Chapter 621 - 260: Hidden Dragon’s Ambush, Three Rings Embracing the Moon

"Has Sister Xiaoru already reached Juelong Valley?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Ping’s brow twitched intensely.

He had a faint feeling that something was amiss.

In his view, this military campaign was aimed directly at Yujing in the northwest. According to the scout’s report, the generals guarding the Three Passes were not particularly formidable figures, especially at Fengling Pass and Ten Thousand Beasts Pass. The main generals were merely at the Early-Stage Unity Realm.

With at most three or five Innate Strong Hands under them, they naturally posed no problem against ordinary opponents, but standing against his own major generals was simply not feasible.

However, at Rising Dragon Pass, there was a formidable old general named Tong Sanshan holding the line. This person had only reached the Late-Stage Unity Realm. Although he rarely made a move, it was expected that he was not inferior to those on the Celestial List.

In Chen Ping’s expectations, guarding the Three Passes, with a total of 120 cities between the various prefectures and counties, should be no more than a breeze to capture. Once stationed with troops and herdsmen, his forces’ fortune would certainly increase significantly, allowing him to elevate the Stinging Dragon Scripture’s realm. Once his cultivation advanced further, he could directly confront Yujing and take it down in one go.

Because Chen Ping’s current cultivation was at the Divine Martial Fourth Layer, just stepping into the Mid-Stage Divine Martial Realm, Dragon Emperor Four Realms, and beginning the Second Realm’s cultivation.

From his previous cultivation experience, he knew that after passing the Fourth Layer, the Fifth and Sixth Layers had no bottlenecks. As long as the fortune was sufficient, gathering a massive amount of Dragon Essence, he could break through two layers consecutively and cultivate directly to the Divine Martial Sixth Layer.

Each time he broke through a layer in cultivation, his strength and speed, as well as Dragon Essence True Qi and Divine Sense, could increase by more than fifty percent.

This kind of augmentation was extremely terrifying.

In Chen Ping’s mind, cultivation was paramount.

In the past, even though he seemed able to fight beyond his level, none of those battles were particularly easy.

If not for his True Dragon Blood and the advantage of his soul, even the gate guarded by Venerable Yuxiao wouldn’t be easy to pass.

Let alone Situ Yun’s gate.

If it weren’t for the unexpectedly improved soul skill "Soul-Breaking Cone," with Divine Sense attacks stronger by one level than the opponent’s, surprising the Divine Martial Sixth Layer expert who practiced the Celestial Secret Manual, killing him was truly extremely difficult.

Though it wouldn’t have meant losing outright, if he couldn’t kill Situ Yun, allowing this sly fox to retreat easily and later target him secretly, his life would have been much more uncomfortable.

With Chen Ping’s current strength, the basic quality increase by fifty percent would mean an enhancement of combat power by even a factor of two or three.

Thus, he preferred to control things quietly, taking one step at a time.

Benefit first, then digest the benefits, and then proceed to attack, ensuring not to move too fast and encounter setbacks.

In his expectations, he never anticipated that before he even reached Fengling Pass, the guard Cheng Tianzhi had already been replaced. The opposition had apparently already dispatched troops and made the first move, baring their fangs at Juelong Valley.

"Sister Xiaoru didn’t enter the valley but instead set up the Primordial Seven-Star Array in advance, prepared for battle."

Ji Mingyue quickly explained the situation up front in a few words.

Han Xiaoru was a rare unmatched general, but she wasn’t a reckless fool without a brain.

Realizing the situation wasn’t right, even though she had a Spiritual Artifact and had cultivated the Shenxiao Thunder Control True Understanding, greatly enhancing her strength, she didn’t rashly dash forward.

King Ping’s Army, throughout countless battles over the past year, had abided by one principle: before the army moves, supplies come first, and intelligence takes precedence.

At the slightest possibility of a trap, facing an unclear situation, they would rather not fight than rashly advance.

It was a good habit cultivated by Chen Ping with countless strict admonitions.

Though at times it meant missing several opportunities.

Opportunities would always arise, but losing once meant having nothing.

"Very well, let me have a look and then decide."

Chen Ping nodded, his expression slightly serious, gently patting the Little Cyan Bird nestled near his neck.

The Cyan Bird turned its head, looking at Chen Ping with human-like understanding, then soared up, transforming into a cyan lightning bolt, dashing towards the northwest.

This time, besides the town-guarding troops in each city, Chen Ping mobilized 400,000 elite soldiers under his command.

Among them, about 100,000 were cavalry, and 300,000 were infantry, with another 200,000 civilians mobilized, claiming to be a million-strong army, marching with banners of crusade against disobedience, advancing with great momentum.

The marching speed wasn’t actually fast. He himself, now in a high position and also the army’s morale, wouldn’t easily engage in small skirmishes personally.

This army, besides the Celestial Heart Pavilion led by Ji Mingyue serving as elite scouts to investigate enemy conditions, sent scattered riders in all directions, with Han Xiaoru leading 10,000 vanguard Primordial Cavalry at the forefront.

Han Xiaoru’s vanguard cavalry clearing the path allowed Chen Ping, accompanied by a cadre of advisors and over ten generals, to advance slowly, not fearing ambushes or even hard battles.

However, the troops at Fengling Pass, knowing they dispatched such a formation, didn’t defend and wait for reinforcements, but instead came out to engage in waves of battle.

When something unusual happens, there must be a trick.

They could not afford to be careless.

The Little Cyan Bird’s perspective kept changing rapidly, soon crossing more than fifty miles, seeing 10,000 Primordial Iron Cavalry, adorned with gold, silver, and black patterned armor gleaming brilliantly, and seeing Han Xiaoru at the forefront of the formation, helmeted and armored, as if facing a formidable enemy.

Just at this moment, two mountain peaks on either side of the valley ahead suddenly emitted a black gleam and a blood-red light.

Whist...

The speed of these two rays was astonishing.

They had barely been seen before they were already in front.

"Good grief."

A swift flash of light between Chen Ping’s brows, and the little Cyan Bird fifty miles away let out a sharp cry, its form expanding hundreds of times over, transforming into a giant cyan Simurgh engulfed in blazing golden flames.