Edited by: Michyrr
Although nothing had yet occurred, a massive pressure instantly began to descend.
From the start of this battle, the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army had always only sent one, two, or three generals. Never had they engaged in a large-scale commitment of their generals, until now.
Longqinba, Fengjiayi, Duan Yangyan, Ciren Xiangxiong, Tumi Sangzha… in the previous battles, these people on their own had been able to pose a large problem to the Great Tang. Now, all of them had appeared to participate in the general offensive together.
Winds would portend a storm, and by now, even the slowest person would have been able to tell that a fierce battle would be taking place today.
Rumble!
In a roiling cloud of dust, a flood of steel approached the southern face of the mountain, with two exceptionally striking figures riding in front.
"Young Master Wang, have you solved your water problem?"
A hearty laugh came from the foot of the mountain. Dalun Ruozan, seated on a Tibetan steed, raised his head to the summit, his face all smiles. If there was one thing he could tell, it was that the Tang morale was extremely poor.
Wang Chong had used all sorts of methods to compel Dalun Ruozan to an extremely rare state, but in the end, he had still allowed his weak point to be discovered.
"Young Master, don't speak with him."
Even Old Eagle could sense that Dalun Ruozan harbored no good intentions by requesting to speak with Wang Chong at this time.
"It's fine."
Wang Chong waved his hand. His originally focused expression actually broke into a smile at Dalun Ruozan's words.
"Great Minister, I knew that you would attack today. Let's make a bet. How many people do you think Ü-Tsang and Mengshe Zhao will lose this time?"
Wang Chong smiled as he walked up in front of the banner.
"On the first day, Ü-Tsang and Mengshe Zhao lost nearly one hundred thousand people. Great Minister, take a guess. Once this battle ends, how many more of your people will be killed? I wager that half of your army will die here. What about you?"
As he spoke, he slowly extended a figure and coldly gestured out a large circle over the army gathered at the base.
Buzz!
The Tibetans did not react to these words, as they could not understand them, but the Mengshe Zhao soldiers could. A restlessness moved through their army as all the soldiers paled, the atmosphere clearly taking a turn.
Wang Chong's words might have been only a mere threat to other people, but to the Mengshe Zhao, it was a very real warning. Because amongst those nearly one hundred thousand soldiers that had died on the first day, eighty percent were Mengshe Zhao soldiers.
To these people, Wang Chong's words were not something as simple as a threat meant to scare.
"Haha, Young Master has a good tongue!"
Dalun Ruozan waved his feather fan, but a nearly imperceptible glint flashed through his eyes. He had to admit that not even he could have imagined Wang Chong to use such a move.
"However, what use is it for Young Master to have a good tongue? Young Master ended up being too clever for your own good. You intentionally chose this place to commence the final battle, but in the end, you were only digging your own grave."
"Great Minister, don't you feel that you are saying these words too early?"
Wang Chong's eyes froze for a moment, and then he gave a cold chuckle.
"Whose grave this is should wait until after the battle."
"Hah, it's fine as long Young Master still has some confidence. The rest of my words are not meant for you."
Dalun Ruozan turned his gaze toward another place. At this sight, Wang Chong only laughed.
"Wang Yan, Xianyu Zhongtong, this is the last chance. Surrender?"
Dalun Ruozan's voice echoed through the battlefield.
The battlefield was quiet for a moment. Finally, Wang Yan's voice rang out, concise and to the point, leaving no leeway. "There's no need for Great Minister to waste your strength in vain. Begin the battle!"
"Hmph, as you wish!"
With a snort, Dalun Ruozan turned his horse, riding off to the rear in a trail of dust.
"Begin!"
With this icy order, the rows of yak horns began to unleash their mournful blares into the sky. In this tense air filled with fierce gusts and roiling dust, the first assault was not that of the Tibetan or Mengshe Zhao cavalry, but a massive stone.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Stone after massive stone whistled as they hurtled through the air, leaving behind trails, before smashing into the mountain. Rumble! Dust stirred as the metal walls were dented or even smashed out of the ground by these boulders.
"Careful!"
Shrill shouts echoed across the mountain as the Annan Protectorate army attempted to avoid the boulders.
"Kiiiill!"
As the massive boulders smashed down, the entire Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army began to attack. Crash! Large metal shields began to appear within the dust, glimmering with a cold luster.
The Whitestone Corps, which had lost seventy percent of its forces in that first engagement, had once more appeared. All their forces were invested in this assault, even the injured Duan Wuzong.
His body was covered in bandages and his breathing was unsteady, but his eyes were exceptionally bright and energetic.
"All soldiers, advance. Anyone who dares to retreat will be immediately executed.
"Anyone who kills five Tang soldiers will be awarded the rank of hundred-man commander. Anyone who kills ten Tang soldiers will be awarded the rank of thousand-man commander and ten thousand taels of gold!!"
……
Duan Wuzong's hoarse voice cut through the battlefield while the halos under his feet began to expand.
Biaaaah!
To the southeast, the elephants angrily trumpeted as they followed close behind the Whitestone Corps, the Mengshe Zhao infantry protecting them as they charged.
If one looked carefully, they would notice flashes of golden light from the metal covers around the ears of the elephants.
In the battle several days ago, the White Elephants Corps had lost more than two hundred elephants to the roars of Wang Chong's forces and several thousand soldiers to the berserk charges of the elephants.
To deal with the Tang, the Mengshe Zhao army had crafted these exquisite metal covers to help the elephants defend against sonic attacks.
All of this had been the idea of Dalun Ruozan.
And from the southwest, Mengshe Zhao soldiers equipped in armor of gold and white were charging forward. These soldiers were more powerful than the average soldiers in terms of both morale and cultivation, even on par with the soldiers of the Annan Protectorate army on the mountain. And their armor itself had was of superb quality.
Only Mengshe Zhao's Dragon Son Corps, led by Crown Prince Fengjiayi, could be equipped with such excellent armor. This entire corps was made up of specially-chosen elites, and a portion of it were members of Mengshe Zhao's Royal Guard.
These soldiers were under the direct command of Geluofeng. Even Fengjiayi had to obtain Geluofeng's approval before using them.
With the start of this battle, Geluofeng had finally allowed Fengjiayi to command his most elite troops.
"All troops, hear my command. Until my order is received, no one is allowed to act rashly."
Fengjiayi was fully equipped, and his eyes fixed on the summit were blazing with a fierce fighting intent.
Come, Wang Chong! Today, this will be where your bones are buried.
Fengjiayi's heart blazed with the flames of war. Never had Fengjiayi so ardently hoped to destroy an opponent. This was not for the sake of the slain Jiaosiluo, but for himself.
In this battle, Wang Chong had outshone him far too much. If he could not surpass his opponent, the best method was to completely destroy him.
The northeast, the northwest, the south, the north… Ciren Xiangxiong, Longqinba, Duan Hengdao, and the rest of the Mengsh
e Zhao and Ü-Tsang generals began to attack.
Tens of thousands of soldiers formed a vast and endless sea behind them, completely surrounding the mountain.
Clangclangclang! Countless war halos began to spread out from the feet of these generals to the rest of the army.
"All generals, take up your positions and prepare to attack."
On the summit, Wang Chong's voice remained cool and composed in the blustery winds. As his order was passed down the mountain, the generals of the Annan Protectorate army began to arrange themselves like chess pieces scattered over the mountain.
If one looked down from the sky, they would discover that the disposition of the Tang generals was like that of the stars in the sky.
The Myriad Stars Formation was an extremely powerful formation from Wang Chong's last life. By connecting the generals in the army at various crucial places together, it could form a sturdy fortress.
This method could allow the generals to display the most power and spread this power to the entire army.
This formation had never appeared before in this era, and Wang Chong had not been given sufficient time to properly train these generals. However, this rough variation of the Myriad Stars Formation was enough to push the fighting power of the army to a whole new level.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The dazzling halos like fierce flames began to cover the mountain. Only a few moments later, these two armies smashed against each other like mighty waves.
Rumble! No one could have ever described the moment those armies clashed. The earth quaked and the mountain shuddered, causing many rocks to roll down its sides.
"Kiiiill!"
"Kiiiill!"
……
The first wave was not led by the Whitestone Corps, but the White Elephant Corps. Biaaaah! The army parted as an Erhai elephant eight or nine meters high, its ears flapping, moved its heavy feet like they were weightless and charged up the mountain slope.
Bang! A metal wall weighing six or seven thousand jin was grabbed by the long elephant nose and flung down the slope as if it weighed nothing.
Dingdingding! Hook after hook flew out and latched onto a distant metal wall. Ten-some Tibetan cavalry swiftly turned around and began to pull. Boom! The wall was felled amid flying dust, and the Mengshe Zhao soldiers who had been waiting for so long charged into the gap.
And in the entire army, the sharpest of all was Longqinba. Buzz!A scimitar shrilly cut through the air, leaving behind screams and severed limbs wherever if passed. Even a hardy metal wall had a piece cut out of it by that harsh scimitar.
Longqinba's abilities had reached an inconceivable level. Wherever he went, his surroundings were transformed into a living hell.
"Hahaha, this is all the so-called Great Tang amounts to!"
Longqinba coldly snorted as he strode up the mountain. His steps were slow, but they were extremely steady, as if nothing in the world could stop him… until Longqinba encountered that individual.
Chapter 604: The Decisive Battle! A Clash of Ten Thousand Generals III
Chapter 604: The Decisive Battle! A Clash of Ten Thousand Generals (III)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Bang!
A massive halberd landed on the mountain, this simple action seeming to carry with it an enormous power. Even Longqinba had to raise an eyebrow.
"Longqinba, we meet again."
A low voice came from up the mountain. That person's hair flapped in the wind, and his face, which seemed to be chiseled from stone, was embedded with two eyes that seemed as deep as the sea.
"Sun Liuyue!"
Longqinba's expression sank as he halted his steps.
This person was dressed in an armor completely different from the rest of the Annan Protectorate army. It was simple and thick, with nothing special about it besides its weight.
In truth, this person was not a member of the Annan Protectorate army.
Wang Yan had several generals under his command different from regular generals. They had no rank or title, but their status in the army was above even Chen Shusun.
Sun Liuyue was one of these generals. He was not only one of Wang Yan's personal guards, but also a retainer of the Wang Clan. Back when Wang Yan entered the army, the patriarch of the Wang Clan, Duke Jiu, had arranged for Sun Liuyue to be at Wang Yan's side.
These people were all experts that had been selected from the best soldiers, and they rarely left Wang Yan's side. They were like his shadow.
When Wang Yan was not present, they could substitute for him and oversee the entire army to deal with any sudden surprises.
During the siege of Lion City, Longqinba had been nigh unstoppable. Only Sun Liuyue had been able to check his brash assault.
"Annoying fool!"
Longqinba's eyes narrowed as he instantly charged forward, scimitar swinging. The moment he charged forward, a light flashed, and a massive shadow that seemed like a demonic god appeared behind him.
……
"It's finally my turn."
While the two armies were engaged in their bitter clash, a short yet valiant figure appeared at the back of the mountain. Tumi Sangzha looked up at that waterfall of caltrops descending from the summit, a strange smile appearing on his lips.
Boom!
With a thought, Tumi Sangzha suddenly stomped forward, and an invisible ripple spread out from his feet.
The scene on the mountain slope suddenly changed. Hundreds of metal men stood up from the waterfall of caltrops and swiftly began to clean up their surroundings.
Bangbangbang! These metal men picked up caltrop after caltrop and threw them down the mountain, working with incredible speed.
Buzz!
Tumi Sangzha looked around, his eyes quickly locking onto two nearby metal walls. His fingers spread apart as he began his summoning.
"Rise for me!"
Roar!
The two metal walls began to twist and roar. Two metal giants rose up like prehistoric beasts and began to crawl up the mountain.
With these two metal giants, the clean-up proceeded even more quickly.
"Once this path is cleared up, it will serve as the best place for the cavalry to charge up!"
Tumi Sangzha grimly laughed as he looked up the mountain. With both sides engaged in battle, now was the best opportunity to clean up the caltrops. The Great Minister's plan was not merely to defeat them in a head-on confrontation on the battlefield.
Leaving the metal men to their task, Tumi Sangzha began to quickly make his way up the mountain.
……
This was a battle of unprecedented scale. Purely in terms of military strength, it far surpassed any previous battle. The dense ranks of the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army crashed forward like giant waves.
The one hundred thousand soldiers of the Whitestone Corps had once madly assailed this summit, but the number of soldiers this time was even greater than that.
Each soldier of the Annan Protectorate army was under incredible pressure. The outermost soldiers might have been equipped with large shields, but these shields were trembling like drops of water, the fast and furious attacks almost causing their bones to shatter.
Besides this, the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army were also clearing up the metal walls, slowly shrinking the space in which the Annan Protectorate army could operate. The situation was turning more and more against the Tang.
"It's about time."
Wang Chong looked down from the summit at the battlefield. Although the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army was proceeding with a vicious momentum, everything was still under his control.
Boom!
Just when the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army was pressing closer and closer, Wang Chong's eyes flashed and he took a step forward. Boom! This step seemed to set the mountain shaking as an invisible energy began to spread down the sides of the mountain to cover the battlefield.
Wang Chong had finally unleashed the strongest halo in his body, the Bane of the Battle
field. Buzz! Invisible ripples began to extinguish the halos of the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang soldiers like so many candles, all of them greatly dimming.
Buzz!
In mere moments, the tens of thousands of Tibetan and Mengshe Zhao soldiers on the mountain suddenly had their cultivation drop an entire level. And right when Wang Chong unleashed the Bane of the Battlefield Halo…
"Attack!"
The defensive Annan Protectorate army chose to attack. Twangtwangtwang! Deafening booms filled the air. The first to strike was not the Tang infantry, but the Great Tang ballistae.
On flat terrain, it was basically impossible for ballistae to fire around the soldiers on the front lines. But their location on the mountain made this task much simpler.
Boomboomboom!
The dense quarters of the battlefield, with thousands of soldiers squeezed into one place, were the best place for the ballistae to gather their harvest. While the thick bolts covered in inscriptions were fired, at the front lines, a forest of pikes suddenly stabbed out from the chinks in the shield wall.
Squelchsquelchsquelch! In the past, the strength of these pikes would have been limited, but all the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang warriors were currently in a weakened state.
The sharp pikes were able to plunge through their Stellar Energy barriers and into their bodies, raising them high into the air and flinging them away. Thwish, thwish, thwish… In a few short moments, the forest of pikes had thrust out and in several times. They emerged from the shield wall shining bright and retracted painted in dark red.
The ground in front of the shield wall was soon littered with corpses.
These valiant Mengshe–Ü-Tsang warriors who had been so formidable just moments before were now punctured as easily as cloth bags. In addition, while the shield soldiers had been under enormous pressure before, they now felt the severe weakening of the enemy attacks, allowing them to quickly harden up their lines.
"Axemen, move out!"
Suddenly, furious roars rose from the front lines as massive axes began to fly through the air, smashing into the sea of Mengshe–Ü-Tsang soldiers.
At this same moment, the earth quaked as stalwart figures suddenly charged out of the Tang ranks like ferocious beasts, slamming into the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang ranks.
The Human Emperor c1-2382 Page 379
