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Within Tang San's perception, all the powerful individuals in the Sky Sword Sect were "completely visible."
Among them, Dugu Bo had broken through to level ninety-six, and Yang Wudi and others had seen various degrees of improvement in their strength.
Ning Rongrong and Dai Weisi's auras were shielded by Ning Tianchen, making it impossible for him to probe them.
What most caught Tang San's attention was Ning Tianchen's situation.
However, it seemed that Ning Tianchen wasn't currently within the sect.
"Hmph, as the sect leader, he's acting like a hands-off manager, completely unaware that his sect has fallen into this state!"
In his view, the Sky Sword Sect was not far from destruction.
Having gained a general understanding of the situation, Tang San left the Sky Sword Sect and headed to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and the Snow Mountain Sect to gather intelligence.
These two sects weren't as open as the Sky Sword Sect, allowing outsiders to enter freely—they maintained strict defenses.
Tang San only observed from the periphery before turning to leave.
For him, the top priority now was to fully equip his Hao Tian Hammer with spirit rings.
…
A month later, the Spirit Hall, Tian Dou Empire, and the upper three sects issued a joint declaration to the entire continent.
The declaration explicitly mentioned how the Tang Sect had stolen property from the Tian Dou Empire's royal treasury by abusing their positions. To avoid exposure, they even massacred all the laborers conscripted under the empire's name!
This revelation caused a massive uproar.
With so many major factions issuing a joint statement, no one doubted its authenticity.
In an instant, panic spread throughout the Star Luo Empire.
To avoid being forcibly conscripted, the common people began resisting officials' attempts to recruit laborers.
During this time, the Tang Sect had used their power to suppress other merchant associations in pursuit of commercial interests.
Now, with the walls crumbling, many oppressed merchants secretly amassed forces, preparing to deliver a fatal blow to the Tang Sect.
Currently, Tang San was just one spirit ring away from equipping his Hao Tian Hammer with nine rings.
But with such a major crisis erupting in the empire, he abandoned hunting for spirit rings and returned to the palace to discuss countermeasures.
It was important to note that, to prevent the empire's governance from grinding to a halt, many ministers in the court were still part of the old administration under Dai Tianfeng.
It wasn't that Yu Xiaogang and the others didn't want to cultivate their own loyalists—it was simply that there hadn't been enough time. The trusted individuals they had groomed were just beginning to handle official duties and couldn't shoulder significant responsibilities yet.
Rumors of Dai Mubai being sidelined had already spread in the court. With this joint declaration, the ministers' thoughts were divided.
Under both internal and external threats, if not for Tang Xiao guarding the palace, the courtiers might have already led soldiers to overthrow the Tang Sect's "rule".
In the imperial study.
Tang San hurriedly returned to find Yu Xiaogang and Tang Xiao already discussing strategies.
It was worth mentioning that, due to Tang Yuehua's influence, the Feng Sword Sect was now a staunch ally of the Tang Sect and held a position second only to the Tang Sect in the Star Luo Empire.
Given the sudden major incident, Feng Bailong was also summoned to join the discussion.
"What's going on?" Tang San looked slightly weary, rubbing his nose bridge as he sat down.
Yu Xiaogang was visibly flustered, while Tang Xiao remained remarkably calm. "Xiao San, public opinion is against us. I plan to have Mubai issue a clarification. However..."
The matter of Tang San and his disciples conscripting and killing laborers had never been discussed with him.
The evidence presented in the joint declaration fully substantiated these claims. If Dai Mubai were to issue a statement, wouldn't it signal to the entire continent that he intentionally ordered the massacre?
While imperial authority was paramount, announcing this to the entire continent risked undermining the throne.
Thus, Tang Xiao's intention was simple: find someone to take the blame and quell public anger.
Since learning of Tai Long's death, Tai Tan had been in a daze. Pushing him forward would be a wise choice.
The only concern was whether the disciples of the Strength Clan would resist.
Most of the Tang Sect's hidden weapons were crafted by these blacksmiths. Without them, production would plummet.
At this moment, Tang San couldn't help but feel some regret.
If they hadn't severed ties with the Dragon Halberd Sect earlier, they could have easily shifted the blame onto them.
Now, in this chaotic situation, suppressing protesters militarily might play right into the hands of the Spirit Hall and other forces.
For a moment, silence reigned in the imperial study.
Everyone was thinking of solutions but couldn't find the most suitable one.
The onslaught of public opinion had come too swiftly. By now, the news had spread across the continent and would soon be known to all.
The Tang Sect was already in the preparatory stages for war, but with this disruption, launching a war against the Spirit Hall in the future might not gain any support.
About an incense stick's time later, the guards came to report again.
The previous declarations by the major factions were just appetizers—the real main course was yet to come.
The new declaration explicitly stated that Dai Weisi had fled to the Tian Dou Empire and received Xue Qinghe's protection.
Additionally, Dai Weisi revealed the truth about the palace coup.
He pinned the blame for Dai Tianfeng's death on Dai Mubai, claiming that Dai Mubai had administered an unknown poison, which, combined with Dai Tianfeng's overwork and illness, ultimately led to his sudden death.
Dai Mubai and his group had timed their attack perfectly, storming the palace on the day Dai Tianfeng passed away and seizing power.
In Dai Weisi's narrative, while he mentioned Dai Mubai, he primarily shifted the blame to the Tang Sect.
Without the Tang Sect backing Dai Mubai, how could the empire have suffered such calamities?
At the end of the declaration, the Tian Dou Empire and the Spirit Hall clearly stated their intention to assist Dai Weisi in purging the corrupt elements around the throne. Meanwhile, Dai Weisi generously indicated that if Dai Mubai didn't hold grudges, he was willing to step aside and live as a wealthy, carefree man.
"The Spirit Hall urges the citizens of Star Luo to remain calm. The Tian Dou Empire's army will not plunder any civilian property—they will only eliminate the Tang Sect and its followers."
"If necessary, the upper three sects will personally send strong individuals to ensure the daily lives of the populace in 'occupied areas'."
After reading the contents of the joint declaration, Tang San angrily tore it to pieces. "How dare Dai Weisi betray his country and willingly become a pawn of the Spirit Hall and the Tian Dou Empire!"
Feng Bailong, sitting nearby, felt helpless.
If not for the Tang Sect and Dai Mubai leaving Dai Weisi with no way out, would he have resorted to siding with the "enemy"?
Moreover, it was the Tang Sect that arrested and imprisoned Dai Weisi. If they failed to guard him properly, wasn't it their responsibility? Who else could be blamed?
"The Spirit Hall and the Tian Dou Empire are coming with great force—they must have been preparing for a long time," Tang Xiao said, frowning deeply.
Calculating the timeline, even with multiple blockades, Dai Weisi's abilities should have allowed him to escape to the Tian Dou Empire within a month.
Once his intentions were clear, the Tian Dou Empire would surely send powerful individuals to quickly escort him to the palace.
The fact that these factions waited until today to issue the declaration meant they had likely prepared extensively.
Fortunately, the Tang Sect had already deployed significant forces to the border regions in preparation for revenge against the Spirit Hall.
Even if the Tian Dou Empire and the Spirit Hall launched an immediate attack, the border defenses would hold for some time.
"Don't forget—we still have our hidden weapons," Tang Xiao reminded them. "Currently, the Tang Sect produces 300 sets of hidden weapons daily. If we push production and recruit more blacksmiths from within the empire, output will soon skyrocket."
Tang San naturally didn't want to leak the technology behind the hidden weapons.
The recruited blacksmiths would face certain death once the war ended.
Strictly speaking, the second declaration actually did them a favor.
Entering a state of war meant the nobles and ministers in the court would focus on protecting their own interests, leaving no energy to target the Tang Sect.
Moreover, they could use this opportunity to argue that the Spirit Hall and the Tian Dou Empire merely wanted to invade the Star Luo Empire, and the earlier declaration was just a pretext for war.
Feng Bailong, unfamiliar with the hidden weapons, couldn't help but ask, "Are the Tang Sect's hidden weapons really as powerful as you claim? Can an army of ordinary soul masters equipped with hidden weapons defeat a soul master legion?"
"Of course," Tang San replied confidently, raising his head. "Soldiers equipped with a full set of hidden weapons can easily threaten Soul Ancestors and even kill them!"
"Remember, hidden weapons are long-range attacks. How many Soul Ancestors possess long-range capabilities?"
Soul Masters and Soul Ancestors formed the backbone of the soul master world, and most soul master legions consisted of Soul Masters and Soul Ancestors.
If the entire Star Luo Empire's army was equipped with hidden weapons, their strength would be equivalent to a soul master legion of a million men.
Unless the upper three sects and the Spirit Hall sent their Title Douluos into battle, the war would inevitably tilt heavily in their favor.
After so much preparation, the Tang Sect had stockpiled tens of thousands of hidden weapons, and Tang Xiao immediately ordered them sent to the front lines.
Tang San was confident that by the time the Spirit Hall's Title Douluos entered the battlefield, he would have completed his godly trials.
Standing on the battlefield as a god, who on the continent could possibly oppose him?
One could say that with the Spirit Hall, the Tian Dou Empire, and the upper three sects entangled together, while the early stages of the war would be difficult, as long as they held on, they could easily crush these forces later.
When the counterattack began, the Tang Sect would undoubtedly conquer the entire continent!
"Uncle, Teacher, and Sect Leader Feng, I leave the task of defending against the invasion to you. My Hao Tian Hammer martial soul only needs one more spirit ring for my strength to undergo a qualitative leap."
"Rest assured, the advantage is ours."
Feng Bailong didn't know about the godly trials, but seeing Yu Xiaogang regain confidence instantly, he refrained from asking further questions.
At the same time, he was extremely grateful for marrying Tang Yuehua and joining the Tang Sect's inner circle.
When the Tang Sect conquered the entire continent in the future, the Feng Sword Sect's status would rise accordingly!
…
Five days later, the Tian Dou Empire's army arrived at the Star Luo border.
Feng Xiaotian and others had learned basic troop formations during their military training.
However, given their Title Douluo-level strength and Ning Tianchen's desire not to escalate the conflict too quickly, they wouldn't be placed on the front lines immediately.
"It's such a pity—I really want to charge into battle," Chen Huayu said dejectedly.
Rumors had long circulated on the continent that a single Title Douluo could match an army of 100,000 men. Even surrounded by hundreds of thousands of troops, they could still fight their way in and out seven times!
Feng Xiaotian paid no heed to his emotions and instead kept a close eye on Zhu Zhuqing.
The Star Luo Empire was Zhu Zhuqing's homeland. Forcing her to lead an attack against her own country would naturally weigh heavily on her heart.
Feng Xiaotian couldn't help but ask, "Zhuqing, if you don't want to face this, you can request to step aside. There's no need to make things difficult for yourself."
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head.
Upon learning that the Tang Sect, with Dai Mubai's tacit approval, had massacred tens of thousands of innocent people, her last shred of attachment to the Star Luo Empire had been completely erased.
Now, with a better social system in sight, she had no reason to oppose it and certainly didn't want Dai Mubai and his group to continue poisoning the citizens of the Star Luo Empire.
"I'm fine. But I want to personally kill Dai Mubai to give the dead justice."
This was something Feng Xiaotian couldn't agree to.
The purpose of this military campaign was to purge the corrupt elements around the emperor, naturally targeting the wicked ministers surrounding the throne. Killing Dai Mubai outright would be unacceptable.
Of course, in Ning Tianchen's plan, Dai Mubai would definitely not be spared, but how to deal with him afterward required careful consideration and couldn't be rushed.
"Xiaotian, the Blacksmith Association has delivered the soul-guided weapons," Oscar walked into the camp and reminded them.
This was the first time soul-guided cannons would be used in actual combat. In previous wars, cavalry charges determined advantages, followed by infantry advances.
With the completion of the soul-guided cannon's development, warfare had undergone a major transformation.
Cavalry charges would only become casualties under the soul-guided cannons.
"This battle will result in minimal casualties on our side. Pass the order: the soul-guided cannons must not fall into enemy hands. If withdrawal is impossible, they must be destroyed immediately."
Even if captured by the Star Luo Empire, without the corresponding technology, they wouldn't be able to replicate them.
Preventing their capture was naturally to stop the enemy from turning the cannons against them.
Moreover, as the attacking side, if the soul-guided cannons were captured and mounted on the city walls, recapturing the city would require immense casualties.
…
With the soul-guided cannons in position, the Tian Dou Empire's army immediately launched an attack.
The soldiers stationed on the border walls detected the situation and quickly reported upward.
The general guarding this section of the border was Wang Lin, a member of the Tang Sect.
To prevent failure on the front lines, Yu Xiaogang had sent him to stabilize the situation.
"The Tian Dou Empire and the Spirit Hall clearly intend to invade our territory! Soldiers, follow me to the walls!"
On the city walls.
Looking at the Tian Dou army two kilometers away, Wang Lin couldn't help but smile.
To defend the border, the Tang Sect had allocated 2,000 Zhuge crossbows and nearly a hundred new-style crossbows.
According to the Tang Sect, these crossbows could easily kill a Soul King within 300 meters.
Of course, due to the oversized and cumbersome bolts, the range of the crossbows was significantly reduced.
But in terms of sheer power, what did a shorter range matter?
For the Tian Dou Empire to quickly scale the walls, they would have to send their soul master army as the vanguard.
Facing the Zhuge repeating crossbows and new-style bolts, the Tian Dou Empire's soul master army would only meet their doom!
A moment later, one of Wang Lin's subordinates hurriedly reported, "General, the Tian Dou Empire's army has stopped advancing. They seem to be setting up something in place, but it's too far to see clearly."
Wang Lin dismissed it casually. "At a distance of over two kilometers, their arrows can't possibly reach this far!"
Even if there were powerful individuals with bow-and-arrow-type martial souls in the Tian Dou army, it would be difficult for them to pose a threat to the walls at such a distance.
Wang Lin's greed was undisguised.
Since joining the Tang Sect, he hadn't achieved anything significant. Now, if he could repel the Tian Dou army with minimal casualties, it would count as a major military achievement.
At that point, he would have greater influence in the court, and even climbing higher wasn't out of the question.
Suddenly, a loud explosion shattered his dream.
"What's going on!"
Before his words faded, someone rushed to report, "General, something exploded on the city wall!"
Wang Lin immediately suspected a traitor among the soldiers, detonating pre-placed explosives. But when he looked toward the Tian Dou army, the rain of cannonballs falling from the sky froze him in place.
"What kind of weapon is this? How does it have such a long range?"
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