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From the perspective of the Tian Dou Empire's camp, thick plumes of smoke could clearly be seen rising from the distant battlefield.
Under the intense bombardment, multiple breaches had already been blasted into the once-mighty walls.
But for the soldiers of the Star Luo Empire, today was nothing short of a nightmare.
The cannonballs traced elegant arcs through the air before landing on the walls and causing violent explosions.
At the center of each blast, the bodies of soldiers were torn into countless pieces of flesh.
Blood and gore flew across the walls as the soldiers' morale rapidly crumbled, panic spreading like wildfire. To avoid being hit by the shells, many soldiers leapt off the towering walls—dozens of meters high—and died instantly upon impact.
Behind the walls, the cavalry of the Star Luo Empire, equipped with Tang Sect hidden weapons, stood ready.
According to Wang Lin's plan, after the firepower on the walls repelled the Tian Dou army, this cavalry would charge out and pursue the retreating forces.
Unfortunately, plans couldn't keep up with the changing situation.
The walls were completely covered by the shelling, and some soldiers fleeing the walls were blocked by this cavalry.
Wang Lin, still dazed from the explosions, gradually regained his senses.
If the Tian Dou Empire continued their bombardment, the walls would eventually collapse.
Though he didn't know what kind of weapon the Tian Dou Empire was using, its long range meant it must be difficult to move.
At this moment, sending the cavalry to charge forward and destroy or capture these weapons might not be without hope of turning the tide.
Behind the walls, the cavalry had initially cleared a path for the soldiers escaping from the walls.
When they heard the war drums, the cavalry knew it was time to charge.
As for the deserters, they could only become casualties under the hooves of the horses.
Just as the gates were about to open, a barrage of shells suddenly rained down into the cavalry camp.
Thunderous explosions erupted nearby, and both riders and horses were blown to pieces.
The deafening roar startled the horses, causing chaos on the field.
This cavalry unit couldn't even think about charging—it was all they could do to maintain order.
…
From a high vantage point, Feng Xiaotian used a telescope to watch the scene unfold in the distance.
By raising the barrel of the soul-guided cannons, their range was just enough to reach this cavalry.
It was worth noting that the cavalry of the Star Luo Empire had always been invincible, and in past wars, the Tian Dou Empire had suffered many losses at their hands.
So why did they dare to confront the Star Luo cavalry head-on now?
Wave after wave of artillery fire covered the battlefield—whether cavalry or not, everything turned to ashes.
The Tian Dou cavalry stationed behind the soul-guided cannons couldn't help but gawk at the sight before them.
"Is this how war is fought now?"
At a distance of over two kilometers, the situation on the walls of the Star Luo Empire was clearly visible.
If relying on human power, demolishing such towering walls would take a long time. But after just a few rounds of shelling, the walls had already collapsed.
Looking at the warhorses fleeing through the breaches in the walls, the situation behind the lines was easy to imagine.
"The battlefield environment has changed," sighed the cavalry captain.
He could foresee that future battles would consist of artillery duels, greatly diminishing the role and importance of cavalry.
About an incense stick's time later, as the stored-up soul power in the soul-guided cannons was depleted, Marshal Ge Long sounded the horn to launch the attack.
The prepared cavalry of the Tian Dou Empire faced the routed and fleeing forces of the Star Luo Empire—the outcome was predictable.
Breaking through the border checkpoint made the subsequent battles much easier.
The terrain within the Star Luo Empire was predominantly flat plains, with almost no natural defenses apart from man-made fortifications.
The plains greatly accelerated the speed of troop movements. Over the next half-month, the Tian Dou army swept through like a storm, swiftly capturing numerous cities and advancing toward Baihu (White Tiger) Pass, deep in the heart of the Star Luo Empire.
For the occupied cities, the soldiers of the Tian Dou Empire refrained from looting and instead actively governed. Meanwhile, Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun were sent to the frontlines to reassure the residents.
For the common people living in border cities, enemy massacres and plundering were all too familiar.
But this time, the Tian Dou army not only refrained from taking their belongings but also actively helped rebuild damaged houses.
The common folk may not have understood high-level political struggles, but they knew who treated them well—they supported those who did!
In no time, many eligible young men in the city enthusiastically volunteered to join the ranks of the Tian Dou army!
…
Star Luo Palace, Imperial Study.
Reports of successive defeats on the frontlines arrived one after another. Yu Xiaogang's mood shifted from initial anger to numbness.
The reports repeatedly mentioned that the Tian Dou army was equipped with a large number of new weapons, with ranges and power far surpassing the Tang Sect's hidden weapons.
Tang Xiao slammed the report onto the desk in frustration. "A bunch of useless fools!"
According to the reports, since the "invasion" of the Star Luo Empire began, the Tian Dou army had lost only ten thousand men.
In contrast, forty thousand troops of the Star Luo army had already been wiped out.
Of course, among those forty thousand, the number of casualties was only a few tens of thousands. Most had either been absorbed by the Tian Dou Empire or deserted during the rout.
According to the reports, once the Tian Dou Empire transported their new weapons to the Baihu Pass battlefield, the walls of Baihu Pass would likely not withstand the assault.
Once Baihu Pass fell, the Tian Dou army would soon arrive at the gates of the Star Luo capital!
Up to this point in the war, the disparity in casualties was so absurd that not even a single new weapon from the Tian Dou army had been captured.
If this continued, the Star Luo Empire would fall before Tang San completed his final divine trial.
Tang Xiao even suspected that the frontline soldiers had already surrendered, deliberately submitting exaggerated reports to mislead them and shake their morale!
"Master, what do we do now? We must hold on until Xiao San becomes a god!"
In his rage, Tang Xiao's emotions were unusually agitated, making it impossible for him to calm down and think of a strategy.
Yu Xiaogang wasn't truly a master—the position of Imperial Preceptor was gained through Tang San's influence.
In handling state affairs, he performed adequately, as most policies had precedents to follow.
But the battlefield situation was ever-changing—what ability did he have to sway the war?
Tang Xiao knew someone had to be sent to the frontlines to stabilize morale.
Although the Tang Sect and Dai Mubai had issued rebuttals to the first joint declaration from the major factions, the ministers in the court still harbored divided thoughts.
If there were no Title Douluo guarding the palace, these ministers would likely instigate a coup immediately.
At this moment, the only suitable person to send to the battlefield was Yu Xiaogang.
Seeing that Yu Xiaogang remained silent, Tang Xiao said gravely, "Master, I will have the Wind Sword Sect and Erlong escort you to the frontlines. No matter what, Baihu Pass cannot fall—even if it means sacrificing lives."
Yu Xiaogang snapped out of his daze, recalling the state affairs he had handled for the empire in recent days, and suddenly felt confident.
"In my opinion, these reports must be problematic. It's likely those bastards in the court are deliberately concealing military intelligence to make us lose our composure!"
"Lord Xiaotian, after I leave, everything in the palace will be left to you. Rest assured, the battle for Baihu Pass will be glorious—I'll even personally lead a counterattack against the Tian Dou Empire."
Tang Xiao outwardly agreed but inwardly scoffed.
Yu Xiaogong still hadn't realized his own limitations. Sending him to the frontlines was more about maintaining deterrence to prevent anyone from causing trouble in the army.
Additionally, deploying the Wind Sword Sect to Baihu Pass was intended to stabilize the collapsing situation.
Originally, Tang Xiao planned to send the Wind Sword Sect to the battlefield facing the Spirit Hall, but the Spirit Hall's advance was slow, and both sides were still locked in a stalemate along the border.
Sending the elite members of the Wind Sword Sect to Baihu Pass aimed to quickly secure the battle and intimidate the Tian Dou army's actions. Afterward, the main force would be redeployed to counter the Spirit Hall's offensive.
Tang Xiao only hoped that Yu Xiaogang wouldn't cause trouble and would quietly act as a figurehead.
But Yu Xiaogang didn't see it that way—if he was sent to the frontlines, how could he not command the battle? Wouldn't going there be pointless otherwise?
…
Outside Baihu Pass.
The Tian Dou army set up camp in place, seemingly showing no intention of attacking.
But appearances were deceiving. The Tian Dou army's rapid advance had consumed a great deal of ammunition from their soul-guided cannons. Additionally, the need to garrison the captured cities left insufficient troops and supplies for the assault on Baihu Pass.
Temporarily avoiding battle was to wait for reinforcements and supplies!
Inside the tent, Feng Xiaotian and others sat before Marshal Ge Long.
In terms of soul master cultivation, Feng Xiaotian and the others were Title Douluo, while Ge Long was only a peak Soul Douluo.
However, Ge Long was the Supreme Commander of the entire Tian Dou army. In terms of military command, he was leagues ahead of Feng Xiaotian and the others.
The battlefield wasn't a game for lone heroes—they had to follow Ge Long's orders.
Looking at the freshly constructed sand table, Ge Long gathered everyone to simulate tactics.
Using their own strategies, they conducted a mock attack and defense.
Baihu Pass was equivalent to the Jialing Pass of the Tian Dou Empire—easy to defend but hard to attack. Moreover, the thickness and hardness of its walls far surpassed those of other fortifications.
Though the soul-guided cannons were powerful, breaking through the walls of Jialing Pass wouldn't be easy.
The simplest method would naturally be for Feng Xiaotian and the four Title Douluo to join forces and use their strength to topple the walls.
But Ning Tianchen had explicitly stated that until the high-level Soul Douluos of the Star Luo Empire entered the fray, they couldn't act.
For now, in the sand table simulation, they could only rely on cannon bombardment.
…
Time passed, and by the next morning, the results of the sand table simulation were far from optimistic.
The Tian Dou army would inevitably have to expend a massive amount of ammunition just to barely create a breach.
Once the cavalry charged into Baihu Pass, they would face fierce resistance, turning the battlefield into a meat grinder.
After calculations, the cavalry would suffer at least thirty thousand casualties, and the infantry would lose over a hundred thousand or more to capture Baihu Pass defended by four hundred thousand troops.
And this was just a conservative estimate—the actual losses could be even greater.
…
Three days later, supplies and reinforcements arrived—it was time to attack the city.
Ge Long hesitated to make a decision.
Sacrificing so much for Baihu Pass seemed unworthy.
At noon that day, good news came from the Sky Sword Sect.
"The Wind Sword Sect has reinforced Baihu Pass—Feng Bailong is a high-level Soul Douluo. We can enter the battle," Feng Xiaotian and the others arrived at the central camp and volunteered.
Ge Long was overjoyed and immediately ordered, "Good! Relay my command—all troops, attack!"
Inside Baihu Pass, Yu Xiaogang arrived at the main camp.
Under the protection of Liu Erlong and Feng Bailong, he basked in temporary glory.
"We humbly greet the Imperial Preceptor," the generals defending Baihu Pass knelt before him.
Yu Xiaogang raised his head arrogantly, exuding an air of disdain. "Now that I'm here, the tide of the battlefield will inevitably change."
As he spoke, the sound of horns echoed from the front—the Tian Dou army had launched their attack.
Yu Xiaogang understood—it was time for him to step into the spotlight.
Leading the generals to the walls, almost simultaneously, the Tian Dou Empire's artillery barrage covered the area.
Yu Xiaogang was startled—if not for Liu Erlong quickly raising a soul barrier, he would have been blown to bits.
"Imperial Preceptor, these are the new weapons of the Tian Dou Empire. Please retreat to the fortress and let us handle the battle!" one general suggested.
Hearing someone try to seize command, Yu Xiaogang immediately exploded in anger. "You're relieved of duty! From now on, this battlefield is under my command—who agrees, who opposes?"
These generals all knew of Yu Xiaogang's relationship with Dai Mubai.
Though he was incompetent, his position as Imperial Preceptor was legitimate.
Disrespecting the Imperial Preceptor would result in punishment even if the war was won.
Letting Yu Xiaogang command the battlefield was acceptable—after all, he could shoulder the blame if they lost.
…
The Tian Dou army's first round of artillery was merely testing the wall's sturdiness.
After one round of shelling, seeing only a few bricks shattered, Ge Long immediately ordered Feng Xiaotian and the others to break through the walls together.
High above, Ning Tianchen and Qian Renxue observed the battlefield situation closely.
"How slow is your Spirit Hall's offensive?" Ning Tianchen couldn't help but ask.
The Spirit Hall side had been locked in a stalemate with the Star Luo Empire, not daring to launch an assault rashly.
Of course, this wasn't due to a lack of decision-making on the Spirit Hall's part.
Qian Renxue sighed helplessly, "Lord Asura, if you provide us with a large number of soul-guided cannons, our offensive pace will surely quicken."
The Tang Sect's hidden weapons were no match for soul-guided cannons, but against the Spirit Hall's soul masters without such weapons, their power was no joke.
The soul master legions were the Spirit Hall's last line of defense—how could they let these people throw their lives away lightly?
Ning Tianchen wanted to support them, but unfortunately, the manpower of the Blacksmith Association was limited, and the production of soul-guided cannons couldn't keep up.
About a few minutes later, Feng Xiaotian and the other three had already reached Baihu Pass.
Among the four, Feng Xiaotian and Chen Huayu were the strongest in terms of attack power.
Oscar and Zhu Zhuqing provided cover for their assault.
Witnessing the strength of the four, Yu Xiaogang on the walls was shocked.
The four had long surpassed the record of the youngest Title Douluo set by Tang Hao in their soul power breakthroughs.
Thankfully, Tang San had his divine trials—if not, facing such enemies, they would have no chance of victory.
To prevent the walls from collapsing, Yu Xiaogang arranged for Feng Bailong and Liu Erlong to personally intervene and attempt to block the attacks of Feng Xiaotian and the others.
The many strong members of the Wind Sword Sect formed a sword array with Feng Bailong, while Liu Erlong faced Chen Huayu alone.
Chen Huayu was now a level ninety-three Title Douluo—Liu Erlong's strength was laughable in comparison.
Moreover, Liu Erlong's fighting style favored brute force—facing a power-type Title Douluo, her fate was sealed.
Chen Huayu even overexerted himself, tearing her head clean off.
"No, Erlong!"
Yu Xiaogang's eyes bulged with fury, bloodshot and filled with despair.
But no matter how he called out, Liu Erlong was beyond saving.
Next, as Zhu Zhuqing and Feng Xiaotian broke through the Wind Sword Sect's sword array together, the outcome of the battle became inevitable.
Tang Xiao's earlier arrangements weren't wrong—it was just that they underestimated the strength of Feng Xiaotian and the others.
Without strong resistance, the walls of Baihu Pass were easily toppled, and the Tian Dou army surged forward!
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