Gu Huangyuan had always been responsible for matters concerning the Canglan Continent. After his subordinates failed, he had been paying close attention to Zhou Yan and had thoroughly investigated him.
Zhou Yan's every move had been within his grasp, which was precisely why he understood Zhou Yan's terrifying capabilities.
If the task of dealing with Zhou Yan were given to someone else, the entire Gu Huang Dynasty might be in danger of annihilation. Gu Huangyuan knew that if he spoke the truth, people would likely accuse him of boosting the enemy's morale and undermining their own.
However, he could not stand idly by while his nation was slowly eroded by Zhou Yan. The best course of action was for him to personally step forward and mobilize the entire country's strong individuals.
Furthermore, all the heroes from every lord's territory should be summoned, and a grand army should be formed to launch a full-scale assault on Zhou Yan's territory.
An army of sufficient size and strength was essential to confront the enemy.
Gu Ditian glanced at his son. He had been very displeased with Gu Huangyuan last time, and now he wanted to personally lead the charge. Was he trying to fail again?
"Your subject believes the Third Prince has exaggerated. How can a mere lord warrant the mobilization of our entire country's strong individuals? Isn't this overkill, making a mountain out of a molehill?"
"Your subject also finds the Third Prince's words inappropriate. For such a minor lord, why the need for such a grand mobilization? Ten million troops would suffice, and this humble subordinate would guarantee the death of that so-called number one under heaven."
Everyone present was shrewd and had already discerned Gu Ditian's displeasure. The Sixth Prince, Gu Huanglong, who was at odds with Gu Huangyuan, quickly stepped forward and said, "Father, I believe I can handle this matter and accomplish it flawlessly."
Gu Huangyuan was greatly displeased and hastily explained, "Father, my words are by no means alarmist. To deal with the opponent, we must gather the entire nation's armies and strong individuals. Dispatching only a small contingent will absolutely not stop them."
"Third brother, have you been frightened by the enemy? It's understandable. After all, you were the commander-in-chief for dealing with the Canglan Continent before, yet you achieved nothing and nearly suffered complete annihilation."
"It's already good that our dynasty sent so many people for you, but not only did you fail to eliminate the geniuses of the Canglan Continent, but an individual ranked number one under heaven also emerged.
"It's fortunate Father hasn't blamed you for your incompetence. Yet now you insist on speaking for the enemy, believing that our imperial city, which has been passed down for hundreds of thousands of years, cannot even deal with a small lord."
"Do you truly believe that our entire dynasty will be destroyed by a mere lord?"
The Fourth Prince's words echoed the sentiments of many. How strong could a small lord possibly be to cause such a disturbance?
Under normal circumstances, this would indeed be the case. Unfortunately, they had no inkling of the might of Zhou Yan's territory.
The only one who knew the truth, Gu Huangyuan, had lost all trust due to his previous failures. No one believed his words, leaving Gu Huangyuan completely ostracized.
Moreover, they assumed his statements were merely an attempt to excuse his past failures. Many of them understood such tactics and often employed them themselves.
"Father, every word I speak is the truth and not the slightest bit false. You must believe me!" Gu Huangyuan said earnestly.
Gu Ditian was growing impatient. He spoke with oppressive authority, "Enough. You will not interfere in this matter. If it requires the strength of the entire dynasty to deal with a mere lord, wouldn't that make us a laughingstock among nations!"
"Our Gu Huang Dynasty has been inherited for hundreds of thousands of years. We have numerous strong individuals within the imperial court, and our soldiers are incredibly formidable. Each one of them has forged their strength through battles in the Lord Continent."
"I trust my soldiers, and even more so my generals. I now declare that Gu Huanglong shall be the commander for this campaign, leading two hundred million troops of the imperial dynasty to march against the enemy. We must annihilate that lord, and do not disappoint me."
Gu Ditian saw this as an opportunity for his subordinate son to earn merit and also wanted to gauge the strength of his fourth son. Without hesitation, he entrusted the mission to Gu Huanglong.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Your son will require only half a month to return victorious. Father, await my good news."
Upon hearing this, Gu Huanglong was overjoyed. He even cast a triumphant glance at Gu Huangyuan, seemingly mocking his incompetence.
"Father..." Gu Huangyuan stepped forward, attempting to say more.
At this moment, Gu Ditian suddenly roared loudly, "Enough! How long do you intend to cause trouble!"
Gu Ditian's roar caused everyone in the great hall to tremble. This was the might of an Emperor.
If Gu Huangyuan were not his son, Gu Ditian would have had him beheaded long ago, not allowing him to speak so much.
"Your son takes his leave." Gu Huangyuan sighed, as if he could already foresee the doom of two hundred million soldiers of the Gu Huang Dynasty.
Gu Huangyuan knew clearly that if his advice were not heeded, the entire Gu Huang Dynasty would be reduced to ashes. In fact, Gu Huangyuan felt that even if his advice were followed, the Gu Huang Dynasty might still not be able to withstand the onslaught.
Within the great hall of the Gu Huang Dynasty, no one paid any mind to Gu Huangyuan's plight. Everyone was engrossed in discussing the specifics of the operation.
Warfare was no simple matter and required extensive planning, including personnel, generals, provisions, and departure times. All these aspects needed meticulous arrangement.
As an imperial dynasty, it was imperative to select an auspicious date and perform rituals before departing, which was a complicated process.
During this period, Zhou Yan had likely already destroyed countless cities of the Gu Huang Dynasty, annihilated untold numbers of its soldiers, and plundered immense wealth.
Gu Huangyuan returned to his palace and found An Yu, Shui Mo, and the Shi Mo present.
To prevent Zhou Yan's revenge, the Shi Mo had accompanied An Yu to the Gu Huang Dynasty.
However, they never expected that Zhou Yan would launch an attack on the entire Gu Huang Dynasty, which left An Yu and the others shocked and deeply concerned.
They had directly clashed with Zhou Yan and escaped from him. They were well aware of the terrifying nature of Zhou Yan's territory, which could not be defeated simply by overwhelming numbers.
Because of such an enemy as Zhou Yan, they had never ceased investigating his affairs. As soon as Zhou Yan made a move, they were among the first to know.
Upon seeing Gu Huangyuan return, An Yu and the others quickly stepped forward to inquire, "Your Highness, what is the situation?"
"Heh, what else can it be? No one believes me. Even Father thinks I'm making a fuss over nothing and berated me." Gu Huangyuan spoke with great frustration.