newbobooks Chapter 467 Night Raid?
Chapter 467 Night Raid?
Above Mingdu, the deathly aura of Rakshasa grew stronger and stronger. The underground hall deep within the palace, which originally belonged to the royal ancestral temple, had now been completely transformed into a Rakshasa altar.
In the center of the altar, Tang San sat cross-legged.
His body was enveloped by countless eerie green vengeful spirits.
Those souls cried out, struggled, and cursed, but in the end they were all crushed by the power of the Rakshasa, turning into the purest soul power, which poured into his wounds.
Tang San closed his eyes, his face pale and ferocious. With each batch of souls he devoured, the collapse in his chest recovered a little, and with each batch of vengeful spirits he devoured, the Evil Emperor pattern in his right eye lit up a little more.
The more he swallowed, the deeper the hatred on his face became.
"Silver Dragon King..."
"Tang Chuan..."
"Di Tian..."
"You all deserve to die..."
He suddenly opened his mouth and inhaled sharply.
Hundreds of newly arrived prisoners around the altar screamed and fell to the ground. Souls were forcibly extracted from their bodies and transformed into distorted black and white figures, which Tang San then sucked into his mouth.
Bang bang bang bang!
One after another, soulless bodies lay on the ground.
Moments later, the flesh withered and turned to dust. The Sun Moon Empire guards standing at the edge of the altar were pale and their legs were trembling, but none of them dared to move.
Immediately afterwards, Tang San slowly opened his eyes.
The dark purple evil eye in his right eye began to rotate again.
"Not enough."
"Send another batch."
The guard knelt on the ground, his voice trembling as he said:
"Lord Tang... Lord Tang, the Mingdu death row is empty, the western suburbs prisoner camp is empty, and the Imperial City Armory... there are no suitable people there either..."
Upon hearing this, Tang San's eyes suddenly turned cold.
The guard froze instantly.
"not enough?"
He raised his hand and grabbed, tearing the guard's soul directly out of his body.
Tang San swallowed it in one gulp, his voice chilling as he said:
"Then let's go find it."
"With so many people in the Sun and Moon Empire, isn't that enough for this god to recover from his injuries?"
The other guards were so frightened that they all knelt down.
"yes!"
"yes!"
"I'll go right away!"
After the news spread, the entire Ming capital was in even greater chaos.
The common people dared not go out, the soul masters dared not walk alone, and soldiers in the army began to desert in secret.
Even the palace guards began taking turns writing their wills.
Because no one knows whether they themselves will be among the next batch of people sent to the Rakshasa altar.
The imperial court of the Sun and Moon Empire could no longer contain the situation.
The next morning.
The Imperial Palace of the Ming Dynasty, the Hall of State Affairs.
Xu Jingyuan, clad in a black and gold dragon robe, sat high on the throne. His reign was short-lived; the throne had come too quickly and too bloodily. When he used Tang San to kill the First and Second Princes and suppress the royal opposition, he felt he had finally taken control of his destiny.
But now, he suddenly realized that the god he had invited back was not the one who helped him ascend the throne, but a man-eating demon.
Below the main hall, civil and military officials, soul masters, nobles, and members of the royal family all knelt on the ground.
The atmosphere was extremely oppressive.
The Minister of War, his face ashen, was the first to kowtow and say:
"Your Majesty, this cannot continue!"
"After Lord Rakshasa returned, in just a few days, the Mingdu death row, prisoner camp, and western suburban military camp were completely emptied."
"The morale of the troops is now extremely low."
"Upon hearing that soldiers in the rear were being sent to the altar to devour souls, three transport teams have mutinied, and two armories have refused to allocate any more personnel."
"If this continues, before Douluo Continent can even launch a counterattack, my Sun Moon Empire will be in chaos!"
Another veteran official also said in a trembling voice:
"Your Majesty, the people call him the Soul-Eating Evil God."
"Rumors have been circulating in various places that the royal family is colluding with evil gods and sacrificing their subjects in exchange for the throne."
"If this isn't stopped in time, I fear widespread civil unrest will erupt!"
A level nine Soul Master from the Soul Master Association also stepped forward, his face extremely grim.
"Your Majesty, panic has broken out among the Soul Master Legion."
"Lord Rakshasa's death aura will pollute the soul guidance device. The vengeful spirit fluctuations he released when he recovered from his injuries have already caused the soul guidance array on the third underground level of the palace to go out of control."
"If he continues to cultivate in Mingdu, the entire soul-devouring defense system of Mingdu may be corrupted. At that point, if powerful figures from the Douluo Continent attack, Mingdu will be defenseless!"
Upon hearing this, a low murmur of discussion immediately arose in the hall.
Xu Jingyuan's face was gloomy, and he did not speak immediately.
He knew all about these issues, even more than his ministers.
But the question is, who can stop Tang San?
Who dares to stop Tang San?
When Tang San killed the Title Douluo Elder with a single scythe in the palace, devoured the souls of the First Prince and the Second Prince, and broke through the level nine soul guidance defense array, everyone witnessed it.
Now that Tang San has returned as a god, even if he is seriously injured, the Sun Moon Empire cannot resist him.
Xu Jingyuan said in a deep voice:
"You make it sound so easy. Then tell me, if we don't cooperate with him, who will stand in the way of the Sea God, the Angel God, and those Title Douluos of Douluo Continent?"
The main hall fell silent.
Many people lowered their heads.
They feared Tang San, and they also feared Douluo Continent. Especially after news of the battle on the West Coast spread, everyone knew that Douluo Continent was not the backward and barbaric place they had imagined.
Soul tools have indeed given the Sun Moon Empire a huge advantage.
However, figures like Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, Poison Douluo, Soul Breaking Douluo, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School also inflicted great losses on the Sun Moon Expeditionary Force.
Not to mention, there is also a real sea god, Tang Chuan.
Without Tang San, would the Sun Moon Empire still dare to continue fighting?
No one can guarantee that.
At this moment, an elderly royal prince with gray hair, leaning on his scepter, slowly stepped forward.
He was Xu Jingyuan's great-uncle and one of the few members of the royal family who were not purged after the coup.
The old prince knelt on the ground and said in a sorrowful voice:
"Your Majesty, I did not mean to turn against him immediately."
"What I mean is that we cannot continue to tie the entire empire to him."
Xu Jingyuan's eyes flickered slightly, signaling him to continue.
The old prince continued:
"He needs his soul to heal his wounds, so he needs people."
"Today a death row inmate, tomorrow a prisoner, the day after a soldier."
"And then what?"
"Could it be a Soul Master? Could it be a nobleman? Could it be a commoner from Mingdu?"
"Could it even be the royal family one day?"
Upon hearing this, the expressions of all the officials in the hall changed.
Xu Jingyuan's fingers tightened suddenly.
The old prince looked up at him, his eyes slightly red, and said:
"Your Majesty, you are the Emperor of the Sun and Moon Empire."
"Not the tomb keeper of the Rakshasa god."
"If he were merely using the power of my Sun Moon Empire to launch a counterattack against Douluo Continent, that would be one thing. But now, he's using the people of my Sun Moon Empire as provisions for healing. If this continues, will the empire still be an empire? Will His Majesty still be His Majesty? Or will my Sun Moon royal family also become his slaves?"
After these words were spoken, the hall fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone kept their heads down, afraid to breathe too heavily.
Xu Jingyuan's expression was uncertain; he wanted to refute, but he couldn't.
Because the old prince was telling the truth, Tang San never considered the Sun Moon Empire as an ally. In Tang San's eyes, the Sun Moon Empire was merely a tool, cannon fodder, and a stepping stone for his return to Douluo Continent.
Xu Jingyuan originally thought he could use Tang San.
But now it seems that he might be the one who was truly used.
The Minister of War kowtowed again:
"Your Majesty, I request that the expedition to Douluo Continent be postponed."
"Recall some of the Soul Master Legion to stabilize the domestic situation."
"At the same time, restrict the Rakshasa altar from continuing to demand soldiers from the army."
"Otherwise, morale will surely collapse."
The representative of the Soul Master Association also said:
"I second that opinion."
"Your Majesty, please prioritize the empire and do not allow the deathly aura of the Rakshasa to pollute the Ming capital any longer."
Another general gritted his teeth and said:
"Your Majesty, Lord Xu Xuance at the front has submitted three memorials. He says that although the situation at Linhai Port has been temporarily stabilized, the combat strength of the Title Douluo in the Douluo Continent far exceeds expectations."
"If the rear continues to be in turmoil, the expeditionary force will be unable to continue."
"Moreover, the soldiers already know that some soldiers have been sent as sacrifices in the rear. They fear that if they fight their way back, they will not die on the battlefield, but on the altar of their own empire!"
This statement struck a nerve with the military.
The army of the Sun and Moon Empire is not afraid to die in battle.
However, they could not accept being sacrificed to Tang San as healing materials.
Xu Jingyuan closed his eyes.
Only heavy breathing could be heard in the main hall.
After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes and said:
"Pass on the order."
The ministers immediately looked up.
Xu Jingyuan said in a low voice:
"From this day forward, the souls required for the Rakshasa altar shall no longer be drawn from the regular army."
"The people of Mingdu, Soul Masters, craftsmen, and personnel of the Armory are all strictly prohibited from being moved. Death row inmates, rebels, and prisoners of war from Douluo Continent may continue to be supplied."
"Furthermore, order Xu Xuance to stabilize the west coast and not to venture too far in rashly."
"The subsequent reinforcement of the expeditionary force will be suspended, and priority will be given to stabilizing the ports that have already been occupied."
Meanwhile, in the western border of Xingluo, at the allied army camp.
The night was as dark as ink, and the cold wind carried the lingering smell of gunpowder from the coastline, blowing past rows of tents.
In the distance, in the center of the Fallen Eagle Plain, the dark green poisonous zone left by Dugu Bo's ninth soul skill still lingered. The poisonous fog rolled along the ground, like a long river of death stretching between the two armies. Even from several miles away, the patrolling soldiers could still smell the faint, sweet, and pungent odor in the air.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the poison zone, the Sun Moon Empire's position was brightly lit.
One by one, the Soul Guidance Towers lit up again, their blue and white lights shimmering and intertwining in the night. From afar, it looked as if a cold, metallic sea of stars had appeared at the edge of the plain.
The atmosphere inside the Allied Forces' central command tent was oppressive.
The generals of Tian Dou and Xing Luo were lined up on both sides, while Ning Fengzhi, Jian Douluo, Gu Douluo, Dugu Bo, Yang Wudi, Ning Rongrong and others were in the tent.
In the center of the tent, a huge military map of the west coast was laid out. On the map, the fallen territories such as Linhai Port, White Stone City, Xilan Port, and Seagull City were circled in vermilion.
At this moment, three more glaring black lines appeared outside these vermilion circles.
That was intelligence that the scouts had just sent back.
The Sun and Moon Empire is increasing its troop strength.
And it's not just one route, it's three routes.
A Star Luo scout, covered in mud, knelt in the tent, his voice hoarse as he said:
"Important to all my lords, the Sun Moon Empire has dispatched three Soul Master Legions from the direction of Linhai Port."
"The first route remains stationed at the front of the harbor and continues to construct the soul-guided artillery array."
"The second route is advancing along the White Stone Hills on the north side. Small Soul Guidance Towers have been built on the ridge, seemingly preparing to bypass the poison zone and press into our rear from the north flank."
"The third route starts from the direction of Xilan Port in the south, accompanied by a large number of soul-guided vehicles, which are suspected of carrying heavy soul-guided cannons and energy storage crystals."
"If the three-pronged Soul-Guiding Army formation is completed, they will be able to launch a simultaneous attack on our army within three days at most."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the tent turned pale.
Prince Xingluo slammed his fist on the table.
"You bastard!"
"They're trying to break through the camp from three directions simultaneously!"
An old general from the Heavenly Dou Army looked grim and said:
"Although Senior Dugu's poison zone can block the front of Linhai Port, if the Sun Moon Empire bypasses us through the hills to the north and the port to the south, our army will have to divide its forces."
"The frontal poison zone will still be there, but the left and right flanks may not be able to hold."
Another Star Luo general said in a deep voice:
"Their soul-guided cannons have too long a range."
"If all three artillery positions are completed, our camp will be completely exposed to artillery fire."
"Even with a Title Douluo in charge, it will be impossible to take care of all directions at the same time."
Everyone fell silent.
In the daytime battle, they had truly witnessed the power of the Sun and Moon Soul Tools. If it were a single artillery formation, with Dugu Bo's poison zone, Ning Fengzhi's assistance, and Sword Bone Douluo's surprise attack, they could barely suppress it.
However, if the three points of attack are opened simultaneously, the allied forces will be in an extremely passive situation.
Especially since Tang Chuan isn't here right now.
With the sea god absent from the camp, everyone felt a sense of unease, as if a pillar of support had been lost.
Ning Fengzhi stared quietly at the military map. His face was still somewhat pale. Assisting ten thousand troops alone during the day had taken a heavy toll on him, yet his eyes were frighteningly clear at this moment.
He pointed to the white stone hills to the north of the military map.
"here."
All eyes then fell upon it.
Ning Fengzhi said slowly:
"What the Sun Moon Empire truly wants is not to immediately breach the camp."
"Instead, they used the three artillery positions to force us to constantly divide our forces."
"There's a toxic zone in front, so they don't dare to launch a full-scale attack for the time being."
"The hills to the north offer a commanding view, and once the soul-guided turrets are completed, they can fire down on our camp. The Xilan Port to the south is close to the coast, making it convenient for their subsequent fleet resupply."
"If these three routes converge, our army will be forced to adjust its defensive lines."
"If all three are successful, a great battle will surely break out within three days."
Yang Wudi gripped the Soul-Shattering Spear and said coldly:
"Let's break down one road before they finish setting it up."
Ning Fengzhi nodded.
"good."
"They suffered considerable losses in the daytime direct combat."
"At this moment, we are busy reinforcing troops and building artillery positions, and our position is not yet stable."
"If we wait until their three soul guidance arrays are completely connected, it will be difficult for us to make a move."
Prince Xingluo said:
"Sect Leader Ning means a night raid?"
Ning Fengzhi said:
"It wasn't a large-scale night raid by the army."
"If the army moves, the momentum will be too great, and the Sun Moon Empire will surely notice."
"We need to send our elite forces to bypass them and start from the White Stone Hills on the north side. Before their soul-guided turrets are fully erected, we will destroy the energy storage core and array base."
"Once the northern artillery positions are destroyed, the Sun Moon Empire's three-pronged attack will be incomplete."
"They'll have to hold out for at least a few more days."
"These few days are enough to wait for Tang Chuan to return."
Upon hearing this, many generals in the tent had a gleam in their eyes.
The terrain of the White Stone Hills is complex and difficult for large armies to traverse, but it is suitable for strong individuals to launch surprise attacks. If they could sneak over at night and destroy the Soul Guidance Towers that are currently under construction, it would indeed disrupt the Sun Moon Empire's plans.
Just as everyone's hearts stirred, Dugu Bo snorted coldly and said:
"That's too risky."
The tent fell silent immediately.
Ning Fengzhi looked at Dugu Bo and asked in confusion:
"Does Senior Dugu find this inappropriate?"
Dugu Bo opened his emerald green eyes and said in a gloomy voice:
"Of course not."
"Tang Chuan hasn't returned yet."
"The Sun Moon Empire dared to reinforce its troops on three fronts this time; who knows if it was a deliberate attempt to create a weakness?"
"You saw their soul tools during the day."
"Those things are far more complex than the weaponry of Douluo Continent."
"Who can guarantee there aren't any ambushes at White Stone Hills? What if they've already laid out soul-guided traps there, waiting for us to send a Title Douluo to fall into them? What are your plans then?"
Prince Xingluo frowned and said:
"But if we don't take action, the three artillery positions will be in place in three days, and our army will be in just as much danger."
Dugu Bo said coldly:
"Being in danger is better than dying."
"My poison zone can still seal off the front. We can retreat to the north and south to create distance. Finally, we'll wait for Tang Chuan to return before making a final decision."
Ning Fengzhi shook his head.
"No refunds allowed."
Dugu Bo's gaze turned cold.
"Why can't I get a refund?"
Ning Fengzhi pointed to the area behind the military map and said in a deep voice:
"Behind us lies the heart of the Star Rossi Realm."
"If we retreat any further, we'll expose the refugees, granaries, and armories along the way. Besides, the Sun Moon Empire's soul-guided cannons have too long a range; for every mile we retreat, they advance a mile."
"If we keep retreating, we will only give them the plains, hills, and harbors."
"Once they stabilize their position, the west coast will no longer be a temporary landing point, but will become a true bridgehead for the Sun Moon Empire." (End of Chapter)