Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 631 - 630 - Smallest Empire also the Most Dangerous

While they did not reveal the full plan, Lind knew as soon as they chose a direction Xing would make her move.  Thus the disturbance was not tied solely to their flight path.

The ships would distribute the signal in all directions for over 5 kilometers with them as the center.  Combined into an array with other ships, that effect would extend to 20 kilometers.

It had limits as they had to stay in range of the connected vessels but they could get halfway to their target before Xing could determine where they were going.

"Master, why Perot Empire?"  Shi was with him as she knew the terrain of all the empires better than anyone.  Also, she might have insight on the Core Hall he would desperately need if they could find it.

Despite some detailed maps in each of the conquered Empires, none had any oddities or other locations for structures that Shi had described to him.  It might be underground but that would make the search very tedious.

"Of all the things the records agreed on, Perot puts out the most hunting and scouting expeditions.  Their soldiers are not glass cannons nor slaves forced to do it.  A fully trained force is troublesome even more so when it knows how to work with less against more."  Perot Empire was rather humble about its army.

Considering how arrogant the prisoners had been, Lind found that odd unless it was a tactic.  A mouse could ensnare a cat if it kept its head and had a trap ready.  Lind also had been on the other side of such conflict to know backing such a power into a corner could make them take desperate measures.

By attacking them first, Perot had options to exhaust with its neighbors still untouched.  Further, the territory of Perot was not conducive to letting a large influx of soldiers in its cities and towns.

It was nestled in very rocky terrain but had many mines and resources flowing out of it.

It reminded Lind of the Elemental Sect located on Indelia.  A resource rich environment but isolated by nature.  Perot had obviously been built back when Heaven Realms could fly and later adapted with the Law Binding in effect.

Lind's ships kept pace with the army below.  Some beasts did come to help speed things along but they had another task once the fighting began.

Karridan had sheer numbers to pull on.  It was the most populous empire by far.  It had a population closing in on 700 million without missing a beat and that was only an estimate!

Their army numbered over 100 million but unlike the other armies, they were a bit notorious.  While there were some serious and honorable soldiers, the vast majority were trying to rise through the ranks to get noble status.

If a cultivator served well in the army, it was not impossible to get a noble rank.  With the Soulmancer's constant need of harvesting souls, there were always openings in the noble rank as well.

It made things a bit lazy but the quantity still gave Lind pause even with all his ships working together.

Thus, a beachhead in Perot would actually become a headache as his ships could easily strike and fall back before anyone could really harm them.

With supply ships flying out of reach, the likelihood of defeat was very low.

It did hinge on taking Perot, however.

"What will you do about their air defenses?"  Shi knew they still existed, they were simply not a priority so had been neglected.  Lind was not as concerned about any formations as they were based on flawed elemental theories still.

His own creations could overpower them in a short time but there was a concerning thing Perot also had that would post a problem.

It had flying artifacts of war.  Despite never using them lately, they still existed.  The other empires might have some flying artifacts but due to the restrictions of the Law Binding, many took it as a sign to not fly unless absolutely necessary.

That and the Qi consumption was massive inside the Law Binding.  It was the real trick of the restriction.  It could not change the rules of Heaven and Earth, but it could make Qi cost increase massively by using the Law of Flight to do so.

Beasts that used their bodies to fly would not feel any difference and Immortals could ignore it with their own Law comprehensions.

Lind was an exception in both cases.  His existence was not anticipated and his dragon soul innately gave him the power of flight since he entered the World Realm.

He felt no strain to fly but he had to use his dragon flight.

The lush open fields passed by below but Lind narrowed his eyes as mountainous shadows finally appeared on the horizon.

He was about to order a split in their forces when black specs appeared.

"So, they do still know how to use them."  Flying artifacts were not restricted in shape like a boat on the ocean.  There were some benefits of mimicking sailing ships but essentially they could be anything one wanted.

The founders of Perot chose spheres.  Simple, elegant and able to defend or attack in all directions.  The interior held a small number of people but Lind suspected only 3 or 4 at most now that he saw them with his own eyes.

What did stun him was when his Heaven Eyes saw the level of Qi consumption blaring out of them.  By his estimate, it took 2 to 3 times the effort just to fly!  No wonder no one could fly in the Law Binding.

An artifact that at one time could be flown by 1 person now required 3!  They also planned to attack like that?!

"Sun Tiers are detected in the enemy artifacts."  Another woman spoke up.  She was gorgeous but her eyes were dull.  She wore a simple outfit that was not flattering yet it could not hide her entirely.

"Lian, how is the efficiency looking?"  Lind had added several things to his Nautilus II that the other vessels did not have.  It was simply too much to construct in less than a century if he wanted to be ready.

She swiftly had her hands fly over the metal and crystal panels before a result came back.

"The majority of their power is in flight at the moment and it is at 36% efficiency but there are some fluctuations that could be defenses that are closer to 85%."  Lind nodded as his own Eyes had told him as such.

It had been something bothering him that while a Talent was useful it was limited to an individual.  Heaven Touch was flat out impossible to do with the time he had, but his Eyes were a different matter.

It was more about constructing an artifact or weaving that could imitate what he already sensed.  It was nowhere near as fast but for getting an idea of an enemy arriving it was sufficient.

"Flight really is difficult but your ships do so well, Master!"  Shi was preening at the superiority but Lind was more grounded.  His novel approach to flight was not something accounted for by the Law Binding but it did not mean it did not affect them.

The elemental cores were still being taxed to draw in more Qi than they should, it simply did not exhaust a cultivator to do it.  The Nautilus was only at about 50% of its flight efficiency.  It meant sharp maneuvers and other tactical planning would not go far.

If they drew more Qi than they took in, the ships would fall out of the sky all on their own!

"Tell the aether beasts to fall back and let us take the assault.  Have them keep an eye to the west and northwest."  Perot had come to them so even Xing would not find his reaction suspicious.

Lind looked at the tactical display he had created.  It was still flickering and not real time, but it gave him enough information to make general orders.

"Shi, have Lili and her warriors prepare for a ground assault.  I doubt they would just attack from the sky."  Perot's quick response was a bit too fast as less than 2 days had passed since they arrived.

Karridan responding like that would be normal with their numbers but Hilden was too far north to get to them quickly.

The farther from the HInterlands, the more spread out the open spaces became.

"Lili and Gravis confirm, a force of nearly 2 million detected on the move but keeping pace with the spheres."  Lind actually respected whoever commanded the Perot forces.  They clearly had not held back at all but the inefficiency of the spheres left them at a rear line of defense they clearly came upon now.

Compared to Karridan, Perot was clearly prepared for war.

"I may have to swallow my words, Shi.  This is Lind Frey to all ships.  Use pattern Beta!"  They had not had much time to get complex attack orders.  Essentially it was a choice of 3 options.

Alpha would simply be a direct assault, Beta was breaking apart their upper forces as the ground forces prepared to advance, and Epsilon was combining contrary elements to make powerful Art attacks.

On the tactical display, the airships on his side of the battle smoothly took up positions before building up Qi.  The spheres did not stop and even seemed to aim for the opening given.

"Sigh, I take back what I said.  They are not prepared."  Lind then sent a signal to Gravis below.  A flare of violet lighting sprang up before becoming the shape of a drake.  The demons were all peak Moon Tiers in the battle formation and it now manifested in a peak Sun Tier attack.

Before anyone could react, it shot up from the ground and blasted all the spheres right down the middle!  The wings of their force were spared the brunt of it but incidental demonic lighting wreaked havoc with their flight ability.

"Rule 1 in war, you have to be prepared for other elements than the ones your side can use."  He watched as over a dozen spheres fell from the sky like meteors.  The blazes of elemental Qi ripped apart the points of impact but he noted the ground force had reacted quickly.

He also saw the spheres now get into formations fairly quickly despite the Qi drain it had to cause.

"All forces, stop them and attack!"  Lind gave the order as bloodshed started anew.  No surprise to help like last time, the Perot army began their counter assault at full throttle!

The battle to decide the war began.