A look of sheer delight swept across Hu Zhongyuan's face. For a full month, they had received no news of Zong Shou's whereabouts.

Even though Zong Shou's name remained etched in the Xuanming Gold Register within the Cang Sheng Qiong Realm, the others had remained deeply worried, their hearts constantly pounding with apprehension.

Only now could their collective anxiety finally settle.

The Great Qian dynasty maintained a Cabinet for governance, a Privy Council for military affairs, and the Five Army Inspectors for oversight.

The nation's affairs, in theory, could proceed smoothly even without Zong Shou. Yet, the reality was far different. In his absence, while everyone diligently performed their duties, a fundamental unease persisted. It was only upon learning the whereabouts of Zong Shou that a true pillar of support was restored to their spirits.

Kong Yao, who had been deeply engrossed in scrutinizing the battle reports, was startled by the interruption and turned with a look of surprise and inquiry.

Hu Zhongyuan immediately straightened, his expression turning serious. "It was a man named Li Xin who delivered an imperial edict to Qiantian Mountain. Reportedly, this individual is a Half-Step Grand Realm master, one of the honored retainers recruited by His Majesty. He has been dispatched under imperial command to anchor the situation in the Tianfang World and take supreme command of the cavalry—"

Noticing Kong Yao's slight frown of displeasure, Hu Zhongyuan instantly understood the underlying concern and chuckled. "He says His Majesty is safe and sound, merely temporarily confined within a fragment of a Minor World. He should return within a matter of days."

Kong Yao pondered this, wondering what manner of temporal shard could render Zong Shou immobile.

As she was lost in thought, a resounding boom echoed not far ahead.

Looking out, they witnessed the earth itself convulsing violently. The previously flat wilderness before the fortress city had suddenly ruptured, vast cracks spreading out like a spider's web, inching toward the city walls.

"Earth Splitting Art!"

Kong Yao's eyes shifted, but she made no move. The Earth Splitting Art was merely a Fourth-Tier immortal technique. However, when deployed by two Saint Realm masters commanding around three thousand spirit masters, its destructive power was sufficient to shake mountains and move the very foundations of the Cloud Realm. Against this unfinished fortress, it felt somewhat like overkill.

Yet, at this moment, she had no need to worry. Hundreds of streaks of sword light suddenly shot forth with fierce speed, embedding themselves before the city. At the center, a colossal phantom—a giant sword body a hundred zhang tall—stood erect, surrounded by hundreds of supporting blades.

As the earth fissures approached, countless clouds of ochre light exploded outward, dissipating into the air.

"These sects are restless again!"

Hu Zhongyuan let out a cold snort. "Fortunately, the battle at the Fallen God Plain decimated nearly all of the Great Shang's retainer spirit masters."

In the Southern Frontier campaigns, the Great Shang Dynasty had lost seven out of ten of their military spirit masters, meaning their overall strength was technically slightly inferior to Great Qian. However, considering the vast territory they needed to garrison and suppress, that advantage was practically nullified.

Currently, about one-tenth of the opposing Shang spirit masters belonged to the Shi family; the rest hailed from the various sects, the Southwestern noble houses, and finally, the Demonic Sects—

"The Great Shang aligning with the Demonic Path? Yin Yuanchen is tearing down his own defenses! He will inevitably lose the support of the people!"

The speaker, clad in a cyan robe and carrying a long sword, was Ruo Tao of the Sword Sect. It was the Sword Sect's handiwork that had just forcibly shattered the earth-splitting immortal technique. The battle at Baisheng Pass concerned the rise and fall of the Six Great Sects of the Cloud Realm, something even the Sword Sect could not ignore. Ruo Tao, as the future Palace Master of the Ten Thousand Swords Qiong Realm, was currently representing the entirety of the Sword Sect here.

The Buddhist Sect, burdened with suppressing the millions of undead corpses outside the Tomb of Emperor Qin, could not spare much strength at present.

"Tearing down his own defenses? That's not certain. If the Confucian School can ally with the Demonic Sect, then Yin Yu is certainly not hesitant about such matters."

Su Chen sneered. "With the Twelve Pillar-Supporting Bronze Men, and the Supreme Primordial Demon Li Biexue acting as his state master, even if the Five Sects join forces, Yuanchen need not fear. Furthermore, the Daoist School is most likely content to watch things unfold. And the Zhu Zi Neo-Confucian lineage will likely only offer token remonstrations. If their advice is ignored, they will simply stand aside, perhaps even secretly pleased, waiting for the opportune moment to sweep up the remnants. Yin Yu needs the Confucian School to govern the nation after all—"

As he spoke, Su Chen's expression contorted with rage, his eyes blazing red. "Jin Buhui merely offered some cold sarcasm, intending only to awaken Yin Yu and prevent him from repeating past mistakes. And yet, he was subjected to the terrible punishment of being cut in half at the waist! That fool—his head is still mounted on the gates of the Imperial Capital. The common folk do not know the truth, mistakenly believing him a traitor who brought disaster upon the nation; they curse and spit on his effigy whenever they pass. Even in death, he endures endless humiliation!"

At the mention of Jin Buhui, silence fell over those present. All of them were acquainted with Jin Buhui; they knew he was Zong Shou's sworn brother, bound by life-and-death camaraderie. If Zong Shou had returned and learned of his sworn brother's fate, no one could predict his reaction.

At this moment, Yin Yu truly seemed without any restraint—and yet, Great Qian could not intervene. On one hand, their current strength was truly insufficient. The Tianfang World was at its most perilous juncture. On the other hand, they were strategically prevented from doing so. If Great Qian sent an envoy to demand the return of Jin Buhui's body, wouldn't that tacitly confirm Jin Buhui's status as a traitor who sold out his country?

Kong Yao recalled earlier times when she, too, regarded Yin Yu as a brilliant and sagacious ruler. However, observing from this distance now brought a different perspective. Years ago, merely to secure Great Qian's alliance against the Night Demon Army, he had unhesitatingly cast her aside like a mere chess piece. That memory remained vivid, and she felt immense gratitude for avoiding that fate now!

"Yin Yu is not merely someone driven to madness by success; this action might well be a calculated move to enrage His Majesty!"

A thousand zhang away, clusters of flames erupted. The siege towers were being ignited one by one; the Shang troops on the city walls had largely been cleared. The main general, Ren Tianxing, strode toward them, his movements powerful, his eyes shining like stars.

"Do you recall the message the Shang envoy delivered a month ago? If we desired reinforcements, Marshal Kong must enter the Imperial Capital as a hostage. If His Majesty were enraged by this, he would certainly launch a punitive expedition. That is precisely what Yin Yu desires."

Hu Zhongyuan clenched his fists, his knuckles audibly cracking. Yin Yu’s original words had been—'I have seen the peerless beauty of his beloved consort, Kong Yao. I miss her greatly of late. I request this woman be sent to the capital as a hostage.' In normal circumstances between nations, offering a relative as a hostage was not unusual. But the tone implied that the Emperor Yuanchen lusted after Kong Yao’s beauty. How could such words issue from a wise ruler? It was an insult not only to Zong Shou but to the entirety of Great Qian! Even recalling it now, Hu Zhongyuan felt a surge of righteous indignation and shame.

"Why are those fellows in the Cabinet still requesting reinforcements? They know it’s impossible, yet they actively seek that humiliation! It is simply asking for disgrace!" That old Prime Minister Ren must have truly lost his senses, knowing Great Shang would not dispatch troops.

"The Cabinet is not wrong; they are first showing courtesy and seizing the high moral ground."

Kong Yao shook her head, highly approving of Ren Bo's actions. She shared Ren Tianxing's earlier sentiment. With the Twelve Pillar-Supporting Bronze Men in his possession and Li Biexue as his state master, Yin Yu had the means to support his Grand Realm power. His every action was fiercely sharp. However, his strategic acumen was still rare in this world. By striking at the Shi family, he compelled Shi Qianli to focus all his strength on invading Jiangnan, leaving him unable to constrain the Imperial Court. Provoking Zong Shou was even more malicious. It was intended to throw Great Qian into disarray, creating external pressure for Great Shang. If Yin Yu intended to deal with the internal aristocratic clans and regional warlords, those forces, even knowing they couldn't win, would fight back fiercely or opt for mutual destruction. Yet, compared to Great Qian or the Dark Night Demon Court, these noble houses would rather coexist with Great Shang than be plundered by the Night Demons or lose all their authority under Great Qian. Furthermore, if Zong Shou truly became enraged and abandoned the Tianfang World to fight Shi Qianli head-on, regardless of the outcome, Yin Yu would be delighted. It was a plan with multiple benefits.

"My view remains the same as two days ago! This place is fraught with peril; I request Your Imperial Consort move to Jinling." Ren Tianxing stood like an iron tower, his gaze fixed determinedly on Kong Yao. "With me here, we can surely hold this position for another ten days! However, any mishap to Your Consort would certainly affect His Majesty's decisions. Two days ago, you cited His Majesty's unknown whereabouts as a reason to stabilize morale here. Now that His Majesty is about to return, morale should be settled—"

Kong Yao still shook her head, unconcerned. "With the Twelve Pillar-Supporting Bronze Men in Yin Yu's hands, Great Qian is balanced on a knife's edge. Only by holding firm here can I truly assist my husband. This fortress must not be lost again! I will remain here, guarding to the very end, sharing the fate of this city!"

Ren Tianxing frowned, casting a slightly annoyed look at Hu Zhongyuan, who merely offered a helpless shrug. Kong Yao's nature was unyielding; once she set her mind to something, even if mountains collapsed and seas boiled, she would not change her course—he was powerless to persuade her. Ruo Tao and Su Chen were filled with admiration, thinking that she truly was Zong Shou’s woman, a peerless commander, possessing such mettle. Standing here, she did not need to issue orders; the sight of her presence alone gave the garrison boundless confidence.

Kong Yao remained serene. She understood Ren Tianxing's worries but would not compromise. She only needed to hold this position long enough for Great Qian to mobilize more substantial armies internally. Only when Shi Qianli saw no hope of conquering Jiangnan would he shift his focus back home and actively resist Yin Yu, rather than submitting to him. Only by draining the treasury of Great Shang, forcing them to continue raising taxes and pressing the aristocratic clans, could internal strife be fostered, leading to fierce resistance that would bog down Yin Yu. Since Zong Shou had failed to secure the Twelve Pillar-Supporting Bronze Men, this was the only service she could render him—out of gratitude for his appreciation, and out of marital devotion.

"What is that?"

"Fire Crows?"

"Could the Fire Crow Demon Lord have arrived?"

The murmurs snapped Kong Yao back to attention. She looked up and saw flocks of crimson birds piercing through the clouds, growing in number until they darkened the sky. They were clearly ravens condensed from spiritual flames, numbering in the thousands, seemingly endless.

Kong Yao’s expression darkened. If this was the one, today’s battle would be exceptionally difficult. This person's strength was only at the late Saint stage, yet his great arts were particularly suited for siege warfare. Normally, she would not fear him, but because large contingents of the army had been dispatched to the Tianfang World and Jinling, the garrison here was under half a million strong.

From dozens of li away, a harsh, grating laugh echoed across the plains.

"Emperor Yuanchen sends word! If Kong Yao is willing to surrender meekly, he will spare Zong Shou’s life in the future! RS