Martial Cultivator

The cavalry forces from several passes rode out, like torrents surging across the desolate northern plains, racing toward a single point. As for when they would appear and where they would emerge, perhaps only Xie Nandu knew.

At the General’s Office, activity did not cease. Scouts came and went, figures moving back and forth.

Great General Ning Ping inside the General’s Office could no longer remain seated. One military report after another was delivered from outside. The first was sent by Xie Nandu from Pine Pavilion Pass. This woman had rejected the military order from the General’s Office that instructed her to leave Pine Pavilion Pass and return. Instead, she requested that the General’s Office grant her authority to act as she saw fit in mobilizing the garrisons of those several passes.

Looking at that military report, Ning Ping first felt a headache coming on. Soon, a brief council was convened within the General’s Office. It did not last long. After carefully analyzing the current situation, Gao Xuan gave his view: those several passes were indeed the first to bear the brunt of the demon race. If Xie Nandu were to return from Pine Pavilion Pass at this moment, those passes would likely not fare well.

The great battle had already begun. If the Northern Frontier were to lose those passes at the very start, they would only become more and more passive afterward. This point was clear to everyone.

Persisting in a strategy of constant retreat and concealment was indeed not a good choice. If they abandoned these passes today, then in a few days’ time, they would inevitably be unable to hold even that Great Wall.

In the end, Ning Ping made the decision and agreed to Xie Nandu’s request. He immediately issued a clear military order, instructing the commanders of the nearby passes to obey Xie Nandu’s command.

After that, military report after military report arrived. Everyone in the General’s Office reviewed them, but there were no longer any particularly difficult decisions to make. They quickly finished handling all of them.

However, after reading those military reports, the situation had become very clear - the demon race had obviously learned that Xie Nandu was at Pine Pavilion Pass. Thus, they bypassed several passes and, even at the risk of being attacked from both front and rear, insisted on taking Pine Pavilion Pass first.

Gao Xuan pointed at the sand table and frowned. “No matter what, we cannot let them capture Pine Pavilion Pass. If they take it, it will be like driving a sharp blade into our flank, easily stirring up chaos.”

Once Pine Pavilion Pass was occupied and the demon army surged forward, any forces from the Northern Frontier Great Wall would be unable to bypass it. It could be said that once Pine Pavilion Pass fell, several passes in the north would already become turtles in a jar.

Ning Ping nodded. He clearly understood this situation as well, so he struck the table heavily. “We must not let the demon race take Pine Pavilion Pass so easily.”

Gao Xuan took a deep breath, then rubbed his arm and forced a smile. “Right now, the demon army numbers only two hundred thousand. The garrisons of the various passes can still handle it, and with her there, there should not be any major problem. However, we should still immediately dispatch reinforcements to Pine Pavilion Pass to deal with the demon race’s subsequent offensives.”

At the mention of sending reinforcements, Li Changling was the first to stand up. He looked at Ning Ping, his eyes blazing. “Great General, let this general go!”

Ning Ping did not speak. He glanced at Gao Xuan, who let out a helpless laugh. “General Li, even if you go, firstly, you will most likely not make it in time for this battle. Secondly, this is not about fighting the demon race in a decisive cavalry clash on the plains, it is about defending a city. General Li, what use is it for you to take a group of cavalry out of the pass?”

Li Changling froze, unable to respond, and could only sit back down, feeling stifled.

Ning Ping smiled. “Let General Yang go. Take the most elite Weinan Camp. Afterward, remain at Pine Pavilion Pass and be prepared to deal with the demon army.”

Among the crowd, a general stood up and cupped his fists in acknowledgment.

After he left, Ning Ping rubbed his glabella and spoke a blunt truth. “If the demon race truly invades in force, then large-scale cavalry clashes will likely not happen many times. If General Li wishes to display his abilities, you will have to wait a while longer.”

Li Changling looked dejected.

Gao Xuan, on the other hand, comforted him. “General Li, the situation changes in an instant. How things will end is still uncertain. Perhaps by this time next year, we may even be riding our horses across the Onan River.”

Li Changling said in a low voice, “I only hope that day truly comes.”

......

......

Having completed all arrangements, Xie Nandu stood atop the city tower, quietly waiting for the demon army to appear.

Liu Banbi walked slowly to Xie Nandu’s side, took down the wine gourd at his waist, drank a mouthful, and then asked, “Little Junior Sister, not afraid?”

Xie Nandu did not turn her head, only smiled and said, “It’s not the first day dealing with them. What is there to be afraid of?”

Liu Banbi frowned. “You know that’s not what I’m asking.”

Xie Nandu said, “These two hundred thousand troops are destined to be swallowed by me. As for whether I will die on the city wall, that’s hard to say. But with Senior Brother and the Dean here, what is there to worry about?”

Liu Banbi laughed in exasperation. “So Little Junior Sister isn’t worried whether I’ll die here at Pine Pavilion Pass?”

Xie Nandu looked at Liu Banbi, thought for a moment, and said, “Since the third year of Tianjian, Senior Brother has been in the Northern Frontier frontier army. Haven’t you treated every battle as your last?”

Liu Banbi narrowed his eyes and waved his hand with a smile. “Little Junior Sister really sees right through me.”

Xie Nandu thought for a moment, then said softly, “Actually, I’m a bit worried about Teacher.”

If the demon race was truly determined to kill Xie Nandu, then when they later ascended the city walls, it would not just be great demons, there would be demon lords as well.

Her own teacher had only recently fought that White Jing. He was likely still injured. If he were to face a demon lord afterward, Xie Nandu was worried about his safety.

Liu Banbi shook his head. “What else can be done? You know Teacher’s temperament. If you tell him to leave now, would he leave?”

Xie Nandu did not speak.

Although anyone could die on this battlefield, if her teacher were to die for her sake, even Xie Nandu would feel it hard to bear.

This great war of the nineteenth year of Tianjian had only just begun, was it already to claim the life of a Confucian Saint, the leader of all scholars under heaven, here in the desolate north?

Liu Banbi said nothing. There was nothing he could say. He merely summoned his flying sword, Embracing Cicada, and flicked the blade lightly with his finger.

The sound of a cicada’s cry spread across the city tower.

Xie Nandu slowly exhaled a turbid breath. “They’re here.”

In the distant sky, vast demonic qi surged upward like black clouds, slowly advancing.

Liu Banbi raised his eyes to look and gave a bitter smile. “Judging from this line-up, there are no fewer than five great demons. There’s probably a demon lord as well.”

Xie Nandu gave a soft acknowledgment. Nine flying swords were already hovering at her side.

The academy’s dean came to the city tower and stood beside his disciples. Looking out, he sighed at how abundant the demon race’s reserves truly were.

Then the leader of all scholars patted Liu Banbi on the shoulder and said seriously, “Those five great demons, leave them to you? Any problem?”

Liu Banbi had originally wanted to say “no problem” instinctively, but after pausing and realizing that his teacher had said five great demons, he replied somewhat uncertainly, “There... might be a problem?”

The Dean frowned. “How can a dignified future great sword immortal be so afraid when facing five great demons?”

Liu Banbi was at a loss for words.

Your elderly self said it yourself - future, not present.

“But no matter what, before I die, Little Junior Sister will remain unharmed.”

Liu Banbi gripped the hilt of his flying sword and took a deep breath.

The Dean scolded, “Foolish. Before you die, you must at least send your Junior Sister out of the encirclement.”

Liu Banbi said nothing, only thinking that they were both your elderly self’s disciples, so why did it feel like he had been picked up from the roadside?

Xie Nandu paid no attention to the banter between her Senior Brother and teacher. She simply looked toward the city below.

The demon army had already formed ranks. A woman of peerless elegance stood at the front of the army, looking up.

The gazes of the two women met.