Blueprint implemented
The breeze of early summer.
Carrying the warmth rising from the grass and soil.
The gentle breeze swept across the northern frontier, and also across the group of Shen Yan who were traveling along the winding mountain road.
At the foot of the mountain, a vast expanse suddenly unfolds before your eyes.
The steep cliffs and sparse trees were completely left behind.
Before me stretched an endless expanse of grassland, awakened by boundless new greenery.
The varying shades of green stretch out like a vast, unfurled painting, extending from our feet to the distant horizon.
Wildflowers, yellow, purple, and white, sway in the breeze, silently displaying their vibrant life.
The air was filled with the scent of damp earth, the fragrance of green grass, and a stronger, more complex aroma—
Sweat, freshly cut timber, rammed earth, and the smell of livestock.
It exudes a vibrant, passionate, and rugged vitality.
We've arrived at Buffalo Valley.
Passing through the rammed earth walls at the mouth of the valley, which are being raised and reinforced.
The scene before them instantly pulled everyone out of their lingering emotions of parting amidst the clouds and mist of the mountaintop.
Throw yourself headlong into a boiling torrent of construction!
Deep in the valley.
We approached the geothermal spring, which was no longer a secret.
Wisps of white steam rose, and warm, humid air enveloped the temporary command center and the busiest workshop area.
The semi-subterranean house framework has already risen on both sides of the planned streets and alleys.
Dozens of shirtless, strong men.
With their muscles bulging and their voices booming, they lifted the thick logs together and placed them firmly on the earthen wall.
"Hey-yo! Get up!"
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
The dull sound of a wooden mallet striking a mortise and tenon joint.
"Screech—screech—" The sharp noise of sawing wood.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!" A heavy impact solidifying the foundation...
The various sounds intertwined, composing a symphony of construction full of primal power.
Further away.
In the open area near the water source, the newly turned soil gleamed with a deep brown, glossy sheen under the sunlight.
Those are planned cotton fields.
Some figures in worn military uniforms were leading surrendered herdsmen and grassland slaves with branded faces.
They worked carefully, bending over at the waist.
Some of them were lame, some were missing arms; though their movements were clumsy, their eyes were incredibly focused.
His face was etched with anticipation for a new life.
A one-armed veteran is using his only remaining hand.
He patiently gestured, instructing a young slave beside him on how to control the depth of the seeding.
"...You have to keep your hand steady and apply even pressure. These snow cotton seeds are very precious; you can't go too deep or too shallow..."
The young man listened intently, nodding vigorously, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
"Hurry! Give it another push here! We have to get the warehouse foundation solid before the rainy season!"
A loud command drowned out the noise of the construction site.
Shen Xiao—Tiger, tanned to a wheat color.
He was dressed in a neat, short-sleeved shirt that was easy to work in, with the trouser legs rolled up high above his sturdy knees.
He was waving his arms, directing a team of people to move huge stone blocks.
He moved nimbly and had piercing eyes.
The fierceness honed on the battlefield and the composure to command are perfectly blended in him.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a familiar figure at the valley entrance.
His eyes instantly lit up with immense joy!
He quickly gave a few instructions to the people around him and strode forward to greet them.
"Father! Mother! Taoist Priest! Little Bull! Little Stone!"
Shen Xiao's voice was filled with the joy of waiting for so long and a sense of relief.
"You've finally come to a good conclusion! Everything is fine in the valley! The cotton seeds were planted exactly as described in the booklet you gave us!"
As he spoke, he habitually raised his hand to pat his father's shoulder.
His gaze fell on the wooden staff in Shen Yan's hand, and he abruptly stopped.
He asked anxiously, "Father, your foot?"
Shen Yan looked at the leader in front of him, who had undergone a complete transformation and had become the person in charge of the area.
The lingering sorrow of parting and the anxieties about the future of the capital were instantly swept away by immense relief.
"I accidentally injured myself while cleaning up a beehive, it's a minor injury, and I'm fine now!"
He laughed loudly and patted Shen Xiao's rock-solid arm forcefully.
His gaze swept over the land before him, where people were growing and thriving through sweat.
A long-lost smile, filled with deep pride and satisfaction, appeared on his face.
"Good! Good lad! Well done! This is the eldest son I despise! You've really made this place look real!"
Ling Zhan's cold gaze had already swept quickly across the entire valley.
A bustling construction site.
A neatly arranged cotton field.
The veterans' resolute faces.
The first glimmer of light in the eyes of the herdsmen, and the quietly straightening spines of the slaves...
She nodded slightly, a barely perceptible hint of approval flashing across her eyes.
The growth of Shen Xiao and Shen Hong, and the order here, have clearly exceeded her initial expectations.
"Brother! Look! What a big place! It's much bigger than our courtyard on the mountain!"
The little bull couldn't contain its excitement any longer.
Pulling hard on Little Stone's arm, he pointed to the group of people in the distance who were working together to erect a huge roof beam.
"Look at those people, they're so strong! Can we go help them?" he asked eagerly.
Little Stone was deeply attracted by the overwhelming, rich life force and the sense of struggle mixed with sweat that wafted from the valley.
His clear eyes were filled with the pure curiosity of a child and the thoughtful contemplation unique to a scholar.
Master Xuan Chenzi stroked his long beard, a knowing smile on his face.
My gaze lingered between the bustling crowd and the steaming geothermal springs in the distance.
His fingers twitched slightly, as if he were silently deducing the flow of fortune in this newly born land.
Just then—
"Awooo—!"
A long, clear, and majestic wolf howl filled the air.
Like an invisible blade, it suddenly pierced through all the noise in the valley.
It came like thunder rolling down the hillside on the west side!
Immediately following were several equally powerful wolf howls, like a horn response!
Everyone.
Whether they were strong men carrying logs, veterans sowing seeds, or herdsmen who had surrendered.
They all instinctively stopped what they were doing and looked in the direction of the sound.
On the western slope, seven or eight large wolves with gray and white fur were patrolling rapidly along the undulating ridgeline.
They moved with the agility of the wind.
Its cold, sharp gaze, like a physical searchlight, warily scanned the valley and plains below.
The lead wolf was particularly astonishing in size.
The smooth lines of the shoulders and back conceal explosive power.
Its silver-gray fur shimmered with a cold, metallic sheen in the early summer sunlight.
Storm Shadow!
Almost at the very moment that first wolf howl rang out.
Frostblade, which had been quietly following behind Ling Zhan and Little Bull, suddenly raised its massive head!
Its icy blue eyes, like ice instantly thrown into flames, burst forth with a dazzling light that was breathtaking!
A short, trembling, ecstatic groan escaped from deep within his throat.
The next second, it stomped its four hooves on the ground, transforming into a white lightning bolt that tore through the air, heading towards the west slope.
They sped away without regard for anything else!
"Frostblade!" the little bull exclaimed in surprise.
On the hillside, Lan Ying is leading her wolf pack on patrol.
At the same moment, we captured that white figure that was already etched into our bones and was born with us!
Its sprinting motion suddenly froze, and its massive head abruptly turned towards the direction from which the frost blades were charging.
Those wolf eyes, always calm and sharp, like a deep, cold pool.
The moment he saw who it was, he was completely overwhelmed by unbelievable joy and a deep, boundless longing!
"Waaaaah—!"
A roar, distinct from a wolf's howl and filled with intense excitement and a soul-shaking tremor, burst forth from the deepest part of Lan Ying's throat!
It no longer cared about formation or responsibilities.
It also transformed into a violent, silver-gray whirlwind.
Facing that white lightning bolt, they raced down the high hillside with a resolute attitude!
One white, one silver-gray.
Two figures sped across the lush green hillside in early summer, leaving two straight and wild trails.
With unwavering determination, they rushed towards each other without hesitation.
The distance is closing at a breathtaking speed!
The entire valley seemed to have been muted.
All the workers held their breath, their eyes fixed on the two figures that were about to meet.
Under the watchful eyes of countless people.
On this newly formed land of Bison Valley, two snow wolf kings look down upon the northern frontier.
Like two burning stars, they collided with a deafening roar!
There was no fighting, no testing, only the purest and most intense intimacy stemming from the instinct of life!
Frostblade's massive head rubbed against Lan Ying's neck and cheeks repeatedly, emitting almost sobbing, affectionate whimpers from its throat, while its huge tail shook wildly, sweeping up clumps of grass.
Lan Ying lowered her head and gently but firmly nuzzled Frostblade's head and ears, licking its fur with her barbed tongue with utmost care and tenderness, as if to confirm that this was not a fragile illusion.
Its usually stern and cold gaze was now as soft as melting snow in spring.
A low, satisfied gurgling sound, like the gurgling of a warm spring, also came from his throat.
The Snow Wolf King, a force to be reckoned with on the grasslands.
At this moment, all dignity and vigilance are completely shed, returning to the most primal and authentic self.
They are like the most ordinary yet most affectionate family members in the world.
Under the warm sunshine, on the lush green grass, they nestled together, rubbed against each other, and murmured softly...
They spoke in a language only they could understand, expressing the agony of separation and the ecstasy of reunion.
The clamor of the valley faded away completely, and it seemed that only their intertwined breaths and whispers remained in the world.
Shen Yan watched this tender yet wildly powerful scene.
My eyes started to feel hot uncontrollably.
He blinked hard to suppress the sour feeling, and subconsciously turned to look at Ling Zhan beside him.
Ling Zhan's gaze also fell on the pair of giant wolves that were snuggling together. His cool profile seemed to be coated with a rare, soft halo in the golden sunlight, and there was a very faint, fleeting ripple-like curve at the corner of his mouth.
Yet it truly exists.
Shen Xiao grinned.
He revealed a set of striking white teeth against his wheat-colored face.
Her voice was filled with heartfelt emotion: "Mother, it's wonderful that you brought Frostblade down! No wonder Lan Ying has been so restless these past few days, running towards the valley entrance as if she were waiting for someone... Turns out she was waiting for it!"
The construction of the valley did not stagnate for long because of this heartwarming interlude.
The veterans straightened their backs, which had been bent for a long time.
He wiped the sweat from his face and gazed at the pair of giant wolves cuddling on the hillside.
A simple, knowing smile appeared on his weathered face.
The herders who had submitted looked at the legendary pair of snow wolf kings with awe, their sense of belonging to their new home growing stronger.
The slaves stopped what they were doing.
Looking into the distance, their eyes revealed an undisguised envy and a vague longing for freedom.
blueprint.
Right here on this revitalizing northern Xinjiang grassland.
It is through the sweat and unwavering hope shed by countless people.
Supported by the rough hands of veterans, herdsmen, and slaves.
Under the unwavering protection of the snow wolf, little by little, hammer by hammer, it solidly becomes a tangible reality.
Shen Yan took a deep breath of the air, which was filled with grass, soil, sweat, and vibrant life.
His chest then puffed out.
He leaned on his cane, his back ramrod straight, his gaze fixed intently on the land he had poured his heart and soul into.
It carries the responsibility of Shen Hong and the foundation of Lao Dao's future Taoist temple.
New forces are emerging and merging on this land.
"Let's go, Xiao'er."
His voice carried a hint of eager anticipation and excitement.
"Take Dad to see our 'Wild Buffalo New City'! Where's Bean Sprout?"
He paused, his hand instinctively pressing on the slightly stiff scroll in his pocket, which contained the imperial edict brought by General Huo.
He said the imperial edict gave a one-month timeframe for arriving in Beijing.
"Father, my second brother is at the command post. He's overseeing the overall situation. I'll take you there."
Time is like an invisible whip.
But the scene before me gave me boundless strength.
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