Chapter 67: Heaven Lends Me Its Aid

“The soldiers under his command are formidable, and every battle is won with ease,” she said. “If not for the fact that the Hailan Tribe is so few in number, they would have unified the Sea God Faction long ago.”

Chen Mu nodded. “Will they defend the city, or will they take the initiative and attack like the Fuan Tribe?”

Blue Phoenix pointed at the map. “Jinding Mountain here is the highest in the region, and it's vast. There are water sources, wild beasts, and fruits on the mountain—perfect for an ambush.”

“I believe General Golden Blade will certainly have his forces lying in wait here. If we attack the Haikang Tribe, they’ll emerge from the mountain to strike us.”

“If we attack Jinding Mountain, they’ll defend it and wait for reinforcements from the Sea God Faction.”

Chen Mu was very satisfied with Blue Phoenix’s analysis. Clearly, she habitually gathered intelligence on all the tribes and had studied both terrain and military movements.

Her reasoning was solid.

The Haikang Tribe was adjacent to the Mountain God Faction, so they had fortified their own town—it wasn’t easy to assault. Attacking Jinding Mountain was relatively easier, but siege engines couldn’t be used.

The group discussed the matter for a long time, and in the end, Chen Mu decided to divide their forces. Ten thousand Daxia reserve troops would advance first to intercept the Sea God Faction’s reinforcements. Chen Mu himself would lead the remaining twenty thousand against General Golden Blade at Jinding Mountain.

But Chen Mu had no intention of charging up the mountain with his troops; he had other strategies in mind.

The next day, Zhang Chong led ten thousand Daxia reserve troops south, skirting the Haikang Tribe’s base and heading toward the southern tribes. Chen Mu remained in place, merely dispatching scouts to expand their search, focusing on the area around Jinding Mountain.

The scouts indeed discovered a large enemy force at Jinding Mountain.

Another day passed before Chen Mu gave the order to break camp, advancing south along the same route as the reserve troops, seemingly ignoring both the Haikang Tribe and the enemy at Jinding Mountain.

General Golden Blade atop Jinding Mountain received the news and pondered for a long time. Finally, he decided to pursue the coalition forces.

He didn’t choose to launch a direct offensive into the Mountain God Faction’s territory—his aim wasn’t mutual destruction. His goal was to defeat the Daxia army, weaken the Mountain God Faction, and thus find an opportunity to unify Dongyue.

Moreover, he commanded only the regular troops from the eight major tribes of the Sea God Faction—fifteen thousand in total. Several thousand more were being conscripted from the rear to provide support.

By his calculations, they should arrive soon, allowing him to launch a pincer attack.

General Golden Blade led his troops down the mountain, cautiously following Chen Mu without rushing to engage.

Chen Mu marched at a steady pace, as if oblivious to the pursuers behind him.

The Daxia reserve troops, having advanced ahead, found a valley and established defensive positions, awaiting the Sea God Faction’s reinforcements.

Meanwhile, Chen Mu waited for the opportune moment, then halted his march, preparing to confront General Golden Blade.

When General Golden Blade heard the coalition had stopped, he worried about a possible trap. But upon surveying the terrain, he broke into a cheerful smile.

He knew this ground well, and believed Chen Mu intended to ambush from both sides of the valley, gaining the advantage of higher ground.

But General Golden Blade wasn’t afraid—his soldiers were skilled in mountain warfare and had won many battles in such terrain.

The enemy’s schemes could never outmatch the bravery of his troops.

Moreover, the Sea God Faction’s reinforcements should have arrived by now—perhaps they were already engaged with the coalition. So General Golden Blade decided to launch a surprise attack immediately.

He led fifteen thousand troops straight into the valley where Chen Mu’s army lay in wait. Without hesitation, he ordered his soldiers to attack the peaks on either side.

Excited, General Golden Blade and his men failed to notice the peculiar scent lingering in the air.

Seeing General Golden Blade arrive, Chen Mu was delighted, ordering the crossbows to fire in unison, cutting down swathes of enemy soldiers.

Yet General Golden Blade’s troops were fearless, scaling the mountain with remarkable speed. Daxia’s troops managed only two volleys before the enemy reached their positions.

The Daxia soldiers packed away their crossbows and, shoulder-to-shoulder with the Mountain God Faction, met the Sea God Faction head-on.

The battle devolved into fierce hand-to-hand combat, with neither side gaining the upper hand.

This, of course, was not the outcome Chen Mu desired—his plan had only just begun.

Chen Mu did not join the front lines, but stood atop the highest point, gazing at the sky.

“It’s about time,” he said.

Beside him, Li Su nodded. “Yes, it should come down now.”

As they spoke, rain began to fall—first a drop, then another, then a torrent.

Chen Mu laughed loudly. “Excellent! Just what I hoped for!”

General Golden Blade saw the rain from afar but was unconcerned. Wet ground would affect both armies equally, and he was confident in his troops’ fighting prowess. Victory seemed inevitable.

He failed to notice, however, that the battle had only just begun. Most of his soldiers had yet to scale the mountain, still crowded in the valley, waiting for their comrades ahead to clear the way before joining the fray.

Suddenly, a large number of soldiers in the valley slipped and fell. When one went down, those nearby dodged, causing even more to tumble in succession.

General Golden Blade stared in shock from a distance.

Meanwhile, Chen Mu atop the mountain was jubilant—his scheme was working.

Two days earlier, Chen Mu had discovered many elm trees nearby. He ordered his soldiers to fell them and chop them into fine chips, scattering them throughout the valley during their march.

This wood was rich in oil; ordinarily harmless, but when wet, it became treacherously slick. The local people wore straw sandals or even went barefoot—making it impossible to keep their footing.

Thus, when Chen Mu saw the rain approaching, he halted his march, waiting for General Golden Blade to arrive with his forces.

The timing of the rainfall was perfect. General Golden Blade’s army had completely entered the valley, but only a few were assaulting the mountain.

And so, his soldiers were left slipping and sliding in the valley, unable to advance.

Those who fell could not rise, leaving their comrades atop the mountain without support. After a short time, the coalition wiped out the enemy on the mountain, then brought out their crossbows again, firing volleys into the valley below.

The valley instantly became a scene of carnage.

The morale of General Golden Blade’s soldiers changed dramatically—from the eagerness to charge and kill, to the helplessness of being slaughtered.

General Golden Blade had already ordered a retreat, but his troops could not flee—their feet slid out from under them, and many fell, becoming obstacles for their comrades.

By the time the invincible flying troops and Wudang flying troops had exhausted their bolts, General Golden Blade’s army had not managed to escape the valley.

When Chen Mu saw the crossbows were spent, he immediately ordered his men to descend slowly from the valley entrance, using the paths without wood chips, and began the pursuit.

General Golden Blade’s army, upon fleeing the valley, still found the ground slick and morale shattered.

They collapsed and fled in disarray.

Chen Mu led his men in relentless pursuit, chasing them all the way back to the Haikang Tribe’s town.