With the Primordial Gourd Vine Martial Spirit combined with the Primordial Natural Dragon Martial Spirit, plus Lan Yuer’s rejuvenating healing hands, Ji Ning should be fine now.
“Report the casualty figures?”
“The Northern Desert Army lost nearly two thousand dead, and the Imperial City Camp lost over seventy thousand!”
“How many?”
Ling Xiao could hardly believe the number.
The expeditionary force assembled by the Imperial City Camp had only brought eighty thousand this time, and seventy thousand had died in this single battle.
“It’s seventy thousand, no mistake! That fellow Sikong Zun forcibly ordered the troops to pursue us, only to get surrounded by the Black Crow Army like dumplings in a pot. If Lyu Chenglong and Feng Qingyan hadn’t arrived in time and forcibly led the withdrawal, they wouldn’t have preserved even ten thousand men.”
“That dog thief Sikong Zun!”
Ling Xiao gnashed his teeth viciously. If he hadn’t made arrangements in advance and been rescued from Northern Desert Pass by the Shadow Assassins, he would probably have died at Sikong Zun’s hands long ago.
Over seventy thousand men, gone in an instant. Anyone hearing this would feel shocked and terrified.
“Where did Feng Qingyan and the others retreat to?”
“Northern Desert Pass. Sikong Zun has gone back too, so it’s relatively safe for now. It seems the Black Crow Army is only besieging them without attacking, determined to focus their main assault on our Northern Desert City.”
Ling Xiao looked up into the distance. The sky was gradually brightening. After a night of fighting, corpses lay everywhere.
Of course, most of the dead were soldiers from the Divine Phoenix Empire.
Those charred black bodies made one’s scalp tingle.
“The Grand General has temporarily handed command to me. Are you all convinced?”
Ling Xiao felt he should shoulder this responsibility.
Ji Ning was now unconscious and unable to command the war. Though his own abilities were limited, he had generals like Zhuge Ming, Qin Huo, Li Ruguang, and Zhang Yufei to assist him, so it shouldn’t go too badly.
“Convinced!”
Ling Xiao had saved Ji Ning and helped them cover the retreat. Just these deeds were enough to make them wholeheartedly submit.
“Good. Li Ruguang, Zhang Yufei, Zhuge Ming, each of you perform your duties and defend the city firmly. Without my orders, no one is to leave the city to engage the enemy.”
Ling Xiao took a deep breath. He could only steel himself now and rely on those strange memories in his mind to solve problems and fight this battle well.
“Yes, sir!”
“Qin Huo, first hand the Heavenly Wolf Knight Regiment over to Meng Tong to lead. Temporarily serve as my staff officer and assist me.”
Among these people, only Qin Huo had truly commanded large armies before. His status on the Heavenly Dragon Continent was no less than Ji Ning’s.
So making him staff officer was something Ling Xiao had planned long ago.
After all, this involved too many lives. He couldn’t be careless.
Northern Desert City was already their last stronghold, and the remaining thirty thousand plus soldiers inside, along with over a hundred thousand civilians, were their final backing.
There was no retreat.
Of course, relying on the formations upgraded in Northern Desert City, the Black Crow Empire’s army wouldn’t dare launch a general assault lightly.
Otherwise, they would risk far too many losses.
Over a million men, and perhaps fewer than half would survive in the end.
This was a last-resort strategy. Given Timur Mutu and Jiu Mo Zhiyan’s arrogance, they probably wouldn’t be so reckless.
Beyond the range of the defensive formations’ attacks, a man rode a Black Crow Beast, clad in black armour, heroic and extraordinary.
His face was somewhat pale.
But those sharp eyes revealed shrewdness and wisdom.
They were the eyes of a king.
Needless to say, this was the young prince of the Black Crow Empire, Jiu Mo Zhiyan.
And the domineering man sitting on the Black Crow Beast beside him was Timur Mutu, this young prince’s master and a pillar minister of the Black Crow Empire.
“Ji Ning is dead. Why don’t you surrender!”
Jiu Mo Zhiyan’s voice was resonant. Though not very loud, everyone heard it clearly.
This was the effect of a martial artist’s powerful inner energy.
“Don’t say the Grand General isn’t dead. Even if he truly fell in battle, this Northern Desert City will fight to the last soldier and never let the iron hooves of your Black Crow Empire cross half a step!”
Ling Xiao’s resonant voice rang out too. It wasn’t loud, but everyone could hear it.
Now he was the commander of the army, the hope of everyone in the city.
With great responsibility, he had become solemn.
“Ling Xiao? Heh heh, though you’ve risen to fame in the Divine Phoenix Empire recently, you’re still just a warrior, and your cultivation is only at the Sixth Art Heaven. If Ji Ning weren’t dead, how could he hand Northern Desert City to a wet-behind-the-ears kid like you?”
Jiu Mo Zhiyan sat on his Black Crow Beast, smiling as he looked at Ling Xiao. According to his deduction, even if Ji Ning wasn’t dead, he must be gravely wounded and unconscious.
This was the best opportunity to attack Northern Desert City.
“Jiu Mo Zhiyan, you’re just a seventeen-year-old Heaven-Human Realm martial artist. Without that old dog Mutu beside you helping, you’d have died in the chaos long ago. Pretending to be an adult with me? Laughable!”
Ling Xiao naturally wouldn’t yield verbally. He couldn’t let Northern Desert City’s morale drop because of him.
“Hahahaha, what a sharp tongue, but this prince won’t hold it against you. I’ve long heard that you, Ling Xiao, came from the Heavenly Dragon Continent to the Divine Phoenix Continent, and it seems the people of the Divine Phoenix Empire don’t welcome you. If that’s the case, why not join my Black Crow Empire? I’m willing to call you brother and grant you a noble title. How about it?”
Jiu Mo Zhiyan’s words were truly formidable.
For an ordinary person, hearing this might shake their resolve.
However, after gaining those new memories, Ling Xiao felt as if he’d lived another life. Such petty tricks to sway hearts meant nothing to him.
“Hahahaha, what a sharp tongue, but this commander won’t hold it against you either. I’ve long heard that you, Jiu Mo Zhiyan, are clever beyond measure, yet your brothers don’t favour you and you’ve been repeatedly sidelined in court. At such a young age, you have to come out to earn military merits, and no one feels sorry for you. Why not join my command instead? I can treat you like a brother and give you benefits beyond your wildest imagination. How about it?”
Ling Xiao chose to repay him in kind.
“This kid is tough to deal with. He’s actually investigated your situation, young prince. It seems getting him to surrender won’t be easy.”
Timur Mutu said with a smile.
“Indeed, but killing such a person would be a pity. If this prince had him as an aide, plus your teachings, Master, how could the great cause fail?”
Jiu Mo Zhiyan sighed helplessly.
Then he looked up at Ling Xiao again and suddenly began singing a stirring war song.
“Wolf smoke rises, gazing north over the rivers and mountains.
Dragons coil, horses neigh long, sword qi like frost.
Heart like the vast sea, waters boundless.
For a thousand years, who can resist in the fray!
Hatred drives mad, long blade points the way.
How many loyal souls of brothers lie buried in foreign soil.
What regret in a hundred deaths to repay home and country.
Endure the sorrow, no more words, eyes brimming with bloody tears.
Hooves head south, men gaze north.
Men gaze north, grass green and yellow, dust flying.
I vow to guard the land and reclaim the borders!
The mighty Divine Phoenix will make all directions
Come to pay homage!”
Long after finishing, Jiu Mo Zhiyan remained immersed in it.
“To compose such a marvellous war song, you are indeed a talent, and I, Jiu Mo Zhiyan, sincerely invite you. I hope you won’t miss this excellent opportunity.”
Finally, he raised his head to look at Ling Xiao. This was Ling Xiao’s last chance.
