Azure Heaven Saber
Chapter 1125 - 1125 44 The Couple in Chaotic Times Combined

Chapter 1125: Chapter 44: The Couple in Chaotic Times [Combined version] Chapter 1125: Chapter 44: The Couple in Chaotic Times [Combined version] Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, five years had passed.

In those five years, the entire configuration of the Anping Continent had undergone tremendous changes; it would not be an exaggeration to describe it as a drastic upheaval.

First of all, five years ago, the monster tide ravaged Purple Firmament Mountain, which directly led to Great Yan’s downfall. Its strength sharply decreased, and its national power ranked last among the seven nations, with its survival hanging by a thread— it was practically a country in name only.

If it were not for Qin country’s strategic considerations, destroying Yan State instantly would have been effortlessly achievable.

Even so, Yan State’s vast borders had almost entirely become Qin country’s playground, and its demise seemed only a matter of time.

On the verge of national collapse, the aristocrats of Yan State, for the first time, united like never before— setting aside all past grudges and working wholeheartedly for the rise and fall of the nation.

Regrettably, their realization came too late; Great Yan was already too weakened to recover.

The primary reason was the battle at Purple Firmament Mountain, where both the military and the Dark Division’s top officials and experts were almost completely annihilated.

There were no capable generals left inside, nor any usable soldiers outside.

No matter how much they set aside internal strife and cooperated with all their hearts, it was to no avail.

Third Prince Shu Mo roared in grief and anger in the court.

“All united, but to what avail?”

“When Yan State was prosperous, you fought for power and profit, continuously undermining each other, causing incessant internal strife and weakening the nation day by day; now that the nation is on the brink of destruction, what use is there in trying to reform? When the sheep are all gone, what can fixing the pen do?”

“Putting on an act of loyal and filial officials, for whom and to what effect?”

“What were you doing earlier?”

“Must the country be on the brink of collapse before you remember to protect it? In the end, isn’t it just out of panic because survival is at stake?”

All the ministers of Yan State were filled with shame.

Currently, Great Yan truly found itself at a dead end, unable even to manage minimal defenses or maintain a corner of peace.

Bai Yihwen, having suffered poison and severe injuries, had been recuperating at home, and now, in this national crisis, despite his limited strength, chose to step forward. He set up Yiwen Hall to support the situation and, with the support of Miao Sensen, tried his best to gather the remnants of Great Yan’s former mighty forces.

But regretfully… all the high-ranking officials of the former forces had almost all perished in the battle at Purple Firmament Mountain, barely one in a hundred survived.

This led to an incredibly grim reality: among all the surviving and returning masters of the forces, there were hardly any Cloud Top level experts, let alone Heavenly Level experts; there were only a few!

The highest cultivation levels in Yiwen Hall were merely at Heavenly Level Second Rank!

It was truly impossible to take any effective action.

Bai Yihwen also had resolutions, apart from issuing orders to maintain defense, he further suggested developing diplomatic strategies based on the principle of mutual interdependence in adversity, lobbying other countries, mobilizing collective efforts to resist Qin.

Under Bai Yihwen’s lobbying, while behaving in a subordinate role, he also formed alliances with Chu and Qi, interrelated in every aspect of suffering or support, working together.

The result of these efforts was the successful borrowing of troops from Qi and Chu, which were used to defend the borders of Great Yan. Despite the costs of leasing a great deal of cities, lands, and even populations and wealth, they opted for the lesser of two evils to ensure the survival of Yan State.

As it turned out, Yan State’s strategy of “better to aid allied nations than surrender to tyrannical Qin” proved quite effective, indeed stabilizing the situation in Yan State.

As the overall situation in Yan State gradually stabilized, in conjunction with Zhao and Han, pacts and alliances were offered, with Yan State expressing that should they wish to join forces in striking down Qin, after the success, the soils of Qin would not be coveted by Yan State, which would instead further gift three thousand li of borderland to them.

All these efforts clearly showed Yan State’s determination to survive at all costs.

Above all, these were the consensus reached by Bai Yihwen and Wen Shumo after their deliberations.

These two, who usually did not see eye to eye, finally cooperated sincerely in this national crisis.

Both were clearly aware: currently, while Yan State appeared the weakest, any country such as Qi or Chu could easily obliterate it; however, Qin country would not stand by and watch Yan State be destroyed. Not only would it not take action itself— in order to prevent public outrage—it would also block other countries from seizing the opportunity to annex Yan State.

Thus, the weakness of Yan State ironically became its camo.

However, navigating among the countries with a weak stance, fighting to survive, was not a long-term strategy.

Once other countries were also weakened, Yan State would inevitably become Qin’s primary target for eradication.

The only viable action for now, or perhaps Yan State’s sole existing method of self-preservation, was to completely stir up chaos across the world during this period.

And this, all countries were well aware of.

They equally understood that… Yan State could not be annihilated!— not just should not be annihilated, but must not fall through surrender!

If Yan State were to be vanquished, it would not matter. However, if other countries did not cooperate, and if Yan State, seeing no hope, truly decided to surrender to Qin country wholeheartedly…

That would be a real disaster.

Thus, although aware that Yan State’s behavior was intended to stir up trouble, perhaps even aiming to incite chaos, other countries could only initially cooperate. After all, under the premise of this grand strategy, the countries were still benefiting, so why not?

—All of the above were explicit strategies.

Consequently, the world suddenly plunged into great chaos.

Qi, Chu, Zhao, Han, Wei collectively took action, their military forces directly targeting Great Qin.

That same year, Wu Tiejun, Fei Xinyu, Ma Qiange, led military forces on three fronts, confronting Great Qi, sparking off the great battle.

As Qi country gradually could no longer hold back and began to retreat, Zhao State deployed its troops.

Great Zhao’s iron cavalries, in a fierce stance, confronted Great Qin’s Fei Family’s God of War.

In this battle, Zhao State’s two invincible commanders, Lian Mu and Li Po, struck together, one steady and the other cunning, tightly suppressing Qin’s main force.