Chapter 1523
Zhao Da's Bitterness and Envy
Chapter 1523 Zhao Da's Bitterness and Envy
"General Zhao's soldiers are all loyal and brave, but unfortunately... the casualties are too heavy."
Hongyun Patriarch smiled, his gaze sweeping across the surrounding battlefield, a hint of emotion in his eyes.
"Yes, Pan Mei died in battle, Daoist Wang Chongyang died for his country, and most of his brothers were also lost..."
Zhao Kuangyin's smile froze instantly, and grief welled up in his eyes once more.
"If the three of you hadn't arrived in time, I, Zhao Kuangyin, would probably be dead here today."
He paused, then cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards the three of them.
Shi Jingtang, Huyan Ping, and the others also stepped forward, cupped their hands in greeting to Yinglong and the other two, their eyes filled with gratitude. They all knew that if these three top experts hadn't arrived in time, they wouldn't have been able to defeat Typhon, let alone defend Fengzhou City. They would probably have been beheaded long ago.
Zhao Kuangyin's gaze swept over Hongyun Laozu, Duobao Daoren, and Yinglong, a complex emotion welling up in his heart.
Huangshang Daoist under his command was his most relied-upon trump card, whose cultivation at the late stage of the Celestial Realm was, in his view, the pinnacle of the world.
However, compared to the three people in front of him, Huang Shang's strength was somewhat lacking. Among these three, even the weakest one, the peak Celestial Realm cultivator Duobao Daoren, was a dual cultivator of Buddhism and Taoism, wielding the Zhuxian Sword, and his combat power far exceeded that of ordinary peak Celestial Realm cultivators. The Red Cloud Ancestor was half a step into the Celestial Realm limit, and his Four Seasons Reincarnation Technique was unpredictable.
As for Yinglong, he is an existence of extreme Qi, and his every move has the power to destroy the world. Typhon, a powerful opponent who was almost unmatched in his eyes, was also suppressed by Yinglong.
Any one of these three could easily sweep away all of his generals, yet the Duke of Zhenguo, Su Ye, could so easily send them out to support Yuzhou. This strength and this foundation filled Zhao Kuangyin with both bitterness and envy.
Not long ago, in the Battle of Yangwu Pass, he led the Night Fiend Army to a crushing defeat at the hands of Su Ye. Although he was unwilling, he was still ambitious and wanted to gather the remnants of his forces, make a comeback in Yuzhou, and even try to contend for the world.
But now, having witnessed firsthand the slight display of strength from Su Ye's subordinates, he realized that the gap between himself and Su Ye was no longer just a tiny difference, but an insurmountable chasm.
Under Su Ye's command are fierce generals like Wang Xiangyang and Ying Long, who possess the ultimate in Qi; top-tier internal energy cultivators like Hongyun Patriarch and Duobao Daoist; an all-pervasive intelligence organization like Luo Wang; and elite troops like the Yulin Army and Hengzhou Army.
As for Zhao Kuangyin, he now has lost more than half of his generals and suffered heavy casualties among his soldiers. His territory is limited to a small corner of Yuzhou. Compared with Su Ye, he is worlds apart.
"Circumstances create heroes, but strength determines one's overall situation."
Zhao Kuangyin sighed inwardly.
In chaotic times, everyone wants to conquer the world, but in the end, only those with absolute strength can stand at the top.
He once thought he was the chosen one, capable of making a name for himself in this chaotic world, but now he realizes that in the face of absolute power, his so-called ambition and aspirations are so fragile.
"In the Battle of Fengzhou, it was already remarkable that General Zhao was able to hold out until now. In chaotic times, victory and defeat are common occurrences for soldiers. As long as the foundation is still intact, General Zhao still has a chance."
The Old Ancestor Hongyun seemed to sense Zhao Kuangyin's thoughts and smiled faintly.
Zhao Kuangyin forced a smile and nodded, but the bitterness in his heart was hard to dispel.
His foundation? His foundation had already been shaken in this fierce battle.
Pan Mei died in battle, Wang Chongyang died for his country, and more than half of his soldiers were killed or wounded. Even if they managed to defend Fengzhou City, it would take an unknown amount of time to recover.
Meanwhile, Su Ye's power is growing stronger day by day. With this ebb and flow, the gap between him and Su Ye will only widen.
"The Duke of Zhenguo's forces are truly full of talented people."
“The strength of the three of you is unparalleled in the world. I am truly envious.”
Zhao Kuangyin sighed, his tone filled with undisguised envy. "Your lord is good at recognizing and employing talent, and you care for your subordinates. Naturally, your soldiers are willing to fight to the death for you. We are just doing our best."
Upon hearing this, Yinglong simply replied calmly.
"The Duke of Zhenguo has the world in his heart and puts the people first. Such a broad mind and vision are naturally worthy of our emulation. If General Zhao is truly concerned for the people of Yuzhou, he may join hands with the Duke of Zhenguo in the future to fight against foreign invaders and protect the peace of this region."
Daoist Duobao echoed this sentiment.
Zhao Kuangyin remained silent and did not speak.
Should we join hands to fight this together?
When Su Ye's main force enters Yuzhou, it will be beyond his control whether he likes it or not.
However, he also knew in his heart that Daoist Duobao's words were not without reason. With his current strength, it was nothing short of a pipe dream for him to fight against the Mongol cavalry alone, or even to contend with Su Ye. It was almost impossible.
But his ambition made it difficult for him to give in easily.
Therefore, Zhao Kuangyin's complex expression only lasted for a moment before he forcibly suppressed the turbulent thoughts in his heart, forced a warm smile onto his face, and patted Yinglong's arm.
“The three of you have come from afar to save Fengzhou City from a crisis. I, Zhao, should treat you well.”
"The mare's milk wine left in the city may not be top-grade, but it's still quite mellow. We also have some animal hides that we traded with the grassland caravans. They're perfect for warming up. Why don't you come back to the manor with me and rest for a while?"
His tone was full of flattery, his gaze sweeping over the three faces, deliberately ignoring the "joining hands" that Daoist Duobao had just mentioned.
"General, rest assured, I will arrange the trivial matters of clearing the city, treating the wounded, and checking the supplies right away. I will make sure that you can entertain our distinguished guests without delay."
Shi Jingtang, being extremely clever, immediately understood upon seeing this and stepped forward, bowing respectfully.
After saying this, he turned around and beckoned to his generals to begin dealing with the aftermath of the battle in an orderly manner—the corpses on the streets needed to be collected, the damaged city defenses needed to be repaired temporarily, and the surviving people needed to be appeased. These were numerous and complicated matters, which gave Zhao Kuangyin a reason to change the subject.
"No need. I did not come alone. General Qin Qiong will be arriving soon with 10,000 elite Imperial Guards. I need to go back to meet them."
Yinglong simply shook his head slightly, tapping the Overturning Sea and Sky-Supporting Dragon Spear at his waist with his fingertips, the spear emitting a low hum.
"Although Fengzhou City has been temporarily relieved, the main Mongol force has not yet retreated, and the subsequent battle is unpredictable. It is better to leave the formalities for after defeating the enemy."
His voice remained calm, without the slightest hint of politeness.
"General Yinglong is absolutely right. We cultivators are not bound by worldly formalities. Right now, protecting Fengzhou City and gathering reinforcements is the most important thing. General Zhao, simply holding the city is the best way to thank us."
Ancestor Hongyun smiled and echoed his sentiment.
Daoist Duobao nodded in agreement. The three of them looked open and honest, clearly focused on the war and showing no intention of seeking hospitality.
Seeing this, Zhao Kuangyin felt somewhat embarrassed, but he also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had only used the excuse of hospitality to change the subject, and now that the other party had taken the initiative to refuse, it saved him from having to say anything more.
“Since the general has made up his mind, I will not force you to stay. The road outside the city is dangerous, so I hope the general will be careful. If needed, you can send someone to deliver a message at any time. My Jing Sai Army and Night Fiend Iron Cavalry are ready to meet you at any time.”
He immediately went along with it.
Yinglong nodded slightly, said no more, turned and walked towards the city gate. His figure quickly disappeared at the end of North Street, leaving only a faint trace of qi, intertwined with the lingering smell of blood in the air.
Zhao Kuangyin stared in the direction Yinglong had left, his expression complex and unreadable. It wasn't until Shi Jingtang sent someone to report that the cleanup work in the city had begun that he turned away, took a deep breath, and turned to walk towards the prefectural government. He needed to quickly take stock of his troops and replenish his supplies to deal with the potentially larger crisis that might arise.
(End of this chapter)