101: Chapter 101 "A Match Made in Heaven"

Time flew by, and three years passed in the blink of an eye.

Three years was enough time to change many things.

The "Demon-Quelling Army," once composed of ragtag soldiers who rose up from Donglai Prefecture City...

...had now grown like a rolling snowball, becoming a torrent sweeping across half of the Great Ning's territory.

Wherever their banners pointed, they were unstoppable.

The armies the Great Ning Imperial Court relied on for its rule collapsed instantly under Su Chen's invincible blade and the ever-braver military might of the Demon-Quelling Army; their main forces had long been exhausted.

Half of the Great Ning's territory was now firmly held in Su Chen's hands.

Five hundred thousand elite troops stood ready, their blades pointed directly at the final heart.

The Imperial Capital of Great Ning.

Su Chen's name was no longer simply that of a rebel leader.

Everywhere he passed...

...corrupt officials were all put to death.

Demons were slain, and grain was distributed.

With every city he passed through, Su Chen truly discovered the cruelty of the Great Ning World.

Every single Great Ning official he killed was actually a demon wearing human skin.

Yes, every single one.

Just like in Donglai City, various forms of "blood sacrifices" existed openly in every part of Great Ning.

Sometimes, he felt a bit puzzled.

This Great Ning was entirely a demon imperial court.

But if it was a demon court, why did they still keep these commoners as livestock?

If he hadn't traveled to this world as an investment, perhaps in another few hundred years, the humans here would still be kept in the dark.

Su Chen let the people see the cruel truth of the Great Ning World with their own eyes.

In the hearts of the suffering people, he was a saint who cleared the clouds to see the sun, the only hope to end this dark and chaotic world.

Wherever he went, the people welcomed him with food and drink, showing universal support.

The cries of "Please, Great Commander Su, don the yellow robe and ascend the throne"...

...surged through the occupied territories like a spring tide, wave after wave.

And the red silhouette that had always followed by his side had also long since become famous throughout the land.

Ye Jingjun, Vice Commander of the Demon-Quelling Army, known to the world as the "Crimson Phoenix Sword Immortal."

Three years of tempering through blood and fire had allowed her cultivation to climb from the sixth rank all the way to the eighth, making her one of the top experts of the age.

On the battlefield, she wore red robes like fire, her sword techniques were ruthless and cold, and she was invincible.

Though she was exquisitely beautiful, she was a nightmare that struck terror into the hearts of the imperial army.

But when she took off her battle robes, that beautiful and enchanting face only reflected one person's shadow.

She only revealed a rare softness and a crimson blush for one person.

In the cold winter at the end of the year, the main force of the Demon-Quelling Army was stationed in Jinmen Prefecture, only seventy li from the capital.

This major town by the North Sea was the final gateway to the Capital Region and an important maritime hub.

After several days of heavy snow, the sky had finally cleared, and the army enjoyed a rare moment of festive relaxation.

Bonfires blazed, and the aroma of meat and wine mixed with the cold wind blowing through the camp.

The soldiers' laughter and the sounds of drinking games merged together, dispelling the pre-war tension.

They all knew.

The next step was to head to the capital for the final test, the time to examine the results of their three years of work.

The smell of firecracker gunpowder and food mingled together, and the sounds of joy and laughter almost shook the night sky.

"It's the New Year, another year has passed..."

As the highly respected "Great Commander" and "Vice Commander," Su Chen and Ye Jingjun naturally had to participate in the Demon-Quelling Army's large-scale activities.

Looking at the generals drinking and making merry under the red lanterns, Su Chen's face showed a hint of loneliness.

"I wonder how many of them will live to see the end of this war."

Ye Jingjun also stood quietly beside him.

The female goddess of war who struck the most fear into her enemies on the battlefield...

...at this moment, was like an ordinary young wife.

Her small hand beneath her red robe tightly gripped Su Chen's long robe.

She refused to let go.

She was already peerlessly beautiful, and now, slightly tipsy from the wine, she looked even more flushed and enchanting.

At that moment, most of the generals were already drunk.

Some bold generals even went to find female officers they usually wouldn't dare speak to.

Before long, many pairs of men and women began to perform comical dances on the training grounds.

As the saying goes, wine gives courage to the cowardly.

Ordinarily, no one dared to challenge the authority of Su Chen and Ye Jingjun in the Demon-Quelling Army.

But now, a few bold generals, emboldened by wine, gathered around Su Chen and Ye Jingjun to tease them.

This wasn't actually surprising.

Usually, these shipping enthusiasts had already defaulted to seeing Su Chen and Ye Jingjun as a couple.

After all, the parties involved had never objected!

"Great Commander Su, Vice Commander Ye."

"Today is New Year's Eve, a beautiful night. Why don't you two dance together to entertain the three armies?"

"Yes, yes! The Vice Commander is stunning in red, and the Great Commander is as pure as snow in white; it's a match made in heaven!"

"If you ask me, our Great Commander Su and Vice Commander Ye are a perfect pair!"

"Exactly! When we fight our way into the capital and Great Commander Su sits on the Dragon Throne, Vice Commander Ye will be the Empress!"

Ye Jingjun, who could remain unfazed even before ten thousand enemy troops, now had a bright red face from this blunt teasing.

These people were all her trusted subordinates who had fought alongside her, so she couldn't really get angry with them.

Amidst the banter, her cheeks flushed slightly, and a rare hint of panic flashed in her cold eyes. She instinctively looked toward Su Chen, who was standing alone in front of the Commander's Tent not far away.

She saw that he was only smiling faintly, neither agreeing nor refusing.

His smile was as gentle as ever.

Except...

...over these years, he had used the power of the sword soul too much.

Wrapped in his white robe...

...his face was pale.

He looked exactly like a sickly, handsome man.

Her heart suddenly tightened.

Amidst the chaos, not knowing where she got the courage, she grabbed Su Chen's cool hand and whispered.

"Master Su, it's too noisy here. Let's go for a walk."

Su Chen was slightly startled. Looking at her flushed profile and flickering eyes, he eventually nodded.

He let her lead him through the noisy crowd and away from the brightly lit camp.

The seaside of Jinmen Prefecture was different from Donglai Prefecture.

Although both were on the North Sea, Jinmen was located in a plain, unlike Donglai, which was situated in a hilly peninsula.

The coast here was primarily mudflats.

It lacked the landscape of alternating beaches and reefs found in Donglai Prefecture.

The winter night sea breeze was exceptionally biting, blowing against their sleeves.

Away from the clamor, only the sound of waves crashing against the shore and their clearly audible breathing remained.

Ye Jingjun stopped her steps but still didn't let go of Su Chen's hand.

She looked up, using the hazy moonlight to carefully gaze at the face so close to her.

Three years had passed, and he still had that peerlessly handsome appearance.

But looking closely, subtle changes could be found.

His face was paler than before, almost transparent, like fine white porcelain that would shatter at a light touch.

Thinking of this, Ye Jingjun reached her hand further into Su Chen's sleeve.

She grasped those slender, deathly pale hands.

His hands were too thin.

They felt like nothing but bone, and it was particularly jarring to the touch.

But she just liked holding them.

Feeling both at peace and heartbroken.