Chapter 299: The Divine General

Chapter 299: The Divine General

December 24, 2024

"Your Majesty, an urgent report!"

A soldier, his armor stained with blood, knelt on one knee and shouted.

"Your Majesty, the Great Profound Imperial Dynasty has launched a surprise attack on the Heavenly Capital. Thirty-six cities have already fallen, and over ten million of our soldiers have perished. Our army has suffered heavy losses, and we await your command!"

Upon hearing this, the entire court fell silent. Everyone's faces showed disbelief.

"The Heavenly Capital is the gateway to Ancient Xingzhou, heavily guarded by elite troops. How could thirty-six cities fall so quickly?"

"Although the Great Profound Imperial Dynasty has had friction with our Starlight Imperial Dynasty, they have never openly declared war. Why would they take such action now?"

Listening to the soldier, their first reaction was disbelief.

There was no choice.

The three million years of heritage of the Starlight Imperial Dynasty was enough to make many forces hesitate.

Even among the imperial dynasties, none dared to provoke war.

After all, if the two imperial dynasties were to go to war, it would bring about a catastrophic calamity. Countless cultivators would perish, and even if one side emerged victorious, they would pay a heavy price.

Moreover, the Starlight Imperial Dynasty occupied all of Ancient Xingzhou, with 3,600 prefectures. The Heavenly Capital was the gateway, heavily guarded by elite troops. Even if there were powerful enemies, they could withstand a few attacks, and it was impossible for it to fall so quickly.

"If the Heavenly Capital has fallen, why haven't we received any news?"

On the imperial throne, Lu Zhen's face was as dark as water, as if he was about to execute the person before him if he couldn't provide an explanation.

The soldier replied truthfully, "The Great Profound Imperial Dynasty deployed the Silence Array, sealing off space, and then sent a large army to besiege us. Along the way, strong cultivators from the Great Profound Imperial Dynasty pursued and killed us. Out of the 3,000 messenger soldiers, only I managed to break through!"

"How audacious!"

Lu Zhen's anger surged.

The Silence Array! He never expected the Great Profound Imperial Dynasty to have reached such a level.

This explained why there was no news from the fallen Heavenly Capital.

Lu Zhen gripped the Imperial Seal, and a terrifying surge of power entered it. Instantly, divine light soared into the sky, as if ancient stars shone like the sun. The firmament was filled with endless mist, which was then dispersed by a great sun's radiance.

As the mist dissipated, a Ninth Stage Pure Lotus appeared in the void. However, upon closer inspection, eight of its petals were solid, while one seemed illusory.

Seeing this, Lu Zhen's face darkened further.

"Conceal Fate!"

"No wonder I couldn't sense any signs!"

The Starlight Imperial Dynasty, if its territory were invaded and occupied, would cause the dynasty's destiny to fluctuate. As the controller of destiny, Lu Zhen should have been the first to sense it.

But in reality, the Starlight Imperial Dynasty's destiny was as stable as Mount Tai, without any changes.

Now it seemed that a powerful cultivator from the Great Profound Imperial Dynasty had concealed fate, preventing the Starlight Imperial Dynasty from sensing the changes in the Heavenly Capital, thus hiding it from Lu Zhen, the Emperor Sovereign of the Starlight Imperial Dynasty.

Now that Lu Zhen had broken through the concealment, everything was revealed before his eyes.

What Lu Zhen couldn't understand was why the Great Profound Imperial Dynasty had gone mad, attacking the Starlight Imperial Dynasty at this time.

Did they not know that if the two imperial dynasties went to war, countless lives would suffer?

At this moment, a minister stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, although we don't know why the Great Profound Imperial Dynasty has attacked, their invasion of the Heavenly Capital is a fact. I suggest we immediately send reinforcements and prevent the Heavenly Capital from falling into their hands!"

"I agree!"

The other ministers nodded in agreement.

Among the 3,600 prefectures of Ancient Xingzhou, not a single one could be spared.

Losing the Heavenly Capital alone might not be enough to cripple the Starlight Imperial Dynasty, but if it fell, Ancient Xingzhou would lose an important gateway. The Great Profound Imperial Dynasty could then send troops to invade the other prefectures.

Hearing this, Lu Zhen didn't hesitate and immediately ordered, "Yang Xuan!"

As his words fell, a middle-aged man stepped forward. His face was ordinary, his eyes indifferent, and his entire being exuded a lifeless aura.

"I am here, Your Majesty!"

"I command you to lead the Seven Annihilation Army to support the Heavenly Capital immediately. Ensure that the Great Profound Imperial Dynasty suffers a devastating defeat!"

"I accept the order!"

Yang Xuan accepted the command and turned to leave.

As they watched his departing figure, the ministers couldn't help but show a hint of reverence.

---

"The Divine General Yang Xuan!"

In Huai Bei City, Wang Junze looked at the message on the messenger jade talisman, and a cold light flashed in his eyes.

"Let me see how terrifying this so-called Divine General, the First Field Marshal, truly is, as the rumors claim!"

The Divine General Yang Xuan!

The top-ranked among the thirty-six field marshals.

The enemy had once led three thousand iron cavalry to crush an army of three hundred thousand, then ventured deep into enemy territory alone, covering a million li, and captured the imperial capital of a dynasty, slaughtering its royal family.

That battle.

Was what established Yang Xuan's reputation as a Divine General.

Wang Junze was no stranger to such a formidable existence.

However.

Even though he understood Yang Xuan's fearsome reputation, he was not afraid in the slightest.

Just right.

Wang Junze also wanted to witness for himself the rumored First Field Marshal and see just how capable he truly was.

But when the other generals heard the name Yang Xuan, their expressions involuntarily became solemn, and many of them turned slightly pale, obviously intimidated by the name.

"If Yang Xuan is coming, I'll give him a surprise. Pass the word, consolidate the army, and I want to conquer thirty-six cities in seven days!"

"Yes!"

The numerous generals immediately received the order.

After that.

After the others left, Wang Junze took out another messenger jade talisman and sent out the message.

At the same time.

At the Gu Family Manor.

Gu Qingfeng looked at the messenger jade talisman's vibrations, his expression slightly stirring.

"Divine General Yang Xuan, it seems that the invasion of the Great Profound Imperial Dynasty has truly enraged the Starlight Imperial Dynasty. However, it remains to be seen if Wang Junze's methods can stop Yang Xuan!"

To be honest, Gu Qingfeng didn't know much about Wang Junze.

After all, with so many death knights under his command, it was impossible for him to pay attention to each one.

Most of the time, the information on the panel was like reading a book to Gu Qingfeng, and he rarely paid close attention to certain individuals.

This was an unavoidable situation.

With thousands of death knights.

It was inevitable that the information panel would record a vast amount of information.

Moreover, since Gu Qingfeng often secluded himself, each time he emerged to review the information on the panel, the amount of knowledge contained within was massive.

If it were the descendant interface, Gu Qingfeng would certainly take a careful look, but for the death knight interface, he generally didn't pay much attention.

If not for this time, Gu Qingfeng wouldn't have known that a death knight had risen to such a high position in an imperial dynasty, able to directly persuade the Great Profound Imperial Dynasty to dispatch troops to Sky Capital and declare war on the Starlight Imperial Dynasty.

But based on Gu Qingfeng's understanding of the Starlight Imperial Dynasty, all thirty-six field marshals were exceptional, especially the First Field Marshal Yang Xuan, whose strength and overall capabilities were top-notch.

Whether Wang Junze's methods could rival Yang Xuan was still uncertain.

However.

Gu Qingfeng wasn't overly concerned.

After all, the fact that the enemy had risen to such heights in just a few decades was enough to prove that this death knight was extraordinary.

If the enemy wasn't Yang Xuan's match, it would be natural to temporarily avoid confrontation.

---

In the East Domain.

The Starlight Imperial Dynasty's army set out.

Led by Jiang Chen, millions of troops marched towards the Nine Provinces.

In the void.

Several figures appeared there.

Gu Yu looked down at the army below, and the overwhelming killing intent didn't faze him much. His gaze quickly fell on the central army, where Jiang Chen was located.

Beside him were two gray-robed elders, one tall and the other thin.

The tall one was Ke Ze, and the thin one was Jiang Yuan, both elders of the Red Dust Immortal Sect, with cultivation at the peak of the Demi-Saint realm.

At that moment, the three of them were covered by a mysterious wave, concealing their auras, so even when they appeared above the army, they didn't alert Jiang Chen and the others stationed there.

"Tsk tsk, they say the East Domain is in decline, but it doesn't seem so now. Just the Starlight Imperial Dynasty alone has such a profound foundation, with millions of troops and three Demi-Saints. Even in the Central State, they could crush countless sects!"

Ke Ze clicked his tongue in amazement, and when he looked down at the army, there was a hint of untraceable apprehension in his eyes.

He was indeed a Demi-Saint, but Demi-Saints were still human and hadn't reached the point of immortality.

If there were no fellow Demi-Saints blocking the way, it would be a different story.

"Gu Zhen, I think the Starlight Imperial Dynasty is coming with great momentum. It's better not to directly confront them head-on for now. Let's wait until the Divine Might Dynasty's army is dispatched, and then we can step in more appropriately!"

Jiang Yuan suggested.

Although they had two Demi-Saints on their side, the army before them had three Demi-Saints, and their strength was by no means ordinary.

Among Demi-Saints, who could say who was weaker than whom?

Upon hearing this.

Gu Zhen pondered for a moment, and finally, a murderous intent appeared on his face.

"I understand the elders' suggestion, but if we let the army enter the Nine Provinces without a fight, I can't help but feel a bit unwilling.

"This matter is simple. We only need to set up a killing array. Even if we don't completely annihilate the Starlight Imperial Dynasty's army, it's not a problem if we suffer some casualties."

Ke Ze stroked his beard and smiled.

He didn't have the confidence to directly confront the Starlight Imperial Dynasty's vast army, but if they acted in secret, it wouldn't be a significant issue.

Gu Yu's face immediately lit up with a smile: "In that case, we'll leave it to the two elders."

Instantly, the three of them quietly departed.

Half a day later.

Jiang Chen, who was overseeing the army, felt the ground tremble and the mountains shake. His expression changed abruptly, and he soared into the sky. He saw the mountains ahead collapsing and the earth cracking open, with countless soldiers from the vanguard army meeting their demise there.

At the same time, he saw a mysterious light filled with mist, as if it were covering the sky and blocking the sun, making it impossible to see the scene inside.

"An array!!!"

Jiang Chen's expression turned grim. A silver divine spear appeared out of thin air, and cold rays burst forth, tearing through the void in front of him. The residual force continued, striking the mysterious light and forcibly tearing it apart.

When the mysterious light shattered, the tragic scene of the army inside was exposed to Jiang Chen's eyes.

In just a glance.

The Third Field Marshal's eyes turned crimson.

He saw the ground ahead littered with corpses, countless soldiers torn to pieces, and some even split into two halves, with their upper bodies writhing on the ground and emitting agonizing wails.

The commotion immediately caught the attention of all the powerful figures in the army.

An You and Gu Yan both appeared one after the other.

"What happened?!"

"Could it be that someone attacked us?!"

The two of them looked at the scene before them, and their faces changed dramatically.

Jiang Chen's expression darkened: "Someone used an array to ambush us. Send people to check along the way, and if we encounter any arrays, clear them immediately!"

"Yes!"

Gu Yan and An You exchanged glances and nodded.

Although they were both Field Marshals, Jiang Chen was the commander of this army, and they had to follow his orders.

Half a day later.

All the casualties were fully accounted for, and the final report reached Jiang Chen's hands.

Twenty thousand killed!

Six thousand lightly wounded!

Two thousand seriously injured!

Looking at the report, Jiang Chen's anger burned, and his terrifying power erupted uncontrollably.

"The Divine Martial Imperial Dynasty!!!

Before even reaching the Nine Provinces, the army had already suffered two to three hundred thousand casualties, which was undoubtedly a slap in the face.

It was clear.

Jiang Chen directly blamed the Divine Martial Imperial Dynasty for the ambush using the array.

After all, apart from the Divine Martial Imperial Dynasty, no one else dared to ambush the Starlight Imperial Dynasty's army.

Although the casualties of two to three hundred thousand were not significant compared to the tens of millions of soldiers, in Jiang Chen's eyes, every soldier was a living cultivator.

Such losses were not only a matter of face but also represented a blood feud.

Soon.

Jiang Chen suppressed the anger in his heart.

He knew that now was not the time for anger. As long as the army stepped into the Nine Provinces, he could settle the score.

---

After that.

The Starlight Imperial Dynasty's marching speed slowed down significantly. They needed someone to check for arrays and restrictions along the way to prevent the same problem from occurring again.

However.

Even though Jiang Chen was already cautious, the army still encountered frequent accidents.

Sometimes, arrays blocked their path, or powerful individuals secretly attacked and killed them. Some even poisoned the water supply and other resources, causing casualties among the army.

After several days.

The army had only traveled less than one-third of the distance, and the total casualties, when added together, were already close to a million.

This made Jiang Chen furious, but he was also secretly startled.

In his opinion.

Apart from the Gu Family Patriarch, the Divine Martial Imperial Dynasty shouldn't have any other formidable figures who could stand out.

However, during this period of ambushes, there were many methods that made Jiang Chen feel deeply alarmed.

It was hard to imagine.

How could a newly established dynasty with only a few decades of foundation possess so many powerful individuals?

Despite not understanding the reason.

Jiang Chen became even more determined to destroy the Divine Martial Imperial Dynasty.

A dynasty that had only existed for a few decades was already so formidable? If they were allowed to develop peacefully, they would undoubtedly become a significant threat to the Starlight Imperial Dynasty.

Since both sides had already torn off their facades, Jiang Chen couldn't afford to let the Starlight Imperial Dynasty face this hidden danger.

Therefore.

The Divine Martial Imperial Dynasty must be destroyed.

"I want to see how many tricks your Divine Martial Imperial Dynasty has. Do you think my tens of millions of soldiers are afraid of you?!"

Jiang Chen's eyes flashed with determination. Even if the Divine Martial Imperial Dynasty had many tricks, he didn't believe they could truly annihilate his tens of millions of soldiers.

As long as the army entered the Nine Provinces, it would be the end of the Divine Martial Imperial Dynasty.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end