Chapter 127 - 108: Marquis of Zhenbian

Chapter 127: Chapter 108: Marquis of Zhenbian

Outside the camp, the army had assembled—a force of three thousand men.

Of the three Thousand Men Commanders who had originally set out, all but Zhou Xiong had been killed in action. Two new ones had to be selected.

One was named Zhao Wu, and the other was Sun Li.

Both were at the Blood Movement Realm and were considered valiant warriors on the battlefield.

They had both come from the Northern Border.

However, they weren’t from the immediate vicinity of Icefield Pass.

At this moment, the three Thousand Men Commanders gathered around Lu Yuan, all clad in new armor.

Zhao Wu was a well-proportioned man in his forties, skilled with a Cyan Dragon Saber and a Meteor Hammer.

In the bloody battles of the recent past, he had killed nearly a hundred enemies.

He leaned closer to Lu Yuan and said, "Sir, I’ve heard about the Xirong Wolf Soldiers on Moya Mountain. The Border Army, reinforced by Garrison Soldiers dispatched from the court, has attacked several times and been repelled each time. They were even led by a Garrison General.

We only have three thousand men. What are the higher-ups thinking?"

"Don’t overthink it. Just focus on killing the enemy when we get there. We’re the ones who are here to crack the tough nuts," Lu Yuan said, patting his shoulder.

Then, he looked to Zhou He and asked, "Are the provisions and supplies ready?"

"Just about. Don’t worry."

Lu Yuan nodded and asked no more questions. When it came to logistics, Zhou He was always reliable.

The troops marched out of the camp.

As they headed toward Moya Mountain, Lu Yuan passed the battlefield once more. He saw the remaining blood-filled pits, now frozen solid.

Fragments of severed limbs were mixed within, and a thick, putrid stench assaulted the senses.

This was in winter; if it were summer, the smell would be even more overwhelming.

It could even cause widespread disease.

After Lu Yuan led his men past this stretch of road, a constellation of villages and towns came into view. Some of the inhabitants had migrated inside the pass, but for various reasons, they amounted to less than a tenth of the population.

Outside the pass, millions of people remained scattered across the land.

When they saw the court’s army, looks of anticipation appeared on their faces.

These days, the Xirong’s plunder of the common people had reached a frenzied level.

"We’re still two days’ march from Moya Mountain. Tell everyone to keep their spirits up," Lu Yuan said, glancing at Zhou Xiong beside him.

The tragic state of affairs outside the pass had dampened the morale of some of the Warriors.

’This isn’t what I want to see.’

"Yes, Sir!" Zhou Xiong acknowledged and withdrew.

For the next two days, the army marched onward.

On the third day, they finally arrived at the foot of Moya Mountain. The mountain itself wasn’t particularly steep; there was even a fairly wide path leading up it.

But Lu Yuan knew this would be a difficult battle.

He could see traces of fighting on both sides of the road, and the mountain path itself was stained almost completely red.

"Make camp here," Lu Yuan ordered from atop a relatively high hill after surveying the surroundings.

As the command was given, the army began to set up camp.

In the distance, a dozen or so Imperial Guard soldiers were observing Lu Yuan and his men.

This Imperial Guard squad was a team of Scouts dispatched by Xiao Heng.

They were responsible for reporting on the battle. The leading Centurion had a black hawk perched on his shoulder, used for sending messages.

One of the Imperial Guard Warriors said, "Chief, the Border Army has already attacked three times and been routed every time. This time it’s only three thousand men. Even if they’re considered elites of the Border Army, I doubt they can win."

"I feel the same way, but that’s how it works," the Centurion said softly, taking a sip of wine.

"What do you mean, ’how it works’?" a nearby Warrior asked.

"Since ancient times, for a soldier in the Border Army to make a name for himself, he has to go through hell and do what others can’t. If this Lu Yuan can survive this, he’ll soar to the heavens. But if he can’t, it just means he isn’t fated to become a Marquis.

This battle is just the beginning.

I didn’t expect Marshal Xiao to think so highly of him."

A smile touched the Centurion’s lips. He was an old veteran who had served in the Imperial Guard for decades and had seen this sort of thing many times before.

The others hadn’t noticed, but this Reconnoitre Centurion had already seen the underlying situation.

"That sounds a little too far-fetched. Marshal Xiao thinks highly of Lu Yuan, so he sends him to his death?" A few of the Imperial Guard Warriors shook their heads.

They were clearly unconvinced, but the old veteran didn’t bother to explain further.

He would be able to go home next year. He’d saved up some silver over the years and was ready to enjoy life with his family. While he couldn’t say for sure about other things, he knew he’d have no problem becoming a landlord in his hometown after retiring from the Imperial Guard.

With his cultivation level on top of that, he would live very comfortably.

’Whatever happens in the army from now on... it won’t have much to do with me anymore.’

Meanwhile, in his own tent, Lu Yuan was planning the next day’s battle.

He sat with his three Thousand Men Commanders, drinking wine and studying a map.

Zhao Wu took a sip of wine and looked up. "Sir, how do we attack tomorrow?"

"I’ve looked it over. There’s only one path up the mountain. We’ll have to force our way through," Lu Yuan said slowly.

He looked up and continued, "Tomorrow morning, I’ll lead the Shield-Bearing Guard to clear the path. The three of you will follow with your men. This is just a temporary encampment for the Xirong; they haven’t built any strong fortifications.

As long as we charge fast enough, there shouldn’t be a major problem.

These past few days, they’ve plundered many of the nearby villages and towns, so there should be plenty of loot inside. After we break through, I’ll take half, and the rest will be divided equally among the brothers."

Lu Yuan had already used up all his silver. Although he had purchased some Elixirs sufficient for his use in the True Essence Realm, he was still lacking in Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

Therefore, his goal in this battle wasn’t just to earn military merit; more importantly, he needed to get enough silver taels to buy what he needed.

Hearing this, Zhao Wu and the others all nodded.

Sun Li then asked, "Sir, should we take prisoners?"

"No. They’re too much trouble to transport. Kill them all," Lu Yuan said, his tone chilling.

In truth, his greatest source of confidence for this battle was himself. Having reached the True Essence Realm, he could rival an Innate master.

One must understand that after stepping into the Innate realm, a single person could fight three thousand Armored Warriors.

Of course, those three thousand were likely the likes of the Border Army. If faced with the Imperial Guard, being able to take on three hundred would be considered extremely strong.

Thus, Lu Yuan was eager to test whether he could truly face this troop of Xirong Wolf Soldiers head-on.

After they finished discussing the battle plans, Zhao Wu and the others withdrew.

Lu Yuan, meanwhile, took out his Crescent Saber and began polishing the blade.

The blade was sturdy. Despite numerous fierce battles, its edge remained sharp.

Once the entire blade was wiped clean,

Lu Yuan took out a True Essence Pill and consumed it.

He began his daily cultivation.

At that very moment, in Yan Province of the Northern Border, Zhou Hongling returned to her family estate with a dark expression.

When she entered the main hall, Zhou Ren looked at his daughter and said softly, "In the world of officialdom, rises and falls are a matter of course. There’s no need to be so anxious. This Marquis of Zhenbian, Shang Yong, was transferred here mainly because of the buffer zone issue.

After all, with an obedient Marquis presiding over the Northern Border, it’s easier for the higher-ups to handle matters in the buffer zone."

"I’m not angry about that. It’s that Shang Yong barely arrived and he’s already reprimanding you without any courtesy. And he clearly knew that Yun Mo is Second Uncle’s disciple, yet he still stripped him of his position as Huqiu Captain.

He had the gall to say he couldn’t bear to see a disabled person overwork himself. This is a direct move to seize our family’s power!"

Zhou Hongling’s face was practically green with rage.

Her chest heaved, a clear sign of her genuine fury.

Zhou Ren took a sip of tea. "Calm down. Aren’t you still here? Right now, even the Helian Family doesn’t dare to offend Shang Yong. Our family can’t support this burden alone.

Let’s endure it for now. The Zhou Family has been a General’s Mansion for generations, guarding the Northern Border. As the saying goes, ’Marquises are like flowing water, but a General’s Mansion is forged of iron.’ Shang Yong will be transferred away sooner or later, and things will be fine then. This is normal; the family has been through it before."

Seeing his daughter’s expression remain grim, Zhou Ren continued, "Unless our family can produce a Marquis one day, this kind of situation will be hard to avoid in the future."

At this, Zhou Hongling’s expression dimmed. Becoming a Marquis was far too difficult.

It required not only immense strength but also astounding military achievements.

It wasn’t something just anyone could accomplish.

’Lu Yuan might have a chance, but he’s too young, and his current strength is insufficient.’

"Alright, go back and rest. For the time being, just manage your own affairs well and don’t stir up trouble. The days ahead certainly won’t be as comfortable as before, but it’s not enough to shake the foundations of our family.

The Zhou Family guards Yan Province. Though we are not on par with a Marquis, we still have our connections. It won’t be so easy for Shang Yong to bring us down. It’s just a bit more trouble, that’s all."

After speaking, he waved his hand, dismissing Zhou Hongling.

She could only nod before walking out of the hall and heading toward her own courtyard.

Elsewhere, unaware of these events, Lu Yuan led his army out at dawn after a night of cultivation.

The Xirong army was clearly well-prepared.

They had soldiers lying in ambush at key points along the mountain path.

White Cloud Bay on Moya Mountain was a perfect spot for an ambush. The path here was so steep it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say ’one man at the pass can hold back ten thousand’.

Although the Xirong knew Dayong hadn’t sent many men this time, they weren’t careless. They had already dispatched a contingent to lie in wait.

The Xirong commander in the lead was at the Blood Movement Realm. He carried a large axe, had a burly frame, a large head, and wore gray armor. He was squatting on the ground, eating meat while waiting for Lu Yuan’s men to arrive.

A thousand men followed behind him.

They completely blocked the already narrow section of the path.

Heaps of stones were piled up ahead to create obstacles.

Archers were at the ready, waiting only for Lu Yuan and his troops to arrive before launching their attack.

This was where Dayong’s Border Army had suffered their defeat. With the path being only a dozen meters wide and blocked by so many elite Xirong soldiers, charging up was exceedingly difficult.

On one side was a stone cliff, on the other a sheer drop. A single misstep meant the risk of falling.

As the sun climbed higher, Lu Yuan and his men arrived at the location.

The two forces faced each other from a distance of several hundred meters.

From afar, they could see the Xirong Warriors had already raised their bows. The moment they entered attack range, they would likely be met with a dense shower of feathered arrows. No wonder the previous Border Army soldiers had died here.

The mountain path was difficult to traverse, making it impossible to bring up the advantageous heavy crossbows. With the Xirong holding the high ground in such a narrow pass, the attackers became complete targets.

Seeing this, Zhao Wu’s expression turned grim. "Sir, this path is too treacherous. I’m afraid we can’t charge up."

Lu Yuan didn’t speak. Instead, he looked to Wei Yong and ordered, "Tell the Personal Guard to form a shield wall and advance with me!"

"As you command!"

After Wei Yong acknowledged the order, a hundred Personal Guards raised their iron shields in unison and began a slow advance.

They moved like a giant wall.

Lu Yuan followed behind, his bow ready.

At the same time, he turned his head and shouted, "Everyone else, follow the advance! We must take Moya Mountain in this battle! Any who dare to retreat will be executed without mercy!"

Then, he drew his Python Sinew Bow into a full moon.