Chapter 355
Deep in the grasslands, a band of fierce beastmen sat in their camp, gorging themselves around the fire.
In one corner of the camp, several hundred beastmen huddled together in fear. They were the true owners of this tribe, yet now they could only watch helplessly as outsiders occupied their lands and devoured their food.
A horned beastman covered in sharp spikes came tearing across the ground, shifting into human form as soon as he entered the tribe.
“Chieftain! We’ve found the trail of those worms!”
The horned beastman addressed as chieftain stomped once and rose to his feet, bracing against his thighs.
Even in this frigid weather, his upper body was bare. His knotted muscles trembled with every movement, the sheer bulk of his human form radiating the pressure of a towering fortress.
“Hao Xiong beastmen!” the man’s thunderous voice bellowed from his throat. “Our battle merits are here! Everyone assemble—follow me to pierce those worms’ skulls!”
“Pierce their skulls!” “Awooo!”
The Hao Xiong beastmen in the camp roared in response, tossing aside their meaty bones, pounding their chests in excitement.
“Hahaha!” The chieftain laughed and kicked the beastman beside him. “Go, spread this news to every unit.”
“Those the Jian Hu could not hunt down will all die under the claws of the Hao Xiong!”
“Pan! Pan! Pan!”
The beastman kicked sprawling scrambled to his feet and bolted out.
The chieftain—Xiong Pan—pointed toward the corner of the camp. “Bring those scraps with us. Move out!”
After the blizzard, the grasslands once again lay silent and serene.
Vast expanses of snow lay under the mountains, still as clouds—soft and gentle.
But the pounding of a beastman warband shattered the idyllic scene.
On the snowy plain, a squad of Jian Hu prowled steadily forward. Their pace was not fast, halting often to sniff the ground, working to pick up a trail.
Lying prone in the snow, Qi Bai steadied his crossbow, squinting his eyes.
At the instant the beastmen reached the foot of the mountain, Qi Bai’s frost-reddened fingers tightened and pulled the trigger.
Swish!
The arrow, tipped with a red-feathered fletching, shot skyward. It was a signal.
In the blink of an eye, a rain of arrows whistled out from the snow.
“Roar!”
The lead Jian Hu beastman staggered under the impact, bellowing in fury.
Again, these cursed wooden spears!
Damn Hei Yao—come out and fight us head-on if you dare!
“Roar! Roar! Roar!”
The other Jian Hu followed their leader, unleashing an earth-shaking chorus.
The tiger roars thundered for miles, so loud that creatures all across the steppe scattered in fright.
Qi Bai’s heart pounded, but his gaze never wavered from the mountain above them.
Rumble…
His eyes lit up. It’s here!
The mountain’s snowpack broke loose, cascading down like a surging river, unstoppable as it swept toward the foot.
Distracted by their own roaring, the Jian Hu didn’t notice at first. By the time the shadow loomed overhead, it was far too late to flee.
In an instant, the avalanche buried them completely.
Shu Lin clutched Xiong Feng’s arm, eyes wide at the sight of snow still cascading down.
So this was what an avalanche looked like. To think his mate had once survived such a calamity… The thought filled him with dread.
Even the seasoned warriors of Hei Yao, veterans of countless battles, stood in awe at the sight.
They looked to Qi Bai with reverence.
No wonder he was their Da Jisi—without a single soldier, he had commanded the mountain itself to destroy their foes.
Qi Bai exhaled a cloud of white breath and flashed Lang Ze a wide smile.
Ever since noticing the tails behind them, Qi Bai had consulted Lang Zhan about steep peaks on the steppe. To find this one, they had deliberately led the tigers on a two-day detour. But the plan had worked.
Lang Ze cupped Qi Bai’s frost-reddened cheeks. “My Great Priest—truly the bravest warrior on the continent.”
Qi Bai’s ears twitched under his hood. Being called the bravest warrior like that—too embarrassing!
Lang Ze brushed the frost from Qi Bai’s lashes before turning to the others. “We move on!”
The tiger roars had carried far. Other Jian Hu would have heard. Soon, more would gather here.
Tun Quan happily seized the cart shafts.
His squeals carried no threat—but he had long hated those tigers and their daily racket. Now they’d learned the cost of swaggering. Let them come and find nothing.
Without a blizzard, travel across the steppe was not difficult. But with few peaks or forests for cover, they had to be cautious in choosing direction and guard against snow glare harming their eyes.
Fortunately, they had gained experience. Their march went smoothly.
Qi Bai poured snowmelt into a small iron pot, adding sliced smoked meat and chopped ration bricks, covering it to simmer into broth.
Supplies were plentiful, but rationing was still wise. Filling ration bricks remained their staple.
Looking up, Qi Bai saw Lang Ze studying the map with grave focus.
He scooted closer, peering at it with him. “What’s wrong?”
After another ten days pushing northeast, they were near the steppe’s edge. Just a few more days, and they’d enter Qing Chi’s territory—a place relatively safe.
Lang Ze pointed at clusters of red marks.
“From the moment we left the Huli Mountains, beastmen tried to ambush us. But once we crossed the marshes, they stopped.”
Qi Bai frowned at the red dots that grew denser, then abruptly ceased.
Each mark represented a clash between Hei Yao and Jian Hu. The Jian Hu would never abandon pursuit after one avalanche—especially with others besides Jian Hu among them.
Qi Bai tapped the map at the grassland’s edge. “They won’t let us leave so easily…”
They were preparing an ambush.
Two armies of ten thousand converged.
Xiong Pan strode forward, slapping the shoulder of the beastman before him with a massive palm. “Hu Hong Chieftain, long time no see. Your spirit is still fierce!”
Hu Hong’s face was grim. From the Huli Mountains to the heart of the steppe was Jian Hu territory. Two hundred Hei Yao should have been simple prey.
Yet despite sending many teams, they had failed. Most infuriating was the largest squad, personally led by his son, vanishing without a trace.
Though Hu Hong had many cubs, losing his favored one along with so many warriors left him seething.
“Hmph!” He shoved Xiong Pan’s hand away. “When do we strike?”
“Patience, patience,” Xiong Pan chuckled. “The Shenshi’s decree is clear. If we fail to stop Hei Yao before they cross the marshes, we must unite with the Ge Han tribe.”
“Since neither of us alone has succeeded, we must follow orders.”
Hu Hong’s fists cracked like grinding stone. “Those wretched cannibals are fit to ally with us?”
Xiong Pan’s eyes showed disdain—he too despised the Ge Han. “But the Shenshi commanded. We cannot let Hei Yao’s lord and priest escape the steppe.”
The Hao Xiong had hidden so long on the steppe for this day. Aid the Shenshi, and they would gain their own city—no more sleeping rough.
Hu Hong understood. The Ge Han’s lands lay on the steppe’s edge, the gateway to Beizhou. Hei Yao had to pass there.
Grinding down his rage, he asked, “And how did the Ge Han respond?”
“Once Hei Yao enter their lands, we’ll tighten the noose. With the Ge Han cutting off the road ahead, Hei Yao will have nowhere to run.”
The Ge Han’s involvement caught Qi Bai and Lang Ze off guard.
But contrary to Xiong Pan and Hu Hong’s expectations, the Ge Han did not force Hei Yao back step by step.
Suspecting a larger plot, the Hei Yao tightened their vigilance. So even though they hadn’t foreseen the Ge Han’s alliance, they were ready when they noticed the sudden spike in beastman activity.
Truthfully, Qi Bai couldn’t make sense of the Ge Han’s “ambush.”
Even novices like Shu You and Yun An, who only knew theory, could spot their clumsy tracks and sloppy concealment.
Still, their territory was dangerous. Even a poor ambush could stall Hei Yao long enough for Jian Hu and Hao Xiong to close in.
The landscape was a maze of jagged rocks. Broad stone slopes often ended in sheer cliffs, and once below, finding the right path was near impossible.
Normally though, this area was easily crossed. Steppe dwellers knew the safe route—a canyon called Yan’a.
“Jian Hu and Hao Xiong have blocked the left and right passes,” Lang Zhan reported.
“The canyon is held by the Ge Han,” added Xiong Han.
Qi Bai saw the thousand Ge Han at the canyon’s mouth. Hei Yao’s warriors could defeat them, but Jian Hu and Hao Xiong would catch up quickly. Prolonged battle here was unwise.
Retreat was not an option.
Qi Bai eyed the snarling langhuan blocking the gorge. “Dismantle the last ten carts. Lash planks and bone blades together. Mount them on the wagons!”
The others didn’t understand, but obeyed immediately.
The langhuan drooled, pacing in agitation. They longed to rush forward, to tear into the juicy two-legs—but they could not leave the canyon.
Why weren’t the prey charging in?
“Roar!” “Roar!”
“Awooo!” “Awooo!”
Soon, tiger roars and bear bellows echoed outside. Jian Hu and Hao Xiong had arrived.
“Forward!”
At Lang Ze’s command, horned beastmen shifted to beast form, hauling the twelve remaining wagons in a charge.
“Make way!”
Tun Quan and Ma Ling leapt onto Niu Shuo’s back at the head cart.
With heavy poles braced under their arms, they flanked Niu Shuo, the extended beams sweeping outward like scythes. The charging cart mowed down waves of langhuan.
And on each pole’s tip, bone blades gleamed. Blood sprayed across the snow.
“Ahhh! Charge!”
“Kill! Kill! Kill!”
Each cart carried fifteen or sixteen warriors. With planks in hand, they carved open space around the wagons.
The Hei Yao wagons had become twelve war chariots!
“What—what is that?!”
The Jian Hu and Hao Xiong froze in shock.
The Ge Han were hurled aside like ragdolls. Not one could get close. All they heard were the anguished screams of langhuan.
By the Beast God… the Hei Yao must be demons. Anyone who neared them was cursed to die.
Xiong Pan and Hu Hong stared in stunned silence. In moments, Hei Yao had burst from the canyon.
Don’t let them escape!
Two hundred could not stand against their thousands forever. Even if it meant attrition, they would grind them down. Failure to complete the Shenshi’s task was unthinkable.
“Roar!” “Awooo!”
Xiong Pan and Hu Hong bellowed the order: “Chase!”
“We’re out!”
“We broke through!”
The Hei Yao stumbled from Yan’a Canyon like men dredged from a pool of blood. The Ge Han had fought with no fear of death, leaving many of Hei Yao wounded.
But they had escaped. In three days, they could leave the steppe. Once in the forests, Jian Hu and Hao Xiong would struggle to follow.
Yet at that very moment, a massive new force appeared ahead—no smaller than the army at their backs.
Niu Shuo skidded to a halt, veering the wagons north.
Another ambush beyond Yan’a. The Hei Yao were bloodied and weary—there was no way they could face another ten-thousand strong.
On one cart, Shu You shot to his feet, staring at the leader of the oncoming army.
“No… this isn’t right!”
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