Immortal Travel of Longevity

Yan Nantian fell silent for a long time before asking, "Master, you tell me to turn back, but what if I press forward? I have countless capable men under my command who can carry the banner. With the Yu Banner Undefeated, how could Prince Jin possibly rise?"

Hui'an explained, "Your Highness, if you die, the news of your death will not spread. There are strange individuals in this world who can alter their faces to impersonate others. The moment you die, someone else will seamlessly take your place, and Prince Yu will no longer be Prince Yu."

Yan Nantian shook his head. "They might copy my face and form, but they cannot copy my mind. They would be exposed in the blink of an eye."

"But what if this game piece isn't meant to take control of the Yu Army?" Hui'an asked.

Yan Nantian raised a brow, suddenly realizing the truth.

"Of course..."

"It seems Your Highness already understands," Hui'an said. "The disguise isn't meant to steal your position, but to dictate where this game piece falls. Factions within Shangjing City have vastly different stances. However, if you are exposed in the capital and fall into the hands of the Imperial Court, not a single person there would actually want you dead. They still need someone to hold off the Northern Desert, and the Imperial Court could use you to keep the Yu Army in check. A head-on clash is not a good strategy."

"But if you were to die in Shangjing City yourself, things would change entirely. This would not be the work of the North Desert People, nor of Prince Jin. The entire mess would be dumped straight onto the Imperial Court."

"You have countless brave, brilliant commanders serving under you. Fueled by such vengeance, what would the army do? Where would they march? And what would happen to the situation at the Border Pass?"

The methods were underhanded but undeniable in their effectiveness, pointing every spear directly at the Imperial Court and playing the entire realm for fools.

"That is why you must survive, Your Highness," the monk Hui'an said.

Yan Nantian snapped out of his daze and cupped his hands in gratitude. "Thank you, Master Hui'an."

"However, besides turning back, I still believe that pressing forward might not be without results."

Hui'an paused, suddenly understanding. "So Your Highness already has a countermeasure in mind. If that is the case, pressing forward is naturally for the best."

Yan Nantian offered a warm smile. "I believe some of what you've said, Master, and I will verify the rest in due time. Now that you have left Jindi, why not put your skills to good use? Why not join my camp?"

Hui'an shook his head. "This old monk appreciates Your Highness's kindness, but I am a man of the Buddhist Schools. Now that my karma has been settled, it is time I returned to the monastic life."

Yan Nantian thought it a pity. He reached into his robes, pulled out a Waist Token, and tossed it to Hui'an.

"If you ever change your mind, Master, you may come to my camp and present this Waist Token."

Monk Hui'an smiled warmly and chanted a quiet "Amitabha."

His figure gradually began to scatter, seemingly dissolving into thin air right before their eyes.

The Token, however, fell to the ground.

The Butcher hurried forward to snatch up the Token. He dusted off the dirt, grumbling incessantly, "That old monk really doesn't know what's good for him."

"Wu Dao, mind your manners."

"My Lord..."

"Let us continue our journey."

Thanks to Hui'an's words, Yan Nantian's mind was now crystal clear.

He hadn't expected that this scheme didn't just target him and his banner of Yu, but dragged the entire realm into it.

Even more shocking was the fact that Prince Jin had actually conspired with the North Desert People to lay this trap. The man was truly utterly ruthless.

Yet, no matter how underhanded the methods, only the one who ultimately seized that highest seat would earn the right to speak. Prince Jin's scheme was undeniably a masterful stroke.

At the very least, Yan Nantian felt a sense of admiration.

"Yan!"

A voice called out.

"Who goes there!"

The Butcher drew his blade, his gaze sweeping outward.

He turned to see a woman clutching a Long Spear, galloping toward them on a Swift Horse.

Yan Nantian lifted the curtain and asked, "Why are you here?"

"Whoa..."

Ruyi pulled her horse to a halt. She leveled her spear directly at Yan Nantian and demanded, "Answer me! What did you mean when you left?! What do you mean, for me? How could you just leave without explaining yourself?"

Yan Nantian smiled helplessly. "How did you even manage to chase me out of the city? There is no girl as stubborn as you."

"I am your Grand Aunt!" Ruyi cursed. "To hell with being a girl!"

Yan Nantian smiled helplessly again and replied, "Yes, Grand Aunt."

She certainly acted like one.

"I told you to speak!"

Yan Nantian refocused. Looking at Ruyi and seeing that Long Spear pointed at him, he paused for a moment before asking, "Do you remember the brother and sister you saved at the Border Pass over a decade ago?"

Ruyi thought for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. "Get to the point. I've saved countless people—how am I supposed to know which ones you're talking about?"

"I am the one you saved back then," Yan Nantian said.

Ruyi froze, momentarily caught in a daze.

She truly couldn't remember it!

...

Back then, His Majesty had passed away, throwing the entirety of Great Xiang into chaos.

The North Desert People took the opportunity to march south, stirring up quite a disturbance across the Borderland.

Lacking manpower, they began forcefully conscripting commoners.

Yan Nantian's tragedy struck right at that time.

His parents had died in the freezing frost, entrusting him on their deathbeds to a family residing at the Border Pass. That family treated him very well. There was also an older sister who took special care of him. But the good times were short-lived. As the North Desert People captured people in droves, the two elders raising him were also taken. The only reason he and his sister managed to escape was because they hid inside a water well.

Relying solely on each other, the siblings began spending their days on the run, making their way to Water's End City to find their parents. The result, however, was bleak; their parents had long since been worked to death.

Left with no one to rely on and nowhere to go, they heard that Weidi was peaceful. They decided to leave the region, but on their journey, they stumbled into North Desert People pillaging a village.

And it was exactly at that time that Ruyi saved them.

With just a few thrusts of her spear, Ruyi threw the leader straight off his horse, saving the two of them.

But in the siblings' eyes, Ruyi—reeking of bandit arrogance—looked even more terrifying than the North Desert People.

"Oho, you're a pretty little girl, aren't you? Look at this face..."

Ruyi had tilted the little girl's chin up to inspect her.

The young Yan Nantian had thrown himself in front of his sister. He stared at Ruyi and shouted, "Don't you dare bully my sister!"

Ruyi froze at that, then laughed. "Not bad, you're a real little man."

She reached out and patted Yan Nantian on the head. "You'll have to work a lot harder, then. Look at you, all soft skin and tender meat. You want to protect your sister? It looks more like she's the one protecting you. Still, you're exactly like my little Ping'an! Useless at everything, but first place at bragging! But at least you still remember you have a sister."

Yan Nantian stared blankly back at her, unable to understand what she meant.

Before he could say anything more, Ruyi stood up and said, "Kid, you make sure you protect your sister. Don't forget that."

Leaving behind that single phrase, Ruyi had spurred her horse and ridden off into the distance.

At that time, Ruyi had left a very deep impression on Yan Nantian.

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