Chapter 100: Long Zhaofeng, I’ve Waited a Long Time for You
Just as Song Tianxing had said, a thousand things were waiting for Long Zhaofeng when he ascended to his throne. He didn’t have the time to immediately make trouble for the Hall of Healing.
Long Zhaofeng gave a command the first day he took his throne and gathered all the dukes on an expedition into the south to march on the Jiang Han territory, and punish the traitorous Jiang Feng father and son.
In addition, Long Zhaofeng would personally join this expedition.
Everyone knew that Long Zhaofeng’s hatred of the Jiang family ran as deep as the ocean. Jiang Chen had shot his most beloved son, Long Yinye, to death with one arrow. The pain of losing his son caused Long Zhaofeng to be unable to be happy, even after taking the throne.
It was like the brightest jewel on the crown had been taken away by someone.
The army, in full battle array, awaited its commands, ready to set out at any given time.
Long Zhaofeng wore a full length cape and looked quite majestic. Handpicked elites were beneath his command and he walked to the front of the great army surrounded by the soldiers of the various dukes.
“We have just ascended the throne, but unfortunately the traitorous Jiang family are succoring the leftover evil of the Eastern clan. They are attempting to defy my royal Long family and in doing so, they are defying the entire kingdom. The kingdom will not know peace until the Jiang family is annihilated and the Eastern clan exterminated. We have the feud of losing a son to the Jiang family as well. We are personally taking the field today, are you all willing to punish traitors with Us?”
“May Your Majesty live ten thousand years, may the Long family live ten thousand years!”
“Suppress the Jiang family, annihilate the Jiang clan!”
“Suppress the Jiang family, annihilate the Jiang clan!”
The army called out in unison, their spirits soaring to the firmaments, rocking the heavens and moving the earth.
“Forward!” Long Zhaofeng waved his long whip as the great army moved forward. It was an army of a million strong as it split into three armies, making their way south to the southern borders and Jiang Han territory.
“Jiang Chen, Jiang Feng, I swear that I will not return to the capital if I don’t fill up and level out the Jiang Han territory and slaughter all of your Jiang family, young and old.” Long Zhaofeng swore a blood oath.
Astonis.h.i.+ng killing intent also emanated from Long Juxue, her features like icy frost. With regards to Jiang Chen, her hatred of him was bone deep.
This kind of hatred was not simply because Jiang Chen had killed her elder brother Long Yinye, but the kind of hatred that also stemmed from other emotions, such as jealousy.
Logically speaking, she, Long Juxue, had an azure phoenix const.i.tution and had attracted the attentions of a heavyweight in a hidden sect. She was the golden girl.
And true, she had enjoyed a smooth, easy life for more than ten years in her path as a genius. She had suffered no setbacks and had always occupied the spot at the top, lauded by tens of thousands, pursued by tens of thousands, and adored by tens of thousands.
But, this situation had changed because of Jiang Chen’s appearance.
Bai Zhanyun, Yi Taichu, these heirs of the four great dukes had originally been followers kneeling at her feet, but had started keeping their distance from her with Jiang Chen’s appearance.
This could have been forgiven, but Jiang Chen had actually publicly refused her request of the Dragonbone Sun Gra.s.s in the Hall of Healing, and hadn’t left her any face at all.
If it was said that these were just matters of face, then the issue of Jiang Chen winning out over her in the Hidden Dragon Trials, when his eight personal guards were the first to complete the exam, had been an act of seizing with one stroke the superiority that the Long family had preserved for hundreds of years.
And in the Boundless Catacombs, under that careful and intricate planning along with two spirit weapons, as well as four killers of a true qi master level, it still hadn’t been enough to kill Jiang Chen.
All of these things added together were enough to stoke Long Juxue’s killing intent towards Jiang Chen to its peak.
She had been foiled time and time again when she went up against Jiang Chen, even with her azure phoenix const.i.tution. This made her jealous and gave her a sense of danger.
Her exceptional advantages would be further nibbled away at if this Jiang Chen was permitted to live and continue to grow.
Even if Jiang Chen was inferior to her and hadn’t attracted the attentions of the heavyweight of any sect, Long Juxue was absolutely unwilling to see the halo of another genius exist next to her own halo within the bounds of the kingdom.
The great army advanced forward with great strength and vigor.
The road from the capital to the southern border was long. Many territories, cities, mountain pa.s.ses, and dangerous areas would be pa.s.sed.
The Second Crossing was one of those mountain pa.s.ses.
Tall and rugged mountains bordered both sides of this mountain pa.s.s. The pa.s.s was built according to the mountain, easy to defend and difficult to attack.
The Second Crossing was located in the land of the Duke of Yanmen, Yan Jiuzhuang’s territory.
The general in charge of this pa.s.s was Yan Jiuzhuang’s beloved confidante. Except, the head of this beloved confidante had long since been separated from its body.
Last night, when it was dark and the winds strong.
Countless numbers of fierce fowl flew in from an unknown origin under the cover of night, a.s.sailing the mountain pa.s.s.
In almost less than fifteen minutes, the mountain pa.s.s had fallen to the endless numbers of violent fowl. All of the defending soldiers had been turned into food for these wild birds.
“Chen’er, is Eastern Lu truly dead?”
Above the mountain pa.s.s, Jiang Feng, having broken through to eleven meridians true qi, still found it hard to accept this reality.
“He’s dead and has reaped what he sowed. No one can be blamed for his downfall.” Jiang Chen didn’t have much sympathy for Eastern Lu.
It wasn’t that Jiang Feng felt sorrowful, it was just that the Eastern Kingdom had been under the rule of the Eastern clan for far too long. Eastern Lu’s sudden death, the collapse of the Eastern clan, power transferred to someone else -- this caused Jiang Feng to have some problems adjusting.
“Long Zhaofeng is committing many sins.” Jiang Feng had also seen much these days. The turmoil in the capital and endless slaughter had truly created rivers of blood in the capital in just a few days.
“He won’t prance around for much longer.” Jiang Chen’s tone was remote. “According to the calculations, the great army that he’s personally leading should be arriving soon?”
Jiang Chen hadn’t chosen the Second Crossing without reason.
This place was easy to defend and hard to attack. The terrain was advantageous in concealing his great Swordbird army. He would ambush Long Zhaofeng’s great army here and thus chose this place to be Long Zhaofeng’s resting ground.
Jiang Chen knew clearly that the first thing Long Zhaofeng would do after taking his throne would be to conquer the Jiang Han territory, fight against the Jiang clan, and exterminate the Jiang clan.
Jiang Chen’s aim was equally clear, and that was to kill Long Zhaofeng, kill Long Juxue, and exterminate the Long family.
This wasn’t a personal grudge, but a battle in which both families wouldn’t rest until one side was dead.
This battle must end in the complete annihilation of one side. Otherwise, if one side didn’t fall, the other would never have peace.
“Jiang Chen, are you truly certain that our small amount of people will be enough to fight in this pa.s.s against Long Zhaofeng’s great army that has turned out in full force?” Princess Gouyu was thoroughly weary after the past couple of days, but she cared even more about the situation at hand.
“Gouyu, when have you ever thought that I, Jiang Chen, have done something without a.s.surance of success?” Jiang Chen smiled faintly and asked in response.
“But, Long Zhaofeng pulled off a successful coup and the various dukes have acceded to his rule. If he’s gathered together the various armies of the dukes, he will have roughly one million troops. Although this pa.s.s is easy to defend and hard to attack, if everyone in the million strong army charges forward, it will more than enough to overwhelm this pa.s.s ten times.”
Princess Gouyu wasn’t a brainless person, she still had some knowledge of the matters of war.
“Charge?” Jiang Chen smiled leisurely. “They won’t have the chance to charge. They’ll only have one choice. If they can escape, that will be their fate. If they can’t, they’ll die.”
Jiang Chen’s tone suddenly descended as killing intent exploded in his eyes.
Soldier and small p.a.w.ns can run away.
None of the Long family would be allowed to go.
He wouldn’t forget the scene of the Duke of Soaring Dragon sending people to a.s.sa.s.sinate his father Jiang Feng. He wouldn’t forget the scene of his father’s face black with poison. Likewise, he also wouldn’t forget the scene in which Long San tried to kill him when he was executing a mission. It was even more so impossible for him to forget the scene of Long Yinye and Long Juxue partnering with four great killers in the Boundless Catacombs, forcing himself into desperate circ.u.mstances.
If it wasn’t for the fact that he was lucky and had all sorts of trump cards, he would’ve died an unknown numbers of times already.
Jiang Chen wasn’t someone who treasured and nursed grudges, but he also wasn’t a living Buddha, able to meekly let the saliva dry when someone spat in his face. It wasn’t the simple matter of a grudge between him and the Long family now, but a matter of who lived and who died.
“They’re here.”
Jiang Chen’s ears moved slightly as his Ear of the Zephyr picked up the sounds of the great army marching, fifteen kilometers out.
“They’re here?” Princess Gouyu’s feminine features changed slightly as she listened intently, but couldn’t hear anything.
Jiang Feng also perked up his ears but similarly didn’t hear anything.
Standing like a sculpture on the top of the mountain pa.s.s, Jiang Chen remained silent without speaking. His gaze was resolute and full of killing intent, silently awaiting the moment of slaughter.
“Long Zhaofeng, I hope you’re already wearing the royal robes. Otherwise, you’ll never have a chance to wear them again in this lifetime.”
The thought flashed through Jiang Chen’s mind.
After a short while, Princess Gouyu and Jiang Feng finally heard the disturbance. The aura and killing intent of a million strong army proceeded forward, that suffocating feeling of oppression caused Princess Gouyu’s heart to involuntarily contract as she looked uncontrollably in Jiang Chen’s direction.
He was as steady as ever, almost as if he was sitting quietly and meditating, but with the small smile on his face slowly spreading out.
“Is… is he really this a.s.sured of victory?” Princess Gouyu’s heart was in a disarray. This suddenly appeared youth had completely upended and redefined all her knowledge and the barriers to her heart in a few short months.
The great army had finally arrived.
Long Zhaofeng wore durable armor over his royal robes and turned to the Duke of Yanmen by his side, “Duke Yan, the Second Crossing is just ahead right? Why do they still not respond after your intelligence has been delivered?”
Yan Jiuzhuang was also a bit surprised. The defending general of the Second Crossing was his beloved general. Logically speaking, he wouldn’t s.h.i.+rk his duties so.
“Shall your old subject send someone to scout ahead?” Yan Jiuzhuang asked weakly.
“No need. The army will proceed forward. Tell him to open the pa.s.s. Duke Yan, you should be more cautious in using someone who neglects his position so.” Long Zhaofeng said faintly.
Sweat poured down Yan Jiuzhuang’s back. How could he not discern his king’s notes of displeasure from these words?
At this moment, a figure suddenly appeared above the mountain pa.s.s like a divine ent.i.ty descending and looking down upon mortals, as it flicked a glance at the great army beneath.
“Long Zhaofeng, I’ve waited a long time for you.”
Jiang Chen’s voice was as calm as water, but also came surging towards the great army like great waves of the vast ocean cras.h.i.+ng down one after another.
“It’s Jiang Chen.” Many immediately recognized him.
“Jiang Chen.” Long Zhaofeng’s eyes immediately became bloodshot as endless rays of hatred shot towards the sky over the mountain pa.s.s when he saw his enemy.
“Little petty villain Jiang Chen, why are you here? Where are the defending soldiers and general?” The Duke of Yanmen called out.
“Defending soldiers and general? Those worthless things are only good for feasting and drinking just like you, Yan Jiuzhuang. They’ve already reported to the underworld. Yan Jiuzhuang, the road to the underworld isn’t far. You should still be able to meet up with them if you hurry on your way now.”
Jiang Chen’s cold voice traveled down from the top of the mountain pa.s.s.
“Jiang Chen, do you think that seizing one mountain pa.s.s is enough to obstruct the southern momentum of my great army?” Long Zhaofeng smiled coldly as he called out.
“Obstruct?” Jiang Chen’s tone was filled with disdain. “Long Zhaofeng, you think too much. I chose this pa.s.s only because I thought this area was more suitable to be your resting place.”
What?
Resting place? The million strong army almost laughed. Was Jiang Chen crazy? Even if he had a few troops with him, he dared to voice such lofty words of taking the life of a king with just one mountain pa.s.s?
Was this the daydreams of an idiot?