Chapter 136: The Political Marriage

A few days later, the sect officially announced that the Northern Province had invaded and that war was imminent. All disciples of the Southern Profound Sect were to be dispatched from the mountain to assist the Great Xia Dynasty in repelling the invaders.

A few days later, after consuming the medicinal elixir sent by Yu Qingzi, Jin Xuanzi’s condition improved significantly. Following several days and nights of care from Baili Mo and the Junior Sister, he finally awoke.

A few days later, faced with the fierce onslaught of the Northern Province barbarians, the Great Xia, Great Qin, and Great Zhou dynasties finally set aside some of their previous prejudices and chose to cooperate temporarily, agreeing not to hold grudges or remain hostile toward each other until the Northern Province had been driven out of the Southern Province.

A few months later, the Northern Province launched its full-scale invasion. The Great Xia, Great Qin, and Great Zhou dynasties suffered crushing defeats; their so-called imperial armies were like disorganized mobs, crumbling at the first blow. The bloodshed of war began to spread, causing countless casualties in an instant.

In those few days, the Southern Profound Sect fully mobilized. From the elders down to the newest recruits, everyone was thrown into the war—some directly onto the battlefield to slay the enemy, others providing support to protect the common people. No one was left with a moment of respite.

Everything progressed with terrifying speed. The sudden arrival of war caught everyone unprepared. Lives were extinguished in vast numbers; in the face of such a conflict, both mortals and cultivators were as fragile as ants.

As the war continued, the three great empires began to buckle under the weight of the casualties. A true sovereign would never gamble everything on a single throw. Faced with the ruthless, life-for-life tactics of the Northern Province’s death-defying warriors, the three great dynasties finally chose to compromise.

And this was only after half a year.

The newly ascended Emperor of Xia lacked the political acumen of his predecessor; he was clearly ill-equipped for strategic military planning. Confronted with a scale of conflict he had never before witnessed, he ultimately chose to compromise.

The war could have lasted a long time—a year, two, ten, or even decades—but if it did, would the Great Xia of the current Emperor still be his own? Reduced to a hollow shell, such a Great Xia would be meaningless to him.

The first compromise negotiation began. The Emperor of Xia personally stepped forward to negotiate with the supreme commander of the Northern Province. Everything proceeded as if it were destined, as if it had been rehearsed countless times, as if everything had been arranged in advance.

The negotiations went so smoothly that even the Great Zhou and Great Qin empires could hardly believe it.

The result of the negotiations was, naturally, the cession of a portion of the Southern Province’s territory, along with various rare treasures and tributes offered by the three dynasties to demonstrate their sincerity. The war, which had lasted only half a year, was temporarily suspended.

Among the tributes from the Great Xia Dynasty was a person; the Emperor had begun preparations for a political marriage. A princess of Great Xia was sent to the Northern Province as if she were a mere object. The consequences could well be imagined.

***

Mount Southern Profound, the Southern Profound Sect, atop the cloud-shrouded peak.

In his room, Baili Mo drank freely from the peach blossom wine brewed personally by his Junior Sister.

With the war temporarily suspended, a portion of the Southern Profound Sect’s disciples had returned to the mountain, awaiting further orders from the sect.

Compared to half a year ago, Baili Mo was like a different person. The youthful, callow air of his adolescence had vanished in just six months, replaced by a newfound maturity and steadiness. The eyes beneath his sword-like brows now held a much sharper, more piercing edge.

Just as he had promised, he was no longer despondent or decadent. He had thrown himself heart and soul into the war, to the point that his name now appeared on the "Must-Kill" list of the Northern Province barbarians. His name hung high on that list, and the Northern barbarians hated him to the bone.

He seemed to be trying to forget something, to escape something. For six whole months, that name had never crossed his lips, as if he had truly forgotten it.

"Senior Brother!" With a thud, the Junior Sister pushed the door open without a second thought for the fact that a grown man was inside.

Compared to half a year ago, the Junior Sister had grown even more elegant and captivating. There were many talented young men and rising stars within the sect who, after seeing her just once, had wished to become her dao companion.

Yet, she had rejected them all. There was no special reason; when the first of such men had appeared, she had already made her choice without a moment's hesitation. That day, she had informed everyone that she already had a man she loved, leaving the crowd sighing in regret and resentment. Some even went so far as to declare they no longer believed in love.

However, no one noticed that her smile was laced with a sense of loneliness and bitterness.

Whenever people grew curious about who this man was, she would only smile and remain silent. Watching her gentle, quiet smile, they could do nothing. Those who adored her were too doting to force her to speak of what she wished to keep hidden.

The news that the Junior Sister, beloved by so many, already had a man in her heart spread like wildfire through the Southern Profound Sect, but the identity of this man remained an unsolved mystery.

"Oh, Junior Sister, you're quite grown up now, yet you still barge into your Senior Brother’s room so recklessly. Aren't you afraid that man in your heart might get jealous?" Baili Mo teased, laughing as she entered.

The Junior Sister looked back at him with a similar playful smile. Her gaze made Baili Mo feel a bit flustered, even slightly guilty for reasons unknown to him, and he began to chuckle foolishly.

***

"Ju-Junior Sister, did I do or say something wrong again?" Baili Mo asked with a sheepish grin.

"Hmm, Senior Brother, you really are an idiot who understands nothing about women," she replied with a sigh, looking quite exasperated.

Then, she began to flex her hands...

"...Look, I've been feeling a bit under the weather lately, let's not do this," Baili Mo said, forcing a smile.

"Hmph! Take this—Junior Sister’s signature bun-fist!" Tan Huanhuan threw a cute, feisty punch at him, her temper exactly as it had been years ago.

After a brief scuffle, the two ended up on the bed. As for why they were on the bed, according to Baili Mo, being knocked to the floor by his Junior Sister would have been embarrassing, but being knocked onto the bed was simply a display of the Senior Brother’s skill.

After their playful banter, they finally returned to the main topic. The entire Southern Profound Sect had received news of the temporary halt in the Northern barbarians' invasion, but this did not mean the war was over. As the leading force in the Southern Province, the Southern Profound Sect had much to prepare for.

"So, why did Master ask for us at this time?" On the mountain path leading to Jin Xuanzi’s residence, Baili Mo tilted his head and asked his Junior Sister.

"How would I know? Master just told me to bring you over," she replied, shrugging, clearly as much in the dark as he was.

Along the path, it was common to see disciples of the Southern Profound Sect hurrying to and fro. As the disciples of Jin Xuanzi, one of the Twelve Profound Immortals, even those with lesser cultivation or questionable character were still treated with respect by most in the sect, who had to address them as "Uncle-Master" due to their formidable seniority.

Of course, with his Golden Core cultivation, Baili Mo truly possessed the qualifications to be an Uncle-Master. Even the Junior Sister, despite being only at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, was often addressed as "Junior Uncle-Master" by most of the disciples, who were more than happy to do so given her stunning appearance.

Beauty is justice.

Whether it was the handsome, dignified Baili Mo or the graceful Tan Huanhuan, their looks alone were enough to turn heads throughout the sect. Combined with their approachable personalities, the two enjoyed quite a reputation within the Southern Profound Sect.