Start with a red name

About thirty miles west of Yanlai Peak, Geng Xuan met up with Tie Lang and his men, who had arrived with nine thousand cavalry.

After that, the Black Wind Gang, which had gradually developed its own style, was quite adept at carrying out its operations.

Iron Wolf, who was extremely familiar with the terrain of "Yanlai Peak" during the journey, had already made arrangements.

After joining forces with Geng Xuan, without any hesitation, the nine thousand men quietly completed their troop deployment as they rode swiftly toward Yanlai Peak.

When the more than 7,000 bandits gathered inside "Yanlai Peak" realized what had happened and tried to escape,

This place is now a dead end, with no way to go either.

In dire straits, the most powerful and influential bandits in the desert wanted to gather their forces and fight to the death against this invading enemy.

But such an opportunity became as illusory as a mirage the moment Geng Xuan entered "Yanlai Peak" before Tie Lang and the others.

Even if Geng Xuan alone possessed the strength to easily crush anyone in "Yanlai Peak," it would be impossible for him to control all seven thousand-plus bandits.

Similarly, even if Iron Wolf's Black Wind Gang had the advantage of surprise and their overall strength and number of members surpassed "Yanlai Peak" without Geng Xuan, it would still not be easy to completely swallow it up.

But with these two factors combined, "Yanlai Peak" is truly like a tall building on sand, which can be easily pushed down.

Geng Xuan launched a swift and decisive attack from within, starting with the "brain".

Iron Wolf and his men bound them tightly from all sides.

The fighting broke out both inside and outside the city. When the remaining bandits inside "Yanlai Peak" gave up all resistance and allowed the Black Wind Gang to take whatever they wanted, the battle lasted for less than an hour.

Taking down "Yanlai Peak" as quickly as possible, Iron Wolf and the other members of the Black Wind Gang began to skillfully handle the situation.

Everyone is already very familiar with this.

As is customary, Geng Xuan only needs to wait another hour or two to complete the follow-up matters, incorporate the newly surrendered bandits into the Black Wind Gang, and use the Red Fortune to firmly bind their minds and completely solidify their determination to be bound to the Black Wind Gang.

But now——

Geng Xuan looked up at the sky, summoned Iron Wolf, and said:

“I used some methods to make the Xuanyou Cavalry arrive here later than expected.”

Iron Wolf immediately realized something and whispered:
"Are you going back to 'Wild Wolf Gorge' now?"

Geng Xuan nodded.

Iron Wolf opened his mouth as if to speak, but a worried look appeared on his face.

Geng Xuan reassured him:
"I will go and come back quickly."

You should know that, given my speed and the distance between the two places, I can make a round trip very quickly.

Even if I didn't return when the Xuan You cavalry arrived, as long as they didn't attack immediately, you could find a way to delay them for a while and hold out until I returned.

This is also why Geng Xuan decided to deal with "Wild Wolf Gorge" first and put "Swallow Peak" later.

This operation was originally a joint operation between the Xuanyou Iron Cavalry and the Dark Night Division.

In the original plan, the Xuanyou Iron Cavalry would not actually clash with the sand bandits; it was merely a means of intimidation and coercion.

Once the Xuanyou Iron Cavalry has made its debut, the Dark Night Division spies lurking inside will begin their operation.

After about a day of brewing and fermentation, the goal of getting all the bandits to "willingly" become Dong Guan's pawns in his southern invasion was finally achieved.

Then, escorted by the Xuanyou Iron Cavalry, they left their homeland.

This will completely eradicate these hidden dangers from the Xuanyou and You states, giving Dong Guan a stable rear area.

Therefore, with Iron Wolf in charge, who is both fully aware of the entire plan and has a deep understanding of the Dark Night Division's operations, the situation is very promising.

Even if the Xuanyou Iron Cavalry is already right in front of them, they can still fool them for a long time.

With Iron Wolf's abilities, he could absolutely do it.

However, the name Dong Guan had an almost "mental attack" effect on the people of Xuanyou and Erzhou, especially Tie Lang, who was once his subordinate.

If it weren't for a last resort, Geng Xuan wouldn't have let Tie Lang make such an attempt.

"...If you lack confidence, you can lead your men to retreat to the higher ground of Yanlai Peak and wait for me to arrive."

In this way, the Xuanyou Iron Cavalry's greatest advantage no longer exists.

If they really dare to ride horses up the mountain, with nine thousand against two thousand, we can completely overwhelm them.

At this point, Geng Xuan paused, then said seriously:
"If such a situation really occurs, you must kill all of these prisoners before retreating into the mountains... You must not let them fall into Dong Guan's hands alive."

Iron Wolf knew that if he really went this far, then the operation would not be considered a success.

The commander will certainly never trust himself as much as he does now.

In the future, his future in the Black Wind Gang will never be as bright as it is now.

Having understood all this, even though the pressure from Dong Guan still weighed heavily on his heart, he still said in a deep voice:

"Don't worry, Commander, I will definitely guard Yanlai Peak well."

As he spoke, he gritted his teeth and said, "As long as you can return within a day, I can give you a complete 'Yanlai Peak'!"

"well!"

Geng Xuan said "Okay" twice, patted Tie Lang on the shoulder, and said, "Then I'll leave this place to you for now!"

"Yes!"

……

Not long after leaving "Yanlai Peak", Geng Xuan, who was hurrying eastward across the sandy plain, suddenly stopped, turned his head, and looked towards the western horizon.

In the sky, two tiny, black-dot-like sand eagles were close together, rapidly approaching him.

One of them was the one that had only recently been contracted.

The other one, naturally, was the "lovers' family member" who was supposed to go to "Sanya Pass" with another Xuanyou cavalry team to carry out a mission.

Now, during his "work," he used his "family ties" to lure the big bird back.

With the absence of aerial reconnaissance at the "Sanyakou" pass, the safety of Fu Yunfeng and his group was greatly guaranteed.

As the two large birds landed on their own, Geng Xuan completed the contract with the one that had been abducted.

Soon after, four more Xuanqing Sea Sand Sculptures appeared on the eastern horizon.

The three contracted birds are arranged in a triangle, surrounding the fourth bird in the center.

When it first appeared, the large bird that was "escorted" here showed obvious resistance.

However, as the other two "family members" who had been contracted by Geng Xuan approached, the large bird quickly became docile.

Geng Xuan was completely relieved and focused on getting on his way.

……

Wild Wolf Gorge.

Around six o'clock in the afternoon, the afterglow of the sunset still lingered on the horizon.

A force of Xuanyou Iron Cavalry, numbering around two thousand, approached to within ten miles of the area south of "Wild Wolf Gorge".

They were mostly gathered from various outposts, and although they were at the very bottom of the hierarchy within the Xuanyou Iron Cavalry.

However, the Xuanyou Iron Cavalry possessed none of the qualities that should be required.

Even though this operation was essentially just a harmless show of force.

But when they finished assembling south of "Wild Wolf Gorge" and began their overall advance towards "Wild Wolf Gorge".

Every single one of them, whether riders or their mounts, was fully armed and clad in armor.

Because they spend most of their time at the garrison, honing their skills and honing their craft, they have few opportunities for actual combat, and their servants provide them with meticulous and thorough maintenance.

Each set of armor was so polished that it had developed a patina, gleaming with the cool, metallic sheen.

With a shoulder height exceeding two meters and a height approaching three meters from head to toe, the Xuanyou Horse, along with its rider, resembles an indestructible steel wall.

Even just standing there quietly is enough to make people tremble with fear.

At this moment, these steel walls are not only moving at high speed, but there are also as many as two thousand of them.

The last rays of the setting sun shone down, falling on the suits of armor that had been polished to such a high shine that they were almost reflective.

In a daze, one might feel that this was a celestial army, not an army of mortals.

Under Dong Guan's command, he could produce ten or even a hundred times more of such an army.

It was precisely with such qualities that Dong Guan forged his renowned reputation that resounded throughout the land.

This also forced the two states of Xuanyou to prostrate themselves at his feet with the utmost loyalty, a posture that remained unchanged for decades.

Riding on the back of the Xuanyou horse, looking down from a high vantage point, I could see a peculiar landscape in the distance.

There, the earth seemed to have been trampled by the foot of a god, and suddenly sank in.

The man riding at the very front of the group suddenly raised his arm high and let out a strange, high-pitched, and short whistle.

The two thousand cavalrymen, who were still marching at full speed, quickly came to a stop.

From high-speed movement to stillness.

The leader of the two thousand cavalrymen stopped in place and pushed up the visor covering the front of his helmet to get a better view.

This was a middle-aged man with a square face and a resolute expression. He gazed into the distance and asked, "Is that 'Wild Wolf Gorge'?"

Several riders had already stopped on his left and right sides, slightly behind him by half a horse length.

A lean, slightly younger man standing next to him on the left replied:
"General, this is 'Wild Wolf Gorge'."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man glanced at him.

Although he barely managed to become a military officer in Shatun because he had spent a long time with Dong Guan and worked hard, he was still three major ranks away from becoming a general.

However, he was too pleased with this person's minor "mistake" to hold it against him.

Moreover, he firmly believed that he, who had been stuck at the "Shatun Captain" level for more than a decade, would break through this bottleneck within the next few months and become a legitimate and powerful general in charge of a region.

The first step is to conquer this "Wild Wolf Gorge" in front of us.

This operation against the sand bandits is a top-notch lucrative mission.

Because this is not a one-off operation, once the bandits like those in "Wild Wolf Gorge" are subdued by him, a master-servant relationship will be established. Even after crossing the Yellow River to Yuanzhou, they will still be under his direct control.

This is equivalent to expanding his military force to over 10,000 men.

Although these sand bandits were far inferior to the Xuan You Iron Cavalry of equal numbers, for him, it was equivalent to obtaining a ticket to break through to the next realm, or even the next lower realm, ahead of time.

When he saw some faint heads peeking out from a distance, observing and investigating, he was neither angry nor annoyed.

In the past, he would have led his men to charge forward and trampled those treacherous individuals who dared to spy into bloody mud.

But now, he only glanced at it from afar before turning his gaze to the other person beside him and saying:

"By now, those bandits in Wild Wolf Gorge should have discovered us, right?"
"...Shouldn't they be contacting us by now, according to the plan?"

The others also turned to look at him, their expressions carrying a hint of aloofness and wariness.

This person was among them, specifically responsible for contacting and communicating with the Dark Night spies within "Wild Wolf Gorge".

In other words, this person is most likely also a member of the Dark Night Division.

No other reason is needed; this alone is enough to keep others at a distance from him.

The man said calmly:
"It won't be that fast. We've only just shown up. We need to make them panic for a while before our people can show themselves."

The middle-aged man stroked his short beard and nodded slightly.

Beside him, a capable-looking man who addressed him as "General" seemed to sense his eagerness to achieve great things and offered his advice:
"How about I lead a team to approach the gorge and intimidate them... or even circle around 'Wild Wolf Gorge' twice to put more pressure on them and force them to contact us sooner?"

Upon hearing this, the "general," who was stroking his beard, had a sudden thought and felt that this method was feasible.

Like a group of mice huddled in their burrows, the most effective way to get them to show themselves is not to wait passively, but to smoke their way into the burrow.

If you don't want to be suffocated to death, you'd better make a decision quickly.

Just as he was about to agree, another handsome man with a black mole at the corner of his eye glanced at the sharp-looking man with a look of disgust.

Then, he said to the "general":

"Putting them under more pressure may make them make decisions faster, but it will also make them more panicked and fearful."

"Right now, our sudden appearance is frightening enough for them."

Putting yourself in their shoes, you'd think they're probably incapable of thinking rationally right now.

If further pressure is applied, their behavior will become completely uncontrollable due to extreme fear.

They might scatter and flee at any moment.

He paused here, looked at the "general," and said earnestly:
"We've gone to so much trouble to get them together, we can't let them scatter and run away again."

The sharp-looking man beside him retorted disdainfully:

"Can they escape?"

As he spoke, he patted his mount.

Given the speed of the Xuanyou Horses, the moment they appeared here, the bandits in "Wild Wolf Gorge" no longer had the option of escaping.

The man with the mole retorted, saying:
"They certainly can't escape, but once this situation develops, how much effort will it take for us to rein them in?"

How many more bandits will die? ... You can't be so naive as to persuade them all to come back without killing a single one, can you?
These people are the kind of reinforcements the general can directly use after he marches south. What are you planning to do, let them die like this?!

Upon hearing this, the capable-looking man was struck dumb.

Looking at the "general," he was about to explain.

The "general," whose face already showed some displeasure, raised his hand to stop his explanation, saying:

"Don't rush, it's okay to give them more time."

Now, we need to simmer it over low heat.

"Avoid killing if possible, but ideally, capture them all!"

These bandits had already tied their future to his.

If he were to die because of his impatience, hundreds or thousands of people would die, and he would be devastated!
After the agreement was reached, he looked to the other side, found another person, and gave the order:
"Before it gets completely dark, let the big bird go and scout around to get a general idea of ​​the situation inside the canyon."

Simmering over low heat is one thing, but we also need to understand the necessary information; we can't just sit here and wait.

The man said awkwardly, "Well... it's probably off hunting and didn't respond to my call."

The "general" opened his mouth as if to reprimand the bird, but since the bird had wandered off, he couldn't be blamed.

Moreover, he needed to cultivate a more gentle and approachable image so that his subordinates, who had gathered from various outposts, would be loyal to him.

He waved his hand and said:

"That's all for now, everyone take a break... When the big bird comes back, let it go out and scout around."

"Yes." The person in charge of controlling the Xuanqinghai sand sculpture quickly replied, letting out a long sigh of relief.

To ensure that the corresponding secret techniques do not leak out, the controllers at this level have no way of accessing the real "Flying Eagle Technique," but only master some control skills.

The downside is that this makes those on the front lines have less control over the Xuanqinghai sand sculptures.

There is nothing we can do about it.

……

at the same time.

Inside Wild Wolf Gorge.

The "Wild Wolf Gorge," which once attracted more than 20,000 people, now only has six or seven thousand people "normally" engaging in activities outside.

Maintaining the illusion that "Wild Wolf Gorge" is normal.

The rest of the people remained quietly hidden in the secluded houses, making no sound.

They sat against the wall, gripping their weapons tightly, eyes wide, breathing slowly.

"coming."

"coming."

"..."

Song Mingzhu, Zhang Kai, and others gathered together.

I feel nervous, uneasy, and anxious.

Gong Mu looked at Song Mingzhu and asked, "The regimental commander hasn't returned yet. What do we do now?"

With his heart racing and mouth dry, Song Mingzhu swallowed hard before forcing himself to remain calm and said:

Actually, we don't need to be so nervous.

Even if they were fully armed, they would only number two thousand.

"If we're determined and go all out, we can drown them!"

Gong Mu couldn't help but scratch his neck, twitched the corner of his mouth, and said:
"That's true, but I don't feel at ease without the commander."

...Moreover, drowning them sounds easy, but it takes lives to fill the gaps!

"Taking them down when they're off guard is certainly not a problem, but how many of our men will die?"

Upon hearing this, the others all nodded slightly.

Guo Nan, the only female cultivator present who had remained silent until now, spoke up:

"Isn't this something everyone already knew all along?"

To date, every single person in the Black Wind Gang has received countless benefits from the gang leader.

If it weren't for the fact that we had to risk our lives, do you think such a good thing would fall into our laps?
What a pipe dream!

As she spoke, she slammed the long-handled golden mace in her hand hard on the ground, sealing the deal with a single blow.

"Therefore, there's no need to discuss things like working desperately."

What use is it besides disrupting morale?

Let's talk about how to fight this battle!

Her words left everyone speechless once again.

Yes, as bandits who live on the edge and make a living by robbing and plundering, they know best that there's no such thing as a free lunch.

These days, since joining the Black Wind Gang, every single one of them has seen their cultivation level soar rapidly, as if they were riding a Xuan You horse.

If it weren't for them risking their lives, how could such a good thing possibly fall into their laps?
If such an opportunity were presented to a cultivator, nine out of ten would gladly accept it without batting an eye.

Can you really improve your cultivation level and skyrocket your strength just by risking your life?

Is this a nightmare for them?
It must be a beautiful dream.

For the vast majority of people in this world, this is an opportunity they would kill for!

After that, everyone began to seriously discuss the specific tactics.

After making a rough agreement, Song Mingzhu looked around and asked, "How is it? Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?"

“I think it’s great,” a voice rang out from the side.

Upon hearing this, Song Mingzhu paused for a moment, then abruptly turned her head to look at Geng Xuan, who was standing close by, and exclaimed with delight:

"Captain!"

The others also stepped forward to pay their respects, all deeply moved.

With so many people gathered together, including one at the peak of the first realm and a double-digit peak of the Marrow Refining realm, not a single one of them noticed that there was an extra person next to them.

This is beyond their understanding of what cultivation can achieve.

They thought it was some kind of mysterious secret technique.

Gong Mu was still somewhat uneasy, worried that his words might be seen as disloyalty. What seemed unbelievable to others was, to Geng Xuan, nothing more than "disguise" combined with the reverse application of "mind-reading techniques."

The more densely populated the area, the more effective this "little trick" will be.

On the contrary, with the surroundings empty and deserted, and only him and his target present, it was actually more difficult to maneuver and get close to the other party silently without them noticing anything amiss.

Having been there for a while, Geng Xuan, who had overheard the entire discussion, said to Song Mingzhu and the others:

"There's also good news: the other side has intentionally controlled the intensity of the pressure, which will give us more time to adjust and adapt."

It's almost dark; we can wait until after dark to take action.

The most threatening moment comes when thousands of Xuanyou Iron Cavalry charge at high speed in formation.

When it remains stationary, its deterrent power is reduced by at least half before it resumes its high-speed charge.

Waiting until dark would make it easier for them to get close to the Xuanyou Iron Cavalry.

Before they can react, they're tripped up and plunged into the "quagmire."

Compared to directly confronting the Xuanyou Iron Cavalry's high-speed charge, the success rate and survival rate are many times higher.

Song Mingzhu asked, "Commander, will you be joining us?"

Geng Xuan nodded and said, "Of course."

This Xuanyou Cavalry, numbering two thousand, has quite a few tough opponents.

Whether or not he personally intervenes, the difficulty level is completely different.

Although the Black Wind Gang was the "consumables" he created, he naturally hoped that these "consumables" could last longer.

Geng Xuan then instructed Song Mingzhu and the others:

"Once the battle begins, be careful of those Xuan You horses; try not to kill them if possible."

If we had several thousand Xuan You horses, the situation wouldn't be so passive!

Upon hearing this, Song Mingzhu and the others' eyes lit up, and they quickly nodded.

When discussing tactics, everyone had a very deep feeling that the advantage the opponent had built up with the Xuan You Horse was simply too great.

If the Xuanyou Horse factor were removed, they would be fully confident in facing an opponent whose numbers were less than one-tenth of their own.

They could even launch a direct attack on the enemy right now without any planning.

But because the other side had the Xuan You Horse, they armed themselves into the Xuan You Iron Cavalry.

They would only dare to launch an operation if they suffered even greater casualties, at any cost, at the most opportune moment, and with more meticulous planning.

They believed that as long as they could solve the problem of whether or not they had the Xuanyou Iron Cavalry, even if they only had a few dozen riders.

Their situation would be far more comfortable than it is now.

The means of dealing with this will also become more diverse.

After giving a brief reminder, Geng Xuan said to Song Mingzhu, "Gather all the brothers."

Song Mingzhu looked at him, somewhat puzzled and worried.

Geng Xuan said:
"Don't worry, I've already taken the Xuanqinghai sand sculpture, so there's no need to worry about it being exposed."

...I also have some methods that can significantly improve everyone's physical fitness, from strength and speed to endurance.

Even recovery ability will be significantly improved.

I think this will be very useful for everyone's next steps.

Upon hearing this, Song Mingzhu and the others were overjoyed.

This is more than just useful; in this situation, it's practically a divine skill!

Geng Xuan timely poured cold water on the situation, reminding him:
"Of course, it's best to avoid injury if possible. You should be able to imagine that this kind of improvement comes at the cost of consuming the cultivator's life energy."

The method Geng Xuan mentioned was naturally a combination of the "Blood Exhaustion Hand" technique at the Perfect Realm and the "Life-Gathering Technique" at the Master Realm.

It is a skill that is cultivated, improved, and perfected together with "Heart-Stealing Roar" and "Crane Control Hand".

Geng Xuan uses the first two almost every day, but this is the first time the "Bloodthirsty Hand" has been officially unveiled.

Song Mingzhu nodded without any surprise:
“When it really comes down to life and death, what does this little price matter?... Please wait a moment, I'll go and make the arrangements right away.”

It took Geng Xuan nearly two hours to complete this special blessing for more than 20,000 people.

This was after he had cultivated the "Bloodthirsty Hand" to perfection and fully comprehended its core essence.

Each time it is used, it does not require much effort, nor does it require actually touching each target with your hands to complete the blessing one by one.

Each time it is used, it can complete this unique "blessing" for more than a hundred people.

It's like using a master key to unlock the tightly closed "lock of life" within each person.

After completing more than 20,000 targets, the physical exertion was not significant, but the mental and emotional strain was considerable.

Although he only needs to practice the "Heaven and Earth Stance" to recover in at most an hour.

But now, with the situation at Yanlai Peak on his mind, Geng Xuan took a few calming pills.

He looked up to the sky.

Night had fallen.

Geng Xuan said to Song Mingzhu:
"Have you picked out all the people for me?"

Song Mingzhu nodded and said, "All have been selected. They are all elites above the Marrow Refinement level, and each one is an excellent horseman."

Geng Xuan nodded.

In the minds of the two thousand Xuanyou Iron Cavalry opposite them, taking over "Wild Wolf Gorge" was a sure thing, without any suspense.

Even so, they did not make any mistakes.

Especially when night was approaching, cavalry squads were dispatched.

Firstly, they served as scouts to prevent nighttime attacks.

Even though they thought it was completely impossible, the necessary arrangements were not reduced in the slightest.

On the other hand, its purpose was to deter the bandits in "Wild Wolf Gorge" and prevent them from escaping at night.

Therefore, several cavalry squads were patrolling around "Wild Wolf Gorge" at a distance.

If the Black Wind Gang, hiding in "Wild Wolf Gorge," wants to attack the main force of this Mysterious Nether Iron Cavalry, they must first eliminate the iron cavalry squads roaming around Wild Wolf Gorge.

And it cannot make any noise.

This is not an easy task.

Each cavalry squad was moving at high speed.

They often meet and interact with each other.

There is no fixed route; it looks like it's moving randomly.

Even the directions for circling around "Wild Wolf Gorge" are different.

Some go clockwise, some counterclockwise.

Even if it weren't for Geng Xuan, it would be extremely difficult for Song Mingzhu to personally lead the team to remove these spies without making any noise.

First, at the moment of attack, determine the location of each cavalry squad.

Choosing which target to target is the most suitable, how far away the other teams are, when they will arrive at the earliest, and how long the "window of opportunity" is are all difficult things to determine.

Fortunately, there was Geng Xuan.

Fortunately, Geng Xuan mastered the "Earth Listening Technique" at the Perfect Realm.

With his "earth-listening spider web" spread out, he could capture the sound of horses' hooves within a radius of a hundred miles.

Therefore, Geng Xuan easily marked all the cavalry squads roaming around "Wild Wolf Gorge" on the "Earth Listening Spider Web".

Even their movement trajectories can be simulated with over 90% accuracy under this full-view perspective.

Moreover, the target, which was currently silent within the "Earth Listening Spider Web," was indirectly identified by the movement of the scout cavalry around it, even though it was only a dozen miles away from "Wild Wolf Gorge."

Looking at the group of elite marrow refiners that Song Mingzhu had selected at his request, Geng Xuan glanced around, then suddenly paused, looked at one of them, and said, "You come out."

Everyone else turned to look at the person he had singled out.

This person was tall with long legs and a well-proportioned figure. Just by standing there, one could tell that he was different from the others around him.

This person was none other than Ruan Ruizhe, the bandit who escaped from Xuanqinghai.

Originally a senior mid-stage Marrow Refinement cultivator, he is now already in the late stage of Marrow Refinement. With the help of multiple blessings of good fortune, he is not far from the peak of Marrow Refinement.

Ruan Ruizhe silently walked out of the crowd.

"Captain."

Geng Xuan explained to Song Mingzhu:
"It's related to our Black Wind Gang's next strategic move, so it's very important."

Song Mingzhu nodded slightly.

He understood the other half of what Geng Xuan hadn't said.

—In this battle, everyone else can die, but this person must live.

Geng Xuan whispered to the other elite marrow cultivators, "Come with me."

Soon, he led them out of "Wild Wolf Gorge" through a passageway.

The crowd, crouching low and following closely behind him, had their hearts in their throats the moment they emerged.

Because the sound of horses' hooves came from all directions, near and far, making it difficult to discern the direction and the distance between each hoof, the numerous hoof sounds mixed together created a unique, surround sound effect.

It felt as if a Xuanyou Iron Cavalry might descend upon them at any moment.

This was clearly a deliberate act by the other party.

The purpose was to prevent them from escaping from here.

Geng Xuan, who was leading the way, was completely unaffected by these deceptive tactics.

Leading the group, they headed in a direction far away from "Wild Wolf Gorge" with a very clear objective.

Before they had gone a mile, among the many mixed sounds of horses' hooves, some suddenly became exceptionally clear.

Geng Xuan whispered to them, "Stay close to me."

Everyone roused themselves and looked intently at him.

The next moment, his back was seen pointing straight ahead, disappearing into the distance in an instant.

As they sped forward, less than half a mile away, they all suddenly stopped in their tracks.

What did they see?
Just ahead.

Ten dark, mysterious horses that required them to look up at stood there quietly.

The horses that should have had riders were empty.

The riders, fully armored, were all lying neatly on the ground.

Their leader was standing in front of a dark, mysterious horse, his hand resting on its massive forehead as it bent down.

Seeing them standing there in a daze, Geng Xuan urged, "What are you all standing there for? Come over here and put on your armor!"

The group of elite marrow cultivators reacted instantly.

They all knew what to do, and even the order of who went first and who went last was clearly arranged.

I was just surprised by the leader's incredible efficiency.

They acted quickly.

The group approached the row of armored riders lying neatly on the ground, intending to remove their armor.

Perhaps they had never encountered this before, and the mortise and tenon joints of these armors had slight differences.

Or perhaps the sound of horses' hooves coming from afar made them too nervous.

When a group of people get together, the efficiency is extremely low.

Seeing this, Geng Xuan didn't urge them on, because he was worried that doing so would make them more nervous and actually reduce their efficiency.

He simply provided assistance from the sidelines using his "Crane Control Hand" technique, which was at the peak of his cultivation.

It didn't take him much effort.

All it takes is a subtle, well-placed assist as they disassemble their armor.

With his help, the ten sets of armor were quickly and completely removed.

With the help of others, they quickly put the garment on ten of them.

Once they've donned their armor and pulled down their masks, who can still tell what they really look like?

Apart from Geng Xuan, even other colleagues who witnessed the process firsthand could not do it.

Once all ten people were mounted on the Xuanyou Horse, they began to follow Geng Xuan's directions, heading in a general direction to continue circling "Wild Wolf Gorge".

One person couldn't help but whisper:
"Commander, once they leave, I really won't be able to tell who's who anymore."

"I can tell the difference... stick close to me."

Geng Xuan casually replied, and then gave this instruction to everyone.

Everyone quickly rallied their spirits, cleared their minds of all distractions, and followed closely behind Geng Xuan.

The ten Xuanyou riders, who had already turned into corpses, were also taken along on their journey, instead of being left behind.

Less than three minutes after they left, three cavalry squads passed through the area in a very short time.

At this moment, Geng Xuan had already led his men far away from this area.

Those following closely behind him felt the constant sound of horses' hooves, as if the Xuanyou Iron Cavalry might charge out at any moment.

But actually?
All of this was like a gentle breeze, constantly whispering in their ears, yet never truly appearing in their sight.

When their commander accelerated again and suddenly disappeared from their sight, they quickly chased after him and saw ten more fully armed Xuanyou horses sitting quietly there.

On the ground, there were ten more neatly arranged rider corpses.

This time, they didn't delay at all and immediately began a series of operations, including removing their armor, putting on their armor, and riding away on horseback.

The process was much smoother than last time.

……

And so, Geng Xuan led his team, whose numbers dwindled and whose number of dead increased, as if strolling leisurely around the "Wild Wolf Gorge".

As for dealing with these ten-man cavalry squads, it was far too easy for him.

Especially in the current dark environment.

With incredible speed, they suddenly appeared beside their opponent like a ghost.

Before the opponent can react, use the "Heart-Shattering Roar" of the Perfect Realm to achieve precise directional control.

The word "death" alone can shatter the heart of someone with low cultivation level, killing them instantly.

Even those with high cultivation levels, who barely survived this round of attacks, had their strength dissipate and their hearts trembled.

Aside from feelings of despair growing in his mind, he was unable to take any effective action.

With just this one attack, at most two or three members of the ten-man cavalry team would survive.

Then, Geng Xuan added the word "death" to them.

That basically solves the problem completely.

They were lifted off their horses using "crane-controlling hands" and lined up neatly on the ground.

Then, the "horse judging technique" was used to form a contract with the Xuanyou horse and appease it.

This is why they can allow another person to ride on their backs without resistance and be driven at will.

For him, the whole process was that simple.

If these two thousand Xuanyou Iron Cavalry were all divided into ten-person squads like this, Geng Xuan even felt that he alone could completely deal with them.

What others saw as precautions and safeguards, he found instead to be a sweet treat offered to him.

It is the part that is most easily breached and devoured.

However, this thought remained just a thought in my mind.

Whether it's the cavalry squads patrolling around "Wild Wolf Gorge" primarily for intimidation and deterrence, or the scout squads scattered around the main force, they are all in the minority.

Even combined, they amount to less than one-tenth of the overall size.

Interestingly, when the number of replaced Iron Cavalry squads reached four, they all participated in patrols around "Wild Wolf Gorge".

Geng Xuan's actions began to become "arrogant".

For example, while the fifth batch of members were still changing clothes, they suddenly saw a cavalry squad appear in their line of sight.

This frightened them quite a bit, and many of them prepared for battle.

However, the person on the other side, who appeared to be indistinct and vague, spoke first.

Someone whispered in their voice, "Commander?"

Geng Xuan responded and gestured for them not to linger.

For this reason, the number of "our own people" is increasing, while the number of enemy troops who thought they had "Wild Wolf Gorge" completely surrounded is rapidly decreasing.

Geng Xuan's concerns lessened, and his efficiency in taking action increased.

In a total of about an hour, Geng Xuan replaced all ten cavalry squads patrolling around "Wild Wolf Gorge" with his own men.

After accomplishing this, Geng Xuan immediately ordered Song Mingzhu and others, who had been prepared in advance, to lead the Black Wind Gang, which numbered over 20,000, to quickly slip out of "Wild Wolf Gorge" from different exits and to encircle the Xuan You Iron Cavalry's encampment more than ten miles away from different directions.

More than 20,000 people, apart from the faint sound of footsteps, made no other unusual noises.

They quickly split into several streams on the night-covered land, rapidly approaching their distant target, like a swarm of bees emerging from their cage.

It possesses a power that makes one's heart tremble.

Those cavalry teams that were originally circling "Wild Wolf Gorge" naturally understood after seeing this scene that they no longer needed to continue their act and the operation moved to the next stage.

Apart from leaving a few cavalry units to create a significant commotion near "Wild Wolf Gorge," the rest of the cavalry units have quietly changed direction and are approaching the Iron Cavalry encampment, which is more than ten miles away, from all directions, along with other action teams.

Another hour passed.

More than 20,000 members of the Black Wind Gang have completed the encirclement of the Iron Cavalry encampment, which is less than one-tenth the size of their own forces.

Those scout teams around the base, the outermost ones that were furthest from the other teams, were dealt with by Geng Xuan and replaced with his own men.

Geng Xuan did not touch the other cavalry units that were closer to the encampment, where they could not only see each other but were also illuminated by firelight.

The fist formed by more than 20,000 members of the Black Wind Gang tightened its grip, getting closer and closer to the base, until it was completely surrounded.

One of the scout riders suddenly realized what was happening and stared intently into the distance.

Instantly, the man felt his scalp tingle and his liver and gallbladder tremble.

The night seemed to transform into an indescribable living thing.

They are moving, moving toward them.

I blinked twice and looked again.

It's not night there.

Those were figures rapidly approaching from the darkness.

Densely packed, filling the field of vision, seemingly endless.

Like a horde of demons materialized from darkness, they surged straight towards their location. (End of Chapter)