“I cannot tell you who I am.”

The red-clothed zither master was a bit apologetic, to the extent where her expression was a bit deeply moved, carrying sympathy as she looked at this skinny and weak young lady covered in a black robe.

She understood what kind of mission Green Luan Academy’s Watchmen carried, and it was precisely because of this that she felt this skinny and weak young lady carrying this type of mission was a bit cruel.

However, as soon as these words sounded, her back instead also became a bit rigid, the center of her palm releasing a bit of cold sweat.

She slowly turned around.

An especially arrogant and untamed single-eyed black-robed man appeared not far behind her.

On his back was a massive longbow, the bow not much smaller than his figure.

The bow’s body was thick and broad, carrying a faint cold green, silvery radiance, like a curved moon. The bowstring was a faint yellow color, like the color of mature ginkgo fruit.

The instant this skinny and weak looking young lady in the black robes saw this wild and untamed black-robed middle-aged man, her body went even more rigid. However, the instant she saw the black robes and his facial features, she instead completely relaxed, only silently watching.

“Cold Moon Gingkyo… Tong Wei, I never expected that even you arrived here.”

When this red-clothed zither master saw this man’s single eye, she also immediately recalled this man’s identity with shock.

This single-eyed black-robed lecturer was precisely the single-eyed lecturer Tong Wei who imparted Green Luan Academy’s Windstalker archery!

“You know me… and you also recognize that she is a Watchman, if I have not guessed wrong, you should be the zither master who stopped Ye Wangqing in East Forest Province. Just who are you exactly?”

While carrying the academy’s unique pride, the black-robed lecturer Tong Wei who was like a hawk on a snowy peak coly stared at this red-clothed zither master, asking with a cold voice.

“Can I choose to not reply?” The red-clothed zither master revealed a forced smile.

Tong Wei shook his head. “You cannot.”

One who could grasp Windstalker archery… able to instruct Windstalkers in Green Luan Academy, was naturally a Windstalker himself.

The red-clothed zither master also understood the other party’s identity, knowing that unless a Windstalker had absolute confidence, able to take down the enemy with a single strike, only then would they reveal themselves before their opponent.

Tong Wei’s ‘you cannot’, these words, despite being simple to the extreme, also allowed her to sense Tong Wei’s determination.

Perhaps for Green Luan Academy’s true inheritors… apart from their people, everyone under this sky could be considered their enemy? 

The red-clothed zither master released a bitter laugh, and then said with a light sigh, “I am someone under Grand Secretary Zhou.”

“Grand Secretary Zhou?” Tong Wei’s brows furrowed deeply, as if this was something that was completely impossible in his opinion, something that didn’t make logical sense. “Why?”

The red-clothed zither master looked at Tong Wei, with a light sigh saying, “He is the empire’s grand secretary, but at the same time, he is also a father.”

Tong Wei’s brows furrowed even deeper.

In his and many Green Luan lecturers’ eyes, Central Continent Imperial City’s Grand Secretary whose ability and wisdom were just as astonishing as his cultivation wasn’t the empire’s Grand Secretary, but rather the emperor’s Grand Secretary.

In their eyes, that person was the one who was the most loyal to the emperor.

This wasn’t because he had to rely on Yunqin Empire as his greatest backing, but rather since his heart was originally like this.

In the royal court, the hearts of many officials are also like this.

Loyalty to the emperor, this was something that already merged into their blood vessels… that was why they definitely wouldn’t do something like going against the emperor’s will.

However now, because of Lin Xi… even this type of individual would change his way of doing things.

“Seems like the rumors regarding him being the academy’s Windstalker of this generation is true… or else you wouldn’t be here.”

While looking at the silent Tong Wei, the red-clothed female zither master’s voice became a bit more gentle. “If we knew that even someone like you would come… would there still be any issues regarding his safety? If I knew this, I wouldn’t have wasted this much energy in continuously following him.”

Tong Wei only knew that starting from this spring, Yunqin was already no longer as peaceful as before. He also could not determine whether the change in attitude Grand Secretary Zhou adopted because of the relationship between Lin Xi and Gao Yanan would bring about a positive or negative effect. When he heard what the red-clothed zither master said, he slowly raised his head, his ice-cold and untamed demeanor now carrying a hint of a dignified meaning. He shook his head and said, “Not necessarily.”

The red-clothed zither master’s expression changed slightly. “Why?”

Tong Wei looked at this red-clothed female zither master and coldy said, “Do not underestimate the emperor’s determination… as well as Purgatory Mountain’s cultivators.”

“Purgatory Mountain’s cultivators?”

The red-clothed female zither master understood extremely well just how terrifying Purgatory Mountain’s cultivators were, but she also understood that the empire’s southernmost border’s Great Mang was extremely far from this place. How would Great Mang’s elite cultivators come here?

She knew that if Tong Wei said they were here, then they would definitely be here, but she still found it inconceivable no matter how she thought about it. As such, she couldn’t help but ask, “Why?”

“Yunqin wishes to know why the cave barbarians have undergone such a thorough change this spring, wants to know many mysteries regarding this place. Great Mang naturally wishes to know as well.”

Tong Wei coldly said, “One or two great victories, compared to this mystery, are meaningless. If Yunqin or Great Mang can possess a giant lizard army, then how great of a change would there be in the balance of the world’s powers?”

Since Tong Wei said these things to the red-clothed zither master, this meant that he knew the red-clothed zither master had the qualifications to hear him say these things, and she knew many things others didn’t know, able to understand these things.

Sure enough, the red-clothed zither master’s face immediately turned pale, slowly nodding, clearly already understanding.

Right now, the ones who grasped the giant lizard riders were the cave barbarians… if the one who grasped them was Yunqin, then what? If the one who grasped the giant lizard army was Great Mang, what would happen then?

With Yunqin Empire’s wealth and manpower, if they learned about these secrets, just how many of these powerful giant lizard riders could they foster?

If they had this type of army numbering in the thousands and tens of thousands… this was even harder for her to imagine. She could only shiver inwardly.

“I will cooperate with you all.” After taking a deep breath, calming herself down a bit, the red-clothed female zither master said without any hesitation, looking at Tong Wei.

…

Lin Xi and the patrol army arrived at the South Star Slope designated by military orders.

Apart from Lin Xi, everyone else was breathing heavily, bodies drenched in sweat. They had no choice but to undo the black armor covering their bodies a bit, wipe away the sweat inside their armor with a dry cloth to prevent the following sweat from further draining their stamina.

It was currently noon.

The patrol army carried out an almost direct rapid advance, and only then could they reach the designated position within the time limit.

Right now, all of the patrol army soldiers, including Xin Weigai and Kang Qianjue, were almost at their limit.

Under year-round training and fighting, all of these soldiers had a clear grasp over the recovery of their own stamina… in this type of situation, only by having at least six hours of undisturbed deep sleep, could they recover eighty percent of their stamina.

Two scouting soldiers at the front of the army brought back information.

The Fierce Edge Army Chen Yinxiu commanded had long reached the Thorn Date Mound on the other side of them, currently defending that position. However, when he checked the surrounding strategic map, clearly seeing the terrain around them, Xin Weigai’s face couldn’t help but become extremely ugly, releasing a fierce clump of spittle towards the ground.

South Star Slop and the opposite Thorn Date Mound were both round, steamed bun shaped hills.

To the side of Thorn Date Mound was a large expanse of duckweed like plants, from time to time appearing clusters of reed shaped plants that were several times larger and thicker than those outside. From the color of the water, the depth shouldn’t be shallow. Moreover, the water here had large amounts of sludge, if one wanted to move through the waters, it didn’t seem too likely.

To the side of South Star Slope was a large expanse of low red pine forest.

The distinctive trait of this type of red pine tree was that their root systems were extremely great, moreover tangled together like layers of webs. In addition, the roots were extremely sturdy. If one wanted to slowly climb their way through, then it was possible, but forcefully hacking out a path was extremely difficult.

Between South Star Slope and Thorn Date Mound, these two hills, was a wide plains region. This region was full of weeds that were a person in height, slender trees resembling betel palms that only had leaves at the very top.

That is why if one wished to cross this region of twenty to thirty li, pass through this desolate forest between the two mounds, there should only be a single path, there was no other choice.

Even though this region had three hills in total, one of them was inside the watery region of Thorn Date Mound, lacking much significance. That was why in terms of tactics, setting up defense on these two mounds was extremely accurate, allowing them to basically watch over twenty to thirty li of distance, guard this path.

The arrows and other weapons released from the hills could inflict great damage to the army coming from below.

However, as for South Star Slope, this hill was a bit lower in height than Thorn Date Mound. Moreover, apart from some weeds, this South Star Slope’s hillside was extremely moderate, only having a type of white and yellow-colored night blooming wildflower called South Star Flower. Meanwhile, apart from Thorn Date Mound’s slope being much more precipitous, the top was full of thorn dates. Even the skin of cave barbarians, if they wanted to pass through, would be pierced until they couldn’t endure the pain.

That was why according to the cave barbarians’ habits, when they suffered from attacks from both sides, they might choose to directly power through this South Star Slope side, directly cross over this way.

Regardless of whether it was numbers or real fighting strength, the Patrol Army and Chen Yinxiu’s Fierce Edge Army should have swapped locations to defend. However now, it was their Patrol Army that was located on the more dangerous South Star Slope!

Xin Weigai understood the unfairness behind this. However, he was a true soldier, so he would definitely carry out military orders to the end. Meanwhile, the moment he prepared to give the orders to have his men separate into three groups to rest, he and all of the patrolling soldiers saw a crimson fire beacon released in the northeast’s skies.

It was like a giant blood pillar that rushed directly into the sky.

All of the patrol army soldiers’ heavy breathing stopped slightly.

A wave of exceptionally strong mood swept through this mound and many other places in the Great Desolate Swamp.

Lin Xi who was standing with his hands at his side looked at this blood pillar-like fire beacon, also sensing this exceptionally heroic aura.

In Dragon Snake Border Army, this crimson smoke signal only represented a single order, which was to defend to the death… to continue defending down to the very last drop of blood.

This crimson fire beacon wasn’t issued to their Patrol Army, but rather to all defending troops who could see this fire beacon… to have all of these troops pay any price to defend their positions, regardless of what kind of enemies they faced!

Lin Xi and his entire Patrol Army, as well as the troops just like theirs stationed across the Great Desolate Swamp still didn’t know just what kind of things happened here. However, everyone who saw this fire beacon sensed that something extremely shocking was currently happening here.

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