The Liangshan army defeated Fang La, the Holy Duke of Jiangnan, and secured the strategically important Jiangnan region in a single battle...
In the process, they also annexed tens of thousands of Song soldiers, further increasing their strength...
When the news spread, the world was shocked!
Leaving aside the Song Dynasty, the Liao Dynasty, and Tian Hu of Hebei in the Southern Continent, there are also the Great Shen Kingdom in the Eastern Continent, as well as the Northern Continent and the Western Continent, all of which are under close scrutiny by many powerful forces.
Could it be that the Southern Continent is about to undergo another dynastic change?
Liangshan's strength had reached an incredible level, and it seemed that a strategic offensive could be launched against the Song Dynasty!
As for Song Jiang's rewarding merits and promoting soldiers, these were all standard operating procedures.
Cao Ya knew that, faced with the growing power of Liangshan, the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden and her allies would not be able to sit still.
Next, it seems they will have to use every means at their disposal to suppress Liangshan and bring it back to the "true path of Water Margin".
Unexpectedly, the Liangshan army, with one burst of energy, defeated the Song army, conquered cities and territories, and even captured the capital city of Tokyo, killing Cai Jing and others, and even taking down the Daoist emperor.
Throughout this process, there was no sign of intervention from the heavens.
"It seems that the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden and the Fairy Disenchantment are planning to bet heavily on the Liao Dynasty and achieve a decisive victory in one battle. They also know that although the Song Dynasty is economically developed, militarily it is utterly incompetent. Expecting the Song court to defeat the rising Liangshan forces... is nothing short of a pipe dream!"
Cao Ya pondered that in the original story, the Liao Dynasty had many reincarnated immortals and gods who descended to the mortal realm to face tribulations. Now, under the emergency order, even more immortals and Buddhas would be reincarnated in the Liao Dynasty, or even openly descend to the mortal realm!
"The war between Liangshan and the Liao Dynasty was truly related to the hegemony of the Southern Continent and also closely related to the fate of the Heavenly Stars and Earthly Fiends."
Cao Ya thought to himself, "I really admire Liangshan today. They have strict military discipline, clear rewards and punishments, and strong fighting power!"
Then a large group of immortals, Buddhas, demons and monsters will descend to stop Liangshan's northern expedition... It will not be an easy task!
Moreover, by this point, the Song court had been destroyed, Liangshan had changed hands, and the so-called Water Margin had been shattered.
The initial goal can be said to have been half achieved.
"However, Emperor Daojun and others still shamelessly surrendered to Liangshan, hoping to be granted the title of duke or marquis. Although not an emperor, they would still be nobles and enjoy wealth and honor..."
The fact that someone like Daojun Emperor could become an emperor in the human world is simply a corruption of the court!
He doesn't look like a ruler at all!
In order to unite the people, Song Jiang did not kill Emperor Daojun. Originally, he thought that Emperor Daojun was, after all, an emperor, and to save face, he might commit suicide to be enshrined in the ancestral temple of the Zhao Song Dynasty. Who knew that Emperor Daojun would surrender without blushing and without feeling any shame.
In this regard, Song Jiang felt ashamed of his own inferiority.
"If the previous officials of the Zhao family found out, they would probably be so angry they would vomit blood." Song Jiang shook his head.
In the mortal dynasties of the Earthly Immortal Realm, those who have made great contributions to the human race will enter the Fire Cloud Cave after abdicating. Although there are still some restrictions, the degree of freedom is still quite high, and the backlash from the human fortune is very weak.
But those without any achievements are definitely not qualified to go to the Fire Cloud Cave.
Therefore, the founding emperor would often use his powerful quasi-saintly strength, along with rare and precious materials and divine ingredients, to create blessed lands and grottoes, which would be built with the nation's fortune and could be inhabited by mediocre rulers of later generations.
Of course, some civil and military officials could also enter and enjoy the benefits.
For such an ancestral court, subsequent dynasties would not exterminate it completely.
Firstly, fortunes change, and in a million years, one's own dynasty may decline and be overthrown by future generations. Therefore, one should not push things too far at this time.
Secondly, so many emperors, civil officials, and military generals from previous dynasties were all within the ancestral temple, making a direct attack unlikely.
This imperial ancestral court, influenced by the fortune of humanity, is indeed lacking in the ability to launch an offensive, but when it focuses on defense... even the combined forces of seven or eight quasi-saints cannot break through it!
Not to mention, Emperor Taizu of Song and others were also in Huoyun Cave, so they had to be given some face.
Moreover, this would also appease the people and allow Liangshan to quickly subdue the former territory of the Zhao Song dynasty and govern it effectively.
“That guy will never be welcomed by the Zhao Song ancestral court in this lifetime,” Song Jiang said, and arranged for people to take the Daojun Emperor away.
“If he were to commit suicide to die for his country… even if the country he governs is a complete mess, he would still have the integrity to be enshrined in the ancestral temple. But now…” Wu Yong shook his head. This kind of trash can become an emperor?
"Your Majesty, when will the Northern Expedition begin?" Yang Zhi asked.
All eyes turned to Song Jiang.
Although the change of dynasty was successful and Song Jiang had transformed from Star King to Star Emperor, and the new Great Star Dynasty had replaced the Great Song Dynasty to govern the country, the Great Star Dynasty still had to continue the Great Song Dynasty's unfinished Northern Expedition!
The states of Tianhu in Hebei, the Liao Dynasty, and even the Western Xia and Dali were all to be pacified one by one.
The world is still unsettled, and many wars remain to be fought.
"This matter should be addressed sooner rather than later," Song Jiang pondered. The corruption that wealth and honor can inflict on soldiers is something that no one can reverse.
The soldiers of Liangshan are very capable fighters now, but if this drags on, things could get unpredictable.
However, Song Jiang should not be too hasty, after all, the new dynasty has just been established and everything needs to be rebuilt.
Laws, taxes, military system, official system, nobility system, and so on, still require Song Jiang's approval.
Of course, Song Jiang would also learn from the experiences and lessons of past dynasties and reform the shortcomings.
He was the founding emperor of the Great Xing Dynasty, who seized power on horseback and had great prestige. When he implemented policies, they were at least able to be put into practice, if not without resistance.
Future generations may not necessarily have this ability.
Meanwhile, Song Jiang dispatched a force to conquer the Dali Kingdom, bringing all of the southwestern lands under his control.
Song Jiang also paid close attention to the movements in the north, and put Dai Zong and Shi Qian in charge of the intelligence department to carefully investigate the Liao Dynasty's reaction so that he could respond in a timely manner.
Finally, Song Jiang stabilized the country and personally led the Northern Expedition. His subordinates, now all dukes and marquises, also protected him as he embarked on the expedition!
The massive army swept through the land with unstoppable momentum, inflicting a crushing defeat on Tian Hu of Hebei and bringing that region under the control of the Great Xing Dynasty.
Afterwards, they arrived at the border, where the Liao soldiers and the Western Xia army joined forces and confronted the Xingchao army.
“So many immortals and Buddhas.” Gongsun Sheng’s gaze darkened.
With his quasi-saint power, he could clearly see the vast number of immortals and gods in the Liao camp.
"So what if people come from heaven? If they block our path to unification, then we'll send them to the Western Paradise!" Yang Zhi said. The wish that his ancestors could not fulfill, he might be able to accomplish in this lifetime.
After the establishment of the Great Star Dynasty, Yang Zhi, the Blue-Faced Beast, was granted the title of Duke and Marquis, and was considered to be on the verge of becoming a quasi-saint.
There are many others like him, such as Hua Rong, Li Kui, Qin Ming, and Xu Ning.
Lu Junyi, Yan Qing, and Shi Xiu, like Gongsun Sheng, Wu Song, Lu Zhishen, and Lin Chong, had advanced to the Quasi-Saint level through their own cultivation, and with the blessing of human fortune, they became even more terrifying!
Without a doubt, the power of the Great Star Dynasty is extremely terrifying; it even has double-digit numbers of Quasi-Saints.
Regardless of how he broke through to the next realm, he certainly possessed quasi-saintly power while in power!
The veterans are also formidable, well-versed in military tactics and formations, and capable of unleashing their full potential!
No one believed that the Liao Dynasty, which had not fought or waged war for a long time, could stop them.
The Western Xia army is not a threat.
The only thing they fear is the group of immortals and gods who have descended to the mortal realm!
"Star Emperor, your journey ends here."
The emperor of the Liao Dynasty also personally led the expedition, with his great banner fluttering in the wind, gleaming with awe-inspiring divine light.
With the support of the celestial beings, the ruler of the Liao Kingdom also became a remarkable quasi-saint.
Feeling the increase in strength, the ruler of the Liao Dynasty was full of confidence.
Even if we don't advance south, capturing Tokyo, which has become the capital of the Xing Dynasty, would be enough to protect the Liao borders, so it shouldn't be a big problem.
"The world has been in chaos for too long. I, Song Jiang, am about to unify the Southern Continent and bring peace to all living beings. The Song Emperor cannot stop me, and you, Liao Emperor, will not make me stop either!" Song Jiang said.
A large flag bearing the character "星" (star) flutters in the wind, its surface shimmering with starlight, illuminating the heavens.
"Boom!" Responding to the emperor, the armies on both sides shouted, their magical power surging, their momentum overwhelming, enough to intimidate even quasi-saints!
In fact, there are more than ten quasi-saints on both sides.
As for the Great Luo, that's in the three digits! If he gets the buff from the battle formation, four digits wouldn't be surprising!
The Liao Dynasty did not originally possess such strong national power, but the addition of immortals and gods naturally gave it a significant boost, making it even more formidable than at the founding of the dynasty!
"So that's Song Jiang? Ha, he's really gained real power."
In the Liao army, the quasi-saints looked around, scrutinizing the Xingchao generals in the south, their faces grim.
"They're just Heavenly Stars and Earthly Fiends, yet they've grown to this level... The Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden and Fairy Disenchantment have failed in their duties." A powerful Quasi-Saint expressed his dissatisfaction, actually making them come down and pay for the mistakes of those few...
These people, whether from the Heavenly Court, the Illusionary Realm, or the Crimson Palace, were all subordinates of the Three Powers.
They possess the strength of mid-level Quasi-Saints, early-level Quasi-Saints, and peak-level Great Luo Immortals, and are not weak.
There are several even among the high-level quasi-saints!
Otherwise, how could ordinary quasi-saints dare to speak out against someone like the Jade Emperor's trusted general, who was also the powerful quasi-saint Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden? Even if they had grievances, they would endure them.
"This is the decree of the Great Celestial Venerable. If you do not wish to participate in the war, you may leave." The voice of the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden rang in everyone's ears, calm and composed, seemingly unperturbed by the matter.
The high-ranking quasi-saint sneered but remained silent.
"On the Water Margin side, we joined the Liao camp in order to crush the Xing Dynasty, but on the Red Mansion side..." A white-haired high-level quasi-saint raised a question.
"Rest assured, the Great Celestial Venerable and the others have made proper arrangements for this," said the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden calmly.
As circumstances change, the three powers can no longer remain complacent and have decided to begin reaping the rewards ahead of schedule!
Even if the effect is not good, it's better than nothing!
Both cases were closed down simultaneously, with the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden and the Fairy Disenchantment in charge, and many Quasi-Saints and Great Luo Immortals were dispatched to cooperate and follow their orders.
"Actually, Monkey and I both want to wait a little longer."
In Huaguo Mountain, Cao Ya muttered to himself.
At this point, the situation became clear, and he returned to Flower Fruit Mountain to observe the two continents with Sun Wukong.
“We can’t wait any longer,” Sun Wukong shook his head and said. “If we delay any longer, it will be too late, and everything will be beyond repair.”
Cao Ya nodded. The three strongest fighters were about to enter the arena, so how could they wait any longer? Although the Water Margin Demon Star and the Red Mansion Beauty had become extremely powerful with his secret help, possessing many quasi-saints and comparable to the gods and immortals in the heavens, they were still no match for the three strongest fighters.
"Hmm, if Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai, Wu Song, and Lu Zhishen digest the merits condensed from their own destiny and fate, perhaps they can directly reach the peak of Quasi-Saint and have a chance to become Weak Saints!"
Cao Ya stroked his chin, showing great optimism about the future of these four individuals.
“Let those experts from the Heavenly Court, the Illusionary Realm, and the Crimson Palace deal with them themselves,” Sun Wukong said. “They have the strength! Besides, it will also serve as a tempering effect, accelerating the dissolution of their merits.”
Sun Wukong was already fully armed, wearing a golden chainmail, a phoenix-winged purple-gold crown, and lotus-silk cloud-walking boots. He was also carrying the Ruyi Jingu Bang, ready to strike at the Jade Emperor at any moment!
That Jade Emperor, who was at the true Hunyuan realm, was someone Sun Wukong could deal with.
The weak saints, Taixu Daoist and Chixia Daoist, including the Spirit Jade, were all dealt with by Cao Ya.
The Quasi-Saints and Great Luo Immortals below had no intention of intervening; they left the battle entirely to the Demon Star and the Golden Hairpins.
Otherwise, what was the point of all those previous actions? They were all for this day!
They also believed that the Golden Hairpin and the Demon Star were enough to stop all the gods and immortals!
“However, there is still a problem…” Cao Ya’s gaze turned toward Beiju Luzhou.
Many chaotic demons are eyeing the project covetously. By now, they have clearly understood the grand schemes of Dream of the Red Chamber and Water Margin, and some are greedy enough to try to seize the spoils of the war.
"The Fire Cloud Cave shouldn't stand idly by," Sun Wukong said with a slight smile. "Besides, the two of us, outnumbered, could easily hold off multiple Primordial Chaos beings and weak Saints."
Cao Ya chuckled. His combat strength was on par with Sun Wukong's, making them the strongest in their respective ranks!
Let alone three or five weak saints, even if seven or eight saints attacked at the same time, Cao Ya could withstand it!
"Perhaps, after this battle, your path to becoming a Primordial Chaos cultivator will be smoother," Sun Wukong said with a smile.
Cao Ya sighed. The strength of his overall power was mainly due to the large number of extraordinary systems. As for his own cultivation, the "Cosmic Elixir Scripture" was still a long way to go to break through the threshold of Hunyuan.
Of course, Cao Ya was not discouraged. He was not the only one trapped by the Hunyuan Heavenly Barrier.
Even powerful figures like Zhen Yuanzi, Styx Daoist, Demon Master Kunpeng, and even the Jade Emperor, spent countless years before finally understanding the final move.
Those who can forcefully break through realms and prove the Dao through force, like Sun Wukong, are extremely rare throughout history.
Inside the Fire Cloud Cave, the Heavenly Emperor, the Earthly Emperor, and the Human Emperor merged into one, giving birth to the Three Emperors Daoist, who then directly entered the Primordial Chaos Realm!
"War is about to break out." Sun Wukong gazed at the Southern Continent.
Cao Ya also looked over and saw the allied forces of the Liao and Western Xia beating drums and shouting battle cries that shook the heavens!
"Boom..."
In the next instant, a million-strong allied army suddenly marched south, and under the command of various generals, they fought fiercely against the Star Dynasty army.
"Star Emperor, fight me! Let's see who among us, the rulers of the North and South, truly deserves to be the master of the Southern Continent!" the Great Liao Emperor roared.
"That is my wish, but I dare not ask you," Song Jiang said, pushing his crown aside, from which endless celestial light flew out.
He and the ruler of the Liao Dynasty were both quasi-saints, blessed with great fortune, and incomparably powerful.
"Thump thump." The duel between the Northern Lord and the Southern Emperor was extremely fierce. As soon as they clashed, the world spun and the sun and moon lost their light.
However, the clash of a million-strong army caused energy to erupt, tearing apart the void and shattering the earth. In such a battlefield, even quasi-saints were not very conspicuous.
Because there are just too many Quasi-Saints who have left the arena!
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