A cool, gentle breeze stirred, sweeping the hair from Sen Hui's forehead aside and revealing her exquisite features, which held a hint of devastating beauty.
At that moment, Sen Hui gazed at Fang Yang, who was lost in thought. For some reason, she felt a pang of nervousness.
She had invited Fang Yang to leave the Cangmu Banner with her on a Flying Boat. In truth, she had her own reasons for asking.
For one, she had recently uncovered Fang Yang's "tragic" backstory.
When she thought about his personality, she naturally felt a sense of pity for him and wanted to improve their relationship.
'She believed that with her help, Fang Yang would surely open up and become more cheerful. He wouldn't be so cold and distant all the time.'
'Just thinking about it filled her with motivation and a great sense of accomplishment!'
Another reason was that she was terrified of her older sister, Sen Wei.
Ever since that day when the sight of Fang Yang from behind had almost perfectly overlapped with the image of her sister, Sen Hui had felt a little afraid of him.
'But she felt that if Fang Yang were to face her sister, he might just have a way to stand up to her.'
'If even Fang Yang was easily dealt with by her sister, then Sen Hui truly didn't know which other prodigy of their generation could even hope to stand against her!'
In some ways, Fang Yang was a source of moral support for her, almost like an embodiment of an ideal she held.
'My sister is a Great Demon King. It's only normal for Fang Yang to be afraid of her. It looks like he doesn't dare to attend the Young Dragon Tea Party... a shame...'
The thought flashed through Sen Hui's mind, and she suddenly trembled.
[The fires of war burn, disaster looms, killing intent lies in wait. Young Dragon Tea Party: travel with a beauty, watch the turmoil from the sidelines.]
[Option: Good Fortune. Travel to the Thunder Punishment Banner together. You will obtain a Tier Two opportunity, escape the storm, and avoid the chaotic situation. Auspicious.]
[Option: Poor Fortune. Do not move; remain at the Cangmu Banner. You will gain nothing, but you will be caught in the vortex amidst numerous hidden dangers. Inauspicious.]
[Option: Worst Fortune. Travel to the Thunder Punishment Banner separately. The fires of war will burn, trapping you in a deadly snare with no chance of survival. Greatly Inauspicious!]
Meanwhile, Fang Yang narrowed his eyes.
His mind was entirely focused on the ball of light in his head representing his 'Seek Fortune, Avoid Misfortune' talent.
'The fires of war burn, disaster looms, killing intent lies in wait...' This is telling me the war is already escalating dramatically. The Cangmu Banner is no longer as safe as it was.'
'Young Dragon Tea Party: travel with a beauty, watch the turmoil from the sidelines...' This means that if Sen Hui and I travel together on a Flying Boat to attend the Young Dragon Tea Party, I can stay out of the chaos and avoid any disaster.'
'The Thunder Punishment Banner... escape the storm, avoid the chaotic situation...'
'The Cangmu Banner... caught in the vortex amidst numerous hidden dangers...'
It could only be said that Qingkong leading his army to attack the Cold Flood Dragon Banner had caused unrest within the Cangmu Banner.
It created dangerous, surging undercurrents, making the banner far less peaceful and calm than before.
If nothing changed, the Cangmu Banner was about to become the epicenter of the war.
'How many heroes would be slaughtered here, and how many powerhouses would rise from the ashes?'
In short, the Cangmu Banner was gradually becoming a danger zone.
And the Thunder Punishment Banner, which should have been leading the offensive, was instead becoming a safe haven!
The shifting tides of war could decide the fate of entire tribes and countless lives. How terrifying...
"Alright. I'll go with you to the Thunder Punishment Banner and attend the Young Dragon Tea Party," Fang Yang replied with a nod.
His strength was still too weak; he was only at the middle stage of Tier One.
Staying at the Cangmu Banner would only put him in grave danger. That was an unwise choice, one he couldn't make.
Traveling to the Thunder Punishment Banner separately from Sen Hui was an omen of great disaster, an option he certainly couldn't choose.
"That's wonderful!" Sen Hui's face lit up with a brilliant, radiant smile.
No longer timid and reserved, Sen Hui was truly dazzling. Even Fang Yang couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.
But for that very reason, a sudden gravity settled in Fang Yang's heart. He thought of Sen Wei, the one who always overshadowed Sen Hui.
Sen Wei... The image of that cold, aloof girl, like a fairy from the moon, surfaced in his mind once more.
...
「A quarter of an hour later.」
Fang Yang found Second Uncle Fang and explained his predictions regarding the shift in the war.
"...The Cangmu Banner will very likely become the next major flashpoint of the war!"
Fang Yang stated his conclusion in a solemn tone, his expression grave.
In the courtyard, beneath the pine and cypress trees, Second Uncle Fang listened intently to Fang Yang's explanation.
When he heard Fang Yang's conclusion, Second Uncle Fang's eyelid twitched. He looked at his nephew, slightly stunned.
Then, he couldn't help but shake his head in admiration, a gratified look on his face as he said,
"The Eternal Life Daoist Venerable once said: 'He who knows autumn's approach from a single falling leaf may be called a great sage.'"
"Ah Yang, your insight far surpasses that of your peers."
"I only began to suspect these same deductions myself a couple of days ago, and I still wasn't certain."
"But now, hearing you say it, I'm convinced it must be true..."
Second Uncle Fang had only recently sensed the possibility of the conclusion Fang Yang presented, and his premonition had been vague and uncertain.
In truth, Second Uncle Fang's position and the intelligence he received were far beyond what an ordinary person could imagine.
That was precisely why he was so astonished when Fang Yang shared his deduction.
After all, Second Uncle Fang knew perfectly well what intelligence channels Fang Yang had access to.
Fang Yang had no intelligence channels whatsoever!
Moreover, from various past events, Second Uncle Fang had long since realized that a current of great fortune was gathering around Fang Yang!
Since Fang Yang also sensed that something was amiss, he would naturally pay it more heed.
"You flatter me, Second Uncle. It is merely my humble opinion, born purely from sincere concern," Fang Yang replied.
Whether for the greater good or for personal reasons, Fang Yang did not want to see his uncle perish in this war. That would be too great a loss.
'The guidance and protection of a virtuous elder was still extremely important while he was still weak!'
Just then, Fang Yang's attention shifted back to the ball of light in his mind, the one representing his 'Seek Fortune, Avoid Misfortune' talent.
After staring at it for a moment, he looked away.
'The 'Seek Fortune, Avoid Misfortune' talent was a part of him, so it was naturally his own ability.'
'Therefore, he was worthy of his uncle's praise!'
'Yes, that was it.'
The setting sun was the color of blood.
Dusk was falling.
Fang Yang left his uncle's small courtyard and headed home along the main road.
As he passed through the trade district, he noticed warriors hurrying to and fro. He also saw that the prices of goods sold by the major tribes were much higher than before.
War supplies like Elemental Artifacts and Talismans, in particular, were seeing their prices skyrocket. It was a seller's market, with far more buyers than suppliers, and business was booming.
'Wait, isn't that Desert Tiger?' Fang Yang's gaze sharpened.
In the center of the trade district.
The lean and lanky Desert Tiger watched the passersby, his eyes sharp and scrutinizing.
A large black panther lay before him, exuding a powerful, intimidating aura.
Further ahead, a group of slaves followed his commands, scalping supplies at several times the market price to earn him large quantities of Yuan Stones.
'This guy must be an idiot. Even if you're going to profiteer, you shouldn't show your face in person.'
'He doesn't even know how to find a proxy. What an idiot. Once the Sen clan decides to crack down, there'll be no escape for him...'
...
「Thunder Punishment Banner.」
A magnificent palace, named the Cyan Lotus Palace, stood majestically atop a snowy mountain peak.
And the master of the Cyan Lotus Palace was none other than the extraordinarily distinguished Sen Wei!
Sen Wei possessed a peak Cyan Lotus Saint Body and was already halfway into the Saint Realm.
She was also the younger sister of the "Dao Seed," Sen Yue, and had been bathed in glory since she was a child.
"Qing Que'Er, I'm holding this Young Dragon Tea Party precisely so Xiaohui will return early and not place herself in danger. Do you think she understands my intentions?"
"Venerable One, this servant believes that given the Second Miss's simple nature, she probably won't understand unless you explain it to her clearly."
"Simple? You mean foolish, don't you... Heh. But perhaps it's better that she doesn't know. Isn't that a form of bliss in itself?"
Sen Wei smiled faintly, the bright yellow Dragon Robe she wore swaying gently.
She gazed off in the direction of the Cangmu Banner, as if she could see the figure of her little sister, Sen Hui. Her eyes were filled with nothing but doting affection.