We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real? - Chapter 325: So What If He's the Northern Pacification Prince's Legitimate Son?
Under Listening Tide City, the great battle continued from night until dawn, still ongoing. However, compared to last night’s intense battle situation, the fight was nearing its end.
Wei Kingdom’s Listening Tide City soldiers were indeed brave but compared to Qin Kingdom’s three hundred thousand elite troops, they still fell short. However, the lord of Listening Tide City wasn’t a fool.
When he discovered the battle line continuously advancing toward the city, before morale completely collapsed, he had already ordered the gongs struck to withdraw troops.
Listening Tide City’s soldiers withdrew back to the city in an orderly, well-trained manner.
Immediately after, Listening Tide City’s formation activated, planning to defend to the death but how could Qin Huo possibly give them such an opportunity?
“Charge! Break the city!”
Under Qin Huo’s command, cloud ladders were successively erected against the city walls.
Catapults were pulled over one after another.
Massive boulders inscribed with formation-breaking runes were hurled at the opposing city.
Qin Kingdom’s warriors charged forward despite the arrows.
Battering rams inscribed with formation-breaking runes struck the gates again and again.
Even after fighting all night, everyone still maintained a state of excitement.
The lord of Listening Tide City watched Qin Kingdom’s soldiers attacking the city recklessly. His fists had already squeezed out hot sweat.
It wasn’t that he had never fought Qin Kingdom’s army before but now, seeing Qin Kingdom’s posture, it seemed they were coming to break cities and annihilate the nation!
“Boom!”
With a tremendous sound, Listening Tide City’s protective formation was breached.
Immediately after, a bolt of thunder streaked by. The lord of Listening Tide City only saw a blood-soaked youth charging onto the city wall.
Each of his spear thrusts was clean and efficient, without any superfluous movements. Every move and style was a killing technique.
He planted the Qin Kingdom battle flag on the city wall and this banner was like a tower with ten thousand lamps lit at night. One after another, Qin Kingdom soldiers’ morale surged again as they flooded onto the city walls.
“Go!”
The lord of Listening Tide City knew the city couldn’t be held and directly abandoned it to flee.
In his view, although he would certainly be severely punished for returning in defeat, going to the State of Wei or Qi Kingdom, he could still find security.
Half an hour later, the lord of Listening Tide City set fire to the granary and led his army to break out through Listening Tide City’s rear gate.
The defending soldiers in the city all surrendered. Listening Tide City and the two surrounding subsidiary cities all fell under Qin Kingdom’s control.
Qin Kingdom’s army entered the city. Qin Huo ordered that they must not disturb the city’s civilians, must not mistreat prisoners, and to immediately extinguish the fire.
In Qin Huo’s view, population was combat power. These prisoners could completely be brought to the rear for training, then scattered and integrated into the army to replenish military sources.
Over the next two days, the entire army rested and reorganized, rewarding merits.
Because Xiao Mo’s performance on the battlefield was too outstanding, and he was first to mount Listening Tide City’s walls, he naturally received a personal audience with Qin Huo.
“Xiao Mo pays respects to the General.”
Walking into the military camp, Xiao Mo cupped his fists in salute.
“Mm.”
In the military camp, the more Qin Huo looked at the youth before him, the more satisfied he felt.
“Xiao Mo of the Xiao Manor. Before you came, I looked at your records. You’re the third son of the Northern Pacification Prince Xiao Shi?” Qin Huo asked.
“That’s correct.” Xiao Mo replied.
“Not bad, not bad. Xiao Shi has indeed sired a good son.” Qin Huo said with a smile, “Because you’re still officially part of the Iron Tiger Army, you cannot take an official position in my army. However, this prince will first record for you the merit of a commander of a hundred. After the great battle, rewards will be given all together. What do you think?”
“Thank you, General!” Xiao Mo naturally had no problem with this.
“Go, rest well.” Qin Huo patted Xiao Mo’s shoulder, “This great battle will be fought until Wei Kingdom is annihilated. A war of national annihilation isn’t something everyone encounters. Fight well. Although you’re a concubine-born son, this prince dares guarantee that in the future, your achievements will absolutely not be lower than your father’s!”
“Yes, then this subordinate will take his leave.”
Xiao Mo cupped his fists in salute again, then withdrew.
After Xiao Mo left, Deputy General Chen Jin said to Qin Huo with a smile, “This Xiao Mo, on the battlefield he’s incredibly brave like a god of death, yet off the battlefield he’s like a Confucian scholar. Quite interesting.”
“Yes, he’s indeed quite good.”
Qin Huo nodded.
“It just depends on whether he can survive. Those who live become famous generals. Those who die are dried bones.”
Two days later, Qin Kingdom’s army deployed again.
Among Xiao Mo’s ten companions, because Hong Bo had his leg broken and needed to recuperate, he could only rest in Listening Tide City first.
When Xiao Mo and the others were leaving, Hong Bo cried terribly, wanting to go together.
Zhao Wei and the others laughed at him for “putting on an act,” saying he “doesn’t have to go to the battlefield, so he must be happy inside. Stop pretending.”
Hong Bo turned red with anger and forcefully wanted to deploy. It was Xiao Mo who persuaded him to stay, then gave Zhao Wei and the others a talking-to.
A month later, Qin Kingdom’s army arrived at Wei Kingdom’s Zhulu City.
At this time, Wei Kingdom had already prepared strict defenses, and scouts brought news that the State of Wei would also send troops to provide support but Qin Huo didn’t care at all.
Taking advantage of the army’s high morale, Qin Kingdom’s army successively captured fifteen cities including Wei Kingdom’s Luoyu City, Chi City, and Mengjiang City.
In every major battle, apart from cavalry, the Iron Tiger Army was always the unit charging at the very front, and Xiao Mo was the person charging at the forefront of the Iron Tiger Army.
As long as Xiao Mo gripped his long spear and stepped onto the battlefield, he was like a war god.
Wei Kingdom naturally noticed this young outstanding talent Xiao Mo and considered deploying Golden Core realm cultivators to eliminate him to remove future troubles but Qin Kingdom’s side wasn’t foolish either.
Every promising talent on the battlefield was protected. If a cultivator more than two realms above Xiao Mo took action, Qin Kingdom would certainly intervene.
Before they knew it, a year and a half had passed.
During one battle in that period, Xiao Mo broke through to Dragon Gate realm and during this year and a half, Xiao Mo had already “forgotten” seventy percent of the God-Slaying Spear’s techniques.
Although the later it got, the slower Xiao Mo “forgot,” Xiao Mo wasn’t anxious in his heart, feeling this was just a matter of time.
As for Xiao Mo’s military merits, he had never kept track.
He only knew that after he, at Dragon Gate realm, killed an opposing Golden Core realm general by exceeding his realm on the battlefield, Xiao Mo gained the qualification to enter the main military tent for council. However, although Xiao Mo could participate in discussions with the generals, Xiao Mo always remained silent.
Regarding battlefield strategy and planning, Xiao Mo had only learned from theory. He mostly listened carefully to these veteran commanders’ discussions, then combined what he learned and thought to verify each other.
The only thing that gave Xiao Mo a headache was that these commanders often disagreed and would start fighting. He needed to help break up the fights.
Later, Qin Huo seemed intentionally cultivating Xiao Mo, occasionally asking Xiao Mo for opinions on battlefield matters and having Xiao Mo speculate on opposing commanders’ thoughts.
Xiao Mo spoke his honest thoughts.
After hearing Xiao Mo’s strategies, some aggressive generals all felt they had been too conservative but many of Xiao Mo’s ideas were indeed original and unique in insight, often causing the military commanders to fall into contemplation.
And at this time, Qin Huo acted first and reported later, having Xiao Mo, while maintaining his Iron Tiger Army position, temporarily command an army of ten thousand men. He had Xiao Mo independently lead troops to break Wei Kingdom’s Ruci City to protect the right flank of the main army.
A commander must not only fight on the battlefield but more importantly command the army.
Qin Huo wanted to see what Xiao Mo was really made of and Xiao Mo didn’t disappoint Qin Huo.
The ten-thousand-man army Xiao Mo led camped under Ruci City. At first, they didn’t attack, only daily dropping “leaflets” into the city, mainly proclaiming:
“After Qin Kingdom’s army enters the city, they won’t take a single thread from civilians.”
“Wei Kingdom has already lost half its territory.”
“Commanders who can surrender will be promoted and ennobled.”
“Whoever can bring down the head of Ruci City’s lord will directly become the next lord of Ruci City.”
Xiao Mo’s methods caused panic in Ruci City.
Plus, the lord of Ruci City normally enjoyed beating and scolding his subordinates, even liked having subordinates send their wives to his bed, which had long earned many subordinates’ resentment.
Finally, the lord of Ruci City had his head cut off. The city gates opened, surrendering to Xiao Mo.
After Xiao Mo led troops into the city, discipline was strict, exactly as stated in the “leaflets” without any violations. Xiao Mo even proactively took over local records. In the four days of rest and reorganization, he demonstrated extremely strong administrative abilities, completely cleared up unjust cases, and gained considerable local favor.
Leaving Ruci City, Xiao Mo didn’t immediately return to the main army but received orders to continue advancing on the flank.
Before Xiao Mo attacked each city, he would learn about the defending city lord’s personality and life experiences.
He would use cunning if possible.
If cunning wasn’t possible, he would find ways to minimize casualties.
The four words “avoid the solid, strike the hollow” seemed simple, but in reality, many commanders couldn’t truly achieve this in their entire lives but Xiao Mo’s command in battle, especially his sensitivity to changes on the battlefield, often allowed him to see weak points, then break through with one strike.
And what Xiao Mo most liked to do was personally lead a dozen cavalry, penetrating deep alone, personally acting as a scout.
Several times Xiao Mo was discovered, provoking enemy pursuit, but halfway through the chase, they dared not continue.
After all, what enemy army commander personally penetrates deep into enemy territory to investigate?
This was truly too absurd.
They suspected an ambush!
But soon, they discovered this young general called Xiao Mo was truly this absurd.
Thus, as soon as the enemy army discovered Qin Kingdom scouts, they chased them to death, because among these scouts, Xiao Mo might very well be there!
And after Xiao Mo was discovered, he wouldn’t even let his subordinates cover the rear. Xiao Mo personally covered the rear, one arrow one person, shooting while riding, every arrow hitting its mark. He even occasionally pulled out his long spear to charge and kill.
After killing, Xiao Mo would shout “Your daddy is leaving!” then ride off triumphantly.
Once, an old city lord, after being humiliated like this by Xiao Mo, directly coughed up blood in anger, nearly dying from rage.
At first, the ten-thousand-man army Xiao Mo led wasn’t very convinced of Xiao Mo. They even suspected this pretty boy Xiao Mo gained the prince’s favor by selling his body but Xiao Mo always led from the front when charging, often risking himself to scout enemy intelligence.
After being discovered, as the commander, Xiao Mo not only covered the rear for his subordinates but also often charged in and out like a swimming dragon.
Especially after battles began, Xiao Mo’s command and deployment of the ten-thousand-man army was within perfect measure, extremely skilled.
This young martial commander’s weight in the soldiers’ hearts grew heavier and heavier.
Another half year passed.
Xiao Mo originally led the ten-thousand-man army out to break just one city, but because Xiao Mo performed too well, he never returned to the main army.
Xiao Mo even went from the original ten thousand troops to fifty thousand troops, advancing alongside the left army and central main force in three routes.
During this half year, Xiao Mo successively captured ten cities.
“Xiao Mo.”
This name that no one would have noticed gradually entered the ears of every Wei Kingdom soldier.
If the left army and central main force of Qin Kingdom were a steel blade directly stabbing Wei Kingdom’s heart, then Xiao Mo was like a long spear in one hand and a soft sword in the other, impossible to guard against. However, because Xiao Mo’s appearance was too handsome and refined, when on the battlefield he lacked killing aura and was often called a pretty boy by enemy soldiers challenging him.
Thus, after much deliberation, Xiao Mo decided to have military blacksmiths forge him a fierce, menacing mask.
Every time he went to the battlefield, Xiao Mo would wear this mask to charge and kill enemies.
One day, the musician cultivator Zhu Jian flew over Shuanghong City and sensed towering killing intent.
When she approached, she saw a masked commander leading an army fighting with Shuanghong City’s army.
She saw this masked commander leading three hundred personal guards charging in and out of the enemy army’s center, incredibly brave. Moreover, while charging, he could still grasp the entire battlefield situation and conduct command and deployment.
Half a day later, Shuanghong City’s army was penetrated by the masked man’s army.
And just as Shuanghong City’s soldiers were fleeing in all directions, the man held his long spear, reined in his horse and stood. Under the sunset glow, he reached out his hand, removed the mask, revealing his face, and as if sensing something, glanced toward the sky.
Their eyes met.
The contrast between Xiao Mo’s fierce beast-like bravery and his handsomeness beneath the mask made the musician cultivator Zhu Jian’s heart tremble.
Even after Xiao Mo had long departed, Zhu Jian still stood in the air, unable to remove the man’s appearance from her mind.
Three months later, Zhu Jian, inspired by the battlefield, wrote “Breaking Through Shuanghong Array” for that masked commander and performed it throughout the realm.
Xiao Mo was unaware of this.
Xiao Mo continued breaking through numerous cities. A year later, he successfully joined forces with the main army at Wei Kingdom’s imperial capital, preparing for the decisive battle.
And on the eve of the decisive battle, just as Qin Huo was gathering Xiao Mo and other commanders to discuss the siege, a scout ran into the command tent and delivered a letter.
Qin Huo opened the envelope and read it, then laughed in anger and slapped the table, “This Xiao Yishe has such audacity!”
Hearing the three words “Xiao Yishe,” everyone looked at Xiao Mo together.
Everyone knew Xiao Yishe was the Xiao Manor’s Second Young Master, which was Xiao Mo’s second brother.
Xiao Mo took the envelope and looked at it. The letter’s content was roughly:
Xiao Yishe originally only received imperial orders to watch the State of Wei. But because Wei Kingdom was about to be annihilated, he brought five thousand Snow-Treading Dragon Cavalry over, wanting to claim a share of the merit for annihilating the nation!
“General Xiao, what do you think?” Qin Huo looked at Xiao Mo.
At this time, although Xiao Mo was only a nominal general, the prestige he had fought to build over these years made everyone in the army completely convinced.
Xiao Mo stepped forward and cupped his fists in salute, “Give me just five hundred cavalry. This general will make the Snow-Treading Dragon Cavalry not dare step within a hundred li of Wei Kingdom’s imperial capital!”
“Good!”
Qin Huo looked at Xiao Mo with burning eyes.
“So what if he’s the Northern Pacification Prince’s legitimate son? Xiao Mo! Go beat him for me!”
