Mōri Terumoto immediately ordered his troops to engage. The fortress of Ulsan was tall and impregnable; it only needed to hold for a day or two to notify other regions of the attack, and large reinforcements would arrive immediately!
"However, it is too early to say such things. First, we must ascertain the strength of the Ming army!"
The details of this grand army were unknown, and no general's surname appeared on the Ming banners, only the character "Ming." It was impossible to determine which general was leading the army to attack Ulsan. But regardless, if they could break through the heavy blockades before Daegu and appear here as if from nowhere, their forces could not be too large!
If it were an operation involving tens of thousands of men, such a large scale with troops covering the mountains and plains, how could their own numerous spies on the front lines not know their movements! Therefore, since ancient times, all surprise attacks and risky maneuvers must have involved a small, elite group of soldiers, aiming for surprise and a swift victory.
Once these surprise forces were repelled, their morale would drop, and their combat effectiveness would decline within a day or two. If their objective was not achieved, they would easily be surrounded and devoured by the enemy!
Mōri Terumoto hoped his guess was correct!
Ulsan fortress housed a hundred thousand troops, and the Ming army was attacking the city with a few thousand men, relying on the power of their cannons?
Not necessarily!
"But if not for the cannons, then there must be high-level cultivators present."
Mōri Terumoto made arrangements. He donned his armor and personally went to the city walls. Facing the fierce bombardment and arrow volleys, he organized his soldiers to fight back without showing any weakness! Although they lacked cannons, they possessed a large number of firearms. Furthermore, as the defenders, they had an overwhelming advantage in numbers and equipment. The Ming army had no chance of capturing this great city!
In the distance, siege ladders and battering rams were already set up, about to advance.
In the sky, the national prestige of the Ming Dynasty and that of Japan clashed. The level of morale determined the strength of the national prestige, with one dragon and one snake roaring at each other, creating a grand spectacle of a dragon-snake battle.
"All generals, guard your positions and ensure the Ming army is blocked outside the city!"
At the same time, a detachment of troops had already rushed out from behind Ulsan fortress. The cavalry took a detour to scout the first point where the Ming army launched its attack!
Once the enemy's combat strength was ascertained, if they truly numbered only a few thousand, this cavalry would immediately launch a suicidal charge to disrupt the Ming army's rear formations. Once the cannons ceased firing, Ulsan fortress could organize a powerful counterattack!
Mōri Terumoto was confident. Kuroda Nagamasa also personally braved the enemy's fire to join the battle, while Tōdō Takatora withdrew from Ulsan and dispatched his navy to notify the forces in such places as Saryangjin to come to their aid via the sea.
Tokugawa Ieyasu sat in the city, and due to his unease and suspicion, he began to perform a ritual. Divine light emanated from him, gradually spreading from the highest pavilion to fortify Ulsan fortress.
"It is merely a defensive battle."
"Perhaps there was a problem with the kagemusha at some stage, and they failed to fully ascertain the Ming's military strength and deployment, leading to this oversight."
"But to think they could capture the impregnable Ulsan fortress relying solely on a few cannons is sheer lunacy."
"This battle is a defensive battle, and also an annihilation battle! Annihilate these men, all of them, not a single one left, wipe them out here completely! Since these people have come, they shall not leave. How can I let them off easily after making me lose so much face? I will surely kill you all and display your heads!"
Tokugawa Ieyasu felt utterly humiliated. He had been strategizing and winning battles from a thousand miles away, comparing himself to Zhuge Liang, but then his high ground tower was breached, and he didn't even know where the enemy came from. It was truly a slap in the face, and it still stung fiercely!
What is humiliation? This is humiliation!
"There has been no news of that Ming immortal, nor have I sensed his appearance."
"It seems that the ancient immortal sent by His Majesty the Emperor is truly powerful, just as the legends say. Now, the reason that Ming immortal has not appeared on the battlefield is because she is holding him back."
"At least on this point, it is consistent with my guess. As long as this point is not problematic, then all other issues are minor and insignificant."
Hakkō Bikuni was a figure from ancient legends. Of course, the prefix "Eight Hundred" was added to her in the current era because she said she would attain nirvana in this era and would not live further.
In the past, she was also called Five Hundred Bikuni, Six Hundred Bikuni, and so on. The preceding number referred to the years she had lived.
It is said that she appeared at the beginning of the Heian period, which was more than eight hundred years ago.
And on the long road of Buddhism, only two people in all of Japan could stand shoulder to shoulder with her.
She is one of the three Buddhas dwelling in the world, and she is immortal and indestructible. No magic or technique can harm her. She is truly impervious to weapons, water, and fire, and even karmic fire and curses cannot harm a single hair on her head.
Tokugawa Ieyasu was full of confidence.
No one could defeat her. He could not even imagine her defeated and dead. At most, he could only seal her with supreme magical power, but she was protected by Emperor Jinmu, so she would not be easily sealed.
Moreover, Buddhist teachings also contained many methods to break seals. After all, Buddhism's greatest strength was not killing but subduing.
Just as there are methods of subduing, there are corresponding methods of undoing them.
"If one has to face an opponent who cannot be killed, cannot be injured, cannot be sealed, and is immune to all curses, karmic fire, and poison, then no matter how much one racks their brain to think of a way to win, it will be futile."
"That Ming immortal must be tied up, but it might be rather difficult to convert an immortal with Buddhist teachings..."
Regarding that Ming immortal, the intelligence Tokugawa Ieyasu received was that the opponent was once a true immortal and was now a remnant immortal. However, even if she was a remnant, their own immortals were not the legendary supreme true immortals. Judging from the series of fierce battles that had occurred, the opponent was like a starved camel that was still larger than a horse. Even as a remnant, her immortal might could not be desecrated.
After all, she was someone who had truly reached the "heavenly realm" before! She would not be easily suppressed.
But as long as immortal-level combat power did not appear on the front lines, the remaining battles would be difficult for ordinary cultivators. Even great figures at the Pure Yang level could not directly engage in combat while ignoring the defense of national prestige. How terrifying the power of a nation was, cultivators knew this best.
To achieve results on such a battlefield of hundreds of thousands of men, it was impossible for experts at the Spirit Refining or Pure Yang level to complete assassination missions like beheading. Because they were exceptionally powerful, they would be noticed by national prestige, and with a surge of aura from the military formations, they would be immediately suppressed. To assassinate, one would need a very weak mortal to act as an assassin, but such assassins could not be killed...
*Pfft!*
A long sword suddenly pierced through his heart!
Tokugawa Ieyasu's chest jolted, and then he saw the gushing blood spraying from his chest!
Where was the enemy?
He thought of an assassin, and then an assassin truly appeared?
"Who...."
Tokugawa Ieyasu tried to use his divine power but was terrified to find that his divine power could not operate. The sword that pierced his body was the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi!
No, this was a fake... it was transformed from the divine position of Kukunochi-no-Mikoto held by Kobayakawa Hideaki!
"Hideaki!"
Ieyasu roared, his eyes wide with anger. Using his own strength, he grabbed the divine sword, and then his blood began to boil!
The splashed blood shattered the divine might that was seeping from the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi!
Behind Ieyasu, the shadow soldier was astonished. This assassination should have been foolproof, but unexpectedly, the opponent managed to erase the suppressive force from the divine sword with a surge of blood!
What kind of magic was this blood?
And Ieyasu drew his sword, not giving the shadow soldier a chance to examine it closely!
A flash of his sword, like a thunderous roar, forced the shadow soldier back!
Indeed, anyone who could serve as a commander-in-chief was no ordinary existence. It was impossible for them to have no means of self-preservation.
"Ha... Hideaki! How did you get in....."
Tokugawa Ieyasu's chest was pierced through. Although blood was gushing out, his life force did not decrease at all. Seeing Kobayakawa Hideaki's confused expression, Tokugawa Ieyasu sneered:
"There is a curse in the family. In a sense, I should be grateful for that curse now."
"Do you know what the sword in my hand is?"
The shadow soldier was confused. This piece of information was easy to obtain, so there was no need to ask deliberately.
He replied, "Daihannya Nagamitsu, blessed by six hundred volumes of the Great Prajnaparamita Sutra, with deep Buddhist nature. When wielded, heavenly sounds and Buddhist dharma surround it."
Tokugawa Ieyasu sneered, "Seeing all phenomena as empty, and achieving liberation from the cycle of birth and death through non-attainment!"
"But unfortunately, the one in my hand now is not Daihannya Nagamitsu."
Saying so, the treasured sword in his hand emitted an eerie glow!
"Myōhō Muramasa."
"You, you don't know this name, do you? After you die, go ask the souls of your ancestors and see if they know the name of this sword!"
"To rashly attempt assassination and succeed is truly remarkable! But Hideaki, your greatest folly is your arrogance!"
The demon sword Muramasa would bring misfortune to its wielder, and the curse of the Tokugawa family was that successive heads would suffer misfortune because of this sword, even dying by it.
The reason Daihannya Nagamitsu possessed such deep Buddhist nature was to suppress this demon sword.
"So, you didn't bring Daihannya Nagamitsu, but the demon sword Muramasa... you already anticipated being assassinated."
The shadow soldier showed a look of sudden realization. Tokugawa Ieyasu's divine power was gradually recovering, and feeling the return of the power that had suddenly disappeared, Tokugawa Ieyasu sighed, "If it were the true Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, I would have certainly died from that blow."
"However, the true Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi cannot be in your hands. The power symbolized by that sword is not something you can touch."
"What a pity, Hideaki, even though you took the divine position of Kukunochi-no-Mikoto and used a fake Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, you are still useless."
"If you weren't Toyotomi Hideyoshi's adopted son, do you think you would have been appointed as a Great Councilor? Now, shamelessly, not only do you not flee, but you fawn over the Ming and turn back to draw your sword against me."
"Even if I kill you now, Hideyoshi will not protect you. The Kobayakawa and Shimazu families are completely finished due to your betrayal and that of Shimazu Yoshihiro."
However, the shadow soldier pondered and suddenly said, "Ieyasu, why don't you betray him too?"
"Your Eastern lands were forcibly unified in the first place. Hideyoshi made you one of the Five Great Regents to win you over and assist him. Now you are fighting desperately for him on the front lines, and you don't want to continue like this, do you..."
"Pull Hideyoshi down, kill him, and then destroy Emperor Jinmu. Only then will our country surely become better. Without restrictions from above, people can rest in peace after death. Why don't you consider it?"
The shadow soldier was merely trying his luck, but he did not expect Tokugawa Ieyasu to actually show a hint of thoughtfulness. But then he asked:
"Hideaki, are you so confident?"
"Do you know the power of Emperor Jinmu? In our country, the sky, the earth, the oceans, the mountains, the forests, the wind, rain, thunder, lightning, agriculture, sericulture, and even the underworld where people go after death, everything is under his control."
"Born from the divine land, do you think it is as simple as assassinating me to escape the divine land and overthrow the immortals and gods? Is it with the fake Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi in your hand?"
"The Three Sacred Treasures are all in Hideyoshi's hands, and Emperor Jinmu has powers we don't know about. Besides submission, there is no other choice."
"It was Emperor Jinmu who chose Hideyoshi as the ruler of the land, and Hideyoshi has also shown his abilities to Emperor Jinmu. They are in a cooperative relationship. What I am thinking is that after Hideyoshi ascends to immortality, I can replace him as the lord of the land."
"However, now, how can I associate with you? If I betray here and he finds out, will I still be able to return to my country?"
The shadow soldier heard a hidden meaning in his words: "That is to say, as long as he doesn't know, you will betray?"
Tokugawa Ieyasu suddenly fell silent and stared at Hideaki with a strange gaze.
After a few breaths of silence, he finally spoke:
"Yes, I still don't know how you got in. It seems you have a stratagem to deceive the heavens, Hideaki. Is this a spell taught to you by that Ming immortal?"
The shadow soldier said deceitfully, "You don't need to worry about that. In any case, it seems you are willing to talk with me now."
"You are already dissatisfied with Hideyoshi, aren't you? You were forced to submit and attack the Ming, and the benefits you received were just empty promises from Hideyoshi. If you really get them, it's fine. But if you don't, what will happen?"
"Did Hideyoshi tell you the win rate of this battle?"
Tokugawa Ieyasu's gaze shifted, "I know there are other immortals within the Ming, but they cannot be commanded by the Ming court, can they?"
The shadow soldier chuckled, "If you conquer their territory, they might not hesitate to attack you. Attacking the Ming resulted in heavy losses, and attacking Hideyoshi also resulted in heavy losses. With such a large army, do you think those legion commanders truly want to continue fighting?"
"Ieyasu, go and look outside. Are those sounds of fighting only from the Ming army?"
A suspicious look appeared on Tokugawa Ieyasu's face. He used his divine power to sense the situation outside, and his expression gradually changed in shock!
"How can this be... Changning, Miryang, Yongju, Seongju... aren't these the defending generals from those regions? How are they mixed in with the Ming army?!"
The shadow soldier said grandly:
"This is the general trend!"
"Toyotomi Hideyoshi is a tyrant and a traitor, treating the world as mere grass and the common people as ants. Now that the time and place are both favorable, all that is needed is human support. The world should rise up against him!"
"If you rebel against Hideyoshi and successfully seize Japan, the Great Ming will grant you the title of feudal lord, placing you at the head of all the domains, and promise you and your descendants eternal prosperity with the Ming!"
"Emperor Jinmu lords over you, constantly manipulating you. Even if you become an immortal, you cannot become a true immortal, but merely a false immortal of sorts. Are you content to be like this, a puppet of Xu Fu after Hideyoshi becomes a false immortal?!"
"If you defect to the Ming Dynasty, it can be said to be a true abandonment of darkness for light. At least the Ming Dynasty cannot constantly monitor you, who are isolated overseas! This land of Japan, you are the Son of Heaven. Even if you proclaim yourself Emperor, an eternal lineage, what is there to object to!"
Tokugawa Ieyasu's spirit was shaken, and his heart began to waver. In this room, in a corner, a black shadow had been standing, its eyes having completely witnessed the changes in the situation!