UGB Chapter 76 The Battle of Mortals
Chapter 76 The Battle of Mortals
These five rows of bronze chariots, numbering over a thousand, stood horizontally before the vast army, clearly intended for use in a charge.
Following the chariots were ten thousand mounted archers, clad in simple leather armor, carrying bows and arrows, and with several quivers on their backs filled with gleaming, menacing arrows.
Next came an infantry formation of over 30,000 men. The infantry was divided into two types: heavy infantry, clad in iron armor, carrying huge shields and steel swords at their waists; and light infantry, wearing light leather armor and wielding spears, giving them an agile and nimble appearance.
At the rear of the army were 50,000 cavalrymen, each with a black feather tucked into their helmets. They were the Black Feather Knights, second only to the Fire Feather Kingdom in terms of rank. Clad in armor, with weapons at their waists, their eyes were sharp and their aura was extraordinary.
Interspersed among the army were hundreds of giant crossbows, their tips already lit, each surrounded by a squad of armored soldiers.
Compared to the large-scale deployment of the Fire Feather Kingdom's army, the army of the opposing Fence Kingdom appeared quite disorganized and unprofessional. The 100,000-strong army consisted entirely of cavalry, all of whom were tall, dark-skinned, and shouting incoherently, creating a chaotic scene.
These 100,000 men were all armed with bows and arrows and carried sabers at their waists, resembling a combination of mounted archers and light cavalry.
Behind the Fire Feather Kingdom's army stood a seven-zhang-high platform, which covered an area of about half an acre, where more than twenty people were standing.
More than ten of them were soldiers wearing light armor, holding small flags of different colors, standing solemnly; they were the commanders in the army.
The remaining men were all dressed in the attire of generals and commanders, standing before the high platform, gazing at the distant battlefield, without uttering a word.
The man in the middle, over forty years old, was dressed in golden armor, exceptionally brave and valiant. A bright red feather stood upright on his helmet. His entire aura was extraordinary. Even when he stood there motionless, his presence exuded a sense of oppression. This man was none other than Guo Xiong, the great general of the Fire Feather Kingdom.
On either side of Guo Xiong stood two middle-aged men dressed in green Taoist robes, looking at the battlefield ahead with a half-smile and a calm demeanor. They were actually two Foundation Establishment deacons from the Kongsang Sect.
Guo Xiong glanced at the chaotic enemy army, frowned, and his eyes flashed with a sharp, cold light.
"Beat the drum!" Guo Xiong suddenly uttered two words, his words not loud, but carrying an undeniable authority.
Without saying a word, a soldier in front raised a red flag, waved his arm, and shook it three times.
In an instant, a deafening drumbeat resounded across the land, the booming sounds rising like thunder, magnificent and awe-inspiring, making one's blood boil.
At the same time, the sound of military drums from the vassal state suddenly rang out. After the drums from both sides had finished, a roar that soared into the sky suddenly resounded across the battlefield. The shouts of men and the neighing of horses were earth-shattering and swept in all directions.
The 100,000 cavalrymen of the vassal state suddenly spurred their horses into a gallop, simultaneously unleashing the first volley of arrows.
Guo Xiong narrowed his eyes and slowly issued orders. Every time he uttered a word, one of the dozen or so soldiers in front of him would take out a small flag and wave it vigorously to the left or right. At the same time, the army below would attack or defend in an orderly manner. The entire army was unified in its orders, which was extremely impressive.
At this moment, the bronze chariot at the forefront of the Fire Feather Kingdom suddenly split apart, and ten thousand mounted archers rushed out in unison, unleashing a deluge of arrows. Then, without regard for anything else, they split to the left and right, making a large circle and rushing towards the rear of the army.
The giant crossbows, interspersed among the army and operated by the surrounding armored soldiers, fired terrifying rockets ten zhang long and as thick as a thigh, accompanied by a violent gust of wind, shooting towards the enemy on the opposite side.
After doing all this, the three rows of bronze chariots charged out in an instant amidst the neighing of horses, ignoring the fierce rain of arrows overhead, and roared towards the enemy army in front.
After the heavily armored infantrymen abruptly raised their tall shields to block the first wave of sword rain, they suddenly split to the left and right. Behind them, the Black Feather Cavalrymen shook their reins, and 50,000 warhorses surged out instantly, passing through the heavily armored infantry and charging towards the enemy army. Their momentum shook the heavens and the earth, and their aura was as fierce as a tiger swallowing thousands of miles.
The lightly armored infantry at the rear then charged forward amidst a low roar.
The arrow rain from the Fence Kingdom did not have much impact on the well-organized Fire Feather Kingdom army. However, the Fire Feather Kingdom's mounted archers and hundreds of huge fire arrows dealt a heavy blow to the enemy, causing their momentum to slow down and their pace to decrease.
And so, in an instant, the two armies clashed. The shouts of battle were deafening, and severed limbs were everywhere, making for an exceptionally brutal battle.
The two Foundation Establishment deacons, who had been calm and collected, suddenly changed their expressions and felt a sense of horror as they looked at the tragic battlefield ahead.
Guo Xiong, clad in golden armor, remained completely calm throughout, issuing each command with an almost indifferent tone, without ever blinking.
Two hours later, the sound of gongs rang out across the battlefield. The 100,000-strong army of the vassal state lost their armor and weapons, and more than 40,000 cavalrymen were killed on the spot. The remaining soldiers retreated in panic like a tide, each one wounded, their morale shattered, and their defeat was swift and devastating.
In contrast, the Fire Feather Kingdom's army suffered negligible losses, with only a few thousand killed and the rest almost unharmed, and their morale remained high.
Upon seeing this, General Guo Xiong frowned. Instead of issuing an order to pursue the enemy, he ordered a retreat. In his opinion, the enemy's behavior in the recent battles was too strange. Although he had won every battle under his command, he still felt uneasy. He felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Therefore, after each major victory, he did not issue an order to pursue, lest the enemy be treacherous, and decided to observe the situation.
"General Guo truly deserves to be called a once-in-a-century general. His literary and military talents, as well as his skill in troop deployment, are all quite outstanding. No wonder the sect leader and the other elders all praise you highly. Today has truly broadened our horizons."
One of the Foundation Establishment deacons of the Kongsang Sect could not hide his shock. Although he was a Foundation Establishment expert and regarded mortals as ants, he had never seen a battle between hundreds of thousands of people. The tragic scene of fighting each other on the battlefield and the strategic deployment of the Fire Feather Kingdom's army had left a deep impression on him.
Faced with the well-planned and strategic attacks of the Fire Feather Kingdom's army, the 100,000-strong army of the Fence Kingdom was routed as if it were a landslide, crushed like a tumbleweed. At this moment, his praise was genuine.
"General Guo is known as the Sage of War, and he truly lives up to his name. He can strategize within the command tent and win battles a thousand miles away. We have no choice but to admire him!" Another Foundation Establishment deacon nodded and spoke up, his gaze towards Guo Xiong no longer showing contempt but instead filled with respect.
"You two are too kind. My meager skills are nothing to boast about." Although Guo Xiong commanded millions of soldiers in the Fire Feather Kingdom and held great power, he naturally dared not be presumptuous in front of the two cultivators and quickly clasped his hands in a bow.
"But the enemy's army is behaving very strangely. I have fought against the vassal states many times, and I know them very well."
However, after several recent battles, the enemy's fighting strength has been clearly insufficient. This is not their true strength, and there is probably something else going on. Guo Xiong then frowned, his worry intensifying, and a bad premonition rose in his heart.
"General Guo, why be so modest? Your command of the army is excellent, the morale of the troops is high, and your military strategy is superb. I think the enemy's commander is far inferior to yours, which is why this one-sided situation has occurred."
"That's right. The only variable in this great battle is the low-level cultivators hidden by both sides. However, so far, the other side has not sent any cultivators to participate in the war. If they dare to do so, our cultivation sect will naturally take them on. General Guo, there is no need to worry. This time, the Fanli Kingdom will surely suffer a crushing defeat!"
The two Foundation Establishment experts held the vassal state in utter contempt, and spoke with disdain.
Upon hearing this, Guo Xiong didn't know what to say, so he simply nodded in agreement to the two of them, suppressing the gloom in his heart for the time being.
……
Millions of miles south of the Fire Feather Kingdom, there stands a towering peak, covering tens of thousands of acres and reaching an altitude of several thousand feet. This is the Daming Mountain, the site of the agreed-upon battle between the Fire Feather Kingdom and the Fanli Kingdom.
The mountain is located in the northern region of Qingzhou, but it does not belong to any country and is a neutral zone.
Of course, the claim of a neutral zone is just an official statement; only the higher-ups of some major powers know that the true owner of this mountain is the Illusion Cloud Sect.
The mountains of Daming are covered in lush greenery, with hundreds of boats racing along the shore. The trees are verdant and the animals, including insects, fish, and birds, are plentiful. The whole mountain exudes a wild and untamed feel, and a vibrant life force permeates the mountains and fields.
Only the summit protrudes into a barren patch of land, devoid of vegetation, yet exceptionally flat, resembling a platform, spanning a thousand acres.
At this time, there were already quite a few cultivators on the summit of Daming Mountain.
At one spot on the summit, ten cultivators dressed in different styles stood together, seemingly discussing something. Among them were Ghost Sha, the leader of the Burial Ghost Sect, and the leaders of the Rakshasa Sect, Putuo Sect, and Dilai Sect. Behind them sat hundreds of disciples, all of whom were cultivators from the Fanli Kingdom.
At the center of the peak, there were more than ten elderly men sitting cross-legged, looking like immortals. These elderly men were dressed in the same gray Taoist robes, and their builds were similar. They all exuded the terrifying cultivation of the Golden Core stage.
One of them even reached the Great Perfection of the Golden Core realm, seemingly surpassing even Gui Sha, the sect leader of the Burial Ghost Sect, and He Yinghua, the sect leader of the Kongsang Sect.
These people were naturally the elders of the Illusion Cloud Sect. At this moment, they were all sitting with their eyes closed, not intending to speak.
"Whoosh..."
A piercing blast of air suddenly rang out, and then a giant bamboo raft appeared in the distant sky, swept past, and a few breaths later, it hovered above the peak of Mount Daming.