Inside Li Huxin’s main tent, he ordered all attendants and guards to remain outside. Once they were alone, he finally spoke.

"Tell me," Li Huxin said, "what is it you wish to discuss?"

Xiao Fang sat down first and calmly poured himself a cup of tea.

"I only wish to have a friendly conversation," he replied. "Please—sit."

Li Huxin studied him for a moment. He knew it wouldn’t be that simple.

"A friendly conversation?" Li Huxin said.

"Well, I wished to discuss my engagement with your daughter, Li Lian, Xiao Fang replied before communicating through a spirit transmission. {"Don’t be alarmed. We’re being watched."}

Li Huxin’s expression remained unchanged, but the intensity of his gaze sharpened as he sat across from Xiao Fang.

As if reading his thoughts, Xiao Fang continued to speak through a spirit transmission.

{"You won’t find them. They’re observing us from above, beyond the reach of ordinary detection."}

Li Huxin’s jaw tightened. Questions flooded his mind.

"Who is spying on us?"

"How long have they been watching?"

"How much do they already know?"

But if Xiao Fang was telling the truth, then asking them aloud would only reveal more than he could afford.

{"You must have many questions, but I can’t answer them at the moment. I can tell you what I plan to do. But I’ll need your help."}

"You’re my daughter’s fiance. Speak, whatever you need, your father in law will provide it for you."

Xiao Fang cupped his hand respectfully. "Thank you."

They nodded in understanding before Xiao Fang began to tell him his plans.

.

.

.

Night fell over the battlefield.

By then, Li Huxin and the captains had confirmed that three of the six Li Clan generals had been attacked simultaneously. The enemy’s intent was now clear—to fracture their formation and encircle the main army in a single decisive strike.

The Li Clan’s camps were arranged like the head of a spear. Three camps guarded the rear and flanks, two remained in reserve, and Li Huxin’s camp sat at the very tip—poised to strike but also most exposed. Had the beast horde been allowed to pass earlier that day, the main force would have been surrounded.

Inside Li Huxin’s war tent, the atmosphere was heavy but controlled. The elders and commanders quietly reviewed the situation, fully aware of how narrowly disaster had been avoided. The first clash had ended in victory, and more importantly, the army’s morale had surged. The soldiers were no longer merely defending—they were eager to fight.

Throughout the discussion, Xiao Fang remained silent among the captains. More than a few elders cast subtle glances his way. Intentional or not, his actions had forced the Li Clan to move at the precise moment they needed to. The doubts many of them once held were quietly beginning to fade.

"Fang," Li Lian said as she stepped closer. "What did you discuss with my father?"

Her siblings overheard and instinctively leaned in, curious to hear his answer.

Seeing that, Xiao Fang smiled faintly. "Nothing important," he said casually. "We talked about us. Wedding plans."

Li Lian narrowed her eyes, while her siblings immediately lost interest, shaking their heads in disappointment.

Xiao Fang was a bit amused before explaining the truth to Li Lian through a spirit transmission.

Her eyes widened for a brief instant before she quickly masked her reaction.

"...Are you serious?" she asked quietly.

"What?" Xiao Fang replied lazily. "About the wedding?"

Li Lian pinched his arm. "You know exactly what I mean."

Xiao Fang smirked. "Mn. It’s exactly as I told you."

Her surprise deepened—not just at the plan itself, but at the fact that her father had agreed to it.

"Don’t leave me out of this," Li Lian said earnestly.

Xiao Fang nodded. "I don’t intend to."

Soon, discussion about their next move filled the tent. Strategies were proposed, revised, and argued over, yet Li Huxin remained uncharacteristically silent throughout it all.

Just as the others began to notice, a messenger entered and handed him a sealed scroll.

Li Huxin read it slowly.

Then he looked up.

"We’ve been ordered to pull back."

The tent stirred.

"Retreat?"

"We still have no eyes or ears on their army."

"That might be exactly why the order was given."

"But gathering intelligence is our responsibility. If we withdraw now, won’t we be completely blind?"

"Our strength has already been heavily damaged," another said. "It makes sense for the Patriarch to consolidate the clan’s forces." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

As the discussion continued, Xiao Fang’s thoughts darkened.

’Is the Patriarch simply cautious... or has our communication already been compromised?’

He agreed that maintaining their current formation was no longer ideal. The Song Clan now understood the Li Clan’s strengths and weaknesses all too well. Yet a full retreat carried its own danger. Even a defensive formation required scouts, supply units, and forward observers.

If every camp withdrew to the main army now, they wouldn’t be regrouping... they’d be sitting ducks.

"Father," Li Shan said carefully. "If we pull back now, won’t the Song Clan press the advantage?"

Li Huxin didn’t answer right away. His fingers tightened around the scroll before slowly relaxing.

"The order is clear," he said at last. "We withdraw at dawn. All camps will regroup with the main force."

Murmurs rippled through the tent—uneasy, restrained.

Li Lian glanced toward Xiao Fang. He hadn’t spoken yet, but she could tell he was thinking of something.

Li Huxin’s gaze swept across the tent, lingering briefly on each captain before settling on Xiao Fang.

"Our formation is changing," he continued evenly. "And with it, our needs. Some teams will be dissolved. Others reassigned. Before we move at dawn, everyone will know exactly where they stand."

That explanation alone eased some of the tension. A retreat was one thing—but an unstructured retreat was another. If Li Huxin was reorganizing before withdrawing, then at least there was still intent behind the order.

Li Lian let out a quiet breath and glanced again at Xiao Fang.

He remained silent, arms folded, blindfold hiding his expression. But she could tell—this wasn’t a passive acceptance. Whatever he was thinking, it was already several steps ahead.

"When?" one captain asked.

"Tonight," Li Huxin replied. "Gather our soldiers within the hour. I want everyone present."

Several captains nodded, already beginning to think through how their teams might change. Others exchanged looks, uneasy but obedient.

The meeting was dismissed soon after.