Chapter 135: The City Gods Of The Three Towns
On the morning of September 8th, He Yufei endured the political pressure and hurriedly led his troops out of the city, just like cattle and sheep migrating on the grassland.
Wu Fei led five thousand men on a forced march, charging toward Luo Town north of Hu City, with a very clear target.
Because Wu Fei learned through scouts that Gu Shou Pass was also sending three hundred elite cavalry southward, and from the route, it seemed they were also building a outpost here to ensure that even after He Yufei’s troops retreated in defeat, they could withdraw to the north.
Wasn’t this just perfect? Wu Fei just didn’t want He Yufei’s troops to escape to the north—prediction met prediction.
That evening on the 8th, Li Xiaorong led nine hundred elites and arrived first at the south side of Luo Town, where after entering the town, they ran right into the Hao Army coming from the east side.
After discovering the Yao Person cavalry, the Hao Army resisted to the death, but Li Xiaorong had already confirmed before entering the city that the opposing formation came from the east, so he dispatched a cavalry team to flank them from behind.
The Hao Army hastily reinforced inward along the east side archway street when they suddenly heard the sound of hooves behind them and were caught off guard, cut down.
In the markets of Luo Town, the Hao Army that was barely fighting suddenly heard the sound of knife and axe wielders chopping from behind, causing the entire army to collapse instantly. Thus, the Yao Army seized this position at the critical moment with only a minor loss of 30 men.
Wu Fei, who was bringing up the main force on the rear line, read the battle report and commented: Li Xiaorong’s surprise attack this time was just lucky.
Of course, if he had been one step late, even if Luo Town had completely fallen into the Hao Army’s hands, Wu Fei had smoke bombs for street fighting and single-shot shotguns in the rear supplies, all prepared, so it could still be taken.
After Wu Fei arrived on the scene, he slapped Li Xiaorong hard on the back and announced that he would record a great merit for him.
…Leading by the nose, next they would just follow along…
After sealing off Luo Town, Wu Fei immediately activated “internal espionage”.
These internal espionage agents recklessly spread propaganda in He Yufei’s military camp: The general (He Yufei) has lost the will to fight a decisive battle and is preparing to lead the troops to withdraw north to Gu Shou Pass.
As a result, in He Yufei’s army, every soldier encountered someone swearing earnestly while receiving military grain, narrating, “In just a few days, we can go back; the news came from so-and-so strategist.”
Now the entire Hao Army from top to bottom had formed the illusion: The troops must find an opportunity to head north and avoid the Yao Army blockade. (Similar to how some declining old powers in the 21st century thought they could definitely win against two opponents, and while they were dealing with one, the other would surely come to help us deal with it.)
However, this feeling was contradictory: first, heading north couldn’t avoid the Yao Army; second, He Yufei was prepared to fight a battle.
Four days after Luo Town was seized, in the main camp, after hesitating repeatedly, He Yufei still decided to fight this campaign in that northern area highly unfavorable to him!
Because this isolated Hao army had Hao State territory only to the north on all sides, with all other directions controlled by Da Yao, and the Hao Army already filled with the idea of “our side is weak,” if they discovered the march was in the wrong direction, morale would collapse like an avalanche. They would scatter and flee halfway. On the contrary, going north, relying on the belief of “going home,” they could still put up a fight.
…Strategic map…
As He Yufei’s corps advanced fifty li north, Mu Xingyu’s other force headed south with eight hundred cavalry equipped with ballistae, inserting into their rear and launching a series of surprise attacks on the rear army.
A large number of Hao Army laborers were scattered and fled by these leading eight teams of about four hundred cavalry, but Mu Xingyu failed to pursue and capture these rear troops. After Wu Hong conveyed Wu Fei’s order of “quit while ahead,” Mu Xingyu reluctantly withdrew.
When Mu Xingyu hurriedly returned to Wu Fei’s main unit, sullenly reporting the mission complete, Wu Fei explained to the somewhat emotional him: In this battle, we’re no longer encircling three sides and leaving one open—we’ve surrounded them on all sides, east, west, north, south. If we don’t leave the enemy a shred of hope to “withdraw back to the city,” what if they fight desperately to the death?
Mu Xingyu said discontentedly: “Hu City now only has two hundred old, weak, sick, and disabled, with insufficient food and grass, and righteous citizens in the city are constantly revolting. How could He Yufei possibly turn back?”
Wu Fei smiled mysteriously: “First, He Yufei won’t turn back when the battle turns unfavorable, but that doesn’t mean his troops won’t; second, you haven’t experienced desperation, so how can you guess at fluke chances? Unless breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats. Hmm (Wu Fei paused and changed the wording), unless when leaving the city they burn the granary and only bring three days’ dry rations, otherwise fluke chances can’t be eliminated.”
Mu Xingyu still didn’t take it in, but a year later in Yao Capital, he suddenly remembered this phrase. At that time, because of repeated fluke chances, he was finally cornered by a single phrase from Prince Zhou’s faction.
On the current strategic map, Wu Fei called in two other armies, four thousand and three thousand men respectively, one from the north and one from the west, gradually encircling He Yufei’s burdened “great army.”
The troops Wu Fei called were pure combat units, all sharp young lads with gleaming blades, while He Yufei’s side was men, women, old, and young in “total mobilization.”
After hearing that Luo Town had been taken, He Yufei’s originally vanguard troops that were leading the charge stopped twenty kilometers from Luo Town and began regrouping. This Hao Army force was laden with all sorts of military supplies, with many able-bodied men not yet picking up weapons but pushing carts.
Once Wu Fei confirmed the north had pocketed the enemy, he immediately led his troops on a night forced march to just ten li from He Yufei’s force, and before they could react, built a camp barrier surrounded by numerous pit traps and bamboo spikes.
The East Market main force that came for the decisive battle was busy until noon before catching a breath, while Wu Fei summoned the non-commissioned officers and said: “Our army doesn’t need to rush; the enemy is just holding their last breath for a decisive battle, so let them move first.”
After the tent meeting, Wu Fei ordered the army to take turns resting and recuperate their spirits.
What? Four Crossings of the Red River—this isn’t something this era can have. Xuan Chong cursed the system in his mind: If he can pull off that maneuver, I’ll kneel and eat shit.
On September 11th, Wu Fei rejected the eager Li Xiaorong: “If they charge over, they want a quick fight and decision with us—why go meet their sharp morale? War isn’t a street brawl; just send a small team to watch them. We’ll eat and drink our fill, let them stew for a few days, then fight them.”
…Wu Fei’s side wasn’t anxious, but He Yufei already was…
That evening on the 11th, black-eyed He Yufei rode on horseback, looking at the solemn northern camp arrayed with torches, knowing it was an army he absolutely couldn’t beat. His head throbbed painfully. Yet he had to fight, because after the army stopped these two days, rations were reduced, and unrest had already brewed in the camp.
As for returning to Hu City? Not to mention whether the two Yao Army blocking forces from the north and west would pursue and kill during withdrawal, just issuing that order would cause a camp mutiny. The reason they could leave the city was that “Hu City is a deathtrap” had reached consensus—once the arrow is shot, there’s no turning back.
Just as he was frowning, a scout reported: From Lu Jiao City, a three-thousand-man reinforcement force was slowly advancing north.
He Yufei clutched his chest. He was already extremely anxious, and now this string snapped. After smashing his wine vessel and venting his frenzy, he sat down to catch his breath.
After a good while, He Yufei ordered: The army is under curfew tonight; tomorrow morning, after a full meal, fight a decisive battle with the Yao Army.
Global perspective: “The three thousand now departing from Lu Jiao City are led by Zhao Xian Zhong rushing over; Wu Fei’s order to him was to advance only ten kilometers a day, not to hurry. Because this force trained for less than a month is just fart-in-the-wind level. And now it’s just here to create pressure on He Yufei.
…Human path killings condense, divine path wish power scatters karma…
On the night before the great battle, in the sky, an old man brought two boys, gazing at the battlefield where multiple armies confronted each other.
The two boys had fair complexions, looking like from peaceful prosperous families, out of place with the common sallow-faced or fierce looks of people in these chaotic times.
The blue-clothed boy asked: “Teacher, aren’t we going to attend Niangniang Fahua’s longevity banquet? Why are we stopping here?”
The yellow-clothed boy: “You’re just greedy-mouthed; can’t you see teacher is observing qi?”
The Niangniang Fahua these two boys spoke of was the city god of Huangyu City, a third rank existence in the divine path lineage.
In Da Yao’s current divine path system, river earls of great rivers and famous mountains enfeoffed by emperors are second rank. First rank are those like the thunder-wielding god of the heavens and underworld yan lords. For disciples of various sects and schools today, a prefecture’s city god is already very high-level. Worshipped with incense and fire for thousands of years, they have extremely high dao cultivation.
At this moment, the old man pinched his fingers calculating, then suddenly his finger slipped, his face turning grave.
He murmured: “Crimson star descends from heaven?”
The yellow-clothed boy asked his teacher: “Teacher, that military master in the army has profound auspicious qi?”
Wu Fei had fought wars for years, his killing intent making cultivators afraid to look directly. As for single-handedly bringing the rivers and mountains back under Da Yao in Bo Prefecture, that was already auspicious qi suppressing mountains and rivers. Nothing else to say, if Wu Fei now placed his command post in a city god temple, that Niangniang Fahua would have to yield.
And in a few days it would be the Cold Clothing Festival (October offering), but the city gods of Bo Prefecture’s three cities didn’t dare send the five ferocious yin soldiers on patrol to collect lost souls, because during the great battle Wu Fei mobilized troops more than once with night forced marches, and the city god yin armies feared colliding with this yang world killing star, causing their own souls to scatter.
The old daoist continued observing stars and qi, then clicked his tongue in amazement. Wu Fei’s auspicious qi was connected to the heavens.
This rank was equivalent to “first rank” divine path; the Vermilion Bird Fire on Wu Fei formed a rosy clouds canopy in the atmosphere, echoing that distant red constellation!
In the divine path system, third rank and second rank are still under planetary will jurisdiction. First rank ones come from heaven.
The old dao pinched his fingers and suddenly flinched as if “burned,” his fingertip scorched red; the yellow-clothed boy said: “Master, what happened to you?”
The old dao said: How strange, how great—he had already calculated that Wu Fei was a star constellation descended from heaven.
In the current heaven and earth great tribulation, the evil moon from beyond the sky also came from beyond.
In scientific terms, Xi Ren Star and the evil moon are interstellar war of planetary consciousnesses vying.
But Da Yao here is ruled by metaphysics; the various great sects’ Sitian Cheng’s current theoretical explanation for this heaven and earth mutation is invasion of extraterritorial heavenly demons into the human realm where Da Yao’s Divine Land lies.
But by metaphysics, since demonic evils can enter the world, why can’t a constellation descend?
…Xi Ren Realm is a planet with great auspicious qi…
Two hours later, just as Niangniang Fahua’s banquet was in full swing, the blue-clothed and yellow-clothed boys transformed into two young swordsmen and arrived at Wu Fei’s great camp, presenting a gift.
Sensing a peculiar power on these two young swordsmen, Wu Fei still met with them, of course restraining his killing intent as much as possible; only then did the two youths recover from their terror.
After seeing the earth vein “tunnel” marked by the three city gods, Wu Fei was stunned, showing no joy on his face but delight in his heart.
This tunnel network had extensive Yao Calculation data annotations, just like in the southern border back then, where earth veins could be shifted to form temporary tunnels through mountains and rivers. These tunnels could also be temporarily formed through military strategist formations. That is, during a siege, suddenly infiltrating a team of knife and axe wielders into the city would have miraculous effect.
And this network from the three cities could unify pointing in one direction: Gu Shou Pass.
That is to say, when attacking Gu Shou Pass, troops could be teleported for a surprise assault on Gu Shou Pass.
After Wu Fei inquired about the reason, he learned from the two young swordsmen’s mouths: “Back then, Prefect Han and General Wang Lu at Gu Shou Pass, with Bo Prefecture’s situation crumbling, sacrificed themselves for the country; but at the same time, the prefect also mobilized mountain river Yao Calculation power to open this killing intent vein, facilitating Da Yao’s great army to reclaim Bo Prefecture and retake Gu Shou Pass.
The white-clothed young swordsman said: “For ten years Da Yao has campaigned yearly yet failed yearly; Bo Prefecture could never find peace, so these earth veins became clogged.”
The yellow-clothed young swordsman said: “Only this year, with the general winning battle after battle, taking Sheng Yan City and Huangyu City, and Hu City about to fall any moment, the earth veins were impacted open again.”
So, is that really it? Of course not that simple; it’s even more because Wu Fei possesses “great auspicious qi,” the core of the earth’s Vermilion Bird mark always watching Wu Fei—wherever Wu Fei goes, that area’s mountains and rivers and human path harmony rapidly increases.
Wu Fei looked at the two swordsmen, seeing they were from a sect, didn’t ask their origins, but said: “You two swordsmen offer this map, a great kindness to our army; dare I ask what reward I can give?”
The blue-clothed and yellow-clothed ones smiled at each other and stated their request.
…Mini-theater divider…
Xuan Chong: “System, is this promoting feudal superstition?”
System: “Just folklore; also, have you lit incense?”
Xuan Chong: “Hmm, no, I’ll light one for you.”
System: “Severe warning: Do not promote feudal superstition; worshipping the teacher is not only useless but deducts academic credit.”
…Folklore divider…
In the realm reflected in Huangyu City’s city god temple. The banquet continued.
The old man whose soul had left his body to attend the banquet here was drinking merrily at the feast when suddenly he paused, saying to Fahua at the head: “My two boys have already handled it.”
Niangniang Fahua smiled and nodded; beside her, two masses of mist coalesced into two other city god spirits, who formed bodies and bowed to Fahua. But Niangniang Fahua evaded, declining: “Not my merit. You all reforming physical forms is heaven’s will.”
And in the great camp, the blue-clothed and yellow-clothed ones’ request was simple: After the battle, Wu Fei would resacrifice to these three towns’ city gods.—Wu Fei agreed to this.
The cultivator old man asked curiously: “That one (Wu Fei) was in the city a few days ago; why didn’t Niangniang speak to him directly?”
Third rank divine path can directly enter mortals’ dreams; even court famous ministers and imperial kin would be invited by city god spirits to the city god underworld as guests.
At this time, Niangniang Fahua shook her head: “This person seems protected by great auspicious qi; I cannot summon his soul.”
Regret appeared on Niangniang Fahua’s stunningly beautiful face.
…System: Students not allowed to have spring dreams in class…
Twenty kilometers from the battlefield perimeter, Pu E was blocked by thick killing intent.
Dozens of days ago, those Tai Yue Luan Haotian Lions were shrouded in killing intent, unable to breathe or fly; now even mighty Pu E was the same. She brought no troops! Lacking great army killing intent support, she currently couldn’t break through this blockade to rendezvous with He Yufei’s troops.
If she transformed into dragon form and forced through, the killing intent condensed to the extreme would summon killing thunder, turning her into a “fallen dragon.”
For this, Pu E landed on a mountaintop and began divination, but secretly activated the system.
Pu E: System, start character entry.
As dimensional information projections streamed in, feedback came quickly.
System: Encountered unknown interception; please start indirect investigation.
Pu E pondered: “Unknown dimensional interception, hmm, our projected character is lost, anchored by another dimensional space. (She currently considers Wu Fei a character she summoned and projected who got lost.)”
Pu E: “This dimensional region now is the junction of ‘Yan Huang cultivation zone,’ ‘Barrier Ring dimensional civilization,’ and ‘Silkworm Shedding evolution’ three major dimensional civilizations; indeed there are some anomalous transmigrators. But my ‘contention’ system is high-authority class; a dimensional system higher than my authority shouldn’t appear here. Hmm, contending for my projected ‘character card’ should be a system same class as mine, at least not two minor ranks below me.”
Pu E closed the system interface in her view and smiled relievedly: “Isn’t it just a character card? In the myriad heavens history cultivation belt, I have at least eight hundred history lines that can produce them.”
Pu E: “Issue indirect investigation plan.”
System: “Starting investigation; please confirm target.”
Pu E unhesitatingly selected Wu Fei into the synthesis character card box, and her system started a progress bar.
This progress bar was investigation progress on plot missions, simultaneously prompting character traits and suitable conquest schemes.
…Timespace faction divider…
Speaking of Wu Fei’s side, oh, he’s already asleep; if not sleeping, he would discover dense small-text barrages.
And would be surprised to find the “moral-intellectual-physical-aesthetic-labor” system interior scrolling 23333.
