Submit to Me or Die!?

As Aiven spoke, he flipped the Young Dragon over and found no little brother. "It's female."

"A female can still be called Xiao Guang, right?"

Xiao Guang looked utterly bewildered.

The next day.

Nine in the morning.

Forty thousand troops stood in neat formation beneath Rock City.

Aiven rode at the very front of the army.

The Young Dragon, Xiao Guang, lay on his left shoulder. Gripping the Emperor Sword, he declared with imposing momentum, "Soldiers! Once we set out, we will cut through every resistance along the way until we reach the gates of Aers Capital!"

"We will be unstoppable as we charge into the capital and claim victory in this campaign!"

"Now! All soldiers, march out with me!"

"Set off!"

Aiven pointed his sword forward, and the army began to advance.

They had finally begun their first western campaign, their first counterattack, with Aers Royal City as their destination!

From then on, the Aiven Duchy army fought its way onward!

The Kingdom of Aers shifted from the attacking side to the defending side, desperately trying to halt the Aiven Duchy army's advance.

But they simply could not stop them!

Our army was like an invincible force, capturing cities and passes along the way as it rapidly pushed toward Aers Capital.

Aiven roared, "Kill!!!"

"Those willing to submit to me may be spared. Tell me—will you kneel and submit, or die!" Aiven held his sword to a marquis's throat.

The marquis knelt on the ground, trembling from head to toe in utter terror. "Don't kill me! Don't kill me! I'm willing to submit to you! My two thousand private soldiers can all be placed under your command!"

Time flew by!

Two months later.

The Aiven Duchy army had reached the final important pass of the Kingdom of Aers—Northern Plains Pass.

As long as they captured Northern Plains Pass, the enemy kingdom would no longer be able to stop the army.

The Aiven Duchy army would charge straight to the gates of the royal city!

Over those two months, Aiven had beaten up every noble with a title along the route and in the surrounding areas. Whether viscount, count, or marquis, none escaped a beating.

Among those ennobled nobles, some fled, some were killed, and some surrendered.

In total, the private troops of the nobles who had surrendered along the way amounted to six thousand men, all of whom had been incorporated into the Ai City Army.

The Aers royal family and the powerful officials and nobles in the capital were now scared out of their wits.

"What do we do! What are we supposed to do!"

"Once Northern Plains Pass falls, they'll be at the gates of our capital!!" The king had become so frantic that he lost all composure before the ministers in the great hall.

Because the king knew perfectly well that he had plotted to kill Aiven's father, Duke Ace, and framed him for treason.

Once they broke through, his head would be as good as gone!

"Heaven Dou Empire is standing by and doing nothing!!"

"No matter what benefits Spirit Hall offers them, they refuse to send powerful experts to help us!"

"The Seven Great Sects and all the major Soul Master factions are likewise unwilling to lend us aid!"

"Now! What can we do now! What other way is there to force them back!!" the king roared emotionally.

The ministers all lowered their heads and kept silent.

At that moment, someone spoke. "Your Majesty, perhaps you should lower your stance and ask the Grand Duke of Wieland Duchy once more."

"At present, Ai City's defensive forces are insufficient. If Wieland Duchy is willing to send troops to attack Ai City, the Ai City Army may temporarily withdraw to support it."

"As long as we can force the Ai City Army back for the time being, we will have more time to beg Heaven Dou Empire for support!"

"Although Heaven Dou Empire cannot interfere because of its ten-year agreement with Aiven Duchy, Xue Ye can have the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, one of the Upper Three Sects, support us!"

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has already openly pledged allegiance to Heaven Dou Empire. Wouldn't having them act be the same as imperial interference?"

"But we have to try, Your Majesty!"

"Fine. I'll swallow my pride and ask the Grand Duke of Wieland once more." Gritting his teeth, the king wrote another letter and sent it to Wieland Duchy.

At this moment, our army had set up camp several kilometers outside Northern Plains Pass.

They were waiting for personnel from Ai City to deliver the completed hidden weapons.

Over two months, nearly half of the three types of hidden weapons—the Silent Sleeve Arrow, Godly Zhuge Crossbow, and Tight-Backed Ornate Crossbow—had been manufactured.

Four thousand Silent Sleeve Arrows, two thousand Godly Zhuge Crossbows, and three hundred Tight-Backed Ornate Crossbows were being transported to Northern Plains Pass and would arrive within two days at most.

As soon as the hidden weapons arrived, they could immediately attack Northern Plains Pass.

After two months of warfare, Aiven had already become battle-hardened.

He had honed a full set of combat techniques, and his understanding, instincts, and abilities in battle had all improved greatly.

However, the combat techniques and awareness he had developed were almost entirely killing techniques.

As for the Young Dragon Xiao Guang, in just two short months, it had advanced to ten years of cultivation!

It was now a ten-year dragon-type soul beast capable of producing a ten-year soul ring.

Its body had also grown to the size of a large dog. It was big enough to ride now.

But riding such a tiny dragon would be far from impressive.

Two days later.

The hidden weapon equipment was delivered to the front lines.

Jiang Wei stepped forward and reported, "Lord, our military equipment has arrived."

"Let's go take a look."

Several horse-drawn carriages stood in the Military Camp, each loaded with large wooden crates.

Aiven had the crates opened one by one, revealing batches of hidden weapons inside: Silent Sleeve Arrows, Godly Zhuge Crossbows, and Tight-Backed Ornate Crossbows.

Aiven tested them one by one and nodded. "Mm, not bad."

The Silent Sleeve Arrow could kill soul masters below level 20.

The Godly Zhuge Crossbow could instantly kill soul masters below level 40.

The Tight-Backed Ornate Crossbow was relatively destructive, but it could only fire one shot and was not as powerful as the Godly Zhuge Crossbow.

It was not particularly practical in war, so only a thousand had been made.

But with this batch of hidden weapons equipping our army, our forces would undoubtedly become even stronger.

"It's time to attack Northern Plains Pass. Immediately reorganize the troops and prepare to attack!" Aiven ordered.

"Yes!"

Two hours later.

The army stood before Northern Plains Pass.

The Kingdom of Aers had also dispatched a large number of troops to defend Northern Plains Pass.

They knew they could not hold it forever and that the pass would eventually fall, but they had to delay for as long as possible.

Northern Plains Pass was already extremely sturdy. Though it could not compare to Jialing Pass, it was still exceptionally difficult to breach.

With an all-out defense, they might be able to hold out for some time.

But the moment Aiven arrived, he intended to use Emperor's Power to break through the pass directly.

"Emperor Heavenly Dragon Wings!"

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Aiven flapped his dragon wings and flew into the sky, Emperor Sword in hand.

"Lu Bu, Xiahou Dun, Jiang Wei, Deng Ai—all generals, soul masters, and Soldiers—lend me your strength!" Aiven's voice echoed between heaven and earth.

"What is that brat trying to do?"

"A mere Soul Grandmaster wants to break the pass?"

"Quit joking around!!"

The enemy generals were utterly baffled, speechless, and disdainful.

If Lu Bu were making a move, they might have been nervous. But what could a puny Soul Grandmaster like you possibly do?

If you could so much as break off a thumb-sized piece of Northern Plains Pass's high wall, we'd consider you impressive!

"External Soul Bone skill, Emperor's Power!!"

Aiven made his move. The strength of four Titled Douluo, ten Soul Douluo, third-rate Soul Saint generals, and ten thousand men began to frantically gather within the Emperor Sword.

Enemy army: Holy...!! Holy shit!!!!