"Yes, Sir. You must not underestimate the Dong family. Among the many prominent families in our Eastern Profound Region, the Dong family truly ranks in the top three." Fu Dao said solemnly. Teng Qingshan nodded: "How many great families have brought armies this time?" Regardless, this matter involved the Blazing Flow Iron Ore.
Teng Qingshan also desperately wanted the Blazing Flow Iron. If he had enough Blazing Flow Iron, in the future across the Nine Provinces, he could completely build a powerful elite army, one superior to the Golden Scale Guards of Azure Lake Island!
Only by relying on this heaven-defying 'Blazing Flow Iron' could he enable the Guiyuan Sect to completely surpass Azure Lake Island in military strength!
"Sir, currently, the families dispatching armies to obtain the Blazing Flow Iron Ore veins, including my Fu family, total seven great families. They are the Tantai family, the Wu family, the Yan family, the Dong family, the Xiahou family, the Duan family, and my Fu family." Fu Dao recited them all in one breath.
Among these seven families, Teng Qingshan was familiar with five.
"The Xiahou family and the Duan family?" Teng Qingshan was somewhat puzzled.
Fu Dao explained: "The Xiahou family is a major family situated in the northern part of the Eastern Profound Region. And the Duan family is also a major family with ancient history; their strength cannot be overlooked."
"Fu Dao, in terms of military power, your Fu family is weaker than the other six. If you try to stand out, it is purely courting death," Teng Qingshan stated, being well aware of his own strength. Even if surrounded by a hundred thousand troops and ordered to kill them all, it would take him a good half-day to clear them out. The soldiers knew how formidable he was and would try to avoid him! Moreover, in the clash of two armies, how many could Teng Qingshan slay in half an hour? Even killing a thousand men would have no bearing on the final outcome of the battle.
"I understand that." Fu Dao nodded. "My Fu family will remain on the sidelines for now, observing. With you here, those families probably won't wish to provoke my Fu family, and given our smaller army size, they won't pay us much mind either."
"Mm, let's wait and see what happens."
Teng Qingshan remained calm. He knew his trump cards. If he truly acted ruthlessly, uprooting a massive tree several tens of feet long and sweeping it wildly—who could withstand it? However, upon seeing the Iron Sword Martial Saint, Teng Qingshan understood that behind this mineral vein contention lay the shadow of the 'War God'! Therefore, overt arrogance was unwarranted. He could not let others know that he was capable of sustained combat. After all, an ordinary Innate Golden Core Martial Saint would need to evade even ten thousand soldiers, because once their True Essence was depleted, an Innate expert became just an ordinary person.
The allure of the Blazing Flow Iron Ore vein was immense. The battle between Teng Qingshan and the Iron Sword Martial Saint was merely an appetizer before this larger contest for the ore. The Yan family, the Tantai family, the Xiahou family, and the other six families each commanded armies exceeding fifty thousand men. Only the weakest, the Fu family, had just twenty thousand troops.
The world was chaotic. Even while vying for the mineral veins, these seven families had to leave substantial garrisons behind to guard their ancestral lands, which is why the assembled forces at the foot of Ox Head Mountain numbered only a little over four hundred thousand.
Over four hundred thousand?
When troop numbers reached ten thousand, it already looked like a massive crowd; four hundred thousand soldiers indeed presented a vast, boundless expanse, resembling an ocean of men.
...
At the foot of Ox Head Mountain, the Fu family’s twenty thousand strong army was arrayed in neat rows. Teng Qingshan gazed south toward the terrifying, seemingly endless army stretching into the distance, its fluttering banners emblazoned with a large character: 'Wu.'
"It truly is a sea of people," Teng Qingshan remarked, looking at the sheer number of troops.
"The Wu family is rumored to have brought eighty thousand soldiers this time." Fu Dao looked toward the vast procession, completely ignoring the nearby Wu family forces, and sighed, "Eighty thousand. If only my Fu family had such strength." Regardless, the Fu family had risen too recently.
Just then—
From the northwest, another massive army approached, its towering military standard bearing the large characters 'Xiahou.'
"It's the Xiahou family." Fu Dao frowned. "Why are they coming this way?" This Xiahou army was also vast and numerous.
"Xiahou family, this is the area our Fu family has chosen for encampment. Please retreat," Fu Dao called out loudly, his voice rolling towards the Xiahou direction, echoing across the horizon.
"Fu family, this is the entry point the Xiahou family has selected for entering Ox Head Mountain. Clear the way at once." A voice equally powerful boomed back.
Teng Qingshan frowned, raising a hand.
Whoosh!
A stone from the ground flew into Teng Qingshan's hand. This simple telekinetic ability was only possible after reaching the Innate Golden Core stage—the 'Shen' that could control spatial resistance could easily manipulate the air to grasp lighter objects. After all, if it could even nullify the resistance of a full-strength sword strike, the control the 'Shen' possessed over the air was self-evident.
"Brother Teng?" Li Jun, walking up behind him, looked at Teng Qingshan in astonishment.
Teng Qingshan merely flicked his arm, and the hard stone was instantly hurled outward!
Whoosh!
The terrifying speed caused the stone to generate flames as it scraped against the air. This flaming projectile, resembling a meteor, traversed two hundred zhang in the blink of an eye before smashing directly into the tall, fluttering military standard. With a loud peng, the flagpole exploded. Shrapnel from the shattered stone sprayed outwards, eliciting cries of agony from several soldiers nearby.
"Scram, or I'll take your lives!"
Teng Qingshan's voice boomed like thunder, turning the faces of many soldiers pale with fright. A military banner is supremely important to an army, because in a chaotic battle involving tens of thousands, where the clamor is deafening, soldiers cannot hear their commanders even if they are Inner Force experts bellowing across the battlefield. Controlling the advance or retreat of the troops relies entirely on the banner! The military banner is the soul of an army; once it falls, the soldiers become like the blind, unsure whether to retreat or press forward. The role of a Martial Saint amidst a vast army is precisely this: to slay the general and seize the banner!
Under Teng Qingshan's threat, the Xiahou family army obediently retreated, altering its path of advance.
...
Within the vast Xiahou family army.
The family head, 'Xiahou An,' and other core members were riding war huan side-by-side.
"Family Head, it seems this Mr. Teng also harbors ambitions for this Blazing Flow Iron Ore vein," a gaunt old man murmured deeply.
"Mm, he acted the moment we simply approached. It seems Mr. Teng is quite ruthless," Xiahou An smiled faintly. "However, we have our findings. We previously thought Mr. Teng was merely mixed in with the Fu family forces, appearing only occasionally. But now it seems Mr. Teng takes this matter very seriously."
The Xiahou family and the Yan family were secretly allied due to the Heavenly Wind Family. But they needed to ascertain Teng Qingshan's intentions. A solitary supreme expert shouldn't care about a mere Blazing Flow Iron Ore vein. If he truly didn't care, Teng Qingshan should just blend in with the army, contributing minimal effort. If that were the case, the Yan and Xiahou families wouldn't need to worry so much. But—the current test showed Teng Qingshan valued this highly.
"This time might be slightly troublesome."
"However, he is helping the Fu family. Hmph, the Fu family only has twenty thousand troops. Even if he helps them further, does he dream of seizing the mineral vein from the sixty-plus armies of the six great families using only those twenty thousand? That's pure fantasy," Xiahou An felt no urgency.
**
"Hmm?"
Teng Qingshan gazed toward the dense forests of Ox Head Mountain, faintly hearing the sounds of shouting and killing echoing from within, the roars of thousands of troops shaking the very heavens and earth.
"The fighting has started inside," Fu Dao chuckled lightly. "Outside, the armies of the various families can spot each other from afar, allowing them to be cautious and vigilant... Moreover, every family is wary of the others. Once they enter the forest, especially as they draw closer to the Blazing Flow Iron Ore vein, clashes become increasingly likely."
"Once two families begin to fight, the major war will commence," Fu Dao looked toward the direction of the forest.
"Fu Dao, Xiao Jun," Teng Qingshan called out.
"Brother Teng," Li Jun walked over.
"Xiao Jun, don't wander off. Stay near Azure Luan. If danger arises, escape on Azure Luan," Teng Qingshan instructed. "The armies of all the families are gradually entering the mountains now. Letting them fight among themselves, I'm uneasy. I will go in and take a look."
"Mm, Brother Teng, you be careful too." Li Jun sniffed, then suddenly looked toward the forest; she could already smell the scent of blood.
Swish!
Teng Qingshan took only two steps before covering several tens of zhang; his figure flickered again and completely vanished into the depths of the forest.
...
As dusk approached.
The Wu family army had stopped in a dense section of the Ox Head Mountain forest.
"Ah, my leg."
"Little Monkey, Little Monkey."
Groans of pain and cries of weeping filled the army camp. The Wu family head, 'Wu Baiwei,' and the female Martial Saint, 'Jiang Yan,' both wore grim expressions.
"Damn it! I didn't expect that bastard Yan Baishou would ally with Xiahou An," Wu Baiwei said with a dark face. "If Xiahou An hadn't launched a sneak attack from the rear at that crucial moment, causing my army to fall into disarray and losing cohesion front-to-back, how could we have suffered such a massive defeat! But Xiahou An and Yan Baishou have always had a poor relationship; how did they join forces?"
The battle, which lasted two hours, cost the Wu family heavily. The Wu family had advanced quickly initially, intending to reach the canyon first, secure the high ground on either side, and utilize the commanding terrain to monopolize the Blazing Flow Iron Ore vein. Unfortunately, they were attacked simultaneously from two sides by the Xiahou and Yan families! They had no choice but to retreat.
...
"Hahaha... Truly exhilarating." Yan Baishou advanced with hearty laughter. Beside him was the Iron Sword Martial Saint, surrounded by endless ranks of soldiers.
"Just thinking of that ugly face of Wu Baiwei makes me happy. Hahaha, Brother Helian, the Blazing Flow Iron Canyon is just ahead," Yan Baishou chuckled. At this moment, their Yan family held the left flank, and the Xiahou family held the right. Their combined forces, plus the thousand elite soldiers dispatched by the Heavenly Wind Family, gave them the fastest breakthrough speed. Once they occupied the canyon and secured the advantageous position, they were fully confident they could defend it.
"Family Head, Family Head!" A panicked voice came from ahead.
"What is it?" Yan Baishou looked at the soldier running towards him.
"Family Head, there is a person sitting atop the high mountain overlooking the Blazing Flow Iron Canyon. The elite soldiers we sent up were killed in droves; we simply couldn't reach him," the soldier stammered in terror.
"Who is that person?" Yan Baishou frowned, sensing trouble.
"It's the strongest Martial Saint, Teng Qingshan," the soldier managed to say.
The Iron Sword Martial Saint standing nearby’s expression shifted drastically.