A Risky Move

"Flame People! The Flame People's flying Demon Beast are attacking!! Notify the chieftain!"

"Didn't the king say that the Yan army was deep in the Snow Plain? How dare these remnants leave the city?"

"Don't panic! Prepare the sacred weapons!"

The rough and difficult language of the Barbarian Tribe echoed throughout the makeshift camp.

Although Barbarian Tribe are warlike by nature, they are not without fear.

The moment the Great Yan Demon Beast took flight, chaos inevitably descended upon the Barbarian Tribe camp, and this chaos reached its peak after the smoke screen formed.

The long war had made them no strangers to the Yan people's endless array of military equipment, but when a brand-new piece of weaponry with an unknown purpose appeared, panic still spread throughout the camp.

At this time,

"Don't panic, the King anticipated this. Act according to the King's decree!"

"Are the holy weapons and equipment ready?!"

"Form an array to summon the primal god totem!!"

The heavy, barbarian language resonated powerfully.

As these voices rang out, the chaotic Barbarian Tribe finally remembered that their king had already made arrangements for what would happen next.

Soon, order finally prevailed over chaos within the eastern camp.

Just as the chaos was about to be suppressed, ferocious Demon Beast burst forth from the smoky barrier, one after another, stretching like dark clouds, roaring as they charged toward the Barbarian Tribe camp with their enormous mouths agape.

"."

Amidst the tense preparations for battle at the Barbarian Tribe camp,

A barbarian junior officer, standing outside the chieftain's tent, stared blankly at the approaching Demon Beast. His hands, covered in horns, trembled slightly as he gripped his sacred weapon, and his dark lips murmured prayers such as "May the barbarian god protect my Holy Clan."

As a confidant of the chief, Eji knew far more than the other members of his tribe.

Since the king unified the various tribes, the Holy Clan has become stronger than ever before in a century, and with the full strength of the clan, they went south to seek a place to settle.

He initially believed that under that king's leadership, everything would go smoothly for the Holy Clan.

And this has indeed proven to be true.

The Mandate of Heaven rests on my Holy Clan.

The Yanren army, which the tribal elders described as invincible, was actually incredibly weak and ineffective.

Under the king's leadership, the Holy Clan won every battle and marched south, successfully reaching the Beifeng City.

But from that point on, the unfavorable battle situation made Eji realize that things seemed to have changed.

Although those Yanren cities were difficult to conquer, they were not insurmountable.

As long as the Holy Clan people fight bravely and fearlessly, the border towns controlled by those cowardly Yan people will soon be captured.

And this is Beifeng City.

It's like a dead zone.

For every citizen of the Holy Clan who ascends, there is a corresponding death.

There are no exceptions.

Aside from a few large-scale sieges using Ice Beast Colossus, their attacks never even reached the city walls.

Even so, this massive Beifeng city remained an insurmountable barrier.

Even at this point, he still believed that under the king's leadership, the Holy Clan would remain invincible.

What happened next completely shattered his belief.

The ugly-looking Yan princess named Wu Yuan shattered this undefeated record.

Subsequently, it seemed that the Holy Clan's destiny had vanished.

The Holy Clan's million-strong army suffered more than half its losses in the rout.

This was the first time Eji had truly witnessed the power of the Flame People, as described by the tribal elders.

Not only did the Yan princess bring soldiers, but the Yan border troops, who were originally easily defeated, also became invincible.

In equal numbers, their Holy Clan people were almost entirely slaughtered.

The chief and the king seemed to have anticipated this situation.

He even heard the king say things like, "The Snow Plain can't support so many people. If more die, the useless ones are worthless. Keep the experienced elites, and we'll be able to make a comeback more easily next time."

This caused Eji's faith in the king to begin to crumble.

All of Wang's past acts of loving his people like his own children, and his promise to let the Holy Clan gain a place to live, seemed so ironic in light of these words.

But as Eji's status rose during the war, he discovered that the king was still the same king who loved his people like his own children.

Survival of the fittest is the only way for their Holy Clan to continue.

The old, weak, and less talented members of the tribe must die on the battlefield, so that the limited resources can be concentrated on supplying the stronger and more talented members, so that they will remember this hatred and launch the next war.

And then the cycle repeats itself.

This is the destiny of their Holy Clan for countless generations.

To break free from this fate, they had no choice but to head south.

Thinking,

As Eji watched the approaching Great Yan Demon Beast in the sky, his clenched fists deformed the calluses on his palms.

But heading south is easier said than done.

In just a few months, the power of the Great Yan had been etched into his very bones.

If it weren't for this auspicious snow, they probably would never have been able to cross this giant city of Beifeng in their entire lives.

The king's decision was risky; now, including the corpses of their people, their supplies would only last for two months.

But for the future of the Holy Clan Race, they must take risks, even the risk of their lineage dying out.

"Children of the Holy Clan, follow me into battle!!!"

Looking down from the sky, billowing smoke and dust made it seem as if a sandstorm was approaching the city.

Except for the northern side, the vast Beifeng was almost entirely shrouded in a thick fog of smoke on the other three sides.

Even standing atop the mountain-like city gate tower, Xu Yuan could see was pure white.

The earth-shaking sound of hooves beneath the city walls became Xu Yuan's only way of sensing the battlefield.

His fiancée, who likes to wear a bra, should have already left the city.

Having been in this world for so long, Xu Yuan's mindset has changed a lot, but facing war still makes him somewhat nervous.

In silence,

Suddenly, a series of loud roars came from afar.

Xu Yuan glanced sideways at the ashen-faced Deputy General Cang and broke the silence, saying:

"The Barbarian Tribe have aerial capabilities?"

"Of course there are."

Deputy General Cang glanced in the direction from which the explosion came. "Of these Demon Beast, probably eight or nine out of ten won't be coming back."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan recalled the flying Demon Beast that Sun Veil out the sky as they left the city, and sighed softly.

"War is all about money. The cost of training a flying Demon Beast is at least two thousand taels of silver, and these flying Demon Beast, including the weapons they carry, can easily cost millions at a time."

Deputy General Cang seemed to sigh as well, but then shook his head slightly:

"Lord Xu, the princess's decision to go here was out of necessity. The sect's granaries in the city have been destroyed and can no longer support such a large group of Demon Beast. Although most of these are military Demon Beast, they still risk rioting without food."

The Demon Beast were enormous, consuming far more food than ordinary cultivators, making them impossible to feed.

Xu Yuan's eyes flickered, and he suddenly asked:

"So, with so many flying Demon Beast leaving the city, won't they provide meat for those Barbarian Tribe?"

If thousands of diverse flying Demon Beast were used as food, the quantity could be measured in tens of thousands of tons.

Upon hearing this, Deputy General Cang grinned:

"If the Barbarian Tribe dare to eat these Demon Beast, it will save us a lot of trouble."

Xu Yuan instantly understood:

"You drugged him?"

Deputy General Cang cupped his hands in greeting:

"What Lord Xu can think of, Her Highness the Princess has naturally considered as well. This morning, the feed for these flying Demon Beast was all laced with Crane's Crest Powder. This drug can stimulate the Demon Beast' bestial nature and make their meat poisonous."

Xu Yuan looked at the smoke that had spread to the edge of the city wall, shook his head, and said nothing more.

War is waged by any means necessary.

He had already witnessed the cruelty of war back in Shengshan City; it was a horrific scene of piled-up flesh and blood.

Stepping on that flesh and blood, you can even feel the warmth that once clung to life.

That was merely a small-scale battlefield, not even worthy of being discussed openly.

In the days to come in the Northern Border, he might see real mass graves, or even mass graves of hundreds of thousands.

Just as I was thinking,

Seven resounding bells echoed throughout the entire Beifeng City.

Deputy General Cang naturally looked towards the south of the city.

Xu Yuan followed suit and looked in that direction.

As Li Qingyan had predicted, the Barbarian Tribe launched their counterattack from the south of the city.

The smoke and dust released by the "Sun Veil" was suddenly punched through a huge hole by a powerful gust of wind, and the smoke rose high, even covering the towering city wall.

Looking out from the high vantage point, thanks to the enhanced vision provided by the Blood Origin Heart-Fall Technique, Xu Yuan could vaguely see the city's City Protection Array on the South City flicker for a moment.

Subsequently,

Boom--

Boom--

Boom--

The trembling sound, like an earth dragon turning over, caused the sturdy city wall to begin to shake slightly.

Xu Yuan lowered his eyes to look at the slightly trembling pebbles on the city gate tower, his brows furrowing slightly:

"This is."

Deputy General Cang's voice was solemn:

"The Ice Beast Colossus! That madman, the Barbarian King, actually used the Ice Beast Colossus directly!"

Xu Yuan pondered for a moment, exhaled a puff of white mist in the cold wind, and asked:

"They wouldn't normally use this for a siege?"

"No, without the Ice Beast Colossus, the Barbarian Tribe will have a hard time breaching the city walls. These colossi are extremely precious to the Barbarian Tribe, and there are only about two palm-sized ones in total."

"Deputy General Cang, do you mean that Barbarian Tribe sieges always start by attrition through human casualties?"

"Yes."

Deputy General Cang nodded. "The harsh lands are short of resources. If these barbarians have an excess population, they will have to be used for war. But the colossi are different. They are their greatest asset when they march south to attack cities. Taming even one comes at a great cost."

A thoughtful expression crossed Xu Yuan's face, then he suddenly grinned:

"Deputy General Cang, may I ask you a question?"

"What?" Deputy General Cang, his eyes wide with surprise.

Xu Yuan carefully considered his words and asked in a low voice:

"Although the Barbarian Tribe are not our human race, they also possess wisdom. They have crossed towering mountains and taken a roundabout route to come here, and their morale is not necessarily very stable. If you were the Barbarian King, how would you deal with Wu Yuan's attack on the camp?"

Deputy General Cang stared at Xu Yuan for a few moments before answering truthfully:

"Hmm, if I were that Barbarian Tribe Alien King, based on the current military intelligence, I would most likely send troops to feign an attack on the South City to force the princess to return to defend it, with elite reserves on standby at any time."

Xu Yuan nodded:

"Indeed, the eastern camp is acceptable to the Barbarian Tribe, but for us, the Beifeng and South City are absolutely indispensable."

Deputy General Cang continued to analyze and deduce the battle situation:

"If we achieve any success in the South City, I will deploy the reserve forces to continue our efforts and strive to capture the city in one fell swoop. If the South City falls into a stalemate, we will use the reserve forces to cooperate with the soldiers of the eastern camp to wipe out the princess's Yulin Army who have gone out. Although the gains may not be great, it will be beneficial to the Barbarian Tribe in either case."

He paused for a moment,

He said in a serious tone, "After all, the morale of the troops in Beifeng City is on the verge of collapse. The longer it drags on, the better for them."

"Yes, the absolute superiority of their forces allows the Barbarian Tribe to act with greater ease."

Hearing the continuous explosions coming from the eastern camp, Xu Yuan replied in a low voice, "If that's the case, why would the Barbarian King, like Wu Yuan, take such a desperate gamble and directly use the Ice Beast Colossus to attack the city?"

"."

Deputy General Cang frowned and hesitated before saying:

"The Beifeng City currently undefended. The Barbarian King may want to conquer Beifeng as soon as possible, since it's entirely uncertain how long this blizzard will last."

Xu Yuan paused for a few breaths, then shook his head:

"I'm more inclined to believe that these Barbarian Tribe are running out of food. The Black Scale Guard have compiled a list of the various supplies the Barbarian Tribe have looted, and a large portion of them are difficult to carry."

The biggest problem troubling the 700,000 elite troops who have ventured deep into the Northern Border is how much supply the Barbarian Tribe can bring if they come via a detour.

If the supplies carried by the 700,000-strong army in the Northern Border are less than those carried by the barbarians, a scorched-earth policy will suffice, and the Barbarian Tribe will collapse without a fight.

Deputy General Cang paused for a few breaths, then hesitated before saying:

"Lord Xu, do you mean they plan to eat the Ice Beast Colossus?"

Xu Yuan stared at the trembling stones on the city gate tower:

"We can't afford to feed so many flying Demon Beast. A behemoth like a colossus, weighing tens of thousands of tons, must consume a lot of feed, right?"

Deputy General Cang frowned:

"The three-headed colossus's daily food supply is indeed insufficient."

Xu Yuan slowly took out a lens from his Sumeru Ring.

He used the same two-piece set at Wanxiang City before; if you crush one, the other side would sense the communication device.

Upon seeing this, Deputy General Cang frowned:

"Lord Xu, what is this?"

Xu Yuan shook his head with a hint of helplessness:

"Surely my five thousand Black Scale Guard and thirty thousand border troops can't withstand this kind of offensive?"

Deputy General Cang's eyes held a hint of disdain, but he concealed it well.

"Lord Xu is of noble status. If he wishes to leave, this humble general will naturally not stop him."

Xu Yuan shook his head and whispered:

"Don't worry, it's not time to leave yet. This isn't to save my life, but to notify the Black Scale Guard at the beast farm in Beifeng City."

"A beast arena?" Deputy General Cang raised an eyebrow.

"Naturally, I'll send all the flying Demon Beast in the Black Scale Guard's arena to reinforce my fiancée."

"But that large number of Demon Beast should have been enough."

"."

Xu Yuan stared at Deputy General Cang with a strange expression for a few moments, then suddenly shook his head:

"Deputy General Cang, you've followed Qingyan for so many years, yet you don't understand her as well as I do."

"What... does that mean?" Deputy General Cang frowned.

Xu Yuan remained silent, surveying the smoke-shrouded Beifeng City, and said softly:

"The tactical base-trading move is indeed insane, but Qingyan is no ordinary insane woman; she's an even more insane woman than the Barbarian Tribe Alien King."

Upon hearing this, a look of astonishment appeared on Deputy General Cang Cang's slightly wrinkled face:

"Lord Xu, what do you mean?"

Xu Yuan shook his head and looked towards the south of the city.

There, the colossus of war had already besieged the city.

Behind the colossus was a Barbarian Tribe army that had already formed ranks and unleashed its totem.

The colossal bear-shaped giant, its massive body bearing the weight of countless defensive weapons, crashed into the city wall with a deafening roar before collapsing to the ground.

The massive shockwave spread at a visible speed, and the City Protection Array above the city began to appear and disappear.

Meanwhile,

This impact also sent a large amount of dust and smoke from the "Sun Veil" area outside the city into the sky.

At this time,

A large contingent of Yulin Iron Cavalry, shrouded in smoke, suddenly burst forth from the enemy ranks, like a sharp arrow piercing into the heart of the Barbarian Tribe army!

"."

On the city gate tower,

Xu Yuan looked at the tense atmosphere coming from that direction and smiled helplessly at Deputy General Cang:

"You guessed right. It seems my princess is truly mad."

With that, he crushed the lens in his hand.