Breaching the City

Lou Ji gave him a meaningful look. "So, that's why you checked beforehand to see if anyone was guarding you?" "Pretty much," Xu Yuan replied with a nod and a smile. Her voice softened to a tender, murmured whisper. "Big Sister only showed herself because she dotes on you. If it had been someone with your maternal uncle's temperament, he wouldn't have stepped out no matter how loud you yelled. If I had stayed hidden, would you still have done this?" Xu Yuan pondered for a moment, then nodded. "I would have." "Aren't you afraid?" Lou Ji asked, furrowing her brows. Xu Yuan chuckled and glanced at the two figures outside. "No creature in this world is entirely rational. People will always make irrational choices in the heat of emotion, but the chances of that happening with those two old men out there are slim." Lou Ji sat up slightly straighter, shifting her fair legs to cross them the other way. Propping her chin on her hand, she narrowed her eyes into two crescent slits. "Then how long do you plan to wait, Changtian?" Xu Yuan rose slowly and walked to the window. An array sealed the room from the outside, functioning much like one-way glass from his previous life. He looked down upon the magnificent, towering waterfall below. The Wanxiang Sect had chosen an excellent location. The mountain gate was built along a great river on one side, flanked on the other by the sheer precipice of the waterfall. Launching an assault across the river would easily leave troops swept over the falls by the raging torrent. Without crossing, an attacker had no choice but to push inward through Wanxiang City on the perimeter. After a moment's reflection, Xu Yuan said in a low voice, "Around two hours or so, I'd say." "That long?" "Is it long?" Xu Yuan countered. Lou Ji rose gracefully. To the gentle clicking of her high-heeled lotus boots, she walked up behind him and purred a reminder, "They probably already know that people are hiding in the mountain forests east of Wanxiang City by now~" Xu Yuan's brow creased, but a faint smile soon returned to his lips. "You mean they might use this time to send word to Wanxiang City to make preparations?" Lou Ji replied with a beaming smile, "Not might—certainly. Although cities bearing a sect's name are officially enfeoffed by the imperial court, they are essentially the sect's private domain. If they prepare thoroughly, the Black Scale Army will likely suffer considerable casualties trying to take Wanxiang City by force. That might hurt the Chancellor's impression of you, Changtian..." She left the thought unfinished, letting the implication hang in the air. Xu Yuan did not answer the question directly. Instead, he asked, "Sister, my father only assigned you to protect me, didn't he? Doesn't giving me hints like this count as the examiner offering private coaching?" Lou Ji's eyes curved into a smile as she linked her arm through his, resting her head against his shoulder. "What can I say? Big Sister dotes on you." Feeling the soft warmth against his arm, Xu Yuan laughed softly and murmured, "It doesn't matter. I looked over the records of Yuan Hao mobilizing troops before. Procuring supplies, arranging personnel, preparing transports, compiling intelligence... After my father issued the order, even our Chancellor's Manor was thrown into chaos for an entire day. While the circumstances are different, the Wanxiang Sect is bogged down by internal checks and balances; issuing orders requires endless procedures." At this point, Xu Yuan cast a glance toward the east. "Preparing for war isn't something done with a single word. Besides, it will take time for Yuan Hao to march his army here." "..." Lou Ji was delighted by his answer. Reaching out, she patted his head affectionately. "Not bad, not bad at all. So you've already thought it through, Changtian~" As the two spoke, footsteps sounded outside the chamber. Xu Xinyao pushed open the door and said softly, "Third Brother, here's the Xianchun brew you asked for—eh? Sister Lou Ji?" Sunlight streamed through the window. Catching sight of the bare jade-like back and the faint curve of hips beneath the gossamer gown, Xu Xinyao immediately recognized the woman standing beside Xu Yuan. Lou Ji cast a sideways glance at Xu Xinyao as she entered. Her gaze turned noticeably cool, though she still spoke with a sweet smile. "Oh, Xinyao's here~" Xu Yuan caught the coldness in Lou Ji's eyes and gave a slight shake of his head. Xu Xinyao hesitated at the threshold before stepping inside, asking gently, "Sister Lou Ji, how come you're here?" "..." Lou Ji gave no answer. Smiling, she patted Xu Yuan's back. "Big Sister is going to rest. Do a good job; Big Sister will be watching." With that, her slender figure dissolved into thin air. "..." Holding a jade flagon, Xu Xinyao stood frozen in place, at a loss. After a long pause, she walked slowly up to Xu Yuan and whispered, "Third Brother, does Sister Lou Ji... not like me?" Xu Yuan smiled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "That's just how she is," he said gently. "Besides, you don't need to try and win everyone over. Come, have a drink with your brother." It was no secret that Lou Ji disliked Xu Xinyao. As the leader of the Black Scale Guards, Lou Ji had seen far too much filth and depravity, leaving her disdainful of Xu Xinyao's innocent and naive worldview. While Xu Yuan and Xu Xinyao sat in the luxurious chamber, sipping wine and chatting about trivial matters, the two old men outside remained hovering before the black eagle, looking utterly foolish. Naturally, they had recognized that the pavilion atop the black eagle belonged to the Chancellor's Manor. Yet by refusing to show their faces or respond for so long, the visitors clearly intended to take them down a peg. The Grand Elder's expression had darkened somewhat as a result. Of course, that was merely on the surface. If the people inside the pavilion wanted to assert their dominance, the two elders would simply endure it. Losing a bit of face was nothing; after living this long, who hadn't been humiliated before? Before flying out, they had already tasked Xia Wenlin, the Fifth Elder, with taking charge of the crisis and overseeing all affairs. Xia Wenlin had also urged them that the longer they stalled, the more advantageous it would be for their side, and the less they would have to concede at the negotiating table. After all, if the Chancellor's Manor truly intended to attack at all costs, why would they bother sending someone to negotiate in the first place? Amid the silence in the air, Fifth Elder Xia Wenlin was methodically directing batch after batch of disciples into Wanxiang City through secret tunnels to bolster its defenses. However, to avoid alarming the enemy prematurely, the Wanxiang Sect did not immediately activate the city-protecting array. High above, the two stone-faced elders maintained their outward silence while casually conversing through Source Qi voice transmissions. The Grand Elder asked offhandedly, "Once this matter passes, what are your plans, Sect Master?" His expression unchanged, the Wanxiang Sect Master replied, "The internal issues of our sect run too deep; it must be restructured. If Wenlin hadn't formulated a plan before coming to the council hall today, we would likely still be running around like headless chickens in the face of this upheaval." The Grand Elder immediately grasped his meaning, his voice dropping low. "Sect Master, wresting back power will not be easy. The major clans within the sect will never relinquish their authority." The Wanxiang Sect Master scolded in a low growl, "Chu Yansun, a man like Xu Yinhe never acts without absolute certainty! One careless move right now, and our sect faces total annihilation!" The Grand Elder replied placidly, "Sect Master, I have no objections to reforming the sect. The question is, how do we implement it?" The Wanxiang Sect Master sighed. "Not a single whisper reached us from the imperial court. Those marching this time must be Xu Yinhe's private troops. For him to dare make such a move, he must possess critical intelligence." Pausing, the Sect Master let out a quiet sigh. "The sect will likely have to bleed heavily. I will take the blame and step down from the seat of Sect Master. But Wenlin is a talent worth molding; his vision extends far beyond yours or mine." "Are you planning to groom him, Sect Master?" "Who else do you suggest I groom?" The Sect Master shot a sideways glare at the Grand Elder. "He Jigu is quite capable," the Grand Elder remarked evenly. A trace of anger seeped into the Sect Master's voice. "At a time like this, you're still thinking of factional infighting? Don't think I don't know that kid He Jigu belongs to your clique!" The Grand Elder remained entirely unruffled. "You overstate the matter, Sect Master. I am merely recommending talent in earnest." "..." The Wanxiang Sect Master fell silent. It was hard—far too hard. The seeds of internal strife were deeply rooted within the Wanxiang Sect. Even on the brink of destruction, those below clung stubbornly to their games. Neither spoke another word as the minutes and seconds ticked by. After an unknown stretch of time, the two elders in midair suddenly exchanged a look. Seeing the shock and trembling disbelief in each other's eyes, both turned in unison toward the eastern sector of Wanxiang City. There, the illusory shape of a massive war hammer had abruptly coalesced. And it was inside the city. Before their stunned gazes, the war hammer struck down against the towering city wall. Once. Twice. Three times. *Rumble—!* Amid the terrified shrieks of the commoners within, the city wall—left unprotected because the defensive array had not been raised to avoid alerting the enemy—cracked wide open, tearing apart in a massive breach over twenty feet across. Immediately after, an exhilarated roar reverberated across the entirety of Wanxiang City: "All who dare resist shall be slaughtered without mercy!"