Chapter 1710 — A Beauty Beyond Compare
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 1 of 4
Zhu Shaoping led the remnants of the Celestial River Navy in retreat thirty thousand li, and the Woodcutter Sage did not lead his troops in pursuit, for the Heavenly Court's main forces had yet to emerge—the Ten Guards, the Seven Lords, the Three Chancellors, the Two Auxiliaries, and the Five Emperors' Inner Seats had all yet to enter the fray. Moreover, the Celestial River Navy was but one of three armies; though defeated, its main strength remained. And beyond that, there were still the other two armies!
This battle was a great victory for Carefree Township, Jingping, and the Yuan World, and a great victory for the myriad heavens and worlds as well, but for the Heavenly Court, it was merely a minor defeat!
At last, the main army led by Emperor Haotian and the civil and martial assemblies of the Heavenly Court arrived in slow procession, pitching their camps in towering, magnificent array, as though the Heavenly Court itself had been transplanted here.
Zhu Shaoping hurried into the palace, striding swiftly toward the Lingxiao Hall, where he knelt and prostrated himself, begging Emperor Haotian to punish him for his failure. "Victory and defeat are commonplace for a general.
A single battle's outcome explains nothing. " Emperor Haotian spoke in gentle tones: "It is well that Lord Zhu came to no harm—We are reassured.
It is only regrettable that the Left Junior Chancellor was lost, and the Nine Prisons Terrace fell into enemy hands.
For this battle, the fault is not yours.
It is that We did not foresee that the Jingping Reforms could produce such a host of curious contraptions. " Light flickered in his eyes as he smiled and said: "A formation diagram capable of assembling the Great Heavenly Court, great ships designed specifically to break the Celestial River Pagoda, and those outlandish flying carriages—this is precisely why We need Jingping. " Zhu Shaoping dared not speak.
"Jingping's foundry work is already the finest under heaven. The Heavenly Court's own foundry has been emptied bare.
This is why We must seize Jingping.
" Emperor Haotian rose to his feet and said calmly: "These traitorous ministers and rebellious sons believe that a mere minor victory can shake the Heavenly Court's foundations. They underestimate the Heavenly Court—they underestimate Us.
We had worried these traitors would not dare show their heads; now that they have leapt out all at once, it spares Us the trouble of pacifying them one by one. Advance—raze Carefree Township to the ground. " One after another, divine citadels of the Heavenly Court army rose from the earth, celestial palaces floating in the air, pressing toward Carefree Township. The Heavenly Court's three armies arrayed in the front, and behind them the two Dragon Martial Guards, the two Divine Strategy Guards, the two Feathered Forest Guards, and the two Divine Might Guards!
These eight Guards were as eight Heavenly Venerates enthroned in guard!
Emperor Haotian looked toward Taichu and said: "Retired Emperor, break the Yuan World's Xuandu Sky Curtain.
" Taichu bowed and assented.
He rose to his feet, and his Dao Tree soared into the void; the One Qi Grand Luo Heaven descended from the ultimate void!
His Dao Tree flew into the One Qi Grand Luo Heaven, and with a thunderous tremor, the firmament of the Yuan World split open, transforming into forty-nine beams of light that descended from the heavens and plunged into the rear of Carefree Township.
Where those forty-nine beams of light fell was the very place where the Heavenly Lord had erected the Heavenly Principles and transformed them into the Xuandu of the Yuan World. The forty-nine beams crashed down beside the Heavenly Lord—zheng, zheng, zheng—transforming into one supreme treasure of the heavenly dao after another, planting themselves around him.