Chapter 121 - 106: Purgatory Battlefield and Choice

Chapter 121: Chapter 106: Purgatory Battlefield and Choice

The grand army marched, a vast and mighty force that kicked up clouds of dust all across the lands Beyond the Passes. Amidst the throng, battle banners snapped in the wind. The banner of Lu Yuan’s contingent bore the word "Icefield."

It signified that they hailed from the Northern Border’s Icefield Pass.

None of the Warriors were on horseback; they all traveled on foot. The terrain of the Western Border was unsuitable for cavalry. Outside the city walls lay an expanse of rolling hills of all sizes.

They rose and fell like waves on an ocean.

They marched for a hundred li over the course of three days before finally halting to make camp.

Ahead of them lay a vast Stone Forest.

A dense collection of irregularly shaped stone pillars stood tall.

Through the gaps in the Stone Forest, Lu Yuan and his comrades could even see the faint, flickering lights of the enemy’s campfires in the distance.

According to the orders from Duke Zhenyuan, the two armies would officially clash the next morning.

Everyone was resting, conserving their strength for the battle to come.

Lu Yuan, however, made his way to the Merit Camp. Upon entering, he saw a dazzling array of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, but his gaze ultimately settled on a Meridian Fruit.

The price was steep: a full fifty thousand taels of silver. Alternatively, it could be exchanged for the Merit Points equivalent to a single third-class merit.

A Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure of this caliber was considered exceedingly rare.

After a brief glance, Lu Yuan said flatly, "I’ll take this one."

As soon as he spoke, the nearby Quartermaster glanced at him, a flicker of surprise on his face. He clearly hadn’t expected Lu Yuan to possess a third-class merit.

After all, since Lu Yuan was fighting alongside the Imperial Guard, this Merit Camp belonged to them, not the forces from the Northern Border. It was impossible for the Quartermaster to recognize him.

The Quartermaster didn’t say anything more, however. He simply retrieved the item and handed it to Lu Yuan. Meanwhile, he flipped through the Merit Book for a moment and, sure enough, found Lu Yuan’s name.

The surprise on his face deepened. ’Only seventeen, and he already has two third-class merits! With one more, he could be promoted directly to Garrison General.’

He immediately shed the typical arrogance of the Imperial Guard. After recording the transaction, he placed a Meridian Fruit in Lu Yuan’s hand.

Lu Yuan took the fruit, tucked it into his robes, and walked straight out of the tent.

His Meridian Passage hadn’t reached complete Perfection yet, but he wasn’t far off. With this Meridian Fruit, he could break through and condense his True Essence the moment he achieved Perfection.

When that happened, his combat prowess would take another leap forward.

Back in his own tent, he swallowed a Meridian Opening Pill and resumed his cultivation.

Waves of energy pulsed from within him. The acupoints all over his body thrummed, emitting a soft, shimmering glow.

Lu Yuan could clearly feel his body undergoing a constant, very pleasant transformation.

「Meanwhile, inside Duke Zhenyuan’s tent」 A young man with a tall, straight posture and handsome features sat across from the Duke. He was dressed in a Round Dragon Robe.

Even in the presence of Xiao Heng, the renowned General of the Imperial Guard, the young man showed no trace of apprehension. Instead, he smiled and asked, "Venerable Duke, what do you think our odds are this time?"

As he spoke, the young man toyed with a Jade Ruyi in his hand.

Xiao Heng replied softly, "Seventh Prince, the Xirong have always been ferocious warriors. As for this battle, this old subject has no great certainty. I can only promise to do my utmost."

Indeed, the young man was none other than the Seventh Prince of Dayong. Not only was he exceptionally talented, but he was also deeply favored by the Yong Emperor.

His presence here was at the Yong Emperor’s behest, meant for him to gain experience.

What this Seventh Prince currently lacked most was prestige and allies within the military, so he had come to the border with the intention of recruiting talented individuals.

"Venerable Duke, you jest," the Seventh Prince said with a light laugh. "If you claim to lack confidence, then unless a few of the great Princes themselves were to take the field, no one in Dayong could compare to you."

the Seventh Prince said, his smile unwavering.

He showed no hint of disrespect toward this pillar of the Dayong military.

Xiao Heng glanced at the young Prince across from him and asked quietly, "I hear that Your Highness is on good terms with Prince Polu?"

"Yes, my uncle has always treated me well." The Seventh Prince did not try to hide it, nodding openly.

Xiao Heng said no more, but the hand lifting his teacup paused mid-air.

Although the Yong Emperor was in the prime of his life, a Crown Prince for Dayong had yet to be named.

As a result, the struggle among the Princes was incredibly fierce.

This was because Dayong’s rule of succession was to choose the most worthy heir, not the eldest son.

In practice, this meant that whichever Prince could secure the most supporters and achieve a higher level of personal cultivation had the best chance of becoming the Crown Prince.

Xiao Heng had only been probing, and he hadn’t expected the Seventh Prince to answer so frankly.

After all, he had yet to hear of any high-ranking Prince throwing their support behind an imperial Prince.

The fact that Prince Polu had made his decision so quickly made Xiao Heng re-evaluate the Seventh Prince.

The Seventh Prince, of course, noticed Xiao Heng’s slight pause, and the corners of his lips curled upward. This was precisely the effect he had intended.

’If I can win this old general’s support as well...’

’...I can’t say the title of Crown Prince would be guaranteed, but at the very least, I’d be able to contend with my elder brothers.’

Xiao Heng, however, did not comment on the matter. He simply glanced at the Seventh Prince and said, "The Northern Border’s buffer zone... I hear several of the imperial Princes have arrangements there."

"Haha, nothing escapes you, old General. All sorts of powers are moving into the buffer zone now. I believe it’s my Imperial Father’s intention to have us Princes compete there and produce a result."

The Seventh Prince seemed to be holding nothing back.

Xiao Heng shot him a look. "And what are your thoughts on the matter, Seventh Prince?"

"I must compete for it, of course. I’ve heard a new power has risen in the buffer zone, the Celestial King Stronghold, and they are not to be underestimated. Once this campaign is over, I will send men to recruit them."