Just as everyone was drinking and enjoying themselves, a general suddenly noticed ripples forming in the wine glass in front of him, seemingly out of thin air.
"Eh? What's this wine...?"
The general thought he might be seeing things and rubbed his eyes.
When he looked again, the ripples had not faded. In fact, they were growing more intense!
At the same time, distant thunder rumbled, faintly reaching everyone's ears.
The drunken revelers didn't react immediately. Then, someone asked, "What's that sound? Why does it sound like thunder?"
Moments later, as the ground began to shake more violently, everyone realized something was seriously wrong.
"This is…"
"No! It's the cavalry!"
The military personnel, recognizing the tremors as the sound of horse hooves rather than thunder, quickly sobered up.
A panicked messenger burst into the tent, his legs trembling as he knelt.
"Li Shuai! Outside the camp, countless heavy-armored cavalry in white armor and white horses are advancing!"
The captain's face was pale with fear, clearly shaken by the chaos outside.
The revelation stunned everyone.
"Where did these white-armored cavalry come from?!"
How could such a large force appear in this region, deep in the northern territory?
If it were the Northern Barbarian cavalry, there would have been prior news.
As the generals scrambled into their armor and exited the tent, they were met with the sight of a white-armored cavalry army that had breached the camp's defenses and infiltrated the center of their forces!
The air was filled with the roars of battle and the sounds of slaughter.
The white-armored cavalry, stretching across several miles of the camp, charged and fought with ferocity, overwhelming the Forbidden Army soldiers.
The camp was soon covered in chaos, with soldiers screaming as they were trampled and annihilated by the cavalry.
The generals, witnessing the scene, were struck dumb.
The carnage was so absolute it could only be described as slaughtering chickens and dogs.
"Quick! Organize a defense!" Li Weiming was the first to react, urgently giving orders to his commanders.
"Understood!"
The captains and generals, now fully aware of the dire situation, hurried to mobilize their remaining forces.
However, those observing closely could see that Li Weiming's composure was slipping. His hands trembled despite his attempts to remain calm.
"It's over… it's all over!"
Li Weiming, though experienced, realized the complete defeat of his hundred thousand Forbidden Troops.
The white-armored cavalry moved with such precision and force that they had shattered the formation of his elite troops.
Cavalry had defeated infantry. The dragoons methodically crushed the fleeing soldiers, ensuring no chance for regrouping or retaliation.
Defeat was now inevitable.
...
After about half an incense stick's worth of time, despite desperate efforts, Li Weiming managed to gather only a few thousand soldiers.
The rest of the Forbidden Troops had been slaughtered without the chance to surrender.
"Form up!"
A signal from the Snow Dragon Cavalry led them to cease their pursuit and regroup in an orderly formation.
The flags fluttered in the wind as the two sides faced off.
The White Armor camp was arranged with perfect precision, and the silence was so profound it felt oppressive.
In stark contrast, the remaining Forbidden Army soldiers, demoralized and disorganized, looked nothing like the elite force they once were.
The sight of the horses trampling over corpses and the rivers of blood instilled fear in the remaining soldiers.
If they didn't surrender on the spot, they must have extraordinary willpower!
Seeing the defeated soldiers gathered, Li Weiming's face grew darker.
He knew they were completely defeated.
"Horses, where did this cavalry come from?" Li Weiming cursed inwardly.
In just half an incense stick's time, his hundred thousand troops, including the elite Forbidden Army, had been decimated!
Even though these troops were elite, their destruction was swift and complete.
Realizing the situation was dire, Li Weiming's mind raced with a singular priority: self-preservation.
There were still thousands of remaining soldiers attracting attention. He was confident he could escape in the chaos.
"Retreat!" Li Weiming commanded, though he was already preparing to vanish into the confusion.
Just as he gave the order, a hearty laugh rang out.
"I've heard about Marshal Li Weiming for some time. I wonder where you're planning to go now?"
The familiar voice made Li Weiming's face harden.
"King of Zhenbei… Orion!"
Li Weiming recognized Orion immediately. As a cultivator, he never forgets a face or voice.
Grimacing, Li Weiming glared at the source of the voice, though fear flickered in his eyes.
The sudden appearance of the white-armored cavalry clearly meant they were under Orion's command.
"Prince Lu, I didn't expect you to be so deeply hidden!"
"You dare to attack the imperial army? Are you planning to rebel?"
Li Weiming pretended not to recognize Orion's involvement, putting on a show of bitterness and anger.
If he had known Orion commanded such a formidable force, he would have stayed away, even if it meant missing out on rewards!
Now, his hundred thousand Forbidden Troops were nearly wiped out, and he faced possible capture!
Orion, smiling slightly, responded, "Li Shuai, let's not play games. You and I both know why you're here."
Orion glanced around, noting how the Snow Dragon Cavalry was encircling Li Weiming's remaining forces.
He smirked, thinking, If I wasn't worried about this guy running too fast and escaping, I'd let the cavalry handle it without further interference.