190: The emperor's conspiracy to lure you into a trap

"As long as Haotian is not destroyed, their power will be inexhaustible."

"As far as I know, the Grand Divine Official of Judgment of the West Mausoleum Divine Hall, his Cultivation is even above the current Qing Wei."

Still above Qing Wei?

Li Chengqian's eyes narrowed.

He knew what this meant.

This meant that the West Mausoleum Divine Hall possessed terrifying strength sufficient to contend with the entire Shu Mountain!

"Good, very good."

Li Chengqian laughed instead of getting angry.

"Since they like to execute heavenly punishment so much."

"Then I will first slaughter these running dogs of heaven!"

"Issue My imperial edict!" Li Chengqian's voice became incomparably cold.

"Order Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin, the great generals of the Shence Army, to lead 200,000 Shence Army soldiers immediately to the Western Border!"

"Tell them that I do not want to see any living person wearing West Mausoleum Divine Hall attire on the territory of the Great Tang!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Li Junxian's heart was stirred by a monstrous wave.

He did not expect that His Majesty, while about to start a national war with the Li Yang Dynasty, would also declare war on another mysterious and powerful West Mausoleum Divine Hall!

How insane this was!

How overbearing!

"Your Majesty, do we need to inform Shu Mountain of this matter?" Li Junxian asked.

"No need." Li Chengqian shook his head, "Why use an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken?"

"They are just a bunch of gods' running dogs, it's not worth bothering the National Master and the others to act."

"My Shence Army is enough."

Li Chengqian's eyes were filled with absolute confidence.

He wanted to use this war to test how much combat power his army of Cultivators, who had initially Cultivated Cultivation Techniques, truly possessed!

He wanted to use the blood of the West Mausoleum Divine Hall to sharpen the blades of this army, which was about to conquer all the heavens!

...While Li Chengqian was stirring up two war storms in the Imperial Study that were about to sweep across the world.

In the Tingfeng Courtyard, Xu Weixiong also began her first move.

She did not go into seclusion for arduous Cultivation like Nangong Pu She.

Nor did she deliberately try to curry favor with Jing Tian and Xu Changqing.

She just did a very simple thing.

She submitted a memorial to the Emperor.

The content of the memorial was also very simple.

There was only one sentence.

"The chaos in the Li Yang Dynasty lies in the imperial court, not the Jianghu. Rather than attacking its branches and leaves, it is better to strike directly at the Dragon. Your concubine has a plan that can change the master of the Li Yang capital within a month."

When this memorial was delivered to Li Chengqian by Li Junxian.

Li Chengqian had just issued the order to declare war on the West Mausoleum Divine Hall.

He looked at this memorial from his newlywed Liang Consort with a playful smile on his face.

"Oh? Change the master of the Li Yang capital within a month?"

"What a big claim."

He handed the memorial to Li Junxian.

"Go and summon Liang Consort to me."

"I want to personally hear her 'earth-shattering' plan."

Soon, Xu Weixiong came to the Taiji Hall again.

This time, she changed into an elegant palace dress.

Less of the flamboyant red.

More of the dignified bearing of an imperial consort.

"Your concubine greets Your Majesty." She bowed gracefully to Li Chengqian.

"Rise." Li Chengqian looked at her and said indifferently, "I have read your memorial."

"To change the master of the Li Yang capital in a month. Tell me about it."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Xu Weixiong stood up and said neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"Your Majesty desires to conquer the Li Yang Dynasty, which is the will of heaven. However, the Li Yang Dynasty has been established for several hundred years, with a deep Foundation, and there are also capable officials and experienced generals like Grand Tutor Zhang Julu in its court. If we attack with a large army, even if we win, we will surely pay a heavy price. The battle line will also be dragged out for a very long time."

"And what Your Majesty lacks most is time."

Xu Weixiong's first sentence accurately hit Li Chengqian's heart.

Li Chengqian's face remained impassive, but in his heart, his evaluation of this woman rose a few points.

"Therefore," Xu Weixiong continued, "Your concubine believes that the best strategy against the Li Yang Dynasty is to attack their hearts."

"Attack their hearts?"

"Precisely." Xu Weixiong's eyes sparkled with wisdom, "The Li Yang Emperor Zhao Dun is naturally suspicious and obstinate. His most powerful minister in the court is Grand Tutor Grand Tutor Zhang Julu."

"The discord between these two is already well-known."

"We only need to plant a seed of suspicion between them. Then they will fall into disarray on their own."

"How to plant the seed?" Li Chengqian asked.

"Very simple." Xu Weixiong smiled, "Your concubine has long since had her father plant several important chess pieces in the Li Yang court. One of them is now the eunuch most trusted by Zhao Dun."

"We only need to use him to deliver a forged 'evidence' of Grand Tutor Zhang Julu secretly colluding with my Northern Liang, or even with the Great Tang, to Zhao Dun."

"Given Zhao Dun's character, he would rather believe it than not. He will inevitably grow suspicious of Grand Tutor Zhang Julu."

"And what kind of person is Grand Tutor Zhang Julu? Once he senses the Emperor's suspicion, with his methods, he will inevitably choose to strike first!"

"By then, the Li Yang Dynasty will fight amongst themselves without a single soldier from my Great Tang!"

"When ruler and minister suspect each other, the nation falls into great chaos. At that time, Your Majesty can lead a thunderous army to strike directly at the Dragon. Taian City will be within easy reach!"

After Xu Weixiong finished speaking, the entire hall fell silent.

Li Chengqian looked at the woman before him, who, while conversing and laughing, played with the fate of a vast Dynasty in the palm of her hand, and for the first time, a trace of genuine admiration arose in his heart.

What a Xu Weixiong!

What a strategy of attacking the heart!

"Your plan is very good." After a long while, Li Chengqian slowly spoke, "But you seem to have forgotten one thing."

"What thing?" Xu Weixiong asked.

"I can't wait any longer." Li Chengqian stood up and walked to her, his deep eyes fixed on her.

"I will deploy troops against the Li Yang Dynasty tomorrow."

"So, your plan, though good, is too slow."

Upon hearing this, Xu Weixiong not only showed no panic but smiled instead.

"Your Majesty, your concubine's plan does not conflict with yours."

"Oh?"

"Your Majesty's grand army can be the overt strategy. Righteously, they will approach the city, attracting all of the Li Yang Dynasty's attention."

"And your concubine's plan can be the covert strategy. Lighting a fire in their backyard that is enough to burn everything down."

"With both overt and covert strategies working together, how can the Li Yang Dynasty not fall?"

"Hahahaha!" Li Chengqian burst into hearty laughter again upon hearing this.

"Good! What an overt and covert strategy!"

"Liang Consort, you are excellent!"

"I will entrust this matter to you!"

"I grant you the authority to mobilize the Bad People's secret agents!"

"I want to see Grand Tutor Zhang Julu's and Zhao Dun's heads fall within a month!"

"Your concubine obeys the imperial edict!"

Xu Weixiong's eyes burst forth with an unprecedented brilliance.

She knew she had made the right gamble.

She had earned the Emperor's true trust.

And she had also won the most important bargaining chip for herself in this struggle for the empress position.

While Xu Weixiong was stirring up trouble in the imperial court of Chang'an and gaining political capital for herself.

Inside the Changan Academy's martial arts training ground.

Nangong Pu She also ushered in the most important transformation of her martial Dao career.

Ever since that day, after listening to the Master's teachings and being deeply stimulated by Li Chengqian's phrase "not fast enough."

She had confined herself here.

Without food, drink, or sleep, tirelessly.

There was only one thought in her mind.

Fast!

How could she be faster!

She wielded her long saber again and again.

From the most basic slashes, parries, and thrusts.

To the more than one hundred exquisite saber techniques she had learned.

Her saber became faster and faster.

So fast that it left streaks of visible afterimages in the air.

So fast that the entire training ground was filled with her fierce saber wind.

However, her brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

Because she found that no matter how fast she swung her saber.

She could not Breakthrough that invisible Bottleneck.

It was a higher Realm that she could not reach no matter how hard she tried.

"Heart and hand are not one."

The Master's words echoed repeatedly in her mind like a curse.

"What does my heart truly desire?"

Nangong Pu She stopped her saber and stood blankly in place.

She asked herself.

What she wanted was to be the number one in the world.

But what was being the number one in the world?

Was it to defeat all opponents?

She recalled the young Emperor sitting high on the Dragon throne.

She was confident she could defeat him in pure martial Dao.

But what then?

In front of him, she still felt a sense of powerlessness that came from her Soul.

As if her saber, which she was so proud of, was nothing more than a child's toy in front of him.

"Why?"

"Why can't my saber cut through that feeling of powerlessness?"

Nangong Pu She fell into deep confusion.

Her Dao Heart even developed a crack because of it.

Just then, a lazy, somewhat drunken voice sounded from outside the training ground.

"Little girl, what are you messing around with by yourself here?"

Nangong Pu She suddenly snapped back to her senses.

She turned her head and saw an old Daoist priest, dressed in a tattered Daoist robe, with a wine gourd hanging from his waist, reeking of alcohol, leaning against the doorway, grinning at her.

It was the Wine Sword Immortal, sent by Li Chengqian to serve as the chief instructor of Tiance Manor.

"Who are you?" A hint of vigilance flashed in Nangong Pu She's eyes.

She sensed an extremely dangerous aura from this seemingly disheveled old Daoist priest.

It was an aura more dangerous than any expert she had ever seen.

"Me?" The Wine Sword Immortal took a swig of wine and burped, "I'm just an old drunkard who loves to drink."

He staggered in and circled Nangong Pu She.

"Tsk tsk tsk, good bone structure, good saber too."

"What a pity, what a pity." He shook his head, his face full of regret.

"What's a pity?" Nangong Pu She asked coldly.

"It's a pity your saber has no Soul." The Wine Sword Immortal hit the nail on the head.

Nangong Pu She's body trembled violently.

No Soul?

"Your saber is very fast and very sharp." The Wine Sword Immortal pointed at the saber in her hand, "But it's just a weapon."

"A tool used to kill."

"You use it to kill people, to kill opponents. But you've never thought about using it for something more meaningful."

"So your saber is dead."

"How can a dead saber become faster?"

The Wine Sword Immortal's words were like a heavy hammer, striking hard at Nangong Pu She's heart.

Dead saber?

My saber is dead?

"Then what is a living saber?" She asked almost subconsciously.

"A living saber?" The Wine Sword Immortal smiled. He pulled out the wine gourd from his waist and casually tossed it into the sky.

Then he pointed his fingers like a sword, aiming at the wine gourd from a distance.

"Watch carefully."

"This sword strike of mine is called 'Guard'."

As his words fell, an invisible, gentle Sword Intent erupted from his fingertips.

That Sword Intent had no destructive power.

Yet, it transformed into an invisible net in the air.

It steadily held the wine gourd that was about to fall.

Then gently sent it back into his hand.

"This sword strike of mine Guards my wine."

The Wine Sword Immortal took another sip of wine, a satisfied smile on his face.

"Now, look at this sword strike."

His eyes suddenly became sharp.

His sword-fingers pointed towards the sky again.

"This sword strike is called 'Slay Demon'!"

As his words fell, a majestic Sword Intent filled with righteous Qi soared into the sky!

That Sword Intent transformed into a towering golden giant sword in the air!

With just a light slash!

"Boom!"

The thick clouds in the sky were actually cut open by this sword, creating a huge gap a hundred zhang long!

Sunlight poured down from that gap.

Illuminating the entire training ground in golden light.

Nangong Pu She stared blankly at this scene, completely speechless.

A single sword strike cutting open the clouds!

What kind of divine feat was this!

"This sword strike of mine slays the demons that plague the Mortal world."

The Wine Sword Immortal retracted his sword-fingers, and that astonishing Sword Intent vanished into thin air.

He looked at Nangong Pu She, who was completely stunned, and said with a smile, "Little girl, do you understand what a living saber is now?"

"Saber and sword are the same."

"They are not just tools for killing."

"They are also extensions of your will."

"What is in your heart, that is what your saber is."

"If your heart only contains victory and defeat, then your saber can only determine victory and defeat."

"If your heart contains the common people of the world, then your saber can cut open this decaying world!"

"How vast your heart is, that is how fast your saber can be!"

After speaking, the Wine Sword Immortal no longer paid attention to her, staggering as he turned and left.

"Remember, His Majesty asked this old Daoist to give you a pointer."

"He has high hopes for you."

"Don't disappoint him."

The Wine Sword Immortal's figure disappeared at the doorway.

Leaving only Nangong Pu She standing blankly in that golden sunlight.

The Wine Sword Immortal's last words echoed repeatedly in her mind.

"How vast your heart is, that is how fast your saber can be!"

Yes... my heart... how vast is it truly?

Nangong Pu She slowly closed her eyes.

In her mind, the young Emperor in the black Dragon robe appeared.

His words, "What I want is a woman who can stand shoulder to shoulder with me in this world."

Standing shoulder to shoulder in this world... So this was his true expectation of her?

He didn't want the number one saber user in the world.

He wanted a comrade who could bear this world with him!

"I understand..."

"I completely understand..."

Nangong Pu She suddenly opened her eyes!

At that moment, an unprecedented brilliant light burst forth from her clear, cold eyes!

The long saber in her hand let out a joyful hum!

A brand new, perfectly harmonious, and utterly domineering Saber Intent soared from her body into the sky!

That Saber Intent was no longer simply sharp.

Something more was added to it.

Something called "Guard," something called "Bear," something called "World"!

"Buzz—!"

The long saber in her hand could no longer suppress the power that was about to erupt, and it unsheathed itself automatically!

A dazzling, snow-white saber light that astonished the entire Chang'an City shot into the sky!

That saber light slashed towards the sky.

It did not cut through the clouds.

Instead, it severed the sunlight pouring down from the gap!

The entire world dimmed because of it!

The Saber is the Heart.

The Heart is the Dao.

At this moment, Nangong Pu She finally took that step.

She had become a demon.

She had not achieved the Dao.

She had found her own Saber Dao!

As Nangong Pu She, with a single saber strike, severed the sunlight in Changan Academy and comprehended her supreme Saber Dao,

A thousand miles away, on the border of the Li Yang Dynasty, the first fire, capable of scorching the sky, was ignited.

Yuchi Gong, a veteran general renowned for his bravery in the Great Tang army, did not hesitate in the slightest after receiving Li Chengqian's order to "attack with the entire army."

He did not even wait an extra day.

On the very night he received the imperial edict,

He personally led one hundred thousand Tiance Manor vanguard troops, under the cover of night, like a fierce tiger descending a mountain, charging brazenly into Ju Bei City, a strategically important border town of the Li Yang Dynasty.

Ju Bei City was the first line of defense for Li Yang against Northern Liang.

One hundred thousand of Li Yang's most elite border troops were stationed in the city.

The commanding general defending the city was Yang Taisui, a famous fierce general in the Li Yang army.

However, they never dreamed that

the Great Tang army would attack directly in such a barbaric, undeclared manner!

What they found even more unimaginable was

how terrifying the combat power of this suddenly appearing Great Tang army was!

Although the soldiers of Tiance Manor had only just begun to Cultivate the most basic Cultivation Technique,

their physical fitness had already far surpassed that of ordinary Mortal soldiers.

They had greater strength, faster speed, and stronger endurance!

Under the leadership of Yuchi Gong, a fierce general who had also Cultivated a superior Cultivation Technique,

the one hundred thousand Tiance Manor vanguard troops, like a red-hot iron saber, easily sliced through Ju Bei City's seemingly solid "butter" defense line.

From the very beginning, the battle was a one-sided slaughter.

Although the Li Yang border army was not at a numerical disadvantage,

in front of Tiance Manor's tiger-wolf army, they were like a flock of lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

Their sabers and swords could only leave white marks on the Tiance Manor soldiers' specially made armor.

However, the Tiance Manor soldiers' standard long sabers could easily tear through their leather armor and sever their tendons and bones.

Even more terrifying were the Shu Mountain Disciples who followed the army!

Although they were few in number, only a mere hundred,

they flew on their swords, traversing the battlefield.

Every time they attacked, large swathes of Sword Qi surged!

The Li Yang army's archers couldn't even touch their clothes!

"What... what kind of damn war is this?!"

The defending general, Yang Taisui, stood on the city wall, looking at the scene below, which resembled Hell on Earth, completely dumbfounded.

He had fought wars his entire life and had never seen such an unreasonable army!

How could this be an army of Mortals?

These were clearly demons who had crawled out of Hell!

"Retreat! Quickly retreat!"

Yang Taisui finally reacted from his shock.

He knew this battle could not be fought.

If they continued to fight, his one hundred thousand border troops would all be lost here.

However, he wanted to retreat, but Yuchi Gong would not give him the opportunity.

"Want to run? Have you asked my old Cheng's... no, have you asked my old Yuchi's fist!"

A thunderous roar exploded in Yang Taisui's ear.

He suddenly turned his head and saw a black-faced giant, eight feet tall, holding a water-ground black gold whip, who had appeared behind him at some unknown time.

It was Yuchi Gong!

"You..."

Yang Taisui was about to speak.

Yuchi Gong's fist, as large as a casserole, had already struck his face with a whistling wind.

"Bang!"

With a dull thud,

Yang Taisui's head, like a smashed watermelon, instantly burst open.

Red and white splattered everywhere.

The commanding general was killed in action.

Ju Bei City completely collapsed.

Overnight, the first gateway to the Northern border of Li Yang fell!

The news reached Taian City.

The entire Li Yang court was shaken!

Zhao Dun, the Li Yang Emperor, who had just regained his confidence due to Grand Tutor Zhang Julu's "scheme to attack the heart," fell from his Dragon throne on the spot after hearing the news.

"No... impossible! This is absolutely impossible!"

He roared like a madman, "Ju Bei City has one hundred thousand troops! Yang Taisui is even a fierce general of our Dynasty! How could it fall overnight?!"

"It's... it's true, Your Majesty..." The scout who came to report knelt on the ground, his body trembling like a sieve. "The Tang army... the Tang army is too terrifying! They... they are not human! They are monsters! Flying monsters!"

"Monsters?"

Zhao Dun and all the Civil and Military Officials were bewildered.

How could a war involve monsters?

And Grand Tutor Grand Tutor Zhang Julu, upon hearing this news, for the first time, his usually calm old face turned ashen white.

He knew he was wrong.

Terribly wrong.

He thought he had already highly overestimated that Li Chengqian.

But now it seemed he had still greatly underestimated that madman!

That madman had no intention of playing any schemes or tricks with him at all!

From the very beginning, he intended to crush the entire Li Yang with the most absolute power!

"It's over..."

"Li Yang is over..."

Grand Tutor Zhang Julu's heart was cold.

He knew that in the face of such an unreasonable "Cultivator army,"

any resistance from Li Yang would be futile.

However, just as the entire Li Yang court was plunged into despair,

Northern Liang, Qingliang Mountain.

Northern Liang Prince's Mansion, Council Hall.

Li Yishan, the chief strategist known as the "Poisonous Scholar," after hearing the news of Ju Bei City's fall overnight,

not only showed no panic but instead revealed a confident smile.

"What a Li Chengqian."

"Indeed, he is ruthless and swift."

He picked up the teacup in front of him and gently took a sip.

"But this is good too."

"The more fiercely he attacks, the easier my next move will be."

He turned his gaze towards Taian City, his eyes, which seemed to see through everything in the world, gleamed with terrifying light.

"Grand Tutor Zhang Julu, do you think my backup plan was only that bribed little eunuch?"

"No."

"My real backup plan is you."

"My most respected opponent."

Li Yishan smiled.

That smile was full of calculation and cruelty.

He knew that when the news of Ju Bei City's fall reached Taian City,

when the Li Yang monarch and his subjects fell into despair,

the one who had always been severely suppressed by Zhao Dun would surely step forward.

A person capable of changing the entire war situation.

The Grand Marshal of the Li Yang Army.

Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang!

And Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang was the deepest and most lethal chess piece that Li Yishan had laid years ago!

Taian City, Political Affairs Hall.

Despair spread like a plague among the Li Yang monarch and his subjects.

Facing the Great Tang's "Cultivator army," which was like gods and demons, they felt a sense of powerlessness for the first time.

All strategies, all military tactics, seemed so pale and ridiculous in the face of absolute power.

"Adjourn! Adjourn!"

Zhao Dun, distraught, climbed up from the ground, waved his hand, and was about to flee this suffocating hall.

He no longer wanted to hear any bad news.

However, at this moment, a loud and firm voice rang out at the entrance of the hall.

"Your Majesty, wait!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice.

They saw a middle-aged general, wearing bright silver armor, with a resolute face and eyes as sharp as an eagle's, striding in.

No personal guards followed him.

But standing there alone, the iron-blooded killing aura emanating from him seemed to overpower all the Civil and Military Officials of the court.

The Grand Marshal of the Li Yang Army.

Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang!

The only man whose prestige in the army could rival Xu Xiao's.

"Gu... Gu Aiqing?" Zhao Dun looked at him as if he had found a life raft, and a glimmer of hope rekindled in his eyes.

"What is the matter?"

Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang walked to the center of the hall and knelt on one knee before Zhao Dun.

"Your Majesty! The nation is in peril; your subject requests to fight!"

He only spoke six words.

But these six words exploded in everyone's ears like a clap of thunder!

Request to fight?

Request to fight at this time?

Isn't this going to die?

All the Civil and Military Officials looked at Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang with the eyes of a madman.

Even Grand Tutor Grand Tutor Zhang Julu's cloudy old eyes flashed with a hint of imperceptible surprise.

Zhao Dun was even more stunned.

"Gu Aiqing, you... do you know how ferocious that Tang army is? They... they can fly!"

"Your subject knows." Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang's voice remained calm.

"Then you still want to go?"

"Precisely because I know, I must go." Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang raised his head, his sharp eyes directly meeting Zhao Dun's.

"Your Majesty, although the Tang army is strong, it is not invincible."

"Oh? What strategy do you have to defeat the enemy?" Zhao Dun asked eagerly.

"The Tang army is strong because its combat power far surpasses that of Mortals. Its vanguard even has Shu Mountain Cultivators assisting them." Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang analyzed, "If we engage them in a direct open battle, my million-strong Li Yang army is no match for them."

"So we cannot confront them head-on."

"Then what should be done?"

"Lure the enemy deep." Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang slowly uttered four words.

"Lure the enemy deep?"

"Exactly." A fierce glint flashed in Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang's eyes.

"Your subject is willing to personally lead the last three hundred thousand elite Imperial Guards of my Li Yang to the Ju Bei City front line."

"Your subject will deliberately show weakness, retreating step by step, luring Yuchi Gong's three hundred thousand strong army deeper into the heartland of my Li Yang."

"Then..." Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang's voice became incredibly cold.

"Set up an ambush at Hulu Pass. Surround them with a million-strong army!"

"Hulu Pass?" Zhao Dun and the court officials were stunned.

They naturally knew Hulu Pass.

It was an extremely treacherous gorge within Li Yang territory.

Both sides were towering cliffs, with only a narrow passage in the middle.

Easy to defend, difficult to attack.

It was indeed an excellent place for an ambush.

"But," a civil official raised a question, "doesn't that Tang army have Cultivators? They can fly. Can mere terrain trap them?"

"It cannot trap them." Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang shook his head.

"Then what use is your strategy?"

"Terrain cannot trap them, but Formations can." Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang's lips curled into a confident smile.

"Formations?"

"Your Majesty, do you still remember Mount Longhu, the Celestial Master's Mansion, which my Li Yang venerates?" Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang asked.

"Of course, I remember." Zhao Dun nodded.

Mount Longhu Celestial Master's Mansion was the guardian Sect of Li Yang.

Its status was equivalent to Shu Mountain in the Great Tang.

However, Mount Longhu had always been reclusive, rarely participating in Mortal affairs.

"Years ago, your subject once met Zhao Xuansu, the current Celestial Master of Mount Longhu." Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang slowly said, "He owed your subject a favor."

"Your subject can use this favor to invite hundreds of Celestial Masters from Mount Longhu to descend and assist in the battle!"

"They will set up the ancient and wondrous Formation—the 'Nine Bend Yellow River Formation' at Hulu Pass!"

"Once this Formation is complete, it can isolate Heaven and Earth and reverse the universe! Let alone mere Shu Mountain Cultivators, even true immortals who fall into it will have their three flowers on top severed, their five Qi in the chest extinguished, and be reduced to Mortals!"

"At that time, the Tang army's greatest advantage will vanish!"

"Three hundred thousand tigers without claws, trapped within the heavy encirclement of my million-strong army. Your Majesty, do you think they will still have a way out?"

After Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang finished speaking, the entire hall fell into a dead silence once more.

But this time, it was not the silence of despair.

It was the silence of shock and ecstasy!

Incredulous expressions appeared on everyone's faces!

Nine Bend Yellow River Formation!

Inviting the Celestial Masters of Mount Longhu!

This Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang actually had such a heaven-defying trump card!

"Good! Good! Good!"

Zhao Dun trembled with excitement.

He rushed down from the Dragon throne and helped Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang up.

"Aiqing! You are truly the pillar of the Zhao clan, the purple-gold beam that supports the sea!"

"I grant it!"

"I appoint you as the Grand Marshal of the World's Armies! You shall command all the armies of the nation! All Li Yang's troops shall obey your command!"

"I grant you the power to execute first and report later!"

"I only want one result!"

"Annihilate Li Chengqian's three hundred thousand strong army at Hulu Pass!"

"Your subject obeys the imperial edict!" Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang's voice was like a great bell.

Watching this touching scene of harmonious monarch and subject,

Grand Tutor Grand Tutor Zhang Julu's pale old face, however, showed a smile uglier than a cry.

He slowly closed his eyes.

He knew he was wrong again.

He had also become a chess piece on someone else's board.

A discarded piece used to highlight Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang, the "savior" piece.

"Li Yishan, oh Li Yishan..."

"This 'inviting the gentleman into the urn' move of yours is truly brilliant..."

He murmured to himself.

He knew that Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang's so-called "luring the enemy deep" was a complete and utter lie!

He intended to bury Li Yang's last million elites and that arrogant Great Tang Cultivator army together at Hulu Pass!

He intended to pave a path of bones to the pinnacle of power with the blood of two Empires!

And he, Grand Tutor Zhang Julu, and Zhao Dun, who was still immersed in the dream of turning defeat into victory on the Dragon throne,

would all become insignificant stepping stones on this path.

What a ruthless heart!

What a venomous scheme!

Grand Tutor Zhang Julu felt a bone-chilling coldness rise from the bottom of his heart.

He knew that Li Yang was truly finished.

Not destroyed by the Great Tang.

But destroyed by the endless calculations and ambitions of its own people.