A month later.
It took a full month of subtle maneuvering between the two nations before negotiations formally began.
During that time, Qin Feng ensured the complete upgrade of his army. All thirty-five thousand soldiers had undergone Marrow Cleansing, and every steed had been strengthened with Thick Hide Elixirs.
With their current strength and discipline, he could finally allow himself a measured breath of relief. The forces within the fortress might not have been overwhelming in number, but they were formidable in quality and efficiency.
And thanks to his mother's flawless deployment of the Shadow Guards under her command, the fortress's food crisis had also been resolved—saving Qin Feng from spending additional SP.
Furthermore, as if the system was aware that he would soon be departing for the capital, his check-in rewards shifted significantly.
Over the month, he had gained:
Shadow Stalker × 40
Marrow Cleansing Pill × 800
Shadow Reaper Upgrade Card × 4
Shadow Stalker Upgrade Card × 25
DoomGuard Sentinel × 40
DoomGuard Sentinel Upgrade Card × 1
— [Shadow Reaper Upgrade Card: Upgrades a Shadow Reaper to a Shadow Dweller]
— [Shadow Stalker Upgrade Card: Upgrades a Shadow Stalker to a Shadow Reaper]
— [DoomGuard Sentinel: A homunculus engineered for strength and speed, designed specifically to combat demons of the Doom Legion. Each DoomGuard Sentinel is equipped with a personal Doom Steed, which can be summoned from its shadow.]
[Skills]: Doom Swordsmanship (Divine), Doom Spearmanship (Divine), Doom Riding (Divine)
[Physique]: Homunculus Physique (Demon Sentinel)
[Homunculus Physique (Demon Sentinel): Grants the physical capabilities of a Demon Sentinel—strength of a bear, agility of a cat.]
— [DoomGuard Sentinel Upgrade Card: Upgrades a DoomGuard Sentinel to a DoomGuard Warden]
— [DoomGuard Warden: An enhanced Sentinel engineered to battle Demon Wardens. Possesses greater strength, a stronger steed, and superior equipment.]
[Skills]: Doom Swordsmanship (Divine), Doom Spearmanship (Divine), Doom Riding (Divine)
[Physique]: Homunculus Physique (Demon Warden)
[Homunculus Physique (Demon Warden): Grants power comparable to Innate Divine Strength, while retaining feline agility.]
—*—
These rewards had greatly bolstered his personal power and saved him an enormous amount of SP.
The system was practically spoiling him.
Thank the Heavens for the Divine Luck Perk.
A week prior, he had received a court missive ordering him to grant the Northern Khaganate envoys safe passage.
And so, here he stood before the North Gate of Beiguan Fortress, his gaze cold as he watched the approaching procession. General Liang and General Zhao stood behind him.
The envoy procession halted three meters away.
Moments later, a dark-haired woman of striking beauty stepped down from a richly adorned carriage. Her skin was pale as ivory; her figure poised and graceful.
She was dressed in black silk threaded with gold, a black fur cloak draped across her shoulders. A black silk veil adorned with golden filigree obscured the lower half of her face.
She was assisted by a towering man—broad-shouldered, half a head taller than Qin Feng himself.
"Greetings. I am Princess Lianyue, envoy of the Northern Khaganate."
Qin Feng inclined his head slightly.
"I am Qin Feng, Commander of this frontier."
A subtle ripple passed through the procession. Eyebrows raised. Hands drifted toward weapon hilts. Fists tightened.
Not exaggerated.
But unmistakable to those who knew how to look.
Though these individuals had not participated in the recent campaign, they had heard the tales.
They had read the reports.
Princess Lianyue let out a soft chuckle.
"Oh? Duke Qin himself receives us. I have heard many stories of your valor. It is a pity that my guards and I were not present to witness it firsthand."
Behind her, ten massive guards—each nearly a head taller than Qin Feng—grinned. A few even chuckled.
'As expected of a princess sent as an envoy,' Qin Feng thought. 'Words that sound like praise, yet cut the other way.'
His gaze swept across the guards.
All ten possessed special physiques—likely acquired variants of the Tiger Physique.
But their captain was different.
The man who had assisted the princess carried a presence far heavier than the rest.
True Sight revealed signs of strength equal to—or perhaps exceeding—that of Boro Yashun, the commander with Innate Divine Strength whom he had slain.
Another Innate Divine Strength user.
Qin Feng returned his gaze to the princess.
"You misunderstand, Princess. The true pity would have been your unfortunate presence."
The moment the words left his mouth, one of the guards barked, "You dare?!"
Steel flashed halfway from its sheath.
General Zhao and General Liang responded instantly. Blades slid free. Along the walls, archers drew and took aim at the entire envoy party.
The captain moved in front of the princess without hesitation.
"Duke Qin," the princess said coolly, though a frown creased her brow, "what do you mean by this?"
Qin Feng raised a hand.
His soldiers immediately lowered their weapons.
"Princess," he said evenly, his eyes settling on the guard who had drawn steel, "it seems your men lack proper discipline."
"You enter the Sheng Empire as envoys. If your guards choose to behave as rabid dogs rather than trained hounds, the Beiguan Army will be the first to put them down."
There was no need to raise his voice.
The killing intent in his gaze was enough.
The princess swallowed subtly.
Her captain stepped forward.
"Duke Qin, even if my subordinate erred, do you not find your reaction excessive?"
Qin Feng arched an eyebrow.
"Excessive? I fail to see how."
Before the captain could reply, Qin Feng shifted his attention back to the princess.
"I have been ordered to grant you safe passage. However, Beiguan Fortress cannot accommodate Your Highness due to... food shortages."
A faint smirk tugged at his lips.
"While you travel through my Sheng Empire, I suggest you keep your dogs on a tight leash."
His eyes hardened.
"Lest you wake to find fewer within your kennel."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and strode back into the fortress.
Princess Lianyue's fingers curled within her sleeves, anger flickering in her eyes.
But she said nothing.
"Khadan," she asked quietly once he was out of earshot, "can you defeat him?"
The captain's gaze remained fixed on the fortress gates.
"True, he defeated Boro Yashun. But possessing the same Innate Divine Strength does not mean equal power. There are still tiers within tiers."
A pause.
"I am confident."
"Good," the princess replied softly as she returned to her carriage.
"I will be relying on that."
---
Author's Note:
Hello everyone. What did you think of this chapter? Was Qin Feng impulsive? What do you think the Princess meant by "I will be relying on that"?
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Thank you.