“That Kong Yao wages war with caution; though her frequent surprise attacks appear reckless, she never grants the enemy an opening. For Fei Yin to crush her army within a month and a half is utterly impossible.”
Fei Yin’s expression was ashen. These past days had been nothing short of an agonizing ordeal, stripping away all his previous arrogance regarding Kong Yao.
These past few dozen days had dealt a heavy blow to the woman he once dismissed as a mediocre general.
“Yet, a general requires a brilliant sovereign to fully realize their potential. It is like a peerless famous sword that can only truly display its sharpness in the hands of a supreme swordsman! But if it falls into the hands of an ordinary mortal, it is merely slightly sharper than common iron, nothing to boast about. And Kong Yao, unfortunately, serves such an absurd ruler.”
Everyone frowned, utterly bewildered by the implication of Fei Yin’s words.
Then Fei Yin continued, “That Kong Yao commands millions of troops, locked in fierce struggle against my Great Shang south of the Min River. Meanwhile, Zong Shou remains thousands of miles away in the Wine Pool Palace, drinking and reveling daily, hosting endless banquets, and wantonly plundering maidens from various tribes to satisfy his lust. I truly feel it is unfair to Kong Yao—to debase herself by marrying such a tyrannical and foolish ruler—”
The assembled lords shook their heads; what good was discussing this? It was precisely because a talent like Kong Yao commanded the front lines that Zong Shou could enjoy himself in the rear without worry—a luxury others envied.
In the end, it was Yin Yu who had misjudged her, allowing this future pillar of the state to flee to the Great Shang and become Zong Shou’s consort.
Looking at the situation now, it was undeniably a choice like placing a delicate flower onto a pile of dung.
Fei Yin noticed the impatience beginning to etch itself onto Yin Yu’s face, his expression turning quite grim, so he quickly ceased his tirade and moved to the main point: “Originally, a forced assault was unnecessary; we only needed to wait a few months. I predicted that the Great Qian army would eventually grow dissatisfied with their ruler’s behavior and descend into internal strife. Zong Shou’s plundering of the Southern Barbarian maidens would also sooner or later provoke those tribes into rebellion. My Great Shang could win without a fight. However, Your Majesty is benevolent, likely unwilling to let those barbarians suffer, or to burden the people of Great Shang with increased taxes due to a prolonged war. This conflict must be resolved swiftly. After careful consideration, I believe the only viable method is to capture the leader—capture the king!”
“Capture the king?”
A slight smile touched Yin Yu’s lips, recognizing the flattery woven into Fei Yin’s words. Nevertheless, the words of the Grand General of the Southern Campaign resonated deeply with his own intentions.
He truly did not wish to delay; those barbarians meant little to him, but continuing the siege here would inevitably necessitate tax hikes, a matter requiring extreme caution.
Hearing the latter part of the statement, his heart stirred noticeably.
“My esteemed minister means to disregard everything else and strike directly at the Wine Pool Palace!”
At this declaration, the figures in the Imperial Study showed a glint in their eyes, especially the generals, who seemed deep in thought.
“Your Majesty is wise; this is precisely my meaning!”
Fei Yin smiled, his demeanor growing increasingly deferential: “The Seven Swords of the Cangsheng Dao, and indeed the entire Great Qian nation, hinge upon Zong Shou. If this person dies, everything can be resolved! Furthermore, I know there is a massive supply of provisions near the Wine Pool Palace. If we can seize it, it will feed my millions of Great Shang soldiers for two full months! At that point, all crises can be resolved with ease.”
Yin Yu abruptly stood, clearly moved, yet one lingering doubt remained.
“The northern bank of the Min River is at least two thousand seven hundred li from that Wine Pool Palace.”
The speaker was a Daoist seated to the right, whose aura was perfectly concealed, appearing no different from an ordinary person, yet he was a Venerable Saint Sovereign.
“Since Kong Yao is so cautious, a long-range raid is almost impossible. How can my Great Shang strike directly at the enemy’s nest? I fear we would be detected within ten li.”
“And that Blood Sword Demon Lord is not dead. His swordsmanship is superb, and his escape techniques are not weak! If the situation turns unfavorable, would he not simply flee?”
Yin Yu fixed his gaze on Fei Yin, awaiting his reply. The previous comments perfectly voiced the doubt in his own mind. “What difficulty is that? The Daoist Sect possesses the Thousand Li Evasion Talisman, and the Demonic Sect has the Secret Art of Demonic Void Concealment. Transporting an army to a location two thousand eight hundred li away should not be difficult!”
The faces of the three Daoist Venerables shifted slightly. Although the Thousand Li Evasion Talisman possessed such capability, the cost was enormous, and the Daoist Sect would not use it lightly. Moreover, Zong Shou possessed the World-Burning Blood Pupils divine ability, capable of locking down the void with World-Burning Fire. To accomplish this would require the combined effort of over a dozen Saint Realm experts, potentially even draining their essential vitality.
Fei Yin, however, continued speaking fluently, utterly confident: “As for preventing Zong Shou from escaping, that is also extremely simple. With the combined power of the Daoist, Demonic, and Confucian sects, creating a Void Locking Formation should not be hard. If we are willing to pay the price, even if he possesses that Lu family’s World-Burning Bloodline, we can trap and kill him!”
“Too optimistic! My Daoist Sect has the Thousand Li Evasion Talisman, and the Cangsheng Dao also possesses the Void Crossing Art. Either can instantly transfer an army of over one hundred thousand near the Wine Pool Palace.”
“Zong Shou originates from the Fox Clan and is inherently cunning. What if this Wine Pool Palace is actually a trap—I speak of a possibility—what then is our recourse?”
“Therefore, this time, we must move at least eight hundred thousand elites! All Daoist soldiers must be committed to this effort as well!”
Fei Yin’s expression grew increasingly bright and confident.
“The hardship our army faces is the inability to engage Kong Yao in a straightforward, honorable battle! With these eight hundred thousand strong troops, regardless of whether Kong Yao can teleport her own elites here, and regardless of whether the Wine Pool Palace is a trap—with the might of my Great Shang’s eight hundred thousand veteran army, we can crush it all!”
Yin Yu suddenly understood, his eyes showing appreciation. This strategy was indeed viable and was the only way to break the stalemate.
If the Cangsheng Dao’s Void Crossing Divine Art were not used, then forcing Kong Yao into a decisive battle at the Wine Pool Palace would still be a worthwhile outcome.
However, at this moment, he remained silent, sitting back down quietly, waiting. Moving one hundred thousand troops a thousand li through thin air could sustain one Saint Sovereign Venerable of the Great Shang for a full fifty years. Moving eight hundred thousand elites across two thousand eight hundred li—the cost was staggeringly immense. The Great Shang alone could never bear it.
Silence once more descended upon the chamber. After a long while, the Hermit of Snow Abode suddenly spoke with resolution: “This method is feasible! My Confucian Sect is willing to bear one-third of all expenses! We have four Saint Realm experts who can participate in the ritual.”
No one was surprised. The hatred stemming from the fall of the First Saint, Dongzi, was deeply shared by most within the Confucian sect; this hatred could not be washed away even by all the waters of the Three Rivers and Five Lakes. Master Zhu would certainly pay any price to utterly annihilate the Great Qian nation!
With this declaration, the deadlock was finally broken.
The Cloud Terrace True Man, who had spoken earlier, immediately smiled: “My Daoist Sect can also bear one-quarter of the share to aid this endeavor. Five Saint Realm experts, along with the Thousand Li Evasion Talisman, will be shared with you all.”
His gaze shifted subtly. Zong Shou was the primary heir of the Lu family. If the Daoist Sect wished to avoid provoking that behemoth, the best method would be to capture and confine the young man, then seek an explanation from the Lu family concerning the matter of Qingming. He assumed that many powerful figures in the Lu family would welcome this outcome. A direct descendant of the Lu clan, held as a prisoner, would still hold considerable status within the Lu family, but whether he could ascend as the Incinerating Heaven Saint Emperor would certainly be debatable.
However, seeing the resolve of the Confucian Sect, it seemed they were determined to strike Zong Shou down completely before they would relent. Was this truly the path of righteousness, to advance even against ten thousand foes? This was preparation for vengeance at any cost. Yet, utilizing the Confucian Sect and the Great Shang to achieve this was not a bad outcome.
And that Blood Sword Demon Lord—did he not hold a hatred as deep as the sea for their Daoist Sect, a thorn in their side? Currently, within the Daoist Sect, any cultivator with a shred of ambition was dissatisfied with True Man Qingxuan. That Dao Ancestor, truly, was too cautious. Was the Incinerating Heaven Lu Family truly that terrifying? Outside their borders, they only possessed three Saint Sovereign Venerables and nine Divine Sovereigns at the level of the (Supreme Realm)!
“May I ask Brother Blood Saint for his opinion?”
The Confucian Sect was rigid; even when cooperating, they refused to exchange a single word with the Demonic Dao, let alone direct contact. For such a critical matter, the Daoist Sect had to act as the intermediary.
At that moment, from outside the imperial carriage, amidst the deep night, a chilling laugh was heard: “Amusing, truly amusing! You may have my Demonic Dao’s agreement! One-quarter of the spirit stones, and even the Demonic Void Concealment Art, we can offer. However, we demand half of the Southern Wind Cloud Land, plus one Prefecture of Hui!”
Yin Yu frowned slightly, then quickly calmed. The Southern Wind Cloud Land was not the most prosperous or vital region; the Demonic Sect showed self-awareness. In name, the territory would still be nominally enfeoffed by the Great Shang, only the appointees would be chosen by the Demonic Sect. For him, there was no true loss.
Then, Demon Lord Blood Saint continued his sinister chuckle: “Furthermore, regarding the Demon King Zong Shou, all members of the Eight-Tailed Mystic Fox Clan captured must be handed over to my disposal. Our sect’s Grand Precursor Demon Lord harbors a bone-deep hatred for him.”
Regarding this last point, everyone was indifferent. Redirecting the calamity to the Grand Precursor Demon Lord was beneficial. In any case, this Demon Lord did not fear the Lu Family. Even Xuezhai Jushi, Liu Li, raised no objection. If Zong Shou fell into the hands of the Demonic Dao, his fate would only be more miserable. In contrast, the Confucian Sect, claiming to be the righteous path, could not act too freely; at most, they could only allow this dissolute ruler a swift death.
“Half of the Southern Wind Cloud Land is sufficient; adding the Prefecture of Hui is excessive. The Demonic Sect can only take one of these two!”
True Man Yun Tai had not finished speaking when a cold snort sounded from outside the window. He paid it no mind, looking instead at the Hermit of Snow Abode with an inquiring gaze.
Liu Li deliberated for a long time before nodding slightly: “Agreed!”
Hearing this, Yin Yu knew the matter was settled. His eyes flashed with sharp light as he gazed at the map. He estimated that within two days at most, all troubles could be resolved.
Then, a shade of confusion crossed his face. The Wine Pool Palace was one thing; it sounded somewhat refined. But what was this ‘Plain of Fallen Gods’ (Yun Shen Yuan)? He heard Zong Shou himself named it—the name carried an inauspicious weight.
At that exact moment, Kong Yao was gazing up at the starry sky, her expression heavy with relief. She had finally awaited this moment!
“It’s about time to begin—”
With those words spoken, Kong Yao turned to look at Ming Yu of the Cangsheng Dao, who stood beside her with his hands clasped behind his back.
“This time, we will trouble the Venerables again!”
“Why such formality?”
Ming Yu chuckled lightly: “With the Lord’s World-Burning Pupils, this Void Crossing Divine Art will certainly be much easier to execute. I am also eagerly anticipating watching Junior Brother and Sister-in-law bury the Daoist and Demonic Sect soldiers completely!”
Before him lay the Great Qian’s thirty thousand Blood Cloud Cavalry, fifty thousand Cangsheng Dark Dragon Warriors, thirty-five thousand Weiyang Sword Cavalry, and a total host of sixty thousand Heavenly Constellation Battle Troops!