In the heart of the capital region, amidst the constant rotation of Qi’s formidable nine armies, stood the Zhan Yu Army. Within their ranks, Ji Zhao Nan made his temporary abode.

He found the urban sprawl of Lin Zi disquieting, a stark contrast to the rough-and-tumble life he knew. The ease and prosperity that permeated the city felt alien to him. Though the Halls of Governance had publicly declared him the foremost talent in Qi under thirty years of age, within the military camp, he lived no different from an ordinary soldier. He slept in a tent, shared meals from the communal pot, and drilled religiously. Perhaps his only distinction lay in the fact that he occupied a single-person tent, its specifications reaching that of a commander – a measure far below his true status, yet one he found perfectly adequate.

Having endured environments far more arduous, being stationed on the outskirts of Lin Zi and rotating duty within the capital was a veritable holiday. What kind of warfare could possibly erupt near Lin Zi in this day and age? At most, it involved cooperating with the Patrol Inspection Office to apprehend foreign spies, eradicate rogue demonic practitioners, or dismantle insidious cult organizations, such as the infamous “Equality Country.”

And so, at this very moment, Ji Zhao Nan sat alone within his military tent, meticulously polishing his Shao Hua Gun with a piece of snow velvet cloth. Today, he had dispatched several members of the Equality Country. Alas, none were figures of any consequence, leaving his treasured weapon’s edge somewhat wasted. That individual who had ventured to Xia to establish contact with Shen Lin was considered a high-ranking member of the Equality Country, yet the information gleaned was painstakingly meager. Even that limited knowledge had quickly been cut off. The truly core figures, rather than gambling on a chance of escape, had all chosen to end their own lives, making pursuit utterly futile.

Yet, this was not a matter for him to dwell upon. As a soldier, his purpose was to test the might of his weapon.

Lately, his thoughts frequently drifted back to those times spent in that place… Had it not been for the call to participate in the Yellow River Assembly, to fight for the nation, he would not have returned.

The evening wind whispered outside the tent, carrying with it a youthful voice. “General Ji.”

Ji Zhao Nan’s hands never ceased their task. He simply said, “Enter.”

The curtain parted, and in stepped Wen Lian Mu, the accompanying military scribe from the Tian Fu Army. Ji Zhao Nan, at this moment, wore only a simple inner garment. To adapt to the rigors of the Guan He Tai arena, his Wushuang Armor was typically set aside, but the Shao Hua Gun remained ever at his side.

As for why someone originating from the Tian Fu Army could so seamlessly integrate within the Zhan Yu Army… his esteemed identity was one factor. Another was the inherent structure of Qi’s nine armies. While each possessed its own commander, and some families had held sway for generations, they were not private forces. The ultimate military authority rested with the state of Qi; the nation’s interests always superseded those of any commander. Case in point: when the Military God Jiang Meng Xiong dispatched troops to Xia, he needed only a tiger tally to mobilize the Chun Si Zhi Army. While the nine armies engaged in healthy competition, their moments of cooperation were far more numerous.

Such was the way of things.

Wen Lian Mu seemed hesitant to meet Ji Zhao Nan’s gaze. He settled onto the cushion opposite, his eyes flitting left and right before finally resting on the Shao Hua Gun. “Senior Chen asked me to bring you some tidings.”

“Oh?” Ji Zhao Nan’s voice was low. “What did Senior Brother say?”

The “Senior Brother” he spoke of, and the “Senior Chen” Wen Lian Mu referenced, were, of course, the Military God’s eldest disciple, Chen Ze Qing. The Great Qi Military God had taken five disciples, each destined for the battlefield. Every single one faced danger, and now only three remained. Their bonds were naturally exceptionally strong.

“It concerns the Yellow River Assembly’s intelligence.” Wen Lian Mu, eschewing pleasantries, went straight to the point. “For the unlimited contention field under thirty years of age, the Jing country’s participant is the adopted son of the Great General Chi Ma Wei, Murong Long Qie. Last year, when Chi Ma Wei besieged the Jing An Fu of the Yong country, this individual led the charge. Although repelled by the Yong Emperor Han Xu himself, his strength is absolutely not to be underestimated.”

“From the Mu country, the contender is Cang Ming, who bears the title ‘Divine Envoy of the Present World.’ This person is the strongest candidate for the next Great Priest and is revered as a deity by many on the grassland.”

“As for the Qin country, their participant is Huang Bu Dong. This person’s name is not widely known; he has likely always been engaged in conflict. The most recent battle record we could uncover is from three years ago. Senior Chen says it holds little reference value, but a glance can do no harm.”

“Furthermore, from the Chu country, their contender is the foremost beauty of Chu, Ye Lan Er. She was personally selected by the Chu Emperor, without going through any martial trials. There are significant private disputes within Chu regarding this. Precisely because of this, her strength is difficult to assess.”

In truth, Qi country’s decision to have the Halls of Governance directly recommend Ji Zhao Nan was, on one hand, because he was undeniably the undisputed foremost talent in Qi under thirty. On the other hand, it was to avoid revealing too much of his power before others.

Wen Lian Mu continued, “As for Jing country… they are extremely secretive this time, having conducted no public selections whatsoever. Their participant will be sent directly from the holy land of the Dao Sect. Perhaps the three脉 of the holy land will each send one person. The vast majority of Jing country’s populace, like us, still does not know who will be fighting.”

Wen Lian Mu finished speaking and directly produced a thick tome, placing it on the small table. “This is what Senior Chen has compiled. For the individuals mentioned above, wherever representative battle records could be found, he has meticulously documented and commented on them. He requests that you peruse it when you have leisure.”

As Chen Ze Qing’s junior brother, Ji Zhao Nan naturally knew that Chen Ze Qing was currently almost entirely responsible for Qi army’s intelligence work. However, the sheer volume of this book represented a monumental undertaking, a truly significant investment of energy. Yet, he said nothing, merely resting the Shao Hua Gun horizontally across his knees and reaching out to accept the book. This book recorded only the six major powers of the contemporary era, excluding Qi. As for the smaller nations outside of the six major powers, there was no necessity, nor possibility, of gathering extensive intelligence. Not all nations would participate in the Yellow River Assembly, and even those that did rarely competed in every category. Most nations outside the six powers focused their energies on striving for victory in a single field. Moreover, as an absolute paragon emerging from a contemporary hegemonic nation, if one still fixed their gaze upon these smaller countries, it would truly betray a lack of confidence.

Wen Lian Mu stole a quiet glance at him and added, “Senior Chen has also individually organized the opponents for the Inner Mansion and Outer Building realms. The relevant intelligence has already been sent to Jiang Qing Yang… and Chong Xuan Zun.”

Ji Zhao Nan was unlike Chong Xuan Zun; he never denied this point. In his view, Wang Yi Wu had only become increasingly stubborn after meeting Chong Xuan Zun. And he knew that after Jiang Wang sent Wang Yi Wu into the death row camp, Chen Ze Qing held no favorable feelings towards Jiang Qing Yang either. Yet, from Qi country’s perspective, providing aid to the prodigies fighting in the Inner Mansion and Outer Building realms was precisely the kind of choice Chen Ze Qing would make.

Ji Zhao Nan’s face remained expressionless. He simply said, “You had the guts to follow Yi Wu in her foolishness, yet you lack the guts to mention Chong Xuan Zun in front of me?”

Wen Lian Mu’s face flushed with embarrassment. “This…”

“Alright, I have no time to quibble over such matters.” Ji Zhao Nan opened the book in his hand. “I should properly examine Senior Brother Chen’s comments.”

“Then, General Ji, please take your time.” Wen Lian Mu quickly rose, taking three steps at once towards the exit.

“Right,” Ji Zhao Nan’s voice suddenly called from behind him. “You crossed paths with that Chong Xuan Sheng. What of that person? Does he have a chance to win?”

Wen Lian Mu paused and considered for a moment. “Although Chong Xuan Zun’s renown covers Lin Zi, Chong Xuan Sheng’s cunning surpasses mine by more than a little. I believe he has a chance.”

He waited a moment longer, but no sound came from behind him. Thus, he lifted the thick curtain and stepped out. Outside the tent, the moon and stars were scattered across the night sky.