Ji Xia let out a quiet breath of relief as the officials of Tai Cang acknowledged him.
He casually called over a few lower-ranking ministers, quietly probing for details about the enemy forces.
"So every warrior in the Gou Quan Warhound Army is at the Sixth Heaven cultivation level?"
He had no real concept of cultivation tiers in this world.
"Correct," Lu Yu answered, his sharp ears catching the conversation despite his age. His eyes remained fixed on the motionless Yin Soldiers below. "The three thousand Warhounds each possess Sixth Heaven strength—surpassing even the fallen Wei Army. Most of our five thousand Wei soldiers were only at the Fifth Heaven, relying on numbers to barely hold them off."
Ji Xia frowned. "Then the Cang Shou Army must mostly be at the Fourth Heaven?"
"Exactly," Ji Qianqing cut in, her gaze still assessing the Yin Soldiers. "Eight thousand Cang Shou against a thousand Warhounds and five thousand Ravagers? Even a three-year-old in Tai Cang knows those odds."
"And my Yin Soldiers?" Ji Xia pressed. "Can they stand against the Warhounds?"
Ji Qianqing studied the three Nether Generals below before answering. "Their auras are unusual—no spiritual energy fluctuations, yet their power is undeniable. The generals rival Eighth Heaven experts, while the soldiers are comparable to the Wei Army."
Lu Yu sighed. "Even so, facing the Warhounds head-on would be suicide. The Gou Quan only sent a thousand this time because they believed Tai Cang was defenseless. But if we resist? The remaining two thousand will arrive within two hours."
Ji Xia's frown deepened. Tai Cang's borders spanned only five hundred li, yet the distance from the frontier to the capital was eight hundred. For an army to cover that in two hours—without mounts—was terrifying.
"No matter what, we must win this battle."
His memories told him the brutal truth: in this merciless wasteland, humans were little more than livestock to stronger races. If Tai City fell, its sixty thousand people would be slaughtered, their flesh preserved as rations for the Gou Quan's Solar Silence—the two-month period when the three suns vanished, plunging the world into frozen darkness.
The sheer absurdity of this world—three suns that rose and backtracked, seasons dictated by celestial whims—still stunned him. But survival came first.
"With eight thousand Cang Shou, including two thousand archers, should we fortify the city?" proposed Rong Lu, one of the four remaining Wei generals.
Ji Qianqing shook her head. "The Yin Soldiers give us a chance, but we must strike fast. If the Gou Quan realize our strength, they'll retreat and return with reinforcements."
Ji Xia agreed. "Defending cedes the initiative. We need to end this before their main force arrives."
Ji Qianqing shot him a surprised glance. Such strategic thinking was… unexpected from the Crown Prince.
"But even with the Yin Soldiers, a quick victory seems impossible," Lu Yu muttered.
Ji Xia's mind raced. "Do the people know the Gou Quan are coming?"
"The city's on alert. Civilians are setting traps outside the walls," Ji Qianqing said.
"And the scouts? How close are the enemy?"
"Less than three hundred li."
Ji Xia's eyes narrowed. He scanned the officials on the tower, then leaned in close to Ji Qianqing—so close her body tensed, her expression turning dangerous.
Just as she prepared to kick him away, he whispered, "Can your four generals be trusted?"
A beat. "Yes."
Satisfied, Ji Xia stepped back and raised the Tai Cang Royal Decree.
"Generals Rong Lu, Chu Jiao, Zuo Kun, and Meng Yan—by order of the throne, arrest every official here except General Ji, Minister Lu, and Archivist Zhao Qu. Take them to the Dark Dungeon."
Silence.
Then—chaos.
The ministers erupted in outrage. "This is madness!" "You think your undead army lets you play tyrant?" "Who will manage the city's defenses?"
Ji Xia remained cold. "The Royal Decree is law. Resist, and you rebel against Tai Cang itself."
The officials gaped. This wasn't the reckless prince they knew.
Lu Yu's voice cut through the uproar. "Must we spell it out for you? General Rong, take them away!"
As the guards moved in, a triangular-eyed minister suddenly leaped into the air—his human skin sloughing away to reveal a canine snout and claws.
"DIE, VERMIN!" the Gou Quan spy snarled, lunging at Ji Xia with monstrous speed.
Ji Qianqing's sword flashed, but she was a fraction too slow. Lu Yu and Zhao Qu threw themselves forward—too late.
The crowd's hope shattered. Was Tai Cang's salvation about to be ripped away?
Then—
A silver streak tore through the air.
The Answerer—Fragarach—materialized mid-flight, cleaving the beast in two before returning to Ji Xia's side.
"Did you really think the Wind's Chosen would fall so easily?"
Ji Xia's voice was calm, his trembling hands hidden in his sleeves.