Just before the spiritual impact struck, Zong Chi likewise chose to dodge aside.
Had there been only one opponent, given his temperament, he would most likely have met it head-on. But facing two, he had no choice but to adopt a more cautious stance.
Facing two was in no way comparable to facing one; the danger involved did not merely double—it multiplied far beyond that.
That ray of light slammed into the wall behind him in an instant. Wherever the blast struck, whether the esoteric rituals etched upon the stones or the personnel stationed behind them, all crumbled and dissolved beneath the radiant torrent.
Yet moments later, countless brilliant flares ignited within the encampment as a thick, nearly tangible field rose, resisting the sustained onslaught of this power.
Hong Ancheng gave an approving grunt and took the pipe from his lips. "This Dinghai Army really has a few tricks up its sleeve."
In his estimate, this spiritual impact should have shattered at least half the camp, yet it had only carved a massive trench through the center.
Zhu Kongqi said calmly, "Hardly surprising. The former imperial household spent a fortune forging the Dinghai Army."
The Dinghai Army was not merely a fighting force, but an esoteric ritual unit supported by multiple overlimit field creatures, their rituals linked and intertwined.
Every fifty soldiers were paired with a swarm-type aberrant host creature. Even if some among them lost consciousness, so long as a single soldier or a single overlimit creature remained standing, the rest would continue to move and fight as one unified collective.
Within the fortress, the rituals were so dense it was dazzling, with ritual fields great and small overlapping and nesting within one another. Unless the foundational field itself was destroyed, even if all the outer structures were leveled, they could simply retreat underground and continue resisting.
Hong Ancheng grunted thoughtfully. This garrison fortress was indeed sturdy; if this General Conquering the North before them retreated inside, it would be like pulling himself into a tortoise shell, which would truly make things difficult.
Zhu Kongqi kept his eyes fixed on Zong Chi. Since the man had come out, he would not let him retreat easily; at the slightest hint of such an intention, he would immediately use his speed to intercept him.
Zong Chi did not choose to retreat. With two Longevity View martial artists before him, no matter how sturdy the fortress was, how long could it hold?
Moreover, taking a beating without striking back was hardly in his nature.
A rumbling tremor surged beneath their feet. The ground where Hong and Zhu stood suddenly bulged upward, and right after, a toad-like creature burrowed up from subterranean depths.
It was pitch-black as ink all over, with two bulging golden eyes. Its skin was covered in spiral-shaped nodules wrapped in silver thread; it had a broad jaw, a rounded head, and a vast belly that sagged against the earth. Its gaze was disdainful, and a cloak was wrapped around its body, giving it a remarkably imposing presence.
This was Zong Chi's mount, the Mystic Golden Toad!
This overlimit creature had been cultivated by the former imperial household using special medicine. It could project an unusual field outward, making people feel as though they were bearing the weight of a mountain. Combined with his aberrant power, its potency was multiplied many times over. Even in battles between those at the Longevity View realm, it could still exert a significant impact on opponents.
Neither Hong nor Zhu showed much surprise in their eyes. Before arriving, they had already learned nearly everything about Zong Chi's situation and had long prepared countermeasures.
Since Zong Chi was not retreating, it suited their wishes perfectly.
Exchanging a glance, the two turned into streams of light—one left, one right—and closed in on Zong Chi in a pincer movement.
***
On the Great Shun garrison's side, Chen Chuan followed the adjutant to the highest point of the terrain, taking in the entire battlefield.
If the enemy did not deploy any truly heavyweight figure, there was no need for him to show himself.
His role here today was to ensure the entire plan proceeded smoothly.
After waiting just a few minutes, he glanced toward one side; the battle there had already concluded.
Sure enough, moments later, an aura rapidly approached, and a streak of light flashed in this direction, arriving near them in the blink of an eye.
The light around Shan Yuchuan receded. In his hand, he held a dying man—only half a broken body remained, smoldering with cyan light and flame.
Seeing this, the surrounding soldiers immediately snapped to attention and saluted him.
Shan Yuchuan's own body bore heavy injuries, most severely his left arm, which was twisted into a mangled mess and emitting crimson spiritual fire. Yet he paid it no heed; he had sacrificed that arm just now to bring down Nan Shuguang.
He set down the half-mangled body in his hand, raised his remaining arm, and solemnly saluted Chen Chuan.
"Mr. Chen."
Chen Chuan returned the salute and said, "General Shan."
Just as he was about to speak, a communications officer hurried over. "Report, General Shan! A telegram from the central city!"
Shan Yuchuan did not reach for it. "Read it!"
The officer read: "'Our side is currently conducting peace negotiations with the former imperial household, and progress has been achieved in recent days. We hope the general will appreciate the difficulties of the hour, exercise restraint, perform your duties, and refrain from rashly inciting hostilities with the former imperial army. Should any friction occur, prioritize the greater picture and handle it with extreme discretion. Hereby decreed. Anbei Dao Government Affairs Hall, Municipal Council.'"
Shan Yuchuan remained completely unmoved. Just then, more footsteps approached as another communications officer arrived with a telegram.
Hearing the transmission over his boundary credential, his eyes flickered, and he took it immediately. After a glance, he fell silent for a moment before looking up and saying, "Inform the rear that Nan Shuguang defected before the battle lines and has been executed by me."
Hearing this from the ground, Nan Shuguang knew his fate was sealed, but he only had enough strength left to open his eyelids, utterly powerless to struggle.
Shan Yuchuan said to Chen Chuan, "Mr. Chen, excuse me for a moment."
Chen Chuan gave a slight nod.
Shan Yuchuan seized Nan Shuguang and carried him away into the distance.
Watching him depart, Chen Chuan knew he was going to dispose of the man.
In this political struggle, there was no room for polite compromises or retreats; it was a battle to the death.
It was evident that the Enterprising Faction's resolve was absolute this time, brooking no obstacles whatsoever. Someone like Nan Shuguang, who understood the situation and had actively obstructed them, had to die.
At that very moment, another brilliant flare of light erupted from the former imperial encampment ahead.
From the muffled, heavy reverberations, one could imagine just how immense the explosive impact was.
The senior officers all wore grim expressions. The former imperial general previously guarding the Anbei Dao convergence zone belonged to Zong Chi's faction and had launched frequent assaults against them in the past, leading to unending conflicts. Consequently, they knew full well the terrifying power of martial artists.
They could not help but cast covert glances toward Chen Chuan, who stood at the front gazing into the distance. Everyone who knew his identity was eagerly anticipating his entry into the fray.
Watching the two battling Zong Chi, Chen Chuan could clearly gauge their current condition despite the distance.
In his perception, this General Conquering the North of the former imperial household was far inferior to Su Kuo, whether in individual cultivation level or combat strength.
Yet that was understandable. Su Kuo was an old retainer from the era of the Last Emperor; while the New Emperor employed him, he did not trust him.
Zong Chi was different: he shared blood ties with the imperial clan and had been personally promoted by the New Emperor, which was why he held this position.
By his assessment, neither of their own martial artists was inferior to Zong Chi; if anything, they possessed richer combat experience, truly proving themselves elites who guarded the Ring of the World.
He pondered for a moment. Drawing two formidable powerhouses from the Ring of the World all at once meant there had to be replacements filling the void; otherwise, it would not have been so easy.
Two against one could suppress an opponent even if individually outmatched, let alone under these circumstances. Unless someone else intervened, this battle would see no surprises; at most, Zong Chi might retreat inside the fortress and hold out a bit longer.
From the looks of it, the Enterprising Faction had prepared at least a decade or more for this day, and their considerations across all fronts were indeed thorough.
After watching for another minute or two, the outcome became increasingly clear. Zong Chi was clearly on the verge of collapsing, yet the man was undeniably stubborn—even now, he refused to fall back into the fortress behind him.
"Hmm?"
Chen Chuan suddenly sensed something and looked toward the sky in another direction. The others followed his gaze, but because the night sky of the convergence zone was as black as ink, they could see nothing for the moment.
Just as confusion and tension mounted, a speck of starlight seemed to kindle in the nocturnal sky, followed by more and more points of light appearing.
A moment later, the silhouette of a colossal airship emerged from the darkness. Lanterns burning with white-phosphorus-like flames were affixed around its hull, their clusters illuminating the dark exterior.
Surrounding it were over twenty accompanying airships, all hung with eerie lamps, resembling a ghostly army led by netherworld generals charging into reality. And upon the main vessel, an ancient seal-script character for "Wan" was emblazoned.
The adjutant gasped in shock and blurted out, "It's the Sky Whale! Sir, that is the flagship of the former imperial household's General of Chariots and Cavalry, Wan Ke!"
By now, Shan Yuchuan had finished dealing with his business and returned to the heights. He took a glance at the sky, then turned to Chen Chuan, who gave him a nod.
With reassurance firmly planted in his heart, he immediately raised his hand and sternly ordered, "Ignite the fires!"
Upon that command, soldiers nearby and in the distance hurled the lanterns in their hands onto adjacent pyres.
Boom!
Pillars of fire instantly surged skyward from the heights outside the fortress and the surrounding earthen ramparts, while vast quantities of esoteric ritual materials were cast inside, causing brilliant light to join into a solid expanse.
Looking down from the heavens, one could faintly discern esoteric ritual patterns appearing between the multiple fortresses, walling off the pitch-black night of the convergence zone and whatever squirmed within it.
The airship fleet had clearly taken notice of the situation here. On the main vessel's observation deck, a colossal figure appeared that took everyone's breath away.
The man wore a dragon-head helmet, his face concealed behind a demon mask, with overlapping lames forming a gorget beneath his neck. His armor was densely layered, encasing him from neck to ankle without leaving an inch bare; from the base of the backplate along his spine extended a tail tipped with barbs, inspiring pure dread.
Over this he wore a thick, heavy mantle of indigo blue trimmed with crane feathers, projecting an aura at once noble and imposing, yet savage and cunning.
Most striking of all, he sat astride a colossal aberrant beast that resembled a cheetah yet possessed enormous wings. The beast was draped head to toe in indigo fur, its two foreclaws gripping the edge of the observation deck.
Shan Yuchuan said with a heavy expression, "Mr. Chen, it is the former imperial household's General of Chariots and Cavalry, Wan Ke, along with his mount, the Mao Haiqiu." He paused before adding, "He has noticed us."
Even as he spoke, the fleet, which had originally been moving toward Zong Chi's location, suddenly wheeled around in unison, turning their prows toward their side.
Chapter 1388