You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

Several days later, at dawn.

Waaaaah!

The bugle call of the Sui army as they entered the palace tore through the sky, and the dark, imposing army surged toward the dilapidated city walls like a tidal wave.

"Release the arrows!"

Zhang Zhongjian's voice was hoarse yet sharp.

Arrows rained down from the city walls, but the most terrifying sound was the roar of the crossbow bolts. The specially made triangular bolts spun and tore through the air, emitting a shrill, ghostly wail.

Behind a heavy iron shield, Wang Wu, the commander of the Sui army, charged forward with all his might.

Suddenly, with a loud clang, he felt his shield shake violently. Looking down, he saw that a crossbow bolt had pierced through the metal, the arrowhead protruding from his chest.

""impossible..."

He stared at the broken edge in the shield, and slowly knelt down.

On a nearby ladder, soldiers struggled to climb it while holding shields.

Suddenly, a series of thuds rang out as a crossbow bolt pierced through three layers of shields, stringing three soldiers together like candied hawthorns!

Blood gushed down the arrow shaft, and the screams abruptly ceased.

"Oil, pour it out!" the garrison captain roared.

The scalding black oil was poured over them, drenching the Sui soldiers who were climbing.

"what!"

The soldier let out a scream that was not human. The hot oil instantly corroded through the iron armor, scalding his skin and tearing his flesh.

He frantically scratched his head and face, his fingernails tearing flesh and blood, turning him into a human torch as he fell from the ladder with a groan.

Even more terrifying, the flowing oil ignited the entire ladder, turning all the soldiers climbing it into rolling fireballs, and filling the air with a nauseating smell of roasted meat.

"Launch a rocket!"

Several rockets landed with a deafening roar, turning the area below the city into a sea of ​​fire. Burning figures writhed and struggled amidst the piles of corpses, letting out their final, desperate howls.

However, the Sui army went berserk, continuing their fierce attack over the charred corpses of their comrades. For every ladder that was knocked down, ten more were immediately put in place.

"Kill them! Drive them away!"

Zhang Zhongjian personally charged to the most dangerous spot, his blade flashing and blood flying everywhere.

On the other side, the battle between martial arts masters was also incredibly fierce.

Zhu Yuyan moved like a ghost, her Heavenly Demon Twin Slashes drawing a fierce arc, aiming straight for Cui Hong, an elder of the Cui clan and a Sui army retainer.

"How dare you, you vixen!"

Cui Hong's sword light was like a waterfall, and his sword energy was boundless.

The two exchanged blows with lightning speed, their energy bursting forth and sending ordinary soldiers, friend or foe, flying backward and coughing up blood within a radius of several feet.

Zhu Yuyan suddenly spun around, and a sharp palm strike was not aimed at Cui Hong, but at a battering ram that was crashing into the city gate below!

boom!

Wood chips mixed with human remains exploded, instantly paralyzing the vehicle.

Almost simultaneously, Zhang Lihua lightly raised her hand, and waves of sound enveloped another Lu family expert, Lu Yuanshan.

Lu Yuanshan's punches were fierce, but he was trapped in a quagmire and unable to move for a while.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zhang Lihua flicked her finger, sending a wisp of wind towards the Sui army's crossbow formation in the distance. Three crossbowmen fell down, blood splattering between their eyebrows.

Lu Yuanshan broke free of his restraints, forced Zhang Lihua back with a punch, and then slapped a thousand-machine crossbow cart on the city wall with his palm. The crossbow cart shattered as the wind swept through, and the bones of the soldiers operating it were broken.

Madam Cai's figure flickered as she engaged in a fierce battle with Zheng Qiuyu, a master of hidden weapons from the Zheng family.

Zheng Qiuyu unleashed a barrage of poisoned hidden weapons, which rained down from all directions. Madam Cai moved with the speed of smoke, and most of the hidden weapons missed their mark. However, a dozen or so "accidentally" entered the Sui soldiers climbing the city wall nearby, causing a chorus of screams.

Taking advantage of the moment, Lady Cai pointed her finger into the air at the base of a catapult. The wooden structure snapped with a crack, and the catapult crashed to the ground, killing and injuring countless Sui soldiers below.

"A Night Parade of One Hundred Demons!"

King Chujiang roared, his figure blurring into several afterimages as he used his judge's pen to strike vital points, engaging in battle with Wang Zhenyue, a master of the Wang clan.

Wang Zhenyue's swordsmanship was powerful and sweeping, with a single strike cleaving through the air, yet the blade's energy severed a section of the parapet along with five guards behind it in two!

A fierce glint flashed in King Chujiang's eyes as he approached like a ghost, aiming a stroke at Wang Zhenyue's Jianjing acupoint. However, the opponent countered with a swift slash, cutting Wang Zhenyue's ribs and causing blood to gush out.

Ye Niang's figure blended into the shadows, appearing and disappearing unpredictably, specializing in attacking officers and standard-bearers in the Sui army formation.

The Daoist energy of Wangchen swept away the enemy soldiers climbing the city, and wherever it passed, it was as if they were being harvested by an invisible scythe.

Mo Jianjiu's sword moved swiftly like lightning, darting along the edge of the battle formation, specializing in destroying the Sui army's small siege weapons. He swept past like a whirlwind, and the three crossbows fell silent.

The Sui army's skilled warriors were not about to be outdone.

Cui Hong took Zhu Yuyan's attack head-on, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, but despite the injury, he unleashed a magnificent sword aura that swept across the city wall, shattering two ballistae that were firing along with their crossbowmen!

Despite having his inner energy pulled by Zhang Lihua's Heavenly Demon Force Field, Lu Yuanshan punched the broken part of the city wall, causing bricks and stones to collapse and more than ten guards to fall.

Zheng Qiuyu threw out three linked darts, forcing Madam Cai to retreat. One of them, however, ricocheted strangely in mid-air and shot into the city wall passageway, causing a secondary explosion with billowing black smoke.

In an instant, not only were flesh and blood flying everywhere on and around the city walls, but also the rampant evil energy and exploding weapons.

The core area where masters clash is like a death zone; whether it's the Sui army or the defending soldiers, anyone caught in the blast will either die or be maimed.

Ladders were constantly being shattered by the force of palm strikes, crossbow carts were being destroyed by sword energy, and arrow towers were being blasted down by fist force.

This clash of high-level combat forces was no less brutal than a siege battle!

"Master!"

Zhu Yuyan suddenly pointed into the distance and shouted.

Madam Cai looked up.

In the distance, an old man dressed in a bright yellow python robe stood outside the moat, gathering his strength. He raised his golden dragon-shaped sword high with both hands, and his powerful energy gathered into a golden blade light that was more than ten feet long. It looked like he was about to slash at the crumbling city gate!

"Yang Zhen, how dare you!"

Madam Cai's phoenix eyes flashed with cold light. Ignoring Zheng Qiuyu's attack on her vest with poisoned shuttles, she forcibly reversed her body and her Heavenly Demon Art was running wildly at an unprecedented speed!

She struck Zheng Qiuyu with her left palm to temporarily stop his momentum, while her right palm's five fingers spread wide, causing the surrounding air to collapse instantly and become icy cold.

Subsequently, at the cost of depleting his true essence, he condensed all his life's power into a single finger!

Pfft!

A finger strike, refined to its utmost, shot straight at Yang Zhen's vital acupoint!

Wherever this finger touched, even the light seemed to be frozen and swallowed up!

Yang Zhen had reached the peak of his power, and the golden blade was about to strike, when he suddenly felt a deadly, chilling killing intent lock onto the major acupoints all over his body!

If he insists on slashing down with this knife, he will surely be severely injured or even killed by the finger force that strikes first after being struck later!

"hateful!"

He roared and had no choice but to forcefully reverse the impending burst of sword energy, turning the golden blade from a slash to a sweep, meeting the deadly finger strike head-on!

His hasty change of tactics caused his blood and qi to surge.

Boom!

The golden light collided violently with the finger force, producing a dull, thunderous sound!

The violent shockwave exploded out in a ring, directly blowing dozens of soldiers away and even causing waves several meters high to rise from the moat!

Yang Zhen was so shocked that he staggered back more than ten steps before he could barely regain his balance. His arm holding the knife was slightly numb, and his internal energy was in disarray.

He glared at Madam Cai in front of the city gate, his expression a mixture of shock and anger, and snorted, "What a nuisance..."

"Once my Great Sui Dynasty conquers the world, I will surely eradicate the Yin Gui Sect!"

……

In the distance, beneath the banner of the Sui army commander.

Yang Guang's gaze turned grave: "This Jiankang City is truly a tough nut to crack."

"It's incredible that they've managed to resist our fierce attacks until now."

Yang Su's gaze swept over the city wall, which resembled a millstone of flesh and blood, and he slowly nodded heavily: "Indeed."

"Zhang Zhongjian is a rare military talent. The resilience of the city's defenders far exceeded expectations, and they also have those demons from the Yin Gui Sect helping them..."

"But Your Highness, rest assured, Jiankang is already at its last gasp."

"Many sections of the city wall have collapsed, and the defending troops have suffered heavy casualties. It is only a matter of time before the city falls."

Just then, a messenger arrived on horseback, dismounted, and urgently reported, "Your Highness, the Grand Tutor!"

"Tens of thousands of troops have appeared thirty miles behind our lines!"

"They're flying the banner of the Southern Chen Divine Martial Camp!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Su's lips curled into a cold smile: "Your Highness, you have indeed arrived."

"The Shenwu Battalion, which was harassing the supply lines, was forced to show itself in a decisive battle. This shows that the Southern Chen Dynasty has exhausted all its options and has even staked out its last bit of mobile forces."

Yang Guang nodded slightly and instructed, "Proceed according to the original plan. Have the people of the five great families keep this isolated army at bay on the outskirts and prevent it from getting even a step closer to the main battlefield."

He paused, turned his gaze south, and continued to give orders: "Also, on the southern front, Chu Yunlong's Nantong New Army will not stand idly by."

"Order He Ruobi to strengthen defenses according to the plan and guard against enemy attacks."

"Tell him that guarding the flanks is a great achievement."

"yes!"

The messenger received the order, mounted his horse, and galloped away.

……

Two days later, the battle on the southern front began.

Because more than a dozen mechanical beasts were damaged during the attack on Wu County, they were taken back to the Qin World by Lu Zuo for repair. The troops deployed here are 50,000 new soldiers and only 30,000 or so Lingnan Song Clan members.

The reason why only 50,000 new troops came was because they still needed to stay behind to guard Wu County and Kuaiji.

After all, although the rear is currently stable on the surface, those counties could rebel at any time, and since the start of the war, banditry has been rampant.

Without military suppression, who knows what kind of trouble might arise.

Yang Guang and Yang Su knew this was a crucial location, so they placed many innate and acquired martial artists here.

In the wilderness.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Sui army, numbering over 300,000, pressed in from the horizon like a black iron curtain, their banners fluttering and their footsteps shaking the earth.

The sheer number of people created a sense of oppression that was almost suffocating.

Among the formations, the Qi Warriors' array stands out. It is Yang Guang and Yang Su's trump card here, consisting of nearly a thousand innate and acquired martial artists gathered from various powerful families.

Opposite them were 50,000 new troops and 30,000 elite Song Dynasty soldiers.

The 50,000-strong new army stood in a strict formation, their blood and qi seemingly connected, all of them being acquired martial artists. However, the young faces beneath their masks still revealed a sense of solemnity.

The young Song Que, clad in gleaming silver armor and wielding an ancient longsword, frowned as he sensed the overwhelming killing intent emanating from the opposite side.

"Crossbow formation, fire!"

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh~~!

The low hum of thousands of crossbow strings vibrated into a terrifying storm, and the shrill sound of arrows leaving the bowstrings instantly filled the sky, rushing towards the Sui army's vanguard with the breath of death!

"Raise your shields!" the Sui general shouted sternly.

Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff!

The arrows struck the iron-clad shields with a dull thud, but even more so with the terrifying sound of them piercing through wooden shields and tearing through leather armor!

Thud!

A crossbow bolt pierced the shield, its fletching trembling violently!

A Sui soldier was struck in the face by an arrow that pierced through his shield and fell down screaming.

boom!

A shield, along with the soldiers behind it, was knocked over by the immense force, causing men and horses to fall to the ground.

"kill!"

The Sui army erupted in a thunderous roar, and the tide of their charge accelerated once more.

"Kill!"

Chu Yunlong shouted until he was hoarse and exhausted.

Soon, the crimson and black torrents of steel collided violently!

Bang!Bang!Bang!

The two sides clashed violently, and the sounds of metal colliding, bones breaking, blades piercing flesh, and dying screams mingled together!

Clang!

A new soldier parried the cleaving battle axe with his sword, sparks flying everywhere.

puff!

His comrade-in-arms pierced the enemy's throat with a single shot, and hot blood spurted out.

But the next second, several spears came from different directions.

Puff puff......

Several bloody holes instantly appeared on the body of the new soldier. He stared wide-eyed and slowly knelt down.

"die!"

In the midst of the Sui army's formation, a master of innate cultivation swooped down from mid-air, his palm strike whistling through the air!

boom!

The impact created a shallow crater in the ground, and the shockwave knocked over several people nearby.

Three newly trained warriors from the new army raised their shields to withstand the attack, but the shields groaned under the strain and then shattered with a crack, sending the shield-bearers flying backward, coughing up blood.

Immediately, dozens more new soldiers rushed forward and relentlessly entangled the innate master.

On the other side, Song Que's blade flashed like snow, cleaving a Sui cavalry general and his horse in two with a single stroke, splattering blood and entrails all over the ground.

But immediately afterward, a large number of Sui soldiers attacked him.

"Protect the valve master!"

The elite Song troops stood firmly around Song Que, engaging in fierce combat with the surging Sui soldiers.

Rumble!

The Sui army's heavy cavalry began to move, the sound of their hooves pounding the earth like thunder, causing the entire plain to tremble.

"Archers, launch!"

Whoosh! Arrows rained down on the cavalry, causing men and horses to fall, but the cavalry torrent only paused slightly before continuing its crushing advance.

"Pikemen, hold them off!"

Bang! Crack! Boom!

The cavalrymen crashed into the spear formation! Instantly, shouts of men and neighing of horses filled the air, along with the sounds of spears breaking, bones shattering, warhorses groaning, and dying screams!

The spearmen at the front were knocked away along with their guns, and their comrades immediately took their place, using their flesh and blood to hold back the steel torrent.

The battle raged from dawn till afternoon, turning the wasteland into a battlefield of carnage. Wounded soldiers lay scattered everywhere, their groans and cries of pain mingling with the clanging of weapons...

.......

All three fronts are engaged in fierce battles, and the fighting on all three fronts is extremely tough and brutal!

Lu Zuo, who had not yet recovered, could only frequently travel between Qin Shi and Tang Shi to replenish the lost Thousand Machine Repeating Crossbows and Vortex Arrow Feeders.

But it was precisely because of his existence that Yang Su and Yang Guang were driven almost crazy.

Inside the Sui army camp.

Yang Su slammed a battle report on the table and growled, "Here we go again!"

"Another batch!"

"At least twenty more ballistae have been added to the city walls!"

"And that seemingly endless vortex of arrows!"

"This is unreasonable! Absolutely unreasonable!"

Yang Su's voice trembled slightly as he looked at Yang Guang, whose face was equally grim, and Li Yuan, whose brows were furrowed beside him: "Your Highness, General Li, you both know that Jiankang is now an isolated city!"

"Land routes cut off, waterways locked down!"

"Even if they had some reserves beforehand, after these days of fierce fighting, our skilled soldiers have repeatedly destroyed their equipment, and they should have run out of supplies long ago!"

"Those crossbow carts are complex in structure and require a huge amount of refined iron; it's impossible for the city's craftsmen to build them in a short time."

"And those specially made triangular crossbow bolts, the manufacturing process is extremely complicated, requiring specialized workshops and ample raw materials!"

"Where did they come from?"

"what?"

Bang~!

Yang Guang slammed his fist on the table, making the cups and saucers jump around: "What the Grand Tutor said is exactly what I've been pondering!"

"Could it be that beneath Chen Shubao's palace there truly lies a treasure trove capable of producing its own weapons?"

His voice was filled with suppressed frustration.

This situation, which is completely beyond our comprehension and cannot be explained by common sense, is more unsettling than facing a massive army.

"We destroy one batch, they just replace it with another!"

"It seems endless! Do we have to crush every single brick in Jiankang City to confirm that there aren't any new ballistae hidden inside?"

Li Yuan took a deep breath and said, "Your Highness, Grand Tutor, this matter is indeed extremely strange."

"I have carefully checked all the intelligence. There is absolutely no way that there is such a large-scale workshop in Jiankang City, let alone enough raw material reserves."

"The only explanation..."

"They have a way of continuously receiving supplies that we can't understand at all."

"But... how is that possible?"

A deathly silence fell over the tent.

This bizarre situation—where all supply lines have been cut off, yet the enemy continues to receive supplies—is truly baffling...

Like a poisonous thorn, it was deeply embedded in the hearts of the three.

Destroy the fundamental logic and confidence upon which they base their strategies.

Logically speaking, Jiankang should have been captured long ago...

Yang Su rubbed her temples wearily and murmured, "A lonely city..."

"A desolate city that should have been exhausted long ago... why can't it be defeated? Why can't it be destroyed?"

……

In fact, Lu Zuo's side was also on the verge of collapse.

The war consumed far more crossbow bolts than he had anticipated!

The creation of the vortex arrow casket was extremely laborious, and even with a tenfold time difference between the two worlds, the Gongshu family could not maintain the supply.

The creation of the vortex arrow casket was extremely laborious, and even with a tenfold time difference between the two worlds, the Gongshu family could not maintain the supply.

Most of the goods he transported were inventory from Nantong and Dongyang.

Seven days later, the inventory was completely depleted, and the real, brutal battle officially began!

Behind the Sui army, in the open fields, smoke filled the air and corpses littered the ground.

The Shenwu Camp, which once dominated Jiangnan and struck fear into the hearts of the Sui army's supply lines, is now at its last gasp.

clang!

puff!

Just as Yue Qing's spear deflected the heavy sword of a Sui army lieutenant, the immense force from the spear caused his tiger's mouth to crack, and the spear almost slipped from his grasp.

Before he could catch his breath, another sharp sword light pierced through from the side!

"Be careful!"

Li Qingmei's exclamation came, and a shadowy figure flashed by, the short sword narrowly deflecting the fatal blow.

However, Li Qingmei herself was struck on the shoulder by another Sui army expert who had ambushed her. With a cracking sound of bones breaking, she groaned and flew backward, spitting out blood.

"Secret Girl!"

Yue Qing's eyes were bloodshot, but he was powerless to help, as three powerful Sui soldiers had surrounded him in a triangular formation.

On the other side, the Ghost King of Mangshan, with disheveled hair and looking like a madman, was fighting to the death with four masters, his twin daggers dancing like a ball of black light.

At his feet lay the corpses of the One-Horned Ghost King and the Mighty Ghost King, both long dead, their bodies mangled and bloodied, their deaths gruesome.

His left arm was severed at the shoulder, blood gushing out, and he was only holding on by a fierce spirit.

"I'll fight you to the death!"

Mangshan completely abandoned his defense, allowing the sword and blade to pierce through his waist and abdomen, while his twin daggers pierced the throats of the two masters opposite him like poisonous dragons!

Yue Qing watched helplessly as the last Ghost King fell, feeling as if he had been struck a heavy blow to the heart.

"Retreat! Quickly!"

He swept his spear across the battlefield, forcing back the enemy in front of him. Looking around at the Shenwu Camp, which had numbered tens of thousands when it set out, fewer than three thousand were still fighting desperately, and all of them were wounded.

Left with no other option, they had to issue a retreat order.

The remaining soldiers of the Divine Martial Camp displayed their final courage, forming a tight circular formation as they fought and retreated.

With every step backward, someone fell, sacrificing their life to buy their comrades a sliver of space.

"Trying to leave?"

"Leave your life behind!"

The Sui general grinned as he directed his troops to encircle the enemy.

At this critical moment, a rapid gong sounded from the rear of the Sui army...

clang!clang!clang!

Sound the retreat?!

The Sui army's fierce offensive slowed down, and the generals looked surprised. However, military orders were absolute, and they could only watch helplessly as the battered enemy army retreated.

A messenger galloped to the front-line commander and loudly relayed the message:

"The Grand Tutor has given an order!"

"The defenses of Jiankang have been significantly weakened; this opportunity must not be missed!"

"The entire army shall immediately turn around, combine forces, and launch a fierce attack on Jiankang!"

"These remaining enemies are no longer a threat; there's no need to pursue them!"

The Sui general glared hatefully at the remnants of the Shenwu Camp and sneered, "You're lucky you survived!"

……

Jiankang City.

The setting sun, like blood, illuminated this magnificent city riddled with holes.

The air was thick with the stench of blood, burnt flesh, and death.

Many sections of the city wall have not just collapsed, but have been completely shattered, revealing gaps that have been temporarily filled with bricks, stones, wood, and even corpses.

The defenders had long since run out of arrows, and even the rolling logs and stones were almost gone. The once-roaring crossbows were now just silent, broken skeletons scattered all over the walls, like the remains of a giant beast.

On the city wall, the remaining defenders were few and far between, all wounded, their armor tattered, their eyes bloodshot and weary, but more than anything, filled with a numb determination.

Zhang Zhongjian stood on the most dangerous section of the ruins, leaning on a long, nicked sword.

He gazed at the seemingly endless Sui army lines that were beginning to regroup outside the city, then looked back at the equally devastated scene inside the city, and at the seriously wounded soldiers who were supporting each other or leaning against the walls, panting for breath.

He then took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and let out a barely audible sigh: "Jiankang..."

"In the end, we couldn't hold on any longer."

The sigh was soft, yet it seemed to drain the last bit of strength from the surrounding guards, and the eyes of several young soldiers instantly reddened.

Just then, the war drums of the Sui army outside the city sounded again!

Boom!Boom!Boom!Boom!

The heavy, menacing drumbeats struck like blows to everyone's heart.

The dark, dense Sui army, pushing the last batch of siege equipment, began their final offensive!

Zhang Zhongjian suddenly straightened his spine, and his body, which had been slightly hunched due to exhaustion and pain, seemed to be infused with steel-like strength at this moment.

With a clang,

He drew the longsword that had been with him for many years from his waist, its blade pointing diagonally at the surging black tide outside the city.

"Brothers!"

"Look behind you!"

"That place is no longer the old Chen Kingdom where powerful clans looked down on us like dirt!"

"There, are our fellow villagers who have just been allocated land!"

"There are brothers and nephews who can learn martial arts for free and no longer have their paths to advancement monopolized; there is hope for children from poor families to study and become officials!"

"His Majesty has implemented new policies, such as equalizing land distribution, promoting martial arts, and establishing schools..."

"We must cherish this renewed vitality!"

"What does the Sui army want?"

"They want to take away our land and hold a knife to our throats again!"

"We want our descendants to continue to toil like beasts of burden, and we want this sky, which has just begun to see a glimmer of light, to turn back into darkness!"

"Can we give way?!"

He looked around, his gaze sweeping across faces that were young, weathered, desperate, or numb, before finally transforming into a raging fire.

"cannot!"

"Today, Jiankang is right beneath our feet! We have no way out! There is nowhere to retreat!"

"For this new look!"

"Fight to the death...to the very end!"

"Fight to the death!"

The first to respond to him was a young soldier with a broken arm, whose wound was hastily bandaged with a cloth strip.

His face was covered in blood, but his eyes shone with a frightening light as he raised the chipped knife with his remaining arm.

"Fight to the death, never retreat!"

An old soldier, wounded in the abdomen and nearly with his intestines spilling out, propped himself up with a spear and screamed hoarsely.

"Fight to the death, never retreat!"

More and more people stood up.

Those leaning against the wall, those supporting each other, and even those lying on the ground unable to move all let out hoarse roars.

Among the crowd, several martial artists, their inner strength exhausted and their faces as pale as paper, exchanged glances and saw the determination in each other's eyes.

With trembling hands, they pulled slender gold needles from their pockets.

"Brothers, I'm going first."

A martial artist smiled bitterly and, without hesitation, plunged the golden needle into a vital acupoint on the top of his head!

Then came the second, the third...

puff!"

As the acupuncture needles were inserted, their bodies trembled violently, and blood instantly seeped from their seven orifices. However, their previously weak aura suddenly surged up as if in a final burst of energy!

"kill!"

These warriors roared inhumanly and leaped down the broken city wall, carrying an incomparably tragic and doomed momentum, to meet the first batch of Sui soldiers who climbed up!

"Fight to the death, never retreat!"

"Kill!"

……

The battle raged from dusk till late at night, and then from late at night till dawn.

Even Yang Su, a veteran of many battles, was impressed by the resilience of the Jiankang defenders...

"Since I joined the army, I have fought in hundreds of battles, large and small, capturing cities and strongholds, and have never been unsuccessful."

"But I have never seen... such a tenacious defender, such a resolute resistance."

"It is true that Zhang Zhongjian was a good general."

"But...how did it come to this?"

"Our Sui Dynasty's imperial guards are the strongest army in the land. They are disciplined and their rewards and punishments are clear, which is why they are capable of fighting and winning battles."

"Servants of noble families are willing to die for their masters in order to protect them and seek wealth and honor."

"However, the city's garrison was mostly composed of former poor men, and the four battalions were all civilians."

"Logically, with the country on the verge of collapse and their ruler's reputation for incompetence widespread, why didn't they surrender?"

"Why risk self-inflicted wounds, even burning away one's lifeblood, to fight to the very last moment?"

"What...is their purpose?"

The generals behind him looked at each other, none of them able to answer.

They also couldn't understand it.

For money?

The city is about to fall.

For fame and fortune?

The State of Chen is doomed.

For the sake of loyalty to the emperor?

That foolish ruler doesn't seem to deserve such a death.

Yang Su frowned deeply, something beyond his entire lifelong understanding of military experience.

Without generous rewards to motivate and severe punishments to discipline, and with defeat already inevitable...

Zhang Zhongjian's prestige alone, or his vague notion of loyalty, could never have inspired tens of thousands of soldiers, and even ordinary warriors, to risk their lives so desperately.

"However, no matter how strange your reasons, your power will eventually run out!"

"That's the end for them!"

"Pass on my orders!"

......

Boom!Boom!Boom!Boom!Boom!

The war drums, representing the final battle, roared with the most ferocious rhythm, their sound shaking the entire field!

"Move the entire army forward, sparing no effort!"

"Let's press on, crush them, and raze Jiankang to the ground!"

"kill!"

The Sui army's elite troops, like ferocious beasts finally freed from their chains, roared with earth-shattering force and launched a massive all-out attack from all directions, towards the last gap and the crumbling defense line!

This torrent is determined to completely engulf all resistance!

At the city gate...

Since both sides' experts at the Third Realm were severely injured and unable to continue fighting, they could only resort to conventional methods to attack the city.

Dozens of shirtless, burly men pushed huge battering rams, shouting in unison, as they accelerated toward the city gate, which was covered in scorch marks and deeply dented.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sounds of impact echoed one after another, the city gate trembled violently, and the huge stones and beams supporting it groaned under the weight.

The remaining defenders in the city tried to shoot from both sides and throw fire pots, but were immediately suppressed by a rain of arrows and the advancing Sui army's elite soldiers.

finally......

Boom!!!

With a deafening roar, the city gate, which had held out for so long, collapsed inwards along with the debris blocking its way, after the battering ram struck it with all its might one last time!

"The city gates have been breached!"

"Kill them!"

……

Meanwhile, on the southern front.

Rumble!

The Sui army's heavily armored infantry, with their orderly and heavy steps, pressed forward on the allied lines once again, like a moving iron wall.

With arrows long exhausted, the battle had entered its most brutal hand-to-hand combat phase.

"Form ranks, attack!"

Chu Yunlong's hoarse roar echoed across the battlefield.

Although nearly half of the 50,000 newly recruited warriors had been lost, the remaining soldiers still displayed astonishing combat power.

Their blood surged, and their blades faintly carried a faint aura of power; their strength, speed, and reflexes far surpassed those of ordinary elites.

clang!

A new soldier was wielding his sword and cleaved a Sui soldier in two, shield and all! Blood and entrails were splattered all over the ground.

Three to five new army warriors formed a small battle formation back to back. Amidst the flashing of their blades, the Sui soldiers who rushed at them fell like wheat being harvested, and for a time they could not get close!

However, the Sui army had a huge numerical advantage!

Kill one, and three more surged up!

Ten died, so we replaced them with thirty!

The black tide seemed endless, constantly crashing against and squeezing the red defense line.

Click!

A new warrior had just cut down an enemy when he was pierced by several spears thrusting from the side. He roared and grabbed the spear shaft, but was then hacked to pieces by the enemies who surged forward.

boom!

A sharp-edged team of Sui army experts stormed in, their fists and palms exploding, instantly clearing out a small section of the new army formation, leaving blood and flesh flying everywhere.

On the other side, Song Que's Lingnan army was also engaged in a fierce battle.

His swordsmanship was fierce, and he had already achieved the initial stage of mastery of the three elements. Wherever his sword flashed, ordinary enemy soldiers were either killed or wounded.

However, there were also skilled warriors in the Sui army who held him back, preventing him from charging and killing at will.

Although the Lingnan troops were well-trained, they suffered heavy casualties due to their overwhelming numerical disadvantage, as their lines were constantly compressed.

"Master! The left wing is about to collapse!"

A Song family general, covered in blood, staggered in to report.

With a single strike, Song Que forced back the enemy in front of him. His gaze swept across the battlefield, and his heart sank. The allied forces were already at their last gasp, and signs of defeat were already emerging.

Just then...

Waaaaah!

A deep bugle call suddenly came from the rear of the Allied forces!

The ground began to tremble slightly!

"What...what is that?!" A soldier pointed behind him in terror.

Behind the allied forces' lines, billowing smoke and dust appeared a massive Sui army unit, carrying a banner with the character "贺" (He) on it, seemingly emerging from the ground onto the horizon!

Judging by their strength, they number no less than 50,000!

This fresh force is gleaming in armor and has a well-organized formation, clearly having been waiting for a long time!

Chu Yunlong's face instantly turned deathly pale: "He Ruobi, his main force is actually lying in ambush here?"

More than 100,000 enemy troops attacked from the front, while tens of thousands of elite troops blocked their way from the rear!

Allied forces...

We're completely surrounded!

The surviving Allied soldiers looked at the endless enemy army behind them, and then at the still surging black tide in front of them. A sense of despair instantly spread through them.

Chu Yunlong's lips trembled, and his gaze unconsciously drifted towards the direction of Jiankang City...

However, the next moment.

His pupils suddenly contracted to the size of pinpoints, and his body trembled violently!

The banner of the Chen Kingdom that had been fluttering for months and was soaked in blood on the walls of Jiankang was gone!

Instead, a glaringly conspicuous Sui army flag was displayed!

Chu Yunlong was shocked and murmured, "Jiankang City... has fallen!"

Song Que, who was standing to the side, followed his gaze and immediately lost all color in his face.

"Jiankang has fallen."

Chu Yunlong was struck dumb, and he turned around to look at Song Que, then at the countless enemy troops who were attacking from both sides and closing in step by step.

Hope has been completely extinguished.

"Heh...hehe..."

Chu Yunlong suddenly let out a bitter laugh, raised his chipped longsword, and pointed it at the enemy troops closing in from all sides:

"Brothers! Jiankang has fallen! Our escape route is cut off!"

"Today... only a fight to the death!"

"Killing one is enough to break even, killing two is a bonus!"

"Follow me and kill!"

.......

At this moment, in the commander's tent of the Sui army camp.

"Report!"

A messenger with three red feathers tucked into his back rushed into the tent and knelt down on one knee with a thud:

"This is to report to Your Highness Prince Jin, and to report to the Grand Tutor!"

"Jiankang City has been captured by our soldiers!"

"General Zhang Zhongjian led his remaining troops to retreat to the area around the imperial city, putting up a stubborn resistance, but they were already trapped and their annihilation was imminent!"

"Also, military report from the southern front!"

"The remnants of Chu Yunlong and Song Que's troops are now surrounded by General He Ruobi and the main force, and they have no way to escape."

"Total annihilation...it's only a matter of moments!"

"Good!" Yang Guang suddenly stood up from his seat, his eyes flashing with a burning light!

"May Heaven bless our Great Sui Dynasty!"

"With the soldiers' valiant efforts, this stubborn city was finally captured!"

"Hahahaha..."

"With the fall of Jiankang, the Southern Chen dynasty's arm has been severed, and half of Jiangnan is now in our hands!"

"Sweeping away the remaining rebels and unifying the world is just around the corner!"

Yang Su, who had been frowning for months, finally relaxed completely: "Your Highness, this is the will of Heaven."

"Your Majesty's blessings are boundless, and the merits of the three armies' valiant fighting are undeniable!"

"Since the Jin dynasty moved south, the north and south have been divided for nearly three hundred years..."

"Today, Your Highness, a unified empire has finally been restored!"

"This is an unparalleled achievement, worthy of praise at the Imperial Ancestral Temple and a place in history!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Guang stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the faintly visible firelight in the direction of Jiankang City outside the tent, his eyes deep: "What the Grand Tutor says is absolutely right."

"Only when the world is unified can the achievements of an emperor be truly demonstrated."

"Pass down the order!"

"Jiankang's stubborn resistance has led to the heavy casualties of our Sui soldiers; they have truly brought about their own destruction!"

"Soldiers who have breached the city, may not sheath their swords for three days!"

"All the spoils and women obtained shall belong to the soldiers!"

"I will make this formidable city south of the Yangtze River remember the consequences of defying the Emperor's will!"

"We must make those remaining Southern Chen rebels who are still hesitating tremble at the mere mention of the Sui army!"

……

At this moment, in the Jiankang Imperial City.

Smoke and bloodstains filled the air above the imperial palace walls.

Compared to the complete fall of the outer city, this place, with its high walls and deep moats, has temporarily become the last precarious line of defense.

But everyone understands that this is merely delaying the arrival of the final moment.

Zhang Zhongjian leaned against the broken crenellations, his armor shattered, his body covered in blood, and his flesh torn open.

The dozen or so remaining personal guards around him were all wounded, supporting each other, some leaning against the wall, others slumped on the ground, their faces filled with despair.

"General..."

A soldier with a severed arm and a deathly pale face looked at Zhang Zhongjian and said, "The brothers are almost all gone."

"Even the imperial city can't be defended..."

He raised his head, hot tears rolling down his cloudy eyes: "Let it go..."

"General!"

"Let's spare the lives of the remaining brothers!"

These words seemed to ignite a fuse; another guard beside him abruptly raised his head and cried out in despair, "Guard?"

"What are we going to use to defend this, Commander!"

"We're out of arrows, and less than one in ten of our brothers are still capable of fighting!"

"The city walls are swarming with Sui dogs; we're surrounded like an iron barrel... there's no hope!"

"yes......"

"There's no hope."

"If Chu Yunlong could come, he would have arrived long ago; if the Song Clan could save us, they should have arrived long ago!"

"They might... they might have already been completely wiped out!"

An old soldier, leaning against the wall with a broken leg and confined to his seat, murmured, "There's no hope... there's really no hope..."

"General, let's surrender..."

"For no other reason than for those concubines and palace maids who are still alive in the palace..."

"And to our wounded brothers lying in bed, please give us a way to survive..."

"Even if the Sui dogs are ruthless, they can't kill everyone who surrenders, can they?"

"Surely a few will survive?"

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Suddenly, a series of heavy, loud noises came from deep within the palace, growing clearer and clearer as they approached, even causing the ground to tremble slightly!

Zhang Zhongjian and his desperate personal guards turned sharply, following the sound towards the inner palace gardens.

Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, seven enormous, ferocious figures crashed through the palace's pillars and walls, slowly emerging with earth-shaking strides!

It was the Taotie mechanical beast that had once shone brightly on the battlefields of Wu County and Kuaiji, striking fear into the hearts of the Sui army!

"That is..."

The one-armed guard gaped, his eyes almost bulging out of their sockets: "A mechanical beast?"

"Taotie?"

"they……"

"How did they get out of the palace?!"

"Impossible!" The young soldier, his abdomen wounded, forgot the pain and abruptly sat up. "Weren't these precious weapons severely damaged and unusable after the Battle of Wu County?"

The old soldier, slumped on the ground, muttered to himself, "How could there be mechanical beasts in the palace?!"

"Seven bodies still?"

"What...what on earth is going on?!"

What they were witnessing was completely beyond their comprehension!

These national treasures should be in secret workshops, so how could they be hidden deep in the palace?

And why did it appear at this moment?

Why?

It was just repaired, of course. You've received a new chapter update: Chapter 195 Unification of the World! (The Finale), reading link. Lu Zuo brought them back one after another!

Just as everyone was stunned, the largest Taotie mechanical beast slowly lowered its head.

A tall and imposing figure stood silently atop its ferocious beast head—it was Lu Zuo!

"Soldiers, hold on!"

"Reinforcements have arrived!"

……

On the southern front, Chu Yunlong and Song Que are completely surrounded.

Chu Yunlong and Song Que stood back to back, with less than two thousand soldiers remaining beside them.

The group huddled together in a broken circle, everyone wounded, armor tattered, weapons dulled, their eyes bloodshot, exhausted, and...

They were surrounded by hundreds of thousands of Sui troops, like a lone boat about to capsize in a raging storm.

"Chu Yunlong! Song Que!"

From within the Sui army ranks, a general rode out, his voice booming like thunder, radiating the triumphant confidence of victory:

"You are already trapped like turtles in a jar; you can't escape!"

"Lay down your weapons, dismount, and surrender!"

"Your Highness, Prince Jin, have mercy! Perhaps you will be spared!"

"If you continue to resist, you will be reduced to dust in an instant!"

The surrounding Sui soldiers also shouted in unison, their voices echoing across the land: "Surrender! Surrender! Surrender!"

The sound was like a heavy hammer, striking the hearts of every surviving Allied soldier.

Chu Yunlong's hands, split open from the effort, gripped the spear tightly. Song Que's blood-stained longsword trembled slightly. The two exchanged a glance, both seeing a resolute resolve in each other's eyes...

Better to be a broken piece of jade than a whole piece of tile!

Boom!Boom!Boom!

suddenly!

The deep, thunderous sound of war drums echoed from afar!

"What's that sound?!" The smug look on the Sui general's face froze instantly, and he looked south with surprise and uncertainty.

All the Sui soldiers, including the elite troops besieging Chu Yunlong's forces, instinctively stopped shouting and looked in the direction of the sound.

On the southern horizon, a thin black line first appeared.

Immediately afterwards, amidst the deafening war drums and resounding horns, the black line rapidly expanded and spread, like a flood bursting its banks, or like an endless dark red tide, overflowing the hills and filling the valleys!

Banners fluttered like a forest in the wind, clearly the battle flags of the Nantong New Army!

Swords and spears gleamed like snow, reflecting the cold glow of the setting sun!

The army marched with perfectly synchronized steps!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sound of footsteps even drowned out the war drums, shaking the very earth!

A surge of bloody smoke gathered into clouds, and a chilling aura permeated the heavens and earth, causing the Sui soldiers, several miles away, to feel their breath catch in their throats!

"Three hundred thousand acquired martial artists...?"

In the Sui army formation, a seasoned general with extensive experience suddenly narrowed his pupils!

"How is this possible?"

"When did the Southern Chen dynasty... train such a large army?"

"Look! It's Shen Luoyan!"

"Shen Luoyan?"

"Wasn't she supposed to be overseeing things from the rear? How come she's...?"

Chu Yunlong's originally dim eyes suddenly burst forth with a scorching light!

"They're our reinforcements!"

"Three hundred thousand brothers who have achieved mastery of the Daytime Great Perfection!"

"Hahahaha......."

"We've got it!"

"Finally!"

"We've finally made it this far!"

Song Que roared to the sky, "Soldiers!"

"Our reinforcements have arrived! Charge out!"

"roar!"

The two thousand remaining soldiers, who had been waiting in despair, were now as if they had been injected with a violent life force, and let out a deafening roar!

At the same time, from the southern new army ranks, Shen Luoyan's cold and resolute command, amplified through her internal energy, resounded throughout the entire battlefield:

"New Army soldiers, listen to my command!"

"Crush them, leave no one alive!"

"kill!"

Rumble!

Three hundred thousand newly trained martial artists, like a true torrent of steel, launched an overwhelming charge!

Their speed was astonishing, their footsteps thundering as they pounded the ground. The crimson tide crashed into the panicked and disorganized Sui army with overwhelming force!

Snap! Pfft! Ah!

The sounds of swords slicing through bones, blades piercing flesh, and the screams of the dying instantly replaced everything else!

The new army soldiers were extremely strong individually; they could often cleave through the Sui soldiers' armor with a single slash and shatter the enemy's internal organs with a single punch.

The Sui army's seemingly solid lines of defense collapsed rapidly in the face of this overwhelming force!

In an instant, the offensive and defensive positions shifted!

The situation on the southern front was instantly reversed by the arrival of 300,000 new troops!

……

At this moment, in Jiankang City.

Lu Zuo, who had recovered to about the initial stage of the Three Elements, led the remaining five thousand or so remnants of his army and seven mechanical beasts in a counterattack!

Boom!

The imperial city gate was smashed open by a Taotie mechanical beast with its head covered in sharp teeth, sending wood chips and bricks flying everywhere!

Lu Zuo took the lead, his figure as fast as lightning, and rushed out first!

The demonic blade in his hand gleamed with a thousand blades of eerie light, exuding a chilling killing intent.

Although the inner energy of the initial stage of the Three Elements has not yet reached its peak, it is already surging like a river, far surpassing ordinary innate beings!

"kill!"

Behind him, more than 5,000 remaining soldiers erupted in a long-suppressed roar, like a flood bursting its banks, rushing towards the Sui army inside the city, which was still burning, killing, and looting, and whose formation had been broken!

The seven-headed Taotie strode into the street with earth-shaking steps, and wherever it passed, Sui soldiers fell and horses collapsed, with the sound of bones shattering never ceasing!

The serrated forelimbs swept across, bringing with them a bloody storm!

Lu Zuo moved like a ghost, his Demon Blade Thousand Blades turning into afterimages.

laugh!

As soon as a Sui army captain raised his sword, his head flew off!

clang!

puff!

Another Sui soldier wielding a shield was cleaved in two, shield and all!

He didn't stop at all; with a flash of his blade, no enemy could withstand him, and he tore a bloody path through the chaotic enemy ranks!

"Kill them!"

Seeing this, the remaining soldiers were greatly encouraged and began to hack and slash at the chaotic enemy.

The battle quickly spread from the imperial city to the main streets.

The Sui army never expected the defenders to launch such a fierce counterattack. Coupled with their scattered looting, they were caught off guard and suffered heavy casualties.

Soon, Lu Zuo's troops arrived at the main street near the city gate.

Just then...

A deafening roar of battle cries erupted from outside the city; it was...

A voice from the south!

Immediately afterwards, the defeated Sui army surged in like a tide, each soldier looking panicked and abandoning their armor and weapons!

Behind them, however, was a crimson tide!

It was Shen Luoyan leading 300,000 new troops who had arrived!

"His Majesty!"

Shen Luoyan spotted Lu Zuo at a glance, immediately flew over, knelt on one knee, and clasped her hands in greeting.

"Your subject, Shen Luoyan, has been ordered to lead 300,000 newly trained troops from Nantong and Dongyang to provide reinforcements!"

"We have now broken through the Sui army's southern front and joined forces with the generals of Chu and Song, and are now making every effort to wipe out the remaining enemy!"

"The 300,000 new troops have all arrived on the battlefield. Please give the order, Your Majesty!"

Lu Zuo raised the Demon Blade Thousand Blades in his hand, its blade pointing directly at the Sui army camp in the north.

"kill!"

Shen Luoyan abruptly stood up, drew her sword, and shouted, "New Army soldiers, listen to my command! All-out attack!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The newly formed army of 300,000 warriors, having acquired their martial arts skills through the ages, roared with earth-shattering fury as they swept towards the Sui army!

……

Sui army camp.

"How could this happen?"

"How could the Southern Chen Dynasty possibly have produced so many martial artists who have acquired their skills through training?"

"So many new troops have been trained?"

Yang Guang, Yang Su, and Li Yuan stared in disbelief at what lay ahead.

On the horizon, flags fluttered like a forest, swords and spears gleamed in the sun, and the billowing smoke of war almost dyed the sky red!

What's even more terrifying is that the chilling aura and perfectly synchronized steps of this army far surpass any elite force they've ever seen!

Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, the outlines of ferocious mechanical beasts could still be vaguely seen!

"Three, three hundred thousand..."

"They're all acquired martial artists?!"

Li Yuan gasped, "This... how is this possible?"

"Even if Lu Zuo truly possesses unfathomable abilities, the amount of medicinal herbs, meat, and resources needed to cultivate so many acquired martial artists is astronomical!"

"How could the Southern Chen dynasty, with only a few prefectures in Dongyang and Nantong, possibly support 300,000 men?"

"This...this is completely illogical!"

Yang Su's face turned deathly pale: "We were wrong...we all miscalculated..."

"We only calculated that he could train soldiers, but we couldn't calculate how he could support so many soldiers!"

"The daily consumption of 300,000 acquired martial artists is enough to bring down a once-powerful dynasty!"

"Could it be that Lu Zuo... truly possesses the Midas touch?"

This shrewd and calculating Grand Tutor was now caught in a huge cognitive shock and fear.

"The daily consumption of 300,000 acquired martial artists is enough to bring down a once-powerful dynasty!"

"Could it be that Lu Zuo... truly possesses the Midas touch?"

This shrewd and calculating Grand Tutor was now caught in a huge cognitive shock and fear.

Yang Guang's face drained of color, his pupils contracted, and he looked utterly horrified.

"impossible!"

"Absolutely impossible!"

"Even with the wealth of the entire nation and its treasury overflowing, the Sui Dynasty could never have trained such a large army of warriors!"

"The taxes of the Southern Chen dynasty are less than one-tenth of those of our Great Sui dynasty. On what basis?"

"Why should I?"

Yang Su grabbed Yang Guang's arm tightly and said urgently, "Your Highness!"

"Now is not the time to investigate the reasons; I will protect you and help you break through from the west immediately!"

"Break through?"

Yang Guang abruptly shook off Yang Su's hand, letting out a mournful laugh: "Heh...hahaha..."

"Grand Tutor, this is the final battle..."

"We've lost..."

Utter defeat!

At this moment, the new army of 300,000 acquired martial artists, with a deafening roar, finally crashed into the first line of defense of the Sui army!

This defensive line, composed of elite Sui soldiers and some private troops from aristocratic families, was considered quite formidable under normal circumstances.

But at this moment, in the face of this death storm formed by the gathering of acquired martial artists, it was as fragile as paper!

Rumble!

The first thing to hit was the front row, which erupted in a series of loud bangs!

The new soldiers didn't even need to use sophisticated combined attack techniques; with just the simplest thrusts and slashes, their weapons, infused with acquired internal energy, unleashed terrifying power!

Click!

puff!

The iron shields held by the Sui soldiers were pierced by spears and shattered by swords, just like rotten wood!

The soldiers behind the shields were either pierced through, armor and all, or cut in two by the blades imbued with immense force!

"what!"

"My hand!"

Screams, the cracking of bones, the breaking of weapons, and the terrified screams of Sui soldiers instantly replaced the war drums and horns, becoming the main theme of the battlefield!

The strength of the individual soldiers in the new army was fully demonstrated!

A Sui soldier roared and swung his sword at the oncoming new recruit, but the recruit simply blocked it with his spear!

clang!

Sparks flew everywhere!

The Sui soldiers felt an irresistible force coming from the blade, their hands cleaved, and their swords flew out of their grasp!

Before he could react, the opponent's spear shot out like a venomous snake, easily piercing his iron armor, entering through his chest and exiting through his back!

On the other side, three fierce Sui soldiers worked together seamlessly, brandishing their swords and spears to besiege a new army commander.

The captain roared, his blood and energy surging, creating a brief wave of energy!

The slashing sword was deflected, the thrusting spear was parried, and the long sword in his hand flashed with a cold light!

Swish!Swish!Swish!

Three heads shot into the sky! The headless corpse continued to rush forward a few steps before staggering and falling to the ground.

Collapse spread rapidly through the Sui army like a plague!

Can't stop!

It's impossible to stop!

"Run!"

Fear burned like wildfire, and the morale of the Sui army completely collapsed.

Soldiers in the front ranks fell in droves, while those in the middle were pushed and trampled, and the formation instantly fell into chaos.

The general's desperate shouts were drowned out by the terrifying sounds of slaughter and the clamor of the fleeing enemy.

The battlefield was completely dominated by a one-sided massacre!

Wherever the new army surged, corpses piled up in layers, and blood flowed like streams.

At this moment, the morale of the Sui army completely collapsed.

……

Twenty days later, at the Jiankang Imperial Palace, in the Golden Dragon Hall.

Lu Zuo sat upright on the dragon throne, his face still showing signs of fatigue from the fierce battle, but his eyes shone with a sharp light, naturally revealing a majestic and imposing presence.

Shen Luoyan, dressed in a purple official robe, stood below the imperial steps, holding a jade tablet, and reported the battle results:

"Your Majesty, this is my report."

"Our army won a great victory in the Battle of Jiankang."

"The main force of the Sui army was killed in battle, and more than 80,000 people were captured. Only a few remnants, such as Yang Xuangan, son of Yang Su, managed to escape north and back to Jiangbei."

"Yang Su, the Grand Tutor of the Pseudo-Sui Dynasty, was killed in battle by General Song Que amidst the chaos of war, and Li Yuan was also shot dead by General Chu Yunlong on the riverbank."

She paused slightly before continuing, "The false Prince Yang Guang has been captured alive and is currently imprisoned in the Imperial Prison, awaiting His Majesty's judgment."

"Currently, our army has taken advantage of the victory and marched north, with its forces pointing directly at Liyang and Zhongli."

"The Sui army in the Jianghuai region is terrified and offers little resistance. Based on the current situation, our army will be able to fully control the key towns north of the Yangtze River and reach the Huai River within a month at the latest."

Only after Shen Luoyan finished speaking did Lu Zuo slowly say, "The matter of Jiangbei is to be handled entirely by Zhang Zhongjian."

"And Jiangnan..."

"It's time to settle accounts with those prefects and magistrates who previously wavered, sat idly by and watched the success or failure, and even secretly colluded with the Sui court, as well as the local powerful families."

"Shen Luoyan".

"Your subject is here."

"You are hereby appointed to oversee all government affairs in Jiangnan, to investigate the lands of powerful and wealthy families, and to distribute them to commoners who have little or no land."

"At the same time, we will establish official schools in various prefectures and counties, and all my people, regardless of their background, can enroll to learn literature and martial arts."

"The necessary funds and provisions will be drawn from the spoils of war and the wealth of the families whose property has been confiscated."

"Your subject obeys the decree!"

Lu Zuo nodded slightly and continued, "To achieve equality in Jiangnan will inevitably encounter obstacles."

"Madam Cai, Zhu Yuyan, King Chujiang, Ye Niang, Wang Chen, Mo Jianzong, you must depart immediately!"

"Lead all available mechanical beasts and mobilize 100,000 newly trained troops from Nantong and Dongyang, dividing them into several routes to thoroughly survey all the prefectures south of the Yangtze River!"

"No trial needed, no evidence needed, just confiscate their property and exterminate their entire clan!"

"I wish that from now on, this land of Jiangnan will be free from the constraints of powerful clans, and that my decrees will be implemented without hindrance!"

"Your Majesty, we obey!"

……

A short while later, in the palace.

Li Qingmei was dressed in black, which accentuated her agile figure.

Behind her stood hundreds of men and women, all dressed in dark clothing, their auras restrained yet formidable—these were all members of the Secret Clan.

"Li Qingmei, along with the Secret Clan, pays respects to His Majesty!"

Li Qingmei was the first to kneel on one knee and respectfully bow.

The members of the secret clan behind her knelt down in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized, yet they remained silent.

Lu Zuo raised his hand: "Rise."

Everyone stood up and bowed their heads in respect.

Lu Zuo looked at Li Qingmei and cut straight to the point: "The agreed time has not yet arrived, but I have decided to resolve the potential dangers for you now."

Li Qingmei suddenly looked up, a hint of excitement flashing in her eyes, but more so disbelief.

The agreed time has not yet arrived, and with everything in need of rebuilding, it is precisely the time when manpower is required...

Lu Zuo didn't explain further, but simply reached into his robes and took out an object from his personal space.

The moment this object appeared, the surrounding light seemed to distort slightly for a moment.

An indescribable aura of vastness, weight, and a touch of mysterious warmth quietly spread out...

It was the Imperial Seal of the State, inscribed with the words "By the Mandate of Heaven, May Your Reign Be Long and Prosperous!"

Li Qingmei's body trembled violently. She raised her hands above her head and, with slight tremors, accepted the heavy jade seal.

The moment she touched it, a gentle yet vast energy flowed through her palm, instantly clearing her mind.

"Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty! The entire Mi tribe will forever be grateful!"

Then, Li Qingmei took a deep breath and slowly poured her pure true essence into the jade seal.

hum!

The jade seal shone brightly, its hazy radiance solidifying into soft, moonlit ribbons that drifted towards every member of the secret clan present.

……

More than a month later, in Daxing City, at the Prince of Jin's residence.

Outside the mansion, the sounds of battle were deafening, and the rhythmic, terrifying footsteps clearly penetrated the high walls and entered every corner of the mansion.

The mansion was already in complete chaos.

The servants and maids screamed and ran away, while the guards either scattered or ransacked the place to steal valuables.

Only deep within the Prince's mansion, in the most magnificent sleeping chamber, was unusually quiet.

Inside the hall, in front of the bronze mirror.

Xiao Meiniang, dressed in a long palace dress, was carefully drawing her eyebrows in front of the mirror.

The person in the mirror was stunningly beautiful, with exquisitely drawn eyebrows and eyes, and a touch of vermilion on her lips, adding to her breathtaking allure.

Her movements were unhurried and her fingertips were steady without the slightest tremor, as if she were preparing for an ordinary banquet, rather than the end of the world with the dynasty collapsing and the army besieging the palace.

"Your Highness! Your Highness!"

A personal maid rushed in, tumbling and scrambling: "Something terrible has happened!"

"The Southern Chen army has already reached the gates of the mansion!"

"Let's go!"

"If we don't leave now, it will really be too late!"

"Perhaps we can still..."

Xiao Meiniang put down the ingot she was holding, looked at her makeup in the mirror from left to right, and seemed quite satisfied.

"Walk?"

She slowly rose, her movements elegant and composed. Her red lips parted slightly, and her voice was soft and melodious: "Why are you leaving?"

The maid was stunned...

They looked at their princess as if she were a madwoman.

The sounds of fighting outside the mansion were already very close, and you could even hear swords slashing at the gate and the screams of the guards before they died!

"Your Highness, they've broken in!"

"Emperor Chen personally led the troops..."

Boom!!

Just then, a loud bang came from outside the door.

Immediately following were the roars of men, the wails of the dying, and the clatter of footsteps that surged into the front courtyard and spread rapidly into the mansion.

Xiao Meiniang seemed completely unaware. She smiled sweetly at herself in the mirror, then turned and walked out of the bedchamber.

Just as they stepped out of the palace gate and crossed the courtyard, they bumped into a group of people.

The leader, still clad in black armor stained with undried blood, was none other than Lu Zuo.

He carried a long, blood-dripping sword, his face cold and stern, followed by several guards with imposing auras and wary eyes.

Xiao Meiniang stopped under the eaves, and then...

Under the incredulous gaze of her maids and astonished gaze of her guards, she lifted her elaborate and gorgeous skirt and slowly knelt down.

"This humble servant, Xiao Meiniang, respectfully welcomes Your Majesty."

Lu Zuo paused slightly, his gaze falling on the beautiful woman kneeling on the ground before him, who showed no sign of dishevelment but rather an unusual composure.

"You've got some nerve."

"Yang Guang was captured, Yang Su was executed, and Daxing City fell."

"The nobles and officials throughout the city either fled or went into hiding."

"As the Princess Consort of Jin, you didn't run away, but instead dressed in your finest attire to greet me?"

Xiao Meiniang slowly raised her head, revealing a stunningly beautiful face that could captivate any man.

Her eyes flickered as she looked at Lu Zuo, a captivating smile playing on her lips: "Because..."

"This concubine... no longer wishes to be the Princess Consort of Jin."

Lu Zuo raised an eyebrow slightly: "Oh? So what do you want to do?"

Xiao Meiniang straightened her knees, tilted her head slightly, and parted her red lips: "Your Majesty, you understand."

"Ha ha ha ha...."

Lu Zuo looked at her and suddenly burst into laughter.

He casually tossed the long sword to his guard, then stepped forward and, amidst Xiao Meiniang's soft gasp, scooped up the former princess in his arms.

The maid at the palace gate, upon seeing this scene, suddenly came to her senses and scrambled to the side, holding her breath and daring not to make a sound.

Lu Zuo, carrying Xiao Meiniang, turned and walked towards the magnificent bedroom.

As soon as I stepped into the palace, the voice came from inside.

"Put your hair up in a bun."

……

Another half month passed, and they arrived at the Daxing Imperial Palace.

On the dragon bed, Lu Zuo casually leaned back and closed his eyes to rest.

Xiao Meiniang knelt behind the couch, her eyes lowered and her expression focused, as if all her attention was on relieving the fatigue of her new mistress.

Zhu Yuyan sat on the embroidered stool at the lower end of the couch, reporting in a clear and organized manner: "Your Majesty."

"Now that Yang Jian has been executed, the remaining loyalists of the Sui dynasty and the remnants of powerful families who stubbornly resisted in Daxing City have been completely wiped out."

"News just came from Shen Luoyan's side. After more than a month of investigation, all the stubborn resisters in Jiangnan have been wiped out. It was truly a bloodbath with rivers of blood and mountains of corpses."

"The new policies are now being implemented smoothly in all counties and prefectures, and the situation can be described as completely pacified."

"The entire land was left with only five surnames and seven noble families, as well as the remnants of Buddhist forces scattered throughout the land."

"Your Majesty, what are your plans regarding these two matters?"

Lu Zuo said in a deep voice, "Leave no one alive."

Xiao Meiniang's massaging fingers trembled almost imperceptibly before returning to normal.

Zhu Yuyan nodded slightly and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

"There's one more thing... concerning the interior of the Holy Gate."

Lu Zuo interrupted her: "Just as you said before, the Holy Gate has two factions and six paths, and there are many good and bad people inside, including many treacherous, cunning, and two-faced individuals."

"Yu Yan, the Holy Sect needs a thorough cleansing to wash away the filth and restore the grandeur of the time when Ancestor Cang Qu was alive."

Zhu Yuyan nodded: "I have been thinking about this matter for a long time."

"As long as His Majesty grants permission and lends out a few experts."

"The matter of cleaning up our own ranks is none of Your Majesty's concern."

Lu Zuo nodded: "Of course, that's what you and I agreed to back then."

Just as Zhu Yuyan was about to express her gratitude, she suddenly remembered something, smiled charmingly, and her tone became a little lighter: "Oh, right."

"Your Majesty, someone wishes to see you."

"Who?"

Zhu Yuyan smiled and said, "She is Empress Wenxian of the former dynasty, Dugu Jialuo."

"Upon hearing that Yang Guang had been imprisoned, she pleaded with His Majesty to grant her son a reprieve and spare his life."

*Slap slap slap...*

After saying that, Zhu Yuyan clapped her hands lightly.

With a creak, the palace doors opened, and a graceful figure slowly stepped inside.

The newcomer wore a simple long dress, her skin was as white as snow, her features were exquisite, and she exuded a mature charm and elegance.

In addition, she possesses a noble temperament cultivated through years of glory and holding the Phoenix Seal, which can be described as unique and charming, making her even more pitiful to behold.

Dugu Jialuo stepped into the hall, a fleeting, complex emotion flashing in her eyes, before she slowly knelt on the ground:

"This sinful woman, Lady Dugu, pays her respects to Your Majesty."

Lu Zuo didn't speak, he just looked at her quietly.

Dugu Jialuo lay on the ground, took a breath, and her beautiful eyes were filled with tears, her sorrow was heartbreaking.

"Your Majesty... Guang'er..."

"Yang Guang deserves to die a thousand deaths, and I dare not refute him."

"I only beg Your Majesty to spare his life..."

"I am willing to pay any price."

Oh?

Any cost?

……

Yang Guang eventually died...

But it wasn't Lu Zuo who killed him; it was suicide.

……

Half a month later, in a grand hall of the imperial palace.

The flickering candlelight inside the hall illuminated two figures, one sitting and one kneeling, creating a suffocatingly oppressive atmosphere.

Lu Zuogao sat at the head of the table, looking down indifferently at Fan Qinghui kneeling on the ground.

This former Buddhist saintess, though still maintaining a dignified appearance, was pale, and deep in her eyes was an undisguised fear and humility.

"Fan Qinghui".

Lu Zuo slowly spoke: "Song Que sacrificed the entire foundation of the Lingnan Song Clan, along with the lives of tens of thousands of his men, for your sake."

"There's only one condition... in exchange for your life."

Fan Qinghui's body trembled slightly, and her head drooped even lower.

"However, Song Que has a very high reputation in Lingnan and is also very influential in the army."

"I cannot rest easy until he is dead."

He paused, looking at Fan Qinghui's face, which had turned deathly pale: "Therefore, the agreement I made with him before must be nullified."

Fan Qinghui looked up abruptly, her eyes instantly filled with immense fear!

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty is wise!"

"Song Que... I saw through Song Que's wolfish ambitions long ago!"

"He appears respectful to His Majesty on the surface, but in reality, he harbors treacherous intentions!"

"He has been operating in Lingnan for many years, privately amassing armored troops and associating with bandits; his intentions are despicable!"

"He saved me?"

"It's nothing but a pretense; he wants to use my name to do illicit things!"

She spoke incredibly fast, as if afraid that a moment's hesitation would mean certain death: "Your Majesty!"

"Such treacherous individuals will surely become a great threat if left unchecked!"

"This humble servant...this humble servant is willing to serve Your Majesty!"

"I know his martial arts style. If Your Majesty gives me a chance, I am willing to personally eliminate this villain and prevent future troubles!"

"Personally taking action? To eliminate future troubles for me?" Lu Zuo chuckled lightly. "Song Que, you heard everything?"

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Fan Qinghui's ears!

She trembled violently and abruptly turned her head to look behind her...

A tall and imposing figure emerged slowly from the shadows behind the hall.

He was dressed in black, his face was as cold and stern as iron, and his eyes contained icy stillness and... utter despair.

"You...how did you get here?"

Fan Qinghui was so frightened that she was speechless. She looked at Song Que, then at Lu Zuo, who sat at the head of the table with an expressionless face, and instantly understood everything!

"Song Lang!"

"Song Lang, let me explain!"

"I only said that to save my life!"

"I've always loved you! I never intended to hurt you!"

Clang!

The blade flashed like snow, disappearing in an instant!

laugh!

A head flew up, warm blood splattered on the floor tiles, and the headless body fell limply to the ground.

……

In the months that followed, a bloody storm swept across the Central Plains of China!

On this day, at Qinglian Temple.

The three-zhang-tall, gilded Buddha statue in the temple has its neck bound with a thick rope.

"So cool!"

With a cold wave of his hand, a captain gave the order, and dozens of strong soldiers exerted their strength in unison!

Boom!

A deafening roar shook the palace, and dust billowed everywhere!

The golden Buddha statue collapsed and crashed to the ground, its head and body breaking apart. The gleaming golden shell shattered, revealing the mottled clay and straw inside.

Immediately afterwards, the soldiers, armed with hammers and axes, began to smash the shattered remains of the Buddha statue and other Arhat and Bodhisattva statues in the hall. The clanging sounds were deafening, and golden fragments flew everywhere.

In the square in front of the temple, piles of Buddhist scriptures and books were set ablaze, with flames roaring and black smoke billowing into the sky.

The flames licked at the precious Sanskrit palm leaves and handwritten scriptures, quickly turning them to ashes.

In the square, hundreds of monks from Qinglian Temple had their hands tied behind their backs and were forced to kneel on the ground.

Most of them were pale-faced, their eyes filled with fear, anger, and despair.

Several elderly monks, their beards and eyebrows white and seemingly highly respected, stared with furious rage at the smashed golden Buddha and burning scriptures, hurling curses and vehement insults.

"Demon!"

"You fiend who destroys Buddhism!"

"Destroying my golden statue and burning my scriptures will surely incur divine retribution!"

"Buddha will not let you get away with this!"

"tyrant!"

"You'll die a horrible death!"

"You have committed countless acts of killing today; you will surely fall into the Avici Hell tomorrow!"

"Lackeys of the imperial court, aiding and abetting evil!"

"You'll all get your comeuppance. You'll all get your comeuppance!"

The young officer in charge, clad in black armor, with a face as cold as iron, remained oblivious to the commotion. He coldly surveyed the kneeling monks filling the square and slowly raised his right hand.

"By imperial decree, Buddhism will be suppressed. Anyone who defies the decree with weapons, incites unrest, or oversteps the bounds of regulations regarding land ownership..."

"cut!"

At a command, the axemen who had been waiting around shouted in unison, their gleaming steel blades reflecting the firelight as they drew countless deadly arcs!

Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff!

Bald heads rolled to the ground.

Blood gushed out like a fountain, instantly staining the bluestone-paved square red.

The black-armored officer watched all this expressionlessly, then waved his hand: "Clean it up."

"All temple property was registered and recorded, and the land was confiscated by the government and distributed to the surrounding tenants according to the new law."

……

At this moment, outside Luoyang City, at the execution ground.

One by one, the former noble young masters and ladies knelt on the execution platform, dressed in prison clothes, their hair disheveled.

The executioner stood on the high platform, holding a scroll of indictments, and loudly read aloud:

"Upon investigation, it was found that the Cui, Zheng, Lu, and other clans, relying on their power and influence, annexed land and exploited the people like cattle and horses."

"They controlled the local area, plotted wickedness, and committed countless crimes, too numerous to recount!"

"Sentenced to immediate execution, and all family property confiscated!"

"The time has come; carry out the execution!"

The executioners stepped forward, raised their heavy swords, and then brought them down with a flash of cold light!

Click! Click! Click...

The once high and mighty noble families, who could decide the fate of countless commoners with a single word, were now like livestock waiting to be slaughtered, their heads rolling off one after another.

"Well done!"

"These bloodsucking vermin! They should have been killed long ago!"

"Thank God!"

"My family's land was forcibly seized by the Zheng family!"

"Father, can you see this from heaven?"

"The enemy has been brought to justice!"

……

Two years later, outside Yunzhou City

It was early spring, the morning light was faint, and the air still carried a slight chill, but it could not conceal the unique fresh scent of the thawed earth.

Zhang Zhongjian, dressed in a worn cotton robe with a windproof leather vest over it, without armor, led a gentle old horse and walked slowly along the loess official road.

Rumble...

Clang, clang...

A deep, rhythmic rumble came from afar, accompanied by the unique sound of metal rubbing against the earth.

Several miles away, three enormous Taotie mechanical beasts were seen walking side by side.

With each step these steel behemoths took, they sank deep into the earth, then surged forward, leaving behind towering craters several meters wide and several feet deep. The jet-black mud surged forward like black waves.

The once hard, compacted wasteland, covered with grass roots, was easily torn apart, turned over, and raked flat like soft cloth under this unparalleled force.

Hundreds of farmers followed not far behind the mechanical beast, some busy breaking up the large clods of earth that had been turned over, while others were spreading base fertilizer between the planned furrows.

"Look! Look! Another huge area has been plowed over!"

An old man, leaning on a hoe, muttered, "Good heavens... this iron ox is more powerful than a hundred strong livestock!"

"In just a few days, this several hundred acres of wasteland at the east end of our village is about to be transformed into arable land!"

A middle-aged man who was leveling the field ridges with a wooden paddle straightened up, wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, and laughed, "Old Wang, just wait for the autumn harvest!"

"The government said that this newly reclaimed land will be allocated first to those of us whose families don't have enough land!"

"Based on the number of adult males, my family should get at least ten more mu!"

"The kids will be able to have enough to eat then!"

"Yes, yes!" another woman chimed in, "I heard that this kind of land, using that... new composting method, can yield the same amount per acre as previous years' cultivated land in the first year!"

"This is truly a promising future!"

Zhang Zhongjian paused to listen for a while, then led his horse forward, heading into the city.

.....

After two years of recuperation, Yunzhou City has regained its former liveliness and is even more prosperous than before.

The streets are clean, lined with shops, and the faces of pedestrians are mostly peaceful. The wounds of war are being rapidly healed.

He strolled leisurely through several streets and alleys, stopping in front of a somewhat secluded but newly renovated courtyard.

The gate to the courtyard was open, and a brand-new wooden plaque hung on it with four neat characters: "Yunzhou Charity School".

"Heaven and earth were dark and yellow, the universe was vast and boundless."

"The sun and moon wax and wane, and the stars and constellations are arrayed in the sky."

Outside Zhang Zhongjian's gate, through the courtyard gate, one could see dozens of children of varying ages, dressed simply.

Most of the children looked like they came from ordinary families, and some even had patches on their clothes.

Zhang Zhongjian continued leading his horse forward. When they arrived near the government office, he suddenly saw a simply dressed young man rushing out of the office gate with a document in his hand.

His face flushed with excitement, and he shouted to his companions, "I passed the exam!"

"I passed the exam! I got the position of Granary Clerk in the Grand Canal Transport Office!"

Zhang Zhongjian stopped and murmured, "Everything is renewed, that's it..."

"The emperor has become increasingly licentious and immoral."

.......

At this moment, inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation in the Imperial Palace.

Lu Zuo leaned back on the soft couch, while Shen Luoyan nestled beside him, reporting softly.

"His Majesty."

"Goryeo has been pacified, all those who stubbornly resisted have been eliminated, and the false king has bowed his head."

"Fu Cailin has been captured at his seclusion place and is now imprisoned in the imperial prison, awaiting His Majesty's judgment."

She paused slightly before continuing, "The Goryeo royal temple has been destroyed, and its national historical records are being collected and examined."

"As Your Majesty commands, select able-bodied men to serve as laborers to repair the Liaodong highways, and relocate their artisans to the Central Plains to be distributed among various prefectures and counties to prevent the recurrence of disasters."

"Oh, by the way, there are three disciples of Fu Cailin from Goryeo requesting an audience outside the hall. They are the three sisters, Fu Junzhuo, Fu Junyu, and Fu Junqiang."

Lu Zuo raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued: "Oh?"

"Let them in."

"Summon Fu Junzhuo, Fu Junyu, and Fu Junqiang to an audience!"

Soon, the palace doors slowly opened, and three graceful figures stepped inside.

The woman at the head of the group, around twenty years old, was tall and slender, wearing a plain white dress. She was none other than Fu Junzhuo, Fu Cailin's eldest disciple.

The woman following closely behind bore a striking resemblance to Fu Junzhuo, but possessed an even more captivating beauty and liveliness; she was Fu Junyu, the second disciple.

The youngest, Fu Junqiang, followed closely behind her two senior sisters.

The three sisters walked to the foot of the imperial steps and knelt down in unison, their foreheads lightly touching the cool gold bricks.

"This lowly servant girl, Fu, pays her respects to Your Majesty after the fall of your kingdom."

Lu Zuo remained silent, his gaze calmly sweeping over the three kneeling sisters as if examining exquisite porcelain.

Fu Junzhuo mustered her courage and raised her head: "Your Majesty, Goryeo has been defeated. My master is just a military man, a defeated general. His life or death is not worth cherishing."

"But he is old and his martial arts have been crippled; I beg Your Majesty to spare his life!"

Fu Junyu also cried out in anguish, "Your Majesty, the people of Goryeo are also Your Majesty's people."

"We beg Your Majesty to be merciful and spare them from further harm. Give them a way out and treat the remaining people of Goryeo kindly..."

"My two sisters and I are willing to pay any price to serve Your Majesty for the rest of our lives, as slaves or maids, without any complaint!"

Soon, the only sound in the hall was the crackling of burning incense.

(End of the book)

......

It's the finale now, and I'll start writing side stories from here on out.

The rest of the story involves destroying Japan, unifying the world, and traveling through various realms to collect women, so it might get a bit padded out.

I'm letting you all know in advance so you won't scold me after you subscribe.

Explore the infinite categories of the universe; there's bound to be one that suits you.