Chapter 273 - 229: Countermeasures (2)

"According to our analysis, it’s highly probable. The Neon Nation has been making frequent moves in the Northern Territory recently. The Chengtian Army seems to have secretly reached some sort of definitive agreement with them. Although no intelligence has surfaced publicly, a considerable number of Neon Soldiers have begun to secretly enter the Northern Territory. Add to that the chaotic situation and the outbreak of war on the Western Continent, and it’s very likely the Neon Nation will seize this opportunity to wreak havoc."

"If they can eliminate three of the Sixteen Generals in one fell swoop, plus two Harmony masters, then proceed to destroy the Martial Arts Association and seize control of Jinmen, Jinmen will become their perfect springboard. The combat strength of the various armies’ top masters will also suffer a significant blow."

Li Ping said grimly.

"What’s your plan this time? Since you’re here, you must have one."

Zhao Xuanqi asked Li Ping, his expression calm.

"Our plan is to save them!"

Li Ping declared, his voice firm. "We can’t just stand by and watch this happen. If Neon succeeds, Jinmen will be in peril, the Martial Arts Association will be in peril, and even the entire Divine Land could face disaster."

"The National Salvation Association and the Warlords are like fire and water. After the encirclement campaign three years ago, you two sides have a blood feud. With the major Warlord factions suffering setbacks, a Neon invasion, and chaos reigning, isn’t this the best opportunity for you?"

Yu Huang of the Five Great Sects couldn’t help but speak up. By now, the others had all figured out the man’s identity.

Thousand Illusions Li Ping, one of the three generals of the National Salvation Association.

A man’s reputation precedes him, and in the Divine Land, that name was legendary.

The others couldn’t help but nod in agreement at Yu Huang’s words.

The National Salvation Association was currently being suppressed by a coalition of the major armies, struggling to survive in a difficult situation. If Neon invaded, the armies lost their top masters and were stretched thin, and the Divine Land fell into chaos—that would be the perfect time for the National Salvation Association to change its fortunes.

In other words, if the Neon Nation’s operation succeeded, it would, in a way, actually be beneficial to the National Salvation Association.

"Personal feelings, even our organization’s feuds... what are they compared to the hundreds of millions of people in the Divine Land? Organizational interests must yield to national interests. The National Salvation Association is dedicated to reviving the Divine Land, ensuring peace for all its people, and allowing the citizens of our Divine Land to stand proudly among the nations of the world. If we were to do as you suggest, how would we be any different from the Warlords?"

"The people of Neon want to throw our Divine Land into chaos. The National Salvation Association will not stand idly by."

Li Ping’s expression was calm as he spoke, but his words carried an unshakable resolve.

Upon hearing Li Ping’s words, everyone’s expression shifted in a subtle, indefinable way.

Who doesn’t want their country to be strong and prosperous? Who doesn’t want their people to be powerful?

But when faced with their own immediate interests, how many people can truly sacrifice their personal gain for the greater good?

Fairness, justice, "the will of the people"—they were all just empty slogans.

But the National Salvation Association, it seemed, truly lived by these ideals. This was the greatest difference between them and the major Warlord armies.

"What do you need from us? We will certainly do our part."

The members of the Five Great Sects all spoke up, declaring their support.

"You should all remain stationed throughout Jinmen to guard against the Neon Concession deploying their Military Department and masters. We don’t want them threatening Jinmen’s safety. As for the rest—rescuing the masters from the various armies—that’s a task for us."

Li Ping said.

"Their evacuation routes are all different, so it seems we’ll have to split up. The Beidou, Phoenix, and Shenxiao armies all have Harmony masters with them, making them prime targets for Neon. Which group do you predict will face the fiercest attack?"

Zhao Xuanqi asked.

"Among the three, the Beidou Army originally had the strongest contingent. But with Meng Dongtai captured by you, they’re left with only one Harmony master, who isn’t on the same level as the Sixteen Generals. As for the Shenxiao Army, Yin Wood Lei Bi Celestial Mansion was wounded by Yang Xun; his strength is diminished, reducing the threat. That leaves the Phoenix Army as the strongest of the three. Even though Feathered Spirit’s strength has fallen after I injured him, another Harmony master is with them on this operation. With two Harmony masters, they are bound to face the most powerful attack."

Li Ping analyzed.

"Good. In that case, I’ll handle the Phoenix Army. Any objections?"

Zhao Xuanqi said without hesitation.

"That was our intention as well."

Li Ping nodded. He had no objections this time. After all, Zhao Xuanqi had captured Meng Dongtai alive, a clear demonstration of his immense power. There was no room for doubt. Besides, both he and Yang Xun had been injured in the previous assault and had yet to return to their peak.

"Time is short. Tell me the evacuation routes. We need to leave now."

Zhao Xuanqi said.

...

...

「Jinmen’s South Suburb」

A convoy of four or five trucks slowly rolled out of the city, heading south toward Jinling.

The cargo bed of a truck at the heart of the convoy had been temporarily converted to resemble the inside of a train car.

Inside this compartment, a figure sat cross-legged with his eyes lightly shut. His eyeballs could be seen twitching slightly, and his handsome face was slick with sweat.

This man was none other than Feathered Spirit Qi Hongxuan, one of the Phoenix Army’s Sixteen Generals.

Several other people were by Qi Hongxuan’s side, watching over him and monitoring his condition.

One of them was a tall, middle-aged man with a piercing gaze and brows as sharp as swords. As his eyes swept the room, his powerful Spirit seemed to manipulate the very dust motes, causing subtle shifts in the surrounding air currents.

This was Huo Ming, the other Harmony master dispatched by the Phoenix Army for this joint operation.

Beside Huo Ming stood a woman in white. Her features were strikingly androgynous, making her gender difficult to discern at a glance.

It was Hong Luan, the successor to the Vermilion Bird Sect who had once clashed with Zhao Xuanqi.

Hong Luan had been captured by Zhao Xuanqi and held for several days. The Phoenix Army had then sent negotiators and paid a hefty price to ransom her back. Though her injuries had been severe, she had largely recovered by now, thanks to copious amounts of the Vermilion Bird Sect’s finest Wound Medicine and the support of her own powerful Martial Dao realm.

At least her face was no longer a shattered mess.

PTHOO!!

Just then, Qi Hongxuan’s eyes snapped open. Thin trickles of blood began to seep from his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose—a truly horrifying sight.

"Xuan?!"

Startled, Hong Luan rushed forward to check on him, but Qi Hongxuan stopped her with a wave of his hand.

"Hongxuan, how is it?"

Huo Ming asked from the side.

"Thousand Illusions Li Ping... in just three short years, his methods have become this refined. His technique seems to use Force and Spirit to alter the very structure of my brain, disrupting my thoughts and suppressing my will."

"The human brain is incredibly complex; I don’t dare risk damaging it further. I can only make slow adjustments. It will take at least a week."

Qi Hongxuan said gravely.

"Altering the structure of the human brain with a technique’s Force and Spirit? This man’s abilities are simply astounding. He’s a grave threat."

Huo Ming couldn’t help but frown at his words.

"A technique like that must come at a price. I may be in bad shape, but he can’t be much better off. It’s a move that hurts the user nearly as much as the target."

"On top of that, it seems Undying Yang Xun and Bi Celestial Mansion fought until they were both grievously wounded. The one we truly need to fear is Zhao Xuanqi. Intelligence suggests he was barely injured when he captured Meng Dongtai. His power is unfathomable. The heir to the Holy Beast Fist... is truly unimaginable."

"My greatest fear now is that he’ll suddenly attack us. The bad blood between us is not easily resolved, and it’s a very real possibility. Tell the convoy to be on high alert. I want to be informed of the slightest disturbance."

Qi Hongxuan said gravely.

As Hong Luan listened to Qi Hongxuan speak of Zhao Xuanqi with such profound apprehension, her heart was a whirlwind of emotions.

Her physical wounds had nearly healed, but the scars on her psyche were not so easy to erase.

That battle had left an indelible shadow on her heart.

’Originally, she had wanted to train bitterly, to make herself strong enough to defeat Zhao Xuanqi and banish that shadow. But when the news of this latest incident reached her, it felt like she was trapped in a dream.’

’Zhao Xuanqi had single-handedly captured Azure Dragon Star, one of the Sixteen Generals.’

’His strength had reached an immeasurable level within the Harmony Realm. How could she ever hope to catch up?’

’It was an indescribable sense of pressure and despair.’

At this thought, the terrifying figure of Zhao Xuanqi once again filled her mind, consuming her thoughts.

BOOM!!!

At that very moment, a deafening roar erupted from both flanks of the convoy, followed by a violent tremor that shook the ground.

Instantly, the pupils of everyone inside the truck contracted.