Yang Hao frowned, looking at Chen Gong.
"Gong has a strategy that can help you, my lord, solve your troubles!"
Chen Gong glanced at Zhu Sheng, then at Yang Hao, and said in a deep voice, his expression solemn.
"Please speak, Gongtai!"
Yang Hao said with joy, he was looking forward to it, even Zhu Sheng beside him leaned closer.
"My lord, you now possess the lands of Yong and Liang, and your foundation is firmly established. You need not worry too much about the Northwestern Langya Kingdom. Northwestern Langya has long been severely weakened; it is a mere speck of dust that we can crush with a flick of our hand!"
"If they dare to come, I believe General Cheng will annihilate them in one fell swoop. My lord can dispatch General Dan Xiongxin to advance into You and Ji prefectures."
"You and Ji prefectures are in a state of war, with heroes vying for power and a complex situation. With Dan Xiongxin leading the troops, these two prefectures will be of no concern!"
"This way, only the gateway to Bing Prefecture will be left open to the north. The Jin Kingdom will inevitably send two large armies to attack, one into Liang and the other into Bing."
"To the north of Liangzhou, with General Gao Shun and General Zhou Yuji, all will be safe. Thus, the only way for the Jin soldiers to march directly to the capital is through Bing Prefecture."
"When the Jin soldiers enter Bing, my lord can order General Dan Xiongxin and General Gao Shun to cut off the Jin army's food supply from two directions, using the Jin's hands to destroy the Wu Kingdom, and then annihilate this Jin army."
"At this time, with my lord possessing the north, I believe the Heavenly Stellar Sect and Yizhou will have decided their victor. By then, no matter who wins, they will not be a match for my lord."
"With the north and south in opposition, my lord can unify the world with one battle!"
As he reached the end, Chen Gong's expression gradually shifted from solemnity to a smile.
He knew that Yizhou and the Heavenly Stellar Sect, with the Yizhou governor having the highest chance of winning, would be the last stumbling block to his lord's unification of the world.
It was currently insufficient to confront the Yizhou governor alone, so he set his sights on You and Ji prefectures.
This way, he would not only follow the plans previously devised by Zhu Sheng and Wu Yong but also continue to develop and grow stronger.
Upon hearing Chen Gong's analysis, Yang Hao's smile gradually widened. He knew that Chen Gong had seen through his intentions; only through continuous warfare and expansion of territory could his cultivation rapidly improve.
"Zhu Sheng, what do you think of Gongtai's strategy?"
Yang Hao looked at Zhu Sheng, who was deep in thought.
"My lord, Mr. Gongtai's words are indeed insightful. Implementing this plan is the most rapid and beneficial strategy for us!"
Zhu Sheng bowed slightly.
Yang Hao slowly walked to the entrance of the hall and gazed at the distant sky: "Notify Dan Xiongxin, order him to lead fifty thousand elite troops of Wadang and march into You and Ji."
"Yes!"
A soldier outside the door responded.
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Tianmen Pass, Yong Prefecture.
Cheng Yaojin stood on the city wall, with Yu Jing by his side. His strength had long since broken through to the Grandmaster realm, exuding an extraordinary aura.
"General Cheng, according to scout reports, the Langya Kingdom has ordered Marshal Ouyang Xiaoxiao to lead an army of one hundred thousand and will soon march towards Tianmen Pass."
Ouyang Xiaoxiao was at the first layer of the Grandmaster realm. His father had been the Marshal of the Langya Kingdom decades ago. Unfortunately, he had led his troops to confront King Wu at Tianmen Pass and had fallen into an ambush, perishing at Tianmen.
In that battle, the Langya Kingdom not only lost two hundred thousand soldiers but also two Grandmaster-level powerhouses. Since then, the Langya Kingdom had been severely weakened and was far less powerful than before.
Over the past few decades, it had been encroached upon by surrounding kingdoms, causing the territory of the Langya Kingdom to shrink dramatically. Its current remaining territory was less than half that of the Wu Kingdom.
The entire Langya Kingdom now viewed the Wu Kingdom with animosity, vowing to destroy the Ji family and exact revenge!
A few days ago, Ouyang Xiaoxiao learned of the civil unrest in the Wu Kingdom and its subsequent fragmentation. He knew that his opportunity for revenge had arrived, so he petitioned the King of Langya to dispatch troops to the Wu Kingdom.
After a month of petitioning, the King of Langya decided to send troops, determined to take a substantial bite out of the Wu Kingdom.
"Hmph! A mere speck of dust. If they dare to come, this old Cheng will surely make the Langya army perish at Tianmen Pass. Damn their ancestors!"
"These past few days have been so stifling for this old Cheng. Liao Hua and Zhou Yuji are always showing off in front of me, just because they won a few battles!"
Cheng Yaojin said, his anger rising.
"General Cheng, your contributions are not small. After the main army departed, the Governor assigned you to Hanzhong, which is a great affirmation of your strength!"
"Moreover, Liangzhou is weak; why use a cleaver to kill a chicken? Besides, aren't you being sent to guard Tianmen Pass here!"
"Here, you still worry about not having a battle to fight?"
Yu Jing said with a chuckle.
"Indeed, indeed. I hope the Langya army does not disappoint me!"
Cheng Yaojin looked at the distant sky, his impatience growing. He desperately needed a bloody battle to vent his anger.
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Liangzhou, late at night.
"General, we are less than sixty miles from Ji Prefecture."
The army of fifty thousand had traveled a thousand miles from Beidi County in Liangzhou, venturing into the Wuling Mountains, and had arrived at the border of Bing and Ji prefectures today.
As the army passed through a forest, Dan Xiongxin, clad in armor and wielding his Golden Top Jujube Spear, stood in mid-air. His robust physique was like a god and demon descending upon the world!
A soldier of Wadang knelt on one knee and reported respectfully.
"Notify the entire army to accelerate their advance. We must reach Ji Prefecture before dawn. Be vigilant of the demonic beasts in the mountains and try to avoid them!"
Dan Xiongxin said in a deep voice, his eyes flashing with keenness as he surveyed his surroundings.
"Yes, General!"
The Wadang soldier turned his horse and rode back to inform the entire army.
As the first rays of sunlight fell upon the land, Dan Xiongxin, who had left Liangzhou more than a month ago, set foot on the soil of Ji Prefecture.
Ji Prefecture was divided into five counties. The southern part of Ji Prefecture was a plain with a relatively dense population and was a strategically vital area for all warring factions.
The north had the extensions of the Wuling Mountains. The mountains were not high but were continuous, with a very harsh climate and severe desertification.
Therefore, the majority of Ji Prefecture's population was concentrated in the south, which was also the more chaotic region. Sects, aristocratic families, and clans were in constant conflict, spilling blood for a thousand miles, in utter disarray.
It was not uncommon for four factions to rise in a single city within a day in Ji Prefecture, causing large numbers of people to flee to Yan Prefecture.
The largest power in Ji Prefecture currently was the Blood Sea Sect, which controlled three of its counties.
"Report, General, we have reached the border of Ji Prefecture. The closest city to us is Wei Commandery."
"The city of Wei Commandery is currently occupied by the He family within the city, and the other four cities are occupied by four minor families."
A Wadang scout, moving rapidly through the forest, approached Dan Xiongxin and knelt on one knee, reporting respectfully.
"What are the specific details of the situation inside?"
Dan Xiongxin said in a deep voice, his eyes fixed on the city not far ahead.
The Wadang scout, with his cultivation at the first layer of Na Yuan, was a rare talent in this commandery and could only venture into the city to investigate.
"General, the head of the He family in Shu Commandery, He Fang, is at the fifth layer of the Innate realm. The highest cultivation in the other four cities is the first layer of the Innate realm."
The Wadang scout reported respectfully, having thoroughly investigated the forces in the five cities.
Upon hearing the scout's report, a smile bloomed on Dan Xiongxin's lips. Could Shu Commandery possibly block his edge?