To achieve immortality, I cultivate using Qi Luck-Chapter 801 - 346 Changes in Various Countries_3

Chapter 801 -346 Changes in Various Countries_3

Merely evading reality is ultimately just an illusion.

In recent days, Chu State had been continually mobilizing troops and supplies, and it seemed there were reports of a possible southward deployment spreading throughout the Lingnan Region.

However, there weren’t many who were willing to believe it.

At this moment, as the matter grew urgent, an illusion was finally shattered.

Still, the common soldiers and people below wanted to escape, unwilling to face reality.

But for those in the upper echelons, the vested interests facing an impending war that would sweep across the entire Lingnan, they weren’t ready to give up their gains so easily.

Inside the city’s royal palace,

compared to the surrounding poverty-stricken area, the palace seemed especially luxurious. Su Xuange’s face twisted into an ugly expression as he read the message just delivered by a flying-feather messenger from the North.

The content of the message was simple, consisting of only one sentence.

“Chu people have assembled a formidable force of fifty thousand in Lingling, seemingly with intentions to move southward.”

Apart from Qianzhong County, Dongting County was the only other area that bordered Su Country.

And within Dongting County, the only place that bordered Su Country was Lingling Prefecture, located on the southwest border.

This prefecture, previously, always had only local prefectures and county soldiers stationed there, and the Forbidden Army had never been deployed.

But now, with Chu State stationing fifty thousand troops there, their intentions were all too clear.

Chu State had started preparing for a Southern Expedition.

Su Xuange quickly grasped this point, feeling a surge of anger.

Ever since the establishment of Ninghai Country, he had anticipated the threat from Chu State. He had even thought about changing this predicament, about striving for supremacy and joining the battle for The World.

But ultimately, with a rebellion within his own country, all his efforts went up in smoke.

Now Su Xuange had come to terms with reality, knowing he wasn’t cut out for a struggle for supremacy, and neither was Su Country. His only thought now was to preserve this foundation and pass it on to his descendants.

“But why, why even this wish of mine, you must snatch away!”

Su Xuange clutched the letter, grinding his teeth in rage, feeling the anger peak within him.

The thought of over a decade of toil resulting in Su Country being worse off than when it was first founded, while Lu Yuan, who also started with a single state, had now become a dominator of six counties, made jealousy and hatred boil in his heart.

‘Fine, if you leave me no way of life, I will show you that this land of Lingnan is not a place where those southwestern barbarians can simply roll over and manipulate at their whim.’

Biting his teeth in secret rage, Su Xuange then immediately shouted to an attendant by his side, “Someone, go quickly and summon the messenger from Song State.”

The threat from Chu State and the movements of these past days had not only been noticed by Su Country.

Even Song State, located in the most challenging part of Yangzhou, had keenly sensed the threat and had sent a messenger a few days ago intending to strike a partnership with Su Country.

Previously, Su Xuange had his reservations about cooperating with Song State.

After all, other states might not understand the strength and situation of Song State due to the distance.

But Su Country, which was Song State’s immediate neighbor, couldn’t possibly be unaware of the threat from Song State.

This was a powerful country that, regardless of area, population, or military strength, was far stronger than Su Country. On Song State, Su Xuange could even see the shadow of the former Changsha Country.

The same country sustained an army of one hundred thousand with just one county, expanded half a county of territory through an alliance with other states.

The same clarity in domestic politics, with people living in peace and happiness.

The same formidable strength and wisdom in the monarch, revered as Martial Marquis.

No matter how one looked at it, Song State resembled a smaller version of Chu State, or rather, a Chu State of old.

If Song State were given time, perhaps after another decade, it could reach the current stature of Chu State.

As someone who had personally witnessed the rise of Chu State, watching another Chu State emerging behind him, how could Su Xuange not feel threatened and dread?

This dread even surpassed the threat from Chu State.

Although Chu State was next to Su Country, it was located to the north, separated by mountains, appearing as if in a distant, separate world.

Thus, the threat posed by Chu State wasn’t felt as intensely by Su Country.

However, between Su Country and Song State, there were clear waterways, no mountains separating them, both lands flat as plains, where a fast horse could travel from Yulin City to Songping City in just five days.

With both capitals so close to each other, it was evident how simple and easy it would be for Song State to launch an attack on Su Country.

And indeed, that was the case.

After sensing the threat from Song State, Su Xuange regularly deployed half of the Divine Sword Army to the southern border of Su Country to ward off an advance from the north.

With such a relationship in place, it’s no wonder that he would be apprehensive about Song State’s offer of cooperation.

While Chu State’s threat was great, Su Xuange also feared that inviting Song State would be easy, but sending them back would be difficult.

Should Song State’s troops enter Su Country and turn on it after repelling Chu State, there would be little chance to fight back then.

It was this concern that made him hesitant to agree to the cooperation between the two countries.

But now…

The thought of Chu State’s army gathering, and their spearhead already pointing toward Su Country, meant it was no longer about worrying about being annexed by Song State in the future.

But rather, without seeking help from Song State, Su Country could very well be eradicated by Chu State immediately.

With this in mind, Su Xuange cast aside his concerns and turned towards the olive branch extended by Song State.

It wasn’t just Su Country and Song State.

As Chu State’s troops and movements became increasingly evident, Nanhai Country had already dispatched messengers to Jinling, begging for help from their nominal suzerain.

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Jinling too was showing frequent activity, sending messengers to Nanhai Country in several waves.

Even within Ning Country, a large number of troops and horses were assembling in Yuzhang, many martial marquises were transferred to the main camp at Pengli to inspect the troops and familiarize themselves with the military.

Even the southwestern countries of Dali and Nanzhao sensed the brewing storm and began to covertly amass their forces.

Liang State to the north had also noticed the shifting winds, beginning to assemble troops and horses in Jiangxia, though their target was unknown.

Only Zhou Country, having just concluded a major spring looting war against the barbarians, was licking its wounds in the dark and was too weakened to do anything significant.

The rest, due to the movements from Chu State, were all following suit and gearing up.

In no time, the entire region south of the Yangtze River and the lands of Yangzhou were filled with an atmosphere of brewing storms and a sense of oppressive foreboding.

A cloud of war loomed over everyone’s head, like a powder keg waiting for a spark to ignite it, and then explode violently, impacting all nations.