The Demon Lords-Chapter 571 - 68 Kneel! _3
Angda's hand clutching the reins unconsciously tightened.
Once, as a support soldier, he had witnessed countless times the Yan Army cavalry charging after their three rallying cries, after which the Barbarians before them would be crushed into pulp. The confidence of the Yan people, their power, their sheer dominance on the battlefield—all of it had been deeply etched into his heart back then.
He subconsciously glanced at Que Mu beside him and then at the other fearless faces around. Confidence surged through him once more.
Years ago, when drunk, the King had asked him if he was willing to give up everything to be a cavalryman in the Northern Garrison Army. Then, the King had asked, "Or, one day, could our Sacred Tribe also field an army of three hundred thousand armored soldiers?"
Angda raised his saber.
"May the stars above protect our Sacred Tribe!"
Across the snowy plains, two torrents of cavalry thundered closer and closer, the very ground seeming to boil beneath them.
Tian Wujing rode alone at the vanguard. The Pixiu beneath him moved far faster than any warhorse, its rider a golden figure, like a dazzling celestial being descended to the mortal realm.
Zheng Fan remembered Liang Cheng once saying that the main general need not charge at the front unless absolutely necessary. True, a general leading the charge could boost morale. However, relying solely on such a tactic often indicated the poor quality of the soldiers themselves. The Three Kingdoms period teemed with renowned generals. Ultimately, this was because the constant warfare since the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty had led to a wide disparity in the quality of soldiers under various warlords. In such circumstances, the personal valor of a general became paramount. Zheng Fan had always remembered Liang Cheng's words, so he rarely charged at the forefront of battles.
Yet, here was Tian Wujing, riding alone at the very front. And one couldn't say he was wrong, for he was Tian Wujing—a man capable of defeating the Sword Saint, a Third Rank Martial Cultivator of this era!
Zheng Fan had once asked the blind man, "When will I finally be able to charge freely at the front, to fight to my heart's content for once?"
The blind man, eating an orange, had shaken his head and replied with just three words, "I doubt it."
WHOOSH!!!!!!!!!!
The vanguard of the Yan Army cavalry leveled their lances, their warhorses reaching peak speed.
The left and right flanks began to peel away from the center army. The main body of the central army continued its fearless advance, while the cavalry on the wings executed a slight encircling maneuver.
Zheng Fan held his saber to the side, ducking his head. He knew that once they drew closer, arrows would rain down from both sides. Experienced veterans knew how to protect themselves in such moments.
As expected, the arrows arrived.
Zheng Fan's luck was poor—terrible, in fact. Two arrows struck him, one in the chest and one in his left arm.
His left arm throbbed with pain. However, thanks to his high-quality armor—ordinary in appearance but personally reinforced by Xue Three, worn over the Golden Silk Soft Armor Siniang had woven—the arrowhead hadn't pierced deep. The arrow to his chest had been blocked by Mo Wan.
At this moment, Chief Zheng wanted to curse. So, Tian Wujing could charge at the front unscathed, while he was fated to be cannon fodder? If he weren't a 'pay-to-win' player with a powerful 'pet' accompanying him, his part in this script would be that of some unlucky extra in a film: get a close-up of being struck by an arrow and falling off a horse, then never be seen again.
Tian Wujing was so conspicuous that not only the Yan Army but even the charging wild people ahead could see him, provided they weren't blind.
The wild boar beneath Que Mu, its two tusks jutting forward, seemed to share its master's intent as it charged directly towards Tian Wujing.
From Que Mu's perspective, though he had boasted of personally tearing the Yan people to shreds and using their skulls as sacrificial offerings, that was merely strategic contempt. Tactically, he knew the enemy demanded respect. Even in full charge, the enemy cavalry maintained an impeccably tight formation, a stark contrast to his own forces. The five thousand warriors he'd brought were disciplined enough, but the young men who had just rushed from various tribes to reinforce them struggled to keep any semblance of formation. The Yan Army's formidable battle array exerted immense pressure on Que Mu. Hunters of the snowy plains might not know the saying, 'To catch rebels, first catch their king,' but they certainly understood that when facing a wolf pack, the first target must be the alpha! Lord Jingnan was Que Mu's primary target!
At that instant, scenes from the recent battle flashed through Que Mu's mind. In that battle, the King had personally led his mightiest warriors into the heart of the Jin people's main army. One of their divine archers had even managed to shoot the Jin King. As a result, the Jin army had fallen into disarray, which gradually escalated into a full rout. If the Jin people reacted that way, then the Yan people... they would too!
White vapor snorted continuously from the Wild Boar King's nostrils, its eyes now bloodshot. At this moment, its vision held nothing but the Pixiu before it.
It could feel the aura emanating from the Pixiu—an aura that made it deeply uncomfortable, an aura that was even trying to compel its submission. But surrender? Impossible! Tear it apart! Devour it! Trample it!
The Pixiu beneath Tian Wujing, as if sensing the Wild Boar King's gaze, felt offended.
Such insolence was akin to a mere commoner daring to disrespect true nobility! It was a revered mythical beast, a guardian beast of the Yan State! How dare such a barbaric, aberrant creature act so presumptuously before it!
Finally, the two torrents crashed into each other!
And just moments before the main forces collided, their respective main generals met.
Que Mu roared, his blood and qi surging as he raised his spiked mace. He would smash this arrogant Southern Marquis of the Yan State into a bloody pulp! He would use his own valor, his own strength, to show Angda, to show his King, to prove to them all that the Yan people were not invincible! We defeated the Jin people, so we can defeat the Yan people too! We can defeat any opponent! The glory of the Sacred Tribe is about to return!
Lord Jingnan straightened his posture, raised his saber, and calmly watched Que Mu, the giant wild man, bear down on him.
The Kunwu saber descended, accompanied by Lord Jingnan's calm voice, "For this Marquis..."
For an instant, Que Mu felt as if everything around him had frozen. An immense terror, as if the very sky were cracking apart, bore down on him! This was a power that chilled him to the bone, an unimaginable pressure. It was as if the surrounding battlefield, with its thousands of clashing combatants, had vanished in that moment, leaving only the descending saber before his eyes! Almost by instinct, Que Mu swung his spiked mace horizontally. Before this saber strike, he had no choice but to defend.
"Kneel!" 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
The Kunwu saber slammed onto the spiked mace.
BOOM!
A terrifying shockwave erupted, howling like a sudden thunderclap.
The bones of the Wild Boar King beneath Que Mu shattered, its body collapsing and bursting into a great splash of blood. Que Mu, who had been astride it, plunged downwards, his entire body instantly drenched in his mount's gore. His feet hit the snow-covered ground, but the terrifying force transmitted through his mace remained.
CRACK!
Under the immense pressure, Que Mu's knees buckled forward.
His entire body slammed down, forced to his knees!
