Chapter Fifteen: The Best in the World
The flank was not yet broken, so to the cultivators of the Chu Dynasty, it was still an impenetrable wall.
The thirteen marquises of the Qin Dynasty were able to become marquises, not just because of military merit but also because of their own cultivation. Other than the Min Mountain Sword Sect and Spirit Void Sword Sect, there were still some cultivators in Changling who had higher cultivation than these marquises.
Among these thirteen marquises, there were strong and weak, and the opinions about them in the outside world varied as well.
Wei Wujiu was strong among the thirteen marquises, but he was not the top. The public opinion of him came from his cunning and scheming, and that he had acc.u.mulated many realm seven cultivators who followed him.
These realm seven cultivators were mostly his comrades who had fought for him, but some were ones he had slowly nurtured over the years. They could be thought of as his disciples and even sons and nephews.
When there were more powerful cultivators with him, he had fewer and fewer chances to act by himself. So in many past battles, it was rare to see him lead and fight at the font. When he moved at this time, and displayed his great resolve to kill Consort Zhao Xiang, it was like a powerful invitation.
Thirteen realm seven cultivators were not much to this battle of tens of thousand of soldiers, but the two armies had fought for a long time, and many cultivators had died in battle or were seriously wounded, with others restraining each other.
At this time, the Qin side being able to pull out thirteen realm sevens showed how strong the Qin Dynasty had been in these years.
Wei Wujiu silently advanced, a hint of pride deep in his eyes. These thirteen cultivators were enough to a.s.sa.s.sinate an expert like Emperor Yuanwu. Even if Consort Zhao Xiang was special among realm sevens, how could she match these cultivators?
Xiang Yan looked up slightly. His Gold Dagger army was still charging toward the Qin flank, but he started to leave the army, and moved toward Consort Zhao Xiang.
From a certain point of view, he and Wei Wujiu were in similar situations. The world knew the Gold Dagger Army he led was the strongest army of the Chu Dynasty, but the army had been stationed long term on the border of the Chu Dynasty to fight some uncivilized tribes. The world only knew that he was very strong, but it was not possible to see how strong just from his attack where he beheaded four people.
**
Wei Wujiu’s invitation received many responses, and he felt a touch of satisfaction. Fang Qilin’s considerations had nothing to do with life and death, and the other grand masters who came out all had their own thoughts.
A swordsman dressed in black robes sensed the other twelve different yet powerful press senses, and then looked in shock to his left. In his perception, the sky over there turned a dark green like there were sea gra.s.ses dancing wildly.
That energy was very special, a unique method belonging to the former Wei Dynasty. Just from the ripples, he knew that the method had been cultivated to such a degree.
Even Lian Bo was here?
So it was his subordinate leading the fifty thousand Bright Tiger troops in the Yin mountains?
This swordsman took a deep breath. He sensed the presence of Zhang Kuangdao and knew that it was Lian Bo’s subordinate, Li Daozhou, who had the closest cultivation to him, back in the Yin Mountain.
There were three marquises here. From a certain point of view, the number of powerful cultivators that the Qin had stationed here were far greater than in the Yin Mountain. So why did Consort Zhao Xiang put herself here as a bargain chip, and not in the Yin Mountain area?
Was it truly for these seventy thousand Chu people?
A true high ranking person should pay attention to the overall situation. This black-robed swordsman charged at Consort Zhao Xiang from within the group of thirteen. In both status and cultivation, he was at the bottom, but he was the only person who had thought of this.
These thirteen Qin grand masters were charging at Consort Zhao Xiang. Even the general of the Gold Dagger Army had left the troops, and was racing to Consort Zhao Xiang. The intentions of the Qin grandmasters were very clear.
“Do not go!”
But among the seventy Chu people, when some of the cultivators near the front were going to charge at the thirteen grand masters, Ji Xingbai shouted at them.
“Why?”
Multiple cultivators stopped in their steps, and looked at the pale Ji Xingbai.
“I understand them better than you. She does not want us to go there,” Ji Xingbai looked at these cultivators and said.
But saying such simple words, Ji Xingbai seemed to have used up all his energy, and his clothing was soaked in sweat. He had only interacted with Consort Zhao Xiang for a short time, but from learning her ident.i.ty to now, he could sense Consort Zhao Xiang’s confidence and pride had not changed.
Now, he started to believe that Consort Zhao Xiang chose him from the seventy thousand people not just because he had some authority among them, but there were other reasons. When a commander was picking their deputies, they would not pick the people who were just a bit weaker and slightly less cunning than them, but the people who could understand them and their intentions the best.
If she had not judged him incorrectly, and he was right, then Consort Zhao Xiang had a solution out of this situation, and did not need them to sacrifice their lives. Including him, these seventy thousand Chu people did not have cultivators important enough to pose a threat to the thirteen Qin grandmasters.
If they had to put down their lives, it would be at the right time!
**
“Just the two of us?”
Xiang Yan and Consort Zhao Xiang were close to each other. He was the first to reach Consort Zhao Xiang, and he knelt down on one knee in a greeting. For the Chu Dynasty, this was the highest level of greeting, especially on the battlefield like this. It meant beyond ordinary respect, and also humble status.
“If more people came, these Qin people may have discovered my tracks early, and also, there are not many people who have my absolute trust.”
When Xiang Yan arrived, Consort Zhao Xiang had stood up. She nodded in greeting and explained. Then she said, “We two are enough.”
Xiang Yan raised his eyebrows. Of course he did not feel this was enough. There were no realm seven cultivators in the world who could match thirteen of the same level, except for w.a.n.g Jingmeng in the past. He knew his limits, but since she said that it was enough, then he had reasons to trust her.
Consort Zhao Xiang straightened, and then lifted her head.
Among the thirteen presences which represented the powerful grandmasters, there was a savage and violent presence coming first like an avalanche.
“The Snow Mountain Falling sword form. Wei Wujiu has come down from the white mountain.”
Consort Zhao Xiang looked at the figure in the air that had arrived with the first presence, and identified the other person. Then she said proudly, “The first to come is one of Old Wei’s people. This time, Old Wei is really putting it all in. But so many have come, and still so cautious, he has not changed.”
Her words were clear and spread through the surroundings. She did not seem to be channeling her vital energy, but before she finished speaking, a sword essence formed in the air.
With a loud boom, many snow white bright lights rolled through the sky like an avalanche.
This sword was purely strong and crushing, straightforward like the cla.s.sic Qin sword forms.
But facing this sword move that no one was able to dodge and had to face head on, Consort Zhao Xiang just crushed a small thing in her hand, the delicate cracking sound like she had crushed a teacup.
This sound was covered up by her voice, but as indigo ribbons of light flowed through her fingertips, a sword essence and a more furious energy vibration came from her hand!
Ahead of the dazzling white sword light, an indigo shadow appeared like the faint phantom of a mountain gate.
But as the indigo shadow flashed, the Qin grandmaster behind the sword light made an odd scream, falling backwards like an eagle, and a burst of b.l.o.o.d.y mist came from his chest.
Consort Zhao Xiang gave an enchanting smile.
“Do not forget the Chu weapons are the best in the world, and I am the Empress Dowager of the Chu Dynasty. Who can possess better Chu weapons than I?”