Sheng Fu

into the night.

The stars remain.

Inside the mansion, Prince Zhen'an was drinking alone in silence. Upon closer inspection, one could see that this imposing prince had graying temples; he hadn't aged suddenly, but rather in an instant.

Seeing their father's attitude, Wei Mo and Yan Che could not directly report official matters, and could only leave the decision of Yuwen Jun to them.

Men sometimes need to slow down.

But we can't delay for too long.

Yuwen Jun entered the room and saw the dejected appearance of the Prince of Zhen'an. His mood also became heavy. The reason for his heaviness was that the Prince of Zhen'an's dejection was ill-timed.

All military affairs, large and small, of the Spirit Clan depend on this prince for command.

Although Wei Mo and Yan Che were highly respected in the army and familiar with military affairs, they were still too young. When faced with some difficult decisions, they inevitably hesitated.

Hesitation and despondency are both major taboos in the present moment.

Prince Zhen'an gripped his wine cup tightly, his eyes unreadable. Just as he was about to drink it all in one gulp, Yuwen Jun sat down opposite him and said indifferently, "If you keep drinking like this, I'll smash the table for you."

"You can try."

A glint of light flashed in the cloudy eyes of the Prince of Zhen'an, and he asked with a hint of doubt, "Are you saying this as a brother or as the regent?"

Despite his deathly pale face, Yuwen Jun said coldly, "They are all."

"The team needs you, the Eldar needs you, I don't want to say these things to you anymore."

"Defeat is inevitable. There's no need to live in the pain of the past. What we should be thinking about now is how to fight back."

"Instead of drowning my sorrows in alcohol here."

"Our Dragon Clan's foundation has been largely depleted. Although we have taken Changmao Prefecture, we will inevitably face the Divine Emperor's personal expedition in the near future. Moreover, judging from the signs, the Human Emperor may also die on the battlefield."

"At that time, the three races will surely suffer immense devastation."

"We have completely lost all our strategic advantages. Even Mount Minghun needs to recuperate for a period of time."

The light in the Prince of Zhen'an's eyes grew brighter and brighter, but a sense of powerlessness welled up in his heart again.

"Can we win?" The Prince of Zhen'an seemed to have lost all hope, his tone filled with despair.

Yuwen Jun said indifferently, "I don't know, but our chances of winning are very low."

"But this is precisely the time for spiritual practice."

The Prince of Zhen'an's eyes suddenly flashed with a tragic yet resolute light.

“This is the time for cultivation!” Prince Zhen’an said with certainty.

Upon seeing this, Yuwen Jun finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Only if King Zhen'an rallies his spirits can the internal affairs of the Spirit Clan stabilize.

Sometimes, we are not afraid of external enemies, but of too many internal traitors.

After the death of Emperor Ling, there may be many traitors within the Ling Clan who want to defect to the Demon King. In fact, many Ling Clan members are already prepared to serve as slaves to the Demons.

In the past, the Prince of Zhen'an guarded the Iron Mang City, strategically halting the infiltration of the Demon Clan.

Even though there were some traitors within the Spirit Clan's territory, they never dared to show themselves.

Even now, King Zhen'an still needs to guard Sky City, oversee the entire Spirit Clan's military affairs, and prevent traitors from colluding with the enemy and betraying the country.

“Keep your head high, keep being yourself. This time, we need to stand tall and proud.” Yuwen Jun said through gritted teeth.

Snapped!
Prince Zhen'an slapped himself hard across the face, leaving a bright red handprint on his right cheek. Yuwen Jun smiled in surprise, "Why bother?"

The King of Zhen'an said with red eyes, "Thank you for reminding me, but the thought of a young man like you spurring me on at such a crucial moment makes me feel very uncomfortable, even though I know you are the Regent of the Spirit Clan."

"I should have realized this sooner."

Yuwen Jun said calmly, "Actually, when I learned of Gu Yong's death, I was more upset than you. For a long time, I didn't know how to face my master's wife."

"I understand that feeling."

"If we have to blame someone, it's because our upbringing was too painful."

Looking at Yuwen Jun's pale and weathered face, Prince Zhen'an felt a sense of blankness.

At his age, his experience as a living person is actually less than that of a young man.

Yuwen Jun changed the subject, saying, "Tomorrow, I will send Princess Yan Che to Lingdu, while you will guard Sky City and reorganize the military affairs. The ten thousand troops in the Demon Realm will still be under your command."

"I don't need to remind you what to do specifically."

Prince Zhen'an reminded him, "I am not so incompetent as to be."

Strengthening military preparedness, rigorously investigating internal traitors, and controlling the situation are the top priorities for Prince Zhen'an at present.

"Your injury?" Prince Zhen'an suddenly asked with concern.

Yuwen Jun smiled and shook his head, saying, "It's alright. Who knows when we might die on the battlefield? We're still alive now, so let's find a way to clean up this mess."

"Perhaps, we really can grasp that negligible glimmer of hope that exists in the dark."

"The more difficult the times, the more relaxed one should be. Being too tense will only damage the foundation of one's path."

Prince Zhen'an was speechless for a moment, because Yuwen Jun was telling the truth.

"I'm leaving this to you. I'll go and say a few words to Chief Xiu Shenzhu, then head to Lingdu," Yuwen Jun said.

This time, Prince Zhen'an rose and bowed deeply, solemnly paying his respects to Yuwen Jun.

Yuwen Jun simply waved his hand and said, "Etiquette is not important; what's important is to be mindful of what you're doing."

Prince Zhen'an smiled with relief, thinking to himself, "Little fellow, you even took the opportunity to lecture me, but what you said makes a lot of sense."

In the courtyard.

Chief Xiu Shenzhu sat quietly in the pavilion, his heart filled with turmoil. He had led an army of ten thousand men, intending to make a name for himself on the battlefield, but he never expected to encounter such a disaster as soon as he arrived.

Thinking of the grand banquet two days ago, Chief Xiu Shenzhu felt a mix of emotions that were hard to describe.

Suddenly, Yuwen Jun arrived at the pavilion without a sound.

Chief Xiu Shenzhu quickly stood up and bowed, but Yuwen Jun simply waved his hand and said, "In these extraordinary times, we should avoid unnecessary formalities."

"You will continue to stay here to assist King Zhen'an. Although there will be no war for the time being, as long as your army stays here, it will greatly help stabilize the internal situation of the Spirit Clan."

"Humble your stance and follow the orders of the Prince of Zhen'an."

The demon realm's 10,000-strong army must not retreat now. If they retreat now, the morale of the spirit race world will immediately collapse. His Majesty's death and the withdrawal of external aid will be more than just a blow to morale.

"Yes, sir!" Chief Xiu Shenzhu bowed his head and replied firmly.

Yuwen Jun patted the Xiu Shenzhu clan chief on the shoulder and said calmly, "In this era of great strife, everyone has a chance. Temporary wins and losses don't prove anything."

"There's no need to be pessimistic, everyone. The sky hasn't fallen yet."

"Now is the perfect time to turn the tide..." (End of Chapter)