Book 03 : Nirvana Rebirth
Chapter 15: Chain of Strategies
Translator: Princeknife and Judairu
Editors: Dragneel and Megumin_Explosion
"Lian Xian, what"s the problem that bothers you? The city gates will fall at any moment, yet why do seem so vexed?" The Su Family Old Ancestor asked.
"It is too easy. Something"s off… something"s off. It is too easy."
"What is too easy?" The Su Family Old Ancestor inquired and the rest of the Xiantian experts looked towards Su Lian Xian.
"The city is easy to siege. We are about to break into the city. This is not Zhong Shan"s style… it is impossible for him to be so lousy." Su Lian Shian shook his head.
"Easy? To siege the city we"ve lost at most over fifty thousand people. Many of our soldiers have fallen. How can it be so easy?" A Xiantian expert uttered inconceivably.
"There is no way Zhong Shan would be so lousy. There should be more people dead… at least eighty thousand but the death count has only reached fifty thousand. Something is wrong, something is wrong." Su Lian Xian shook his once more. A tense expression donned his face.
Hearing Su Lian Xian"s explanation of the death count should be at least eighty thousand, the crowd was stunned. How was it possible? The death count reaching fifty thousand was already an enormous price to pay, but yet Su Lian Xian said that it should not be the case but more? It should not be this easy to achieve.
"Lian Xian, maybe your overthinking. Zhong Shan can"t be that scary, right?" The Old Family Su Ancestor quickly replied.
"No, no, no, don"t underestimate Zhong Shan. Absolutely under any circ.u.mstances you must not underestimate Zhong Shan." Su Lian Xian emphasized each word.
"Then we shall wait and see. The city gate is about to fall and once it has fallen, the death of Zhong Shan would be in our grasp." The Su Family Old Ancestor consoled.
"I hope so." Su Lian Xian nodded in agreement but his creased brows didn"t relax.
On the city wall, most of the ladders burnt to crisp by the fire. Only a few were left struggling to hold up with all their might whereas at the other side, half of the one hundred and twenty eight Ox Crossbow were ready, waiting for the side to finish before attempting to break open the city gates for the third time.
Zhong Shan stood with the city gate tower and let out a deep breath, "Ying Lan, initiate the second part of the plan." His eyes gleamed.
"Yes," Ying Lian quickly replied and took out a purple colored flag.
Soon after, the large number of troops on the city wall quickly made their descent down and did not defend the city wall any longer.
Zhong Shan gently pat the railing on the city gate tower and turned around, bringing Ying Lan away from the city gate tower with him. The pair followed the rest of the city guards in their retreat.
Zhong Shan retreated? Zhong Shan retreated?
Sitting on the war horse across the river bank, Su Lian Xian"s brows were locked. He watched the scene unfold before him.
Did Zhong Shan felt that he would lose? So why did he retreat? Why did he ask the city guards on the four sides of the city walls to withdraw? Why did they withdraw?
"Ha ha, Zhong Shan knew he would lose, so he retreated!" A Xiantian expert cried out excitedly.
Meanwhile, the enemy soldiers slowly making their descent up the city wall with remaining ladders reached the top. They hastily pulled out their swords, ready to sacrifice their live for their country if the need arise, and yet, there saw that there was not a soul in sight within the city walls.
"Hong~~~"
A third round of arrows flew from the Eigh Ox Crossbow towards the city gate. Following the loud sound, the city gate was unable to resist against such immense force and finally broke into pieces.
We broke in?
This should be the moment where cheers ought to be uttered but its just that were not able to. With an army of two hundred and fifty thousand soldiers used to siege the city walls, they unexpectedly received the most damage. Close to sixty thousand soldiers paid the price of death to break into this city while the other side at most only had a few hundred of casualties.
This was the most vexing battle in all of history.
The large army charged frantically towards the city but even though this battle was the most vexing one, in Su Lian Xian"s eyes, it was too easy, too inconceivable that he felt something was wrong.
"Commander, the Xuan city guards have retreated back to the other side of the city"s inner river. Moreover, they also tore the bridge apart." A footsoldier quickly reported.
"Not good. Zhong Shan wants to escape from the other city gates." Su Lian Xian cried out in shock.
Su Lian Xian quickly dismounted from the warhorse and run over the opposite river bank. The opposite river bank had already been occupied by his own troops. He was rest a.s.sured that there won"t be any archers from Xuan city left to obstruct them.
The rest of the Xiantian experts quickly dismounted their warhorse, following Su Lian Xian behind in tandem using the aid of the wooden planks to cross the other side.
Once they made it over the river, Su Lian Xian suddenly said, "Dismantle half of the wooden makeshift bridge to construct one in the inner city river."
"Yes." The officers behind shouted.
Su Lian Xian led the nine Xiantian experts swiftly through the city gate which had numerous bodies strewed everywhere as they rushed towards the inner parts of the city.
Su Lian Xian then led the nine Xiantian experts swiftly through the city gate which had numerous bodies strewed everywhere, rushing towards the inner parts of the city.
The army swiftly took apart the wooden bridge, but as they dismantled the wooden bridge, they unexpectedly discovered a strange phenomenon. Why was the original muddy river suddenly turn black? Moreover, it was getting darker and darker.
Su Lian Xian reached the inner parts of the city"s inner river. The army was blocked by the river, unable to advance any further.
"Swim across," Su Lian Xian commanded.
At this moment, in the not so distant opposing bank, Zhong Shan"s figure suddenly appeared. He appeared calm and collected, not like the look of someone retreating in fear. Behind Zhong Shan was Zhong Tian, Zhong Zheng and Ying Lan. The Xuan City"s army slowly appeared from the nearby houses and looked at the Xiantian experts across the river.
"Zhong Shan," Su Lian Xian bellowed.
"I"ve waited for you to appear for half a day already." Zhong Shan replied coldly. He reached for a wooden torch. While the opposing party was trying to make sense of the situation, he threw the torch into the river before him.
"Bang~~~"
The river caught on fire and a red, fiery scorch soared towards the heavens. The huge blazing fire instantly extinguished their morale and will to battle. Earlier, under Su Lian Xian"s command, there were a few daring who jumped into the river, but as the fire ignited, the few daring let out a blood-curdling screams.
"Ah~~~"
Their blood-curdling screams tore through the heart of the army"s morale, extinguishing their will to continue.
"Not good. Retreat." Su Lian Xian said anxiously.
At the moment he turned around, he was surprised to find the river outside the city walls had also dyed itself red, erupting in flames. The sixty thousand army who charged in first was trapped just like this.
Everyone panicked. What now?
Su Lian Xian let out a bitter smile.
Zhong Shan! Zhong Shan! Lost again, lost again!
"Listen up, soldiers," Zhong Shan said, "The culprits for the attack on my Xuan City this time round" was those ten people. So long as those ten people are killed, I can let bygones be bygones. The Su Family who governs Great Kun, instigated the people to revolt and as a result, the country changed. They are no longer fit to govern Great Kun. Anyone who kills these ten people will be bestowed countless wealth." Zhong Shan proclaimed.
The proclamation ended and it gave the crowd a sort of stimulus. Some of the more unprincipled soldiers directed their gaze towards Su Lian Xian"s group.
"Ha, ha, ha! Zhong Shan, trying to disrupt the loyalty of my army? So long as my Su Family has one of us left on the throne, you can forget about ever commanding my Great Kun"s army!"
"Really?" Zhong Shan smiled coldly.
At this moment, outside the city gates, there was a sudden wail echoing the air and roused the attention of everyone. They turned their back to look over but only saw a war horse in the far distant. It was the eunuch Wei Tai Zhong holding in his hands the head of someone.
A human head? It was really the Emperor of Great Kun, Su Zheng De.
"De"er" Su Lian Xian"s eyes turned red.
"Archers ready." A general near Su Lian Xian commanded.
Under the command, a large number of archer readied themselves as they targeted all ten Xiantian experts. As the archers directed their arrows, the situation on the river bank turned into mutual hostility. Some chose to protect Su Lian Xian"s group while some followed the general, ready to rebel.
Even the Emperor is already dead. Could it be that we have to be buried with him?
Zhong Shan was satisfied towards the General who issued the command. He knew that it was really one of his own and with him taking the lead, it could not be any more better.
Looking in satisfaction at the General who issued the command, Zhong Shan knew that it was one of his own and with him taking the lead, it could not get any better than this
"Old Ancestor, on the opposite side of the river bank, there will surely be a large amount of archers. We have lost and now we can only try to kill Zhong Shan. As long as Zhong Shan is dead then we can turn the situation around… and now at the final moment, we have to rely on you, Old Ancestor. Su Lian Xian said.
"Ok." The Su Family Old Ancestor could feel graveness of such a tragic situation and agreed without any slight hesitation.
Our bloodline, the Su Family bloodline is only left with Su Lian Xian.
"Release the arrows." The previous General suddenly cried out.
As the command was issued, large number of arrows rained down unto the Xiantian experts, and since they had already had a falling out, the majority of the soldiers did not hold anything back. Of course, before the arrows rained down, there was a large number of soldiers protecting this group of important figures.
But, the question is how long can they protect them?
Although there was a huge fire raging upon the river, the Xiantian experts did not fear it, it’s just that they were unwilling to leave behind their own troops ,and now they had no choice but to leave their personal troops behind.
The ten Xiantian experts leaped towards opposite river bank in succession, and while they had to use their feet to step on the surface of the lake covered in flames midway to reach the other side, and though there was some oil stuck to their soles burning it, but as long as they directed their Zhen Qi out, they can extinguish the fire thoroughly.
However, Zhong Shan was waiting for this moment for a long time already.
Ten Xiantian experts were charging towards him to kill him, he was waiting for this moment already.
"Release the arrows." Ying Lan suddenly issued the command.
"Hong~~~~~"
The rain of arrows was as if they were already prepared for this moment, firing at a great speed towards at the group who cross the great fire.However, it might be because that the fire was burning too viciously, it was quite difficult for arrows to hit anything.
It was under the inaccurate rain of arrows which resulted in five Xian Tian experts from the four great family to be shot, falling to the burning lake. The large fire continued to rage, even if it was Xiantian experts, they also let out blood curdling screams.
"Ah~~~~~~"
Under the extreme temperatures, these initial Xiantian stage people had no means to resist, dying tragically.
Cruel, it was too cruel.
The five Xiantian experts who made the way across the river charged in rage towards Zhong Shan.
But, the second round of arrows descended upon them, and was also mixed with the Eight Ox Crossbow, those strong arrows flew quickly towards them. The large arrows were directed towards the Su Family Old Ancestor, but the Su Family Old Ancestor seemed to be more capable than the Old Ancestor from the four great families. A few dozen arrows only managed to injure the Old Ancestor"s left shoulder and the out of the four remaining Xiantian experts, three of them were shot dead under the second round of arrows, among them included Su Lian Xian who was the overseer of the battle.
Su Lian Xian did not expect that his death would actually be so vexing, he was so careful about attack from the small arrows and yet they still managed to land on his body. His whole body was. .h.i.t by fifty arrows during the rain of arrows unleashed by the other party, and he was truly dead.