What If the Three Armies Joined Forces?

Guo Youshan led his force of fewer than a thousand men in a desperate flight, crossing mountains and rivers before finally reaching Cloud Mountain Fortress.

"General Guo?" Chen Haoran hurried over after a soldier brought him word, only to find Guo Youshan in a sorry state, with fewer than a thousand men left under his command.

"Defeated... defeated... everything is gone..." Guo Youshan's eyes were vacant, his hair disheveled and his face filthy. He spoke the words weakly.

"All two hundred thousand troops are gone?" Sima Heru spoke up before anyone else could.

Chen Haoran gently tugged at Sima Heru and discreetly shook his head.

"General Guo..." Chen Haoran wanted to offer him some words of comfort, but when they reached his lips, he could no longer bring himself to speak. After all, that had been an army of two hundred thousand.

"Alas, General Guo, what's done is done. Please rest here for now. Tomorrow, you and I will go to the front and meet with Yan Jianjun to plan our next move." Chen Haoran gestured for the old general to enter the tent.

Like a walking corpse, Guo Youshan followed two soldiers away, while his subordinate officers were assigned quarters in other encampments.

Outside Wuling City

"You're saying Guo Youshan was routed, and fewer than a thousand of his two hundred thousand men returned?" Yan Fengxiao stared in disbelief at the messenger from Cloud Mountain Fortress. Though the two were not on particularly good terms, the news that an army of two hundred thousand had been routed still brought him out in a cold sweat. The matter had far-reaching implications and might affect him as well.

"General Yan, General Guo has already returned to Cloud Mountain Fortress," the messenger continued.

"Come, we're going to Cloud Mountain Fortress!" Before he had finished speaking, Yan Fengxiao was already outside the command tent.

"Commander Zha, Wuling City is just ahead," Vice General Qin Shan said to Commander Zha, looking at the towering gatehouse.

"We're back. If we hold Wuling City, we'll hold Sunset City as well. Once we defeat the Wu Kingdom, the Qian Kingdom will enjoy more than ten years of peace," Chahar said, gazing at the lofty gatehouse.

"Vice General, send a messenger ahead to announce that the army is entering the city."

"Yes! I will carry out your orders!"

The fighting at Wuling City came to a temporary halt with Yan Fengxiao's return. All sides were moving troops and assigning generals; a storm was brewing.

The next day

Though Ye Fan had cultivated all night, he was still full of vigor. His gaze was sharper than ever, giving others a soul-seizing feeling.

"Whew... the Star Art. My connection to the world is growing closer and closer. It's as though I can command the entire Inner World as easily as my own arm. This feeling... it's powerful!"

The Star Formula was derived from the world's Great Dao, the foremost art beneath the Great Dao. It connected with the power of the world and transformed it for one's own use. The Great Dao had countless paths, and one's words became law.

Ye Fan closed the Gate of the World, yet he could still clearly see everything outside. This was because the Star Art had established a connection with the greater world. Though the Inner World had become a world of its own, its Great Dao could resonate with that of the greater world. It was independent of the greater world, yet could also merge with it. Most importantly, if it had enough energy, it too could grow into a greater world.

Ye Fan guided the Inner World forward, passing through a wall without any obstruction. Once he reached the courtyard, he fixed on a direction and stirred his mind. In an instant, he was above Sunset City.

Extreme speed-a change brought about by the power of the stars. Within this world, the Inner World no longer felt the rejection it had when it first came into being. Its movement was as smooth as drifting clouds and flowing water. The Inner World no longer needed to expend energy to counter the resistance of the greater world. It was like a roaming dragon entering the sea. With a single thought, it moved at extreme speed.

"Whew, this feeling is so natural. I only have to think of a place, and I can reach it at extreme speed. It's as if I'm crossing through space. Is this the change brought by the Star Art? It really is powerful." Ye Fan was startled by the extreme speed. With a thought, he appeared in the sky above Sunset City the next moment.

"Hm? Then let's try the Endless Mountains!"

Ye Fan silently spoke the words in his heart. Light flashed, and the scenery beneath his feet changed. The Endless Mountains.

"Is this Hundred Stars Village? Why has it become like this?"

The Hundred Stars Village of old was gone. Its wooden houses and thatched huts had all been destroyed, and its bluestone-paved roads were badly damaged. Several kinds of unknown young beasts played there. Nature was reclaiming Hundred Stars Village, and greenery was taking over this place where humans no longer lived.

Ye Fan remained hidden in midair, studying his former home. In just over half a year, the place had completely changed. In a few more months, the traces of the villagers' lives would probably vanish entirely. Life passed in a hurry, just like Hundred Stars Village, leaving no trace behind.

"Xiao Fan, the village's bamboo baskets are ready for delivery today. The old village chief wants you to go see him. Hurry up, get up and eat." That was Mother Ye's voice.

Fortunately, Ye Fan had just returned.

"All right, Mother, I'll go right away!" Pretending he had just gotten up, Ye Fan gave a lazy reply.

Cloud Mountain Fortress

"Where is General Guo?" After traveling through half the night, Yan Fengxiao had arrived inside Cloud Mountain Fortress. As soon as he dismounted, he set about finding Guo Youshan.

"General Yan, General Guo is in his tent. I'll go inform him." A patrolling soldier hurried over and immediately stepped forward to take hold of Yan Fengxiao's horse.

"Inform him? Disaster is upon us, and you want to fucking inform him?!! Show me the way..." Yan Fengxiao was so anxious he wanted to strike someone, and he cursed and swore.

The soldier immediately told him where the tent was, not daring to say another word.

Once he knew the location, Yan Fengxiao hurried over, riding crop in hand, with several personal guards following him.

"General Guo, General Guo, General Yan is here!" The guards watching the tent saw Yan Fengxiao hurrying over and immediately went inside to announce him.

"Where is General Guo Youshan?" Yan Fengxiao arrived in front of the tent and addressed the dejected soldiers.

"General Yan, please come in." As soon as Yan Fengxiao finished speaking, Guo Youshan emerged from the tent and cupped his hands to him.

Yan Fengxiao looked at Guo Youshan, who had aged considerably, but said nothing; Guo Youshan's personal attendants were still present. He walked straight past him without looking at him.

Guo Youshan knew full well that he had no face to take offense over the matter. With a bitter laugh, he followed close behind.

"General Guo, you lost the battle of Qixia City?" Guo Youshan had already dismissed the several personal attendants in the tent. Yan Fengxiao got straight to the point.

"Only a little over eight hundred men returned with me." General Guo's voice was hoarse and weary.

"General Guo, after a defeat like that, how can you show your face?"

"As a defeated general, I am overwhelmed with shame. I ask only to serve as a mounted archer and avenge my fallen brothers." Guo Youshan kept his hands cupped and his back bent, his manner exceedingly humble.

"Haha, a veteran general of the Wu Kingdom wants to be a mounted archer? General Guo, that joke goes a little too far!" Yan Fengxiao clasped his hands behind his back, his expression arrogant.

Just then...

"General Chen has arrived!" a messenger announced loudly.

"I heard General Yan had come through the night. I was not here to receive you, and I hope you will forgive me!" As soon as Chen Haoran entered the command tent, he saw the arrogant look on Yan Fengxiao's face and Guo Youshan, whose heart was dead as ashes. He more or less guessed what they had been discussing.

"General Chen? News travels fast to you. I've only just come in, and here you are."

In fact, Chen Haoran knew Yan Fengxiao would come, but not when. So he had sent a soldier to wait at the fortress gate and report as soon as he saw Yan Fengxiao. That was why he had arrived so quickly.

"You misunderstand, General Yan. I came to ask General Guo to accompany me to Wuling City to discuss the military situation with you. I did not know beforehand that you had already arrived at Cloud Mountain Fortress," Chen Haoran said, neither servile nor overbearing.

"Oh, you came to discuss the military situation with me! General Chen, you've stayed here at Cloud Mountain Fortress for over a month without ever going to the front. What military situation could you possibly discuss?" Yan Fengxiao remained arrogant and rude.

"General Yan, our hundred and fifty thousand troops have long been sleeping on their weapons, awaiting the dawn. We've only been waiting for your army to open the way through Wuling City so ours can pass. Since you've come today, General Yan, you must have already secured Wuling City. In that case, please grant our army passage, and we can set out for Sunset City at once." Chen Haoran looked Yan Fengxiao straight in the eye as he spoke.

"You..." Yan Fengxiao was so angry he wanted to strike someone with his riding crop.

"If you haven't taken Wuling City, then please hear me out, General Yan. This is a matter of great importance and must not be taken lightly."

"General Chen, if you have something to say, say it directly. Why beat around the bush?" Yan Fengxiao conceded somewhat.

"Generals, what if our three armies joined forces..."