After spending so long living in fear, An Yaluoshan had discovered that he was extremely skilled at escaping in very poor circumstances.
The galloping behind him, the torrential rain, the splashing water, and that clanging of metal that seemed to want to take his soul made An Yaluoshan's heart beat in fear.
An Yaluoshan could easily imagine that youth's cold and handsome face, his icy and bloodshot eyes. He could even hear and smell his breath.
They were already extremely close.
But An Yaluoshan did not dare to turn his head.
This unreasonable pursuit, those extremely vicious and thunderous methods, and that pair of bloodshot eyes, filled with hatred… An Yaluoshan had never imagined that he would meet someone who would make him panic as much as that person.
More importantly, An Yaluoshan still had no idea why all this was happening.
Could it be because of that guy?
An idea came to him. As he was thinking, An Yaluoshan had suddenly recalled that group of Han that they had driven out of Drunken Sparrow restaurant.
There had been all sorts of people in that crowd, and quite a few of them had been sailors. When they were driving them out, that crowd had shouted that their leader was a young man from the capital's Wang Clan.
At the time, An Wenzhen had easily headed off this tactic. An Wenzhen had said that the Wang Clan of the capital was an elite clan. If they held a party, how could they not reserve the entire restaurant? And how could they associate with this everyday riffraff? They had to be lying.
And then they broke their bones!
Those people had been extremely agitated, saying that they would definitely regret this!
After thinking for so long, An Yaluoshan could only think of this incident.
But even if that was the cause, he had nothing to do with this incident. An Wenzhen had been the perpetrator. He hadn't even joined in the beating!
If that boy wanted to find someone, he should have gone after An Wenzhen and the others. Why was it him instead!?
First I'll go to the relay station in the western suburbs. Only there will I be absolutely safe!
All these thoughts flew out of his head as An Yaluoshan urged his horse on.
……
As the rain poured down in buckets, the crackling lightning bolts allowed for brief glimpses of two sets of man and horse, one in front and one behind.
Wang Chong was pressed against the back of his horse, his mouth clenched. Behind him was the galloping of horses, but no one was saying anything.
The current silence was for more frightening than if there had been voices.
No matter where you go, you won't be able to escape the capital!
Wang Chong stared in front of him.
The capital was a walled city, and he had come from the city gate. The city gate was behind him, and as long as An Yaluoshan didn't escape through the city gate, it didn't matter where else he went—he would never escape his grasp.
No, even if An Yaluoshan did escape through the city gate, he still wouldn't be able to escape.
In his last life, he had spent thirty-five years but had still failed to rescue the Central Plains from its fate of destruction. In this life, Wang Chong had already put in enormous efforts and a great deal of time to make ample preparations for the Central Plains.
But Wang Chong had not imagined that the heavens would send him such a good opportunity. An Yaluoshan had come from the distant Youzhou alone to the capital, to him.
Wang Chong had never once felt so close to success, so close to accomplishing his missions. It wasn't simply right before his eyes now. He could almost touch it.
As long as he could kill An Yaluoshan, destiny would undergo an inconceivable reversal.
Of all the countless possibilities in fate, this was undoubtedly one of the easiest, and it came with the smallest price.
The current An Yaluoshan was too weak. He couldn't even be compared to that ambitious, ruthless, and peerless villain from his last life.
Wang Chong was keenly aware that if he missed this chance, he would definitely regret it.
Because the next time such a chance came along, he would definitely not have it so easy, would not hold such a dominating advantage.
Rumble!
The rumbling of warhorses allowed Wang Chong to sense without turning around that more and more people were joining up with him. The massive influence the Wang Clan wielded in the capital was at work.
Wang Chong was well aware that these people were not from Deflecting Blade Manor or the spirit vein mountain, perhaps not even from the Wang Clan. The Wang Clan was a prestigious clan of ministers and generals, on equal level with the Yao Clan, an existence that even King Qi had to take seriously. Through the Qilin son that was Wang Chong, it was putting its massive influence and power to work.
The Wang Clan was like a giant beast hiding under the water, possessing limitless strength. But the Wang Clan's meekness, humbleness, and inconspicuous demeanor had restricted this strength.
This restriction did not come from Wang Yan, Wang Chong's father, nor did it come from Wang Chong's big uncle, Wang Gen. Rather, it came from Wang Chong's grandfather, that figure held in the highest esteem by the entire world, Duke Jiu, Wang Jiuling.
Duke Jiu was frugal and disciplined, and he required the same of his children, leading the entirety of the Wang Clan to conduct themselves so.
Though this had given the Wang Clan a virtuous reputation, it had also limited its strength.
So it was said that he who was raised by Xiao He was cast down by Xiao He.
(TN: This is a saying that relates to a story from the Han Dynasty. Xiao He was an advisor to Liu Bang, the founder of the Han Dynasty. When Liu Bang was fighting with Xiang Yu, a rival warlord, Xiao He discovered Han Xin as a low-ranking soldier in Liu Bang's army and recommended him to Liu Bang. Han Xin would go on to be an important general in Liu Bang's army. However, after Liu Bang succeeded in defeating Xiang Yu, the relationship between Liu Bang and Han Xin soured. Eventually, fearing that Han Xin would rebel, Xiao He plotted with Empress Lu Zhu to lure Han Xin to the capital, where they arrested and executed him.)
Wang Chong's grandfather had worked as an official in the court until he was eventually appointed as Prime Minister. In the fast-changing political scene of the court, he bravely worked to reverse the tides and steady the situation. Once, when the Turks and Khitans were invading from the north, he worked with the Emperor and the other ministers to create the current golden age of the Great Tang. This was the source of the Wang Clan's strength.
But similarly, Wang Chong's grandfather had a virtuous character that restricted the Wang Clan's strength.
Yet probably not even Wang Chong's grandfather could have imagined that a variable like Wang Chong would ultimately appear in the Wang Clan.
His appearance had completely shattered the rules set down by the Wang Clan.
Most importantly, the talent he had displayed had also managed to gain the approval of the Wang Clan's Old Master.
Phweeet!
In the middle of the pursuit, a harsh whistle came from in front of them. In the middle of the pouring rain, An Yaluoshan suddenly led his horse around a corner, and then seemingly turned into a courtyard, vanishing from sight.
Upon seeing this, Wang Chong narrowed his eyes and slowed his horse. But he did not hesitate too much. Joining with his horse, he did not go through the gate of the courtyard but instead chose to ram through the wall.
Boom!
Countless bricks covered in rain exploded inward as the tall courtyard wall collapsed and Wang Chong rode his White-hoofed Shadow in.
In an instant, Wang Chong stopped.
Forty-some zhang in front of Wang Chong was a towering courtyard building, and in front of this courtyard were sixty to seventy muscular figures mounted on warhorses. Armed and armored, they silently stood guard in front of the courtyard.
There were Hu and Han in this group, even Khitans and
Tibetans. Though drenched by the torrential rain, none of them moved. The rain seeped into their eyes, but none of them blinked.
Crack!
A blazing bolt of lightning streaked over the courtyard, its light illuminating the world, illuminating the wolfish gazes in the courtyard.
Those stalwart figures were dressed for battle, and on their armor was the striking symbol of the Andong Protectorate, the green flame and long spear!
"The rebel soldiers of Youzhou!"
Wang Chong instantly calmed down.
The figures in the courtyard all had vigorous energies. Each one of them had reached at least the True Martial realm, and some of them were even showing an aura of the Profound Martial realm.
This was not a level any ordinary squad of elites could reach.
At this moment, Wang Chong knew that he was wrong. An Yaluoshan had not come alone. He had brought with him elite troops from Youzhou in the Andong Protectorate.
"Hmph, it seems like all the traitors and villains of the Great Tang are here!"
Wang Chong fiercely clenched his fists and his eyes turned even redder.
Not only did the sudden appearance of these sixty to seventy powerful soldiers fail to extinguish his killing intent, it actually provoked it to its highest level.
Youzhou was a place where Han and foreigners lived together. It gave birth to the bravest warriors and also to the greatest number of traitors and villains.
The Great Tang was a massive creature that had existed for more than two hundred years. It was not something that An Yaluoshan alone could shake. He had many traitors at his side.
And there was no doubt that these traitors now stood before him. An Yaluoshan had rushed here precisely because this group of people could protect him.
"What luck! I didn't expect that all my opponents would be here! An Yaluoshan, even if you grow wings today, you won't be able to escape!"
Wang Chong's fists were clenched so tightly that his fingernails were digging into his flesh, but he did not notice.
All the people that he loathed and desired to kill had come, and they were all standing right in front of him.
Are the heavens at work here? Do they want to give me a chance to complete my mission?
Chapter 448: Stalemate!
Chapter 448: Stalemate!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Boom!
A wall exploded as a giant figure mounted on a large horse crashed through, following behind Wang Chong.
"Is it these people?"
Li Siye stood guard at Wang Chong's side, his enormous Wootz Steel saber on his back and his over-two-meter-tall figure like the Mighty Miracle God1 of legends.
Wang Chong's White-hoofed Shadow and An Yaluoshan's Ferghana horse were both top-notch steeds that could run as fast as the wind. A normal person would find it impossible to keep up with them.
Only Li Siye, with his enormous strength and high-grade speed halo, was able to keep so close behind.
His enormous constitution, valiant aura, and high-tier Profound Martial cultivation were a massive shock to the rebel troops of Youzhou.
Although Wang Chong had charged in alone, the Youzhou rebel troops facing him did not dare act rashly.
"Who are all of you? Why are you pursuing Yaluoshan?"
Without waiting for an answer, a warhorse rode out of the rain and pulled level with An Yaluoshan.
Wang Chong was able to clearly tell through the flashes of lightning that this was a Hu with a hawkish nose and sunken eyes. Although he was a Hu, he was completely different from others.
His face was thin and slender, his face white and clean, and his wavy hair was extremely rare among the Hu. He had a rather scholarly air about him, and when he opened his slender eyes, he gave off the aura of a strategist.
Standing side by side with An Yaluoshan, he seemed to complement him. The two were also very similar in age, so he instantly gave off the feeling of a military advisor.
"Ashina Sugan2!"
Wang Chong's eyes flashed with cold light as a thick killing intent surged through them. He recognized this Hu. Even though this fair and clean Hu was still obscure in this world, this was not his first meeting with him.
In that other world, he had met him countless times.
He was called Ashina Sugan right now, but in the future, he would have an infamous Han name that would be known throughout the Central Plains: Shi Siming!
This person had played a critical role in that rebellion against the empire. If An Yaluoshan was the greatest leader of the rebellion on the front stage, than Shi Siming was the greatest leader of the rebellion from behind the curtain!
It was like how Zhao Jingdian back then had helped him, assisting him for decades in hot or cold, in the north or south, acting as his right and left arms.
To An Yaluoshan, Ashina Sugan was his Zhao Jingdian, his right and left arms.
These two people were the two largest banners for the three rebel armies of the northwest!
Much less encountering An Yaluoshan in Drunken Sparrow restaurant, Wang Chong had not expected to see Ashina Sugan here as well.
The two greatest foes from his last life were standing right in front of him.
"Get lost!" Wang Chong coldly said. "The current you has no right to speak before me!"
"You!" Ashina Sugan was instantly enraged. He wanted to curse, but as his eyes flitted over Li Siye, he held himself back. His eyes, however, grew even colder.
"Wang Chong, the Imperial Army might arrive at any time. Be careful that they don't escape!" Li Siye suddenly whispered to Wang Chong.
That Hu had already escaped from Drunken Sparrow restaurant. In the current situation, if things looked bad, he might escape again.
Moreover, conducting activities in the capital was no trifling matter. Although this sudden downpour had been a great boon to Wang Chong, the Imperial Army wasn't made of dead men. Once it arrived, this assault would be put to a complete stop.
"There's no need to worry about the Imperial Army."
Wang Chong's voice was abnormally calm. In order to kill An Yaluoshan, he had defied the laws of the Wang Clan and mobilized all the strength he could possibly mobilize.
For such a large undertaking, he could not possibly allow for any disturbance.
He had already informed the Imperial Army. The connections he had built through selling Wootz Steel weapons to the Imperial Army and his uncle Li Lin meant that though Wang Chong could not control the Imperial Army, he could take advantage of this torrential downpour to mobilize the Imperial Army elsewhere. It was completely within his means to buy himself two hours of time.
"…As for escape, hmph, relax; they won't be able to escape!"
Wang Chong slowly raised his head, his gaze piercing through those sixty to seventy Youzhou soldiers and the rows of courtyard buildings, finally settling on the lofty black silhouette nearby.
In the darkness, the high walls of the Great Tang's capital were like majestic mountains linking the heavens to the earth.
This fortress protecting the capital was also a barrier preventing An Yaluoshan and his group from retreating. This was the only place they could fall back to.
He could hear the sound of more horses galloping. Rumble! As he was speaking, more of the courtyard's walls toppled over as his forces caught up.
Although they had been a bit slow, his subordinates had finally arrived.
"Young Master!"
With the clear cry of an eagle, Old Eagle rode up behind Li Siye and led his horse to Wang Chong's side, putting Wang Chong between the two of them.
Following him were ten-some muscular men in black who gave off the aura of bandits. These were the Dragon Bandit elites that Li Siye had taken as subordinates in Qixi Desert.
As elites, they were stronger and had a far higher status than ordinary Dragon Bandits, so their mounts were also of higher quality.
"Milord!"
Once these ten-some blac
k-clothed bandits broke through the wall, they immediately circled around to Li Siye's side. Black Dragon Zhao and his Dragon Bandits had squatted across the Silk Road. The bandit leaders under him were all elites of the northwest, each one of them an expert of the True Martial realm.
With these people at Wang Chong's side, the strength of his forces had swelled.
As their forces swelled, the other side seemed weaker. An Yaluoshan and his group of rebel troops instantly had nasty expressions. One Li Siye was already hard enough to deal with, and now they had to deal with these ten-some top-notch experts.
"Yaluoshan, I'm afraid that it will be hard to settle this matter. This boy is determined to deal with us," Ashina Sugan suddenly whispered in the Hu tongue, a vicious look on his face. "One who can't hate isn't worthy of being a gentleman, and one who doesn't want to get their hands dirty can't be a man. We must strike first. If we delay, we won't have another chance."
Their opponents had moved too quickly. Their reaction had slowed because of the Profound Martial realm expert, and now even more reinforcements had come.
If they continued to delay, they would probably all die here.
"But if we do this, we'll also suffer grievous casualties," An Yaluoshan hesitantly said. That boy was certainly not easy to deal with, and that giant man next to him was even more dreadful.
If they were easy to deal with, he wouldn't have needed Ashina's prompting.
"It's already hard to avoid casualties. If we continue to hesitate, we'll all die here. And besides, there's no need to kill all of them."
Ashina Sugan glared at Wang Chong and fiercely said, "To shoot a person, first shoot the horse, and to capture the underlings, first capture their king. That boy might have many experts at his side, but he himself is not very strong. As long as we first capture him, the rest of them will be like a group of headless dragons…"
Yet before Ashina Sugan, or Shi Siming, could finish talking, he heard the rumbling of horses once more.
This rumble could shatter the earth and topple mountains. At the same time, a long and clear cry came from above. In the clouds, a massive black eagle unfurled its wings, weaving through the storm as it screeched and circled over the courtyard.
The Human Emperor c1-2382 Page 315
