Slave Empire [Complete] - 14

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Volume 6, Chaos Across the Land, Chapter 99: The Calamity of the Sea Dragon
"The general offensive begins!" Upon seeing the approaching smoke signal, the Free Army's naval direct command regiment and the First Regiment, with one hundred warships providing cover for hundreds of transport ships carrying the Free Army's elite troops—Ye Zhi Qiu's First Division, Lin Zhi's Second Division, and Pang Yi's Fourth Division—were heading towards their designated landing point: Black Dragon Town!
"The general offensive begins! Proceed according to plan!" Gu Tianfang, leading three thousand special forces soldiers and five hundred experts from the Peach Blossom Palace, had already quietly circled back to the vicinity of Black Dragon Town and hidden themselves, waiting for the moment of the general offensive to launch a pincer attack from the rear, annihilating the two Jade Dragon Army regiments stationed there and facilitating the Free Army's main force's landing.
Everything was proceeding according to plan. The only unexpected thing was that Sima Yuan had actually transferred another regiment from Black Dragon Town—they were incredibly cooperative and obedient! With this, the success of the landing plan was almost a certainty!
"The general offensive begins! Proceed according to plan!" Ten miles outside the western city wall of Dongguan, Ba Tian led his hidden 7,000 special forces soldiers and over 700 experts from the Peach Blossom Palace and the Restoration Society, rushing towards Dongguan! Once Dongguan was captured, the main force of the Sima clan's Jinghai Army would have nowhere to escape. At most, under the pursuit of the Free Army, they might break with convention and flee eastward into Changlong Prefecture, controlled by the Qiu clan—which would perfectly play into the Free Army's two-birds-with-one-stone strategy!
The saying goes, "Two tigers cannot share one mountain." The Qiu family's deliberate relinquishment of control over Tianshui Prefecture and Dongguan Prefecture was intended to use the Free Army as a weapon, fighting the Sima clan to a standstill. Hua Yinghong, however, saw through this immediately, slightly modifying Ye Zhi Qiu and others' original plan to annihilate the Sima clan's Jinghai Army, making a brilliant move.
Of course, this also depended on the quick thinking of the Jinghai Army's commander, the Sixth Prince Sima Yuan. If they were too slow to escape, the Free Army would not hesitate to wipe them out, further enhancing their invincible military prestige!

In the Treasure Strait, seventy miles from Longtan Town, gigantic waves rolled and roared with astonishing force. Waves three or four zhang high howled and crashed, one after another spreading outwards, reaching even the vicinity of Longtan Town, still churning high spray and fiercely pounding the beach!
—The cause of all this was not the sea breeze, but a gigantic sea dragon nearly forty zhang long and more than ten zhang wide, constantly churning in the sea. The center of the waves stirred up by its mountain-like body was enough to swallow any warship and turn it into an artificial reef!
The sea dragon was so furious because it was the very creature that had swallowed Hua Yinghong. For thousands of years, with its massive and powerful body, this sea dragon roamed the Devil's Sea, invincible. Great white sharks and common killer whales, kings of the sea, were nothing to it—it could be easily swallowed whole, or dealt with by a ramming attack or a flick of its tail; it didn't even need its inner core power—it was the true overlord of the Devil's Sea!
But this behemoth never imagined that, on a whim, it would wander into the Treasure Strait, and when it surfaced five miles outside the North Port dock for air, it would swallow its most formidable nemesis and encounter an unprecedented calamity!
The pure, yang energy that made Hua Yinghong feel incredibly comfortable was the inner core energy cultivated by the sea dragon. Following that energy to the edge of the sea dragon's enormous dantian, Hua Yinghong was stunned by the scene before him—
the journey became increasingly hot and difficult, the immense pressure almost making it impossible for him to move an inch. If it weren't for the immense and unparalleled Void-Breaking True Qi energy recently obtained from the Dragon's Roar Blade, greatly enhancing his power, Hua Yinghong wouldn't have been able to withstand that immense pressure!
"Demon Sea Dragon, a thousand-year-old pill, nine pills to attain enlightenment, transforming into a celestial dragon"—the description in the Peach Blossom Palace's *Record of Strange Things* was far too fantastical. Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian had only read it out of curiosity, like a tale of the strange and supernatural, and Hua Yinghong, having absorbed it during their spiritual union, naturally didn't quite believe it.
"The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits." Hua Yinghong had never believed in tales of gods and ghosts. But what he saw before him truly left him speechless!
Within the three-zhang-square dantian of this sea dragon, a sea of dantian energy, far hotter than Lü Jingwei's Samadhi True Fire, boiled like molten iron. A few zhang-and-a-half above, seven bowl-sized, almost tangible, fiery-red iron balls swirled and danced around a spherical dantian energy ball the size of a round table. These balls continuously drew dantian energy from the sea below, then emitted beams of red light as thick as bowls… With each beam, the spherical dantian energy was compressed inward by a tiny, invisible point… However, with Hua Yinghong's current level of cultivation, his divine sense could naturally perceive it—
this strange scene before him was exactly as described in the *Record of Strange Things*: a sea dragon cultivating its inner elixir. It takes a thousand years to cultivate one inner elixir. So, wouldn't this sea dragon already have a lifespan of at least seven thousand years?
Just as Hua Yinghong stood comfortably at the edge of the sea dragon's dantian, his dantian qi sea absorbing the extremely pure energy emanating from the sea dragon's dantian qi sea with exceptional comfort, suddenly, three of the seven inner cores shot out three beams of red light as thick as bowls, shooting towards where Hua Yinghong stood!
Clearly, this sentient sea dragon had sensed the presence of the tiny creature Hua Yinghong within its body—the aggressive red light, unlike the naturally emanating dantian qi sea that made Hua Yinghong feel incredibly comfortable, contained highly condensed power. He had no doubt that if he couldn't withstand it, he would be blasted to smithereens or even melted into ashes, with no time to absorb and transform it!
"Buzz!—" The Dragon's Roar Blade, which had already returned to its sheath, shot out again, slicing apart the three red lights with lightning speed. "Clang! Clang! Clang!" The three sounds of impact were like the symphony of metal and stone. Hua Yinghong's arm went numb from the shock, and he retreated ten feet. He was shocked—these three red lights were seven times stronger than Xu Xiaoyao's sword force that day! If he hadn't recovered from his internal injuries and broken through the bottleneck to become a Saint-level expert, these three red lights would have killed him on the spot!
"Hush!" Hua Yinghong breathed a sigh of relief. Although it was difficult to parry these three red lights, it was very beneficial. The energy transformed from the scattered red lights was even purer, and it immediately swirled around Hua Yinghong's body. His modified body absorbed it all, and Hua Yinghong felt his power increase greatly. His dantian was surging and seemed to be condensing into some strange shape—the effectiveness of this training method was truly unbelievable.
"Come on!" Hua Yinghong was immediately filled with a competitive spirit. Such an extraordinary encounter was probably a once-
in-a-lifetime opportunity—if he didn't make good use of it to improve his strength, wouldn't he be entering a treasure mountain empty-handed? Two assassination attempts had made Hua Yinghong realize the importance of strength even more deeply. This time, he had narrowly escaped death, but it was extremely dangerous! If the assassins hadn't been Xu Xiaoyao and the Yinming Elders, but Xu Ling, the "Yinming Divine Fist," who was almost on par with the Sword God and Blade God, he would probably have been turned into mincemeat with a single punch! Even if the Free Alliance and the Free Army became stronger in the future, it would have nothing to do with him!
If he were to die like this, wouldn't he be letting down Fei'er, Sister Qian, Youlan, and the other women who loved him so deeply?
"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!..." The sea dragon was a spiritual creature that had cultivated for thousands of years. Even if it was stupid, it still had some intelligence. Three red lights were ineffective, so it tried four! Five! Six! Hua Yinghong swiftly unleashed his Dragon Cry Blade, employing the "Three Heaven-Shattering Techniques" to parry each strike. Initially, he struggled to defend, often being forced back several feet. However, with the full power of his Hunyuan Technique, he continuously absorbed the scattered internal energy, growing stronger with each attack!
Suddenly, the sea dragon, clearly enraged at being unable to subdue such a minor figure, released one of its inner cores, carrying a destructive force that seemed capable of annihilating the heavens and earth, and charged straight at Hua Yinghong!
Even from a distance of several feet, the overwhelming power of the inner core tightly enveloped Hua Yinghong, seemingly preventing him from moving an inch, intending to reduce him to ashes with the inner core's energy—far more potent, pure, and intense than the Samadhi True Fire cultivated by Lü Jingwei!
"It's so hot!" Hua Yinghong felt the immense power of the inner core, as if he were in a steel furnace. He immediately knew he was at a critical moment of life and death. He quickly channeled the Hunyuan Technique to gather all his strength, transforming it into the indestructible and unbreakable True Qi of Breaking Void. He concentrated his power in his arms and unleashed the Dragon Roar Blade's "Splitting Mount Hua" technique, striking the inner core with all his might!
"Boom!" The forces collided, and the True Qi of Breaking Void, with its inherent properties, gained the upper hand, splitting the inner core in two. It instantly transformed into two thick, hot mists that filled the edge of the pill chamber, each about ten feet in diameter! The unparalleled power contained within the Sea Dragon Inner Core sent Hua Yinghong flying backward three feet away!
"Pah!" Hua Yinghong spat out a mouthful of turbid blood. The recent exchange had inflicted considerable internal injuries on him. He endured the pain and flashed back to his original position, his figure disappearing into the mist of elixir energy. His dantian frantically absorbed the purest and most yang elixir energy within! This intense and fierce battle, coupled with the abundant elixir energy cultivated by the sea dragon over thousands of years—far faster than directly absorbing the primordial energy of heaven and earth—made it the perfect opportunity to enhance his power. Therefore, he fought with increasing ferocity, but because he was inside the sea dragon's belly, he was unaware of the extent of damage his previous strike had inflicted!
"Hoo..." As its inner core shattered, the enormous sea dragon, its body as large as a mountain, swam from hundreds of feet below the surface of the Treasure Strait at a speed several times faster than a warship towards the Hua Long Continent! The inner core, painstakingly cultivated for a thousand years, was shattered, severely damaging the divine sense connecting the sea dragon to it. Its massive body churned violently, its enormous tail and fins churning up tons of seawater, instantly creating towering waves in the calm strait! The waves reached as far as the coast of Hualong Continent, dozens of miles away, and even as far as the coast of Beigang, hundreds of miles away!
Because the sea dragon's body was so enormous, while the outside world was in chaos, Hua Yinghong remained completely unaware. His dantian, having just reached the Saintly Realm, was many times stronger than what others had achieved through years, even decades, of arduous cultivation, thanks to the frenzied absorption of the sea dragon's inner core energy!
Such a rare and extraordinary opportunity was not something everyone could obtain. Without the all-encompassing and transformative properties of Hunyuan True Qi, which allowed it to absorb and convert life and death energy, Hua Yinghong would have perished the moment he entered the sea dragon's belly. If it were a peerless master like "Frost Blade Saint" Li Xinghai or "Yinming Divine Fist" Xu Ling, their cultivation techniques would clash with the sea dragon's inner energy, preventing them from harnessing it. They likely wouldn't be able to withstand the attack of the purest, most yang inner core. Moreover, even a divine-grade master wouldn't intentionally enter the belly of such a colossus to search for treasure. Every action has its consequences, a twist of fate seemingly at play.
Even after Hua Yinghong had completely absorbed the inner core's mist, the sea dragon's remaining six inner cores did not launch another attack. Just as he was wondering, a powerful divine sense, seemingly not human, swept across his mind. A strange feeling rose within Hua Yinghong, as if a voice was saying to him: "Human, let's shake hands and make peace, instead of fighting to the death, how about it?"
"Who are you?" Aside from communicating directly with Liu Yufei, Xue Qianqian, Miao Youlan, and a few other women through the "Spiritual and Desire Dual Cultivation Technique," this was the first time Hua Yinghong had communicated with another "person" in this way, and he felt quite surprised.
"I am the Sea Dragon King, the Sea Dragon King you are in my womb!" The divine thought swept over Hua Yinghong's mind again, "saying," "If I unleash all six of my cores, you absolutely cannot withstand it. How about I release you, and we go our separate ways?" "
Even if you unleash all six of your cores, I am confident I can break one or two. You probably can't afford such a loss, can you?" Hua Yinghong spoke confidently, but inwardly he was somewhat apprehensive. If it were truly a simultaneous attack of all six cores, he would definitely die without a burial place! He then transmitted a divine thought: "However, since you cultivate spiritual communication..."

Volume Six, Chapter One Hundred: The King Returns in
Longtan Town. Sima Yuan and Murong Bo stood on horseback atop a small hill, gazing at the fierce battlefield.
After suffering another 15,000 casualties, the Jade Dragon Army's Jinghai Regiment had compressed the Free Army's beachhead into a narrow area of about one mile from the shore. Due to frequent close-quarters combat, the soldiers of both sides were entangled, and the Free Army dared not launch their "Dragon Blood Bullets" for fear of friendly fire. The situation was extremely favorable for the Jade Dragon Army.
What Sima Yuan and Murong Bo believed to be divine intervention was the strange phenomenon on the sea. The previously calm Treasure Strait suddenly erupted with waves over two zhang high, causing the Free Army's warships and transport ships to rock and become difficult to control. The waves constantly surging onto the beach further reduced the Free Army's position, presenting a golden opportunity to launch a general offensive and annihilate the Free Army before them!
Fireworks and signals rose in the western sky!
"Report! Black Dragon Town has fallen! 120,000 Free Army troops have landed! They are advancing towards Tianshui City and Longtan Town in two columns!" Sima Yuan was about to order the 20,000 cavalrymen of the Jinghai Army Corps, who had not yet participated in the battle, to join the remaining 70,000 infantrymen in a full-scale charge to annihilate the Free Army, which numbered less than 40,000, including several thousand naval soldiers, when he suddenly heard news that shocked him greatly!
Black Dragon Town was easy to defend and difficult to attack. Many strategically important high grounds were in the hands of the Jade Dragon Army, which had built strong trenches and fortifications. Even if the Free Army had the incredibly powerful "Dragon Blood Bullets," it would be impossible for them to take it in a short time. Half an hour ago, Sima Yuan received a report that Black Dragon Town had been attacked. He still held onto a sliver of hope, thinking that it was just the Free Army's navy taking advantage of a momentary lapse in concentration. He believed that a regiment was holding the position and could at least hold out for a few hours—but unexpectedly, it fell into enemy hands in just half an hour!
"How many people came to Longtan Town?" Murong Bo was also somewhat unwilling to see the victory that was about to be in his grasp slip away like this. If the number of Free Army troops coming to Longtan Town is not large, they can quickly resolve the battle and then retreat to Dongguan City—otherwise, wouldn't the huge cost they had previously invested be wasted?
"Reports indicate that there are two divisions with 80,000 men..."
As they spoke, smoke signals rose again from the direction of Dongguan City!
"Urgent report from Dongguan City! Free Army special forces have entered the city, and the south gate is under attack!" Before Sima Yuan and Murong Bo could make a decision, another urgent report came!
"Your Highness, retreat! Delay could lead to total annihilation!" Murong Bo, his somewhat chubby face showing a look of dejection, sighed, "The Free Army's tactics are unpredictable, beyond my comprehension!"
"The cavalry must quickly return to reinforce Dongguan City! Leave one regiment to cover the rear, the rest will follow me back to defend Dongguan City! Order Tianshui City to hold its ground and await reinforcements!..." Sima Yuan, true to his reputation for decisive action, quickly made the best response to the current situation—if they recklessly attacked the Free Army's positions, even if successful, the Free Army would likely occupy Dongguan City, and once their main force arrived, they would cut off the Jinghai Army's routes to all sides, leading to the complete annihilation of the Jinghai Army!
The key to the Jinghai Army's defeat in this battle was misjudging the arrival time of the Free Army's main force, falling for their trap. However, as long as they hold Dongguan City and Tianshui City, there is still a chance to stabilize the situation and turn defeat into victory!
The 20,000 iron cavalry, originally prepared to charge towards the sea, thundered their hooves and rushed back towards Dongguan City… Sima Yuan and Murong Bo glanced longingly at the Free Army's positions on the coast—and
in that glance, they witnessed a scene they would never forget!

At the south gate of Dongguan City, the Free Army's phoenix flag fluttered in the wind.
"Four sisters-in-law, when will our eldest brother arrive?!" Ba Tian, his imposing figure standing atop the city wall, seemed even more anxious than the four beauties, including Liu Yufei.
The assassination attempt on his elder brother, Hua Yinghong, had left Ba Tian burning with anxiety for over a day; he had already cursed every woman in Xu Xiaoyao's family for eighteen generations. If Liu Yufei hadn't sent word that Hua Yinghong was safe and sound, strictly ordering him not to ruin the grand plan, he would have already led his special forces into Dongguan City to find and wipe out the Yinming Sect members!
With the support of several top experts, including Xue Qianqian and Miao Youlan, leading over a hundred members of the Fire Phoenix Guard, the Freedom Iron Guard, and the Dongguan branch of the Peach Blossom Palace, Ba Tian and his 7,000 Special Forces members scaled the section of the city wall where the west and south walls met, suffering almost no losses. The over six-zhang-high wall was no challenge for the special forces; they simply used ropes to hook onto the battlements and quickly climbed the ramparts.
Once the special forces were on the wall, the Jade Dragon Army left behind by the Jinghai Regiment was no match for the Sun-Shooting Arrows, Divine Crossbows, and the "Three Clans of Breaking Heaven." The Jade Dragon spies who rushed to the south gate to assist were also halted by the combined attacks of the Special Forces, Fire Phoenix Guard, and Freedom Iron Guard using Sun-Shooting Arrows and Divine Crossbows, and the close-quarters combat of the Peach Blossom Palace experts. Those who relied on their superior skills to fight were mostly killed. The area near the south gate was quickly firmly under the control of the Free Army!
"Hey, Second Brother, what's the rush! Didn't you see Sister Qian and the others are practicing their cultivation? We're even more anxious than you!" The outspoken Liu Lan, gazing south, completely oblivious to the potentially misleading phrasing in her words, blurted out.
Xue Qianqian, Liu Yufei, and Miao Youlan clasped hands, using their "Spiritual and Desire Dual Cultivation Technique" to remotely sense each other's movements—
A powerful divine thought suddenly swept across the three women's minds. Simultaneously, Hua Yinghong's ever-smiling face, his eyes filled with boundless wisdom and deep, ocean-like affection, seemed to express endless longing and love… Then, Hua Yinghong's voice seemed to come from the heavens: "Feier, Youlan, Qianzu, I've arrived at the seaside of Longtan Town, I'll be there soon…" Then he vanished!
"Brother Hong!" "Brother!" "Hua Lang!" The three peerless beauties simultaneously called out affectionately in their hearts, tears of emotion finally spilling from their beautiful eyes and flowing gently down their jade-like faces…

Just as Sima Yuan and Murong Bo abandoned their attack, Ye Zhi Qiu, Ji Wu Mou, Yun Sha Lang, and others were on the "Sha Lang" ship, secretly cursing the awful weather, their hearts burning with worry! Suddenly, towering waves surged in the Treasure Strait, making it impossible for the Fourth Division's transport ships, which were originally scheduled to land and provide support, to dock! If Sima Yuan were to launch a full-scale attack at this moment, Liu Litao's Third Division, intended as a bait, would likely backfire and be completely annihilated—at that point, even destroying the entire Jinghai Army would be impossible to explain to Hua Yinghong!
Just then, the sharp-eyed Yun Shalang suddenly pointed to the turbulent sea in the distance, his mouth agape in exaggerated disbelief, enough to fit a large duck egg, and exclaimed, "What is that?"
Ye Qiuqiu and the others followed Yun Shalang's finger and were equally astonished—
about three miles away, a column of water, over ten feet thick and fifteen feet high, shot into the sky. Amidst the churning waves, a colossal, dark, mountain-like creature slowly rose, its massive body, over forty feet long, and its several-foot-long fins and tail mostly visible on the surface. Suddenly, the front of the "mountain" opened, revealing two enormous, nearly ten-foot-diameter, round eyes!
"Devil Sea Dragon!" Ye Zhiqiu, Ji Wumou, Yun Shalang, and the others were horrified! Although sea dragons often appear in the Treasure Strait, they are usually only a few feet long. Never before has such a colossal, unimaginable creature been seen. Could this be the legendary Sea Dragon King, who, after devouring the "Son of Freedom," Hua Yinghong, is now here to completely destroy the Free Army's landing plan?
"Hoo..." The Sea Dragon King let out a call that seemed to come from the primordial era. Its massive mouth, three feet wide, opened like a whale sucking in water, drawing in countless tons of seawater. The waves that had surged towards the shore, rising with its enormous body, suddenly calmed down as if losing their momentum.
Hearing that awe-inspiring roar, all the Free Army soldiers on the warships and on the shore turned their heads. Sima Yuan, Murong Bo, and the Jade Dragon Army of the Jinghai Fleet, who were preparing to retreat or cover the rear, all looked at the Sea Dragon King, their eyes fixed on this incredible miracle of heaven and earth!
A serene peace descended upon the world; the boiling sea fell silent. A strange balance, a feeling of experiencing a strange life, filled everyone's hearts…
“Boom!” The water column on the Sea Dragon King's back shot into the sky once more, breathtakingly powerful. This time, even more astonishing was that a figure rose with the water column, soaring over thirty feet into the air, before slowly descending and standing steadily atop the continuously spewing water!
A voice that filled Ye Zhi Qiu, Ji Wu Mou, Yun Sha Lang, and all the Free Army soldiers with ecstatic joy and tears of emotion, a voice that instilled fear in every Jade Dragon Army soldier, etched into their hearts, and unforgettable for a lifetime, echoed across the entire beach: “I, Hua Ying Hong, have returned!” (This is a signed first release; please read it on this site and support the author.)
It was a strange feeling of peace and tranquility—
"Brother!" Ye Zhi Qiu murmured, and Ji Wu Mou, Yun Sha Lang, and tens of thousands of Free Army soldiers involuntarily knelt and prostrated themselves. A familiar yet somewhat strange kingly aura emanated from Hua Ying Hong, making people feel extremely comfortable yet inexplicably awe! It was an ineffable, indescribable quality. He was so ordinary yet natural, yet he seemed to be deeply integrated with the Sea Dragon King and even the entire sea, possessing a magical charm that naturally evoked longing and worship! The
Jade Dragon Army of the Jinghai Legion was also stunned by this incredible miracle, forgetting to seize the opportunity to attack the Free Army, who were facing away from them and completely unprepared—including Sima Yuan and Murong Bo, no one was unmoved, no one could remember at this moment…
"Brother Sea Dragon, I'm leaving now, until we meet again!" Hua Ying Hong and the Sea Dragon King became acquainted through a fight, and inside its belly, they reached a mutually satisfactory deal—one of the terms was to conspire with the Sea Dragon King to create a great spectacle! The awe-inspiring entrance had already had a remarkable effect. He then sent a divine thought to this intelligent and spiritual being, let out a clear roar like a dragon's cry, rose from the water column, and moved with lightning speed towards the distant "Sand Wave"!
Before Yun Shalang and the others could react, a figure floated onto the flag ship, lightly using its momentum to stand atop the "Sand Wave's" high mainmast, facing the sea!
"Thank you for your generosity!" The Sea Dragon King's divine thought was filled with gratitude—of all the powerful humans he had encountered over the millennia, not one had failed to covet the inner core he had painstakingly cultivated. This time, though it had lost one of its inner cores earlier, this wondrous human, upon learning of its spiritual development, not only relinquished its greed but also generously imprinted the "Nine Secrets of Heaven and Earth," a culmination of human wisdom, into its mind with divine thought. Even though it couldn't comprehend it immediately, the Sea Dragon King knew this was more precious to it and its race than ten inner cores! Having abandoned the most primitive cultivation methods, perhaps it wouldn't be more than a thousand years away from the "Nine Cores to Become a Dragon" realm!
A divine thought, clearly not human, swept across the minds of hundreds of thousands of people on the shore and on the ship. Everyone seemed to "hear" the words: "The Dragon King bows three times, the king returns!" Amidst astonishment and uncertainty, the majestic Sea Dragon King, as imposing as a small mountain, lowered and raised its massive head towards the "Sand Wave," pressing down and raising it again—like performing a kowtow to an emperor!
Waves surged again, but before they could reach the "Sand Wave," the Sea Dragon King pulled them back by sucking water in... The massive, mountain-like body slowly sank into the depths of the sea, leaving only a colossal whirlpool, proving that everything that had just happened was not an illusion, but a living reality!
"Freedom warriors! Fight for freedom! The Freedom Army will prevail!" Hua Yinghong's voice echoed across the surrounding area, personally issuing the order for the general offensive!
"Fight for freedom! The Freedom Army will prevail! Fight for freedom! The Freedom Army will prevail!" Encouraged by Hua Yinghong's miraculous return, the Freedom Army, confined to their narrow positions, surged with morale, launching a tidal wave of counter-offensive against the panicked and demoralized Jade Dragon Army!
"The Dragon King bows three times, the king returns"—along with the miraculous return of Hua Yinghong, the "Free One," riding the Sea Dragon King—will spread like wildfire throughout the entire Hualong Continent…

Volume 6, Chaos Across the World, Chapter 101: Reunion After the Calamity
, Tianshui Prefecture, Wanmei Manor's Back Peak.
"What a magnificent 'The Dragon King bows three times, the king returns!'"—Meishanmin, the "Plum Blossom Sword Saint," with his white hair and beard and refined, almost otherworldly appearance, said to a gaunt old man who was blind and crippled: "Brother Guigu's divine calculations have come true once again. Could that Free One, Hua Yinghong, truly be the new unparalleled overlord of the Hualong Continent?" The Sea Dragon King's powerful divine sense naturally could not escape the extraordinary spiritual perception of the "Plum Blossom Sword Saint," who had fought the "Genius of a Generation," Liu Suifeng, for thousands of moves decades ago.
“Brother Mei, your cultivation has reached the realm of the celestial being, why ask further? The ways of Heaven are unpredictable, and the secrets of Heaven are ever-changing. I have suffered this fate because I recklessly revealed heavenly secrets. Do you perhaps wish to make me lose my legs as well?” The old man, blind in both eyes and crippled in both hands, was none other than the “Number One Physician Under Heaven,” Guiguzi!
“The great waves wash away the sand, I wonder how many will survive this calamity.” Mei Shanmin stopped asking and simply muttered to himself.
“Only after the yellow sand is blown away can gold be found, only after the turbid is cleared and the pure is purified, only after being reborn from the ashes can one truly be blessed.” Guiguzi also seemed to be muttering to himself…

Penglai Island, Misty Cloud Pavilion.
The “Ethereal Fairy” Ling Hanyan leaned comfortably against the “Sword God” Lang Qingyun’s chest, and said in a slightly tired voice, “Qingyun, are you at ease now?”
Lang Qingyun smiled faintly, "Concern leads to confusion. I never imagined that with my cultivation, knowing that Brother Hua was destined for greatness and would not die young, I would still ask you to join me in the search, which has exhausted you."
After receiving news from the Wenjian Pavilion that Hua Yinghong had been assassinated, Lang Qingyun couldn't help but join forces with Ling Hanyan to search the Treasure Strait with their divine senses. The combined power of the two experts at the Divine Rank was astonishing: they could even sense the divine sense communication between the Sea Dragon King and Hua Yinghong across hundreds of miles!
"However, your precious brother and disciple, Hua Yinghong, is truly astonishing and unfathomable. It was one thing to spread the Heaven and Earth Technique to the world before, but now he's even passing it on to strange spiritual objects. Aren't you afraid of incurring divine retribution?" Ling Hanyan asked with some concern.
"Greatness lies in tolerance, and strength in the absence of desire. Brother Hua is a man of great wisdom. He gave away the Heaven and Earth Technique after receiving a single inner core from the Sea Dragon King, demonstrating his lack of greed and self-interest. How could he possibly be punished by Heaven? The Sea Dragon King, in return, said, 'The Dragon King bows three times, the king returns,' which will surely provide immense assistance to the Free Army and perhaps save the people of Hualong from much suffering. All things have spirits, and these extraordinary creatures should not be underestimated!" Lang Qingyun sighed softly.
"In that case, you'll have countless dragon disciples and grand-disciples, making you far more prestigious than the Sword Inquiry Pavilion in the future?" Ling Hanyan teased , half-smiling, half-annoying.
"Mmm!" Lang Qingyun didn't reply, but instead sealed the alluring, fragrant lips of the "Ethereal Fairy" Ling Hanyan with a passionate kiss—who says that peerless masters, hailed as almost "gods," are without emotions and desires?
Perhaps even true gods cannot escape the word "love"!

Dongguan City, South Gate.
Liu Yufei, Miao Youlan, Xue Qianqian, Liu Lan, Batian, and others stood on the city wall, their eyes fixed on the sky above Longtan Town, more than thirty miles to the south. They paid no attention to the counterattack launched by the Jade Dragon Army from within the city. If seven thousand special forces soldiers, nearly a thousand Peach Blossom Palace experts, and four hundred Fire Phoenix Guards and Freedom Iron Guards couldn't even hold one city gate—then the Freedom Alliance might as well disband!
The long-awaited signal finally rose in that sky—
"Pass down the order! Tell all Freedom Army soldiers that Commander Hua has returned safely, and the Jade Dragon Army has been defeated!" Liu Yufei's beautiful voice trembled with excitement. This news spread rapidly throughout the area within several miles of the southern city.
The tension that had been building until they received confirmation finally eased—"Long live the Sons of Freedom! Long live the Freedom Army!..." Thousands of people shouted in unison from the bottom of their hearts, their voices shaking the heavens!
—Outside the south gate of Dongguan City, towards Longtan Town, the thunderous roar of thousands of Jade Dragon Army cavalry echoed across the land!
"Prepare for battle!" Knowing it must be the Jade Dragon Army cavalry counterattacking Dongguan City from Longtan Town, Ba Tian immediately issued the order to prepare for battle! Each special forces member inspected their crossbows, bows, and swords, yet they showed no sign of the tension before a life-or-death battle. These were the same men who had once held off hundreds of thousands of fearless Japanese invaders fleeing for their lives in the low-walled town of Xiaoyuan Town. Now, with their high city walls, how could a mere 20,000 Jade Dragon cavalry ruin the illustrious reputation of the "Iron Army"? Even if
there were another 50,000 cavalry, they wouldn't be able to breach the walls defended by the special forces in a short time!
But Ba Tian and his special forces team's hopes for a major battle were dashed—a firework signal rose in the distance, and the Jade Dragon Iron Cavalry, which had been galloping towards Dongguan City for miles around, suddenly made a 180-degree turn and headed south again! The Jade Dragon Army and elite spies inside Dongguan City, who had been fighting desperately, also ceased their attack and retreated towards the east gate.
"Tch!—" Ba Tian spat a mouthful of phlegm on the ground. "Which division chased us so fast? We didn't get to fight properly! I'll beat those bastards up later!" After confirming that his elder brother Hua Yinghong was unharmed, Ba Tian finally breathed a sigh of relief, and his rude and aggressive nature resurfaced. "
Second Brother Ba, Article 10 of the Civilized Convention states that spitting in public and polluting the city's appearance incurs a fine of one silver coin, to be paid to the municipal office later. This is witnessed by everyone; there's no denying it!" Liu Lan's gloomy mood had just improved, and her mischievous and playful spirit immediately returned.
"It was clearly ten copper coins, how come it's gone up again?" Ba Tian had already been fined several times for his uncivilized behavior on Treasure Island, so he remembered it clearly.
"Article 18 of the Civilized Conduct Convention stipulates that repeat offenders of uncivilized behavior will be fined ten times the amount, and the informant must also give a silver coin as a reward. Considering your sworn brotherhood with Brother Hua, the reward will be waived." Liu Lan said with a stern face.
"You're not lying to me, are you?" Ba Tian asked cautiously.
"It's clearly written in the Civilized Conduct Convention, go read it yourself! I told you to read more books and learn more characters so you won't be blind. Who told you to be lazy? If you don't want to pay the fine, you only need to sweep the streets for two days." Liu Lan suppressed her laughter and began to lecture Ba Tian seriously.
"No way!" Ba Tian muttered, "I'd rather pay than sweep the floor!"
"Ha! Ha! Ha!..." Liu Yufei, Miao Youlan, Xue Qianqian, and the other female members of the Fire Phoenix Guard couldn't help but burst into laughter as they watched Liu Lan's serious expression and Ba Tian's embarrassed look. Then, everyone present couldn't help but roar with laughter—
suddenly, a clear, dragon-like whistle rang out from afar, shaking the heavens and resounding throughout the nine heavens. "Brother Hua!" "Brother Hua!" "Brother Hong!" Liu Yufei, Miao Youlan, and Xue Qianqian suddenly cried out in unison, taking off from the city wall one after another, traversing more than ten zhang of sky, their figures flashing towards the source of the whistle!
Liu Lan and the others hurriedly gave chase, only stopping several miles away. They stared in disbelief at the top of a towering, six-zhang-tall tree—
Hua Yinghong, Liu Yufei, Miao Youlan, and Xue Qianqian were entwined in passionate embrace, as if no one else existed in the world. Deep, fiery kisses alternated on the beautiful lips of the three stunning beauties, expressing the profound and bittersweet emotions of their reunion after such a catastrophe… Everything else in the world became insignificant. Having experienced life and death, the three women finally understood the depth and truth of the pain and longing that had accumulated in their hearts, as if it were a mountain… It erupted like a tsunami, all traces of the former reserve and shyness in front of others gone—
a strange feeling filled the boundless wilderness, as if life itself had ignited at that moment, four hearts connected and merging infinitely, infinitely expanding…
Heaven and earth are vast, but love is eternal—everything in the world was encompassed by these four expanding hearts; it was an ocean of love, a sky of love. Under its infinite expansion, the four passionate hearts were completely in harmony, beyond heaven and earth, beyond people and self, only love endured, only love was the source of life's vitality!
Hua Yinghong gazed affectionately at the three peerless beauties, as beautiful as fairies. No words were needed; his gaze was the best love confession, surpassing all language. At this moment, silence spoke louder than words; all the joys and sorrows, all the happiness and love… were contained in his endless, profound gaze!
Liu Yufei's jade-like face flushed with excitement and joy, her hands tightly wrapped around Hua Yinghong's thick neck, as if afraid he would suddenly disappear. At this moment, she was no longer the former Tang princess, no longer the leader of the Free Alliance, but simply a beloved wife, her beautiful eyes brimming with indescribable charm and tender affection…
Xue Qianqian and Miao Youlan nestled on either side, tears streaming down their angelic faces. They felt no jealousy towards Liu Yufei; as long as they could be with their beloved, they were content—having experienced life and death together, they realized just how deep their love truly was!
Some people need a lifetime to understand and find true love; others only need a glance, a chance encounter, a smile to be smitten for life!
Hua Yinghong slowly lowered his head, gently kissing away the tears on the three women's fair faces, then softly moving to their three rosy, moist lips for another passionate kiss—incredibly tender, like a gentle spring breeze, soft sunlight, amidst blooming flowers, infinitely romantic, and utterly intoxicating.
No one watching showed impatience; they shared in the wondrous atmosphere and the warmth of love, in the peaceful and serene ambiance. Their hearts were filled with boundless admiration, devoid of jealousy, envy, or selfishness. Everyone seemed to understand that noble sentiment and selfless sincerity!
"Fei'er!" "Youlan!" "Sister Qian!" Hua Yinghong gazed at three faces more radiant than the sun, more noble than peonies, more elegant than orchids, more beautiful than peach blossoms, more dreamlike, and more breathtaking than the starry sky—speechless with awe…
Having once again walked through the gates of hell, Hua Yinghong realized that he was filled with boundless longing and love for this wondrous otherworld, for these stunning beauties, and for his beloved soulmates—if this was a dream, then he hoped it would never end!
"Brother Hua!" The usually playful and lively Liu Lan flew onto the treetop, speechless with a dazed look...
"Fei'er..." At this moment, Fei'er from that other world resurfaced in his mind, becoming like a hazy and unattainable dream—even if one becomes an unparalleled king, even if one possesses countless peerless beauties, even if one becomes the number one person in the world, wouldn't life still have too many unavoidable regrets?
"Fei'er!" Hua Yinghong kissed Liu Yufei's fragrant red lips again, his tongue gently protruding, slowly transferring a stream of incomparably pure Sea Dragon Pill energy to her... Hua Yinghong's majestic tiger-like body and the four women's infinitely beautiful and moving bodies were suddenly enveloped in a dazzling red light...
As the sun set, the five people shrouded in red light on the treetop became an infinitely beautiful scene in the world—

Volume 6 Chaos of the World Chapter 102 Turbulent Times
November 12th, 994 of the Hualong Calendar. Jade Dragon City.
"My lords, the nation is in grave danger. Is there not a single one who can share my burden?" Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan's face was grim. Perhaps it was due to receiving news last night of Sima Yuan's defeat and the Free Army's occupation of Tianshui and Dongguan, or perhaps the bad news of hundreds of thousands of grassland allied troops launching a massive attack on Yinchuan Prefecture, or perhaps he had gone too far with the beautiful Qiu Shuiyun last night… In any case, he hadn't rested well, and his face showed signs of fatigue.
"Your Majesty," said Left Chancellor Murong Ming, stepping forward, "Although the Sixth Prince was defeated, he still has nearly two divisions of troops retreating eastward into Qiu's Changlong Prefecture. The Free Army has just captured Tianshui and Dongguan Prefectures and needs time to recuperate and govern. Moreover, the Free Army's total landing force is only six divisions, and they must consider the pressure from Jianghan and Changlong Prefectures, so they should be unable to invade Jade Dragon Prefecture to the west for the time being. The most urgent task is still how to resist the grassland allied army's attack."
Murong Ming's words clearly implied an attempt to exonerate the Sixth Prince, Sima Yuan—after all, Sima Yuan had his prized son, Murong Ming, as his strategist in the battles against the Free Army in Tianshui and Dongguan, so he had to speak up for the Sixth Prince. Sima Yuan's plan to bring Murong Bo along before making his decision had indeed worked!
"The steppe allied forces are coming with overwhelming force, what can we use to resist them?" Sima Yuan's words contained a hint of anger, but he held it back. This anger naturally had a reason—
the Third Prince, Sima An, leading the newly formed Roland Legion, along with the powerful Second Guard Division and the Reserve Division, totaling 240,000 troops, not only failed to withstand the attack of the steppe allied forces, but also lost more than 80,000 men in a single day, losing several medium-sized cities and towns, and a large area of land southwest of Yinchuan Prefecture. He could only retreat eighty miles until he finally stabilized his position at the heavily fortified city of Yinchuan. It is said that the grassland allied forces only lost 30,000 men—even if the elite grassland cavalry had an advantage in open plains warfare, this result was still too poor, wasn't it?
In contrast, although the Sixth Prince Sima Yuan also suffered a defeat and lost 80,000 men, he still managed to inflict nearly 30,000 casualties on the Free Army, which was a passable result—after all, according to the reports from the secret spies supervising the battle, the "Dragon Blood Bullet" and the "Divine Crossbow" were extremely lethal, and the Jinghai Army Corps was originally very likely to successfully annihilate the Free Army's landing division in that battle. However, no one expected that at the critical moment, Hua Yinghong, the "Son of Freedom" who was thought to have been assassinated by the Yinming Sect and buried in the belly of the sea dragon, miraculously returned safely riding the Sea Dragon King. The rumor that "the Dragon King bowed three times, and the king returned" further boosted the morale of both sides, which led to the great defeat at Longtan Town and the loss of Dongguan City.
As for the sudden fall of Tianshui City to the Free Army, the fault did not lie with Sima Yuan: 20,000 Jade Dragon Army soldiers defended the city, while the Free Army only had one division attacking it. They could have held out for many days, but no one expected that Mei Shanmin, the "Plum Blossom Sword Saint," who had maintained neutrality in the power struggles among various factions for decades, would openly declare his support for the Free Army, citing the Jade Dragon spies' collusion with Mei Yi to frame the "Wanmei Manor," and appoint Miao Youlan, the vice-leader of the Free Alliance and the "Peerless Jade Maiden," as the new head of Wanmei Manor. The Sima family had only recently acquired Tianshui City and their foothold was unstable; how could they possibly be an enemy of the deeply entrenched "Wanmei Manor" and the Free Army in Tianshui Prefecture? The Jiang family, which had secretly supported the Sima family, was also uprooted by the Free Army, Peach Blossom Palace, and Wanmei Manor after the fall of Tianshui City, vanishing without a trace!
Sima Yuan was well aware of these circumstances through the Jade Dragon spies' intelligence.
For a moment, no one answered in the hall. No one could have imagined that just a month ago, Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan had used his grand "world-shaking scheme" to manipulate and control the Later Tang Empire, the Great Liang Kingdom, and various other forces, enjoying immense prestige. Yet, only a month later, the Jade Dragon Kingdom had truly fallen into such an extremely difficult and precarious state!
"Minister Ding, what good plan do you have?" Sima Yuan's sharp eyes were fixed on Ding's representative in court—Minister of Personnel Ding Zili. If the Ding family hadn't refused to carry out the order to annihilate the Later Tang southwestern army trapped in Zijiang Town, the Sima family wouldn't have needed to secretly deploy three divisions in Wuling County to prevent the Ding family from feigning defeat like the Li family of Xiliang, opening the road and allowing the Later Tang southwestern army into the heart of Sima's controlled territory—a situation that would have been unmanageable!
However, this left Sima Yuan with no mobile forces other than the Imperial Guard Division, the First Division and its two reserve divisions, and the Imperial Guard Legion.
This last trump card was a force he dared not easily deploy. In the Longshan Prefecture area near the Yulong Mountains in Yulong County, the Yinming Sect of the Demonic Cult was extremely powerful and active. Just look at the commotion they caused in Keelung City on Treasure Island—it was clear that when they acted, it was astonishing! If the First Imperial Guard Division were to be transferred away from Longshan Prefecture, it would likely cause even greater trouble!
"I believe that the Free Army is more ferocious than a tiger, and its harm is even greater than that of the Grassland Alliance," Ding Zili said. "The Grassland Alliance is ultimately a nomadic people, unaccustomed to the climate and soil of the Central Plains. Even if they conquer cities and territories for a time and implement policies to treat the people well, our subjects of Yulong may not submit to their rule. For now, we only need to implement a scorched-earth policy in the various prefectures of Roland County, stockpile grain and fodder, train soldiers, fortify cities, and defend them with superior weapons. After a while, their savage nature will be revealed, and then the people will surely resent it. Then we can send an elite army, gather the people, and combine the strength of Xiliang to annihilate them, or at least drive them back to the grasslands."
"Minister Ding's plan is excellent," Sima Yuan nodded and said, "However, the Free Army, with a landing force of only a few hundred thousand, is even more harmful than the hundreds of thousands of Grassland cavalry? You must know that almost every Grassland soldier is a soldier, and it is not uncommon for a million cavalry to enter the pass if necessary."
"Your Majesty, I believe the Free Army poses four major threats: First, isolated overseas with no worries about their rear, they can concentrate their forces to attack any side as long as their navy protects the seas. Second, the Free Army has won consecutive victories, their morale is high, their weaponry is sharp, and their fighting spirit is strong, growing stronger with each battle. Third, the Free Alliance's internal affairs are thriving, earning it the title of 'paradise on earth,' with the people's hearts united and its wealth constantly increasing. Fourth, and most importantly, the Son of Freedom, whether in military or political affairs, is like a divine dragon in the sky, assessing the situation and often surprising us." "Human actions are impossible to fathom. His return on a sea dragon after an assassination attempt will only further confuse the people. Many forces, including Peach Blossom Palace, the Nangong family, the Ship Guild, and Wanmei Manor, are already openly or secretly willing to act as his pawns. Given time, if the Free Army grows stronger, it will likely become unstoppable!" Ding Zili glanced at Qiu Haocang, the Minister of Works. This analysis was incisive, not only reminding Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan but also the Qiu family—the Free Army was a major threat not only to the Sima family but also to the Qiu family!
As for the Ding family, they had already raised Jianghan Prefecture, which borders both Tianshui and Dongguan Prefectures, to Level 1 alert last night
. Jianghan Prefecture, with its vast area of 600 li and large population, is the Ding family's stronghold. If anything were to happen to it, even if the Ding family survived, it would be severely weakened! "Minister Ding's analysis is entirely reasonable," Sima Yuan asked again, "However, analysis alone is not enough. What is the proper response?"
"Your Majesty, I only have this humble opinion. The solution lies with Minister Qiu, as the Eastern Army is most familiar with the Free Army." Ding Zili, cunning and shrewd, passed the hot potato to Qiu Haocang, subtly implying that while the Qiu family gained temporary advantage through the "gentleman's agreement," they allowed the Free Army to grow stronger and become a major threat. The one who tied the knot must untie it; whoever caused the problem must bear the primary responsibility.
"Your Majesty!" Qiu Haocang hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Although the Eastern Army has captured Yunyuan County and Nanhai County, totaling three prefectures, it has lost Tianshui Prefecture and Dongguan Prefecture. Moreover, the more than 400,000 troops of the famous Liang general Long Feiyang are still entrenched in Qingyuan Prefecture and Shunde Prefecture, a thorn in our side. I believe that only when the Northern Army and the Eastern Army join forces, along with the Third Guard Division, a Baiyi Division, and the remnants of the Jinghai Army led by the Sixth Prince, can we use our overwhelming strength to first eliminate the two major Liang army groups led by Long Feiyang before we can consider dealing with the Free Army. Otherwise, if the Free Army joins forces with the Liang Kingdom, I'm afraid not only the Eastern Army, but the entire Yulong Kingdom will be in a precarious situation!"
"Well said! Minister Qiu's words about working together are especially apt!" The powerful and silent "Duke Protector of the Nation," Sima Cheng, suddenly interjected, "Our Jade Dragon Kingdom is currently in dire straits, and this is no exaggeration! If we continue to harbor our own ambitions and refuse to work together to resist the powerful enemy, how can we survive when the nest is overturned!"
Sima Cheng continued, "Your Majesty, I propose that: for the western front of the grassland coalition, Minister Ding's scorched-earth policy be adopted, ordering the Third Prince to train the army, defend Yinchuan City, expand the ranks, and prepare for war. Li Xuanji's western legion should also be ordered to harass the grassland coalition's rear. For the eastern front, Minister Qiu's strategy can be adopted, ordering the northern legion to deploy at least three reserve divisions, temporarily placing the Third Guard Division and the Baiyi Division under the command of the Sixth Prince's Jinghai Legion, to cooperate with the eastern legion in a decisive battle against Long Feiyang." "The Liang army will be completely annihilated; at that time, my million-strong Yulong army will be able to regain mobility from the stalemate in Baiyang County, Nanhai County, and Yunyuan County, and the crisis will be resolved immediately. As for the Later Tang's Southwest Army, the majority of the Northern Army must be strictly ordered to firmly block it at Zijiang Town. If the Northern Army fails to stop the enemy and allows it to escape into Wuling County, in order to prevent the foundation of the country from being shaken, we may have to order the Seventh Prince's Central Army to abandon the Later Tang's Yanbo Prefecture, cross the river and land at Huaiyin Port in Beijiang Prefecture, and return to pursue and annihilate it."
Ding Zili was anxious at this moment and hurriedly said, "The hundreds of thousands of soldiers of the Northern Army will certainly not let a single Later Tang soldier enter Wuling County." Only Ding Zili knew that his elder brother Ding Zixing had indeed planned to feign defeat and let the hungry tiger of the Later Tang's Southwest Army pass through the Jianghan Prefecture and Linjiang Prefecture to attack Wuling County, which was controlled by the Sima clan. If the Sima clan's heartland was thrown into chaos, the Ding family's army would have the opportunity to enter the Sima clan's controlled territory in a dignified manner. In this chaotic world, withdrawal is not so easy—
but "Duke Protector of the Nation" Sima Cheng is cunning and shrewd, skillfully employing a single strategy to deter the Ding family from even considering it! If the Ding family were to actually implement a strategy of using one enemy to devour another, it would likely give the Sima family an excuse to order the central army, reserve divisions, and navy—over 400,000 troops—to cross the river and return to Jianghan Prefecture. At that point, the Ding family would have overplayed their hand.
"Inviting a god is easy, but sending him away is difficult." If the Jade Dragon King truly decrees that his seventh prince, Sima Lang, lead hundreds of thousands of troops across the river into Beijiang Prefecture, it will likely be more than just a matter of returning to pursue the Later Tang army. If the Free Army attacks Jianghan Prefecture from Tianshui and Dongguan Prefectures, the Qiu family advances from Changlong and Qingyuan Prefectures into Nanjiang Prefecture, and the Golden Dragon Kingdom's navy takes advantage of the chaos, all launching attacks on the four prefectures of Jianghan Prefecture—when the wall is crumbling, everyone pushes it down. Even if the Ding family were to urgently use the "Spring and Autumn Limitless Decree," it would likely be to no avail!
"Alright!" King Sima Yuan of Jade Dragon spoke again, making a decision: "We will follow the Duke of Protectorate's plan. The entire Jade Dragon Kingdom must unite to overcome this difficulty. As for the promulgation of new decrees such as the 'Jade Dragon Land Law' and the 'Jade Dragon Gold Law,' there's no need to discuss them further. We'll implement them first. Once we win the battle, people will naturally come. Hmph! This is also a good opportunity to see how many loyal ministers and righteous men my Jade Dragon Kingdom has who are willing to face the national crisis together."
When he said the last sentence, Sima Yuan's voice became extremely sinister and frightening—all the ministers in the court knew very well that once a series of money-making decrees imitating the Free Alliance's actions on Treasure Island were issued, those wealthy families, powerful merchants, and magnates who were unwilling to bleed money to support the Sima family would be in trouble, and not just ordinary trouble!

Volume 6 Chaos Under Heaven Chapter 103 Deep Affection
Hua Yinghong slept until almost dawn before waking up, or rather, he was awakened by an incredibly wonderful stimulation.
Last night, perhaps because of the long separation from Liu Yufei, Miao Youlan, Xue Qianqian, and Liu Lan, or perhaps because they had just survived a life-or-death ordeal, or perhaps because the extremely yang energy of the Sea Dragon King's inner core stimulated the lingering venom of the lustful snake within Hua Yinghong, he and the four women went wild for almost the entire night, only falling asleep as dawn approached.
Hua Yinghong's generous gift of the "Heaven and Earth Technique" to the Sea Dragon King made the Sea Dragon King equally generous: allowing him to desperately absorb countless amounts of pure and fiery inner energy in the alchemy chamber—how vast was the inner energy the Sea Dragon King had accumulated over thousands of years of cultivation? Hua Yinghong was unaware of the consequences of this; he only knew that his dantian and meridians were filled with powerful and abundant inner energy, yet he was like a nouveau riche possessing a treasure mountain but not knowing how to use it—if he could convert all the inner energy into his own true energy, even without considering the absorption and utilization of the primordial energy of heaven and earth, perhaps even a master of the divine level would be inferior to him?
But that pure, yang-like elixir seemed to have an aphrodisiac effect. At the treetop, he was moved by the deep affection and mutual attraction between Liu Yufei, Miao Youlan, Xue Qianqian, and Liu Lan, yet he ultimately couldn't resist embracing the four women and kissing them passionately in turn, channeling his fiery, pure elixir energy into their bodies, and then absorbing a large amount of yin energy to barely suppress his rising lust.
That night, he slept with the four women under the same covers, a scene of unparalleled bliss. There were no many words or sweet nothings, only endless pleasure. Under the influence of the Sea Dragon Elixir's energy and the lingering poison of the Lustful Serpent, Hua Yinghong tirelessly engaged in the most primal activities within the bodies of the four alluring beauties throughout the night, bestowing countless amounts of the transformed Primordial True Qi, Sea Dragon Elixir's energy, and essence upon these beauties... His manhood remained erect like a towering jade pillar... until even Xue Qianqian, the most powerful and seductive of them all, finally couldn't hold on any longer. After laughing and cursing him as a "monster," Hua Yinghong finally embraced her and fell into a sweet sleep...
In this other world, nothing is impossible. Incredible martial arts, unparalleled beauty, epic wars, even the magic of lovemaking left Hua Yinghong utterly bewildered, as if he were dreaming all day!
The morning air was so fresh. In his hazy, dreamlike state, Hua Yinghong felt a jade-like hand gently stroking his proud, erect member, followed by a soft, smooth, fragrant tongue…
“Hmm?” Hua Yinghong opened his eyes and saw Liu Yufei’s flawless, breathtakingly beautiful face. He murmured with a flutter in his voice, “Fei’er…”
“Brother!…” Liu Yufei blushed. Perhaps influenced by the energy of the Sea Dragon Pill, or perhaps stimulated by the recent experience of separation and death, she felt a special longing for lovemaking with Hua Yinghong. Completely forgetting her girlish reserve, her large eyes gazed at her lover with tender affection. Her soft, agile tongue followed… until her rosy lips covered his warm, velvety lips…
Liu Yufei used the Peach Blossom Palace seductive arts and techniques she had learned from Xue Qianqian… her excitement was like that of a child who had finally obtained a long-desired toy…
Hua Yinghong sat up, smoothed Liu Yufei’s hair, and fully revealed her exquisite, flawless face. He silently watched this beauty’s actions of pleasing him with tender and grateful eyes. Beyond the waves of physical pleasure, the feeling of witnessing this stunning beauty being conquered was irreplaceable… At this moment, there were no noble Tang princesses or the Statue of Liberty, only a beautiful woman indulging in the joys and sorrows of love…
“Mmm… mmm…” Liu Yufei felt her lover’s excitement, and became even more…
Hua Yinghong reached out and grasped Liu Yufei's two round and tender breasts, displaying his seductive techniques, kneading, pinching, rubbing, and caressing...
Suddenly, Hua Yinghong's mind stirred, and the image of a very attractive "Fire Phoenix Guard" hurrying towards the door appeared in his mind. He suppressed the urge to ejaculate and said, "Fei'er, someone is coming to urge us... Sister Qian, Youlan, Lan'er, don't pretend to be asleep."
The three women lying beside him, Xue Qianqian, Miao Youlan, and Liu Lan, had actually been awake for a while, and were secretly watching the rarely seen lewd side of Liu Yufei, who was usually noble, elegant, and graceful. Xue Qianqian sat up and brought her jade-like face closer, chuckling, "I didn't expect Fei'er to be so greedy! She wasn't done being wild last night!"
"Sister Qian, don't laugh at Fei'er! Last night, I wonder who was still being wild after we were all asleep!" Liu Yufei was already used to the erotic scenes of the sisters sharing the same bed and serving their lovers, and wasn't shy at all. Suddenly, she grabbed—
"Mmm!—" Xue Qianqian was about to tease Liu Yufei again, but she couldn't make a sound. She was a master of this art, and immediately her eyes were alluring, her smile radiant…
"Ah!" Hua Yinghong couldn't help but let out an uncontrollable scream, as if his soul had flown out of his body, seemingly in extreme pain, but actually in extreme pleasure! Fortunately, a soundproof barrier had been installed in the room, otherwise half of Dongguan City would have heard it! Under Xue Qianqian's extremely skillful seductive techniques, and even more deadly under the allure of her powerful peach blossom true energy, Hua Yinghong, who had already been aroused to the peak by Liu Yufei, could no longer restrain himself...
"Reporting to the Alliance Leader! Everyone in the council hall has arrived." The soft and sweet voice of the Fire Phoenix Guard finally came from outside the door.
"Please ask them to wait a moment, we will be there shortly." Liu Yufei's face was as red as a ripe apple. The intimate relationship between the women and Hua Yinghong was probably known to all, but this was the first time that they had missed the council time because of their lovemaking. Facing those Free Army generals later... how embarrassing!
"Fei-mei, what kind of rouge are you wearing on your face? How come you are so beautifully red?" Xue Qianqian knew that with Liu Yufei's stunning beauty, she didn't need any rouge or powder, but she still teased her.
Miao Youlan and Liu Lan also giggled beside her.

Jade Dragon Mountain Range, Yinming Peak.
Xu Ling, the "Yinming Divine Fist," stood facing north on a protruding boulder, with a churning sea of clouds and a bottomless abyss beneath his feet. He took a deep breath, lightly clenched his fists, closed his eyes, and let his mind sink into the endless sea of clouds…
Within Xu Ling's divine sense, the howling mountain wind suddenly stopped, and the churning sea of clouds, spanning dozens of feet in radius, abruptly stilled. Within that spherical space, everything became still, as if time itself had ceased to flow. The mountain winds still howled and the sea of clouds still churned around the sphere, a stark contrast of stillness and movement, yet seemingly containing some profound truth of the universe, the most wondrous, the most divine, the most ethereal…
Xu Ling’s figure floated more than twenty feet beyond the stone like wisps of cloud, slowly unfolding his fists in the air. Each move he made was like that of a street performer, the only difference being that it was slow, incredibly slow. Even a three-year-old child who had just started learning martial arts could probably do it faster than him—
but this extremely slow move was the most powerful supreme martial art in Xu Ling’s “Yinming Divine Fist” that made him famous throughout the world—the Shattering Void Fist! As the fist slowly unfolded, Xu Ling’s figure and the still spherical space were frozen in the void of clouds, not falling at all!
Suddenly, Xu Ling's fist technique changed abruptly, its speed as swift as lightning. He and his fist transformed into a ball of light, invisible to the naked eye. The wind and clouds changed color, the clear sky suddenly turning into a dark, ghostly prison—"Boom!" As the spherical space exploded, a thunderclap resounded in the void, and a bolt of lightning struck down, seemingly cleaving the void in two! In the flash, Xu Ling's figure vanished without a trace.
A moment later, the wind and clouds returned to normal, and Xu Ling's figure returned to the large rock, as if he had never moved at all. A trace of black light flickered across his face, which was only about forty years old and almost identical to the "Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao, disappearing in an instant.
"Second brother, is there any news of Xiaoyao?" Xu Ling asked "Azure Blade" Xu Shan, who had appeared about twenty feet behind him, without turning his head.
"Xiaoyao is on a ship returning to the mainland. However, that Son of Freedom, Hua Yinghong, miraculously survived and is rumored to have appeared safely in Longtan Town riding a sea dragon. The morale of the Free Army is soaring, and Tianshui and Dongguan prefectures are now in his hands." Seeing Xu Ling's lack of surprise, Xu Shan continued, "Because of Hua Yinghong's assassination, the Free Alliance has issued a decree declaring that no member of our Yinming Sect is allowed to remain under its jurisdiction. The Peach Blossom Palace has also issued a first-level Peach Blossom Decree, declaring that any Holy Sect disciple who submits to our sect is an enemy of the Peach Blossom Palace. Now, our disciples on Treasure Island have either been killed or have defected to the Peach Blossom Palace; only a few have escaped. It is reported that many disciples in Tianshui and Dongguan prefectures have also defected to the Peach Blossom Palace..."
"This is the trouble Xiaoyao has caused," Xu Ling said calmly. "I'm afraid there's no longer any room for cooperation between our sect and the Peach Blossom Palace. The intelligence network that Second Brother has established needs to be adjusted accordingly, in preparation for a major operation."
"Brother, the Sima clan still has a Royal Guard division and a reserve division stationed in Longshan Prefecture. Should we still launch the uprising as originally planned?" Xu Shan asked with some concern.
The Royal Guard is the Sima clan's strongest fighting force besides the Imperial Guard and the Forbidden Army. If they were to be deployed to suppress the Yinming Sect's uprising, given the Yinming Sect disciples' lack of training and familiarity with battle formations, who knows how many disciples and followers would be lost to contend with the Jade Dragon Royal Guard!
"The Sima clan is beset by internal and external troubles, attacked on multiple fronts, and its fate is sealed. It is the perfect time for my Yinming Sect to seize power and replace them. If I am right, the First Guard Division will soon be transferred. Issue my Yinming order: all disciples and followers in Tianshui and Dongguan prefectures must quietly withdraw to Yulong County. On the fifteenth of this month, raise the banner of righteousness and revive the Holy Sect. My second brother will take charge of political affairs, and Shaopeng will take charge of military affairs... As for the Free Army and Peach Blossom Palace? — For now, there is no need for direct conflict. As long as my Bright Army gains power, the followers of the Holy Sect will naturally be loyal." Xu Ling's tone was calm, yet it carried an unyielding authority.
"Yes!" Xu Shan felt a pang of sadness—the "Shaopeng" Xu Ling spoke of was Xu Shaopeng, thirty-one years old, Xu Ling's adopted son and eldest disciple. He possessed martial arts skills passed down from Xu Ling, and his wisdom was extraordinary. He was deeply supported by the followers and was Xu Xiaoyao's greatest rival in succeeding as the leader of the Yinming Sect.
Xu Ling, the "Yinming Divine Fist" master, sent his "Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao to Treasure Island with the initial intention of establishing a presence there. The plan was for Xu Xiaoyao to achieve something significant, joining forces with Peach Blossom Palace to seize Treasure Island, much like the current Free Army. The goal was for him to at least carve out a territory, tie down a large portion of the Jade Dragon Army, disrupt the situation, and gain merit to prepare for his future succession. However, Xu Xiaoyao made one mistake after another. He first turned against "Peach Blossom Fairy" Xue Qianqian, then suffered a military defeat, and his assassination attempt on "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong created a formidable enemy, further destabilizing the Yinming Sect's position on Treasure Island and making it difficult for them to even establish a foothold in Baiyang County.
Currently, Treasure Island has indeed effectively tied down a large number of Jade Dragon Army troops, and the Free Army's landing operation has even been more effective in weakening and restraining the Sima clan's power than Xu Ling had anticipated. However, this success is largely thanks to "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong!
The "Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao failed to gain any merit and instead incurred the wrath of the Free Alliance, a formidable enemy whose power was growing daily, for the Yinming Sect. Xu Ling ordered his adopted son, Xu Shaopeng, to take charge of military affairs, clearly expressing his extreme disappointment with his biological son Xu Xiaoyao's lack of ambition...
Could his elder brother truly be willing to hand over the vast foundation of the Yinming Sect to someone else? In the eyes of "Azure Blade" Xu Shan, Xu Shaopeng was always an outsider—although, to be fair, with Xu Shaopeng's talent, he was indeed very suitable to lead the Yinming Sect to greatness...

Volume 6, Chaos Across the Land, Chapter 104: Working Together,
November 13th, Chen Shi (7-9 AM). Qingyuan City, the Great Liang Army's command camp.
Long Feiyang sat upright in the main seat of the command tent, his expression solemn, exuding authority without anger. Despite facing extreme danger, internal worries, and powerful enemies, he still maintained the demeanor of a renowned general.
At this time, Long Feiyang still commanded an army of 440,000: 200,000 within Qingyuan City, mainly elite troops from the Western Legion. After a month-long siege by the Liang army, and with tens of thousands of able-bodied men dying in the Liang's bloody battles, the Liang army felt the hatred of the Liang soldiers everywhere within the city. Long Feiyang dared not expand his army within the city—fearing that the armed populace might turn against him at the crucial moment of the Qiu family's Jade Dragon Army's siege, and everything would be over.
In Shunde Prefecture, since the Long family had ruled for ten years and had a certain foundation, after Long Xiaoyun led 150,000 men of the Eastern Navy Legion into Shunde Prefecture, he recruited 50,000 more, bringing the total to 240,000 men, including the existing reserve divisions in Shunde Prefecture. Compared to before the war, Long Feiyang now commands more than double the troops, but the current situation is far from his expectations: Shunde Prefecture, with an official population of over 1.5 million, has only managed to recruit 50,000 men, leaving him feeling frustrated with his rule over the years. However, he is also quite helpless – after all, the Liang army is currently in a precarious situation, and how many people are willing to risk their lives for them? He should be content with this achievement!
Comparing Long Feiyang's main adversary, the Qiu family, reveals that Long Feiyang remains at a significant strategic disadvantage.
After turning the tide with the "gentleman's agreement," Qiu Shuibo, whose reputation had risen dramatically in the past month, received authorization from the family head, Qiu Haoyu, for military and political affairs in the newly occupied Yangjiang, Zhanjiang, and Maoming prefectures. He then fully utilized his talents: massively expanding the army in the three prefectures, emulating the Free Army's tactics on Zhenbao Island—freeing over 300,000 able-bodied young slaves from their servitude and recruiting a large number of brave and fierce individuals, all of whom were incorporated into the Qiu family's Jade Dragon Army. They were taught martial arts, given intensive training, and paid military salaries, with the most capable promoted. Their positions and treatment were exactly the same as those of regular soldiers…
Over the past month, Qiu Shuibo had formed the Yunyuan Legion, a full-strength force of 160,000 men, in Zhanjiang Prefecture, using the elite troops remaining from the Treasure Division after its bloody battles as its backbone. Qiu Haoran was appointed as the legion commander, and Qiu Changling, Qiu Changhe, Qiu Yu, and “Jade-Faced Tiger” Qiu Shuitao were appointed as the four major division commanders. In Yangjiang Prefecture and Maoming Prefecture, he had formed the South China Sea Naval Legion, a force of 160,000 men, using the Second Division as its backbone. Qiu Shuibo himself was appointed as the legion commander, and the four regimental commanders of the original Second Division were all promoted to division commanders. “Mad Tiger” Ling Ye was also transferred to be the commander of a directly subordinate division—a favor that Qiu Shuibo deliberately bestowed upon the Ling family, the most powerful subordinate family generals in his clan. In Yangjiang Prefecture, he also formed a naval legion of 120,000 men, comprising three divisions, using the original Tenglong Navy’s Beigang and Donggang regiments and the Tenglong Navy’s reserve force as its backbone. Qiu Haohan, the former division commander of the Tenglong Navy, was appointed as the legion commander, and Qiu Su, the former regimental commander of the Donggang Navy, was appointed as the deputy legion commander.
The two regiments of Qiu Shuiba's First Division, which had been temporarily assigned to Qiu Shuibo to quell the rebellion on Zhenbao Island, have returned to Qiu Shuiba's command after the situation stabilized. But even the most foolish person knows that in the struggle for the Qiu family's succession, Qiu Shuibo, who was originally the most low-key and whose sharpest edge was hidden, has gained an absolute advantage—he actually controls a massive army of 440,000 men, and has also gained military and political power over the vast lands of the three prefectures and a population of more than five million. Qiu Shuibo's position in Qiu Haoyu's heart is obvious! What
is especially valuable is that Qiu Shuibo's large-scale expansion of the army did not consume much of the family's resources. The family only provided 4 million gold coins to support the expenses and a large number of internal affairs personnel. The rest was supported by the confiscation of the Liang government's property, the collection of taxes, the sale of land and mines, etc. Even the family's elders wouldn't ignore the heir to the family head, whose military achievements and governance were impeccable!
After the Qiu family completely withdrew their power from Tianshui Prefecture and Dongguan Prefecture, handing it over to the Sima family, they also massively expanded their army in Baiyang City and Changlong City: the Baiyang Legion, with Qiu Shuiba's original First Division as its backbone, was expanded to 160,000 men, with Qiu Shuiba as its commander. Meanwhile, the Eastern Legion of the Jade Dragon Kingdom, originally under Qiu Shuiliu's command, was expanded to 160,000 men, retaining the title of Eastern Legion, with Qiu Haoyu still serving as its commander and Qiu Shuiliu as its deputy commander and commander of the directly subordinate division. At this time, the Qiu family alone had 320,000 troops besieging Qingyuan City. Adding the Third Guard Division of the Sima family and a special division of the Baiyi tribes, the total strength of the Jade Dragon army besieging the city reached 400,000 men, twice the size of Long Feiyang's defending Liang army! Furthermore, the 80,000-strong Jinghai Army under the Sixth Prince Sima Yuan, who had recently fled to Changlong Prefecture after defeats in Tianshui and Dongguan Prefectures, was also on its way to Qingyuan City after a brief rest.
Sima Yuan, the Jade Dragon King, was preoccupied with his own problems and had effectively lost control of the Qiu family, powerless to stop their massive military expansion. Expanding the kingdom's territory was already a monumental achievement, and Sima Yuan could find no reason to halt the Qiu family's expansion—besides, this was one of the costs of their secret pact with the Qiu family to carry out this "world-shaking scheme"!
The Sima family's control of Tianshui and Dongguan Prefectures was hard-won, but they hadn't expected it to be so easily lost to the Free Army!
The situation was dire, extremely dire! Long Feiyang, despite his reputation as a renowned general and his many brilliant strategies, was truly helpless against such a disparity in troop strength, and given that the Jade Dragon Army and the Great Liang Army had historically been evenly matched in combat power.
"Report! Notices are plastered all over the city, calling on all citizens to unite and drive our army away! The people's hearts are in turmoil!"
Upon receiving this report, Long Feiyang's expression remained unchanged, but he couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart. More than two months had passed since the start of the war. After occupying Qingyuan City, they were quickly besieged. Although they had seized a large amount of food and fodder beforehand, ensuring a temporary food shortage, the brothels and pleasure dens belonging to the infamous Peach Blossom Palace in Qingyuan City had long been closed. The primal physiological needs of the 200,000 Liang soldiers had been suppressed for so long without proper release, and there were many complaints within the army. The soldiers, who were originally disciplined, were now frequently caught abducting women and forcibly sleeping in civilian homes, further exacerbating the conflict between the Liang army and the people, causing strong indignation... This was also one of the disadvantages for the Liang army fighting on the front lines, cut off from their rear base.
Taking advantage of the situation, some lurking experts from the Qiu family and Yu Long's spies stirred up trouble, assassinating lone or small patrols of the Liang army. Once they succeeded, they vanished before the Liang army and Long family experts could arrive. With the more than 200,000 people of Qingyuan City providing cover, tracking down the troublemakers familiar with the terrain was like finding a needle in a haystack. In the past month, more than 2,000 Liang soldiers had died in these sporadic assassinations. Aside from retaliatory massacres of thousands of innocent civilians suspected of harboring criminals, further escalating tensions, the Liang army had gained nothing!
"Issue the order! Martial law at its highest level throughout the city. Closely monitor the city; if anyone gathers more than a hundred people without authorization, forcibly disperse them. Anyone who disobeys will be killed!" Long Feiyang was not a bloodthirsty man, but the situation had reached a point of internal and external crisis. If he didn't use an iron fist, Qingyuan City would likely fall to the Qiu family's combined attack before reinforcements arrived, and the entire Western Army of Daliang would be annihilated!
"Where is the Central Army?" After the generals in the tent acknowledged their orders and left, leaving only himself and his eldest son, Long Xiaotian, Long Feiyang showed a hint of fatigue.
"The latest reports have reached Meijiang Prefecture and Baiquan Prefecture, but their westward advance is extremely slow. Shangguan Ju is suspicious," Long Xiaotian replied somewhat resentfully.
The only hope for the Western Army at this time was that Zhu Wen, the King of Liang, had dispatched the Central Army, along with the Baise Reserve Division controlled by the Long Clan of Donghai County, totaling 240,000 men, to cross the Yulong River and assemble in Meijiang Prefecture. Combined with the Baiquan Prefecture navy and two reserve divisions, the Meijiang Prefecture division numbered 160,000 men, bringing the total to 400,000 men east of the Qiu Clan, exerting immense pressure on the newly occupied Yangjiang and Zhanjiang Prefectures. Commanding the eastern front was Shangguan Yunfei, the head of another powerful family in the Liang Kingdom—the Shangguan family, one of the "Four Great Families of Hualong" alongside the Later Tang Dongfang family, the Jinlong Ximen family, and the renowned Nangong family—and commander of the Central Army!
According to the operation codenamed "Reversal," the Liang army on the eastern front has split into two routes: one, led by Shangguan Ruoyu, the eldest son of Shangguan Yunfei, commander of a division directly under the Central Army Corps, and a promising young man, has advanced by land and water with 160,000 troops. Last night, they marched west from Baiquan Prefecture to Yangjiang Prefecture, pressing on Yangjiang City and suppressing the Third Division of Qiu Su's naval army stationed there; the other, led by Shangguan Yunfei himself, has also marched west from Meijiang Prefecture to Zhanjiang Prefecture last night, directly threatening Zhanjiang City, which is defended by Qiu Haoran's Yunyuan Army Corps. If Zhanjiang Prefecture is captured, the main force of the Liang Central Army Corps and the 240,000 troops under Long Xiaoyun's command in Shunde Prefecture will all become mobile forces, completely reversing the course of the war!
An unprecedented decisive battle, with each side deploying over 800,000 troops, is about to erupt. The key to victory lies in whether the Qiu Clan's Jade Dragon Army will first capture Qingyuan City and annihilate Long Feiyang's 200,000 elite troops, or whether the Central Army of the Great Liang Kingdom will first capture Zhanjiang City and wipe out the Qiu Clan's newly established Yunyuan Army, which was less than a month old. Regardless of who wins or loses, this great battle will have a profound impact on the power structure of the Jade Dragon Kingdom, the Great Liang Kingdom, and even the entire Hualong Continent!
"Report! The Ding Clan has raised the banner of the Nanjiang Army from Nanjiang Prefecture, with Ding Zikang, the younger brother of Ding Zixing, leading 160,000 men, advancing towards Shunde Prefecture!"
"Bang!" Long Feiyang finally couldn't hold back and slammed his palm on the ironwood command desk, which was as hard as metal, turning it into dust under his profound skill! Last night, he ordered Long Xiaoyun to send two divisions from Shunde Prefecture eastward to Zhanjiang Prefecture to assist Shangguan Yunfei in capturing Zhanjiang City. His nephew, Long Xiaoyun, the commander of the East China Sea Fleet, personally led three divisions to Qingyuan City to relieve the pressure on the western army. Shunde Prefecture currently has one division of 40,000 men stationed there. The Ding family has always been outwardly friendly but inwardly hostile to the Qiu family. They should have been waiting for the Qiu family to lose troops in the battle so they could profit from it. Unexpectedly, they made their move at this crucial moment, like a sharp knife piercing the heart of the Liang army!
"Immediately order Long Xiaoyun to return to Shunde and ensure that Shunde City is not lost." Because of the Ding family's intervention, there is no hope for reinforcements from Shunde Prefecture to Qingyuan City. Long Feiyang's only hope now rests on the joint efforts of the Central Army and the two divisions of the East China Sea Fleet from Shunde Prefecture to quickly capture Zhanjiang City, while Qingyuan City can hold out until the reinforcements arrive after their victory!
"Report! Qiu Shuibo is personally leading the Qiu family's 160,000-strong South China Sea naval force from Maoming Prefecture to aid Zhanjiang Prefecture!"
"What!" Long Feiyang finally slumped into his commander's chair, suddenly appearing ten years older, muttering to himself, "A villain ruins the country! A villain ruins the country!"
— Long before the Qiu family sent Qiu Shuiling to reach a secret agreement with the Free Army, Long Feiyang had already petitioned Zhu Wen, the King of Liang, to send an envoy to contact the Free Alliance, hoping the Free Army could join forces with the Liang Kingdom to deal with the Qiu family and divide their territory in Baiyang County. Zhu Wen, the King of Liang, did indeed send an envoy, but it was Gao Qiu, the adopted son of the notoriously greedy eunuch Gao Zhongxian. Upon hearing that "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong was demanding five million gold coins and the three prefectures of Baiyang County before he would send troops, Gao Qiu cursed and was severely beaten by Hua Yinghong's orders, and was sent back to Liang in disgrace. If it weren't for the principle of "no killing of envoys in times of war," Gao Qiu might not even have survived!
Qiu Shuibo's decision to station the South China Sea Legion in Maoming Prefecture instead of taking advantage of the situation to attack the sparsely defended Meijiang and Baiquan Prefectures was precisely to guard against a possible secret agreement between the Free Alliance and the Great Liang Kingdom, allowing the Free Army to land in Nanhai County and launch a pincer attack, thus erasing the Qiu family's newly gained advantage! Now, the Free Army has prioritized attacking the Sima family's Tianshui and Dongguan Prefectures, followed by Qiu Shuibo's full-scale mobilization of the South China Sea Legion. Everything indicates that the Qiu family has definitely reached some kind of secret agreement with the Free Alliance again—therefore, Long Feiyang understands: unless a miracle occurs, the tide has turned.
"Quickly send a message to Long Ge..." In near despair, Long Feiyang finally thought of the legendary figure in his family, Long Ge. Perhaps this was his last hope, his last straw! Could the renowned general Long Feiyang, with the unprecedented united efforts of the Sima, Ding, and Qiu families, still create a miracle?
"Long Ge, it's all up to you now!" Long Feiyang murmured to himself after Long Xiaotian quietly left the command camp...

Volume 6, Chaos Across the Land, Chapter 105: The Nine-Lives Dragon Song,
November 13th, noon, Dongguan City, City Guard's Office.
Hua Yinghong had to get up from the warm embrace of beauties last night at 1-3 AM. This was because the Military Intelligence Division had received consecutive urgent reports in the middle of the night: both the Liang Army and the Jade Dragon Army had made unusual movements, and an unprecedented decisive battle was imminent. The Free Army had already landed and occupied most of Tianshui Prefecture and Dongguan Prefecture, no longer isolated overseas as before, able to choose its actions at opportune moments. Currently, the Free Army's controlled land areas border the western part of Tianshui Prefecture to the Sima clan's stronghold, Yulong County, and the Baiyi Kingdom; the northern parts of Tianshui Prefecture and Dongguan Prefecture are adjacent to the Ding family's Jianghan Prefecture; and the eastern part of Dongguan Prefecture is bordered by the Qiu family's stronghold, Changlong Prefecture. A slight misstep could undo all their previous efforts and cost them the initiative to dominate the world. Therefore, Hua Yinghong can no longer sleep soundly every night as he did on Zhenbao Island before.
Dominating the world is no easy feat. Hua Yinghong truly admired the protagonists in those wish-fulfillment novels: They all ended up in another world, yet these protagonists obtained the inheritance of gods, demons, or even a combination of both, possessing unparalleled martial arts and magic, endless treasures and gold, and their opponents were either mentally challenged or idiotic… Why was he so unlucky? Although he had obtained the techniques of two gods, no matter how quickly his martial arts improved, he couldn't fight against a thousand troops, let alone tens of thousands. His opponents were increasingly powerful and their forces increasingly formidable… He had to rack his brains every time to achieve even a small victory, which was incredibly frustrating!
However, looking at the map of Baiyang County's terrain, which already resembled a battleground, Hua Yinghong felt quite gratified: the Free Alliance had spared no expense in hiring a group of specialized personnel to make many military items according to Hua Yinghong's ideas, making them almost perfectly realistic. At least with a battleground, he had a basic understanding of Baiyang County's mountains, rivers, and terrain, making troop deployment and strategy more than ten times better than just looking at a flat map!
The sand table was filled with the latest deployments of troops from various major forces. The Military Intelligence Bureau's work was highly effective, at least without major deviations: the Sima, Ding, and Qiu families were able to work together to deal with the Liang army, which even surprised Hua Yinghong. Previously, although Qiu Shuibo, an opponent he was somewhat wary of, had performed exceptionally well, he estimated that after the Liang central army crossed the river, the situation would be more balanced. This would give the Free Army two or three months to calmly consolidate the two newly acquired prefectures as their base and expand its strength. Therefore, Hua Yinghong generously offered 500,000 gold coins to Qiu Shuiling, whose beauty rivaled that of Fei'er, Youlan, and Xue Qianqian, and made a three-month non-aggression pact, instead deciding to go to war with the Sima family!
"If Long Feiyang suffers a swift and devastating defeat in this great battle, with the outcome decided within a few days, it will be extremely disadvantageous for the Free Army." Hua Yinghong silently moved the pieces representing the forces of each side on the sand table, calculating the possible outcomes based on information gathered from various sources. Wargaming is an extremely demanding mental exercise, requiring calculations of each side's troop strength, combat power, unit types, marching speed, combat losses, the general's fighting style, even potential interventions from the highest decision-making level, and possible unforeseen circumstances... Countless possibilities must be considered simultaneously to arrive at a relatively realistic prediction.
From Chenshi (7-9 AM) to Wushi (11 AM-1 PM), Hua Yinghong spent over two hours alone in front of the sand table, constantly calculating various possibilities, time slipping away unnoticed... Regardless of the calculations, Long Feiyang was destined for a crushing defeat!
"If the Sima, Ding, and Qiu families, riding the wave of their victory in the great war, were to join forces again against the Free Army... I fear I, Hua Yinghong, would become the next Long Feiyang." Hua Yinghong rubbed his temples, which were throbbing from overworking his brain, and couldn't help but give a self-deprecating bitter smile. As for the three-month peace treaty, the Qiu family could devise countless ways to substantially break it, such as incorporating part of their army into Sima Yuanjing's naval regiment to launch a counterattack on Dongguan Prefecture; or disguising their army as bandits and sending a large force to "drive" them into Dongguan Prefecture... and so on. The Ding family's situation was even simpler; they only needed to use the pretext of obeying the king's decree to openly wage war against the Free Army—after all, on the surface, the Sima family was still the legitimate successor of the Jade Dragon Kingdom.
Any peace treaty was merely a tool and a disguise used when war was needed, a fig leaf serving the needs of war and politics! The Qiu family's behavior in fulfilling their "gentleman's agreement" had already proven their nature as a powerful family capable of turning on their promises at any time. Now, thanks to the Free Alliance's development, Treasure Island is more attractive than ever before, and the Qiu, Sima, and Ding families are all bound to have ambitions!
Contending for supremacy is truly a headache. The Free Army now faces a crucial life-or-death choice: should they wait for the million-strong Jade Dragon Army to annihilate Long Feiyang's Liang Army before joining forces to attack the Free Army, or should they immediately engage in an unprecedented war? Hua Yinghong is struggling to decide. Those in high positions can make or break a nation with a single word. The Free Alliance's current situation is hard-won; the safety and lives of millions rest on their shoulders—a heavy responsibility!
After wargaming simulations, the only one who could resolve Long Feiyang's predicament was the Free Army. However, without any accompanying benefits, Hua Yinghong didn't want to fight for nothing.
"Commander, Long Feiyang has sent someone to request an audience through secret channels!" Mo Yan rushed in.
"Not sent by Zhu Wen, the King of Liang?" Hua Yinghong was delighted. He was quite displeased with the last time Zhu Wen sent a male-female eunuch named Gao Qiu as an envoy, who acted like a superior envoy from a great nation. He had made very high demands and, taking advantage of the envoy's outburst, ordered him to be beaten up and driven away. Therefore, he had no good impression of any envoy from the King of Liang.
"It was sent by Long Feiyang, representing the Long family, to request an audience. His name is Long Ge," Mo Yan replied.
"Oh? Is it the Long Ge who is known as 'Nine Lives'?" Hua Yinghong asked with interest. Through various intelligence gatherings and investigations, he paid close attention to the top figures in the Hua Long Continent, but only a few truly left a deep impression on him. "Nine Lives" Long Ge, however, undoubtedly held a place among them. It
is said that Long Ge initially appeared as an insignificant figure from a collateral branch of the Long family, but over the past decade, he has become an enduring legend within the family—starting as a scout in the infantry, he never failed a mission. Whether gathering intelligence or assassinating enemy generals, he always managed to complete his missions despite near-death experiences. Several times, he was so severely wounded that he was barely clinging to life, yet he stubbornly survived, hence the name "Nine Lives Long Ge." For years, the Long family had been locked in a fierce power struggle with the Qiu and Ding families in Yunyuan and Nanhai counties. Over a hundred officers from the Ding and Qiu families, ranging from platoon leaders and squad leaders to division commanders, had been assassinated by him. Strangely, neither family ever retaliated with assassinations—because after each assassination, Long Ge would place the reasons and evidence of the person's deserved death beside the corpse, leaving the two families speechless!
Long Ge's martial arts were unremarkable, but in every fight, he was always slightly superior, regardless of whether his opponent was a beginner or a ninth-grade cultivator. He always won only after a fierce battle. Until three years ago, the battle that finally made him famous took place in the Qiu family's stronghold, Baiyang City. After a thousand moves, he killed an elder of the Qiu family, whose cultivation had reached the peak of the Saint grade and was on the verge of becoming a Divine grade expert. He himself escaped wounded and vanished without a trace!
"Better to fight Fei Yang than encounter Long Ge." This was a secret admonition passed down between the Qiu and Ding families. Not only because Long Ge represented death, but also because those who died by his hand would be disgraced, despised by the world and even their own families, possibly stripped of their clan membership and becoming wandering ghosts.
Such a legendary figure had long been an idol for the young talents of the Long family, and even countless skilled martial artists and chivalrous youths regarded him as an idol. Now, he had personally come to see "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong, undoubtedly because of Long Fei Yang's predicament.
"Please ask him to wait in the reception room. You go and greet him first, I'll be there shortly." Long Fei Yang, worthy of his reputation as a great general, dared to act decisively. Even now, he was able to disregard the short-sighted King Zhu Wen of Liang and directly contact the only force capable of rescuing him—the Free Army—and the person he sent was not to be underestimated by Hua Yinghong—"Nine Lives" Long Ge was indeed someone no one dared to underestimate!

Qingyuan City.
The scene of the Liang army's bloody attack on Qingyuan City was repeated once again: only this time the roles
of attacker and defender had reversed. "Kill!—" Under the cover of catapults and super-powerful crossbows, countless Jade Dragon Army soldiers launched a relentless and fierce charge towards Qingyuan City! The Liang army on the city walls retaliated continuously with rolling logs, stones, boiling oil, and ranged weapons, and the battle reached a fever pitch!
Qiu Haoyu, clad in armor, sat astride a magnificent warhorse, his gaze fixed on the distant battlefield of Qingyuan City. Since Chenshi (7-9 AM), the Jade Dragon Army under the Qiu and Sima clans had launched a massive attack on Qingyuan City from all four sides. Against the renowned general Long Feiyang and his well-trained Liang army, tactics like digging tunnels and night raids were essentially useless, except for the wasted manpower and resources—training soldiers was far more effective than indulging in such tactics.
After more than half a day of fierce fighting, the Qiu Clan's Jade Dragon Army had suffered nearly 30,000 casualties. While the Liang army held the advantage of the city walls, the attacking side used siege towers almost level with them, allowing large numbers of soldiers to continuously surge onto the walls for face-to-face combat. The Liang army's casualties also exceeded 20,000. This siege was entirely a contest of strength—the Qiu Clan, after more than two months of preparation, had reached its peak, deploying numerous siege towers, ladders, and catapults. The Liang army, in turn, had prepared a large amount of defensive equipment, as well as hot oil and gunpowder. Both sides knew each other's strengths and weaknesses, making the battle extremely brutal!
Neither side had yet committed their most elite troops and experts; the true decisive battle had not yet begun. Qiu Haoyu was waiting for the right opportunity. Such a pure war of attrition is extremely disadvantageous to the defending side, which has half the strength of its own. After continuous fighting, the troop strength of the Jade Dragon Army and the Great Liang Army is gradually approaching a one-to-one ratio. When both the Great Liang and Jade Dragon armies have suffered tens of thousands of casualties, the remaining forces on both sides will be close to three to one, creating obvious weaknesses in the defenders' lines. Once a breach is opened, the situation will turn in favor of the attackers.
If the city falls, 300,000 men could annihilate 100,000, perhaps at the cost of only 20,000 casualties. In large-scale warfare, numerical superiority amplifies exponentially. When two or three soldiers work together to kill one enemy soldier, it can create a situation where five or six men attack one. After two squads annihilate one enemy squad, it can easily become a situation where four squads attack one… This advantage will continue to expand, eventually leading to a one-sided massacre. This is the true secret behind why any commanding general must go to great lengths to create various situations to defeat the weak and gain a local numerical advantage. In a great battle where power is evenly balanced, sometimes the mere addition of a single regiment can completely alter the outcome of a decisive battle involving tens or hundreds of thousands of soldiers, leading to a catastrophic defeat. This is precisely why!
"Master, the Second Young Master has delivered a secret letter." Ling Tong, the commander of the "Autumn Wind Platinum Guard," known as "Fierce Tiger," rode forward and handed a secret letter to Qiu Haoyu.
"Be wary of Long Ge, and be cautious of Changlong. Unless absolutely necessary, do not antagonize the Free Army." Qiu Haoyu remained silent, deep in thought. Qiu Haoyu had already anticipated Qiu Shuibo's warning in the secret letter: Long Feiyang might naturally unleash his trump card—"Nine Lives" Long Ge—in a desperate situation; and whether the Free Army would abide by the three-month peace agreement was uncertain given the rapidly changing circumstances. He didn't believe that Hua Yinghong, the shrewd "Son of Freedom," wouldn't have noticed the unusual movements of the Qiu family's navy and army as the "gentleman's agreement" was about to end. It was a matter of reciprocity. It would be far too easy for the Free Army to find a pretext to attack the Qiu Clan.
Changlong City had a reserve division, and Baiyang City held 40,000 private soldiers supporting the Qiu Clan, along with the elite forces of the clan's elders. If the Free Army launched a reckless attack, as long as they remained vigilant and held their ground, they should be able to hold out until the Qiu Clan's main force returned to reinforce Qingyuan City. Moreover, the Free Army, including its navy, had less than 300,000 troops landing. To guard against a counterattack from the Sima Clan of Yulong County or a surprise attack from the Ding Clan's army from Jianghan County on Tianshui and Dongguan Prefectures, the Free Army couldn't spare many troops.
"In my name, I request the elders to send skilled warriors to protect the important generals of each legion and division; order Changlong City and Baiyang City to be on high alert to prevent surprise attacks..." Qiu Haoyu instructed. Better safe than sorry. Qiu Shuibo's carefully delivered secret letter wouldn't be without reason; he didn't want any unexpected situations to arise during the crucial battle…

In Hua Yinghong's eyes, "Nine Lives" Long Ge was an ordinary middle-aged man with no particularly distinctive features: medium build, average appearance, around thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with a knife casually tucked at his waist—a knife that could be bought for a silver coin at a blacksmith's shop. He lacked the imposing aura of a martial arts master, instead exuding a sense of desolation and loneliness. Such a person would be hard to spot in a crowd. Even with Hua Yinghong's greatly improved spiritual sense, he couldn't fathom Long Ge's depth, a feeling almost identical to when he first met "Sword God" Lang Qingyun on Lonely Star Island, feeling like he was meeting a friendly neighbor.
It was precisely because Long Ge was so ordinary that his unfathomable cultivation level was apparent. Without even engaging in combat, Hua Yinghong instinctively felt he was no match—of course, if Long Ge wanted to assassinate him, it wouldn't be so easy. Besides, for both public and private reasons, Long Ge had no reason to assassinate him.
"Senior Long, what brings you here?" Hua Yinghong clasped his hands in the customary greeting among martial arts practitioners. Given Hua Yinghong's current status as the top military figure of a major power, this gesture was far superior to Long Ge's.
A glint flashed in Long Ge's eyes, and he said calmly, "Young Master Hua truly lives up to his reputation as a successor of the Two Gods, indeed a dragon among men. I've come merely to repay a favor to the Long family, and also to contribute my share to quelling the calamities of war for millions of people in the four prefectures of Baiyang, Jianghan, Nanhai, and Yunyuan. I wonder if Young Master Hua and the Free Army would be willing to lend a hand, benefiting both themselves and others?"
"What are the Long family's conditions?" Hua Yinghong no longer minced words, cutting straight to the point.
"Within ten days, the Free Army will assist Long Feiyang's Liang army in defeating the Jade Dragon Alliance of the Three Clans and safely returning east of the Jade Dragon River," Long Ge said calmly. "If the Free Army's Phoenix Banners fly high in Nanhai County and Yunyuan County from now on, Long Feiyang will never cross the Jade Dragon River again."
"Deal. Perhaps it's because of the Wo Nu Kingdom's unrest that Liang is facing a national annihilation?" Long Feiyang was so generous that Hua Yinghong readily agreed, but then casually tested him. He thought to himself, "Brother Shuibo, I'm sorry."
Upon hearing this, Long Ge's usually calm demeanor finally crumbled!

Volume 6 Chaos Under Heaven Chapter 106 A Just Cause The setting
sun withdrew its last smile, and twilight gently drifted down. A crescent moon had already risen into the sky, radiating a cold, clear light that sent chills down one's spine.
The battle for Qingyuan City remained fierce and intense, the soldiers on both sides driven to a frenzy by the deaths of countless comrades. On and within a hundred paces of the city walls, corpses piled up like mountains, and the deep moat had long since turned into a crimson river of blood. The ferocity of the battle was horrifying!
After a day of relentless attacks by the Jade Dragon Army, the defending Liang army had exhausted most of its defensive supplies, including stones, hot oil, and rolling logs. Large numbers of Jade Dragon soldiers surged onto the city walls through ramps formed by siege towers, engaging in massive hand-to-hand combat. The casualty ratio between the two sides had become one to one; 60,000 Jade Dragon soldiers and 50,000 Liang soldiers had lost their lives in the battle.
"Order all units to prepare for the general offensive!" Qiu Haoyu, suppressing his inner pain, calmly and resolutely issued the order. To avoid any unforeseen complications, even with greater sacrifices, Qingyuan City had to be captured tonight. If Long Feiyang was defeated and killed, and Long Xiaoyun of Shunde Prefecture perished, then leveraging the momentum to repel or even annihilate Shangguan Yunfei's Liang central army would only be a matter of a dozen days or so.
According to the secret agreement between the Qiu family and the Sima and Ding families before their joint operation: the three families would join forces to annihilate the Liang army under Long Feiyang in Qingyuan City and Shunde Prefecture, and after repelling or annihilating the Liang central army, they would then jointly annihilate the landing Free Army and recapture Tianshui Prefecture and Dongguan Prefecture. Based on the participating forces and battle results, Dongguan Prefecture would generally fall to the Ding family, Tianshui Prefecture to the Sima family, and the remaining Yunyuan and Nanhai prefectures and six other prefectures to the Qiu family. As for Zhenbao Island across the strait, each family would have to rely on its own methods. In reality, only the Qiu family's powerful navy, which was strong in naval warfare, would be able to attack and recapture it—most of the Sima and Ding families' naval and land forces had never even seen the Devil's Sea, so how could they compete with the Qiu family on the sea in a short time?
At that time, the Qiu family would occupy eight prefectures, plus Zhenbao Island with a population of over four million, truly laying the foundation for their dominance over the world. The situation of being restrained and forced to endure by the Sima family for many years would change, and from then on, they would be able to hold their heads high and even reverse the balance of power!
Of course, there will definitely be twists and turns in this process, especially the battle to conquer Zhenbao Island after annihilating the main force of the Free Army. The Sima and Ding families will inevitably try to hinder and delay the campaign. However, Qiu Haoyu believes that with his and his son Qiu Shuibo's strategies, as well as the extremely powerful hidden agents he has already planted around the Jade Dragon King, they can definitely handle it!
"Urgent report! Hua Yinghong, the Son of Freedom, claims that the Sixth Prince Sima Yuan's Jinghai Army has tens of thousands of Free Army soldiers to blame for their deaths, and that the Alliance Leader Liu Yufei has not yet been found. She is suspected of being kidnapped by the Sixth Prince and is being held in the army. The Free Army has dispatched four main divisions to pursue them and has now crossed the border into Changlong Prefecture." Meng Hu Ling Tong hurriedly rode forward and handed an urgent report to Qiu Haoyu.
Qiu Haoyu took the urgent letter and quickly read it: The Free Army's reason was high-sounding: to pursue their enemy, the Jade Dragon Army of the Sima family, and to find the whereabouts of the Free Alliance Leader Liu Yufei. In his statement, Hua Yinghong declared that he had no intention of invading the Qiu family. He stated that as long as the Sima family's Jinghai Army was annihilated and Liu Yufei was found, the army would retreat to Dongguan Prefecture. Furthermore, he was willing to compensate the Qiu family for the losses caused by the army's passage with one million gold coins.
Since the establishment of the Free Army, Hua Yinghong had always been able to play both sides and reap huge benefits, especially the one gold coin that "bought" Zhenbao Island, which still pained Qiu Haoyu. Now, he was actually willing to offer one million gold coins—it sounded extremely generous!
"This is simply sophistry and nonsense!" Although Qiu Haoyu had anticipated this, he still couldn't believe that the Free Army, having just fought a major battle and not yet had a proper rest, dared to send troops to Changlong Prefecture, the core stronghold of the Qiu family! All previous assumptions were based on the premise that the Free Alliance had secretly signed a peace treaty with the Qiu family and, facing pressure from the Sima family of Yulong County in the east and the Ding family of Jianghan Prefecture in the north, would not dare to launch a military campaign against the Qiu family. Could this audacious Hua Yinghong really be so unafraid that the loss of the two prefectures he had just gained would lead to the complete annihilation of the Free Army?
The Free Army's invasion of Qiu's Changlong Prefecture with hundreds of thousands of troops would give them a legitimate reason to attack. And if the Qiu family disagreed, it would be as if they themselves were breaking the treaty!
"Hua—Ying—Hong! What cunning! What a scheme!" Qiu Haoyu's hand, gripping the urgent report, trembled slightly—at the critical moment of impending victory, the Free Army had struck at a vital point, dragging him down. Even with his profound cultivation, he couldn't help but feel extremely troubled by this incredibly difficult fellow, and he gritted his teeth in hatred! Since the Free Army's uprising, the Qiu family has gained no advantage in either open or covert struggles. Instead, Hua Yinghong, the "Son of Freedom," has repeatedly exploited the situation to reap huge profits, making the Qiu family a major concern.
Seeing that Qingyuan City could be breached in a day or two, or even as early as tonight, Qiu Haoyu is caught in a dilemma by the Free Army's sudden attack. If he concentrates his forces for a general offensive, whether he can capture the city tonight is uncertain. If the offensive fails and he misses the opportunity to return to Baiyang City to rescue it, the loss of the ancestral hall and a significant drop in morale will be dire! However, if he withdraws troops to reinforce the city, it would require at least 100,000 men to temporarily halt the overwhelming Free Army. The Qiu family's absolute numerical superiority in Qingyuan City would be greatly reduced. Attacking a fortified city guarded by 150,000 Liang troops personally led by the renowned general Long Feiyang with 240,000 to 250,000 men, even at great cost, would not be a quick and easy task.
"Kill!..." The exhausted Liang army, after a day of fierce fighting, suddenly erupted in a deafening cheer, their morale soaring. They routed the Yulong army that had stormed the city walls, annihilating their hard-won footholds one by one, making it impossible for follow-up troops to effectively commit any more forces...
"Order all units to sound the retreat," Qiu Haoyu ordered with some melancholy. The Liang army had clearly received news of the Free Army's attack on Changlong Prefecture, greatly boosting their morale. Launching a general offensive now would only increase casualties. Because of the Free Army's attack on Changlong Prefecture, Qingyuan City, which had been isolated and without support, suddenly became a bone stuck in Qiu's throat, impossible to swallow or spit out!
The gong sounded, and smoke signals rose into the sky... Although the bloodthirsty Yulong army did not understand Qiu Haoyu's orders, they still executed them without question. The surging tide of soldiers, charging forward, retreated in an orderly fashion... All of this showed that the soldiers under Qiu's command were indeed a well-trained elite force!
"Send the order! Qiu Shuiba, lead three divisions back to Changlong Prefecture immediately... Order Changlong City and Baiyang City to hold their ground and await reinforcements, and not to engage in battle outside... Quickly relay this message to Qiu Shuibo... Send a message to His Majesty the Jade Dragon King... Send a message to Ding Zixing, commander of the Northern Army Corps..." Qiu Haoyu issued a series of orders. As a veteran general who had fought for many years and the head of a large family, he had considered the consequences before even considering victory, and naturally had a well-thought-out contingency plan for the Free Army's deployment.
"Send a message to convene an emergency elders' meeting..." Qiu Haoyu hesitated for a long time before issuing this order to his trusted confidant, Ling Tong. The Qiu Clan Elders' Meeting was held once every ten years, and was generally not convened unless the family's survival was threatened. In the current situation, even the head of the family dared not easily decide to convene an emergency elders' meeting.
"Finally, we've made it through this hurdle." Standing atop the west gate of Qingyuan, Long Feiyang, who had been observing and directing the troops, watched the Jade Dragon Army retreat like a receding tide and breathed a sigh of relief. No matter how critical the battle, he had always kept most of his elite direct-command divisions hidden, leaving only four divisions to hold their respective sides, precisely to prepare for Qiu Haoyu's all-out attack. He was confident he could hold out tonight and tomorrow, but facing Qiu Haoyu's blood-sparring, attrition-based siege tactics, perhaps when only a hundred thousand or so Liang soldiers remained inside the city, a fierce attack from outside and chaos within would leave him, even a renowned general, powerless to reverse the tide!
"Nine Lives" Long Ge had not disappointed him this time, successfully ordering the Free Army to march on Changlong Prefecture. However, the price Long Feiyang paid was high: surrendering the entire Yunyuan and Nanhai prefectures and six counties for nothing—a heartbreaking prospect for anyone—ten years ago, how many of the Long family's soldiers had sacrificed their lives, how much blood had been shed, to obtain this land!
But Long Feiyang had no other choice: after all, if Qingyuan City fell and he himself died on the battlefield, that was a minor matter; the two prefectures would still fall into the hands of his long-time enemy, the Qiu family! More importantly, intelligence from the Long family indicated that the Wa (Japanese) Kingdom was ready and might launch a full-scale attack on the militarily weakened Great Liang Kingdom. The three main legions of the Great Liang army were all involved in the battle with the Jade Dragon Army, and the newly trained troops in the Central Prefecture were insufficient in combat strength. If not handled properly, the disaster of being wiped out by foreign tribes might not be far off!
Long Feiyang had privately sent envoys to reach an agreement with the Free Army without the consent of King Zhu Wen of Great Liang, which was a taboo. Yet, he remained courageous and responsible, prioritizing the preservation of the Liang army's strength in the fight against the Japanese invaders.
Overwhelmed by the constant harassment from the Japanese ronin, King Zhu Wen of Liang, under the influence of the eunuch Gao Zhongxian, disregarded the opposition of his ministers and adopted a policy of isolationism, issuing a sea closure order. Except for a few ports, twenty miles of coastline in Wuyi and Zhongyang counties were designated a "no-man's land," allowing the Japanese ronin to roam freely!
In contrast, Hua Yinghong, the "Son of Freedom," dared to loudly proclaim, "Those who offend the might of Hualong, though far away, shall be punished!" The Free Army annihilated 200,000 Japanese troops and hundreds of warships at Zhenbao Island, displaying its might overseas and greatly boosting the morale of the Hualong people. Even Long Feiyang, who had submitted to the Zhu family, felt deeply ashamed, and every true Hualong hero was filled with righteous indignation! —In his heart, Long Feiyang actually greatly admired Hua Yinghong, who was even more miraculous than the "Nine Lives" Long Ge. Furthermore, the reputation of Treasure Island, transformed into a "paradise on earth" in just a few months, made him willing to hand over the Yunyuan and Nanhai prefectures, which he had ruled for ten years, to the Free Army!
Although it was the "gentleman's agreement" reached between the Free Alliance and its long-time enemy, the Qiu Clan, that led to Long Feiyang's current predicament as a Liang army, being able to acknowledge the opponent's superiority and admit defeat—this was also a kind of magnanimity of a great general!
"What kind of person is Hua Yinghong?" The renowned general Long Feiyang felt an urge to meet this extraordinary figure who had risen like a dragon.

Hua Yinghong, representing the Free Alliance, reached a "ten-day agreement" with Long Ge, representing the Long Clan, and resolutely decided to send troops against the Qiu Clan. This was a matter of both enormous benefits and high risks for the Free Alliance, but Hua Yinghong still made the decision without hesitation. Not only for the safety of the Free Alliance itself, but also for the overall situation on the mainland—
the war game simulation showed that if the Liang army led by Long Feiyang and Shangguan Yunfei suffered a crushing defeat, the Free Army, which had not yet established a firm foothold after its initial landing on the mainland, would be crushed by the combined forces of the three powers. The best outcome would be a safe retreat to Zhenbao Island using its strong transport capabilities to build up strength and wait for a better opportunity. The worst outcome, however, would be the annihilation of the main force of the Free Army, numbering nearly 300,000, in Tianshui and Dongguan, with Zhenbao Island potentially being seized by the Qiu family, which possessed a powerful navy! Therefore, the Free Army was now facing a situation where it had to either advance or retreat!
The unusual movements of the Japanese also gave Hua Yinghong the idea of helping Long Feiyang's Liang army: given the despicable and shameless national character of the Japanese, and their heinous acts and atrocities in their invasions of the New Song Kingdom, the Liang Kingdom, and Zhenbao Island, if they successfully landed and destroyed the Liang Kingdom, countless Hualong people would be plunged into misery. Even if Long Feiyang's conditions weren't so favorable, Hua Yinghong would likely have found a way to open a passage for Long Feiyang's hundreds of thousands of troops back to the Daliang homeland east of the Yulong River, preserving their strength to resist the Japanese invasion.
Perhaps they would still be enemies with the Long clan in the future, but in the face of foreign invasion, upholding the dignity and territorial integrity of the Hualong nation remained Hua Yinghong's top priority!
The three-month peace treaty reached with Qiu Shuiling did not constitute an obstacle to military action. Hua Yinghong had already laid a contingency plan—Liu Yufei's whereabouts had been kept top secret, and the series of alliance leader orders issued after Hua Yinghong's assassination attempt were also secretly issued, precisely to address the current situation. If the Qiu clan could use the peace treaty to play dirty tricks, why couldn't the Free Alliance? As for whether anyone believed Liu Yufei was still missing, that was irrelevant—war needs a plausible reason, but that reason doesn't necessarily need to be proven!
"Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!" The seemingly endless ranks of Free Army soldiers advanced rapidly towards Baiyang City. Aside from the rhythmic footsteps and commands, the hundreds of thousands of troops made not a sound—the rapidly growing Free Army greatly pleased Hua Yinghong, and it was the biggest reason he dared to take such a risky gamble.
"How far is our vanguard from Baiyang City?" Hua Yinghong asked Mo Yan, the head of the Military Intelligence Department beside him.
The advance of 160,000 Free Army soldiers was aimed directly at the Qiu family's stronghold—Baiyang City!

Volume 6, Chaos Across the Land, Chapter 107: A Mysterious Encounter.
"Twenty li away." Mo Yan, as the head of the Military Intelligence Department, had been sent by Hua Yinghong to Tianshui Prefecture to assist the landing operation in gathering intelligence. He had failed to detect the assassination attempt by "The Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao and his group in time, almost costing Hua Yinghong his life. Although Mo Yan wasn't directly responsible, he still felt ashamed and began to reorganize the military intelligence system, strengthening intelligence gathering and control within the Free Army's territory. Mo Yan personally accompanied the army on this expedition to Changlong Prefecture, the capital of the Qiu clan.
"Order Zhang Qunfeng's Fifth Division to occupy advantageous terrain outside the west gate of Baiyang City and set up camp. Ye Zhiqiu's First Division, Pang Yi's Fourth Division, and Qin Zhong's Fifth Division to occupy advantageous terrain outside the south gate of Baiyang City." Hua Yinghong led four divisions, totaling 160,000 men, to attack Changlong Prefecture, heading straight for Baiyang City. Whether he was taking advantage of the Qiu clan's small force in Changlong Prefecture or genuinely intended to strike at the Qiu clan's stronghold, he completely ignored Changlong City, located more than 30 li southwest of Baiyang City, where a reserve division of 40,000 men from the Qiu clan was stationed. He didn't even send troops to contain them, a blatant violation of military strategy.
The Qiu clan's reserve divisions were mostly composed of retired regular army soldiers recruited in recent years. After a short period of restorative training and being fully equipped, their combat strength was comparable to that of active-duty regular troops. Hua Yinghong's use of force was truly audacious. Wasn't he afraid that Changlong City would send troops to cut off their retreat?
"Yes, sir!" The messenger obeyed and left. Hua Yinghong's invincible prestige was already deeply rooted in the Free Army; even the most absurd orders would not be questioned—his ability to command troops with perfect ease was another source of his confidence.
"Now that Baiyang City's troops are exhausted, why doesn't the legion commander take this opportunity to capture Baiyang City?" the strategist Ji Wumou asked, somewhat puzzled. He was confident in his wisdom, but he couldn't fathom Hua Yinghong's unexpected and ingenious ideas, only understanding his intentions and brilliance afterward. For example, Hua Yinghong ordered that the remnants of the Sixth Prince Sima Yuan's Jinghai Army, numbering nearly 80,000, be deliberately let go, only rushing them into Qiu's Changlong Prefecture, and issued a gag order, strictly forbidding the Free Army from revealing that their leader, Liu Yufei, had returned… He was somewhat puzzled at the time. Now it seems that this has given the Free Army a reputation for its strategist—it's like playing Go. A true master always leaves a hidden move unintentionally, using the pieces with ease. Only when the game reaches its most intense and crucial moment does the brilliance of their pre-planned strategy become apparent. Those who rely on their strength and only know how to relentlessly attack and capture pieces usually end up defeated!
"If I had another 200,000 men, I might attack the city immediately." Hua Yinghong was quite satisfied with Ji Wumou's work. With Ji Wumou in charge of many of the daily affairs of the Military Affairs Department, he had more time to consider and plan for a longer-term strategy. He immediately advised, "The Qiu family has managed Changlong Prefecture and Baiyang City for generations. The city walls are strong, the people are stable, and the family has countless experts. Unless there is an overwhelming advantage, no one should forcefully attack this fortified city."
Hua Yinghong said, "Although there are only 40,000 private soldiers in the city at this time, the influence that the Qiu family has built up over generations is unparalleled. With just a call to arms, the forces protecting the family ancestral hall will be extremely powerful. If our army launches a strong attack, taking Baiyang City should not be a problem, but without the assistance of siege engines like towers, even if we manage to enter the city, we will suffer heavy losses. Furthermore, how will we deal with the Qiu family's subsequent counterattack? Qiu Haoyu dared to launch a full-scale attack on Long Feiyang's army in Qingyuan City. Would he really completely trust our secret peace agreement and not leave any necessary contingency plans to guard against our surprise attack?"
"Oh... the Legion Commander's army is only making a show of force by besieging Baiyang City, forcing Qiu Haoyu to return to its defense, thus relieving Long Feiyang's siege of Qingyuan City and restoring balance to the war." Ji Wumou was no ordinary man either, and immediately realized this, saying, "Qiu Haoyu certainly doesn't have the confidence to take Qingyuan City and annihilate Long Feiyang overnight. He certainly wouldn't dare gamble with the possibility of his stronghold and ancestral hall falling into our hands. Returning to its defense is imperative. This is what the Legion Commander meant by attacking where they must defend and using the strategy of besieging Wei to rescue Zhao."
“That’s right. But if Qiu Haoyu doesn’t send troops back to reinforce, we might have to launch a full-scale attack on the city.” Hua Yinghong said approvingly, “However, I also predict that Qiu Haoyu is always cautious and would not dare to take such a gamble. I expect news of Qingyuan City’s return to the rescue will come soon. After all, Baiyang City is the Qiu family’s most important stronghold. Given the past achievements of our Free Army, Qiu Haoyu would certainly not dare to delay the rescue. If it falls into our hands, it would be a heavy blow to the morale of the entire family and the entire Jade Dragon Army under the Qiu family. Moreover, most of the Qiu family’s war reserves and war funds are in Baiyang City. For the long-term plan of dominating the world in the future, we cannot afford any mistakes. If the ancestral hall is destroyed, Qiu Haoyu will be the eternal sinner of the Qiu family. Even if we achieve a great victory for the time being, it will not outweigh the gains.”
"Military tactics are ever-changing, just as water has no fixed shape. What is empty may appear real, and what is real may appear empty. The interplay of emptiness and fullness is endless. Commander Ji Wumou's skill in warfare is truly admirable," Ji Wumou exclaimed sincerely, thinking how fortunate he was that he hadn't wholeheartedly supported Xu Xiaoyao's Bright Army against the Free Army; otherwise, fighting against such a figure would have inevitably led to defeat and death.
"Report! News from Qingyuan City: the Jade Dragon Army has suspended its siege. Qiu Shuiba is leading three divisions back to reinforce Baiyang City; the vanguard of 40,000 cavalry is expected to arrive by tomorrow morning." As if to verify Hua Yinghong's judgment, news immediately arrived.
"Order all divisions not to initiate hostilities; order Dongguan City and Tianshui City to remain on high alert, with a focus on preventing the Ding family of Jianghan Prefecture from advancing south..." Hua Yinghong knew that advancing into Changlong Prefecture had shifted a significant portion of the pressure on Long Feiyang to the Free Army, and the already allied Sima, Qiu, and Ding families were highly likely to join forces against the Free Army ahead of schedule. With Lin Zhi's Second Division guarding Tianshui City, and with the support of Wanmei Manor and Peach Blossom Palace, there's no need to worry for the time being. Dongguan Prefecture, however, is only defended by Liu Litao's Third Division, which suffered significant losses in the Longtan Town landing battle. If the Ding family were to launch a surprise attack from Jianghan Prefecture, it would be extremely concerning.
In the more than two months of turbulent changes, the Ding family has remained largely inactive. This very fact makes Hua Yinghong even more wary—a silent but deadly move. The Ding family's intervention in the Shunde Prefecture battle at a crucial moment, tying down Long Xiaoyun's forces sent to reinforce Qingyuan Prefecture, almost fatally wounded Long Feiyang. Such cunning and strategic timing are truly terrifying!
Reinforcements—what Hua Yinghong needs most right now is reinforcements. After being drawn into the main battle on the mainland, even Hua Yinghong, accustomed to winning with fewer troops, feels his forces are insufficient. The saying goes, "Strength can overcome skill," but even the most renowned general needs substantial strength as a backing. If you're only given a company of a thousand men to fight a division of forty thousand, even the most brilliant general will be doomed!

Treasure Strait.
Liu Ju and Feng Yanran stood side-by-side at the bow, gazing at the boundless sea, as if something incredibly alluring and mysterious was drawing them from the distant horizon.
The sea was sometimes as gentle as a tranquil maiden, sometimes as turbulent as an untamed wild horse; sometimes calm, sometimes surging. The sound of the waves was like a powerful celestial symphony, each splash a leaping note, the roar of the waves forming a symphony—like a lullaby whispered by Mother Moonlight, or a love song hummed by lovers in a flower garden.
The sea, having churned all day, seemed like a tired child, lying quietly beneath the sky, breathing softly and leisurely. The ocean and sky seemed to merge into one. The surging sea, shimmering with silvery moonlight, resembled rolling snow waves crashing down from the horizon. The moonlight made the sea ripple with countless rays of light, like thousands of fish leaping and shimmering in the water.
Despite this beautiful night scene, Liu Ju and Feng Yanran had no heart to appreciate it—ever since Hua Yinghong was assassinated and swallowed by the sea dragon, Feng Yanran had been driven mad, wanting only to die alongside him. After risking her life to kill the "corpses strewn everywhere" of Shi Heng and the others, she had been tirelessly searching the sea for the sea dragon, clinging to that faint hope. Only when news arrived that Hua Yinghong had reappeared safely in Longtan Town did Feng Yanran fall into a deep sleep, overjoyed.
"Sister Yanran, we'll see Brother Hua soon," Liu Ju murmured softly. As a girl herself, having heard of Feng Yanran's frantic behavior after Hua Yinghong's accident, Liu Ju knew exactly what the beautiful young woman was thinking—initially, it might have been just heroic admiration for Hua Yinghong, but after hearing her outspoken older sister Liu Lan talk about Hua Yinghong's various deeds for over two months, how could a girl in love not be moved? With Feng Yanran's character and martial arts skills, how many could she possibly value? But whether this was just wishful thinking and unrequited love, Liu Ju couldn't say for sure. After all, Hua Yinghong had always only seen Feng Yanran as a pitiful little sister, with no other intentions.
"Sister Ju, Brother Hua..." Feng Yanran gazed wistfully into the distance, as if Hua Yinghong's smiling eyes were watching her right there. In front of Liu Ju, she no longer needed to hide her feelings. She didn't ask for much, only hoping to see him often, and occasionally receive his concerned yet slightly protective and loving gaze of encouragement, which would be enough for her.
“Yanran, this time Brother Hua has also transferred the Mushanzhu Reserve Division, the Naval Reserve Division, and your female soldier division to the mainland for reinforcement. There will definitely be big and fierce battles to fight. You will definitely have the opportunity to be with Brother Hua often, so I will have to trouble you to take good care of his safety.” Liu Ju said with some melancholy.
If it weren’t for Lü Jingwei rushing back to Zhenbao Island to take charge of the overall situation when Hua Yinghong was in trouble, and her important position as Deputy Director of the Ministry of the Interior and Director of the Household Registration Department, which required her to personally handle the political affairs of the newly occupied Tianshui and Dongguan prefectures, she would rather be the princess’s personal bodyguard as before, so that she could be like Liu Lan and always accompany the princess to Brother Hua’s side.
“Don’t worry! I will make sure that the whole mainland knows that we women are no less than men!” When she talked about the female soldier division, Feng Yanran’s phoenix eyes shot out a sharp light like lightning. From the female soldier battalion to the regiment, and finally to the Fire Phoenix Division, she had poured countless efforts into it. It's no exaggeration to say that the female soldiers trained harder, practiced more diligently, and were more disciplined than the regular divisions of the Free Army—she wanted to prove her strength to Hua Yinghong so as to fulfill her vow to personally lead a large army to conquer the capital of the Later Tang Dynasty and avenge the destruction of the Feng family!
"Sister, you are indeed a heroine who doesn't yield to men," Liu Ju couldn't help but praise. "It's late, and the sea breeze is cold. Let's go back to the cabin to rest."
"Okay," Feng Yanran replied. Since joining the Free Army, she had felt a lot of care and love. Besides her closest friend Liu Lan, Liu Yufei, Miao Youlan, Xue Qianqian, Liu Ju, and many older female soldiers all treated her like a younger sister, which made her feel incredibly warm. Except for her still cold and serious appearance during training, her heart, frozen by hatred, had already begun to thaw.
“Brother Hua, Yanran is here.” In her heart, Feng Yanran silently reminisced about the wonderful moment when she walked side by side with Hua Yinghong outside Beigang, receiving the attention and cheers of the crowd, and couldn’t help but be a little dazed…
Under the moonlight, more than a hundred Free Army naval warships escorted more than a thousand transport ships to break through the waves and head towards Changlong Prefecture…

Jianghan City, Yulong Army Northern Legion Headquarters.
More than two hours had passed since Ding Zixing received the report from Qiu's "Thousand-Mile Shadow," yet he still couldn't make a decision. This was the most difficult time, and one that could determine the fate of the Ding family. From the moment the family elders authorized him to use the "Spring and Autumn Limitless Decree," he had automatically gained the power to make decisions on major military and political matters, but when the time actually came to make a decision, it was incredibly difficult.
Should he accept Qiu Haoyu's suggestion to attack the Free Army, or remain inactive and observe the situation? Ding Zixing kept weighing the pros and cons in his mind—
the former undoubtedly carried both opportunities and risks. If the Ding family could seize Dongguan and Tianshui prefectures in one fell swoop, they would control a large population and land, gain access to the sea—a long-desired opportunity—and then seize Zhenbao Island while the Qiu family was entangled with the Liang army. This would present the Ding family with their best chance to rise to power. However, if they failed to defeat the Free Army and angered them, the risks were obvious: from the "Three Snake Gang" to the Yinming Sect's infiltrative forces on Zhenbao Island and the Jiang family of Tianshui City, anyone considered an enemy by the Free Army would suffer a fatal and devastating blow…
Choosing the latter and observing the situation would be as safe as a mountain. But if the Qiu and Sima families joined forces to defeat the Free Army and the Liang army, the Ding family would certainly not be able to obtain Dongguan prefecture as originally planned. The Ding family would lose its space for expansion, forced to survive between the strengthened Qiu or Sima families, continuing to depend on others, and perhaps one day losing everything—
after the unprecedented war for supremacy began, every powerful force faced a situation of either advancing or retreating—how could a tiger sleep soundly beside one's bed? Regardless of whether it was the Qiu or Sima clan, with their own power rapidly expanding and their ambition to dominate the world, they would never tolerate the existence of a disobedient Ding clan kingdom beside them. Opportunities were fleeting; a single major decision could make them or their families either immortalized or condemned to eternal damnation!
"Order! Ding Zizai will lead the Jianghan Legion to Dongguan Prefecture and capture the city as quickly as possible! Inform the Qiu clan that they must hold back the main force of the Free Army in Changlong Prefecture, preventing them from returning to reinforce. Otherwise, the previous agreement will be null and void, and the Ding clan will withdraw from the Three Clans Agreement..." Ding Zizai finally made his decision, without consulting anyone. Truly important decisions didn't require consultation; this was Ding Zizai's character. Since no one could ever influence his thoughts and decisions, why waste time? After
years of seclusion, the Ding clan finally launched an attack on the Free Army. Could the young Free Alliance and the young Free Army withstand the unprecedented pressure from the Three Clans Alliance?

Volume Six: Chaos Across the Land, Chapter 108: Phoenix Reborn from the Ashes,
November 14th, 994 AD, Hua Long Continent Calendar.
At a time when the newly formed Free Alliance and Free Army most needed rest and recuperation, they faced an unprecedentedly dire situation due to the sudden decision of "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong to intervene in the great war between the Long Clan's Great Liang Army and the three-clan alliance of the Jade Dragon Kingdom—at
the Free Army camp outside Hundred Sheep City. Hua Yinghong and his generals analyzed the current situation, clearly taking this unprecedentedly large, fierce, and tough battle extremely seriously, daring not to be the slightest bit careless!
"Gentlemen, the current situation of our army is extremely dire." Strategist Ji Wumou pointed to the huge map of the Jade Dragon Kingdom hanging on the wall, and, entrusted by Hua Yinghong, briefed the generals on the battle situation:
"According to intelligence, only the Sima clan's scorched-earth tactics in Yinchuan Prefecture have been effective. The initial offensive of the steppe army was fierce and repeatedly successful, with hundreds of thousands of cavalry sweeping across most of western Yinchuan Prefecture. However, after advancing eastward to the walls of Yinchuan City and northward to the border between Changling Prefecture and Yinchuan Prefecture, occupying most of Yinchuan Prefecture, they had to halt their offensive—
"The Sima clan's scorched-earth policy has reduced the originally prosperous Yinchuan Prefecture, with a population of nearly three million, to only a few dozen small towns and about six hundred thousand people within the control of the steppe allied forces. Meanwhile, a large number of people, grain, and supplies have been transferred eastward and northward under the extremely effective organization of the Sima clan." The grassland allied forces' original strategy of sustaining the war through warfare had largely failed. The supply line from Yulong Pass through Xiliang Prefecture to the front lines in Yinchuan Prefecture was already over 500 li long. In particular, the massive amount of fodder needed for hundreds of thousands of warhorses relied heavily on transport, placing immense logistical pressure on them and forcing them to halt their offensive. Ji
Wumou traced the relevant areas on the map with his long whip, then analyzed further: "After the Sima clan temporarily stabilized the western front, they have freed up their forces to send the First Guard Division stationed in Longshan Prefecture and the Guard Division directly under the capital, totaling 80,000 men, eastward. They intend to take advantage of the Ding family's attack on Dongguan City to retake Tianshui Prefecture from our army. The Sima clan's Guard Division is a top-tier elite force besides the Imperial Guard. With its strength and marching speed, they can cover the 400-li distance in just two or three days and then pressure Tianshui Prefecture. If they march day and night, they could probably do it even faster!" Seeing that all the generals were paying attention to his actions and listening attentively, Ji Wumou felt somewhat smug—Hua Yinghong had deliberately let him show off in front of the generals to avoid being looked down upon
by the veterans, thus establishing the strategist's authority. He swung his long whip towards Jianghan Prefecture, north of Dongguan Prefecture, and continued: "The Ding family's Jianghan army set off from Jianghan City at midnight, marching over sixty li overnight, and is currently only about twenty li from the Dongguan Prefecture border. Dongguan Prefecture is flat and easy to attack but difficult to defend, with only a few medium-sized towns along the way. Given our severely insufficient military strength, we haven't stationed any troops there! In other words, along the wide official road, the Ding family's army can directly attack Dongguan City, one hundred and twenty li to the south!"
"The Ding Clan's Jianghan Legion was formed by drawing a large number of generals and veterans from the Northern Legion's directly subordinate divisions, and absorbing many retired soldiers, members of the Ding family, and commoners from Jianghan Prefecture. Originally, they were secretly training for over two months in small towns and cities throughout Jianghan Prefecture, operating in units of battalions and even companies. They only recently assembled and raised the legion's banner. It seems the Ding family saw the Qiu family's unbridled and frenzied expansion of their army, and if they didn't show some strength, falling behind would likely cause unrest throughout Jianghan Prefecture. These powerful families have enormous potential; the Jianghan Legion's fighting power is definitely no less than that of the Qiu family's Jade Dragon Army, which we fought before!"
The whip finally pointed to the ground. On the map of Baiyang City, Ji Wumou said, "Qiu Shuiba has successfully led his 40,000 cavalry back to reinforce the city and entered through the east gate of Baiyang City. The Qiu clan also has two divisions of infantry returning to reinforce the city, and two divisions of the Jinghai Army led by the sixth prince Sima Yuan, who has changed course to Dongguan Prefecture. They are currently less than 20 li east of Baiyang City. In Changlong City, more than 30 li to the south, the Qiu clan currently has a reserve division. In the local battlefield of Changlong Prefecture, the Yulong Army has a force of 280,000 to our army of 160,000, which is a relatively obvious numerical advantage. Now, please give instructions, Commander—"
Hua Yinghong, who had been standing by with his eyes closed as if he were thinking about some important issue, slowly opened his eyes at this moment.
"With our army of less than 300,000 men, facing the immense pressure of the combined forces of the Sima, Qiu, and Ding clans—more than 500,000 strong—on the three main battlefields of Tianshui, Dongguan, and Changlong, the difficulties are considerable," Hua Yinghong continued, picking up where Ji Wumou left off. "The reinforcements led by the deputy naval commander are still in the Zhenbao Strait and will not be able to land until tonight at the earliest. Even with the addition of the naval reserve division, Mu Shanzhu's reserve division, and Feng Yanran's female soldier division, the maximum force we can mobilize is only 420,000."
At this point, Hua Yinghong himself felt a little regretful: if it weren't for the fact that Qiu Shuibo's army, which he also greatly feared, was crossing the sea from Baijiang Prefecture to directly attack Zhenbao Island and destroy the Free Army's foundation, Li Tianhao's reserve division, which was left to guard Zhenbao Island, could have been deployed to participate in the battle. In a decisive battle, the strength of a division or even a regiment could change the entire situation. The terrain in most areas of Tianshui Prefecture, Dongguan Prefecture, and Changlong Prefecture is unsuitable for ambush warfare; it's purely a battle of siege and defense, a contest of troop strength and combat effectiveness, unlike Zhenbao Island, where the terrain can be fully utilized to set up ambushes and inflict heavy casualties on the enemy through various means.
"We also need to consider the combat strength of the reserve divisions and female infantry divisions that have never participated in combat," Ji Wumou added. "There's also the possibility that the Qiu family could transfer troops from Qingyuan City to reinforce the Changlong Prefecture battlefield at any time. After all, the Qiu family still has over 200,000 troops under Qingyuan City, while Long Feiyang's Liang army has only 150,000 left, and they also need to suppress any potential unrest within Qingyuan City, so their ability to restrain the Qiu family's army is limited." "
Brother, I wonder how far our army will fight in this battle?" Ye Zhiqiu suddenly asked Hua Yinghong. In the entire Free Army, only he and Ba Tiancai addressed Hua Yinghong as brothers; everyone else revered him like a god—but this was also what made Hua Yinghong feel the warmth of brotherly affection the most.
"A good question, Third Brother!" Hua Yinghong couldn't help but praise—Ye Zhiqiu's question showed that he was beginning to possess the basic qualities of a great military commander—focusing on the expected goals of the war rather than blindly seeking victory! "Our army's goal in this battle is to send the Liang army safely back home, while simultaneously inflicting heavy losses on the Sima, Ding, and Qiu clans, forcing them to make peace, and securing three to six months of rest and recuperation."
"If that's all, our army has great potential." Ye Zhiqiu knew that Hua Yinghong always used pre-battle planning meetings to cultivate the independent thinking abilities of each senior general. After all, no matter how hard the Free Army's generals tried, grasping the essence of military strategy and deployment within two or three months was still extremely difficult.
"Good! Tell everyone what we can do." Hua Yinghong had always thought highly of his clever and eager-to-learn sworn brother, often offering guidance on military strategy and martial arts. Given time, he believed Ye Zhiqiu would easily become a renowned general.
"Judging solely from troop strength, our army is indeed at a disadvantage," Ye Zhiqiu said confidently. "However, our army's advantages are also quite obvious: the enemy is divided while we are focused. Although the Sima, Qiu, and Ding clans are temporarily united, they inevitably harbor their own ulterior motives and are wary of each other. Moreover, their command and deployment of troops will inevitably be inconsistent, unlike our army, which reveres its leader like a god and can be commanded with ease. This gives our army the opportunity to create a local numerical advantage...
"The key to this battle lies in attacking Changlong City and Tenglong Port, and defending Dongguan City. How to fight specifically is a matter of tactical details."
"Good!" "Hua Yinghong's third shout of praise drew envy from fellow division commanders Pang Yi, Zhang Qunfeng, and Qin Zhong. While Hua Yinghong often encouraged the senior generals of the Free Army, he was also known for his blunt criticism. It was rare for him to praise the same person three times like this—but everyone knew this wasn't because Ye Zhiqiu was Hua Yinghong's sworn brother. On the contrary, Hua Yinghong held his two sworn brothers to even higher standards than other generals!
"Zhiqiu has already pointed out the key to this battle. Now, let's have Military Advisor Ye announce our army's battle plan," Hua Yinghong said solemnly.
"This battle, personally named 'Blood-Soaked Phoenix' by Commander Hua, signifies that only through the test of blood and fire will our Free Army become a truly invincible iron army, planting the Phoenix Banner across the entire Hua Long Continent!" "... " Ji Wumou's voice trembled slightly. Before the meeting, Hua Yinghong had discussed the situation with him alone for two hours, repeatedly deliberating and calculating before formulating the Bloodstained Phoenix Operation Plan. If successful, Ji Wumou's name would surely be etched in history along with the Free Army. As an insignificant nobody under the Peach Blossom Palace, he had never even dreamed of such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
One carrier pigeon after another took flight, heading towards the various units under the Free Army and Treasure Island...

Treasure Island, Sun and Moon City's Internal Affairs Department.
The Director of the Internal Affairs Department, Lü Jingwei, was extremely busy. Since learning of Hua Yinghong's assassination and disappearance, he hurriedly returned to Zhenbao Island by ship to take charge of the overall situation, effectively becoming the most powerful person on the island. Although Liu Ju was capable of managing the internal affairs of the Ministry of the Interior efficiently, she could only leave military matters to Lü Jingwei upon his return, while she and Feng Yanran went to the mainland to see their beloved.
After Hua Yinghong safely arrived at Longtan Town riding the Sea Dragon King and commanded the capture of Tianshui City and Dongguan City, he issued orders to mobilize reserves to reinforce the mainland. The defense of Zhenbao Island was entirely entrusted to Li Tian. Hao's reserve divisions. These matters were all manageable, merely requiring the mobilization of a large number of transport ships, armaments, and logistical supplies; Liu Ju and Lu Shenggong had already organized and arranged them. However, another massive plan left even Lü Jingwei, who took over the task, speechless—
to prepare for the situation after the landing, Hua Yinghong ordered the conscription of ten reserve divisions, totaling 400,000 reservists, across the entire island of Zhenbao. With a current population of over four million, but only about 1.4 million able-bodied men, the sudden expansion of such a large number of reservists made Lü Jingwei somewhat doubt the usually wise and composed Hua Yinghong. Were they blinded by rumors of "the sea dragon's three prostrations and the king's return," tempted to commit such a short-sighted act?
What surprised Lü Jingwei even more was that such a massive conscription plan, coupled with repeated declarations of the dangers of war and that enlistment was purely voluntary, initially led him to believe that a sufficient number of soldiers would be impossible to recruit. However, just two days after the conscription notice was posted on the 12th, the number of people registering at conscription points in major towns exceeded 300,000! Many people lined up in long queues at conscription points to obtain registration forms, and even the cold winter nights could not dampen the enthusiasm of the people to join the Free Army.
"The hearts of the people are reliable, and their strength is dependable." "Recalling Hua Yinghong's comments about the people, Lü Jingwei couldn't help but admire his foresight. If it weren't for the significant improvement in the island's economy and living conditions, giving the people a beautiful home; if Hua Yinghong hadn't widely distributed the basic techniques of the Heaven and Earth Technique, the Void-Breaking Technique, and the Blazing Sun Technique among the people, sending specialists to guide their practice, resulting in many achieving initial success and becoming strong and healthy; if the Free Army hadn't won consecutive battles, maintaining its undefeated myth; if most of the Free Army's high-ranking generals hadn't been born slaves, giving every civilian hope of achieving merit and lasting fame… such an exciting scene would never have occurred.
What truly troubled Lü Jingwei, however, was the various alliances... " Friendly forces, mining camps, farms, and various industries are all reporting to the Ministry of the Interior the severe manpower shortage caused by the Free Army's massive expansion, as well as the strong demand from numerous female warriors who, despite practicing martial arts, were unable to join the Fire Phoenix Legion to join the reserves, and issues such as preparing weapons and equipment for the reserves... These are even more of a headache for him than the inability to recruit soldiers.
Time is of the essence—the Free Army has already declared war on the Three Races Alliance. As per Hua Yinghong's request, the first batch of no less than five divisions, totaling 200,000 men, must be transported to the mainland by November 20th at the latest. Subtracting the time required for the transport ships to travel through the Treasure Strait, which will take at least two to three days, time is truly extremely tight!
"This battle will determine whether the Free Army can unify the Hua Long Continent ten years ahead of schedule." Hua Yinghong didn't elaborate in his message, only summarizing the importance of this great battle in one sentence, which ignited Lü Jingwei's passion—he had already spent a decade on the crucial task of restoring the Tang Empire. How many decades could one afford to waste in a lifetime? Even a desperate gamble was worth the risk! Besides, Hua Yinghong, the "Son of Freedom," had never misjudged the situation!
"Order all members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Military Affairs to complete the mission immediately, even if it means working day and night. The first batch of reserve soldiers must depart on time at Chenshi (7-9 AM) on the 16th..." Lü Jingwei decisively issued what was perhaps the most important order of his life!
Zhenbao Island descended into madness—just how much power would Hua Yinghong's secret move, made among the people more than a month ago, unleash?

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