Chapter 1879: The Rebirth of the Dead

Its cooperation with Panlong City perfectly compensated for Panlong City's weaknesses. He Lingchuan sighed inwardly, thinking, "A lean camel is still bigger than a horse." He wished Lingshan would consistently and firmly support Panlong City.

"Xin Yi mentioned that True Immortal Qianhuan now leads Lingshan. Despite his old feud with Mitian, he's willing to assist Panlong City, which shows remarkable magnanimity."

General Hong chuckled, "That old clam spirit is narrow-minded. This assassination of the Second Prince of Xianyou might not have been his idea. He's not the only True Immortal issuing orders in Lingshan."

The tone of that last remark was somewhat low, making He Lingchuan momentarily unsure if it was General Hong or Mitian speaking. She clearly didn't want to owe Qianhuan a favor. In that regard, it sounded more like Mitian.

Panlong City had been attacking Xianyou for some time. He and General Hong had fought side-by-side on numerous occasions, and during their downtime, they often sparred over military strategies and discussed combat, both benefiting from these exchanges. Before entering the Inverted Sea, He Lingchuan had the chance to ask about the evolution of warfare between ancient and medieval times. General Hong casually offered the battle between Mitian and Qianhuan as an example.

She revealed two crucial pieces of information. First, Qianhuan's true form could produce pearls and was not easily moved, suggesting it was either a snail or a clam. Mitian had not personally seen Qianhuan's true form at the time and was distracted at the last moment by Qianhuan's Dharma Form wielding a mirage pearl. However, after Mitian acquired the mirage pearl and reflected on it for years, their estimation was about seventy to eighty percent accurate. The type of illusions a mirage demon creates is usually closely related to its own inherent characteristics. Secondly, Qianhuan is characterized by being suspicious and skilled at concealment, possessing numerous trump cards, making it very difficult to corner him. Armed with these crucial pieces of intelligence, He Lingchuan felt much more confident entering the Inverted Sea.

Just then, General Hong suddenly remarked, "The day we caught up to King Xianyou, I believe I saw you at Luanzi Slope."

"Me?" He Lingchuan pointed to his nose, looking surprised. "I was on the Eastern Front."

When General Hong attacked the capital of Xianyou, He Lingchuan naturally had to guard the eastern border gate to prevent the Beijia army from marching straight in. This was a fact that required no explanation.

General Hong glanced at him, then, as if making an offhand remark, changed the subject: "Regarding this campaign to capture Xianyou, you seem to have different ideas. If you were in command, how would you approach it?"

He Lingchuan touched his nose. Indeed, he had his own understanding of this conflict. If he were given command—

Still, he tried to demur, saying, "The battle is already over."

"It's fine; just speak your mind." General Hong was quite open-minded on this matter, adding, "Hearing all perspectives leads to clarity."

"If I were to deploy troops, I would strike with overwhelming force, first capturing Yaoshi City, then launching a strong assault on Shisazi and Baisonggang..." He Lingchuan walked to the sand table, pointing at the terrain as he elaborated on his ideas for over fifteen minutes.

General Hong listened intently, interjecting with two questions, then stated, "This approach yields good initial results, but the attrition would be significant. Casualties would likely be over forty percent higher than what we experienced."

"But it's fast!" He Lingchuan said earnestly, "Speed is paramount in warfare. Although we've now conquered all of Xianyou, it took nearly four months, which fails to showcase the might of a swift, dragon-like army and cannot effectively deter Baling and Beijia." He was still speaking conservatively. In his opinion, this combat approach actually exposed Panlong City's weaknesses. He added, "If we had captured Xianyou within a month, Beijia wouldn't even have had time to mobilize troops; furthermore, they might not have bothered to intervene afterward."

Once a war begins, the enemy should be given a powerful demonstration of force, compelling them to reconsider whether they want to continue the conflict. This is known as an effective display of power. The premise, of course, is that your "sword" is truly that sharp.

General Hong tilted her head slightly. "Not necessarily?"

"Warfare is like chess; it's always a strategic game," He Lingchuan shrugged. "My method is aggressive, while your approach is steady. Each has its advantages and disadvantages." Zhong Shengguang is steady, and General Hong is cautious with her troops, which explains the current approach: taking Xianyou takes longer, but the losses are fewer.

General Hong said faintly, "The Xianyou army resisted tenaciously; it was difficult for us to achieve an overnight victory. If our opponent were the former Xiji Kingdom, weak and unprepared, we could have wiped them out in a single night." The Xiji Kingdom was annihilated by Panlong City in a single night, subsequently yielding the fertile Mao River Plain. This allowed Panlong City to resolve its long-standing issues of food supply and external connectivity.

"However, Xianyou had been at war with Panlong City for many years, and the quality of its soldiers, especially its border troops, was very high. Had it not been for domestic problems in recent years, such as food shortages and political instability, it would have been exceedingly difficult for Panlong City to swiftly conquer Xianyou. Furthermore, Beijia's reaction is unpredictable. What if the Demon Emperor's nature is to grow stronger when challenged, and he insists on confronting Panlong City?"

He Lingchuan mused, "If the opponent is weak and unprepared..." General Hong's combat strategy was well-considered and based on Panlong City's long-standing realities, so it certainly had merit. He sighed. Yet, conquering a small place like Xiji, no matter how swiftly, would not have instilled fear in Beijia.

General Hong offered no comment, her voice gentle and placid: "In future battles, you will have the opportunity to test your own ideas. But remember—" She articulated each word: "—Every choice comes with a price."

Those who command armies can unleash bloodshed with a single thought. Therefore, they must be exceptionally cautious.

He Lingchuan nodded. He hesitated for a moment before saying, "I also have a question I'd like to ask Revered Mitian."

"Go ahead."

"I heard Mr. Xin mention that Revered Mitian holds the Divine Spark of Death, and therefore should possess the most profound understanding of 'death'."

Xin Yi wasn't present to deny it. General Hong tilted her head and looked at him, offering no comment.

"So what I want to ask is, how can the deceased be reborn?"

"What's so difficult about that?" General Hong said, crossing her arms. "Don't immortals all possess soul-snatching techniques? One simply finds a suitable living body, takes it over, or refines an external Dharma Form."

"What if soul-snatching isn't an option, and many people need to be brought back to life at once?"

General Hong was silent for several moments, as if scrutinizing him from beneath her mask. "You wish to resurrect a large number of the deceased?"

He Lingchuan sighed softly, "Soldiers like Liu Lin were brave and loyal, yet they died prematurely. If they could be recalled to the human world..."

"That's a beautiful thought, but it's not that easy," General Hong scoffed faintly. "If the deceased could be resurrected so casually, wouldn't the order of this world descend into chaos?"

He Lingchuan quickly applied what he had just learned: "I heard that the Death Saint God's realm of the dead can allow the deceased to be reborn."

"Did Xin Yi tell you this as well?"

"Yes. After a few drinks, Mr. Xin often speaks quite animatedly and generously."

General Hong smiled sardonically. "That's a law from another world, not applicable to the human realm. However, it might not be entirely impossible to attempt. But don't get your hopes up just yet."

He Lingchuan quickly nodded, understanding he shouldn't get excited.

"The chasm between life and death is distinct. It's easy to pass from life to death; even without a blade, the world's natural laws will eventually take their course. But to turn from death to life is to defy the heavens—you can only imagine its difficulty."