Chapter 650: Chapter 646: Final Battle (6)

The Tang Clan’s defensive forces at Baoding Mountain had fallen faster than Mi Hai had anticipated. After all, when the elite soldiers were relocated to the Greater Wandering Mountain, all that was left were ordinary martial artists.

These individuals didn’t have a problem in terms of cultivation, but most of them had not seen the baptism of blood and fire. This was not a disadvantage in favorable conditions, but when the tide turned, it became their greatest weakness.

The outcome on the ground also influenced the massive battle between martial ancestors in the sky. Not only were the clan’s warriors fleeing in all directions, but also the promising youth that each clan held high hopes for. They did not want to take these people’s bodies back to the clan.

Therefore, most people were not focused on the battle in the sky anymore but were concerned about their own clansmen who were fleeing on the ground.

Mi Hai, locked in combat with Tang Sen, was still observing the battlefield from above. Seeing the rapid retreat of the unified forces on the ground of Baoding Mountain, he knew this battle couldn’t continue.

Gathering his spiritual power, he struck Tang Sen in the chest and was sent flying backwards by a palm strike. After rolling tens of feet in the void, he managed to maintain his position while suppressing the turmoil of his blood and vital energy, ordering loudly, “Everyone regroup, retreat towards the southern base!”

Upon hearing Mi Hai’s command, the allied martial ancestors already wishing to leave quickly sought ways to distance themselves from the Tang Clan’s martial ancestors, effectively restoring the standoff.

The Tang Clan’s martial ancestors didn’t pursue the retreating enemy but instead grouped together, on guard and taking the time to treat their injuries with medicine.

The unfavorable numerical odds had made the Tang Clan’s battle exceptionally difficult. Hence, upon hearing the news of Mi Hai’s retreat, they heaved a sigh of relief, thinking that this first breakout battle was over.

Even Mi Hai thought so, considering the Mi Clan’s alliance currently held every advantage. Whether to fight or retreat was entirely in his hands. Regardless of the Tang Clan’s resentment, would they dare to chase and attack recklessly given the immense psychological pressure of being surrounded by hundreds of martial ancestors and tens of thousands of ground troops coming from all directions?

Even though Tang Sen knew that letting them leave would put the Tang Clan in greater danger, he had no choice but to bite the bullet in order to buy time for rest and reorganization for his clan’s martial artists!

“The green mountains will not change, and the clear rivers will flow forever. See you on the next battlefield,” said Mi Hai, ferocious as a ghost or a god, cupping his hands towards Tang Sen, “I hope that the next time we meet, your Tang Clan can still surprise me.”

Half of the allied martial ancestors in the sky had gathered behind Mi Hai, and the rest were descending to the ground to regroup with the remaining forces. It was clear they were about to retreat.

Meanwhile, Tang Sen, with a darkened face, gave a cold order, “Assemble all armies, let them go.”

Just as Mi Hai had predicted, due to the superiority in numbers, if it were a head-on battle, the Tang Clan would still have confidence. But if the enemy’s main priority was to retreat, the Tang Clan wouldn’t be able to pursue due to their insufficient might.

After all, now, numerous martial artists and allied martial ancestors were on their way to reinforce the existing troops. Therefore, even if unwilling, he had no choice but to let these martial ancestors depart from Baoding Mountain after their considerably exhausting battle.

This was without a doubt a major victory, but it cost the Tang Clan dearly. Over two hundred evolved martial artists died, and among the martial ancestors, three died in battle and five fled.

Nevertheless, the cost for the Mi Clan’s alliance was even more severe. Among the over two-thousand ground troops, a third fell in the first engagement, half were exterminated while scattering and running, and almost half of the martial ancestors fled.

“Just as we expected, these cowardly creatures, although numerous and powerful, can be torn apart with a single charge,” said Tang Zhi, the chief commander, standing on a huge rock. The sunlight fell on him, making him look commanding and awe-inspiring.

“Now, we have regained control of Baoding Mountain. Next, we will drive this rabble off our land!”

“The Tang Clan shall ultimately triumph!”

The morale boost after a significant victory always felt so genuine. Although the warriors were physically exhausted, their spirits were exhilarated.

Everyone believed that the defeat of the Mi Clan’s alliance was just a few charges away.

With enthusiasm, the Tang Clan’s warriors climbed up the Baoding Mountain, occupying the stronghold recently built by the Mi Clan’s alliance and started to regroup.

Meanwhile, Tang Zhi and a group of elders gathered in what was originally Mi Hai’s command headquarters to plan their next strategy.

Compared to the blind optimism of ordinary warriors, the expressions in the room were filled with anxiety.

“Although we scared off several dozen of Mi Clan’s martial ancestors today, only about thirty percent were seriously injured. They would return to the battlefield within a day at most, resulting in a higher gap in terms of strong warriors on both sides.” Tang Hongjun, the second eldest, stated his observation, which was met with nods of agreement from the others. This was also why top-tier families chose martial artists from the Fierce Realm as their primary forces.

With the support of resources, as long as Fierce Realm martial artists can grasp the measure of advance and retreat, they can remain invincible. Whereas once martial artists who have undergone metamorphosis fell into extreme danger, they can only face life or death.

Therefore, in a typical war between families, it is usually the Fierce Realm warriors who probe and establish an advantage; when the win or loss is about to be determined, teams of those undergone metamorphosis are dispatched to finish the job.

However, at this moment, the whole Tang Clan was on the offensive. Though it appeared courageous, it also pushed them into an awkward situation where they could only win and not lose.

“In my opinion, the forces defending Baoding Mountain today were not regarded as the alliance’s elite force. Even the martial artists with the unity of spirit and intent were scarce. The three armies of our Martial Hall should not be blindly confident!”

Being a bandit family with centuries of plundering history, many of the Tang Clan’s martial artists experienced overseas expeditions. Therefore, they could remain calm and composed even when faced with such a battle of being outnumbered.

However, the allied martial artists they encountered today were obviously unseasoned warriors from a familial background. They might perform well in sparring matches, but in this ruthless battlefield, they could only panic and be at their wits’ end.

This made several commanders of the Martial Hall thoughtful, especially Tang Yi, the commander of the Divine Martial Army, who sighed regretfully after noticing the difference between the forces, “If we knew earlier that the martial artists in the alliance were so inept, we could have organized several surprise attacks at Xiangyun Valley. I believe if we kill a third of the alliance’s metamorphosed martial artists, their alliance would have crumbled on its own, but now…”

Giving up the sturdy fortification of the Divine Martial Formation and coming to Baoding Mountain to be surrounded by the alliance once again and preparing for a fight to the death made the commanders rethink. If they knew the Clan Leader’s plan was to fight to death, they might have been more proactive when defending Xiangyun Valley. But it was too late now.

The next battle would either be tomorrow or the day after. When the alliance gathers its forces once again, the scale won’t be restricted to a few thousand people like today. When the gap in numbers of warriors reaches a certain multiple, regardless of the skill level, casualties are an inevitable price to pay.

Especially now, when the entire army is gathered at Baoding Mountain, in a makeshift fortress, without a single piece of solid rear area.