We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real? - Chapter 386: Shuihou City
One month ago, within the Zhao Kingdom’s territory.
Xiao Shi and Bai Qi had already captured two major provinces of the Zhao Kingdom but in Xiao Shi and Bai Qi’s view, this progress was really too slow.
Moreover, the further they fought, the more the Zhao Kingdom’s army displayed astonishing resilience, even faintly showing a trend of pushing back.
This made both Xiao Shi and Bai Qi feel time was pressing.
Although Xiahou Nan was doing his utmost to hold back the Qi Kingdom, the five hundred thousand troops he led faced the strongest Qi Kingdom, and his capabilities were ultimately limited.
Moreover, not all cities in the Chu lands were easy to defend and difficult to attack.
The longer time dragged on, the more difficult it became for Xiahou Nan and the advantage on their side was really insufficient.
So after Xiao Shi and Bai Qi discussed it, they decided the army would attack through the Cold Bone Path. Bai Qi would lead the army to defend Shuihou City, while Xiao Shi would personally lead the army forward to attack cities.
As long as Bai Qi could hold Shuihou City and protect the rear of Xiao Shi’s army, then Xiao Shi could put enough pressure on the Zhao Kingdom!
Bai Qi accepted the command and with extreme confidence issued a military pledge, expressing that he would definitely hold Shuihou City.
After the Zhao Kingdom learned of Xiao Shi’s intention, they appointed Li Mu as chief general to lead troops to attack Bai Qi.
Although Li Mu was young, his use of troops was also not weak. Facing off against Bai Qi, they were evenly matched. He never fell behind, and his fierce assault on the city was something Bai Qi had rarely seen in his life.
During this time, Bai Qi had never slept well.
He often paced at midnight, contemplating strategies.
In Bai Qi’s view, he not only had to hold the city gates, he needed to turn defense into offense!
And then one day, a retainer under Bai Qi’s command presented a strategy.
This retainer was the sect master of the White Demon Sect. Previously, after being betrayed by his disciples and fleeing the White Demon Sect with severe injuries, he had sought refuge with Bai Qi. Bai Qi had sheltered him and helped him retake the White Demon Sect.
This sect master proposed an extremely terrifying method.
So terrifying that even Bai Qi hesitated.
The Shuihou City where Bai Qi was currently stationed was no ordinary city.
Legend said that in ancient times, Shuihou City was the earthly entrance to the Netherworld. However, after the ancient divine war ended, the Nether God who controlled the Netherworld died, and the Netherworld’s laws became chaotic. Ghost Separation Fire from the Netherworld would overflow from within.
Every so often, when Ghost Separation Fire accumulated to a certain degree, it would burn cracks in the city’s ground and rise up from the surface but generally, where there is cause, there is effect, and the laws of heaven and earth operate in this balance.
So according to legend, beneath this city, there was also a Profound Soul Lake.
As Ghost Separation Fire accumulated to a certain degree, the lake water in Profound Soul Lake would continuously evaporate, and affected by the local laws of Shuihou City, it would condense above without dispersing.
When Ghost Separation Fire was about to rage, the Profound Soul Water would transform into rain and fall, both extinguishing the fire and nourishing this land.
Therefore, Shuihou City had no four seasons, only a “summer” formed as Ghost Separation Fire was about to emerge from the ground, and a “winter” after the Profound Soul Rain fell.
The two maintained an extremely delicate balance between them.
In the current Shuihou City, although Ghost Separation Fire was gathering and the city’s temperature was gradually rising, it would still take at least three months before the Profound Soul Rain fell and the sect master of White Demon Sect said his sect possessed an ancient formation passed down from antiquity that could trigger Ghost Separation Fire ahead of time!
At the same time, this formation would briefly affect Shuihou City’s laws, causing the Profound Soul Rain to only fall seven days after Ghost Separation Fire raged but this formation required a blood sacrifice of all seven hundred thousand people in Shuihou City!
This made Bai Qi very hesitant.
After all, these seven hundred thousand common people were all innocent but in the end, for the sake of the Qin Kingdom’s hegemony.
To not disappoint the trust of the Frost Prince and His Majesty, Bai Qi still decided to do it!
Several hundred thousand Qin Kingdom troops worked together to set up this formation.
The Qin Kingdom army didn’t know the purpose of this formation. They only knew to execute military orders.
After the formation was set up, Bai Qi led the army out of the city to engage in battle, and then the White Demon Sect’s master led White Demon Sect disciples to blood sacrifice all the city’s people.
The wails from within the city were isolated by the formation.
Seven hundred thousand people turned into flowing blood through the city, then condensed in the massive formation inscriptions before becoming hidden.
On the battlefield, Bai Qi knew what was happening inside Shuihou City behind him, but he showed no emotion.
All of this was for the Qin Kingdom’s hegemony!
After the formation was completed, Bai Qi’s five hundred thousand troops returned to the city. The soldiers discovered that all the people had completely disappeared, and the entire city had become an empty city.
The soldiers didn’t know what had really happened in the city.
In the following time, Bai Qi continued defending the city, and would even lead the army to charge against Li Mu but each time Bai Qi would feign defeat and return to the city.
Gradually, Shuihou City appeared as though it could no longer hold out.
One morning, scouts received news that there wasn’t a single person atop Shuihou City’s walls!
Li Mu quickly led troops and arrived beneath Shuihou City.
Aside from the tightly closed city gates, there wasn’t a soul on the city walls. It looked as though Bai Qi had abandoned the city and fled.
“General… should we enter the city?” a deputy general asked Li Mu.
Li Mu frowned, hesitating, “This matter is too suspicious. There’s likely a trap in the city!”
“The general is overthinking it.” Chen Shengze smiled. “Shuihou City’s protective formation was already weak to begin with. After our assault these past days, the formation is nearly shattered. Not to mention Bai Qi’s army is exhausted. Even if he doesn’t leave, this subordinate has confidence in breaking the city within five days. Rather than that, he might as well take the opportunity to retreat and contract his defensive line.”
“That’s right, General. We should quickly recover Shuihou City and pursue the victory. Right now, Xiao Shi is putting too much pressure on us at Cold Bone Path.” Another deputy general spoke.
After pondering for a long time, Li Mu decided, “Entire army, be on alert. Enter the city in serpent formation. If anything seems wrong, immediately retreat.”
“Yes! General!”
The various generals responded in unison.
Li Mu led his army to break open the city gates and enter Shuihou City.
Looking at this desolate scene, Li Mu’s brows furrowed.
Where were the people of Shuihou City?
Why wasn’t there a single person?
Could they all have been evacuated by Bai Qi?
But the problem was, why would Bai Qi bring these people away? He hadn’t even spared the elderly or children. This was too contrary to reason.
“General, what’s going on with this city? Where are the people…” The deputy general named Wen Qian asked in confusion.
“I don’t know what happened, but one thing is certain, Bai Qi has indeed left.”
Li Mu shook his head.
“There’s no major problem with Shuihou City. Order the entire army to rest for one day. Tomorrow we advance!”
“Yes! General!”
The messenger passed down the order, and soon, Li Mu’s entire army entered Shuihou City and just as the Zhao Kingdom army was about to make camp.
Suddenly, with a loud “clang,” the city gates slammed shut, and a blood-red formation covered all of Shuihou City.
The next instant, Shuihou City’s temperature rapidly rose!
