The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 733: Hero Father, Hero Son!

Hero Father, Hero Son! . . .

Cha Nantian's heart sank with the overwhelming belief that Cha Eun Xiao had likely been defeated in the battle. For him, it seemed an almost certain outcome.

After a few moments of anguish, Cha Nantian regained his composure and turned to the vice-general, his voice heavy with emotion. "My son, Cha Eun Xiao... Is he still among the living?" That was the singular question that dominated his thoughts at that moment—to know that his son had survived the ordeal.

For Cha Nantian, the idea of Cha Eun Xiao emerging victorious in the war was nothing more than a distant, unrealistic aspiration. Instead, he clung to the hope that his son had survived. "He's not a worthless youth. And Song Jue should be at his side. Maybe there's a glimmer of hope?"

The vice-general was puzzled by Cha Nantian's question. He had just delivered the report to the general, and it was nothing short of exhilarating news. The vice-general was perplexed as to why Cha Nantian was doubting such a glorious victory.

"Why do you ask this?" The vice-general responded, his curiosity getting the better of him. "I have just read the report to you. It's thrilling news—Commander Ye achieved a tremendous victory! Of course, he is alive! How could he be... gone?"

However, before the vice-general could explain further, Cha Nantian's excitement broke through his words. "What? What, what, what?" He was almost incredulous. "We won? Cha Eun Xiao won? Are you being serious?"

The vice-general, trying to contain his enthusiasm, affirmed, "No, Commander! How could I joke about such a matter? Congratulations! A hero father, a hero son! Young Commander Ye's performance was truly exceptional..."

The vice-general's proclamation electrified those who overheard it.

"Commander Ye's son, the other Commander Ye, defeated Wenren Jianyin!"

"He won the battle with significantly fewer troops!"

"What a miraculous feat!"

"Two exceptional generals in a single family, both of them legendary figures!"

"Every great achievement is unparalleled!"

"They're both living legends!"

The entire crowd was swept up in jubilation, except for Cha Nantian, who was lost in thought. He could think of nothing else.

His prevailing emotion was joy—undeniably, Cha Eun Xiao was alive.

"He won!"

"He vanquished Wenren Jianyin with one hundred and eighty thousand troops!"

"He defeated the renowned general of the world, Lan-Feng's War God!"

Cha Nantian couldn't believe the extraordinary news. Eager to validate it, he snatched the report and scrutinized it word by word. After reading it in its entirety, he fell into a contemplative silence.

Suddenly, he bellowed, his voice reaching the sky like thunder. Then he laughed, but the laughter was tempered by the tears that welled up in his eyes.

"My dear, did you witness that?"

"Our son!"

"He has matured into a remarkable man!"

"He has astounded the world, much like his father!"

"You've not been let down."

"Your son didn't disappoint."

"Just wait for me. We'll be reunited soon."

He was ecstatic. "Keep moving! But we can slow down a bit now. No need to rush. Hahahaha..."

It was a rare sight to see Commander Ye, typically a solemn and stern figure, laughing so heartily.

"Congratulations, Commander!"

"Like father, like son. Both of you are Commanders Ye!"

"Hahahaha..."

The congratulations and well-wishes kept pouring in. Cha Nantian felt like he was on the path to extreme happiness. His continuous smile surprised those around him, even the guards who had served under him for years.

"How rare! After all these years, we're finally seeing Commander Ye so happy!"

"Yes, it's quite unusual. We've never seen him laugh like this."

Another day passed, and news of Cha Eun Xiao's retreat for a woman reached the Northern Army. Silence enveloped the camp.

Everyone understood that this was not good news. A field commander sometimes acted against the king's orders, but Cha Eun Xiao had retreated without prior notice, relinquishing conquered lands to the enemy. This was tantamount to treason or, at the very least, misconduct. It was a serious offense.

To make matters worse, a beautiful girl was involved—the princess of the Kingdom of Lan-Feng. If the king chose to investigate, Cha Eun Xiao might be charged with treason, which could lead to the extinction of his entire family.

"Oh, yes. I've heard that Cha Eun Xiao has killed many young men from influential families, which has irked many court officials. Most of the time, they excel in debates with the king's favor. Now they have a pretext to call for Cha Eun Xiao's execution. They will definitely seize the opportunity!"

"This is a dire situation!"

"More than just dire!"

No one dared to speak up. Their troubled expressions revealed that they were at a loss for how to address this predicament.

Yet, Cha Nantian remained calm, his smile unwavering. He appeared unruffled.

"Commander, this is troubling news," one of the generals spoke softly. "The young man acted recklessly. Commander, perhaps we should plan how to handle the court officials in case anything happens to our young commander."

"I agree," another general chimed in. "The young man may be lovestruck, but we are still at war. Sacrificing one's nation for a woman..."

A third general pondered, "What should we do? Those worthless court officials will undoubtedly try to tarnish Commander Ye and the young commander. They may even conspire to annihilate the House of Cha. We must take action."

"Our young commander is truly audacious. He led the army back for a woman. I know it was wrong and disgraceful, but it took real courage... Like father, like son. It's just that this is a mess that won't be easy to clean up."

The generals discussed their concerns, each weighed down by worry.