Wu Kingdom

Biodata

History

Longstanding Conflict with Qian

The Wu and Qian kingdoms have fought wars for more than a century, losing countless soldiers and expending enormous resources without either side securing a decisive advantage. The current Martial Emperor personally led several campaigns but failed to conquer Qian completely 14 18.

During the previous Martial Emperor’s reign, General Yan Wupi was ordered to guard Eastward-Looking Mountain against Qian attacks. Instead, he forced his army across the mountain and assaulted Qixia City, causing the death of its old city lord and numerous casualties. He continued westward until his provisions ran out 33.

After the old Qian Emperor died, Wu exploited the new ruler’s recent accession and the instability left by the princes’ struggle for power. Before the latest invasion, the Martial Emperor had already harassed Qian’s border twice 14.

Seizure of True Dragon Power

Wu secured the cooperation of Sunset City’s lord, Mo Cang, by offering resources to help him reach the Foundation Establishment Realm. Mo Cang surrendered his city lord’s token, and the Wu envoy declared Sunset City subject to Wu jurisdiction 8.

The envoy used the token and a Dragon-Trapping Formation to draw out the city’s golden true dragon. Fighting alongside Wu’s purple true dragon, he subdued it outside the city. Wu subsequently obtained the True Dragon Power of Wuling City and Qixia City as well 8 14.

These seizures did not amount to lasting military occupation. Qian commanders continued defending all three cities, while the Wu Emperor ordered armies to capture and hold them. Qian treated the thefts as a declaration of war and mobilized in response 14 17.

Divided Invasion

The invasion assembled at Cloud Mountain Fortress, but its commanders disagreed over strategy. Chen Haoran warned that Yan Fengxiao and Guo Youshan would divide their forces in pursuit of individual victories. He sent Sima Heru ahead with 50,000 elite troops to prevent this, but Yan placed Sima under guard and proceeded with separate attacks on Wuling and Qixia 18 21 26.

Wu Pojun opened the Wuling campaign with a surprise night assault. His troops eliminated Qian’s hidden sentries, scaled the walls, and battered the gates, but the defenders repelled them. Repeated assaults failed to secure the city, while Yan refused meetings with Chen and resisted seeking reinforcements 27 28 31 32 44.

Defeat at Qixia and Consolidation

At Qixia, Qian forces coordinated an attack on Guo Youshan’s camp with a trap inside the city. Yuan Shiji led troops through the open gates, where concealed defenders surrounded them. Yuan was killed, more than 30,000 Wu soldiers were captured, and Guo escaped with fewer than a thousand survivors from his original army of 200,000 39 40 41 43.

The defeat split the Wu court. Chancellor Cao favored withdrawal, while General Liang Zhongda argued for concentrating the army at a single breakthrough point and continuing the war 46.

Guo reached Cloud Mountain Fortress, where Chen proposed combining the armies. By the latest account, Yan and the other commanders had set aside their differences and were bringing another 150,000 troops toward Wuling, raising the force outside the city to more than 300,000 47 49.

Geography and Strategic Locations

Government and Objectives

• Martial foundation: The kingdom is explicitly described as founded on military strength; its emperor favors following an initial attack through to the complete defeat of the opponent 14.
• Expansion policy: The emperor intends to secure the three frontier cities, personally conquer Qian, and compel surrounding smaller kingdoms to submit. His stated ultimate ambition is rule over the Eastern Continent 36.
• Court divisions: The Qixia disaster exposes disagreement between ministers advocating withdrawal and generals supporting continued conquest 46.

Notable Officials and Commanders

• Wu Emperor / Martial Emperor — Sovereign and architect of the invasion; orders troop deployments and receives reports from the front 14 36.
• Chancellor Cao — Recommends Yan Fengxiao and Guo Youshan for the frontier campaign; later supports withdrawal after Guo’s defeat 14 46.
• Yan Fengxiao — Veteran general commanding the Wuling offensive; his rivalry with other commanders obstructs cooperation 26 32.
• Guo Youshan — Veteran general commanding the failed Qixia offensive 14 40.
• Chen Haoran — General from a military family, recognized by Qian intelligence as a capable strategist; advocates coordinated operations 18 30 47.
• Sima Heru — High minister accompanying Chen; unsuccessfully attempts to keep Yan and Guo’s armies united 14 21.
• Wu Pojun — Yan’s foremost warrior, known as the Pojun War God; commands the opening assault on Wuling and specializes in surprise operations 27 28.
• Liang Zhongda — Pro-war general who urges concentrating forces rather than retreating 46.

Military

Initial Invasion Assignments

Specialist Troops and Siege Equipment

• Selected Vanguard / Formation-Breaking Warriors: Elite troops used to break formations, kill commanders, and capture banners. At Wuling, they silently eliminate hidden sentries and climb the walls with grappling hooks to attempt to open the gates 27 28.
• Battle Formation Breaching Battalion: Lightly equipped, battle-hardened soldiers tasked with crossing walls and disrupting defenders rather than becoming tied down in prolonged combat 29.
• Siege equipment: Wu deploys catapults, battering rams, scaling ladders, and grappling hooks. Catapult bombardment breaches Wuling’s walls and smashes a hole through its gate without securing the city 26 29.
• Supply constraints: Rapid marches exhaust troops and horses, while shortages of provisions hamper the campaign. Chen and Sima also face dwindling supplies while waiting at Cloud Mountain Fortress 18 36.

Supernatural Assets

Purple True Dragon

• Appears as a hundred-zhang-long, purple five-clawed true dragon, summoned through a token carried by Wu’s envoy 8.
• Fights alongside the envoy against Sunset City’s golden dragon and attacks with persistent black flames 8.

Dragon-Trapping Formation and Envoy

• Dragon-Trapping Formation: Deployed through a formation talisman to ensnare the golden dragon drawn from Sunset City’s lord token 8.
• Core Formation envoy: Wu’s unnamed representative is a Core Formation cultivator capable of fighting in the air 8.
• Spirit-Taming Fan: The envoy’s life-bound artifact, identified as a mid-grade mystic-rank treasure fan 8.
• Great Void Palm and Soul-Extinguishing Needles: The envoy uses a giant black palm attack and soul-targeting silver needles during the dragon battle 8.