In a desolate pass with two large mountains in between it, the scent of blood and metal filled the air, black gaseous mists formed a large dome around the pass.
In the middle of the pass, several dead bodies were littered all around to place, whiles roughly a thousand people were kneeling on their knees with tattered clothes and bruised bodies, it was a gruesome and pitiful sight to see.
Soldiers in black armor could be seen sitting on their horses whiles some held shields. A man in white battle robes stood in front of the kneeling crowd.
They were the only survivors of the Moonshade Sect. They had come with three hundred thousand men who were all elites, but only they survived by kneeling and surrending.
The forty thousand cavalry men had used a surprise attack on them from the back.
They had already lost a lot of moral rendering them more unlikely to defend against the surprise attack by the Cavalry.
The soldiers were ruthless and had killed all those who stood Infront of their way, what made it different to fight against them was the tough scales of their dragon horses, non of their attacks could even slow down the galloping horses.
Only those who dropped their weapons and knelt down survived the massacre by the cavalry.
"How is this possible?! The now bald right grand elder asked shaking.
He had witnessed the death of so many disciples today, these disciples were supposed to be the future of the sect, but now they were all gone, some died without leaving behind any corpses but those with their corpse intact weren't any different because their bodies were being trampled under the hooves of the dragon horses.
"It's only possible because of your arrogance, if you had used the main road to the domain, you might have won this battle.
The main road is wide with an open space, whiles I have only a few men, I would have been forced to attack you directly since it would've been pointless defending against your large force, you would have crushed me with your numbers but you decided to take the sleeping serpent pass because you thought we were worms you could crash... Isn't it?" Gu Shang said slowly whiles squatting down.
The right grand elder felt like the greatest sinner in the history of the sect. Gu Shang was indeed right, if he had taken the main route to the domain, then all those disciples lives would have been saved, since Gu Shang wouldn't be able to trap them with his poison mist in an open area, he would not have been able to form a defense line to push back and his cavalry would not have been able to give them a surprise attack from behind when they were at their weakest.
The outcome of the battle could have changed if he had not chosen this path.
"You planned all this, didn't you? You intentionally provoked us with the sunrise ultimatum, you wanted us to react like this, am I wrong?!
I see, everything was well crafted to make sure we follow your plans. Everything you did was to make sure we ended right here.
We lost before this began, isn't that correct?! Hahaha" The right grand elder laughed out maniaclly, they thought they had the sharpest edge of the sword, but it turns out that they had the weakest part.
"So what now? Are you going to kill us?" The right grand elder said as he closed his eyes.
"No I'm not going to kill you, am not that ruthless, you should treat your friend over there he seems to be dying " Gu Shang said innocently.
The audacity to say that bullshit after such a massacre needed to be studied.
The right grand elder saw his partner the left grand elder on the brink of death, he hesitated for a moment before filling the elder's mouth will pills.
"Why are you sparing us?" He asked with a calm face.
"For someone who's life is in my hands, you sure seem calm" Gu Shang said with a snicker.
"I'm only sparing you because you've surrounded to me already, now go back and tell your sect master that when the sun reaches its peak in the sky, I'm going to destroy your sect of rebels, from now till then, I'll wait for him to prepare whatever trump card he has left.
You better hurry up along and report it to him before it's too late"
Gu Shang raised his hand.
Four large boxes were brought forth, the boxes were then opened at the highest points on the pass.
And like a vortex, the boxes began to pull in all the black gaseous poisonous mist in the surrounding and after a few breathes, all the black gases had disappeared completely and had been stored into those large boxes.
"Pass my order to the Lion Fang troops having their drills in the Han Prefecture to march towards the capital" Gu Shang ordered.
The archers took special white arrows from their quilts and fired it into the sky.
The arrows exploded with a blinding light in the sky, before it disappeared a large purple qilin was seen in the sky looking very lifelike, as the sun began to cast it's gentle golden lights on the realm
This signal was seen by everyone in the capital and domain.
...
In the palace, the emperor was still sitting on his throne when he saw the qilin in the sky whiles the sun was rising.
It was such an awe inspiring scene.
He stood up from his throne as the golden sun rays carresed his face, which had an expression full of confusion.
Just then an eunuch came in running excitedly. The eunch didn't even report to the chief eunuch and went down directly on his knees with tears.
"Congratulations your majesty, the Grand General has archived a flawless victory against the rebels"
The emperor fell on his throne weakly.
"Congratulations, your majesty!" The chief eunch and all the guards and loyal retainers in the hall went on their knees with tears of joy.
They had all been prepared to die, but it wasn't an easy choice to make. Relief washed all the gloom and fear away from their body.
....
The Qing Clan manor
"What! Gu Shang archive a flawless victory and have routed all the rebel forces of the Moonshade Sect!
How is that even possible! Who spreading this nonsense" The acting clan leader said disbelievingly.
"Gu Shang, who really are you?!" Qing Ying muttered silently.
.....
Gu Clan manor
The atmosphere in the clan was strange, they didn't know how to react to it.
Gu Lin on the other hand was going berserk in his room as he threw thing around like a mad man.
.....
Liu family manor
There were celebrations going on in the family, the situation was more grim for them than because they were related to Gu Shang. "I always knew my brother in law was going to win, but a flawless victory.. woow. I want to join the Purple Qilin Cavalry" Liu Tan said excitedly.
The old master just smiled and continued to pull his beard, before Gu Shang left he had sent him a letter telling him to not worry, but he was still surprised, he didn't expect a flawless victory.
...
Imperial Academy
Four old men were playing chess and leisurely enjoying their time.
"In all my time serving the empire, this is my first time hearing of a flawless victory. The winds of the empire is shifting, but for the first time in my life, I can't predict where it is heading" One of the old men said to which the others all nodded in agreement.
...
Spring Autumn restaurant
"I'm now curious to know your secrets" Deji said with a smile after hearing the news.
.....
On top of the capital wall, the purply qilin soldiers guarding Liu Feifei went on their knees and congratulated her.
"Mistress, the general has archived a flawless victory against the rebels"
Congratulations"
Liu Feifei sighed in relief but couldn't help but ask, "What's a flawless victory?!"