Inside the demon army's tents.
Shi Jun Gang, clad in a long black dress, stood in the wind, using her Water Moon Reflection skill to scout the entire battlefield. What annoyed her greatly was that after the initial assault by the Snow Domain Army from Snow Domain Heavenly Pond, the demon race's tents had suffered severe damage. Yet, three tents still possessed enough strength to fight. She ordered a full-scale assault on the left flank of the Rock Army's defenses. However, that area was inherently defensible, and Lin Ruo, personally leading tens of thousands of Rock Army soldiers, held the line for an entire day. Despite heavy losses, the defense showed no signs of crumbling!
What troubled Shi Jun Gang even more was the significant shift in the eastern demonic battlefield. They had initially believed Feng Yu's 300,000 cavalry would shatter the human defenses. Instead, the 300,000 demonic cavalry were bogged down. Those insignificant ants from another world had held back a hundred thousand cavalry, Lin Zhao's forces had tied up nearly a hundred thousand, and the old generals from the Military Ancestral Court had detained fifty thousand, allowing the Rock Army, with its mere tens of thousands, to stubbornly defend its position.
Just moments ago, Shi Jun Gang had witnessed the situation at Gu Yao Pass, and her mood grew increasingly somber.
"Lord Shi Jun Gang."
Beside her, Feng Quan frowned. "Chen Xi has already reached Gu Yao Pass. Once Chen Xi arrives, I fear the hundred thousand Cang Nan cavalry won't be far behind."
"Do you think I don't know that?"
Shi Jun Gang gritted her teeth. "But to retreat like this... I truly can't bear it..."
"Sister Shi."
Bai Ye smiled indifferently. "In fact, we've already achieved quite substantial results. The Rock Army and the Snow Domain Army are both elites among elites of the human forces. In this battle, both armies have lost more than half their strength. Our demon race's tents have only lost the equivalent of slightly more than one tent's worth of troops. Overall, it's acceptable. The demonic race, on the other hand, has suffered greatly, but what does that have to do with us?"
"Hmph..."
Shi Jun Gang narrowed her eyes and looked towards the eastern battlefield. She desperately wanted to destroy Lin Zhao here, but there was no opportunity. With the Snow Domain Army occupied, a surprise attack on Snow Domain Heavenly Pond was unlikely to succeed either. Although Lin Zhao, Wu Zhi, and Huang Ting Yu were absent, Gu Ling Yu of the Lotus Wind Academy was present. Lin Zhao leaving Gu Ling Yu at Snow Domain Heavenly Pond was essentially to have her guard the place. With this Confucian "quasi-sage" present, any attempt by the demon race to attack the mountain would easily backfire.
"What are Lord Feng Quan's thoughts?" Shi Jun Gang asked.
Feng Quan cupped his fists. "I am but a blunt soldier and dare not hastily discuss important military matters."
He muttered inwardly, *You, Shi Jun Gang, know when to retreat and want to withdraw, but you don't want to make the decision yourself. You want to shift the blame to me, Feng Quan. Do you really take me for a fool?*
"It's alright."
Shi Jun Gang smiled. "Lord Feng Quan has already held off the Military School's Sword Cultivator Tang Guang Jun and killed many Snow Domain cavalry. You've already made great contributions. Furthermore, as the commander of the Tenth Tent, offering a suggestion is perfectly fine."
"Yes."
Feng Quan said, "If you wish to retreat, then retreat, my Lord."
"..."
Shi Jun Gang wished she could slap this cunning white egret to death. "What about Lord Bai Ye's opinion?"
Bai Ye immediately cupped his fists. "Chen Xi's hundred thousand Cang Nan cavalry are about to head north. If Chen Xi truly arrives, the hundred thousand Cang Nan cavalry will form a pincer movement. Attacking the demonic race will certainly result in heavy losses, and attacking us, the demon race, will also result in heavy losses. Moreover, Lin Zhao and Lin Ruo's forces still possess formidable combat power. Since the Cui Yu Mountain position has been difficult to breach, it would be best to abandon it, return to Pan Yun Mountain for a good rest, and then plan again."
"Lord Bai Ye speaks wisely."
Shi Jun Gang breathed a sigh of relief. "Transmit the order to retreat. Send someone to inform the demonic race as well, so they can also retreat together, lest they be caught between the human armies and fall into a desperate situation."
"Yes!"
...
Night fell.
The trumpets of retreat echoed through the cold night sky. Upon hearing the horns, the demonic cavalry withdrew from the battlefield. Lin Zhao did not order the Snow Domain Army to pursue. It wasn't that he didn't want to; in fact, this was a heaven-sent opportunity to annihilate the fleeing demonic cavalry. They could have fired arrows from the rear, picking them off one by one. However, they were simply too exhausted. Every remaining Snow Domain cavalryman was at their limit. Chen Ben, Chu Yu, Mu Kuo, Wu Zhi, Huang Ting Yu – their faces were all pale, their internal true energy and spiritual energy completely depleted. If they were to pursue and be ambushed by the demonic forces, they could very well be wiped out.
"The demonic forces have retreated."
Wu Zhi stood beside Lin Zhao, looking south. "Chen Xi is already at Gu Yao Pass."
"That's good."
Lin Zhao took a deep breath. "Set up camp along the mountain. Everyone will rest for the night before returning to Snow Domain Heavenly Pond. We can't let everyone travel overnight anymore. Humans can endure it, but horses cannot."
"Mm!"
Wu Zhi nodded heavily. "My Lord, have we won this battle?"
"No."
Lin Zhao shook his head. "This was a forced defeat, merely one that wasn't too embarrassing."
"Mm..."
Chen Ben frowned, wanting to speak but hesitating. He could sense Lin Zhao's deep dejection at the moment, but he didn't know how to comfort him. He wasn't good with words, so he left such matters to Wu Zhi and Chu Yu.
...
Deep in the night, torches flickered among the trees. Lin Ruo, leading the Rock Army, returned to Gu Yao Pass overnight. As he passed the Snow Domain Army's camp, Lin Ruo paid a visit. Beside a rock, he met Lin Zhao. The renowned general of this era deeply cupped his fists and bowed. "Lin Ruo thanks Marshal Lin for your timely aid. Without Snow Domain Heavenly Pond, our Rock Army would have been annihilated in this battle."
"Returning to Gu Yao Pass?" Lin Zhao asked with a smile.
"Mm."
Lin Ruo nodded. "Once we reach Gu Yao Pass, we'll be safe. Our Rock Army marches slowly; we can't compare to your Snow Domain Army. If we were to camp overnight at Que Yu Lake again tomorrow, many more unforeseen events might occur."
"That is true."
Lin Zhao smiled and asked, "Lin Ruo, what were the losses for the Rock Army?"
"Sigh..."
Lin Ruo sighed. "Out of 150,000 Rock Army soldiers, I've only managed to rally less than 80,000, and most of them are injured. This is the greatest defeat the Rock Army has suffered since its establishment. And you, what were the losses for the Snow Domain Army?"
Lin Zhao frowned. "More than 15,000 out of 30,000 Snow Domain cavalry have been lost, and most of the remaining ones are injured. Oh, right, the Yun Xi warhorses on the battlefield, don't take them away. Leave them for us. This is the only request from Snow Domain Heavenly Pond."
"Understood."
Lin Ruo turned to the group of chiliarchs behind him and said sternly, "Leave all the demonic race's warhorses behind and hand them over to the people of the Snow Domain Army."
"Yes, Commander!"
"Oh, right."
Lin Zhao gently raised his hand, and with his flying sword, Hao Ran, he opened up a world of his own. Within this restricted space, only he and Lin Ruo remained. "The external cause of this calamity lies with those stirring up trouble in Bai Di City. You, the commander of the Rock Army, have little power to resolve this external factor. Therefore, you must pay attention to the internal factors. Who forced you into this situation where the dignified Commander of the Rock Army, Lin Ruo, had to brace himself and march north to his death? You must handle this properly, otherwise, if the Rock Army no longer obeys you, Lin Ruo, it will always be a major military taboo."
"I understand."
Lin Ruo nodded. "Don't worry, I know what to do."
"That's good then."
Lin Zhao dispelled the small world, and the two figures reappeared before everyone. A group of Rock Army chiliarchs were instantly relieved, having feared their commander had been kidnapped and assassinated by Lin Zhao.
...
Inside Gu Yao Pass.
In the council hall, Chen Xi placed her hands on the table, looking at the small flags planted on the sand table, left from Lin Zhao and Lin Ruo's previous campaigns. Chen Xi was also a commander, a Military School strategist. She could easily understand Lin Zhao's plans and naturally recognized the perilous gamble of the Rock Army marching north to engage the enemy.
At this moment, a commander, his armor stained with blood, his battle robe pierced by countless spear holes, walked in. It was Wang Ling, the commander of the Ji Han Army. The helmet he carried under his arm was even smeared with blood, feathers adorned his armor, and he had even cut himself on the face. He looked as if he had been pulled from a pool of blood.
He knelt on one knee. "Wang Ling of the Ji Han Army, pays his respects to Commander Chen Xi!"
"Oh?"
Chen Xi turned around and smiled. "Commander Wang, no need for formalities. Please rise quickly and tell me about the northern border. I have just arrived and know nothing of the situation here."
"Yes!"
Wang Ling gritted his teeth. "Initially, our army, obeying the Golden Order from the Ministry of War, marched north to engage the enemy. Lin Ruo led the Rock Army to defend the left flank of Cui Yu Mountain, and I, leading the Ji Han Army, was stationed at the right flank. However, not long after the fighting began, the Rock Army started to collapse. Commander Lin Ruo seemed unable to control his subordinates, causing countless Rock Army soldiers to flee eastward, disrupting the formation of our Ji Han Army's central command. The 300,000 demonic cavalry then took advantage and launched a fierce assault!"
As he spoke, his eyes reddened. "I, your subordinate, led my brothers in a bloody struggle, but our formation had already been broken by the fleeing Rock Army soldiers, and the decline was irreversible. After a full day and night of fierce fighting, the Ji Han Army suffered heavy losses, but we also beheaded over a hundred thousand of the demonic forces. Later, I was forced to retreat south, while Lin Ruo led the remaining part of the Rock Army to defend the area around Que Yu Lake, surrounded by both demon and demonic forces. After that, Lin Zhao led the Snow Domain Army to our rescue."
"Is that so..."
Chen Xi looked at Wang Ling. "Commander, you have suffered greatly. Your arrow wound on your chest?"
On Wang Ling's chest armor, there was a broken arrow, still stained with blood.
"It's nothing!"
Wang Ling frowned. "It's just a minor injury. This arrow wound is not enough to claim my life, Wang Ling. To be wounded for the sake of the human realm is my honor, Wang Ling. I only ask that Commander Chen Xi, upon your return to court, speak justly on my behalf. My twenty thousand brothers of the Ji Han Army marched north, and now less than twenty thousand remain. As for Lin Ruo's poor command, he deserves severe punishment."
"Mm."
Chen Xi smiled and looked at the other. Suddenly, her entire body exuded a powerful fist intent. She opened her left hand and grabbed Wang Ling by the neck, pressing him against the wall. Immediately, her right hand, enveloped in fierce fist energy, swept out, shattering all of Wang Ling's armor. To her surprise, there was no arrow wound on Wang Ling's chest, not even a trace of a scratch.
"Where is the arrow wound? Commander Wang?"
Chen Xi's killing intent intensified. She smiled, "You cowardly dog, who not only caused the deaths of 180,000 soldiers of our Great Shang Dynasty but also tries to slander Commander Lin Ruo with false accusations. How dare you live in this world?"
"Commander Chen Xi, let me explain!"
"I'm listening!"
Chen Xi smiled slightly, her palm suddenly exerting force. With a "crack," she twisted Wang Ling's bloody head clean off his neck.