The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

Chapter 261: Chapter 260: Nine Heavens Profound Soldiers

To obtain this secret, Xuan Yang had sacrificed seventy thousand lives...

Du Qinghui wearily closed his eyes. "They will be in Shuofang in a few days. Make sure the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office doesn’t start any trouble."

"Yes, sir!"

Jiang Changping and Dong Wanjun immediately accepted their orders.

Du Qinghui had no intention of personally leading troops to conquer cities and seize territory. After all, he had no chance of further advancement.

The promise of a marquisate simply wasn’t enough to stir his ambition.

Besides, he was a lone courtier. Even if he fought for it, the prize would never be his.

The Emperor trusted him because he posed no threat to the Li Family.

But if he ever thought of forming his own faction, he would be one step away from exile.

Du Qinghui knew that if he crossed the line, what little goodwill existed between him and the Emperor would evaporate in an instant.

Jiang Changping and Dong Wanjun crossed the threshold.

"Lord Dong, now is the time for the Divine Mansion Sect to truly show its strength."

Jiang Changping looked at Dong Wanjun with a half-smile.

Although Dong Wanjun had cut ties with the Divine Mansion Sect after becoming Lingzhou’s General, everyone knew that the true power behind the sect had always been Dong Wanjun.

If not for Dong Wanjun, how could the Divine Mansion Sect have developed so quickly?

Dong Wanjun said calmly, "Lord Jiang, I no longer have any connection to the Divine Mansion Sect. Believe it or not, I will be leaving Ling Province in a few days."

Ignoring Jiang Changping’s shocked expression, Dong Wanjun simply turned and walked out of the Lingzhou Prefecture Magistrate’s Office.

...

「Three days later.」

Two eunuchs from the Capital City appeared in Ling Province.

Just as Dong Wanjun had said, he was indeed leaving Ling Province.

"Lingzhou General Dong Wanjun is hereby promoted to Grand General of the North, of the subordinate second rank! By imperial decree!"

Listening to the sharp voice of the old eunuch from the Ritual Department, Jiang Changping glanced at Dong Wanjun, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Although the Northern Garrison Army was no longer as glorious as before, with only a mere thirty thousand men left, it was still one of the four great armies of Xuan Yang.

The rank of Grand General of the North had been lowered from the primary second rank to the subordinate second rank, but Dong Wanjun had ultimately still taken a step up.

As long as Dong Wanjun could break through Mingxin Pass, he would be a guaranteed Pillar of the Xuan Yang Empire.

The gap between them would only grow larger.

He also understood now why Dong Wanjun had been so unconcerned with the struggles in Ling Province.

Because the man didn’t care about the petty squabbles of a single province.

Jiang Changping glanced at Du Qinghui again.

The Shuofang Jiedu Envoy’s expression was unchanged; he had evidently known the inside story all along.

After all, Dong Wanjun was his subordinate. Any promotion or demotion had to go through Du Qinghui.

Jiang Changping sighed inwardly.

"Lord Dong, congratulations."

He said, cupping his fists toward Dong Wanjun.

Their relationship wasn’t bad, and Jiang Changping wasn’t some jealous shrew from Jiangnan; of course he had to maintain a good relationship with Dong Wanjun.

The title of Grand General of the North was important enough for the Jiang Family to take the initiative in showing goodwill.

"Thank you, Lord Jiang."

Dong Wanjun returned the courtesy.

Du Qinghui walked up to Dong Wanjun. "The path of an official is treacherous. Never forget your original intentions."

Dong Wanjun bowed. "Thank you for your guidance, Lord Du."

Du Qinghui nodded in gratification.

The Northern Garrison Army’s morale was shattered after their disastrous defeat. Emperor Xuanyang had gone to great lengths to cage the "fierce tiger," Xu Dingchun, and would certainly not unleash him again. Thus, after much deliberation, the Emperor appointed Dong Wanjun—a man of great prestige within the army—to the position of Grand General of the North.

Throughout this entire process, both Xu Dingchun and Du Qinghui had a tacit understanding and refrained from stepping forward to make a recommendation.

One of them was a powerful courtier, the other a lone courtier. Their silence was the best help they could offer Dong Wanjun.

...

"Master, you’re leaving Ling Province tomorrow?"

Bai Yuan looked at Old Dong with some surprise.

The news of Old Dong’s appointment hadn’t even reached Huanglong Prefecture, yet Old Dong himself had already returned to Shenfu Mountain.

"Mm."

Dong Wanjun nodded.

Bai Yuan blinked.

’Overnight, I’ve become the disciple of the Grand General of the North. That’s a pretty high status.’

’It goes without saying that my future in the bureaucracy will be smooth sailing from now on.’

Old Dong exchanged a few simple words with Bai Yuan before heading to the Supreme Elder Hall.

Now, only Murong Tian remained in the Supreme Elder Hall. This pair of martial brothers from the same sect likely had a lot to talk about.

Back then, Old Dong probably never imagined he would one day become Xuan Yang’s Grand General of the North.

This was an achievement that even the Founding Ancestor of the Divine Mansion Sect had never reached.

The aged and wrinkled Murong Tian looked at the middle-aged Dong Wanjun. "Junior Brother Dong, you’re here."

Dong Wanjun hummed a light acknowledgment. "I’ve been appointed Grand General of the North. I leave for Xiangzhou tomorrow."

His tone was flat, as if he were just saying he was going out to buy groceries.

Hearing this, Murong Tian was stunned for a moment.

Then, a sincere smile spread across his face.

They may have looked like rivals for half a lifetime, but deep down, he always considered Dong Wanjun his junior brother.

"Master would be very happy if he knew."

...

「Early the next morning.」

Dong Wanjun left Shenfu Mountain quietly, with no one but Bai Yuan knowing.

’Nine Heavens Profound Soldiers...’ Bai Yuan thought.

Before leaving, Old Dong had told him that the Demon Sect possessed a Nine Heavens Profound Soldier.

He hadn’t told Bai Yuan about the Nine Heavens Profound Soldier so that he could try to obtain it, but merely so he would be wary of it.

Bai Yuan’s eyes grew feverish.

He had seen a Nine Heavens Profound Soldier before—though only in a game in his past life. It was an exclusive weapon for max-level, pay-to-win whales, and it was ridiculously flashy!

Of course, at Bai Yuan’s current level, he couldn’t even dream of it.

Currently, the only known Nine Heavens Profound Soldiers were the two possessed by the Xuanyang Dynasty and the Demon Sect, and he couldn’t afford to provoke either of those behemoths.