Chapter 724: In a Head-on Battle, One Must Kill |
Looking at the pills, Gong Ling Ze asked, "What are these?"
The cart was pushed closer, and Meng Shan Min also looked at what was in the sacks. He picked up a pill and sniffed it. Then, putting it back into the sack, he said, "Lord Dao's method."
"Hm?" Gong Ling Ze looked doubtful.
Meng Shan Min ordered Zhang Hu to be summoned. He instructed him to secretly handle this cart and send its contents to various camps for consumption.
Upon learning that this was a means to defeat the enemy, Zhang Hu immediately began diligently carrying out the instructions.
As for secrecy, as a seasoned general, he naturally knew that Cheng Shao Tong must not be given any chance to escape. The information could not be allowed to leak!
Gong Ling Ze, standing nearby, calmed down. However, he asked with doubt, "What are these pills called? Where did Niu You Dao get them? Are they truly effective?"
Meng Shan Min: "Chief Gong asks me, but I myself do not know. When Lord Dao handles matters, he never reveals everything. He appears and disappears like a dragon's head and tail. If he doesn't speak, I don't ask. However, since he sent these things, they must be effective. In this, I truly believe."
Gong Ling Ze furrowed his brows, feeling awkward. Awkward that Niu You Dao wielded such influence over the people of the Southern Domain. Awkward that all the people of the Southern Domain so blindly trusted Niu You Dao. And Niu You Dao did not shackle the people of the Southern Domain at all. They trusted him of their own accord.
At the very least, Dachang Mountain could not sway the people of the Southern Domain. Shang Chao Zong and others first obeyed Niu You Dao.
As for Niu You Dao, swaying the people of the Southern Domain was a matter of a single word. And he swayed them without explanation. He simply spoke, and they obeyed.
In other words, it seemed the people of the Southern Domain did not trust other spheres of influence. They believed in Niu You Dao!
The Three Great Sects of the Yan Kingdom also wished to establish their order in the Southern Domain. But it proved difficult. Because Niu You Dao remained hidden and did not show himself. He even unconcernedly left all governance to Shang Chao Zong. He always seemed to act as if he cared nothing for what would become of the domain. Yet, in the end, everyone believed in him.
Meng Shan Min added, "When everything is ready, I ask that before the battle, the three sects send cultivators to each camp to perform a ritual service and strengthen the warriors' morale."
"Service?" Gong Ling Ze didn't understand. "What does that mean?"
Meng Shan Min began to explain. Before battle, one could not disclose secrets. Otherwise, one might startle the snake in the grass. However, the Song Kingdom's forces had already significantly impacted the morale of the Yan Kingdom's warriors. Therefore, the warriors were currently fearful of their opponents. Thus, the help of the three sects was needed to bolster their morale. The three sects would demonstrate that they had already defeated the opponents' foul methods. And without morale, how could one fight?
Gong Ling Ze understood and nodded, saying, "Do not worry about this. We will arrange everything."
Meng Shan Min: "After the battle, all merits will naturally belong to the three sects as well. Although Lord Dao lent a hand, he does not desire such glory for himself. He hopes the three sects will assist."
Gong Ling Ze naturally wanted to claim these merits for himself. How would the Yan Kingdom then view them when they learned that they had found a way to resolve the problem? "Such great glory, and he doesn't want it? Why?"
Meng Shan Min: "Such a magnanimous Lord Dao! Lord Dao is a man who does not pursue fame. The three sects need not worry. Lord Dao will not later tarnish your reputation. I guarantee this."
"Magnanimous?" Gong Ling Ze sneered, "Niu You Dao said that? And you believe such a lie?"
To him, Niu You Dao was a cunning sort. He wouldn't miss out on his own advantage.
Meng Shan Min nodded his head and said with certainty, "I believe!"
For him, Niu You Dao was precisely that sort of person. To Niu You Dao, the greater the merit [he allowed others to claim], the better [it served his ends]. They had been together for many years, and he was certain of this. Niu You Dao was an example of true magnanimity. For instance, in the matter of the warhorses, Niu You Dao had shifted all the credit to the Heavenly Jade Sect. And this was not the only example. Niu You Dao was the kind of person for whom the more people knew about his abilities, the better—even as he loved to remain hidden from everything!
Gong Ling Ze smiled mockingly, "You believe he does all this not for himself?"
Meng Shan Min: "Whether he does or not, there is one saying he once told the Prince. A saying I deeply respect!"
Gong Ling Ze asked curiously, "What did he say?"
Meng Shan Min: "An accomplished warrior seeks no glory for his deeds!"
"An accomplished warrior seeks no glory for his deeds..." Gong Ling Ze whispered, lost in thought. He seemed to realize something. Mixed emotions overwhelmed him, and he suddenly asked, "If Niu You Dao asked you to withdraw the troops, would you withdraw them?"
Upon hearing this, Meng Shan Min froze. And he thought to himself: *Would Niu You Dao ever ask to withdraw troops like you do? If Niu You Dao asked to withdraw troops, he would have his own reasons for it. Otherwise, he wouldn't simply interfere in military affairs. But you only care about your personal interests. How can you be compared?*
Though he spoke thus to himself, he outwardly said, "No!"
Hearing this, Gong Ling Ze felt somewhat relieved inwardly. However, he suddenly added, "Niu You Dao is young and in the prime of his life. Has a match been found for him yet in the Southern Domain?"
Meng Shan Min froze; he didn't know what the other man was plotting. Or rather, he had an inkling. *Do they wish to tie Niu You Dao to them?*
He didn't think Niu You Dao would want to bind his fate to the three sects, those selfish cultivators. Therefore, he tried to refuse, "Lord Dao has a matchmaker by his side."
Gong Ling Ze sneered, "Is a matchmaker truly a suitable partner for him? She's already advanced in years, and would an elite courtesan truly be a good match for him?"
Meng Shan Min said doubtfully, "It seems Lord Dao does not wish to offend the matchmaker."
Gong Ling Ze merely chuckled. "Hehe." He said no more. But a glint flashed in his eyes.
He turned and left. Then he summoned Yue Yuan and instructed him to organize everything concerning the ritual prayers.
Yue Yuan immediately understood everything and prepared to carry out the task. Just as he was about to leave, Gong Ling Ze suddenly stopped him. "Wait."
Yue Yuan halted and asked, "Does the Chief have any further instructions?"
Gong Ling Ze paced back and forth. Stopping before him, he said, "From the sect, find some pretty, beautiful, and talented female disciples."
Yue Yuan didn't understand. "For what purpose?"
Gong Ling Ze: "First, you select them; then we'll discuss it."
Yue Yuan: "There's no need to even select. The beautiful and outstanding female disciples have already married. If one were to ask them to perform anything, they would certainly do so."
Gong Ling Ze rolled his eyes and waved his hand. "No married ones, and no women who have known men. I need pure, innocent ones. And preferably talented in cultivation."
Yue Yuan said doubtfully, "Chief, that's a tall order. With such conditions..." He gestured vaguely, hinting that the outstanding and beautiful female disciples had already been claimed by people of standing within the sect. How could there be any beauties left now? It wasn't polite to speak it aloud, nor pleasant to hear. Having implied all this, he asked again, "Chief, what are you planning to do?"
Gong Ling Ze frowned and cast a stern glance at him.
"Uh..." Yue Yuan felt awkward. He nodded his head, "I will go and check, and quickly report back to the Chief."
Brutal!
Driven by the Song Kingdom's forces, the Yan Kingdom's troops found a suitable location, suddenly changed their formation, and encircled the Song Kingdom's forces.
Without any prior preparation, they directly launched an attack!
And these were the Yan Kingdom's troops who had recently suffered a brutal defeat? The Song Kingdom's forces could not have imagined such a thing. At this moment, they once again summoned snakes and other creatures to their aid.
Only, the outcome was not the same as before. Those beasts and birds did not attack the Yan Kingdom's troops at all.
And the difference between the armies remained vast. What could an unorganized mob of peasants do against an experienced army? A simple meat grinder began!
Screams of death echoed across the field. No one could escape, for the Yan Kingdom's army vastly outnumbered them!
Gazing upon the bloody carnage, Cheng Shao Tong looked around with bloodshot eyes!
It was difficult now to break through the encirclement of the Yan Kingdom's forces. However, a few cultivators could still extricate Cheng Shao Tong. They approached him, intending to lift him. But he merely waved them off with his sword. The cultivators froze. They said, "General, you must hide now. If we don't escape, it will be too late!"
"Flee? I, Cheng Shao Tong, will not hide behind a woman's skirt. If I flee now, I will never be able to hold my head high again. Others will constantly mock me. I will not flee! From the very beginning, I had only two paths: either victory or defeat! If I win, I live; if I lose, I die!" A gush of blood spurted from Cheng Shao Tong's neck. And his sword fell to the ground.
"General..." Several cultivators rushed over. He had cut himself so suddenly.
Indeed, this man had no desire to live.
The sword fell to the ground, and the sounds of battle gradually faded. He truly did not wish to live. He had treated himself directly and uncompromisingly!
Several cultivators began to protect the body from the attacking warriors. And it was clear that it would be impossible to carry the body away!
The flag bearing the character *Cheng* fell to the ground. And the sounds of battle almost disappeared.
Only a few cultivators managed to escape from the encirclement.
No prisoners were taken, only slaughter. They created a massacre for over 100,000 peasants!
Meng Shan Min rode the white horse gifted by Luo Zhao, his face a stone mask. He was conducting an inspection.
In the eyes of the warriors, he was like an immense mountain. Bloody Qi raged on the battlefield, and it was as if this Qi filled Meng Shan Min, giving him strength. From such Qi, even Gong Ling Ze felt a slight pressure from Meng Shan Min. And snakes and other creatures parted before him!
From the very beginning of the invasion into the Song Kingdom, Meng Shan Min had become like a butcher, cleaving through anyone who stood in his path!