Haston felt immense pressure. Although the cultivation realms of the two opponents were lower than his, their equipment and mounts were on par with his, a Marshal.
Haston's eyes were filled with envy. How could they only be mere generals?
Furthermore, the two displayed numerous skills, their coordination so tight that Haston was given no openings.
After a hundred rounds of combat, Haston's stamina and spiritual energy dwindled, while the other two remained vigorous, seemingly unfazed by the exertion. This greatly puzzled Haston.
"Are you truly just ordinary generals?" Haston finally voiced his inner doubts.
"I am merely a commander of a legion. Within our territory, there are many generals stronger than me," Huo Qubing's words were truthful. While his abilities were top-tier, there were indeed many generals of comparable prowess.
"How is that possible!" Haston was shocked. With their capabilities, they would undoubtedly be Marshals elsewhere, yet here they were, mere legion commanders.
Just how strong, then, must their Marshal be?
Bai Qi: Not that strong.
Haston feigned an attack and urged his warhorse, intending to flee. However, Huo Qubing's mount unleashed a torrent of flames from its mouth, instantly killing Haston's horse. Haston tumbled to the ground in disarray, gazing at the enemy's mount with unconcealed envy.
Their cavalry were all powerful demonic beasts, far superior to his own fine warhorses.
Haston continued to resist fiercely, but facing the combined assault of the two, his stamina finally gave out. He was eventually killed by Wei Qing's spear piercing his chest.
"Wei Qing, you're unfair. You didn't even leave the kill for me," Huo Qubing said with a hint of helplessness as the enemy fell.
"You can say that again. You've already earned immense merit this time. Minister Zhang even said he thought you'd be lucky to escape this alive. But you, my friend, not only survived but dealt a heavy blow to the enemy, drawing away most of their cavalry. You even crippled most of their cavalry and several thousand of their flying cavalry. You should be content."
Wei Qing was indeed surprised by Huo Qubing's prowess. He felt a strange sense of familiarity with Huo Qubing, as if they were relatives from a past life.
"So Minister Zhang didn't have high hopes for me? That won't do. I must ask him for some benefits," Huo Qubing mused, a smile creeping onto his face.
However, Huo Qubing's legion had suffered considerable losses this time. Out of twenty thousand [Great Han Iron Cavalry], only about eight thousand remained, with over twelve thousand casualties.
Yet, compared to the achievements he had secured, these losses were insignificant. After all, they had faced enemies of comparable strength. To achieve such a grand victory with minimal cost was something Huo Qubing could be proud of.
No one dared to underestimate him, the legion commander, anymore. He had thoroughly proven his capabilities to everyone.
The battle had concluded, but clearing the battlefield would take considerable time. They had not finished cleaning up the entire battlefield even after a full night.
However, Zhang Liang received more unwelcome news. Another enemy force was approaching, this time numbering two hundred thousand.
Back in the territory, Zhou Yan had just gotten up from the [Ling Xiao Grand Hall]. He kissed the sleeping Nangong Puye. Though it wasn't the first time, Nangong Puye was no match for Zhou Yan, and was left utterly exhausted by him.
After getting up, Zhou Yan once again heard the news of another twenty thousand enemy troops arriving.
"Oh, these enemies are quite persistent. They've sent two hundred thousand, then another two hundred thousand, and still they come." Zhou Yan showed no particular reaction upon hearing this.
Even without his orders, Zhang Liang and Bai Qi, with their capabilities, knew exactly how to handle the situation. Since he had entrusted all matters to them, he would not interfere with their decisions.
They were both top-tier heroes – one for strategy, the other for commanding troops. The remaining heroes naturally knew when to act. These were matters he didn't need to worry about.
Zhou Yan first visited the [Underworld], where he saw tens of thousands of casualties from the recent battle.
With the cost of tens of thousands of lives, they had inflicted casualties on two hundred thousand enemies. This battle could be considered a complete victory.
Although Zhang Liang had not yet reported the battle results to Zhou Yan, Zhou Yan had already surmised them. After resurrecting tens of thousands of soldiers, it would only be a matter of time before they could return to the battlefield.
After handling various matters in the territory, Zhou Yan once again left and returned to the Ziwei Academy.
The battles in the territory needed to conclude quickly, as the school would be holding a trial at the beginning of next month. If he couldn't attend, he might miss out on a significant opportunity.
The trials organized by the school were surely purposeful, and he could even gain substantial rewards. Zhou Yan certainly did not want to miss it.
Checking the time, he figured he still had enough time and paid no heed to the ongoing conflicts.
As for this place, Zhou Yan naturally had a way to return. As long as he had enough money, he could acquire the method to engrave coordinate stones.
Zhou Yan had already learned it and could return to this place to chop wood whenever he pleased.
With so much high-quality lumber here, Zhou Yan was unwilling to waste it. Regardless, the loggers in his territory could still chop a considerable amount of wood daily.
After Zhou Yan left the territory, Bai Qi once again ordered the various legions to quickly assemble their troops in preparation for the incoming enemy.
Even after several sleepless nights, it did not affect them. The soldiers remained as spirited as ever.
In yesterday's battle, over two hundred thousand troops had suffered tens of thousands of casualties, with over ten thousand severely wounded. The severely wounded had returned to the territory for recuperation and would likely recover substantially after only a day or two of rest.
Their army still numbered one hundred and ninety thousand. Facing an enemy force of two hundred thousand, the difference was not substantial.
Zhang Liang instructed the soldiers to eat first. After fighting for so long, the soldiers had not eaten anything, which was unacceptable. Stamina was crucial for any soldier.
The soldiers did not need to build fires to cook. They could simply take their meals directly from the territory. The territory's treasure vault was connected to everyone, with varying levels of permission.
There was a specific treasure vault for obtaining food. Soldiers only needed to take their meals from there and return their dishes afterward, making it extremely convenient.
As for the food, it consisted of the finest ingredients, cultivated in the territory's spiritual fields. There was also meat from powerful monsters, and fish from their own aquaculture. And they could eat as much as they wanted.