"Sister... what were you thinking back then? Why did you oppose sending troops?"
Su Yunying's question struck Yu Xiyan like a bolt of lightning.
"I... I only did it because..."
But the words caught in her throat. She couldn't bring herself to explain, nor could she meet Su Yunying's eyes.
As if responding to Su Yunying's question, the Kunlun Mirror shifted once more, changing the scene before them.
The two women now found themselves standing inside the imperial garden where Yu Xiyan had once been.
"No... don't! Please don't show this! Stop! That isn't the truth!"
The moment she saw the familiar scene, Yu Xiyan completely lost her composure, desperately pleading with the empty air.
The Kunlun Mirror ignored her entirely.
Instead, it faithfully replayed the humiliating memory in every detail.
Inside the imperial garden, Yu Xiyan's face was filled with anger.
She dismissed all the palace maids before sitting alone inside a stone pavilion along the covered walkway.
"He's becoming more and more outrageous... Absolutely infuriating!"
She slammed her palm onto the stone table.
"Sister, who made you so angry this time?"
A bouquet of fresh flowers suddenly appeared before her.
A refined, gentle-looking young man stepped into view.
"Lin Feng? You knew him?"
Su Yunying stared in disbelief.
She had never imagined that Yu Xiyan had been connected to someone like Lin Feng.
"Please... don't watch..."
Yu Xiyan shook her head helplessly, hoping to stop Su Yunying from seeing any more.
But Su Yunying was already frozen in shock.
The instant the Yu Xiyan in the illusion saw Lin Feng, all the murderous anger in her eyes melted away.
In its place appeared boundless tenderness.
"Xiaofeng, when did you get here? Are you finished with your business?"
"I missed you, Sister, so I came to see you."
Lin Feng casually sat across from her, picked up the teapot, and poured tea for both of them.
Resting her cheek against one hand, Yu Xiyan gazed at him affectionately as he busied himself.
Only after he placed a teacup before her did he smile and say,
"Sister, don't stay upset. Drink the tea your little brother made for you and calm down."
Immediately, her face bloomed like peach blossoms.
She accepted the cup happily, took a delicate sip, and asked,
"How long are you staying this time?"
"In a few days, I'm heading to the Lingyan Pavilion to take care of some personal matters."
"Can't you stay a little longer with your sister?"
"Once I'm done, I'll spend plenty of time with you."
"You really are thoughtful."
The two chatted and laughed as though they were a couple destined for each other.
The sight left Su Yunying numb with disbelief.
"Sister... what exactly is your relationship with Lin Feng?"
Yu Xiyan wished she could disappear into the ground.
She had no idea how to explain what Su Yunying was witnessing.
After a long silence, she finally whispered,
"Please... don't ask. It was just... a mistake I made in the past. It's all over now."
Lowering her head, she no longer dared meet Su Yunying's gaze, afraid an even more embarrassing question would follow.
Taking a deep breath, Su Yunying forced herself to calm down and continued watching the mirror.
The two figures in the illusion had now moved to sit side by side, their posture intimate.
Lin Feng asked,
"Sister, what were you upset about just now? Tell Xiaofeng."
Putting down her teacup, Yu Xiyan sighed.
"Who else could it be? Besides that man, who else could make me this angry?"
"Shen Zhao again?"
Lin Feng's face darkened immediately.
"I really don't understand him."
"Marrying someone like you should be the blessing of several lifetimes."
"How does he dare make you angry?"
Yu Xiyan smiled bitterly.
"Forget it. Father and Mother always take his side. Don't get angry over someone like him. It's not worth it."
"No."
"I have to help you seek justice."
Lin Feng looked genuinely indignant.
Yu Xiyan quickly stopped him.
"Forget it, Xiaofeng. You're no match for him."
"If you confront him recklessly, you'll only make him even more arrogant."
"And... if anything happened to you..."
"What would your sister do then?"
Lin Feng gently asked,
"Sister... tell me what happened."
"At least let me share some of your burdens."
With another sigh, Yu Xiyan finally explained.
"During court today, he proposed that our Yintian Empire send troops to reinforce the Huangquan Rift and stop the armies of the Netherworld from entering the world."
"I refused."
"He actually criticized me in front of the entire imperial court."
"How could I possibly not be upset?"
"What?"
"He wants to send troops against the Netherworld?"
"Has he gone insane?"
Lin Feng reacted with obvious shock.
"The Netherworld is unimaginably terrifying."
"For millions of years, the Immortal Martial Continent has chosen appeasement."
"And he wants to provoke them instead?"
"Isn't he trying to throw the entire world into disaster?"
Yu Xiyan looked at him hopefully.
"Xiaofeng... you really think so too?"
"You made the right decision, Sister."
"You absolutely must not agree."
"If anything goes wrong and the Netherworld retaliates..."
"...countless lives will be lost."
Yu Xiyan smiled with obvious relief.
"Xiaofeng... you understand me so well."
"That's exactly what I was thinking."
"The Netherworld is far too dangerous to provoke."
"If something went wrong, I'd become the sinner of the entire Immortal Martial Continent."
"Of course I understand you."
"You've sacrificed so much for the empire and its people."
"How could someone like Shen Zhao understand your careful considerations?"
"He's nothing more than a reckless brute chasing fame, willing to gamble with the lives of ordinary people."
Yu Xiyan's spirits visibly lifted.
"You're absolutely right."
"No matter what, I cannot allow the Yintian Empire to fall into ruin."
"I've devoted my entire life to protecting this nation."
"I won't endanger the lives of billions of my subjects just to satisfy his personal ambitions."
"As long as I remain on the throne..."
"Shen Zhao will never get his hands on my military authority."
Feeling completely understood, Yu Xiyan's mood brightened instantly.
She reached out and held Lin Feng's hand.
"Xiaofeng..."
"Tonight, I want to watch the moon beside the Imperial Spirit Pool."
"Come with me."
"As long as Sister asks, I'll always be there."
She then shyly leaned into Lin Feng's embrace.
Su Yunying was completely dumbfounded.
Goosebumps covered her entire body as she instinctively took several steps away from Yu Xiyan.
She had never imagined her sister had such a past.
She had always believed Shen Zhao and Yu Xiyan's conflict was merely a political disagreement.
Now she finally understood why Linghu Ming and Liang Hao had always been so wary of Yu Xiyan...
...and why Shen Zhao had never once mentioned any of this.
After all...
A wife secretly involved with another man, openly criticizing her husband together with her lover...
Anyone with normal values would want nothing to do with such a situation.
Nearby, Yu Xiyan had completely collapsed onto the ground.
Watching her own past replay before her eyes, she finally realized just how deeply she despised the woman she used to be.
The scene shifted once more.
It changed to the military parade ground of the Pojun Manor.
Cold winds howled across the field.
One hundred thousand soldiers clad in iron armor stood perfectly still, long halberds in hand.
Snow and frost covered their bodies.
Not a single man moved.
Not one collapsed.
Not one retreated.
They had remained standing in the freezing weather for two full hours.
This was the army of the Pojun Manor—
the Iron Flame Army, whose reputation shook all Nine Realms.
Standing atop the command platform, Shen Zhao folded his arms across his chest, expressionless as he stared at the enormous battle flag embroidered with the character "Yin."
Behind him, a general clad in black armor saluted respectfully.
"Reporting to Commander Shen!"
"Of the 127,000 registered soldiers of Pojun Manor, 27,000 are currently away on active assignments."
"The remaining 100,000 troops have all assembled on the drill grounds."
"Please issue your orders, Commander."
Shen Zhao remained silent.
His cloak billowed violently in the wind, like a rising sun illuminating the bleak land before him.
-----------------------
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(End of Chapter)