Origin Paradise!

The Eternal Dragon Spear, now upgraded to sub-legendary level, has received a comprehensive damage enhancement.

Shockwave, Armor Shatter, Tear, and Devastate are all sub-legendary level, and combined with superior Sharpness, even with 80% total damage reduction, they can easily break through the defenses of ordinary heroes.

Jiang He stroked the silver spear, its dark red patterns resembling flowing blood. This weapon, having grown to its current state, had slain tens of millions of living beings, accounting for more than half of its killing power.

"Today's actions may lead to future problems."

"But as long as the growth rate is fast enough, the hidden dangers will eventually become smaller and smaller."

Jiang He put away the Long-Hate Dragon Spear. He let the Yangzhou aristocratic families go, unwilling to take the blame. He presented Emperor Liang Wu with a pledge of loyalty, which didn't count as a formal falling out, but he could forget about the favors and honors that a prince should have.

The vicious soldiers drove in carriages one after another. Four million taels of silver and three million taels of grain were first stuffed into the domain gate, and then taken out by Old Hei, who was stationed in the Prince's Mansion in Qingzhou, similar to remote teleportation.

Seven million taels of silver is enough to support 300,000 regular infantrymen for a whole year, with ample food and full pay. Of course, once war breaks out, the consumption of weapons, transportation, medicine, cloth, etc. will rise sharply, making the calculations particularly complicated.

As the morning sun streamed through the window, the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner walked in. This high-ranking official, disregarding his decorum, sat on the floor, his face haggard.

"What have the people of the world done to deserve this, Prince Yong!"

"The phrase 'all living beings under heaven' is not for you to utter," Jiang He said calmly. "To kill all the aristocratic families of Yangzhou just because you can't guarantee the inheritance is truly a ridiculous idea. It might work in a prosperous era, but how could the Northern Wei and the Western Barbarians possibly give us any chance to restore our country?"

With the destruction of powerful clans, the relationship between the court and the grassroots was severed. Faced with rebellions in various regions, the most elite border troops in the six prefectures still needed to guard against the Northern Wei. The country could only rely on local second-line troops. Beset by internal and external troubles, the grain and tax revenue supporting the front line could not be collected due to the powerful clans and the rebellions. In just one or two years, the Southern Liang would enter a vicious cycle, eventually leading to its complete collapse.

The Grand Canal Transport Commissioner sighed deeply, clasped his hands, and said, "The powerful bandit King Da Shun in Jiangnan has already gained momentum. Next, the aristocratic families will launch a counterattack. With the supply of grain and weapons, the bandits will inevitably attack the seven prefectures of Yangzhou. I hope Your Highness will take charge of the overall situation."

How many men did the King of Da Shun have?

"Eight hundred thousand."

"How many?"

Jiang He suddenly turned his head. If there really were an army of 800,000, he would have to turn around and run away in the struggle for world domination.

The Grand Canal Transport Governor smiled slightly and said, "It is said to be 800,000, but in fact, just like the Battle of Qingzhou, it is only a claim. If we can get 300,000, that would be quite remarkable. Moreover, a portion of them are laborers carrying grass sticks and hoes, with their families, and there is no end to the number."

"Whenever the bandits go to a place, they cause great damage and create more refugees. Their numbers are the easiest thing for them to replenish. A few months ago, General Cao of Xiangzhou led three thousand cavalry to pursue and kill thirty-six thousand people and won a great victory. Most of the bandits could not kill the iron cavalry."

"But as the areas they swept through increased, and as more martial arts sects and local surrendered troops joined in, the strength of the bandits continued to grow, and sooner or later they would become a huge scourge. The Great Shun King was one of the largest of these bandits."

Jiang He was speechless. He had underestimated the state of the Southern Liang Dynasty in its final years. Leading an army of 800,000 was just one part of the army. In such a critical condition, the court still had to administer strong medicine.

"Does Your Majesty know about the bandits?"

There was no reply for a long while.

The Grand Canal Transport Commissioner lowered his head in silence, then looked up after a moment and said, "Your Majesty should know now."

Legend has it that some eunuchs would serve the emperor cold soup over the years, to the point that the emperor came to believe that these things were naturally cold. Rather than risking execution for hot soup, he thought it was better to stop it from the start. The civil and military officials who came to see him were unaware of the situation and might have thought that the emperor himself did not like hot soup.

But when the hot soup of refugees and bandits was placed before him, steaming hot, he believed that Emperor Wu of Liang would be able to react.

……

At dusk, the vanguard of the bandits besieged the city.

The general leading the troops was the sect leader of Wanshuitan, a top-tier sect in Xiangzhou. His 70,000 troops surrounded Yangzhou City completely.

The news reached the capital via the cloud eagle, and the emperor was furious. He executed several high-ranking officials overnight and ordered the Tiger General and the Dragon General to lead two imperial guards to quell the rebellion. The Tiger General was granted the Cloud Eagle Order, which allowed him to temporarily control the troops of the seven prefectures of Yangzhou.

At the same time, the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner was promoted to the rank of First-Class Governor of Yangzhou and given full authority over the defense of Yangzhou. However, when he counted the troops and organized the defense of the city, he discovered that the Yangzhou garrison, which should have had 30,000 regular soldiers, actually only had more than 10,000 men, and the rest were all paid without real troops.

The Yangzhou and Longxiang troops, totaling 23,000 men, were deployed by the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner overnight, but they still could not prevent the bandits from sneaking in. About 3,000 bandits rushed into the city through underground tunnels and burned and killed indiscriminately in the south of the city. At the critical moment, Xie's eldest son led Xie's private army to block the main gate, which turned the tide of the battle.

The powerful families supported the Da Shun bandits, but it was clear that when the bandits entered the city, they would not treat all the powerful families as exceptions. In this matter, political objectives and military actions clashed.

Starting from October 20th, Yangzhou entered a state of full-scale defense, with various sects and families working together to defend the city.

In the city center, on the banks of the Qinhuai River, in Qingshui Lane.

The enchanting melodies of orioles drifted from the tavern. The largest tavern in the city, the Flower Moon Pavilion, stood twelve stories high, and the singing and dancing continued unabated. It could accommodate tens of thousands of people drinking together at the same time, making it a luxurious place where scholars from Jiangnan lingered.

At the Linjiang Yuanyang Pavilion, one is greeted by the bustling night scene of the Qinhuai River. The siege of the city by bandits seems to have had no effect whatsoever. On the sandalwood table, sixty-four dishes of all sizes are laid out, including braised fish lips, braised deer tendons, cherry bear paws, and Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Soup. Because someone is present, various kinds of wine are also specially added.

Jiang He sat at the table, sipping the Divine Blood Wine. Around him were two hundred evil soldiers and one hundred skeleton dragon riders. It looked quite crowded, and there was no atmosphere for dining at all.

Across the table, Si Ning wore a plain white dress, her figure slender, her shoulder and neck lines like a light ink stroke, nine snow-white fox tails unfurled behind her, the tips occasionally trembling slightly, her skin as white as fresh snow, her lips extremely pale, and her pair of fox eyes clear and beautiful, like glass, and when she was still and silent, she looked like a normal person.

"Miss Ning, this isn't appropriate during a time of great famine." Wuhe glanced at the dishes and immediately picked up his chopsticks to take a bite of the braised carp noodles.

“Simple meals? Wouldn’t that make me, Ning, lose face?” Si Ning picked up her folding fan and said, “Huayue Tower is owned by the Yu family. There’s a secret passage leading out of the city right beneath your feet.”

Jiang He said, "I plan to buy your resources in the Demonic Sect, especially the intelligence on the bandits stationed in the seven prefectures. The rabble-like Flying Bird Legion will be responsible for the handover. You can just name your price."

Several vicious soldiers uncovered the disguise of the passage and beckoned their colleagues to enter one after another. Defending the city was too passive, and the Great Khan was preparing to take the initiative to attack.

"Let me think." Si Ning turned her wheelchair, spinning like a top. As the vice leader, it wasn't difficult to find out the bandits' intelligence, but the key was that its value was hard to measure.

"Why don't you call me 'sister'?"

Si Ning rested her chin on her hand and laughed, "We're brothers, why are you being so coy? Call him over and let's hear it."

Jiang He remained calm and kicked out from under the table.

Wuhe forced a smile and said, "Sister."

"This is too perfunctory." Si Ning complained, turning around to pull out a personnel roster, several chilled lemons, and the vice sect leader's token from her tail.

"The leader of the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult possesses two secret arts: the Sun and the Moon. In addition, the cult has a sacred beast, the Bashe, which will manifest and unleash the combat power of an ordinary hero once the sacred beast user is in a semi-unsealed state."

"For terrestrial immortals, dealing with the Holy Beast Envoy is as simple as avoiding its sharp edge for a while. Once the cooldown period ends after the seal is lifted, they can go back and easily kill it. However, sub-heroes are definitely not going to escape. Moreover, terrestrial immortals must stay away from the battlefield to avoid being afflicted by the Soldier's Curse and slowed down."

Si Ning gently pushed the items over and teased, "But slaughtering is what you're best at, I'm just offering a suggestion."

Jiang He nodded, stood up, picked up his things, and walked into the secret passage.

"See you later."

Chapter 573 Anse Iron Cavalry

The night was as dark as ink, more like a tide enveloping the city of Yangzhou.

Ten miles outside the city, there were military camps where the vanguard of the bandits were stationed.

Throughout the Jiangnan region, Yangzhou held immense strategic significance. The Qinhuai River connected it with Jiankang, enabling the continuous transport of grain between the two cities. Furthermore, its location at a crucial node on the Grand Canal exerted a significant influence over the various counties along the route.

Fifteen miles outside the city lies a village that has been reduced to rubble.

The distant hills were indistinct, the evening breeze swept across the countryside, stirring up a fine rustling sound, withered yellow grass lay flat in patches, dew fell in a rustling sound, and crows silently landed, blending into the night.

The stoves in the village houses collapsed, and the evil soldiers emerged one after another. The two hundred infantrymen were well-equipped thanks to the reserves from the Yu family's armory. Each of them wore full black armor of grade C, carried a sword and a round shield, and carried a crossbow and arrows. Half of them were equipped with Yang steel spears.

The evil infantrymen all emerged from the secret passage, and then, in perfect unison, destroyed the entrance. The skeletal dragon riders, leading their warhorses, emerged one by one, their equipment even more luxurious. In addition to their Grade B Yang Steel armor and weapons, they also carried Gang Jin Arrows, which someone had casually crafted while studying martial arts or alchemy.

Lighter in weight, faster in speed, and more destructive in power, these arrows are comparable in quality to true immortal arrows. They are relatively rare, with each Skeleton Dragon Rider receiving twenty.

Two hundred infantrymen and one hundred dragon riders.

Jiang He emerged first from the secret passage, followed closely by Wu He and Zhuang Ya. Just then, a notification sound rang out.

[Hint: Main Quest ② has been released]

[Mission Name: Lian Zhan]

[Mission Requirements: Achieve seven military victories against bandits at the level of 3,000 men (0/7)]

[Task Time Limit: 30 calendar days]

[Quest Reward: Immortal-grade Skill Enhancement Scroll *1 (Animal Companion obtains Epic-grade)]

[Note: After the vanguard army besieged the city, the powerful bandit King Da Shun was leading 300,000 troops towards Yangzhou. With the covert support of aristocratic families, the Demonic Sect, and the Prince of Pingxi of Yizhou, the strength of the Da Shun army was rising steadily. The leader of the Demonic Sect and the sword immortal of Shu were both in the royal tent. This was a premeditated, large-scale joint rebellion against the Southern Liang court, involving a large number of players.]

Unlike the Final Battlegrounds where players often form adventure groups, the Battlegrounds of All Beings are more accustomed to the guild model. These guilds have a stronger organizational capacity and can easily expand in the real mission world, utilizing the power of various natives.

"Rabble, find a suitable cavalry bandit."

"clear."

A mob orchestrating a troop of birds.

Jiang He took out a map of Yangzhou to examine it. His side currently only had three hundred soldiers, so the first pot of gold was still very important. In the surrounding terrain, areas such as canyons, valleys, and rivers were too obvious to be ambush, and whether they could succeed depended too much on luck, so he simply abandoned them.

"Let's just find a small hill to make do."

Jiang He chose a hill five miles away, not far from the official road, where bandits would inevitably gather.

Seeing this, Wuhe adjusted the direction of the screening.

A quarter of an hour later, Wuhe turned around and said, "Boss, there is a band of bandits stationed six miles from the hill. They have two thousand cavalry and three thousand infantry. They are probably planning to attack Anse County, which has not yet fallen. According to the intelligence of the Demonic Sect, their leader is named Shao Tatian."

[Executor's Exclusive Notification: You have learned of the players on the Battlefield of All Beings, targeting a small guild leader, Life Level: Gold Peak, Guild Name: Burning Wrath, Guild Members: 12]

[Hint: Side quest has been released]

[Mission Name: Hunt]

[Mission Requirement: Destroy the target guild]

[Quest Rewards: Skill Points *2, Gold Skill Points *1]

[Task Time Limit: 3 calendar days]

[Note: This bandit army possessed a special fire-fighting unit, with some soldiers carrying "fierce fire oil tanks," and their numbers were approximately 300.]

Jiang He nodded to himself. The three skill points were very valuable, especially since he was about to advance to the Grandmaster of Spear Technique. Even though the Grandmaster-level technical passive skill was only at the initial stage, it still gave him the peak level of a hero specializing in that direction. As he continued to improve, he would gradually rival the legendary and even mythical levels.

As for Gold Skill Points, they are necessary for advancement to the Grandmaster level and are worth the same as ten complete Small Soul Crystals or one Medium Soul Crystal.

……

Under the night.

The bandit army besieged Anse County but did not attack it.

Inside the wooden military camp, campfires burned brightly.

The bandit army clearly lacked the military discipline of regular government troops. Apart from the necessary sentries, the group sat around the various campfires, toasting each other and enjoying a constant flow of food and drink.

"Brothers, let's drink heartily and eat heartily!"

"As long as we take Anse County, the old rules apply: no respite for three days. Beautiful young ladies from wealthy and merchant families are available—first come, first served! Brothers, do whatever you want with them!"

The guild members boosted morale. Most of these bandits were honest farmers a few months ago, but after indulging in meat, they could turn into ravenous wolves at any time. Based on their experience, gold, silver, beautiful women, and slaughter were the most effective stimulants.

Cheers erupted continuously. The fact that the swords were not sheathed for three days signified a huge celebration. After months of looting, many of the bandits present were extremely wealthy.

"Burn the sky down!" the guild players shouted their nickname.

"Burn the sky down!" the bandits shouted in unison.

The campfire flickered, and the crowd was in high spirits.

Among the crowd, a tall young man of seventeen or eighteen was in his prime, but he was thin and emaciated, like a moving skeleton. Because he had just joined, his face showed some timidity.

But as the scene became noisy, the unease in his eyes gradually faded. The young man snatched the roasting cow bones from the campfire and tore at them desperately. In the past, killing a draft animal privately was punishable by death.

"Delicious, so delicious."

"Father, Mother, I've never eaten beef in my life!"

The youth's excitement caused the bandits on both sides to burst into laughter. A centurion, dressed as a scholar, couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. He got up and went to the livestock camp, where he spotted the young lady of an official family hiding in a corner. He went up to her, grabbed her hair, and dragged her out.

"Help!"

"Let go, miss!"

"Oh, there's a free gift too."

The centurion, with one hand on each arm, dragged the young lady and her personal maid to the campfire. Ignoring their tear-streaked faces, he spoke boldly:

“Young man, this is the daughter of the magistrate of Qingyang County. I killed her father and brothers, and Lord Shaotatian rewarded me for my service. Now I’m giving her to you, and I’ll also give you a worthless girl. You’re in good health, so you have to be my personal guard. From now on, we’ll live a life of luxury.”

The young man stood there, feeling that even the cow bone in his hand had lost its flavor, and the two people's fair skin made him feel somewhat ashamed.

The centurion threw the two men aside, laughing and cursing, "You good-for-nothings, hurry up and show the brothers what you're made of!"

Seeing that he was at a loss, several bandits laughed and grabbed the young man's straw-like arms. Once he got on track, the young man didn't need any instruction and roared out of instinct.

"My lord, you are being far too biased."

"That's right, the brothers have risked their lives together, but we've only tasted this kind of stuff a few times."

The surrounding bandits looked at each other like wild beasts, eager to try. As the first person stood up, the others couldn't hold back and pounced on him, creating a chaotic scene.

The centurion tried to stop him several times with a cold face, but all attempts failed. He gritted his teeth and decided to take off his clothes and step forward himself.

The chaotic commotion seemed to be a signal, and other campfires began to clamor one after another. In the center of the military camp, Shao Tatian looked at his energetic subordinates and nodded frequently.