30: Chapter 30: Flames of War in the Northern Territory, the Net of Psychology Gradually Loosens!

The night wind of the Northern Region Corridor, thick with the scent of gunpowder and blood, poured into the coalition's main tent, causing the candle on the desk to flicker as if about to extinguish. Xiao Yan sat alone before the long desk, his xuan heavy ruler leaning against his side; the light from the four kinds of Heavenly Flames on the ruler's surface was particularly piercing in the dim tent. He clutched the seventh intelligence report just sent back by his secret agents, his finger strength already leaving cracks on the thin jade slip.

"Report. The Hun Clan's defense line has contracted to the last five main fortresses, but there is still no sign of Hun Feng." The secret agent knelt on one knee in front of the tent, his voice kept extremely low.

Xiao Yan did not respond. After waving the secret agent away, he spread out the troop distribution map on the desk. The three-thousand-li defense line of the Northern Region Corridor had been compressed by the coalition to less than five hundred li. The main force of the Black Annihilation Army under Gu Dao was steadily advancing from the front, Lei Ying's Thunder Dou Qi battalion was continuously bombarding the Hun Clan's blockhouses on the east side, Yan Jin's Burning Heaven Dou Qi was plowing scorched black lines across the southern flank, and Gu Qingyang's flanking force had just intercepted a batch of Hun Clan supplies. After five full days of fighting and pulling out seventeen peripheral outposts, the four major armies were advancing triumphantly, forcing the Hun Clan to retreat again and again. Yet, Soul Yuan Tian and Elder Hun Tu had never appeared, and the Gate of Dead Silence hadn't leaked a single breath of aura. This was not the true strength of the Hun Clan.

Xiao Yan threw the map onto the desk and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. It wasn't that he hadn't considered that Hun Feng was deliberately stalling—back in the Corpse Burial Mountain Range, Hun Feng had relied on early ambushes to toy with the entire Sky Mansion Alliance. But five days had passed, and the coalition had pushed two hundred li deep into the Northern Region Corridor. Any further in was the core defense of the Hun Clan's main fortress group. Even if Hun Feng had more patience, it was impossible for him to hand over the main fortress group on a silver platter. Unless he was waiting for something. Waiting for the coalition to penetrate deeper, waiting for the supply lines to stretch, waiting for Gu Qingyang's flanking force to push another fifty li and enter the coverage area of the Gate of Dead Silence.

The tent curtain was lifted from the outside, and Gu Xun'er walked in carrying a cup of hot tea. She was still wearing that light green dress, her black hair like a waterfall, her features as beautiful as a painting, though faint dark circles had appeared under her eyes from exhaustion. For the past five days, she had waited every night for Xiao Yan to finish his military briefing before she would go to sleep; tonight, she had even waited directly outside his tent, only entering when she heard there was no more movement inside.

"Brother Xiao Yan, Elder Gu Dao said to launch the general offensive at the Hour of the Tiger tomorrow, and wants you to command the central army. The Hun Clan's main force has yet to appear, and he is worried about a trap." Xun'er placed the teacup gently by his side, her fair hand covering his knuckles, which were clenched white. "You haven't closed your eyes for five days; you must sleep for a while tonight."

"I can't sleep." Xiao Yan opened his eyes, grabbed her hand in return, and rubbed his thumb unconsciously across the back of her hand. "Xun'er, what do you think Cai Lin is doing in the Soul Realm right now? Will Xiao Xiao be crying for her mother? She's been picky about her bed since she was little; she never sleeps well when she changes places—"

"Brother Xiao Yan." Xun'er interrupted him, her voice still that gentle, water-like tone, but with an added layer of thin firmness in her tone. "Sister Cai Lin will be fine. If Hun Feng wanted to kill her, he wouldn't have waited until now. Xiao Xiao will be fine too—she is your and Sister Cai Lin's daughter; she isn't so easily frightened."

She paused, not saying the second half of the sentence. If Hun Feng really wanted to kill Cai Lin and Xiao Xiao, he could have done it back at the Nine Serene Yellow Springs; why bring them back to the Soul Realm and treat them well? Saying that would only make Xiao Yan feel worse.

Xiao Yan did not speak again. He picked up the teacup and drank it in one gulp; the scalding tea liquid slid down his throat, carrying a faint, bitter aftertaste. He gazed at the night sky in the direction of the Soul Realm outside the tent, his eyes, tempered by the fires of war to become increasingly cold and sharp, reflecting the flickering lightning on the horizon.

Soul Realm, Hun Feng's sleeping palace.

Dark red fluorescent light flowed slowly through the patterns of the soul-devouring iron on the palace walls, enveloping the entire sleeping palace in a deeply private, warm darkness. The icy blue ghost light of the Cold Jade Bed intertwined with the red light on the walls, casting flowing ripples on the palace ceiling. Yao Yao lay on the edge of the Cold Jade Bed, one hand propping up her cheek, the fingertips of the other hand playing with her scattered black hair. The bone whip was placed on the bedside, the ghostly green light of the seventy-two skulls dimmed to the lowest setting, as gentle as a nightlight by the bed. The string of old silver bells on her ankle had lost a clapper in the intimacy of last night; she hadn't had time to fix it, so she had found a new string from Hun Feng's storeroom to wear first.

"Young Master, the Northern Region advanced another eighty li today. Gu Dao's Black Annihilation Army is indeed capable; they didn't slow down even when facing the Hall of Souls' three defensive lines head-on. That old thing Lei Ying blew two eastern blockhouses into smithereens, and Yan Jin set a fire on the southern flank that looked quite pretty." She reported the battle situation lazily while pointing to the grapes on the bedside table. "Young Master, grapes."

Hun Feng leaned against the head of the bed, holding the Northern Region troop distribution jade slip in one hand and feeding her a grape with the other. Her cheeks bulged slightly, and she mumbled that it was sweet, then continued reading the battle report: "Gu Qingyang's flanking force will be able to advance into the coverage area of the Gate of Dead Silence tomorrow. Hun Qian is already lying in ambush on the flank; we will close the net once they arrive."

"Tell him to close the pocket before the Hour of the Tiger tomorrow. Gu Qingyang is impatient; once he discovers the supply line is cut, he will retreat. Tell Hun Qian not to be in a rush to attack; let him return to the coalition camp." Hun Feng placed the jade slip back on the desk and rubbed the back of Yao Yao's neck gently. "Gu Dao should have realized something is wrong by now—they've fought for five days, and not a single main force member has appeared; all they've advanced through are empty fortresses. He isn't a fool; he will definitely advise Lei Ying to withdraw troops before the general offensive tomorrow."

"It's the same whether they withdraw or not." Yao Yao rolled over, leaning against Hun Feng's leg in a more comfortable position. "The Northern Region was a trap from the start. It was easy for them to break in, but it won't be so easy to withdraw. Hun Qinger has been waiting at the exit of the corridor for several days, and Soul Yuan Tian hasn't even bothered to open a crack in the Gate of Dead Silence—it's still too easy for an Eight Star Dou Sheng to ambush a Gu Dao."

Hun Feng made a sound of agreement, then suddenly lowered his head and whispered something into her ear that only the two of them could hear. Yao Yao's earlobes turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye, and she reached out and pinched his arm not too lightly, the teasing in her peach-blossom eyes impossible to hide: "Young Master, you were deploying troops during the day, and now you're saying such improper things."

"Deploying troops is one thing." Hun Feng remained calm, turning his head to leave a light kiss on the corner of her forehead, his fingers sliding from the back of her neck to rest on her waist, where he could feel the lingering warmth of last night on her skin through the thin fabric. She leaned in his arms and stopped reporting military intelligence, simply playing with his slender fingers, counting the knuckles one by one, occasionally turning over to bury her face in his chest, letting out a satisfied sigh. The arm he had around her waist tightened slightly, and he lowered his head to leave an extremely light kiss on the top of her hair.

The night was still long. The dark red fluorescence flowed slowly along the edges of their embracing figures, faithfully recording this moment of peace in the dark night of the Soul Realm.

East Courtyard. The night wind passed through the gaps in the bamboo curtain, blowing the dark orchid honey cakes that Xiao Xiao had specially left for Hun Feng on the stone table until they were slightly dry. Xiao Xiao lay on the edge of the stone table, her two small hands propping up her cheeks, the silver bells on her braided hair shaking gently as her head bobbed while she dozed off. She was so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open, but she stubbornly stared at the courtyard gate, refusing to go inside to sleep.

"Sister Yao Yao said that Father has to approve many battle reports tonight, and he will come to see Xiao Xiao after he finishes. I have to wait for Father to come back."

Medusa leaned behind the bamboo curtain, her matte white dress emitting a soft glow in the moonlight, the diamond-patterned gold gilding on her waist ornament circulating silently in the dim lamplight. She held a cup of Soul Yuan tea, her purple eyes looking through the half-hidden bamboo curtain at the empty stone path. The figure in the moon-white robe did not appear, but the outside of the East Courtyard was exceptionally quiet tonight—previously, there was always the sound of Hall of Souls guards changing shifts, but tonight, not a single sound had been heard. She, of course, knew what this meant. The war in the Northern Region Corridor had been going on for five days, with the Sky Mansion Alliance's four major armies pressing in; even if that lecherous guy were more composed, he would still have to sit in the Soul Realm to coordinate the overall situation. She looked down at Xiao Xiao, whose head was bobbing on the stone table outside, put down the teacup, and walked into the courtyard to gently pick up her daughter. Xiao Xiao hugged her neck in a daze, her little face rubbing against the crook of her neck, still muttering: "Must call me when Father comes back... I want to show him the new silver bells..."

"Look at them tomorrow. Your father has serious business tonight." Medusa held her daughter and turned to go back inside, looking back at the stone path one last time before the bamboo curtain closed—it was still empty. She gently placed Xiao Xiao on the daybed and covered her with a quilt, then sat on the edge of the bed without lying down. Outside the window, the leaves of the dark-leaf osmanthus were blown off by the wind, landing beside the plate of untouched honey cakes on the stone table. She looked at the fallen leaves beside the plate for a while, then reached out to gently brush one off her knee, her movements very light and slow, as if brushing away some emotion that shouldn't exist.

Northern Region Corridor, Hour of the Tiger. Before Gu Dao's general offensive order could be issued, the flank of the coalition camp had already exploded. Gu Qingyang's flanking force, when advancing to less than a hundred li from the Hun Clan's main fortress group, suddenly discovered that the supply line behind them had been cut. Half of the food and fodder convoy had been swept away by a cloud of soul mist that had emerged from nowhere in the canyon. When the surviving drivers scrambled back to report, they couldn't even speak clearly: "It's Hun Qian—Hun Qian brought people to ambush in the valley behind us! No, no less than a hundred people, all above the Dou Zun level!"

Gu Qingyang's expression changed drastically, and he grabbed the communication jade slip to report to Gu Dao. But before he could activate the jade slip, a silver-haired figure in a moon-white robe stepped out from the night sky. Hun Qinger stood with her hands behind her back in the void, the ice-soul cold energy of a mid-stage Seven-Star Dou Sheng spreading out without reservation at this moment, causing the air within a radius of dozens of li to drop to a degree that could freeze blood vessels. The campfires on the periphery of the coalition camp were extinguished in the same instant—not blown out by the wind, but extinguished by the bone-chilling cold. Gu Qingyang's hand holding the communication jade slip froze in mid-air—a thin layer of frost had already covered his fingertips, and his Dou Qi circulation was sluggish as mud.

"Gu Dao, retreat." Hun Qinger's voice was as calm as if she were stating the weather, but every word clearly spread through the entire coalition camp. "Otherwise, Gu Qingyang will stay in the Northern Region tonight."

In the main tent, Gu Dao stood up abruptly, his white hair moving without wind. The Three Immortal Guards pressed their hands on their weapons simultaneously, and the air in the tent was as taut as a fully drawn bowstring. Just then, Xiao Yan lifted the curtain and entered, the light of the four Heavenly Flames on the xuan heavy ruler particularly piercing in the night, but there was no fighting intent on his face, only a very calm determination. He looked straight at Gu Dao, his voice not loud but every word like iron: "Withdraw. Soul Yuan Tian's Gate of Dead Silence is buried under the main fortress, Hun Qinger is guarding the formation, and Hun You circled to our rear yesterday. This is a trap—it has been a trap since the first day. If we don't leave now, everyone will be lost here."

Gu Dao was silent for three breaths, his gaze sweeping across Xiao Yan's face repeatedly, before finally squeezing the word out through his teeth: "Withdraw."

As the coalition began to retreat slowly, Hun Qian emerged from the canyon leading two teams of Hall of Souls elites, his eyes coldly watching those former "prey" scrambling out of the encirclement in a sorry state. Hun Qinger turned and disappeared into the night sky again. Soul Yuan Tian's Gate of Dead Silence ultimately never opened. Xiao Yan stood at the very rear of the coalition's retreat route, supporting himself with the xuan heavy ruler with one hand, gazing at the defense line deep in the Northern Region that had never appeared, no frustration in his eyes, only a cold hardness tempered from his bones after being repeatedly crushed.

Several days later, Soul Realm, sleeping palace. The battle reports had been approved, and the tea had gone cold. Yao Yao lay on the edge of the Cold Jade Bed, playing with her scattered black hair with her fingers, the bone whip placed on the bedside, the ghostly light of the seventy-two skulls gentle as a nightlight in the dim palace. The string of new silver bells on her ankle emitted a soft luster under the candlelight, occasionally making a very slight sound as she tossed and turned. She didn't ask much about the casualty figures on the battle report, but suddenly spoke when Hun Feng finished approving the last scroll of the jade slip: "Young Master, when will you close the net on Medusa's side?"

Hun Feng put the jade slip back on the desk and turned to look at her, his eyes containing a lazy smile: "What net to close? It was loose from the start. But after the Northern Region fight is over, Brother Lucky should have to recuperate for a while, and it's time to spend some time with Xiao Xiao." He reached out and pinched her face gently. "Sleep, you don't have to stay up late to accompany me to approve battle reports starting tomorrow."

Yao Yao curled her peach-blossom eyes and smiled, leaned over and pecked him on the lips, then rolled over, lay flat, and pulled the quilt to wrap herself into a silkworm chrysalis, revealing only half her face and a pair of sparkling eyes. Hun Feng lowered his head and left a kiss on her forehead, raised his hand to extinguish the candle, and in the darkness, there was only an occasional very slight crisp sound from the silver bells.

East Courtyard. Medusa leaned by the window, twisting the list of supplies for today—another thirty percent increase, and another detour by the Hall of Souls Foreign Affairs Division to reach the Snake-People Tribe directly. She placed the list on the side table, her purple eyes looking through the bamboo curtain toward the distant stone path. The road was still empty, but this time a faint glimmer of light was vaguely visible at the end of the road—that was the direction of Hun Feng's sleeping palace. She withdrew her gaze, looking down at the drawing on her lap that Xiao Xiao had scribbled black with a charcoal pencil; next to the black-clothed man in the drawing, there was another crooked little person with a ponytail. She hummed softly, folded the drawing, and put it into a wooden box carved with dark orchid patterns by the bedside. Outside the window, the night wind brushed over the dark-leaf osmanthus, blowing the last few withered leaves onto the plate of freshly refilled honey cakes on the stone table.