Chapter 94

Chapter 94: Wang Jie’s Order

The Frost Splendor Sect had suffered severe losses on the battlefield. Outside forces had intervened, reinforcing the Ninth Star Chain.

Every warship of the Silver Radiance Empire was sent to the border, and Wang Jie could feel the shift in atmosphere like pressure before a storm.

Unease crawled up his spine.

Using his authority, he checked the deployment map and found the Silver Radiance Empire had arranged all its warships along the border, with some positioned inward as well.

And then he saw it.

Warships were moving toward the region around Blue Star.

Wang Jie’s mind jolted.

He went straight to the Imperial Palace to find Jun Hua.

Yu Dong met him first.

Her gaze was complicated. Not long ago, this man had handed her a flower—something she’d never received in her life. The memory alone left her unsettled.

“What is it?” Yu Dong asked.

“I want to see the Emperor.”

Yu Dong shook her head. “The Emperor is discussing the war situation. Go back.”

“It is about the war,” Wang Jie said. “I need to understand something.”

Yu Dong studied him. She and Jun Hua were close; she was also a Frost Splendor Sect member, and her realm was above Jun Hua’s. She knew more than most.

Wang Jie told her what he’d seen—warships moving toward Blue Star’s region—and demanded an explanation.

Yu Dong’s tone stayed controlled. “That direction has already been withdrawn.”

She pulled up the star map and marked a line with her finger. “The warships will gather here.”

That line put Blue Star outside the boundary.

“Why?” Wang Jie asked, voice tight.

Yu Dong hesitated, then answered in a low voice. “The Sixth Star Chain has reinforced the Ninth Star Chain. The war is being dragged directly into our Eighth Star Chain.” Her eyes stayed on the map. “There are enemies outside this line. We don’t know where they are or how many. We can only fix the defense line first and monitor.”

“And the civilizations outside the line?” Wang Jie asked.

“Abandoned,” Yu Dong said bluntly.

Wang Jie’s heart sank.

Abandoned.

That meant Blue Star would be abandoned too.

If the enemy found it, Blue Star wouldn’t last.

Yu Dong noticed his expression. “You care about that region.”

Wang Jie met her eyes, urgency heavy in his gaze. “Please. I need to see the Emperor. Go tell her.”

Yu Dong’s jaw tightened. It wasn’t an easy request.

But after a long moment, she nodded and went inside.

Wang Jie waited outside for two full hours before he was finally allowed in.

Jun Hua didn’t waste time. “You came for that region.”

“Yes,” Wang Jie said. “Emperor, can you avoid abandoning it? At least send ships to search. I’ll go too.”

Jun Hua shook her head. “I’m sorry. These decisions aren’t mine. Before the war began, resource allocation, deployment, and transport were decided by Senior Sister Jin Chu. After the war began, orders came from the sect’s upper levels.”

She looked at him steadily. “Abandoning that region is an upper-level decision. I can’t change it.”

“Then who can?” Wang Jie demanded. “Who decided it?”

“One of the sect’s True Inheritance Disciples,” Jun Hua said. “Xia Zhen Zhen. She has been appointed as the commander within the Silver Radiance Empire’s range.”

Wang Jie thought of Xia Bei Yi.

Also a True Inheritance Disciple.

But Xia Bei Yi had never even been to the Frost Splendor Sect, while Xia Zhen Zhen had undoubtedly lived within it, with connections Xia Bei Yi could never match.

Then what about him?

Could his guest elder status matter here?

Yu Dong’s voice cut in. “Wang Jie, do you know what the sect lost in the Ninth Star Chain?”

Wang Jie didn’t.

“Right now,” Yu Dong continued, “every order comes directly from the upper levels. People below can’t—won’t—voice objections.”

Jun Hua nodded. “The sect prepared for this war for too long. Failure isn’t an option. Not even our opinions can pass Senior Sister Jin Chu.”

Wang Jie lifted his gaze. “Bring Jin Chu here. I want to speak with her.” He paused, then added, “As a Frost Splendor Sect Guest Elder.”

Not long after, Jin Chu arrived.

To her, it sounded like a joke—someone the Silver Radiance Empire had sent on a suicide mission, a Ten Seals lockforce cultivator, claiming to be a sect Guest Elder?

Absurd.

But she came anyway.

Wang Jie looked at her. Jin Chu looked back.

It was the first time she examined him so carefully.

“My guest elder status comes from Domain Lord Ning,” Wang Jie said. “Deputy Domain Lord Yan and the True Inheritance Disciple Xia Bei Yi can confirm it. As for whether the sect has formally registered it yet, I don’t know.”

Jin Chu frowned and glanced at Jun Hua and Yu Dong. Both women looked just as confused.

“How did you become a guest elder?” Jin Chu asked.

Wang Jie clasped his hands behind his back. “Because I’m a Chen Refiner.”

Yu Dong’s eyes widened. “A Chen Refiner?”

Jin Chu stared. “You’re a Chen Refiner?”

Wang Jie nodded.

“You’re a lockforce cultivator,” Jin Chu said slowly, “and you’re a Chen Refiner?”

“And who decided a lockforce cultivator can’t be a Chen Refiner?” Wang Jie countered.

Jin Chu wanted to deny it, but she couldn’t—not with Domain Lord Ning’s name attached.

Finally, she said, “Wait here. I’ll report to the sect and verify immediately.”

Wang Jie sighed. “Domain Lord Ning is still in the Ninth Star Chain. He may not have finished formalities. Can’t you contact Domain Lord Ning directly? Or Deputy Domain Lord Yan? Or Xia Bei Yi?”

Jin Chu didn’t answer. Contacting the front lines wasn’t a casual matter.

If Wang Jie truly was a Guest Elder, then contacting the front was justified.

If he wasn’t… it would be a disaster.

She contacted the sect anyway.

Jun Hua and Yu Dong exchanged a look, then looked back at Wang Jie.

It should be verifiable. If it was true—

Then he became even stranger.

Jia Yi Sect and the Frost Splendor Sect were worlds apart. In Jia Yi Sect’s eyes, the Frost Splendor Sect might be a remote backwater, not even worth mentioning.

But if Wang Jie truly came from Jia Yi Sect, then many things that made no sense suddenly did.

After more than half a day, Jin Chu finally received a reply.

She stepped forward, expression complicated, and bowed deeply. “Frost Splendor Sect inner sect disciple Jin Chu greets Guest Elder.”

Jun Hua and Yu Dong bowed with her. “Greetings, Guest Elder.”

A Guest Elder’s status was extraordinary.

Regardless of cultivation or strength, a Guest Elder’s standing was at least comparable to a True Inheritance Disciple. Many were even higher—treated like inner sect elders.

Wang Jie exhaled in relief.

Domain Lord Ning had followed through.

“Rise,” Wang Jie said.

Jin Chu straightened, respectful—and clearly uncertain how to address someone so young in such a position.

Wang Jie didn’t indulge the awkwardness. “Now tell me. With my status, can I demand a change in that war decision?”

Jin Chu looked pained. “Guest Elder… I’m sorry. No.”

Wang Jie’s heart dropped. “Even as Guest Elder?”

“A guest elder isn’t an elder,” Jin Chu explained carefully. “Within the sect, you have resources, not authority. So—”

“It can.”

A voice came from the distance.

Everyone turned.

A woman approached in a green dress, elegant and composed. Her beauty was striking, and a green leaf tattoo traced her cheek, making her look even more vivid.

Jin Chu, Jun Hua, and Yu Dong bowed at once. “Greetings, Senior Sister Zhen Zhen.”

Once someone entered True Inheritance, age no longer mattered—they ranked above all ordinary disciples.

This was Xia Zhen Zhen, one of the Frost Splendor Sect’s True Inheritance Disciples.

Xia Zhen Zhen stopped before Wang Jie and bowed with practiced grace. “Zhen Zhen greets Guest Elder.”

Wang Jie didn’t know how to return the salute properly. He gave a small nod. “Hello.”

Xia Zhen Zhen smiled. “Does Guest Elder have thoughts on my war deployment?”

Wang Jie pointed at the star map. “My hometown is within that region. I don’t want it abandoned.”

He didn’t bother hiding it. If the Frost Splendor Sect didn’t find Blue Star, the Silver Radiance Empire could.

And with his current status, exposing Blue Star wouldn’t necessarily be dangerous. It might even allow the Silver Radiance Empire to provide protection.

Xia Zhen Zhen blinked, surprised, then nodded. “I see. Then we’ll do as Guest Elder says.”

She turned to Jun Hua. “Send additional warships to protect Guest Elder’s hometown. On the Silver Radiance Empire battlefield, Guest Elder’s words are equivalent to mine.”

Jun Hua bowed. “Yes, Senior Sister.”

Wang Jie lowered his head. “Thank you.”

“No need,” Xia Zhen Zhen said. Her smile faded into seriousness. “But I must warn Guest Elder: the enemy is not simple. The Silver Radiance Empire alone may not be enough to protect your hometown. And the sect is fighting on all fronts. We cannot spare much attention.”

“The Sixth Star Chain’s enemy?” Wang Jie asked.

“Luo Kingdom,” Xia Zhen Zhen said, her expression hard. “They call themselves a troop source for the Third Nebula—a disgusting bunch of cannon fodder.”

Wang Jie learned quickly what that meant.

Luo Kingdom ruled the Sixth Star Chain and, by status, stood above the Eighth Star Chain—largely because they produced vast numbers of cannon fodder for the Third Nebula.

Star chains had their own battlefields.

Nebulas had the Star-Cloud Battlefield.

Luo Kingdom threw their cannon fodder into the Star-Cloud Battlefield in endless waves. Before the Nan family of the Third Nebula vanished, Luo Kingdom’s standing had been extremely high.

They weren’t humans, but their appearance was close. They glorified death and were notoriously difficult to deal with.

“We expected that striking the Ninth Star Chain would draw support from the Puppeteer Sect of the Seventh Star Chain,” Xia Zhen Zhen continued. “But the Puppeteer Sect didn’t move. Luo Kingdom did.”

Her eyes sharpened. “Before this, no one knew Luo Kingdom was also part of the Anti-Nebula Faction.”

Much of it sounded distant to Wang Jie—too large, too far beyond his current reach. He didn’t ask more.

He only cared about one thing.

Blue Star.

After greeting Xia Zhen Zhen, he requested the fastest ship available from Jun Hua to take him to Blue Star. She agreed immediately.

He had one final request.

“I want to take Xuan with me.”

Jun Hua’s eyes narrowed. “You want to take him?”

“Jun Tang is dead,” Wang Jie said. “Xuan is no threat to you now. If Luo Kingdom’s forces reach my hometown, I can’t handle it alone. One more expert means one more chance.” He bowed slightly. “Please, Emperor.”

Jun Hua hesitated.

Xia Zhen Zhen’s voice came lightly. “It’s only a Full-Star Realm. Junior Sister, what is there to worry about?”

Jun Hua immediately bowed her head. “Nothing. We’ll do as Guest Elder requests.”

Wang Jie exhaled, relief loosening his shoulders. “Thank you.”

He bid Xia Zhen Zhen and Jin Chu farewell and left.

As Wang Jie disappeared, Xia Zhen Zhen turned to Jin Chu. “Junior Sister Jin Chu.”

“Yes, Senior Sister.”

“After Guest Elder departs,” Xia Zhen Zhen said, “you take Wu Mian and follow him. Protect his safety. But if you don’t encounter Luo Kingdom, do not reveal yourselves.”

Jin Chu’s eyes widened. She hadn’t expected Xia Zhen Zhen to value Wang Jie this highly.

“Yes,” Jin Chu said, bowing. “Junior Sister understands.”