Such intense killing intent! Such overwhelming killing power! Situ Jingyan, indeed, lives up to his reputation. To be able to fight him today, I can die without regret!
"Good! The greatest joy in life is to meet such an opponent!" Yelü Qi laughed heartily. He had no regrets in his life for being able to fight the famous Emperor of Tianmo today.
Situ Jingyan raised an eyebrow and glanced at Yelü Qi. His dark eyes revealed no emotion, and under his command, the Tianmo army quickly formed ranks. The uniform black armor of the troops resembled an army from purgatory, exuding a strong sense of awe.
Yelü Qi glanced at the Tianmo army's formation, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. It was actually the long-lost Phoenix Extinction Formation. Situ Jingyan could even deploy such a formation. Truly worthy of being the emperor of Tianmo.
"Your Majesty, why not send men to burn their provisions and cut off their retreat?! They can't hold out for long if we keep besieging them like this," a general under Situ Jingyan said, seeing that Situ Jingyan seemed to want to fight a tough battle with Yelü Qi.
“Yelü Qi is an opponent.” Situ Jingyan’s cold voice slowly rang out. Yelü Qi was an upright man and a talented military commander. He respected Yelü Qi as an opponent and wanted to give him a chance to fight. A profound smile slowly curved his lips as he continued, “Moreover, we don’t have time.”
Yes. They have no time. The Linwei army is closing in, and the capital of Tianmo is in grave danger. They must conquer the southern border as quickly as possible.
A siege strategy wasn't unusable. It was simply too time-consuming. It would take at least ten days for the city to run out of food and surrender. Tianmo couldn't afford to wait that long, so he adopted a policy of direct attack.
Of course, there was another consideration behind taking a strong offensive. That is, if this battle is won, it will completely destroy the morale of the Southern Frontier army. At that time, the Southern Frontier army will surrender on its own without the Tianmo army having to take action.
Yelü Qi is the most powerful general in the Southern Frontier and the last pillar in the hearts of the Southern Frontier army. If even he is defeated, and defeated in a fair and square contest, then all the faith of the Southern Frontier army will collapse. At that time, Tianmo's attack will be much more effective.
"We must take Shuicheng within half a day!" Situ Jingyan coldly glanced at the army that had already formed its battle formation, his words carrying an absolute and unyielding tone.
"Charge!"
"Take down Water City!"
The soldiers immediately charged forward with high morale. Meanwhile, the army in the southern border, under Yelü Qi's command, resisted in a very orderly and unhurried manner, with every soldier's eyes filled with a fearless spirit.
Upon seeing this, Shen Qianmo raised an eyebrow. It is said that a desperate army is bound to win, but the Southern Frontier army looks ready to die, so this battle will not be easy.
"General, Tianmo has 1.4 million troops, why did they only send 200,000?! Could it be a trap?!" The soldiers from the Southern Frontier said to Yelü Qi.
Yelü Qi glanced at the red-clad figure fluttering in the distance, the red robes dazzling, exuding absolute arrogance and domineering power. He understood that Situ Jingyan was giving him a fair battlefield. His admiration for Situ Jingyan grew even stronger. He waved his hand and said to the soldiers, "Everyone, just fight! There are no other ambushes!"
The soldier, upon hearing Yelü Qi's words, looked at him in astonishment. Why was their general so certain there was no ambush?! But since it was the general who spoke, then he couldn't be wrong. Their general was their god.
Yelü Qi glanced indifferently at the battle situation, his hands clenched tightly. He didn't know why, but he inexplicably trusted that someone he had never met before wouldn't plot against him. Yes. From the first moment he saw Situ Jingyan, he was captivated by his imperial aura. Such a person, having chosen to give him a fair battlefield with 200,000 troops, would certainly not resort to any underhanded schemes.
This shows his trust in an opponent.
The fighting below intensified. Tianmo's black armor darted among the white armor of Nanjiang. As the battle dragged on, Situ Jingyan's smile grew increasingly wicked and arrogant.
Yelü Qi's resolute face grew increasingly grim. His hands clenched so tightly that he didn't even feel his nails digging into them. He looked up at Situ Jingyan, but despite the distance, he couldn't see Situ Jingyan's expression clearly. However, Yelü Qi sensed the questioning emanating from Situ Jingyan.
Yes. Others couldn't see it clearly, but he knew. He lost this war. Not because of Situ Jingyan's schemes, not because of Situ Jingyan's military strength, but because he lost in a fair fight, in terms of battle formation.
That's enough. Yelü Qi isn't one to back down. Continuing the fight will only result in more deaths. Besides, Situ Jingyan still has 1.2 million troops that haven't been mobilized. The Southern Frontier simply can't stop Tianmo's army.
"Sound the retreat." Yelü Qi practically spat out the words through clenched teeth, his face ashen as he stared ahead.
The soldiers around Yelü Qi looked at him in astonishment. Yelü Qi was their god, an undefeated legend! Now, he was actually going to sound the retreat?!
Why sound the retreat when the outcome is clearly undecided?!
"Do I need to repeat myself?!" Yelü Qi's voice suddenly rose, the gong sounded, and the Southern Frontier army quickly retreated, while the Tianmo army, under Situ Jingyan's instructions, did not pursue.
The warriors of the Southern Frontier looked at their general, their god, with bewilderment, while Yelü Qi's face was filled with only sorrow. The Southern Frontier was doomed. He knew this better than anyone else.
"Fighting again is pointless," Yelü Qi said softly, his tone tinged with a sense of helplessness.
This sentence was more impactful than any other. The soldiers, their faces still stained with blood, had tears welling in their eyes at those words. They hadn't shed tears when their comrades died, they hadn't shed tears when they risked their lives, but now, their eyes were red.
Because they knew it was all beyond saving. No matter how many lives they sacrificed, they could not avert the impending destruction of the southern border.
Even if they are fearless in the face of death, even if they don't give up, it will only mean sacrificing a few more lives. They couldn't even stop 200,000 Tianmo troops, let alone 1.4 million!
"Yelü Qi. I knew I hadn't misjudged you." Situ Jingyan rode his horse to the closest point to the Southern Frontier camp, a wicked yet admiring smile playing on his lips.
He was right. Yelü Qi was indeed a man who could accept defeat. Only someone like that is worthy of being a general.
Yelü Qi raised an eyebrow and looked at Situ Jingyan. In the midst of battle, he dared to stand at the very front of the camp. In terms of courage and boldness, he was far inferior to Situ Jingyan!
"I beg the Emperor of Tianmo to treat my people of Southern Xinjiang kindly!" Yelü Qi frowned coldly, speaking with great difficulty. These words were tantamount to announcing his surrender. He wasn't afraid of death; he simply didn't want the people of Southern Xinjiang to suffer, and he merely believed that Situ Jingyan would be a wise ruler.
Situ Jingyan raised an eyebrow, then glanced at the blood-soaked Southern Frontier troops who were staring intently at him. A domineering yet wicked smile slowly crept onto his lips. "From now on, the world is one family. They are all my subjects, and I will naturally treat them well!"
All the soldiers' eyes lit up slightly upon hearing Situ Jingyan's words. Every word of Situ Jingyan's promise resonated in their hearts, and they couldn't help but look up to him.
The Water City was completely recaptured. Tianmo's army marched towards the capital of the Southern Frontier. They encountered almost no obstacles along the way and advanced without hindrance.
Standing beneath the royal city, Yelü Hong, clad in a golden dragon robe, coldly watched the Tianmo army roar in, many of them from the Southern Frontier. Yelü Hong's eyes held a deep sorrow and a twisted resentment.
The Holy Son of Southern Xinjiang, standing beside Yelü Hong, appeared noticeably calmer. His face wore an almost indifferent smile, as if the land about to be conquered was not his homeland at all.
"Situ Jingyan. You've arrived." The Holy Son of Southern Xinjiang raised his cold, stern eyes, his tone completely flat, as if he had been waiting for Situ Jingyan for a long time.
Situ Jingyan glanced at Yelü Hong, then raised an eyebrow at the Southern Frontier Holy Son. This man's demeanor was no less than Yelü Hong's, and perhaps even more refined. He must be the Southern Frontier Holy Son. Situ Jingyan then gave a wicked smile and raised an eyebrow, asking, "Southern Frontier Holy Son?!"
"The change of rulers in the Southern Frontier is irreversible. I only want to ask you, do you dare to challenge me alone?" The Holy Son of the Southern Frontier remained calm, nodding slightly to acknowledge his identity. His deep eyes looked at Situ Jingyan as he spoke slowly, word by word.
A sharp glint flashed in Shen Qianmo's dark eyes. This Holy Son of Southern Xinjiang is truly cunning. On the surface, he appears resigned and wants to compete fairly with Situ Jingyan, but in reality, he has another plan.
If anything were to happen to Situ Jingyan, the morale of the Tianmo army would waver. Those who had surrendered in the southern border regions might very well rebel again. Without a wise ruler, their surrender would be meaningless. Besides, Yelü Hong is still standing there unharmed.
Therefore, we absolutely cannot let Situ Jingyan take any risks.
"I don't need Jingyan to fight you." Shen Qianmo's dark eyes held a hint of cold arrogance as she stepped out of the ranks. Her red dress was particularly eye-catching, and her arrogant demeanor made her seem like a fairy from the heavens, beautiful beyond compare.
The Southern Frontier soldiers, who had never seen Shen Qianmo before, stared at her in astonishment. This was the Empress of Tianmo, the Palace Master of the Demon Palace?! The Shen Qianmo who married Situ Jingyan with the Li Kingdom, the Xuan Tie Token, and the capital of Qiyue as her dowry?! The Shen Qianmo whom Situ Jingyan doted on so much?! The Shen Qianmo who thwarted the Southern Frontier Holy Clan's assassination attempt?!