“They’re retreating. Do we chase after them?”

Watching the retreating forces through narrowed eyes, Zhe Fēnglì considered his options. Did he chase after them? He considered the idea briefly before dismissing it. They had the advantage of terrain and surprise, but they lacked the numbers and cultivation to take this army out. The most they could do right now was retreat.

“No.” He turned to the man who had asked him that question--Bèipàn Zhě--and shook his head. “We’ll retreat for now.” He turned to the rest of their forces, hidden within the forest. “All forces, retreat! We head back to Quanyuan!”

Several cultivators appeared within the forest and began moving out, merging into one force as they trekked through the maze of trees. Zhe Fēnglì had only brought two dozen cultivators with him during this excursion. Hit and run tactics like the ones they used were only effective if used by a small, mobile force. If their forces were too large, they would be unable to effectively pull off this tactic and be forced into a prolonged conflict, which would eventually result in their loss. They could ill-afford to have their forces destroyed.

He glanced at the other young man beside him. Húndàn Wang had been rather quiet this whole time. The sword he had been using during this attack was sheathed at his side, and he had a firm grip on the sheath. That he was not storing it back into his storage ring was telling.

“How was your first combat experience?” he asked.

“Huh?” Húndàn Wang looked up.

“This was your first battle, was it not? What did you think?”

“I… do not know. I’m not sure I enjoy killing like this,” he admitted.

“It feels dirty, doesn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“I understand how you feel.” Zhe Fēnglì smiled as he looked at their forces. “Cultivators like us are proud. We prefer to let our strength do the talking. Being forced to rely on cheap tactics like this does not sit well with me either. I would much rather use my strength to defeat my enemies head on.”

“Then why did you agree to rely on such tactics?” asked the curious young man.

“Because sometimes you need to do things you don’t like to protect what needs protecting.”

Húndàn Wang nodded and went back to his introspection. He was an earnest young man, so Zhe Fēnglì was sure he would contemplate these words and come to understand what he meant.

“You are quite wise,” said Hou Gun.

Zhe Fēnglì shook his head. “Wisdom comes from age and experience. I have not experienced enough to call myself wise.”

Hou Gun had decided to travel with them, though Zhe Fēnglì did not know why. Was this young man not the prince of the Shang Kingdom? He should have been helping Hou Jingshu lead their forces into battle. Something about this man’s presence did not sit right with him. However, for the sake of keeping the peace, he had not said anything. It wasn’t like he had any evidence that this man was doing something anyway.

Quanyuan was a city located on the outskirts of this forest. It was of several cities under the control of the Chen Clan. Zhe Fēnglì would have called it a village rather than a city. Containing a population of only a meager two million, it could not compare to many cities in larger kingdoms. Even the smallest village in the Xia Dynasty had a larger population. However, it was decently sized for a small kingdom like this one.

Most of the city’s revenue came from its logging and textile industry. The trees located within this forest were quite robust, so many cities in the surrounding area used them to building homes, furniture, and other amenities. The pulp was also used to create paper. And because the trees of this forest grew quite rapidly and required constant thinning, they never ran out of products to sell. Perhaps that was why the population here was so small. As a logging city, they did not require a large population.

It only took several hours for them to return. Lord Cikong Chen, the leader of this province, welcomed him with open arms and a wide smile as his forces reached the gate.

“Welcome. Welcome. It seems you were successful in your mission,” he said.

Zhe Fēnglì smiled. “Indeed. We were able to force them to retreat. They will have to rethink their strategy if they want to enter this land.”

Cikong Chen clapped his hands. “Good. That is most excellent. I am pleased to hear it. You must be tired. Come. Come. You may rest in my mansion.”

Zhe Fēnglì did not like Cikong Chen. The man’s sycophantic behavior grated on his nerves, but for the sake of his mission, he remained cordially. Bèipàn Zhě merely scoffed at the man.

Cikong Chen’s mansion, located in the city’s center, was far more opulent than Zhe Fēnglì would have expected from a logging city. It sat on a hill overlooking the city. Surrounded by large walls for privacy, the villa resembled a small palace. The entrance was known as the dragon’s gate. It was named after the Dragon’s Gate that led into the Hou Royal Family’s most private area, accessible only to the emperor. Spreading out from the entrance was a large garden that surrounded the villa.

This was not where Cikong Chen lived, however, but was merely a vacation home. His seat of power was in a city far to the north of here called Pingwei.

Zhe Fēnglì would have liked nothing more than to take a bath and relax, but there was still work that needed to be done, so he had his group and Cikong Chen head into the Azure Hall--named such because of its blue flooring and walls painted with motifs of the Azure Dragon. A raised floor sat on the eastern side. It was several dozen chih above the floor on the west. Zhe Fēnglì sat there, while everyone else took the floor underneath him.

“Let us begin this meeting,” he said. “I would have your reports. Has their been any movements from the Zhou Kingdom’s forces outside of the forest?”

“There have not,” Cikong Chen said. “But that is to be expected. Quanyuan Forest covers the entire southern border between the Chen Province and Mihong Province meet. It would take more than a week’s travel on foot to move around the forest, and they would have to enter the Yang Province, where Lord Kanh Yang has stationed his army of one million.”

They continued to discuss the matter some more. The Zhou Kingdom had a much larger force than them, owing to their larger population, but the force arrayed against them only consiste of one-fourth the enemy’s entire army. That was still more than enough to crush them in a straightforward confrontation. Zhe Fēnglì figured their only course of action was to continue warding them off with hit and run tactics, whittling Sing Xiuying’s forces down little by little, before crushing them by defeating Sing Xiuying in personal combat. Of course, if he could kill that man before then, all the better, but he was constantly being guarded by his commanders. Even Zhe Fēnglì was not confident he could kill ten--now nine--peak Human Limit Realm cultivators.

“We’ll stay our current course for now. Let me know if the situation changes,” Zhe Fēnglì ordered.

“Yes, Lord Fēnglì.”

Cikong Chen and the others bowed low.

***

There were many bars in Quanyan. Most of them were not fancy. This was a logging city, after all, but there were a few high-end bars dedicated to serving those with more money than most.

One such place was called Hehao’s, and it followed the standard aesthetics of a high-class restaurant. Within this ten-story pagoda were several levels, each of which was dedicated to a specific class of patrons. Floors one through four were for the lower classes. This floor only served low-quality alcohol and simple snacks. From floor five and up, the alcohol served was of the highest quality, and the food was more than adequate the satisfy the palate of most high-ranking noble clansmen.

For Bèipàn Zhě, who enjoyed the finer things in life, it was not nearly good enough. The wine was not of the quality he enjoyed. Wine from the Heavenly Sword Sect’s vineyards was much more potent and delicious. Few alcohols could compare to the subtle sweetness grapes that had been squashed by the feet of jade beauties at the Deva Realm and cultivated inside chi-infused sakura wood barrels for several centuries.

“I can’t believe you people drink this swill,” complained Bèipàn Zhě as he sat at a table, several cushions situated underneath him. A glass of sparkling red wine sat before him, half-finished. He wondered if he should even bother polishing it off.

Hou Gun smiled as he sipped his wine. “I’m sure that, to you, such luxuries are little more than garbage. It is unfortunate, but the Shang Kingdom does not have a dedicated wine industry. Our alcohols are mostly for the peasantry. What few vineyards serve the royal family are little better than this.”

“Tch.”

“Come now. Do not pout. At least, the women at this establishment are fine.”

“That is true. I’m sure I’d enjoy the women… if you let them in,” Bèipàn Zhě groused.

“They will come in a minute. I would like to speak with you privately first.”

“Then hurry up and speak.”

Bèipàn Zhě could show patience when seducing a woman, but he had no patience for other men. They were a stain upon his vision. And this man, Hou Gun, was an even greater stain than most. He was far too handsome. The only person Bèipàn Zhě hated more than Hou Gun was Zhe Fēnglì, that disgustingly perfect Heavenly Sword Sect disciple.

“Then allow me to get to the point.” Hou Gun rested his forearms on the table and leaned forward. “The Heavenly Sword Sect is a sinking ship. This recent debacle they have found themselves in is but one of many situations they will be forced to confront in the future. These problems will slowly whittle away at their power, until they are little more than a shell of their former selves. When that happens, the remaining two Celestial Sects will pick them apart and split the rewards. I assume you don’t want to be on the losing side when the time comes?”

Those were some traitorous words. How could this man so confidently spout what sounded like bullshit to his ears? However, Bèipàn Zhě did not dismiss them out of hand. He had been feeling much the same way ever since he learned about what happened on the Yuon Peninsula.

“So what are you suggesting?” he asked.

“Just that you might want to think about switching your allegiance sooner rather than later,” said Hou Gun, smiling. “Now is the best time. We’re not in the Heavenly Sword Sect’s sanctum, and the only person we really need to worry about is Zhe Fēnglì.”

“So you’re saying I should kill him and defect?” Bèipàn Zhě scoffed as he refilled his wine glass. This stuff might be swill, but now he felt like he just needed to get drunk. “I should kill you for suggesting something so stupid. Do you think I can beat that man? He’s at the peak of the Deva Realm. And what do you think my cultivation is? Peak Human Limit Realm. There’s no way I can defeat someone like him.”

Hou Gun shrugged. “When did I say you have to kill him yourself? There are plenty of ways to kill someone without getting your hands dirty.”

Bèipàn Zhě downed his glass of wine in a single gulp, set the glass on the table, and began tapping his finger against the smooth surface. Hou Gun did have a point. He didn’t have to confront Zhe Fēnglì in combat. There were plenty of ways to kill someone without lifting a finger. Poison was one such means. He could also force Zhe Fēnglì into a confrontation with someone stronger than him, or force him to fight against multiple Deva Realm cultivators. Yet he still felt hesitant. If he failed, the price he would pay was far more than just his life.

“You don’t even need to kill him,” added Hou Gun. “I never said you had to kill him.”

Bèipàn Zhě frowned. “Then what are you suggesting?”

Hou Gun smirked. “For now, we just continue to act loyal. The forces arrayed against the Shang Kingdom are far too powerful for a single Deva Realm expert to fend against. Zhe Fēnglì will eventually be forced to retreat back to Shang Imperial City, where the final confrontation between the Shang Kingdom and the combined Ming Province and Zhou Kingdom forces will take place. We will wait until Zhe Fēnglì and the other forces are preocupied before making our move. Once the Shang Kingdom has been conquered, I’ll become a figurehead, and you can defect to the people who made this entire situation possible. The ones who are the true driving force behind this plot are far more powerful than the Heavenly Sword Sect. If you join them, you can have all the riches and women you could possibly want.”

Bèipàn Zhě licked his dry lips. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested… but who are these people you’re talking about? Who could possibly be more powerful than the Heavenly Sword Sect?”

“Uh uh uh. You have to join me before I can reveal who they are to you.” Hou Gun wagged his finger back and forth.

Pressing his tongue against the back of his teeth, Bèipàn Zhě considered what he should do. Right now, the Heavenly Sword Sect was still held up as the most powerful sect in the Xaio Continent. Their leader was also the only person to have reached the Perfection Realm… or was that really true? Hou Gun seemed to be hinting that the person behind all this was even more powerful, and Bèipàn Zhě was tempted to believe it. Who could summon an army of magical beasts like that if not someone whose cultivation went even beyond the Perfection Realm?

Bèipàn Zhě opened his mouth and spoke. Hou Gun’s smile widened.