Chapter 248 - 169: The World is Shaken, Reactions from All Sides
Chapter 248: Chapter 169: The World is Shaken, Reactions from All Sides
The Unparalleled Marquis was shrouded in Gang Qi, his Dharma Realm cultivation flaring to life as he deflected the hail of feathered arrows.
His face twisted with rage. "What’s going on? Why are the men from the Celestial King Stronghold attacking us?"
His voice was filled with fury. He had intended to prove himself in this battle.
But who could have expected the Celestial King Stronghold to betray them?
How could he not be furious?
But more than anger, he felt terror.
The Great Qin army was too vast, surging forward like a tidal wave. Their meager one hundred thousand Imperial Guard stood no chance of stopping them.
The archers from the Celestial King Stronghold were especially terrifying. Not only were they highly mobile, but they loosed their arrows with incredible speed.
In a short time, countless Warriors had been shot and killed.
Now they lay dead in pools of blood.
Xiao Heng’s gaze fell on the Crown Prince. He asked in a grave voice, "Crown Prince, isn’t the Celestial King Stronghold yours? How could this be happening?"
An army of over a million men mutinying and defecting all at once was no laughing matter.
He knew exactly how many resources the court had poured into the Celestial King Stronghold over the past two years.
The Dayong Crown Prince was in the deepest despair. He never could have imagined that the Celestial King Stronghold, which he had poured all his efforts into building, would be the one to stab him in the back.
He felt as if his world was collapsing.
His once-secure position as Crown Prince was now all but lost.
Most importantly, he had just heard the news that the Great Village Chief of the Celestial King Stronghold was actually Lu Yuan.
The revelation sent him to the brink of a mental collapse.
He didn’t respond to Xiao Heng.
"Pfft!"
Instead, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
He staggered, nearly collapsing to the ground.
Xiao Heng reacted quickly and caught him.
Then he roared to the army, "Withdraw! Retreat!"
The battle was completely lost.
But the Great Qin army continued to press forward.
They gave them no chance to catch their breath.
The Unparalleled Marquis’s expression grew grim. He knew perfectly well, ’If this continues, I’m a dead man.’
Though reluctant, he had no choice but to retreat.
The men of the Celestial King Stronghold pursued them relentlessly, nipping at their heels.
They only halted their advance when the retreating army neared the fortress.
Dayong’s border cities were all protected by Arrays and were not so easily breached.
Wu Han chose not to advance rashly.
Instead, he stopped five li from Huangsha Fortress and ordered the army to make camp.
When Lu Yuan arrived, leading the main army...
Wu Han, leading the senior members of the Celestial King Stronghold, came out to receive him. He bowed and said, "Greetings, Prince."
No one was more shocked than Mantuo. He had just been swept along with the army, forced to follow Wu Han’s orders and charge into battle.
He never would have imagined that the true leader of the Celestial King Stronghold was Lu Yuan, the very man who had once defeated him.
Now, he was thoroughly convinced and submitted without reservation.
Besides, even if he wasn’t convinced, there was nothing he could do. His very life was in the other man’s hands.
The Life-Controlling Talisman was not something he could break free from.
Lu Yuan chuckled. "Everyone, please don’t blame me for hiding my identity. This matter was far too important and had to be done in secret. However, it seems I haven’t let you all down.
This battle went very smoothly. From this day forward, all of you will be the elites of my Great Qin."
After he finished speaking,
Xiao Ku, who was at his side, said slowly, "Prince, your methods are masterful, almost beyond imagination. You reversed the tide of a world-shaking battle with a mere flick of your wrist. It’s truly incredible."
Lu Yuan smiled. "Heh, this is only the beginning. Order the army to make camp near Icefield Pass. We’ll wait and see."
"As you command!" Vice General Xiao Lie replied before taking his leave.
The army of over two million men stretched along the Dayong border, a sight that would make anyone’s scalp tingle with dread.
Lu Yuan’s move was absolutely jaw-dropping. How could the Celestial King Stronghold have just defected to Great Qin like that? No one could understand it.
Meanwhile, Xiao Heng and the Unparalleled Marquis had led the remnants of their forces back to Huangsha Fortress.
The former glanced at the Crown Prince, whose eyes were completely vacant, before turning to the Unparalleled Marquis. "My Imperial Guard now numbers less than thirty thousand. A force this size can’t possibly stop Great Qin. What’s our next move?"
The surprise attack had been too ferocious. Even Xiao Heng’s hundred thousand Imperial Guard couldn’t withstand the fierce assault from a million of the Celestial King Stronghold’s Village Soldiers.
In just a short time, they had lost nearly seventy thousand men.
The only reason any of them made it back was their proximity to the pass. Otherwise, they all would have perished.
The Unparalleled Marquis gritted his teeth. "I’ve already reported this to His Majesty. More Imperial Guard will arrive within half a month. With the defensive Arrays at the pass, we should be able to hold out for a while."
With this turn of events, the roles of attacker and defender between Dayong and Great Qin had been instantly reversed.
They had been the aggressors, but now they were forced to defend.
One misstep in the coming battle could shake the very foundations of Dayong.
"Then we defend," Xiao Heng said. After a final glance at the still-catatonic Crown Prince, he strode out of the main hall.
The Crown Prince was utterly finished.
The moment the Celestial King Stronghold had collectively mutinied, his position as Crown Prince was forfeit.
Although an official edict had yet to arrive, a veteran official like Xiao Heng understood the reality of the situation.
The Unparalleled Marquis glanced at the Crown Prince, a flash of anger in his eyes.
’An army of over a million soldiers from the Celestial King Stronghold, and they turned out to be Lu Yuan’s men.’ This was more than just a disgrace for Dayong; it was a fatal blow.
’To think that the army they had worked so hard to build up was the enemy’s all along.’
’The entire Dayong Empire will be nailed to a pillar of shame.’
The Unparalleled Marquis had originally intended to use this battle to prove himself, but he never expected it to turn into such a colossal failure.
Just as he was seething with frustration.