Deadly Ambush in Tiger and Leopard Valley

As dawn broke, the Wolf Tribe's camp stirred. Xueya, who hadn't slept all night, leaned against the makeshift camp, his eyes fixed on the direction of the Horse Tribe's camp to the north, where campfires flickered and the figures of patrolling cavalry could be vaguely seen.

"Chief," Yexiao approached, handing over a piece of dried meat, "Dawn is approaching."

Xueya took the dried meat, tore off a piece, and chewed it slowly. His eyes were bloodshot, but his gaze remained sharp.

"Pass down the order," he swallowed the meat in his mouth, "Pack your things and prepare to evacuate. Be quick and quiet."

"Yes."

Orders were passed down one after another, and the warriors of the Wolf Tribe silently packed up their tents, weapons, and supplies. No one spoke; only the occasional sound of footsteps and horses' hooves pawing the ground could be heard. A quarter of an hour later, the camp was ready. Xueya mounted his horse and took one last look at the north.

"Walk."

The Wolf Tribe began to move south, with infantry in front and cavalry behind, like a silent giant python, slowly gliding south under the cover of the morning mist. But their movements did not escape the eyes of the Horse Tribe.

"Leader! Leader!"

A patrol cavalryman from the Horse Tribe galloped into the camp. He dismounted and practically tumbled and crawled to Junfeng's tent.

"The Wolf Tribe has run away!"

Junfeng suddenly opened his eyes. He had been sleeping fully clothed lately, with his weapon right beside him. At that moment, he rolled over, jumped up, grabbed his leather armor, and put it on, then strode out of the tent.

When did this happen?

"Just discovered! Their camp is empty; everyone's headed south!"

Junfeng's face darkened. He quickly walked to a high point at the edge of the camp and looked south. In the morning mist, he could vaguely see a black line moving south. That was the Wolf Tribe's team, which had already traveled at least two or three miles.

"That Xueya..." Junfeng gritted his teeth, "It ran fast!"

Xiao Matou Horsehead spurred his horse forward, his face filled with urgency. "Brother! We can't let them escape! If the Wolf Tribe escapes this time, they'll come back next time, and it won't be just a few hundred people, it could be fifteen or two thousand! Will our Horse Tribe still be able to graze peacefully then?"

Tengjiao also stumbled over. He hadn't slept well all night, and his eyes were red and swollen. Hearing that the Wolf Tribe had run away, he rushed over in a panic!

"Chief Junfeng!" he almost screamed, "You promised to avenge me! Hundreds of lives from my Great Grass Vine Tribe cannot just die in vain!"

His voice was shrill, drawing the attention of several Horse Tribe warriors nearby.

Chidian strode over, his face ashen. "Chief, let's chase them! This is already the edge of the Horse Tribe's territory. If we don't, they'll run back to High Pointed Mountain, and we won't be able to catch them!"

Junfeng didn't answer immediately. He stood on high ground, looking at the increasingly distant black line to the south, his brows furrowed. If he pursued, he only had five hundred cavalrymen, while the Wolf Tribe still had nearly a thousand people, including at least five hundred cavalrymen. A head-on confrontation might not be a victory. If he didn't pursue, the Wolf Tribe would truly escape. Once they returned to High Pointed Mountain and absorbed the supplies and people they had plundered, their strength would increase significantly. At that time, the northern grasslands would never have peace again.

Junfeng closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened his eyes again, there was no more hesitation in them.

"Chidian!"

"Exist!"

"Gather five hundred cavalrymen, bring five days' worth of rations, and follow me!"

"Yes!" Chidian turned and ran.

"Zhuiying!"

"Exist!"

"Take some men and stay behind to take care of the wounded and gather supplies for the camp. Once reinforcements arrive, have them catch up immediately!"

"Clear!"

Junfeng mounted his chestnut horse, tightened the Jiangsheng, and looked at the black line to the south, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Xueya, you think you're safe just because you ran back to High Pointed Mountain?"

He raised his whip.

"Chase!"

Five hundred Horse Tribe cavalrymen galloped south like arrows released from a bow. Xueya soon discovered that the Horse Tribe was catching up. He glanced back and saw a black line rapidly approaching on the northern horizon. It was the Horse Tribe cavalry, moving at an incredible speed, the dust kicked up by their hooves obscuring the sky.

"They actually dare to chase after us." Xueya sneered.

He ordered, "Infantry, move ahead quickly; cavalry, stay behind with me."

The Wolf Tribe's ranks quickly split up. The infantry quickened their pace, rushing south as fast as they could, while the cavalry slowed down and formed ranks before the Horse Tribe could catch up. Junfeng caught up and the two faced each other from two hundred paces away. This time, Xueya spoke.

"Chief Junfeng," his voice was hoarse and laced with sarcasm, "Are you chasing me so relentlessly, in such a hurry to your death?"

Junfeng did not answer; he simply stared coldly at Xueya, as if looking at someone who was already dead.

"Kill!"

He drew his sword and pointed it at the Wolf Tribe's cavalry. The Horse Tribe's cavalry surged forward like a tide, but this time, they did not directly charge the Wolf Tribe's formation. Instead, like a pack of wolves, they swept past from the flanks, touched them, and then quickly disengaged.

Xueya instantly understood Junfeng's intention—not to engage in a direct confrontation, but to harass him, thus slowing down his retreat and waiting for reinforcements.

"Damn it!" Xueya gritted his teeth.

He ordered his cavalry to counterattack, but the Horse Tribe's cavalry were too fast, slippery as Niqiu, and the Wolf Tribe's cavalry could not catch up or surround them, leaving them only able to passively take the beating.

"Leader!" Yexiao Owl rode up, a bullet wound in his shoulder, blood staining half his leather armor. "They're too slippery! At this rate, our men will be worn down here!"

Xueya knew this, of course, but he had no other choice. The infantry were slow, and if they didn't stop the Horse Tribe, they would soon be overtaken. The elderly, women, and children who were migrating, as well as the supplies they had worked so hard to seize, would all fall into Junfeng's hands.

"Let's fight!" Xueya gritted his teeth. "Pass down the order, cavalry, charge! We'll fight them to the death! Let's see who's scared first!"

The Wolf Tribe's cavalry began to counterattack. They were no longer passively taking hits, but instead actively charged towards the Horse Tribe's cavalry. Even if they couldn't catch up, they wanted to force the Horse Tribe to retreat and buy time for the infantry. This tactic worked. Junfeng really didn't dare to fight head-on. He only had five hundred cavalrymen, each of whom was a brother he had raised since childhood. If one of them died, it would be one less. As for the Wolf Tribe's cavalry, even if a hundred of them died, Xueya wouldn't feel bad.

"Withdraw!" Junfeng ordered. "Maintain distance and continue harassment!"

The Horse Tribe's cavalry retreated again, but not far. They swarmed around the Wolf Tribe's ranks like flies, occasionally swooping down to bite them before quickly flying away. Xueya was furious, but there was nothing he could do. Thus, the two groups fought and retreated, heading south. For a whole day, the Horse Tribe's cavalry relentlessly pursued them. They didn't engage in direct combat, only harass them. The Wolf Tribe's men and horses were exhausted and their speed noticeably slowed down.

As evening fell, Xueya finally caught up with his infantry. After the two groups joined forces, Xueya ordered them to set up camp. The infantry immediately began erecting fences to prepare for the night, while the cavalry dismounted wearily to feed and water their warhorses and check their injuries. Xueya stood in the center of the camp, looking north. There, the Horse Tribe's camp had also lit bonfires. Sure enough, Junfeng had not gone far and had set up camp not far away.

"Leader," Yexiao approached, his expression grave, "They're sticking too tight, fighting so fiercely even outside their territory. They must have reinforcements coming."

Xueya nodded. He knew that the Horse Tribe's reinforcements would arrive within a day or two. By then, the Wolf Tribe would be in danger. He looked south, where the migrating caravans of the tribes he had brought along should have already gone much further. If all went well, they would reach the foot of High Pointed Mountain in three days. He himself was only four days away from the foot of High Pointed Mountain. But the problem was, the Horse Tribe wouldn't give them that much time!

"We have to teach Junfeng a lesson!" Xueya whispered. "Break his bones so he won't dare chase after us again."

Yexiao was taken aback. "How do we fight?"

Xueya didn't answer. He squatted down and started drawing on the ground with his finger.

"This is where we are now." He drew a dot. "Two hours south, and we'll reach Tiger and Leopard Valley."

The Yexiao leaned closer to take a look.

"Tiger and Leopard Valley is flanked by mountains, with a narrow valley path running through the middle," Xueya continued. "At its narrowest point, only four or five people can walk side by side. On the cliffs on both sides, there are rolling stones and building blocks that our Wolf Tribe prepared beforehand."

The Yexiao's eyes lit up.

You mean...?

"Yes." Xueya stood up, a ruthless glint in his eyes. "Tomorrow, we'll lure Junfeng in, and then..."

He slammed his fist into his palm, and Yexiao remained silent for a moment before slowly nodding.

"Good."

The next day, as soon as it was light, the Wolf Tribe's camp was bustling with activity, with Xueya personally making arrangements.

"Duyan, you take the infantry and set off ahead of time. Ambush them on the mountainsides on both sides of Tiger and Leopard Valley. Remember, once my men have all passed through the narrowest point, when you see the Horse Tribe's forces, push down the rolling stones and blocks. Be quick and ruthless; don't let them get through!"

"Understood!" The Duyan man grinned, his eyes flashing with a fierce light.

Xueya looked at the cavalrymen.

"You, come with me," he said. "We'll lead Junfeng into Tiger and Leopard Valley, and then..."

Once the deployment was complete, the Wolf Tribe's forces began to split up, while Xueya led over five hundred cavalrymen in a slow retreat, waiting for Junfeng to catch up. As the sun rose, the Horse Tribe's cavalry indeed reappeared. Junfeng, riding his chestnut horse, watched the Wolf Tribe's retreat from afar. The Wolf Tribe had lost many of its men; only the cavalry remained.

"Trying to run?" Junfeng sneered, "Chase him!"

The Horse Tribe's cavalry charged again, and Xueya led his cavalry to continue the battle. This time, Xueya did not fight desperately, but instead fought for a while and then ran away, and then turned back to fight again. Junfeng quickly noticed the abnormality.

"The direction they ran in..." Chidian pointed ahead, "That way."

That was the entrance to a valley. Junfeng reined in his horse and looked at the valley entrance. The valley was flanked by steep cliffs. The entrance wasn't too narrow, but it would probably get narrower as you went further in.

"Chief, there's a problem." Chidian galloped over, his face grave. "This valley is called Tiger and Leopard Valley. The terrain is very treacherous. If they've ambushed us on both sides..."

Junfeng was silent for a while, he also felt that something was wrong, but just then, Tengjiao rushed over.

"Chief Junfeng!" His eyes were bloodshot. "The Wolf Tribe is escaping! If we don't chase them now, we'll never catch them!"

Xiao Matou rode over, his face full of urgency. "Brother! The Wolf Tribe is fleeing! They're scared! If we catch them, we can wipe them out as soon as our reinforcements arrive!"

Junfeng looked at the valley entrance, then at the Wolf Tribe cavalry getting further and further away. Should he chase them or not? He thought of Xueya's ferocious face, of the tribes that had been slaughtered, and of Tengjiao's cries. Chase them!

"Chidian," Junfeng gritted his teeth, "You take a hundred men and rush in to scout ahead. If there's an ambush, retreat immediately!"

"Yes!"

Chidian led a hundred cavalrymen and charged into Tiger and Leopard Valley with a roar. Junfeng led the remaining cavalrymen and waited outside the valley entrance. A quarter of an hour passed, then another quarter of an hour, but Chidian did not come out. Junfeng's heart sank.

"Oh no!" he suddenly realized, "We've fallen for their trap!"

Just as he was about to order a retreat, he heard a deafening roar from the valley—the sound of rolling stones and building blocks.

"Xueya--!" Junfeng roared.

But it was too late.