The rear garden of Your Highness’ Mansion.

All kinds of flowers bloomed in profusion around a vast, man-made lake, filling the air with a pleasant fragrance.

In the center of the lake was a circular clearing where enchanting dancers swayed and sang with graceful elegance.

Extending from the central clearing was a pavilion built over the lake.

Lin Hao and Duan Xinyu were seated in the pavilion, admiring the dance.

Lin Hao had arrived some time ago. Once here, Duan Xinyu had seemed to relax and invited him to watch the performance.

Throughout the performance, Duan Xinyu hadn’t said a single word, nor had the middle-aged man, Yue Zhongyin.

It seemed they invited Lin Hao here simply for a gathering.

But everyone knew things were far from that simple.

As the dance concluded, the dancers bowed to the pavilion before departing with an ethereal grace.

"Lin Hao, what do you think of these dancers?" Duan Xinyu suddenly asked.

Lin Hao smiled and said, "Tall, graceful, and what’s more, they have an exotic charm. Your Highness certainly knows how to enjoy life."

This was not Lin Hao being flattering; the dancers were truly outstanding.

Duan Xinyu smiled smugly, then said, "They are all from the Mo Yun Kingdom."

The Mo Yun Kingdom bordered the Cangnan Empire. It was a land of high altitudes and fierce people. The men were valiant warriors, masters on horseback, while the women were all tall and gifted in song and dance.

"In fact, the Mo Yun Kingdom is full of such beauties," Duan Xinyu continued. "Especially their princess—I hear she is absolutely stunning, rivaling even the Palace Master of the Misty Palace."

Lin Hao had no idea what Duan Xinyu was getting at, so he remained silent.

"Not interested in beautiful women? Then perhaps you could amuse yourself in Jumo City. It’s the city in our Cangnan Empire closest to the Mo Yun Kingdom. There are plenty of handsome native men there." Seeing Lin Hao’s lack of enthusiasm, Duan Xinyu changed his tune, his voice taking on a suggestive, teasing quality.

Lin Hao was stunned for a moment and looked at the others, but they had no reaction at all.

’This circle is truly a mess,’ Lin Hao could only sigh internally.

"Just say what’s on your mind," Lin Hao said, cutting straight to the chase.

To be honest, Lin Hao didn’t like playing political games with people like this.

"I’ve received news that the Mo Yun Kingdom is about to launch a major invasion of the Cangnan border," Duan Xinyu said, his expression turning serious. "Jumo City will bear the brunt of the attack. Although our elite troops are stationed there, the scale of this invasion is unprecedented. If we don’t send reinforcements and Jumo City falls, the Cangnan Empire will be in grave peril."

"And Your Highness means...?" Lin Hao was not at all surprised that the Mo Yun Kingdom would invade Cangnan.

Ling Xiao had already predicted it yesterday.

If Ling Xiao could predict it, others in the vast Imperial City could predict it too. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

The patriarch of a great clan like the Chen family, for instance, must have foreseen this long ago.

If they could foresee it, they would surely have countermeasures. Lin Hao couldn’t guess what Duan Xinyu was trying to achieve by bringing it up now.

"Just a moment ago, a report came from the front lines," Duan Xinyu said. "The Mo Yun Kingdom attacked with the full might of their nation. We repelled them, but our losses were devastating. What’s worse, they have an elusive unit that specializes in cutting off our supply lines. We’re about to run out of provisions."

"Frankly, I arranged this banquet tonight to deal with you," Duan Xinyu said with great sincerity, as if fearing Lin Hao’s disbelief. "But now that this has happened, we should put our personal grievances aside. You saw the messenger yourself. I would never joke about something like this."

Just now, while the dancers were singing and dancing, someone indeed came to report.

Moreover, Lin Hao had caught the strong stench of blood from the messenger.

Although that person was dressed as an attendant, his steps were steady as he walked, and his posture was as straight as a spear. He was definitely a man seasoned by the battlefield.

To make Lin Hao believe him, Duan Xinyu tossed the note he had just received to Lin Hao.

Lin Hao unfolded it and saw that it was indeed as Duan Xinyu had said.

But this was just Duan Xinyu’s side of the story, and Lin Hao wasn’t about to take his word for it. He turned his gaze toward Chen Qian.

As the scion of a military family, Chen Qian would surely have received news if there were battles on the front lines.

Chen Qian understood Lin Hao’s meaning, but shook his head.

"Your Highness isn’t thinking of having me lead people to escort the supplies, are you?" Lin Hao snapped back to the present, staring at Duan Xinyu with a wry smile.

"Not you. Us," Duan Xinyu said in a deep voice.

Then, he elaborated, "Disciples of the Saint Institute are sent to the battlefield for experience. This war is critical to the very survival of our Institute. To be more precise, it’s about whether we can enter the Heaven-Breaking Pavilion. The Saint Institute will definitely issue orders for us to head to Jumo City."

"Who is currently stationed at Jumo City?" Lin Hao asked.

"General Chen Tianyu," Duan Xinyu replied.

Lin Hao let out a long breath.

If Chen Tianyu was there, then Lin Tian, Lin Yuan, and Shenshan must be too. This meant he had to go.

"When do we leave?" Lin Hao asked.

Duan Xinyu shook his head. "No rush. We’ll wait for orders from the Saint Institute. I had invited my royal aunt, but she hasn’t arrived. She must have received the news and returned to the Institute."

The royal aunt Duan Xinyu spoke of was Duan Mushuang.

Duan Mushuang and the current Monarch of Cangnan were true siblings, making her a princess of the highest rank.

As soon as Duan Xinyu’s voice fell, someone descended from the sky, landing lightly on the clearing in the middle of the lake.

It was a woman, her robes fluttering as if in a light dance. It was none other than Duan Mushuang.

"By order of the Saint Institute," she announced, her voice as light as her landing, "Lin Hao is to lead the new disciples and depart for Jumo City first thing tomorrow morning. Anyone else wishing to go must return to the Saint Institute to apply. Your departure date will be decided later."

Everyone had stood upon Duan Mushuang’s arrival. Now, hearing her command, countless eyes fixed on Lin Hao, many of them filled with malicious glee.

The new disciples were considered disciples of the Saint Institute in name only. By issuing such an order, the Institute was clearly preserving its core strength. They were sending Lin Hao and his followers to their deaths.

They all stared at Lin Hao, their hearts filled with anticipation.

Lin Hao was always so arrogant. They were eager to see if he had the guts to defy Master Duan.

But they were to be disappointed.

What they saw on Lin Hao’s face was not anger, but excitement.

’Who in this day and age is so eager to die?’

It wasn’t just them. Even Duan Mushuang couldn’t help but ask when she saw his expression, "Lin Hao, you must know that the new disciples are disciples in name only. They don’t even have the chance to enter the library—you being the exception, of course. Sending you out like this is tantamount to abandoning you. Aren’t you angry?"

"It’s because there are no opportunities for us at the Saint Institute that going to Jumo City *is* our opportunity. So, thank you."

Duan Mushuang nodded. "The Vice-Head was right about you. Don’t worry. Even though you are disciples in name only, the Saint Institute does not abandon its own. I will depart with you tomorrow morning."

Before her voice had faded, Duan Mushuang had already vanished.

"You’re a mere Martial Artist at the Seventh Layer of the Elemental Control Realm. What makes you think you can protect the supply lines? Today, I’ll be the one to test your mettle!" a voice suddenly boomed.

As the voice rang out, an invisible current of energy sliced through the air, severing all the flowers around the lake!