Next to Zhou Yian, Fang Shuiwen and Yang Guixiang had already disappeared, soaring into the sky towards the Qin Dynasty's territory. They wanted to see for themselves what was happening, to understand the bizarre events that were unfolding.
Not just them, but representatives from other Southern Domain factions also flew into the sky, eager to witness the situation firsthand. But one thing was certain: this terrifying event was definitely connected to Lin Qian.
"Offend my Huaxia, and even if you are far away, you will be punished..." Zhou Yian could still hear this domineering and unyielding declaration echoing in his ears. He recognized the voice—it was unmistakably Lin Qian's.
At the same time, everyone in the sky above the Yuanhe River was staring at Lin Qian in shock. They had clearly heard his words, and they had also heard the same words echoing around them.
Even the most foolish among them could see that the strange phenomena in the distance were Lin Qian's doing.
Boom!
Suddenly, the waters of the Yuanhe River exploded as a large number of figures surged out, surrounding the Qin Dynasty's vanguard soldiers. Under the sunlight, this force of 100,000 heavily armored soldiers gleamed with a cold, menacing light, their eyes icy as they fixed on the vanguard.
Despite being outnumbered by 200,000, the aura emanating from the Huaxia Empire's soldiers, clad in soul-empowered armor, was formidable. Their strength was palpable, and from the overall aura of their forces, it was clear they far outmatched the vanguard in both strength and discipline.
"Attack!" Lin Qian coldly ordered, his gaze fixed on the terrified Eighth Elder and the vanguard general.
"Huaxia!" With Lin Qian's command, the force of spearmen, halberdiers, and longbowmen roared and charged towards the Qin Dynasty's vanguard.
"Form up for defense!" The vanguard general, seeing the oncoming attack, shouted in panic, ordering his troops to form a defensive line.
Despite the vanguard's quick response, the spearmen moved like fish through water, slipping into the formation and disrupting the carefully arranged ranks.
As the formation fell into disarray, the halberdiers charged in like unstoppable beasts, their powerful halberds smashing through the scattered soldiers.
"Damn it! Hold the line!" The vanguard general shouted in desperation as his soldiers were scattered. But before he could regroup, ten spearmen and ten halberdiers surrounded him, trapping him in a deadly dance.
The Eighth Elder, standing nearby, wore a look of resignation. The situation had spiraled completely out of control.
The entire vanguard was being cut apart by the spearmen and halberdiers, broken into smaller and smaller groups until they were nothing more than chaotic skirmishes.
Watching the vanguard general's futile attempts to rally his troops, Lin Qian couldn't help but find it amusing. The spearmen, halberdiers, and archers—three of the most disruptive units in any battlefield—had earned a reputation for causing chaos wherever they went. Once they entered an enemy formation, it was nearly impossible to restore order unless they were completely neutralized.
Whoosh!
A sharp whistle cut through the air as the archers raised their massive bows, eyes locking onto their targets. With a twang of bowstrings, their heavy arrows shot out at incredible speed.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The thick arrows, each as wide as an arm, pierced through the first Qin Dynasty soldier, the force carrying the arrow through several more before it finally embedded itself in the ground.
Even if the halberdiers had their backs turned, they seemed to sense the incoming arrows, dodging just in time. The arrows found their mark in the bodies of the Qin Dynasty soldiers instead, sending them flying with their deadly momentum.
The long-range attacks from the archers were devastating, often skewering dozens of soldiers with a single shot. After each attack, they would lower their bows to rest before readying for the next volley.
Under the coordinated assault of the Huaxia Empire's spearmen, halberdiers, and archers, the Qin Dynasty's vanguard was no match. One by one, the soldiers fell from the sky, their bodies swallowed by the raging waters of the Yuanhe River.
The allied forces could only watch in stunned silence, as if they were in a dream.
They had expected to be the ones to die, their bodies consumed by the river. But the tide of battle had turned so quickly that they were left dumbfounded, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
"So strong..."
This was their collective impression. The Qin Dynasty's military prowess was well known throughout the Southern Domain, but the Huaxia Empire's army was even more terrifying.
As they watched the battle, they couldn't find a single flaw in the Huaxia Empire's forces. Their coordination was flawless, without any mistakes.
Though each of these soldiers fought as individuals, in the eyes of the observers, they seemed to move as one, their teamwork seamless.
However, they were puzzled. When they had been hiding at the bottom of the Yuanhe River, they hadn't seen any of the Huaxia Empire's soldiers. Where had they come from?
"There was an illusion array at the bottom of the river, hiding my soldiers," Lin Qian's voice answered their unspoken question.
Seeing the confusion in their eyes, Lin Qian decided to provide a brief explanation to avoid unnecessary complications.
He still remembered Yuan Xiang's advice:
"Let them know you have a powerful army, but never let them know you can summon that army at will."
The Qin Dynasty's vanguard was being decimated, their numbers dwindling rapidly. However, the general and the Eighth Elder, both at the Awakening Realm, were proving difficult to defeat.
"It wouldn't be right to let the Huaxia Empire do all the work while we just watch," the barrel-nosed elder from the Xiaoyao Sect grumbled, tugging at his beard. Turning to the four elders from the Shuangji Palace and the Blood Spirit Valley, he said, "Let's take care of that general and traitor from the Qin Dynasty!"
"Everyone else, stay where you are and don't interfere. Just watch."
Before charging into battle, the Xiaoyao Sect elder made sure to remind everyone to stay put.
The five Awakening Realm elders launched a coordinated attack, quickly overwhelming the exhausted general and the Eighth Elder.
Within moments, the Qin Dynasty's general and the Eighth Elder had been captured and brought before Lin Qian.
"Emperor Lin, our lives are yours. These two traitors are yours to deal with as you see fit," the barrel-nosed elder said, bowing respectfully to Lin Qian in admiration.