The wind and sand swirled into a massive haze, the killing intent soaring into the heavens. Tens of thousands of armored, sharp-bladed soldiers charged and clashed in the vast desert.

Corpses littered the plains, piled high across the broken ground. Countless grains of sand were stained a dark crimson by the spilled blood.

This was the northwestern reach of the Yuanlian Realm, known as the West Gravel Plains. It held no strategic value, yet it lay directly on the southwestern flank.

Across seven thousand li here, there were no natural strongholds to defend. However, nearby lay more than a dozen large oases capable of sustaining large armies.

Zhuang Yu stood tall upon a dune, silently observing the battle raging below him.

This was a decisive victory! The allied forces from the eastern kingdoms lay dead here, numbering a staggering one hundred and thirty thousand!

And the tally was still rising!

Tens of thousands of elite cavalry pursued the retreating enemy, constantly flanking, intercepting, and driving them, tearing the enemy formations into fragments!

Behind them, a massive infantry force, composed of twenty thousand Tiangang Swordsmen and ten thousand Xuandu Guards, pressed forward relentlessly! They advanced with maximum speed, tireless, continuously reaping lives.

Their morale was fierce, their spirit and energy at their absolute peak!

Zhuang Yu had experienced victories like this more than a dozen times in just a few short months.

From initial probing maneuvers to finally discarding all caution for a fierce, overwhelming assault. Dozens of engagements, large and small, had resulted in both wins and losses. Yet, a slaughter on the scale of today—even claiming over a hundred thousand heads—failed to stir his nerves.

Instead, the barely concealed exhaustion etched onto the faces of his cavalry and infantry caused him secret anxiety.

They had marched four thousand li in ten days and nights. Even the hardest of elites could not sustain such a pace indefinitely.

Even if they won every battle, they would eventually be ground down.

And if his projections were accurate, they would need to continue this exhausting chase, rushing to put out fires everywhere in the coming period.

Zhuang Yu frowned, the veins bulging on his clenched fists. Finally, he relaxed them and sighed silently.

In his many years commanding troops, he rarely felt such helplessness. To defend a defensive line stretching ten thousand li with an army nearly half the size of the enemy’s. No direction offered any comfort.

In truth, he believed the optimal strategy was proactive—attacking to defend. Strike at the vital points and force a decisive battle! Only then could they leverage their strengths and conceal their weaknesses. Dealing with simultaneous crises on all fronts, like now, was paralyzing and extraordinarily difficult to manage.

However—

The current Great Qian Celestial Court lacked the necessary foundation.

“Marshal Yu! I suggest we cease pursuit. Although the enemy is routed, our forces are also fatigued. We must guard against any sudden reversal—”

A reminder came from a staff officer accompanying the army. Zhuang Yu snapped back to the present, his gaze returning to the scene before him.

With a slight hesitation, a flicker of reluctance crossing his face, he finally nodded slightly. “Order all troops to halt. Rest where you stand! All subsequent matters—securing the battlefield, comforting the soldiers—each department must handle thoroughly.”

In this desert, the native horses of the Yuanlian Realm could not gallop freely; travel usually relied on camels. However, when Zong Shou arrived in the Yuanlian Realm, he brought with him one hundred thousand fine steeds of the Wind-Riding and Cloud-Treading varieties. These horses could travel through the air, utterly unrestricted by the sands, perfectly suited for this terrain.

And now, the Xuanhu Iron Cavalry, numbering seven thousand strong, having weathered scores of battles large and small, possessed combat strength far exceeding even the Xuandu Guards—they were true Profound-Grade Dao Soldiers. Almost no force could stand against their hooves!

Therefore, Zhuang Yu’s original intent here was to exploit the cavalry advantage to annihilate the enemy’s elite forces in the northwest, thereby easing the pressure on the overall war effort later on.

Yet, today’s outcome felt somewhat ‘less than satisfactory,’ or perhaps, his own expectations for Zhuang Yu had been too high.

The opposing enemy general was also extremely difficult; seemingly unconcerned with victory or defeat, and acutely aware of the need to preserve strength.

Turning around, Zhuang Yu glanced back at the young aide who had offered the timely reminder. Recalling the man’s name and committing it to memory, Zhuang Yu turned and walked toward the main command tent behind the lines.

The Great Qian Celestial Court was currently short not only of usable troops but also of capable generals who could take independent command. This man, unafraid of his authority, offering timely counsel, clearly possessed both courage and insight. As he moved, he heard murmurs of discussion from other staff officers behind him.

“It’s still a lack of manpower! Otherwise, how could these rabbits have escaped today?”

“It’s the fault of those realm lords! The Marshal notified the various kingdoms a year ago to prepare their forces. Yet, even now, they’ve only increased their numbers by twenty percent. What good is that?”

“Even the cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice. These enemies seem endless. I wonder where they procure such financial backing?”

“It is said that six months ago, the Xuanling Conclave alone sent at least seventeen airships. They brought three million sets of arms and armor. And us?”

“What’s infuriating is those few monarchs who stall and refuse whenever the topic of supplies and payroll comes up, refusing to raise taxes! Don’t they understand that if the skin perishes, how can the hair remain attached?”

“If this continues, I don’t know how long we can hold out?”

Zhuang Yu’s eyebrows twitched slightly. This was a resounding victory, yet within his own headquarters, this was the prevailing sentiment? Undermining morale was grounds for severe punishment!

He felt the urge to shout and rebuke them but, for some reason, stopped himself, choosing to ignore it.

One can tell the season by observing a single leaf; even ignorant vegetation perceives the changing times. It was clear to anyone with even a sliver of intelligence what the current situation entailed. These internal anxieties were not something he could quell with the might of his military might alone.

He harbored his own resentment; if he had just thirty percent more troops—a million soldiers—he wouldn’t be struggling so fiercely with the current situation.

Yet, he felt a measure of resignation. The Sovereign, when departing, had selected men of great capability, men virtuous and self-disciplined, each possessing their own steadfast principles.

Take, for instance, the words of He Daoren, the new ruler of Xuanguo: the people in the southwest were already overburdened. To impose heavy taxes to resist the enemy would be no different from the tyranny of previous regimes. It would simply lead to widespread suffering and displacement again within half a year. It was precisely this clash of ideals that allowed Zhuang Yu to endure and struggle on.

Shaking his head, Zhuang Yu spurred his horse back to the camp and then strode alone into his personal tent. Exhausted by ceaseless planning, working day and night without rest, even as an Immortal-rank cultivator, he felt overwhelmed. He longed to collapse right then and sleep soundly, escaping these vexing matters.

But as he stepped inside, a faint alarm resonated within Zhuang Yu’s mind. His eyes flashed faintly. Zhuang Yu flipped his hand, manifesting a massive, crimson-gold greatsword, and furiously swept it toward one side!

With a sharp hiss, the sword strike, honed by the relentless trials of the battlefield, was condensed to an extreme degree. It let out an astonishing, piercing whistle as it struck something outside the tent—and that section of empty space was instantly torn open.

It wasn't a true shattering of the void, but rather the piercing of an illusion. A figure materialized within, his eyes flashing with surprise.

In a moment, dozens of talismans gathered in his right sleeve, making his arm tough as metal, and he pointed a finger out. A strange force instantly suppressed the sonic wave, making it vanish completely.

The finger met the greatsword’s edge; intentions clashed, and rigid gang energy intertwined. Just as the violent storm was about to detonate, the figure flicked his sleeve, shattering and neutralizing all the overflowing residual energy.

He laughed softly, “Marshal Yu has sharp methods! Your attainment in the Way of the Sword is surely the finest in the Yuanlian Realm currently. But I mean no harm. Marshal, might you pause and speak with me?”

Zhuang Yu stared at the figure, then paused in surprise.

“You are Tan Jing of the Tianfang Conclave?”

Though he had never met this man, Zhuang Yu had recognized him long ago. He knew this person had never actually left after that previous battle but had remained hovering just outside the borders of the Yuanlian Realm. The recent relentless assaults by the eastern allied forces were inextricably linked to this man.

But indeed, he had stopped his sword. When he first entered the tent, this person clearly harbored killing intent. However, once he realized Zhuang Yu could not be easily subdued, he had set aside his hostility. Zhuang Yu knew equally well that he couldn't capture this man easily, nor was it worth risking a full clash. This was not cowardice, nor was it arrogance. The fate of the Great Qian Celestial Court in the Yuanlian Realm currently rested entirely upon him. A commander must know how to value his own life.

Furthermore, this man could conceal his presence here for a moment, but his subordinates would detect the anomaly shortly. Taking him down with the combined strength of others would be far simpler than dealing with him alone.

“Precisely! Marshal Yu recognizes me; this is truly an honor,” Tan Jing said with a slight bow. “I have come specifically to speak with Marshal Yu—”

Zhuang Yu’s gaze was distant, fixed only on the edge of the heavy sword in his hand. “Between you and me, there is nothing to discuss!”

“That may not be so.” Tan Jing shook his head slightly. “Brother Zhuang, must you truly hang yourself on the branch of the Great Qian Celestial Court? You know the situation in the Yuanlian Realm better than anyone. Can you hold out for a month, two months, or three?”

Hearing this, Zhuang Yu felt only disdain. “If it’s idle chatter, then there’s no need to speak further. As for how long we can last and the outcome of the war, we shall see the true measure of it on the battlefield!”

“Brother Zhuang’s skill, Tan has long experienced and is well aware of,” Tan Jing smiled again, seemingly unconcerned. “However, in warfare, while you can hold off enemies several times your number with a weaker force, I wonder if you can stand against several hundred Immortal-rank experts and resolve the plight of the Yuanlian Realm and the existential crisis facing the Great Qian Celestial Dynasty?”

Zhuang Yu’s expression jolted. He stared at the opposite figure in astonishment. What did this mean?

But then Tan Jing murmured, “It’s no wonder Brother Zhuang is unaware! The Cloud Realm’s Cang Sheng Dao is currently precarious, like an egg balanced on a needle point. Zong Shou has always considered this sect an ally, but once the Cang Sheng Dao falls, he will inevitably be unable to sustain himself alone! How could he possibly have the leisure to concern himself with this Yuanlian World? By then, even the Sword Sect and the Buddhist sects of the Cloud Realm might retreat. Marshal, am I correct in this?”

Waves were already surging within Zhuang Yu’s eyes. He was filled with doubt, unsure whether what Tan Jing spoke was truth or falsehood.

“Not a single word of falsehood to deceive you! Furthermore, that Zong Shou—he hasn't shown himself in ages, his whereabouts unknown. Who knows if he is alive or dead now. But even if he lives, Tan Jing dares guarantee that this boy will absolutely lack the strength to turn the tide!”

Seemingly divining Zhuang Yu’s thoughts, Tan Jing’s expression grew solemn as he swore solemnly, “I ask Marshal Yu, do you still wish to be buried with this so-called Great Qian Celestial Dynasty? Though you are loyal and righteous, you must think of the millions of common people in the southeast.”

Years ago, Zong Shou had persuaded Zhuang Yu with the future of the Yuanlian Realm. Now, Tan Jing was using the opponent’s own logic against him!

(To be continued)