Chapter 1 - The King of the Divine Strategists
The 6th day of the 6th month! The Chen Empire Nation, Fallen Dragon Cliff!
Gray clouds had covered the sky, a chilly breeze swept across the land, stationed in Fallen Dragon Cliff were tens of thousands of wounded soldiers. It was the image of a defeated army. And, in the middle of them all was a big yellow tent.
Within this big yellow tent, there were many officials, looking worriedly at the throne, which was in the north side of the tent.
On the throne sat a old man dressed in imperial robes. He was about the age of 60, he had a pale complexion and was constantly coughing. An attendant who was by his side would meticulously take care for him, occasionally wiping blood off his mouth.
Behind the throne, there was a white robed male who looked to be about 40, his hands were placed on the back of the old man dressed in imperial robes. It seemed like he was infusing True Qi into him, attempting to heal him.
“Puff!”
The Old man in imperial robes spat out a mouthful of blood. The healing session seemed to have ended, but it seems that there was no improvement, his complexion even turned paler.
“Imperial Father!” From the front of the crowd of officials, a middle age male wearing official robes suddenly exclaimed.
“Your majesty!” The crowd of officials all suddenly exclaimed.
The old man in imperial robes ignored everyone, but looked towards the man who was infusing True Qi into him.
“Third Granduncle, you don’t have to try to save me anymore, I am well aware of my condition, my cardiac vessels have ruptured, I was too careless!” the old man in imperial robes lightly sighed and stated in a bitter tone.
The man in white robes lightly sighed as well: “Chen Taiji, you have broken your cardiac vessels completely, you were too greedy and too aggressive this time! Why didn't you wait for me before you advanced?”
“I wanted to go all out to to obtain the victory for the sect, but I underestimated the divine strategist of the Song Empire Nation, Gao Xianzhi! He is really terrifying, when he was defending Nanjiang, I was not aware of his abilities. Originally, my army was having a smooth victory, everyone was in high spirits. Who knew after the Song King gave military control to Gao Xianzhi, it felt as though the heavens were helping them, it was very mysterious. Even though we had the advantage, we got absolutely destroyed by them. Despite the poor quality of their army, they were able to cause us to retreat. Ah, the Song King, he could actually bear to give up control! Cough! Cough!” Chen Taiji coughed as he stated bitterly.
“I told you before, this war between the Chen Empire and Song Empire had a deeper implication. It is not on the level you can comprehend. The Sect backing the Song Empire is like us, they have issued an absolute order, whichever side wins, the backing sect would be able to obtain the newly discovered Spirit Stone Mine!” the man in white robes sighed again.
“This grandson begs Third Granduncle to assassinate Gao Xianzhi, or else my Chen nation will suffer a crushing defeat, even to the point of the Chen Empire being exterminated!” Chen Taiji begged.
The man in white robes shook him head and frowned: “I said before, the implications are too deep, originally it was only over a Spirit Stone Mine, but, it attracted the attention of an important figure. That person wanted to see the battles of the secular whole, thus we were ordered to not interfere. Not to mention me, even the Sect leader would not offend that important figure for a secular nation.”
“What? You cannot interfere? Cough! Cough!” Chen Taiji coughed another mouthful of blood.
The man in white confidently nodded his head: “the backer of the Song Empire cannot interfere as well. So do not blame your injuries on the sect backing the Song Empire, it is all Gao Xianzhi’s fault!”
“Cough Cough Cough Cough Cough!” Chen Taiji starting coughing again.
“Report!”
A low ranking soldier rushed into the big tent, knelt on one knee, and looked at the pale emperor coughing blood, his face turned stiff.
“Speak!” Chen Taiji stared at that soldier.
“Reporting to the emperor, High Pass have been defeated!” The soldier said in a panic.
“What!? Cough! Cough! Cough!” Chen Taiji coughed blood once again.
“Report!”
Another low ranking soldier rushed into the big tent again.
“Reporting to the emperor, Perfect Mountain Pass have been defeated!”
“Report!”
“Reporting to the emperor, Jade Beauty Pass have been defeated!”
“Cough Cough Cough Cough Cough!”
The large tent was completely engulfed in silence, only the sound of the official’s anxious breathing and Chen Taiji’s coughing could be heard.
Chen Taiji actually managed to cough till there was some colour on his pale face.
The man in white robes frowned, he seemed to have sensed that this was Chen Taiji’s final outburst of energy and was about to die.
In the big tent, with a crowd of 100 officials , everyone was alarmed.
“Imperial Father, High Pass, Perfect Mountain Pass, Jade Beauty Pass, once these three passes are captured, all that’s left is a vast expanse, three quarters of my Chen Empire’s territory, we’re basically all finished!” A frightened look can be seen on that man in official robes.
The man in white robes sighed: “Lose, we are definitely going to lose. This Gao Xianzhi, what a great capability he has. The Chen Empire is helpless!”
Chen Taiji’s complexion is now flushed red: “Divine strategy? Divine strategy indeed, creating a misdirection and attacking 3 passes at the same time, scattering the army. What a guy, very capable! Cough! Cough! Cough!”
“Chen Taiji, let the crown prince succeed the throne, the Great Chen still has the Tiger Cage Pass, hopefully he can defend it for a little longer. Sigh! Actually what is the use? This battle is lost. I only pity your son, hopefully the sect leader would not take his anger out on your son!” The man in white robes had an ugly expression on his face.
“What? The anger of the Sect leader?” Chen Taiji looking at the man in white robes, unable to resist coughing.
The man in white was silent for a while, then nodded his head: “It is a possibility, even I will be implicated. This battle is being observed by an important figure, once Chen Empire loses the battle, that figure would be disappointed in our sect, the sect leader cares deeply about the impression that figure has of us. Or maybe, he would not be too angry, after all, the divine strategist they have is too capable……!”
Chen Taiji suddenly trembled, his eyes were not focused, as though he was making a very difficult decision.
“No, we have not lost, we still have Tiger Cage Pass, there is still Tiger Cage Pass!” Chen Taiji shouted when trembling.
“Tiger Cage pass? The Military strength of Tiger Cage Pass is the weakest, moreover, they are mostly imperial guards, who are different from the regular army. They do not have battle experience, furthermore, they are small in numbers. How are they going to hold their own against the army of the Song Empire? Moreover, you are about to die, your son is not a capable as you, if even you could not do it, what more can your son do? We have also already lost three quarters of our land, a big portion of our territory, we already lost the people’s support, what are you going to use to battle against the Song Empire? Not forgetting that they have the divine strategist, Gao Xianzhi! The Situation is deteriorating by the day, you can’t stop that trend!” The man in white robes sighed.
“No, we have yet to lose!” Chen Taiji was still trembling, showing a fierce expression.
“Just based on the scattered remains of our army? The extermination of our country cannot be prevented, Taiji, you are better off trying to think of ways to appease the sect leader!” the man in white robes bitterly said.
“Imperial father, what other methods do we have? The sect would not be willing to interfere……!” the crown prince said, showing a bitter expression.
Chen Taiji closed his eyes, his whole body still trembling, after a period of time, he said: “No, there is a person, he can overturn the situation, he definitely can!”
“Oh?” the man in white robes was surprised
The prince in the imperial robes expressed curiosity.
“My prince, go and beg him, as long as he is willing to come out from retirement, we would still be able to win, we definitely can! Cough! Cough! Cough!” Chen Taiji said as he coughed.
“Chen Taiji, this is no time to be joking. Currently, the Chen Empire is almost defeated, who would have the ability to overturn the situation? The Song Empire is united in will, and with the divine strategist Gao Xianzhi at their side, their morale is at a peak, so, without the sect interfering, there is no way to turn the situation in the battle!” the man in white robes said in disbelief.
“It is possible, he can do it, he definitely can!” Chen Taiji’s face was flushed red.
“Who? Imperial father, who is he? The crown prince asked in surprise
“Gu Hai!” Chen Taiji found it hard to say this name out. As though his body was not able to tolerate this man.
“The wealthiest man in 6 countries, Mister Gu?” The crown prince said in surprise
“The wealthiest man in 6 countries? Cough cough cough, Gu Hai? To think that before I die, I still have to come and beg you!” Chen Taiji smiled bitterly.
“Gu Hai? Isn’t he the one that started cultivating after he was 30 and wishfully thought of joining our sect despite his poor Natural Endowments?
“Third granduncle, you know him?” Chen Taiji looked at the man in white robes in amazement.
“I have seen him, most of the Golden Dan Realm cultivators in our sect have seen him. As long as we come to the secular world, that old man would somehow quickly find us, bribing us in many ways, asking to be accepted into the sect. But, his Natural Endowments are too inferior, thus his cultivation was delayed. He placed us in a difficult spot, by accepting him, we would be laughed at by other sects!” The man in white robes nodded his head.
“Gu Hai? Ah, I thought I manage to suppress him from all contact with the sect, who knew that he managed to find a way around it long ago. I was just unaware of it, hahaha, cough cough cough cough!” Said Chen Taiji bitterly while coughing blood.
“Chen Taiji, you said that Gu Hai has the ability to turn this around? Why are you so sure? He is only an ordinary mortal in the Houtain Realm.” the man in white robes frowned.
“Indeed, imperial father, he is only a merchant, is he able to rally the army for battle?” The crown prince anxiously asked.
“He definitely can! If Gao Xianzhi is the Divine Strategist, Gu Hai is the King of the Divine Strategists! My prince, lead the officials to go and beg him! You must do everything you can to persuade him, even if you have to kneel to him!” Chen Taiji said with resolve in his eyes
“Just a merchant? King of the Divine Strategists?”
“Third granduncle, do your best to fulfill his requests, he may only be a merchant and a mortal man, but only he can overturn the situation. In order to win, we need him! I guarantee it on the life of the crown prince!” Chen Taiji’s face reddened further.
The man in white robes looked at Chen Taiji, frowning silently. It was originally a hopeless situation that cannot be turned around, but Chen Taiji insisted that Gu Hai had the ability to do so? Furthermore, Chen Taiji does not seemed to be lying. The man in white robes slowly became solemn. After all, in this war between two nations, there was too much at stake, they could not afford to overlook any details.
“I will, the sect leader have given me some rights, as long as he does not go overboard, I will do my best to satisfy him!” The man in white robes solemnly said.
“My prince, after you get Gu Hai to come back, if you want to overturn the situation, you have to listen to him, regardless of whatever arrangement. One more thing, address him as Uncle Gu! He was once your father’s sworn brother! Cough cough!” Chen Taiji said bitterly amidst his weakness.
“Uncle Gu?” the crown prince had an expression of surprise.
“Lastly, tell him I’m sorry, I let him down that year!” Chen Taiji showing a trace of a pained and distressed expression.
After this last sentence, Chen Taiji closed his eyes, his red face quickly turned pale, he was no longer breathing.
“Imperial father!”
“Your majesty!”
“The Emperor had passed on!”
Both inside and outside the big tent, everyone immediately knelt and grieved.