Chapter 252 The army presses the territory
As Xiao Ling's thoughts drifted away, the faces of Xiao Xun'er and Han Yue involuntarily emerged in his mind. Thinking of these two people with whom he had a deep emotional connection, a deep feeling of nostalgia flashed across his eyes.
"Yes, I have been in seclusion for a long time. After I come out, I must quickly resolve the affairs of the Northwest Continent. It is time to go to Zhongzhou." Xiao Ling planned silently in his mind. His heart was full of determination and a sense of urgency.
Xiao Ling walked through a winding path and finally arrived at the courtyard. The scenery here remained the same, just as before his retreat, maintaining its tranquility and elegance.
He looked around but didn't see Xiao Yixian, Qinglin and Ziyan, which made him feel a little confused.
Then, Xiao Ling closed his eyes and released the soul perception at his brows. Like an invisible net, it slowly spread out and covered every corner of the courtyard.
However, his perception told him that not only were Xiao Yixian and the other three not there, but even Yao Tianhuo and Yao Chen were nowhere to be seen. The courtyard was empty, as if even the air had frozen. Only Xiao Ling was standing in this empty courtyard. It was quiet all around, without a single sound.
Xiao Ling stroked his chin gently, frowned slightly, and said to himself: "It's strange, when I'm not around, Zi Yan might sneak out to play, but Xiao Yixian and Qing Lin should be practicing at home. Even if they really go out, Yao Tianhuo and Yao Chen, the two old guys, shouldn't run out with them."
He couldn't help but think in his mind, "Did something happen that caused the three girls to go out? But what happened that even Yao Chen and Yao Tianhuo went with them?"
As if sensing the aura emitted by Xiao Ling when he came out of seclusion, the Sky-Splitting Throne broke through the air from the clouds. Its huge body cut through the sky and rushed straight towards Xiao Ling.
As a black stream of light flashed through the air, Rayquaza landed lightly beside Xiao Ling. During this process, its body gradually shrank and became like a docile pet. It circled Xiao Ling several times, and then gently rubbed Xiao Ling's cheek with its hard body.
Seeing Rayquaza, Xiao Ling's face blossomed with a warm smile. He reached out his hand, gently stroked the top of Rayquaza's head, and interacted intimately with it for a while.
After teasing him for a while, Xiao Ling turned to Liekongzuo with a hint of curiosity and asked, "Liekongzuo, do you know where Xiao Yixian and the others went? I didn't see them when I came out after my retreat."
The Splinter Cell seemed to understand what Xiao Ling said. It closed its eyes and pondered for a moment. Then, through telepathy, it transmitted a message to Xiao Ling: "A week ago, they said hello to me and left. These few days, when I was patrolling over the Jia Ma Empire, I noticed that there seemed to be a battle in the north. I can feel their presence over there."
Since the Split Sky Seat originally lived in the ozone layer, Xiao Ling usually let it move freely during the days in the Jia Ma Empire. Most of the time, the Split Sky Seat would choose to live above the Jia Ma Holy City, and occasionally it would fly in the sky of the Jia Ma Empire and wander around the empire.
After hearing what Rayquaza said, Xiao Ling pondered for a moment and roughly came up with the answer in his mind. He said to himself: "I guess the conflict between the Jia Ma Empire and the Three Kingdoms Alliance has already broken out, and even Xiao Yixian and the others have been involved. It seems that I have to go to the border to take a look."
A gleam of determination flashed in his eyes. "That's good. I've been in seclusion for so long, and my cultivation has improved. I can take this opportunity to stretch my muscles. After solving the troubles of the Three Kingdoms Alliance, it's time for me to leave the Jiama Empire."
Just as Xiao Ling was lost in thought, several maids who were responsible for cleaning the courtyard arrived on time. They walked into the courtyard with relaxed smiles while talking in low voices.
As soon as they stepped into the courtyard, they saw Xiao Ling and Rayquaza standing in the middle of the courtyard. The maids immediately stopped talking and saluted Xiao Ling respectfully, greeting him in unison: "Master Xiao Ling."
Hearing these people's voices, Xiao Ling came back to his senses from his contemplation, turned his gaze towards them, and responded calmly: "Well, you guys go and do your own things, don't worry about me."
In fact, Xiao Ling had already noticed the maids when they entered the courtyard. He was already familiar with these faces, so he didn't pay too much attention to them. Xiao Ling knew that they were just here to complete their daily work and would not disturb him, so he didn't need to pay too much attention to them.
The maids nodded and were about to go about their business. At this moment, one of them came forward and said softly to Xiao Ling, "Master Xiao Ling, the clan leader has instructed that if you are done with your retreat, you must go see him. He has something he wants to discuss with you."
Xiao Ling raised his eyebrows slightly, and with a hint of curiosity, he looked at the maid and asked, "The clan leader wants to discuss something with me? Do you know what it is?"
The maid pondered for a moment and replied, "A few days ago, the eldest princess of the Jia Ma Empire, Yao Ye, came to visit the Xiao family and talked with the clan leader and Miss Xiao Yixian. After that, Miss Xiao Yixian and Miss Qinglin left the Xiao family. As for other details, I am not very clear. However, I guess the clan leader's visit to you may be related to the war on the border." At this point, the maid couldn't help but reveal a trace of worry in her eyes.
Just a few days ago, Yao Ye personally entered the gate of the Xiao family as an envoy of the royal family, her purpose was to ask for help. Although she came to seek the overall support of the Xiao family, in fact, she was more focused on Xiao Yixian and Qinglin, hoping that these two women who accompanied Xiao Ling could join the battle and provide strength for the royal family.
As for Zi Yan, after learning the news that the snake people were attacked, she rushed to the snake people tribe without hesitation to support her sister Medusa.
Knowing that Zi Yan had taken the initiative to go to the battlefield to support, Yao Ye speculated that Xiao Yixian and Qing Lin might also lend a hand, so she personally came to the Xiao family and issued an invitation. Facing the crisis of the empire, as the eldest princess of the royal family, she was well aware of her responsibilities, and even if she needed to put down her status, she would try her best to gain more combat support for the empire.
As a member of the Jia Ma Empire, the Xiao family naturally has the responsibility to contribute their strength when the country needs it. In the imperial capital, every family has done their part in this crisis, and more or less sent warriors to support the front line.
When Yao Ye invited the Xiao family on behalf of the royal family, Xiao Yixian and Qing Lin agreed without much hesitation. But they also put forward a condition that they would only take action when the Jia Ma Empire could no longer support itself, and those members of the Xiao family who did not join the army would not need to go to the battlefield.
Xiao Yixian and Qing Lin both knew Xiao Ling's plan. They knew that once Xiao Ling finished his retreat, he would immediately take action against the Three Kingdoms Alliance. At present, they were not sure when Xiao Ling would come out of retreat, but they just needed to buy some time. When Xiao Ling came out of retreat, all problems would be solved.
Moreover, Xiao Yixiang and Qinglin both have gentle personalities and are not heartless people. Although they do not have particularly deep feelings for the Gama Empire and do not particularly care about the losses of the empire, they have lived here for more than ten years after all, and have more or less left many memories, although those memories may not be very good.
After leaving this time, they would most likely not return to the Gama Empire. Therefore, they decided to help the Gama Empire before leaving, which was also a farewell to the past and a conclusion to their past lives.
After receiving the request from Xiao Yixian and Qing Lin, Yao Ye naturally agreed quickly. The Xiao family was able to send out these two strong men for support, which would definitely be much more help than those people in the Xiao family who had not even reached the level of Dou Wang.
And if many people of the Xiao family died on the battlefield, then when Xiao Ling came out of seclusion and learned about this news, Xiao Ling would be in a bad mood, and the relationship between the royal family and Xiao Ling might even become strained. If the royal family wanted to curry favor with them, Xiao Ling would not have enough time.
In order to persuade Xiao Yixian and Qinglin to help, Yao Ye promised many favorable conditions. However, Xiao Yixian and Qinglin did not accept these benefits.
Xiao Yixian and Qinglin were not interested in the resources provided by the royal family. Although those resources might be very tempting to ordinary Douhuang, they were really not worth mentioning to them.
Xiao Ling had already prepared sufficient resources for the two of them to practice. They did not need anything extra, nor did they want to have unnecessary disputes with the royal family or other forces.
His gaze returned to Xiao Ling.
After listening to the maid's explanation, Xiao Ling had already figured it out. He turned to the maid and said firmly, "In that case, I will go to the border first. You can tell the clan leader that I am on my way."
The maid nodded immediately and replied respectfully: "I understand, Master Xiao Ling."
Xiao Ling did not stay in the courtyard for too long. He stretched out his hand and summoned Rayquaza. Rayquaza quickly expanded its size and became suitable for riding. Xiao Ling jumped up and sat steadily on Rayquaza's back. With a low roar, Rayquaza twisted its slender body and took Xiao Ling with it like a flash of lightning that cut through the sky and headed straight for the border.
Standing on the broad back of the Split Sky Seat, Xiao Ling cast his gaze towards the north of the Jia Ma Empire. He whispered to himself, "I hope it's not too late when I arrive. However, with Yao Chen and Yao Tianhuo here, those girls shouldn't run into any trouble."
There was a hint of worry in his voice. After all, Xiao Ling had just come out of retreat and didn't know yet that the three women's cultivation had improved and they were no longer the same as before.
……
On the vast plain, between two towering mountains, a majestic fortress stands tall, like an insurmountable barrier.
On top of the fortress, footsteps were sonorous and powerful. The armored soldiers marched in unison, patrolling in a staggered manner to guard the peace of this land.
In the center of the city wall, a group of highly respected figures in the empire stood quietly, their eyes revealing determination and seriousness. Among this group of people, three figures stood out in particular. They were Yunshan, the leader of the Yunlan Sect, Hai Bodong, the supreme elder of the Mitel family, and Jia Xingtian, the guardian of the royal family. Since they broke through to the Dou Zong realm, the years seemed to have left fewer traces on their faces, making them look younger than their actual age.
At this moment, they all looked at a place far away outside the fortress with a hint of worry. The densely packed army there seemed to be half as many as a few days ago.
Hai Bodong's eyes passed through the city wall and looked at the distant skyline. After a moment, he retracted his gaze, with a hint of helplessness in his tone: "The spies reported that this time, the leader of the Golden Goose Sect, Yan Luotian, and the three elders of the Mulan Valley will attack together, and the leader of the Ten Thousand Scorpions Sect, Xie Biyan, who has not taken action, has also followed the coalition forces to the battlefield. It seems that we will inevitably experience a tough battle today."
The atmosphere on the city wall suddenly became heavy. Hai Bodong's words made all the masters fall into silence. Even Yunshan and Jia Xingtian, who had already broken through to Dou Zong, looked more solemn.
In the past, conflicts between the two sides were not uncommon, but most of the time, the battles were limited to Dou Wang and Dou Huang level warriors. Although there were a few Dou Zong level duels, the Jia Ma Empire relied on three Dou Zong warriors to cope with it and not fall into a desperate situation.
However, according to the latest intelligence, the Three Kingdoms Alliance seems to have lost patience and is no longer satisfied with a small-scale war of attrition. Now, they are preparing to launch a full-scale offensive, intending to defeat the defense line of the Gama Empire in one fell swoop.
The situation is indeed not optimistic for the Gama Empire. Although the empire is not without top-notch combat power, the current situation seems a bit tricky.
Although the Dou Zong masters of the Jia Ma Empire are all Dou Zong, their strength can only be regarded as the elementary stage among Dou Zong.
When facing the three elders of Mulan Valley, the Jiama Empire only needs to send a Dou Zong-level strongman to deal with it. In fact, Medusa alone is enough to deal with them.
However, when the opponent is a two-star Dou Zong like Yan Luotian, the situation is different. Jia Xingtian, Yunshan and Hai Bodong must join forces to barely fight him.
The Black Mountain Fortress was not only inferior to the enemy in terms of Dou Zong level, but also far behind in terms of the number of Dou Huang level warriors. Yun Yun, the Nether Sea Flood Beast, the four elders of the Snake Clan, and the second leader of the Snake Clan, Black Poison, only had seven people in total. The enemy, however, had more than ten Dou Huang level warriors, which put the Jia Ma Empire at a clear disadvantage in this war.
If it weren't for the recent rapid development of the Gama Empire, the emergence of three new Dou Zong-level warriors, and the establishment of an alliance with the Snake People, the gap in combat power between the Empire and the Three Kingdoms Alliance might be so great that many people within the Gama Empire might consider giving up resistance and surrendering directly.
Suddenly, a crisp sound of footsteps broke the silence on the city wall, and everyone's attention was drawn to it. As the crowd automatically made way for a passage, four female figures appeared in everyone's sight.
Xiao Yixian and Medusa walked side by side in front, their steps were slow and relaxed, revealing a calm temperament. Qinglin and Ziyan followed closely behind, standing on both sides, keeping a half-step distance from the two people in front.
When the people on the city wall realized the identities of the four women, they all saluted them with respect in their eyes. Even Hai Bodong, Jia Xingtian and Yunshan, three Dou Zong-level masters, showed a kind attitude and nodded to them.
After all, their backgrounds and strengths should not be underestimated. Queen Medusa, as the leader of the Snake People, is a powerful Dou Zong master. Her name has long been well-known in the Jiama Empire and surrounding countries.
The woman standing next to Queen Medusa, named "Little Medical Fairy", not only has an outstanding appearance, but has also reached the Dou Zong realm at a young age. Her talent and strength are amazing. It is said that her strength may even surpass Queen Medusa, which makes her status in everyone's heart even more mysterious and noble.
There are also rumors that this woman known as the Little Medical Fairy is not only a Dou Zong-level powerhouse, but also the partner of Master Xiao Ling, a legendary figure in the Jia Ma Empire.
After Queen Medusa and Little Medical Fairy, Qing Lin and Zi Yan were equally eye-catching. One was gentle and lovely, the other lively and playful. Both of them were petite, and standing together was a beautiful sight.
Although they look young, their strength should not be underestimated. They are both among the best masters among the Douhuang.
If any fool dares to provoke them, he will definitely not end up well.
Not long ago, Zi Yan was bored and went to join the battle. A Dou Huang from the Jinyan Sect saw that Zi Yan was a little girl and thought she was easy to bully, so he took the initiative to challenge her.
Unexpectedly, in front of everyone, Zi Yan only used two punches to beat the Dou Huang into pieces.
The scene at that time made everyone dumbfounded. No one expected that such a cute appearance would use such violent means to fight. Such a contrast made people feel even more frightened.
As Xiao Yixiang and the others gradually approached, they first greeted each other.
Immediately, Jia Xingtian smiled friendly and asked in a relaxed tone, "Miss Xiao Yixian, do you have anything special to say when you come here today?"
Although Xiao Yixian and Qinglin have promised to help the Jia Ma Empire when it is in dire straits, they have not personally gone to the battlefield in the past few days, but have remained in the snake people's camp.
Only Zi Yan would occasionally go to the front line, and when she felt like fighting, she would find a few opponents to compete with, and also help relieve some pressure on the snakemen soldiers.
Today, Xiao Yixian and Qinglin came to the city wall in person, which was the first time since the war began. This made everyone wonder what the powerful Dou Zong was planning to do by coming here.
Facing Jia Xingtian's question, Xiao Yixian did not beat around the bush. She replied frankly: "The leader of the Wanxie Sect, Xie Biyan, is not someone you can match. The rest of the battle will be handled by me."
(End of this chapter)