Chapter 130: Crisis on the Frontier

Baxia’s eyes shimmered with desire as he watched the Order of the War King tumble from Jiang Pingchuan’s embrace. In that instant, every eye in the crowd was fixed upon the token.

Lan Xiu and Duo Ze stared blankly at the Order of the War King on the ground. Lord Gong, gripping his Shura Spear, heard a voice in his mind—it was Maoqiu. He nodded, clenching the spear tightly as he observed the standoff between Jiang Pingchuan and Baxia on the platform.

At this moment, turmoil raged within Baxia. Back in the dark void, Jiang Pingchuan had somehow sensed his presence, though Baxia could not fathom how Jiang had managed to gain the upper hand within his own domain of darkness. Now, however, Baxia had placed Jiang Pingchuan at the very top of his kill list; as long as Jiang remained alive, Baxia would be constantly exposed to risk.

Jiang Pingchuan, seeing the way Baxia looked at the Order, knew full well that he would attempt to seize it. Jiang moved to step forward and retrieve the token, but at this inopportune moment, the ninth Dao Crystal within his body suddenly projected the shadow that had been missing for so long. His typically formidable physical form felt as though it had been drained of all strength, and he nearly lost his footing.

Neither man could pick up the token now. A strange, eerie atmosphere descended upon the surroundings, and others in the crowd began to stir with restless ambition.

"Roar!"
"Whoosh!"

Just as the onlookers were about to lunge for the Order, Maoqiu let out a thunderous roar and leaped onto the stone platform. Layers of tiger-like shadows shimmered around him, his feline eyes glowing with fiery light as he glared at those who dared to covet the token.

Seeing Maoqiu jump up, Lan Xiu felt his heart steady; after all, Maoqiu was unlikely to side with Baxia. The crowd, witnessing the beast’s intervention, felt their desire to seize the token instantly turn cold. How could they have forgotten Maoqiu? The creature before them was a peak-tier existence. In truth, even if Maoqiu were to take the token right in front of them, no one present had the qualifications or the strength to stop him.

"Jiang Pingchuan, this Order of the War King does not belong to you."

Baxia observed Maoqiu, who showed no intention of taking the token, clearly preferring to let Jiang and Baxia continue their struggle. This was exactly what Baxia had hoped for; if Maoqiu had intervened, Baxia would have been forced to watch helplessly as the beast claimed the prize.

"If you like it so much, feel free to take it," Jiang Pingchuan said with a cold sneer, watching Baxia’s eager expression. Baxia licked his cracked lips and chuckled at him.

"Jiang Pingchuan, you have a keen eye. I shall accept this Order, and in the future, you may serve as my vanguard general."

Baxia stepped forward, inching toward the token. Seeing that Jiang remained rooted to the spot, Baxia felt a sense of relief, fearing no longer that Jiang would hinder him. He concluded that Jiang was simply offering the token as a tribute, perhaps out of fear of his own power.

The onlookers watched the scene; some frowned, while others smiled with delight as Baxia reached for the prize. Lan Xiu watched with cold, weary eyes, feeling utterly helpless.

"Old man, catch!"

Just as Baxia reached the Order and bent down to scoop it up, Lord Gong suddenly roared and tossed his Shura Spear to Jiang Pingchuan. Startled, Baxia scrambled to grab the token from the ground.

"Whoosh!"
"Sometimes I’m just joking. Don't take it seriously."

No sooner had Baxia bent his waist than a biting chill grazed his neck. A sharp spearhead was pressed firmly against his throat. His face darkened, and he slowly straightened up, staring at the weapon Jiang Pingchuan had thrust toward him.

Jiang Pingchuan flicked the tip of his spear, launching the Order of the War King into the air. Lord Gong leaped upward, snatching the token from the sky. Meanwhile, Jiang held the Shura Spear against Baxia’s throat, offering a faint, mocking smile.

"Jiang Pingchuan, you dare to play me? You have guts."

Baxia tilted his chin and sneered. Jiang Pingchuan stepped forward half a pace, the spear’s point piercing Baxia’s skin. A trickle of crimson blood began to run down his neck. The crowd gasped in horror, their eyes darting toward Lan Xiu.

"Pingchuan, wait."

Seeing that Jiang intended to kill Baxia, Lan Xiu quickly intervened. Jiang Pingchuan glanced at Lan Xiu and slowly retracted his Shura Spear. The bead embedded in the hollow base of the weapon spun incessantly. As he withdrew the spear, both Lan Xiu and Duo Ze let out sighs of relief.

"Your Majesty, do not worry. Marshal Baxia and I were merely exchanging pointers," Jiang Pingchuan said with a chuckle, watching the sullen, scowling Baxia.

"Your Majesty has a sharp eye. I am a bit tired from today’s sparring, so I will take my leave." Baxia huffed, bowed curtly to Lan Xiu on the stone dais, and strode out of the palace gates. Among the officials standing behind Lan Xiu, some lowered their heads in fear of catching Jiang Pingchuan’s eye, while others beamed, eager to strike up a conversation.

"Pingchuan, come inside with me," Lan Xiu said softly. Supported by Duo Ze, he walked into the main hall, followed by the court officials.

Jiang Pingchuan stood where he was, looking at the Shura Spear in his hand. The moment Lord Gong had thrown it to him, he had felt as if the weapon had come to life. Lord Gong walked over, placed the Order of the War King against Jiang’s chest, took back the spear, and helped him toward the hall. Lan Ling’er followed, clutching Maoqiu.

Inside the hall, officials Long Heng and Xia Ha nudged each other, whispering as they watched Jiang Pingchuan. It was rare to see the two of them whispering so intently. Every eye in the hall was fixed on Jiang Pingchuan; after the display with Baxia, everyone knew he was no charlatan but a true master of peak strength. Such a person was to be befriended, not antagonized.

"Jiang Pingchuan, I ask you: where did you obtain this Order of the War King?" Lan Xiu asked from his throne. The token had not been seen since the War King vanished; it was the most significant mandate issued by the late Emperor on his deathbed. It was said that a single Order could summon a thousand armies—whoever held it possessed the authority to command all the elite forces of the Lan Dynasty. It was the ultimate military seal.

"Your Majesty, if I were to say the War King gave it to me himself, would you believe me?" Jiang Pingchuan stood tall, smiling at Lan Xiu. Lan Xiu’s expression soured; everyone knew the War King had been dead for a long time. How could he have handed the token to Jiang Pingchuan? Besides, no one knew the location of the War King’s tomb. It was clear Lan Xiu found the claim difficult to believe.

"Preposterous! The War King has been gone for ages; how could he have given you the Order? You must have stumbled upon his tomb and stolen it, and now you have the audacity to flaunt it—this is sheer insolence!" an elderly scholar-official stammered, his lips trembling with indignation as if he had a deep, personal connection to the War King. Jiang Pingchuan merely glanced at the man and remained silent.

"I can testify that the War King gave the Order to Jiang Pingchuan."

Just as Lan Xiu hesitated, Lan Dao and Jiu Ling appeared at the entrance. Lan Dao spoke in a low voice, walking to Jiang Pingchuan’s side. Jiu Ling’s expression was complex as she looked at Jiang. Upon seeing that he did not have the little fox in his arms, her eyes dimmed with disappointment. Lan Dao cast a glance at Jiang Pingchuan and took his place in the front row of officials.

"What proof does the First Prince have?" the elderly scholar pressed. Lan Dao glared at him, his face filled with impatience.

"I once sent men to a burial ground near Sanjiang County. We found a vast amount of imperial armor, including the War King’s own ceremonial suit. Inscribed on his monument were the words: 'The mountains and rivers remain firm; I grant the Tiger Seal to Jiang Pingchuan.' Does the Scholar have anything else to say?"

Lan Dao stared coldly at the scholar, who looked back in shock, then at Jiang Pingchuan. The origin of the Order became increasingly bizarre, but since the words came from Lan Dao, no one dared to openly challenge them, despite their doubts. Jiang Pingchuan glanced at Lan Dao; he had not been back to Sanjiang County, so he did not know if the inscription had truly changed. Perhaps only Lan Dao knew, or perhaps even he did not.

"The First Prince is truly..."

"Scholar, do you worry that we failed to exterminate all the War King’s followers, and that Jiang Pingchuan has come to claim your life on his behalf?" Lan Dao interrupted with a cold, biting remark. The scholar’s face turned ashen; he huffed, lowered his head, and retreated to his place.

Lan Xiu watched the exchange, gaining some insight, though he sensed that the truth was likely hidden behind a veil of deception known only to those involved.

"Your Majesty, rest assured. The War King gave me the Order merely as a keepsake. I have no intention of using it to command the armies of the world, nor would I ever do so." Jiang Pingchuan understood Lan Xiu’s fear. In the era of the War King, the Order was the ultimate symbol of authority. Its reappearance after so long would inevitably cause panic. The one most likely to panic was the current ruler, Lan Xiu. If Jiang Pingchuan held the power to summon the feudal lords and their armies, Lan Xiu would be powerless to stop him. This was precisely why Baxia’s eyes had burned with such intense desire upon seeing the token.

As Jiang finished speaking, Lan Xiu managed an awkward smile, and the hall buzzed with discussion. Lan Dao looked at Jiang Pingchuan with surprise, then sneered, though he softened his expression when he saw Maoqiu in Lan Ling’er’s arms.

"Report!"
"Report!"

Suddenly, a scout in black dashed into the hall, looking frantic. He knelt, cupped his hands, and looked up at Lan Xiu. Lan Xiu’s face tightened; he exchanged a glance with Duo Ze and raised his hand.

"Speak."

"An urgent report from the frontier, eight thousand miles away! The borders are under a three-pronged assault by an army of over a hundred thousand from the Northwest. The defense lines are showing signs of collapse. Supplies are running low, and the morale of our troops is failing. We implore Your Majesty to dispatch reinforcements and grain immediately!"

The scout spoke with breathless urgency. Lan Xiu’s brow furrowed.

"How long can Marshal Tie hold out?"

The frontier was currently defended by Marshal Tie Niu. He had guarded the border for three years, and it was believed he had made the defenses impenetrable. To think that in the face of the Northwest’s assault, the lines were useless.

"Two months, at most," the scout replied solemnly. Lan Xiu waved his hand.

"You may withdraw."

The scout bowed and hurried out of the main hall.