Chapter 203: Crisis
Translator: KurazyTolanzuraytor Editor: Lucas
Outside the Imperial City outer city, on a vast, empty space, the group of armored soldiers were like a dark cloud that enveloped the city as they gathered together with an imposing manner that pierced through the sky.
"These are the reinforcement troops? Looks to be only around 10,000 people…Seems a bit little, right?" Xiao Yu gazed at the neatly aligned group of soldiers that stood in the distance as he frowned.
Duan Ling Tian spurred his horse to arrive beside Xiao Yu as he said, with a light smile, "Soldiers are valued for their quality rather than their numbers."
He was able to discern that these soldiers were completely different from ordinary soldiers, as every one of them emitted a valiant aura. Moreover, their cultivation levels were obviously not low.
Xiao Xun’s gaze focused as he slowly said, "Xiao Yu, you better not look down on this 10,000 man army, because even if they were surrounded and attacked by an army of a few hundred thousand ordinary soldiers, they would still easily charge out of the encirclement!"
"Could it that this is the Crimson Wyrm Army under the command of the Divine Might Marquis, Grand General Nie Yuan?" Xiao Yu looked at the group of soldiers beside him that brought them out of the city, and only now did he notice that a crimson wyrm pattern was inscribed on the armors of all these soldiers.
This type of armor was precisely the symbol of the Crimson Wyrm Army!
"You only just noticed?" Duan Ling Tian shook his head and smiled, as he’d noticed this long ago.
The Crimson Wyrm Army, one of the three elite armies under the command of the Divine Might Marquis, Cavalry Grand General Nie Yuan. And every one of these three elite armies only had 10,000 soldiers.
Among these 10,000 soldiers, they were normally all martial artists above the seventh level of the Core Formation Stage. Some of the Decurions and Centurions amongst them were even existences at the Origin Core Stage…As for the Captains, they were all existences at the Nascent Soul Stage!
In next to no time, the group of Paladin Academy students, including Duan Ling Tian, gathered with the other soldiers of the Crimson Wyrm Army.
Right at this moment, a tall, young man wearing silver light armor spurred his horse forward.
His cold gaze swept past the group of Paladin Academy students as he spoke with a tranquil voice. "Greetings. I’m the commander of the reinforcement army that will be heading to the northwest border’s battlefield this time. I’m Nie Fen!"
Nie Fen!
The son of the Divine Might Marquis!
An existence that was like one who was favored by the god.
The gazes of most of the Paladin Academy students shone when they heard Nie Fen introduce himself.
"He’s Nie Fen?"
"As expected of the Divine Might Marquis’ son, such extraordinary bearing. Allegedly, this Nie Fen only recently graduated from our Paladin Academy a few months ago, and he was already a fifth level Origin Core martial artist when he graduated."
"A 26-year-old fifth level Origin Core martial artist… Such natural talent. I’m afraid that within the younger generation of the Crimson Sky Kingdom, only Duan Ling Tian and Xu Qing can surpass him."
"This time both Duan Ling Tian and Xu Qing have joined the reinforcement troops, and thus the three great geniuses of the Crimson Sky Kingdom’s younger generation are gathered together here!"
...
Some of the Paladin Academy students whispered in discussion.
Duan Ling Tian’s brows knitted. Xu Qing came as well?
After glancing at the surrounding people, he found Xu Qing within the crowd of people. Currently, Xu Qing didn’t have his former edge, but instead had a trace of being reserved. He seemed to have changed quite a bit.
"Let me warn you all beforehand! Although you’re all Paladin Academy students, from this moment onwards, you’re considered to have joined my Crimson Wyrm Army, so you must obey military orders. If anyone disobeys military orders, then they will be dealt with by military discipline! Now, someone will give each of you Crimson Wyrm Army armor. Put it on quickly." Nie Fen’s high voice continued to echo out, and he spurred his horse to leave once he finished speaking.
Beside Nie Fen was an old man with a pair of narrow eyes. He wore casual clothing and sat atop a horse as well. He followed Nie Fen wherever he went as if he was Nie Fen’s shadow.
No one noticed that at the exact instant the Nie Fen turned around, Nie Fen’s gaze seemed to pierce through the layers of obstructions and descend upon a violet-clothed figure within the group of Paladin Academy students.
Noticing Nie Fen’s gaze, Duan Ling Tian lightly nodded to him.
In next to no time, Duan Ling Tian, Xiao Yu, and Xiao Xun had changed into the Crimson Wyrm Army’s armor.
The armor looked cumbersome, but in actuality it was light and handy, and once worn it didn’t affect the wearer’s movements in any way. Moreover, it could still act as a defense to a certain degree.
"You two look just like real soldiers after putting the armor." Duan Ling Tian looked at Xiao Yu and Xiao Xun and lightly smiled, as after the two of them put on the Crimson Wyrm Army’s armor, they really looked exactly like soldiers of the army.
"Aren’t you the same?" Xiao Xun and Xiao Yu looked over at Duan Ling Tian.
The current Duan Ling Tian had sword-shaped eyebrows that slanted upwards, a handsome face that revealed a trace of coolness, and after putting a fitting suit of armor, his entire person seemed majestic and had an extraordinary bearing.
Duan Ling Tian’s gaze focused, and a heartfelt smile appeared on the corners of his mouth.
Even though he’d experienced two lifetimes and had seen many grand scenes in his previous lifetime, he couldn’t help but feel excited in his heart right now.
A gale has risen and is sweeping the clouds across the sky, and the soldier sets out on his journey of no return!
"Set out!" Right at this moment, Nie Fen, who was the Crimson Wyrm Army’s commander, abruptly ordered, and his loud voice was like a clap of thunder that entered everyone’s ears.
Subsequently, the army that was formed from the gathering of over 10,000 people rode their steeds as they dashed out in a thunderous charge! Everywhere they passed, the earth quaked and the hills swayed.
They set out early in the morning and stopped for some time to rest at noon before continuing on their journey. Only when the sun set in the west did the Crimson Wyrm Army stop under the orders of the commander Nie Fen and made camp within the desolate wilderness to pass the night.
Under the illumination of the campfires, tents rose up one after the other and formed a dense mass of tents.
Duan Ling Tian, Xiao Yu, and Xiao Xun had currently joined forces to construct a small tent, and this would be the place they stayed in tonight.
"Hmm?" Suddenly, Duan Ling Tian frowned, as his sensitive Spiritual Force told him that there was a gaze that was occasionally descending onto his figure.
When he glanced over, what entered his eyes was a group of Crimson Wyrm Army soldiers, and he was utterly incapable of knowing who exactly was looking at him.
"This gaze seemed to have once descended on me at the moment I changed into the Crimson Wyrm Army armor…Who the heck is it?" Duan Ling Tian was puzzled in her heart.
He could be sure that the owner of this gaze wasn’t Nie Fen, and it wasn’t a Paladin Academy student either.
Meanwhile, the tent’s construction was completed, and Duan Ling Tian didn’t think about it any longer, as he sat around the campfire before their tent with Xiao Yu and Xiao Xun.
Presently, the group of Crimson Wyrm Army soldiers and some of the Paladin Academy students had already withdrawn some dried rations and were chewing on them.
Xiao Xun took out some dry rations as well and shared some with Xiao Yu before passing some over to Duan Ling Tian.
"Eating this is so not nourishing." Duan Ling Tian didn’t receive the dry rations. He had a face full of dislike before raising his hand and withdrawing a large, square block of ice….
Under Xiao Xun and Xiao Yu’s bewildered gazes, Duan Ling Tian placed the ice beside the campfire. The ice quickly melted, and the suckling pig within revealed its true appearance.
"F**k! Duan Ling Tian, the space within your Spatial Ring is only so big, but you actually still brought this?" Xiao Xun couldn’t help but swear and was stupefied.
Xiao Yu was stunned as well.
As far as they knew, a common Spatial Ring would only have a cubic meter worth of space, and one basically couldn’t place many frozen suckling pigs like this within it.
"Hurry up and help me cut it up! Do you two not want to eat it?" Duan Ling Tian tossed the suckling pig in his hand to Xiao Xun and glared at him as he spoke.
Xiao Xun received the heavy sucking pig and grinned. "Of course I want to eat it! If there’s meat to eat, who would still eat those damned dried rations!"
Meanwhile, Duan Ling Tian withdrew a few long, iron skewers and a pile of condiments and salt.
Om!
Duan Ling Tian’s hand flashed past his waist and his Violet Myrtle Flexible Sword whistled out. With the assistance of Xiao Xun, he quickly cut up the suckling pig that had been cleaned before freezing.
"Duan Ling Tian, you don’t seem like you’re going to battle; it seems like you’re going on vacation instead." Xiao Yu shook his head and smiled as he used the iron skewer to pierce through a large piece of suckling pig meat. After placing it to roast on the campfire, he sprinkled some salt and condiments on it.
"We only managed to get a chance to come out here with great difficulty, so we can’t inconvenience ourselves. If we eat those few pieces of dried rations, where would we get our strength from?" Duan Ling Tian revolved the iron skewer in his hand and had a smile on his face as he roasted the meat.
In next to no time, the smell of the suckling pig in the hands of Duan Ling Tian’s group of three suffused into the air….
"F**k! Where’s this fragrant smell coming from?"
"Isn’t this the smell of roasted suckling pig? Who’s eating roasted suckling pig?"
"It’s Duan Ling Tian’s group! They really know how to enjoy, actually bringing along some suckling pig to roast."
"As expected of the genius disciple that the Duan Clan keeps in high regard. It’s so convenient to have a Spatial Ring."
...
The group of Paladin Academy students all glanced at Duan Ling Tian’s direction with envy, and their saliva poured onto the ground.
Compared to the group of Paladin Academy students, the group of Crimson Wyrm Army soldiers were much more composed. They continued to maintain their campfires as they ate their dried rations, then they entered their tents to rest once they finished eating.
"Satisfying!" Xiao Xun bit the roasted suckling pig and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
Duan Ling Tian and Xiao Yu both ate the meat with large bites and had faces full of delight.
"If only there was some wine to drink now." Xiao Xun’s gaze shone.
The nearby Paladin Academy students were completely speechless when they heard what Xiao Xun said.
It really was like how the saying goes, a man whose heart is not content is like a snake which tries to swallow an elephant. [1]
We don’t even have roast suckling pig to eat, but you’re still not satisfied when you’re biting roasted suckling pig, and you still want to drink wine?
Don’t irritate people like this!
However, all these Paladin Academy students were stunned in the next moment, as they saw Duan Ling Tian extend out his hand, and three wine jugs appeared in his hand out of thin air….
"There naturally can’t be a lack of wine while eating meat. Come, drink!" Duan Ling Tian said, with a smile.
"Duan Ling Tian, you really brought wine!" Xiao Xun fiercely gulped down a mouthful of saliva with a pleasantly surprised expression, then he took the wine jug with Xiao Xu and starting to drink in large mouthfuls….
Under the gazes of what seemed like a group of hungry wolves, the three of them ate meat and drank wine as they ate voraciously, only stopping after a long time.
"So full!" In next to no time, the entire roast suckling pig was completely eaten by the three of them, and three empty wine jugs were thrown to the side as well.
"I’m going to ease myself," Xiao Xun said, before running into the nearby bushes to ease himself.
After Xiao Xun and Xiao Yu went to ease themselves in succession, Duan Ling Tian walked out as well….
However, Duan Ling Tian had only just stepped into the bushes when his Spiritual Force became vigilant. He could feel a burst of danger slowly approaching, as if it would descend upon him at any moment.
After taking in a deep breath, Duan Ling Tian’s body jerked and he directly flashed forward.
Spirit Serpent Movement Technique!
And right at this moment, sparse sounds sounded from behind as an able-bodied figure flashed out and passed Duan Ling Tian in the blink of an eye before blocking Duan Ling Tian’s path.
This was a middle-aged man wearing a Crimson Wyrm Army soldier’s armor, and his eyes flickered with a ghastly stream of light under the night sky.
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[1] TL Note: A saying which means someone who’s extremely greedy.