However, the true 'lethal blow' had actually come from Wang Chong's hidden Wootz Steel cavalry.
When he saw his army in chaos, even a valiant general like Bachicheng began to panic.
When they had come down from the eastern end of the Tibetan Plateau, Bachicheng had basically been unstoppable, with no one able to defeat him. Even the rising star of the Great Tang, Li Zhengyi, who had made his name in Anxi and Beiting, had died to his scimitar. One could easily imagine Bachicheng's self-confidence.
But this self-confidence had easily been punctured by Wang Chong!
Even someone as courageous as Bachicheng began to panic when he heard the screams of his army as it crumbled behind him.
And in this level of battle, such panic was lethal.
"Hmph! Take me over!" Wang Chong didn't waste his time on such thoughts, but immediately replied to Old Eagle's report, his eyes flashing with cold light.
Wang Chong was about to claim what was personally the biggest harvest of this battle.
From the start of this campaign, Wang Chong had privately requested of Old Eagle and Li Siye to capture the enemy generals if possible. Of course, this could only be if the opponent could not resist and was unable to harm him.
Wang Chong had never given the reason.
Old Eagle and Li Siye had never asked.
There were some things that didn't need to be known.
……
"You are the highest commander of this army?"
Bachicheng lay on the mountain slope, his body covered in wounds and blood. Multiple ropes and a single chain were tightly wrapped around him, but the one truly tying him down was the giant and oppressive body of Invincible Great General Li Siye.
With an icy face, he held his giant Wootz Steel sword up to the sky, prepared at any moment to bring it swinging down.
Li Siye did not dare to underestimate a powerful foe like Bachicheng.
Even though all of Bachicheng's important acupuncture points had been struck, Li Siye still did not let his guard down. Any peculiar movement would immediately cause Li Siye to behead him.
"I am!"
Wang Chong walked up, a faint smile and leisurely expression on his face. His first words immediately astonished Bachicheng.
"You know Tibetan?" Bachicheng said in disbelief.
He had spoken his question in Tibetan, mixed with a few clumsily-spoken Han words, doing his utmost to communicate his meaning to the Tang commander. But Bachicheng hadn't expected that this Tang youth who didn't even seem half his age was actually able to speak Tibetan.
In their arrogance, the Tang had never learned the languages of the other countries.
In the entirety of the Great Tang, someone who could speak Tibetan was as rare as a phoenix feather or Qilin horn, much to the delight of the Tibetans. The less the Tang could speak their language, the less about Ü-Tsang they would understand, which was only an advantage to them.
But Bachicheng hadn't expected the person standing before him to be capable of speaking Tibetan!
Chapter 515: Leaping Dragon Spear! The Strength of the Profound Martial Realm!
"Haha, only by knowing yourself and knowing your enemy can you never be defeated! Ü-Tsang has always harbored evil intentions toward the Great Tang, and it even sent their First Prince to the capital to sound things out. That I know Tibetan shouldn't be that strange, should it?"
Wang Chong smiled as his right hand pressed his sword against Bachicheng's chest.
In the southwest war, Bachicheng had played a critical role. Even among the Tibetan generals, he was one of the best. Wang Chong hadn't expected that he would be using this method to meet this Tibetan Great General that he once could only look up at. In terms of mindset, Bachicheng was definitely outstanding.
For a foreigner like Bachicheng, raised in the uncivilized plateau that didn't place much emphasis on strategy, to be able to grasp the strategies of the Central Plains and use them to this level was already rather surprising.
Alas, he had encountered the War Saint, and his efforts were like trying to teach a fish how to swim.
"Hahaha, good, what a good use of 'only by knowing yourself and knowing your enemy can you never be defeated'!"
At Wang Chong's words, Bachicheng's eyes seemed to flash with a very queer light.
"In this battle, I truly underestimated you. I didn't think that a brat like you who still stank of his mother's milk would be such an accomplished strategist! But don't get too smug. The news of our defeat here will quickly reach the Erhai plains. The Great General will quickly lead the army north, and the only thing awaiting you will be death!"
Bachicheng's eyes glimmered with a vicious smile, and his expression was cruel and callous.
He had never feared death, and the people of Ü-Tsang were never ones to sacrifice themselves in vain. Even though this army managed to kill them, they would still eventually accompany him in death.
"Haha, are you talking about this?"
Wang Chong grinned, his gaze turning up to the sky.
Phweet!
On the side, Old Eagle stuck two fingers in his mouth and let out a sharp whistle. Plop! At almost the same moment, a black silhouette flew past, and something dropped from the sky in front of Bachicheng. From its red and green plumage and sharp claws, it was clearly a vicious gyrfalcon.
But its neck was clearly snapped, and its sharp eyes had turned dim.
Bachicheng instantly paled at the sight of this gyrfalcon.
Gyrfalcons were tyrants of the skies and were capable of hunting down the enemy's messenger birds. Few birds could match them, and even many species of eagle were no match. Bachicheng hadn't expected his enemy to be so formidable that they were even able to kill the gyrfalcons, the pride of Ü-Tsang.
"Hmph, you shouldn't be too happy. It's just a single gyrfalcon. Did you think an army of more than ten thousand only had one gyrfalcon? Just intercepting this one gyrfalcon is meaningless."
Bachicheng very quickly raised his head in disdain.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
The moment Bachicheng finished talking, a rain of gyrfalcons fell around him, smashing into piles of pulp on the ground. These gyrfalcons finally made Bachicheng's callousness and cruelty vanish into nothing.
"Hahaha!"
Bachicheng's ashen complexion of defeat elicited roars of laughter.
"Bachicheng, your thinking is too simple. How can any of you compare to me in hunting down birds?"
Heartily laughing, Old Eagle thrust his right hand into a gray pouch on his belt. Extracting a bunch of rabbit jerky from within, he threw it into the air. Creee! With a burst of shrill cries, dark blurs flew overhead, snatching the jerky that Old Eagle had thrown up and soaring back into the skies. One with particularly sharp eyes might have been able to notice that though these birds were a little on the small side, their mouths and claws were equipped with sharp weapons.
And they worked together as they flew, making them seem like a miniature army.
This was Old Eagle's hunting party!
In the Central Plains, probably no one could compare to Old Eagle in the training of birds. Scouting, sending messages, hunting, camouflage… Old Eagle had trained the birds to fulfill numerous roles. These small hunting birds carried the blood of various fierce birds, and all of them had been personally selected for this role. Old Eagle had used ten-some years and five or six generations to finally achieve success.
Although these birds were no good at scouting and not proficient at bird language or signals, making them incapable of passing on information on the enemy army, they were superb at fighting and could work together. In the air, they were essentially unmatched.
And in order to increase their lethality, Old Eagle had also equipped them with sharp iron claws and beaks, even attaching specially made metal spikes to their wings.
This campaign to the southwest was extremely dangerous, and no one knew if they would come back alive.
Thus, Old Eagle had brought out al
l the birds he had trained.
"Haha, what do you think? Have anything to say now?"
Wang Chong grinned.
"Hmph, even if you've killed those gyrfalcons, what purpose does it serve? It'll only let you gasp at the brink of death for a few more days."
Bachicheng simply closed his eyes, waiting for death.
"Just do it. I'll be waiting for all of you down below!"
He waited, ceasing his struggles.
"Haha, it's not that easy to die. Tell me, where did your troops descend from? If you do, I'll give you a swift death," Wang Chong said.
"What do you think asking me this will do? I'm not telling you anything!"
Bachicheng suddenly opened his eyes, a wary look in them.
"Heheh, was it Chilechuan?" Wang Chong suddenly said, glancing at Bachicheng.
Bachicheng said nothing, but his complexion paled. His mouth opened as if to speak, but Wang Chong's sword had already been plunged into his heart.
"I already know. There's no need for you to say anything now."
As the Little Yinyang Sword plunged in, the last of Bachicheng's majestic and pure energy rumbled like a flood through the sword and into Wang Chong. Wang Chong had already been at Tier 6 of the True Martial realm, and now, with the ferocious might of the Profound Martial realm, his entire body rumbled as Stellar Energy exploded through it.
"Ah!"
There was a howl of pain as the band tying Wang Chong's hair broke, causing his hair to stab into the air like thousands of iron needles while a mist of blood burst out of his body. Under the shocked gazes of the crowd, the energy in Wang Chong's body broke into Tier 7 of the True Martial realm, then Tier 8, and finally stopped at Tier 9, at almost the same cultivation level as Old Eagle.
"How could this be?!"
Old Eagle's eyes went wide. As Wang Chong's companion on the road this entire time, he was well aware of Wang Chong's current level of strength.
At the start, Wang Chong had only been a trifling martial artist at Tier 1 or 2 of the True Martial realm. But right now, just by stabbing Bachicheng in the heart, he had risen several tiers, almost coming up to his own level of strength. It had to be pointed out that Old Eagle was thirty-some years old now, almost at forty.
And Wang Chong was just a teenager.
The difference in their time cultivating was a matter of years, not days.
"What evil art are you cultivating?"
A furious voice, struggling at death's door, came from the ground. Bachicheng lay there, his eyes wide open in shock. Every person had their fate, and since he had lost, he harbored no hope of survival. And the only thing awaiting the commander who had defeated him was also death.
But the stab of Wang Chong's sword had shattered his delusions.
Bachicheng could feel his strength being sucked out of his body and into the Tang youth. Right now, he was nurturing a most terrifying opponent.
Bachicheng had believed Wang Chong to just be an intelligent youth, but right now, Wang Chong was beginning to exude the aura of experience and power. This was not something a teenager could possess, not without a period of experience and trial. Even after all that Bachicheng had experienced, he had never seen such a strange sight.
"Haha, why don't you ask down below?"
Wang Chong chortled as his right hand withdrew the Little Yinyang Sword, sending blood flying. Without another sound, Bachicheng's body collapsed. Wang Chong paid him no more attention, as Bachicheng's energy had been far more tyrannical than he had imagined. Wang Chong felt almost compelled to vent some of the enormous energy circulating through his body.
For a moment, Wang Chong felt like he had regained the feeling of being able to look upon the world with disdain and travel it unhindered.
He had never been only a simple strategist general!
"Leaping Dragon Spear!"
A howl resounded through the mountains as Wang Chong suddenly pulled a golden, seven-sectioned spear from his back. Roaaar! Everyone watched in shock as a lifelike five-clawed dragon spiraled into the sky.
One spiral, two spirals, three spirals… In the end, there was a boom, and the dragon transformed into a golden bolt of dazzling lightning that crashed into the mountain.
Boom!
The earth quaked and dust roiled. This single spear of Wang Chong's had caused the entire mountain to shudder, the waves of energy sweeping countless bits of gravel and stone. The earth itself seemed about to sunder.
"This…"
"What spear technique is that?"
"When did Young Master learn such a tyrannical spear art?"
……
As they stared at the thick plume of dust rising several dozen zhang into the sky, it wasn't only the likes of Old Eagle and Zhao Jingdian who were shocked. Even Li Siye, the future Invincible Great General, experienced a rare moment of shock. A few moments ago, Wang Chong had only been at Tier 5 of the True Martial realm, but with the end of the battle, his strength had instantly soared.
The might of that spear was definitely that of the Profound Martial realm!
Li Siye was absolutely certain of that!
Chapter 516: Laying Plans! The Battle to Come!
A fierce gale blew away the dust hanging over the summit, revealing a massive hole. When Wang Chong walked out of the leftover dust with his spear, the entire mountain was quiet.
The Wang Chong of this moment was powerful and self-confident, brimming with vigor and dignity. He had the bearing of a leader, the demeanor of a general.
The impression Wang Chong left on the soldiers was now completely different from their initial one.
Purely in terms of energy, Wang Chong had risen from mediocrity to rank alongside the likes of Old Eagle and Li Siye.
"What sort of technique is that? It's too shocking!"
"Although the Wang Clan is a clan of ministers and generals, I've never heard of them having this sort of technique!"
"If he continues to rise at this speed, Young Master might reach a shocking, inconceivable level!"
……
Everyone gazed at the summit, revering Wang Chong as if he was a celestial from the heavens.
However, despite their shock and surprise, no one stepped forward to voice their questions. Many people even subconsciously lowered their heads upon looking at Wang Chong, intentionally avoiding this topic. No matter what art Wang Chong cultivated, where it came from, and whether it was righteous or evil, at a time like this, as long as Wang Chong could improve himself, it would be of advantage to the army.
Everything else was not important.
What the southwest war needed the most were masters and experts—the more the better!
"Congratulations to user! For killing Bachicheng and altering the course of history, you are awarded 5 Destiny Energy, to be dispensed after the mission is completed!"
On the summit, Wang Chong had barely walked out of the hole made by the Leaping Dragon Spear when he heard that voice in his ear.
Haha, it's like that again! Wang Chong thought as he paused for a moment.
Bachicheng had been a competent general under Huoshu Huicang, one of the best taking part in the southwest war. However, before the Annan Protectorate army had been eliminated, he had died at Wang Chong's hands, which had clearly altered fate in a big way. At the very least, Wang Chong had changed Bachicheng's fate. Based on past rules, the Stone of Destiny would definitely have rewarded Wang Chong with Destiny Energy.
What truly concerned Wang Chong was that for the second time, he had been rewarded Destiny Energy but was not given it.
It seemed like all the Destiny Energy would not be dispensed until the mission was completed.
But for every death in Lion City, Destiny Energy was being subtracted from Wang Chong's stockpile.
"Milord!"
Old Eagle, Li Siye, Zhao Jingdian, Xu Shiping and the others came up to the summit. Their gazes flitted past Wang Chong's Little Yinyang Sword, subconsciously ignoring the problem.
"
Young Master, what was going on with your question about Chilechuan?" Old Eagle whispered.
When Wang Chong had asked that question, Bachicheng's complexion had completely changed. More importantly, Old Eagle still couldn't understand what had been going on there. Bachicheng was the kind of person that wasn't even afraid of losing his head, but Wang Chong's one question had caused him to pale. Moreover, what exactly was Chilechuan?
Why had Wang Chong asked about it?
Old Eagle was still baffled.
"Haha, you'll find out in a little while. Commandant Xu, Bachicheng is dead and Xiangyang Dalu has been exterminated. We've broken through the middle of the Tibetan defense line. All we need to do now is cross the last mountain. Transmit my order: have the two other groups quickly meet up with ours. I want to destroy that last group of Tibetan cavalry today!"
"Yes, Milord! I already informed them a while ago that as long as we succeeded, I would give them a signal. I'm confident that they've already begun to move out."
Commandant Xu clasped his hands and bowed, his tone and expression both extremely respectful.
After this battle, there was no doubt that Wang Chong had won everyone's complete respect and trust.
Facts spoke louder than words. The deaths of Bachicheng, Xiangyang Dalu, and more than ten thousand Tibetans had been achieved with the sacrifice of only two-thousand-some soldiers on their side. Even the most demanding person would cheerfully submit this point, prostrating in worship.
"Mm! Time is short. Commandant Xu, the model?" Wang Chong said.
"Bring the model over!"
Commandant Xu waved his hand down the mountain. Several soldiers quickly ran over, carrying a large iron chest between them. Inside the box was a complete topographical model of the southwest. There were two items of absolute importance in an army. One was the commander's seal, and the other was a topographical model.
After delivering the model, the soldiers withdrew.
With the deaths of Bachicheng and Xiangyang Dalu, the two most important passes on the model were open, leaving an open field before Wang Chong.
The Human Emperor c1-2382 Page 354
