Chapter 1441
The War Has Not Ended, Hengzhou Army Moves
Chapter 1441 The War Has Not Ended, Hengzhou Army Moves
Meanwhile, Xu Da's expression was somewhat grave. Zhu Huai's death meant that the Yellow Turban Army had lost another fierce general, and the battle between Shenni and Baihu showed no signs of stopping. If this continued, it might affect their subsequent plans.
He winked at Shen and Fei beside him. Shen understood, and the silvery-white illusionary mist condensed again. Fei also activated the poisonous mist, spreading towards the battlefield between Shen Ni and Bai Hu. They were not trying to help Shen Ni, but to interfere with the two's battle and see if they could find an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
However, both Shen Ni and Bai Hu possessed the ultimate in Qi. As soon as Shen Ni's illusionary mist approached, it was completely burned away by Shen Ni's blood-red Qi, and Fei's poisonous mist was purified by Bai Hu's white Qi, making it impossible for them to get close to each other's bodies.
This is the advantage of the ultimate form of Qi: ordinary illusions and poisons are completely ineffective against absolutely pure Qi.
Shen Ni noticed Shen He and Fei's little tricks and cursed them inwardly for being "meddlesome," but he didn't get distracted. He just focused more on the battle with Bai Hu. To defeat Bai Hu, he could only rely on pure strength. Any underhanded methods would be useless.
The White Tiger also noticed the Yellow Turban Army's little tricks, but he just snorted disdainfully, and his white aura surged again, completely dispelling the surrounding interference.
The battle between the two intensified, with crimson and white qi intertwining to form a massive light curtain that enveloped the entire central battlefield.
The rubble on the ground was whipped up by the qi, forming a rubble storm in the air. Ordinary soldiers could not even get close, let alone stand in front of the army formation. Many were so frightened that their legs went weak and they could not even hold their weapons steady.
During the battle, the two moved again, unknowingly moving away from Sun Liuer's position and returning to the middle area in front of the two armies.
Sun Liuer was rescued by Zhao Gongming and Shebi Shi and returned to the formation. Although he was injured, he was not seriously hurt. He just watched the battle between Shen Ni and Bai Hu. Zhu Huai's corpse was also dragged back by the Yellow Turban soldiers. When Shen Ni saw this, his anger intensified, his attacks became more ferocious, and the karmic fire in his blood-red aura burned even more fiercely.
The White Tiger remained unmoved, its white aura remaining stable, its defense and counterattacks proceeding in an orderly manner, able to calmly handle even the most ferocious attacks from Shen Ni.
"Shennie, the angrier you get, the more flaws you reveal!"
Baihu reminded him, and the white qi on his left-hand White Tiger Blade condensed into a slash, aiming at Shen Ni's weakness.
"If you want to beat me, calm down first!"
Shen Ni knew that his anger would reveal his weakness, but Zhu Huai's death made him unable to calm down. He had fought for many years and had many generals under his command, but Zhu Huai's brute strength and defense were top-notch. And now, he had been killed by Bai Hu in front of everyone. He really couldn't swallow this insult.
"White Tiger, stop your nonsense! Today, it's either you die or I perish!"
Shen Ni suddenly activated all his internal energy, and the blood-red vertical pupils of the Myriad Fiends Dharma Image suddenly lit up. The blood-red energy surged towards the White Tiger like a tide, and the God-Slaying Spear gathered all its power and stabbed towards the White Tiger's chest.
Just as the two extreme figures of Baihu and Shenni were locked in a fierce and inseparable battle, Wu Qi, who was on the watchtower of the Hengzhou army, had already withdrawn his gaze. Military strategists emphasize "assessing the situation and taking advantage of it." These two powerful figures with extreme qi were clearly going to be engaged in a protracted war. It was impossible to let 100,000 troops accompany them in a "battle of gods."
"It's pointless to drag this out any longer; it's time for our Hengzhou army to show its skills."
He lightly tapped the railing with his fingertips, his gaze sweeping over the Hengzhou army array below, which stood ready for battle, and a smile appeared on his lips.
"Send the order!"
Wu Qi turned to the signalmen and drummers behind him and said in a deep voice, "The first three ranks of the crossbowmen, fire three volleys for suppression! The middle three ranks, load and stand by, the last three ranks, fill in! The long spearmen, advance in a wedge formation, with the chevaux-de-frise following closely behind, maintaining a three-foot interval, and do not break the formation!"
As soon as the words were spoken, the signal officer began to wave the five-colored flags rapidly. The red, yellow, and blue flags rose and fell alternately, accompanied by the slow-paced "dong-dong-dong" war drums played by the drummers. The commands were transmitted throughout the army like flowing water.
The soldiers, familiar with the military signals, immediately sprang into action: the archers and crossbowmen were divided into three ranks, with the front row kneeling on one knee, the middle row half-squatting, and the back row standing upright. They drew their horn bows to their fullest extent, and the fletchings were coated with a light layer of tung oil—a clever trick of the Hengzhou army. Tung oil made the arrow shafts fly more smoothly and was also easier to ignite when hitting tents or wooden defenses, making it a veritable ancient version of a "multi-functional arrow."
"put!"
At the command of the archer battalion captain, arrows from the front ranks flew towards the Yellow Turban army's formation like dark clouds pressing down on the city. Immediately afterward, the front-ranking soldiers bent down to reload, the middle-ranking soldiers released their arrows, and the rear-ranking soldiers followed suit. The three ranks fired in alternation, and the arrows flew continuously, forming a dense barrier of arrow rain.
This "three-stage firing" tactic was an ancient military strategy improved by Wu Qi. It ensured a continuous output of arrows and avoided a firing gap. The Yellow Turban soldiers on the other side were forced to retreat by the oncoming rain of arrows as soon as they tried to look up. Many soldiers who did not have time to dodge were shot through their armor and fell to the ground screaming.
At the same time, the soldiers of the Long Spear Battalion, carrying eighteen-foot-long spears, advanced steadily to the beat of the drums. Their formation, resembling outstretched wings, extended forward on both sides with a slight indentation in the middle, which both expanded the attack range and formed a defensive buffer zone in the middle.
Five long-spear soldiers formed a group, accompanied by a soldier carrying a chevaux-de-frise. Upon reaching the designated position, they would immediately insert the chevaux-de-frise into the ground, forming temporary defensive lines. These chevaux-de-frise were made of hardwood, with sharpened tips and wrapped with caltrops. They were specifically designed to block cavalry charges and were considered a "divine weapon" for infantry against cavalry.
"Where are the Hengwu soldiers?"
Wu Qi's voice rang out again.
"exist!"
Five thousand Hengwu soldiers clad in black iron armor responded in unison, their shouts causing the surrounding flags to flutter loudly.
"Arrowhead formation!"
Wu Qi suddenly pointed the command flag in his hand forward.
"Target the left flank of the enemy's central formation. Just create an opening, but do not linger. Retreat on the sound of the drums!"
The Hengwu soldiers immediately sprang into action, with the front ranks forming a sharp arrowhead formation, followed by the rear ranks, creating a sharp "arrow" formation.
The spears they wielded were longer than ordinary halberds, with shafts made of carefully selected jujube wood and spearheads forged from refined steel. They also featured three-sided armor-piercing grooves, allowing them to easily penetrate even the finest iron armor.
On the right flank of the formation, Tian Zaibiao, riding his Fiery Dragon Steed, led three thousand White Tiger Cavalry, ready for battle.
This fiery steed was entirely crimson, with sparks flying as it trotted. Its eighteen-foot-long golden silk rattan spear was particularly unique, woven from soft rattan and golden silk, a specialty of the south. It could pierce like a hard spear, yet also bend and deflect force, making it especially effective against heavily armored soldiers.
The chain-like electric ball on his back is his unique hidden weapon, filled with dried sulfur and saltpeter. When thrown and colliding with the enemy, it emits a blinding white light and a crackling sound, specifically designed to disrupt the enemy's formation.
(End of this chapter)