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Short note:
Alliance Of Sects: Is a group made up of sects in the lower realm, their main duty is to protect the sects from the stronger empires and kingdoms. With the alliance watching, the empires were not able to do anything to the sects even when they were becoming more powerful than the empire. In an attempt to defend themselves, all the empires came together and also formed,
United Imperials: This group was created in response to the growth in power of the sects, the united imperial existed to also protect the empires from the sects who had become more powerful in their territories.
And just like that, the two groups brought balance and stability to the realm.
But they all had conditions, If a native empire attempted to harm a sect in it's territory, and the sect retaliated, the United Imperial couldn't do anything to stop it, since the empire started. The same was true in reverse.
.......
"You had this all planned didn't you? You you instigated a rebellion out of nothing, you you pushed us to do this.
Why?" The right grand elder was confused. He had seen through Gu Shang plan after hearing him.
Gu Shang had played and fooled them all. He had literally thrown a bait out and they had caught it because of their greed.
Gu Shang sent the message through the injured elder on purpose, he knew the elder was going to die when he passed that message over to him.
In doing this, if the Moonshade Sect was to attack in defense, Gu Shang could simply deny it because they had no evidence, and it was also true that they spread the news which can be used against them.
To make sure that they went for the bait, Gu Shang moved his Lion Fang troops to make it look like he was following through with his threat. This was enough to make the Moonshade Sect believe there was nothing fishy about the situation, and thinking that they had an opportunity clutch to.
But now that Gu Shang had denied threatening them and had also confirmed that the Lion Fang troops weren't ordered to march to the capital but we're just given permission to embark on their drills means, the Moonshade Sect had gone against their oath by rebelling.
They were now the villains, the narrative would be that they plotted to rebel by spreading force rumors about the Grand General's threat's and then proceeded to invade the domain. The only person who could vouch for them was already dead, this was a disaster.
It was like a traveler willingly giving his belongings to a bandit, and then closing his eyes to signal the bandit to run with his belongings. When the bandit was caught the traveler denies it and since the bandit can't prove it, he would be doomed because no one was going to believe him even if he told the truth.
The only question remaining in the the grand elder's mind was why? Why go through all this hassle if he just wanted to fight them? Why scheme all this?
As he continued to think, another elder blurted out, "Could it be because of the alliance of sects?"
That's right, the alliance of sects would not stand still and watch an empire suppress a sect for no reason, they'll surely exterminate the empire if that was to happen, but if the reverse were to happen the alliance of sects would remain quiet even if the sect is destroyed by the United Imperial.
The Grand elder laughed hystericaly after fixing the pieces together. Gu Shang was really retarded, did he really think he had what it took to harm the sect?
"I must applaud you, your plan was well crafted, I'm impressed. But you forgot one important thing, even if the alliance don't interfere, you don't have the power to destroy us.
If we destroy you here, right now. Then we will be the victors writing history, we can change the narrative to whatever we want.
If that happens, the United Imperial would have no reason to move against us. Your plan was well crafted, but you overestimated yourself. A poor finishing for such a plan I'll say"
The right grand elder got himself together, So what if Gu Shang was a crafty and Scheming bastard, his plan was well executed but he didn't have the power to see it through, all he had to do was to defeat him here and now.
He turned around and saw that the disciples were discouraged. Their fighting spirit had reduced significantly.
"This won't work, I need to raise their moral" he muttered.
"Silence!!" His voice traveled across the entire pass, calming the disciples.
"Listen to me closely, we've been trapped by that crafty bastard and his troops in this accursed poisonous dome. Our only hope of survival is the exit of the pass, that's the only entrance out"
The disciples couldn't help but all look at the exit which was guarded by Gu Shang troops.
Indeed, the only way out of the dome was through that exit. Their eyes couldn't help but turn red.
They were still young and had a long life ahead of them, non of them wanted to die here.
"If you want to live, then you have to fight your way through that measley resistance.
Are you going to continue trembling like fowls or are you going to fight your way out to survival!!" The right grand elder words were like a tonic which reignited their battle intent.
The left grand elder raised his large sword and pointed at the cavalry, "Kill!!!" He shouted savagely.
"Kill.....Kill.....Kill...Kill....Kill.....Kill " All the disciples said at the same time, whiles drawing out their swords, spears, clubs, staffs, halberds and all sorts of weapon.
"Chargeeee!!!!" The left and right elders took the lead, whiles the disciples followed.
The Purple Qilin Cavalry soldiers stood there calmly as they awaited their orders, they were unfazed by the aura of the approaching enemies.
"Brace yourselves! Initiate defense formation one!" The fourth emissary gave an order.
The troops went into action as they held their shields up, those behind the defense line also held the soldiers of the frontline to give support.
The enemies approached at full speed, just before they arrived at the first line of defense, they channeled their individual skills and techniques.
Spiritual Qi gushed into the pass crazily as all sort of different looking colours of light formed around the edges of the disciples and elders weapons.
The pass became filled with all sorts of lights ranging from yellow, green, red, purple, orange... Just name them.
A heavy spiritual and dominant force headed for the shield.
"Channel all your energies into the shield!" The fourth emissary gave another command.
All the troops guarding the Frontline channeled all their spiritual energy towards the rectangular shields.
With their energies combined, the purple runes on the rectangular shields whirled into action and shot out a large bearer which was thirty meters long towards the sky, and formed an invisible barear a few inches Infront of their shields.
The attacks of the enemies finally arrived.
BOOOOOOOOM, The energy the clash produced sounded like an atomic bomb explosion.
Gu Shang troops were pushed back, but they still remained standing, their hands had gone numb, their formation became a bit out of line.
The enemies were surprised, weren't those shields a bit too overpowered.
"Hold the line!! Hold the line!! Hold the line" Gu Shang emissaries went through the ranks of the troops to stabilize the situation.
The right grand elder was stunned for a while, but came back to his senses.
"Keep pushing we are almost there! Those shields can't hold on to our attacks for very long! Keep pushing!"
The enemy forces began another round of frenzy attacks, which made the shields tremble.
Gu Shang who was sitting at the back of his dragon horse, took out his golden bow again and began killing the powerful elders of the enemy forces who's attack were powerful enough to cause them damage.
With the bow in his hands, and the heavens and spiritual Qi as his arrows, every string he pulled took a life.
And just like this, the battle of the sleeping serpent pass had just begun.