Chapter 81 The victor gains more than just Jiang...

On April 12th, the army of Dongshao Kingdom was divided into two.

Forty thousand troops arrived at the border of the former "Three Rhinoceros Town," a place of shame for Xuanzhi. Although he never mentioned it again after the incident, he never forgot it. At the start of the great war, it was the first place he wanted to erase.

Therefore, when he marched his troops into Xun, he chose to break through from there.

He personally took command.

However, things did not go smoothly.

All the troops stationed in "Sanxi Town" withdrew to Sanxi Town. This unexpected move aroused Xuanzhi's vigilance.

"Your Highness, let's proceed. Only by passing this step will we have the opportunity to advance further."

Sensing Xuanzhi's hesitation, his general Cheng Hong beside him urged him on. His dark eyes gleamed with an unusual light, fueled by restless ambition. Only by capturing Sanxi Town and erasing their defeat could they proudly move on to the next stage.

Xuanzhi shook his head. He recalled the stunning battle where the Ningdong army stormed Dongshao years ago, and Ji Yujing himself admitted that there were extraordinary individuals within the Ningdong army. Now, with their unpredictable tactics, he had to be cautious. But no matter how careful he was, Sanxi Town was bound to fall.

After gazing silently at the desolate Sanxi Town for a moment, Xuanzhi ordered, "Ten thousand vanguard troops will go in first to scout out the situation."

Cheng Hong immediately accepted the order and personally led 10,000 soldiers into Sanxi Town.

At first, Cheng Hong and his group were quite cautious, and their pace wasn't particularly fast. After traveling for several dozen miles with smooth sailing, their wariness began to fade.

The pace quickened, and just then, as if a horse had stepped on something, a loud neighing sound suddenly rang out.

The unusual movement startled Cheng Hong, but he remained calm and ordered, "All personnel, halt."

"All personnel, halt forward."

The soldiers stopped their horses, but the roar grew louder and louder, as if a force from another world was trying to swallow them whole.

"withdraw."

"withdraw."

He finally gave the order to retreat, but it was too late, or rather, the tidal wave of retreat hastened their deaths.

The ground beneath their feet began to tilt, and they plunged irreversibly into the pit. The fallers soon discovered that the pit was deep and cold, and that once inside, they might never emerge again.

When the ground had completely spun around, the booming sound disappeared, and silence returned.

Cheng Hong, a famous general of Dongshao Kingdom, and more than a thousand soldiers at the forefront completely disappeared.

After a long silence, the thousands of soldiers behind them all showed fear on their faces.

"Did the Ningdong Army set up a secret service?"

"The entire ground was moving, how did they manage that?"

"That's too ruthless."

When the ruthless attacks rained down on the soldiers of Dongshao Kingdom, they began to sigh at the cruelty, having long forgotten how they had brutally slaughtered the civilians of Sanxi Town years ago.

"Quickly, those behind, go back and inform the Crown Prince that we should walk, and the fewer people the better."

Cheng Hong's deputy gave an order to the rear, and a moment later, some people ran back.

Xuanzhi wasn't too surprised when he found out. After all, his previous worries stemmed from concerns that something might be wrong.

There were indeed extraordinary people in Ningdong Army, which is why Ji Yujing dared to send troops to the capital so casually.

After a moment of silence, Xuanzhi suddenly smiled.

He then rode off alone toward the soldiers ahead.

"Your Highness, you mustn't!"

Xuanzhi didn't turn back, and his speed wasn't particularly fast either. The man's strength was undeniable, his methods unique; one couldn't afford to be careless at any time. Upon reaching the front-line troops, he ordered all soldiers to dismount and follow him towards Sanxi Town.

Just as he thought, walking was safe.

But this is just his guess; the destination hasn't been reached yet, and no one can be sure what will happen.

The boundary marker of Sanxi Town came into Xuanzhi's view.

Behind the boundary marker, it was as desolate as a deserted place.

Only one couple had set up a small stove, around which they were roasting fruit and making tea. Despite the enemy's approaching city walls, they remained remarkably relaxed and at ease.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it incomprehensible.

As the commotion drew closer, He Ke stood up and approached the boundary marker.

Looking at Xuanzhi and nearly ten thousand Dongshao soldiers approaching on foot, he suddenly laughed and said, "Crown Prince Xuanzhi, you are indeed a person who knows how to act cautiously?"

The sarcasm in his words was blatant.

Xuanzhi didn't seem to care much. He asked He Ke, "May I meet with the God of War of Ningdong Army?"

He Ke knew who he was asking. "She won't see you, but she asked me to pass on a few words to you."

Xuanzhi: "What did you say?"

He Ke: "After the boundary marker, she did not deploy a single soldier. Crown Prince Xuanzhi just kept moving forward. But whatever the outcome, Crown Prince Xuanzhi will have to bear it himself."

"My wife and I are only here for tea to deliver a message; we have no duty to defend ourselves."

“If Crown Prince Xuanzhi wishes to enter, he may do so at any time. But if he attacks us, he should not be surprised if we are impolite.”

"There are quite a few people drinking tea nearby."

He Ke relayed the message and returned to the small stove.

Perhaps anticipating that Xuanzhi wouldn't give up so easily, he and Mujing placed the small stove to the side, so as not to hinder Xuanzhi and the others from moving forward.

Xuanzhi led his troops forward, crossing the boundary marker. A group of soldiers passed him to scout ahead.

"Bang."

"Bang bang."

This time, they advanced without horses, and the number of people in the area was controlled, but the mechanism was still triggered, and all the soldiers in that area were swallowed up in a very short time.

They cried for help, but quickly disappeared.

Very thoroughly.

Xuanzhi dared not go any further; he didn't know how many more traps like these lay ahead.

Maybe it's gone, but who dares to gamble?

"who is he?"

"who is he?"

By the second note, Xuanzhi could no longer suppress his emotions.

He Ke and Mu Jing, however, acted as if they hadn't heard him and completely ignored him.

Are their young ladies worthy of being seen by a wicked and cruel person like Xuanzhi?

Xuan Zhisheng's most frustrating moment since arriving here has arrived. He had fought Ji Yujing to the death before, and although he did not achieve an overwhelming victory, Ji Yujing did not get any advantage either.

Unlike this time, even when his opponent opened the door for him, he didn't dare to come in. What's worse, he doesn't even know who his opponent is now.

"withdraw."

Xuanzhi arrived with burning passion, but left with cold eyes.

Even so, one must be extremely careful not to step on the traps, lest one come alive but not return alive.

On the way back, Xuanzhi and the others occasionally stepped on traps. The vanguard of more than 10,000 troops had safely retreated to half of the area behind Sanxi Town.

Xuanzhi was furious and only wanted to break through Jingning City to vent his anger through wanton slaughter.

However, what he didn't expect was that there really wasn't a single Ningdong Army soldier behind the boundary marker in Sanxi Town; instead, the most capable individual combat heroes of Xun Kingdom were lying in ambush.

Thousands of people came without being summoned to fight to defend the border.

Xuan Zhi never expected that the person he wanted to see would appear at the boundary marker of Sanxi Town as soon as he walked away.

Her long dress flowed gracefully, and she possessed a beauty that could rival that of a queen.

Along with her emerged a number of chivalrous figures, including young men, middle-aged men, and elderly men.

"Miss, your plan is truly brilliant."

Lin Qingdai subtly curled the corners of her lips. "Xuanzhi, is he really nothing special?"

Lingdong once again withstood the heavy attack from Dongshao, with 40,000 troops against more than 100,000, and managed to defend Jingning City.

On the sixth day of the standoff, reinforcements arrived in Lingdong.

The general, seated high on his horse, roared at Anwu Gate, "Brother, I am Wu Xingwang from the south."

"The one who slaughters pigs."

When Chenshi, the guard of Wu'an Gate heard this, he quickly leaned out of the city tower to look, and when he saw it was true, he was overjoyed.

Reinforcements have arrived.

Reinforcements have arrived.

The portraits of the four southern generals had been shown to the garrison commanders of the main cities as soon as Lin Qingdai returned to Lingdong, and she was ordered to memorize them. Anyone who saw them was to be allowed to pass unconditionally.

"Open the city gates and let them pass."

"The brother army is here! The brother army is here!"

For many years, Ningdong Army had been fighting against Dongshao alone. This was the first time that reinforcements had come to their aid. The soldiers were so excited that they could hardly move, and the sentimental ones were moved to tears.

Wu Xingwang entered the city, his heart filled with excitement.

He, the butcher, has finally made something of himself. Look, even the brothers from Lingdong cried when they saw him.

"Don't worry, I, Wu Xingwang, will slaughter Dongshao's army as easily as killing a pig."

Zhu He led his army into Tianyun City and, without resting, headed straight for Qingshi Pass.

According to the plan, once they captured Qingshi Pass, they could rest there and wait for the Dongshao army to break through Jingning City and join them.

If they can successfully reunite, few forces within the Xun Kingdom can rival their fighting strength. Even if they can't completely conquer the Xun Kingdom, their gains will still be substantial.

Therefore, the army arrived at Qingshi Pass and rested briefly.

Zhuhe then ordered his deputy general Changman to lead 50,000 soldiers to approach Qingshi Pass and challenge them to battle. However, as soon as they started, arrows flew out from the walls of Qingshi Pass, raining down on them from the very beginning.

Overbearing and incredibly oppressive.

It was as if the person in charge of Qing Shi Pass had never considered proceeding step by step; he wanted the Azure Army to die.

"Shieldbearer".

The situation changed drastically, instantly turning Changman's expression cold.

Arrows rained down on the shields and the blue soldiers, their cries of agony completely drowned out by the sound of arrows striking the shields.

Changman had no choice but to order a temporary retreat. But even then, the soldiers inside Qingshi Pass did not let them go.

After a barrage of arrows, the city gates opened on their own without the Azure Army even needing to attack.

The soldiers surged out of the city gate like a tidal wave.

The leader sat high on his horse, his skin dark and his aura menacing.

"Weren't you going to fight? Why did you retreat before it even started?"

It grows silently.

The Blue Army behind him continued to retreat.

Liu Tong'an didn't stop him, continuing to say, "I'll give you a chance."

"If you can take me down in a one-on-one fight, this Qing Shi Pass is yours."

Changman did not believe what he said.

Little did they know that when it came to cunning, Canglan and Dongshao were the true masters.

"Don't believe me? Then let's fight."

Having said that, he spurred his horse and charged towards Changman.

The soldiers behind him charged forward, and the main force of them all came from Liu's army.

Liu Tong'an never intended to seize the throne. He raised an army simply because he knew that those in high positions were ruthless, and he needed troops to protect the people and land he cared about.

The process must have been exhausting, and he lost a lot, so he inevitably wondered if it was worth it.

Now, as he charged ahead of the Azure Army, he had his answer.

All that has happened has been worthwhile.

They ultimately protected the mountains, rivers, and people they wanted to protect. After this battle, the Liu family should no longer need to maintain an army.

Or, like the south, they could hide their troops among the civilians.

The peace and tranquility of the world depend on this battle.

Liu Tong'an's aggressive advance stirred up a ripple in Chang Man's heart, though it wouldn't be accurate to call it panic. No matter how skilled they were, there were only so many men coming out of Qing Shi Pass, and the disparity in strength was too great. As the stalemate dragged on, the defenders' disadvantage would become apparent.

He rode his horse to meet Liu Tong'an, and the two engaged in a fierce battle.

He never expected that the city gates would be closed immediately after they entered Tianyun City. That evening, an old man dressed in gray cloth appeared at the Zhenxi Army camp, and at first, someone tried to stop him.

“Military restricted area, trespassers will be killed.”

The old man's thin lips curved into a smile, and then he took off the straw hat from his head.

The guards at the front of the camp saw his face clearly and immediately burst into tears.

"General."

The guardian deity of Tianyun City has returned safely.

He never imagined that he would never receive reinforcements.

As he gradually lost ground in his battle with Liu Tong'an, Zhuhe faced his lifelong enemy, Wu Tingshan.

Behind him stood the Zhenxi Army, whose morale was high.

Wu Tingshan's "resurrection" revitalized the team, making them stronger than ever before.

Soo-hwa was terrified, and anger began to well up within him.

He stared at Huang Zhenquan with wide, red eyes, looking as if he wanted to devour him alive.

"You're lying to me."

Huang Zhenquan: "So what if I lied to you? I would have wiped out the Azure Army long ago."

With war raging year after year, who can endure it?

Although they managed to defend the city, it took year after year. They and the people of the west should have been living a peaceful and easy life.

"You Xun people are too cunning."

Who could have imagined that Wu Tingshan's death was actually a scheme to lure Canglan and Dongshao into invading Xun Kingdom?

Seeing his old rival's shock and fury, Wu Tingshan felt extremely pleased.

On his horse, he brandished his broadsword and said, "Blame it on your greed."

"At this point, there's no point in saying more."

What's the point of arguing with an enemy?

The only way to end the war is for one side to perish.

"Brothers, kill them!"

"kill."

"Slaughter the Azure Army and avenge our fallen brothers."

The two armies clashed, and the fierce battle began.

Blood flowed like a river in an instant.

However, no one paid attention to the bloodshed and the cries of agony. Their focus was on killing the enemy, on winning.

Wu Tingshan, still sharp as ever, found the battle extremely exhilarating.

They can kill their enemies and no longer need to worry about their achievements overshadowing their master and bringing about the extermination of their entire family.

No one has calculated how long this battle lasted.

All I know is that from dawn to dusk, and then to dawn again, this cycle repeated itself again and again.

The spring breeze was gentle, but it carried with it a strong smell of blood.

Wu Tingshan drew his knife and approached Zhuhe, his eyes bloodshot, his murderous aura chilling and capable of cutting. However, no one was there to shield Zhuhe anymore.

Those who dared to block his way were all dead, and the rest had become fearful. Wherever Wu Tingshan went, the Azure soldiers kept kneeling down and begging for mercy.

Zhuhe was furious, but he knew he was powerless to change the situation.

“Kill them if you want. If we fail here, we still have the Lingdong border.”

"With Ji and Jing gone, who can withstand Xuanzhi?"

After hearing this, Wu Tingshan sneered, "In Xun Kingdom, there are plenty of geniuses who can rival Xuan Zhi."

Both Canglan and Dongshao share a bad habit: mistaking others' forced forbearance for true strength. If they were to fight with the full force of their nation as they are now, they would be nothing more than that.

"It's a pity you won't see how he lost."

Before he could finish speaking, Wu Tingshan drew his knife and charged at Zhu He.

Before Tianpo Prefecture was completely captured, it received reinforcements.

The leader was none other than Zhang Qiyuan. His appearance blatantly revealed his stance, but that was not the case.

To be precise, it should be Zhang Qiyuan, who finally laid bare his ambitions before Ji Yujing.

He wanted the beauty, and he didn't want to miss out on the throne either.

At the end of April, they met at Mingyue Pass in central Tianpo Prefecture.

The victor gains more than just the empire.

There is also the Imperial Moon.