369: You're a very insightful person.

The crisis of the Great Qi Imperial Dynasty had been ongoing for almost half a year, but Ye Qingyu and Shi Linglong had been gone for about half a year.

They had been cultivating and gaining experience along the way, so they didn't know what had happened within Great Qi.

Li Tongshen's return brought a large amount of cultivation resources, but at that time, Great Qi had not yet begun to clear out the demons, monsters, and Ghost Dao forces within its borders, and the Holy Heaven Demon Sect had only made a few small-scale moves.

It was far from a full-scale invasion, which was why they left Great Qi to Cultivate at Dianxing Academy.

If Shi Linglong had known what was happening in Great Qi, with her personality, she certainly wouldn't have left. Ye Qingyu, as a member of the Demon and Monster Division, would have been even less likely to leave.

"Tianxing suddenly returned to Great Qi. Could it be that something has happened in Great Qi?"

The first thing Ye Qingyu thought of was that Great Qi was in trouble.

Her Family was a marquis' Family, and she herself was a Disciple of Situ Kuanglei, making her very sensitive to such matters.

"In that case, let's head back too!"

Xu Muqing quickly said.

Yaochi nodded without another word, directly controlling the flying boat to speed towards Great Qi.

With the speed of the flying boat, they could return to Great Qi in the shortest possible time... Great Qi, Xijiang border.

This was the border line, with two towering mountain ranges stretching across Xijiang's vast frontier.

However, this border line was very long, and there were many passes that allowed large armies to pass through, with each pass heavily garrisoned.

The Great Qi Imperial Dynasty had a large number of troops stationed on its borders, and it was the most important garrison location in Great Qi. The military expenditure alone was an enormous sum each year.

Of course, there was a return for the investment. The meticulous deployment of successive emperors, who never delayed military funds, made the Great Qi border armies extremely powerful!

Many soldiers were from generations of military families, having become true military households, willingly guarding this most dangerous front line.

Xitian Pass was the largest city in Xijiang.

Situated between two mountain ranges, the pass, stretching over ten li, was connected by a hundred-meter-high city wall. This thick and tall wall stood here, preventing any potential invasion from the western Imperial Dynasties.

This Xitian Pass was known as the First Pass of Great Qi!

The massive Xitian Pass was home to generations of military families, and also a large number of common people gathered here. Despite being just a border city, it was actually very prosperous!

Merchants traveling to and from the western Imperial Dynasties had to enter Great Qi through here, and all needed to undergo inspection and possess customs clearance documents from both countries to enter.

Anyone even slightly suspicious, well, too bad. There was a special Heavenly Prison in Xitian Pass, prepared specifically for suspects, designed to deal with such people.

This Heavenly Prison was also an offshoot of the Imperial Capital's Martial Suppression Division, with many experts from the Martial Suppression Division stationed here.

Even if you were a man of iron will, or a powerful demon, monster, or ghost Cultivator, once you entered here, you wouldn't leave alive, and there were plenty of ways to make you talk.

From the Xitian Pass city tower, looking down was an endless plain, with green pastures and lush greenery stretching to the horizon, as if one had arrived at the grasslands beyond the Great Wall, with herds of cattle and horses, and wolves roaming for a thousand li!

Guarding this, the First Mighty Pass of Great Qi, was none other than the current Marquis of Might, Ye Tiantong, who was Ye Qingyu's grandfather!

In those years, Ye Tiantong defended this mighty pass, defeating the combined forces of the Southern Buddha Dynasty, Crimson Star Dynasty, and Great Stone Dynasty, and was bestowed the title of Duke of Might by the previous emperor!

However, Ye Tiantong refused the reward of being enfeoffed as a duke, choosing instead to remain here, guarding the mighty pass.

He was almost suspected by the previous old emperor. Fortunately, at this time, the old emperor passed away, and the empress took over the position.

To consolidate the Imperial Dynasty during the transition between emperors and to guard against foreign invasion, Yan Yuzhu allowed Ye Tiantong to continue to command Xijiang, and he did so for ten years!

Ten years passed like a single day, and Ye Tiantong did not betray the empress's trust, diligently performing his duties. He could truly be called a loyal and capable minister of the Imperial Dynasty!

"Brother Longcheng, look at these million li of grasslands, full of life, nurturing endless life. How wonderful it would be if there were no wars!"

Ye Tiantong stood on the city tower, pointing at the boundless grasslands, and said in a deep voice.

No wars?

This was his dream. From the very beginning of his arrival here, Ye Tiantong had dreamed of pacifying Xijiang and having eternal peace.

Unfortunately, dreams are just dreams. He had been here for fifty years, fought countless major battles, and could say he had been to almost every inch of the grassland.

He didn't know how much flesh and blood he had personally buried on this vibrant grassland.

There were enemies, his own flesh and blood, and countless soldiers of Great Qi. For him, this grassland had long become the most important part of his life.

Ye Tiantong was actually very clear: no wars on the grassland?

This ideal was, after all, just an ideal.

Accompanying Ye Tiantong on the city wall, besides Xuanyuan Longcheng, were Situ Kuanglei of the Demon and Monster Division, and Xie Tianjian of the Martial Suppression Division!

The Qimen Division currently had no Chief Director, and ordinary people were not qualified to stand with them.

Xuanyuan Longcheng had been a Marshal his entire life. How could he not understand the meaning of Ye Tiantong's words?

An ideal...

"Brother Tiantong, we desire peace, but alas, those not of our Human Race will surely harbor ill intentions, and even those not of our Imperial Dynasty will surely harbor ill intentions!"

"Wherever there are people, there will be schemes and trickery. Human greed is endless, and we cannot stop it!"

"Unless one day, Great Qi unifies the border wilderness and sweeps across the six directions!"

"Only then can it be as Brother Tiantong said!"

How could Xuanyuan Longcheng not wish for Great Qi to be free of war?

At their age, they could actually have long since retired to the background and focused solely on Cultivation.

They were not without talent; if given time, the Soul Palace Realm would not be their limit!

It might even be possible for them to reach the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm.

However, as old Marshals of a nation, how could they abandon the safety of countless common people and choose to Cultivate in seclusion?

"The Marshal's words are reasonable. In this world, demons and monsters run rampant, and ghost Cultivators hold sway. The Human Race's ability to possess these endless mountains and rivers relies on the bloody struggles of countless Human Race Cultivators."

"We must not yield an inch of our old land; defending our homes and protecting our country is our mission!"

The seemingly rough Situ Kuanglei was never a brainless brute; he was meticulous and sharp-eyed.

The problems he saw were actually the same as those seen by Xuanyuan Longcheng and Ye Tiantong.

Ye Tiantong pointed at him and laughed, "People say Situ Kuanglei is arrogant and overbearing, with a simple mind. Look, how could a simple-minded person say such things?"

"You are a perceptive man. I am very relieved to entrust Qingyu to you."

"Hahahaha!"

Xuanyuan Longcheng and Xie Tianjian both burst into laughter.

These old fellows had cooperated for a lifetime, fought for a lifetime, and understood each other too well.

This was the friendship of old fellows!