"Deploy to meet the enemy outside the city!"
"Build defensive lines!"
In the blink of an eye, countless armored soldiers from the border garrison legions marched out of the city to meet the enemy. Clad in leather armor and wielding light shields, they constructed multiple layers of defense below the city walls. Behind them stood spearmen, followed by phalanxes of archers. In less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, at least fifty thousand defenders had moved out to establish their positions.
Old General Zhou Yan gritted his teeth, his fists clenched as he surveyed the defensive deployment below. Despite the biting cold, his palms were slick with sweat, and his heart was filled with apprehension.
He had no choice but to worry.
The border garrison legion was nominally a hundred thousand strong, but only eighty thousand were actually under Zhou Yan's command. Where the remaining twenty thousand had gone, he dared not speak his mind, though he chafed under the injustice. The payroll for those missing twenty thousand, reported to the imperial court as part of the hundred thousand, had clearly been pocketed by those higher up. As a mere commander of a third-class military group, Zhou Yan had no authority to question this.
Furthermore, of the eighty thousand troops at his disposal, the majority were former conscripts who had been incorporated into the ranks. This included nearly thirty thousand soldiers from the Eastern Wu Kingdom, along with numerous others from the western and southern regions whose kingdoms had been destroyed or had become vassal states of the Great Shang Dynasty. A motley crew, they were tasked with defending the northern frontier of the Fusu Great Wall, a border garrison legion whose combat effectiveness could be easily imagined.
Moreover, it was currently the heart of winter in the Eastern Wu Kingdom, with heavy snowfall. The soldiers were clad only in thin leather armor, and their weapons were the leftovers from the national treasury, picked over by others. Their shields were simple round bucklers, adequate for skirmishes against scattered barbarian scouts, but useless against regular troops. The war spears used by the spearmen had wooden shafts and rusted heads, offering no real deterrence against cavalry. The war bows used by the archers were obsolete models discarded by other legions, and their arrows lacked power after being loosed. What fighting strength could such a force, claiming to be eighty thousand strong, possibly possess?
Zhou Yan frowned, his hardships unspeakable, yet he had to hold his post. The emperor's command could not be defied.
He glanced behind him, into the city. Fifteen thousand cavalrymen were standing by. This contingent of 15,000 cavalry was his only trump card. Some were his original subordinates, while others had been formed from the elite troops of the Eastern Wu Kingdom. This force of 15,000 cavalry was commanded by Xu Sheng, a renowned general of the Eastern Wu Kingdom. If victory were to be achieved, it would have to be through their efforts.
...
Amidst the wind and snow, the sound of hooves grew steadily closer, clearer, and more numerous. Several strategists accompanying the army cocked their ears, their hearts growing heavier with each passing moment. The density of the hoofbeats had merged into a continuous roar. No force less than ten thousand cavalry could produce such a sound. Indeed, the enemy might be even more numerous, and they were coming from the north. They could not possibly be human cavalry; therefore, only one answer remained.
"They're here!"
Zhou Yan gently gripped his sword hilt, drew his longsword, and pointed towards the north. With the true qi of a ninth-realm martial artist, he roared, "The enemy are demon cavalry, but there is nothing to fear! In the past, the armored soldiers of our Great Shang Dynasty annihilated fifty thousand demon cavalry at the Snow Domain Heavenly Lake. When they hear our name and see our banners, they will flee like startled birds! Brothers, fight to the death!"
Below the city, countless soldiers raised their weapons.
"Fight to the death!"
"Fight to the death!"
"Fight to the death!"
Between heaven and earth, only the boundless aura of slaughter remained.
Seconds later, large figures emerged from the curtain of snow. Demon cavalry, standing at least three meters tall, man and horse combined, appeared within their sight. Both man and steed were heavily armored, wielding lances, swords, and other weapons, resembling colossal, rapidly moving behemoths. A terrifying pressure instantly enveloped every heart.
"Cannons!"
Zhou Yan roared, "Continuous fire!"
Below the city, the border garrison legion's meager dozens of cannons spat fire. Blasts of explosive light erupted amidst the demon cavalry ranks, but their effectiveness was less than ideal. The casualties inflicted were insignificant to the vast demon army!
"Archers, loose arrows!"
Below the city, phalanxes of archers unleashed volleys. However, the fierce wind and snow, blowing directly from the north, prevented the human archers from shooting far. Consequently, the killing power of the archer formations was even less than that of the cannons. In the next moment, the demon cavalry surged forward like a tide, engaging in close combat with the human armored soldiers!
"Boom, boom, boom—"
Violent impact sounds reverberated. The long spears thrust at the front line snapped like dry branches under the heavy charge of the demon cavalry. The round bucklers were even more vulnerable, easily pierced by the demon cavalry's lances and swords. Puffs of fresh blood bloomed amidst the throng. Like a plow, the demon cavalry, in their first wave, had already reached the front of the archer formations.
"..."
The outcome of this engagement was even worse than Zhou Yan had imagined.
"What do we do?"
One strategist's voice began to tremble. A single clash had revealed everything. Victory was impossible. In the distance, the demon cavalry continued to surge in a dense mass, numbering at least forty to fifty thousand. This was not a force the border garrison legion could withstand. He looked at the commander-in-chief, murmuring, "The demons... appear to have deployed an entire cavalry army!"
Zhou Yan held his war sword, his gaze ice-cold. Every decision he made now would bear significant responsibility.
"Issue the order to retreat!"
Zhou Yan said grimly, "The rear guard will move south. The left and right wings will hold their ground, preventing the demon iron cavalry from breaking through. The vanguard will slowly fall back, using arrows and javelins to impede the demon advance. The entire army will retreat towards Ye City. Ye City's defenses are sturdy, and its granaries are sufficiently stocked. The entire army will fall back to Ye City. Send three urgent messages via Flying Fish Courier to the Grand Administrator, reporting the military situation and requesting reinforcements!"
"Yes!"
Under the wind and snow, the land of the Eastern Wu Kingdom was once again ignited by the flames of war. The eighty-thousand-strong border garrison legion withdrew from the border city, heading directly for Ye City, while the demon iron cavalry began to disperse and pursue. In the northern territories of the Eastern Wu Kingdom, the sight of border garrison soldiers being hunted by demon cavalry was almost ubiquitous.
As dawn approached, the demons ceased their pursuit. A group of demon generals gazed at the outline of a city in the distance.
"Young Lord."
A battle-hardened general, examining a map, said with a smile, "That should be Ye City. Zhou Yan intends to defend Ye City to the death. Shall we continue the pursuit? If we pursue, we can still cut down a few thousand more of their men!"
"No need."
Yu Feng smiled faintly. "Ye City has long been plundered clean. How much grain can it possibly hold? The more men Zhou Yan brings to Ye City, the better. I'd like to see what he eats. Issue the order: surround Ye City. Send out more scouts to ascertain if there are any reinforcements, and their numbers and strength. If the opportunity arises, we'll have a feast before returning north."
"Yes, Young Lord, your wisdom is unparalleled!"
...
At dawn, Snow Domain Heavenly Lake was bathed in clear skies and gentle breezes.
"Whoosh!"
A figure emerged from the teleportation array, none other than Han Yetang, the Grand Marshal of Shanhai Pass. Dressed in armor, she was followed by two thousand-horse commanders. She stated gravely, "I wish to see Marshal Lin!"
"My Lady, please follow me!"
Inside the command tent.
Lin Zhao studied Han Yetang's military report for a long time. "A demon iron cavalry force of at least fifty thousand? This is strange. The demons have appeared south before the demons, what are they thinking?"
"I don't know."
Han Yetang replied, "Early this morning, the Grand Administrator's orders arrived, instructing all northern garrisons to dispatch troops to reinforce Ye City. However, I suspect there might be a hidden motive, so I came to seek your advice."
"The battlefield is constantly changing. I cannot discern much from a mere battle report alone."
Lin Zhao stood up. "I will take a small contingent of men and accompany you to the Eastern Wu Kingdom."
"Good."
Han Yetang readily agreed. Having Lin Zhao accompany her would undoubtedly be for the best.
The Snow Domain Heavenly Lake had limited resources, so Lin Zhao dared not be extravagant. This time, he chose one thousand Snow Domain cavalry, led by Chu Yu, to follow him to Shanhai Pass. Han Yetang, on the other hand, brought twenty thousand cavalry from the Vermillion Bird Cavalry, joining forces with Lin Zhao. They departed from Shanhai Pass early that morning for the Fusu Great Wall. Upon arriving at the city gate, Qin Ran, who was enjoying his breakfast of scallion pancakes, looked up and saw countless human cavalry entering the city, among whom was a familiar figure.
"Brother Baiyi!"
Qin Ran stood up, somewhat elated. Lin Zhao, now the commander of the Snow Domain Army, was clad in pure white armor. The presence of Chu Yu, a cultivator at the Harmonious Realm, commanded Qin Ran's respect. He immediately put down his bowl of noodles, picked up his sword, and declared, "Going to war? I'll go with you!"
"Stay here."
Lin Zhao glanced at him. "Practice your sword diligently at home. Come with us when you reach the Upper Five Realms!"
"Ran'er!"
Not far away, Qin Yu, the patriarch of the Qin family, frowned. He then cupped his fists and smiled at Lin Zhao. At this moment, Qin Yu was already aware of Lin Zhao's true identity.
As Lin Zhao rode out of the city, Lin Wanhua's voice echoed in his Sea of Consciousness: "Do you need me to accompany you?"
"No, no, no..."
Lin Zhao felt a prickle of unease. "The demons have appeared north of the Fusu Great Wall. I fear they have other plans. It would be better for you to remain and guard the Fusu Great Wall. There, you are a thirteenth-realm sword cultivator. Accompanying me would be more dangerous. Besides, you helped me nurture so many Zhaojian Talismans last time; you'll be fine."
"Mm."
Lin Wanhua, who had already begun to fly away from the city walls, returned upon hearing Lin Zhao's words. She would dutifully remain and continue her sword practice. The matter of the demon cavalry would be handled by the human army. Unless the Upper Five Realms cultivators from the four northern tribes descended, she, a peak twelfth-realm Sword Immortal, saw no need to act.
She looked down, her gaze falling upon the receding figure of Lin Zhao leading a thousand Snow Domain cavalry across the plains, and a faint smile touched her lips. She could almost envision the spectacle of him leading the Heavenly Lake Army in fierce battle against the demons in days past. It must have been as awe-inspiring as it was now!
...
Near noon, the army arrived within ten miles of Ye City.
From a distance, numerous demon cavalry clad in golden armor could be seen galloping around the city, encircling it tightly.
A scout from the Vermillion Bird Battalion flew over, cupping his fists respectfully. "Grand Marshal, we have scouted the area. The demon commander is named Yu Feng, one of the ten Divine Cavalry Captains of the demon race, and the son of the Yu Dynasty. He is known for his talent in both civil and military arts, with exceptional strategy among the demons. They are currently surrounding Ye City, intending to deplete its grain reserves and intercept any human reinforcements."
Han Yetang furrowed her brows and looked at Lin Zhao. "What do you think?"
Lin Zhao chuckled lazily. "The advantage of cavalry lies in rapid plundering and catching enemies off guard. Yet he uses them to besiege a city. Truly remarkable that he could conceive of such a plan. Isn't he afraid of starving himself first... He truly lives up to his reputation as a talented demon in both civil and military arts."
Han Yetang couldn't help but smile.