Chapter 10: The Strategy to Lure the Enemy
Long Ying initially intended to create chaos amidst the turmoil, but after receiving a message from Wu Su, he changed his mind and left swiftly
In the vast and boundless regions of the Western Territories, composed of various mountains, deserts, semi-deserts, gravel deserts, rocky deserts, bare rocks, oases, grasslands, rivers, and lakes, he and Xue'er are a match made in heaven
Due to concerns about inadvertently harming Wusu and his two brothers, he dared not shoot an arrow solely based on his extrasensory perception, but had to first use his magical eye to see clearly.
The three individuals who entered the forest to launch a surprise attack on him, aside from Master Chan, who goes without saying, the other two could also evade his spiritual perception, and their abilities would not be significantly inferior to Master Chan's. With the combined strength of these three, he was already at a disadvantage, let alone the presence of other skilled experts.
Bang
Xue'er, let go of your four hooves, and dash towards the dense parts of the forest
Slightly pausing, he continued: "Mo Che was already well aware that you would come to the Northwest and had resolved to spare no effort in killing you. Under his command, in addition to the elite troops led by Danluo, there is also a group of skilled individuals consisting of one hundred members. This group operates both in coordination with Danluo and independently, commanded by the Zen Master you have faced multiple times. My two junior brothers and I are members of this group, and the rest are all capable figures who can stand alone in the vast desert, each possessing unique skills. Is Eagle Master returning to the oasis now?"
Long Ying first asked, "How could that be? It seems like your elder brother is waiting for me to arrive."
At that moment, a faint yet very familiar scent wafted in with the wind. Long Ying immediately called out for his mother in his heart, urging his steed to quicken its pace as he sped towards the hilly area from which the scent emanated
The dragon eagle, guided by its spirit, ascended the hills and descended the valleys, traversing the sentry posts, and arrived at a hilltop that overlooked the central main business area: the feeling of joy in my heart is truly beyond words to express
Using fireballs to injure the enemy has limited lethality, especially in open areas; however, it can yield surprising effects when used for support. Danrood is well-prepared and cannot afford any mistakes, otherwise, he will repeat the fate of General Kuixin, who, despite winning the war, lost his command due to failing to eliminate the Dragon Eagle. From this perspective, as long as he appears, Danrood will set everything aside and pursue him with all his might
Usudao: "It is not waiting for you, but rather hoping for your arrival. I have been unable to sleep well all night due to my concern for you. In the end, I thought it would be better to detonate those ghost bombs and then escape to the oasis to warn you. Little did I know that just as I was about to take action, Lord Eagle arrived. I never expected that anyone who dares to oppose Lord Eagle would ultimately suffer the consequences"
The dragon eagle slowly stood up, first preparing the saddle for Xue'er, then drawing four arrows from the quiver, taking a deep breath and lightly ascending to the treetops.
The boundary between the Great Desert and the eastern grasslands consists of gravel plains and hills, located only half a day's swift ride from the oasis. The gravel hilly area spans approximately fifty miles, acting as a barrier against the desert winds and sands. Although it remains extremely arid, the situation has improved significantly. Various desert plants are sporadically distributed across the surface, followed by dry sandy grasslands, leading to the lush green fields. However, recalling the scene of swirling snow, the grasslands must now be a sight of ice and snow. Various desert plants are sporadically distributed across the surface, followed by dry sandy grasslands, leading to the lush green fields. However, recalling the scene of swirling snow, the grasslands must now be a sight of ice and snow.
The explosive power of forty toxic smoke bombs contained in two boxes is astonishing. After the initial explosion, a series of blasts follows, with the toxic smoke bombs bouncing around wildly, some even shooting up high and being thrown several meters away, releasing thick, deep black smoke that quickly spreads in all directions, enveloping the area near and far, and drifting towards the main direction with the wind.
Therefore, being able to return in a timely manner to rendezvous with our personnel is the key to survival
Long Ying pondered that Xue Er had become as sharp as himself. He touched Xue Er's horse body and found that its temperature was normal, confirming that it was indeed a divine steed capable of enduring the wind and snow
Little did he know that as he reached the top of the tree, he suddenly felt something was amiss. He quickly flipped over and leaped down, landing on Xue'er’s back, urging the horse to gallop swiftly. At the same time, he turned and threw a punch, while his other hand swiftly slashed sideways. He first struck down the deadly flying wheel aimed at Xue'er’s horse neck, launched by Master Chan from the forest, and then, with the force of his punch, he met the oncoming, ferocious energy of another enemy.
Amidst the pine forest, interspersed with fiery red maple trees and golden birch, it resembles a splendid tapestry. In this time of biting cold, this corner of the grassland has become the only land yet to be conquered by the white snow
At that moment, the sound of the drum echoed, signaling the message from the master Wu Su of Tianzhu, who said: "Eagle Master is waiting for me by the small lake thirty-five miles to the northeast of here"
Another enemy approached from the left side through the forest, and before he arrived, a fierce blade aura pierced through the air towards him. It felt as if he were entangled, destined to never escape this beautiful pine forest
Unfortunately, Feng Guoting and Yue Ling left the divine eagle in its nest, allowing it to enjoy the pleasures of its homeland and kin. Otherwise, with more eyes in the sky, the elite troops would have been even more formidable. However, as long as he finds his beloved secret lady, her hunting falcon can make up for this regret
The dragon eagle closed its eyes and entered the realm of demonic transformation. With complete focus, it experienced all the fluctuations of the forest area, carefully savoring this extremely powerful mental technique, which is applicable only to demonic entities.
To the north of the Turks lies the Huíhé, and further up is the Xiájiás. The entire region is roughly a basin, with the central area being the Gūlbǎntōng Great Desert, also referred to by the locals as Shātuóqì. The edges of the basin are bordered by the Altai Mountains to the northeast and the Tianshan Mountains to the south, while Gōngyuè City is located more than a hundred miles to the west of the basin
In contemplation, Xue'er kicked up the dust, moving more than ten miles away from the oasis. As night fell over the great desert, the cold wind howled, replacing the flames with a chilling breeze. The dragon eagle developed a feeling of connection with Xue'er, observing its natural pores contracting, and its body temperature not only remained stable but actually rose, which was indeed unusual
The sound of shouting came from the center of the camp over a hundred zhang away, clearly indicating that a large number of skilled fighters had arrived.
Xue'er emitted a low, jet-like sound, and it was uncertain whether she could understand his words
On this journey, he prioritized speed above all else, leaving behind the Thunder and the Black Blade, taking only a folding bow, the Flying Divine Escape, two quivers of arrows, and a bag of salt. When Snow ran, she was even more agile and at ease. Upon reaching the pinnacle of speed, the Dragon Eagle felt the wind at its ears, experiencing a sense of exhilaration akin to riding the clouds and mist.
One must not underestimate Danluodu, this newly risen Turkic chieftain
The sheepskin cloak he wore was brownish-gray, while Xue'er was entirely covered in black fur. Coupled with astonishing speed, the desert winds, and the darkness, unless one approached closely, even if the other party was staring wide-eyed, they would still be oblivious. Moreover, what the other party was likely concerned about was a large group of cavalry; who would have thought that a lone rider would emerge from the pitch-black desert.
The tents before me stretch over half a mile, divided into ten rows, shrouded in darkness, with no sign of life. No matter how skilled a master may be, in this frigid weather, he must obediently retreat into the tent to avoid the wind and sleep. If it were on the grasslands, he would never have such an opportunity.
The Turkic army, consisting of 20,000 troops, was divided into five encampments, with considerable distances between them. The main camp was situated in the center, coordinating with the other four camps separated by hills. At elevated positions, sentinels covered from head to toe with felt, leaving only their eyes exposed, were on watch. It was nearly impossible to conceal anything from them, yet it posed no challenge to the evil emperor of the Demon Gate
When he opened his eyes, the outside was pitch black.
The dragon eagle drew its bow from both sides, the wooden box shattered, and the sounds of tent flaps being lifted and the commotion of running could be heard from one side of the camp
The distance to the fireball tent was still over ten zhang. Long Ying clapped his hands, and with a leap from the horse's back, he executed a launch, soaring through the air. He broke open the tightly bound tent door and threw in two large boxes of fire oil bombs, which were placed in a tent devoid of any other items
The Western Regions are perhaps the place where national borders change the fastest, due both to the geographical situation and the characteristics of nomadic peoples. Given the current circumstances, with the Xueyan Tuo bandits gaining power and the Turks openly marching south with their armies, large areas south of the Tianshan Mountains have likely fallen into the hands of the Mo Chuo. The journey north from here takes about five or six days, still within the sphere of influence of the Turks, which he certainly does not take to heart. However, he cannot help but worry about the moment when his elite troops leave the Great Desert Sea, as that will also be the moment when the enemy is most prepared—conserving their strength and ready for battle. The journey north from here takes about five or six days, still within the sphere of influence of the Turks, which he certainly does not take to heart. However, he cannot help but worry about the moment when his elite troops leave the Great Desert Sea, as that will also be the moment when the enemy is most prepared—conserving their strength and ready for battle.
The main area is in chaos, resembling the onset of an apocalypse. The camps scattered in all directions are unable to ascertain what has transpired, merely assuming that the remaining two boxes of cursed items have unexpectedly exploded again
On that side, the defeated troops have retreated, while on this side, his main army has advanced to the edge of the hilly area, just a day's horseback ride away from the Virgin Oasis
The sound of hooves echoed once more, indicating that there were likely skilled trackers among them, allowing them to pursue relentlessly. From the sound of the hooves, it seemed there were about forty to fifty individuals. It appeared that the one-hundred-member group from the Chan sect had split into two teams to hunt him down
The Dragon Eagle speculated that it must have been not long ago, when the scorching sun was high in the sky, that one of the boxes of fire bombs could not withstand the drought and extreme heat, resulting in a spontaneous explosion. One can only imagine how disheveled the Turks must have been at that time. Such an incident is unlikely to occur again; having learned their lesson, the Turks have figured out how to maintain the fire bombs at a certain temperature. This also indicates that it was the first time the Turks had used fire bombs on the battlefield in the desert.
Flakes of snow drift down from the sky, some slowly and some quickly
In a moment, apart from Long Ying, no one understood what had happened
The craftsmanship of the Great River Alliance is so exquisite that the hardships endured by the Turks are equally significant
Xue'er occasionally nudged her head against him, showing affection.
The dragon eagle departed from the Virgin Oasis before dusk, galloping eastward. Snow's hooves pounded the sandy ground; not only did she not find it arduous, but she was also filled with excitement, leaping joyfully and neighing incessantly
The sound of hooves tramples, shattering the silence filled with the howling of the wind, that kind of desert-like tranquility
One was also careless, deceived by the cunning of the opponent's hoofbeats. Had it not been for the fear of mistakenly hitting the three from Wusu while rushing to the treetop, one might still have been able to escape. However, Xue'er would undoubtedly find it difficult to avoid the fatal calamity
He had countless questions in his heart and wanted to inquire from Wusu, but it was already too late
The entire tent was lifted into the air, like weightless scraps of paper, soaring to a height of seven or eight zhang. Flames shot up into the sky, producing large plumes of thick, foul smoke. Observing from the ground, the nearest enemy, who had rushed over, groaned in pain as he fell. In addition to releasing toxic smoke, the firebomb also scattered concealed poisoned shrapnel.
The Dragon Eagle sprang into action, and Ce Xueer rushed down the slope, instantly reaching top speed, heading towards the fireball tent that stood at the edge of the camp like a plague god, causing the Turks to still feel a lingering fear.
Naturally, he would learn about the Bactrian camel from Hu Yi, applying this knowledge to Xue'er, monitoring her hydration, sweating, and energy expenditure after ensuring she had sufficient food and water, comparing her with the camels. During his last journey to the Western Regions, Xue'er had carried him swiftly, evading the pursuing cavalry on camels, including secret agents who considered the desert their home, demonstrating remarkable vitality. At that time, everything seemed natural; now he understands that Xue'er's physical structure must differ from that of ordinary horses. After years of transformation, Xue'er has become an exceptional horse among her kind. As long as she can replicate her impressive feat of carrying him across hundreds of miles in a single night in the northeastern plateau beyond the Great Wall, to assassinate in the new city of the Khitan, he is confident that he can halve the travel time to the Kyrgyz.
The elite troops remained in the oasis for a period, not idly, but allowing the injured sufficient time to recover, setting up defenses, and conducting daily drills. This was to further integrate the troops of Tubo and the Great Zhou, managing the horse and camel herds. Although there were only a little over a thousand men, they were exceptionally skilled and talented, united in purpose. When the full strength of the entire brigade was unleashed, they could certainly achieve legendary feats akin to the Bodhisattva of the Huihe, who, with merely 5,000 men, defeated the 100,000 strong Turks, creating a timeless legend.
As expected, the grassland no longer resembled a scene of flourishing flowers and trees, but was instead covered in silver frost, with snowflakes adorning the treetops. After walking north for more than 10 miles, I found a pine forest where green grass still carpeted the ground. Upon reaching a small river flowing within the forest, I allowed the hardworking and deserving Xue'er to drink water and graze, giving her a good rest.
Long Ying understood and, without a word, swept his palm horizontally to strike at his shoulder. Wu Su was thrown sideways for two zhang, landing with a thud on the sandy ground beside the small lake, unable to rise from the ground.
This is a rapid force of cattle and horses, fully prepared for entering the desert. It is impossible to completely annihilate the elite brigade of the Dragon Eagle, but if the objective is merely to force the elite brigade to retreat from the oasis, it is more than sufficient. Of course, with Danluo's intelligence and strength, there must be further plans.
The Dragon Eagle laughed heartily and said in Turkic: "With your mediocre skills, how dare you pursue me!"
The increasingly severe climate is increasingly advantageous for him and Snow. The world devoid of travelers is precisely their paradise
Xue'er’s eyes sparkled with excitement and curiosity
Long Ying had just noticed the snowflakes stirred up by a master of knife techniques leaping upwards, realizing that an enemy was approaching
Long Ying is enjoying the rare peace and tranquility at present, relaxing both body and mind, adjusting the demonic seed, while contemplating future journeys
Boom
Usu said in a deep voice: "You hurt me!"
Long Ying said joyfully: "Brother Wusu, you are truly a good friend. How are your two fellow townsmen?"
The voice of Master Chan echoed from behind, as if speaking directly into his ears: "I have also heard that Brother Long is about to change his master. I wonder if Brother Long's future master will still cherish him as before"
He ignited the firebrand, skillfully picked up a fireball, and adeptly channeled the flames into the fireball. He immediately moved outside the tent and threw the fireball back inside. At that moment, Xue'er had just rushed to his side, hurriedly mounted her horse, and urged it to gallop towards the eastern sky, calling out in Turkic: "Where is Danluodu? Dare you engage me in a battle of three hundred rounds, but it must take place three hundred miles away from here"
The comparison between us and the enemy is one of speed
What the dragon eagle detected was the scent of incendiary smoke bombs. What shocked him the most was that there were still more than ten catapults placed in the central camp. This batch of formidable siege weapons had been modified, featuring oversized wheels, making them smaller than the commonly seen catapults, yet significantly lighter, allowing them to be dragged across the desert by camels
The dragon eagle embraced its horse's neck and said, "We are once again relying on each other for survival! Are you happy and enjoying the illustrations?"
Xue'er bumped her head against him, the sound of hooves came from afar, then suddenly stopped
The sun weakly scattered its light behind the heavy clouds, appearing and disappearing intermittently. Sounds of birds and beasts could be heard among the trees. The dragon eagle fetched water from the small river to fill the sheepskin water pouch, and then gathered fodder for Snow. Only then did it take out the prepared dried meat and begin to chew heartily
Long Ying and Xue Er rode their horses at full speed, galloping from night until the sun hung high in the sky. They left the gravel area and arrived at the grassland, where they finally slowed their horses.
For Long Ying, this region is filled with a sense of mystery; his understanding is limited to the south of Tianshan, and he knows nothing of the world to the north of Tianshan
The Dragon Eagle's heart called for good fortune, yet this strength of a hundred men was already enough to exhaust the elite troops in their response. Fortunately, I have this clever strategy to draw the snake out of its hole, saying: "I will go to the north and lure them to chase me. Hey! Someone is coming."
In the main camp, one tent at the left end stood isolated, distanced from the other tents by two or three times the usual space. The air still carried the lingering scent of incendiary smoke, reminding him of the method used in Nanzhao to store toxic smoke bombs in wooden boxes, which left him perplexed. Logically, properly wrapped toxic smoke bombs should not emit any odor. He then realized his fortune and exclaimed in relief. The air still carried the lingering scent of incendiary smoke, reminding him of the method used in Nanzhao to store toxic smoke bombs in wooden boxes, which left him perplexed. Logically, properly wrapped toxic smoke bombs should not emit any odor. He then realized his fortune and exclaimed in relief.
As Long Ying departed from Lin, he left three enemies behind and laughed, saying: "Brother Can, you seem to be well. I heard that you have a new master; it appears that your principles in this regard are quite lax."
The tiger, by sensing the enemy a step ahead against the wind, has left a deep impression by allowing them to avoid great disaster. For others, knowing this method may not be very effective, but for the dragon eagle, it is akin to learning the principle of "The Fluctuation of All Things" from the Empress, enabling him to fully utilize his sense of smell, which is a hundred times more sensitive than that of ordinary people, to detect the enemy. Thus, while he appears to only understand how to run at full speed, there are hidden laws governing his actions.
The dragon eagle was struck at its vulnerable point by his words and vanished into the distance
Usudao: "Just now, the two of them were nearby with me. Seeing that there was no need to take action, they stayed behind while I went to meet Master Eagle. I never expected that despite Danluodu's record of winning every battle, when facing Master Eagle, he still ended up getting beaten and suffering losses."
The enemy was pushed back, and the dragon eagle swayed slightly
He leaped onto the horse and galloped towards the nearby hills, deliberately slowing his speed to allow his pursuers to see from which direction he was escaping
Please wait a moment, Wusu has arrived. After a long separation, both parties are very pleased to meet again
At first, the hilly area appeared merely as a black line on the horizon; within less than half an hour, it revealed its undulating form. He sensed the presence of enemies at the edge of the hilly region, keeping watch over this side of the desert. He thought to himself how perilous it was and hurriedly crouched down on Snow's back
With this extraordinary skill, he could skillfully engage with Master Zen Chan, and ideally, he would be able to eliminate him. His strategy was to take down one opponent at a time while fleeing and fighting, hoping to secure an opportunity to converse with Wusu again