Endless Winter: My Camp Infinite Upgrades

Chapter 538 The tide has turned; the persuasion to surrender begins.

The Yangxu Cauldron is different from the Zongling Stele. It has only two functions: to raise the temperature and to suppress strange creatures. However, within the coverage area of ​​the Zongling Stele, Xia Hong can sense any unusual life movement other than that of the Xia people.

Unfortunately, Aikou City and the entire Five Towns of the North are not yet part of the Great Xia territory, so the Zongling Stele cannot be brought here for use. Otherwise, as long as Xia Hong's battlefield is under his control, the entire area within a hundred miles would be under his control, and what enemy could possibly defeat the Xia army?

For this reason, Xia Hong can only rely on the Yangxu Cauldron and the Cold Beast Stakes at present.

Leaving aside the Frost Beast Stake, it is foreseeable that for many years to come, the Great Xia will have to rely on it to contend with the warlords of Mo'aochuan.

As for the Yangxu Cauldron, it was a divine artifact for the army.

With it by the army, not only can it prevent the troops from being infiltrated by monsters, but it can also provide warmth for soldiers when marching or setting up camp, preventing them from freezing. Most importantly, with it, the Cold Beast Stakes can be ensured to operate smoothly.

From the moment Cai Qianshan made up his mind to personally intervene after the negotiations failed last night, Xia Hong knew that with the current strength of the Xia army, the chances of winning against the regional military governors were slim.

Even before Cai Qiu's army arrived, this was still the case!

Cai Qiu has been a vassal state for over three hundred years. Leaving aside the number of experts at the Tribulation Realm, there must be many cunning techniques hidden within his domain. In addition, considering Cai Qiuhu's confident statement last night that the Wuchuan army had more to offer, he has remained extremely vigilant since the negotiations failed last night.

The maximum heating range of the Yangxu Cauldron is within a radius of twenty kilometers, but Xia Hong can control the extent of its radiation range.

As mentioned earlier, within the radiation range of the Yangxu Cauldron, it only has the effect of raising the temperature, not the function of exploration. Therefore, when Qin Feng's 50,000-strong army marched all the way from Donggu City to within a dozen kilometers of the pass, Xia Hong and the entire right wing army were unaware of it.

However, Yuwen Tao's military leadership skills were also exceptional.

The 40,000 Xia troops on the right flank arrived at the city of Aikou in the latter half of the night of the 28th. Upon their arrival, Yuwen Tao had already deployed a large number of scouts within a 20-kilometer radius west of the military camp, patrolling day and night. As soon as the eerie wind that enveloped the Wuchuan army approached, the scouts discovered it.

All the scouts of the Great Xia were equipped with yellow candles, and Yuwen Tao's right wing army was no exception. The Wuchuan army formation shrouded in that eerie wind was too large to be hidden from the scouts.

To be precise, when the scouts reported, the Wuchuan army was only seventeen kilometers away from the camp. Based on the scouts' observations of the Wuchuan army's marching speed, Xia Hong had less than fifteen minutes to prepare.

In less than a quarter of an hour, what kind of deployment can an army of 40,000 make?
If it were any other camp, no matter how strong or disciplined they were, they probably wouldn't have been able to turn the tide.

But unfortunately, Cai Qiu encountered the Great Xia Dynasty!
In the latter half of the night of the 30th, Xia Hong arrived at Aikou City and learned that Yuwen Tao's strategy for breaching the city was to dig tunnels. He immediately had an idea.

When it comes to tunneling, who can compare to the long-tailed gnawing rat?

Although the Great Xia Dynasty lacked the means to tame the cold beasts, it had cold beast stakes!

The speed at which low- to mid-level gnawing rats dig is already terrifying, let alone the Frost Beast Stake that has transformed into a Beast King-level gnawing rat.

Since Xia Hong was not present before, the Frost Beast Stake and the Yangxu Cauldron had to remain in Xia City to ensure the safety of the rear. Now that he has arrived, the Yangxu Cauldron and the Frost Beast Stake should naturally play their role.

Having the soldiers dig slowly there is no better than having the Frost Beast Piles dig.
The key point is that Xia Hong brought all fifty Frost Beast Stakes with him this time.

The system's Frost Beast Stakes can automatically transform into that type of Frost Beast as long as its essence blood has been recorded. This transformation is unrestricted. With the Great Xia's hunting capabilities today, the fifty Frost Beast Stakes have already recorded over a hundred types of essence blood, naturally including the Beast King-level Gnawing Rat.

With fifty beast king-level gnawing rats digging underground simultaneously, there was no need for the previously mentioned ten days or half a month. Following the route that Yuwen Tao had previously explored, the tunnel was completely opened in less than a quarter of an hour.

With the tunnel completed, things will be much easier from here on out!
The individual strength of the Xia army is now unmatched in the southern foothills region. Where did Qin Feng's 50,000 troops get the audacity to fight the Xia army alone?
Without a doubt, they must have coordinated with the Jinshan army in the pass city in advance. Once their 50,000 elite troops arrive from the east, the Jinshan army of 60,000 will surely emerge from the pass city, and the two armies will join forces to annihilate the 40,000-strong right flank army of the Great Xia.

Such a plan didn't even need Xia Hong's prompting; almost all the generals of Yuwen Tao's right wing army understood it immediately.

Now that we've figured out the other party's intentions, dealing with them is quite simple.

Xia Hong recalled all the scouts scattered around the perimeter, pretending not to know that Wu Chuan's army had arrived. He then sealed off the military tents and secretly ordered Yuwen Tao to lead 20,000 troops into the tunnels, while he himself stayed in the tents with 20,000 men, creating the illusion that the army had not made any unusual movements.

Therefore, the moment Jinshan's 60,000-strong army marched out of the pass city, Xia Hong knew that the outcome of this great battle was no longer in doubt.

Without these 60,000 troops, Yuwen Tao's 20,000 Xia troops broke out from the tunnels behind Aikou City. Who in the city could stop them?

Yuwen Tao did not disappoint him. In less than fifty breaths, his army of 60,000 had already captured the pass city.

As for the beast king-level puppet that shattered the city gate of the pass, it was naturally the work of Xia Hong, who had been in control of the entire situation from the sky.

"The Jinshan bandits dare to block the advance of my Great Xia army?"

"Slay through the Jinshan bandits and join forces with Commander Hou's troops!"

"Brothers, military merit is just around the corner, and the day will come for you to be ennobled and ascend to the throne!"

"Kill!"

………………

The deafening sounds of killing filled the area outside the pass city.

Yuwen Tao, the dignified commander of the right wing army, has drawn his broadsword and personally entered the fray. He is incredibly powerful, and a single strike of his greatsword can sweep away more than ten soldiers.

The two hundred scouts of the Longwu Army behind him were no ordinary soldiers either. With Commander Yuwen Tao at the core and five flag bearers as their directional markers, they formed a triangular formation behind him, supporting each other on the left and right to hold off the Jinshan soldiers on both sides. The central army continuously fired crossbow bolts, and the entire force was like a sharp cone. In a short while, they charged forward more than two hundred meters, carving a gap in the impenetrable Jinshan army formation.

On the west side, Yuwen Yong and Hou Quan led 20,000 Xia troops, equally full of killing intent. Especially after realizing that the Wuchuan army in the rear was approaching, the two of them became even more ruthless. Ignoring the obstruction of several Xianyang-level soldiers from Jinshan, they led their respective scout camps and, imitating Yuwen Tao, formed a triangular formation and charged forward another three or four hundred meters.

The Xia army's encampment was only two kilometers away from the pass city. Yuwen Tao led his troops from east to west, while Yuwen Yong and Hou Quan led their troops from west to east. With the combined efforts of the two armies, they had already scattered the 60,000-strong army of Jinshan. The two armies were only this far apart. Yuwen Tao advanced a few hundred meters, and Yuwen Yong and Hou Quan advanced a few hundred meters. In less than thirty breaths, the vanguard of the two armies could already see each other.

"Hahaha, we see the commander! Brothers, give it your all, charge forward, and join up with the commander. Our army will be safe!"

Although Yuwen Yong was a retainer of the Yuwen clan, in recent years, as Yuwen Tao's status in the Great Xia became more and more important, his position rose accordingly. He was promoted from a captain of the Longwu Army Scout Battalion to a deputy commander, then to a commander, and finally broke through to the Xianyang level last year, serving as a general of the Second Battalion of the Allied Forces. Now he is also a pillar of the Great Xia.

Xia Hong's intentions were perfectly clear to him.

Although the Xia army was strong, its right wing only numbered 40,000, while the combined forces of Jinshan and Wuchuan had 110,000. Both sides' soldiers were at the Cold Resistance level. Although the Xia army was skilled in battle formations and its soldiers were slightly more powerful, it was still not enough to confront an enemy force nearly three times its size head-on.

Xia Hong's true intention was to seize the pass through the tunnels, disrupt the morale of the Jinshan army, and then launch a counterattack, coordinating with the 20,000 troops left outside to defeat the Jinshan army. After the two armies merged, they would retreat back into the pass to use it as a barrier against the combined forces of Jinshan and Wuchuan.

Cai Qiu must have used some trick to bring over 50,000 troops from Wuchuan. He must have used some means to deceive Luoyuan and Xiachuan. It took more than an hour to cross more than 100 kilometers. Without a doubt, Luoyuan's central army and Yuancheng's rear army would not be able to arrive in time.

As for Xia Chuan's 20,000 elite troops, they are currently surrounding Wu Chuan Town. How could they possibly abandon the town to come and support them?

Therefore, holding onto these 110,000 troops and waiting for reinforcements from the central and rear lines is the best course of action. If we were to open up our forces here and engage in battle with Jinshan Wuchuan, Great Xia would certainly not come out on top.

The plan is already 80% complete.

No, it should be 90%!

boom…………

Yuwen Yong's weapon was also a broadsword. He was Yuwen Hu's adopted son and grew up with Yuwen Tao from a young age. They learned the same things and used the same weapons.

He swept his broadsword across more than ten Jinshan soldiers in front of him, smashing the ground with a deafening roar. He leaped more than ten meters into the air, and just as he was about to turn his head, a sword suddenly pierced towards his brow.

Whoosh... He turned his head to check how far Yuwen Tao was from him, but he didn't expect that there was such a terrifyingly powerful swordsman hidden in the Jinshan army, who suddenly attacked and wanted to take his life.

Yuwen Yong broke through to the Xianyang level in a very short time, and his basic strength is only slightly over 4 jun. With the support of the Great Xia Sacred Mark and martial arts, it is less than 7 jun. The power of this sword is obviously over 20 jun. How can he block it?

Clang...

At this critical moment, another broadsword suddenly appeared in front of him, accurately blocking the serpentine blade.

The loud noise startled the armored swordsman, who quickly sheathed his sword and attempted to retreat.

"You've come all this way, do you still want to run away!"

Who else could own that broadsword but Yuwen Tao?
Yuwen Tao was in a somewhat disheveled state at the moment. His armor was almost completely rotten, and he had many wounds on his body, but there should be no fatal injuries, and his fighting spirit was extremely strong.

Having rescued his elder brother Yuwen Yong, he saw the swordsman trying to retreat and escape. His gaze suddenly sharpened, and he uttered a chilling sound. His broadsword swept around behind him and slashed down, striking the fleeing swordsman's side with a sweeping blow.

Crack...

"Those petty warlords are only fit to do these underhanded tricks!"

Yuwen Tao struck successfully, sending the swordsman flying dozens of meters forward, knocking down more than twenty Jinshan soldiers along the way. The force was so great that the first five Jinshan soldiers to be hit died instantly, and the others were also knocked senseless. Although they didn't lose their lives, they were too frightened to approach this area again.

"General, the losses in the city have been considerable?"

Yuwen Yong keenly sensed the anger in Yuwen Tao's voice, and he immediately realized that something must have happened when Yuwen Tao led his army to seize the city.

Yuwen Tao nodded and said in a deep voice, "Cai Qiu left more than fifty Xianyang-level beings in the city. Fortunately, the lord's Beast King-level puppet helped us, otherwise we probably wouldn't have been able to capture the city gate so easily..."

Recalling the battle in the city, Yuwen Tao still felt lingering fear.

He didn't dare to show his face before the Jinshan army broke out of the city. After all, he only had 20,000 men under his command. Although the lord had given him a Beast King-level puppet, Cai Qiu also had a Tribulation Realm expert in charge, and there was also Cai Qianshan, the governor, present.

As soon as Jinshan's army left the city, he immediately led his men out through the tunnels.

Both sides took action at almost the same time. The Jinshan army, which had come out in full force, was naturally not as flexible, but those Xianyang-level soldiers were different.

They turned around immediately, and several of them, led by Jinshan Xianyang-level experts, organized a small number of Yuhan-level and Juedi-level experts in the city to resist the Xia army that was attacking from the rear.

The 20,000 Xia soldiers were like divine soldiers descending from the sky, emerging from the tunnels as if they were in an empty land. How could the hastily organized forces in the pass city resist them?

It must be said that the Xianyang-class remains a weakness of the Great Xia.

The only variable lies here.

More than fifty Xianyang-level soldiers, along with the hastily assembled garrison in the city, almost managed to stop them. If the lord hadn't sent out another Beast King-level puppet, they would never have been able to reach the city gate so easily, let alone the 20,000 Xia soldiers who rushed out of the city gate to reinforce the city.

"We suffered some losses and lost quite a few soldiers, but now, it's nothing. Jinshan and Wuchuan are doomed. The northern lands now belong entirely to our Great Xia!"

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Yong was slightly taken aback, then turned his head to look at the battlefield, his expression brightening.

The fact that he was able to meet Yuwen Tao on the battlefield meant that the two Xia armies, one inside and one outside the city, had completely merged.

This is indeed the case.

The battlefield outside the pass city has become quite astonishing. It's understandable, given that the total number of soldiers on both sides has exceeded 150,000.

150,000 people, even if we calculate it at one square meter per person, that's still a full 150,000 square meters. Moreover, the soldiers on the battlefield at this moment all have the Cold Resistance level of cultivation, and are equipped with weapons and armor. In addition, the noise they make when they fight makes it impossible for the per capita area to be only that small.

At this moment, the entire battlefield stretched for at least two miles from east to west, and everywhere one looked there were soldiers. If it weren't for the fact that the three armies' armor and weapons each had their own unique characteristics, it would probably be difficult for a normal person to distinguish friend from foe on the battlefield.

With their combined cultivation at the Manifestation Yang level, Yuwen Tao and his companion were able to clearly see the situation on the battlefield even after rising slightly into the air.

The two Xia armies had completely merged at the front, and the Jinshan army attacked from the north and south, trying to close the gap created by the Xia army. However, there were too many people on the battlefield, and they could not exert their strength in one direction at all, so they could not close the gap.

The situation was different with the Great Xia. The two Xia armies merged, and Yuwen Tao's troops kept clearing a path for the Xia army on the west side. As soon as they met up with a group of people, they would let them in immediately. In just over a hundred breaths, they had met up with at least half of the Xia army.

"The Wuchuan army has already rolled over. Eight Tribulation Realm cultivators, plus more than 150 Manifestation Realm cultivators, Cai Qianshan is really going all out!"

Upon hearing Yuwen Yong's sigh, Yuwen Tao immediately looked to the west and, without hesitation, drew his sword and charged forward.

On the west side, outside the city, half of the 20,000 Xia troops had not yet joined the main army. Meanwhile, Wu Chuan's 50,000 troops, with the assistance of Cai Qianshan and a group of Jie Shen Xianyang, had bypassed the twelve Beast King-level puppets and were attacking the rear of the half of the Xia army.

"I'll go hold off Wu Chuan. You lead the army to hold the breach and don't retreat any further. Once you've reunited with all the brothers, then retreat back into the city!"

Yuwen Tao was clear-headed. The ultimate goal of this great battle was to lead the Xia army's remaining forces back to Aikou City, not to annihilate the Jinshan and Wuchuan armies. As long as this was achieved, the two towns would no longer be able to cause any trouble.

"There are quite a few people coming, it's just a pity they're a bit slow..."

Yuwen Tao's face no longer showed much worry. Even if the Wuchuan army had only caught up with the rear ranks, it would not have affected the overall situation.

The 30,000 Xia troops, having fully merged, formed a long dragon from a distance, with its end at the pass and its beginning three miles west of the city gate.

As long as he gives the order now, the army can retreat back into the city without any problem.

He ordered Yuwen Yong to hold the breach in place, simply because he didn't want to give up the 10,000 Xia soldiers.

Of course, we can't give up!

The Great Xia Dynasty did not have the habit of abandoning its own brothers.

………………

"Shangguan Yang, Qin Feng, you've already lost, yet you still insist on putting up a stubborn resistance. Are you really prepared to continue down this dark path with Cai Qiu?"

Just as Yuwen Tao arrived at the rear and rescued dozens of Xia soldiers trapped in the massacre by the Wuchuan army, Xia Hong's loud voice came from the sky.

The lord has begun to persuade them to surrender!

The targets of their attempts to persuade them to surrender were naturally not Cai Qianshan, but rather Shangguan Yang, the lord of Jinshan, and Qin Feng, the lord of Wuchuan.

Xia Hong's voice was loud, but it received no response and had very limited impact on the battlefield. The soldiers were stunned for a moment before throwing themselves back into the fight.

The soldiers of Jinshan and Wuchuan towns were completely oblivious to the situation. All they knew was that the mountains and plains were filled with their own people, while the Xia army was trapped in the middle. In their view, as long as they could break through, the Xia army would surely be defeated.
The soldiers on the Great Xia side had a simpler idea. Most of them were unaware of Xia Hong's intentions. They only knew that their lord had begun to persuade them to surrender. If Jinshan Wuchuan surrendered at this time, they would have no chance to gain military merit.

Therefore, the soldiers on both sides fought even more fiercely!

(End of this chapter)