Ambush

The Wang family members, along with over a dozen other families, followed Yang Zhiyuan to the foot of a small hill.

Returning Goose Valley generally ran north to south, but mountain paths rarely went straight. Returning Goose Valley was no exception. While it wasn't a maze of twists and turns, there were several perilous sections, with Cart Gorge being the most dangerous.

Cart Gorge was about three li long, and as the name suggested, it was only as wide as a cart. The hill where everyone was ambushing was located three li east of Cart Gorge.

The right flank of the hill was a flat area, about twenty zhang wide, leading deep into the forest. To the right of the flat area were large and small peaks, where other teams were positioned for defense. The left flank of the hill consisted entirely of cliffs.

Cart Gorge was over three thousand li from Golden Goose City in a straight line, and more than a thousand li from Returning Goose Market. If anything happened here, neither side could provide timely rescue. Therefore, Cart Gorge was the most frequent ambush site for merchant caravans.

Although Yang Zhiyuan hadn't told everyone their specific tasks yet, Wang Daoyuan could guess the general idea: their mission was likely to intercept fleeing Demonic Beasts.

Afterward, Yang Zhiyuan distributed two Breath Concealing Talismans to each person. These talismans could mask a cultivator's aura, preventing the emission of any magical fluctuations or scents.

The Netherworld Sect distributing Breath Concealing Talismans made their objective clear: they were setting up an ambush.

Demonic Beasts were numerous and scattered throughout the forest. To ambush them, they needed to lure the beasts in.

At this moment, Wang Daoyuan saw a merchant caravan approaching from the south, several li away, following the path through Cart Gorge.

The caravan had a considerable number of people and vehicles, with over twenty carriages and about a hundred individuals. Due to the distance, their cultivation levels couldn't be discerned.

To navigate the terrain, the cargo carriages on the Returning Goose Valley trade route were peculiar. They ranged from twenty to fifty feet long but were less than five feet wide, appearing exceptionally slender.

This caravan was no exception, with carriages about thirty feet long, pulled by two Demonic Beasts that resembled horses.

These Demonic Beasts were called Forest-Piercing Colts. They weren't fast runners but were adept at traversing forests and possessed immense strength, making them common transport Demonic Beasts.

The caravan continued forward, soon reaching the very center of Cart Gorge, the narrowest point. If attacked, the caravan would be trapped, unable to advance or retreat.

The Demonic Beasts would likely attack here, and everyone grew tense. Even Yang Zhiyuan transmitted a message: "Without my command, no one is to act rashly. Those who disobey will be executed!"

Time trickled by, and everyone's hearts pounded. Wang Daoyuan could even hear the heartbeats of those nearby.

The anticipated attack never came. The leading carriage of the caravan had already exited Cart Gorge, and everything remained calm.

Soon, the entire caravan passed through Cart Gorge. The most vulnerable section was behind them, and the people in the caravan breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed the Demonic Beasts had no intention of attacking this caravan.

Those ambushing outside Cart Gorge also relaxed, and Wang Daoyuan sheathed his Profound Sun Sword.

Beyond Cart Gorge, the mountain path widened, allowing multiple carriages to travel side-by-side. For better management, the leader ordered the caravan to split from one column into three.

The leader's authority was evident. At his command, everyone in the caravan immediately broke formation and reformed, the transition appearing smooth and coordinated.

Suddenly, a black gale swept towards the caravan from ahead.

Within the caravan, eleven cultivators rose into the air, piloting their artifacts. The leader, clad in a gray robe, looked less like a cultivator and more like a steward from a wealthy family.

However, the gray-robed cultivator was not weak. As the gale began, he summoned a flying sword and soared into the sky.

He then produced a whisk and gently waved it. A black beam shot into the gale, followed by several popping sounds. The gale paused momentarily before continuing its advance, albeit with slightly reduced force.

The other cultivators who had flown into the air followed suit, summoning their magical artifacts and talismans to attack the gale. The wind gradually weakened but drew closer to the caravan.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators in the caravan couldn't disperse the gale before it reached them.

The black gale surged into the caravan. Many Qi Refining cultivators couldn't fly and were unable to ascend. Those who reacted quickly hid behind the carriages, while the slower ones could only summon their artifacts and talismans to offer a desperate resistance.

The gale struck the cultivators, Forest-Piercing Colts, and carriages, flashing with multicolored light. The black gale actually contained various spells.

After hundreds of flashes of colorful light, the gale dissipated. Within the caravan, over fifty Forest-Piercing Colts lay dead. After all, they couldn't summon artifacts or talismans for defense.

More than ten cultivators had their magical artifacts and talismans shattered, and they died on the spot.

Over twenty cultivators were ragged and pale, clearly severely injured and essentially unable to fight further.

The remaining sixty or so individuals were the quick-reactors. As soon as the gale appeared, they had hidden behind the carriages and summoned their artifacts and talismans.

Most of the attacks were blocked by the carriages, and the few that got through were intercepted by their defensive artifacts and talismans. They only expended some spiritual energy and were unharmed, their combat effectiveness largely unaffected.

As for the more than twenty carriages, they appeared to be specially made. Their quality was truly excellent. After being hit by spells, only shallow marks remained.

In the valley ahead, where the gale had originated, a group of Demonic Beasts revealed themselves.

There was a giant, striped tiger, a black bear as massive as a small mountain, and a black wolf the size of an ox. In the sky, a black eagle with a wingspan exceeding thirty feet, adorned with some golden feathers.

These four Demonic Beasts stood at the forefront of the horde, like four generals leading an army of thousands.

Behind the tiger, black bear, and black wolf were over two thousand assorted beasts. Behind the eagle were over a thousand various avian Demonic Beasts.

Seeing this, the gray-robed cultivator of the caravan decisively ordered, "All who can still stand, listen up! Arrange the carriages into a circular formation and prepare to defend yourselves!"

Upon hearing the command, the surviving Qi Refining cultivators immediately sprang into action. With the Forest-Piercing Colts dead, they had to rely on themselves to move the carriages. For the sake of their lives, they were quite proactive, with some even activating Divine Strength Talismans.

In just a few dozen breaths, the more than twenty carriages formed a circle, with the Qi Refining cultivators inside.

Then, they produced spirit crossbows and loaded them with Spirit Stones. The surviving Qi Refining cultivators, who had been like headless chickens, instantly transformed into fully armed elites.

In Wang Daoyuan's view, with the circular carriage formation as cover, these Qi Refining cultivators truly had a semblance of defensive warfare from his past life.

The caravan cultivators were too fast, and with over ten Foundation Establishment cultivators providing aerial reconnaissance, the Demonic Beasts didn't have time to attack, missing their optimal window. Now, the caravan had adopted a defensive stance and wouldn't be easily taken down.

However, with thousands of Demonic Beasts gathered, such a massive display wouldn't retreat at the first sign of trouble.

A few second-tier Demonic Beasts roared, and five to six hundred beasts with thick hides, such as bears and rhinoceroses, emerged from the horde.

With a roar, the tiger let out a charge, and the five to six hundred beasts surged towards the caravan.