Character determines destiny

Bang!

With a sweeping arm, his fist slammed into Bai Di's cheek, sending him tumbling through the blast wave.

It did not lose control of its body due to the force of the punch. It flipped in the air, adjusted its body, and after landing, it slid back a short distance with its four hooves, stabilizing its momentum.

"Puff"

The White Emperor spat out a blood-stained fang. At that moment, its eyeball had just healed. It looked down at the broken tooth, then looked up in disbelief at the three-meter-tall, burly human.

The punch caused it a burning pain, resulting in minor superficial injuries. For a descendant of Gods and Devils with a powerful physique, such minor injuries were completely negligible.

But the shock in Bai Di's eyes was like a surging tide:

"This is impossible! How could you possibly possess such power?"

Generally speaking, a burst of potential can only bring about a momentary surge in power, and it is already quite difficult to maintain it for a short period of time.

However, in Bai Di's perception, Xu Qi'an's power had reached a new level and stabilized.

What does this mean?

This is absolutely outrageous!

A cultivator's power is accumulated step by step. An early stage of the second rank is just that—an early stage of the second rank. There's no reason for it to get stronger with each fight. Where does this power that appears out of thin air come from?

This completely defies common sense.

The White Emperor has lived for countless ages, from ancient times to the present, and has never seen anything so outrageous.

If it could be done that way, then what would be the point of spiritual practice?

This kid still hasn't reached the first-grade combat strength, but he's much stronger than before.

The White Emperor began to worry about when this increase would end.

Xu Qi'an spread his five fingers, and the shattered finger bones healed rapidly, his bloodied fist instantly healing itself.

Seeing this, Luo Yuheng felt relieved, his body went limp, and he felt a sense of exhaustion and weakness in his limbs from being too tense.

I told him that during the battle at Xunzhou, his condition was off; he got stronger as the fight went on. Asuluo felt relieved.

Master Jinlian and Zhao Shou immediately relaxed, realizing that there was still a chance to fight.

Master Jinlian, in particular, had extremely complicated feelings. He was in a hurry to refine the Black Lotus during the battle of Xunzhou and did not participate, so he did not have a deep understanding of Xu Qi'an's combat strength.

I only found out today that this kid's combat power is ridiculously high.

The face of the Garuda tree was as still as water. What exactly Xu Qi'an comprehended when he reached the second rank remains a mystery to this day.

This is also a major factor of uncertainty.

The only consolation is that, just as the White Emperor thought, a cultivator's power is accumulated step by step, and the so-called "getting stronger with each battle" should have a limit.

It's highly unlikely that they could cross a single grade.

As long as it's below the first rank, then there's not much of a problem.

Xu Qi'an looked south, towards Yongzhou, took a deep breath, and smiled:

"I'm done warming up. You three, can you still hold on?"

Upon hearing this, Asura spat out a mouthful of blood and sneered:

"Don't even mention thirteen days, I could fight for a month without a problem."

Zhao Shou laughed:

"If it weren't for the fact that the supervisor had expended most of the power of his scholar's cap and carving knife, I would have already sent the Gara tree back to the Western Regions."

Master Jinlian glanced at him sideways, thinking to herself, "Scholars who eat garlic every day, they've got quite the airs."

"The Daoist School Dharma bodies are connected to the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and their Law Technique are as profound as the sea, making them unafraid of prolonged battles."

As a top-tier powerhouse in the Nine Provinces, physical strength and Law Power are never issues for them.

The only question is whether Xu Qi'an can hold on. Right now, it seems that this kid is more durable than anyone imagined.

The three men's confidence soared.

Xu Qi'an looked south again; he looked south twice now.

Dean Zhao Shou said softly:

"You are the backbone of the Great Feng, the faith of its soldiers. As long as you stand, the faith of the Great Feng will stand!"

Xu Qi'an withdrew his gaze and exclaimed with a burst of heroic spirit:

A man's heart is as firm as iron until death; just watch me.

He took the initiative to meet Baidi, like a fearless warrior.

Watch as I mend the crack in the sky with a single hand.

Tianzong is located in a fairy mountain shrouded in clouds and mist.

Bingyi Yuanjun and Xuancheng Daoist, one riding a crane and the other flying on a sword, arrived at the magnificent Heavenly Venerable Hall at the top of the cliff.

The white-haired Celestial Venerable sat cross-legged on a lotus platform, his body hunched over and his head bowed.

"Greetings, Heavenly Venerable!"

The two Daoist School deities performed the Daoist salute with expressionless faces.

"I foresaw the Holy Maiden's demise. You will travel to Yongzhou and bring both of them back with you."

The Celestial Venerable's voice echoed within the hall.

Bingyi Yuanjun and Daoist Xuancheng exchanged a glance and said in emotionless voices:

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The ethereal and ruthless voice of the Celestial Venerable echoed once more:

"A great calamity is imminent. After the battle between the Celestial Person and the human race, the Heavenly Sect will seal off its mountain and sever all contact with the outside world. Until then, you must not participate in worldly affairs, nor should you provoke karma."

"Otherwise, they will all be expelled from the Heavenly Sect."

Bingyi Yuanjun and Xuancheng Daoist knew that the Celestial Venerable was warning them not to interfere in the war in the Central Plains because of anyone or anything.

Last time, when they were searching for Li Lingsu in Yongzhou, the two fell into Xu Qi'an's trap and were forced to defend him against the Buddhist School Vajra.

"Disciple understands!"

The two Yang Gods withdrew from the Heavenly Venerable Hall.

Xunzhou, the Prefect's compound.

A soldier, holding an intelligence report, strode into the hall and bowed, saying:

"Your Excellency, there is urgent military news."

Yang Gong was discussing matters with his staff when he heard this, and nodded in agreement:

"Bring it here!"

After handing over the intelligence, the soldier immediately withdrew; his only responsibility was to deliver the message, and he had no right to listen in.

Yang Gong unfolded the intelligence report sealed with wax, read it carefully, then put it down expressionlessly and said:

"Erlang has sent word that the rebel army in Yunzhou has amassed a large force and is preparing to launch a full-scale attack on Xunzhou!"

The staff members' expressions changed slightly, knowing that this day had finally arrived.

A lot has happened in the past few months.

The two armies fought fiercely along the defensive line centered on Xunzhou, engaging in over a hundred battles, large and small, including open field battles and siege warfare.

The entire Yongzhou was like a meat grinder, where tens of thousands of lives were wiped out.

In this series of fierce battles, Xu Erlang rose to fame, leading his cavalry across the battlefield and winning one victory after another, routing the Yunzhou cavalry and establishing illustrious military achievements.

The "righteous army" that cooperated with him also played a significant role.

It can be said that they made a tremendous contribution to the defense of Xunzhou City until today.

Just the day before, Li Miaozhen and her group attempted to infiltrate the Yunzhou camp and set fire to the granary, only to fall into a trap meticulously set by Qi Guangbo.

Fortunately, the leader of this "rebel army" was highly skilled and broke through the encirclement. Although he was seriously injured, no one was killed.

Yang Gong was unaware of the specifics, but he knew that dealing with Yang Qianhuan's teleportation technique was not difficult. The Yunzhou rebels also had Warlock System, and Xu Pingfeng must have left behind a magical Law Artifact to counter teleportation.

"Lord Yang, the Yunzhou army is coming with great force; this battle will likely be difficult."

"That's what one of the staff members remarked."

The current situation is that after many days of fierce fighting, the defense line has been completely destroyed. Only Xunzhou remains. If the Yunzhou army wants to advance north and swallow up Yongzhou City, they must remove Xunzhou, this thorn in their side.

Yang Gong turned slightly to the side and looked north.

"The real danger isn't us, it's Xu Yinluo and the Imperial Advisor. As long as they don't lose, we'll defend Yongzhou to the death."

Yang Gong said in a deep voice, "Pass down the order: Prepare for battle!"

Li Mubai and the others looked north.

They can all die, everyone can die, as long as the Great Feng survives the tribulation battle in the north, there is hope.

There, you will find the backbone of the Great Feng and the faith of its soldiers.

Yunzhou Camp.

Inside the military tent, Qi Guangbo stood in front of the sand table, where small red and blue flags were placed in different positions.

Each of those blue flags, symbolizing the Great Feng, was flanked by a corresponding red flag. If you looked closely, you would see that Xunzhou was completely isolated and without support.

No reinforcements are expected, at least for the time being.

Before the war began, blue chess pieces, symbolizing the defenders of Great Feng, were placed along the defensive line, forming a triangular formation with Xunzhou, guarding and supporting each other.

Now those flags are being pulled down one by one, or the entire army has been wiped out, or the soldiers have become scattered and disorganized, turning to field battles and surprise attacks.

Of course, the Yunzhou army also suffered heavy losses, losing one-third of its troops, including 8,000 of its elite elite soldiers.

Elite troops are not the same as ragtag troops; every drop lost is a precious treasure of Yunzhou.

"The plan is set. Now, it's time to meet the renowned Layman Ziyang."

Qi Guangbo surveyed the sand table with a calm and steady gaze.

This good-for-nothing spendthrift, who disdains both literary and military pursuits, is a madman who is only passionate about leading troops into battle. The reason he was chosen by Xu Pingfeng was because he possessed a terrifying strategic vision.

When leading troops into battle, ingenious strategies and tactics are always secondary; command ability and a broad perspective are the essential qualities of a commander.

Why is Wei Yuan hailed as a military genius?

It wasn't because of his cultivation level or his strategies, but because he could command hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of troops, and he possessed a strategic overview of the entire battlefield.

When the strength of both sides and the number of extraordinary experts are roughly equal, such a formidable commander can easily sway the outcome of a war.

Qi Guangbo was a military talent that Xu Pingfeng had met before, second only to Wei Yuan, and even a notch above Xiahou Yushu, the ruler of Jingguo.

"General, Xu Xinnian seems to possess a reconnaissance Law Artifact. What if he discovers your plan beforehand?"

Yang Chuannan frowned.

Ge Wenxuan then laughed and said:

"He couldn't have detected us before our army was assembled and before we marched into Xunzhou. Even if we had reconnaissance Law Artifact, they weren't always on alert. But now that he's detected us, we can be at the city gates before noon."

"The Great Feng has only just noticed; it's too late."

Another general said in a deep voice:

"Xu Xinnian's cavalry is extremely powerful, and they also have the assistance of the Holy Son and Holy Daughter of the Heavenly Sect. If they return to reinforce Xunzhou City, they will cause us considerable trouble."

Qi Guangbo smiled and said:

"Ignore them, someone else will handle them."

A desolate mountain range borders a desolate plain.

Xu Xinnian led 7,000 men and camped by the river at the foot of the mountain.

The cavalrymen conscientiously washed their horses' noses, and cleaned their hands, feet, and faces, while the infantrymen built stone stoves, brought out iron pots, and prepared to boil water to replenish their depleted water bags.

"Rest for two quarters of an hour, then immediately return to reinforce Xunzhou City."

Xu Xinnian turned to Miao Youfang and gave him an instruction, then looked at Li Miaozhen beside him and whispered:

Are you sure your injury is okay?

Li Miaozhen's face was somewhat pale, and she shook her head slightly:

"It's alright. I have the pills Yang Qianhuan left me, and I'll recover within three days. This minor injury won't affect my combat strength; the power of the Daoist School comes from the Primordial Spirit."

Her injuries were sustained during the ambush she suffered the day before.

At that time, the Yunzhou army had ambushed a large number of experts to kill them, including many fourth-rank masters. Yang Qianhuan's teleportation array was countered by a high-ranking array of the same system and could not be used.

The reason they were able to break through was entirely due to Master Hengyuan's Vajra Divine Skill, which withstood most of the damage.

Therefore, Master Hengyuan was the most seriously injured.

Among the members of the Heaven and Earth Society, Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen had the least serious injuries.

The latter, along with Li Lingsu and Hengyuan, retreated to Yongzhou City to heal their wounds.

The heroine Feiyan incorporated her private army into Xu Erlang's ranks and embarked on the journey with him.

It is often said that character determines destiny, and this is the essence of that saying.

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