Thirty li north of Bing Prefecture Fortress, within the territory of the Jin Dynasty.
A vast and mighty army, kicking up swirling sandstorms, advanced like a coiled serpent, stretching across this golden land.
"This Wu Kingdom is truly tenacious even in defeat. Do they really believe that by slaying Xie Lü Feng San and Han Yue Feng Dao, they can resist the will of our King!"
A Grandmaster Layer Six expert, patting his mount, declared, "The cultivation of these two, in this barren land, could be considered considerable. In our Jin Dynasty, such cultivation would hardly be noteworthy. To have them so easily lost to the Wu Kingdom is a disgrace to our Jin Dynasty!!"
"Our King is also excessive. To deal with such a weak and insignificant little Wu Kingdom, why send all three of us!"
This man was one of the three commanders of the Jin army, Yue Xia Jing Yu. He wielded a Starfire Gilded Hammer, possessed great strength, and was a respected military general in the Jin court.
Beside him stood two other burly men. The one in the center, clad in golden gilded heavy armor, held a Blazing Moon Long Saber. Fierce primal energy continuously dispersed the encroaching sand. This man was the top-tier Grandmaster Layer Nine expert dispatched by the Jin Dynasty – Wanyan Wulu, a member of the royal family.
The outermost man, Nai Jin Gu, Wanyan Wulu's副将 (fùjiàng - deputy general), was a Grandmaster Layer Six cultivator. With three high-level Grandmasters leading a hundred thousand Jin soldiers, it was evident that the King of Jin had spared no effort in ensuring safety.
"Silence! The King is not someone you can discuss!"
Nai Jin Gu roared, glaring furiously at Yue Xia Jing Yu. The moment these words left his lips, Yue Xia Jing Yu's expression turned ashen. He immediately realized his gaffe, lowered his head, clasped his fists, and apologized to Wanyan Wulu.
"Hmph! You two have likely grown accustomed to idleness in the capital, losing the wildness and iron will of the battlefield."
Wanyan Wulu, without turning his head, stared straight ahead. The sandstorm obscured the world in dim light.
"That Xie Lü Feng San could vanish without a trace in the heart of the Wu Kingdom suggests that this Wu Kingdom is not as simple as we perceive."
"Intelligence from the heart of the Wu Kingdom indicates that the Wu Kingdom may have changed hands. This Yang family, capable of sweeping aside various forces and swallowing the vast lands of the Wu Kingdom, possesses formidable strength. Do not be distracted. If you fail to complete the King's mission, I believe this land would be quite fitting for you all!!"
Wanyan Wulu's voice grew increasingly icy, causing Yue Xia Jing Yu's heart to tremble violently. The Jin Dynasty had enjoyed peace and prosperity for nearly a century. The new generation of rising generals, aside from those guarding the borders, mostly indulged in revelry in the capital.
"Your subordinate admits his guilt!!"
Yue Xia Jing Yu hastily dismounted and knelt on one knee.
"Very well, let us hasten our march. Approximately thirty li further, we will reach the border between the two nations. Tonight, we shall capture the enemy's border fortress!!"
Wanyan Wulu's expression was grave. The endless sand, unusually oppressive today, concealed a striking fluctuation of primal energy about thirty li ahead, a power not weaker than his own. But when had this barren land of Wu nurtured such a formidable expert?
Could it be a wandering martial cultivator from another nation?
Wanyan Wulu's gaze was fixed on the distant horizon, his hand tightly gripping the Blazing Moon Long Saber.
The army marched on. After several hours, they gradually arrived at the border between the two nations. Here, the heavens and earth seemed to lose their color, sandstorms raged, and volatile fluctuations of primal energy continuously battered the land.
Wanyan Wulu and the other two stood at the forefront of the vast army. On the distant fortress, five imposing figures stood, their feet suspended in the air, like gods or demons, gazing menacingly at the hundred thousand Jin soldiers and the three of them who had arrived from afar.
Hmm!
Wanyan Wulu's gaze was drawn to the black-robed man in the center, who flickered in and out of existence, as he observed the five Grandmasters standing ready in the void. The man's eyes were closed, his figure sometimes appearing in the void, sometimes vanishing from the world.
Grandmaster Layer Nine!
Wanyan Wulu swept his gaze across them, their strengths immediately apparent. One top-tier Grandmaster, two Grandmaster Layer Six cultivators, one Grandmaster Layer Three, and one Grandmaster Layer One.
Five Grandmasters, with three of them matching their own strength, but there were still two more. How could this be?
Wanyan Wulu spurred his horse forward, "May I inquire as to why you esteemed sirs have come to this border? To my knowledge, the Wu Kingdom is sparsely populated with Grandmasters, and its overall national strength is weak. Are you perhaps not from the Wu Kingdom!"
The strongest in this Wu Kingdom was merely Chen Tai Sheng, but Chen Tai Sheng had long since died. The sudden appearance of these five Grandmasters instantly matched the previous overall peak strength of the Wu Kingdom, and far surpassed it.
A Grandmaster Layer Nine, whose strength was not inferior to his own, would be considered among the top figures even in the Jin Dynasty.
"We were, but not anymore!!"
Gao Shun replied indifferently, his voice causing the surrounding void to ripple, sand to swirl, and his Grandmaster Layer Three strength was fully displayed, scattering everything.
"Hmph!!"
"You mere low-tier Grandmasters dare to be presumptuous in front of us!!"
Yue Xia Jing Yu unleashed a saber strike, instantly tearing through the sandstorm that swirled through the void, its momentum immense, exuding a boundless aura of blood qi, and directly hacking towards the five figures of Shan Xiong Xin standing in the void!
The heaven-obscuring saber intent continuously assaulted the land, its surge condensing as it swept forward. The saber, gleaming menacingly, locked onto Gao Shun and struck with overwhelming force!
"Hmph!!"
Jing Ke let out a cold snort. Strands of sword energy instantly locked onto the heaven-obscuring saber intent. The sword qi agitated the sky, slicing through the swirling sand like dancing phoenixes, resembling a chaotic dance of demons. The void itself was torn apart, revealing streaks of dark, sinister light.
Boom! Boom!
Crack! Crack!
The saber's might struck the sword qi, dispersing into sparks.
Boom!
The saber's might was shattered and scattered ten zhang away from Jing Ke and the other four. The powerful sword qi and intent surged like a river flowing through the sun, a galaxy unfurling, instantly piercing towards Yue Xia Jing Yu!
In an instant, the hundred thousand Jin soldiers, including Wanyan Wulu's waist-sheathed saber, trembled violently, as if yearning to break free from their scabbards and leap out!
"What powerful sword intent! Before the sword is even drawn, it forces all our blades to submit. The sword qi that flashes from the void is boundless. When did the Wu Kingdom produce such a sword dao martial cultivator?"
Nai Jin Gu exclaimed in fear. This single sword strike, even he dared not face its edge. Such a terrifying technique could directly claim his life!
"You two must not be distracted, nor underestimate them. These individuals far surpass our understanding of the martial cultivators of Wu. This Wu Kingdom may be on the verge of upheaval!!"
Wanyan Wulu commanded in a low voice, directly drawing his Blazing Moon Long Saber. A wisp of starlight hung in the air. Instantly, the long saber shot across the sky, without hesitation, it was unleashed, crashing head-on against the endless sharp edge that was charging forward!
The battle was about to erupt!