The nine consecrated protectors also agreed. With the emperor surrounded by a million troops, who could possibly harm him?
Now that he had the emperor’s imperial guards and the nine consecrated protectors at his side, Gavin Guo’s confidence soared. He quickly began redeploying troops and launched another assault on Giant River City.
All to catch the enemy off guard.
He ordered the emperor’s imperial guards to swap their armor for regular soldiers’ gear and suppress their aura, disguising themselves as ordinary troops. Even the nine consecrated protectors were no exception—they all mixed in with the common soldiers.
"Kill them!"
The Great Chu Dynasty’s army surged forward like a tide, swarming toward the city walls like an army of marching ants.
On the ramparts, the Ying Dynasty’s defenders fired arrows down in waves to repel the assault.
But under the lead of several fearless officers, hundreds of Chu soldiers managed to storm the ramparts.
At this moment, Gavin Guo signaled the emperor’s imperial guards to scale the walls using flag commands.
The twelve hundred Nascent-Soul imperial guards, mixed in among the regular soldiers, acted completely ordinary until they reached the ramparts—then they erupted into action.
In just a few breaths, they cleared a section of the ramparts, opening the way for more Chu troops to climb up.
The defending general panicked at the sight and immediately split his forces to try and wipe out that squad. Unfortunately, these were the emperor’s imperial guards—unbelievably fierce. No matter how many attacked, they were all cut down. In less than fifteen minutes, a tenth of the city wall was seized.
The nine consecrated protectors also slipped in among the ordinary soldiers and made it onto the ramparts.
"Assassinate their commanding generals!"
Gavin Guo sent a voice transmission to the nine consecrated protectors.
Instantly, the nine consecrated protectors sprang into action, lurking out from the crowd and beginning to assassinate enemy generals.
The tactic worked perfectly. With their generals being picked off one by one, the Ying Dynasty’s defenders started to collapse. The Great Chu emperor was overjoyed, unable to help praising, "You truly command troops like a god!"
"Your Majesty flatters me. If not for your willingness to assign me the nine consecrated protectors and twelve hundred imperial guards, I could never have achieved this!" Gavin Guo replied humbly.
The situation on the ramparts kept improving for the Chu army.
Gavin Guo issued another order, sending three hundred thousand troops forward to expand their gains.
Sure enough, after another three hundred thousand Chu soldiers climbed the walls, the Ying Dynasty’s resistance grew weaker and weaker. It looked like the ramparts would soon be completely taken.
The smile on the Great Chu emperor’s face grew wider and wider.
An hour passed.
The resistance on the ramparts was now barely holding on.
Gavin Guo gave another order, sending fifty thousand more troops up.
Boom!
Just then, the city gates swung open. Troops took the opportunity to rush down from the ramparts, wiped out the Ying Dynasty’s gate guards, and threw open the gates.
"Haha, it’s done!"
The Great Chu emperor looked radiant, as if victory was already in sight.
But just then—
A black barrier suddenly rose up beneath the ramparts, instantly enveloping all the soldiers from both sides who were still fighting.
As the barrier appeared, the corpses of fallen soldiers began to rise from the ground, swinging their weapons at the living without distinguishing friend from foe!
"That’s the Nine-Nether Underworld Grand Formation! Damn it, the Ying Dynasty actually dared to use a forbidden array!"
The Great Chu emperor stared in shock, his face turning ashen.
"My loyal subject, think of something—what should we do?"
The next moment, the Chu emperor turned to Gavin Guo.
"There’s nothing we can do!"
Gavin Guo shook his head. "The Nine-Nether Underworld Grand Formation draws nether qi from the depths of Hell. Even Deity Transformation experts contaminated by this nether qi will be transformed into undead monsters. There’s simply no way to break it!"
"But that’s over a million troops—and the nine consecrated protectors, and my imperial guards! They’re all inside!"
For a moment, the Chu emperor was beside himself with regret. Now, there were less than five hundred thousand troops left outside the city.