The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 394 Grand Formation
At this moment, the candlelight flickered ahead, red tears accumulated, and the lamps gradually went out; it was already dawn.

Zhao Ti glanced into the room, a thoughtful expression on his face, wondering what kind of help the crow wanted from him.

That world is real, although it is a tribulation caused by inner demons, it is in another real world.

His inner demons and tribulations were different from those of others; he simply didn't know where the real world was located.

At this moment, the Illusory Yin True Qi also surged up to the seventh level of the Twelve-Story Tower, the Xuanwu Armor. This time, it was the True Qi that pulled him back from the tribulation of inner demons.

Zhao Ti pondered for a moment, then got off the bed, drank some cool tea, and rested for a while before it was already broad daylight.

Afterwards, they ate and prepared to leave the city. At 3:45 AM, the bugle sounded, and the army headed north towards Yanjing.

Zhuozhou is about 200 li away from Yanjing. The army horses did not travel very fast and arrived at the foot of Wohu Mountain in the evening.

Wohu Mountain is a branch of the Yanshan Mountains, and it is only fifty or sixty miles away from Yanjing. Zhao Ti ordered a camp to be set up at the foot of the mountain, and scouts and horsemen were sent out in all directions to gather information.

After dinner, scouts kept reporting back, many of them wounded, clearly having encountered Liao soldiers and fought a battle.

At the end of the Hai hour, shouts of battle suddenly arose in the distance. It turned out that the Liao army had come to raid the camp, but they fled hastily after a short while and were repelled by two Song soldiers who had been lying in ambush.

The march continued the next day, and they encountered harassment from time to time. Even Zhao Ti, who was in the central army, could see Liao cavalry secretly spying on them from afar.

Cai Jing said from the side, "Your Highness, I did not expect the Khitan to be so meticulous in their defenses of this place."

Zhao Ti said calmly, "With the loss of Yanjing, the northern gateway was opened, and the land was flat and open. The Liao Kingdom had no strategic points to defend. If Shi Jingtang had not ceded the Sixteen Prefectures to the Khitan back then, how could the Liao Kingdom have lasted so long? If Emperor Taizong had launched a northern expedition and reached Yanjing, the Liao Kingdom would no longer exist."

Upon hearing this, Cai Jing dared not reply, but nodded and said, "Your Highness's divine army has descended from the heavens this time, and will surely be able to reclaim Yan and Yun without hindrance. Wherever the army's advance is directed, the Khitan will be destroyed in no time. Wherever the sun and moon shine and wherever the rivers flow, all will be the land of our Great Song."

Zhao Ti glanced at him and said, "Does Prime Minister Cai mean to just destroy the Liao Kingdom directly?"

Cai Jing then realized his mistake: "Your Highness, I was just eager to make a name for myself. Please forgive my arrogance."

Zhao Ti stroked his chin on horseback and said leisurely, "Taking over Yan and Yun can be done by human effort, but to destroy Liao now depends on the will of Heaven."

With an army of over 400,000 men, the best they could hope for was to capture and hold Yanjing (Beijing). Completely annihilating the Liao Kingdom was virtually impossible.

The Liao territory was too vast and its depth too great, making it difficult to attack it piecemeal.

Although even if the entire grasslands were not completely brought under control, simply eliminating Yelü Hongji and destroying most of the Khitan royal family could be enough to declare the Liao Dynasty dead, how could Yelü Hongji sit idly by and wait for his death? He would probably leave Shangjing and flee to who knows where if he saw the situation was not good.

This is different from the destruction of the Western Xia. Although Li Qianshun of Western Xia is still missing, he controlled the entire Hexi region, so Western Xia naturally ceased to exist.

They either had to capture and kill Yelü Hongji, or conquer the entire grassland and subjugate all the tribes; otherwise, it would be difficult to declare the Khitan state destroyed.

These are not things that can be easily accomplished by an army of over 400,000 men. Even if they capture Yanjing, Zhongjing Dadingfu, and Shangjing Linhuangfu, they would need to station a large number of troops to maintain order, and there would not be enough manpower to sweep across the grasslands.

"Your Highness, I don't quite understand. What is the will of Heaven? Is it the same as the opportune moment mentioned in military strategy?" Cai Jing asked, puzzled.

“It’s not the right time.” Zhao Ti shook his head: “The will of Heaven is the will of Heaven. If a natural disaster strikes, or an internal rebellion breaks out, or something unpredictable and difficult to deal with suddenly happens, only under such circumstances of internal and external difficulties can the Khitan be completely destroyed. Otherwise, although it is not that difficult, it is not something that can be accomplished overnight.”

Cai Jing nodded and said, "This humble official understands. Your Highness has a comprehensive view and a keen understanding of the intricacies. This humble official is far inferior to you."

Zhao Ti remained silent, gazing northeast from his horse. Given the dramatic changes in the world, could that event be brought forward?

According to the normal timeline, it would be more than twenty years later, and they had been secretly negotiating and agreeing to it for several years. But... once the Liao Kingdom loses the Yan-Yun region, things could get complicated.

The loss of Yan and Yun by Liao was not merely the loss of its left and right arms; it was as if it had been cut in half at the waist.

Although the Yan-Yun region was not very large compared to the vast territory of the Liao Kingdom, it was the economic center, trading hub, and vital strategic location of the Liao Kingdom.

When a whale falls, all things come to life. It remains to be seen whether those tribes that have been bullied for decades or even centuries have the guts to do so.

If we can seize this opportunity to launch a joint attack, then it would be the will of Heaven.

If Heaven intends to destroy a nation, it will surely make it go mad. Liao has become far too arrogant and conceited in recent years.

At this time, the army continued to advance, and the Khitan cavalry harassed them even more, but the 400,000-strong army was not afraid of them. Zhong Shidao was in charge of leading the way, and the army on both flanks also spread out to cut off the Khitan light cavalry.

In the afternoon, the army advanced to fifteen miles south of Yanjing City. After hearing the scouts' report, Zhao Ti pondered for a moment and then ordered the army to set up camp.

Normally, they wouldn't set up camps this far from the city, but there were simply too many troops in Yanjing, numbering over 300,000.

Being too close to the city would not be beneficial and would have many drawbacks, so Zhao Ti ordered the camp to be set up ahead of time.

The Song army, numbering 400,000, laid out and constructed fortifications for several miles. Once completed, the fortified front was approximately ten miles from Yanjing.

He then ordered the soldiers to take turns resting, set up cooking pots and cooked dinner. After dinner, Zhao Ti held a ceremony in his command tent, where the generals arranged their seats and then discussed matters.

At this time, there were dozens of people on each side, totaling nearly a hundred. This only included those at the rank of deputy general or above. As for the subordinate generals, commanders, and other officers who were not involved in the discussion, there were probably no fewer than a thousand.

Zhao Ti sat on the chair behind the commander's desk, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and said, "Yanjing is now in sight, and the scouts have all given detailed reports. What strategies do you have for capturing the city? Now, please share them."

The generals looked at each other, their faces showing excitement, as if they were ready to fight.

Once Yanjing is captured, it is almost as if Yanyun has been recovered. The other states are no longer worth mentioning. As long as we raise an army, we will surely be able to take over all the states.

At this moment, Zhao Ji, sitting at the front left, said urgently, "Eighth Brother, I am willing to lead a force to attack the city, take Yanjing directly, and achieve this great feat!"

Zhao Ti glanced at him and tapped his fingers lightly on the table: "You're going to lead an army to attack the city and head straight for Yanjing?"

Zhao Ji said, "That's right. And we don't need too many. Give me 100,000 troops, and we will surely take this city!"

Zhao Ti raised an eyebrow: "Isn't 100,000 a lot? How do you plan to attack the city?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ji's eyes flickered: "This... could we not say?"

Zhao Ti snorted, "If you don't tell me how you're going to give you the soldiers, what if your methods don't work? Wouldn't that just send the soldiers to their deaths in vain?"

Zhao Ji said, "I'll tell you, I'll tell you. We'll set up siege ladders, attack the city walls, I'll use my thunder magic to annihilate the defenders, and then the army will swarm in and take the city..."

Zhao Ti asked doubtfully, "You used lightning magic? How many Liao soldiers could your lightning magic kill? How did you manage to get the army to the city walls?"

Zhao Ji said, "Eighth Brother, don't underestimate my thunder magic. I held back that day and didn't use it all. Moreover, my Shenxiao Sect has the Nine Heavens and Nine Earths Yin Yang Thunder Array, which will surely kill many people on the walls of Yanjing. What can't we climb up there!"

Zhao Ti looked at him and asked, "What is the Nine Heavens and Nine Earths Yin-Yang Thunder Array?" Zhao Ji replied, "This is the treasure of my Shenxiao Dao sect. Eighteen people work together, nine using Yin Thunder and nine using Yang Thunder. When Yin and Yang are in harmony and used together, they can level an area of ​​several feet in radius."

"Is this Lin Lingsu's Taoist magic?" Zhao Ti stroked his chin.

“This… is naturally Master Lin’s magic, but it has been given out for the Shenxiao Dao disciples to practice,” Zhao Ji said.

“Nine people with Yin Thunder, nine people with Yang Thunder…” Zhao Ti said, “Wouldn’t ninety people be better? Wouldn’t one hundred and eighty people be even more powerful?”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ji's mouth dropped open: "Eighth Brother, where are you going to find so many people to practice this thunder technique?"

Zhao Ti said, "I've heard that your Shenxiao Taoist temples have expanded beyond the capital region, and now there are more than a dozen temples teaching the Shenxiao teachings. How could you be short of people?"

Zhao Ji said, “Eighth Brother, not everyone can cultivate. Although Shenxiao Dao has many disciples now, many of them are ignorant and cannot cultivate magic power at all. They can only cultivate their character. The eighteen people in the Nine Heavens and Nine Earths Yin Yang Thunder Array were chosen by Immortal Master Lin after much effort.”

Zhao Ti thought for a moment: "If you were to attack the city, wouldn't these eighteen men also have to go with you?"

Zhao Ji said, "This is inevitable; otherwise, with such a high city wall, it would be impossible to attack from below with lightning."

Zhao Ti nodded: "I understand."

Zhao Ji was taken aback: "Eighth Brother, what about my leading troops to attack the city..."

Zhao Ti waved his hand and looked at the other generals, saying, "If anyone has a good idea, please share it."

Upon hearing this, the generals began to speak one by one, listing all sorts of methods. Some said that Yanjing had a moat with secret channels leading into the city, while others even suggested swimming into the city through these hidden channels and then launching a surprise attack on the Liao army.

Zhao Ti simply listened without commenting, asking a few questions about each method. By the time everyone had exhausted their ideas, it was already late at night.

He then told everyone to go back and rest, and after practicing his own kung fu for a while, he also went to rest.

Early the next morning, before I could even get up, I heard a constant sound of footsteps outside the tent, as if a large number of people were gathering.

He sat up on the couch and asked, "What is it?"

Zhou Tong opened the tent door and entered: "Your Highness, the scouts at the front have sent an urgent report of an urgent military situation."

"Urgent military intelligence?" Upon hearing this, Zhao Ti got off his bed and walked to the front: "Summon them all."

Zhou Tong accepted the order, stepped out of the tent and called out. He saw the generals surrounding several scouts as they entered the tent.

Zhao Ti looked at the scout and asked, "What military intelligence is this?"

One of the scouts said, "Your Highness, a large formation has appeared overnight in front of the southern city of Yanjing."

"A grand formation?" Zhao Ti raised his eyebrows, walked behind the desk and sat down: "What kind of grand formation? Tell me in detail."

The scout nodded and began to describe the situation in detail. As he spoke, the other scouts added to the story. After a short while, Zhao Ti understood what was going on.

It turns out that around midnight last night, a group of people came out of Yanjing City. They were not dressed as soldiers, and there weren't many of them, only a few hundred or a thousand. Then they began to set up their formation.

It's unclear what method these people used, but within just a few hours, they managed to construct an enormous formation, longer than the city of Yanjing and a mile or two deep. It was filled with murderous intent, billowing black smoke, and golden light, making it a truly terrifying sight.

After listening, Zhao Ti frowned and pondered for a few moments before saying, "This must be the use of magic. It should be a magic array. Gather the soldiers and come with me to take a look."

Upon receiving the order, the generals immediately set out, and a moment later they mustered 50,000 troops. A thousand men surrounded Zhao Ti in the middle, and together they headed towards Yanjing City.

After a while, a huge formation could be seen in the distance, completely blocking out the southern part of Yanjing City. It stretched across the front, a truly astonishing sight.

Zhao Ti shaded his eyes with his hand as he observed the scene. He saw a black mist rolling and swirling, obscuring the sky. Even though it was far away, he felt a chilling aura emanating from it, making him feel cold to the bone.

Directly in front of this formation, a pillar of golden light shot straight out from the formation gate, so bright that it was almost impossible to open one's eyes, while the edges of the golden light were obscured by thick, black mist.

Zhao Ti asked, "What kind of formation is this? It's so astonishing. And what is that golden light?"

Zhao Ji, who was standing nearby, said, "Master Lin is knowledgeable in formations, so I called him to take a look."

Zhao Ti nodded, and Zhao Ji went to the back to call Lin Lingsu over to observe the formation.

Lin Lingsu stepped forward and bowed, then carefully examined the great formation. Her expression gradually changed, eventually turning so dark it seemed as if water was about to drip from it.

Zhao Ti stared intently at the golden light above the array gate. Although the golden light was suspended in the darkness, it was bright and dazzling, like molten gold being splashed, with a blinding brilliance. There seemed to be something faintly visible inside.

He turned to look at Lin Lingsu and, seeing her unusual expression, asked, "Master Lin, have you noticed anything? It seems like there's something within that golden light."

Lin Lingsu said, "Your Highness, could you please come a little closer so that I can take a closer look?"

Zhao Ti nodded, then ordered the army to advance another half mile. When they arrived at the location, Lin Lingsu suddenly shouted, "There really is a sword inside!"

Zhao Ti then made out the general idea: a sword shadow was hidden in the golden light, seemingly a precious sword hanging above the array gate. The golden light flowing from the sword was shrouded in black mist, flickering and changing.

At this moment, the black mist rolled faster and faster, as if countless cold glints were hidden in the mist, and an invisible killing intent was emanating. If you looked at this formation for too long, it seemed that you would be dragged into the formation at any moment, and even your bones would be cut into ashes.

"Your Highness, this formation is... this formation is..." Lin Lingsu said, her voice trembling.

"What is it?" Zhao Ti asked, noticing his increasingly strange expression.

"It's the Immortal Slaughtering Formation!" Lin Lingsu exclaimed, her face turning deathly pale.

Jiangnan, Jiangning Prefecture, Qingliang Mountain.

After finishing a bowl of mushroom soup in the thatched hut, Xiaoyaozi slowly stood up and began to pack his things.

He packed his belongings into a package, tucked the unfinished Investiture of the Gods into his robes, and then walked outside.

"It's time to leave. I need to see how Yan'er is doing and whether she's been cultivating well while I'm not around."

After leaving the thatched hut, they walked down a steep path leading to the cliff, where Xiaoyaozi paused slightly.

He gazed into the distance, where clouds and mist shrouded the landscape, a thoughtful expression on his face. He muttered to himself, "I've already reached the twelfth level of the Dao Palace realm. The next step will be to enter the Dao Palace realm, where I'll be able to fly through the air. At that time, I won't have to exert myself to travel like this anymore..."

(End of this chapter)