Slave Empire [Complete] - 9

Volume 4, Chapter 49: Crisis and Peril
(A note to readers: This book has met the eligibility requirements for a contract on DuXie.com. Originally, there were no plans to sign a contract, but the performance on Qidian.com has been disappointing. I plan to apply for a Sanjiang recommendation again. If that fails, and if clicks and collections don't improve, I will apply for a contract there. Updates here will be affected. If you like this book, please support it there. This book has reached chapter 202; the later chapters should be better. Thank you for your support and my apologies.)
Donggang, the Second Regiment of the Jade Dragon Kingdom's Special Naval Division. The Jade Dragon Kingdom's Eastern Naval Division consists of four regiments, each with fifty warships and ten thousand naval soldiers. The Eastern Naval Headquarters is located in Tenglong Port, an important coastal port south of Qingyuan Prefecture in Baiyang County. The directly subordinate regiment and the First Regiment are stationed at Tenglong Port, the Third Regiment is Ling Ye's Northern Port Naval Regiment, and the Second Regiment is stationed in Donggang.
Donggang is located at the northeasternmost tip of Zhenbao Island, facing the Nanhai County of the Daliang Kingdom across the sea. The Donggang Navy has always been a mainstay in guarding the eastern gateway of Zhenbao Island, and has fought numerous battles against Japanese pirates and ronin, making it an elite force.
The urgent letter from Qiu Haoran stirred worry in Qiu Su, the captain of the Donggang Navy. The occupation of Keelung City by the Demonic Sect has further worsened the situation on Zhenbao Island since the disastrous "Operation Fishnet." Having clashed with the Daliang Kingdom's navy and Japanese ronin on several occasions, Qiu Su had to consider the current crisis.
Qiu Su was fifty years old and belonged to a collateral branch of the Qiu family. In terms of seniority, he was of the same generation as the family head, Qiu Haoyu. For many years, with his maturity and prudence, he had repelled numerous attacks from the Daliang navy and Japanese pirates, working seamlessly with the equally experienced Qiu Haoran to prevent major chaos on the turbulent Zhenbao Island.
News of the fall of Keelung and the defeat of the Zhenbao Army would surely be reported to the Daliang and Japanese spies on the island. Without reinforcements from Keelung City, the First Battalion of the Treasure Trove of Shunhe Town, located between Keelung City and Donggang, was preoccupied with the pressure from the Demonic Sect. The already restless Japanese ronin were bound to make moves, and the Liang Kingdom's navy was unlikely to miss the opportunity; anyone could take advantage of the situation.
"Order! Strengthen patrols in the direction of the Liang Kingdom and Diaoyu Islands. Expand the patrol range to one hundred li. Report any abnormalities immediately!
" "Order! All guards from towns surrounding Donggang to assemble in the city, reinforcing city defenses and port defenses!"

Qiu Su sensed danger. After sending a letter to the Eastern Legion headquarters requesting reinforcements, he issued several orders, making the most cautious defensive deployment.
"Report! Four hundred Japanese warships have been spotted heading towards Donggang from the direction of Diaoyu Islands, one hundred li away! The Liang Kingdom's navy has not shown any unusual activity." As Qiu Su expected, just after noon, the Japanese ronin had already begun their operation. The sea route from Diaoyu Island to Donggang is a full four hundred li (approximately 200 kilometers), taking at least three days with the best winds. Yet, only four hours after the fall of Keelung, the Japanese ronin appeared in large numbers within a hundred li of Donggang, numbering no less than fifty or sixty thousand. Clearly, this was premeditated, and the Japanese nation was involved.
"Send the order! Level One combat readiness!" What was bound to happen had finally happened. Qiu Su resolved to fight the Japanese to the death. No matter how the people of Hualong fought each other, no matter how much they struggled, they absolutely could not allow the precious Zhenbao Island to fall into the hands of the small Japanese nation, nor allow the people of Hualong to be enslaved by Japanese pirates!
**** ********
Yulong Army Eastern Legion Headquarters.
When Qiu Haoyu, the head of the Qiu family and commander of the Yulong Army Eastern Legion, received Qiu Haoran's urgent report, it was already past noon. The war instigated by the Free Army in the northwest of Zhenbao Island had not yet subsided, and now the disaster of the fall of Keelung City had struck. The situation on Zhenbao Island was changing rapidly, affecting not only this one corner of the island, but also the balance of power across the entire Hualong continent. If not handled properly, the seemingly powerful and influential Qiu family could face annihilation—the Feng family of the Later Tang Empire three years prior serves as a cautionary tale.
The Qiu family and the Eastern Army primarily control Baiyang County and Zhenbao Island. Baiyang County comprises four prefectures: facing the Zhenbao Strait to the south, its westernmost prefecture, Tianshui, borders the Baiyi Kingdom to the west; to the northwest, Yulong County; and to the north, Jianghan County, controlled by the Ding family. Eastward, these are Dongguan Prefecture, Changlong Prefecture, and Qingyuan Prefecture. Dongguan Prefecture also borders Jianghan Prefecture to the north. Changlong and Qingyuan Prefectures border Nanjiang Prefecture, controlled by the Ding family, to the north. Qingyuan Prefecture is bordered by Shunde Prefecture of Yunyuan County and Maoming Prefecture of Nanhai County of the Great Liang Kingdom to the northeast and east, respectively. Baiyang County is a vast territory, spanning over 700 li from east to west and averaging over 200 li from north to south. Official statistics indicate a population of nearly 7 million, not including the many hidden slaves, and also including Zhenbao Island. The sheer power of the Qiu family is unimaginable.
However, the more powerful a family, the more hidden its hardships. The Qiu family, being so influential, attracts attention. Controlling most of the four prefectures of Baiyang County and the military and political power of Zhenbao Island, their domestic and military appointments are merely nominally in accordance with royal decrees, operating as a self-contained system, only paying a portion of taxes as required. The Qiu family's overt and covert power is immense, already causing concern among Prince Yulong, Sima Yuan, and their neighboring Ding family, who dominate Jianghan County to the north. To the east, they face a long-standing enemy—the powerful Long family of the Great Liang Kingdom and its western army. The Qiu family's situation is far from the glamorous image one might imagine.
If not handled properly, the Qiu family would become easy prey for others—not only the Great Liang Kingdom, but also the Sima and Ding families of the Jade Dragon royal family would likely covet Baiyang County and Treasure Island!
"Send the order! Report to the royal court with utmost urgency…; the Second Division is to turn towards Beigang, control the central region, first destroy the Demonic Sect, and recapture Keelung; all units under the Eastern Legion and local guard units are on high alert…"
As the head of the powerful Qiu family and commander of the Jade Dragon Eastern Legion, Qiu Haoyu possessed exceptional abilities, quickly assessing the situation and making emergency deployments. After meditating for a short while, Qiu Haoyu personally wrote three secret letters, entrusting them to trusted confidants to be sent through the family's special channels to his second son, Qiu Shuibo, in the Second Division; his second brother, Qiu Haocang, in Jade Dragon City; and one letter to his third brother, Qiu Haoran, delivered by Qiu Yu, the second regimental commander of the Treasure Division in Sun and Moon City.
Before long, the orders from the Eastern Legion, which should not have yet reached the fleet sailing in the strait, were preceded by an urgent letter from Qiu Shuibo, stating that he had made his own decision and was heading to Beigang to request approval. Upon receiving the report, Qiu Haoyu nodded silently—of his three sons, the eldest, Qiu Shuiba, was exceptionally brave and upright, enjoying considerable prestige in the army; the youngest, Qiu Shuiliu, was intelligent, possessing both literary and martial talents, and was deeply favored by him; the second son, Qiu Shuibo, however, was dashing and unconventional, with a deep and calculating mind, adept at planning and decisive action. Qiu Shuibo's trip to Keelung would surely allow him to understand his intentions and not disappoint him. However, the fact that each of his three sons possessed unique strengths made it difficult for him to decide on whom to pass the family inheritance, a matter that troubled him greatly.
"Urgent report from Donggang! Four hundred Japanese ronin warships have invaded."
"Urgent report from the First Division! The First Division of the Western Army of the Great Liang Kingdom is assembling troops in Shunde City!"
"Urgent report from Tenglong Port! The Great Liang Navy has been spotted 100 miles away!"

Throughout the afternoon, Qiu Haoyu was stationed at the army headquarters, receiving a constant stream of urgent reports, all of which confirmed his previous assessments.
A storm about to sweep across the Hualong Continent was triggered by the actions of the Free Army and the Demonic Sect on Zhenbao Island—
******** ****
Jianghan City, Yulong Northern Army Headquarters.
Ding Zixing, the head of the Ding family and commander of the Northern Army, received reports and urgent messages from the Eastern Army, the Huaiyin City Naval Division of Beijiang Prefecture, the Second Division of Beijiang City, and the Third Division of Nanjiang City of Nanjiang Prefecture. The Western Army of the Great Liang Kingdom was assembling troops in Shunde Prefecture and Quanzhou Port, which border Nanjiang Prefecture and Beijiang Prefecture. The Later Tang Empire's Navy and the Southwest Army were also assembling troops in Jiangyin City across the Yulong River. The battle was imminent.
The Yulong Kingdom's northern army and Huaiyin navy, under the control of the Ding family, had fought against the Later Tang Empire's southwestern and Nanhu armies for many years and knew each other well. In the past decade, their several battles were all probing "friction," with no large-scale mobilization. This was because if either side were to provoke a large-scale war, it would likely result in mutual destruction, benefiting the neighboring Liang Kingdom and Jinlong Kingdom, which were waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Since the "Five Kings Partition Tang" ten years ago, the largest war in recent years on the Hua Long Continent occurred four years ago between the Qiu family's Eastern Army and the Liang Long family's Western Army. Because Qingyuan Prefecture, controlled by the Qiu family, is directly adjacent to Nanhai County, a "flyover" of the Liang Kingdom west of the Yulong River, and because the Long family seized Maoming Prefecture from the Qiu family during the war ten years ago, the Qiu family, with the tacit approval of Yulong King Sima Yuan, launched a surprise attack with 160,000 troops—including the First and Second Divisions, two regiments of their direct subordinate divisions, two regiments of the Tenglong Navy, and a local guard division—in order to expand their power. They annihilated the Liang Western Army's Third Division, occupied Maoming Prefecture, and then advanced eastward to Baijiang Prefecture, besieging Yangjiang City, the location of the Nanhai County Governor and the Western Army's headquarters.
That battle, known as the "Battle of the South China Sea," ultimately cemented Long Feiyang's reputation as one of the "Four Great Generals"
of the Liang Kingdom. The Liang Kingdom possessed two prefectures west of the Yulong River: Yunyuan Prefecture to the north, bordering the river, divided into Shunde Prefecture, Zhanjiang Prefecture, and Meijiang Prefecture from west to east; and Nanhai Prefecture to the south, bordering the sea, divided into Maoming Prefecture, Baijiang Prefecture, and Baiquan Prefecture from west to east. The Liang Kingdom's military system differed from the Yulong Kingdom's. The Western Army consisted of five land divisions and one naval division, totaling 240,000 regular troops, responsible for the defense of the six prefectures west of the Yulong River: Shaoyuan Prefecture and Nanhai Prefecture. When Yangjiang City was besieged, Long Feiyang, commander of the Liang Western Army, only had one directly subordinate division of 40,000 men and 20,000 local guards under his command; the remaining divisions were stationed in various prefectures and unable to return to reinforce the city.
Under pressure from the Later Tang Nanhu Army and the Ding Clan's Northern Army on the north bank of the Yulong River, Long Feiyang dared not draw troops from Shunde Prefecture and Zhanjiang Prefecture. He only urgently dispatched the Fourth Division and the Quanzhou Naval Division from Meijiang Prefecture. Instead of going directly to Yangjiang City to relieve the siege, he sailed straight down the Zhenbao Strait to Qingyuan Prefecture. On the way, he engaged in a major naval battle with two regiments of the Yulong Navy that came to intercept him. After each side lost more than fifty warships, the Yulong Navy was defeated and retreated. The remaining 30,000-strong navy of Daliang and the Fourth Division of Meijiang took advantage of the situation to capture Tenglong Port and cut off the Yulong Army's retreat, heading straight for Qiu's stronghold—Baiyang City, located in the center of Changlong Prefecture.
The city of Baiyang, with a population of over 600,000, was defended by only Qiu Shuiliu with two regiments and 40,000 local guards. Qiu Haoyu led the Eastern Army Corps in a nighttime retreat to reinforce the city, while Long Feiyang led his direct division in hot pursuit, annihilating two regiments of the Yulong Eastern Army Corps' Second Division left to block their advance, before stopping at Maoming City. The Daliang Army Corps and naval forces, which had feigned an attack on Baiyang City, with 60,000 men, plundered the wealth of the Yulong treasury along the way before retreating to Tenglong Port.
Qiu Haoyu, with his lightning-fast attack, captured Maoming Prefecture of the Daliang Kingdom but lost the strategically vital Tenglong Port, a mixed bag. Long Feiyang, caught off guard by the surprise attack, skillfully turned the tide, scoring more points than Qiu Haoyu. Finally, considering the covetousness of the Japanese, Later Tang, New Song, and Jinlong kingdoms, the Jade Dragon Kingdom and the Great Liang Kingdom, deeming further
military action a mutually destructive force that would be exploited by others, ceased hostilities and negotiated peace, each backing down to restore the control lines to their pre-war state. In that battle, both the Qiu and Long families suffered losses of approximately 70,000 men and countless amounts of wealth and resources, taking two years to recover.
This time, however, the situation is different.
Due to the internal strife on Treasure Island, the Jade Dragon Kingdom had to divert the Qiu family's eastern army to quell the rebellion, leaving its forces in Qingyuan Prefecture and Tenglong Port vulnerable. The Great Liang Kingdom, especially Long Feiyang, the head of the Long family, renowned as one of the four great generals, would certainly not let this golden opportunity slip by. What methods they might employ is unpredictable.
The envoys the Jade Dragon Kingdom had sent to various countries a few days prior would be of little use in the face of the countries' fundamental interests; Later Tang, Jinlong, and Great Liang might even have secretly agreed to divide and conquer the Jade Dragon Kingdom! Otherwise, why would all countries have mobilized such large numbers of troops so quickly?
"Send the order! Report to the Royal Court immediately: all units of the Northern Legion are to enter Level One combat readiness!" As expected of a family patriarch who had seen countless storms, Ding Zixing, the head of the Ding family, made a decision almost identical to Qiu Haoyu's!
The Jade Dragon Kingdom was plunged into an unprecedented crisis and perilous situation!

Volume Four, Chapter Fifty: The Army Approaches the Heavenly Pass
. Inside Keelung City, at the City Guard's Mansion.
"The Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao sat in the large chair that Qiu Haoran had once sat in, with the two Elders of the Yinming Sect beside him, and the other twenty-odd leaders of various Yinming Sect uprisings seated on either side.
The Jade Dragon Army's Treasure Division's combat strength far exceeded Xu Xiaoyao's expectations. Despite successfully capturing Keelung City and the surrounding eight towns, annihilating 10,000 Jade Dragon regular troops and 15,000 guards, Qiu Haoran escaped with less than 4,000 men through the east gate towards Riyue City. However, Xu Xiaoyao was far from happy.
In the battles of the previous night and into this morning, the original 5,000+ core disciples of the Demonic Cult, ranging from rank three to rank six, were reduced to only about 2,000; the casualties among ordinary members reached a staggering 35,000; even rank six and above experts suffered over 300 casualties in the clashes with Jade Dragon spies and regular troops, leaving fewer than 100. Furthermore, the strongest fighting force, the "Yinming Iron Guard," was reduced to just over 100 men, many of whom were wounded. Originally, they thought they could easily capture Keelung City with overwhelming military superiority, but instead, they were severely weakened, directly impacting their next plan.
Military warfare is not a street brawl or a brawl; if the reinforcements from the eight towns hadn't arrived in time, the city's remaining forces might have suffered a crushing defeat.
Two other things greatly displeased Xu Xiaoyao. He had assumed the official treasury in Keelung City would hold at least 2.5 million gold coins, enough to compensate the dead and wounded followers, build an army, and procure equipment. However, Qiu Haoran, that old fox, had likely learned from the mistake of failing to transport the tax money from Xigang in time, which fell into the hands of the Free Army. Preventing a repeat offense, he had probably used the pretext of transporting military equipment to build a new army to secretly move a large amount of gold coins to Beigang a few days ago. The treasury now held less than 100,000 gold coins.
Even more worrying was that the official granary in Keelung City had been deliberately set on fire by the Jade Dragon Army before their escape. Although the fire was extinguished as quickly as possible, only 300,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain were salvaged. Combined with private grain, this was only enough for the nearly 400,000 people currently under the Holy Church's control for three to four months. If the central region could not be quickly controlled and food seized, the famine alone could cause the collapse of Keelung City, which the Yinming Sect had painstakingly occupied.
"Gentlemen! What should we do next? Please share your opinions." Since his falling out with Peach Blossom Palace, Xu Xiaoyao had suffered another major setback and had no choice but to abandon his arrogance and humbly seek advice. The
"Two Elders of Yinming" closed their eyes to rest. They were solely responsible for protecting Xu Xiaoyao's safety, and military matters were of no concern to them. Moreover, apart from martial arts, they knew nothing about such things.
For a moment, no one spoke in the hall. Just as Xue Qianqian had worried, the Yinming Sect and even the members of the Demonic Cult were second to none when it came to martial arts and killing. But when it came to military strategy, tactics, or even strategizing, these men were truly stumped. Furthermore, the "Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao's temper was always unpredictable. If they spoke correctly, all would be well; if they spoke incorrectly and angered him, they might not even know how they died. Therefore, no one dared to speak easily.
"You're all useless idiots!" Seeing that no one offered any advice and everyone remained silent, Xu Xiaoyao's temper flared up, and he cursed without regard for the consequences.
The expressions of everyone in the hall changed, even the "Two Elders of Yinming" opened their eyes and glanced at the "Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao. According to the doctrines of the Demonic Sect, all members are like brothers. Although there are hierarchical distinctions, these are merely for convenience based on skill level and position. Disciples who violate sect rules and regulations are dealt with accordingly. Even the sect leader and sect chief treat ordinary members with kindness and respect, like brothers and sisters. The Demonic Sect's popularity stems from its unique strengths. Although Xu Xiaoyao is the young master of the Yinming Sect, holding a prestigious position and supported by his doting father Xu Ling, he is usually arrogant but dares not easily insult his fellow disciples. In his haste, he spoke without thinking, offending most of those present. Those who had interacted with him during the time when Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian was in charge immediately felt a sense of comparison.
Xu Xiaoyao, with his sharp eyes, saw all of this and realized he had misspoke. Not wanting to lower himself to apologize, he hurriedly said, "Well... I was worried about the important affairs of the Holy Sect and misspoke without thinking. I really... please, everyone, give me more ideas for the important affairs of the Holy Sect."
The crowd was still not at ease, but their expressions softened slightly. They still couldn't come up with any good ideas for the time being.
Xu Xiaoyao noticed a white-robed scholar sitting at the far end of the room whose lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to speak, but stopped after glancing at the others. Xu Xiaoyao then said, "Brother Ji, if you have any ideas, please speak them. Let's brainstorm; someone has to take the lead."
This "Brother Ji," whose full name was Ji Wumou, was around thirty years old. He had an ordinary appearance, but his eyes occasionally flashed with a sharp, intelligent light, making him seem far from "lacking in strategy"—in fact, quite resourceful. Within the Yinming Sect, it was customary to determine rank based on martial arts skill. Ji Wumou, whose skill was only at the fifth rank, was merely a second-level white-robed disciple and shouldn't have been qualified to participate in this meeting. However, because he had been in charge of planning the small town ten miles west of Shunhe Town before the uprising, organizing over four thousand followers to be the first to capture the west gate of Keelung's outer city, and subsequently the south and north gates, he had made a great contribution and was thus granted a special seat.
In formal settings, the Yinming Sect distinguishes ranks by the color of their clothing. Yellow, red, white, and black, along with a special system of robe binding, divide disciples into ten levels. Only the sect leader and the sect's head or successor can wear yellow. For example, Xu Ling, the "Yinming Divine Fist," is the sect leader, and Xu Xiaoyao is his only son and the natural successor, both wearing yellow. The Yinming Elders, Shi Heng, and others are the sect's highest-ranking elders or top experts, wearing red, level one. Following this pattern, roughly ranks nine to seven are red, levels one, two, and three; ranks six to four are white, levels one, two, and three; and ranks three and below are black, levels one, two, and three. Most ordinary members are black. At this moment, most of the people in the hall are red-clad.
"Reporting to the young master," Ji Wuquan said, organizing his thoughts, "the most urgent task is to secure internal stability and quickly establish a firm foothold."
"That makes sense, but how do we achieve that?" This opening statement is commonplace; everyone knows it. Xu Xiaoyao was no fool; the key to finding a plan lay in how to proceed.
"In my humble opinion," he said, "first, we should comfort the brothers who died last night, appease the damaged civilians in the city, release government and private slaves, and develop our followers to win popular support. Second, we should train the army, equip it with the necessary gear, enforce military discipline, and quickly build up a fighting force capable of directly engaging the regular army. Third, before the arrival of Yulong's reinforcements, we should either seize Riyue City in the central region to the west, or Shunhe and Donggang in the east, or Baonan in the south, or Beigang in the north, to quickly control a large area of resources, food, and population, thus gaining strategic depth and flexibility. Fourth, we can collect three months' worth of taxes in advance, approximately 400,000 gold coins, to temporarily cope with the difficulties; subsequent expenses can be urgently transported from headquarters..." Whether Ji Wuquan possessed genuine knowledge or was inspired by the Free Army's actions in Jubao Town, his words were logical and well-reasoned.
"Well said!" Xu Xiaoyao and the other high-ranking members of the Yinming Sect couldn't help but look at the unassuming Ji Wumou with new respect.
"In the name of the young master of the Yinming Sect, I temporarily grant Brother Ji the rank of Red Robe Level Three, appointing him as the military advisor of the Bright Army, to assist me in planning all military and political affairs of Zhenbao Island. This will be formally confirmed by the sect leader later. Does anyone have any objections?" Xu Xiaoyao decisively gave Ji Wumou, a man of exceptional wisdom and resourcefulness, demonstrating his extraordinary qualities as the future leader of the sect.
"As you command, young master!" The crowd responded in unison.

Lingbao Pass.
It was nearing dusk, and the sky was darkening. The majestic Lingbao Pass was bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, appearing even more magnificent.
Lingbao Pass was located eighty miles east of Jubao Ferry. Ten miles further east was the largest plain on Zhenbao Island, the Sun and Moon Plain. Ten miles further east was the first inhabited settlement, Lingbao Town, known as the "Granary of Zhenbao." Forty li east of Lingbao Town lies Riyue City, the largest city in the central part of Zhenbao.
Lingbao Pass is built amidst the mountains, with only two city walls and gates, less than two li apart, cutting off the main road that runs east-west. On either side are impassable cliffs hundreds of zhang high. The western city wall, facing Jubao Town, is about fifteen zhang long, clinging to the mountainside to a height of over nine zhang, and six zhang wide. It has three ironwood gates, each two chi thick, requiring several people in control rooms on either side to simultaneously turn winches to open them. The eastern city wall, facing Lingbao Town, is slightly longer, about thirty zhang, with the same height and width as the western wall. Inside Lingbao Pass, on either side of the central section, are valleys about two li in circumference, surrounded by mountains and cliffs.
During the Gaoshan tribe's uprising against Yulong's tyranny, two thousand Gaoshan warriors defended Lingbao Pass, holding off tens of thousands of Yulong's army, buying their people precious time to retreat to the Alang Mountains. Finally, the Jade Dragon Army besieged the pass from both sides, Jubao Town and Lingbao Town, for half a year before finally breaking through when their supplies ran out. Even so, the Jade Dragon Army still suffered nearly 10,000 casualties! Over the years, after being repaired and fortified by the Jade Dragon Army, Lingbao Pass became known as the first pass of treasures—"Heavenly Pass."
The Sun and Moon Plain stretches over 160 li from east to west and is about 100 li wide from north to south. For many years, a network of irrigation canals, built by officials and civilians, has irrigated nearly two million mu of fertile land with water drawn from Sun and Moon Lake, ensuring a good harvest of over six million shi of grain each year. The central region uses about 1.5 million shi annually, while supplying the food-deficient Keelung City and the northeastern region with about 1.5 million shi, and the western port and northwestern region with 400,000 shi, leaves over three million shi of grain to be transported to the Jade Dragon Kingdom to alleviate food shortages during famine years or for military reserves.
The central region is primarily agricultural, with underdeveloped industry and commerce. Its annual tax contribution to the Jade Dragon Kingdom is only around one million gold coins, even less than the northwest region. However, its strategic military importance is paramount. An army cannot move without supplies. Without other influencing factors, occupying the central region, even without taking action, would cause the northeast region centered on Keelung City and the northwest region centered on West Port to fall into disarray due to food shortages if their sea routes for external support were cut off.
Qiu Haoran's retreat to Sun and Moon City and Qiu Shuibo's shift of troops to North Port were both based on understanding this reasoning.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!" A dozen or so riders galloped from the direction of Jubao Town to Lingbao Pass, shouting from a hundred paces away: "Report! The Free Army is attacking, no less than 40,000 men! Twenty miles from here!"
The guards were a company of regular soldiers from the First Battalion under Qiu Yu, the second regiment commander of the Treasure Division. The company commander was Qiu Changhen, thirty-three years old, and a member of a collateral branch of the Qiu family. The Second and Third Battalions, along with the Keelung Third Battalion, all annihilated by the Free Army, comprised nine thousand elite soldiers who had passed through Lingbao Pass, a crucial route to Jubao on the westward journey. Yet, Qiu Changhen hadn't seen a single one return. That morning, however, the Beigang Naval Regimental Commander—"Mad Tiger" Ling Ye—arrived alone, wounded and disheveled, at the pass. Qiu Changhen quickly dispatched men to escort him to Lingbao Town, where the garrison then transported him to Riyue City.
Ling Ye had been injured by Lü Jingwei's "Blazing Sun Palm" during the battle at Pearl Beach, and had also sustained knife and arrow wounds in the chaos. Relying on his profound martial arts skills, he fought his way through and jumped into the sea, using his exceptional swimming abilities to submerge himself beneath the coastal cliffs, thus evading the Free Army's search. He recuperated for over ten days, recovering only seventy percent of his strength. Anxious for the war, he took the official road back to Beigang via Lingbao Pass. "Mad Tiger" Ling Ye was still alive; this was perhaps the best news the Jade Dragon Army and the Qiu family received that day.
"Forty thousand men!" Qiu Changhen gasped. Just over ten days ago, the untrained Free Army had annihilated more than twenty thousand elite Jade Dragon soldiers. Even if they were weaker, the Free Army had at least undergone several days of training. Even if the "Heavenly Pass" was treacherous, if the Free Army spared no expense, they could use thousands of corpses to create a ramp and storm the pass. This company of a thousand Jade Dragon soldiers, even if all were stationed here, would likely be unable to withstand them.
"Quick! Report to Lingbao Town urgently! Two hundred men remain at the east city wall; the rest come this way!" Faced with this formidable enemy, Qiu Changhen could no longer remain calm and urgently requested reinforcements.
Faced with the formidable pass known as the "Heavenly Pass," how could Hua Yinghong devise another ingenious plan?

Volume Four, Chapter Fifty-One: Taking Advantage of the Crisis
. The road to conquering the formidable pass is long and arduous, but now we begin anew.
Hua Yinghong, Miao Youlan, and Ye Zhiqi led 40,000 regular troops of the Free Army, along with the reserve division. Liu Litao and Qin Zhong led two regiments of 20,000 men, totaling 60,000, slowly advancing to the foot of Lingbao Pass.
From afar, the city walls of Lingbao Pass reached over ten zhang high, and with the gate towers, the height was a full twenty zhang. It resembled a colossal, imposing giant, Pangu, standing between two towering peaks, inspiring awe at the wonders of nature and the power of humankind!
Hua Yinghong was overjoyed upon receiving Xue Qianqian's urgent letter. Regardless of the past romance in Jubao Town, avoiding direct conflict with this stunning beauty was always a pleasant prospect. Moreover, Xue Qianqian, acting on the orders of the "Holy Maiden" Ji Xiuqing, would lead the Peach Blossom Palace in full cooperation with the Free Army, on the sole condition of freely spreading the doctrines of the Light Sect within the Free Army's controlled areas. Hua Yinghong had no reason to refuse such a condition.
Any religion, if properly controlled and not threatening the foundation of the regime, was beneficial to the Free Army's power. Hua Yinghong was not averse to the doctrines of the Light Sect; in fact, he quite admired many parts of them. As long as the Light Sect was willing to follow the Free Alliance's laws, they could spread their teachings however they pleased—he believed that with the growing strength of the Free Alliance and the Free Army, they would have sufficient control.
In the past few days, Hua Yinghong, accompanied by Liu Yufei and Miao Youlan, frequently inspected various construction projects in Xigang, appearing at various events, causing a huge uproar among the people wherever they went. In particular, based on Hua Yinghong's suggestion, Liu Ju allocated 10,000 gold coins from the tight budget and mobilized tens of thousands of strong men from the reserve division to level roads, clean up the city, and improve greenery in Xigang City, Jubao Town, and surrounding towns. She also built several beautiful small squares and lawns, giving the towns under her rule a completely new look and allowing the people to truly experience the changes under the Free Army's rule.
"No one doesn't cherish their beautiful home and life; spending this money is worthwhile," Hua Yinghong said earnestly as the gentle and charming Liu Ju, her face flushed with passion, complained about the Free Army's financial situation in her arms. "Only by winning the hearts of the people can the Free Army's regime have a solid foundation. As for the financial problem, there are more solutions than difficulties."
Liu Ju's position as the head of the household registration office was not easy either—the 1.7 million gold coins captured by the Free Army, plus 100,000 in taxes from Xigang that month and 30,000 retained from Jubao Town, totaling 1.83 million gold coins, represented the Free Army's entire fortune. The release of private slaves cost 180,000, special intelligence expenses for the Military Intelligence Division amounted to 100,000, warship orders were placed for 100,000, the establishment of the Internal Affairs Bureau's administrative system cost 400,000, the first month's military pay was 50,000, weapons and equipment were provided, and raw materials were purchased for the Weapon Battalion to manufacture crossbows and catapults... All these expenses, large and small, drained the gold coins like water. After a few days, only 300,000 gold coins remained. It was remarkable that Liu Ju, the "housekeeper," had managed to keep track of each expense so clearly, though she had lost weight from exhaustion. Hua Yinghong, feeling sorry for her, hugged her tightly and showered her with affection.
Stimulated by the Free Army's extravagant spending, all industries in Xigang City and Jubao Town made a fortune. In addition, the appearance of the cities had greatly improved, and many overt and covert forces were eager to cooperate. If the Free Army were to win again, no one would doubt its bright future; at least it would have the strength to carve out a territory on Zhenbao Island. Hua Yinghong declined all invitations, leaving them all to the shrewd and experienced Lü Jingwei to handle. The only exception was a secret meeting, arranged by Feng Yanran, with Nangong Wang of Baoyue Tower, the representative of the Nangong family on Treasure Island. Only Hua Yinghong and Nangong Wang knew the details of their discussion.
Conquering the world is easy, building it up is difficult. The myriad of complex affairs left the newly formed Free Alliance exhausted, but the ever-changing, vibrant atmosphere brought smiles to many faces.
Information from Peach Blossom Palace and the Military Intelligence Bureau led Hua Yinghong to decide to press the attack on Tianguan Pass. The Demonic Sect had succeeded in Keelung City, and the Jade Dragon Army's main fighting force on Treasure Island had been essentially wiped out. If they didn't seize the maximum benefit while the Qiu Clan's army was still at sea, it would be a disservice to Xu Xiaoyao's generous gift!
In the past ten days or so, the Free Army's rigorous training and achievements greatly satisfied Hua Yinghong—an army's strength is built through training and victories. Hua Yinghong, with his thousands of years of military experience, knew this very well…
“Brother, should we launch the attack according to plan?” After several battles, Ye Zhiqiu seemed much more mature. His intelligence and eagerness to learn military strategy made Hua Yinghong very optimistic about his future. A few days ago, he had spent half a day using the Heaven and Earth Foundation Establishment Method to open Ye Zhiqiu's meridians, supplemented by his unique training method. Ye Zhiqiu's skill rapidly increased to the fourth rank, while Hua Yinghong himself was exhausted, only recovering after half a day thanks to the profound power of the Primordial Chaos True Qi. Recalling how casually Lang Qingyun and Guan Shanyue had established their foundations for him, Hua Yinghong realized the vast difference between himself and a Divine Rank expert, secretly vowing never to attempt foundation establishment or meridian opening for others lightly unless absolutely necessary.
At less than eighteen years old, Ye Zhiqiu, as deputy division commander, led 40,000 troops of the Free Army. Recalling their first meeting and sworn brotherhood in the iron mine prison, only a dozen days later, the saying "heroes are often butchers" had become a stark reality, almost like a dream. A hint of excitement appeared on his face.
"Third brother, a commander's impetuousness is a major taboo in military strategy," Hua Yinghong said, seeing Ye Zhiqiu's youthful arrogance. "Practice your skills more, study military strategy thoroughly, and practice the Mind Concentration Technique more."
Ye Zhiqiu's heart tightened, and he solemnly replied, "Thank you for your guidance, elder brother!"
Hua Yinghong nodded and ordered the messenger, "Catapults, long-range attack!"
About four hundred paces from the western city wall of Lingbao Pass, dozens of pre-prepared catapults launched two-foot-square oil-soaked wooden blocks from afar. More than a hundred rockets followed, striking the blocks and igniting them in mid-air before hurling them towards the high city wall of Lingbao Pass!
"Quick! Protect the oil barrels and hide them in the city tower!" At Lingbao Pass, Qiu Changhen, the captain of the Jade Dragon Army, hadn't expected that the Free Army's catapults would be launching flammable wooden blocks instead of stones. The oil barrels originally intended for use against the Free Army as they scaled the walls now needed to be carefully protected to avoid being hit and setting themselves ablaze. The Free Army was indeed cunning, and their archery skills, especially their ability to fire wooden blocks from the air
, were formidable. "Catapults, retaliate!" The city wall only had enough space for a dozen or so medium and small catapults. Four hundred paces seemed a bit far, but the Free Army's wooden blocks were of suitable weight and could be launched up the wall. From the high vantage point of the pass, the stones could also be reached, at least enough to roll and destroy the Free Army's catapults.
In an instant, a catapult battle erupted before Lingbao Pass, the difference being that one side was throwing flaming wooden blocks, while the other was hurling heavy stones!
"Order the entire army to prepare for the assault on Lingbao Pass!" Hua Yinghong glanced at the sky behind Lingbao Pass and gave the order. Except for a few individuals, the rest were puzzled by Hua Yinghong's command, but out of their almost fanatical admiration for this extraordinary commander , they prepared to fight their way through the pass.
Lingbao Pass was known as the "Heavenly Pass," guarded by nearly a thousand elite Jade Dragon regular troops. Even with Hua Yinghong's extraordinary command, how could such a direct assault easily break through without the deaths of thousands, perhaps even tens of thousands?
Unless, of course, the Free Army had grown wings and could fly down to the pass!

Qiu Haoran and Cao Leshui arrived at Riyue City before sunset.
In the battle against the Demonic Cult in Keelung City, Qiu Haoran and Cao Leshui underestimated the Demonic Cult's potential strength. Their defeat stemmed primarily from inaccurate intelligence and insufficient assessment of the Demonic Cult members in the eight towns and the appearance of the "Yinming Iron Guard." The defeat was devastating—Qiu Haoran's forces, including 400 elite cavalry, numbering only slightly over 3,000 Jade Dragon Army
soldiers, broke through the outer city's east gate. Cao Leshui and his Jade Dragon spies also suffered heavy losses, reduced to less than 300 men. In breaking through the Demonic Cult's interception and escaping pursuit, on the open plains, the Jade Dragon Army's "Iron Triangle" formation displayed terrifying power, quickly killing over 3,000 Demonic Cult members in the fierce battle! However, the Demonic Cult outnumbered them, and their core disciples possessed formidable martial arts skills; the Jade Dragon Army also lost several hundred men.
After crossing the Jinsha River Bridge, Qiu Haoran's forces were reduced to less than 3,000 men, and Cao Leshui's elite spies numbered only about 200. Leaving only 300 cavalrymen to cover the rear, preventing the Demonic Cult, which lacked cavalry, from rashly crossing the bridge to pursue, Qiu Haoran and his group hurriedly traveled dozens of miles before entering Sun and Moon City.
Sun and Moon City currently has a force of 16,000 men, including 5,000 regular soldiers from the original Treasure Division, 5,000 regular soldiers supplemented by the guard force, 4,000 existing local guards, and 3,000 newly recruited soldiers. After the battle of Jubao Town, the Second Regiment of the Treasure Division was reduced to only 4,000 men, of whom 1,000 were reassigned as core members to rebuild the Second and Third Battalions. Currently, the Third Battalion is still stationed in Lingbao Town, and another 1,000 men, namely Qiu Changhen's squadron, are stationed at Lingbao Pass. The truly reliable fighting force is only 7,000 men remaining—
The Jade Dragon Army, transformed from a local guard force, and the guards who newly joined to make a living, were fundamentally different from the newly independent Free Army. Their training and fighting prowess were incomparable. Even with only ten days of training, the difference in combat effectiveness was obvious. Qiu Haoran knew perfectly well that beneath the submissive exterior of those slaves lay immense power, which, if properly exploited, would unleash to astonishing and unstoppable force!
Despite giving the Free Army sufficient attention from its inception and exhausting all efforts, he still couldn't stop the flames from burning and spreading. Qiu Haoran could only lament that perhaps he was truly getting old!
As for the Demonic Cult, Keelung City currently had over 50,000 troops. Their core members were highly skilled in martial arts, and even ordinary members possessed considerable skill, making them formidable in individual combat. Even without knowledge of military strategy or battle formations, their sheer numbers alone were more than the forces of Sun Moon City could withstand. If a skilled individual were to take charge and coordinate, the situation on Treasure Island would deteriorate even further!
All of this ultimately stemmed from the disastrous failure of "Operation Fishnet"—if Qiu Haoran had two more large battalions of Jade Dragon Army troops at his disposal, how could the Demonic Cult have captured Keelung City?
"Order Lingbao Pass, Beigang, and other locations to strengthen scouting and guard against attacks from the Free Army or the Demonic Cult." Qiu Haoran, a shrewd and experienced general, naturally understood that the Free Army, with its cunning tactics, would not easily let go of the opportune moment to exploit the Demonic Cult's disturbances in Keelung City.
At this moment, his only hope was that Qiu Shuibo's fleet would arrive quickly with favorable winds. With 60,000 elite Jade Dragon Army troops and a navy under the leadership of the resourceful Qiu Shuibo, surely they could turn the tide?
"Report! Urgent report from Lingbao Town: At least 40,000 Free Army troops are attacking Lingbao Pass; the Third Battalion has dispatched 1,000 men to reinforce!" Shortly after the messenger left, Qiu Haoran received the urgent report!
Just as Qiu Haoran had predicted, the Free Army had come to take advantage of the chaos! Hua Yinghong, who called himself the "Son of Freedom," was indeed exceptionally cunning!
Could the formidable "Heavenly Pass" stop the advance of tens of thousands of Free Army troops?

Volume 4, Chapter 52: Taking Heavenly
Pass by Cleverly. At Lingbao Pass,
most of the burning logs launched by the Free Army's catapults were thrown outside the city walls by the Jade Dragon Army guarding the pass, while many others landed directly beneath the walls, piling up continuously. A raging fire had already broken out beneath the western wall of Lingbao Pass, its intense heat felt even from the gate!
Qiu Changhen didn't know what the Free Army was up to—if they thought they could take Lingbao Pass with such a fire attack, they were being far too naive. The walls of Lingbao Pass were entirely constructed of hard boulders mixed with glutinous rice paste; even if the fire burned for ten days and ten nights, it wouldn't collapse—besides, if necessary, water could be poured down from the gate to suppress the fire.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The heavy war drums of the Free Army resounded—"The Free Army will prevail! Long live freedom!" The deafening shouts of 60,000 men echoed through the sky, shaking even the well-trained and battle-hardened Jade Dragon Army on the pass!
"They're here!" Qiu Changhen's heart tightened; the Free Army had finally decided to launch a full-scale attack!
"Report! One thousand reinforcements from Lingbao Town at the East Gate request entry!"
"Have you verified their tokens and passwords?" Qiu Changhen asked cautiously. Because of the crucial location of Lingbao Pass, even the Jade Dragon Army had to present their tokens in baskets and verify a specially prepared password before entering, mainly to prevent the enemy from deceiving them.
"The tokens have been verified, and the three passwords have been checked without error!" Clearly, the person in charge of defending the eastern wall had not dared to be careless and was strictly adhering to military regulations.
"Let them in quickly and send them directly to the western wall to reinforce!" Qiu Changhen was overjoyed upon hearing this and put aside his concerns. According to the timeline, the Lingbao Town reinforcements were expected to arrive around this time. With two thousand men available to rotate and defend the city, it would be extremely difficult for the Free Army to capture the pass unless they sprouted wings.
"Kill!" The deafening battle cries of sixty thousand Free Army soldiers were terrifying. Qiu Changhen saw the vanguard of the Free Army, clad in black armor and red robes, marching in perfect unison towards the pass, almost within range of the catapults on the city wall. He was about to order the catapults to fire—
"Kill!" A deafening battle cry suddenly rang out from the east city wall!
"Report! The east gate has fallen!" Less than half a quarter of an hour after the order to welcome reinforcements into the city was given, a messenger ran up breathlessly to report to Qiu Changhen!
Qiu Changhen felt a buzzing in his head, and the world spun around him—
******** ****
A graceful figure, Xue Qianqian, her face veiled in a light gauze, stood on a corner of the twenty-foot-high city wall of Lingbao Pass, her flowing ribbons making her appear like a fairy in the wind. Those clear eyes seemed to pierce through the distance of over four hundred paces, locked tightly with Hua Yinghong's gaze.
It had only been a short separation of ten days or so, yet it felt like ten months, even ten years.
Behind the Peach Blossom Fairy were the Four Peach Blossom Maidens and over three hundred elite disciples of the Peach Blossom Palace, each possessing skills of at least the sixth rank. Originally, in preparation for the uprising on Treasure Island, Xue Qianqian had mobilized a large number of elite personnel from the Peach Blossom Palace within the Jade Dragon Kingdom. Although far inferior to the Yinming Sect, they were still a formidable fighting force. The "Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao's momentary folly had caused the Yinming Sect and the Peach Blossom Palace to turn against each other, benefiting Hua Yinghong and the Free Army. Otherwise, with these elite experts from the Peach Blossom Palace, and the Peach Blossom Palace's direct followers whose identities remained unrevealed, the Demonic Sect would not have suffered such heavy losses in the battle of Keelung City.
The battle of Keelung City initially began with almost evenly matched forces. If the elite forces of Peach Blossom Palace were added, Qiu Haoran's Jade Dragon Army would have suffered an even more crushing defeat, perhaps not even escaping Keelung City!
The three gates of Lingbao Pass's west city opened with the sound of triggers; the seemingly impregnable "Heavenly Pass" was easily captured by the Free Army, or more precisely, by Hua Yinghong through a clever scheme!
Ba Tian's imposing figure and countless special forces soldiers stood on the west city wall, celebrating this incredible victory—
four days earlier, in the early morning before dawn, Ba Tian, Qin Tiezhu, and the "Forty-Eight Arrows of the High Mountains," leading three thousand special forces soldiers, under secret instructions from Hua Yinghong, left Jubao Town under the pretext of special training in the Alang Mountains. In reality, they marched upstream along the Wanquan River via the copper mine camp, searching for a path leading to the Sun and Moon Plains that Qin Tiezhu remembered.
This kind of training seemed commonplace for the Free Army for the past ten days or so. The loss of three thousand men from an army of tens of thousands didn't attract much attention. Most of Yulong's spies and military intelligence personnel in and around Jubao Town had been eliminated, making the departure of the special forces a highly confidential matter.
At the pre-battle meeting secretly convened by Hua Yinghong, the group discussed for a long time, devising many plans, but none could achieve the goal of a surprise attack on Lingbao Pass. The reason was that the only land route to the Riyue Plain passed through Lingbao Pass. Even if the special forces were transported by sea using warships, they would be discovered by the sentry ships from Beigang City or scouts near Lingbao Town. Once Lingbao Town and Lingbao Pass became alert, given the formidable natural defenses of this "heavenly pass," the Free Army would have to pay the price of at least several thousand lives, and it was uncertain whether they could capture it quickly.
Time was the most precious resource for the Free Army. If Qiu Shuibo's 60,000 elite troops successfully landed in the Zhenbao Strait and seized key positions, the Free Army would be no match for them on the vast plains.
Finally, Qin Tiezhu recalled that twenty years ago, after the Gaoshan tribe's uprising failed, his master—the current Grand Elder of the Gaoshan tribe, Miao Tieshan—led him to escape the Riyue Plain, avoiding Lingbao Pass which was besieged by the Jade Dragon Army, and taking a mountain path to the Alang Mountains. However, due to the passage of time, that path was no longer used, except for the section across the Wanquan River, which he still remembered.
Hua Yinghong, however, was overjoyed! Because wherever people had walked, the special forces could march! The special forces were elites handpicked from the Free Army, equipped with specialized mountaineering and water-crossing equipment, and undergoing specialized climbing training. With the aid of martial arts and agility, coupled with the most advanced special operations concepts and equipment, the special forces were far superior to the so-called "special forces" of his otherworldly origin. Even cliffs and precipices could be traversed—based on this consideration, Hua Yinghong devised a bold plan to launch a surprise attack on Lingbao Pass.
The official road from Jubao Town to Lingbao Pass was over eighty li long. With the grueling training methods described in the *Hua Zi Training Manual*, coupled with the special forces soldiers' exceptional skills—everyone began practicing the Heaven and Earth or Void-Breaking Techniques—and supplemented by Hua Yinghong's unique method of training while moving, the special forces soldiers could reach their destination in just over two hours if they marched and trained simultaneously along the official road. However, guided by Qin Tiezhu's hazy memories, the special forces soldiers suffered greatly after crossing the upper reaches of the Wanquan River—
twenty years had passed, and the original path was now blocked by weeds and bushes, nowhere to be found. The special forces had to rely on the direction of the Riyue Plain, navigating mountains and ridges, often cutting through the undergrowth in many places, and using grappling hooks and other tools to climb over insurmountable peaks, making the fully armed special forces soldiers' lives extremely difficult—Lingbao Pass, which should have taken just over two hours on the official road, took the special forces soldiers more than three days to finally see the vast Riyue Plain!
In the mountains near Lingbao Pass, Batian made contact with his Peach Blossom Palace subordinates, who had secretly infiltrated the mountains and were waiting, having received Xue Qianqian's orders. Three thousand special forces soldiers and over three hundred Peach Blossom Palace experts had already secured advantageous terrain and lay in ambush on both sides of the main road leading to Lingbao Pass.
Hua Yinghong's attack on Lingbao Pass with 60,000 troops and his show of a desperate assault were merely a bluff; his true aim was to force Lingbao Pass to request reinforcements from Lingbao Town!
Sure enough, the reactions of Qiu Changhen's squadron at Lingbao Pass and the newly established Jade Dragon Army battalion in Lingbao Town were exactly as Hua Yinghong had predicted—a newly established Jade Dragon Army squadron, as if receiving orders from the Free Army, obediently rushed to Lingbao Pass, only to be ambushed the moment they entered the mountains!
The ambush was a foregone conclusion—the Jade Dragon Army squadron, completely unprepared, was caught off guard by the sudden attack from the Free Army special forces, who appeared like divine intervention, and remained stunned for a long time! The fifty Divine Crossbows and three hundred Divine Craft Crossbows hastily produced by the Armory fired in a single volley, 900 bolts claiming the lives of over five hundred men. The remaining Jade Dragon Army, attempting to resist, were then subjected to a second wave of attacks from the "Forty-Eight Arrows" fired from the high mountains and from six hundred special forces archers who had practiced the "Sun-Shooting Archery" technique for several days. Only a few dozen highly skilled and experienced veterans and officers of the Jade Dragon Army escaped their fate.
The sudden and fierce attack left the Jade Dragon Army company commanders so caught up in the chaos that they didn't even think to send out a signal—they were too busy shooting to avoid the rain of arrows to spare any chance to attack.
Xue Qianqian, who had rushed to the scene with the four Peach Blossom girls before the ambush, had already witnessed the Free Army's prowess in the Battle of Panlong Ridge, so she didn't feel anything particularly special about it. The experts under the Peach Blossom Palace changed color one by one.
In terms of martial arts, most of the Free Army's special forces members, including their leader Ba Tian and the elite "Forty-Eight Arrows of the High Mountain," were at most at the fifth or sixth rank. These usually arrogant Peach Blossom Palace experts had previously looked down on them. However, the two volleys of deadly arrows sent shivers down their spines. They each considered that if they were in the same situation as the Jade Dragon Army, how many could survive such a powerful and dense barrage of arrows, especially the "Forty-Eight Arrows of the High Mountain" with their divine skill and powerful internal energy? There was no better way than to withstand the attack with their own powerful internal energy and weapons. But in such a dense rain of arrows, how much internal energy could one person sustain without stopping? They feared that before even reaching close combat, many would be riddled with arrows!
In the ensuing battle, Ba Tian and the special forces witnessed the extraordinary close-combat abilities of the Peach Blossom Palace experts. They were not disappointed—Xue Qianqian didn't even need to lift a finger. Over three hundred highly skilled Peach Blossom Palace subordinates moved like lightning, swiftly attacking the remaining dozens of Jade Dragon Army soldiers on the official road, and within moments, they had all been surrounded and killed. Except for the company commander who was captured alive, none escaped! Aside from a few minor injuries, none of the Peach Blossom Palace subordinates were killed.
Ba Tian and the others couldn't help but admire the high level of martial arts these men possessed. In close combat, even with the current skill level of the special forces, three thousand men might not be able to withstand these three hundred experts. As the saying goes, every inch has its strength, and every foot its weakness—this first covert contest between the Free Army's most elite special forces and the Peach Blossom Palace's elite experts fostered mutual respect between the cooperating parties and filled them with confidence in their future cooperation…
Under the Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian's Soul-Capturing Peach Blossom Technique, the company commander revealed the token, entry pass, and other information without reservation. Ba Tian led a thousand special forces soldiers disguised as reinforcements from Lingbao Town. The Yulong garrison and Qiu Changhen, momentarily stunned by the overwhelming force of tens of thousands of Free Army soldiers outside the west city wall, were tricked into opening the east gate. Xue Qianqian led the Peach Blossom Palace experts and two thousand special forces soldiers into the pass. Qiu Changhen only had time to send the signal "Lingbao Pass has fallen" before being killed by the Demonic Sect experts. The supposedly unbreakable "Heavenly Pass" was thus captured by the Free Army!
"There are no impregnable passes in the world, only undying hearts." Hua Yinghong's pre-battle assessment, made during the easy capture of Lingbao Pass, became a legendary saying!
"Initiate the lightning operation as planned!" Hua Yinghong ordered Ye Zhiqiu beside him, then took Miao Youlan's hand, gave it a light squeeze, and leaped into the air. In a flash, he had covered more than ten zhang (approximately 33 meters), then another ten zhang, and under the tender, affectionate gaze of Xue Qianqian's beautiful eyes from the city wall, he sped towards the city gate at astonishing speed—
"Long live the Sons of Freedom! Long live the Free Army!" Those Free Army soldiers who had never seen Hua Yinghong display his martial arts skills in public cheered loudly, their shouts shaking the heavens, as their commander moved with lightning speed, faster than a galloping horse. Then, like a tidal wave, they surged into Lingbao Pass!

"Bang!" Qiu Haoran received the urgent report and slammed his palm heavily on the table. The force of his blow shattered the mahogany table into fine powder, scattering it all over the ground. This showed how shocked the loss of Lingbao Pass had been to this usually mature and composed old general!
The loss of Keelung City had never shocked and terrified the old general like this: once Qiu Shuibo's army arrived, the situation could be reversed in a short time. But with the loss of Lingbao Pass, known as the "Heavenly Gate," tens of thousands of Free Army soldiers could easily advance, and the entire Lingbao Town, Riyue City, and the central and western parts of the Riyue Plain would be under their command. At this moment, there was no time to investigate the cause of the loss of Lingbao Pass; how to protect Riyue City, this strategic stronghold, before Qiu Shuibo's reinforcements arrived was the most urgent matter!
From "Mad Tiger" Ling Ye, he learned that the individual combat strength of the Free Army was far inferior to that of the Jade Dragon Army and the Demonic Cult members, but their cunning and ruthless methods made them even more difficult to deal with than the Demonic Cult. The easy loss of Lingbao Pass, the "Heavenly Gate," must have been due to some conspiracy or trickery—in comparison, Qiu Haoran would rather have a real battle with the Demonic Cult members.
"Immediately issue an urgent order! The Jade Dragon Army and its guards in Lingbao Town must retreat to Riyue City at full speed! The cavalry must immediately assemble and leave the city to provide support! Send a message to the Second Division and the Legion Headquarters..." The Free Army was coming with overwhelming force. Lingbao Town's city walls were low and offered no natural defenses. If only a few thousand Jade Dragon Army soldiers were stationed there, they would be easy prey for the powerful Free Army. Qiu Haoran could only concentrate his forces in Riyue City, relying on its sturdy walls to hold out, awaiting reinforcements from Qiu Shuibo's army.
"Send an order to the garrison in Baonan City..." After much consideration, Qiu Haoran issued a secret order to the Second Battalion of the First Regiment, which controlled strategic resources such as ironwood and gold mines seventy miles south of Keelung City.
What kind of fierce battle will unfold on the beautiful Riyue Plain?

Volume 4, Chapter 53: Lightning Operation,
Lingbao Pass City Tower.
Hua Yinghong and Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian embraced tightly, as if they wished they could squeeze their bodies together and become one… Their four fiery lips greedily sucked at each other, their tongues intertwined, lost in ecstasy…
After more than ten days apart, it felt as if they had been separated for ten years. They didn't exchange a single word upon meeting, but instead embraced tightly and kissed passionately—the four women, Yufei, Youlan, Liulan, and Liuju, had spent almost every night with Hua Yinghong, yet none could replace the mature and alluring body and captivating charm of Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian in his heart. His strong hands gripped Xue Qianqian's slender waist so tightly it seemed about to break, her two soft, pure breasts pressed against his strong chest muscles through her thin autumn dress, the friction sending a tingling, electrifying sensation through them.
Gradually, Hua Yinghong's large hand moved restlessly toward Xue Qianqian's smooth and soft buttocks, gently caressing and kneading them, then moving from behind...
Xue Qianqian let out a soft moan and suddenly pushed Hua Yinghong away gently, maintaining a "safe distance," and said in a sweet voice, "Sister Youlan is here!"
Only then did Hua Yinghong sense that Miao Youlan's light, delicate footsteps were coming from more than ten feet away. He knew that Xue Qianqian's skill was much higher than his own, and that Miao Youlan must have deliberately made a sound to tell him something.
Sure enough, Miao Youlan's voice came from outside: "Brother, the Jade Dragon Army of Lingbao Town has abandoned the town and fled. Ye Zhi Qiu has already led his troops to pursue them."
Hua Ying Hong took Xue Qianqian's snow-white hand and said softly, "Sister Qian, how about we spend the night at the foot of Riyue City tonight?"
Xue Qianqian gently kissed him, murmuring as if drunk and infatuated, "If you say yes, then yes..." Since falling in love with her lover, Xue Qianqian had found herself unable to resist any of his requests, for she enjoyed the wonderful taste of this spiritual and physical harmony. After the "Holy Maiden" Ji Xiuqing had allowed her to let go of the burden of ten years, her mind had been completely devoted to her love for her lover. Unconsciously, she had secretly mastered the profound meaning of the Peach Blossom Charm Technique, which combined spiritual and physical cultivation, and her skill level had increased by leaps and bounds. Now, her spring passion was stirred, and she couldn't wait to be intimate with her lover...
"Sister Qian, let's go!" Hua Ying Hong said softly, reluctantly suppressing the burning desire in his heart.
Their romance had a long way to go, but the war with the Jade Dragon Army was imminent!

In recent days, the Peach Blossom Palace of the Demonic Cult had been noticeably more active near Lingbao Town. The reason the Lingbao Town garrison had only sent a thousand men to reinforce Lingbao Pass was to prevent the Demonic Cult from launching an uprising. Although Lingbao Town wasn't large, it was known as a "granary" and couldn't be lost.
Smoke signals were the fastest way to signal in the plains. The Jade Dragon Army in Lingbao Town had already assembled and was ready to reinforce Lingbao Pass, but upon receiving the smoke signal from Sun and Moon City, they withdrew at full speed.
"Damn it, they run faster than rabbits!" Chang Shengqiu, the first battalion commander of the Free Army's direct regiment, led his cavalry squadron twenty li from Lingbao Pass. By the time they reached Lingbao Town, the Jade Dragon Army was already far away. The Peach Blossom Palace's subordinates had already opened the city gates. Chang Shengqiu waved briefly to the city wall, then led his cavalry through the town, chasing after the Jade Dragon Army.
The Free Army left a reserve battalion each at Lingbao Pass and Lingbao Town to garrison the area. The remaining 53,000+ troops, including Peach Blossom Palace experts, special operations detachments, regular divisions, and reserve divisions, followed closely behind the dust raised by Chang Shengqiu's cavalry squadron, advancing towards Riyue City!
On the vast Riyue Plain, besides Riyue City, there was only Lingbao Town and a dozen or so small towns; the rest were mostly farms and villages, with very few densely populated towns. The Jade Dragon Army also had limited troop deployment. Given this situation, once Riyue City was captured, the Free Army could easily sweep across the entire plain.
From Lingbao Town to Riyue City, a distance of over forty li, Jade Dragon Army cavalry scouts continuously raised smoke signals along the way, reporting the Free Army's marching speed!
About twenty miles from Riyue City, Chang Shengqiu's cavalry squadron caught up with the rear guard of the Yulong Army from Lingbao Town, who were retreating to Riyue City.
Chang Shengqiu was overjoyed. He had suffered constant suppression and was not given important positions in the Yulong Army because his name was considered taboo. After joining the Free Army, he thrived. He was first entrusted with important responsibilities, leading the Free Army's only three hundred cavalrymen to a resounding victory in the Battle of Jubao Ferry. After the army expanded, he was appointed the first battalion commander of the directly subordinate regiment of the regular division, entrusting him with the command of the entire army's only one thousand cavalrymen and three thousand selected elite soldiers. A soldier will die for one who understands him. In recent days, Chang Shengqiu had been training his men relentlessly, generously passing on his unique "Chaotic Wind Blade Technique" to his brothers.
Among these one thousand cavalrymen, six hundred lancers practiced the "Wind's Nine Strikes" spear technique taught by the chief spear instructor, Feng Yanran. Chang Shengqiu was initially resentful that Feng Yanran, a delicate and beautiful woman, was appointed as the chief spear instructor, and forbade his subordinates to learn spear techniques. However, Legion Commander Hua Yinghong intervened, arranging for Feng Yanran and Chang Shengqiu to have a public horseback duel. The tall and strong Chang Shengqiu, under Feng Yanran's "Nine Strikes of Fengran," could only parry and had no chance to retaliate! Only then was he convinced of his superior skill.
This was only because Feng Yanran held back; otherwise, with the full power of the "Fengran Heart Sutra," the "Nine Strikes of Fengran," created by the Feng family primarily for battle, would have surely drawn blood from Chang Shengqiu on the spot! Seeing Feng Yanran's beauty and formidable spear skills, Chang Shengqiu's subordinates naturally became very interested in spear techniques and trained with extra diligence. Fortunately, Chang Shengqiu's personal guard and the first squad, accustomed to longswords, gave their captain some face.
Chang Shengqiu, being a forthright person, let bygones be bygones. Moreover, the presence of a stunning beauty like Feng Yanran teaching marksmanship in the army was the perfect stimulus to boost the soldiers' combat skills and morale. Watching his brothers train like madmen, Chang Shengqiu was secretly pleased: he, the battalion commander, would always be the one to benefit!
Feng Yanran's reputation as the "Free Army Flower" spread throughout the army in just a few days, her fame rivaling that of the "Goddess of Liberty," Liu Yufei!
"Brothers! It's time for our cavalry to shine! Second and third squads, flank them from both sides, the rest of you follow me through the center! Kill!" Chang Shengqiu, seeing the special forces' great achievement in capturing Lingbao Pass, was already itching for action. Seeing the fleeing Jade Dragon Army, he immediately ordered a charge—
warhorses galloped, and under the still-dark night sky, three cavalry squads, like three giant dragons, swept towards the fleeing Jade Dragon Army and guards of Lingbao Town, intending to devour these more than three thousand men in one gulp!
On the wide, flat official road, and across the fields on both sides, the sounds of horses neighing, men shouting, swords clashing, screams of agony, and rivers of blood filled the air…
The Yulong Army of Lingbao Town was newly established. Apart from some transferred core members of the regular Yulong Army, the soldiers, transformed from guards, had never seen such a large-scale battle before. With just one charge from the cavalry, hundreds were killed or wounded under swords, spears, and hooves; the rest threw down their weapons and surrendered. The newly recruited guards were even more incompetent; some deserted before they even left Lingbao Town, and many more took the opportunity to escape along the way… After the cavalry had penetrated the enemy lines, only about two thousand men remained. Hearing the shouts and hoofbeats of the Free Army, they abandoned their weapons and fled in all directions before even getting close!
Chang Shengqiu led his troops to encircle and suppress the more than one hundred genuine elite Yulong Army soldiers who were stubbornly resisting.
"Gentlemen, are you not going to surrender?" Chang Shengqiu roared, gathering his strength. Legion Commander Hua Yinghong had instructed him to capture as many Yulong Army soldiers as possible for future use, and Chang Shengqiu dared not disobey. Although the Legion Commander was young, he was resourceful and not one to be outwardly disobedient!
"Glory is our life!" Over a hundred Yulong Army infantrymen were surrounded by a thousand cavalry; the outcome was predictable—certain death! But none of the Yulong Army under Qiu's command surrendered; instead, they shouted slogans in unison—of course, Qiu Shuibian's surrender at Jubao Ferry was an exception among exceptions!
"Kill!" Soldiers who knew they would die but refused to yield, even if stubbornly unyielding, deserved the respect of their enemies! To avoid any unforeseen complications, Chang Shengqiu gave the order without hesitation. To die under the cavalry's blade was a kind of glory…
"Kill!" The thunderous hooves of horses and riders surged forward, charging into the encircled Yulong Army!
The "Chaotic Wind Blade Technique" and the "Nine Strike of Wind" spear technique displayed formidable power in the mass battle charge. Long swords and spears, wielded with the momentum of their horses, were wiped out in just a few swift charges, wiping out the entire Jade Dragon army within the encirclement!
From the direction of Sun and Moon City in the east, the rapid sound of galloping hooves echoed from afar!
"Listen up, you are not to join the Jade Dragon army again! Otherwise, if you are captured again, you will be killed without mercy!" Chang Shengqiu shouted at the Jade Dragon recruits who had abandoned their weapons and surrendered. The soldiers, as if granted a pardon, scattered and fled to the fields on both sides…
"Retreat!" Although Chang Shengqiu desperately wanted to engage the Jade Dragon elite cavalry head-on, he remembered the strict orders Hua Yinghong had reiterated during the pre-battle deployment to prevent commanders from acting rashly and ruining important military matters. Suppressing his fighting spirit, he led his cavalry westward back the way they had come.
Whether due to poor horsemanship, post-battle fatigue, or intentional mismanagement, the Free Army cavalry's pace was significantly slower than when they arrived…
"Chase!" "Jade-Faced Tiger" Qiu Shuitao and the remaining thousand Jade Dragon elite cavalry of the Treasure Division galloped to the battlefield. They found only corpses, limbs, and wounded soldiers scattered everywhere; the military flag had been captured, and the rear of the Free Army cavalry could be seen a mile ahead. Qiu Shuitao disregarded Qiu Haoran's warning to "beware of tricks" and led the Jade Dragon cavalry in hot pursuit!
After escaping Keelung City that morning, they had been pursued by countless demonic cult masters and followers, each fighting with unwavering courage and self-sacrifice. Yet, Qiu Shuitao, Qiu Changling, and Qiu Changhe's three hundred cavalry, employing an "iron triangle formation," had still managed to kill several thousand of them, leaving them in dire straits. On the plains, the Jade Dragon elite cavalry were kings of the plains; they had never feared anyone.
Some fled, some pursued; amidst the thunderous hooves, ten miles passed in the blink of an eye.
Seeing the pursuers closing in, the distance no more than a hundred feet, Qiu Shuitao was about to order a faster charge when the Free Army cavalry suddenly stopped, circled their horses, and turned back, ready for battle!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!..." The war drums sounded—
"Kill!" Countless Free Army soldiers rose up from both sides of the official road, about two miles away, alongside the Free Army cavalry—a dark mass, probably numbering in the tens of thousands! The vanguard on both sides rapidly converged on the center of the official road. Judging by their high speed and the fact that their formation remained relatively intact, it was clear that after ten days of training, the Free Army was no weakling.
"We've fallen for their trap! Quickly, we'll fight our way back!" Qiu Shuitao was startled and, gathering his inner energy, shouted the order. In an instant, the scene of the fishing net formation at Jubao Town's Dragon Beach, described by "Mad Tiger" Ling Ye
, flashed through his mind. If the Free Army repeated its old tricks, without infantry support, his thousand cavalrymen might be forced off their horses or unable to charge, and the entire army might be in danger of annihilation! The three thousand special forces soldiers flanking them were still fifty paces from the official road. The well-trained Jade Dragon elite cavalry had already turned their horses around and charged towards Sun and Moon City.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!..." With a command, more than 1,500 arrows were fired from fifty divine crossbows, three hundred divine crossbows, and six hundred and thirty powerful bows, causing the rear guard of the Jade Dragon elite cavalry to fall from their horses, with more than two hundred men falling from their horses, either dead or wounded!
Qiu Shuitao suppressed the urge to turn back and fight to the death, and led the remaining seven hundred or so cavalrymen to flee in a cloud of dust!
Hua Yinghong stood on his horse, seeing that the plan to lure and annihilate the Jade Dragon elite cavalry had failed due to the enemy commander's cleverness and his own lack of preparation, and secretly regretted it. The Jade Dragon elite cavalry arrived too quickly, and the ambush troops, fearing discovery on horseback, dared not approach the main road too closely. Furthermore, Hua Yinghong, worried that Chang Shengqiu's newly trained cavalry would be no match for the Jade Dragon elite cavalry and suffer heavy losses, was reluctant to engage them in a prolonged battle before encircling and annihilating them. Ultimately, they could only manage to cut off a small portion of the enemy's
rear, a less than satisfactory outcome. "Marching towards Sun and Moon City!" With Hua Yinghong's command, the victorious Free Army , high in morale and full of vigor, rapidly advanced towards Sun and Moon City. It's believed that even if Hua Yinghong ordered
a sweep across the entire island, no one would doubt it at this moment! An invincible army is built on countless victories. Since its founding, under Hua Yinghong's skillful tactics, the Free Army had accumulated small victories into major triumphs. These brilliant achievements had drastically changed the mindset of the slaves, civilians, and mountain tribes who had previously feared the formidable Jade Dragon army: the Jade Dragon army was not as terrifying as they had imagined!
Especially after Hua Yinghong's scheme to capture "Tianguan" effortlessly, no one believed that the Free Army could be invincible under the command of the "Son of Freedom"—it had become a near-fanatical personality cult!
At least for now, this fervor was extremely advantageous to the Free Army—if an army lacked confidence in its commander, what fighting power could it possibly have?
The night was deep, and the lights shone brightly.
Sun and Moon City was like a dazzling pearl on the Treasure Plain. Lanterns hung high on the tall city towers. Less than two hours after the fall of Lingbao Pass, Sun and Moon City had been surrounded on all sides by the Free Army's lightning-fast actions!
Inaction was futile; action was fatal! The Free Army's lightning-fast action brought the battle on Treasure Island into a new phase…
In the Treasure Strait, countless ships sailed with lights on. Was Qiu Shuibo's army still in time?

Volume 4, Chapter 54: Mutual Understanding.
Keelung City, Headquarters of the Bright Army.
"That bitch Xue Qianqian, she really is with that lowly slave who calls himself the Son of Freedom!" Upon receiving a secret report from the Yinming Sect members within Sun and Moon City, knowing that the Free Army, with the help of Peach Blossom Palace, had easily seized Lingbao Pass and besieged Sun and Moon City, the "Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao cursed Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian and Hua Yinghong a thousand times over in his heart… Without Xue Qianqian and without the help of Peach Blossom Palace, this young master still managed to take Keelung City—albeit with heavy losses.
If it weren't for the urgent matters in Keelung City that truly prevented him from being distracted, Xu Xiaoyao would have loved to immediately lead the "Two Elders of Yinming" and the "Yinming Iron Guard" to infiltrate the Free Army camp, tear the never-before-seen Hua Yinghong to pieces, capture Xue Qianqian alive, and humiliate and trample her to vent his hatred!
The thought of his stunningly beautiful woman being held in another's arms ignited a burning jealousy within Xu Xiaoyao, completely disregarding his father Xu Ling's strict order to improve relations with the Peach Blossom Palace.
"Someone! Summon Liwen to my room immediately!" Xu Xiaoyao's jealousy fueled his lust; he only wanted to vent his frustrations on the alluring Liwen. This girl possessed captivating eyes, a slender waist, and full hips. Although her Nine Turns Peach Blossom Seduction Technique had been crippled, her natural charm remained irresistibly alluring…
Having been bogged down in military affairs all day, Xu Xiaoyao had never felt so exhausted. It wasn't until past midnight that the newly appointed strategist of the "Bright Army," Ji Wumou, finished his report and left. Xu Xiaoyao had no chance to visit the brothels of Keelung City to seek pleasure. This monotonous life was driving the naturally amorous and womanizing man to the brink of madness.
“Young Master—” Li Wen entered the room with soft, delicate steps…
******** ****
Sun and Moon City West Gate Tower. Qiu Haoran, Cao Leshui, Qiu Shuitao, and the others looked at the Free Army camp stretching for miles, completely surrounding the city, and were all filled with worry. The Free Army's intentions were unclear; their 40,000 troops blocked the four gates of Sun and Moon City, not launching a night attack, but instead setting up camp far away, setting up barricades and net formations to defend against the Jade Dragon Army cavalry, making it seem like they intended to besiege the city for a long time.
Qiu Haoran absolutely refused to believe that the Free Army wouldn't know that Qiu Shuibo was leading a large army to Zhenbao Island to quell the rebellion and suppress bandits. All indications suggested that the Free Army's intelligence network was quite efficient, even comparable to the Jade Dragon's secret agents before their downfall. Furthermore, with the Peach Blossom Palace clearly providing assistance and cooperation, it was likely that the Free Army's intelligence network, originating from the Restoration Society and the Peach Blossom Palace, had already spread the news as soon as Qiu Shuibo's army left Tenglong Port.
The only explanation is that the Free Army is plotting a new conspiracy. Qiu Haoran felt a chill run down his spine at the unknown yet cunning "Son of Freedom," Hua Yinghong—no major power on the Hua Long Continent has the surname Hua. Perhaps he's just a young prodigy from another powerful force who has changed his name? Qiu Haoran would rather face one of the Four Great Generals than such an unknown opponent! The Four Great Generals of the Hua Long Continent always had some discernible pattern in their strategies and tactics, but Hua Yinghong's methods were utterly chaotic.
In this world, the most powerful are not necessarily the most terrifying. The most terrifying are often the unseen and unpredictable conspiracies!
"Closely monitor the movements of all major forces within the city. Immediately eliminate any unusual activity." Qiu Haoran had learned from the lessons of Keelung City and no longer harbored any illusions about annihilating the opposing forces in one fell swoop. If he could hold Sun and Moon City during the Free Army's siege until Qiu Shuibo's army and his family's experts arrived to relieve the siege, he would be grateful.
When Qiu Yu proposed to launch a surprise attack on the newly established camp of the Free Army, General Qiu Haoran refused without even thinking about it—if the attack fell into the trap of the Free Army, which always preferred night battles, Sun and Moon City would fall immediately!

In the central command tent of the Free Army outside the east gate of Sun and Moon City, however, a different and more alluring scene was unfolding.
Hua Yinghong was indeed plotting something, but not against Yulong Army. Instead, he was targeting the naturally beautiful and stunningly gorgeous Miao Youlan.
After half an hour of passionate lovemaking, the intense physical struggle between Xue Qianqian and Hua Yinghong gradually subsided. Hua Yinghong, shifting angles and positions and relying on the power of his Primordial Chaos True Qi, brought the celestial beauty Xue Qianqian three blissful moments of ecstasy, as if she were about to fly to the heavens, dispelling the lovesickness she had endured for over ten days and making her forget everything… The
Nine Revolutions Peach Blossom Charm Technique, a practice of both spiritual and physical cultivation, was rekindled during the three spiritual and physical unions with her lover. In her extreme excitement, Xue Qianqian thirstily absorbed Hua Yinghong's vibrant essence and Primordial Chaos True Qi, stimulating the peach pit to grow slowly but noticeably. Using that object as a bridge, the Peach Blossom True Qi and Primordial Chaos True Qi flowed and transformed continuously within their bodies…
It was a wonderful sensation she would never forget. In that instant, she even wished to be entwined with her young lover like this forever, never to be separated again…
But that was impossible—
the peerless beauty Miao Youlan watched this vivid and sensual scene unfold. How could a young girl experiencing such things have the rich experience of Xue Qianqian? In recent days, she and Hua Yinghong had been intimate almost every night, but it was always Hua Yinghong who took the initiative to seduce her. She was merely passively receiving and responding, unable to let go of her girlish reserve. Therefore, although she could enjoy the blissful sensation each time, she had never been able to reach the spiritual fusion that Hua Yinghong and Liu Yufei had, or the sublime state that Hua Yinghong and Xue Qianqian had reached, where they could completely understand each other with just their hearts…
Was it that Hua Yinghong's love for her was not as deep as his love for Liu Yufei and Xue Qianqian, or was it because she had not fully opened her heart and soul to the experience? Miao Youlan had some doubts in her heart...
Perhaps she should follow Xue Qianqian's advice—"The woman a man can't live without should be a noblewoman outside, a housewife at home, and a harlot in bed..." As the famous Peach Blossom Palace, she had countless experience books on dealing with men. If she couldn't devote herself wholeheartedly to her passionate love affair with Hua Yinghong, how could she expect him to be completely open to her?
As Miao Youlan's beautiful face flushed with desire, her mind reeling, Hua Yinghong's lips sucked on the rosy bud atop her smooth, soft left breast. His demonic hands, using the "Aphrodisiac Peach Blossom Hand" he had acquired from Xue Qianqian, kneaded the smooth, white breast, arousing the desire of this peerless beauty... The bud grew harder and harder, and Miao Youlan's delicate face glowed with an even more vibrant red. Her cherry lips parted slightly, and she breathed and moaned softly...
The entire tent was shielded by the peach blossom barrier created by Xue Qianqian's unparalleled seductive skills, ensuring that not a single sound of passion or lewd whisper could escape from within.
Xue Qianqian chuckled sweetly, leaning close to Youlan's ear and whispering, "Youlan, my dear sister! To reach the ultimate realm of spiritual and physical cultivation, you must let go of all inhibitions and fully open your heart to Brother Hua..."
As Xue Qianqian whispered in Youlan's ear, she gently kissed the soft, sensitive skin of Youlan's neck, occasionally licking her earlobe. With her other hand, she used the "Aphrodisiac Peach Blossom Hand" to gently rub the clitoris...
Under Xue Qianqian's teasing, Youlan opened her mouth, releasing suppressed moans and gasps. A warm liquid welled up from the depths of her honeyed passage, making her secret place a muddy mess...
Hua Yinghong's fiery lips lightly pressed against Youlan's flawless chest and abdomen, his tongue gently sweeping across her smooth, jade-like skin. Finally...
a tingling, electric sensation shot through Hua Yinghong's fiery lips and tongue... The sensations spread throughout Miao Youlan's body: "Ugh! Sister Qian, no... Oh... Brother... no..."
Xue Qianqian ignored Youlan's moans, continuing to tease the pure and innocent maiden's jade-like neck and soft breasts, while Hua Yinghong continued to play with them...
The pure and lovely Miao Youlan was teased to the point that her jade head shook repeatedly, her silky hair swaying as she cried out shyly, "No... Oh!" She pushed him away with her mouth, but her body swayed passionately...
Xue Qianqian pushed Hua Yinghong's body around, so that she and Miao Youlan were in a head-to-toe position... Xue Qianqian's warm red lips suddenly captured hers...
Hua Yinghong felt so comfortable that the hairs on his body stood on end... Miao Youlan's pure and pretty face turned as red as a peach blossom, unable to bear the intense stimulation any longer. She moaned and pushed away, her passionate beautiful eyes looking closely at the fair-faced, holy and fairy-like Xue Qianqian, her eyes filled with seductive allure... The intensely lewd scene made her open her small mouth and gasp for breath...
"I never imagined Sister Qianqian would be so open..." Miao Youlan had never seen such a sensual and stimulating scene before. The beautiful Xue Qianqian would show such a lewd and unrestrained side!
Xue Qianqian suddenly and swiftly thrust that thing... "Ugh! Ugh—" Caught off guard, Miao Youlan had never experienced anything like this before... A mixture of various aphrodisiac scents assaulted her senses. Miao Youlan closed her beautiful eyes in embarrassment, but instead of resisting or avoiding it, she tried to awkwardly do as Xue Qianqian had done before...
Unlike Xue Qianqian's skillful technique, Miao Youlan had never practiced seductive arts and had no experience. She appeared stiff and clumsy, but waves of pleasure instantly spread throughout Hua Yinghong's body, making his scalp tingle and almost causing him to lose control! It was less about physical pleasure and more about the ultimate psychological enjoyment—Miao Youlan was so pure and ethereal, Xue Qianqian so alluring; only in this strange world where men having multiple wives and concubines was commonplace could one experience such extraordinary and romantic encounters…
Hua Yinghong's innate Primordial Chaos True Qi timely stopped the surging, overflowing pleasure. He straightened up and began his "conquest" of Miao Youlan's jade-like body, using his unique "Spiritual and Desire Dual Cultivation Technique" to guide the Tai Chi sphere in his dantian to transform into an inexhaustible source of Primordial Chaos True Qi, establishing a subtle connection with the Xuan Tian True Qi rising within her body… and then returning to his body through Miao Youlan's fragrant cherry lips… everything seemed as natural and seamless as water and milk blending together…
“Ah!—” After an unknown amount of time, Hua Yinghong could no longer control his rising desire. Countless essences and Primordial Chaos True Qi flowed into Miao Youlan's dantian like a surging river, rapidly transforming into Xuan Tian True Qi…
"Removing the dross and retaining the essence, the Qi is called Xuanqing; Yin and Yang in harmony, the Heavenly Way can be expected..." In that instant when the vibrant essence and primordial Qi merged seamlessly with the Xuan Tian True Qi, the essence of her master's "Xuan Tian Technique" flashed through Miao Youlan's mind. She completely opened her mind, allowing Hua Yinghong's spiritual consciousness to enter the depths of her heart, breaking through the bottleneck of Xuan Tian True Qi cultivation in one fell swoop, reaching a new realm of Yin and Yang harmony!
At this moment, she and her soul were laid bare before Hua Yinghong, and in that instant, like Liu Yufei and Xue Qianqian, she felt and received all of Hua Yinghong's divine consciousness, sensing his strange background, and feeling the same boundless affection Hua Yinghong had for her as he had for all the other women...
Compared to "Fei'er" in that other world, Miao Youlan felt fortunate—at least she could be by her beloved's side. No matter how deeply Hua Yinghong longed for her, "Fei'er" was ultimately too far away, so far that they might never see each other again!
Only now did I understand why Sister Yufei was so gentle and considerate to her lover: it turned out that Hua Yinghong was the otherworldly ruler that his mentor and the "Number One Divine Physician in the World," Guiguzi, had spoken of! What was even more captivating was the endless sorrow and pain hidden deep within his resolute and profound eyes—no one except his closest loved ones knew the heavy shackles on his heart!
If Hua Yinghong were someone who had forgotten his old love for a new one, how could he be worthy of the devoted love of extraordinary women like Sister Yufei and Sister Qian?
In the midst of countless spiritual exchanges, Miao Youlan completely opened her heart to Hua Yinghong and received the same response—
the transformed Xuan Tian True Qi, condensed into a tangible substance, flowed from Miao Youlan's fragrant red lips into Hua Yinghong's mouth. The serene and cool Xuan Tian True Qi immediately permeated his dantian, forming a strange Great Circulation between the two. The earth spun and the heavens spun, and their bodies and minds truly merged into one, seemingly about to drift into the vast night sky…
That night, the Sun and Moon Plains appeared so warm and peaceful.
Also on this night, on the distant Hua Long Continent, across the Treasure Strait, a world-shaking event occurred. A series of changes on Treasure Island finally ignited the first spark in the already critical situation of the Hua Long Continent…

Volume 4, A Matter of Life and Death, Chapter 55: The Crisis of National Extinction.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!…"
Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan threw several urgent military reports to the ground, his jade-like face turning even paler, frighteningly white! Clearly, he was consumed by rage, so furious he had lost all self-control!
In the morning court session, with all the civil and military officials present, Prince Sima Yuan of the Jade Dragon Kingdom hadn't displayed such fury in many years, leaving the ministers exchanging bewildered glances—whether they knew the inside story or not, none dared to speak rashly.
After a moment, Sima Yuan finally spoke—
"The army that was sent to Zhenbao Island to wipe out the free bandits had just set off when Keelung City fell; the Liang army is assembling a large force in Shunde Prefecture, and its navy is also making unusual movements, its intention to take advantage of the chaos is obvious; the Later Tang army's Jiangyin City navy and Southwest Army are also making unusual movements, waiting for an opportunity to cross the river; Japanese pirates have even dared to send four hundred warships to invade Donggang... My lords, is there any 'better' news to report this morning?" Sima Yuan emphasized the word "better."
Faced with such important news, no one dared to speak casually, and the atmosphere in the hall was deathly silent. "Duke Protector of the Nation" Sima Cheng coughed lightly, just about to speak to break the deadlock—
"Urgent military report! Extremely urgent!" As if in response to the question from Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan, an urgent report from the Ministry of War came from outside the hall requesting an audience.
According to the precedent of the Jade Dragon Kingdom: military intelligence is divided into four levels, of which the third level is handled at the discretion of the Minister of War, and those that cannot be decided are then reported to the Jade Dragon King for decision or submitted to the court for discussion. "Urgent" military intelligence must be of extremely serious importance, threatening the safety of the kingdom. It must be reported immediately to both the Jade Dragon King and the Minister of War, even while in bed, at a banquet, or even in the toilet, to avoid missing crucial opportunities. The last time such an urgent intelligence was reported was five years ago when the Jade Dragon Pass, guarded by the Li family of Xiliang County, was briefly breached by the steppe allied forces.
"Heh! Hurry up and report!" Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan laughed instead of being angry. "I want to see if the sky is about to fall!"
"Your Highness, the steppe allied forces launched a surprise attack on the beacon towers at night, and 500,000 troops are attacking the Jade Dragon Pass! 50,000 steppe infantry have crossed the Great Wall, and Minglun City has fallen! And—" An official under the Left Vice Minister of War, specializing in military intelligence, was not qualified to enter the palace due to insufficient rank and knelt outside the palace gates to report.
"What!" Sima Yuan, the Jade Dragon King, couldn't believe his ears. The nomadic tribes of the grasslands had always invaded on horseback; dismounted, they were practically inept at warfare and no match for the armies of the neighboring Golden Dragon and Jade Dragon kingdoms. The Jade Dragon Kingdom, in its westernmost region of Xiliang County, had built a fortified wall stretching over 800 li (approximately 400 kilometers) from the Jade Dragon Mountains in the south to the Jade Dragon River in the north, relying on the terrain. Beacon towers were also erected outside the Jade Dragon Pass to prevent the nomadic cavalry from penetrating deep into the heart of the Jade Dragon Kingdom. Who would have thought that the nomadic people would change their ways, train infantry, and even capture the small border town of Minglun at the foot of the Jade Dragon Mountains?
"Could there be something else?" Sima Yuan abruptly stood up from his throne, his sharp eyes fixed on the minor official, as if he wanted to kill him on the spot—could there be even worse news?
"The Golden Dragon Kingdom... Last night, the Anqing navy of the Golden Dragon Kingdom launched a surprise attack downstream on Jiujiang Port in Changyin Prefecture. One hundred of my Jiujiang navy's warships were burned... Two regiments were completely annihilated, and two other regiments lost forty warships after fierce fighting and retreated downstream. Jiujiang Port has fallen, and the Golden Dragon army is constantly reinforcing its troops! And—"
"Senior Brother Liu, you are ruthless!" Faced with a real crisis, Sima Yuan suddenly calmed down. The current Golden Dragon King, Liu Cao, had studied under the same Daoist master, the Jade Dragon Elder, when he was young, and their relationship as fellow disciples was still quite good. Although they later ruled their own kingdoms and had occasional minor frictions, they still helped each other from time to time to resist the powerful military threat of the most powerful Later Tang Empire. Therefore, although they received intelligence yesterday that the Great Liang Kingdom and the Later Tang Empire were unusually gathering troops, they did not raise the alert level for the Golden Dragon Kingdom to avoid giving it any ammunition. Who would have thought that the Later Tang Empire and the Great Liang Kingdom, which had been acting strangely, would not make the first move, but the Golden Dragon Kingdom, which was originally a brotherly nation, would launch the first attack!
"Anything else? Report it all at once." Sima Yuan sat back on the dragon throne, becoming even calmer.
"...Yesterday at dusk, the Free Bandits launched a surprise attack and seized Lingbao Pass. After capturing Lingbao Town, they were besieged...besieged in Riyue City." The minor official barely managed to finish, already terrified by the Jade Dragon King's imposing presence.
"Hmm! Timely military report, well done. The Ministry of War is to be promoted one rank and rewarded with ten gold coins. From now on, urgent military intelligence must be reported immediately." After calming down, Sima Yuan handled matters with clear rewards and punishments, displaying the demeanor of a ruler. With the two weighty pieces of news mentioned earlier, Sima Yuan was no longer as concerned about the situation on Zhenbao Island as before. Once the fuse is lit, one's own value diminishes. Moreover, the one who should be most worried about Zhenbao Island is the local power, the Qiu family—the biggest crisis for the Jade Dragon Kingdom is no longer confined to Zhenbao Island, but rather how to deal with the obvious conspiracy of the surrounding countries to join forces and attempt to divide the Jade Dragon Kingdom.
The minor official was overjoyed, bowed in thanks, and withdrew.
As can be seen on the map of the Hualong Continent: the Yulong River, originating from the western end of the Yulong Mountains, flows through the vast grasslands and then traverses the western and southern parts of the continent from west to east. Along its course, from west to east, the south bank is the Yulong Kingdom's Xiliang County, Luolan County, Wuling County, and Jianghan County. In Jianghan County, it turns southeast, then flows through the Daliang Kingdom's Yunyuan County and Nanhai County before emptying into the Devil's Sea. The north bank of the Yulong River passes through the Jinlong Kingdom's Heishui County and Jiang'an County, the Later Tang Empire's Southwest County and Nanhu County, and the Daliang Kingdom's Donghai County. The Yulong River narrows to only a few dozen feet in places amidst towering mountains, gradually widening as it slopes eastward, reaching a width of forty to fifty li at its widest point between Donghai and Nanhai Counties. Numerous tributaries flow along its course, making it a vital artery nourishing the Hualong Continent.
The Jade Dragon Kingdom, with its terrain sloping from west to east, occupies a vast territory in the southwest and south of the Hua Long Continent, between the Jade Dragon River and the Jade Dragon Mountains. It comprises six commanderies, from west to east: Xiliang Commandery, bordering the Grassland Kingdom to the west and facing the Golden Dragon Kingdom across the river to the north; Luolan Commandery, facing the Jiang'an Commandery of the Golden Dragon Kingdom across the river to the north and bordering the Jade Dragon Mountains to the south; Wuling Commandery, facing the southwestern commandery of the Later Tang Empire across the river to the north and bordering the Jade Dragon Commandery to the south; Jianghan Commandery, facing the southwestern commandery of the Later Tang Empire to the north and the Nanhu Commandery of the Later Tang Empire to the northeast; and Baiyang Commandery, located at the southernmost tip, bordering the Yunyuan Commandery and Nanhai Commandery of the Daliang Kingdom to the east. The capital, Jade Dragon City, is situated in the heart of Jade Dragon Commandery, between Wuling Commandery and the Jade Dragon Mountains.
The Sima clan's power is based on absolute control over the vast central commanderies of Luolan, Wuling, and Jade Dragon. The population, land area, and economic strength of these three commanderies far exceed the combined population of the other three commanderies controlled by the other three major families. The Baiyi Kingdom, located south of the Yulong Mountains, was a vassal state of the Yulong Kingdom, providing the Yulong King with substantial tribute and wealth annually, thus supporting the Sima clan's royal power.
The Yulong Kingdom's army comprised four main legions, each with 160,000 men. The western legion of Xiliang Commandery was controlled by the Li family; the northern legion by the Ding family; the eastern legion by the Qiu family; and the central legion by the royal Sima family. In addition to these four legions, the Sima clan also controlled a 160,000-strong Imperial Guard, a 160,000-strong Imperial Bodyguard, and a 40,000-strong Imperial Guard, specifically responsible for protecting the kingdom's vital Yulong Commandery and capital. Within the Baiyi Kingdom, the Sima clan maintained a special division of 80,000 men, both to deter the Baiyi Kingdom and to prevent the neighboring Qiu family from encroaching upon its territory.
Besides its army, the Jade Dragon Kingdom also possessed three naval divisions: the Jiujiang Navy, established by the Sima clan in Jiujiang Port, Changyin Prefecture, Wuling County; the Huaiyin Navy, established by the Ding family in Beijiang Prefecture, Jianghan County, to defend against the Later Tang Empire; and the Tenglong Navy, established by the Qiu family in Tenglong Port and Zhenbao Island to counter the Daliang Navy and ensure the safety of the Zhenbao Strait.
The Jade Dragon Kingdom's standing regular army numbered 1.2 million, not counting Jade Dragon spies, imperial guards, and local garrisons—but even with this strength, it still appeared weak in the face of the immense pressure from the Daliang army to the east, the Later Tang and Jinlong armies to the north, and the grassland army to the west. Therefore, for many years, the Jade Dragon Kingdom and the Jinlong Kingdom had always supported each other, and even maintained good relations with the New Song Kingdom in the northeastern corner of the Hualong Continent, thousands of miles away, to maintain a delicate balance.
The internal strife launched by the Free Army and the Demonic Cult on Zhenbao Island shattered this balance…
"Your Majesty, this matter requires careful handling." Sima Cheng, Minister of War and "Duke Protector of the Nation," quickly grasped the situation and stepped forward to report: "Given the current situation, our Jade Dragon Kingdom is on the verge of collapse. I believe we should order the entire nation to enter a state of high alert. Order Li Xuanji of the Western Army Corps to defend Jade Dragon Pass with all his might, and command him to send a division to block the Minglun City grassland coalition's eastward advance from the mountains. Order the Central Army Corps to send its First and Second Divisions to Jiujiang Port to intercept the Golden Dragon Army within Changyin Prefecture and seek an opportunity to annihilate them. The Central Army Corps' directly subordinate divisions should send two regiments to the original defense zones of the First and Second Divisions. Order Ding Zixing of Jianghan County, the Northern Army Corps, and the Huaiyin Navy to closely monitor the Later Tang Empire's rivers..." The movements of the Yinshui Army, the Southwest Army Corps, and the Nanhu Navy and Army Corps must be monitored to prevent the Later Tang army from crossing the river. Qiu Haoyu of the Eastern Army Corps is ordered to consolidate his defensive lines and strengthen vigilance, focusing on defense against the Liang army for the time being and refraining from proactively engaging in battle. Qiu Shuibo's bandit-suppressing army is to first relieve the siege of Riyue City, and then quickly quell the Zhenbao Demonic Sect and the Free Bandits. The First Regiment of the Tenglong Navy will escort the ships and then reinforce Donggang with the Third Regiment of Beigang. The Baiyi Special Division and the Royal Capital Guard
are ordered to stand by to reinforce other units. Each of the four army corps is to recruit a reserve division and intensify its training to replenish lost troops at any time…” Sima Cheng, a man accustomed to weathering storms, quickly devised a response plan. Military matters are of paramount importance and cannot be handled hastily or delayed in the slightest!
"The Duke of Protectorate's plan is the only solution at present, and I humbly request Your Majesty's approval. However, the Central Army Corps will suffer significant losses in a direct confrontation with the battle-hardened Golden Dragon Army. I believe that the Central Army Corps should have two reserve divisions. The Jiujiang Navy, which has lost warships and troops, should also be replenished and expanded in a timely manner. If we do not control the river, we will be unable to stop the Golden Dragon Kingdom from reinforcing
its troops. If the war drags on, it will be extremely disadvantageous to our country," said Left Chancellor Murong Ming. "That old fox!" Minister of Personnel Ding Zili and Minister of Works Qiu Haocang cursed inwardly. The Sima royal family controls the Central Army Corps, the Imperial Guard Corps, the Imperial Guard Corps, and the Forbidden Army, as well as the Jiujiang Navy and the Baiyi Special Divisions, with a regular army of 640,000 men. In addition, there is the powerful and ubiquitous Jade Dragon spy organization, which allows them to overpower the Ding, Qiu, and Li families and establish their own kingdoms. The
Ding and Qiu families each control an army corps plus a naval division, each with a regular army of 200,000 men, while the Li family's Western Army Corps has 160,000 men, totaling 560,000 men. Because of their own history of betraying the former Tang Dynasty and breaking away from imperial control, the Sima clan was not entirely without suspicion towards the Ding, Li, and Qiu families. They maintained strict control over the organization of their regular army, and would try to suppress any deviations. The ubiquitous Jade Dragon spies would report to the Jade Dragon King whenever the three families tried to strengthen the training and control of their guards, leading to intervention. This was one of the important reasons why the local guards had always been weak.
A few months ago, Qiu Haoyu, the current head of the Qiu family and commander of the Eastern Legion, petitioned the royal court to increase the regular army size of two regiments on Treasure Island, or to grant permission to train a reserve force of 20,000 men, citing reasons such as the large number of slaves on Treasure Island, the presence of Gaoshan tribes and freed slaves, and the need to divide troops to guard important slave mines and factories. He was severely reprimanded by Prince Sima Yuan of the Jade Dragon, whose words implied disloyalty, deterring Qiu Haoyu from further mentioning the increase in troop numbers. If this were used against him, the Sima family could mobilize the Central Legion, the Royal Guard, and the Baiyi Special Divisions; even without the Ding family's Northern Legion, the Qiu family, with only one prefecture and one island, would be utterly powerless to resist. Of
course, the Sima family also dared not expand their army arbitrarily, fearing it would trigger a sense of crisis among the three major families, leading them to expand recklessly or even join forces against the royal family. Therefore, a very delicate balance existed between the Sima family and the three major families who held significant military power. Before the Zhenbao Island incident, Sima Yuan, the Jade Dragon King, had originally planned to reduce the strength of the Li family, which had the smallest military force. However, he dared not implement it due to the sudden changes on Zhenbao Island.
Left Chancellor Murong Ming, using the pretext of resisting the powerful Golden Dragon Kingdom's attack and the severe damage to the Jiujiang navy, proposed that the central army train an additional reserve division and expand its navy. The timing was perfect—the war between the Ding and Qiu families and the Later Tang and Daliang had not yet begun; although the Qiu family had suffered repeated defeats on Zhenbao Island, Qiu Shuibo's 60,000-strong army had already set out to quell the rebellion, and with the addition of Qiu Haoran's newly formed Zhenbao Division, it was more than enough to deal with the poorly trained members of the Demonic Cult and the free bandits. There was no reason to demand further expansion. This inadvertently widened the gap between the Sima family's military strength and that of the three major families by at least one or two divisions, leaving the Ding and Qiu families with no grounds for objection.
Murong Ming, having secured his position as Left Chancellor of the Jade Dragon King over the years, had long since mastered the art of political maneuvering. This suggestion suited Sima Yuan perfectly, so before anyone else could speak, Sima Yuan said, "The military situation is urgent. The suggestions of the Duke of Protectorate and the Left Chancellor are both excellent. Do any of you gentlemen have anything to add?"
Ding Zili, Qiu Haocang, and Li Xuanzhi, the Minister of Justice and representative of the Li family in the court, dared not say anything more. Sima Yuan, the Jade Dragon King, had already made up his mind; if they said anything further without sufficient justification, it would appear that they harbored disloyal intentions. Fortunately, each of the families received an additional division, thus maintaining the overall balance of power within the Sima family.
Minister of Revenue Lin Tanzhi said, "Your Majesty, our country has had many small-scale battles in recent years, and the army has expanded rapidly. War reserves and provisions are insufficient, so a swift victory is advisable. If the war drags on, I fear our resources will be insufficient."
"War is a contest of resources, and I, the King, naturally understand this. All departments must cooperate closely to overcome this crisis. Anyone who neglects military matters or betrays the cause will be executed without prior notification by the Duke of Protectorate!" Sima Yuan's eyes flashed with murderous intent as he coldly swept over the assembled officials, and the hall suddenly became eerily cold.
Faced with the immense crisis of national subjugation, no one doubted that the Jade Dragon King would not hesitate to raise his sword…

Volume 4, Chapter 56: Encirclement Without Attack.
On the eighth day of the ninth month of the 994th year of the Hualong Calendar, after the morning court session, the Jade Dragon King Sima Yuan, unusually for the past three years, did not "visit" the stunning beauty Qiu Shuiyun, but instead busied himself with military affairs in the palace. Military intelligence from all over the country poured back to Yulong City. The Ministry of War and the Yulong Royal Palace were constantly on the move, with urgent reports frequently rang out –
the Great Liang Kingdom had finally launched its long-planned offensive. The First Division of the Western Army, assembled in Shunde Prefecture, and the Second Division, secretly assembled in Zhanjiang Prefecture, launched a surprise attack on Qingyuan Prefecture, controlled by the Qiu family. Despite the fact that two regiments of Qiu Shuiba's First Division of the Eastern Army had already retreated to their defensive positions, by 9 PM they had advanced over a hundred li, marching almost in a straight line, sweeping through the towns and villages along the way, with 80,000 troops at the gates of Qingyuan City. Qiu Shuiba, stationed in Qingyuan City, had only two regiments and 40,000 guards at his disposal. He dared not engage in battle, choosing to defend the city and await reinforcements, sending a urgent message to the Eastern Army headquarters! In
Jianghan County, on the Yulong River north of Huaiyin in Beijiang Prefecture, the Later Tang Empire's Jiangyin Navy, using the pretext that the Yulong Kingdom's Huaiyin Navy patrol fleet had crossed the river's boundary, launched a surprise attack, resulting in a fierce battle on the river. The Huaiyin naval forces, fighting upstream, faced an unfavorable situation and retreated to Huaiyin Port. The Later Tang navy, holding a naval advantage, protected the river surface and dispatched a regiment to land on the beach forty li west of Huaiyin Port, capturing a small town called Zijiang. The 2nd Division of the Northern Army Corps stationed in Linjiang Prefecture rushed to intercept them. The Later Tang army had already transported a full division, holding the Zijiang town position, refusing to yield an inch. After a fierce battle, both sides suffered 5,000 casualties. The Later Tang army continued to reinforce, and the Northern Army Corps Commander, Ding Zixing, had no choice but to dispatch two regiments from his directly subordinate division to provide immediate reinforcements!
In Changyin Prefecture, Wuling County, the 1st Division of the Southern Army Corps of the Jinlong Army captured Changyin City, the city defended by the 3rd Regiment of the 1st Division of the Yulong Central Army Corps. The 1st and 2nd Divisions of the Yulong Central Army Corps converged on Changyin City, forming an encirclement and blockade. The Jinlong Army dispatched the 2nd Division of the Southern Army Corps from Jiujiang City as reinforcements, creating a stalemate with the Yulong Army.
Northeast of Donggang on Zhenbao Island, General Qiu Su led a naval fleet of fifty warships thirty li away to engage in a naval battle with what were called "ronin" (masterless samurai), but were actually the regular army of the Japanese. Limited by resources and technology, the largest Japanese warships were no more than ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) long and were relatively small. Qiu Su, relying on the strength of his sturdy ships, the superior long-range attack capabilities of his catapults, and his rich naval experience and flexible tactics, initially gained the upper hand. However, the Japanese suddenly changed their tactics, using their superior numbers to launch hundreds of assault boats loaded with incendiary devices in a suicidal attack, causing great trouble for the Yulong army. Ultimately, Qiu Su, at the cost of twenty warships and nearly four thousand Yulong soldiers, sank one hundred and twenty Japanese warships and killed no fewer than fifteen thousand men, before retreating to Donggang. The Japanese army, seizing the opportunity, landed about twenty miles from Donggang. Nearly 40,000 Japanese troops besieged the city, sealing off Donggang by land and sea. Large numbers of Japanese soldiers continued to depart from Japan, using Diaoyu Island as a transit point to reach Donggang, demonstrating their determination to seize Donggang and even the entire Zhenbao Island.
Countless military and civilian carrier pigeons flew between the Hualong Continent and Zhenbao Island, spreading all sorts of messages to every corner…
Before the royal decree to train the Jade Dragon Army's reserves had even arrived, the Qiu, Li, and Ding families had already made all the necessary preparations, utilizing their accumulated resources and wealth to activate emergency plans within their controlled territories. Once the wheels of war begin to turn, they will not easily stop. In the midst of chaos, only strength can ensure one's survival!
The Sima family and the Jade Dragon spies were now powerless to stop the actions of the various families. The Sima family itself was already overwhelmed and unable to suppress the self-preservation efforts of the various families. The Jade Dragon Kingdom's reserve army was expanding rapidly at an out-of-control pace!
The Hua Long Continent was in turmoil. The Jade Dragon Kingdom, due to internal strife on Treasure Island, was engulfed in a massive war. The Grassland Kingdom, the Golden Dragon Kingdom, the Later Tang Empire, the Great Liang Kingdom, the Wa Nu Kingdom, the Free Army, the Demonic Sect… all the major forces within and outside the Jade Dragon Kingdom seemed to have pre-arranged a plan, launching a severe challenge and test against the Sima family's royal power!
Only in turbulent times can true heroes emerge. On the rolling wheels of history on the Hua Long Continent, who will be the true unparalleled king?
******** ****
Sun and Moon City.
Hua Yinghong did not order an attack on Sun and Moon City all day. "Operation Lightning" had successfully besieged Sun and Moon City, and it seemed that capturing the city would allow control of the entire central plains of Treasure Island. However, it abruptly halted, leaving Ye Zhi Qiu and other military generals, eager for battle, bewildered.
Originally, taking advantage of the weakened position of the Keelung Demonic Cult and the recent defeat of Qiu Haoran's Treasure Division remnants, was the perfect opportunity for the Free Army to launch a major offensive against Sun and Moon City. However, after learning from Xue Qianqian about the Demonic Cult's individual combat strength, especially the formidable "Yinming Iron Guard," Hua Yinghong adjusted his original plan, opting to besiege Sun and Moon City without attacking.
"The best strategy is to subdue the enemy without fighting." The goal of war is to achieve the greatest benefit at the lowest cost. In Hua Yinghong's military philosophy, a direct assault on a city was a last resort. To pit the poorly trained Free Army against the elite Jade Dragon Army in a head-on confrontation would be unwise. Since the Free Army's inception, the disparity in individual combat strength had always been a concern for Hua Yinghong.
After all, the Free Army soldiers had too little time for training and practice. Even with the wondrous techniques of the Blazing Sun Technique, the Heaven and Earth Technique, and the Void-Breaking Technique, coupled with Hua Yinghong's unique method of training while moving, it was impossible to transform ordinary slaves into experts in just a few days.
Inside Sun and Moon City, there were the three thousand elite troops who survived the bloody battle with the Demonic Sect in Keelung City, along with the remaining four thousand elite troops of Qiu Yu's Second Regiment. Even with the assistance of experts from Peach Blossom Palace, if the Free Army managed to forcibly capture Sun and Moon City, the result would be heavy casualties. Among the many generals of the Free Army, very few could directly confront the equivalent generals of the Jade Dragon Army. Besides Xue Qianqian, Miao Youlan, Hua Yinghong, and the experts from Peach Blossom Palace, there was a lack of top-tier experts to command. A direct assault on Sun and Moon City at this time would be a mutually destructive outcome. If Qiu Shuibo's army arrived in two days, or if the Bright Army of Keelung City seized the opportunity to attack, the Free Army would be utterly powerless to resist.
War always serves politics. If the same goal can be achieved, why must there be countless deaths and millions of corpses?
After much deliberation, Hua Yinghong decided to besiege Riyue City without attacking, and issued a series of orders:
40,000 regular troops were to besiege the city, dig deep trenches, firmly defend the camps, and intensify training; Chang Shengqiu's cavalry and reserves were to be dispatched to sweep through the small villages and towns around Riyue City and Lingbao Town, collect grain, confiscate the wealth of the government treasury, and release government slaves and private slaves according to the policies established in Jubao Town; since the main force of the Yulong Army's Qiu Shuibo fleet had turned towards Beigang, the reserve regiment of the Free Army left in Jubao Town was to be transferred to advance into Lingbao Town; all wagons in Xigang, Jubao Town, and Lingbao Town were to be "requisitioned" and rushed to the vicinity of Riyue City to transport supplies; the Ministry of the Interior was notified to send someone to Lingbao Town to take charge of internal affairs...
The original plan to occupy the central region was temporarily turned into an operation to seize grain, supplies, and train troops...
There are no fixed formations in warfare, just as water has no fixed shape. Hua Yinghong's arrangement concealed a profound strategic objective, which he could not reveal to the public for the time being. Blindly trusting his seemingly miraculous military strategies, these orders were executed flawlessly…
The Free Army's decision not to launch a direct attack on the city suited Qiu Haoran's intentions perfectly: with limited forces in Sun and Moon City, he naturally wouldn't, and dared not, launch an attack on the Free Army's camp; he only strengthened the defenses within the city and its walls. Following Qiu Haoyu's secret orders, Qiu Haoran recruited new soldiers within Sun and Moon City, which had over 200,000 inhabitants, filling the vacancies in the Treasure Division's directly subordinate regiments, the First Regiment, and the Second Regiment. He also formed two reserve regiments, drawing on generals and veterans from the Treasure Division to train the new recruits. Of course, building up combat strength was not a quick process, but at least in terms of numbers, it was significantly greater than the Free Army outside the city.
The Qiu family, having cultivated their influence on Treasure Island for many years, still possessed considerable potential. All of this proceeded extremely smoothly.
Cao Leshui's Jade Dragon spies did not interfere, nor could they. During wartime, the military had considerable autonomy. After all, if the city fell, lives could be lost; what concern would there be for consequences? Any self-preservation measures were tolerable.
With one side refusing to attack and the other refusing to leave, the two armies of Sun and Moon City formed a stalemate. On

the ninth day of the ninth month, in Keelung City,
the newly appointed strategist Ji Wumou proved quite capable. From the time he assumed the position around noon on the seventh, he swiftly and efficiently sorted out Keelung City's internal affairs and the formation of the Bright Army in less than two days and one night. This was, of course, related to Xu Xiaoyao's strong support; almost every plan proposed by Ji Wumou was well implemented, except for one—
regarding the release of slaves. Ji Wumou's plan was to emulate the Free Army's approach: government slaves would be forcibly released and recruited into the Bright Army; private slaves would be released after being redeemed with gold coins. However, this was opposed by Xu Xiaoyao, who instead ordered the forced release of all official and private slaves. Xu Xiaoyao had his reasons: there were 60,000 official slaves and nearly 100,000 private slaves in Keelung City and the surrounding eight towns. Firstly, he simply couldn't afford that many gold coins at the moment; secondly, many serfs had joined the Yinming Sect and become followers, achieving a complete turnaround, and they couldn't tolerate being redeemed. Some even went so far as to kill their former masters and their entire families in a fit of vengeance. In fact, there was another reason he didn't explicitly state: Ji Wumou, unaware of the truth
, shouldn't have mentioned imitating the Free Army—Xu Xiaoyao was furious about Xue Qianqian and "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong, so how could he imitate the Free Army's actions? Ji Wumou had no choice but to comply. The deep-seated hatred in the eyes of the workshop and farm slave owners and local tyrants when their private slaves were forcibly released and taken away by the Bright Army sent a chill down Ji Wumou's spine...
Under Ji Wumou's reorganization, with the addition of released official slaves and some private slaves, the Bright Army quickly expanded to three divisions of 120,000 men. Xu Xiaoyao became the de facto legion commander, Shi Heng served as the commander of the First Division, and two ninth-rank masters of the sect, "Shura Blade" Tan Yingxiao and "Azure Snow Sword" Mo Wentian, served as the commanders of the Second and Third Divisions respectively. The regimental commanders were drawn from the organizers of the uprisings in the four districts within Keelung City and the eight towns outside the city, with core disciples at all levels serving as the backbone of the army.
Time was precious, and opportunities were fleeting. Xu Xiaoyao and Ji Wumou knew the importance of training, but the stalemate between the Sun Moon City Treasure Division and the Free Army presented the Bright Army with an opportunity to seize resources on a large scale. They could only console themselves with the thought that "battle is the best training." The newly formed and untrained Bright Army split into several groups, rushing towards various targets—
"Shura Blade" Tan Yingxiao led two regiments of the Second Division to advance on Shunhe Town, seventy miles to the east. With 20,000 men, dealing with 3,000 Jade Dragon Army soldiers and 3,000 reserves should be a piece of cake!
"Azure Snow Sword" Mo Wentian led the Third Division of the Bright Army towards Beigang City, located sixty miles northwest of Keelung. With 40,000 men, dealing with the remnants of the Beigang Navy, the garrison, and less than 20,000 newly recruited troops should pose little difficulty. However, dealing with Qiu Shuibo's upcoming 60,000-strong pacification army might prove challenging. Strategist Ji Wumou left two regiments of the Second Division to defend Keelung City.
Xu Xiaoyao and Shi Heng personally led the First Division, along with the "Yinming Iron Guard," towards Riyue City to the west!
As for Baonan City, an isolated city in the southern mountains, with only 3,000 Jade Dragon Army soldiers, it wouldn't cause much trouble and was temporarily excluded from the Bright Army's attack scope. Once victories were achieved in Beigang, Riyue City, and Shunhe Town, the vast majority of the central and northeastern parts of Zhenbao would fall under the control of the Bright Army, and Baonan City would be easily within their grasp.
Ji Wumou's original plan was for Xu Xiaoyao and Shi Heng to lead the First Division, comprised of the most elite core disciples, along with the "Yinming Iron Guard," to attack Beigang. Meanwhile, Mo Wentian, the "Azure Snow Sword," would lead the Third Division to the vicinity of Riyue City, observing the conflict and then seizing the opportunity to reap the benefits. However, despite Ji Wumou's repeated emphasis on the importance of capturing Beigang City with the most elite forces, the "Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao insisted on personally going to Riyue City. Ji Wumou was unaware that Xu Xiaoyao intended to personally defeat the Free Army, capture the Peach Blossom Fairy Xue Qianqian and the "Son of Freedom" Hua Yinghong, and humiliate them to vent his hatred!
Even with this change, it was still considered extremely thorough.
From early morning until nearly noon, Xu Xiaoyao led the almost disorganized First Division of the Bright Army, advancing only thirty-odd miles under the scorching sun. A large army marching at such a slow pace, unlike martial arts masters who could swiftly traverse the plains, was irritating to the "Amorous Young Master" Xu Xiaoyao. He longed to abandon the main force and lead his own group of experts. Less than ten miles after crossing the Jinsha River, a scout reported, "Young Master! The Free Army has been spotted ten miles ahead!"
Xu Xiaoyao immediately ordered, "Halt the march and send more men to investigate!" Though consumed by jealousy, he was not foolish: the Free Army's reputation for cunning was well-established, and even the well-trained elite Jade Dragon Army had repeatedly fallen for their traps and suffered heavy defeats. The Bright Army was a newly formed force, and the Holy Sect disciples were unfamiliar with military discipline and battle formations; how could they afford to be careless?
Looking out, he saw billowing dust on the distant plains, unsure of the Free Army's numbers…

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