The three thousand Blood-Clad Army soldiers who had received their orders did not charge straight at the front of the hills and alert the enemy. Instead, they followed the hidden paths the scouts had mapped out beforehand, silently circling around to the side and rear of the hills.
The evening wind swept scraps of wild grass across the rugged terrain, carrying the faint chill from deep within the grasslands. These elite soldiers, clad in fitted black combat garb and close-fitting light armor, had long since left their warhorses outside the forest. They had completely cast off the constraints of cavalry formations and relied solely on their own bodies to infiltrate.
Like phantom shadows that had lurked in the dark night for ages, patiently awaiting their prey, they lowered their forms and slipped into the forested ravines. Not a single unnecessary sound was made; even their footsteps over fallen leaves were so light as to leave almost no trace.
They had to clear away the dangers ahead before the main force arrived. They could not allow an ambush to disrupt the army's marching speed.
Once these elites, tempered through harsh physical training, entered the rugged forest, they completely let loose. Freed of the cavalry's restraints, the advantages of their physical prowess were brought to their utmost limit.
Their agile, nimble bodies were far swifter than cheetahs. They darted through the overlapping shadows of jagged rocks and dense thickets, their toes touching down lightly and soundlessly—truly as free as an Azure Dragon plunging into the sea.
Every step landed precisely on solid ground, leaving not the slightest trace and revealing instincts honed through relentless training.
When they encountered sheer cliffs several yards high, the leading Blood-Clad Army soldiers would lightly tap their toes against a rocky protrusion and use the force to