Chapter 512 - 447: Attacking the Heart Is the Best Tactic (Part 2)

Chapter 512: Chapter 447: Attacking the Heart Is the Best Tactic (Part 2)

Ridiculous!

’He was only ever loyal to himself.’

Besides, as far as he understood, Bai Yuan did have close ties with the Dragon Tiger Sect. If Qian Hui could join them, it would be a huge win for him. Even staying in Shuofang wouldn’t be a loss. It was certainly better than dying.

He steeled himself.

THUD!

Qian Hui’s knees buckled, and he knelt directly before Bai Yuan.

"Lord Bai, I sided with those villains just to survive. I have now seen the error of my ways. I hope you will not cast me aside, Lord Bai. I will do everything in my power to help you serve the realm."

’Very good.’

Bai Yuan watched Qian Hui’s actions with great satisfaction.

Although he could have taken the Celestial Profound Sect’s front-line army by force with more time, it would have undoubtedly cost many lives.

Every soldier of the Shuofang Army was precious; he wanted to avoid casualties if at all possible.

The art of war teaches: the best strategy is to attack the enemy’s plans; the next best is to disrupt their alliances; the next is to attack their army; and the worst is to besiege their cities.

If a psychological ploy could solve the problem, there was no need to resort to arms.

But just as Qian Hui was about to rise, his pupils suddenly widened, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Ugh..."

"Damned old man!"

A red glow flickered within Qian Hui’s body, growing brighter and more dazzling until his entire form swelled to several times its normal size.

With a final BANG!

He exploded.

Bai Yuan’s brow furrowed as he watched the bizarre scene unfold.

’The work of the Celestial Profound Sect’s Ancestor!’

To kill a Mingxin Grandmaster from a thousand li away... such a method was simply unheard of.

’He’s strong!’

Bai Yuan had exchanged a palm strike with the Celestial Profound Sect’s Ancestor before and knew his power was immense, but this new technique was beyond anything he had ever seen or heard of.

’As expected of an expert who achieved Divine Communication through the methods of the Three Teachings.’

The Celestial Profound Sect’s Ancestor had indeed left a failsafe on Qian Hui.

The commotion quickly alerted the other experts in the camp. Just as the powerhouses from the Celestial Profound Sect arrived at the main tent, Bai Yuan flickered and vanished.

The few experts from the Celestial Profound Sect stared, dumbfounded, at the bloody scene inside the tent.

"The Sect Leader is dead!"

The Celestial Profound Sect was already showing weakness. Now, with the death of Qian Hui, their only Mingxin Grandmaster, the army’s morale instantly collapsed.

Many of their experts quietly slipped away from the crowd, found a deserted spot, and disappeared.

Before the Celestial Profound Sect’s army could even recover, the Shuofang Army charged.

Without a leader, the Celestial Profound Sect was like a heap of loose sand.

Even though a few Commanders managed to organize a temporary counterattack, it was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot before the Shuofang elites—posing no threat whatsoever.

After a night of pursuit.

In the end, the Shuofang Army won a decisive victory.

Aside from one man who, in his eagerness to earn merit, fell off a cliff while chasing the enemy, there were no other casualties.

This outcome was all within Bai Yuan’s expectations.

After all, the equipment of every Shuofang Army soldier was ridiculously good. Not even Divine Iron could inflict much damage on the armored troops.

Besides, with Qian Hui dead, the Celestial Profound Sect’s morale was in chaos.

"We... we won? Just like that?"

Li Huan stared at the corpses littering the mountain, feeling a sense of unreality.

Before coming to Lingzhou, he had thought the war between the two sides would be incredibly brutal and drag on for a long time.

Yet in the end, the battle was over in less than a month.

And it was a complete and utter victory.

Bai Yuan, however, was calm. He knew very well that this great victory wasn’t something he had earned himself, but a gift willingly given by the Celestial Profound Sect’s Ancestor.

’How ruthless!’

The Celestial Profound Sect’s participation in this war was no mere pretense.

Aside from a few Core Disciples, the Celestial Profound Sect had mobilized nearly half of its Elder Disciples to participate, which could be considered an all-out effort.

After this one battle, the Celestial Profound Sect wasn’t just pretending; its vitality was truly and severely damaged.

The entire sect, aside from that Ancestor, had almost no experts left.

If nothing unexpected happened, the Celestial Profound Sect would likely seal its mountain gates and only reopen them after the great chaos had completely ended.

That Ancestor was clearly sacrificing half of the Celestial Profound Sect to prolong his own life.

And he had succeeded.

Even though Bai Yuan saw through the Ancestor’s intentions, he wouldn’t actually throw away the lives of the Shuofang Army by attacking Celestial Profound Mountain.

The Celestial Profound Sect had operated for ten thousand years. With a Divine Communication Ancestor guarding it, even great sects like the Zhengyang Sect were helpless against Celestial Profound Mountain, let alone him.

The old patriarch of the Demon Hunters and his men looked at the results of the battle, their hearts surging with emotion.

The Demon Hunters had been in decline for several thousand years, suppressed by the great sects of the Central Plains to the point they couldn’t hold their heads high. When had they ever felt so exhilarated?

The Celestial Profound Sect had also attacked the Demon Hunters back in the day. Though a millennium had passed, the grudge was still recorded in the Ancestral Court, never forgotten. Now, they had finally taken their revenge.

And all of this was because of their new patriarch, Bai Yuan...

Bai Yuan said, "Continue the march."

"Yes, sir!"

Li Huan and the old patriarch immediately accepted the order.

Since the Celestial Profound Sect’s Ancestor wanted to give him a grand gift, it was only natural to accept it completely.

Right now, aside from the front-line army, almost all of the Celestial Profound Sect’s people were on Celestial Profound Mountain. The entirety of Lingzhou was empty, and sweeping through it would cost almost nothing.

Less than ten thousand men had followed Bai Yuan on this expedition, but they were all elites.

Such an army was naturally adept at blitzkrieg warfare. In just three days, the Shuofang Army swept across all of Lingzhou. With the exception of Lingzhou City, the leaders of all other cities were executed.

However, unlike with the other provinces...

Bai Yuan had no intention of governing Lingzhou. He simply killed the experts from the Celestial Profound Sect and left behind cities of chaos with no one in charge.

He attacked Lingzhou to open up a supply route for his grain convoys.

He had no intention of carving out a territory and declaring himself king.

He only needed to dispatch troops to ensure the Official Roads remained clear. As for the rest, the more chaotic, the better.

「...」

In a city in Lingzhou.

Bai Yuan and Li Huan stood on the city wall, looking down upon the entire city.

"Brother Li, how do you think your scholarship compares to that of Grand Scholar Situ?"

Hearing Bai Yuan’s strange question, Li Huan pondered for a moment. "Situ Nan may be one to fish for fame, but he is genuinely skilled in his studies. However, after studying at Bailu Academy for several years, I don’t believe I am any worse."

As the Heir of Qingzhou, Li Huan’s treatment was naturally top-tier.

Bailu Academy, the place all scholars under heaven yearned for, was open to any Crown Prince the King of Qingzhou valued.

He studied at Bailu Academy for several years, always achieving good results and often earning praise from his teachers.

Bai Yuan said, "Brother Li, in that case, there is a task for which you are perfectly suited."

"What is it?"

Li Huan’s curiosity grew.

"To teach."

Hearing the two words from Bai Yuan’s lips, Li Huan’s eyes involuntarily narrowed.

He was a clever man.

He understood Bai Yuan’s meaning in an instant.

’He wants me to follow Situ Nan’s example and spread the teachings in Lingzhou.’

’Unlike with Situ Nan before, the Celestial Profound Sect has now sealed its mountain gates and has no way to deal with me. As long as I can turn the people of Lingzhou into Bai Yuan’s supporters, the Celestial Profound Sect will have effectively lost Lingzhou for good.’

’Even if the war does one day subside, the Celestial Profound Sect will be trapped on Celestial Profound Mountain.’

Bai Yuan asked, "Brother Li, can you do it?"

Li Huan was eager to try. "I can give it a shot."

Bai Yuan nodded.

The highest realm of military strategy is to subdue the enemy without fighting—in other words, to attack the heart. Did people really think the Confucian Family held its top spot among the Three Teachings just by manipulating fate?

’Wrong!’

’It’s because they understand the human heart.’

Bai Yuan intended to give them a taste of their own medicine, making it impossible for the Celestial Profound Sect to cause trouble again. This way, he could also safely deliver supplies to the Zhenxi Army.

With this, thirty percent of Xuan Yang’s territory would be under the control of his faction.

Whether he chose to become an overlord or not was one thing.

But first, he had to ensure he had enough strength to handle future changes with greater ease.

「...」

「Five days later.」

Atop the northwestern desert, the scene of endless yellow sand stretching to the horizon was vast and magnificent.

"In the Great Desert, a lone smoke pillar, straight and high; Over the long river, the setting sun, a perfect disk."

It was Bai Yuan’s first time in Ximo, and he couldn’t help but recall a poem from his past life.

Behind him was a caravan of wagons that stretched as far as the eye could see.

This was all grain and fodder transported from the Northern Territory. Bai Yuan intended to use the strength of the Northern Territory to supply both the Northern Garrison Army and the Zhenxi Army.

Before the words had even left his mouth, a booming voice rang out: "I’d heard you had a talent for poetry, but I didn’t believe it. To think it’s actually true! You’re much better than that kid Dong!"

In the next instant, an old, armored man appeared in the yellow sand.

Bai Yuan was pleasantly surprised.

"Master!"