Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 1076 - 673: The Well-Hidden Thing

Chapter 1076: Chapter 673: The Well-Hidden Thing

"Sorry, the two arrays within the city are too weak. However, if the Qilin Wolf could fight at full strength, would the current situation improve significantly?"

He instinctively considered the Goddess a subordinate, and felt quite guilty about the fact that the Qilin Wolf was essentially a performer who wasn’t pulling its weight.

According to prior planning, the entire city defense battle was supposed to rely on the joint effort of Zhenxi Prefecture, the Great Desert Goddess, and the Prime Minister’s Mansion to build the defense line. But once the fighting began, neither the city’s two arrays nor the Goddess’s Qilin Wolf played much of a role beyond vaguely supporting the formation. The brunt of the effort from the Sect side was carried entirely by the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

This left Li Junwu feeling quite powerless.

Stepping past the dozing Qilin Wolf, Xu Yuan discovered for the first time how inherently foolish this wolf was. Li Junwu seemingly misunderstood as well, prompting Xu Yuan to explain:

"No, it’s not that you’re too weak to intervene in the battle. It’s simply because the opponent is far too strong, far beyond my expectations. Normally, for any average Saint, unless their spellcraft counters the arrays specifically, the two arrays should pose a considerable threat."

Of course, Xu Yuan withheld one truth.

In theory, the city arrays could indeed threaten even saints like Emperor Bai and others, but if they couldn’t hit their targets, it was all pointless.

"As for the Qilin Wolf... it has actually done its best."

As a Pseudo-Saint, Xu Yuan could keenly observe the combat capabilities of the Qilin Wolf.

One might call it an actor, but not accuse it of slacking off.

Within Qin Ke’s Dao Domain, the Qilin Wolf had truly exhausted every possible means to try to kill its enemies. But reality proves cruel—where power gaps exist, no bonds of friendship or love can miraculously tip the scales. Rage could only escalate violence momentarily, but if you’re outmatched, you’re outmatched, no matter how furiously you fight.

Its quick recovery only underscored the absurd excess of this dumb wolf’s Sacred Origin—enough to sustain endless consumption.

Speaking of which, Xu Yuan retrieved a piece of dragon tenderloin from his Sumeru Ring and tossed it in front of the White Wolf. The move immediately transformed the lazy and idle Qilin Wolf into a leaping beast.

Like a dog seeing some manure.

It gobbled down the dragon tenderloin in two bites, then stopped dozing as it slurped and licked at Xu Yuan’s boots.

Thus, as the two strolled back toward the Military Hub Hall, a trail of White Wolf followed.

It licked while tagging along, occasionally pawing at Xu Yuan with an eager look in its eyes.

Xu Yuan ignored the foolish wolf and instead laid out the current situation within the city for Li Junwu.

Although Jun Wu had been observing through the City Defense Array, some things still require firsthand experience rather than remote gleaning.

After listening carefully, Li Junwu raised her slim brows slightly, speaking softly with a hint of surprise:

"So, in essence, the Sect’s forces are also, more or less, acting out their parts?"

"Except for Emperor Bai," Xu Yuan corrected.

Truth be told, Xu Yuan regarded Emperor Bai as something of a workhorse in the city assault battle.

Breaking through formations, fighting the Qilin Wolf, defeating the Qilin Wolf only to then go head-to-head with the Sword Saint—and now standing in deadlock against what appears to be a harbinger of calamity.

Xu Yuan almost felt sorry for Emperor Bai, but honestly, this meticulous effort likely stemmed from Bai’s inherent pride as royalty of the Ancient Abyss.

Sighing lightly, Xu Yuan chuckled and commented:

"Still, it’s almost to our advantage—had their forces united in purpose from the start, we might’ve had no choice but to resign ourselves and simply wait for the end."

Having heard Xu Yuan’s explanation, Li Junwu deeply agreed. After pondering briefly, her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she probed:

"Changtian, does their internal conflict suggest that the Sect still retains a significant reserve?"

"......"

Xu Yuan paused his steps momentarily.

The answer to this was undeniably affirmative.

However, when he responded, his tone carried little concern:

"Just earlier, I ran into an old friend somewhere in the city who was under the impression that we’re already winning. Trust me, you’re sharper than she is."

Li Junwu didn’t let Xu Yuan’s casual remark disturb her train of thought and solemnly asked:

"What’s your plan?"

Xu Yuan pursed his lips and pointed toward the Sky Dome where Emperor Bai was locked in combat:

"Didn’t I already say? Once Mu Nuo wakes up, the situation will shift. Maybe it’ll disrupt the Sect’s remaining reserves."

"And how long until it wakes up?"

"Uh....."

Xu Yuan faltered.

He was, frankly, unsure of the answer himself.

Though Mu Nuo was birthed by Lady Wan, their connection and compatibility significantly exceeded his own bond with her, the relationship between Wan’s Yin Source and Mu Nuo wasn’t instantaneous nor seamless.

It needed time to adapt—let alone the fact that Xu Yuan had added a dash of Dragon Clan elements into Mu Nuo’s composition.

Seeing Xu Yuan fall silent, Li Junwu’s eyes revealed a faint surprise, as though astonished that there were matters beyond Xu Yuan’s knowledge or grasp:

"You don’t know?"

"....."

A few metaphorical black lines appeared across Xu Yuan’s face.

He realized this woman perhaps considered him Batman.

Li Junwu’s expression was tinged with worry.

Although Xu Yuan had remarked before that Mu Nuo possessed an immortal body, its current physical state had already been shattered completely by the Lord of the Ancient Abyss.

Broken bits scattering east and west.

The largest chunk was likely the small arm now being held by Emperor Bai.

"Changtian, hypothetically speaking—if Mu Nuo’s immortal body were somehow undone by Emperor Bai’s brute force, what then?"

"Don’t jinx it."

Xu Yuan shot her a glare, unwilling to debate further on the matter, and instead said:

"Take me to the drill ground to check on the soldiers of the Second Town."

Li Junwu immediately shifted her gaze away from the Sky Dome, her tone rising slightly:

"What do you need to see them for?"

Xu Yuan gave her a peculiar glance after hearing her response, raising his intricately patterned right hand in indication before responding matter-of-factly:

"Obviously to boost morale. You’ve seen it yourself—now, at the very least, I’m a Pseudo-Saint. Pulling the wool over the eyes of rank-and-file soldiers is no problem."

The Sect’s ultimate goal was Li Junwu and Jia Yi, with both presently in Zhenxi Government Office. Tian Yuan and others hadn’t dared breach the arrays, precisely because the military formations remained in place.

Li Junwu had showcased her capacity to integrate arrays into her body, leaving her opponents unwilling to gamble their lives recklessly, uncertain whether she might self-destruct alongside them.

Walking beside him, Li Junwu hesitated nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and glancing sideways toward a nearby pavilion and small pool:

"I’ve imposed information control on them—they can’t see what’s happening outside. Only victories get reported to them while setbacks are screened out, so their morale is not bad already. There’s really no need...."

"....."

Xu Yuan turned back with an odd look on his face as he stared briefly at Li Junwu, then quickly realized the reasoning behind her refusal.

In his knee-jerk habit of taking charge, he’d forgotten this behavior was overstepping boundaries.

While showcasing Saint-level abilities at the drill ground could indeed inspire confidence among the troops, it raised a dilemma: where would that leave his "good brother" Li Junwu?

If the battle ended in victory, the rank-and-file soldiers might attribute their success to Xu Yuan rather than Li Junwu.

And with the example of Lu Bozou and others already established, most defectors had chosen to side with the Sect not because they genuinely believed it more reliable than Zhenxi Prefecture, but because they were disillusioned by their inept Commandery Princess and sought an alternative path.

In other words,

The soldiers of Zhenxi Prefecture were already largely dissatisfied with Li Junwu, and she was banking on this war to rehabilitate her reputation.

Xu Yuan’s visit, on the contrary, would replicate the Sect’s tactic of removing one leader for another—his newfound prestige as a Saint would overshadow Li Junwu, relegating her to decorative status.

To the soldiers’ perspective, their Commandery Princess essentially handing authority over to Xu Yuan, the Third Young Master of the Prime Minister’s Mansion, would justify their gradual shift in loyalty toward Xu Yuan rather than the Sect—being a less scandalous and more comforting alternative.

This scenario may align with the Prime Minister’s Mansion’s broader objectives, but it certainly wasn’t Xu Yuan’s personal ambition.

Rubbing the back of his head, Xu Yuan chuckled lightly and remarked:

"Hah, well, that’s sensible. Given how exhausting things have been outside, I’ll take this as a chance to rest."

"Changtian, I didn’t mean it like that...."

Li Junwu’s ruby lips parted slightly, seemingly trying to explain herself, yet before her words could fully form, Xu Yuan smiled and gestured for her to cut her explanation short before striding ahead.

Some truths are best left understood rather than spoken.

Li Junwu lingered quietly for a moment, her dim gaze trailing Xu Yuan’s retreating figure before redirecting her focus forward to the Military Hub Hall.

Having stayed outside so long,

Jia Yi must’ve finished handling those matters by now.....