Dream Picking Records

The Chaotic Void Realm, the boundary between humans and demons, has been completely occupied by the demon race. Individuals and factions within it, whether listed or unknown, are pardoned as long as they submit to the demons. Thus, they have gained a considerable number of allies. Because most of them are notorious and heinous criminals, they are the most ruthless on the battlefield. The methods displayed by some humans are even more impressive than those of the demons, leaving them trembling with fear.

Pingluan City, a crucial route for the demon race's northern offensive, boasts natural defenses and is easy to defend but difficult to attack. Yet, it is now shrouded in gloom, with a pervasive atmosphere of negativity. After a period of victory, the demon race has refrained from large-scale attacks, instead sending daily challengers to the city gates.

"Listen up, you cowards on the city wall! If you have the guts, come out and fight! You cowards who only dare to hide in the back are a disgrace to human cultivators!"

"King of Pacifying the Rebellion, what a show of power! I think he's just a big rat! If he dares to show himself, I'll beat him to a pulp!"

"I heard that the old emperor has passed away, and the newly enthroned emperor is a novice who hasn't even broken through to the Dao Integration Realm. No wonder he's so cowardly and incompetent! I'd rather be the one to take the throne!"

……

Several figures stood atop the broad, tall city wall. One of them stood with his hands behind his back, his resolute, cold face showing no sign of concern for the shouts and curses from those below. Beside him, however, the young man was impatient, rubbing his hands together, eager to go down and teach those foul-mouthed brats a lesson.

“Father, let me go down! Although I am not talented, I am willing to earn some honor for the human race!” Chao Cuo, who had met Wang Xiao once, volunteered.

"Calm down. A person with great magnanimity can achieve great things. Can't we cultivators even tolerate a few harsh words?"

While King Chao Feng verbally reprimanded him, he was inwardly surprised, then gratified. He had been too lenient with him and hadn't properly guided him; he hadn't expected that the boy's backbone was still intact and his passion undiminished.

"My lord, His Majesty has issued an edict ordering Prince Ning'an, Prince Qianwu, and others to lead troops to provide reinforcements. They should arrive soon," a general in armor reported from the city wall.

"Understood. You all go and prepare to welcome him."

"As ordered."

After Chao Cuo and the general left, another white-browed old man in plain clothes spoke slowly: "If he knew that you were in cahoots with our Grand Preceptor and the demon race, how would he feel?"

"The way to conduct oneself in the world is also the art of adapting to changing circumstances; how can one be biased towards one extreme? Knowing that the Great Xia is on the verge of collapse, we should adapt to the situation and protect ourselves wisely, shouldn't we?"

"The King of Pacification's resolve is commendable, unlike that King Qianwu, who dared to betray us. He must pay a heavy price!"

"Don't worry, the feast has already begun, and we are just waiting for the guests to take their seats."

The white-browed old man revealed a satisfied smile. His name was An Quan, and he was nominally sent by Pan Donglin to assist him, but in reality, he was there to monitor him.

Chao Feng turned and left, only glancing indifferently at the soldiers still cursing in front of the city gate.

Meanwhile, Prince Ning'an and Prince Qianwu entered the city from the rear and went straight to the military camp to meet with the Prince of Pingluan. The discussion lasted for a long time, ending only at dusk. The final result was that Prince Qianwu would lead his troops to launch a counterattack three days later, taking the initiative to attack.

Afterwards, Prince Ning'an and Prince Qianwu inspected the military camp. They found it filled with wounded soldiers, their morale low. Some even whispered amongst themselves, expressing their dissatisfaction that the Prince of Pingluan had dared not leave the city to fight.

Whispers, of course, did not escape their ears. The King of Pacification did not get angry, but blamed himself after leaving, saying, "This defeat is all my fault for being careless. The intelligence I had gathered was that the number of demons was not too large, so I ordered my men to take action, striving to annihilate them all and give them a thunderous warning. Who knew that someone had been secretly hiding there all along, which led to us falling into an ambush."

Prince Ning'an patted him on the shoulder and said, "We've heard the general outline of what happened from His Majesty. The demon race is cunning and difficult to guard against. The recent defeat should be seen as a wake-up call for us. From now on, we must be vigilant and make adequate preparations."

“Brother Xia is absolutely right. Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. We must not be arrogant or dejected because of temporary setbacks.” Ning Ruowei’s father, King Qianwu, had a heroic face, and her temperament was largely inherited from him. He exuded fighting spirit and said, “Before the counterattack, shouldn’t we take care of those who challenged us? As far as I know, most of them are on the bounty list of the Chaotic Void Realm, and a few of them have even been on your wanted list, Brother Chao.”

“Yes, beheading them will also help boost morale and increase the army’s fighting spirit,” said Prince Ning’an.

“You two are right. Since we’re going to fight, let’s use them as a sacrifice for the flag.”

King Chao Cuo, who had quelled the rebellion, turned to the general who was relaying a message from the city tower and ordered: "Pass on my order, all soldiers must quickly rest and prepare for a decisive battle against the demon race in three days!"

The following day at noon, the provocative crowd, their throats parched from hurling insults, suddenly heard creaking sounds—the city gates of Pingluan City were opening. Instinctively, fear flashed in their eyes, but as a voice resonated within them, their fear vanished, replaced by excitement. For instead of a vast army pouring forth from the wide-open gates, only a few dozen young cultivators emerged.

"Brother Chao, what is the meaning of this?" Prince Ning'an asked, puzzled.

“Since the goal is to boost morale, what could be more effective than sending out peers to kill the enemy?” The white-browed elder, An Quan, explained, “This is the result of my discussion with the King of Peace overnight.”

"That's true, but the opposing side consists of desperate criminals who have lived on the edge of death for years, including some who are notorious figures on the Chaotic Realm's rankings. If we fail, the blow to morale will be even greater," King Qianwu said, shaking his head.

"The men who are going to fight are all the best in our army. Why do you become cowardly before the battle even begins, boosting the morale of the enemy and diminishing our own?" An Quan quietly revealed a barely perceptible smile before quickly suppressing it and said, "I have heard that Prince Qianwu and Prince Ning'an have many outstanding young talents under their command. If you are not at ease, you can send them to the front line, just in case."

"An Quan, is it? Why did you come to the front lines instead of being by the Imperial Advisor's side?"

"I came here on the orders of the Grand Preceptor to assist the King of Pacification in wiping out the demon race and restoring peace to the world." An Quan said indifferently, "But you have a good memory, my lord. You still remember me after our brief parting years ago."

King Qianwu gave him a deep look before shifting his gaze to the group of people in front of the city gate, their bodies stained with the stench of blood. There must be some experts among them; they were not as frivolous as they appeared on the surface.

"Father, let us go."

Ning Ruowei, dressed in armor, ascended the city wall. Behind her were Xia Ye, Chao Cuo, and the Five Young Masters of the Imperial City, Yang Shu'an and Wang Fushou.

"Your cultivation levels are not bad, but war is different from your usual sparring. It involves bloodshed and risking your lives. Have you thought this through?"

“We understand your concerns, Uncle,” Yang Shu’an said solemnly. “Flowers in a greenhouse cannot bloom with their full vitality; they can only grow by venturing out. Besides, we were born into a prominent family, and we must not tarnish the reputation of our ancestors!”