Time always flies by, and just like that, another month had slipped away. During this period, Xuanyuan Ruoyun, the Crown Prince of the Tianyuan Empire, arrived to inspect the state of Shu Yun. The ruler of Shu Yun, Luo Xiaofeng, hosted a grand banquet in his honor. Ye Jingyu, due to his injuries, did not attend this gathering, thus missing the opportunity to meet members of the Xuanyuan family...

However, Ye Jingyu was aware that throughout Xuanyuan Ruoyun's inspection of Shu Yun, Luo Xiaofeng had repeatedly mentioned the incessant raiding of the border populace by the Hu people from the West. These invaders had been plundering, murdering, and committing every atrocity imaginable against the innocent people along the border, describing them as the utmost villains and imploring the Tianyuan Empire to uphold justice...

For Xuanyuan Ruoyun to become Crown Prince, he was naturally no ordinary man. He would certainly not agree to dispatch troops against the Hu kingdom merely because of a few beautiful women gifted by Luo Xiaofeng. Instead, he argued that the Tianyuan Empire was a supreme celestial nation, and to launch an immediate punitive campaign against the Hu kingdom would be difficult to explain to the world...

In the end, after Lord Luo Xiaofeng had presented an indeterminate number of beauties and vast quantities of gold, Xuanyuan Ruoyun offered a very veiled promise: should Shu Yun and the Hu nation come to blows, the Tianyuan Empire could simply pretend nothing had happened...

Of course, Luo Xiaofeng understood that the reason for Xuanyuan Ruoyun’s assent was the desire to see Shu Yun and the Hu nation engage in mutual attrition, exhausting each other’s national strength—precisely the outcome they preferred. Yet, even knowing this, he had no choice but to proceed. To expand the territory of Shu Yun and realize the ambition simmering in his heart, he had to endure these compromises now...

The day for the expedition was set for the third day of the third month, which, according to the Primeval Almanac, marked the birthday of Guanyin of the Southern Sea, though Shu Yun appeared to have no such local tradition...

Two forces would be dispatched on this campaign: one led by Xiao Geng, known as the Cloud Army, and another composed of martial artists, dubbed the Iron Army. In the minds of these martial artists, this was an invincible force; however, to the majority within the court, it was merely a ragtag contingent, a bandit army harboring inherent dangers to the state's security. The objective of this operation was, in fact, to utilize the Hu army as a means to eliminate this perceived threat...

With over a month remaining until the departure, Ye Jingyu, as the nominal commander of the Iron Army, had yet to see what his soldiers actually looked like due to his injuries, nor did he even know their designated encampment location...

Now, however, his injuries were completely healed. This was due not only to the torrent of elixirs and marvelous medicines Luo Xiaofeng had relentlessly supplied but also significantly to his own enhanced regenerative abilities...

The spring sunlight was exquisitely bright. Ye Jingyu, fully recovered, was attended by Hu Yanmeng as he donned a tight-fitting suit of white fabric, over which he placed a set of silver-white light armor. His long black hair was tied back behind his head, making him appear vibrant, imposing, and full of martial spirit...

Gazing at his reflection in the bronze mirror, Ye Jingyu felt he was preposterously handsome...

“Meng, do you think there’s anyone in this world as handsome and young as I am for a general?” Ye Jingyu asked Hu Yanmeng, who stood nearby, eyeing the figure in light armor reflected in the glass with a degree of self-adoration...

“...” Hu Yanmeng rolled her eyes, snatched a cloak from nearby, and tossed it directly at Ye Jingyu before turning to leave. She truly did not wish to exchange any more words with this self-absorbed man...

“Hey, hey! You haven’t even put the cloak on, why are you running?” Ye Jingyu immediately called out as Hu Yanmeng turned away...

“Damn it, could it be that I’m just too handsome? Has this girl fled because she can’t help but fall in love with me?” Seeing Jiufeng completely ignore him, Ye Jingyu turned to Lin Xiaoyi beside him to ask...

Lin Xiaoyi had been suppressing a chuckle, but upon hearing Ye Jingyu’s question, the muscles in his face twitched violently. His young master was truly too narcissistic. Yet, a fawning smile instantly appeared on his face as he stepped forward ingratiatingly, saying obsequiously, “This... Young Master, your handsomeness rivals the sun, moon, and stars; your coolness moves heaven and earth. Never mind Sister Meng, any woman would lose the capacity for independent thought before you, involuntarily throwing herself into your embrace...”

“Am I really that handsome?” Ye Jingyu asked with an appearance of genuine confusion...

“Of course. Besides you, Young Master, no man this perfect exists in the world...” Lin Xiaoyi said while smiling obsequiously, lightly patting his own chest, careful not to let any sarcastic words escape his lips...

“Alas, I know I am handsome, but is that my fault? I never wanted to be this handsome, yet Heaven insisted on making me so. What choice did I have? Ah... what a burden, what a burden...” Ye Jingyu sighed as he walked toward the exit...

Lin Xiaoyi’s smile remained fixed as he followed closely behind, ceaselessly wiping the sweat from his brow. He suspected he was the only one capable of enduring his young master’s extreme narcissism...

Leaving the Zhenguo Mansion, Chi Yixiu had already assembled the warriors of the Chiyi tribe, standing at attention on both sides. They were all exceptionally tall and broad; even clad in animal hides, they projected immense impact. This was amplified tenfold now that they wore custom-made heavy armor and uniformly gripped five-foot-long battle axes weighing a hundred catties. Simply standing there exerted a profound sense of pressure; one could only imagine the scene on the actual battlefield...

The twenty divine archers led by Hu Yanqi were also equipped with light armor. Like the Chiyi warriors, they would serve as Ye Jingyu’s personal guard. Their longbows remained the primitive bows brought back from the Southern Desolate Forest; the standard military bows of Shu Yun simply could not withstand their power. However, their arrows were the feather-fletched, steel-tipped arrows of Shu Yun. Compared to the purely wooden darts favored by the Hu Yan tribe, these possessed far greater lethality. Combined with their formidable drawing strength and pinpoint accuracy, Ye Jingyu had no doubt they could easily eliminate enemies even a hundred paces away...

Looking at these most loyal subordinates, Ye Jingyu felt a strong yearning for the impending battlefield. This was where he would truly achieve fame and where his ascent would begin. Even if the path ahead was perilous and fraught with danger, he felt no trace of fear in his heart...

To gain something, one must first pay a price, especially when seeking vengeance?

The playful look vanished from his face, replaced by stern solemnity. He gracefully mounted the warhorse brought by Chi Yixiu and led his retinue galloping toward the military camp...

Naturally, Little Taotao, who had awakened and significantly advanced in strength, also trailed behind the main group...

Although he had been appointed commander of the Iron Army following the Martial Arts Examination, it was only today that he was truly taking up the post...

He understood well that this was an army composed entirely of martial artists—a group utterly undisciplined and inherently rebellious. Relying solely on his prestige as the top martial champion to completely subdue them was unlikely. There was still much, much work ahead of him...

When Ye Jingyu and his entourage arrived at the Iron Army's station, even though Ye Jingyu had mentally prepared himself, he was still profoundly shaken by the scene before his eyes...