Zhao Yun continued: “In fact, it may not even take a month. Once our army attacks Wei, Xiao Yan, as the sovereign, will immediately need to return to Wei to take command. The journey from Yinzi City to the Wei capital is long, so he must depart early. By this calculation—”

Each of his words weighed a thousand jin: “Holding out for less than fifteen days will suffice.”

The Yao people might not be able to defeat the Wei army, but relying on the city’s defenses to hold out for half a month shouldn’t be a problem. Princess Hanyue observed the expressions of the assembled ministers and knew they were already tempted. Being of royal birth, she was familiar with diplomatic protocols and spoke at the appropriate moment: “The Yan prince’s proposal is excellent. We need to discuss it in detail.”

Zhao Yun nodded and stood up: “Then I won’t take up any more of your time.” For the current Yao royal court, every moment was precious, and the Yan King’s proposal was indeed worth discussing.

He had barely walked two hundred zhang from the council hall when a palace maid hurried after him: “Your Highness, please wait. The Crown Prince’s consort has a question for you.”

Oh? Zhao Yun stopped and looked back at her: “Speak.” What message couldn’t be conveyed in public and required a private inquiry through a maid?

“The Crown Prince’s consort wishes to ask if there is a way to keep a newly departed soul in this world?” the maid asked in a low voice. “If there is a secret method, the Crown Prince’s consort is willing to exchange valuable treasures for it.”

Zhao Yun’s gaze sharpened: “The Yao Crown Prince?”

The maid lowered her head, avoiding the direct question: “The Yan King is the foremost master of our age, knowing what others don’t know, capable of what others cannot do. He must have a method.”

Zhao Yun knew that “newly departed soul” certainly referred to Miao Fengxian. This Yao Crown Prince had cultivation far beyond ordinary people in life and also held the position of State Preceptor. With his profound skills in the Dao arts, his soul would be strongly condensed, retaining his living consciousness after death, unlike ordinary people who become confused.

It seemed the Crown Prince’s consort hoped to keep her husband in the mortal world, even if only as a spirit.

Zhao Yun slowly shook his head: “As it happens, I asked my father about this matter before coming.”

The maid focused intently: “Please enlighten us, Your Highness.”

Zhao Yun wasn’t lying. He had considered using this as leverage to gain more chips from the Crown Prince’s consort: “I must disappoint the Crown Prince’s consort. My father said that the way of Heaven has its constants, and the universal order cannot be broken. Departed souls descend to the underworld after seven days and enter reincarnation—this has become an iron law of the world. Even he cannot shake it.”

The maid spoke again, and through her, Zhao Yun could almost see Princess Hanyue’s unwilling expression: “But there are many wandering ghosts in the world, and some ghost cultivators have existed for a long time. The underworld hasn’t forcibly taken them away!” These questions had all been prepared in advance by the Crown Prince’s consort.

“The world once underwent a violent upheaval, and the underworld was similarly shaken. During this process, many lonely ghosts and spirits lost their underworld registrations and could only wander eternally outside the cycle of reincarnation. However, that situation was exceptionally rare. Afterward, the underworld order was reestablished and significantly strengthened. The ghost officials now keep strict registries. Which newly departed soul doesn’t have an underworld registration? Escaping the power of reincarnation is now impossible. Look at the present—almost no one raises little ghosts anymore. You should know that two thousand years ago, even lower-class celestial masters could raise a few little ghosts for the Five Ghost Transport technique.”

The maid still wouldn’t give up: “Is there truly no method to consider?”

“Nothing in this world is absolute. My father said that there might indeed be someone in this world who could fulfill the Crown Prince consort’s wish perfectly, but unfortunately, time is pressing, and they certainly cannot be found in time.”

“Who is it?”

Zhao Yun lowered his voice to barely a whisper: “The Celestial Demon.”

Then he sighed: “In this matter, we too are helpless. Please convey my apologies to the Crown Prince’s consort.” With that, he strode away.

That very day, Zhao Yun left Yinzi City. A gentleman does not stand beneath a dangerous wall, let alone in a great city about to face war.

In the back garden, Princess Hanyue’s expression changed slightly after hearing the maid’s report. Having grown up in the royal family, she was far more familiar with this name than ordinary people. Whether it was the world a thousand years ago or the fall of the Haoli Empire three hundred years ago, the Celestial Demon was inextricably linked to both. But the Yan King was right—the Celestial Demon’s whereabouts were mysterious, and he hadn’t appeared in public for many years. No one knew where he was hiding now.

Counting from the Imperial Garden incident, the seventh day after Miao Fengxian’s death was fast approaching. She simply didn’t have time to search for the Celestial Demon. Moreover, with powerful enemies pressing at the borders of the Yao Kingdom, she couldn’t leave.

Was her husband going to leave her like this?

Princess Hanyue was unwilling, but she didn’t know what else she could do. If even the Yan King was helpless, what path could she, a mere mortal woman, possibly take?

In this vast world, there was seemingly no place for her husband to remain.

She couldn’t help but take out the soul-nurturing wood to caress it again.

Princess Hanyue stood in the shadow beneath a tree, where Miao Fengxian’s spirit could emerge without suffering damage from the sun’s true fire.

Looking at her husband’s soul form, she said sorrowfully: “Our son is still young, surrounded by wolves. Even if we’re lucky enough to repel Wei this time, next time… Alas, what are we, widow and orphan, to do?” Her relationship with Miao Fengxian had been one of deep affection, and after marriage, she had relied on her husband as her pillar of strength. Now with Miao Fengxian’s sudden death, leaving the Yao Kingdom beset with difficulties both internally and externally, she truly didn’t know what to do.

At this moment, Princess Hanyue inexplicably thought of Feng Miaojun. Miao Fengxian had once mentioned that this former intimate friend, although now the ruler of New Xia, had always been in a difficult position until she had recently overthrown Fu Lingchuan and personally took charge of state affairs.

Princess Hanyue hadn’t initially thought this particularly remarkable, as she was born into the royal family and had seen many power struggles. But now she especially wanted to know how Feng Miaojun managed to rule a vast territory as a woman. Just thinking about the difficulty made her scalp tingle.

Miao Fengxian had been dead for four days and had gradually grown accustomed to his soul form, now able to communicate with her. He flew up from the soul-nurturing wood and gently caressed his wife’s face.

In life, Miao Fengxian had been tall and imposing, but now he was only the size of a palm, a formless and insubstantial soul. Princess Hanyue naturally couldn’t feel his touch, but the gesture still brought her comfort.

She truly couldn’t bear to part with him: “Why don’t I just go with you?”

Miao Fengxian said softly: “What about our child? Could you bear to leave him alone? A royal child cast adrift in the world would only face more hardship than ordinary children.”

Princess Hanyue blinked, and tears rolled down her face. She still greedily cherished the tenderness he gave her, but with four days already passed since his death, her husband’s time in the mortal world was growing shorter and shorter.

After offering a few words of gentle comfort, Miao Fengxian said: “I heard the Yan proposal.” While residing in the soul-nurturing wood, he remained aware of the outside world.

She still treated him as her pillar of strength: “Can it be done?”

“Yan only hopes we can hold back Xiao Yan and the Wei army.” After several days of reflection, Miao Fengxian had fully regained his clarity of mind. “They don’t intend to care about the Yao Kingdom’s survival.”

Princess Hanyue nodded. Yan and Yao had originally been diplomatic allies with a reasonably good relationship. But the Yao Kingdom had fallen overnight, and now even its sovereign was gone, with no one able to control elemental power. Under these circumstances, how could Yan still take it seriously? What they wanted to exploit was merely the Yao Kingdom’s last bit of restraining effect on Wei.