Before dawn, everyone in the Great Qin knew about the sixteen sects' joint night raid on two Qin cities the previous night.
But the outcome completely surprised them. The sixteen sects had dispatched over twenty Royal-level experts, with four or five being late-stage Royal-level, more than double the total number of Royal-level experts in the Great Qin. Yet, they were defeated!
Even more unbelievable was that the forces attacking Zheng City, comprising over a dozen Royal-level experts, led by three late-stage Royal-level experts, one of whom wielded a Heaven-grade weapon, were completely wiped out!
Not a single survivor escaped!
The Great Qin's losses amounted to only four Royal-level deaths!
Upon hearing this news, the entire Great Qin was utterly shocked, especially the revived sects. Many sect masters were woken early, their faces etched with disbelief.
"Three late-stage Royal-level experts, over a dozen ordinary Royal-level experts, and tens of thousands of soldiers attacking Zheng City, which was only defended by three early-stage Royal-level experts, yet they were completely annihilated, all dead. This is simply impossible!"
Some were shocked, refusing to believe the news.
"Does the Great Qin have this capability? What exactly happened in the Battle of Zheng City? Did the Great Qin invite reinforcements?"
"No, the sixteen sects attacked the Great Qin by surprise. The Great Qin had no chance to find help!"
"It's too incredible. This force alone could have destroyed a medium-sized sect, yet it was wiped out by a single city of the Great Qin! What happened? How could the Great Qin possess such strength?"
"The Great Qin, heh, perhaps we shouldn't underestimate them in the future. Wiping out over a dozen Royal-level experts in one night, this strength is enough to rival some top powers."
"Fortunately, we have revived and returned. Although we act arrogantly, we are not harsh to the mortals. If the Great Qin targets us in the future, our fate will be nothing more than submission to the Great Qin."
"I just wonder how the Great Qin managed it? Was it Li Xiaotian? Or did the Sword Pavilion or the Dao Sect intervene?"
The various revived sects were shocked, especially the alliance formed by the sixteen sects. The sixteen sect masters were even more incredulous, even fearful, as all the dispatched Royal-level experts were dead, without a single survivor!
"Search! See if anyone who attacked Zheng City escaped. We need to know what happened last night! The Great Qin absolutely doesn't have the power to annihilate those people. Also, contact our spies in the Great Qin to see if Li Xiaotian is dead. Those people last night were targeting Li Xiaotian in a kill trap. Since they are all dead, Li Xiaotian must die too!"
In a secret stronghold of the sixteen sects, an expert roared. With their strength, they could absolutely crush the Great Qin. They had planned it all from the beginning. Last night was their initial probe, with the primary objective being to lure and kill Li Xiaotian, and incidentally take over two cities of the Great Qin.
But who would have thought that their two detachments would achieve neither objective, and instead suffer heavy losses? This made them furious and feel utterly humiliated.
"Perhaps experts from the Dao Sect and Sword Pavilion intervened. Otherwise, this all can't be explained. However, if they intervened, their methods wouldn't be so ruthless, with everyone who went to Zheng City ending up dead."
Someone murmured. It was known that in wars between humans, the primary culprits were usually executed, but there was never a case of killing all the enemy personnel. However, this time it surprised them, as not even the ordinary soldiers at the Warrior level were left alive.
"What should we do? With this failure, the Desolate Hall will definitely hold us accountable. Why don't we gather all our strength tonight and go for a dead-or-alive fight with the Great Qin!"
Someone suggested. After all, despite the loss of over a dozen Royal-level experts last night, their overall strength was still formidable, enough to crush the Great Qin.
"Let's wait. We need to know what happened last night. If the Great Qin has strong reinforcements, perhaps they are just waiting for us to walk into a trap!"
Someone retorted, having a bad feeling. An enemy they had never taken seriously had suddenly caused them a major setback, making them uncertain.
The internet was in an uproar. Many ordinary people who cared about the Great Qin were excitedly cheering online. The Battle of Zheng City had shown the true strength of the Great Qin to the world, exciting them because it indicated that the Great Qin might soon recover all its lost territories and achieve complete unification.
Of course, there were also those who were uneasy. Many had already sided with the revived sects and severed all ties with the Great Qin.
But in the Battle of Zheng City, not only the Royal-level experts of the sixteen sects died, but more importantly, the ordinary soldiers died. And more than half of those soldiers were Qin people who, like them, had sided with the revived sects.
Their deaths proved that if the Great Qin eventually recovered all its lost territories, they, who had betrayed the Great Qin, might be purged.
Externally, countless people wanted to know what happened in the Battle of Zheng City, and why all the people from the sixteen sects were killed.
However, the Great Qin released no news, not even an explanation for the slaughter of all those who had night-attacked Zheng City.
It was known that there were always prisoners in every war, but this time the Great Qin had killed everyone. In the eyes of many, the Great Qin's methods this time were too cruel.
Meanwhile, the Great Qin was in absolute peace. Countless military divisions were mobilized, cordoning off the areas currently occupied by the Great Qin and prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving.
Simultaneously, within the Great Qin, all six major cities were under strict martial law, with patrolling soldiers everywhere, preventing anyone from moving about freely.
Originally, after the victory last night, the Great Qin should have been celebrating grandly, but now there was no movement, and they appeared extremely cautious.
All of this was because Li Xiaotian was in a coma!
In Zheng City, at Li Xiaotian's secluded cultivation place, several blocks around it were sealed off. The outer perimeter was guarded by peak King-level martial artists. Only Royal-level experts or Qin Lord and other distinguished figures of the Great Qin were allowed inside. Anyone else, regardless of their identity, would be killed if they approached.
At this moment, the Qin Lord looked at the black mist enveloping several blocks, his face full of worry.
All the Royal-level experts of the Great Qin were gathered here, their hearts filled with worry, anger, and a touch of grief!
Especially Long Shisi and others, their eyes were red. They had already received the news of Long Yi's death.
Long Yi was dead, and Wang Ruomo had killed all the enemies!
Perhaps only those from the Dragon King Hall present could comprehend Li Xiaotian's mood last night.
In the crowd, a woman in white stood motionlessly, her eyes slightly red.
She was Zhang Mengyao. She didn't know why she had come. She only knew that that sturdy man, the commander Long Yi who always called her "woman," who was fierce to outsiders but timid in front of her, had died in battle.