Chapter 84: The Northern Legion

Swish…

The chilling whistle of arrows slicing through the air—fortunately, they weren’t aimed at the two of them. After the sound faded, hundreds of sharp arrows had embedded themselves in a tight circle in the ground ahead, clearly a warning.

What formidable archery, truly befitting the Northern Legion confronting the orcs. Xu Feng stopped; charging forward would turn him into a pincushion.

The ground began to tremble slightly. The approaching forces were larger than expected—it seemed not just the patrol had been alerted, but a regular army unit had been dispatched as well.

Banners streamed, and the neighing of warhorses filled the air. Xu Feng quickly scanned the scene, his heart sinking. There were actually over a thousand cavalrymen, their armor gleaming, spears glinting with a chilling cold light, a palpable aura of ferocity emanating from them.

The cavalry parted, encircling them in a ring. Arola’s face turned pale, but Xu Feng wasn’t afraid. He just felt a pang of frustration—so close to crossing the border, only to fall short at the last moment.

A burly knight rode forward, lifting his visor. "I am Gordon, Commander of the First Cavalry Regiment under Duke Assur of the Northern Legion. State your identity!"

A cavalry regiment, according to the empire’s military system, consisted of twenty thousand men. A commander held the rank of major general, a high-ranking officer. Xu Feng sighed inwardly—just when he thought things couldn’t get worse. If it had been an ordinary patrol, he and Arola might have forced their way through, but facing an elite cavalry regiment led by such a general... the odds of success were slim to none.

Xu Feng took Arola’s hand, signaling her not to act rashly, and nodded to Gordon. "Greetings. I am Imperial Viscount Xu Feng."

Xu Feng... the name sounded familiar.

Ah, right—wasn’t he the celebrated miracle doctor who had recently made a splash in the capital? Rumor had it he cured Princess Ailiya, a case even His Holiness the Pope couldn’t handle, and even helped Duke Walter’s paralyzed son, Master Lake, walk again.

Though stationed in the northern borderlands, they weren’t far from the capital. Xu Feng’s fame had spread far and wide, and most officers of the Northern Legion had heard of this rising star among the capital’s new nobility. They just never expected to meet him under such circumstances.

Of course, Gordon wouldn’t take his word for it. A hint of suspicion flashed in his eyes. "You claim to be Viscount Xu Feng. Do you have proof?"

The young man retrieved a badge from his ring. Its design was beautiful and unique—a blood rose reborn from flames. This was the family crest Xu Feng had designed himself, bearing the imprint of the Court Mage, impossible for an ordinary person to forge.

Once verified, Gordon was visibly impressed. Normally, anyone caught attempting to cross the border would face a whipping and severe punishment under the law, as per the Legion Commander’s strict orders. But this situation clearly couldn’t be handled rashly...

As part of the privileged class, nobles held significant rights, sometimes even exempt from legal constraints. While they couldn’t act entirely as they pleased, offenses like border-crossing often carried immunity. Moreover, from the earlier battle with the magical beasts, it was clear this Viscount was also a mage.

Noble and mage—these two prestigious identities combined made even Gordon, a high-ranking officer of the Northern Legion, hesitant to take the matter lightly. In truth, if Xu Feng had been alone, Gordon might have turned a blind eye out of respect. But the Viscount was accompanied by a stunningly beautiful girl.

As the Young Princess of the Snake Clan, Arola appeared no different from a human girl when she transformed her golden tail into slender legs. The only distinction was the color of her eyes—something most people wouldn’t notice. But Gordon was among the rare exceptions. As a high-ranking officer of the Northern Legion, constantly facing off against the Orc Kingdom, he knew the importance of understanding the enemy. He was intimately familiar with the various orc tribes.

This girl was a Snake Woman, and she bore the noblest royal bloodline. Could she be a spy? That was Gordon’s first thought. He didn’t want to offend Xu Feng, but as a soldier, he couldn’t let an enemy slip away under his watch. Torn between duty and discretion, he decided to leave the decision to the Duke.

"The Northern Legion is honored by your visit, Viscount. It’s still early—please join us at the camp as our guest."

This was, of course, a polite way of putting it. Xu Feng understood perfectly and smiled. "Then I’ll trouble you."

"After you, Viscount."

Gordon ordered his men to provide a horse. Xu Feng and Arola rode together, the warm, soft girl in his arms, but he felt no urge to tease her. The Young Princess wore a worried expression. "Brother Xu Feng, what should we do?"

"Don’t be afraid. I’ll think of something."

Though he comforted the girl with these words, Xu Feng himself felt uncertain. Duke Assur held immense power and was famously impartial. Having never met him before, persuading him would be no small feat.

Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Let’s take it one step at a time.

With cavalry leading the way and Commander Gordon riding alongside—his hand never leaving his spear, a clear sign of surveillance—Xu Feng didn’t point it out. The iron-clad procession marched toward the military camp.

In the east, the sun rose slowly, its myriad rays of light dispelling the darkness. The dawn scenery was exceptionally beautiful, and early birds began their cheerful chirping as they hunted for worms.

As a main combat legion, the soldiers had already begun their drills. Blades flashed, shouts shook the sky—a magnificent sight. On the command platform sat a dignified middle-aged man, around fifty years old but showing no signs of aging. His entire body radiated vitality, clad in noble and exquisite armor.

This was one of the empire’s three dukes, the Legion Commander of the Northern Legion, the famously stern Duke Assur.

"Commander!" A messenger ran up and knelt on one knee. "Commander Gordon reports that two border-crossers have been captured."

The Duke frowned, puzzled. Why bother him with a minor issue like smuggling? Ever since the border was temporarily closed seven days ago following a clash with the Behemoth King’s forces, patrols had been catching numerous smugglers daily.

"Tell Gordon to handle it according to procedure."

"But..." The messenger didn’t move, his face showing hesitation.

Assur grew displeased. "Did you not hear my order?"

Military discipline in the Northern Legion was strict. The messenger dared not disobey, but remembering Commander Gordon’s instructions, he gritted his teeth and mustered his courage. "Commander, one of the border-crossers is Viscount Xu Feng."

"What does it matter if he’s a viscount?" Assur didn’t even blink. "Anyone who violates my military orders will be punished. Do as I said."

As a man of authority, his words carried an undeniable weight. Beads of sweat formed on the messenger’s forehead. "Yes, sir!"

"Wait!" Assur called back the turning messenger, tapping his head thoughtfully. "You said the viscount’s name was Xu Feng?"

"Yes, Commander!"

"Bring him here."

Assur remembered now—wasn’t Xu Feng the rising noble who had caused such a stir in the capital recently? As a duke commanding a powerful army, he didn’t pay much heed to a newly promoted young noble. But hearing this kid was a miracle doctor, Assur felt curious to meet him.

"Xiaoya, don’t be afraid!"

Xu Feng gently comforted the girl beside him. Arola’s face was pale. Though the Young Princess had a strong personality, she was still a girl and, as a member of a different race, couldn’t help feeling uneasy in a human military camp. As for Xu Feng, he wasn’t too concerned. After all, he was an imperial viscount and a mage. Sneaking across the border wasn’t such a grave offense. No matter how stern Duke Assur might be, he wouldn’t likely make things difficult for him.

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