Chapter 152: I Have a Friend…

A fleeting surprise crossed Vilyric’s heart as she glanced back at the entrance of the tomb where her companions had just exited, quietly scanning her surroundings. Although she had her suspicions, she chose not to voice them.

After all, certain more pressing issues needed immediate attention.

Seeing the encirclement of the Black Scale Army tighten around her, the gleaming gunpoints drawing closer, Vilyric raised her hand to stop Shangguan Hong and the others, who were preparing to retaliate. With her lips parted, she unleashed a wave of sound like a crashing tide!

“I do not intend to harm anyone unnecessarily. Where is your General Wen Zhengyang? He should have emerged safely by now; let him come and see me.”

The soldiers paused in surprise, seemingly taken aback by the black-haired girl’s display of “divine prowess,” or perhaps slightly stunned by her directly mentioning his name. They exchanged glances, and soon, the commander of the Black Scale Army, whom Vilyric and the others had encountered in the temple, stepped forward amidst his subordinates.

His authoritative gaze fell directly on the Priestess, as if trying to discern something from her, yet looking somewhat puzzled.

“Who are you to dare ignore my Black Scale Army’s blockade and openly trespass on the ruins? How did you know my name?”

“Oh… that’s easy to address!”

Rather than answer straightforwardly, Vilyric searched for General Wen Zhengyang amidst the crowd again before throwing out her own question.

“Where is General Cheng Zhenwu? Why hasn’t he come?”

“…?”

It seemed her rather audacious attitude had left Wen Zhengyang momentarily stumped, but instead of exploding with rage, he grew even more cautious.

Being the commander of the Black Scale Army for so long granted him insight into the mentality of genuine powerhouses who rise above the ordinary.

In such a tight corner, being unruffled and indifferent to possible offense could only stem from two types of people: either a fool who lacks even a basic understanding of the situation, or an unparalleled power who doesn’t regard them.

However, idiots couldn’t just waltz through the Black Scale Army’s tight blockade and easily access the tomb, nor could they silence thousands of elite soldiers with a mere word. Besides… the name she mentioned was something he had been pondering since he inexplicably returned to the outside world.

After a brief silence, Wen Zhengyang waved his hand to stop the soldiers who were about to attack and turned to his aide beside him.

“Where is the acting commander of the camp, General Cheng Zhenwu? Why hasn’t he reported in yet?”

Upon hearing this, the deputy paused slightly, then quietly responded.

“General, I immediately sent someone to find him, but I just received word that General Cheng seems… seems to be absent from the camp and hasn’t reported any exit. He is currently unaccounted for.”

“Unaccounted for?”

Wen Zhengyang frowned but did not press his deputy further, only nodding slightly as he redirected his attention to the black-haired girl confronting him.

“Do you know why General Cheng is missing?”

“Well… this is a bit tricky~”

The girl suddenly grinned, a somewhat provocative smile dancing on her lips as she changed the subject.

“General Wen, I wonder if your esteemed General of the Black Scale Army has the courage to speak with this little girl alone for a bit? I have some information that I think you’ll find very interesting.”

“How bold! Who do you think you are to dare…”

“…”

Raising a hand to silence the deputy who was about to scold her, Wen Zhengyang pondered for a moment and actually nodded.

“Fine, then what harm could there be in just the two of us? How about we talk in the main tent?”

“General?!”

“That’s unwise, General—what if the other party lashes out in desperation? You’d be on your own inside…”

Despite the hurried protests from the soldiers, Wen Zhengyang merely waved his hand nonchalantly.

“Enough, I’ve served in the army for twenty-one years, rising from a nameless soldier to the position of commander of the Black Scale Army, facing hundreds of battles where I’ve tasted blood on the edge of a blade while battling formidable foes myself.”

“Just a frail little girl, without even a weapon. If I can’t accept an invitation for a one-on-one talk like this, then how can I face the position I hold as General?”

“General Yan, during our private discussion, you will temporarily take charge here and order the troops to halt their assault. However, do not let them escape; we’ll deal with everything after I return.”

“…Yes, I shall obey the order.”

Hmm…

Listening to the exchanges among the Black Scale Army, Vilyric secretly nodded.

This Wen Zhengyang can be considered both brave and wise, loving his soldiers like his children.

His choice to proceed this way, apart from the reasons he verbally expressed, likely stemmed from recognizing her own strength and not wishing his men to suffer unnecessary casualties in a conflict, right?

Seeing that his instructions had been satisfactorily given, Vilyric nodded, casting a calm look at her companions before turning and heading toward the central tent where the fake General Cheng was earlier.

The armored General followed closely behind, leaving the two groups of soldiers staring at each other in disbelief, wide-eyed.

“Whoosh~”

As the curtain was lifted, the Priestess and General Wen each stepped into the empty tent.

Noticing the black-haired girl standing defensively with her back turned as if looking for something, Wen Zhengyang kept his weapon sheathed and assumed a neutral expression as he took a seat at the main position, gesturing for Vilyric to make herself at home.

“Alright, it’s now just the two of us. Feel free to speak your mind; I hope you don’t make me regret this choice.”

Looking at the solemn middle-aged man sitting upright as if embodying the general’s authority, the Priestess could only shake her head helplessly. She didn’t even look for a place to sit, finishing her search instead and gazing curiously at him.

“You seem to hold the Spiritual Fox Priestess in great esteem; may I ask why?”

“Spiritual Fox Priestess?”

Warmly surprised, Wen Zhengyang quickly connected the dots from her seemingly off-topic yet meaningful words and furrowed his brow.

“You witnessed the battle that occurred in the temple deep within the ruins?”

“Oh? Quite perceptive… as expected of a General.”

“Hmph…”

After a moment of hesitation, Wen Zhengyang still took on the topic directly.

“Indeed, I have admired the legends of the Spiritual Fox Priestess since I was young. So what? In this Ancient Spirit Realm, with billions of beings, who could claim that their ancestors never received her blessings?”

“Though times have changed and many stories about the Spiritual Fox Priestess have morphed into myths, legends, or even nursery rhymes passed down through generations, if it weren’t for her and Lingyin Fairy Island, how could our homeland be as prosperous and peaceful as it is today? Gratitude— is that not a fundamental human impulse?

“In the realm of oblivion, by the banks of the Underworld, across the River of Three Ways, the spirit fox comes from the river, blood-red flowers bloom, eyes gazing afar, foxes dance through the realms with jingling bells, ferrying souls away; what the world calls the Spiritual Fox Priestess.”

Reciting a poetic tune akin to a ballad, Wen Zhengyang seemed to gather enthusiasm, not waiting for the girl’s response before continuing.

“This narrative well-known throughout the Ancient Spirit Realm, you must have heard a bit about it, right? The Spiritual Fox Priestess is esteemed as the ruler of the River of Three Ways and the Underworld, the highest guardian restraining the boundaries of life and death. Many families have offered incense to her for generations…”

“To see the Spiritual Fox Priestess with your own eyes would be the highest honor! How can you ask me why? It’s truly a conundrum; are you not of the Ancient Spirit Realm?”

“Even if you ask if I am…”

With a gentle sigh, Vilyric, under Wen Zhengyang’s bizarre gaze, no longer hesitated and proceeded to speak directly.

“Let me just say it plainly—actually… I am a friend of the Spiritual Fox Priestess, the kind that is very close, oh.”

   

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