War had rules.
Unfortunately—
Feng Yuehuang did not.
The moment I pointed toward the Crimson Guard, the temperature of the entire battlefield changed.
Golden flames burst into the sky like the heavens themselves had filed a complaint against the royal army.
Snow evaporated midair.
Steel screamed.
And somewhere deep inside the Third Prince's formation—
Several elite soldiers immediately regretted every decision that led them to this profession.
Honestly?
Reasonable.
Very reasonable.
I stood on the ridge with Hu Mei beside me, watching the battlefield turn into what could only be described as a very expensive fire hazard.
She bit into a roasted chestnut and nodded.
"Master."
I sighed.
"Yes."
"If you ever marry Phoenix, I would like legal protection."
I looked at the burning battlefield.
"That seems fair."
She nodded seriously.
"I enjoy living indoors."
Same.
The same.
Below us—
Feng Yuehuang descended like divine punishment with perfect posture.
Golden-red robes.
Crimson flames.
Hair moving like fire itself had learnt elegance.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
Absolutely not safe for normal civilisation.
The Crimson Guard immediately formed ranks.
Good.
Professional.
Unfortunately for them—
They were still standing in front of a Phoenix Goddess.
Their captain stepped forward.
Tall.
Heavy black armour.
A scar across one eye.
The kind of man who looked like he solved diplomacy by making it stop breathing.
He raised his spear.
"Protect His Highness!"
His aura exploded.
Spirit Core Realm, Peak Level.
Strong.
Very strong.
The Crimson Guard behind him followed.
Twenty elite royal cultivators.
Each one was trained by palace elders.
Each one carries enough killing intent to qualify as a religion.
And Feng Yuehuang—
looked mildly bored.
Dangerous sign.
Very dangerous.
She stopped ten steps away from them.
Then asked softly,
"Are you all staying here?"
The captain frowned.
"What?"
She raised one elegant brow.
"I am asking so I know how much fire to use."
Hu Mei whispered beside me,
"She's flirting with murder again."
Correct.
Absolutely correct.
The captain shouted and charged.
His spear tore through the air like a falling dragon.
The Crimson Guard followed.
Twenty-one elite cultivators.
Perfect formation.
Perfect discipline.
Perfectly doomed.
Feng Yuehuang sighed.
Then lifted one hand.
Just one.
The world exploded.
BOOM.
Golden phoenix fire erupted in every direction.
The snow vanished.
The ground cracked.
The first five Crimson Guards were thrown backward like heaven itself had rejected them.
The captain blocked with both hands.
And still got dragged twenty metres through stone.
Silence.
Even I blinked.
Honestly—
I should be used to this by now.
I was not.
Hu Mei nodded thoughtfully.
"Yes."
She ate another chestnut.
"She remains unreasonable."
I pointed.
"That is one word for it."
Below—
The captain coughed up blood and stood again.
Respect.
Stubborn.
Professional.
Likely doomed.
He glared at Feng Yuehuang.
"What are you?"
She looked at him.
Calm.
Golden eyes bright as ancient fire.
Then answered—
"I am his."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The battlefield itself paused.
My brain also paused.
Excuse me?
Hu Mei dropped her chestnut.
Even Bai Wuchen's ghost soldiers somehow felt emotionally invested.
On the opposite side of the battlefield—
Chen Yao looked toward me with the expression of someone enjoying my suffering professionally.
Wonderful.
Just wonderful.
I coughed.
Hard.
Because apparently breathing had become complicated.
Below—
The captain made the wise decision of not commenting.
Excellent survival instincts.
Then Feng Yuehuang pointed at him.
"But right now…"
Flames rose around her.
"…you are in my way."
And then—
She disappeared.
Fast.
Too fast.
Even I barely followed it.
One second—
there.
The next—
Her hand was already around the captain's throat.
Lifted.
Off the ground.
Elegant violence.
Her speciality.
The Crimson Guard rushed forward.
She threw him through three of them.
Then, phoenix fire erupted again.
Golden wings of flame spread behind her.
The battlefield became sunrise and death.
The Crimson Guard broke formation.
A terrible mistake.
Phoenix Guards from the cliffs descended instantly.
Yue Lian led them as if war had personally requested her attendance.
Crimson spear.
Perfect discipline.
Terrifying competence.
She and Feng Yuehuang fighting together?
Honestly—
That should probably be illegal.
General Han tried to reinforce the right flank.
Lin Xue froze on the path.
Mo Jianli destroyed the left.
Ye Shura turned the centre into underworld real estate.
Everything was collapsing beautifully.
And at the centre—
Chen Lie still stood calm.
Watching.
Calculating.
Annoying.
Very annoying.
He looked at Feng Yuehuang.
Then at me.
Then smiled faintly.
Ah.
No.
I knew that smile.
That was his "I have discovered a weakness" smile.
Terrible.
Absolutely terrible.
Because yes—
My terrifying Phoenix Goddess had just publicly declared emotional ownership during a battlefield massacre.
And my third brother?
Was absolutely going to use that.
I rubbed my forehead.
War was easier before feelings.
Far easier.
Hu Mei leaned against me dramatically.
"Master."
"Yes?"
"You are in danger."
I looked at the battlefield.
"At the moment, that feels obvious."
She smiled.
"No."
She pointed at Feng Yuehuang.
"I mean emotionally."
Honestly?
That was worse.
Much worse.
Below, the Crimson Guard captain finally fell.
Defeated.
Burnt.
Still alive, somehow.
Mostly because Feng Yuehuang had chosen restraint.
A terrifying sentence.
She turned and looked up at me from the battlefield.
Golden fire behind her.
Snow is melting around her.
Beautiful enough to start wars.
Dangerous enough to finish them.
And somehow—
She still looked calm.
Like saying "I am his" in the middle of battle was a perfectly reasonable military decision.
I smiled despite myself.
Because honestly—
It was.
This was war.
This was survival.
And maybe—
in worlds like this—
Love was simply another way people declared territory.
I lifted my spear toward her.
Not words.
Not here.
Just an acknowledgement.
Across fire and snow—
She smiled faintly.
Good.
Very dangerous.
Very good.
And somewhere behind all of that—
Chen Lie was still watching.
Which meant tomorrow's problems were already preparing themselves.
Wonderful.
I looked south.
At my brother.
At the throne.
At the battlefield, where everything was slowly becoming personal.
And thought one very important thing.
I was absolutely never going to hear the end of this.