"Speak..."

"Although Ye Jingyu is dead, the Iron Army was not completely wiped out..." As he spoke, Yue Youqun recounted the entire episode of Ye Jingyu sending Zhuge Yishi to the Tian Gang Mountain Range...

Upon hearing that at least five thousand soldiers of the Iron Army had survived, a slight change came over Luo Haitian's expression...

"You may leave..." After Yue Youqun finished speaking, Luo Haitian waved his hand dismissively...

"Yes..." Yue Youqun dared not say another word, bowed respectfully, and turned to exit...

After Yue Youqun departed, Mr. Tao, clad in a long black robe, emerged from the shadows...

"Mr. Tao, do you believe what he said is true? Why do I always feel that Ye Jingyu wouldn't die so easily?" Luo Haitian's brows were tightly furrowed. Although his faction was originally the largest, the rise of Ye Jingyu had firmly placed the Third Brother ahead of him, a fact that greatly displeased him and had planted a shadow of unease regarding Ye Jingyu in his heart...

"He didn't sound like he was lying; it should be true. With a hole pierced through his heart, unless he reached the Soul Immortal realm, death would be certain... Perhaps the Young Master is overthinking things?" Mr. Tao gazed at Yue Youqun's retreating back and spoke calmly...

"Perhaps..." Luo Haitian shook his head. Maybe he was indeed being overly sensitive. Ye Jingyu wasn't a god; how could he escape peril every single time...

Third Brother, once Ye Jingyu is gone, what else do you have to contend with me?

In the First Young Master's heart, the confidence that had been shattered began to soar once more...

As for the remaining few thousand members of the Iron Army, what did they have to do with him? They were the targets for the Father King to eliminate, not his own targets...

He wouldn't be foolish enough to turn informant, wouldn't that be telling Luo Xiaofeng that he was the one who sent assassins after Ye Jingyu?

The days passed one by one. Battles raged continually in the Northern Frontier, yet the State of Hu, having lost the Ao Shi Battle Group, found it difficult to withstand the impact of the Cloud Army relying solely on the Perpetual Rain Legion...

Xiao Geng advanced steadily, pushing the Hu forces into continuous retreat, with reports of victories pouring in incessantly...

The entire State of Shu Yun erupted in jubilation, and Xiao Geng's name grew ever more resonant; almost every household knew General Xiao as the nation's pillar...

However, the Sovereign Luo Xiaofeng displayed no signs of joy. Intelligence obtained from the Shadow Army indicated the complete annihilation of the Iron Army, and as for Ye Jingyu, he was missing...

This greatly dissatisfied Luo Xiaofeng. He had explicitly ordered Ouyang Lengcan to bring Ye Jingyu back, yet Ouyang Lengcan, after suffering losses exceeding ten thousand men, had failed to complete the mission—how could this satisfy him? Had it not been for the fact that Ouyang Lengcan was also gravely wounded, he might have subjected him to immediate military judgment...

The news of the Iron Army's demise was not disseminated. Except for a very select few, everyone else believed they were still carrying out a secret mission in the Northern Frontier...

Luo Xiaofeng planned to announce the news upon Xiao Geng's triumphant return. Faced with a comprehensive victory, what significance would the total loss of an army of over ten thousand men hold?

Another half a month slipped by. On the eastern side of the Tian Gang Mountain Range, near the border of the State of Shu Yun, a large settlement suitable for ten thousand inhabitants had been established...

The contingent led by Chen Qi had successfully rendezvoused with the forces commanded by Zhuge Yishi. However, over two thousand of them had perished while traversing the Tian Gang Mountain Range—some due to existing injuries, others falling prey to the numerous perils within the rugged mountains...

Nevertheless, the three thousand survivors were significantly more tempered than before. Their gazes were sharper, their resolve more steadfast, and their loyalty to Ye Jingyu had soared to unprecedented heights. The reason was simple: Ye Jingyu had personally stayed behind to cover their retreat so they could escape successfully. What general who did such a thing would not deserve their utmost loyalty?

The four thousand personnel stationed there, along with the few hundred Martial Masters led by Ying Xiaoxiao, had also heard or witnessed Ye Jingyu's heroic deeds. Their initial sentiments of resistance had gradually faded away; they were beginning to integrate into the collective known as the Iron Army...

This integration was not merely superficial; it was a deep, internal assimilation, vastly different from the forced compliance imposed by brute intimidation in the past...

Watching the platoons of soldiers drilling on the training ground, observing the determined focus in their eyes, a faint smile touched Zhuge Yishi's lips. Only soldiers who had endured war were true soldiers. The crucible of battle had forged them into genuine warriors. An army composed entirely of martial artists—what a formidable fighting force that would be?

Lin Xiaoyi was also cultivating desperately nearby, but his eyes were clouded with worry. So much time had passed, even Chi Yixiu and the others had returned, yet why hadn't Ye Jingyu reappeared?

Of course, that final battle had been devastating. Fewer than two hundred of the last few hundred survivors had made it back. Among them, only about forty warriors from the Chi Yi Clan remained, and the others were all severely injured. Even Chi Yixiu and Hu Yanzhi were completely drained of strength, resting inside their quarters...

And, of course, our dear Little Taotao was also deep in slumber, having expended far too much energy...

Chen Qi, Ye Longyi, and Ying Xiaoxiao stood beside Zhuge Yishi, observing the soldiers training relentlessly. Yet, there was no hint of joy on their faces...

"Mister Zhuge, General he..." Ye Longyi started to ask if Ye Jingyu's prolonged absence meant something was wrong, but was immediately interrupted by Ying Xiaoxiao...

"Longyi, you must trust the General. He will definitely be fine..."

Seeing Ying Xiaoxiao, who had consistently held reservations about Ye Jingyu, speak with such certainty, Ye Longyi visibly started.

He truly hadn't expected that after experiencing the war, Ye Jingyu's standing in Ying Xiaoxiao's heart would have climbed to such a level...

"General Ying is right. General Ye absolutely will be fine. What worries me now is how long we can remain safely hidden here. Although I laid down a concealing formation in the surroundings, there's no guarantee the Imperial Court won't send someone highly skilled to see through everything here..." The smile on Zhuge Yishi's face slowly vanished. Yue Youqun's betrayal meant their hidden sanctuary was no longer a secret. Once Luo Xiaofeng received this intelligence, he would undoubtedly dispatch forces to eradicate them completely...

Of course, Zhuge Yishi also surmised that the person behind Yue Youqun wouldn't be foolish enough to report their location in the immediate future...

The mention of this immediately brought Yue Youqun to Ying Xiaoxiao's mind, and a look of uncontrolled anger crossed her face. Though Ye Longyi hadn't fought in that engagement, the thought of Yue Youqun's betrayal filled him with indignation as well...

"Whoosh..." At that precise moment, an alarm whistle suddenly sounded from the woods. The expressions of several people changed instantly. Could the Imperial forces have discovered their location so quickly?