Start with a red name

What surprised Geng Xuan even more was that Yu Hou's bowing down was like the first domino to fall.

One by one, the figures around them began to bow down.

Initially, only a few people made this choice.

These people were all direct descendants of the Marquis of Yu, who were from the Iron Feather Guard.

This quickly became a special "trend".

Not only on the city walls, but also inside the camp, the soldiers who had been watching the slightest movement here and witnessed everything that happened after Geng Xuan "descended from the sky" knelt down in droves, like cut straw.

Of the massive camp of over 100,000 people, only a small fraction actually witnessed it all.

But the choices of this "group" are enough to serve as a guide for others to make the "right" choices in this time of widespread anxiety.

They surrendered at the mere sight of the wind.

This is what it means to surrender at the mere sight of the wind.

The chain reaction triggered by Yu Hou's submission surprised Geng Xuan greatly.

What surprised him even more was that when he turned his head, he saw that all those who were bowing down, regardless of distance, had already switched sides the moment they bowed.

They're all "our own people".

This change had a significant impact on Geng Xuan.

However, he soon had a sudden realization.

Yu Hou's choice is only one aspect.

More importantly, the sudden rise of the "Black Wind Army" and the series of major blows, culminating in this latest tragedy where Dong Guan was betrayed by his adopted son, Yu Hou, have extinguished the spirit of the people.

That seemingly vast territory, occupying the entire Xuanzhou and a small part of Youzhou, yet still loyal to Dong Guan, was nothing more than the remains of a newly dead body.

They would no longer pose any obstacle to him; he could simply walk over, bend down, and pick them all up.

Having figured this out, Geng Xuan couldn't help but feel a little dazed.

This inner turmoil was reflected in his actions; after only a slight pause, he quickly walked to Yu Hou's side and "forcefully" helped him up.

Interestingly, just as he placed his hand on Yu Hou, preparing to lift him up...

Yu Hou, who had been kneeling, then exerted his strength and stood up.

It was all for naught.

"???"

Yu Hou's sudden move left Geng Xuan, the person involved, completely bewildered.

If Yu Hou had been a step later, he could have easily stood up using his own strength.

In that case, the scene would be much better than it is now.

This couldn't possibly be a mistake.

It could only have been intentional!

This is a person with extreme pride.

Yu Hou did not completely submit because of a bet; he still harbored resentment, and he made no attempt to hide it, clearly letting him know what it was.

But for the same reason, he wouldn't allow himself to be someone who breaks his promise and gets rich quick.

It is even more impossible for them to go against their conscience and say one thing and mean another.

That's why they behaved so strangely.

"..."

Having grasped this point, Geng Xuan was rather speechless.

This detail reveals a significant flaw in Yu Hou's character.

If someone else were in his position, such as Dong Guan, even if they didn't show their displeasure on the spot, they would secretly make a fuss about it and use it as a reason to "settle scores" in the future.

However, Geng Xuan was none other than himself.

He held Yu Hou's hand with one hand and reached into his robes with the other.

Soon, he stuffed something into Yu Hou's hand.

"This?!" Yu Hou exclaimed in surprise.

The object in his hand was none other than the familiar finger left behind by the Overlord.

Geng Xuan closed Yu Hou's palm, and the Overlord's finger bone disappeared into Yu Hou's palm.

He laughed and said, "Returning it to its rightful owner!"

"This..." This time, the words of a casual refusal could no longer be uttered, stuck in his throat.

Geng Xuan ignored him and turned to look at the High Priest of the Holy Mountain not far away. Just now, when everyone around knelt down, the High Priest of the Holy Mountain, who was the only one standing there besides Geng Xuan, immediately stood out.

This has put considerable pressure on him, who is present at the scene but is also an "outsider".

Now, as Geng Xuan turned to look at him, Yu Hou also looked at him, and the gazes of others increasingly focused on him, making the pressure grow ever greater.

Even if they were alone together, he wouldn't be confident of defeating this "fake divine child".

Now, under the watchful eyes of everyone, this possibility is even closer to zero!
As we descended the mountain, the condescending and accusatory mindset was completely washed away.

Geng Xuan seemed oblivious to the change in his mood, greeting the guest with a smile.

"But I wonder what advice you have for me?"

When he was asked this question to his face, the High Priest of the Holy Mountain felt as if a tiny electric current was coursing through his scalp.

When Yu Hou's indifferent gaze fell upon him, he fully regained his senses.

The High Priest of the Holy Mountain's face twitched slightly, and he said:
"Your Excellency should deal with the matters in the camp first; we'll have plenty of time later."

As he spoke, his figure drifted away, disappearing into the distance towards the Canglan River beyond the city walls.

Just then, Xiuna's figure emerged from the mountains and arrived on the other side of the Canglan River, preparing to cross.

When she saw the rapidly approaching figure, she was so surprised that her mouth opened slightly.

"Teacher, you..."

Before she could finish speaking, the high priest of the Holy Mountain, who had "floated" past her, grabbed her and swept her deeper into the mountains.

……

Geng Xuan withdrew his gaze.

He was still grateful to this master and disciple for being so "sensible" as not to cause trouble for him at this time.

At this time, the most important thing is to properly integrate this "newcomer" into the city.

As can be seen from Yu Hou's performance, this transformation is very unstable.

If follow-up actions are not taken in a timely manner to bring those who were "coerced" by the "herd" to their senses back to their senses, the difficulty of processing the situation will actually increase.

With this in mind, everything else should be put on hold.

Geng Xuan thought this way, and he acted accordingly.

Of course, he only needs to be a signboard and remain in existence.

Specific matters were handled by Yu Hou, Liu Mu, Yang Qian, and others.

—At this moment, Liu Mu, Yang Qian, and others, who were waiting on the wasteland not far away, had been summoned into the city by Geng Xuan.

The anticipated siege did not occur, and the once mighty army was reduced to a mere "security force."

The process of taking over Yingcheng went exceptionally smoothly.

The newly surrendered soldiers surrendered their weapons without any resistance after the main army entered the city.

The entire process was carried out without bloodshed.

The only time blood was shed was after the entire camp was taken over.

"This is Dong Guan?"

In a small courtyard, Geng Xuan finally saw Dong Guan.

To be honest, this wasn't the first time the two had met.

Previously, before leaving Xuanqinghai, Geng Xuan, in order to abduct the "servant army," led the cavalry battalion and had a distant glimpse of Dong Guan.

Although it was rushed, nighttime, and far away, his eyesight was good enough for him to see it clearly.

But they seem like completely different people compared to what we see now.

He lay curled up on the ground, his gray hair disheveled, unable to conceal his decay and old age.

Shifty eyes, panic, fear...

The so-called dignity and authority of those in positions of power are completely absent.

Geng Xuan was quite disappointed by Dong Guan's behavior.

There's a sense of disappointment in a brave warrior who, after overcoming numerous hardships, storms into a dragon's lair only to find a rat snake instead.

Only after seeing the boundless hatred hidden deep within his emotions did his disappointed heart find some solace.

However, at most, the "vegetable snake" simply has an extra pair of venomous fangs.

That's all. (End of Chapter)