Chapter 130: A Breakthrough in the Heat of Battle

The collapse did not happen in an instant. The Luhe archers targeted the vanguard, and their accuracy was astonishing. Facing opponents who never missed, the soldiers grew timid; what began as a straight charge gradually became a curved retreat, until they eventually stopped moving forward altogether—for the faster they charged, the faster they died.

This was where the Luhe Valley Archery Club proved its worth. Most of the soldiers under Xu Wenshan’s command were former hunters, men who had spent years steeped in the way of the bow. Through mutual exchange and practice at the club, their archery had advanced by leaps and bounds, far surpassing the skills of the novices who once couldn't hit a target from a hundred paces, all while increasing their rate of fire.

In such a small-scale conflict, the impact of a marksman with such unerring precision was staggering. No one is immune to the fear of death, and these soldiers were no exception. Arrows that struck true not only decimated their numbers but also shattered their morale.

Moreover, Xu Wenshan commanded not just one, but many such marksmen.

Kou Guo stood at the rear, whip in hand, lashing at the soldiers who fled and dragging them back until he finally stabilized the ranks. A headcount revealed sixteen men missing.

Kou Guo pressed a hand to his forehead, fighting off the dizziness that threatened to send him collapsing to the ground. In the month he had been managing this garrison, today marked his heaviest loss.

He still harbored ambitions of climbing higher while he was young. Losing sixteen men was beyond what he could bear; if he could not smooth over today’s failure, not only would his path for advancement be severed, but he risked being stripped of his rank entirely.

"What are you all good for? Wouldn't it have been enough to just charge? Running? Is running any use? A bunch of cowards! Useless fools!"

The soldiers stood with hangdog expressions. One ventured cautiously, "Commander, we outnumber them. If we surround them, it might be easier to fight."

"Do I need you to teach me?" Kou Guo roared, unleashing a torrent of abuse.

In truth, he knew well that the soldier was right—a pincer maneuver might have already secured the victory. But if he admitted it, he would be acknowledging that his own command had been flawed. And so, even in his error, he could not admit defeat.

"Split into two squads! One will feign an attack from the front to draw out their archers, while the other flanks from the rear. Move quickly!"

Though he would not admit his mistake, he was not so stubborn as to refuse a change in tactics.

Inside the courtyard, however, the scene was quite different.

Lei Laohu peered over the top of the wall. Seeing the Cai soldiers in disarray, he muttered in confusion, "How are these regular soldiers even harder to deal with than bandits? They're already routing?"

Though the Luhe soldiers had been well-trained, they lacked combat experience. Seeing the pathetic state of the enemy, they didn't think of pursuit, but instead doubted that their victory had come too easily.

Xu Wenshan smiled. "These are garrison troops—just local peasants pressed into service, tossed here with little training. Their quality is no better than bandits, perhaps even less courageous."

As Xu Wenshan spoke, Li Dazhuang mused for a moment and added, "Bandits fight for plunder, and their leaders promise heavy rewards, so their morale is higher and their attacks more aggressive. These men, however, gain nothing from taking this post, so naturally, they won't fight to the death."

Surprised that Li Dazhuang had begun to think strategically, Xu Wenshan nodded. "Think about it, what other reasons are there?"

The men fell into deep thought. After a while, Lei Laohu said, "It was night back then. The bandits couldn't see their own casualties clearly, and many died within the barricades, trapped in a desperate melee. These men are on open ground, so they flee much faster."

As they discussed, they noticed the Cai soldiers retreating, seemingly pulling away from the area. Li Dazhuang noted, "They are going to call for reinforcements."

As the "Spider Hero," aided by his little spiders, Xu Wenshan knew the enemy's plan. He said languidly, "No, they've split into two groups: one to feign an attack, the other to flank us from the rear."

"What should we do?" Li Dazhuang asked, feeling a bit tense.

"You stay at the front and wear them down," Xu Wenshan directed. "I will guard the back gate."

Lei Laohu and Li Dazhuang exchanged a look and nodded. They knew that in terms of pure archery, the two of them combined were no match for him.

The Cai soldiers assigned to the surprise attack crept forward cautiously, using the crops in the field as cover as they approached the yard.

Upon reaching the back, Xu Wenshan greeted the guards stationed there, moved a stool to stand on, and peered over the wall. With his exceptional vision, he easily spotted the soldiers stirring outside.

He offered a silent apology to the men in his heart, then drew his bow and aimed.

Becoming a demon cultivator had elevated Xu Wenshan’s individual capabilities to a level unreachable by ordinary men. His stamina, arm strength, and eyesight had all surpassed the limits of mortality; drawing his bow was now as effortless as eating or drinking. With no one watching, he no longer needed to conceal his true power.

With the first arrow, a stalk of wheat northwest of north exploded; a man on the ground let out a muffled grunt and collapsed.

The second arrow struck a soldier who had turned to check on the situation; it pinned his calf, and he immediately began to howl in agony, clutching his leg.

The third arrow struck an enemy in the shoulder socket to the northeast; the fourth, in the ribs to the west-northwest.

Every arrow Xu Wenshan loosed was intended to maim rather than kill—not only to avoid excessive bloodshed but because these men would be more valuable to him as captives.

Amidst the rhythmic plucking of the bowstring, a spot within his body suddenly resonated, beginning to thump like a drum. He felt a mass of yin energy coalesce within him, swelling and ready to burst forth.

Xu Wenshan was startled. He immediately stopped shooting, adjusted his breathing, and struggled to control the surge. Closing his eyes to look within, he realized he was about to break through again.

With so many demons now under his command, they provided him with a portion of the demonic energy they absorbed daily. He had been able to progress rapidly without needing much meditation, but he had never expected a breakthrough to occur precisely while he was in Shaxian.

He remembered that during his last breakthrough, a great deal of yin energy had erupted from his seven orifices, taking a long time to dissipate even with the windows open. If he broke through here, those around him would surely grow suspicious.