The Human Emperor c1-2382
Page 519
Bang!
The air vibrated and sparks flew. A scimitar, boosted by the energy from the charge, slashed at the foe opposite, but then there was a flash of light. This scimitar that could usually cleave everything it encountered had been blocked by a slender sword.
This sword did not seem very hardy, nor was it very large, but its silver-white edge transmitted an inconceivable energy. It had easily blocked the White Brave's determined scimitar strike, and the sword itself didn't even waver, seeming to be rooted in the air.
"How could this be! When did those people from Wushang City get so powerful?"
This White Brave with a scar on his forehead trembled in shock. He had participated in the night raid on the City of Steel, and had even been one of those who had scaled the walls to join Dayan Mangban in the assault.
At that time, not even two or three guards of the City of Steel working together had been their match. In the end, the guards had still needed the might of the ballistae to suppress them. In addition, they had been attacking the city then, so they had been unable to show their full strength.
He found it impossible to believe that on this open terrain, where they could use their maximum strength, these weakling Tang would be able to fight them head-to-head.
"Hmph, idiot, did you really think that there was no one in the Great Tang who could stand up to you?" said a sneering voice. Before the scarred White Brave could react, a cavalry boot expanded in his field of vision. A kick rose from beneath his opponent's horse, and with one strike, this White Brave was sent flying from his highland steed.
"Impossible!"
The White Brave crashed onto the ground, rolling a few times before leaping back to his feet, his heart still stunned by what had just occurred. As one of the finest horsemen of Ü-Tsang, one who had participated in the extermination of many a small country, this White Brave was extremely experienced, but never had he encountered someone who fought like this.
That kick from the horse's underbelly was so bizarre and impossible to defend against. He had never imagined an attack from this angle. Even those elite Turks who excelled in these kinds of battles would never use such a method of attack.
This was a horseman of the Central Plains, yet he was so agile and dexterous, his horsemanship even better than a Turk's!
"I'm too lazy to deal with you. Just know that you found the wrong person when you ran into Lord Marquis!"
The Wushang on the horse sneered before taking off. These Tibetans were far too conceited. They couldn't even tell the difference between Tang, couldn't even see that they were fighting a whole new set of people.
The Wushang Cavalry had a rigid strategy. In battle, they could only worry about charging, and they certainly couldn't stop or go back to chase someone down.
The dismounted Tibetans would be left for the Wushang Cavalry behind them to deal with.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The two armies continued to clash. As countless people watched on, the five thousand Wushang Cavalry displayed their formidable horsemanship on the world's stage for the first time. The underbelly, the neck, even the hindquarters—the Wushang Cavalry's angles of attack were bizarre and crafty to the extreme. They could attack from every possible angle and position.
There were even some Wushang Cavalry who shot past the underbelly of a White Brave mount and attacked from the rear, kicking the White Braves from their horses.
To the Wushang Cavalry, who had grown up amongst lofty peaks and steep cliffs, these seemingly inconceivable movements were as easy as flipping their hand over.
……
The distant Qixi Protectorate army and Tibetan army were both stupefied by this sight.
"Heavens, where did Wang Chong find these people! Our Great Tang actually has cavalry who are even better riders than the Turks! If I hadn't seen it for myself, I would have never believed it!"
"This can't be that cavalry force that we saw before! Not even two months! Just how did he do it?"
"This is nothing more than a miracle! One of these cavalry could go against two, no! Can at least fight against three or four of our Qixi Protectorate army warriors, maybe even more!"
The officers of the Qixi Protectorate army, including Heba Ye, were flabbergasted by this battle. And though Fumeng Lingcha said nothing, his eyes were a constantly changing mixture of emotions that no one could interpret.
……
The rear of the Tibetan army was quiet.
"General!" A Tibetan officer turned to Dusong Mangpoje with deep concern in his eyes.
This sort of Great Tang army was definitely no blessing for Ü-Tsang.
"I know…"
Dusong Mangpoje narrowed his eyes. His voice was flat and indifferent, but everyone could feel the killing intent erupting from his narrowed eyes.
Regardless of how Dayan Mangban's battle turned out, this Young Marquis of the Great Tang and the five thousand cavalry he led would all have to die!
"Ready!"
Dusong Mangpoje suddenly raised an arm.
A smile appeared on the Tibetan officer next to him, and he quickly took off.
Meanwhile, the battle in front had already reached a fever pitch.
The Wushang Cavalry had performed far better than expected. White Brave after White Brave was dismounted, the cavalry howling by in clouds of dust, ignoring the fallen White Braves. Meanwhile, another wave of Wushang Cavalry was coming in a deafening clattering of metal.
Clang!
Swords rang out as the second wave of Wushang Cavalry appeared in the terrified eyes of the White Braves. Exuding chilling rays of light, the swords thundered down on the necks of dismounted White Braves. Even the thickest of Tibetan plate armor was useless in areas that it did not cover.
The toughest flesh was still incapable of blocking a sharp sword.
"Aaaaah!"
Just when these dismounted White Braves had prepared themselves for death, bang! A thin white shroud of light covered their necks, blocking the lethal blow.
The strike that contained the combined power of man and horse sent these White Braves flying, but it was not able to behead them.
"!!!"
This event left all the Wushang Cavalry dumbstruck.
"How could this be?!"
A human's flesh could block a sharp sword? This strike delivered while at full gallop was an attack that not even they could block, but these White Braves had done it, and it appeared like their injuries weren't very serious.
This was not a situation that should have appeared in an ordinary battle.
And what was that white layer of light on the necks of those White Braves?
The Wushang Cavalry had no explanation for what had occurred. At least eighty percent of those White Braves who had been able to resist their full-strength attacks had done so because of that white layer of light.
"Hahaha…"
A White Brave began to laugh as he got to his feet. His panicked face was now excited and fearless.
"It's the Great Bon Ritual!"
A white '' appeared on his neck, this symbol filled with a unique strength. Kaclack! The energy in the symbol spread throughout his body, causing his muscles to bulge, his bones to strengthen, and his energy to instantly receive a powerful boost.
Bang!
The White Brave punched out and struck a horse of a Wushang Cavalry that had been leaping overhead, sending both horse and rider flying ten-some zhang.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Similar scenes were occurring elsewhere, the White Braves swelling in strength and throwing back the nearby Wushang Cavalry.
The battlefield situation was instantly reversed.
Chapter 784: The Heart of the Great Bon!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
"Om mani padme hum…"
At this moment, while the intense battle was going on, six White Brave officers stood in six positions of the Great Bon Formation, robes peeking out from beneath their thick pla
te armor, each of them holding a palm-sized green pot. The surface of these pots was covered in strange inscriptions and drawings of mysterious beasts.
As these officers chanted, an indescribably mysterious strength flowed out of these pots, transforming into dark green symbols that slowly revolved around them. Meanwhile, the energies of these six officers began to resonate with each other, gradually connecting to each of the '' symbols on the White Braves' foreheads, creating a massive formation.
These six ritual tools formed the 'Heart of the Great Bon' left over from the ancient Zhangzhung Dynasty's Great Bon religion, and were how the Ü-Tsang Empire was able to recreate the Great Bon Formation after so many years.
The Ü-Tsang Empire had been able to use only five thousand White Braves to stop the advance of the Abbasid Caliphate's Mamelukes not only because of the White Braves' formidable strength and their thick plate armor, but also because of this Heart of the Great Bon.
No one understood the principle by which the Heart of the Great Bon operated. The Tibetans only knew by gathering together these six ritual tools, they could activate the powerful strength of the Heart of the Great Bon, bestowing an inconceivable defense on the White Braves.
Before the White Braves could avail themselves of the Heart of the Great Bon to make a counterattack, Wang Chong gave an order. "Li Siye, Ten Charges Sweeping Formation. Mobilize the six assault teams and destroy the Heart of the Great Bon!"
The five thousand Wushang Cavalry altered their formation, spreading apart like a giant turbine.
This sudden transformation disrupted the formation of the White Braves. Even though the White Braves were a supreme cavalry force that had swept over the world, they found themselves momentarily unsteadied by this assault from the Wushang Cavalry.
Not only that, under the cover of this sweeping maneuver, six teams charged out. Cheng Sanyuan, Su Shixuan, Chen Bin, Xu Keyi, and two other officers each led a team toward the six White Brave officers.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The White Braves who attempted to halt their advance were sent flying. All six of the Tang commanders led the best of the Wushang Cavalry, each of them at Profound Martial Tier 2 or 3.
While charging under the buffs from the three Halos of Dusk Stallion, each of them had the strength of someone at Profound Martial Tier 5 or 6, far above the average Wushang Cavalry or White Brave.
Although the Heart of the Great Bon granted an extremely powerful defense and could also grant a boost in strength, this boost was not so strong that these assault teams could not break past the Tibetans.
"Stop them!" an anxious voice rang out over the battlefield. When he saw the six Tang officers smashing their way through his ranks, Dayan Mangban had suddenly paled.
The Heart of the Great Bon was one of the White Braves' greatest secrets. Although the Great Bon Formation could still be used if the Heart of the Great Bon were lost, its power would suffer a large drop.
Dayan Mangban had always kept this secret under a tight lid and never used the Heart of the Great Bon unless it was an extremely critical battle. Due to this and the fact that the isolation of the plateau made it very difficult for outsiders to gather information, very few people knew of the Heart of the Great Bon.
Dayan Mangban had never imagined that an outsider like Wang Chong would know of the Heart of the Great Bon. He had even prepared six assault teams beforehand meant specifically for targeting the Heart of the Great Bon.
If the Heart of the Great Bon were broken, the White Braves would lose that boost in strength, and the Great Bon Formation itself would lose half its power. This result was not something that Dayan Mangban could accept.
"Daren, Zanbo, go!" Dayan Mangban firmly ordered. No matter what, he had to stop Wang Chong's six assault teams.
"Yes, Milord!"
Two fierce Tibetan generals with pronounced temples immediately took off with a group of cavalry. But they had barely left when the ground rumbled, and a flood of Wushang Cavalry arrived. In a single strike, the group being led by Dayan Mangban's two generals was instantly scattered.
Gallop! As the Wushang Cavalry galloped past, the two Tibetan generals were suddenly bereft of any soldiers.
As Daren and Zanbo looked around at the Wushang Cavalry surrounding them, they instantly paled.
On the other side, Dayan Mangban was boiling with rage, his teeth gnashing together.
For the first time in Dayan Mangban's military career, he had encountered a formation that could equal his Great Bon Formation. Wang Chong's Ten Charges Ten Victories Formation had an offensive power even fiercer and more frightening than the Great Bon Formation.
"Damn it! Brat, hand over your life!"
Dayan Mangban roared and urged his horse forward, his eyes scarlet, seething with killing intent.
With a spirited cry, the muscular divine steed of the Great Snow Mountain charged forward like a shooting star. Bangbangbang!Wherever it passed, Wushang Cavalry were sent flying like ragdolls.
Several of the Wushang Cavalry screamed as they were sent flying from their horses seven or eight zhang into the air by Dayan Mangban's Stellar Energy. None of the Wushang Cavalry could take even a single blow from him, much less stop him.
"Hahaha, Dayan Mangban, if you want to fight, I'll fight you! All soldiers, hear my order! Disperse!"
The sight of Dayan Mangban charging toward him like some demon god made Wang Chong's eyes brighten. Not only did he feel no fear, he relished the opportunity.
Dayan Mangban was the core of the formation and also the target of Wang Chong's operation. If he could kill him, he could complete his mission and vanquish this threat to Qixi.
Neigh!
The cry of Wang Chong's White-hoofed Shadow drowned the cries of the other warhorses. After almost a year, Wang Chong's horse had fully matured. It was tall and stalwart, bulging with muscle, and through Wang Chong's special methods, the Stellar Energy circulating within it filled Little Shadow's body with explosive strength.
Its strength and speed, the toughness of its flesh, and its defensive capabilities all surpassed those of ordinary warhorses. It was completely capable of going blow-for-blow with Dayan Mangban's divine steed bestowed by the Great Snow Mountain.
Rumble! Wave after wave of Stellar Energy flowed into the White-hoofed Shadow, and Wang Chong's halos resonated as he merged with his horse. His speed was instantly raised to the extreme, and he began to drag a white trail of energy behind like he was a comet.
"Good!"
Dayan Mangban was only too elated to see this sight.
"Since you're seeking death, you have no one else to blame!"
Boom! Dayan Mangban urged on his horse even faster. As countless people watched, Wang Chong and Dayan Mangban approached each other at terrifying speeds, and then crashed against each other.
Bang!
The moment these two comets collided, another stalwart figure immediately entered the stage, colliding only moments after.
The sky itself seemed to be tearing apart as the massive explosion suppressed all other sound. On the edge of the battlefield, the Qixi Protectorate army and the Tibetan warriors not participating in the battle could clearly see an enormous ball of light expanding in the center of the battlefield, a sun descended to the mortal realm.
Bang!
Winds raged across the battlefield, and at the edge of the explosion of light, countless Wushang Cavalry and White Braves unable to flee in time were tossed around like weeds.
"Hmph! Where did this obscure little soldier come from! Get out of here!"
Dayan Mangban harshly stared at that mountainous figure that had charged behind Wang Chong, and he turned his spear and thrust it at Li Siye.
Boom! Stellar Energy sprayed everywhere as Li Siye brought his massive Wootz Steel sword to block the spear. His Ferghana steed whinnied as it was incessantly pushed back by the enormous strength of the blow, but the blow was still successfully blocked.
"Haha, Dayan Mangban, he's not the nameless sol
dier you say he is! Li Siye, let's kill him together!"
Wang Chong internally gave a long sigh of relief. Dayan Mangban might have been the Asura War God of the Ü-Tsang Empire, and even a future King of Generals, but in the history books of another timeline, Li Siye had been the Invincible Great General!
Buzz!
The air began to ring out around Wang Chong and the image of the sun and moon appeared to Wang Chong's right and left. Without hesitation, Wang Chong activated the Great Yinyang Heaven Creation Art.
Rumble! In a radius of one hundred zhang, the air began to rapidly rotate under Wang Chong's control. The powerful attractive force began to pull on Dayan Mangban's Stellar Energy, jolting and almost ripping it out of his body.
When Dayan Mangban focused his mind and attempted to steady his Stellar Energy, Wang Chong suddenly slashed, his sword flashing.
"Hand over your life!"
Without any additional words, Li Siye leveled his sword and unleashed a storm of energy. Fierce gales immediately began to howl, shrouding the entire area in a cloud of dust and gravel.
The moment the winds began to howl, Li Siye's Wootz Steel sword cut through the air, slashing toward Dayan Mangban with the power of a storm.
Boom! An invisible wall of Stellar Energy erected itself around Dayan Mangban, repelling both Wang Chong's and Li Siye's attacks. Dayan Mangban's gaze was dark and cruel, his eyes exuding the sharpness of ten thousand swords.
"Wang Chong, even if you call over ten, one hundred, or one thousand people, it's all useless! Your life will end here today!"
Chapter 785: Clash of Champions!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
"Is that so?"
A sneer came out of the wind. Before Dayan Mangban could finish speaking, floomf! A violet flame shot of the skies and wrapped around Dayan Mangban's Stellar Energy barrier, setting it aflame.
"Ah!"
Dayan Mangban let out a low yelp. He had immediately sensed that his internal Stellar Energy was being burned away, and even though he was at the Saint Martial realm, he could do nothing against this strange violet flame.