To achieve immortality, I cultivate using Qi Luck

Chapter 820: Chapter 353: Ambitious Purgatory

After the onset of the cold wave, the world always found winter arriving earlier than expected.

On the second day after the Ning Country’s army arrived outside the city of Jiangxia, an unexpected blizzard began to drift toward the Earth.

In just one night, the originally verdant land was shrouded in a blanket of snow. @@novelbin@@

However, this first heavy snowfall of winter did not stop people’s activities.

Driven by a strong will, soldiers both inside and outside the city started to move. Under the drive of their officers, braving the bitter cold of winter, they shakily made their way out of the camp gate.

The sound of the golden drum rose, accompanied by rebukes and the guidance of flags, and the bustling Ning People’s main camp, already densely packed, instantly came alive.

Soldiers crawled out from their tents and, led by their corporals and sergeant leaders, formed up into ranks. Soon, several ranks of soldiers gathered into a squad under the leadership of the platoon leader, and then combined with each other to reorganize into units. Eventually, five units came together to form the most basic battle array, arrayed on the battlefield.

Shen Qiu, accompanied by a group of officials, stood atop the lofty watch car, beneath which countless war horses struggled to pull. The watch car slowly left the camp and approached the central battlefield.

The watch car towered ten zhang high, crafted from numerous large, sturdy trees and finely wrought metal parts, both solid and majestic.

Standing on the terrace atop the watch car, one could almost look levelly at the mid-mountain behind the city of Jiangxia.

From this vantage point, the entire city lay bare.

Shen Qiu sucked in a breath of cold air as he looked at the various watchtowers and arrow towers on the hillside, densely arranged with catapults and crossbows, the twisting roads up the mountain, the perilous terrain, and at the foot of the mountain, the city walls built against the hill, rising three zhang high.

Although he rarely led troops into battle and his experience was limited, he had been the Grand General of Pre-Yue. He still had a fair understanding of military affairs and battle formations.

Now, just by looking at the city of Jiangxia ahead and observing the various defensive installations within, he could tell without even attacking that this was undoubtedly one of the most impregnable cities in the world.

To break through such a city by ordinary means would be as difficult as reaching heaven.

Even if they managed to take it, the final casualties would be unimaginable.

After estimating the potential losses from attacking the city, Shen Qiu couldn’t help but slap the railing beside him and cursed inwardly, “Such an impregnable city in a land of strategic importance, yet it falls into the hands of Chu thieves and not under the control of the Royal Teacher. The Xiao Yue’s clan indeed deserve to be condemned as the sinners of Jinling.”

No wonder Shen Qiu felt such resentment, even blaming the royal family of the former dynasty that had abdicated.

The messy situation they left Pre-Yue was just too huge and ineffectual.

Since their Coastal Aristocratic Family migrated south, for thousands of years, they had made their way through thorns and thistles, carrying the legacy of the Three Emperors, and continuously conquered various Barbarian tribes.

In this process of conquest, they faced countless hardships and suffered many calamities, even facing annihilation more than once.

But no matter how great the difficulties or dangers, the Coastal Aristocratic Family, with united efforts, always managed to survive and soon welcomed new developments.

Even with dynastic changes, despite frequent setbacks, the power still alternated within the six families and seven clans. The territories initially conquered were also mostly intact, without significant loss of soldiers or land.

However, in the final years of Pre-Yue, all previous conventions were broken.

First came the establishment of three nations: Changsha, Southsea, Ninghai; then Xichuan and Hanzhong emerged, and finally, these vassal states gradually broke away from the tribute system of the Jinling dynasty. Ning Country completely lost the lands west of the great river and south of the Wuling mountains.

The loss of these lands almost signified the collapse of a thousand years of developments through four generations of dynasties.

The Coastal Aristocratic Families, including the Jinling dynasty, lost half of their interests at once.

Such a significant loss and setback naturally left Shen Qiu and the other nobles and officials of the aristocratic families feeling bitter resentment.

It was this resentment that caused the Xiao Family, who had abdicated and become one of the seven clans in recent years, to be quite unpopular and ostracized by the other families.

If it were not for the fact that each family had marital ties with the Xiao Family, with numerous daughters both wedded into and brought from the Xiao Family, making their relationships inseparably close, they would have long banded together to eliminate the Xiao Family and vent their hatred.

Fortunately, the Xiao Family also realized this point and knew they were disliked. In recent years, they kept a very low profile, with their family members choosing to stay indoors, becoming virtually invisible.

Out of sight, out of mind; few people bothered to trouble them.

But now, looking at Jiangxia city, gazing at that incredibly strong, nearly invincible fortress, Shen Qiu couldn’t help but curse upon recalling who was to blame for the loss of the city.

It was clear how much it still irritated him.

Next to Shen Qiu stood a Brave General who followed by his side, who twitched his brows upon hearing Shen Qiu’s muffled curse.

This Brave General was none other than the newly appointed Marquis Wuan Bai Yian, who, four years ago, received Shen Qiu’s support, succeeded in Breaking through Innate, and inherited his grandfather’s title.

Since breaking through to Innate and inheriting his ancestor’s martial legacy, Bai Yian, with his innate martial arts capable of merging with military spirit, rapidly stood out among his peers and became one of the top three masters in Ning Country, second only to Shen Qiu.

Because his Innate martial arts were particularly well-suited to leading troops, for this expedition, Shen Qiu brought Bai Yian along as the deputy commander of the main forces, assisting him in commanding the 400,000 soldiers under his command.