Mortal Mage

Zhang Mingxuan, dressed in a dragon robe, walked around the study, rubbing his temples with both hands.

Beside him stood two other palace maids, with very long skirts, low necklines, and chests that revealed most of their breasts. They had pretty faces and their hair was tied up high with hairpins.

"According to His Majesty's order, it has been tripled." Xiao Feizi squatted in the corner, picking up a piece of new charcoal and adding it to the brazier.

"No one's causing trouble?"

Zhang Mingxuan looked puzzled and asked with raised eyebrows.

"Your Majesty, no one in this world would make trouble because of too much silver." Xiao Feizi poked the charcoal with tongs, smiling; "After your ascension ceremony, the salaries of officials throughout the country have increased several times, but no one would make trouble because of too much silver."

"Your Majesty, Guo Zhuoran, the temporary commander of the Eastern Factory of the Feathered Guard, requests to see you, with an urgent document from the border eight thousand miles away." Another young eunuch reported outside the door.

"Shu Xuan!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Guo Zhuoran rushed into the study room with a gust of cold wind. "Your Majesty, something terrible is happening! Two Qi Refining Level 6 cultivators from the Tianze Empire led an army of two million to break through the Xuanshi Pass. They can reach Taihe City in half a month!"

"What! Didn't they say that Xuanshi Pass is a natural barrier that is easy to defend but difficult to attack?"

Zhang Mingxuan stared at Guo Zhuoran with a pale face.

"Your Majesty, Xuanshi Pass was previously guarded by two Qi Refining Level 9 Imperial Masters, Ye Buwen and Bu Dazhen. Now that there are no Imperial Masters in the court, it will be difficult for ordinary soldiers to resist."

"Xiao Feizi, go call Qi Yuanqinghe and follow me to Wang Mingde's house!"

-

"Wan'er, please stop crying. Birth, aging, illness and death are the normal course of human life. I have lived for 180 years now, so I have no regrets."

Wang Mingde lay stiffly on the bed. He felt sharp pain all over his body as if he was pricked by needles when he exerted a little force. "I can use my spiritual power to suppress the poison of this golden needle for ten years, but I am afraid I can't endure this bone-piercing needle prick."

"Give me another spiritual stone. My spiritual power is depleted greatly."

Wang Mingde stared blankly and spoke stiffly.

"Grandpa, there are no spirit stones left in the mansion. The more than 70 spirit stones in the mansion have been used up in the past six months." Wang Wan'er sat beside Wang Mingde's bed and said in a daze.

"Miss, Zhang Mingxuan is here."

Jin'er reported outside the door.

"Let him go. We in the palace are all mortals now, and we have no more spirit stones."

Wang Wan'er tilted her head and responded in a low voice.

"Miss, he brought Qi Yuanqinghe with him."

"Alas." Wang Wan'er looked at Wang Mingde with dismay; "Grandpa."

"Let them in. I'm afraid it's about the battle with Tianze."

Zhang Mingxuan and his party were led by Jin'er to Wang Mingde's bedroom.

Wang Mingde lay stiffly on the bed, with Wang Wan'er sitting beside him in a daze.

"Minister Wang." Zhang Mingxuan, dressed in a dragon robe, bowed and raised his hands to kowtow to Wang Mingde, who was lying stiffly on the bed, and also bowed to Wang Wan'er.

"Zhang Mingxuan, if the Tianze Empire attacks us, I'm afraid I won't be able to do anything."

"Minister Wang, I want to ask Miss Wang for help."

Wang Wan'er shook her head. "Go now. My cultivation is not even at the second level of Qi Refining. Now my Wang family just wants a complete corpse."

"Tianze has two cultivators at the sixth level of Qi Refining. Even if we defeat them with the whole country's strength, what's the use? Their capital of Tianze has a city defense formation that can withstand the full-force attack of a Foundation Establishment Stage immortal. Even if we attack their capital, we won't be able to break their city defense formation." Jin'er stood behind him and pouted.

"What if that's the case?"

Zhang Mingxuan waved his hand, and Xiao Feizi brought a tray with two round copper plates the size of bowls on it.

"What is this?" Jin'er walked over and grabbed one to look at it. "Miss, this looks like a bronze plate with a magic array engraved on it. I wonder what power it has."

"Qinghe, come here."

Zhang Mingxuan took a step to the side.

His understanding of the formation is different from Qi Yuanqinghe's.