Martial Cultivator

In fact, when that wolf clan cavalry unit was discovered by Great Liang frontier army scouts, the General’s Office had already sent scouts to inform Xie Nandu, who was leading three thousand cavalry wandering in the northern desert. However, at that time the General’s Office still did not know the intentions of that wolf clan cavalry unit, and therefore did not order Xie Nandu to return to the Great Wall.

It was only that a moment of hesitation then led to every step afterward being slower.

By now, if Xie Nandu’s cavalry unit were truly to force a retreat toward the Great Wall, the level of danger would probably be much higher. One misstep, and they might even be completely wiped out.

Ning Ping rubbed his forehead and also felt somewhat troubled. In these past days, this Great General of the Northern Frontier had already discovered an extremely alarming fact: that the Northern Frontier now could actually still manage even without him as Great General, at most it would simply lack a martial artist at the end of Northern Frontier to hold the line. But if it lacked Xie Nandu, then many times in the matter of deploying and maneuvering troops, they would be one step slower than the demon race.

Ning Ping had already decided that at the appropriate time he would submit a memorial to the Divine Capital, requesting that this woman take over his commander’s seal and become the Great General of the Northern Frontier.

If at this moment Xie Nandu were to fall in the desolate north, it would be an almost unbearable loss for the frontier army.

Gao Xuan saw Ning Ping’s concern. He stood up and looked at the terrain, as well as the positions of Xie Nandu’s cavalry unit and that wolf clan cavalry unit. This young general, who had already gained quite a reputation among the younger generation, pointed to a spot on the sand table and said softly, “Once they reach Skytilt Valley, Xie Nandu will be able to take the advantage. Those three thousand cavalry might even be able to wipe out that wolf clan cavalry unit completely.”

On the desolate northern plains, over countless years the human race and the demon race had already mapped out the terrain everywhere. However, after the battle between those two emperors in the northern desert, the terrain changed somewhat again. That Skytilt Valley, for example, was formed again during that great battle.

Ning Ping asked, “Could it be that the demon race truly advanced deep alone?”

The scouts had investigated countless times, and the results had always been affirmative, but throughout the entire General’s Office, it seemed that no one truly believed that was the case.

Gao Xuan thought for a moment and was also somewhat helpless. “There are some guesses that seem almost certain, but when it comes to saying them outright, I still don’t dare to state them absolutely.”

Ning Ping had originally been extremely worried, but hearing Gao Xuan say this, he suddenly laughed. “Military and state affairs involve too much. This isn’t gambling money at a gaming table, tossing dice and guessing big or small.”

In fact, this had been the true portrayal of Ning Ping’s years serving as Great General of the Northern Frontier. This martial artist came from the Divine Capital, bearing the Emperor’s instructions on his shoulders, so in his actions he naturally had to be careful everywhere. Many matters, without being ten parts certain, he simply did not dare to decide. Even when he did decide, he often remained worried and uneasy.

These days the hair at his temples had turned white, and he looked increasingly weathered, mostly for this reason.

Gao Xuan pointed to a certain place and said softly, “There are two guesses. This general believes they might be the demon race’s plan. First: using this wolf clan cavalry unit as bait, placing it in the open so that all our attention gathers here. Meanwhile they probably have many other units crossing the Onan River, concentrating heavy troops along the edge of the northern desert, waiting for war to begin.”

“The second guess is more direct. This wolf clan cavalry unit is entirely a discarded piece, but not completely a discarded piece. It waits for us to send heavy troops to encircle and eliminate it. After we destroy this wolf clan cavalry unit, the demon race’s other armies will surround us like dumplings and annihilate us.”

“Of course, compared to the first idea, the second one is actually more likely. But if it is the second one and we make no move, then they probably will not do anything either.”

In that case, the matter would become a contest between Xie Nandu’s three thousand cavalry and that wolf clan cavalry unit.

Ning Ping gave a bitter smile. The first guess would have far-reaching consequences; the second was also very troublesome.

In short, whether it was the first or the second, neither was a situation the General’s Office wanted to see.

“That girl absolutely cannot die just like that. Otherwise I’m afraid the demon race wouldn’t last even a few days.”

Just as everything was in a deathly silence, someone suddenly spoke, making a joking remark.

Two or three bursts of laughter sounded in the General’s Office.

Ning Ping narrowed his eyes. “That kid is fleecing things for our frontier army from behind. If you fellows make him unhappy, you’ll probably all end up getting beaten one by one.”

These days, the frontier army’s equipment had almost completely been replaced once. When the soldiers received the new sabers, they could hardly put them down. After years of bitter fighting in the desolate north, they naturally knew that the new standard sabers had raised their killing power against the demon race to another level.

And the one who should be thanked first and foremost for truly reforming the military equipment, something that had seen no major changes in Great Liang for over two hundred years, was that young martial artist.

It was said that the Ministry of Works offices had already developed second-generation and even third-generation new equipment. This made the soldiers extremely happy, all feeling that those fellows who had long failed to do proper work had finally done something worthwhile.

Li Changling said in a muffled voice, “Great General, no matter what, we can’t just sit and wait for death, can we? If things can’t be figured out clearly, why not just act first? If we keep thinking about it, won’t it be too late?”

Ning Ping looked up at this cavalry commander and wanted to speak, but in truth he did not know what to say. After all, it was the same as before, he did not want to do nothing, but he feared that one wrong step would make every step afterward wrong as well.

Fortunately, at that moment, another scout hurriedly ran in from outside the door. “Great General, urgent report from General Xie!”

Ning Ping was startled and had not yet made any move when Gao Xuan at his side no longer cared about anything else. With one step he moved forward and took the military report.

However, Gao Xuan still did not open it himself, but handed it to Ning Ping beside him. After the latter tore it open, he saw that on this military report there were only three concise words.

“Do not move.”

......

......

Outside Skytilt Valley.

Xie Nandu sat high on horseback, waiting for the scouts to return. After learning the movements of that demon race army, the woman general nodded and issued her orders to the deputy general.

Three thousand cavalry moved toward both sides of Skytilt Valley to set an ambush.

Xie Nandu dismounted and came to one side, quietly waiting for that wolf clan cavalry unit to arrive at Skytilt Valley afterward.

She had already arranged everything ahead. That wolf clan cavalry unit was not in her eyes, and even the demon race’s later arrangements she roughly understood in her heart.

Only, she was still somewhat worried. What she worried about was not the victory or defeat of the present moment, but that the demon race in the desolate north had been moving more and more frequently lately. A great war was right in front of them; the air already seemed filled with the smell of blood.

If it were the usual kind of provocations from the demon race, they would not be worth fearing. But it was clear that if the demon race started war again afterward, it would certainly be a fight that would not stop until one side was completely defeated.

Looking at things now, Great Liang was still the weaker side compared to the demon race. The demon race presumably also understood that Great Liang would grow stronger and stronger afterward, and that the present moment was their best opportunity, they could not wait any longer.

There were intelligent people among the demon race. Xie Nandu was not surprised by that at all. She even felt some sympathy for that so-called intelligent person, because his situation was actually very difficult. Getting the entire demon race to unite as one had never been an easy matter. If it were truly that easy, the war between the demon race and Great Liang would probably have come much earlier.

Just as Xie Nandu was deep in thought, the wolf clan cavalry had already headed toward Skytilt Valley, and the cavalry under her command had already begun fighting them.

Xie Nandu stood there in a daze.

At this moment, her mind was not thinking about the battle before her, but instead began deducing the demon race’s marching routes if they were to launch a full-scale war afterward - where they would set up camps, where they would set ambushes. All of these things were running through her mind.

These past days in the desolate north, what Xie Nandu had actually been doing was memorizing the entire terrain of the desolate north in her mind, because in the coming great war the two sides were destined to fight across this land that had originally belonged to the human race.

However...

Xie Nandu suddenly came back to her senses. In the distance, at some unknown time, a man in white robes had appeared.

The man was still far away, but when his gaze fell toward this side, it was as if in an instant the space between heaven and earth became filled with pressure.

Xie Nandu’s mind stirred, and several flying swords suddenly shot out from her glabella, weaving a barrier of sword qi before her, temporarily blocking that pressure outside her body.

But when the white-robed man looked this way once more, a sound of shattering rang out before Xie Nandu. The sword qi spread before her all shattered at that moment.

Like a mirror breaking.

Xie Nandu’s face turned pale. Since coming to the Northern Frontier, although she had spent more time on marching and warfare, she had not neglected cultivation too much. Moreover, she herself was one of the rare geniuses of the age, so these past years of cultivation had gone fairly smoothly. Although she had not yet broken through the Nepenthe Realm to become a sword immortal, she was already in the Great Sword Immortal Realm and possessed a full nine natal flying swords. Under normal circumstances, if she encountered a great demon, she might not be certain of victory, but she would at least have the strength to fight.

But a situation like the one now could only mean one thing: the other party was no longer a great demon of the Nepenthe Realm.

His realm was only higher, not lower.

He was a demon lord of the demon race.

Xie Nandu frowned slightly. A demon lord appearing in the desolate north at this moment, it looked as though he had come specifically for her.

In fact, even though Xie Nandu’s reputation was already great and many among the demon race had realized that this human female general would become a great problem, at most a great demon would be persuaded to personally come assassinate her. As for a demon lord like this, these were among the most powerful and proud cultivators in the world. Very few would agree to assassinate a human woman who had not even reached the Nepenthe Realm.

In other words, for this white-robed man to appear here to assassinate Xie Nandu, the one behind it had probably spent quite a lot of effort and persuasion.

But no matter how it was put, now that this demon lord had come, things had become very troublesome.

Xie Nandu had already summoned all nine flying swords.

The white-robed man looked at the nine flying swords and was somewhat surprised.

Sword cultivators were not rare, but one who possessed nine flying swords, and was also a woman, that was truly not many.