Longzang

Chapter 910 The beautiful lady
The next morning, the two armies began to approach each other, and by the time the sun was high in the sky, they had completed their formation and were facing each other from a distance.

At this moment, the battlefield situation was very strange. Qingming's 10,000 fully armored infantry dismounted and went forward to form a battle formation, with all their warhorses placed at the rear and protected by chariots.

Opposite the Azure Sky Army formation stood 30,000 Zhao cavalry, their spears like a forest, their swords like frost, and their horses adorned with muskets. Behind the cavalry were 150,000 Zhao soldiers, some brought by the King of Zhao, and others from Cui Shutong's army.

On one side of the battlefield were Li Chengfeng's 100,000 elite soldiers, and on the other side were Li Zhi's 50,000 cavalry.

Zhang Sheng checked the time and said, "It's almost time, sound the horn!"

The bugle sounded, and the war officially began. Cui Shutong, clad in military uniform, drew his long sword and roared, his voice echoing across the land: "Great Zhao Iron Cavalry, follow me into battle!"

Thirty thousand iron cavalry moved in unison, gradually accelerating as they charged towards the Azure Nether army formation. Above the cavalry, their military aura transformed into three war wolves!
Upon seeing this, the King of Zhao laughed and said to his attendants, "Old Cui is still as sharp as ever! He has the same style as in his prime!"

As Zhao's cavalry advanced, they naturally split into two groups, one on each side, accelerating forward and forming a large arc to attack Qingming's left and right flanks. The three groups of cavalry arrived almost simultaneously, demonstrating the elite nature of Zhao's army!

But even from a distance of a hundred paces, the Qingming troops opened fire first, a plume of smoke instantly billowing across the front lines. Numerous Zhao cavalrymen fell from their horses, suffering heavy casualties in the blink of an eye. Almost as soon as the first volley ended, a second plume of smoke appeared, the dense gunfire almost continuous!
King Zhao's face instantly turned ashen. He exclaimed, "What kind of guns are they using? How can they fire at such a high rate?!"

The ministers had no answer. They could only watch in fear, wishing they could lend a hand to their own cavalrymen and help them charge faster.

Gunfire erupted like a thunderstorm, and billowing smoke enveloped the entire army formation. In a short time, Qingming had fired multiple shots, almost one per breath. Several thousand of the thirty thousand cavalrymen were instantly killed before they were even within range of the lances.

Zhao's cavalry were all well-trained and could even fire their spears while galloping on horseback. However, after a round of fire, many of the Qingming warriors were seen to be hit and staggered, but many of them actually stood up and did not fall!

In this counterattack, Qingming suffered just over a hundred casualties. The Zhao cavalry were equipped with double-barreled muskets, and after two volleys of fire, they would switch to lances or sabers, preparing to charge the enemy lines.

But after two rounds of firing, Cui Shutong was horrified to find that the Qingming Army's formation was not disrupted at all! His heart sank immediately. He knew all too well what it meant to charge a well-organized heavy infantry formation with cavalry.

But by then the momentum had already been established, and the warhorses had reached their maximum speed, making it impossible to change course.

The King of Zhao, far away, closed his eyes until he heard a series of muffled booms, then he opened them.

The Azure Nether Army kept firing until the very last moment, and then, at the critical juncture, all the soldiers picked up the heavy shields at their feet and used all their strength to hold them up.

The remaining Zhao cavalry crashed into an impenetrable wall, like waves crashing against rocks, sending countless sprays of water flying. Many cavalrymen were thrown from their horses, landing in the center of the Qingming army formation. The Qingming army formation was only slightly pushed inward by the impact, remaining perfectly disciplined.

Seeing the situation was not good, the cavalry charging on the left and right flanks desperately turned around and escaped without crashing into the enemy formation.

The surviving Zhao cavalry immediately engaged the Qingming warriors in hand-to-hand combat. However, these Qingming warriors were almost entirely covered from head to toe, wielding large-caliber short spears with heavy short swords attached to them. They swung them with lightning speed, occasionally firing a shot. These short spears were extremely powerful; being hit by one was like being struck by a heavy hammer. Even if they couldn't penetrate the armor, the bones inside would be shattered.

As soon as the melee began, Zhao's iron cavalry fell in droves. Among Qingming's ten thousand warriors, there were countless Dao Foundation cultivators. Even without firing guns, their swords alone were enough to cut down the Body Forging Zhao soldiers as easily as chopping vegetables.

Cui Shutong's eyes were bloodshot as he personally charged into battle, slaying several Qingming warriors. But then someone said, "You are a Dharma Aspect, why bother attacking a mere soldier? It's beneath your dignity. Qingming Feng Chutang awaits your guidance."

Without saying a word, Cui Shutong summoned a two-headed giant lion that lunged menacingly at Feng Chutang. But then a vast expanse of ruins appeared around them, and a dark dragon swung its claws to stop the giant lion. The two sides then began to fight.

In the blink of an eye, Cui Shutong was already at a disadvantage. He couldn't help but be somewhat shocked, wondering just who this young cultivator was. This Dharma form was no ordinary being!

Seeing that the Zhao army was engaged in a fierce battle and suffering casualties every moment, King Zhao finally sighed and said, "Let's withdraw!"

An elderly man in fine clothes beside him had a gloomy face and said angrily, "This little girl is too arrogant. I will go and teach her a lesson!"

"Lord Zhongguo, wait a moment..." King Zhao's words came a moment too late. The old man was Yu Jing. Before King Zhao could finish speaking, he had already arrived in the air above the battlefield.

Immediately, vast mountains and ancient forests appeared on the battlefield, and the soldiers on both sides felt as if a huge boulder was pressing down on them, making it difficult to even stand. However, the aura of the Azure Nether Army only shrank slightly, remaining condensed and not dissipating, thus weakening the opponent's mental world.

The elderly man in the magnificent robes flew into a rage: "I've intervened, yet you still dare to stop! Today, I will teach you a lesson on behalf of your elders, you little brat!"

Zhang Sheng, who had been standing silently in the center of the army, finally looked up and sneered, "So it's a high-level cultivator from the Imperial Realm! No wonder you attacked so swiftly upon seeing my foundation. But with your limited mental world, you'll have a hard time teaching me a lesson." Zhang Sheng flicked his finger, and hundreds of sword lights flew out from his fingertip, landing in different locations within the army formation and merging with the military aura. With the aid of the sword formation, the military aura instantly came alive, its power increasing dramatically, and it began to suppress the old man's mental world.

The old man's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "This young lady certainly has quite a few tricks up her sleeve..."

Just then, a strange, damp chill swept through him. A woven doll had appeared in the air, its expression twisted in extreme pain, clutching a rusty little sword. Everyone who saw the doll felt a sudden chill, as if they had witnessed the most terrifying thing imaginable.

Suddenly, the doll flashed into the air, then swung its small sword and slashed forcefully. The mountains and ancient forests, seemingly transformed into a painting, were actually cleaved open by the small sword!
How can the world of the mind be cut apart, and how can that place become a landscape on a flat surface?
The old man was both shocked and furious. Before he could think of a solution, a sudden, sharp pain shot through his mind, and everything went black.

The child reached out his little hand, grabbed the tear, and with a forceful rip, actually tore off a small piece of the mountains and ancient forests, which he then stuffed into his mouth and ate!
The little girl grabbed the tear and ripped it open again, causing the old man's consciousness to ache once more. He could no longer care about appearances; shocked and furious, he hastily withdrew his mental world and cursed, "You little brat, how vicious! Where did you get such a venomous creature? It actually devours another's mental world! How dare you call yourself a righteous sect using such vicious methods?!"

Zhang Sheng stood with his hands behind his back and said calmly, "The founding patriarch of my Taichu Palace once said..."

The words of the patriarch of the Taichu Palace were naturally of utmost importance, and the richly dressed old man immediately listened attentively. He then heard Zhang Sheng continue, "If you can act, then stop talking nonsense!"

The old man's face turned pale and then red; he couldn't save face no matter what, but he had no way to back down.

While fighting with Cui Shutong, Feng Chutang pondered when the founder of the sect had ever said such a thing.

Just as the elegantly dressed old man was caught in a dilemma, two more old men suddenly appeared in the sky, one refined and handsome, the other dignified and imposing. The two old men attacked simultaneously, forcing out a dagger that moved like a swimming fish through the air. Had they acted even a moment later, this dagger would likely have pierced through the Duke of Zhongguo.

Suddenly, a woman in red appeared in the air, moving as fast as a wisp of smoke. She instantly engaged the two old men in a fierce battle of hundreds of moves. The dignified old man suddenly let out a muffled groan, his aura dropping slightly. The woman in red seemed to realize that she had missed her chance to strike, and with a flash, she disappeared.

The two old men turned around simultaneously, stepped through the gate that had appeared out of thin air, and vanished. Meanwhile, Duke Zhongguo secretly took advantage of the opportunity to leave.

However, his consciousness still ached faintly when he left, clearly indicating that his sea of ​​consciousness had been damaged, and a tiny hole had appeared in his mental world. The part that the doll had swallowed had disappeared permanently.

The bugle call for retreat sounded on the battlefield, and the remaining Zhao cavalry began to retreat. Seeing that the battle had been decided, Zhang Sheng did not press the matter further and did not order a pursuit, nor did he even fire a shot from behind.

The more than 100,000 Zhao soldiers in the rear were somewhat restless, and several fierce generals kept asking King Zhao to fight. But King Zhao looked at the more than 100 chariots arranged behind the Azure Nether Formation. At this time, the cannon covers on the chariots had already been removed, and the gunners were busy. At the four corners of the huge chariots, a strange gun was set up.

However, the Qingming army's formation remained intact, and their morale remained high.

At this moment, Li Chengfeng's troops also showed signs of restlessness, indicating that they were about to launch a full-scale attack. King Zhao nodded secretly, and then instructed, "Tell the fourth brother to be more composed. Without my orders, why is he making such a fuss?"

The messenger flew away and arrived before Li Chengfeng in the blink of an eye, repeating Zhao Wang's words verbatim. Li Chengfeng outwardly appeared fearful, but inwardly he was secretly delighted. Zhao Wang's words, seemingly a scolding, were actually a compliment; his efforts had not been in vain.

Seeing that Zhao Jun showed no signs of continuing the attack, Zhang Sheng ordered the bodies of his own soldiers to be loaded onto the chariots. The army then retreated, mounted their horses, and departed. Zhao Jun's corpses and equipment were left untouched.

In this battle, half of Zhao's 30,000 cavalry were killed, and several thousand were seriously wounded, with only about 8,000 returning to their lines. Qingming, on the other hand, suffered only about a thousand casualties, with only two or three hundred killed in action. The disparity in losses between the two sides was extremely stark.

On the way back, Feng Chutang had some questions about the battle just now, saying, "We clearly prepared hundreds of multi-barreled machine guns and hundreds of thousands of flying swords, so why didn't we use them? Even if we didn't use the cannons, we wouldn't have suffered so many casualties if we only used the multi-barreled machine guns. Of the 30,000 Zhao cavalry, I'm afraid 25,000 would have died on the way to the charge."

Zhang Sheng, however, said, “In this battle, most of the Zhao cavalry still managed to get into firing range, and many successfully charged into the enemy lines. As a result, the King of Zhao will only think that the tactics were inappropriate and the command was poor, rather than that the cavalry was incompetent. But if I use multi-barreled cannons to reap too many losses, and the Zhao state learns its lesson and stops being obsessed with heavy cavalry, then it will be a case of losing more than I gain.”

Now that we have multi-barreled machine guns, we should encourage the Zhao state to develop as many cavalry as possible.

Feng Chutang was taken aback, then suddenly realized, and her expression turned complicated and strange. Looking at Zhang Sheng's perfect profile, she could only sigh.

You were such a beautiful woman, why did you have to become a traitor to the country?
At this moment, a servant came to report that Li Zhi had caught up and was requesting an audience with Zhang Sheng. Zhang Sheng then said, "Let him come up."

A moment later, Li Zhi entered the carriage, and after settling down, he asked, "Since Master Zhang summoned me, I came as fast as I could. But I wonder what Master Zhang's instructions are?"

Zhang Sheng said, "Indeed, there is an important matter. I observe that Zhenshan Territory is thriving and prosperous, and everything is ready. Do you intend to issue Zhenshan Yuan?"

(End of this chapter)