Slave Empire [Complete] - 19

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Volume 8, Chapter 152: The Budding Form of a Nation
Once blood begins to flow, it is not easy to stop; once war breaks out, it is not easy to end.
December 7th, 994 of the Hua Long Calendar.
A steady stream of important news from across the vast Hua Long Continent reached the Free Army headquarters in Changlong City. After being efficiently processed by the Military Intelligence Division, it was reported to the Free Army Marshal, the true soul of the Free Alliance—Hua Yinghong.
—The Black Tiger Army, occupying Jiang'an County of the Golden Dragon Kingdom, mobilized 640,000 troops under the leadership of Young Master Xiong Zhan to besiege Longzhou City. However, they were helpless against the fortified city defended by 240,000 men led by Prime Minister Zhuge Ming of the Golden Dragon Kingdom. Zhuge Ming cleverly organized the more than 200,000 able-bodied men within the city to transport defensive equipment and supplies, and also temporarily formed a reserve army of 120,000 men. The casualty ratio between the attacking and defending sides remained consistently high at four to one. After losing 120,000 men, the Black Tiger Army grew stronger and more spirited within the city, while the morale of the Black Tiger Army outside the city plummeted.
Xiong Zhan, already agitated and spurred by the Yinming Army's breach of the "unspoken rules" and their swift capture of Jade Dragon City, mobilized all the nearby Black Tiger Army forces, totaling 720,000 men. On the night of the sixth day, he mobilized 220 Saint-level experts and 3,000 elite Black Tiger Guards, intending to break through the south gate and seize Longzhou City. Unexpectedly, Zhuge Ming was prepared. More than two hundred Saint-level experts and elite soldiers from the five families of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and Zhuge Liang were ambushed within several miles of the South Gate, along with powerful bows, crossbows, and catapults. More than two hundred Saint-level experts from the Black Tiger Gang, including Xiong Zhan, and three thousand Black Tiger Guards "attacked" the city walls, "repelling" tens of thousands of Golden Dragon Army soldiers. They successfully opened the city gates, and an entire legion of Black Tiger Army soldiers swarmed in...
But in the end, Xiong Zhan was seriously wounded, and only thirty-odd Saint-level experts and eight hundred of the strongest Black Tiger Guards escaped! The Golden Dragon Army's 120,000 cavalry, nearly two hundred Saint-level experts, two thousand Golden Dragon spies, and 160,000 infantrymen pursued them relentlessly. The defeated Black Tiger army scattered its rear guard, fell into chaos, and retreated more than two hundred miles, only managing to regain its footing after leaving the territory of Longzhou Prefecture. After the deaths, injuries, and escapes, the remaining Black Tiger army numbered only about three hundred thousand!
"Trying to achieve victory in one battle is a recipe for disaster. The Black Tiger Army has suffered heavy losses, and its annihilation is only a matter of time." This was Hua Yinghong's assessment of the Battle of Longzhou City, perfectly matching his judgment made more than twenty days earlier!
—For over a month, half of the Northwest Prefectures and more than 80% of the Southwest Prefectures of the Later Tang Empire had fallen into the hands of the Golden Dragon Kingdom. Also on the evening of the sixth day, the renowned general Dongfang Bai commanded the Later Tang Northwest Army, Central Army, Imperial Guard Army, and their various reserve armies, plus the reserve armies of the Southwest Army, totaling 1.24 million troops, launching a campaign codenamed "Restoration" in several directions:
one force of 440,000 men from the Northwest Army, its reserve armies, and an Imperial Guard division attacked the area west of Taizhou City and Huayang City in the Northwest Prefecture, which had fallen; another force of 400,000 men from the Central Army, its reserve armies, and an Imperial Guard division, led by Dongfang Bai himself, attacked the western area of Dingzhou Prefecture, which had fallen. Another force, with 200,000 reserve men from the Southwest Army, was stationed in the northern part of Hubei Prefecture in the Southwest Prefecture to defend against a northward attack by the Southern Army of the Golden Dragon Army from Hongya City. One force, consisting of the 3rd Guards Division and 120,000 Guards Reserves, totaling 160,000 men, slowly advanced towards Zhenhai Prefecture, located at the northern tip of the Northwest Commandery near the Aegean Sea.
The Golden Dragon Army and the Later Tang Army had no secrets between them. The movements of a million-strong army could not escape the eyes of their respective Golden Dragon spies, Blood-Clad Guards, and military intelligence systems. Especially noteworthy was the high regard for intelligence warfare in the *Hua Zi Art of War*: "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated; know the heavens and know the earth, and victory will be endless." The application of the word "know" in all 76 instances of this principle had become a golden rule for military leaders of various powers!
With both sides knowing each other inside and out, the only factor determining victory was a contest of strength! The tactics of the renowned general Dongfang Bai were simple and clear: after the Northwest Army and the Central Army launched their attacks, whichever force broke through the Golden Dragon Army's defenses—whether by flanking from the south or encircling from the north—could achieve the goal of annihilating a large portion of the Golden Dragon Army's forces!
After a month of replenishment and reorganization, the Golden Dragon Kingdom, though not as powerful as the Later Tang Empire, had managed to recruit a large number of soldiers thanks to favorable circumstances. The enormous wealth acquired during the month's looting of the Northwest and Southwest prefectures also gave the Golden Dragon Kingdom some confidence for a protracted war.
Along a battlefront stretching over a thousand miles from north to south, the Golden Dragon army deployed over 800,000 troops at key locations: the newly established Zhenhai Army Corps was stationed in Zhenhai Prefecture; the Northeast Army Corps in Taizhou Prefecture; the Golden Dragon Central Army Corps in Huayang Prefecture; the newly established Longxiang Army Corps in Dingzhou Prefecture; and the Southern Army Corps in Hubei Prefecture. Originally, the Wanghai Army Corps and reserve divisions from various prefectures were intended to support the Central Army Corps, ready to reinforce key areas attacked by the Later Tang army at any time. However, the Black Tiger Gang's disturbance in Jiang'an Prefecture forced the Wanghai Army Corps to rush to Longzhou City, creating a slight breach in the entire defensive system!
This tiny breach gave Dongfang Bai the opportunity!
In Dingzhou Prefecture, Dongfang Bai mobilized a powerful assault team comprised of two hundred Saint-level experts, three hundred Ninth-level experts, and five hundred Eighth-level experts from the Dongfang family and the Blood-Clad Guard. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Zhuge Ming of the Golden Dragon Kingdom, in order to defeat the Black Tiger Army, transferred a large number of experts to Longzhou City. In this clash of super forces, the Golden Dragon Army suffered heavy losses!
After a night of fierce fighting, the Golden Dragon Army's Dragon Soaring Legion was unable to withstand Dongfang Bai's renewed "severe blow" tactics. After suffering nearly two divisions and 80,000 casualties, they abandoned the defensive line they had been building for a month and retreated sixty miles south. They finally managed to hold their ground at Shiyan City, a key town on the border of Longzhou Prefecture and the southwestern prefecture of Jiangling Prefecture, where they joined forces with a reserve division and temporarily stabilized their position!
With the support of a large number of super-expert assault teams acting as the spearhead of the attack, Dongfang Bai's army suffered only more than 30,000 casualties. Two divisions were left to defend Dingzhou Prefecture, while the remaining 300,000-plus troops surrounded Shiyan City. Once Shiyan City falls, a southward advance would essentially sever the connection between the entire Southern Legion of the Golden Dragon Army and the Golden Dragon Kingdom's homeland. The 160,000 Golden Dragon soldiers and 160,000 reserves entrenched in the Southwest Commandery would become easy prey for the Later Tang Empire!
The Later Tang army's fierce fighting on the Northwest Commandery front also yielded significant results: the Central Legion controlled by the Guan family of the Golden Dragon Kingdom and the Northeast Legion controlled by the Zhao family could not withstand the Later Tang army's relentless attrition warfare tactics. After each losing over 40,000 men, they voluntarily retreated 30 li, forming a new defensive line relying on several small towns and strategic locations. On this front, the Later Tang army's losses were roughly equal to those of the Golden Dragon army, approximately 80,000 men. Upon receiving news of the success in Dingzhou Prefecture, the Later Tang army temporarily halted its offensive on the western front. The Southwest Commandery would be the next battleground!
"A contest of treasures between the Dragon King and the Emperor is quite a spectacle. If the Black Tiger Army hadn't been defeated, the Golden Dragon Kingdom would have been utterly crushed. Now that the Black Tiger Army has suffered a major defeat, the Wanghai Legion of Longzhou Prefecture has managed to escape, and the outcome is still uncertain." Dongfang Bai's reckless tactics were, in that situation, the best tactic. The loss of tens of thousands of men was insignificant to the wealthy and powerful Later Tang Empire, but it was a fatal blow to the Golden Dragon Kingdom! This was Hua Yinghong's assessment of the unprecedented decisive battle between the Golden Dragon Army and the Later Tang Army
, which numbered over a million, and of the performance of the renowned general Dongfang Bai. —The grassland allied forces had been inactive for a long time, focusing solely on developing their newly acquired Longxi Prefecture, half of Xiliang Prefecture, and half of Yinchuan Prefecture. A steady stream of grain, supplies, and grassland people were escorted through Yulong Pass, settling in the two desolate prefectures. The 10,000-strong cavalry units that escorted these supplies and people never returned to the grasslands.
The Steppe Alliance adopted a very mild policy towards the civilians under its rule. Even many refugees from Yinchuan Prefecture began to flee the areas controlled by Sima Changhe's Roland Legion and enter the Steppe Alliance's territory. This steady and cautious approach caught Hua Yinghong's attention. Meanwhile,
the hundreds of thousands of Bright Army soldiers under the Shenshui Gate remained inactive, only intensifying their training. This continued even after the Later Tang Empire's Baoding Legion approached the Shenshui Army's control of Kazan and Yueyang Prefectures from the north. The policies implemented by the Shenshui Gate were extremely effective. According to intelligence reports from various sources, including the Military Intelligence Bureau, Peach Blossom Palace, and the Nangong Family, Leng Xiangrui, the young master of the Shenshui Gate, who held both military and political power, acted with extreme secrecy and discretion. Many of her actions imitated those of the Free Alliance, earning her the strong support of the people in both prefectures. There were even signs of people from surrounding areas migrating to the two prefectures…
"Silent until the moment of truth, then a stunning display." This was Hua Yinghong's assessment of Leng Xiangrui, the young master of the Shenshui Sect, the second largest force within the Brightness Cult. The Shenshui Sect's actions, coupled with the presence of Sima Lang's hundreds of thousands of Yulong troops in Yanbo Prefecture and Jiangling City, which controlled the waterway between the Yulong River and Dongting Prefecture, prevented the Later Tang's Nanhu County and Zhufeng County's two major legions—comprising 800,000 regular and reserve troops—from easily taking action, creating a strange balance. The
distant New Song Kingdom held a similar strategy: since the chaos on the Hualong Continent, the New Song Kingdom had remained inactive, recruiting and training a large number of reserves to expand its army and prepare for war. However, it neither supported any side nor intervened in any battles, adopting a stance of watching the tigers fight from the sidelines.
Despite intelligence suggesting that the United States, Canada, and Colombia, separated from the New Song Kingdom by the Qionghai Strait, might be plotting an invasion, Hua Yinghong didn't believe the New Song Kingdom, with its top general, "Sword Saint" He Jiguang, as its Grand Marshal, could remain so calm. He still described it as "a barking dog that bites doesn't bite"...

"Only our own strength is the most important thing. The combined power of the Free Alliance will make the entire Holy Continent tremble!"
At noon on the seventh day, the Free Alliance held its largest representative meeting since its founding. Nearly two hundred people attended the meeting, including the First Legion advancing into Baiyi and necessary personnel remaining in various locations, officials at the level of Director-General of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, generals of the Free Army at the rank of Lieutenant General and above, and representatives of allied forces from various major powers. This was Hua Yinghong's first sentence in his military situation analysis report on behalf of the military.
This statement clearly indicated that the Free Alliance's goal was not only the entire Hua Long Continent, but also the entire Holy Continent, including the Oba Continent and the Meisi Continent—although the goal still seemed unattainable, such ambition moved all the delegates present to tears—and prolonged applause resounded in the conference hall of the Changlong City Internal Affairs Department.
No hegemon of the Hua Long Continent, including the once-proud Liu Suifeng, had ever dared to mention the goal of unifying the Holy Continent! Because the Holy Continent was simply too vast, and its population too large. But when Hua Yinghong, the "Son of Freedom," spoke these words, no one questioned him—simply because one incredible military and economic miracle after another had earned Hua Yinghong godlike trust and respect! Simply because everything he had said had, to date, come true!
Subsequently, the well-prepared proposals put forward by the "Supreme Five Council" were quickly passed and unanimously supported:
the proposal to reorganize the highest authority: expanding the "Supreme Five Council" into a "Supreme Nine Council." In addition to the original five members, Bai Sisi, the Holy Maiden of the Bai Clan; Xue Qianqian, representative of the Peach Blossom Palace; Nangong Wang, representative of the Nangong Family; and Gui Yuanhai, leader of the Ship Gang, were added as members of the Supreme Nine Council.
A careful observer might notice that Hua Yinghong absolutely controls four seats in the new Supreme Nine Council, plus the two seats held by Lü Jingwei and Hai Tianqing, who are unlikely to deviate from his position, giving him more than half the power—but this power distribution is still enough to satisfy the Baiyi, the Nangong Family, and the Ship Gang. This is because it signifies that the Free Alliance's highest authority has, for the first time in the entire Hua Long Continent, incorporated allies from the business and martial arts worlds, as well as ethnic minorities, demonstrating the Free Alliance's reward for the contributions made by its member forces.
The proposal to reorganize the Ministry of the Interior included establishing the Interior Yuan, based on the Interior Agency, with sixteen ministries under it, such as the Ministry of Finance and Taxation, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Security, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the Ministry of Land and Resources, and the China Gold Exchange, making the division of labor in each ministry more detailed and professional; and a separate Ministry of Justice, specifically responsible for criminal and civil cases of the Freedom Alliance. This was a new idea created by Hua Yinghong, referencing the "separation of powers" and modern political systems. Although it was still somewhat of a hybrid, the ideas of checks and balances and democratic politics it contained were refreshing to the various forces of the Freedom Alliance who had suffered enough from the oppression of aristocratic privileges, and they all expressed their support.
In terms of administrative divisions, Zhenbao Island's population had already exceeded six million and was still increasing. Even the Alang Mountains and nearby islands were attracting immigrants, with many going there to explore and settle. New resources were constantly being discovered and utilized. Therefore, the visionary Hua Yinghong proposed establishing Zhenbao Island as a separate prefecture, divided into three counties centered around Jubao City, Riyue City, and Keelung City. With the continuous development of the surrounding islands, it was not a problem for each county to eventually have a population exceeding five or six million. The newly controlled areas on the mainland were temporarily designated as Baoyi County, Baiyang County, and Maoming County—all for long-term planning.
New laws such as the Patent Law, the Press and Publication Law, and the Education Law were also passed very easily. Essentially, the basic framework of a nation was thus established.
"...Regarding the establishment of the Military Affairs Council, it will have a General Staff Department, a Military Intelligence Department, and an Ordnance Department..." Due to the wartime situation, Hua Yinghong's plan was to strengthen the power of the military departments. Therefore, the Military Affairs Council and the Political Affairs Council would operate parallel, both under the leadership of the Supreme Nine-Person Council and the Alliance Leader's Office. The simultaneous development of political and military affairs was like a person walking on two legs. However, apart from the Military Affairs Council, all levels of garrison troops were prohibited from interfering in local politics and the judiciary—separation of military and political affairs was to prevent generals holding significant military power from developing disloyalty and creating new separatist forces.
"Without agriculture, there is no stability; without industry, there is no strength; without commerce, there is no wealth; without the military, there is no peace. In the Free Alliance, every industry and every profession is glorious and extremely important. We have only one common goal—to unify the Holy Continent and establish a free world!"
Hua Yinghong's concluding remarks were less like a military report and more like a policy outline, a political speech, which once again elicited prolonged applause...

Volume 8, Chapter 153: Five Phoenixes Facing the Sun.
The winter night was deep, and the chill of the transition between the years of the Ox and Tiger was biting.
Inside the Marshal's mansion, Hua Yinghong's master bedroom remained warm and inviting, exuding a spring-like atmosphere. Anyone peeping from the rooftop or window would surely witness a breathtakingly erotic scene—of course, that's merely a hypothetical scenario.
After his combined efforts with five guards who had already reached the ninth rank proved insufficient to withstand three moves from Hua Yinghong, the head of the guards, Fang Shiling, wisely set the innermost perimeter of the protection for the Marshal at least twenty zhang (approximately 63 meters) away from Hua Yinghong's bedroom! —Wouldn't being too close interfere with the "sexual interest" of the Marshal and his prospective wives?
Hua Yinghong's martial arts progress defies common sense. Coupled with Xue Qianqian, Liu Yufei, and Miao Youlan, who have already reached the Saint-level and whose cultivation is advancing by leaps and bounds, and the two ninth-rank masters, the "Iron-Blooded Twins," Liu Lan and Liu Ju—this powerful combination of one man and five women in the room—anyone attempting assassination or spying would have to carefully consider their own strength!
If a top-tier expert were to pay close attention, they would surely detect the primordial energy of heaven and earth above the Marshal's mansion frantically gathering towards Hua Yinghong's bedroom, only flowing in and not out, as if there were a black hole there devouring everything, or an ancient demon that had cultivated for thousands of years, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth like a rushing river!
Normally, experts who have reached the Innate Saint-level realm can only absorb one attribute of the primordial energy from heaven and earth when practicing their cultivation. For example, Lü Jingwei's "Blazing Sun Technique" absorbs the pure Yang energy, Xu Ling's "Yinming Divine Fist" absorbs the Yinming energy, and Xue Qianqian, the "Peach Blossom Fairy," mainly absorbs the vibrant life force... But the strange thing about the sky above the Marshal's Mansion is that the primordial energy of various attributes gathers and surges down indiscriminately, and then flows through the endless void to fill it, as if forming a funnel...
"Clap! Clap! Clap!" Although a soundproof barrier has been set up, and no sound can be heard outside, the most primal movements inside emit lewd sounds. In the dead of night, Hua Yinghong is still happily and diligently doing his "hard work" on Xue Qianqian's body.
"Ah!—" Amidst Xue Qianqian's captivating and melodious moans, and with a deep roar, Hua Yinghong tightly embraced her plump, smooth, and flawless body, letting his thick, hard member plunge deep into her tender flower path. They entwined passionately, convulsing and trembling violently, like a surging tide continuously pouring Hailong Dan Qi, Hunyuan Zhen Qi, and essence into the beautiful woman's body…
"Ugh!—I'm flying!" Xue Qianqian fully enjoyed her lover's generous gift, her peach blossom true energy frantically absorbing it, as if encountering a supreme delicacy. The peach pit within her dantian became even more condensed, faintly showing signs of another breakthrough…
Whenever he had the chance and time, Hua Yinghong would frantically absorb all kinds of elemental energy from heaven and earth using the "Primordial Chaos Technique," refining it into pure Primordial Chaos True Qi. He would then use the Dual Cultivation of Spirit and Desire to infuse it into the bodies of the women, helping them cultivate. This swift, sensual, and pleasurable method of cultivation was indescribably delightful, yet the women never tired of it!
The five beauties' recent progress in cultivation was unimaginable, especially Xue Qianqian's. The Peach Blossom Palace's secret techniques were inherently unconventional. Before the Dual Cultivation of Spirit and Desire, Xue Qianqian's alluring skills stagnated at the ninth level, unable to break through. Once she did, her progress was astonishing! Given time, Xue Qianqian believed she would definitely break through the "Refining Qi into Spirit" realm, refining the peach pit into a golden elixir, reaching the new realm that the Nine-Turn Peach Blossom Alluring Skill had always dreamed of—"Refining Spirit into Emptiness"! At that time, even if they encountered a master of divine rank like the "Three Gods," they would have a fighting chance!
"Brother! You're too strong. None of us five sisters can satisfy you." Liu Yufei leaned close to Hua Yinghong's face, which was still flushed from the rain, and kissed him with her fragrant, delicate red lips. "Why don't you take Yanran as well? She's deeply in love with you. We don't mind having another sister. You'll have another good helper in managing military affairs."
Just now, starting from Hai Shi (9-11 PM), the five beautiful women had been engaged in a passionate lovemaking session with Hua Yinghong, combining their bodies and spiritual desires. In the nearly three hours of frenzied battle, Hua Yinghong had each of the five women experience two orgasms, pushing them to the peak of ecstasy time and again!
Xue Qianqian was the strongest among the women. After barely managing one more round of physical combat and enjoying two orgasms, she was too weak to continue.
After being transformed by the unprecedented Primordial Chaos True Qi and Sea Dragon Elixir Qi, Hua Yinghong's physique became exceptionally strong, seemingly tireless. Various elements of heaven and earth's primordial energy were frantically absorbed and transformed into Primordial Chaos True Qi and extremely pure Yuan Yang, which was continuously supplied to the five beauties through the "Spiritual and Desire Dual Cultivation" technique…
Having such a powerful lover was undoubtedly every woman's dream, but his excessively strong physique, coupled with the lingering venom of the Lustful Serpent and the stimulation of the Sea Dragon Elixir Qi, caused Hua Yinghong's desire for sexual pleasure to swell infinitely, something not every woman could enjoy alone…
"Yes! You heartless bastard!" Liu Lan opened her beautiful, watery eyes and said coquettishly. Just now, Liu Lan almost suffocated to death in her extreme excitement. Fortunately, just as the Yuan Yang and Hunyuan True Qi surged in, she felt the True Qi in her body flowing wildly. The ninth technique of the "Heaven and Earth Technique" broke through with a bang, and her divine sense entered a completely new realm: without breathing through her throat and nose, Liu Lan could directly exchange the Yuan Qi of heaven and earth through the internal breath of her dantian and the skin of her entire body, stepping into the realm of a master of the Innate Saint Rank in one fell swoop...
But it is unknown whether the "ruthless" Liu Lan mentioned refers to Hua Yinghong's excessive ferocity just now, or to Hua Yinghong's response to the tender feelings of longing for Feng Yanran, whose background is pitiful?
The fact that "Free Army Flower" Feng Yanran secretly loves Hua Yinghong is known not only to the Fire Phoenix Division, but also to almost everyone in the Free Alliance who is even slightly familiar with the higher-ups. Feng Yanran is usually like an iceberg, showing no courtesy to any man. Only when she sees Hua Yinghong will her phoenix eyes reveal an eager and undisguised light. Even a fool would understand, but only the extremely intelligent Hua Yinghong pretends not to know.
"Yanran is still young, and I've always treated her like a little sister. Besides, with you all, I'm already very content." Hua Yinghong himself didn't understand his feelings for Feng Yanran: he treated her like a little sister, carefully protecting her and not wanting her to suffer any grievances, yet he also couldn't bear to see such a beautiful and devoted woman, a true heroine, fall into another's arms—his feelings were extremely complicated.
"It's customary in the Hua Long Continent that girls can marry at sixteen. Brother Hong is just making excuses." After the passion subsided, Xue Qianqian's face was still flushed, and she said somewhat languidly, "Brother Hong's venomous snake is becoming stronger and stronger due to the stimulation of the Sea Dragon Pill. Without the virgin's yin energy to balance it, it will eventually become uncontrollable. Perhaps this is Heaven's destined fate of having many romantic encounters with you; I'm afraid that besides Sister Yanran, we'll have many more sisters!"
Hua Yinghong was speechless, and stroked the smooth, pretty face of Miao Youlan, the "Peerless Jade Maiden" who was lying on his lap, letting out a comfortable sigh.
Miao Youlan stuck out her pink little tongue... "Mmm...uh..." The incomparably beautiful and peerless jade maiden's soft and tender lips...
After a long while, Miao Youlan said in a coquettish voice, "Hua Lang! I also agree to have Sister Yanran as a sister, Sister Ju, what do you say?" In the boudoir, this peerless beauty also showed her indulgent side.
"I agree too." Among the five women, Liu Ju was the most gentle and obedient to Hua Yinghong, even after being appointed as the Vice Minister of the Interior and Minister of Finance and Taxation of the Free Alliance that afternoon. But on the important matter of absorbing Feng Yanran into the family, she also preferred to have another sister - if the situation forced her to add a sister, Feng Yanran's character and talent were indeed impeccable in every aspect.
"Ugh! Fei'er—" Liu Yufei continued Miao Youlan's previous actions, her mouth full of saliva, warm and moist, her seductive skills had reached the level of the Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian, reaching a state of perfection, causing Hua Yinghong's heart to race and his breathing to become disordered again!
"No..." Hua Yinghong took a deep breath, tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and couldn't help but fall into a deep intoxication: "Good... Fei'er... you're getting more and more... um..."
"Sisters all heard it, brother has already decided! It's passed by a vote of five to one, any further objections are invalid!" Liu Lan shouted happily.
Liu Yufei kept her beautiful eyes fixed on Hua Yinghong, her noble demeanor tinged with boundless lust. She loved watching her lover's blissful expression as he was gently cared for, and hearing his soft, murmuring praises. She licked even more vigorously…
“Oh…” Hua Yinghong felt the boundless pleasure Fei’er’s fragrant tongue brought him. This noble… somewhat lost in the moment, he supported this stunningly beautiful woman, wanting to thrust again…
Xue Qianqian and Liu Ju also joined them, along with Fei’er and Youlan…
No matter how beautiful a woman, no matter how stunningly beautiful she is, she cannot escape the gentle nature of a woman, and will release her most primal desires, abandoning all restraint… It all depends on whether she has met the one she truly loves!
Finally—"Mmm…" Miao Youlan closed her eyes, feeling the intermittent, rhythmic, rapid expansion and contractions, and the scorching warmth… This peerless beauty gazed deeply at her lover, her snow-white neck trembling and writhing involuntarily…
"Sister Qian, Youlan, Fei'er, Lan'er, I have a very important question to ask you—" Hua Yinghong, finally satisfied from the passion, regained his senses, "When you broke through to the Innate Saint Realm, what were your feelings and experiences?" "
I broke through last time when I was merging with you after dispelling your venomous snake poison, almost dying from having my true energy and primordial yin drained by you, and then I broke through thanks to the stimulation of your primordial true energy and essence…" Xue Qianqian recalled earnestly.
"I also almost suffocated to death last time when I merged with you…" Miao Youlan gently pinched the now-softening thing, blushing slightly as she spoke.
"I also just now…" Liu Lan had just broken through to the Innate Realm with Hua Yinghong's help, experiencing it most thoroughly and vividly.
Hua Yinghong seemed to be deep in thought, and after a long while, he said, "I once asked Brother Lü, and his breakthrough also happened when he suddenly entered a state of suspended animation during practice, and then sensed the connection between the primordial energy of heaven and earth and his own body. All methods return to their origin, all things have their source, all things follow the Dao, and all sources return to one. The path for each Saint-level expert to advance to the Innate Realm may be different, but they all lead to the same destination, and there must be a pattern to follow. Once we find this pattern, we will no longer be hesitant because of the lack of super experts ."
"So Brother Hong is worried about the super power of the various families," Xue Qianqian said. "Peach Blossom Palace, Wanmei Manor, and the Nangong Family all have a large number of Saint-level experts, and they are not afraid of any family attacking the Free Alliance. Given time, with the continuous battles and pressure, and with the widespread dissemination of cultivation techniques and exercise methods as a foundation, there will also be many Saint-level experts in the Free Army. Brother Hong does not need to worry too much about this."
"However, the current situation on the Hualong Continent, and even the situations on the Ouba and Meisi Continents, does not allow us sufficient time to slowly accumulate strength," Hua Yinghong said. "After the Sword in the Stone from the Kingdom of England was revealed, a war of unification on the Ouba Continent is inevitable. War, especially when life and death are at stake, is when people's potential is most unleashed. Furthermore, according to Nangong Jun, the Ouba and Meisi people have a unique inherited method that can seal battle qi or magical energy onto weapons or magical artifacts.
"I predict that within one or two years, a large number of Holy Knights, Sword Saints, and even a considerable number of Divine Knights and Sword Gods will appear on the Ouba Continent. If the Ouba and Meisi Continents join forces to attack, even with Emperor Liu Suifeng's extraordinary talent and numerous experts under his command fifty years ago, they would still have fought to a standstill. Ten years ago, the 'Three Gods' and the Wenjian Pavilion joined forces to suppress the Hualong civil war, and the 'unspoken rules' of experts above the Saint rank on the Hualong Continent were all for the sake of preserving strength and dealing with external enemies." "If we cannot find the laws governing breaking through the Innate Realm and the secret path to advancing in martial arts, future wars with foreign races will be extremely difficult."
"That's true," Xue Qianqian said thoughtfully. "If a large number of Saint-level experts were to infiltrate the army, it would take dozens or even hundreds of ordinary soldiers to besiege and kill even one Saint-level expert, which would be very detrimental to morale. If they were to infiltrate our alliance and cause chaos, that would also be a headache."
Miao Youlan pondered, "According to my master, when a person is in the mother's womb, the fetus's breathing through its mouth and nose is cut off, and it relies entirely on the umbilical cord to deliver nutrients. At that time, the Ren and Du meridians are open, and the innate Qi circulates naturally. After birth, the acquired Qi enters through the mouth and nose, severing the connection with the mother's body. The Ren and Du meridians gradually close down until they are completely blocked, making it difficult to absorb innate Qi. Although the innate true Qi still fills the world, it is difficult to absorb it."
"The Saint-level master's Innate Realm is nothing more than a return to one's origin, opening the Ren and Du meridians to absorb the essence of heaven and earth, the so-called 'seizing the essence of heaven and earth, gathering the brilliance of the sun and moon,' becoming a fetus within the universe's womb. However, the absorption of energy varies depending on the martial artist's aptitude and cultivation method
, hence the Saint-level master's breakthrough is extremely difficult, one in a thousand, seemingly without any discernible pattern. "In fact, in the eyes of truly seeking the Heavenly Dao, only reaching the Innate Saint-level realm is considered stepping into the threshold of martial arts; all previous levels, including the Ninth Rank, are merely Foundation Establishment."
"Truly worthy of the Plum Blossom Sword Saint! Youlan's words have enlightened me!" Hua Yinghong, overjoyed upon hearing this, exclaimed, "Ju-mei, come here. I'll try to help you break through to the Innate Realm. It might be a little dangerous, but with Qianzu, Fei'er, Lan'er, and Youlan protecting you, you'll definitely succeed!" ...
Among the five beauties, Liu Ju rarely had the opportunity to fight due to her large amount of internal affairs, and her cultivation progressed the slowest. Hua Yinghong was also the most worried about her—after all, Liu Ju now held a high position and was an indispensable internal affairs officer of the Free Alliance. Naturally, she was one of the important targets of countless overt and covert hostile forces. If an emergency occurred and the guards could not protect her, and Liu Ju had no ability to protect herself, it would be a lifelong regret!
In the thousand-year history of Hualong martial arts, no one had ever found a shortcut to becoming a master of the Innate Saint Rank through acquired cultivation. Could the secret path of martial arts have actually been created in the hands of the audacious and unruly Hua Yinghong?

Volume 8, Chapter 154: The Sea Dragon Reappears
. On the eighth day of the twelfth month of the 994th year of the Hualong Continent calendar, a flood of intelligence from all over the continent once again poured into the Free Army headquarters in Changlong City.
—Prime Minister Zhuge Ming of the Golden Dragon Kingdom led the newly victorious army of Longzhou City, abandoning the pursuit of the fleeing Black Tiger Army. He urgently dispatched 80,000 cavalry and a large number of skilled warriors from the Wanghai Navy to reinforce Shiyan City, which was defended by the Longxiang Legion. Infantry reinforcements followed, bringing the total force of 280,000 to a standoff with the 310,000-strong Later Tang army led by the renowned general Dongfang Bai at Shiyan City. This protected the passage from the southwestern prefecture to Longzhou Prefecture—Jiangling Prefecture—effectively fulfilling Hua Yinghong's assessment that the outcome was "unpredictable."
However, due to the powerful offensive of the Later Tang army, Zhuge Ming's plan to annihilate the Black Tiger Army in one fell swoop and pacify the southern region of Jiang'an Prefecture failed. The Black Tiger Army thus gained a respite to rest and prepare for battle, gathering a large number of followers and rebuilding its strength. Because the Golden Dragon Army still possessed a powerful Imperial Guard and over 100,000 reservists within Longzhou Prefecture, the Black Tiger Army, despite its recent defeat and the need to regroup its forces, was unable to withstand the onslaught. While outnumbered, the Jinlong army dared not venture into Longzhou Prefecture again.
The Later Tang Empire's Northwest Army, along with its reserve and Imperial Guard divisions, launched another fierce attack on the Jinlong army in Taizhou and Huayang Prefectures. After both sides suffered approximately 60,000 casualties, the Jinlong army was forced to withdraw from the two prefectures. By this time, Dongfang Bai's "restoration" plan had essentially recovered the three prefectures of the Northwest Commandery, leaving only Zhenhai Prefecture in the north still in the hands of the Jinlong army.
Despite the Later Tang Empire's wealth and manpower, it had to temporarily halt this attrition warfare tactic. After all, the hundreds of thousands of soldiers killed or wounded, and the vast amounts of supplies and weaponry consumed in the series of battles, needed replenishment. The Jinlong Kingdom faced even greater difficulties: the nearly 200,000 dead or wounded soldiers alone required at least ten million gold coins in compensation and other expenses, nearly all of which had been used up in a month's gains in the Northwest Commandery—a testament to the adage, "War is not just about armies." This was fully demonstrated in such a great battle.
In Linjiang City, Wuling Prefecture, Ding Baijian, the young master of the Ding family, personally oversaw the battle. With the support of a main division and a large number of skilled warriors from the Later Tang southwestern army controlled by the Yuwen clan, they captured Linjiang City, defended by 120,000 reserve troops under Sima Cheng, at the cost of 30,000 Ding family casualties and 10,000 Later Tang army casualties. More than 20,000 of the three reserve divisions loyal to "Guardian King" Sima Cheng and the new Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan were killed, over 80,000 surrendered, and the rest fled. The entire army was annihilated, and Linjiang Prefecture fell into the hands of the Ding family!
Because the Golden Dragon King Liu Cao refused to recognize the succession of his eldest son Sima Tai, the Ding family simply made their secret deal with the Later Tang Yuwen family public—thus, Jiangling Prefecture, on the north bank of the Jade Dragon River opposite Linjiang Prefecture, was caught in a pincer attack by the Yuwen clan's southwestern army crossing the river to the north and the Eastern White Army. A grave threat!
In Jinchuan City, Roland Prefecture, 120,000 loyal reserve troops unexpectedly opened the city gates and surrendered to the Xiliang Li family and the third prince Sima An's rebellion-pacification army! A key reason was that the Li family had secretly infiltrated the city with over 100 Saint-level experts and over 200 Ninth-level experts, launching a surprise attack on the Jade Dragon Army's command camp. One of the Jade Dragon spies, a top-tier Saint-level expert from the "Jade Group" in Jinchuan Prefecture, was killed by the veiled, icy-cold "Frost Fairy" Li Hanshuang. A large number of other Jade Dragon spies and military experts were also eliminated!
With the sword pressed against his neck and an elite army outside the city looming, the Jade Dragon garrison commander, Sima Xiao, had no choice but to surrender—fortunately, the third prince Sima An was also a prince of the Sima lineage, and in the struggle for the throne, right and wrong were indistinguishable. Sima Xiao's surrender offered some psychological comfort…
Sima Cheng, the "Guardian King," and Sima Yuan, the new King of Yulong, suffered heavy losses in just a few days! Fortunately, an order issued by Sima Cheng during his escape played a crucial role—while the Yinming armies across the land were celebrating the newly captured Yulong City, Sima Changhe's Jinling Legion secretly dispatched three divisions to launch a night attack on Shiyan Prefecture via Yanmen Pass. The Yinming army once again paid a heavy price for its lax discipline!
Shiyan City was captured in one fell swoop by a large number of Yulong spies and the Yulong army working together from within. Many of the 80,000 Yinming soldiers died in their sleep or while still intoxicated. After the chaos, less than 30,000 fled to Yulong Prefecture. Shiyan City and nearly a hundred miles of the northwest region of Shiyan Prefecture fell into the hands of the Yulong army! Thus, Sima Cheng and Sima Yuan still controlled Jinling Prefecture, Changling Prefecture, Yichun Prefecture, Wuling Prefecture, the eastern half of Yinchuan Prefecture, and a quarter of Shiyan Prefecture, barely forming a contiguous area. A precious respite has been gained!
In Wuling Prefecture, "Guardian King" Sima Cheng personally led 40,000 Imperial Guards and cavalrymen, the remaining troops from the Imperial Guard and Direct Guard Regiment who had retreated from Yulong City, in an ambush to annihilate 5,000 cavalrymen sent by the Ding family to harass the passage between southeastern Wuling Prefecture and Tianshui Prefecture. This victory, though not insignificant, boosted morale somewhat. More importantly, over a hundred wagons loaded with crossbows and specially made bolts from Tianshui Prefecture were successfully brought to Sima Cheng's army…
Tongzi Prefecture of the Baiyi Kingdom. Of the four prefectures in Tongzi Prefecture, Baoyi Prefecture, Tongren Prefecture, and Songtao Prefecture have been completely occupied by the Free Army. The main divisions of the First Legion are advancing towards Tongzi Prefecture from the east, south, and southeast. The Special Operations Division, together with the Bai ethnic militia, and in close cooperation with the Military Intelligence Bureau and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, is carrying out a series of tasks in the three prefectures, including eliminating local chieftains and tyrants, freeing slaves, and forming the Baiyi Legion…
Before the Battle of Loushan Pass, the three Jade Dragon Army divisions and one Baiyi Army regiment, secretly dispatched by Baiyi King Duan Tiande and "Duke Dingyi" Sima Zhao to reinforce Tongzi Prefecture, quickly launched a sustained and fierce attack on the positions of the First Army Corps of the Free Army. However, before the fortified lines built by the Free Army, and under the powerful firepower of the "Demon Dragon Blood Bullets" and the Divine Crossbows, the First Army Corps' positions remained unshaken! After the Baiyi Army and Jade Dragon Army suffered 30,000 casualties, the Free Army suffered less than 3,000 casualties—such a disparity in losses made the Jade Dragon Army and Baiyi Army dare not launch another attack rashly. Nearly 300,000 troops formed a stalemate with Ye Zhi Qiu's First Army Corps...
Jianning Prefecture, Central County of Daliang. The Japanese army Matsui Iwane's First Army Group dispatched a large number of ninjas and troops, launching a relentless attack on Jianning City day and night. Under the organization of the Fang family, a powerful clan in Jianning City, a large number of people from Daliang took up swords, spears, and bows and arrows to assist the Daliang army in fighting the enemy. Meanwhile, a large number of martial arts masters from the Wenjian Pavilion launched a counterattack against the Japanese ninjas, recreating the scene of the united resistance against the Japanese on Zhenbao Island! With everyone united in their efforts, the Japanese army's two-day onslaught resulted in a staggering 100,000 casualties, while the Daliang army and the people of Jianning City suffered even more, reaching 120,000 casualties! Beneath Jianning City, corpses piled up like mountains, and blood flowed like rivers… Matsui Iwane, left with no other option, suspended the siege and sought reinforcements from the Japanese emperor, Kurosawa Hideyoshi, who had already led his army around Jianning City and was heading straight for Shouning Prefecture in the north.
Shunchang Prefecture. Takeda Shingen led 480,000 Japanese troops from the three legions of the Second Army Group in a fierce attack on Shunchang City, which he had assumed was no longer defended by regular troops. However, the newly formed Shunchang Legion of the Shangguan family proved incredibly powerful. Whether they deployed high-ranking ninjas or even holy ninjas for assassinations, or launched a full-scale attack by the Japanese army, they gained no advantage. Even when takingda Shingen dared not besiege the city, he only deployed his army east of Shunchang City, urgently dispatched a naval legion from the southern part of Shunchang Prefecture to reinforce it, and requested Emperor Kurosawa Hideyoshi of Japan to send a large number of ninja experts as reinforcements...
The war that swept across the Hualong Continent caused a large influx of refugees: in the Golden Dragon Kingdom, the Later Tang Empire, the Jade Dragon Kingdom, and the Great Liang Kingdom, there were refugees everywhere seeking a place of peace, while some wealthy families and even middle-class families were looking for ways to transfer their assets and save their lives in the chaos...
Attracted by the reputation of Zhenbao Island as a "paradise on earth," despite the numerous checkpoints, heavy taxes, and rampant bandits along the way, many people still traveled by boat down the Jade Dragon River to Quanzhou Port City at its mouth, where they transferred to ships controlled by Zhenbao Island's shipping guilds and merchants, heading towards Zhenbao Island, this wartime paradise. The people of the Central and Eastern Sea Counties of the Great Liang Kingdom had it even easier; they could go directly to the seashore and take a ship to Donggang City, from where the Free Alliance's internal affairs department would disperse them to various locations within the Free Alliance...
At Chenshi (7-9 AM), Mo Yan, the Chief of the Military Intelligence Division, carrying such a large amount of intelligence, went to the Marshal's Mansion to report to Hua Yinghong on routine business. However, he and the Captain of the Guards, Fang Shiling, discovered that Hua Yinghong and the five beauties had mysteriously disappeared right under Fang Shiling's and the
guards' noses! Mo Yan and Fang Shiling were greatly shocked! Fortunately, they found a piece of plain paper on the desk. Hua Yinghong had written in his unique, rather unremarkable calligraphy: "Top Secret Operation, Return in One Day." The two were relieved. All the security arrangements at the Marshal's Mansion were personally planned by Hua Yinghong. It would be extremely difficult for outsiders to sneak in secretly, but it would be easy for him to avoid it.
They just didn't know what this "top secret operation" was, or why it was being kept so secret, even from the Captain of the Guards, Fang Shiling...

The sea breeze howled, making their clothes flutter. Although Hua Yinghong and the five beauties, including Liu Yufei, were all experts who had reached the Innate Saint Rank level and were impervious to heat and cold, they still felt the chill of deep winter.
"Brother Hailong, congratulations on your great progress!" On a deserted cliff by the sea, fifteen miles east of Longtan Town, Hua Yinghong spoke with his divine sense to the colossal Sea Dragon King, which rose slowly like a small mountain, almost level with the cliff face.
Ever since the "Scholar-Sword Gentleman" Nangong Jun visited more than ten days ago and mentioned opening a new sea route to the Oba Continent, Hua Yinghong had found a small sea dragon on the beach and communicated with it using the special language taught by the Sea Dragon King, sending a signal that he urgently wanted to see the Sea Dragon King. Last night, after helping Liu Ju successfully break through to the Innate Saint Rank realm, he sensed the special signal from the Sea Dragon King in the Treasure Strait using his powerful divine sense and came to meet him with the five beauties.
"Brother Hailong, hello!" The five women, connected by a spiritual bond with Hua Yinghong, naturally learned the "Sea Dragon Language" and greeted this powerful, spiritual being with their divine thoughts.
The miracle of "the Dragon King bowing three times, the king returning" was something Liu Yufei, Miao Youlan, and the other beauties had only heard about from the Free Army soldiers, and they knew in detail about Hua Yinghong's extraordinary encounter inside the Sea Dragon King's belly. However, witnessing Hua Yinghong communicating with the Sea Dragon King through divine thoughts firsthand still filled them with astonishment.
"Brother Hua, thanks to the Heaven and Earth Manual you gifted me, although my seventh elixir was shattered by you, its spirit remained, and I refined it again in less than a month." The Sea Dragon King's divine sense was filled with gratitude: "The Heaven and Earth Manual comprehends the creation of heaven and earth. Now, my speed in absorbing the primordial energy of heaven and earth and refining elixirs is more than ten times faster than before. Brother Hua's kindness to the Sea Dragon Clan will be forever etched in my heart."
"It's nothing, hardly a favor. Brother Sea Dragon, you're too kind." In Hua Yinghong's logic, giving and receiving were the proper way: he had unintentionally shattered the Sea Dragon King's inner elixir, which he had painstakingly cultivated for a thousand years, absorbing a large amount of its energy and experiencing a surge in power; it was only right that he reciprocate by gifting the Heaven and Earth Manual.
"Brother Hua, you may not know this, but in the vast and boundless Devil's Sea, countless powerful creatures exist, just like humans, engaged in endless wars for the resources of the sea. Although my Sea Dragon clan is powerful, it is not the strongest. More than ten thousand miles south of Treasure Island, the White Shark clan is far more powerful than ours, dominating tens of thousands of miles of sea. Although our clan is peace-loving, we still inevitably have clashes and battles with the White Shark clan. I have fought the White Shark King several times, and each time I was slightly at a disadvantage. With the Heaven and Earth Technique, our clan will become stronger and stronger, and from then on, we will no longer fear powerful enemies..."
The Sea Dragon King continued, "I could have met Brother Hua a few days earlier, but I was late because of the preparations to prevent the White Shark clan's attack."
"The Sea Dragon clan and the White Shark clan are at war? Tens of thousands of miles of sea?..." If anyone else heard this, they would probably be so surprised that their tongues would fall to the ground! However, Hua Yinghong was already used to the strange things in this other world, and said, "I wonder if I can help you? Anyway, I happen to have something to ask of Brother Hailong, so we'll call it even." "
I appreciate Brother Hua's kindness. The war between the various races of the sea is not something humans can interfere with," perhaps realizing that he had revealed too many secrets in his excitement, the Sea Dragon King quickly changed his tune, "Just as we don't interfere in human wars, that's the natural order. Given Brother Hua's character, I suppose you wouldn't want my Sea Dragon clan to help in the war, would you?"
"That won't be necessary. But if Brother Hailong needs my help, please don't hesitate to speak up, and I will not refuse. Right now, I have a favor to ask, which shouldn't violate Brother Hailong's principles..." Hua Yinghong mentioned the Free Alliance's intention to open a shipping route to the Oba continent through the "Great Triangle of Death": "I wonder if Brother Hailong has any difficulties?"
"According to the elders of my Sea Dragon Clan, the Great Triangle of Death actually hides a shocking secret, one that even I am unaware of," the Sea Dragon King said after a long silence, before responding with divine thought. "My clan only knows to guard that place, forbidding any ships from passing through that sea area, especially for ten days around the fifteenth of July each year. Anyone who enters will be attacked by my clan. Over time, it has become a forbidden zone of death. How about this, if Brother Hua wishes to pass through, simply fly your conspicuous phoenix banners, and I will order the entire clan not to obstruct you. However, you must not pass through during those twenty days. Remember this well." "
Thank you, Brother Sea Dragon!" Hua Yinghong was not interested in the shocking secret the Sea Dragon King spoke of. As long as the Sea Dragon King agreed to let him pass, opening a westward trade route would be a tremendous gain—but little did he know that years later, when Hua Yinghong finally learned of this great secret, his feelings would be one of joy or sorrow, bitterness or sweetness… but that is another story.
“I have another request…” Hua Yinghong transmitted a divine thought, “I wonder if Brother Hailong could lend a helping hand?”
“Ha! Ha! Ha!” Hailong King’s divine thought mimicked a human’s laughter, echoing Hua Yinghong’s tone, “It’s nothing, just a small matter! I’ll arrange it. Come on!”
Hua Yinghong and the five beauties, hand in hand, floated up in a line, as if they had agreed to commit suicide together, falling straight into the gaping maw of the Sea Dragon King outside the cliff!
The Sea Dragon King's mountain-like body slowly sank into the water, leaving behind only towering waves crashing against the shore and an enormous whirlpool...

Volume 8, Chapter 155, Top Secret Number Two
: "Why hasn't Commander Hua returned yet? It's urgent!"
It was past 7:30 AM on the ninth day. Not only was the captain of the guards, Fang Shiling, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, but even the usually calm and cool Minister of Military Intelligence, Mo Yan, was losing his composure.
The news of Hua Yinghong and the five women—Liu Yufei, Xue Qianqian, and Miao Youlan—suddenly disappeared has reached the upper echelons of the Freedom Alliance. This is especially true for Liu Ju, the newly appointed Vice Minister and Minister of Finance and Taxation, and Xue Qianqian, the newly appointed Minister of Security, who have a heavy workload every day. While the Alliance Leaders, Liu Yufei and Miao Youlan, seem somewhat more relaxed, they are not idle either—the most carefree Marshal, Hua Yinghong, on a whim, left behind eight words and then vanished with the five beauties, not returning for a whole day and night. This has greatly worried Mo Yan, the Minister of Military Intelligence, and Fang Shiling, the Captain of the Guard!
"Minister Mo, immediately order the Military Intelligence Department and allied forces to search with all their might," Fang Shiling anxiously suggested to Mo Yan.
If the future and destiny of the Freedom Alliance, and the well-being of millions of people, were to be harmed, Fang Shiling, as the Captain of the Guard, could not atone even if she died a hundred times!
“Wait a moment longer. Hua Shuai and Alliance Leader Liu’s group of six are very distinctive. We’ll get news as soon as they show up.” Mo Yan was much more level-headed after all—even if Hua Yinghong’s appearance was a bit ordinary, with five stunningly beautiful women beside him, it would be hard not to attract attention!
“Minister Mo is still the most clear-headed!” Hua Yinghong’s voice finally came from afar outside the hall: “Has Minister Gong Jun returned yet?”
Fang Shiling finally felt a huge weight lifted from her heart!

The weather, which had been somewhat gloomy and rainy, somehow cleared up in the afternoon. Sunlight shone through the clouds, gilding the clouds with golden edges. The waves gently lapped against the shore. A clear sea breeze blew, carrying a salty, fishy smell in the air. Flocks of seabirds circled the masts, sometimes perching on the mastheads, sometimes scattering, and sometimes swooping down to the water to snatch floating food.
The newly built dock in Longtan Town was packed with people. Fifty Free Army warships and a thousand transport ships laden with various goods were lined up neatly on the sea. A huge phoenix flag, symbolizing rebirth from the ashes, fluttered in the wind atop each mast, clearly visible from miles away.
"Brother Nangong, if this new shipping route is successfully opened, your name will be forever etched in history!" Hua Yinghong looked at the elegant and handsome Nangong Jun and sincerely wished him well. "Take care on your journey, safety is paramount." "
Brother Hua, if I am remembered in history, it will be thanks to your glory." Nangong Jun raised his wine bowl, glancing at Liu Yufei, a woman of unparalleled beauty beside Hua Yinghong, who resembled a delicate peony fairy
. He said casually, "I will do my best to fulfill Brother Hua's request." Liu Yufei lowered her beautiful eyes, pretending not to notice the complex emotions in Nangong Jun's gaze, and sweetly wished him a safe journey.
This voyage was well-prepared, and an agreement had already been reached with the Sea Dragon King to pass through the "Death Triangle" waters. Originally, Nangong Jun wouldn't have needed to personally intervene, but Liu Yufei naturally knew that Nangong Jun's inner turmoil wasn't completely resolved. Now that the "Death Triangle" issue was settled, a long journey should be beneficial for Nangong Jun to adjust his mood.
"Please take good care of Chu Chu, Brother Hua," Nangong Jun said to Hua Yinghong, glancing at the frail-looking Nangong Chu Chu beside him. He naturally understood his sworn sister's feelings: Nangong Chu Chu had always been arrogant, yet these past few days she had been frequently visiting the Marshal's Mansion to inquire about the "Hongfei Foundation" and the "Industrial and Commercial Gold Bank," asking about operational issues. With Chu Chu's abilities, why would she need to do this? It was more likely that she had secretly fallen in love with Hua Yinghong.
Unfortunately, despite possessing the beauty and talent of the "Fifth Beauty" of the Hua Long Continent, Chu Chu was surrounded by several other beauties who were no less stunning than her, and the Third Legion's female commander, the "Free Army Flower" Feng Yanran, was also watching over her... Without help, her sworn sister's ambitions might be difficult to realize.
"Brother, I'm perfectly fine, why would I need any help?" Nangong Chu Chu naturally understood the hidden meaning in Nangong Jun's words. Even though she was a worldly and experienced woman, once her girlish thoughts were exposed, her pretty face flushed slightly, and she said coquettishly.
"Don't worry, Brother Nangong, Chu Chu is your sister, and of course, she's just like my sister," the oblivious man said readily.
"Don't worry, young master, Sister Qian, Youlan, and I will treat Chuchu like our own sisters." Liu Yufei's words made Nangong Chuchu's beautiful eyes light up, her spirits shimmering—as long as she could get past Liu Yufei…
"Alliance Leader, Commander Hua, the auspicious hour has arrived." The newly appointed Minister of Education and Director of the Free Alliance's History and Culture Museum, the contemporary Confucian scholar Wang Shouren, came over to remind Liu Yufei, Hua Yinghong, and the others.
"Good! For the Free Alliance! For the Hualong Continent! For the Holy Continent! Cheers!" Hua Yinghong raised his voice, lifted a large bowl of wine on the incense table, and drank it all in one gulp. Tsk
! The taste of this wine—it's far inferior to the sorghum liquor, Erguotou, and Laobaigan he used to drink!
"Cheers!" Nangong Jun and the ten thousand soldiers on the warship and the twenty thousand sailors on the transport ship responded in unison, finishing their drinks in one gulp!
"A bowl of turbid wine rises with the winter wind, a thousand sails hoisted, all heading west; where can one find generals and ministers of the past and present? The phoenix banner sings praises for ten thousand generations!" Nangong Jun, living up to his name "Scholar and Sword Gentleman," displayed his literary talent and elegance. As he casually recited the poem, his figure rose several feet, landing on the flag ship, and he shouted, "Set sail!"
"The landscape is as beautiful as a painting, the waves as high as demons; I only seek to leave my name in history, what fear is there of a long journey of ten thousand miles!" Hua Yinghong also composed a poem, sending it forth with his primordial energy, echoing for a long time above the sea!
"I only seek to leave my name in history, what fear is there of a long journey of ten thousand miles!" Amidst the shouts, the fleet set sail westward…
"On the ninth day of the twelfth month of the 994th year of the Hualong calendar, at the hour of Shen (3-5 PM), Nangong Jun, Minister of Foreign Trade of the Free Alliance, led the fleet westward to the European continent. Please remember this, Elder Wang," Hua Yinghong said calmly.
"Rest assured, Commander Hua, such a grand event cannot be overlooked in my humble writings." Wang Shouren, a renowned Confucian scholar of his time, possessed remarkably progressive ideas. While he didn't entirely agree with Hua Yinghong's proposals for reforming the education system and etiquette, he greatly admired Hua Yinghong's character and conduct.
The Free Alliance was thriving, and the ideal of "only when the granaries are full can people know etiquette," which had failed to achieve for countless emperors throughout the ages, was now becoming a reality under its rule. For instance, the title "Old Master Wang" was a comfortable way for Hua Yinghong, the leader and arguably the true head of the Free Alliance, to address Wang Shouren, far more so than simply calling him "Minister Wang."
"Education is the foundation of a lasting dynasty. Free schools in all regions must be built as soon as possible. If Elder Wang encounters any difficulties, he can directly consult Vice Minister Liu, the Alliance Leader, or even come to me." Military and political affairs are separate, and Hua Yinghong shouldn't be involved in domestic matters. However, having heard that the plan to build schools in newly acquired areas like Changlong Prefecture, Tenglong City, Maoming Prefecture, and Tianshui Prefecture wasn't progressing smoothly, and that some local officials weren't very enthusiastic about spending large sums of money on school construction, hiring teachers to educate ordinary people and their children, and even former slaves, Hua Yinghong couldn't help but inquire.
"With Commander Hua's words, no matter the difficulties, I will ensure the schools are well-run," Wang Shouren said, somewhat excitedly.
Over the decades, Wang Shouren had met countless officials of all ranks from various countries and families across the Hualong Continent, but he had never seen anyone as dedicated to educating the people and so personally involved as Hua Yinghong. The first expenditure of Hua Yinghong and Liu Yufei's "Hongfei Foundation" was to build a nursing home, and the second expenditure was to sponsor the education and living expenses of 20,000 orphans!
"If possible, please ask Mr. Wang to establish a dedicated English-Greek language course at the Changlong branch of Tsinghua University. The Ministry of Foreign Trade or the Nangong family can provide the teachers," Hua Yinghong said. "Tell the students that those who excel in English-Greek will be able to directly apply for positions at the Ministry of Foreign Trade or even the General Staff Headquarters of the Free Army after passing an examination. Also, I have several manuscripts nearing completion; please arrange for them to be used as teaching materials, Mr. Wang." "
I will certainly be the first to read Marshal Hua's works," Wang Shouren said. Although not an expert in military affairs, he was well aware of the sensational impact of *Hua Zi's Art of War* on the mainland.
"However, these are all immature works, only meant to enlighten the people. Blindly believing everything in books is worse than having no books at all. Mr. Wang should encourage the students' spirit of free innovation. What I write may not all be correct," Hua Yinghong quickly reminded Wang Shouren, seeing him somewhat caught up in personality cult.
"Marshal Hua! We should go!" Liu Yufei gently tugged at Hua Yinghong's sleeve, reminding him.
"Yes!" Hua Yinghong realized he had almost forgotten an important matter while engrossed in conversation and hurriedly said, "Old Wang, let's talk another day."
"Respectful yet not arrogant, wise yet not haughty. The sages of old were no more than this!" Watching Hua Yinghong's departing figure, Wang Shouren sighed with deep emotion.

Northwest of Changlong City, Qingshui Ridge.
On this mountain range where the Free Army had once fought a bloody battle with Qiu's Jade Dragon Army, the Third Army Corps under "Free Army Flower" Feng Yanran stationed a division on Qingshui Ridge, constructing a strong camp defense system, guarding the vital transportation route from Dongguan Prefecture in the west to Baiyang City in the northeast.
Hua Yinghong had his eye on Qingshui Ridge's easily defensible terrain and the clear hot spring emerging halfway up the mountain. Long before, after defeating the combined forces of Qiu Shuiba and the Sixth Prince Sima Yuan in the "Phoenix Reborn" plan, he had sent men to build a wall over four zhang high around the mountain, enclosing an area of six or seven li in radius, and constructing many barracks.
"Yanran, I plan to seclude myself here for at least two months," Hua Yinghong said to Feng Yanran, the "Free Army Flower" who was riding alongside him on his left as they inspected the terrain.
As dusk approached, Feng Yanran, still dressed in her form-fitting Fire Phoenix female soldier uniform, looked exceptionally dashing, like a blooming fiery red rose. Only her face remained icy, her expression cold and austere, like an ice rose.
"Commander Hua, this humble general will guarantee absolute safety here," Feng Yanran said, her face heavy with worry, her pretty face somber and somewhat sullen. She no longer addressed him as "Brother Hua," but instead as "this humble general."
“Yanran, I believe in your abilities,” Hua Yinghong said softly, a sudden pang of pain in his heart. “Yanran, your birthday is on the twelfth. Come to the Marshal’s Mansion early, and I’ll cook for you myself. Remember to change your clothes on that day. This military uniform looks beautiful, but a girl doesn’t have to wear armor all the time.”
“Brother Hua! I—” Feng Yanran was suddenly moved to tears when she heard that Hua Yinghong even remembered her birthday so clearly. Feeling his deep concern and affection, she couldn’t speak.
“Come! Let me see if your skills have improved!” Hua Yinghong reached out his left hand, took Feng Yanran’s soft, boneless right hand, and used his lightness skill to float several feet high, flying like a celestial being towards the entrance of a cave that was being excavated in the distance.
"So warm! So hot! Such strong hands!..." Feng Yanran felt an irresistible heat emanating from Hua Yinghong's large, firm hand, as if it were flowing into her heart. Her heart pounded wildly like a deer's...
"Very good! Very good! Brother, you've worked hard! Top Secret Base No. 1 and Top Secret Base No. 2 here are both filled with your hard work. When these results can be announced to the public, I will personally award a First-Class Freedom Medal to all those who participated in the project." Hua Yinghong looked at the massive project within a two-mile radius inside the mountain, which was already taking shape, and praised it endlessly.
"It will take about ten more days to complete the final work." The one who answered was none other than the newly appointed Minister of Ordnance, Lu Shenggong. "Those in charge of the construction are all loyal and reliable Free Army soldiers and your brother's Iron Guard, whom the Military Intelligence Department has repeatedly vetted. They will never leak any secrets."
"Actually, the real secret of Top Secret No. 2 isn't the training base itself, but the content of the training," Hua Yinghong said. "However, it's always best to be cautious, and strict secrecy is absolutely necessary. How is the production progress of Top Secret No. 1?"
"The Ordnance Department has organized production in the Alang Mountains with all its might, and it should be completed on time by the deadline you set for me," Lu Shenggong replied.
"Good! Minister Mo, according to the list I have already approved, we will secretly launch the first phase of Top Secret Project No. 2. I am very satisfied with the efficiency and quality of the Military Intelligence Department. The Security Department and the Military Intelligence Division each have their own focus, but they also cooperate well. You must cooperate well."
"Yes! Thank you for your praise, Commander Hua." Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian led the Security Department, which was composed mainly of former Peach Blossom Palace members. She shared the internal security of the Free Alliance and intelligence tasks other than military intelligence of various countries, thus reducing the burden on the Military Intelligence Department. However, this also divided the enormous power that the Military Intelligence Department originally possessed. But Mo Yan dared not have the slightest complaint about Hua Yinghong's arrangement for dividing power.
"After these two plans are completed, I believe the entire Hualong Continent will tremble under the banner of the Phoenix Reborn!" Hua Yinghong's resolute and confident expression, and the intelligent gleam in his eyes, captivated Feng Yanran, who was unaware of the core details of these two top-secret plans...

Volume 8, Chapter 156: Outrageous News
On the tenth day of the twelfth month, news that outraged both gods and men spread like wildfire across the Hualong Continent—Jianning City, with a population of nearly 700,000 in the Central County of the Great Liang Kingdom, and more than one million including refugees, had been breached by the Japanese army! General
Matsui Iwane, commander of the First Army Group of the Japanese army, publicly announced: Due to the desperate resistance of the soldiers and civilians of Jianning City, who vowed not to surrender, nearly 200,000 Japanese soldiers were killed or wounded. Starting immediately, the city would be massacred for ten days as a warning to others!
In the thousands of years of history of the Hualong Continent, there had never been an example of an army openly massacring a city. Fifty years ago, when the multinational coalition of the Oba and Meisi continents attacked the Tang Empire, occupying hundreds of cities and towns, large and small, now the Golden Dragon Kingdom, the Later Tang Empire, and the New Song Kingdom, they dared not announce a massacre!
The news reached the Free Army headquarters at 1:45 AM. Mo Yan, the military intelligence chief reporting the news to the Marshal's Mansion, had never seen the usually composed Marshal Hua Yinghong so enraged—he suddenly unleashed a punch that not only pierced a foot-thick, incredibly sturdy brick wall, but also shattered a ten-foot-high artificial hill within the Marshal's Mansion into countless fragments!
Hua Yinghong's face was ashen, his anger barely contained—he simply couldn't believe that such a horrific crime as the Nanjing Massacre could still occur in this alien world. The Japanese were exactly the same as that despicable and shameless nation; how could he not be furious!
In war between two countries and armies, heavy casualties are understandable. But the massacre of civilians, women, and children is truly unforgivable! He only regretted that the Freedom Alliance currently lacked the strength to march eastward and strike the Japanese invaders hard, leaving
him only with a heart full of hatred and unquenchable anger! "Mo Yan, take the pen and listen to my dictation. Write it down word for word. If even the slightest thing is not achieved in the future, I, Hua Yinghong, will commit suicide to atone for my sins!" Overwhelmed by rage, the Heaven and Earth Technique and the Mind-Concentrating Technique were useless. Hua Yinghong dictated the "Declaration of December 10th," which would later shock the world:
"The Japanese invasion of China has shocked the world; the Zhu family is incompetent, letting the thieves into the country. Millions of Hualong people are trapped in misery; where is the heroic spirit of countless Hualong warriors? We would rather die by the sword than be slaves of a conquered nation! The Freedom Alliance sincerely invites all compatriots who do not wish to be slaves of a conquered nation! All officers and soldiers with conscience! All passionate young people who wish to resist the Japanese and save the nation! Oppressed brothers of all nations of Hualong! Rise up! Break through all oppression and organize an anti-Japanese righteous army—kill those who kill my Hualong fathers and daughters! Insult my Hualong sisters and women!" Those who steal my Hualong's wealth and national treasures, kill them! Those who burn my Hualong's houses and historical sites, kill them! Those who take an inch of my Hualong's land and grass, kill them! Those who collude with the enemy and betray their country, kill them! Those who recognize the enemy as their father, kill them! ...Those who offend the might of my Hualong, no matter how far away, will be killed! Anyone who commits a crime against China, even if pursued to Japan, will be killed! Anyone who harbors war criminals, even if the Japanese are slaughtered, will be killed! This decree remains valid as long as the Freedom Alliance exists! Under the rule of the Freedom Alliance, future generations will be enemies of the Japanese, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, with no possibility of reconciliation!
Mo Yan's hand trembled slightly as he wrote: the code was filled with murderous intent, revealing the depth of Hua Yinghong's resentment! "Pursue them to Japan and kill them! ... Slaughter all the Japanese and kill them!" According to intelligence, the Japanese had a population of fifty million! He could almost see the future, a war to the death between the Free Alliance and the Japanese invaders…
Calming slightly, Hua Yinghong sat back in his chair and continued: “The Free Alliance hereby issues a notice to the Hualong Continent, expressing its willingness to join forces with all parties to resist the Japanese invaders, proposing the following points: First, resist the Japanese invaders to save the nation and recover lost territories; second, provide disaster relief and flood control to stabilize the people’s livelihood; third, confiscate Japanese wealth to fund the war effort; fourth, confiscate all assets of traitors who sold out China to fund the war effort; fifth, abolish tariffs and develop industry and commerce; sixth, increase wages and salaries to improve the lives of soldiers and civilians resisting the Japanese invaders; seventh, implement free education to ensure no one is unemployed; eighth, unite all anti-Japanese civilians and all anti-Japanese forces as an alliance. Those with money should contribute money, those with grain should contribute grain, those with strength should contribute strength, and those with ability should contribute ability. Fight for the survival of the Hualong nation! Fight for human rights and freedom!”
“This order cannot be altered in a single word. Send it to the three leaders of the alliance, Liu, Miao, and Bai, and Prime Minister Lü for review before issuing it! All responsibility, and endless bloodshed, will be borne by me, Hua Yinghong alone!”
"Yes!" Mo Yan knew that even if someone objected, it would be ineffective—within the Free Alliance, no one could challenge Hua Yinghong's absolute authority!
"Another order is drafted: In view of the war situation in Daliang and the needs of resisting the Japanese pirates, the four reserve divisions left behind at Zhenbao Island will be formally established as the Fifth Army Corps, with Zhang Qunfeng as the corps commander; four more reserve army divisions will be recruited to defend Zhenbao Island; in addition, the Second Naval Corps will be established, with Yun Shalang as the corps commander, and the Ordnance Department will place orders with major shipyards for 1,600 warships for the two naval corps." Hua Yinghong smiled bitterly to himself and could only apologize to his inner circle leader, Liu Ju.
Although everyone under the Free Alliance considered it an honor to join the Free Army, manpower was not a problem. However, to alleviate financial pressure, he originally did not intend to expand the army so rapidly. With the newly established Baiyi Legion, the army was expanded by 480,000 men in one go. The navy was particularly expensive; due to the war, prices had risen, and the price of each standard warship had increased from 3,000 gold coins three months ago to 4,500 gold coins. Ordering just 1,600 warships would require 7.2 million gold coins. Adding the catapults, dragon blood bombs, and other weaponry, as well as the equipment for the 48 soldiers, even with installment payments, the Free Alliance's fiscal deficit in December would likely be unbelievably high!
However, Hua Yinghong was not overly worried: given the Free Alliance's current economic development speed and increased production capacity, coupled with the newly passed "Commercial Gold Merchants Ordinance," many overt and covert forces were vying to apply for funding to establish commercial gold merchants. Temporary loans for army expansion were feasible, and as long as the Free Army did not suffer a major defeat with heavy losses, everything would improve in the near future.
Moreover, if all went smoothly, the cargo on Nangong Jun's 1,000 transport ships bound for the Oba Continent would return with substantial profits in two months. Meanwhile, Hua Yinghong was planning to issue "Zhonghua Jinxing" banknotes to circulate within the Free Alliance, and had even calculated the multiplier effect of currency using his financial expertise...

The sudden fall of Jianning City overnight was something no one could have foreseen: the Fang family within Jianning City was originally a powerful clan, with formidable protectors, including dozens of Saint-level experts. Adding to this were the large number of martial arts masters organized by the Wenjian Pavilion, over 60,000 regular Liang troops, and 130,000 temporarily organized civilian militia. It wouldn't have been easy for Matsui Iwane to capture the high walls and wide river of Jianning City with less than 400,000 men.
But what no one could have predicted was that Emperor Kurosawa Hideyoshi of Japan dispatched a division of his most elite cyborg army to reinforce Jianning City, along with 100 members of the Iga Sacred Ninja, the top ninja sect of the Japanese, and 300 ninth-dan Jonin to assist in the battle. The Saint-level and Super-level Ninjas were nearly equal in strength to the Saint-level and Ninth-level experts of Hua Long, and were skilled in sneak attacks, combined strikes, and escape techniques. Given their overwhelming numerical advantage, the outcome of their battle was predictable!
However, the difference in strength alone was not enough to breach the city so quickly. After all, overcoming countless catapults, super-powerful crossbows, bows and arrows, rolling logs and boulders, and the attacks of boiling oil, coupled with experts occupying advantageous positions to attack from above, would have been costly even for the Japanese Saint-level and Super-level Ninjas! The real reason the Japanese army was able to breach the city so easily was the "opening the gates to the thieves" mentioned in Hua Yinghong's earlier declaration!
Jianning City contained over six thousand experts from the Liang Dynasty's Imperial Guards and Eastern Depot, who had previously refused to contribute to the attacks and assassinations by the Japanese ninjas. After the Japanese army's two-day siege failed, the commander of the Imperial Guards and the head of the Eastern Depot suddenly requested to go up the city walls and fight the enemy last night. The military commanders of Daliang and the Fang family leaders all believed these men had shown a change of heart during the Japanese invasion and were overjoyed to have a group of skilled fighters join the defense, so they were not wary.
However, among these 6,000 men, including the commander and chief of the Imperial Guard, over 70% were actually highly skilled Japanese "modified" agents secretly recruited by Gao Zhongxian over the years. While the Japanese army was fiercely attacking the east gate, they suddenly turned against them, killing hundreds of genuine Imperial Guards and Eastern Depot experts who were caught off guard. The east gate quickly fell, and the Japanese army poured in, beginning ten days of heinous crimes that were utterly despicable!
According to the later book *The Jianning Massacre*, on
the night of the ninth day of the twelfth month of the 994th year of the Hualong calendar, the Japanese army launched a large-scale invasion of Jianning. They first surrounded and killed the Daliang soldiers who had not yet retreated, disarmed the few captured soldiers, forced them into hard labor, and then killed them all. Before the massacre, the Japanese army set fire to buildings that had stood for over a decade in areas such as Donghuamen, Fuzimiao, Zhuque Road, Taiping Road, and Xincun, reducing them to rubble. The fire raged for three days.
"(The Japanese army) searched every house, binding all men and taking them to the Yuhuatai execution ground, where they were beheaded with Japanese swords or used as human targets for archery. After the brutal killings, the bodies were thrown into the river..." "
The Japanese army often drove groups of people to Xinjiekou Square, where they set up crossbows and shot them all dead! People whose homes were near ponds or rivers were often pushed into the water and drowned. Those struggling in shallow water were shot dead. Some Japanese soldiers would carry human heads on long spears, laughing in the streets; if there were stray dogs, they would use human heads to lure them, and if the dogs chased after them, they would kill the dogs as well.
" "Seven days after the massacre, the Japanese army held a so-called 'good citizen registration' to lure and kill the Hualong people who were hiding. The playground of Jianning Official School and Xinjiekou Square were often filled with over 30,000 people forced to gather daily." The Japanese soldiers lured those who had previously served as soldiers or were homeless, telling them to step aside so they could be given positions. Those who stepped aside were all dragged away and brutally murdered, an average of 20,000 people killed every day. This massacre continued for six days, exceeding ten days in total.
"During the massacre, the Japanese army, perhaps finding beheading and arrow shooting too commonplace, devised various new and inhumane methods of slaughter. The most vicious of these was 'dog-eating torture,' where the lower half of the victims' bodies were buried in the ground while wolves pounced on their upper bodies, leaving a bloody mess—nothing more horrific in the world.
"There was also 'carp fishing.' One survivor witnessed a Japanese sergeant take a sharp fishing hook from his pocket, forcefully pinch a Chinese man's cheek, open his mouth, hook the hook into his mouth, ensnaring his tongue, and dragging him forward while shouting in broken, indistinct Chinese: 'Carp fishing! Carp fishing!'" "The Japanese soldiers watched as the man's tongue was pulled out several inches long, its agonizing screams a source of great pleasure! Unfortunately, the man died shortly afterward. Several soldiers climbed a large tree, hung the corpse, and laughed wildly, marveling at how a single tongue could support the weight of a person—a truly novel experience.
"There was another form of torture called 'roasted whole pig': a person was placed on an iron bed over a pile of firewood, bound to the bed, and roasted to death, which the Japanese soldiers then ate…
"The crimes committed by the Japanese soldiers against women were even more heinous: In one house, a woman was raped by Japanese soldiers while her husband pleaded for her release; both were killed. In the dead of winter, Japanese soldiers found the naked body of a raped woman on the road; they seized a man and forced him to have sex with her; when he resisted, he was immediately murdered… Tens of thousands of women in Jianning were violated, and countless others, filled with resentment and shame, jumped into the river to commit suicide!"
"The Japanese army selected young and beautiful women, locked them in rooms, and had them raped by soldiers in a line. Then they were locked in underground caves and sealed off to suffocate to death! Witnesses found a group of young female corpses, naked, tied together with ropes, all of them with swollen and bleeding genitals! There were also a group of pregnant women who were raped by the Japanese army, and then their abdomens were cut open, and the fetuses were taken out and steamed and eaten!"
"The captured Liang soldiers and members of the Fang clan suffered even more gruesome deaths. The Japanese army bound their hands and feet tightly, laid them on the ground, and had their warhorses gallop over them, trampling them into pieces of flesh, indistinguishable from one another! Some were torn apart by five horses, and then fed to dogs.
The city's food and daily necessities were looted; jars of soy sauce and wells were stuffed with human heads, legs, and even internal organs and hearts; oil bottles and wine jars were filled with excrement. The roads were all red, and waterways were blocked! The entire city reeked of a foul stench, enough to make one faint!"
"According to incomplete statistics, 190,000 people were collectively shot and killed by the Japanese army in Jianning City. Around 150,000 bodies from scattered massacres have been recovered and buried, bringing the total number of victims to over 300,000. Another investigation report states that the Japanese invaders massacred a total of 400,000 people in Jianning! Of these, young adults comprised six-tenths, approximately 200,000; the elderly, weak, and children numbered around 100,000; and 100,000 women were killed. Furthermore, according to civilian complaints and registrations, over 300,000 bodies have been found, providing evidence. If bodies that could not be found are included, the number exceeds 430,000… This is truly a horrific massacre! Indeed: the atrocities committed by the Japanese invaders are beyond description; I hesitate to write, my hair stands on end!
Matsui Iwane, the commander of the First Army Group of the Japanese army and the mastermind behind the Jianning massacre, claimed that he was ill at the time and unaware of the Japanese army's atrocities, failing to stop them in time. How can such sophistry silence the public?" "The Son of Freedom, leading a large army eastward across to the Japanese invaders..."
During the Jianning Massacre, fortunately, preparations were made in advance. Based on Hua Yinghong's assessment of the situation in Daliang, the assets of the Nangong family and Peach Blossom Palace, as well as some prominent local figures, were arranged for relocation. Even some women and children of the Fang family were spared under the guise of sightseeing. However, some intelligence personnel from the Peach Blossom Palace, the Nangong family, and the Military Intelligence Department stationed in Jianning City were not spared, dying in battle. Some highly skilled martial artists and adept at concealment survived, becoming powerful witnesses to the Jianning Massacre...

Volume 8, Chapter 157: Anxious and
Distressed Upon hearing of the fall of Jianning City and the massacre of the Fang family by the Japanese invaders, the usually resolute captain of the guards, Fang Shiling, broke down in tears!
"Shiling, don't be too sad," Hua Yinghong comforted her gently. "The Japanese are the common enemy of the Chinese people; blood debts must be repaid in blood. I promise you, no matter where Matsui Iwane flees to, I will make sure you have the opportunity to avenge him personally." “
Thank you, Marshal,” Fang Shiling resolutely stopped crying and said, “Please forgive me for concealing my identity for so long!”
“The Fang family of Jianning is a prestigious and virtuous clan, worthy of our admiration.” Hua Yinghong sighed lightly, unsurprised, “Actually, the first time I heard your name, I knew you weren’t from an ordinary family. Your true background is that you are a concubine’s son of the Fang family. The military intelligence department has already investigated this clearly. You just didn’t like studying in the Fang family back then, so you only liked martial arts. As a result, you accidentally killed a local bully who oppressed the people and had some connections. You were forced to flee by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. What’s the big deal? If they didn’t trust you, do you think Mo Yan and the others would have felt comfortable letting you be the captain of the guards?”
“Thank you, Marshal, for your magnanimity!” Fang Shiling said gratefully.
“The military intelligence department has already rescued several women and children from the Fang family. They have now been sent to Zhenbao Island for resettlement and are under strict protection. ” Hua Yinghong continued, "I heard you're getting along well with a beautiful Fire Phoenix Guard from the Alliance Leader's Mansion. Would you like me to act as matchmaker and offer a toast? You can thank me for that too." "
Marshal's boundless kindness is etched in my heart; even if I were to be shattered to pieces, I could never repay even a fraction of it!" Fang Shiling, a man of upright character, was once again moved to tears! If Hua Yinghong had ordered him to die at this moment, he probably wouldn't have even flinched.
"There's no need for such a heroic sacrifice. Shiling, please put in the effort to deploy the Freedom Iron Guards and ensure the success of my top-secret Plan No. 2. That would be the best way to repay you." This is not only about whether we can avenge the blood debt owed to the Japanese as soon as possible, but also about whether the hundreds of millions of people on the Hualong Continent can escape their suffering as soon as possible..."
Although Hua Yinghong was gently comforting Fang Shiling, his tiger-like eyes were also filled with tears as he gazed in the direction of Jianning Prefecture of the Great Liang Kingdom, where countless Hualong people were groaning under the Japanese's butcher's knife...

Shunchang City, the central prefecture of Great Liang.
Almost exactly like Jianning City, with the support of a legion of the Japanese navy and one hundred holy ninjas and three hundred ninth-dan jonins from the second largest ninja sect in Japan—Koga—sent by Emperor Kurosawa Hideyoshi, Takeda Shingen's second army launched another attack on the evening of the ninth day. The relentless attacks yielded vastly different results here.
Driven by an instinctive distrust of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot, the Shangguan family's intelligence network had long been aware of subtle clues about their collusion with the Japanese. Coupled with Gao Zhongxian's attempt to assassinate Minister of War Yu Chenglong in the capital, the Shangguan family, while defending the city, not only maintained strict external defenses but also intensified their surveillance of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Eastern Depot's experts.
On the night of the ninth, the Japanese army launched another major night attack on the east gate of Shunchang City and the nearby city walls. Within Shunchang City, among the nearly ten thousand Embroidered Uniform Guard and Eastern Depot experts, more than seven thousand were actually high- ranking officers. The cyborg agents of the Loyal and Virtuous lineage within the Japanese army were denied permission to scale the city walls. Forced into a desperate situation, the Imperial Guards and the Eastern Depot, acting as agents for the Japanese, hastily launched a fierce attack from the inside to seize the east gate of Shunchang.
However, the Shangguan family and various martial arts factions within the city's "Wenjian Pavilion" organization, having prepared in advance, had ambushed a large number of experts, elite soldiers, and powerful crossbows near the east gate. The Imperial Guards and the Eastern Depot, acting as agents for the Japanese, were instead surrounded and annihilated; almost none escaped!
Outside the city, after a night of relentless attack by Takeda Shingen, Koga Seishin suffered 20 dead and 33 wounded, while Kyudan Jonin suffered 78 dead and 150 wounded. Despite suffering over 90,000 casualties, the army still failed to breach the walls of Shunchang.
The formidable strength displayed by the Shangguan family in the face of crisis greatly boosted the morale of the soldiers and civilians within Shunchang! Although the newly formed Shunchang Legion suffered nearly 60,000 casualties in the defense, within the city of over one million people, martial arts masters from various factions, ordinary citizens, refugees, and able-bodied men flocked to join the defense. The Shangguan family reorganized and trained them, and in addition to replenishing their losses, they were able to form four reserve divisions. The standoff between over 500,000 Japanese troops outside the city, over 300,000 Liang troops under the Shangguan family's command inside the city, and a million civilians brought the battle for Shunchang to a stalemate.
"This time, we owe a great deal to the intelligence from the Free Alliance." "In the Shangguan family's back garden, Shangguan Jin Hong, the former head of the Shangguan family, father of Shangguan Yunfei, known as the 'Deadly Golden Ring,' with his white hair and youthful face, and refined, almost otherworldly air, sighed. Back
then, Shangguan Jin Hong, along with Qiu Wanli (head of the Qiu family), Ding Chunqiu (head of the Ding family), Long Xingtian (head of the Long family), and Li Jing (head of the Li family), were known as the 'Five Great
Families Heads,' and were among the most prominent figures of their time, contemporaries of Liu Suifeng. Last night, forced by the fierce onslaught of the Japanese army, Shangguan Jin Hong personally took action, using his renowned 'Deadly Golden Ring' to take the lives of ten Japanese ninja. Only with the intervention of numerous family elders and experts was the situation stabilized.
The Japanese martial arts, stolen from Hua Long's martial arts, took a unique and unorthodox approach..." Although it deviated from the righteous path, it was unpredictable and incredibly powerful. The Shangguan family's hidden Saint-level experts, accumulated over many years, were mostly forced out by the Japanese army. Last night, ten died and six were wounded, and dozens of the family's ninth-level protectors also perished or were injured. This was a major loss the Shangguan family had never suffered in many years!
If the Free Alliance's intelligence department hadn't informed the Shangguan family of the unusual activities of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot in advance, Shunchang City would likely have fallen like Jianning City due to the Japanese's collusion with internal forces, suffering a brutal massacre—the news of the Japanese army's massacre in Jianning City moved even the unfathomably powerful Shangguan Jin Hong, who had weathered decades of trials and tribulations.
"Father, don't worry. Brother Yunfei has led the Central Army to land at the border of Baise and Shunchang Prefectures and is rapidly returning to reinforce them. The revenge against the Japanese will be achieved soon," Shangguan Jin Hong's second son, Shangguan Yun Qing, comforted him.
"Yun Qing, you are unaware of this." "Although we won last night, it was because the truly top-tier experts among the Japanese had not yet arrived." Shangguan Jin Hong gazed at the gray sky to the east and slowly said, "That person is already on his way..."
"Who is that person?" Shangguan Yun Qing had never seen her father with such a solemn expression.
Shangguan Jin Hong had traversed a vast and unparalleled life, and his cultivation had already reached the realm of the celestial beings. Even if he couldn't compare to the "Three Gods," the difference was probably extremely limited. Who in Japan could make him so wary?
"Ten years ago, he landed in Wuyi County, alone with his sword, traversing Wuyi County, crossing the Lishui River, passing through Beiyuan County, defeating nine families and eighteen top masters in succession, crossing Baoding County, and heading straight for Zhongdu. In the battle with Sword God Lang Qingyun at Dongting Lake, the world changed color, the river island sank, and he retreated unscathed, roaring to the sky
, 'We'll meet again in ten years!'" Shangguan Jin Hong did not say the man's name, but slowly recounted his deeds, his eyes showing a mixture of admiration and fervor! Whoever it was, worthy of Sword God Lang Qingyun's personal battle was a great honor; to be able to share the spotlight with Sword God Lang Qingyun was an even greater honor! Because Sword God Lang Qingyun was an undefeated legend in the Hualong martial arts world—even though Shangguan Jin Hong was much older than Sword God Lang Qingyun, belonging to the previous generation of prominent figures, he still had to admit defeat!
"It was him! The number one martial arts master in Japan—Yagyu Seiun!" Shangguan Yunqing naturally knew about such a sensational event ten years ago.
"It is him!" Shangguan Jin Hong said calmly, "Send a message to Yun Fei: I will fight Liu Sheng Jingyun. If I win, all is well. If I lose, the Central Army will enter the city and hold out for reinforcements. Do not attack!"

Shouning Prefecture, Central County.
"Lingbo Fairy" Shui Xinyue, dressed in white and riding a white horse, galloped tirelessly along the official road.
For many days, she had been traveling throughout the Great Liang Kingdom, trying her best to organize martial arts masters to assist the Great Liang army in resisting the Japanese pirates, but she still failed to avert the immense disaster that had befallen millions of people in the Great Liang Kingdom. The Japanese pirates' ferocity and atrocities were outrageous, causing even Shui Xinyue's usually calm and composed Dao heart to crack slightly.
The direct forces, affiliated forces, and friendly sects of the Wenjian Pavilion within the Great Liang Kingdom strongly supported the resistance against the Japanese pirates, but because Shui Xinyue had not received her master's orders, she could not easily issue the "Wenjian Order," and only scattered righteous armies could be organized in various places to resist the pirates. With the cooperation of Japanese ninjas and the Japanese army, coupled with the betrayal of Jinyiwei and Dongchang experts familiar with the situation, most of the rebel forces were defeated piecemeal, and the entire Wuyi County, Fuqing Prefecture, fell completely under the control of the Japanese army!
Wang Jingwei, a local slave trader in Fuqing Prefecture who had secretly colluded with Japan for many years, along with some scoundrels and traitors from the Hualong Continent, organized a group of local ruffians to form a puppet Fuqing Army, known as the "Imperial Collaboration Army." This army began acting as accomplices to the Japanese army, suppressing local resistance.
After occupying the entire territory of Fuqing Prefecture, the Japanese army was able to free up resources to send a legion westward to attack the neighboring Fu'an Prefecture. Meanwhile, a Japanese naval army of 480,000 men advanced eastward from Jianning Prefecture by land and sea, and the desperate resistance of the local garrison and civilians along the way was futile. Within three days, the Japanese army, attacking from both the east and west, advanced over 300 li (approximately 150 kilometers) in two waves, sweeping through towns and cities along the way and easily capturing the already largely defenseless city of Fu'an. They then turned north to attack Yong'an Prefecture in northern Wuyi County—Yong'an Prefecture's western neighbor was Nanping Prefecture, the capital of the Great Liang Dynasty!
Yu Sihai's Imperial Guard was attacked from both sides, barely managing to establish a foothold in Yong'an Prefecture while escorting large numbers of fleeing civilians. The Great Liang Wuyi Army was also forced to retreat, pursued relentlessly by the Japanese army, suffering losses exceeding 80,000 men. They finally stopped at the Yongding Prefecture line, where, with the support of a self-organized militia, they hastily regrouped and prepared for battle!
Emperor Kurosawa Hideyoshi of Japan personally led his personal army from Jianning Prefecture straight to Shouning Prefecture in the north, marching almost at the gates of Shouning City. The Hong family of Shouning Prefecture, closely related to the Shangguan family by marriage, consolidated their forces, gathering in Shouning City and two nearby garrison cities, displaying the banner of the Shouning Army, forming an army of 200,000 and a reserve force of 120,000. Kurosawa Hideyoshi, who originally intended to forcefully attack Shouning City, received urgent reports from Matsui Iwane and Takeda Shingen requesting reinforcements, and dispatched a large number of skilled warriors to their aid, thus temporarily halting his advance before Shouning City.
After the first wave of attacks, the Japanese army captured Fuqing and Fu'an Prefectures of Wuyi County in Daliang, half of Yongding and Yong'an Prefectures, Jianning Prefecture of Zhongyang County, the eastern half of Shunchang Prefecture, and the southern half of Shouning Prefecture. The occupied territory spanned approximately 1,700 li from east to west and 800 li from north to south. More than ten million Hualong civilians, unable to evacuate in time, fell under the iron hooves and swords of the Japanese army!
King Zhu Wen of Liang had become a complete puppet of the Grand Eunuch Gao Zhongxian, remaining indifferent to the loss of troops and territory, and the fall of the country. He neither ordered the powerful Nanping Prefecture, where the capital was located, nor Shouning Prefecture to the south to expand its army and prepare for war, nor did he order the Liang army to assemble to fight the Japanese pirates. Dozens of loyal ministers in the court risked their lives to remonstrate, even following the example of Yu Chenglong by striking the gongs and drums, but all were executed by the Grand Eunuch Gao Zhongxian through Zhu Wen's words! The
Beiyuan Army and its reserve army of 400,000 men on the north bank of the Lishui River repeatedly petitioned to cross the river and reinforce the war against the Japanese pirates, but were strictly forbidden by imperial decree to move without authorization, under penalty of treason. The demise of the Zhu dynasty was only a matter of time!
"Woo—" Even the finest warhorse, chosen from among thousands, couldn't withstand the relentless gallop of hundreds of miles. Its forelegs buckled, it collapsed to its knees, foaming at the mouth, and fell motionless…
The peerless beauty of "Lingbo Fairy" Shui Xinyue rose into the air, flying at several times the speed of a galloping horse towards Shunchang City, over two hundred miles away!
The massacre in Jianning City was too late to stop; Shunchang City must not become a second Jianning City—an urgent report arrived from the Wenjian Pavilion intelligence system: Emperor Kurosawa Hideyoshi of Japan was enraged by Takeda Shingen's two defeats at Shunchang City and had personally led 80,000 of Japan's most elite royal cavalry and a large number of Iga-monument ninja masters to Shunchang City!
Given the vast hidden power of the Shangguan family, there was originally no need to worry about Shunchang City being in danger in the short term. However, "Lingbo Fairy" Shui Xinyue was rushing so urgently because she had heard that someone was accompanying the Emperor—Yagyu Shizuku!
Ten years ago, the Japanese martial arts master, Yagyu Jingyun, fought almost to a draw with the Sword God Lang Qingyun!
If Shangguan Jin Hong, the "Deadly Golden Ring," were to be defeated and killed by Yagyu Jingyun, the morale of the soldiers and civilians of Shunchang City would surely plummet, and the fall of the city might lead to another horrific massacre—how could Shui Xinyue, the "Lingbo Fairy," who cared deeply for the safety of millions of Hualong citizens, not be filled with anxiety?

Volume 8, Chapter 158, Peak Battle:
The gray sky grew even darker; it was only late afternoon, yet it seemed as if night was approaching. A cold wind surged, and dark clouds churned in the sky, showing signs of impending thunder, lightning, and torrential rain in the depths of winter.
On the open fields outside the east gate of Shunchang City, the various flags of the Japanese army fluttered in the wind; pigs, dogs, cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks… almost every animal and plant that could be seen or imagined became one of the symbols of the Japanese army's flags.
It is said that when the ancestors of the Japanese were naming their children, due to a lack of cultural refinement, they simply named them after whatever they saw, adding sequential numbers to create names. Thus, names like Pighead Taro, Tojo Hideki, Akimoto Isoroku, Dog Masao Roku, Koizumi Ichiro… and so on are countless. There are also names like Matsushita Yukiyuki, Yamaguchi Nogai, and Yamaza Yuri; judging by these names, they are undoubtedly products of the Japanese's indiscriminate promiscuity. As for names like Takeda Shingen, commander of the Second Army Group and a general, these are unique symbols of status for Japanese nobles after absorbing the civilization of the Hualong Continent.
Outside the east gate of Shunchang City, Takeda Shingen gathered two legions of 320,000 troops, arranging them in several crane-wing formations: each unit consisted of 10,000-strong units, with the commander positioned in the rear of the formation, heavily guarded, his left and right wings spread like a crane's wings, opening and closing freely. This formation can be used to flank the enemy's flanks or to launch a pincer attack on enemies who break into the center of the formation. It is a well-rounded formation created by Takeda Shingen after studying the Hualong battle formation.
"Surround them if they are ten times stronger, attack them if they are twice as strong." Takeda Shingen paid close attention to Hua Yinghong, the "Son of Freedom" who was rising to fame on the Hualong Continent, and highly praised the "Hua Zi Art of War". The fact that the Shangguan family in Shunchang City was able to quickly raise an army of more than 200,000 was something that the Liang Dynasty's Embroidered Uniform Guard and Eastern Depot, who were acting as inside agents, had not anticipated.
In name, Zhu Wen, the King of Liang, ruled the entire Liang Kingdom, but the Zhu family's real power was concentrated in the eastern regions of Wuyi County, Beiyuan County, and Nanping Prefecture, Jianning Prefecture, and Shouning Prefecture in the Central County. These regions, especially the Central County and Beiyuan County, were densely populated, economically developed, and rich in resources. The area and population of one prefecture were often equivalent to several prefectures in other places. This was the foundation on which the Zhu family maintained their rule. The remaining areas on both sides of the Yulong River, including Donghai County, Yunyuan County, and Nanhai County, were mainly occupied by the Long family, while the western regions of Shunchang Prefecture and Shouning Prefecture were the deeply rooted spheres of influence of the Shangguan family.
While the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot monitored the entire Great Liang Kingdom, they might not be able to deeply infiltrate the core secrets of the major aristocratic families. In industries and sectors requiring large numbers of personnel, and even in some underworld gangs, powerful families directly or indirectly controlled large numbers of people, secretly training them in martial arts techniques so they could be deployed in battle with minimal training—
as the saying goes, "A large forest has all kinds of birds." The vast and populous Hua Long Continent held immense potential that the tiny island nation of the Japanese archipelago could not easily underestimate!
Takeda Shingen knew that if he couldn't capture Shunchang City in one fell swoop, the losses for the Japanese army to suffer in a prolonged battle, especially if such a central city with a population exceeding one million was fully mobilized, would be unpredictable! Not to mention that other areas of Shunchang Prefecture had already seen spontaneous armed resistance against the foreign invasion… Victory is paramount in war, not prolonged conflict. Takeda Shingen had truly studied the *Hua Zi Art of War* diligently!
Therefore, Takeda Shingen specifically reported to Emperor Kurosawa Hideyoshi, requesting reinforcements from the Emperor's most elite troops—the Royal Cavalry Division and a large number of Iga-mon ninjas—and even the top martial artist of the Japanese nation—Yagyu Seiun!
Last night, Shangguan Jin Hong's seemingly endless, overwhelming "Deadly Golden Rings" unleashed terrifying power: ten Saint-level ninjas, forty ninth-dan Jonin, and hundreds of elite Japanese soldiers died one after another under the flying golden true energy rings.
If it were just Shangguan Jin Hong alone, he could be killed by several Saint-level ninjas surrounding him. However, the Shangguan family had a large number of experts assisting Shangguan Jin Hong in battle, giving him time to recover after using forbidden techniques—in last night's battle, wherever Shangguan Jin Hong's "Deadly Golden Rings" went, the Japanese army screamed in terror, and no one could stop them!
Such a top expert of the Hua Long Continent is not someone that can be resisted simply by numbers, except for the martial arts god in the hearts of the Japanese—Yagyu Seiun!
As long as Yagyu Shizukumo kills Shangguan Jin Hong, or even if he doesn't need to kill him, but only defeats or incapacitates him, the Japanese army can take Shunchang City in one fell swoop!
At this moment, Yagyu Shizukumo stands on an open field about a hundred feet away from the moat of Shunchang City. The Japanese Emperor Kurosawa Hideyoshi and Takeda Shingen, who are closest to him, are still more than a hundred feet away, maintaining a relatively safe distance.
In the vast and boundless天地 (heaven and earth), among the hundreds of thousands of troops on and outside the city walls and among the millions of eyes, there is only one lonely and proud figure...
Yagyu Shizukumo is tall, unlike the short Japanese soldiers who are generally half a head shorter than the Hualong people. A uniquely styled black-scabbarded longsword hangs at his waist, and his sharp eyes are fixed on the direction of Shunchang City, flashing with an eerie light. Even the soldiers guarding the city walls more than a hundred feet away seem to be able to sense an eerie hypnotic power in those eyes!
Shangguan Jin Hong flashed across the seven-zhang-high city wall, disappearing into the void like a golden light, reappearing five zhang away from Liu Sheng Jingyun, hands clasped behind his back! Liu Sheng Jingyun's face was slightly dark, with thick eyebrows and a hooked nose, but due to the occasional lingering eerie aura, his features were not entirely clear.
"Shangguan Jin Hong, the Deadly Golden Ring?" Liu Sheng Jingyun spoke excellent Hualong language, his voice carrying an eerie allure: "Worth a fight!"
"The Japanese Martial God, Liu Sheng Jingyun?" A sharp glint flashed in Shangguan Jin Hong's eyes: "Indeed, so be it!"
"Where is the ring?" Liu Sheng Jingyun asked.
"I am the ring, and the ring is me," Shangguan Jin Hong replied.
"This sword is named Muramasa!" Liu Sheng Jingyun slowly drew his five-foot-long Japanese sword from his waist. The blade gleamed like an autumn lake, a chilling, emerald green, but his eyes suddenly turned blood-red—
in the instant their eyes met, the churning clouds in the sky seemed to freeze, the celestial phenomena abruptly changed!

Sixty miles northeast of Shunchang City, the swift and agile "Lingbo Fairy" Shui Xinyue saw the rolling dark clouds above Shunchang City suddenly stop. Her heart grew even more anxious, and she let out a clear shout, pushing her Ruyi True Qi to its limit, making her movements even faster than a shooting star!
On the official road and in the fields, countless refugees from various prefectures of the Central Prefecture, hastily fleeing westward to escape the Japanese army, only felt a fragrant breeze and a flash of white light, but couldn't even see a single person!

The Japanese nation possesses two most famous weapons, which they also call divine weapons.
One is the Amaterasu Sword, representing the status and power of the Japanese emperor, currently worn by Kurosawa Hideyoshi. Legend has it that it is a divine weapon left behind by Amaterasu, possessing immense power, but given the Japanese emperor's status, there is no need for him to personally engage in combat; the Amaterasu Sword has not been drawn for at least a century.
The other is the Muramasa Demon Sword!
According to Japanese legend, the Muramasa Demon Sword was forged on an unlucky day, month, and year. The swordsmith used the brains of 9,999 infants as a catalyst, allowing the blade to absorb the most yin, cold, dark, and resentful energy of heaven and earth. After its forging, it was difficult for ordinary people to wield; anyone who touched it would experience hallucinations, drastic personality changes, and a bloodthirsty nature. The blade was also said to be imbued with countless vengeful spirits that lingered and did not disperse. After its forging, it mysteriously vanished into thin air!
Every time this demon sword appeared, it brought bloodshed. Each time it appeared, the wielder's eyes were bloodshot, his body covered in blood, and the world was filled with a dark and terrifying aura of death
. The wielder's strength increased several times over, and countless people died by its blade! More than fifty years ago, the Muramasa Demon Sword was subdued by Ito Muramasa, the head of the Ito family, and became invincible in Japan. While the Tang Empire was engaged in a major battle with the allied forces of the Oba and Meisi continents, the Japanese launched an invasion of Hualong. Ito Muramasa, wielding this sword, killed tens of thousands of Hualong's experts before finally being killed by the Heavenly Elder, the master of the Sword God Lang Qingyun. The demonic sword disappeared amidst the chaos of battle. Who would have thought it would reappear today, and fall into the hands of Yagyu Shizuku, the number one expert in Japan!
Ten years ago, Yagyu Shizuku was almost on par with the Sword God Lang Qingyun. Now, with the Muramasa demonic sword, the number one deadly weapon in Japan, in his hands, how will "Deadly Golden Ring" Shangguan Jin Hong face it?
"Boom! Boom!..." The dark clouds in the sky were strangely silent, constantly gathering, yet bursts of dark thunder continued to rumble. Within a radius of seventy or eighty feet where Yagyu Shizuku and Shangguan Jin Hong stood, it was pitch black. Only Shangguan Jin Hong stood proudly, his entire body shrouded in a golden true qi shield that resembled a sphere and was about ten feet in diameter.
"Twenty years ago, I mastered the sword, my Nine Blades of Wind Slash reigned supreme over the islands of Japan, unmatched by any opponent." Yagyu Shizuku's figure vanished into the darkness, only his eyes, now even more intensely bloodshot and gleaming with a chilling red light, were visible. The overwhelming deathly aura shrouded all sound.
Within their dueling arena, there would be no external interference. Unless one's strength was close to or even surpassed theirs, any third party entering this area would be obliterated by the true energy and deathly aura!
"Fifty years ago, I still possessed nine pairs of deadly golden rings on my arms," Shangguan Jin Hong said calmly. "I fought across the entire Liang prefecture without a single defeat."
The golden true energy shield surrounding Shangguan Jin Hong shrank to less than half a zhang. The Saint-level experts on both sides focused their gazes, yet countless fine golden lines could be faintly seen piercing through the dark clouds, constantly gathering the essence of heaven and earth towards him, resisting the immense pressure exerted by Yagyu Shizuku.
Hundreds of thousands of spectators held their breath in silence. To witness the pinnacle battle of unparalleled masters was undoubtedly the greatest dream of every martial artist! If one has never witnessed the pinnacle of martial arts, how can one ever reach the summit?
The decisive battle has begun amidst a seemingly mundane exchange! In every question and answer, the slightest flaw in either side will trigger a devastating attack!
Battles between masters can sometimes rage for days and nights without a clear victor, because their strengths are evenly matched, leaving no opening for exploitation; other times, however, the outcome hinges on a single move, a single defeat that proves irreversible!
"Ten years ago, I finally mastered the Three Blades of Wind Slash!" Liu Sheng Jingyun sighed softly, "In my battle against the Sword God Lang Qingyun, I was actually slightly outmatched. His Misty Rain Sword technique consisted of only one move from beginning to end. Although I was slightly at a disadvantage, he couldn't injure me."
Black clouds began to gather and condense, countless strange sounds—like the cries of infants, the howls of demons, the laughter of children, the moans of harlots—filling an area of several dozen feet, yet firmly sealed by the powerful death aura, not leaking out at all, only constantly impacting and influencing Shangguan Jin Hong's sanity!
"Ten years ago, I had only a pair of golden rings left on my arms. I fought the Sword God Guan Shanyue and lost by half a move," Shangguan Jin Hong said. "I know he held back, and I never had another chance to fight him."
Shangguan Jin Hong's golden shield shrank to less than three feet, while the golden threads piercing through the dark clouds merged into twelve golden snakes as thick as a child's arm. The inexhaustible flow of heaven and earth energy made the shield as solid as an unbreakable substance!
Admitting defeat to the Sword God Guan Shanyue is not a shameful thing.
Defeat is defeat. Those who do not have the courage to admit defeat and face it squarely can never become peerless powerhouses!
"Now I only have the Wind-Slaying Blade left!" The dark clouds suddenly seemed to be rapidly sucked into the Muramasa Demon Blade like a tornado. Yagyu Shizuku's tone suddenly quickened, his whole body turned as black as ink, his hands gripped the sword, and his eyes shot out two feet of crimson light, as if about to drip blood!
"Now I have no ring on my arm, and no moves in my heart!" Shangguan Jin Hong's golden true energy shield and golden snake suddenly dimmed, his fighting spirit surging!
"Today, watch my Wind-Slaying Blade defeat Wuzhao!" Liu Sheng Jingyun roared, his figure flashing and disappearing into the void. When he reappeared, he was already ten feet in front of Shangguan Jin Hong, his demonic blade slashing down!
This strike seemed ordinary, but only those of sufficient level and realm would know: the previous words and this strike were perfectly coordinated, leaving Shangguan Jin Hong with nowhere to retreat or dodge. It was truly a "killing strike," exhausting the essence of martial arts and the wisdom of combat, directly glimpsing the limits of martial arts in this world!
This strike caused dark clouds to gather again in the sky, a cold wind to howl, and the world to be filled with endless deathly aura!
"Watch me defeat all moves with no moves!" Shangguan Jin Hong shouted softly, his hands forming fists, two golden rings, no bigger than fists, flashing at the tips of his fists. With lightning speed, they struck the side of the demon blade—
"Clang!" A very faint sound of metal clashing against metal rang out. Both peerless masters had mastered the control of their true energy, and upon contact, they knew they were evenly matched. They stopped short of defeating each other, each flying back two zhang. This exchange was evenly matched!
Therefore, this move did not cause the earth to shatter and sand to fly like a typical Saint-level master's attack!
"Such powerful Twelvefold Vajra Prajna Skill!" Liu Shengjingyun clearly had a deep understanding of Hualong martial arts. "Unfortunately, you are destined to lose today!"
"What a formidable Muramasa Demon Blade!" Shangguan Jin Hong exclaimed. "Relying on the advantage of a weapon is not the true path of martial arts. You have no hope of reaching the Gate of Heaven in this lifetime."
The previous move had reassured Shangguan Jin Hong: Perhaps Liu Shengjingyun relied too heavily on the Muramasa Demon Blade, and his own skill was slightly inferior to Shangguan Jin Hong's. However, the death aura and resentment of the Muramasa Demon Blade were too powerful. Even with the Vajra Prajna Skill, a secret technique passed down among Buddhist lay disciples, Shangguan Jin Hong had to be distracted to deal with it. The difference in their strength was merely a matter of degree. But in today's decisive battle, if Liu Shengjingyun's skills were limited to this, and the fight dragged on, Shangguan Jin Hong would be in a position of certain victory!
"Though I harbor a blade in my heart, I only seek battle, regardless of victory or defeat! Though you have no moves in your heart, your heart is concerned for the millions of lives in Shunchang City. Since you harbor thoughts of victory and defeat, and cannot afford to lose, then defeat is inevitable!" Liu Sheng Jingyun roared, his figure shooting more than ten zhang into the air, man and blade becoming one, still delivering the simplest and most powerful wind-slicing slash!

Volume 8, Chapter 159: What is a Sword God?
The cries of countless wronged souls echoed once again within the black clouds! This time, however, it was driven by Liu Sheng Jingyun's incomparably powerful divine sense, the eerie sound directly attacking Shangguan Jin Hong's divine sense!
Such a direct attack with divine sense had transcended the realm of pure "martial arts."
"Boom!—" Shangguan Jin Hong's mind trembled, his resolute divine sense suddenly torn open by Liu Sheng Jingyun's attack combining words and mental power, creating a tiny crack! Instantly, what was originally a simple slash transformed into nine slashes, eighty-one slashes, seven hundred and twenty-nine slashes in his eyes…
“Endless Flying Rings!” Shangguan Jin Hong knew he had lost the initiative, so countless highly condensed true qi transformed into countless small golden rings, meeting the endless sword shadows unleashed by the Muramasa Demon Blade—no moves had become moves!
This battle was a pinnacle duel between the Japanese Martial God and a top expert from the Hualong Continent, and its significance was far more than just a simple battle…

Penglai Immortal Island, the summit of Dan Cliff.
“Han Yan, I didn’t expect Yagyu Shizuku to land with the Muramasa Demon Blade. I’m afraid Shangguan Jin Hong will be in danger in this battle.” Sword God Lang Qingyun lovingly stroked the smooth, jade-like face of “Ethereal Fairy” Ling Han Yan, and said softly with some heartache, “You’ve worked hard again!”
“Xin Yue probably won’t go and fight Yagyu Shizuku head-on, right?” Ling Han Yan looked somewhat haggard.
Because the intelligence system of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion continuously transmitted news of the large-scale landing of the Japanese army in the central prefecture of Daliang using the special carrier pigeon "Ten Thousand Mile Spirit," which is even better than "Thousand Mile Shadow," the two masters once again joined forces to remotely sense the anomalies in Shunchang Prefecture of the central prefecture with their powerful divine sense.
Lang Qingyun was very familiar with Liu Shengjingyun, with whom he had fought before, but had never fought Shangguan Jin Hong, though he could infer it from the battle between Shangguan Jin Hong and Guan Shanyue. Ling Hanyan was worried that her beloved disciple Shui Xinyue would face off against Liu Shengjingyun if she went to the Daliang Kingdom to take charge of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion's resistance against the Japanese. With Shui Xinyue's current cultivation level, she was more than capable of dealing with ordinary Saint-level masters, but she was still somewhat lacking in ability against the number one Japanese master who could once rival Lang Qingyun.
“I have given Xinyue a protective talisman. With Xinyue’s exceptional intelligence, she shouldn’t suffer any losses,” Lang Qingyun said. “But you are pregnant, so be careful in everything you do.”
“Why didn’t you show me such tenderness before you used your power just now?” Ling Hanyan said coquettishly. “The Great Liang Kingdom is in chaos, and millions of people are enslaved. Do you really not want to make a comeback?”
In front of the man she loves, even the most beautiful woman in the Hua Long Continent, who wields the strongest power, has moments when she acts like a little girl.
"Brother Hua's achievements in forming the Freedom Alliance far exceeded my expectations. In today's world, no one but him can save the Hua Long Continent from peril. Even if I were to return, I could never do better than him," Lang Qingyun said. "The Hua Long Continent is facing a great calamity, just as the Free Army raises its banner like a phoenix rising from the ashes. Without the tempering of blood and fire, the Hua Long Continent will not be reborn. Isn't your reluctance to issue the Sword Inquiry Order also due to the same consideration?"
Ling Hanyan frowned slightly, closed her eyes to enjoy Lang Qingyun's gentle caress, and sighed softly. "The Freedom Alliance has risen suddenly and has great potential, but its foundation is still shallow, and it is still confined to a corner, surrounded by powerful enemies. Among the major forces, the most powerful are still the Later Tang Empire and the inactive New Song Kingdom. The situation is unpredictable, so I naturally dare not issue the Sword Inquiry Order lightly. If I make the wrong choice, it will get out of control, and I may become a sinner of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion. Qingyun, Hanyan has never been so troubled before!"
"Perhaps you should simply give the choice to Xinyue and let her decide," Lang Qingyun said. "Xinyue has been traveling all over the Hualong Continent for over a year and is more familiar with the latest situation. However, I must remind you: if the Sword Inquiry Order chooses a side other than the Free Alliance, I worry that we won't be able to control the situation. Given Brother Hua's character, I'm afraid he won't submit to the Sword Inquiry Order."
"Hmph! You're just bragging about your disciple, Brother Jie, again. Don't be fooled by the Free Army's current prestige. If the surrounding major powers were to disregard everything and mobilize all their Saint-level and above experts, I doubt any Free Alliance could withstand them. The Free Alliance's foundation is too shallow, and it has no chance of contending with the immense power accumulated by my Sword Inquiry Pavilion," Ling Hanyan said, seemingly serious but actually feigning. "If we have more than twenty years to accumulate power, perhaps the Free Alliance has the strength to contend for supremacy, but surpassing the Sword Inquiry Pavilion is impossible."
"Hanyan, nothing is impossible in this world!" Lang Qingyun chuckled. "Now that you know Brother Hua is the first person to come from another world in over two thousand years, can you still not see through the mysteries of fate? Three months ago, if I had foreseen Brother Hua's current situation, I probably wouldn't have dared to even think about it. What would have happened in a few more months? No one can predict. Perhaps the Sword-Asking Token will ultimately have a significant effect. Recent news suggests that the hidden power of various countries, families, and forces is probably beyond your imagination, isn't it?"
"That is indeed somewhat beyond my expectations," Ling Hanyan said thoughtfully. "Perhaps I really should consider relinquishing this burden..."

Outside the east gate of Shunchang City.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!..." Dark, deathly clouds once again enveloped the area within several dozen feet of the center of the battle between Yagyu Jingyun and Shangguan Jin Hong. There was no lightning in the sky, only rumbling thunder. In the midst of the fierce battle, the uncontrollable leakage of power from the two top masters caused immense destruction—
golden rings were swept away by Muramasa's simple "Wind-Slicing Blade," each ring imbued with a trace of black deathly energy. Wherever they landed, they exploded into several feet of crimson soil—this soil, already soaked with the blood of countless Japanese soldiers who died the previous night, was now forced to swirl in the air amidst the decisive battle between the two masters!
Within the dark clouds, Yagyu Jingyun and Shangguan Jin Hong moved with lightning speed, constantly attacking and detonating incredibly powerful true energy, blasting increasingly deep craters into the hard ground, large enough to hold a thousand people, which sank deeper and deeper into the earth!
After losing his "no-move" state, Shangguan Jin Hong unleashed his golden ring technique, which he had been intimately familiar with for decades. A flurry of golden rings filled the sky, appearing breathtakingly beautiful against the backdrop of the deathly black clouds…
Only Shangguan Jin Hong knew the bitter truth in his heart—Liu Sheng Jingyun had completely seized the initiative in this battle. Although his attacks were always the same extremely simple wind-slicing strike, his figure moved through the air like a ghost. Each strike was delivered from above, swift as lightning. The relentless attacks blocked all of Shangguan Jin Hong's escape routes, forcing him to passively defend by continuously unleashing golden rings of true energy. The falling rings of true energy quickly blasted craters nearly three zhang deep into the hard ground within a radius of several dozen zhang!
In this blood-soaked, dark place, the Muramasa Demon Blade was perfectly suited to absorb endless resentment and death energy, unleashing its strongest power. With thick black clouds of death energy shrouding both of them above and around, Shangguan Jin Hong not only had to struggle against the Muramasa Demon Blade's invasion of his divine sense, but his "Vajra Prajna Skill" also found it increasingly difficult to absorb the energy of heaven and earth. If the fight continued like this, with the balance shifting, Shangguan Jin Hong might ultimately perish in this pit! In
a battle between masters, victory or defeat often hinges on a single thought. Using Shangguan Jin Hong's inability to let go of the lives of millions of people after his defeat as a trigger, Yagyu Jingyun, relying on his powerful divine sense and the demon blade's eerie power, shattered the still, unwavering divine sense that Shangguan Jin Hong had cultivated over decades. Victory seemed almost within his grasp!
"No Self, No Ring!" Shangguan Jin Hong abandoned his previous brute-force fighting style, which involved constantly descending but unable to escape the range of Yagyu Jingyun's demon blade's power. He recklessly retreated, flashing out of the demon blade's attack range in an instant.
"A single, wind-slicing slash!" Yagyu Jingyun's divine sense had already locked onto Shangguan Jin Hong. His five-foot demonic sword continued its lightning-fast slash, the mysterious trail it left in the air foreshadowing a final thrust aimed directly at Shangguan Jin Hong's heart!
Yagyu Jingyun didn't use sword energy; instead, he concentrated all his true energy and death energy into the demonic sword itself—sword energy was extremely powerful against ordinary experts, but it was difficult to break through the protective true energy of a quasi-divine level expert like Shangguan Jin Hong, let alone damage his powerful body.
Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! Shangguan Jin Hong finally retreated until he had nowhere left to retreat, nowhere to dodge, leaning against the pit wall. A golden light flashed in his right hand, and a "Vajra Prajna Palm" struck the demonic sword that was thrusting towards him with the force of a thunderbolt!
How sharp was the Muramasa demonic sword! How powerful was the true energy and death energy infused in this strike! Left with no other choice, Shangguan Jin Hong unleashed this palm strike. Although it deflected the demonic blade and left his right hand unharmed, his protective inner energy was still pierced, and a shallow, half-inch deep gash appeared on his left side from the blade's tip.
No wound is insignificant, but this strike was no small matter. The inner energy and death energy channeled into the demonic blade surged forth!
"Swoosh!" The demonic blade pierced the mud wall as easily as piercing tofu, momentarily pausing. Shangguan Jin Hong had taken a risky gamble, waiting for this crucial second! Enduring the surging inner energy and death energy attacking his meridians, Shangguan Jin Hong delivered a nameless, unorthodox elbow strike with his right elbow, slamming it into Liu Sheng Jingyun's left shoulder!
"Ugh!" Liu Sheng Jingyun, sword and all, was sent flying more than five zhang away by Shangguan Jin Hong's nameless elbow strike! Shangguan Jin Hong leaped back to the ground several feet outside the pit. His "Diamond Prajna Skill" circulated wildly, his divine sense focusing inward. He activated a small golden core within his dantian, unleashing twelve golden, serpentine pillars of true energy, each over ten feet long, frantically absorbing the energy of heaven and earth to heal his injuries.
"Good move!" Liu Sheng Jingyun landed three feet in front of Shangguan Jin Hong like a ghost, praising him. He truly admired his opponent's tenacity and resourcefulness in the face of adversity.
Both had been injured in their exchange of blows. Because Shangguan Jin Hong was injured first, the thirteen layers of true energy and the deathly aura of the demonic blade instantly sealed many of his meridians. Therefore, the attack from the nameless elbow wasn't enough to seriously injure Liu Sheng Jingyun; it only allowed him to temporarily escape his predicament. Shangguan Jin Hong's own injuries, however, were far more severe.
"I have lost! But if you wish to take my life, it will not be easy." Shangguan Jin Hong knew his own limitations; with his injuries, if he were to continue fighting, he would surely die. He calmly conceded defeat—conceding defeat was also a sign of the composure of a top master.
"But today's matter is not a friendly martial arts contest, but a fight to the death!" Liu Sheng Jingyun knew that continuing the fight would inevitably lead to victory, although he himself would also be injured by Shangguan Jin Hong's backlash. However, because this battle concerned the morale of both sides in the battle for Shunchang City and the gain or loss of the city, he had to fight to the death!
"Wait—!" A clear and melodious female voice rang out from several miles to the northeast. At first, the voice was as thin as a thread, but when it reached the battlefield where the two masters were dueling, it burst into thunder!
Just then, a cacophony of shouts and cries came from the northeast, emanating from Japanese experts and ninjas attempting to intercept them. A woman dressed in white robes and a veiled mask moved with lightning speed, seemingly floating on air, her sword flashing occasionally. The sounds of metal clashing were heard as she used the momentum to leap dozens of feet at a time, her agility breathtaking!
Reaching the spot where the two masters were locked in battle, the white-clad, veiled woman unleashed a torrent of sword energy, each strike like a blazing sun, dispelling the deathly aura of the dark clouds in the sky—it was the arrival of "Lingbo Fairy" Shui Xinyue at the crucial moment. Her peerless beauty landed three feet to the side of Liu Shengjingyun and Shangguan Jin Hong, forming a triangular stance!
"Disciple Shui Xinyue of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion greets Senior Shangguan," Shui Xinyue said, slightly out of breath, her body shimmering with light as she absorbed the vital energy of heaven and earth to recover the true energy depleted from her hundreds of miles of rapid travel and breaking through the Japanese interception. She clasped her hands in a respectful bow to Shangguan Jin Hong.
"I dare not accept such praise! The Shangguan family and the million soldiers and civilians of the city are deeply grateful for Shui Xinyue's timely assistance!" Shangguan Jin Hong was overjoyed. Intelligence indicated that Shui Xinyue was escorting Yu Chenglong and his family to the Wuyi Mountains yesterday, yet she appeared at the gates of Shunchang City at this crucial moment. While Shui Xinyue's strength was slightly inferior to Liu Sheng Jingyun's, if she were to join forces with him, Liu Sheng Jingyun would have little chance of victory.
From the moment Shui Xinyue appeared, Liu Sheng Jingyun sheathed his sword, silently staring at her.
"This junior has come merely to convey a message from Master Lang to Liu Sheng Jingyun: Next Mid-Autumn Festival, old friends of Dongting, await you under the lonely star." Shui Xinyue took out a bamboo talisman made by Lang Qingyun and tossed it to Liu Sheng Jingyun.
Shui Xinyue's "Ruyi Heart Sword" technique emphasized following one's will without restraint. Given the numerous atrocities and crimes committed against the Hualong people by the Japanese since their invasion of China, it was understandable that she showed no mercy to this top Japanese expert.
Liu Sheng Jingyun took the green bamboo talisman, his expression changing drastically upon contact. He said to Shui Xinyue, "Please convey my message: I will return to my country immediately. I will not set foot on the Hualong continent before next Mid-Autumn Festival. This Senior Shangguan is afflicted with death energy; he needs immediate treatment, or it may be too late." With that, he vanished in a flash. "I didn't
expect that Master Lang could frighten Liu Sheng Jingyun with just a token, even making him much more respectful. The power of the Sword God is indeed extraordinary."
After mastering his divine skill, Shangguan Jin Hong originally intended to challenge the Sword God Guan Shanyue, but Guan Shanyue shattered the void, preventing him from doing so. Now, it seems there is still a gap between himself and the "Three Gods," and his competitive spirit has faded—
what is a Sword God? If anyone could casually craft a small bamboo talisman with a single sword stroke and frighten away the top expert of Japan, then he would undoubtedly be worthy of being called a sword god! Little did they know that Shangguan Jin Hong's thought of taking a step back would bring boundless benefits to the Shangguan family, but that's another story.

"Master, why not seize the opportunity to kill Shangguan Jin Hong?" In the warm and cozy tent of the Japanese emperor, Kurosawa Hideyoshi asked Yagyu Shizuku with a puzzled expression.
"If Shui Xinyue and Shangguan Jin Hong join forces, I am not confident of victory. Moreover, the merit of the owner of this token has surpassed the creation of heaven and earth, far exceeding what it was ten years ago." Yagyu Shizuku played with the green bamboo talisman in his hand and said to his only direct disciple, "The Hua Long Continent is rich in resources and talented people, and it must not be underestimated. I will return to my country now. You must take care of yourself."
If Kurosawa Hideyoshi could have listened to Yagyu Shizuku's words, perhaps the final outcome for Japan would have been better—but the Japanese army was in a very favorable situation, and Kurosawa Hideyoshi, leading millions of troops, was riding high and conquering the Liang Kingdom. At this moment, how could he listen to any dissenting opinions? As soon as Yagyu Shizuku disappeared from the tent, he loudly ordered, "Someone come!"
Kitaba An, one of the "Four Great Geishas" of Japan, wearing a light gauze dress that couldn't conceal her petite, exquisite, snow-white body and her secret breasts, walked in with small, quick steps...

Volume 8, Chapter 160, Spring Blossoms in the Secret Chamber
, December 12th, 994 of the Dragon Calendar.
Dusk falls, Changlong City, Marshal's Mansion of the Free Army.
"Sister Yanran, you look absolutely stunning dressed like this!" Liu Yufei had only ever seen Feng Yanran in military uniform, a picture of heroic spirit, but she never imagined that Feng Yanran would be so breathtaking in casual clothes.
Feng Yanran wore a light green dress that couldn't conceal her resolute air. The cloak she wore accentuated her slender waist and graceful figure, making her appear incredibly beautiful. Her face was slightly thinner, her rosy lips were tightly closed, and her fair complexion still retained its usual cool and stern expression. Her bright, sparkling eyes occasionally revealed a captivating glint, while a slightly shy and nervous smile concealed much of the resolute look in her eyes. The cool, heroic aura of a young woman and the charming shyness of a budding girl created a strange balance, adding immeasurable allure to her—no wonder even the stunningly beautiful Liu Yufei couldn't help but exclaim in genuine admiration!
“Sister Fei looks even more beautiful now! This outfit was a gift from Sister Youlan, and I'm still not quite used to wearing it! I wonder…?” Feng Yanran was a little nervous and uneasy. At this moment, she didn't look like a general commanding hundreds of thousands of troops at all, but just a young girl in love, longing for her lover's praise.
“Sister, you're so lovely, you look good in anything. Brother Hua will definitely like it. He's still discussing matters with Sister Qian and Minister Mo. Let's go for a walk in the garden and chat.” Liu Yufei warmly took Feng Yanran's hand and said, “Sister, you're busy with military affairs and training troops every day, it's rare to have such an opportunity…”
“Thank you, Sister Fei…” Feng Yanran was moved, and her eyes were a little moist—a few days ago, although Hua Yinghong had shown some affection for her, he was still a little worried. Now that she had received Liu Yufei's approval, she could finally be considered as part of this big family…

In the secret room of the Marshal's Mansion, only Hua Yinghong, Xue Qianqian, and Mo Yan were inside.
"The reactions of various countries and major powers to the anti-Japanese declaration vary." Xue Qianqian, in charge of security and intelligence, quickly got into character. With her abilities and the excellent intelligence base of Peach Blossom Palace, the Security Department's internal and external intelligence departments soon began to operate efficiently:
"First, let's talk about the Golden Dragon Kingdom. Because it is thousands of miles away, it is basically uninterested in 'stopping the civil war and uniting to resist the Japanese' and has not made any statement. However, there are some voices among the people advocating to uphold the prestige of the Hualong Continent and jointly resist the Japanese army."
"The Li, Sima, and Ding families of the Jade Dragon Kingdom and the Liu family of the Later Tang Empire all said 'internal pacification must precede external resistance' and refused to stop the civil war. Only the Grassland Alliance, the Qiu family, the Bright Army under the Later Tang Shenshui Gate, the Long family, Shangguan family, Wuyi Yu family of Daliang, and many aristocratic families, clans, and sects of Daliang Kingdom expressed their support. In addition, 'Lingbo Fairy' Shui Xinyue, representing the Wenjian Pavilion in Shunchang City, expressed support for the anti-Japanese proposition put forward by the Free Alliance..."
"The Security Department's work has been very effective, Sister Qian, thank you for your hard work. This was largely as I expected. The Li, Sima, and Ding families, vying for control of Wuling, Yulong, and Luolan counties, would never accept a ceasefire. For the Grassland King Mengmuzhen, winning over the hearts of the Central Plains people, seconding the proposal is the best course of action; after all, it's just moral support, and the distance is too great for the Grassland army to send troops to attack the Japanese. Qiu Shuibo is always shrewd; after the great war, he needs time to recuperate, so he will naturally second the proposal. Shenshuimen's actions have always been unpredictable; Leng Xiangrui will be a formidable opponent. As for the Long, Shangguan, and Wuyi Yu families, they are in dire straits, with the Japanese army pressing in; they will naturally wholeheartedly support it, they have no other choice. These powerful families still have backbone after all…
"The Sword Inquiry Pavilion supports the anti-Japanese stance, yet it hasn't issued a Sword Inquiry Order to mobilize the entire world to fight the Japanese. It seems they estimate the Free Alliance's strength is insufficient to pacify the world, humph!" "Hua Yinghong, in just a few words, clearly analyzed the situation and intentions of various countries and major forces. He gave a light snort, showing some disapproval of the fact that the Sword Inquiry Pavilion, despite possessing the largest potential power in the world, still held reservations and maintained an ambiguous attitude towards resisting the invasion of foreign races.
What effect could Shui Xinyue's current actions, which only organized scattered martial arts forces to resist the massive million-strong Japanese army, possibly have?
"Brother Hong, there's no need to be angry with the Sword Inquiry Pavilion. After the success of Top Secret No. 2 and Top Secret No. 1 plans, everything will fall into place naturally." Xue Qianqian knew that Hua Yinghong was never afraid to challenge powerful figures. However, because the Sword Inquiry Pavilion's power was too great, even though the Free Alliance had the support of Peach Blossom Palace, the Nangong Family, and Wanmei Manor, it was not worthwhile to fight with the Sword Inquiry Pavilion. In the future, when the Free Alliance's power increased significantly, it would be best to seek the support of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion.
"Possessing the largest power in the world, yet not knowing how to use it for the benefit of the world. The glory of the Sword Inquiry Token will soon become a thing of the past." Hua Yinghong asserted, “To sit idly by while the Japanese slaughter tens of thousands of our Hualong people and do nothing but add insult to injury, like drinking poison to quench thirst, what use is such a force? When our Free Alliance gains power, it will sweep across the world on its own, why would it need the support of the Sword Inquiry Token?”
Xue Qianqian and Mo Yan were taken aback—they knew that in the past hundred years alone, the Sword Inquiry Pavilion had had 120 core disciples across ten generations. Some had ascended to immortality, some had died of old age, and some had died in battle while intervening in the Hualong situation. But at least several dozen were still alive, and all of them were peerless masters: the current pavilion master, “Ethereal Fairy” Ling Hanyan, whose cultivation was comparable to the “Three Gods”; the new generation successor, “Lingbo Fairy” Shui Xinyue, whose performance in Shunchang City was also close to that of her master; as for those who had already revealed their identities… The "Nine Lives" Long Ge, "Dragon Two" Long Xiaofeng, Yu Jiuzhou, Fang Fengxia, and others are all exceptionally skilled. Many of their disciples, whose identities remain hidden, may be heads of sects or powerful families, or generals with vast armies, indirectly controlling immeasurable influence! Once the Sword Inquiry Order is issued, the entire world will be at their mercy, with no one daring to challenge them!
Throughout history, every hegemon has considered it an honor to have the support of the Sword Inquiry Pavilion and to unify Hualong. Yet Hua Yinghong stands out, disregarding the Sword Inquiry Order—what a display of arrogance!
"Brother Hong, I hope your prejudice against the Sword Inquiry Pavilion won't affect your grand plan." "Xue Qianqian's pretty face showed worry as she patiently advised. If the Radiant Church hadn't split back then, it would have had the strength to rival the Sword Inquiry Pavilion. But Peach Blossom Palace alone was nothing to the Sword Inquiry Pavilion, a super-powerful force!
Just as Hua Yinghong said, the Sword Inquiry Pavilion only 'adds flowers to brocade,' like drinking poison to quench thirst. Every time it intervened in the situation on the Hua Long Continent, it forcibly suppressed the war, seemingly accelerating the unification process and eliminating the disaster of war, but in reality, the major forces and aristocratic families still maintained many privileges, secretly developing their power within their respective spheres of influence, hoping to stand out and become the new hegemon when the next chaotic era came. It can be said that when the war ended, the new source of chaos began to breed!
But because the Sword Inquiry Pavilion's power was too great, even Liu Suifeng, the hegemon who unified the continent back then, had to compromise with it, not to mention other forces. If the Free Alliance were to confront it, its current strength was indeed far from enough—but only Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian dared to say this, Mo Yan dared not speak.
"Don't worry, Sister Qian, I will seize the opportunity and act accordingly." Sensing the beauty's worry, Hua Yinghong realized he had gone too far in using the situation and asked, "What are the attitudes of the Yinming Sect and the New Song Kingdom?"
"It is rumored that there is a significant division within the Yinming Sect. The military, represented by Xu Shaopeng, advocates responding to the anti-Japanese war, while the Ministry of Internal Affairs, represented by Xu Shan and Xu Xiaoyao, disagrees with the Freedom Alliance's proposal. The New Song Kingdom has not yet made a statement, but is secretly amassing troops on the border of Wuyi County." This was Mo Yan's reply.
"With such discord between the generals and ministers, the Yinming Sect will find it difficult to achieve great things. Sister Qian's security department should focus on working with ordinary soldiers and civilians within the areas controlled by the Yinming Sect to preserve its strength. The Peach Blossom Palace and the Yinming Sect share the same origin and will be of great use in the future. The New Song Kingdom has remained silent all along, but when it makes a move, it will be earth-shattering. The military intelligence department must hurry up and gather intelligence. It is easier to shake a mountain than to shake the He family army. Regarding the number one general, 'Spear Saint' He Jiguang, I both look forward to leading the army to fight him and hope to avoid battle." Hua Yinghong sighed. Seeing the resentment on Xue Qianqian's pretty face upon hearing the name "Xu Xiaoyao," she continued, "Sister Qian, you don't need to be angry anymore about Xu Xiaoyao's assassination attempt on me. Didn't I just turn misfortune into blessing?"
A flash of murderous intent crossed Xue Qianqian's jade-like face as she said, "He got off easy. I really want to kill him with my own hands right now." She had ordered her Peach Blossom Palace subordinates to search for Xu Xiaoyao after he had almost raped her with aphrodisiacs and then attempted to assassinate Hua Yinghong, only stopping when he returned to the Yinming Sect's headquarters to face the wall in seclusion. Now that Xu Xiaoyao had reappeared, if Hua Yinghong hadn't firmly forbade it, she would have already led her troops to secretly infiltrate Jade Dragon City to seek revenge.
"Sister Qian, there's no need to be angry. With such a spoiled young master around, it's perfect for keeping the handsome Xu Shaopeng in check. Isn't keeping him alive to squander the resources of the Yinming Sect a better form of revenge than killing him?" Hua Yinghong laughed. "It's not that retribution won't come, it's just that the time hasn't arrived yet."
"Last night, the Ding family's navy helped the Yuwen family's southwestern army cross the river, cutting off the passage between the newly occupied southwestern prefecture of the Golden Dragon Kingdom and Longzhou Prefecture." Mo Yan continued to report the latest military situation on the mainland.
"The Golden Dragon Kingdom has a strong army, and with Zhuge Ming there, they can hold out for a while." Hua Yinghong said, "Among the Black Tiger Army in Jiang'an Prefecture, there are also many disciples of the Peach Blossom Palace. Sister Qian should be careful to pass on the Heaven and Earth Technique and the Void-Breaking Technique discreetly, and try to preserve ordinary followers and disciples. In the future, the Peach Blossom Palace can take them in, leaving some vitality for reconstruction after the war."
"Below Wuling City, Ding Zixing personally led a large army in a fierce battle against Sima Cheng, with both sides suffering losses. The Ding family used thousands of counterfeit divine crossbows and 'Dragon Blood Bullets,' but their power was far inferior to our standard divine crossbows and 'Dragon Blood Bullets.' Sima Cheng gained the upper hand with 20,000 divine crossbows, suffering only about 30,000 casualties, while the Ding family suffered over 60,000 casualties and retreated 30 li. Ding Zixing has already ordered Linjiang Prefecture to prepare its army, which was on a westward expedition to Changling Prefecture, to march south to Wuling Prefecture as reinforcements." Mo Yan secretly praised Hua Yinghong for his foresight—if it weren't for the powerful force of the 20,000 divine crossbows, Sima Cheng and his son would have been utterly defeated. Once the Ding family's power surged, how could the neighboring Free Alliance have time to recuperate?
"There is no such thing as eternally leading military technology, only eternally leading ideas," Hua Yinghong said leisurely. "If Sima Cheng still wants to buy the Divine Crossbow, we might as well sell him some more. Liu Ju is angry again that I spend too much money, but anyway, our army won't need it for the time being. The newly built military battalions can immediately alleviate some of the financial burden. We can also sell more to the Shangguan family and the Long family. The profits from the military trade are really too high."
"The Japanese army has suspended its offensive and is adjusting its forces. The country is still transporting a large number of troops and immigrants to land in Daliang, and has begun to recruit reservists. The Japanese are really crazy. Do they really intend to destroy the entire Hualong Continent with their tiny territory?" Influenced by Hua Yinghong, Mo Yan, who was usually taciturn, became eloquent in front of his superior.
"I have already ordered Ji Wumou to adjust the troop deployment. Since the Free Alliance initiated the resistance against the Japanese, they cannot just talk the talk without walking the walk, or deceive people with empty words," Hua Yinghong said. "At least sending the navy to harass the Japanese army's supply lines is still an option..."
After Mo Yan left, Xue Qianqian's jade-like face showed an alluring smile and said, "Brother Hong, the 'Perverted Serpent' Ouyang Bin and 'Laughing Monk' Xiao Wufa who assassinated you in Jubao Town were found dead in a small town outside Beigang City, killed by the Nine Revolutions Peach Blossom Charm Technique's Yang-absorbing method. They have been dead for over a month. I have investigated and found that it was not done by a disciple of the Peach Blossom Palace. I suspect it was done by the expelled Liwen. You have already avenged that grudge."
"What grudge is that? I still want to give Ouyang Bin a grand funeral. If it weren't for this great matchmaker, we wouldn't even know..." Hua Yinghong didn't care, and pulled the incomparably beautiful Xue Qianqian into his arms and kissed her alluring cherry lips...
"Mmm!..." Xue Qianqian's soft, smooth tongue slipped into Hua Yinghong's mouth and began to intertwine—ever since she took on the position of Minister of Security, she would have some time alone with him after finishing her official business every day, which made her very satisfied with this job arrangement...
After a passionate kiss, Hua Yinghong's devilish hand slid into Xue Qianqian's clothes, grasped her full and smooth breasts, and began to play with her "Peach Blossom Temptation Hand"!
"Brother Hong," Xue Qianqian's jade hands reached into Hua Yinghong's loose casual clothes, grasped his hot, hard, and thick member, and gently played with it. Before long, Xue Qianqian skillfully unbuckled Hua Yinghong's belt, releasing his engorged member. Her soft, boneless body slid down, and
Hua Yinghong gazed down at this stunning beauty. He saw her looking at him with shy, alluring eyes, her soft, fragrant, rosy lips capturing his member, gently licking his most sensitive spot. The scene was incredibly erotic!
Xue Qianqian's starry eyes gently closed, tenderly savoring its magic, unknowingly sinking deeply into a sea of desire. Her warm, smooth, and tender little tongue shyly and gently licked, sometimes lightly sucking, sometimes deeply inhaling, using her alluring charm to bring her lover boundless pleasure.
Hua Yinghong gradually intensified his movements within Xue Qianqian's bright red cherry lips. Xue Qianqian's beautiful face, radiating a holy glow, gradually became feverish, flushed with a beautiful blush, her snow-white and lovely hands tightly gripping the fiercely moving object, her cherry lips instinctively rubbing wildly...
"Ugh!—" A dizzying sensation came from the depths of Hua Yinghong's mind. He placed Xue Qianqian's alluring body on the table, quickly removed her clothes, and began a wild conquest. Soon, the secret room was filled with soul-stirring sounds of flesh fighting and moans.
The two, immersed in the joy of love, had no idea what kind of catastrophe the wanton woman Liwen, who was "avenging" Hua Yinghong, would bring to the Hualong Continent!

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