In the dead of night, the ten Fast soldiers on duty at the post station's horse farm had all huddled in the side rooms, and apart from the occasional snorting of the warhorses, it was completely silent.
A dark figure suddenly appeared at the edge of the horse stable, his eagle-eyed gaze fixed inside. Seeing no movement, he leaped into the stable with great delight, quickly pulled something from his pocket, and began rummaging through it.
Suddenly, he heard a cough.
In the stillness of the night, while he was engaged in intense work, this slight sound was like a bolt from the blue. He shuddered, leaped three zhang (approximately 10 meters) in a flash, and turned to look warily behind him.
"What are you doing? It seems we didn't hire you as our midnight groom."
Standing before him was a tall, muscular man with a bright, piercing gaze in his large eyes. He seemed quite satisfied with his performance and was looking at him with great ease.
Seeing that the furtive man in front of him did not react to his joke, the giant glared and stretched out a hand as big as a fan.
"Give it to me!"
The man from before paused, a look of confusion in his eyes, and asked, "What is that?"
"It's this thing in your hand. Let me see what you're up to," the giant said matter-of-factly. "Since I've caught you, you should confess!"
But the man quickly put the things into his arms, turned around and ran away.
"What? This is so lacking in the awareness of a thief!"
The giant muttered something and leaped after him. Contrary to his enormous size, his movements were remarkably agile and swift; a man of lesser skill might find it utterly ashamed.
The man who lacked the awareness of a thief was actually a highly skilled thief. He flew high and low, leaping and bounding, cleverly using the surrounding terrain, and in a short time, he had created a considerable distance between himself and the large man behind him.
"How embarrassing! This can't go on!"
The giant muttered, "There's no other way, that's the only thing to do!"
Does he have any other way to catch up with the man in front of him who is more skilled than him?
The giant steadied himself, took a deep breath, and drew the enormous sword from his back. In the bright moonlight, various colored patterns were faintly visible on the exceptionally wide blade. Upon closer inspection, these were revealed to be diverse runes. It was a sword imbued with divine power, but the sheer number of magical runes on a single sword was extremely rare, indicating that its material was far from ordinary. Ordinary materials simply could not withstand such a powerful magical influence.
A strange thing happened: the wind gathered at the man's feet, and the fluctuations in the airflow were very obvious. As the whirlwind formed, his huge body suddenly rose into the air and flew rapidly, catching up with the man in front of him with incredible speed.
The man, who was feeling the whistling wind in his ears and was congratulating himself on having a better physique than his pursuers, and thinking about how he would maintain such a good figure when he got back, suddenly felt a jolt in his heart.
That giant actually flew down from above me!
He rubbed his eyes. Sure enough, the giant really had flown down from above, and the clothes of the giant standing in front of him were still fluttering in the wind.
How could this man possess the flying technique that only high-ranking members of the temple could learn? Before the first big question mark above my head had disappeared, a second question mark appeared.
These are the legendary six divine weapons, how did they end up in this man's hands?
"My name is Garrick Stonewall. May I ask your esteemed name?"
Garrick Stonewall held the massive sword, Juque, in one hand, motionless as if cast in iron, and a wave of icy energy surged towards the man from before.
"What impressive skills!" Under the pressure of the sword energy, the man also mustered all his inner strength and fought against Garrick Stonewall without showing any weakness, saying, "Who taught you this flying technique? According to the rules, the temple's top eight spells cannot be passed on to non-clergy."
Garrick Stonewall was taken aback. "You're from the temple, otherwise how would you know about this flying technique?"
The man snorted heavily, "I will investigate this thoroughly and get to the bottom of it!"
With a swift turn, a chilling wind arose, and wisps of smoke rose. Garrick Stonewall took a step forward, ready to launch an attack, only to find that the man before him had vanished. This man had actually displayed a surprising amount of magic.
"Hidden Wind Technique!"
Garrick Stonewall exclaimed softly, searched his surroundings, and then walked back with a heavy heart.
When he arrived at a hay shed near the horse farm, a person shrouded in a large black robe was already standing inside. The black cloak, made of an unknown material, had a large hood that completely covered the person, making it seem as if even their eyes were invisible. Moreover, the black of the cloak was very strange, as if it could absorb all light, making it absolutely impossible to spot in the dark.
You're late!
Upon seeing Garrick Stonewall enter, the man in the black cloak spoke in a strange voice.
"I've encountered someone who might be from the temple!"
"Oh, how did you know?" The person in the cloak seemed intrigued, and their eyes, hidden in the darkness, suddenly flashed with a terrifying electric light, like a cold star bursting brightly in the night.
"Because he saw through my flying technique and even used the Yin Wind Concealment Technique!"
Garrick Stonewall answered in a somber voice, briefly recounting what had happened.
"I see, he's the High Priest's disciple, so he was involved too!"
The person in the cloak let out an excited sound, but quickly calmed down.
What do you think of him now?
"He has great magnanimity! Although his talent isn't exceptional, his magnanimity is enough to accommodate..."
Garrick Stonewall knew what the person in the cloak was saying, and he answered with a very serious attitude, but he didn't finish, because he also knew that the person in the cloak would understand what he was about to say.
"To receive such high praise from you! It seems my choice was right." The person in the cloak said with considerable surprise.
"But we still need to observe him to see if he can really become a force to be reckoned with," Garrick Stonewall said as always.
"Okay, I'm very satisfied with this start!"
With his black robes billowing, the cloaked man vanished from Garrick Stonewall's sight. Garrick Stonewall stood silently for a long while before quietly leaving the house.
※ ※ ※
"Really?"
Aurelian Dragon stopped his large hand from roaming over Valeria Immortalis's alluring body and asked in a trembling voice.
Extremely satisfied, Valeria Immortalis curled up in his arms like a well-fed cat, her small hands stroking the strong body beneath her, and spoke in a lazy, contented tone.
"My elder sister told me to tell you that Pari's people are planning to ambush you nearby. Her spies have already obtained reliable intelligence. And this city lord is the most despicable, having shady dealings with many forces, so you must be very careful of him. Also, the Third Prince is secretly looking for an opportunity to ruin you! But his actions are unclear, so you must be extra careful."
"What else did Phoenix say?" Aurelian Dragon asked eagerly.
"That's all. My older sister only told me one thing: be careful! She trusts you completely!"
"By the way," Aurelian Dragon suddenly said, "how's the situation on your end?"
Valeria Immortalis said, "The Great Lakes region is now completely under the control of the eldest sister. She is preparing to launch an attack to take over Aso's Sirius Pass. Otherwise, she would have come alone this time."
Aurelian Dragon was taken aback and asked, "Why is Phoenix attacking Sirius Pass?"
Valeria Immortalis perked up at his question and said, "Don't you know the significance of Sirius Pass to Aso?"
Aurelian Dragon humbly replied, "I have never heard of that."
Valeria Immortalis's eyes flashed with admiration as she looked at him and said, "Sirius Pass is the only pass connecting Assore to the Great Lakes region, and its terrain is extremely treacherous. If we don't take Sirius Pass, it's like having a gate open in the waist of the Great Lakes region, allowing Assore bandits to attack us at any time. Therefore, my elder sister plans to take advantage of the fact that Assore's domestic power is rebuilding, launch a surprise attack on Sirius Pass, seize control of this gate, and ensure the safety of the Great Lakes region."
"But after just finishing the Tianfeng Campaign, isn't it a bit too hasty to start this campaign?" Aurelian Dragon asked, puzzled.
"That's precisely where your brilliance lies!" Valeria Immortalis continued with admiration. "Everyone thought we shouldn't launch this offensive and should wait until we had some time to regroup. But attacking a strategically important pass like Tianlang Pass would result in heavy casualties unless we launched a surprise attack. We can only seize an opportunity when they think it's impossible."
At this point, she sat up from Aurelian Dragon's lap, her eyes sparkling, and said, "You know, this time I led troops out on two missions: one is to escort the Wu'an delegation, and the other is to detour through Yuzhou and launch a surprise attack from the flank of Tianlang Pass."
Aurelian Dragon was startled and said urgently, "With the few troops you have now, isn't that too few?"
Feeling his concern, Valeria Immortalis lowered her head and kissed his cheek deeply, then whispered, "Don't worry, it's not about the quantity of troops, but the quality. Launch a surprise attack at the right time. Too many people will only alert the enemy. Even if you don't trust me, you should trust your older sister's abilities."
Aurelian Dragon reached out and stroked her smooth, warm cheek, saying softly, "I just hope you'll be safe and sound! Please be careful!"
Valeria Immortalis silently embraced him tightly and gave him a deep, passionate kiss.
※ ※ ※
When we left Yuzhou City, dawn had just begun to fall, and the land was fresh and peaceful, with a thin mist still lingering.
The sound of horses' hooves shattered the tranquil morning. The two groups of Aurelian Dragon and Valeria Immortalis parted ways outside Yuzhou City and embarked on their respective journeys.
Seeing the hint of reluctance on Valeria Immortalis's radiant face, Aurelian Dragon felt both gratified and heartbroken. The first rays of warm morning sunlight shone on Valeria Immortalis's bright pink face, further enhancing her captivating charm. Thinking of the deep affection this beautiful woman held for him, he felt an immense sense of pride.
Aurelian Dragon only ordered the entire force to set off after Valeria Immortalis's troops disappeared from sight.
Obsidia Shade approached him and whispered that Li Qi had been missing since yesterday. Aurelian Dragon's eyes lit up as he looked at her and said, "So, he went to meet with Pari's people. From now on, everyone must be careful of Pari's sneak attacks." Everyone around him nodded in understanding and glanced at Qiu Wei, who was not far ahead.
Although Aurelian Dragon repeatedly declined, Qiu Xin still sent his capable retainer Qiu Wei with two thousand cavalry to escort them away from Yuzhou, which made Aurelian Dragon and his men feel somewhat uneasy.
Three days later, after a period of calm, Aurelian Dragon and his group arrived at the border of Yuzhou.
Finally, they were about to leave Qiu Xin's territory, and Aurelian Dragon couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
For the past three days, Aurelian Dragon has been quite worried, as she had to guard against the army sent by Qiu Xin to escort the mission secretly sabotaging them, and also guard against Pari's men launching a sneak attack.
According to Phoenix Vane, the more than 1,000 men that Parry infiltrated Fast were disguised as thieves and, led by a skilled man named Mabri, were planning to ambush the delegation on the road. Therefore, what troubled Aurelian Dragon the most was that if Parry's men attacked him in Qiuxin's territory, coupled with Qiuxin's army sabotaging him from behind, the outcome would certainly be dire.
Now that's good, tomorrow we can get rid of one burden and focus on dealing with the sneak attack from Parry.
The next morning, as dawn broke, Qiu Wei came to bid farewell to Aurelian Dragon.
Qiu Wei said, "My lord, my journey ends here. Once we cross Mount Motai, this place will no longer be under my master's jurisdiction."
Aurelian Dragon said with a smile, "I am truly grateful for General Qiu's great help along the way."
Qiu Wei quickly cupped his hands and said, "You flatter me, sir!" Then he pointed to the official road ahead, "This road goes straight down, it's wide and flat, and you can reach Shanqian Town in half a day."
Aurelian Dragon smiled slightly and said, "General Qiu is very familiar with this area, isn't he?"
Qiu Wei's eyes flickered slightly, and he laughed loudly, "Not at all, I've only been here a few times and know a little about it."
Aurelian Dragon observed this and a thought struck him. He casually pointed to a fork in the main road and asked, "Where does this road lead?"
Qiu Wei seemed startled and said with slight unease, "This humble general has never traveled this route before, so I am not very clear about it. It is said to be a shortcut directly to Gaoyang Prefecture."
Aurelian Dragon gave a cold laugh, but before she could speak, Suo Chong couldn't help but say, "How could General Qiu not know? This road is a third shorter than the official road. During the battle for Yuzhou, the Fast army fought their way out from here. How could the general not know this history while in Yuzhou?"
Qiu Weiqiang said with a smile, "General Suo has an amazing memory! I only know that this road is rugged and dangerous, and very few people take this shortcut."
At this point, he suddenly asked Aurelian Dragon in surprise, "Sir, you're not going to take this path, are you? That won't do!"
Aurelian Dragon countered, "This route is much shorter, why not?"
Qiu Wei said hastily, "My lord, you may not know this, but there may be thieves on the road. If we frighten the distinguished guests from Wu'an, that would be very inappropriate."
Aurelian Dragon sneered inwardly: "You've finally told the truth. The thief wasn't waiting for us on this road, but on the main road!"
He now somewhat understood Qiu Xin's plan: not taking action in his territory of Yuzhou was to avoid implicating himself. Judging from Qiu Wei's actions, there was definitely a trap lying in ambush ahead on the official road, waiting for his group to fall into it.
With her mind racing, Aurelian Dragon smiled and said to Qiu Wei, "Thank you for the reminder, General. I was originally thinking of taking a shortcut, but since that's the case, we should take the official road."
A slight panic flashed in Qiu Wei's eyes. Although he quickly calmed down, Aurelian Dragon, who was paying close attention to him, still noticed this strange place.
Qiu Weixin said happily, "Your Excellency is so quick to accept good advice, I admire you greatly!"
After parting ways with Qiu Wei and the others, Aurelian Dragon led her men along the official road for several miles.
Suo Chong, standing beside him, asked in bewilderment, "Sir, we know there's something fishy going on, so why are we still taking this path?"
Aurelian Dragon smiled slightly and said, "Let's set an example for them first, so they can rest assured and wait for us to crash into it."
Garrick Stonewall caught up from behind and said, "Sir, they watched us until we disappeared down the main road before leaving!"
Aurelian Dragon said with satisfaction, "Alright, now we can change direction!"
With Suo leading the way, the large group of people embarked on the path.
Upon discovering the change in route, the Wu'an delegation, which was in the middle of the group, was taken aback. Zhu Dejun and Tang Juan exchanged glances and spurred their horses forward.
Tang Juan asked, "Why did you change the agreed route, sir?"
Aurelian Dragon stared at his handsome face and said, "Lord Tang, you may not know this, but we have to change our route because there are guys from Pari who want to ambush us ahead."
Sensing the strange look in his eyes, Tang Juan glared at him fiercely and said unhappily, "Where did the general get this information? How come none of us knew about it?"
Aurelian Dragon looked at him intently and said, "Believe me, this news is absolutely reliable!"
Zhu Dejun said coldly from the side, "I didn't expect that the powerful Fast Empire would allow Parry's thieves to infiltrate. It seems that your defenses need to be re-evaluated!"
Aurelian Dragon shrugged and said, "That's not something I need to worry about. As long as I get you safely to Esnia, I'll be all set."
"Is the general confident?" Tang Juan asked, his eyes slightly narrowed. "The people from Pari are not easy to deal with, as they were able to sneak across the border and have the assistance of the city lord of Yuzhou!"
Tang Juan's unintentional gesture carried a special charm, making Lynette Quill and Obsidia Shade, who were standing nearby, somewhat enamored. He truly deserved to be called a first-rate handsome man; every move he made was captivating.
But Aurelian Dragon didn't think so. What struck him was Tang Juan's terrifying mind, how he could deduce the connection from such a small amount of information. He had only taken a few simple actions, yet Tang Juan could immediately guess that he was avoiding Yuzhou's eyes and ears; Tang Juan's meticulousness alarmed him.
These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, and then something that greatly surprised everyone in the room happened immediately.
Aurelian Dragon suddenly smiled strangely, rode up to Tang Juan's side, reached out and grabbed his hands, and said softly, "Don't worry, I will definitely protect your safety!"
Everyone present turned their heads in surprise. Lynette Quill and Obsidia Shade stared wide-eyed, wondering if there was something wrong with his head.
Tang Juan was taken aback at first, then angrily withdrew his hand, spat on the ground, took out a silk handkerchief to wipe his hand, and rode away without saying a word.
Zhu Dejun, however, looked at Aurelian Dragon with ill intent and said, "I never expected Lord Ye to have such a hobby. What a pity!" He glanced at Lynette Quill and Obsidia Shade, whose faces were ashen, then laughed loudly and strode away.
Garrick Stonewall was completely baffled. What was wrong with this man? Why had he suddenly pulled this stunt? He'd never seen anything like it before. Was he really blind?
But the person who should have felt most embarrassed did not react at all. He just shrugged his shoulders, looked at Tang Juan's back, and whistled softly.
Seeing the extremely unfamiliar gaze directed at him, Aurelian Dragon smiled, rode his horse to Lynette Quill's side, and was about to speak when Lynette Quill waved her hand to interrupt him.
"Don't say anything, how could this happen? I, I..."
Her eyes reddened, and she turned away in a huff. Seeing that Obsidia Shade also looked utterly horrified, Aurelian Dragon couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He leaped onto Lynette Quill's horse and reached out to embrace her slender waist.
"What are you doing? Get off here! I don't want to see you!"
Lynette Quill said angrily, twisting her body violently.
Aurelian Dragon ignored her movements, hugged her slender waist tightly, and whispered something in her ear.
"What?"
Lynette Quill turned her head and stared at him blankly.
Aurelian Dragon continued to whisper in her ear with a smile. As he spoke, Lynette Quill's expression gradually softened, and in the end, she even smiled.
"What you did was terrifying! You really are a big bad guy!"
She said this, but her actions were completely the opposite. She nestled her soft body into the arms of the man who was called a bad guy, with a shy smile on her face and a playful look in her eyes.
"You're such a..."
She didn't continue speaking, but just chuckled softly, her earlier anger long gone.
Obsidia Shade was completely bewildered. Lynette Quill's change was too fast. What kind of spell had this man cast on her?
Aurelian Dragon leaped off Lynette Quill's back onto his horse and said to her, "Tell Obsidia Shade, but remember to keep it a secret!"
Lynette Quill said coquettishly, "Yes, my lord!" She took Obsidia Shade's hand and began to whisper in her ear. Obsidia Shade quickly changed her expression and looked at Aurelian Dragon with a smile.
Aurelian Dragon gave Obsidia Shade a smug wink, then reached out and patted Garrick Stonewall, who was bewildered by the situation.
"let's go!"
Garrick Stonewall shook his head. He understood the man before him less and less. In this generation, there were many who were attracted to men, and among the upper class, some even considered it a more sophisticated pleasure than that of women. But this man's usual behavior didn't seem like that.
What's even stranger is that he managed to calm down two furious, stunningly beautiful women in such a short time. Given Lynette Quill's status and looks, why would she want to have an affair with a man with such unusual tastes? How could she possibly tolerate her lover having such a fetish?
He couldn't understand it; he really couldn't understand it.