The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 677: Marching For Battle

Marching For Battle . . .

Cha Eun Xiao's demeanor had shifted from calm and steady to one of dominance as he addressed the silent soldiers. He bellowed, "Who else among you wishes to test my orders? I'll grant them the opportunity to do so!"

An eerie silence fell over the assembly. The tension was so palpable that one could hear a pin drop.

The soldiers remained rigidly at attention, resolute in their posture.

"Anyone daring to defy my orders shall meet the same fate as these men before you, without exception!" Cha Eun Xiao's tone was resolute. "I am the commander of this army, tasked with preserving the kingdom from collapsing, protecting lives on the battlefield, and preventing families from being torn asunder. I haven't the time to teach you lessons! I will resort to the sword. That is my only recourse. Anyone willing to test me is welcome to do so!"

He shouted, "Bring me a large brush pen!"

[Brush pen?]

[First a vat, then a flag, and now a brush pen?]

[What is he up to?]

Not a soul dared to utter a word, no matter how baffled they were. All eyes remained fixed on Cha Eun Xiao.

With a large brush pen dipped in blood, he penned five words onto the flag: 'Lord Xiao, Kingdom of Chen.' The pristine white flag became one emblazoned with bloody script.

Cha Eun Xiao affixed two flagpoles together, hoisting the blood-written flag high. It replaced the primary flag, ascending to the highest point. The scent of blood pervaded the air, and the five crimson words fluttered boldly in the sky.

This was the new commander's flag, one that belonged exclusively to Cha Eun Xiao.

Those who witnessed the flag were aghast, their eyes reflecting a mix of shock and fear. None had imagined that the man known as one of the 'three lords in town' possessed such a merciless disposition.

He was a man without fear, unbound by convention.

Indeed, all three lords were formidable figures in their own right.

Lan Langlang, Zuo Wuji, and Cha Eun Xiao were all outstanding individuals.

– Neigh... –

A horse let out a thunderous neigh, breaking the silence. Cha Eun Xiao, clad in a white robe, sat atop a black steed. He commanded, "Drums, sound the march!"

– Tuck, tuck, tuck... –

Hundreds of drumbeats resounded simultaneously, each beat as though it were their last.

The drummers dared not play a slower rhythm, fearful of facing execution.

The drumbeats resounded, reaching the heavens, and marked both the march and the promise of victory.

The entire city reverberated with the drumbeats, shaking the heavens and the earth and stirring the hearts of the people.

Meanwhile, officials were rushing toward the king, pleading, "Your Majesty... Please, Your Majesty, you must ensure justice is served. My son has perished under grievous circumstances..."

Tears welled in their eyes as they lamented their losses.

However, the thunderous drumbeats drowned out their voices, rendering them inaudible.

The king observed the officials, their tearful pleas evident in their anguished expressions, but he couldn't hear their words.

Cha Eun Xiao was already at the head of the army.

The soldiers mounted their horses and followed him, shouting in unison.

The entire army moved in a ship-like formation, each soldier striving to present their finest self in order to satisfy their commander. The sound of the drums was the only thing that held their attention. They dared not incur Cha Eun Xiao's wrath.

Officials dashed out in a desperate bid to halt the army. They yelled, "Cha Eun Xiao, stop! You can't just depart... You..."

The drums were deafening. Cha Eun Xiao couldn't hear them, and even if he could, he would have paid them no heed. He merely cast a glance in their direction as he rode on his black steed, completely ignoring them.

– Puff! –

His countenance was stern as he continued to advance. One of the officials was trampled by the horses and the marching troops, becoming a flattened mass on the ground.

He had become one with the earth.

"Victory!"

Cha Eun Xiao brandished his sword and cried out.

"Victory!"

The one hundred thousand troops responded in kind, shouting loudly in unison.

The entire world stood in awe of the spectacle that unfolded before them.

The army, akin to an unrelenting iron serpent, burst forth from the earth, a relentless and savage creature thirsting for blood.

Above, Ning Biluo held a colossal flag, soaring some forty meters into the sky, a stark white field adorned with bloody script. The dense odor of blood suffused the air, creating a tempest of crimson essence.

Cha Eun Xiao had transformed an assemblage of misfits into an unwavering, formidable force just prior to their march into battle. He didn't need to deliver inspirational speeches; instead, he ignited their spirits with the blood and heads of the young lords, forging the very soul of his army.

The troops advanced with the intensity of a breached dam. Not one of them saluted the king. The land was already in disarray, littered with the grief-stricken officials mourning the loss of their young kin.

"Your Majesty, I implore you to issue a decree! Bring that monster back for punishment!"

"Your Majesty, please ensure justice is served..."

"Your Majesty... *sob*, *sob*, *sob*... That was my sole heir..."

The king was plagued by a throbbing headache, torn by helplessness and embarrassment.

[Recall Cha Eun Xiao?]

[Impossible.]

[Punish him?]

[No!]

[Invoke the Penalty Ministry? Absolutely not!]

The king had previously led troops into battle himself. He recognized that the army Cha Eun Xiao currently commanded had been transformed into a formidable and disciplined force. Not even seasoned armies could surpass the one now led by Cha Eun Xiao.

The Kingdom of Chen was on the brink of losing the war, and they desperately needed an army of this caliber to charge forth and fight with unwavering fervor. If he ordered Cha Eun Xiao's return, the army would disintegrate, reverting to an unruly and disorganized mob. That would mean shattering the kingdom's last glimmer of hope.

Conversely, if he allowed Cha Eun Xiao to continue, he was faced with a dilemma of how to console the officials.

What could he say to the officials after Cha Eun Xiao had taken so many lives? His current impotence to act against Cha Eun Xiao left him with no answers to quell their lament.