"Commander, the general has already taken action!"
At dusk the next day, the sky was about to darken, and the entire Chuanzhong Pass was hidden under the falling snow, revealing an indescribable silence.
A large man in red armor walked quickly through the snowy corridor and entered a hall. He bowed and whispered to a tall figure standing at a side window, looking at the heavy snow outside.
Pei Yanhu faced the cold wind outside the window that was as sharp as a gust of wind, and looked at the vast gray sky. His tiger eyes drooped, and his eyes were as deep as a dark pool, as if thousands of emotions were brewing in them. Finally, a long stream of white air exhaled from his mouth and nose.
Then he slowly turned sideways. This remaining commander no longer had the previous majestic and stern look. He looked at the cavalry under Jiuzhonglang and said leisurely, with the vicissitudes of life, "I hope this day will come sooner, but I also hope it will come later!"
"Too many people have died. Your former comrades, brothers, and relatives may have been joking with you one second, and the next second they would fall in a pool of blood, being eaten by demons, with no remains left."
"But this day will always come. Sooner or later, we will have to fight those beasts to the death, and our fate has already been determined!"
"It's just that your general's crisis this time may change something. After all, the word "crisis" means that there are opportunities in danger."
"At least, we are taking the initiative to attack this time!"
At this point, Pei Yanhu's tone was a little hurried, and then his tiger eyes opened and his tone deepened.
"This time, one move will affect the entire body. You are leading the troops this time and shouldering a heavy responsibility. Once the troops are dispatched, the monsters of Jingyuan Prefecture on the southeastern defense line and Huxia Pass on the southwest defense line will definitely support them. It may even alarm other monsters. If the chess pieces make a wrong move, many of you may not be able to come back. Are you afraid?"
On the opposite side, Lu Ming stood straight, his expression stern, his eyes flickering with fire, and he said very seriously, "Even if I die, I will protect my general and brothers and bring them back!"
Pei Yanhu nodded, and all the emotions in his eyes were put away, "Okay, go get ready!"
"My mountain-fighting army should hold their heads high for once, instead of fighting a cowardly battle!"
"Someone, beat the drum!"
At this moment, the commander's voice became extremely high-spirited!
Not long after,
"Boom"
"Boom"
"Boom"
"."
The dull and increasingly rapid drum beats broke through the dark sky of wind and snow, and were carried by the wind to this small Sichuan Pass!
At this time, in the four directions of the central Sichuan, the slightly noisy inns and taverns, the noise became quiet as the drumbeats reached everyone's ears.
"ceng"
"ceng"
"ceng"
The sound of tables and chairs rubbing against the ground could be heard one after another. Figures stood up from the tables and looked in the direction where the drum sounds came from.
There was no shouting or screaming, and in many people's eyes, there was a sense of nervousness and relief that it had finally come!
"There's going to be a war!"
Someone let out a long sigh.
They were at the frontline, and the news was spreading from the frontline. They knew best that the seal of the Hundred Thousand Mountains had been broken, and the demons were mobilizing troops to prepare for a comeback. The news from Jinguan City had confirmed this. The rear was fully preparing for war, and more than 10,000 cavalrymen from the Ninth Mountain stationed in Jinguan City entered the border the night before yesterday!
Beating the drum means sending troops!
The rumors turned out to be true!
Just over ten days ago, when the Fashan Army urgently issued a notice to recruit people to investigate the intelligence of the fallen monster tribe in Guanzhong, there were speculations that the Fashan Army inside the pass would take the initiative to attack this time.
In order to turn passivity into initiative, he launched harassment and surprise attacks while the demon tribe had not yet completed their troop deployment!
Now the drums sounded, proving this point, but many people remained pessimistic. The demons broke the seal and came back with great force, and now most of the mountain-cutting troops inside the pass were remnants of defeated troops, with only tens of thousands of soldiers left, and they had to defend the pass. Even if they took the initiative to attack, how much use would the few soldiers sent out have?
"I'm afraid all those soldiers will die if we send out this expedition! Why do we need to attack the mountain army? Why don't we wait for reinforcements from the rear and hold on to the interior of the pass!"
"Even if the Ninth Mountain's troops come to reinforce us, it won't be enough!"
"It's better to retreat back to Jinguan City. I'll stay here."
In a restaurant in the west of the city, someone spoke up, revealing his timid thoughts. He thought it would be better to stay inside the pass to defend the city, or even better to retreat back to Jinguan City. He said that he remembered something, looked a little annoyed, and cursed.
This is a young man dressed in brocade clothes. He was a son of a concubine who was sent by his family to guard the front line according to the order from the Ninth Mountain. He is the kind of person who is not loved by his grandmother and uncle, and he has a lot of resentment in his heart.
They were not allowed to leave Chuanzhong Pass and had to report to the Fashan Army regularly to receive certain tasks. Some of the family members he knew died on the way to carry out their tasks.
He was used to a life of luxury and ease before, so how could he stay on the front line where he was on the edge of a knife? He had resentment in his heart, and he vented it at this moment.
But before he could finish his words, they were covered by a hand.
It was a brother from the same clan who was sitting at the same table. He leaned over to this guy's ear and whispered sternly, "If you want to die, don't drag us along. The soldiers of the Ninth Mountain are here. If this word gets out, have you thought about the consequences?"
"As long as that adult is still here, we have to abide by the rules here and shut up!"
As he said this, the brother looked at the other people in the hall, ready to confess his crime.
At the table next to him, a bearded man wearing a long half-sleeved shirt, a bamboo hat, and a large sword on his back sat sideways. He took over the conversation and said,
"It's boring. Why doesn't this gentleman continue talking?"
"Don't assume that everyone else is like you. Don't be a coward!"
"The will to break through the enemy lines, to die rather than live, this is the blood of the mountain-killing army. Those who come to Chuanzhongguan are here to kill the monsters, don't defile this place."
As he spoke, the bearded man gulped down a bowl of wine on the table, dropped the bowl with a thump, and then stood up.
"Count me in among those people!"
After saying this, the man quickly left the restaurant and rushed into the howling wind and snow outside.
As the drunk man set off, people in the restaurant began to pick up their straw hats or raincoats and leave the warm room filled with the aroma of wine.
All of a sudden, the restaurant became much quieter.
There were only a few young men at that table with unhappy faces and some people who remained silent.
Amid the sound of drumbeats, in the north city, in an alley with snow piled up against the wall, a majestic black horse was puffing out white mist in front of a courtyard gate made of bluestone. A figure in a black cloak jumped onto the horse, carrying a heavy sword case on his back.
"Master Gongsun, your injuries haven't healed yet, you absolutely can't do this!"
At the gate of the courtyard, an old man was standing beside his two children. They looked worried and raised their hands to dissuade them.
On horseback, Gongsun Wuji listened to the rapid drumbeats in the wind and snow. Although his face was a little pale, his eyes were particularly bright. "The wind and snow are strong. You should go back to the house. The drumbeats are getting more and more urgent. The troops will be dispatched soon. I also need to gather a few friends. That's it!"
As he spoke, Gongsun Wuji turned the reins, the horse neighed, and the big horse galloped away, splashing snow and mud with its hooves.
In front of the courtyard gate, the old man and his two children watched the benefactor go away, their lips trembling slightly, muttering to themselves:
"Good things will happen to good people."
On the other side, in the south city, in a courtyard near the city wall, the city was covered with ice and snow everywhere, but only in this courtyard, there were green trees and blooming flowers. The temperature inside was pleasant and there was a formation covering it.
At this time, the sound of drums in the city also reached here.
In the hall, there were two rows of figures standing on both sides.
On one side, they were all wearing light black outer lining and white inner lining, with a small white sword embroidered on the sleeve, jade crowns on their heads, and swords on their backs. Most of them were young men. On the other side, they were all young and beautiful women, all of them with pretty faces and elegant temperaments. They were dressed in white and held swords in one hand, behind their arms.
In front of the hall, on two large chairs, there were two imposing figures sitting there.
Yi Cangtian, the head of Shushan Sword Sect, and the "Goddess" of Su Nu Sword Sect!
On both sides are disciples from the two factions who originally supported the Ninth Mountain, followed the Ninth Mountain back to Sichuan Pass, and stayed here.
Qingyangzi, Ji Wuming, An Meifu, these familiar faces were all there, they were respectfully paying homage to you, God, and listening to Yi Cangtian speak.
The head of the Shushan Sword Sect knew the details in advance and knew that the sound of the drums meant that there was a new development on the side of the Ninth Mountain General and that troops would be dispatched from the Chuanzhong Pass soon.
Rumors inside the pass only speculated that the Sichuan Pass would take the initiative to send troops, but the scale would not be large, and it would still be a surprise attack or harassment. However, he knew that this battle would be unprecedented and would affect all nearby defense lines. Troops were being mobilized inside and outside the pass, and all people on the front line would be affected.
The matter is of great importance, so he cannot reveal the real purpose of yesterday's meeting, but he will warn his disciples not to take it lightly.
Yi Cangtian's face was solemn and his tone was low.
"This expedition was initiated by the Ninth Mountain, and it is of great importance. Shen Gu and I need to stay in Chuanzhong Pass and cannot personally lead you to the battlefield. You need to be careful about everything."
"You are all people who have followed the Ninth Mountain to the battlefield, but you must not take it lightly. Remember, this time is different from your previous experiences. This time, the loss of a city or a place is not a matter of concern. It is likely to snowball and get bigger and bigger, affecting the entire front line."
The disciples of the two sects standing below were startled and filled with surprise when they heard the solemn tone of the Musashi master and the content of his reminder.
Even the head of Musashi is so cautious, what exactly is the purpose of sending troops this time?
The disciples were a little agitated and couldn't help but make slight noises or look at each other.
"Master, is the situation really that serious? Why did the mountain-destroying army suddenly become like this?" Qingyangzi, who was standing in front of the Shushan disciples, asked Yi Cangtian with surprise in his eyes.
Now, his strength has greatly increased since the last battle, and he has been promoted from a Dao soldier to a Dao fruit.
"You will find out when you go there!" Yi Cangtian did not answer this. He sighed slightly and looked at the disciples in front of him, and said softly:
"If any of you want to quit, you can do so. After all, I promised you that I won't blame you. Logically speaking, you have already provided support once, so it's time for someone else to come in, but we are running out of time."
He knew the danger this time and felt sorry for these disciples. After all, these disciples had finally returned alive from the demon battlefield.
As soon as these words were spoken, some of the dozen or so disciples from Shushan Sword Sect changed their expressions slightly, showing signs of struggle, vaguely recalling the scenes of the past, while others had firm eyes and were ready to make some moves.
But after five or six breaths of asking this question, no one chose to quit.
When Yi Cangtian saw this scene, he didn't say anything, but his eyes were shining and very bright.
The "divine lady" next to him saw this scene and nodded slightly with approval. Then she turned sideways and looked at her female disciple with her bright eyes with fine lines at the corners of her eyes. She said softly, "Master Yi has said what needs to be said. Master Yi and I have the same opinion. Those who want to withdraw can withdraw. Don't force it, and don't need to look at others for fear of losing face. After all, life and death are not a joke. Don't force it, and no one will blame you."
Obviously, the method of this "goddess" is more delicate and gentle.
None of the female disciples withdrew, only a clear and crisp voice rang out in unison.
"Disciple is willing to go!"
These people did not say anything particularly eye-opening, but they just remained silent and did not back down.
"Okay!" The goddess and Yi Cangtian looked at each other.
"Then pack up your things and get ready to go to the mountain-killing army's camp and look for Lu Huqi of the Ninth Mountain!"
"Yes!"
The disciples from both sides, more than thirty people in total, bowed together, then left the hall one after another to pack up and prepare.
"Qingyangzi"
"Kisaragi!"
"You stay here."
Yi Cangtian and "Goddess" stopped the two team leaders.
"There are too many variables on this journey. I have discussed with the Goddess and will give you some treasures for self-defense. You two must protect the disciples in the sect and also consider the overall situation."
Qing Yangzi and the beautiful woman named An looked at each other and saw seriousness in each other's eyes.
"Boom"
"Boom"
"Boom"
"."
As night fell, the mountain-cutting troops stationed there heard the sound of drums like thunder.
On the parade ground, fire basins crackled and flames burned brightly, casting out patches of light. Tens of thousands of cavalry stood straight like a forest, the cold light formed an array, and it was like a dark cloud pressing down on a city. The momentum was connected into one, and it was breathtaking to watch.
Under the stage, there were four square formations, four mountain-cutting flags flying in the wind and snow, flags fluttering, and four tall horses at the forefront of the army formation. The seventh, eighth, and twelfth mountain lieutenant generals each led a troop of 16,000 cavalry, and Lu Ming led the 11,000 cavalry of the Ninth Mountain Right Divine Might Army, arrayed in front.
Among the cold iron armors of the Ninth Mountain array, there were several rows of graceful figures in white clothes with swords on their backs. They were all familiar faces.
They came from the Shushan and Su Nu Sword Sect disciples who followed the army.
Although the white clothes are eye-catching, they seem inconspicuous among the tens of thousands of square formations.
They looked around, personally participating in the inspection of the troops for the first time, and felt the breathtaking and amazing momentum, and their eyelids could not help but twitch.
Too many people!
I thought that only the Ninth Mountain would send out troops, but it turned out that there were three other mountain-exploding armies coming together!
Looking around, there are so many of them, there are tens of thousands of them!
They finally understood what the two masters had said to them before they left, saying that this matter was of great importance.
At this moment, the Iron Cavalry were released into the formation, and soldiers and horses were pulling carts in rows and rows between the military formations. Soon, Qingyangzi, the beautiful woman surnamed An and other disciples of the sword sect had earthenware bowls in their hands.
Afterwards, a soldier made hand gestures and streams of wine flew out from the jars on the car.
"Whoa"
The disciples looked at the wine bowls in their hands. The wine inside was a little turbid, and their eyes were filled with surprise.
“Is this a farewell drink?”
When the commander heard that the soldiers on the front line were going to the battlefield to perform important and dangerous tasks, he would pour them a glass of wine to give the warriors courage and see them off.
At this moment, a figure descended from the sky on the stage.
It was Pei Yanhu, who was wearing armor and walking like a dragon and a tiger.
He took a bowl of wine from the people below, looked at the nearly 30,000 cavalrymen in the snow and fire, and sang loudly the war song passed down by the old people.
"Who says I have no clothes? I share my clothes with you. I sharpen my spear and sword, and I share the same hatred with you."
The voice was loud and full of vicissitudes and heroism. It pierced through the howling wind and snow and made tens of thousands of soldiers feel excited.
"Who says I have no clothes? I will share the same clothes with you. I will mend my spear and halberd, and work with you!"
"Who says I have no clothes? I will share my clothes with you. I will prepare my armor and weapons and go with you!"
Countless voices gathered together, and the fiery fighting spirit surged up with the war song and rushed into the sky.
After the announcement was made, Pei Yanhu, who was on the stage for selecting generals, raised the wine bowl in both hands and saluted towards the people below.
"Ceng Ceng"
Tens of thousands of soldiers raised their bowls in unison, the friction of their armors even having a rhythmic sound.
Pei Yanhu drank the wine in the bowl and then threw the bowl down.
"Kang Dang"
The bowl broke, and a few drops of wine spilled out in crystal arcs.
At this moment, the sound of countless bowls breaking was heard below, and the momentum reached its peak at this moment.
"set off!"
Pei Yanhu shouted loudly, and the next second, it was like a landslide and tsunami.
This sound, like a thunderclap, completely ignited the cold night.
The war drums beat rapidly, like silver bottles exploding.
The trumpets sounded like chariots.
"set off!"
"set off!"
"......."
One by one, messengers rode fast horses, shuttling through the densely packed army formations, delivering orders at high speed.
Immediately afterwards, the horses' hooves neighed loudly. Under the reviewing stand, Lu Ming, who was in charge of this main mission, turned his horse's head first. His fast horse turned into lightning, piercing through the forest-like formation of soldiers and staying in the center line. His red armor turned into a ray of fire, splitting the biting cold night.
His move was like a floodgate opening in a river, and the situation became unstoppable. Tens of thousands of soldiers and horses changed their formations one after another, turning into an armored torrent, rushing out of the mountain-faring army's base and heading straight south.
And in this cold night, thousands of eyes were watching all this. When they saw the endless torrent rushing out like a dark cloud pressing down on the city, they gasped!
They guessed wrong!
This is a big battle! (End of this chapter)
