Chapter 131: Who Dares to Stand When the Nation Is in Peril?

Lan Xiu sat on the dragon throne, his brow furrowed, while the assembly of officials buzzed with discussion. The situation at the border was critical; if the reinforcements from the capital could not reach Marshal Tie Niu in time, the fall of the frontier would allow the vast Northwestern armies to penetrate deep into the heartland, placing immense pressure on Yin-Yang City and Storm City.

"My lords, the border is in dire straits. Who among you is willing to lead the troops to repel the Barbarian King?" Lan Xiu asked, his voice heavy with worry. The officials lowered their heads. Long Heng was about to speak, but Xia Ha stopped him, much to Long Heng's confusion.

Xia Ha raised his eyebrows toward Jiang Pingchuan. It was clear that the current situation was not as simple as merely sending someone to the front lines. Lan Xiu’s words carried hidden intent, or perhaps he had an ulterior goal. Though Long Heng did not fully grasp it, he wisely kept his mouth shut.

"Father, I am willing to lead the troops to the border and fight alongside Marshal Tie," Lan Dao said, bowing. Lan Xiu shook his head. He knew his son’s character well and deemed him unfit for this task. Frustrated by the rejection, Lan Dao glared at Jiang Pingchuan, who stood silently to the side.

"Your Majesty, since Jiang Pingchuan is a warrior of peak strength, why not let him lead the troops to assist our army?" suggested a senior academician. Jiang Pingchuan gave him a cold, indifferent glance but said nothing. Lan Xiu watched Jiang Pingchuan’s expression closely.

Seeing no change in Jiang Pingchuan’s demeanor, Lan Xiu was momentarily unsure how to proceed. He had raised the question to see who would dare take on this responsibility. If someone volunteered, he would not be so quick to agree. If no one dared, he could naturally steer the situation to place the burden on Jiang Pingchuan, granting him the command.

"Jiang Pingchuan is not a man of our Changfeng Continent. Master Academician Wu, your suggestion is ill-considered," Duo Ze said, looking at the academician. He was right; Jiang Pingchuan was an outsider. The provocation from the Northwestern Barbarian King was a matter for the Lan Dynasty, and, frankly, it had nothing to do with Jiang Pingchuan.

"As far as I know, Jiang Pingchuan has taken Miss Zhou Ninger of the Zhou family in Sanjiang County as his wife. By that account, he is a man of Changfeng. Even if he does not care for the Lan Dynasty, he must consider Sanjiang County. If the border falls, Sanjiang will surely be consumed by the flames of war," another general interjected, bowing to Lan Xiu. Jiang Pingchuan remained silent, listening to the back-and-forth of the officials.

"If we appoint Jiang Pingchuan to lead the army, I wonder which general is willing to hand over his command seal to him?" Duo Ze asked with a sneer. The hall, previously filled with clamor, suddenly fell silent.

Seeing the silence, Lan Dao sneered inwardly. His father wanted Jiang Pingchuan to lead, but no one was willing to surrender their own power. If Jiang Pingchuan accepted, he would likely be marching alone, with no soldiers willing to follow him.

Lan Xiu scanned the room. Duo Ze’s question was critical. Even if Jiang Pingchuan agreed to fight, the biggest problem remained the soldiers. The palace guards could not be moved; they were the final defense for the imperial residence. Lan Xiu felt a pang of disappointment as no one stepped forward to surrender their command.

"Your Majesty, what did the Imperial Uncle just say?" Xia Ha asked, looking dazed. He and Long Heng had been busy arguing and had missed the point. Long Heng, equally clueless, smiled awkwardly.

"If Jiang Pingchuan is willing to lead the army, who is willing to hand over their command seal and entrust their troops to him..."

"Oh... me! I am! I am willing! I, Xia Ha, am willing to hand over the command seal of the 100,000 elite troops of the Jingwei Battalion to Jiang Pingchuan!" Xia Ha exclaimed with sudden excitement. Long Heng, still confused, hurriedly raised his hand as well.

"And me! I’m no coward. I am willing to hand over the seal for my 100,000 Jingwei troops to Jiang Pingchuan, but I have one condition: I want to be his deputy general," Long Heng said with a grin. They had witnessed Jiang Pingchuan’s power and were convinced that following him would lead to glorious victory. They had been fretting over how to volunteer, and this was exactly what they wanted.

"Uh, Your Majesty, wait, I have a condition too: I want to be the vanguard commander," Xia Ha added, laughing. The two behaved like madmen, drawing strange looks from the rest of the court. These two had never been on the same page, yet today they were both eager to surrender their elite forces—troops whose combat effectiveness far surpassed that of standard armies.

"Your Majesty, I am also willing to hand over my command seal and request to accompany Young Hero Jiang to the border..."

"I am willing to hand over my seal and march to the border. Even if I die in battle, I shall not turn back..."

"Your Majesty, we are willing..."

Whether it was because Long Heng and Xia Ha had broken the ice, three other generals followed suit, offering their seals to join Jiang Pingchuan.

"You are all loyal, patriotic generals. But what say you, Pingchuan? If you are willing to help our Lan Dynasty repel the barbarians, I shall be eternally grateful on behalf of all our people," Lan Xiu said, looking at Jiang Pingchuan with melancholy. Jiang Pingchuan’s expression had remained unchanged throughout, standing silently. This outcome was beyond Lan Xiu’s expectations. He had originally planned to provide 500,000 imperial guards; now, if Jiang Pingchuan agreed, he would have a force of 600,000, including 200,000 elite Jingwei troops.

"Pingchuan has only one condition. If Your Majesty agrees, I will lead the troops to face the Barbarians in seven days," Jiang Pingchuan said calmly. The hall went silent. Everyone wanted to know what such a powerful expert would demand.

"Speak, Pingchuan. What is your condition?" Lan Xiu asked, hesitating.

"After the Barbarians are expelled, send me away from the Changfeng Continent," Jiang Pingchuan replied, locking eyes with Lan Xiu. Lan Xiu’s pupils constricted, and he fell into deep thought. The officials were stunned—they had never heard of anyone leaving the continent. To them, the world was a closed space. They looked at Jiang Pingchuan with the same gaze they had previously reserved for the eccentric Long Heng and Xia Ha, assuming this was just a preposterous excuse to avoid leading the army.

"I will consider your condition and give you an answer," Lan Xiu said, then walked into the inner court, supported by Duo Ze. Watching him leave, Jiang Pingchuan felt a sense of confusion. Based on Lan Xiu’s reaction, it seemed he did not know how to leave the continent either.

Jiang Pingchuan wondered if the Battle King had lied to him, using the promise of negotiations with the Lan Dynasty to manipulate him into defending their borders.

"Hey, aren't we great partners? How about it? Take us with you to the border!" Long Heng and Xia Ha chirped. Jiang Pingchuan looked at them, and a fleeting image flashed through his mind—he felt he had seen them before—but when he tried to focus, his mind went blank. Ignoring them, he left the hall with Master Gong, Mao Qiu, and Lan Ling'er.

After being settled in the guest quarters, Jiang Pingchuan placed his Asura Spear by his bedside. Lying down, he felt the faint presence of the ninth Dao crystal within him, urging him to choose his path: continue cultivating internal energy or pursue body refinement. He had realized in recent days that body refinement was just as potent.

Meanwhile, Lan Xiu returned to his bedchamber. Dismissing Duo Ze, he stood before a painting on the wall. After a long moment of contemplation, he touched the painting, closed his eyes, and whispered an incantation. With a flash of light, he vanished, entering the painting.

He arrived at the entrance of an ancestral hall. Kneeling on a prayer mat, he bowed three times before the rows of spirit tablets. "He wants to leave the Changfeng Continent after the Barbarians are driven back," Lan Xiu said bitterly.

"Agree to it," a weary, aged voice echoed from the hall.

"But how can I send him away?" Lan Xiu asked. A discussion seemed to break out among the spirits.

"Agree to it. After the Barbarians are defeated, bring him here," the voice commanded. Lan Xiu exhaled in relief. If only this place held the secret to departure, he could finally fulfill the request. He stood, bowed again, and returned to his chamber to begin drafting the imperial decree.