When Xiao Mo led his army back to the walls of the Wei Kingdom’s Imperial Capital City, the siege had just begun.

Qin Huo had no intention of conquering the Wei Kingdom’s Imperial City in a short amount of time.

Time was now on Qin Huo’s side.

He planned to slowly wear down the will of the Wei Kingdom’s soldiers, deplete the Imperial City’s food supplies, and bleed them dry, bit by bit.

Moreover, since the war began, Qin Huo had never harassed the common people and had even treated prisoners of war favorably. As a result, his reputation was quite good.

Consequently, the will to resist among most of the city’s commoners and soldiers was not particularly strong.

「A month passed.」

The gates of the Wei Kingdom’s Imperial City opened. The Sovereign of Wei, holding the Jade Seal, led his civil and military officials out of the city to surrender!

Qin Huo, along with Xiao Mo and other generals, accepted the surrender.

From that day on, the Wei Kingdom was no more. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The Wei Kingdom officially became part of the Qin Kingdom. As for the Sovereign of Wei and his officials, they were all taken back to the Qin Kingdom’s Imperial Court.

If all went as expected, capable officials from the Wei Kingdom would be absorbed into the administration.

The Sovereign of Wei would be granted the title of an idle Prince and live the life of a wealthy man.

After all, there was no point in killing the Sovereign of Wei now. On the contrary, he could serve as a good example, making other Monarchs who might consider fighting to the death hesitate.

After the victory banquet, Qin Huo left behind fifty thousand troops to guard the Wei Kingdom’s Imperial City and then led Xiao Mo and the army back to the capital in triumph.

Four full years had passed since the war began.

Xiao Mo had grown from a sixteen-year-old boy into a true man.

...

「Qin Kingdom Royal Palace, Imperial Study.」

Although Xiao Mo and the others had not yet returned to the Imperial City, the war report had already reached the hands of the Sovereign of Qin.

Reading the report, the Sovereign of Qin was ecstatic!

He said the word "Good!" three times in a row!

"Your Majesty wasn’t even this happy when we vanquished the Xiong Kingdom."

Empress Shi, who was waiting on him, poured a cup of tea for the Sovereign of Qin with a smile.

"HAHAHAHA! What makes me happiest isn’t just the fall of the Wei Kingdom, but that boy, Xiao Mo."

The Sovereign of Qin laughed and handed the war report to her.

"In these four years, the boy has breached a total of twenty-one cities. He’s so remarkably handsome that he even caught the eye of a Cultivator from the Le Family, who composed the *Frost Red Battle Song* in his honor. Now, it’s gradually spreading throughout the world.

A war that toppled a kingdom really let that boy steal all the limelight, didn’t it?

Empress, tell me, how should I reward him?"

Seeing His Majesty’s triumphant expression, Empress Shi knew his joy was genuine. "How Your Majesty rewards him is not for me to say. But by normal standards, it would not be excessive to make Xiao Mo a Prince."

"Indeed." The Sovereign of Qin nodded. "A twenty-year-old Prince! If word of this gets out, jaws across the land will drop."

"However," the Sovereign of Qin’s tone shifted, "I have an even better reward in mind."

The Sovereign of Qin turned his head and asked Empress Shi, "Shui’Er, how do you think Xiao Mo compares to the two legitimate sons of the Prince Xiao’s Mansion?"

...

The moment the Sovereign of Qin finished speaking, Empress Shi’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly understood His Majesty’s intention.

’The Prince Zhenbei’s Mansion holds a Hereditary Title, commands the Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry, and is now in its fourth generation.’

’In the Qin Kingdom, there are even rumors that the Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry has become the private army of the Prince Zhenbei’s Mansion.’

’Although Prince Zhenbei has no intention of rebelling and has even achieved great military merit, how could His Majesty ever be completely at ease?’

’But if...’

’If he lets Xiao Mo, who was originally unqualified, take control of the Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry...’

’First, Xiao Mo is Prince Zhenbei’s son. He is a member of the Xiao Mansion, with the blood of Prince Zhenbei’s line flowing in his veins.’

’Second, Xiao Mo was chosen by His Majesty. His Majesty’s favor toward Xiao Mo is as great as giving him a new life!’

’This would, one, win the loyalty of a great general like Xiao Mo.’

’And two, it would be equivalent to indirectly controlling the Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry.’

’It would kill two birds with one stone!’

"Replying to Your Majesty, compared to the two legitimate sons of Prince Xiao’s Mansion, Xiao Mo is their equal, if not their superior," Empress Shi answered.

"Mm."

The Sovereign of Qin nodded, stroking his beard.

"I will think on it more. Let’s wait for Qin Huo and Xiao Mo to return to court before deciding."

...

"The story goes, beneath the walls of Frost Red City, two armies clashed, and the drums of war shook the heavens!"

"And at that very moment! The young general was seen on his warhorse, a Long Spear in hand, charging into the fray!"

"The young general fought his way in and out of the enemy lines like a god of war! He wore an Asura Mask, harvesting the lives of enemy soldiers on the battlefield."

"The army of Frost Red City was utterly routed, scattering in all directions! Then, the young general reined in his horse, held his spear level, removed his mask, and revealed an incomparably handsome face."

"As the poem says—

His iron armor gleamed beneath the moon’s cold light, he spurred his steed through smoky, war-torn night.

Like thunder, through a thousand men he broke; his spear alone a new world could evoke.

The siege was broken by his bloody might; he raised his helm, a heavenly face in sight.

The foe, stunned by a beauty beyond compare, was sent to Netherland, to ghosts’ despair."

"Bravo!"

"A reward!"

"Tell it again! You old fellow, you really know how to tell a story with spirit!"

In a teahouse, a storyteller was recounting Xiao Mo’s great battle beneath the walls of Frost Red City, drawing continuous cheers from the audience.

In a corner of the teahouse sat a young woman who had heard the story countless times. A joyful light was in her eyes, and beneath her veil, her world-toppling beauty was wreathed in delight.

After having her Maid Hua Sheng tip the storyteller some silver, the young woman left the teahouse and walked happily down the street.

At this time, all the small stalls in the Imperial City were displaying fierce and menacing-looking Asura Masks.

Because no one knew exactly what the mask’s owner looked like while wearing it, these masks all came in various styles.

But this did not diminish the city folk’s fondness for the masks.

Especially the women.

After all, how could a man who was handsome, exceptionally skilled in martial arts, and possessed the talent of a great commander not capture the hearts of women?

Nearly every woman in the city had a mask, fantasizing about the appearance of the man named "Xiao Mo."

In the taverns and brothels, musicians were all playing the *Frost Red Battle Song*.

By now, Xiao Mo’s fame had surpassed that of countless other generals.

Watching all this, the young woman was genuinely happy for her childhood playmate.

"I wonder when Xiao Mo will return." Maid Hua Sheng watched the Princess toying with a mask and sighed with emotion. "Her Highness the Princess has already been waiting for him for four years."

"Soon." Qin Siyao placed the mask on Hua Sheng’s face. "Xiao Mo will be back very soon."

"How do you know, Your Highness?" Hua Sheng asked, puzzled.

The young woman’s eyes curved into crescents, her smile like a blooming flower. "I just know~"

...

「Meanwhile, no more than five hundred li from the Imperial City, the triumphant army marched in a vast column, expected to arrive at the Imperial City the next day.」

Xiao Mo held the reins in one hand and a small clay figure in the other.

"Brother Xiao, who is that clay figure of?"

Zhao Wei rode up beside Xiao Mo and asked curiously.

He had noticed that Brother Xiao took out this somewhat ugly little clay figure every day, holding it in his palm to look at.

"This clay figure? A silly girl made it." Xiao Mo smiled. "I’m telling her that I’ve come back."

"Eh? Does the clay figure have an Array? Can it transmit sound?" Zhao Wei asked, confused.

Xiao Mo shook his head. "No, it doesn’t."

Zhao Wei was even more lost. "Then how can she know you’re coming back, Brother Xiao?"

"She..."

Xiao Mo raised his head, looking in the direction of the Imperial City.

"She definitely knows."