[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten":3,"chapter-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-713":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Simulated to Reality: I Once Looked Down Upon Ten Thousand Ages?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2347728,4587,"Chapter 713: Xie Ling, the Red-Eyed Heavenly King, Wu Wan, Total Annihilation","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-713",713,"\u003Cp>Jiangnan Dao, Yunyue Ze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was already afternoon, beneath the fading glow of the setting sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the Qi banner camp, the crimson military flag snapped fiercely in the north wind, its edges stirring waves of grim slaughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the high slope, three red-maned warhorses stood side by side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father, we’ve been trapped in this valley for half a month—why not attack now? They must be out of arrows and food.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged man in armor spoke coldly, “In the army, what should you call me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the army, there are no fathers and sons—call me by my military rank.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young general immediately straightened his back: “Your servant erred. Please, Great General, give your orders.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elderly man in scholar’s robes spoke up: “Marshal Xie, we’ve besieged them for days. Though it’s said not to pursue a cornered foe, this is precisely when their morale is lowest—now is the time for a decisive strike.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Art of War says: when surrounding a city, leave an opening.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though we left the Yulan River route open, we’ve secretly stationed elite troops on the western bank. The rebel forces are like caged beasts, still fighting—perfect timing to crush them once their morale collapses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged man in the center stood tall, his nose like a suspended ruby, lips as if painted vermilion, face as radiant as polished jade—he looked at first glance like a learned scholar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet beneath his swordlike brows, his gaze flashed like lightning, and a chilling aura of ruthless slaughter cut through his scholarly demeanor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone else present would have been stunned to realize he bore seven-tenths resemblance to Xie Yuan—this man was none other than Xie Yuan’s father, the famed Dingyuan Marquis Xie Ling, who terrified the borderlands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Ling gazed across the valley from horseback, seeing scattered banners within, faintly visible—clearly remnants of the rebel forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since he led his hundred-thousand-strong army south to quell the rebellion, he had won all three battles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the rebels claimed three hundred thousand men, they were nothing but conscripted peasants, and before his battle-hardened troops, they could only flee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet among these Red-Eyed Army forces lurked many martial experts—even his top generals had suffered heavy casualties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man behind him gazed down at the valley: “The Red-Eyed Army’s leader, the ‘Red-Eyed Heavenly King,’ declared himself Great General of Pingdeng Village, raising the banner of ‘Returning the World to Equality.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ve tangled with him for nearly half a year—he’s no mere village head or local official; his troop deployments follow strict strategy. His cultivation has reached the ninth martial realm: Xuan Dan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He commands a strategist, Wu Wan, and eight scholars from Yan Wang’s pavilion, who together forged the Eighteen Equal Generals—all formidable figures.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young general on the right nodded slightly and added: “Great General, your insight is sharp. The Red-Eyed Army’s Eighteen Generals each possess extraordinary skills—as if they appeared out of nowhere.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face radiated martial vigor—he was Xie Ling’s eldest son, Xie Mu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Among them, no fewer than ten have reached the eighth martial realm!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tiger father has no dog son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Xie Mu had not yet reached thirty, he had already attained the eighth martial realm and was known in the army as “Young Marquis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man beside him looked up at the sky, where twilight gathered and the setting sun blazed crimson, staining the clouds red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few sparse stars had quietly emerged, faintly visible against the afterglow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This rebel leader possesses extraordinary courage—he’s no man to sit and wait for death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man stroked his beard thoughtfully: “Our forces have besieged them repeatedly; they always feign exhaustion, fight and retreat, until finally we drove them into this dead end at Yunyue Ze.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He scanned the endless marshes ahead: “Though we hold high ground, making it naturally defensible, the only exits are crossing the river or breaking out west.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But with hundreds of thousands trapped inside, supplies were already scarce—now they’ve surely run out of food. This once-defensible terrain has become a sack, trapping them here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Red-Eyed Army is strange—even the Hundred Alliances of Changsheng Tian, when starving, would collapse long ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That they’ve held out this long exceeds all expectations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scholar in robes was the army’s strategist, holding the rank of Governor, and a disciple of the Third Master of the World’s Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He came from a proper scholarly lineage, deeply versed in military strategy, and his treatises on warfare were widely circulated throughout court and countryside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having served with Xie Ling for years, the two had developed perfect synergy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man especially admired this marquis—calm in conduct, fair in reward and punishment, decisive in slaughter—a true model of the Confucian general.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the three were deliberating their final battle strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Mu also nodded: “This Red-Eyed Army differs from other rebels we’ve faced—it hasn’t burned, killed, or looted, nor seized territory as king… yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These peasant refugees, cobbled together, are still just rabble—they cannot shake our army.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man stroked his beard thoughtfully: “Though the Red-Eyed rebels are cornered, they still possess the will to fight with their backs to the wall. Should we continue to besiege without attacking, or…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The rebels have lain low for over half a month; most of their troops are conscripted civilians—morale must be shattered. But if we leave them alone, rebel leaders like Ban Sheng and Wu Wan may slip away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Ling nodded slightly: if they merely besieged without attacking, the rebels would collapse on their own—but Ban Sheng and Wu Wan, as martial experts, could escape unscathed. In the end, only the forced laborers digging canals would die, while the rebel leaders would gain fame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the dust settled, Ban Sheng’s talent would surely rally another hundred thousand Red-Eyed troops—endless future trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Mu bowed and spoke, eyes gleaming with battle-lust: “Even at full strength, the Red-Eyed Army could not withstand our assault. Now, after three consecutive victories, we strike with momentum—first surge, second wane, third exhaustion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice rang clear and strong: “Scouts and several Primordial Spirit cultivators report the rebels’ morale has shattered; many commanders secretly urge their men to lay down arms and return home, and mutinies are rampant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though this young general held the rank of First Class and served as a senior court minister, the fire of ambition to achieve glory had never dimmed in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He longed, like his father, to earn a marquisate through glorious victories and win the Xie family another “Dingyuan Marquis” title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, the rebel leaders Ban Sheng and his ilk were the opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old strategist stroked his beard, then nodded: “Young Marquis speaks wisely. The Red-Eyed Army now suffers internal strife and external pressure—this is the perfect moment to annihilate them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to Xie Ling: “The Art of War says: ‘Strike when the enemy is weary and retreating.’ Now is the time to press the advantage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Mu stepped forward, bowing: “Father, our forces outnumber them, and we possess specialized formations designed to counter ninth-martial-realm cultivators.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yesterday, the Academy secretly sent over ten more Masters to reinforce us—the rebels are unaware.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze burned into Xie Ling: “Please, Great General, make your decision swiftly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Ling stared at Yunyue Ze, where twilight deepened and the afterglow bled crimson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mist rose from the valley and marshes beneath the last rays of the sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tomorrow would be a scorching day under blazing sunshine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pondered: though ninth-martial-realm cultivators were powerful, our army had several supreme martial experts, even Academy Masters—but the enemy also had their own, creating mutual restraint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for where these experts came from, Xie Ling could only guess: perhaps from other great powers like Da Sui or Changsheng Tian, or perhaps from the Nine Surnames themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet it was the mass armies below that would decide the war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Order!” Xie Ling’s gaze sharpened suddenly. “At Yin hour tomorrow, prepare meals; at Mao hour, march out—all wear red cloth bands to confuse their senses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The western ambush force moves first as a feint. Xie Mu leads thirty thousand elite troops to pin them frontally. I will personally lead the main force to strike the enemy’s rear from the east!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your servant obeys!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Mu dismounted and bowed in assent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The final sliver of sunset lit his young face, revealing his burning ambition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep within Yunyue Ze, twilight gathered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dilapidated tent trembled slightly in the mountain wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside stood seven or eight ragged messengers, their faces yellow and gaunt, their coarse cloth garments torn to shreds, yet they stood straight-backed, eyes sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heavenly King, orders have been issued: tell the brothers to remove their red headbands.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young leader’s voice was hoarse but firm: “Tomorrow, anyone wearing a red headband is an enemy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tent flap parted, and a burly middle-aged man in hemp robes stepped out slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face bore the marks of hardship, yet still radiated an aura of quiet authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His calloused hands pressed heavily on the messenger’s shoulder—the rough texture made the young man’s eyes well up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell the brothers,” the man’s voice was low and powerful, “you are all good men.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The messengers swallowed hard, but said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They cast one last long look at the man, then turned away reluctantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far off, the last sliver of sunset blazed crimson, staining the thin mist above Yunyue Ze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From within the tent stepped another middle-aged scholar, dressed in ink-black brocade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face was lean, a lotus mark faintly visible between his brows; though adorned with not a single jewel, he exuded an air of refined nobility—as if he were a prince from a royal mansion in Bianjing, merely out for a leisurely stroll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man was Wu Wan, the Red-Eyed Army’s strategist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the middle-aged man in hemp robes, his face weathered and worn, was none other than the feared Red-Eyed Heavenly King, Ban Sheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far from the monstrous, six-armed demon of legend, he blended into a crowd as the most unremarkable man imaginable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Wan asked curiously: “How did you know Xie Ling would attack tomorrow?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ban Sheng pulled a military treatise from his sleeve, his fingers brushing the pages: “If you’ve studied three thousand battles, you’ll understand that warfare is always a repetition of the past.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked toward the fading twilight, his voice hoarse yet calm with complete insight: “If you’ve mastered this book left by Yan Wang, you won’t be able to miss any of Xie Ling’s moves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Wan smiled: “Then tell me—if Yan Wang were still alive, how would you fare against him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Would you be evenly matched? Or would you crush him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke thus because, over the past half-year, Ban Sheng had already proven himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Xie Ling arrived, the regional garrisons of Jiangnan Dao had collapsed at his first strike; he had repeatedly used ingenious tactics to win without fighting, and Wu Wan had been astonished each time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Wu Wan held the title of strategist, Ban Sheng commanded every campaign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ban Sheng shook his head, carefully holding the book titled “Essentials of Training Troops.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From its appearance, it was heavily worn—clearly read often.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When Yan Wang was still a Junior Protector, he wrote this book—only 106,324 characters, yet it encapsulates the essence of military strategy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yet after the Tang destroyed Yan, to erase Yan Wang’s glory, they deliberately placed him at the very bottom of the Martial Temple rankings… yet what happened was unexpected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ban Sheng’s lips curled slightly: “The people, unaware of the court’s intent, assumed the rankings were counted backward. The Tang emperor, helpless, had to move Lu Chen to second place, placing Yan Wang at the top right of the temple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, fingers lingering on the book: “The people then mistakenly believed the right side was superior—and ever since, they’ve worshipped only the rightmost shrine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Ban Sheng’s wrinkles relaxed: “Wu Wan, don’t compare me to Prince Yan—it only invites ridicule.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gazed at the darkening sky beyond the valley: “If Prince Yan were commanding the troops outside this valley today, I, Ban Sheng, would be the first to switch sides and surrender—turning in the Red-Eyed Army to redeem myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Wan’s eyes darkened with meaning: “I believe you’d be defeated by Prince Yan—but that you’d surrender?” He shook his head gently. “I don’t believe it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ban Sheng sat on a green stone outside the tent, watching the last sliver of sunset sink behind the ridge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the twilight, his voice carried a rare note of sorrow: “If Prince Yan were still alive, how many demons and goblins would plague this land? I, Ban Sheng, should have long since returned home to till the soil.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night wind swept across the marsh, rustling his tattered hemp robe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ban Sheng’s rough fingers lightly tapped the military treatise on his knee as he looked at Wu Wan: “I, Ban Sheng, have no ambition to swallow heaven and earth—you, Wu Wan, are the one who must stir up chaos across the land.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the twilight, his voice held a probing edge: “What exactly are you after? This vast empire? Or vengeance against the Nine Surnames?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ban Sheng said slowly, “How could a merchant’s son, repeatedly failing the imperial examinations, wield such power?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Wan smiled without changing expression: “One thing is certain: my intention to aid you is evident to heaven and earth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ban Sheng fell silent for a long while, then slowly nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Wan chuckled: “Speaking of oddities, you, Ban Sheng—once a local thug, you somehow became village head, mastered military strategy, and even oversaw the Yellow River projects—aren’t you even more extraordinary?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ban Sheng shook his head: “I only did what I had to do to survive—if not me, someone else would have stepped forward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The people have suffered long under the Nine Surnames!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When I, Ban Sheng, die, another will rise in my place!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Wan stood still for a moment, then turned and entered the tent, leaving behind only one sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tomorrow, there will be a storm to stir the spirits.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heaven and earth will lend you a great rain!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>～\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>～\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Xie Ling led one hundred thousand armored troops to attack the Red-Eyed Army in Yunyue Valley. At the time, the Red-Eyed Army was trapped in a dead-end valley, their supply lines severed for fifteen days; soldiers boiled tree bark for food, armor grew moss, and arrowheads rotted and dulled.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[On the twenty-second day, at dawn, Xie Ling ordered his eldest son, Xie Mu, to lead thirty thousand light cavalry in a surprise attack on the enemy’s rear camp.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Suddenly, thunder split the sky, and rain fell like arrows; white torrents surged through the valley. The Qi army sank into mud and could not advance, while the remnants of the Red-Eyed Army climbed vines and hurled rocks—appearing as if divine troops had descended from heaven.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Seeing his front line collapse, Xie Ling withdrew from Yunyue Marsh.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The Red-Eyed Army had long lain in ambush, rolling logs and boulders to block the retreat. One hundred thousand elite troops were trapped in the narrow valley; thirty percent died trampling each other, fifty percent drowned. Blood stained the ravines for three days straight, and vultures darkened the skies for over a month.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The entire army was annihilated!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You read the official court bulletin brought by Xie Yuan, your gaze calm and steady.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[It arrived even sooner than expected!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[End of Chapter]\u003C\u002Fp>",2574,"2026-06-21T01:33:03.787Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","0f77ec225df05f10fec72c554e987fc6b24f73e3fc9a42bd15f87fc10bb37a52","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-714","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-712",728,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsimulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-cover.jpg"]