Chapter 1175: Chapter 1040: Sudden Change, Wanxiang City Falls! Chapter 1175: Chapter 1040: Sudden Change, Wanxiang City Falls! It was beyond Chao Lengchuanâs expectations to capture Xia Zhixian, as he walked into the City Lord Mansion, entering the room where Xia Zhixian was imprisoned.
Xia Zhixian had all her strengths sealed at this point, and she was sitting leisurely by the table, sipping her tea slowly, appearing not like a prisoner but more like a noble lady enjoying a peaceful afternoon.
âMorning Crown Prince, you must have established great merit this time, havenât you?â Xia Zhixian saw Chao Lengchuan come in but revealed a gentle smile as she spoke.
âMaster Xia Hua, donât you realize you are in the midst of the enemyâs camp, where your life is at risk at any moment?â Chao Lengchuan said.
âHehe, victory and defeat are common in military affairs. I have nothing to say about this miscalculation and capture. Maybe I can make an oath to never involve myself in matters of war from now on. Why insist on taking the life of a little woman? After all, I have not killed any of the many people who have been defeated by my hand in your Three Great Palaces,â said Xia Zhixian with a twinkle of pitiful allure in her charming eyes, which could convince anyone unaware of her identity that she was just a frail woman.
What Xia Zhixian mentioned was indeed true. There were many strong ones defeated by her, but Xia Zhixian had let them go in exchange for certain conditionsâshe did not kill a single one. In fact, it was said that those who were captured were treated kindly, hardly like war prisoners, more like guests.
No one knew what Xia Zhixianâs civilized warfare truly signified, but it was certain that those strong ones who survived defeat were somewhat grateful to her.
âThis is not something I can decide; whether you live or die will have to wait for orders,â Chao Lengchuan didnât want to be caught in this womanâs mind games, speaking with a stern demeanor.
Seeing Chao Lengchuan behave like so, Xia Zhixian laughed lightly with a full display of her allure.
âMorning Crown Prince, take a seat. Sister Xia knows you are inexperienced in the ways of the world; as I have nothing better to do, let me tell you about the current situation,â Xia Zhixian said, extending her hand and beckoning Chao Lengchuan to sit down, her words tinged with a mocking playfulness.
Chao Lengchuan sat down across from Xia Zhixian with a serious expression on his face.
After the ruthless teasing from Pang Yue, Chao Lengchuan was no longer the inexperienced scholar who would blush at a womanâs smile. Facing Xia Zhixianâs multifaceted coaxing, he remained composed, curious to hear what the captive Xia Zhixian had to say.
Xia Zhixian elegantly poured a cup of tea for the Crown Prince.
Xia Zhixianâs composure and calm made the Crown Prince feel as though he were the one being held captive, but the Illusion Elder had told him that no matter what kind of enemy he faced, he must not let anyone discern his thoughts, nor display his emotions openly.
âMorning Crown Prince, I suppose your people are now worried whether thereâs a ruse in capturing me,â Xia Zhixian said softly.
Chao Lengchuan did not speak, simply drinking his tea while waiting for Xia Zhixian to continue.
âHehe, putting aside whether thereâs trickery, I think they must also be wondering about another issue. Why have I never killed any of your people, and why have I treated them so well and leniently?â Xia Zhixian stated.
Chao Lengchuanâs gaze shifted slightly; these were indeed the matters he was pondering internally, but he kept silent.
âThe reason is simple. I am rallying peopleâs hearts,â Xia Zhixian said.
âRallying peopleâs hearts, to our side at the Three Great Palaces? You are quite broad-minded, Master Xia Hua,â Chao Lengchuan replied.
âItâs not about being broad-minded, but rather being well-prepared,â Xia Zhixian said.
âReally? Do you intend to join the Three Great Palaces?â Chao Lengchuan asked in a neutral tone.
Xia Zhixian shook her head, âQuite the opposite.â
At that, Chao Lengchuan furrowed his brows. Not joining the Three Great Palaces but winning people over in advance clearly implied she planned to conquer them! The war at the lower levels was dominated by the Three Great Palaces, and it was hard to predict the outcome of the battles among the higher-ups. Xia Zhixian seemed to be thinking too far ahead!
âYou must look down on my words. How about this, Morning Crown Prince, Sister Xia will make a wager with you,â Xia Zhixian said with a smile.
âWhat bet? You are a prisoner; what more could you possibly wager?â Chao Lengchuan was curious to see what tricks she still had up her sleeve.
âI am the stake. If after one month, the Three Great Palaces still control Wanxiang City, then Sister Xia will join you and help you against Xiong Shou and Xiong Zuo,â Xia Zhixian proposed.
Chao Lengchuan scoffed, âThere is no need to trust you. Continue being a prisoner.â
âDonât hurry; sister hasnât finished talking. If after a month, your people are still comfortably in Wanxiang City, then just promise me this, Morning Crown Prince. When the day comes that the Three Great Palaces fall, donât be like the other stubborn old fools who fight to the bitter end. You must know when to cut your lossesâŠâ Xia Zhixian laughed.
After hearing her words, Chao Lengchuan felt a surge of anger inside him; this woman was clearly toying with him!
âEnjoy your tea,â Chao Lengchuan stood up and no longer wished to listen to her nonsensical words.
Xia Zhixian didnât seem to mind and gracefully stood to see the Crown Prince off.
When the Crown Prince returned to the barracks, the accompanying Deputy Officer had brought back the newsâthey were to escort Xia Zhixian back to Wanxiang City.
âŠ
On the third day, people from the Three Great Palaces successively arrived to take over Xiangrong City, while the Crown Prince, Shen Mo, Master Li, and the other old strategists and elders escorted Xia Zhixian back to Wanxiang City.
Considering that the Soul Covenant might dispatch experts to intercept them en route, the return trip was not with the main army. Instead, a small group of strong ones was assembled, making the journey in a squad of about ten people.
This method of escort was the safest. The Earth Realm was immensely vast, and even with the Soul Covenantâs significant abilities, it was impossible to trace the route of ten individuals. As for whether the Soul Covenant could use some spiritual device or Soul Skill on Xia Zhixian to find their location, Master Li had considered this too and placed a Spatial Restraint on Xia Zhixian. No matter what kind of spiritual device or Soul Skill she might possess, she would be unable to transmit any information.
The journey was very safe, without any hindrance, and they were expected to arrive at West Wanxiang City by the twentieth day.
Because they needed to keep their movements covert, for all these days, the ten of them had not contacted any city, including Wanxiang City.
During these twenty days, Xia Zhixian, besides occasionally teasing Chao Lengchuan, hadnât made any drastic moves. This made Chao Lengchuan recall the bet from that day. Although he had no intention of gambling with that woman, her words always left him somewhat uneasy, as if something were really going to happen.
âŠ
âStrange, why hasnât Shen Mo returned yet?â Master Li stood on the head of the Wanzhao Beast, gazing far off towards West Wanxiang City.
As they approached Wanxiang City, Master Li had Shen Mo enter the city first, carefully testing to see if there would be an ambush.
In fact, the west was all the territory of the Three Great Palaces, and under normal circumstances, there wouldnât be any accidents. Master Liâs precautions were just in case.
âHeâs back,â Elder Kuang said, pointing to the silhouette riding a Demon Horse rushing towards them.
Everyone looked and indeed saw Shen Mo galloping in their direction.
However, following behind Shen Mo were three more people, each riding a Starfield Devil Steed, Wind Demon Steed, and a Purple Robe Dream Beast.
Chao Lengchuan naturally recognized these three; they were Chu Muâs fiancĂ©e Ye Qingzi, her brother Ye Wansheng, and Shen Moâs younger sister Shen Yue.
Chao Lengchuan wondered secretly why they were coming here. Were they here to welcome him?
But why did they look so grim, as if something major had happened?
âWhatâs wrong?â Master Li, looking at Shen Mo and others, suddenly felt a bad premonition.
Shen Mo didnât speak, merely looking back at the three with a strange expression on his face, while the three of them clearly displayed a mixture of anger and unwillingness.
After a while, it was Ye Qingzi who broke the silence with a particularly heavy tone, shocking everyone with her statement:
âWanxiang City has fallen!â
At Ye Qingziâs words, Chao Lengchuanâs body shook, and he turned sharply to glance at Xia Zhixian.
Xia Zhixian only responded with a simple smile.
Wanxiang City has fallen?
In the past year, several boundary cities had experienced inexplicable falls. Over time, the Three Great Palaces had grown accustomed to such news and would immediately mobilize forces to reclaim the cities.
So when a cityâs fall was mentioned, Chao Lengchuan, Master Li, and the other elders and Holy Guards didnât find it particularly alarming!
But this time, Ye Qingzi wasnât talking about another city. She was talking about Wanxiang City!!
âI⊠I didnât mishear, did you just say Wanxiang City?â Elder Kuang asked loudly!
Ye Qingzi nodded her head.
If she hadnât witnessed the entire change with her own eyes, Ye Qingzi wouldnât have believed that the strictly guarded West Wanxiang City could fall into Soul Covenantâs territory in such a short period of time!
âOne thousand Soul Pet Masters in the fortress, 30,000 Elemental Soul Pet Masters on the city walls, 50,000 at the sentry posts, an army of 100,000 split between the outer and middle city, and the inner city teeming with experts. Even if Heroic level powerhouses appeared, they would be turned to dust by the Elders, the Holy Guards, and the Top Level. West Wanxiang City is impregnable; itâs impossible for it to fall, utterly impossible!â Ansheng Guard said, growing rather upset and angry.
Is this a matter to joke about? Whatâs gotten into these young people? The more Ansheng Guard Leader thought about it, the angrier he became.
The other elders shared this sentiment and began to scold sharply!
âYes, I wouldnât believe it either, but now use your Soul Sense to look towards West Wanxiang City. Look at the banners that are flying,â said Ye Wansheng, pointing behind him.
The group stopped arguing and immediately reached out with their Soul SenseâŠ
The banners of the Three Great Palaces were all holy yellow; Soul Hallâs banner featured the Seven Diagram Sacred Beast, Nightmare Demon Palace with the nightmare demon banner, and Soul Pet Palace with a simple crown banner. These banners would certainly hang on some lighthouses and sentry posts under normal circumstancesâŠ
However, when they swept over with their Soul Sense, they could barely see any of these banners over the whole West City!
Even more so, Chao Lengchuan saw that in the center of the Three Great Palaces, the highest Soul Hall banner was slowly sliding down under the glow of the setting sun!
The highest banner sliding down did not signify nightfall. It declared that this land no longer belonged to the force the banner represented!!
But how could this be! For just over a month without contact with the Main City, the dominantly positioned Three Great Palaces had actually lost Wanxiang City!!
(Chapter Two is here~~~~ Approximately around 8 oâclock, I will deliver Chapter Three~~~~~~)(.)
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