Dance Of The Dragons
Chapter 323 : The Final Battle (1)

Chapter 323: Chapter 323 : The Final Battle (1)

From the crack of dawn that marked the day of the ambush, Fuxi Palace’s front yard throbbed with an electrifying energy. The air hummed with anticipation as the Golden Dragon Palace’s esteemed general, freshly entrusted with the command of Fuxi Palace’s formidable army, set about his task with unwavering zeal.

With a keen eye and a mind honed by years of strategic brilliance, Zhang Fengxi meticulously scrutinized the Fuxi Palace’s army formation, seeking to identify any shortcomings and amplify their strengths. His movements were swift and decisive, his every order bore the same weight of authority as their true master, the Crown Prince.

"You are surprisingly good, Fengxi," Xie Jianyu remarked when Zhang Fengxi casually unearthed hidden flaws in the soldiers’ arrangement and unveiled their untapped potential. "Your understanding of my private army’s capabilities and composition is quite extensive."

Zhang Fengxi swallowed hard before he turned to look at Xie Jianyu with a shameless grin.

"Well, the marks of a good Supreme General is..."

"... Espionage?" Xie Jianyu ended his sentence with a disapproving glare.

Zhang Fengxi cleared his throat.

"I believe that the proper term is ’intelligence gathering’."

"You are despicable," Xie Jianyu snapped at him before he turned around and strode back into his bedroom. Zhang Fengxi, ever the attentive husband, quickly draped his arm around his wife’s waist to support him.

"Wife, don’t be angry. In exchange, I will tell you anything you want to know about my Longjing Palace’s army, hm?"

Xie Jianyu glared at him.

"And what do I need that for? I can beat you without relying on dirty tactics and strategies."

Zhang Fengxi pressed a kiss against Xie Jianyu’s nape.

"I know, I know. My wife is the strongest, the best. I can only beat you if I employ dirty measures."

"Hmph."

After an unsuccessful attempt to coax his wife, Zhang Fengxi returned to the courtyard just in time to receive Wu Shenxia and a meager group of soldiers who survived the attack on Juhua Palace.

The female alpha seemed to be rather ashamed of her humble entourage.

"I am sorry," she said with a deep, long sigh. "I said that I wanted to help, but I don’t have much to help out with."

"Oh, no worries," Zhang Fengxi beamed at her. He was grateful for the additional combat forces, but the one he needed the most was Wu Shenxia herself. "I need you to command a bunch of leaderless soldiers."

Wu Shenxia furrowed her brows.

"Which ones?"

"My troops, your troops, and all the other leaderless troops from the Golden Dragon Palace’s army of course."

"..."

Speechless, Wu Shenxia started looking around in search of Supreme General Liang Yuxuan and Deputy Supreme General Han Zirui.

Zhang Fengxi was quick to answer the questions that had yet to leave her lips, "Both of our superiors are unfortunately incapacitated at the moment. Leading an operation is out of the question for the time being."

Wu Shenxia stared at him.

"General Zhang Fengxi, I am still just a commandant, just so you know."

Many more senior people in the military could do the job. It did not seem proper to neglect their ranks and ask Wu Shenxia to step on their heads like that.

With a flourish, Zhang Fengxi extended his hand, offering Wu Shenxia a golden scroll, its edges shimmering with an ethereal glow. The scroll, heavy with the weight of authority, bore the unmistakable imprint of the Emperor’s seal, its intricate patterns a testament to the decree’s significance.

"Congratulations, you are now a general. You can thank the Crown Prince later, he is currently taking a nap."

"...."

At the sight of the imperial scroll, Wu Shenxia’s eyes widened like saucers, her astonishment rendering her momentarily immobile.

For three heartbeats, she stood suspended in time, her mind struggling to grasp the gravity of the moment. Then, with a realization that struck her like a thunderbolt, she collapsed to her knees before Zhang Fengxi, her body surrendering to the weight of the honor bestowed upon her.

Zhang Fengxi laughed heartily as he pulled his comrade to her feet.

"What are you doing?"

"You... the Imperial Decree..." Wu Shenxia stuttered in a flurry of confused words.

"It is not the time to act according to the formalities. If you want, thank my wife later, but not now. He is taking a nap and we are leaving soon."

"...."

Zhang Fengxi pressed the Imperial Decree into Wu Shenxia’s hands.

"I shall give you five minutes to read the content of the decree and rejoice upon your promotion. Please head to the entrance gate afterward. A lot of soldiers are waiting for your instructions, we do not have much time to waste."

Zhang Fengxi patted Wu Shenxia’s shoulder lightly before he departed, leaving Wu Shenxia alone to absorb the weight of her newfound appointment. The Imperial Decree, a tangible declaration of her elevated status, rested heavily in her hands. The promotion reflected the load of trust and responsibility that Xie Jianyu had placed upon her.

As she gazed upon the decree, Wu Shenxia’s heart swelled with a mixture of awe, gratitude, and a tinge of regret. She had not yet had the opportunity to express her appreciation to Xie Jianyu in person, to thank him for the abrupt and unexpected appointment.

A fleeting, silly thought crossed her mind soon after. This was the first Imperial Decree that Xie Jianyu ever issued as a Crown Prince on behalf of his father, the late Heavenly Emperor. It deserved a special spot -- no, a shrine in her bedroom at Juhua Palace.

When she realized the dire circumstances that required her focus and attention, she quickly dismissed the idea.

After tucking the decree safely in her chest, Wu Shenxia made her way towards the entrance gate of Fuxi Palace, where said troops, numbering thousands, were waiting for her to assume command over them.

Amidst the vast expanse of the battlefield, a surge of energy crackled through the air as Jiang Muchen, the Fire Guardian, arrived with his formidable troops from Shuiran Palace. The very ground trembled beneath the weight of their imposing presence, their armor glinting under the radiant sunlight.

Moments later, a whirlwind of fur and agility swept across the clouds, heralding the arrival of Jiang Muchen’s new best friend, the Monkey King. He was accompanied by a horde of loyal monkey soldiers from the Human Realm.

In his ostentatious shiny armor, the Monkey King exuded an aura of confidence and invincibility that sent shivers down the spines of their enemies.

Zhang Fengxi, himself personally taking over command for both the Fuxi and Longjing Palaces’ soldiers, stood tall and resolute before the vast expanse of the assembled army, his heart pounding with a mixture of determination and anticipation. He knew that this was the final battle, the culmination of a long and arduous struggle for the fate of the Heavenly Realm.

One last battle, and then the dark clouds would clear up and give way to a bright future ahead.

"Zhang Fengxi."

Zhang Fengxi turned around and saw his wife, his figure delicately supported by Xie Jianshen.