Chapter 588: Small Test of Skills

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For a minor skirmish, there was no talk of destiny or opportune timing. However, Talisman Mountain undoubtedly possessed a significant geographical advantage. It was exceedingly difficult for the two dozen military scouts sent into the mountains to gather battlefield intelligence that could turn the tide and successfully relay it back immediately. Talisman Mountain had six inconspicuous signal towers. As Wei Jin, a former military captain, advocated a strategy of appearing relaxed on the outside but maintaining tight control within, only one tower was located on the outer mountain. The signalmen, originally numbering eight, were quickly augmented by another eight. Half were stationed at posts, while the other half patrolled, using bird calls for communication, making them even more secretive and challenging to detect.

One hundred and eighty young, robust bandits from Talisman Mountain were divided into three forces. Nan Baoyu, the third mountain lord, led one of these branches. This eight-foot-tall strongman wielded a pair of gilded war hammers and commanded the smallest group of thirty men. Each of his men was agile, armed with short knives and bows and arrows, truly resembling dismounted skirmishers. They advanced rapidly in a fan formation. Several cautious government scouts soon engaged these bandits in a swift, close-quarters melee, as there was no concealment or element of surprise. The scouts' blade techniques reflected the distinct style of the Northern Liang military: concise, practical, and above all, utterly desperate.

The burly bandit, whose martial arts clearly surpassed the scout's, was evidently unaccustomed to this life-for-a-life fighting style. However, relying on his superior skill, he moved with the agility of an ape in the forest, flexibly maneuvering to create distance and striking when opportunities arose. The scout could never get close and did not blindly force an attack. After the Talisman Mountain bandit found an opening and slashed him on the shoulder, the scout gritted his teeth, rolled on the ground, and powerfully fired his crossbow. The bolt grazed the bandit's cheek and embedded itself in a tree, startling him and causing him to break out in a cold sweat. While running, the bandit pulled out throwing knives from his cloth jacket and unleashed a flurry of highly proficient throwing knives at the severely wounded scout. The scout, with a deep inch-long gash on his shoulder, was too slow to dodge; several throwing knives pierced his chest and thigh, leaving him on the verge of death.

The bandit advanced like a mountain snake, circling cautiously to get close, denying the scout any chance to use his crossbow effectively. After he evaded the last crossbow bolt with an aerial roll, the bandit, now positioned behind the scout, grinned savagely. He rushed forward, and with a single swing, decapitated the scout, then kicked over the headless corpse. The bandit snapped his fingers, anticipating fifty taels of silver, and the mountain lord’s promise of a night with some beautiful maidservants from the mountain estates. As he was about to withdraw his blade and leave, his chest suddenly shuddered, his head jerked forward, and he fell face down, dead on the spot. Two crossbow bolts had simultaneously pierced his chest and the back of his head. Another bandit, who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion, just witnessed this horrifying scene. As he looked for cover, two more crossbow bolts flew towards him. He instinctively dodged one but the other pierced his neck, causing him to slump against a tree trunk. He dropped his knife and clutched his gushing neck with both hands. The two scouts, one on the ground and one positioned in a tree, exchanged signals. After confirming no other enemies were lured, they both continued to stealthily advance.

This was the "Three Men Make a Tiger" tactic, executed with greater skill by Northern Liang scouts than by the Deadmen with their throwing knives. The Xu family army was initially largely composed of commoners. They hadn't even touched military treatises, let alone basic primers like the *Three Character Classic* and *Thousand Character Classic*, and were constantly criticized for misusing idioms. However, only the countless souls who perished under Northern Liang blades during the Spring and Autumn period truly understood the ruthlessness and ferocity of these enemies on the battlefield.

After engaging the first wave of Talisman Mountain bandits, the two dozen scouts lost eight men but, through coordinated efforts, easily encircled and killed nine opponents. This might appear to be an even exchange. However, if one discounts the three scouts Nan Baoyu personally killed with his overwhelming brute force, then the disparity in combat effectiveness becomes clear: even if individual Jianghu masters possess superior martial prowess, they are at a distinct disadvantage against seasoned military veterans who utilize battlefield formations to compensate for weaknesses. Furthermore, four scouts successfully bypassed Nan Baoyu's fan-shaped defensive line. Ultimately, two survivors returned to Bailu Mountain County Lieutenant Bai Shangque, successfully reporting the battle situation to Su Zhen, the Floating Water Commander of Fuchsia County. Su Zhen himself had led nearly a hundred armored soldiers into the mountains for this bandit suppression operation, bringing along half of his scouts. Upon hearing the approximate casualty figures, the powerful commander, clad in gleaming armor, tightly pursed his lips, his eyes darkening. He waved his hand, signaling that the scouts could now bypass the first battlefield and penetrate deeper into Talisman Mountain's heartland until they encountered the second wave of bandits. Su Zhen's unit was a regular 'Wu' army in Fuchsia County, composed of half infantry and half cavalry, ranking mid-tier within Youzhou. However, the scouts trained by Su Zhen, who himself came from the Northern Liang White Horse Scouts, were highly renowned in Youzhou, and he took great pride in this. Some old comrades who had returned from border garrisons loved to constantly challenge him to bets, and if they lost, they would shamelessly demand one of Su Zhen's scouts instead of anything else. Yet, after entering the mountains, nearly half of his scouts died at once. Commander Su did not fly into a rage; he simply drew his newly acquired horse-fighting Northern Liang saber, lightly licked its blade, and wore a bloodthirsty expression.

Su Zhen's ability to become a White Horse Scout naturally indicated his status as a seasoned cavalryman. Thus, even though local commanders were legally required to carry Northern Liang infantry sabers, the captains above him secretly made an exception. Of course, in return, Su Zhen 'bled' by offering two scouts as a token of respect. Su Zhen looked ahead and grinned. It was said that when the captain, whom Su Zhen had known for nearly a decade, later discovered those two 'lads' were novices who had been scouts for less than half a year, he was so furious he threatened to make Su Zhen pack his bags and leave, cursing him for even daring to deceive an old sergeant. Beside Su Zhen were Bai Shangque and Feng Guan, the Bailu Mountain County Magistrate, who insisted on joining the expedition. Su Zhen found Feng Guan unpleasant and paid no mind to his limp after dismounting. They proceeded into the mountains at the required pace. This frail scholar probably developed many blisters on his feet, but Su Zhen cared little for his plight; only out of respect for County Lieutenant Bai, he wouldn't mind sharing some military merits this time. Two deputy commanders, each leading a contingent of lightly armored infantry, stood at the forefront, eyeing the situation intensely, awaiting Commander Su Zhen's order.

Su Zhen, uneasy about the 400 constables from Azure Case and Fuchsia Counties, whom he considered mere stragglers, felt compelled to personally oversee the operation. He still somewhat trusted County Lieutenant Bai Shangque and Song Yu, a young man from a prominent family who knew the local situation well. However, while these two young men were capable, their lack of prestige wasn't enough to fully convince the veteran constable chiefs from both counties. Marching and fighting was no child's game of theorizing. If word got out that he, Su Zhen, had struggled to suppress two or three hundred bandits with 500 men, he would lose face!

Following behind Su Zhen's scouts were a hundred constables with relatively superior combat skills. Although they had not participated in the first engagement, they soon encountered Nan Baoyu. The constables and bailiffs from both counties were quite complacent about the grand bandit suppression campaign. Su Zhen already found them bothersome and in the way, so since several constable chiefs of no low rank felt that military merits were easily attainable, he let them go ahead and test the waters. Su Zhen himself also wanted to determine how many of these major bandits could be considered troublesome masters; knowing oneself and one's enemy was always beneficial. At this moment, Nan Baoyu, holding the third-highest position on Talisman Mountain, sat on a rock. He had two agile sentries count, and nine of his thirty brothers were gone just like that. The key was that they hadn't gained any significant advantage, which made Nan Baoyu angrily clang his two hammers together, the sound as mighty as temple bells, disregarding the exposure of his hiding place, and letting out a frustrated roar. He couldn't help but feel somewhat disheartened. However, the battle did not give Nan Baoyu, a third-rank master not far from the threshold of being a minor grandmaster, much breathing room. Soon, a sentry reported that a large detachment of government troops had arrived. Nan Baoyu asked how many, but that sentry, not being a regular scout, had only seen a dozen or so constables swarming into view and was so scared he immediately turned and fled, unable to give an accurate number. Nan Baoyu, as a mountain lord of Talisman Mountain, knew his own capabilities. He snorted, dismissed the inaccurate report, and strode forward, leading the charge into the constables' dense formation, thinking, "Do they really think I'm easy to bully just because I'm not a minor grandmaster?"

Over a hundred constables were led by four experienced "blockers" who, though not understanding the essence of battle formations, had a superficial grasp. Their formation appeared scattered and chaotic to experts, but it at least possessed some superficial structure. The four leaders, having distinguished themselves in their county and daring to personally risk danger, certainly possessed some martial arts skills. The constables accompanying them were the elites of Azure Case and Fuchsia Counties. The difference between their usual street fighting and the current forest combat was much smaller than the difference between infantry and cavalry battles, and the combination of blade wielders and archers was fairly suitable. So, when they saw the burly old man wielding a pair of large hammers, charging out alone like a wild horse, the blockers gave their commands. Arrows were unleashed in an organized volley, raining down through the gaps in the trees like scoops of water being poured. Nan Baoyu laughed unrestrainedly, relying on his robust physique as a third-rank martial artist, wildly swinging his gilded hammers, which glinted with golden light. He didn't even bother to dodge some weaker arrows, which merely scraped off some insignificant blood from his body. His eyes bloodshot, he charged forward head-down.

Without a word, the four battle-hardened blockers simultaneously moved out to confront the enemy together. They were not foolishly rushing to their deaths or attempting to compete in martial prowess with this Jianghu master whose skill was immediately apparent. Instead, they moved in unison, striking with their blades and coordinating with each other, engaging Nan Baoyu in close combat. The second volley of arrows was aimed at over a dozen bandits in the distance who intended to reinforce Mountain Lord Nan. Two bandits, who had never experienced such a barrage, were instantly turned into human porcupines, their upper bodies bristling with arrows as they fell. Under the command of a young Talisman Mountain master, the remaining bandits quickly split into two groups, rapidly advancing on the left and right flanks, determined to first break through the arrow formation. Some bandits, skilled in Qinggong (lightness martial arts), were especially agile; each time they moved forward, they landed behind a thick tree trunk in the gaps between arrow volleys. This kind of advance incurred minimal casualties, and with Nan Baoyu drawing attention, while victory wasn't assured, there were certainly no signs of a collapse, despite the overwhelming numerical disadvantage.

That young master was Liu Yu, the top disciple of Talisman Mountain's Immortal Master Wei Jin and the primary contributor to the jailbreak in Bailu Mountain County. He was the only bandit who charged straight from the front. As a disciple of Wei Jin, who specialized in talismans, Liu Yu, carrying an ancient peach-wood sword on his back, naturally possessed many Taoist secret arts. Yellow talismans appeared from his sleeve, and he "planted" profound mystic talismans, meticulously crafted, onto tree trunks. He softly uttered the word "Duò!", twisted his wrists, and two large trees crashed down towards the archer constables. While they didn't crush anyone to death, they somewhat disrupted the constables' otherwise meticulous formation. Liu Yu continuously drew out yellow talismans and chanted incantations, causing trees to fall arbitrarily as if possessed. This made it easier for the bandits running on the flanks, and some with excellent Qinggong even started whistling contentedly. In this inescapable life-and-death situation, those afraid to die died faster—a truth the Talisman Mountain bandits understood more deeply than the constables. Furthermore, one side was there to earn military merits, while the other was desperate and cornered. Regardless of the tactical situation, the disparity in morale between the two opposing sides was immediately obvious.

Although the four constable chiefs wisely chose to engage in delaying tactics rather than a reckless death match, they were still inevitably outmatched by Nan Baoyu, whose combat power was sufficient for a regular border army captain. Nan Baoyu, risking a sword slash to his back from a supporting constable, crushed an old blocker's head between his two hammers, spraying blood all over himself. He then casually threw one hammer, hitting another blocker who, after a moment of hesitation, could only attempt to block with his knife across his chest. This blow sent the constable spitting a mouthful of clotted blood, crashing into a tree, and shaking uncontrollably. As he struggled to rise, leaning on his knife, Liu Yu, from behind Nan Baoyu, used a talisman as a weapon, slashing into his face, leaving his face a bloody mess and him on the verge of death—his fate particularly tragic. Liu Yu then leaped high, his sleeves releasing the last dozen or so of his most precious talismans, and in mid-air, he single-handedly drew his peach-wood sword from his back.

Nan Baoyu, now with only one gilded hammer, haphazardly wiped blood from his face and spat. He glanced at the shadow overhead and cursed, "You stinky brat, you used to love peeing and pooping on your Uncle Nan's neck when you were little! You're not wearing open-crotch pants anymore, but you're still a rascal!"

Liu Yu swept into the constable formation. His unsheathed peach-wood sword appeared edgeless, but with a single sweep, it decapitated two front-line swordsmen. Liu Yu ducked and bent, using one hand to steady a corpse as he continued to charge, his peach-wood sword then slaying another swordsman beside him.

The two veteran constables, blockers who had survived Nan Baoyu's hammers, exchanged glances and nodded, neither retreating a single step. It wasn't that they weren't afraid of death, but that they couldn't and would not retreat.

Northern Liang men, whether officials or bandits, might not overtly display it in everyday life, but when trapped in a death trap, they all shared the same unyielding spirit and ferocity.

Some time ago, among the assassins nurtured by aristocratic families, most of the local Northern Liang people went to their deaths without questioning why. They didn't ask why that despicable young vassal king was so cold-blooded, nor did they question if their deaths were necessary or worthwhile; they simply perished during the assassinations. Those who clung to life were often outsiders.

The hundred constables had clearly not anticipated such a situation. Surrounded on three sides by Talisman Mountain bandits, how many of the hundred men could possibly survive?

The answer was soon revealed.

Only six men stood before Commander Su Zhen.

They were six young, inexperienced faces, especially compared to the blocker chiefs.

This meant that in less than half an hour, one-fourth of the constables from both counties had been lost, and these were their most capable men!

County Magistrate Feng Guan gasped, a deep sense of fear evident on his face.

Su Zhen's face was expressionless as he raised a hand and waved. The commander didn't need to say another word; the constable chiefs no longer dared to vie for merit and obediently fell in behind the hundred-plus armored soldiers.

Xu Fengnian remained perched on a high branch, but turned his head to glance back into the distance.

All the activity on the front mountain was within his sight, but as expected, even if the armored soldiers led by that commander were exceptionally brave and skilled, it was almost impossible for them to capture Talisman Mountain, which was allied with the Immortal Coffin Cave.

However, Huangfu Ping's forces had also arrived at the back mountain.

One hundred skirmishers with crossbows, and a thousand truly elite Youzhou infantry.

Furthermore, a thousand light cavalry were positioned outside the mountain, tasked with hunting down any fugitives.

Xu Fengnian smiled. Wang Shiwei had restored his confidence in Youzhou's officialdom, and that commander, with his mere twenty scouts, made him view the Youzhou local military commanders with new respect.

It was true that Xu Fengnian could now single-handedly go on a killing spree in the Northern Mang imperial palace, perhaps even more domineering than Cao Changqing's journey to Tai'an City.

But to truly protect the northwestern gateway, Xu Fengnian needed more than just the three hundred thousand iron cavalry on the border.

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