After a few more minutes of conversation, Ye Tian Yun bade farewell to Ling Feng'er, not forgetting to invite her to the Fang Clan.
A Level 7 Aray master is something he wouldn't wish to miss.
'I wonder why this guy was never famous in the previous timeline?' Ye Tian Yun was curious about this. However, considering how relaxed Feng Yun was, even with his low cultivation, it was most likely that someone tricked and killed him for the secrets of Offense Array.
'That guy is either very dumb, or he's very reassured.'
Ye Tian Yun smiled as he reached another open patch of field.
Without any further delays, he resumed his practice and especially focused on his only cultivation technique - One Sword For All.
As the sun was about to rise, Ye Tian Yun returned to the Fang Clan a few hours later.
He didn't go out again for the rest of the day and resumed his cultivation.
…
An Unknown Town, Great Ye Empire, Middle Heavens.
Step!
A middle-aged man landed in front of a tavern and pushed open the gate.
As he stepped in, the tavern, which was bustling, suddenly turned quiet.
There were about thirty customers inside, and they were staring at him.
After a small silence, the tavern suddenly went buzzing with shouts, laughs, and greetings.
"AH! It's BRother Su!" A man with a wine gourd in his hand and dazed eyes called out, "You took your time, Brother!"
The middle-aged man smiled, "Xiao Lou, you came early?"
"Commander Su, welcome!"
"Brother Su Ming, how is your sect?"
"Brother Su, long time no see!"
"Ah, Brat, how were you all these years?"
As the barrage of questions and greetings came, Sect Leader Su, or if we call by his name, Su Ming, cupped his fists to everyone at the tavern and began to greet them back.
After a while, he asked, "Is General Liu here too?"
"Yeah, he's upstairs." Xiao Lou replied. He was one of the Commanders and was Su Ming's long-time friend.
"Oh? Then excuse me, everyone," Su Ming smiled, "I should go and greet him."
"I think it would be better if you wait for the General to come down," Someone said.
It was an old man with a long white beard.
"Oh? Is he busy, Commander Cai?" Su Ming asked.
"Yes," The old Commander Cai nodded, "He's discussing the plan with his majesty, the Emperor."
Su Ming was surprised, "His majesty is here!?"
"Yes," Old Commander Cai nodded, "I think he might be joining us this time."
"He will be joining us?" Su Ming frowned, "Ah, who is the enemy?"
"We don't know yet," Old Commander Cai shook his head, "But there's a chance that the Upper Heavens is going all out against us this time."
"All out?" Su Ming gulped as his eyes shimmered in excitement, "Looks like I will be able to go all out!"
"Oh, come on," Xiao Lou rolled his eyes, "Leave some for us too."
Just then -
"Commander Su, please come upstairs. His Majesty has asked for your presence."
A calm voice sounded through the tavern, making everyone pause.
Commander Cai nodded at Su Ming and gestured to him.
Su Ming smiled at him and headed for the second floor.
As he pushed open the door at the end of the stairway, a much cleaner hall appeared in his sight.
Although it was clean, it was also pretty simple. And at the center of the hall was a huge table on it was a huge brownish parchment, and two men were around the table.
"Your Majesty. General." Su Ming cupped his fists at the two men.
Butler Liu nodded, "Come in, Commander Su. How was your journey?"
Su Ming smiled, "It went without a hitch."
As he came to the table, he saw that the parchment was a huge map!
"Is this…"
"Yes." Emperor Ye nodded, "The Upper Heavens."
"Your Majesty, isn't Upper Heavens… unmappable?"
"It was." Emperor Ye smiled, "But we have successfully created the First Map Of Upper Heavens!"
Su Ming took a deep breath and exhaled, "Who created this?"
He was so overwhelmed that he forgot to use the honorifics.
"It was Sword Saint Yuan Xuming." Butler Liu replied this time, "For the last two decades, he has been leading the information circle we have in the Upper Heavens to put everything on this map."
"Sword Saint Yuan Xuming?" A frown formed on Su Ming's face, "I apologize, General, but isn't Sword Saint…."
"Don't worry about that," Butler Liu waved his hand, "It was all a ruse created by his Majesty to pave the way for Sword Saint Yuan. Both of them are not actually wishing to kill each other."
"Ah…" Sect Leader Su sighed, "So all this was for this map?"
"Indeed." Butler Liu nodded.
"How can I help, General?" Su Ming asked.
Butler Liu didn't reply but turned his head towards Emperor Ye.
Emperor Ye moved his hand and pointed at a certain part on the map, "You will be leading your platoon and ambushing your target here in exactly one month from now."
"Here…" Su Ming stared at the map for a few moments and then asked, "Your Majesty, this.. May I know who the target is?"
"It's my brother." Butler Liu replied, "The important part is, you need to bring him alive."
"Bring him alive?"
"Yes." Emperor Ye nodded, "Brother Liu, give him the details."
"Yes, your majesty," Butler Liu nodded and then gave a scroll to Su Ming, "Here. Don't open this with others and don't show it to anyone. You will get another one later when missions are distributed, but you don't have to follow that one. This scroll is your real mission."
"Don't have to follow that…." Su Ming recalled something, and a shocked expression formed on his face, "Did someone betray us again!?"
"No," Butler Liu shook his head, "It's the enemy. Only your platoon will be going on this mission. The rest will face the actual enemy - quite possibly one of the only two people who can go on par with his Majesty."
"Who is the enemy, if I may ask?"
Butler Liu pursed his lips and glanced at Emperor Ye.
Emperor Ye sighed, "It's my wife and Ye Tian Yun's mother, Empress Ye."