The unexpected interlude of the retreat severely hindered the Xianbei cavalry’s withdrawal.
"Why aren't you running faster, you damn fool!!"
The Xianbei man angrily whipped his horse, eventually slashing at its hindquarters with his saber.
The horse, in pain, finally abandoned the black beans and galloped with all its might.
"Your Majesty! I fear all our warhorses passing through this area will be drawn to this expanse of black bean land…" Duo She said with a trembling voice, watching his own warhorse happily feasting.
Just as the Xianbei King was about to respond, Xianbei cavalry surged from the distance. Due to the sudden deceleration of the vanguard, they crashed into each other, with countless men and horses trampling each other.
Duo She’s face contorted with anger as he whipped his prized black horse, but the beast, exhausted from the recent fierce battle, simply could not run any further!
With no other choice, Duo She could only let his prized horse feast on the black beans, allowing it a brief rest.
What was once a chance for the Xianbei to escape with their lives was now a chaotic bottleneck, impeding the retreat of the rear guard.
More and more Xianbei cavalry were caught by the soldiers of Da Qian, meeting their demise under their sharp blades.
"The enemy formation is broken, charge with me!!" Liang Xiao, with his extraordinary eyesight, spotted the Xianbei King's banner among the halted enemy forces in the distance. His eyes sharpened, and he spurred his horse directly towards the enemy.
Thousands of fierce warriors descended upon the Xianbei forces, shattering their formation that had already been ruined by the congestion. They wielded their sabers and spears at will, leaving a trail of blood and carnage wherever they passed.
Even the divine archery unit rushed to the battlefield, providing further suppressive fire from long range. The vanguard deliberately cleared a path to facilitate the long-range volleys of arrows.
Faced with pursuit from both near and far, Xianbei cavalry began to fall from their horses in droves. Their steeds scattered, and they could no longer muster any resistance.
In a flash, under Liang Xiao's lead, the White Robe soldiers caught up with the main force of the Xianbei King. They charged with ferocity, and the Xianbei, unable to even control their own horses, could only stand and be slaughtered.
"Your Majesty! General Tian himself has come to kill!"
The panicked roar of the messenger sent chills down the spines of the Xianbei king and his officials. The Xianbei King, having finished feeding his horse, turned his mount and fled without looking back.
"Those who cannot run will stay and cover our retreat!"
Duo She and others, whose warhorses were still greedily eating, were finally caught by the White Robe soldiers, unable to escape.
"I am the number one warrior of Xianbei…"
Facing the imposing White Robe soldiers and the ghostly masked General Tian, Duo She repeatedly told himself to gather courage. He raised his three-pointed, double-edged halberd, let out a furious roar to the heavens.
"The number one warrior of Xianbei, Duo She, is here! General Tian, do you dare to fight me!"
Duo She's voice was lost in the din of battle. Most people couldn't hear him clearly, but Liang Xiao, with his astonishing hearing, faintly made out his words. He immediately spurred his horse forward, leading the White Robe soldiers directly towards Duo She.
Where the Sky Dragon Breaking City Halberd passed, flesh and blood flew!
In an instant, the White Night Flying Shadow arrived within ten paces of Duo She. The Sky Dragon Breaking City Halberd was raised high. With lightning speed, it swung down with the flat of the blade, not the edge, aiming to capture him alive!
The sudden appearance of a fast man, a fast horse, and a fast halberd startled Duo She. He raised his saber to block.
"Clang!!"
A muffled thud echoed as Duo She's three-pointed, double-edged halberd barely managed to parry. The impact sent a searing pain through his hand.
"This truly is a god…"
Facing the overwhelming power of the halberd, Duo She’s spirit broke. He lost all will to fight and turned his horse to flee.
"Capture him!" Liang Xiao commanded, leading the charge. He personally cut down the personal guards covering Duo She's retreat, then pursued Duo She.
Duo She was both shocked and enraged. He turned to fight, but Liang Xiao, charging recklessly, swept him away with his halberd. Duo She somersaulted in the air and landed heavily on the ground, stars swimming before his eyes. He still managed to swing his saber, severing the wrist of a White Robe soldier who rushed at him, and then with another sweep, knocked him off his horse. He prepared to snatch a horse and escape.
Everyone present was enraged. Zuo Wuji, with quick reflexes, spurred his horse forward, using its momentum to knock Duo She's weapon away. He then executed a skillful back-turning thrust that struck Duo She directly in the throat, ending his life on the spot!
"The Grand Marshal is dead!"
With Duo She's banner falling, the morale of the Xianbei cavalry plummeted to its lowest point. Faced with the sharp sabers, spear tips, and arrowheads of the Da Qian soldiers, they fell one after another, filled with regret, with no chance even to surrender.
The soldiers of Da Qian offered no opportunity for surrender, nor did they seek to take prisoners.
Da Qian had also sustained considerable casualties in this battle, and on the harsh desert, they had to avenge their fallen comrades!
Under the dual onslaught of Da Qian's crossbow bolts and iron cavalry, the numbers and formation of the Xianbei cavalry dwindled at a visible pace.
After a prolonged and fierce engagement, they were finally annihilated!
The soldiers erupted in earth-shattering cheers: "The Marshal's plan was divine! No wonder he had us feed the warhorses until they were full!"
At least twenty thousand soldiers had been responsible for carrying the black beans and burying them in this area beforehand, waiting for the Xianbei to arrive.
To prevent these black beans from becoming enemy provisions before their own forces could utilize them, Liang Xiao had stationed a large number of scouts in the area to ensure that as soon as the Xianbei approached, whether advancing or retreating in defeat, they would engage them here.
However, the enemy had approached late at night, and Liang Xiao had utilized the darkness and the enemy's eagerness for a surprise attack to preserve these buried black beans.
After being blown by the strong winds, the black beans were exposed, ultimately becoming the death knell for the Xianbei during their retreat!
And now, these remaining black beans served as fodder for their warhorses, providing a temporary replenishment and allowing for continued pursuit!
"Damn it, it’s far more thrilling to fight alongside the Da Qian army…" Zuo Wuji muttered to himself on the spot.
The clash of armor and the thunder of hooves, traversing the vast desert, striking fear into the four seas; this was the true spirit of a man!
Compared to this, when he led the Zhenbei Army to attack the southern barbarians and the Rejuvenation Sect, it had been far less exhilarating, even feeling rather dull.
"General Tian, our casualties might exceed five thousand, while the enemy killed should be over one hundred and twenty thousand…" Lü Changhe reminded him.
Liang Xiao had anticipated this. He immediately whipped his horse eastward, "Although the Xianbei are skilled in desert warfare, they cannot be without logistics. The forces left behind must be primarily logistical troops! After a brief rest, dispatch swift riders to notify the northwestern army to pursue them, strike their camp!"
Everyone shouted in unison: "We are willing to follow General Tian to break their city!"
After a short rest, Liang Xiao left only the five thousand wounded and exhausted soldiers to notify their main force to come and clean up the battlefield.
The remaining fifty thousand plus soldiers followed Liang Xiao in pursuit of the Xianbei King.
At this moment, the Xianbei King and over two thousand of his personal guards were desperately fleeing deeper into the desert, heartbroken.
"Nearly the entire army has been wiped out…"
This battle had destroyed the foundations that the Xianbei had painstakingly built over a hundred years.
All their weaponry was destined to be confiscated by the soldiers of Da Qian.
"Those black beans must have been prepared by Liang Xiao beforehand too… Why does Da Qian have Liang Xiao, have General Tian!!"
The Xianbei King, disheveled and dust-covered, took advantage of a brief respite to gaze southwest, tears streaming down his face, filled with utter resentment.
Impulse and greed had finally cost him and the Xianbei dearly.
Even on the verge of defeat, they had still harbored thoughts of seizing gold, of sowing their seeds among Da Qian's women… 138 Reading Network
Just then, the sounds of distant shouting and killing startled the Xianbei King and his men, prompting them to flee in panic.
"General Tian is leading his troops in pursuit!"
The Xianbei King could no longer concern himself with his subordinates or his dignity. He spurred his horse and fled, his only desire to quickly reach his main camp.