Women disguised as men went to the battlefield and the emperor bowed down in submission.

Lin Ruoshui was completely exhausted. She slowly got up and walked away step by step.

As Ouyang Xuri gazed at that petite figure, he realized once again that he hadn't asked her name yet.

He raised his hand to call out to Lin Ruoshui, but then thought better of it!

Lin Ruoshui called Xiu Yi's name as he walked, and before long, Xiu Yi appeared in front of him.

Seeing that Lin Ruoshui was pale, weak in the legs, and listless, Xiu Yi said, "I was only gone for a moment. Where have you been running off to again?"

Lin Ruoshui said, "I just saved Ouyang Xuri, but he repaid kindness with enmity and chased me for two mountains. I have no strength left."

Xiuyi said, "I was the one who hung him on the cliff. I never expected you to meet him. You two are really destined to meet."

Lin Ruoshui said with a mournful face, "Is it a tragic fate?"

Xiu Yi smelled her body; it was filled with her natural fragrance! But then she saw Lin Ruoshui's sweaty hair and clothes sticking to her body.

Xiu Yi carried her to the hot spring again. Lin Ruoshui was completely powerless, like a baby, and could be completely manipulated by Xiu Yi.

She soaked in the hot spring and felt her fatigue lessen a little.

Xiu Yi started a fire by the hot spring to roast a wild rabbit, while Lin Ruoshui soaked in the hot spring, eating the juicy roasted rabbit meat with a happy expression on her face.

She said, "Xiuyi, your roasted rabbit meat is really delicious!"

After roasting the rabbit meat, he washed Lin Ruoshui's clothes again. After eating and drinking her fill, Lin Ruoshui started to feel sleepy and fell asleep with her head resting against the hot spring.

Xiu Yi looked at Lin Ruoshui's swan-like neck arched back, his Adam's apple bobbing. He took off his outer robe, walked closer to the hot spring, put his arm around Lin Ruoshui's shoulder, and let her rest her head on his shoulder to sleep.

Then he slowly closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep with Lin Ruoshui.

An hour later, Xiu Yi woke up, and he picked up Lin Ruoshui, dressed her, and dried her hair.

After they finished getting ready, Xiu Yi carried Lin Ruoshui back to the Chu Prince's Mansion.

Xuanyuan Yu didn't sleep; he kept waiting for Lin Ruoshui to return. He sent people to search in the mountains, but they couldn't find her anywhere. More than 10,000 people had simply vanished.

He knew that Xiu Yi must have set up the formation, so he could only wait.

Xiu Yi pushed open the door and saw Xuan Yuan Yu sitting in the room waiting. Lin Ruo Shui was gently placed on the bed, and Xiu Yi took off her shoes and covered her with a quilt.

After he went out, Xuanyuan Yu followed him out and asked, "What's wrong with her? Why is she sleeping so soundly?"

Xiuyi said, "I'm tired from running."

Xuanyuan Yu said, "I hope you can keep a proper distance from her."

When Xiu Yi heard him blurt out this sentence out of the blue, he said, "Have you dealt with the person who poisoned you? If you can't even handle such a small matter, what right do you have to ask me for anything?"

Xuanyuan Yu did not punish Xin'er, but simply locked her up. He said, "I will do everything in my power to protect Yingying."

"Before that homemade cannon exploded, I also thought you could protect her by yourself, but after that cannon exploded, I changed my mind."

"With Yingying's looks, coupled with her extraordinary knowledge and abilities, once the war breaks out and firearms become available, even if the two of us join forces, we might not be able to protect her," Xiuyi said calmly.

"But... I cannot bear it..." Xuan Yuan Yu was somewhat agitated.

Xiuyi said, "I once said that your love for her is just possession; you don't understand love at all."

Xuanyuan Yu turned his back to Xiuyi without saying a word. His heart was like a vast ocean, turbulent and restless.

……

The next morning, Lin Ruoshui woke up feeling sore all over. Remembering that she had to train the troops before dawn, she rushed out of bed barefoot.

Xuanyuan Yu pulled her back and said, "I've already sent Aiguo and Yingyi. They will teach those soldiers how to use homemade cannons and grenades."

"That's good, thank goodness you're here!" Lin Ruoshui relaxed and lay back down on the bed. "I have another training plan for you. Have Aiguo and Yingyi train together."

Lin Ruoshui walked barefoot to the desk, took out a booklet titled "Special Forces Training Plan," and carefully explained it to Xuan Yuanyu: "The training content I have designed is divided into the following three aspects:

First, combat skills training. Every special forces soldier must be proficient in various weapons, including firearms, grenades, rifle grenades, and artillery, and possess exceptional hand-to-hand combat skills. Each of our special forces soldiers must be able to adapt to urban warfare and night combat, and be capable of search and capture, escape, and survival.

Second, skills training. This includes ensuring everyone learns parachuting, climbing, traversing minefields, map reading, and long-distance cross-country marches.

Third, reconnaissance and espionage skills training. The main training content includes various intelligence gathering methods such as observation and infiltration, eavesdropping, capture, and interrogation of prisoners.

Lin Ruoshui elaborated step by step, and Xuan Yuanyu envisioned an iron-blooded army with outstanding physical qualities, superb combat skills, and rich combat experience.

Xuanyuan Yu's forehead was covered in a fine layer of sweat. He knew that with such an army and firearms, the military landscape of the entire continent would be rewritten, and the person who would rewrite it would be the woman in front of him—the woman he loved most.

Lin Ruoshui waved her hand back and forth in front of Xuan Yuanyu, which brought Xuan Yuanyu back to his senses.

Lin Ruoshui asked, "Has the imperial edict from my brother arrived?"

Xuanyuan Yu said, "We've arrived."

Lin Ruoshui: "What did my brother say?"

Xuanyuan Yu said, "He said that all matters concerning the western border are to be decided by the two of us."

"As expected of my royal brother, he's not afraid of losing power at all," Lin Ruoshui said proudly.

"Yes, Chu Xiao is a wise ruler!" Xuan Yuan Yu nodded in agreement. Tomorrow, he could send a letter to Ouyang Xuri, inviting him to come and finalize the details of the battle.

“Okay, you two talk. Agree to whatever he says.” A sly glint flashed in Lin Ruoshui’s eyes.

Lin Ruoshui thought to herself, "You chased me away from two mountains yesterday, I'll definitely let you taste my power another day."

Ouyang Xuri, feeling a chill run down his spine, sneezed twice in a row.

Ouyang Xuri sat in his tent, listening to his subordinates discussing the battle plan.

While they were having a lively discussion, Ouyang Xuri was lost in thought in the mountains and forests. After he returned, the image of that man kept appearing in his mind. He couldn't understand why he kept thinking about that disgusting man.

"Great General, do you think this plan is feasible?" asked Liang Shiru, a strategist from Longquan Kingdom.

"Oh? Mr. Liang, please elaborate on your plan." Ouyang Xuri snapped out of his reverie.

Liang Shiru felt that he might not have explained something in enough detail, so he stood next to a huge military map and began to elaborate further:

"Bai Liheng has now returned to the army. It is expected that he will raise troops to Wancheng within seven days. If Wancheng is captured, the military strength of the neighboring Guzang and Panyu will be insufficient to resist him."

At that time, Baili Heng's army will march straight into the heart of Lanling Kingdom.

Therefore, the Battle of Wancheng will be a major battle, and we can only win, not lose.

Currently, Wancheng has 400,000 troops stationed there, and Longquan Kingdom has 300,000 reinforcements outside the city. With the addition of the Xuanyuan Army, our chances of winning by surrounding Bailiheng are tenfold.

Now we only need to wait for Baili Heng to arrive in Wancheng. With the Wancheng garrison to the north, 200,000 troops will remain in the city, and the remaining 200,000 will join forces with our Longquan army to attack Baili Heng from the east and west sides respectively.

Currently, we need to determine two things: first, whether the Xuanyuan Army will send troops, and if so, how many troops they will send; second, how to ensure that this action will definitely kill Baili Heng.

Ouyang Xuri said, "We'll determine in the next few days whether the Chishui Kingdom agrees to cooperate. As for killing Mr. Baili Heng, do we have a foolproof plan?"

"What do you think of luring Baili Heng's own sister, Baili Qing, and then having a master assassinate her?" Liang Shiru asked.

Ouyang Xuri said, "This plan is feasible, but to ensure absolute success, we can also do this..."

Two days later, Ouyang Xuri arrived at the Xuanyuan Army camp. The two sides signed a cooperation agreement, with Ouyang Xuri requesting that the Xuanyuan Army send 800,000 troops, which Xuanyuan Yu readily agreed to.

Ouyang Xuri was very happy and full of confidence. He then finalized the battle plan with Xuanyuan Yu in detail, but omitted the plan to use a scheme to kill Baili Heng.

……

As night fell, Xiuyi set up a warm tent at the hot spring in the mountains.

In the hot spring pool, Xiu Yi placed her hands on Lin Ruoshui's back and slowly infused her with true energy to help Lin Ruoshui repair her damaged meridians. At the same time, she helped her open up all of Zhou Shen's meridians so that Lin Ruoshui could begin to cultivate internal energy.

Xuanyuan Yu saw the two people in the hot spring, dressed in thin clothes, from a distance. He endured it, his fingers digging into his palms until they bled, but he didn't realize it.

Two hours later, Lin Ruoshui's skin turned pink, and the veins on her body bulged. She suddenly opened her eyes, which were bloodshot.

Seeing that the sacred medicine had reached its maximum effect, Xiu Yi picked Lin Ruoshui up from the water, placed her in the tent, and tossed a sheepskin booklet to Xuan Yuan Yu in the distance.

After Xiu Yi left, Xuan Yuan Yu went into the tent and, by the candlelight, saw the dual cultivation method written on the parchment book. He quickly memorized the first level of the technique.

He pulled Lin Ruoshui, who was sitting cross-legged on a thick cushion, into his arms, removed their clothes, and began to explain to Lin Ruoshui how to regulate her breathing.

Lin Ruoshui, who felt a burning sensation inside her body, gradually felt the burning pain disappear as she practiced the technique with Xuan Yuan Yu. She felt a warm energy flowing through her body, making her feel comfortable all over.

Seeing that Lin Ruoshui had mastered the first level of the technique in less than the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, Xuanyuan Yu did not stop. Instead, he continued to cultivate the second level of the technique with her. After another two cups of tea, the second level was also completed.

Then came the third level of the technique. After three levels in a row, Xuan Yuan Yu felt that he had done enough for today and could not be impatient for quick results, so he withdrew his aura.

"Yingying, it's okay now, open your eyes." Xuan Yuan Yu helped Lin Ruoshui lie down.

Lin Ruoshui lay down and opened her eyes. The bloodshot in her eyes had faded, and her eyes became unusually bright.

Xuan Yuan Yu noticed that Lin Ruoshui's eyes had become even clearer and more lively than before. He gently touched her curled eyelashes with his index finger. Lin Ruoshui blinked her big eyes and asked, "What? Have I become more beautiful again?"

Xuanyuan Yu nodded.

"Really? Can cultivating internal energy make you more beautiful?" Lin Ruoshui asked.

Xuanyuan Shu said, "Cultivating internal energy can sharpen hearing and vision, strengthen the body, prolong life, and make one's movements light and agile..."

Xuanyuan Yu rattled off a list of numerous benefits of cultivation.

Lin Ruoshui was overjoyed and rolled around happily.

Seeing Lin Ruoshui happy, Xuanyuan Yu was also very pleased.

"Yingying, we still have one more thing to practice. We need to continue." Xuanyuan Yu had a faint, mischievous smile on his lips.

"Really? Hurry up and continue!" Lin Ruoshui, dressed in a snow-white undergarment, closed her eyes and sat cross-legged.

Xuanyuan Yu's handsome face visibly flushed.

Xuanyuan Yu closed his eyes and moved closer to Lin Ruoshui. Their lips touched lightly, and a warm feeling instantly spread throughout their bodies.

At that moment, their hearts were connected, as if time had stopped, and only their breaths echoed in the air.