You call this the way of the sword?

Ji Ying was clearly displeased, while Liu Changge was all smiles.

Yang Qingfeng wasn't sure if he had said something wrong, but anyway, he poured them tea first.

Liu Changge then asked, "What if someone said that annihilating the alien races wouldn't end the war, but would only invite a more powerful enemy, or even annihilation?"

This time, Yang Qingfeng didn't think much of it. He asked in surprise, "How would I know?"

Liu Changge laughed and scolded, "If I already knew, I wouldn't have asked you. Hurry up and tell me what you're thinking."

"Now I think..."

Yang Qingfeng pondered for a moment and said, "If we only beat up the younger ones and risk offending the older ones, then we shouldn't dare to fight back. Wouldn't that just mean we deserve to be bullied?"

Perhaps it was because the metaphor was more down-to-earth that the terrace suddenly fell silent.

Ji Ying took a sip of tea, her eyes filled with a slightly complicated expression.

Liu Changge then became serious again and first presented his conclusion: "This is the origin of external evils."

Yang Qingfeng was slightly taken aback. "External evil?"

Liu Changge said, "You will know the specifics later. For now, just remember that the theory of a powerful enemy only circulates among humans. Other races do not have this concern."

"Many people who are afraid of death and who crave vanity cannot resist the temptations of foreign races and become their puppets. Some of them are specifically targeted at newcomers."

External evils refer not only to alien races, but also to human puppets manipulated by alien races.

Yang Qingfeng was already aware of this, but what he didn't expect was that Liu Changge had gone to such lengths just to give him a warning and remind him to be wary of external evils.

Liu Changge immediately noticed Yang Qingfeng's confusion, but he stopped there and said, "Go to Pingchuan and get me some things."

With a flash of light, a list appeared on the table, along with a teleportation stone to the Pingchuan battlefield.

Liu Changge pushed them in front of Yang Qingfeng and said, "Remember, those who are not of our kind will surely have different intentions. Even if they are of our own kind, we must be careful on the battlefield."

Having no other choice might mean that this is the best choice.

Just then, the clock struck midnight, and the welcome party officially began.

Fireworks burst forth in a blaze of color, and a magnificent display of light filled the air. Dragons and phoenixes danced and soared through the sky above the National Education Center, attracting thousands of new students to the playground and eliciting a chorus of cheers.

Yang Qingfeng also looked up. Ji Ying thought he was upset and gently reminded him, "There's no rush. You can go play for a while first."

Liu Changge smiled without saying a word, leaving it entirely to Yang Qingfeng to make the decision.

Yang Qingfeng still enjoys lively gatherings, especially large ones, but he shook his head without hesitation, stepped back, and bowed to the two seniors in farewell.

"Thank you for your kind guidance, seniors. I dare not neglect you."

"I'll head over now. Please enjoy your meal, seniors."

After saying that, Yang Qingfeng crushed the teleportation stone and headed swiftly to the Pingchuan battlefield.

Watching him disappear, Ji Ying's brows furrowed deeper, and she said with some worry, "This child has already caused a huge uproar, and now we're only hiding him... Grandmaster, won't this backfire?"

Yang Qingfeng himself was unaware that his name had already spread throughout the streets and alleys, and the surge in public opinion had also brought fame to the newly formed Yang Family Team.

With the information already exposed, even if Yang Qingfeng is prevented from staying at the welcome party for a while, it won't actually have the effect of protection. On the contrary, it would only make things worse and reveal the truth.

Liu Changge naturally understood this principle, so he glanced at Ji Ying and shook his head with undisguised disappointment, "After all these years, you still haven't improved much. If it's up to you, do you want to take him into the Summer Palace, preferably so he never shows his face again?"

Ji Ying hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but dared not.

She hesitated, lowered her head, and muttered softly, "There must be a safer way."

Liu Changge looked at Ji Ying quietly, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

It's like watching your own wayward child. You know her head is crooked, and you want to help straighten it, but her nature is already set and hard to correct.

Finally, Liu Changge said earnestly, "To use offense as defense has always been the highest level of defense. As the ruler of Xia, you should know its essence even more."

"Unfortunately, both you and Lü Yanliang are stuck in their ways and unwilling to adapt. One only knows how to wage barbaric warfare, and the other only knows how to cower and defend; neither of you possesses any wisdom whatsoever."

"Those radical and conservative factions are all caused by the two of you."

"To create division without self-reflection, and even take pride in it, is simply the biggest joke since the founding of the People's Republic of China."

Of the five current pillars of the Tian Ce Mansion, Liu Changge casually singled out two to criticize. If Yang Qingfeng knew this, he would surely realize that he had underestimated Liu Changge.

Putting everything else aside, Ji Ying certainly didn't dare to refute it at the moment.

Even though she had grown into a pillar of the empire and her mind was as firm as a rock, she still couldn't stop her emotions from churning at this moment. She blushed as she was scolded and felt ashamed.

Even so, Liu Changge did not let her go.

Liu Changge said calmly, "To tell you the truth, if anything happens to Yang Qingfeng on this trip, it will all be because of you."

Ji Ying looked up in surprise, unable to understand Liu Changge's meaning for a moment, but soon her eyes sharpened as she thought of what Liu Changge had asked Yang Qingfeng to retrieve.

…………

In the southwest of the Pingchuan battlefield, Yu Xia's stronghold was like a lone boat in a vast sea.

The six strongholds correspond to three directions respectively and are interconnected in the formation to form a boat-shaped war fortress, known as Pingchuan Boat City.

Cultivators came and went in an endless stream in Zhoucheng, and teleportation lights could be seen everywhere.

Yang Qingfeng stepped out from a formation within the inner city and was immediately met by two soldiers.

They were all young men, neatly dressed, with information displayed above their heads.

Level 29, Superior Rank Soldier.

As soon as Yang Qingfeng stepped out of the teleportation array, they cast scrutinizing glances at him. Seeing that Yang Qingfeng was wearing the robes of the State Religion and a brooch, they scanned him with their magical artifacts to confirm his identity, and then questioned him less.

"Junior brother, is this your first time on the battlefield?"

"Look there, go register your information and get a temporary merit badge."

If you want to join the military in the future, you need to have meritorious service.

The exchange is located to the side of the teleportation array, and some light rings float along the walls of the exchange.

Following the soldier's instructions, Yang Qingfeng went to the light wheel and activated it.

Name: Yang Qingfeng

Military Rank: Mid-Rank Private

Military Merit: 0/2000

Permissions: None

There is no information entry process; the information just pops up directly.

Yang Qingfeng was not surprised.

According to Liu Changge, he had already joined the military and had the military's seal, so he no longer needed a temporary merit badge.

It's worth mentioning that battle merits and contribution points are roughly equivalent, and can also be exchanged for resources.

The difference is that temporary battle merit tokens can only be exchanged for ordinary supplies, while only those who have joined the military and have sufficient rank can exchange them for strategic supplies.

The military's approach to supporting new recruits is simple: rewards are given based on merit.

The more enemies you kill, the more resources you get; it's very fair.

"At level 30, I will experience my first Dao Body Ascension. I wonder what materials I will need."

"Perfect, I'll run another errand and go back to ask for some more benefits."

After glancing at the words "Desheng" on the exchange, Yang Qingfeng casually took out the list given to him by Liu Changge.

The list contains seven materials, one of which is particularly eye-catching.

Its name is Yin Shou Huan Yang Cao (阴寿还阳草).