Having captured Huainan County, the Chen Army and Wu Army suffered a total of over three thousand casualties. Currently, the entire army still has more than forty thousand troops. In terms of military strength, the Chen Army has the upper hand over the Huai Army.

However, the Huai Army was defending a city, which easily neutralizes the advantage in numbers, and Liang Xuan is also an Upper Third-Grade Martial Artist. According to Liu Ji, he comprehends a superior type of Innate Spiritual Qi—Extreme Cold Qi.

Before understanding how much power Liang Xuan actually possesses, Chen Mo dared not lead the charge as he did when attacking Huainan County.

Chen Mo pondered for a moment, then looked at Zhao Liang and said, "Can you make those defectors follow your orders?"

After taking Huainan County, over seventeen thousand defectors were captured in a round of counting.

This is no small number. Although they have surrendered, whether their surrender is genuine or fake, only they themselves know.

Therefore, Chen Mo does not dare to directly incorporate them into the army for fear of an uncontrollable situation arising.

Chen Mo wouldn't let them go either. If they return to Wuguan, they could be armed immediately to fight against him, so the current plan is just to confiscate their armaments and detain them in their usual barracks.

If this group of defectors could be made to serve him, they would represent a formidable force.

Zhao Liang let out a bitter smile and said, "Responding to the Marquis, the remnant soldiers I brought with me, I am confident in making them obey my commands, but as for these defenders of Huainan, I have no assurance..."

"What about that Li Hanjun?" Chen Mo had also captured a deputy who defended the city named Li Hanjun.

"It's difficult. These soldiers' families are all from Huai State, and they're behind Wuguan. Even if Marquis can persuade Li Hanjun to surrender to you, once these soldiers hear that they are being sent to attack Wuguan, they would likely feign compliance. Besides, Li Hanjun is a Household General of the Xiao Family, and he married into the Xiao Family. If Li Hanjun pretends to surrender, only to switch sides while the Marquis attacks Wuguan, it would lead to a major crisis."

Zhao Liang shook his head, then immediately changed his tone and said, "Unless the Marquis can persuade Xiao Yan to surrender."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo's expression turned slightly solemn. It seems there's only one path left to take.

However, before dispatching troops, Chen Mo still went to try and see if he could persuade Xiao Yan.

As expected, Xiao Yan resolutely refused, and even Li Hanjun was the same.

As for this, Chen Mo didn't waste any more effort. He abolished Li Hanjun's cultivation and did not kill him, as a living person is naturally more useful than a dead one.

Although Xiao Yan and Li Hanjun were adamant about not surrendering, Chen Mo still spread the word that the two had already submitted.

...

July 4th, morning.

Wuguan.

In the backyard of a large mansion,

"Hah, hai..."

In the backyard's open space, an elder wearing black clothes was brandishing a long spear. The spear's shaft and head were made of fine steel and were longer than the usual spear, nearly a zhang in length.

The elder was Liang Xuan. Although he was nearing seventy, his body was exceptionally sturdy. Practicing with the spear every morning was a habit formed over decades, unshakable in all weathers.

Although aged, his shout was like thunder, deep and resonant, carrying strong explosive power as he thrust forward with the spear.

At the moment of the thrust, a surge of Innate Spiritual Qi erupted from Liang Xuan's body, enveloping the entire spear shaft. A dazzling silver light rose in the air, with the spear Qi surging, creating ice crystals like thousands of ice spears shooting forth, even freezing the ground and overturning the remaining clouds.

A custom-made iron dummy three zhang away was instantly covered in a half-foot-thick layer of ice, with thousands of holes on the surface.

Witnessing this scene, the maids standing by remained expressionless, having grown accustomed to it. Seeing Liang Xuan retract his spear, a maid approached him with a tray.

"Phew..." Liang Xuan stabilized his stance, exhaled a murky breath, placed the spear back on the weapon stand, grabbed a towel from the tray, wiped the sweat off his forehead, then wiped his hands, placed the towel back, picked up the teacup from the tray and took a sip of water.

As he placed the teacup back, another maid came over with a thin robe, assisting Liang Xuan in putting it on.

Liang Xuan skillfully extended his arms when suddenly, an armored figure hurried towards the backyard, catching Liang Xuan's eye.

Liang Xuan frowned.

He had given strict orders that unless something major occurred, he was not to be disturbed at this hour.

As expected, when the armored figure reached him and started talking, Liang Xuan's face instantly twisted.

"Crack..."

The ice covering the distant iron dummy instantly developed cracks and shattered in a moment, even the iron dummy within also burst into pieces.

The servants, noticing the armored figure's arrival, had tactfully left the scene.

"Repeat that..." Liang Xuan collected himself, though still finding it hard to believe, he asked once more.

"Reporting to the General, Huainan... has fallen."

Liang Xuan closed his eyes, listened once more, and had to let himself accept this fact, although when he reopened his eyes, the armored figure could distinctly feel that Liang Xuan seemed to have aged noticeably.

Liang Xuan gravely asked, "How did Huainan fall?"

"According to the returnees, it was because Zhao Liang defected to the Chen Army. The Huainan defenders were unaware and let Zhao Liang's men into the city, and then they began to kill. Oh yes, General, it was Chen Mo who came personally," the armored figure reported.

"Zhao Liang..." Liang Xuan clenched his fists, striving to suppress the fury within him, and asked, "How many managed to escape back? What about Xiao Yan?"

"Less than a hundred men, and General Xiao Yan... was captured."

Hearing this, Liang Xuan's face turned entirely black as he said, "Understood. You may leave, and relay my orders for all Centurions and above to gather in the tent for a meeting."

"Yes, sir."

"Wait, after notifying them, immediately send someone to inform the North House garrison to retreat to Wuguan."

"Yes, sir."

"Ahhh..."

After the armored figure left, Liang Xuan's furious roars echoed in the backyard, coating the ground, walls, and roof with a layer of solid ice.

The backyard was left in ruins.

It wasn't merely losing Huainan County that enraged Liang Xuan so.

What infuriated him was that only a handful of men had made it back.

Nearly thirty thousand troops from Huainan, and yet only this few returned—how is this different from total annihilation?

...

Despite the rage, Liang Xuan hadn't completely lost his rationality; he personally sought out the soldiers who had fled back to inquire about what had occurred.

Liang Xuan derived a critical piece of information from them.

"A purple sun emerged behind him, Divine Power Realm? Impossible, absolutely impossible..."

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