"But you're right. We must never let down our guard against others."
"Pass down the order. Have every division at the front advance steadily. There's no need to chase glory and rush ahead."
"Consolidate the occupied regions, spread our eyes and ears far and wide, and closely monitor the movements of the Great Yan Dynasty, Mingxin Temple, and the other powers."
He paused, his tone growing grave. "Meanwhile, deliberately spread word of Zhao Kingdom's disastrous defeat and the favorable treatment given to those who surrender. Make sure it reaches the ears of those powers still wavering."
"We must make everyone understand: those who submit to us may not prosper, but those who defy us will surely perish! Zhao Kingdom is the best example!"
Li Yunjing concluded.
"Yes!"
Xiao Anran grasped his meaning immediately, admiration flashing in his eyes.
This young vice sect leader excelled not only at battle but also at shaping the wider situation, always keeping the overall picture firmly in his grasp.
The great victory at Luohun Slope and the whirlwind advance that followed had struck like a thunderous fist, leaving Zhao Kingdom utterly stunned and crippled.
Yet, just as Li Yunjing had predicted, once the allied armies swept across more than half of Zhao Kingdom's territory and pushed into its heartland, the nature of the war began to change quietly.
The allied advance slowed noticeably, particularly along the Divine Firmament Dao Sect's route under Li Yunjing's command.
This was not because they had encountered resistance from a powerful field army.
Zhao Kingdom's main forces had been all but exhausted at Luohun Slope and in the subsequent rout.
The stalled advance stemmed from deeper problems.
The newly occupied regions covered vast stretches of land and held enormous populations.
Although many had surrendered early on, turning these territories into