All Heavens: Starting with Yang Kang playing Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King

Chapter 54 Expansion and Bottlenecks

The idea that ten men could breach Xianping City in Liaodong sounds utterly unbelievable.

Even though it wasn't deliberately concealed, the news quickly became an absurd tale after it spread to Liaodong, becoming a laughing stock for the world.

No one would actually believe such nonsense; everyone just assumed that Wugusunmo had rebelled, murdered the ruler, and usurped the throne, and had fabricated this story to claim legitimacy.

Those who knew of Yang Kang's terrifying martial arts skills were unlikely to hear this rumor.

Genghis Khan, the only one who might have taken this matter seriously, no longer had any interest in paying attention to this small place called Liaodong.

On the army's return journey eastward, news of Muqali's death reached Genghis Khan's ears.

The Jin dynasty was not destroyed, but Muqali died due to the betrayal of the Western Xia, which thoroughly enraged Genghis Khan.

He secretly vowed that as soon as he returned to the East, he would immediately send troops to teach the Western Xia a lesson.

But what he didn't expect was that another surprise awaited him at the foot of the distant Aburhan Mountains.

The following spring, Genghis Khan's army returned to the Great Ordo.

Even though Genghis Khan had been informed of everything beforehand, he was still consumed by rage when he saw the ruins of the Great Ordo.

But after seeing that Börte and his wives and children were unharmed, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

In an instant, he looked around anxiously again.

"Where is Hada'an? Where did she go?"

"She was the only family member who stayed by my mother's side when she died."

"I was just about to ask her if my mother had any instructions for me."

Temujin said with a hint of anxiety.

Before him, the faces of Borte, Khatun, Huazheng, and others suddenly turned sorrowful.

Temujin immediately felt a bad premonition.

"The attack on Da Ordo by the Western Xia people came too suddenly. Even with the help of General Yang Kang and the bloody battle fought by General Zhelemie, Heda'an still died because of the invasion of the Western Xia army."

"Borte said with a sorrowful expression."

Genghis Khan suddenly stood up.

"What did you say?!"

He suppressed his anger, gritting his teeth in fury.

If Muqali's death from depression due to the betrayal by the Western Xia had already angered him, then the death of Heda'an had turned the Western Xia into an irreconcilable enemy in his heart.

"Pass on my decree! Inform Jochi and Chagatai to lead their troops back to join me."

"I want to convene a Kurultai to discuss the elimination of the Western Xia."

Genghis Khan said angrily.

What he didn't expect was that death never favors just one person.

Just as he was furious about conquering the Western Xia, Zhu Chi, far away in the Western Regions, had already fallen seriously ill.

The messengers repeatedly requested an audience, but were unable to do so because Zhu Chi was seriously ill.

The angry messenger, believing that Jochi had already harbored rebellious intentions, hurriedly turned east and informed Genghis Khan.

Genghis Khan had long harbored suspicions about the discord between Chagatai and Jochi, and coupled with his existing reservations about Jochi's bloodline, he immediately concluded that Jochi had betrayed him.

Enraged, he decided to attack his eldest son before launching a campaign against the Western Xia.

Countless attempts by princes, ministers, concubines, and relatives to dissuade him failed to change his mind.

Until news of Zhu Chi's death reached the Eastern Camp.

"Big brother... Big brother is dead."

Overwhelmed with grief, Tolui knelt down and reported to Genghis Khan.

"Wh...what?"

Genghis Khan immediately realized how ridiculous his actions were, and then, overcome with anger and grief, he collapsed to the ground.

He fell ill for a full month, but fortunately Qiu Chuji intervened and saved his life, preventing this great talent from ending in such a ridiculous way.

However, Qiu Chuji was greatly disappointed after seeing Genghis Khan's actions.

Seeing that he could not dissuade Genghis Khan from conquering the Western Xia and massacring its people, Qiu Chuji shook his head and left.

When he returned to Shandong with the news, it was already autumn of another year.

During this year, taking advantage of the emptiness of Hebei after Muqali's death and the fact that Jin Ting was preoccupied with his own usurpation, Yang Miaozhen personally led a large army to quietly advance north, west, and south.

In Zhen Ding Prefecture, Daming Prefecture, and Hejian Prefecture, the Jin Dynasty garrison, composed of Muqali's former subordinates, either collapsed or surrendered. The Tianxia Society, without shedding a drop of blood, seized control of southern Hebei, east of the Taihang Mountains.

The entire area of ​​Cangzhou was expanded from a stronghold to complete control, and the western coast of the Bohai Sea was thus connected with the Liaodong sea route.

To the south, Xuzhou and Yingzhou fell into the hands of the World Society.

Once the strategic passage to northern Anhui is controlled, the route between Shandong and the Huai River will be unobstructed.

The number of prefectures directly controlled by the World Society increased from more than ten to more than twenty, and its sphere of influence covered nearly sixty prefectures.

From Zhengding to Yingzhou, from Cangzhou to Xianping, from the entire Shandong province to the north bank of the Huai River, the Tianxia Society was no longer a small, isolated powerful force in Shandong.

Rather, it was a vast force spanning Hebei, Shandong, Huaibei, and Liaodong.

For a time, the reputation of the Fourth Lady of the Pear Blossom Spear, the wife of the leader of the World Society, shook the world.

But she didn't touch Yanjing, or even the area south of the Huai River.

The World Society filled only the power vacuum left after Muqali's death and Wanyan Honglie's usurpation of power.

If no one loses anything, no one has a reason to hold them accountable.

So no one stopped Yang Kang from watching the next dramatic scene.

. . . . .

In the secret chamber of the World Society headquarters, Yang Kang and Yang Miaozhen, after their dual cultivation, wore a thin veil. Their clothes clung to their bodies with sweat, vaguely revealing their exquisitely sculpted male and female forms.

"It seems my martial arts skills have reached their limit."

Yang Kang spoke slowly, his eyes filled with a hint of confusion he had never seen before.

"The seventh level of the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth and the last three levels of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill are full of errors and delusions, making them completely impossible to cultivate."

"The Taoist true energy of the Innate Skill can no longer advance in my body, as if the path of martial arts has come to an end."

Yang Kang exhaled a breath of white air, which condensed in the air and transformed into a long rain of arrows that shot out and then suddenly dissipated after flying three zhang (approximately 10 meters) away.

"You are already an invincible living war god, why are you still so obsessed with martial arts, insisting on taking it to the next level?"

Yang Miaozhen hugged Yang Kang from behind, her soft breasts pressed against his back.

"You don't understand. Conquering the world is one game, and cultivating martial arts is another."

"For me, the latter is far more interesting than the former."

Yang Kang shook his head.

"Genghis Khan has already led his army towards Western Xia, just as we planned."

"As you have arranged, the World Society will refrain from taking any further action for the time being."

"What are your plans for the days to come?"

Yang Miaozhen ignored her husband's almost beastly and relentless pursuit and began to pick up her clothes from the ground and put them on.

"According to the agreement I made with Guo Jing at Mount Hua back then, it's time to meet."

Suddenly, Yang Kang thought of something, turned around and stared at Yang Miaozhen, and said with great interest.

"Given our current martial arts prowess and status, do we still need something like the Mount Hua Sword Tournament?"

"Those Eastern Heretic, Northern Beggar, and Southern Emperor may have some reputation in the martial arts world, but in our hands now, I'm afraid they wouldn't last more than a few moves, would they?"

Yang Miaozhen asked, puzzled.

"The Eastern Heretic was a grandmaster who was able to establish a school and create unparalleled martial arts such as 'The Song of the Azure Sea'."

"The Southern Emperor also possesses the knowledge and experience accumulated over hundreds of years in Dali, while the Northern Beggar has roamed the world extensively and is well-informed."

"The martial arts skills of these three people are nothing to us now, but their knowledge of martial arts is definitely much deeper than we imagine."

"I want to talk to them, maybe I can get some inspiration and find a way to break through that barrier."

Yang Kang nodded and said, pausing slightly at this point.

"Besides, those three are just an extra."

"My target for the Mount Hua Sword Tournament is naturally Guo Jing."

Yang Miaozhen shook her head.

"Guo Jing is now just a commoner, and his relationship with you and me is hardly harmonious."

"When he married Miss Huang last winter, he didn't send anyone to invite you and me."

"I'm afraid he doesn't really want to see you. He might not even go to the Mount Hua Sword Tournament."

Yang Miaozhen acknowledged Yang Kang's high regard for Guo Jing, but she did not approve of Guo Jing's attitude towards him.

"Guo Jing is the kind of person who will do whatever he promises, no matter how unwilling he is."

Yang Kang smiled and did not refute.

"Although he left Mongolia, Genghis Khan has not yet ordered the removal of his post as commander of the left wing."

"Although his army was under Tolui's command, he never gave up his fiefdom and wealth to anyone."

"Genghis Khan is still waiting for him to return!"

"I suspect that what Genghis Khan fears most at this moment is that after his death, Tolui and Ögedei will fight each other. Therefore, he hopes that Guo Jing will return to the grasslands more than anyone else."

"Countless grassland people still remember this invincible commander on the westward expedition. Although he is in the world, he is still stirring up the world's situation."

"Don't you think someone like that would be very useful to us?"

A faint, indifferent smile appeared on Yang Kang's lips.

"You mean when we fight against the Mongols in the future, we can use his name to recruit Mongols? Will he agree?"

Yang Miaozhen still asked, puzzled.

"By then, it will be out of his control."

"But before that, we still need to show our sincerity."

"Liu Bei had to visit Zhuge Liang three times to invite him to his thatched cottage. How could I not show sincerity in inviting a national hero like Guo Jing?"

Yang Kang said calmly,

"I understand, I'll go and make the preparations right away."

"I will go with you to the Mount Hua Sword Tournament."

Yang Miaozhen nodded, then suddenly changed the subject, looking at Yang Kang and saying.

"My mother has been telling me lately that she wants to find a husband for Nianci."

"She is indeed not young anymore."

Yang Miaozhen had a faint smile on her face.

Yang Kang looked at her, puzzled, wondering what she meant by suddenly bringing this up.

"Nianci's heart is set on you, but she may not be interested in anyone else. Forcing a marriage would only lead to a tragedy."

"After Nianci returns, you should take her into your room."

"I'm busy with military affairs, so I don't have time to spend with you every day."

"Now that you're practically the ruler of a country, you need someone to serve you, right?"

Yang Miaozhen said with a mischievous smile.

"You can decide for yourself."

Yang Kang stared at Yang Miaozhen and blinked, but ultimately didn't feign refusal.

When Yang Miaozhen saw Yang Kang's appearance, she became furious and pinched the flesh on his waist.