Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

The Tang army formation was slowly retreating—not in disarray, but in an orderly fashion, maintaining the integrity of their spear formation throughout.

For every zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) retreated, dozens of Chu cavalrymen had to pay with their lives.

On the east side, Ma Chao's Xiliang cavalry encountered the same predicament.

Li Guangbi's second formation was also composed of heavy infantry and occupied advantageous terrain.

It was a gentle slope, and the Tang army had a commanding position with their spears pointed diagonally, making it even more difficult for the cavalry to charge.

"Damn it!"

Ma Chao speared a Tang soldier away, but more spears came thrusting at him, forcing him to retreat repeatedly.

"That Li Guangbi is a tough nut to crack!"

The battle entered its most intense phase.

The Chu cavalry charged in waves, but the Tang infantry held firm and refused to retreat.

Every collision resulted in blood splattering and corpses strewn everywhere.

The Tang army's defensive line was slowly shrinking, from an initial two li wide to one and a half li, and then to one li...

But they did not collapse.

Each formation was fighting independently, and every soldier was fighting desperately.

Those who were seriously wounded and fell to the ground would hug the legs of the Chu army horses with their bodies; those who had broken arms and legs would bite the enemy's ankles with their teeth; and those who were on the verge of death would ignite the oil on their bodies and rush into the enemy formation.

This is a true battle to the death.

They traded their lives for time, and built a defense line with their flesh and blood.

Li Guangbi could see everything clearly from the command platform.

He saw that Zhao Yu's White Horse Cavalry had lost nearly 10,000 men, that Ma Chao's Xiliang Iron Cavalry had also suffered heavy casualties, and that the Chu army's offensive was gradually weakening.

But they also saw their own troops being gradually worn down.

The original army of 40,000 has now dwindled to less than 30,000.

Even more fatal was that the arrows were almost gone, the oil was used up, and even the logs and stones had been thrown away.

"General!"

The lieutenant, his face covered in blood, rushed over: "The first formation is about to collapse! Zhao Yu has personally led the charge and has already broken through three lines of spears!"

Looking over, Li Guangbi indeed saw that on the western front, the silver spear and banner had already penetrated into the first formation.

Zhao Yu charged left and right like a god of war, and wherever he went, Tang soldiers fell to the ground.

"Send the fourth formation to provide support."

Li Guangbi's voice remained calm: "Tell the commander of the first formation—hold on for another quarter of an hour."

"But Commander, the fourth formation is currently holding off Ma Chao's fierce attack. If we move them away..."

"Execute the order." Li Guang interrupted him: "I'll go to Ma Chao's side personally."

He stepped down from the command platform, mounted his horse, and picked up the long spear that had been with him for twenty years.

The guards around him were horrified: "General! You can't..."

"Why not?" Li Guangbi sneered. "The soldiers are fighting a bloody battle; how can the commander-in-chief sit comfortably in the rear?"

He pointed his spear forward: "Personnel guard, follow me!"

Three hundred guards responded in unison, and like a torrent of steel, they charged toward the eastern battlefield.

There, Ma Chao's Xiliang cavalry had broken through the outer defenses of the second formation and were charging toward the core.

Ma Chao himself charged through the ranks like a mad tiger, each swing of his spear taking several lives.

"Ma Chao!" Li Guangbi roared hoarsely, his long spear like a poisonous dragon emerging from its cave, aimed straight at Ma Chao's face!

Ma Chao was killing a Tang army captain when he heard the noise and quickly turned around, blocking with his spear.

clang--!

The sound of metal clashing was deafening.

Both men were knocked back three steps, their hands split open.

"Li Guangbi?" Ma Chao's eyes flashed with wild joy: "We've finally waited for you!"

"Arrogant brat!" Li Guangbi thrust his spear again, this time faster, more ruthless, and more cunning.

The two warhorses clashed, exchanging five blows in an instant.

Although Li Guangbi was over fifty years old, he was highly skilled in martial arts and wielded the long spear with ease.

Ma Chao was in his prime, possessing immense strength, and his spear was powerful and heavy.

For a time, it was difficult to determine who was better.

But Li Guangbi's goal was not to kill Ma Chao, but to stall him.

As long as the commander-in-chief is engaged, the Xiliang cavalry's offensive will weaken, and the second formation will be able to stabilize its position.

As expected, the Xiliang cavalry around them slowed down their attack when they saw that their commander was entangled.

The Tang army seized the opportunity, reorganized its defenses, and divided and annihilated the Chu cavalry that had charged into the formation.

A quarter of an hour later, Li Guangbi feinted with his spear, turned his horse around, and led his personal guards away from the battle.

Ma Chao wanted to pursue, but was blocked by the newly reorganized Tang army's spears and could only watch helplessly as Li Guangbi retreated back into his formation.

"Damn it!" Ma Chao gritted his teeth, but there was nothing he could do.

At this moment, the situation on the entire battlefield has become clear.

The Tang army's defensive line, which was initially two miles wide, shrank to a circular defensive perimeter of less than eight hundred paces.

Of the original 40,000 troops, only 20,000 remain, all wounded and riddled with arrows and weapons.

But they are still fighting.

They are still holding on desperately.

Because their coach is still in the team.

Because the banner of the Tang Dynasty has not yet fallen.

Li Guangbi returned to the command post, gazing at the battlefield that had shrunk by half, and at the soldiers who were still fighting desperately. A complex expression flashed in his eyes.

He knew that defeat was inevitable.

But soldiers have their own dignity.

A general has his own destiny.

"Order the entire army—" Li Guangbi's voice was hoarse, but still clear: "Contract the defenses and form the final circular formation."

"We will shed our last drop of blood here."

"Let the Chu army know what it means to—"

"The Spirit of the Tang Dynasty Army!"

Here.

When Zhao Yu's silver spear and banner charged into the Tang army's defensive perimeter for the third time, Li Guangbi knew that the final moment had arrived.

The silver flag moved like lightning, charging left and right through the already broken Tang army formation, causing men and horses to fall wherever it passed.

Zhao Yu himself was like a god of war, each thrust of his silver spear precisely piercing through the gaps in the armor of the Tang soldiers, taking a life with it.

Behind him, three thousand white-horse guards followed closely, tearing a thirty-step-wide gap in the Tang army's defenses.

"General! The western defensive line... has been breached!"

The messenger stumbled in, his voice distorted with despair: "Zhao Yu has broken in! General Wang, the defending commander... is dead!"

Standing on the command platform, Li Guangbi gazed at the rapidly widening breach and the Chu cavalry pouring in like a tide. His face showed no panic, only a calm that was almost resigned.

He fought for thirty years, defending countless cities and engaging in countless tough battles.

We've fought victorious battles and we've also suffered defeats.

But this is the first time that, with comparable forces and thorough preparations, our defenses have been breached by such ruthless tactics.

The loss was not due to poor command or low morale.

He lost because his opponent's decisiveness exceeded his expectations.

Using a thousand warhorses as sacrifices, and living lives as weapons to break through enemy lines—Li Guangbi could neither conceive of nor use such a tactic.

But the Chu army used it.

And it worked.

"Order the entire army—"

Li Guangbi spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching the ears of every general around him.

The generals all looked at him, their eyes bloodshot and weary, but also filled with the resolute determination to await their final orders.

"Abandon defense."

Li Guangbi said, word by word: "The entire army—charge!"