Having experienced the harrowing night raid, Xiao Yichen knew that Murong Xuan's plot was becoming increasingly sinister, and that every step they took was a matter of life and death. After temporarily repelling the assassins, he quickly summoned Chen Feng, Lin Wan'er, and the remaining generals to a secret room in the mansion to discuss their next strategy.
The atmosphere in the secret room was heavy, almost tangible. The candlelight flickered, illuminating the tired yet resolute faces of the group. Xiao Yichen broke the silence first, his gaze sweeping firmly across the room: "Gentlemen, although Murong Xuan's night raid failed, his wolfish ambitions are obvious. We can no longer be passively attacked; we must take the initiative and devise a comprehensive countermeasure."
Chen Feng nodded slightly and continued, "What you say is absolutely right, young master. After this encounter, we have realized that Murong Xuan will definitely use the method that interferes with Miss Lin's mind-reading ability again to launch a surprise attack. Therefore, our primary task is to break through this barrier and restore Miss Lin's ability so that we can gain the upper hand in the intelligence war."
Lin Wan'er frowned, her expression worried: "I have tried many methods to break through that interfering force, but that force is extremely strange, clinging to me like a maggot. However, I have heard of a kind of spiritual stone in ancient books, which is said to enhance mental power and resist external interference. If I can find this stone, it may help me regain my mind-reading ability."
Xiao Yichen's eyes lit up: "Spirit Rhinoceros Stone? Where can this stone be found?"
Lin Wan'er shook her head: "I only know that this stone is extremely rare. It usually grows in the deep valleys and secluded ravines of beautiful places, but its exact location is hard to determine."
Xiao Yichen pondered for a moment: "Leave this matter to me. I will immediately organize manpower to search for the whereabouts of the Spirit Rhinoceros Stone. Mr. Chen, you will be responsible for strengthening the defenses of the mansion, increasing the number of sentries, and training the soldiers in tactics to deal with various emergencies."
"Yes, young master." Chen Feng accepted the order and left.
Xiao Yichen then turned to Lin Wan'er: "Miss Lin, please rest here and try to recover some of your spiritual strength. If there are any moves by Murong Xuan, we can respond in time."
Lin Wan'er nodded gently: "Young Master Xiao, you must be careful on your journey to find the Spirit Stone. Murong Xuan will definitely set up an ambush to stop you along the way."
"Don't worry, Miss Lin, I will be careful," Xiao Yichen said.
Afterwards, Xiao Yichen selected several elite subordinates, disguised themselves, and quietly left the capital, embarking on a journey to find the Spirit Stone. They followed the ancient trade route, searching for clues to spiritually significant places, and ventured into deep mountains and secluded valleys.
Meanwhile, on Murong Xuan's side, upon learning that Xiao Yichen had gone out to search for the Spirit Rhinoceros Stone, he immediately dispatched multiple teams to ambush along various possible routes. An Ye once again accepted the order, leading his men to hide in a dense forest, a necessary passage leading to a valley rumored to contain the Spirit Rhinoceros Stone.
"This time, we absolutely cannot let Xiao Yichen succeed. Once he finds the Spirit Stone, that demoness's mind-reading ability will be restored, and our plan will be even more difficult to implement," An Ye coldly said to his subordinates.
As expected, Xiao Yichen and his group encountered several small-scale attacks along the way, but thanks to their superb martial arts skills and Xiao Yichen's clever command, they managed to escape danger each time.
Several days later, they finally arrived at the legendary valley. The valley was shrouded in mist and filled with spiritual energy, exuding a mysterious aura. Xiao Yichen and the others cautiously ventured deeper into the valley, searching for traces of the Spirit Stone.
"Search carefully, everyone. The Spirit Stone must be here," Xiao Yichen said in a low voice.
The group dispersed, searching carefully in every corner of the valley. Suddenly, one of the men shouted, "Young master, look! Isn't that the Spirit Stone on that cliff face?"
Xiao Yichen looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a strange light shimmering on the cliff face. The light was soft and lively, as if it contained life.
"This should be it." Xiao Yichen was overjoyed. He used his lightness skill to leap towards the cliff.
Just as Xiao Yichen was about to obtain the Spirit Stone, An Ye led his ambush troops out from all sides.
"Xiao Yichen, hand over the Spirit Rhinoceros Stone!" Dark Night roared.
Xiao Yichen's heart tightened. He quickly picked up the Spirit Stone and turned to fight An Ye and the others. He knew the Spirit Stone was extremely important and absolutely could not fall into Murong Xuan's hands.
Xiao Yichen's swordsmanship became even more ferocious at this critical moment, each strike carrying a resolute momentum. His subordinates also surrounded him, fighting alongside him and forming a tight defensive circle.
The attacks from the darkness came like a storm, but Xiao Yichen and the others resisted stubbornly and did not fall behind for a time.
"Young master, we must break through the encirclement as soon as possible and return to the capital with the Spirit Stone," one of his subordinates said anxiously.
Xiao Yichen nodded: "Everyone, follow me into the depths of the valley. The terrain there is complex, and we might be able to find a chance to escape them."
After saying that, Xiao Yichen led the way and rushed into the depths of the valley. How could An Ye let them go? He led his ambush troops in hot pursuit.
Deep in the valley, Xiao Yichen discovered a narrow passage with steep stone walls on both sides, only wide enough for one person to pass through.
“We’ll break through from here,” Xiao Yichen said.
He ordered his men to enter the passage first, while he stayed behind to cover the rear. When An Ye arrived at the entrance of the passage, he hesitated for a moment upon seeing Xiao Yichen's imposing stance.
"Xiao Yichen, do you think you can stop us?" Dark Night said.
Xiao Yichen sneered: "With me here, you won't get past me."
With a wave of his hand, An Ye sent several of his men rushing towards Xiao Yichen. Xiao Yichen, undaunted, brandished his longsword and repelled them one by one.
Just as An Ye was about to take action himself, a huge roar suddenly came from the valley. It turned out that one of Xiao Yichen's men had discovered a mechanism in the passage, and triggering it had set off a rockfall trap in the valley.
Stones rained down, throwing Murong Xuan's ambush troops into chaos. Taking advantage of the situation, Xiao Yichen led his men through the passage and sped towards the capital.
An Ye watched Xiao Yichen's departing figure with great anger, but at this moment he could only avoid the falling rocks and look for another opportunity to pursue him.
Xiao Yichen traveled day and night with the Spirit Rhinoceros Stone and finally returned to the capital. He immediately handed the Spirit Rhinoceros Stone to Lin Wan'er.
Lin Wan'er took the Spirit Stone and felt a warm, gentle power flow into her body. She closed her eyes and focused her mind, beginning to use the power of the Spirit Stone to restore her mind-reading ability.
After much effort, Lin Wan'er finally broke through the interference and her mind-reading ability was restored.
"Young Master Xiao, my mind-reading ability has been restored," Lin Wan'er said happily.
Xiao Yichen was overjoyed: "That's great, Miss Lin. Now that we have the aid of mind reading, we will definitely be able to deal with Murong Xuan better."
Just then, Lin Wan'er used her mind-reading ability to realize that Murong Xuan was preparing a large-scale night raid, with the General's Mansion as the target.
“Young Master Xiao, Murong Xuan plans to launch a night attack on the General’s Mansion tonight. We must prepare in advance,” Lin Wan’er said.
Xiao Yichen's eyes turned cold: "Murong Xuan, you've come at the right time. This time, I'll make sure you don't leave alive."
Xiao Yichen immediately summoned Chen Feng and all the troops of the General's Mansion to begin deploying counter-encirclement tactics.
He set up multiple lines of defense around the general's mansion, hiding the soldiers in the shadows, while also setting up various traps and mechanisms inside the mansion.
“Mr. Chen, you lead a squad of soldiers to feign resistance from the front, drawing away Murong Xuan’s main force. I will lead elite troops to flank and encircle them from the flanks and rear, catching them off guard,” Xiao Yichen said.
"Yes, young master." Chen Feng accepted the order and left.
As night fell, the general's mansion was enveloped in tranquility. But beneath this tranquility lurked deadly danger.
Murong Xuan led his army in a grand procession toward the General's Mansion. He was smug, believing that this night raid would surely succeed and destroy Xiao Yichen's important stronghold in Rong Kingdom in one fell swoop.
When Murong Xuan's army arrived outside the general's mansion, they saw that the mansion was quiet and assumed that Xiao Yichen and his men were completely unprepared.
"Kill!" With a command from Murong Xuan, the army surged toward the general's mansion like a tidal wave.
Chen Feng led his soldiers in a fierce battle against Murong Xuan's army. The shouts of battle instantly shattered the tranquility of the night.
Murong Xuan saw that the resistance was quite strong and was a little puzzled, but he didn't think much of it and assumed that it was just Xiao Yichen's last-ditch effort.
Just as Murong Xuan's army was gradually penetrating deeper into the general's mansion, Xiao Yichen led his elite troops to attack from the flanks and rear.
"Murong Xuan, you've fallen for their trap!" Xiao Yichen shouted.
Murong Xuan was shocked; he hadn't expected Xiao Yichen to have set up a counter-encirclement. His army was thrown into chaos, caught in a pincer attack by Xiao Yichen's forces.
Xiao Yichen's swordsmanship was like dragons and snakes dancing, moving freely through the enemy ranks. His soldiers also fought bravely, their morale high.
Murong Xuan attempted to organize a counterattack, but his army gradually collapsed under Xiao Yichen's fierce attack.
"Retreat!" Murong Xuan shouted helplessly, leading his remaining troops in a breakout attempt.
How could Xiao Yichen let him go so easily? He led his troops in hot pursuit. During the chase, Xiao Yichen's troops annihilated a large number of Murong Xuan's soldiers.
In the end, Murong Xuan fled the general's mansion in a sorry state with only a few close confidants.
In this battle to counter the encirclement, Xiao Yichen emerged victorious. He successfully thwarted Murong Xuan's night raid plan, protected the General's Mansion, and bought Rong Kingdom a chance to regroup.
But Xiao Yichen knew that Murong Xuan would not give up so easily, and the future struggle would still be fraught with difficulties and dangers. He and Lin Wan'er would continue to shoulder the heavy responsibility of protecting the Rong Kingdom, writing their own legend in this chaotic world.
After Murong Xuan led his remaining troops away from the general's mansion, Xiao Yichen remained vigilant. He knew that although Murong Xuan had suffered a heavy blow, he still had the potential to make a comeback, and his desire for revenge would only grow stronger. Therefore, Xiao Yichen immediately ordered his soldiers to strengthen defenses inside and outside the general's mansion, treat the wounded, and review the battle to further improve their defensive and combat strategies.
Inside the general's mansion's council hall, the atmosphere was solemn and tense. Xiao Yichen, his face cold and his gaze sharp, looked at the generals and strategists present and spoke first: "Gentlemen, although we successfully repelled Murong Xuan this time, we also exposed many shortcomings. Murong Xuan's army's combat power should not be underestimated, and his offensive methods are extremely cunning. We must learn from this experience, improve our own strength, and be able to meet the even more severe challenges in the future."
Chen Feng nodded slightly and said, "What you say is very true, young master. In this battle, although our intelligence transmission was somewhat guaranteed thanks to Miss Lin's mind-reading ability, there were still some areas where the coordination between the troops was not smooth enough. For example, when flanking, some soldiers failed to arrive in time, which almost allowed Murong Xuan's army to break through the defense line."
A general also stood up and blamed himself, saying, "This humble general has failed in his duty. When commanding the soldiers in battle, I failed to fully consider the complexity and variability of the battlefield, which led to deviations in the execution of tactics. Please punish me, Your Highness."
Xiao Yichen waved his hand slightly: "Everyone gave their all in this battle, and their merits and demerits cancel each other out. What we need to do now is identify and solve the problems, not pass the buck. Mr. Chen, do you have any suggestions for improvement?"
Chen Feng pondered for a moment and said, "Young Master, I believe we need to strengthen the daily coordination training of our soldiers, simulating various complex battlefield environments so that they can cooperate more seamlessly in actual combat. At the same time, we should establish a more efficient intelligence transmission and command system to ensure that information can be transmitted to every soldier in a timely and accurate manner."
Xiao Yichen nodded in agreement: "This plan is excellent. Let's do as Mr. Chen says. In addition, we also need to keep an eye on Murong Xuan's movements. Miss Lin, we will have to trouble you to take care of this."
Lin Wan'er replied softly, "Don't worry, Young Master Xiao, I will keep a close eye on things. However, I also sensed during the battle just now that Murong Xuan seems to be hiding some of his strength. There might be a more elite secret force in his army that hasn't been deployed yet."
Xiao Yichen's eyes sharpened: "Miss Lin, are you sure?"
Lin Wan'er shook her head: "I only sensed something was amiss, but the specifics are still unclear. Murong Xuan is extremely cunning; he has concealed this power very well."
Xiao Yichen frowned, a sense of unease rising in his heart. He knew all too well that if such a secret force truly existed, it would pose a tremendous threat to the Rong Kingdom.
"Regardless, we must prepare for the worst. Strengthen city defenses, stockpile provisions, and continue training our soldiers," Xiao Yichen said.
In the Kingdom of Mu, Murong Xuan returned to the palace in a disheveled state, his heart filled with anger and resentment. He paced back and forth within the palace, like a trapped wild beast, ready to devour anyone at any moment.
"Xiao Yichen, I will never let you live under the same sky!" Murong Xuan roared.
His advisors stood silently by, too terrified to speak. After a long while, one of them mustered his courage and said, "Your Highness, this defeat was truly unexpected. Xiao Yichen is cunning and treacherous, which is why we fell for his counter-encirclement scheme. However, we are not without a chance of victory."
Murong Xuan stopped and looked at him coldly: "What's your idea? Tell me."
The strategist cautiously said, "Your Highness, we can use some forces within Rong Kingdom who are dissatisfied with Xiao Yichen to incite them to rebel. At the same time, we can send our secret forces to assassinate Xiao Yichen. A two-pronged approach might bring about a turning point."
Murong Xuan pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly: "This plan has some feasibility, but it will not be easy to implement. My secret forces must not be exposed easily, and we must proceed with caution. Go and make the arrangements, starting with inciting opposition forces within Rong Kingdom."
"Yes, Your Highness." The strategist accepted the order and left.
In Rong Kingdom, Xiao Yichen strengthened its defenses while actively engaging in diplomatic activities, attempting to unite neighboring countries to jointly resist Murong Xuan. He knew that Rong Kingdom alone could not withstand Murong Xuan's invasion for long.
Xiao Yichen dispatched envoys to neighboring countries to explain the advantages and disadvantages and seek their support. However, the countries reacted differently. Some countries, fearing Murong Xuan's strength, chose to remain neutral and observe; others, however, proposed harsh conditions before agreeing to send troops to help.
Xiao Yichen was caught in a dilemma. But he did not give up and continued to try to find a breakthrough.
Meanwhile, the opposition forces within Rong Kingdom, incited by Murong Xuan, began to stir. They secretly spread rumors and slandered Xiao Yichen, attempting to damage his prestige and reputation in Rong Kingdom.
"Have you heard? Xiao Yichen, for his own selfish interests, colluded with Murong Xuan and deliberately provoked this war."
"Yes, he amassed a great deal of wealth in the general's mansion, but he didn't care about the lives of the people."
These rumors spread rapidly within Rongguo, causing panic and dissatisfaction among some uninformed citizens.
Upon learning of this, Xiao Yichen knew he had to quell the rumors as soon as possible. He personally went to the streets of the capital to explain the truth to the people and expose Murong Xuan's conspiracy.
"Fellow villagers, I, Xiao Yichen, swear to heaven that everything I have done is to protect Rong Kingdom and safeguard your safety. Murong Xuan is plotting to invade our country; how could I possibly collude with him? Those rumors are all Murong Xuan's schemes and tricks; please do not be deceived," Xiao Yichen declared loudly.
Lin Wan'er also used her mind-reading ability to sense the people's inner thoughts and provide timely assistance to Xiao Yichen.
Thanks to Xiao Yichen's efforts, some people began to believe him, but some remained skeptical.
While Xiao Yichen was busy dealing with rumors within the country, Murong Xuan's secret force quietly infiltrated Rong Kingdom. This secret force consisted of a group of highly skilled and ruthless assassins, whose mission was to assassinate Xiao Yichen.
One night, Xiao Yichen was handling affairs at his residence. Suddenly, he felt a strong killing intent rushing towards him. Startled, he immediately became alert.
"Assassins!" Xiao Yichen shouted, grabbing his longsword and rushing out the window.
A group of dark figures darted swiftly across the rooftops of the mansion, approaching his room. Xiao Yichen, undaunted, met them head-on.
His swordsmanship was fierce, each strike carrying a powerful aura. The assassins were not to be outdone, each unleashing their unique skills, engaging Xiao Yichen in a fierce battle.
Hearing the commotion, Lin Wan'er rushed to help. Using her mind-reading ability, she sensed the assassins' intentions and promptly alerted Xiao Yichen.
"Young Master Xiao, the assassin on the left is about to use a poisoned needle, be careful!" Lin Wan'er shouted loudly.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yichen dodged the attack of the poisoned needles with a swift movement. He then thrust his sword at the assassin, repelling him.
During the battle, Xiao Yichen gradually discovered that these assassins cooperated extremely well, clearly having undergone extensive training. Moreover, their weapons were coated with highly poisonous substances; a single cut would have unimaginable consequences.
"So this is Murong Xuan's secret force," Xiao Yichen thought to himself.
He knew he had to deal with the assassins quickly, or he and those around him would be in danger. So he unleashed his strongest swordsmanship and engaged the assassins in a desperate battle.
Lin Wan'er wasn't idle either. She picked up stones from the ground and, using her mind-reading ability, hurled them precisely at the assassins' vital points. Although her attacks weren't as fierce as Xiao Yichen's swordsmanship, they still served to disrupt their movements.
With the combined efforts of Xiao Yichen and Lin Wan'er, the assassins were gradually overwhelmed. But they were still putting up a desperate struggle, and one of the assassins, seeing that victory was impossible, suddenly threw a smoke bomb.
Smoke instantly filled the air, obscuring everyone's vision. The assassins seized the opportunity to escape Xiao Yichen's residence.
Xiao Yichen gazed in the direction the assassins had gone, his heart filled with worry. He knew this was only the beginning of Murong Xuan's assassination plan, and more dangers awaited him in the future.
“Miss Lin, thank you for your timely help. Murong Xuan’s scheme is becoming increasingly sinister, and we must be even more careful,” Xiao Yichen said gratefully.
Lin Wan'er nodded slightly: "Young Master Xiao, we can't always be on the defensive. We should also take the initiative, find Murong Xuan's weaknesses, and defeat him completely."
Xiao Yichen pondered for a moment: "Miss Lin is absolutely right. However, Murong Xuan's power in the Mu Kingdom is deeply entrenched, and it will not be easy for us to find his weakness. However, we can start with his army, and perhaps we can find some clues."
Therefore, Xiao Yichen decided to dispatch an elite reconnaissance force deep into the Mu Kingdom to investigate the situation of Murong Xuan's army. He hoped that by understanding the enemy's strengths and weaknesses, he could formulate a more effective battle plan, thereby gaining the upper hand in this life-or-death struggle with Murong Xuan and safeguarding the peace and tranquility of the Rong Kingdom.
Under the cover of night, Xiao Yichen's reconnaissance team quietly set off. They were all elite soldiers, handpicked from the best, skilled in concealment and intelligence gathering. Captain Zhao Feng, in particular, possessed rich experience and outstanding leadership skills. He was well aware of the difficulty and danger of this mission, and before departing, he made a solemn pledge to Xiao Yichen that he would definitely bring back valuable intelligence.
Upon learning in the Mu Kingdom that his secret force had failed in its assassination attempt on Xiao Yichen, Murong Xuan flew into a rage. He severely reprimanded the general in charge of the operation, ordering him to devise a new assassination plan, determined to take Xiao Yichen's head.
"Your Highness, the mind-reading ability of that vixen beside Xiao Yichen is a major obstacle. If we don't deal with her first, our assassination attempt may not succeed," the general said cautiously.
Murong Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of ruthlessness in them: "I am naturally aware of this. Go and make arrangements to find some experts skilled in mind control to cooperate with the secret force in another operation. I refuse to believe that we cannot kill Xiao Yichen!"
"Yes, Your Highness." The general accepted the order and left.
At the border of Rong Kingdom, Zhao Feng led his reconnaissance team cautiously infiltrating into Mu Kingdom. They avoided the patrol routes of Murong Xuan's garrison, choosing instead to travel along secluded and treacherous mountain paths. Along the way, they endured wind and rain, sleeping in the open, remaining constantly vigilant.
"Captain, there's a Mu Kingdom military camp ahead. Should we go and investigate?" a team member asked in a low voice.
Zhao Feng frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Let's find a secluded place to observe first, and not make any rash moves. We need to figure out the enemy's troop deployment and patrol patterns first."
So the reconnaissance troops quietly approached the military camp and hid in the nearby woods. They observed the situation inside the camp through binoculars and saw that the soldiers were carrying out their daily drills, and the camp was heavily guarded.
"Captain, based on our current observations, this military camp has approximately two thousand soldiers. They are well-equipped and their defenses are well-organized," reported a team member skilled in intelligence analysis.
Zhao Feng nodded: "Continue to observe and see if there is anything unusual."
Just then, Lin Wan'er suddenly felt a strong unease in the capital of Rong Kingdom. She used her mind-reading ability to try to find the source of the unease. A moment later, her face turned as pale as snow.
“Young Master Xiao, I sense that Murong Xuan is plotting an even more terrifying conspiracy. He seems to be targeting me, trying to use mind control techniques to deal with me, thus clearing the way for his assassination of you,” Lin Wan’er said anxiously.
Xiao Yichen's heart tightened: "Miss Lin, do you have any solutions?"
Lin Wan'er shook her head: "I haven't thought of a good way yet. This kind of mind control technique is extremely rare, and I know very little about it."
Xiao Yichen pondered for a moment: "Let's strengthen the defenses of the mansion first and arrange some experts to protect your safety. At the same time, I'll consult some senior figures in the martial arts world to see if there's a way to break this."
"That's all we can do," Lin Wan'er said helplessly.
Within the territory of Mu, Zhao Feng's reconnaissance unit, after several days of observation, finally discovered some clues. They found that a transport team would arrive at this military camp every three days to deliver grain and supplies, and the transport team's route was relatively fixed.
"This might be an opportunity," Zhao Feng thought to himself.
He decided to lead his team to ambush the transport team on their route, hijack the team, and extract more information from the escorting soldiers.
As the transport convoy entered their ambush, Zhao Feng gave the order, and the reconnaissance troops descended like divine soldiers, quickly surrounding the convoy. The escorting soldiers panicked and grabbed their weapons to resist.
However, the reconnaissance troops were well-trained and quickly subdued the escorting soldiers. Zhao Feng learned from an officer-looking man that Murong Xuan was assembling a large army, preparing to attack Rong Kingdom again. Moreover, he learned that Murong Xuan's army included a mysterious elite force, whose soldiers were specially trained, extremely powerful, and Murong Xuan's trump card.
Just as Zhao Feng was about to conduct further interrogation, suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves came from afar. It turned out that Murong Xuan's reinforcements had arrived.
"Damn it, we've been discovered. Retreat!" Zhao Feng decisively ordered.
The reconnaissance team quickly withdrew with the prisoners, but Murong Xuan's reinforcements pursued them relentlessly. During the escape, one of the team members inadvertently revealed their location and was shot in the leg by an enemy archer.
"Captain, you guys go quickly, don't worry about me!" the injured team member shouted.
How could Zhao Feng abandon his comrades? He carried his wounded teammate on his back and continued to flee. But the enemy's pursuit was getting closer and closer, and the situation was extremely critical.
Just then, Zhao Feng discovered a narrow valley ahead. The valley had complex terrain, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack.
"We'll enter the valley and use the terrain to block the enemy," Zhao Feng said.
After entering the valley, the reconnaissance troops quickly occupied advantageous terrain, preparing for a fierce battle with the enemy. Murong Xuan's reinforcements arrived at the valley entrance, but seeing that the reconnaissance troops had already taken defensive measures, they dared not launch a rash attack.
"You bunch of ants, how dare you run wild on the territory of Mu Kingdom! Surrender obediently, and this general may spare your lives!" shouted the enemy general.
Zhao Feng sneered, "Want us to surrender? Dream on!"
When the enemy commander found that his attempts to persuade them to surrender had failed, he ordered an attack. The soldiers surged into the valley like a tidal wave, but were repeatedly repelled by the fierce resistance of the reconnaissance troops.
However, Murong Xuan's reinforcements were numerous, and the reconnaissance troops gradually found themselves in trouble. Zhao Feng knew that if things continued like this, they would be wiped out sooner or later.
Just then, a sudden gust of wind swept through the valley, filling it with sand and obscuring everyone's vision. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhao Feng led his team to break out through another exit of the valley.
Murong Xuan's reinforcements lost their way in the sandstorm, and by the time the sandstorm cleared, the reconnaissance troops had vanished without a trace.
After overcoming numerous hardships, Zhao Feng and his team finally returned to Rong Kingdom. He then reported the intelligence they had gathered to Xiao Yichen in detail.
“Young Master, Murong Xuan is amassing a large army, preparing to attack Rong Kingdom again. Moreover, his army includes a mysterious elite force, and we must be careful,” Zhao Feng said.
After listening to the report, Xiao Yichen's expression turned serious: "Thank you for your hard work. You can go and rest now. I will formulate a response strategy based on this intelligence."
"Yes, young master." Zhao Feng accepted the order and left.
Xiao Yichen knew that Murong Xuan's renewed attack would be an even more severe test. He immediately summoned Chen Feng, Lin Wan'er, and the generals of Rong Kingdom to discuss countermeasures.
"Gentlemen, Murong Xuan is about to attack Rong Kingdom again, and his army includes a mysterious elite force. We must make full preparations before his attack," Xiao Yichen said.
Chen Feng pondered for a moment: "Young Master, we can set up multiple lines of defense in the border region and use the terrain advantage to slow down Murong Xuan's advance. At the same time, we should strengthen the defense of the capital to ensure that nothing goes wrong."
One of the generals continued, "We can also organize a surprise attack on Murong Xuan's army as they march, disrupting their plans."
Xiao Yichen nodded: "These strategies are all good. But we also need to consider that Murong Xuan might use mind control techniques against us. Miss Lin, have you made any progress?"
Lin Wan'er shook her head helplessly: "I have consulted many ancient books, but I have not found any effective methods to break the art of mind control. However, I have discovered some methods of mental cultivation that may enhance my mental strength and thus help me resist mind control."
Xiao Yichen said, "Miss Lin, why don't you give it a try? We will do our best to protect your safety."
While everyone was discussing the matter, Murong Xuan's assassination plan in the Mu Kingdom was also quietly underway. The mind control experts and secret troops he sent out once again infiltrated the Rong Kingdom and approached Xiao Yichen's residence.
Inside Xiao Yichen's mansion, the guards were on high alert, increasing their patrols. But Murong Xuan's assassins were extremely cunning; they evaded the guards' sight and quietly infiltrated the mansion.
Lin Wan'er was cultivating her spiritual power in her room when suddenly she sensed a powerful spiritual force approaching. Startled, she immediately stopped cultivating and prepared to respond.
Just then, an assassin appeared at her door. Upon seeing Lin Wan'er, the assassin, without saying a word, began to use mind control techniques, attempting to take control of her mind.
Lin Wan'er felt a powerful force impacting her consciousness. She struggled to resist, using the mental cultivation techniques she had learned to fight against the assassin's mental control techniques.
"You think you can control me?" Lin Wan'er said through gritted teeth.
The assassin was somewhat surprised by Lin Wan'er's strong resistance. He intensified his mental control, but Lin Wan'er continued to resist stubbornly.
Just as the two were locked in a stalemate, Xiao Yichen arrived. Seeing Lin Wan'er fighting against the assassin, he rushed forward without hesitation and thrust his sword at the assassin.
The assassin was caught off guard and stabbed by Xiao Yichen. His mind control technique instantly collapsed, and Lin Wan'er seized the opportunity to break free of his control.
"Young Master Xiao, you've come at just the right time," Lin Wan'er said gratefully.
Xiao Yichen said, "Miss Lin, it's good that you're alright. It seems Murong Xuan won't let this go. We must be even more careful."
However, in the chaos, one assassin managed to escape. After fleeing Xiao Yichen's residence, he quickly returned to the Mu Kingdom and reported the situation to Murong Xuan.
Murong Xuan was even more furious when he learned that the assassination attempt had failed again and that Lin Wan'er's mental strength seemed to have increased.
"Xiao Yichen, I'd like to see how long you can hold out!" Murong Xuan roared.
He decided to accelerate the mobilization of his army and launch an attack on Rong Kingdom ahead of schedule.
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