"They are retreating?" Qin Han Chu asked, having received intelligence from Ah Xiang.
Ah Xiang nodded. "They must know we intend to ambush them, so they've started to withdraw."
"How long will it take us to catch up?" Qin Han Chu inquired.
Ah Xiang pondered before replying, "If we pursue at full speed, it will take at least over a week to catch them."
"I don't think we should continue the pursuit," Qin Han Chu stated. "They must have our intelligence. While we are pursuing, enemy reinforcements are likely en route. We are currently very close to their city. The enemy can leave two thousand men to defend the city, and the rest can converge to engage us. If they do that, we will be outnumbered by three thousand. A difference of three thousand Immortal King realm cultivators could lead to heavy losses for us."
Ah Xiang considered his words and nodded. "Your reasoning is sound. I will discuss it with the other two corps commanders."
With that, Ah Xiang relayed Qin Han Chu's thoughts to the other two commanders. They were not foolish; they understood they had entered enemy territory. In such a situation, the enemy could attack or defend at will. Regardless, their position was more precarious.
After deliberation, Ah Xiang and the other two commanders decided to continue the pursuit, albeit at a slower pace. The first corps commander dispatched more scouts to observe the enemy's battle formations.
As expected, the enemy left only three thousand men to guard their city, while the remaining seventeen thousand were heading towards Gu Dao Xian Ge. Gu Dao Xian Ge had only fifteen thousand men, putting them at a significant disadvantage once battle commenced. Knowing the enemy's disposition, Qin Han Chu and his companions naturally avoided walking into a trap.
The second corps commander suggested diverting ten thousand men to raid the enemy city, but this was ultimately rejected. Although the enemy only had three thousand men defending the city, they had the protection of a city-guarding formation. As long as they could hold out for a period behind the formation, the main forces of Yue Lang Xian Ge would quickly return to defend. At that point, not only would they fail to capture the city, but they would also be encircled by the returning enemy main force.
Though the two armies had not yet directly clashed, an invisible battle of wits had already taken place, and Qin Han Chu's side was at a disadvantage. Within enemy territory, every move they made was constrained. After all, the enemy possessed both a city-guarding formation and a full contingent of twenty thousand ready troops. With their objective exposed, a surprise attack was impossible. Resigned, they had to temporarily retreat and establish a position on the middle border.
"Commander, what do we do now?" the second corps commander asked with a faint smile. "Which plan will you lead us in executing?"
The first corps commander remained silent, contemplating a countermeasure. Ah Xiang, meanwhile, was communicating telepathically with Qin Han Chu.
After several hours, the first corps commander finally spoke. "We will return and adopt a defensive stance, waiting for opportunities to attack."
"You could have just admitted you had no plan," the second corps commander remarked sarcastically. "Although we suffered no losses, withdrawing now proves our offensive has failed."
The first corps commander, his expression grave, replied, "Yes, I currently have no viable plan. Do any of you?"
"We engage in hit-and-run tactics," the second corps commander suggested. "As soon as they charge out, we retreat. If they withdraw, we harass them. We don't aim to kill many enemies, only to provoke them. As long as they pursue us, the situation becomes manageable. Send someone back to notify the fourth corps commander to leave two thousand men to guard the city and have the rest find a concealed location. When the enemy pursues, we will counter-attack together. This time, with an advantage of one thousand men, we have a chance to eliminate some of the enemy."
The second corps commander laid out his plan. The first corps commander remained silent for a moment before nodding. "This method is indeed quite good."
"What do you think?" the second corps commander asked Ah Xiang.
"It's feasible," Ah Xiang replied calmly. "As long as we cooperate well, we have a good chance."
Following this, the three corps began implementing a strategy of 'enemy advances, we retreat; enemy retreats, we advance.' Initially, the enemy did not react much. However, after several repetitions, their leader could no longer resist. Leaving three thousand men to guard the city, the rest of the enemy forces pursued Qin Han Chu and his companions aggressively. Relying on their numerical superiority, the enemy's pursuit was relentless. Unbeknownst to them, the fifteen thousand men of Gu Dao Xian Ge were being lured towards the middle border.
At this very moment, the three thousand men from Gu Dao Xian Ge had used illusionary techniques to conceal themselves within the forest. "Kill!" Having reached their designated location, the three corps launched a counter-attack against the enemy. Simultaneously, the three thousand men who had been hidden emerged.
"Damn it, they only left two thousand men to guard the city!" the enemy's corps commander exclaimed, caught off guard. "Repel them!" The enemy commander had been cautious, intending to stop the pursuit at the middle border. He had not expected Gu Dao Xian Ge to be so audacious as to leave only two thousand men to defend their city. If he had known, they would have dispatched an entire corps to attack the city directly. Alas, there was no turning back now.
The elite forces of both sides engaged in combat, with various martial arts and beams of light crisscrossing the battlefield. Both armies had trained powerful battle formations, each capable of immense power. In battles between cultivators of equal realm, victory often hinged on numbers. Gu Dao Xian Ge, despite having only a thousand more men, unleashed terrifying strength with that advantage. This numerical superiority allowed Gu Dao Xian Ge to consistently press the attack against the enemy.
Soon, casualties began to appear within the ranks of Yue Lang Xian Ge. The additional thousand men did not join the general melee; instead, they formed a hunting party. Whenever a target was selected, they would swarm and eliminate the enemy. In just one hour, dozens of Immortal Kings fell on the battlefield. Qin Han Chu, wielding the Life and Death Immortal Sword, led the strong cultivators of the third corps in a fierce assault, coordinating with the other two corps.
"Retreat!" Seeing their forces completely suppressed, the enemy's corps commander hastily issued the order for his subordinates to disengage. Despite Qin Han Chu's men's efforts to block their escape, a significant number managed to break through the encirclement. Those who could not break free met their demise.
This battle lasted for over an hour, ultimately resulting in the elimination of over three hundred enemy soldiers. Due to their numerical advantage, Qin Han Chu's side suffered no casualties. "We will return to rest and recuperate," the first corps commander declared, pleased with the outcome. "We also need to strengthen the city's defenses, lest the enemy attempt a surprise attack." After this engagement, the enemy was aware of the defensive capabilities of Gu Dao Xian Ge's city. If the surviving enemy elites were to circle around and attack the city, the situation would become perilous. The first corps commander happily agreed to the withdrawal. The first engagement concluded with a victory for Gu Dao Xian Ge.