"What, the Left Army broke into Great Leaf Military City in just 15 minutes, beheading over 20,000 of the 100,000 garrisoned soldiers, capturing over 50,000, with just over 10,000 escaping? And they pursued the defeated troops for 200 miles downwind, capturing three cities?"
Inside the commander’s tent at Great Wilderness Pass, Grand Marshal of the Eastern Expedition Army, Gu Zhaoge, holding the military report in his right hand, could no longer suppress its trembling.
A great victory!
This was undoubtedly the greatest victory on the frontier of Black Water Kingdom in a century!
But what made it bitter for him was that this grand victory was not his achievement!
Seeing his own commander so shocked, Gu Zhaoge’s staff officer, Military Officer Wang Ji, offered consoling words, "Marshal, Great Leaf Military City had only 100,000 soldiers to begin with. Moreover, with the War Soul Blood Flag present, achieving such a great victory is normal..."
"See for yourself..."
Gu Zhaoge, rather speechlessly, handed the military report to his confidant staff officer, who, after just one glance, immediately showed a look of shock on his face.
"They didn’t even use the War Soul Blood Flag..."
Upon seeing this message, the usually self-assured Wang Ji was somewhat stunned; the message contained too much information.
The most direct proof was that the previous intelligence about Ye Zhen was correct!
Because Great Leaf Military City was also a key stronghold, previously, due to the pressure of the invading army from Black Water Kingdom, the western front’s key military towns of Sword Origin Empire were all garrisoned by Soul Sea Realm powerhouses from Sword Origin Sect.
According to intelligence, before, there were two Sect Elders from Sword Origin Sect stationed at Great Leaf Military Town, and including one Soul Sea Realm Loose Cultivator recruited by the military, there were three Soul Sea Realm powerhouses at Great Leaf Military City.
But according to the military report, there was only one Soul Sea Realm powerhouse at Great Leaf Military City!
"The martial artists sent to investigate Spirit Sword Grave Mountain, have they returned?" Gu Zhaoge suddenly stood up to ask. He was very clear that if he did not act now, this Eastern Expedition would reduce him to mere background!
"There might have been trouble on the road; as of now, no talisman communication has arrived..."
As Wang Ji was speaking, three subsequent talisman lights descended from the sky and landed in Military Officer Wang Ji’s hands, and just one glance made his expression turn extremely bitter.
"An unknown drastic change occurred at Spirit Sword Grave Mountain, almost turning it upside down, nearly disappearing from the map, leaving it in ruins. Everywhere around, martial artists are searching for the broken swords emitted by Spirit Sword Grave Mountain, and many places have remaining blackened bloodstains, even rotten limbs... organs..."
"Grand Marshal... we... were wrong!"
When Wang Ji handed the intelligence to Grand Marshal Gu Zhaoge, his mouth tasted as bitter as if he had swallowed Huanglian.
Three days!
They had wasted three precious days!
Putting aside the impacts on the battle situation, these three days had already caused them to lose the honor of being the first in the Eastern Expedition!
After just one glance, the talisman communication crumbled in the hands of Grand Marshal of the Eastern Expedition Army, Gu Zhaoge, "Someone, pass my military order, beat the drums, gather the generals!"
Gu Zhaoge’s shout was both authoritative and resolute, but who could detect the bitterness in his voice!
The three-day delay and the fall of Great Leaf Military City had given the enemy enough leeway to make ample amends!
A day later, the main force of the Eastern Expedition Army pressed on to Beichang Military Town at the frontier of Sword Origin Empire, launching an offensive.
Regrettably, the situation Grand Marshal Gu Zhaoge had hoped for did not occur. When five Soul Sea Realm Martial Artists from Qiyun Sect, Lishui Sect, and the Royal Family attached to the Eastern Expedition Army attacked, they were held back.
The intelligence was correct; Beichang Military Town’s top-tiered Soul Sea Realm powerhouses numbered only two; the rest were either at the Peak of the Fifth Stage of Spirit Transformation Realm or at the First or Second Stage of the Soul Sea Realm.
The quality wasn’t great, but their numbers were sufficient to barely hold off the attacks of the Soul Sea Realm powerhouses from the Eastern Expedition Army.
The most unfortunate part was, perhaps realizing their lack of high-end martial power, in just four days, Beichang Military Town had set up as many as fifty Spirit-Breaking Crossbow Cannons in various directions along the city walls.
Moreover, the Spirit-Breaking Crossbow Cannons were operated by Soul Summoning Realm or Spirit Transformation Realm Martial Artists capable of locking onto divine souls.
With the support of the Spirit-Breaking Crossbow Cannons, although Beichang Military Town’s high-end martial power was weak, it still managed to contend with the Eastern Expedition Army to a stalemate.
Meanwhile, intelligence from the front lines also arrived.
In just these four days, the military department of Sword Origin Empire had issued a call to arms to the civilian martial artists for the defense of their homeland!
In every area, martial artists hurried to report to nearby military towns.
Among these martial artists, there was never a shortage of hot-blooded men.
In just less than four days, the number of Sword Origin Empire martial artists rushing to assist Beichang Military Town had exceeded a hundred, also causing the current passive situation of the main force of the Eastern Expedition Army!
The Eastern Expedition Army fought desperately to take the city for a day but suffered over 30,000 casualties and yet did not manage to advance even a step into Beichang Military Town.
"Grand Marshal, request assistance from Commander Ye on the left flank. With the War Soul Blood Flag supporting us, we can take Beichang Military Town within half a day," Military Officer Wang Ji offered the wisest advice.
"But will Ye Zhen come? Will Ye Zhen leave the Left Army to come and support our forces?" Gu Zhaoge expressed his concerns with a worried face!
"Rest assured, Grand Marshal, he will definitely come!"
"Why?"
"The reason is simple; we are the main force of the Eastern Expedition Army. If we get stuck in Beichang Military Town unable to advance, Ye Zhen’s Left Army wouldn’t dare to venture deeply alone into the heartland of Sword Origin Empire, or else, once they penetrate deeper, they would face the fate of being surrounded and annihilated!"
In a moment, three talisman communications shot up into the sky!
At the same time, this also represented that the Grand Marshal of the Eastern Expedition Army, Gu Zhaoge, was officially bowing down to Ye Zhen!
The next day, at the fourth watch before dawn, Grand Marshal of the Eastern Expedition Army, Gu Zhaoge, got up and stepped out of the commander’s tent, gazing southward at the sky, his expression filled with hidden anxieties.
Today, as the sun rises, it will be the moment for the Eastern Expedition Army to launch another attack. According to the agreement made through the talisman communication, before daybreak, Grand Marshal of the Left Army, Ye Zhen, should arrive with the War Soul Blood Flag.
However, there were less than 15 minutes until the sun rose, the soldiers in the camp had already had their fill and were geared up, preparing for the siege, but there was still no sign of Ye Zhen in the sky!
"Grand Marshal, the vanguard and siege weapons are ready, should we...."
"Hold off..."
Grand Marshal Gu Zhaoge of the Eastern Expedition Army waved his hand disheartenedly. According to the latest intelligence from last night, Beichang Military Town had received reinforcements of over fifty martial artists, including one at the peak of the Fifth Stage of the Soul Sea Realm.
In doing so, the balance of strength between the enemy and us had shifted, and a forceful siege would only result in unnecessary casualties....
Just as Gu Zhaoge turned away in dejection, Military Officer Wang Ji suddenly cried out in alarm, "Grand Marshal, look!"
In the distant sky, a silver meteor-like streak was speeding towards them, and with Gu Zhaoge’s eye power, he could see it very clearly—it was actually a White Tiger!
A White Tiger with a black king’s mark on its forehead!
"Ye Zhen has arrived, prepare for the siege!" Gu Zhaoge exclaimed joyously.
The person who had arrived was indeed Ye Zhen!
In fact, the considerations Ye Zhen had were not as complex as Officer Wang thought—things like strategic coordination between two armies or penetrating deep as a lone force.
Ye Zhen was concerned with only one thing—as someone from Black Water Kingdom and as allies, one must lend a helping hand if possible.
If Ye Zhen had allowed his personal grievances with Grand Marshal Gu Zhaoge to influence his decision, then thousands of soldiers from Black Water Kingdom would have died.
"Commander Ye...."
Gu Zhaoge was extremely eager for Ye Zhen’s arrival, but when he faced him, he suddenly didn’t know what to say. His expression became awkward and beyond the awkwardness was a deep sense of shame!
Ye Zhen’s magnanimity was indeed humbling...
"Gu Shuai, let’s prepare for the siege!"
Ye Zhen noticed Gu Zhaoge’s discomfort and skipped any further discussion, jumping straight to the main topic.
"But, yesterday Beichang Military Town received more than fifty powerful reinforcements led by a Sect Elder from Sword Origin Sect at the peak of the Fifth Stage of the Soul Sea Realm. I have already sent a talisman communication to Lishui Sect. By noon, a Soul Sea Realm elder will arrive, shall we...."
"No need, proceed with the siege! The Sect Elder from Sword Origin Sect, leave him to me!"
"Uh... alright!"
Gu Zhaoge had intended to refuse, but Ye Zhen’s strong confidence had infected him.
The next moment, the deep sound of horns and the soul-stirring beat of drums sounded simultaneously—it was the signal to attack!
Ye Zhen and Grand Marshal Gu Zhaoge, along with five accompanying Soul Sea Realm powerhouses from the Eastern Expedition Army, stood proudly in the sky above the battlefield, looking down at the thirty thousand strong siege army below, pushing the siege engines forward like ants.
"Commander Ye, it’s about time!"
Standing side by side with Ye Zhen in this battle, Grand Marshal Gu Zhaoge of the Eastern Expedition Army had become extremely humble, shedding not only his old authority but also the posture expected of a Grand Marshal.
"Go!"
With a low shout, a stream of blood light suddenly flew out from Ye Zhen’s bosom and swelled in the wind.
In an instant, a ten-zhang wide blood-colored banner soared above the battlefield.
Merely glancing at it, the advancing soldiers felt their blood boil as if the blood-colored banner possessed some inexplicable magic.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Almost as the many soldiers looked up, countless streaks of blood light burst from the War Soul Blood Flag like a rain of flowers, descending on the thirty thousand siege soldiers below.
The blood light vanished upon contact, but an unprecedented sense of power began to rise from around the bodies of the soldiers permeated with the War Soul Blood Light.
In an instant, they felt immensely strong, and even their steps lightened, the typically difficult-to-push siege engines moving swiftly all of a sudden.
No one noticed that Ye Zhen’s brow furrowed slightly as the blood light flew out from the War Soul Blood Flag.
"Kill!"
The Vanguard General bellowed, and the soldiers ran like the wind, instantly startling the soldiers on the city walls!
"Ye Zhen, you dare show yourself!"
Almost simultaneously, a resentful voice ground out from atop Beichang City’s walls.
Due to the embarrassing defeat at the Spirit Sword Grave Mountain and being filled with self-blame, Second Elder Kong Shan of Sword Origin Sect urgently appeared on the city walls of Beichang Military Town.
Despite being freshly recovered from severe injuries and not yet fully healed, the Sect Leader of Sword Origin Sect, Yu Ruhai, struggled to command the remaining elders to assist the military.
Accompanied by several disciples, Kong Shan had been dispatched by Sect Leader Yu Ruhai to aid Beichang Military Town!
There was no choice. Including the previous conflict with Black Water Kingdom over the War Soul Blood Flag, half of the Sect Elders of Sword Origin Sect had been lost, leaving them unable to spare many people.
The moment he saw Ye Zhen, rage flared!
"Ye Zhen, dare you face this old man for three hundred rounds!" Immediately upon seeing Ye Zhen, Second Elder Kong Shan from Sword Origin Sect charged out from Beichang Military Town, pointing his sword at Ye Zhen!
"Old man, this is no place for your arrogance..." A Sect Elder from Lishui Sect was about to charge forward but was stopped by Ye Zhen.
"Three hundred rounds? Elder Kong, aren’t you overestimating yourself a bit!" During the conversation, Ye Zhen also dashed out like lightning!

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