Chapter 148: Lure the Enemy Into the Array

The two armies faced each other in the snowstorm, tension taut to the breaking point.

The Xixia commander sat proudly atop a mighty steed, looking down condescendingly at TukeSulu, a sneer on his face. "Are the sons of Da Feng sending so many men just to greet me? Have you opened your city gates, ready to serve us wine and feasts?"

TukeSulu's face turned ashen, fire burning in his eyes; his long sword was already drawn, its blade glinting coldly. He gritted his teeth and retorted: "Xixia barbarians—today is your death day!" With that, he dug his heels into his mount and pointed his sword straight at the Xixia commander. Behind him, fifteen thousand soldiers surged forward like a tidal wave, roaring with murderous intent as they charged the enemy.

Seeing this, the Xixia commander smirked wickedly. "Seeking death! I'll swallow you whole!" He swung his blade and shouted; thirty thousand iron cavalry charged forth like a tidal wave.

The two armies collided—swords clashed, hooves crushed snow, dust flew. Blood sprayed across the battlefield; TukeSulu swung his sword fearlessly, and one Xixia general fell beneath his blade.

The Xixia commander's face twisted with malice. "Die, fool! Kill them all!"

The two armies plunged into chaos—blade glints, hooves thundered like rolling drums.

The battle in the snowstorm blurred the entire field; murderous aura filled the air, the stench of blood drifting on the wind.

Thick, cloying blood filled the swirling dust, so foul it choked the breath.

TukeSulu was drenched in filth, his blade crimson; with every swing, droplets of blood sprayed like a storm of blood and wind.

His eyes burned red; he struck again and again without mercy.

Arms and limbs flew through the air; even the wailing of ghosts could not halt his advance.

"All of you die!" he roared, forcing his exhausted body to swing and bring down one Xixia soldier after another.

Jiang Mingyu watched from afar as the snow turned red. "Will TukeSulu let hatred blind him and forget his deployment?"

ZhuGe Yu remained calm. "Master, rest assured—General Tuke is no fool. That's why I entrusted him with this mission."

"All of you die!" he roared, forcing his exhausted body to swing and bring down one Xixia soldier after another.

ShangMu's warriors fought fiercely behind him, drenched in blood.

But there were too many Xixia soldiers—like fish crossing a river, endless in number. ShangMu men fell one by one, their blood staining the falling snow.

"Fall back! Brothers, retreat to the city!" TukeSulu finally gave the order. The surviving ShangMu warriors turned and sprinted; the blood-crazed Xixia troops chased after them.

"Why run? ShangMu City is right ahead! Press forward and take it!" The Xixia commander laughed loudly, urging his men to pursue.

Outnumbered, the ShangMu forces finally retreated to the front of the Iron Spikes Array.

TukeSulu, drenched in blood, smirked coldly, waiting for the Xixia to walk into the trap.

He swung his long blade, his gaze locked on the trail marker, and his men followed without hesitation, charging into the Iron Spikes Array.

The pursuing Xixia soldiers advanced boldly, unaware of the ambush hidden ahead.

Suddenly, a scream pierced the air—fifty-six Xixia warhorses stepped into hidden pits, stumbling and crashing to the ground, their cries cut short.

Hundreds of cavalry behind them followed suit, falling into the traps of iron spikes; agonized wails echoed across the battlefield.

Seeing this, the Xixia commander assumed it was merely slippery ground. Furious, he cursed his men's incompetence and ordered another charge.

But they did not know the iron spikes were coated with lethal poison; those who fell into the pits soon vanished, life extinguished.

The Xixia pursuers' roars drowned out the dying cries; more and more men fell, until finally the commander noticed. He reined in his horse. "Stop! This is a trap!"

At this moment, the piled corpses ahead had been trampled into pulp by hooves; the air reeked of sweet, metallic blood mist.

The Xixia commander's face turned ashen—he finally realized he had walked into an ambush.

Seeing the Xixia army halt, TukeSulu's eyes flickered. He wheeled his horse around and sneered: "Xixia barbarians! Didn't you claim to be the finest cavalry in the world? A few dead fools and you're shitting your pants?"

"You dare not even approach a small city like ShangMu—how can you dream of conquering the world? You're nothing but hollow braggarts!"

He mocked the Xixia army until their reputation lay in ruins and morale collapsed.

His men followed suit, hurling insults and curses.

The Xixia commander's face flushed crimson; he longed to tear TukeSulu into a thousand pieces.

"Fuck you! Charge! Kill every last Da Feng bastard! Let them feel the might of Xixia!" He snarled, voice hoarse.

Thirty thousand Xixia cavalry, at his signal, roared like mountains collapsing and seas surging, surging forward in a flood.

Seeing his plan succeed, TukeSulu feigned terror, abandoning armor and weapons as he fled in panic.

The Xixia commander laughed. "Run? Cut them down!"

At his command, another hundred Xixia soldiers, men and horses alike, collapsed into the Iron Spikes Array.

Their figures flickered briefly in the sunlight, then vanished beneath the merciless thorns and spikes.

But the furious Xixia commander no longer cared—he fixed his gaze ahead and pressed forward relentlessly.

His lips curled like a bloodthirsty beast, fearless of death.

Notably, TukeSulu had spared no cost to exterminate as many Xixia as possible. With every swing of his weapon, death followed.

He moved through enemy ranks without hesitation, cutting them down until flesh and blood flew.

Only after leaving nearly a thousand corpses behind did the bloodshot Xixia soldiers finally burst through the Iron Spikes Array. Drenched in blood, gasping for breath, their killing intent still burned.

At that moment, the Xixia Regional Military Commissioner, having rounded the bend, his face filled with murderous intent, suddenly spotted TukeSulu waiting ahead.

His eyes locked onto TukeSulu as if he meant to tear him apart.

TukeSulu stood still, expression cold.

Behind him, the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Array stood perfectly aligned.

His gaze was firm and icy, as if it could freeze enemy blood in place.

Seeing the Xixia forces draw near the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Array, ZhuGe Yu on the city wall decided to turn away.

He knew his duty was to command the array—not to defend the city.

"Master, you stay and guard the city. I'll command the array," ZhuGe Yu called out.

His eyes held a trace of weariness—and resolve.

"From their direction, the pursuers will enter through Qian Palace." ZhuGe Yu's voice was low and certain.

"As long as they cannot find Li Palace, even double their numbers will not save them—they will enter, but never leave."

Hearing this, Jiang Mingyu's worry eased slightly—he knew ZhuGe Yu's confidence in the array was not empty.

But he pressed: "Then where is Li Palace?"

ZhuGe Yu had already vanished; only a faint whisper, carried by the cold wind, reached Jiang Mingyu's ears.

"Heaven's secrets cannot be revealed."

Jiang Mingyu watched ZhuGe Yu ride out of the city, standing alone, shaking his head with a bitter smile.

TukeSulu stood within the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Array, back to the formation, sneering at the Xixia commander.

The Xixia commander's hair was disheveled, his gaze arrogant; his blade pointed at TukeSulu. "You dog, do you think clustering in a messy circle will save you? Let me show you true elite!"

Before he finished speaking, TukeSulu spat contemptuously. "Elite? Come if you dare!" He made a mocking gesture.

Meanwhile, ZhuGe Yu had ridden up to the array's central platform. Seeing this, the Xixia commander flew into a rage. "Charge! Kill them!" Over twenty thousand broken troops surged into the great array.

TukeSulu swung his sword and shouted: "Brothers, retreat from the array's flanks and regroup behind!" Seeing TukeSulu's withdrawal, the Xixia commander immediately led his forces to attack from Qian Palace, aiming to annihilate the three thousand ShangMu troops first.

The instant the Xixia army entered the array, ZhuGe Yu raised his command flag—the war drums thundered! Complex banners sent unease through the Xixia commander's heart. He shouted: "Retreat!"

But over ten thousand Xixia soldiers were already deep within the array—their escape route was cut! The commander's heart sank—he realized he had fallen into another trap laid by the Da Feng enemy!

Within the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Array, banners unfurled, war drums roared, murderous aura filled the air! Xixia soldiers were lost in the labyrinth, unable to tell east from west, wandering in confusion.

On the high platform, ZhuGe Yu's eyes gleamed coldly, a smile of certain victory on his lips—the array, the battle, now obeyed his command.