Chi Weisi smiled and said, “Heh, His Highness was also taking precautions. If it had been possible, I would have preferred fighting on the battlefield.”
In all things, preparation led to success and lack of preparation led to failure. Wang Chong had also not known that Abutong would appear, but he had still called Chi Weisi back and planted him in the Penal Court soldiers. It was just his habit to be so cautious.
“The Tongluo aren’t that easy to persuade. They’re simply moving according to what benefits them. Right now, our first priority is to find a way to help Wang Chong break this stalemate!” Zhangchou Jianqiong said.
When the nest was overturned, would the eggs still be safe? If they didn’t stop the First Prince, countless people would be dragged into this mess, and Zhangchou Jianqiong could not even guarantee his own safety. This was one of the reasons he had appeared here.
“Hyah!”
With these thoughts in mind, Zhangchou Jianqiong quickly began to head back.
“Everyone, listen up! We’re heading for the Imperial Palace’s West Gate!”
Zhangchou Jianqiong charged off with his two thousand soldiers, passing through the open gate of the Imperial Palace and heading for the West Gate.
The Imperial Palace of the Great Tang had four main gates: East, South, West, and North. The one that King Qi and the other officials used to enter and exit the palace was known as the Palace Gate, but to be more precise, this was the South Gate. The East Gates and West Gates could also be used, but they were much less famous than the South Gate.
One of his old subordinates couldn’t help but worriedly ask, “Milord, the Tongluo still haven’t left. What do we do if they…”
“Relax; Abusi and the Tongluo regard promises far more importantly than we do. If not, the Tongluo Cavalry would have never become renowned throughout the world!”
As Zhangchou Jianqiong spoke, a massive black halo erupted from beneath his feet and spread to all his soldiers. The strength of these two thousand elites exploded as they rushed toward the West Gate.
Not long after Zhangchou Jianqiong had gone, Chi Weisi smiled and glanced in the direction of the Qian, Center, and Kun Gates. But instead of heading there, he passed through the gates and rode off in another direction.
This battle had just begun…
He had an even more important task ahead of him!
……
Elsewhere, Wang Chong and Hou Junji silently stared at each other while Miyasame Ayaka, the Fifth Prince, Li Jingzhong, and Fei Yuhan nervously watched.
The ten thousand Tongluo Cavalry had surged over like a massive wave, come to a sudden stop, and then quickly retreated. This short period of time had been packed with twists and turns.
Even though they couldn’t see anything, the shift in the mood told everyone that something had happened with the Tongluo.
After all, given their speed, the Tongluo should have already been attacking the three gates.
Whoosh!
A few seconds later, a gyrfalcon descended and landed amongst the Imperial Army stationed at Hou Junji’s side.
An Imperial Army soldier glanced at the report, paled, and rushed up.
“Milord, bad news! The Tongluo…”
But before he could walk very far, a sharp rebuke exploded in his ears.
“Silence!”
Fei Yuhan suddenly turned his head, and his freezing eyes immediately shut the Imperial Army soldier up.
It was obvious that the Tongluo had withdrawn. Wouldn’t announcing this fact just ruin morale for no reason?
Fei Yuhan naturally would not permit him to do such a thing.
“I truly underestimated you. To think that you would make him withdraw…!”
Hou Junji’s eyes slowly turned grave as he stared at the youth seated across from him.
“Hah, as I said, Senior can persuade him to work for you, and so can I!” Wang Chong indifferently said.
Hou Junji narrowed his eyes, and while his expression remained calm, his mind was in turmoil.
He was forced to sigh in praise of this youth!
The Tongluo Cavalry formed an extremely important part of his plan, but Wang Chong had easily undone their assault. It had been a very long time since he had battled with such an equal.
An invisible energy began to seethe inside Hou Junji’s body, like a precious sword slowly being pulled from its sheath.
It’s been a long time since I last felt like this!
A thought suddenly occurred to Hou Junji.
He was forced to admit that this youth made his blood seethe and boil.
The world continued in silence as Wang Chong and Hou Junji stared, neither of them backing down, neither of them speaking. It was an extreme silence best described with the saying ‘silence reigns, yet still one seems to hear the rumble of thunder’. This sight made everyone’s hearts shiver in fear.
(TN: This saying originates from a poem by Lu Xun, one of the preeminent figures in modern Chinese literature. Originally, the line was meant to represent the silent fury of the suffering masses.)
These two… are just too frightening!
Fei Yuhan felt cold sweat collecting on his temples and dripping down. For a second, he felt that even though there were more than one hundred thousand soldiers doing battle in the capital, all of them were merely pieces on the chess board between the two.
In this game, the two could transform the world with a wave of their hand. Whether these soldiers lived or died in this rebellion depended on just a single thought from one of these two.
As each small piece landed on the board, he felt like peals of thunder were exploding in his heart!
“You’re truly someone who leaves a deep impression! Since ancient times, the heroes have always been the young, and the waves of the river in the back are always pushing down the waves in the front. This one move from you tells me that you don’t disgrace your title as War God,” Hou Junji finally said.
“But even so, you have still failed to break through. In the end, you will lose this battle!
“In addition, it seems that it’s about time.”
Hou Junji smirked at Wang Chong.
Buzz!
Upon hearing this, Wang Chong grimaced. Behind him, Miyasame Ayaka, Li Heng, and Li Jingzhong turned nervous, a sense of ill foreboding surging in their minds.
With the Tongluo withdrawn, they had believed that they had escaped disaster, but from Hou Junji’s reaction, it seemed that this was not so!
Whoosh! Hou Junji reached into his jar with his right hand and removed the fourth piece. As the light of the flickering torches gleamed on the piece, everyone felt like their souls had been seized, and tension completely saturated the air.
Clap!
By the time anyone could react, Hou Junji had already placed his piece on the board. For a moment, the entire world was drained of sound.
Boom! As if in response to the placement of this piece, the sounds of fighting from the depths of the palace drowned out the battles at the Qian, Center, and Kun Gates, and blazing flames soared to the sky.
At almost the same time, a bird descended from the skies and landed amidst Hou Junji’s troops. A few moments later, an excited Imperial Army soldier rushed over.
“Reporting!
“Milord, news from the rear! The Saint Martial Barracks has been broken!”
This short report was like a boulder crashing down, immediately stirring up great waves.
“What?!”
“How could this be? How could the Saint Martial Barracks have been so easily broken?”
The Fifth Prince had originally been very composed, but this news was like a bolt of lightning. His face paled and his body became unsteady.
The Saint Martial Barracks was an important barrier for Taiji Palace. Without the defense of the Saint Martial Barracks, the Sage Emperor was in grave danger.
“Your Highness!”
Li Jingzhong helped up Li Heng in panic.
All of this
had happened too quickly. The King of Foreign Lands should have been able to deal with Hou Junji and the First Prince, and it seemed like many of Hou Junji’s attacks had already been thwarted, so this development had come completely unexpectedly.
To think that the Saint Martial Barracks would fall at a time like this…!
“Kill!”
The cries of fighting from the depths of the Imperial Palace were deafening, and one could hear miserable screams amidst the clashing of weapons. Even though they couldn’t see what was going on, they could tell that the Saint Martial Barracks was in a complete rout.
This force had been smaller than the First Prince’s force, and had only held on using the formation and terrain. But even this stiff resistance had finally reached its limit.
On the other side, Wang Chong’s face had turned exceptionally grim.
Chapter 1774 - The Son of Heaven’s Dragon Guards!
Chapter 1774: The Son of Heaven’s Dragon Guards!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
“Wang Chong, you don’t have much time left! The Saint Martial Barracks has fallen! Can you reverse the tides of the battle in the same way as you did with the Tongluo?!” Hou Junji sternly said.
The mood was heavy as everyone stared at Wang Chong.
At the same time, at the avenue leading to Taiji Palace…
“Kill!”
Furious war cries filled the air as tens of thousands of Imperial Army elites charged forward under the light of numerous torches. Underneath their feet were pools and rivers of blood that packed the air with a thick and pungent scent.
Shattered weapons littered the avenue, alongside the fallen and blood-drenched corpses of both Imperial Army and Saint Martial Barracks soldiers.
At the very end of the avenue, amidst the clashing of metal and Stellar Energy, an army adorned in golden armor and covered in wounds was retreating. With each step they retreated, more of them fell to the ground, never to rise again.
Without the support of the formation, the overwhelmingly outnumbered Saint Martial Barracks was in wholesale retreat.
Clang!
At this moment, far away at the very back, a man wearing an imperial robe and golden boots landed atop a high wall. Escorted by top-class guards, the First Prince had arrived to survey the battlefield.
“Victory is near!”
The First Prince stared at the familiar silhouette of Taiji Palace, a fierce flame burning in his heart. His eyes at this time were so bright that they seemed like miniature suns.
“Once we occupy Taiji Palace, this prince can finally become the true Sovereign of the Nine and Five!”
The First Prince spread apart his arms, allowing his hair and cape to dance in the wind. What did it matter if the Tongluo had failed? In the end, he would still win.
Once this day was over, he would subjugate the entire realm and punish all those who had tried to stop him!
Including the Wang Clan!
“Everyone, hear my order! Attack!”
The First Prince pulled out his sword and pointed it at Taiji Palace. The war cries instantly increased in volume and ferocity, and the soldiers surged forward in a relentless flood.
……
Time continued to pass, and in this suffocating atmosphere, everyone continued to stare at Wang Chong, Hou Junji included.
“Heh.”
After what seemed like an eternity, Wang Chong finally opened his mouth. His eyes moved from Hou Junji to the chess board.
“Even if Senior manages to get through the Saint Martial Barracks, it’s still pointless!”
Buzz!
Everyone on the Eastern Palace side was struck dumb, and even Hou Junji couldn’t help but reveal a sliver of surprise.
It was clear that Wang Chong’s reaction had not been expected, but no one understood what he meant!
Pushing through the Saint Martial Barracks was pointless?
The Saint Martial Barracks was in full retreat, and without them, who could stop the First Prince?
“What does he mean by this?”
Fei Yuhan deeply frowned. He would have heartily laughed if anyone else had said this, but the speaker was Wang Chong, the new War God of the Great Tang. Even the Army-Shattering War God had suffered setbacks several times against this youth.
Everyone knew that he had a deeper meaning behind these words.
While the clamor of fighting continued in the distance, it was eerily quiet here.
“What? Even at this stage, you still think you have a chance?”
Hou Junji quickly regained his composure. Putting down his cup, he smirked.
“Heh, it hasn’t been thirty minutes yet, right?” Wang Chong indifferently said.
He glanced at a nearby bronze burner. Inside the burner was an incense stick, of which only a small portion had yet to burn away. An Imperial Army soldier had brought it up under Hou Junji’s guidance.
“That’s true!”
Hou Junji glanced at that incense stick and seemed to understand. He couldn’t help but grin as he nonchalantly spoke.
“But what does it matter if I give you this meager amount of time?”
The Qian Gate, Center Gate, and Kun Gate, and even the heart of the Imperial Palace, were all under his control. He thought that Wang Chong might be hiding some other move, but it turned out that he was just making a pointless last-ditch struggle.
If that was all Wang Chong had, then even if he were given another whole incense stick to burn for another thirty minutes, he would still end up defeated.
Wang Chong said nothing. Hou Junji’s attitude was obvious, but Wang Chong had no desire to argue.
Reality… could overcome the strongest argument!
With these thoughts in mind, Wang Chong subtly glanced in the direction of Taiji Palace.
……
“Kill!”
Tens of thousands of Imperial Army soldiers charged through the long avenue toward the looming edifice of Taiji Palace.
At this stage, whether they had initially been fooled or not, everyone understood what tonight’s operation meant.
Rebellion was a crime that resulted in the execution of one’s entire clan, so there was no going back. This only emboldened these soldiers to madly throw themselves into battle.
Rumble! An Imperial Army horseman charged forward on his horse, his halo thrumming beneath him.
Boom! His spear slammed into an armored soldier of the Saint Martial Barracks, who screamed as he hurtled through the air like a ragdoll.
Boom! The man landed in an explosion of gore and blood. Around him, more and more Saint Martial Barracks soldiers were falling.
Only six or seven hundred of the Saint Martial Barracks soldiers were left, and they were falling back to Taiji Palace. Once they fell, the way to the supreme center of power in the empire would be open.
From a distance, one could see stalwart figures standing guard on the flawless white jade steps leading to Taiji Palace: the legendary Dragon Guards. Although the Imperial Army was forbidden from approaching Taiji Palace, its soldiers had still heard the tales of the powerful Dragon Guards who protected the Sage Emperor.
But from start to finish, the Dragon Guards had been like statues, standing there motionlessly no matter how fierce the battle was, their feet seemingly rooted to the ground. If one could not sense the power from their bodies, one would have believed that the Dragon Guards had long ago lost their lives, leaving behind only statues.
“This is all there is to the mighty Dragon Guards!”
In the charging army, an Imperial Army elite looked up at these motionless guards with a look of disdain.
All the Imperial Army soldiers revered the Dragon Guards, but these Dragon Guards were so rotten that they only know how to stand. If they didn’t even intervene in this battle, what use were they?
Moreover, there were less than one hundred Dragon Guards. Could they be a match for the tens of thousands of soldiers of the Imperi
al Army?
“Charge! Today is the day I make my name and become a noble!”
The Imperial Army elite raised his sword and roared. Spurring his horse, he joined the flood of soldiers in the charge.
Boom! As tens of thousands of soldiers charged, they produced such a momentum that the world itself seemed to pale.
The remaining Saint Martial Barracks soldiers were quickly scattered, and that Imperial Army elite charged past the rest of the army and up the white steps toward one of the motionless Dragon Guards.
Ten steps, nine steps, six steps, five steps…
The distance was rapidly shrinking, but that Dragon Guard continued to stare in the southeast direction, truly appearing to be a motionless statue.
Three steps, two steps!
The Imperial Army elite’s body blazed with Stellar Energy, and his body brimmed with excitement. But a moment later, a resounding clang exploded in his ears.
The Imperial Army elite’s heart went cold as he looked toward the source of the noise.
At the waist of the Dragon Guard, a broad hand had gripped the hilt of his sword and begun to turn. Turning at the same time was that seemingly petrified Dragon Guard.
As his warhorse charged, the Imperial Army elite finally had a clear view of the Dragon Guard’s eyes. It was a pair of cold and emotionless eyes, gleaming with the sharpness of a blade.
When those eyes stared at him, the Imperial Army elite felt like he had been dropped into an icehouse.
“!!!”
His eyes flew open as the fear of death gripped his heart.
At this moment, the Dragon Guard suddenly struck. No one could see what he did, only that when the Imperial Army elite jumped forward, a bolt of blinding energy shot out of the Dragon Guard’s hand.
Boom!
For a moment, all other sound was drowned out by the roar of this terrifying bolt of energy.
Time seemed to stop, the Imperial Army elite apparently frozen in the air. And then that vicious wave of Sword Qi howled past, cleaving the man and his horse neatly down the middle.
After slicing through that Imperial Army elite, the Sword Qi continued to fly forward, hurtling into the soldiers behind him.
This Sword Qi was more than one thousand feet long, even slicing through the air.
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