Chapter 834

~30 min read 5,930 words

"The Tufang Kingdom has attacked, and the Demon Lord has brought an army of 100,000 to Year-Famine Plain!"

"Where is the Year-Famine Iron Cavalry? Why don't I see anyone?"

"They've all gone outside the city to fight!"

"Why didn't they stay behind to guard the city? Isn't it better to fight inside the city than outside?"

"Are you stupid? If they guarded the city here, wouldn't we suffer along with them? Once the Tufang Kingdom breaks the city, won't they kill us all!"

"Even if they don't break the city, if they surround it, what will we eat!"

"The Year-Famine Iron Cavalry still has a conscience; win or lose, they won't let us suffer along with them!"

A group of people were discussing the war in a teahouse. The old man who looked after the stables in the backyard found the shopkeeper: "I'm feeling very annoyed today, want to take a day off, ha."

The shopkeeper frowned: "What annoyance? Are you sick? You were jumping around when you came this morning; how did you get sick in just this little while?"

The old man laughed and said: "I'm old, sometimes good, sometimes bad. I don't want the wages for today, just let me take a day off!"

The shopkeeper was furious: "You still want wages? Why should I give them to you! No work, no money! If you really want to leave, that's fine, don't come back in the future."

The old man gritted his teeth, slapped the table, turned around, and left: "If I don't come, I don't come. Who cares about your crappy money!"

A waiter had just finished cleaning a table and was walking toward the back kitchen when he saw the shopkeeper with a dark face, looking out the door.

The waiter asked: "What happened?"

The shopkeeper snorted: "The one who looks after the horses left!"

This waiter was new and couldn't remember who the one looking after the horses was: "What was the name of the one who looks after the horses?"

The shopkeeper snorted: "Who knows what his name is, he's just someone who looks after the horses!"

The waiter didn't know why the shopkeeper was angry: "Then if he leaves, he leaves."

The shopkeeper clicked the abacus beads: "He said he was sick. He's lying to me. If he were really sick, could I not give him his wages!"

The waiter laughed: "That kind of person is just a loser; why are you arguing with him?"

The shopkeeper slapped the abacus onto the waiter: "Who are you calling a loser? He's a hero!"

The waiter hurriedly picked up the abacus: "Then what exactly happened to him—"

The shopkeeper clicked the abacus beads, making a clattering sound: "Why would he lie to me, why would he go there, you say what use could he have if he went!"

The more the waiter heard, the more confused he became: "Where exactly did he go?"

The old man who looked after the horses went outside the city, followed the hoof prints all the way, and walked for a full fifty miles.

In front was a stretch of territory called Mayang Slope. In the spring and summer seasons, the whole slope was covered with Stone-Kneeling Grass.

Stone-Kneeling Grass is a special forage grass. The grass leaves are juicy and delicious. Ordinary cattle and sheep eat a meal, and after a few hours, they will find a stone and start kneeling, knocking their skulls until they break, and their brains drain out, before they stop.

Only the Hemp Sheep native to Year-Famine Plain can eat Stone-Kneeling Grass.

Hemp Sheep lack skin and hair, and are covered in pits and dots, looking like they have sores. They love eating Stone-Kneeling Grass the most, getting fatter the more they eat, and nothing happens to them, so this place is called Mayang Slope.

Right now, there were no Hemp Sheep to be seen, nor Stone-Kneeling Grass. In front of him was only a snowy field, and two groups of people stood on the snow.

One group was led by Yao Xin; this group was the Year-Famine Iron Cavalry, the army composed of legendary Iron-Bone Men. Zhao Zhao Xiaowan was in the team.

The other group was led by a young lady; this group was a miscellaneous army composed of the Chu family, the Lu family, and the Hundred-Flower Sect. The young lady leading the troops wore a student uniform, looked shy, and didn't look like someone who could fight at all.

The old man who looked after the horses looked into the distance for a long time. He didn't see any figures, but he could vaguely hear some drum sounds.

Boom, boom!

Because they were still far away, the drum sounds didn't sound very loud, but each sound felt like it was hitting the heart, making people feel terrified.

The old man who looked after the horses recognized this drum sound; he knew it was the Tufang people coming.

The cavalrymen beside Yao Xin all pulled their reins tightly. Perhaps because of the cold weather, many people were sniffling.

An officer beside Yao Xin first sneezed, then coughed repeatedly.

Yao Xin asked: "Did you catch a cold?"

The officer rubbed his face and said: "It's nothing, I'll be fine in a while."

Yao Xin lowered his voice and said: "Why don't you stand further back."

The officer shook his head: "You don't need to worry about me; I just sneezed twice, it won't delay the battle."

Yao Xin looked into the distance, and a shadow appeared on the snowfield.

The Tufang Kingdom's army had arrived.

Yao Xin took a sip from his wine gourd, originally wanting to tell a joke to boost everyone's spirits, but heard the coughing sounds all around rising one after another.

Nian Nian Shangyou presented the battle report to Lan Qiao Yi: "The Tufang Demon Lord has sent troops to attack Huangtu Town, but Li Qi is still fighting in the wilderness."

Lan Qiao Yi looked at the battle report, and the smile became more and more obvious.

Nian Nian Shangyou asked Lan Qiao Yi: "My Lord, the Tufang Kingdom urged us to send troops; is this move a bit reckless? Li Qi's side hasn't decided the winner yet; we might as well wait until the dust settles before sending troops."

Lan Qiao Yi shook his head: "The winner has already been decided. Continuing to wait will only miss the opportunity."

"The Year-Famine Iron Cavalry trained by Yao Xin simply doesn't have the strength to fight. The scattered soldiers brought by Li Qi originally had nothing to do with Year-Famine Plain."

"If Year-Famine Plain doesn't fight itself, who will those powerful help-sects fight for? How long can Li Qi hold on?"

"The Demon Lord said he wants to take over Huangtu Town, proving he has the confidence to take Huangtu Town without bloodshed. Once Huangtu Town is lost, Li Qi will be in despair."

"It's possible he will lead people back to Hen Wuyou Terrace, or lead people to support Qunying Mountain. At that time, it will instead give the Peddler a helper, trapping our army in a disadvantageous position."

"Right now, Li Qi is still fighting in Year-Famine Plain, caught in a dilemma. This is the best time for our army to send troops."

Nian Nian Shangyou exclaimed in admiration: "My Lord's strategy is flawless; you are truly a god-like person!"

Lan Qiao Yi had Nian Nian Shangyou convey the military order: "The entire army sets off for Qunying Mountain."

He ultimately chose Qunying Mountain, but Nian Nian Shangyou was not familiar with Qunying Mountain: "My Lord, after arriving at Qunying Mountain, where should the army march?"

Lan Qiao Yi frowned: "Why ask this?"

Why ask this?

He actually said that!

Nian Nian Shangyou had to lead the troops, and now he didn't know which way to go. You say why ask this?

"The subordinate has never been to Qunying Mountain and knows nothing about the route. If my Lord does not clarify, the subordinate does not know how to advance the troops."

Lan Qiao Yi took a map and pointed out a few things to Nian Nian Shangyou: "This is Fog-Dao Laogu. The east, west, and north sides are all cliffs, with only one exit on the south side."

"Under the cliff on the north side of Fog-Dao Laogu, there is a cave. There is a road in this cave that connects to Sage Peak. This road is usually under blockade, but it has now been opened. Do you understand now?"

This was easy to understand. Lan Qiao Yi meant that one could reach Fog-Dao Laogu of Qunying Mountain directly from Sage Peak, and then find a way to rush out of Fog-Dao Laogu.

But did the Peddler know about this road from Sage Peak to Fog-Dao Laogu?

If he knew, then this road would not be easy to walk.

Nian Nian Shangyou asked: "Will the enemy troops enter this road in advance and do something?"

Lan Qiao Yi shook his head: "The enemy troops cannot enter this road."

Nian Nian Shangyou understood; only by using the Jade Seal could one enter this road.

"My Lord, isn't the Imperial Jade Seal left in Zhen'e? But now we are at Sage Peak!"

Lan Qiao Yi glared at Nian Nian Shangyou: "Is this something you should ask?"

Nian Nian Shangyou didn't dare to ask about the Jade Seal anymore, but there were some things that had to be verified with Lan Qiao Yi: "My Lord, after entering Fog-Dao Laogu from the north, must we pass through the valley and go out from the south?"

Lan Qiao Yi nodded: "This is the most difficult part of this battle. The Peddler will lead the remnants of the Year-Famine Iron Cavalry to intercept our army in the valley, and the Eighteen Wheels will lead the heroes from all walks of life to pursue our army from behind."

Nian Nian Shangyou didn't know what Fog-Dao Laogu looked like. Defeating the Peddler and rushing out of the valley—he could construct this process in his mind.

But trapping the Eighteen Wheels and their people in Fog-Dao Laogu—this was a bit hard to understand.

How to trap them?

With the combat power of that group of people under the Eighteen Wheels, there should be plenty of ways to rush out of this valley.

Lan Qiao Yi laughed: "After arriving at Qunying Mountain, you will know the means here. Order the entire army to set off. Remember, within two days..."

"... we must defeat the Peddler and the remnants of the Year-Famine Iron Cavalry, lead the entire army to rush out of Fog-Dao Laogu, otherwise there will be variables in the battle situation."

Nian Nian Shangyou led the large army to set off. The Peddler saw it clearly on Qunying Mountain and immediately sent news to the Eighteen Wheels: "Lan Qiao Yi has moved; you lead people to pursue immediately."

The Eighteen Wheels gathered all his manpower and confirmed the battle location with the Peddler again: "Still fighting in Fog-Dao Laogu, the place hasn't changed, right?"

"Hasn't changed," the Peddler responded, "I have established a Life Contract in Fog-Dao Laogu; you should know how to fight this battle."

Hearing about the Life Contract, the Eighteen Wheels' heart tightened: "I know how to fight, can you withstand it?"

"I can withstand it."

"Can those old Iron-Bone Men on the mountain withstand it?"

"They can withstand it; pick up their weapons and they can fight!" The Peddler looked toward Year-Famine Plain.

The Tufang army stopped at Mayang Slope. The two armies were a bit far apart, but the Demon Lord had good eyesight. He scanned the military formation of the Year-Famine Iron Cavalry, and the head in the middle couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"I knew their quality wasn't good, but I didn't expect it to be this bad," the Demon Lord sighed and looked at the messenger beside him. "In the Second Puluo War, our predecessors failed to conquer this land. This regret has been lingering over the Empire, and it hasn't dissipated to this day."

"Now it's our turn to make up for the regrets of our predecessors. Give them the time of three drum beats, let them kneel before me and repent for their crimes. This is our tolerance; I hope they don't live up to my kindness, otherwise, I will kill everyone in Huangtu Town in the next three days."

The messenger conveyed the military order to a giant bear. This giant bear was seven or eight meters tall when lying on the ground. He walked to the front of the formation and shouted at the Year-Famine Iron Cavalry: "Within three drum beats, surrender and you won't be killed; after three drum beats, the city will be slaughtered for three days, and not even chickens or dogs will be left!"

His accent was heavy, but every word was spoken very clearly.

The words were very concise, and everyone could understand his meaning.

In the military formation of the Year-Famine Iron Cavalry, an officer's warhorse shook back and forth, almost throwing the person on the horse's back off.

Yao Xin looked at that officer and said with a hint of teasing: "Do you want to surrender?"

The officer shook his head repeatedly: "How could I surrender? How am I that kind of spineless person? We came out to fight, nothing more than risking our lives. If I die on the battlefield, I have no regrets."

The warhorse neighed, and the officer almost fell off again. After sitting firmly, he hurriedly explained: "General, I'm not afraid at all; it's my warhorse that was startled."

Yao Xin sighed: "You loosen the reins; you've pulled the horse's mouth until it's bleeding."

Yao Xin looked into the distance, and a shadow of people appeared on the snowfield.