In the Shattered Cauldron Realm, spring snow swept across the land. The entire Lingdong Province was shrouded in a curtain of snow. The northern wind whistled and danced, bringing with it the fluttering snow that hit the sturdy newly built city walls of Winter Frost City.
"Tuk, tuk, tuk …"
The sound of hooves could be heard in the curtain of snow. A man raised the Purple Yinghua Flag and said loudly, "The First and Second Battalions of the Imperial Guards have arrived and requested to enter Winter Frost City. This is our vanguard token!"
A small door was opened under the city, and the token was accepted. Soon after, the door slowly opened, and cavalrymen wrapped in leather robes appeared from the falling snow and entered the city.
Above the city wall, the veteran Zhou Han was smoking a pipe. He tilted his head and tilted the pipe so that it wouldn't be extinguished by the falling snow. As he smoked, clouds of smoke drifted in the air and mixed with the snow.
"Sergeant, this is the seventh day. There are troops of the empire entering Winter Frost City every day. Is there really going to be a war?" A new recruit rubbed his hands and looked up at the sky. Large flakes of snow fell on his face. He couldn't help but complain, "What kind of weather is this? Why is it snowing so heavily? I wonder how many crops will be frozen to death."
Zhou Han smiled, and the wrinkles on his face moved up and down along with his smile. He said, "I don't know if a war will break out, but the news regarding the Celestial Pole Continent has been spreading like wildfire. Who doesn't know that there's another continent on the other side of the Eastern Sea? There are three powerful countries on that continent, and the enemy is strong while we're weak. I believe that Prince Xin and Prince Zhong must have mobilized their armies into Winterfrost City to fend off the enemy."
The young recruit looked excited. He sat up and said, "Sergeant, I heard that the Ze Tian Palace wants to make our Winter Frost City the eastern capital. Is it true?"
"It's true."
"Then, if the eastern capital is made, we, the soldiers who have been guarding Winter Frost City for five years, should be able to get some benefits."
"What benefits can there be? At most, you will get three to five copper coins more every month. How much more do you think you can get? " Zhou Han narrowed his eyes and said, "But the eastern capital is only used to defend against the enemy. If I have a choice, I'd rather go back to Lanyan City and guard the warehouse outside the city."
The new recruit was stunned. "Why?"
"At least that way, we will be one step closer to death." The old recruit continued smoking.
It was at this moment a soldier's shout came from somewhere in the inner city, "Duke Wei is here to patrol the garrison!"
The veteran hurriedly patted the tobacco leaves in his tobacco pot onto the snowy ground. He led a group of soldiers to stand up with cold halberds in their hands. Each of them puffed out their chests and stood ramrod straight.
Snow fell on their helmets and shoulders, but no one moved an inch. Duke Wei Qiu was the commander of the entire Dragon Courage Battalion and the highest general who defeated the demons in the end. In the hearts of the empire's soldiers, this Duke Wei had long since become a heroic existence.
On on, on on, on. on.
Amidst the sound of stepping on snow, a group of people walked over from the snow screen in the distance. The person wearing the duke's cloak was Wei Chou, and behind him was a group of vice commanders and captains.
"Greetings, Commander!"
The soldiers all knelt on one knee. Since the main force of the Longdan Army Camp was transferred back from the Eight Wastelands, the defense of Winter Frost City was done by the Longdan Army Camp. This was also the intention of Feng Jixing and Tang Xiaoxi.
Wei Chou put his hand on the hilt of the sword on his waist and nodded to the soldiers. "Rise."
Everyone stood up.
Wei Qiu breathed out hot air, looked at everyone's frozen red faces, frowned, and said: "Ah Xue, inform the Military Supplies Department, for every soldier defending the city, give them an extra cotton coat."
"Yes, Commander." Situ Xue nodded.
At the side, Situ Sen's lips curled up. He looked outside the city and said, "I wonder when His Highness Prince Qin will return. Recently, ships from the Celestial Pole Continent have been approaching the coast, but His Highness still hasn't appeared. Even Prince Xin, Prince Zhong, and Princess Xi have come to Winter Frost City, but he still hasn't returned. I really don't know how long he will delay."
Wei Chou smiled. "His Highness naturally has his reasons for staying in the Celestial Pole Continent. General Sen, there's no need to be anxious. Recently, ships from the Celestial Pole Continent have been appearing more and more frequently. I think His Highness should be returning soon."
Situ Xue frowned and said, "It's just that they're all merchant ships, using the pretense of coming to our port to do business. Hmph … maybe they're just a group of spies."
Wei Chou nodded. "All the foreign merchant ships that approach the empire's port are detained. We'd rather spend food to feed these merchants than let them send back information about our garrison."
"In my opinion, why don't we …"
Situ Sen made a chopping gesture and said, "Let's just chop them down. It's better to save food for ourselves. It's already the beginning of spring, and it's still snowing. It's destined that the harvest won't be too good. We don't know how long this war will last.
Wei Chou smiled and shook his head. "That won't do. We haven't really declared war with the Celestial Pole Continent yet. If we kill their merchants, it'll be easy for them to gossip. It's better to be steady and wait for His Highness to return from the Celestial Pole Continent before making a decision."
"Then are we just going to do nothing now?"
Situ Sen clenched his teeth. He was a typical pro-war person.
Bai Yin also said, "That's right. We can't just sit by and do nothing. We have to have a countermeasure."
"I know."
Wei Chou muttered to himself for a moment before saying, "Prince Xin Feng Jixing said yesterday that we should send out small-scale warships to set up our maritime defense line. Once foreign merchant ships come, we'll immediately shoot back with arrows. If the warning is ineffective, we'll just blast them with the Demonic Crystal Cannons. These are what Feng Jixing said after he was drunk. What do you guys think?"
"His Highness Prince Xin might have had too much to drink …" Situ Xue smiled. "Wouldn't it give the Celestial Pole Continent an even greater reason to start a war with the Celestial Pole Continent? Moreover, our weapons, warships, and provisions aren't fully prepared yet. If we were to start a war in a hurry, it'll probably be very disadvantageous for us. After all, there are over 1,000 Dragon Knights in the Celestial Pole Continent. If over 1,000 Dragon Knights were to launch an attack from the air, there's no way we'll be able to fend them off."
"That's right. We still need more time."
Wei Chou looked at the snow in the east with a clear gaze and said, "This is especially so for the warships. The Imperial Capital's newly built flying ships are still on the Daojiang River and have yet to arrive. We'll have to wait for close to a month before we start a war. Otherwise, we'll definitely face a crushing defeat." Also … "
He raised his head to look at the sky, sighed, and said, "This snow is too vicious. Our Empire's army isn't good at fighting in the snow, especially the Demonic Crystal Cannons. The firing mechanism of the energy crystals is easily affected by the accumulated snow, causing it to lose its effectiveness. When His Highness Prince Qin was around, the Demonic Crystal Cannons would always be used in sunny weather. With the current weather, we should try our best to avoid a battle."
"Mmm, that does seem to be the case." Situ Sen nodded, reached out to pat Wei Chou's shoulder, and said, "How's your cultivation of that Ghost God Divinity that His Excellency gave you before he left?"
"I've made some progress." Wei Chou smiled.
"Come, let us take a look."
"Mmm."
Wei Chou walked to the wall, away from the line of sight of a group of soldiers, and suddenly opened his palm. Instantly, a faint purple light rose from his palm, filled with dense Ghost God Energy. This was the energy that he had absorbed from the Ghost God Divinity. Back then, Lin Muyu had used the Treasure Cauldron to help him cultivate the Ghost God Divinity, and now, Wei Chou had cultivated the Ghost God Energy to ten times its original strength!
"Oh my …"
Situ Sen was speechless, and he said, "Your cultivation is not bad … You're already in the Holy King Realm, right?"
"Mmm."
Wei Chou nodded, "After cultivating the Ghost God Energy, my cultivation has improved by leaps and bounds, and now I'm at the peak of the Holy King Realm. Moreover, Lord Qu Chu often teaches me, so with Princess Xi's help in guiding and refining my Ghost God Energy, I should be able to step into the Godly State within half a year."
Situ Sen took a deep breath, and he said, "She's practically their own child, why don't I see them pointing at me …"
Wei Chou smiled, "Princess Xi said that she wants to point at you, but you're cultivating the same Astral Tactics as Lord Qu Chu, and she knows nothing about it, so it's better to wait for Lord Qu Chu to come back."
"Mmm, that's the only way."
At this moment, from the east of the city, another figure walked over. It was a man in a dark green cloak. Winterfrost City had been under martial law for a long time, and during the period when the imperial army was stationed here, no one was allowed to enter or leave the city, be it merchants or pedestrians. The appearance of this man surprised the soldiers on the city wall.
"Who is it?"
Zhou Han, the veteran soldier, raised his hands and shouted at the man in the distance.
The man did not speak, but continued to walk toward the city gate.
"Archers!"
Zhou Han shouted, "Winterfrost City has been under martial law, and no one is allowed to enter before four months. Hurry up and leave, if you don't speak, we'll shoot you!"
The person walked in the snow, his footsteps unsteady.
After coming to a stop, he lifted the furry cloak on his head, revealing a handsome face. He looked up at the people on the city wall, smiled, and said, "Is there anyone in the Longdan Army Camp who doesn't know me?"
Zhou Han trembled, "King … King Qin …"
"What?!"
Wei Chou, Situ Sen, Situ Xue, and Bai Yin ran to the edge of the battlement. Looking down, the person standing in the snow was none other than Lin Muyu.
"It's really Lord Qu Chu. Hahaha, Lord Qu Chu is back!"
The four of them rushed down from the city wall almost at the same time. Originally, the four of them were walking side by side, but when they got close to Lin Muyu, the three of them stopped and knelt on one knee, "Greetings, Your Highness!"
Only Situ Xue threw herself into Lin Muyu's arms, buried her face in his weathered neck, and smiled, "Your Highness, you're finally back!"
Lin Muyu was a little embarrassed, "Ah Xue, long time no see."
Blushing, Situ Xue stepped back and knelt on one knee beside her brother, "Greetings, Your Highness, Situ Xue!"
"Get up, all of you!"
Lin Muyu raised her eyebrows, "I heard that Brother Feng, Ah Yan, and Xiao Xi are all in Winterfrost City?"
"Yes."
Wei Chou nodded, "The empire has decided to set the eastern capital at Winterfrost City, so everyone is here."
"Great, bring me to them."
"Yes!"
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
