"Fortunately, this Emperor-killing Spear is powerful; otherwise..."
Yuxiang patted his chest, a hint of fear still on his face.
"Luo Yi, you were suddenly sucked into the void just now. We thought something terrible had happened to you!"
"Do you know that the Lord was almost scared to death?" Yuxiang said with lingering fear.
If Li Sandao hadn't stepped in to explain, even he would have thought Luo Yi was doomed.
Hearing this, Luo Yi's expression grew serious. He pushed through the crowd, took a few steps towards Orion, and knelt on one knee.
"How could someone as insignificant as me cause such concern for you, my Lord?"
"It's Luo Yi who is at fault for making you worry!"
A scholar would die for a confidant, and Luo Yi was deeply moved by Orion's concern for his safety.
But when he reflected on his failure to resolve the situation for his Lord, instead leaving a significant threat behind, Luo Yi's head lowered deeply in shame.
"My Lord, it was my incompetence that failed to kill the enemy and allowed him to escape!"
"Please, Lord, punish me!" Luo Yi's face was filled with guilt.
Indeed, even though he was severely injured, that was no excuse for failing to capture the enemy, especially with the Emperor-killing Spear in hand. Had he realized its power sooner, he would have fought more decisively and killed the opponent.
Now, a powerful Half-Emperor enemy had slipped through his fingers. If the enemy launched a sneak attack later, it could lead to severe consequences.
"Hi!" Orion quickly stepped forward to help Luo Yi up.
"Luo Yi, don't belittle yourself. You've already done remarkably well!"
"Considering you're seriously injured, defeating an enemy of the same level is incredible!" Orion smiled, comforting Luo Yi.
In truth, Orion had prepared himself for the worst outcome. Who would have thought that Luo Yi, despite his injuries, would defeat the enemy and seriously wound them? For Orion, this was an unexpected victory.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty! That Great Zhou Emperor may have escaped, but he won't hide for long! When we reach Chang'an, even if I have to chase him a thousand miles, I'll bring you his head!"
Luo Yi's eyes burned with determination. The enemy had promised to meet in Chang'an, and Luo Yi intended to ensure that meeting ended with the enemy's death, regardless of the risks.
"Alright! I believe in you!" Orion smiled slightly.
Luo Yi had proven his strength in this battle, and Orion had no reason to doubt him.
"But for now, you should rest and recover as soon as possible. Heal your injuries quickly so you can fight at full strength," Orion said, his gaze lingering on Luo Yi's wounds. Though the fight seemed easy, Luo Yi was still injured. The old wounds that had finally begun to heal were now reopened.
"Understood!" Luo Yi nodded solemnly. To fulfill his promise, he needed to recover quickly; otherwise, his resolve would mean nothing without strength.
In the following days, Luo Yi focused intensely on his recovery, consuming low-level pills to hasten his healing.
As Luo Yi went to rest, Orion sighed softly. Though Luo Yi had won, and the immediate crisis had passed, a lingering sense of unease remained.
Today's opponent had been the Great Zhou Emperor, a Half-Emperor. But what about tomorrow? What if a Great Zhou Ancestor or even a Super-Ancestor arrived? Today, Luo Yi had managed to wield the Emperor-killing Spear effectively, but what about the next time? Could an injured Luo Yi defeat an even stronger foe?
"Alas! It seems we still need a great Emperor to support our cause," Orion murmured. Only with a Great Emperor in their ranks could they truly ensure their safety.
Orion glanced at the system's luck value panel:
[Host: Orion]
[Strength: Martial Emperor Early Stage!]
[Factions under command: Yanyun's Eighteen Cavalry (seriously injured), One Hundred Thousand Snow Dragon Cavalry (enhanced version), Fifty Thousand Trapped Camp, Shadow Guard, Xiao Yu, and Ten Thousand Beifu Army (disabled)!]
[Guards under command: Li Sandao, Xu Chu!]
[Luck value: 6,820,375!]
Compared to before, his luck value had increased by over half a million, likely contributed by the Beifu Army and the Trapped Camp at Yumen Pass. They were currently locked in a stalemate with the 300,000-strong Northern Territory Great Wall Legion.
Looking at the remaining 6 million luck points, Orion sighed again.
"If we had killed that Great Zhou Emperor, it would have brought a tremendous amount of luck!" he lamented. "But..."
Orion shook his head, pushing aside these unrealistic thoughts. The Half-Emperor was severely injured and had fled; it was unlikely he would return soon. Orion resolved to use this opportunity to amass as much luck as possible.
Now, with just over three million luck points left to achieve another emperor-level lottery, Orion felt a renewed sense of purpose. Once the luck value was sufficient, there would be nothing to fear!
At that moment, Orion recalled the secret report Xiao Yu had provided earlier: Zhou Linglong had ordered all major prefectures and counties to send reinforcements to Chang'an and Yizhou. The reinforcements should be arriving soon.
Orion's eyes suddenly lit up!
"Yuan Zuozong!"
"At your command!" Yuan Zuozong immediately stepped forward, fists clasped in respect.
Orion's expression hardened slightly as he issued his orders:
"General Yuan, order the entire Dragon Cavalry Army to move south quickly! Now that Shuofang City is under our control, the northern part of Yizhou should be smooth sailing. Capture all cities in Yizhou and eradicate the Zhou forces!"
Though Shuofang City was under their control, their conquest was far from over. The empress had summoned reinforcements from all over the country to defend Chang'an, meaning that the closer they got, the stronger the resistance they would encounter. But it also meant greater rewards in luck points.
Defend Chang'an? Then they would just have to fight their way through!
"Yes, my Lord!" Yuan Zuozong accepted the order, his words brimming with murderous intent. The time had come for the Dragon Cavalry Army to unsheathe their swords!