Chapter 38: Family Feud, National Enmity
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Outside Jian An City.
More than 10,000 villagers had been forced to flee and leave their homes by the 50,000 strong enemy army. All of them flocked to Jian An City’s gate.
Cao Wenxing, the City Lord of Jian An City, stood on top of a defensive tower, watching coldly as the villagers fled for their lives. He waved his hands and shouted his orders. “Release the arrows!”
“Lord, they are our people of the Country of Yan!” A deputy general behind Cao Wenxing stepped forward to stop him. He could not bear to kill his own people.
“Mmm?”
Cao Wenxing glanced sideways and asked, “If the inferior commoners rushed here and broke into the city, the 50,000 strong army of Luo Tianwu’s would follow right on their heels. Wei Mingcheng, tell me, who will bear the responsibility for it?! All of us will die if Jian An City falls!”
“Whoever dares to question my orders will be punished according to martial law!” Cao Wenxing shot a harsh glance at the deputy general.
The deputy general who was named Wei Mingcheng lowered his head. Although he felt indignant, he dared not voice his opinions any further.
Cao Wenxing swept his gaze over the soldiers by the city wall as he shouted. “Release the arrows!”
Some of the soldiers clenched their teeth and shut their eyes before releasing the arrows.
Swas.h.!.+ Swas.h.!.+ Swas.h.!.+
There was a storm of arrows.
The storm of arrows was able to wipe out all the defenseless people of the Country of Yan.
In the blink of an eye, hundreds and thousands of villagers collapsed onto the ground after being shot by the arrows. The entire place outside the city was filled with casualties and corpses. It was a heart-wrenching sight.
They would die if they take another step forward. But they would die if they retreated as well.
The remaining thousands of villagers knelt down outside Jian An City. They kept kowtowing and crying helplessly for rescue. It was heartbreaking.
The 50,000 strong army of Cang Lang City were stationed a couple hundred meters outside Jian An City. Luo Tianwu stared coldly at the helpless people of the Country of Yan. He did not feel any sympathy for them.
It was these innocent people who were the first to suffer from the war between the two countries.
“City Lord, please open the door, let us go in. My two children are dead on the battlefield. You can’t treat us like this.”
Cao Wenxing looked indifferent. He was not the least moved.
A seven or eight-year-old child was frightened. The child broke out of a woman’s embrace and ran toward the faraway distance. He had only taken a few steps when Luo Tianwu ordered his troops to shoot him down. He dropped onto the ground dead.
“Ah!”
The woman screamed, rus.h.i.+ng madly to Luo Tianwu. She had yet to get close to him and she was shot down by dozens of arrows.
The woman fell to the ground, losing focus in her eyes. She stared at the sky above her head, whispering. “Heaven, please takes pity on us, who will save us…”
Bang! Boom! Boom!
Right then, fumes and dust billowed in the wind from not too far away. The ground violently vibrated, there was a thunderous sound of hooves. A large troop of black armored cavalry came galloping ferociously, closing in with a menacing aura.
The leader was clad in silver armor, holding an iron spear of the flowing spring. There was a hideous scar on his face. His eyes were sharp and he hollered. “Luo Tianwu, prepare to die!”
“Release the javelins!”
The troops were still far away from each other. The archers were unable to release arrows as it was not within shooting range. Su Hong sat atop his horse pointed forward.
The 5,000 black armored cavalry jumped into action simultaneously. It seemed as if they had been through countless training as they moved in unison. They released the long spears that they held. The flying spears seemed like locusts that ravaged the entire area.
The 5,000 long spears flashed a cold glitter as they went soaring into the sky, letting off a whining sound. It was an intimidating sight.
Most of the black armored cavalry were Postnatal Experts. If they exerted all their strength to throw the spear, the shooting range would be further and more powerful than arrows!
The gray-robed Qi Refinement Warrior’s countenance changed. He had to avoid clas.h.i.+ng head on with the array of spears. He used his flying sword to protect Luo Tianwu while they retreated.
The 50,000 strong troops of Cang Lang City were caught off-guard. Many of the soldiers fell off their horses and corpses were strewn everywhere.
The black armored cavalry kept on advancing, not slowing down at all. By the time the Cang Lang City troops recovered their senses, the black armored cavalry had already arrived right in front of them!
The arrows that the Cang Lang City troops prepared were rendered useless. Instead, it was a hindrance to them.
“Change formation!”
Su Hong yelled as he led the troops from the front, with Song Qi right behind him.
The 5,000 black armored cavalry took the long sabers from their waists and took the form of an awl. They were on a roll, looking imposing and domineering. The awl-shaped formation helped them to break into the Cang Lang City troops!
Bang!
The two armies crashed into each other. They fought hand to hand, and blood was spewed everywhere. It was tragic!
The 5,000 black armored cavalry created a huge opening in the formation of the 50,000 strong army.
The soldiers on the city walls gave a shout of joy at the sight of this scene.
Wei Mingcheng was thrilled. He pointed toward the 5,000 black armored cavalry outside the city, speaking in a quivering voice, “They are the black armored cavalry. They are the black armored cavalry of the Country of Yan!”
All the soldiers in Jian An City were in awe upon hearing that the black armored cavalry were here.
To the soldiers who had been guarding the border, the black armored cavalry had a well-known reputation. Under the leaders.h.i.+p of Lord Wuding, the black armored cavalry had always been able to defeat the enemy troops with a force inferior in number. They had always been their pride and the pride of Country of Yan.
Unfortunately, after the sudden change in circ.u.mstances in the capital 16 years ago, the black armored cavalry had disappeared as well.
However, their name had been deeply buried in the memories of each and every soldier.
“Is it General Su?”
“General Su is not dead. He is back with the black armored cavalry!” Some of the soldiers were exhilarated and they wept softly.
Wei Mingcheng stepped forward, saying in excitement, “Lord, I volunteer to lead a troop to lend support to the black armored cavalry. We will definitely send the enemy away!”
Cao Wenxing looked at him with cold eyes, speaking in an indifferent tone. “No!”
Wei Mingcheng felt as if he was struck by lightning.
Cao Wenxing said, “Su Mu revolted against the Country of Yan and he died. The person outside the city is definitely not Su Mu.”
“But they are the black armored cavalry. I wouldn’t be wrong!”
“So what if they are the black armored cavalry? There are only 5,000 of them. How long could they fight against the enemy? By the time Luo Tianwu gets his army under control, the black armored cavalry will be dead meat.”
“The black armored cavalry dominated the battlefields, sweeping up victories wherever they went. Lord, don’t you remember their reputation? This is the pride of the black armored cavalry. General Su had spent all his life on the battlefield, he had never lost a battle!”
Cao Wenxing was getting impatient. He waved his hands. “Wei Mingcheng, it is a meritorious achievement if we managed to guard Jian An City. Now that the two armies are fighting it out outside the city, it is the wisest choice to stand by watching others battle. No matter who wins and who loses, it will be beneficial to Jian An City.”
“But…”
Cao Wenxing suddenly looked back, staring at Wei Mingcheng with a murderous look, interrupting him. “If you dare to continue with your nonsense and affect the army’s morale, I will not hesitate to kill you!”
Wei Mingcheng stared at Cao Wenxing in shock, disappointment evident in his eyes.
In no time, with the gray-robed Qi Refinement Warrior’s help, Luo Tianwu had stabilized the army and was in a confrontation with the black armored cavalry outside Jian An City.
“Su Hong, you must be crazy!”
Luo Tianwu shouted in rage. “The King of Yan feuded with the Su family and was slain by your younger brother. I am taking revenge for you, yet you are stopping me. You have lost your mind!”
Luo Tianwu might have plans and ploys, but he had never expected that Su Hong would stop him in this crucial moment.
The most troubling thing was that there was a Qi Refinement Warrior with Su Hong.
Su Hong sneered. “Luo Tianwu, listen well! The Su family may have a family feud with the King of Yan. But your army raids the land of the Country of Yan, intruding our borders and territory, slaughtering our people, this is national enmity! Family feud and national enmity are different! My father was a general all his life and he had never lost a single battle or lost any of the lands that belonged to the Country of Yan. If I allow you to succeed, I will be too ashamed to face my father!”
His impa.s.sioned words resonated deep down with every soldier in Jian An City. They were touched and moved by him.
Wei Mingcheng looked towards the back of Cao Wenxing, his gaze hardened. His hand reached slowly toward the long saber at his waist.
“What are you doing?”
Right then, Cao Wenxing turned around suddenly, discovering that Wei Mingcheng had his hands on the hilt of the saber. He said coldly, “Wei Mingcheng, how dare you defy your superiors and have the notion of killing me?”
“Unscrupulous official, I disdain to be in your company. I will slay you today!”
Wei Mingcheng gave a loud shot as he drew his saber and rushed forward.
Cao Wenxing sneered as he waved his sleeves and wrapped the oncoming long saber. He flipped his palms, landing a heavy thrust on Wei Mingcheng’s chest.
Wei Mingcheng was at the Postnatal realm, he was not the opponent of Cao Wenxing who was at the Connate realm.
Wei Mingcheng dropped to the ground, threw up a mouthful of blood, staining his sleeves. He laughed in desperation. “Cao Wenxing, you might be able to kill me, but can you kill all the people of Jian An City? Take a look at the soldiers around you. Is there anyone who is willing to work under you and risk their lives for you? You’re a coward!”
Cao Wenxing looked around him, everyone from the lowest-rank soldier to the deputy general next to him had anger and resistance in their eyes.
Cao Wenxing panicked slightly.
The Connate Expert might be powerful, but he was unable to defeat all of them. If all of his troops turned against him, he would not be able to survive.
Outside the city, Luo Tianwu had a grim expression as he said coldly, “Su Hong, given you only have 5,000 calvary, and you want to fight against my 50,000 elite troops? Our strength is 10 to 1. You don’t have any chance of winning!”
Right then, there came a mighty sound from the top of the city tower. It could be heard everywhere on the battlefield.
“What about if you count me in? Luo Tianwu, what are the chances of winning now?”
No one had any idea on when a man covered in blood appeared on the city tower. He had a head hung at his waist, carrying a bow on his back and a saber with him. It was as if an ancient Heavenly Deity descended from the Heavens. The person looked domineering and majestic. Although he seemed to have gone through hards.h.i.+p, he had a burning gaze that one could not help but avoid!
…
Author’s Note:
The introduction stated that the man was a heroic genius that heaven was jealous of. He was gifted, the best of the best among the geniuses. He could be hailed as a fiend. Right now, Zimo has only begun to reveal his fiendish characteristics, he has yet to show the true terror of a fiend.
Let’s talk about the t.i.tle. In “Immortal Sword G.o.d”, the word “immortal” had a special meaning, so did “eternal” in “Eternal Sacred King”. I would not reveal the details here.
As the book said, the Great Zhou Dynasty is only a part of the vast continent. Zimo would leave Ping Yang Town very soon and enter the cultivation world. In the vast continent, there are many clans. It is said that there are nine immortal sects, eight demon clans, seven fiend sects, six Buddhist monasteries, five heretical doctrines, four dissident groups…
To me, this is a vast immortal and martial arts world, a fantasy in abundance, bizarre and motley, covering everything under the sun!
The powerful cultivators have superhuman skills, having the ability to carry the mountain and catch up with the moon, burn the sky and boil the sea, possess the power to summon wind and rain and to pluck the stars using a single hand!
The powerful fiendish demons could take in and breathe out the entire Heaven and Earth, traveling unhindered all over the world!