6kv Chapter 106 Purgatory Battlefield and Choices
Chapter 106 Purgatory Battlefield and Choices
Chapter 106 Purgatory Battlefield and Choices
The army marched out in a grand procession, raising clouds of dust across the entire border region. Amidst the fluttering battle flags, the flag of Lu Yuan's troops bore the words "Ice Plains."
This proves that they came from the icy plains of northern Xinjiang.
None of the soldiers rode horses; they were all on foot. The western frontier was not suitable for horseback riding; once outside the city, there were hills of varying sizes.
The ups and downs are like the waves.
They traveled for about three days over a hundred miles before stopping and setting up camp.
Ahead lay a vast stone forest.
Various irregular stone pillars stand tall.
Through these stone forests, Lu Yuan and his companions could even see the enemy's campfires flickering faintly in the distance.
According to the order issued by the Duke of Zhenyuan, the two armies will officially engage in battle early tomorrow morning.
Everyone is conserving their energy.
Lu Yuan then arrived at the Merit Camp. After entering, he looked at the dazzling array of rare and precious materials inside, and finally his gaze fell on the Meridian Opening Fruit.
The price is not cheap, a full 50,000 taels of silver. If you want to exchange it with merit points, you need merit points equivalent to a third-class merit point to exchange for it.
This level of rare and precious natural treasure is already considered extremely valuable.
After glancing at it, Lu Yuan said indifferently, "I'll take this one."
After he finished speaking, the quartermaster next to him glanced at Lu Yuan, and his face showed some surprise. He obviously did not expect that the other party would have a third-class merit.
After all, since Lu Yuan fought alongside the Imperial Guards, this Merit Battalion was also part of the Imperial Guards and not from the Northern Frontier, so it was impossible for them to know him.
However, he didn't say much. He simply took out the item and handed it to Lu Yuan. After searching through the merit book for a while, he found Lu Yuan's name.
Then, the look of surprise on his face deepened. At only seventeen years old, he already had two third-class merit awards. With one more, he could directly become a town general.
Therefore, he put aside the arrogance of the Imperial Guards, recorded the merits, and placed a Meridian Opening Fruit in Lu Yuan's hand.
After taking the items, he put them in his pocket and walked straight out of the tent.
Although his meridian opening is not yet fully complete, it is not far off. With this meridian opening fruit, he can break through at any time and condense true essence once he reaches perfection.
At that time, our combat power will be further enhanced.
Back in his tent, he swallowed a Meridian Opening Pill and began his continued cultivation.
Waves of energy emanated from within his body, causing all the acupoints to pulsate and radiate a luminous glow.
At this moment, Lu Yuan could clearly feel that his body was constantly changing, and it felt very comfortable.
Meanwhile, inside the Zhenyuan public camp, a young man sat opposite him. This man was tall and handsome, and wore a robe with a dragon design.
Even in front of Xiao Heng, a renowned general of the Imperial Guard, he showed no restraint whatsoever, instead smiling and asking, "My lord, how confident are you this time?"
As he spoke, the man fiddled with a jade ruyi in his hand.
Xiao Heng said softly, "Seventh Prince, the Western Rong are known for their fierceness. This old minister is not very confident about this battle. I can only say that I will do my best."
Indeed, the young man in front of them was the seventh prince of the Great Yong Dynasty. He was not only extremely talented, but also deeply favored by the Emperor Yong. That was why he was here today.
It was also Emperor Yong's intention to let him gain experience here.
What the seventh prince lacks most right now is prestige and support within the military, so his trip to the border also has the idea of recruiting some talented individuals.
"You flatter me, sir. If you say you're not confident, then unless several princes descend upon Dayong, no one can compare to you."
The Seventh Prince said with a smile.
He showed no disrespect to this pillar of the Dayong army.
Xiao Heng glanced at the young prince opposite him and said softly, "I heard that Your Highness has a good relationship with the Prince of Polu?"
"Yes, my uncle has always been good to me." The Seventh Prince did not hide anything and nodded generously.
Xiao Heng didn't speak, but his hand holding the teacup paused involuntarily.
Although Emperor Yong is currently in his prime, the crown prince of the Great Yong Dynasty has not yet been decided.
Therefore, the struggle between the princes was extremely fierce.
Because the rule of the Dayong Dynasty was to appoint the virtuous and capable rather than the eldest son.
In reality, it's just a few princes. Whoever can gain more supporters and has stronger personal cultivation has a chance to become the crown prince.
Xiao Heng had only asked casually, but he didn't expect the Seventh Prince to agree so readily.
After all, he hadn't heard of any nobleman stepping in to support a prince.
The fact that Prince Polu made his decision so quickly made him think more highly of the Seventh Prince.
The latter naturally noticed Xiao Heng's actions, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up; this was exactly the effect he wanted.
If only I could win over this old general and get him to support me.
While it can't be said that his position as crown prince is secure, at least he can now compete with his elder brothers.
However, Xiao Heng did not speak at this moment, but only glanced at the Seventh Prince and said, "I heard that the princes have some plans for the buffer zone in the northern border."
"Hehe, nothing can be hidden from the old general. All forces are now entering the buffer zone. I think Father Emperor also intends for us princes to fight for a result there."
The Seventh Prince was almost always forthcoming with his knowledge.
Xiao Heng glanced at him and asked, "What are the Seventh Prince's thoughts?"
"Of course we should compete for it. I heard that a new stronghold called Tianwang Village has emerged in the buffer zone. After this matter is over, I will send someone to recruit them."
If they are incorporated, the struggle for the buffer zone should be resolved quickly.
Today, if Tianwang Village were placed in Dayong, it would indeed be nothing, and it would be incomparable to the Imperial Guard. However, placed in the buffer zone, it is now an extremely powerful force.
With 100,000 troops and all the territories beyond the three passes, whoever obtains it will instantly become one of the overlords of the buffer zone.
Then, the Seventh Prince continued, "When the war begins tomorrow, there will surely be some elite soldiers in the army. I hope that the old general can recommend one or two of them."
This is one of the biggest reasons he came to the battlefield.
To seize the throne, one cannot do without talented people, especially those in the military.
Xiao Heng nodded: "Isn't this what His Majesty meant by sending the Seventh Prince over? Of course, I won't refuse."
Then, seeing that the Seventh Prince still wanted to speak, he immediately said, "There will be a war tomorrow, Your Highness should go back first."
""
He knew in his heart that if he continued talking, the Seventh Prince would probably try to recruit him.
Therefore, they issued an order to leave.
The Seventh Prince wasn't annoyed at all, and just said with a smile, "Alright, then I'll be going now. Get some rest, Master."
As he spoke, he stepped out of the tent.
As soon as he left the area of the Zhenyuan Duke's command tent, a figure came up to him. If Lu Yuan were here, he would recognize that this person was none other than Zhao Yu.
He has now joined the Imperial Guard as a captain.
Although he suffered a major defeat in the battle in the northern frontier, he still managed to gain some merit by following Marquis Yundu, and upon returning, he joined the Imperial Guard.
Having climbed the ladder to heaven, he has now followed the Seventh Prince to the Western Frontier to protect him, and has become one of his confidants.
After all, Zhao Yu's father was the General of Lingzhou, a place close to the capital, and someone the Seventh Prince was worth winning over.
"Your Highness, has the old master agreed?" Since Zhao Yu had already placed his bet on the Seventh Prince, he naturally hoped that the other party could gain more support.
"Lord Zhenyuan, his ancestors were military giants, very cunning and shrewd. How could he possibly choose sides so quickly? Although I revealed some of our secrets, I only got a little help from him in return."
"Take your time, there's no rush, I have plenty of time," the Seventh Prince said with a smile.
Zhao Yu quickly replied, "Your Highness is right. Shall we go see Marquis Mucheng now?"
"I won't go. The war starts tomorrow, and it's already late. It might not be appropriate to go now. Let's go see the son-in-law of the Prince of Polu. Didn't you say he's asked to see him many times?"
Now that they are a member of the Prince's family, and also relatives of mine, I should still give them the respect they deserve.
From now on, we'll be on the same side.
"Your Highness is right," Zhao Yu quickly replied.
Then, the Seventh Prince returned to his own tent, while Zhao Yu hurriedly went to Zhang Zhe's camp, clearly to find him.
A night passed in the blink of an eye.
As dawn broke, border troops dispatched from various regions began to assemble at the Stone Forest Plain.
Hundreds of thousands of people were arranged in square formations of three thousand each, appearing densely packed on the battlefield.
Mixed in with the stone forest, the dark mass gives people immense pressure.
Behind the border troops were the Imperial Guards.
Behind the Imperial Guards was the commander's flag, with Xiao Heng standing below and the Seventh Prince beside him.
Zhao Yu and Zhang Zhe were among them.
At this moment, the latter's eyes were shining, and he looked very energetic.
After meeting the Seventh Prince last night, he has completely become one of the prince's men.
Having latched onto such a powerful patron, he couldn't help but be happy.
Therefore, even if I don't sleep all night, I'm still very energetic.
As for Lu Yuan, he had already led the Mo Xia army and stood on the Stone Forest Plain.
He was heavily armored, holding a crescent-shaped blade, and stood still, his gaze fixed ahead.
Behind them were three thousand soldiers.
There are hundreds of such formations on the Stone Forest Plain.
Zhou He was a little nervous at this moment, and whispered to Lu Yuan, "I heard that the people of the Western Rong are very fierce."
"How is the military formation training going?" Lu Yuan asked in a deep voice.
Zhou He nodded quickly: "I'm already proficient at it."
"That's good. Just make sure it doesn't get scattered later," Lu Yuan said slowly.
Zhou He nodded. Although he had been on the battlefield before, this was the first time he had participated in one of this scale. In fact, it was even more surprising for him.
Even Zhou Hongling might not have participated.
"Boom boom boom!"
Just as they were talking, they saw in the distance an army, like a surging wave, rushing towards the direction of the Dayong army.
Each of them wore black armor covered with animal skins, some with bald heads and others with their hair loosely spread out, and each held various weapons in their hands.
Even before you get close, you can smell the blood emanating from them.
"Brother, these are Western Rong wolf soldiers, be careful!" A shout came from Li Feng's group not far away.
Lu Yuan turned his head and saw that Li Feng, carrying a long spear, had led the Mo army and was ready for battle.
It was clear that he was quite nervous.
The next moment, an astonishing scene unfolded.
After the Western Rong wolf soldiers approached the Dayong army, without saying a word, the two armies clashed directly.
From a distance, it was impossible to see the weapons clashing; all that could be seen was a cloud of blood mist exploding in the air.
Heavy and rich, it filled the air with a salty, fishy smell.
Then, several square formations of three thousand men were shattered in the collision and swept up among the wolf soldiers.
The Western Rong Wolf Soldiers were a powerful army second only to the Western Rong Vanguard Warriors. Although they were not as strong as the Imperial Guards of the Dayong Dynasty, they were much stronger than ordinary border troops.
Even Lu Yuan frowned at the sight.
"kill!"
As a group of wolf soldiers broke through the front formation and approached, Lu Yuan roared angrily.
The three thousand troops behind him quickly changed formation.
Shields rose up, encircling the area, and the connecting energy made them appear as if several bronze gates had been erected.
Even the top of their heads was obscured.
From the gaps in these shields, spears protrude, and as soon as someone gets close, the sturdy shield array will instantly reveal countless spear blades.
Only Lu Yuan's figure was visible at the top of the shield array.
He held a large bow and kept shooting arrows outwards.
He mastered the "Rain of Arrows" technique to its fullest extent, and the charging wolf soldiers could be seen being killed from time to time.
This force of three thousand men was like a reef in the sea, repeatedly resisting the onslaught of the Western Rong army.
Around Lu Yuan and his group.
The other captains were also using formations to block the wolf soldiers.
However, the effect was not good; most of them were only first-grade formations, and the more powerful ones were only second-grade formations.
The opposing wolf soldiers also formed a battle formation and clashed.
The outcome was predictable.
Lu Yuan kept drawing his bow and shooting at the enemy. As the battle progressed, he lost count of how many people he had killed and how much time had passed.
The ground became muddy, and blood flowed down the plain from the lower ground.
At the same time, the system's voice kept ringing in his mind.
[Host kills an enemy, Rain of Arrows proficiency +10]
[Host's skill level in "Spring and Autumn Sword Technique" increases by 10 for each enemy killed.]
[Host's proficiency in the "Shaking Mountain Copper Gate Formation" for defeating enemies increases by 10]
As the sounds continued to ring out, Lu Yuan could clearly feel his strength constantly improving.
However, the battle had a real impact on him. It was only after he mastered the Blood Refining Golden Bell Shield that his defense became extremely strong; otherwise...
It seems they couldn't withstand it either; many of the leaves on their armor plates were knocked off at this moment.
Although he killed the enemy from a distance, the Western Rong wolf soldiers were no pushovers.
As javelins were hurled at him, they were equally deadly.
Behind the battlefield, Xiao Heng stared at the fierce battle between the two armies, his face expressionless.
Unbeknownst to the Imperial Guards, a group of archers had already been deployed to the outer perimeter of the battlefield. They were responsible for supervising the battle, and any border troops who dared to flee would be shot dead.
The adjutant beside him said softly, "Commander Xiao, two hours have already passed. Shall we continue?"
"Continue. If we let these wolf soldiers retreat now, wouldn't so many border soldiers have died in vain?" Xiao Heng said coldly.
Without any emotion.
At this moment, the Seventh Prince couldn't help but ask, "General Xiao, a battle involving hundreds of thousands of people, if we really fight like this for days, it probably won't end. Can the soldiers withstand such a long and fierce battle?"
"Of course they can't stand it, but these wolf soldiers can't stand it either. Haven't you noticed? Their entire army has been deployed, and the central army in the rear is only about 10,000 to 20,000 men."
"If the border troops can wear down the wolf soldiers on the battlefield, it will be a great achievement."
Upon hearing his reply, even the Seventh Prince was startled, but then respect arose in his heart.
As expected of Xiao Heng.
This is a battle to decide the fate of the world.
Although such battles may seem to result in significant losses, if the fighting continues indefinitely, the actual damage could be far greater than it is now.
Then, Xiao Heng coldly said again: "Wave the command flag and order all border troops to hold off the wolf soldiers for three days. After three days, they will collapse, which will be a great achievement for our Great Yong."
If they cannot hold out for three days, all officers above the rank of colonel will be subject to military law.
Then, he continued, "Order the Imperial Guards to advance. Without orders, do not release the bowstrings. If any border troops retreat, kill them without mercy."
His goal was to turn the battlefield into a massive training ground, to wear down the wolf soldiers.
Below, Lu Yuan looked up and saw nothing but dark, swarming wolf soldiers. The Great Yong border army's formation was constantly being broken down and then painstakingly reassembled.
Then it was washed away again, and finally disappeared.
After all, the border troops were still somewhat inferior to the wolf soldiers in strength.
By the second day, the army's numbers had dwindled to nearly 50,000.
The Western Rong wolf soldiers seemed to have figured out Da Yong's intentions, and the sound of gongs rang out continuously.
On the other hand, the war drums were thundering, and the army was ordered to advance. Both sides were fighting on foot, and by this time, they were already stuck in a quagmire.
How could it be so easy to just back out and leave?
The two sides can only continue their fierce battle.
By the afternoon of the next day, some of the warriors of Dayong could no longer hold on, but just as they were about to retreat, a volley of arrows killed them.
The Imperial Guards behind them were like an impregnable fortress.
Someone stood in front and shouted: "If you die on the battlefield, your families will receive compensation from the imperial court, and you will also be heroes of the Great Yong Dynasty. If you die at the hands of your own people, your families will be implicated and exiled."
Why bother, everyone? If you can hold out for three days, you will be heroes of our Great Yong Dynasty. Commander Xiao said that all officers of the rank of centurion and above will be awarded a third-class merit.
Such shouts rang out from all directions.
At this moment, those who had originally intended to escape could only grit their teeth and endure.
The Seventh Prince had witnessed a real battlefield this time, and looked at Xiao Heng, saying, "My lord, after this battle, these border troops will probably become elite warriors who have fought countless battles."
"Those who can survive on such a battlefield are naturally capable, especially the captains who lead troops. They themselves will probably undergo a transformation, and it is not impossible for them to enter the Imperial Guard."
The Seventh Prince raised an eyebrow: "Then please have the Elder select some talented individuals for me."
"That's easy to say," Xiao Heng said in a hoarse voice.
The seventh prince smiled.
Those above chatted and laughed, while hundreds of thousands struggled in the battlefield below.
At this moment, even Lu Yuan felt immense pressure.
His upper armor was covered in mottled patches, and some of the armor plates were even shattered.
The gaps in the surrounding army formation are widening.
Although the "Mountain Shattering and Earth Tremor" technique was used several times, it blocked several attacks.
But by this point in the battle, the army no longer had the strength to continue using this tactic.
Seeing the formation gradually crumble, Lu Yuan naturally guessed what Zhenyuan Gong was thinking.
However, he had no other choice but to fight desperately.
This is the tragedy of those in lower positions.
If you can't become someone who truly holds power, you're doomed.
Another night passed, and finally the third day arrived. Of the three thousand men under Lu Yuan's command, only less than a thousand remained.
The formation had completely collapsed, but fortunately, the Western Rong wolf soldiers were also in a sorry state, as they were being held tightly.
Evacuation is no longer possible.
Lu Yuan, wielding a crescent-shaped blade, slashed and killed his way across the battlefield, surrounded by warriors who guarded him.
Every second, they are under tremendous pressure.
Li Feng had already died in battle. Lu Yuan saw his body, which was pierced through by a battle flag and pinned to the ground.
"roar!"
Lu Yuan had just dealt with an enemy when a furious roar rang out.
Opposite him was a master of Qi from the Western Rong, who was clearly also greatly weakened, as the Qi surrounding his body had dimmed.
Holding a heavy hammer, he roared as he smashed it down towards Lu Yuan.
The impact was tremendous; more than a dozen guards were sent flying by a single blow from his hammer.
With his armor and stomach shattered, he collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
Lu Yuan's gaze turned cold, and he brandished his crescent blade, which moved like a beam of light wrapped around his body at great speed, almost enveloping his entire body.
As he approached the Western Rong expert, he dodged the oncoming war hammer at an incredible angle, and the blade instantly sliced across his opponent's neck.
"laugh!"
一颗头颅高高飞起。
He killed the powerful warriors of the Western Rong.
After nearly three days of hellish fighting, Lu Yuan's combat strength has once again greatly improved.
Although the Western Rong Qi Realm expert he killed was also on the verge of death.
But Lu Yuan is also tired now.
Time passed by, and finally it was afternoon.
The sound of retreat came from the Dayong side.
Almost immediately, all the border troops rushed towards their own side without regard for their own safety.
They seemed determined to exhaust all their energy, forgetting all enemies and achievements in the aftermath.
The Western Rong people did not give chase. They fell to the ground and took out dry rations from their pockets, stuffing them into their mouths.
"Creak!"
Just then, the sound of the ballista turning rang out.
"Bang bang bang!"
Crossbows pierced the air, and the Xirong warriors who were still on the battlefield were instantly killed by this dense attack.
After three rounds of crossbow fire.
"kill!"
Clad in dark gold armor and wielding weapons, the Imperial Guards charged into the battlefield in perfect formation.
They began their one-sided massacre.
Lu Yuan sat on an open ground outside the battlefield, bandaging Zhou He's wounds while stuffing him with dry rations and pills.
He added, "Brother, we survived, your uncle didn't die, and Wei Yong and the others are alive too. I swear to you, after this battle, no one will ever make me risk my life."
His voice was cold.
At this moment, Zhou He's abdomen was pierced. Although it was not fatal, the injury was still very serious.
Meanwhile, the officials in the Imperial Guard were counting the number of soldiers.
It was also recorded in the merit book.
No one dared to embezzle such military merits, especially those under the command of the Duke of Zhenyuan.
After these records are completed.
It was placed under the commander's tent.
The seventh prince looked at the book in front of him, his eyes already burning with desire.
Xiao Heng knew what he was thinking and asked his deputy, "How many captains are still alive?"
"Reporting to Commander Xiao, there were a total of thirteen men, and approximately thirty thousand soldiers survived," the lieutenant hurriedly reported.
"Bring up a few captains, let me meet them. People who can survive on a battlefield like this are no ordinary people," Xiao Heng said softly.
The deputy general immediately withdrew, and a moment later, thirteen figures covered in blood were led to the commander's flag.
They all looked exhausted, but still bowed and said, "Greetings, Commander Xiao."
Lu Yuan was among them. He stared at the other person for a moment before lowering his head.
At the same time, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
Zhang Zhe and Zhao Yu were among them.
Across from him, Xiao Heng didn't speak, but pointed to the thirteen people in front of him and said, "Your Highness, these people can all be considered talented, especially this Lu Yuan. I just looked at his information."
At the age of seventeen, he has already distinguished himself in battle. If he could serve under you and hone his skills in the Imperial Guard, he would surely become a great man.
Xiao Heng's words instantly piqued the Seventh Prince's interest. He looked at Lu Yuan and said, "Alright, then from now on..."
However, just as he was halfway through his sentence, Zhang Zhe came up and whispered something in the Seventh Prince's ear.
After a moment, the Seventh Prince frowned and looked at Zhang Zhe, saying, "You mean, you have a grudge against Lu Yuan?"
Zhang Zhe nodded without hesitation and said, "He not only has a grudge against me, but also against General Zhao Yu. I beg the Seventh Prince to stand up for us."
Xiao Heng frowned at this moment.
After pondering for a moment, the Seventh Prince looked at Xiao Heng and said, "Except for Lu Yuan, I want the other two. They can be assigned to the Imperial Guard."
Xiao Heng nodded, but still said, "Seventh Prince, won't you reconsider?"
As she spoke, her gaze fell upon Lu Yuan.
The Seventh Prince's words today have effectively cut off Lu Yuan's path to joining the Imperial Guard.
"No."
The former decisively stated that one was the son-in-law of the Prince's mansion, and the other was the son of the General of Lingzhou. In his opinion, either of them was more worth winning over than Lu Yuan, who was currently only a captain.
Seeing that the Seventh Prince had made his decision, Xiao Heng said nothing more, simply nodded, and then waved to Lu Yuan, saying, "Step down."
Lu Yuan responded and then left the area outside the command flag.
He also breathed a sigh of relief. In the past, he might have thought about joining the Imperial Guard, but after this battle, he had no such thought at all.
In the eyes of those high-ranking figures, the life and death of grassroots warriors are just numbers.
Those without powerful backers, even within the Imperial Guard, will become cannon fodder.
Following them might bring short-term benefits, but it would be difficult for Lu Yuan to stand on his own.
Their entire fate will likely be tied to these people.
Therefore, he didn't want to follow anyone; he just wanted to return to the northern frontier.
With that thought in mind, he dragged his weary body back to his tent.
Then, without hesitation, he swallowed the Meridian Opening Fruit directly into his stomach.
At this moment, he was finally ready to step into the realm of true essence.
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