“This is enough,” Feng Miaojun shook her head. “Xiao Yan’s patience is exhausted, and war cannot proceed without a State Preceptor. If we delay further, he might have no choice but to kill Yun Ya and let someone else manage the elemental power.” She understood deeply how important Yun Ya was to the Wei Kingdom and Xiao Yan, but as a ruler with a comprehensive view, sometimes one had to act against one’s own heart.

She couldn’t push Xiao Yan to that point, or all would be lost.

That night, the stars were brilliant.

Feng Miaojun pushed open the window and happened to see several shooting stars streak across the sky.

If wishes on shooting stars truly came true, her wish would be that she could successfully awaken him.

Yun Ya, I’m finally about to see you. She gazed westward, taking a deep breath, finally sweeping away the worries of these many days.

Tingyuan Town, Eastern Outskirts.

The Yellow Pine Forest stretched across the Wei-Xia border east of the town. Xiao Yan had arrived under the stars and moon and now waited for the Queen of New Xia, surrounded by thousands of soldiers in bright armor.

Speed was essential in military affairs, and the same applied to rulers. With his cultivation base, Xiao Yan had simply mounted a beast and come directly, flying a thousand li in three days. This way, even if spies planted by the King of Yan in the Wei capital noticed something unusual, they wouldn’t have time for any reaction, let alone follow him here.

Tingyuan Town was far from the southern battlefield and in a remote mountainous area. The King of Yan’s reach, no matter how long, couldn’t extend here. So Feng Miaojun’s choice of this meeting place was indeed wise.

However, as Xiao Yan watched the sun climb higher and higher, he grumbled: “Women are truly impatient—all women are the same!”

He had arranged to meet Feng Miaojun at the Chen hour (7-9 AM), but now the sun had risen high, and she still hadn’t appeared. A ruler’s travel couldn’t be silent, yet his scouts hadn’t observed any large troop movements nearby.

Just as he spoke, a clear cry sounded from the sky.

Everyone looked up to see two white figures floating down from the clear sky, landing on a large open space in front of the Wei people.

Further east was the edge of the forest.

Two large cranes, completely snow-white, descended to the ground. Two people leaped down from the cranes’ backs and stood firm.

The first person had hair like black clouds and bright, intelligent eyes. Though her face was unadorned, it didn’t diminish her beauty in the least. Standing in the morning light, she truly looked like an immortal who had descended to the mortal realm. Xiao Yan recognized her immediately as the Queen of New Xia, which meant the sturdy man behind her must be her confidant, Chen Dachang.

Xiao Yan slowly walked out from his troops, hands behind his back, saying: “The Queen is quite bold, daring to come alone.”

She had brought only one attendant, which was practically the same as being alone in front of an army of thousands. In these times, no cultivator, no matter how powerful, could fight a thousand opponents single-handedly.

Feng Miaojun casually gathered her beautiful hair, smiling as she said: “The King of Wei flatters me. If I came alone with a single spear, wouldn’t that be greatly disrespectful to you?” This indicated that she didn’t take the King of Wei and his army seriously.

Xiao Yan’s mouth twitched. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Feng Miaojun wave her hand, as if summoning something forward.

Chen Dachang beside her remained perfectly still.

Suddenly, a tremendous cracking sound came from the Yellow Pine Forest that Xiao Yan was facing, as large swaths of trees broke simultaneously. Then, a majestic city slowly materialized from thin air, standing tall behind Feng Miaojun.

The structure was grand and imposing. Each great hall roof, and each section of the city wall, flashed with the most brilliant light in the world under the sun.

It was so dazzling that the Wei people facing it instinctively raised their hands to shield their eyes.

Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes: “The Golden City!”

As he spoke these three words, his heart was filled with mixed emotions.

This was the former Jiao Kingdom’s most important treasure, the Golden City. In nearly a hundred years, Jiao had only used it twice, and both times achieved world-renowned effects. After Jiao’s fall, it naturally fell into the hands of the Queen of New Xia.

When Xiao Yan had sent troops to attack Jiao before, it was partly to avenge his father, but also with the intention of seizing Jiao’s financial and human resources to strengthen Wei Kingdom. The Golden City was the first-rate treasure he had wanted to capture, but in the end, Feng Miaojun benefited instead.

As soon as the Golden City fully materialized, several city gates opened simultaneously, and thousands of troops thundered out, stirring up a cloud of sand and dust.

As they reached behind Feng Miaojun, the leading general raised his fist, and the army behind suddenly halted.

Those thousands of soldiers simultaneously reined in their horses and stomped to a halt, transforming from extreme motion to extreme stillness. Remarkably, their horses didn’t neigh, rear up, or even snort.

Only the dust raised by the horses’ hooves drifted in the air. Feng Miaojun summoned a gentle breeze with a wave of her hand, quickly dispersing it.

So this scene in the sunlight appeared almost like a still life painting, yet it was filled with vigorous energy and potential violence, giving observers the illusion:

With just a snap of the Queen of New Xia’s fingers, this place would become a bloody battlefield.

The faces of the Wei people changed.

To save time, Xiao Yan had brought only a few people, riding flying beasts; these thousands of Wei soldiers had been directly mobilized from the border garrison. The New Xia troops that had emerged from the Golden City were taller and more robust, with finer armor. They were the capital’s elite guard, specially selected, and well-rested inside the Golden City, full of spirit, and more impressive than the Wei army.

At first glance, as both sides displayed their military might, New Xia had a slight edge.

Xiao Yan said irritably: “New Xia is indeed wealthy and extravagant.” Even on Wei territory, to be outdone by the opponent was intolerable!

Feng Miaojun smiled sweetly: “To meet the King of Wei, they naturally come in full regalia.”

Each use of the Golden City consumed spirit stones by the thousand jin. In an age of scarce spiritual energy, this was equivalent to using up large amounts of national reserves. Even when Miao Fengxian had used it for war in the past, he had done so only with great reluctance. Yet Feng Miaojun had come to this remote small town to show off, which even from the King of Wei’s perspective seemed excessively lavish.

Otherwise, why would he mock her for being “wealthy and extravagant”?

But both sides knew well that Feng Miaojun’s display was not without meaning. Her purpose was to “flaunt”—blatantly and brazenly showcasing New Xia’s national power and wealth.

Wealth always helps its owner gain more status and respect. In the upcoming negotiations and games, she would need these two things.

While Feng Miaojun’s face beamed with smiles, she had her calculations. Since the spirit of the artifact had taken residence in the Golden City, its operation had become both efficient and energy-saving. Compared to the wartime period of the Jiao Kingdom, each use consumed only half the amount of spirit stones.

In other words, the cost of showing off with the Golden City had greatly decreased, though few knew this data.

Xiao Yan had already concealed the unusual expression on his face and focused: “We should talk properly now. Let’s get to the point.”

Feng Miaojun nodded.

After many years apart, Xiao Yan didn’t seem to have changed much in her eyes, still handsome as ever. Cultivators maintained their youth, and regardless of gender, their appearances didn’t age as easily as ordinary people’s.