When Hua Xiong received Du Yuan's report, he had already beaten Yan Liang's forces into disarray. Despite having only half the manpower of his opponent, Hua Xiong's relentless attacks and strategic maneuvers left Yan Liang reeling.
Making a swift decision, Hua Xiong ordered a change in formation to intensify the assault on Yan Liang. Upon learning that his opponent was the renowned "First Ascendant" (先登, Xian Deng) unit, Hua Xiong surprisingly felt more at ease.
After slaying more than a dozen retreating soldiers, Yan Liang finally managed to stabilize the situation. However, the elite infantry under Hua Xiong's command, who operated in teams of three to five, continued to disrupt the defensive line that Yan Liang had painstakingly established.
"Flank them with the cavalry!" Yan Liang roared. Even with his stubborn nature, he had to admit by this point that he and Hua Xiong were not on the same level.
Yan Liang could only watch helplessly as his two thousand cavalry, intended for a flanking maneuver, were instead cut down by Hua Xiong's fearless infantry who suddenly leapt up from the ground to strike them down. This unyielding courage sent a chill through Yan Liang's heart.
Hua Xiong's army, disciplined and silent, systematically tore through Yan Liang's forces. The thousand-strong cavalry surrounding them would seize opportunities to cut down portions of Yan Liang's infantry, only for Hua Xiong's soldiers to close in and finish the job with ease.
This clean and orderly method of attack, akin to a relentless saw blade, gradually ground down Yan Liang's army. No matter how fiercely Yan Liang fought back, every counterattack felt like crashing waves against a solid cliff.
"Hold the line!" Yan Liang gritted his teeth, leading the charge as he desperately cut down Hua Xiong's soldiers. However, the cloud energy suppressing him made it difficult to fend off the long spears of Hua Xiong's troops.
"Reform the formation," Hua Xiong commanded with a gesture. The command flags waved, and his soldiers rapidly repositioned. The speed and precision of their movements left Yan Liang, already worn down, feeling dizzy.
Soon, Hua Xiong's troops formed a hollow circle, and the remaining thousands of Yan Liang's men were fragmented by the protruding edges of the circle. Within just an hour of battle, Yan Liang's original force of ten thousand men had lost a fifth of its strength, with another twenty percent scattered and missing.
Hua Xiong quickly adjusted the cloud energy over his army. A smooth, ruby-red ring of light appeared above his forces, significantly boosting the strength of his troops. This terrifying transformation sent a shiver down Yan Liang's spine; for the first time, he realized Hua Xiong possessed such a powerful ability.
As Hua Xiong watched the cloud energy that closely matched the color of his internal energy, he felt a strange sensation. If the cloud energy could fully synchronize with his internal energy, it might lead to a new kind of power.
"Kill!" Hua Xiong roared. The outer arc of his formation suddenly scattered, and the soldiers formed small triangular units that charged into Yan Liang's fragmented forces. Like liquid mercury spilling across the battlefield, Yan Liang's already shattered army disintegrated further.
"Close ranks and defend!" Yan Liang bellowed. The remaining soldiers who could still follow orders desperately regrouped, knowing they were now fighting for their lives.
"Du Yuan, go check on Sun Yan and the others. If we can hold out for just a little longer, I can kill Yan Liang!" Hua Xiong ordered, glancing back at Du Yuan. His soldiers, as he had predicted, were gaining momentum, and their attacks on Yan Liang's forces were growing fiercer by the minute.
Before Du Yuan could mount his horse, Hua Xiong noticed a black line moving toward them from the distance. His heart skipped a beat, and at the same moment, Yan Liang's sharp eyes spotted the banner of Ju Yi approaching. With renewed energy, Yan Liang roared, "Full counterattack! Reinforcements have arrived!"
Rewind to the moment when Sun Yan and his comrades charged at Ju Yi. Leading 1,500 Xiliang cavalry, Sun Yan and his men thundered toward Ju Yi's position.
Initially unaware that they were facing the First Ascendant unit, Sun Yan and his men soon recognized the infamous banner after closing the distance by a thousand meters.
However, by that point, the Xiliang cavalry were already at full speed. Despite knowing they faced Ju Yi's elite troops, the Xiliang cavalry, famed as the top-tier cavalry in the land, felt no fear. Instead, they were eager to crush this legendary unit.
"Full speed ahead! Frontline axemen, spread out! Archers, ready! After two volleys, charge in and wipe them out!" Ju Yi ordered coldly. Once in battle mode, Ju Yi was never swayed by anger or arrogance; his mind remained clear and focused on the strategy.
"Hahaha! Let's show these kids how it's done!" Sun Yan roared, exhilarated. He saw what he believed to be the First Ascendant troops breaking ranks in fear and even spotted Ju Yi beneath the banner. "So, this is the First Ascendant? What a joke!"
The Xiliang cavalry surged forward like a storm. As Ju Yi's archers nocked their arrows, the Xiliang cavalrymen instinctively crouched behind their horses' necks to shield themselves from the incoming volleys. Despite taking an arrow, Sun Yan knew only a few dozen of his 1,500 men had been unhorsed. Now, all that remained was to pierce through the enemy line and show them the unstoppable power of the Xiliang cavalry!
"Every time I see this kind of battle formation, it excites me. I've witnessed the Xiliang cavalry in action back in Liangzhou, but this is where it ends," Ju Yi remarked coldly. After two volleys, the First Ascendant warriors dropped their bows, drew their swords, and charged at the oncoming cavalry.
"Die!" Du Sheng, leading the charge, suddenly felt the ground give way beneath him, and he was sent flying. As he tumbled to the ground, he looked back to see a significant portion of his cavalry crashing down. Before he could utter a word of disbelief, Ju Yi's blood-soaked soldiers were upon him.
"Finish them off!" Ju Yi commanded, his tone icy. The Xiliang cavalry were indeed a force to be reckoned with, their charge capable of smashing through anything, including themselves.
The First Ascendant warriors, fearless and unyielding, showed no fear as the Xiliang cavalry thundered toward them. They curled up, waiting for the charge to pass, before springing up to sever the legs of the cavalry horses. The fallen riders, whether dead or not, would struggle to stand again.
The chaos caused by the collapsed front line spread through the Xiliang cavalry, who were unable to halt their momentum.
Having anticipated this, Ju Yi's First Ascendant soldiers, abandoning their bows, brandished their swords and surged over the fallen horse corpses to finish off the disoriented and dismounted Xiliang cavalry.