All eyes in the hall—ministers, nobles, and royal relatives—followed that azure-robed figure.

Wei Yuan… he had returned.

The familiar azure robes, familiar faces, familiar bearing, familiar… gray-streaked temples.

Inside and outside the hall, an extraordinary silence fell in that moment.

The greatest sound is silence—after extreme shock comes stillness.

“Wei Yuan pays respects to Your Majesty!”

Wei Yuan walked before the throne and cupped his hands in greeting.

Huai Qing’s gaze swept across the gathered officials, her lips curving:

“Why are you all silent, ministers?”

Even now, the hall remained quiet, none answering the Empress. They stared fixedly at Wei Yuan—some with wide eyes, trying to find evidence this was an impostor; some with reddened eyes, tears welling up; some wild with joy, trembling with excitement.

“Guard… Guard Commander Wei?”

Liu Hong, the current leader of the Wei faction, eyes red, stepped forward shakily to examine him closely, choking out:

“Weren’t you… killed in battle at Jing Shan City?”

He voiced the doubt in all the ministers’ hearts—they remained skeptical of the azure-robed figure before them.

Wei Yuan died in Jing Shan City nearly half a year ago. Outsiders only knew he had sacrificed himself for the country, but they knew more details—when he died, his physical body couldn’t even be recovered.

With nobody, how could he be resurrected?

Wei Yuan smiled warmly:

“Death and resurrection, nothing strange about it.”

Death and resurrection, nothing strange?

The Empress added:

“After Guard Commander Wei’s sacrifice, Xu Qi An worked continuously to resurrect him, rebuilding his physical form, and forging magical items to summon his soul. During the Spring Sacrifice, I recalled Wei Yuan’s soul.”

The ministers finally understood why the Empress hadn’t attended that day’s Spring Sacrifice.

They had thought she was in poor spirits, uninterested in the ceremony—who knew she was secretly resurrecting Wei Yuan?

So it was Xu Qi An who rebuilt his body and recalled his soul… The civil and military officials suddenly understood, their doubts largely dispersing.

It wasn’t that they didn’t trust the Empress—well, actually, they didn’t.

Though the Empress was brilliantly talented, she was still mortal. When she said she had resurrected Wei Yuan, the ministers didn’t believe it in their hearts.

But if it was Xu Qi An, they were willing to believe. Because Xu Qi An was Second-Rank, one of the world’s top experts.

“So Silver Bell Xu had a plan all along.”

“He’s been secretly working to resurrect Guard Commander Wei, planning for so long.”

“If we’d known, we wouldn’t have worried day after day.”

The ministers discussed with complex emotions, but their hearts were settling.

So without their knowledge, Xu Qi An had done so much. That fellow sometimes made them grit their teeth in frustration, but as they always said, when standing on the same side as him, they felt inexplicably reassured.

Seeing the ministers discussing again, the Wei faction’s core members excited and incoherent, the Empress glanced at the Chief Eunuch.

Crack!

The middle-aged eunuch flicked his wrist, his whip striking the mirror-bright floor.

The ministers fell silent.

The Empress’s voice was cold and dignified:

“Leave reunions for after court dismissal.

“Withdrawing to defend the capital was Guard Commander Wei’s idea—what do you ministers think?”

The same question asked a second time, yet now the ministers were silent.

They looked at each other, then at the Empress, then at Wei Yuan. After a while, Liu Hong, Zhang Xing Ying, and other Wei faction members called out:

“We’ll follow Your Majesty’s decision in all things.”

Then Qian Qing Shu and other Wang faction members also expressed their support for the Empress’s decision to withdraw and defend the capital, seeking a decisive battle with Yun Province’s army.

This wasn’t a mere submission to circumstances—they truly saw hope. Even the Wang faction, formerly Wei Yuan’s political enemies, felt as if a ray of dawn had pierced the dark sky when they saw him appear.

From his debut in the Northern Border battle to the history-shaking Battle of Shanhai Pass to that autumn when a hundred thousand troops leveled the Witch God Cult’s headquarters at Jing Shan City—Great Liang’s Military God had never lost.

…Huai Qing pressed her lips together, saying with complex emotions:

“I’ll trouble you ministers to coordinate with Guard Commander Wei in defending the capital.

“Court dismissed!”

…

“Hyah!”

A luxurious carriage raced along the broad palace city streets, wheels rolling as the driver continuously cracked his whip—not from his urgency, but at the First Minister’s constant urging.

The driver felt an ominous premonition, suspecting old First Minister Wang Zhen Wen’s days were numbered, and First Minister Qian was rushing to see him one last time.

Soon, the carriage stopped outside Wang Manor. Qian Qing Shu didn’t wait for his escort’s support, jumping down steadily and striding into the manor.

Passing through the outer courtyard and winding corridors, he reached Wang Zhen Wen’s bedroom. The manor’s steward accompanied him, saying:

“First Minister Qian, First Minister Qian… let me announce you to the master.”

Qian Qing Shu ignored him, walking straight to the bedroom before finally looking at the steward, gesturing for him to knock.

The steward did so glumly, saying softly:

“Master, First Minister Qian is here.”

He dared not speak too loudly, fearing to disturb Wang Zhen Wen’s rest.

Soon, a young maid opened the bedroom door, saying quietly:

“The master asks you to enter.”

Qian Qing Shu crossed the threshold, entering to see Wang Zhen Wen sitting propped up in bed, his face ashen, turning to look at him.

“From your expression, it seems something major has happened.”

Wang Zhen Wen exhaled heavily, saying gravely: “Has Yong Province fallen?”

Since Xun Province’s fall, Wang Zhen Wen had often suffered from insomnia and night terrors, growing increasingly exhausted. With his experience and insight, he knew Yong Province’s fall was inevitable.

He just hadn’t expected it so soon.

With Yong Province’s fall, Yun Province’s army would be at the capital’s doorstep.

Qian Qing Shu pondered his words briefly, then said:

“Yong Province is indeed lost, but it was by Her Majesty’s order—saying we should withdraw to defend the capital and fight Yun Province’s army to the death.”

Wang Zhen Wen’s face was full of worry:

“This is a dangerous gambit. I understand Her Majesty’s thinking—fighting in the capital would certainly be better than fighting in Yong Province. Whether troops, walls, equipment, or supplies, the capital’s reserves are very rich. We could fight a prolonged war.

“But she’s overlooking human nature. With an army at the capital’s gates, civilians and officials will inevitably panic. Once morale breaks, we can’t fight.”

“Brother Wang sees clearly!” Qian Qing Shu sighed:

“Today when I heard Her Majesty was voluntarily abandoning Yong Province to defend the capital, I too felt a doomsday panic. However… Wei Yuan has returned.”

At these words, he saw the old First Minister’s expression freeze, like a painting suddenly fixed in place.

After a while, the old man turned his withered face, staring intently at Qian Qing Shu, saying word by word:

“What did you say…”

Qian Qing Shu said seriously:

“Wei Yuan is resurrected. Xu Qi An rebuilt his body, and during the Spring Sacrifice, Her Majesty personally recalled his soul. Today in court, I observed him repeatedly—it’s truly Wei Yuan. Appearance can be changed, but that bearing, those eyes, and that way of speaking can’t be imitated.

“Moreover, there are many experts among the nobles—if it were a disguise, they would have seen through it. Her Majesty said withdrawing to defend the capital was Wei Yuan’s decision.”

After listening, Wang Zhen Wen stared blankly for a long while, then asked:

“How did the civil and military officials react?”

Qian Qing Shu answered:

“They’re now actively participating in defense arrangements, each performing their duties. After the court dismissed, I watched carefully—though their expressions were still troubled, none seemed pessimistic. Ah, in matters of military command, just having Wei Yuan present makes people feel secure.

“He’s returned at just the right time, the capital’s morale can be stabilized…”

As he spoke, he suddenly noticed Wang Zhen Wen’s head tilted to one side, eyes closed, motionless for a long time.

Qian Qing Shu’s heart suddenly tightened, his lips trembling as he called out:

“Brother Wang?”

He extended a shaking hand, expression grief-stricken, carefully checking for breathing.

The next moment, Qian Qing Shu relaxed in relief.

He had just fallen asleep.

The maid beside them said softly:

“The master hasn’t been sleeping well lately. Even when he does sleep, he often wakes startled, staring blankly alone.”

Qian Qing Shu nodded slowly, saying quietly:

“Take good care of him, don’t disturb him.”

Before leaving, he paused at the door, looking back at Wang Zhen Wen’s peaceful sleeping face.

You can finally get a good rest.

…

Northern Border!

A white-robed figure flickered through rising clear light, each flash covering three li.

This white-robed figure looked identical to Xu Ping Feng—it was an avatar he had created, essentially a puppet forged from fine iron, inscribed with twenty-eight formations, with combat power roughly equivalent to an early Fourth-Rank expert.

Xu Ping Feng had split off a strand of consciousness to inhabit the puppet, using it as an avatar.

He could only control two such avatars simultaneously—one left in Hidden Dragon City, one carried with him.

Any more would scatter his concentration. This normally wouldn’t matter, but he still had to deal with Kou Yang Zhou, that Second-Rank warrior, so he couldn’t split his consciousness too much.

The northern battle affected the entire situation. White Emperor and Gala Tree’s failure to achieve victory made Xu Ping Feng sense something was wrong.

He had to see for himself what was happening.

Passing through the vast uninhabited zone, gazing into the distance, dark clouds appeared at the end of the desolate plain, along with a sandstorm that blocked out the sky and sun.

Xu Ping Feng sensed the aura of Heaven’s Tribulation in those distant clouds.

So Luo Yu Heng’s Thunder Tribulation indeed hadn’t ended. From this aura, it should be the Earth Thunder Tribulation… Xu Ping Feng reduced his teleportation speed, approaching cautiously.

After all, this puppet was only early Fourth Rank—a trace of Heaven’s Tribulation’s power or a ripple from the Transcendent battle could annihilate it.

“Boom!”

When he approached within three li of the tribulation clouds, a terrifying shockwave surged like a tide.

Xu Ping Feng immediately raised defensive formations, condensing into a hexagonal barrier before him.

Bang!

The defensive formation only lasted three seconds before being torn apart by the violent shockwave. The puppet’s body was instantly blown back, its chest deeply caved in.

Such an injury would incapacitate a Fourth-Rank ceremonial master.

But the puppet couldn’t die and felt no pain. Xu Ping Feng teleported twice along the ground, finally reaching the edge of the tribulation clouds.

At the same time, he saw two battlefields, saw White Emperor and Xu Qi An, saw Gala Tree, Asura, and Golden Lotus Zhao Shou.

He ignored the others—Xu Qi An’s appearance left him bewildered.