Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales
Only when he arrived did he find out that the situation near Gu Ou City has changed.
Hu Qianqiu gave up on defending and pushed forwards the troops by hundreds of miles towards Weining Province. Together with Qiu Wei, they camped their troops in front of Huling Hill.
In a short 2 days, both sides had engaged tens of times, death numbers reaching 200 thousand with each side having some wins and loses.
Learning of this new development, Hu Zhongyuan’s expression changed. Zong Shou summoned the few messengers that Hu Qianqiu sends back to Gu Ou City and questioned them. A moment later he understood everything about what was happening.
“As expected from a might lord like Feng Nu! No wonder he could go up against someone like Zong Weiran for so many years and not fall. He can’t be underestimated…”
Sending troops to attack Gu Ou City was just a fake signal. Using that battle as a cover he had silently built a huge wall near Huling Hill as well as set up numerous holes and traps.
What was amazing was that including Gantian Mountain, spies and scouts on all sides didn’t notice anything.
He knew that if it wasn’t for Taoyun City falling too quickly under his all-out attacks, the 3 provinces being swept in just 20 days. The 3 million troops of Taoyun City withering and getting crushed in 5 consecutive battles. This person might have succeeded and built this Huling Hill defense line.
…If that was the case then even if Feng Nu and Xiong Ba were unable to defend against their wave of attacks, they could rely on this to let Gantian City bleed out bit by bit.
Seeing Hu Zhongyuan’s face filled with trepidation, Zong Shou instantly smiled, “You don’t have to mind that much. When a general is outside, sometimes the ruler’s orders might not make sense. Uncle Hu decisively changed to attack was to disrupt Feng Nu from building that defensive line. If he followed my orders and watched as Feng Nu succeeded, I would scold him instead. Looking at these tens of battles they targetted the weaknesses of Yunxia and Blazing Flame army. No matter whether we win or lose we can disrupt their tempo. Uncle Qiu and Uncle Hu are experienced generals…”
His sensitively recognized how cunning Hu Qianqiu and Qiu Wei were. Towards Blazing Flame Mountain City, they just disturbed them such that they weren’t able to complete the defensive line. Towards the Yunxia army on the east line, they went all out. Both sides suffered a total loss of 200 thousand, close to 40% game from Yunxia.
After Hu Zhongyuan was slightly startled. He heaved a sigh of relief. What he was most afraid for was Zong Shou scolding. From the looking down from before to the respect today, unknowingly it had gone full circle.
There were no more war matters near Gu Ou City. As such, Zong Shou decided to rest up for 2 days here. Until the 20 thousand elite cavalry under him had recovered before he headed towards Huling Hill in a not fast but also not slow pace. Like he didn’t care much about the war matter ahead.
There was 3 thousand more elite cavalry that followed him. The leader was called
Heli. Not only was he the city lord of Gu Ou City, but also the race leader of Pill Crane race.
This huge race under Gantian Mountain surrendered to Zong Weiran 4 years ago. However, they always roamed outside, helping Gantian Mountain defend an area. What Heli was leading now was the most elite pill crane cloud cavalry within his race.
Light armored cavalry, not resting and stopping for a day and night, they could travel 1800 miles. Due to the special ability of their mounts, they can go over the mountains and ridges. Their combat ability was battle than normal cavalry and was one of the lost elite light armored cavalry in Gantian Mountain.
This race often had bad spirit masters, good in medicinal and poison arts. Zong Weiran was said to have fallen for their arts, but who knows how but he managed to make them willingly serve him. The 3 million people of Gu Ou City would become directly ruled by Gantian Mountain.
Zong Shou was poisoned by Monster race players from the pill crane race in the last life in the game, nearly dying on the spot. At that time, he was already famous across the continent. Even players on the same level as the 7 emperors didn’t result in him entering such a bad state.
Which was why every time this Heli followed beside him he would feel his goosebumps rise and will be exceptionally wary.
Luckily this Heli wasn’t that old, only 20. He looked a little woman-like. When he spoke to everyone he would smile brightly and talk carefully. He didn’t look like a dangerous person.
Even if he had a bad heart, with his age, his ability in poison shouldn’t be that good.
The so-called Huling Hill was only 10 miles big, the highest point was just a thousand feet small sized hill.
Both sides had millions of troops so naturally they couldn’t all pile up in one area. Feng Nu’s Huling Hill defensive line also used the hill as an outline, connecting with the few medium-sized cities around. The entire battlefield stretched to 130 miles Long, millions of soldiers spread out, clashing and in a standstill with one another.
When Zong Shou arrived, he first chose a high ground to observe, to look down on this area. In just a moment he knew why Feng Nu would choose the battlefield to be such an ordinary place.
At the side of this was a mountain and the other side was a river known as He River. This area was like a funnel and the tip was Huling Hill.
…it was a place that military strategists loved. Locking up this place would mean blocking an important chokepoint to Weining province.
It could protect the numerous provinces behind. Even Xiong Ba could rely on this to defend Shengde Province which was nearby.
Looking carefully at the defensive line that Feng Nu had built, Zong Shou gave up on using the energy destroying crossbows.
Feng Nu has considered that when he planned the defense, over a million troops spread out in a wide area. Even the more packed area was only tens of thousands. They relied on high walls to block whilst being able to travel around to assist one another, solidly blocking Hu Qianqiu’s attacks outside of this defensive line.
Although he was just looking from afar, Zong Shou had a feeling. That the walls built up most probably had spiritual formations to defend against the attacks of energy destroying crossbows.
Although the energy destroying crossbow was powerful, but its attacks were one dimensional. As long as one was prepared, it wasn’t hard to deal with it.
This was also the reason why such a great weapon was rarely used in these ten thousand years.
Looking at it for a short while, Zong Shou closed his eyes and thought carefully. Following which he took a branch and started drawing about in front of his body.
A moment later the entire outline of the Huling Hill battlefront jumped onto this dirt ground.
Zong Yuan, Chai Zhou, Ling Xuan, Hu Zhongyuan all looked on silently. Heli glanced from the side with his Phoenix eyes with a slight interest.
Following which Zong Shou pointed from the left and drew a thin line, pointing to the backside of this Huling Hill, “Zong Yuan can you lead this 20 thousand cavalry to break in from here? I need you to get in there within 10 hours…”
Zong Yuan’s brows rose up and bending down and taking a look around, a look of enlightenment appearing on his face. Following which he didn’t even ask and just nodded, “Understood!”
The eyes of the people around all lit up. The few of them were all good at war and instinctively picked up that the line was right into Yunxiao City’s weakness.
Their lord was still as sharp as he was in the past few days when he swept the 3 provinces.
This place was not only the weakest point of Yunxi Army. If they could break through from this point, they would be of great threat to the back lines of the Yunxia army. Enough to force Feng Nu to abandon this part of the defensive line, to retreat and regroup. If he didn’t handle it well, hundreds of thousands of troops would even be buried here.
Heli couldn’t help but praise Zong Shou. His actions were indeed vicious.
Following which Zong Shou dotted 70 miles out, “City lord He, I know your pill crane cloud cavalry are famous for being quick and are prideful in the cloud continent. Going around this mountain to Attack this city, how much confidence do you have going around this mountain to attack this city? How much time do you need?”
“Gushan City?” Heli’s eyes constricted, following which he asked with doubt, “Apart from this place being open and connected it is not worth mentioning. Why does ruler target this place?”
Zong Shou’s expression turned serious. During these tens of days when he commanded the army in those 3 provinces, Zhongyuan and the others had stopped questioning his decisions. Even old generals like Chai Yuan followed his orders. Heli’s words were something he wasn’t used to.
However, following which he didn’t pay much attention. He wasn’t such a domineering person who didn’t let others speak.
Expressing his thoughts, using the intellect of the people around him could also help cover up the weaknesses of the plan.
He directly pointed to He River, “During these few days, be it Yunxia City or Blazing Flame City they all used this river to transport resources. Grain has been amassed in the few cities around it and transported towards the army…”
Heli nodded his head, the situation was indeed like that. However, what did it have to do with Gushan City?
“What I find weird is that Feng Nu and Xiong Ba knows all their cloud ships have been destroyed and our thousand-odd have returned safely and could enter He River. Why did he dare to put so much emphasis on the river?
When they heard that, everyone around understood, their faces showing an excited expression. The eyes of Heli shone brightly.
“The ships here are just a distraction, maybe even a trap baiting us over! The true place where they are gathering grain is Gushan City?”
As he said that, Heli’s thoughts became more and more clear, “The ruler sent Zong Yuan to strike just to distract them and bait the nearby soldiers. What you want to attack is that place. To be able to have the ruler put so much faith in me, it is my honor…”
“Zong Yuan’s Attack is also ensuring you guys can return safely.”
Seeing Zong Shou smile slightly, “Anyways within 20 hours burn down this Gushan City.”
Heli didn’t speak, just bowing. It was Hu Zhongyuan that was a little curious, “Then where is the ruler prepared to go?”
“Me?” Zong Shou smiled, “Naturally I’m going to negotiate with Xiong Ba and Feng Nu. It is better if we don’t fight this battle if we don’t have to.”
