Chapter 60: The Drawn-Out City

Lu Chenghuang grasped Wang Liang’s intention immediately, and he could see that this was indeed a clever strategy.

Years ago, during their assault on Jingyang Pass, the then-commander of the troops, Deputy Marshal Yin Xun, had heard of a similar plan from his subordinates. However, being from Yanggu County and merely a conscript, he dared not set fire in the mountains.

He understood well that once the fire was set, it would be uncontrollable.

But Wang Liang was unfazed by this. In his dreams, he had spoken of tactics centered around killing; in his eyes, fire and water attacks were fundamental.

Now, with that black bear blocking the road and refusing to come out, setting the pass ablaze was the simplest choice.

As for the ensuing forest fire, it certainly wouldn’t be harder to manage than the demon ridge fire they had faced before.

Lu Chenghuang hesitated for a moment but said nothing in the end. In his mind, if Wang Liang chose this method, he must have a way to handle the wildfire.

Reflecting on Wang Liang’s background, Lu Chenghuang thought to himself: The Dragon Clan can summon wind and rain; no matter how fierce the fire, a storm could easily extinguish it.

With this thought, Lu Chenghuang felt reassured and silently supported Wang Liang’s plan.

With Lu Chenghuang’s tacit approval, the other leaders naturally raised no objections, allowing the soldiers to prepare and move swiftly.

Meanwhile, the head of the Remote Mountain Sect began recruiting and arranging formations specifically designed to counter the old black bear.

Compared to the players’ rather rudimentary formation skills, the Remote Mountain Sect’s leader was a true master of such arts.

His formation was no mere simplified setup but a fully developed and intricate array.

He spent quite some time selecting the right people, first inquiring about each person’s birth details and calculating the auspicious directions before finally positioning them.

Including the players and his own disciples, the Remote Mountain Sect’s leader selected sixty-four competent individuals to hold various command flags and take designated positions.

Then he chose a thousand soldiers armed with knives, spears, swords, and halberds, positioning them strategically. These included conscripts, shadow soldiers, and troops from aquatic clans.

Once everyone was in place, the sect leader began his ritual.

Holding a seven-star sword, he paced in a Yu-step pattern, chanting incantations continuously.

Wang Liang noticed that as the sect leader performed the ritual, a layer of mist appeared over the formation, and the previously chopped trees seemed to revert to their original state.

“An illusion formation?” Wang Liang was slightly worried. He wasn’t sure if the sect leader’s arrangement was tailored to the bear’s characteristics.

But there was no time to hesitate now; under his command, the soldiers had already prepared their battle gear.

Surveying the situation, Wang Liang turned to Generals Yu and Hua and said, “I’m about to begin. You two handle the minor demons and such.”

This needed no further instruction; both generals had already grasped the plan. Wang Liang’s tactic was straightforward: separate the enemy’s commander from his troops.

Whether by trapping or killing the commander, without his leadership, the enemy forces would not stand a chance against the Yanggu County army.

At Wang Liang’s order, Generals Yu and Hua quickly directed their soldiers to prepare.

Since over a thousand soldiers had been dispatched to set up the formation, and the injured had been sent away, the number of conscripts was no longer as large as before.

At this moment, the hunters and archery guild members played a decisive role.

General Hua positioned them at the rear, not requiring much action save to shoot arrows when the minor demons charged out.

With the main force ready, Wang Liang summoned his bronze warhorse, grasped the Slaying Knife, and mounted up.

Behind him, soldiers pushed the recently assembled wood carts.

These carts were essentially oversized flatbeds with freshly made wheels, piled high with various firewood, pine resin, and medicinal herbs.

Three soldiers pushed each cart, while two soldiers held large shields at the front to guard them.

Originally, Wang Liang had planned to build battering rams, but materials were scarce here; these wood carts were the best they could manage.

As they charged forward, the old black bear immediately saw through their plan.

The bear retracted its massive thigh, hefted its broad axe, and stood up, roaring, “Get lost!”

His roar startled the soldiers pushing the carts, but Wang Liang stepped forward, pointing the Slaying Knife at the bear.

“Dumb bear, do you like bear paws?”

This remark stunned the old black bear. At first, he thought Wang Liang was mocking him, but soon realized it was a taunt meant to lure him out of the pass.

The old black bear was no fool; he knew his best strategy was to stall them here.

So he bared his teeth in a grin, about to speak, when Wang Liang added, “I prefer my bear paws roasted.”

At that moment, soldiers had already pushed a dozen wood carts up to the pass. The carts collided with the wooden gates and came to a halt.

Without delay, the soldiers abandoned the carts and fled.

Wang Liang then pointed at the carts, and a spark ignited the wood.

In an instant, the carts seemed to explode as flames surged outward from their center.

To ensure the fire would catch quickly, Wang Liang had exchanged for several fire talismans from the Remote Mountain Sect leader.

It was the power of these talismans that caused the carts to blaze fiercely and set the pass aflame.

After lighting the fire, Wang Liang did not retreat. Instead, he raised the Slaying Knife and laughed at the old black bear, “Roasted bear paws, roasted bear paws.”

This enraged the old black bear, who felt fury surge through him. Ignoring everything else, he leapt down from the pass, kicking away the carts one by one.

Wang Liang would not allow the bear to ruin his plan. Riding his bronze warhorse, he charged forward, wielding the Slaying Knife with a force that could stun a hundred miles, aiming at the bear’s thigh.

The old black bear was furious as well, swinging his axe in a precise counterstrike, striking Wang Liang’s blade.

Wang Liang felt a tremendous force surge through the Slaying Knife. Were it not for his gloves’ anti-disarm function, the blade might have been torn from his grasp.