The two commanderies of Ba-Shu were covered in endless green mountains, steep and difficult to traverse. Because of the terrain and years of warfare, countless families and factions had sought refuge deep within those mountains. Most, however, lived in mountain strongholds, tribal settlements, or small county towns. Though the region was vast and an excellent grain-producing base, it had very few sizable cities.
Azure-Clad City was a royal-tier city second only to Chengdu Imperial City, the Shu Army's capital, and Jiangzhou Imperial City, the capital of Ba Commandery. With over two hundred million residents, it teemed with competing factions, dragons and snakes mingling together. It was one of the very few royal cities in the world whose population actually matched its rank.
The two commanderies of Ba-Shu had originally belonged to the Shu State and possessed superb natural barriers that made them easy to defend and hard to attack. Later, the Great Huan Celestial Lord Xiao Ying signed the eternal covenant, and the Shu State ceded the two commanderies as agreed. Knowing full well that the Shu State would never truly give them up, the Great Huan Celestial Dynasty transferred its most intact and stable regional force of many years-the forces of Yue Province, formerly the Yue State Zone-to garrison Ba-Shu.
When the allied nations launched their surprise attack and the Shu Allied Forces invaded, the Myriad Phenomena Dragon Empress Chong Shiqie continued to lead Yue Province's main forces in guarding Yue Province and the surrounding southern territories. The Mountain-Suppressing Dragon King Xiao Fenglong personally led the two strategists, Extraordinary Martial Marquis Tian Feng and Ghost Marquis Guo Jia, along with four renowned generals-Brocade Sail Marquis Gan Ning, Silver Dragon Marquis Zhao Yun, Evil-Suppressing Marquis Dian Wei, and Tiger Roar Marquis Xu Chu-to defend Ba Commandery.
With so much riding