A clear voice, thundering with a strange, profound rhythm, shook the air, sending plumes of dust spiraling skyward in distinct columns! This was the mark of an elite force! The dust kicked up by an ordinary, ragged army would invariably be scattered and chaotic, like a mushroom cloud. Only when ten thousand feet strike the ground in perfect unison, maintaining flawless formation with no gap between ranks, could such towering pillars of dust be forged!

The magnificent sound naturally carried an irresistible, subtle force, like a wave crashing against a mountain! It seemed that with the approach of these powerful footsteps, no person or army in the world could possibly halt this troop’s advance!

“Jun Wu-yi, truly worthy of the Jun family name! Your discipline in managing troops is astonishing, truly deserving of the highest praise. Looking upon this, one can only offer a sincere ‘I yield’!” Dongfang Wenqing stood atop the bough of a giant tree, gazing into the distance, finally sighing deeply.

“That young man is indeed remarkable,” Dongfang Wenjian and Dongfang Wendao, standing beside him, couldn't help but murmur in admiration.

Far in the distance, the several thousand cavalrymen preceding Jun Wu-yi resembled a surging, rolling torrent. Even the horses seemed to start and land their hooves simultaneously; viewed from any angle—front or side—it appeared as a single, unbroken line! Perfectly aligned, as if cleaved by a blade!

This demonstrated mere strict discipline, but observing the expression on every soldier’s face revealed pure pride! This was the cohesion of an army! A scattered mob of soldiers would never allow such pride to bloom on a single face!

Faced with such an ordered, grand military spectacle, even the young master, Jun Mo-xie, was momentarily taken aback.

He recalled that when he left, the only disciplined forces under Jun Wu-yi were the original regiment. However, that force was still riddled with private troops seconded from various great families and bodyguards hired by young masters, men who were notoriously difficult to manage—stubborn and unruly, one might say. He never imagined that in just one short month, these men could have been tamed into such seamless coordination!

It seemed Third Uncle certainly had a knack for military command.

The young master, unfamiliar with military affairs, could not possibly know that this was far more than just ‘a knack’! This was the work of Jun Wu-yi; put anyone else in that position, and they might have floundered in endless trouble!

Jun Mo-xie led his two hundred and fifty men forward to meet them, only to be greeted instantly with a chillingly stern countenance. Even the notoriously rebellious young master could only manage a sheepish, forced smile in response to such severity, for the master of that cold gaze was Third Master Jun Wu-yi himself.

Jun Wu-yi looked upon his nephew, his face stern, though inwardly he felt a mix of exasperation and amusement. In all dynasties, what kind of vanguard behaved like this? Leading men out, only to abandon them like sheep—vanishing without a trace almost in the blink of an eye! Without sending even rudimentary status reports back, this set a precedent for pathfinding vanguards that was certainly unparalleled, if not entirely without successors!

In truth, the young master’s advance work had been quite successful. All troubles and potential complications along the way had been neutralized by the young master’s unique methods. Whether legitimate or not was another matter, but the task had been completed. Thus, the main army encountered no significant obstructions, a fact that greatly satisfied Third Master Jun. Even the old veterans privy to the inner workings of the camp management were satisfied; they truly couldn't find fault.

The only flaw was the failure to maintain robust communication.

But what about those who were unaware? They would naturally assume that the young master possessed absolutely no sense of responsibility! While the journey was smooth, perhaps that was due to corrective measures taken by Marshal Jun, or even Old Master Jun working behind the scenes.

The more serious issue was this: the uninformed were surely a vast majority. Among a hundred men in the army, at least ninety-nine would likely argue that the smooth passage was solely thanks to having a good Third Uncle and a good Grandfather.

This directly implicated the issue of earning the troops' respect: such lack of organization and discipline, if not punished, how could the soldiers be made to accept the command?

Consequently, Third Master Jun had no real choice but to launch into a fierce tirade against the young master the moment they met! Jun Mo-xie stood with downcast eyes, murmuring vague affirmations, pretending his Third Uncle was praising his excellent performance. He hadn't actually grasped a single word of what his uncle said. Finally, it concluded only when he was nearly dozing off from the sheer length of the scolding.

After venting his frustration, and under the strong, pointed suggestion in Jun Mo-xie's gaze, Jun Wu-yi reluctantly gave a brief rundown of the arrangements for establishing the encampment, offered a few simple instructions, and then dismissed the generals.

“Hmph hmph. Grand Marshal Jun, such imposing authority, such killing intent! Not having seen you for a decade, your presence is even greater than before. To make your own nephew clear your path, and then to curse him even after he successfully completes the mission! Not a single word of encouragement—truly a man of iron blood, brutally self-disciplined and heartless,” a voice laced with cold sarcasm and affected inflection rang out.

Jun Wu-yi’s sword-like eyebrows shot up, a chilling light flaring in his eyes: “Reveal yourselves!”

“Hmph, coming out is nothing. Do you think I fear a mere Grand Marshal like you?” With a sharp rustle, three figures materialized within the tent.

“Brother Dongfang?” Jun Wu-yi exclaimed in joyous surprise, then his eyes widened as he took in the others: “Second Brother Dongfang! Third Brother! It’s you all!” Following the surprise, a deep wave of guilt flashed across his features, instantly making him feel unworthy to face them.

“Hmph, playing coy with us. Jun Wu-yi, did you rush to Tiannan like this because Liu Er-gong is seeking death? Have you truly grown tired of living?” Dongfang Wenqing huffed. Although his words were sharp and mocking, his expression was not entirely severe. Anyone paying attention would surely detect a faint undercurrent of concern woven within his tone.

The three brothers’ animosity toward the Jun family had never been that deep; even back then, it was little more than displaced anger. Now, seeing the rumored profligate nephew, Jun Mo-xie, proving to be so capable at such a young age, their hearts were suddenly eased, and their resentment completely vanished.

Ten years had passed since the events of the past; although the source of the disaster stemmed from Jun Wu-yi, was he not also a victim? In fact, he was the greatest victim. A decade of crippling disability, a decade of bitter regret, ten thousand torments borne entirely by him alone. Not to mention, Jun Wu-yi was completely unaware of the full truth initially! By the time Jun Wu-yi finally learned Han Yan-yao’s true identity, everything had already spiraled beyond control!

Looking at the mountain-like weight of exhaustion and fatigue shadowing Jun Wu-yi’s eyes, and the profound shame that surfaced the moment he saw the three of them, it was clear. These ten years had been far more agonizing for Jun Wu-yi than for any of them!

Even with the deep bond of siblings, the great slaughter ten years prior had already vented much of their shared fury, which had further dissipated over the long passage of time, leaving the memory less sharp than it once was.

But for Jun Wu-yi, it was entirely different! The matter began with him; intentionally or not, that was the reality.

Though his mistake was unintentional, it originated from him. That unintentional error, however, became the heaviest and most burdensome chain of his entire life!

Throughout these ten years, it must have felt like a thousand ants gnawing at his heart, stabbing him to the bone, day and night! When they themselves could bear the pain no longer, they could at least get drunk and fight wildly, using the extreme exhaustion of the body to drive away the anguish within. But Jun Wu-yi, crippled in his legs, could only endure it, silently bearing the torment.

The four men faced each other, and in that moment, all felt a strange sensation, as if they had returned to ten years ago, the past replaying vividly before their eyes. Their breathing hitched slightly.

Slowly, Jun Wu-yi’s eyes grew red, the corners dampening. He opened his arms and forced a smile: “Brother Dongfang, these ten years, I’ve missed you all so much! We…” A full ten years, two months, and seven days had passed since they last met,”

He glanced at the sky, his voice husky and low: “In two more hours, it will be the precise hour, on that same day, in that same year…” the hour when the devastating news of Big Brother’s death arrived…”

Jun Wu-yi’s eyes suddenly turned blood-red!

The four beside him felt a profound shock in their hearts!

Indeed, it was that very day, that very hour…

Ten years, two months, and seven days, minus two hours! Jun Wu-yi had kept the timing precise to such a degree! What did this signify?

It meant that throughout the past decade, Jun Wu-yi had not forgotten this blood feud for a single day, not for a single moment! Yet, he could only suppress it, knowing the enemy clearly, yet being forced to endure; coupled with the pain of his disability and the sorrow of parting from his beloved!

At this moment, the three Dongfangs finally understood completely how Jun Wu-yi had survived these past ten years!

That single sentence was enough!

“Third Brother, these ten years… you have suffered,” Dongfang Wenqing stepped forward and embraced Jun Wu-yi tightly. They held each other in silence. Jun Wu-yi’s eyes narrowed slightly, forcing the torrent of tears about to spill back into his heart! The muscles in his face twitched, but he clamped his jaw shut, allowing not a single sound to escape.

Ten whole years—finally, he had received those words from the Dongfang family, words of understanding and shared concern! Ten long years! Though late, though delayed, they had finally arrived. Did anyone know how many times he had utterly broken down during those years… how many times!

Jun Wu-yi’s expression remained outwardly unchanged, but the sharp, aching grief in his heart surged like a mighty river, overwhelming him.

Dongfang Wenjian and Dongfang Wendao, thinking of Jun Wu-yi’s suffering over the past decade and witnessing the touching scene before them, felt their eyes sting involuntarily, their noses grow tight, nearly bringing them to tears. They could only turn their heads and force out a couple of harsh coughs, afraid they would start weeping, afraid they would cry out loud! Yet, even the sound of this extreme, forced concealment was punctuated by a tremor, betraying their emotion.

As fellow men, how could they not understand how Jun Wu-yi had endured these ten years? If such a thing had happened to them, they might have already committed suicide out of shame! Yet, Jun Wu-yi had stubbornly shouldered this decade of torment until this very day!

After a long silence, the emotions of the group slowly returned to normal.

“Wu-yi is well aware that this journey to Tiannan is fraught with peril. Besides the positively dangerous Xuan Beasts, the enemies are scattered everywhere! This time, if I, Jun Wu-yi, cannot escape this engagement by some miracle, I implore my three brothers to assist—under any circumstances, you must ensure Mo-xie safely returns to Tianxiang! I beg you.” Having regained composure, he naturally shifted the topic, and the subject Jun Wu-yi raised was the most immediate concern. (To be continued)