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Chapter 243: A Thousand Years of Melancholy

"Roar～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～"

Three hundred thousand warriors roared in unison. As the Deer King raised his arm, each soldier brandished their sword, channeling their qi into a collective strike aimed at the grand formation surrounding Cangyun Sect. The sheer force of their bellow reverberated through the heavens, prompting members of Cangyun Sect to emerge in alarm, only to scurry back inside at the sight of the overwhelming army.

Three hundred thousand sword beams!

"Attack～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～" The Deer King bellowed.

"Attack～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～"

The three hundred thousand soldiers echoed his cry, their voices thundering across the land, shaking the very foundations of the mountains and valleys. Birds scattered in panic, and beasts fled wildly. Even the most rugged peaks crumbled under the force of the combined shout, an overwhelming sonic wave that flattened everything in its path.

The soldiers' synchronized actions were even more formidable. Three hundred thousand sword beams sliced towards the grand formation of Cangyun Sect with devastating power. Each warrior unleashed their mightiest strike, a collective assault of unimaginable strength. The weakest among them were at the Golden Core stage, with countless Nascent Soul stage cultivators, over twenty Fusion stage generals, and even the Emperor Realm powerhouses like the Deer King and Wu An.

It was an overwhelming strike.

Under this colossal attack, the grand formation of Cangyun Sect shone like a comet striking the earth, radiating light in all directions.

"Boom～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～"

The terrifying impact seemed to warp the very fabric of space around it. While the power of one person might be limited, the combined force of ten or a hundred was immense. And here, it was the synchronized strike of three hundred thousand warriors. Despite the formidable defense of the Cangyun Sect's grand formation, it couldn't withstand the sheer number of assailants. The formation twisted under the pressure, expanding and then bursting outward in a blinding explosion. The force shattered the formation, sending debris of mountains and trees flying into the sky. Dust and smoke billowed up in great clouds.

Cangyun Sect was destroyed!

Although the people within were unharmed, the sect's buildings were reduced to ruins. Even the floating islands collapsed, mountains crumbled, and rivers reversed their flow. It was the greatest calamity Cangyun Sect had ever faced.

As the three hundred thousand sword beams struck, the sect leader of Cangyun Sect swiftly led a few disciples towards the main hall where Zhong Shan was located. With a flurry of hand seals, he erected a protective barrier around the hall.

The hall remained unscathed, but the rest of the sect lay in ruins. The disciples of Cangyun Sect stared blankly at the sky, unable to comprehend the sudden appearance of such a massive army and the catastrophic destruction that followed. What was happening? How could this be real?

Zhong Shan, Princess Qianyou, and Ruyan emerged slowly from the main hall, gazing at the smoke and debris that engulfed Cangyun Sect. Zhong Shan's eyes flickered with disbelief. What had happened? How had Cangyun Sect come to resemble the aftermath of an explosion?

As the sect leader and the elite warriors of Cangyun Sect, along with Qiushui and others, stood on the outskirts, they gazed at the seemingly endless clouds of smoke and dust. Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind swept through the air, dispersing the smoke completely.

Zhong Shan observed from a distance. Atop a distant mountain peak stood the Deer King and Wu An, along with a sprawling army of nearly three hundred thousand soldiers. It was clear that this vast force had wrought the destruction upon Cangyun Sect. Wu An gestured with his hands, obviously the source of the wind that had cleared the smoke.

"Princess Qianyou, Zhong Shan, long time no see!" The Deer King shouted excitedly.

After nearly two and a half months of searching, he had finally found them! The Deer King could hardly contain his excitement. Zhong Shan frowned slightly at the sight of the arrogant Deer King in the distance. Princess Qianyou's eyes flashed with a hint of anxiety, while Ruyan remained as serene as ever, a touch of melancholy in her expression.

"Deer King, you are quite audacious!" A voice suddenly rang out from nowhere, filled with authority and echoing through the ruins of Cangyun Sect and beyond, even reaching the ears of the three hundred thousand soldiers. This voice was brimming with a boldness that seemed to disregard all opposition.

Upon hearing this voice, Zhong Shan and Princess Qianyou exchanged glances, and Ruyan's previously calm demeanor became agitated. Her hands clenched, and she looked torn between wanting to rush forward and holding herself back.

The members of Cangyun Sect were thrilled upon hearing the voice, especially Qiushui, who broke into a joyful smile. Only the sect leader remained with a look of guilt, his expression unchanged.

The Deer King's expression also shifted upon hearing the voice. He immediately moved to capture Zhong Shan and Princess Qianyou, but he was a step too late. Just as he was about to act, three figures appeared out of nowhere, blocking his path. And from a distance, an even larger army was approaching swiftly—troops from the Da Guang Empire, and their numbers far exceeded those of the Deer King's forces.

Seeing the swelling ranks of the Da Guang army, the Deer King felt a new wave of frustration wash over him, far more intense than the frustration of the past two months when he had been unable to find Zhong Shan and Princess Qianyou. The term "frustrated to the point of tears" aptly described the Deer King's current state of mind—he felt an immense, suffocating sense of powerlessness.

When generals meet, the stakes are high.

Intruding into the territory of Da Guang without launching an invasion was a deliberate decision, as Da Guang had its own strategic considerations. Both sides had maintained an unspoken agreement not to escalate to a full-scale war. However, there was one caveat: if the generals of both sides ever met, it would signify the start of a war. The only options would be for the Deer King to retreat immediately or for the two empires to officially commence hostilities.

The Deer King certainly didn't want a war between the two empires. This meant he would have to retreat, taking all the troops of the Great Yu Empire with him, effectively acknowledging Da Guang's sovereignty. Otherwise, it would mean war.

The approaching figure was none other than the Grand Marshal of the Da Guang Empire, Xiao Wang.

Zhong Shan and Princess Qianyou were so close, almost within arm's reach, but in this critical moment, the Deer King was blocked. His frustration was evident, his face flushed red with anger, despite his status as a powerful Emperor Realm cultivator.

The sensation of being so close to victory only to be thwarted was unbearable for the Deer King. It was as if he was caught between life and death, a tormenting sensation.

"Xiao Wang!～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～" The Deer King roared at the figure who had suddenly appeared to block him.

As soon as Xiao Wang appeared in the sky, Princess Qianyou quickly explained to Zhong Shan.

"Xiao Wang is the Grand Marshal of the Da Guang Empire. He was appointed fifty years ago and is known for his strict military discipline and brilliant strategy. He has never lost a battle and has a unique talent for unifying his troops, fostering a sense of shared purpose and resilience. Many consider him a once-in-a-millennium military genius. It's a pity he was appointed fifty years too late; otherwise, many would have anticipated his clash with Yi Yan from a century ago," Princess Qianyou explained to Zhong Shan.

"Xiao Wang?" Zhong Shan looked up at the sky with a frown.

At that moment, it seemed as if time stood still for Ruyan. She gazed upward, her expression a mixture of breathlessness and a hint of release. Xiao Wang, the figure at the forefront of the three, stood commanding as more troops gathered behind him—first the Integration stage cultivators, then the Nascent Soul stage, followed by the Golden Core stage. In an instant, the ruins of Cangyun Sect were surrounded by an unending sea of soldiers, transforming the place into a battlefield between two great empires.

"Deer King, it's time for you to go back!" Xiao Wang said with a cold smile.

The Deer King's face flushed with anger, his entire body trembling with rage. Though he possessed the strength to fight, the complexities of an inter-empire war went far beyond personal grudges, and he couldn't afford to act rashly.

"Tears drop into the mortal world, lamenting the passage of time, difficult to retrieve, never seeing my beloved. For you, I've kept a thousand-year intoxication, harboring hate, my beloved..."

Before Zhong Shan, Ruyan suddenly started singing the song that had accompanied her for a thousand years. It was the first song taught to her by Xiao Bingyi.

"Tears drop into the mortal world, lamenting the passage of time, difficult to retrieve, never seeing my beloved. For you, I've kept a thousand-year intoxication, harboring hate, my beloved..."

In the midst of an intense standoff between nearly eight hundred thousand soldiers from both sides, a haunting and sorrowful melody suddenly echoed through the air. The song, hailing from a thousand years ago, felt strangely out of place. The Deer King, his face still flushed, turned his gaze downward.

On the other side, among the Da Guang Empire's forces, Xiao Wang led his generals, many of whom also turned to look downward, puzzled. One man beside Xiao Wang widened his eyes in disbelief.

Xiao Wang, however, did not immediately turn his head. Tears streamed down his cheeks as if he was afraid to look. He took a deep breath.

"Father Marshal!" exclaimed the man beside Xiao Wang, his voice tinged with incredulity.

Scenes from the past replayed in Xiao Wang's mind—the moment when Xiao Bingyi was rescued from the brink of death. Two adopted sons, having just entered the celestial sect, knelt before a coffin. Xiao Bingyi, upon waking, tried to revive Ruyan, only to find she was already dead, her life force completely extinguished. With a heart full of sorrow, Xiao Bingyi sealed the coffin, instructing all nearby residents to leave and not disturb Ruyan's rest. From then on, he adopted the name Xiao Wang, a name change that his two adopted sons followed, in an attempt to forget a painful past that was best left unremembered.

Over a thousand years, one adopted son became the leader of Cangyun Sect, while the other stayed by Xiao Wang's side, rising through the ranks within the Da Guang Empire. Xiao Wang himself had ascended to the esteemed position of Grand Marshal of the Da Guang Empire, earning renown throughout the land.

There was a time when Xiao Wang believed he had truly forgotten the past, but since taking the name 'Xiao Wang,' he was destined never to forget. Tears streaming down his face, Xiao Wang slowly turned his head.