Volume One: The Turmoil of Yan and Yun Chapter 88: The Threefold Battlefield (Part Three)

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"Yang, are we truly not going to support Yan Yun?" Unlike Feng Muyun, the third master of the Feng family was a burly man with a full beard, appearing more like one of the wild tribes of the grasslands.

Feng Yang studied the chart of military supplies and asked, "The provisions within the city are still severely lacking. Has the one sent to Jizhou for reinforcements not returned?"

Feng Xisha replied, "News just came back. The governor of Jizhou fears a surprise attack from Bohai and refuses to send troops."

Feng Yang said, "I don't care much for Jizhou's men; what I value are their supplies and reserves! This quarter, they haven't delivered the resources due to Yanbei, as they ought to. What are they planning?"

As he spoke, his tone grew harsh. "If Yanbei is utterly defeated for lack of supplies, I'll have his head!"

Feng Xisha frowned and said, "Honghuai currently has eighty thousand soldiers. Even counting the cavalry, that's enough to hold out for over half a year."

Feng Yang glanced at him. "Uncle, do you really think I'm organizing these supplies just for our current forces in Honghuai?"

Feng Xisha sighed, "I know what you're thinking, but you don't understand your father as well as I do."

Feng Yang paused. "What are you trying to say, Uncle?"

Feng Xisha pointed to Yan Yun on the map. "Your plan is likely to hold Honghuai, so that if Yanbei falls, you can withdraw the whole army south. For that, you need to prepare equipment for all Yanbei's troops. But the outcome you envision will never happen."

"Please, go on," Feng Yang said.

Feng Xisha replied, "If Yan Yun falls, your father will die."

A glint of coldness flashed in Feng Yang's eyes.

Given what he knew of Feng Muyun, it wasn't impossible.

But this was a war for the nation—would his father truly act so recklessly?

If he fell, who would lead the army to recover Yanbei?

"Yan Yun is besieged on all sides. If we retreat, we'll be leaving dozens of cities and countless civilians outside Yan Yun exposed to the enemy. More importantly, as long as we hold here, Yan Yun still has another option. If we all head to Yan Yun, then there is no retreat."

Feng Yang looked around the room. "A battle with our backs to the river... There is no hope of victory."

Feng Xisha, having defended this region for years, naturally saw the looming danger.

He was simply unwilling.

Unwilling to accept why his father had sent every Void Path expert of Yanbei far away.

Unwilling to accept why, after decades of tireless defense, Yanbei still faced the suspicion of half the imperial court.

Unwilling to accept why, beset on all sides, Yanbei's finest sons had to die on an uneven battlefield.

"Distant water cannot quench present thirst, and those close at hand are all concerned for their own safety. Thus, Yanbei stands alone." Feng Yang sighed. "Even the Qingli Army, who could break the siege, cannot come. Now Wuyang is in peril too, and they're bound to support Wuyang first."

"Is there truly nothing we can do?" Feng Xisha asked.

"The situation is not as dire as it seems," Feng Yang replied.

Feng Xisha's eyes lit up. "Is there a chance?"

Feng Yang offered a bitter smile. "What can I do? All we can do now is wait for the outcome of the battle at the Confluence Realm."

Feng Xisha fell silent.

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A low murmur of conversation arose in the hall.

"Has the Feng Divine Guard still not dealt with the Deputy Palace Lord of the Shifting Flower Palace?"

"These are all Confluence Realm powers. Such things cannot be resolved quickly."

"But if he were here, perhaps Yan Yun could still hold out..."

Feng Yang listened to their discussions without comment.

Feng Xisha glanced at them. "I don't recall inviting you here to speculate about the unknown."

The chatter dropped to a hush.

Silence returned, lasting a while before Feng Yang finally said, "That will be all for now."

Feng Xisha grunted, thinking, If that's all, why did you call us here?

With this doubt, Feng Xisha remained.

Feng Yang looked up at him. "Uncle?"

Feng Xisha replied helplessly, "When your father sent me to find you, he made it clear that I was to follow your orders from now on. I reserve my judgment, but I have no choice but to obey. Still, you must tell me—what are you truly thinking?"

Feng Yang sighed. "You still wish to rush in aid of Yan Yun, Uncle?"

Feng Xisha said, "When the enemy is strong and we are weak, concentrating our forces is best."

Feng Yang replied, "Bringing our troops together would be wise, but our greatest deficit is not soldiers, but powerhouses."

"Leaving aside battle formations, no matter how many Enlighters we have, they can't stand against a Confluence Realm. Honghuai has its share of Enlighters, but in this struggle, their value is limited."

"As a son, I should risk everything to support Yan Yun. But Father would not wish me to do so. We are Fengs; our duty is all of Yanbei."

Feng Xisha thought this sounded familiar, then recalled his second brother often said the same.

"Your brother said you were the best candidate to succeed as Lord of Yanbei. I've followed you for some time and, though you lack his breadth of talent, I must admit you are indeed the better fit."

Suddenly, a voice called from outside, and a dust-covered figure entered.

"Second Brother?" Feng Xisha was shocked. "What are you doing here?"

Feng Juanlang grinned. "Yanbei is my responsibility. How could I not be here at such a critical moment?"

"Then why not go to Yan Yun?" asked Feng Xisha.

"First, at my current Insight Realm, I would be of little use there," Feng Juanlang sighed. "Second, Yan Yun would not trust me."

Feng Xisha considered this. "With your sister-in-law in Yan Yun, that is a reasonable worry."

Feng Juanlang smiled. "Which is why I'm here."

After listening for a while, Feng Yang understood the visitor's identity and purpose. He asked, "You just said that your strength would make no difference in Yan Yun. So why have you come to Honghuai?"

Feng Juanlang chuckled. "The boy is sharp."

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Feng Yang said nothing, simply gazing at him.

Feng Juanlang fell silent for a moment, then said, "Since you left Taixuan, I've been following you. Despite all the Enlighters and Void Paths at your side, none noticed me. Don't you want to know why?"

Feng Yang hesitated, then his eyes gleamed. "The Divine Concealment and Tracking Art from the Five Elements Sect?"

Feng Juanlang was surprised. "How did you guess?"

Feng Yang replied, "First, your realm is low, yet you kept pace with Enlighters. Second, though there were reasons, you did evade the Enlighters' senses. Of all the cultivation arts on the continent, only the Five Elements Sect's Divine Concealment and Tracking Art can do this."

The Five Elements Sect was not powerful; even their leader was only a high-level Void Path. Yet the sect possessed many strange arts and formations, ones even the great sects could not match.

The Divine Concealment and Tracking Art had neither offensive nor supportive power, but its greatest merit was this: once it locked onto a target, no matter how fast that target traveled, the user could always maintain a fixed distance, and apart from the target, few could detect the connection.

Of course, the range depended on the user's will, and whether one was detected depended on the target's realm.

"Why not a treasure?" Feng Juanlang asked.

Feng Yang looked at him as if he were a fool. "If it were a treasure, what would be the point of telling me?"

Feng Juanlang laughed. "Do you want me to pass down the Divine Concealment and Tracking Art?"

Feng Yang corrected him, "No, you're offering it as tribute."

Feng Juanlang said, "Shameless enough."

Feng Yang replied, "Right back at you."

Feng Juanlang grinned. "How am I shameless?"

Feng Yang retorted, "How else would you have learned a secret art of the Five Elements Sect?"

The more Feng Juanlang looked at this boy, the more he liked him, and he burst out laughing.

Feng Yang gazed at him quietly. "You haven't answered me yet."

Feng Juanlang casually tossed over a scroll. "Here is the Divine Concealment and Tracking Art."

Feng Yang studied the scroll carefully, then handed it to Feng Xisha. "Uncle, take a look. Copy it, and make sure everyone in Honghuai at Insight Realm or above has mastered it within three days."

Feng Xisha did not understand the reason for this, but agreed nonetheless.

Feng Juanlang said, "I'm no longer needed here, am I? Then I'll take my leave."

As Feng Juanlang was about to step out, Feng Yang suddenly called out, "Uncle, my third uncle and I have been busy all day. Why not join us for a meal?"

Feng Juanlang paused, then turned back with a smile. "Gladly."

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