IDWBE -Chapter 168 The Supreme

Ye Qiu glanced over Pando. The two had lived under the same roof for some time but had barely interacted; their total words exchanged didn’t exceed ten.

Now, with Pando under Hong Ying’s scrutiny, Ye Qiu finally looked at him seriously.

“Actually, I suggest you learn the Exorcising Sword Technique from Xiao Xizi,” Ye Qiu said earnestly. “It is said that if practiced to its highest level, a single strike can pierce the path between life and death, reaching the Grandmaster stage.”

“Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Ye,” Pando’s mouth twitched involuntarily. Everyone in the manor knew that mastering the Exorcising Sword Technique required severing all ties to right and wrong.

He had a wife and children!

No matter how obsessed with martial arts, he would never do such a foolish thing.

He cupped his hands and said, “I use a whip. I think the sword suits you better, Young Master Ye.”

Without internal energy, his swordsmanship was still so refined—unprecedented, unheard of.

Such a rare genius—Hong Ying’s decision not to let him learn the Exorcising Sword Technique seemed a pity.

“You dare to mock me?” Ye Qiu’s expression turned cold.

That day’s scene remained a lifelong pain in his heart.

“I dare not,” Pando replied calmly. “I only speak for your benefit. You’re already skilled with a sword; if you mastered the Exorcising Sword Technique, I honestly can’t think of anyone who could withstand a single strike from you.”

“The Chief, Jizhao Nunnery, Consort Wen…”

In an instant, Ye Qiu thought of four people.

Without reaching the Grandmaster stage, one remained an ant.

Even at Grandmaster, he still felt like an ant.

Once proud and self-assured, Ye Qiu now doubted himself after meeting Hong Ying—and the doubts only worsened.

A-Dai craned his neck, looked at his friend Ye Qiu, then at Pando, and asked, “You’re injured? Will you die?”

Pando smiled, “It’s nothing. Thank you for your concern.”

“Oh,” A-Dai said disappointedly, “if you die, leave your whip to me. My brother likes your whip very much.”

Pando opened his mouth, ready to curse, but thinking of the Prince’s attendant, he held back and gritted his teeth: “I won’t die. The Chief has already treated my wound.”

“How can such a severe wound not kill you?”

A-Dai shook his head, sighing, and walked away.

Pando could only helplessly smile.

If it were anyone else, he would have been whipped to death long ago—no extra words wasted.

Late at night, the stars shone brilliantly.

Mosquitoes were so numerous they could devour a person, forcing people to light fires even in the high summer heat, adding mugwort. Smoke drifted for miles around.

In the valley below, the smoke couldn’t disperse—most people couldn’t tolerate it.

Lin Yi hid in the tent, coughing incessantly.

But he couldn’t go far—the mountains teemed with mosquitoes and venomous snakes.

According to incomplete statistics, over twenty had already been bitten by snakes. The lucky survived but were disabled; the unlucky became dried corpses.

Lin Yi never thought Hu Shilu was incompetent. Even in the modern world, a bite from a king cobra without immediate antivenom would leave one half-paralyzed, if not dead.

In war, sometimes the greatest enemy was the harsh natural environment.

Before dawn, the urgent drumbeats and blaring horns woke Lin Yi.

He had been sleeping poorly for days. Waking this early, he sat dazed on the edge of the bed, barely able to open his eyes.

“What’s happening?” he asked, sensing someone nearby but unsure who.

Xiao Xizi said, “Prince, Lord He is marching out with troops, pushing toward the Ten-Thousand Mountains. Following your orders, he intends to annihilate the remaining enemy forces.”

“So soon?”

Lin Yi’s eyes snapped open.

He quickly washed his face in a basin and stepped out of the tent.

Outside, hundreds of otter banners blocked the sky. Someone had even tied them to the elephants’ seats.

Over two hundred elephants marched rhythmically through the canyon under the command of the elephant troops, heading south. Behind them, the Qian and Li tribes wielded greatswords and spears.

After trading their bamboo and wooden poles for iron weapons two days prior, their fighting spirit now surpassed even the Sanhe soldiers’.

Armed with new weapons, they believed they could face the Ayu army.

Following them were 2,000 cavalry, clad in thick leather armor despite the heat, in formation.

Next came over ten thousand laborers hauling supplies, followed by more than 5,000 garrison soldiers and 5,000 militia.

Lin Yi told Xiao Xizi, “Catch up with Lord He. Tell him everything is under his command; he doesn’t need to report anything to me.”

He didn’t want his casual orders to restrict He Jixiang and the others. Watching from afar, he never intervened in the details.

“Yes.”

Xiao Xizi vanished in a few strides.

It had been ten days since He Jixiang led the army.

Lin Yi, having received no news, looked at the worried Fang Bin. “Not a single pigeon returned?”

To facilitate messages along the route, Fang Bin had brought over two hundred carrier pigeons. But in just over a month, few returned.

The deep mountains were teeming with predators and snakes. Now the pigeon cages were empty—no messages could get through.

“I accept full responsibility!”

Fang Bin’s shame was boundless.

Without comparison, there’s no hurt. Even Pando’s pigeons were well-cared for.

Before leaving, his master had repeatedly warned him—but he had failed.

He blamed himself for lacking skill.

Lin Yi waved his hand. “Don’t blame yourself entirely. No need to be too harsh.”

“Thank you, Prince.”

Fang Bin, red-faced, went to summon the recovering Pando.

Pando strode in. “Prince, Lord He is still marching. That’s why I haven’t reported anything to you.”

“Still marching? That road is really difficult,” Lin Yi thought.

He resolved that once the war stabilized, the first thing he’d do was build roads.

He couldn’t let fear of an Ayu invasion prevent infrastructure development—that would be cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face.

After all, the outcome of war isn’t determined solely by strength; logistics are equally critical.

No roads, no supply lines.

Consort Wen entered, and everyone stepped back.

They knew her well—she always handled more than the Prince. She disliked outsiders present during discussions; even if she said nothing at the time, she would cause trouble later.

“Have you eaten?”

Lin Yi smiled. “Over a month apart. I even missed you.”

Consort Wen poured herself a cup of tea and said calmly, “The commanders of Ayu this time are two Earthly Reverents.”

“Earthly Reverents?” Lin Yi was puzzled.

“Equivalent to the ninth rank in the Daliang Kingdom,” Consort Wen said expressionlessly. “Mei Jingzhi’s subordinate, the ninth-rank peak general Tan Lun, was killed by an Earthly Reverent.”