Demoness, where are you Fleeing to?
Chapter 964 - 795: Zhongzi Golden Body (Seeking Monthly Tickets and Subscriptions)_2

Chapter 964: Chapter 795: Zhongzi Golden Body (Seeking Monthly Tickets and Subscriptions)_2

Oda Nobuyoshi dared not reveal that just a few days ago, an envoy from Jin had also visited him. As long as he was willing to turn coat and strike once, the title of ’Earl Owari’ was within easy reach.

Now Oda Nobuyoshi came to realize, to his surprise, that he was starting to feel a twinge of regret.

The invincible military might of Jin was unparalleled in the world, and Fusou could not stand against it.

Shiba Yoshiatsu nodded slightly, "That is indeed my concern. Actually, I’m not worried about my younger brothers, but rather the Togishi and Yamana.

The Togishi were the direct descendants of the Seiwa Minamoto clan, and at the height of their power controlled the three provinces of Mino, Owari, and Ise, holding the most fertile land in Fusou, commanding nearly a hundred thousand troops.

However, the previous Shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimura, forcibly seized the governorship of the three provinces from the Togishi, then granted Mino and Owari to the Shiba family.

The Togishi had always harbored resentment, and their regional power remained strong.

And then there was the Yamana, who at their peak controlled eleven separate countries, and were known as the One-Sixth Palace, but due to the Ashikaga Shogunate’s repression, they too suffered heavy losses.

Reflecting on this, Shiba Yoshiatsu couldn’t help feeling anxious. With a bitter smile, he said, "To go along may not ensure life, to resist may not mean certain death. If we meet before Mount Horn, it’s just a gamble. What have I to fear, ha."

These were the words Prince Huailiang returned to the Great Ancestor of Jin, and also the message Ashikaga Yoshinori had the Jin Envoy relay back to Prince Fenyang.

Shiba Yoshiatsu, who was also present at the time, felt greatly uplifted.

But now, he wished he could shove those words right back into Yoshinori’s mouth.

What Shiba Yoshiatsu didn’t know at the time was that a similar scene was unfolding across the entirety of Fusou.

Jin’s ironclad warships and military might were ravaging numerous coastal shrines, plundering the wealth of local lords, and setting ablaze the wheat fields everywhere.

This caused great alarm and unease amongst the lords and provincial leaders of Fusou’s sixty-six divided countries.

※※※※

Meanwhile, Li Xuan, situated above Naniwakyo, was not devoting too much energy to the war itself.

He was only concerned with the selection of leaders for each detachment, ensuring that those chosen were capable and cautious, to secure an absolute victory.

The Jingying Forbidden Army in Fusou indeed possessed the strength to overcome any tenfold force, with no equals in a direct battle. Their only concerns were the adverse weather changes and terrain, as well as possible ambushes.

Thus, Li Xuan didn’t demand his commanders to be overly skilled in combat or excessively brave, only that they were prudent and stable.

He didn’t care about how many people could be killed, but only aimed to destroy all the local shrines, then burn the wheat fields, effectively pushing the Fusou people into a corner.

Secondly, Li Xuan cared about the morale of his forces. Leading the army on an eastward campaign right before the Spring Festival season could severely dampen the army’s spirit.

Especially since these Jingying soldiers had joined him on a campaign to the steppes in the summer, two continuous campaigns within a year could easily lead to fatigue and slackness.

If it wasn’t for Li Xuan’s unmatched prestige within the army, the soldiers might have even mutinied by now.

However, with Jin’s conquest of the merchant-laden Naniwakyo and the plunder of many regional lords’ wealth, the morale of all 170,000 Jingying Forbidden Army soldiers was once again on the rise.

Fusou was rich in Gold and Silver, which were abundant here, with an exchange rate with Copper Coin of only one to four hundred, or even one to three hundred. In contrast, finely minted Copper Coins from Jin were in strong demand here.

Smugglers operating between Fusou and Jin could amass great wealth just through the illicit trade of Gold, Silver, and Copper Coins.

Hence, at this time, the Jin Army was basically flush with wealth, each man had obtained a great deal of riches, and they had an ample supply of meat to consume. Therefore, there was no longer any resistance to the idea of spending the New Year in Fusou.

Even the morale of the troops was boiling, eager to conquer Heiankyo and score a fortune there.

Li Xuan understood that this was far from a sustainable way of managing an army. The one hundred and seventy thousand Jingying Forbidden Army could no longer be used as they were.

He had decided that after the New Year, he would disband the majority of these troops, taking a selection of the elite to form the backbone and recruiting fresh blood.

However, for the present, he could only maintain the soldiers’ morale with gold and silver treasures. The one hundred and seventy thousand Jingying Forbidden Army were also sufficient to cope with the Fusou war efforts.

Therefore, Li Xuan had to devote most of his attention to his own cultivation.

After gaining the second level authority of the ’Zhoutian Stars Array,’ Li Xuan’s progress in cultivation was like a thousand miles in a day.

He was able to use the stars of Zhoutian for assisted visualization and the ’Dari Star Palace’ to refine impurities in his Primordial Spirit, strengthening his Primordial Spirit and the power of his Zhenyuan day by day.

Now, the main focus was his flesh. Li Xuan needed to raise his fifth level ’Vajra Invulnerability’ Golden Body to the sixth level ’immortal’ realm.

This was extremely difficult, as Qiu Qianqiu, famed for his Henglian Golden Body skill, had a body that was only at the peak of ’Vajra Invulnerability’.

For Li Xuan to achieve an ’immortal’ level Golden Body on the 12th house level was as difficult as reaching the heavens.

However, he had recently found a path different from that of his predecessors, and he was already seeing small achievements in his cultivation.

At this moment, he was integrating the power of the ’Dari Star Palace’ that he had drawn into himself, into the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart within him, as if he were transforming into a fierce sun.

"I always feel this is absurd,"

Lv Qiluo watched Li Xuan cultivate, her eyes filled with surprise and doubt, "Can there really be anything a hundred billion times stronger than steel in this world? Can you really achieve that?"

While manipulating the power of Dari, Li Xuan couldn’t help but smile, "Of course, there is! Such a phenomenon is called a neutron star. As for the results of cultivation, haven’t you seen it? However—"

Li Xuan frowned, "The problem is that the temperature is still far from enough! I need a higher temperature to aid the cultivation of this technique. Now, I wonder if Takamagahara will allow me to fulfill my wish?"

Lv Qiluo’s expression remained serene, "You need not worry about that. The remains of Emperor Dijun, the bones of the nine Crow Prince Jinwus, and even the Fusang Tree, are all hidden within Takamagahara. With Xihe and Lu Ya still present, Duke Dongwang would not dare disturb their remains. At most, he may allow Amaterasu Omikami to absorb their residual power."

A look of anticipation appeared in Li Xuan’s eyes.

And at that moment, Jianxing Divine General Fu Youde arrived soaring through the sky.

"Your Majesty!" Fu Youde knelt on one knee before the representation of Dari that was Li Xuan, "Just now, the Fusang Gods led a million heavenly soldiers out from Takamagahara and are marching towards Naniwakyo."

Li Xuan’s expression brightened, and with a slight flick of his sleeve, he ended the projection of the Dari Star Palace’s power.

"It seems they cannot hold back any longer."

A smile flickered on Li Xuan’s lips, "Issue orders to all the heavenly soldiers, to prepare for battle immediately!"

This was the second battle of ’Naniwakyo,’ a war between two great divine courts, which would also decide the victory or defeat of this battle for Fusou.

If victorious in this battle, not only would Takamagahara be easily within grasp, but the vast majority of his troops might even be able to return to Beijing to celebrate the New Year before the festivities."