On a cold winter night, the Lou Lan Ancient Road was situated high in the mountains, shrouded in darkness.
Undoubtedly, this ancient country's grain route had long been abandoned and neglected, and this desolate place was rarely visited. However, Xu Guo still stationed a considerable number of guards for the night watch.
Amidst the dimness, several dozen Golden Armor soldiers could be seen patrolling the camp, holding torches. They moved back and forth within a relatively close distance, making it convenient to raise the alarm immediately in case of any unexpected incidents.
"The general is being overly cautious. Why bother guarding against thieves in this remote wilderness?"
One of the Golden Armor troops, who had the unfortunate luck of being chosen for the night patrol, couldn't help but mutter a few words. It was a pitch-black night with strong winds, and after days of marching, they were exhausted. Naturally, he couldn't help but complain.
Then...
An arrow pierced through his head.
"What kind of arrow can penetrate my golden helmet?"
With this doubt in his mind, he fell to the ground and, in his dying moments, witnessed a final scene—a rain of arrows flying under the moonlight.
"Enemy attack!"
"Where?"
"Where are the enemies?!"
Answering their questions were groups of soldiers dressed in white armor with embroidered deer face masks.
They emerged suddenly from all directions! They stormed into the camp, drawing their swords and striking swiftly and accurately. It was evident that each of them was well-trained.
Thus, a nocturnal assault began.
The Golden Armor Army's camp was located on both sides of the road, and not far from the camp, on a high plateau, stood a solitary tent— the core of the entire army.
Xu Guo, carrying a broadsword, swiftly emerged from the tent.
With a rugged appearance and a beard on his chin, he seemed rough and untamed. However, upon closer inspection, one could see his composed expression and calm eyes, exuding the demeanor of a great general.
After all, having experienced countless ambushes since his days as a low-ranking soldier, he had long lost count. The only unexpected thing was that Song YanShi's counterattack had come so swiftly.
The attackers emerged from all directions, indicating that they had long prepared an ambush.
Xu Guo frowned slightly, speculating that perhaps the opponent was not Song YanShi. He continued to observe the situation on the battlefield.
The first round of arrow rain claimed many lives, shaking the soldiers' morale.
"Do not panic!"
A resounding shout, infused with internal energy, reverberated through the entire mountain range!
Those who heard it felt their ears ringing.
"Where are the Royal Guard troops?"
Apart from the two thousand Golden Armor guards from the capital city, Xu Guo had also brought his personal Royal Guard troops. Although their numbers were small, only fifty, each of them had been a military officer and possessed formidable martial skills and commanding abilities.
With Xu Guo's appearance, the chaos among the Golden Armor soldiers gradually subsided.
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"Dammit!" Lu Gaosheng muttered under his breath.
It wasn't that he hadn't considered Xu Guo's presence and the stabilizing effect it would have on the soldiers' morale, but he didn't expect it to happen so quickly.
Moreover, these Golden Armor soldiers should have been exhausted, yet once they regained their composure, their combat prowess remained strong!
Even though the Bai Lu Army had the advantage of the surprise attack and had initially killed many enemies, they still couldn't overturn the opponent's numerical superiority.
It seemed that they still needed to keep Xu Guo occupied.
"Brother Zhang..." Lu Gaosheng turned his head, intending to say something, but his brows furrowed.
Because Zhang San had disappeared.
Only a faint, yet intent-filled voice came from not far away.
"Lord Lu, I hope you won't go back on your word. Otherwise, even though I don't like resorting to bloodshed, when it comes to real killing, I might not spare even a 'woman.'"
Woman.
These two words made Lu Gaosheng narrow his eyes slightly.
He knew exactly whom Zhang San was referring to.
But at the moment, commanding the Bai Lu Army was the top priority.
"Spread my command: Li Xing, kill the wolves. Let the Blood Wolves lead the charge, set fire, form the White Night Formation, slowly devour the Golden Armor Army's camp, and force them out of the ancient path, driving them toward the cliff!"
"Also, the three units should pay close attention to the signal arrows sent from me. One sound means attack, two sounds mean retreat, three sounds mean encircle, and when two commands are issued simultaneously, it means change formation. But forget it, after training for so many years, the Bai Lu Army should understand without the need for unnecessary words. Go and give the orders."
On the other side, on the cliff platform of the Lou Lan Ancient Road.
The cold wind blew, and Xu Guo put on his golden helmet, closed his visor, and held his Guan Dao as he leisurely paced on the platform, appearing quite relaxed.
After dispatching his own elite troops to join the battle and taking over part of the command, the formidable military prowess of the Golden Armor Army, the strongest military force in the Great Wu Country, was immediately revealed.
The current situation was already...
Just when Xu Guo was feeling complacent, thinking that victory was within reach, a sudden change occurred in the battle.
Three masked experts suddenly appeared, and the white-armored soldiers immediately withdrew from the camp and swiftly regrouped!
However, what astonished Xu Guo was the formation.
He had seen it before.
As someone born into a military family, when he was still a child, this kind of battle formation left an extremely deep impression on him.
"This... This! This is General Bai ShiXuan's formation!"
Years ago, Bai ShiXuan was known as the number one general in the Great Wu Country. His 150,000 Zhennan Army had not encountered a worthy opponent for thirty years, and he himself was one of the top three martial arts experts in the world. Taking the enemy general's head in the midst of a sea of troops was a piece of cake for him. He was truly an unparalleled hero.
But in the military circles of the Great Wu Country, especially among later generations like Wang Jue and other generals, what they found most terrifying about Bai ShiXuan was his military tactics, or more precisely, his battle formations.
Powerful, swift, and ever-changing.
Among them, it was the element of change that gave opponents the most headaches.
The reason being, Bai ShiXuan's Zhennan Army, especially his thirty thousand Iron Armored soldiers directly under his command, displayed remarkable adaptability and speed in responding to various enemy attacks and unexpected situations on the battlefield. Often, opponents couldn't react in time.
At this moment, a cold moon hung high above the cliff platform.
Xu Guo frowned, silently thinking, "Not good, it's the White Night Formation. It appears to advance slowly, steadily and methodically, but in reality, his formation is like a shield, pushing us backward. This Lou Lan Ancient Road is long but narrow, and there's a cliff behind us. If they keep pushing us like this, our soldiers will undoubtedly be in a precarious position."
With determination, Xu Guo walked towards the military tent and a sturdy war drum inside.
Unlike Lu Gaosheng, who relied on signal arrows, masters of internal energy like Xu Guo could convey commands to the battlefield with a solid war drum.
Dong! Dong!
The heavy, solid drumbeats even stirred up clouds of dust on the ground around the tent.
Amidst the heavy drumbeat, the Golden Armor Army launched a counterattack.
Deep within the distant forest,
Lu Gaosheng sneered. Although he couldn't understand the meaning behind the drumbeat, he could roughly grasp the enemy's intentions from their actions.
"Indeed, this is the real Xu Guo!"
Two days ago, after witnessing the fake 'Xu Guo' being swiftly killed by Liu Hu, Zhang San failed to react and retaliate, revealing his true identity.
But Lu Gaosheng had already figured it out earlier.
When their unit was ambushed, instead of commanding and stabilizing the troops, Zhang San charged into the enemy ranks, slashing left and right as if treating the army as mere commoners. Such a reckless person could not be the real Xu Guo.
"You want to infiltrate from the edges and break the formation? Don't you know that Bai ShiXuan's military strategy excels in rapid formation changes like lightning?"
Lu Gaosheng sneered and turned to the person beside him, saying, "Sound the signal for a coordinated attack!"
On the mountain path, several small squads of the Golden Armor Army quietly maneuvered within the battlefield, preparing to bypass the Bai Lu Army's shield-like formation and attack from the side.
That was what Xu Guo had in mind.
However, as four signal arrows suddenly soared into the distance, numerous sparks erupted.
Xu Guo realized that his plan had been exposed.
Formation change.
Charge.
Round after round, the drumbeat reverberated through the mountains.
One after another, the signal arrows shot into the sky.
Xu Guo knew he had encountered a formidable opponent, but what puzzled him even more was who, after Bai ShiXuan's death, could train such a disciplined army.
Although their numbers were not large, only about a thousand soldiers, it was truly difficult to achieve such rapid offensive and defensive transitions without Bai ShiXuan personally training them.
Moreover, it seemed that the three leaders on the enemy's side all possessed profound martial arts skills at the Earth-level or higher. Even the soldiers of the Golden Armor Army would be killed if they weren't careful.
If it weren't for his fifty personal guards within the Golden Armor Army, the outcome of the battle would be uncertain.
For almost half an hour, the intensity of the fight escalated, and casualties on both sides increased.
Both Xu Guo and Lu Gaosheng were filled with astonishment and fury, and at this moment, their thoughts were strangely aligned!
We can't continue like this!
If we keep killing like this, both sides will suffer heavy losses. Once the soldiers are exhausted, who will transport the seven hundred wooden ox carts back?
"What is Zhang San doing? Why hasn't he made a move?"
Lu Gaosheng was also furious in the dense forest. According to the plan, Zhang San should have already acted to distract Xu Guo. But at this point in the fierce battle, Zhang San's figure was nowhere to be seen.
Lu Gaosheng even began to suspect whether Zhang San had fled. Or worse, had he switched sides in the midst of the battle?
No.
That possibility was too low.
But why hasn't Zhang San taken action yet?
Wait.
If he doesn't make a move, I will doubt him. But what will Xu Guo think?
That's right!
Now I understand. This Zhang San is quite cunning. He doesn't attack people directly; he attacks their minds first.
After realizing Zhang San's intentions, Lu Gaosheng secretly sneered and murmured, "If my guess is correct, the most important thing now is to hold our ground. The Golden Armor Army has been marching for days and is inevitably tired. Although they have temporary strength, they can't last long against our well-rested army. I just need to continue stalling, wait for Zhang San to make his move, and let the Golden Armor Army exhaust their energy."
There is still a chance of victory!
"Sir, what should we do now? If we continue fighting like this, we might be defeated!" The commanding soldier of the Bai Lu Army couldn't help but ask when he saw that Lu Gaosheng remained silent.
There was a numerical disadvantage.
Indeed, this was a major drawback.
But in order to win, they had to hold on.
Lu Gaosheng gritted his teeth and asked, "Are there any arrows left for the Golden Kill Crossbow from the first round of attack?"
The Golden Kill Crossbow was incredibly powerful, capable of piercing through the golden armor worn by the Golden Armor Army. However, the arrows were specially made and had a limited quantity that could be carried at once.
"There should be about one-fifth left. The original plan was to retreat..."
"No retreat." Lu Gaosheng's gaze turned cold, making his intentions clear.
On the other side.
Xu Guo stopped the drumming and picked up his own Guan Dao, standing on the cliff overlooking the Bai Lu Army's Li Xing, Sha Lang, and Xue Lang.
"The three leaders among them are formidable. They lead from the front, and my personal guards are no match for them. I have to handle it myself and take out those three first."
On the battlefield, a general, especially someone like Xu Guo who had been trained in the military since childhood, would usually not personally engage in combat. They always performed the most important command tasks.
But when the general took up his weapon, it undoubtedly meant that the battle had reached its final moments.
As for whether the enemy had any hidden experts, Xu Guo did not worry too much about that.
Because if the enemy still had someone similar to the three leaders at the forefront of their forces, or even someone stronger than them, according to normal military tactics, they would have directly attacked Xu Guo's camp from the beginning, preventing him from commanding the Golden Armor Army's operations.
That was the normal tactic.
But until now, they had been fighting for so long, and Xu Guo's side remained unharmed. This was enough to prove that the enemy no longer had any experts.
As long as he killed those three leaders, victory would be within his grasp!
And Xu Guo himself was already a high-level expert in the Little Heaven Realm. Could he take down three experts in the Earth Realm's upper stage? He was confident about that.
...
...
I didn't expect that Lu Gaosheng would also know military strategy and could hold his ground against Xu Guo. But where did he learn his military strategy? He doesn't seem like someone who has been on the battlefield.
Oh well, thinking about these things is pointless.
With this thought in mind, Zhang San swaggered his way to Xu Guo.
"General, something bad has happened!"
Xu Guo was about to rush down from the cliff when he saw a soldier covered in blood approaching him.
Xu Guo frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"
"General! We've spotted enemy troops below the mountain! It's too dark to see their numbers clearly, but the mountain roads are filled with them!"
What!
Xu Guo was shocked. He wondered, "Is there a second army? Or is the one in front of us just a diversion, and the real killing blow is coming from below the mountain?"
"Which direction? Show me quickly!"
"General, over there!" The soldier immediately pointed to one side of the mountain road.
With his guard slightly lowered due to the belief that the enemy no longer had any experts, and the soldier's excited tone seeming genuine, Xu Guo instinctively turned his head to look.
In the next moment, Xu Guo felt something was amiss.
"No, this is not right! With such intense fighting here, how can a low-ranking soldier have the leisure to check if there are any ambushes below the mountain?"
A blade as dark as the night appeared under the moonlight.
That was...
A Small Night Blade!
Zhang San suddenly rose up, combining his lightfooted technique on the celestial steps with a small night blade, all for the purpose of delivering a single fatal strike!
Xu Guo, who reacted in time, only saw a black blur sweeping toward his neck.
However, Xu Guo was tightly encased in a suit of battle armor from head to toe.
"My battle armor is custom-made, just like the one worn by General Wang Jue, and it is the most unyielding treasure in the world. It would be best to seize this opportunity during the assassin's attack and cut him down with my blade..." thought Xu Guo.
But a little while later, Xu Guo would be grateful.
He would be grateful that he had abandoned this idea at a critical moment.
In the next instant, under the moonlight, a helmet flew off the cliff.
A splash of blood stained the ground.
Due to inertia, Zhang San flew and landed behind Xu Guo, holding a blood-stained piece of the blade from the small night blade in his hand.
"Damn it! I didn't kill him!!" Zhang San seethed with anger in his heart.
Because he didn't know the hardness of Xu Guo's helmet, when he swung with all his might, the blade from the small night blade deviated slightly, slicing open Xu Guo's face mask and helmet, and nearly cutting off his own fingers.
Xu Guo took a step back, clutching his right neck tightly with his left hand!
In that crucial moment, he chose to tilt his head to avoid the strike. And because the small night blade had deviated slightly, the two factors combined, sparing him from being instantly beheaded.
However, his arteries had been cut open on his neck, and his body was losing a large amount of blood!