"The Longevity Company attempted to attack a city in the southern part of North County again yesterday."

"They launched a sneak attack from a distance, and we were understaffed, failing to detect it in time."

"Fortunately, the Ancient Turtle Array helped us block this attack."

Listening to the reports from his subordinates, on the first day of the New Year, Lin Jingxuan's frown never left his face.

Since they had been defending North County, adopting a turtle-hide strategy to recuperate, the probing attacks from the Longevity Company had never ceased.

Compared to other major forces that had laid low, the Longevity Company gave off a sense of desperation, like a "cornered dog jumping over the wall."

"If this continues, it won't work. Every Ancient Array has a core, and once the energy within it is exhausted, and we don't know how to replenish it, all we can do is watch it stop functioning."

"Although the teacher left us with a vast collection of arrays, numbering in the thousands, it took a hundred years of careful accumulation."

"If they are squandered like this, we won't have another hundred years for us."

"Moreover, those relics that originally belonged to Great Xia are now all controlled by Can Shang Company and the Imperial forces, making further exploration impossible."

Ancient Arrays are used up one by one.

The Longevity Company seems to have anticipated this and has persistently harassed us.

For them, the cost is merely a few biochemical warriors, easily manufactured, and using them to deplete the energy of the Ancient Arrays is the most cost-effective strategy.

This is a problem.

Soon, a second report was brought forward.

This time, it concerned the city's energy supply.

Those who chose to march north with the main force were undoubtedly those who were committed to Great Xia.

When the common people support you, you must respond in some way.

For instance, now, more and more complaints are pouring in regarding the energy supply to the cities.

Having lost the energy provided by Can Shang Company, the cities are facing energy depletion. To maintain the normal operation of public welfare projects, energy has been strictly controlled, and the energy supply to most cities has been cut off temporarily.

This is extremely inconvenient for a highly urbanized city.

And it's what Lin Jingxuan and the others are currently struggling with, an urgent problem that needs solving.

"Can Shang Company, they have proactively proposed to us. The Patriarch Shang says that if we hand over Han Zhan to them, the Shang Family can provide all the energy for North County for free."

"Hmph, it's nothing more than the salami-slicing tactic."

Lin Jingxuan saw through their intentions at once.

Or rather, he understood this group's mindset well.

Han Zhan represents the future. He can grant new life to contracted spirits through Divine Awakening, a terrifying ability. If supplemented with Can Shang technology, Han Zhan's future achievements will be boundless.

But this would mean that Great Xia loses its new spiritual pillar, and their future faith collapses.

What they would be losing far outweighs the energy they would gain!

This is an open scheme, a ploy from Can Shang Technology that Lin Jingxuan has no intention of entertaining.

At this moment, a subordinate hurriedly approached and reported the third issue.

"The Awakening Stones of Great Xia have been massively destroyed by the major organizations working together!"

The third issue made Lin Jingxuan frown, and even Wei Qing, who was initially indifferent, frowned as well.

Even someone as simple-minded as Wei Qing understood the significance of the Awakening Stones.

They are fundamental to the Great Xia Spirit Contract Masters. Without the Awakening Stones, those of Great Xia lineage cannot undergo awakening at eighteen to become a Spirit Contract Master or a contracted spirit!

This is an attack on the very roots of Great Xia!

Lin Jingxuan's frown deepened further.

Faced with these three issues, even someone like him found it difficult to provide an immediate solution.

Yawning, Han Zhan walked in from outside. Last night, he expended considerable energy helping Gongyang Jin enhance his cultivation. With an increasing number of banshees to deal with, the teacher who used to prepare the four great tonic soups for him was no longer there.

Suppressing the fleeting sense of loss in his heart, Han Zhan greeted Lin Jingxuan and Wei Qing.

"Why the long faces? Did something happen?"

Upon Han Zhan's inquiry, Lin Jingxuan relayed the information he had just received.

Hearing these three issues, Han Zhan was not at all surprised.

It was about what he had expected.

"I have solutions to all three of these issues," Han Zhan suddenly said.

As soon as he spoke, everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and simultaneously looked at him.

"This is no joking matter," Lin Jingxuan instinctively reminded, pausing momentarily before tentatively asking, "Do you really have a way?"

"Of course."

Han Zhan had spent a long time contemplating on the balcony yesterday and had not come away empty-handed.

"For these three issues, I think we should prioritize them with a proper order of urgency."

"In my opinion, the energy supply issues affecting the populace are the most urgent; the Ancient Array concerns safety and is next; and the Awakening Stones are last."

"The solution for the city's energy supply is simple: seize it!" Han Zhan pointed at the areas on the battle map that were originally Great Xia's territory, "We can seize the energy from these places to supply North County."

"Moreover, if we can locate Can Shang Company's energy preparation facilities, capturing them wholesale could sustain North County for a long time."

Han Zhan's words gave Lin Jingxuan and the others pause for thought.

Indeed, they had maintained an old mindset, considering the surrounding cities as Great Xia territories, inhabited by the Great Xia people, never considering the option of plundering the city's energy.

Han Zhan's words opened their minds.

"And what about the other two issues?"

"For the other two, regarding the Ancient Array and its core, although we can no longer explore the relics, we shouldn't forget that I have a Bodhi Treasure Tree."

"The Bodhi Treasure Tree might not only provide a solution for the Ancient Array but also for the Awakening Stones."

Han Zhan did not fully elaborate, but he was ninety percent sure that the World Fruit known as Bodhi Treasure Tree [Fu Lai] represented the world of the Fu Xi Zither.

Why is it called the Fu Xi Zither? Because its creator was named Fu Xi!

Just as Shennong excelled in pharmacology, what was Fu Xi adept at?

Fu Xi's Eight Trigrams!

The Trigram Master is the beginning of arrays, could an Ancient Array truly stump Fu Xi?

Whether the Awakening Stones can be resolved is not critical. North County is currently unstable, mostly populated by surviving Spirit Contract Masters and contracted spirits, with few actual civilians, making it impossible to form a fighting force immediately or go into battle.

Instead of awakening them only to send them to their deaths like cannon fodder, it's better not to awaken them at all.

After clarifying these matters to Lin Jingxuan and the others, Han Zhan finally concluded:

"So I have decided to first seize the city energy under the dominion of Can Shang Company!"

"This will also represent our first 'Southward Advance'!" Han Zhan declared, slamming his hand confidently onto the map with determination and certainty.

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