Chapter 2078 - 2082: Southern Barbarian Reinforcements

"Boss, Old Zhou has made a move in the Southern Barbarians!"

"Haha, he expected that the Imperial Capital Army might head to Dayun Mountain, so he took action with the Leopard Queen in advance! That's why I'm here to inform you beforehand."

"Haha, eighty thousand troops have already reached the vicinity of Dayun Mountain, blocking Xie Feihong's attempt to occupy Dayun Mountain and engage us in a positional battle!"

Duan Xiaodao was the first to deliver the news of Zhou Yang and Yan Ruolan leading eighty thousand troops to Dayun Mountain to Yueya City.

Upon hearing this, Qin Tian was instantly stunned.

"That Old Zhou, he sure is daring, mobilizing troops on his own! Acting independently!"

Qin Tian immediately looked at the map, frowned, and said, "Although Old Zhou's strategy of stationing early at Dayun Mountain is very farsighted, don't forget, Fourth Bro, considering our current position, they might be annihilated by Xie Feihong before we even arrive because we're too far away!"

"What should we do then?"

Duan Xiaodao hadn't thought that far and said, "With Old Zhou's defensive capabilities, he should be able to hold out until we arrive, right?"

"Hard to say. How about this: I'll have the Dragon Clan continue the pursuit and cooperate with our main forces at West Liang Mountain. The two of us will lead the Qin Family Army to Dayun Mountain at maximum speed to reinforce Old Zhou!"

The situation was already urgent, so after Qin Tian notified the Dragon Clan leaders, he immediately set off with Duan Xiaodao, leading more than two thousand Qin Family Army members swiftly towards Dayun Mountain.

They left the battlefield, all riding beasts, competing in speed with the Imperial Capital Army from the side.

Qin Tian anticipated that Xie Feihong, who had become a desperate beast, would certainly first strike at the most isolated and weakest Zhou Yang, so he had to arrive at the earliest moment. Otherwise, the combat power of the Southern Barbarian soldiers currently couldn't match the Imperial Capital Army. Furthermore, with Duan Xiaodao not by Zhou Yang's side, and Qin Tian not yet enhancing Zhou Yang's cultivation through the Empowerment Divine Skill, Zhou Yang was very likely to fall into mortal danger!

The Imperial Capital Army was heading to Dayun Mountain, but with Qin Tian's force of over two thousand, which was more mobile, and all being strong cultivators at the Small Immortal Realm, they traveled a thousand kilometers in half a day. By the next morning, when the Imperial Capital Army was still two hundred kilometers away from Dayun Mountain, Qin Tian and his group had already arrived.

At that moment, Zhou Yang and Yan Ruolan, who had already occupied Dayun Mountain, had begun setting up defenses.

"Old Zhou, you're really quite a risk-taker. If Xie Feihong leads a forced march here to attack Dayun Mountain, it'll be tough to withstand it."

Upon meeting, Qin Tian gave Zhou Yang a "scolding."

Zhou Yang laughed heartily and said, "I predicted they might head to Dayun Mountain, so I had to prepare early. If I don't occupy Dayun Mountain, and Xie Feihong does, your attack would take a significant hit, possibly taking months or even a year or two to resolve, especially if the Imperial Capital sends reinforcements. Dayun Mountain would be like a dagger in our chests, constantly making us uncomfortable."

"Considering this, and since I was already at Leopard City, I made a decisive decision and gathered the troops with the Leopard King immediately."

Ruolan chimed in, "As it turns out, the strategist's prediction was entirely correct."

Qin Tian asked, "You brought eighty thousand troops here; what about the Leopard Clan?"

"The Leopard Clan still has fifty thousand troops there, plus the Fox King holding the fort; it should be fine," Yan Ruolan said. "Right now, the Lion Clan can hardly defend themselves, and they're internally conflicted over whether to join the Imperial Capital, surrender to us, or fight to the death. According to the strategist's plan, while they are in conflict, we'll support some generals advocating for surrender to us and take down the Lion Clan from within."

Speaking with great confidence, it was clear that since becoming the Leopard Queen again, Ruolan had undergone significant transformation.

"Okay, as long as you have everything arranged. It's fortunate that despite the risks, things are under control now."

Qin Tian took a deep breath and said, "Old Zhou, come with me. I've learned a Cultivation Technique. I'll enhance your cultivation through the Empowerment Divine Skill."

"Hehe, I've heard about it, that it can elevate us to the Small Immortal Realm. I've been looking forward to trying it."

Zhou Yang laughed heartily and then went with Qin Tian to a side hall. After half an hour of the Empowerment Divine Skill, Zhou Yang's cultivation was elevated to the Early Stage of the Small Immortal Realm.

At this moment, Yan Ruolan stood outside their room and asked, "Are you done? Xie Feihong's army is sixty kilometers away from us, we need to prepare for a response."

Qin Tian and Zhou Yang came out, and seeing Zhou Yang's radiant face, Yan Ruolan remarked, "Your Empowerment Divine Skill seems to be quite effective."

Zhou Yang laughed, "I feel like my Dan Tian Qi Sea has improved, but I might need some time to test my true strength."

The three of them discussed strategies in the courtyard, with Qin Tian saying, "We can't let Xie Feihong's forces attack the base of the mountain directly, otherwise, with their overwhelming numbers, it would be challenging for us to resist."

"My plan is for Fourth Bro and me to lead the Qin Family Army to distract part of their forces from the side, making them hesitant to attack full force. We just need to hold them off for at most two days, then Xu Kuan and his forces can block Xie Feihong from behind."

Qin Tian said earnestly, "But these two days, we are likely to face exceptionally tough battles."

Yan Ruolan and Zhou Yang both nodded, "We are ready for a bloody battle."

Zhou Yang said, "I've set layers of obstacles on Dayun Mountain, equipped with various True Qi arrows and instruments, so even if they attack Dayun Mountain, they should pay a significant price."

At the moment, with over eighty thousand troops facing an enemy force over half a million strong, they were all united against the enemy.

Qin Tian and Duan Xiaodao, along with the Qin Family Army, had already ambushed early in the southeastern valley leading to Dayun Mountain.

Meanwhile, on Dayun Mountain, Zhou Yang and Yan Ruolan were already in full defensive posture.

By evening, Xie Feihong's vanguard force, a hundred thousand strong beast cavalry, had arrived.

The Imperial Capital Army began setting up camp thirty kilometers from Dayun Mountain.

After all, they could face the predicament of Xu Kuan and others catching up from behind, so Xie Feihong opted for a cautious approach.

He dispatched a vanguard of one hundred and fifty thousand troops to launch a night assault on Dayun Mountain.

Zhou Yang and Yan Ruolan relied on the terrain to steadfastly resist.

At that moment, in his central army tent looking at Dayun Mountain, Xie Feihong nodded confidently, "Hmm, I'd heard that the Southern Barbarian troops' combat prowess was poor, and seeing it today, they truly are no match. I overestimated them!"

Xie Feihong's vanguard force attacked Dayun Mountain for three hours, breaking through the first line of defense set by Zhou Yang!

The Barbarian Clan army's combat capability was indeed inferior to the Imperial Capital Army, coupled with the fact that the Imperial Capital Army had twice the numbers of the Barbarian Clan forces; in a direct head-on confrontation, they indeed were unable to withstand.