Male Consort Upgrade System

by Usui Takumii

not mine, ckanda writes, beware bl. Total: 247 Chapters.

20. 181 to 190

After calming down, everyone carefully observed the horses standing in the river, and indeed, like the first two horses that crossed earlier, they showed no signs of anything unusual.

Everyone suddenly understood.

Could it be that as long as they don't touch the water, they'll be safe?

Yilihan instructed a soldier, "Try riding the horse down the river without getting wet."

"Yes." The soldier lifted his legs onto the horse's back and rode the horse into the river.

Everyone watched him closely, subconsciously holding their breaths until he reached the other side safely before exhaling a sigh of relief.

"Just as I thought," Yilihan said in a relaxed tone. "It seems those creatures only eat… human flesh."

The memories of the soldiers being devoured by the creatures were brought back, and everyone's faces turned pale.

Huangfu Yuchen looked at the dense jungle on the other side of the river. Each tree was thick and robust. He guessed that even if he extended his arms, he wouldn't be able to touch both sides. Looking up, even the shortest trees were sixty to seventy feet tall.

"General Yang, there might be even more unpredictable dangers once we enter the jungle. It's better to rest here and let the soldiers regain their strength," he suggested.

Yang Zhuo nodded, "That makes sense. General Yilihan, General Bai, what do you think?"

Yilihan and the others had no objections.

Everyone rested, ate their rations, and remained vigilant against any potential threats from the sand-burrowing creatures.

After eating and resting, the teams checked their numbers again. The greatest loss was suffered by the Youji Kingdom, with over fifty soldiers falling victim to the Demon Spider's attacks as they were the first to encounter them at the southernmost point. Overall, however, the losses for all teams were not too significant.

"Let's continue."

From now on, it was the Liao Kingdom's turn to lead.

Wen Han, the leader of Liao Kingdom's team proposed, "Since it won't be easy to switch the order of teams within the jungle, how about we form five-person exploration teams from each kingdom to lead the way?"

The other team leaders weren't foolish.

General Fik was the first to protest, "Before this, we took turns at the forefront. Why should we change the method now that it's your turn?"

"That's right," Bai Shaobai agreed, "General Wen, it's better to keep the soldiers together for easier management. What do you think?"

Wen Han's plan was revealed, but he didn't feel embarrassed and smiled, "Since you all think so, then from now on, Liao Kingdom will lead the way. If we discover the treasure first, you'll be at a disadvantage."

No one paid him any attention.

He then ordered his soldiers to cross the river. The guide was naturally protected by him.

All soldiers lifted their legs to avoid touching the water.

However, some were still careless.

"Ah, there are bugs!" A soldier felt a sudden pain on his thigh. Looking down, he saw his pants soaked with blood, and several red bugs had burrowed into his flesh.

It turned out that the soldiers' close proximity to each other disrupted the water flow, splashing water onto the horses' bellies. The bugs hid in the water.

As is known, horses have stirrups to support their legs and maintain balance. However, when crossing the river, they lifted both legs, making it difficult to maintain stability. The bitten soldier screamed in pain and instinctively stood up, accidentally bumping into the soldier beside him. One soldier fell off his horse to the left and hit the soldier on the left. Four or five soldiers fell into the river, screaming in agony.

Other soldiers were more cautious and managed not to be knocked down.

"Help!" The soldier closest to them grabbed the outstretched hand, but when he saw the red bugs crawling all over the man's body, he panicked and let go. The soldier sank to the riverbed and quickly turned into a skeleton.

Wen Han had yet to cross the river, and upon seeing this, he understood what happened and urgently reprimanded the remaining soldiers, "Don't get too close! Take your time crossing!"

Yilihan wore a somewhat amused smile, seemingly enjoying the misfortune of others.

Yang Zhuo frowned and said to Wei Hao, "Instruct them to separate when going down to the river later."

"Yes!" Wei Hao conveyed the message, and the special forces reminded each other. This was no joke; if they got poisoned, Yan Guiqing could treat them. But if insects burrowed into their flesh, even if it could be treated, remaining as just bones was terrifying.

"Zirui, let's go and take a look." Yan Ge looked towards the dense jungle on the opposite side of the river-he had an idea. Each tree in the forest was thick, and even with arms outstretched, they couldn't completely envelope it. Looking up, the shortest tree was sixty to seventy feet tall.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen understood each other even without words. Just by looking into Yan Ge's eyes, Huangfu Yuchen guessed his thoughts and curved his lips into a smile.

The two of them leaped from their horses and used the shoulder of a soldier who was crossing the river to land on the other side.

The soldier felt a gentle force on his shoulder and turned around in confusion.

Yilihan, Bai Shaobai, and several other leaders were puzzled, not understanding what Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen were up to.

Yan Ge raised his head and looked at a large tree, walking towards it. "The river is about fifteen to sixteen zhang wide, and this tree is tall enough, it should be workable."

"Mm." Huangfu Yuchen nodded.

Yan Ge drew his spiritual sword and swung it at the bottom of the tree.

"Hey! General Yang, why don't you control your men? Cutting down a tree is not that easy. What if the tree falls in the wrong direction and blocks our way?" Yilihan complained unhappily. He had thought of using trees as a bridge, but those trees were too thick. Even if they cut them down, it would be challenging to make them fall in the right direction.

Yang Zhuo acted as if he hadn't heard. How could the Emperor and Yan Guiqing do something without certainty?

Just as the tree seemed to be falling, Huangfu Yuchen lifted his foot and kicked forcefully against the tree trunk. The thick tree immediately fell towards the side of the desert.

"Get out of the way quickly!" Yilihan was furious. He didn't know if those two were doing this on purpose, but the tree fell exactly in the direction where his army was located.

The soldiers quickly urged their horses to run aside, and in a short while, the area was clear.

The big tree fell with a dull thud, cleverly creating a simple bridge across the river.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen walked back along the tree trunk with ease.

While everyone was satisfied with Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen's intelligence, they were also amazed. This tree was so thick, weighing at least several thousand catties. Yet this man had managed to kick it over with just one foot. How much strength did that require!

Wen Han silently turned his head to look at Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen. If he had known earlier, he would have taken his time to cross the river.

But regrets were useless, and he ordered the soldiers who hadn't crossed yet, "Cross over from the tree trunk."

The soldiers crossed the river by stepping on the tree trunk, and simply led their horses as the horses had no problem walking in the water.

Huangfu Yuchen whispered to Yang Zhuo, "Have the soldiers place the detoxification pills in easily accessible locations."

Yang Zhuo conveyed the order discreetly. Yan Guiqing's amazing medical skills were now known to the others, who knew if the foreigners might covet the pills he gave them? It was better to be cautious.

The soldiers of Great Han deliberately waited until about half of the people had crossed before leading their horses into the river. The other kingdoms' soldiers in front acted as the vanguard, while the soldiers behind formed their rearguard. It couldn't have been better.

Yilihan also kept lingering behind. Only after Great Han's soldiers had crossed did he order his troops to cross the river. For some reason, he felt it was safer to follow Great Han's troops once inside the jungle. His gaze involuntarily shifted between Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen.

The Emperor of Great Han was really unpredictable. He had only sent a hundred men, giving the impression that he didn't attach much importance to this treasure hunt. However, he sent such formidable experts, and one of them was an exceptional physician, it seemed he cared a lot about this mission. Otherwise, why send such a skilled physician when he knew they would encounter numerous poisonous creatures and monsters in the Demon Fortress? Wasn't he worried that such an exceptional physician might perish on the journey? Furthermore, they even brought an eight or nine-year-old child, which was peculiar.

Unable to figure it out, he decided to stop pondering. Everything should proceed according to the plan.

As they entered the jungle, the scorching heat dissipated, but it became stiflingly hot. Soon, they were drenched in sweat, and after a while, they had to wave their hands to wipe their faces.

After about a quarter of an hour of advancement, Yilihan discovered the advantage of the peculiar military uniform worn by the soldiers from Great Han. The pants' legs and cuffs were tightly sealed, and the collar fit snugly, making it difficult for mosquitoes and insects to crawl inside.

Yan Ge reminded, "Everyone, be careful. If any mosquitoes or insects land on you, don't directly slap them with your hands. They might be poisonous. You can use a twig to flick them away."

"Yes!" The special forces soldiers replied in unison.

Yilihan heard this and quickly reminded his own soldiers in the same manner, feeling wise for following behind the soldiers from Great Han.

Suddenly, several screams came from the front. The jungle was dense, and everyone was on horseback, almost following one another closely and making it difficult to overtake the others. They couldn't be sure what had happened, but it probably wasn't anything good.

Indeed, after walking for another mile, the following teams began to see several bodies lying in the grass. Some had swollen faces, others had swollen hands, and two of them had no visible wounds, most likely bitten by venomous insects.

Although they weren't from their own Kingdom, these were still several living beings who had lost their lives in the jungle. As they sympathized, they became even more vigilant.

"Hiss—" an unfamiliar hiss from above made everyone raise their heads in alert.

They saw a yellowish-brown snake, as thick as an adult's arm, coiling on a tree branch, staring coldly at them. They were so frightened that their hearts almost jumped out of their chests.

Meng Gang quietly took out a flying dart.

Huangfu Yuchen stopped him, "Don't act recklessly. This area is already strange, be cautious of nearby snake nests."

Meng Gang immediately understood. If he failed to kill this snake with the dart, it might attract other snakes, which would be very dangerous.

Yang Zhuo remained calm and whispered, "Go one by one. The person in front advances while the person behind becomes the guard."

Yan Ge naturally went first, followed by Huangfu Yuchen and Yan Jin. Gao Feng and Gao Yun were their personal guards, and they closely followed behind.

After Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen passed, they continued forward without looking back. Their visit to the Demon Fortress was not only for treasure and military competition but also to enhance the combat experience of these special forces. They couldn't protect these hundred special forces soldiers like nannies. They would only intervene if these soldiers were in real danger.

And these special forces soldiers didn't disappoint. When the snake finally couldn't hold back and pounced, Zhang Qiao's reaction was extremely quick. At the critical moment, he skillfully swung his long knife. A cold light flashed and the snake was cut in half.

Yan Ge looked up and saw the dense branches almost completely covering the sky, with only thin rays of sunlight seeping through the gaps in the leaves. Various insects and mosquitoes were flying haphazardly in the sky, and occasionally, a bold spider would hang from the tree like a trapeze artist and soon weave a simple cobweb.

"Baby, is there something wrong?" Huangfu Yuchen followed his gaze.

Yan Ge said, "From the time we entered the desert until now, we've seen two abnormal species, but the animals we've seen, including the previous snake, appear normal." By "abnormal," he meant that no one else, except for him, recognized them.

Huangfu Yuchen understood his meaning and said, "Based on this, we should encounter monsters in the jungle too, but we haven't. That itself is abnormal."

He signaled Yang Zhuo, and Yang Zhuo immediately warned the people behind, "Everyone, be careful."

The foreign soldiers in front also heard their conversation. They muttered to themselves, cursing that they could have said something comforting. However, they dared not voice their thoughts, fearing it would cause panic among the other soldiers.

At that moment, a cry of alarm suddenly came from the front. Someone shouted in terror, "Monster!"

Yan Ge glanced at Huangfu Yuchen innocently. He definitely wasn't a crow mouth.

Huangfu Yuchen's lips curved into a faint smile as he patted Yan Ge's back. It was, of course, not his baby's fault.

"Everyone, stop and stay alert!" Yang Zhuo commanded sternly.

Gao Feng rode up to Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen's front, looking around warily.

"Ah—"

"Release the arrows!"

"Quick, dodge!"

Various shouts indicated that the people in front had indeed encountered a troublesome "enemy."

Yan Ge released his spiritual sense and saw what the "monster" was. "Damn! What is that thing?"

Huangfu Yuchen saw that the creature was at least forty to fifty feet long, with a snake-like body as thick as a water tank, but it had eight crab-like pincers on its belly. He clicked his tongue.

"Swoosh—" The monster swept it's tail, lifting four soldiers into the air and then heavily flinging them back down, instantly killing them.

"Shoot the arrows!" Wen Han said anxiously.

However, despite its thick body, the creature was agile. It suddenly retracted its eight pincers into its belly, turning into a regular snake. It swiftly twisted and maneuvered between the trees, easily evading the arrows shot from different directions. Then, with a few twists, it approached another group of soldiers and leaped upwards. Its eight pincers extended again, like eight massive scissors, grasping the necks of eight soldiers. With a few "snap" sounds, their necks were severed, and blood gushed out.

The monster opened it's huge mouth and swallowed one of the decapitated bodies.

No one went to help the Liao Kingdom's soldiers who were first to be attacked. First, they had to be vigilant against another creature like this one sneaking up on them. Secondly, the dense trees in the jungle would hinder large numbers of people from engaging in combat and might lead to unnecessary deaths.

The monster seemed to enjoy the taste and swallowed a second body. Its long tail swept over and knocked down two more people. Suddenly, it raised its upper body and emitted a sound resembling a cat's whine.

Huangfu Yuchen's expression changed, "Not good, it seems to be calling for its kind!"

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, the rustling sound of creatures moving in the trees became louder and turned into a shuffling sound. Before long, seven or eight smaller monsters jumped out from the grass on the west side. Although they were smaller, their bodies were still longer than that of a horse when fully extended.

Yang Zhuo immediately shouted, "Everyone dismount and protect the boss and young master!"

"Take care of yourselves!" Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen exchanged glances, then they flew up to a tree with Yan Jin.

Yang Zhuo knew that the Emperor and Yan Guiqing had excellent martial arts skills, so he didn't say anything more. He ordered everyone to form a battle formation.

One of the small monsters charged straight towards the Great Han troops. Its fierce and violent aura made it seem invincible, fearless of anything.

"Archers, release the arrows!" Yang Zhuo calmly commanded.

"Swish, swish—" Hundreds of arrows were shot simultaneously.

Among them, Zhou Zheng's arrow that released from his powerful bow, was the fastest. The white strong bow was heavy and needed about an arm strength of 100 catties to draw the bowstring. One could imagine the force behind an arrow shot with such strength.

Zhou Zheng's aim was extremely accurate. The arrow hit a small monster, causing it to thrash violently.

A hit!

However, before everyone could relax, the small monster seemed to be angered. It raised its head and let out a roar, not caring about the arrow still stuck in its body. It then lunged at them with lightning speed, and the special forces soldiers quickly avoided its attack.

Seeing its robust vitality, Yang Zhuo changed his strategy, "Spread out and surround it!"

The other small monsters are attacking the others, so they could concentrate on this one.

"Ah Fei, Jun Xiang, attack it from the front and distract it! The rest of you, ambush from behind!"

Ah Fei and Jun Xiang were agile in their lightness skills and could timely avoid the small monster's attacks, thereby diverting its attention to prevent it from turning to attack others. However, the tail of the small monster was too flexible, and several special forces soldiers attacked it for a long time without touching its skin.

When the small monster twisted its body, ready to attack them, they leveraged the elasticity of the branches to leap up into the trees.

"Good!" Yang Zhuo saw two wounds on the small monster's body. "This method is effective. The people below, continue to distract the small monster! Gao Feng, Gao Yun, get ready to strike again!"

Gao Feng and Gao Yun held tree branches in their left hands and tightly gripped their swords in their right hands, their eyes fixed on the scene below, searching for the most opportune moment.

Due to their intense focus, Gao Feng didn't notice a reddish-brown insect silently approaching his hand along the branch.

At the right moment, Yang Zhuo shouted, "Gao Feng, Gao Yun!" The two of them leaped down again. However, at the same time, the reddish-brown creature bit fiercely into Gao Feng's hand.

Gao Feng's hand immediately felt intense pain and almost lost sensation in an instant. He immediately guessed that he must have been poisoned. According to Yan Guiqing's warning, he should take the antidote right away. However, timing was critical, so he endured the pain and, at the same time as Gao Yun, struck at the small monster.

The small monster received two sword strikes but was still undeterred. It fell to the ground and twitched a few times before dying completely.

"Look how arrogant you were." Gao Yun kicked the small monster's corpse and suddenly heard a falling sound nearby.

Yang Zhuo was alarmed, "Gao Feng!"

Gao Yun turned around and saw Gao Feng collapsed on the ground, motionless — the back of his left hand had turned purple-black.

"Big brother!" Gao Yun was shocked and quickly sealed his acupoints.

Yan Ge who was in the tree also found something wrong, and his figure flashed and landed in front of the two brothers. He saw the color of the wound, and quickly touched several different acupuncture points on Gao Feng's left arm. "He was bitten by a poisonous insect! Hurry up and feed the detoxification pill! "

Gao Yun had been anxious and absent-minded, and only then did he remember that he had the antidote with him. He quickly took out the medicine bottle and fed a pill to Gao Feng, lifting his chin to help him swallow.

Four special forces soldiers ran over without the need for instructions and shielded them in the middle. The rest of the troops were still dealing with other snakes, so they didn't attract attention for the time being. There was no need to be too nervous.

Huangfu Yuchen was just a step behind Yan Ge. He also cared about Gao Feng, a loyal subordinate.

Yan Ge carefully examined the color of Gao Feng's hand and then raised his arm to smell it.

Huangfu Yuchen thought he was going to suck out the poison and was startled, instinctively grabbing his arm.

"What are you doing?!"

"Young Master, do you want to suck out the poison? I'll do it!" Gao Yun said as he opened his mouth, ready to suck out the toxins for Gao Feng.

Yan Ge quickly stopped him. "Don't mess around! I'm just checking the smell of the wound."

Huangfu Yuchen then let go of his arm.

"Keep an eye on him and don't move it." Yan Ge said, flying to the location where Gao Feng was just now, recalling which branch he had grabbed at the time. He quickly spotted the culprit. After confirming his guess, he flew back to the ground.

"Young Master, is my brother okay?" Gao Yun asked nervously.

"Don't worry," Yan Ge said, "He took the antidote in a timely manner. I just need to find another herb."

Gao Yun worried, "Can you find the herb you need in such a strange place?"

Yan Ge said confidently, "Even though this jungle is weird, it still follows the natural laws of mutual generation and restraint. So, there must be the herb I need here. Zirui, help me." Huangfu Yuchen had learned some medical skills and could be of assistance.

Huangfu Yuchen appeared by his side in a flash.

"Look for a green plant with very smooth front leaves, as if it could reflect light. It doesn't have any fuzz, and on the back, it has a crack-like blood-red meridian. Its fruit looks like wheat ears, but it's only the size of sesame seeds. Also, it has a slightly bitter taste."

They spread out their spiritual conspicuousness, and suddenly, it was as if they had countless pairs of eyes. Soon, Huangfu Yuchen found the herb, and it was a whole cluster.

He directly pulled the whole cluster out, sniffed it, and handed it to Yan Ge. "Is it this, baby?"

"Yes." Yan Ge kissed him on the face. "You're lucky."

To dispel the team's worries, the two returned immediately. Yan Ge washed the leaves with water, crushed them, and then put them into Gao Feng's water flask.

He shook the flask but there was not much water left, so he poured some from his own flask into it, and directly used his true qi to boil it until the water in the flask was reduced to about a bowl's worth. He then added a pill into it and handed it to Huangfu Yuchen. "Make it warm."

Huangfu Yuchen's palm touched the flask, and the scalding water immediately became warm.

Yan Ge handed the flask to Gao Yun. "Okay, feed it to him. After he drinks it, let him rest. He will be fine but weak for the next two days, so take good care of him."

"Yes, thank you, Young Master!" Gao Yun was very grateful.

The other special forces soldiers also looked at Yan Ge with great admiration.

Yan Ge blinked at Huangfu Yuchen: Be careful, I might overthrow you with my skills.

Huangfu Yuchen didn't mind. "The more they respect you, the happier I am."

Yan Ge stretched out his hand and touched his face.

Huangfu Yuchen felt the warmth in his hand and understood his meaning. He smiled softly, but when his gaze glanced at the Liao Kingdom troops, who were still entangled by the big monster snake, and then at Yilihan, who was acting as if nothing happened, a cold smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

"Baby, it seems that the possibility of a treasure is very high; otherwise, Yilihan wouldn't knowingly head towards the tiger's den."

"Isn't that better?" Yan Ge said confidently, "If there is a treasure, Mai Kingdom and Wei Kingdom are probably thinking of using us to find it for them. We won't play into their hands; once we find the treasure, it's ours!" He had no sympathy for the Mai and Wei Kingdoms who had malicious intentions.

"That's the plan." Huangfu Yuchen nodded.

The two reached a consensus.

Huangfu Yuchen searched with his eyes for the guide and saw him being protected by six Liao Kingdom soldiers, looking panicked. Now that he knew the possibility of a treasure existing was very high, he couldn't rest assured leaving the guide in the care of others. He turned to Yang Zhuo and gave him a few instructions.

Yang Zhuo went over and said to Wen Han, "General Wen, I will protect the guide for you…if you're willing."

Wen Han didn't hesitate and agreed, "Thank you. However, the guide still needs to lead the way…"

Yang Zhuo said, "It seems you've suffered some losses this time. My men are willing to lead the way in front."

Wen Han was a little suspicious and couldn't figure out why he suddenly became so kind-hearted, but he wasn't worried that the people from Great Han would let the guide slip away. Could a mere hundred people escape the pursuit of all the other armies? Thinking of this, he thanked Yang Zhuo gratefully and went to deal with the big monster snake.

After bringing the guide back, Yang Zhuo ordered his men, "Wait until they deal with the big monster snake, then we'll lead the way in front."

The special forces soldiers complied, but they were puzzled. It wasn't their turn to lead the way yet. However, they didn't ask questions; there must be a reason behind Yang Zhou's arrangement, and all they had to do was obey.

Huangfu Yuchen said to the guide, "As long as you stay by our side obediently, we will naturally protect you."

The guide knew that these people still needed him to lead the way, and he wasn't afraid that they wouldn't protect him with all their might. He nodded and said, "Thank you."

Yan Ge took out a bottle of insect repellent from his sleeve, "This is insect repellent powder, apply some on your clothes."

The guide's face was covered with small red welts from insect bites. He thanked Yan Ge and took the bottle. He knew about Yan Ge's abilities; the weird creatures that nobody else recognized, he did.

After applying the insect repellent, he quietly stood beside Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen.

Finally, Wen Han paid the price of two hundred and twenty-three soldiers' lives to deal with the big monster snake. His face was dark with resentment towards the other armies who stood idly by. However, he couldn't blame the other armies. First, their final destination was the Demon Fortress, and they didn't know how many other strange and dangerous things they would encounter on the way, so naturally, they had to preserve their strength as much as possible. Secondly, the jungle was dense with vegetation, and it wasn't convenient for them to run to the rescue.

In any case, this matter could only be temporarily passed over.

Everyone mounted their horses and continued on. Some horses were scared by the big monster snake and ran off without a trace, so some soldiers had no choice but to walk.

The team from Great Han led the guide to the front. The guide was at the very front, followed by Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen, then Gao Feng, Gao Yun, and Yan Jin, and finally, Yang Zhuo leading the other special soldiers.

Suddenly, a group of dragonfly-like insects flew over. Yan Ge saw their sharp and flexible antennae, like freely retractable steel claws, and raised his spirit sword, swiping it a few times. The "dragonflies" fell to the ground, their threatening antennae shriveling up.

'What a powerful sword technique!' The guide secretly praised, and was finally relieved. At least he was in capable hands.

"How much longer until we arrive?" Yan Ge asked.

The guide replied, "At our fastest speed, we'll arrive tomorrow afternoon."

Huangfu Yuchen said, "Try to make it faster."

Fearing his cold demeanor, the guide hurriedly replied, "Yes." He looked around, using his unique method to determine their current location, then shook the reins and accelerated their pace.

After another two hours of riding, Huangfu Yuchen asked the guide to stop so they could rest, eat, and drink.

The guide was fortunate to receive a can of compressed biscuits. He hesitated for a moment, then quickly accepted it. Following the example of the special forces, he soaked it in water before eating. He found it very delicious, so he couldn't help but take a big bite.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen had higher food standards and weren't particularly fond of compressed biscuits. Besides, they were currently in the Golden Core stage, so they didn't need to eat and only took a few bites.

"Swoosh…"

A strange sound came from the sky as a group of black-feathered birds with white bellies, similar in size to pigeons, landed on the surrounding trees and surrounded the group. They looked down at them with fierce and open beaks, emitting sharp cries.

A strange monkey on a tree looked extremely afraid of them. It turned and jumped to another branch, attempting to escape. However, it was spotted by one of the birds, and with a screech, the bird flew toward it like an arrow. The bird's way of flying was very peculiar – it flapped its wings once, then closed them, gliding like a wing in the hang glider. It landed on the monkey's back, and the monkey let out a miserable scream. With it's saw toothed mouth, it pecked the monkey repeatedly, hundreds or even thousands of times, until only a bloody skeleton remained.

Looking at it sent shivers down people's spines!

'Damn it! Aside from eagles, this is the first time I've seen birds that eat meat!' The soldiers all shouted this in their hearts. These birds were small and flew so fast, making it difficult for them to fight back.

"Stay alert!" Yang Zhuo ordered solemnly.

Seemingly angered by this command, the head bird let out a cry, and the other saw-toothed birds swooped down, attacking the group. In an instant, several places in the large group echoed with pitiful wails.

"Stand still," Huangfu Yuchen ordered the guide in a calm voice.

The guide nodded.

Three of the birds flew towards them simultaneously. Huangfu Yuchen raised his spirit sword calmly and, as the birds approached, drew a twisted arc in the air. "Puff, puff, puff," three soft sounds rang out. The three birds were all cut in half and fell to the ground.

"Fire arrows!" Yang Zhuo commanded.

The archers knelt back to back in pairs, set their bows and arrows, and looked up at the sky. After aiming, they shot the arrows.

The birds flew too fast, and out of over twenty archers, only six arrows hit the birds.

Yan Ge noticed the guide gripping the reins tightly and asked cautiously, "What's the problem?"

The guide said, "Last time we came here, we also encountered many strange creatures, but we never saw these birds… nor the black fleas, black spiders, or red bugs we encountered earlier…"

Yan Ge suddenly understood. Yilihan intentionally concealed this strange point.

Huangfu Yuchen said coldly, "At this point, it's not important anymore."

"Exactly." Yan Ge agreed. No matter what weirdness this jungle held, since they had already arrived here, their goal of obtaining the treasure was certain.

He noticed a special forces soldier being surrounded by two saw-toothed birds, struggling to deal with them. Yan Ge swung his sword, and the sword light sparkled, deliberately only cutting down one of the birds.

"Baby, you protect the guide," Huangfu Yuchen said.

"Don't worry," Yan Ge said.

Huangfu Yuchen then paid attention to the movement of the special forces soldiers. As soon as he saw someone in danger, he would take action to help.

Under his protection, none of their people were harmed.

The saw-toothed birds were small in size, agile in body, and flying in the air, making them harder to deal with than the monster snakes.

This time, apart from Great Han, which didn't suffer any casualties, the other armies had significant losses. The strong smell of blood in the forest made everyone nauseous. Fortunately, all the strange birds were killed.

Looking at the intact hundred-man team fo Great Han, Yilihan, Bai Shaobai, Wen Han, and others were envious and resentful.

Huangfu Yuchen said, "The smell of blood here is too strong. We shouldn't stay here for long. Let's leave immediately!"

The people from the other teams hadn't yet cleaned up the battlefield, but what Huangfu Yuchen said made sense. They had no choice but to quickly catch up, not even having time to count their numbers.

After riding for nearly half an hour, the large group arrived at the side of a small river. The grassy area on the riverbank was relatively open, and the trees were sparse. Yilihan, Bai Shaobai, and a few others insisted on resting here.

The guide said, "This is the only water source available before reaching the Demon Fortress."

Yilihan doubted, "Can we drink the water in the river?" Having experienced the black river before, everyone was hesitant about water sources in the jungle. However, since entering the desert until now, they had been drinking the water they brought with them, and it was indeed running low.

The guide replied, "When we came in last time, we boiled the water from here and drank it without any problems. But this area is very strange, and I can't say for sure whether the water is safe to drink now."

Everyone looked at Yan Ge at the same time.

Yan Ge was speechless. He was a physician, not a water quality expert. In the end, he could only say, "It's best not to drink it."

"But we don't have much water left," Bai Shaobai said.

Huangfu Yuchen looked at Yang Zhuo.

Yang Zhuo also said, "Ours is the same."

Yan Ge thought for a moment, "There's only one way—I'll poison the water first, then detoxify it, and finally, we can boil it and drink it."

Yilihan, Bai Shaobai, and others remained silent, feeling awkward. Poisoning it first, then detoxifying it—who knows if you might pretend to detoxify but actually not, poisoning all of us to death?

Yan Ge had already guessed that they wouldn't believe him and didn't care. He was fine with these people not trusting him; it was even better. He exchanged a glance with Huangfu Yuchen.

Huangfu Yuchen had the remaining water from the water bottle transferred into the special forces' canteens. It wasn't much, just enough to fill a dozen or so canteens. He then directed the special forces to carefully fill the empty water tanks with river water, making sure not to get their hands wet.

Yan Ge secretly used a confusing spiritual technique, creating illusions in the minds of the people present. He took advantage of the situation to retrieve the water tank filled with water that he had previously placed in the system backpack before entering the Mai Kingdom. He replaced the empty water tank with the full one.

Yilihan, Bai Shaobai, and a few other team leaders observed his actions carefully while having their soldiers count the number of people and remaining supplies. Due to the previous rush, they hadn't been able to remove the supplies from some of the horses. Two kingdoms' soldiers happened to have lost their water tanks, and they kept their eyes fixed on the people from Great Han, wanting to see if Yan Ge would indeed use the method of poisoning and detoxification to ensure the reliability of the river water.

After Yan Ge surreptitiously switched the water, he pretended to put poison and an antidote into the water tank and then had the water boiled. To ensure the durability of the water tank, they were made of iron and could be placed directly on the fire.

After handling these tasks, Yan Ge deliberately went to Yilihan and the others with enthusiasm, "Generals, do you need any help? Since we've already worked together once, this time it's free. You see, this is how we handled our water. I wouldn't harm my own people. Right?" He knew that Yilihan and Bai Shaobai would never seek his help, so he deliberately tried to persuade them.

Yilihan, Wen Han, and the others had long noticed that Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen had special status within the team. They had even seen Huangfu Yuchen give orders to Yang Zhuo several times. From this, they deduced that Huangfu Yuchen must hold a high position in Great Han, but they couldn't figure out why he was hiding his identity. Setting aside other kingdoms like the Liao Kingdom, Wei Kingdom, etc, the Mai Kingdom had repeatedly provoked the Great Han Kingdom before. Yilihan didn't believe that people from Great Han had no grudges against them, so he was very cautious and politely declined Yan Ge's proposal.

"Thank you, Physician Qin, but you've also been tired on this journey. You don't need to trouble yourself further. This general will have his men boil the water at high temperature," Yilihan said.

People who frequently traveled outside understood that sometimes the water in the wild was not clean, and drinking it might cause stomach pain. After boiling it, there would generally be no problems.

Bai Shaobai, Wen Han, and the others were also vigilant and politely rejected Yan Ge's goodwill.

They ordered their soldiers to empty the water tanks and fill them with river water. They used leaves to collect water, quickly building a fire to boil it.

Once the water boiled, Yilihan filled a water bag and, after the water cooled down, fed it to one of the horses.

Yan Ge sat on a piece of wood, leaning against Huangfu Yuchen with a faint smile on his lips, watching him leisurely.

After traveling such a long distance, the horses were thirsty and began to drink the water slowly. Everyone watched closely.

After drinking water, the horse bent down and nibbled at the grass on the ground.

Yilihan sighed with relief, and a smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of his mouth. However, as soon as he turned around, he heard a muffled sound and several exclamations behind him. He quickly turned back, only to see the horse foaming at the mouth and convulsing uncontrollably. Its robust body withered rapidly, and soon, it was nothing but skin and bones, lying motionless on the ground.

Almost everyone's face turned pale at the sight.

Yan Ge was also stunned. He had only deduced that the water in this jungle might be problematic, but he didn't expect it to be true. He secretly thanked Huangfu Yuchen for being so considerate and bringing along several spare water tanks.

Seeing Yilihan and Bai Shaobai's gloomy expressions, his mood improved. "It's good that General Yilihan is cautious, it's just a pity about the horse. Generals, shall I help you purify the river water? I assure you that, as a physician, I won't involve myself in any political matters. Really!" He was about to say, "Look into my sincere eyes."

Huangfu Yuchen's dark eyes had an indulgent smile.

Yang Zhuo and the others chuckled. Although they couldn't harm these Mai Kingdom people, they found satisfaction in irritating them.

Yilihan, Bai Shaobai, and others looked at him with expressionless faces. 'If you weren't so close to that cold-faced special forces soldier who was likely a high-ranking member of Great Han, maybe we could believe you.'

But if they don't let Yan Ge help purify the drinking water, where were they supposed to get water? They couldn't let their soldiers die of thirst before reaching the Demon Fortress, right?

Yan Ge couldn't openly confront them yet. He was sure that if he pushed them too hard, they would retaliate. For now, he decided to amuse himself.

Just then, everyone noticed that the sky was getting darker, and looking up, they saw that it was covered in dark clouds.

Since the area had sparse trees, they were able to see the sky, and they were overjoyed. They glanced at Yan Ge with a hint of a smile.

They didn't necessarily need Yan Ge's help. Rainwater was the cleanest, and it was readily available for use.

"Collect water using oilcloths!" Yilihan gave the order.

Bai Shaobai and the others followed his lead.

Yan Ge pretended to spread his hands in disappointment.

Huangfu Yuchen pinched his shoulder and went to fetch the waterproof cloak from his equipment bag.

The special forces soldiers quickly took out their waterproof cloaks and used them to collect rainwater under the water tanks, working quickly to build a fire.

"Boom!" A thunderous sound came from the sky, and the dark clouds thickened.

The water he kept in the system didn't need to be boiled; it could be drunk directly. Yan Ge pretended to walk over to the fire and looked into the water tank, "It's ready. Hurry and fill the water bottles."

The special forces soldiers, whose water bottles were almost empty, quickly lined up in front of several water tanks and filled their bottles just before the rain started falling. They even managed to leave enough water in two water tanks for later use.

Yang Zhuo ordered the water tanks to be sealed shut, and the rainwater quickly cooled them down. Several soldiers promptly placed the water tanks on their horses, ready to depart at any moment.

The soldiers from the Mai, Liao, Wei, and other kingdoms were still desperately collecting rainwater. Four soldiers held the corners of an oilcloth, forming a makeshift container. Once it was filled with rain water, they'd pour the water into the water tanks.

The people from Great Han leisurely watched from the side.

Ordinary oilcloths were not durable enough to withstand heavy rain. It didn't take long for some soldiers' cloths to lose their waterproofing, leaving them drenched. They couldn't help but cast envious glances at the soldiers from Great Han. Their waterproof cloaks not only had hoods to shield them from rain but also reached down to their ankles, protecting their entire bodies. It was clear that this must be an invention by their esteemed Yan Guiqing. Alas, why didn't their kingdom's emperor have the luck to marry such a talented consort?

Yilihan accidentally caught sight of the envious looks his soldiers were casting and almost slipped in the muddy water.

Being a black bellied person, Huangfu Yuchen looked around and put on a serious expression, saying: "Generals, there may be some other creatures in this jungle. We've stayed here for too long. If we are discovered by some carnivorous animals, it won't be good. I hope you all can be quick."

*A black bellied person is someone who is crafty and sly.

Yan Ge turned his head and smirked.

Yilihan, Bai Shaobai, and the others all maintained a serious expression, acting as if they hadn't heard him, and continued to have their soldiers collect rainwater.

There is strength in numbers and soon, their water tanks were filled, and the soldiers' water bottles were also filled with water.

"We can set off now," Yilihan said with a proud look, trying hard to maintain his arrogance.

Yang Zhuo commanded the guide to continue.

"Yes, please follow me," the guide also wore the waterproof clothing prepared by the people of Great Han and witnessed another skill of theirs. He felt somewhat excited, thinking that with Great Han's people around, he might have a chance to survive and return!

The rain poured down, and the ground quickly became covered in water. The horses' hooves splashed water high into the air.

"Huier—" Suddenly, Yan Ge's horse went mad. It raises its front half violently, almost standing upright. Yan Ge was caught off guard and was thrown off the horse.

Huangfu Yuchen acted quickly, reaching out and scooping him up into his arms before placing him at the front.

Yan Ge's horse let out a painful cry, its limbs went limp, and it collapsed on the ground, dead.

"What's going on?" Yan Ge was surprised.

He scanned the horse's body and it was only then that he noticed several worm-like creatures emerging from the soil, greedily drinking the rainwater. Their bodies quickly grew, ultimately turning into black round balls larger than fists, crawling leisurely on the ground. Near his horse's hooves, there was a black, tattered cloth-like thing, smeared with nauseating slime. Yan Ge immediately understood that these creatures were poisonous. His horse accidentally stepped on one of the "black balls," got contaminated by the venom, and thus lost its life.

Huangfu Yuchen watched the wriggling black balls on the ground, his brows tightly furrowed. "General Yang, spread the order, we must not step on these black balls."

Before the words even landed, cries of alarm came from behind, mixed with cries of "Help!"

Yang Zhuo quickly gave the command and their team became cautious.

However, horses and humans couldn't communicate. Even if people intended to guide the horses to avoid the black balls, the horses would still not predict where the balls were. Yan Ge listened to the commotion behind him, and within less than a moment, more than ten horses had been poisoned to death. Several soldiers were probably also poisoned when they came into contact with the venom.

"Boss, it won't work if it continues like this," Yang Zhuo rode his horse to Huangfu Yuchen's side. There were too many black balls on the ground, and even people walking on the ground would find it challenging not to step on them, let alone horses. Their team had already lost five horses.

Huangfu Yuchen extended his hand toward Yang Zhuo's long spear.

Yang Zhuo understood and handed the long spear to him.

Huangfu Yuchen grasped the long spear and reached under one of the black balls and flicked it upward. The black ball immediately flew far away, disappearing into the grass. He was very cautious, not piercing the skin of the black ball and using a clever force to send it flying away.

Yang Zhuo was delighted. "Boss, this is a good idea!"

"Haha!" Yan Ge couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" Huangfu Yuchen raised the corner of his mouth, looking at him with indulgence and asking softly.

Yang Zhuo instructed the special forces to pick up sturdy tree branches and do the same.

Yan Ge chuckled. "Haven't you realized that you've created a new sport?"

Huangfu Yuchen understood and reached up to adjust his slightly askew hat, then used his hand to wipe off the water on Yan Ge's forehead.

The team continued to move forward. Picking away the black balls blocking their path was also a troublesome task. However, there was no other way at the moment, so the progress was very slow.

Luckily, after about three-quarters of an hour, the rain stopped. Although the sky was still overcast, the water on the ground seeped into the soil and flowed to lower areas. The black balls gradually shrank, eventually returning to the size of earthworms and silently burrowed back into the ground.

It was around the hour of shen when the sky finally cleared up.

The jungle looked almost the same everywhere, so everyone decided to set up camp where they were.

Having just experienced the rain, the humidity in the forest was particularly high, making it easy to get sick. Yan Ge took out a few pills and had someone cook a pot of hot soup for the soldiers with some seasoning mixed in.

Because he was bored, he accompanied a few special forces soldiers to gather some of the wild vegetables he recognized nearby. After washing them, they put them in the soup to cook, resulting in a delightful aroma.

After the soldiers drank the hot soup, their whole bodies felt warm, and their spirits improved significantly.

The contrasting experiences along this journey were enough to make people feel depressed. Moreover, the other kingdoms had also lost quite a number of men. Several team leaders didn't want to mistreat their soldiers, so they followed Yan Ge's example and added some dried meat and wild herbs to the soup. The soldiers felt equally invigorated.

As for the animals in the jungle, they didn't dare to touch them.

"I hope we can get through tonight smoothly," the guide sighed, "as long as we survive this difficult night, the rest of the journey will be a bit smoother."

It had just rained, the ground was wet, and there were very few dry branches. So they couldn't make too many bonfires. To prevent nocturnal animal attacks, Yan Ge took out the Night Pearl, placed it in a small net and hung it on a tree branch. The special forces soldiers sat under its light, and a sense of security immediately returned. At this point, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen no longer cared about the possibility of their identities being exposed.

Yilihan and Bai Shaobai were the most cunning ones, always trailing behind Great Han's team, now they were also benefiting from the light.

Fortunately, the night passed without incident.

At daybreak, everyone quickly ate some dry rations and continued on their way.

The jungle was full of trees, and Yan Ge was curious about how the guide could remember the way.

The guide said, "This humble one cannot explain it clearly. I just look around and feel that we should go this way."

Yan Ge thought that it was probably some kind of talent.

As the sun gradually rose, the forest became hotter as the moisture dried out, and everyone was sweating profusely.

After moving for nearly two hours, the guide couldn't contain his excitement, "We're almost there."

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen released their spiritual consciousness and indeed, about two miles away stood a tall castle. The castle had been eroded by wind and rain all year round, and many parts of the walls had already fallen off, leaving mottled marks. The dried grass around the castle was taller than a person.

Huangfu Yuchen and Yan Ge exchanged a glance.

Yan Ge said, "General Yang, we both need to answer nature's call, so give us a moment."

Before Yang Zhuo could speak, Yilihan spoke up, "You two have such a good relationship, even coordinating bathroom breaks."

"We made General Yilihan laugh," Yan Ge smiled charmingly at him, but his eyes conveyed the message—It's none of your business."

Yilihan interpreted it and his face turned black with anger.

"You can go, just be careful," Yang Zhuo guessed they had some secret plan.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen dismounted.

"Father." Yan Jin reached out, and Huangfu Yuchen picked him up.

Yan Jin said mischievously, "I need to do a big one, no need to wait for us."

After entering deeper into the bushes, Huangfu Yuchen used a concealment technique to shield them from view. The three of them applied insect repellent on themselves and quickly flew towards the castle in the distance.

"Zirui, are you planning to explore the Demon Fortress in advance?" Yan Ge asked.

Yan Jin huffed, "Father, is there any point? There must be monsters in the Demon Fortress. If we explore it first, wouldn't we be doing a favor for the Mai Kingdom and Wei kingdom? I believe we should just focus on protecting our people."

Huangfu Yuchen sighed, "Have both of you forgotten about the Golden Python?"

"Oh!" Yan Ge clapped his hands, "Right! We can release the Golden Python. If it rushes straight into the Demon Fortress, it means there's definitely treasure inside!"

Indeed, this was Huangfu Yuchen's idea: let the Golden Python lead them to the treasure, and then he and Yan Ge could use their spatial abilities to empty the treasure room without anyone noticing.

Yan Ge and Yan Jin both gave a thumbs up to Huangfu Yuchen.

Huangfu Yuchen clasped his fists and said, "You're too kind, too kind."

Yan Ge and Yan Jin were amused.

Without hesitation, Yan Ge took out the box that sealed the Golden Python and set it free. The Golden Python was so excited that it rushed forward even before its entire body landed on the ground.

Yan Ge and the other two quickly followed.

Sure enough, the Golden Python's target was the Demon Fortress. It immediately burrowed underground upon reaching the castle. Yan Ge took out the Night Pearl, and the three followed closely behind.

They arrived in an underground chamber, and their eyes were almost blinded by the sparkling gold and silver treasures that filled the room.

This treasure room was about two hundred square meters and was nearly filled to the brim. Due to its age, the jewels were covered with some dust, but it did not diminish their enchanting brilliance.

–"Ding. Side mission – Collect all treasures. Rewards once the mission is successful: 1000 silver taels and a silver box. Punishment upon mission failure: Deduction of 1000 silver taels. If you accept the mission, please choose 'Yes'; if you reject the mission, please choose 'No'."

Yan Ge accepted the mission, and his face almost broke into a smile.

Without warning, the Golden Python, as if it hadn't eaten for centuries, pounced on a box of gold and opened its mouth wide.

"Ah!" Yan Ge was caught off guard, and the box was emptied in an instant.

Yan Ge felt heartbroken and immediately used a shrinking technique to reduce the size of the Golden Python. The pitiful creature struggled on the ground, torn between going after the gold and being sucked back by Yan Ge's palm.

Yan Ge stared at the Golden Python, wishing to dissect its body and take out the gold. Huangfu Yuchen and Yan Jin watched Yan Ge helplessly, unable to suppress their laughter.

"Alright, baby, there's still plenty here. Consider that box as the Golden Python's hard work," Huangfu Yuchen advised.

Yan Ge thought that he had always been a generous boss, so he felt at ease and put the Golden Python back into the box. He then surveyed the treasures in the room.

Taking a look around, his attention was drawn to a gray silk box placed on a simple altar. The box had some lines that resembled scriptures and was locked.

Huangfu Yuchen also walked over, raised his hand, and shot out some true qi, unlocking the box.

Inside the box was a round pearl-like sphere weighing about half a catty.

"This doesn't look like a pearl. Why is it being valued so much?" Yan Ge was cautious and did not directly reach out to take it. Having grown up in a prestigious family before and now living in the palace, appreciating jewelry was an easy task for him.

Huangfu Yuchen noticed some writing under the brocade cloth on the "pearl". He waved his hand, and the wind lifted the cloth, revealing several characters inscribed at the bottom of the box.

"Must accommodate the relics of the divine monk?" Yan Ge read aloud.

Huangfu Yuchen looked at the piles of treasures and said, "If that's the case, this place is most likely the batch of treasures Suyi Malo, the leader of the Suyi nobles, took away years ago."

*You can check chapter 171 for the backstory on the Suyi nobles incase you forgot.

Yan Ge was puzzled, "This whole area is extremely strange, filled with dangers. How did Suyi Malo and his people manage to come in? According to what you said, that war happened over ninety years ago, so why haven't we seen a single corpse along the way? Could it be that the monsters here even devoured their bones? Or maybe Suy Malo found a way to pass safely through this area?"

"It is indeed strange, but now it's difficult to find the answer," Huangfu Yuchen stroked his face and smiled gently, "I thought your first reaction would be to collect all the treasures."

Yan Ge put on a scholarly posture and waved his hand, "Not at all. I am a person who values knowledge and inquisitiveness."

"Who dares to say you're not?" Huangfu Yuchen teased him. "Let's put all these away first."

"Yeah." Yan Ge nodded, "I'll take it. You and Little Jin can rest on the side."

Huangfu Yuchen walked over to the side, watching Yan Ge as he stored all the boxes of gold and silver treasures into his space. He even hummed an unknown tune, not leaving a single small pearl behind. It truly was a meticulous process.

–"Ding. Side mission – Collect all treasures. Mission successful. Reward: 1000 silver taels and a silver box. Would you like to open the silver box now?"

Yan Ge chose to open it.

–"Congratulations, you have obtained ten Foundation Building Pills."

"Congratulations, you have obtained ten Foundation Building Pills."

A nice reward!

Yan Ge daydreamed, he hoped that the reward for the next mission would be the formula for Foundation Building Pills. Then he would refine as many of them as he could. However, receiving ten Foundation Building Pills was already very lucky.

In any case, with this batch of treasures, Great Han's national treasury would be quite abundant, and there would be no need to skimp on various aspects of national development.

Yan Ge said with a beaming smile, "Zirui, this trip was worth it."

"In the future, I'll take you on more trips whenever there's a chance," Huangfu Yuchen said.

After making sure that there were no traces left to follow, Yan Ge released the Golden Python to fill the tunnel it had drilled. Then, the three of them quickly left and appeared behind the rear team from Great Han, pretending to chase after the frontmost troops.

After catching up, the three of them remounted their horses.

Because the guide said they would soon reach the Demon Fortress, their marching speed was fast and it didn't take long for them to arrive at the grassland in front of the Demon Fortress.

"We've finally arrived!" Yilihan stared intently at the Demon Fortress.

Now, Yan Ge had the opportunity to carefully examine the Demon Fortress. It was a very large castle covering an area of over three thousand mu. Through the dense weeds, one could vaguely see the aged stone bricks on the ground. It seemed that the Demon Fortress must have been very prosperous in the past. The place where the name was engraved on the castle had already become faded and unclear, and it couldn't be confirmed if it was the Twin Moon Palace.

*You can check chapter 176 for the short backstory on the Twin Moon Palace.

"General Yilihan, should we let the soldiers rest and recuperate here before exploring the Demon Fortress?" Bai Shaobai was sure that he also knew the situation. Although he had no expression on his face, there was a hint of excitement in his eyes.

Huangfu Yuchen became even more certain that the Mai and Wei kingdoms were scheming against Great Han, and even other kingdoms. A cold smile appeared at the corner of his lips. Unfortunately, their wishful thinking was destined to be in vain.

Yilihan said, "Rest for half an hour on-site."

To prevent soldiers from being harmed by insects in the grass, they collectively cleared a barrier on the edge of the square and set fire to the dried grass on the square.

Afterward, everyone took out dry rations to munch on, while the more exhausted soldiers lay down on the ground to rest for a while— there might be another tough battle ahead.

Yang Zhuo, Yilihan, Bai Shaobai, Wen Han, and other leaders each led a small team of twenty people to inspect the situation outside the Demon Fortress.

Yan Ge walked to Gao Feng's side. "Gao Feng, how are you?"

Gao Feng had been resting with his eyes closed and quickly opened them, "Young Master, I'm feeling much better now, just a bit weak."

Yan Ge took his pulse, "Don't worry, you're recovering well. Remember to drink more water. I guess everyone will split into several groups to explore the inside of the castle. Staying outside might not be entirely safe. Later, you'll also go in and follow behind me and Zirui."

"Thank you, young master," the two brothers thanked him simultaneously.

Yan Ge returned to Huangfu Yuchen's side. Seeing that everyone was munching on dry rations, he sighed softly.

"What's wrong?" Huangfu Yuchen supported his shoulder.

"I want to eat the dishes from Liuxian Pavilion," Yan Ge complained, gazing at him with a hint of resentment.

Huangfu Yuchen hurriedly comforted, "I'll take you there once we are back at the capital. I'll have someone inform the manager to have the entire place reserved in advance and make two or three hundred dishes that can fill up all the tables in the hall. You can eat whatever you like. Yang Zhuo and the others have also worked hard on this journey, so we can invite them to a meal as well."

"Good idea!" Yan Ge licked his lips. "The more you talk about it, the more I want to eat."

Their voices weren't deliberately lowered, and several special forces soldiers around overheard and excitedly whispered the good news to each other. They didn't have many opportunities to eat at the Liuxian Pavilion. The Emperor and Yan Guiqing are indeed close to the people!

Due to the vast size of the Demon Fortress, it took a long time for Yang Zhuo, Yilihan, Bai Shaobai, and the others to return with their teams.

In the imperial edict, the winner was determined by the army that reached the Demon Fortress first. However, due to encountering many dangers along the way and having only one guide, General Yilihan silently changed that decision. As for how to divide the treasure, they would discuss it after finding it.

Yilihan said, "The Demon Fortress has a total of eight entrances. My idea is to divide our seventeen teams into nine groups. One group will remain outside to guard our supplies, and the other eight groups will enter the Demon Fortress through different entrances to search for the treasure. After finding it, we'll meet here. What do you all think?"

This arrangement made sense, and the other leaders had no objections.

"But, how should we divide?"

Yilihan said, "Our Mai Kingdom soldiers have the best physique among all the kingdoms, so we'll stay outside to guard the supplies. In case of any danger, we can protect all the supplies in time. The remaining sixteen kingdoms can evenly split into eight groups. Great Han has the fewest soldiers, and Wei kingdom has the most, so they can go together; Liao Kingdom and Youji Kingdom can go together…..This way, the total number of soldiers in each major group is roughly equal."

Yang Zhuo said, "In my view, this arrangement might not be appropriate. Looking at how big the Demon Fortress is, you can tell the rooms inside must be intricate and complex. Once there's any danger, those with better physique will be better at dealing with it. Therefore, I think the Mai kingdom's army should also enter. This way, we'll have a better chance of finding the treasure. Additionally, what if we find the treasure in the end and the kingdoms staying outside get greedy and poison our water? For safety reasons, at least three kingdoms should stay behind to keep an eye on each other. What do you generals think?"

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen didn't tell Yang Zhuo that they already obtained the treasure, and he couldn't guess what the Mai Kingdom was planning, but that wasn't an issue as long as they went against whatever plan they had. If there's really a treasure inside, it was impossible to let the Mai Kingdom to sit back and enjoy it.

This proposal received support from several other leaders.

"General Yang makes sense."

"I agree with this plan."

After some debate among the leaders, they finally settled on an action plan. The Mai, Liao, and Wei kingdoms had the most surviving soldiers so each left behind two hundred people to guard the supplies. The rest would enter the castle.

Great Han's troops were few, so they would go with the Wei kingdom's army, entering through the main eastern entrance of the Demon Fortress.

"Now, let's set off. We'll meet here after one hour. If we find the treasure, that's great. If not, we'll rest and then set off later," Bai Shaobai said.

Everyone understood and prepared their weapons, water, and torches before setting off separately.

Upon entering the main entrance, they found a straight corridor. As the entire castle was almost sealed off, the further they went, the darker it became. However, they could still vaguely see that there were many doors on both sides of the corridor, leading to small rooms. To find the treasure, they could only search through each room one by one.

Bai Shaobai suggested, "General Yang, there are so many rooms here. Why don't we split into two teams? One team can search the rooms on the left, and the other team can search the rooms on the right."

"Alright," Yang Zhuo agreed. Bai Shaobai had over eight hundred soldiers in total, with three hundred staying outside, leaving over five hundred. Splitting them into two teams resulted in each team having over three hundred soldiers.

Yang Zhuo also divided his three hundred soldiers into three teams: one to check the rooms with odd numbers, another to check the rooms with even numbers, and the last team to be on guard outside. In case of any unexpected situations, they could provide assistance at any time.

Upon opening the first room, a choking cloud of dust rushed out. Startled by the intrusion, snakes, insects, mice, and ants that had made nests inside scurried away rapidly. The rustling sounds were densely packed, giving one goosebumps.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen couldn't outright tell Yang Zhuo that there was no treasure inside, so they used their eyes to suggest he didn't have to search so carefully.

Yang Zhuo got the hint and signaled the message to his subordinates using a new set of military sign language.

An entire hour passed, and apart from discovering a nest of strange snakes and two nests of scorpions, they found nothing. When they returned to the square, they found that others also had no harvest.

After resting for two incense sticks' worth of time, they decided to check again.

It soon became evident that there was no treasure inside the Demon Fortress. It could be seen that until it was dark, they had gained nothing. Not only that, but the Demon Fortress, which was such a good shelter from the wind and rain, had long been occupied by various monsters, resulting in significant losses to each group, and the deaths were all tragic.

Even the mighty Mai Kingdom was left with only over 500 soldiers. Wei kingdom was left with just over 400, Liao Kingdom with over 400, and several other small kingdoms had even greater losses. Morale was extremely low, and the shadow of death loomed over them all.

No one from Great Han was injured or killed, thanks to Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen. Great Han had always acted alongside the Wei Kingdom, and Bai Shaobai had long noticed their extraordinary martial arts skills.

"General Yilihan, we must leave early tomorrow morning. Our water reserves are running low, and we can't stay here waiting for the next rainfall," Bai Shaobai said in a stern tone, conveying his dissatisfaction with the Mai Kingdom. They were convinced by the Mai Kingdom's claim that there was a treasure in the Demon Fortress, which led to the joint exploration plan. However, now they hadn't even found a single gold piece, making Bai Shaobai furious.

Yilihan also wondered whether he was being manipulated by his own king. The king's plan was this: there indeed was treasure in the Demon Fortress, but it was also filled with dangers. If they explored it solely with their own forces, they would suffer great losses. It was better to use the treasure as bait, getting all the neighboring kingdoms involved and having them help in the search. Once the treasure was found, they would cooperate with the Wei Kingdom to seize it. Other kingdoms didn't matter, but they must exterminate the 1,000 elite soldiers of Great Han as revenge for the Fumian and Guyidian incidents, letting Great Han's emperor know they were not to be trifled with.

However, perhaps they guessed it was a plot or it was by accident, Great Han had sent only 100 elite soldiers.

What surprised Yilihan even more was the fact that there was no trace of treasure inside the Demon Fortress. Before setting off, his king had given him a treasure map, indicating that the treasure was in a secret chamber beneath the main hall. To avoid suspicion, he arranged for the representatives of the Youji Kingdom to investigate there. They did find a secret chamber, but it was completely devoid of treasure.

Yilihan felt it was impossible for someone to secretly move the treasure from the Demon Fortress without even a whisper of a rumor. So, his target shifted from the neighboring kingdoms to his own king. He really wondered if his past mistakes had caused the king to bear a grudge against him, and this was the opportunity to eliminate him. The thought of serving his king with utmost loyalty for so many years only to end up in this situation made him seethe with anger.

For now, the most crucial thing was to stabilize the situation. Yilihan could only feign regret and say, "It seems the information was wrong. On behalf of His Majesty, I apologize to all of you. The night is long, and we have already suffered significant losses. In my opinion, we don't need to wait until tomorrow morning. Let's head back now."

While the generals were frustrated about the wasted trip, it was not the right time to confront Yilihan. Moreover, they would still need to cooperate on their way back to deal with the monsters. But they had decided that once they returned to their own kingdoms, they would definitely report the matter to their respective kings, especially Maiguo's king. Several team leaders thought, 'We might be small kingdoms, but we are not to be bullied!'

After everyone finished organizing, they began their journey back.

Yilihan's straightforwardness surprised Yan Ge. He quietly asked Huangfu Yuchen, "We all thought the Mai Kingdom and Wei kingdom had some plot against us, and the Demon Fortress would definitely be the place where they'd act. Why did he give up like this?"

Huangfu Yuchen was also puzzled, but as someone who had studied the art of kingship, he quickly understood the situation and explained to Yan Ge, "Yilihan didn't find the treasure, so he must suspect that Hu Mailong played him…"

Hu Mailong and Yilihan would definitely have conflicts in the future. This was indeed an unexpected delight.

After hearing Huangfu Yuchen's analysis, Yan Ge couldn't help but be overjoyed. To avoid irritating the team leaders who had suffered significant losses and the soldiers who had lost many comrades, he had to suppress his laughter, but everyone could see the bright smile on his face.

But what could they do to him? This Physician Qin and that special forces soldier were martial arts experts.

With the experience from the journey here, the return journey was smoother although they still encountered various monsters.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen refrained from provoking the other kingdoms too much and even lent them a hand several times. The journey went smoothly without any trouble.

After leaving the desert, the armies of various kingdoms bid farewell one by one.

The teams of Great Han, Mai, and Youji Kingdoms continued to travel together until they reached Maieden.

Hu Mailong was probably confident that his army would surely bring back the treasure, so he sent a 5,000-strong army to welcome Yilihan's troops. However, when their general saw that Yilihan wasn't carrying many large chests as they expected, he frowned.

Yang Zhuo wasn't foolish enough to get involved in their matters. He bowed and said, "General Yilihan, please convey my greetings to your king on my behalf. When I return to my kingdom, I will inform my emperor of this matter truthfully. At that time, our emperor will surely send a letter to your king."

Yilihan nodded unenthusiastically, "General Yang, have a safe journey."

"Farewell!"

"Depart—"

The hundred-person team from the Mai Kingdom raced towards the border.

The Youji Kingdom also bid their farewells promptly.

After resting for a day at Xiguan Pass, Yan Ge's group set off on their journey back to the capital.

When they were a day away from the capital, Huangfu Yuchen sent urgent an message along the way, requesting the relay stations to expedite the delivery to Liuxian Pavilion in the capital. Soon, the next day's reservation was arranged accordingly.

The following morning, the team returned to the capital.

Though the common people didn't know the specifics of their mission, they cheered excitedly upon seeing Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen in their camouflage uniforms, along with Yan Jin.

Huangfu Yuchen said, "Everyone will have two days off. Go freshen up now and meet at Liuxian Pavilion for lunch."

"Yes! Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"

Yan Ge, Huangfu Yuchen, and Yan Jin returned to the First Company to wash up and change into clean clothes.

When the Emperor invites people for a meal, who dares to be late. The special forces soldiers quickly took a shower at their accommodations, changed clothes and arrived at the Liuxian Pavilion.

Liuxian Pavilion had no other guests at the moment. The manager and attendants warmly and attentively welcomed them.

In a short while, Yan Ge, Huangfu Yuchen, and Yan Jin arrived dressed in casual clothing.

Everyone knelt down to pay their respects.

"Rise," Huangfu Yuchen said, "Today, Yan Guiqing, Yan Jin, and I are your comrades, not your masters. There's no need to be so formal."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty!"

The manager immediately ordered the dishes to be served. As everyone looked at the variety of dishes, they couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, their mouths watering in secret.

Yan Ge smiled and said, "Take any seat you like. Even in the palace, the Emperor and I have never ordered so many dishes in one go. Today's a rare opportunity, so eat as much as you want."

With that, he didn't pay much attention to the others, instead taking Huangfu Yuchen and Yan Jin to grab some plates. Like they were at a buffet, they picked the dishes they liked from various tables before sitting down and started to eat, even having a few glasses of wine.

Touched by the Emperor and Yan Guiqing's gesture, the others didn't want to disappoint or offend them. With Gao Yun, Ah Fei, and Jun Xiang, who were good at livening up the atmosphere, everyone gradually relaxed. The entire hall became lively, as if it were a festive occasion.

– Volume 3 Complete –

Huangfu Yuchen looked at the document in his hand, and a pensive expression appeared on his brow. After a moment, he spoke, "Deng Mande, summon Prime Minister Wu."

Soon, an announcement came from outside the Imperial study—

"Prime Minister Wu seeks an audience—"

Prime Minister Wu arrived promptly, and Huangfu Yuchen stopped his formalities.

"Prime Minister Wu, there's no need for excessive courtesy. I have just finished reading your document."

Prime Minister Wu bowed and said, "I humbly listen to Your Majesty's instructions."

During the morning court two days ago, Huangfu Yuchen proposed the idea of inviting martial experts from the martial world to teach soldiers martial arts in the military camps to enhance their abilities. Prime Minister Wu expressed opposition, so Huangfu Yuchen asked him to submit a written report with detailed reasons. In the document, Prime Minister Wu pointed out that the martial world emphasizes respecting teachers and valuing traditions, and if martial experts were allowed to teach soldiers, it might blur the boundaries between the martial world and the imperial court. If the soldiers respected the martial experts as their teachers, there might be a risk of the martial experts using that influence to their advantage, thereby endangering the military's secrets.

Huangfu Yuchen had grown up in the palace, so he indeed lacked a deep understanding of these matters. Additionally, Yan Ge had never traveled in the martial world, so both of them had overlooked this.

"Your words make sense," Huangfu Yuchen said, "but then, how can we have the soldiers learn a more systematic martial art if we can't invite martial experts?"

Prime Minister Wu replied, "I have thought about this as well. It can work if we have a specific set of techniques that the generals can learn and then pass on to the soldiers. This way, we won't have any connections with the martial world."

Huangfu Yuchen pondered for a moment and said, "The imperial treasury does indeed have a few martial arts manuals, but it would be too slow to have a few people learn and then teach others. Besides, these manuals might have been learned by martial experts before, as they were tributes from various regions."

"This…" Prime Minister Wu also felt troubled.

"Let's leave it for later discussion," Huangfu Yuchen said.

"Yes, I will take my leave."

Huangfu Yuchen glanced at the remaining documents, planning to review them later in the afternoon. "Return to Tenglong Palace."

Under Yan Ge's influence, Huangfu Yuchen rarely used the dragon sedan chair anymore and preferred to walk at a leisurely pace.

"Where is Yan Guiqing?"

Yan Ge was taking a day off today.

Deng Mande said, "Your Majesty, the Empress has invited Yan Guiqing to the Imperial Garden. He should still be there."

Huangfu Yuchen frowned but didn't say anything. Previously, the four consorts asked Yan Ge to find something meaningful for them to do, and he suggested the idea of creating feminine makeup products. The four Consorts were interested and have been handling the cosmetics business, selling their products through the First Company. Occasionally, they would seek Yan Ge's advice when they encountered some issues. Since the Empress and the consorts were well-behaved, Huangfu Yuchen didn't make a fuss about it.

However, Tian Guiren was persistent, and her presence always irritated Huangfu Yuchen. So half a month ago, he pressured Tian Guiren's father, a fifth-ranked local official, to take her out of the palace.

On arriving at the Imperial Garden, Huangfu Yuchen saw the four consorts behaving properly, standing aside and listening to Yan Ge without huddling together, and he was pleased.

As Huangfu Yuchen approached, the Empress and the four consorts quickly paid their respects.

Except for the Empress, who referred to herself as "this concubine," the other four consorts tacitly omitted such titles.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

"Rise," Huangfu Yuchen replied, looking at Yan Ge and asking gently, "Are you done?"

Yan Ge nodded, and the two of them left the Imperial Garden. The Empress and the consorts remained in the pavilion, continuing to discuss the appropriate timing for launching their newly developed beauty cream.

Huangfu Yuchen discreetly glanced back, and felt reassured on seeing no one looking after him or Yan Ge.

Yan Ge chuckled and said, "Don't worry; I can tell they've genuinely moved on. Now, all they're concerned about is developing various beauty creams. Our decision back then was the right one."

Huangfu Yuchen hugged him and kissed his forehead. "You're truly brilliant, my dear."

"Weren't you dealing with the matter of inviting martial experts to be instructors? How did you manage it so quickly?" Yan Ge asked curiously.

Huangfu Yuchen explained, "I reconsidered it while on the way here. The fundamental martial arts manuals in the treasury are excellent resources. I'll send someone to investigate whether anyone in the martial world has practiced those manuals. If not, we'll take them out and use them. If they have, we'll think of another solution."

Yan Ge added mischievously, "One becomes wiser with age. Prime Minister Wu had a valid concern. Speaking of manuals, why didn't you ask if I have any?"

Huangfu Yuchen was taken aback. "You do?"

"The Flowing Sands Sword Technique!" Yan Ge communicated through their voice transmission. "Now that we've both reached higher levels of cultivation, the value of the Flowing Sands Sword Technique isn't as significant. It wouldn't hurt to share it with others. I could have tens of thousands of disciples. Haha…"

Huangfu Yuchen furrowed his brows. "Baby, I know the origin of the Flowing Sands Sword Technique is remarkable, but wouldn't revealing it affect you? You know I care about you the most and wouldn't want anything to happen to you because of this."

Yan Ge's heart filled with sweetness, and his eyes reflected his affection, warming Huangfu Yuchen's heart as well.

This was his treasure—a single look from Yan Ge could enchant him.

Huangfu Yuchen's concern was unwarranted, but it reminded Yan Ge to think more carefully about any potential drawbacks.

"You're right, the Flowing Sands Sword Technique cannot be revealed. Once people know that I brought it out, my reputation would rise even more, which would affect your imperial authority."

Though Huangfu Yuchen wouldn't mind, having a consort with a reputation surpassing that of the Emperor would lead to various problems and could impact the stability of Great Han.

"But don't worry, I have other techniques," Yan Ge reassured.

Back at the Tenglong Palace, Yan Ge accessed the system store. Most of the soldiers used spears and swords, so he found a manual that was easy to learn and versatile for spears, as well as a highly explosive sword technique. He spent 500 taels of silver to purchase them and handed them to Huangfu Yuchen.

"Say you found them in the palace treasury," Yan Ge suggested.

Huangfu Yuchen held Yan Ge's face and gave him a kiss before opening the manuals to peruse them. "Your gifts are truly treasures. Both of these manuals are top-notch."

Yan Ge leaned on his shoulder and said, "I've noticed that the Zhantian Vine's movements have been getting stronger these days. It will leave seclusion in three days at most. Then we can extract more of its essence, which will greatly benefit the soldiers. I'm looking forward to seeing our nation's soldiers become stronger. If there's a war in the future, they'll defeat the enemy effortlessly!"

"It's all thanks to you," Huangfu Yuchen replied. Looking at Yan Ge's lips reflecting a soft glow, he couldn't resist pecking them once more.

A eunuch's voice was heard from outside the door, "Announcing Your Majesty, Grand Tutor Song seeks an audience."

"Let him in," Huangfu Yuchen said, putting away the manuals.

Yan Ge began peeling an apple on the side.

"Greetings Your Majesty," Song Chaobang said as soon as he entered the hall, kneeling respectfully, "Long live Your Majesty!"

"Grand Tutor Song, please rise quickly," Huangfu Yuchen replied.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Song Chaobang said as he stood to the side.

Huangfu Yuchen inquired, "What brings you here, Grand Tutor?"

"This…" Song Chaobang looked at the palace maids and eunuchs inside the hall.

Huangfu Yuchen waved, signaling them to leave.

Only then did Song Chaobang speak, "Your Majesty's permission to allow this old minister to visit Song Guiren once a month is truly a great favor, for which this old minister is deeply grateful. Yesterday, when I went to see Song Guiren, he told me that Prince Dai has visited him several times with unwavering affection. So, Song Guiren had a request…"

He hesitated to speak, but continued, "This old minister earnestly implores Your Majesty to consider Song Guiren's recent well-behaved conduct and grant him permission to leave the palace."

Yan Ge's hand that was peeling the apple paused imperceptibly before continuing.

Although Song Ruhao's presence in the cold palace didn't affect Huangfu Yuchen in any way, it would be better to send him away. After a brief contemplation, Huangfu Yuchen replied, "Grand Tutor, you have been devoted to state affairs and the Crown Prince. How could I not grant your request? I will arrange for Song Guiren to feign death and leave the palace as soon as possible."

Song Chaobang hadn't caused any trouble since the last incident, and he had been active in state affairs and teaching the Crown Prince. It wasn't easy to turn down his request. Besides, even if he refused, Yuhu would come to plead, so he decided to grant the request directly.

Song Chaobang was deeply moved, and his knees fell heavily on the ground. "This old minister thanks Your Majesty! In the future, I will continue to serve Your Majesty wholeheartedly until my last breath!"

"Grand Tutor, please rise. If there's nothing else, you may take your leave."

"Yes, this old minister takes his leave."

After Song Chaobang left, Huangfu Yuchen took the apple from Yan Ge's hand.

"Baby, I noticed you hesitated just now. Is there something you want to say?"

"It's nothing. I'm just a little surprised. I didn't expect Prince Dai to be so infatuated," Yan Ge said with a smile.

Huangfu Yuchen chuckled, "Perhaps Yuhu and I are both slow to warm up. Once we encounter true love, we can't let go."

Yan Ge heard his tone and refrained from saying anything further. He wasn't sure if it was because of his first encounter with Huangfu Yuhu, which left a bad impression on him, he had always felt a bit uncomfortable around him. It was a difficult feeling to explain—he just didn't like him.

But Huangfu Yuchen had always been protective of his younger brother, so he kept his opinions to himself. As long as Huangfu Yuhu didn't cause trouble for him and Huangfu Yuchen, he wasn't his concern.

Huangfu Yuchen arranged for Song Ruhao to fake his death and marry Huangfu Yuhu in the identity of another son of Song Chaobang, thereby becoming a concubine.

During the morning court, Huangfu Yuchen congratulated Prince Dai in front of civil and military officials and bestowed a lot of gold, silver, and precious jewels.

Huangfu Yuhu expressed his gratitude with a smile.

"Your Majesty, this minister has a proposal," Yan Xiaojing stepped forward, "Lately, Your Majesty has been busy with state affairs. I would like to hold a hunting event for you this autumn. What do you think about it?"

Other ministers also thought it was a good idea and nodded in agreement.

Prime Minister Wu said, "In recent years, the development of Great Han in the politic, economic, cultural, education, and military sectors has been stable and rapid, all thanks to Your Majesty's diligent work and great merits. I also believe that Your Majesty should take some time to relax."

Huangfu Yuchen thought of Yan Ge, who had never participated in large-scale hunting events, and was tempted. However, he suddenly remembered that Huangfu Yuhu's arm was injured during hunting, and he worried if it might make him uncomfortable. He glanced at Huangfu Yuhu and saw that he was indifferent, as of he had already let go of the past, so Huangfu Yuchen nodded and said, "It's a good idea. This matter shall be organized by the Minister of Rites, with assistance from Prime Minister Wu. Great Han's current development is the result of all your efforts. Minister Yan, make sure to make this hunting event lively and enjoyable for everyone."

"I will obey Your Majesty's orders."

After the morning court, Huangfu Yuhu found Huangfu Yuchen.

"Brother, I'm newlywed, so I won't join the event. However, if you hunt something valuable, I dare to ask you to send me a share."

Huangfu Yuchen patted his shoulder, "You won't be left out."

When Yan Ge finished work and returned to the palace, Huangfu Yuchen informed him about the hunting event, which piqued Yan Ge's interest. He would soon start working on gunpowder-related matters, having already purchased the formula from the system store. Huangfu Yuchen had sent people to search for saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur in various places. Once the necessary ingredients were gathered, they could officially begin. So before that, he had some free time.

"I don't have hunting gear," Yan Ge said.

Huangfu Yuchen smiled, "Don't worry, I will prepare everything for you. Just make sure to set aside those days."

Five days later, Yan Xiaojing had everything arranged. The Emperor's travel was not a simple matter. It required organizing the procession, guards, imperial kitchen, logistics, and other aspects to ensure the Emperor's comfort even when traveling. Past emperors would also bring several concubines when hunting. This time, it was much simpler, they only had to prepare supplies and personnel for Yan Ge alone. Additionally, the accommodations for the accompanying ministers also needed to be arranged.

On the day of departure, the massive convoy left the palace gates at dawn and headed towards the Royal Hunting Ground on Cuiyun Mountain, which was half a day's journey from the capital. The hunting ground had been closed off year-round and was under the specific care of the court, allowing only elderly ladies to collect herbs but not allowing hunting. As a result, there was an abundance of prey on the mountain, ensuring the Emperor's hunting experience would be fruitful. If the Emperor brought the ministers for a hunt and didn't catch anything; it would be quite embarrassing.

Yan Ge, Yan Jin, and the young Crown Prince passed the time by playing cards.

Huangfu Yuchen was not allowed to participate officially, with the excuse that it was to maintain the Emperor's dignity. However, he still playfully disrupted the game, either helping Yan Jin or the young Crown Prince. Yan Ge was so annoyed that he covered Huangfu Yuchen's face with pieces of paper, which led to a good-natured laugh.

Yan Jin and the young Crown Prince couldn't laugh in front of Huangfu Yuchen and turned their heads to suppress their giggles.

Huangfu Yuchen looked at the pieces of paper in Yan Ge's hand that were flying around because of his laughter and couldn't help but smile as well.

This dragon sedan chair was like a small room, equipped with basins, buckets, golden stoves, incense boxes, and more. Yan Ge took a basin and filled it with water.

Huangfu Yuchen thought Yan Ge was going to help him wash his face, so he leaned over, but Yan Ge dipped the towel in cold water and pressed it against his own face.

Helpless, Huangfu Yuchen sighed and had to do it himself.

Around noon, the team arrived at Cuiyun Mountain. According to Huangfu Yuchen, Cuiyun Mountain was lush and green like clusters of green clouds in summer. Now it was autumn, and the lush green scenery was no longer visible, but the autumn flowers, grass, and trees appeared more majestic and profound, exuding a different charm that was equally charming.

A small team had arrived earlier and set up Mongolian yurt-like tents. Huangfu Yuchen and Yan Ge entered the largest tent, where a charcoal basin was burning, providing warmth. A faint sandalwood fragrance filled the air, invigorating the spirits. Soft carpets covered the ground, and a soft fur spread on the bed, its white hair tender and warm.

Yan Jin and the young Crown Prince had their own accommodation and left politely.

Deng Mande stood outside the door and said, "Your Majesty, hot water is ready. May I ask if His Majesty and Yan Guiqing will bathe first or have a meal first?"

Huangfu Yuchen replied, "We'll bathe first."

After speaking, he turned to Yan Ge and said, "Xiao Ge, taking a hot bath will be more comfortable."

"Yeah, I'll get the clothes." Yan Ge said.

After bathing, both of them changed into riding attire. The imperial kitchen was very diligent and promptly sent lunch just after they finished bathing. Despite being in the wilderness, the food was first-rate and no different from what they would have in the palace. There were delicacies such as braised duck, bird's nest red and white duck soup, chicken stir-fried with winter bamboo shoots, poached fish slices, five-flavored steamed gluten, spicy shrimp broth, and more, all exquisite and delicious.

After the meal, they took a short nap before leaving the tent.

The ministers were already waiting on the flat ground in front of the tent.

Huangfu Yuchen waived their salutes and said, "The ministers can keep the game we catch today. The time limit is before sunset. The top three with the most game will be richly rewarded!"

The ministers were delighted. The rewards were not the most important; the key was the honor of receiving rewards from the Emperor himself. Moreover, Great Han Kingdom valued literature the most in the past, but now it emphasized both literature and military. Some young military officials might gain the Emperor's favor if they performed well in hunting.

After the ministers took their leave, they mounted their horses and quickly rode off, disappearing into the woods.

Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen also mounted their horses, accompanied by several guards, and headed into the forest. The guards were mainly responsible for carrying arrows and the game they caught.

Yan Jin and the young Crown Prince also had small bows and participated. Each was paired with a skilled guard.

Not far into the forest, Yan Ge saw a deer.

He quickly shot an arrow, but it missed the target.

Yan Ge: "…"

Huangfu Yuchen chuckled lightly.

Yan Ge said, "I was just warming up."

"Mhmm," Huangfu Yuchen nodded solemnly, but the amusement in his eyes increased.

Yan Ge glanced at him irritably. He rarely used bows and arrows, so it was normal to miss, right?

Huangfu Yuchen poured fuel on the fire, "Xiao Ge, how about we have a competition? The winner can ask the loser to do something." He calculated that if he won, he could gain some benefits from his beloved.

"Okay," Yan Ge was determined to save face.

Huangfu Yuchen immediately said, "If I win, you have to agree to the thing you refused me to do last night."

Yan Ge glared at him again, but his competitive spirit was aroused. "Fine! If I win, you have to cook for me for a month."

"…Deal! The competition ends at sunset. No matter the size of the game, the one with more catches wins. If the quantity is the same, the one with the heavier game wins," Huangfu Yuchen said.

"No problem," Yan Ge rode ahead and picked up the arrow that missed as he passed by.

Huangfu Yuchen teased, "It's a good idea to pick it up; otherwise, you might run out of arrows if you keep missing the game."

Yan Ge became more frustrated and slapped Yunyi's buttocks. Yunyi quickly ran a few steps ahead.

A wild pheasant in the grass heard the sound of hooves and was startled, and it flapped its wings to escape.

Yan Ge raised his bow and aimed, then shot, hitting the pheasant accurately. He looked at Huangfu Yuchen proudly.

Huangfu Yuchen praised him, "Impressive!"

Yan Ge was about to reply when he saw a deer flash past from behind the bushes ahead and quickly rode after it.

"Yuchen, let's split up!"

The four guards caught up swiftly.

Huangfu Yuchen had no choice but to call out, "Be careful!"

"I know."

Huangfu Yuchen watched his figure disappear and said to the remaining four guards, "Let's go in the other direction."

"Yes!"

Yan Ge quickly caught up with the deer and shot another arrow. He was very unfamiliar with archery and actually used his qi to cheat.

His qi locked onto the game, making the movements of the prey appear in slow motion in his eyes, making it easy for him to hit the target.

" Yan Guiqing's archery is godlike, and we admire you greatly," one guard picked up the game, pulled out the arrow, and returned it to Yan Ge, expressing admiration.

Yan Ge remained composed, "Practice more, and you'll be able to do the same."

The group continued riding forward and encountered two more wild hares, a wild chicken, and a roe deer.

"There are number of wild animals here," Yan Ge said.

One guard replied, "Indeed. Animals also have intelligence; they know this place is usually free of people, so they like to settle in Cuiyun Mountain. Gradually, more and more animals gathered here."

Yan Ge heard that he knew a lot about this place, so he asked, "Are there large animals here, like tigers or leopards?"

The guard replied, "Yes, but they are deeper inside."

Yan Ge didn't know the skills of these guards, and he feared they might accidentally venture into a tiger's lair, so he decided to stop and focus on catching smaller game to win based on quantity.

"Let's go, that way!"

They returned to the camp only when the sun was about to set.

From afar, Yan Ge saw Huangfu Yuchen sitting at the table, drinking tea, which made him itch a bit. This guy was so confident? He had already returned early.

"Xiao Ge." Huangfu Yuchen also saw him and waved with a smile.

Huangfu Yuchen had a pile of game behind him, just like Yan Ge's, they were mostly small game like wild pheasants and hares.

"Have you counted yours?" Yan Ge dismounted.

Huangfu Yuchen said, "There is no hurry, it's more comfortable to first take a bath."

The two entered the tent to freshen up.

Yan Jin and the young Crown Prince walked over, a little disappointed. Archery was one of the young Crown Prince's lessons, but this was his first time hunting, and he hadn't caught any game. Yan Jin didn't want to make an outstanding performance, so he also returned empty-handed.

"There are so many game," Yan Jin walked to Yan Ge's catch. He picked up a wild pheasant, and said, "Let's make Beggar's Chicken."

The young Crown Prince became excited, "Brother Jin, can you make Beggar's Chicken?"

"Of course. Let's go over there."

After Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen freshened up, they called the guards to count the game.

"The Emperor caught fifteen game, Yan Guiqing also caught fifteen game."

Yan Ge was stunned, "Impossible! I counted on the way, and there were sixteen."

The guard recounted, "Indeed, it was sixteen."

Yan Ge glanced at Huangfu Yuchen.

Huangfu Yuchen pleaded innocence, "Baby, I went in with you just now."

At this moment, Yan Jin and the young Crown Prince approached, each holding a fragrant chicken leg.

"Father, Papa, what are you doing?" Yan Jin asked.

Yan Ge looked at the chicken leg in his hand, "Who gave this to you? It's burnt."

Yan Jin replied, "I grilled it myself, it's a bit burnt, but it's delicious." After speaking, he took another bite.

The young Crown Prince nodded in agreement.

Yan Ge asked suspiciously, "Where did you get the chicken?"

Yan Jin pointed to the ground, "I found it here."

Yan Ge turned to Huangfu Yuchen

with a triumphant look, "See, I told you it was sixteen."

Huangfu Yuchen calmly said, "It's not enough to go based solely on your words. What if you two conspired together?"

Yan Ge looked at him helplessly. Was it really okay for an emperor to be so shameless?

Huangfu Yuchen continued, "So, for the sake of fairness, we'll cancel the results of this competition and compete again tomorrow."

Yan Jin saw the situation turning unfavorable and didn't want to get involved. He grabbed the little crown prince and ran away.

Yan Ge said reluctantly, "Alright, alright, we'll compete again tomorrow."

That night, Yan Ge used the excuse of having a competition the next day to decline some nighttime activity with his husband.

Huangfu Yuchen felt as if he had lifted a rock and hit his feet.

The next day, after breakfast, Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen competed again as they had agreed, splitting up just like the previous day.

There were many wild pheasants and rabbits in the mountains and forests, and in less than half an hour, Yan Ge had caught nine of them, unknowingly venturing far from the camp.

Focusing on searching for prey, Yan Ge didn't notice a strange red light passing through the eyes of the four guards, Lu Fei, Jun Xiang, Lin Zhang, and Jiang Ting. The four of them pulled the reins and surrounded Yan Ge without a trace.

Lu Fei took an arrow from his quiver, aimed the bow, and pointed it at Yan Ge.

Yan Ge heard the sound of something cutting through the air and swiftly avoided it. He turned around and said, "Be careful not to hit each other—" but before he could finish speaking, he saw Lu Fei raising his bow toward him, and he felt surprised.

"Ah Fei?"

Jun Xiang, Lin Zhang, and Jiang Ting also aimed their arrows at him.

"Swish, swish, swish—"

Three arrows shot from three different directions.

"Move!" Yan Ge skillfully controlled his horse, and Yunyi leaped forward two steps. Yan Ge leaned back on the horse's back and skillfully dodged the three arrows.

Seeing that using arrows wasn't effective, Lu Fei and the others jumped toward him.

Yan Ge's eyes narrowed. While he had less interaction with Lin Zhang and Jiang Ting, he knew that Lu Fei and Jun Xiang would never betray him. Their sudden inexplicable attack on him was strange… as if they were being controlled—being controlled?

While evading the attacks of the four guards, Yan Ge focused on sensing the aura around him. He soon detected a faint unfamiliar aura, and his eyes became extremely sharp. He swiftly moved through the group of four, sealing their acupoints. He then turned his sharp gaze towards a big tree against the light and shouted, "Come out!"

A black figure slowly appeared on top of the tree.

"Meng Xiaohun?" Yan Ge looked at him in astonishment. This person looked exactly like Meng Xiaohun, but Meng Xiaohun's arms had clearly been cut off by Huangfu Yuchen. Why did this person have both arms intact?

"It's an honor that you still remember me," Meng Xiaohun spoke slowly, a cold smile on his emotionless face.

"What have you done to them? What do you want with me?" Yan Ge spoke calmly and examined him. He knew that this person might also have a system. He just didn't know what kind of system it was.

Meng Xiaohun floated down to the ground, standing not too close to Yan Ge, and folded his hands behind his back. "I want you to serve me."

Yan Ge was taken aback and said disdainfully, "Impossible."

Complex emotions flickered through Meng Xiaohun's eyes, making it hard for Yan Ge to discern them for awhile. Those turbulent emotions were quickly suppressed, leaving only anger and unwillingness. "You really won't consider it? If you refuse to serve me, then I'll have to kill you!"

"Just you?" Yan Ge looked at him with undisguised contempt, a mocking smile on his lips.

Meng Xiaohun suddenly turned his head and Lu Fei and the other three had painful expressions, with traces of blood at the corners of their mouths.

Yan Ge drew his spiritual sword and aimed it at Meng Xiaohun: "Release them immediately!"

Meng Xiaohun said indifferently, "If you continue to seal their acupoints, they will undoubtedly die."

Yan Ge had no choice but to release the acupoints of Lu Fei and the other three.

Lu Fei and the others gained their freedom and immediately wielded their weapons to attack Yan Ge.

Meng Xiaohun stood relaxed on the side, watching the battle.

Lu Fei swung his knife at Yan Ge's right shoulder. He had lost control of his own consciousness and was just a puppet. The strike was firm and unrelenting, with no room for mercy.

Yan Ge could only defend himself and was unable to counterattack. After finally breaking free from the four's encirclement, he was surrounded again. Lin Zhang held his double-edged blade, using the "Heavenly Divide" technique to slash at Yan Ge's face. The sword's energy was like black mist, chilling and eerie. It was clearly not Lin Zhang's usual style.

Yan Ge was shocked. Could it be that Meng Xiaohun not only controlled Lu Fei and the others' consciousness but also granted them his abilities?

He decided to test his hypothesis and fought Lu Fei and the others for thirty more moves. He confirmed his suspicion. He had witnessed some of Huangfu Yuchen's battle with Meng Xiaohun before, and the techniques used by Lu Fei and the others were indeed of the same style as Meng Xiaohun's.

Meng Xiaohun said, "Can't bring yourself to kill them? It's not too late to regret now. As long as you agree to follow me, I'll release them immediately. Otherwise, they will definitely kill you."

Yan Ge thought for a moment and said, "How about you release them first, and we'll talk. Why do you value me so much?"

"No need to explore my intentions," Meng Xiaohun said coldly, "Since you remain obstinate—"

Lu Fei and the others' attacks intensified.

While fighting them, Yan Ge discreetly retreated, gradually approaching Meng Xiaohun.

However, Meng Xiaohun was very vigilant and quickly stepped back.

Yan Ge felt something was odd. If Meng Xiaohun could control Lu Fei and the others to kill him, then Meng Xiaohun's abilities should be even stronger, so he shouldn't be so wary of him. Why was he retreating?

"Kill him!" Meng Xiaohun glanced back and ordered Lu Fei and the others in a stern voice.

Lu Fei, Jun Xiang, Lin Zhang, and Jiang Ting's eyes turned red, and their attacks became fiercer.

Seeing Yan Ge being forced to retreat, Meng Xiaohun's eyes filled with madness and excitement as he ordered once again:

"Kill him immediately!"

Yan Ge turned his head and looked at him coldly. He soared into the air, flying behind Jiang Ting, and with a heavy palm, struck his back. Jiang Ting groaned and lost his breath. Yan Ge repeated the process, killing Lu Fei, Jun Xiang, and Lin Zhang as well.

Meng Xiaohun stared at him in shock and suspicion. After a moment, his eyes regained calmness, "I didn't expect you to be able to take action."

"It seems you don't understand me." Yan Ge retorted and leaped in front of him, thrusting his spiritual sword towards him.

Meng Xiaohun's aura suddenly became colder. He mumbled a few words, and his entire body seemed to become illusory, as if wrapped in a circle of black mist. Suddenly, his body twisted into the shape of a fierce dragon, rushing fiercely towards Yan Ge.

Yan Ge snorted, and his spiritual sword was enveloped in majestic spiritual energy as it rushed forward to meet him.

"Boom!"

The two forces collided, producing a deafening sound.

Yan Ge smiled, "I'm curious. If I were to sever your arms, could you still regrow them?"

Meng Xiaohun's eyes became ferocious, as if he couldn't help but recall the pain of having his arms cut off by Huangfu Yuchen that day.

As a result, his aura momentarily became unstable. Yan Ge seized this opportunity and ruthlessly stabbed towards Meng Xiaohun's heart.

Meng Xiaohun hurriedly dodged, his lips moved rapidly, murmuring indistinctly. Two black mists, like black wings, followed behind him fiercely, resembling a violent storm and raging waves.

Having read numerous online novels, Yan Ge wondered if Meng Xiaohun was chanting some incantation. He transformed into a ray of light and fearlessly faced the attack.

"Boom!" All the plants and trees within ten feet collapsed.

In another direction of the mountain forest, Huangfu Yuchen suddenly felt a palpitation, as if something bad had occurred.

"Your Majesty?" The accompanying guards looked at him with confusion as he abruptly halted the horse's reins.

"Baby?" Huangfu Yuchen tried to call out to Yan Ge in his mind but received no response. The palpitations became even more pronounced, and his expression changed. He turned the horse's head and swiftly galloped away.

"Your Majesty!" Several guards hurriedly followed.

Yan Ge didn't sense Huangfu Yuchen's call. Meng Xiaohun was incredibly powerful, and he couldn't afford to be careless. He had to concentrate nearly eighty percent of his consciousness on Meng Xiaohun to barely keep up with him.

Meng Xiaohun's mood was worse than his. He didn't expect Yan Ge's strength to be so formidable. As long as Yan Ge wasn't eliminated, he wouldn't be at ease. With this in mind, he used a burst of internal energy to cut open the back of his hand. The crimson blood immediately dripped and condensed into a mass of blood mist in mid-air, eventually forming a peculiar geometric pattern that rushed towards Yan Ge. Simultaneously, it gradually grew larger and flew above Yan Ge's head before suddenly slamming down heavily.

Yan Ge was well-prepared and infused his qi into the spiritual sword. The sword's aura was like a fierce and domineering lightning, splitting the strange pattern in half!

"Ptt—," This pattern seemed to have some connection with Meng Xiaohun. He couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood, glaring at Yan Ge with a mix of anger and hatred, as if looking at a dead person.

Yan Ge was not at ease either, it was as if half of his dantian had been emptied by the rebound of his own attack. He took several steps back in succession before finally stabilizing himself. He quickly rubbed his feet against the ground, stirring up dust.

"Xiao Ge!"

Huangfu Yuchen arrived just in time, firmly embracing Yan Ge's waist.

Meng Xiaohun's eyes darkened, and his figure flickered as he quickly fled.

Yan Ge gasped for breath and frowned, looking in the direction where Meng Xiaohun had disappeared.

Was he overthinking things? When Huangfu Yuchen and Meng Xiaohun fought before, it seemed that Meng Xiaohun had avoided Huangfu Yuchen, reluctant to engage with him. Today, as soon as Huangfu Yuchen appeared, Meng Xiaohun immediately left without even exchanging a single blow with him. It was as if he deliberately avoided Huangfu Yuchen. This person must know Huangfu Yuchen very well, so much so that he feared Huangfu Yuchen recognizing him. Who exactly is he?

A person's face inexplicably flashed through Yan Ge's mind, and he quickly shook his head.

"Baby, are you alright?" Huangfu Yuchen anxiously asked Yan Ge.

"I'm fine," Yan Ge smiled at him, "just depleted quite a bit of qi."

"You rest here first." A fierce glint flashed in Huangfu Yuchen's eyes, and he quickly chased after Meng Xiaohun. Meng Xiaohun's target was his beloved, and Huangfu Yuchen wanted to see exactly who Meng Xiaohun was!

Meng Xiaohun fled far away, but just as he was about to catch his breath, he suddenly sensed a familiar aura rapidly approaching. Startled, he gritted his teeth, once again used a bit of fresh blood, and vanished into thin air, leaving no trace.

Huangfu Yuchen was a step too late, and he could only watch Meng Xiaohun disappear. He flew to the spot where Meng Xiaohun vanished but found no clues.

"Damn it!" A strong sense of frustration surged in his chest as he angrily swung his hand, causing a large tree on his right to come crashing down, startling countless birds.

Thinking that Yan Ge might be injured, he quickly returned. He took Yan Ge's wrist, checked his pulse, and inspected his dantian before finally calming down. "It's not serious, but indeed, a significant amount of qi was lost."

He looked in the direction where Meng Xiaohun had left, his expression gloomy. "He knew we were hunting here today and that we had separated. Baby, could you see who he really is?"

Yan Ge shook his head.

"Your Majesty, General Lu and his men… they're all dead…" Four guards who followed Huangfu Yuchen came forward to report.

Huangfu Yuchen's expression became even more grim.

"They're not dead." Yan Ge walked over and touched Lu Fei and the others.

Their breathing instantly stabilized, but it was still very weak.

Yan Ge sent Huangfu Yuchen a voice transmission, "Meng Xiaohun controlled them to deal with me. I had no choice but to forcibly close off their senses."

Huangfu Yuchen pinched his shoulder and said, "Baby, you did nothing wrong. If you hadn't acted that way, either you or all four of them would have died."

Yan Ge looked at Lu Fei and the others and said, "Forcibly blocking their senses caused significant damage to their bodies, almost crippling their martial arts. I want to let them cultivate as compensation."

Huangfu Yuchen pondered, "It's acceptable. All four of them are very loyal. But we must also keep some insurance. Just transmit the first two layers of the 'Heaven and Earth Annihilation Technique.' In case they harbor ill intentions, we can still suppress them. Today, they can be considered fortunate despite the misfortune."

Yan Ge said, "You should handle it personally."

Huangfu Yuchen knew that Yan Ge didn't want his reputation to overshadow his own. He kissed his beloved's face without rejecting the care, saying, "Don't worry, I know what to do."

He ordered a few guards to carry Lu Fei and the others back to camp. He didn't mount his horse either, instead letting Yan Ge rest on Bai Guan's back while he personally held the reins and walked the horse steadily.

Yan Ge couldn't help but look at him, smiling gently as his thoughts drifted to Meng Xiaohun.

Was he really the person he suspected? Until there was concrete evidence, he couldn't share his suspicions with Yuchen.

The people remaining in the camp saw Yan Ge sitting on the horse, while the emperor personally held the reins. Meanwhile, Lu Fei and the others were unconscious on horseback, and they were surprised. They quickly approached.

"Your Majesty! Yan Guiqing!" Gao Feng and Gao Yun swiftly arrived by their side, taking the reins from Huangfu Yuchen's hand.

"Your Majesty, is Yan Guiqing injured?" Deng Mande asked worriedly.

Huangfu Yuchen helped Yan Ge dismount, "Yan Guiqing's group encountered a fierce beast, and General Lu and his men suffered some minor injuries while protecting him. Deng Mande, instruct everyone to hunt in pairs and be cautious."

"Yes!" Deng Mande felt a bit skeptical. Lu Fei and the others didn't seem to be injured by a wild beast, but since the emperor said so, he wisely refrained from asking further.

Those who could survive in the palace or the court were all clever people. Even if they discovered something, they wouldn't ask if it wasn't appropriate to do so.

Yan Ge instructed the palace servants to carry Lu Fei and the others down and take good care of them. He handed them a bottle of medicine and asked them to give one pill to each before focusing on their recovery.

Back in the tent, Yan Ge sat cross-legged on the bed, adjusting his breathing. "The Fengyun Immortal Records" were different from ordinary cultivation techniques. Even without a trace of true qi in his Dantian, the technique would automatically run to protect the master. Moreover, his dantian still had a small amount of qi, which could be quickly converted from less to more, allowing him to endlessly replenish it. Just a short while ago, he and Huangfu Yuchen had both advanced to the Late Golden Core Stage, and the advantage of this was now even more apparent. In preparation for condensing the golden core, there was always a vortex in his dantian that enabled him to absorb spiritual energy from heaven and earth faster and convert it into true essence.

The hunters began returning one after another, preparing to eat lunch before continuing the hunt.

Huangfu Yuchen had Gao Feng and Gao Yun guard the entrance of the tent, not allowing anyone to disturb them. He also instructed the palace servants to prepare hot water before going to the open area to oversee the overall situation. The hunting competition was continued to avoid suspicion.

It wasn't until noon on the third day that Yan Ge woke up from his meditation and saw Yan Jin and the Crown Prince quietly sitting on the carpet, playing chess. He smiled faintly.

"Why haven't you gone out hunting?"

"Papa!"

"Second Master!"

Yan Jin and the Crown Prince ran over, surrounding him on the left and right.

"We wanted to accompany you."

Yan Jin knew about the fight with Meng Xiaohun yesterday. However, Yan Ge was his master, and unless his life was in danger, he couldn't intervene without his master's command. So, he could only stay in place and secretly keep an eye on Yan Ge. After confirming that Yan Ge was safe, he continued to accompany the Crown Prince in hunting.

"Where's your father?" Yan Ge asked.

The Crown Prince replied, "Father is outside. The hunting competition has already ended, and they are now tallying the prey. It's very lively outside."

Yan Ge saw they were both eager to go, and he smiled, "You go and see who won. I'll take a bath and join you later."

"Yes!" Yan Jin and the Crown Prince couldn't wait and left.

After bathing and changing into casual clothes, Yan Ge first went to the tent where Lu Fei and the others were resting. They were still unconscious, but the medicine he gave them was very effective. Their pulses had strengthened significantly, and their

Recovery was going well.

After giving some instructions to the palace servants, he headed towards the liveliest place.

"Yan Guiqing is here—"

Huangfu Yuchen stood up and walked over. "Xiao Ge, you're here. How's your body?"

"I'm fine. So, who won?" Yan Ge sat together with him on the throne, his gaze sweeping over the piles of prey on the ground. 'Goodness, the remaining animals in the forest have probably run away.'

Huangfu Yuchen said, "Still tallying."

With that said, he looked at the people below, who were whispering to each other. He smiled and said, "The civil officials seem to be at a disadvantage. So, we'll separate civil and military officials and rank the top three in each category."

The civil officials were delighted, "Your Majesty is wise!"

After the tallying was complete, Huangfu Yuchen rewarded the top three in both civil and military categories.

The ministers only took three or four of the prey back home to let their families taste the fresh catch, and they offered the rest to the emperor.

Huangfu Yuchen accepted without hesitation. Both he and Yan Ge liked wild game, and the meat from these wild animals had a better texture. Any excess meat that they couldn't consume immediately could be dried by the Imperial Kitchen and enjoyed later.

The group broke camp and set off to return to the capital. It was still early, and they would reach their destination before nightfall.

Sitting on the dragon carriage, Huangfu Yuchen finally had a chance to discuss the matter of Meng Xiaohun with Yan Ge.

"We both have similar cultivation bases, and Meng Xiaohun can now almost match you in strength. It's evident that he has made significant progress since last time," Huangfu Yuchen said.

Yan Ge nodded. "Indeed. He hasn't shown up for so long, and suddenly making an appearance today might be a way to test my true strength."

Huangfu Yuchen sighed, "It's just a shame that I'm not strong enough. Otherwise, I would definitely be able to draw him out!"

"Yuchen, don't push yourself too hard. He may become stronger, but we are also getting stronger. Besides, there are two of us, and he can never defeat both of us alone." Yan Ge didn't want to put too much pressure on him. Besides, there was still some doubt in his heart, so he didn't say much. Yuchen was very sensitive and intelligent; he might notice any slip of the tongue, so he had to choose his words lightly.

Huangfu Yuchen replied, "I'll finish any important matters these two days, then I'll go into seclusion."

Since he had made up his mind, Yan Ge's only option was to accompany him. "We'll go together then."

After returning to the palace, Huangfu Yuchen stayed up late to write a simple plan and implemented it during the morning court the next day.

"The northern Yongzhou is severely affected by freezing, and we don't know the extent of the disaster. I plan to dispatch an envoy to investigate the situation and make reasonable arrangements for relief efforts. Which minister do you think is suitable for this task?"

Huangfu Yuhu stepped forward. Perhaps due to his recent wedding, his face was rosy, and he looked very healthy. "Your Majesty, I'm willing to go."

Haungfu Yuchen was surprised, "Prince Dai, it will be New Year's in two months. Yongzhou is far from the capital, and you may not make it in time for the celebration."

Huangfu Yuhu smiled, "I understand. However, it's time for me to set aside my playful nature and share the burden with my elder brother. But, I request permission to bring Princess Dai and Concubine Song with me."

The ministers all laughed.

Huangfu Yuchen also chuckled and glanced at Huangfu Yuhu, saying, "Very well, since you insist, I will appoint you as the envoy. Investigate this matter and report back to the capital promptly. If the disaster is severe, ensure proper arrangements for relief work."

Huangfu Yuhu knelt down, "I will follow your decree! Your Majesty, rest assured, I will do my best!"

"Rise." Huangfu Yuchen said, "If any officials neglect their duties or act for personal gain, they will be severely punished."

"Yes! I will depart today."

Once he was back in Tenglong Palace, Huangfu Yuchen instructed Deng Mande, "I recall there is a fox fur cloak in the treasury. Go and find it, then have it sent to Prince Dai."

"Yes."

The palace staff were efficient, and the cloak was quickly brought out and carefully cleaned.

Upon seeing it, Yan Ge asked casually, "Why did you dig this out?"

Huangfu Yuchen replied, "Yuhu is heading north, and I realized that both of us have no use for this cloak, so I had it sent to him."

Yan Ge was taken aback, "Prince Dai is heading north? Is there something going on?" He wanted to investigate Prince Dai's residence tonight, but unexpectedly, he got this news.

"Yongzhou is severely affected by the cold, and he volunteered to go as an envoy to inspect the situation. It's rare that he wants to share my burdens, so I agreed. I just didn't expect him to take his wife and concubine along on the mission. I don't know what to say to him." Huangfu Yuchen shook his head as he spoke. Although his words were blaming, his tone was indulgent.

Yan Ge was deeply worried. If Huangfu Yuhu wasn't Meng Xiaohan, it would be fine, but if he was indeed Meng Xiaohan, he was concerned that Yuchen might not bear the blow.

His fists unconsciously clenched. Huangfu Yuhu, I hope you won't disappoint Yuchen and me! Otherwise…

"Xiao Ge? Xiao Ge?" Huangfu Yuchen gently shook his beloved's arm, "What are you thinking?"

Yan Ge returned to his senses and smiled at him, "Nothing, just thinking about how much colder it is in the north compared to the capital. I hope Prince Dai's journey goes smoothly. I have some pills to withstand the cold; have them sent along."

"Thank you, my love." Huangfu Yuchen kissed his forehead.

Yan Ge took the initiative to deepen the kiss, capturing Huangfu Yuchen's lips and softly sucking on them. "Yuchen, I'll always be by your side."

Huangfu Yuchen was momentarily stunned, then smiled contentedly and hugged him tightly. "Of course, we'll always be together. Even if you want to leave, I won't let you go."