"If Liangshan wants to unify the country, it must speed up its pace; it absolutely cannot afford to delay!" Cao Ya thought to himself.
If things get bogged down, the outcome could very well be unfavorable.
There was no other way. After Liangshan defeated the Song army several times but refused to surrender to the Song court, it showed that this water stronghold had gradually broken out of the game and was no longer moving forward according to the plans of the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden and the others.
How could those immortals and gods sit idly by?
With the intervention of the Heavenly Court, the Illusionary Realm, and the Crimson Palace... it would be as difficult as ascending to heaven for Liangshan to conquer the Southern Continent again!
The only way to break the deadlock is to speed up the process and defeat Song Ting and others before the various forces figure out the root cause of the changes and make up their minds.
"To be honest, if Song Jiang and his men had mediated properly, it wouldn't have been impossible for them to have accomplished the great feat of founding a nation!"
Cao Ya could see that each of the 108 Demon Stars was at the Great Luo Realm, and the most powerful among them, such as Wu Song, Lu Zhishen, Lu Junyi, and Lin Chong, were at the peak of the Great Luo Realm, approaching the Quasi-Saint level.
Furthermore, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Spirits and Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends often possess extraordinary abilities.
For example, Dai Zong's escape techniques, Shi Qian's concealment skills, and An Daoquan's medical skills...
If the leaders and subordinates are of one mind and united as one, Liangshan has the potential to become a nation.
It's important to understand that the basic base of a humane dynasty is never particularly large; often, a single county is sufficient. Subsequently, if the monarch possesses military and political capabilities, they can recruit nobles, aristocratic families, and even sons from humble backgrounds and the poor, while also subduing enemy civil and military officials. In this way, the various meritorious groups are essentially established, making it even more capable of conquering the entire land and establishing their rule over the world!
Furthermore, although the heroes of Liangshan were generally from humble backgrounds, they were involved in many different aspects of life.
There aren't enough people to govern prefectures and counties, but setting up a small imperial court is a perfect solution, even if it's small.
In fact, Liangshan today is well-ordered, with each leader having a clear role and being well-suited to their abilities. There is no overstepping of authority or outsiders directing insiders.
"Although both Water Margin and Dream of the Red Chamber are tragedies, their specific circumstances are different."
Cao Ya thought to himself:
"The Water Margin depicts the fate of those who are forced to join the Liangshan bandits, then surrender to the imperial court, only to die in vain, thus revealing the ultimate fate of those who surrender."
"On the other hand, the decline and demise of the Jia family in the Dream of the Red Chamber, along with the numerous nobles, commoners, and servants, reveals the darkness of ancient society."
"The Demon Star and the Golden Hairpin are the key figures in the two cases. Their life experiences serve as the chessboard, guiding the destiny of humanity."
"The best way to break this deadlock, of course, is for a group of heroes and a group of girls, all possessing unparalleled magical powers, to sweep across the Great Song Dynasty and the Great Shen Kingdom, and then defeat the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden and the Fairy Disenchantment..."
"As for the Jade Emperor, Daoist Taixu, and Daoist Chixia, there is no need for them to worry."
Cao Ya thought to himself that he and Sun Wukong were enough to withstand the three powerful figures and protect everyone.
Under his subtle guidance, the disaster at Grand View Garden resulted in the deaths of all demons and watchers. Even the bald-headed monk and the lame Taoist priest were severely injured. All the young ladies reached the Great Luo Realm, and the strongest two, Daiyu and Baochai, if they were to unite, would rival even Quasi-Saints!
The journey of the Water Margin should yield some results, at least the establishment of Liangshan as a state, which seems to be within reach at present.
Whether the newly formed nation can withstand attacks from all sides and gain a foothold depends on the abilities of the Demon Stars.
Cao Ya will at most offer some guidance from the shadows, but he won't actually participate.
Because, whether it's the Golden Hairpin or the Demon Star, they all have to actively rebel against the gods and wield their weapons!
******
"We only need to hold our ground and wait until the Song army is in dire need of supplies and exhausted before we launch our attack!"
Inside the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness, Dai Zong and Shi Qian reported the situation of the Song army camp, which greatly pleased Song Jiang, and they quickly finalized the plan.
All the leaders agreed that Song Jiang's performance in military campaigns was beyond question.
Liangshan would occasionally send out small teams, led by three or five demon stars, to engage in battle, but they would not stay long. They would usually make a brief contact and then leave, with other leaders to meet them, and nothing much would happen.
Because the waters were vast and filled with countless magical formations and hidden treasures that could be ambushed at any moment, the Song army dared not take the risk and had to eliminate them one by one, slowly approaching the strategic location of Liangshan.
However, this was not the Song army's primary task.
The Song army's objective was to plunder the land, even from a place as vast as the sky.
This caused widespread discontent among the local people and even the gentry.
In comparison, the original Liangshan were much more sophisticated in their methods of extorting money.
With this comparison, Liangshan's reputation soared, and it practically won over the hearts and minds of the people.
Of course, with 200,000 Song soldiers stationed there, who would dare to actually surrender to Liangshan?
With no other choice, people fled their homes and headed to places like Henan and Jiangsu.
Meanwhile, Emperor Daojun of the Song court also sent people to inquire of Gao Qiu and Tong Guan why they had not launched an attack and why they had not achieved any results.
Although the two were enjoying the emperor's favor and Cai Jing was covering for them in court, they could not delay any longer.
In addition, the surrounding millions of miles of natural treasures have long been monopolized by them, leaving nothing behind...
It's time to flatten Liangshan Marsh!
However, what did Gao Qiu and Tong Guan know about military affairs? Their troop deployment and formation were a complete mess, and they were unaware of the principle that only by gathering intelligence and knowing oneself and one's enemy can one win every battle.
"Kill!!!" The Song army beat their drums, the sound deafening, and attacked Liangshan from multiple directions. However, the leaders, along with their naval and infantry forces, relied on the terrain, and displayed the power of their magical formations and treasures, easily blocking the attack.
Gao Qiu was furious upon seeing this and shouted, "How dare you say that Liangshan is so insignificant that my 200,000 troops have accomplished nothing? Men, pass on my order to mobilize all our treasures to break through the immortal formation, and then slaughter Liangshan without leaving a single survivor!"
The guards on the left and right obeyed the order and left. Soon, several elite thousand-man teams, under the command of the high-level Da Luo, formed a military formation. All their magical power was concentrated on the centurion, which helped him get infinitely closer to the Quasi-Saint realm.
"Boom!!!"
These teams attacked Liangshan, causing the wind and clouds to change color, and the aura of immortals to surge, creating a magnificent and imposing force.
Many of the Song soldiers were convicts exiled and not from respectable families; their fighting ability and loyalty were not very good.
Song Ting's actions can be seen as eliminating some factors that could cause social unrest, but they led to a sharp decline in the army's combat effectiveness.
But after all, it was an army of 200,000. How could it be possible if there weren't some elite soldiers from good families among them?
Those soldiers were all from the Celestial Realm, and the centurions and above had even broken through to the Great Luo Realm!
A team of a thousand men can easily hunt down an ordinary army of ten thousand!
The fact that even such elite troops were mobilized demonstrates Gao Qiu and Tong Guan's determination to succeed.
"The Liangshan bandits are doomed," Tong Guan said with a sneer.
"Once we take Liangshan, I promise the soldiers that we will not sheath our swords for three days! Of all the money and treasures we obtain, fifty percent will be ours, and the other fifty percent will be handed over to the emperor!" Gao Qiu shouted. With his peak Great Luo realm, his words were enough to spread far and wide, ensuring that all 200,000 Song soldiers knew about it.
Instantly, the Song army's spirits soared, and their gazes toward Liangshan Marsh turned blood red!
Liangshan, spanning eight million li, was able to support an army of one hundred thousand, demonstrating its abundant resources.
Furthermore, the corpses of cultivators, such as flesh and bones, and even weapons and armor, are all excellent items!
Even if half of it was handed over, the remaining amount still allowed the Song soldiers to achieve a great harvest.
Moreover, Liangshan has no shortage of female relatives of leaders and noble families. They can do whatever they want and have a great time.
Under such temptation, the Song army's fighting strength doubled!
"The Song army is going to massacre the city?" Hearing this, the people in Liangshan were filled with rage.
As bandits, they plundered prefectures and counties, but they only killed wealthy households and beheaded officials. The resources they obtained were still considerable, which they would distribute to the surrounding people.
Because of the clear orders of their leader Song Jiang, they never raised their swords against the common people. Anyone who dared to commit a crime would be dealt with according to military law! — Song Jiang's military discipline was actually quite strict. While he wouldn't say that they would commit the slightest offense, he was close to it.
As it turned out, the so-called imperial soldiers were far more ruthless than these bandits...
Especially the words of Tong Guan and Gao Qiu, which seemed to indicate that victory was assured, that Liangshan was like grasshoppers in autumn, and that they even announced to the 200,000 Song soldiers that they would not sheath their swords for three days...
It's absolutely unbearable!
For a time, the 100,000-strong Liangshan army was united in their hatred of the enemy and their fighting spirit was high!
"Brother, let me go and lead the army in a fierce charge to crush the Song army's arrogance!"
The five tiger generals of the cavalry, namely Guan Sheng with his broadsword, Lin Chong with his leopard head, Qin Ming with his thunderbolt, Hu Yanzhuo with his double whips, and Dong Ping with his double spears, as well as the cavalry generals such as Hua Rong with his little Li Guang, Xu Ning with his golden spear, Yang Zhi with his blue face, and Suo Chao with his swift vanguard, all volunteered for the mission.
"Let's go too! We'll defeat the Song army, capture Tong Guan and Gao Qiu, and present them to our brother and Lin Chong!"
The infantry leaders, such as Lu Zhishen the Flowery Monk, Wu Song the Pilgrim, Li Kui the Black Whirlwind, Yan Qing the Prodigal Son, and Shi Xiu the Desperate Saburo, were all full of fighting spirit.
"Brothers, let's leave this battle to our navy!"
The eight naval leaders, namely Li Jun the River Dragon, Zhang Heng the Boat Fire, Zhang Shun the White Stripe in the Waves, Ruan Xiaoer the Standing Tyrant, Ruan Xiaowu the Short-lived Second Brother, Ruan Xiaoqi the Living Yama, Tong Wei the Cave Dragon, and Tong Meng the River Mirage, were full of vigor and wanted to lead the Liangshan navy to fight against the elite vanguard of the Song army.
Seeing that the morale was good, Song Jiang was very pleased.
Unexpectedly, he did not agree. He only requested that the water fortress be held, all formations be activated, and the magical treasures be manifested to stop the Song army. No external confrontation was allowed.
"Brother!" The leaders were alarmed. They had been bullied so badly, and the brother wasn't even fighting back?
"Brothers, the Song army outnumbers our Liangshan forces twice as much. To achieve victory in this battle, we cannot afford to be complacent or reckless. Heed my command, and there will surely be a time for us brothers to fight to our hearts' content," Song Jiang said.
Because of Song Jiang's prestige, everyone had no choice but to agree.
Immediately, they each departed to guard the water fortress and pass, protecting the eight million li of territory without any mishaps.
"Boom!!" Celestial light soared, and radiant glow spread, covering millions of miles and becoming one.
Countless magical treasures shimmered within the immortal array, infused with the magical power of a hundred thousand troops, yet they remained indestructible, possessing an aura of immortality.
No matter how the 200,000 Song soldiers attacked, even though Lingbao was damaged, they could never break into Liangshan.
This battle of attack and defense lasted for several days, and the Song army inevitably became demoralized and somewhat exhausted.
However, the thousands of elite troops still possess peak combat strength, and their decline is not significant.
But Tong Guan and Gao Qiu, seeing this, stopped looking at the dancers' graceful figures and instead flew into the sky, scanning the surroundings with grim expressions.
"Damn it! So many days, a full two hundred thousand soldiers, and you can't even take down a single marsh?"
"What use are you? You only know how to eat and waste the resources of my Great Song Dynasty."
The two men cursed and rebuked the generals, as well as the centurions and other officers, demanding that they exert all their strength and burn their life force to break through the eight million li water fortress within half a month!
The generals, also burning with anger, cursed the army. Their battle formations stretched out, incorporating magical power, but they still couldn't break through.
As time went on, the soldiers grew tired and became increasingly agitated by the constant scolding.
At this moment, they all wished Liangshan would immediately send out its three armies to fight them!
But Liangshan remained unmoved, relying on its advantageous terrain to hold out.
As the saying goes, "One should strike while the iron is hot, but the momentum will wane after a second attempt and be completely exhausted after a third." When the massive offensive continued for several months but still failed to capture Liangshan, the Song army's morale completely collapsed.
Even Tong Guan and Gao Qiu were speechless. Liangshan was truly a coward!
They sent men to the front lines to hurl insults, but Liangshan ignored them and no one responded.
This left the 200,000 Song soldiers feeling like they'd punched cotton, unable to exert their strength and extremely frustrated.
"A bunch of cowards." Gao Qiu spat and had no choice but to order the army to return to camp and rest for ten or fifteen days before launching another attack.
The Song army had been waiting for this order, and they eagerly withdrew from the front lines and returned to their camp.
However, at that very moment, deep within Liangshan, gongs and drums resounded, and shouts of battle echoed through the sky!
"What's going on? How dare Liangshan attack?" Tong Guan glared.
They weren't all scared out of their wits...
"Kill them!!!"
At this moment, the 100,000 cavalry, infantry, and naval troops of Liangshan, under the command of their respective leaders, had bloodshot eyes, raised their sacred treasures, and went all out to attack the Song army!
After enduring months of beatings and enduring countless insults, everyone was seething with anger, wishing they could raze the Song army camp to the ground and capture Gao Qiu and Tong Guan alive!
Jade Kirin Lu Junyi, Cloud Dragon Gongsun Sheng, and others also made their moves, demonstrating the strength of the peak of the Great Luo!
Even Dai Zong, Shi Qian, and others joined the battle.
Only Song Jiang and a few other leaders, such as Wu Yong, Zhu Wu, and An Daoquan, stood on Liangshan Mountain to observe the battle and make adjustments based on the situation and their orders.
"Don't panic! The Liangshan bandits only outnumber our troops. We can win with superior numbers!" Tong Guan shouted, ordering the Song army to turn around and meet the enemy.
The problem was that the Song army had lost its morale and its magical power was greatly depleted. Seeing the aggressive momentum of Liangshan, they couldn't help but feel timid.
"ah!!!"
Immediately, the Song army was thrown into disarray by the Liangshan attack. Generals, commanders of thousands and hundreds were severely wounded and their blood was spilled on the battlefield under the attacks of Lu Junyi, Gongsun Sheng, Lin Chong, Huyan Zhuo, Qin Ming, Yang Zhi, as well as Wu Song, Lu Zhishen, Shi Xiu, Yan Qing, Li Kui and other leaders!
Upon witnessing this scene, the generals were all seriously wounded, and the Song soldiers below were terrified.
In an instant, the 200,000 Song soldiers scattered like monkeys falling from a tree, and were relentlessly pursued and killed by the 100,000 Liangshan troops!
Even those thousands of elite troops could not withstand the overwhelming tide of the war. On the verge of destruction, several generals stepped forward, leading their elite troops to fight against the formidable leaders of Liangshan!
"Retreat quickly!" However, Tong Guan and Gao Qiu, their hands and feet were ice-cold, knew something was wrong, and had already ordered their men to retreat immediately!
"Foolish!" Even Cao Ya, who couldn't predict the outcome of the battle, couldn't help but shake his head.
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