Regarding the updates, it’s been two chapters lately. It’s not because of family matters; I do have inspiration. But I’ve been stuck at the computer every day, unable to write, just unwilling to start. The three-chapter pace for over a month has thoroughly stifled me. This Fantian is consuming all my focus now, my mind is completely scattered, and I can’t concentrate. In short, I need to adjust first; things should improve after Fantian passes.

The figures of the two shot forward with incredible speed; in just one leap, they were atop the carriage roof, both kneeling before Zong Shou.

Zong Yuan knelt silently, while Zong Lan first bowed deeply, "Zong Lan, Commander of the Black Fox Iron Cavalry, greets the Young Lord!"

Then, when he looked up again, Zong Lan’s gaze was intensely focused as he closely examined Zong Shou. There were even traces of mistiness in his eyes. "Little Shou, haven’t we gone nearly three years without seeing each other? You’ve grown so tall, and you resemble the Sovereign so much—a true man. Rest assured, with Uncle Lan here, absolutely no one in this world will dare touch even a single hair on you! No more worrying or fear! Have you been bullied terribly these past few days? It’s Uncle Lan’s fault; with the Sovereign gone, I failed to look after you properly. If I had known that the Lingyun Sect would break their word, I shouldn't have rushed to the Sunken Cloud Sea to see what was happening..." As he spoke, he couldn't help but choke up, repeatedly beating his chest as if wracked with remorse.

Hearing this, Li Luo couldn't help but suppress a laugh. He mused that even this brazen fellow beside him could have moments of fear? It was truly like a ferocious beast that had completely hidden all its claws and teeth, pretending to be a lamb. Only by approaching closely could one sense its terrifying nature.

However, this commander of the Black Fox Iron Cavalry was indeed as interesting as the rumors suggested.

Zong Lan continued speaking to himself, as if needing to vent all his sorrow before Zong Yuan. Zong Shou felt helpless; he knew this man was one of Zong Weiran's most trusted mortals. Not only did he command the Black Fox Iron Cavalry, but he also led the twenty thousand personal troops of Qiantian Mountain, and his status was that of Zong Shou’s own uncle.

He had long heard that although this man was extremely intelligent and unrivaled in bravery on the battlefield, his personality could sometimes be stubbornly strange.

Yet, he hadn't expected this person to be quite so... exaggerated. Zong Shou simply kept his eyes open, his mind wandering far away as he contemplated the runes in his head. It wasn't until a quarter of an hour later, when Zong Lan’s voice finally subsided, that he snapped back to reality. His eyes were also wet, his pupils red, his face radiating emotion. "Uncle Lan, please rise quickly! With Uncle Lan here, I can finally feel at ease. If this nephew ascends the throne in the future, I will rely heavily on you. I only hope Uncle Lan won't find me bothersome then—" Hearing this, the others, except for Chu Xue, blinked in surprise and took a closer look at Zong Shou. They wondered if their Young Lord was also adept at pretending.

As for the rest, especially Tan Tao who arrived later, they also rolled their eyes.

Zong Lan seemed utterly oblivious. He wiped away his tears, stood up abruptly, his eyes flashing sharply: "How could I ever find it bothersome? The Sovereign’s kindness to me is as immense as a mountain; I cannot repay it in this lifetime! If the Young Lord has any task, just assign it to me, Zong Lan. The Young Lord's enemy is my enemy. Whoever dares to harm the Young Lord, Zong Lan will be the first to cleave them down!"

Having finished, he swept his tiger-like gaze across the assembled group. His expression was intensely sharp, forcing everyone’s gaze to shift away. Only when his eyes met Li Luo and Shi Dan did a flicker of surprise appear, as if puzzled why these two, given their strength, were still guarding Zong Shou. He immediately dismissed the thought, let out a soft snort, and threw two warning glances their way before stepping back, hand resting on his saber, positioning himself directly behind Zong Shou, assuming the role of a personal guard.

Zong Shou’s lips involuntarily twitched, a spasm running through his face.

Having this man, whose martial cultivation reached the Eighth-Vein Black Tortoise realm, standing behind him, Zong Shou felt an overwhelming sense of unease throughout his body.

If this position behind him were used to strike suddenly, even he, caught off guard, could not escape unscathed. He truly did not want someone he could not yet fully trust to occupy that spot.

This Zong Lan might be fiercely loyal to his cheap father, but his loyalty to Zong Shou himself was not necessarily absolute.

It was impossible to know whether those earlier words were just an act or truly heartfelt.

However, it was not the time to refuse. Zong Shou could only shake his head slightly, enduring the discomfort, and turn his attention back to Zong Yuan, who was still kneeling before him.

He stared intently for a long moment, and seeing no trace of impatience in the other man, he smiled faintly. "You did well! No, you surprised me. I never anticipated beforehand that you possessed such talent. Slaying Mu Ling and Mu Jiang in formation, executing Feng Yu, and then consecutively conquering several formations—you, Zong Yuan of the Purple Thunder Spear, have every reason to be proud!"

Zong Yuan’s expression remained as calm as an ancient well, and he shook his head faintly. "Today's battle has nothing to do with me, Zong Yuan. The three thousand cavalry trampling a thousand troops—it was all the Young Lord’s doing! However, Zong Yuan has thought it over carefully; the words the Young Lord spoke earlier were indeed golden advice. I, Zong Yuan, will never easily give up again, nor will I cheapen my life. I benefited greatly from that recent fight. Perhaps today, I still lack the ability to roam the battlefield and spear a thousand armies, but I certainly will in the future. I will never disappoint the Young Lord—"

Zong Lan, listening from the side, was utterly bewildered, having no idea what these two were discussing. Only Chu Xue, the mortal, understood the underlying situation and smiled without speaking.

Zong Shou was momentarily stunned, and after a moment, a faint realization dawned, bringing forth a mixture of laughter and tears. "So, you believed this entire battle depended solely on me? Then do you know why I praised you for slaying Mu Ling and Mu Jiang in formation, and executing Feng Yu, yet deliberately omitted mentioning Yang Xuan and Xie Nu?"

Zong Yuan paused briefly, reflecting carefully. The Young Lord’s tone did sound somewhat peculiar. Just as he was wondering, Zong Shou pointed at his own brow with his finger. "Examine here first!"

Zong Yuan instinctively touched his brow, feeling only smooth skin, without any abnormality. A moment later, he remembered to probe with his spiritual sense. Then, astonishment flooded his eyes again.

That 'Soul' character imprint between his eyebrows had completely vanished. Furthermore, the spirit arrays Zong Shou had drawn on him and within his armor seemed to have disappeared without a trace.

In that case, was he, at this moment, truly free?

Right, that bolt of lightning drawn down from the sky... since that moment, he had felt as if something were missing from his body. But he had been too focused then to pay attention. So, did that mean Mu Ling, Mu Jiang, and Feng Yu had actually died by his hand? And the Fifth and Sixth formations afterward, and the Raging Bear Armored Soldiers—had he personally led the army to break through them?

How was this possible? Only a month ago, he was stuck at the peak of the Xiantian realm, unable to move. How could he possibly achieve this? A mere four-wheel Martial Sovereign killing two Black Tortoise Grandmasters—was he dreaming?

Not only him, but at this moment, even Tan Tao and Hu Zhongyuan were momentarily dazed, looking at Zong Yuan in disbelief.

Did this mean that the latter half of this battle was entirely unrelated to Zong Shou; it was all Zong Yuan’s doing?

He too displayed unmatched prowess in breaking formations, and also manifested that Raging Thunder Spear Intent. Even facing formidable enemies like the Raging Bear Armored Soldiers, he swept through them effortlessly, in no way inferior to when Zong Shou was controlling him remotely earlier.

If that were the case, didn't it imply that the current Zong Yuan could not only challenge Black Tortoise Grandmasters but also inspire terror in everyone on the battlefield?

Tan Tao, after all, was more astute and composed. He was the first to regain clarity, then couldn't help but take a deep breath. "So, he is a Peerless General Seed!" He thought, no wonder that Demon King of Qiantian treated Zong Yuan with such favor, and why this Young Lord had always regarded him differently. Zong Yuan, a rare military genius, truly possessed the qualifications to be considered a treasure by everyone!

Zong Yuan remained lost in confusion, his expression fluctuating between red and white unpredictably.

Zong Shou was growing impatient waiting. He spoke directly, "The methods of the Demonic Path are mostly minor tricks. This Soul Control technique is the same. In truth, it cannot truly restrain someone with an unyielding will. Even without that lightning, you would have broken the soul imprint within a few days—"

Seeing the focus gradually return to Zong Yuan’s pupils, Zong Shou abruptly paused his words. "Your soul imprint is gone now, and I can no longer control you. What are your plans next? If you wish to leave, as long as you promise not to oppose Qiantian Mountain, I can let you go!"

Before the words fully left his mouth, Zong Shou felt an intensely violent aura erupt from behind him. Zong Lan suddenly stepped forward, his eyes filled with killing intent, staring coldly at Zong Yuan.

It seemed as if the moment Zong Yuan uttered the word 'leave,' Zong Lan would strike and sever his head.

Zong Shou was momentarily speechless. He had forgotten about this fellow. Didn't he understand that Zong Shou was currently employing a soft approach?

If he were just a mere martial brute, it would be one thing, but for a talent like this, forcing compliance would yield no sweet results.

Never mind. One plays the red face, the other the white face; the effect seems even better.

Zong Yuan remained silent for a moment, then suddenly bowed again, striking his head on the ground: "The Young Lord showed Zong Yuan kindness by not killing me, the kindness of a partial master, and the kindness of remaking me. My conscience hasn't been eaten by dogs. For the rest of my life, as long as I live, I will serve the Young Lord like a loyal dog. I only have one request for the Young Lord—that Zong Hao, Zong Yang—"

He gritted his teeth, unable to finish the last few words.

"You wish to take their lives?"

Zong Shou instantly brightened. Even if this man hadn't said it, he wouldn't let those two mortals off easily upon their return. If his guess was correct, returning to Qiantian Mountain this time would surely bring about countless storms and bloodshed.

But he couldn't agree too easily now. He touched his forehead, feigning a pained expression. "Those two, one is my clan uncle, an elder of the Celestial Fox Clan. The other is my cousin, a rare rising star among the Grandmasters. Even if they show me utmost disrespect—"

Zong Yuan said nothing, only bowing his head resolutely, paying homage. With all his strength, he struck the carriage roof repeatedly with loud thuds, leaving a dent in the wood, blood streaming down his face.

At this moment, the numerous armored riders from Xuan Mountain City nearby were all staring coldly at Zong Shou with expressions of righteous indignation.

Martial power is what conquers hearts the most, especially after Zong Yuan led them to achieve the miracle of crushing four hundred thousand enemy troops in one decisive blow. These Xuan Mountain City knights now adored this Purple Thunder Spear commander to the extreme.

They couldn't hear the words being exchanged, only seeing Zong Yuan kneeling before Zong Shou, bowing until his head bled, and yet not stopping. They inwardly felt a surge of anger, thinking Zong Shou was simply a tyrannical ruler acting absurdly. Instead of rewarding a strong figure like Zong Yuan after a great victory, he was humiliating him like this! (To be continued)