Chapter 158: Chapter 157: Planning the Escape
Translator: 549690339
Puft!
Despite Yang Yunhui’s struggles, the flash of a sword led to his head soaring into the sky, his body tumbled from the horseback to the ground, causing a cloud of dust.
The commander of the Guard Command Department, considered a respectable authority, was killed by Pei Xuanjing as effortlessly as one would crush an ant, despite the fact that he, himself, was a third-grade martial artist.
Perhaps he had been in a lofty position for too long, or perhaps he had often relied on his massive army to intimidate adversaries stronger than him, or perhaps he relied too heavily on the power of his soldier company, or perhaps he believed too much in his unrivaled tactical genius…
Regardless of the reason, when Pei Xuanjing’s sword descended, Yang Yunhui had no surprises to offer. He was as easy to kill as the ordinary soldiers that Pei Xuanjing effortlessly eradicated.
Under the Shenxiao sword, all beings are equal.
Yang Yunhui’s decapitated head flew high into the air , his eyes wide-open in shock, filled with unwillingness and regret.
All his plots, all his tricks fell into nothingness.
He thought he had escaped a catastrophe, only to face a more terrifying enemy.
Pei Xuanjing flicked his blade lightly, shaking off the blood, stood proudly with his robes billowing in the wind. He looked around at the astonished and frightened soldiers, shook his head slightly, and then sheathed his sword.
He turned and walked towards his horse. The soldiers were awed by his imposing manner and involuntarily stepped back, opening a path for him.
He walked slowly, step by step. The soldiers’ eyes followed Pei Xuanjing’s every move, frozen in place as if time had stopped.
Wherever he passed, no one dared to stand in his way!
Pei Xuanjing mounted his horse, whipping the reins of his horse and galloping away, his horse hooves causing a cloud of dust.
Only after Pei Xuanjing’s figure disappeared from sight did the soldiers finally come to their senses as if a spell had been lifted, and a wave of chaotic noise erupted.
“How could this happen? Who among you can tell me how the situation has become like this?” Ning King, Zhu Chenhao, who wore full armour, stood angrily in the military tent, berating his generals.
At this moment, Zhu Chenhao did not possess the confidence he had three days ago. His face was gloomy, his heart filled with rage, unable to understand how a favorable situation suddenly turned sour.
Ten days earlier, he received a sudden report that his central camp in Nan Gan had been attacked by Wang Boan.
Baffled and alarmed, he immediately led his army to return and lend assistance, only to encounter Wang Boan’s troops three days ago.
Even in the rush of his return, Zhu Chenhao had still managed to gather a massive army of 500,000, facing a mere 100,000 troops of the enemy. He had a numerical advantage, and to anyone it seemed like victory was at hand.
But when it seemed like nothing could go wrong, a catastrophy had occurred.
Zhu Chenhao’s 500,000 troops fought Wang Boan’s 100,000 soldiers. After a day and night of fighting, Zhu Chenhao’s army was defeated and driven back by the enemy.
That’s why Zhu Chenhao was angrily questioning his officers.
“1 want to know, how could any of you, generals renowned for being veteran warriors, end up in this state under the lead of Wang Boan?” Zhu Chenhao asked in a cold tone.
He had long heard of Wang Boan’s fame. The man was born into a prominent family, and early in his life he became a scholar-official. However, after offending Liu Jin, he had been demoted and exiled from Tiandu, his father ruined alongside him.
Later, if it hadn’t been for Wang Qiong, the Minister of War, who took a liking to him, he might have spent his entire life in obscurity in Nandu.
Despite every obstacle he faced, Wang Boan displayed incredible strength when he rooted out bandits in Nan Gan. But how could such a small force of 100,000 soldiers defeat his army of 500,000?
This was something Zhu Chenhao could not fathom.
Actually, not only was Zhu Chenhao at a loss, but almost everyone present couldn’t understand.
The generals were clueless. They didn’t know why a supposedly won battle had suddenly turned into a loss.
“My lord, since a direct approach doesn’t work, we might have to resort to other means.” The white-robed monk, Liu Yangzheng, his eyes flashing with a cold light, said in a low tone.
Seeing his trusted advisor speaking up, Zhu Chenhao’s anger eased a bit, and he asked: “Advisor, what’s your plan?”
The white-robed monk Liu Yangzheng spoke in a cold tone: “Let the people of the Underworld strike down Wang Boan. Only then can we break this stalemate.”
Originally, Liu Yangzheng admired Wang Boan greatly. He even wanted to advise Zhu Chenhao to win him over for their cause after their army conquered Nan Du.
However, before they could act, Wang Boan surprisingly gathered an army to resist them, becoming an enemy. If that were the case, there was no reason to leave him alive.
Having heard Liu Yangzheng’s words, Zhu Chenhao nodded in agreement.
“King Chujiang, I am now looking forward to the good news from the Underworld.” he said to King Chujiang.
All the officers present were his loyal followers, and they were well-aware of the collaboration with the Underworld.
“My lord, leave everything to us.” King Chujiang confidently took on the task.
Since the beginning of the rebellion, King Chujiang of the Underworld had become the liaison between both parties. He led a few experts from the Underworld and followed the march of the main army.
They had been invincible along the way, breaking down cities and seizing territories with ease. The Underworld also contributed significantly. If it wasn’t for their assassination of the hard-line resistance, their victories wouldn’t have been so smooth.
Liu Yangzheng was deeply familiar with Wang Boan, and he said to Chu Jiang Wang, “I understand Wang Boan well, and you must not underestimate him. He’s not just a great scholar; he’s also extraordinarily accomplished in martial arts. More than a decade ago, he had already reached the realm of the third-grade master. Rumors have long claimed that he has broken through to the second-class realm. In my view, given his talent, breaking into the realm of first-grade martial artist would not be surprising.”
Liu Yangzheng found Wang Boan a mystery. A renowned scholar with potential for a unique school of Confucianism, he was also an exceptional martial artist who advanced quickly in his training. What was most strange, however, was despite his obsession with entering officialdom, he was not interested in using his martial arts skills to gain power. He had earned all his promotions through his administrative skills.
This kind of contradictory existence surprised Liu Yangzheng.
A first-grade martial artist.
Hearing Liu Yangzheng•s analysis, Chu Jiang Wang also fell silent. It was hard for him to understand why a possible first-grade martial artist would behave like this. After all, he himself was only a second-class martial artist.
However, he stopped underestimating the situation and promised, “In that case, we’ll have to invite the Ghost Emperor himself.”
During this campaign, the Underworld had sent a real expert–the central Ghost Emperor of Five Ghost Emperors..