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"The Western Sea Army has arrived? Splitting forces into three directions?"

Within Lyuzhou, ever since Wei Gongcheng went to Daqing Mountain, Ali and Shen San had been holding down the fort here. But upon hearing this news, both Shen San and Ali were momentarily stunned.

To have reinforcements returning to Jiangnan at this time should have been a good thing, considering the dire internal situation.

If the one returning were Xuu Hu, Shen San would feel completely at peace.

Xuu Hu is meticulous in his actions; his return would signify that there are no concerns left at the border.

But it’s the Western Sea Army that’s coming back...

Tian Heng is unpredictable at heart. While he’s never outright betrayed anyone in previous instances, it’s evident that he’s a general who favors taking risks. His return might not signify betrayal, but the border’s safety is not necessarily guaranteed either.

Soon, Shen San brought Ali to the city gate. Ali is now Jiangnan’s most critical asset; if those ancient temples suddenly cause trouble, he might be the only one who can reverse the tide for Jiangnan. He must not be allowed to stray far.

"Old Wolf, what’s the situation?"

Atop the city gate, Shen San ran his fingers over the wall and asked softly.

"The army is stationed fifty miles away, and only Tian Heng has come here alone."

Old Wolf was also highly alert at this moment. As the Gate Deity, he had previously been tricked outside, almost leading to Lyuzhou’s fall. He had felt guilty for a long time. As an outdated Wolf King now encountering such an opportunity, he knew he shouldn’t have been so lax before.

"He’s come alone?" Shen San felt slightly relieved upon hearing this. At least Tian Heng had shown sincerity, which hinted it wasn’t a betrayal.

"But there’s something unusual about the Western Sea Army."

"What’s unusual?" Shen San’s previously settled nerves tightened again upon hearing this.

"They’re strong!" Door God Old Wolf said somberly. "Far stronger than before. Almost every soldier is transcendent, likely far surpassing the Warrior Army. They’re almost on par with the Four Holy Army’s scale. You must be cautious."

"What?" Shen San froze, sucking in a cold breath.

In just a few days, the Western Sea Army’s strength had increased so noticeably?

Even a sudden influx of the Power of Faith wouldn’t achieve this; converting faith into power takes time and requires cultivation. This was precisely why the Western Sea Army always lagged behind the Warrior Army.

Xuu Hu would allocate the Power of Faith to individuals with greater potential and talent.

Meanwhile, Tian Heng’s command was convoluted, often with mediocrity consuming more faith. Thus, even with more resources, the Western Sea Army’s overall strength remained inferior to the Warrior Army.

A sudden surge in strength in just a few days—this absolutely wasn’t due to the Power of Faith. Tian Heng... there’s an issue!!

Shen San glanced at Ali, who nodded slightly before turning toward the soldiers stationed atop the city gate. Within the span of two breaths, he transformed into the appearance of an ordinary soldier, prompting Old Wolf and Shen San to rub their hands together, astonished.

The Thousand-Faced Fox’s ability... truly defied imagination!

"Shen Yuan, let General Tian come up."

Shen Yuan nodded upon hearing this. As the formation opened, Tian Heng appeared atop the city gate almost instantaneously.

Both Shen Yuan and Shen San were startled, their vigilance ramping up.

They had underestimated the capabilities of a Warrior. Covering a distance of fifty miles in the blink of an eye—if Tian Heng had intended to attack just then, they wouldn’t even have had time to respond with a technique!

"General Tian..." Shen San quickly regained his composure and frowned, asking, "What brings you here this time?"

"To annihilate the Buddhists!" Tian Heng didn’t waste words, promptly recounting his experiences over the past two days.

Upon hearing Tian Heng’s claim that Shen Er had encouraged him to have soldiers take medicine, Shen San’s brows furrowed.

So the sudden strengthening of the Western Sea Army was due to this.

"Do you have confidence?" Shen San asked, frowning. "Splitting forces into three directions?"

"Either don’t act at all or eliminate them thoroughly!" Tian Heng said in a low voice. "We have no knowledge of the capabilities of these Buddhas. If we only target one or two regions, they may grow desperate; the other regions might directly retaliate against you."

Shen San nodded at these words. That was true—he hadn’t been able to approach the inner workings of those temples, yet he could sense the presence of powerful figures within.

These figures hadn’t made a move yet. If they weren’t eradicated in one swift strike, there was a risk of sudden retaliation.

"Are your subordinates reliable?" Shen San asked about the critical issue.

The Western Sea Army couldn’t compare to the Warrior Army. Its middle-tier personnel were notoriously unreliable. If commanded collectively under Tian Heng’s leadership, they could barely function. But splitting up... Tian Heng’s army lacked talent capable of independent command.

"Those participating in the battle this time are soldiers who’ve taken the medicine. They’re mostly from collateral lines and affiliated families’ illegitimate branches. I’ve promoted most of the qualified ones, and the former deputy general has already secretly left to deliver a report."

"You... are..." Shen San inhaled sharply.

Tian Heng... is gambling big this time.

If this maneuver fails, not only will the Western Sea Army be decimated, but even the staunch supporters within his faction will grow alienated. This essentially strips Tian Heng of any remaining leverage.

Back then, Tian Heng’s swift rise to prominence stemmed mainly from his private army. If that collapses, then going forward...

"Most of the soldiers under my command are good men. After this battle, I ask Shen San to treat them well," Tian Heng said sincerely.

Compared to Shen Er, he was more comfortable trusting Shen San. He even intended to arrange for talented individuals like Tian Liang to be stationed in Nanyang City. Though Nanming Prefecture was the Jiangnan Capital, in terms of development and heritage, Nanyang City was better.

Shen San was also a far superior superior.

"Rest assured, General Tian. If Western Sea Army soldiers join my Nanyang Hell Ruler faction, I will groom them as trusted subordinates," Shen San promised.

"Then I am relieved." Tian Heng nodded. "Speed is crucial in warfare. I ask that you accompany me now."

"Now? What about Lyuzhou?"

"Lyuzhou was previously just a small city. As far as I know, it has the fewest Buddhist temples—only one. With simultaneous suppression, Nanyang City requires more military force."

"Alright..." Shen San understood Tian Heng’s reasoning. It was true—before Chen Qing’s arrival, Lyuzhou was merely a well-developed city in Jiangnan, far inferior to Nanyang City and Nanming Prefecture in status.

"I’ll leave a hundred Four Holy Army soldiers and ten thousand elite Western Sea Army troops here, commanded by Tian Liang, an outstanding young talent. Nanming Prefecture’s leading figure will primarily be Shen Er. For Lyuzhou, Mr. Shen San, who do you plan to assist with the leadership?"

"Shen Yuan, I suppose..." Shen San glanced at Shen Yuan beside him. "Shen Yuan is calm and capable, with array techniques learned directly from Chen Ying. He should work well supporting Tian Liang."

"Is Chen Ying... still unwell?" Tian Heng frowned.

Shen San shook his head. "After the last incident, Chen Ying forcibly activated the Azure Dragon Heritage, suffering tremendous strain. She’s been comatose ever since."

"I see..." Tian Heng nodded. "What a pity. If she were here, this trip to Nanyang would be much more secure."

"The current state of Jiangnan is perilous. General Tian taking initiative to turn the tables is a bold but viable strategy. We can only gamble this time. I ask that General Tian go ahead and prepare the deployment while I issue a few instructions here."

Tian Heng nodded and disappeared once again.

After Tian Heng’s departure, Shen Yuan immediately reset the formation. He then turned to Shen San, his face heavy with concern.

"What have you noticed?" Shen San asked Shen Yuan.

"Second Master Shen would never do something like this. It’s either... Tian Heng is lying, or... something has gone wrong with Second Master Shen!!"