Chapter 148: Luring the Enemy into the Formation

The two armies faced each other in the wind and snow, the atmosphere taut with tension, stretched to the breaking point.

The Other Xi Xia commander sat high on a mighty steed, looking down arrogantly at Tu Tu Kesiluo with a sneer on his face, and mocked: "Sons of the Great Feng Kingdom, you actually sent so many people to welcome this commander. Have you already opened the city gates, preparing to wait for our army to enter and enjoy fine wine and delicacies?"

Tu Tu Kesiluo's face turned iron-green, fire burning in his eyes; the long sword in his hand was already unsheathed, its blade flashing with cold light. He gritted his teeth and responded: "Other Xi Xia barbarians, today is your day of death!" Having spoken, he clamped his mount tightly, pointing his long sword directly at the Other Xi Xia commander. The fifteen thousand soldiers behind him surged forward like a tide, letting out earth-shaking roars, charging the enemy with killing intent.

Seeing this, the Other Xi Xia commander smiled sinisterly: "Seeking death! Watch me swallow you alive!" He waved Jiang Jiang Daoren, shouting loudly, as thirty thousand iron cavalry rushed forward like a tsunami.

The two armies collided, blades clashing, hooves trampling snow, dust flying. Blood flowers splattered across the battlefield; Tu Tu Kesiluo waved his long sword, fearless, as one Other Xi Xia general fell beneath his blade.

The Other Xi Xia commander's face twisted, utterly sinister, and he roared viciously: "Die, you fool! Kill them all!"

Immediately, the two armies plunged into chaos, blades flashing, the sound of hooves like thunder.

The battle in the wind and snow blurred the entire field, killing intent filling the air, the scent of blood spreading in the wind.

Thick blood scent filled the dust swirling through the sky, so pungent it made breathing difficult.

Tu Tu Kesiluo was covered in filth, Jiang Jiang Daoren already dyed red; as he swung his long sword, blood droplets flew everywhere, like a storm of blood and wind.

His eyes were blood-red, one slash after another without mercy.

Severed arms and limbs flew through the air; even the wailing of ghosts and wolves in the sky could not stop his steps.

"All of you, die!" he roared, forcing his exhausted body to stand, felling one Other Xi Xia person after another.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu gazed from afar, seeing the snow gradually turn red, and worried: "Will Tu Tu Kesiluo be clouded by hatred and forget the deployment?"

Zhu Ge Yu said calmly: "Master, rest assured; General Tu is not a rash person. That is why I entrusted him with this heavy responsibility."

"All of you, die!" he roared, forcing his exhausted body to stand, felling one Other Xi Xia person after another.

The Shang Mu warriors fought bravely behind him, battling in blood.

But there were too many Other Xi Xia people, like fish crossing a river, impossible to kill all. The Shang Mu soldiers fell one by one, their blood dyeing the flying snow red.

"It's time to retreat, brothers, follow me back to Huicheng!" Tu Tu Kesiluo finally gave the order to withdraw. The surviving Shang Mu warriors turned and ran wildly, while the blood-mad Other Xi Xia people chased closely behind.

"What's the point of running? Shang Mu City is right before our eyes; take it in one go!" The Other Xi Xia commander laughed loudly, shouting for his soldiers to chase fiercely.

The outnumbered Shang Mu army finally retreated to the front of the caltrop formation.

Tu Tu Kesiluo, covered in blood, curled a cold smile at the corner of his mouth, waiting only for the Other Xi Xia people to enter the ambush.

He waved the long blade in his hand, his gaze locked tightly on the road marker ahead, while his subordinates followed closely behind, charging into the iron caltrop formation without hesitation.

The Other Xi Xia soldiers pursuing them followed in large strides, completely unaware of the ambush hidden here.

Suddenly, a terrible cry pierced the air; fifty-six Xi Xia warhorses stepped into traps, stumbling clumsily to the ground, their shrill cries cutting off abruptly.

Hundreds of cavalrymen following closely behind also fell one after another, trapped in the iron caltrop traps, their painful wails echoing across the battlefield.

Seeing this, the Other Xi Xia commander, thinking it was an accident caused by slippery roads, angrily scolded his soldiers' incompetence and waved his troops to pursue again.

However, they did not know that those iron caltrops were coated with deadly poison; the soldiers who fell into the traps quickly lost the traces of life.

The roaring of the Other Xi Xia pursuers almost drowned out the moans of the dead; the number of fallen grew larger and larger, finally alerting the commander, who reined in his horse and said: "Stop, there is a trick here!"

At this moment, the pile of corpses at the front had already been trampled into meat paste by later horse hooves, and a bloody mist filled the air.

The Other Xi Xia commander's face changed suddenly, finally realizing he had fallen into an ambush.

Seeing the Other Xi Xia army stop pursuing, Tu Tu Kesiluo rolled his eyes, turned his horse, and laughed loudly: "Other Xi Xia barbarians, weren't you hailed as the number one elite cavalry in the world? A few useless corpses and you're already scared out of your pants!"

"You don't even dare to come to the small Shang Mu City, how can you talk about unifying the world? You are nothing but trash bluffing!"

He did his utmost to mock the Other Xi Xia army, causing their reputation to vanish and their morale to collapse.

His subordinates, hearing the order, joined in cursing and insulting.

The Other Xi Xia commander's old face turned red; he wished he could tear Tu Tu Kesiluo into a thousand pieces.

"Go to hell! Charge up and slaughter all these Great Feng Kingdom bastards! Let them know the might of the Other Xi Xia army!" He gritted his teeth, his voice hoarse.

Thirty thousand Other Xi Xia cavalry, following his long blade pointing forward, let out a roar like a mountain collapse and tsunami, swarming to kill.

Seeing his scheme succeed, Tu Tu Kesiluo immediately feigned fear, throwing away his armor and helmet, and fled in a panic-stricken manner.

Seeing this, the Other Xi Xia commander laughed: "What are you running for? Chop them up!"

With his single word, another hundred Other Xi Xia soldiers, men and horses alike, fell into the caltrop formation.

Their figures flashed briefly in the sunlight, then vanished amidst the ruthless bayonets and thorns.

But the Other Xi Xia commander, face full of anger, could no longer care about these things; his gaze locked firmly ahead as he continued to charge forward with all his might.

The corner of his mouth curled upward, like a bloodthirsty beast, fearless of life or death.

It is worth mentioning that Tu Tu Kesiluo, in order to kill as many Other Xi Xia people as possible, had also gone all out. He waved the weapon in his hand, and every swing brought the scent of death.

He moved fearlessly through the figures of the enemy, slicing them until flesh and blood flew everywhere.

Only after leaving nearly thousands of corpses behind did the blood-mad Other Xi Xia soldiers finally charge completely out of the caltrop formation. Their bodies were covered in blood, breathing heavily, but the killing intent still burned.

And just then, the Other Xi Xia Commandant, rushing around the bend with a face full of killing intent, a cunning light flashing in his eyes, suddenly saw Tu Tu Kesiluo waiting before him.

His gaze locked tightly on Tu Tu Kesiluo, as if he wanted to tear him into pieces.

Tu Tu Kesiluo stood there, his face cold.

Behind him, the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Array was arranged neatly.

His eyes were firm and cold, as if they could freeze the enemy's blood in place.

Seeing the Other Xi Xia people getting closer and closer to the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Array, Zhu Ge Yu on the city tower decided to turn and leave.

He knew his mission was to command the array, not to guard the city.

"Master, you stay to guard the city; I will go to command the array," Zhu Ge Yu shouted.

A hint of exhaustion and determination showed in his eyes.

"Judging from the direction, those who pursue relentlessly must enter the array through the Qian Palace," Zhu Ge Yu's voice was low and firm.

"As long as they cannot find the location of the Li Palace, even with twice as many Other Xi Xia soldiers, I will make sure they have no return."

Hearing these words, the worry in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's heart eased slightly; he knew Zhu Ge Yu's confidence in the array was not empty.

But he still asked: "Then where is the Li Palace?"

Zhu Ge Yu had long vanished, leaving only a single, faintly drifting word that rode the cold wind straight into Jiang Jiang Mingyu's ears.

"The secrets of Heaven must not be revealed."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu watched Zhu Ge Yu ride out of the city on horseback; standing alone and gazing into the distance, he could only shake his head with a bitter smile.

Tu Tu Kesiluo stood within the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Array, his back to the formation, watching the Other Xi Xia commander with a cold sneer.

The Other Xi Xia commander's hair was disheveled, his gaze arrogant; pointing his blade at Tu Tu Kesiluo, he mocked, "You mongrel, do you think your messy circle can save you? Let you see true elite troops!"

Before his words had even faded, Tu Tu Kesiluo had already spat in disdain, sneering, "Elite? Come if you dare!" He even made a taunting gesture.

At the same time, Zhu Ge Yu had spurred his horse up to the high platform at the array's heart; seeing this, the Other Xi Xia commander flew into a rage: "Attack! Cut them down!" Over twenty thousand defeated soldiers surged into the great formation once more.

Tu Tu Kesiluo waved his long sword, shouting loudly, "Brothers, withdraw from the array wings and assemble at the rear!" Seeing Tu Tu Kesiluo's retreat, the Other Xi Xia commander immediately led his troops to attack from the Qian Palace direction, attempting to first annihilate Shang Mu's three thousand soldiers.

The instant the Other Xi Xia army entered the formation, Zhu Ge Yu suddenly waved his command flag, and war drums boomed! The complex flag signals stirred unease in the Other Xi Xia commander's heart; he urgently shouted, "Retreat!"

However, more than ten thousand Other Xi Xia soldiers had already plunged deep into the great formation, their retreat cut off! The Other Xi Xia commander's heart sank; he realized he had fallen into yet another trap set by the Feng Kingdom's enemies!

At this moment, within the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Array, flags unfurled one after another, war drums thundered like rolling thunder, and killing intent filled the air! The Other Xi Xia soldiers were trapped in the illusion array, knowing neither east nor south nor west nor north, wandering in panic and confusion in all directions!

On the high platform, Zhu Ge Yu's eyes shimmered with cold light, a smile of assured victory on his lips—this formation, this battle, now obeyed his command!