Slave Empire [Complete] - 16

Volume 7, Chapter 119: Yanran's Heart,
Treasure Island, Beigang City.
The first batch of 5,000 prisoners each from the Sima family's Jinghai Army and the Qiu family's naval reserve forces, captured at Qingshui Ridge and Tenglong Port, were transported by ship to Treasure Island by the Free Army Navy. Aside from being forbidden from martial arts and disarmed, they moved freely, even their clothing was indistinguishable from ordinary people.
As arranged by Hua Yinghong, these prisoners only needed to tour the entire island of Treasure Island for a few days under the supervision of the Free Army reserves, experiencing life on the island and seeing its situation under Free Army rule, followed by a month of forced labor before being released. The Free Alliance's internal affairs department would also provide a month's wages. Those who wished to stay would have their household registration processed and receive assistance from the Free Alliance's internal affairs department; those who wished to return home would be arranged to return to the mainland by transport ship—almost equivalent to a long-distance tour.
Despite being informed of the arrangements before departure, the prisoners still couldn't believe such a good thing could happen—in the war history of the Hua Long Continent, the best fate for prisoners was to be ransomed with gold coins; this was reserved for wealthy families who could afford it, or for relatively important figures. The worst outcome was naturally being sold into private slavery or forced into the most arduous and relentless labor as government slaves. Could the Free Alliance really be so merciful? Before their release, these prisoners were still filled with anxiety, unsure of what awaited them.
"Welcome to the paradise on earth—Treasure Island," the prisoners, lined up to disembark from the transport ship, were greeted by large banners and sincere smiling faces… The Free Alliance had made meticulous arrangements to welcome these prisoners, trying to alleviate their fears.
It was dusk. Walking along the wide, straight street, the lush trees and green grass on both sides gave people a refreshing feeling, and everything was clean and spotless... The square in the center of Beigang City was a full eighty feet wide, with artificial fountains, rockeries, green lawns, tall coconut trees, children laughing and playing, and people relaxing in peace...
All of this made these prisoners who had just emerged from the flames of war feel as if they had entered a fairyland, and they seemed to understand why the Free Army fought so bravely and why they were always invincible—if they also had such a fairyland to protect, they would probably be just as willing to risk their lives...
In the northwest corner of the square, there was an unfinished construction site, where hundreds of reserve soldiers in Free Army uniforms were busy building a pavilion-like structure. A tall, burly man lifted a log weighing nearly a thousand pounds with both hands, shouting, "Old Ma, Old Zhang, catch!" With a whoosh, he easily tossed the log nearly two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) high!
Two Free Army soldiers standing on it yelled "Good job!", caught the log, placed it across several upright wooden pillars, and swung a heavy iron hammer, hammering a foot-long, finger-thick iron nail into the middle of the wood…
"Hey! Regiment Commander Xie, the guests have arrived," the reserve army battalion commander in charge of guarding the prisoners shouted to the tall man. The prisoners then realized that the man, who possessed at least a seventh-rank cultivation level, was actually a regimental commander; they hadn't expected him to be performing labor like an ordinary soldier!
"Welcome!" Captain Xie called out to them. "Take them to the inn to rest and bathe first. We'll come back after we've finished setting up this pavilion."
"Brother Xie, are you thirsty? Have some water!" At the entrance of a shop about five zhang away, a pretty young woman of about twenty years old tossed a water jug the size of a watermelon, which flew straight to Captain Xie's feet.
"Ah Jiao, your kung fu has improved again." Captain Xie caught the bag, gulped down several mouthfuls, and casually tossed it to Ma Laosan and Zhang Laosi above, praising, "You'll definitely be selected next time the Fire Phoenix Division recruits reserve female soldiers."
"Really?" Ah Jiao's eyes sparkled. "Brother Xie, you must teach me more martial arts. You don't know, I went to watch when the Son of Freedom and Commander Feng attacked Beigang last time. Wow! If only I could be like Commander Feng..."
"Ah Jiao, the Son of Freedom said that a soldier who doesn't want to be a general isn't a good soldier. As long as you work hard, you will definitely become a female general like Commander Feng." Captain Xie encouraged.
"Really? Brother Xie, you're not lying to me, okay? I practice the Heaven and Earth Technique every day and night. I'll definitely sign up next time they recruit." Ah Jiao's eyes shone even brighter.
“Brother Xie, why would I lie to you? Look at me, just over two months ago I was mining in a slave camp, what kind of life was that? Now I'm a regimental commander, in charge of ten thousand men!” Regimental Commander Xie said with an unquestionable tone, “Next time there's a big battle, maybe I'll become a regular soldier.”
“Why doesn't the Free Army recruit more female soldiers?” Ajiao caught the water jug thrown back from the pavilion and said, “Selecting female soldiers is much stricter than selecting male soldiers.”
“Ajiao, you can't say that.” Regimental Commander Xie said seriously, “The Sons of Freedom set strict rules for recruiting soldiers because they don't want people with low martial arts skills to go to the battlefield and die in vain. Once you've mastered your martial arts, the Hua Long Continent is so big, how many battles will there be? Are you afraid you won't have a chance?”
“Brother Xie, my father said he'd like you to come to our house for dinner tonight, you must come!” A blush suddenly rose on Ajiao's pretty face.
"I have something to do tonight and can't get away. Let's do it tomorrow." Captain Xie pursed his lips. Indeed, with so many prisoners...
"Hey, Sister Jiao, Brother Xie can't go, how about I go instead?" Old Ma joked with a grin on the pavilion.
"Old Ma, welcome!" Jiao said generously, "I have a huge pile of firewood in my backyard and I'm worried about who will chop it!"
This scene was witnessed by all the prisoners. A veteran nearing forty had tears in his eyes and murmured to himself, "This is the true army of kings... the army of kings..."

Jianghan County, the Ding family.
"The Ding family's army must withdraw from Dongguan within one day, or face the consequences. Son of Freedom, Hua Yinghong." Ding Zixing held the ultimatum issued by the Free Army in his hand, lost in thought.
The Ding family was now in a dilemma, with almost the same thoughts as Qiu Haoyu—Ding Zixing could not back down because of the Free Army's empty threats; otherwise, the Ding family would have no face to stand on.
The Free Army's fighting strength was undeniable, as were the formidable power of the "Dragon Blood Bullet" and the "Divine Crossbow." However, Ding Zixing, always meticulous and astute, had already learned of the power of the "Dragon Blood Bullet" and the new weapon, the "Divine Crossbow," during the Free Army's battle against the Japanese army on Zhenbao Island, and had begun searching for countermeasures.
Unlike the Sima family, who were solely focused on how to defend against the "Dragon Blood Bullet," Ding Zixing had also found unrefined "Dragon Blood" in Jianghan County and was currently mining and researching it. As for the Divine Crossbow, due to the Free Army's extremely tight defenses, they had not been able to obtain it. Although they suffered heavy losses in Dongguan City, it was not without gains. During the Jianghan Army's siege, several of Ding's top experts, who were on a mission, seized the opportunity to recover several intact Divine Crossbows. With the Ding family's strong research and development capabilities, they would surely be able to replicate these two powerful new weapons soon.
But with the Free Army's tough ultimatum, could it be that they had some trump card yet to be played? Ding Zixing couldn't understand the Free Army, especially "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong: whoever achieved the Free Alliance's current success in three months couldn't explain it by luck!
"Order the Northern Army to send two reserve divisions south to Dongguan Prefecture; the Southern River Army and Northern River Army to launch a general offensive against Shunde Prefecture!" After much deliberation, Ding Zixing finally issued the battle order.
Regardless, with the Ding family's 260,000 troops defending the northern part of Dongguan Prefecture, the Free Army would have to think twice before making a move. Moreover, the Qiu family still had nearly 300,000 troops in Baiyang City, plus the Baiyi Special Division and the Third Guards Division already under Sima Yuan's command, putting the Free Army under heavy defensive pressure along the Changlong City and Dongguan Prefecture line. A victory in Shunde Prefecture would free up a large number of mobile troops, allowing the Ding family to seize the initiative.
If the Free Army forces the Qiu family to use the "Ten Thousand Miles of Sorrowful Wind Order" in desperation, then the Free Army will be in big trouble! Ding Zixing couldn't help but sneer inwardly: to wipe out a deeply rooted family, the Free Alliance's current strength is not enough; it would be best to fight to the death...

"Yanran, is there anything else you want to ask?" Hua Yinghong looked at the beautiful young woman Feng Yanran, dressed in military uniform, graceful and elegant, and incomparably beautiful. Beneath her still cold expression, he could feel the iceberg beginning to melt, and the heart of the girl, as cold as frost, beginning to warm up, which made him happy.
However, the deep affection that occasionally shone in Feng Yanran's clear eyes made him feel both heartache and confusion, a complex feeling arose, like pity for a younger sister, but with more.
He already had enough of his romantic luck. Although this world did not reject polygamy, but rather considered it a matter of course. Although Fei'er, Youlan, and Qianqian didn't seem to care how many beauties they had, and even occasionally encouraged him to approach more women—the lingering venom from the venomous snake hadn't completely dissipated and had swelled again under the stimulation of the Sea Dragon Pill—Hua Yinghong didn't harbor the extravagant desire to possess all the beauties in the world.
The mutual attraction and unrestrained love between men and women are irresistible to any normal man, but this cannot be a reason for promiscuity. Hua Yinghong did his best to care for and cherish the five beauties around him, including Liu Yufei, sending them flowers and greetings even during his busiest times…making his beloved happy was both a kind of romance and a responsibility!
Liu Ju had already subtly informed him of Feng Yanran's frantic behavior after Hua Yinghong's assassination attempt. The promotion and appointment of Feng Yanran was entirely without any sentimentality; it was solely due to the outstanding performance of the Fire Phoenix Division in the capture of Changlong City and the subsequent battle of Qingshui Ridge. A group of seemingly delicate female soldiers had been transformed by Feng Yanran into a disciplined and formidable elite force! Moreover, Feng Yanran also served as the chief marksmanship instructor for the Free Army, and her "Fengran Nine Strikes" marksmanship proved incredibly effective in the Free Army's close combat!
For a girl who was not yet eighteen for more than half a month, the hardships Feng Yanran had endured were unimaginable! There were no objections from the senior generals of the Free Army to Feng Yanran's appointment as commander of the Third Army Corps. This was partly due to Hua Yinghong's unquestionable prestige, and partly because Feng Yanran's performance was truly deserving of the position!
"No, thank you, Brother Hua!" Feng Yanran glanced at Hua Yinghong with a slightly bewildered expression. Her excuse of staying after the meeting to ask him about training and military strategy was merely a pretext to get a closer look at him. Recalling the special feeling of tears streaming down her face when she involuntarily threw herself into his arms after the victory at Qingshui Ridge, she longed for those strong arms to embrace her slender waist again, so she could comfortably lean against his broad shoulders and enjoy that intoxicating masculine aura… Sure enough,
a pair of strong hands rested on her fragrant shoulders, the warmth of their palms penetrating her protective armor and seemingly reaching into her heart, filling her with anticipation, nervousness, and a sense of unease… Just as she was about to muster the courage to look up and bravely meet his gaze, she heard Hua Yinghong softly say, “Yanran, I believe that one day you will become a renowned general.”
Feng Yanran’s nose tingled, her eyes reddened, and she wanted to cry: Had her unrequited love and longing been nothing but fallen petals carried away by the flowing water? Could it be that this usually meticulous and wise man truly didn’t know her feelings for him?
Just then, Fang Shiling's voice rang out: "Commander Hua, Young Master Nangong Jun and Miss Nangong Chuchu have arrived with Feng Qingyang."
"Brother!" Taking advantage of her younger brother Feng Qingyang's arrival, Feng Yanran finally couldn't hold back her sorrow and burst into tears!

Volume Seven, Chapter 120: Touchingly Beautiful
"Scholarly Swordsman" Nangong Jun sat in the reception room, listening to Liu Yufei and her sister Nangong Chuchu chatting enthusiastically. His heart was in turmoil—his mind was in turmoil, unable to settle down.
With Nangong Jun's profound cultivation—his family's Lesser Formless Skill already mastered, ranking second among the "Four Young Masters of Hualong Martial Arts"—he shouldn't have been in such a state of mind. He just hadn't expected that after witnessing the duel between the two gods on Lonely Star Island and parting ways with Liu Yufei three months later, Liu Yufei appeared even more radiant, breathtakingly beautiful, and incomparably stunning! But though she was beautiful, her heart already belonged to another, leaving the self-assured, talented, and dashing scholar-swordsman feeling dejected and somewhat melancholic.
Anyone, any normal man, would inevitably admire a woman of such stunning beauty as Liu Yufei. Three months ago, during their trip to Lonely Star Island, when Liu Yufei approached him to contact the Nangong family to help the Restoration Society restore the Tang Dynasty, Nangong Jun was also quite tempted and wanted to lend a hand. However, although the Nangong family was the wealthiest and most powerful in the world, he couldn't make decisions on behalf of his family. Although Nangong Jun was handsome, tall, and elegant, like a refined gentleman, and possessed great literary talent and charm, winning Liu Yufei's favor, their feelings remained unrequited.
Although the Nangong family is incredibly wealthy, each generation is not a spoiled brat who lives off their inheritance. Instead, every direct descendant of the Nangong family must first complete a task assigned by the family under extremely demanding conditions—a "trial"—before gaining formal recognition.
"No pain, no gain" is the Nangong family's teaching to every descendant. Nangong Jun, despite being the only son of the current family head, Nangong Ping, is no exception. Under the family's strict orders, his trial result was transforming a near-bankrupt general store into "Bailian Goods Store" in three years, making it one of the Nangong family's nine most profitable businesses. Nangong Jun himself became the undisputed leader of the new generation! Even as
the only son of the family head, Nangong Jun still had to participate in the elite trial; otherwise, he would not be a candidate to inherit the position of family head! The Nangong family's rules are extremely strict, making him hesitant to make any promises to Liu Yufei. By the time Nangong Jun personally returned to his family's location in the Later Tang Empire and persuaded them to agree to limited covert support for the Restoration Society, "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong had already emerged, captivating the heart of the beauty with irresistible charm in the shortest time, leaving Nangong Jun with the lament, "Since ancient times, those with deep affection have only regrets."
Sometimes, missing out on something is missing out on something for a lifetime, a lifelong regret! The feelings between men and women are truly mysterious, and it's impossible to explain why.
Nangong Wang, an uncle whose contributions to the Nangong family had never been particularly significant, had shown keen insight by secretly providing assistance to the Free Army at the very beginning of the Zhenbao Island uprising. Now, under the new identity of "Gong Wang," he served as the Deputy Director of the Household Registration Department of the Free Army and the President of "Zhonghua Gold Bank," enjoying immense prestige!
With the Free Army's successive victories, "Zhonghua Gold Bank" attracted countless funds, both overt and covert, like a giant magnet. It was rumored that its current deposits had reached 50 million gold coins, and its loans had reached 30 million gold coins! The Nangong family had already profited over 2 million gold coins from their cooperation with the Free Army. More importantly, as the first member of the Nangong family to successfully enter politics and bring enormous benefits to the family, Nangong Wang was elected as the thirteenth elder at the latest elders' meeting. This further fueled Nangong Jun's curiosity about Hua Yinghong, the "Son of Freedom," whose fame and influence were already subtly surpassing that of the top general, "Gun Saint" He Jiguang.
Nangong Chuchu, dressed in a pale yellow skirt and trousers, was slender and tall, appearing no more than nineteen years old. True to her name, she was captivatingly beautiful. Her hair, adorned with a jade hairpin and jeweled flowers, was styled in a coiled dragon bun. Her glossy black hair exuded fragrance, and a rosy blush graced her oval face. Her large, bright eyes sparkled like autumn water, her features harmonious and natural, her face as smooth as jade, her cherry lips smiling, her pearly teeth subtly visible. Most captivating was the delicate and alluring charm she exuded, truly deserving of her place as the fifth of the "Ten Beauties of Hualong," a name renowned throughout the land.
Judging from her appearance alone, no one would believe that she was the second-best performer in the Nangong family's "Elite Trial," second only to Nangong Jun!
The four famous families, sects, and forces of the Hualong Continent each have their own systems for cultivating the next generation of elites. However, none are as rigorous or unique as the Nangong family's method. Unlike other aristocratic families, the Nangong family doesn't care about their bloodline; they only care about whether their successors meet the required abilities. Every year, the Nangong family adopts a large number of orphans from all over the Hualong Continent, selecting the most talented to gather together and receive training from the best teachers in various fields: the best tutors, the best elders, the best equestrian instructors, and even the best gourmets and painters, ensuring these orphans receive the best education—perhaps only the Nangong family has the financial resources to maintain such an expensive system!
After intensive training, these orphans undergo a rigorous assessment every year, eliminating the weak. Then they train for another year, and so on, until all the instructors are satisfied with the remaining trainees. Only then can they receive a difficult task assigned by the family and pass the Nangong family's elite selection trial for new members. The most outstanding elites will be fortunate enough to receive a name bestowed by the Elders' Council, truly becoming a member of the Nangong family.
Nangong Chuchu is such an outstanding orphan. Her trial results showed that with an initial capital of one hundred gold coins, she built a chain network called "Linglonglou" within three years, specializing in women's cosmetics, jewelry, and jade, with monthly net profits exceeding one hundred and fifty thousand gold coins. As for martial arts, the weakest orphans of the Nangong family who were granted the surname through the trial were at least at the eighth rank. Nangong Chuchu passed the martial arts test three years ago, ranking second; her current martial arts skills are self-evident!
The Nangong family needs true strength, not tender seedlings unable to withstand hardship under the shadow of privileged family backgrounds and outstanding fathers. Therefore, the bloodline of the Nangong family has never been truly understood, but the entire continent knows that every elite member of the Nangong family who passes the trial is a capable individual. As for those who were eliminated, the Nangong family's businesses spanned the world, requiring a large workforce. They would naturally find suitable positions, though they would be far less prestigious than their successful peers.
As a century-old family with a long and meticulous selection process, even the renowned intelligence organization "Jieyu Lou," known as the "Number One Building Under Heaven," couldn't ascertain the true power of the Nangong family. Almost no official government in a country dared to easily oppose them. Fortunately, the Nangong family's ancestral motto was "harmony brings wealth," and they only cared about riches. As long as their fundamental interests weren't violated, the Nangong family never actively intervened in martial arts feuds or wars between nations. Even if they were occasionally extorted by a country's government, as long as it wasn't excessive, they would usually pay to avoid trouble. Of course, unless absolutely necessary, no force would easily provoke the wealthy and powerful Nangong family.
Nangong Chuchu accompanied "The Scholar and Sword Gentleman" Nangong Jun to the Free Alliance, partly because she had heard that the Free Alliance's internal affairs department's prospecting team had discovered a large quantity of gemstones and crystals in Alang Mountain on Treasure Island. From a purely business perspective, regardless of the chaos of war, the business of making money off women must continue. Secondly, he wanted to see just how powerful Hua Yinghong, the "Son of Freedom," was, who had risen to fame and simultaneously captured the hearts of three stunning beauties: the renowned "Peach Blossom Fairy" Xue Qianqian, the pure and innocent "Peerless Jade Maiden" Miao Youlan, and the breathtakingly beautiful "Goddess of Freedom" Liu Yufei. Thirdly, he wanted to send Feng Qingyang, the orphan of the Feng family, who had been secretly training with the Nangong family disciples for over three years, to Treasure Island to reunite with Feng Yanran, the newly promoted commander of the Third Legion of the Freedom Army and now the commander of the Fire Phoenix Division.
With the current strength of the Freedom Alliance and the current status of "Freedom Army Flower" Feng Yanran, protecting Feng Qingyang should be no problem. Moreover, the Feng family's revival could not rely on the Nangong family; it could only be achieved through the siblings' own efforts! This was an unchangeable rule of the Nangong family!
"Little brother!" A gentle breeze swept by, and Feng Qingyang, the sixteen-year-old boy with a cold expression and an air of maturity beyond his years, sitting beside Nangong Chuchu, was suddenly embraced by Feng Yanran, who was crying her eyes out. Although three years had passed and Feng Qingyang had grown considerably taller, his appearance hadn't changed much. Feng Yanran,
with her deep sibling bond, recognized him at a glance. "Sister!" For the past three years, Feng Qingyang had been single-mindedly focused on revenge, his heart as firm as stone, his character resolute. He had studied and trained diligently, enduring countless hardships to pass this year's Nangong family trial, earning the nickname "Cold Stone Boy" from his companions. But now, he couldn't help but recall the horrific massacre of his clan three years ago, and he and his sister Feng Yanran wept bitterly in each other's arms! At this moment, the two siblings were no longer the "legion commander" and "Cold Stone Boy" they once were.
"The reunion of siblings brings hope for the Feng family's revival; we should be happy. While the past cannot be forgotten, the future is even more important. Yanran, with such distinguished guests, are you about to flood the living room?" With these light, teasing words, Hua Yinghong entered through the side door.
"Plop!—" Feng Yanran, her pretty face still wet with tears, stopped crying. She liked being with Hua Yinghong because he was always so calm and composed, as if he could shoulder any burden, yet he would often deliberately make her laugh, dispelling the deep-seated hatred and sorrow in her heart.
"Brother! Quickly greet Brother Hua!" Feng Yanran said to Feng Qingyang, who was still sobbing.
"After the pain subsides, a long lament is sung; a man sheds blood, not tears. Doesn't little brother Qingyang understand?" Hua Yinghong said with a touch of authority.
"Thank you for your guidance, Brother Hua!" Feng Qingyang suddenly stopped crying and responded solemnly—the results of his three years of excellent training as a descendant of the Feng family and the Nangong family were immediately apparent.
"Very good!" Hua Yinghong patted Feng Qingyang's shoulder lightly to show his approval. Turning to Nangong Jun and Nangong Chuchu, he cupped his hands and said, "Brother Nangong, Miss Chuchu, I have often heard Yanran mention you two. It is truly an honor to meet you today!"
"Brother Hua, you are too kind." Nangong Jun returned the cupped hands and said, "The Son of Freedom is renowned throughout the world, his name is legendary. Meeting you today is even more impressive than hearing about him!"
Looking at the sincere smile on Hua Yinghong's ordinary face and feeling the boundless wisdom in his eyes, although he could not sense any intimidating aura, Nangong Jun knew in an instant: he would never be able to win back Liu Yufei's heart from Hua Yinghong in this lifetime!
At the same instant, a dazzling glint flashed in Nangong Chuchu's phoenix eyes, eyes that had seen countless people...

Across the Aegean Sea, in the distant Kingdom of England on the continent of Oba, in the capital city of Renton, at the Renton Cathedral of the Holy Spirit Church.
"Go! The gods will grant you power. The sword in the stone is drawn, the Holy Spirit descends. The glory of the English Empire will be restored in your hands, the light of the holy sword will illuminate the earth, the blood of heretics will stain the continent, the world is at your feet, light lies before you..."
The Cardinal of the Holy Spirit Church, whose followers were spread throughout the continents of Oba and Mes, chanted incantations to Edmund, the ninth prince of England, who was kneeling on one knee to receive the greeting. His right palm lightly pressed down on Edmund's head, and a dazzling red light shone, entering Edmund's body.
"Ah!" Edmund roared, his handsome face convulsing. With a "boom," he punched the hard granite ground, the golden holy energy creating a crater two meters in diameter and three meters deep! Edmund leaped three zhang high, soaring towards the Great Square of Renton in the city center at lightning speed!

Volume 7, Chapter 121: The Legend of the Stone Sword.
The Great Square of Renton in the Kingdom of England was two and a half kilometers square, capable of holding hundreds of thousands of troops. To the south stood a massive stone, about fifty meters long, fifteen meters wide, and nearly ten meters high, its shape remarkably similar to the dragon from the legends of the Oba Continent. Atop the dragon stone's head, a two-handed greatsword was vertically embedded in the stone, with only the hilt and a quarter of the blade remaining outside—that was the Sword in the Stone!
The "Sword in the Stone" was the sacred sword of the Kingdom of England. A hundred years ago, the legendary King Arthur, a legendary figure from the Oba Continent, wielded this greatsword, sweeping across the Oba Continent and establishing the unified English Empire. However, he died before conquering the continents of Mes and Hualong. Before his death, King Arthur plunged the sword into a giant rock shaped like a dragon, leaving the message, "He who can pull the sword from the stone will be the true king of England."
For centuries, countless people have tried to pull the sword from the stone, but strangely, even Alexander the Great, Edmund's grandfather and a peerless master who had cultivated divine battle qi fifty years ago, could not budge it in the slightest. Finally, fifty years ago, when Alexander and a multinational coalition invaded the Hua Long Continent, Alexander died by the sword of Liu Suifeng, a peerless genius of the Tang Dynasty. Since then, no one has dared to touch the sword in the stone.
For centuries, the continent of Oba has been divided into countless kingdoms and separatist forces, unable to achieve unification. According to ancient legends, as long as the sword in the stone is not drawn, the continent of Oba will never be unified!
"Ah!..." Ignoring the thousands of people in the square, Aichi Demon let out another beast-like roar, his explosive power seemingly seeking release, and leaped towards the sword in the stone of the Demon Dragon Stone Department. In the afterglow of the setting sun, the golden hilt was shaped like a cross, with the upper part splitting into wings. In the center of the cross were two equally sized five-pointed star gems on opposite sides, and the hilt was long with a scale-like surface. The sword was jet black, seemingly one with the equally black dragon-shaped boulder. How could it possibly be pulled out?
"Prince Edmund is going to pull the sword!" The crowd in the square surged towards the dragon-shaped boulder, eager to see if the king's last son could lift this sword, more coveted than the throne itself! According to the Church of the Holy Spirit, King Arthur's sword would be pulled out a hundred years later, most likely by a member of the royal family with Arthurian blood. However, the first eight princes had already tried to pull the sword, but it remained unmoved. Instead, their attempts to force it out were met with a backlash from the residual power of King Arthur on the dragon-shaped boulder, leaving them severely injured! Only Prince Edmund had remained silent until today, when he finally made his move. Would a miracle occur?
Edmund's hands gripped the golden hilt. "Ho!" Golden holy energy flowed into the sword, and he pulled upwards with tremendous force! With the immense power of his Holy Aura, even something cast in iron or bronze could be easily pulled away, but the Sword in the Stone only flashed with black light and remained motionless!
Alas! The crowd in the square sighed in disappointment almost simultaneously. Could it be that the owner of the Sword in the Stone was not a member of the royal family?
"Pah!" Edmund used all his strength again but still couldn't pull out the Sword in the Stone. Instead, he was injured internally by a latent force and spat out a mouthful of blood onto the sword!
But a miracle occurred—the sword absorbed all the blood, and a thread of blood seeped into the Demon Dragon Boulder along the sword, quickly spreading throughout the entire boulder. Wherever the blood thread reached, the entire boulder began to emit a dazzling light!
"Holy light! Holy light!" The crowd in the square began to boil! Legend has it that in the Church's prophecy, when the Sword in the Stone is about to be drawn, the boulder will emit such a dazzling holy light!
"Holy light!" In the flash of light, Edmund exerted his strength again. "Moo!" The crowd in the square seemed to hear a long, ancient roar from a demonic dragon. Edmund raised the black sword in the stone high with both hands! Suddenly, the sky above the square changed color, and dark clouds quickly gathered, plunging the entire Renton Square into darkness. Only the holy light from the dragon boulder continuously gathered on the sword in the stone, enveloping Edmund and emitting a captivating, strange glow!
"Boom!" A bolt of lightning struck down from the clouds, hitting the sword in the stone. A series of thunderclaps followed, and Edmund leaped ten feet into the air. The sword in the stone, carrying a beam of light two feet long, struck the dragon boulder, which had returned to its original stone color!
"Boom!" After a loud bang, the clouds dispersed. The crowd in the square discovered that the massive dragon boulder had been cleaved in two by the power of the Sword in the Stone. Edmund stood proudly on one half, holding aloft the holy sword, about one and a half meters long and gleaming with dazzling white light, gazing up at the sky as if praying to the Holy Spirit—what power this sword possessed!
"The Sword in the Stone emerges, the Holy Spirit descends! The Sword
in the Stone emerges, the Holy Spirit descends!..." Thousands of people in the square spontaneously knelt on the ground, worshipping this incredible miracle. At the Holy Spirit Church in London Cathedral, the Cardinal also murmured, "The Sword in the Stone emerges, the Holy Spirit descends!..."

"Could the Sword in the Stone really be unearthed this year?" Liu Yufei asked Nangong Jun with great interest.
Hua Yinghong, having learned from their conversation that Nangong Jun's "Bailian Goods Store" business had expanded far into the European continent, and that Nangong Jun had traveled there for half a year, asked many questions about the European continent with great interest.
Nangong Jun, after all, possessed extraordinary cultivation and quickly recovered from the disappointment of losing Liu Yufei's heart. His main purpose in coming here was to seek further cooperation with the Free Army on his family's orders. With the Nangong family's astute insight, they could naturally see the Free Army's potential. Since Hua Yinghong, the de facto leader of the Free Army, was so interested in the Oba Continent, he spoke frankly without reservation. Nangong Jun was very eloquent, describing the customs and culture of the Oba Continent, its politics and martial arts, and even its strange tales and legends, which everyone listened to with great interest.
"This is the most famous legend of the Oba Continent. It must have some basis in fact," Nangong Jun said, seeing that Liu Yufei was also interested. He went on to elaborate: "It is said that the Oba people always believed that if the peerless knight Alexander, fifty years ago, had possessed the Sword in the Stone, he certainly wouldn't have been defeated by Emperor Liu Suifeng. The Oba people have always harbored the desire to conquer the Hualong Continent, but now they are divided into dozens of large and small countries, embroiled in endless civil war, and are temporarily unable to attack."
"How would the Oba continent's knights or sword gods compare to the divine masters of our Hualong Continent?" Hua Yinghong frowned. According to Nangong Jun's description, if someone were to obtain the Sword in the Stone, the Oba Continent would likely be unified within one or two years, or at most three or four years. A unified and powerful English Empire would pose a significant threat to the Hualong Continent, which is still fragmented and in a state of chaos! The "unspoken rules" of the Hualong Continent might be precisely to preserve the strength of its super experts in preparation for the day when the Sword in the Stone appears and the Oba invades!
"The Divine Knights and Sword Gods who have cultivated Divine Battle Qi are legendary figures for most Oba people. I have only ever encountered one highly skilled Upper-Rank Sword Saint, whose strength is roughly equivalent to the Saint-level experts of my Hualong Continent. I imagine that the Divine Knights and Sword Gods are also roughly on par with the Divine-level experts of my Hualong Continent," Nangong Jun replied somewhat arrogantly, after all, he had the capital to be arrogant after reaching the Saint-level top expert in his twenties.
"Then what about the strength of the top magicians of the Oba Continent?" Hua Yinghong asked with great interest, as these were all things that intrigued him.
“Top-tier mages are revered as Gods of Magic,” Nangong Jun said. “A God of Magic can fight a Sword God or a Divine Knight one-on-one, and usually neither can defeat the other. But if a God of Magic cooperates well with a Sword God or a Divine Knight, the power of that combination would probably be enough to take on an entire army single-handedly without being at a disadvantage. However, I have never seen one. Generally, Archmages and Magisters above don’t show themselves easily.”
“Why is there no record of mages participating in the great battle between the Tang Dynasty and the Ouba and Meisi allied forces?” Hua Yinghong was quite familiar with the information about Liu Suifeng’s battle against Ouba and Meisi, but he still couldn’t figure out why no mages participated at that time.
"That's because, according to legend, the Hua Long Continent is shrouded in an enormous restriction," Nangong Jun explained. "The most powerful mages from the Oba and Meisi Continents are unable to use magic after entering the Hua Long Continent. A mage who cannot use magic is not even as good as the most ordinary warrior. This is what frustrates the people of Oba and Meisi. Of course, we Hua Long people also have our frustrations. For example, many powerful Daoist techniques cannot be used outside the Hua Long Continent."
"It's really complicated. Listening to Brother Nangong's words is better than reading for ten years. By the way, since trade with Oba is so profitable, why doesn't the Nangong family expand its business?" Hua Yinghong finally had a preliminary impression of the strength of the distant Oba and Meisi Continents. After all, the Free Alliance's intelligence system had not yet collected information on such distant places.
He hadn't paid much attention to this before—the Oba Continent was too far away. Even the best ships would take more than twenty days to sail from the port of the Northern Prefecture of the Later Tang Empire to reach it, and Treasure Island was thousands of miles away from the Aegean Sea in the Northern Prefecture of the Later Tang Empire. Even if the sword in the stone were drawn, there would still be time to prepare. His greater concern, however, was how to better develop the economy of the Free Army-controlled areas and improve the lives of the people. As long as the Free Army's strength increased, they would fear no one!
“Brother Hua, you may not know this,” Nangong Jun said, “There are only two routes to the Oba Continent. One is to cross the territory of the Golden Dragon Kingdom, exit the Ganlan Fortress, head west, and enter the Milan Duchy of Oba through the desert. However, the Sahara Desert has a strange climate, with sandstorms all day long. Horse bandits are rampant in the desert, and passing caravans either perish in the desert or are robbed by horse bandits. Even the Golden Dragon Kingdom itself has stopped opening this trade route. The other route is to go out to sea from the northern port of the Later Tang Empire, Lianyungang. The western route can sail to important ports such as the water city of the Milan Duchy, the port of Amsterdam of the Netherlands Kingdom, the port of Alexandria of the English Kingdom, and the port of Frank of the Faria Kingdom. The northeastern route can go to the port of Hawaii of the American Federation of the United States of America and the port of Dorando of the Canadian Federation. Although there are also pirate attacks, the Later Tang Empire has specially dispatched naval warships to escort the ships because of the large volume of sea transport. It is more profitable and safer than the land route.”
"However, since the war between the Great Tang Empire and Ouba, it has consistently pursued a policy of isolationism, only opening its northern ports, Lianyungang, to trade with the countries of the Ouba and Meisi continents. A Maritime Trade Office was established to implement quota controls on import and export goods. Many goods produced on the Hualong continent, such as tea, ceramics, and silk, became extremely popular after being transported to the Ouba and Meisi continents, causing their prices to skyrocket by at least five times, and sometimes ten times! The same was true for clocks, glass, special spices, and monster leather from the Ouba continent when they arrived on the Hualong continent. Most of the annual quotas were divided among the Later Tang Empire's royal family and several powerful clans. Only because the Nangong family was familiar with commerce and made significant contributions to the Later Tang Empire's finances did they receive a small share, but even so, the profits were considerable."
"Why couldn't Baiyang County or Zhenbao Island open a sea route along the Baiyi coast westward to the Duchy of Milan?" Hua Yinghong's mind flashed through a complete map of the Sacred Continent. This was rare information he had discovered after conquering Changlong Prefecture, making him feel like he had found a treasure. According to the records, the Qiu family had repeatedly attempted to open a sea route to the Ouba Continent, but all attempts failed. Ships sent to explore the route would mysteriously disappear within a hundred miles of the coast of Baiyi and Saha deserts. That sea area was thus known as the "Devil's Dead Sea." If the sea route had been successfully opened, the Qiu family would probably have already amassed a great deal of wealth through overseas trade, greatly increasing their strength, and would not have fallen to their current state.
"I came here this time precisely for this matter," Nangong Jun said. "According to the analysis of my Nangong family's data, the ships that disappeared in the 'Devil's Dead Sea' were destroyed by attacks from a large number of sea dragons. No fewer than ten carrier pigeons have returned with reports of enormous sea dragons appearing in the 'Devil's Dead Sea,' which would actively attack ships as they passed by. The giant waves stirred up by a single sea dragon could instantly submerge smaller ships. Perhaps only one person in the entire world can open this sea route—"
"Brother Hua!" "Liu Yufei and Nangong Chuchu exclaimed simultaneously.
"Excellent! 'The Dragon King bows three times, the king returns!' I think only Brother Hua can open this route. I have been authorized by my father this time. As long as this route is successfully opened, the Nangong family will fully cooperate with the Free Alliance!" Nangong Jun's eyes flashed with a piercing light. He couldn't find any martial arts master's aura on Hua Yinghong, but the miracle of Hua Yinghong returning riding the Sea Dragon King and receiving the Sea Dragon King's three bows was witnessed by disciples of the Nangong family in secret, so it couldn't be fake.
"Oh! If that's the case, I'll definitely give it a try." "Hua Yinghong never imagined that a moment of kindness in making peace with the Sea Dragon King would lead to such a good outcome. If the sea route is successfully opened, a flood of gold coins will pour in, and with the full support of the wealthy and powerful Nangong family, the Free Alliance's process of dominating the Hualong Continent will be greatly accelerated.
"If the sea route is opened, the Free Alliance will establish a Foreign Trade Department. I request that Brother Nangong condescend to accept the position of Director, and be fully responsible for the Free Alliance's diplomatic and trade affairs with the Ouba Continent." Hua Yinghong said, "The Free Alliance will not set foreign trade quotas, but the Household Registration Department will take 60% of each transaction, the Nangong family 10%, and the remaining 30% will be shared voluntarily by the various cooperating forces. How about that?"
"Deal!" Nangong Jun sighed, "Now I finally understand why the Free Army is invincible!" "The conditions proposed by Hua Yinghong were irresistible. Even disregarding the political benefits of holding a high position, the annual net profit of 'Bailian Goods Store' exceeded one million gold coins from the quota allocated by the Later Tang Empire alone! The Free Army, with no quota, even if it only accounted for 10%, would still amount to an astronomical figure.

Volume 7, Who Rules the World, Chapter 122: A Cunning Calculation.
November 23rd. Maoming City.
Long Feiyang carefully examined the huge map, calculating his next move.
The Son of Freedom was indeed extraordinary, turning the tide of the Great Liang army with a single move. According to the original agreement between 'Nine Lives' Long Ge and Hua Yinghong, the Free Army would also help the Great Liang army safely return east of the Yulong River. However, after capturing Maoming Prefecture and completely reversing the situation, Long Feiyang was actually unwilling to truly withdraw from Yunyuan and Nanhai counties.
Although caught off guard, Qiu Shuibo and Hua Yinghong reached a 'gentleman's agreement'..." "Although the assassination attempt resulted in the loss of Baijiang, Maoming, and Zhanjiang prefectures, the Long family had still maintained a strong foundation in the two prefectures after ten years of rule. With the siege of Qingyuan lifted, Long Feiyang, having won the pursuit of the Qiu family's army, marched directly towards Maoming.
Qiu Shuibo transferred the South Sea Army regiment originally stationed in Maoming to Zhanjiang, leaving only a reserve division to garrison Maoming. When the Liang army approached the city, with almost no casualties, Maoming quickly fell into Long Feiyang's hands!
The reserve division left by the Qiu family in Maoming, besides having generals of squad leader rank and above drawn from the original Yulong Army regular divisions, and platoon leaders drawn from veterans of the Yulong regular army, consisted largely of local recruits from Maoming. Among them were opportunists who had joined due to their favorable position with the Qiu family, and many members of the Long family's hidden forces who had intentionally infiltrated. Long Feiyang's army..." Upon arrival, knowing that fighting meant certain death and fleeing meant certain death, they figured they might as well surrender the city… so they simply
coordinated an attack from within and without, killing the Qiu family's garrison officers and opening the city gates to welcome them! Times changed, and with Long Feiyang's return to Maoming Prefecture, the Qiu family was in dire straits, allowing the Long family to regain the upper hand. In just a few days, Long Feiyang not only reorganized the more than 30,000 reserve troops
who had surrendered the city, but also recruited tens of thousands more to replenish the losses of the Western Army Corps, greatly increasing his power. His forces in Maoming Prefecture reached 160,000! The turnaround in the Qingyuan battle also improved the situation in Shunde Prefecture: although the Ding family had sent the Beijiang Army Corps to reinforce the Nanjiang Army Corps in northern Shunde Prefecture, bringing their total strength to 320,000, Long Feiyang ordered the two divisions that had been attacking Qiu Haoran's Yunyuan Army Corps in Zhanjiang Prefecture to gradually retreat back to Shunde Prefecture, bringing their strength to 240,000. They occupied advantageous terrain and fortified cities to establish defenses, and the Ding family did not underestimate them. It was easy to capture Shunde Prefecture.
Once the situation improved, Long Xiaoyun's further expansion of his army in Shunde Prefecture became even smoother, and two reserve divisions were successfully formed. Although heavy weaponry was extremely scarce for a time, and the soldiers' training was inadequate, at least in terms of numbers, they were not at a disadvantage!
War can drive most of those involved to irrationality. According to official statistics, the original population of each prefecture in Yunyuan and Nanhai was between 1.8 million and 2.3 million. The frantic expansion of armies by all sides brought a large number of able-bodied men into the army, leaving countless villages and towns with only the old, weak, sick, and disabled, and small groups of bandits running rampant. If the war could not end in a short time, there would not be enough labor for farming and sericulture the following year, and the economy and people's livelihood in these prefectures might regress by several years or even more than a decade! One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand. It is the powerful and wealthy families who fight for territory and interests, but it is always the common people who suffer.
Hua Yinghong, the "Son of Freedom," had repeatedly sent messengers in recent days to inquire when Long Feiyang would withdraw his army, stating that a large number of transport ships were waiting at Tenglong Port. He hoped that Long Feiyang would hand over the defenses of Qingyuan City and Maoming Prefecture according to the "ten-day agreement," or join forces to attack the Qiu family's navy stationed in Baijiang Prefecture and open up the land route.
Long Feiyang used the excuse that the situation had just turned around and he was busy with many affairs to play along with the messengers sent by the Free Army. However, today was the last day of the "ten-day agreement," and Long Feiyang had to make a final choice.
"Xiaotian, from now on, you are the new commander of the Western Army of Daliang." Long Feiyang looked at the map, without turning his head, and said to his eldest son, Long Xiaotian, who stood respectfully behind him, "Do you know why you are entrusted with this important task at this time?"
"Xiaotian understands. Now that the situation of our Daliang army is very good, there is no need to fulfill the ten-day agreement." Long Xiaotian replied respectfully, his expression unchanged.
Long Feiyang had initially made a pact with Hua Yinghong through Long Ge, agreeing that "within ten days, the Free Army would assist Long Feiyang's Daliang Army in defeating the Jade Dragon Alliance of the three clans and safely returning east of the Jade Dragon River." This had foreshadowed today's situation. If Long Feiyang were no longer the commander of the Western Legion, the Daliang Army would naturally not have to abide by the pact and retreat east of the Jade Dragon River, surrendering Yunyuan and Nanhai counties.
As long as Long Feiyang did not relinquish his position as head of the Long family, he would remain the de facto supreme ruler of Yunyuan, Nanhai, and the Long family's stronghold, Donghai County—after all, he was a renowned general; Long Feiyang's subtle manipulation of the wording had him completely under the thumb of the shrewd Free Sons!
Although this action seemed somewhat despicable and unbecoming of a great general, it was indeed an excellent way to break the pact, preventing the surrender of the vast lands and millions of people of Yunyuan and Nanhai counties.
"However, while this would nominally absolve me of the accusation of breach of contract, it would inevitably incur the resentment of the Free Army. If not for unavoidable circumstances, I would never want to create an enemy like Hua Yinghong," Long Feiyang sighed. Hua Yinghong's military tactics were unpredictable, especially his ability to gather intelligence on the enemy and block one's own—a chilling prospect.
Fighting an opponent who seemed to never reveal their final hand while simultaneously appearing to know one's own was a major headache for any renowned general. Because the situation in Qingyuan City was critical, with the city on the verge of falling, and the Free Army and the Qiu Clan coexisting peacefully, posing no pressure on the Qiu Clan's stronghold, Long Feiyang was forced to resort to this tactic. He not only lured the Free Army into relieving the siege but also instigated a major battle between them and the Qiu Clan, thus forging a new deep-seated enmity!
"Order the selection of top experts from the family and the army to establish a dedicated military intelligence department." Long Feiyang saw through one of the keys to the Free Army's invincibility: the Military Intelligence Department, in cooperation with various forces such as Peach Blossom Palace, formed an intelligence system specifically for military operations, which was vastly different from the comprehensive intelligence system possessed by the Long family itself.
Collecting too much intelligence from various sources would slow down the processing efficiency and affect the quality of the intelligence. A very important reason why the Qiu family was defeated by the Free Army was that their intelligence system was flawed—they knew themselves but not their enemy!
"The situation in Donghai County has stabilized. Should we send troops across the river again to recapture Zhanjiang Prefecture and Baijiang Prefecture in one fell swoop?" Long Xiaotian asked.
"No rush. Order all prefectures in Donghai County, Qingyuan City, Shunde Prefecture, Maoming Prefecture, Meijiang Prefecture, and Baiquan Prefecture to accelerate the training of their troops in preparation for the great battle. The family has endured for many years; now is the time to use its reserves. It should be the Qiu family that is anxious now, not my Long family." Long Feiyang said with a somewhat relaxed attitude.
Of the six prefectures of the Great Liang Kingdom, the Long clan controlled three prefectures and nine counties, along with two large regular army groups. While their territory wasn't particularly large—for example, the Central Prefecture of Nanping, where the capital city of Yajing was located, controlled by the Zhu royal family, was roughly the size of Donghai Prefecture—the Long clan's controlled areas had a large population and immense power, giving them the potential to dominate. However, the Great Liang King Zhu Wen's vast "Jinyiwei" (Imperial Guard) system and the Eastern Depot provided extremely strict surveillance. Furthermore, the Long clan already controlled over 400,000 troops before the war, leaving them with no reason to expand their army. Otherwise, no matter how greedy and incompetent the Great Liang King Zhu Wen was, he would have noticed Long Feiyang's disloyalty.
Although the Long clan was powerful, they were temporarily unable to withstand the attacks from the Shangguan family, which bordered Donghai Prefecture, and the Zhu royal family's large army. The war with the Qiu clan provided the Long clan with the perfect excuse to expand their army; as long as they didn't use Zhu Wen's treasury of gold coins, there wouldn't be much of a problem!
Moreover, judging from the intelligence reports from the capital, Zhu Wen, the King of Liang, is probably already so incompetent that he can't distinguish right from wrong... Let the Zhu family worry about the Japanese invasion. Perhaps after the Zhu family is defeated by the Japanese army or both sides are weakened, it will be the perfect time for the Long family to take over!
As for the Central Army led by Shangguan Yunfei and his son Shangguan Ruoyu, they have been holding back in Zhanjiang and Baiquan prefectures, refusing to engage the Qiu family in direct combat despite repeated urging from Long Feiyang. They watched as Long Feiyang's army, besieged in Qingyuan City, was almost annihilated by the Qiu family. Long Feiyang is well aware of their wolfish ambitions. There
's no rush now, it's not the right time yet, because they still have to fight the Qiu family together—but this debt will be settled one day!

Changlong City.
Apart from secretly going to the seaside, Hua Yinghong has spent most of these days with Nangong Jun and Nangong Chuchu, learning about Oppa, Meisi, and the customs and culture of Hualong Continent. The Nangong siblings, especially Nangong Jun, had traveled extensively throughout the Hua Long Continent and even as far as the Ouba Continent, gaining a deep understanding of the political, economic, and social aspects of the entire Holy Continent. This deepened Hua Yinghong's understanding of the Holy Continent, making him realize how difficult it would be to achieve his ideal of unifying the Hua Long Continent and even the Holy Continent!
On Lonely Star Island, the information Guan Shanyue and Lang Qingyun provided to Hua Yinghong was only a rough outline. In reality, no one could accurately determine the population of the Hua Long Continent. The population itself was constantly shifting; it was impossible to count in the deep mountains and marshes, and it was also impossible to count the population of various powerful families who evaded poll taxes or concealed their strength. In addition, without scientific statistical methods, the official population figures of various countries were inaccurate.
The census conducted by the Treasure Island Ministry of Internal Affairs according to the household registration system and statistical methods designed by Hua Yinghong increased the population of Treasure Island by 500,000 compared to the original statistics! Overall, a slightly larger prefecture on the Hua Long Continent had about 1.5 million to 2 million people, and some large and important prefectures even exceeded 3 million! Based on this level of deviation, the Yulong Kingdom alone, with its six prefectures and twenty-four counties, has a population of over forty million. The entire Hualong Continent likely has at least two hundred and fifty million people! And this is just an estimate!
"Why is the Yulong Kingdom's fiscal revenue so strained despite such a large population?" Hua Yinghong wondered.
The entire Yulong Kingdom's annual fiscal revenue is only forty-five million gold coins. According to Hua Yinghong's estimate, one gold coin is roughly equivalent to one hundred yuan in another world. Forty-five million gold coins is only four hundred and fifty billion yuan, a pittance compared to its population of over forty million and abundant resources.
According to the Household Registration Department's estimate, Treasure Island's revenue in November alone will exceed three million gold coins, resulting in only a small fiscal deficit and significantly reducing reliance on loans from the "Chinese Gold Bank." This is the fundamental reason why Hua Yinghong dared to massively expand the Free Army and implement the costly military rank system.
"Most of the wealth in the Hualong Continent is concentrated in the hands of powerful clans. Regardless of land rent or commercial taxes, influential clans, even those that dominate a region, use their privileges to pay almost no taxes. Take Treasure Island as an example. According to our calculations, when it was under the control of the Qiu family, the actual annual income from official assets and taxes should have been no less than 12 million gold coins. However, only a mere 5 million gold coins were actually handed over to the Sima family. The rest was seized and divided up by the deeply entrenched local forces and the Qiu family. This is the case in every country and region of Hualong." Nangong Jun explained, "Therefore, the rich indulge in wine and meat, while the poor suffer from hunger and cold. The gap between the rich and the poor is becoming increasingly serious. As the poem says, 'Behind the vermilion gates, wine and meat go to waste; on the road, frozen bones lie.'"
"When the dynasty prospers, the people suffer; when it falls, the people suffer." Hua Yinghong sighed. "Our Free Alliance is going against the tide, which will inevitably harm the interests of the powerful clans. A difficult future is unavoidable."
"Brother Hua, you act with both swift and decisive measures and a compassionate heart. You are a righteous person who receives much help. I, Chu Chu, am very much looking forward to the future of the Free Alliance." Nangong Chu Chu's voice was gentle and melodious, like heavenly music. "Just look at the fact that more than a million people have flowed into the Free Army's controlled areas in the past few days. That's enough."
Hua Yinghong nodded. "It's not that I'm afraid of difficulties. Where righteousness lies, I will go even if it means facing a million enemies. By the way, Chu Chu, Yu Fei has been very busy these days with the establishment of the 'Hong Fei Foundation.' What do you think of my proposal?"
Liu Yu Fei has been busy these days raising funds to build a nursing home for the elderly living alone under the Free Alliance's jurisdiction. Hua Yinghong knows that she lost her parents at a young age and has a special affection for the elderly, so he strongly supports her. However, apart from the special allocation of 100,000 gold coins from the Household Registration Office, the rest has to be raised through donations. Hua Yinghong wanted to invite Nangong Chuchu, who was familiar with business, to manage the fund, but Nangong Chuchu herself managed the large business organization "Linglonglou," which made it rather difficult for her.
"Brother Hua, it's not that Chuchu doesn't want to help; it's easy for me to donate 100,000 gold coins, but Linglonglou is in a period of expansion and can't do without me," Chuchu said apologetically. For some reason, she found it difficult to decisively refuse Hua Yinghong's request, which was quite different from her usual gentle but firm and resolute personality.
"Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish. If Linglonglou can't function without you, it only proves there's a huge problem with its management style." Hua Yinghong smiled and said, "Look how easy it is for me to be the Marshal of the Free Army? Managing an army and a business organization actually have many things in common. If you can't learn to let go, you'll be limited to a small corner and won't achieve much. If you're willing, I'm willing to give you a business that will be just as profitable as Linglonglou."
Strictly speaking, Hua Yinghong's position as Marshal wasn't just easy; he was practically "incompetent." While Ji Wumou and the four army corps commanders and division commanders were busy reorganizing and training the army, he was extremely leisurely, only occasionally visiting the garrison to check on the soldiers and encourage them.
"Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish." Nangong Jun and Nangong Chuchu both fell into deep thought. Nangong Chuchu was clearly intrigued and couldn't help but ask, "What kind of business?" She didn't believe that besides Nangong Jun's overseas trade, what business could be more profitable than Linglong Tower—although from many examples such as cement and movable type printing, she had already realized that Hua Yinghong was no less capable than her in business.
"A gold shop," Hua Yinghong casually uttered two words. "If you agree to manage the Hongfei Fund, I will allow you to represent the Nangong family in establishing the first joint-stock commercial gold shop not controlled by the Household Registration Department. As for how much profit we can make, Chuchu can calculate it herself."
Although "Zhonghua Gold Shop" announced a reduction in annual deposit interest to 7%, a large amount of funds were still deposited for safety and appreciation during the war. As of yesterday, "Zhonghua Gold Shop's" deposits had exceeded 60 million gold coins, and loans exceeded 42 million gold coins. The four newly established branches in Tianshui, Dongguan, Changlong, and Tenglong alone had deposits exceeding 10 million gold coins in just a few days!
Even if business expansion ceases, with an annual interest rate of 0.7% on deposits and loans, after deducting costs and expenses, the annual profit of Zhonghua Gold Bank will exceed two million gold coins. The Nangong family's initial investment of 500,000 gold coins for a 10% stake will yield a profit of over 200,000, resulting in a net profit of over 40% annually. Moreover, with the influx of a large population, as long as the Free Army is not defeated, the momentum of Zhonghua Gold Bank's business development will be even stronger, and profits will be even higher!
"If Sister Chu is unwilling, I'll have to volunteer," Nangong Jun said half-jokingly and half-seriously from the side.

Volume 7 Who Rules the World Chapter 123 Unexpected
"Scholar and Sword Gentleman" Nangong Jun was actually reminding Nangong Chuchu to seize the opportunity and not let go of such a golden chance.
The Nangong family itself owns money shops in various countries and regions, and is one of the most reputable, largest, and strongest private money shops. Nangong Jun naturally understands the secrets of the money shop business: accumulating money with money, leveraging small amounts for large gains, and making money through borrowing.
If the Nangong family could be the first to establish a gold shop with the largest share in the Free Alliance-controlled area and develop lending business, given the Free Alliance's current economic development model of large-scale imports and exports and massive investment and construction, the prospects and potential profits of the gold shop would be immeasurable!
Moreover, if the Nangong family could use this opportunity to forge such a close relationship with the two giants, Liu Yufei, the leader of the Free Alliance, and Hua Yinghong, the Marshal of the Free Army, it would be like adding another layer of protection to Nangong Wang's entry into the upper echelons of politics. The intangible wealth involved would be immeasurable; even if Nangong Chuchu's "Linglong Tower" were abandoned, it would still be incredibly valuable!
"Since that's the case, Chulingchu has no reason to refuse." A blush inexplicably appeared on Nangong Chuchu's pretty face, making her even more charming and alluring, exuding a unique and irresistible charm.
Managing the "Hongfei Fund" naturally required frequent interaction with "Sons of Freedom" Hua Yinghong and Liu Yufei. For some reason, Nangong Chuchu, who was used to seeing many grand occasions, felt a strange tension in her heart.
So many elegant nobles and aristocratic scions had never caught the attention of the confident and talented Nangong Chuchu, so why did this unassuming "Son of Freedom," Hua Yinghong, seem so special to her?

Zhanjiang City.
"Reporting to the patriarch, Long Feiyang has announced his resignation as commander of the Western Army Corps, to be succeeded by his son, Long Xiaotian." Upon hearing this news, Qiu Shuibo's handsome face did not show much joy at having successfully assumed the position of patriarch; instead, it was filled with solemnity and authority.
If he had a choice, Qiu Shuibo would rather not be the patriarch, in order to prevent his elder brother, Qiu Shuiba, from impulsively pursuing the Free Army on the fifteenth, even attempting to annihilate them in one fell swoop, resulting in today's completely passive situation!
With Qiu Shuibo's keen insight, he had already discerned that Changlong City and Tenglong Port were two strategically vital strongholds crucial to the western front, influencing the safety of the Qiu family's ancestral homeland of Changlong Prefecture and Baiyang City. Qiu Shuibo also sent messages reminding Qiu Haoyu and Qiu Shuiba to reinforce their defenses. However, before the "Thousand-Mile Shadow" reached Qiu Haoyu and Qiu Shuiba, defeat was inevitable, leaving them with nothing to do.
Qiu Shuibo naturally understood his elder brother Qiu Shuiba's desire to achieve great merit and seize the position of family head. Unfortunately, the cunning "Son of Freedom," Hua Yinghong, had also taken Qiu Shuiba's temperament into account, and his provocative tactics were clearly designed to lure Qiu Shuiba into a rash attack. If Qiu Shuibo were in charge of the western front, he could simply abandon the pursuit and divide his forces into two divisions to garrison Tenglong Port and Changlong City respectively. Even with the surprise attack of Feng Yanran's Fire Phoenix Division and Hai Tianqing's navy, the Free Army would be unable to capture these two key towns in a short time.
War has no ifs. Now that things have come to this, regret is useless. Qiu Shuibo can only pull himself together and find another way out of this predicament.
"Uncle Ran," Qiu Shuibo said, pointing to the map, "after the situation reversed, Long Feiyang's actions clearly show that he has broken the ten-day agreement with the Free Army. Our Qiu family is now in an unprecedented crisis."
"Uncle Ran, please look. On the surface, the major powers in Baiyang County, Nanhai County, and Yunyuan County have returned to a balance of power, but in reality, our clan is in the most disadvantaged position. Although the Free Army has ceased military operations, reorganized its army, and focused on internal affairs, Changlong City is only about thirty li away from Baiyang City. Our clan and the more than 400,000 troops of the Sixth Prince Sima Yuan dare not stray far from the Baiyang City line, and can only control most of the northern part of Changlong Prefecture. Although Zhanjiang Prefecture and Baijiang Prefecture are under our control, on the western front, Long Feiyang's Liang army forms a solid iron triangle with Qingyuan City, Shunde Prefecture, and Maoming Prefecture, threatening us. On the eastern front, Shangguan Yunfei and Shangguan Ruoyu's Liang central army and a large number of reserves occupy Meijiang Prefecture and Baiquan Prefecture, eyeing Zhanjiang Prefecture and Baijiang Prefecture with covetous intent. If we cannot break through this situation in the short term, our clan will be in grave danger!"
"Could we join forces with the Ding family to attack Shunde Prefecture, then capture Qingyuan City, and restore contact with Baiyang City?" Qiu Haoran traced a large area of northern Shunde and Zhanjiang Prefectures on the map with his finger, saying, "Borrow them with great rewards to completely defeat Long Feiyang's army and reclaim Qingyuan and Maoming Prefectures. With your talent, as long as we rest and recuperate and govern well for a period of time, our clan still has great potential." "
I have already sent a message to the Ding family about this and contacted the Free Army. The most important thing right now is to urgently win a major battle to boost morale and win the hearts of the people. Otherwise, dragging things out like this will be very detrimental to our clan." Qiu Shuibo's face showed a slight weariness. In the few days since he took over as the head of the family, he had hardly slept a wink, busy handling military and political affairs, racking his brains for a way out of the predicament. He no longer had his former composure and ease, and even with his profound cultivation, he was finding it hard to bear.
The easy fall of Maoming City, a reserve division stationed in a strategically important location with high walls and wide rivers, gave Qiu Shuibo no time to mobilize reinforcements. This served as a wake-up call for him. Besides the more than 100,000 Yulong Army troops led by Qiu Shuibo and Qiu Haoran during the "Gentleman's Agreement" raids on Baijiang, Zhanjiang, and Maoming, and the tens of thousands of troops withdrawn from Zhenbao Island, tens of thousands of loyal Qiu family members from Qingyuan and Changlong prefectures had entered the newly occupied three prefectures during the major military expansion, strengthening control over these areas. However, this period was too short.
Currently, among Qiu Haoran's Yunyuan Legion, Qiu Shuibo's South China Sea Legion, and Qiu Haohan's naval legion, more than 200,000 are loyal and reliable Qiu family members or personnel painstakingly cultivated over many years. The remaining 200,000 are locals newly recruited in the three prefectures. With the Qiu family in a favorable position and the Long family in dire straits, most of these people would naturally remain loyal. But now that the situation has changed so drastically, Qiu Shuibo is extremely uneasy about those people!
Coincidentally, sharing a similar view with the renowned general Long Feiyang, Qiu Shuibo recognized the shortcomings of the Qiu clan's intelligence system and established a special military intelligence department composed of family experts and elites selected from the army. This department was responsible for gathering intelligence externally and monitoring for any unusual movements internally, thereby strengthening control over the army.
"Our clan has recently clashed with the Free Army, with tens of thousands of soldiers dying on the battlefield. Old grudges have been compounded by new hatred. Is there any possibility of cooperation?" Qiu Haoran asked with some concern upon hearing that Qiu Shuibo had contacted the Free Army again.
"I only need a little time, a little space," Qiu Shuibo sighed. "Even if we wanted to negotiate peace with the Free Army, I'm afraid the various clans, collateral branches, and local powerful families that are affiliated with our clan would not agree." Not counting the old grudges forged in the battles on Treasure Island, the battles of Qingshui Ridge and Changlong City, and the brutal purge of several collateral branches of the Qiu family in Changlong City by the Free Army, along with the death of Qiu Siyuan in Tenglong Port… the enmity between the Qiu family and the Free Army had run too deep, leaving almost no room for reconciliation!
"With such a formidable enemy as the Free Alliance at our side, although it makes our clan lose its appetite and sleep, I imagine Long Feiyang, Ding Zixing, and Sima Yuan won't have an easy time either." Qiu Haoyu, being an experienced and shrewd man, succinctly pointed out the situation.
"Our clan's survival also lies in this," Qiu Shuibo continued, clicking on various points on the map—the original four major powers and the newly emerging Free Alliance-controlled areas all currently border each other, perhaps…

dusk. Ding Zixing stood silently atop the Star-Picking Tower, the symbol of the family's highest power, gazing south towards the sky above Dongguan Prefecture.
Once the arrow was released, there was no turning back; having embarked on the path to conquering the world, the Ding family had no way back. Every step had to be taken with utmost care and deliberation—the experience was indescribable!
His long-time rival, Qiu Haoyu, had resolutely relinquished the position of family head to his outstanding second son, Qiu Shuibo, leaving Ding Zixing completely baffled by the Qiu family's intentions.
Upon assuming office, Qiu Shuibo immediately sent a message to the Ding family, offering to cede the northern regions of Shunde Prefecture and Zhanjiang Prefecture in exchange for their assistance in attacking the Daliang Eastern Navy Legion in Shunde Prefecture and establishing contact with Baiyang City. This proposal presented Ding Zixing with another dilemma.
The Ding family had already occupied several small and medium-sized towns in the northwest of Shunde Prefecture, controlling the Beijiang and Nanjiang Legions within a radius of a hundred li. Neither legion had engaged in large-scale battles with Long Xiaotian's Eastern Navy Legion. Ding Zixing already intended to gain an advantage in Shunde Prefecture, then cease hostilities and establish a demarcated rule. However, due to the chaos instigated by the Yinming Sect in Yulong County, the Sima family's stronghold in Yulong Prefecture and the capital Yulong City were in grave danger. The situation had undergone a significant change, and an opportunity that could not be missed presented the Ding family with greater benefits and rewards—
Yulong County, Shiyan Prefecture. After several days of fierce fighting, the Third Legion of the Yinming Sect's Bright Army, led by "Blood-Stained Sword" Wei Wuxie, swept through the enemy lines, capturing Shiyan City at the cost of only 20,000 men. They then seized control of Yanmen Pass, a crucial point connecting Shiyan Prefecture and Xitong Luolan County. Nearly 20,000 men from the two newly established reserve divisions of the Sima clan stationed in Shiyan Prefecture were killed, and nearly 60,000 surrendered.
In Shiyan Prefecture, the Bright Army under the Yinming Sect continued its purge of powerful families, especially the Sima clan's overt and covert influence, plundering vast amounts of wealth, gathering followers, and forming the Fifth Legion of the Bright Army. Two divisions of the Fifth Army Corps were left to garrison Shiyan Prefecture and Yanmen Pass, while the remaining 240,000 men advanced eastward from Shiyan Prefecture towards Yulong Prefecture, intending to join forces with the 400,000-strong army led by "Jade-Faced Gentleman" Xu Shaopeng, which was slowly advancing northward from the south towards the capital, Yulong City. Together, they would attack the so-called "Immortal City," Yulong City. The fire ignited by the Yinming Sect in the Yulong Kingdom was growing increasingly fierce!
Strangely, despite this dire situation, King Sima Yuan of Yulong and Protectorate General Sima Cheng only mobilized the reserves of Wuling County to form the Wuling Army Corps to reinforce Yulong City, still not intending to recall the elite Central Army Corps led by the Seventh Prince Sima Lang, who was stationed in Yanbo Prefecture of Nanhu County. Perhaps acquiring even a prefecture from the Later Tang Empire was simply too difficult, or perhaps King Sima Yuan of Yulong was waiting for the perfect opportunity for a decisive battle!
Sima Yuan, the Jade Dragon King, has issued a "Royal Support Order," allowing loyal branches of the Sima clan and powerful families across the land to form their own armies to defend the king. The siege of Jade Dragon City will be lifted, and
rewards will be distributed accordingly. The political landscape of the Jade Dragon Kingdom will undergo a dramatic transformation. The vast Wuling Prefecture, aside from tens of thousands of newly recruited, poorly equipped, and untrained soldiers in each prefecture, is severely undermined. Although the Sima clan's two-year tax exemption has had some effect, the growing power of the Yinming faction's Bright Army has caused unrest in Wuling Prefecture. In reality, even without Sima Yuan's "Royal Support Order," powerful families across the land have already begun openly or covertly recruiting, training troops, and winning hearts and minds, seeking self-preservation in the chaos, and even hoping to establish themselves as powerful warlords!
In response to the frequent activities of the Yinming Sect, the Jade Dragon Spy Team finally revealed its sinister nature and formidable strength: In the four prefectures of Changling, Yichun, Binjiang, and Wuling under the jurisdiction of Wuling County, Yinming Sect branches and liaison points were wiped out daily by the Jade Dragon Spy Team and the Jade Dragon Army. A large number of key Yinming Sect members responsible for liaising with various regions were eliminated. Without an organizer, the ordinary followers of the Yinming Sect who had developed their followers in various places lost their leader and temporarily ceased their activities.
The situation was extremely favorable to the Ding family of Jianghan Prefecture, which bordered Wuling Prefecture: The Sima family, as the royal family of the Jade Dragon Kingdom, faced immense pressure from the hundreds of thousands of grassland allied troops in Yinchuan Prefecture to the west, and the Free Army eyeing them from the southeast in Tianshui Prefecture. Sima Lang's Jade Dragon Army Central Corps and its reserves were far away in Yanbo Prefecture of Nanhu Prefecture, confronting hundreds of thousands of troops of the Later Tang Empire. Internally, the Yinming Sect's hundreds of thousands of troops were causing trouble. The Sima family had already exhausted most of its potential; its most elite fighting forces, the Central Corps and the Imperial Guard Corps, were mostly not within its borders, leaving only the rarely deployed Imperial Guard Corps as its main force. If the Ding family could withdraw from Shunde Prefecture on the eastern front…
“Baijian, secretly summon Yuwen Zhi.” Ding Zizhi instructed a young man standing respectfully to his side, a composed and handsome man of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old—the family's first heir and eldest son, Ding Baijian.
“Yes!” A hint of joy flashed in Ding Baijian's eyes as he responded and left.
Yuwen Zhi, the younger brother of Yuwen Shangzhi, the patriarch of the Yuwen family in the southwestern prefecture of the Later Tang Dynasty and commander of the Later Tang southwestern army, had secretly arrived in Jianghan City for several days to contact the Ding family and discuss the relief of the Yuwen family's 160,000-strong southwestern army in Zijiang Town. Ding Zixing had not personally received him, but he had not driven him away either, secretly ordering his men to treat him well. Now that he was finally willing to meet with Yuwen Zhi, he had naturally made up his mind to implement the unexpected "Nest" plan...
Inheriting his father Ding Zixing's character, Ding Baijian was skilled in strategy from a young age, with a deep mind and a steady and proper demeanor, making him the natural heir of the Ding family. However, if he were to merely inherit the Ding family, which occupied only one prefecture in Jianghan, wouldn't that be a waste of the extraordinary opportunity bestowed upon him by this chaotic world?
But just as Ding Zixing and Yuwen Zhi were secretly meeting, intending to do something unexpected, something even more unexpected happened on the same night! —Volume

7, Who Rules the World, Chapter 124: Turning the Tables
. November 23rd, 994th year of the Hualong Calendar. Dusk.
No one expected that the Free Army headquarters in Changlong City would suddenly issue a notice: "Given that Alliance Leader Liu Yufei has returned safely, the Free Army has decided to unilaterally cease hostilities with the Qiu family for two months. Unless attacked by the Qiu family, even if Baiyang City is completely deserted, the Free Army will not launch an attack within two months." The notice was jointly signed by Alliance Leader Liu Yufei and Free Army Marshal Hua Yinghong.
Less than half a quarter of an hour after the notice was posted, the best carrier pigeons, "Thousand-Mile Shadows," flew out of the city in all directions. Some even launched signal flares directly from within the city to save time! At this sensitive moment, transmitting such a crucial message was far more important than preserving an intelligence network; even if it meant immediate death from exposure, the intelligence personnel were willing to do it! Moreover, the Free Army had not implemented any information blockade this time.
On the surface, this was a baffling and inexplicable notice. But for various forces with ulterior motives, it was a thunderbolt, bringing joy and sorrow, anger and sighs... To this day, no one dares to underestimate even the most unbelievable and utterly foolish actions taken by Hua Yinghong, the Son of Freedom—
The closest city to Changlong was Baiyang City, the stronghold of the Qiu clan, which reacted the fastest. Almost simultaneously with receiving the signal, the Qiu clan's Baiyang Legion and Eastern Legion, reinforced by private soldiers, family members, and loyal civilians from the northern part of Changlong Prefecture, and having rested for several days, under the command of Qiu Haoyu and with the newly appointed Baiyang Legion Commander "Fierce Tiger" Ling Tong as his deputy, along with the remaining Jade Dragon Army Guard Division and Baiyi Special Division under Sima Yuan, totaling 400,000 troops, once again marched straight towards Qingyuan City!
The Qiu clan's actions were so swift that it was suspected that the Qiu clan under Qiu Shuibo's leadership had abandoned their deep-seated hatred for the Free Army and reached some kind of secret agreement—otherwise, how could the usually composed Qiu Haoyu dare to mobilize all his forces when hundreds of thousands of Free Army soldiers were stationed in Changlong City, leaving only a small number of private soldiers and clan protectors in Baiyang City?
Maoming City. Upon receiving the news, Long Feiyang immediately slammed his palm down, shattering a hard ironwood command desk into dust! The newly reorganized military intelligence system relayed the message back immediately after the Free Army issued its announcement, using a relay of fireworks. Soon after came news of a massive offensive by the combined forces of the Qiu and Sima clans of Baiyang City, heading straight for Qingyuan Prefecture!
Long Feiyang never expected this: he thought he had effectively broken the "ten-day agreement" by resigning from his military post, thus manipulating and thoroughly toying with "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong. Unexpectedly, Hua Yinghong had released 400,000 Qiu troops along the Baiyang City front with just a single announcement—Long Feiyang realized then that he had subconsciously underestimated the immense wisdom of this rising star, already known as a "military genius" among the people!
Long Feiyang was now completely convinced that no matter what price the Long family was willing to pay, Hua Yinghong would never break his promise to attack the virtually undefended Baiyang City.
In the warfare of the Hua Long Continent, when major families and forces adhere to the "unwritten rules" and confine war to military conflicts, even if they storm the opponent's stronghold and force their submission, it might not provoke the opponent to use their forbidden power—namely, the large number of top-tier experts who have advanced to the Innate Saint rank or above over the years—to deal with the invading army. This is because doing so would most likely trigger a great war between super experts, and the losing side could face the extermination of their entire clan!
However, if the Free Army deceives the Qiu Clan's army by issuing a unilateral ceasefire notice and then breaks its promise to attack, it is likely that if the Free Army does not have an equal number of top-tier experts to suppress them, the Qiu Clan's hidden Saint rank or above clan-protecting experts could wipe out two divisions within the complex terrain of Baiyang City!
—The terrifying power of experts who have advanced to the Innate Saint rank, using the energy of heaven and earth for attack, cannot be easily compensated for by sheer numbers. The Long Clan's stronghold, Baise Prefecture in Donghai County, also possesses such a force. Furthermore, Hua Yinghong, the "Son of Freedom," wouldn't easily gamble with his own and the Free Army's reputation, risking a short-term gain for the sake of a lifetime!
Before smugly believing he can manipulate others, he should be prepared to be manipulated himself—Hua Yinghong, with a simple trick, turned the tide, leaving the renowned general Long Feiyang speechless and unable to retaliate!
"Xiaotian, immediately dispatch all the cavalry of the Eastern Legion to reinforce Qingyuan City… Order the Shunde Prefecture Eastern Navy Legion to quickly send 20,000 cavalry and a division to reinforce Qingyuan… Pay attention to the movements of the Qiushuibo Southern Navy Legion in Zhanjiang Prefecture… Send a message to Shangguan Yunfei requesting the Central Legion to immediately launch an attack on Zhanjiang Prefecture, otherwise, if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold…" Long Feiyang issued a series of contingency orders at top speed—
"Yes!" Long Xiaotian hurriedly prepared to leave the tent.
"Wait!" Long Feiyang called out to Long Xiaotian, "Send word to Donghai County that their troops are assembling. Spread the word: if Shangguan Yunfei does not cooperate with the war in Zhanjiang Prefecture, immediately march east to Shunchang Prefecture!" "
Father—" Long Xiaotian was shocked! Shunchang Prefecture in the central prefecture of the Great Liang Kingdom was the stronghold of the Shangguan family. Long Feiyang's move was undoubtedly forcing Shangguan Yunfei to take a stand, no longer standing idly by as before, hoping for the Long family's defeat!
If one must die, all must die together—this move fully demonstrated the ruthless side of the famous general Long Feiyang!
"Xiaotian, no need to say more. Go!" Long Feiyang waved his hand wearily. He had no doubt that Qiu Shuibo, the new head of the Qiu family, would definitely order the capture of Qingyuan City at all costs in order to establish a connection between Zhanjiang Prefecture and their stronghold in Baiyang City, and to boost morale and public support, and then launch a pincer attack on the Donghai naval legion in Shunde Prefecture!
In the past few days, he adjusted his troop deployment. Qingyuan City is now garrisoned by three divisions, totaling 120,000 men. Under normal circumstances, it could hold out for several days against an army of hundreds of thousands, awaiting reinforcements. However, in this critical situation, under the fierce attack of the 400,000-strong Jade Dragon Army, it might not even last a day! He urgently transferred 60,000 cavalry from Maoming Prefecture, 20,000 cavalry from Shunde Prefecture, and 40,000 infantry. If 240,000 men were stationed to defend the city, or if they could launch a pincer attack from within and without, they should not fear the 400,000-strong allied army of the Qiu and Sima clans. The only question is whether there is still enough time…
Qingyuan Prefecture, ravaged by war and already devastated, has once again become the most crucial strategic location influencing the course of the battle!

"Uncle Ran, the battle in Zhanjiang Prefecture depends entirely on you." Qiu Shuibo's reorganized intelligence system was indeed highly efficient. After the Free Army's unexpected announcement, the confirmed "top-level intelligence" was relayed via smoke signals to Zhanjiang Prefecture in less than an hour, several times faster than using the best "Thousand-Mile Shadow" telescope.
The Qiu family paid a price: several intelligence personnel hidden in various locations within Shunde Prefecture were exposed and surrounded and killed by the Liang army and Long family experts—but at this point, such considerations were irrelevant.
"Don't worry! Shangguan Yunfei is an old fox. He won't easily pit the Central Army against our clan. Perhaps, in order to expand the Shangguan family's influence to Donghai County, Meijiang Prefecture, and Baiquan Prefecture, he actually hopes that Long Feiyang's entire army will be annihilated!" Qiu Haoran appeared very confident. With the intensive training of Qiu Changling, Qiu Changhe, Qiu Yu, and his beloved son "Jade-Faced Tiger" Qiu Shuitao, the newly established Yunyuan Army's combat strength, though only a little over a month old, is no weaker than the original Treasure Division.
Influenced by Hua Yinghong's widespread dissemination of techniques such as the Heaven and Earth Technique, the Void-Breaking Technique, and the Blazing Sun Technique, Qiu Shuibo has ordered the widespread dissemination of the basic techniques of the Autumn Wind Technique to his Jade Dragon Army soldiers. Meanwhile, those mid- to high-ranking officers and outstanding soldiers who have been assessed as loyal to the family have received instruction in intermediate and advanced techniques—if they continue to be complacent and treasure their family's techniques like precious gems, the Qiu family may no longer have the foundation to contend for supremacy!
"After this battle, the Qiu family will lay the foundation for dominating the world!" A glint flashed in Qiu Shuibo's eyes. Although Hua Yinghong's method of issuing a public announcement differed from Qiu Shuibo's method of secretly re-establishing a pact, both methods achieved the same goal of freeing up the Qiu family's army's mobility in Baiyang City. Even though he paid the price of acknowledging the Free Army's occupation of Changlong City and the southern part of Qingyuan Prefecture, and abandoning Maoming Prefecture! As
long as Qingyuan City could be captured, Qiu Shuibo was confident that he could take Shunde Prefecture, annihilate or drive away Long Xiaoyun's East Sea Army Corps, and then defeat or drive away Shangguan Yunfei's Central Army Corps, taking Meijiang Prefecture and Baiquan Prefecture... The Qiu family would gain five new prefectures, plus Changlong Prefecture and the northern part of Qingyuan Prefecture. Under Qiu Shuibo's rule, dominating the world would still be a great possibility! The
person Qiu Shuibo feared most was that young man with a mysterious background—the Son of Freedom, Hua Yinghong. He mobilized all the resources of his family to search, even offering a hefty sum to the "Jieyulou," known as the "Number One Intelligence Organization in the World," to acquire information, but to no avail. Aside from learning that Hua Yinghong had been favored by the "Two Gods" on Lonely Star Island and bestowed with two great martial arts techniques, his past and background were completely unknown; he seemed to have appeared out of thin air!
Such an unfathomable and unpredictable adversary proved difficult even for the exceptionally talented Qiu Shuibo. As for the Ding family's deployment of two large legions totaling over 300,000 troops in northern Shunde Prefecture, their refusal to attack the Liang army in Shunde Prefecture clearly indicated a desire to sit back and watch the tigers fight, intending to reap the benefits when the Qiu family and the Long family's Liang army were both weakened… Having seized supreme power within the family and learned the highest secrets, Qiu Shuibo had his own ways to make the Ding family preoccupied with their own problems, forcing them to relinquish even the advantages they had already gained, and even…

the Jade Dragon Palace. The Jade Palace.
"Fairy of Ice" Li Ruyu was draped in a pale yellow, gossamer-thin, transparent veil, beneath which lay nothing. Her jade-like skin, snow-white flesh, and exquisitely sculpted curves revealed a glimpse of her slender waist, so delicate it could be encircled by a single hand, with lush pubic hair peeking out from beneath. A touch of intoxicating blush graced
her flawless, snow-white skin, creating a captivating and alluring beauty that would leave any normal man speechless, utterly mesmerized, and his blood boiling. "Duke Protector of the Nation" Sima Cheng's gaze was fixed on Li Ruyu's exquisitely beautiful body beneath the gossamer-thin veil. Her flawless, snow-white skin, as smooth and delicate as jade, was exquisitely smooth and delicate, almost translucent. Her swan-like, graceful neck, her rounded, jade-like shoulders, her slender waist, and her long, beautiful, snow-white legs were all breathtakingly beautiful, utterly mesmerizing!
The beautiful and noble woman before him was already blushing, her ears burning red, awaiting his favor and affection. Twenty-two years had left few traces on "Ice Fairy" Li Ruyu; the forty-two-year-old beauty still looked like a young woman in her prime. Before anyone, including Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan, Li Ruyu was always a block of ice, so cold it chilled one to the bone—except for Sima Cheng, who could truly appreciate the unparalleled charm of this icy beauty.
Twenty-two years ago, Li Ruyu was twenty, with a face as beautiful as a flower and unparalleled beauty, but due to her cultivation of the Yin Luo Ice True Qi, her temperament was as cold as water, earning her the title "Ice Fairy." At that time, Sima Cheng was young and handsome, traveling the world without intending to compete with his brothers for the throne. He unexpectedly encountered Li Ruyu, was captivated by her beauty, and after several twists and turns, finally won the heart of the icy beauty. In the midst of their tender moments under the moonlit flowers, Li Ruyu, beneath her icy exterior, harbored a volcanic passion and love that captivated Sima Cheng… If the two had remained a perfect couple, their story would have been a legendary tale of a prince and a beauty.
However, their happiness was short-lived. Sima Cheng's elder brother, the third prince Sima Yuan, was losing ground in the struggle for the throne against his two brothers and narrowly escaped assassination attempts several times. He desperately sought help from his wandering brother Sima Cheng. Through Li Ruyu, Sima Cheng gained the support of his prospective father-in-law, the "Frost Saber Saint" Li Xinghai, recruited a large number of martial arts masters, and secretly formed the Jade Dragon Spy Team. In the power struggles outside the court, they decisively defeated or subjugated the martial arts forces of the eldest prince Sima Gao and the second prince Sima Shi. The
"Frost Saber Saint" Li Xinghai personally intervened three times, repelling the assassins who sought to kill Sima Yuan and saving him each time. After plotting his counterattack and secretly poisoning his two elder brothers, Sima Yuan, now in control of the government, was naturally extremely grateful to "Frost Blade" Li Xinghai. He not only bestowed upon him the title of "Marquis of Might," but the womanizing Sima Yuan also deepened his connection with Li Xinghai in a peculiar way.
On the night after the banquet where Sima Cheng was granted the title of "Duke of Protectorate" and Li Xinghai the title of "Marquis of Might," Sima Yuan used "Soul-Stealing Incense" to drug "Fairy of Frost" Li Ruyu, whom he had long coveted, taking her virginity—a virginity she had maintained for over a year with Sima Cheng. He then shamelessly proposed marriage to Li Xinghai, making Li Ruyu his "Jade Consort."
Seeing that the deed was done and that Sima Yuan, after ascending to the throne, had gained the loyalty of many powerful warriors devoted to the royal family, Li Xinghai, considering that being the father-in-law of the Jade Dragon Kingdom was better than being the father-in-law of the "Duke of Protectorate," agreed to the marriage.
Despite persuading the heartbroken Li Ruyu to endure the humiliation and live on, Sima Cheng's pain had gnawed at his heart for twenty-two years! Although Li Ruyu had never allowed Sima Yuan to sleep with her since that night she lost her virginity, while Sima Cheng occasionally met with her secretly, sharing their intimate moments; although Sima Yuan, out of apology or genuine brotherly affection, had given him boundless trust, Sima Cheng still couldn't find peace in his heart!
The greater the ambition, the more necessary it was to endure. For twenty-two years, Sima Cheng had shown unwavering loyalty and impeccable integrity to his elder brother, Sima Yuan, simply waiting for the opportune moment!
"Ruyu, after tonight, we'll no longer have to sneak around like this." Sima Cheng gently stroked the smooth, jade-like face of "Fairy of Ice" Li Ruyu with affection, and said softly, "I will take back everything that I lost for twenty-two years and one hundred and fifty-three days, plus double the interest." The
fact that he remembered every single day so clearly could only mean one thing—the resentment in Sima Cheng's heart was truly too deep!

Volume 7 Who Rules the World, Chapter 125 The Death of the Dragon King
"Cheng Lang!" The beautiful face of the Ice Fairy, Li Ruyu, flashed with excitement. She grasped his large hand, pressing it firmly against her proud, erect breasts, gently kneading them. She said in a sweet voice, "After waiting for twenty years, you've finally decided to act?"
"The time has come. This plan is foolproof. However, you'll need to make some sacrifices..." Sima Cheng said apologetically, "Only by letting him die in extreme ecstasy, creating the illusion of a natural death, can the entire plan be carried out flawlessly."
"Cheng Lang, is it really only by using the 'Charming Maiden Technique' to drain his essence and kill him?" A hint of humiliation and hatred flashed in Li Ruyu's beautiful eyes. The shame and filth inflicted upon her by Sima Yuan that night could not be washed away even by the waters of the Jade Dragon River. She was not like that little slut Qiu Shuiyun, who willingly became Sima Yuan's plaything after being humiliated!
“There’s no need for you to do it yourself. But if you want to frame Qiu Shuiyun and the Qiu family, you must be there to make him die on Qiu Shuiyun’s body so that it’s completely undetectable,” Sima Cheng said. “If I let you suffer that kind of humiliation again, I would rather kill him with my sword than do it so cleanly.”
“Cheng Lang, my body and my heart, everything I have, I only want to give to you…” Li Ruyu’s eyes were alluring, her jade hand gently grasping Sima Cheng’s already erect member under his robe, gently playing with it, a dreamlike and shy expression floating on her face…
Sima Cheng… placed it between Li Ruyu’s high breasts, moving slowly. Li Ruyu's two slender, fair hands squeezed and kneaded her full breasts, her large, watery eyes boldly gazing at the object constantly emerging from between them, revealing a look of lustful desire and keen interest...
Sima Cheng thrust forward with all his might, the white jade-colored object, due to the "Jade Planting Technique," occasionally bumping against Li Ruyu... Li Ruyu's beautiful face, overflowing with lust, smiled even more deeply. Under Sima Cheng's gaze, she lightly licked her alluring lips, murmuring in a sweet voice, "Cheng Lang... you're so strong..."
Sima Cheng moved forward slightly... gently rubbing against the beauty's red, fragrant lips... her soft, tender cheeks... Li Ruyu's bright eyes were half-open... her moist, slippery tongue... her appearance was incredibly alluring and utterly lewd!
Their eyes met, exchanging endless love from the depths of their souls… Li Ruyu let out a series of moans and groans, sounds like extreme pain, creating an eerie contrast with her sweet expression…
Sima Cheng pressed and thrust harder with each stroke… Li Ruyu's eyebrows furrowed slightly, but she chuckled as she activated her "Charming Maiden Technique"… This game was one she and Sima Cheng had enjoyed for so many years—when facing her beloved, this stunning beauty with her icy demeanor was so obedient and docile, bearing no resemblance to her nickname "Ice Fairy"…
After a long while, Li Ruyu slowly sat up, gazed deeply at Sima Cheng once more, laid him down on the fragrant bed, and turned to take his thick member into her…
"Mmm! Yu'er..." Sima Cheng softly called out the beauty's nickname, his desire stirred by the extraordinary stimulation. The intense stimulation from their union brought him boundless pleasure, making him unable to resist embracing Li Ruyu's slender waist and thrusting rapidly and fiercely in response...
"Ah!..." With a soft cry and a spasm from Sima Cheng, Li Ruyu subtly activated her Charming Maiden Technique, engaging in the most intimate yin-yang harmony with Sima Cheng... The essence generated from the cultivation of the "Jade Planting Technique," especially since Sima Cheng's "Jade Planting Technique" had reached the Great Perfection realm of the Innate Saint Rank, was the best aid for her cultivation of the "Yin Luo Frost True Qi"!
Under the combined stimulation of the "Charming Maiden Technique" and the "Jade Planting Technique," Sima Cheng regained his vigor and stood erect in no time...
"Cheng Lang, love Yu'er well..." Li Ruyu rolled onto the bed, her jade body lying horizontally, her jade legs slightly parted, presenting the mysterious and alluring peach blossom half-hidden and half-revealed to Sima Cheng, enticing him to mount his horse with her mesmerizing voice...
"Yu'er..." Sima Cheng's eyes blazed with fiery passion, belying his fifty years. He smoothly escorted the "Ice Fairy" Li Ruyu into her already soaked paradise, and began the most primal act once more...

The General's Mansion.
Night had fallen. Sima Kang, the Grand General and commander of the Jade Dragon Kingdom's 160,000 elite Imperial Guards, sat upright and motionless in his study.
The Imperial Guards had always been the strongest protectors of the capital, the elite of the elite, the best of the best! Their combat power far surpassed that of the Royal Guards! Grand General Sima Kang, who commanded the Imperial Guards, was absolutely loyal to King Sima Yuan of Jade Dragon, and even disregarded the "Duke of the Nation" and Minister of War, Sima Cheng!
No further reason was needed—when the princes vied for the throne, Sima Kang was merely a lowly Imperial Guard captain. Years ago, the eldest prince Sima Gao and the second prince Sima Shi hosted a banquet at the famous brothel "Yipin Xian" to "entertain" the then third prince, now the Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan, intending to poison him alive! At the crucial moment, Sima Kang led his three thousand imperial guards to surround Yipin Xian and used the poisoned wine prepared by Sima Gao and Sima Shi to kill them on the spot. Sima Kang's name was bestowed upon him by the Jade Dragon King when he ascended the throne and rewarded his meritorious officials.
Sima Kang's true identity was that of an orphan. At the age of twelve, the eldest prince Sima Gao used a pretext to kill his entire family, abduct his renownedly beautiful sister, and rape her to death. It was the then third prince Sima Yuan who secretly trained the escaped Sima Kang into a master swordsman over ten years, concealing his identity and sending him into the army. He even deliberately arranged for Sima Kang to kill several of Sima Yuan's trusted subordinates, gaining the eldest prince Sima Gao's trust—putting him in charge of the deadly plot to poison Sima Yuan. However, the plot turned into a deadly one for Sima Gao and Sima Shi!
Recalling everything from that year, Sima Kang still felt a chill run down his spine! The most terrifying thing in the world is being born into an imperial family. In the deep palace, the struggle for the throne leaves no room for familial affection.
"It's a pity His Majesty won't believe me," Sima Kang sighed, shaking his head. The recent strange behavior of "Duke Protector of the Nation" Sima Cheng was causing Sima Kang great anxiety, but Sima Yuan, deep in the palace, was engrossed in his love affair with the beautiful Qiu Shuiyun, his trust in his brother Sima Cheng undiminished—Sima Yuan's reasoning was utterly ridiculous: Sima Cheng had never married, had no children, so how could he harbor any disloyalty?
Suddenly, a series of "thump! thump! thump!" sounds came from outside the room, like something shattering and scattering on the ground!
"What is it?" Sima Kang frowned and demanded.
The wooden study door suddenly shattered like ice, breaking into pieces on the floor. Sima Kang felt a chill run down his spine as a tall, imposing figure strode in from outside the door, instantly chilling the room to a hundred times greater than an ancient ice cellar!
"A matter of life and death!" Upon hearing this, Sima Kang's heart turned icy—this man was none other than the "Frost Blade Saint," Li Xinghai!
"Traitor, prepare to die!" Sima Kang drew his longsword, unleashing a thousand sword shadows, a white aura of sword energy carrying intense killing intent sweeping towards Li Xinghai! This single strike demonstrated Sima Kang's mastery of the Innate Saint rank. As the commander of the Imperial Guard, how could he possibly subdue him without considerable skill?
"Why struggle in vain?" Li Xinghai didn't even draw his longsword; his right hand, with its index finger, accurately struck the back of the longsword amidst the countless sword shadows!
"Buzz!" Even among experts at the Innate Saint rank, there are differences in skill. Those who can be called "Saints" are undoubtedly among the top figures of the Saint-level masters, just one step away from entering the realm of Divine-level masters!
"Frost Blade Saint" Li Xinghai's finger-blade strike wildly channeled the unparalleled Yinluo Frost True Qi into Sima Kang's right arm meridians, instantly disrupting Sima Kang's flow of Qi!
"Planting Jade in Lantian!" Sima Kang was forced back ten feet, his blood surging. He bit his tongue, unleashing the full power of his "Planting Jade Technique," unleashing a powerful sword aura of blue-white light towards Li Xinghai! —From the moment "Frost Blade Saint" Li Xinghai instantly killed several Imperial Guards guarding the outside and entered the study, Sima Kang knew he was doomed tonight. He forcibly increased his power using a self-inflicted injury technique, unleashing the Sima family's most powerful ultimate technique—Planting Jade in Lantian! Even if he were to die, he would take someone down with him!
"Extreme Profound Frost!" Even with Li Xinghai's cultivation level, he was moved by the incredibly powerful "Lantian Jade Planting" technique. His "Frost Blade" burst forth with dazzling light, and his immensely powerful Yinluo Frost True Qi clashed head-on with Sima Kang's!
"Boom!—" The colliding true qi pierced through the walls of the entire study, producing a deafening roar!
"Ah! Ah! Ah!—" Screams and the clash of swords echoed throughout the General's mansion—the start of the Jade Dragon spies' massacre of the rebels in Sima Kang's residence…

In the Jiaotai Palace, Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan, embracing the beautiful Qiu Shuiyun's smooth, naked body, slept soundly. Despite his foundation in the "Jade Planting Technique," Sima Yuan's body had been weakened by years of excessive indulgence and debauchery. Since reaching the ninth rank of martial arts master, his skills had stagnated for over twenty years. The intense, three-part passionate battles, fueled by Qiu Shuiyun's provocations, had left Sima Yuan somewhat overwhelmed. After all, he was already over fifty.
As a powerful ruler, Sima Yuan didn't need exceptional martial arts skills—within a hundred zhang radius of the Jiaotai Palace, there were no fewer than five hundred sixth-rank or higher imperial guards on night duty, along with at least twenty ninth-rank or higher Jade Dragon spies and a dozen or so Saint-rank imperial retainers secretly protecting him. With such a formidable force, according to the imperial guard commander Chen Xuanli, "Even if the Sword God Guan Shanyue and the Sword God Lang Qingyun were to personally arrive, Your Highness would have ample time to escape through the secret passage under the bed to safety." Therefore, he had no need to worry about assassination and could completely relax and sleep soundly.
But even with such tight security, something still seemed amiss tonight. Sima Yuan was suddenly awakened in the middle of the night by a bone-chilling cold! Within the Jiaotai Palace, which spanned eight zhang in circumference, several smokeless fires had been lit to keep warm. Given his ninth-rank strength, he shouldn't have been awakened by the cold—but before he could even get up, Sima Yuan saw a man and a woman standing silently before his bed. Behind them, about ten zhang away, were five more figures. Startled, before he could react, a chill ran through his body, and he lost the ability to move!
"There are…" The beautiful Qiu Shuiyun, who had also been awakened by the cold, was about to cry out in alarm when the word "assassin" was sealed. Her delicate and beautiful eyes widened in fear as she stared at the unbelievable scene!
"Chengdi, Ruyu, what do you want?" Sima Yuan was all too familiar with the two people beside the bed. One was his most trusted brother, and the other was the icy beauty he had once admired, whose body he had possessed but whose heart he could not have.
In an instant, Sima Yuan understood everything: Besides the arrival of "Duke Protector of the Nation" Sima Cheng and "Fairy of the Frost" Li Ruyu, who else in the world could silently bypass the heavy guard of the imperial guards, skilled retainers, and Jade Dragon spies to reach his bedside? The five men behind him were clearly Chen Xuanli, the commander of the imperial guards whom he considered his trusted confidants, and four skilled retainers from the royal family. Without a doubt, they had been bribed by Sima Cheng!
“Third Brother, I only want to take back what you took from me. And this—” Sima Cheng produced a blank scroll for writing royal decrees, handed over a vermilion brush, and said, “Just sign this decree and hand over the Blood Dragon Token. As brothers, I’ll let you go safely.”
Knowing he was doomed, Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan closed his eyes to suppress his excitement and asked, “Brother Cheng, do you wish to ascend the throne yourself, or pass it to the Sixth Prince?” Since Li Ruyu was involved in this matter, besides Sima Cheng himself, Li Ruyu’s only son, the Sixth Prince Sima Yuan, was naturally the only choice.
“Brother-to-brother succession is unprecedented in our Sima family. Of course, it will be passed to the Sixth Prince; I will only temporarily serve as regent and protect the king,” Sima Cheng said. “Fairy of the Frost,” Li Ruyu coldly remained silent, as if the resentment of twenty years had not yet dissipated, and she disdained to speak to Sima Yuan.
"Ruyu, I wronged you and Chengdi back then. Now, passing the throne to the sixth prince is a small compensation for you! Actually, I've turned a blind eye to your secret dealings with Chengdi all these years, and I believe you both know that." Sima Yuan said sadly, "Just for this matter, I hope you can let Shuiyun go. She is truly innocent. As for how I die, it doesn't matter. The Blood Dragon Token is not on me, it's in the eldest prince's hands!" Since the throne was still to be passed to his son, Sima Yuan didn't ask for much more. He took the pen and signed his name in a unique way.
Sima Cheng put away the royal decree and said, "I have my own way of retrieving the Blood Dragon Token. Third Brother, you've been a womanizer all your life; now I'll let you die on Qiu Shuiyun's body. To die beneath the peony blossoms, even as a ghost, is romantic." He turned to the still cold-faced "Ice Fairy" Li Ruyu and said, "Yu'er, to avoid any
unforeseen complications, let's do it!" Li Ruyu flicked out two wisps of wind, and Sima Yuan and Qiu Shuiyun involuntarily opened their mouths. Two red, bean-sized pills flew into their mouths, melting instantly. An uncontrollable surge of desire, like a raging fire, rose within them, making their eyes red and ears burning. Qiu Shuiyun let out a soul-stirring moan. Several more wisps of wind flicked out, and Sima Yuan and Qiu Shuiyun's two white, fleshy bodies intertwined. And so, in front of everyone, they began their passionate battle on the large bed…
"Dying under the influence of the Ecstasy Pill is too good for you!" The cold voice of Li Ruyu echoed in the ears of Sima Yuan, who had lost his mind and was only capable of venting his rage. Then, a numbness shot through his "Semen-Cutting Acupoint," and his vital essence uncontrollably leaked out! As he died from exhaustion, the last cold voice the once-renowned Jade Dragon King heard was: "Let me tell you, Yuan'er is my son with Cheng Lang..."
Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan's eyes suddenly widened, as if he died with unresolved grievances!

Volume Seven, Chapter 126: The Bloodbath of Qingyuan
. Qingyuan City was a city plagued by disasters.
During the relatively peaceful period before the chaos of war on the Hua Long Continent erupted, Qingyuan City, as a strategic location, had repeatedly become the battleground between the Jade Dragon Army under the Qiu family and the Daliang Army under the Long family.
Since the outbreak of the great war triggered by the dramatic change in the situation on Zhenbao Island, through the successive battles of Qiu Shuiba and Long Feiyang in defending the city, more than 200,000 people had lost their lives in the fighting inside and outside Qingyuan City!
On the morning of November 24th, 994th year of the Hualong Calendar, the Free Alliance's "inadvertent" announcement of a unilateral ceasefire to the Qiu family at dusk caused the land beneath Qingyuan City, once again stained with countless lives, to be baptized in blood once more. The
60,000 Liang cavalrymen led by Long Xiaotian, who had rushed from Maoming Prefecture to reinforce Qingyuan City under cover of darkness, were ambushed by the Qiu family's Jade Dragon Army cavalry, more than 20 li outside the south gate of Qingyuan City!
Prior to this, under the cover of darkness, the Qiu family had dispatched numerous family experts, intelligence system specialists, and Long Feiyang's newly established intelligence system specialists to engage in large-scale battles involving thousands of martial arts masters along the official road from Maoming Prefecture to Qingyuan Prefecture. The result was that the Qiu family, with its deep-rooted influence cultivated over many years in Qingyuan and Changlong Prefectures, gained the upper hand, and Long Feiyang's intelligence system within Qingyuan Prefecture was essentially destroyed!
Without accurate intelligence, Long Xiaotian led 60,000 elite Liang cavalry into the encirclement of 140,000 cavalrymen from the Qiu and Sima clans. In the darkness, neither side launched a large-scale battle. Long Xiaotian led his cavalry to organize a defense on an unnamed hill. The former head of the family, Qiu Haoyu, who was in charge of the Qingyuan campaign, was also in no hurry to launch a general offensive in the night. He simply surrounded Long Xiaotian's cavalry, tightening the encirclement and securing the trap, waiting for the decisive battle at dawn.
North of Baiyang City in Changlong Prefecture, bordering the Jianghan County and Nanjiang Prefecture of the Ding clan, lies the Changlong Mountain Range, a relatively low mountain stretching over 200 li, separating Changlong Prefecture from Nanjiang Prefecture. To the south of the mountain range lies the Changlong Plain, spanning over 200 li and extending all the way to Dongguan Prefecture.
Given that the four prefectures of Baiyang County were mostly low hills and plains, abundant in rice and grains, and with Zhenbao Island serving as a granary, the Qiu family had no worries about food. However, the mobility of their Jade Dragon Army was crucial for ensuring the safety of the low-lying Baiyang County. Therefore, they converted the Changlong Plain into pasture, raising livestock and introducing superior breeding horses from the grasslands outside Yulong Pass. Over the years, they established numerous horse farms of varying sizes, enough not only for their own use but also selling large quantities to the Sima and Ding families to earn huge sums of gold.
As a result, the proportion of cavalry in the Qiu family's Jade Dragon Army was the highest among the major powers of Yulong Kingdom, reaching an astonishing 50%! When Long Feiyang's army besieged Baiyang City, they also sent troops to the Changlong Plain to plunder horses. However, the Qiu family had already driven a large number of horses into Baiyang City or westward to Dongguan and Tianshui Prefectures. The remaining few horses on the plains were extremely difficult to capture unless completely surrounded, resulting in very limited gains for Long Feiyang.
Although Qiu Shuibo was far away in Zhanjiang Prefecture, he carefully considered the battle plan for this renewed attack on Qingyuan Prefecture, and remotely controlled it from afar: First, he secretly prepared his troops in the Baiyang City area. After secretly negotiating the terms with the Free Army and declaring a ceasefire with the Qiu Clan, he would immediately launch an attack on Qingyuan Prefecture under cover of night, ahead of the Liang army!
Qiu Shuibo had studied the military tactics of the famous general Long Feiyang very well, and he had also anticipated that Long Feiyang would definitely send a large army to rescue him. He would first launch an intelligence war, destroying the Liang army's intelligence system at all costs. Then, he would concentrate all the cavalry of the Qiu Clan and Sima Yuan's army along the Baiyang City line, rushing to the predetermined location first, and using overwhelming force to surround all 60,000 cavalrymen sent by Long Xiaotian to reinforce, seeking an opportunity for a decisive battle outside the fortified city!
Beneath the walls of Qingyuan City, Qiu Shuibo had also deployed 40,000 cavalry to intercept any reinforcements that Qingyuan City might send. This tactic, ostensibly an attack on the city but actually a prelude to intercepting reinforcements, was not uncommon. The key lay in three points: first, attacking where Long Feiyang would inevitably need to reinforce, forcing him to send reinforcements immediately; second, the presence of such a large and highly mobile cavalry force under the Qiu clan's command was crucial to the strategy; and third, destroying the Daliang army's intelligence system, leaving Long Xiaotian's Daliang army unaware of their situation in the dark, rendering them deaf and blind. Otherwise, if Long Xiaotian knew that twice his number of Jade Dragon cavalry were waiting in a trap, he could have simply stopped and waited for reinforcements carrying a large number of long-range weapons, supplies, and highly defensive capabilities to arrive, thus avoiding being easily surrounded!
These three key conditions were indispensable, and Qiu Shuibo's deployment and timing were impeccable, befitting the fact that even Hua Yinghong, the "Son of Freedom," listed him as one of his most dangerous adversaries!
As dawn broke and the morning light gradually brightened, the exceptional eyesight of a highly skilled martial artist allowed for a vision stretching for miles across the open terrain.
Long Xiaotian stood atop the nameless hill, gazing into the distance with a cold, resolute expression. Behind him stood the Long family's elite four hundred Dragon Cavalry Guards, while sixty thousand Liang cavalry were positioned around the hill. Four regiments formed the outer charging line, while two regiments, each with five thousand riders, formed the inner circle, ready to be deployed as reserves.
These sixty thousand cavalrymen represented almost the entire cavalry force of the Liang army's western legion! In a typical battlefield confrontation, such a cavalry formation would be enough to crush and slaughter an unprepared army of over one hundred thousand! But no one could have imagined that, now surrounded by the even more powerful Jade Dragon cavalry, these sixty thousand cavalrymen would become the targets of annihilation!
An unprecedented cavalry battle was about to begin, perhaps the decisive battle that would determine the life and death of the Qiu and Long families in Yunyuan and Nanhai counties!
According to the message brought by "Thousand-Mile Shadow," the Great Liang infantry was rushing from Maoming Prefecture to reinforce them. Time was of the essence for both sides!
Finally, the sound of the Jade Dragon Army's iron cavalry echoed in the distance. Countless Jade Dragon cavalrymen in black helmets and armor slowly advanced in perfect unison to a stop about two miles from the Great Liang army's front line. Even the air seemed to freeze; there was no wind before the battle lines, banners hung low, and everyone awaited the moment of decisive battle.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!..." The heavy drumbeats, from soft to loud, from slow to fast, heralded the start of an unprecedented cavalry showdown—
like a dam bursting, a torrent of 20,000 Jade Dragon cavalrymen surged forward from the western front. Spurs slammed against their horses' bellies, and the pained warhorses accelerated abruptly, kicking up clouds of dust that swept across the battlefield. In just a few breaths, they covered the short two miles to within a hundred paces of the Great Liang army's front...
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!..." Ten thousand Liang cavalrymen unleashed a barrage of arrows in perfect unison, striking the armored Yulong soldiers with a clattering sound. Hundreds of cavalrymen were struck by arrows in areas where their defenses were inadequate and fell from their horses. The horses, now without their masters, still neighed and were swept along by the cavalry's torrent towards the Liang army's position...
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!..." The Yulong cavalry, in their charge, also unleashed a fierce volley of arrows in return, but with greater effect than the Liang army, with nearly a thousand cavalrymen falling from their horses—
"Kill!" After the first volley of arrows, the Liang army's war drums began to beat, and the leading ten thousand cavalrymen charged towards the Yulong cavalry—a crucial aspect of cavalry warfare is relying on the momentum of a horse's charge. If they were to attack with arrows again, by the time the Yulong cavalry closed in, the Liang cavalry would have no distance to cover, and it would be tantamount to waiting for death!
"Kill!" The two rapidly charging cavalry forces clashed, instantly unleashing a storm of blood and gore!
Every cavalryman on both sides had a ferocious expression, their bloodshot eyes glaring, their swords and spears gleaming with a blinding cold light, and they roared madly. Blood mist filled the air, limbs flew everywhere, men screamed and horses neighed, the sounds of clashing weapons, corpses falling to the ground, swords piercing flesh, curses, shouts, and screams of agony erupted all at once. Both were lightly armored cavalry, long swords, long spears, steel shields... a life-or-death cavalry battle had begun...
In terms of soldier quality and battlefield skills, the Jade Dragon Army and the Great Liang Army were almost evenly matched. However, in terms of cavalry numbers, the Qiu family's cavalry had an absolute advantage. The long-standing grudge between the Qiu and Long families was being unleashed at this moment, requiring no further mobilization. Unlike siege warfare, which relies on a large number of ranged weapons, both sides were fighting with large numbers of cavalry, and their only reliance was strength.
At this moment, the only goal on both sides was to kill the enemy. The fierce fighting kept Qiu Haoyu and Long Xiaotian, who were watching from the rear high ground, on tenterhooks, their hearts pounding in their throats.
Blood and flesh, human lives, were now the least valuable things, even less valuable than dirt! The battlefield was devoid of dirt, only countless corpses and a sea of blood and flesh remained. As one wave of soldiers fell, another surged forward.
Due to the overwhelming numerical disparity of two to one, the cavalry of both sides quickly showed their strength: although the Liang cavalry displayed considerable courage and daring, the numerical gap could not be bridged by mere bravery. A regiment of cavalry was quickly reduced to approximately six thousand riders, the rest becoming corpses lying on the blood-soaked, dark brown earth. The Qiu Clan's Jade Dragon cavalry, on the other hand, suffered fewer than three thousand casualties! The ratio of the two sides locked in fierce combat was rapidly approaching three to one!
With a wave of his command flag, Long Xiaotian ordered 5,000 reserve cavalry from the western rear to join the battle, barely managing to maintain the situation and prevent a complete rout. Meanwhile, to the north, leading to Qingyuan City, 10,000 Liang cavalry launched a fierce attack on the besieged Yulong Army cavalry line!

Ten miles outside the south gate of Qingyuan City, the sounds of battle cries echoed.
Having received orders from Long Xiaotian after his entrapment, Long Xiaoyu, commander of the First Division of the Western Army Corps stationed in Qingyuan City, left only a reserve division to defend the city, sending the remaining 40,000 cavalry and 40,000 infantry out of the city to provide reinforcements.
On the vast plains, the 40,000 Liang infantry advanced with over 10,000 spearmen as the vanguard, accompanied by hundreds of smaller catapults and stone-carrying wagons, while the 40,000 cavalry provided protection from the left, right, and rear. The 40,000 cavalrymen used by the Qiu family to hold back the enemy had no opportunity to launch a few attacks. Under the pressure of the strong phalanx of spearmen and the Liang cavalry on both flanks, they quickly lost more than 3,000 cavalrymen, suffering heavy casualties and forced to retreat step by step.
The situation in the Qingyuan battle was not entirely favorable to the Qiu family's Jade Dragon Army: Long Xiaotian, who was surrounded, was not completely hopeless. As long as the 80,000 troops in Qingyuan City successfully broke through the Qiu family's cavalry defense line and threatened the rear of the Jade Dragon Army's encirclement to the north, he could concentrate his forces to attack the Jade Dragon Army's northern defense line.
Although the Qiu clan's cavalry was numerous, to prevent Long Xiaoyun from concentrating his forces to break through in one direction and escape, he evenly distributed his troops in four directions to encircle them. Each direction actually consisted of only one division of 40,000 cavalry. The western direction, the main attack direction, had another 20,000 Sima clan cavalry as a reserve. However, unless the Liang army showed clear signs of defeat, allowing for a decisive counterattack, Sima Yuan would certainly not commit his cavalry to a siege battle. Countless instances of allied "cooperation" with their own hidden agendas proved this point…
If they could hold out until they joined forces with Long Xiaoyun, Long Xiaoyun might even be able to turn the tide of battle—the 20,000 cavalry from Shunde Prefecture in the northeast had already reached the southeastern flank behind the Qiu clan's encirclement and were ready to deliver a decisive blow. A subsequent infantry division of the East Sea Navy was also expected to arrive this morning and join the battle.
The sudden turn of events in the Qingyuan Prefecture battle forced the Liang army, which had intended to leisurely expand its forces, to engage in a decisive battle with the Qiu family in the open fields of Qingyuan Prefecture ahead of schedule.
Long Feiyang had ordered the Liang army's Eastern Naval Corps in Shunde Prefecture to abandon the northern Shunde Prefecture region and retreat entirely to Shunde City. He left behind a regular division and a newly formed reserve division, totaling 80,000 infantry, to defend the city. The remaining 40,000 cavalry and 140,000 infantry had set off overnight for Qingyuan Prefecture, with the cavalry expected to arrive by 9:00 AM at the latest, and the infantry by 1:00 PM. In Maoming Prefecture, Long Feiyang also left only a newly recruited division to defend the city, while two elite divisions of infantry had set off overnight for Qingyuan Prefecture, expected to arrive around 1:00 PM as well.
If Long Xiaotian could hold out until 1:00 PM, the Liang army deployed to the decisive battle in Qingyuan Prefecture would reach 460,000 men! For the renowned general Long Feiyang, sacrificing vast tracts of land and countless towns in Beishunde Prefecture in exchange for annihilating the Qiu family's remaining forces was an absolute must-win battle! A victory for the Liang army would cripple the Qiu family; a defeat would mean the Long family's complete withdrawal from the battlegrounds of Yunyuan and Nanhai counties!
Time was of paramount importance to both sides. If the Qiu family could annihilate Long Xiaotian's 60,000 Liang cavalry before the Long family's large infantry force arrived, and then defeat the Liang reinforcements one by one, they would achieve a decisive victory. However, if Long Xiaotian held out until reinforcements arrived without eliminating the Long family's cavalry, in this unfavorable situation, only the Qiu family's 320,000-strong army would ultimately fight to the death. Without a doubt, Sima Yuan's two divisions would choose their own path to survival!
A large-scale battle, an unprecedented bloody battle of life and death, unfolded on the plains of Qingyuan Prefecture…

Volume 7, Chapter 127: A Battle of Life and Death.
“Report! The Liang army that came to reinforce Qingyuan City has advanced to five li behind the northern defense line!”
For both sides in the decisive battle of Qingyuan, the key to victory lay in time. Almost an hour had passed. After a bloody massacre, the 20,000 Qiu clan cavalry attacking from the west had annihilated nearly 10,000 Liang cavalry, leaving them with only 12,000 riders, all of whom appeared exhausted.
Long Xiaoyun then deployed another 5,000 reserve cavalry to join the battle. Nearly 10,000 Liang cavalry and the Jade Dragon cavalry were locked in a fierce melee, the battle cries deafening!
Qiu Haoyu, seemingly possessing an absolute numerical advantage, remained unmoved, observing the chaotic battle, and delayed issuing the order for a general offensive.
This is the moment that truly tests the will and resilience of the commander-in-chief: if the Jade Dragon Army's northern defenses cannot withstand the Liang Army's pincer attack, Long Xiaotian will receive reinforcements of tens of thousands, gradually integrating with the cavalry, making the defenses even stronger, and swiftly annihilating them will no longer be so easy!
"Commander Ling, what do you think of Shuibo's strategy in this battle?" Qiu Haoyu asked leisurely, referring to the fully armed and imposing new commander of the Hundred Sheep Legion, Ling Tong—the first time the Qiu family had granted a legion commander position to a member of their own family, was a bold attempt by the new patriarch, Qiu Shuibo, to appoint people based on merit and win over talented individuals from all over the world.
If they remained stagnant and bound by the bloodlines of their generals, compared to the Free Alliance, which embraced talent and appointed people based on merit, the Qiu family would have no advantage whatsoever—reform was the only way out.
"Reporting to the patriarch, the young master is an unparalleled genius. After this battle, I believe Long Feiyang will be removed from the list of the four great generals!" "Tiger" Ling Tong replied respectfully. For a descendant of a family retainer to attain the high position of legion commander was a once-in-a-century event.
However, Ling Tong's words were not out of gratitude for the new patriarch Qiu Shuibo's promotion; rather, they stemmed from Qiu Shuibo's masterful planning and decisive victory. So far, all the reactions of Long Feiyang's Liang army had been anticipated, even the 60,000 Liang troops who had come from Shunde Prefecture to the northeast corner of the battlefield, waiting for the final decisive battle, had already been dealt with!
“Nephew Ling, I have already relinquished my position as head of the family, and after this battle, I will also relinquish my position as commander of the Eastern Legion. You no longer need to call me head of the family. Your father, Ling Zhan, and I have been brothers for so many years; from now on, just call me Uncle Yu.” Qiu Haoyu said with some emotion, “The new generation surpasses the old. From now on, our clan will rely entirely on Shui Bo and young people like you to support the overall situation.”
“Yes! Nephew will follow Uncle Yu’s teachings and will do his utmost to assist the family in achieving great things, even at the cost of his life!” Ling Tong replied respectfully, “Intelligence indicates that the Free Army has deployed a large number of troops at the border between southern Qingyuan Prefecture and Maoming Prefecture, and their movements are unclear. Judging from their situation, they could either move north to join the battle in Qingyuan or move east to Maoming Prefecture. I wonder if this will cause changes in this great battle?”
"That Freedom Prince Hua Yinghong's military tactics are always unpredictable and impossible to fathom. However, according to Shuibo's prediction, the Free Army has only been reorganized for a few days, its training is not yet refined, and its coordination is not yet mature. It will not rashly join any side. It is probably waiting for an opportunity to take over Maoming Prefecture, right?" Qiu Shuiyu sighed, "That Hua Yinghong has built an invincible army from a group of slaves and commoners. He is used to obtaining the greatest benefit with the least cost. Shuibo once said that our clan's greatest enemy will be this man. I did not believe it before, but now it seems that I still underestimated this young man's strategy and wisdom."
"Uncle Yu, there is no need to worry. The young master's wisdom is no less than Hua Yinghong's," Ling Tong comforted, "After this battle, as long as we have a period of recuperation, with the clan's huge potential power, we will definitely not be weaker than the Free Alliance. Moreover, the Free Alliance has defied the world's opinion, and its strategies are aimed directly at the powerful clans. It is an enemy of the world and is not without its hidden dangers."
"That is true." Qiu Haoyu nodded. Just then, a rider galloped in—
"Report! The reinforcements sent by Long Xiaoyu from Qingyuan City have advanced to within three miles of our northern defense line. The Daliang reinforcements from Shunde Prefecture in the northeast corner have launched an attack on the junction of our eastern and northern defense lines! The defense line is in dire need of attention."
"It's time!" Qiu Haoyu's spirits lifted. The battle situation had evolved to this point, and everything was more than 99% in line with Qiu Shuibo's pre-battle calculations. It seemed that defeat was impossible!
"Pass on the order! Proceed according to the pre-battle plan!" A bright signal fire immediately rose into the sky...

"Enemy attack! Strengthen vigilance!"
On the south gate of Qingyuan City, the Daliang defenders saw a cloud of dust rolling in from several miles away in the southwest direction of Changlong Prefecture. They all thought that the Qiu family's Jade Dragon Army was coming to attack the city, and they were extremely tense, preparing to meet the Qiu family's army's attack. Unexpectedly, they saw the billowing dust detour directly to the east towards Shunde Prefecture, and did not approach Qingyuan City.
"Report!" A group of scouts returned to the city gate. "The Jade Dragon Army, numbering over 100,000, has circled the city to the east!"
"Damn it! The Jade Dragon Army must be cutting off the Shunde Prefecture reinforcements' rear!" The commander of the reserve division of the Liang army guarding the gate, a man well-versed in military strategy, immediately guessed the Jade Dragon Army's intentions and urgently ordered, "Quickly send out warning signals with smoke signals!" "
Whoosh!" A set of warning smoke signals shot into the sky from the city wall!

The warning signal from Qingyuan City was too late—upon receiving Qiu Haoyu's order, tens of thousands of cavalry on the northern defensive line of the encirclement feigned defeat and fled to the flanks, allowing Long Xiaoyu to lead the Qingyuan City reinforcements into the encirclement to join Long Xiaotian. Together with the Shunde Prefecture reinforcements attacking fiercely from the northeast corner, they also broke through the obstacles and entered the encirclement!
However, the well-trained Jade Dragon cavalry remained composed despite their defeat, and the Liang army, which had broken through the encirclement from within and without, was unable to expand their gains. The Jade Dragon cavalry swiftly maneuvered, forming an even larger encirclement to encompass the Liang reinforcements. The northern and northeastern lines of the encirclement stretched for a full ten miles!
Even after accounting for losses since the start of the battle, including newly arrived reinforcements, the encirclement still contained no fewer than 100,000 Liang cavalry and over 60,000 Liang infantry. On the Jade Dragon side, including the Sima clan's 20,000 cavalry, their original 180,000 cavalry had dwindled to just over 150,000 after the major battle.
If Long Xiaotian could quickly establish a defensive system on the spot, the Jade Dragon encirclement was far too fragile and could easily be broken through and scattered again. Qiu Haoyu was highly likely to repeat Qiu Shuiba's disastrous defeat at Qingshui Ridge when he surrounded the Free Army!
But just as the convergence of the three Liang armies caused a brief period of chaos, and before Long Xiaotian could organize an effective defensive system—almost unnoticed—10,000 Qiu Clan light cavalry, who had been preparing on the west side of the encirclement, parted to create a passage a mile wide. Hidden behind them, 10,000 heavy cavalry quietly surged forward, followed closely by 20,000 Sima Clan Imperial Guard cavalry. The 10,000 light cavalry who had parted to create the passage followed again—
the heavy cavalry! These 10,000 heavy cavalry were specially equipped by the Qiu Clan to enhance their frontal breakthrough capabilities in plains warfare. Using 10,000 heavy cavalry as the sharp blade to tear through the enemy's defenses, and 30,000 fresh cavalry as the backup to expand the gains—this was Qiu Haoyu's trump card reserved for this battle!
After bringing a large number of enemy reinforcements into the encirclement, it would be time for the heavy cavalry to strike and break through the enemy lines; the key to victory or defeat lay in this one move!
Several thousand Qiu Clan light cavalry, still engaged in fierce fighting, suddenly broke away from the battle, clearing a path. Just as the exhausted Liang cavalry, having barely caught their breath after a long battle, were still trying to understand what was happening, a dark mass of heavily armored cavalry appeared before them, their thunderous roar like the earth-shattering stomp of a prehistoric beast!
The heavy cavalry of the Hua Long Continent was modeled after the heavy cavalry of the invading Oba Continent. Their armor consisted of steel plates strung together with studs, typical of lamellar armor, providing almost complete, airtight protection. Lamellar armor typically consists of around 1,800 plates, weighing a total of 78 jin (approximately 34 kg). Protective power can be increased by adding more plates, but this further increases the weight.
Due to numerous limitations—such as the need for at least three training horses per heavy cavalryman, the heavy armor requiring exceptionally tall and strong individuals, the risk of horses getting stuck in muddy battlefields during rain, the potential for heavy losses from traps, and its limited effectiveness against mobile light cavalry with room to maneuver—it is also less effective against such forces. Furthermore, training and maintaining a heavy cavalryman costs at least three times that of light cavalry and ten times that of infantry. Therefore, not every faction has the resources to build a heavy cavalry force. With the evolution of warfare, heavy cavalry has become extremely rare in the battles of the Hua Long Continent over the past two decades. In the mountainous and river-ridden southern regions of the continent, heavy cavalry is virtually unheard of.
However, the heavy cavalry was the Qiu family's secret trump card, trained using the terrain of Baiyang County, Nanhai County, and Yunyuan County. To completely defeat the Long family, the Qiu family had kept the heavy cavalry's operation extremely secret: ten thousand heavy cavalrymen and their equipment were secretly transported to the front lines in sealed wagons. They were only equipped and concealed behind the light cavalry formations before the battle, waiting for the perfect moment to appear!
The heavy cavalry's effectiveness was maximized in this Battle of Qingyuan! The twelve-foot-long steel spears of the heavy cavalrymen gleamed coldly in the sunlight. Their entire bodies were covered in thick steel armor, even their faces were completely concealed, leaving only their bloodthirsty eyes exposed. Their warhorses were half a head taller than the surrounding light cavalry horses, their entire bodies covered in steel armor from head to toe, like dinosaurs from the primeval wilderness, charging forward with unparalleled momentum!
At this moment, Long Xiaotian's blood almost froze! On open plains, light cavalry were not afraid of heavy cavalry, as their speed and agility were unmatched by heavy cavalry. However, in enclosed spaces where they were surrounded, heavy cavalry were the natural nemesis and nightmare of light cavalry and light infantry!
On the western battlefield, the light cavalry of the Liang army and the spearmen forming defensive formations almost simultaneously saw the fear in their comrades' eyes. They could face the light cavalry, as spears and arrows could inflict massive damage, but against heavily armored cavalry, ordinary arrows were utterly useless, and the spears' offensive capabilities were greatly reduced. Lacking thick armor, the light cavalry and infantry were simply no match for these terrifyingly lethal steel monsters. This highly asymmetrical confrontation was utterly a foregone conclusion!
There was no time for Long Xiaotian and the Liang army to ponder further! With each hoofbeat, the heavy cavalry's tall warhorses kicked up clouds of dust. As their massive steel lances were swung high and then violently swung downwards, the immense momentum and impact sent the first rank of Liang light cavalrymen flying through the air, blood gushing from their mouths, lances in hand… Like a sharp iron plow easily ploughing through soft mud, or a gleaming black dagger slicing open a fish's belly…
the Liang light cavalry's formation was quickly torn open by the unstoppable Qiu clan heavy cavalry. The Sima clan's 20,000 elite Imperial Guard cavalry and 10,000 Qiu clan light cavalry, following closely behind, immediately cut in, plunging the already chaotic formation into disarray. The Liang army's defensive line was breached—with the Liang army's defeat already certain, Sima Yuan didn't mind paying a small price for a resounding victory and the ensuing spoils, after all, the previous series of defeats had severely impacted the morale and fighting spirit of the Sima clan's soldiers…
Long Xiaotian had no time to react—the breach in the west widened rapidly, extending north and south. The collapse at the front affected the operation of the hundreds of thousands of Liang soldiers whose defensive formation was not yet complete. The soldiers' shrill screams and their attempts to evade the pursuit of heavy and light cavalry plunged the entire Liang army into irreversible chaos! In such a vast tide of troops, this chaotic situation made it impossible for battlefield commanders to issue timely orders and control the situation; the battle was beyond saving!
"Send the order! The entire army will break out and retreat to Maoming Prefecture! Order the reinforcements from Shunde Prefecture to retreat to Shunde City! Order the reinforcements from Maoming Prefecture to build a defensive line on the spot to provide support! Dragon Cavalry Guards, follow me and fight your way out!" Seeing that defeat was inevitable, although Qingyuan City to the north was nearby, hundreds of thousands of Jade Dragon Army soldiers were building a second encirclement after receiving warnings. Only by fighting
desperately to break out towards Maoming Prefecture could they preserve some strength for the future! After giving the order, Long Xiaotian took the lead and rode down the nameless hill towards the chaotic southern battlefield!
"Kill!" The most elite of the four hundred elite troops of the Western Legion under the Long Clan, the "Dragon Cavalry Guards," roared and followed closely behind Long Xiaotian, charging down like a whirlwind!
Qiu Haoyu's order for the general attack had been issued, and the area within a ten-mile radius had become a battlefield. Despite being in an extremely unfavorable situation, the light cavalry and infantry of the Liang army still showed enough courage and bravery to resist the onslaught of the Jade Dragon Army's cavalry with their flesh and blood. They tried time and again to organize an effective defense, but were repeatedly scattered and surrounded by the combination of heavy cavalry and light cavalry.
Long Xiaotian led four hundred Dragon Cavalry Guards, charging left and right. The Dragon Clan's ultimate skill, "Dragon Elephant Skill," burst forth from the steel spears in the hands of the Dragon Cavalry Guards, unstoppable wherever it went. Even the heavy cavalry could not withstand the powerful waves of true energy and were slaughtered! The Liang army's cavalry and infantry, which had been previously separated and scattered, were quickly connected to form independent fighting groups, fighting and retreating as they moved south!
"Commander Ling, it's time for the Platinum Guards to strike!" Qiu Haoyu frowned. The renowned "Dragon Cavalry Guards" lived up to their reputation. To minimize casualties among ordinary soldiers, the Qiu family's elite forces could no longer be kept hidden.
"Glory! That is my life. Kill!" "Tiger" Ling Tong raised his spear high, leading four hundred "Autumn Wind Platinum Guards" towards Long Xiaotian's Dragon Cavalry Guards!

Volume 7 Who Rules the World Chapter 128 Turning the Tables
The midday sun shone on the battlefield of Qingyuan Prefecture, a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, unable to conceal the hellish tragedy: everywhere lay the haphazard corpses of men and horses, rotting flesh and blood, the air thick with an unbearable stench of blood, and thousands of wounded and dying warhorses let out mournful neighs, making even the seasoned veterans of the Qiu family's Jade Dragon Army, seasoned in battle and cleaning up battlefields, feel waves of nausea.
"One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand!" On the battlefield of the Battle of Qingyuan, anyone would lament the cruelty of war!
In the Battle of Qingyuan, the Long family's Liang army directly deployed 200,000 troops. Before the arrival of the 140,000 reinforcements from Shunde Prefecture, the main battlefield had already suffered a major rout!
After Long Xiaotian decisively ordered a breakout, the reinforcements from Shunde Prefecture had no choice but to retreat towards Shunde. Meanwhile, the two divisions of 80,000 infantrymen from Maoming Prefecture were ordered to quickly establish a temporary defensive line, using the hills as cover, digging trenches, building earthen walls, and setting up catapult arrays to support Long Xiaotian's defeated army as they broke out towards Maoming Prefecture!
Such is war; victory or defeat often hinges on a single moment. If the Qiu family didn't possess their secret trump card—heavy cavalry—and hadn't launched a fatal attack at the most opportune moment, in the most suitable location and under the most favorable circumstances, and if they had waited for Long Xiaotian to consolidate his defensive positions and become bogged down in a stalemate, with the arrival of a large number of Liang reinforcements, perhaps the Qiu family would have ultimately been defeated!
By the end of the day, the fierce fighting on the main battlefield had largely subsided. The Qiu family's 160,000 infantrymen, along with the Sima family's Third Guard Division and the Baiyi Special Division's 60,000 infantrymen, had cut off the connection between the Shunde Prefecture reinforcements, Qingyuan City, and the main battlefield, forming a second encirclement on the north, east, and west sides. However, before the southern encirclement could be closed, Long Xiaotian had already led the powerful Dragon Cavalry Guards and Liang light cavalry to forcefully break through a gap, leaving nearly 50,000 Liang light cavalrymen fleeing south. "Tiger" Ling Tong led the Qiufeng Platinum Guards and 120,000 Jade Dragon light cavalry in hot pursuit, intending to take advantage of the victory and annihilate the Liang cavalry within Qingyuan Prefecture!
The 80,000 infantrymen and 20,000 cavalrymen of the Liang army, who had broken through the encirclement, were unable to escape and put up a fierce resistance. After suffering over 20,000 casualties in infantry and over 10,000 in cavalry, and covering the main cavalry force's successful breakout, nearly 50,000 Liang infantrymen and 10,000 light cavalrymen surrendered amidst the shouts of "Those who surrender will not be killed" from the Yulong army. In an encirclement by an army five times their size, already in a state of chaos under the combined assault of heavy and light cavalry, further resistance would only increase unnecessary casualties!
Of course, most of the captains and above of the Long family's direct lineage ended their lives in suicidal attacks or suicide after the surrender order was given, expressing their loyalty to the Long family…
The Qiu and Sima clan's combined infantry forces, having suffered almost no losses, besieged Qingyuan City again. Qiu Haoyu issued an ultimatum: surrender within fifteen minutes or face an attack, and no further surrenders would be accepted.
With a large army pressing in from the outside and no reinforcements in sight, and the city of Qingyuan plagued by a horrified populace filled with hatred, the commander of the reserve division of the Liang army left behind, in despair, received Qiu Haoyu's assurance that the surrendered soldiers would not be killed. After ordering the gates to be opened and surrendered, he committed suicide on the city wall. Qingyuan, which had long been ravaged by blood and fire, once again fell under the control of the Qiu family!
Qiu Haoyu left an infantry division in Qingyuan to handle the aftermath, and instead of entering the city to rest, he led more than 200,000 troops northeast to Shunde Prefecture—where, perhaps, another fierce battle awaited…

Shunde Prefecture.
Qiu Shuibo led the South China Sea Army Corps and a reserve division recruited by Zhanjiang Prefecture, totaling 200,000 troops, westward into Shunde Prefecture overnight. However, instead of heading straight for Shunde City, he sent 80,000 light cavalry to quickly advance ahead of the Ding family's main army, entering a large area in northern Shunde Prefecture that the Liang army under the Long family had decisively abandoned. Subsequently, two infantry divisions followed, blocking the Ding family's main army's only route south.
Since the Ding family had mobilized two large army corps but refused to engage in a hard battle with the Liang army, they shouldn't expect to gain much benefit. Qiu Shuibo's actions demonstrated his strong confidence in the inevitable victory in the Battle of Qingyuan and his strong confidence in his assessment of the overall situation in the Jade Dragon Kingdom and even the Hualong Continent!
Ding Zizhi could see the opportunity of the Wuling County's weakened military strength, and with Qiu Shuibo's wisdom, he could naturally see that while the Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan was still alive, the Ding family might have concerns about having no legitimate reason to launch a rebellion. However, if Sima Yuan were to encounter any unexpected changes, the Ding family would certainly be unable to suppress their ambition to replace him and take control of the three counties under Sima's control!
Sima Yuan, in the prime of his life and possessing exceptional cultivation, would not have died suddenly without cause. Under such tight security, assassination would be virtually impossible. However, if a select few were intent on assassinating him, it would be difficult to prevent—Consort Ding, the Jade Dragon King's principal wife; Sima Cheng, the "Duke Protector of the Nation"; Li Ruyu, the "Jade Noble Consort"; and Qiu Shuiyun, deeply favored by the Jade Dragon King, were among these few…
Qiu Shuiyun sacrificed her own happiness for her family, marrying Sima Lang. While the children of powerful families appear infinitely glamorous on the surface, they also have their own hardships: those of average appearance and talent are better off, mostly able to marry according to their own choices, finding a suitable partner and a simple happiness. But those who are slightly more outstanding, as children of powerful families, are often forced to make sacrifices for the family's interests, usually marrying someone who can consolidate or expand the family's power!
According to Qiu Shuibo, three years ago, his younger sister Qiu Shuiyun had a lover she deeply cherished. Because the name "Third Beauty of Hualong" had spread throughout the Hualong Continent, Qiu Shuiyun married into the Sima Clan for the benefit of the Qiu Clan, and for a long-term goal, she bore the infamous reputation of a "loose woman"—only after Qiu Shuibo succeeded as the head of the family did he realize that he still held the trump card of Qiu Shuiyun!
As long as the Qiu Clan was willing, given the Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan's favor towards Qiu Shuiyun, she could kill Sima Yuan at any time in bed with the "Yang-Absorbing Technique" of the ninth level of the "Charming Maiden Skill"! When the Qiu Clan needed it, this would be a killer that would cause chaos in the Jade Dragon royal family and the entire kingdom!
Therefore, Qiu Shuibo was not afraid that the Ding Clan would provoke a war with the Qiu Clan—because if the Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan died, the Ding Clan would have greater interests in Wuling County, which was adjacent to Jianghan County in the west, and even in Jade Dragon County and Luolan County, and would never make the Qiu Clan, a powerful enemy, for the sake of Shunde Prefecture. Regardless of who would inherit the throne, the Seventh Prince, Sima Lang, commanded hundreds of thousands of troops, including the Central Army, Reserve Army, and Navy, and occupied Yanbo Prefecture and Jiangyin City of the Later Tang Empire. He would not easily relinquish the opportunity to seize the throne with the support of the Qiu family. Furthermore, Jiangyin City and Yanbo Prefecture were separated from Jianghan County only by the river; the Ding family simply did not have the strength to fight on multiple fronts simultaneously!
However, Qiu Shuibo had not anticipated that, without him issuing a secret order, Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan had already died at Qiu Shuiyun's hands, but in a conspiracy between "Duke Protector of the Nation" Sima Cheng and "Fairy of the Cold Ice" Li Ruyu! Although news of Sima Yuan's sudden death had not yet spread, it did not hinder Qiu Shuibo's accurate assessment of the situation!
In the darkness, while the Ding family's Southern River Army and Northern River Army were still speculating whether the sudden withdrawal of the Great Liang army was a trap, Qiu Shuibo's Southern Navy had already occupied key transportation routes. Nanjiang Legion Commander Ding Zikang had received the results of the meeting between his family patriarch Ding Zixing and Yuwen Zhi. As expected, he dared not act rashly and could only abandon the tempting vast tracts of land in northern Shunde Prefecture…
Usually, effort and reward are proportional. Since the Ding family was unwilling to pay the price to truly assist the Qiu family in attacking the Long family's Eastern Navy Legion, this "fisherman" wasted the provisions of hundreds of thousands of troops, gaining little benefit at least in Shunde Prefecture.
Qiu Shuibo arranged the defenses of northern Shunde Prefecture as if the Ding family were nothing, leaving only 20,000 regular cavalry and 40,000 reserves to garrison the vast area of northern Shunde Prefecture. The remaining 140,000 troops of the Southern Navy Legion slowly advanced south towards Shunde City—this might be another major battlefield!

Twenty-five li north of Tenglong City in Qingyuan Prefecture lies Qinghe Town.
Qinghe Town is a necessary stop on the official road between Tenglong Port and Qingyuan City. It was originally a peaceful town with only 70,000 to 80,000 people, including the surrounding villages. The houses were low, and even the town walls were incomplete.
To the west of Qinghe Town, at the border between Qingyuan Prefecture and Changlong Prefecture, lies a small mountain locally known as Black Dragon Mountain. At the foot of Black Dragon Mountain, a clear spring gushes forth, forming Black Dragon Pool, which is only about two miles in circumference . The water overflowing from Black Dragon Pool flows eastward, forming a clear stream. Qinghe Town is named after this winding river that flows through the town.
Months of war within Qingyuan Prefecture, with the army changing hands several times, had driven most of Qinghe Town's original inhabitants to flee, leaving only a few thousand brave or unable to escape.
After the Free Army occupied Tenglong Port, they advanced their defensive line to the Qinghe Town line. The Long Clan's Daliang Army, which had just been relieved of its siege, dispatched cavalry to stop the Free Army's further northward advance. Following Marshal Hua Yinghong's orders, the Hai Tianqing Navy and Mu Shanzhu's reserve division halted their northward advance and began to intensify the construction of fortifications and defensive lines along the Qinghe Town line, which had already reached a considerable scale in recent days.
Hai Tianqing hadn't known Hua Yinghong's intention in ordering the construction of a human defense line in Qinghe Town, a place with similarly low and flat terrain and difficult to defend. Now, however, he realized it was yet another well-thought-out move by Hua Yinghong!
The winter sun shone on him, warm but not unbearably so, making him feel lazy and comfortable.
Hua Yinghong lay contentedly on a patch of withered grass on the highest hillside beside Qinghe Town, showing no trace of being a military commander. Since advancing to the Innate Saint Realm, refining the Sea Dragon Elixir Qi, cultivating both spirit and desire, and his unique training methods had caused his cultivation to increase daily. His progress was so rapid that it could only be measured as a thousand miles a day. Without deliberately practicing the "Primordial Chaos Technique," he could maintain a harmonious connection with the primordial energy of heaven and earth at any time, reaching the miraculous state of "I am heaven and earth, and heaven and earth are me."
Liu Yufei and Liu Lan sat on either side of Hua Yinghong. As young ladies, they had to maintain some decorum, and the two women dared not lie down and relax as unrestrainedly as Hua Yinghong. Hua Yinghong's "devilish hands" gently kneaded one of the two women's jade-like legs.
The winter chill had almost no effect on Liu Yufei and Liu Lan, whose cultivation was already high. Through their thin skirts, the touch was incredibly alluring and strangely wonderful. The "Peach Blossom Amorous Technique" made the two women's phoenix eyes glaze over, intoxicated, yet they dared not utter a soft moan, only able to endure the shame of their lover's secret actions. Meanwhile, the frivolous
bodyguard Fang Shiling and eighteen guards set up a tight cordon around them, more than ten feet away. Marshal Hua Yinghong's second assassination attempt on the "Freedom One" warship had caused Fang Shiling and the others, as his personal bodyguards, to lose face and suffer a great shock! After the battle against the Yinming Sect assassins on the ship, and more than ten days of diligent training, coupled with Hua Yinghong's generous contribution of a large amount of Sea Dragon Pill Qi and Primordial True Qi, Fang Shiling and the eighteen guards' skills improved significantly again, with even the four weakest having advanced to the seventh rank!
However, as Fang Shiling and the guards practiced their moves with Hua Yinghong each day, they found it increasingly difficult: even with seven or eight people working together, they were starting to struggle, and sometimes, under Hua Yinghong's intentionally released powerful aura, they even felt unable to deliver a move—perhaps if they encountered a truly powerful assassin, it would be them, the guards, who should be protected! Feeling this way, without anyone urging them, Fang Shiling and the others practiced diligently.
"They're here!" Dozens of miles away, countless warhorses galloped, raising dust that soared into the sky, and the earth seemed to tremble beneath their hooves. Hua Yinghong embraced Liu Yufei and Liu Lan's slender waists and sat up. The two women were both shy and delighted. Their beloved never cared about the opinions of others, and his undisguised intimacy with them, whether in public or private, was absolutely an anomaly on the Hua Long Continent.
"Report! Nearly 50,000 Liang cavalry have fled to within twelve miles of our defensive line!" a messenger hurriedly reported.
"Fei'er, Lan'er, let's go!" Hua Yinghong embraced Liu Yufei's slender waist and lightly mounted a tall, pure white warhorse with a magnificent physique, about ten feet away.
Liu Yufei let out a soft "woof," gave him a sweet kiss, broke free from his embrace, and floated onto another magnificent yellow horse. She spurred it on and galloped off, calling out sweetly, "Brother! Let's have a horse race! Let's see who gets there first! Ready, set, go!" She was still a little shy about sharing a horse with Hua Yinghong in front of hundreds of thousands of Free Army soldiers.
In an instant, the yellow horse galloped several dozen feet, and Liu Yufei's purple dress and infinitely beautiful, graceful figure almost stunned Hua Yinghong. "Fei'er, that false start doesn't count!" Hua Yinghong laughed heartily, spurring his horse to chase after her!
"Hehe! I did say 'ready, set, go!'!" Liu Yufei turned back, her face beaming with a charming smile. That smile was like countless vibrant flowers blooming across a mountainside, stirring Hua Yinghong's heart—the Fei'er before him, thanks to the favorable situation of the Free Alliance and the deep affection between Hua Yinghong and her, had almost forgotten the pain of her country's destruction and her family's ruin, returning to her joyful and carefree girlish nature. What has become of this "Fei'er" from another world?
His acquaintance with "Fei'er" was a chance encounter in the library. Her captivating smile left Hua Yinghong utterly mesmerized…
First, he used a mere announcement to manipulate events, ruthlessly outmaneuvering the treacherous Long Feiyang. Now, however, he must manipulate things again, helping the Long family preserve some of their strength and maintain a delicate balance… Even Hua Yinghong himself wondered if he was being a little too cunning…

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