Dance Of The Dragons
Chapter 351 : Five Years Later (3)

Chapter 351: Chapter 351 : Five Years Later (3)

HELP!!!

Supreme General Zhang Fengxi furrowed his brows when a sharp pain shot through his chest.

It hurt so much that he had to press his right hand against his heart, to check for any unexpected wounds.

The left hand he used to support his weight pressed against the thick wooden table in front of him, causing it to creak ominously.

"Supreme General, is everything alright?" General Wu Shenxia asked out of concern.

"Yeah," Zhang Fengxi replied nonchalantly. "General Wu, General Jiang, General Hong, and General Lan, please oversee the battle preparation. I want a full report by tomorrow."

"Yessir."

All generals grabbed their steel helmets and headed out of the tent, while Wu Shenxia and General Jiang, previously Commandant Jiang, stayed behind to speak to Zhang Fengxi.

"You look so pale," Wu Shenxia remarked. "Do you need to rest? You shouldn’t fall sick so close to the battle."

"I won’t," Zhang Fengxi said. "But I do need to leave for a little bit. Can I entrust the camp to the two of you?"

"Of course!" Both generals replied in unison.

Both corners of Zhang Fengxi’s lips ticked upwards into a smile. He gave his subordinates an encouraging pat on the back each before he headed out of the tent.

He stood at the edge of a small cliff, overseeing the hectic activity beneath.

Melee soldiers engaged in paired training, their movements a whirlwind of clashing blades and agile maneuvers. Archers stood poised, their arrows finding their mark with unerring precision, while cannoneers fine-tuned their aim, using rocks as makeshift projectiles in preparation for the coming conflict.

The troops were gearing up for the impending clash between the Heavenly Realm and the Demonic Realm, or rather, half of it. The Demon Kings, it seemed, were a breed doomed to repeat the mistakes of their predecessors. Each new ruler ascended to the throne, convinced that they would be the one to shatter the delicate balance between the realms.

Their confidence was akin to a veil of illusion, obscuring their perception of reality and their true chances of victory. They were trapped in a cycle of self-delusion, blinded by their inflated egos and the intoxicating allure of power.

"I am leaving," he told his attendant, a young beta tiger by the name of Ma Dingzi.

Attendant Ma bowed deeply before Zhang Fengxi. "Yes, Supreme General."

With a piercing high-pitched whistle that echoed through the air, Zhang Fengxi summoned his spiritual mount, Xiao Huang. The mighty tiger, having just concluded his midday meal, was lounging lazily on the ground when the whistle reached his ears. In an instant, he was up on his feet, his amber eyes fixed upon his master, ready to respond to his every command.

Zhang Fengxi patted Xiao Huang with a smile.

"To Fuxi Palace," he said.

The relentless demands of the battlefield had kept him away from home for the past seven days. Though he knew his sons were under the care of good, trusted hands, he couldn’t shake off the gnawing worry that tugged at his heartstrings. And then there was the sudden, excruciating pain that threatened to split him in two just now, a sensation eerily reminiscent of the searing agony he experienced upon Xie Jianyu’s passing.

His wife’s lifeless body had remained unchanged for the past five years, so what else could possibly be the source of this tormenting ache?

As he approached Fuxi Palace, Zhang Fengxi braced himself for the worst, expecting to witness a scene of chaos and carnage. But to his surprise, the guards stood tall and unharmed, their movements unfazed, their salutations respectful as always. Without a word, they granted him passage into the inner courtyard.

There, amidst the tranquil surroundings, he found a young boy with a pair of tiger ears and a tiger tail, kneeling forlornly on a plush cushion. The cushion was thick enough to shield the boy from any discomfort, yet his face was flushed red, his eyes glistening with tears that suggested prolonged weeping.

"Grandma," the boy pleaded in a small, trembling voice. "I am wrong. I won’t do it again. Please forgive me."

Zhang Fengxi’s heart lurched to the bottom of his stomach.

"Mingrui," he called out, startling the little tiger boy in front of him. "What did you do?"

Zhang Mingrui broke into a sob and he started mumbling some incoherent words.

"Daddy... Play... and then... broke... I... sowwy..."

Zhang Fengxi scooped his son up with one arm and headed into the inner chambers of Fuxi Palace. On his way to his younger son’s bed chamber, he almost bumped into Qingyun, who was carrying a water basin out of the room.

"Your Highness! Welcome back!"

"What happened?" Zhang Fengxi asked with a frown, at which point Zhang Mingrui began to cry again.

Qingyun pulled a grimace.

"Young Master Mingrui was playing war with Young Master Junjie. And then, he accidentally broke one of Young Master Junjie’s horns."

Zhang Fengxi’s face darkened.

"Mingrui, you have been really bad," he glared at his son, who immediately put his tiny arms around Zhang Fengxi’s neck and cried on his shoulder.

"Wahhhhhh... Daddy, I am sowwy... I am sowwyyyy..."

Zhang Fengxi heaved a heavy sigh and motioned for Qingyun to step aside. He then entered the chamber. Inside, Lady Song held his younger son, Xie Junjie, in her arms, her voice filled with despair.

"Oh, heavens," she lamented, her words echoing in the stillness of the room. "Heavens. It is all over now. Junjie is going to be taken away by the Emperor!"

"Mother, let me see," Zhang Fengxi requested. Lady Song was startled at his sudden appearance.

"Dear gods in heaven, Fengxi, you are finally back," she exclaimed. "What am I supposed to do? Can we use anything to put this piece of horn back on his head?"

She held out a shimmering, bluish, translucent, coral-like object, its jagged edge indicating the clean break from Junjie’s left horn. The little boy himself was sitting on her lap, his cheeks flushed red, his breath catching in his throat, and his eyes closed.

Zhang Fengxi pressed a hand against his little forehead. Xie Junjie was having a fever.

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Author’s note :

Introducing the babies to the readers, now five years old!

Elder - tiger baby - Zhang Mingrui.

Younger - dragon baby - Xie Junjie.