New Yu Era 1333, Fifth Day of the Twelfth Month

Hexi Path, Jianye Prefecture City

Before the elite of the Hou Clan had even marched north, the Jianye Prefecture City had already been seized by the southbound Youye Emperor's army. The initial situation of the three northern prefectures of Hexi was that the Alliance occupied Zhaoyang Prefecture, the Great Jin controlled Jianye Prefecture, while the Hou Clan's army obediently entrenched itself in the central Xingnan Prefecture.

After Hou Yuxiao led the entire Hou Clan army across the river to head north, the war between the Great Jin and the Alliance commenced simultaneously. Now that the battle has lasted nearly a year, the current situation of both sides has naturally become quite different.

"The entire Youye Emperor's army has now entered the territory of Zhaoyang Prefecture. According to information from our scouts, Jing Yuanxiu's Alliance army has retreated to Longxiang County, nearing the western bank of the Tongtian River. The Alliance has sealed off hundreds of miles along the western bank, clearly making it look like they intend to cross the river and flee. The Youye Emperor fears it's a trap, hence he doesn't dare advance further."

In the Great Hall of the Jianye Prefecture Government Office, Hou Yucheng, Hou Yuduan, Hou Yujie, and Hou Yuling were seated together. The one speaking was Hou Yuling, her breath slightly disordered, clearly having just received the news and immediately come to share it with the three.

The three remained silent for a moment upon hearing this. Hou Yucheng, looking at the map, showed a hint of seriousness in his eyes as he said, "The power of the Youye Emperor really is no exaggeration. In a little over a year, he nearly conquered all of Hexi. Jing Tianyu's Alliance army of seven million was reduced to just three million, while Tuoba Zun still has more than five million remaining!"

Hou Yuling nodded. This information was also what she immediately relayed to them after Hou Yucheng led the army to land in Hexi. When she first learned of it, she too was deeply shocked.

Though the Alliance army is diverse and difficult to unify, it was nevertheless seven million elite Sacred Army soldiers. To eliminate half in just a year, both power and strategy are truly indispensable.

A mere comparison with the Dongyuan Path makes it clear. There, both the Great Jin and the Alliance have over ten million troops, yet after six months, each side's losses only amounted to a million, and the frontlines of both sides never crossed the Dongyuan Path.

Of course, the Hou Clan played a considerable role in this, but it also highlights that the Great Jin's accomplishments in Hexi are indeed remarkable.

"In Liangzhou, the Great Jin has also taken two paths, forcing the Demon Derivation Holy Sect's army to retreat to the north bank of Gujiang. It's expected to conclude by early next year, at which point the four northern provinces will all fall into the Great Jin's hands."

Hou Yuling's words made the three look even more gloomy.

Hou Yujie cast his gaze towards the map of Shenzhou behind the hall, where several streams of spiritual light illuminated the Three Northern Provinces, Liangzhou, Zhongzhou, and half of Hexi, as he said somberly:

"It's not just the four northern provinces. The Alliance has fallen back to Hedong, and aside from the Divine Capital, all of Zhongzhou is in the Great Jin's hands. In June, Jidu was already breached, and the Tianwei Army under the command of Hou... under 景 was expected to reclaim the four paths of Jizhou, yet he left Xiling Path untouched. According to Old Fifth's previous speculations, he probably reached some agreement with the Great Jin, trading Xiling Path to prevent the Great Jin from interfering with his affairs with Qinjian Villa.

By this reckoning, aside from its own Three Northern Provinces, the Great Jin now controls parts of Liangzhou, Zhongzhou, Jizhou, and Hexi. The Great Jin nearly owns half of the land; if this continues, won't the whole world truly become the Great Jin's?

We once thought that the Great Jin was wary of the New Moon Cult's downfall being too swift and thus unwilling to open the treasury. Now it seems they prepared well in advance. As soon as the treasury opened, they launched three lines of efforts, seizing territories before the New Moon Cult's fall. They suffer no loss, whether the treasury is opened or not. Clearly, we underestimated the Great Jin Holy Dynasty!"

These words made Hou Yucheng's expression very grim.

Eldest Brother entered the treasury, and the Hou Clan's seventeen million allied troops are currently under his control. People are like this— as their chips increase, so does their ambition. Earlier, Hou Yucheng's understanding of the Hou Clan was aimed at no more than ascending to the Holy Land. But now, his perception has changed.

A force of seventeen million, not just two million of the Hou Clan's Red Flame Army as elite Sacred Army, but Jiangbei Alliance and Lu Family's eleven million troops spent three months at Wangchuan Road City, all training under Five Elements Heaven. The Hou Clan currently wields elite Sacred Army forces numbering eight million, putting them not far off from a standalone Holy Land.

Elder Brother Hou Yuxiao and Fifth Brother Hou Yuduan advancing to become Saints seemed effortless to him. Even for himself, and including Third Sister and Fourth Elder, it's only a matter of time. Such a Hou Clan, in his opinion, already qualifies to compete for The World.

This is precisely why he cannot tolerate the Great Jin's overpowering influence.

"Old Fifth, regarding the cooperation with the Great Jin to combat the New Moon Cult, is there a possibility of changing the plan? Eldest Brother has been in the treasury all along, unaware of the concrete external situations. Given the Great Jin's territorial gains during this period, maintaining collaboration with them— if indeed we eliminate the New Moon Cult, putting aside whether the Great Jin will honestly cede Yongzhou to us...

At that point, who in The World could contend with the Great Jin?

Does the Hou Clan truly have to bow down and swear allegiance to the Great Jin?"

Hou Yucheng suddenly turned to look at Hou Yuduan, asking several questions in a row. The southward movement of the army was the idea of Eldest Brother and Old Fifth.