Young Prime Minister, a Hermit

Chapter 114

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Chapter 7 Military Review

Chapter 7 Military Review

Outside Qifeng Valley, the area is quiet and secluded, with hardly any human presence. Inside, however, smoke and dust billow, and war drums thunder. The sky is cloudless, and the blazing sun hangs high in the heavens. Even a moment of exposure to its heat will leave one drenched in sweat. Looking up, one sees only the blinding white light; looking down, one is met with utter deafness.

Despite the sweltering heat, hundreds of thousands of soldiers advanced and retreated methodically in Qifeng Valley without the slightest hesitation. Above them stood the renowned general, hailed as a prodigy, a girl in red, and a boy in blue. Their faces were solemn as they waved banners, their faces covered in sweat yet oblivious to the fact that the thunderous drumbeats made them dizzy and hot, but they paid no heed.

Their eyes were fixed on the enemy's ever-changing and intricate formations, while their minds were preoccupied with their own desperate attempts to adapt to the changing circumstances. The waving banners and booming drums evoked a sense of sympathy for the generals locked in battle in the Valley of Sympathy, while simultaneously causing concern and pity for the two pale-faced commanders under the blazing sun.

Mu Shuangshuang was constantly thinking about battle formations, only managing to steal glances at the pale-faced youth opposite her for a fleeting moment. She had always thought he was feigning prowess, but she hadn't expected his body to be so genuinely weak. Mu Shuangshuang possessed profound and pure internal energy; although she was troubled and hadn't rested in a long time, she only looked haggard and would recover in a few days. Once on the battlefield, she would naturally be as energetic as ever, leaving no trace of her distress.

However, although the young man opposite him still appeared calm and composed, one could tell from the man in blue's constant hand pressed against his back that the young man would have collapsed long ago if not for his internal strength.

However, there are no fathers and sons on the battlefield. Even when facing Feng Yihan, she had no choice but to kill him if forced to, let alone a mere stranger. A cold glint flashed in Mu Shuang's eyes. They had been fighting for a full hour, and she had never before exerted herself so intensely in a battle of pure command against someone on the battlefield. Qin Luo's swift responses, ingenious changes, and steady control over his soldiers both startled and filled her with a sense of pride.

The world-renowned young prime minister Qin Luo, the son of the goddess Ishuel, Chi Fei, a twenty-year-old boy of godlike intelligence and power. Tell me, besides Liu Cenfeng, whose fate was unknown two years ago, who else in this world can rival him in a duel? Tell me, besides myself, who else in this world can command his utmost effort?

Even if few can comprehend the profound mysteries of this battle, even if no one remembers it in the future, even if it is ultimately buried in the torrent of history, she is content. Who dares to say that women are necessarily inferior to men? Who dares to say that women can only be kept in seclusion? She, Mu Shuangshuang, a woman, was able to fight the young Prime Minister Qin Luo to the death on the battlefield, evenly matched. That pride, that exhilaration, she will never forget.

However, in this time of national crisis, mere equal strength is not enough. Mu Shuang's eyes shone brightly, while a calm, subtle smile played on her lips. She suddenly put away the banner, leaped to the front of the war drum, and used her inner strength to unleash her voice: "Cavalry retreat! Shields ready! Archers, charge into formation!"

As a clear, melodious, and slightly husky female voice resounded through the sky under the blazing sun, Fengyin's army formation changed dramatically, the eyes of Fengyin's soldiers changed, and the originally loud but monotonous drumbeats also changed.

The blue-clad youth on the opposite Sunrise Viewing Slope paled the moment he heard the drumbeats. Almost instantly, he folded his banner and shouted to the Golden Radiance generals in Phoenix Valley, "A surprise attack on the central camp! We must not allow this formation to take hold! Left flank, advance! Central... cough cough..."

The boy's hoarse voice suddenly stopped, replaced by a continuous cough that seemed to be spitting out his lungs. In that instant of hesitation, Feng Yin's cavalry formation had already taken shape. It was still a diamond-shaped battle formation, but it had turned a corner, and the front assault section had been replaced by densely packed shields. Behind the shields were spirited archers who showed no signs of fatigue. They stood close together at equal intervals, holding dark iron bows with long arrows nocked, which occasionally reflected a cold glint in the blazing sun.

Shields in front, archers close behind, cavalry in the rear, and infantry at the back. The Jin Yao soldiers looked at the heavily armed army ahead with horror in their eyes. They all turned their gazes to the blue-clad boy on the Sunrise Slope, whose face was flushed from coughing, hoping that he could tell them how to deal with the situation.

However, Mu Shuangshuang wouldn't give them time to wait. The war drums changed, and Mo Li, who had just replaced her on Wangyue Slope, raised the battle flag, its crimson color drawing a dazzling streak of light in the air. At the same time, unstoppable arrows rained down on the still bewildered Jin Yao Army.

In an instant, the battlefield was filled with the mournful cries of men and horses. The unexpected situation had plunged Jin Yao's 30,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry into a life-or-death struggle, with victory or defeat hanging by a thread.

The boy, supported by the man in blue, finally stopped coughing. The blush on his face faded, leaving only a pale, youthful white. The man in blue frowned deeply, and his inner strength was continuously poured into the boy's body.

The young man, panting, looked towards the battlefield and shook his head, saying, "The only weakness of the Leaping Horse Formation is its slow adaptability, and the potential for large gaps during changes. It's a pity we couldn't seize the opportunity just now. Cough cough..."

The boy's hands, still cold under the scorching sun, gripped the man in blue's wrist tightly, and he said in a low but firm voice, "Help me to the war drums."

"No!" The man in blue exclaimed, his expression changing drastically. "How can you, in your condition, possibly play the drum again?"

The boy looked up at him, his expression gentle: "Yihan, I'm fine. I just need to go back and rest."

The man in blue frowned deeply, his voice slightly hoarse: "This battle was originally just a show; success or failure is acceptable. Why not unleash the full force of the Blood Tribe... or perhaps, I'll take command for you..."

"Yihan!" The young man interrupted him softly, glancing at the red-clad woman opposite him who was completely absorbed in beating the war drum. He coughed twice and said in a hoarse voice, "The one I'm facing right now is a respected and renowned female general. She challenges me with her willpower and outstanding command skills, and I have accepted her challenge. Now, she's using the drumbeats to issue me a final invitation for a life-or-death duel. If I back down now, even if I win through a counter-espionage scheme later, I will never be able to convince her. A true decisive battle must be fought honorably, allowing no room for cowardice. Otherwise, it would be an insult to her and an insult to myself."

The man in blue robes' dark eyes turned a deep, dark green, and his ashen face was as cold as ice crystals, but he still helped the boy step by step to the war drum. He supported the boy's back and slowly channeled his inner energy into the boy's already exhausted body.

In Qifeng Valley, Jin Yao's generals heard a series of weak yet clearly audible drumbeats. From the feeble strikes, one could hear how insignificant the sound of the drumsticks hitting the drumhead was, yet each strike seemed to have a life of its own, drilling into the ears and even stirring the heartstrings to beat in rhythm.

Hearing the drumbeats, the soldiers' hearts were stirred and their feet were itching to move, but the general in command couldn't keep up with the rhythm of the drums. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his eyes were full of shame and guilt.

Just as more and more Jin Yao soldiers were wounded by arrows, and Feng Yin's vanguard began to break through their core ranks, the boy beating the drums let out a shout that sounded like a roar: "Lin Xuan, replace him!"

A faint, androgynous, deep, and gentle voice responded instantly: "Yes, young master!"

In a flash, a handsome man in white appeared atop Wangyue Slope, snatched the banner from the general's hand, and kicked him aside. The general showed no resentment; instead, he respectfully stepped aside. The man called Lin Xuan had barely stood still when a warm yet slightly hoarse voice reached his ears: "King Wen's Later Heaven Eight Trigrams Formation!"

Lin Xuan was startled, his handsome face contorted as he looked behind him: "This formation is so difficult, and it was taught to me a long time ago, I've almost forgotten it."

The boy's voice was still hoarse, but he played the drum with a leisurely air: "If you don't know how, just take out all the betrothal money I gave you last month and resign from this three-star position."

Lin Xuan's face stiffened. He was about to say something, but when he met the icy gaze of the man in blue behind the boy, he immediately swallowed his words and turned around to concentrate on waving the brocade banner in his hand.

The battle situation changed again, and Mu Shuangshuang watched in alarm as the Golden Radiance soldiers in the valley shifted their formation strangely. What kind of formation were they in? At first glance, it seemed like just chaotic movement, but they were able to coordinate with each other in pairs, as if they were in a maze built by thousands of soldiers. Once one's own people stepped into the gate of death, they would never be able to escape.

This formation reminded Mu Shuangshuang of the Kuiyang Formation on Mount Wuji, also known as the "Sun Bagua Formation": Qian represents Heaven, Kan represents Water, Gen represents Mountain, Zhen represents Thunder, Xun represents Wind, Li represents Fire, Kun represents Earth, and Dui represents Lake. Mu Shuangshuang spent ten years trying to comprehend that formation but failed, and finally had to settle for learning the Kuiyin Formation, which was weaker than the Kuiyang Formation.

My master once said that this formation takes the principles of the growth of all things in the universe as its profound meaning and the movement of stars as its basic principle. It contains more than eight thousand variations, each of which contains a set of martial arts philosophies, which are extremely difficult for ordinary people to master. Even he himself only fully comprehended it after he turned one hundred.

But there was one person who, by nature, had no desire to learn the ways of ruling or leading troops, yet possessed an astonishing talent and interest in martial arts. Mu Shuangshuang turned her gaze to the man in blue robes who was supporting the blue-robed youth, repeatedly asking in her heart: Brother Feng, is that you? Did you help her complete this formation?

However, the changing formations below and the drumbeats struck by the boy, while seemingly similar to the Kuiyang Formation, were not entirely the same. The variations contained within the Kuiyang Formation were inexhaustible and profoundly difficult to understand; how could it be practiced by ordinary soldiers under temporary command?

It turned out to be merely a resemblance, not the true Kuiyang Formation! This realization brought Mu Shuangshuang a great sense of relief. No one understood the power and terror of the Kuiyang Formation better than Shen Tu. It was a terrifying formation capable of capturing top experts and even destroying an army of 100,000, provided the commander was proficient in formations and the deployers cooperated closely. At that point, no matter how capable she was or how many elite troops she had, she would likely be powerless.

However, although the formation commanded by the young man was not the Kuiyang formation, it still instantly reversed the tide of battle. Mu Shuangshuang, relying on the archers' accuracy and the formation's stability, managed to engage him in a protracted struggle. The initially one-sided battle was turned into a close contest in the blink of an eye. This formation was less powerful than the Kuiyang formation, with at most a hundred variations, but its advantage lay in its simplicity and ease of understanding. Even soldiers without prior training could instantly transform into a Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams formation the moment the drums sounded and the battle flags were waved. From a military strategy perspective, the battle formation commanded by the young man was actually more practical than the Kuiyang formation.

Even if it really was the principle taught by Brother Feng, his ability to apply it in this way is truly remarkable! As Mu Shuangshuang thought this... the situation below was already showing a trend that was imperceptible to the naked eye. Jin Yao's Xuanjia cavalry advanced and retreated with measured steps, calm and composed, appearing and disappearing unpredictably between the various gates of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams formation, making them impossible to defend against. This was far superior to their numerous but mediocre infantry.

Mu Shuangshuang sighed. Her hands, which had been aching from holding the drumsticks, seemed to lose their strength in an instant. With an extremely slow and imperceptible speed, she directed the army to regroup, assume a defensive posture, and then gradually retreat to their own camp. The boy seemed to sense her intention to cease hostilities and gave the same instruction.

And so, a battle that appeared to end in a draw, lasting two hours, ended silently amidst the heavy but not intense smoke. As Mu Shuangshuang was helped down from Wangyue Slope by Mo Li, her gaze happened to fall upon the Sunrise Viewing Slope, which was of similar height on the opposite side.

The blue-clad youth, who had just been locked in a fierce battle of wits with her, collapsed backward before he could even put down his drumsticks. Without any hesitation, the green-clad man who had been protecting him caught him, enveloping his slender, frail body in his arms.

Mu Shuangshuang suddenly stopped, staring at the scene in the distance with almost shock. A restless suspicion began to take root in her heart after she saw the man in blue's actions, which were filled with pity and possessiveness.

Brother Feng, is the one you said would never force you, would never leave you, truly just your master? Brother Feng, at this moment, is there even a trace of Ling'er in your eyes or in your heart?

=== ...

I still remember when I was just a little girl of ten years old, my master took me up the mountain to teach me. Because I was a candidate for Shen Tu, I was not allowed to communicate with other fellow disciples, so as to prevent me from being soft-hearted in the cruel struggle for supremacy in the future; because I was a candidate for Shen Tu, I had to be fearless in the face of death and pass through many trials in order to survive.

Countless times she teetered between life and death, countless times she felt unbearably lonely, countless times she wanted to tell her master to give up, she would run to that heavy stone door and think of the little senior brother on the other side of the door whose face she could not remember, but who had given her the only warmth on Wuji Mountain.