Inside the military tent, no one spoke for a moment, falling into a brief silence.

After a long while, Empress Su Mingyue spoke again.

Her voice was calm, yet it carried an inexplicable force:

"The Cultivation Technique cultivated by the Zongsheng Sect is called the Dushi Sutra, and I have a copy here as well."

"These fifty thousand people have all cultivated it."

"It's just that, so far, we don't know where this Cultivation Technique originated or what hidden dangers it possesses. We only know it can rapidly increase one's strength—even an ordinary person can reach the Skin Refining Realm within three days."

She gestured, and Chunlan retrieved a book from her robe and handed it to Zhou Ming.

Zhou Ming took it and looked. Wasn't this his Dushi Sutra?

However, the three large characters on the cover were not in the handwriting he had written stroke by stroke back in the Marquis's estate study.

Flipping through a couple of pages, Zhou Ming discovered that the handwriting inside was neat yet carried a hint of sharp, flying edges; this book was not copied by him.

Zhou Ming flipped through a few more pages, closed the book, and raised his head. Just as he was about to speak, he hesitantly glanced at the maidservants behind Empress Su Mingyue.

Understanding his concern, Empress Su Mingyue said directly, "Say whatever you have to say. These people are all trustworthy."

Only then did Zhou Ming speak slowly, "If the Eldest Miss only wishes to defend Youzhou, besides these fifty thousand men, you can also have the remaining two hundred thousand soldiers of the Northern Border Cultivate this Cultivation Technique once they are integrated."

"Two hundred thousand in the Skin Refining Realm would be more than enough to defend Youzhou like an iron fortress."

He paused, then changed the subject, "But if the Eldest Miss has grander plans..."

Zhou Ming looked up at Empress Su Mingyue again, only to see her staring at him with burning eyes, waiting for him to continue.

"The Zongsheng Sect has already spread this Cultivation Technique across an entire province."

"In a few days, the entire Great Xia will likely know of the existence of the Dushi Sutra."

"The Cultivation Technique certainly cannot be hidden; sooner or later, it will spread throughout the world."

"Why doesn't the Eldest Miss go with the flow, pass the Cultivation Technique to the forces under your command, and firmly grasp the entire territory of Youzhou in your hands?"

"With two hundred thousand elites cultivating the Dushi Sutra, combined with your subordinate forces, you can not only defend Youzhou but also seize the initiative in this chaotic situation."

"When the time comes, you can repel the Great Yuan to the north and pacify the territory to the south. You will be able to advance to attack and retreat to defend, or even..."

He intentionally left the second half of the sentence unsaid, only looking up at Empress Su Mingyue.

Zhou Ming knew in his heart that Empress Su Mingyue understood his unsaid words completely.

Even contend for the rule of the world.

This was not the first time he had spoken such "rebellious" words in front of Empress Su Mingyue.

The last time he told the story of the female emperor ascending the throne, the Eldest Miss had warned him to watch his head.

This time, however, he brought up the subject face-to-face inside this military tent filled with maps and armor.

The tent was so quiet that one could hear the crackling of the burning torches.

Empress Su Mingyue sat upright in the host's seat, her right hand resting on the shaft of her silver spear, her thumb absentmindedly tracing the patterns on the shaft.

She remained silent for a long time, so long that Zhou Ming thought he had lost his gamble.

Then she raised her head, her gaze falling upon the Dushi Sutra in Zhou Ming's hands.

"The origin of this Cultivation Technique and whether it has hidden dangers are still unknown. Spreading it rashly might not be a good thing."

She did not respond directly, seemingly sidestepping the topic as she spoke in a calm tone.

Zhou Ming lowered his eyes, "The hidden danger of this Cultivation Technique lies in its unknown origin and the unknown consequences after cultivation."

Zhou Ming also went along with Empress Su Mingyue's words and began to spin his tale.

This was his own Cultivation Technique; how could he not know if there were hidden dangers?

The Dushi Sutra did indeed have a trap. For every additional cultivator, another Causal Chain would appear between his brows.

Every time a cultivator died, his cultivation would advance a step further.

But since he was the very person who laid the trap, he naturally could not state it openly.

"However," he changed the subject, looking up to stare earnestly at Empress Su Mingyue.

"Who in this world is not gambling?"

"Some gamble on the rulers, some gamble on their future prospects, some gamble on the good and evil of human nature, and some gamble on life, death, and destiny."

"Scholars from humble backgrounds gamble on one day passing the imperial examinations, willing to endure ten years of hard study in exchange for a place in the imperial court."

"Jianghu martial artists gamble on a lifetime of swords and shadows, risking their lives to seek fame in the Jianghu."

"Merchants gamble on the rise and fall of the times, pouring all their wealth to win immense riches."

"Princes and nobles gamble on court politics, setting up chessboards to vie for the power over the realm."

"Some gamble on deep affection, willing to spend the rest of their lives keeping a promise to grow old together, never asking about the return journey, only guarding their original intentions."

"Some gamble on ambition, trampling on family ties to ascend to lofty heights, discarding warmth, only pursuing hegemony."

"All people in the world are gamblers, born within the chessboard of the Mortal World, walking upon the perilous paths of the earth."

"Using their youth as the wager, their sincerity as the chips, and their lives as the board."

"Some win fame and fortune in their gamble, yet lose their original, true selves."

"Some lose their wealth and prosperity in their gamble, yet gain a peaceful remainder of their lives."

"No one has ever been able to escape this grand gamble of human life. The road ahead is boundless, destiny is unpredictable, and a lifetime of ups and downs is but a single game of win or loss, half a lifetime of drifting."

"What the Eldest Miss needs to gamble on now is not this Cultivation Technique."

"It is time."

"Whether you will be consumed by the hidden dangers of the Cultivation Technique first, or use this power to reach a sufficiently high position before being consumed."

"Once you stand up there, there will naturally be millions of people to find a solution to this hidden danger for you."

"If you fail to stand up there, even if the Cultivation Technique has no hidden dangers..."

Zhou Ming did not continue speaking. Instead, he lowered his hands and stepped aside, saying no more.

Inside the tent, the torches crackled softly, their flickering orange light reflecting on the map and falling upon Empress Su Mingyue's calm brow and eyes.

One could hear a pin drop in the grand tent. The maidservants all lowered their heads and held their breath, none daring to break this stagnant silence.

Empress Su Mingyue gazed deeply at Zhou Ming.

After a long while, she spoke slowly, her voice cold yet carrying an ambiguous tone, "You certainly see things clearly."

Zhou Ming bowed slightly but did not speak further.

"Gambling on time... gambling on human hearts... gambling on the grand trend of the world," Empress Su Mingyue repeated softly, as if chewing over the weight of these words.

"My Su Family has guarded the Northern Border for generations. Our fathers guarded the frontiers, and our young men shed their blood. We have never been destined for a peaceful life."

She stood up, her gaze sweeping across the deep night outside the tent. The mountain wind of Duanyun Ridge howled, carrying a faint aura of grim desolation.

"The Zongsheng Sect uses the Dushi Sutra to win over hearts and bewitch the world; their ambition is plain for all to see."

"The Great Yuan crouches in the northern territory, having long harbored the intention of marching south to swallow our Great Xia."

"Now that the Dynasty is on the verge of collapse, if Youzhou blindly defends, it would be nothing more than waiting for death. Having said this, she looked at the Dushi Sutra in Zhou Ming's hand, her eyes growing a bit more solemn:"

"Having said this, she looked at the Dushi Sutra in Zhou Ming's hand, her eyes growing a bit more solemn:"

"With unknown hidden dangers, spreading it rashly means that if a backlash occurs in the future, fifty thousand or two hundred and fifty thousand soldiers will all become chess pieces or even discarded pieces."

"If we do not spread it, I fear it won't be long before this land of Youzhou turns into purgatory. My Su Family will also..."

She did not finish her sentence, but its meaning was perfectly clear to everyone in the tent.

Nothing but annihilation.

The great mansion is about to collapse, the world is in chaos, the Zongsheng Sect is sweeping through the provinces, and the Great Yuan cavalry glares fiercely at the northern border.

Caught in the cracks of a chaotic world, without strong troops or backup plans, and relying solely on the old border army to hold out, Youzhou will sooner or later be encroached upon and torn to shreds by various forces.

The Su Family has guarded the Northern Border for generations. Once Youzhou falls, this family of loyal martyrs will ultimately only meet the end of a ruined home, dead kin, and unburied bones.

A deep chill returned to Empress Su Mingyue's brow, and her voice hid a trace of forced determination:

"On one side is the unpredictable backlash of the Cultivation Technique, and on the other is the impending ruin of my family. Both paths are perilous; I have long had no choice."