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"Ho... How do we counter?"

The one asking was Tian Heng. Among those present, he was undoubtedly the foremost expert in military strategy. Even Chen Qing, despite his knack for calculations and scheming, was like a junior apprentice when facing a seasoned Marshal like Tian Heng.

From a military perspective, Tian Heng couldn’t fathom how to counter the forces of the Heaven’s Court as Chen Qing had suggested earlier.

They could deploy troops downward at will, yet you couldn’t climb the Ladder to Heaven to face them. They have full knowledge of the terrain and arrangements below, while you’re entirely blind to the structures and formations above the Heaven’s Court.

They can constantly monitor your movements, but you have no clue about their deployments.

With such mobility and exaggerated reconnaissance capabilities, Tian Heng simply couldn’t imagine how this type of army could lose.

And to actively counter them? With what? Your own head?

Everyone’s gaze turned toward Chen Qing. Even Shen Thirteen, not particularly versed in military affairs, understood that this kind of army was indeed absurdly formidable.

"It’s possible to counter them. Everything in this world has opposing sides, so does the Heaven’s Court.

" Chen Qing squinted his eyes and explained, "As suffering accumulates in the Mortal World, spiritual energy is on the brink of a massive eruption. Whether it’s gathering future resources of spiritual power or vying for the most precious Daoist instruments, they can’t just keep watching idly from above.

Otherwise, they’ll be completely excluded from this era. "

"Moreover, this time is different from before. The competition now is fiercer, and the Otherworldly Demon Statues are very likely to arrive in this era. When the time comes, whoever secures enough resources will have the right to survive. They undoubtedly understand this logic. If they want to gain the upper hand, they can’t merely stay huddled in the heavens. "

"So, the Lord’s meaning is that they will take the initiative to attack?"

Tian Heng’s eyes lit up. If that were the case, the situation would be entirely different.

The Heaven’s Court relied on their unparalleled vantage point and mobility—two divine abilities from a military perspective.

However, if they’re bogged down by something and have a clear target, then things might shift.

"They will..." Chen Qing nodded. "The Heaven’s Court’s troop deployment requires resources. Every projection consumes resources. Without some foothold in this world, relying solely on projections would be far too costly."

Upon hearing this, Tian Heng immediately nodded in agreement. Indeed, the ability to project troops directly to the Mortal World must come at a price. Deploying personnel is one thing, but what about supplies? Can they keep draining their reserves endlessly?

Or perhaps, after each skirmish, retrieve the supplies back up again?

If the ability could be utilized without limitation, the Heaven’s Court would have long since wiped the floor with the other three powers.

And to stockpile resources, they must establish some footholds in this world, preferably cities that are defensible, self-sustaining, and resource-abundant over time.

"Does the Lord know which target the Heaven’s Court seeks?" Tian Heng quickly asked.

The Heaven’s Court’s rapid troop deployment means that many cities would hardly have time to mount a defense before being seized outright.

Especially in the initial phase, when major powers haven’t yet fully emerged. Under these circumstances, with Heaven’s Court’s mobility and combat prowess, capturing a couple of strategic cities would hardly be a challenge.

The only way to intercept Heaven’s Court is through prediction!

Chen Qing looked satisfied after hearing the question. Tian Heng, as expected from one of Great Jin’s most renowned generals, had quickly grasped the situation, understanding that countering Heaven’s Court requires precise prediction.

Jiangnan has spent the past few years heavily developing spatial formations, aiming to enable long-distance troop transportation for surprise attacks on enemies. If wielded properly, this ability could deliver a decisive blow to Heaven’s forces.

Spatial transportation, however, requires pre-setting formation coordinates. Such large-scale troop transport needs the backing of dozens of top-tier Space Array Masters to rapidly move tens of thousands of troops.

Spatial Sorcerers are mostly students with limited practical combat experience, so ensuring their safety is paramount. If discovered prematurely, the enemy could dispatch King-level experts for targeted strikes, turning the tables and forcing their side into a passive position.

Thus, to counter the Heaven’s Court, two conditions must be met:

First: Predict which mortal city the Heaven’s Court plans to attack.

Second: Conceal the Spatial Sorcerers who secretly set up the coordinates in advance!

Any mistake in either condition would result in total failure.

Chen Qing opened up the map and said, "The cities targeted by the Heaven’s Court will undoubtedly be far from other forces, resource-abundant, populated, defensible, and capable of self-sustaining even under siege. Such cities are actually quite rare."

"Yundu has already been fully occupied by the Buddha Kingdom. No matter how bold the Heaven’s Court is, they wouldn’t dare confront Old Liu there now, sacrificing mobility to withstand an assault on someone else’s stronghold."

Tian Heng nodded. Sacrificing mobility to assault someone else’s stronghold would indeed be foolish.

"Both Jiangnan and Great Jin’s militaries have sufficient defensive capabilities.

Jiangnan, in particular, has comprehensive formations protecting each major city, making them difficult to conquer quickly, which doesn’t align with the Heaven’s Court’s need for rapid territorial gains—so it’s unlikely they’ll choose us as a target.

The Northern region is marked by the Demon Realm’s presence, with the Celestial Serpent Palace largely consisting of celestial serpents pre-arranged by the Demon Realm—the largest and strongest power among the four factions.

Even though they haven’t fully revived yet, the Heaven’s Court wouldn’t rashly take on such an opponent first."

"This narrows the choices down to three locations!" Tian Heng quickly evaluated. "Northern Wasteland, Southern Barbarians, and the Eastern Sea!"

"Correct..." Chen Qing smiled. "Previously, the Heaven’s Court frequently targeted Jiangnan and the Southeast, followed by corroding the Southern Barbarians or the Northern Wasteland, ultimately forming a tripartite standoff with the other factions. But the dynamics have shifted now. Jiangnan and the Southeast have already been preemptively occupied by us, while the Eastern Sea is supported by the King of Qin with the Taoist Sect and the newly acquired Four Holy Guard. Even though their military isn’t as strong as ours, they still wouldn’t be the Heaven’s Court’s first choice. "

"What does the Lord think—between the Southern Barbarians and the Northern Wasteland, which will the Heaven’s Court select?" Shen Two and the others, having listened for a while, caught up to the strategic thread and curiously asked.

"In terms of resources, the Northern Wasteland is more favorable." Chen Qing squinted at the map. "Frozen in the Northern Wasteland are countless Ancient Demons. Upon revival, many demons could become valuable Blood Essence resources—a contested prize for all major powers in the days to come."

"I see..." Tian Heng glanced at the map and thought to himself, "No wonder the Lord insists on stationing the Warrior Army at the Northern Sea to defend the Northern Wasteland—it turns out they’re eyeing the treasures buried there."

"However, Northern Wolf City is an isolated patch of land, devoid of natural defenses. Surrounded by open plains, it makes for a precarious foothold. As the initial stronghold, it risks becoming the target of all factions. After all, opposing the Heaven’s Court has been on everyone’s agenda for ages. "

"So... could it be the Southern Barbarians?" Shen Shiyi’s eyes lit up.

The Southern Barbarians would be advantageous for him. After all, he was soon headed to Southeast County to assume the role of Hell Ruler. If the Southern Barbarians were targeted, expanding the Hell’s forces would be inevitable, giving him a chance to catch up with his older brothers.

"In theory..." Chen Qing gazed at the map, his expression shifting subtly. "However, the master of the Heaven’s Court is not one to be judged by common logic..."

Elder Long—a figure as cunning as he is ruthless. Even Old Liu had never managed to get the better of him. Years ago, Pu YunChuan’s elaborate schemes ultimately fell apart under his manipulation. This person... will undoubtedly act outside the bounds of conventional reasoning.