Tyrant Sky Martial Soul

Chapter 1039: Chapter 1039: Arrival at the Northern Desert

Si Kong Zun did not allow Ling Xiao to select regular soldiers.

However, it didn’t matter. Ling Xiao’s Iron-faced Army was no less formidable than the Shenhuang Soldiers, perhaps even surpassing them.

As the saying goes, it’s better to have a shortage than an excess. Ling Xiao had no intention of selecting anyone else. After arriving at Northern Desert City, he would take command of Qin Huo and those from Qingxu College under him.

”This is you not valuing the opportunity. Don’t blame this marshal for not giving you a chance! The army marches forth, the target is Northern Desert City!”

Si Kong Zun sneered coldly. Since Ling Xiao had no intention of choosing, then let him be nothing more than a Centurion with no soldiers at his command.

He was actually quite pleased about it.

Out of the hundred-thousand soldiers at Imperial City Camp, eighty thousand set off, leaving the remaining twenty thousand to hold the fort.

After all, the safety of Imperial City could not be compromised by the departure of all its troops.

The mighty army left the camp, and as they marched, it felt as though the very earth trembled with their steps.

If such a fearsome pressure emanated from eighty thousand troops, then according to ancient texts, when the True Demon Empire’s millions of soldiers once invaded the Sacred Dynasty, it must have been an utterly terrifying sight.

Indeed, the life of the military was somewhat different from that of jianghu.

...

Ten days later, a long dragon appeared on the road leading to Northern Desert City!

A long dragon formed by a grand army.

As they marched, flocks of beasts scurried away, not daring to approach.

Amidst the flying yellow sand that filled the sky, obscuring the sun, it seemed unable to come close to the troops, as if an invisible wall kept these elements at bay.

This army was none other than the expeditionary force led by Si Kong Zun.

Apart from the twenty thousand men of the Barbarian Bear Knight Corps and the ten thousand of the Phoenix Bird Knight Corps, the rest of the soldiers marched on foot.

However, the lowest among these soldiers in terms of cultivation level were all Transcendent Realm Martial Artists, so marching on foot was not an issue for them.

At the very front of the troops were, naturally, the three commanders, Si Kong Zun, Feng Qingyan, and Lu Chenlong, followed by the Barbarian Bear Knight Corps.

The Phoenix Bird Knight Corps advanced in the air, simultaneously keeping a close watch on their surroundings.

However, Ling Xiao and his people were not among the troops.

They had been arranged by Si Kong Zun as scouts, investigating the situation at the forefront.

This was a privilege that allowed for discretionary action. Otherwise, Ling Xiao guessed Si Kong Zun would have tormented him to death.

Using this privilege for discretionary action, once Ling Xiao went out, he did not return and maintained a distance of a mile from the army, doing as he pleased.

Si Kong Zun did not provide them with mounts, but this was no difficulty for Ling Xiao.

He had been wary of this and had hidden more than a dozen of the finest dragon horses in the Beast Ring.

Riding on dragon horses, an offspring of the Dragon Clan bloodline, it was said they were majestic in battle and unafraid of wild beasts, which made them far superior to ordinary warhorses.

The few of them rode atop the dragon horses leisurely, moving forward at ease.

Ling Xiao released his Soul Power and activated the Eye of the World, fully grasping the surrounding environment as if it were at his fingertips.

The Red Sun hung high in the sky, the air twisted and distorted from the scorching heat.

This Northern Desert, made of sand and soil, was filled with a sense of dryness and blistering heat. Truthfully, it was really not a place suitable for living beings.

”Right ahead is Northern Desert City. Si Kong Zun, that old geezer’s good days are coming to an end.”

Ling Xiao sneered coldly. Along the way, Si Kong Zun had been giving him trouble constantly.

He had been enduring it all.

When you are less powerful, you endure.

But after arriving in Northern Desert City, with Ji Ning present, Si Kong Zun didn’t dare to touch him.

Moreover, although Si Kong Zun was the commander of the expeditionary forces this time, Ji Ning was the City Lord and the Expeditionary General of the Northern Territory. Whether it was in terms of accomplishments or position, he was above Si Kong Zun. Even if Ji Ning didn’t listen to Si Kong Zun, there was nothing Si Kong Zun could do.

”Should we go in and say hello first?”

Leng Mei asked.

”No need, let’s just wait, to avoid that old dog Si Kong Zun from causing more trouble.”

Ling Xiao shook his head and said, ”Although I very much want to meet Ji Ning, Qin Huo, and others, at the moment we are still under Si Kong Zun. It’s better not to give anyone an excuse to punish us, it wouldn’t be worth it.”

After putting away the dragon horse, several people sat in a cool spot to rest. Northern Desert City was close to the oasis, so the vegetation also became more abundant; underneath the huge cacti, it was quite cool.

After about half a shichen, the large army finally came slowly.

Having traveled a long distance to this harsh place, even an army composed of martial artists was clearly already very weary.

So, their pace was slow, and the people seemed somewhat spiritless.

”Greetings to Commander Si Kong Zun and the two deputy commanders, we have already investigated the nearby area and found no suspicious individuals.”

Ling Xiao approached and reported.

”Hmph, you seem quite at ease.”

Si Kong Zun snorted coldly. Although he wanted to find fault, there was no pretext to do so. He could only turn his gaze to the somewhat dilapidated Northern Desert City.

There were soldiers guarding the city wall.

Their eyes were vigilantly watching the army below as if they were ready to fight at any moment.

”Open the city gates quickly, Expeditionary General Si Kong Zun leads the great army here!”

A person riding a Savage Bear Henry moved forward, shouting at the city wall while showing his waist token.

”Hold on, I’ll go and report!”

Someone on the city wall responded and then ran down.

After a while, he reappeared.

”The Great General says he has never heard of any Expeditionary General Si Kong Zun, nor has he received any imperial decree from the Divine Phoenix Court, so he cannot open the city gates lightly.”

Damn!

Si Kong Zun’s face suddenly grew cold as he shouted angrily, ”I am Si Kong Zun, and I have in my hand the imperial edict from the Emperor! Quickly have Ji Ning come out to receive the decree!”

”The Great General is busy discussing strategies against the enemy and has no time!”

The reply came from the city wall.

There were not many stationed troops in Northern Desert City, only about thirty thousand.

This number of troops, if it had been anyone else, might have already been wiped out by the Black Crow Empire. It was only with Ji Ning, who managed to keep the border secure with so few soldiers and repelled the enemy attacks time and again.

The main reason for the scarcity of troops was not due to battle deaths, but from being continually weakened by the Divine Phoenix Court.

Even the Northern Desert City hardly ever received troop allocations all year round; they could only recruit soldiers from the small area of Northern Desert, or rely on willing volunteers from the heroes of Jianghu.

So in Northern Desert City, the soldiers only had eyes for Ji Ning, not the Divine Phoenix Court.

They were defending this post not for the Emperor who indulged in luxuries in the Imperial City, nor for the nobles, but for the people behind them.

So if Si Kong Zun pressured them with the Emperor’s authority, that would have absolutely no effect.

”Hmph, Ji Ning really has some nerve. Does he still have the Emperor in his eyes, is there still law in his heart? I’ve long heard he had a rebellious heart, and he even led his troops to burst into the Imperial City once. If not for the mercy of the Emperor, he would have already been sentenced to death.

And today, not only does he show no gratitude, but he is also barring the royal army from entering Northern Desert City. Is he trying to rebel?”

Si Kong Zun coldly snorted.

”Commander, you mustn’t speak carelessly.”

Lu Chenlong spoke, ”General Ji Ning is the one who once helped the Phoenix Clan ascend to the throne again - a tremendous merit. After that, he has defended the Northern Territory for over a decade, and his achievements are too numerous to count. How could he possibly betray us?”