Martial Cultivator

“Greetings, Your Highness!”

Before Liu Xiang could finish speaking, the tent was suddenly flung open and a figure stepped inside. When the other demon generals saw who it was, they all bowed in salute.

Liu Xiang also raised his head, looked at this uninvited princess, and cupped his fists. “Greetings, Your Highness.”

Autumn did not waste words and asked directly, “Have the scouts returned? Where is that woman surnamed Xie right now?”

Liu Xiang was taken aback. After calculating the timing, he suddenly raised his brows. “That’s right. Previously, that woman was still in the desolate north. Although she began returning south after the battle, she did not move quickly. She should be at one of these passes.”

He looked at the sand table, and a new idea immediately formed in his mind. Attacking Cold Pass was the safest approach, but if Xie Nandu was among these passes, then he could completely change targets and abandon Cold Pass.

As a demon general, Liu Xiang naturally understood what Xie Nandu meant to Great Liang. This newly risen woman possessed exceptional military talent. Even if she turned the tide in later battles, she would inevitably cause greater casualties to their army. If they could kill her at the very start of the war, it would undoubtedly be a tremendous advantage for the demon race in the battles to come.

And right now, it was not as if there was no opportunity.

Liu Xiang narrowed his eyes. He could clearly see the difference between these two choices.

Autumn said calmly, “General Liu knows her value. If she can be killed, she must be killed early. Under no circumstances can she be allowed to return to that Great Wall.”

Liu Xiang nodded. “Your Highness speaks rightly. If there is an opportunity, we certainly cannot let it pass. Once missed, there likely won’t be such a good chance for a decapitation strike again.”

After saying this, Liu Xiang suddenly slapped the table and laughed. “They’ve returned!”

As he spoke, a demon scout covered in blood rushed into the tent, travel-worn and exhausted. Dropping to one knee, he cupped his fists and said, “Great General, we have confirmed it, there are only fifty thousand human soldiers stationed at Cold Pass!”

The scout handed over the intelligence he had gathered. Liu Xiang took it and glanced through it, only to find that it contained the troop numbers stationed at Great Liang’s various passes. Frowning, he asked, “Which pass is Xie Nandu at?”

At this point, he no longer cared much about the troop strength of those passes, he only wanted to know whether Xie Nandu was still there.

The scout was briefly stunned, but as a scout, he was naturally prepared for various possibilities, so he quickly replied, “That human woman is at Pine Pavilion Pass!”

Liu Xiang turned his head and glanced at the report. Pine Pavilion Pass had thirty thousand Great Liang soldiers stationed there, along with another twenty thousand cavalry who had only recently returned from various parts of the desolate north.

Liu Xiang immediately asked, “Your Highness, what if the army abandons Cold Pass and instead redirect our forces to take Pine Pavilion Pass and kill that woman?”

Autumn did not answer immediately. She stepped up to the sand table, looked at the positions of the various passes, and frowned. “The terrain around Pine Pavilion Pass does not seem easy to attack. If we do not first take Cold Pass, we may end up being surrounded.”

“Actually, the Great Liang’s frontier army isn’t really a match for us on the desolate northern plains. But Princess, your concern isn’t without reason. In that case, how about splitting off fifty thousand troops to take Cold Pass first? It’s not that we absolutely need Cold Pass. As long as we tie down its garrison, we’ll have no worries at the back, and Pine Pavilion Pass will be like a turtle in a jar.”

Liu Xiang was a demon general with many years of experience in campaigning and warfare after all. He quickly proposed a solution. It was practical and effective, not merely a choice to seek glory in battle.

Autumn nodded and said calmly, “I’m not an expert in warfare. For these matters, General Liu’s decisions are final. I’m only offering suggestions. If you feel they are unreasonable, you need not follow them.”

Liu Xiang laughed heartily. “Your Highness, you are far too modest. Were it not for your timely reminder, I fear I would have missed this once-in-a-millennium opportunity.”

Autumn said calmly, “I heard that the woman was once targeted for assassination by Demon Lord White Jing in the desolate north, but it failed. I imagine she must have had a human powerhouse at the end of Nepenthe protecting her.”

Liu Xiang nodded. “Yes. The academy dean, along with the sword immortal Liu Banbi, who has been guarding her side all along.”

In warfare, the most important thing isn’t how many troops one commands, but being able to understand what’s happening on the battlefield, never acting blind.

Autumn thought for a moment and said, “I’ll go with you.”

Liu Xiang considered this and laughed. “That’s excellent. With Your Highness present, Xie Nandu will have no choice but to die at Pine Pavilion Pass.”

Autumn’s expression remained unreadable. “Then let’s advance the camps.”

......

......

After Xie Nandu, the academy dean, and Liu Banbi arrived at Pine Pavilion Pass, this woman didn’t rest even for a moment. After meeting with the pass commander, she sent over twenty scouts deep into the desolate north.

Before the first batch of scouts returned, smoke signals appeared in the distance.

Iron Stone Pass, at the forefront of all passes, bore the responsibility of constantly monitoring demon movements. Hence, the first to discover that the demon race was advancing south with two hundred thousand troops was also Iron Stone Pass.

The news reached Pine Pavilion Pass, and the commander, Zheng Tao, looked grave. After careful thought, he said to Xie Nandu, “General Xie, battle is about to start. You should return to the General’s Office.”

Xie Nandu glanced at him and shook her head. “Judging by the demons’ formations, this southern advance isn’t just about capturing a few passes. This is their vanguard; more troops will be gathering continuously behind them.”

Zheng Tao frowned. “Since that’s the case, all the more reason for you to leave immediately, General Xie!”

Xie Nandu countered, “Why should I leave? Just watch these passes fall and let the battle start with us at a disadvantage?”

Zheng Tao had no response.

Xie Nandu continued, “The General’s Office still needs time to prepare. I’ll send a military report back, but I’ll stay here. From this moment, you are my deputy. Coordinate with the nearby passes, we cannot lose them at the very start.”

Zheng Tao nodded, not thinking of arguing.

The entire frontier army admired this young woman immensely; they no longer questioned her ability to command troops in battle.

Xie Nandu left the city walls and returned to the General’s Office at Pine Pavilion Pass. She studied the sand table for a moment and said calmly, “Let the twenty thousand cavalry of Pine Pavilion Pass, along with at least ten thousand cavalry drawn from the nearby passes, advance out. Gather here, this position can both attack and defend. If the demons attack the pass, this place will be a flowing force, able to respond in all directions.”

Zheng Tao said worriedly, “Pine Pavilion Pass doesn’t have many defenders to begin with. If these twenty thousand troops leave and the demons make a detour here, can we hold it?”

Xie Nandu said calmly, “If that really happens, then these passes will still hold. I’ll eat these two hundred thousand demon troops straight into my belly.”