800,000 Army

In the blink of an eye, more than half a month passed. The entire Northern Province had fallen under the Red Assembly's control. Marshal Ge Long had been captured. The 30,000 infantry and 5,000 heavy cavalry left behind in Northland City put up a desperate resistance, but because they could not bring much of their strength to bear within the city, more than half were killed or wounded, while the rest were captured. As prisoners, they were fitted with a Soul Tool jointly developed by Tang San and Lou Gao, one that dispersed the Soul Power gathered in the dantian. This prevented Soul Masters from circulating Soul Power, using their martial souls, or unleashing Soul Skills without crippling their Lower Dantians. And without the enhancement of Soul Power, a Soul Master's physical constitution was not much stronger than that of an ordinary person. Even Soul Scholars could keep watch over them... "What? Marshal Ge Long was defeated!" Xue Ye received the battle report and learned that not even a month and a half had passed since Ge Long had set out on the Southwest Bandit Suppression. Not only had he lost, but both Fasinuo Province and Northern Province had fallen into the hands of the Red Assembly! Idefu Province in the northwestern region of the continent had now lost contact with Heaven Dou as well. If Heaven Dou could not reclaim Northern Province, it would only be a matter of time before Idefu Province joined the Red Assembly! "They harbor the ambitions of wolves!" "The Red Assembly truly commits a monstrous rebellion!" "Cough, cough!" Overcome with fury, Xue Ye coughed up a mouthful of dark red blood. His face turned pale, and he nearly fell from the imperial throne, throwing the gathered ministers into panic. "Your Majesty! Your health is