The Crushing Defeat at Jiangbei

Jiangbei City, located north of the Kuanglong River, is situated in a strategically important location surrounded by Perilous Land terrain. It has been developed by the Zhao Kingdom for many years, with countless Formations, traps, and restrictions laid out. Both the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty and the Great Chen Imperial Dynasty have repeatedly attacked Jiangbei City but have failed and suffered heavy losses. The Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty, in particular, seems to have developed an obsession with Jiangbei City.

On this day, the sky above Jiangbei City suddenly became stormy, and space cracked and shattered. A warship that was thousands of miles long, like a floating continent and True Dragon, slowly sailed out from the Spatial Rift. It was the Yellow Dragon Boat.

The terrifying pressure emanating from the Ninth-Tier Upper-Grade warship caused the space within a radius of tens of millions of miles to distort violently, the Spiritual Qi to boil, and the birds and beasts in the mountains and plains seemed to have their mouths covered, and for a moment there was no sound, only deathly silence.

"Attack!!"

Ji Chengwu stood on the deck, holding a golden pagoda in his right hand. This was his natal Spirit Treasure Nine Luminaries Golden Pagoda, which was already High-Grade Spirit Treasure.

Boom!! Boom!!

At Ji Chengwu's command, the True Dragon head in front of the Yellow Dragon Boat slowly opened its mouth, revealing sharp teeth one by one. At the center, a dazzling golden light was slowly expanding, eventually transforming into a golden beam of light hundreds of miles thick, which shot straight out and struck the protective shield of Jiangbei City, which seemed to have been hastily opened.

With a loud thud, the sky darkened, and space shattered around Jiangbei City, unleashing countless Void Turbulence that churned the surrounding area into a scene resembling the end of the world.

However, to Ji Chengwu's surprise, despite the violent fluctuations caused by Yellow Dragon Boat's full-force attack, Jiangbei City's protective shield did not break.

You must know that Jiangbei City has more than just this one Formation. Even breaking through this first Formation was so difficult. Can I really take Jiangbei City in a short time?

Unbeknownst to him, Ji Chengwu's belief in victory began to waver.

Of course, on the surface he showed no reaction whatsoever, methodically directing the Fleet that kept pouring out of the void to launch a series of devastating attacks against the protective shield of Jiangbei City.

Time passed slowly, and under the relentless offensive of the Zhou Kingdom Fleet, the Defense System of Jiangbei City was gradually disintegrated. Everything seemed to be progressing in a positive direction, but Ji Chengwu's brows furrowed more and more, as this progress was far from satisfactory to him.

"It seems we have no choice but to use this treasure!"

Ji Chengwu sighed helplessly, then flipped his left hand, and a semi-transparent longsword appeared.

This sword is entwined with Various Daos spatial Spirit Mark, like a coiled dragon, and contains an extremely powerful Sword Dao aura within its very essence, as if nothing can withstand its cuts.

Skyvault World-Breaking Sword!!

This Ninth Tier Forbidden Artifact contains incredibly powerful Sword Dao and spatial Principle. Its sharpness is unstoppable; once unleashed Principle, it can even cleave an entire realm in two. A cultivator once used it to kill three Tribulation Transcendence Grand Cultivators, one of whom had even survived the Wind and Fire Tribulation. Its power is immeasurable.

However, these are not the greatest uses of the Skyvault World-Breaking Sword.

Breaking Boundaries, Breaking Boundaries—as the name suggests, this Forbidden Artifact excels at breaking through Formation and barriers.

Ji Chengwu was confident that he could take Jiangbei City in a short time, and his biggest advantage was this Forbidden Artifact.

"Very well, with a sword in hand, I'll have to use it sooner or later. I'll use you to pave a Great Dao to the heavens for me!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ji Chengwu no longer hesitated. He poured his vast and pure Tribulation Transcendence Law Power into the Skyvault World-Breaking Sword. The next moment, the Sword-Ray shook the heavens.

The clear, melodious Jianming seemed to disregard the barriers of space, instantly resounding in the ears of all cultivators.

Immediately afterward, amidst the furious stares of the Jiangbei City garrison, this translucent longsword, which appeared as clear and bright as crystal, arrived above the city. With just a gentle poke, the layers of Formation Shield melted away as quickly as snow in spring.

Moments later, the defenses of Jiangbei City were completely breached, and Zhao Kingdom cultivators were forced to face the terrifying Fleet of the Zhou Kingdom.

After completing its mission, the Skyvault World-Breaking Sword turned into wisps of crystal and slowly disappeared into the air.

Holding the Nine Luminaries Golden Pagoda, Ji Chengwu appeared Feng Lin in the shattered light of the broken Formation. With a roar, he commanded, "Soldiers, the Jiangbei City Formation barrier has been breached! Follow me and charge in!!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the eyes of the Zhou Kingdom soldiers reddened. There was no idea how much military supplies were stockpiled in Jiangbei City. They didn't need much; just a little bit would be enough to sustain them for a lifetime.

In an instant, the morale of the Zhou Kingdom soldiers soared once again, and they charged forward with great shouts, afraid of being a step too slow and missing out on some resources.

However, at this moment, a vast net descended from the sky, with countless stars adorning the nodes of the net. Power of the Stars from the heavens flowed down in a mighty torrent, forming waterfalls. In an instant, the stars were like a sea, enveloping the entire Fleet the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty.

Ji Chengwu's face instantly darkened, but the next moment he heard a refined, light laugh beside him, "Brother Ji, how have you been?"

"Guan Qin!!" Ji Chengwu gritted his teeth and uttered those two words, "How could you be here!!"

"Oh? Reuniting with an old friend, Brother Ji, you are not happy but angry. What is the reason for this?"

The sound seemed to draw closer, and then, an Inverted Hanging Mountain, eight hundred miles high, emerged from the Ocean of stars. Behind that mountain was an endless army of the Zhao Kingdom, all clad in black Battle Armor, their expressions solemn, wielding weapons, exuding a murderous aura.

The Central Army of the Great Zhao Imperial Dynasty, the most elite force in the Zhao Kingdom, is responsible for guarding the capital and is rarely mobilized. The one in charge of commanding the Central Army is this middle-aged man with a refined and scholarly demeanor.

This man had a long, flowing beard. Although he was also wearing Battle Armor, he had the air of a scholar. He was smiling at Ji Chengwu, and he didn't look like an opponent about to fight to the death. Instead, he looked like an old friend catching up.

On the other side, in stark contrast to Guan Qin's relaxed and carefree demeanor was Ji Chengwu. The Grand Marshal Ji's brows were furrowed into a deep frown, and his eyes were so gloomy that they seemed to drip ink. The deputy general next to him was so frightened that he kept his head down.

Ji Chengwu was not afraid of Guan Qin, but the sudden appearance of the central army of the Great Zhao Imperial Dynasty really surprised him. The intelligence clearly showed that the central army of the Zhao Kingdom had always been stationed in the capital and had never left. Even if they had learned of his attack on Jiangbei City and rushed over, they would not have been able to do so so quickly.

Unless...

Knowing his plans and intentions, the Zhao Kingdom sent Guan Qin with the central army to the vicinity of Jiangbei City in advance, intending to trap him like a turtle in a jar...

"How is Zhao Lin?" Ji Chengwu asked, squinting his eyes.

Zhao Lin, a member of the Zhao Kingdom clan, was cunning and greedy. He was gradually corrupted by Ji Chengwu's promise of great rewards and passed on a large amount of the Zhao Kingdom intelligence to him without ever making a mistake.

Having Zhao Lin as a contact is one of the key reasons why Ji Chengwu is confident he can conquer Jiangbei City!

But now, seeing that Guan Qin had laid an ambush for him, Ji Chengwu knew that Zhao Lin had most likely been discovered.

As expected, Guan Qin chuckled, a hint of disgust flashing in her eyes, and said, "King Panglin has been imprisoned by His Majesty for treason and collusion with the enemy. He will inevitably have to go to the King-Slaying Platform."

Upon hearing this, Ji Chengwu remained expressionless. His relationship with Zhao Lin was purely transactional, with no real connection whatsoever. Therefore, he did not react much to the news of Zhao Lin's arrest.

Now that things have come to this, the most important thing is to lead the army to break through the encirclement. Ji Chengwu is not a fool. He knows very well that if the Yellow Dragon Army is surrounded and annihilated here, the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty's Kuanglong River defense line will be in grave danger.

"Come and fight! Let me see how well you've improved your Nine Deaths Divine Art over the years!"

Holding the Nine Luminaries Golden Pagoda, Ji Chengwu ascended step by step into the sky, his aura gradually expanding. His domineering and awe-inspiring presence managed to help the Zhou Kingdom soldiers, whose morale was wavering, regain their composure.

"I dare not presume to ask, but I myself would like to experience Brother Ji's Supreme Divine Ability, Nine Luminaries Soaring Sky!"

Guan Qin laughed heartily, took out her Spirit Treasure, channeled her Law Power, and struck Ji Chengwu squarely.

The two leaders went to war, and the Yellow Dragon Army and the central army of the Great Zhao Imperial Dynasty also began a fierce battle.

One by one, warships plummeted from the sky amidst the sweeping Storm of Spiritual Qi energy, their limbs severed, fragments of shattered Spirit Treasures scattered across the wreckage...

Compared to this large-scale war, the battle in front of Golden Pool City was like two children fighting.

Time flew by. On this battlefield where the world was turned upside down and the sun and moon were dark, time seemed to have lost its meaning. After an unknown amount of time, Ji Chengwu fell from the sky in a sorry state, leading the decimated Yellow Dragon Army to successfully break through the encirclement.

Guan Qin did not order the central army to pursue, which puzzled his subordinates. He explained, "Ji Chengwu was ambushed by me with the Three-Eerie Death-Soul Needles, and his soul suffered irreversible damage. He won't live much longer. The Yellow Dragon Army, however, still has the strength to fight, especially the Yellow Dragon Boat. It should not be underestimated. If we were to encircle and annihilate them, we would also suffer heavy casualties. It's not worth it. Rather than killing a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of our own, it's better to stop here."

"On my command, the entire army prepares and marches on Xilin City!!"

In Golden Pool City, the cultivators were still immersed in the joy of their previous victory when, at that moment, a piece of bad news arrived.

The Jiangbei army suffered a major defeat, with Grand Marshal Ji Chengwu severely wounded and the Yellow Dragon Army decimated.

Following this, the Battle of Xilin City also ended in failure, with Commander Ji Chengzong leading his remaining troops to flee to the rear.

Only in Bianqing City, near Huangzong Mountain, was progressing well. Wen Qun, worthy of being a highly praised general, took advantage of the Bianqing City garrison commander's complacency after hearing news of the two major victories, and actually captured Bianqing City in one fell swoop, greatly relieving the pressure on the Kuanglong River defense line.

However, due to the heavy losses of the elite Yellow Dragon Army, the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty was at an absolute disadvantage, especially on the western front where it suffered repeated defeats and Jing'an Prefecture fell. Guan Qin led the Zhao Kingdom army all the way to the Fushan City before having to stop the attack because the battle lines were too long.

When Yang Tianyou heard this news, he was shocked. The Grand Marshal Ji Chengwu and the Western Route Army Commander Ji Chengzong were indeed brothers. They suffered defeat after defeat, and the originally healthy situation of the Great Zhou was ruined in one day.

Without Jing'an Prefecture, a crucial strategic region, the defensive depth of the Great Zhou would be greatly reduced. Once the Zhao Kingdom occupies this area, it can directly attack the Zhou Kingdom from the south and strike the neighboring prefectures of the Great Chen Imperial Dynasty from the northwest.

In other words, the initiative in the war was firmly in the hands of the Zhao Kingdom, and they could attack whomever they wanted from then on.

It's estimated that the high-ranking officials in the Great Chen Imperial Dynasty's Court would definitely be furious and curse Ji Chengwu as a heartless scoundrel.

If you can't fight, then don't fight. A defensive line that hasn't had any problems for tens of thousands of years has been completely exposed by your actions, riddled with holes.

This was no longer just a matter for the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty; the Great Chen Imperial Dynasty was also implicated, a truly undeserved disaster.

Meanwhile, on the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty's side, when Li Shentong and the other court officials learned of the great defeat at Jiangbei City, even with their rock-solid composure, they couldn't help but feel dizzy. Li Shentong hurriedly summoned the Reserve Army in the rear and continuously transported them to the Front Line. After "seeking instructions" from His Majesty the Emperor, he entrusted all matters at the Front Line to General Wen Qun for temporary coordination.

Upon learning this news, Ji Chengwu did not object and tacitly approved of the matter.

After this battle, Ji Chengwu gained a thorough understanding of his own military command abilities. Although the major defeat was mainly due to intelligence issues, he also bore primary responsibility for underestimating the enemy and acting rashly.

Of course, Ji Chengwu would never admit this openly. He shifted the blame to several Front Line generals, temporarily dismissing them. To appease these generals, he promised them numerous benefits. Through a series of maneuvers, Ji Chengwu miraculously turned the tide. He truly lived up to his reputation as a man who had seized power through internal strife. Although he was inept at external affairs, his ability to engage in internal power struggles and Ji Chengwu for profit was off the charts.

At that moment, on the Yellow Dragon Boat, Ji Chengzong walked into the main hall with a gloomy face. Ji Chengwu was pale and weak. Upon seeing this Ji Chengzong was shocked and hurriedly stepped forward to ask, "Brother, what's wrong...?"

"The Three-Eerie Death-Soul Needles truly live up to their reputation as extremely Yin and vile objects. Combined with Guan Qin's Nine Deaths Divine Art, my three souls and seven spirits have been severely torn apart. I'm afraid I won't last much longer," Ji Chengwu said weakly.

Upon hearing this, Ji Chengzong felt as if a thunderbolt had struck his mind. His elder brother had always been his greatest support since childhood, and he had thought that he would recover from this injury quickly, but he never expected it to be so serious.

"Oh no... what should we do...?"

Ji Chengzong was completely bewildered and at a loss.

Upon seeing this, Ji Chengwu's eyes flashed with disappointment. He had placed high hopes on his younger brother, but no matter how much he trained him, Ji Chengzong's progress was always unsatisfactory.

But what could he do? He had no children of his own, only this one younger brother, and he would have to entrust his future to him.

Thinking of this, Ji Chengwu said softly, "Don't worry, I can hold on for the time being. The most urgent task now is to stabilize the situation as soon as possible."

"Brother, do you have any good ideas?" Ji Chengzong asked hurriedly.

"Although we suffered a major defeat in Jiangbei, we weren't without our glorious achievements, were we?"

"Brother, are you referring to Wen Qun's victory at Bianqing City?" Ji Chengzong hesitated. "But Wen Qun is related to us..."

"No!" Ji Chengwu squinted and slowly shook his head, "It was the great victory at Golden Pool City!"