Chapter 23

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The Great Xuanwu General did not usually show his emotions on his face, but despite his unchanged expression, his gaze was constantly flickering.

He looked at the token in his hand and remained silent for a long time.

The vice general beside him was greatly surprised to see it.

After clearly seeing the word ‘Mingguang’ engraved on the token, the vice general was as surprised as Du Kun.

“A token from the Secret Cabinet?” The vice general looked solemn. “How did they get involved?”

Du Kun did not utter a word. His expression regained calmness as he put away the token and read the report by his subordinate.

After looking at it, he frowned slightly. “Did they accidentally find the token while annihilating the rebels?”

Du Kun put his hands behind him and stood still like a mountain.

A moment later, he suddenly ordered in a low voice, “Loosen up part of the blockade and allow some rebels to flee. We’ll deal with them later.”

The vice general was shocked. “General, the people of the Secret Cabinet are operating in Longbei County, and they are likely coming after you. If you release those rebels now, wouldn’t you be giving them a handle on you and letting the Secret Cabinet wrongfully accuse you?”

“How could I be the one to release those rebels?” With a calm expression, Du Kun took out the token engraved with the word ‘Mingguang’ and waved it. “It’s clearly the people of the Secret Cabinet who harbored ill intentions, had secret communications with the rebels, and caused this civil unrest.”

The vice general then came to a realization and soon calmed down. “But General, with only this token, I’m afraid it’s not enough to gain His Majesty’s trust. His Royal Highness can’t speak up for you either.”

Du Kun’s tone remained the same. “They harmed Yifan and Gao Qi.”

The vice general was stunned. “What you mean is to drive those rebels toward the northern side of Dragon Ridge and link both them and the Secret Cabinet to the fortress?”

Du Kun went to the map and looked down at it. “Otherwise, why do you think that I said that the Secret Cabinet is harboring ill intentions and is unloyal to His Highness?”

The vice general lowered his head. “I understand.”

“We have to inform His Royal Highness in advance.” Du Kun prepared paper and pen and wrote a secret letter before handing it to the vice general.

After he left, the bronze-skinned general stood in the tent as his gaze landed on the southern foot of Dragon Ridge on the map.

As he thought of his only son, Du Kun’s eyes appeared indignant…

…

Inside the dense forest of Dragon Ridge, the White Cloud Abyss regained its peace.

The blockade in the area below the mountains was becoming increasingly tighter. The Cold Mountain Sect was put in a difficult situation as its members risked their lives to transport people and supplies to the mountains.

The news from their sect members in Chang’an Fortress continued to strengthen the Cold Mountain Sect disciples’ confidence, making them press on with the gamble they had made.

The harvests were bountiful in the dozens of acres of fields outside Chang’an Fortress in the White Cloud Abyss.

Fortress Lord Zhang was relieved to see the granaries in the fortress gradually filled.

He started to shift his focus to the cotton, flax, and mulberry side.

Besides food, clothing was essential.

From the processing point of view, the clothing side was more troublesome than the food side.

Thanks to the Cold Mountain Sect’s foundation in Qinzhou Prefecture, it was able to withstand the blockade from the Tang Dynasty army and send weavers to the mountains.

However, there was a limit to the number of weavers in the short term, so everyone had to work overtime.

Seeing all sorts of supplies, rations, and reserves becoming more plentiful, Zhang Dongyun could finally heave a sigh of relief.

For the past few days, he had spent most of his energy on irrigating various fields for production, and he had somewhat neglected his cultivation.

The countdown for the time of invincibility was still ticking away.

Zhang Dongyun returned to the Great Ming Palace and continued to cultivate the Martial Dao.

The Tang Dynasty troops in the fortress and the Cold Mountain Sect disciples were now submissive.

After the Tang Dynasty troops farming outside returned to the fortress, they told their fellow workers about the changes in the fields, causing everyone to find it unbelievable.

Everyone was startled when they saw it with their own eyes.

They were now working for Chang’an Fortress diligently and did not need the old man in black to watch them from time to time.

Besides, Zhang Dongyun could immediately sense any chaos in the fortress with the help of the system and take preventive measures.

It was not until…

[Random Guarding Quest 1.3—Kill or capture the Thunderclap Sect’s Elder Wu Qiong who has entered the fortress.]

The sun and moon alternated on one late night.

In the Great Ming Palace, Fortress Lord Zhang was resting with his eyes closed when he heard the system’s voice in his mind.

“Thunderclap Sect’s Elder Wu Qiong?”

Zhang Dongyun did not open his eyes.

However, an image surfaced in his mind.

A man in black was secretly climbing over the walls into Chang’an Fortress.

He was being careful about being silent and concealing his tracks as he explored Chang’an Fortress at night.

As the man in black pressed against the fortress wall, he kept to the edge and slid down.

Just as he landed on the ground, he heard a piercing buzzing sound before he could stand firm.

At the same time, dozens of beams of light shining from all directions converged on him.

The man in black was so shocked that he sat down by the wall as his legs went soft.

The old man in black, which Zhang Dongyun had incarnated into, walked out slowly.

He was quite satisfied with the anti-breakout mode he had simulated.

Unfortunately, only he knew of that. How lonely.

Life was as lonely as snow…

However, the shrill, long sirens had the same effect in any place.

The people who were resting in their tents woke up.

All of them walked out in surprise and looked at the bottom of the fortress wall in unison.

They saw a man in black who had nowhere to hide, looking terrified and embarrassed.

Gao Qi and the rest were surprised to see this scene.

The longer they stayed in this fortress, the more they felt that it was extraordinary.

While it would not work to attack openly, it seemed as though it was a dream to sneak in secretly as well.

From this moment onward, these people, who were already gradually becoming submissive, did not dare even have any secretive thoughts in their hearts.

“Everyone, return to your rooms.” The old man in black coughed.

They gradually left.

The masked man in black, who was surrounded by everyone’s gazes, was unable to relax at the bottom of the fortress wall.

That old man opposite him had a cold gaze, as though he could see through his heart.

“I…” The man wanted to say something, but then he saw a black mist appear before him.

The next moment, the black mist devoured him, and he could no longer move nor bend his fingers.

Only his face was outside the black mist. His black cloth mask automatically vanished, revealing his face.

Zhang Dongyun put his hands behind his back and slowly walked toward him.

Something pleased him more than interrogating this man.

[You have captured Wu Qiong, who has entered the fortress, and completed Random Guarding Quest 1.3. Rewarded 200 Upgrade EXP.]

[You have accumulated 1,000 Guarding EXP. After your Construction EXP reaches the same standard, the first fortress expansion upgrade will be initiated.]