.
"Brother Hong, how about naming the restaurant and the foundation 'Hong Chu'?" Xue Qianqian, quick-witted and intelligent, coordinated perfectly with Liu Yufei and the other women, and said rapidly.
"Good!" Hua Yinghong answered without hesitation, "The name chosen by the Qian Group is excellent."
"Thank you, Brother Hua. This is the happiest birthday I've ever had." Feng Yanran sobbed, but secretly glanced at Nangong Chuchu.
"Pfft!" The usually quiet Liu Ju couldn't help but laugh: "Sister Chuchu, you absolutely must manage the 'Hongchu' restaurant and the 'Hongchu' foundation well."
"Hongchu?" Hua Yinghong thought about the two words carefully, looked at the infinitely shy and beautiful Chuchu in the candlelight, and then looked at the smiling faces of several stunning beauties and the hint of chivalry in their eyes. He was momentarily captivated.
"The third program is dedicated to Yanran, to all those who love me, and to those I love..." Hua Yinghong's deeply affectionate voice rang out: "I don't ask why you shed tears / I don't care who else is in your heart / Let me comfort you / Regardless of whether the ending is happy or sad / Having traversed thousands of mountains and rivers / In my heart you will always be so beautiful / Since I've loved, I have no regrets / I'm willing to bear any suffering / My love is like a tide / Love like a tide pushes me towards you / Following closely / Love like a tide surrounds you and me..."
Gazing at the starless, moonless, and inky black sky, Hua Yinghong's thoughts and feelings drifted infinitely with the song, seemingly piercing through the vast expanse of time and space—Feier, can you hear me? Unconsciously, tears streamed down her face!
The melodious singing lingered in the air above the Marshal's Mansion, deeply captivating the eight peerless beauties. They completely forgot that the rhythm was an unprecedented masterpiece, unlike anything seen before on the Hua Long Continent. After the song was spread by gossipy individuals, the "Romantic Marshal" earned the nickname "King of Love Songs"...

Night had fallen. Lying on Hua Yinghong's spacious, specially made bed, Feng Yanran felt both nervous and expectant
. As Hua Yinghong gazed upon her alabaster-white body, a surge of tenderness welled up within her.
Feng Yanran's figure was slender and beautiful, a perfect masterpiece of creation: beneath a nearly transparent veil, her tall, well-proportioned, slender, and graceful body was exquisitely curvaceous, slender where it should be, and shapely where it should be. Her breasts were soft, full, and firm, her abdomen smooth, her waist slender, her buttocks slightly rounded, and her legs long and beautiful—every part of her was breathtakingly beautiful, reaching the pinnacle of beauty.
Such a captivating figure, coupled with her sculpted, flawless, smooth, and delicate skin, and her breathtakingly beautiful face—a face that could shame the flowers and eclipse the moon, a face that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky—and her slightly shy, poetic, dreamlike, and mysterious aura, made Feng Yanran's beauty so enviable that it made women jealous and men's blood boil!
"Yanran," Hua Yinghong couldn't suppress the burgeoning desire in his heart. Wearing only his underpants, his erection was already quite prominent. He lay on his side beside Feng Yanran, gazing deeply into the beautiful girl's clear, bright, and alluring eyes.
"Brother, be gentle with me," Feng Yanran said, a hint of shyness mixed with a touch of heroism. Offering herself to the man she loved was exactly what she had always longed for.
Hua Yinghong gently embraced Feng Yanran's smooth body, pressing her tightly against his strong chest. The firm, virginal breasts and well-developed pectoral muscles pressed and rubbed against each other, sending forth an incomparably moving sensation. Feng Yanran's body trembled slightly with nervousness, not yet recovering from the moving feeling of this powerful embrace, when two burning lips were already kissing her cherry lips—
like an electric shock, Feng Yanran's whole body shuddered, a dizzying feeling spread through her head, her consciousness almost floating into the air. Although her sisterly friend Liu Lan occasionally revealed some private matters to her, and she was somewhat prepared, Feng Yanran was still intoxicated by the moving taste of her first kiss.

Volume 8, Chapter 162, The Fairy Returns:
Hua Yinghong skillfully sucked on Feng Yanran's smooth, fragrant tongue, gently sucking it, while using the "Peach Blossom Amorous Hand" to roam all over her silk-like body, stimulating every possible sensitive part just right. Soon, the virgin Feng Yanran's face flushed crimson, her snow-white skin taking on a rosy hue. Her body began to writhe restlessly, a gentle spring tide flowing from her peach blossom spring.
Seeing that the time was right, Hua Yinghong rolled over and laid Feng Yanran's delicate body flat. He gently parted her legs, removed the last piece of clothing covering his body, and erected his hard, thick, eight-inch spear, pressing it against Feng Yanran's small, tightly closed flower path, slowly squeezing inward.
"Ugh!" A tearing, burning pain came from her lower body, and Feng Yanran couldn't help but let out a soft cry
of pain... The pain of deflowering made Feng Yanran's eyes fill with tears. She endured the burning pain, and an uncontrollable blush rose on her beautiful face.
Hua Yinghong kissed Feng Yanran's lips tenderly, passing a wisp of pure primordial energy through her, before stopping his deeper movements. His hard, iron-like member was still mostly untouched, and he gently and slowly rotated and rubbed it against her. One hand kneaded the girl's firm yet soft breasts in sync with the movements of her lower body... Waves of pure, virginal essence flowed into her dantian along her erect member, harmonizing with the venomous snake essence amplified by the Sea Dragon Elixir. The intoxicating sensation was indescribable!
Feng Yanran responded to her lover's passionate kiss. Soon, her beautiful cheeks flushed even more, like peach blossoms. The waves of fullness and tingling sensations that followed the initial pain left her feeling empty, as if desperately needing something to fill the void. Her desire surged, and her lower body involuntarily responded slightly, giving her lover a subtle hint
. Hua Yinghong gently and slowly penetrated deeper, writhing within the tight, warm passage. One finger kneaded the tender, soft clitoris, while the other hand alternately caressed the two lovely cherries on Feng Yanran's firm, erect breasts... Under his patient and skillful teasing, Feng Yanran's incomparably beautiful face grew increasingly red, and her breathing became increasingly rapid.
As the thick, long symbol thrust faster and faster, Feng Yanran began to let out faint moans, feeling her flower path growing increasingly swollen and wet... In an indescribable pleasure and comfort, she began to enjoy that soul-stirring, ineffable ecstasy, as if her soul were about to float away.
Hua Yinghong felt Feng Yanran's flower path becoming increasingly slippery, the thick symbol tightly held by the exceptionally narrow, delicate, and tender "flower path," growing hotter and hotter. His previous worries that Feng Yanran, being a novice in love, might not be able to withstand his conquest gradually faded, and the speed of his movements increased...
"Ah... um... uh... ah~~ ah... uh... um... ah!—" After thousands of thrusts, Feng Yanran couldn't help but let out a soft, seductive moan, her pretty face flushed and her cheeks blushing. Finally, her body trembled uncontrollably as she reached the peak of ecstasy!
Hua Yinghong activated the Dual Cultivation Technique of Spirit and Desire, absorbing Feng Yanran's purest virgin yin essence into his body, while simultaneously channeling increasingly refined primordial true energy into her, initiating the grand circulation of true energy.

Morning sunlight streamed through the paper window into the room, as if to awaken the still-sleeping beauty.
Feng Yanran was startled awake by the sound of clashing weapons outside, only then realizing that dawn had broken. A soft, warm blanket covered her naked body, still lingering with her lover's unique masculine scent—last night she belonged entirely to him, and he belonged entirely to her: every passionate kiss, every intimate touch, every desperate embrace, every volcanic eruption… all had transported her to an infinitely wondrous realm! A joy she had never experienced in eighteen years, like her lover's intoxicating song, surged like waves, one after another, without end… Overnight
, Feng Yanran transformed from a young girl into a true woman. A completely open mind and unreserved love made it easy for her to reach the realm of spiritual and physical cultivation with Hua Yinghong. She learned about his mysterious background, all his pain and joy, confusion and faith, love and hate, tears and songs...
She remembered herself shedding tears, smiling, moaning, experiencing pain yet pleasure... learning all the techniques, climbing the peaks of spiritual and physical intimacy with him time and time again, offering her virginity without reservation until they finally fell asleep in each other's arms at the hour of Yin and Yang...
No regrets in this life, no resentment in this life. If it weren't for the deep-seated hatred she carried, Feng Yanran would have been willing to be one of his many women, enjoying his endless affection—but this was only a wish. When he wasn't by her side, she was still that cold and aloof female general. Love can alleviate hatred, but it cannot eliminate it!
With the help of the exercise methods and the Heaven and Earth Techniques, Feng Yanran's power had already broken through the Innate Saint Realm. After absorbing a large amount of Hua Yinghong's essence, Sea Dragon Pill Qi, and Primordial True Qi through dual cultivation of spirit and desire last night, she felt her cultivation level rapidly improving, seemingly reaching a new bottleneck. Her divine sense also expanded astonishingly—
she was amazed to "see" Hua Yinghong's strong and powerful body fiercely fighting against a combined formation of nine guards on the training ground of the Marshal's Mansion, as if they were facing a life-or-death battle! It should be noted that every member of Hua Yinghong's guard team had now advanced to the ninth rank, making such a fight extremely dangerous!
As if sensing Feng Yanran's divine sense probing, Hua Yinghong, amidst the fierce battle, suddenly smiled, clearly speaking to her with his divine sense: "Yanran, why didn't you sleep a little longer? Did we wake you?"
Since the incident with the Feng family, every night had become a terrible nightmare for Feng Yanran, almost always sleeping with her eyes open. She had never slept so peacefully or felt so safe as she had last night. Even among the hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the Third Legion of the Free Army, she always woke up early and went to bed late, often suffering from insomnia!
"Brother! You didn't even wake me up." Feng Yanran smiled sheepishly. She had never been late for the Third Legion's ceremonial address, and those "Fire Phoenix Guard" sisters would laugh at her this time—but let them laugh!
"Don't worry, I've already sent someone to inform you that something has come up, and the ceremonial address will be postponed by an hour." Hua Yinghong calmly parried the attacks of the nine guards, still having the strength to transmit his divine sense.
"Brother! I'm leaving." Feng Yanran dressed incredibly quickly, slung her Wind God Spear over her shoulder, and vanished from the room in a flash.

"Shiling, you all join in! Don't hold back!" On the training ground, Hua Yinghong shouted at Fang Shiling and the eighteen guards, "On the battlefield, it's either you or me! Use any means necessary to kill your enemy. Think of those fathers and brothers who were slaughtered, think of those sisters, wives, and children who were raped and kidnapped! Every time you strike, show no mercy!"
"Kill!" Fang Shiling and the eighteen guards simultaneously brandished their hundred-refined battle swords, their blades crisscrossing, attacking Hua Yinghong without mercy—every day, barring any unforeseen circumstances, there were at least two such battles, until the guards were all exhausted!
Fang Shiling and the other eighteen guards believed their skills had improved rapidly. Each of them could now almost rival a division commander in the Free Army's regular forces, and some of the strongest guards, including Fang Shiling, were even slightly stronger than some legion commanders. However, the skill of the person they were protecting improved even faster, which could only be described as unbelievable. Now, even when the nineteen of them joined forces, they were defeated every time!
"Well done!" Hua Yinghong's figure twisted and dodged with incredible speed amidst the sky full of sword energy. His tall figure seemed to be as supple as boneless as he weaved and flashed through the formation. His Dragon Roar Blade was like a golden dragon dancing in the sky, leaving mysterious traces. Amidst the flashing golden shadows, he did not use his domineering "Three Heaven-Breaking Techniques," but merely tapped the back of the blade lightly on the backs of the nineteen men's hands—
"Clang! Clang! Clang!..." A series of sounds rang out, and the nineteen blades fell to the ground.
"The Marshal's divine skill is beyond our reach!" Fang Shiling said somewhat dejectedly. He felt that chasing Hua Yinghong was like an ordinary person without martial arts chasing a galloping horse—
the further they chased, the further they fell behind. "Don't be discouraged, you've already done very well!" Hua Yinghong wanted to defeat them, showing them how far they still had to go, while also encouraging them and giving them confidence to improve. He instructed, "The way of the sword is not to control it with your hands, but with your heart and spirit."
"Heart? Spirit?" Fang Shiling and the others pondered this carefully.
"Top Secret Project Two will be launched soon, and you will be the first participants. I will lead you into a new world of martial arts, but there will likely be life-threatening dangers, a matter of life and death. Are you afraid?" Hua Yinghong raised his voice.
"No!" Nineteen voices answered in unison, loudly. They had never seen a legendary master of the divine level, but to have martial arts skills as superb as the Marshal's—at least those who could rival him in the world—were few and far between. For a martial artist, what did it matter if it meant risking their life to enter this new hall of martial arts!
"Very good! However, the first hurdle you will face is a test..."
"Marshal, the Security Department has sent a message..." A Free Guard rushed in to report.

It was late afternoon.
"Lingbo Fairy" Shui Xinyue, dressed as a scholar in a green robe, rode a magnificent horse into the east gate of Changlong City. With her unparalleled beauty and extraordinary temperament, dressing as a woman was certainly too eye-catching, but even dressed as a scholar, she still attracted the gazes of countless beautiful women and handsome men—the beauties were infatuated, and the handsome men were envious! After the battle between
Liu Sheng Jingyun and Shangguan Jin Hong, they vanished into the distance. Hundreds of thousands of Japanese troops retreated thirty miles to set up camp. Shangguan Yunfei led the Central Army back in time, preventing the Japanese army from bypassing Shunchang City to attack the western region of Shunchang Prefecture. However, the Japanese army had amassed over 500,000 troops in Shunchang Prefecture, along with a naval legion that had landed. Shangguan Yunfei's 500,000-plus troops dared not launch a field attack rashly—if they fought to the death, the Japanese army would continue to send reinforcements, but where were the Shangguan family's reinforcements?
The Shangguan family was listed as one of the four great families of Hualong Continent, not primarily because of its military, but because of its highly profitable monopolies in salt and iron. However, it differed slightly from the purely commercial Nangong family. The Shangguan family controlled both an army and successful businesses, possessing extremely strong economic power. Many of its members were either openly or secretly scattered throughout Hualong Continent.
In this time of great chaos, it would be extremely difficult, and even more so, people would dare not or would not be willing to, for family members from all over the country to abandon their local businesses and return to Shunchang Prefecture. Given the current situation, even if Shunchang City falls and Shunchang Prefecture is overrun, family members scattered throughout the land will still have opportunities to revive the dynasty and maintain their strength for a comeback. If they were all gathered together and annihilated, it would be a true catastrophe for the entire clan!
The Free Alliance's "Declaration of Resistance Against the Japanese Pirates" quickly reached the hands of "Lingbo Fairy" Shui Xinyue, who promptly made her statement within the bounds of her authority. She could only agree with and appeal to Hua Yinghong on a few points later in the document, but she held reservations about the series of scathing and murderous words spoken earlier.
Shui Xinyue couldn't understand why Hua Yinghong, whom she had met on Treasure Island with his calm demeanor and exceptional wisdom, always gave her such unexpected surprises. Given the current state of the Free Alliance, even with the strong support of forces like Peach Blossom Palace, the Nangong Family, and Wanmei Manor, they lacked the strength to deal with the ninja masters sent by the three major ninja sects of the Japanese army. Moreover, each of the Free Alliance's member forces had important territories requiring their own experts to guard them. Without such overwhelming power, how many lives would ordinary Free Army soldiers have to sacrifice to kill a single master?
Because she couldn't understand it, Shui Xinyue was extremely curious. Driven by curiosity, she actually went to the Free Alliance herself to see for herself during the tense standoff in Shunchang Prefecture.
Traveling westward, upon entering Maoming Prefecture, Shui Xinyue was immediately struck by its beauty—while it was also a time of war, compared to the areas of the Great Liang Kingdom occupied by the Japanese army, this place was truly a paradise on earth.
The Free Alliance had only occupied Maoming Prefecture for a little over ten days, and even the towns bordering the border had largely returned to their bustling state. From the faces of ordinary people, one could see the confidence of those under the rule of the Free Alliance: no panic, no unease or worry, as if the Free Alliance were the safest place in the world!
Perhaps it was the military miracle of the Free Army's undefeated record that gave them such confidence? Shui Xinyue casually asked a few ordinary people if they were afraid of an impending war. The answer she received was: Who would attack the Free Alliance now? They should be grateful if the Free Army didn't attack others!
What potential did this heartfelt confidence of the people foreshadow?
Since entering Maoming Prefecture, the towns they passed through had almost no military guards, no one questioned them, and no entry taxes; they could move freely and easily. But with Shui Xinyue's keen senses, she naturally knew that many people in the crowd were intentionally or unintentionally monitoring unfamiliar faces like herself, yet they did not intervene.
From the people, she learned that most of the Free Army was stationed in barracks outside the towns, with only the security and internal affairs departments maintaining order within the towns. However, there were almost no cases of theft or robbery.
Having just emerged from the ravages of war, the Free Alliance was undertaking massive construction expenditures, requiring a large workforce and resulting in virtually no unemployment. The Free Alliance's gold shops also provided small loans and short-term living expenses. Who would willingly become a thief unless they were truly desperate?
Furthermore, there was another crucial reason: almost everyone in the Free Alliance could freely practice advanced martial arts like the Heaven and Earth Technique and the Void-Breaking Technique under specialized instruction, and everyone could master a few moves. The punishment for being caught stealing was extremely severe—naturally, theft and robbery were rare, even virtually nonexistent!
Shui Xinyue had personally witnessed the strict discipline of the Free Army: along the official roads, Free Army soldiers helped repair roads and various facilities, paving them with a special cement mixed with steel bars, hard as stone. Because horses would slip on the cement, anti-slip materials were specially added.
Shui Xinyue witnessed a squadron of Free Army soldiers, after resting and resuming work, rise to their feet at a single command, not one dawdling! Those martial arts masters of the fourth or fifth rank used their true qi to shovel and dig through the earth and rocks, employing lightness skills to move things, their efficiency more than two or three times that of ordinary people. All of this seemed somewhat comical, yet also enlightening.
In short, everything about the Free Alliance in Shui Xinyue's eyes was different from other places on the Hua Long Continent she had traveled to, revealing a new atmosphere everywhere. In the current chaotic world of constant war, the Free Alliance's territory could already be considered a paradise—perhaps this was the real reason why Hua Yinghong dared to issue such a murderous declaration to Japan?
Seeing a "Xiankelai" inn at the corner of East Gate Street, its exterior simple and elegant, Shui Xinyue dismounted and went inside…

Volume 8, Deep Waters and Scorching Fire, Chapter 163: Revisiting Xinyue. Marshal Xinyue's
residence was a full six miles from East Gate Street, requiring traversing countless streets. Hua Yinghong strolled through the streets of Changlong City, savoring the city's unique charm.
Changlong City's selection as the temporary capital of the Freedom Alliance and the headquarters of the Freedom Army was a carefully considered decision:
Firstly, as one of the core cities once ruled by the Qiu family, although occupied by the Freedom Army, gaining the unwavering acceptance of the Freedom Alliance's rule from the various factions and the populace would undoubtedly be challenging. However, if Changlong City could be successfully governed and its people won over, it would send a strong signal to the major powers of the Hualong Continent: no matter the difficulties, the Freedom Alliance has the ability to govern any place into a paradise like Treasure Island!
Secondly, Changlong City's location is extremely special. It's only about thirty miles north of Baiyang City, the Qiu family's stronghold, and is roughly situated in the middle of the eastern and western borders of the Freedom Alliance's territory on the Hualong Continent. As a temporary capital, it's inevitable that a large number of troops will be stationed there. The Free Army stationed Feng Yanran's Fire Phoenix Legion and Chang Shengqiu's Independent Cavalry Division, totaling 200,000 troops, along the Changlong City line. This was to prevent a situation where, in the event of war, if Changlong City were garrisoned too lightly and captured by the Qiu family, the eastern and western flanks would lose their coordination and be easily defeated piecemeal.
Given the current situation, it's hard to say whether the Qiu family would willingly abandon Changlong City and Tenglong Port… If Hua Yinghong and Qiu Shuibo were in each other's shoes, they might also harbor thoughts of launching a surprise attack on Changlong City, then recapturing Tenglong Port to the east, and finally seizing Maoming Prefecture! Entrusting such a strategically important location as Changlong City to any current Free Army general, especially against an adversary like Qiu Shuibo, is something Hua Yinghong wouldn't feel comfortable entrusting to him.
In recent days, there had been frequent attacks on Free Army patrols within Changlong City, but after sending a large number of skilled fighters to infiltrate the patrols and employing a strategy of luring and annihilating the troublemakers, several attackers were captured. Xue Qianqian, using her "Soul-Capturing Technique," ruthlessly extracted confessions. Following this lead, the Security Department, Military Intelligence Department, and the Free Army cooperated to eradicate twelve of the Qiu family's hidden forces within Changlong City, killing over six hundred people with an iron fist—essentially eliminating attacks!
With thunderous methods and a compassionate heart, Hua Yinghong, when in power, showed no mercy. A moment of leniency would ultimately plunge the Free Alliance into chaos and disorder, with the common people suffering the most.
Perhaps, morally speaking, many of those killed were good people; not everyone deserved to die, it was simply a matter of differing perspectives. But if one takes the wrong stance, who says good people shouldn't die, or can't die?
With a combination of iron-fisted measures and lenient economic and livelihood policies, Changlong City quickly returned to its former glory. Furthermore, the influx of numerous internal affairs departments, officials, and their families from the Free Alliance, the stationing of large numbers of troops nearby, and the commencement of numerous construction projects... the boundless business opportunities attracted many profit-seekers, making Changlong City even more bustling and prosperous than before.
The large characters "Xiankelai Inn" caught Hua Yinghong's eye, and he slowly walked over.
"Sir, may I ask who you are—" The doorman was a lean, elderly man, ordinary in appearance, yet exuding a very comfortable aura.
For a businessman, harmony is paramount.
"I'm looking for someone, a friend who just checked in, surnamed Shui," Hua Yinghong said politely. "Please inform him." This elderly man possessed a cultivation level at least comparable to Fang Shiling's, yet he was used as a doorman; the Sword Inquiry Pavilion was indeed being too extravagant.
The old gatekeeper glanced at Hua Yinghong with some surprise: apart from his unusually bright eyes, he couldn't discern any martial arts skills in this ordinary-looking young man. If he were an ordinary person, why would he come looking for Shui Xianzi so soon after she moved in, and dare to call himself a friend? But if he were a hidden master, why would he be so formal and polite to a mere gatekeeper?
Although politeness is never a bad thing, and the old man's first impression of Hua Yinghong wasn't bad, he still politely declined, saying, "There's no guest with the surname Shui staying here."
Hua Yinghong smiled politely and said, "Please tell them when you announce their arrival, 'A familiar face returns to visit by Sun and Moon Lake.' Please check the guest register; perhaps you've made a mistake. Also, please remember that according to Article 79 of the Free Alliance's Security Law, those who operate inns but fail to register guests or provide false registrations will be fined twenty to fifty gold coins, up to and including the revocation of their business license."
The old man's face darkened slightly. Just as he was about to insist further, he suddenly remembered the young man's identity from the phrase "A familiar face returns to visit by Sun and Moon Lake," and his expression changed drastically. "Please wait a moment, I'll inform the fairy immediately." He then reached under the table and pulled a rope four times.
Hua Yinghong continued to smile, waiting patiently.

Four silver bells rang. Shui Xinyue's residence, "Listening to the Rain Pavilion," was over seventy zhang away from the gatehouse. It was a secluded courtyard, only open to the occasional visit of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion Master or his successor, never receiving outsiders.
"Fairy, a very important guest has arrived. The gatekeeper insists you see him," said Ma Zhiyuan, the Sword Inquiry Pavilion's manager in Changlong City and the innkeeper of "Xiankelai," somewhat surprised. Shui Xinyue had just moved into the pavilion and received his detailed report on the Free Alliance; she hadn't expected someone to come knocking so soon. It seemed the Sword Inquiry Pavilion had been hiding in Changlong City for many years, thinking themselves secretive, but their every move had already been observed by those with ulterior motives.
"A distinguished guest has arrived; please invite him in," Shui Xinyue said, her brows furrowing slightly. After a moment's thought, she added, "Tell him I'll be waiting at the gate!"
"Who could possibly trouble the Fairy to personally greet him?" Ma Zhiyuan sent out the signal, his expression even more surprised.
"Uncle Ma, think about it, how many people in Changlong City hold a very important position in front of the Sword Inquiry Successor?" Shui Xinyue walked slowly out, a smile flashing in her eyes. Although she attracted attention along the way, she concealed her true identity with the Ruyi Technique, only revealing her surname as Shui when obtaining the travel permit at the first checkpoint of the Maoming Prefecture Free Alliance. The fact that Hua Yinghong's subordinates could time the intelligence and timing so accurately truly made this trip worthwhile.
"Fairy Shui, it's only been a little over two months, and we meet again. The word 'fate' is truly wonderful." Seeing Shui Xinyue, like a quietly blooming lotus, smiling like a celestial fairy waiting at the courtyard gate, Hua Yinghong felt a great fondness for her lack of arrogance befitting her status as the Sword Inquiry Successor. Regardless of his dissatisfaction with the Sword Inquiry Pavilion's stance and actions, he couldn't find a single fault with the temperament and demeanor of this most beautiful woman in Hualong.

"Reporting to the patriarch, Fairy Lingbo, Shui Xinyue, has traveled west and entered Changlong City today." Qiu Shuibo's integrated intelligence system was no joke; Shui Xinyue's movements had been under surveillance by the Qiu family's intelligence department ever since she infiltrated Baijiang Prefecture.
"Understood. Continue surveillance, and remember not to let the Sword Inquiry Pavilion and the Free Alliance discover her." Qiu Shuibo maintained his gentle and refined demeanor. However, as the patriarch, the burden on his shoulders was too heavy, naturally revealing a cautiousness beneath his dignified air.
Qiu Shuibo's actions since taking office had been remarkably effective: a decisive victory against Long Feiyang, the capture of Shunde Prefecture, the preservation of Zhanjiang Prefecture and Yangjiang Prefecture, and the elimination of instability within much of the family caused by the repeated defeats since the Free Army's uprising.
After Qiu Shuibo seized power, a series of measures he implemented largely stabilized the economy and public sentiment in the northern regions of Changlong Prefecture, including Baiyang City, as well as Qingyuan Prefecture and the three newly occupied prefectures. Refugees traveling downstream along the Yulong River were drawn into the Qiu family's controlled areas by measures such as free land distribution and tax reductions when passing through Shunde and Zhanjiang Prefectures.
Qiu Shuibo's most important measure was to emulate the Free Alliance by freeing slaves and granting them civilian status! In summarizing the root causes of the loss of Zhenbao Island, Qiu Shuibo believed that while Hua Yinghong's effective military tactics played a role, the most fundamental reason was the long-standing Qiu family rule's focus on extracting excessive profits from the exploitation of slaves, neglecting to improve the local people's livelihoods.
Given the miserable lives of the large number of slaves on Zhenbao Island, even without Hua Yinghong, it's not impossible that figures like Zhang Yinghong, Liu Yinghong, and Lan Yinghong would have incited slaves to revolt! Under the right policies, Zhenbao Island, with its abundant resources, achieved an astonishing development miracle. It not only became the most important source of economic resources for the Free Alliance but also a virtually impregnable rear base and manpower source!
Even during prolonged wars, the blockade of Zhenbao Island proved ineffective. Zhenbao Island possesses unparalleled resources. Even if the Qiu Clan officially didn't purchase supplies from Zhenbao Island, smuggling by civilians and the ports of Quanzhou and Donghai County under the Daliang Long Clan continued to absorb and purchase large quantities of minerals and other resources from Zhenbao Island, even novel materials like cement that had recently appeared within the Free Alliance!
In November alone, Zhenbao Island's fiscal revenue exceeded four million gold coins! Even without considering that the Qiu Clan had previously concealed hundreds of thousands of people and fiscal revenue from the Jade Dragon Royal Court, Zhenbao Island's total annual fiscal revenue was only fifteen million gold coins!
In military terms, under the Qiu clan's rule, large numbers of slaves and mountain people were not only unsuitable for military service, but also required the Jade Dragon Army to be stationed everywhere like salt to suppress slave rebellions. Now, the Free Alliance can recruit qualified soldiers almost anytime to expand its army, and even selects them based on various conditions!
Perhaps it's more accurate to say that the Free Alliance's success is a success of thought and strategy, rather than just a military victory.
There's a saying within the family: they should have used a large number of their experts to strangle the Free Alliance while it was still weak. Qiu Shuibo scoffed at this: in a conventional war, let alone whether a group of experts could withstand the overt and covert support of forces like the Peach Blossom Palace and the Nangong Family, even if they succeeded, using a group of Saint-level experts to slaughter a group of slaves would only invite ridicule from the various countries and families of Hualong, and be looked down upon by the Sword Inquiry Pavilion, making any hope of reaching the top impossible!
Moreover, the Long family was eyeing them covetously at that time. If the Qiu family became the first to break the "unspoken rules," and a large number of experts went to deal with the Free Army, wouldn't they fear that the Long family would mobilize all their experts to wipe out the Qiu family's stronghold?
Abandoning Tianshui Prefecture and Dongguan Prefecture wouldn't be a significant loss for the Qiu family. At that time, the people in the two prefectures were almost entirely controlled by the Wanmei Manor and the Jiang family. As long as the Qiu family didn't have the courage to eliminate the Wanmei Manor, where the "Plum Blossom Sword Saint" was stationed, and the Jiang family, supported by the Jade Dragon spies, they would never be able to truly control the two prefectures. The Free Alliance was incredibly lucky: with the support of the Wanmei Manor, they were able to eliminate the Jiang family, and the problem was solved.
Utilizing the situation to maximize their own interests—this is the most terrifying aspect of Hua Yinghong, the Son of Freedom. In the battle against the Japanese invasion of Zhenbao Island, the Free Army was in the limelight. Intelligence showed that many passionate men from across the continent, even some famous scholars and prominent figures, began to secretly enter the Free Alliance-controlled areas through various channels, seeing the Free Alliance as the hope for restoring the glory of the Han and Tang dynasties!
This time, the Japanese invaders launched a large-scale attack on Liang, and it was the Free Alliance that took the lead in advocating a united front against them. Many responded, and the Qiu family had no choice but to follow suit. While the Sword-Asking Pavilion's stance was somewhat reserved, most expressed support. Like playing chess, the Free Alliance held the upper hand at every turn, manipulating the major powers at will!
After the Battle of Qingyuan ended and Long Feiyang's army was forced to retreat, Qiu Shuibo adjusted his troop deployment, deploying two large legions along the Baiyang City line. He also reorganized a legion each in Qingyuan, Shunde, Zhanjiang, and Yangjiang prefectures, plus the existing naval legion in Yangjiang Prefecture, bringing his total strength to 1.12 million men, along with several reserve divisions.
Although many were newly recruited soldiers and others were reorganized from surrendered troops from Qingyuan Prefecture, the increased strength of the Qiu family's Jade Dragon Army was undeniable. While the Free Alliance's military strength was formidable, it was no longer as carefree as it had been when it was isolated on Zhenbao Island; instead, it faced pressure from several major powers simultaneously.
To the west of Tianshui Prefecture lies the Yinming Army, newly victorious and now occupying Yulong City, its strength greatly increased. To the north of Tianshui and Dongguan Prefectures lies Jianghan Prefecture, the stronghold of the Ding family, while Changlong, Qingyuan, and Maoming Prefectures directly confront the Qiu family. Meanwhile, the Free Army's most elite forces—Ye Zhiqiu's First Legion and the Batian Special Forces Division, numbering 200,000—are on a westward expedition to the Baiyi Kingdom, locked in a stalemate with Sima Zhao and the Baiyi Duan family's hundreds of thousands of troops, unable to extricate themselves. Now, the Free Alliance has declared war on Japan—this is truly a golden opportunity to crush the Free Alliance!
"Top Secret Number One, Top Secret Number Two..." Qiu Shuibo's mind flashed back to every major move the Free Alliance made, each time as still as a virgin, yet as swift as thunder. This time, the Qiu family's intelligence system painstakingly obtained the code names for the two plans, but could not ascertain their specific contents. With Qiu Shuibo's keen intuition, if they didn't seize this opportune moment, before the "unspoken rules" and taboos were broken and the Free Alliance hadn't yet amassed a large number of super experts, and instead launched a preemptive strike to crush the Free Alliance in one fell swoop, they feared that once the Free Alliance's new plan succeeded, they would never have another chance!
"The World's Number One Divine Physician," Guiguzi, visited Baiyang City at the invitation of his ancestor Qiu Wanli, and only uttered four words regarding the Qiu family's future: "Follow the Mandate of Heaven!"
What is the Mandate of Heaven? Who can represent the Mandate of Heaven? —Qiu Shuibo, confident in his extraordinary talent, surely couldn't glimpse the Mandate of Heaven?
"How are the negotiations with the various families progressing?" Qiu Shuibo asked softly, seemingly to himself.
"Reports from all sides indicate that preliminary agreements have been reached with the higher-ups of each family, but specific conditions are still under negotiation. Only the Long family remains hesitant, and there's also Gao…" A peculiar voice rang out not far outside the room; just hearing the voice seemed to reveal a smiling face—the most mysterious and unfathomable of the "Four Tigers of the Qiu Family," "Laughing Tiger" Qiu Shuixiao!
"Send a top-secret letter, finalizing everything by the 20th of this month. Tell all parties that this is a golden opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime chance! If negotiations fail, the Qiu family will unconditionally join the Freedom Alliance!" Qiu Shuibo's tone was resolute, his eyes flashing with unwavering determination!

Volume 8, Chapter 164: Solitude in the Secret Valley
"If negotiations fail, the Qiu family will unconditionally join the Freedom Alliance!"—Qiu Shuibo's words were extremely abrupt and seemingly inexplicable, but upon closer examination, they made some sense!
—Only someone like Qiu Shuibo knew how dangerous the Freedom Alliance was! Only he understood that this opportunity only came once! Only he had the resolve and the courage to push forward a plan to subvert the Freedom Alliance! The fact
that the Sword Inquiry successor, Shui Xinyue, had returned to the Freedom Alliance for the second time was itself a dangerous signal. Although the "Sword Inquiry Order" wouldn't be issued under the current unclear circumstances, waiting until the Sword Inquiry Pavilion made some kind of guarantee to the Freedom Alliance would be too late!
Qiu Shuibo, whom Hua Yinghong considered his mortal enemy, was finally preparing to attack him, and without holding back!
Meanwhile, the "Romantic Marshal" was enjoying a rare moment of relaxation—what could be more pleasant, comfortable, and joyful for any man in the world than having the most beautiful woman on the Hua Long Continent, "Lingbo Fairy" Shui Xinyue, by his side?

"The Nine Transformations of Ruyi are truly miraculous," Hua Yinghong remarked as he strolled through the streets of Changlong City with Shui Xinyue, still dressed as a man and a scholar. "The Nangong family's Xiaowuxiang ability can already change a person's appearance; the Nine Transformations of Ruyi can change a person's appearance and temperament simultaneously, making them look like two completely different people. I truly admire them."
Shui Xinyue now appeared no different from an ordinary, handsome scholar, having lost her previous ethereal and otherworldly aura, no longer attracting the attention of the crowd. This left Hua Yinghong somewhat puzzled: if Shui Xinyue had changed in this way during her journey westward, with her skill, the intelligence personnel of the Security Department would likely have had a hard time tracking her movements.
"The Nine Transformations of Ruyi only change oneself. Even with a thousand transformations, it is ultimately limited," Shui Xinyue said calmly, her slender finger casually pointing to the thousands of people passing by on the street, their faces beaming with joy. "Brother Hua's Divine Skill of Freedom can change the landscape of a thousand miles, transforming countless people's appearances. Compared to that, the Nine Transformations of Ruyi are but a drop in the ocean. Xinyue has traveled westward from the Great Liang Kingdom, and has many reflections."
Hua Yinghong smiled slightly; Shui Xinyue's comparison of her advocated spirit of freedom and equality to "Divine Skill of Freedom" was rather playful. Chatting with this amiable and charming fairy was truly a delightful experience.
"Newspapers for sale! Newspapers for sale! Today's headlines..." The newsboy's shouts caught Shui Xinyue's attention. Her beautiful eyes glanced at Hua Yinghong, and she asked, "What is this newspaper?"
There were too many new things in the Free Alliance. Even the well-informed Wenjian Pavilion couldn't possibly know everything using their previous intelligence gathering methods. Apart from important information, there was far too much that Shui Xinyue didn't know.
"This is something new that came about after the promulgation of the Press and Publication Law," Hua Yinghong said. "For thousands of years, the rulers and powerful families of various countries have prioritized keeping the people ignorant and fooling them. They cite the sage's words, 'The people can be made to follow a path, but they cannot be made to understand it,' but they are actually violating the sage's way for their own selfish reasons. I believe the sage's words should be interpreted as 'The people can be made to follow a path; if they cannot be made to understand it, they should be made wise.' The people's strength can be mobilized, their hearts can be used, and they cannot be deceived. This newspaper is meant to enlighten the people and criticize current malpractices. As long as they don't maliciously attack the Free Alliance or fabricate fake news, it contains all sorts of strange and wonderful things. If anyone is dissatisfied with me, as long as they have reason and evidence, it's okay for them to criticize me in the newspaper."
"Is that so?" Shui Xinyue asked in surprise. "As far as I know, those in high positions in every country and state are wary of people discussing politics and right and wrong. Teahouses and taverns all have a 'no talking about state affairs' rule. Brother Hua's magnanimity is truly admirable."
Hua Yinghong called over a newsboy, took a copper coin, bought a copy of the "Freedom Daily," and handed it to her, saying, "The 'Declaration of Resistance Against the Japanese Pirates' is the inaugural headline of this newspaper. It's still relatively new, and its distribution is limited at the moment, so it's understandable that you, Fairy, don't know about it. We've already explored Changlong City quite a bit, so why don't we find another place to talk? The noise here isn't a good place to chat."
"Since Brother Hua is the host, I will follow your wishes." Shui Xinyue took the still-fragrant newspaper, only to see that the headline was "Japanese Pirates Massively Increase Troops, Zhu's Demise Imminent"; another headline was "Ministry of Education Designates 'Hua's Eight Books' as Required Reading Textbook"...

Alliance Leader's Mansion. Liu Yufei said somewhat uneasily to Xue Qianqian, "Sister Qian, the successor of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion, Shui Xinyue, has come to visit again. I wonder if it's a blessing or a curse? My brother is going alone, will he..."
Xue Qianqian smiled and said, "Fei-mei, you are usually so composed and generous, why are you so nervous today? The situation is still unclear. The Sword Inquiry Pavilion will never side with either side, let alone attack Brother Hua. Besides, with Brother Hong's current martial arts skills, as long as he doesn't face a master of the Divine Rank, he can protect himself. Don't worry, at worst, he still has Fang Shiling's guards and the people from the Security Department and the Military Intelligence Bureau to protect him."
Liu Yufei smiled shyly and said, "I was just frightened by my brother's several near-death experiences, I was just worried and confused."
"Xinru, is there any new news?" Xue Qianqian suddenly asked towards the outside of the hall. Apart from Liwen, the "Four Peach Blossom Women," after obtaining the "Heaven and Earth Technique," had greatly improved their skills and had chosen male disciples in the Peach Blossom Palace for dual cultivation, but they were still Xue Qianqian's capable assistants in handling affairs in the Security Department.
"Hua Shuai and Shui Xinyue disappeared after leaving the East Gate! Please advise, Palace Master!" Xinru's voice drifted like a thread, only reaching everyone's ears in the hall.
"It's nothing. Just tell them to wait near Cuiping Mountain." Xue Qianqian smiled at Liu Yufei, "Fei-mei, do you remember our private territory 'Ice and Fire Cave'? It seems we might be gaining a new sister."

About twenty miles southeast of Changlong City, in Cuiping Mountain.
"What a beautiful place! What a wondrous place!" Lingbo Fairy Shui Xinyue laughed happily like a little girl, sincerely praising, "The beauty and wonder of this place surpass even Penglai, truly demonstrating the magic of creation. It's rare that Brother Hua could find such a paradise on earth."
This was a deep valley surrounded by mountains, over seventy feet deep, with a circumference of only about twenty feet, untouched by human habitation. It was already deep winter, yet the valley remained warm as spring, with lush green grass and countless unknown flowers blooming in profusion, making one feel as if they were in another world.
What's wondrous is that within this tiny, secluded valley, as if sculpted by nature's masterful hand, a powerful, white, icy stream, about ten feet wide, continuously spews forth from the eastern cliff face, while on the opposite western cliff face, a row of powerful, raging flames rises incessantly. The ice and fire meet precisely in the air above the valley's center, causing a flurry of rain and mist to fall... Meanwhile, a gentle breeze blows from a crevice in the southern cliff face, carrying rain and mist that swirls through the valley...
And that's not all—slightly higher on the northern side of the valley floor, a small, clear spring gushes forth from the flat ground of the cliff, forming a pool about two feet in diameter, overflowing onto banks made of white marble. Beyond the pool, perhaps eroded by millions of years, a clear stream, about half a zhang wide, meanders through the deep valley. The stream banks are adorned with blooming flowers, lush green grass, and gnarled trees. Naturally formed irregular rockeries, stone tables, and even two small white marble bridges dot the landscape. In the middle of the valley lies a large pool, about five zhang in diameter, formed by the melting of ice and fire above, cascading down like a waterfall. The stream eventually flows down the southern cliff, its destination unknown…
Even more wondrous is that from any point on the four sides of the cliff, one can only see the rising mist within the valley, its true form obscured. Only by descending into the valley can one witness this wondrous sight. As the sun set, only a sliver of sunlight peeked through the western peak, illuminating the smooth, mirror-like cliffs to the east. This sunlight reflected off the icy waterfall, creating countless mesmerizing, ever-changing rainbows…
While searching for a base for Project “Top Secret No. 2,” Hua Yinghong scouted the area around Changlong City and stumbled upon this hidden place. He then secretly spent half a day there with Liu, Xue, and the other women, thoroughly enjoying themselves. They were so engrossed in their play that they decided to keep it as their private territory, naming it 'Ice and Fire Cave Heaven.'
“I discovered it by chance,” Hua Yinghong said. “I named this place Ice and Fire Cave Heaven. Sometimes I really want to cultivate here in peace and quiet, no longer concerning myself with worldly affairs.”
“Brother Hua, you hold great power and are at the height of your career. Why do you have such thoughts of detachment?” Shui Xinyue’s mind seemed still drawn to the breathtakingly beautiful seven-colored icefall, but she sighed softly, “Such a paradise on earth is even less suitable for discussing world affairs than Changlong City. War is dangerous and fraught with peril, and I can’t bear to spoil this atmosphere.”
“What must be faced cannot be avoided, nor can it be escaped.” Below the western cliff, perhaps due to the geothermal heat, there were many dry places. Hua Yinghong casually sat down on a patch of grass and said, “Fairy, your visit to the Free Alliance is not merely for leisure. Perhaps you have something to teach me? Do you have three more questions to ask this time?”
"Brother Hua, could you perhaps change your form of address? Just call me Xinyue, shall we?" Shui Xinyue casually sat down less than half a zhang away from Hua Yinghong and said, "The successor of the Sword Inquiry Sect carries too much burden. Could you allow me to ask questions in a private capacity, without being bound by the three-question limit?"
A faint, virginal fragrance emanated from Shui Xinyue, refreshing and intoxicating, making Hua Yinghong almost intoxicated by its scent.
"I will speak frankly and without reservation." A smile, along with a hint of cunning, flashed in Hua Yinghong's "magical eyes." He said, "Xinyue, could you also allow me to return three questions to show fairness?"

Thirty li east of Wuling City, at the Ding Clan's army camp.
On the general's desk lay a secret letter. Ding Zixing, hands clasped behind his back, gazed southeast towards Changlong City, his mind racing.
Ding Zixing's original plan was to launch a major offensive while Sima Yuan and his son were still reeling from their defeat at Yulong City and their morale was low. The aim was to decisively defeat Sima Cheng's army, seize Wuling City and dozens of towns and cities throughout Wuling Prefecture, and then, together with Ding Baijian and Sima Tai, who had occupied Linjiang Prefecture, launch a coordinated westward offensive to conquer the entire Wuling Prefecture.
To implement this plan, Ding Zixing personally led his family's most elite guards to Wuling Prefecture to command the battle. However, Sima Cheng, being a cunning and shrewd strategist, annihilated the five thousand elite Ding cavalrymen who were harassing the official road between Wuling Prefecture and Tianshui Prefecture, and also seized over a hundred cartloads of military equipment secretly sold by the Free Alliance. As the two armies clashed fiercely, Sima Cheng's Jade Dragon Army suddenly unleashed 20,000 powerful crossbows—their immense and sustained firepower caught the Ding family's army completely off guard, resulting in a crushing defeat. Fortunately, the Ding family's descendants, though defeated, remained composed, and their 200,000-strong army managed to stabilize their position after retreating thirty miles.
However, this action significantly impacted the entire battle: Sima Cheng commanded over 300,000 troops in Wuling Prefecture, along with a large number of highly skilled warriors who had evacuated from Jade Dragon City. Coupled with the 20,000 powerful crossbows, Ding's remaining 200,000 troops, already demoralized from their recent defeat, were insufficient to withstand the attack.
If Sima Cheng were to seize the opportunity to attack Jianghan Prefecture, threatening the family's ancestral home—Jianghan City—the Free Army in the southern Tianshui and Dongguan Prefectures, currently hesitant to act under the current balance of power, might resort to their old tricks of taking advantage of the chaos!
In Shilong Town, north of Dongguan Prefecture, the Ding family, though stationed with a fully-equipped Jianghan Army Corps and a reserve division totaling 200,000 men, might not be able to withstand the two powerful Free Army legions without the support of Jianghan Prefecture.
The Ding family had forcibly seized most of Dongguan Prefecture from the Free Army, and the "Son of Freedom," Hua Yinghong's, declaration of "withdrawal within a time limit or extermination" might be forgotten by others, but Ding Zixing, as the head of the Ding family, dared not forget it.
Thus, Ding Baijian and Sima Tai's forces, preparing to advance westward into Changling Prefecture from Linjiang Prefecture, were forced to move south to threaten the northern region of Wuling Prefecture. Sima Cheng dispatched Murong Bo's Wuling Army Corps northward to block them, resulting in another stalemate.
And it was the Free Alliance again—if it weren't for the Free Alliance providing those 20,000 divine crossbows, Wuling Prefecture would already be in their hands! Now, with the situation on the western front stabilized, Sima Yuan and his son Sima Cheng, like gamblers who had lost everything, issued an emergency imperial decree, bestowing the title of Duke upon Sima Changhe of the Roland Legion and granting numerous marquises throughout the land, recklessly expanding their army without regard for the consequences!
Sima Changhe had already dispatched troops to open up the passage through Yanmen Pass and Shiyan Prefecture to Yichun Prefecture, west of Wuling Prefecture. Two divisions entered Yichun Prefecture, integrating the local armed forces still loyal to Sima Cheng and Sima Yuan, and expanding them into the Yichun Legion. Leveraging their local influence, Sima Cheng also ordered the formation of a legion in Changling Prefecture, using the navy and reserve divisions as its backbone. Even if the newly integrated army was not strong, how difficult would it be to easily take over Wuling Prefecture again!
Here, we must mention the Nangong family again—originally, Sima Cheng's reckless expansion of the army, after losing the capital Yulong City and suffering huge financial losses, did not have sufficient financial resources. However, the Nangong family, usually known for their shrewd business acumen, seemed to have lost their minds. While Sima Cheng and his son were frantically auctioning off land and mineral resources across the land, no one dared to take over. The Nangong family, however, followed suit, spending over 20 million gold coins to buy up vast quantities of land and resources at extremely low prices!
Seeing the Nangong family's extravagant buying spree, some merchants seeking wealth and adventure followed suit. In a short time, the economic lifeline of the areas controlled by Sima Cheng and his son was almost entirely controlled by merchants led by the Nangong family. But the 50 million gold coins quickly came into their hands, creating conditions for Sima Cheng and his son's massive military expansion: in a chaotic and precarious situation, expanding the army was easy; all it took was issuing a weapon, a bow, a few sets of uniforms, and an advance on military pay. Many people had been driven to desperation by the chaos, bandits, and exorbitant taxes, leaving them with no other option but to join the army or become bandits—this was the only remaining path for many.
Without the Free Alliance as the mastermind behind it all, the Nangong family would never have made such a losing proposition. Because if any force outside the Free Alliance were to occupy Wuling County, they would not recognize this wartime cheap purchase of official property and would certainly confiscate it all as official property—only the Free Alliance's "Land Law" explicitly stipulates that appropriate compensation will be provided for various land deeds, mining deeds, etc., acquired in the controlled areas.
"The truly dangerous enemy is still the Free Alliance." Without even reading the secret letter sent by Qiu Shuibo, Ding Zixing knew the key point.
But even if he knew, what could he do?

Volume 8, Chapter 165: What is Love?
"The Free Alliance is the common enemy of all aristocratic families." In Ding Zixing's mind, like Qiu Shuibo's, this had become an unbreakable belief.
All the propositions and policies that the Free Alliance has put forward so far have endangered the privileges of the major aristocratic families and clans, and are a complete subversion of the existing ruling system! —On this point, they are the common enemy of the aristocratic families!
What's even more terrifying than the Yinming Sect is that the Free Alliance employs a strategy of both force and appeasement towards powerful clans, making it easier to divide them and create a "those who submit prosper, those who oppose perish" situation!
Qiu Shuibo's secret letter was extremely vehement—if the various powerful clans couldn't unite to overthrow the Free Alliance's plan, the Qiu family would unconditionally join the Free Alliance!
"Unconditionally" means the Qiu family would relinquish all political and military privileges, and instead follow the example of the Peach Blossom Palace, the Nangong Family, and other forces, seeking a different, parasitic way to develop their power according to the Free Alliance's new rules. Considering the rapid development of forces like the Gaoshan Clan, Peach Blossom Palace, the Ship Gang, Wanmei Manor, and the Bai Clan who have joined the Free Alliance, it's not impossible that the Qiu family, under Qiu Shuibo's leadership, would make such a choice!
However, this would mean that the Free Alliance, which had already begun to demonstrate its comprehensive strength in politics, economy, and military, would become the primary targets of the Free Alliance's attacks, given that the Ding family's Jianghan County and the Long family's remaining Baiquan Prefecture and Meijiang Prefecture east of the Yulong River were geographically vulnerable.
If the Qiu family's more than one million troops joined forces with the Free Army's million-strong army, under the command of the two outstanding talents Hua Yinghong and Qiu Shuibo, even if the Ding family issued the "Spring and Autumn Limitless Order" to mobilize its last remaining forces, given Hua Yinghong's consistently tough and uncompromising style and methods, the Ding family might truly face annihilation!
After a long period of contemplation, Ding Zixing finally gave the order: "Send a message to my second brother. Regarding the negotiations, our clan can make some concessions on our conditions, but the fundamental principles cannot be abandoned..."
Adjusting the military direction and joining forces to annihilate the Free Army and divide the Free Alliance was indeed the most urgent and necessary choice at present. However, while making this decision, Ding Zixing felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding.
Although the Free Alliance clearly lacked a sufficient number of super experts of Saint-level or above to support it, it was like a fat pig with thick flesh and thin skin, lacking strong bones. But could several families working together really swallow it up?

The sky was already darkening, but the firelight spewing from the cliffs illuminated the valley as clearly as day.
Seemingly unaware of the conspiracy of several families to join forces against the Free Alliance, Hua Yinghong was still chatting easily with "Lingbo Fairy" Shui Xinyue at the bottom of the "Ice and Fire Cave Heaven" valley, as if they were old friends who had reunited after many years. The two could definitely be considered the most outstanding representatives of the younger generation of the Hua Long Continent, seemingly unaware of how late it had gotten.
Despite having already asked and answered countless questions, Shui Xinyue still asked like a student full of endless curiosity and eager to learn, "I really can't believe how you know so much! And where do you get so much knowledge?"
For a full two hours, Shui Xinyue had been asking questions and Hua Yinghong had been answering: astronomy, geography, politics, economics, military history, all walks of life, and various professions... Hua Yinghong's answers and unique insights always brought Shui Xinyue endless surprises, making her curiosity, which had already been aroused by the high praise from Sword God Lang Qingyun, even more intense!
Hua Yinghong lay sprawled on the grass, chewing on a long, sparse root, gazing up at the spectacular sight of ice and fire mingling in the center of the valley. He replied leisurely, “I started learning to read at the age of four. I love reading, I read a lot of books. I read almost every book I could find carefully. Some people can only read for an hour a day at most, but I can read for eight hours. Some people can only read while sitting, but I can read while walking. Some people read for ten years and still don’t read as many books as I have in half a year. If Xin Yue were to come to my mansion, she would see that my collection of books has filled two entire rooms, and I have already read at least 80% of them… The more you read, the more you think, the more you naturally know.”
“I understand that, just like when I practice the Ruyi Heart Sword. Although talent and comprehension are very important, and Penglai Immortal Island produces many spiritual herbs that greatly help improve one’s skills, diligence is also very important. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect, and diligence can make up for lack of talent. When I was practicing on the Immortal Island, my senior sisters practiced for six hours a day, while I practiced for at least eight hours a day. In fact, whether I was doing something, eating, walking, or sleeping, I would think about it in my mind and practice in my brain, so naturally I progressed much faster than them.”
Shui Xinyue’s beautiful eyes, bright as stars and sparkling, stared at Hua Yinghong’s ordinary face, and she smiled slightly with a hint of self-deprecation: “Sometimes when I’m lost in thought, my senior sisters will tease me as ‘Silly Moon’.”
“Extraordinary people have extraordinary methods and extraordinary abilities.” Hua Yinghong also smiled and said: “When I’m engrossed in reading and thinking, some people will laugh at me for being a bookworm… It’s a pity that she may never see or laugh at me…”
Suddenly, a trace of melancholy rose from the bottom of her heart. Ever since he thought of "Fei'er" last night, Hua Yinghong's heart has been restless. Now, Shui Xinyue's words have stirred up endless longing for "Fei'er," the girl who loved to tease him as a "silly goose" and a "bookworm."
He thought he had forgotten her, but the memory keeps resurfacing; it's an unshakeable sorrow, something he can never truly let go of—no matter how many stunning beauties surround him, "Fei'er" will never be replaced in Hua Yinghong's heart…
"Is 'she' your most beloved lover? Where is she?" Shui Xinyue noticed Hua Yinghong's emotional turmoil and asked casually.
From their first meeting on Zhenbao Island, Hua Yinghong's casual recitation of "Life is precious, but love is more precious" revealed him to be a man of deep feeling and strong emotions. It's unexpected that this seemingly glamorous and famously romantic young man harbors such profound tenderness and sorrow.
Hua Yinghong sighed softly, his face etched with sadness, and said, "She's in a very, very far place..."
He still hesitated to tell Shui Xinyue about his astonishing secret of coming from another world.
"I'm sorry! I didn't know," Shui Xinyue said apologetically, clearly misunderstanding Hua Yinghong's words and thinking she had touched a sore spot.
"It's alright, she's just in another world, perhaps we'll never meet again in this life." Hua Yinghong said resolutely, "Perhaps with the power of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion, Xinyue should now know that I am not from this world?"
For some reason, facing this peerless beauty, the most beautiful woman in Hualong, Hua Yinghong couldn't bear to hide anything from her, including his astonishing background!
Sure enough, Shui Xinyue didn't seem surprised, obviously already knowing, and said softly, "Successor of the Two Gods, savior of another world. What you've done already makes people suspect that you're not from this world. Sword God Lang Qingyun is currently on Penglai Island, cultivating together with my master. I only recently learned that your background is so bizarre."
Hua Yinghong wasn't surprised that Sword God Lang Qingyun was still in the world. After all, he had learned quite a bit about the life of Sword God Lang Qingyun these past few days, and naturally knew about his entanglements with Ling Hanyan, the master of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion, as well as the God of Knife and the God of Spear. He sighed again, "What is love in this world? It makes people willing to die for each other. I cultivate diligently, hoping to one day break through the void and see if I can return to my hometown. But now I am more and more deeply entangled in this world. Even if I glimpse the Dao of Heaven, how can I just leave? How can I know that my hometown is on the other side of the void? It's such a contradiction."
"What is love in this world? It makes people willing to die for each other." Shui Xinyue pondered for a long time before saying, "I seek the Dao of the sword, I practice the sword of the heart, and I cultivate my heart. My master once said that the greatest obstacle to the way of the sword of the heart is love, and the greatest help is also love. But I still can't understand the mystery, which is why I dared to ask you."
This peerless fairy was sometimes incredibly intelligent, and sometimes as innocent as a blank sheet of paper.
"Only by reaching the pinnacle of emotion can one reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship." Hua Yinghong said, "Without experiencing it firsthand, who can know the taste of emotion? Even if one is immersed in emotion, who can truly reach its pinnacle? Have you ever loved? Have you ever hated? Have you ever longed for someone? Have you ever suffered? Without
love, hate, thought, or pain, how can one comprehend the true meaning of emotion?" Shui Xinyue pondered this question again, gazing into Hua Yinghong's eyes, which shone with wisdom, as if she had grasped something, yet also as if she had gained nothing at all…
"It's getting late. If Xinyue is still not finished, how about we ask her another time we meet?" Although his conversation with Shui Xinyue was quite congenial, and even a slightly unusual atmosphere had slowly developed between them, Hua Yinghong still restrained himself and said, "It's my turn to ask you three questions."
"I'll answer whatever I know." Shui Xinyue mimicked Hua Yinghong's previous tone, smiling playfully. Her beautiful and serene face was a thousand times more captivating than the countless colorful flowers in the valley!
"The first question is: Why did the Divine Sword Prince Ximen Jie deliberately let me have three moves that day at Sun and Moon Lake?" Hua Yinghong's question seemed out of the blue, as if it had nothing to do with Shui Xinyue.
“Ximen Jie is a true martial arts fanatic and a true hero. He only wants to boost your confidence and inspire the ‘successor of the two gods,’ who has been touted as a legend on Lonely Star Island, into a true master. You and he will inevitably have a battle in the future.” Shui Xinyue said with a smile in her eyes, “If it were a life-or-death battle, you wouldn’t have been able to withstand a single move from him at Sun and Moon Lake! Now, with your cultivation, you should be able to fight him, and perhaps you will see him again soon.”
“The higher you climb, the colder it gets; masters are always lonely.” Hua Yinghong said with a faint smile, “I know I am still no match for Ximen Jie or Xinyue, but it won’t be easy for him to defeat me either. Besides, I always prefer to use my brain to solve problems, and I will never easily engage in a duel unless absolutely necessary.”
Shui Xinyue said, “Actually, you have only been practicing martial arts for a few months, but your current level is already unprecedented. Master Lang said that given time, your achievements will surpass his, and you will become the number one person in the world, breaking through the void will be a piece of cake.”
"The ways of Heaven are unpredictable. What good is becoming the number one person in the world?" Hua Yinghong seemed unconcerned, then asked, "My second question is: Xin Yue, you didn't come to the Free Alliance just to chat with me, did you?"
"With your intelligence and the Free Alliance's intelligence capabilities, you have a clear understanding of the current situation. I don't know how you will handle it, but it seems you already have a plan. Originally, I wanted to revisit the Free Alliance as the successor of the Sword Inquiry, to make them hesitant and prevent them from acting rashly. I also wanted to ask you to lead your army to Daliang to save countless people from the Japanese invaders' slaughter. Now, I realize that was too wishful thinking, and difficult to say." Shui Xin Yue said softly, "You will know in the future that the Sword Inquiry Order cannot be issued lightly, it cannot be issued lightly. This is all I can do now."
How could "Fairy Lingbo" Shui Xin Yue not know about the fact that the major forces surrounding the Free Alliance were plotting against them? The Sword Inquiry Pavilion's transcendent position above all other forces on the Hua Long Continent for a century was no ordinary feat!
Hua Yinghong said, "If Xinyue issues the order as the successor of the Sword Inquiry, I cannot obey; if Xinyue wishes for me to send troops, then I will. In fact, the Tenglong Navy's four hundred warships and eighty thousand Free Navy soldiers are already fully prepared and waiting for my order. Does Xinyue understand?"
A trace of worry appeared on Shui Xinyue's beautiful face, and she said softly, "Xinyue is truly in a dilemma. If the affairs of the Great Liang Kingdom were to harm the prosperous and peaceful Free Alliance, how could Xinyue bear it? Please consider your own situation!" "
Alright then! The third question is: I want to know, if one day Xinyue also falls in love, would I be one of her choices?"
After saying that, Hua Yinghong's pair of bright "magic eyes" stared into Shui Xinyue's sparkling eyes—after arriving in this other world, Shui Xinyue was the first beauty besides Liu Yufei whom he had taken the initiative to pursue.
"What do you think?" A faint mist rose in Shui Xinyue's clear eyes. She neither dodged nor greeted him, but simply answered with a rhetorical question.
"Tonight, the Tenglong Navy will march on the Daliang sea area. I will announce the start of my closed-door training." Hua Yinghong shifted his gaze to the ice and fire spectacle in the deep valley and slowly said, "No matter what happens to the Free Alliance afterward, please believe that everything is under my control; no matter what actions the Free Alliance or the Free Army takes afterward, I hope the Sword Inquiry Pavilion will not interfere... I truly do not wish to be enemies with Xinyue."
"For the first time, I wish I weren't the successor of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion, so I wouldn't have to bear such a heavy responsibility," Shui Xinyue also looked at the ice and fire spectacle, her eyes filled with even more mist, and softly said, "No matter what stance the Sword Inquiry Pavilion takes in the future, I hope that Xinyue will always be Xinyue in your heart, and that you will still have the opportunity to come to this 'Ice and Fire Cave Heaven'. You will know in the future: although the Sword Inquiry Pavilion can command the world, it also has many things it cannot do."
"Xinyue, I will sing you a song from another world. A very meaningful song..." Hua Yinghong's singing voice echoed in the deep valley:
"Pluck a smiling flower / Reflect on the changes of the world / In the end, what does winning or losing matter? /
The sun and moon wax and wane / Wealth and honor are fleeting / This morning's face is older than last night's /
Let a word of leniency linger between your brows / See a glimpse of human life / Who hasn't tasted joy and sorrow? /
The sea stretches endlessly / Grudges are hard to calculate / Yesterday is not what it should be forgotten today /
The waves surge and people are insignificant / The birds of youth have flown away / Even the most turbulent times are swayed by the
wind / The wind howls and people are insignificant / The joy of being like grass in a mountain of knives / The myriad flavors of love and hate sway with the wind..."
Shui Xinyue closed her beautiful eyes, as if she had fallen asleep peacefully to the sound of a beautiful song...

Volume 8, Chapter 166: The Grim Situation
In the winter of the 994th year of the Hualong Calendar, the heavy snow arrived late.
It wasn't until December 15th that the first heavy snowfall, lasting for two days, fell in various places along the Yulong River. But the snow fell heavily and accumulated deeply. In many places along the Yulong River, the snow accumulated to more than two feet, and in some places even three feet deep!
"A timely snow promises a bountiful harvest." Such heavy snow should normally be a cause for celebration across the Hua Long Continent, for in a year of peace, it signifies a bountiful harvest the following year. However, for the past few months, the Hua Long Continent has been ravaged by war and conflict. Vast fields of wheat on the plains along the Yu Long River have been trampled by horses and soaked in blood and flesh, leaving the harvest uncertain.
The continuous warfare has depleted vast grain reserves; a poor harvest means countless people will starve to death next year!
This unprecedented snowfall has forced the war between the Jin Long Kingdom and the Later Tang Empire into a stalemate. With the help of the Ding family, the four divisions of the Later Tang Empire's Yuwen clan's southwestern army, trapped in Binjiang Prefecture, crossed the Yu Long River and reached Jiangling Prefecture on the north bank, like dragons returning to the sea. Within a few days, with the help of the Yuwen clan's long-established network in the southwestern region, the southwestern army successfully recaptured a large area in western Jiangling Prefecture, restoring its strength and, more importantly, severing the Jin Long army's connection with the Jin Long Kingdom's mainland!
The "spy strategy" in Dongfang Bai's "Ten-Point Plan" finally proved its effectiveness. Dongfang Bai did not order Yuwen Shang to lead the Southwest Army northward to encircle the Jinlong Kingdom's Wanghai Army, which was currently locked in a stalemate with the Later Tang central army at Shiyan City. Instead, he ordered them to rest and regroup on the spot—
perhaps Dongfang Bai intended to use the heavy snow blocking the roads to create significant logistical difficulties for the Jinlong Kingdom's million-strong army, thus crippling its fragile economy. The Jinlong Kingdom had already lost half of Jiang'an County to the Black Tiger Army, and its newly occupied Southwest County had been cut off from its homeland. Beset by internal and external troubles, it was already showing clear signs of defeat.
Knowing when to fight and when to stop, striving to subdue the enemy without fighting—Dongfang Bai's astute insight clearly saw the situation, truly befitting a renowned general!
The heavy snow also brought the war between the Later Tang Empire and the Yulong Kingdom to an abrupt halt. Even in vast areas largely unaffected by the heavy snow, such as Baiyang County, Yunyuan County, Nanhai County, and the Baiyi Kingdom, a rare temporary peace emerged. Everyone was licking their wounds, waiting for another opportunity to strike!
Meanwhile, the banks of the Lishui River in the Daliang Kingdom were also blanketed in knee-deep snow. Although the Japanese army had significantly increased its troop deployment with its superior maritime transport capabilities, its offensive in the central and Wuyi counties of the Daliang Kingdom had thus come to a halt.
It is worth mentioning that Hua Yinghong, the Marshal of the Free Army and "Son of Freedom," announced on the evening of the 13th that he would be in seclusion for three months. The Military Affairs Council and the Free Army Headquarters were temporarily presided over by Chief of the General Staff Ji Wumou. That same evening, the First Army Corps of the Free Army Navy dispatched two divisions with 400 warships from Tenglong Port to sail eastward to fight against the Japanese pirates, marking the entry of the war between the Free Alliance and the Japanese army into a substantive phase after the release of the "Declaration of Resistance Against the Japanese Pirates"!
The Free Daily News gave extensive coverage to the Free Army's anti-Japanese actions. The Shangguan family, the Long family, and the Yu family of the Great Liang Kingdom all expressed their gratitude for the Free Army's righteous act. However, the capital city of Great Liang, Yajing City, remained silent, which angered the Free Daily News, the Treasure Daily News, and other media outlets whose influence among the people was growing. They published articles criticizing the Free Army.
More than ten miles east of Longtan Town, the place where Hua Yinghong secretly met with the Sea Dragon King was declared by the Free Army to be opened as a military port, and dozens of warships blockaded the sea area within a radius of several miles. On land, the Fire Phoenix Legion dispatched two battalions to cooperate with the military intelligence department in sealing off an area of over ten miles, strictly prohibiting all ships and personnel from approaching—such a large-scale operation for the construction of a naval port carried an enigmatic meaning;
peaceful days always seem to pass too quickly. On December 22nd, the Free Alliance announced through the *Free Daily* that the new sea route expedition team, which departed from Longtan Town on the 9th, successfully passed through the "Death Triangle" sea area at the junction of the Baiyi Kingdom and the Sahara Desert on the 21st, and encountered an expedition team from the Milan Duchy of the Oba Continent with the same goal. The two sides exchanged nautical charts, marking the successful opening of the new sea route!
The opening of the new sea route meant that the Free Alliance could now directly trade with the Oba Continent, breaking the long-standing monopoly of the Later Tang Empire and the New Song Kingdom on trade with the other two subcontinents of the Holy Continent, the Oba Continent and the Meisi Continent! As a result, the value of the entire Treasure Strait and even the coast of the Baiyi Kingdom and the Thousand Pages Islands immediately skyrocketed!
On December 23rd, the Free Army Headquarters announced: The Free Army Navy bypassed the waters off Jianning Prefecture in the central county of Daliang and attacked a transport fleet of the Japanese, defeating a Japanese naval division escorting the fleet, sinking and destroying 200 Japanese warships, and burning 1,200 transport ships, including 500 reserve transport ships carrying reinforcements for the Japanese invasion of China. It is estimated that 75,000 Japanese soldiers perished!
This battle dealt a heavy blow to the once invincible and massive Japanese navy and maritime logistics lines, thus tying down at least two Japanese naval legions used for escort! The Yu family of Daliang, the Shangguan family, and others publicly expressed their gratitude, and the prestige of the Free Alliance and the Free Army once again reached an unprecedented peak!
Just when the people of various countries on the Hualong Continent thought they could enjoy a temporarily peaceful Spring Festival, a meticulously planned and shocking conspiracy against the Free Alliance was secretly being implemented...

On the morning of December 28th. Baiyi Kingdom, Tongzi Prefecture.
After occupying most of Tongzi County for more than twenty days, the Free Alliance's governance has been remarkably effective: the special operations divisions, in close cooperation with the Bai and other ethnic minority militias familiar with the local situation, have used an iron fist to forcefully suppress the Duan clan, the royal family of the Baiyi people, and the local chieftains and nobles, eliminating and suppressing them one by one. Most of the slave owners and nobles who fled to the nearby mountains could not escape the pursuit and annihilation of the special operations divisions, known as the "Kings of Mountain Warfare," and the experts from the military intelligence department!
In addition to key personnel, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has absorbed a large number of local ethnic minority figures who are quite prestigious and supported by ordinary people and slaves, and has implemented policies that are basically the same as those of the Gaoshan people. With the support of a large amount of food and supplies, the government has quickly gained momentum and won the support of the vast majority of people.
The Ministry of Security and the Baiyi Military Intelligence Bureau quickly established an effective intelligence network...
According to preliminary statistics from the Ministry of Internal Affairs: the three prefectures of Baoyi, Tongren, and Songtao, currently under their control, have seen their actual population exceed 1.2 million. This is because the original Tusi (chieftain) nobles concealed a large number of slaves to reduce tribute to the Baiyi royal family. Furthermore, dozens of minority villages in the surrounding mountains, not under the Duan family's rule, have come to submit upon hearing the news!
Due to the rapid progress in improving the road conditions into Baiyi through Loushan Pass under Hua Yinghong's strict orders, various forces and businesses within the Free Alliance who had already tasted the benefits of actively participating in the development and construction of the newly occupied land areas have sensed the scent of gold. Countless funds and a large number of people have flocked there immediately—perhaps before long, the newly occupied Baiyi areas, rich in resources even more than Zhenbao Island, will become a new "paradise on earth"!
The efficient work of the Ministry of Internal Affairs ensured the smooth formation of the Baiyi Legion: the Free Army Headquarters drew a large number of key personnel from the First Legion and the Second Legion in Tianshui, selected able-bodied men from the nearly 600,000 slaves of various ethnic groups in the newly occupied areas, and mobilized a large amount of military supplies. Soon, the Baiyi Legion, with Pang Yi as its commander and Bai Jingfei as its deputy commander, was formed and began rigorous military training.
The hard work and discipline of the newly liberated slaves, who had endured much hardship and resentment, impressed even many veteran Free Army soldiers—all of which greatly reassured Ye Zhiqi, the commander-in-chief in charge of the Baiyi war zone: with the support of the Baiyi Legion, which had already formed initial combat capabilities and possessed the advantage of fighting on its home turf, the First Legion's conquest of the Baiyi was further guaranteed.
Ye Zhiqi, Pang Yi, and six thousand senior officers of the First Legion and the Baiyi Legion, including division commanders and above, along with their personal guards, returned to Changlong City in two batches starting December 14th, and then entered the "Top Secret No. 2" base at Qingshui Ridge for a six-day closed training period.
Ba Tian's special operations division, however, withdrew entirely to Changlong City for replenishment and rest. After completing a three-day short training at the "Top Secret No. 2" base, Chief of the General Staff Ji Wumou, citing the special operations division's arduous campaigns, ordered the entire division to return by ship to Zhenbao Island to visit relatives and celebrate the Spring Festival. Bai Jingfei, Mu Shanzhu, and their group, however, were only dispatched as the third batch to receive training on the 27th.
Hua Yinghong's plan to conquer the Baiyi within a month and a half, which Ye Zhiqi had set for him, was now only twenty-odd days away, making the situation extremely urgent. However, the enemy's frenzied actions had put the expeditionary army in a precarious position
. The Baiyi King Duan Tiande and "Duke Dingyi" Sima Zhao, having suffered a crushing defeat at Loushan Pass and essentially losing the Jade Dragon King's control, had begun openly and recklessly expanding their armies. Sima Zhao had expanded his Jade Dragon Army into two full-fledged legions plus four reserve divisions, while Duan Tiande had expanded the Baiyi Army into three full-fledged legions and four reserve divisions. He had even created two slave legions on the condition that merit would free them from slavery!
The Free Alliance's iron-fisted tactics and its efforts to eliminate the local chieftains and nobles in Tongzi County had instilled a sense of impending doom in the chieftains and nobles throughout the Baiyi Kingdom, leading them to provide Sima Zhao and Duan Tiande with substantial financial, human, and material support.
Although Ye Zhiqiu commanded two legions, and despite their formidable fighting strength and superior weaponry, conquering the Baiyi Kingdom in a short time was no easy task, especially against the more than one million troops of Sima Zhao's Jade Dragon Army and Duan Tiande's Baiyi Army
. After returning from training, Ye Zhiqiu seemed unhurried. He spent his days practicing martial arts with his personal guards, engaging in real combat to continuously improve his skills and techniques. Keen observers would notice several unfamiliar faces among Ye Zhiqiu's personal guards, and even among other high-ranking officers above division commander level. These were likely bodyguards sent by the Free Army headquarters to prevent assassination attempts on their senior commanders.
Unlike the usual practice of disseminating the entire training content after short intensive training for high-ranking Free Army officers, only a portion of the training at the "Top Secret No. 2" base was permitted to be made public. The remaining portion was sealed off by Marshal Hua Yinghong with a strict order of execution for any disregard! Such tight secrecy measures fueled curiosity even within the Free Army regarding the "Top Secret No. 2" plan.
It wasn't until the morning of the 28th, when Ye Zhi Qiu received an urgent report from the Baiyi Military Intelligence Bureau, that his anxiety truly surfaced: A legion under "Duke Dingyi" Sima Zhao, a Baiyi legion under Baiyi King Duan Tiande, and two slave legions, totaling 640,000 men, originally stationed in four prefectures near the Baiyi capital of Chuxiong City, had already secretly set off eastward and were expected to arrive at the Tongzi Prefecture front to reinforce them around New Year's Eve! Sima
Zhao and Duan Tiande already had a Jade Dragon Legion, two Baiyi legions, and tens of thousands of private soldiers from local chieftains and nobles in Tongzi Prefecture, totaling approximately 560,000 men, facing off against the Free Army. With the reinforcements arriving, the Free Army's First Legion and the Baiyi Legion would face an enemy force exceeding one million! Furthermore, it was reported that this campaign would be led by "Duke Dingyi" Sima Zhao and Baiyi King Duan Tiande, who would personally lead their most elite personal guards and a large number of Baiyi martial arts masters!
1.2 million against 320,000! —Sima Zhao and Duan Tiande's intentions are probably not just to annihilate the Free Army: if the First Legion and the Baiyi Legion are wiped out, after capturing Loushan Pass along the newly repaired wide road, Lin Zhi's Second Legion, responsible for the defense of Tianshui Prefecture, will face a stab in the back, and the entire Free Army's defense system will collapse!
"The entire Baiyi Legion is moving to the front line to support the First Legion. Report to headquarters urgently and request: 1. Send reinforcements immediately; 2. Can we organize temporary armed forces on the spot for emergency response? 3. What should we do about the attack on the slave legion?..." Over the past few months, under Hua Yinghong's repeated instructions, Ye Zhiqiu has become much more composed, but at this critical juncture, he still shows a hint of tension!
—If the Baiyi war zone under his command cannot hold, it may plunge the currently favorable Free Alliance into an unprecedented crisis, making him a sinner for all time!

Changlong City, Free Army Staff Headquarters.
Because Marshal Hua Yinghong was in seclusion, Chief of the General Staff Ji Wumou convened an emergency military meeting and directly invited the seven members of the "Supreme Nine-Person Meeting" in Changlong City—Liu Yufei, Xue Qianqian, Miao Youlan, Bai Sisi, Lü Jingwei, Gui Yuanhai, and Nangong Wang—to attend. After a brief discussion, an immediate response was given to the current situation—
a secret order was sent to the Baiyi War Zone: Lin Zhi's Second Army Corps stationed in Tianshui Prefecture was to send two divisions to reinforce the Baiyi War Zone, ensuring the defense line was not breached; the Baiyi War Zone could integrate local armed forces protecting towns to provide support, but to accommodate local development, no more than two reserve divisions were allowed; the attack on the slave army should be met with attempts to win them over and persuade them to surrender, otherwise they should be treated as enemy forces and annihilated; an emergency transport was ordered for Zhang Qunfeng's Fifth Army Corps, which was currently training on the Sun and Moon Plains of Zhenbao Island, to depart, with two divisions heading to the border between Dongguan Prefecture and Tianshui Prefecture, and two divisions heading to Tenglong Port, to fill the troop gaps left by the withdrawal of the Second Army Corps of Tianshui Prefecture and the Tenglong Port Navy; the special operations divisions on leave on Zhenbao Island were ordered to assemble urgently in preparation for any eventuality; and all regions were ordered to strengthen their defenses and prevent various forces from infiltrating the Freedom Alliance from causing trouble…
Ji Wumou was indeed a military talent, and with Hua Yinghong's unprecedented trust and support, the military emergency plan he proposed was probably no better than what Hua Yinghong himself could have come up with. After the Free Army launched its war against the Japanese, and with the surrounding powers constantly expanding their armies and preparing for war, the Free Army's defensive line did indeed appear somewhat weak. If they only needed to face one or two powers, the Free Army's formidable strength would be sufficient to allow for the leisurely deployment of troops. However…
the Free Army in Tianshui City and the surrounding area urgently assembled, and by nightfall, two divisions had set off for the Baiyi War Zone. The mobilization of 80,000 Free Army soldiers and the reorganization of the defensive line naturally did not escape the notice of those who were paying attention. One after another, the finest carrier pigeons, "Thousand-Mile Shadow" and even "Ten-Thousand-Mile Spirit," took flight from various hidden locations in Tianshui Prefecture, flying in all directions…
Anyone with discerning eyes knew: the situation facing the Free Alliance was becoming unprecedentedly dire…

Volume 8, Dire Straits, Chapter 167, Trapped in a Desperate Situation
. December 30th, Mao hour (5-7 AM), before dawn. The Free Army General Staff Headquarters convened another emergency military meeting, chaired by Chief of Staff Ji Wumou.
"Both the Military Intelligence Department and the Security Department have issued urgent warnings: Tonight at midnight, the Yinming Army of Yulong Prefecture will deploy three main legions, totaling 480,000 men, eastward towards Tianshui Prefecture, estimated to be personally led by 'Jade-Faced Gentleman' Xu Shaopeng. The vanguard of two cavalry divisions is already within thirty li of the western border of Tianshui Prefecture. The Second Legion Commander, Lin Zhi, has deployed defenses at various strategic locations and ordered the immediate evacuation of civilians, lest delay be too late…
" "The Ding family's army in Jianghan Prefecture has shown unusual activity. In recent days, the Ding family has used the pretext of escorting grain, weapons, and New Year's goods to the Jianghan Legion along the Shilong Town line in Beidong Prefecture to send ten separate escorts that have not yet departed. Although each shipment is small, the total number is considerable. The Ding family's forces along the Shilong Town line have increased to 320,000. Based on the Military Intelligence Department's comprehensive analysis of various situations, it is estimated that there are also hidden troops within the wagons carrying the goods." Based on this calculation, the Ding family may have stationed three army corps with a total of 480,000 men in the Shilong Town area! Furthermore, there were signs last night that Jianghan Prefecture was also gathering troops on the northern border of Tianshui Prefecture…
“The Qiu family is making even bigger moves: three legions have been assembled along the Baiyang City line, and the Qingyuan Prefecture, Shunde Prefecture, Zhanjiang Prefecture, Yangjiang Prefecture, and the Qiu family's naval legion are almost all converging on our defense line…
“The Long family's Liang Army Western Legion has boarded ships and entered the waters of Yangjiang Prefecture under the escort of the Quanzhou Port Naval Legion. The expected target is either Maoming Prefecture or Zhenbao Island
. According to the analysis of the General Staff Headquarters Operations Department and me, this is very likely an unprecedented conspiracy launched by several major families, including the Baiyi Kingdom and the Yinming Army, against our Free Alliance…” Ji Wumou obviously hadn't slept all night, but since joining the Free Army, he had made progress in practicing the Heaven and Earth Technique and was in good spirits. He analyzed the situation in a very logical way, and finally concluded:
“The General Staff Headquarters requests the Supreme Nine-Person Meeting and Alliance Leader Liu to order the emergency evacuation of the people in various places, and allow the local garrisons to complete the task of covering the evacuation and then shrink their defense lines…”
"Since the situation is so dire, let's proceed according to the General Staff's operational plan and immediately issue the Alliance Leader's order." Liu Yufei's exquisitely beautiful face showed a hint of fatigue, yet she exuded the unique regal aura inherited from her royal lineage and her high position as the Alliance Leader of the Freedom Alliance—a decisive and resolute quality she displayed when Hua Yinghong was absent.
"I agree!" "Me too!"... Miao Youlan and Xue Qianqian successively expressed their agreement, their beautiful faces also showing signs of fatigue.
Like Liu Yufei, Miao Youlan and Xue Qianqian had worked tirelessly for almost a whole night at the "Top Secret No. 2" base for Hua Yinghong's top-secret plan, and now they had to rush back for the meeting, inevitably causing even these beauties who had advanced to the Innate Saint Rank to show signs of exhaustion.
In the "Supreme Nine Meeting," besides Hua Yinghong, the three most important figures had already expressed their opinions; how could Bai Sisi, Lü Jingwei, Gui Yuanhai, and Nangong Wang object? One after another, they expressed their approval.
Despite the severity of the situation, Hua Yinghong, the true leader of the Freedom Alliance, remained unmoved, which seemed rather suspicious…
On the morning of Lunar New Year's Eve, the people under the Freedom Alliance's rule, who had just begun to enjoy a better life and had hope for the future, should have been joyfully welcoming the New Year. Just two days prior, the Freedom Alliance's internal affairs department had distributed half a jin of meat and half a jin of sugar to every household as a pre-Spring Festival gift. Although due to wartime shortages, they couldn't give more, it warmed the hearts of the people more than anything else: in any dynasty, when had the people ever received such treatment under any emperor?
However, soon after, the Freedom Alliance issued an emergency evacuation order, which made the people grit their teeth in hatred—not because they hated the Freedom Alliance, but because they wanted to bite the invaders who were also trying to destroy their good life at the end of the year!
Tianshui Prefecture, Dongguan Prefecture, Changlong Prefecture, Qingyuan Prefecture, Maoming Prefecture—wherever the Freedom Alliance's territory was located, the internal affairs department, security department, military intelligence department, and a large number of grassroots officials rode fast horses everywhere, conveying the emergency evacuation order to every town and village. Having gained large-scale experience in the "Lightning Operation" on Zhenbao Island and the Sun and Moon Plains, and with the Free Alliance now more than ten times stronger than before, all kinds of transportation from the official, military, and civilian systems were swiftly implemented according to the pre-prepared emergency plan—
evacuation! evacuation! evacuation! All valuables, people, and civilians of all kinds were evacuated to the most secure prefectural cities and relatively safe areas in each prefecture! Under the organization of the Free Alliance, the unprecedented evacuation operation in Hualong's history, the "Year-End Great Evacuation," was an unbelievable spectacle—countless villages and towns saw a surge of carriages and people, converging into torrents across vast areas, flowing orderly along roads that the Free Alliance had prioritized widening with manpower, resources, and funds over the past month!
According to later incomplete statistics, this great evacuation involved more than three million people and their property and food, all evacuated to relatively safe areas within a single day!
Meanwhile, Liu Yufei, the leader of the Free Alliance, issued a notice: While the Free Army is fighting a bloody battle against the Japanese invaders, certain forces, for ulterior motives, are amassing heavy troops on the Free Alliance's borders, their wolfish ambitions blatantly obvious! The Free Alliance strongly demands the withdrawal of troops and the maintenance of the status quo. Whoever dares to launch an attack on the Free Alliance-controlled areas at this time will be the public enemy of the Free Alliance's twenty million people! Whoever launches the first attack on the Free Army will face the fiercest retaliation, without mercy! The entire Alliance is mobilized to fight to defend our beautiful homeland! To fight to defend our beautiful life! To fight for freedom!
The *Free Daily* published an editorial: All reactionary forces are paper tigers; the Free Alliance will surely win! —This was the only sentence in the entire day's newspaper, a single line of striking text.
It is said that years later, this newspaper was rated as "the most collectible newspaper," and a discerning collector kept ten copies, passing them down through generations. Afterwards, the highest auction price reached thirty million gold coins per copy! —But that's another story. The newspaper editor who conceived this idea that day became famous for all time, his name echoing throughout the Sacred Continent!

December 30th, afternoon, late afternoon. Hundred Sheep City, the Qiu family's highest power center—Qiufeng Tower.
Qiu Shuibo stood atop the tower, his hands clasped behind his back, his eagle-like eyes fixed on the direction of Qingshui Ridge.
Qiu Shuibo was well aware of the Free Alliance's formidable intelligence network. The frequent contacts and conspiracies among various forces, the massive mobilization and deployment of millions of troops—it was impossible to hide this from the Free Alliance's intelligence department. He hadn't made any deliberate attempts to conceal it.
As the commander-in-chief of this "Year-End Operation," Qiu Shuibo didn't hesitate to threaten the Qiu family's unconditional joining of the Free Alliance, forcing the Ding family, the Yinming Army, the Baiyi, and even his long-time enemy, the Long family… to join this unprecedented grand plan. Of course, the main reason was that these forces adjacent to the Free Alliance were both deeply wary of the Free Alliance and the Free Army's growing strength, and simultaneously coveted the lucrative Free Alliance.
For decades, especially the last ten, the Qiu family has made countless efforts to explore trade routes westward to the Ouba continent. Hundreds of ships and thousands of men have perished in the "Great Triangle of Death," all to no avail. Yet Hua Yinghong, who once fell into the jaws of the Sea Dragon King but returned unscathed, turning misfortune into fortune, managed to secure a deal with the alien Sea Dragon race, enabling the Free Alliance to successfully open a new trade route on its very first voyage! —Is Hua Yinghong truly the chosen one?
According to the Qiu family's economic department, with the assistance of the Nangong family, the goods carried by just one thousand transport ships could be successfully sold on the Ouba continent. Bringing back Ouba goods, which are highly sought after and in high demand on the Hualong continent, would yield a net profit of at least eight million gold coins for the Free Alliance after deducting expenses! Given more time to develop overseas trade and greatly increase its strength, even the combined forces of the five major powers adjacent to the Free Alliance might not be a match for them!
Qiu Shuibo found himself in an unprecedentedly difficult dilemma, unable to fathom what Hua Yinghong, the "Son of Freedom," truly intended to do. No one would believe that the cunning and shrewd Hua Yinghong would be oblivious to such a dire situation and still have the leisure to cultivate in seclusion. Anyone facing such a situation, including Qiu Shuibo himself, would have already sought to divide the allied forces and find solutions from multiple angles.
The original plan was to launch a general attack tonight, tearing through the Free Army's defenses and sending the navy to Zhenbao Island to cut off their sea routes, annihilating the more than one million Free Army troops on a narrow strip of land stretching over a thousand miles from Tongzi County in the west to Maoming Prefecture in the east. At that point, Zhenbao Island would be at the mercy of several factions! But the Free Alliance's reaction was so swift, and the evacuation organized from dawn was so decisive and efficient that it caught Qiu Shuibo off guard.
Who would have thought that the Free Alliance would so easily abandon a vast area nearly 200 miles north of Tianshui City and nearly 60% of the land north and east of Maoming City, withdrawing as soon as they said they would, with millions of people following suit?
The Free Alliance spent a lot of money in the newly occupied areas, with a large number of soldiers and civilians working together to continuously repair the roads, as if they were preparing for the evacuation. Did they anticipate this situation? Was it another conspiracy by the Free Alliance, or more precisely, by Hua Yinghong?
Since Hua Yinghong went into seclusion, Qiu's intelligence organization, which had infiltrated Zhenbao Island, had been spying on the Free Alliance's "Top Secret No. 1" base in the Alang Mountains. But the security department, the military intelligence division, and the army were so tight-knit that checkpoints and sentries were everywhere in the dozens of miles of mountains surrounding the base, and a large number of troops patrolled. The intelligence system under "Smiling Tiger" Qiu Shuixiao lost dozens of top-tier fighters, including ten Saint-level experts, who lost contact after entering the restricted area declared by the Free Alliance—what astonishing secret was hidden there?
The military port under construction west of Longtan Town was entirely built by Free Army soldiers, and its defenses on both land and water were extremely tight; no one could enter. Intelligence personnel attempting to infiltrate underwater had completely vanished—what astonishing secret lay there?
The "Top Secret No. 2" base at Qingshui Ridge, where Hua Yinghong was in seclusion, was even more impenetrable: on the 28th night, "Smiling Tiger" Qiu Shuixiao personally led ten Saint-level experts from his intelligence system to infiltrate dozens of patrol lines laid out by a division of the Free Army, and six lines of defense laid out by three thousand Free Iron Guards, yet they still could not penetrate within a five-mile radius—because of "Forty-Eight Arrows from the High Mountains"!
Forty-eight sharpshooters, using the "Sun-Shooting Technique," unleashed three perfectly coordinated volleys, claiming the lives of six Saint-level experts from the Qiu family! The surviving Laughing Tiger Qiu Shuixiao and four other Saint-level experts, under the combined attack of Hua Yinghong's bodyguard captain Fang Shiling and the "Eighteen Guards," only managed to escape with the speed of the most powerful, Laughing Tiger Qiu Shuixiao!
Even if these were well-known elites of the Free Army, it showed that the Free Alliance's experts were not as weak as imagined—and what secret was Hua Yinghong protecting with such tight defense? Over
the past ten days, all the high-ranking generals and personal guards of the Free Army's various legions across the continent had entered the "Top Secret No. 2" base in batches, totaling no fewer than 30,000 people. The personal guards' strength had significantly improved in a short period; the impressive momentum of their returning cavalry was a testament to the excellent results!
After the Free Army's elite special operations division underwent training at "Top Secret No. 2" base, they inexplicably used the pretext of returning to Zhenbao Island for family visits and leave to secretly enter "Top Secret No. 1" base in the Alang Mountains. All of this did not escape the notice of the Qiu family's intelligence system—which only made Qiu Shuibo more perplexed!
What further puzzled Qiu Shuibo was that after Hua Yinghong went into seclusion, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth in the Qingshui Ridge area was abnormally concentrated, with strong fluctuations in the spiritual energy within a radius of dozens of miles, becoming even more pronounced in recent days. Even the ancestor Qiu Wanli was alarmed, and when summoning Qiu Shuibo, he pointed out two possibilities: one was that Hua Yinghong had achieved great success in his divine skills and was about to form his golden core, advancing to the realm of a divine-grade expert; the other was that a large number of saint-grade experts had gathered near Qingshui Ridge, simultaneously absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth for cultivation, causing this anomaly—but either way, it would be a burden the Qiu family could not bear!
With so much that was unclear and so much that was incomprehensible, Qiu Shuibo, usually known for his exceptional wisdom, dared not act rashly, much less make a hasty decision. From morning till late afternoon, Qiu Shuibo still hadn't dared to make a decision to attack.
Without the Qiu family making the first move, none of the other factions would dare to act first: after all, Qiu Shuibo had a precedent of a "gentleman's agreement" with Hua Yinghong, and a precedent of having just over a month ago reached a secret agreement with the Free Alliance to defeat the renowned general Long Feiyang. Forcing the various factions to join forces against the Free Alliance was also done with the threat of "unconditional joining the Free Alliance." Qiu Shuibo naturally understood—everyone feared that the Qiu family might secretly join forces with the Free Alliance again to scheme and lure them into a trap!
The north wind blew even harder, and Qiu Shuibo stood motionless, silently battling internally, his outward appearance like a stone statue, until night gradually fell…
As the head of a family, every move was related to the rise and fall of the family—it was truly difficult!

December 30th, 994th year of the Hua Long calendar, at precisely 9 PM. A dazzling firework finally rose over Guangzhou. After much deliberation, Qiu Shuibo still issued the general offensive order codenamed "Year-End Operation"—
In Changlong Prefecture, Qingyuan Prefecture, and Maoming Prefecture, the Qiu family mobilized six land legions, 960,000 troops, over 500 Saint-level guardian experts, and 3,000 Ninth-level experts to launch a fierce attack on the Free Army!
Fireworks signals traveled swiftly, and the Free Army's defenses in Dongguan Prefecture, Tianshui Prefecture, and Baiyi Tongzi Prefecture were soon attacked by over two million troops from the Ding family, the Yinming Army, Sima Zhao, and the Baiyi Duan family! In the vast areas abandoned by the Free Army, the armies of various forces crossed the borders and advanced as if into empty land!
In the Zhenbao Strait outside Yangjiang Prefecture, the Long family's Quanzhou Port Legion and the Qiu family's Yangjiang Legion escorted the Long family's Liang Army Western Legion eastward!
In the vast areas and towns under the Freedom Alliance's rule, including Zhenbao Island, almost every place has intelligence personnel and experts from the five major forces infiltrated and lurking. On this New Year's Eve, they launch a series of assassination attempts and various acts of sabotage and disruption...
The newly formed Freedom Alliance is in an unprecedented predicament!

Volume 9 Counterattack Chapter 168 Bloodbath (1)
The originally dark night sky near Qingshui Ridge was illuminated by the towering flames caused by the "Dragon Blood Bullet" and turned bright red. Qiu Shuibo personally led 200 Saint-level experts, 1,000 Ninth-rank experts, 1,000 Qiufeng Silver Guards, and the Eastern Legion led by "Fire Tiger" Ling Tong, along with the newly emerged Qiu Shuiba's Hundred Sheep Legion, in a massive attack on the Free Army's "Fire Phoenix Legion" defense line guarding Qingshui Ridge.
In Qiu Shuibo's eyes, capturing Qingshui Ridge and uncovering the secrets of the "Top Secret No. 2" base and the seclusion of "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong was far more important than capturing Changlong City, the temporary capital of the Free Alliance!
The Free Alliance's defense along the Changlong City-Dongguan City line was handled by the 160,000-strong "Fire Phoenix Legion" led by "Free Army Flower" Feng Yanran. Feng Yanran deployed one division each in Dongguan City and Changlong City, and another division at Qingfeng Ridge, a crucial point on the official road leading to Hundred Sheep City, ten miles north of Changlong City. In Yongda Town, between Dongguan City and Changlong City, Chang Shengqiu's cavalry division was stationed for mobile support.
Qiu Shuibo led two legions, totaling 320,000 troops, along with a large number of Saint-level and Ninth-level experts, to attack Qingshui Ridge, which was defended by only a Free Army division. If nothing unexpected happened, even if the Free Army were made of iron and bronze, they would be hacked to pieces!
But if the Free Army didn't perform unexpectedly, they wouldn't be the Free Army! The defenses of Qingshui Ridge were personally deployed by Feng Yanran, relying primarily on the mountains of the "Top Secret No. 2" base, with five or six nearby hills forming a tight defensive line—anyone who thought they could easily take it down simply because of sheer numbers would be sorely mistaken! At least, Qiu Shuibo felt a pang of heartache at the very beginning of the fierce battle!
—Qiu Shuiba, the commander of the Hundred Sheep Legion, who had suffered a great loss at the hands of the Free Army near Qingshui Ridge, once again volunteered to fight, eager to avenge his defeat. After receiving Qiu Shuibo's approval, the Hundred Sheep Legion dispatched a division to launch a strong attack on a hill defended by only a battalion of 3,000 Free Army soldiers!
"Glory! That is my life!" A regiment of Jade Dragon soldiers, wielding specially made steel shields, charged towards the hilltop. The power of their Sun-Shooting Arrows and Demonic Dragon Blood Bullets was already renowned, making even the seasoned Qiu Shuiba wary. The Jade Dragon army advanced along a winding path, but about 250 paces from the foot of the hill, they were met with a fierce attack from the Free Army!
The Free Army's 10th Division was stationed at Qingshui Ridge. Its commander, Gu Tianfang, was originally a regimental commander in the Special Operations Division. After being transferred to the 10th Division, he faithfully replicated the Special Operations Division's training methods, employing extremely rigorous drills. Therefore, while the 10th Division's combat strength might not match that of the Special Operations Division or the four main divisions under the First Army Corps that had fought numerous bloody battles, it was certainly no less formidable than any of the other divisions.
Feng Yanran dispatched Gu Tianfang's division to garrison Qingshui Ridge, a move that exemplified the principle of "making the best use of everyone's talents"—in terms of experience in mountain warfare, who, besides Batian's special operations division, could rival Gu Tianfang, a veteran of the special operations division?
At this moment, the hilltop that the Jade Dragon Army was attacking was the most prominent part of the entire defensive line facing Baiyang City. Gu Tianfang didn't need much judgment; he knew this was the most crucial point. Besides the existing 3,000-strong battalion stationed there, he personally led a 1,000-strong personal guard to the hilltop to command before the battle, determined to give the Qiu Clan's Jade Dragon Army, who were testing their strength, a taste of their power.
Below the hill, the Jade Dragon Army's battle cries shook the heavens. On the hilltop, the Free Army remained as silent as the sea. Just as the Jade Dragon Army advanced two hundred and fifty paces, nearing the iron net formation specifically designed to break through cavalry, Gu Tianfang's decisive command rang out in the night sky: "Kill!"—
Over a hundred tinderboxes lit up, igniting the fuses of the "Dragon Blood Bombs" in the one hundred bombers already prepared halfway up the mountain. "Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!..." One hundred improved "Dragon Blood Bombs" whistled out—one of Hua Yinghong's "Top Secret Number One" weapons revealed its true form in the Battle of Qingshui Ridge, in the hands of Gu Tianfang's division: the new bombers and the "Dragon Blood Bombs"!
Due to the emergence of the "Dragon Blood Bombs," the Free Army upgraded its catapults to the new bombers. Compared to the original heavy, giant catapults made primarily of ironwood, the new bombers were entirely constructed of high-quality steel, making them more than half the weight of the original ironwood catapults. Yet, their sturdiness and durability were in no way inferior to the original giant catapults!
Because the projectile "Dragon Blood Bullet" was much lighter than the boulder, the ordnance department under Lu Shenggong's leadership adopted a combination of a powerful steel spring and an extended lever arm. A single soldier with strong arms could simply flip the lever arm, compress the steel spring, and tighten it. After loading the bullet, pulling the control lever would launch the uniformly sized "Dragon Blood Bullet" from the launch spoon!
The improved "Dragon Blood Bullet" was spherical, two and a half feet in diameter, with an ironwood shell covered by a thin layer of iron. It contained refined dragon blood and, borrowing the principle of a firework fuse, used a black powder fuse over a foot long inserted into the core. Based on Hua Yinghong's vision for the projectile's speed, range, lethality, and safety, and after hundreds of repeated experiments led by Lu Shenggong's team, a breakthrough was finally achieved!
In combat, the fuse is ignited with fire, and the bomb is launched immediately. Essentially, the "Dragon Blood Bomb" ignites the dragon blood inside while in flight, and upon impact, the ironwood core and sheet metal explode into fragments. The "Dragon Blood" ignites upon landing—it's essentially a replica of a modern firearm shell! Due to technological limitations, powerful explosives haven't been successfully developed, but this unprecedented weapon is enough to terrify the major powers of the Hua Long Continent, still clinging to the mindset of cold weapon warfare! The
improved bomber is easy to operate, requiring only three people: one to flip the lever and compress the steel spring, one to load the bomb, and one to ignite the fuse and pull the control lever—no more need for archers to assist with rockets, no more need for men to move boulders… This is a world of difference compared to the original giant catapult, which required twenty people to operate!
Of course, the bomber requires strongmen, but for the Free Army soldiers who have practiced the "Two Divine Techniques," there are plenty of experts with the strength of a thousand pounds in their arms, making operation a breeze!
As for its power, Hua Yinghong boasted after inspecting the effects of the secret experiment: "If we disregard the quantity of the new 'Dragon Blood Bullets,' the issue of food supplies, and the threat of a large number of Saint-level and Ninth-level experts forcibly breaking through, even if the enemy had a million-strong army, with two thousand bombers and ten thousand soldiers, it would be impossible for them to capture Qingshui Ridge within a month!"
"Boom! Boom boom! Boom boom! Boom boom! Boom!..." One hundred "Dragon Blood Bullets" whistled as they landed on the Jade Dragon Army's rear four hundred paces away. The explosions were deafening, and flying shrapnel, hot oil, and raging fires threw the Jade Dragon Army's rear into chaos, with screams filling the air! Then another hundred, and another hundred... Three hundred bombers fired in three volleys, and the "Dragon Blood Bullets" rained down on the Jade Dragon Army's charging ranks almost continuously!
"Kill!" The captain of the Jade Dragon Army, who was in charge of the first attack, only glanced at the enemy and knew that at least two thousand people had been killed or wounded in the first round of three hundred "Dragon Blood Bullets". His eyes immediately turned as red as a rabbit's. Without thinking about why the Free Army would attack the rear, he gathered his energy and urged the front to charge into the iron net formation!
On a hilltop opposite, Qiu Shuibo's usual carefree expression finally vanished: with his current skill, the darkness did not hinder his sharp eyes from piercing through miles to see everything happening on the battlefield. His objective of probing the Free Army's defenses had been largely achieved, but the result exceeded his expectations—aside from the high-level generals and elite experts protecting themselves with their true qi, the "Dragon Blood Bullet" was incredibly lethal to ordinary soldiers of the Jade Dragon Army! He could almost see the inevitable annihilation of that regiment after its retreat was cut off by the fire ignited by the "Dragon Blood Bullet"...
"Assault team, attack!" Beside him, Qiu Shuiba clenched his fists, the cracking sound echoing. The defeat at Qingshui Ridge against the Free Army directly resulted in him losing his qualification to compete with Qiu Shuibo for the position of family head. After two months of secluded cultivation, under the guidance of the family's secret base and his ancestor Qiu Wanli, his skill had been elevated to an unprecedented level, his entire body radiating unparalleled domineering aura. At this point, he no longer harbored any illusions about vying with his second brother, Qiu Shuibo, for the position of family head, but that didn't stop him from helping the Qiu family dominate the world!
The Hundred Sheep Legion, having assembled a commando team of twenty Innate Saint-level experts and five hundred Ninth-Rank experts, disappeared into the night—while the "Dragon Blood Bullets" and Divine Crossbows were powerful, they were ultimately just weapons of conventional warfare, capable of causing negligible direct damage to experts above the Ninth Rank. Their greatest effect was merely to deplete these experts' true energy, weakening their ability to fight for extended periods.
Once the expert commando team stormed the hilltop, they would surely be able to capture the Free Army's catapult position. After all, the lack of powerful support from super experts was the Free Alliance's greatest weakness!
"Ah! Ah! Ah!..." The screams echoed through the night sky. The traps and mechanisms set up by Gu Tianfang's division within the iron net formation, which had driven the Jade Dragon Army's vanguard regiment to charge desperately, were now a deadly trap—the area within three hundred paces of the foot of the mountain had become a veritable death zone...
"Swoosh!" The signal rang out, and Qiu Shuibo issued the order for a full-scale attack to the Eastern Legion led by "Fierce Tiger" Ling Ye!

Qingfeng Ridge. The position of the 11th Division of the Free Army—Qu Qingbo's Division.
Commander Qiu Shuiliu looked at the sea of fire in the Free Army's iron net formation, a smug look appearing on his handsome face—thousands of Jade Dragon Army giant catapults were launching "Dragon Blood Bullets" into the iron net formation three hundred paces away, gradually moving their formation forward. A regiment of ten thousand soldiers prepared wet sandbags, ready to extinguish the flames and fill the traps at any moment…
Using the enemy's own methods against them, Qiu Shuiliu used the Free Army's most powerful weapon, the "Dragon Blood Bullet," to demonstrate his confidence in victory.
Qiu Shuiliu was intelligent and outstanding, possessing a photographic memory from a young age. He learned everything extremely quickly and could apply his knowledge to new situations. Otherwise, the previous family head, Qiu Haoyu, wouldn't have placed him in the high position of commander of a division directly under the Eastern Legion—the most important position besides the family head at the time, subtly indicating his intention to groom him as the successor. Based
solely on the descriptions of Yulong Army soldiers like Qiu Siming, who had fought alongside him and witnessed the power of the "Dragon Blood Bullet" and the Divine Crossbow in Shunhe Town on Zhenbao Island, Qiu Shuiliu realized the significant changes these two weapons would bring to warfare and began researching them.
In the subsequent battles of the Free Army, these two items inevitably leaked out, especially during the Battle of Qingshui Ridge between Qiu Shuiba's army and the Free Army. The Qiu family's experts managed to seize dozens of Divine Crossbows and dozens of unused "Dragon Blood Bullets"!
Qiu Shuiliu quickly organized his family's weapons research department to replicate them. "Dragon Blood" wasn't unique to Treasure Island, and the construction of the Divine Crossbow's hundreds of parts wasn't particularly complex. After day and night research, the Qiu family also developed their own "Dragon Blood Bullets" and Divine Crossbows. Furthermore, the research direction for the "Dragon Blood Bullets" was almost identical to that of the Free Alliance, using gunpowder fuses to trigger implosion!
However, Qiu Shuiliu still failed to innovate in terms of combat methods, instead imitating the Free Army's previous tactics, using giant catapults for launching attacks, which was much slower and had a shorter attack range.
The experiment with the replicated Divine Crossbow was also successful, with its basic performance being essentially identical. However, limited by production capacity, resources, and time constraints, the Qiu family possessed only a small quantity of these two items and dared not use them lightly, keeping them a secret until their first appearance in this crucial battle!
When handing over the "Ten Thousand Miles of Sorrowful Wind Token," the patriarch Qiu Wanli summoned Qiu Shuiba, Qiu Shuiliu, and Qiu Shuiling to the family's secret base for training. The exceptionally intelligent Qiu Shuiliu knew this was paving the way for his second brother, Qiu Shuibo, to succeed him, preventing fratricide. Despite failing to secure the position of family head, he wasn't particularly heartbroken, at least not outwardly—
overly intelligent people are prone to arrogance, as evidenced by Qiu Shuiliu's initial challenge to the Sword Inquiry Successor, Shui Xinyue; but overly intelligent people are also more likely to lack magnanimity. If Qiu Shuiliu had been sent to carry out the "Gentleman's Agreement," he would never have succeeded like Qiu Shuibo.
The reason is simple: facing a formidable opponent like Hua Yinghong, the intelligent Qiu Shuiliu would be on high alert at every turn, and might even demand control of several warships during the transport of hundreds of thousands of troops across the sea. He would never trust the Free Army so readily as Qiu Shuibo did—that's where his second brother Qiu Shuibo's superiority lay!
After his return, his second brother Qiu Shuibo trusted him completely: fully supporting his research in weaponry, and also putting him in charge of another powerful legion—the South China Sea Legion, formed from the original Second Division of the Eastern Legion under Qiu Shuibo. He was also tasked with leading the South China Sea Legion in the main attack on the Free Army's Eleventh Division's position at Qingfeng Ridge, and was specially equipped with fifty Saint-level and five hundred Ninth-level experts as assault troops—if he still couldn't win, or won poorly, he might as well just buy a block of tofu and smash his head against it!
The Free Army laid down an iron net array over 300 paces wide in front of Qingfeng Ridge. As the Jade Dragon Army's catapults advanced in succession, the "Dragon Blood Bullets" burned the supports beneath the iron net array to a chaotic state, the explosions sending the net flying high into the air before scattering in all directions...
The Free Army on Qingfeng Ridge remained still until over a thousand catapults had advanced to the edge of the iron net array, and a regiment responsible for filling in the trap trenches rushed forward—
"Kill!" A clear and powerful female voice gave the order, and three hundred "Dragon Blood Bullets" with lit fuses and sparks flew into the air from Qingfeng Ridge, whistling towards the Jade Dragon Army's catapult positions at the foot of the mountain!
The new catapults and the new "Dragon Blood Bullets," flying from a great height, covered a distance of 500 paces, instantly turning the Jade Dragon Army's catapult positions into a sea of fire, along with the Jade Dragon Army's ignited Dragon Blood Bullets, causing a series of explosions!
Immediately afterwards, the Free Army's Blood Dragon Bullets flew out continuously from Qingfeng Ridge...
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" In the blink of an eye, more than 20,000 Jade Dragon Army soldiers and a thousand catapults seemed to have suddenly fallen into a hellish abyss. The ear-piercing screams of those injured by shrapnel and burned by flames resounded through the sky...
After the Jade Dragon Army's large number of long-range strike weapons entered the attack range, they were destroyed in one fell swoop - the Free Army is really insidious!

Volume 9 Desperate Counterattack Chapter 169 Bloodbath (2)
"Ah? Ah!—" The screams of the Jade Dragon Army soldiers resounded across the plains.
In the distance, Qiu Shuiliu was watching the battle from the specially built watchtower. Seeing the advance going smoothly, he was secretly pleased with himself. He was shocked by the sudden change and felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar!
Overconfident in his own weaponry and knowing that the Free Army's "Dragon Blood Bullets" had a range of no more than 250 paces, Qiu Shuiliu assumed his catapults could only launch the Dragon Blood Bullets a little over 300 paces. He considered the area within 300 paces of Qingfeng Ridge a safe zone, and even skipped testing the Free Army's firepower. The
Free Army didn't retaliate, leading Qiu Shuiliu to believe they were simply watching the Jade Dragon Army's long-range attack helplessly! However, he hadn't expected the Free Army to be so cunning. They could have retaliated at over 400 paces, but instead waited until the Qiu Clan's army had destroyed the iron net formation and a large number of catapults and Jade Dragon Army soldiers were deep within attack range before launching their attack!
"Order the vanguard to retreat immediately!" Qiu Shuiliu realized the Free Army's "Dragon Blood Bullets" were even more lethal than his own, and had no choice but to order a retreat.
At first glance: in that short time, of the more than 10,000 Jade Dragon Army soldiers operating the catapults and the regiment responsible for filling the traps and destroying the mechanisms, only five or six thousand were able to hastily retreat from the inferno…
“Assault team
, attack!” Qiu Shuiliu gave a harsh order. Since conventional warfare was clearly no match, only by sending a super expert to first take the Free Army’s catapult positions on the ridge and eliminate the Free Army’s powerful long-range attack threat could they take Qingfeng Ridge with an absolute advantage in troop strength and advance directly on Changlong City!
“Commander Qu, order all units to prepare for close combat according to plan.” On Qingfeng Ridge, the “Free Army Flower” Feng Yanran’s beautiful figure swayed gracefully in the night breeze. Nourished by Hua Yinghong’s nightly love and the miraculous effects of the “Spiritual and Desire Dual Cultivation Technique,” this cold-faced beauty had shed some of her naivety and gained some maturity, appearing even more charming and alluring.
However, within the Free Army, Feng Yanran still maintained her usual cold and aloof expression. At this moment, her pretty face remained expressionless as she calmly issued orders to Qu Qingbo, the former commander of the 4th Regiment of the Special Operations Division and now the commander of the 11th Division of the Free Army.
Feng Yanran's fiery passion was reserved solely for Hua Yinghong.
"Yes, sir!" Qu Qingbo, accustomed to joking and laughing with Ba Tian, Gu Tianfang, Zeng Guozhong, and others in the Special Operations Division, dared not show any of this in front of Feng Yanran after being transferred to the Fire Phoenix Legion. He respectfully accepted the order and left.
Facing the usually aloof, stern, yet disciplined "Flower of Freedom" Feng Yanran, Qu Qingbo dared not be unserious. Whether it was her position as commander of the Third Army Corps, Feng Yanran's extraordinary and masterful "Nine Strike Fengran" spear technique, or her status as the new favorite of Marshal Hua Yinghong, the "boss's boss"... every reason compelled him to remain obedient!
Especially after entering the "Top Secret No. 2" base for training, Qu Qingbo was utterly awestruck by the unpredictable strategies and methods of the "boss's boss"! Because of his diligent practice and rapid improvement in skill during countless battles, he was only at the peak of the eighth rank, facing a breakthrough and hoping to advance to the ninth rank. However, during his three-day short training at the "Top Secret No. 2" base, Hua Yinghong helped him advance two ranks, propelling him into the ranks of the Innate Saint-level experts!
Even with ten times the courage, Qu Qingbo wouldn't dare oppose "the boss's boss," Hua Yinghong. Of course, he also had to obey Hua Yinghong's bedmate—obedience was the only option!
"One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand." Feng Yanran sighed softly, a mist welling in her phoenix eyes as she gazed towards the distant Nanhu County of the Later Tang Empire, towards the Later Tang capital, Zhongdu—perhaps soon after this battle, she could truly lead her army to avenge the blood feud of the Feng family?

In Qinghe Town, south of Qingyuan Prefecture
, maple leaf flags fluttered in the wind as "Mad Tiger" Ling Ye led the Qingyuan Legion of the Jade Dragon Army under the Qiu family in a continuous attack on the Free Army's frontline positions in Qinghe Town.
With Ling Ye's sharp eyes, he could naturally see through the darkness to the true nature of the Free Army's positions. Once they penetrated the Free Army's ironclad defenses, the Qingyuan Legion could crush the entire Qinghe Town defense line, which was defended by only one naval division. A large number of cavalry could then advance unimpeded, reaching the gates of Tenglong Port and severing this vital port's connection with other areas.
Ling Ye's gratitude towards the new family head, Qiu Shuibo, was beyond words, and his admiration for him was unparalleled. The Ling family had served as trusted retainers of the Qiu clan for generations, yet they had never led a large army independently. Ling Ye's father—Ling Zhan, whose achievements rivaled those of Qiu Wanli, the "Sorrowful Autumn," and who even addressed Qiu Wanli as a brother—had only ever reached the rank of division commander.
Now, first, his elder brother, Ling Tong, the "Fierce Tiger," had become the commander of the family head's personal guard, the "Autumn Wind Platinum Guard," with his formidable martial arts, and then the commander of the most powerful Eastern Legion. Ling Ye himself had also been promoted to commander of the newly established Qingyuan Legion.
As retainers, the Ling family controlled two of the six major land-based war legions of the Qiu family. Although this was a subtle move by Qiu Shuibo to suppress the forces originally belonging to Qiu Shuiba and Qiu Shuiliu, and to win over the Ling family, such trust and recognition were a debt the entire Ling family would be willing to die for.
Since his defeat and injury at the Battle of Jubao Ferry, "Mad Tiger" Ling Ye had lost his arrogance. With his extraordinary talent, he diligently practiced martial arts and military strategy. The pressure of life and death in war was the best catalyst for martial arts training. The Jade Dragon Army under the Qiu family fought countless battles, and with Qiu Shuibo's open martial arts training system, borrowed from the Free Army, a large number of young talents emerged, their martial arts improving rapidly.
After training at the Qiu family's most secret protective base, Ling Ye felt even more ashamed of his former conceited title of "Mad Tiger"—a mark of ignorance and disgrace!
Now that Ling Ye had just reached the initial stage of the Innate Saint Realm, he realized that after the taboo of the "unspoken rules" was broken, and under the secret training methods and the stimulation of rare and precious elixirs and pills at the Qiu family's secret base, there were countless members of the Qiu family whose martial arts surpassed his! His position as legion commander was simply due to his successful study of military strategy, making him more suitable for commanding troops than those clan experts who only focused on martial arts training and lacked military knowledge!
In particular, Ling Ye's study of the *Hua Zi Art of War* was utterly captivating—in the Battle of Jubao Ferry, Ling Ye's navy was defeated by the "Son of Freedom," Hua Yinghong's, "schemes and tricks," and initially he was resentful. However, the Free Army, under Hua Yinghong's command, subsequently achieved a series of astonishing victories, gradually calming the "Mad Tiger" Ling Ye's spirits: being defeated by such a formidable opponent's strategy no longer felt like a disgrace!
Only by diligently studying the "Art of War" and Hua Yinghong's ingenious military strategies can one have a chance to defeat Hua Yinghong! This is "Mad Tiger" Ling Ye's current thought, and undoubtedly, it's the right one.
With twenty Saint-level experts and five hundred Ninth-level clan protectors as assault teams, the powerful Qingyuan Legion's forces, and a large quantity of superior weaponry researched by Qiu Shuiliu, dealing with a naval division with virtually no defensible terrain should be easy, right? But "Mad Tiger" Ling Ye is still cautiously probing the Free Army's counterattack capabilities with giant catapults and a large contingent of Jade Dragon Army soldiers, slowly advancing the offensive line.
Once the Free Army begins to retaliate, their long-range attack capabilities will be exposed… Unhurried and steady, seeking no merit but avoiding mistakes, this alone shows that "Mad Tiger" Ling Ye has indeed matured!
As expected, the Free Army, which had remained silent and refusing to retaliate, finally succumbed to the slow harassment from small groups of Jade Dragon Army soldiers, gradually clearing away the iron net formation and hidden traps... Hundreds of "Dragon Blood Bullets" whistled through the air for over four hundred paces, hurtling towards the other side of the iron net formation, where two hundred Jade Dragon Army catapults and over three thousand soldiers roared towards them!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!..." Thousands of Jade Dragon Army soldiers, who had received prior orders, fled at top speed as the "Dragon Blood Bullets" flew out, sparks flying. Except for the first thousand or so who couldn't escape in time and whose catapult positions were engulfed in flames, the rest were largely unharmed!
"Order the entire army to retreat to Tenglong Port!" On the Free Army's side, Commander Hai Tianqing shook his head: "Mad Tiger" Ling Ye was no longer berserk, dashing his hopes of inflicting heavy casualties on the Qingyuan Army soldiers by using the fortified positions he had built along the Qinghe Town line.
The open terrain here is not conducive to a prolonged battle for the naval officers and soldiers; a retreat is necessary. Under Hua Yinghong's influence, Hai Tianqing has long lost the heroic spirit he displayed during the night raid on Jubao Town.
In that battle, hundreds of "Freelancer" brothers died needlessly because Hai Tianqing acted rashly. Although he is now a member of the Free Alliance's "Supreme Nine Council," the second-highest-ranking figure in the military, commanding the First Naval Legion and controlling the Second Naval Legion of Yunshalang, that battle remains a deep and lasting wound in Hai Tianqing's heart!
"Free Army soldiers can die, and death is inevitable, but they must never make pointless sacrifices; every soldier must die with value." Remembering this principle repeatedly instilled by Hua Yinghong, Hai Tianqing will never again act rashly.
With Su Xiaoxiao by his side, Hai Tianqing finally understood the true taste and meaning of life. Every soldier of the Free Army has a wife and children, or at least should have the right and opportunity to enjoy the company of their loved ones—no one in a position of power can ignore this basic fact and treat their soldiers as tools or child's play!
"Quick! Fill in the passage, chase them!" In the distance, "Mad Tiger" Ling Ye saw the Free Army's positions swaying, nearly 40,000 men retreating rapidly towards Tenglong Port in several directions, even thousands of catapult-like objects were being carried away by four men each. Only three thousand cavalrymen were lined up in a row opposite the iron net formation, ready for battle.
Clearly, the Free Army had abandoned their positions and wanted to escape back to Tenglong Port. Once they broke through the iron net formation, could the Free Army's naval infantry escape the Jade Dragon Elite Cavalry on the flat plains more than twenty miles between Qinghe Town and Tenglong City? If they could annihilate these 40,000 men, the chances of capturing Tenglong Port would be much greater. If they didn't pursue them now, when would they?
Two regiments of Jade Dragon Army infantry swiftly advanced, relentlessly hurling pre-prepared wet sandbags into the iron net formation. Without interference, they quickly filled in twenty passages, each about five zhang wide, penetrating deep into the center of the iron net formation, which stretched over a hundred paces wide!
Within these passages, almost all the traps were filled in, and the numerous flying traps and weapons did little to harm the prepared Jade Dragon Army. Over a hundred giant catapults were rapidly deployed into the twenty passages, unleashing "Dragon Blood Bullets" at the three thousand Free Army cavalry left to cover the rear, forcing them to retreat steadily—once the passages filled in the iron net formation and the traps were overcome, the forty thousand Free Army naval soldiers would become the victims of the Jade Dragon elite cavalry of the Qingyuan Legion!
Hai Tianqing personally led the navy's only three thousand cavalry to cover the rear; the Jade Dragon Army's "Dragon Blood Bullets" proved far more powerful and had a much longer range than he had anticipated!
He finally understood the meaning of Marshal Hua Yinghong's often-quoted saying, "There are no eternally superior weapons, only eternally superior ideas." If the Free Army relied solely on its superior weaponry to dominate the world, it would undoubtedly be heading down a dead end!
The formidable strength accumulated by the various countries, families, and forces of the Hua Long Continent was not only reflected in its military might, but also in the cultivation of outstanding talents in every industry—taking weaponry research as an example. Perhaps they didn't have Hua Yinghong's genius-level creativity or Lu Shen Gong's master-level craftsmanship, but researching and improving existing things was simply beyond their capabilities!
The Iron Net Formation had been filled with twenty wide passages by the Jade Dragon Army. Hai Tianqing and his three thousand cavalry had been forced back more than three hundred paces from the edge of the Iron Net Formation. Tens of thousands of Jade Dragon cavalry charged through the Iron Net Formation along the twenty passages, rushing towards Hai Tianqing and his group!
The thunderous sound of hooves echoed as an endless, dark mass of Jade Dragon Army cavalry and infantry surged forth from the passage like a tidal wave. If they were surrounded, Hai Tianqing and his three thousand Free Army cavalry would surely be hacked to pieces, their remains never to be found… The more than thirty thousand Free Army naval infantry who had retreated earlier would also be pursued and
annihilated; not a single one would escape! “No matter how cunning you are, you’ll still have to drink my foot-washing water!” Faced with such a dangerous situation, Hai Tianqing remained unfazed, a slight smile even appearing on his face. He calmly waited until the Jade Dragon elite cavalry was a hundred paces away before giving the order: “Light the rockets!”
“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!…” Three thousand rockets accurately struck an open area about fifty paces ahead!
Was Hai Tianqing out of his mind? Why was he directing the Free Army’s rockets not to target the Jade Dragon elite cavalry, but to fire them into an open field?
"Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!..." Countless sparks suddenly erupted from the open space—thousands of ironwood boxes, covered with fireproof cloth and open at the back, had been laid there beforehand, perfectly concealing thousands of fist-thick black powder fuses. Only by accurately firing rockets from the rear into the entrances of the ironwood boxes could the fuses be ignited...
A few breaths later—"Boom! Boom! Boom!..." A deafening roar followed as countless new-style "Dragon Blood Bullets," buried deep in the soil and connected to the fuses, began to explode about forty paces in front of Hai Tianqing and his group, sending up towering clouds of dust and raging flames that spread towards the iron net formation...

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