A blood-soaked human head appeared before everyone without any warning.
The hundred officials erupted into an uproar.
"Th-this… is this real?!"
The Prince of Qi's voice trembled.
"Of course it's fake."
Wang Jun took over and said,
"But it's different from ordinary illusions or disguise arts. This head itself is real. Only the facial skin was molded using the 'Skin-Painting Art.' It is indistinguishable from the real thing. Absolutely no one could tell it apart."
"The White Robe is dead!"
Mu Fengchun's hoarse voice echoed through the hall.
"After abandoning the eastern territories, 300,000 troops of our Great Sheng Dynasty will be able to trap the Northern Liang main force at Qiantang Prefecture in 20 days, cutting off their supply routes at the same time!
"After that, we must ensure that the Northern Liang army and Hongdu Prefecture completely lose contact.
"Once these two points are secured, throw Chen Sanshi's head into Qiantang Prefecture. The Northern Liang army will naturally fall into panic, lose their backbone, and won't be far from death."
"Elder Mu, a brilliant plan!"
The Prince of Qi praised.
Everyone knew how high Chen Sanshi's status and prestige were among the Northern Liang soldiers. But sometimes, a single person having too much prestige was not a good thing.
While that person was alive, he might be able to support an army of hundreds of thousands by himself.
But once that person fell, after a brief burst of rage, morale would completely collapse.
"In addition,"
Mu Fengchun added,
"As for Ninth Prince's side, trap them if possible. If trapping fails, directly abandon the forces at Chunqiu Prefecture and withdraw to Qiantang Prefecture."
"Do it that way!"
The Prince of Qin issued the final order.
"Hurry and make the arrangements!"
Outside Hongdu Prefecture.
The pacification army's central command tent.
A secret letter from the capital was delivered into the tent.
"Heh, that Mu from your court is truly ruthless."
Daoist Dao Xuan clicked his tongue.
"So much territory, thrown away without hesitation, just to crush them first."
"In that case,"
Ling Yun said,
"We still need to hold out here for a while longer."
"Let them hurry up."
Li He snorted coldly.
"The army has no grain. I don't think they can last much longer!"
"No need to worry!"
Daoist Dao Xuan said confidently.
"The Eight Gates Golden Lock Immortal-Trapping Formation is already fully prepared. When it's time to withdraw, we just need to form up and retreat in an orderly manner.
"The defenders inside Hongdu Prefecture are also starving. They won't dare to chase us.
"We'll soon be able to rendezvous with the main army in Yunzhou.
"Once the Liangzhou main force in Yunzhou collapses, Chen Sanshi, with just this handful of men, won't be able to stir up any waves in a short time!"
Yunzhou.
Ever since the Northern Liang army suddenly redirected its blade months ago and charged straight into Yunzhou, they had won battle after battle without a single defeat. They had now reached the Qilian Mountains area. Once they passed the final pass, there would be nothing left to stop them. They could directly strike the flank of Chunqiu Prefecture, annihilate the 200,000 troops there, then march south into the Central Plains and press straight toward the capital.
This great battle was not because the Qing Kingdom was weak.
Rather, their hearts were never fully in it.
The attack on the northern Great Sheng territories was the idea of Qing's new emperor, not an order from the sects behind him. As a result, there were very few high-realm immortals involved. Their true attention was always on the capital and the Mang Mountain ancestral veins. Unfortunately, the distance was too great, so they could only watch and wait.
"Hurry up!"
"Stop dragging your feet!"
Wang Zhi rode his Black Wind Horse and urged the troops forward.
"The Grand Commander and 7,000 brothers are still fighting with their lives inside Hongdu Prefecture to buy us time!"
In truth,
Their advance speed had already slowed.
Hongdu Prefecture had run out of grain one month ago. They could not delay any longer.
"My lord is risking his life just to push south faster this time."
Deng Feng was extremely anxious. He wished he could ride his green steed alone and rush straight to Hongdu Prefecture to reinforce them.
7,000 defending against 200,000!
And the enemy even had four commanders and immortals whose surface combat power exceeded Chen Sanshi's. Holding out until now was already a miracle.
"The rear supply line must remain stable!"
"And the eastern side of the Qilian Mountains must be sealed off completely!"
"General Ye, the terrain ahead is dangerous. There may be ambushes. You personally lead 800 cavalry to scout it."
"General Deng, there are still several prefectural cities along the Yunzhou border. They're all garrison troops with weak combat power. You lead 8,000 men and take them all within 10 days."
At the dust-filled central command position, Xu Wencai sat in his carriage. As he advanced, he methodically handled the complicated military affairs, tightly arranging every deployment, leaving almost no room for error.
He had been working nonstop since the mao hour. When he finally raised his head again, it was already dusk. The late spring cold wind brushed past, and he could not help coughing.
"Sir, take your medicine first."
Qi Cheng brought over a porcelain bottle.
Xu Wencai swallowed a pill and said,
"Xiao Chengzi, there's a county city ahead. The army will rest there tonight. Go ahead and make preparations."
"Alright."
Qi Cheng nodded. Just as he was about to leave, he saw Zhao Kang ride up on a fast horse, his expression tense as he shouted:
"Old Xu, something huge has happened!"
"Something damn huge has happened!"
"Lower your voice!"
Xu Wencai scolded him.
"What happened?
"The army—the army!"
Zhao Kang swallowed and pointed ahead.
"News from the front says the court has sent 300,000 additional troops, split into 5 routes, and they're coming straight at us!"
"How many?"
Xu Wencai did not panic. He only said seriously,
"Is the information accurate? Normally, the court shouldn't be able to scrape together this many troops to besiege us again."
"They're reports from the Grand Commander's Office's secret agents across the regions, plus intelligence compiled by the 18 routes of Night-Scouts. There's absolutely no mistake!"
Zhao Kang said firmly.
"300,000 troops, with Jiang Yuanbo as commander. There are also many immortals. Just earlier, I personally saw 2 or 3 of them in the sky."
Such devastating news quickly gathered all the Northern Liang generals.
That very night, even more detailed intelligence arrived.
On the military map, red markings represented the enemy, black represented Northern Liang. At this moment, the red had already encircled the black and was continuing to tighten.
"The court has gone mad!"
Wang Zhi cursed loudly.
"They'd rather abandon half the realm just to deal with us!"
An extra 300,000 troops—
No one had expected this.
"Mu Fengchun, that old undead bastard…"
"He's truly vicious."
Rong Yanqiu said with disdain,
"Back then, when he was still working alongside our master, he loved targeting other people's wives, children, and elders the most. He especially enjoyed framing others. If not that, he'd trade his subordinates' lives for cities. This time, he even managed to persuade the court to abandon the entire east and south!"
"Old Xu."
Fan Hailing asked nervously,
"We definitely can't keep pushing forward. If we do, we'll suffer a devastating blow."
"Exactly."
Cheng Wei pointed at the military map.
"Our retreat route is already cut off. The best option is to immediately change direction and head to Qiantang Prefecture."
Xu Wencai held his feather fan and stayed silent.
"Then what about our junior brother?"
Rong Yanqiu reminded them.
"Second Brother, don't forget. Hongdu Prefecture has been out of grain for quite some time. Junior Brother and the others are waiting for our reinforcements. If we divert to Qiantang Prefecture, wouldn't that mean we're selling them out?!"
"Ninth Sister, take a closer look."
Cheng Wei said helplessly,
"It's not that we don't want to go. We simply can't. Given the current situation, forcing the army forward would be like smashing our heads into a wall. Not only would we fail to reinforce Hongdu Prefecture, we might even get wiped out entirely."
"General Cheng is right."
Xu Wencai finally spoke.
"We can only change course to Qiantang Prefecture first and see if we can preserve ourselves. Then we'll report the situation to my lord and let him decide. If there's truly no other way, then my lord and the others will have to withdraw from Hongdu Prefecture."
Withdrawing from Hongdu Prefecture meant this southern campaign would be declared a failure.
After such massive losses in troops and supplies, any further southern expedition would likely have to wait 3 to 5 years.
"Notify the vanguard!"
"Change course and march southeast toward Qiantang Prefecture!"
"Dong!"
Chen Sanshi slammed the three-pronged, double-edged blade straight into the city wall and stopped cultivating.
Because…
He also needed to conserve stamina.
Whether Qi Refining cultivators or True Force martial artists, none could rely entirely on spiritual energy to sustain their bodies.
So in recent days, he had spent more time cultivating the Swallowing Fire Art, while quietly waiting for news from Yunzhou.
By normal timing, Zhao Wuji's gyrfalcon should have returned yesterday. Yet for some reason, there had been no sign of it.
Thinking of this,
Chen Sanshi stood up and walked to a corner of the city wall. He lightly kicked Zhao Wuji, who lay on the ground like a dead dog, and asked calmly,
"Where's the battle report? Has it come back?"
"G-Grand Commander, what did you say…"
Zhao Wuji lay there with unfocused eyes, his pale lips barely moving.
"What report?"
"Zhao Wuji, get the hell up!"
Under Chen Sanshi's sharp shout, Zhao Wuji's scattered pupils finally regained clarity. He hurriedly propped himself up with his blade and struggled to stand, then recalled,
"I don't know. That feathered beast might be starving too. Maybe it's not coming back."
That was pure nonsense.
Everyone in the city was starving, yes—but the gyrfalcon would never starve. They traveled thousands, even tens of thousands of li, and hunted on their own.
It was just that…
Ever since cultivators from Heavenly Water Isle arrived on the Eastern Divine Continent, the skies were no longer completely safe. It couldn't be ruled out that something had happened, or that it had been deliberately intercepted.
"Grand Commander…"
Zhao Wuji said weakly.
"According to the original plan, in another 10 days or so, Xu Wencai and the others should be breaking through to relieve us, right?"
Chen Sanshi did not answer. He returned to his spot and stared quietly at the long-silent Central Plains army camp.
"Jiu—"
At that moment,
An eagle's cry rang out.
But it was not Zhao Wuji's gyrfalcon that returned. It was Chen Sanshi's Bluebird. In its talons, it carried a wild rabbit. It landed on the city wall and dropped it in front of its master.
Recently,
It was the Bluebird that had been catching game for the city. Though this amount was a drop in the bucket for an army, it at least added a bit of meat to the otherwise watery gruel.
The Bluebird had followed Chen Sanshi for over 2 years.
A few days ago, it finally broke through and became a Tier 1 exotic beast. The techniques it could use were similar to Qianxun's, consuming spiritual energy to boost speed.
"Go."
Chen Sanshi patted it.
"Go to Yunzhou. Be careful."
The Bluebird nodded, spread its wings, and flew off.
Chen Sanshi sat cross-legged again and continued cultivating the Swallowing Fire Art.
Qiantang Prefecture.
"Boom—!"
"Kill—!"
Inside and outside the towering city, brutal slaughter was underway.
Not long after the army redeployed to defend this place, the court's forces arrived and launched fierce attacks.
In just 20 days, the Northern Liang army suffered heavy losses.
A major battle raged from night until dawn, before the court forces finally sounded the retreat.
"How is it?!"
Wang Zhi, covered in blood, dragged his long blade into the central command tent.
"Any news from Hongdu Prefecture?"
"Not yet."
Qi Cheng shook his head.
"By all rights, we should have received the Grand Commander's reply 5 days ago. But there's still no movement at all."
Hearing this,
The generals in the tent all felt their hearts sink.
"Th-this…"
Fan Hailing stammered.
"Could something have happened to him?"
"Shut your crow mouth!"
Wang Zhi shouted.
"Write again. Keep writing! Hongdu Prefecture can't have fallen!"
He said that out loud.
But in truth, everyone understood.
Hongdu Prefecture—
Had been out of grain for far too long!
The court's sudden mass mobilization had thrown the original plan into chaos. The defenders of Hongdu Prefecture had become a completely isolated force. Even if they slaughtered every warhorse, it still wouldn't be enough to hold out!
And there was one most critical point—
The combined strength of Cao Rong and the other 4 was not weaker than Chen Sanshi's. Otherwise, those mere 200,000 troops would have been crushed long ago. There would have been no need to drag this out until now.
Since the stalemate had lasted so long, it meant the White Robe also found them extremely difficult to deal with!
"Everyone, don't panic."
Xu Wencai soothed them.
"Maybe the gyrfalcon at Hongdu Prefecture ran into trouble. Let's wait a bit longer. In the past, whenever we were cornered, didn't my lord always pull through?"
"That's right."
Zhao Kang agreed.
"Back in Mingzhou, my lord was only at the Transforming Strength stage. Didn't he still survive against tens of thousands of troops plus Profound Manifestation-level generals?"
Only then did everyone's worry ease slightly, though unease still lingered.
At the same time.
Above Qiantang Prefecture's skies.
The Bluebird crossed thousands of li and finally arrived with the secret letter. Just as it adjusted its direction to fly into the city, killing intent suddenly surged within the clouds.
"Li—!"
A strangely shaped monster bird with fangs dove down. Its talons gleamed with a cold, metallic sheen, aiming to rip the Bluebird apart in a single strike.
The Bluebird was startled and hurriedly twisted aside. Even so, it was still grazed by the "blades." Feathers scattered everywhere, and blood poured rapidly from the wound. In a flash, the Bluebird activated the spiritual energy within its body. Its wings shone like green jade, and its speed abruptly increased severalfold. In the blink of an eye, it flew more than 100 zhang, leaving the monster bird far behind.
"Li!"
The monster bird failed its strike. When it tried to chase, it was already far too slow.
"Jiu—"
The Bluebird glanced back with a resentful look, then turned into a streak of light, vanishing into the distant night like a meteor.
A few breaths later,
Led by Wang Jun, several cultivators arrived.
"How was it?!"
"The Cold-Iron Bird didn't succeed?"
"That gyrfalcon looked like a Tier 1 demon beast."
"It's fine."
The monster bird landed on Wang Jun's arm. After communicating with it, he said, "It should've escaped. As long as the letter didn't make it into the city, that's enough."
Hongdu Prefecture.
Green mallows fill the garden, morning dew waiting for the sun to dry.
Dawn had not fully broken.
Chen Sanshi sat motionless in the mist, like stone. His spiritual root continuously drew spiritual energy from the spirit pearl. After a complex major circulation, all of it was refined into mana and stored in his dantian.
As time passed, the mana grew denser, until a fifth wisp of mist condensed inside the dantian.
Cultivation Method: Swallowing Fire Art · Qi Refining Level 5
Progress: 0 / 1,200
Breakthrough!
After entering the True Force Realm in martial cultivation and raising his spiritual root to mid-grade, the balance shifted. The Swallowing Fire Art advanced at an astonishing pace.
"Hu—"
Chen Sanshi slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid qi.
The red sun rose in the east, piercing through the rolling mist.
"Jiu—"
An eagle's cry rang out.
Chen Sanshi raised his arm and caught the Bluebird. He saw that the battle report was still tied to its leg, completely intact. It had not been delivered to Qiantang Prefecture. The Bluebird itself was badly injured.
"Jiu!"
The Bluebird pointed with its wing toward the direction of Qiantang Prefecture, crying nonstop. There was anger in its voice, and grievance as well.
"I know. Rest now. I'll avenge you."
Chen Sanshi already had a clear idea of what had happened.
Two days earlier,
His Fourth Senior Brother in distant Yulu Continent, along with covert agents from the Grand Commander's Office stationed across various prefectures, sent intelligence. The court had abandoned the entire eastern and southern regions and mobilized 300,000 troops north toward Yunzhou.
He estimated that Xu Wencai and the others were already trapped around Qiantang Prefecture.
The communication between both sides had also been deliberately cut.
He didn't know why they did this.
Because Chen Sanshi had more than one intelligence channel. The Grand Commander's Office alone had agents spread throughout all prefectures. Information would always find its way to him.
To deliberately cut only his contact with Qiantang Prefecture meant there had to be something fishy.
"Grand Commander…"
Zhao Wuji leaned against the wall and walked over, weakly asking, "How is it?! Did Xu Wencai and the others bring the troops to relieve us?!"
"They won't come."
Chen Sanshi didn't hide it.
Hearing this, Zhao Wuji and the others all stiffened.
"Th-then aren't we an isolated force now?"
"How are they? Could it be… they were wiped out?"
Chen Sanshi didn't answer directly. He only said, "Prepare to leave the city with me and break the enemy."
He didn't know why the court had singled out Qiantang Prefecture's communications, but he knew they absolutely could not keep waiting.
They had to fight their way to Qiantang Prefecture.
The offensive and defensive positions had reversed.
It was no longer 150,000 troops coming to reinforce 7,000.
It was 7,000 going to rescue 150,000!
At this very moment,
Whether it was the pacification army or the Hongze Battalion, both had reached their limit. They only needed a trigger. With 7,000 men, it might not be impossible to utterly crush 200,000!
Qiantang Prefecture.
"Boom—!"
Massive stones crashed down like mountains.
Arrows fell like rain.
Firelight shot into the sky.
Wolf smoke covered the land.
Under the relentless day-and-night assault of the court's 300,000 troops, the Northern Liang army suffered heavier losses with each passing day. The casualties had already exceeded 10,000.
Another brutal battle lasting 3 full hours followed.
Only by dusk did the court finally sound the retreat.
The city walls of Qiantang Prefecture were left in ruins.
"Pff!"
Second Senior Brother Cheng Wei could no longer hold on and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Second Brother!"
Wang Zhi rushed forward to support him, not forgetting to mock him, "You're both spear fighters. How the hell is the gap between you and Junior Brother this big?!"
Cheng Wei ignored him and went down to rest.
The other soldiers each went about their tasks—repairing the walls, moving corpses, cleaning the battlefield…
"Mr. Xu."
Ye Fengxiu lifted his eyes slightly. "How are things?"
"Defending for half a year won't be a problem!"
Xu Wencai shook his head and sighed. "I'm still worried about my lord's situation."
"Indeed."
Rong Yanqiu ordered soldiers to bring a bronze basin and washed the blood from her jade-like hands. "Since the letters can't get through, why don't I pick a few people and break out to check on things personally?"
"I want to as well,"
Xu Wencai said. "But even holding the city depends on General Wei Xuan and his wife barely propping things up. Sending people out now would just be throwing lives away. The only thing we can do is wait a bit longer. Once the agreed time passes and we still haven't arrived, my lord will surely find a way to break out on his own."
"Dong dong dong!"
As they spoke, war drums sounded again.
"So soon again?!"
Wang Zhi's eyes went wide. He grabbed his long blade and leapt over roofs and walls, returning to the city wall.
However,
The enemy army did not attack again.
The drums sounded only because a cultivator flew above the city wall.
"Shoo shoo shoo—"
The crossbowmen fired in unison.
Arrows poured down like a torrential rain onto Wang Jun, but all of them were blocked by a layer of golden barrier.
"Wang Jun!"
Wei Xuan immediately recognized him.
Not long ago, during the Guandu battle, they had still been comrades who lived and died together.
"Daoist Wang Jun, have you come to die?"
Song Guizhi spoke as a jade-green long staff silently appeared in her hand, ready to strike the cultivator in the sky.
"You two, please wait!"
Wang Jun gestured for them to stop and explained, "I've come this time with no hostile intent."
"Then what do you want?"
Wang Zhi said impatiently. "Say it fast."
"To be honest,"
Wang Jun said,
"I'm here to persuade you to surrender."
Wang Jun said calmly, "Your Northern Liang army's grain supply has been cut off. At most, you can hold out for only a few more months. Outside the city, there are 300,000 troops surrounding you on all sides. Defeat is already decided. You should open the gates and surrender early, so innocent lives aren't dragged into disaster."
"Ridiculous!"
Wei Xuan sneered. "Back then in Hanyang City, I defended it for 30 full years. The word 'surrender' never once crossed my mind!"
"Well said!"
Wang Zhi cursed. "You said it yourself. We still have grain for several months, and we've got over 100,000 troops. Before the very last moment, who the hell do you think you are to run your mouth and decide victory or defeat?!"
"The last moment?"
Wang Jun had clearly been waiting for this and smoothly followed up. "So you're confident. What are you waiting for? Waiting for Chen Sanshi to come save you? Then I can tell you plainly—don't wait anymore.
"Tell me.
"Why do you think Hongdu Prefecture hasn't sent you a reply for so long?"
Everyone's expression darkened.
Song Guizhi reacted quickly and let out a light laugh. "Daoist Wang Jun, you've only been in the mortal world for a short while. You've already learned how to play word games? You think such cheap tricks can shake our morale?"
"Don't believe me?
"Then please take a look.
"What is this?"
Wang Jun reached behind him, pulled out a blood-soaked human head, and casually tossed it down. It hit the ground in front of them and rolled several circles before stopping.
Wang Zhi snorted in disdain. "Bastard, do you think I scare that easy? Whose head did you dig up to fool people? Let me see—"
He focused his gaze.
His facial muscles instantly froze.
In that moment,
The entire scene fell dead silent.
No.
It was more like time itself had been frozen at a single instant by some great power. Everything turned lifeless and still.
They…
What were they seeing?
Why did this face look so familiar?
Chen Sanshi!
No one else.
It was the commander of the 150,000-strong army, the Northern Liang King of the entire northern frontier, their junior brother, their general, their friend, their family…
Chen Sanshi!
"Fuck your ancestors."
In the end, Wang Zhi was the first to speak. He sneered coldly. "Who are you trying to fool? You grab some random head, slap on an Art of Disguise, and think you can scare me?!"
As he spoke, he picked up the head and repeatedly wiped the face with his robe, as if trying to scrub it into a different appearance.
But no matter how he rubbed it, the face in front of them was still that same familiar one.
"Old Wei!"
"Take a look. Is this some kind of illusion from Heavenly Water Isle?!"
"It shouldn't be."
Wei Xuan answered honestly.
Illusions from low-level cultivators all had time limits. There was no reason to use such a crude method.
Hearing this, Wang Zhi suddenly collapsed onto the ground as if his bones had fallen apart.
"Junior Brother…"
"My lord!"
"Grand Commander!"
"Master!"
After a long stretch of deathly silence, the city wall suddenly erupted.
Rong Yanqiu, Ye Fengxiu, and the others all had bloodshot eyes. Shock, grief, rage, and countless other emotions piled together, making their bodies tremble uncontrollably.
Especially the Northern Liang soldiers.
After seeing this scene, it felt like something inside them had completely collapsed.
"Chen Sanshi was very strong."
In the air, Wang Jun said calmly. "With just 7,000 men, he blocked the Spring and Autumn Prefecture's counterattack for months. You should know that Ling Yun and Li He, purely in terms of cultivation level, were both stronger than Chen Sanshi.
"But human strength has limits.
"Once those limits are exceeded, death follows. No one is an exception.
"Especially Chen Sanshi. After the city ran out of grain, he publicly burned all of his Fasting Pills. He couldn't even guarantee basic physical strength anymore. Being killed jointly by Prince of Zhen'nan Cao Rong and the other three was only inevitable."
Burning the Fasting Pills in public…
That was leading by example. Sharing life and death with the soldiers!
That really was something Chen Sanshi would do.
"After Chen Sanshi's death, there's no one left to stand at the front. Once Prince of Zhen'nan Cao Rong and Daoist Li He arrive, whether you resist or not, the city falling is inevitable.
"That's why I say your persistence has no meaning."
Wang Jun continued, "Back at Guandu, I did have some friendship with all of you. I truly can't bear to watch you throw your lives away for nothing. Open the gates and surrender."
"Bastard, die—"
Wang Zhi and the rest of the senior brothers almost simultaneously grabbed their weapons. Filled with boundless fury and murderous intent, they were about to kill the man in front of them first.
Wang Jun was prepared. He immediately controlled his sword and fled, leaving behind a shout that echoed through heaven and earth.
"The White Robe is dead!
"Open the gates and surrender, and you may yet live!!!"
Supported by Qi Cheng, Xu Wencai climbed up onto the city wall. When he saw this scene, his body tilted backward. If not for his disciples grabbing him in time, he would have fallen straight off the wall.
"Sir!"
Qi Cheng hurriedly said, "Please restrain your grief, restrain your grief!"
"Bullshit, restrain what grief?!"
Xu Wencai slapped him on the forehead. "Fake. It's fake! Hurry and tell everyone below not to panic. That head was just disguised with the Art of Disguise!"
Only then did Qi Cheng react.
At a time like this, even if it were real, it could not be acknowledged.
Otherwise, the city would fall into chaos in just a few days.
Qi Cheng went down to stabilize morale.
Xu Wencai and the others wrapped the head in white cloth and returned to the central command tent.
"Master!"
"Master!"
Su Can and the Yu brothers, Yu Ji and Yu Lie, dropped to their knees with a thud.
"It's all… all our fault…"
Wang Zhi threw his weapon aside with a clang. "It's our fault for pushing the battle line forward too slowly and missing the chance to reinforce Hongdu Prefecture…"
"Grand Commander."
Deng Feng also knelt before the white cloth. "Our agreement… has not yet been fulfilled."
"I said it long ago…"
Second Senior Brother Cheng Wei squatted on the ground. "This deal wasn't worth it. The southern campaign was too hasty. It should have been planned slowly and carefully!"
"Grand Commander, you can't go!"
Fan Hailing cried until tears streamed down his face.
He had only rebelled for a few days.
How could the White Robe be dead already?!
Wasn't this taking his life?!
Sun Buqi silently lifted the white cloth and closed his brother-in-law's eyes.
Amid the heavy gloom, Xu Wencai scolded them, "What are you all crying for?! Last night, I observed the heavens and saw the Ziwei Star shining brightly in the north. We may not be at a dead end yet!"
"Old Xu…"
Wang Zhi said, "You still mean to say this head is fake?"
"I…"
Xu Wencai wanted to affirm it, but in the end, he spoke honestly. "I don't know. But even if it were real, are we supposed to open the gates and surrender?!"
"Bullshit surrender!" Wang Zhi shouted. "15 years ago, I was already a dead man. It was Junior Brother who gave me a second life. If he's really dead, then it's time for me to return this life!"
"When Master passed away, it was Junior Brother who stepped forward and stood in front of us senior brothers and sisters."
Rong Yanqiu let out a self-mocking cold laugh, then said venomously, "Even if the Northern Liang army and the Grand Commander's Office are completely wiped out this time, I'll still drag a few court lapdogs down with me."
"Good! Since that's the case, what's left to say?!"
Xu Wencai took charge and said, "Prepare two plans!
"If my lord has truly met with misfortune, the top priority is to properly settle my lord's family. Find a way to contact the two female immortals in his household and have them first take the two madams and the young master and young lady away from Liangzhou.
"Then comes us.
"The city still has grain reserves. At the very least, we can hold for two months. If after two months there's still no news of my lord, then it means it's truly…
"At that time, it won't be too late for us to fight the enemy to the death!
"So, generals, please make sure each of you fulfills your duties until the very last moment!"
Hongdu Prefecture.
Chen Sanshi walked to the big cauldron, grabbed cooked grass roots and tree bark, and ate them in front of everyone. Only then did he return to the city wall and sit quietly again. Even he looked somewhat weak.
The warhorses in the city had long been slaughtered and eaten. Over the past ten-plus days, the brothers had begun stuffing themselves with all kinds of random things—anything edible—barely holding on at the very limit.
"Grand Commander…"
Zhao Wuji leaned on his blade as he walked over. "I can't take it anymore. Can I eat a piece of my own flesh?"
"Boom—"
As he spoke, a sentry not far away on the wall suddenly collapsed with a heavy thud, having fainted from hunger.
"Grand Commander."
Zhao Wuji leaned against the wall. "Last time you said we'd go out and break the enemy. When will we do it? The brothers really can't hold on anymore…"
"Wait a bit longer."
Chen Sanshi closed his eyes and conserved his strength.
He was waiting. Waiting for the decisive moment.
"Grand Commander!"
"Food!"
"There's suddenly a lot of food piled up under the city wall!"
Feng Yong came up to report. His weak voice carried obvious excitement.
"Food?"
Chen Sanshi stood up.
Under the city wall, overnight, a small hill of food had piled up. There were wild vegetables, millet, chaff, and even a small amount of rice and ready-made dried rations.
At this moment, a trembling old man with a walking stick, supported by his little granddaughter, was placing some finished corn buns on the ground.
"Fellow villagers."
Chen Sanshi lightly jumped down from the wall. "What is this?"
"Oh my, Your Highness!"
The old man was startled and hurriedly dropped his cane, about to kneel. The White Robe quickly grabbed him. "Elder, no need to kneel. Were all these grains brought by you?"
You had to know—
Hongdu Prefecture had been suffering from famine.
Especially in recent years of constant warfare, grain requisitions came again and again. In a place like Hongdu Prefecture, where the land wasn't fertile, households had long been scraped clean. The people themselves barely ate enough to survive. In poorer areas, people even starved to death every day.
If this continued,
They would soon reach the point of eating their own children!
Yet even under such circumstances, the people still brought them food.
"Your Highness, the Northern Liang army are good people!"
The old man said with deep emotion. "This old one is 82 this year. I've seen many wars, but I've never seen anyone like Your Highness. After entering the city, you first eradicated the spiritual grain, then killed corrupt officials, and in the end didn't requisition even a single grain from us!"
"That's right. Where in the world is there such a good army?"
More and more people gathered nearby, all sallow-faced and wearing patched clothes.
"Just yesterday, a soldier was so hungry he was chewing on dirt, and still didn't rob our family's food."
"Fellow villagers,"
Chen Sanshi said, "You yourselves have nothing to eat either. You should—"
"Your Highness!"
"You mustn't say that!"
"You absolutely must accept this food!"
"If the people outside come back, they'll definitely plant poisonous weeds in the fields again!"
"Yes, we're doing this for ourselves!"
"As long as Your Highness can hold on, we might just go hungry for a while. But if you collapse, we'll starve for a lifetime!"
"Your Highness, please take the food!"
Someone in the crowd took the lead, and like wind sweeping through a rice field, everyone knelt down.
"If Your Highness doesn't accept it, we won't get up!"
"Alright. On behalf of the brothers, I thank you, fellow villagers!"
Chen Sanshi clasped his fists high. "I, Chen Sanshi, swear here that if I truly leave this city alive and return again, I will exempt Hongdu Prefecture from taxes for three years!
"Zhao Wuji!
"Store this food properly and make meals for the brothers!"
At this moment,
Both sides were stretched to the absolute limit.
This sudden extra food might very well become the key to deciding victory or defeat!
Pacification Army, central command tent.
"Your Highness!"
"A Hundred-Commander led his men and ran off!"
"Your Highness, people are causing trouble. They say if we don't retreat, they'll defect to the enemy!"
"In the rear army, many brothers fainted from hunger and then… then were eaten by the others."
More and more chaos began to erupt.
With supplies exhausted, the Pacification Army had reached its final limit.
"Brother Cao,"
Daoist Xuan said, "That's about enough. If we don't retreat now, we'll collapse."
Cao Rong narrowed his eyes and said nothing.
"It really is time to withdraw,"
Ling Yun said. "Qiantang Prefecture has been surrounded for a long time. Their morale is at the limit. As long as we rush over, it'll further confirm Chen Sanshi's death. Success will be assured!"
"Daoist Ling Yun is right,"
Daoist Xuan said. "Now is the best time to retreat. And it's not just our people who are starving. The Northern Liang army inside the city is already dizzy from hunger. They absolutely won't have any strength to chase us out. They're no different from dead."
"What about Chen Sanshi?"
Li He was somewhat worried. "With just the four of us working together, I'm afraid we can no longer suppress him steadily."
"Daoist Li, have you forgotten that I'm still here?"
Daoist Xuan stroked his beard and said proudly. "The Eight Gates Golden Lock Trapping Immortal Formation is already prepared. As long as Chen Sanshi dares to chase us out, it will be his death! In short, as long as we withdraw safely, it counts as a great victory!"
"Withdraw the army."
Prince of Zhen'nan Cao Rong made his decision. "Distribute the last reserve meal to them. Then the entire army withdraws!"
Inside Hongdu Prefecture, the grain provided by the common people was limited.
In just a few short days, it was completely consumed again.
This time, the people truly had no surplus grain left.
If things dragged on any longer, it would mean the whole city starving together until death.
"Grand Commander!"
Zhuang Yi and the others, despite being veterans of countless battles, felt their hearts go hollow.
"Grand Commander, can you tell us the truth?"
"Old Xu and the others…"
"Are they really not coming?"
"Are we going to die here?"
Just as more than six thousand soldiers reached the very brink.
Feng Yong limped up to the city wall. "Grand Commander! They've withdrawn! The Pacification Army outside the city has withdrawn!"
Hearing this, all the brothers let out a long breath.
Once the enemy withdrew, it meant they could return to Northern Liang.
Along the way, they could find something to eat.
At least they wouldn't starve to death here.
"Entire army!"
"Pursue and kill!"
However—
At this very moment.
Chen Sanshi's booming voice rang through everyone's mind like a great bronze bell.
Pursue and kill?!
What was the Grand Commander saying?!
After barely enduring until the enemy withdrew, instead of retreating along with them, he wanted to pursue and kill?!
They had only a little over six thousand men.
The enemy still had two hundred thousand!
"To be honest with you all!
"We have one hundred fifty thousand brothers waiting for us one thousand li away in Qiantang Prefecture!
"But if we retreat now, it's the same as abandoning one hundred fifty thousand brothers! What face would we have to face the elders of Northern Liang?!
"Let me say it again!
"Has this king ever been defeated?!"
Never!
No one doubted it!
"At Guandu back then, we also faced a grain cutoff. How similar was it to today?! In the end, didn't the hundreds of thousands of Western Qi troops still collapse?!
"Now is the same!
"Those who follow the Dao gain much help. Those who lose it gain little!
"We have the people inside the city helping us. Until yesterday, we still had food!
"But what about them? They're already like a dying candle in the wind!
"As long as you brothers follow me and charge out!
"Two hundred thousand troops will collapse in an instant!
"This is not just a small victory!
"As long as we kill our way out, the entire world will belong to our Northern Liang!
"Whether to conquer the realm and achieve merit, or scurry back to Northern Liang like rats, brothers, decide for yourselves!"
Xu Bin was the first to stand up. "My lord, earlier we were just too hungry and muddle-headed!"
"We've followed you through campaigns north and south for so many years. When have we ever been afraid?!"
"That's right!"
"Grand Commander, you can't insult us. We Northern Liang men are no rats!"
"So the Grand Commander has been holding out until today, waiting for this very battle opportunity!"
In their memories, every time the Grand Commander made a final mobilization, it meant decisive victory and a crushing defeat of the enemy.
Today was no exception!
"Since that's the case, what are you still waiting for?!"
Chen Sanshi's voice thundered. "Leave the city. Kill the enemy!"
Outside the city.
After eating the last remaining reserve rations, the two hundred thousand Pacification Army troops began withdrawing in stages.
On the flank of Hongdu Prefecture, on the route to Qiantang Prefecture, lay a place called—
Sparrow Mouse Valley.
Cao Rong and the other three stood aboard a flying vessel, hovering in the air and looking down at the retreating troops below.
At that moment, a cultivator rushed over in panic to report. "Sirs, this is bad. The people in Hongdu Prefecture are still alive! Chen Sanshi has led several thousand men in pursuit!"
"In pursuit?"
Li He snorted coldly. "We were just worrying about how to deal with him, and he dares chase out to die!"
Six thousand chasing two hundred thousand—wasn't that the biggest joke in the world?!
"Humm!"
Cao Rong lifted his blunt-edged broad saber. Killing intent and true force surged layer upon layer.
"In my eyes, this fellow is already a corpse!"
Daoist Xuan looked excited. The formation he had prepared for months could finally be used. "I'll go down and deploy the formation at once. Once the Eight Gates Golden Lock Trapping Immortal Formation is complete, it will be the White Robe's burial ground!
"Form up—"
"Boom boom boom—"
Thunderous war drums sounded.
The two hundred thousand troops began arranging their formation.
Their movements secretly aligned with the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams, the myriad phenomena of the Great Luo. Mysterious power gathered between heaven and earth, stirring flying sand and rolling stones within Sparrow Mouse Valley as fierce winds howled.
The charging soldiers of the Hongze Battalion stared at the formation ahead, feeling dazed.
In this stretch of heaven and earth—
For the first time.
Someone other than the White Robe himself had used a true Heavenly Book formation.
"Grand Commander?"
"What do we do now?!"
Zhao Wuji swallowed hard.
Even if they set up a formation too, with only six thousand men, it wouldn't be enough!
"Formation?!"
However—
At the very front of the Hongze Battalion, Chen Sanshi charged ahead on horseback and sneered. "What do they know about formations?! I alone can break it!"
The Eight Gates Golden Lock Trapping Immortal Formation was indeed powerful.
But do not forget a principle every military strategist understands at the beginner level.
That is—
No matter how powerful a formation is,
It must be usable.
If it collapses, it's useless!
Otherwise, even a heavenly formation capable of killing a Great Luo Golden Immortal would be nothing but a paper tiger!
And the Pacification Army before them had already reached the limit in every aspect.
They were already on the verge of collapse.
They were a genuine paper tiger!
The enemy was a paper tiger!
And Chen Sanshi—
Played with fire!
No matter how huge the paper tiger, even the smallest flame could burn it down!
Then—
Amid tens of thousands of troops.
Chen Sanshi burst forth, charging alone straight toward the Eight Gates Golden Lock Trapping Immortal Formation!
The golden bow and silver bullet appeared silently.
The bowstring rang.
A fire dragon soared into the sky and instantly devoured more than ten men.
Seizing the chance, Chen Sanshi charged into the formation.
Barehanded, he grabbed a Profound Manifestation general together with the scrawny warhorse beneath him, leapt into the air, and rose above Sparrow Mouse Valley, where two hundred thousand soldiers were clearly visible.
"Boom!"
Amid rolling flames,
The Profound Manifestation general and warhorse were burned straight into charcoal.
Then—
Chen Sanshi tore off a chunk of the horse's blackened flesh and chewed it down in front of two hundred thousand people, looking like a demon descending upon the world!
When he looked back at the army on the ground, it was like an evil fiend gazing upon fresh blood food.
"Two hundred thousand army rations are right here!"
"Brothers, follow me!"
"Kill the enemy!"
"Feast on flesh!!!"