Whale Falls and Becomes a God

Chapter 181 The Heroes Live On
"Brother?!"

Xiong Kuohai followed closely behind, quickly jumping down from the Jade Lion of the Night and arriving at Wu Tianxi's side, who was holding Wu Yunzhao's corpse and weeping bitterly. His expression changed drastically, and he choked out in a hoarse voice, at a loss for what to do.

At this moment, Xiong Kuohai was experiencing a range of emotions, including self-blame, guilt, regret, and pain.

What caused Xiong Kuohai even more pain and self-blame was that Wu Yunzhao had already left, but returned alone to save him and the people of Taihang Mountain, which led to his suicide.

When Wu Yunzhao rescued Wu Tianxi on the west side, Xiong Kuohai and many people from Taihang Mountain were quite angry and disappointed, thinking they had been betrayed by Wu Yunzhao. They never expected the ending to be like this...

Looking back now, in the aftermath of the war, Wu Yunzhao really had no other choice but to either rescue the western flank or the eastern flank.

At this moment, Xiong Kuohai could understand the painful choice Wu Yunzhao had made back then, but he never expected that Wu Yunzhao would choose to save Wu Tianxi first and then use his own life to save Xiong Kuohai and the others.

In this light, Wu Yunzhao chose to save everyone, but the price was his own life!
"Big brother! I was wrong! I was wrong! I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

Wu Tianxi felt the same pain, self-blame, regret, and guilt as Xiong Kuohai, but his thoughts were different; he kept sobbing and apologizing in pain.

The situation was clear: in the choice between rescuing the eastern and western forces, Wu Yunzhao chose to rescue Wu Tianxi first, and then intended to continue the rescue efforts. However, Wu Tianxi couldn't bear to abandon Tuoluo Village and the Southern Barbarians, and disobeyed Wu Yunzhao's wishes, thus missing the opportunity for rescue.

Xiong Kuohai and the others came because of Wu Yunzhao. If Wu Yunzhao were to abandon them, he would not be the Marquis of Nanyang!

Wu Tianxi wasn't surprised that Wu Yunzhao chose to return to exchange for Xiong Kuohai and the others; he had expected it. However, Wu Tianxi had considered the worst-case scenario: surrendering, or waiting for an opportunity to ransom and rescue them again, or even having the two brothers surrender to Prince Jingwu together to save their lives. Wu Tianxi had thought about these options and they weren't unacceptable.

Unexpectedly, Wu Yunzhao was rescued and replaced, but in the end, he chose to die rather than submit and committed suicide.

It's unlikely that the battle will be turned around, but with the brothers' terrifying fighting prowess, they should have no problem traversing Chitai Mountain and the Sui army camp together. There's also a good chance of rescuing Xiong Kuohai, and at least breaking out of the encirclement is entirely possible!
From another perspective, it's practically equivalent to Wu Tianxi killing Wu Yunzhao!

"Neigh, neigh..."

Wu Tianxi held Wu Yunzhao's corpse in his arms, Xiong Kuohai had nowhere to touch him, but the Jade Lion of the Night lowered its head and nuzzled Wu Yunzhao, letting out a low, muffled growl.

Soon, the Jade Lion seemed to realize its master was dead, and its limbs buckled and it collapsed...

Two crystal-clear tears streamed down the horse's snow-white mane...

"Jing! Wu! King!"

Seeing the Jade Lion's state, Xiong Kuohai was in even greater pain. He gripped the bronze staff so tightly that his bones cracked, and his tiger eyes turned red as he looked at Xiao Ying, gritting his teeth and saying each word slowly and deliberately.

"Um?!"

Dugu Feng, Hong Lingtian, Shen Lun and other Sui generals stepped forward, locking onto or staring intently at the enemy with their divine senses, and countless Sui soldiers quickly surrounded them.

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

It was clear that as soon as Xiong Kuohai made the slightest move, the Sui army would swarm him.

This situation is different from before. If they're willing to pay any price, there's a good chance of keeping Xiong Kuohai and Wu Tianxi at Chitai Mountain. After all, they both excel in strength, but they don't have Wu Yunzhao's speed and agility, making it relatively difficult for them to break through!

"Your Highness?!" Xie Yingdeng drew his bow and arrow, looking at Xiao Ying with great interest as he asked for instructions.

Wu Tianxi, who was originally crying and shedding tears, suddenly tensed up without making a sound. His aura was contained and unleashed, like a volcano that could erupt at any moment!
"Forget it! You all saw it before, I had no intention of killing the Marquis of Nanyang, and I did everything I could to save him! What can I do now... You may hate me, but that would go against the Marquis of Nanyang's dying wish!"

Xiao Ying frowned and pondered for a moment, then waved her hand to stop the crowd. She looked at the two of them and said in a heavy, sighing tone. After a pause, before they could react, she quickly continued:
"Before the Marquis of Nanyang committed suicide, he asked me... that one day I would spare your lives and treat you well. I admire his strength and character. Now, you may leave..."

After saying that, he thought for a moment and added, "I do not wish to be your enemy, and I welcome you to come and join me! However, if you insist that I am the murderer of the Marquis of Nanyang and are ready to take revenge at any time, now is clearly not the time!"

In the end, Xiao Ying's regret, sighs, and helplessness were evident.

The Yun Xihai duo, renowned throughout history and possessing unparalleled combat prowess, are each capable of leading thousands of troops. Together, they can dominate the world. Which leader wouldn't want them?

Unfortunately, life is full of disappointments!
In fact, Wu Yunzhao didn't finish his sentence before giving up his plea. He only mentioned Wu Tianxi and didn't include Xiong Kuohai.

However, Xiao Ying was kind-hearted and understanding, and couldn't bear to hurt Xiong Kuohai's already deeply aggrieved heart...

"Humph!"

Wu Tianxi remained silent, while Xiong Kuohai hesitated, letting out a muffled groan but saying nothing more. He didn't continue glaring at Xiao Ying with anger and hatred, but instead lowered his head and continued to suffer and blame himself.

They did see what happened from a distance, and they witnessed Xiao Ying's rescue and her reluctance and sorrow.

After Xiao Ying said that, the anger and hatred in their hearts dissipated a lot. However, they should not even think about surrendering to Prince Jingwu or the Sui army!

"It's obvious that before his death, the Marquis of Nanyang's greatest concern and lingering worry was you... all of you! Go now, live well, and don't betray the Marquis of Nanyang's trust. You are clearly not suited for power struggles; you can only choose your masters. Jiangnan is in chaos right now, and you all need time to calm things down. Leave Jiangnan and return to your respective places! Especially Wu Tianxi..."

Xiao Ying didn't mind their attitudes. She pondered for a moment and sincerely advised them, finally looking at Wu Tianxi and giving him some advice:
"You are the only remaining member of the loyal and filial Wu clan, and the only one who has the hope of exonerating the Wu clan and restoring their glory. Think carefully before you act. My military camp is always open to you... and the Heavenly King!"

After much explanation, it's unclear whether Wu Tianxi and Xiong Kuohai listened or not, but everyone present understood!

Although he failed to recruit the Marquis of Nanyang, Prince Jingwu still wanted to recruit Wu Tianxi and Xiong Kuohai; that was the implication in his words...

What is loyalty and filial piety?

If Wu Tianxi truly wanted to exonerate the Loyal and Filial King and the Wu family, or restore their honor, he could only turn to Empress Xiao, the only remaining legitimate ruler of the Sui Dynasty. Why would he seek out those traitors and rebel armies?! That would only further tarnish the reputation of "Loyalty and Filial Piety"!
The Sui generals had no objections; on the contrary, they were happy to see it happen, as it would greatly increase their military strength once again…

Such fierce generals are unmatched in one-on-one combat. Even Prince Jingwu and Dugu Feng would find it difficult to defeat them in a short time, and the outcome is uncertain.

"call……"

Holding Wu Yunzhao's corpse, Wu Tianxi slowly rose up, displaying the imposing presence of a reclining lion. He ignored Xiao Ying and turned to leave.

"Ahem! Ahem! In my opinion, it would be best for the Marquis of Nanyang to be hidden in Chitai Mountain. With the assistance of our army, his reputation will not be damaged. It is better than you burying him anywhere you like!"

Seeing the two leave, Xiao Ying coughed a few times, somewhat reluctant and unwilling, and then offered a suggestion. She paused, then continued enticingly:

"In this world, where is the Marquis of Nanyang's home? Why not bury him here temporarily? When the world is unified in the future, or when the Wu family brings glory, if we wish… we can move him again!" "…"

Wu Tianxi and Xiong Kuohai looked at each other, unsure how to react.

Putting aside the fierce battles and life-or-death confrontations between the two sides before, even if Wu Yunzhao's death wasn't entirely the fault of Prince Jingwu and the Sui army, they were still half-enemies. Is this some kind of "friendly" reconciliation?! How should I deal with this?

However, considering what Prince Jingwu said, it's truly hard to refute. The mighty Marquis of Nanyang, whose power shook the world, could he really be buried just anywhere? His tomb might even be robbed later; that would truly be a death without peace…

What offered Wu Tianxi and Xiong Kuohai some solace was that Wu Yunzhao did not die with his eyes open, which was the only point he could recount!

"Qianhe! Arrange for someone to assist the two righteous men to dig deeper and build a more solid foundation, to prevent anyone from disturbing the spirit of the Marquis of Nanyang!"

Xiao Ying didn't expect the two rough men, who were only good at fighting, to have a good reaction. Instead, she turned her head and gave an order to the head of the four maids.

"Yes!"

Qianhe responded gently and said to the two men in a clear voice, "You two... brave men, please come with me. I believe you also hope that the Marquis of Nanyang can be laid to rest as soon as possible, and you don't want to stay here any longer, do you?"

Xiong Kuohai nodded slightly. Now, he really couldn't leave or stay!

Wu Tianxi's face turned a dark red, his tear tracks still clearly visible. He forced a smile and looked at Xiao Ying, managing to croak out, "Thank...thank you!"

"It's alright! Death is a serious matter, this is not the situation we wanted to see... It was an accident! Please accept our condolences!"

"To even get those two words is already a huge step forward. There's finally some hope of persuading or convincing them to surrender," Xiao Ying said with a heavy sigh, offering words of comfort.

It is worth mentioning that whether it is the Jade Lion Shining at Night, or the Eighteen-Foot Silver Serpent Spear, Qinggang Sword, Phoenix Wing Silver Helmet, Dragon Scale Silver Armor, Python Dragon White Robe, etc., they are all top-level treasures with immeasurable value, and they are likely to be robbed when buried with the tomb!
"Set up camp and be on guard against another attack by the Jianghuai Army, or a sudden arrival by the Fengming Army!"

After the two left with Qianhe, they were buried in a chosen location. Xiao Ying quickly gave the orders and began examining the "Blood Demon Diagram"!
It's still a great pity and regret that we couldn't subdue the Marquis of Nanyang. But, the dead are gone, and obtaining the Star Soul isn't so bad after all…

This is the strongest Star Soul obtained so far, even surpassing the two Celestial Star Souls!
"Star Soul: Wu Yunzhao; "
Rank: True God;
His identity: son of Wu Jianzhang, the Loyal and Filial King of the Sui Dynasty, one of the nine kings of the Sui Dynasty; former General of Nanyang Pass and Garrison Commander of Nanyang during the Sui Dynasty; his title was Marquis of Nanyang.

Aptitude: Superior; Talent: Superior (Superior innate divine strength, Superior speed and lightning, Superior martial arts prodigy, Superior Purple Jade Pure Spirit Body...); Destiny: Superior.

Realm: Essence: Late stage of Rank 2 Divine General; Qi: Mid stage of Rank 5 Golden Core; Spirit: Late stage of Rank 3 Yin Spirit;
Strength: 8182 (approximately ten times that of an ordinary person at the same level); Magic Power: 437 (approximately five times that of an ordinary person); Divine Power: 3471 (approximately seven times that of an ordinary person).

Cultivation techniques: Mainly cultivate "The Flowing Star Codex", "The Flowing Light Spear", "The Purple Jade Emperor Codex", "The Qiankun Treasure Mirror", "Free and Unfettered Rule of Heaven"...

Compatibility: 94%.

"it is good!!!"

Upon seeing the data provided by the Blood Demon Diagram, Xiao Ying couldn't help but exclaim in shock and surprise, drawing the attention of many people.

Fortunately, Wu Tianxi and Xiong Kuohai weren't there, otherwise the hatred that had just subsided would probably have surged...

He truly deserves to be called one of the most monstrous talents in the world!
Even the highest-grade talents are divided into different levels. If the next highest-grade talent is the divine-grade talent, then Wu Yunzhao's highest-grade talent should not be far from the divine-grade talent, making him a top-tier existence among prodigies.

His exceptional talent alone is astonishing, and the cultivation techniques he practices are quite complex, involving three different systems.

However, Wu Yunzhao mainly studied the lesser-known "Flowing Light Star Codex" and "Flowing Light Spear". Given his identity, background and status, it was clear that he had better martial arts manuals than he did.

As for the body-refining wonder "Purple Extreme Jade Emperor Scripture", the Longxi Li Clan's clan-protecting secret technique "Qiankun Treasure Mirror", and the Southern Chen's national-protecting secret technique "Free and Unfettered Ruler of Heaven", they are incomplete, missing the last small part. This is probably related to the early death of the Loyal and Filial King and the destruction of the Wu family. It may also be the reason why Wu Yunzhao mainly cultivated the two lesser-known techniques.

Rumors suggest that Wu Yunzhao's maternal clan is the Li family, not the Donghai Li family as it appears, but secretly related to the Longxi Li family or the Zhaojun Li family. This is probably not just a false rumor or baseless speculation, but may not be without reason!

"The dead are gone! There's no point in pursuing it! Now, at least we have a stronger Star Soul to borrow and possess..."

Xiao Ying shook her head, dismissing the temporarily useless thoughts, and looked forward to them with great anticipation.

Although Xiao Ying frequently uses Gongsun Wuda, a high-level general with high cultivation level and talent, seemingly similar to Wu Yunzhao, in reality, Gongsun Wuda is still a level below Wu Yunzhao.

Now that Wu Yunzhao's Star Soul is helping him, Xiao Ying should no longer need to fear any monsters on the Iron-Blooded Battlefield. He should be able to fight against Yuwen Chengdu, who is currently the strongest!

Aside from Li Yuanba, who is an existence completely beyond the comprehension of the world, Li Yuanba rarely sets foot on the battlefield and is more inclined towards the world of martial arts and folklore.

More importantly, the world's top geniuses each possess legendary destiny and mythological tales. For example, Li Yuanba is the reincarnation of the Golden-Winged Roc, while Yuwen Cheng is the reincarnation of the Nine Heavens Thunder God Puhua Tianzun. Pei Yuanqing is the reincarnation of Nezha, and Xiong Kuohai is the reincarnation of the Heavenly King. Wu Yunzhao is the reincarnation of the Purple Jade Emperor, a mythical emperor. This balances out the competition...

With billions of people in the world, it is naturally difficult to classify them into simple ranks such as the Ninth Grade, the Super Grade, and the Divine Grade. Strength and weakness are influenced by countless factors and are accumulated bit by bit.

"Your Highness! The casualty statistics for this battle have been released..."

Just as Xiao Ying was excitedly anticipating and imagining, Princess Fengming, Yang Qingxuan, came to report, which also startled Xiao Ying, who was still excited as if she had won a great victory.

In fact, overall, the Sui army suffered a relatively small loss in the battle that night, which can be considered a minor defeat.

Because the enemy forces from all sides arrived suddenly and retreated quickly, and each side had its own unparalleled generals and elite troops leading them, the Sui army suffered far greater casualties than the enemy.

In just one or two hours, the Sui army suffered nearly 30,000 casualties, while the enemy suffered 6,000 to 7,000 deaths and captured 3,000 to 4,000, which was less than half of the Sui army's casualties.

This is the significant impact of the sudden and fierce escalation of the war!
Fortunately, he obtained the Star Soul of Marquis Wu Yunzhao of Nanyang, making him a force to be reckoned with, equivalent to an army of 100,000.

The enormous threat posed by the Yun Xihai duo, which Xiao Ying feared most, has been largely eliminated for the time being. It is believed that Xiong Kuohai and Wu Tianxi may not surrender, but they will not have the face to be enemies for the time being!
……

The Battle of Yingzui Gorge had already spread throughout the land, shaken the Jiangnan region, and to some extent changed the course of the battle at Hailing.

The Battle of Chitai Mountain had a greater impact than the Battle of Yingzui Gorge.

In particular, the death of the Marquis of Nanyang, who was renowned throughout the world and was currently the only one who could fight against the great general Yuwen Chengdu on the battlefield, at Chitai Mountain caused a great uproar and had a huge impact!

Du Fuwei and other Jianghuai troops fled in panic. Although the casualties were not great, it would not be an exaggeration to say that it was a great victory, but the blow was significant.

With such a top-tier lineup and opportune timing, they still couldn't defeat the Sui army and kill Prince Jingwu. What should they do next?
The Marquis of Nanyang died in battle, and the Purple-Faced Heavenly King and the Invincible Hun Tian have not yet returned to the Jianghuai camp. They may leave here, leaving the Jianghuai army to deal with the fierce soldiers and generals of the Sui army.
(End of this chapter)