Among the Six Nations, the Great Wei Empire was undoubtedly the most terrified. They were closest to Hangu Pass; once the Qin army crossed the plains, they could reach Great Wei's border.
Ye City, the capital of the Great Wei Empire, had once been bustling and prosperous. But with news of the defeat at Hangu Pass spreading, the city had long been filled with fear, losing its former prosperity and shrouded in gloom.
In the vast and imposing imperial palace, the Emperor of Wei summoned his court officials to discuss strategies. Every face revealed worry, a stark contrast to their usual calm and composed demeanor.
"A report from the frontline states the Qin army is camped outside Anyi Pass and may attack at any moment. My dear ministers, do any of you have a sound strategy to repel them?"
Dressed in imperial robes and seated on the throne, the Emperor of Wei asked gravely. His words immediately made the atmosphere in the palace freeze, like a God Mountain pressing down on everyone's heart, incredibly heavy.
Although the Six Nations were not as powerful as the Six Major Sects, they had managed to rule vast territories, maintain legacies for over a hundred thousand years, and command countless martial artists. They naturally had their own unique advantages. For instance, the ministers in the court had all reached the Cave Heaven Stage. Those at the third rank and above possessed Nirvana Realm strength, and the few ministers standing at the very front exuded an extraordinary aura. Of course, the strongest among them was the Emperor of Wei, a Sky Stage martial artist. Furthermore, the Great Wei Empire also had several slumbering ancestors—powerful experts from past generations.
"Your Majesty, although the Qin Empire is undoubtedly strong, it also faces significant latent crises!"
"The Qin Emperor broke through to the Saint Realm and killed the experts of the Six Major Sects. Furthermore, Qin Wudao annihilated the prodigies of various sects outside Hangu Pass, especially Chu Jiangqiong. This action undoubtedly touched the reverse scale of the Six Sects. Before long, the Six Major Sects will awaken their slumbering Founding Ancestors and attack the Qin Empire again!"
"Therefore, we need only gather all our heavy troops, defend Anyi Pass to the death, and wait for the Founding Ancestors of the Six Major Sects to awaken. The Qin army will then collapse on its own!"
After a period of silence, Prime Minister Gongsun Yan clasped his hands, his expression extremely solemn as he gravely delivered these words.
The ministers in the hall murmured among themselves, discussing the plan's feasibility.
"Your Majesty, I believe it is feasible!" Great General Pang Juan declared, stepping forward with a flash in his eyes.
"Your Majesty, I concur..."
"Your Majesty, I also agree..."
Once these two heavyweights had spoken, the remaining ministers voiced their agreement. Besides this plan, they had no other strategy to repel the enemy.
"The plan is viable, but the Qin army is ferocious. Relying on the strength of our nation alone, can we withstand the Qin army's attack?" The Emperor of Wei nodded, expressing his concerns.
"Your Majesty, we can dispatch envoys to the other five nations to request their support. Surely, the monarchs of the other five nations understand the principle that 'when the lips are gone, the teeth are cold'!" Gongsun Yan bowed again, responding calmly.
Hearing this, the Emperor of Wei's concerns vanished. He stood up and commanded authoritatively, "I decree that Pang Juan be appointed commander-in-chief to lead all the nation's troops and garrison Anyi Pass! Furthermore, dispatch envoys to the five nations to request aid!"
"To guard against any attacks by the Qin Empire's Sky Stage martial artists, I will awaken two ancestors to accompany the army into battle…"
「That afternoon,」 Pang Juan led the five hundred thousand soldiers stationed in Ye City toward Anyi Pass.
Simultaneously, elite forces from various local commanderies also began to mobilize, advancing toward the front line in a mighty torrent.
Consequently, even before the battle began, the number of soldiers stationed at Anyi Pass had reached a staggering three million, and this figure was still continuously increasing.
...
Approximately fifty miles from Anyi Pass, Qin Wudao and the Qin army were encamped.
Squads of Qin soldiers, weapons in hand, patrolled the surroundings, their eyes as sharp as eagles. Any slight disturbance within a thirty-mile radius could be detected immediately.
In the central command tent, Qin Wudao, Wang Jian, and Jia Xu sat facing each other. A table before them held a map detailing the area around Anyi Pass.
The map showed that Anyi Pass was built along mountains and beside water. Its strategic location was perilous, exuding an aura suggesting 'one man at the pass can hold back ten thousand.' More than ten miles away, a torrential river flowed.
A difficult choice lay before the three. They had dispatched troops to hunt down the remnants of the Six Nations, not to attack the Great Wei Empire, and their initial objective had already been achieved. Now, they faced a dilemma: should they retreat, or continue the attack?
"Your Highness," Jia Xu began, his gaze fixed on the map, "Anyi Pass is garrisoned by the full strength of Great Wei's army. We only have five hundred thousand men, and the Imperial Court has not issued orders. This subordinate advises that we proceed no further." This was consistent with his cautious nature; he would not take risks without a foolproof plan.
Qin Wudao drummed his fingers on the table, somewhat reluctant to retreat. Currently, the Qin army's morale was sky-high; it was an excellent opportunity for territorial expansion. If they didn't attack now, it would be much harder to conquer once the Six Nations had prepared their defenses.
However, Jia Xu's words also held considerable merit. Without support from the Imperial Court, his five hundred thousand troops would find it extremely difficult to breach Anyi Pass.
Wang Jian sat to the side, his eyes on Qin Wudao, offering no opinion.
"DING! The System issued a long-term task: 'As a future powerhouse, how can you be alone? To urge the Host to become the master of a faction, a special Faction Task is hereby issued: The Host will receive one sign-in reward for every empire conquered!'"
Just as Qin Wudao hesitated, the System's voice resonated, carrying a tone of strong temptation.
Does the System also support me in deploying troops? Qin Wudao mused, his resolve gradually hardening. He suddenly slapped the table and declared in a low voice, "I've decided! We attack Anyi Pass!"
Jia Xu's expression remained largely unchanged upon hearing this. As a competent subordinate, he could offer suggestions but could not defy Qin Wudao's orders. His mind raced, already beginning to formulate offensive strategies.
But soon, his expression turned grave, and he furrowed his brows. Five hundred thousand soldiers are truly too few! Several plans he conceived failed to offer a path to success.
Qin Wudao felt similarly, lacking any clear plan of attack and beginning to feel a pang of regret. I'm still too inexperienced, thinking I could use five hundred thousand men to attack a pass defended by three million!
"Your Highness, attacking the city with only five hundred thousand soldiers is indeed difficult," Wang Jian said with a smile. "I will now issue an order to transfer one million more troops from Hangu Pass. With an army of one and a half million and Your Highness's strategic brilliance, we should succeed!"
After the great battle, he had received an official order from the Imperial Court granting him authority to mobilize the legions in the Hangu Pass region to attack the Six Nations.
However, Qin Wudao and Jia Xu were unaware of this. Believing Wang Jian was acting on his own authority to deploy troops, they were both deeply grateful.
"Rest assured, Great General, I will definitely take Anyi Pass!" Qin Wudao stood up and quickly pledged. With an army of one and a half million, he was confident of capturing Anyi Pass.
"It is good that Your Highness is confident!" Wang Jian waved his hand with a smile. He intended to cultivate Qin Wudao, enhancing his command abilities. The outcome of this particular battle was not his primary concern; with him personally overseeing it, even in defeat, casualties would be minimal.
After the decision to attack was made, Qin Wudao and Jia Xu began discussing tactics. Wang Jian, having written the military order, sat nearby and listened, occasionally nodding.
A day passed in deliberations.
「The next day,」 the Deputy General from Hangu Pass led one million troops to the frontline.
Once the armies merged, Qin Wudao and Jia Xu had also finalized their battle plan and were ready to dispatch the troops.
The intent to wage war grew ever more intense.