185: decision

Zhu Changpo heard this, and the heavy stone hanging in his heart dropped slightly, but his worries did not completely dissipate.

He knew well Situ Jun's affection for Li Danying, and even more so, he understood the City Lord's innate pride that brooked no coercion and his ruthless protectiveness.

He gave a deep bow:

"Madam is wise. This subordinate will go and handle it immediately." After saying that, he turned to leave.

"Wait."

Liu Xuaner's gentle voice sounded again, carrying a power that soothed the heart, yet faintly revealing an unquestionable decisiveness.

Zhu Changpo paused and turned back respectfully:

"Does Madam have any other instructions?"

Liu Xuaner's fingertips lightly brushed over the faint cool touch remaining on the transmission Jade Slip. Those eyes, which always held a tenderness like autumn waters, were now as deep as a cold pond, reflecting the candlelight and flashing with a sharp light that saw through the human heart.

"Commander Zhu, my husband must be in East Lin City right now helping Yang Feng stabilize the city defenses and dealing with the encroaching enemies from the Southern Frontier. This matter is grave; the transmission must ensure nothing goes wrong and must be fast."

She paused for a moment, her tone turning heavy:

"In addition, immediately deploy all our 'Shadows' in the Royal City to ensure Ninglu Palace is as solid as a fortress at all costs. Princess sister and the child in her womb must not suffer even the slightest mishap!"

"Yes! This subordinate understands!"

A sharp light burst from Zhu Changpo's eyes. Madam's arrangement both considered the City Lord's right to know and showed a tough stance against potential crises.

He no longer hesitated, cupped his fists to accept the order, and quickly left to implement the arrangements... East Lin City, the City Lord's Mansion Meeting Hall.

The atmosphere was somewhat heavy.

General Commander Yang Feng, whom Wang Cheng had left in the city, was pointing at a complex piece of terrain on the sand table where the Southern Frontier bordered East Lin, his brow furrowed into a knot.

Situ Jun sat in the main seat, his expression calm, his fingertips unconsciously tapping on the armrest as he listened to Yang Feng's analysis of the recent movements of several Southern Frontier Loose Cultivator forces harassing the border, as well as the possible chain reaction from the approaching struggle for the Daoist Ming Ya Legacy, which loomed like dark clouds overhead.

Suddenly, Situ Jun's tapping finger paused slightly.

An extremely weak fluctuation of special spiritual power, which only he could clearly capture, reached his Storage Pouch in an instant, like a pebble thrown into a heart-lake.

This was Zhu Changpo's highest-level encrypted transmission, directly branded within his special Jade Slip.

Situ Jun's Divine Sense probed into the Jade Slip.

In an instant, the calmness on his face froze and shattered like ice!

An indescribable, terrifying aura—a mixture of violent rage, killing intent, and extreme cold—suddenly erupted from him without any warning, like a sleeping ancient Vicious Beast abruptly awakening!

"Boom—!"

An invisible wave of Qi violently spread out with him as the center!

Inside the Meeting Hall, the heavy sandalwood tables and chairs were flipped and smashed as if they were made of paper!

The maps and weapons hanging on the walls crackled and were instantly covered in fissures!

Caught off guard, Yang Feng was struck by this overwhelming pressure and retreated several steps, his back slamming heavily against the wall. His blood and Qi surged, the color drained from his face, and his eyes were filled with unbelievable horror!

The guards standing in the hall were hit even harder; they let out muffled groans and slumped directly to the ground, fainting away.

The entire Meeting Hall was a mess, as if it had experienced a small storm.

"Situ... City Lord Situ?!"

Yang Feng clutched his chest, forcing down his surging blood, his voice carrying a trace of trembling.

He had never seen Situ Jun lose his composure like this, nor had he ever felt such a terrifying pressure that seemed capable of freezing the Soul!

How was this still the gentle and elegant, refined City Lord of the Northern Frontier? He was clearly a Vicious Beast about to devour anyone!

Situ Jun slowly raised his head.

Those eyes, which were usually as deep as a sea of stars and occasionally held teasing or warmth, now held only pure, bone-chilling coldness.

In the depths of his pupils, it seemed as if a blood-colored storm was brewing, and as if ten-thousand-year-old profound ice was freezing.

The killing intent radiating from his body was almost tangible, causing the temperature of the entire hall to plummet, and even the air seemed to freeze.

He did not pay attention to Yang Feng's horror, nor did he look at the mess on the ground.

In the Jade Slip, the information sent by Zhu Changpo was crystal clear, every word like a red-hot branding iron, searing his heart:

—Li Xuan is using the Princess as a hostage... —Forcing a journey to the Southern Frontier to seize the Daoist Ming Ya Legacy... —Extremely dangerous, with the suspicion of killing with a borrowed knife... —Princess is desperate and helpless... "Li... Xuan..."

Low and raspy, those two words seemed to be squeezed out from the Nine Serenity Hell, carrying a hair-raising calmness yet containing a violent rage enough to tear the sky apart.

"Good... very good!"

The corner of Situ Jun's mouth slowly pulled into an arc, but that smile was so cold it had no warmth at all; instead, it revealed endless ferocity.

"Using my woman... and my child... to threaten me?"

He slowly stood up.

With his movement, that terrifying pressure did not retract but instead became more concentrated and heavy!

It was as if an invisible Ancient Divine Mountain had descended, pressing down until Yang Feng could barely breathe, his bones groaning.

"General Yang."

Situ Jun's voice returned to calmness, but the surging undercurrent beneath that calmness made Yang Feng feel even more terrified.

"The East Lin City defense will be adjusted according to the decision just made; it will be worry-free in the short term. As for those villains who intentionally sabotage East Lin City, if they dare to cross the border by half a step..."

Situ Jun's gaze swept across the bordering land on the sand table, a cold light flashing in his eyes:

"Kill them without mercy."

Yang Feng's heart jolted, and he quickly cupped his fists:

"Rest assured, City Lord Situ, I will do my utmost to guard East Lin!"

Situ Jun nodded slightly and said no more.

He took a step forward, and his figure disappeared from the spot like a ghost... Rain Embroidery Courtyard, in the study.

Situ Jun's figure appeared silently behind the desk.

On the desk before him were several Jade Slips, clearly detailed intelligence regarding the situation in the Southern Frontier, the Daoist Ming Ya Legacy, and the recent situation in the Royal City.

Liu Xuaner had likely received a transmission from Su Yunniang; upon sensing Situ Jun's return to the study, she immediately rushed over.

Outside, Liu Xuaner lightly knocked on the door.

Situ Jun's Divine Sense had already detected Liu Xuaner, and with a thought, he opened the door.

Liu Xuaner entered and felt the heart-palpitating, cold Evil Qi on him that had not yet completely dissipated. Her heart tightened as she said:

"Husband, Sister Su has already sent a message to inform me about Sister Princess's matter, and I have arranged for people to guard her in secret."

Situ Jun withdrew his Divine Sense from the Jade Slips, his face still as dark as water.

After a moment, he said in a low voice:

"Xuaner, what do you think?"

Liu Xuaner walked to his side and said softly:

"Li Xuan's plan is vicious but also stupid. He thinks he has grasped husband's soft underbelly, but he doesn't know that this has precisely ignited a dormant volcano."

She picked up a Jade Slip regarding the Ming Ya Legacy and analyzed:

"The Daoist Ming Ya Legacy is exceptionally dangerous, and with various forces gathering, it has already become a meat grinder. Li Xuan wants to kill with a borrowed knife and drive the tiger to swallow the wolf, but he has overlooked two points."

"First, husband is not the knife in his hand, but a tiger ready to devour anyone. He may be able to drive the tiger, but he might not be able to control it, and he certainly might not be able to withstand the cost of the tiger's backlash."

"Second, he underestimated how much husband values Princess sister and that unborn child. By using this to threaten you, how could husband let the matter rest?"

A cold light flickered in Situ Jun's eyes:

"So?"

"So, we must go to the Southern Frontier!"

Liu Xuaner's tone was resolute, her eyes shining with the light of wisdom:

"Not only must we go with great fanfare, but we must also go with the strongest posture! We must let Li Xuan and everyone in the Southern Frontier who covets the Legacy know that Situ Jun, the City Lord of the Northern Frontier, has arrived!"

"Li Xuan wants to borrow the Southern Frontier's knife? Then we will make that knife turn around and be placed against his own neck! He wants to see the depth of husband's strength? Then let him see enough! Let him be trembling with fear!"