The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  Moreover, after consecutive battles, Abu Muslim’s reserves were spent, and even he needed some time to recover.

  ……

  As Wang Chong observed Abu Muslim and the Arab army, Abu Muslim was also observing the halted Tang army.

  Wang Chong’s judgment was correct. Abu Muslim was not faring very well. Using the Eye of the Demon God did not come without a price, and it was no easy feat to fight against four Behemoths at once.

  Abu Muslim was no longer in his peak condition.

  “Have you brought him over?” Abu Muslim suddenly asked without turning his head.

  “Lord Governor, he is here.”

  A brutish voice came from the rear, and then a small mountain of an Arab general threw over a red-robed attendant so thin that he seemed to be made of nothing but bones. With a thump, Masil’s attendant crashed into the ground in a cloud of dust.

  Cough, cough!

  The red-robed attendant got up from the ground, his face stained with blood. The servants and attendants of Masil did not know any martial arts, so their bodies were much weaker. Being tossed to the ground had inflicted significant wounds on him.

  But this red-robed attendant had no time to worry about his injuries. He looked up in fear at the imposing figure before him, his legs trembling as if they were ready to drop him back to the floor at a moment’s notice.

  “Lord… Lord Governor.”

  The attendant’s voice was shaking so badly that it seemed like he was going to cry.

  Abu Muslim slightly frowned, but he quickly put the matter aside.

  “I ask you, what happened with those Behemoths? Their bodies were clearly fine, with no lethal injuries, so why did they abruptly die?”

  The Behemoth Army was the strongest force of the Arabian Empire, far stronger than any other army, and it was the Caliph’s most cherished army. It was precisely for this reason that Abu Muslim had only asked to use the Behemoth Army after finding himself stuck in a stalemate at Talas for two months. But the Behemoths had first been controlled by the enemy, and then they had abruptly died. This news was certain to send an enormous shock through the empire.

  The countries that the empire had conquered might begin to have rebellious thoughts and begin thinking about a revival.

  “Milord, the Behemoths… the Behemoths will die because their brains, their brains are simply not that powerful.”

  The attendant’s voice was panicky, his forehead drenched in sweat. In just a few moments, his hands and feet were soaked.

  “Their brains? What do you mean?”

  As Abu Muslim turned to face the attendant, Ziyad did so as well, his face fraught with confusion. The pressure exerted by the stares of these two commanders made the red-robed attendant even more afraid, and he bowed his head past his waist.

  “I don’t know the specifics. This was only something I happened to hear while serving at Lord Masil’s side…” The attendant quivered, not daring to hide anything. “Although the Behemoths have extremely large bodies, their brains are very small and fragile. They can’t endure the control of Psychic Energy for very long. Thus, unless it was absolutely necessary, Lord Masil did not use Psychic Energy to control the Behemoths. He more often used indirect methods, doing his utmost to maximize the destructive nature of the Behemoths.

  “The Behemoths are powerful, but they’re still essentially beasts that act on instinct. This instinct isn’t a problem when attacking cities or destroying fortifications. One only needs to make sure that the Behemoths don’t get too close to each other.

  “I heard all of this from Lord Masil.”

  The red-robed attendant’s body went stiff from fear as he fell silent.

  Chapter 996 - Forced Retreat!

  Chapter 996: Forced Retreat!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  Abu Muslim and Ziyad glanced at each other, and then these two highest commanders of the Arab army deeply frowned. They had never heard anything about what this red-robed attendant had said, nor did they know that the Behemoths would have such a massive flaw.

  “So a Psychic Energy practitioner will be able to very easily control a Behemoth? And the Behemoths are only dying due to being controlled by Psychic Energy for too long?” Abu Muslim asked.

  Abu Muslim had never imagined that the Tang Qixi Protector-General would be a Psychic Energy expert. It now seemed apparent that this was why Masil had died.

  “That’s not necessarily all.”

  Just when Abu Muslim believed that he knew all the secrets, the red-robed attendant hesitantly spoke up once more.

  “In truth, in truth… when creating the Behemoths, this point was already taken into account. In order to prevent other Psychic Energy experts from controlling the Behemoths, the High Priest placed a seal on the minds of the Behemoths. All the Behemoths can only submit to Lord Masil and receive his orders. If Lord Masil dies, the seals the High Priest planted in the minds of the Behemoths will explode, and the Behemoths will begin to die off… No one can truly control our Behemoths for a very long time.”

  The High Priest!

  This name was like a sharp jab to both Abu Muslim and Ziyad. Fear appeared in their eyes, as well as a deep reverence. Every empire would be home to a few extremely unique existences, and the High Priest was one such existence.

  Abu Muslim had only heard of the High Priest, but he had never had the opportunity to meet him. It was rumored that the High Priest was over two hundred years old. Abu Muslim had even heard of the High Priest when he was still just a boy. Everything regarding this man was an enigma.

  In the Arabian Empire, some people even said that he had obtained Solomon’s legacy. Others said that he had learned the secret to immortality.

  But no matter which rumor was true, there was one thing that was certain. The High Priest possessed supreme authority within the empire. No governor or Great General would dare to offend him.

  In a flash, the area became eerily silent.

  “Milord, if it was that person… then it’s only to be expected.”

  Ziyad’s whispered voice finally broke the silence.

  “。”

  “Mm.”

  Abu Muslim nodded, his expression relaxing. Although he would find it hard to escape the blame for the loss of this battle and the death of Masil, if it was related to that person, then his blame would be much reduced. More importantly, if the High Priest really had created so many safeguards, then this battle was still not a complete loss. There was still a chance to seize the city.

  Abu Muslim looked forward and commanded, “Pass on my order. All soldiers, retreat fifty li!”

  Ziyad and the other Arab generals were all dumbfounded by this order.

  “But, Milord, are we really just giving up?” Ziyad said, clearly unwilling.

  The Burning One was dead, the Reaper was dead, and that other Behemoth had died as well. Of the four Behemoths, only the Consecrated was left. If the Consecrated fell, the Arabs would still have a chance to stage a comeback. Ziyad thought that Abu Muslim would at least stick around to watch for any opportunities to counterattack, but to his surprise, Abu Muslim had ordered an unequivocal retreat.

  “We are not giving up, only reconsolidating the army. Today’s circumstances are extremely unfavorable to us. The four Behemoths were lost, the Skyquaking Army lost half its number, and one hundred thousand soldiers were killed… Whether we want to admit it or not, we can no longer fight today,” Abu Muslim sternly replied.

  He was even more unwilling than Ziyad, and as the army’s highest commander, Abu Muslim did not have the word ‘defeat’ in his dictionary. But there was no changing the reality that he had been defeated.

  The urgent task now was not to continue harassing the Tang. Only the foolhardy would do such a thing. The most important task was digesting the lessons and experiences of the defeat and seeking out a better chance for a counterattack.

  “…Retreat! In this battle, I underestimated that T
ang Qixi Protector-General too much. His effectiveness on this battlefield was far greater than I imagined, and he far surpasses Gao Xianzhi. His thoughts, schemes, courage, insight, and calculation ability make him probably the strongest enemy we have ever faced. If Arabia wishes to conquer the east and unite the continent, this person will be our greatest foe.”

  Abu Muslim sharply stared at the youth on the shoulder of the giant ape.

  At this moment, Abu Muslim felt a slight hint of regret. He had suddenly remembered the scouts he had sent to Qixi. After finishing the scouting of the Western Regions, he had made Qixi and Longxi the next targets. But at the time, Abu Muslim had felt that just destroying Gao Xianzhi and the Anxi Protectorate army would be enough.

  He would still have plenty of time to investigate Qixi and Longxi after defeating Gao Xianzhi, so he had not placed too much emphasis on gathering information on these two areas. Even the matter of Fumeng Lingcha being replaced by this youth had not drawn too much of his attention.

  From this perspective, the seeds of his defeat had been planted long ago.

  “Look at the Consecrated. He has left the Consecrated to stand guard precisely to deal with us. In this battle, he would not give us a single chance, and that won’t change no matter how long we wait around. Retreat!”

  Abu Muslim waved his hand, his voice firm and brooking no objection.

  Rumble! The nearly one hundred thousand Arab cavalry kicked up clouds of dust as they retreated farther into the west.

  In front of the first defense line, around fifty zhang from Talas, the ordered ranks of the Tang army breathed a sigh of relief.

  Both the Great Tang and Arabia had suffered terrible losses from this battle, and all the soldiers were deeply fatigued.

  “Everyone, withdraw!”

  Wang Chong gave a deep glance into the distance and then turned his head, controlling the giant ape into striding toward Talas. In front of Talas, countless soldiers were busy at work, tending to the wounded in the middle of the crowd. Although the Tang had emerged victorious, it had come at a heavy price.

  Countless soldiers and warhorses had been injured by the Behemoths and giants.

  “Milord, how are you doing?”

  Wang Chong jumped down from the giant ape, landing neatly on the ground and swiftly making his way to Gao Xianzhi and Cheng Qianli.

  Both Gao Xianzhi and Cheng Qianli were clearly not doing well. With just a glance, Wang Chong could tell that their armor was in tatters and drenched in blood, their auras ragged and unstable. Let alone the Great General level, they would probably find it very hard to even reach the Saint Martial realm.

  “Bad!” Cheng Qianli shook his head as he supported Gao Xianzhi, his expression filled with concern. “Milord was already injured when fighting the Behemoth, and after his fight with Abu Muslim, his injuries grew even more serious. I’ve already done all I could to use energy to protect his internal organs, but his condition is still poor!”

  Everyone had seen Abu Muslim’s power. His Seventy-Two Demon God Pillars Art was able to contend singlehandedly against the Consecrated, something that probably no one else on the battlefield could do. As for his defense, it was so strong that it could even take the blows of the Behemoths. One could easily imagine the price Gao Xianzhi had to pay for fighting Abu Muslim in his weakened state.

  “Don’t listen to his nonsense. My condition isn’t that serious. I’m not dying yet.”

  Gao Xianzhi waved his hand and managed a feeble smile.

  “Wang Chong, can the Consecrated really not last?”

  “It’s very difficult!”

  Wang Chong shook his head. Gao Xianzhi was injured, but he was as perceptive as ever. It was obvious that he had noticed the problems with the Consecrated.

  “I’ve done all I can to extend its life, but some things can’t be reversed. In at most four days, this giant ape will die,” Wang Chong said.

  “The morale of the entire army is now tied to the giant ape,” Gao Xianzhi said. “If it falls, it will have a massive effect on the army. More importantly, Abu Muslim will not easily give up. Once he notices this opportunity, he will definitely come charging back.” Despite his heavy injuries, he was still most concerned about the battlefield.

  “He won’t get the chance!” Wang Chong indifferently said. “Since he didn’t succeed the first time, he won’t get any more chances in the future.”

  “Don’t get careless. Abu Muslim is far too strong. In our current situation, none of us can stop him. In this period of time, we’ll have to rely on you and General Wang,” Gao Xianzhi said, his heart heavy.

  Gao Xianzhi should have had the strength to stop Abu Muslim, but the situation had changed. If the giant ape were to die as well, very few people remaining in the army would be capable of contending against Abu Muslim.

  “Milord is correct. Milord and I might not be able to help you much more. You will have to depend on yourself.”

  Cheng Qianli was also rather depressed. His injuries were not as serious as Gao Xianzhi’s, but his situation was nothing to cheer about. Ziyad had been stronger than him, and the Ocean Ring he possessed had inflicted heavy wounds on Cheng Qianli each time it had impacted against him. In this battle, they had paid a far greater price than it appeared on the surface.

  “Relax. The situation isn’t as bad as you think.”

  To their surprise, Wang Chong smiled at their words, his expression relaxed.

  Cheng Qianli and Gao Xianzhi stared at each other in surprise, completely failing to understand Wang Chong’s words.

  Chapter 997 - Absorbing the Giant!

  Chapter 997: Absorbing the Giant!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  “Haha, if Milords are just worried about Abu Muslim, there’s no need to worry, because I’ve already thought of a way.”

  Wang Chong faintly smiled.

  Rooooar! At this moment, an earth-shaking bellow grabbed everyone’s attention.

  “Damn Tang, I’ll definitely kill you! You despicable lowlife, using the Behemoth to ambush me. If you have the skill, let me go so we can fight one-on-one! That’s the way of a true warrior!”

  The thunderous voice bursting with anger echoed over the entire battlefield.

  Gao Xianzhi and Cheng Qianli turned to look with raised brows, and what they saw was a fully armored giant nearly thirty meters tall, his hands and feet bound, ranting and raving as he was carried in the hand of the giant ape.

  Wang Chong strode toward the captured King of Giants, Ghareeb Hassam, and stopped before him.

  “Speak! What final words do you have!”

  Wang Chong looked up at the king of giants. Ghareeb Hassam was currently being held upside-down from the giant ape’s hand like a bird in the hand of an enormous butcher.

  Buzz!

  Ghareeb Hassam’s pupils constricted, and the raging anger on his face finally showed a tinge of fear. At this moment, he finally understood that this human was far more frightening than he imagined.

  “Release me. Human, you can’t do this. I’m the King of Giants. You can’t kill me. If you release me, the Caliph will definitely give you a big reward!”

  “Are these your last words?”

  Wang Chong looked up and smiled.

  “No, no! NO! I still have things to say! You can’t treat me like this…”

  Ghareeb Hassam’s face contorted with panic as he tried to get his words out, but Wang Chong had no more time for him.

  “Great Yinyang Heaven Creation Art!”

  Wang Chong’s entire body flashed with light as he raised his hand and pressed it onto Ghareeb Hassam’s head. Like air out of a punctured balloon, the vast sea of energy within Ghareeb Hassam began to pour out and flow into Wang Chong.

  It took more than an hour for Wang Chong to drain the last drop of energy from Ghareeb Hassam. With one last scream, Ghareeb Hassam’s body went limp, the last ember of vitality going out.

  Incredible! I didn’t thi
nk that the King of Giants would have this much energy.

  Wang Chong inwardly rejoiced as he ended the technique. His greatest harvest in this battle was probably this King of Giants. In this battle, Wang Chong had spent a great deal of energy on the constant fighting, but after absorbing the tremendous energy reserves in the giant, not only had he restored all his lost Stellar Energy, he had even risen from Saint Martial Tier 8 to Saint Martial Tier 9, the level of Brigadier Generals.

  Moreover, Wang Chong’s strength had risen so high that he was now only a sliver away from advancing to the peak of the Saint Martial realm, the level of Great Generals.

  “Only one last thing left!”

  Wang Chong exhaled and quickly turned to Cheng Qianli and Gao Xianzhi, who were both slack-jawed and wide-eyed. For Wang Chong to suck the King of Giants dry of Stellar Energy right in front of them was truly unbelievable.

  And as they emerged from their shock, they couldn’t help but feel a tiny sliver of envy and admiration.

  “I finally understand why he didn’t want us to worry,” Cheng Qianli muttered.

  “With this kind of technique, he will be stronger than any of us in the future. Even Abu Muslim might eventually be no match for him,” Gao Xianzhi praised.

  Wang Chong had reached this level of achievement while still only seventeen years old. Any normal person who saw this would definitely feel envious, but not Gao Xianzhi and Cheng Qianli. On the contrary, they were happy and gratified. It was truly a blessing for the Great Tang to have a person like this.

  “Milords, please begin to meditate and cooperate with me…”

  Complying with Wang Chong, both Gao Xianzhi and Cheng Qianli seated themselves, crossed their legs, and calmed their minds. The moment they were prepared, Wang Chong pressed his slender palms on their backs.

  A torrent of Stellar Energy immediately began to pour into them, causing their auras to rapidly swell and assisting them in repairing their damaged organs and meridians.

  After a while, white steam began to rise from their heads, and Wang Chong finally drew back his hands.