The recognition of Prince Ji Xia by the officials of Taicang gave him a brief sense of relief. He casually selected a few low-ranking officials and quietly inquired about the enemy's forces.
"So all the vicious dogs of the Dog-Crow Kingdom are at the Sixfold Heaven level?" Ji Xia asked, still unfamiliar with the realms of cultivation.
"That's right," came the reply. "The three thousand vicious dogs of the Dog-Crow Kingdom each have Sixfold Heaven cultivation. They are even stronger than the fallen Cangwei Army. Of the five thousand Cangwei soldiers, most are still at the Fifth Heaven level and can only rely on numbers to challenge the vicious dogs."
Lu Yu, though advanced in age, had sharp hearing. He had been eavesdropping on Ji Xia's conversation with the officials and was now observing the still, almost motionless shadow soldiers beneath the palace building. He answered Ji Xia's question with measured words.
"In that case, the Cang Guard probably has mostly soldiers at the Fourth Heaven level, right?" Ji Xia continued.
"Indeed," replied Ji Xia's aide. "The eight thousand Cang Guard soldiers would have no chance against the thousand vicious dogs, whose combat power far exceeds theirs. The five thousand hunters would be about evenly matched with them, but still, it's a slim chance of victory..."
Ji Xia nodded thoughtfully, then turned to Ji Qianqing. "So, where do you think the shadow soldiers, gifted by the Great Wind, stand in terms of strength? Can they hold their ground against the vicious dogs?"
Ji Qianqing gave a careful assessment, focusing on the three shadow generals standing near the palace. "From the aura they've emitted so far, these three generals are extremely strong—on par with the Eightfold Heaven generals of the vicious dog army. Their strength is unusual; I can barely sense any spiritual energy from them, but their power is formidable, almost on the same level as the Cangwei soldiers."
Lu Yu added, "Though these shadow soldiers are powerful, facing the vicious dog army head-on would still be a dangerous prospect. What's even more worrying is that the Dog-Crow Kingdom has sent only a thousand dogs this time, though they have three thousand in total. They are confident that a thousand vicious dogs can wipe out Taicang after hearing that the Cang Guard has been obliterated and the ruler has passed away."
"However," Lu Yu continued with a grim expression, "if we put up a strong resistance, the remaining two thousand vicious dogs will quickly come to reinforce them. They march at full speed, and it would take them no more than two hours to reach the frontlines. By then, Taicang will have no hope."
Ji Xia's brow furrowed. The territory of Taicang was extremely small—only about five hundred miles in diameter—but the distance between the border and the capital, Taicheng, was eight hundred miles. If the vicious dogs could march so quickly on foot, their strength was truly formidable.
"One way or another, we must win this battle!" Ji Xia thought to himself.
His memories told him that the human race, one of the weakest in the vast wilderness, might be seen as little more than food to other, stronger races. If Taicang fell to the vicious dogs, the over six hundred thousand humans in Taicang and Cangcheng would be slaughtered without mercy, their bodies preserved as food for the Dog-Crow Kingdom to sustain them through the long winters.
Ji Xia found it hard to believe, but it was the reality he had inherited.
This world was unlike any he had ever imagined. Three suns rose from the east, south, and north, meeting at noon before turning back on their path. For two months of the year, the three suns would stop entirely, plunging the world into complete darkness. Without sunlight, everything stopped growing, and the crops would wither and die. The snow would fall endlessly, bringing unbearable cold.
This phenomenon was known as "Sun Silence."
It was an extraordinary world that Ji Xia, who had just assimilated his memories, found both shocking and perplexing. Yet, he had no time to dwell on these mysteries. The pressing matter at hand was how to protect Taicang from the impending invasion of the vicious dogs.
If Taicang fell, there were no human nations nearby. They would have nowhere to retreat.
"Of the eight thousand Cang Guard, two thousand are archers. Should we just hold our ground in Taicheng?" One of the generals, Rong Lu, spoke up. He was one of the four Cangwei generals.
Ji Qianqing shook her head. "With the help of His Highness's shadow soldiers, we should be able to fend off the six thousand vicious dogs attacking. But we need to end this quickly. We cannot allow the others to come to their aid."
Ji Xia nodded. "Indeed, though holding the city would give us the advantage of terrain, it would also give control of the situation to the Dog-Crow Kingdom. If we stay in a defensive position, the vicious dogs could withdraw at will, waiting for reinforcements. At that point, we'd be doomed."
"But with our current strength," Lu Yu said, "though we're not afraid of the six thousand vicious dogs, a swift resolution still seems unlikely."
Ji Xia thought for a moment, then adopted a managerial approach. "Has the general populace been alerted to the threat?"
"They've been put on alert and are already laying traps outside Taicheng," Ji Qianqing replied.
Ji Xia nodded and then asked, "What about the scouts? Have they returned? How far are the vicious dogs from Taicheng?"
"They're less than three hundred miles away."
Ji Xia furrowed his brow. He scanned the officials above and murmured, "There's no time for individual questioning now."
Ji Qianqing gave him a puzzled look as Ji Xia leaned closer to her. His mouth near her ear, he lowered his voice.
Ji Qianqing stiffened and her expression became more dangerous as she felt the proximity.
"Do you trust your four generals?" Ji Xia asked quietly.
Ji Qianqing paused, then replied, "I do."
A glint of understanding flashed in Ji Xia's eyes. He took two steps back and held up the Taicang Imperial Order. "Generals Rong Lu, Chu Jiao, Zuo Kun, and Meng Yan, step forward!"
The four generals immediately stepped forward and bowed in acknowledgment.
The other officials looked at Ji Xia with confusion in their eyes.
Ji Xia, ignoring their bewildered looks, issued a clear command. "Arrest all Taicang officials here, except for General Ji Qianqing, Lu Yu, and Master Shao Qu, and imprison them in the dark prison!"
A wave of panic spread across the room.
The four generals were stunned. They exchanged glances, unsure whether to follow the command.
Lu Yu and Shao Qu, hearing the command, were momentarily shocked. But after a brief pause, they seemed to understand, falling into silence.
Ji Qianqing gave Ji Xia a long, searching look before turning to the generals. "Why are you still standing there?"
Rong Lu was the first to snap out of his stupor. He waved his hand, and dozens of palace guards quickly surrounded the officials, arresting them and dragging them away.
Chaos erupted among the Taicang officials.
"Your Highness, General Ji, Lord Lu, what is this about?"
"This is madness! Prince Ji, do you think you can do whatever you want just because you have shadow soldiers?"
"You want to imprison me in the dark prison?"
Ji Xia ignored the complaints, his face serious and his tone filled with authority. "The Taicang Imperial Order is here. Do you still wish to resist?"
The Imperial Order of Taicang carried the same weight as the direct orders of the ruler. Once issued, the entire nation must obey.
The officials were taken aback by Ji Xia's cold demeanor. This Prince seemed like a completely different person than they knew. Though he had often behaved erratically before, this boldness was unlike anything they had seen.
"Your Highness, you must tell us why, or we will not be convinced," one official said.
"Indeed," another added, "In this critical moment, if you lock up the officials, who will handle the important matters like defense, livelihood, logistics, and the hearts of the people?"
The scene grew more chaotic. Lu Yu and Shao Qu exchanged worried glances.
"Do you really not understand, or are you just pretending?" Lu Yu's anger suddenly flared as he shouted at the officials. "Rong Lu, take them away!"
Just as he finished speaking, one official, with a sinister expression and triangular eyes, suddenly leapt into the air.
Ji Xia was more than ten paces away, but the man seemed to defy the laws of physics as he shot through the air. His body began to wither and decay mid-flight, and a grotesque canine head emerged in place of his own.
"Move!" Ji Qianqing shouted, drawing her sword. A dark red sword aura shot toward the figure.
The creature snarled. "Damn insect! If it weren't for you, the Dog-Crow army could easily crush Taicang!"
But Ji Qianqing's sword was already upon it. The vicious dog alien was fast, but not fast enough to escape the strike.
In a flash, the alien dog was cleaved in two. It didn't even have time to scream before it fell, its lifeless body collapsing into two parts.
Ji Xia turned to the stunned officials, his eyes cold. "What are you all afraid of? Is the Great Wind so easily killed?"
The long sword that had slain the vicious dog spiraled back toward Ji Xia and vanished from sight, leaving only a quiet, tense