Yu Tianheng looked down at the string of numbers, his clenched fists slowly loosening.
He knew this was not the end, but at least, the war instigated by the four nations had reached a decisive turning point in his hands. The stench of blood still lingered in the air, but the victory of Heaven Dou was already a foregone conclusion.
The battle report, like a thunderclap, crossed the borders and reached the capitals of the four kingdoms of Silves, Floran, Heavenly Eagle, and Holy Soul.
King Silves's golden cup clattered to the ground, spilling wine that soaked his magnificent dragon robe, but he seemed oblivious. His eyes were fixed on the words "total annihilation" in the report, his lips trembling as he stammered, "Impossible... We staked our entire Soul Master army, built up over three generations, how could this be..." Before he could finish speaking, he collapsed onto his throne, his face ashen, the last glimmer of light in his eyes extinguished.
In the palace of the Floran Kingdom, the king tore the secret letter to shreds and roared hysterically, "Useless! A bunch of useless people!" But when his anger subsided, only a deep-seated fear remained—the elite troops he had built with the nation's treasury, his only reliance for trying to seize the territory of Heaven Dou, had now vanished like smoke. He could almost see the Heaven Dou army breaking through the city gates.
The king of the Heavenly Eagle Kingdom stood before the map, his finger trembling as he traced the territory representing his country. Suddenly, he vomited a mouthful of blood. He recalled the bold words he had sworn before the battle, the 50,000-strong army, the seven Soul Saint, and the Soul Douluo who had pressed in. He felt his vision go black—without the army, this small country was like a fish on a chopping board, completely at the mercy of others.
The Grand Duke of the Holy Spirit Duchy collapsed in silence, slumping to the ground and muttering to himself, "It's over... it's all over..." The four kingdoms had joined forces, thinking they could withstand the invasion of the Heaven Dou army, but they never expected to run into Yu Tianheng, this fierce tiger. Now their wealth was gone, and all that awaited them was the destruction of their kingdom.
At the same time, in the imperial palace of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Xue Qinghe unfolded the battle report, his fingertips tracing the words "Over 20,000 beheaded, over 160,000 captured, all four commanders annihilated," and a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips. He slowly closed the letter, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes, thinking to himself, " Yu Tianheng, as expected, did not disappoint me."
This war, which was considered "extremely dangerous" by both the government and the public, was turned around by him single-handedly.
Xue Qinghe walked to the window and looked at the Heaven Dou flag fluttering outside the palace. He knew that after this battle, no one would dare to underestimate the empire's power, and the name Yu Tianheng would become a legend that would shake the continent.
Before the smoke of battle had completely cleared, Yu Tianheng had already begun to deal with post-war matters.
He stood in the center of the battlefield, his voice carrying far and wide through his Soul Power: "Pass on my order: the entire army shall rest for three days, and immediately begin cleaning up the battlefield!"
Upon receiving the order, the Heaven Dou soldiers sprang into action.
Some began clearing away the scattered weapons and Soul Tool, sorting and storing the usable items; others worked together to dig a large pit and bury the bodies of the fallen from both sides, even the enemy's corpses were placed in thin coffins—this was respect for the dead and reverence for war. The wounded were carried to the rear camp for treatment, and the cries of agony gradually subsided amidst the busy work of the medical team.
The 160,000 prisoners were escorted in batches and transferred to designated areas in the rear under the supervision of special personnel. Discipline was strictly enforced along the way, and no one was allowed to bully or mistreat them.
Yu Tianheng personally inspected several prisoner-of-war camps to ensure supplies were in place before turning his attention to reorganizing the army.
He reorganized the remaining troops, replenished the losses, promoted those who had made meritorious contributions, and stabilized the morale of the army. In just three days, this army, which had just experienced a bloody battle, regained its uniform and vigorous spirit.
On the morning of the fourth day, Yu Tianheng mounted his horse, purple-gold Thunder flickering around him. "Target: The Silves Kingdom!" With his command, the Heaven Dou army surged forth like a raging torrent, launching a devastating offensive towards the four kingdoms' territories.
The Silves Kingdom was already short of troops and had no power to resist the Heaven Dou Army, whose morale was high. The capital was captured within three days.
Immediately afterwards, the Floran Kingdom's defenses collapsed like paper, and the king was killed by pursuers while fleeing.
The Heavenly Eagle Kingdom attempted to resist by relying on its natural defenses, but Yu Tianheng personally led his elite troops to break through from the front. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the defending troops defected one after another.
The last Holy Spirit Duchy couldn't even muster a decent resistance; when the royal family surrendered, they didn't even dare to look Yu Tianheng in the eye.
The territories of the four kingdoms, like ripe fruit, were gradually incorporated into the map by the Heaven Dou Army.
Yu Tianheng advanced relentlessly, committing no offenses against anyone he encountered. He only dealt Thunder with those who resisted, quickly stabilizing order in the newly conquered territories. Wherever his battle flag pointed, none dared to stand in his way.
As the flames of war subsided, the smoke of battle finally dissipated within the Heaven Dou Empire. Yu Tianheng stood on his horse on the newly pacified land, his gaze sweeping over the towns that were beginning to recover from the devastation. He decisively made a deployment—leaving 20,000 elite troops in the core areas of the four great kingdoms and the great duchy. These soldiers, like wedges, drove themselves into the local areas, quickly taking over defenses and suppressing the remaining rebellions, stabilizing the turbulent situation in a short period of time.
Once the local base was secure, Yu Tianheng did not delay any longer and led the remaining hundreds of thousands of Heaven Dou troops on their return journey.
Hundreds of thousands of suits of armor gleamed coldly in the sunlight, and the sound of their orderly footsteps made the earth tremble slightly. The two characters " Heaven Dou " on the military flag stretched in the wind, reflecting the soldiers' faces, which, though tired, could not hide their determination.
The army galloped all the way and finally arrived at a place only a few miles away from the gate of Heaven Dou City.
Just as Yu Tianheng raised his hand to signal the troops to take a short rest, a scout galloped up to his horse, knelt down, and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "General! Scouts have discovered that His Majesty is personally leading the entire court of civil and military officials, waiting for your return at the city gate!"
Yu Tianheng abruptly pulled on the reins, and his warhorse reared up, letting out a long neigh. He looked at the familiar outline of the capital city not far away, his brows furrowing slightly before turning into a complex expression.
The emperor's personal welcome was an extraordinary honor, carrying both profound glory and unspoken implications. He composed himself and solemnly addressed his attendants, "Order the entire army to prepare their attire and armor, and follow me into the city."
The vanguard had reached the foot of Heaven Dou City. The city gates were wide open, and the bright yellow ceremonial guards stood out conspicuously in the sunlight on the open ground in front of the gates.
Xue Qinghe, dressed in a dragon robe, stood before the steps, with civil and military officials arranged according to rank behind him, all their eyes fixed on this dusty but still imposing army.
As Yu Tianheng rode his horse and saw this formation from afar, the string of "caution" in his heart instantly tightened.
Without the slightest hesitation, he nimbly dismounted, the clinking of his armor echoing crisply. His guards tried to help him up, but he raised his hand to stop them.