Dawn broke.
When Liu Xiu appeared before the vast army on horseback, several arrows embedded in his armor and his entire body bathed in blood, the shock was beyond words.
The clatter of hooves struck at every heart. Liu Xiu had not slept all night, and exhaustion swept out from the deepest reaches of his body, yet his spirits soared to their peak.
Four years!
Through so much wind and rain, beneath the stars and moon, through crises of life and death, he had finally accomplished his great undertaking today.
He rode through the armored elites, their black armor and red banners bearing a solemn beauty, then raised his bloodstained sword high and shouted, "The Sage King above!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
War drums thundered, and countless voices shouted as one, "The Sage King above!"
The cries rose one after another, carrying untold distances. Liu Xiu looked around with his sword drawn, then turned his gaze toward Chang'an in Guanzhong, a thousand li away.
Who could stop me?
The court's great army collapsed in a single day. Leaving aside the dead and wounded, the defeated soldiers panicked utterly and scattered in flight. Some were gathered together and retreated toward Guanzhong.
Others headed into the various commanderies and counties. Luoyang stood at the very center of All Under Heaven, with roads leading in every direction, offering passage throughout the realm.
Routed troops were among the most terrifying things in this world, especially troops whose spirits had collapsed, let alone elites of formidable fighting strength. They could turn a stable region into a living hell in almost no time.
As the routed soldiers scattered, news of the court's crushing defeat spread throughout All Under Heaven.
The resulting chain reaction was tremendous!
Although the court's army had fallen to Liu Xiu, this only