“How much time will it take to complete the formation?” “At least ten days, at most one month, Your Highness. However, given General Zhao’s current situation, he won’t be able to break through the encirclement and retreat in time. If that happens, hundreds of thousands of soldiers will be annihilated instantly, Your Highness.” Hearing this, Wenlang became more tense than ever before. “But the Young General said that if there is no other way, he will personally destroy the formation. He told everyone to break through the encirclement before he runs out of strength, Your Highness.” “What does that mean?” Wenlang asked in a hoarse voice. “It means he will use his formless spirit energy to shut the core of the formation, buying time for General Zhao to retreat. He asked me to tell Your Highness to relocate troops from the northern, eastern, and western provinces to reinforce them immediately. If he does not return, Your Highness must take his place to lead the army yourself and use the strategy you discussed on Mount Mianshan to defeat the enemy, Your Highness.” The atmosphere in the meeting was extremely tense. Yet, the person as anxious as them was undoubtedly Zhenzhu. Hearing their discussion, her heart felt hollow, as if something was about to be lost. Is Brother Hao really going to do that? How can he? Is there no other solution? Without delay, Zhenzhu quickly searched for the formation manual in her dimensional bracelet to see what kind of formation they were talking about. Zhenzhu had never been interested in human formations before, thinking they were too far removed from her reality and that she wouldn’t need to use them. But now, she had no choice. When she found the manual, she immediately began looking up how many types of human formations integrated with terrain and what their characteristics were. She needed to know what factors were required to complete such a formation successfully. Zhenzhu spent a long time searching until she found the formation that matched the description. It was called the Soul Severing Formation, a deadly formation that utilized both human and natural energy. Due to the numerous factors required to complete it, including time, manpower, and the appropriate terrain, this formation that was hard to set up had not been seen for over a thousand years. Yet it had reappeared in this inter-region war. Because creating the formation required so many powerful factors, its effects were equally formidable. Any living being within the formation, whether human, animal, or even plant, would be crushed like ants. Even spirit energy would be severed. Realizing the terrifying nature of the Soul Severing Formation, Zhenzhu thought of the cold-faced young man. If he truly used his own power to shut the formation’s core as he said, would he really be able to return alive? There had to be a better solution. This wasn’t the right way. Zhenzhu took out paper and a brush from her dimensional bracelet and spread the paper out to draw the formation. She wanted to find a way to destroy the formation without Brother Hao having to sacrifice himself. Zhenzhu drew the formation on the paper and tried to find a weakness that could be exploited. She worked for a long time, but no matter what she tried, she couldn’t find a way to break it. This formation was truly crafted by a master of formation art. Not only was it without weaknesses, but every point within it supported each other perfectly, making it an impeccable formation. “No, I must find a way to destroy it,” Zhenzhu muttered to herself, her eyes scanning the drawing as she tried to find elemental points to dismantle, in order to destroy the formation. She became so engrossed in this task that she lost track of time until the darkness around her made it impossible to see the lines on the paper. Zhenzhu got up to light a lantern in the corner of the room so she could continue working. Once the lantern was lit, she returned to her task with renewed focus. "Removing this water element will weaken the left side but strengthen this point." "No, if we destroy this area, the top will weaken, but the formation’s core will become more powerful." "What if we cover the five critical points with superior power? What will happen then?" Zhenzhu tried her best to experiment with what she thought would work, adjusting what she believed was possible. Time passed, and she remained seated amidst scattered papers on the floor, showing no signs of getting up. The first light of the new day slowly shone through the window, causing her to realize that an entire night had passed. Yet her work was still unfinished. She didn’t feel hungry or sleepy at all, as her focus was entirely on the patterns and positions of the formation. Having spent a whole day and night inside her residence, the servants were puzzled when they didn’t see Lady He leave her residence. They knocked on the door from outside. "Lady He, may I come in? I’ve brought breakfast for you." "Come in," Zhenzhu responded without looking up. With a flick of her wrist, the door latch opened immediately. The servant entered with the breakfast tray and found the residence filled with papers covered in strange drawings by Lady He. She didn’t understand what Lady He was doing, since she did not know what those patterns were. She only knew that Lady He was an inscription master and thought perhaps these were characters Lady He was practicing. "Miss, I’ve brought your breakfast." "Thank you. Just leave it on the table. I’ll eat it in a bit." Zhenzhu replied, her eyes still glued to the position of the formation. She murmured continuously. Seeing this, the servant placed the tray on the table and left. "Hmm, covering the five points with overpowering spirit energy should do it!" Zhenzhu exclaimed excitedly. She had found a way to destroy the formation—by overlaying it with a more powerful formation and then taking control of its energy. Zhenzhu hurried out of the residence and ran to the observation tower to find Wenlang, who was currently planning his next move before he would leave the camp to lead the troops from various cities to the battlefield. "Brother Lang, I need to talk to you," Zhenzhu ran to him excitedly, her hair disheveled like a madwoman. Wenlang, sitting inside the observation tower, raised an eyebrow in surprise. Didn’t he tell her to rest yesterday? Why was she in such a state? "A’Zhu, what happened to you? Why do you look ?" "Forget about that. I have something important to discuss with you, Brother Lang." Zhenzhu said, holding up a large roll of paper she was clutching tightly. "Is it urgent? I have important matters to attend to and can’t talk right now." The region’s crisis could not be ignored. "It’s about the Soul Severing Formation the Tang Region is creating. I’ve found a way to break it. Will you listen to me?" She said without any introduction, fearing he might not listen otherwise. “Hmm,” Wenlang immediately frowned, becoming serious. He momentarily set aside the fact that she had a solution to break the formation. What intrigued him more was how she knew that the Tang Region was currently setting up the Soul Severing Formation. This was top military intelligence, unknown even to some commanders because they needed to keep this information secret to prevent low-ranking soldiers from losing morale. But this woman, who had been in the camp for only a short time, somehow knew about it. There were only two possible explanations: either she had secretly investigated and found out, or she was a spy for the enemy. However, he didn’t consider the second possibility at all. "How do you know?" Wenlang asked. Hearing this, Zhenzhu smiled sheepishly before pointing to the candy dish that had been left since the previous evening. Wenlang looked at where she was pointing and walked over to pick up the dish, finding a faint power of the character emanating from it. "Forgive me, Brother Lang, for eavesdropping, but I did it out of concern for our region," Zhenzhu lowered her head like a child caught in wrongdoing by their father. "Do you know that what you did is a crime that could led to a death sentence?” Wenlang stated. Eavesdropping on military secrets was a crime equivalent to treason. He knew well that the young woman meant well, and he personally trusted her quite a bit. One, she had saved both his and Yong Saiweihao’s lives. Two, he knew her character well enough to know she had no ill intentions towards the region. However, if it were another minister or general standing here instead of him, she would be immediately imprisoned. "B... Brother Lang, I... I... I just wanted to help." Knowing well that what she did was wrong, but she had only good intentions. She had stayed up all night to find a way to help. Why couldn’t they see her good intentions? She felt she was wronged upon thinking that. "I’m merely warning you. If it were someone else, you could have been in serious trouble," seeing her downcast expression and eyes filled with disappointment, he stepped closer and gently patted her disheveled hair. He had seen this girl since before she grew this big. This time, he adored her a lot. Since she had made her efforts to help him, how could he be harsh and scold her? "Alright, sit down. Have you eaten anything?" he asked more softly. "No, but I’m not hungry. I want to present my plan to Brother Lang.” "Let the servant bring you food first. Then we’ll talk." "No buts. It won’t take long to eat." "Alright." Since she agreed, Wenlang then instructed the servant to bring her a meal. Zhenzhu quickly ate as if she hadn’t eaten for days, finishing in no time and then smiling broadly at the young man. Wenlang shook his head with a chuckle and called her over to hear her plan for solving the problem. This young woman always surprised him. Everything she suggested and commented on was always beneficial, so how could he not listen? Zhenzhu explained her thoughts to Wenlang in detail, not missing a single word. "What do you think, Brother Lang?" "Hmm, it’s risky, but it’s better than letting A’Hao bear the risk alone." Wenlang nodded in agreement before calling a guard to give orders, immediately implementing her plan to avoid wasting time. “Are you sure you want to go to the battlefield?” “Brother Lang, please don’t worry. I’m not that weak. I’ve trained my spirit energy to the gold-tier,” Zhenzhu boasted, fearing that Wenlang might not allow her to go to the battlefield. Taizi hesitated a bit, concerned for her safety, but without her, destroying the formation would be much more difficult. “Then you must follow my orders. If there’s any danger, retreat immediately. Understood?” “Understood!” she responded firmly. With that, Zhenzhu, Wenlang, and a force of twenty thousand soldiers headed to the battlefield. Zhenzhu was very excited, having never been to a battlefield before. She wondered if it would be like the battles she had seen in the dramas from her previous life. The journey took two nights and three days to reach the actual battlefield. The Yan Region’s army had set up a temporary camp at the front. The camp was highly secure, as it was the main force under Yong Saiweihao’s command. They were poised outside the Soul Severing Formation, ready for an assault. Once the Young General Zhao gave the order, they would immediately attack and destroy the formation. As Zhenzhu entered the temporary camp, the atmosphere was vastly different from the military camps she had known. The soldiers who once laughed and joked had no smiles on their faces now. Soldiers she once knew to be lively were now tense and vigilant. This was a real battle, one where their lives were on the line. Wenlang had already sent a courier to inform Yong Saiweihao that he was bringing twenty thousand more troops to assist. Although they had only these troops for now, they hadn’t yet mobilized the hundreds of thousands from the northern, eastern, and western borders because of Zhenzhu’s plan, which forced them to put their original plan on hold. Yong Saiweihao stood at the tent entrance, waiting to greet his noble friend and the stubborn woman. Even though the battlefield was extremely dangerous, she still ran towards it. How could she be like any other woman? “Brother Hao!” Zhenzhu exclaimed upon seeing the stern-looking man waiting. Seeing him alive and unharmed, her worries eased. Yong Saiweihao walked over and gently patted her head, filled with mixed emotions of concern and frustration. “No need for help. I’ll handle it. Don’t you know it’s dangerous here?” As a general defending the region, if he needed her help in battle which he most skilled in, how could he still call himself a general? How could he protect the region? “I can help. I really can. Brother Lang has given his permission.” Yong Saiweihao could only look at her bright face, feeling helpless. So stubborn. In the end, he could only sigh heavily and allow her into the tent. Yong Saiweihao gave up his own large and comfortable tent for the young woman, moving himself to a much smaller and cramped tent. “Here, you must take care of yourself. There are no servants,” Yong Saiweihao said after showing her the tent. "No problem at all. I can take care of myself just fine, Brother Hao, don’t worry." Before she had servants, she had always done everything herself. How could she not manage here without servants? “Alright.” The young man stared intently at the young woman in front of him. Her presence here made him much more anxious. “Can I talk to Baihu for a bit?” She wanted to consult Baihu about the formation and the methods she had devised. She needed its opinion on the feasibility and chances of success. “Fine.” Yong Saiweihao nodded. Zhenzhu wasn’t sure if she was seeing things, but why did he seem to have a sly look in his eyes? Yong Saiweihao walked to the long wooden bench and sat down elegantly, leaving a small space for her. Zhenzhu blushed as she sat in front of him. Heavens! She was about to lean against the chest of the most famous man in the region. This was life’s profit in this lifetime. She slowly leaned towards him, resting one cheek on his muscular chest, her heart pounding wildly. Oh my! His chest is so firm! "A’Zhu, you really are shameless," a familiar voice immediately echoed in her head. "Baihu, flirting a little with a man is a special reward of women, don’t you know?" "A shameless woman, huh?" "Hey! You’re asking for trouble with that mouth of yours." "I’m not asking for trouble." "Don’t talk too much. I have something to discuss about the Soul Severing Formation. I’ve figured out a way to break it. I’ll explain it to you and see if it’s feasible," Zhenzhu said, explaining her formation destroying method to Baihu in detail while waiting for its feedback. Meanwhile, the owner of the large body looked down at the black-haired head resting on his chest and smiled. This woman was so different from others. If it were any other lady, would she dare to ask to lean against his chest? She would be too shy to speak. The murmuring continued, calming his heart in a strange way. How wonderful it would be to have her stay . He couldn’t resist raising his hand to gently stroke her jet-black hair. The young woman looked up in surprise, her sweet eyes questioning him with a slight raise of her eyebrows. But Yong Saiweihao just shook his head slowly, prompting her to lay her head back on his chest. After talking with Baihu for a while, she slowly pulled away. However, when she tried to push Yong Saiweihao away, she found herself trapped in his strong embrace. "Brother Hao, I’ve finished talking with Baihu." “...” Hmm? Why hasn’t he let her go yet? She felt so uncomfortable. While talking with Baihu, she hadn’t paid him much attention, but now that she was trying to pull away, she couldn’t. She could only look up at his chin. How could a man’s face be so flawless? This was an insult to women. Look at that, even his chin was perfectly shaped. Heaven always seems to be partial. When a person is born with exceptional talents, they are also given a physical appearance that makes others envious. One wonders how beautiful his children would be. While she was examining the young man’s face, he tightened his embrace and looked down into her eyes. His gaze was filled with such a range of emotions that she couldn’t discern his feelings. "Br... Brother Hao." In this moment, she knew her face had heat up. This man was too dangerous. Zhenzhu pushed him away with all her strength until she finally freed herself from his arms. "Uh... Um... Well... I need to rest now. Sleepy. I’m very sleepy. It’s been a long journey. I need to sleep now. Please, Brother Hao." She did not exactly kick him out but inviting him to leave the tent. “Using me and then pushing me away, are you?” Yong Saiweihao smiled and raised an eyebrow as he asked. “U... using you?!” Oh, could he not make her think of the naughty stuff? How could she dare use him? This infuriating man, always speaking ambiguously. What if someone else heard him? “Sigh, women are . They cling to you until they’re satisfied, then they push you away,” he muttered before standing up and leaving with a smile. Get full chapters from 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝•𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝘯𝘦𝘵 Zhenzhu was left standing in the tent with a flushed face. Infuriating, truly infuriating. Who would have thought that the cold and aloof Young General could be so shameless? She wondered if the guards outside the tent had heard any of this. All she could do was raise her hands to her cheeks to cool the heat down. Read ‘Rebirth: This Farmgirl Has Spirit Fish Scales’ before anyone else with more Chapters at https://www.jinovel.com/en