The 'battle' to capture Di Shenzhao was extremely anticlimactic. In fact, it could hardly be considered a battle at all. The Alzar Kingdom needed to go through the city on their way to the south, and with an army of almost two hundred thousand at their disposal, there was very little chance of resisting. Not to mention, there were exceptional individuals like the Ten Dawns and Featherwind Sect too. Some of the residents did try to rally a defense, using traps or ambushes within the dense city streets, but it was futile. An intense, yet brief battle erupted near the government buildings with the remaining city guard until their government surrendered. They wanted to make their defeat as painless as possible. The Alzar Kingdom's momentum was monstrous. Within two days, they had conquered the Wu-Lin Province! Compared to their months of painstaking effort in the Samfeng Province, the difference was truly night and day! That was why breaking through the Quiton Gates became a key turning point in the war!
Next, they had two main hurdles before their attack on Yongtein. First was to secure the empire's ports alongside the Desterina Ocean, thus opening the way to their mainland again. While the Yunyun Stronghold previously served that purpose, as they progressed deeper into the empire's territory, its value would continue to diminish. The Li Family would also attack and recapture it while they were away. This meant they had to recapture a new port for reinforcements to arrive. Second was the Jun Family. The Jun Family led by Minister Keigon Jun was by no means an easy opponent. They were arguably the second strongest of the Four Great Nobility Families, and they suffered next to no losses in the north. They would probably rally their forces for a final push against the kingdom's advance. Although neither hurdle was impossible, the key was time. The longer they delayed their assault, the more their supplies would dwindle, and the enemy forces would regroup. It became imperative to push as far as they could as fast as they could!
After the Wu-Lin Province was the Zhujin Province and the Qianxian Province. Beyond the Zhujin Province was the Zhongjing Province where the Xingyuu Empire's capital of Yongtein laid. That was the kingdom's ultimate destination and where the final battle would take place. The Zhujin Province had superb geographical features that made defense quite easy. For instance, there was the large Shinzhu Lake with a river that snaked across the province towards the ocean and the thick Qiumok Forest north of the capital. Most of the Jun Family's armies defended here. Towards the Qianxian Province was the ports the kingdom needed and the Jun Family's main residence and headquarters in Denmai Yi Fortress. Close by was where Lord Korogin's last stand took place and where Elizabeth slayed Emperor Lianghu. More than a year and a half later, Elizabeth and the Imperial Princesses were finally visiting their resting places.
General Petra, Elizabeth and her friends, the Ten Dawns, and one hundred fifty thousand soldiers would be heading directly into the Zhujin Province to battle the Jun Family's forces. Meanwhile, the Imperial Princesses, Imperian Qiang, and forty thousand soldiers would seize the Qianxian Province and their ports. Ideally, the two armies would handle their respective tasks and reunite in Yongtein. The Featherwind Sect could travel between the two armies and provide aid if needed. Their assistance greatly alleviated much of the pressure the two armies faced. As the chaos wrought by the Imperial Princesses' actions swept through the empire, it made conquest much easier. Territory was gained by the hour. By afternoon of the third day, Elizabeth's army had already pushed to the Shinzhu Lake and the Qiumok Forest. They were pressuring the Jun Family's army.
The army with the Imperial Princesses was even more exaggerated as they fanned out and pushed multiple fronts simultaneously. Their emphasis was on speed, to attack so fast that the enemy had no time to reorganize or regroup. By paralyzing the chain of command, they could win battle after battle. Their momentum kept growing! Once a boulder started rolling, it would take an incredible amount of effort to stop it. The principle was the same here. Their advance was unstoppable! Furthermore, most of the empire's defenses faced outwards, not inwards. They were not designed for a threat from the inside. That was why the Imperial Council tried to stop them at the Quiton Gates because once their enemies breached the core provinces, they could run rampant within! While Elizabeth's army halted at the Shinzhu Lake, this army had occupied three-quarters of the Qianxian Province already! It was unthinkable! They were beginning to push toward Denmai Yi Fortress now.
At the same time, the Li Family entered the Samfeng Province and began its liberation. They reoccupied Guanhuang and destroyed any footholds along the way. The Quiton Gates would fall to them by tomorrow, and the Yunyun Stronghold in a few days. All the progress that the Alzar Kingdom fought so hard for over the past year was being erased like that! This also sealed their retreat. The Alzar Kingdom's army had to push forward and win or face total annihilation! Fortunately, they gained more than twice the territory that they lost. The Li Family was too slow to keep up! However, this momentum could not last forever. The Jun Family was preparing a big defensive around the Shinzhu Lake and rivers, which if successful, could stall the kingdom's advance. The Li Family could then use that time to catch up and corner them. Another big battle was imminent.
The land was not the only one rife with conflict as a larger conflict unfolded over the Maelstrom Gulf and the Desterina Ocean. The Xingyuu Empire's fleets formed multiple defensive lines across their coastlines, allowing for rapid reinforcement and reorganization. Although it sounded easy in theory, implementing it was another story, especially with a coastline that spanned the entire empire. Everything went to show how vast the empire's fleets really were, and how extraordinary Admiral Kang was in his leadership. He showed no weaknesses! It was like a coat of armor protected the empire. It was incomparable to the chaos on the mainland. After all, they knew how important their role was. If they could stop the kingdom's fleets from landing, then the kingdom would lose. It was that simple! The only complications were the Featherwind Sect and the Sword King. Without them, Admiral Aura would be hard fetched to break through.
Thankfully, Admiral Aura knew when General Petra would act, allowing her to prepare in advance. She, General William, and Legion General Edward from Pelangi Fortress made a joint request to Queen Samanthie and the Royal Assembly months beforehand. Their request was to redirect a large portion of the kingdom's reserve fleets from the southern and eastern borders over. However, this decision could not be made lightly as those fleets were critical to the region's security. They protected trade routes from pirates and repelled pillagers from coastlines. Their absence would be noted and exploited, and it would take an exorbitant amount of effort, time, and money to fully resolve. Not to mention, the public backlash from abandoning their duties would be severe. The downsides seemed numerous. The Royal Assembly ultimately agreed to their request though since the war was reaching a critical turning point, and they desperately needed those reinforcements. They could not lose! Equipped with a new source of soldiers, ships, and supplies, Admiral Aura executed a grand attack! Both the Xingyuu Empire and the Alzar Kingdom committed their entire fleets into what could be considered the largest naval conflict in recent history!
Yet, what became a deciding factor came from neither civilization. It came from the Zino Kingdom instead! Two factors played heavily into this. The first was the Ten Dawns. Normally, the Zino Kingdom permitted a maximum of four of the Ten Dawns abroad at a time. This would be Ten Dawn Yvonne, Rosemary, Iris, and Krogan. Unfortunately, Ten Dawn Krogan fell in the Battle of Liguang, leaving three. Matters were further complicated by their plan to hide their survival, even from the highest officials. This meant everyone believed that all four perished in the battle… Pressured by the Alzar Kingdom, they had no choice, but to send their final trump cards. Ten Dawn Runenda and Lorth were forced to the frontlines! As for Ten Dawn Nassandra, she was excused for reasons unknown. Therefore, there were a total of five Ten Dawns participating in the war now!
The second factor was the newest experimental fleet. For the past few years, the Zino Kingdom had been developing a new type of ship equipped with a Fixed Magic Array. When energy was supplied, the ship would accelerate, even in the absence of wind! It was a revolutionary idea, one that mirrored the era of aerial warfare with the glider. However, progress was slow with their first experimental ships debuting more than a year ago. Only recently did their designs finalize and their production scale. Now, they could fully field an entire fleet of these ships, and their impact was monstrous! Their speed and maneuverability outmatched everything else, and together with the Ten Dawns' magic and Admiral Aura's leadership, they spearheaded an attack through the empire's fleets! They finally broke through!