The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  "Plant your shields on the ground diagonally!"

  "Archers, draw your arrows!"

  "Cavalrymen, prepare yourselves. Move at my command!"

  Klang! Yiii!

  The Big Dipper Army commandant issued a series of commands. Following his orders, the sound of heavy shields being planted in the ground and arrows being drawn on bowstrings echoed.

  "It's about to begin!" At the same time, at the top of the mountain, the commander of the Tibetan army glanced at the ant-like formation of the army beneath, and a savage smile surfaced on his face.

  Their final fight was just about to begin.

  After defeating this final wave of Great Tang soldiers and destroying the resting point, they would have accomplished their mission. They would be able to depart from here and return to Ü-Tsang.

  Without a doubt, the current Great Tang was nowhere near comparable to Ü-Tsang.

  Sou!

  The Tibetan commander drew the scimitar on his waist and raised it high above his head.

  This uniquely forged Tibetan scimitar reflected a bone-chilling gleam from its blade.

  "Soldiers, heed my orders. Destroy these fools, and we'll be able to return to our homeland!"

  Hong!!

  The eyes of the three hundred cavalrymen gleamed excitedly as they cheered loudly. Killing intent began gushing from their bodies like a flood tide.

  "Hehehe, good!" Feeling the surge of killing intent behind him, a cruel smile crept onto the lips of the Tibetan commander in the front. The scimitar he had raised up high cut down abruptly as he bellowed, "Charge!"

  Weng!

  With a loud rumble, the three hundred Tibetan soldiers charged down the mountain on their highland steeds.

  Their initial speed wasn't too fast, but gradually, they became faster and faster, and eventually, even the ground seemed to tremble beneath them.

  The heavy mountainlike aura that they emanated swiftly intensified along with their charge, growing several times more powerful.

  Their initial formation was also swiftly changing amidst their charge. One echelon, two echelons... Before long, the army of three hundred had been divided to around a dozen echelons as they charged to the bottom of the hill like a tsunami.

  Flying Wedge Charging Formation!

  This was the most effective and powerful charging formation that the Tibetan had developed and refined over a long period of time.

  In this formation, ranks of cavalry would swipe away at the enemy's defense line in wave after wave, swiftly wearing them down.

  A powerful group of shield bearers might be able to withstand the first charge, but could they withstand, the second, third, fourth... tenth, twentieth?

  After a certain point, they would be able to tear through the opponent's front line and destroy their formation.

  As long as they could breach the defense line, chaos would swiftly spread within the army!

  This was a fact that the Tibetans had discovered after innumerable clashes in the Central Plains.

  The Flying Wedge Charging Formation they adopted allowed for some space between the cavalrymen echelons so that they could adjust their positioning if required. This way, even if the cavalrymen in an earlier echelon were to fail, it wouldn't affect the subsequent charging echelons.

  Compared to a compact formation, such a design better ensured the continuity of the charge, thus enhancing the might and lengthening the duration of the attack.

  Of the cavalrymen in the world, the only ones who had succeeded in drawing out the full potential of a Flying Wedge Formation were the Tibetans.

  Hong long long!

  Amid the loud rumbling of horse hooves and furious war cries, the charge of the Tibetan cavalrymen grew faster and faster, reaching an inconceivable speed.

  From afar, it looked like greenish-black streaks of destructive lightning were surging down the mountain, heading towards them.

  The incredible momentum they harnessed was reminiscent of an avalanche, seemingly unstoppable by human force.

  A grim expression appeared on the face of the Big Dipper Army commandant as he watched the sight before him.

  He suddenly realized that he might have been underestimating the Tibetan army all along!

  Chapter 373: Clash of Troops!

  Chapter 373: Clash of Troops!

  "It has finally begun!"

  At the same time, the "deserters" whom the military inspector had spoken about were surveying the situation from another hill.

  From afar, they could see that the three hundred Tibetan armies had divided themselves into around a dozen echelons. Kicking up a huge cloud of dust, they charged down the mountain with alarming momentum.

  It wasn't the first time Zhao Yatong, Fang Xuanying, and the others had witnessed this, so they were still able to keep their cool. However, the newcomers, Bai Siling, Xu Gan, and Huang Yongtu, were startled by the sight before them.

  The charge of the three hundred soldiers felt like a force far beyond their grasp.

  The Iron Cloak Highwaymen seemed nothing at all in comparison to them.

  "How can they be so powerful?" Stunned by the sight before him, Huang Yongtu muttered under his breath.

  This was the first time he had stepped onto a battlefield against the soldiers of a hostile nation. Even though the enemy was only three hundred strong, it had overturned the overly simplistic preconceptions he had held about war.

  Xu Gan was a little calmer than him, but his complexion still showed that he was stunned by the sight before him.

  Wang Chong was the only one who could retain his calm in the face of everything. He had none of Bai Siling's shock nor Zhao Yatong's apprehension.

  To him, war was nothing more than a daily routine.

  The three hundred Tibetan soldiers before him were just a walk in the park. He knew that the sight before him was just the appetizer.

  The true might of the Tibetan cavalry was yet to be shown.

  Weng!

  As expected, from afar, as the three hundred Tibetan soldiers reached the halfway mark of the mountain, something suddenly lit up. It started with just a single glow, but before long, the second, third, and fourth one appeared...

  Eventually, the entire Tibetan cavalrymen formation was shrouded in a white glow.

  "What's that?" With twitching eyelids, Huang Yongtu asked worriedly.

  "Halo of White Yak, the war halo of Tibetan soldiers!" Wang Chong replied.

  The Tibetans had always revered the white yak, viewing it as a sacred beast. The Halo of White Yak was also one of the most famous war halos of the Tibetans.

  The pair of white horns it had on its head were incomparably powerful and sharp in a charge, allowing them to overwhelm any opponent.

  Weng!

  As soon as Wang Chong said those words, an illusory image of innumerable massive white yaks appeared in the air, rushing toward the formation of the Great Tang soldiers at the bottom of the mountain.

  With widened mouths, they roared furiously with a resounding MOOOOOOO!

  Along with that earth-shattering roar, the cloud of dust kicked up by the cavalrymen suddenly grew tenfold larger. At the same time, the white halos beneath their feet resonated with one another, eventually forming a massive white formation.

  In just an instant, the aura of the three hundred Tibetan cavalrymen surged to an astounding level.

  In that instant, the group above the mountain paled in shock.

  As the saying went, it is always the bystanders who has the clearest view of the situation.

  This was the first time Zhao Yatong and the others were seeing a charge of the three hundred Tibetan soldiers from afar, and it looked completely different from how it looked like when they were on the opposite end of the charge.

  "This isn't the end yet!" Looking at this sight, Wang Chong sighed deeply.

  The greatest mistake of that Big Dipper Army commandant was to arrogantly choose to engage the Tibetans in such terrain.

  He might
have moved the defense line three hundred meters behind the foot of the slope, but how much difference could that make?

  Under the continuous impact of the Tibetan cavalrymen's echelons, Wang Chong could already see the Great Tang soldiers' formation being dissipated, and the entire army falling into ruins.

  "Prepare yourselves, we'll be setting off soon!" Just as everyone was stunned by the Tibetan cavalrymen's charge, Wang Chong raised his right hand and gave the signal for them to set off.

  With the uproar the Tibetan cavalrymen had caused, as well as the deafening reverberation from the Halo of White Yak, it would conceal any noise regardless of what Wang Chong's group was going to do, making it hard to notice them.

  In other words, this was the perfect timing to strike them!

  Weng!

  Leaping onto the back of his steed, Wang Chong took the lead and charged off the slope of the mountain. The others quickly followed suit.

  Bai Siling, Zhao Yatong, Xu Gan, Huang Yongtu, and Fang Xuanying, along with the other two hundred Great Tang cavalrymen hidden amid the lush trees charged down the slope.

  And at this moment, not a single person from either side had noticed them yet.

  ------

  Hong long long!

  By the time the imposing charge of the three hundred Tibetan cavalrymen was just about to reach their frontlines, the Big Dipper Army commandant's face had already turned incredibly grave.

  He finally noticed the crucial error he had made.

  He might have borrowed tower shields from the Big Dipper Army in order to deal with the Tibetan cavalrymen's charge, but he had taken it for granted that the tower shields would simply stop them one way or another.

  The confidence he had gained after borrowing those two hundred tower shields had eroded in the face of the astounding impetus of the charge of the Tibetan cavalrymen.

  But at this point, it was already too late for regrets.

  "Prepare yourselves!!" His voice resounded clearly amongst the Great Tang soldiers as he uttered his final command.

  The battle was about to begin!

  It felt like a storm would soon fall upon this area, and the aura of war was swiftly reaching its peak.

  All of the shield bearers, axe soldiers, archers, and cavalrymen held their weapons tightly in their grip with tensed bodies. Their eyes were fixated on the charging Tibetan cavalrymen, waiting for the moment to strike.

  Hong long long!

  The sound of clopping hooves crested as the steeds positioned in the Flying Wedge Formation swiftly closed the distance to them.

  Just when the Tibetan cavalrymen were only three hundred zhang away, the Big Dipper Army commandant cut down his sword diagonally.

  Hong long!

  The two hundred tower shields fell heavily on the ground., and as if struck by a massive hammer, the ground rumbled violently.

  The two hundred tower shields formed a long wall which served as the primary defense line of the army.

  At the same time, pitch-black war halos materialized beneath the feet of the shield bearers. As the two hundred halos resonated as one, a loud metallic reverberation echoed in the air.

  In an instant, the aura shrouding the two hundred shield bearers surged twofold. As if a link between them and the earth had been established, they stood firmly on the ground.

  An aura of invulnerability burst from the shield bearers in the frontline.

  ROARRRRRRR!

  The two hundred shield bearers roared ferociously. Under the provocation of the Tibetan soldiers, they too emanated an aura of fearlessness and ferocity.

  It was not without reason that Great Tang had been dubbed the number one military force in the world, instilling deep fear and apprehension in its enemies.

  The two hundred Great Tang shield bearers had undergone strict training from the Big Dipper Army, and they were all qualified warriors.

  Even if the Tibetan cavalry were twice as strong as they were, the men would still stand their ground fearlessly.

  Looking at the determined shield bearers, some spirit finally returned to the eyes of the Big Dipper Army commandant. Indeed, so what if the Tibetans were formidable!

  With these shield bearers, there was no need for him to fear the Tibetan cavalrymen. As long as he could stop their very first charge, he would be able to turn the tides of the battle to his side!

  "Archers, ready!" the Big Dipper Army commandant roared.

  At this point, the army of eight hundred was beginning to show its prowess. It was filled with troops of diverse specialties, and each men had their own role to play.

  Unleashing their True Martial halos, brilliant light emerged throughout the formation. Following which, the innumerable halos interwove with one another to form a powerful war formation!

  "Release the arrows!"

  Innumerable arrows carrying formidable might that could shatter even boulders fell like rain upon the formation of the Tibetan cavalrymen. Surprisingly, the first side to launch an offense wasn't the Tibetan soldiers, but the army of Great Tang.

  Regardless of which battle one was in, the archers were always the first to engage the enemy.

  Hong hong hong!

  As countless arrows fell upon the Tibetan cavalrymen, they lowered their heads and took the arrows head-on with their heavy armor.

  Those arrows ended up being easily deflected by the Tibetan cavalrymen, and even the most powerful of them only ended up denting the cavalrymen's armor.

  "Hahaha..." Frenzied laughter filled the battlefield as the Tibetan cavalrymen overcame the rain of arrows.

  "Let's teach those Great Tang soldiers what a true warrior is. We shall show them what true despair looks like!" The Tibetan commander charging at the forefront suddenly uttered as few words in Tibetan, and the Tibetan cavalrymen suddenly began moving about.

  Hong long!

  A different energy suddenly burst forth from the three hundred Tibetan cavalrymen. They had originally brought their speed to their maximum, but all of the sudden, their aura suddenly grew as heavy as mountains, and even the ground seemed to depress beneath them.

  Shadows gathered around them, and vaguely, one could see an arch-like fortress. As it was only at its primary level, it was unable to display its complete form, resulting in an indistinct appearance.

  But nevertheless, the pressure emanated by them increased by almost tenfold.

  Weng!

  Upon seeing this sight, the Big Dipper Army commandant suddenly trembled uncontrollably, and his face turned ashen-gray.

  "Halo of Fortress!"

  At this instant, he finally understood where the feeling of incongruity and nervousness came from. He had committed a fatal error.

  Hong long!

  In the next instant, the first echelon of the three hundred Tibetan cavalrymen crashed heavily onto the shield bearers on the frontline...

  Chapter 374: Ambush!

  Chapter 374: Ambush!

  If a cavalryman were to start accelerating from the peak of the mountain, how fast would they be by the time they reached the bottom?

  At this moment, the Tibetan cavalry were clearly displaying this to the army before them. With their astonishing swiftness and the incredible robustness of their highlands steeds, the might from their charge was nearly unbelievable.

  Hong long!

  Like a comet had fallen from outer space, the first echelon of ten cavalry collided heavily against the giant tower shields. Hong long, a deafening explosion sounded, reaching up to over a hundred li away!

  Steel against steel, halo against halo, Stellar Energy against Stellar Energy... All kinds of different powers were clashing violently with one another at this instant.

  At the point where the cavalry collided with the tower shields, there were even bright sparks.

  Neighhhh!

  The loud collision and the ferocity from the encounter left the steeds behind neighing in agitation.

  Weng, the tower shields reverberated intensely. Under this kind
of powerful attack, even a piece of metal could be ground into pieces, let alone a human body.

  Behind the tower shields, the shield bearers' faces paled, and their bodies jolted under the impact. Some of them even had the areas between their thumb and forefinger splitting under the fearsome pressure, and fresh blood trickled down their hands.

  But eventually, they still managed to stand their ground.

  Holding back a Tibetan cavalrymen who had charged down at full speed from the top of a mountain; only a shield bearer could achieve such a feat.

  Their powerful and sturdy bodies allowed them to achieve what would have been impossible for other soldiers.

  But even so, the commandant of the army couldn't find the slightest comfort in it. This was because the second, third, fourth, and fifth waves were about to arrive as well...

  Hong hong hong!

  One after another, the Tibetan cavalrymen collided heavily against those tower shields with incredible speed, and the deafening explosions sounded ceaselessly, with minimal intervals in between.

  The shield bearers had barely withstood the first charge when the subsequent ones arrived right after. Under the continuous impact, their shields reverberated with great intensity, their knees trembled uncontrollably, the capillaries in their arms ripped open, and the halos beneath their feet shook weakly...

  Pressure and injury was gradually heaping up on them. In just a short moment, they had already sustained fearsome injuries.

  How many times could even a qualified shield bearer withstand the full power charge of elite cavalry?

  The answer was seven times on average!

  To be able to do so, every shield bearer would have to push their physical resilience to the very limit.

  But even so, this was far from enough for them to fend off the Tibetan cavalry!

  This was because their charge didn't stop with just one wave of attack. No matter how powerful a shield bearer might be, how could he withstand relentless waves of impact by the cavalry?

  Hong long!

  It was just a few moments, but it felt as if it had been stretched beyond several eons. By the time the eighth echelon of Tibetan cavalrymen struck the tower shields, hong long! The seemingly invulnerable tall wall was finally torn through.