Simultaneous travel: I am a talented person in all the worlds

Chapter 357 Schemes in a Chaotic World, Pang Ban Makes His Move

Shenqiu is located on the north side of the Ying River.

The majority of the troops of the Prince of Ruyang were stationed here.

Along with Yingzhou City on the south side of the Ying River, the White Lotus Sect's headquarters, and most of Liu Futong's troops, they were positioned in a mutually restraining manner.

However, inside the military tent.

In front of a map that is more than two meters high and more than seven meters wide.

Prince Ruyang, Chaghan Temur, was filled with worry and pointed to the Changzhou Road marked in red.

At this moment, neither he nor his son Wang Baobao were thinking about the White Lotus Sect, which was entangled with them in the Jianghuai region.

"The Red Turban rebel leader Peng Heshang has been driven away, and now Huzhou, Changzhou, Jiangyin, Jingkou, Jiangning and other cities are under the control of Esen Timur."

The Mongol Yuan dynasty had already made some progress in the development of maritime transport, and the south was relatively prosperous.

The Prince of Ruyang had long coveted the lands of Jiangsu.

Now, relying on the power of his elder brother, Toqto'a, the prime minister of the Yuan Dynasty, Esen Timur, with the elite troops of the court in his hands, is rampaging through the Jianghuai region under the pretext of pursuing and suppressing the "Red Turban rebels," and is about to extend his reach into the heart of Anhui.

"Dong Mengqi was a great general, brave and resourceful, and extremely skilled in military strategy."

Wang Baobao echoed this sentiment, his tone filled with regret:

"Unfortunately, this man only has eyes for the imperial court in Dadu, and not for us vassal kings. Otherwise, if we could get his help, why would we have to worry about the White Lotus's injustice?"

The father and son's gazes, without prior arrangement, slowly shifted along the Yangtze River system to Huizhou Road in the lower left.

Their initial strategic goal was to use the pretext of suppressing bandits to both strengthen their own power and firmly grasp the two key Central Plains regions of Henan and Anhui.

But Esen Timur's actions completely disrupted their plans.

If Esen Timur were to take advantage of the stalemate between him and his son and the main force of the White Lotus Sect, he could stab the White Lotus Sect in the back and seize Anhui first.

Therefore, the Prince of Ruyang, who was trapped in Henan and close to Dadu in Hebei, truly became a wise and virtuous king who brought peace to the world.

From a powerful local ruler, he was reduced to an object that the imperial court could manipulate at will.

"Ugh"

Thinking of this, Chaghan Temur let out a long sigh, his eyes filled with exhaustion and a sense of powerlessness.

Despite his immense anxiety, he was powerless to do anything; he simply lacked the strength to act.
Wang Baobao stared at the map, squinted, and asked:
"That Monk Peng is the top general and strategist under the false emperor Xu Shouhui, possessing countless brilliant ideas. Do you think there's a possibility..."

"Would Esen Timur have been defeated and killed in Huizhou, suffering a setback in the gutter?"

The Prince of Ruyang glanced at his ambitious son and knew that the question was not what it seemed, but rather a question about whether there was an opportunity to play dirty tricks.

By aiding the enemy and helping them to suppress them, they managed to defeat Esen Timur, a thorn in their side, in Huizhou.

But he simply shook his head, his tone unusually firm:
"Impossible. Moreover, Monk Peng will definitely die in Huizhou this time!"

Wang Baobao looked at his father with great confusion, wondering when his father had become so confident in Esen Timur:

"Why do you say that, Father? Not to mention that Monk Peng is a rare talent among the Red Turban Army, but also a long-established and renowned master of the Celestial and Human Realms."

More than a decade ago, he supported a false "King Zhou," and subsequently launched several uprisings. The imperial court viewed him as a thorn in its side, dispatching large armies to suppress him multiple times. Yet, he remains alive and well to this day, demonstrating his considerable power.

The Prince of Ruyang didn't argue with him, but simply uttered a name that was enough to shake the entire martial arts world:
"Because this time, the imperial court sent Pang Ban to take action personally."

"what?!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Baobao's expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed in shock:

"When did this happen? Why am I completely unaware of it?"

It should be noted that his relationship with Pang Ban was quite good.

His son's aptitude was even acknowledged by Pang Ban, who agreed that he would become a disciple of the Demon Master once he came of age.

How could he not have heard a thing about such an important person being mobilized?!

More importantly, Pang Ban, as the top expert of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, actually rarely made a move.

It wasn't because he was arrogant or disregarded the Yuan court's orders, but for a simpler, and more helpless reason.
He was singled out by Zhang Sanfeng.

Three years ago, in order to free up Pang Ban to deal with Han Shantong, Prime Minister Tuotuo amassed a million troops and mobilized several grandmasters to support him, which forced Zhang Sanfeng to refrain from making any moves and created an opportunity for Pang Ban to take action.

However, this method is clearly not something that can be used frequently.

Moreover, Wang Baobao hadn't heard of any major moves being made against Wudang recently.

The Prince of Ruyang noticed the doubt in his eyes and handed him a secret report:
"This is what Pang Ban said himself. Just a few months ago, Master Zhang of Wudang voluntarily removed his qi lock on him."

Wang Baobao quickly finished reading the secret report in his hand, his eyes filled with even more doubt:
"Could it be... that Master Zhang is getting old and his physical abilities are failing?"

"I don't know, but it's probably not."

As he spoke, the Prince of Ruyang took out another intelligence report, which was noticeably thicker and more substantial.

"This is a message from Minmin. These days, she has been sending people to keep an eye on Wudang Moyu, who caused her a great loss, and she has actually found out some things."

Wang Baobao took the intelligence report, glanced at it for a few seconds, and his face turned gloomy, his eyes becoming dangerous.

"The Heavenly Mandate Sect!!"

The intelligence report was quite complex, but only two things truly concerned him.

Firstly, the actions of the Emei Sect in Sichuan clearly indicate that they are going against the imperial court.

Secondly, the Heavenly Mandate Sect under his command had already secretly pledged allegiance to the chivalrous Mo Yu behind his back!
And he was completely oblivious! A surge of shame and anger at being betrayed and deceived welled up inside him instantly!

"Isn't this always been the case, whether in the imperial court or in the martial world?"

Chaghan Temur remained remarkably calm. He patted his son on the shoulder and slowly said:

"Those who join the Demonic Sect for personal gain will also betray you for even greater gain. There's nothing to be angry about."

"But this Wudang Mo Yu is growing too fast; he could very well be the next Zhang Sanfeng! The betrayal of the Heavenly Mandate Sect is a fact. But fortune and misfortune are intertwined; this matter... might not be something we can't make good use of."

Wang Baobao was incredibly clever. Although he was still somewhat annoyed, his sharp mind quickly cleared up after his father's reminder.

He turned his gaze back to the map, focusing on the provinces of Shaanxi and Sichuan.

"Father means..."

The Prince of Ruyang slowly traced his index finger across the map, a shrewd smile appearing on his face.
"While the main force of the imperial court was entangled with the White Lotus Sect and had no time to attend to other matters, Xu Shouhui swallowed up most of the Central Plains. He seemed to have great power, but in reality, his foundation was unstable."

The only capable generals under his command were Peng Yingyu and Ming Yuzhen, with perhaps a second chance at Ni Wenjun; the rest were just a rabble.

"Now that Pang Ban has intervened, Peng Yingyu is doomed to die in Huizhou. Ming Yuzhen, on the other hand, must guard Mianyang Prefecture and dare not make any rash moves."

Sichuan is not only the stronghold of Dashibadulu, but also home to Wudang and Emei sects. With various forces intertwined, the struggle is bound to be fierce, and it is beyond our ability to intervene at this time.

but……"

The Prince of Ruyang's finger landed heavily on Shaanxi, which borders Henan Province.

"Shaanxi, which borders us, is on the edge of the battlefield. If we could easily take it with a small force..."

Wang Baobao stared at the map and quickly understood his father's meaning.

If they could conquer Shaanxi with relatively little force, not only would they expand the power of the Prince of Ruyang's mansion, but more importantly, they would open up a new direction for westward expansion!
Even if Esen Timur had indeed taken over Anhui first, they wouldn't have been completely trapped in Henan, a land of constant warfare.

However, the goal is to achieve big results with small investments.

The main characters in this great battle must all ignore their own existence.

At this time, the betrayed Destiny Cult can be used as a counter-espionage agent or as a bridge to establish connections.
-
Ruizhou City, Jiangxi Province.

The setting sun, like blood, soaked the city walls, which had been ravaged by war.

Peng Yingyu stood alone atop the battlements, her grey monk's robes fluttering in the hot wind, a testament to blood and fire.

Below the city walls stood a densely packed Mongol army, and before the army's formation stood a thousand heavily armored knights, their blood surging like dragons, standing silently like iron towers—the core elite of the Yuan-Mongol army, the Kheshig!
At the front of the Kheshig army, a lone rider stood, none other than Chilaowen, one of the Thirteen Wings of the Grassland and also one of the four commanders of the Kheshig.

He looked up at the proud, solitary figure atop the city wall, and a sense of respect welled up within him.

He personally led a thousand Kheshig soldiers, using military force to strengthen his martial will, and fought for three days, but still could not defeat the man before him.

"Pity……"

Old Man Chi sighed softly.

"Ah,"

On the city wall, Peng Yingyu heard everything clearly. He burst into laughter, his hearty laughter filled with disdain.
"You dog from the grasslands, what tricks are you trying to pull now? If you're afraid of me, you'd better go back to your grasslands and herd sheep, maybe you can live a few more years!"

Once I have slaughtered all the Mongol dogs in the Central Plains, I will personally lead a large army to your homeland! Hahahaha!

Chi Laowen listened, but did not get angry; he simply looked at him calmly.

Because he knows.

Once martial arts reach the Celestial Realm, the competition is no longer simply about internal energy or techniques, but more about one's own mental will!

The same move can have vastly different effects depending on the person, or even the person's mental state.

Over the past three years, Peng Yingyu has fought battles in the north and south, from Sichuan to Huguang, from Jiangxi to Fujian and then to the Jianghuai region, before finally retreating back to Jiangxi.

They're either fighting a bloody battle, or on their way to one.

He was already burning his life force.

In this raging inferno that engulfs the world, he will only grow stronger and more insane until death comes or he is completely consumed by the flames!
"Unfortunately, even if your will is as strong as steel, you will die here today."

Chi Laowen calmly met Peng Yingyu's piercing eyes, his voice icy:
"Moreover, because of what you just said, after you die, I will make every living being in Ruizhou City pay for your death!"

Peng Yingyu frowned, and surprisingly did not retort.

A sudden, inexplicable realization washed over him, as if his time was up and he was destined to perish here today.

Just then, a gentle and magnetic voice rang out unexpectedly beside Peng Yingyu.

"There's no need to affect his mind in this way. I still hope that he can fight me with all his might in that state."

Peng Yingyu felt a sudden numbness in her eardrums and turned her head in shock!

About three zhang away, a magnificent man in fine clothes with an extremely imposing figure stood silently.

He looked to be no more than thirty years old, with a handsome appearance that was almost eerie. What was particularly impressive were his bright and spirited eyes, which flashed like lightning when they opened and closed, and possessed an almost bewitching charm.

Just one glance was enough to make his figure unforgettable for a lifetime.

Coupled with his profound and imposing demeanor, even a seasoned veteran like Peng Yingxi felt a chill run down her spine.

"Pang... Ban!"

Although Peng Yingyu had never seen this legendary number one expert of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty in person, the moment he saw the person in front of him, he naturally became certain of the person's identity!

I also realized that my path was probably coming to an end here.

A deathly silence enveloped the entire battlefield at that moment.

The next moment, Monk Peng threw his head back and burst into laughter, louder and more joyful than ever before!

"Very well! Well done! Let me, Monk Peng, personally test just how much of a 'number one in the world' you Mongolian dogs really are!"

Amidst the laughter, the bronze skin beneath the tattered monk's robe burst forth with dazzling golden light, resembling an angry Arhat!

Even if he dies today, he will die standing! He will fight to the very last moment with his strongest will! He will never bow down to any of those traitors!
"The golden body of an Arhat".

A genuine admiration flashed in Pang Ban's eyes.

Then, he slowly took down the pair of strangely shaped weapons he had been carrying on his back—the Three-Eight Double Halberds.

(End of this chapter)