Chapter 2293: Chapter 2293 Off Guard
Now, it was the Elysium Dynasty’s turn to bear the brunt of the storm.
No matter what they said, no one believed them.
"It seems that unless we surrender the treasure from the Grand Hall and the spiritual spring, neither side will back down. But one of these is not in my possession, and the other... I absolutely cannot relinquish. In that case, we might as well unify this world sooner rather than later."
With no other options, the Elysium Dynasty began making preparations for unification, stockpiling resources in advance.
Meanwhile, the allied forces resisting the foreign race were recalled by the Elysium Dynasty.
That battlefield belonged to the Euphoria Dynasty. By withdrawing their troops, the burden of defense would inevitably fall upon Euphoria. If they failed to reinforce their ranks in time, the foreign race would undoubtedly breach their borders.
And so, Euphoria had no choice but to redirect its forces, weakening its military strength.
However, this decision by the Elysium Dynasty sparked outrage among martial practitioners. At a time when morale was soaring in the war against the foreign race, their abrupt withdrawal made them the villain who had sabotaged the alliance.
Accusations spread like wildfire. Rumors swirled that the Elysium Dynasty was hoarding treasures and seizing the spiritual spring for itself. Many believed they had deliberately undermined the war effort. Even their own soldiers grew disheartened.
Within the Elysium dynasty, merchants became wary, their cooperation with the Royal Management dwindling. The supply chains that sustained the kingdom began to falter.
In response, the Elysium Dynasty deployed a vast number of martial practitioners to exert pressure. At the same time, experts were dispatched to the frontlines, igniting an all-out battle with the Euphoria Dynasty. In one swift strike, they captured Jade Grove City.
With that, the conflict escalated into full-scale war among the three Royal Management. Armies stationed at the borders of rival territories launched relentless offensives against one another.
Yet amid the chaos, Ye Liuyun refrained from making a move. Instead, he summoned Mo Tianheng and the others back.
"This is the perfect opportunity to stir up trouble!" Zhao Hu frowned, baffled by Ye Liuyun’s intentions.
"This is the moment when the dynasties’ internal and external conflicts reach their peak," Ye Liuyun said calmly. "Even without our interference, their own disputes will spiral into disorder.
Our real target is the Elysium Dynasty. Once we take it, we will seize control of the most valuable resources.
King Zhongyuan is still cautious, and the experts he has dispatched could return at any moment. So instead of striking now, we wait in Regalty. The instant his forces are drawn deep into enemy territory—that’s when we move!
For now, focus on cultivating. The outside world is in turmoil, and unnecessary action might entangle us in needless complications."
And so, Ye Liuyun and his companions returned to Regalty, the heart of the Elysium Dynasty, where they observed the dynasty’s movements in secret.
Just as Ye Liuyun had predicted, the Elysium Dynasty deployed its fifty thousand praetorian guards. Dividing their forces into two, they launched a massive invasion into the territories of the other dynasties.
The martial practitioners had all been dispatched to guard the mineral veins. Even if Ye Liuyun and his forces chose not to act, many other martial practitioners had already set their sights on seizing control of those valuable resources in Elysium Dynasty.
As the war escalated, more and more of the praetorian stationed in Regalty were sent to the frontlines. With each deployment, the city’s defenses grew increasingly vulnerable.
The Elysium dynasty’s attention remained fixed on resource collection and conscripting martial practitioners into its ranks.
When King Zhongyuan realized that Xue Rongwu had vanished, he merely assumed that the man had gone elsewhere to plunder supplies. At present, the dynasty was in desperate need of experts to stabilize its territories, and there simply weren’t enough hands to go around.
Besides, he believed that Xue Rongwu lacked both the strength and the audacity to attack the Regalty.
But at that precise moment, Ye Liuyun deemed the time ripe for action.
He unleashed all three of his legions simultaneously.
The Blade Legion swiftly seized control of the Conveyor Formation. Qiong Qi then altered its Formation, cutting off the Elysium Dynasty from any reinforcements.
The Beastman forces were fully equipped with puppet beasts, war chariots, and energy cannons. They launched a relentless assault on the royal palace, dismantling its defensive Formations one by one.
Meanwhile, the Dark Legion was tasked with eliminating the barrier, taking full control of Regalty, and establishing order under their rule.
Xue Rongwu led over a hundred martial practitioners to monitor the city, ensuring that no one could rally reinforcements for the palace.
The sudden attack plunged Regalty into chaos. Civilians and martial practitioner alike scrambled to hide, fearing that they would be caught in the crossfire.
The major factions within the city consolidated their forces, fortifying their own strongholds against potential looting. Yet, not a single one moved to aid the royal palace.
The Blade Legion, wielding overwhelming force, quickly secured the Conveyor Formation. Qiong Qi then stepped in and deactivated the Formation. Once it was shut down, he began reconfiguring it to connect directly to the God Realm.
Yu Xiaofeng had an army of a hundred thousand standing by. The moment the Conveyor Formation was fully activated, his soldiers would flood into the city.
Meanwhile, Ye Liuyun personally led the Beastman in a direct offensive against the palace. Before its Formations could even be fully deployed, his forces had already breached the outer perimeter. Advancing layer by layer, they shattered the palace’s Formation with calculated precision.
The palace guards attempted several counterattacks, but each charge was repelled with crushing force. Outmatched and unable to retaliate effectively, they had no choice but to retreat behind their Formations, relying solely on defensive measures.
The guards of Regalty were merely ordinary soldiers and stood no chance against the Dark Legion’s assault. Many surrendered without a fight. Soon, the Dark Legion swiftly took control of the city gates, sealing off Regalty entirely.
Meanwhile, Xue Rongwu roamed the streets, amplifying his voice to spread accusations against the Elysium Dynasty. He denounced its tyranny, its hoarding of treasures, its plundering of resources, and its betrayal of the alliance against the foreign race.
King Zhongyuan quickly recognized the danger. He urgently commanded all available troops and martial practitioners to return at once. At the same time, he ordered the martial practitioner expert and praetorians within the royal palace to prepare for battle.
Yet, the expert forces he had left were pitifully few. Fewer than two hundred experts remained by his side, accompanied by just over five thousand praetorians. Against the overwhelming might of the Beastman army, victory was a distant dream.
His only hope was that the palace’s defensive Formations could hold long enough for reinforcements to arrive.
However, when he learned that the Conveyor Formation had been severed, he was struck with dread. His reinforcements were completely cut off, leaving him with no way to turn the tide.
For decades, he had painstakingly strengthened his rule in secrecy, gradually amassing power. He had yet to complete his ambition of uniting the world, and now, an outsider had struck at his very core.
Unwilling to accept this fate, he clenched his fists in frustration. His gaze then shifted to Ye Liuyun, who stood beyond the barrier, calmly commanding the Beastman.
Ye Liuyun merely gave him a cold ultimatum. "Surrender yourself, and I guarantee the survival of your royal bloodline. Resist, and none shall be spared."
At this point, King Zhongyuan had no real means of fighting back. Given the speed at which the Beastman was dismantling the palace’s Formation, his defenses would not last more than two days.
Even if his forces could march back without the Conveyor Formation, it would take at least ten days for them to return, and only a fraction could make it in time. Besides, the rest were still locked in battle against the other two dynasties.
Realizing he had only one chance, he resolved to stake everything on a final gamble. As long as he still had some strength left, he would make one desperate strike at Ye Liuyun. If he could kill him, his loyalists might still be able to escort him out of Regalty.
Instead of rejecting Ye Liuyun’s offer outright, he asked in a measured tone, "Do you swear on your word?"
Ye Liuyun nodded. However, he remained cautious, instructing his clone to prepare for action.
King Zhongyuan’s swift surrender seemed almost too convenient. It was impossible not to suspect a trap.
