Shennong Dao Master-Chapter 1391 - 23: Absolute Heaven and Earth · Battle of Cultivators (Part 1)_2

This person's skin may be wrinkled, but actually, he is in his prime. It's just that his racial appearance is such; in reality, those are gill-like organs.

"Wang Gang, why do you want to join us?" Long Xiao curiously asked.

"General." Wang Gang clasped his hands respectfully, "I saw after the General entered the city, he did not kill those without armor, nor those unarmed. The General is worthy of following."

Long Xiao couldn't understand. Could it be that the Southern Barbarian Royal Court's army is even more fearsome to its own people?

I merely refrained from killing civilians, and that alone has become a reason to be admired, truly strange.

"You've been fighting the Royal Court's regular army before, and those regular armies have some semblance of military discipline." Zhao Xing said, "West Field is governed by miscellaneous barbarian forces with little concept of nationhood, only tribal identity. They obey the Royal Court's orders to fight, and all that matters is completing the mission. As for the life and death of other tribes' barbarian people, they do not care."

"Indeed, it is so." Wang Gang said angrily, "Our Kashen Tribe has been conscripted eight times in five years. Once the brave soldiers were taken away, we had no strength left to protect ourselves. Last year the Kui Niu Tribe came here and completely disregard us as their own."

"Five years ago, our Kashen Tribe had tens of thousands, now there are not even five thousand left. During these years, we fought only two wars, losing over three thousand. All other tribesmen died at the hands of so-called allies."

"In the name of the Wu Yue God, they have us contribute to the Royal Court, but what have the Wu Yue God and the Royal Court brought us?!" 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"General, I am willing to join Great Zhou and guide you."

Zhao Xing nodded: "Good, Wang Gang, since you speak Great Zhou's language and have a name of Great Zhou, you are one of Great Zhou."

"However, I will not appoint you a position, but the food and weapons in this city you can apply for anytime. If you can find five people, you are a squad leader. If you find ten people to follow you, then you are a decenary leader. If you can rally a hundred, you become one of the Hundred Generals!"

"Thank you, General." Wang Gang said joyfully, "General, if I can gather a thousand people, could I take on the role of Vice General?"

"You are quite the dreamer." Zhao Xing laughed, "Where will you find so many people?"

"General, it is said that homeland is hard to leave. After the fall of West Field City, a small portion of the remaining garrison and barbarians fled, but most hid in underground cave systems. Among them, there are still eight hundred able-bodied men ready for combat. Our initial plan was to wait for the enemy to leave before emerging." Wang Gang clasped his hands, "But upon seeing the General's righteousness, I risked my life to contact you."

"Wang Gang, as I mentioned earlier, if you can rally these people, you will have your position. However, if you want to secure a future for your tribesmen, it will depend on your performance."

"Yes, General, I will bring them over immediately." Wang Gang understood Zhao Xing's meaning. To earn equal treatment, it would depend on the merit shown, yet it was better than remaining under the rule of other barbarian generals.

The Kashen Tribe saw through the Royal Court's facade in five years and reached a mindset where anyone would do as long as it wasn't the Royal Court ruling them.

Zhao Xing waved his hand, sending a team with carts of food to follow Wang Gang.

As soon as Wang Gang left, Long Xiao reprimanded the two commanders in charge of searching the city: "What were you doing, not finding eight hundred hidden barbarian soldiers?"

The commanders were also aggrieved; the people were not in the city but hiding in tunnels outside, not easy to find quickly.

"Do not blame them." Zhao Xing said, "If such a number of people are determined to hide in the caves and know the terrain, it is difficult to find them."

"Brother Xia, have the scouts sent to explore Tianshui City returned?"

"Not yet." Xia Jing shook his head.

"Order the Divine Might Army and Xuanjia Army into the city for rest and meal preparation to swiftly restore their strength." Zhao Xing said, "At most, two days, and we will attack Tianshui City."

"Yes."

...

At dawn on January 25, bad news came to the Divine Might Army and Xuanjia Army led by the command post in West Field City.

Liao Rulong and Wang Ji, leading the Tiger Flood Dragon Army and Fierce Sun Army, encountered an ambush from 'Zang He', the Nine Nether Army Commander, around Yellow Ridge and Zhang Mountain.

Chen Shijie, Zhao Zheng, Wang Ji, Han Bing, leading the Zhenhai Army, faced interception by 'Hou Sen', the Nine Nether Army Commander, at Three Bays.

Apart from Zhao Xing and Xia Jing's group, which proceeded relatively smoothly, the other two groups encountered troubles right as the river crossing plan began.

Initially planned to rendezvous at West Field City and Tianshui River early on the 25th, but the other two groups had yet to arrive by the evening of the 25th.

Zang He and Hou Sen, were commanders from the Nine Nether Army.

Responsible for encircling Xia Jing's unit, the Nine Nether Army Great Commander 'Youyun Commander', upon discovering the Great Zhou Army retreat from Wind Witch City on January 20, dispatched advance troops of over eight hundred soldiers led by Zang He and Hou Sen to the Tianshui River to intercept the Ten Suns Army.

Old Chen and Liao Rulong's groups each had just over ten thousand men.

The 800 men led by Zang He and Hou Sen were cultivators, but ninety percent were in the Gathering Essence Realm, mostly martial artists, with few mages.

Attempting to defeat twenty thousand with 800 was unrealistic, so their purpose was merely to delay the Great Zhou deserters' marching speed.

Seeing the organized troops of Chen Shijie and Liao Rulong, Zang He and Hou Sen did not dare engage in ground combat.

They could only drop some firecrackers and spells from the flying boats.