Chapter 446: Lu Hongtu Designs According to the Poem

In the mist, the sound of horns vaguely drifted out.

The heavy sound of horse hooves gradually approached, seeping out of the dense fog and passing into the mountain forest.

The army moved forward slowly in the dense fog, the iron armor emitting cold light, also obscured by the mist, becoming blurred.

The cultivators' footsteps were steady and orderly, and the sound of iron blood and mud rubbing echoed in this mist. The warhorses lowered their heads and moved forward, their nostrils spraying white gas, and through the dense fog, it was like a phantom.

The five armies echoed each other, marching in the towering mountains and ridges, like a slow and heavy giant snake, winding and wandering in the mist.

The dense fog only gradually dissipated in the afternoon.

The march speed of the whole army also increased as a result.

When the sun slanted to the west, following Sun Gan's order, the whole army slowly stopped, occupied their respective territories, and began to set up camp.

By tomorrow, at dawn, the army would set out again.

After marching like this for two days, the gap between the armies gradually widened.

In the main general's tent, Sun Gan looked at the map, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

He stretched out his finger and pointed at the mark of the Three Generals Camp, asking the people in the tent: "What's going on with the Three Generals Camp? Why is the march speed so slow? They actually fell behind the Red Flower Camp by a full ten miles!"

The deputy general said: "Reporting to my lord, the Three Generals Camp strictly implements the long snake formation during the march, making it difficult for the whole army to speed up. The cultivators often walk for half an hour and then have to stop to rest and replenish magic power and physical strength."

Sun Gan stared: "What the hell are Liu Er and his group doing? They haven't reached the front line yet, and they are acting like this? Delaying the schedule, are they afraid of going to the front line?"

Another deputy general sneered: "They claim to the outside world that they are replacing training with marching."

"The key is that their marching like this also complies with military law, and it's not easy for us to hold them accountable for this."

"In my opinion, this group of people are timid as mice; from the moment they set out, their avoidance of the vanguard responsibility can be seen."

"The so-called Three Generals Liu Er, Guan Hong, and Zhang Hei are all third-rate Golden Cores, unknown."

"The reason they came to participate in the war must be to fish in troubled waters and take advantage; how could they be for the country and the people like us!"

Sun Gan, however, looked at the deputy general, very dissatisfied: "I entrusted the marching matter to you; didn't you order the Three Generals Camp to speed up halfway?"

The deputy general gave a bitter smile: "My lord, I sent messengers to urge them many times, but the Three Generals Camp still went their own way."

"When urged urgently, they even gave us a prophecy poem, saying it was obtained by their military advisor's divination, and we must be careful!"

"Oh? A prophecy poem?" Sun Gan's expression stalled, and then his eyebrows twitched, asking in detail, "How is the poem written?"

The deputy general responded: "Horse hooves tread on fallen flowers, wind rises, shadows sink into the sand. Who can keep the bright moon, who will bury the smoke and clouds?"

Sun Gan frowned, pondered carefully: "This poem is ominous; who wrote it?"

The deputy general: "It was a young Foundation Establishment cultivator surnamed Ning, named Zhuo, from the Nandou Kingdom."

Sun Gan's eyebrows immediately relaxed: "Just Foundation Establishment, a mere youth, and a cultivator from another country, hehe. The Three Generals actually believe in the divination of such people; how ridiculous!"

"Pass down my military order!"

"The Three Generals Camp's Liu Er blindly believes in prophecy, delaying military aircraft; punish with sixty strokes of the cane, wait until the army reaches Wooden Wheel Town to implement it."

The messenger immediately received the military order, carried the verbal message, and ran out.

Sun Gan lowered his head and continued to study the military map.

He frowned again: "The Red Flower Camp's position is also a bit wrong; what's going on?"

The deputy general said: "My lord, it is said that General Mu Lan also believes in this prophecy poem, so she has been organizing a flowing water battle formation during the march to prevent accidents."

"Is that so..." Sun Gan muttered, his heart secretly shocked.

Although the flowing water formation also had the blessing of marching, it was extremely difficult to support it for a long time.

Compared with the Three Generals Camp, it could be seen.

But the Red Flower Camp actually persisted for so long, and used the battle formation to march and hurry; the overall progress was actually able to keep up with the main force.

"The Red Flower Camp's training is so well-disciplined that it can almost rival my Golden Halberd Army!"

"Although this Upper General's Mansion has declined, the foundation in the army is still there; the old soldiers and backbone left behind are not to be underestimated."

Sun Gan was a veteran in the army and immediately realized this, but verbally he still said: "Mu Lan actually believes in the prophecy poem made by a child?"

"Hehe, after all, she is a girl; her hair is long, and her knowledge is short! The Upper General's Mansion has no successors."

The deputy general quickly agreed with a smile.

Sun Gan's heart moved: "Mu Lan is covering for the prestige of the Upper General; this seems to be a good opportunity to make her lose face."

"The prestige of Old General Mu in the army is very high; only by operating like this first, weakening it step by step, until it reaches a very low level."

"In this way, we want to plot the position of the Upper General, and it can be justified and natural."

Sun Gan was the commander of the Imperial Guard, and it was true that he had high position and great power, but how could the position of the Imperial Guard commander be as fragrant as the Upper General's position!

In the entire two kingdoms, there were only three Upper Generals.

With Old General Mu bedridden all year round, his Upper General's Mansion had become a piece of fat meat that others coveted.

This time, according to common sense, it shouldn't have been the Mu family's army. But under the tacit understanding of many people, Old General Mu was pushed to go on the expedition.

Mu Lan went on the expedition on behalf of her father, and the situation was severe, all because she was facing not only the enemy army, but also the covetousness of her own people!

Thinking of this, Sun Gan immediately ordered: "Walking and stopping like this, when will we reach Wooden Wheel Town and join the Commander-in-Chief?"

"Too slow!"

"Pass down the order, starting from tomorrow, forced march!"

Thousand Peaks Forest.

Desolate Wood Peak.

This pillar-like giant tree mountain was steep, desolate, and lonely. The whole mountain was full of withered trees, the branches twisted like strange skeletons, stretching densely.

The withered wood forest stood tall, roots deep and leaves withered, as if cursed; walking between them made one feel oppressed.

Besides withered wood, there were desolate grass and night vines. They tightly entangled rocks and trees, swaying with the wind.

The sun here was often poisonous during the day, and it was exceptionally cold at night.

Besides withered grass and desolate wood, there were no signs of life.

Mo Yuan Cave Master brought three Nascent Soul cave masters, hiding their tracks, and stepped onto the peak of Desolate Wood Peak.

Someone was already waiting here.

The number of people was not small.

These cultivators were generally tall, dressed in revealing and tight-fitting clothes, with a very primitive beauty.

At a glance, one could recognize that these people were all barbarian cultivators.

"The human race has come." The first to sense the approach of Mo Yuan Cave Master and others was a barbarian blind man.

This barbarian had a black cloth covering his eyes, a resolute face, deep bones, his upper body was naked, and there were blood totems on his skin. His lower body was a pair of animal skin pants, the cuffs tied tightly with leather belts, convenient for movement.

He carried two huge curved blades on his back, the blades curved very exaggeratedly, like moon strings. Although they were in the scabbard, strands of cold moonlight still flowed out.

Pale Moon Tribe, Di Lu!

Beside Di Lu stood a Nascent Soul-level cultivator of the same tribe.

He had blue hair, a tall and thin figure, strong muscles, and clear muscle texture. His skin was as pale as dead ice, and there were wolf claw patterns symbolizing the tribe on his forehead and cheeks.

He carried a huge wolf-tooth club on his back, and there was a circle of bloodshot eyes around his eyes.

Pale Moon Tribe, Gu Ya!

Gu Ya's nostrils flared, he sniffed, split his mouth, revealing jagged white teeth: "Hmm, I smell a bloody smell, not fresh, carrying a foul stench; it must be the Blood Shadow brat of the Six-Cave Sect."

Gu Ya also possessed Nascent Soul-level cultivation.

Blood Shadow snorted coldly immediately; he had fought Gu Ya before, and not just once.

He immediately revealed his figure, killing intent flowing out: "Old wolf, if you don't break through to the Soul Transformation stage, your lifespan is almost up, right? Aren't you afraid that I will visit your family after you die?"

"Back then, the hatred of you chasing me, I will definitely repay."

As a result, Gu Ya said indifferently: "Go ahead and kill them; if they die in your hands, that is their fate."

Blood Shadow revealed a venomous look: "I forgot to tell you, I will not only kill them, but also pull out their souls and burn them in the sunlight until they perish."

Gu Ya immediately revealed anger: "How dare you! Blood Shadow brat, before I die, I will definitely visit your cave and take you down with me."

The Pale Moon Tribe believed in the Pale Moon Ancient God; dying in the sunlight was regarded as an act of blasphemy against the god, and after death, the soul would no longer ascend to the Pale Moon and would not be accepted by the Pale Moon Ancient God.

Blood Shadow's threat touched Gu Ya's reverse scale, making the latter angry.

"Hehehe, fight, what's the point of just arguing? Fight! Fight quickly!" An old barbarian woman feared the world wouldn't be chaotic, and stirred up trouble on the side, her voice sharp like a crow.

She wore a cloak woven from green vines, and the cloak was hung with dense animal bones and bird feathers. Ancient talismans flashed from time to time on the animal bones and bird feathers.

Her skin was like tree bark, with deep wrinkles, very vicissitudinous.

Her eyes flashed with bursts of green light, feeling creepy.

And her hands were as old as withered wood, and her fingertips grew out like curved vines.

Ancient Vine Tribe, Nascent Soul cultivator, Green Bi Bi Bi Tengyi!

Standing beside her was her husband, the Golden Core-level Cang Cang Cang Teng Wang.

Cang Cang Cang Teng Wang wore ancient vine battle armor, his face was rough, middle-aged, his white beard and long hair were messy, and his eyebrows were full of wildness.

He carried a huge black bow on his back. The bow was naturally curved and not strung.

Cang Cang Cang Teng Wang stood behind Green Bi Bi Bi Tengyi, not saying a word.

Mo Yuan Cave Master and others revealed their figures, signaled with their eyes, and nodded slightly.

Responding to him were three cultivators from the Hundred Poison Tribe.

The leader was the Nascent Soul-level Poison Belly High Priest Tu Ming, Nascent Soul level.

On his left and right sides stood two Golden Core cultivators, namely the Rotting Poison General Diao Ye and the Highly Poisonous Savage Wu Lan.

Gu Ya and Blood Shadow were very incompatible, continuing to argue, their voices getting louder and louder, and their tempers getting bigger and bigger.

Seeing that both sides were about to take action, neither Di Lu of the Pale Moon Tribe nor Mo Yuan Cave Master Lu Hongtu showed any signs of stopping them.

Not at all.

In this region of the Thousand Peaks Forest, taking the initiative to soften one's attitude was often regarded as weakness.

One must show a tough stance to win each other's respect!

But the battle between Gu Ya and Blood Shadow still didn't happen in the end.

The one who stopped them was an old man.

His figure was hunched, his face was thin, his appearance was ordinary, his skin was mottled, and his eyes were dim and lusterless, as if he were dying.

He held a simple and unadorned cane all year round, with whiskers and dragon patterns carved on the head of the cane, and the cane body vaguely exuded a profound aura.

Seeing the old man appear, the human cultivators led by Mo Yuan, as well as the barbarian cultivators, took the initiative to salute, respectfully calling him: "Long Ye."

This "Long Ye" was also a Nascent Soul cultivator, with a special identity; he was the temple keeper of the Long Wang Temple's main temple, representing the existence at the Soul Transformation level—Whisker Long Wang!

"Hehehe." Long Ye revealed a kind smile, "Two juniors, don't fight and make trouble; isn't it better to save your strength to kill the enemy?"

"Yes, Long Ye." Although Gu Ya was old, in terms of age, he couldn't compare to a fraction of Long Ye's.

Blood Shadow Cave Master also appeared very obedient: "I will listen to you, Long Ye!"

Long Ye smiled, his gaze swept around, then paused on Mo Yuan Cave Master Lu Hongtu, praising: "The Grand Cave Master personally moved out and invited many Nascent Soul cultivators to help; the credit is great. After this battle, there will be rewards."

Lu Hongtu smiled immediately: "My Six-Cave Sect resides in the Thousand Peaks Forest, naturally I must go all out to defend my home and resist the enemy. Long Wang God rewards and punishes fairly; our side will definitely win this battle!"

Long Ye nodded with a smile: "This is natural."

"Xiao Feng, A Guai, come out and tell everyone the information you found."

The next moment, two Golden Core-level cultivators descended from the sky and landed behind Long Ye.

One was a demon cultivator, human body with an eagle head, named Chen Lingfeng. He was originally a member of the demon beast group of Wind Pillar Peak, born with talent, was taken a fancy to by the Whisker Long Wang, cultivated, and became a demon cultivator.

One was a human cultivator, named Wu Hen.

His figure was thin and long, his face was withered and pale, like a walking corpse.

His long hair was as black as ink, fluffy and messy, and the edges of his hair were accompanied by shadows swaying gently in the air.

His eyes were deep-set, and the area around his eye sockets was full of black bloodshot eyes, exceptionally gloomy.

He wore a black robe, the hem of the robe dragging on the ground, the surface was dilapidated, as if he had experienced countless life-and-death trials.

And at the edge where the hem of the robe touched the ground, the black shadow twisted strangely, making people feel quite uncomfortable.

Long Ye said: "Tell everyone about the military situation you found."

Wu Hen remained silent, and the demon cultivator Chen Lingfeng spoke: "I have been hiding in the high sky for the past few days, overlooking the mountains, always staring at the march of the two kingdoms' rear army."

"On the mountain land, they are divided into five armies, echoing each other."

"The Savage Demon Camp in the lead, followed by the Bai Yu Camp, the Golden Halberd Army in the middle, behind it is the Red Flower Camp, and finally the Three Generals Camp..."

Chen Lingfeng then described the dynamics of the whole army in detail.

After listening to the introduction, the cultivators' expressions all relaxed a bit.

"Although Sun Gan is the commander of the Imperial Guard, he doesn't often go to the battlefield, and being in the rear, he feels safe, actually forced marching. Hehehe." Poison Scorpion Cave Master giggled, killing intent spreading.

Gu Ya stuck out his bright red tongue, licked his teeth, and revealed a bloodthirsty expression: "The enemy general is stupid; this is our chance."

Mo Yuan Cave Master Lu Hongtu carried his hands on his back and pondered: "Although this is the case, there are differences between the five armies. In my opinion, we should go all out to ambush the Golden Halberd Army and cut off this army from the middle."

"The vanguard Savage Demon Camp is the key to breaking the situation. Although this army has many people, they are all demon cultivators and barbarians; even if they practice battle formations hard, the composition itself is mixed, and it is quite difficult to command. Xu Dali is not a wise general; once it becomes chaotic, it will be difficult for him to organize resistance with his talent."

"Once the Savage Demon Camp is defeated, we don't have to kill them all, just drive them away."

"Use them to impact the Bai Yu Camp. The Bai Yu Camp's commander Shuang Jing is a noble descendant with few battle achievements; it is very likely that his reaction will be insufficient and his response improper. Once the Bai Yu Camp's formation is also disrupted, we can continue to cover and kill, letting the army directly impact the Golden Halberd Army!"

"Although the Golden Halberd Army is strong, there are few people, and to stand firm, they must take action to kill their own soldiers; in this way, the military heart will be shaken, and morale will inevitably fall sharply, very likely revealing flaws."

"Once we seize this flaw, we will definitely be able to succeed in one battle, and it is also very possible to annihilate them all."

Lu Hongtu smiled, his tone gloomy: "As for the Red Flower Camp and the Three Generals Camp, they are not important."

"According to the information, these two armies are heavily guarded and march with battle formations. Even if we ambush, it is difficult to have results, and it is easy to be dragged down."

"Once the ambush is launched, for every moment of delay, our advantage drops by ten percent."

"The most critical thing is that the strength of these two armies is weak, and the generals are only Golden Cores; even if they are all annihilated, it is hard to compare with the results of killing the Golden Halberd Army!"

The crowd was silent.

After a long while, Long Ye smiled: "As expected of the Grand Cave Master of the Six-Cave Sect, this plan is not bad."

Pale Moon Tribe Di Lu suddenly said: "Isn't there also a Fire Cloud Camp?"

Chen Lingfeng said: "This army has not set out; I think Canglin Immortal City is the great rear of the two kingdoms this time, and it also needs troops to garrison."

Demon Heart Cave Master pondered: "A bit strange."

"The commander-in-chief Sun Gan ordered a forced march; why are the last two armies marching with battle formations, so heavily guarded?"

This time, Wu Hen spoke: "There is a prophecy poem..."

His voice was very strange, very unpleasant, like sharp friction of fingertips on glass.

Under his introduction, the cultivators knew about Unlike Ning Zhuo's poem.

Horse hooves tread on fallen flowers, wind rises, shadows sink into the sand. Who can keep the bright moon, who will bury the smoke and clouds?

"This poem actually seems to have predicted our ambush this time?!" The crowd was shocked.

"Are there so many talents in the two kingdoms?"

"Who is this person? He must be killed to be at ease!"

Wu Hen then said: "This person's name is Unlike Ning Zhuo, but he is not from the two kingdoms, but from the Ning family of the Nandou Kingdom."

"Is there a Ning family in the Nandou Kingdom?"

"Never heard of it..."

"Only heard of the Meng family and the Su family."

Wu Hen said again: "The Ning family came from the North Wind Kingdom, migrated all the way in the past, passed through the two kingdoms, and eventually merged into the Nandou Kingdom, now residing in Fire Persimmon Mountain."

"The reason Unlike Ning Zhuo participated in the war was because the Ning family once had a grudge with the Six-Cave Sect. This time, it happened to be the start of the war, so he wanted to take the opportunity to take revenge."

Everyone looked at the Six-Cave Sect.

"Ning family?" Mo Yuan Cave Master sighed in his heart; he recalled it and glanced at the Demon Heart Cave Master beside him.

Demon Heart Cave Master coughed.

Mo Yuan Cave Master managed the Six-Cave Sect and actively made friends with forces outside the mountains; the Ning family once possessed Nascent Soul-level cultivators and had trade dealings with the Six-Cave Sect, and the friendship was not shallow.

The Ning family migrated as a whole, and Mo Yuan Cave Master originally intended to help, but Demon Heart Cave Master and others had crooked thoughts, taking advantage of Lu Hongtu's inattention to carry out conspiracies and calculations.

After all, they couldn't disobey the Grand Cave Master's orders on the surface.

As a result, the Ning family also had luck, lost most of their wealth, and finally escaped at the last moment.

"This is an old grudge." Mo Yuan Cave Master smiled slightly, calm and composed, "Ning family brat, mere Foundation Establishment, actually dares to take revenge; courage is commendable. Good, this poem is good, and I have another plan!"

Long Ye: "Hmm? Grand Cave Master, please speak."

Mo Yuan Cave Master then said: "Battle formations are hard to break; the key is military morale. Once morale falls and the military heart is shaken, the power of the battle formation will inevitably fall sharply."

"If this prophecy poem is used well, it may be comparable to Nascent Soul-level combat power, or even more critical!"

"Presumably the enemy army is already familiar with this prophecy poem. At least from the posture of the march, the Three Generals Camp and the Red Flower Camp can't run away."

"Since this is the case, we can take the opportunity to set a trap, and just attack according to this poem, bringing them huge casualties and shock to their hearts!"

"The Red Flower Camp has the foundation of Old General Mu, so let's not mention it. The Three Generals Camp was created not long ago, a rabble, and is the weakest of the five armies!"

"At that time, we will cooperate with this poem and attack in turns; it will definitely make the Three Generals Camp's military heart float, and it is possible to take them down easily."

The crowd was silent again.

After a while, Long Ye clapped his hands and smiled: "Good, a plan to attack the heart, using their own plan against them; the Grand Cave Master's consideration is exquisite, let's act according to this!"

The cultivators had no objections, escaped into the high sky, and secretly left the Thousand Peaks Forest together.

Halfway through, they met several cultivators one after another, mainly Golden Cores, all of whom had signed the divine decree and participated in this ambush together.

With Long Ye leading, while secretly moving forward, he arranged and dispatched for the cultivators.

Mo Yuan Cave Master and others besieged the Golden Halberd Army, barbarian cultivators attacked the Savage Demon Camp, and several Golden Core cultivators contained the Red Flower Camp and the Three Generals Camp. ===== CHAPTER 447 =====