The following day, at dawn.
The scent of blood filled the air inside and outside Heiya City; everywhere one could smell the pungent reek of blood.
In every street and alley lay corpses and traces of blood.
Yet the soldiers and citizens of Heiya City were displaying extreme resistance and excitement. Not only the garrison but also the citizens of Heiya City spontaneously went onto the streets to help clean up the battlefield.
Tianlan Kingdom had already captured three cities, and countless Tianqing Kingdom civilians had fled to Heiya City, multiplying the city's population several times over. With their help, the post-battle cleanup of Heiya City was much more efficient and quicker.
Moreover, Xiao Yi had long since given his military order.
Any citizen who participated in cleaning up the battlefield would keep all loot, such as silver taels, except for weapons and armor.
This further stimulated the enthusiasm of the citizens.
"Martial King His Highness is truly incredible, in one night he annihilated the million-strong army of Tianlan Kingdom!"
"You did not see last night... I was hiding on the rooftop and saw everything clearly. There was a tornado that reached to the sky among the Tianlan Kingdom's army, and it was torn asunder by Martial King His Highness..."
"You're joking, right? Even if Martial King His Highness is strong, he's only at the Golden Core Realm, how could he possibly tear apart a tornado?"
"This is no lie at all; I also heard some soldiers discussing it..."
"To have a genius like Martial King His Highness in our Tianqing Kingdom is truly a great fortune! It's said that the Royal Martial Arts Academy and the Crown Prince even schemed against His Highness before. They were really blind..."
"Afraid of what? Who dares to touch Martial King His Highness now?"
The discussions among the citizens were overheard by passing soldiers, who not only did not take offense but actually agreed wholeheartedly.
They had witnessed Xiao Yi's miracles with their own eyes!
Tearing the wind with bare hands.
Defeating Tao Tribulation with the sword!
In the city lord's mansion...
Zhang Baisheng had awoken; a night's sleep had flushed his cheeks slightly, and his injuries were gradually stabilizing with the help of Xiao Yi's elixirs.
Zhang Baisheng, Hou Sailei, Zheng Le, and others were standing respectfully in the hall, quietly waiting for Xiao Yi's arrival.
With a wry smile, Zheng Le said, "General, you've just recovered. Please, take a seat!"
Zhang Baisheng scanned the room with a tiger's glare, and snorted coldly, "Before Martial King His Highness arrives, how can I sit?"
Zheng Le and Hou Sailei exchanged a helpless glance.
"Hahaha, who has offended the old general so early in the morning, causing him to be unhappy?" Xiao Yi's hearty laughter came from outside the door.
Clothed in silver armor, he looked even more majestic and handsome.
"Martial King His Highness!"
Zheng Le and Hou Sailei hurriedly bowed in respect.
Zhang Baisheng turned to face Xiao Yi and was about to kneel on one knee, greeting him, "Subordinate Zhang Baisheng welcomes Your Highness..."
"Old general, you must not!"
Xiao Yi quickly raised his hand, and with an unseen burst of qi, prevented Zhang Baisheng from kneeling.
A flash of astonishment crossed Zhang Baisheng's eyes.
His cultivation had reached the peak of the Golden Core Realm, yet Xiao Yi could stop him from kneeling with qi from afar, indicating his masterful control over qi.
"No wonder even the experts of the Calamity Realm are no match for him..."
Zhang Baisheng thought to himself and said with a deep voice, "Your Highness, this is me kneeling on behalf of the million soldiers and civilians of Heiya City!"
"We are all citizens of Tianqing Kingdom; there's no need for such gestures!" Xiao Yi shook his head.
Zhang Baisheng had to relent, straightening his back once more and gesturing for Xiao Yi to sit, "Your Highness, please take your seat!"
Xiao Yi was taken aback, then smiled wryly, "Old general, you flatter me too much. You are the city's commander; how can I sit in the seat of honor?"
Zhang Baisheng had an unscrupulous look on his face as he said, "If Your Highness refuses to sit, then this old man shall remain standing!"
Xiao Yi felt somewhat helpless as he looked towards Zheng Le and the others, who were also standing straight, indicating that if he did not sit, they would also remain standing.
Xiao Yi shrugged his shoulders, "Fine then!"
Only when Xiao Yi had taken his place in the main seat did everyone else sit down on either side.
Xiao Yi said, "General Hou, how are the post-battle affairs progressing?"
Hou Sailei stood up and clasped his hands, replying, "Your Highness, with the assistance of the citizens of Heiya City... the city has been cleared. The main camp of the Tianlan Kingdom will need half a day more. However, the main issue now is what to do with the four hundred thousand prisoners of war—we are uncertain how to handle them!"
After the main camp was taken down, that alone resulted in the capture of over a hundred thousand soldiers.
There were also about two hundred thousand soldiers within the city who were poisoned by the Maluo grass but not killed, totaling four hundred thousand prisoners.
Xiao Yi looked towards Zhang Baisheng, "What does the old general think?"
"Everything is up to Your Highness to decide!" Zhang Baisheng said solemnly.
A cold light flashed in Xiao Yi's eyes as he said coldly, "Then kill them all!"
A series of sharp intakes of breath echoed through the hall.
It's true that countless lives are lost on the battlefield, but that's in the heat of combat. As for prisoners, they are generally used as slave labor, or as bargaining chips in negotiations between nations.
Directly executing hundreds of thousands of prisoners.
This is something that's never been done before!
Zhang Baisheng frowned and said, "Your Highness, this is not appropriate! If we execute them all, it will tarnish Your Highness's reputation!"
"Yes, Your Highness, if we kill them, future Imperial Censors will certainly record it in the history books, and later it might lead to you being labeled as brutal and inhumane..."
"This could damage Your Highness's prestige!"
Everyone was trying to persuade him.
But Xiao Yi just laughed heartily, saying, "Damage my prestige? Brutal and inhumane? Remember this, prestige is not won through kindness." His gaze became sharp and piercing, as if it were a sword thrusting into the depths of everyone's soul, "Think about it—if it were us who were prisoners, if it were the citizens of Tianqing Kingdom, how would they treat us? Look no further than the three cities they conquered—how many were spared?"
Everyone fell silent.
In those three cities, apart from the refugees who fled...
All of the soldiers and civilians were slaughtered.
Wherever the Tianlan Kingdom's army went, they killed, burned, and plundered without mercy...
How utterly ruthless!
With ice in his eyes, Xiao Yi stood up and declared, "Let these four hundred thousand prisoners be buried in a pit outside Heiya City, creating a Mass Grave. Through the heads of these four hundred thousand soldiers of the Tianlan Kingdom, I will show the world that whoever offends Tianqing, no matter how far, will be punished!"
Everyone was visibly shaken.
Their fists clenched tightly, and in their eyes blazed a fierce fire of war.
The four hundred thousand soldiers were escorted to an area outside Heiya City, where they were executed and buried in the massive pit created by the battle between Xiao Yi and Ling Wufengyun.
This Mass Grave exuded a chilling aura.
But at the same time...
It also became a formidable sword to deter the world!
And as the Mass Grave was completed, the news of the great victory at Heiya City spread like the plague, reaching all corners of Tianqing Kingdom at an alarming speed.
The entire nation erupted in celebration!
The name of Xiao Yi once again thundered across Tianqing!
Xiao Yi himself was indifferent to all of these achievements; at this moment, he was leading the belated fifty thousand Imperial Guards, setting off on a campaign towards the Tianlan Kingdom...