In the Mingdou Mountain Range, a troop clad in white armor was marching along the border of the Star Luo Empire through the mountain path.
The neat clanging of metal echoed through the forest. Each soldier rode a Dragonscale Warhorse, bodies held perfectly straight, exuding an aura of stern killing intent just from their appearance.
The leader was a tall and burly man, mounted on a steed that resembled neither a horse nor a tiger exactly; it looked like a variant of a tiger-type soul beast.
Throughout the entire troop's movement, aside from the sounds of armor and the hoofbeats of their mounts, there was no other noise, clearly a sign of highly disciplined training. This was none other than the White Tiger Personal Guards of the White Tiger Duke of the Star Luo Empire.
The White Tiger Duke, Dai Hao, sat atop his White Tiger Colt, occasionally glancing left and right to survey the surroundings.
Relations between the Sun Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire had grown increasingly tense. According to intelligence received by the Star Luo Empire, the Sun Moon Empire's regent, Xu Tianran, was already restless and eager to act.
In recent years, the border cities of the Sun Moon Empire had undergone more than one round of modifications. Those cities now appeared as ordinary fortresses on the surface, but they had long since been transformed into solid strongholds, capable of defending against the Star Luo Empire's armies in retreat, and serving as rear support for the Sun Moon Empire's offensives in advance.
Dai Hao had guarded the border for many years and was naturally aware of these developments. Border defense had become his top priority, and he personally patrolled almost every day.
However, just as he was leading the White Tiger Personal Guards on his usual patrol of the border, his White Tiger Colt suddenly let out a soft snort.
The sudden irregularity in its steps caused Dai Hao's brows to furrow even tighter. He reached out to stroke the colt's neck and discovered that the fine fur close to its skin was standing on end, as if the mount was gripped by some kind of fear.
He pulled the reins with his left hand and raised his right arm. The White Tiger Colt halted instantly, and the White Tiger Personal Guards behind him also stopped in unison.
The surroundings fell completely silent. Dai Hao's gaze turned cold, his pupils faintly flickering. For some reason, this mountain path, which he had traveled more than once, gave him an indistinct sense of unease today.
An ordinary person might have dismissed it as overthinking and moved on. But Dai Hao had stepped into the realm of Titled Douluo half a year ago. With a Titled Douluo's perception, even the slightest movement could serve as an invisible warning.
As the commander of the Star Luo Empire, he was especially sensitive to such feelings.
He raised his hand once more to stroke the White Tiger Colt's fur, slightly calming its unease, then suddenly turned to his adjutant beside him. "Pass the order: we change routes today. Everyone, raise your vigilance."
"Yes!"
The adjutant asked no questions.
Dai Hao personally patrolled the border defenses, and there was naturally more than one route. Which path to take each day was decided on the spot; otherwise, if the information leaked, wouldn't it be waiting for the enemy to set up an ambush in advance?
The White Tiger Personal Guards were well-trained; the order spread quickly through the ranks, and the soldiers turned their Dragonscale Warhorses in unison.
Dai Hao lightly kicked the White Tiger Colt's flanks and took the lead onto the new route. But they had barely gone far when the White Tiger Colt suddenly reared up on its front hooves and came to an abrupt stop.
Before Dai Hao could see what was happening, something rose from the horizon, dyeing half the sky green.
A terrifying aura caused every soldier in the White Tiger Personal Guards to involuntarily look up into the distance. Streams of green light flames shot forth, heading straight toward Dai Hao's position.
"Not good."
Dai Hao's expression changed drastically. He turned and shouted, "Prepare to intercept!"
Though the White Tiger Personal Guards he led were few in number, every soldier was outstanding in strength, equipped with various soul tools. Facing this sudden assault from the Sun Moon Empire, they had no intention of turning and fleeing immediately.
Moreover, the attacks coming from afar had just crossed the Star Luo Empire's border when they were immediately detected by the Star Luo Empire's garrison forces in the Mingdou Mountain Range. Large swathes of red light clusters rose into the air, attempting to intercept the Sun Moon Empire's attacks mid-flight.
However, the Sun Moon Empire's attacks seemed to have minds of their own. The Star Luo Empire's anti-air defenses were utterly ineffective against these beams. The green rays suddenly shifted, completely bypassing all of the Star Luo Empire's defenses.
Dai Hao stared at the changes in the sky, momentarily stunned.
He was not surprised that the Sun Moon Empire would launch a sudden attack. Over the years guarding the border, he had imagined more than once that the Sun Moon Empire might strike just like this.
What he had not expected was that, with merely the first strike, the Sun Moon Empire had taught everyone in the Star Luo Empire a very harsh lesson in soul tool technology.
The gap between the Star Luo Empire and the Sun Moon Empire in soul tool technology could no longer be described using any concepts the Star Luo Empire could comprehend. One could only watch helplessly as those attacks launched from deep within Sun Moon Empire territory passed through like entering uncontested territory, arriving in the blink of an eye.
These thoughts flashed through the White Tiger Duke's mind in an instant. As a Titled Douluo, he reacted immediately. His already burly frame suddenly swelled slightly, his short hair turning into black-and-white tiger stripes.
Two yellow, two purple, five black, nine soul rings rose abruptly. As the fourth soul ring shone brightly, streaks of dazzling meteors trailed long tails like fireworks, soaring into the sky toward the incoming attacks.
Boom, boom, boom, boom—
Terrifying explosions rang out one after another. Even the battle-hardened Dragonscale Warhorses ridden by the White Tiger Personal Guards were rocked back and forth by the shockwaves, neighing incessantly.
The other guards around Dai Hao also reacted, their own soul rings rising as they joined him in blocking the distant assaults.
But at that moment, another wave of attacks from the Sun Moon Empire arrived. A brownish-yellow light suddenly flared ahead, spreading dozens of meters around in an instant.
The ground shook violently. Cliffs cracked, and massive boulders tumbled down from one side toward the mountain path.
Dai Hao's expression changed. He stomped on the White Tiger Colt's back and leaped into the air, dodging the crushing rocks. But some of the White Tiger Personal Guards were not so fortunate. A few lower-cultivation soldiers, still dazed from the earlier shock, were completely buried under the falling stones.
"Defend! Withdraw!"
Dai Hao's eyes quickly turned red. These White Tiger Personal Guards were all carefully selected elites among elites; how could he not feel pain seeing them lost so meaninglessly?
He soon realized that this assault from the Sun Moon Empire was likely targeted at him specifically.
Dai Hao had no idea how the Sun Moon Empire had learned of his patrol timing, and he had no time to investigate. Right now, he only wanted to lead the White Tiger Personal Guards out of this place.
"Withdraw!"
He shouted again. His second soul ring lit up, shooting forth dazzling white light to push aside the boulders. Then he leaped back onto the White Tiger Colt and sped toward the military camp.
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