The charming widow of the Marquis's mansion: The stable boy carries the flag and raises the dra

Luo Hanyi's voice deepened.

"Of the spies I sent to investigate, three groups died, and the last group only brought back this much information."

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

Murong Yuan closed his eyes, leaned back on the dragon throne, and remained silent for a long time.

Holy Land!

That was a height they couldn't even look up at.

In the entire Great Qian Dynasty, the strongest was only Murong Yuan at the peak of the ninth rank. There wasn't even a Grandmaster, let alone a Saint.

If that Saint Realm expert from Great Zhao were to make a move... they wouldn't even have the right to resist.

"Mrs. Luo..."

Murong Qing sat next to Luo Hanyi, her face pale and her lips trembling slightly.

She held Luo Hanyi's hand tightly, her voice trembling with tears.

"What do we do...?"

Luo Hanyi took her hand in return and patted it gently. His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

"Don't be afraid."

She raised her head and looked at Murong Yuan, her voice clear and resolute.

"Your Majesty, order the garrisons in various regions to consolidate their defenses, abandon the outer cities, and concentrate their forces to defend the three lines of defense surrounding the capital."

Murong Yuan opened his eyes, looked at her, and hesitated to speak.

"I know this will result in significant losses, but it is the only feasible solution at present."

Luo Hanyi's gaze did not waver in the slightest.

"Dispersing our forces will only allow the rebels to defeat us one by one; it's better to concentrate our strength and hold our ground while awaiting reinforcements."

All they can do now is gamble that the Saint Realm expert won't make a move!

Murong Yuan remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"By imperial decree, all garrisons in various regions are to be withdrawn, abandoning Qingzhou, Pingzhou, and Xiangzhou, and instead retreating to defend the three lines of defense of Jinzhou, Liangzhou, and Ningzhou."

He paused, then added.

"All martial artists of the sixth rank and above are to be recalled to the capital to await further orders."

Luo Hanyi nodded slightly and said nothing more.

She stood up and walked out of the hall.

Murong Qing quickly followed and supported her arm.

"Madam Luo, please slow down, you're feeling heavy..."

Luo Hanyi did not answer, but quickened her pace.

She knew in her heart that holding out and waiting for reinforcements was easier said than done.

Where can we get reinforcements? The only fighting force that the entire Great Qian Kingdom can muster is a few ninth-rank martial artists.

She thought of Wang Long.

They should still be participating in the Warring States period in Tianque City.

Luo Hanyi didn't know what realm Wang Long was at now; she only hoped he wouldn't come back.

She still remembered that Wang Long was only a ninth-rank official when he left. Even if he made some breakthroughs in the battle for supremacy among the myriad dynasties, he would at most be a grandmaster.

Meanwhile, in the Great Zhao region, there is a sacred realm!

A Grandmaster has no chance of winning against a Saint Realm expert.

Luo Hanyi returned to the palace, sat by the window, and looked down at her slightly protruding belly, her gaze soft and complicated.

"Wang Long...don't come back~" Her voice was very soft, so soft that it sounded like she was talking to herself.

"You must take good care of yourself...and live well..."

She hoped that Qin Minglan could find Wang Long before he returned to Daqian and persuade him not to come back.

The affairs of the Great Qian Dynasty must be borne by the Great Qian Dynasty itself.

Even if we can't hold on!

The next day, as dawn broke.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated outside the gate of the Taichu Holy Palace.

When Wang Long and Ye Niannu walked out of the mountain gate side by side, they were already surrounded by people seeing them off.

Ye Wushuang, dressed in a white dress, stood at the very front.

Half a step behind her were Xuanzhen Daoist and Xu Ming, and further back were more than ten elders.

"Niannu, take good care of yourself on the journey, and don't be willful."

Ye Wushuang spoke, her tone cold, but her gaze fell on Wang Long with a hint of gentleness.

Ye Niannu nodded with a smile.

"Master, don't worry, with my husband here, I won't do anything reckless."

Master Xuanzhen laughed and stepped forward.

He pulled three heavy storage bags from his sleeve and stuffed them into Wang Long's hands without saying a word.

"Holy Son, take these spirit stones with you! You'll need them everywhere you go. The Primordial Holy Palace may not have much else, but we have plenty of spirit stones!"

Wang Long looked down, probed the storage bag with his divine sense, and his pupils contracted slightly.

These three storage bags contained at least three million high-grade spirit stones and hundreds of thousands of top-grade spirit stones.

"Elder, this... is too much."

Wang Long was a little embarrassed.

Although they said they refused, they put them all into their pockets.

After all, the Celestial Palace consumes too many spirit stones.

With a wave of his hand, the Taoist Xuanzhen exuded heroic spirit.

"What do you mean 'a lot'? You are the Holy Son of my Primordial Holy Palace, this is considered a little!"

"If you ever need anything in the future, just send a message and I'll personally deliver it to you!"

Wang Longqian chuckled, saying it wasn't worth making such a fuss.

Sending the Supreme Elder to deliver the gifts—what an obscure phrase.

Xu Ming also stepped forward, hesitating for a moment.

Then he took out a jade bottle from his bosom and handed it to Wang Long.

"Holy Son, this is a Mind-Concentrating Pill. Although it cannot compare to the rare treasure you gave to the Palace Master, it is still somewhat useful for stabilizing one's cultivation level. You... should keep it."

"I hope you won't find it offensive."

Wang Long glanced at him, took the jade bottle, and nodded.

"Thank you, Elder."

Xu Ming paused for a moment, then his lips twitched slightly, as if he wanted to laugh but wasn't used to it.

In the end, he just coughed and went back to where he was.

Other elders also stepped forward, one giving a storage bag, another a jade box.

Wang Long's arms were soon filled with all sorts of spirit stones, pills, and spiritual materials.

He was both amused and exasperated, frantically putting each item into his storage ring.

"This is too much! Everyone is so enthusiastic!"

Ye Niannu smiled charmingly beside him, reached out to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and whispered in his ear.

"My lord, you are now the treasure of our Primordial Holy Palace. They would gladly empty their storerooms to take you with them."

Wang Long smiled and nodded.

Ye Wushuang stepped forward and stopped in front of him.

"Wang Long."

Her voice was a few decibels lower than before, carrying an unusual solemnity.

"If you encounter a powerful enemy, do not try to fight back. The Primordial Holy Palace will always be your support."

Wang Long looked into her clear, cold eyes and solemnly clasped his hands in greeting.

"Palace Master Ye, rest assured, I understand."

Ye Wushuang nodded slightly, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment, as if she had something to say, but then swallowed it back.

In the end, she simply stepped aside to make way.

"Go well, take care on your journey."

"Take care, Master!"

Ye Niannu rushed over and hugged her briefly, then quickly let go, retreating back to Wang Long's side and naturally taking his arm.

Wang Long clasped his hands in a fist salute to the crowd.

"Until we meet again, everyone!"

The next moment, Xiao Qiu emerged from Wang Long's arms and instantly transformed into a Nine Heavens Mystic Bird that was tens of feet long.

Golden feathers shimmered in the morning light, wings spread wide, blotting out the sky, and a clear, melodious cry rang out.

It pierced the sky and could be heard throughout the entire Primordial Holy Palace.

Wang Long wrapped his arms around Ye Niannu's waist, leaped up, and landed steadily on Xiao Qiu's broad back.

Ye Niannu leaned against him, waved to the crowd below, and smiled with her eyes crinkling.

"Master, Supreme Elder, Great Elder, everyone, we're leaving!"

"Don't miss me~"