Looking across the world, aside from the Bai family army’s cavalry general Bai Qijing, no one could train such formidable, fierce warriors!
On the eastern side above the valley, the one thousand soldiers Bai Qingyan brought were all vigorous with blood boiling, fighting desperately against several times their number of Western Liang soldiers, whose morale had collapsed.
“Bai Jinzhi! Send the bone whistle command… order Cheng Yuanzhi to lead the Bai family army and our Jin forces to quickly withdraw from the valley and defend the Wudan River entrance to Weng Mountain valley to the death, waiting to intercept and kill the fleeing Western Liang army!”
“Yes!” Bai Jinzhi’s blood was boiling and she dared not delay, immediately blowing the whistle to relay the command.
The Bai family army’s bone whistle messenger in the valley heard this and rushed directly to Cheng Yuanzhi’s side as he wielded his broadsword in bloody battle with the Western Liang army, shouting: “General, bone whistle command! Order the General to lead the Bai family army and Jin soldiers to quickly withdraw from the valley, defend the Wudan River entrance to Weng Mountain valley to the death, and wait to intercept and kill the fleeing Western Liang army!”
Cheng Yuanzhi did not doubt Little Commander Bai Qingyan’s orders. He raised his broadsword: “Withdraw!”
“Withdraw!”
“Withdraw!”
The Bai family army and Jin soldiers in the valley all received the order and turned to charge toward the valley exit, leaving the Western Liang soldiers who were wielding broadswords and long spears in desperate combat completely bewildered.
“This is bad!” Yun Poxing was the first to react. On the eastern side of the valley were wood, stones, and fire oil that their Western Liang army had transported up yesterday. That Little Commander Bai intended to use these against their Western Liang army!
Yun Poxing looked back and forth with terror on his face. He was currently in the center of the Western Liang army’s protective circle. Behind him was the narrow exit bend between Weng Mountain and Nine Bend Peak, but not only was it narrow… most of the Western Liang forces were blocked behind him. Before he could fight his way through, he would probably already be consumed by the sea of fire!
Going toward the Wudan River entrance direction of Weng Mountain valley became increasingly spacious—that was where life lay, but the Bai family army and ten thousand Jin troops were there!
Wolves ahead, tigers behind, but there was no time for Yun Poxing to hesitate.
He shouted hoarsely: “Retreat quickly! Withdraw toward the Wudan River valley entrance!”
There were simply too many Western Liang soldiers in the valley. How difficult was it for Yun Poxing’s command to reach the soldiers at the very front and then begin action to withdraw?!
Bai Qingyan looked at the Western Liang army below that had already begun relaying retreat orders and shouted: “Relay the command! Cut the barrier wood ropes, the stone nets, pour the fire oil, prepare the fire! Bai Jinzhi, stay close to Xiao Ruohai and don’t leave his side!”
After speaking, Bai Qingyan turned her horse around and galloped along the cliff edge toward the Wudan River direction, snatching a torch from a Jin soldier who had just prepared it and riding swiftly away.
The Huying Battalion elite soldiers, who had already come down from the mountain, received the order and cut the barrier wood ropes and stone nets one after another, smashing fire oil down into the valley.
In the deep valley, there were screams and wails everywhere.
The Western Liang soldiers protecting Yun Poxing immediately raised their shields to guard him within.
Yun Poxing smelled the fire oil and cursed anxiously: “Damn it! Quick! Kill our way out! Kill our way out!”
Yun Poxing, who had previously been protected in the middle by the Western Liang army’s iron wall defense, now found it nearly impossible to move a single step. The Jin army had already used fire oil—if they delayed any longer, and the Jin army set fires, he would die in a sea of flames!
Yun Poxing’s eyes nearly split with rage as he drew the sword at his waist and roared: “Carve me a bloody path! Quick!”
Yun Poxing’s guards also knew that if they didn’t get out quickly, they would surely die here. They drew their long swords and killed the Western Liang soldiers who had entrusted their backs to them… using their flesh and blood to protect them. Holding shields high, they sprinted outward.
Those soldiers who died at the hands of their own Western Liang comrades all died with wide eyes and gaping mouths, unable to believe it.
Zhang Duanrui on the western mountain valley saw the warriors on the eastern valley begin smashing fire oil and lighting fires. His eyes brightened and his heart surged as he shouted: “Prepare fire!”
The sky was growing darker and darker. On the eastern high cliff, one could see a figure holding a torch, riding against the wind.
In the wind-howling valley, the terrifying sounds of slaughter from earlier were replaced by screams and wails from the attack of falling giant stones, massive logs, and fire oil. The Western Liang army was filled with fear and unease.
Bai Qingyan galloped swiftly, originally intending to rush to the Wudan River Weng Mountain valley entrance to join with the Bai family army. Unexpectedly, she saw large chevaux-de-frise fixed by the Western Liang army on the eastern valley to block the army’s retreat route.
The wild wind brought the strong smell of fire oil—those chevaux-de-frise were all soaked with fire oil!
She looked into the valley and saw that the Bai family army banners and Great Jin military flags had already withdrawn from the positions blocked by the chevaux-de-frise. Without further hesitation, she threw the torch in her hand toward the chevaux-de-frise. In an instant, flames shot skyward, illuminating the sky above Weng Mountain valley bright red.
She steadied herself, drew arrows, and shot arrow after arrow, severing all the ropes binding the chevaux-de-frise…
Continuous rumbling sounds arose as the sturdy wooden chevaux-de-frise, bound tightly together with iron chains, immediately rolled down from the eastern high cliff. The fire-bearing wooden barriers with sharpened ends either stabbed straight into the earth, blocking the Western Liang army’s path, or crashed onto Western Liang soldiers, killing them instantly.
The Western Liang army panicked and fled in all directions. The Western Liang soldiers near the exit bend between Weng Mountain and Nine Bend Peak fought desperately with the Jin forces led by Zhen Zeping and Shi Panshan, trying to carve out a path to survival.
Zhen Zeping, who had just been fighting bloody battles in the valley, withdrew from the valley and joined Shi Panshan in defending the narrow exit to death. For the Western Liang army to emerge alive was as difficult as ascending to heaven.
“Light fires! Release arrows!”
Countless fire arrows shot into the valley.
When the arrow flames met the fire oil, fire spread rapidly like a prostrate giant serpent, then suddenly rose from the ground in an instant with tremendous force, seeming to rush straight toward the sky!
Surging hot waves rushed skyward, the firelight burned intensely, swaying like demons devouring Western Liang soldiers one after another—gentle yet invisible bloodless slaughter, cruel yet swift!
Yun Poxing, protected in the center by shields, advanced rapidly toward the valley mouth. From the corner of his eye, he could see flames leaping eagerly outside the shields, trying to pounce on him. The screams made Yun Poxing’s expression even more terrible. If he didn’t get out of the valley soon, when the corpses inside caught fire and the flames became unstoppable, Yun Poxing would be burned alive here today!
The shields were burning hot. The soldiers wrapped them with sleeves and rushed outward quickly. Outside, the whooshing sounds of arrows were everywhere, making hearts jump with terror.
Yun Poxing did not want to die here. His greatest dream in life was to defeat Bai Weiting. Now he had finally slaughtered all of Bai Weiting’s children and grandchildren—he couldn’t damn well die at the hands of Bai Weiting’s granddaughter, especially letting Bai Weiting’s granddaughter achieve victory against superior numbers. That would mean his lifelong reputation of being unable to defeat the Bai family army would never be shaken off.
Jin army General Wang Xiping, who had already retreated to the Weng Mountain valley exit, was supporting himself on his knees while gasping heavily. His face and body were covered with mud and blood. He looked back at the Jin army and Bai family army soldiers still continuously rushing out, all of them disheveled with blood and mud indistinguishably stuck to their bodies and armor!
Suddenly, he saw flames shooting skyward from within the valley. He quickly squeezed to the side of the Bai family army, General Cheng Yuanzhi, and asked with cupped hands: “General Cheng, what do we do after withdrawing from the valley?”
“Guard the Weng Mountain valley exit here and fight to the death with the Western Liang army that flees out!” Cheng Yuanzhi gripped the broadsword in his hand tightly, his eyes even more blazing than the firelight.