Chapter 119: The Power of Two Swords—Retreating to Advance

Therefore, it was highly likely that the traitor was heading to the South Gate to unleash the enemy forces. Fortunately, the South Gate was over thirty miles from the Beilu military camp. Traveling at full speed, he took less than the time for two incense sticks to reach the gate. Even if the city gates were wide open, there was still time to respond.

Han Chong sprinted ahead of Leng Feichen, swiftly arriving at the South Gate in mere moments. As expected, he immediately spotted the Protector Duan standing there, who promptly noticed Han Chong charging toward him.

“This is a Beilu spy! Archers, fire!” the Deputy Protector Duan Duan shouted, pointing at Han Chong and ordering the city troops.

“Rascal! You’re the real spy! Prepare to die!” Han Chong roared, gripping his ten-foot-long celestial sword. Dragging the sword, he charged forward with overwhelming force, stunning the city soldiers into confusion. Hundreds of archers drew their bows and released a volley of arrows, but Han Chong blocked them all with his swinging blade.

Within mere breaths, Han Chong had reached the city wall, bringing his massive sword down upon Deputy Protector Duan. The sword was imbued with a fierce, dreadful aura, striking with crushing force. Duan finally realized just how formidable Han Chong’s physical strength was.

Though a top-tier cultivator in the Celestial Realm, Duan’s legs weakened under the assault as he hastily raised his sword to block. One strike shattered his tendons and bones; the second cleaved him in two.

“Soldiers, heed my order! I am Han Chong, guerrilla general of the Demon-Slaying Battalion. Deputy Protector Duan has betrayed us, selling out to the enemy—his death is well deserved. Now that the Beilu army attacks, if any city guard dies or the gate is breached, close the gates tightly and follow my commands to defend with all your might! Any who desert or show cowardice will be executed without mercy!”

Thousands of city soldiers, witnessing even the Deputy Protector slain by Han Chong in an instant, finally understood that the former was the true enemy spy. At that moment, the Beilu army reached the city walls, and all commanders hurried to their posts, bracing for battle.

“Fire arrows!” the Beilu army’s marshal, excited by the fires raging in Beiting City, led a full assault, expecting the open gates to grant them an easy victory to sack and pillage the city.

But they were met with a hail of arrows like locusts, causing chaos and confusion as many fell. Especially Han Chong and Leng Feichen, who took up powerful bows and crossbows to specifically target enemy commanders, throwing the Beilu forces into disarray and forcing a retreat.

After entrusting the South Gate to Leng Feichen, Han Chong rushed toward the East and West gates, still uneasy about Generals Li and the other officer. Seeing that the two had stabilized the gate defenses, albeit with a lazy demeanor, and knowing these gates were lightly garrisoned, he finally joined forces with General Xun at the North Gate.

“Ha! What a delight, General Han! How fares the South Gate?” the latter asked, cheerfully drawing his bow and shooting arrows that flew over a hundred yards, scattering fleeing enemy leaders.

“Deputy Protector Duan was slain by me; the South Gate is secure, and the Beilu army has retreated. Tonight, we need not fear,” Han Chong reported.

“Ha! Excellent! I never thought our Demon-Slaying Battalion could turn the tide and save tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians in Beiting Prefecture. This is truly exhilarating, and all thanks to your quick decision-making, General Han. Without you, the consequences would have been dire.”

Han Chong secretly thought that since the Seven Kingdoms' confrontation, General Xun had been deeply frustrated, and now that he had finally vented his pent-up anger, it was gratifying.

By dawn, the two armies had withdrawn to their camps, the great fires in Beiting City extinguished. Sixty thousand elite soldiers were now under the command of forty Demon-Slaying Battalion officers. The victorious battle lifted everyone’s spirits, and like General Xun, they regained their former glory.

In the main hall of the Grand Protector’s Mansion:

“Brother Han, the enemy has retreated, yet you still appear deep in thought,” Leng Feichen asked, puzzled, as did General Xun and the others.

“Recently, I encountered a ferocious demon south of the Beilu camp. It stood nearly seven zhang tall—part lizard, part bull, with three horns on its head. It transformed into a white-robed man holding a purple-gold sword at his waist and a jade-green flute on his back. This figure must be a demon cultivator comparable to the Divine Practice Realm, with unfathomable strength. The recent killing of the Grand Protector and the two-country night raid likely stem from his sinister plot. If this fiend is not eliminated, the northwest will never know peace.”

“Gah! Is that true?” The four generals exchanged incredulous looks. Such a demon’s power alone could easily slay all five of them, not to mention his cunning schemes.

“General Han, surely you exaggerate for glory. If you really encountered such a demon, how could you escape unscathed?” General Li sneered in doubt.

“I was near death and had no choice but to use sorcery, summoning desert insects to drive it back. I barely escaped with my life. What, General Li, do you not believe me?”

“Hmph, none of us witnessed this ourselves. Such incredible tales are hard to accept.”

“I believe Brother Han! Believe it or not,” Leng Feichen said coldly.

“You!” Li retorted.

“Enough. I trust General Han would not speak falsely. General Han, what do you propose we do next?” General Xun intervened sternly, halting the dispute.

“Now that we command the elite troops of Beiting’s Protectorate, we should first send a detailed report to the court and urge the Left Guard reinforcements to hasten their march. But before they arrive, we cannot sit idly. We must launch another strike against the Shule northern army to seize their supplies and water, buying us time.”

“Good. I will draft the report at once and send swift messenger birds. The plan to raid the camp will be entrusted to General Han. I fully support it.”

Soon after, the scene repeated itself at the Shule camp. The Demon-Slaying Battalion led 30,000 cavalry in multiple raids. The two armies’ marshals, overwhelmed and desperate, combined their forces and retreated to a position 100 miles north of Beiting City.

...

In the Shule central camp:

Marshals Pilu and Xile sat frustrated opposite each other, with the white-robed man Feng resting listlessly between them.

“Hey, Xiao Ling, our victory seemed assured. Our kings had high hopes for us, yet we keep suffering setbacks. What’s going on?”

“Indeed. We deployed 400,000 troops and still couldn’t take Beiting Prefecture. Retreating so shamefully, won’t we become the laughingstock of the Seven Kingdoms?”

“Any news from the Anxi Protectorate?” the white-robed man asked, troubled.

“Anxi is unlike Beiting. It lies deep in the desert with sparse civilians but is garrisoned by 150,000 elite troops of the Great Dynasty. Two satellite cities protect it from all sides, making it even harder to assault. Our two nations have surrounded it with 300,000 soldiers but have yet to capture it.”

“Good. We’ll break camp tonight and march on Anxi first, taking it as a base before turning back to Beiting.”

“...!” The two marshals fell silent, exchanging surprised glances. They never expected Xiao Ling, famed for his strength and intelligence, to propose such a plan—it was tantamount to admitting defeat.

“What, do you have a better suggestion?” Xiao Ling challenged.

“Hmm, it seems we have no choice,” they reluctantly agreed.

The two armies then moved out in a grand march toward the southwest.

At the North Gate of Beiting City, Han Chong and his four generals watched the retreating forces, both doubtful and astonished.

“Hey, those two armies fled so shamefully. I wonder if it’s a feigned retreat,” General Li laughed lightly.

“Not at all. They intend to attack the Anxi Protectorate, not withdraw their forces.”