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Chapter 257: After the Battle (Fifth Update)
As the dust slowly dissipated over the plain and the figures from the Thunder Continent gradually faded into the distance, Sun Zhe's eyes slowly regained their original color. However, a hint of complexity could not be concealed in his Jet Black Eyes. He sighed softly, suppressing this complex emotion deep within his heart.
"Ugh..."
His face suddenly flushed, and a mouthful of crimson blood surged up from his heart and lungs, spilling from the corner of his mouth. Sun Zhe's complexion instantly turned pale as snow. The injuries he sustained from battling Yin Wuqie and the others finally erupted uncontrollably. Most people would have perished under the siege of four opponents of the same rank, but Sun Zhe had fought desperately to survive, yet at this moment, he was already gravely injured.
"Take this pill!"
A cold voice rang in his ears as a young man in black armor appeared before him. It was none other than Wang Ben, the Military Commander of Wuguan. Wang Ben had reached the peak of the Fifth Stage. Although he had also been pursued by Aoken and his companions, he looked somewhat better than Sun Zhe.
After taking a deep look at Wang Ben, Sun Zhe accepted the purple pill handed to him and swallowed it directly. As soon as it entered his mouth, it transformed into a gentle Purple Energy that circulated through his meridians. The severe injuries to his channels were instantly alleviated, and even Sun Zhe's spirit began to recover somewhat.
"Why do you trust me? If I had conspired with those from the Seven Realms to trap you, you would probably be dead by now..." Sun Zhe asked calmly while standing on the city wall, observing the proud yet composed young general.
Hearing Sun Zhe's question, Wang Ben's lips curled slightly into a proud arc as he gazed into the distance at the drifting white clouds. A flicker of inscrutable light shone in his black eyes as he replied in a cool voice,
"And what about you? If that pill had been poisoned, you would have become a prisoner by now."
After finishing his words, the two exchanged glances again and saw understanding in each other's eyes, both smiling faintly. This scene shocked the surviving soldiers who witnessed it; they seemed to have never seen their general smile before and rubbed their eyes in disbelief.
"Heh, it seems we are indeed of the same kind."
Sun Zhe smiled gently, though his face remained somewhat pale. The smile carried an eerie quality as he took a few steps forward, looking at the blood-soaked city wall and the bodies being carried down. A sense of unease stirred within him.
"The casualties among the soldiers are severe, aren't they..."
Turning to Wang Ben, Sun Zhe asked softly.
"The specific situation is still unclear; we need to wait for detailed statistics. However, based on my estimation, out of twenty thousand soldiers, no more than half will survive, and most of them will be severely injured." Wang Ben had grown up following his father in the military and was very precise in assessing casualty situations. Although this was just his estimate, it would likely not differ much from actual figures; otherwise, he wouldn't have spoken so confidently.
"The most serious issue is that most of the officers among the defending troops have already died; those remaining are mostly just soldiers. The army is no longer an army; in a few days, Wuguan will likely need to change its garrison."
At this point, a hint of helplessness flashed across Wang Ben's face. A commander must have a heart as cold as iron; however, witnessing these soldiers he had trained die before him filled Wang Ben's heart with an unquenchable rage and an icy hatred intertwined within that fury.
Sun Zhe's eyes flashed with a glimmer of light. Wang Ben understood that although the team sent by the Seven Realms consisted of only about a thousand people, this less-than-thousand-strong force was actually composed entirely of Cultivators above the fourth rank. Although the coordination among people from different continents was not particularly harmonious, this power was definitely not something an ordinary army could withstand.
The defending army at Wuguan had twenty thousand soldiers. If these defenders were merely ordinary troops, they would have no chance of stopping this nearly thousand-strong team. The fact that they could hold one of the four major passes, Wuguan, already indicated their elite status. However, even so, it was still thanks to those capable officers fighting desperately that they could barely hold back the Seven Realms' forces; the soldiers themselves played only a minor role.
In the confrontation between the twenty thousand defenders and nearly a thousand Otherworldly Cultivators, which also included some strong officers like Wang Ben and his guards, Sun Zhe later witnessed several top-tier experts defecting during the battle.
Yet even so, after one battle, fewer than half of the twenty thousand defenders remained, while fewer than a hundred of the nearly thousand Otherworldly Cultivators fell. More than half of those who died were killed by arrows during their siege. This clearly demonstrated the disparity between the two sides; high-level Cultivators were far beyond what ordinary soldiers could compare to. The ability of the various realms to threaten the Qin Capital with just under a thousand people relied precisely on this gap.
"If it weren't for that powerful individual using Divine Ability, we might have already turned to dust..."
With a soft sigh, Sun Zhe couldn't help but recall that blood-red giant hand that suppressed over seven hundred Otherworldly Cultivators. When that hand struck, even the ground changed color; all the Earth Power in the surrounding space was instantly drawn in. Under that blood-red giant hand, Sun Zhe felt utterly powerless, as if his own spiritual energy was tightly bound.
"That person is our Qin State's guardian; his strength is something we can only look up to now..."
Thinking of that earth-destroying Blood Handprint, Wang Ben's eyes also revealed a hint of reverence, but within that reverence lay more fear and astonishment.
"Who is that person?" Sun Zhe asked, staring intently at Wang Ben.
"That Divine Ability is called Blood Handprint; it is Wuan Jun's signature Divine Ability!" Wang Ben did not hide anything and directly told Sun Zhe what he wanted to know.
Wuan Jun! Upon hearing this name, Sun Zhe involuntarily trembled slightly, and disbelief surged in his Jet Black Eyes. Perhaps those from other realms were unaware of Wuan Jun's identity, but as a person from Qin State, how could Sun Zhe not know?
Wuan Jun was merely a title conferred by Emperor Qin; his true title was Killing God, Killer God Bai Qi. Among all nations, he was also known as "Human Butcher." He had fought countless battles throughout his life and conquered half of Qin State's territory single-handedly without ever tasting defeat. The number of people who died at his hands was countless; during his battle with Zhao State years ago, he slaughtered over four hundred thousand Zhao defectors—hence earning him the title "Human Butcher."
However, Sun Zhe never expected that this well-known general of Qin State was actually a Saint-Level Expert. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed it.
"In a few days, I will return to Xianyang to report. Would you like to accompany me back to Xianyang? With your merit in stopping the coalition forces from various realms this time, His Majesty will definitely not be stingy with rewards. If you join the military with your qualifications and cultivation level, your future will be limitless."
Looking steadily at Sun Zhe, Wang Ben's eyes revealed a glimmer of hope. Although he had high qualifications himself, he had only been able to advance so quickly due to numerous advantages from the Royal Family. Yet Sun Zhe was older than him and had cultivation not inferior to his own; this made him feel a sense of admiration for talent.
However, after hearing Wang Ben's words, Sun Zhe shook his head and declined Wang Ben's offer. He only wanted to return home for a visit; as for Xianyang, he would go back but definitely not now.
"This time’s attackers are all elite youths from various realms. With Wuan Jun having killed so many people in one blow, those older experts from various realms will surely come seeking revenge. Brother Wang should inform His Majesty about this upon returning to Xianyang and prepare defenses early."
Sun Zhe had initially represented Thunder Continent when arriving at Nine Continents and naturally understood the identities of these young elites. Although Qin State had powerful figures like Wuan Jun stationed there, Sun Zhe still couldn't help but remind him.
Wang Ben unexpectedly burst into laughter upon hearing Sun Zhe's words. As Sun Zhe looked on in confusion, Wang Ben explained,
"Brother Sun, you are overthinking it. Although there are many sects in the Eight Directions World with remarkable strength, it ultimately originates from the Nine Continents Mainland. Have you ever seen a subordinate or servant overpower their master? While I may not know much, there are definitely hidden strong individuals among the various nations. It seems, for some reason, they have remained concealed and inactive, with most of what is visible being merely superficial forces. If it weren't for this, do you think there would only be so few experts in my Great Qin army?"
From Wang Ben's tone, it was clear that he was well-informed about the situation in the Eight Directions World. He showed no signs of concern upon hearing Sun Zhe's warning.
"Brother Sun, since you are unwilling to accompany me to Xianyang, I won't force you. However, if you do visit Xianyang next time, you must come to my Wang residence for a chat." With that, Wang Ben turned and walked away with several guards. The recent battle had just concluded, and as the commander, he had many matters to attend to; his visit here was merely to recruit Sun Zhe.
Watching Wang Ben's figure gradually fade into the distance, Sun Zhe felt a tumultuous wave rise within him. Connecting the dots in his mind, he realized that he seemed to have truly glimpsed the Nine Continents Mainland. Since the Eight Directions World could cultivate, how could the people of the Nine Continents not be able to? He recalled Nie Yuan, who once taught him Sword Technique, and Chiyou, who broke free from the Evil Demon Sea, as well as the Ancient War Clan; all these powerful figures seemed to originate from the Nine Continents.
Nine Continents Mainland, Eight Directions World… Sun Zhe murmured slowly, as if discovering something yet also finding nothing at all. A vague feeling enveloped his heart, and he couldn't break through that barrier.
……………………………………………………………………………
It has been a long time since I last updated everyone. Tie Zhong is celebrating his birthday today, so I am adding three updates for everyone. This is all the stored content I have during this period. Haha, it's true; there are no more drafts left. Actually, Tie Zhong is quite easily influenced by his environment. When my performance isn't good, my writing suffers too; I feel like I've let everyone down.
You might have noticed that now Tie Zhong doesn't seek recommendations or votes anymore; I'm even too lazy to delete those comments criticizing me. Let them criticize; I just want to focus on finishing this book peacefully. I am still very grateful for the support from some readers like Zang Ying, Midnight, and others… Thank you all!
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