Chapter 1572: Heaven and Earth as Bow, Mountains and Rivers Forged into a Cauldron

Though Chong Xuan Sheng oft wore a cheerful mien, conversing with all,Few were the souls he held truly worthy.With his prodigious intellect, once past the phase of accumulating might,He was destined to stir the winds and clouds of the realm.

Yet, in this campaign, he lauded Cao Jie's military prowess time and again,Admiring him beyond measure.With his elucidation, the Duke Jiang, unskilled in war,Could thus behold the vast mountains and boundless seas.

Perhaps the breeze upon the eastern bank of the Lian River was too gentle.Recalling the world, reflecting upon times of old and now,Jiang Wang couldn't help but pose a trivial question:"In your view, if Marshal Cao were to face your uncle on the battlefield, who would prevail?"

This question was indeed trivial, one only a military ignoramus would ask.Between the foremost generals of the age, never would they determine victory or defeat through mere conjecture outside the field of battle.But Chong Xuan Sheng actually contemplated it with some earnestness before replying:"To discuss their outcome from our perspective is akin to swallows debating the great roc.But I shall speak presumptuously, and you shall listen likewise."

"Just idle talk," Jiang Wang's gaze still fixed upon the Jiangyin Plain on the opposite bank of the Lian River,As if infected by the atmosphere of war, his voice softened."The qualities of a renowned general are not solely displayed on the battlefield.From the imperial court above to the barracks below, from the very outset of recruitment and training,All aspects constitute complete military capability.Of course, ultimately, it is proven by victory or defeat."

Chong Xuan Sheng continued: "Since you speak of a battlefield confrontation, let us assumeTheir armies, troop quality, and all other factors are evenly matched...Under such circumstances, facing off upon the field, I believe there are but two outcomes."

"Which two?" Jiang Wang inquired.

Chong Xuan Sheng answered: "Either my uncle achieves a great victory, or Marshal Cao achieves a minor victory."He added: "In my personal estimation, the probability of my uncle's great victory is thirty percent,And the probability of Marshal Cao's minor victory is seventy percent."

Jiang Wang parted his lips, about to speak.

Chong Xuan Sheng added further: "Moreover, the duration and scale of the war will also influence their win rates.Thus, an enlightened emperor, whenever choosing a general, often selects the one best suited for that specific battlefield,Rather than the strongest general in the conventional sense."

Jiang Wang pondered for a moment, then spoke no more.

Within the boundless sea of troops stretching across both banks of the Lian River,The conversation between two friends was merely a ripple.And ere long, a flag officer galloped high through the air and roared—"Marshal's decree! Let General Li Zhengyan's entire army attack!"

The Swiftwind Army, which had crossed the frozen Lian River in disciplined order,Moved as one in an instant.This surging tide of mighty troops, from gentle flow to torrent,Took only the time it took for a military order to be proclaimed.The entire earth became like a war drum, struck by the unified hoofbeats!

Boom, boom, boom!Boom, boom, boom!The mighty thunderous sound was the declaration of the Great Qi Empire.

The Nine Battalions of Great Qi were all elite forces of the realm,Able to fight on horseback when mounted and on foot when dismounted.But in terms of specific tactics, each had its own emphasis.Among the Nine Battalions of Great Qi, the Swiftwind Army was the most skilled in cavalry warfare,An entity capable of engaging grassland cavalry in head-on charges.

After the fall of Sword Peak Mountain, this open field battle outside Tongyang City was unavoidable,Thus Cao Jie specially deployed the Swiftwind Army as the vanguard for this attack on Xiangyou Prefecture.And first, they honed their blades and horses by conquering the twenty-three cities of Fengjie Prefecture,To make their momentum overwhelming!

Si Jiao had to use this open field battle to raise the banner for the Xia armyAnd re-establish the fighting spirit of the Xia people, military and civilian.Cao Jie had no objections, but Si Jiao would have to pay a sufficiently heavy price!At the extraordinary level of warfare, the hundreds of li of the Lian River were directly frozen.The so-called "striking while halfway across" was, of course, impossible in reality.

But with the four gates of Tongyang City wide open, the Great Xia Grand General Long Jiao,Leading the Imperial Guard, charged forth at this very moment,Still choosing the most opportune time.

Hooves upon ice, after all, made it difficult to borrow force.Dividing the army into streams, after all, made it difficult to provide timely support.If the Swiftwind Army's reaction was slightly sluggish,They would face this frontal cavalry charge before their warhorses had fully accelerated.One side with combined might of man and horse, the other with individuals resisting.The outcome of the battle was thus self-evident.

Facing the Imperial Guard charging out of the city, Cao Jie's order was exceedingly decisive,Only "entire army attack," four characters in all.The Swiftwind Army also fully demonstrated the quality of a world-class army,Moving as a surging tide.Just as the Great River passes through Tianma Plain,Under the massive terrain difference, it surges forth into the turbulent section of the Yellow River!In this surging tide, men and horses, like fish and boats, rose and fell together.A hundred thousand people seemed to breathe the same breath, stepping to the same rhythm.They seemed to share a single pair of eyes, steadfast and solemn—Gazing upon the enemy!Spread across the boundless plain, yet forming an unimaginable order.The great sea surges forth!

If one were to overlook from a high altitude, one could seeOn the vast plain, suitable for unimpeded gallop,This hundred thousand Swiftwind Army, treading upon swift winds, pursuing cold blades,In their relentless charge, they constantly fine-tuned their formation,Maintaining a crescent-shaped battle formation throughout.On the plain, the battle formation was like a moon, and above the sky, military aura soared into the clouds.

And to truly pierce into this charging army,To feel the intensity of every warrior up close, only then can you see—See the corners of their brows and eyes,See in those subtle places, courage flowing in sweat droplets!Only then will you discover how magnificent their vitality is,How their blood and qi power has already soared.Innumerable Dao Yuan, stained with the aura of war, surged forth along with them.And the irresistible锐气 accumulated from taking twenty-three cities in three days!Within the foremost battle formation diagrams of the realm,Such confluence creates a terrifying, raging sea of military aura.

Before the hundred thousand Swiftwind Army,The current Marquis of City Destruction, Li Zhengyan, fully armored, led the charge.Not a trace of his usual gentleness remained.He inherited the glory of Great Qi's top noble families,And had earned merits from galloping across ten thousand li.His daughter, Li Fengyao, helmeted and armored, led the army on the left.His son, Li Longchuan, with a jade belt wrapped around his forehead, led the army on the right.His aged mother, at this moment, holding a dragon-headed staff, guarded Shimen Commandery.His wife, armored and wielding a sword, also assisted her.His elder brother served before the sovereign, also doing what he ought,Contributing to this war.One could say, the entire Li family was on the battlefield.And in a war of such magnitude and intensity,This charge might very well mean the extinction of the direct line of the Li clan of Great Qi!But this precisely demonstrates the bravery of the Li clan!The Li clan of Shimen guards the border for Qi. For how many years have they not feared death,And how many dead and wounded have there been to count!?There is a poem that says, "The world praises the Li of Shimen..."Why does the world praise the Li of Shimen?It is because of these battles, these countless times shedding blood for the nation,These countless loyal and heroic lives!

The Li clan of Shimen has never rested upon the achievements of their ancestors, consuming their legacy.The glory of the Marquis of City Destruction shines brilliantly to this dayBecause generation after generation of the Li clan have polished it with blood!

At this moment, Great Xia has a mighty army named the Imperial Guard,Under the leadership of Grand General Long Jiao,They are demonstrating their resolve to protect their homes and defend their nation.Angry horses raise heavy hooves, killing intent fills bows and swords.More intense than a mountain collapse, more enraged than a flooding tide.And the great power thus erupted, surpassing the might of heaven and earth!

Facing the charge of such an army,The hundred thousand Swiftwind Army, not one person turned aside.In the very center of the clash of twenty thousand cavalry.Galloping upon the dividing line of life and death.Beneath the rustling Swiftwind battle flag.Li Zhengyan raised his left hand.His gauntleted left hand clenched! As if grasping a support between heaven and earth.He seemed to grasp a bow!A bow that connected heaven and earth.And his right hand, also clad in a gauntlet, reached forward,So steady and precise, as if placed upon the distant horizon.He grasped the string!

And the endless Swiftwind military aura,Howling like a tornado, gathered towards him, the commander of the Swiftwind.Heaven and earth trembled, vibrated, and tightened!He tightly gripped heaven and earth, drew the horizon full,Mobilizing the vast power of the battle formation.Gazing at the Great Xia general Long Jiao, who also led the charge in the enemy formation.Then, released the string!An arrow shot into the enemy formation!

What was the scene of this strike,Using heaven and earth as the bow, the horizon as the string,And the military aura gathered by the hundred thousand Swiftwind Army as the arrow?Heaven and earth, everything within sight, seemed to have been torn apart!Where this arrow pierced, was where all things were annihilated.People seemed to see a colossal, terrifying void,Devouring everything that passed through,Penetrating the entire Jiangyin Plain, falling into the vast, sea-like formation of the Imperial Guard!

The arrow was clearly traveling through the air,But merely the swirling airflow had already carved a colossal沟壑 on the ground.This vertical沟壑 itself was like an arrow!An arrow that pierced the earth, dividing the Jiangyin Plain!The Swiftwind battle arrow, unmatched in its killing power, who could withstand it?!

"I think I know now why the Marquis of City Destruction,A foremost figure in the restoration of the state in those years,Could destroy formidable cities with ten arrows!"Still within the ranks of the Autumn Killing Army on the eastern bank of the Lian River,Chong Xuan Sheng couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.Excitedly, he patted Jiang Wang: "Brother Wang! You must hold onto Sister Fengyao tightly!"Seeing the adjacent Fourteen looking over, he chuckled:"The Jiang fellow is growing more promising by the day.Let him go and arrange a marriage for our family!"

Jiang Wang was utterly unable to attend to the胖子's teasing.For at this moment, his mind was completely immersed in this one arrow.He had sparred with Li Longchuan more than once,And he had witnessed Li Fengyao's exquisite archery skills.But he had never imagined such an arrow existed in the world.So grand, so magnificent!

He could already feel the weight of his gaze.At this moment, he only felt that his gaze had been infinitely swallowed by this arrow.He had to activate his Qianyang Scarlet Pupils to "pull" back his sight!

What a fearsome arrow, traveling through the territory of Great Xia.Bringing the will to annihilate all, and the resolve to crush all resistance.

Then Jiang Wang saw, above the distant formation of the Imperial Guard,A colossal bronze tripod, with three legs and two ears, ascended.The soldiers' vitality was the kindling, the military aura in the tripod was the military might.The relief sculptures on the surface of the colossal tripod were imprintedIn Jiang Wang's eyes, where scarlet light flowed.He saw—Mountains collapsing, someone pushing forward with one hand.Riverbanks bursting, someone leaping down to stem the flow.Vast armies pressing, someone charging alone on a single horse...He saw—The one holding up the mountain failed to hold it.The one stemming the flow was swept away by the torrent.The one charging was submerged in the multitude...

But the mountains and rivers still remained!People still came for the mountains and rivers!Year after year, generation after generation.This bronze colossal tripod, in an instant,Radiated a great and unimaginable brilliance.The efforts and struggles of countless people were engraved into an honorThat could not be eroded by time.It stood firm between heaven and earth, as if suppressing everything!

This tripod bore the nine heavens above, suppressed the nine hells below,Inherited the myriad people, and protected the mountains and rivers.This was the military formation killing method created by Emperor Xia Xiang himself in those years,Named "Mountains and Rivers."In this era of rapid innovation in Dao techniques, where a vast number of Dao techniques are eliminated daily,It still ranks among the top-tier military formation killing methods!Ask the soldiers, what do you use to protect the nation?With flesh and blood! With life and death!When this tripod falls, the mountains and rivers are secure.As long as this army exists, the nation shall not perish!

Long Jiao charged forth on his horse, the hundred thousand Imperial Guard under his command charged forth on their horses.Long Jiao charged, all the soldiers and officers of the Imperial Guard were charging.Willpower was burning, banners were fluttering.Their courage and vitality continuously poured into the bronze colossal tripod,Causing every subtle inscription to become concrete, sensing the traces of heaven and earth,As if becoming substantial!

On the fertile Jiangyin Plain, two powerful armies of the realm,Gathering the power of their battle formations, their strike finally met head-on.The arrow that pierced all finally collided with the tripod that suppressed all.That tremendous impact could not be contained by sight,Could not be described by language!That grandeur and vastness made all onlookers appear minuscule.Between heaven and earth, a sorrowful song resonated through.The vast sound covered everything.Military aura intertwined with military aura, the will to fight to the death collided—And dispersed in an instant.The bronze colossal tripod and the mighty arrow of heaven and earth had both vanished.

The surging tide of the Swiftwind Army, still charging forward,Flowed over this foreign land, leaving behind some warriors forever.Their vitality exhausted, they died from exhaustion.They could no longer take any action,Only wait to be silently collected by friendly soldiers following closely behind—Perhaps not even collection.Before the great battle was completely decided, at most, they could only be moved aside,To briefly clear the battlefield environment.

Opposite the Swiftwind Army formation, the Great Xia Imperial Guard formation,Charging with Tongyang City at their back, fell in a large swath!But the gap was immediately filled by the cavalry behind!The charge continued.Both sides' charges continued!Neither Li Zhengyan nor Long Jiao, neither the Swiftwind Army nor the Imperial Guard,Showed any intention of retreating.Banners still fluttered the same, warhorses still beat their hooves the same.

Li Zhengyan, "swift as the wind," displayed his rarely seen bravery and valor today.Between the swaying of the general's banner, the main formation of the Swiftwind Army surged.In the midst of such a fierce charge, it successfully branched out,Dividing into ten orderly detachments of ten thousand men.Like crests of waves, like surging tides, extending forward and backward,Their military momentum connected, truly the elite of the world!The first army led by Li Zhengyan.Followed by Li Fengyao.Then Li Longchuan.Connecting in this manner.Father succeeding daughter, sister succeeding brother.Commander succeeding second-in-command.A ducal or marquis family, followed by a count or baron.After the count or baron, followed by commoners!

Hang the long sword on the bird's wing ring, bring me my great iron spear,It's on that victory hook!Raise the iron spear and gallop quickly.Charge straight forward.Charge forward!This was a charge devoid of pretense, the final charge.This was a confrontation on the boundless plain, destined to be described by death and injury.On a battlefield that changed in an instant, the brave might not win, the strong might not win,But the dead were truly and utterly dead!

Li Longchuan stared intently ahead, his body low on the warhorse mixed with demon beast blood.Ahead of him was the cavalry of ten thousand led by his sister Li Fengyao.Even in the midst of the charge, her cavalry detachment gave off a chilling feeling.Like a glacier falling into the sea, with only isolated sounds.He knew Li Fengyao's Frost Heart Divine Ability, which allowed her,In moments of ten-thousand-man charges, to accurately reflect every detail,Ultimately achieving a cold slaughter like ice blades.His own Candle Subtle Divine Ability could also help him grasp war details more concretely.But at this moment, he felt it was not so necessary.His father, his commander, charged at the very front.His family, his own elder sister, charged at the secondary vanguard.He tightly gripped the great iron spear in his hand, specifically for cavalry warfare,Pressing it firmly against his body.

Boom, boom, boom!Hooves the size of bowls trampled the earth.Boom, boom, boom!The sound of hooves seemed to beat upon the heart.Every sound was so clear.Li Longchuan only felt his heartbeat accelerating, accelerating...Beating together with the war drum of the earth, fiercely, surging,As if wanting to leap out of his chest!

"Charge..."He couldn't help but cry out: "Ah!"

On the boundless Jiangyin Plain, two mighty cavalry armies,A total of twenty thousand men, charged against each other!Heaven and earth were not particularly bright, the sun seemed to have retreated.The tide of people stirred the tide of clouds, military aura penetrated heaven and earth.One side was the Nine Battalions of Great Qi, the first of the Four Symbols, "Swiftwind"!The other side was the elite force of Great Xia, "Imperial Guard," filling the border with flesh and blood!

The torrent of flesh and blood collided!Clang, clang, clang!Clash of swords and spears.Hiss, hiss, hiss!Men and horses fell in disarray.The surging tide of the great army swept over, leaving only corpses everywhere.In just one charge, tens of thousands on both sides were killed in action!Individual wails and sorrows were completely annihilated in this厮杀.The fear of living beings was completely submerged by the atmosphere of war.

After iron and blood had burned through the Jiangyin Plain,The banner of the Swiftwind Army rose high once more!But almost at the same time, the Imperial Guard banner unfurled on the opposite side!Both sides were world-class armies.Both commanders were renowned generals of the age.As the banners unfurled, the well-trained soldiers immediately gathered towards them.The boiling blood had not yet cooled, their breath was still like a rainbow.

Li Zhengyan simply pulled the reins, threw away the iron spear, and drew his long saber.At this moment, he could not spare a thought to observe his daughter,Could not spare a glance to see where his son was,Could not even bother to seek out the enemy general Long Jiao!He could only see the enemy, enemies everywhere, dense enemies!"Raise the flag and follow me!"He only gave this command to his close guards, then led the charge again at the very front,Spearheading the advance, boring into the thickest part of the enemy formation!

The "Shimen Military Strategy" states:"He who is a general is the courage of a hundred soldiers, the hero of ten thousand armies.He must first plunge into death, then stand upon the precipice.Thus, the myriad army will risk their lives, and nothing will be insurmountable!"

The twenty thousand strong armies clashed to the death, completely intertwined at this point.No military strategy or tactic was effective.No matter who, none could command every soldier at this time,Nor could they reassemble precise military formations.At this moment, it was only a contest of the courage and blood of the two armies,Only a test of the soldiers' intrinsic quality,Only a test of their usual drills, whether they had truly put in effort, sweat,Whether they had trained to the death!

And a general in such a situation is nothing more than taking the lead in the fight,Nothing more than raising the battle flag high.Ensuring the banner does not fall, maintaining morale,This, then, is the duty of a general in this chaotic battle!Including Li Zhengyan, including Li Fengyao, including Li Longchuan!Therefore, Li Zhengyan did not hesitate for a moment,Boring straight into the most difficult place.The more he fought, the less his soldiers might die, it was that simple!

The great iron spear pierced the enemy soldier's throat. The body fell,And was trampled into meat paste amidst the roars.Hooves shattered skulls, and in doing so, broke horse legs.The soldier on the horse rolled down, never to rise again...No one could stand up again in this charge.Distinguishing figures was impossible, seeing faces was impossible.Only seeing the different uniforms, a slash was delivered!Or, one was cut down by a slash!

On the vast Jiangyin Plain, the 厮杀 of twenty thousand people shook heaven and earth,Turning the fertile land into a meat grinder of flesh and blood.Listening to the chaotic hooves, watching the crisscrossing banners,Amidst the gleam of blades and the splash of blood,Feeling the most brutal part of war.Jiang Wang's heart was clenched!His dearest friend was fighting for his life within.His family friends, their entire family, stood on the edge of life and death.

He believed that at this moment, those in Tongyang City,Watching this 厮杀, the people of Great Xia, shared the same feelings!In the crisscrossing trajectories of life and death,In the countless swiftly beginning and ending 厮杀,He noticed the two main flags of the Swiftwind and Imperial Guard suddenly collidingIn the center of the battlefield!Only after the banners crossed paths did he suddenly realize,That was the brief clash between the two commanders, two True Monarchs of the age!Alas, even with the eyesight of the Qianyang Scarlet Pupils,He could not clearly see the details there for a moment.

He saw the Swiftwind battle flag shake slightly, and his entire body tensed instantly!But that main banner of the Swiftwind Army immediately stabilized,And brought about a beautiful long arc on the battlefield,Gathering the soldiers extremely efficiently, reassembling their military aura.The main banner of the Imperial Guard on the opposite side also swayed everywhere,Rapidly gathering the cavalry.Both sides, while forming their formations, slowly pulled apart.

Jiang Wang thus knew that this extremely tragic 厮杀...Had finally come to an end.

In the Great Qi central army, atop the Chonglou carriage,Ruan Qiu, whose face was like a young man's, said:"Long Jiao is injured but not dead. The Swiftwind Army lost over thirty thousand killed in action,While the Imperial Guard suffered over half casualties."

The Great Xia Imperial Guard, formed to match the Great Qi Nine Battalions,Truly faced the Swiftwind Army.The cavalry clashed head-on without any pretense, killing each other to the death.The casualty ratio between the two sides was nearly three to five!This was absolutely not just due to Cao Jie's effective commandLeading to overwhelming momentum,But also the comprehensive advantage of Qi in armor, troop quality,Battle formation diagrams, and military formation killing methods!

Cao Jie nodded. Ruan Qiu's observations were completely consistent with what he had seen.He was, of course, certain of what he had seen.The reason he still needed a True Monarch of Enlightenment to confirm it was simply that this warWas by no means easy for him.He, too, had to think it over and over, be cautious and even more cautious.Putting aside other things, over thirty thousand of the Swiftwind Army had died here!Li Zhengyan's entire family was on the battlefield, fighting with their lives!If this battle could not be won, how could he explain?

"The Imperial Guard can retreat, but not so easily."Having generally reviewed the situation in his mind,Confirming that all details were accounted for, Cao Jie then ordered:"Order Military Advisor Ruan Qiu of the Zhen Army to go forth!"

Ruan Qiu, behind the steel battlements, nodded slightly,Indicating that being in the army, he had received the Marshal's order.His star map Daoist robe merely unfurled, and he stepped onto the battlefield!