To achieve immortality, I cultivate using Qi Luck

Chapter 858: Chapter 365: Triple Attack on Ning_3

If a detached army were sent northward at this time, directly entering into the Prefecture of Yu Zhang Lu Ling, it could sever the retreat routes of these two detached forces.

Afterwards, whether it was to defend the southern counties of Yuzhang, blocking the retreat paths of Ning’s two detached armies,

Or after capturing Luling County, dispatch troops westward to launch a surprise attack on the rear of the two Ning detached armies, as Huang Xuan had done, coordinating with the defenders of Hengyang and Luyang counties for a pincer attack, aiming to completely annihilate the Ning forces on both routes—either would be excellent.

Over there, Qingyunzi could also advance by both land and water, leading a main force of a hundred thousand troops, striking directly towards the more vulnerable Jian’an County of Ning Country.

Previously, Ning had left a force of two hundred thousand soldiers within the country, with four Inborns dividing their forces to defend various locations.

However, out of these two hundred thousand troops, there were fifty thousand naval forces and fifty thousand standing soldiers stationed in Guangling County to guard against the threat from Liang State.

No, out of that fifty thousand naval forces, ten thousand had been dispatched to the Southsea and were now adrift at sea.

The remaining fifty thousand standing soldiers were garrisoned in Linhai County, where the capital was located, guarding this core area.

The remaining fifty thousand were divided with twenty-four thousand in Yuzhang Prefecture and twenty-six thousand in Jian’an County, all county soldiers from various local prefectures and counties.

As for the four Inborn Grandmasters, one was with the naval forces, stationed along the Yangtze River to guard against Liang State. The remaining three were located in Guangling, Linhai, and Jian’an counties, respectively.

The last Yuzhang Prefecture, being close to the front line of the battlefield and with ten Inborns from Ning nearby, already had sufficient high-end combat power, so there was no need to allocate an additional Inborn for defense.

Originally, Shen Qiu stayed in the main camp at Pengli of Yuzhang as a reserve with a hundred thousand troops and two Inborns, essentially akin to the defending forces of Yuzhang Prefecture, ready to support on all fronts at any moment.

However, these defending forces had been dispatched elsewhere due to the demands of the situation, resulting in an all-out effort at this point.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on 𝑛𝗈𝘃𝕘𝗼.co

Consequently, the hundred and fifty thousand new soldiers freshly recruited by the Ning Army were just entering camp, their combat strength not yet established, essentially akin to civilian workers.

They were not only of little use, but once on the battlefield, they might even become a liability, as the Southsea Army clearly demonstrated.

The Yuzhang and Jian’an counties of Ning Country had in fact become the most vulnerable.

Jian’an only had twenty-six thousand soldiers, all local prefectural and county troops, with only a single ordinary Inborn defending it.

Qingyunzi, leading his forces from the Li River, commanded a hundred thousand troops and was accompanied by several thousand naval forces from the recently surrendered Southsea Country.

Gathering some civilian ships, it was possible to dispatch a detached army to bypass the mountain ridges and passes on the way and directly attack Jian’an from both land and sea.

With such an advantage, before Ning Country could react, perhaps a swift victory could be achieved with the speed of thunder.

As for Yuzhang Prefecture.

To the south, Li Xiong, Chu Wei, and the Spiritual woman coordinated with each other; in the middle, Huang Xuan and Sun Siwen launched a pincer attack; to the north, Lu Yuan personally kept an eye on Shen Qiu.

Provided that all three fronts were activated, then if all went well, the three hundred thousand troops at the front line of Ning Army might dissipate overnight, turning to ashes.

At most, Shen Qiu would be able to escape back to Ning via the naval forces’ protection and save a hundred thousand troops.

But even so, the collapse of the two hundred thousand troops in the south and center, along with the fall of three Inborns, would be a huge blow to Ning Country—one that cuts deep.

And with so many troops lost in one fell swoop, the hundred thousand remnants led by Shen Qiu alone would not be enough to defend Yuzhang Prefecture.

Lu Yuan would only need to march east, and Yuzhang could be easily taken.

Once Yuzhang is lost, Ning Country and the northern Xiangyang Prefecture would become an enclave, hard to connect.

Therefore, if Yang Jing, leading the troops of Xiangyang, did not wish to be surrounded and annihilated, retreating along with the naval forces would be the only option.

Thus, Xiangyang Prefecture could also be easily captured.

With the loss of Jian’an, Yuzhang, and Xiangyang prefectures, Ning Country would lose half its territory, leaving only Guangling and Linhai counties, a mere ten thousand li of land.

According to the figures published by Ning Country, Guangling County had a population of three million and Linhai County five million; the combined population of these two counties was just eight million, already half that of the former Ning.

And following successive defeats, the soldiers who could flee back to the country were estimated to be just over two hundred thousand.

Merging these survivors with the domestic forces would amount to a maximum of around four hundred thousand.

With the land of two counties, a population of eight million, and roughly four hundred thousand remnants, as well as possibly around ten remaining Inborns, the strength would still be considerable, but it would have completely fallen from the status of a hegemon, no longer able to contend with Chu State.

In the future, after Chu State had digested Xiangyang, Yuzhang, Jian’an, and the various counties of Lingnan, in two or three years they could accumulate enough strength to completely annihilate Ning Country.

With the remnants of Ning’s strength, under the significant rise of Chu’s national power, even if they defended with all might, they could at most hold out for another three to five years, but their demise would be inevitable.

“The struggle for supremacy in Yangzhou ends with me having the upper hand. The ten-year strategy to unify Jiangnan has now established its foundation, completion imminent.”

Lu Yuan reviewed the battlefield situations across Jiangnan and the changes between Chu and Ning, and after comparison, his mood greatly improved.

His confidence in the future was bursting.

After several consecutive risks and victories, Chu State finally accomplished the feat of a newly promoted hegemon defeating an old hegemon, taking a key step in establishing dominion over Yangzhou.

In the future’s struggle for supremacy with the lords of the world, he would be one step ahead of the rest, following Liang State.

In the aftermath of this battle, figures like Zhou Ning would no longer be able to speak of themselves in the same breath as Chu State.

When discussing Chu State in the world, it would only be compared with Qing Liang.

“And as for my cultivation, just wait until I defeat Ning Country and seize half its territory, combined with the accumulation of Lingnan, my Qi Luck would have doubled. Perhaps by the time summer turns to autumn, I may step into the realm of Gathering Two Qi.”

Thinking of this, Lu Yuan felt his heart surge with excitement.

With his current cultivation, he was already considered the first among the cultivators of the Nine Provinces after those had left.

But if he made a breakthrough to Gathering Two Qi, then even including those cultivators heading towards Northern Dark City who had not yet begun their Ascension, he could be regarded as the first in the world.

From the six years of Front Yue Hongdao, when I began my cultivation of Dao Law, to now, the eleventh year of Shenwu, after a total of fifteen years, my journey through Immortal Method was about to ascend to the pinnacle of this world.