Chapter 169: The Destruction of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Upon hearing Ning Fengzhi's words about retreat, everyone hesitated.
According to Ning Fengzhi, withdrawing now might preserve some strength, but the remaining ordinary troops would be hard-pressed to escape. If they didn't retreat and continued the confrontation, the losses would likely be devastating.
Emperor Avalanche pondered for a moment: "Everyone, given Bibi Dong's strength and style, how long will it take her to reach the battlefield? Even if we retreat, where can we go?"
Marshal Ge Long was the first to step forward: "Your Majesty, the Heaven Dou Empire's army swears to fight to the death. We are willing to die for the Empire and Your Majesty."
By this point in the battle, only about 300,000 troops remained of the Heaven Dou Empire's one million-strong army. Less than a third of their organized spirit master corps remained, and only a few spirit masters from sects remained, primarily from the Haotian Sect and the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
Marshal Ge Long understood that if he retreated, his remaining 300,000 troops would be unable to escape. Rather than retreat, he preferred a fight to the death.
Ning Fengzhi and Tang Xiao, the sect masters, had also made plans. They had already secretly dispatched some of their young talents. Tang Xiao had already sent some young disciples back to the Haotian Sect's ancestral home, while Ning Fengzhi had dispatched a small number of direct disciples from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect to Hanhai City.
Both the Haotian Sect and the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect shared a blood feud with the Spirit Empire, but for a sect master, the continuation of the sect was paramount. He could die in battle, but the sect's legacy must not be lost.
Imperial Preceptor Yu Xiaogang then spoke up: "Your Majesty, fellow sect masters, the message now is not whether we should retreat, but that we simply cannot. At this point on the battlefield, if we retreat, the remaining spirit masters will likely be defeated, and we will be unable to muster any more."
As Yu Xiaogang had said, with 70% of the spirit masters dead, the remaining ones were mostly injured. The morale of the spirit master army had plummeted to a low point. If they retreated, many would likely surrender to the Spirit Empire. After all, they had no feud with the Spirit Empire; on the contrary, it was a sacred place for spirit masters.
Emperor Xue Beng was no fool; on the contrary, he was quite astute. As the Emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, his greatest reliance now lay in the remaining spirit master army and its 300,000-man army. As for the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and the Clear Sky Sect, they were external forces. Without inherent strength, they were nothing.
"Masters, the Spirit Empire murdered my father and my three brothers. Our Heaven Dou Empire and the Spirit Empire share a deep-seated feud, irreconcilable. Our Heaven Dou Empire is willing to fight the Spirit Empire to the bitter end. Even to the last man, even to the last drop of blood, we will never retreat."
Xue Beng's words stirred the crowd, and the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and the Clear Sky Sect were also ignited. Who didn't have a deep-seated hatred for the Spirit Empire?
Ning Fengzhi was the only one who silently shook his head, but he said nothing, as the Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo beside him also ignited with hatred.
Thus, despite the originally unfavorable situation, the morale of the Heaven Dou Empire's top brass actually rose. But in reality, strength is often more important than morale.
An hour later, a huge light appeared above Jialing Pass. It was none other than Bibi Dong, the Emperor of the Spirit Empire.
When Bibi Dong appeared on the wall of Jialing Pass, she emanated a overwhelming aura and a boundless radiance, like a deity descending from heaven.
Every soldier and spirit master of the Spirit Empire in Jialing Pass knelt on one knee and chanted, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" The sound resounded through the sky.
Golden Crocodile Douluo and the other five great priests approached Bibi Dong, but didn't kneel. Instead, they bowed and saluted. "Your Majesty!"
Bibi Dong ignored the six men and addressed the soldiers and spirit masters of Jialing Pass. "Soldiers of the Spirit Empire, for your glory, for the Spirit Empire, now destroy all enemies."
With that, the final battle horn sounded, and both soldiers and spirit masters rushed towards the Heaven Dou Empire camp.
Bibi Dong turned and glared at the six great priests. "You are also warriors of my Spirit Empire. Fight now. As for the rest, after victory, I will hand over the throne to that girl."
Upon hearing this, the six great priests seemed to have made up their minds and flew into the battlefield.
At this point, the Spirit Empire had used every trump card it could, save for Qian Renxue.
Bibi Dong quickly flew towards the Heaven Dou Empire camp, clearly intent on capturing the enemy first and destroying the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
Facing the incoming Bibi Dong, Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, Tang Hao, and Tang Xiao joined forces to fight.
However, facing Bibi Dong, who had already attained divine power, even with the help of Ning Fengzhi, they were powerless and were often sent flying.
Seeing this, Tang Hao gritted his teeth and simultaneously shattered all nine of his spirit rings. The power of all nine spirit rings merged into the Clear Sky Hammer, which rapidly grew in size, eventually becoming the size of a small mountain.
A massive Clear Sky Hammer struck Bibi Dong, seemingly capable of shaking a mountain. Bibi Dong used her Rakshasa Demon Scythe to block it, and this was the only time she had been repelled.
Meanwhile, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo exchanged a glance, seemingly resolute. The two men approached each other, simultaneously unleashing their spirit forms. Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo unexpectedly merged into one. They formed a colossal figure, like a skeletal dragon, wielding a mighty sky-high sword. A flash of immense sword light pierced Bibi Dong.
Finally, under the combined power of Tang Hao's Great Sumeru Hammer and Sword Douluo's and Bone Douluo's spirit fusion techniques, a trace of blood finally escaped Bibi Dong's mouth.
It was clear that while Bibi Dong was injured, it was only minor. Tang Hao and Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo were extremely weak, having already unleashed their full strength in that attack.
At this moment, Tang Xiao raised the Clear Sky Hammer. The five elders of the Clear Sky Sect gathered around him, forming a five-pointed star. The spirit rings of the five elders all exploded, their entire soul power channeled into Tang Xiao's Clear Sky Hammer.
This was the Clear Sky Formation formed by Tang Xiao and the five elders. The Clear Sky Hammer in Tang Xiao's hand turned blood red. He wielded it, the Nine Clear Sky Absolutes fused into a single strike, striking Bibi Dong, who was repelled once again.
It was clear that Bibi Dong was seriously injured this time.
However, the Titled Douluo behind Bibi Dong were almost upon her.
The Second Elder shouted to Tang Xiao, "Master, for the sake of the sect's survival, you must leave!" With that, the five elders, wielding the Clear Sky Hammer, charged towards the Spirit Hall Titled Douluo masters, clearly hoping to buy Tang Xiao some time.
Everyone at the scene exchanged glances and quickly fled. Ning Fengzhi, accompanied by Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, and several close associates, departed, while Tang Hao and Tang Xiao also quickly departed.
The Heaven Dou Empire's army was thus routed, and Emperor Xue Beng was captured, along with Dugu Bo, a guest of the Heaven Dou Imperial family. Four of the five elders of the Clear Sky Sect were killed, and one was captured. Countless disciples of the Haotian Sect and the Qibao Liuli Sect suffered casualties. Only a handful escaped, less than 20% of whom were constantly being hunted.
The remaining 300,000 troops of the Tiandou Empire were partially annihilated, while the rest were all captured. Marshal Ge Long, the supreme commander, was killed in action.
The Tiandou Empire's spirit masters fled in all directions.
Yu Xiaogang, the Tiandou Empire's imperial advisor, was captured.
By this point, the Tiandou Empire had been virtually destroyed. Only Prince Xuexing and Princess Xueke remained of the imperial family, and the army had been nearly completely annihilated.
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