219: Meng Guang VS Tuoba Qingtong

Chapter 217: Meng Guang vs. Tuoba Qingtong

The messengers and carrier pigeons sent out by Xu Mujun successively delivered the intelligence to the military tents of Meng Guang, Cui Xiawu, General Guan Shan, and Minister Miao within seven days.

The hundreds of thousands of troops from the imperial court began advancing toward places like Qing Province, Yangzhou, Jiang Province, and Xu Province.

This movement by the imperial court's army was quickly discovered by the numerous rebel forces, prompting each of them to take action.

Wuxi Island, Changhe City.

Listening to his subordinate's report, Tuoba Qingtong said in a strange tone, "You mean... the imperial court's army has started moving? What about Meng Guang of Zhuxi City?"

"Reporting to Young Master, Meng Guang's navy has constantly been under our surveillance, but he has yet to make a move until now."

The clansman said, "Young Master, the Clan Chief sent me to deliver a message: you must find a way to quickly defeat the imperial court's navy, head to Xu Province to support Prince Chen, and encircle and annihilate Xu Mujun."

"Otherwise, once the other rebel forces are defeated, our Tuoba Family will have to face the entire imperial court's army."

Tuoba Qingtong said irritably, "I know, you may withdraw."

"Understood!"

"Elder Brother, what is there to be irritated about?"

Zhao Qingshan to the side asked curiously, "Elder Wugao replied in her last letter that she has already deciphered the secret of the imperial court's explosives and had the clansmen rush to manufacture them. At present, our army's stronghold has stored a large quantity of bombs..."

"So what?"

Tuoba Qingtong shook his head and said, "What we need right now are cannons and firearms!"

"How far can mere bombs be thrown? Surely we can't install catapults on boats."

"Damn it... Exactly what kind of people manufactured these cannons and firearms? They are actually so difficult to replicate."

Zhao Qingshan smiled wryly, "Elder Brother, our Tuoba Family is not skilled in Artifact Refining, so we have no way to start replicating the firearms."

"The craftsmen within the Family have also replicated some, but their power cannot reach the level of the imperial court's firearms, and they are extremely prone to barrel explosion, having already injured quite a few people."

"I heard that Elder Wugao has already contacted other fellow Daoists, wanting to delve into the secret of those firearms."

"Hmph!"

Tuoba Qingtong let out a cold shout and said, "Weapons made by mere Mortals, what difficulties could they have?"

"That explosive may seem mysterious, but its essence is nothing more than the medicinal dregs left over when we Cultivators perform Alchemy."

"Its power is passable, but unfortunately it is too conspicuous, not nearly as convenient as Heavenly Thunder Beads."

Zhao Qingshan said with a wry smile, "Elder Brother, those Heavenly Thunder Beads can only be refined by Late Stage Qi-condensation Cultivators who possess special Magical Artifacts to channel heavenly thunder."

"Yet this gunpowder is extremely easy to refine, and even Mortals can use it."

"If our Tuoba Family could possess the secrets of gunpowder and firearms, our overall strength would at least double!"

Hearing this, Tuoba Qingtong could not help but feel that what Zhao Qingshan said made some sense.

However, as a Cultivator, his self-esteem naturally would not allow him to admit defeat easily.

He could only change the topic and said, "Let's not speak of this matter first; has the Family found Qingying or not?"

"Not yet, but based on the direction she left, the Clan Chief deduces that Young Miss Qingying has a high probability of having gone to the Great Yu capital."

"The capital? What is she going there to do?"

"This younger brother doesn't know either, but I heard from Niece Lingyun that Young Miss Qingying seems to have gone to the capital to investigate the cause of the changes between heaven and earth."

Zhao Qingshan said, "A few years ago, our Yunmeng Marsh suddenly showed signs of Spiritual Qi recovery. Although it gradually receded afterward, it also attracted the attention of the Elders within the Family."

"As a Heavenly Spiritual Root Cultivator, Young Miss Qingying is even more sensitive to changes in Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi."

"Perhaps she sensed something and specially went there to investigate."

"The capital, the capital!"

Tuoba Qingtong muttered, "Of all places, why must she go to the capital?"

"That capital is the center of Great Yu. If Great Yu discovers Qingying's identity..."

"Older Brother, rest assured."

Zhao Qingshan said, "Young Miss Qingying has always lived in seclusion; how could the Great Yu Dynasty possibly know Young Miss Qingying's true identity?"

"Besides, Young Miss Qingying is currently a Qi-condensation Peak Cultivator of our Tuoba Family, only a step away from Foundation Establishment."

"Furthermore, the Clan Chief even handed our Family-suppressing Magical Artifact, the Black Dragon Pearl, over to Young Miss Qingying for safekeeping."

"With the world so vast, as long as she doesn't encounter a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, what does Young Miss Qingying have to fear?"

"The Black Dragon Pearl...!"

Tuoba Qingtong muttered to himself, his eyes filled with jealousy and greed.

Thinking of Tuoba Qingying's peerlessly beautiful face in his mind, Tuoba Qingtong could not help but feel somewhat moved.

"Qingying is already eighteen years old now; it is time to choose a husband."

"Older Brother..."

Zhao Qingshan hesitated and said, "Young Miss Qingying once said that she will not marry in this lifetime unless she enters the Golden Core stage. Her goal is the Nascent Soul, after all. You..."

"Golden Core! Hehehe..."

Tuoba Qingtong sneered and said, "The immortal path is severed; where in this world are there any Golden Core Cultivators?"

"On Star Island, the largest island in the overseas Cultivation World, Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators are also as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. For Qingying to have such thoughts is truly... far too naive!"

"What she needs to do is consider our Tuoba Family, and give birth to many descendants for our Tuoba Family to strengthen the Family, maintain the Family Dao lineage, and subsequently wait for the true recovery of Spiritual Qi!"

"As a Heavenly Spiritual Root Cultivator, the offspring she bears will presumably also possess extraordinary Spiritual Root Aptitude."

"Older Brother..."

Watching Tuoba Qingtong, who had already become somewhat obsessed, Zhao Qingshan did not know what to say either.

As a member of the Tuoba Family and also a Cultivator, he was nevertheless merely a matrilocal son-in-law.

Regarding major matters within the Family, only true members of the Tuoba Family were qualified to discuss them.

As an outsider, he only had the role of taking orders.

"Report... Young Master!"

Suddenly, a clansman shouted loudly from outside the door, "Young Master, I am Tuoba Jiang, General, and I have important intelligence to report."

"Come in!"

Soon, an armored old man around fifty-some years old strode in and respectfully said, "Young Master, spies have sent back intelligence; the imperial court's army in Zhuxi City has moved!"

"Oh?"

Tuoba Qingtong's eyes suddenly lit up as he said, "Splendid! It seems the imperial court's army is indeed going to launch a general offensive."

"That Meng Guang is truly too troublesome. Other than being heavily defeated by us during his first active attack, for two full years he has actually been hiding inside Zhuxi City like a coward shrinking his head."

"To be able to march out of the city and fight this time is simply wonderful!"

"Pass down the order, all naval forces of the Tuoba Family prepare their camps and slaughter the imperial court's army!"

"Young Master!"

Tuoba Jiang, General quickly stopped him and said, "This time Zhuxi City is somewhat strange. Meng Guang has been guarding it for two years, so why would he suddenly launch an attack?"

Tuoba Qingtong threw the intelligence sent from the Family to him and said, "It's not just Meng Guang; Xu Mujun to the north, Cui Xiawu and General Guan Shan to the south, and also Minister Miao have all moved."

"It appears Xu Mujun cannot hold out against the imperial court's urging and is preparing to unfold a decisive battle."

"The intelligence we received is to break through Meng Guang's blockade on the northern battlefront and go to Xu Province to support Prince Chen!"

"What, do you have any other opinions?"

Tuoba Jiang, General hurriedly said, "This subordinate wouldn't dare!"

Watching the nervous and fearful Tuoba Jiang, General, Zhao Qingshan by the side also let out a long sigh in his heart.

Calculated by age and seniority, this Tuoba Jiang, General was actually Tuoba Qingtong's paternal uncle within the clan.

Unfortunately, Tuoba Jiang, General had no Spiritual Root. Although his mastery of military strategy and tactics was number one in the Tuoba Family, and his martial arts cultivation had reached the Innate realm with Elder Wugao's help,

yet within the Tuoba Family, whether in terms of reputation or status, he was inferior to Tuoba Qingtong.

Therefore, the apparent general stationed in the northern part of Yunmeng Marsh to confront and battle Meng Guang was Tuoba Jiang, General.

But the one who secretly executed commands was still Tuoba Qingtong!

"Then pass down the order!"

"Yes! Young Master."

Tuoba Jiang, General said again, "I wonder when Young Master plans to make a move?"

"As long as Young Master Qingshan and Young Master Qingshan are willing to move together with the army, aided by the thick fog and huge waves, we can easily rout the imperial court's navy!"

Tuoba Qingtong shook his head and said, "This Spell consumes an immense amount; the two of us cannot cast it casually either."

"Once Meng Guang appears, the two of us will naturally make a move."

"As long as Meng Guang is killed, Great Yu's navy will collapse without being attacked!"

Tuoba Jiang, General hesitated for a moment, but still respectfully said, "Yes, Young Master!"

Soon, on the entire Wuxi Island, countless clansmen of the Tuoba Family began to take action.

Not only them, but countless fishermen, river bandits, and others who lived within Yunmeng Marsh, made their living off Yunmeng Marsh, and acknowledged the Tuoba Family as their master also stepped onto their respective warships and killed toward the north.

Half a day later, a pitch-black outline slowly appeared on the lake surface ahead.

The morning sun was just rising amidst swirling clouds and mist.

Accompanied by the shining sunlight, that pitch-black outline in the distance finally revealed its true appearance.

That...

was not any outline at all, but rather the battle formation of the Great Yu Dynasty's navy!

More than three hundred large warships and over a thousand small mengchong warships were lined up sequentially, layer upon layer, killing toward the Tuoba Family's naval forces.

Compared to the Great Yu Dynasty's navy, the Tuoba Family's naval forces were obviously somewhat weaker.

There were only a little over a dozen large warships, but there were at least several thousand small mengchong warships, fishing boats, and even sampans and other water-traveling tools.

Dense like flies, they all charged over together.

Yunmeng covered an extremely vast area, equivalent to the territory of a province.

Within the entire Yunmeng Marsh, there were at least several million people attached to the Tuoba Family.

And it was relying on this group of ordinary people that the Tuoba Family formed a naval force numbering over two hundred thousand strong.

Both sides' naval forces quickly discovered each other, and one after another desolate horn sounds echoed out, spreading for several thousand meters.

On the flagship of Great Yu's navy, Meng Guang, making use of the advantage of the telescope, quickly discovered the distant Tuoba Family's naval forces and frowned, saying, "The number of the Tuoba Family's naval forces has increased once again."

Tan Yunlong on the side shook his head and said, "General need not worry, these are merely the likes of fishermen and river bandits; what qualifications do they have to be called naval forces?"

"Were it not for the Tuoba Family to compare with, the likes of us could scare them back with a single cannon shot."

"Hoo..."

Meng Guang let out a long breath and said, "If not for Grand General Xu's order, this general truly does not wish to have a conflict with the Tuoba Family in Yunmeng Marsh."

"Since things have already reached this point, army combat is inevitable. Pass down the order, prepare to fire the cannons!"

"Yes!"

"Prepare to fire the cannons!"

"Prepare to fire the cannons!"

Flag signals waved swiftly, and military commands spread among the numerous naval vessels.

As Meng Guang issued the command, the messenger by his side waved his flag once more.

"Fire the cannons!"

"Fire the cannons!"

"Fire the cannons!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

In an instant, over a hundred Red Barbarian Cannons deployed on both sides of the warships emitted bursts of roaring sounds.

Over a hundred massive iron balls shot out fiercely, smashing heavily into the Tuoba Family's naval battle formation.

"Boom!"

"Bang!"

"Ah!"

"It's on fire!"

"The ship has been smashed and collapsed!"

On the Tuoba Family's naval forces, countless panicked shouts rang out.

Some ships were directly smashed with a large hole, and some masts were knocked over.

However, even more cannonballs fell into the lake water, whipping up huge waves.

After all, the accuracy of the Red Barbarian Cannons was not very precise.

On a large ship, Tuoba Jiang, General frowned and said, "Have Hun Jianglong sortie from the left side of the formation and approach the imperial court's navy at the fastest speed."

"Only when the two armies are mixed and fighting together will the Great Yu Dynasty navy's Red Barbarian Cannons be constrained and hesitate to fire."

"Yes, my lord!"

"In addition, dispatch the water ghosts to destroy their warships."

"Yes!"