The deafening sound of explosions was continuous, with various colors of Buddha Light and the orange-red flames of bomb explosions, dense black smoke interwoven, colliding, and annihilating.
The [Lotus Pure Land Glass Realm] easily blocked the first round of fierce shooting.
Both Li Fei and Zuo Jun were indifferent to this.
Rather than let the White Flame Army expend Sha Qi and force an attack on the city, it'd be better to use up the bombs captured from the battlefield.
Achieve the greatest victory at the smallest cost!
"Load—!"
"Quick! Quick!"
"Second round, prepare—fire!"
"..."
The artillery position operated like a highly efficient killing machine, the barrels turning red-hot under rapid firing, giving off heat waves that distorted the air.
The loaders, bare-chested with strong muscles knotted, sweat pouring down like rain, shouted as they thrust one heavy bomb after another into the cannon.
The sound of orders, metallic clashes, the closing clank of cannon latches… merged into a cold rhythm.
Rumble rumble rumble—!!!
The second round of volleys followed, then the third, fourth…
From dawn till dusk, the [Lotus Pure Land Glass Realm] endured nearly a hundred rounds of bombardment!
Even with enough cooling time, continuous bombardment still caused issues in a dozen howitzers.
However, the Bodhisattva Dharma Forms above Lu Zhou City also began to dim.
"Rest for a night."
Li Fei issued the command.
Even if the machines could bear it, those operating the howitzers were ordinary men, unable to maintain high-intensity combat continuously.
The cannon fire stopped, but beneath the dark night, an even greater rumbling sound than over a hundred large-caliber howitzers firing together rang out—
Li Fei soared alone over Lu Zhou City, a move of [Don't know the height of the sky] struck the [Lotus Pure Land Glass Realm].
'Substitute' is exhausted, now the main force takes the stage!
Brilliant heavenly light, like shooting stars, continuously bombarded those Dharma Forms.
Thunder roared, the earth shuddered, radiant light shimmered.
It lasted all night…
The artillerymen could hardly sleep, everyone looked at the returned golden robe like seeing a deity.
They fired artillery all day long, almost everyone was exhausted to the bone.
Yet Li Fei alone launched an attack that was even more overwhelming than their entire artillery regiment, sustaining it all night long!
Zuo Jun also witnessed for the first time Li Fei's solo city assault, equally stunned.
He understood more than those artillerymen who knew nothing of cultivation the 'gold content' of this—
Even swapping in a true peak strong person, it would be challenging to maintain high-intensity attacks like Li Fei.
He turned around to glance behind him, and saw extreme admiration in the eyes of the soldiers of the White Flame Army.
This left him with mixed feelings.
He had spent over thirty years leading the White Flame Army, triumphant in countless battles, gaining the fearsome title of 'White Demon' on the grassland, yet couldn't make the soldiers look at him with such a gaze…
At dawn, the fierce artillery sounds resumed.
The cannon fire lasted till evening, replaced by the thunderous sounds of Li Fei's punches.
On the night of October 9.
This time when Li Fei attacked, the White Flame Army moved too!
Having held out till now, it's time to hit the scoring blow—
[Daylight Heart Flame] penetrated the weak point of the Thousand-Handed Guanyin's light net, igniting its core.
Crack!
As Li Fei smashed down with a punch, a crisp sound as if a glass cup was shattered by tremendous force exploded in the night sky—
The towering Dharma Form of Vajra Bodhisattva shattered, disintegrating into countless golden light points devoid of spirituality flying all over!
Soon after, the light net of the Thousand-Handed Guanyin began to collapse in large areas, countless light threads breaking inch by inch, turning into nothingness.
The lotus platform of the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva groaned mournfully, suddenly dimmed, rotation ceased, lotus petals withering one after another…
The core defense node of [Lotus Pure Land Glass Realm] was thus destroyed, the magnificent seven-colored light shield crumpling inward like a giant soap bubble pierced.
Boom!!!
A thunderous crash as if billions of glass shards shattered simultaneously.
The [Lotus Pure Land Glass Realm] finally completely disintegrated, fragments of flowing light descending like falling stars, scattering and dissipating dimly.
The massive shockwave carried scorching sand and the breath of death, fiercely rushing for the first time unimpeded towards the towering yet now-bare walls of Lu Zhou City.
Lu Zhou City, broken!
...
On October 21.
Outside Jade City.
Mingdu and Lu Zhou have been taken, leaving Jade City as the last major city of the Grassland Royal Court not yet grasped by the Da Lan Dynasty.
Just like during the attack on Lu Zhou City, over a hundred new howitzers lined up outside the city.
Li Fei first sent someone into the city to urge surrender.
A moment later, flames soared within Jade City.
An internal conflict had erupted!
After a while, someone voluntarily opened the City Defense Array.
"Respectfully invite the Marquis Jing'an of the Da Lan Dynasty—"
The shouts echoed within the city, accompanied by fierce sounds of battle.
Clearly, the internal turmoil had not yet subsided.
Zuo Jun turned his head towards Li Fei, gesturing for him to proceed first.
Thus, Li Fei stepped into Jade City...
Yuanxing First Year, October 21st.
All nine great cities of the Grassland Royal Court fell into the hands of the Da Lan Dynasty!
Although the grassland still had an army of a million strong, most of the population wasn't in the cities.
But Da Man Qilian Guanshi was nowhere to be found, ten of the strongest cavalry divisions were annihilated, the top experts either dead, surrendered, or fled...
In such circumstances, even though the grassland still had a million troops, it was difficult to stir up any more waves.
October 26th.
Li Fei and Zuo Jun, along with eleven thousand White Flame Army soldiers, left Jade City.
The party headed west, traveling about seventy miles, before a mighty river appeared before them.
"That is Manhai."
Zuo Jun pointed to the great river ahead and introduced it to Li Fei.
According to legends, after the Divine Full descended upon the grassland, due to its lack of water, the Divine Full casually traced a line across the grassland, forming a great river, spanning thousands of miles, nourishing countless grassland children.
This is the grassland's first great river, known as Manhai.
Next, Zuo Jun was to lead the White Flame Army along this great river to continuously sweep and defeat the major tribes on the grassland, one by one!
They breached the Grassland Royal City, Mingdu City, and performed the sacrifice-rendition ceremony.
Then continued to breach the two major cities of Lu Zhou and Jade.
Zuo Jun was close to securing the achievement of annihilating a nation.
If he could lead the White Flame Army to personally kill Qilian Guanshi, then this achievement would be fully secured, and his Military Dao cultivation could greatly increase by absorbing the scattered Qi Fortune of peak experts and the National Fortune from the grassland's defeat!
Upon reaching that level, Zuo Jun would have considerable confidence to attempt Breakthrough and Become a Saint!
Unfortunately, Qilian Guanshi's whereabouts remain unknown, possibly already killed by the 'Demon Spear'.
Therefore, Zuo Jun continued to lead the White Flame Army to sweep the grassland thoroughly.
On one hand, to further strike the Grassland Royal Court and expand their victory.
On the other hand, to leverage this momentum to enhance his Military Dao cultivation.
During this process, he would attempt to find Qilian Guanshi.
But even if he couldn't find the opponent in the end, as long as the last step to defeat the Grassland Royal Court was completed by Zuo Jun leading the army, he would still have a chance for Breakthrough!
"Wishing Left General a triumphant return."
Li Fei said to Zuo Jun with a smile.
He would not continue fighting alongside the White Flame Army.
Firstly, he didn't intend to compete with others for military merit.
Secondly, he didn't cultivate the Military Dao; continuing to participate would only affect Zuo Jun's Military Dao cultivation improvement.
Thirdly, Qin Ziheng had already issued an Imperial Decree, summoning him back to the capital.
Given that Qilian Guanshi had already been heavily wounded, the White Flame Army shouldn't face any trouble even alone against them.
Li Fei no longer needed to hold the line at the Eastern Territory.
"Borrowing the auspicious words from Marquis Jing'an."
Zuo Jun also smiled warmly and saluted.
Li Fei nodded but didn't hurry to set off, instead observing as some cavalrymen from the Imperial Camp Army led their mounts to the edge of Manhai for a drink.
Not far from the opposite riverbank stood a steep mountain.
Li Fei was stirred at heart, pointing to that mountain:
"Does Left General know the name of that mountain?"
Zuo Jun was taken aback, shaking his head:
"It probably doesn't have a name."
Li Fei chuckled: "Then let me give it a name."
Saying so, he stepped forward, wielding the No Distance divine skill to quickly move towards it.
Soon, he stood atop this nameless mountain.
Zuo Jun arrived riding the wind, somewhat curious about what Li Fei intended to do.
"This mountain shall be called—Yanran Mountain!"
Li Fei announced with a laugh.
Zuo Jun: "Yanran Mountain? Is there some... significance?"
Unlike Ye Jingfu, he was not a Confucian General. Though he had read a lot of military books, he hadn't touched poetry or literary works. Hearing Li Fei's words, he thought it to be some allusion and felt somewhat sheepish instantly.
In fact, even if Ye Jingfu were present, he wouldn't understand the significance of Yanran Mountain.
It was a 'romantic' notion only Li Fei understood—
He raised his hand, using his fingers as a sword, inscribing three lines in Sword Qi on the rock face of the mountain:
Yuanxing First Year, Marquis Jing'an Li Fei of the Da Lan Dynasty with Zuo Jun and the White Flame Army, greatly defeated the grassland!
With this Yanran Mountain as the record, those who see this rock face shall know—
Those who dare to offend our Central Plains, even if far must be eradicated!
...