That night.
Various spirit stones, recovery pills, and other resources were distributed to the soldiers. After a few hours of rest, everyone’s depleted dantian was replenished, and their spirits were revitalized.
The oasis became bustling as the remaining five hundred thousand troops, who had been sent out for guerrilla warfare, were all called back.
A total of eight hundred thousand, compared to the million-strong army that had set out, a loss of two hundred thousand.
Of course, this was already a very impressive and gratifying number.
Jiang Canghai had beheaded two Arhats, relying on the Emperor Grade formation formed by over a million soldiers, supplemented by the Map of Mountains and Rivers. To have reduced casualties to less than half under the siege of the Buddhist Kingdom was a great victory.
As for how Jiang Canghai lured an experienced, long-lived Arhat into the Emperor formation trap and killed him, Meng Qingzhou didn’t ask.
When a cultivator steps into the Sky-Reaching Realm, the old saying of ants devouring an elephant no longer applies. Sky-Reaching is no longer an elephant, but a dragon!
Ants might devour an elephant, but they could never slay a god!
No matter how brilliant the tactics, in the face of absolute power, they are meaningless, like a joke.
Meng Qingzhou understood one thing clearly.
When you are weak, you need to maneuver, endure, and hide, relying on wisdom and schemes to survive. But when your strength reaches a certain level, any scheme becomes a joke.
So he didn’t bother to ask.
The vast sea of black-armored soldiers assembled, their states restored to peak condition, their morale high and vigorous, forming a dragon of blood and energy in the sky.
Meng Qingzhou stepped forward, creating steps in the void, ascending step by step, turning to face the entire army, and said:
“The military order has been conveyed. I believe everyone knows that we are about to embark on the journey home.”
“I will lead you back.”
“Enough talk, break camp, and set out!”
The soldiers’ eyes burned like fire. Most of them had never seen the Space-Time Sword Saint.
They had only heard legends but never seen the man.
At this moment, it was like a fan meeting, each one fervently shouting titles like “Sword Saint Meng,” “War God of the Nation,” and “Protector of the Empress.”
The Moon Clan members were dumbfounded. They had lived in the secret realm for years, with no more than two thousand people in total. They had never seen such a grand scene.
No matter how wondrous and vast the world of cultivation, when a million-strong army assembles, and you stand with your sword on the stage, the boiling blood and the ultimate determination to sacrifice for the country reach their peak.
Lan Miechan, holding his swollen face, was deeply shocked.
Was this the same army of old, weak, sick, and disabled soldiers he had seen before?
“The battlefield is a paradise for the ambitious and a hell for the cowardly. This saying is indeed true,” Lan Xinsu, a woman, couldn’t help but feel a bit envious of Empress Qin Liuli of Great Jin.
The elder of the Moon Clan, Lan Qiunan, who looked no different from a young man but had an exceptionally old voice, said with his hands behind his back:
“No wonder throughout history, ambitious heroes have risen. When a great dynasty collapses, countless ambitious people immediately rise up.”
“Longevity and carefree life are indeed wonderful, but as an emperor, commanding millions or even tens of millions of troops, how magnificent.”
Lan Miechan’s previously resentful emotions suddenly eased a lot upon seeing this scene.
The Moon Clan members seemed to understand the exaggerated words of Minister of War Liang Qu.
Perhaps, in Liang Qu’s eyes, Great Jin was indeed such a great and beautiful dynasty.
“Move out!”
Meng Qingzhou waved his hand, and the million-strong army moved in unison, their steps uniform and powerful, marching out of the oasis like a rolling dragon sweeping across the desert sands.
“Activate the formation, Divine Speed Formation!” Meng Qingzhou followed the black-armored dragon in the air.
Immediately.
The command officer began to direct the formation.
The Immortal Grade Divine Speed Formation slowly rose, rapidly consuming the spirit stone resources Meng Qingzhou had brought.
“Activate the formation, Wind Riding Formation!”
“Scouts, move ahead and clear the path.”
“Shield units on the flanks, protect the central army.”
…
Meng Qingzhou rode the wind, his robes fluttering, issuing commands one by one with the composure of a seasoned general.
Under his command, the speed of the million-strong army soared, covering thousands of miles a day with ease.
Lan Xinsu followed at the rear of the army, looking up at the figure in the sky, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
“Alone, he is a Sword Saint; in the court, he is a general. Heroes emerge from our ranks. Given time, this young man will surely stand at the pinnacle of the world, contending with other heroes,” Lan Qiunan sighed.
Lan Miechan still had some anger, but his mouth was honest, muttering:
“Just showing off, all flash.”
…
“Since the master commanded the battle against the Seven Nations, he seems to understand how to deploy troops,” Su Qingqiu held her chest, her heart pounding like a deer.
Wu Die looked up at Meng Qingzhou in the sky, smiling:
“He already has the demeanor and bearing of the Empress’ Husband.”
Dongfang Liuli said nothing, but her phoenix eyes sparkled with rippling water, secretly thinking:
“Too bad, he lacks a suit of armor.”
“Once we return, I’ll order the craftsmen to forge a set of Dragon Armor no less than my Phoenix Armor.”
“Hmm…? Armor off?”
“As an emperor, it’s appropriate for me to have the general remove his armor. Yes! Very appropriate!”
…
…
Meng Qingzhou didn’t know what others were thinking, nor did he feel particularly impressive. His Sword Sense domain covered a radius of ten thousand miles, with special attention to the sky.
The main base of the Buddhist Kingdom was hidden above the clouds. If any enemies came to stop them, it would most likely be a group of Arhats.
After a severe beating, the Lustful Arhat was used as a tool and then killed. This scene must have been reported back to the Buddhist Kingdom from Langya, which bordered it.
Either no one would come to stop them, or if they did, it would definitely be more than one!
“Don’t disappoint me.”
“Since you don’t dare to make a move, I’ll force you to. The progress of my Space-Time principles has stalled, currently at most twenty percent.”
“To advance further, I need external pressure. Ideally… like the Lustful Arhat, bringing some Sky-Reaching principles. That would be perfect.”
Meng Qingzhou silently anticipated.
That’s right.
Breaking camp and returning to Great Jin was Meng Qingzhou’s two-birds-with-one-stone strategy, both to preserve his forces and to use as bait for breaking through to the Sky-Reaching Realm.
The Buddha of No-Self was plotting something, but those Arhats couldn’t hold back.
At this moment.
Within the range of the Sword Sense domain, a deeply hidden aura flashed.
Meng Qingzhou’s hand, which was behind his back, suddenly clenched into a fist.
They’ve come!
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