41: Chapter 41 Ren Xuanzi's Pledge of Allegiance

Great Yan Imperial Calendar, the 28th of November in the Yuan Winter.

When Grand Elder Renxuanzi arrived at the Crown Prince's Mansion, it was snowing heavily.

The first snow in the capital this year had arrived earlier than in previous years. Goose-feather-like snowflakes fluttered down, dyeing the entire city white overnight. On the two old locust trees in front of the Crown Prince's Mansion, the bare branches were covered with icicles that tinkled in the wind.

Grand Elder Renxuanzi stood before the mansion gates without an umbrella. The snowflakes landed on his graying hair and quickly melted. Two Disciples followed behind him; one held a scroll of bamboo slips, and the other held a wooden box. The three of them just stood there, neither knocking nor making a sound, as if they were waiting for something.

The gatekeeper had seen them long ago, but His Highness the Crown Prince had ordered that if people from the Renxuan Sect came, they were to wait.

This wait lasted for a full hour.

On the first basement level, Crown Prince Xiao Xuan sat in the primary seat, and the tea before him had already been replaced three times. Zhang Liang sat on his left, while Strategist Guo Jia and Strategist Jia Xu sat on his right. General Lu Bu and General Guan Yu stood behind Crown Prince Xiao Xuan like two door gods.

"Your Highness," Zhao Gao walked in from outside, "Grand Elder Renxuanzi has been standing outside the gates for an hour."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan set down his teacup. "Let him in."

A moment later, Grand Elder Renxuanzi entered the basement level. His robes were covered in snowflakes, yet he didn't look the least bit disheveled. This Late Stage True God powerhouse, who had lived for hundreds of years, now had a face as calm as water, as if the hour-long wait just now had been but a mere flick of a finger.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince," he said with cupped hands, "Renxuanzi of the Renxuan Sect seeks an audience with Your Highness."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan raised a hand. "Senior, please take a seat."

The two sat down. Grand Elder Renxuanzi glanced at General Lu Bu and General Guan Yu behind Crown Prince Xiao Xuan, and a strange look flashed in his eyes—these two were even stronger than when he last came. Especially General Guan Yu; although he was only at the Early Stage of the True God realm, that aura as steady as a mountain was something even he couldn't quite see through.

"What brings you here this time, Senior?" Crown Prince Xiao Xuan got straight to the point.

Grand Elder Renxuanzi was silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Your Highness, this old man has come this time to seek refuge."

The hall fell silent. Zhang Liang, Strategist Guo Jia, and Strategist Jia Xu exchanged looks, all seeing the surprise in each other's eyes. The Renxuan Sect was one of the six top Sects, famous for intelligence and assassination. Their intelligence network spanned the world, making even the four great empires somewhat wary. Such a power was actively coming to seek refuge?

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan's expression remained unchanged. "Senior, the Renxuan Sect is one of the six top Sects. Why seek refuge with me?"

Grand Elder Renxuanzi gave a bitter smile. "Your Highness, the six top Sects sound impressive. But does Your Highness know how many of these six Sects have relied on their own ability to survive until today?"

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan did not speak.

Grand Elder Renxuanzi continued, "Behind the Tianxuan Sect is the Tianxu Sacred Land. Behind the Dixuan Sect is the Taichu Sacred Land. We, the Renxuan Sect—we have no Sacred Land supporting us."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan's brow twitched.

"Three thousand years ago, when the Great Yan Progenitor unified the world, all six Sects had the support of Sacred Lands. But two thousand years ago, the Great Xia Progenitor rose, and the Sacred Lands began to reshuffle. The Tianxuan Sect sided with the Tianxu Sacred Land, the Dixuan Sect sided with the Taichu Sacred Land, and we, the Renxuan Sect—we picked the wrong side." He paused, his voice sounding a bit bitter. "Since then, the Renxuan Sect has declined day by day. To this day, although we are one of the six Sects, our strength is at the bottom. The Tianxuan Sect or the Dixuan Sect, either one could crush us completely."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan remained silent. He thought of Grand Elder Chen Daoming of the Dixuan Sect—the Dixuan Sect had sided with him to suppress the Tianxuan Sect. The Renxuan Sect was siding with him for self-preservation. The same alliance, but different motives.

"Senior," Crown Prince Xiao Xuan spoke, "what can the Renxuan Sect bring to me?"

Grand Elder Renxuanzi straightened up, his gaze burning. "Intelligence."

He took the bamboo scroll from his Disciple and presented it with both hands. "This is the intelligence network the Renxuan Sect has accumulated over three thousand years. It spans the world, covering the four great empires, the six Sects, and countless medium and small powers. Whatever Your Highness wishes to know, the Renxuan Sect can find out."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan took the bamboo scroll but did not open it, placing it on the table. "And the conditions?"

Grand Elder Renxuanzi was silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Ensure the safety of the Renxuan Sect."

It was that simple? Crown Prince Xiao Xuan looked at him. Grand Elder Renxuanzi's gaze was open, without flickering or hiding. This old man who had lived for hundreds of years was like a traveler tossing in a storm, only wanting to find a harbor.

"Fine." Crown Prince Xiao Xuan reached out. "I promise you."

Grand Elder Renxuanzi grasped his hand, his eyes slightly reddening. "Your Highness, on behalf of the three thousand Disciples of the Renxuan Sect, this old man thanks Your Highness."

The ceremony for the alliance was very simple; three claps of the hands, and it was settled. But Crown Prince Xiao Xuan knew that with this clap, another responsibility had been added to him. The life and death of the three thousand Disciples of the Renxuan Sect now rested on his shoulders from this day forward.

After Grand Elder Renxuanzi left, Zhang Liang picked up the bamboo scroll and read it carefully, a flash of shock appearing in his eyes. "Your Highness, the Renxuan Sect's intelligence network is even larger than I imagined." He pointed to several names on the scroll. "In the court of the Great Xia Empire, they have their people. In the army of the Great Shang Empire, they have their people. In the imperial family of the Great Zhou Empire, they have their people. Even in the Great Qin Empire—they have them too."

Strategist Guo Jia sucked in a breath of cold air. "This is a priceless treasure."

Strategist Jia Xu stroked his beard and said, "Your Highness, with the Renxuan Sect's intelligence network, the world situation will be transparent to us."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan nodded. Just as he was about to speak, Zhao Gao suddenly hurried in, his expression looking a bit grim.

"Your Highness, news has come from the Northern Border."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan's gaze sharpened. "Speak."

Zhao Gao said in a low voice, "General of the North Zhao Kuo has refused Your Highness's orders. He said—"

"What did he say?"

"He said that the Northern Border Army is the Great Yan's Northern Border Army, not the Crown Prince's Northern Border Army. If Your Highness wants to see him, you should go to the Northern Border yourself."

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

General Lu Bu gripped his Painted Halberd tightly, and General Guan Yu's green dragon crescent blade trembled slightly. The expressions of Zhang Liang, Strategist Guo Jia, and Strategist Jia Xu were all quite unsightly.

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed.

"What a Zhao Kuo. I gave him face, yet he refuses it."

He stood up and walked to the map of the realm, his gaze landing on the marker for the Northern Border.

"Pass down the order—"

Zhang Liang asked, "Your Highness?"

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan's gaze was as calm as water. "In three days, I will personally go to the Northern Border."

Zhang Liang was stunned. "Your Highness, the Northern Border Army has three hundred thousand men. Zhao Kuo has managed it for over a decade; it is his territory. If Your Highness goes..."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan interrupted him. "Zi Fang, do you think I would fight a battle I am unprepared for?"

Zhang Liang fell silent. He thought of every step Crown Prince Xiao Xuan had taken these years—from bringing down the Baili Clan to deposing the five princes, from returning from the Sacred Land to reorganizing the Capital Garrison. Every step was taken after careful planning.

"How many people does Your Highness plan to take?"

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan looked at General Lu Bu and General Guan Yu. "Fengxian's Seventh Army, five thousand men. Yunchang will accompany us. And—"

He paused and looked in the direction where Master Jiang Ziya was.

"Master Jiang."

Zhang Liang nodded and asked no more.

At a restaurant in the west of the city.

Grand Elder Renxuanzi stood by the window, looking toward the north. The snow had stopped, and a faint golden hue appeared on the horizon.

"Elder," a Disciple walked up behind him, "the Crown Prince is going to the Northern Border personally."

Grand Elder Renxuanzi nodded. "This old man knows."

"Elder, should we..."

Grand Elder Renxuanzi waved his hand. "There's no need to do anything. Just watch."

He paused and then added, "However, send a copy of the intelligence on the Northern Border Army to the Crown Prince. Consider it—our certificate of loyalty."

The Disciple bowed. "Yes!"

In the north of the city, at the Great Qin Empire's embassy.

Prince Ying Zheng sat in the courtyard, a thin layer of snow resting on the chessboard before him. He did not brush it away, merely looking at it quietly.

"Your Highness," an old servant walked up behind him, "the Crown Prince is going to the Northern Border personally."

Prince Ying Zheng smiled slightly. "This Prince guessed as much."

The old servant said, "Does Your Highness think the Crown Prince can take down the Northern Border Army?"

Prince Ying Zheng was silent for a moment before slowly saying, "He can."

The old servant was stunned. "Why is Your Highness so certain?"

Prince Ying Zheng stood up and walked to the window. "Because this Crown Prince has never lost."

He looked toward the north, his gaze as deep as an abyss. "The Baili Clan, the Wang family, the Li family, the Crown Prince, the Third Prince, the Fourth Prince, the Fifth Prince, the Sixth Prince—he brought them all down. The Sacred Land recognized him, the Dixuan Sect sided with him, and the Renxuan Sect has sided with him too. Would such a person lose to a mere Zhao Kuo?"

The old servant fell silent.

Prince Ying Zheng turned around and looked at the old servant. "Pass down the order to prepare. Tomorrow, this Prince will go to the Crown Prince's Mansion."

"Your Highness wants to see the Crown Prince?"

"Correct." Prince Ying Zheng smiled slightly. "This Prince wants to see what this man who never loses actually looks like."

That night. In the basement of the Crown Prince's Mansion.

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan stood alone before the map of the realm, looking at the marker for the Northern Border.

The Northern Border Army, three hundred thousand men. General of the North Zhao Kuo, Perfection of the Void God realm. This man had managed the Great Yan border for over a decade and had twelve generals under him; the strongest was at the Early Stage of the Void God realm, and the weakest was at the Perfection of the heaven-man realm. They were far from the Emperor's reach and had long treated the Northern Border as their own territory. Crown Prince Xiao Xuan had asked them to come to the capital to report, but they didn't come. Crown Prince Xiao Xuan said he was going to the Northern Border, and they probably thought he was crazy—three hundred thousand against five thousand, a sixty-fold difference in troop strength; wasn't that just seeking death?

But Crown Prince Xiao Xuan knew that fighting a war wasn't about comparing numbers.

He turned around, his gaze falling on the bamboo scroll on the table—the intelligence on the Northern Border Army sent by the Renxuan Sect. Among Zhao Kuo's twelve generals, each person's personality, cultivation, and weaknesses were written clearly. Zhao Kuo himself, at the Perfection of the Void God realm, was skilled with a long spear and had a personal guard of three thousand men, all of whom were above the level of Eighth-rank Grandmaster. His greatest weakness was his arrogance and his inability to listen to others' opinions. Among the twelve generals, three were dissatisfied with Zhao Kuo but didn't dare say so. One of them was named Li Mu—sharing the same name as that famous general from the Warring States period on Earth, though his cultivation and status were far inferior. This person was at the Early Stage of the Void God realm and was one of the few sensible people in the Northern Border Army. He had submitted three reports to the imperial court pointing out the loopholes in the Northern Border's defenses, but they had all been suppressed by Zhao Kuo.

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan looked at this name, the corners of his lips curling up slightly. Li Mu... interesting.

Footsteps came from outside. Jiang Ziya pushed the door and entered.

"Master Jiang." Crown Prince Xiao Xuan turned around.

Jiang Ziya looked at him and smiled slightly. "Your Highness, are you about to set out?"

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan nodded. "In three days."

Jiang Ziya said, "This official will accompany Your Highness."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan looked at him and suddenly asked, "Master Jiang, do you think I can take down the Northern Border Army?"

Jiang Ziya was silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Your Highness, you aren't asking me if you can take down the Northern Border Army. You are asking me if this path you are taking is the right one."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan did not speak.

Jiang Ziya said, "Your Highness, you are the Crown Prince of Great Yan. The Northern Border Army is the army of Great Yan, not Zhao Kuo's private soldiers. Zhao Kuo's defiance of orders is rebellion. Your Highness's suppression of the rebellion is perfectly justified. This path is the right one."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan was silent for a long time before he suddenly laughed. "Master Jiang, you always know what I am thinking."

Jiang Ziya smiled slightly and did not answer.

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan turned back and looked at the map of the realm once more. The marker for the Northern Border was like a sleeping giant beast waiting to be awakened. And he was the one who was going to wake it.

"In three days, we set out."