Volume One: Turmoil in Yan and Yun Chapter 106: Only for Your Sake (Part Four)

The sudden opening of the city gates caught both sides off guard. The giants standing at the entrance were visibly stunned by the wide-open gates and hesitated, unwilling to advance. Without any orders from the rear, they were momentarily at a loss.

Amidst the chaotic battlefield, there was a brief lull. If not for the giants’ terrifying defenses, the vitality arrows from the battlements would have slain them on the spot in that fleeting moment.

One giant waved his massive palm to swat away an incoming vitality arrow, then tentatively stepped his left foot inside the city. A powerful suction force emanated from within Yan Yun City, instantly pulling him in. The gates quickly shut, then reopened in an instant.

Inside, the gate was empty—no trace of blood, nothing. The giant had vanished as if erased.

Feng Muyun stood atop the city wall, his expression calm as he gazed at the vast barbarian army.

Those barbarians closest to Yan Yun, seeing the solitary figure standing resolutely on the battlements, were unsure whether the chill they felt was from the falling snow or their own fear, and they hesitated, unwilling to advance.

News of this spread quickly to the rear camps, causing an uproar among the barbarians.

“Have they surrendered? Why else would all three gates be wide open?” someone asked in confusion.

“Nonsense! If he had surrendered, what would my dead child have been for?” the giant tribe chief roared angrily, shooting a fierce glare at the chief who had spoken.

The giant tribe was one of the most powerful barbarian clans. Though few in number, their strength was overwhelming. It was said that giant children were born with the power of the Mid Mysterious Realm, and most adult giants reached the Radiant Realm. Coupled with their warlike and bloodthirsty nature, even the Ming Palace dared not confront them head-on.

The chief who had spoken turned pale and fell silent.

“The High Priest has long battled Feng Muyun; perhaps we should ask his opinion,” the chief of the Manyin tribe suggested.

The giant chief withdrew his gaze and looked toward Doma Gan. “High Priest?”

Doma Gan sighed inwardly, thinking he truly had no idea what was going on.

“Feng Muyun’s move is uncharacteristic… there must be some hidden reason,” he said.

Hearing this, the chiefs exchanged glances, their expressions varied.

The Manyin chief nearly laughed aloud.

The giant chief nearly cursed.

Of course, everyone knew Feng Muyun’s behavior was unusual and that there must be a reason. The key was: what was it?

Seeing their reactions, Doma Gan roughly understood their thoughts and said helplessly, “Feng Muyun is always cautious in warfare and never resorts to risky tactics in our clashes. If I had to say, it’s that Mr. Feng’s strategy has forced him into a desperate corner, leaving him no choice but to resort to this desperate measure.”

“Desperate measure?” Yang Wanli finally spoke.

Doma Gan felt as if granted a reprieve and said, “Whatever Feng Muyun is planning, once we enter the city it will be clear. The Wind-Sand Formation can hold Mr. Shouli at bay, but how can its remaining power withstand the iron hooves of our 300,000 barbarian troops? What else could this be but a desperate measure?”

Yang Wanli didn’t respond directly. Instead, he turned to the giant chief and asked, “Chief Muhara, what realm was that giant you just pulled into the city?”

“Radiant Mid Realm,” Chief Muhara answered. Thirty-seven adult giants had been deployed in this siege.

“Could you be sure that if it’s so easy to kill a Radiant Mid Realm warrior, he definitely can’t kill a Void Path Realm expert?” Doma Gan asked, puzzled.

Yang Wanli sighed. “We’re not only trying to take Yan Yun but must keep enough strength to resist Feng Changkong’s northern forces. Until the crucial moment, we cannot risk letting Void Path or higher experts get involved.”

He paused, then continued, “War is not merely about victory or defeat, but about capital—how to gain the greatest results with the least loss. That’s what we must consider.”

Doma Gan wondered whether ordinary barbarian soldiers were not worthy of concern.

Noticing his thoughts, Yang Wanli said, “Ordinary soldiers—we’ll have plenty after conquering northern Yan. But nurturing strong warriors takes time. Even the giants, a naturally gifted race, need time to mature, let alone others.”

Doma Gan felt there was something wrong with this reasoning but couldn’t pinpoint what.

Just then, the tent flap was thrown open, and a silver-gray moon wolf entered.

It was one of the leaders of the Silver Moon Wolf tribe, commonly called the Second Wolf Lord.

Though the Wolf King and Snake King agreed to Yang Wanli’s proposal after the war began, their innate natures kept them operating separately from the barbarians. There were three northern gates of Yan Yun: the wolves attacked the northern three gates, the barbarians the other two.

Things had gone smoothly at first; the two northern generals defending against them lacked experience fighting monsters and treated them as ordinary beasts, leading to their surprise defeat. Just as the wolves were about to seize the battlements, the gates suddenly opened.

What shocked them more was that the moment the gates opened, every descendant who stepped inside the city instantly turned to dust, including its own offspring—a white wolf who had reached the Radiant Upper Realm!

This loss sent the once jovial wolf into shock and fury. Ignoring the Snake Lord’s feelings, it left the northern gates and headed straight here.

“What’s going on?” It stared at Yang Wanli. “You said the Wind-Sand Formation’s power would be restrained. We wouldn’t have to worry about any rear threats.”

As one of the Silver Moon Wolf tribe’s leaders, it hadn’t yet entered the Void Path Realm, but the prestige of the Wolf King and its position gave it arrogance. Both its expression and tone were quite rude.

Yang Wanli replied, “That is true. Didn’t you notice it during the siege?”

As a disciple of Li Jinxing, Yang Wanli had encountered many top-tier experts and naturally didn’t regard a mere Silver Moon Wolf King as significant.

As for this beast’s true status in its tribe… it was laughable.

His answer was accordingly blunt.

The Second Wolf Lord fumed, baring sharp fangs. The tent filled instantly with its aura of the grand path. Those below the Void Path Realm felt their hairs rise, as if a fierce wolf was staring them down, nearly suffocating them.

The giant chief glared at the Second Wolf Lord, raising his hand slightly, speaking grimly, “Second Wolf Lord, are you trying to break the pact? Does the Silver Moon Wolf King know of this?”

An even more domineering aura appeared, then vanished faster than it had come.

The wolf bared its teeth, seemingly letting out a wordless sneer, ready to strike.

“Second Wolf Lord, no need to be angry,” Yang Wanli interrupted the tense moment solemnly. “Yan Yun is not yet taken. If we fight amongst ourselves now, all our efforts will be in vain.”

The Second Wolf Lord was silent for a moment, then said, “I want an explanation. Otherwise, I can’t justify this to the Snake Lord and others.”

Yang Wanli smiled lightly. “Why would you need to explain? The Wind-Sand Formation still holds the power of the Unified Path. Even if only by chance, it can easily kill anyone below the Dao Realm.”

The Second Wolf Lord said, “So you still haven’t fulfilled your promise.”

Yang Wanli spread his hands helplessly. “I said at the start of the battle that the Divine Might Fortress Lord meddled with the Heavenly Dao and was gravely injured. The Wolf King swore he could be eliminated, yet from Yufeng Pass to Yan Yun, the Divine Might Fortress Lord still blocks our way. Did I ever blame the Wolf King?”

The Second Wolf Lord sneered coldly. “You dare?”

Yang Wanli’s expression didn’t change. “Why would you think I don’t dare?”

At that moment, his aura surged violently, surpassing both the Second Wolf Lord and the giant chief, seemingly reaching the upper mid-level Void Path Realm.

“Though I’m no match for the Silver Moon Wolf King, do you think the Li Jinxing lineage has survived a thousand years of being hunted by luck alone?”

Even the Demon Lord showed proper respect to Li Jinxing, let alone a recently unified divine beast like the Silver Moon Wolf King.

Considering the siege had barely been affected by the Wind-Sand Formation’s power, it meant at least one member of Li Jinxing’s lineage had reached Yan Bei in the Unified Path Realm. The Second Wolf Lord’s temper softened, reluctantly asking, “So what do we do now?”

Yang Wanli smiled, as if those harsh words weren’t his, then said, “Feng Muyun’s move is likely either a trap or an empty city stratagem. The High Priest spoke rightly—at this point, Feng Muyun has little room left to maneuver and had to devise this desperate strategy.”

He paused, then continued, “Since he dares to open the city gates, how can we refuse to enter?”

The Second Wolf Lord pondered. “How do we enter? Surely, you don’t intend for us to throw our lives into that bottomless pit?”

Yang Wanli shook his head. “The Wind-Sand Formation’s remaining power is limited. If I’m right, Feng Muyun has concentrated all his residual strength along the northern city line. Anyone stepping into that line will vanish—except those of Dao Realm and above.”

The Second Wolf Lord asked, “Then what?”

Though the beasts had gained intelligence, they still struggled with such indirect reasoning. But Doma Gan, a famed barbarian general, understood instantly and exclaimed, “Right! We still have tens of thousands of slaves!”

Yang Wanli gave him an approving glance. “Exactly. As we marched south, we slaughtered many cities but captured many people. If we place these Yan Bei civilians alongside our warriors, let’s see how Feng Muyun chooses.”

Doma Gan suggested, “It might take time to gather those slaves. Are there not some famed veteran generals on the battlefield? Why not capture them instead?”

Yang Wanli’s earlier approval vanished instantly with a sigh. “If we capture them, Feng Muyun will likely shut the gates tight immediately.”

Doma Gan was puzzled. “Why?”

Yang Wanli thought his prior praise had been premature but patiently explained, “Having those veterans bloodied and fighting to the city gates is one thing; binding them and bringing them there is another. For the soldiers inside Yan Yun, these are entirely different matters.”

If the former, the city mourns together; if Feng Muyun refuses to respond, negative emotions inside the city will grow.

If the latter, the city will burn with fury, no matter Feng Muyun’s response, only intensifying their fighting spirit.

“Human nature,” Yang Wanli shook his head and sighed softly. “The High Priest is still too sincere.”

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