Martial Cultivator

The difference between humans and demons had always been immense.

As long as demons reached maturity, regardless whether or not they could take human form, they would definitely be far stronger than an adult male. A human male who had never cultivated... never stood a chance in front of even juvenile demons.

Great Liang's armies, the most elite Northern Frontier Army, consisted entirely of martial artists who had embarked upon the path of cultivation. Their realms might differ, but every one of them had to be a genuine martial artist. Otherwise, once they climbed onto the Northern Frontier city walls and faced the demon race, no matter how many men they had, they would only be marching to their deaths.

But soldiers like these required years upon years of cultivation. Every soldier who had fought upon the Northern Frontier and survived was an invaluable treasure to Great Liang.

Some time ago, Great Liang had begun conscripting troops across the realm and training them in the various prefectures, claiming they had to be ready to be dispatched to the Northern Frontier at any time. But in reality, once the Northern Frontier Army lacked manpower, the first to set out would be those veteran soldiers who had retired from the Northern Frontier Army and were now scattered throughout the provinces. Only after that group had been exhausted would the prefectural armies be sent.

Only after the prefectural armies had also been exhausted would those young recruits from before be sent.

If they only had to march to the Northern Frontier five or ten years from now, that would still be acceptable. But if they had to head north within the next year or two, then for Great Liang, things would truly have reached the point of hanging by a thread.

So Demon Lord Redsleeve's intentions were actually easy to understand. She would first wear down the Northern Frontier Army's effective fighting strength. Once both sides began taking casualties, the balance of the war would inevitably continue tipping towards the demon race.

Once a certain tipping point had been reached, the demon race's march south would become a matter of course, with nothing left to stop it.

Both sides could see this clearly, and yet it was also something extremely difficult to stop.

Gao Xuan smiled bitterly. "There's nothing that can be done. When both sides empty their coffers, one side possesses immense wealth and can naturally spend without restraint, while the other, no matter how frugal it is, still can't cook without rice."

The human race and the demon race had been mortal enemies for so many years. Both sides knew exactly what resources the other possessed. It was only because the demon race had never truly taken humanity seriously that history had seen only a single Upheaval of Yong'an. Otherwise. there would have been more than just one Great Jin Dynasty.

Ning Ping said calmly, "No matter what, we cannot allow the Great Jin calamity to happen again. The people of Great Liang must never suffer such a disaster another time."

As soon as this Great General of the Northern Frontier spoke, the other generals all nodded. The Northern Frontier was a bitterly cold land. If they did not carry the world in their hearts and care for the common people, there was no way they could have endured here for so many years.

Xie Nandu nodded. "Naturally, we won't retreat a single step. But judging from the current situation, that female demon lord intends to smash open the breach at the General's Office with overwhelming forces. If the other passes move to reinforce the General's Office, they'll spread their forces across the entire line and advance along the whole front. If those passes hold their ground instead, then the General's Office can only hold its ground as well. We're in a very passive position."

Everything Xie Nandu considered had never been how to hold out longer, how to defend until the demon race exhausted its patience, concluded there was no longer any hope of marching south, and withdrew.

What she wanted was to crush the demon race, then drive straight forward, cross the thirty thousand miles beyond the desolate north, and let her cavalry trample the Onan River!

"I have an idea..."

The moment Xie Nandu spoke, countless generals turned to look at the woman. After everything they had been through, everyone in the Northern Frontier now had nothing but trust in Xie Nandu.

Only Gao Xuan frowned and interrupted rather bluntly, "This idea of yours... would it be somewhat risky?"

Within the General's Office, Gao Xuan was the one who understood her best, and so he was also the first to raise a reasonable doubt.

Xie Nandu did not mind, merely saying calmly, "War is the way of deception."

Gao Xuan smiled bitterly. By this point, he no longer hoped that the woman before him would refrain from taking risks.

Sure enough, the proposal Xie Nandu put forward afterwards was enough to make everyone suck in a cold breath.

She actually intended to withdraw two-thirds of the troops stationed at the General's Office, choose a single pass, annihilate the invading demon army there, and then circle around to the rear of the demon army, surrounding them completely.

This style of warfare was not uncommon, but under the current circumstances it was especially risky, because once the General's Office was left with insufficient troops, it was very likely to fall under the demon race's tidal-like assault.

And once the General's Office fell, the demon race would be able to continuously open up a route from there, sending fresh forces through without end. After that, the fall of the entire Northern Frontier Great Wall would only be a matter of time.

The key to Xie Nandu's strategy was that the General's Office had to hold the demon race's main force firmly in place, preventing them from both capturing the General's Office and withdrawing their main force.

Accomplishing both of those things at the same time would not be easy.

Gao Xuan said, "If I'm not mistaken, then when the time comes, you and the Great General will remain at the General's Office, while I'll need to carry out that operation."

Xie Nandu nodded. "That's right."

Gao Xuan fell silent, merely feeling that this woman was truly bold, and at certain times truly ruthless. It was one thing for her to place herself in mortal danger, but when it came to others, she did not hesitate in the slightest.

"Great General, as the commander of the Northern Frontier, your remaining at the General's Office will raise the soldiers' morale, and it will also make the demon race believe that our main force is concentrated here."

Unprecedentedly, Xie Nandu offered an explanation.

Ning Ping glanced at Xie Nandu and smiled. "Ever you're not afraid of dying, what do I have to fear?"

When it came to commanding armies in war, he conceded that he was no match for the former Great General Xiao Hezheng, nor did he think he could compare to Xie Nandu. Thus, during many previous war councils, Ning Ping had rarely put forward many ideas of his own. But if it came to being willing to die for Great Liang, then everyone present was probably inferior to him.

One had to know that before becoming the Great General of the Northern Frontier, Ning Ping had already served as Great Liang's Lord Warden Commander for many years.

Even earlier, he had merely been a commandant in the Imperial Guards of the Divine Capital. His closest friend had not been the other young heirs of military families, but that prince who had never seemed much like a prince.

Later, that prince became a feudal king, while he became the commander of the Imperial Guards.

Later still, during that final bloody battle in the Divine Capital, when both sides had reached a stalemate, it was he who had opened the city gates and allowed his friend to walk in from outside the city.

Afterwards, his friend ascended that throne, and his own status rose accordingly, until he became the leader of the Great Liang Dynasty's military officials.

During those years, many officials and scholars alike had cursed him behind his back. He knew it well, but he never cared much.

Some people were simply worth following.

Whether they succeeded or failed, that never changed.

When following such people, there was no need to think about victory or defeat, because it was always worthwhile.

The Great Liang Emperor had been such a person back then. Chen Chao had been such a person later. And now, Xie Nandu was such a person as well.

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