Chapter 335: Chapter 340: Qin Dynasty Sends Troops_1
"Understood!" Li Ru acknowledged with a bow. After years of underground development, the Middle Region’s ’Abyss Guards’ were ready for the next step. As an elite special agency, besides excelling in intelligence gathering, they also needed to be capable of sowing chaos among enemies, sabotaging them from behind, and even controlling enemy leaders.
"Your Majesty, the three major powers are expanding in the East Border. The Kylin Sacred Land currently has its protective barrier activated and remains aloof from worldly affairs. When should we proceed with the next phase of our plan?" Jia Xu asked, folding his hands.
"Right now!" Qin Wudao stated firmly. Over the past period, he, along with Zhuge Liang, Guo Jia, Xiao He, and others, had formulated a series of plans. The core of these plans was external expansion. On one hand, this would enhance their own strength, consolidate their Fortune, and allow them to grasp more authority. On the other hand, it was related to the System, which could grant them more rewards and significantly strengthen the foundation of the Great Qin Ancient Court.
"Your Majesty, the Generals have arrived!" At this moment, Dian Wei reported again, his voice drifting in from outside the door.
"Allow them!" Qin Wudao’s expression became exceedingly solemn.
Huo Qubing, Zhao Yun, Lv Bu, Bai Qi, Xiang Yu, Yue Fei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Ma Chao, Huang Zhong, and other Generals, all clad in armor, strode into the hall. Perhaps knowing that war was imminent, a powerful general’s aura emanated from each of them.
"Relay my command: all Generals are to lead their armies, cross the Great Wall, expand our territory, and conquer all one hundred fifty-plus Dao Domains east of the East Border..." Qin Wudao stood up, walked over to the map, picked up a brush beside it, and drew a large circle on the map, encompassing roughly one-fifth of the East Border.
The Generals’ eyes immediately blazed with fervor. The thought of conquering over a hundred Dao Domains at once, their campaign spanning hundreds of millions of li across the battlefields, was exhilarating.
"Understood!" The Generals knelt on one knee, saluting excitedly.
After the formalities, Zhao Yun stepped forward and respectfully took the map.
"You may all leave and prepare! I shall await your victorious reports in the Imperial Capital!" Qin Wudao ordered loudly, sitting back down.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The Generals clasped their fists and left the hall one by one. Just as they were about to step out of the doorway, they heard Qin Wudao’s voice tinged with concern, "Gentlemen, the battlefield is extremely perilous. Please ensure your safety!"
This time, the Generals did not turn around. They had subconsciously disregarded his words. As outstanding commanders, they had long ago put thoughts of their own life and death aside. On the battlefield, who doesn’t bleed?
「Three days later.」
Tens of millions of soldiers from the Great Qin Army marched out from beyond the Great Wall, embarking on a bloody campaign. A total of ten legions launched simultaneous attacks on ten different Dao Domains. Countless banners fluttered in the sky; the character ’Qin’ shone brilliantly!
The conquest had begun!
The Great Qin Ancient Court began to bare its sharp fangs, causing the prey it targeted to tremble in fear. In just two days, ten Dao Domains had changed hands. After a brief period of rest and reorganization, the Qin Army continued its conquest. Unfortunately, these ten Dao Domains were ordinary and yielded no satisfactory rewards for Qin Wudao; the best among them was merely a King-rank Armament.
「A week later.」
The Great Qin Ancient Court had already occupied thirty-two Dao Domains, its pace of expansion far exceeding that of the Qionghua Sect and the Purple Cloud Sect. When it came to leading troops in battle and external expansion, a state held a natural advantage that sects could not match!
The rapid expansion also threw an ancient-ranked power into a state of alarm.
「The Cangxia Ancient Court!」
This power was established in the Eighth Era. Its founding monarch was a Semi-Emperor martial artist, and it had now been passed down through twenty-three generations of monarchs. Among the ancient-ranked powers in the East Border, it ranked in the middle.
Inside the imperial city, the atmosphere was tense. The current monarch, Cang Qiyun, made his way alone towards an ancient mountain. The mountain was covered in lush forests and shrouded in mist, from which the roars of tigers and cries of monkeys occasionally echoed, reverberating through the heavens.
"Your descendant, Monarch Cang Qiyun, beseeches the Ancestor to emerge from seclusion, repel the foreign invaders, and stabilize our nation’s foundation!" Cang Qiyun shouted loudly, kneeling on the ground. His powerful voice echoed through the mountain forest, creating countless reverberations.
At the mountain’s peak, the Void suddenly tore open. A white-haired martial artist emerged, treading upon an Azure Dragon. He asked in a deep voice, "Who dares to invade the Cangxia Ancient Court?"
He was Cangxia Long, the founding monarch of the Cangxia Ancient Court. After serving as emperor for several thousand years, he entered secluded cultivation. When his lifespan was nearly exhausted, he sealed himself away. With the arrival of the Spiritual Energy Tide, he successfully broke through to the Emperor-realm martial artist stage. However, due to his advanced age, he was severely injured during his tribulation and had been recuperating in a Mustard Seed World ever since.
"Reporting to the Ancestor, it is the Great Qin Ancient Court!" Cang Qiyun replied hurriedly.
"An Ancient Court?" Cangxia Long visibly relaxed. "Rest assured. With me, your Ancestor, here, the Cangxia Ancient Court will have nothing to fear!" As he had been in secluded healing, he was unaware of the Emperor War that had erupted earlier and still believed the Great Qin Ancient Court and the Cangxia Ancient Court were powers of the same caliber.
If he knew the Great Qin Ancient Court’s battle records, he likely wouldn’t be so composed!
"Thank you, Ancestor!" Cang Qiyun exclaimed quickly, a smile appearing on his face. During the previous Emperor War, he couldn’t directly observe the battle due to the influence of the Laws of the Emperor Dao, so he didn’t know the outcome. This, combined with his Ancestor’s breakthrough to the Emperor realm, gave him the notion of contending with the Great Qin Ancient Court. In his view, with an Emperor-realm Ancestor presiding, even if they were no match for the Great Qin Ancient Court, safeguarding their nation should be a simple matter.
With such thoughts, he began to frequently issue orders, mobilizing an army of ten million soldiers and personally leading the expedition to the front lines. Accompanying him was the founding Ancestor, Cangxia Long.
Meanwhile, the legion attacking the Cangxia Ancient Court was the Azure Dragon Army, led by Zhao Yun. Before Cang Qiyun even reached the border defenses, they had already breached them, driving deep into their territory. Ultimately, the two sides met on a plain.
Zhao Yun, mounted on his warhorse at the head of his army, gazed at the distant enemy forces and sneered, "An Emperor-realm martial artist? No wonder you dare to resist! His Qi and vital blood are unstable. He must have barely broken through; he’s vulnerable to a single strike!"
Unaware of Zhao Yun’s thoughts, Cang Qiyun roared audibly, "The Cangxia Ancient Court is not a place for you people of Great Qin! Retreat immediately!" His powerful voice echoed between heaven and earth.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!" The ten million soldiers of the Cangxia Ancient Court drew their weapons and roared menacingly, their momentum immense.
"Is that so? And you think you can stop us with just one old relic?" Zhao Yun mocked, his body slowly ascending into the air. His silver armor glinted dazzlingly under the sunlight. An aura of invincibility enveloped the sky, pressing down upon the opposing army.
Instantly, the ten million soldiers of the Cangxia Ancient Court fell silent, their throats feeling as if they were being violently constricted.
"Arrogant!" Cangxia Long, who had been resting with his eyes closed, erupted in fury. His body shot into the air as the power of the Emperor realm burst forth. He growled, "Junior, you are too arrogant!" He was, after all, a figure from a previous era and now an Emperor-realm martial artist. To be called an ’old relic’ by a junior—how could he not be enraged?
"Whether I’m arrogant or not, let’s settle it in combat!" Zhao Yun declared, then launched his attack. His spear shot out, coalescing into an incredibly sharp, dragon-shaped spear intent.
"Battle!" Cangxia Long roared. He brandished a war sword and slashed downwards, creating a ten-thousand-zhang-long blade qi.