Just as the old patriarch forced me to my death, I achieved the unity of Dao and fruition.

At the same time, outside the border of Hebei, between two mountains, the camps stretched as far as the eye could see.

One after another, floating boats carrying provisions and armor crossed the mountain ridge, and the teleportation arrays in the camp lit up one after another, delivering supplies from the rear to each unit.

Armored knights galloped along the camp road, and wherever they passed, military flags unfurled in the wind.

An army of 800,000!

The two imperial guard camps at the very center even had different banners.

The malevolent aura above the camp remained stagnant, vaguely transforming into two enormous, illusory figures overlooking the mountains and rivers.

Upon arriving at the front lines, Prince Jingwu, Yin Daoheng, raised his command flag deep within the heavily guarded military camp.

Inside the central command tent, the clanging of armor plates gradually subsided.

The generals commanding troops from the three northern prefectures and the veteran generals who had come by imperial decree lined up on both sides.

Those terrestrial deities who would normally be able to govern an entire state could only take their seats in turn.

There are ten additional seats closest to the desk.

Ten Mystic Immortals!

Following the new emperor's decree, the Taicang Immortal Sect dispatched five Xuanxian (mysterious immortals) to accompany the army.

It was only with the addition of royal patrons and other powerful immortal sects who were affiliated with the court that this lineup was assembled.

This is no longer a matter of one family sending out some manpower to appease the imperial court.

Rather, it was the Great Yin Dynasty and the immortal sects behind it that truly unleashed their full power!

Yin Daoheng had just sat down when he suddenly looked up.

Deep within the heavens, two connected streaks of destiny were severed one after another.

The five Tai Cang Xuanxian inside the tent each displayed a different expression.

An elderly man with white eyebrows suddenly gripped the handrail.

He had a close relationship with Wenren Du and recognized the collapsing fortune almost immediately.

The other Taoist priest in the green robe narrowed his eyes.

"Wenren Shi..."

He twirled a jade bead between his fingers, and a smile slowly crept onto his lips.

"I heard that the Xuan King is actually one of their long-lost descendants?"

"Recognizing relatives? Heh heh, they've already forgotten who they are, interesting..."

The white-browed old man looked over coldly.

The Taoist in the green robe had already conjured a spiritual message and sent it into the void.

The others also cast spells to send the message back to the Taicang Cave Heaven.

Some reminded the main branch to pay attention to the heavens again, some rushed to inform the Wenren clan elders they were on good terms with, and others just waited to see how the Wenren clan would handle the situation.

Although they both came from the same place, Taicang, their friendship might not be that deep.

Seeing several streaks of light disappear into the distance, Yin Daoheng tapped on the desk.

"Gentlemen, matters concerning the sect can be discussed later."

"The two Wenren clan members are already dead, and I do not wish for anyone here to follow in their footsteps."

The Taoist priest in the green robe put away the jade bead.

"What are the Grand Commander's plans?"

Yin Daoheng did not say anything like ten Xuanxian were enough to crush Gu Changjin.

With a flick of his wrist, the landscapes of the three states rose from the table.

Beishuo, Hanchuan, Hexi.

A faint blue light connected the three states into one.

"Wenren Shi is two people who stepped into someone else's world."

"What I have brought is an army of 800,000."

His fingers fell to either side.

"The left army, numbering 200,000, attacks Beishuo. The right army, numbering 200,000, enters Hanchuan."

Two veterans with graying temples stepped forward at the same time.

Both men were veterans who had commanded troops in the border army for many years, and each had officers and lieutenants familiar with military formations under their command. They were not commanders appointed on short notice.

"Two immortal immortals will accompany each of the left and right routes. The terrestrial immortals will be offered as sacrifices to the generals of each camp, and will be distributed according to military orders."

"The remaining 400,000 troops, including two imperial guard units, will be personally led by me, with six Xuanxian masters stationed in the central command, to march straight for Hexi!"

Three sharp blades pressed into the azure territory from different directions.

Someone's eyes flickered.

"Sharing his territory?"

"good."

Yin Daoheng raised his head.

"There's no need to rush into a duel with Gu Changjin. Take down the cities, passes, and ley lines one by one."

"After capturing a city, the imperial flag was raised to connect with the heavens behind the capital, ensuring the supply of provisions and the retreat route."

"If he goes to Beishuo, Hexi will fall. If he returns to aid Hanchuan, the other two routes will continue their advance."

"He wants three provinces, so I will conquer all three at once!"

The white-browed old man nodded slowly.

With a large army to absorb the earth's energy and an imperial edict to relocate the earth's veins, the immortals accompanying the army would not be left alone in the heavens.

Even if Gu Changjin arrives in person, the two Xuanxian do not seek to kill him. They only need to rely on the military formation to hold him off, which will give the other two groups an opportunity.

This is much safer than relying on your cultivation level to rush over and fight for supremacy.

Yin Daoheng picked up the first command arrow.

"Order the troops to advance!"

……

On that day, the three armies broke camp simultaneously.

Floating boats lined up in the sky, cavalrymen marched across the mountain roads, and heavy chariots crushed the rocks along the way.

Above the military formation, beams of celestial light remained hidden, constantly pressing down on the path ahead.

The first good news came from the north.

A border fortress only withstood two rounds of attacks.

Before the defenders on the city wall had even assembled, a military spirit stepped onto the gate, its spear pressing down, causing the city's protective formation to cave in on the spot.

With a flick of his finger, the immortal warrior severed the earth vein power resisting within the formation.

boom!

The city gate collapsed inward.

The imperial cavalry entered through the gate, tearing down the blue flag and replacing it with the flag of the Great Yin army.

Beishuo lost a city.

On the other side of Hanchuan, there is another city that hasn't even been attacked.

Upon seeing the approaching army on the horizon, the garrison commander first silenced his subordinates' arguments, then personally opened the city gates, holding the imperial seal and kneeling to welcome the imperial army.

"This humble general was coerced by the rebel king and had no choice but to join the traitor!"

"Now that the royal army has arrived, we are willing to surrender the city and return it to the rightful owner!"

Several nearby generals looked at him, then at the low-hanging blue flag behind him, and finally knelt down as well.

Such scenes have occurred repeatedly at the border between the two states.

The main force had already been transferred to Hexi, and there were not many troops left in the local area.

Faced with an army of 200,000 men led by a Xuanxian, how could ordinary city-defending generals possibly withstand them?

Some defended the city to the death, some abandoned it, and some were eager to find a new master.

One urgent message after another flew to the Hexi Prefecture.

But the reinforcements everyone was waiting for never appeared.

As the imperial banners were driven into the earth's veins one after another, the blue sky at the edge of the three prefectures began to fade.

The power of the heavens seeped in along the newly occupied fortress, tearing open several gaps in the originally continuous blue light.

When the land changes hands, people's hearts also waver.

Many local forces that had already changed allegiance were once again quietly eyeing the imperial army's might.

Can Qingtian win this time?

……

"Report! Beishuo has captured two more cities!"

"Han Chuan reports: We have captured the key river crossing, and all three repositioned positions are now under our control!"

On the third day, on the official road in Hexi.

Yin Daoheng sat in the central army chariot, listening to the successive reports of victory. Several parts of the landscape map on the table had turned from green to blue.

And his progress along the way was also extremely rapid.

The newly annexed Hexi region had not yet had its troops and soldiers properly organized and prepared, and a large number of elite troops were withdrawn from it.

The army of 400,000 men pressed forward, and although several cities along the way offered resistance, none of them were able to hold off the central army for long.

Yin Daoheng did not allow the army to advance recklessly.

Troops were dispatched to inspect the supply lines, battlements, and rear fortresses.

Only after the accompanying cultivators repeatedly surveyed the mountains and rivers ahead could the main force continue its advance.

But the more they checked, the more reassuring the messages came back.

There were no ambushes to cut off their retreat, nor were there any experts from the Qingtian Sect harassing their flanks.

Even the five terrestrial immortals have not yet been found.

On the fourth day, the city of Hexi finally appeared in front of the army.

On the plains outside the city, 200,000 Qingtiandao soldiers were already arrayed.

The gleaming armor formed a straight line, with the old banners of the Northern Shuo Black Armor standing at the front, flanked by the Myriad Spirits Army clad in grass and wood armor.

The 400,000-strong imperial army slowly came to a halt.

Yin Daoheng stepped out of the carriage, first looked at the opposing army formation, and then looked up at the sky.

Compared to when I first entered Hexi, the blue sky overhead was noticeably paler.

Just then, a new piece of good news came into his hands.

Hanchuan lost another city.

After reading it, Yin Daoheng finally smiled.

"They're all here after all."

They neither rescued Beishuo nor aided Hanchuan, keeping their 200,000 main force firmly in their grasp.

Is he trying to hold onto Hexi and fight me to the death?

The previous killing of two Xuanxian had already damaged his fundamental strength, leaving him with no ability to attend to other matters.

Either way, it's a good thing for him.

The Qingtian regime is weakening, yet it still receives a steady stream of military supplies from the rear.

The longer it drags on, the harder it will be for Gu Changjin to turn things around!

"Order the two flanks to continue advancing; there is no need for them to rush to join forces."

General Yin Daoheng handed the report to the general beside him, his gaze passing over the heavy armored soldiers and landing on the blue royal banner opposite.

"Then, announce the victory reports from Beishuo and Hanchuan in battle."

He wanted to let these 200,000 Qingtiandao soldiers hear what the name of the cities they left behind really was!

The war drums slowly began to beat.

Yin Daoheng, holding the royal sword at his waist, spoke in a voice that drowned out the drumbeats and reached the opposing army formation.

"Gu Changjin! How much longer can you hold on?"