"Give the order, seize the Tianhuo Domain!"
Outside ’Yinshan Pass’, Lv Bu stood ramrod straight, observing the corpses scattered everywhere, and commanded in a deep voice. In his right hand, he gripped a blood-stained halberd, from which fresh blood dripped continuously, splashing onto the ground like macabre, beautiful flowers.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
Millions of Qin Dynasty soldiers raised their weapons and roared in unison. After the fierce battle, their armor, hair, and shoes were all drenched in enemy blood, emitting a nauseating tallic tang. But this was the very symbol of their victory. A dense killing aura emanated from the soldiers, coalescing into a blood-red cloud in the sky above. Even the vultures circling overhead were terrified and fled in disarray. At this mont, the soldiers of the Qin Dynasty were like ferocious tigers, ready to make the world tremble with their roar!
"March!"
Adhering to the principle that speed is paramount in warfare, Lv Bu did not allow the soldiers to rest and directly ordered the attack. Ten subordinate generals stepped forward, each exuding the aura of the Peak of the Realm. After saluting Lv Bu, they each led their respective armies to advance in different directions. Prior to the assault, Lv Bu had formulated a detailed battle plan: the forces would be divided into eleven prongs. Ten generals would each lead an army to capture key cities in the Tianhuo Domain, while he would command the main force to assault the Holy City. Only by this strategy could they capture the entire Tianhuo Domain within five days!
From high above, one could see eleven blood-red dragons weaving through the skies of the Tianhuo Domain. Their murderous aura spread far and wide, causing the common people living on this land to tremble to their very cores. Nearly every couple of hours, a city of the Holy Fire Sect was captured.
Requests for reinforcents fluttered like snowflakes to the Pope’s palace. However, at this point, Duan Yonghui was barely able to protect himself and had no ti to deal with them. After a long wait with no hope in sight, many cities opened their gates and chose to surrender.
「...」
In the hinterlands of the Purple Lightning Domain, a million-strong army andered forward. Streaks of murderous light rippled through the Void, and a thick, unstoppable aura of Evil Qi surged forth from them; it was evident they had just concluded a battle.
"Report! The headquarters of the Ten Thousand Thunder Sect is a hundred miles ahead!" a Scout, executing a movent technique, flew in from afar, leaving several afterimages in the Void before landing respectfully in front of the army to report.
"Continue the reconnaissance!" Zhao Yun, atop his warhorse, commanded in a deep voice.
He lifted his head, gazing into the distance where countless palace clusters could be vaguely seen atop the mountains. A cold sneer touched his lips.
It’s ti for this to end!
The Scout saluted again, transford into a streak of light, and vanished.
As the Qin Empire’s invincible army drew near, an oppressive silence fell over the interior of the Ten Thousand Thunder Sect. From the Sect Master down to the ordinary Disciples, everyone was gripped by profound unease.
"Sect Master, the Qin Empire has given us two options: either surrender or be annihilated!" the Chief Elder reported sorrowfully.
Upon hearing this, the others turned deathly pale, their faces like ash. Their last sliver of hope had been extinguished. Only endless despair remained.
"Then... then what should we do?" the Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Thunder Sect asked, his voice trembling. The re thought of the Qin Empire’s terrifying power sent a chill down his spine.
The assembled figures hung their heads low, mired in silence.
After a while, the Chief Elder spoke reluctantly, "We can only... surrender..." On one hand was life and death; on the other, the sect. He could only choose the forr, because by choosing survival, they could still live. Choosing the sect ant only death.
The Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Thunder Sect shuddered, his hands hidden in his sleeves trembling violently. His mouth twitched as if he wanted to refuse, but he could not bring himself to utter the words. Reason told him that the Chief Elder’s decision was correct. Facing the utterly terrifying Qin Empire, the Ten Thousand Thunder Sect stood no chance. Continued resistance would only cost tens of thousands of lives and change nothing.
"This is terrible!"
A Disciple then stumbled in, his face ghastly white, lips bloodless, and eyes wide with terror. He fell to his knees and reported, "Sect Master, disaster! The Qin Empire’s army has appeared outside our mountain gates! They could attack at any mont!"
"What?"
The elders seated in their chairs leaped up as if their seats were on fire, instantly panicking. They exchanged glances, and after a silent consensus, they all cupped their fists and said in unison, "Sect Master, let us surrender!"
The Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Thunder Sect’s face grew even paler.
"Very well... as you say!" After a long pause, he closed his eyes tightly and waved his hand weakly. Deep within his eyes, tears welled, though they did not fall.
It was over! Everything was over!
The heritage of over one hundred thousand years was dood to utter destruction from the mont he spoke those words.
"Thank you, Sect Master!"
The nurous elders saluted and marched out of the hall in unison, heading towards the sect’s main gate to respectfully welco the Qin Empire’s army.
In the blink of an eye, the spacious Grand Hall was empty save for the Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Thunder Sect, who silently bore his pain. Before he realized it, his right hand had moved to the hilt of his sword.
At the foot of the mountains, Zhao Yun watched as the gates of the Ten Thousand Thunder Sect swung open. Tens of thousands of Disciples laid down their weapons and stood respectfully before their sect. A faint smile appeared on his cold face. "Have they surrendered?"
"General, should we go in and investigate?" an officer asked, still sowhat apprehensive.
"No need!" Zhao Yun shook his head. With his Saint-level perception, he knew there were no powerful auras within the Ten Thousand Thunder Sect; an ambush was impossible. Besides, even if there were an ambush, what of it? Could a few insignificant whelps from the Sky Thunder Sect possibly kill him, a Saint? Even if faced with tens of thousands of enemies, he could break them all with a single thrust of his spear!
A quarter of an hour later, the Qin Empire’s army entered the Ten Thousand Thunder Sect and took control of the entire sect. Over one hundred thousand Disciples from the Ten Thousand Thunder Sect beca prisoners, confined within various buildings, awaiting the judgnt of the Qin Imperial Court.
"Weakness... is indeed the original sin!"
In Wanlei Hall, the Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Thunder Sect heaved his final sigh. With a sudden pull, he unsheathed his battle sword. A cold glint flashed, followed by a spurt of crimson blood that stained the ground red. He would accompany the Ten Thousand Thunder Sect on its final journey with his own life!
The victors are lauded by all! The losers receive no sympathy! This once-glorious ruler, after his death, had no mausoleum—only a common pit in the earth, without so much as a decent gravestone.
「...」
The news of the Ten Thousand Thunder Sect’s surrender quickly spread throughout the Purple Lightning Domain, plunging the other three major powers, who occupied the remaining half of the territory, into silence.
"Sigh! We fought the Ten Thousand Thunder Sect for over one hundred thousand years, only to be annihilated by an outside force in the end!"
In the Mingyue Sect, the current Sect Master gazed at the intelligence report in his hand, overwheld with emotion. Then, he set the report down, picked up a brush and paper, and wrote a letter of surrender. The elders below watched their Sect Master’s actions, their eyes filled with sorrow, yet no one tried to stop him. Mingyue Sect, too, was heading towards extinction.
Almost simultaneously, the Purple Lightning Sect and the Panshan Sect submitted their letters of surrender to the Qin Empire, expressing their unconditional capitulation, begging only for their lives to be spared.
Thus, the unification of the Purple Lightning Domain was completed—though it was a unification under the Qin Empire!
"Ding! Congratulations, Host, for conquering the Purple Lightning Domain. You have signed in and obtained the world-class statesman, Wang Yangming!"
Far away in the Imperial Capital, Qin Wudao heard the system’s notification. A faint smile touched his lips as he began to examine the information on Wang Yangming.
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