Chapter 129: The Passage

Suddenly, several verdant bamboo shoots sprouted between the two men, their branches sprawling and each leaf as sharp as a blade. The bearded man, who was charging at Qian Ye, halted in shock, his instincts as a powerful warrior making him step back to avoid the perilous looking cluster of bamboo. Qian Ye, however, saw through the illusion, not swayed by his instincts. He recognized that this was a trick by Song Zining, and since he had arrived, Qian Ye restrained his anger and did not make a move.

Song Zining hurried over, and just as he arrived, the bearded man glowered and barked, “Seventh Young Master, why are you stopping me from capturing this unlawful rogue?”

Song Zining clearly looked displeased, yet still maintained his composure, saying, “General Yan, it seems you might have mistaken someone. This is the leader of Darkflame, how could he be an unlawful rogue?”

“Who is the leader of Darkflame? I, Yan Ding, only recognize you, Seventh Young Master.”

Song Zining did not expect Yan Ding to show no respect, and even with his usual poise, his face soured. But he still retained a smile, explaining, “This is the leader of Darkflame, Lord Qian Ye. I merely do some odd jobs under his command.”

Qian Ye’s name was almost universally known in the Empire’s military. His battle against the Demoness in the City of Eternal Sky, his daring raid on the military outpost, and his escape with Qian Ye from Li Fengshui, evading even a Divine General—these exploits led many to believe that Qian Ye, whether in natural talent or current combat prowess, was not beneath Zhao Jundu.

By invoking Qian Ye’s name, Song Zining hoped to intimidate Yan Ding, if only to prevent further rash actions.

However, Yan Ding sneered, showing no deference, “Qian Ye? Who is Qian Ye? I’ve never heard of such a name.”

At this, Song Zining could no longer contain himself, his face turning cold, “General Yan, such words are rather pointless. After all, Darkflame is still Qian Ye’s. I offered you some territory for your forces to occupy, but I didn’t intend to bring in a bunch of masters to babysit them.”

Yan Ding was taken aback, not expecting Song Zining to speak so sharply, “Seventh Young Master, you truly have a sharp tongue.”

Song Zining snapped his fan shut, chuckling dryly, “Well, I’ve been around the military, following the Azure Sun King and seeing quite a bit of the world.” The unspoken meaning being that he was deeply entrenched in the military and not to be trifled with.

Yan Ding understood the implication, but wasn’t deterred, “Unfortunately, the Azure Sun King is no longer in the military.”

Song Zining replied coolly, “Even though the old man has left, if he says something, who in the military would dare disobey?”

Yan Ding’s face darkened, for Song Zining was right. Although the Empire’s military was powerful, in major battles, the support of aristocratic families and Imperial Kings was indispensable. For instance, without Zhang Boqian and King Polestar’s presence, and the division of war zones by various noble clans, the military alone could not launch such a large-scale campaign.

The top-tier powerhouses in the Empire were mostly distributed among the Imperial Family and the nobility, with the Evernight King being the only one truly belonging to the military. Strictly speaking, the Evernight King was not entirely a military man, at best, half.

For a long time, a group of young, ambitious officers in the military harbored deep resentment towards this situation, gradually becoming the core of the Imperial Party.

Yan Ding sneered, “Seventh Young Master is right, the Azure Sun King’s combat strength is unparalleled, and others naturally dare not disobey. But it seems the relationship between the Prince and the Song Clan is not amicable. Is it not a bit forced for Seventh Young Master to claim to be a follower of the Prince?”

Song Zining smiled faintly, “The state of the Song Clan is no longer my concern. But if I may, if I were willing to join, there are few in the Empire who would turn down such an offer.”

Yan Ding was momentarily speechless. Song Zining had shown exceptional military talent early on, and although his personal cultivation did not match Zhao Jundu’s brilliance, he was widely recognized as someone destined to become a Divine General. Such a person would be highly sought after, no matter the cost.

Considering this, Yan Ding’s expression softened slightly, “I know very well of Seventh Young Master’s talent. But why must you associate with Qian Ye? To be blunt, Seventh Young Master, doing so might ruin your future.”

Qian Ye, who had remained silent, now spoke up, “Knowing who I am, you still dared to attack me. Do you think you’ve lived too long, or do you think you can survive three minutes under my hand?”

Yan Ding immediately became furious, shouting, “A mere bloodsucker dares to speak such arrogance! If not for Marshal Lu’s mercy, how could you have escaped the City of Eternal Sky? By luck, you survived, and now you dare to come out again, thinking that by hiding in the neutral lands, the Empire can’t touch you?”

As he spoke, Yan Ding thought of something, sneering, “That vampire wench was hit by General Li’s Chaos Mill. Even if she survived, she would be a cripple. What use is it to save her? She must be dead by now, right?”

Qian Ye’s face grew increasingly grim. Before he could react, Song Zining shouted angrily, “Shut up!”

Yan Ding turned to look, “What does Seventh Young Master have to say?”

Song Zining took a deep breath, “You really don’t fear death, do you?”

Yan Ding said, “I am a general of the Empire. It seems you still want to return to the Empire, right? Dare you kill me? Do you not fear closing the door to your return?”

Qian Ye then patted Song Zining’s shoulder, “Do you still want to persuade me to return?”

Song Zining’s face turned ashen, pointing at Yan Ding, “If you mess up my plans, I will make sure you suffer! The military sent you here not to cause trouble. If you keep this up, get out!”

Yan Ding turned to the soldiers behind him, “Did everyone hear that? They no longer welcome us. Let’s go!”

The soldiers, a rebellious bunch, cheered loudly. Behind Qian Ye and Song Zining, Darkflame mercenaries had gathered, also shouting, and many began cursing at Yan Ding’s men.

Song Zining tapped his fan lightly, “Everyone knows my position. You can leave, but leave the ships behind. And let me make it clear, even if you get out of here, you may not get out of the city. Even if you make it out of South Blue, none of you will ever return to the Empire.”

Yan Ding trembled with rage, “Seventh Young Master, I am a general of the Empire. No matter how powerful you are, you cannot afford the charge of harming an imperial general.”

Song Zining replied, “Delaying a military operation is a grave offense. A matter of this magnitude, if delayed, even you, Yan Ding, cannot bear the responsibility, nor can Marshal Lu Junyi. These ships belong to the Empire, not to you, Yan Ding.”

Yan Ding was still enraged, but his soldiers were beginning to waver. Seeing this, Song Zining added, “Though I am here, I still have influence in the Empire. I am supported by the palace, and even if something happens, I can still handle it. At least the person behind me is not an outdated marshal.”

Yan Ding stopped, “What does Seventh Young Master mean?”

Song Zining was direct, “Marshal Lu Junyi, a former marshal who barely touched the Divine General rank, has exhausted his potential and can no longer advance. If not for the Empire’s recognition of his past contributions, he wouldn’t be where he is now. The things he’s done, does he think they can be hidden from everyone?”

Yan Ding’s face alternated between pale and red, unsure how to respond. His soldiers exchanged glances, their morale already weakened. Song Zining was not one to speak idly. His words implied that Lu Junyi had done improper things, which the Imperial Family had overlooked due to his past achievements. Such a person, whether in politics or the military, could not compare to the current ten marshals in terms of influence.

Song Zining pointed at Qian Ye and continued, “In the battle at the City of Eternal Sky, Marshal Lu failed to detain Qian Ye. Now Qian Ye is here. You can tell Marshal Lu that if he wishes, he can come and fight Qian Ye again, with the outcome to be determined by fate. How about it?”

Yan Ding was clearly skeptical, scoffing, “Seventh Young Master, do you think he can fight Marshal Lu?”

Song Zining did not answer, instead turning to Qian Ye, “Qian Ye, what do you think?”

Qian Ye’s thoughts returned to that night, and after a moment, he sighed, “That’s all in the past. Killing him now is meaningless.”

Yan Ding’s expression shifted, but he still seemed unconvinced, “Since Seventh Young Master says so, I will cooperate in this mission.”

With that, he turned and entered the courtyard, shouting, “What are you all gawking at? Get inside! Disband the guards, they’re just embarrassing us.”

Song Zining gave Yan Ding a glance, waved the Darkflame mercenaries away, and led Qian Ye toward the Darkflame headquarters. Once in Song Zining’s office, Qian Ye asked, “Where did these people come from?”

Song Zining replied, “You can see they are from the Empire’s military. Yan Ding is a commander of a fleet, one of the main fleets. He led an advance fleet to seize the passage. I allowed them to stay here to hide their tracks. Of course, it can only fool the Evernight side, not the local powers in the neutral lands.”

“They don’t seem to be hiding much,” Qian Ye observed.

“Whether they can hide or not, it doesn’t matter much. The Empire’s noble families have already started arriving, moving faster than the military. What truly needs to be hidden are the ships they brought.”

“You called me here urgently, are we about to start the operation?”

“The general location of the passage has been determined, awaiting final verification. But the exact location is quite troublesome.” Song Zining opened a map, pointing at a spot, “Based on my deductions, the entrance to this passage is likely right here!”

Qian Ye looked and saw that Song Zining was pointing at Tide Hearing City.

Qian Ye had interacted with Tide Hearing City more than once, and the city was filled with experts and powerhouses. The city lord’s power was earth-shattering, and if not for a stroke of luck, Qian Ye and Ji Tianqing might have perished in the neutral lands that night.

It was no wonder Song Zining found the situation complicated when the passage’s entrance was located in Tide Hearing City.