Loan Wusheng

Chapter 201 Breaking the Formation of the Lanzhou Army, Thousands of Troops Avoid the Cangdao Blade!

Having broken through to the fifth level of the Qi Opening Realm, Zheng Jun did not hold back at all. Instead, he used all his true essence to amplify the extraordinary phenomena that accompanied his breakthrough.

Zheng Jun did this for a very simple reason.

That would be a great deterrent to the enemy forces on the other side of the strait, making them tremble with fear!

Are you scared to break through in front of you?
"Boom!"

With a loud bang, the Huan River suddenly surged upwards, its water power pulling the entire river into a gigantic phantom of a black tortoise carrying the Hetu Luoshu (a mythical Chinese diagram). The warhorses on the opposite bank were startled and broke free of their reins, causing many Lanzhou soldiers to cry out in alarm.

"It's the River Chart! The enemy has come from afar, so why is there a blessing from the Huan River? We are clearly the people of Lanzhou, so is fate not on our side?"

As the soldiers of Lanzhou felt such sorrow in their hearts, their bodies trembled uncontrollably.

If this scene had occurred out of nowhere, he would have assumed that a high-level enemy martial artist had exerted their power, stirring up trouble.

However, the terrifying shockwave just now was clearly caused by an enemy soldier breaking through to a higher realm. And the fact that such a situation occurred right after breaking through to a higher realm naturally made the morale of the ordinary soldiers in Lanzhou particularly low.

In stark contrast to the low morale on the south bank, Zheng Jun's army was on the north bank.

The military camp instantly erupted into a frenzy. The soldiers of the Dingqin Army, clad in black armor, looked up at the strange phenomenon in the sky. Their armor resonated and hummed along with the five elements' radiant light. The longswords in the hands of the fierce soldiers of the Cangdao Army trembled incessantly, and the green flags fluttered without wind, their fluttering sounds carrying the low, dragon-like cries of the swords!
"Great Commander, your divine might is awe-inspiring!"

Wei Quan took the lead, raising his sword to the sky. The blade of Xue Shou's sword flashed with a cold light, and the sound waves exploded like thunder throughout the army.

The valiant soldiers raised their spears in unison, the spearheads reflecting the five-colored rays of the sunset, creating a spectacular sight. The roars of tens of thousands of soldiers within the camp shook the waves of the Huan River: "Break the formation! Break the formation!"

"Victory! Victory!"

The defeat caused by the small-scale surprise attack a few days ago has been swept away, and the morale of Zheng Jun's soldiers is now extremely high!

Zheng Jun's appearance greatly boosted the morale of his soldiers.

The Cangdao Army and Xiaoguo Army with Zheng Jun and the Cangdao Army and Xiaoguo Army without Zheng Jun are completely two different armies.

This surge in morale even made some soldiers of the Dingqin Army restless, disobeying military orders and attempting to test the waters by crossing the Huan River.

The Lanzhou army on the south bank was stunned by this scene. Shouts of "Break the formation!" and "Victory!" grew louder and louder, even drowning out the rushing river water, and swept from the north bank to the south bank.

"All soldiers!"

Just then, Zheng Jun's figure suddenly soared into the air, transforming into azure-gold light, and he appeared above the military camp like a god, speaking as if it were an imperial decree: "Are you willing to follow this commander and crush the enemy camp!"

Azure-gold true essence, like azure rain, fell upon the army formation.

Zheng Jun's question was like a thunderclap that shattered the sky, instantly igniting the passion of the 200,000 soldiers on the north bank.

The heavily armored infantry of the Dingqin Army struck their shields with their swords, the fierce soldiers of the Cangdao Army brandished their swords and roared, and the soldiers of the Xiaoguo Army raised their horse spears high, their shouts echoing through the heavens: "We are willing to follow the Grand Commander to break the formation! Break the formation!!"

The effect is good.

Seeing this, Zheng Jun was very satisfied. Azure Gold True Essence burst forth from the top of Zheng Jun's head and actually condensed into a phantom of an azure dragon in the night sky.

Zheng Jun pointed his fingers like swords towards the south bank: "All military units, prepare to cross the river!"

The military order had been given, but Zheng Jun naturally couldn't immediately launch a forced crossing.

Everything that just happened was to boost morale.

If they just rush in haphazardly, without any formation or military discipline, and without considering anything else, they will most likely be surrounded and defeated by Gongyang Jin.

Even if he were incredibly brave and possessed extraordinary abilities, capable of using the Azure Dragon Binding Hand, he could only watch as his 200,000-strong army sank into the quagmire, suffering heavy casualties.

Next, a high-level meeting was held to arrange which unit would be the vanguard, which would be the central force, and which would be the left and right flanks, as well as where to begin the attack after crossing the river.

"Grand Governor!"

The generals understood the message and assembled immediately when Zheng Jun announced the start of the counterattack. Only Xu Hou remained at the front to prevent the enemy from launching a counter-offensive due to their superior skills and audacity.

After the generals arrived, Zheng Jun did not hesitate at all and immediately named: "Wei Quan, the troops of Wuguang County under the jurisdiction of your Bozhou Army will be the vanguard and cross the Huan River first!"

The original commander of the Wuguang County army was Lu Xu, and his fate is probably self-evident.

The soldiers of Wuguang County are filled with a large number of their cronies, so it is very inopportune to carry out a major purge at this time.

Since that's the case, then let's make the soldiers of Wuguang County do the most dangerous work.

Forcefully cross the Huan River!

Even a complete novice in military affairs knows what kind of counterattack preparations to make when facing an enemy's forced crossing.

Therefore, offensive tactics such as forcibly crossing rivers and swarming cities are purely about sacrificing human lives.

Since both sides need to be filled with human lives, let's use the soldiers of Wuguang County to fill the gaps.

Regardless of whether you were once a trusted soldier or not, if you survived the crossing of the Huan River, you will be Zheng Jun's most valiant warrior, and wealth and glory will be yours in the present!

"promise!"

Wei Quan immediately accepted the order.

After Wei Quan received the order, Zheng Jun immediately continued to instruct: "The Dingqin Army will cross the river following the troops of Wuguang County. The troops of the other counties of Bozhou and the Guiyi Army of Lanzhou should prepare to build a pontoon bridge. The Cangdao and Xiaoguo armies should prepare for a surprise attack. After crossing the river, we will directly form ranks and charge, defeating the enemy in one battle!"

"Yes!"

The generals who were called out immediately bowed and agreed.

Finally, Zheng Jun paused for a moment before speaking: "After the pontoon bridge is completed, the Xianbei cavalry will cross the river. Once across, they will not need to pay attention to the main battlefield. They will instead infiltrate and encircle Anlong County to stop the fleeing soldiers."

"promise!"

Dugu Yuan was extremely excited, looking eager to try.

Zheng Jun's army was ready, and the generals immediately withdrew to begin preparations for the army to cross the Huan River and attack the Lanzhou army on the south bank!
Everything is ready; all that's left is for the great battle to begin.

Upon realizing this, Zheng Jun couldn't help but exhale, a golden light flashing in his eyes.

The unpleasantness in Suzhou has been swept away. The next step is to march south, kill the Fang family, and pacify Lanzhou!

Zheng Jun was full of confidence.

However, to Zheng Jun's complete surprise, a little accident occurred.

That is……

What does it mean that the enemy is withdrawing their troops?

Zheng Jun sat at his desk, positioned in the center of the Cangdao and Xiaoguo armies, and frowned as he listened to Xu Hou's report.

"Grand Commander, the enemy camp is shrouded in dust, and a large number of troops are being mobilized, but the advancing army only numbers in the tens of thousands. It doesn't seem like they want to fight a decisive battle with our army."

Xu Hou cupped his hands and said, "Our troops from Wuguang County have crossed the river by force, but they were resisted by the enemy and forced to retreat. However, the resistance was not fierce. If our troops disregard casualties, we can land on the south bank within half an hour!"

Upon hearing Xu Hou's words, Zheng Jun frowned, immediately strode out of the tent, a golden light flashing in his eyes. After using his Heavenly Eye to break through the barrier, he gazed southward.

The situation they encountered was no different from what Xu Hou had seen.

The Lanzhou army on the south bank did indeed appear to be preparing to withdraw.

"What is Gongyang Jin doing? Is he showing fear before the battle even begins?"

After a moment's thought, Zheng Jun spoke without hesitation: "The Xiaoguo Army must press forward and not let him escape. Even if they want to retreat, we must take a big bite out of them!"

Regardless of Gongyang Jin's true intentions, suddenly withdrawing troops during a stalemate would definitely cause serious problems.

Historically, the reason for withdrawing troops without pursuing them was that both sides had suffered heavy casualties, so after careful consideration, they withdrew and returned to their camps.

But the two sides haven't even started fighting yet. If you withdraw your troops now, it's a sign of weakness and an opening!
Zheng Jun will not miss this great opportunity!

"Yes!"

Xu Hou nodded, and Yu Shen, who was standing to the side, also accepted the order and immediately went to inform the Xiaoguo Army to prepare for an attack.

After issuing the important military and political orders, Zheng Jun turned to Xu Hou and asked, "How are the preparations I ordered the various prefectures under my jurisdiction to make before I left?"

Upon hearing Zheng Jun's question, Xu Hou answered without hesitation: "Reporting to the Grand Commander, we have found what you asked us to find. Among them, Prefect Wei Tu found two Golden Pearl Dragon Lotuses, which are powerful aquatic medicines; Prefect Chen of Pingzhang County presented four portions of Nine Abyss Mysterious Water Marrow and one portion of Misty Dragon Saliva Fungus."

“Zhang Wen, the prefect, presented three pieces of Mingkun Heart Blood Algae and a portion of Illusory Sea Star Sand, which were said to be treasured by the Fang family.”

Upon hearing Xu Hou's words, Zheng Jun was extremely satisfied and continued, "Use the resources of each prefecture to fully assist Chen Jingzhong in achieving enlightenment. As for Zhang Wen... after the war, he can be appointed to the Grand Commander's Office."

Although Zheng Jun's impression of Zhang Wen was only that he was cautious and prudent in Batang County and the son-in-law of the Fang family, he was indeed quite good at handling things.

They surrendered with two counties and offered up four kinds of water-based medicines.

In this way, not only were ten doses of medicine gathered, but one dose was also added.

That's not bad either.

"Grand Commander, we have already found out about the ley lines. Zhang Wen said that the ley lines in Lanzhou are located beneath Lanzhou City, where Fang Ji, the ancestor of the Fang family, was in seclusion." Xu Hou said, "As for the ley lines in Bozhou, we do not know yet, but your father-in-law, Governor Cai, may know."

Zheng Jun nodded slightly upon hearing this.

It seems that repaying 'Floating Shadows and Fleeting Life' will take some time.

There's no doubt that the meteor shower will need to wait until the war is over before returning to Bozhou to resolve the matter of the Star Power.

Upon realizing this, Zheng Jun immediately said, "Take all these spiritual treasures of heaven and earth."

"Yes!"

……

"The vanguard becomes the rearguard, and the rearguard becomes the vanguard. Retreat immediately! Retreat immediately!"

"Burn all the barricades and ferries that cannot be taken away!"

"By order of Marquis Hancheng, the four divisions of the left army and the three divisions of the right army shall form ranks on the spot and prepare to meet the enemy!"

"..."

The entire south bank of the Huan River has changed as a result.

Upon realizing that Zheng Jun had broken through to the fifth level of the Tongqiao realm, Gongyang Jin immediately ordered a retreat, returning to Ziyang County to prepare for a steadfast defense.

Because in front of Zheng Jun, who had reached the fifth level of the Tongqiao realm, their formation along the Huan River was meaningless.

Even if the entire army were to launch an attack, taking advantage of Zheng Jun's army crossing the river to strike while they were halfway across, it would at most only wear down Zheng Jun's army, and would not be able to stop them from crossing the river at all!

Therefore, it would be better to leave the hundreds of thousands of miscellaneous soldiers here, let the gecko lose its tail, and hurry back to Ziyang City!

Gongyang Jin felt he understood Zheng Jun very well, just as a dung beetle understands dung. He knew very well what a terrifying existence Zheng Jun would be once he broke through to the fifth level of the Tongqiao realm.

They are far beyond their capabilities.

Even with the Qin King's elite 30,000 Xuan Bird Guards, they are no match!

Moreover, the true commander of the Xuan Niao Guard is not here. The current commander, He Lanshan, is just a general from Lanzhou who is temporarily in charge of the Xuan Niao Guard.

These Xuan Niao Guards are practically defective; how could they possibly fight Zheng Jun?
Therefore, we'd better run away quickly.

Keep the elite troops and leave the rest.

If they retreat to Ziyang County, they will still have the strength to fight and can buy themselves several years of time.

Everything will be alright once Ancestor Fang Ji breaks through to the Yuan Dan stage.

Gongyang Jin's eyes were filled with determination.

"Could it be that Marquis Hancheng received a bribe from Zheng Jun?!"

Just then, a sharp sound of footsteps came from outside Gongyang Jin's tent, and an angry voice appeared in Gongyang Jin's ear, full of indignation: "Our army has a full 300,000 troops, more than a dozen Tongqiao generals and more than a hundred Waigang generals! That Zheng army has only 200,000 miscellaneous soldiers, a few Tongqiao generals and less than fifty Waigang generals!"

"Three hundred thousand against two hundred thousand, the advantage is in our hands, why retreat? Besides, our army is in a superior position, we can simply wait for the enemy to attack, and then we can defeat them in one battle! Marquis of Hancheng, are you so terrified by that enemy Zheng?!"

The speaker was a young general dressed in golden armor.

This person is Yan Cai, a close friend of Fang Han and the contemporary prodigy of the Yan family in Lanzhou.

Yan Cai glared angrily. He was now at the initial stage of the Qi Opening Realm and commanded the Fourth Battalion of the Central Army, which had a total of 20,000 men. Young and impetuous, he was very dissatisfied with Gongyang Jin's choice to withdraw his troops. He felt that Gongyang Jin, this old Qin man, was simply boosting the morale of others while diminishing his own prestige!

When did we, the people of Lanzhou, fall so low that our 300,000-strong army dared not fight against the 200,000-strong army of the people of Bozhou?

A thousand years ago, the ancestors of Lanzhou defeated the army of Bozhou and assisted Emperor Taizu Wu in pacifying the false emperor of Daning who had seized Bozhou!
How come, a thousand years later, people from Bortala dare to cause trouble for people from Lanzhou?!

Yan Cai was very indignant.

A thousand years ago, the vanguard that attacked Ning was the ancestor of the Yan family.

Will the descendants of the Yan family have to slink away in disgrace a thousand years from now?

Upon hearing Yan Cai's words, Gongyang Jin's face turned extremely cold, and he immediately said, "Then your fourth battalion of the central army will also remain to form ranks and confront Zheng Jun!"

"The rest of you may stay as you see fit. The Black Bird Guard, the First Battalion, and the Second Battalion of the Central Army may withdraw!"

These 70,000 men were the true elite of the 300,000-strong army.

The rest of you should leave if possible.

If we can't leave, staying here and even willing to die to buy them time is acceptable.

"You old killer, terrified by the bandits of Bozhou, get out of here!"

Yan Cai spat and was about to lead the army away when he suddenly saw a burly man with a gloomy face walking in from outside the door. His cultivation had reached the fourth level of the Qi Opening Realm.

Upon seeing this, Yan Cai immediately cupped her hands and said, "Father, I..."

Before Yan Cai could finish speaking, the burly man with a gloomy face slapped her, knocking her to the ground. He then bowed to Gongyang Jin and said, "Lord Hancheng, please forgive me. I have failed to properly discipline my son. My Yan family's army will immediately retreat and will not affect the overall formation."

"Ah."

Gongyang Jin nodded indifferently, then ignored the father and son and rode away.

Upon seeing this, Yan Cai's eyes filled with disbelief, and she exclaimed, "Father, why is this happening? What about the Yan family traditions you always taught me..."

"Confused!"

The Yan family patriarch said coldly, "In this prosperous era, we should naturally uphold our family traditions and be loyal to the emperor and love our country! But now that chaos has arrived and the world is in constant turmoil, if my family wants to survive in this chaotic world, we must rely on these 40,000 family soldiers! You are confused for a moment and want to go to your death, so go! If you want to take 20,000 family soldiers with you, then you will be a sinner of the clan!"

Having said that, the Yan family patriarch ignored his son, who, despite his exceptional talent for cultivation, had already achieved the Tongqiao stage at the age of forty, and quickly strode away.

He's over forty years old, how can he behave so poorly?
Those students from poor families and ordinary households have all become shrewd and capable by the time they are forty!
The head of the Yan family felt disappointed and frustrated, but he still had his own business to attend to.

So he quickly returned to the Yan family camp, found two loyal martial artists from the family, and immediately handed them the personal letter he had already written. Then he whispered, "You two should not go any further. Find a safe place here. When the government troops come, surrender. Understand?"

"Yes, master."

The two members of the Outer Gang clan immediately bowed and agreed. One of them said, "Does the patriarch want us to cooperate from the inside and outside, and wait for the right opportunity?"

"Wait for what opportunity?"

The head of the Yan family frowned, then said, "I want you to take this letter in my own handwriting and meet with Lord Dingqin in person. Tell him that if Lord Dingqin reaches the city of Anye, the capital of Lanzhou, my Yan family is willing to open the western gates for Lord Dingqin and welcome him into the city!"

Although the two were quite surprised by the Yan family head's choice, they were more intelligent than Yan Cai and immediately bowed and said, "Understood."

Seeing this, the head of the Yan family finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Let's prepare for both possibilities.

If this Marquis of Dingqin, who is not yet twenty-five years old but has already reached the fifth level of the Qi-opening realm, can really conquer the two prefectures of Ziyang and Anlong with lightning speed and reach the city of Lanzhou, then it is time for the Yan family to change masters.

After all, in Lanzhou, it would be very difficult for the Yan family to overthrow the Fang family and become the overlord of the state.

If this Marquis of Dingqin cannot take over the two prefectures of Ziyang and Anlong, then all his words will be in vain.

As for whether the news will be leaked at that time?

That's naturally not the case.

Because the head of the Yan family was very cautious, he did not make any marks on the personal letter to indicate his identity. He even switched to writing with his left hand. The only people who could identify him were these two family members.

If Zheng Jun fails to conquer Ziyang and Anlong counties, then these two clansmen will naturally die without anyone noticing, leaving no hidden danger for the family.

Everything was for the sake of the clan.

After letting out a long sigh, the head of the Yan family quickly mounted his horse and led his troops in a retreat.

The Yan family's troops were positioned in the center of the army and did not need to cover the rear, so they retreated quickly.

The seven armies, consisting of four divisions on the left and three divisions on the right, are now arrayed on the riverbank.

However, their morale was extremely low.

The Left Army consisted of 48,000 men in four divisions. Some were newly recruited soldiers, some were defeated soldiers from the front lines, and some were even bandits from the local area who had been granted amnesty.

The Right Army consisted of 31,000 men in three divisions, all of whom were江湖人士 (jianghu figures,江湖人士,江湖人士,江湖人士,江湖人士,江湖人士,江湖人士,江湖人士,江湖人士,江湖人士,江湖人士,江湖人士,江湖人士,江湖人士,江湖人士,江湖人 ...

The江湖人士 (jianghu figures) here are not from the major martial arts sects in Lanzhou, but rather from the local ruffians and scoundrels in various counties, much like the Qingshui Gang in Heishan County back then.

Of the nearly 80,000 people who remained behind, their fighting capacity was naturally extremely low.

Of course, Gongyang Jin also knew that if only these 80,000 men were left, they would collapse instantly and would be unable to buy time. Therefore, he also left 20,000 state soldiers as supervisors to monitor the 80,000 men's desperate resistance.

Among the 20,000 soldiers, Murong Ling's expression was particularly grim.

Because he was the martial artist who remained behind after achieving the Tongqiao stage.

Of the eleven Qi Refining martial artists in the entire Lanzhou, only he remained; the rest had all retreated.

How could Murong Ling not look disgusted?
Of course, there are other martial artists who have reached the Qi Refining stage in Lanzhou, such as the six people in Lanzhou City.

However, three of those six people remained neutral, not getting involved in the dispute at all; they only served the final victor.

But no matter what, the fact that he was the only one left out of eleven people made Murong Ling feel a little disheartened.

But there's nothing we can do; he's a proponent of war, and his remaining in this position reflects the will of the pro-war faction.

If I were to back down as well, wouldn't the pro-war faction become a laughing stock?
"Although Zheng Jun is exceptionally talented, it will take him at least ten years to break through to the Yuan Dan stage. In those ten years, Fang Ji will have enough time to break through to the Yuan Dan stage and join forces with the King of Qin to launch a massive attack. Even if he is exceptionally talented, if he were to perish along the way, he would not be much of a threat."

Murong Ling thought to herself, her heart bleeding: "If my Murong clan wants to establish itself in Lanzhou, we must make some achievements. If I stay here and fight to the death, it will be a way to open up a new path for the clan."

"Even if the King of Qin is defeated in the end, the Murong clan can still gain the favor of the next ruler because of my reputation for loyalty and righteousness."

Murong Ling was lost in thought.

Just then, he heard shouts coming from not far away.

Zheng Jun's soldiers began their forced crossing.

Seeing this, Murong Ling immediately took command of the battle.

On the south bank of the Huan River, the troops of Wuguang County, under the supervision of Wei Quan, brazenly crossed the river.

Zheng Juntian's Heavenly Eye pierced through the barrier, conjuring a phantom of a blue dragon that coiled in mid-air. Azure-gold true essence poured down like rain, and the armor of the soldiers on the north bank shone with the radiance of the five elements. The hum of the Azure Blade resonated with the sound of the waves.

Taking advantage of the situation, the heavily armored infantry of the Dingqin army stepped ashore on the waves, and the black iron shield formation crashed into the enemy formation, causing the four divisions of new recruits on the left to collapse instantly.

"Run! That Azure Dragon is none other than Zheng Jun, the God of Slaughter who previously slew eight generals!"

When the Right Army's bailiff saw the Qin army pressing in like a black tide, he shouted and prepared to abandon his weapons and flee.

In an instant, the fleeing soldiers surged forth like a burst dam, breaching the barricades behind them.

Upon seeing this, Murong Ling's eyes turned bloodshot, her true essence at the Tongqiao Realm surged forth, and the 'Hanchi Sword' at her waist was drawn with a clang.

"Anyone who deserts the battlefield will be executed!"

The sword light poured down like an icy river, and the chilling sword energy instantly froze hundreds of fleeing soldiers, the sound of ice crystals shattering intertwined with screams of agony.

Murong Ling stood in mid-air, crushing dozens of the most ferocious fleeing martial artists into a bloody mist, and shouted sharply: "Form crossbow formation! Those who retreat, shoot them all!"

The routed soldiers were momentarily stunned, but the Cangdao Army had already torn open the right flank.

Looking at the Cangdao Army that was charging towards them, and Zheng Jun who had already joined forces with the Cangdao Army, Murong Ling couldn't help but take a deep breath, her body trembling slightly.

I feel a bit scared.

After all, who wouldn't be afraid when facing Zheng Jun?

However, at this moment, Murong Ling suddenly noticed a streak of light appearing beside her. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was Yan Cai, one of the few pro-war martial artists in the army who had reached the Qi Refining stage.

Murong Ling still had a strong impression of this young man.

"Lord Murong."

Yan Caifei arrived and saw Murong Ling looking murderous. He immediately advised, "The current situation is all because that old thief Gongyang refused to fight. He watched as the Zheng traitor advanced, delaying our eternal achievements!"

After saying that, Yan Cai seemed to grit her teeth and continued, "That old scoundrel Gongyang claims to be a famous general in the army, but he can't even do the most basic reward and punishment. He is usually arrogant and self-important, enjoying his power and influence. When he encounters danger, he flees in a sorry state. He looks like a muddle-headed general and a treacherous minister! Why did you lose your life to cover his retreat?"

Upon hearing this, Murong Ling unconsciously revealed a bit of her true feelings and sighed, "The Murong family has benefited from the favor of the Fang family. If I, Murong Ling, had not been appreciated by the Prince of Qin, I would have been nothing more than a shepherd in the Northern Rong. Now I am wholeheartedly serving my lord and have led my people here to cover the rear of the Lanzhou army. This is my duty."

“If the Fang family is still blessed by heaven and earth and favored by Lanzhou, then I should retire today after achieving my goal; if the time is already lost, I might as well die here, so as not to betray the kindness of the Fang family and the King of Qin.”

"With such loyalty and gratitude, my Murong clan can now officially establish itself in the Central Plains."

"You are still young, you should retire sooner rather than later, lest you die here."

Upon hearing Murong Ling's words, Yan Cai knew she couldn't persuade him and was about to leave when she suddenly felt a strong sense of crisis.

The two looked up at the same time, only to see Zheng Jun draw his long sword, which stirred up a vast wave of dewy sword intent!
Immediately, Zheng Jun's powerful true energy surged like a giant wave, directly breaking through the hastily formed left and right armies. The Cangdao Army marched forward simultaneously, their blades unstoppable.

In Zheng Jun's eyes, Murong Ling and Yan Cai were too conspicuous.

Without him.

Among the 100,000 troops left behind to hold off the enemy, there were only two martial artists who had reached the Qi Refining stage. How could they not stand out?
"I'll kill both of you."

Zheng Jun remained completely calm. After chewing a piece of lotus leaf, he drew his Dragon Abyss Blade, and the Azure Dragon Blade Shadow, carrying the power of the entire Huan River, crashed down!
At this point, Zheng Jun's water-based power had reached an astonishing level.

It wasn't just the presence of the Huan River in the surrounding environment; it was also because Zheng Jun had consumed four powerful water-based medicines since he went into battle.

With the Cangdao Army in formation, Zheng Jun's few strikes were enough to contend with the Western Di High Priest!
"not good!"

Murong Ling and Yan Cai's expressions changed drastically at the same time, and they had no choice but to attack together to block Zheng Jun's attack!

However, as soon as she made her move, the magical weapon 'Hanchi Sword' in Murong Ling's hand began to break apart inch by inch, emitting a mournful cry similar to that of someone on the verge of death.

The immense pressure made Murong Ling feel as if the sky had fallen and the earth had collapsed, as if she were facing not a Qi Opening Martial Artist, but a Yuan Dan Martial Saint!
Yan Cai, standing beside Murong Ling, fared even worse. Before he could even unleash his true essence, it melted away like spring snow meeting boiling oil. The last sound he heard was the popping of his bones under the pressure of his true essence!

'Zheng Jun is...so terrifying...'

Yan Cai felt a splitting headache and couldn't help but have this thought in her mind.

At that moment, he finally understood why Gongyang Jin had retreated.

Faced with such a formidable enemy, what use would it be to form a battle formation? It would only mean taking a few more blows!

Only by relying on the high walls and strong fortifications can we withstand Zheng Jun's offensive!

"Crack!"

With a loud bang, Yan Cai, who was at the initial stage of the Qi Opening Realm, was instantly crushed into a pulp.

Murong Ling, however, did not die from the power of this strike.

After all, he had a force of 20,000 men, so he wasn't going to die so easily.

"Whoo~"

Murong Ling coughed up blood, already severely injured.

Zheng Jun only needed one strike to kill Yan Cai and severely injure Murong Ling.

"The entire army retreated in terror!"

Despite his injuries, Murong Ling roared and vomited blood. The fragments of the Cold Dragon Sword transformed into thousands of ice shards under the stimulation of his true essence. He burned his entire body's blood essence, and ice crystals spread from his five orifices like thorns. He used his body as the core of the formation, connecting the formation of 20,000 state soldiers!

"Zheng Jun, if you want to kill my Lanzhou army, you'll have to get past me first!"

Murong Ling's roar was accompanied by ice shards, and her frozen blood surged like a river through her meridians.

With the connection of true essence, the fragments of the Cold Dragon Sword transformed into ice spears, piercing towards Zheng Jun like a peacock spreading its tail!

Zheng Jun didn't even look up at Murong Ling's final, strongest attack; he simply raised his blade and slashed out.

Before the blade even flashed, the dragon's roar shattered the ice.

The illusory image of the Azure Dragon spiraled upwards from the blade, and the collapsing sun wrapped around the dragon's body. The interaction of water and fire left scorched black lines in the void.

Zheng Jun spun around and swung his sword, the azure-gold blade energy crushing 100,000 ice spears like the sky collapsing!

"Crack!"

The entire formation shattered in two, and Murong Ling's ice armor exploded into dust. He staggered backward, only to see Zheng Jun's figure pierce through the formation like a ghost, the tip of his blade precisely piercing his vital point between his eyebrows!
Time seems to stand still.

The last thing Murong Ling saw was the glittering golden eyes in Zheng Jun's eyes.

His gaze was indifferent, as if looking at an ant, while the blade's energy had already flowed along his meridians, burning away his internal organs!

"It's like a mantis trying to stop a chariot."

Zheng Jun brandished his sword and uttered a soft cry. Murong Ling's body exploded with a bang, leaving no trace of her remains!
The aftershocks swept across the 20,000-strong army, and the frost-covered soldiers fell like waves of wheat. Their frozen bodies melted into blood under the scorching sun, resulting in heavy casualties!

"Boom——!"

The Xianbei cavalry had already crossed the river, and wherever the blue banners passed, the remaining soldiers of Lanzhou were terrified.

Some soldiers threw down their weapons and knelt on the ground, but they were not so lucky. They ran head-on into the path of the iron cavalry, and before they could even scream, they were trampled into a bloody pulp by the waves of iron hooves.

After killing two Qi Refining Martial Artists, Zheng Jun looked at the 100,000 remaining soldiers who had fled across the mountains and plains without hesitation and shouted sharply, "Don't worry about these trash! Cangdao Army, follow me and kill them! Catch up with Gongyang Jin and kill him!"

"Don't let that old bastard escape back to Ziyang City!"

Zheng Jun roared like thunder from the heavens, his azure-gold true essence resonating and trembling with the longswords in the hands of tens of thousands of fierce soldiers of the Cangdao Army. The sound of the swords turned into a continuous dragon roar that pierced the sky!

"Wan Sheng! Wan Sheng!"

The soldiers of the Cangdao Army raised their arms and shouted, their morale high. Upon hearing Zheng Jun's call, they pressed forward without hesitation, pursuing Gongyang Jin's troops.

After a brief reorganization, the Xiaoguo Army followed the Cangdao Army and pressed forward. The 100,000-strong army pursued them in a mighty and imposing manner!

When the routed soldiers saw Zheng Jun's Cangdao Army charging towards them, they were terrified and immediately gave way, kneeling and surrendering, not daring to fight them.

Gongyang Jin's troops had just begun their withdrawal, numbering a massive 200,000. Upon learning that the 100,000 soldiers left behind had been defeated by Zheng Jun and that Murong Ling had died, Gongyang Jin frowned and immediately gritted his teeth, ordering the 30,000 rear guard troops to halt their withdrawal and form ranks on the spot!

After saying that, Gongyang Jin instructed, "Fang Ping, your 20,000 troops, return to reinforce the rear army!"

Upon hearing this, Fang Ping was immediately stunned, and a cold sweat broke out on his back the next second.

He personally witnessed Zheng Jun kill Fang Han during the siege, and then kill Fang Yuan who was chasing him.

Now that Zheng Jun has broken through to the fifth level of the Tongqiao realm, his strength is even more terrifying. How can he be a match for him?
However, he couldn't ignore what Gongyang Jin said.

Thus, he could only accept the order with a heavy heart and lead his army back.

"..."

In the Cangdao army, Yu Shen was extremely excited and led his troops to the forefront.

"Before this battle, I, Yu Shen, was an unknown nobody, but after this battle, I will make the whole of Lanzhou know my name, Yu Shen!"

Yu Shen charged ahead at great speed, and saw that Gongyang Jin's rear army of 30,000 men was already arrayed in front, with layers of armor, sharp swords and halberds, and orderly formation.

This must be the true main force of the Lanzhou army!
"kill!"

Yu Shen's Crimson Flame Steed neighed like thunder, and a three-foot-long crimson light burst from the tip of his lance. Without the slightest hesitation, he took the lead. Seeing the Lanzhou army's iron armor array lined up in front of him, he laughed wildly and charged forward alone!

"I am Yu Shen, a valiant general under the Grand Commander! You will all die!"

With a roar, the horse spear transformed into a crimson dragon, churning and slicing through the air. A dozen or so heavily armored infantrymen from Lanzhou were cut in half at the waist, their armor fragments billowing into the sky amidst a cloud of blood. Yu Shen was the first to charge into the Lanzhou army.

"Surround and kill him!"

One of the outer-ranking generals of the Lanzhou army immediately gave the order, and the surrounding soldiers swarmed over.

Yu Shen snorted coldly and swept his lance horizontally, sending more than a dozen soldiers flying along with their shields. At this moment, the main force of the Cangdao Army bravely took the lead and charged into the wall of shields. The sound of the Cangdao blades cutting through the shield wall was like a torrential rain hitting a copper basin.

"Quickly, kill this guy named Yu Shen!"

The generals of Lanzhou Army shouted fiercely, but in the sky, Zheng Jun had already raised his sword again, and the green water sword energy that had been condensed for tens of feet had been formed and crashed down!

In an instant, hundreds of Lanzhou soldiers were cut in half at the waist by the sharp blade, leaving a large empty space in the Lanzhou army formation.

The soldiers, already resentful of being held back, were terrified upon seeing this.

At this moment, there were no Qi-opening martial artists among the 30,000 troops covering the rear. The Qi-opening martial artist assigned to them, Fang Ping, was on his way with his own 20,000 troops. Upon seeing Zheng Jun's terrifying power, he immediately lost all fighting spirit.

"Our army is defeated!"

Just then, someone shouted.

"Our army is defeated!"

The sound seemed contagious; in an instant, many people around shouted, and the once-solemn military formation collapsed. Only a few generals of the Outer Gang remained, stunned, watching helplessly as their subordinates scattered like birds and beasts.

"what?"

Upon seeing this, Yu Shen was taken aback. After piercing the throat of an outer-strength general with his spear, he stopped and looked around in disbelief.

Is this what they call the elite Lanzhou army?

Why is it so easily broken?
"Don't stop, keep pushing forward!"

Just as Yu Shen hesitated, Zheng Jun's voice suddenly came from the sky: "Pursue the victory, chase after this defeated army, use them as a vanguard, and crush the Lanzhou army in one fell swoop!"

Upon hearing Zheng Jun's words, the more than 40,000 Cangdao Army soldiers, including Yu Shen, were greatly encouraged and continued to press forward. Their adrenaline surged, and they showed no signs of exhaustion as they continued their pursuit!
Thus, the 30,000 rear guard troops became routed soldiers, and were chased all the way by the Cangdao Army.

Before long, the 30,000 routed soldiers encountered Fang Ping's troops who had rushed to their aid. Fang Ping initially thought it was the Cangdao Army pursuing them, but upon seeing the banners, he realized it was the Lanzhou Army. He was immediately astonished and asked, "Why are you retreating?"

"General Fang, our army has been defeated."

The soldiers answered honestly.

Upon hearing these words, Fang Ping thought for a moment, then without hesitation, turned around and shouted, "Retreat! Retreat!"

What's the point of providing aid if we've already lost?
Let's just start running together!
As a result, the fleeing army changed from one to two.

Fang Ping turned and ran without any hesitation, which led to a series of chain reactions.

The other troops, who had been relatively orderly, suddenly turned into a run when Fang Ping passed by their ranks. They assumed that Zheng Jun had already attacked and panicked. They quickened their pace, turning a slow retreat into a rapid retreat, and then into a running retreat.

After all, these are the private soldiers of various families, and they don't want to die here!

30,000 people can influence 20,000 people, 20,000 people can influence 50,000 people...

As a result, the 100,000 troops in the rear army also began to fall into chaos!
He immediately unleashed a move that resembled "a thousand troops and ten thousand horses avoiding the Azure Blade"!

Gongyang Jin watched this scene in astonishment from behind the formation.

How could this be?
Even if the enemy attacked, they wouldn't be defeated so quickly, would they?
When they were fighting against the Southern Chu army, Yu Zhongli was no match for Zhaoyang Wusheng. He used this retreat route to sacrifice 50,000 soldiers to protect the main force and ensure its safe retreat.

In the current situation, Zheng Jun's strength is even inferior to that of Martial Saint Zhaoyang!
How could there have been such a massive defeat?

"It must be that Fang Ping, fearing Zheng Jun's power, led the escape!"

Gongyang Jin guessed the whole story in a single glance and immediately gritted his teeth in anger.

But it was too late to say anything now. He immediately took a deep breath, summoned Helan Shan, and said to Helan Shan, "The Xuan Niao Guard should be mobilized, otherwise the 300,000 troops will all become defeated soldiers inexplicably!"

"Let Fang He, Fang Cun, Yan Xunzhen, and Liu Nanyun join you in battle!"

Thirty thousand elite Qin soldiers, the Xuan Bird Guards, plus five Venerable Tongqiao.

enough.

Gongyang Jin is now starting to regret his actions.

If this had been done earlier, how could the army have fallen into such chaos?

Ultimately, it was due to my own lack of ability; I didn't have the capacity to command an army of 300,000, and I treated it as if it were only 100,000.

Gongyang Jin was extremely worried.

"You will finally understand."

Helan Mountain nodded solemnly.

Although he is a general at the fourth level of the Qi Refining Realm, he is at a disadvantage in one-on-one combat because he does not have a supernatural power to protect him.

But as a general commanding troops, he was exceptionally reliable.

His military leadership skills are enough to unleash the full power of the 30,000 Xuan Bird Guards!

"Although the enemy's advance was fierce and scared away our 100,000 troops, they must have suffered heavy losses from fighting their way through such a long distance. The Xuan Niao Guard has been conserving its strength and will surely achieve victory in one battle and defeat Zheng Jun!" He Lanshan said seriously.

However, at this moment, a martial artist from the Lanzhou army, burning his essence blood, flew over and said to Gongyang Jin and Helan Shan, "General, that Zheng traitor suddenly stopped pursuing us three quarters of an hour ago!"

"Ok?"

Upon hearing the words of the Outer Martial Artist, Gongyang Jin and Helan Shan were greatly surprised. They quickly realized that the Cangdao Army's true energy must have been almost exhausted, and they could no longer continue the pursuit.

Realizing this, the two of them breathed a sigh of relief.

However, at that moment, another Outer Strength Warrior, burning his essence blood, rushed over and reported: "Urgent report from the rear army! That Zheng traitor has changed his formation, sending the Xiaoguo Army to press forward. He has changed his formation to use golden blades, and his killing aura is even stronger!"

Upon hearing this, Gongyang Jin felt a wave of dizziness.

When cavalrymen raid, there is a saying that one person can ride two horses, so that when the horses get tired, they can switch horses to continue the raid.

Even if you send a large army in pursuit, does that mean you can effectively command two armies with one general?
(End of this chapter)