Chapter 368: Du Yuan

Upon hearing this, a flash of brilliance crossed Du Yuan's eyes. He nodded heavily. "This child understands; I will certainly not fail the expectations of my foster father."

Having said this, Du Yuan turned to leave, but Heimu Yuan suddenly called out to him. "Du Yuan, wait a moment."

Du Yuan stopped his steps and turned to look at Heimu Yuan, his eyes filled with confusion and anticipation. "Does foster father have any other instructions?"

Heimu Yuan took a token from his sleeve and handed it to Du Yuan. "This is the token of the Heimu Guard. With this token, you can mobilize anyone within the Heimu Guard. Remember, you must act with caution and never underestimate the enemy."

Du Yuan took the token, and a warm current surged in his heart. He knew the weight of this token, and understood even more the trust and expectations his foster father placed in him.

He nodded heavily once more, then turned and left, disappearing into the night with his personal guards.

Outside Heimu Prefecture City, the lights of the military camp flickered in the night, like stars dotting the vast earth.

Inside the camp, apart from the patrolling guards, the rest of the soldiers had already fallen asleep.

"Pass the order: assemble!" A loud, resonant command rang out in the camp, shaking everyone's soul like a thunderclap.

Du Yuan's personal guards quickly relayed the order to the officers of all ranks in the camp, and the camp immediately became busy.

Soldiers in deep sleep were awakened.

They quickly organized their gear and checked their weapons.

They prepared to receive the impending military order.

Following the transmission of the order, the soldiers in the camp quickly assembled on the drill ground.

They formed neat phalanxes, the weapons in their hands flashing with cold light under the firelight.

Du Yuan stood on high ground in the camp, overlooking the assembled Heimu Guard.

His heart was filled with high aspirations; he knew the importance of this battle and understood the responsibility on his shoulders.

Externally, Red Lotus is causing chaos; internally, small demons are hiding in the shadows.

The situation is becoming increasingly murky; relying solely on the strength of foster father's True Qi Realm is likely not enough to suppress the situation.

It is also time to bring out the Heimu Guard to show some muscle.

"Brothers!" Du Yuan's voice echoed across the drill ground.

"An unknown force has appeared in the city, destroying families at every turn with cruel methods.

Heimu Prefecture is our home.

Can we allow these outsiders to commit such heinous acts in our home?"

The soldiers shouted: "No, we cannot!!"

"Very good. We are the warriors of Heimu Prefecture City.

Behind us is this land we deeply love and the countless commoners who await our triumphant return.

For their peace and happiness, we must give our all!"

The soldiers shouted in unison: "For Heimu Prefecture City! For the commoners!"

Their voices echoed across the drill ground, as if they would shake this heaven and earth until it trembled.

Du Yuan nodded with satisfaction. He turned to look at the personal guards beside him: "Pass the order down: the entire army is to prepare their gear and take inventory.

In half an hour,

the entire army will strike,

control all vital passages according to the plan, and screen all suspicious individuals."

The personal guards quickly relayed the order to the officers of all ranks, and the camp became busy once again.

The soldiers began to organize their gear and check their equipment, preparing for the coming battle.

No matter who the opponent is, they dare to come to Heimu Prefecture to stir up trouble?

That is seeking death!!!

This is the military might of the Heimu Guard!!!

At the same time, the situation within Heimu Prefecture City grew increasingly tense.

In the dark corners of Heimu Prefecture City, an undercurrent was quietly surging.

Major forces strengthened their defenses one after another; an unprecedented storm was quietly brewing.

When the eyes and ears, the secret agents of various forces, saw Du Yuan of the Heimu Guard leave the city, they knew the ruler of this prefecture city had begun to act.

Major forces strengthened their defenses one after another, fearing they would become victims in this coming storm.

Secret agents busily shuttled through every corner, collecting the latest intelligence, attempting to gain the upper hand in this game.

Half an hour had passed.

Du Yuan was clad in armor, his broadsword waving in his hand, pointing straight ahead.

"Set out."

Following that earth-shaking "Set out" from Du Yuan,

the sound of the Heimu Guard's iron hooves and horses' hooves intertwined like a rolling flood, rushing out. Amidst the flying dust,

the figures of the Heimu Guard were like a black net, sweeping toward Heimu Prefecture City.

Inside the city, those forces hidden in the shadows were even more panicked and uneasy.

They either huddled in secret chambers or hid in deep alleys, their gazes piercing through layers of curtains, attempting to spy on the source and direction of this storm.

With every intersection of information and every disclosure by those in the know, a massive amount of information was being exchanged.

"My lord, Du Yuan leaving the city this time must have a scheme; he might even directly mobilize the Heimu Guard."

A secret agent dressed in night-traveling clothes returned in a hurry, kneeling before an old man with a gloomy face, and whispered.

The old man was the Head of the Family of the Lin Family in the city, Lin Aoyou. His eyes were like those of a falcon, sharp and cold.

At this moment, he was staring intently at the secret letter in his hand. The few words on the letter revealed an unusual meaning.

"Hmph, no matter what he plans, my Lin Family will certainly not sit and wait for death."

The old man let out a cold snort, turned the secret letter into ashes, and then stood up, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.

"Send out the notification: everyone is to be on high alert, prepared to deal with any contingencies that may arise.

Furthermore, transfer all the seeds in the household out, just in case."

After arranging these contingencies, Lin Aoyou returned to the secret chamber to quietly await the arrival of the right moment.

At the same time, in another corner of Heimu Prefecture City, inside a seemingly ordinary residence, the lights were burning bright.

The master of the residence, an old man over fifty years of age but still full of vigor, was deep in thought while facing a massive map.

On the map, every key point of Heimu Prefecture City was meticulously marked, as if the entire city's veins were within his grasp.

"Dharma King, Du Yuan has already led his troops away; I fear he intends to draw out the Heimu Guard." A trusted subordinate hurried in and whispered.

The old man slowly raised his head, a flash of sharp light crossing his eyes: "Correct, this is the very moment.

Huang Ping and the others died well!

It can be considered a great service to our sect.

Pass down the order to closely monitor every move of the Heimu Guard.

Once our sect's great army arrives, the situation in Heimu City will be a foregone conclusion.

But remember, act with caution; you must not alert the enemy."

Deep within a lavishly decorated mansion,

in a mist-shrouded bathroom,

Lin Weichen, dressed in light gauze, leaned against a warm, smooth jade bathtub,

letting the warm water flow gently over her skin, washing away the exhaustion and worries of the past few days.

Her gaze was no longer as sharp as before, but instead held a touch of softness and contemplation.

"Wang Ji, the hot water is ready; do you need any fragrance added?"

A maid asked softly, holding several exquisite small bottles in her hands,

from which a faint, refreshing scent wafted, soothing to the mind and spirit.

Lin Weichen shook her head slightly, signaling it was unnecessary.

"It is fine here; you may all withdraw first."

Her voice was soft yet firm, revealing an unquestionable majesty.

The maids bowed respectfully and exited the bathroom, leaving Lin Weichen alone to immerse herself in this moment of tranquility.

Closing her eyes, Lin Weichen began to review everything she had seen and heard in Heimu Prefecture over the past few days.

From the full expectations she held upon first arriving here,

to the anger and helplessness after encountering cold shoulders,

and finally to her current realization of her father the King's painstaking efforts,

all of this felt like a dream, yet it was so real.

She realized that although she was a noble Wang Ji,

she still needed to constantly learn and grow amidst the complex and ever-changing court politics and the martial world.

"Father, your daughter understands your intentions." Lin Weichen said silently in her heart, her eyes flashing with a firm light.

A true ruler must not only be able to fight and win battles, but also understand the hearts of the people and be adept at weighing pros and cons, in order to remain invincible in the face of shifting winds and clouds.

This was what she had learned over these past few days.

After finishing her bath, Lin Weichen put on a simple and elegant nightgown and stepped out of the bathroom; the cool breeze that met her refreshed her spirit.

She walked to the window and looked at the stars twinkling in the night sky, her mind already made up.

The night grew deeper, and Heimu Prefecture City seemed to be shrouded in an invisible haze.

In the streets and alleys, people whispered to one another, their discussions filled with unease and speculation.

And those who truly held the power over the city's shifting winds and clouds,

were, beneath this undercurrent, silently laying their plans, waiting for that decisive moment.