The assembly of elders ultimately ended in disarray, with no resolution achieved.
There was, of course, no opposition to Song Zhongnian’s household wanting to increase the number of teams sent to Evernight. However, it was impossible to mobilize the private army of the Song clan. Yet, everyone knew that the so-called Iron Curtain team of the Song clan was mostly recruited locally. Using these lives to earn some military merit was feasible, but relieving Heiliu City from the siege was out of the question.
As the elders walked out of the assembly hall in small groups, the sky had already darkened.
Song Zhongcheng was accompanied by six or seven elders, all of whom were his long-time confidants. He clasped his hands and said, “I am grateful for the assistance of the esteemed elders. If this matter succeeds, I will not forget to reward you all.”
One of the elders smiled and said, “Zhongcheng, your words are too formal. We have known each other for decades. This is but a small matter, a mere trifle, hardly worth mentioning.”
Another elder chimed in, “Allow me to extend my congratulations in advance for Zian’s betrothal to Xiner! With such a strong ally, the next patriarch’s position is yet to be determined!”
The other elders echoed in agreement.
Song Zhongcheng stroked his beard, brimming with satisfaction, and said, “The engagement is imminent, and Zian needs to start preparing. Everything depends on the efforts of Elder Hu and Zhongming.”
The two mentioned elders promptly replied, “It is our duty.”
Another elder looked around and, seeing that Patriarch Song Zhongnian had not yet emerged from the Hall of Simplicity, laughed, “Qian Ye’s talent is indeed remarkable, but unfortunately, his luck has been poor. I doubt he can pass the Heiliu campaign.”
Song Zhongcheng smiled and said, “The patriarch actually does not see the situation clearly. Even if we do not intervene, his own branch… Is everyone truly united? In fact, even if Qian Ye were to break off the engagement, after the Heiliu battle, he would still be seen as a defeated general, a title not so flattering.”
The elders nodded in agreement. The perilous nature of the Heiliu campaign was evident, and just reading the war reports made them shudder. It was surprising that Song Zining had managed to hold on this long.
At that moment, Song Zhongnian also emerged from the assembly hall, with only a few elders accompanying him, far fewer than those with Song Zhongcheng.
Seeing Song Zhongcheng’s smug expression, Song Zhongnian snorted heavily and strode out of the garden. One elder sighed, “It is lamentable that Zhongcheng has such shortsightedness, thinking that suppressing Zining would secure the marriage. Can Zian really compete with that one? Only Zicheng stands a chance.”
The other elders also sighed.
After Song Zicheng secured the top rank in the Song clan’s grand examination, he successfully proposed to the Imperial House’s Rongyang Princess. The engagement was set, and the wedding date was almost finalized. This was why the Grand Elder’s faction acted so openly, even at the cost of disgracing the Song clan, as there was no time for subtlety.
Song Zhongnian slowly said, “It doesn’t matter. Zining was not fated for it. Still, it is a pity.”
The elders exchanged glances, speechless. In recent years, Song Zining had risen to prominence, especially after several major battles in Heiliu, which had elevated his reputation. Whether in talent or martial prowess, he was on the verge of becoming the top young member of the Song clan. Some even began comparing him to the prodigies of other clans, something unprecedented before.
Such a prodigy intending to form his own faction was a significant loss for the Song clan. Song Zhongnian was finally determined to resolve Zining’s engagement with the aristocratic families and even had the intention of letting him represent the Song clan in a marriage alliance with Duke Wei. Not only to retain Zining, but also for the future of the clan.
However, Song Zhongnian did not expect the unprecedented opposition at the assembly, even from elders who usually avoided disputes. This was more than Song Zhongcheng could have orchestrated on his own.
Both Song Zhongnian and the elders were shrewd individuals. They knew why things had reached this point. Those who did not want Zining to return were not just Zian. If this dragon among men continued to rise within the clan, others would feel even more threatened.
Thinking of this, Song Zhongnian’s face showed fatigue, as if he had aged ten years in an instant. He waved his hand and slowly left the garden.
Suddenly, a gust of wind rushed towards them, nearly causing the two elders walking on the west side to stumble.
Song Zhongnian focused his gaze and frowned, “Zhongxing, what are you doing in such a hurry? And what time is it for you to come here…?”
The person was none other than Song Zhongnian’s younger brother, Song Zhongxing, known for his bad temper and direct speech. Although he usually gave his elder brother some respect, now he rolled his eyes, “What’s the point of attending such a pointless meeting? Did you not come away empty-handed again?”
Frustrated, Song Zhongnian saw Song Zhongcheng and several elders emerging from the garden, watching their argument with amusement. He was extremely displeased, “Zhongxing…”
But Song Zhongxing was impatient with the lecture, interrupting coldly, “Brother, no need to worry. The siege of Heiliu has been lifted.”
The path leading to the garden gate fell silent, even the rustling of leaves in the wind was audible.
Yet, a greater thunderbolt was to come. Song Zhongxing, half amused and half mocking, said, “Zining, in the midst of a sea of enemies, directly took out the central army, slaying the Dark Lord before the ranks. The dark races suffered a great defeat. Haha, our Song clan’s Flame of Legacy spear, once renowned on the battlefield, second only to the Zhang clan’s Rain of Blades, has now regained its glory in Zining’s hands. Don’t you all feel happy?”
The expressions of the elders present were indescribable, a mix of emotions, like a palette of colors.
After this battle, Song Zining’s reputation would soar, making him comparable to the few young geniuses of the aristocratic families. Yet, such a person could no longer be relied upon as the future of the Song clan. The various attempts to avoid the battle by the Song clan were clear to all, and despite their meticulous planning, they would become a laughingstock among the imperial nobility.
Song Zhongxing dropped another bomb, “Oh, to get to the point, I am here to confess.”
Song Zhongnian, overwhelmed with mixed emotions, heard Zhongxing continue, “I just went to inspect the prison and happened to encounter the two little bitches from the Ye family trying to escape. In the process, I accidentally killed them. It seems this case will fall on the Ye family. I doubt they don’t know what their sisters did!”
Before Song Zhongnian could react, the Grand Elder, Song Zhongcheng, roared, “Song Zhongxing, you murdered to cover it up!”
Song Zhongxing sneered, “So what? Do you think I should stand there and let them kill me? They are just two aristocratic women. Brother, you are being too obvious in your bias! You act as if you lost a granddaughter-in-law.”
Song Zhongcheng, livid, pointed at Zhongxing, his hand trembling. Although Zhongxing was detested, he was a top fighter in the clan. Even if Zhongcheng wanted to teach him a lesson, they would at best end in a draw.
Song Zhongxing’s mocking gaze swept over the crowd, and with a snort, he turned and left.
As night descended, Heiliu City experienced its first quiet night.
Quiet, though, was somewhat an exaggeration. Both inside and outside the city, lights were ablaze. The warriors of the Shadowflame were out cleaning the battlefield and collecting spoils.
Within Heiliu, nearly half the city lay in ruins. Though the dark forces had retreated, the bloody battles were far from over. There was urgent need to repair the fortifications. Three of the four fortress cannons, which had been overworked, needed immediate repair.
Standing on the city wall, Qian Ye and Song Zining, both slightly tipsy, surveyed the scene.
Song Zining sighed, “From the time we met in the Netherworld, until now, so many years have passed without us realizing it.”
Qian Ye felt a sense of nostalgia, reflecting on the passage of time.
“Qian Ye, have you thought about what you’ll do next?”
Qian Ye shook his head, “I’m fine. I’ve always been alone, coming and going as I please. But after this battle, you’ll have some trouble.”
Song Zining was unfazed, “Let it be. I’m not afraid of small troubles. If it’s a big trouble, I’ll just leave with Nanhua, live in the empire’s foreign lands, and enjoy my life as a consort.”
“Sure, you, restraining yourself is impossible,” Qian Ye mocked bluntly.
From Song Zining, Qian Ye learned that Nanhua was actually the princess of a small kingdom, Zheng, on the outer continent.
Zheng was a weak country, not even matching a major county of the empire. They joined the battle for military merit, a rare opportunity to obtain large quantities of imperial weapons. Nanhua had another motive, seeking to meet the empire’s young elites, and thus, she met Song Zining.
For Nanhua, Qian Ye had a single comment: “She chose unwisely.”
However, the Zheng Kingdom had a more open culture, unlike the rigid etiquette and hierarchy of the imperial clans. Nanhua did not care about Song Zining’s so-called engagement. In fact, she might prefer if he did not have such a prominent surname.
Laughing at Qian Ye’s mockery, Song Zining said, “When do you plan to find Nan Gong Xiaoniao?”
Qian Ye fell silent.
Having the upper hand, Song Zining changed the subject, “What do you plan to do next?”
Qian Ye replied, “I need a few days to rest and heal. Then, I’ll go play with the Nan Gong clan.” Unconsciously, his demeanor had a touch of dominance.
After the battle with Lud, Qian Ye had many internal injuries and needed to recuperate. But during the final assault on the enemy’s center, he absorbed a massive amount of vital energy. Surrounded by Lud’s elite guards, the sudden influx of energy nearly overwhelmed him. Such a large amount of vital energy needed immediate digestion.
Qian Ye, without further delay, left Song Zining, who was enjoying the cool night air and wine, and found a quiet room. Instructing not to be disturbed, he began his retreat.
Though he had many injuries, most were not severe, mostly from the backlash of his attack on Lud. The external wounds were nothing, but the internal ones were troublesome.
Sitting in the quiet room, Qian Ye slowly activated his blood core. He knew few secret techniques, but the one he could use to heal was the Yinyu Jue from the Yin family. However, given his current power, the Yinyu Jue was ineffective, and it was faster to recover using blood energy.
His blood core began to pulse, gradually speeding up, and the dormant blood energy became active. As it flowed, the wounds began to heal, and by the middle of the night, the superficial injuries were gone.
With the night still deep, Qian Ye started to digest the vast amount of vital energy using the ancient scroll of the Song clan.
This meditation lasted for a day and a night.
The digestion was unexpectedly fast, with all the vital energy converting into dark origin power, absorbed by the purple and dark gold blood energy. Surprisingly, neither the Wings of Origin nor the Book of Darkness competed for the dark origin power.
When the last bit of dark origin power was absorbed by the dark gold blood energy, a warm sensation surged from Qian Ye’s chest, spreading throughout his body, bringing immense comfort. Puzzled, he examined himself and found tiny golden specks in the blood flowing from his blood core. Wherever these specks went, warmth followed, and vitality increased.
These golden specks were few and faded as they circulated. Focusing on one, Qian Ye’s vision magnified, revealing its details.
The golden speck was not pure, with incredibly small particles at its core, surrounded by a golden mist, like a burning flame. As the flame burned, the particles diminished, eventually vanishing.
Seeing this, Qian Ye was startled, suddenly realizing a possibility.
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