Outside Vajra City, the battle was in full swing.
The battlefield was divided into four partsβ
The first part involved the Great Lan Dynasty's Grandmasters, top-level True Masters, Martial Arts Masters, and True Masters, engaged in a chaotic battle with Buddhist strongmen.
The second part was on the plains, where eight thousand-man Imperial Camp Army units faced twelve thousand Buddha Country monk soldiers.
The third part was in the area surrounded by the Qiankun Inverted Five Elements Array, where three peak-level warriors were besieging Li Fei.
The fourth part was above the skies, where Wenren Zheng was trapped in the Great Sun Buddha Vajra Nirvana Array.
Li Fei's battlefield was undoubtedly the most dangerous, so when the White Flame Army arrived, the White Flame Dragon rushed immediately toward the Qiankun Inverted Five Elements Array.
However, the azure giant that followed did not provide support to Li Fei or any of the other battlefields but instead charged toward the direction of Pudu Mountain!
Seeing this, the River Guardian Heavenly King became even more suspicious.
He had anticipated the Great Lan Dynasty would redeploy the White Flame Army to engage in this battle in time.
But he did not expect the Great Lan Dynasty to also redeploy the Sky Blue Cavalry, which was guarding the Capital!
Without the Sky Blue Cavalry, Lanling City would at most have one Ji Yiheng, who possessed prince-level combat power.
Even if the opponent relied on the Li Que Sword Tower and the blessing of the National Fortune, they could temporarily match a peak strong person but would be at most on par with a newly promoted True Monarch like True Monarch Wu Hui, if not weaker.
To the River Guardian Heavenly King, Ji Yiheng was hardly a worthy opponent!
As for the Emperor Qin Ziheng, who possessed peak combat power within the Xuanqiong Supreme True Dragon Array.
A newly ascended emperor of less than two years who couldn't control the national fortune as well as Emperor Hong Guang.
Someone who hadn't fought several battles in life and had no peak battle experience.
How much power could he actually wield?
With such so-called peak combat power guarding Lanling City, the River Guardian Heavenly King had a hundred ways to defeat them!
Just like when the two Heavenly Kings of the Buddha Country were absent, and an injured Jing Heng, along with Qin Ming defending their home, nearly got defeated by Wenren Zheng even with an array backing them up.
Although the Great Lan Dynasty's national fortune was stronger than that of the West Pole Country, the sixth-ranked Jing Heng and the tenth-ranked Qin Mingli on the Peak List were undoubtedly stronger than Ji Yiheng and Qin Ziheng!
Back when the newly established West Pole Country was utterly humiliated and its national fortune suffered.
The lesson was right there, and the River Guardian Heavenly King couldn't fathom where Qin Ziheng found the courage to take such a gamble?
He had the ability to void shuttle, moving far faster than the 'bulky' Imperial Camp Army.
The only one who had a chance to catch up with him, Li Fei, was currently trapped. If he left Li Fei and headed straight for Lanling City.
Even if he risked being injured like Wenren Zheng, he could surely kill Qin Ziheng!
As for the Sky Blue Cavalry heading directly for Pudu Temple.
Even if Jing Heng isn't entirely healed, being ranked sixth in the world is not so easily dealt with, is it?
The Great Lan Dynasty daring to 'exchange home' like this immediately stirred the River Guardian Heavenly King's restlessness.
If he could kill Qin Ziheng and break the Xuanqiong Supreme True Dragon Array.
The Great Lan Dynasty's national fortune would collapse instantly, and so would the morale!
The battle wouldn't need to continue.
The River Guardian Heavenly King didn't act immediately but instead contacted the forces within the Great Sun Buddha Vajra Nirvana Array, communicating with Jing Heng who was overseeing the rear through the array:
"Qin Ziheng has dispatched the Sky Blue Cavalry, I'm going to Lanling City to kill him!"
"Don't go."
"Why?"
"It might be a trap."
"..."
The River Guardian Heavenly King immediately recalled how Jing Heng had been defeated in Lanling City.
"You mean....is it....."
...
Lanling City.
Imperial Palace, Imperial Study Room.
The chess game between the Emperor and the Grand Secretary had been ongoing for nearly four hours.
The game had long entered its endgame stage, where each move was pondered over deeply by both sides.
Or perhaps, their minds were no longer on the chessboard in front of them.
Their real chessboard was the entire world!
"This game is due to my miscalculation, causing Your Majesty to fall into danger, please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Ye Ze'an rose and bowed to Qin Ziheng.
Qin Ziheng reached out to gesture in acknowledgment:
"The game is not over yet; how can there be a reason to leave the seat midway? Grand Secretary, please sit."
His expression remained seemingly composed.
"As you command."
Ye Ze'an resumed his seat.
Everyone believed this Great Blue Chief Minister to be an infallible strategist.
But is there truly someone in this world who is all-knowing and never errs?
Ye Ze'an anticipated that the Buddhists might send the River Guardian Heavenly King to personally meet with Daluo Sect and Tai Yu, so he suggested that Wenren Zheng prepare in advance and take advantage of the situation to lead an army into West Pole Country, further weakening Buddha Country's forces.
However, what he didn't anticipate was West Pole Country moving the power of the Great Sun Buddha Vajra Nirvana Array from Buddha City to Vajra City, resulting in Wenren Zheng getting trapped.
Ye Ze'an also foresaw that the Upper Pure Sect wouldn't genuinely ally, helping the Great Lan Dynasty to destroy West Pole Country completely, and thus made precautionary measures ahead of time.
But he didn't foresee that the Buddhists would alternatively abandon the idea of surpassing the Great Lan Dynasty, choosing to ally with the Taoists to kill only Li Fei, forming a tripartite balance.
One misstep led to the current perilous situation.
"The Grand Secretary has done well enough, no need for self-blame."
Qin Ziheng said to Ye Ze'an, "Our opponents aren't fools either."
These words weren't merely to comfort Ye Ze'an but a genuine belief that he had done exceptionally well.
Ye Ze'an indeed hadn't predicted that the Buddhists would enable Ming Qi to breakthrough and become a saint, nor that Profound Heart True Monarch would attempt to kill Li Fei.
However, early on, when Wenren Zheng got trapped and Li Fei, bringing the Void Pool Clam, rushed to aid, he advised Qin Ziheng to dispatch the Sky Blue Cavalry!