After hearing the reports from the three individuals, Yang Hao pondered. Liao Hua and Zhou Yuji had just broken through to the Grandmaster realm, and there was no room for them in this great battle. It would be better to have them cultivate in seclusion in the rear to improve their combat power.
Although Xu Chu was a powerful cultivator at the Guiyuan stage, he could not be easily deployed. Yang Hao quickly assessed his situation. He simply did not have enough talented individuals under his command!
With this thought, Yang Hao decisively declared, "Order Zhang Han to lead the ten thousand criminal troops and launch a proactive offensive. Go and destroy Langya for me, and establish the might of our Great Han!"
Chen Gong and the other two exchanged glances. The Han Kingdom was newly established, with a scarcity of top-tier combatants. Only through war could national strength be continuously enhanced, and more colleagues emerge. First, they would eliminate the weaker Langya, which meant the emergence of more colleagues.
Ordering Zhang Han to attack the Langya Kingdom would be a swift and effortless victory!
The three immediately bowed, "We respectfully obey the King's order!"
Yang Hao's gaze swept over them, "From this day forth, Great Han declares war on the Three Kingdoms!"
The next day, Yang Hao issued the declaration of war: "Since the chaos of the previous dynasty, strife has been endless, and heroes have risen across the land. I, following Heaven's will, have conquered cities and taken fortresses, fought bloody battles on the frontier, and swept through the thirteen provinces of the previous dynasty."
"Now, with the Great Han newly established, the Jin, Liao, and Langya Kingdoms, with malevolent intentions, plot against my throne and seek to steal divine artifacts, inverting the order of heaven and earth, plunging the universe into darkness, and instigating atrocities in Chang'an, incurring the wrath of gods and men alike, and drawing tears from heaven and earth."
"The beastly actions of the Three Kingdoms are devoid of virtue; their malice is more potent than snakes and scorpions; their human relationships are severed between the inner and outer."
"Yet, Great Han is virtuous and does not dwell on their schemes. However, their treacherous hearts remain unyielding. The allied forces of the Three Kingdoms have invaded our borders and plundered our territory. Now, the divine might of Great Han is like Mount Tai, with fierce tigers roaring and the wind rising in the valleys, and a celestial dragon soaring, bringing forth auspicious clouds."
"In this battle, we stand shoulder to shoulder with you, defending our homeland. Those who offend our mighty Han will be punished, no matter how far they are!"
The declaration of war stunned the eyes of many martial artists. Facing the invasion of two superpowers, the King of Han not only refused to back down but was exceptionally resolute, openly declaring war on the Three Kingdoms. For a time, spies from other nations flocked to the borders of Jin and Han, eager to witness firsthand information from the front lines.
...
Yongzhou, Tianmen Pass!
A Jin Yi Wei guard, light as a swallow, leaped across rooftops and darted through the mountains, swiftly making his way towards the central camp of the criminal army.
Soon.
"Jin Yi Wei pays his respects to General Zhang Han!"
The Jin Yi Wei arrived at the tent, knelt on one knee, and said in a low voice.
*Swish!*
*Thump, thump...*
Zhang Han strode out with a powerful gait, his demeanor steady. He looked at the kneeling Jin Yi Wei and said, "Rise!"
"Thank you, General!"
The Jin Yi Wei quickly bowed in gratitude and stood up, "General, the King's order!"
As he spoke, the Jin Yi Wei took out a letter. "Time is of the essence. The true royal decree has not yet arrived. I ask for your understanding, General. This is a letter personally written by Commander Mao Xiang of the Jin Yi Wei and sealed by Lord Chen Gong!"
*Boom!*
Zhang Han knelt down abruptly. The Jin Yi Wei were all summoned by Yang Hao, loyal and trustworthy, and were solely responsible for collecting military and political intelligence, directly reporting to the military council. Their word was reliable!
"Order from the King of Han! Command Zhang Han to lead the criminal army, march out from Tianmen Pass, conquer the Langya Kingdom, and sweep through Langya within three days!"
The Jin Yi Wei read the King's order, his blood boiling, his hands trembling slightly. This was the first external declaration of war since the establishment of the Han Kingdom. Upon its issuance, the entire Han nation was in an uproar. This was a battle to establish the prestige of the Han Kingdom, an extremely important one.
"Your subordinate obeys!"
Zhang Han took the royal order and instructed his adjutant, "Criminal army, assemble!"
In an instant, war horses galloped within Tianmen Pass, dust billowing. Formations of soldiers emerged from the tents and converged on the square.
That night, Zhang Han led the ten thousand criminal troops out of Tianmen Pass and deep into the heartland of the Langya Kingdom, leaving the border defense to the Governor of Yongzhou, Yu Jing.
,,,
,,,
"General, the One-Line Sky Gorge is thirty li ahead."
The One-Line Sky, which stretched across the border between the Han Kingdom and the Langya Kingdom, was the only passable official road between the two countries. The other mountain paths were rugged and steep, unsuitable for large armies.
Therefore, in past wars between the two nations, the armies invariably passed through the One-Line Sky.
A force of one hundred thousand troops was advancing rapidly, with the faint outline of Tianmen Pass still visible in the distance.
"Continue to reconnoiter ahead!"
Zhang Han waved his hand. The Langya Kingdom had already announced the dispatch of two hundred thousand troops to attack the Han Kingdom the day before, but their actual numbers were no more than one hundred thousand. Based on their marching route and speed, they would likely reach the One-Line Sky within the next one or two days.
With the Jin and Liao armies pressing on the Han borders, the threat was immense. The King of Langya would never have imagined that, under the pressure of two great powers and facing such a suicidal situation, the Han Kingdom would actually launch a proactive offensive.
The army continued to advance, and gradually, all one hundred thousand criminal troops entered the One-Line Sky Gorge. Tianmen Pass behind them had long since disappeared!
The perilous One-Line Sky!
"General, the Langya Kingdom's army has been sighted ahead. They have entered the One-Line Sky Gorge and will reach the mouth of the gorge in about fifteen minutes!"
A scout from the criminal army, light as a swallow, moved swiftly along the narrow mountain path within the One-Line Sky Gorge.
Zhang Han extended his right palm, and the one hundred thousand troops quickly divided into three teams. Two teams climbed the steep cliffs, ambushing on both sides. The middle team, led by Zhang Han, gradually retreated, vanishing into the dark night.
Time flew by as the one hundred thousand troops sped through the One-Line Sky Gorge, their sounds echoing for ten li, reverberating from the mouth of the gorge!
Slowly, the one hundred thousand troops emerged, advancing mightily towards the front.
Suddenly, the King of Langya extended his palm, and the one hundred thousand troops immediately halted. The King of Langya surveyed the terrain of the One-Line Sky.
He vaguely sensed that an army was ambushed within the One-Line Sky Gorge. To be safe, he extended his palm.
'Quick, form defensive formations!'
The King of Langya hurriedly shouted. He had a vague sense of unease here, though he couldn't quite place it. As the royal order was issued, large formations of troops in the front and on the sides hastily deployed.
"Wind!"
"Great Wind!"
Before the Langya army could even change formations, shouts like thunder suddenly erupted from both sides of the valley, echoing through the gorge.
"Kill!"
Zhang Han roared coldly, leading his army to suddenly appear from the distance.
*Whoosh whoosh whoosh...*
Arrows rained down from both sides, rocks rolled, and in a terrifying display, massive fireballs several zhang in size poured down from the mountaintops, illuminating the entire gorge with a fiery glow.
The King of Langya looked towards the firelight and saw densely packed Han soldiers lining both sides of the valley, with arrows in the air and giant rocks falling.
*Boom...*
*Clang...*
In a mere moment, the Langya soldiers were either shot into porcupines or crushed into a bloody pulp by the bombardment of giant rocks. Fireballs poured down, creating a sea of flames at the bottom of the valley.
The Langya army immediately fell into a panic, their faces filled with terror and confusion!
Zhang Han's great saber, cutting through waves of heat, pointed towards the King of Langya.
Zhang Han took a deep breath, his gaze suddenly focused, his killing intent soaring!
Strike!