After a century of worship, I became the ancestor of the tribe.

Chapter 157 The Military Master Mu Longdu: I Will Drain the Last Drop of Blood from the Human Race
Sanhu Ancestral Temple.

Huo Tang and Shen Can sat facing each other, with two wine bowls on the table.

After receiving a large amount of resources from the Luoshui tribe, Huotang has been training the newly recruited tribe soldiers, hoping to quickly build up their combat effectiveness.

The soldiers who had gone out to search the mountains for Xiaoyang retreated, leaving only a portion to search the scattered tribes and continue to gather the remaining civilians.

There was no other way. Over the past few months, tens of thousands of soldiers had been dispatched, but only 30,000 Xiaoyang prisoners of war had been captured, which was far from enough for the sacrificial ceremony.

The number of martyrs in Xiaoyang was once in the tens of thousands, and now Sanhuo is retaliating in kind.

In each of the small tribe territories of Xiaoyang that had been conquered before, a number of human skeletons were found.

After the burning, human bones were piled up like mountains in a corner of Yangshan Market City.

Only by stopping killing with killing can we terrify Xiao Yang.

Three hundred thousand tribal soldiers were conscripted into the Sifang Camp outside the Three Fire Tribe City.

Of these, 200,000 were combat soldiers and 100,000 were auxiliary soldiers.

Among the elite soldiers are the Blood Sea Guards, Heavy Blade Guards, and Antelope Guards. With the addition of resources from Luoshui, their equipment strength has been directly upgraded to a higher level.

With such a large army gathered, they were clearly ready to launch their attack.

The next target is Heyang Market, north of Yangshan.

At this moment, there were two battle reports in front of Huotang and his companion, one from Jishan and the other from Yanran.

The two battle reports were not collected by the scouts of the Three Fires Division, but were sent directly by the Jishan and Yanran Divisions, respectively recording the battle situation in the past few months.

In the east and west directions of Ji, the two major tribes, commanding the tribes of their vassal tribes, clashed with the Xiaoyang tribe, large and small, more than ten times, with both sides suffering losses.

Jishan is located to the east of Xueshan Pass, where it defends against the main forces of the two major branches of Xiaoyang Muyan and Qiuyin.

Yanran is located in the ancient land of Liuming in the west, where it defends against the army of the Mukang branch.

The location of the Three Fire Tribe is on the east side of the Guimu River, which is exactly between the Yanran and Jishan Tribes.

The battle reports from both tribes were genuine, and there was no need for them to falsify them.

After all, the scouts of the Three Fire Division were also outside, and it would be easy to find out whether the two sides had clashed in the confrontation area.

The battle report shows that when the Sanhuo tribe attacked Yangshan Market, Jishan and Yanran relieved the pressure on Xiaoyang from both the east and west.

In fact, it was only during the first clan festival that the war envoys from Yanran and Jishan came to pay their respects and exchange pleasantries.

Since then, there has been no formal communication between the three tribes.

However, the two battle reports that were sent to Shen Can made the meaning quite clear.

With the two departments facing the main forces of the three major branches of Xiaoyang, it remains to be seen whether the Sanhuo Department dares to continue.

Thinking of the seven majestic figures inside the sacrificial cauldron, Shen Can felt that he not only had to do it, but he had to do it big and fast.

If we don't seize this opportune moment and just sit and wait, wouldn't we be missing a golden opportunity?

Of the four major towns guarding the market, three are located on the east bank of the Guimu River, while only one is on the west bank.

From north to south, the east bank features Jinyang Mountain, Heyang, and Yangshan, while the west bank of the river is only Yinshan Market.

The route from Yangshan Market to Heyang Market is convenient, allowing the army to head north, with the Guimu River, a major waterway in Ji County, running along the way.

There is a tributary of the Guimu River near the Sanhuo tribe. The river channel is now being expanded to connect the tribe with the Guimu River.

"The Yanran and Jishan tribes are testing our strength and seeing how far we can go."

Shen Can put down the battle report. With the Yanran and Jishan tribes holding back from the east and west, the Sanhuo tribe was able to take the opportunity to sweep through the territory occupied by Xiaoyang.

"We'll stick to the original plan and attack Heyang Market first, then take control of the Guimu River area."

"Use waterways to transport Xiaoyang prisoners of war!"

"I need owls as sacrifices, the more the better."

……

"Reporting to the ancestral temple and clan head."

Just then, footsteps sounded in the ancestral temple. Huo Ning walked in, saw the wine on the table, and poured himself a bowl without ceremony.

"Huo Tu reports back that the market in Heyang is empty!"

"Some large Xiaoyang migration tribes near Heyang Market have already migrated away, while some small Xiaoyang tribes in remote areas are still being investigated."

Upon hearing this, Huotang was startled.

Xiao Yang ran away, so who is he going to fight now?
Shen Can was also somewhat surprised. Xiao Yang's painstakingly relocated tribe had suddenly fled when things went wrong. Was this some kind of copycat?

Without capturing Xiaoyang, how could he perform sacrifices and rituals?

Shen Can picked up the wine bowl on the table, downed it in one gulp, and turned to look at the map standing to the side.

Xiaoyang even abandoned the town of Heyangxu. What kind of trick is he playing on him?
There are many markets of varying sizes in Ji County where different tribes of the human race can exchange goods, and the four markets that Xiaoyang has chosen are in the best locations.

By relying on these four markets, tribes can migrate to the surrounding mountains and fields, thus extending their military power to most of the suitable places for reproduction within the occupied territory.

If they can steadily advance for more than ten years, Xiaoyang may very well be able to take over the northern region of Ji.

Now they're suddenly retreating, could it be because they were frightened by the sight of Huotang burning the city to ashes?

Looking at the map, Shen Can realized that if Xiao Yang were to retreat from Heyang Market, he would only be able to head north.

The martial artist who controls the Heyang Market is Mu Feilong, who is at the ninth level of the Heavenly Vein. He either retreats to the Jinyang Mountain Market and joins up with the Xiaoyang of the Mukang branch.

Alternatively, they could cross the Guimu River and head towards Yinshan Market to join forces with the Qiuyin lineage.

As for heading to Blood Pass Mountain City, the probability of him joining up with the elite troops of the main force is not high.

The area around Xueguan Mountain City is full of elite troops. These Xiaoyang tribes would only be a burden and reduce the fighting strength, and would instead give the Jishanbo tribe an opportunity to seize.

Of course, there is another possibility: as a hub for transferring spoils of war, Heyang Market controls a large number of ships, and these Xiaoyang people may have taken the ships north to escape back to their clans.

Shen Can considered several possibilities, but he rejected them all.

With Mu Feilong controlling so many tribes, plus Xiao Yang who retreated from Yangshan, he could muster another 340,000 tribe soldiers.

There are at least two martial artists at the ninth level of the Heavenly Meridian.

With such strength, they are fully capable of fighting back; there's no reason for them to run away so easily.

"I remember that the Heyang market was surrounded by rivers, lakes, and small mountains."

Shen Can walked up to the map. The map was not very detailed, but as someone who had traveled to the northern part of Ji County many times, some of the landforms were already etched in his mind.

Not to mention, when the third-level martial artist of Xiaoyang was swept away along the Guimu River, he hid in the waters on both banks quite often.

Upon hearing this, Huotang also became serious.

"Xiaoyang is learning from our time in the North, breaking up the whole force into smaller units!"

This move is great for dealing with Xiao Yang, but if Xiao Yang uses it on himself, it will be quite unpleasant.

Even if the situation in Xiaoyang is different from that of the human race, they can break down the majority into smaller units and scatter them across the vast plains. They can launch a surprise attack tonight and another tomorrow, and the army will soon become weary.

"Even a cunning scoundrel can steal techniques!"

Huo Tang never expected that Xiao Yang would steal the master's techniques. Who the hell stole the Blazing Flame Military Strategy?

"Clan leader, that's not necessarily true. We don't have any intelligence to prove that the Xiaoyang Clan in Heyang Market has broken up into smaller groups."

Although Huo Ning spoke up, and his words were meant to explain, he himself felt that something was amiss.

If that's the case, advancing the troops won't be easy.

Sending too many troops would invite harassment, while sending too few would easily lead to a entanglement. After all, this method was devised by the temple and had been tested in actual combat. After a moment, Huotang spoke, "Send the Azure Phoenix Army to set off and search for the Xiaoyang Tribe from the sky."

"Send a message to Huo Tu, instructing them to search for places like Heyang, the surrounding mountains, lakes, and marshes where people can hide."

Furthermore, the area around Yangshan Market must also be investigated. If Xiao Yang truly intends to do this, he might very well return!

At this moment, Shen Can spoke up, "The clan soldiers should also mobilize and make a show of preparing for a northern expedition."

Xiaoyang is not deaf or blind on the vast land; there are many blood warriors and blood witches who cooperate with them.

Soon, one after another, azure phoenixes took to the air from within the clan city and headed north.

Countless scouts were also deployed into the wasteland.

……

Outside the city, the army was encamped, stretching for more than ten miles along the mountainside, with giant crossbows gleaming coldly.

In the distance, on the still-widening river, several small warships flying the Luoshui battle flag bobbed and swayed on the water.

Because this area is a small tributary of the Guimu River, the river is not deep enough, and the large warships of the Luoshui tribe are currently floating in the human territory downstream of the Guimu River.

Soldiers riding antelopes patrolled the area from the main camp to the riverbank.

The camp was surrounded by sentries, both visible and hidden, for miles around.

Any birds that appear outside the camp are to be shot down. If they fly too high, the leader of the Azure Phoenix will personally take action.

Even if a messenger from the Azure Phoenix wanted to approach, he had to keep calling out to get the Azure Phoenixes in the camp to respond.

Inside the main tent of the camp, Huotang was bent over, taking notes.

It wasn't until late at night, after he finished making his notes, that he went to the wooden couch next to him, lay down on his side, and began to rest.

The moonlight was like water, and the only sounds in the camp were the patrols and the occasional muffled roar of beasts.

Without a sound, a shadowy figure entered the camp and then crept into the tent where Huotang was located.

A flash of blood-red light appeared, accompanied by a low chanting incantation, as it fell towards the resting fire pit.

The incantation was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, and a streak of blood-red light quickly drifted onto Huotang.

But before the blood could fall, it melted away like rain and snow.

"not good!"

At this moment, the attacker immediately sensed something was wrong and rushed out of the tent with a burst of blood energy.

On the bed, Shen Can sat up, watching the figure trying to escape out of the tent.

The figure that tried to escape collapsed to the ground with a thud, its blood energy dissipating, leaving behind a gaunt, emaciated figure.

This person was covered in fine scales, with coarse hairs between the scales, shimmering with specks of blood.

The reason it can become invisible is because of the light and dark mist emanating from its body, which can disguise its shape in a unique way as the campfire flickers.

"Level 4!"

Shi Zhuo trembled on the ground, never expecting to encounter a fourth-level martial artist.

The command only mentions a human at the eighth level of the Heavenly Vein Realm.
Then, Shi Zhuo began to tremble all over, with foul blood gushing out from his scales and a putrid smell spreading through the air.

puff!
But the next moment, Shen Can took a step forward, and the blood energy under his feet gathered like a mountain, crushing him into a puddle of mud, with dirty blood splattering on the surrounding tents.

Blood witches employ unpredictable methods, and some can even transmit what they see to their master through special means.

He naturally couldn't give him that chance, so he stomped him to death.

Then, they pulled out a few pieces of armor from the filthy blood.

"Crocodile dragon scales".

The armor plates were the same as those on the Crocodile Dragon, the mount of the defeated Xiaoyang.

Actually, it doesn't matter if these armor plates aren't there. At this point, the only person who could assassinate Huotang is Xiaoyang.

Previously, the Jishan Marquis tribe was the target of Xiaoyang's assassination attempt. Xiaoyang used this treacherous method to make the Jishan Marquis tribe unable to defend themselves.

Now it's being used on the Blazing Inflame as well.

The newcomer did not have a witch's pouch, which suggests that he is very likely a death squad whose life is controlled by Xiao Yang.

After entering the main tent, the aura emanating from this blood witch was unpredictable, fluctuating wildly. At its strongest, it was comparable to the peak of the third tier, while at its weakest, it was only at the mid-third tier.

This further proves that these were deliberately trained assassins.

In the days following the assassination attempt, intelligence began to emerge, revealing a growing number of figures in remote mountain forests, marshes, and rivers.

Many of the scouts who went into the mountains to investigate have gone missing.

Once this situation is detected, even if it's not very clear, it won't affect the subsequent judgment.

Xiao Yang was learning the methods used by the Zhiyan tribe in the northern mountains and forests.

The brilliance of this tactic lies in the fact that after the attack, they would disappear into remote mountains and marshes, requiring the strength of dozens or even hundreds of people to capture just one person.

If they were to add poison and deliberately inflict serious injuries, the logistical pressure would double.

After confirming Xiao Yang's methods, Shen Can and Huo Tang held a secret discussion.

Then, the Sanhuo tribe, along with the Sifang camp, imposed a blockade for over a month, during which the tribe soldiers in the camp trained tirelessly every day.

Until a month later.

Huotang drove his chariot and led his army northward.

News of the army's northward march quickly spread to Xiaoyang.

A thousand miles south of Heyang Market lies a range of rolling mountains.

"Wow, news has come back that the Sanhuo tribe's troops have headed north, indeed along the Guimu River."

Inside the cave, Mu Long, clad in a black armor with mysterious patterns, was cultivating. Upon hearing the sound, he immediately opened his eyes.

"Alright, I'll show these humans what I'm capable of!"

Did they take a boat?

"No, they advanced directly along the banks of the Guimu River, numbering approximately 100,000."

"One hundred thousand?"

A glint of light flashed in Mu Long's eyes.

"A mere 100,000? As long as the commander follows my plan, what are 100,000 elite human troops? They will be routed and eventually swallowed up by my Xiaoyang."

"Let these humans see what true military strategy is!"

"go!"

After speaking, Mu Long walked out of the cave.

"Let those fools in the tribe know why I rose to the rank of general while they are still just commanders of ten thousand."

After Qiuque's defeat at Yangshan, the Three Fires' army marched straight towards Heyang Market. Mu Feilong, who was originally stationed at Heyang Market, wanted to gather troops to meet the attack.

It was this plan that led to its promotion from commander to general, and it also earned the commander's respect.

However, to maintain this honor, it needs to demonstrate the brilliance of its scheme to its leader and other members of its race.

Therefore, in this first battle, it needs to personally command its tribal troops to harass the human race.

(End of this chapter)