The Great Victory at Golden Pool

A great battle broke out in front of Golden Pool City.

City Lord Muyunzi personally joined the battle, fighting alongside Lin Ting into the void.

Yang Tianyou then used the Life-and-Death Blade, first accumulating power from a distance before unleashing it.

In this way, the destructive power of each of his strikes was comparable to the full-force attack of Body Integration Middle Stage Cultivator, causing enormous losses to the Great Zhao side.

Many Body Integration Cultivators of the Great Zhou were seething with hatred for him and wanted to find an opportunity to kill him. In particular, a general wearing black armor recognized Yang Tianyou's Blade Dao as that of the mysterious Blade Cultivator who appeared and disappeared unpredictably and kept attacking the Zhao Kingdom's support troops.

They thought he was Body Integration Cultivator, but it turns out he's only at the Void Refinement Realm, having merely comprehended the Blade Dao Principle. The Black-Armored General is confident he can defeat Yang Tianyou in a one-on-one fight.

However, Yang Tianyou was extremely cunning. He either hid in heavily defended warships or simply used his Divine Ability on Golden Pool City. The Zhao Kingdom's Body Integration Cultivators had no way to deal with him.

Time passed slowly, Zhao Kingdom ultimately could not withstand the siege of the Zhou Kingdom cultivators in Golden Pool City. They suffered heavy losses in the early stages of the battle.

As dusk fell, the setting sun shone like blood. The wreckage of warships lay scattered across the land, and corpses exuding powerful auras were everywhere. Some were broken, some were intact, and blood stained the earth. Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. After years of cultivation, in the end, everything seemed like a dream, a bubble.

Yang Tianyou strolled across the battlefield, his expression filled with emotion. Just then, space tore open, and Muyunzi and the other five Nascent Body Integration Cultivators returned from the void, carrying Lin Ting's corpse.

This fiercely loyal cultivator, who would rather die than surrender, lay a mangled corpse, his Battle Armor completely torn into strips hanging from his body, blood dripping from his hands and feet. Each drop emanated an aura of extreme strength and masculinity.

"As expected of a battle-hardened general, such terrifying killing power... If we hadn't joined forces to attack him, we probably wouldn't have been able to defeat him one-on-one!"

"Even under siege, we suffered considerable losses. My precious Spirit Treasure was shattered, it pains me to death!!" An old Daoist priest, dressed in a light blue robe with cloud patterns, tenderly stroked his treasure, a large black bowl covered with mysterious Spirit Mark, with faint traces of restrictions appearing on it.

Originally, this was a high-quality mid-grade Spirit Treasure, but now, a large hole has been broken in the rim of the bowl, and its aura has plummeted. If left unattended, it might fall into the category of low-grade Spirit Treasure.

Muyunzi laughed heartily and said, "This great victory will surely be rewarded by the imperial court. Your Spirit Treasure will be repaired soon. Not only that, but everyone's cultivation will probably advance by leaps and bounds in a short period of time."

"Muyunzi, you have truly made a great contribution this time. This is the first victory for our Great Zhou since the start of the war. With this opportunity, you will probably rise straight to the Azure Cloud and enter the Court. Once you enter the Court, with the support of the dynasty's Fortune, your Tribulation Transcendence will not be far off."

Upon hearing this, the several Body Integration Cultivators present all looked at Muyunzi with envy. The first merit since the start of the war is often rewarded more generously than any subsequent Meritorious Service.

"Haha, fellow Daoists, you flatter me. To be honest, the main contributor to our victory is not me, but someone else entirely," Muyunzi said with a smile, stroking his beard.

"Oh? Someone else? Are you referring to someone else, fellow Daoist?"

"Aren't you curious about why the intelligence for this battle is so clear and detailed?" Muyunzi asked, keeping everyone in suspense.

"Could it be that this intelligence wasn't sent down from above?" Everyone was quite surprised. They had assumed the intelligence was relayed by an informant planted within Zhao's army, but now it seemed it wasn't?

"Oh, fellow Daoist, stop keeping us in suspense! Tell us quickly, who provided the intelligence?"

Having whetted everyone's appetite, Mu Yunzi no longer concealed anything, calling Yang Tianyou to his side and saying with a smile, "This is the person, Fellow Daoist Taibai!"

Upon hearing this, the several Body Integration Cultivators looked at Yang Tianyou in surprise. Seeing that the latter was not intimidated at all and had a dignified demeanor, they immediately paid more attention to him.

"So it's Fellow Daoist Taibai. I heard my disciple mention you before; he praised you to the skies. Now it seems you truly live up to the hype." The old man who spoke was dressed in a bright red robe, his long hair flowing and almost dragging on the ground, giving him a very dignified air.

"Senior, are you perhaps the master of Mingfu Mountain?" Yang Tianyou asked, bowing.

"Indeed!" the old man nodded. "My disciple is indeed Yang Chenzi."

"How did Fellow Daoist Taibai obtain such detailed intelligence about the Zhao state?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Tianyou smiled but remained silent, offering no explanation.

Seeing this, no one asked any more questions. In any case, they had won this battle, and the most important thing was to report to the Court of the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty and to Grand Marshal Ji Chengwu as soon as possible.

In Huai'an Prefecture, the Yellow Dragon Boat stood like a Heroic Peaks peak against the sky. On its deck stood cultivators, even those with the lowest cultivation level, who were at least at the Sage Manifestation Realm. This was the Yellow Dragon Army, the most elite force of the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty.

On the Yellow Dragon Boat, in the solemn and majestic hall, Ji Chengwu, dressed in golden armor with dragon patterns, was pondering battle strategies in front of a map with his hands behind his back. More than a dozen experienced military advisors and generals provided him with various ideas, gradually refining the originally rudimentary battle strategy.

The army had been on its way for half a month. During this time, the two armies of the Great Zhou had already engaged in battle with the Zhao Kingdom, but had not made any progress. Of course, their mission was not to conquer cities and territories, but to attract the attention of the Great Zhao Imperial Dynasty and provide cover for the central army led by Ji Chengwu.

Ji Chengwu adopted a roundabout strategy, splitting his central army into two routes, one to the south and one to the north, like a crab with its pincers outstretched. Taking advantage of the intelligence provided by the Water Tribes, they headed straight for Jiangbei City.

Just then, Ji Chengzong rushed in excitedly, holding Jade Slip. Ji Chengwu said with a helpless expression, "How many times have I told you not to be rash in your actions, and to remain calm and composed in the face of adversity?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Chengwu laughed heartily and said, "Brother, this isn't a matter of my personality; it's just that the news is truly exhilarating!"

"Oh? What news makes you so happy? Could it be that the emperor of Great Zhao has passed away?" Ji Chengwu teased.

"A great victory! News of a great victory at the Front Line!" Ji Chengzong handed the Jade Slip to his elder brother.

Ji Chengwu was taken aback at first, then quickly took the Jade Slip. The great battle had just begun, and neither side had even exerted their full strength yet, and there was already news of a great victory. Could this be a false report? If so, then he should be severely punished.

However, after Ji Chengwu finished reading the message in the Jade Slip, he burst into hearty laughter, "Tianyou me! Heaven has truly Tianyou me!!"

"Yes, brother! The war has only just begun, and news of victory has already arrived from Golden Pool City. What does this mean? It means that you are a master strategist, a natural-born marshal. You will surely lead our Great Zhou to even greater victories in the future, and we will definitely be able to take Jiangbei City!" Ji Chengzong flattered him relentlessly from the side. Seeing this, General Shi Men also showered Ji Chengwu with flattery as if it were free, leaving Ji Chengwu dizzy with praise.

But he was a man of great composure. After suppressing his elation, he quickly ordered, "Immediately inform the entire army of the great victory at Golden Pool City. Let the soldiers see the strength of our Great Zhou army. To defeat a large number of enemies with a small force, to defeat a strong enemy with a weak one, and to be able to encircle and annihilate the enemy is truly a rare sight in military history."

"This battle also shows that the quality of our Great Zhou far surpasses that of Great Zhao. Zhao Kingdom is nothing but a paper tiger; there is no need to fear it. As long as our Great Zhou Fleet crushes them, we will surely achieve a resounding victory and be remembered for eternity."

After receiving the order, the guards retreated with great joy. Soon after, the soldiers' shouts echoed through the sky, and their morale soared instantly.

That's how war works. A victory in a major battle can greatly boost the morale of the soldiers. Although there were many key factors in the Battle of Golden Pool City, the soldiers didn't care about them. They only knew that the Great Zhou had won, and it was a great victory against a stronger enemy. This even weakened their vigilance towards the Zhao Kingdom, making them think that it was nothing special. They began to feel eager to try their luck on the battlefield and make a name for themselves like the Battle of Golden Pool City.

"Brother, the great victory at Golden Pool City was achieved by City Lord Muyunzi and that cultivator, Daoist Great White. They deserve great rewards to boost morale." Although Ji Chengzong was impulsive, he was quite generous to his subordinates. Ji Chengwu nodded in agreement. After thinking for a moment, he asked the adjutant next to him to draft the order.

"The great victory at Golden Pool City is truly an inspiring and magnificent feat, enhancing our national prestige. Therefore, we hereby promote the Golden Pool City, Muyunzi, to the Regular Attendant of the Palace Cavalry of the Palace and bestow upon him the Marquis of Jinchi. We also hereby appoint the Daoist Great White Yang Tianyou as Flying Tiger General and bestow upon him the Count Who Quells Bandits..."

After a great victory, many people, including Yang Tianyou, were promoted and given titles. Ji Chengwu was quite generous. Although he was a powerful minister, you couldn't say he was incompetent. At least he was good at winning people over, otherwise he wouldn't have gotten to this position.

After bestowing the titles and rewards, Ji Chengwu, in high spirits, summoned the generals again, but not in his true form, but Void Projection.

This time, the generals respected him much more. After all, the great victory at Golden Pool City was achieved under Ji Chengwu's command, which greatly boosted his prestige in the army.

"Haha, have you all heard about the great victory at Golden Pool City? Zhao Kingdom is nothing special after all. Do you still oppose my decision to attack Jiangbei City?"

As Ji Chengwu said this, he deliberately turned his gaze to General Wen Qun. This time, Wen Qun did not object, but simply lowered his head and said nothing.

Seeing this, Ji Chengwu was first surprised, then nodded in satisfaction. He then waved his hand triumphantly and said, "Facts have proven that my decision was correct. When dealing with an arrogant country like Great Zhao, we must dare to fight and struggle, and not be afraid of the enemy like a tiger. Only in this way can we achieve a great victory like the Golden Pool City."

Upon hearing this, the generals present changed their expressions slightly. Ji Chengwu's words were directed at them. After all, since the start of the war, the progress of the Great Zhou's war in all aspects had been like that of a slow-moving old tortoise, with more emphasis on defense than on offense.

Before the comparison with the great victory at Golden Pool City, Ji Chengwu couldn't say anything. After all, everyone had been fighting like this for so many years, and that's why the generals of the Great Zhou were all good at defense.

But now, Ji Chengwu clearly wants to make a change.

"Gentlemen, a few days ago, the Great Chen Imperial Dynasty sent a message saying that they were willing to send troops to attack the Zhongliang Circuit of the Zhao Kingdom, helping us to contain Zhao Kingdom's northwestern army. In this way, the western side of Jiangbei City will be vulnerable. As long as the Five Gates move fast enough, we can take Jiangbei City before Zhao Kingdom's central army arrives to reinforce us. Then, by coordinating with the Great Chen Imperial Dynasty from the east and west, the overall situation will be settled, and Zhao Kingdom will have no choice but to retreat."

Ji Chengwu spoke with absolute certainty, his words brimming with confidence. This confidence was undoubtedly fueled by the great victory at Golden Pool City. After all, Ji Chengwu had initially been somewhat apprehensive, but now he was far more confident. It turned out that fighting wasn't so difficult after all!

The generals present listened to Ji Chengwu's plan and fell into deep thought.

It must be said that this plan is quite feasible. Although it is still demanding, at least there is hope, isn't there?

Military affairs are inherently the greatest risks.

War is an untamed wild horse; you can drive it forward, but you cannot control when to stop, when to accelerate, or when to decelerate.

Since there are risks involved, why not take a big gamble and see if you succeed?

Some radical generals began to be genuinely moved; they were persuaded.

Firstly, there was the help from the Great Chen Imperial Dynasty, and secondly, there was the influence of the great victory at Golden Pool City. Compared to the previously unknown Muyunzi, which of them wasn't a seasoned general who had fought countless battles? Could it be that Muyunzi could do something that they couldn't?

Sensing the gradual shift in the atmosphere and the growing eagerness of the generals, Ji Chengwu was overjoyed. Under these circumstances, as long as he could lead them to conquer Jiangbei City, these generals would become his loyal and absolute supporters. At that time, even Li Shentong would have to bow down to him.

In contrast, Wen Qun, the old general, knew Zhao Kingdom's strength all too well. In just two hundred years since the new emperor ascended the throne, Zhao Kingdom had undergone a complete transformation. Even if they could capture Jiangbei City, they would eventually have to return it. What good would that do?

But now, he dared not refute. Ji Chengwu already loathed him. Wen Qun could sense it. If it weren't for his past seniority and reputation in the army, Ji Chengwu would have already taken away his position as commander of the right flank army.

Ji Chengwu's plan was too risky. If it failed, the support of the Zhou Kingdom's borders would fall on the shoulders of the two armies on the left and right.

Ji Chengzong was a reckless man who only knew how to charge into battle; he was rigid, dull, and utterly lacking in spirit when fighting.

In other words, he was the last insurance policy for the Great Zhou. Therefore, Wen Qun could not afford to lose this position. Otherwise, if the war were to end in defeat, Wen Qun dared not imagine the consequences.

Looking at the meek and obedient general below, Ji Chengwu was filled with excitement. After giving a few more instructions, he ended the meeting and ordered the Fleet to accelerate at full speed. Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, they crossed the Kuanglong River and headed towards Jiangbei City.