Chapter 1367 - 42: Great Emperor vs. Earth Emperor

The one who spoke was a figure clad in heavy General Armor.

He was a spirited old man; despite his hair starting to turn gray, his eyes remained piercing and commanding, exuding authority without a trace of senility.

This man was none other than the Grand Marshal leading the Anti-Emperor Army, Murong Kaifong.

His appearance was not striking, but the aura of battle-hardened bloodlust and Evil Qi, along with the dignity cultivated from years of leading troops, made his otherwise ordinary face exude immense majesty and dominance.

His overwhelming pressure, tinged with intense bloodlust, instilled fear in those who beheld him.

From childhood, Murong Kaifong had followed Emperor Yuanyou faithfully, serving as the emperor’s pillar of support. He contributed significantly when Emperor Yuanyou defeated the other Quasi-crown princes to become the new emperor of Southern Qin.

Now, he was over fifteen hundred years old. Since he became a Great Celestial Pride relatively late, he was already of considerable age when ascending to the Divine Power Realm, which made him appear older than other experts of his rank. However, this did not detract from his power and prestige in the slightest.

For safety’s sake, Emperor Yuanyou dispatched him to lead the Anti-Emperor Army as the marshal on this occasion.

"Marshal Murong’s foresight truly is impressive," commented Prince Beimian, sitting on the other side. He took a sip of tea and said calmly, "In terms of marching and fighting, I am no match for the Marshal. Once we reach Sword Ridge Pass, that will be my time to act. I leave everything in Marshal Murong’s hands."

Prince Beimian was a middle-aged man wearing a Profound Black Robe and a Gilded Crown.

He had a slender figure and a sinister face, and his loose robe hung on him like an empty sack. The dense Evil Qi around him made him appear almost ghostly at first glance.

A strong, intimidating aura emanated from him as the center, the chilling Qi making the surrounding air feel as cold as if winter had set upon them.

From afar, one could faintly hear eerie wails akin to ghostly cries, prompting some to suspect that beneath his voluminous black robe were countless hidden specters.

The Rock Armor Giant Elephant moved slowly, and the spacious Elephant House swayed rhythmically with each step. The two occupants inside remained unaffected by the motion.

"Once we’re past Nether Gate Ridge, the distance to Sword Ridge Pass of East Qian is less than two thousand miles," Murong Kaifong spoke solemnly. "Then, we must seize the opportunity to catch East Qian by surprise and breach Sword Ridge Pass within three days, advancing the army deep into the heart of East Qian Celestial County and seizing it as quickly as possible. At that point, we can utilize the natural barriers of Anjiang to fend off the Azure Dragon Army."

"Simultaneously, Western Jin will traverse the perilous West Sea Salt Pool to launch a surprise assault on East Qian’s West Sea County. Together, from south to north, our two nations will pincer Great Qin, causing it to scramble and suffer greatly."

Hearing this, Prince Beimian furrowed his brows slightly: "The strategy sounds solid, but is now truly the right moment to wage war on East Qian? Currently, Longchang is only partially retired; why not wait patiently for two or three hundred years until Longchang falls, and the East Qian Imperial Family faces a vacuum of Lingxu Realm Cultivators before striking?"

"By then, even if East Qian requests assistance from a Lingxu Realm master of the Cold Moon Immortal Dynasty, that master would not risk their life for East Qian."

"Alas~"

Murong Kaifong sighed deeply, a hint of bitterness in his expression: "This battle truly is rushed. I have advised His Majesty countless times that now is not the ideal time to attack East Qian, concerned that Longchang and Jiang Zhencang might retaliate like cornered beasts."

Prince Beimian asked in confusion: "Then why..."

"Ah, isn’t it because..." Murong Kaifong paused here, setting a Restriction around them before continuing in a whisper, "His Majesty privately explained to me that he didn’t want this battle either. However, a major figure from the Demon Dynasty is driving this war from behind the scenes, leaving him no choice but to fight."

Demon Dynasty?

Prince Beimian’s eyes flickered before he sneered: "So that’s it. It seems we have become cannon fodder for the big shots of the Demon Dynasty, to distract and hold the enemy’s attention."

"Prince Beimian, keep this matter to yourself," Murong Kaifong said gravely. "Despite the hasty decision and unfortunate timing, the fact that East Qian won’t expect us to act before Longchang’s death gives us a surprising advantage."

"Regardless of the Demon Dynasty’s intentions, we must fight this battle well. Securing the resource-rich Celestial County will alleviate the shortages of food and salt and iron within our Great Qin. If Western Jin also successfully captures West Sea County, it would further cripple East Qian’s national strength."

"By then, we could turn our forces and annex the territories of the Barbarian Gu Race, significantly bolstering the power of our Great Qin."

Listening to the bright prospects outlined by Murong Kaifong, Prince Beimian’s gaze became somewhat excited: "What Marshal Murong says is indeed reasonable. Just the thought of having my way in the prosperous Celestial County excites me. Moreover, after what East Qian did to Prince Beishan back then, this is our chance to settle old scores!"

"With that, I’ll leave it to you, Prince Beimian, to first lead the scout troops to secure the harsh environments of Nether Gate Ridge, preventing East Qian from using it to launch a sneak attack on our Great Qin army."