Spring was about to depart, but summer hadn’t arrived yet.
Inside Central Continent Imperial City, there wasn’t much activity within the tall walls. Together with the war against the south not going well, blood splashing across the palace happened from time to time. Compared to the outside world, it seemed even more cold and lacking in warmth.
Outside Ghost Prison’s heavy iron gates, within a side room used for Judicial Sector officials to get some rest, there were two people who were currently having a chat, one of them precisely Xu Zhenyan.
Under the support of Jiang Family and the incredibly influential Grand Secretary Wen’s secret support, Xu Zhenyan’s voice already carried a set amount of authority in Judicial Sector. Moreover, he also began to make some friends in the palace, having some trusted aides.
Right now, the Religion Sector official Nian Qingchen was precisely one of these individuals.
“Are you sure that Lin Xi already appeared in Swallow Descent Town?”
“That palace made in the defense study that day is someone under me. She personally heard some of the conversation between his holiness and the Great Consecrator.” Nian Qingchen who belonged to Xu Family looked at Xu Zhenyan who was younger than himself, but whose face made him feel a bit of fear, doing his best to calmly say, “There is definitely no mistake in this information.”
Xu Zhenyan said coldly, “Then what kind of stance has his majesty displayed?”
“His majesty’s mood was originally extremely terrible, but under the Great Consecrator’s advising, he most likely won’t do anything.” Nian Qingchen said, “It is because Lin Xi is currently heading towards the southern border pass.”
“He is heading south at this type of time?”
Xu Zhenyan’s eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a bit of needle-like cold radiance, starting to laugh coldly. “He wants to get revenge on Wenren Cangyue and Xu Qiubai? Could it be that his body and cultivation have already completely recovered? Even if Green Luan Academy provided him with all types of spiritual medicines, it can still only bring him to State Knight level at most. Even if it is Xu Qiubai, he has long reached the absolute peak of State Master level. Seeking revenge at this time is completely courting death. No wonder his majesty just left this matter alone.”
…
Lin Xi had already gone missing for an entire fall and winter, as well as this spring that was already about to leave.
However, because he vaguely became Green Luan Academy and Central Continent Imperial City’s bottom line, at the very least, in Yunqin, no major power could forget his existence.
That very day Xu Zhenyan and that Religion Sector Nian Qingchen talked about Lin Xi, three extremely dignified black and gold carriages gathered once again at the street they previously met at.
“Lin Xi has appeared.”
“This is extremely normal.”
“However, Green Luan Academy is still remaining secluded. This is not normal.”
The elders in the three majestic black and gold carriages began to chat with each other again.
“This is indeed an abnormal sign.”
“It seems like news of Vice Principal Xia’s health deteriorating is true.”
“So? … Gu Xinyin will guard the inside? Lin Xi guards outside? Green Luan Academy is going to hand this outside world to Lin Xi?”
“It doesn’t seem likely… However, judging from all of the indicators so far, this is indeed how it is.”
“So?”
“Regardless of why they made this choice, since Vice Principal Xia and Xiao Mingxuan made this type of choice, then they definitely have their reasons. That’s why I won’t interfere.”
“I won’t interfere either.”
“I agree.”
The three black gold carriages became quiet once more. Then, the wheels of these carriages began to move like the steps of giants again. These three carriages that could decide many things in this world separated and left.
During the period it took for the news of the southern war defeat to arrive at Dragon Snake Border Pass’ Turtle Edge Mountain to when news of Lin Xi’s appearance reached Central Continent Imperial City, many more things already took place in Yunqin Empire.
Yunqin Emperor gave the order to levy troops, starting a huge enlistment within the entire empire’s borders.
Because of Huang Family’s withdrawal and the fruitlessness of Religion Sector Imperial Censor Liu Zaoye’s death remonstration, large amounts of old Yunqin subjects who had held positions since the late emperor ruled over Yunqin wrote letters of resignation.
The garrison armies of various lands all received orders to hurry to the southern borders. Hu Piyi wasn’t reproached for the defeat, the army still under his command. This might be one of the very few areas where most of Yunqin’s officials shared the same opinion as Yunqin Emperor.
It was because Great Mang’s King City had already clearly given out the orders to recover the lost territories in Thousand Sunset Mountains.
Meanwhile, during this period, the Great Mang army of over a hundred thousand led by Wenren Cangyue already launched more than twenty battles, Yunqin’s army was unable to gain a steady footing at all. Great Mang’s army already recovered and crossed Devil Altar City, while just like Zhantai Qiantang predicted, with the central army Hu Piyi led already being crippled, in this situation where they couldn’t face Great Mang’s army head-on, of the remaining hundred something thousand membered Yunqin army that invaded Great Mang, there were more than fifty thousand casualties again.
Even though Yunqin already had reinforcements join in, the numbers and strength of Yunqin’s reinforcements couldn’t catch up to the rate at which Great Mang’s army crushed Yunqin’s troops. That was why right now, the entire Great Mang northern region situation already turned into small troops stopping and strongly defending their position, this way allowing most of Yunqin’s troops to get away, return to Thousand Sunset Mountains.
There was no good news from the southern war battlefield, only continuous bad news that returned to Yunqin.
As days passed one after another, the eyes of many powers shifted away from Lin Xi’s exact whereabouts again.
It was because even Green Luan Academy seemed to remain silent towards Lin Xi’s appearance. Meanwhile, Lin Xi headed straight south alone, not using the strength of any party.
If one person’s whereabouts were to be tracked, then it would naturally rely on people as well. If this person was like a lone wolf, not coming into contact with anyone, then even the greatest powers would find it hard to seize their concrete whereabouts.
…
As time went on, Great Mang’s main army was already only five days from Thousand Sunset Mountains.
Under the sunset glow, a three thousand membered Yunqin army suddenly stopped the advance of Great Mang’s army.
When three thousand people faced seventy thousand Great Mang forces, it wasn’t even on the same order of magnitude, not even the slightest chance of victory possible. However, when facing the incoming main Great Mang army, this Yunqin army still silently chose to stubbornly fight.
A five thousand membereded Great Mang elite force quickly flanked this Yunqin troop, starting to attack this Yunqin troop and occupy this area of higher terrain next to the main path.
At the same time, a three thousand membered vanguard army equipped with archers and heavy armored troops also began their assault.
In less than ten minutes of time, this Yunqin troop already couldn’t withstand the pressure from the side, already showing signs of collapse.
However, right at this time, at the very front of Great Mang’s army, an extremely large and tall warhorse dressed in black and red armor, as if cast in iron appeared.
Above this warhorse, there was a figure dressed in red and black armor, on his body a long indigo blue cloak, his figure as if cast from iron.
This iron cast figure who gave off an extremely valiant feeling was clearly still unsatisfied with this type of battle situation. While looking at this Yunqin troop who was doing their best to hold off Great Mang’s main force, he released a heavy cold snort.
Under his cold snort, the complexion of a high ranking military officer in front of him paled slightly. After giving an order, he first rushed out with a magma-like colored three pronged spear. At the same time, in the vanguard army in front, two hundred sets of heavy armored soldiers dressed in Great Mang main battle Night Devil Armor jumped off the war chariots, and then began to run crazily towards the Yunqin army ahead.
The battle quickly became a one-sided massacre.
In the previous ten halts of time, this Yunqin troop only suffered several hundred casualties. However, in the next ten minutes, the Yunqin army consisting of three thousand soldiers already only had a few dozen left.
The few dozen remaining Yunqin soldiers already used up all of their strength. When facing the crazily incoming butcher blades, these Yunqin soldiers who were completely powerless to defend themselves could only stare fiercely at that iron cast demonic god like figure in that Great Mang Army, fiercely spitting in that direction.
…
At Thousand Sunset Mountains’ Thousand Leaf Pass, Supervising General’s Chen Gong’s complexion was deathly pale as he looked at the wasteland below the mountain.
He obviously couldn’t see the heroic deaths of that frail force trying to stop Great Mang’s main army. However, the military reports that continuously arrived informed him of what was happening right now, so he also understood extremely well that Great Mang’s main army was already only a day’s distance away from the weary Yunqin remnant troops led by Hu Piyi.
Even though this day of distance was exchanged for through the sacrifices of many Yunqin soldiers’ lives, when facing this Great Mang army that still had the strength to carry out a long distance advance, this distance was still not enough. There would definitely be many Yunqin troops that would fall during this retreat to Thousand Sunset Mountains.
Most of the reinforcements still hadn’t arrived, but during these past few days, Yunqin troops that had already been slaughtered until they were completely scattered began to appear here one after another.
Right now, in Chen Gong’s line of sight, there was a troop of close to a thousand Yunqin ruined troops that began to withdraw towards Thousand Leaf Pass.
This was a scene of defeat that Yunqin’s people couldn’t bear to see.
Almost everyone in this ruined army of close to a thousand people had injuries on their bodies. The armor covering every single person’s body had a thick layer of blood covering it. There were only a hundred or so warhorses in this troop, and the ones they carried were all some seriously injured soldiers or individuals who couldn’t stand straight. These individuals’ strength were all close to their limit. There were people who collapsed while advancing, and even some of the soldiers who went to support them fell themselves.
A cavalry army that rushed out from Thousand Leaf Pass already rushed towards this ruined Yunqin troop, starting to move these ruined troops onto their horses.
Chen Gong and Thousand Leaf Pass City’s soldiers all carried extremely heavy emotions as they watched this scene. They knew that a few days later, when Yunqin’s main forces arrived, it might also be this type of scene.
The ruined army began to enter the pass. All of the soldiers’ names and affiliations were recorded one by one.
Chen Gong and several officers already descended from the city gate tower, walking towards this ruined army whose bodies even carried a putrid smell.
For some reason, it was as if a flash of light passed through his head. Suddenly, he felt like something wasn’t quite right… In that instant, this experienced Thousand Sunset Border Army officer’s breathing suddenly stopped. He already reacted to what it was that was off!
There was nothing wrong with the affiliation of the ruined troops, not even their injuries seeming off, but this ruined troop… Most of their figures seemed to be a bit stronger than normal soldiers!
The moment his breathing suddenly stopped, before he could give out any other orders, in this ruined army, someone straightened his body, raising his head.
This person previously looked extremely dispirited as well, not all that remarkable in this ruined army in the slightest. However, at this time, he only stood up straight, raised his head, and then his figure seemed incredibly large and tall, as if even sturdier and heavier than steel. Even the blood covering his body all seemed to have become extremely sturdy armor.
Chen Gong’s eyes couldn’t help but gather on this person’s body. When he saw this person’s face, he was completely in disbelief. He widened his mouth in horror, but momentarily couldn’t utter any sounds.
