I am Master Maoshan

Chapter 2352 Destiny (Part 5)

"Let's go in too." The old man narrowed his eyes slightly, a meaningful smile on his lips, his voice low and mysterious.

Liu Jun glanced at the old man beside him, then looked at the majestic and solemn mansion. Although he had a slight doubt in his heart, he nodded without hesitation.

So the two of them swaggered into the mansion, right under the noses of the demon soldiers.

Although the demon soldiers scanned their surroundings warily, they did not react at all to Liu Jun and the old man's intrusion, as if they had not seen them at all.

In fact, they were indeed invisible. Liu Jun and the old man were like bystanders from another time and space, as if they were inside an invisible, transparent dome.

It's like the characters in a movie are unaware that people outside are watching them intently; nothing in the outside world can touch them, and they can't interfere with anything in the outside world.

After passing through the mansion's corridors, we arrived at the mansion's council chamber.

The atmosphere inside the council hall was exceptionally heavy. Opposite the group of demon soldiers stood a demon general clad in silver armor.

The silver-armored general stood tall and straight like a pine tree, his armor gleaming with a cold luster, each plate seemingly containing some kind of power. His face was stern and resolute, his eyes revealing an aura of majesty and wisdom that made people dare not look him directly in the eye.

"General Hanyi, by imperial decree, you are ordered to immediately proceed to the northern border to defend against the enemy." The leader of the demon soldiers, a figure similar to a squad leader, took out a token from his robes, held it high, and slowly handed it to the silver-armored general opposite him.

The token emitted a mysterious light and was covered with strange runes, seemingly containing some kind of powerful force.

General Hanyi frowned slightly, his gaze falling on the token, but he did not immediately reach out to take it.

"Defend against the enemy? Isn't the northern border very peaceful? Where did the enemy come from?" General Hanyi asked in a deep voice, puzzled.

The squad leader looked somewhat anxious, but still managed to suppress his anxiety and said, "General Hanyi, I don't know the specifics either, it's just His Majesty's order. The situation on the northern border is urgent, and I hope you will accept the order immediately and depart at once."

General Hanyi was not dispelled by the squad leader's words and pressed on again: "You don't even know the enemy's situation, yet you send me there rashly. Isn't that child's play? Do you know that the northern border is an important defensive line for our tribe? If it is lost, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Seeing General Hanyi's unwavering resolve, the squad leader broke out in a cold sweat. He gritted his teeth and said, "General Hanyi, this is the Emperor's decree, and there is no room for doubt. Perhaps there are changes on the northern border that we have not yet noticed. Your mission is to investigate the truth and defend against the enemy. Time is of the essence, and I hope you will not hesitate any longer."

General Hanyi remained silent for a moment, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his resolve. He slowly reached out and accepted the token. The moment his fingers touched the token, a strange power surged into his body, causing him to tremble slightly.

"Alright, I accept the order." General Hanyi gripped the token tightly in his hand, glanced at the soldiers around him, and said loudly, "Pass on my order: immediately assemble the army and head to the northern border."

At General Han Yi's command, the atmosphere in the entire mansion instantly became tense. The soldiers obeyed the order and quickly sprang into action, preparing for the expedition.

After issuing a series of orders for the expedition, General Hanyi walked heavily alone into the depths of the mansion, eventually arriving at a quiet side room.

Inside the room, a warm yet slightly tense atmosphere permeated the air. Several maids were bustling about in an orderly fashion; some were gently tidying the bed, smoothing out the soft bedding; others were carefully wiping the tables and chairs, making every surface sparkling clean. Two elderly women were chatting quietly nearby, glancing occasionally towards the bed with concern in their eyes.

On the bed lay a beautiful woman about to give birth. Her belly was high and round, and her face radiated the gentleness and tranquility unique to motherhood.

The beautiful woman's long, glossy black hair was casually scattered on the pillow, a few stray strands clinging to her cheeks, adding to her delicate and alluring appearance. Her hands rested gently on her pregnant belly, her eyes revealing anticipation for the new life to come.

"What's up? You've got time to come here today?" The beautiful woman heard footsteps, raised her head slightly, saw that it was General Han Yi, and asked softly with a faint smile on her lips.

General Hanyi stood before the bed, silent for a moment. His eyes held a complex mix of emotions: a resolute determination to go to war, a deep affection for his beautiful wife and unborn child, and a hint of unspeakable guilt. After a long while, he slowly spoke, "Yun'er, I must go to war."

"Going to war? But our child is about to be born!" The beautiful woman was shocked, her smiling face turning deathly pale in an instant.

Her eyes widened as she stared incredulously at General Hanyi, her hands unconsciously gripping the corner of the blanket tightly, as if she could hold onto something she was about to lose.

General Hanyi sighed, his eyes revealing helplessness: "I know, but military orders are absolute. The Demon Emperor has ordered me to set out immediately. The responsibility at the border is heavy, and there may be unforeseen circumstances. As a general, I cannot back down. I'm afraid I won't live to see our child born."

A flicker of disappointment crossed the beautiful woman's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a gentle strength. She gently stroked her swollen belly and said softly, "Then, then go ahead. Don't worry about things at home. I'll take good care of our child. You must be careful and return safely soon."

General Hanyi was slightly moved. He reached out and gently took the beautiful woman's hand, saying, "Alright, you too. When I return, I will definitely spend time with you and the child, watching him grow up healthy and happy."

His eyes were filled with promise and expectation, as if he could already see the happy life of his family of three in the future. The two looked at each other silently, as if time had stood still at that moment. However, the soldiers were already assembling, and time was of the essence. General Hanyi knew that he could not stay here for too long.

He slowly released the beautiful woman's hand, stood up, looked at her deeply, and then resolutely turned and walked out of the room.

The beautiful woman watched General Hanyi's departing figure, tears welling in her eyes. But she knew she couldn't cry, she couldn't let General Hanyi worry. She silently prayed, hoping General Hanyi would return safely, hoping their child would be born healthy.

As General Hanyi stepped out of the room, he secretly vowed to win the battle and return to his beautiful wife and children as soon as possible to protect their happiness.

"Loyal ministers have never met a good end!" The old man's voice was full of vicissitudes and helplessness, as if it held countless unknown past experiences.

Liu Jun was standing to the side, his brows furrowed, his eyes revealing doubt and unease. Hearing the old man's words, he hurriedly asked, "What do you mean? What secret is hidden in your words?"

At that moment, a strong sense of foreboding welled up in his heart.

His thoughts involuntarily drifted back to his previous life. In that world, this General Hanyi was the father of his good brother, Wang Tiezhu.

General Hanyi spent his life fighting on the battlefield, making great contributions to the entire demon race and becoming a revered hero. However, he ultimately met a tragic end with the extermination of his entire clan, a truly lamentable fate.

But in this life, everything has become blurred. Liu Jun doesn't know if fate will be as cruel as it was in his previous life, but at this moment, an ominous premonition surrounds him like a tidal wave. Especially after hearing what the old man said, his heart feels as if it's being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, filled with pain and panic.

"You'll find out soon enough. Let's go." The old man didn't answer Liu Jun's question directly; he simply turned and started walking out.

"Where to?" Liu Jun looked bewildered, wondering what the old man was up to.

The old man turned around, looked at Liu Jun with a slightly mocking gaze, rolled his eyes, and said, "You can't just stay here, can you? Do you want to watch someone's wife give birth?"

Liu Jun's face flushed crimson, realizing just how awkward his situation was. Even though they were in a secret, unseen state, he couldn't possibly be so lewd as to eavesdrop on someone's wife giving birth in their room. It was not only immoral, but it also made him feel like a voyeur, a treacherous person spying on someone else's privacy.

"Let's go, let's go!" Liu Jun hurriedly said, walking quickly out of the room.

Stepping out of the room, the cool night breeze swept over him, clearing Liu Jun's head slightly. He glanced back at the room and heard sounds of activity suddenly starting inside; he secretly rejoiced that he had left in time.

"Let's go!" The old man suddenly grabbed Liu Jun's arm, grinned, and revealed a few yellowed teeth.

Before Liu Jun could react, a powerful force lifted them into the sky, and the surrounding scenery instantly turned into blurry streaks of light.

Liu Jun felt a blur before his eyes, and the sound of the wind in his ears suddenly stopped. When he looked around, he found himself in a magnificent palace.

The palace's dome soared into the clouds, inlaid with countless dazzling gemstones, shimmering with iridescent light under rays from an unknown source. The floor was covered with a dark red carpet, so soft it felt like walking on clouds.

There was only one person in this empty palace—no, it should be said that there was a demon.

The demon sat enthroned on a throne carved from dragon bones, clad in a dark gold robe, his face cold and stern. Liu Jun's pupils contracted slightly; that familiar silhouette, that oppressive aura.
"The Demon Emperor? Wasn't he dead?" Liu Jun blurted out, then realized his mistake and quickly covered his mouth.

He then remembered that he had killed the Demon Emperor in another life, and in this timeline, the Demon Emperor was still alive and well.

The Demon Emperor on the throne seemed to sense something, and suddenly raised his head, his sharp gaze piercing the direction where Liu Jun and the old man were.

Liu Jun blinked in surprise. Logically speaking, they were just bystanders in this time and space, even more transparent than transparent people. How could they have been discovered?

Just then, the space in front of them suddenly distorted and fluctuated, and then a figure shrouded in a black cloak appeared out of thin air, kneeling on one knee.

"Your Majesty, as you instructed, a trap has been laid in Cold Moon Valley, just waiting for General Cold Wing to step into it," the black-cloaked figure said in a hoarse voice.

The Demon Emperor's lips curled into a cold smile, his slender fingers lightly tapping the armrest of his throne: "Hmm, very good. Well done."

"Yes, Your subordinate will..." The man in the black cloak tried to say something, but before he could finish, the Demon Emperor waved his hand to interrupt him.

"Just now, it seemed like someone was spying on us." The Demon Emperor's gaze swept over the location where Liu Jun and the old man were again, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.