A week later.
The Soul Tool Legion, having replenished some spirit tools and updated others, had reached its peak strength.
They broke into smaller units, then reassembled on a plain ten kilometers outside Spirit City.
Bibi Dong and Xiao Ze slowly arrived.
Seeing this, she nodded slightly: "Target Heaven Dou City, depart!"
They had already discussed it with Ditian, deciding to go directly through Sunset Forest.
This way, it would be much more convenient.
At the same time, the Star Luo Empire.
On the central plaza of a major border town in the Star Luo Empire, an earth-shattering upheaval was unfolding.
City Lord Zhao Qing, clad in heavy dark armor, stood at the edge of the reviewing stand and forcefully threw the Star Luo military flag he held to the ground.
The flag, embroidered with a white tiger totem, rolled in the dust and was firmly trampled under his foot.
"The Star Luo Imperial Family is incompetent and foolish!" His voice, like a booming bell, carried by spirit power, echoed throughout the city. "Their oppressive policies, heavy taxes, and endless wars treat us border troops like grass. This Empire is not worth staying in!"
Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians watched as he tore up the proof of his city lord status.
From his embrace, he pulled out a new flag embroidered with blood-colored fangs.
"We, Iron Rock City, have rebelled!"
Even all the high-ranking officials of Iron Rock City declared in unison: "Rebelled!!!"
"Rebelled!!"
The army and ordinary people in Iron Rock City were stunned.
You're playing a very dangerous game; if something goes wrong, people will die.
But they had no ability to refuse.
Their families were all in Iron Rock City. Since the City Lord had rebelled, no matter what they said, they were now rebels.
Even if they did nothing, when the Star Luo Empire attacked, they would all die.
So, they could only... rebel!
Zhao Qing swung his sword, splitting the table. "Our blades should fight for ourselves!"
It wasn't just Iron Rock City.
Whether it was Cloud Luo City and Dragon Flame City far away, or Star Radiance City and East Amors City closer to Star Luo City, all their City Lords had rebelled.
Suddenly, the Star Luo Empire was filled with the smoke of war and widespread internal strife.
Half a day later, these messages reached Star Luo City.
The Star Luo Emperor slowly rose. He looked at the urgent reports of rebel flags rising in twelve border cities and even numerous internal cities, his pupils constricting violently, his breathing even stopping for half a breath.
"Rebelled... Rebelled!" He suddenly grabbed the imperial seal from his desk and violently smashed it against a palace pillar. The scattered jade fragments startled the officials below, who didn't know what had happened.
"Are these people mad?! I treated them well!!"
One person, trembling, picked up the scattered military reports: "Your Majesty... now is not the time to discuss that. Two-thirds of our Star Luo Empire's cities have all rebelled."
"What!!!"
The various ministers were stunned, kneeling on the ground, trembling, completely at a loss as to what these City Lords were doing.
Spirit Hall hadn't even attacked yet.
The Star Luo Emperor suppressed the anger in his heart. "Come on, tell me what good ideas you have. Two-thirds of the cities have rebelled!!!
And all at the same time. If there's no foul play here, then there's a problem!"
"Your Majesty, could it be people from Spirit Hall?"
"Your Majesty, I think it's very likely. After all, Spirit Hall has now become the Spirit Empire, and their ambition is to swallow both our Star Luo and Heaven Dou Empires.
As long as we have internal rebellion, they have a very high chance of directly striking our Star Luo City! Our Star Luo City is not as far from Spirit City as Heaven Dou City is."
Listening to the words below, the Star Luo Emperor frowned: "Indeed, it must be Spirit Hall. I just don't know what the Spirit Empire gave these City Lords to make them all rebel together, and they chose this day. There's definitely a problem."
"Quick, gather all the legions. A portion of the men will defend Star Luo City, and another portion will head to Hadrian City.
If the Spirit Empire wants to reach Star Luo City, they will definitely have to pass through Hadrian City."
No sooner had the Star Luo Emperor finished speaking than an urgent dispatch, traveling at 800 li, rushed in.
"Your Majesty, Hadrian City has fallen! Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, leading thousands of Spirit Masters, directly captured Hadrian City."
Upon hearing this news, the Star Luo Emperor almost blacked out and fainted.
Hadrian City was the largest barrier between Spirit City and Star Luo City, and now this barrier was gone in the blink of an eye.
Their Star Luo City was in danger.
"Damn them, Spirit Empire!!! Their attack was clearly prepared, a swift and decisive strike!" The Star Luo Emperor was practically fuming; he never expected it to be like this.
"Imperial Father, don't worry about so much. Let's first establish a defensive system to surround Star Luo City. As for those rebels, we can't manage them all. If we can't defend Star Luo City, it's all useless." Dai Weisi was somewhat despairing, but also a little relieved, as he was currently the Crown Prince.
If the Star Luo Empire fell, he wouldn't be a monarch of a fallen nation.
"Good. Mobilize all the armies in Star Luo City to prevent an attack from the Spirit Empire and ensure the safety of Star Luo City.
Keep the situation within the city under control. If there are any problems, kill them directly!"
"Yes."
...Hadrian City.
"Hahaha, who would have thought Hadrian City would be taken so quickly?" Chrysanthemum Douluo laughed.
"Indeed, with Hadrian City taken, our Spirit Empire's rear will be secure. We just await His Majesty's annihilation of the Heaven Dou Empire, and then we will attack Star Luo City from two sides." Ghost Douluo nodded.
"By the way, will those rebel armies attack the Star Luo Empire?"
"No, they will only fight among themselves, ensuring all the high-ranking officials die. These high-ranking officials are useless to us; our Spirit Empire has enough people.
It won't affect the people below; it's all the result of their internal struggle among the high-ranking officials."
"That's good then."
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo looked at each other, both seeing the other's joy.
Their Spirit Empire would soon unify the Douluo Continent.
On the other side.
Bibi Dong, Xiao Ze, and the others led the large army to directly capture Treasure Sword City and Xilu City.
And passed through the Vixlock Plains, directly reaching Sunset Forest.
Their speed was extremely fast, and they were not discovered by the Heaven Dou Empire's army at all.
"I didn't expect us to enter Sunset Forest so easily." Ning Rongrong laughed.
"It's normal. The current leader of the Heaven Dou Empire is one of our own. If we didn't have this capability, then we'd have a problem." Dugu Yan nodded.
"That's true. The Heaven Dou Empire's leader is our person. The Star Luo Empire's cities are mostly in internal chaos now. This is the Spirit Empire's best opportunity."
Sunset Forest was not large.
The army quickly passed through Sunset Forest, and not even a single Spirit Beast came to interfere.
After crossing a mountain, the army arrived at the base of Winchester City.
The City Lord stared blankly at the thousands of Spirit Empire troops below.
"How did they get here? Isn't there the Jiayuguan Defense Line?! How did they arrive before me without a sound?"
(End of Chapter)
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