Chapter 390: Standing by the Wall

Chapter 390: Standing by the Wall

"The Ancient Xia Clan has declared war!"

In the imperial court, Gu Yang looked down at the ministers and slowly spoke.

A simple sentence.

It caused many in the court to change expression, though they remained relatively calm.

This was because the news of the Ancient Xia Clan's declaration of war had already spread before the court session began.

"What are your thoughts on this, my lords?"

Gu Yang asked again.

The court remained silent for a moment, then Liang Jin stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that since the Ancient Xia Clan has declared war, their status as an imperial clan is not to be taken lightly. They can rally a hundred responses with a single call.

In such a situation, we should consolidate our forces to prepare for the impending war!"

"Otherwise, if all provinces launch attacks simultaneously, our resources are ultimately too shallow, and the chances of victory are slim—"

Liang Jin added at the end.

Slim chances of victory!

This phrase, though relatively tactful to the others, clearly conveyed the gravity of the situation. The imperial clan's influence was formidable, and now various forces in the Eastern Domain were responding one after another. If a real battle were to ensue, the chances of the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty winning could be described as negligible.

However, if they were to abandon some territories and shrink their borders, then consolidate all their forces to respond, the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty might still have a chance, albeit a slim one.

At this moment.

Someone else expressed a different opinion.

"I disagree, Your Majesty. The Ancient Imperial Clan may be formidable, but they have been in decline for a long time. Our Shenwu Imperial Dynasty is currently at the height of its power. How can we shrink back in fear of the Ancient Xia Clan!"

"Though the imperial clan has a high reputation, not all forces in the Eastern Domain are responding. Many are still observing the situation.

If our Shenwu Imperial Dynasty shows any weakness, these forces will surely see it as an opportunity to act.

Conversely, if we show strength, other forces will not be willing to be driven by the Ancient Xia Clan!"

This was the viewpoint of the pro-war faction.

Behind this.

Many military officials were represented.

As for Liang Jin, he represented the conservative faction.

Both sides held their own views, and upon closer inspection, their arguments were quite reasonable.

Gu Yang watched as the two sides argued incessantly, his expression remaining calm throughout.

After a moment.

He finally spoke.

"Both sides have valid points. However, since the founding of the Shenwu Dynasty, we have never taken a step back. The Ancient Imperial Clan may be formidable, but it is impossible for us to yield.

Since they want war, we will see it through to the end!"

Gu Yang's words brought the debate to a complete halt.

The conservative officials all looked at Liang Jin, but he remained composed, ignoring their gazes.

The pro-war officials, on the other hand, were visibly invigorated.

"South Star Province!"

"Your humble servant is here!"

"You and the Heavenly Patrol Guard shall convey my decree to all provinces under the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty. They must heed the imperial edict and assist the court in dealing with the Ancient Imperial Clan.

Anyone who disobeys will be treated as a traitor, and their entire family will be executed!"

"Your humble servant will comply!"

Nan Yue Shan accepted the order with a solemn voice.

Immediately after.

Gu Yang looked at the others and gave orders one by one. The accumulated strength of the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty, built over many years, was now mobilized almost entirely, showing the importance placed on the Ancient Imperial Clan.

After all, while the Ancient Xia Clan had declared war first, the other two imperial clans had also pledged support.

Though it seemed the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty was only facing one imperial clan, in reality, they were up against three.

However.

Gu Yang was not afraid.

The Shenwu Imperial Dynasty had come this far not by retreating.

Facing the strong without yielding!

This was Gu Yang's belief.

But in the end, Gu Yang still ordered the Imperial Guards to go to Wilted Mountain Immortal City and inform Gu Qingfeng of the situation.

After all, the Ancient Xia Clan had a Ban Di from the Desolate Ancient Era emerge, which made Gu Yang take the matter seriously.

An ordinary imperial clan cultivator would be one thing, but the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Xia Clan was someone Gu Yang could not afford to overlook.

...

At this moment.

Many forces in the Eastern Domain were watching the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty, eager to see how they would respond to the declaration of war by the three imperial clans.

Soon.

The news that the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty was mobilizing all its resources to fight the three imperial clans spread widely.

For a time.

The entire Eastern Domain was in shock.

Some believed the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty was courting disaster, while others admired their courage and resolve, facing the three imperial clans without a single step back.

Just as the pro-war faction in the court had said, many forces in the Eastern Domain maintained a neutral stance, unwilling to get involved in the conflict.

Regardless of whether the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty or the Three Emperor Clans win, it brings no benefit to them.

However,

If the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty shows any sign of weakness, they wouldn’t hesitate to pounce and take a bite.

But with the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty displaying such a strong stance, it can’t help but make other forces suspect that they might have more cards up their sleeves.

Of course,

The most important point is that the old patriarch of the Gu family is still alive.

As long as Gu Qingfeng lives, nothing can be concluded yet.

Although the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Xia Clan has unparalleled power, having been a towering figure since the Desolate Ancient Era, it’s logical to assume that the old patriarch of the Gu family would be no match for him.

However,

Speculation is one thing,

But without a real battle, there will always be lingering doubts.

"The Shenwu Imperial Dynasty has some nerve. Since that’s the case, let this Emperor see where their courage comes from!"

Within the Ancient Xia Clan, Xia Tianjun’s golden eyes flickered slightly upon hearing the report from his subordinates. A cold smile appeared on his stern face, though it sent shivers down the spine.

"What do you think we should do next, Thirteenth Ancestor?"

Xia Chunqiu asked respectfully.

Xia Tianjun glanced at him, his voice indifferent, "You are the head of the Xia Clan; these matters should not require this Emperor to instruct you. The only one I need to deal with is Gu Qingfeng.

However, he is currently in Wilted Mountain Immortal City, suppressing the Demon Clan. As a member of the human race, I cannot step into the demon realm to confront him.

But if he returns to the Eastern Domain, I will personally take action to subdue him!"

Apart from the old patriarch of the Gu family,

No one in the entire Shenwu Imperial Dynasty is worthy of Xia Tianjun’s attention.

Even an ancient powerhouse like Huang Jie, who has reached the peak of the Great Sage realm, is no different from an ant in Xia Tianjun’s eyes.

At most,

A peak Great Sage is a slightly larger ant.

Upon hearing this,

Xia Chunqiu felt more assured.

Although Xia Tianjun won’t personally take action, having him as a backing gives the Xia Clan enough confidence.

Moreover,

This time, with the Xia Clan leading the charge, all three Emperor Clans have declared war.

With their extensive resources, dealing with a newly established imperial dynasty is not a problem.

In less than ten days,

Both sides engaged in war.

Led by the Three Emperor Clans, a massive coalition of forces marched into North Star Province, Cloud Sea Province, South Star Province, Ancient Xing Province, and Divine Essence Province!

The goal of the Three Emperor Clans is simple: to launch a full-scale offensive and crush the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty with overwhelming force, demonstrating to the world that the imperial clans are not to be trifled with.

In response,

The Shenwu Imperial Dynasty mobilized all its forces.

Since subduing the Taixuan Empire and suppressing the entire South Star Province, the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty now commands an army of over thirty billion.

Such a force is enough to make any faction tremble.

Furthermore,

Three million Divine Martial Guards!

And numerous new talents cultivated by the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty have emerged, displaying shocking strength.

Only now,

Did the world truly realize the formidable power of the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty.

The foundation of this newly established imperial dynasty is far more terrifying than any of the established imperial dynasties.

There are no fewer than a hundred Ninth Realm Palace of Dao experts alone.

And the number of those who have reached the Half-Saint realm is also considerable.

In this Era of Decline, where Saints do not appear, such a force is indeed terrifying.

Of course,

The Three Emperor Clans have deep roots and, to completely annihilate the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty, they will not hesitate to use some of their ancient resources.

Therefore,

In this battle,

The Three Emperor Clans have mobilized sixteen experts at the Saint realm or higher.

From the very beginning of the battle, fierce and brutal fighting erupted.

The eyes of the Eastern Domain, and indeed the entire Ancient Realm, were fixed on the battlefields, eager to see who would emerge victorious.

---

"Old Ancestor, with the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty directly facing the Three Emperor Clans, should our Qin family take action?"

In the Qin Imperial City, Qin Zhen Tian, looking at the intelligence report, his expression fluctuating, finally turned to Qin Xiongdao, seeking his opinion.

Qin Xiongdao’s face remained indifferent.

"When two tigers fight, one is bound to be injured. Our Qin family should simply watch from the sidelines!"

"Qingran has taken Gu Qingfeng as his master, making our Qin family an ally of the Shenwu. If we stand idly by, we might be criticized by others..."

Qin Zhen Tian’s expression was slightly hesitant.

Qin Xiongdao glanced at him, his expression still indifferent.

The Shenwu Imperial Dynasty has risen too quickly, and its ambitions are clear—it aims to unify the entire Eastern Domain.

If we allow the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty to continue its rise, once it unifies the Eastern Domain, its next target will undoubtedly be the other four major realms!

In the past, the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty was weak, and the Qin Clan paid it no mind. However, a powerful Shenwu Imperial Dynasty could become an ally for the Qin Clan. Yet, if this ally becomes too powerful, it will no longer be good news for the Qin Clan.

Qin Xiongdao has observed the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty’s actions over the years and can sense the underlying threat. If we let the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty grow, and it unifies the entire Eastern Domain, its next target will surely be the other major realms.

The Gu Clan’s ambitions are obvious.

In this situation, Qin Xiongdao naturally does not want the Gu Clan to continue growing.

Now that the three Emperor Clans have taken action, Qin Xiongdao can breathe a sigh of relief.

At least, with the strength of the three Emperor Clans, dealing with the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty should not be a problem. However, the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty is not weak, and even if the three Emperor Clans can eliminate it, they will have to pay a certain price.

This is a double benefit, and Qin Xiongdao is happy to see it come to fruition.

In this situation, he certainly does not want the Qin Clan to get involved.

After all, if the Qin Clan supports the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty, it would be like raising a tiger to bite oneself. But if the Qin Clan supports the three Emperor Clans, it would mean betraying an ally, which would harm the Qin Clan’s reputation.

The best approach is to let things take their course.

The Qin Clan only needs to sit back and watch.

Qin Zhen Tian naturally understands the logic in Qin Xiongdao’s words. As the head of the Qin Clan in the Desolate Ancient Era, how could he not see the underlying dynamics?

However, concern can cloud judgment.

Qin Qingran is currently in the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty, a direct descendant of the Qin Clan and part of his own lineage. Qin Zhen Tian does not want to see anything happen to him.

But—

Now that this old ancestor, Qin Xiongdao, has spoken, even if Qin Zhen Tian has other thoughts, he can only suppress them.

—

While the Qin Clan remains a spectator, other major realms and sects that previously had ties with the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty share the same view.

Even the Shadow Guard, who have some influence, cannot persuade these forces to take action.

Unless—

A Shadow Guard member holds real power in one of these forces.

Otherwise, the leaders of these forces will not rashly come to the aid of the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty.

The reason is simple: the threat posed by the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty is clear to all.

This is different from the three Emperor Clans.

The three Emperor Clans in the Eastern Domain have existed for many years, and they have long established a balance with the forces in the other major realms, with no interference between them.

But the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty is a new force, and its actions are domineering. The ambitions of its emperor are clear to anyone with eyes.

In this situation, if the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty is allowed to grow, it will inevitably threaten the forces in the other major realms.

Therefore, they do not want to see this happen.

Now that the three Emperor Clans have taken action, it aligns with the desires of these forces.

By using the hands of the three Emperor Clans to eliminate the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty, the Ancient Realm can return to balance. As for the subsequent demon problem, that can be dealt with later.

Thus, few forces are willing to come to the aid of the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty.

Apart from those already under the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty’s control, the remaining forces either support the three Emperor Clans or remain spectators.

Of course, the latter group is the majority.

After all, no one is a fool and willing to be a pawn for the three Emperor Clans.

In the end, the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty is not weak. If it decides to fight back, it could drag many forces down with it in a last stand.

Sacrificing themselves for the stability of the Eastern Domain is something that most forces find impossible.

In this bizarre situation, the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty has already engaged the three Emperor Clans in intense warfare. In less than half a month, the conflict has spread to all provinces, with countless cultivators falling in battle.

Everywhere, one can see armies clashing, and many dying on the battlefield. The brutality of this war has left many cultivators deeply shaken.

Clearly, the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty is much more resilient than they anticipated.

They thought that with the three Emperor Clans taking action, the Shenwu Imperial Dynasty would crumble at the first blow.

However, in the past half month, despite the extreme brutality of the war, the three Emperor Clans have not gained much of an advantage. The Shenwu Imperial Dynasty has not retreated a single step, showing a determination to fight to the bitter end.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end