Whale Falls and Becomes a God

Chapter 182 Turbulent Times

Hailing City.

At this moment, the Fengming Army had just left the Tianmu Mountains at full speed and entered the territory of Hailing County.

If they maintain their rapid marching speed, it will only take half a day to reach the city of Hailing. This is already considered an amazing marching speed for the Fengming Army, making them a truly elite force!

"Hurry up!"

"Keep up! Everyone keep up! This is the King's order: we must reach Hailing City before noon!"

"Run! Run! Anyone who delays military operations... shall be executed!"

……

Dust filled the sky, and the Phoenix Cry Army, stretching for tens of miles, resembled a giant python or earth dragon roaring across the vast mountains and forests.

Countless generals and commanders followed closely behind the various legions and teams, shouting and cheering continuously, which served as encouragement, motivation, supervision, and spurring.

Marquis Wu Yunzhao of Nanyang was, after all, the cousin and the top general under Prince Fengming, Li Zitong. Although the Yunxihai duo's previous actions were secretive and even the Sui army could not find any trace of them, they did not hide them from Prince Fengming and had even contacted each other to plan ahead.

Li Zitong also knew that the Yun Xihai alliance would join forces with the Jianghuai Army to launch a strong attack on Chitai Mountain in the early hours of this morning, which was why the Fengming Army was marching so hastily.

Li Zitong didn't even expect the dawn attack to kill Prince Jingwu. He only hoped to inflict heavy damage on Prince Jingwu and the elite Sui army, and keep them tied up at Chitai Mountain.

With the combined strength and capabilities of the Yun-Xi-Hai duo and the Jiang-Huai general, achieving this should not be difficult.

Without the presence of Prince Jingwu of Chitai Mountain and the Sui army, if the Fengming Army could capture Hailing City before the Sui army in Jiangdu could react and arrive to reinforce, the Fengming Army's casualties would certainly be much lower. Then, Prince Li Zitong of Fengming would be the biggest and final victor in this Jiangnan campaign, able to advance or retreat as he pleased, with his Jiangnan hegemony within reach!

"Your Highness, rest assured! At our current speed, we will arrive at Hailing City by 10:00 AM. After resting for an hour or two, we can launch the attack at 1:00 PM!"

King Fengming, Li Zitong, along with his trusted generals Liao Changxiong and Le Botong, and strategists Li Ziyun and Huo Tai, watched the Fengming army march rapidly. Le Botong said with a smile that he seemed to have already seen the Fengming army conquer Hailing City, dominate Jiangnan, and then conquer the world!
Li Zitong smiled with great satisfaction, "Excellent! Once we take Hailing City, Jiangdu will be within our grasp. At that time, surrounded by enemies, the Sui army will have virtually no chance of rising again!"

Looking at the formidable enemies of the Sui army in Jiangdu, even if the Fengming Army no longer plotted against Xiandu Jiangdu after capturing Hailing City, so many powerful enemies would still make it difficult for the Sui army in Jiangdu to live in peace until it perished!
"My king is wise!"

"Your Highness is invincible in martial prowess and your strategies are flawless!"

Liao Changxiong, Huo Tai, and other generals of Fengming were all delighted, excited, and full of admiration, praising him repeatedly.

Li Zitong smiled faintly, pondering to himself with considerable distress:
"Currently, the rebel kings plotting against Jiangdu include powerful forces such as the Jianghuai Army, the Daliang Army, the Nanyue Army, and the Yuwen rebels, as well as the Wagang Army, the Modu Mo Army, the Lingnan Song Clan, and even the Ming King of Xiazhou (Dou Jiande, also known as the Xia Ming King), the Jing Qin King of Rencheng (Xu Yuanlang), and the Zhi Shi King of Changbai Mountain (Wang Bo) in the north. It seems that Jiangdu is really not easy to take. We need to carefully consider whether to plot against Jiangdu..."

Those who do not plan for the world are not enough for a moment; those who do not plan for the overall situation are not enough for one area.

Li Zitong considered himself a man of both literary and martial talents, with a long-term vision, especially in terms of wisdom, where he generally planned his actions carefully before acting.

Now, it's time to consider whether to conquer Xiandu and Jiangdu...

Li Zitong had just been warned by the Demonic Sect. If it weren't for Yin Wan'er's mercy, he would have been crippled or killed. He also knew that the Demonic Sect had reached a certain agreement with Prince Jingwu and even Empress Xiao, and had cooperated several times. However, they still followed the original plan to capture Hailing City and then plot against Jiangdu and Jiangnan.

Li Zitong knew very well that the Demonic Sect would never truly support Prince Jingwu and Empress Xiao; they were merely feigning cooperation to gain some benefits—a common tactic of the Demonic Sect.

As a disciple of the Demonic Sect, Li Zitong knew very well that the true power supported by the Demonic Sect was the Demonic Army of the Demonic Capital. Just from the name, one could tell a thing or two. The other forces... including himself, Li Zitong, and the recently deceased Prince Fu Gongyou of Chu, were merely pawns or food for the Demonic Sect to draw sustenance from, and could be sacrificed at any time!
This is also one of the main reasons why Li Zitong has always wanted to break free from the control of the Demonic Sect, but unfortunately it is not so easy to break free!

"Report..."

Just as Li Zitong was lost in thought, dreaming of his grand ambitions, a sudden report came, and a figure streaked through the sky, rushing headlong towards Li Zitong and his group!
"Um?!"

Li Zitong's face darkened, instantly recognizing the newcomer as one of his own. He immediately rebuked in a deep voice, "Insolence! I have repeatedly warned you that in important matters, one must remain calm, and in all things..."

"It's terrible! The Marquis of Nanyang has been killed in battle!"

Before Li Zitong could finish speaking, the Phoenix Cry Scout, who had arrived on air, spoke in a rather uncharacteristic manner.

Although the scout deliberately lowered his voice and did not shout, it still struck the minds of everyone present like a bolt from the blue, causing a buzzing confusion and making them think they were hallucinating!

"I want...I want...I want...What did you say?!?"

The words Li Zitong was about to say were trembling and changing tone, then his breath and momentum exploded, like an angry tiger glaring and shouting.

Even the great generals and strategists Liao Changxiong, Le Botong, and Huo Tai changed their expressions instantly, finding it hard to believe!

All of a sudden...

Dozens of powerful figures pressed their auras and imposing presence upon the scout, making him feel as if he were at the bottom of a thousand-foot sea, almost suffocating!

"Your Majesty! The Marquis of Nanyang has died in battle at Chitai Mountain, and the Purple-Faced Heavenly King and the Invincible Chaos King are missing, their fates unknown. The Governor-General of Jianghuai has fled back to his camp, and his attitude is unknown..."

The powerful scout was so intimidated that his face turned red. He held his breath and reported repeatedly, then began to pant heavily.

"What?! What did you say?!?"

Li Zitong's face rapidly alternated between red and white. Still thinking he was hallucinating, he glared and shouted angrily in disbelief!

quiet!
silence!

Only the sound of the Phoenix Cry Army marching rapidly in the distance, their dense and heavy footsteps echoing through the mountains and fields!
All the generals and ministers present, including the imperial guards and personal guards, were stunned and speechless!

“How could this be… how could this be…” Li Ziyun, Li Zitong’s cousin and strategist, murmured repeatedly, somewhat dazed.

Although it's hard to believe, everyone actually knows that the scout commander wouldn't dare to falsify such important intelligence, and he must have confirmed it repeatedly; otherwise, wouldn't reporting it be suicide?!

That's what makes it even more terrifying...

As "one of their own," everyone present was even more aware of the terrifying strength of Marquis Nanyang, Wu Yunzhao. He was the true number one expert of the Phoenix Cry King, and could be considered the strongest by a significant margin. Even most of the first-grade supreme celestial beings were no match for Marquis Nanyang!
This is not just Fengming Army boasting, but has been verified by countless battles and achievements. He is recognized as a peerless and monstrous general, second only to Yuwen Chengdu, the "most valiant and invincible general in the world". In fact, the people of Fengming Army believe that Marquis of Nanyang is the real number one general in the world, and Yuwen Chengdu just benefited from Marquis of Nanyang being subjected to a war of attrition and psychological blows!
"Your Highness (My King)!"

Li Zitong, the Phoenix King who was always as steady as Mount Tai and calm as a breeze, swayed a few times, staggered back a few steps, and almost fell. Fortunately, he was supported by the crowd!
Huo Tai, his face extremely grim, shouted sternly, "What exactly happened? Tell me in detail! If it's a false report or a rumor, you'll lose your head..."

"Generals, sirs, please understand! The situation is as follows..."

The scout, knowing the gravity of the matter, cautiously reported without daring to offer any objections, and finally sighed:
"In the end, the Marquis of Nanyang was forced to commit suicide in exchange for the Purple-Faced Heavenly King and the heroes of Taihang Mountain. The Purple-Faced Heavenly King and Hun Tian Wudi then returned to Chitai Mountain out of righteousness and never appeared again, disappearing without a trace, their fate unknown..." "King Jingwu!"

Li Zitong was helped up and allowed to rest for a moment, then gritted his teeth and muttered something hateful.

"Despicable! Shameless! How dare Prince Jingwu do this! It's...it's...it's an insult to civilization!" Li Ziyun lost his composure and cursed repeatedly. Finally, he ran out of words and flung his hand away, clearly indicating that he disdained to associate with him.

Although Prince Jingwu and Li Ziyun were not originally "of the same ilk," this was the most disdainful and contemptible curse word that Li Ziyun considered to be!

"Hoo! Hoo! Hoo..."

After hearing what the scout said, everyone knew that this matter was undeniable and absolutely true.

For a moment, the only sound was the heavy breathing of the people present. They looked at each other, speechless and silent, their hearts heavy as if covered by dark clouds!
I do not know how long it has been……

"This... should our army continue its forced march? Should we continue attacking Hailing City?" In the end, Li Ziyun was the first to react, and asked in a low voice with some timidity and guilt.

"..."

Everyone, including Le Botong and Huo Tai, remained silent.

The people present were either in high positions or highly skilled in cultivation, so they were naturally quick-witted and quite perceptive. They clearly understood what the death of the Marquis of Nanyang and the disappearance of the Yun Xihai duo represented and what their impact on the Fengming Army was!
Leaving aside whether the Fengming Army can capture Hailing City now, and whether they can capture it before the Jingwu King and the Sui army from Chitai Mountain return to reinforce it...

Even if the Fengming Army succeeds in capturing Hailing City, can it withstand the counterattack of the Prince of Jingwu?
Even with the combined forces of Lianyungang, Xihai, and the Jianghuai Army suffering a crushing defeat and being utterly humiliated, how could the Fengming Army possibly withstand Prince Jingwu?!

"Fight! We absolutely must fight! We definitely have to fight! And we must do it as soon as possible! We must do our best!"

Amidst the silence and differing thoughts of the crowd, Li Zitong finally calmed down and spoke repeatedly with unwavering conviction!

Huo Tai's expression changed, and he hesitated before whispering, "Your Highness, please reconsider! Calm down! The Marquis of Nanyang has just passed away, and although the news hasn't spread yet, it won't affect the morale of the army for the time being. However, Prince Jingwu can return to reinforce us at any time..."

"Alas...that's precisely why our army should do everything in its power to capture Hailing City as quickly as possible, and there is no other choice!"

Li Zitong forced himself to calm down slightly, sighed, shook his head, then nodded, as if trying to convince everyone, or perhaps himself, repeatedly saying this. He then looked up and sighed:
"If we don't attack now, when will we? As for what happens next... that depends on the choices made by the Jianghuai Army and other rebel kings and traitors! If we succeed, it's my fortune; if we fail, it's my fate!"

"Your Majesty..."

Huo Tai remained silent and deep in thought. Liao Changxiong, clearly not understanding, called out in a low voice, still disagreeing!
Huo Tai sighed and explained, "Your Highness is wise! Our army should indeed do this; there is no way out and no other choice! If we don't fight, the Sui army will also attack us once they recover. We might as well do our best. I hope the other rebel kings and generals can understand the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold'!"

"If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold..." Li Ziyun murmured and nodded as if he had realized something.

The saying "if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold" applies not only to other anti-Sui forces but also to the Fengming Army!

As Prince Jingwu and the Sui army grow increasingly powerful and terrifying, the anti-Sui forces should unite to counter them and eliminate the Sui army first. Continuing to fight independently and pursue their own agendas will only lead to their defeat and eventual annihilation!
If the Shangliang Army is like this, the Fengming Army will be like this too, and the Jianghuai Army won't be far behind!
Imagine if the Fengming Army hadn't been trying to reap the benefits without contributing and had instead rushed to the aid of Hailing City, would the Shangliang Army have been annihilated so quickly? Would the Sui Army have been able to occupy Hailing City so soon? And would the Fengming Army and the Jianghuai Army have ended up in their current predicament?

There are no "what ifs" in life, but thankfully it's not too late!
Now that the Fengming Army has abandoned Hailing City and fled back to the Tianmu Mountains and their main camp in the East China Sea, they can only sit and wait for their doom, awaiting the retribution of the Jingwu King and the Sui army. With rebellions raging everywhere and rebel kings scattered across the land, the Fengming Army has nowhere to retreat or escape!

Since that's the case, we might as well take advantage of the fact that the Jianghuai Army is still holding back Prince Jingwu, and that the various rebel kings and generals are still eyeing Jiangdu, and fight to the death to seize a glimmer of hope and opportunity!

"Send envoys to convey the current crisis and the harm caused by Prince Jingwu and the Sui army to the major powers, explaining it clearly and thoroughly!"

Li Zitong quickly composed himself, seemingly regaining his calm and wise demeanor, and swiftly gave instructions to those around him. He paused, then continued with a resolute expression, as if ready to take a leap of faith:
"Order the entire army to continue the forced march! At noon, launch a full-scale attack on the city!"

"Here!"

At this moment, all the generals and ministers of Fengming were united in their hatred of the enemy, seemingly of one mind and ready to risk everything!
……

"What?! Impossible..."

"The dignified Marquis of Nanyang actually died in battle at Chitai Mountain, and in a surprise attack from all sides. Has the Prince of Jingwu and the Sui army become this powerful?"

"Oh! So it was suicide. That's good... then it's alright!"

"Fortunately, it was suicide. If he had died on the battlefield, we would have had to re-investigate, analyze, and speculate on Prince Jingwu and the Sui army..."

"Even if it's suicide, it's still no simple matter. We need to reassess Prince Jingwu and the Sui army, and treat this matter with utmost care..."

……

Not only did the Phoenix King lose his composure and the Phoenix Army drastically change its tactics, but other forces were also thrown into chaos, causing uproar throughout the land and turmoil in the martial arts world and Jiangnan.

In particular, forces with influence in the Jiangnan region, or those eyeing the Sui army, such as the Jianghuai Army, the traitorous general Yuwen, the Daliang Army, and the Nanyue Army, held urgent discussions and revised their strategies!

Even the Yuwen rebels and the Wagang army, who had initially underestimated Prince Jingwu, Empress Xiao, and the Sui army and were full of confidence, became particularly cautious and attentive...

……

Chitai Mountain!
"Report..."

"The Fengming Army has already entered Hailing County. They will be at the city gates by noon or evening at the latest!"

"The Jianghuai camp is currently showing no major activity; it has not withdrawn, nor does it show any signs of resuming combat. It is simply focusing on repairing and reinforcing the camp!"

"The rebel generals led by the Yuwen clan have appeared hundreds of miles from Jiangdu, with a massive force, and it's almost certain they're heading for Jiangdu..."

"The Wagang Army followed closely behind the traitor, neither in a hurry nor a slow pace, which suggests they wanted to reap the benefits without lifting a finger!"

"Other forces remain silent for the time being!"

The death of the Marquis of Nanyang did not elicit the excitement, relief, and pride that outsiders might expect from the Sui army at Chitai Mountain. Instead, as various intelligence reports were relayed, they became more cautious, rational, and even somewhat worried!
“Yes, yes, yes…”

Xiao Ying frowned deeply, marking the massive sand table as the intelligence was relayed, his fingers tapping the table with varying degrees of intensity, deep in thought and contemplation!
The sound seemed to strike at everyone's heartstrings, and it also seemed to illustrate the situation the Sui army was in...

Turbulence arises, and the situation deteriorates!

(End of this chapter)