The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  “Bastard!”

  A few hours later, Duwu Sili flicked the blood off his wrists and strode out of his tent, his mouth spitting curses.

  “Does he really think I won’t dare to kill him? If you still won’t speak, I’ll kill and capture another person. I can ask them for the secret of formation phenomena just the same.”

  Duwu Sili’s eyes glowed with anger.

  As a supreme Great General of the Western Turks, Duwu Sili rarely found a foe he could not deal with. He had even defeated An Sishun, much less any others. But this Tang called Chen Bin had received all manner of torture, yet had still refused to divulge the secret he desired.

  Duwu Sili was furious, but also defeated. Duwu Sili found it impossible to understand how some nameless soldier could be so stubborn, refusing to speak his secrets despite all the torture being inflicted upon him.

  Duwu Sili called over the emaciated shaman, his voice one of barely suppressed anger.

  “Treat him. Make sure that not a single wound remains. At sunrise, I need him to be perfectly unharmed so that the interrogation can continue.”

  “Yes, Milord,” the shaman lightly replied, neither nodding nor shaking his head as he silently walked into the tent.

  As Duwu Sili walked out of the tent, laughter came from within, bursting with ridicule and the resolve to die.

  “Haha, Duwu Sili, come! No matter how much torture you inflict, if I say a single word, I wouldn’t be fit to be a Han, much less a subordinate of Lord Marquis! Let me tell you, obtaining the secret of formation phenomena is just wishful thinking!”

  “Bastard!”

  Duwu Sili’s eyes turned vicious, and his fists creaked and cracked. A surge of killing intent appeared in his eyes for a brief moment, but in the end, Duwu Sili restrained himself. His muscular and steely fists finally relaxed.

  I’ll let it go a little longer before killing you!

  With this thought, Duwu Sili took his leave.

  “Great General, it’s bad!”

  As Duwu Sili began to leave the tent, a cloud of dust and the sound of horse hooves began to approach him. Before his warhorse had even come to a full stop, the rider jumped down and rushed to kneel before Duwu Sili.

  “The scouts on the front lines have sent a report that a large force of enemy soldiers is rapidly approaching. We estimate their numbers to be five thousand, and they seem very much like the Great Tang’s Wushang Cavalry. The scouts are currently working on getting a more detailed report. General Hulangye has sent word asking for Great General to please make a decision!”

  “What?!”

  Duwu Sili immediately grimaced at these words. After sending a letter, Wang Chong was now leading an army. Duwu Sili had not expected his foe’s reaction to be so fast. And he was making such a ruckus for just a single subordinate.

  “Pass on my order. Gather the army and have them stand ready for combat! In addition, call the Celestial Wolf Cavalry and have them follow me!” Duwu Sili sternly commanded.

  In a flash, the Western Turkic camp became harsh and stern, all the soldiers readying to face a powerful foe.

  The Wushang Cavalry!

  They might not have known of this name two days ago, but now, all of them knew the name of this supreme fighting force. This was a strength that was even able to defeat the Celestial Wolf Cavalry and the Tibetan Mutri Great Cavalry.

  Although no one voiced these words out loud, they had all privately begun to wonder if this force was the strongest force of cavalry in the continent.

  Whoosh!

  As the golden wolf banner at the front of the Turkic camp blew in the wind, a fully-armored Duwu Sili rode forth on his mighty Turkic steed. Around and behind him were the Celestial Wolf Cavalry wearing their savage armor, and farther behind were the intimidating ranks of elite Turkic cavalry.

  Chapter 1003 - Clash!

  Chapter 1003: Clash!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  Under the fluttering banner, the tens of thousands of Turkic cavalry, led by Duwu Sili, looked in a single direction. The darkness was quiet, as if nothing was happening, but it was permeated with an air of unease. Everyone knew that in that direction, at the very limits of their vision, the illustrious and dreadful Wushang Cavalry were galloping toward them.

  A faint rumbling came from the distance, which rapidly intensified until it seemed like it was a vast landslide approaching. Beneath the feet of Duwu Sili, the ground began to tremble.

  “They’re here!” a Western Turkic general suddenly said.

  There was no need for him to say any more. If one looked in the direction of Talas to the west, one could see a roiling flood of black steel approaching, moving as quickly as lightning. Leading this army was the enormous dragon banner of the Great Tang, which exuded an intimidating aura as it fluttered in the wind.

  The Great Tang of the Central Plains!

  This was not the first time the Turks had heard of this country, nor was it the first they had ever fought with them. Before today, they had always regarded this country with a little scorn and disdain. But then, they had seen the Great Tang reverse the tides of this Battle of Talas, sweeping away Abu Muslim and his vast Arab army. Now, all of them felt fear and shock.

  This name now held a completely different weight.

  “Shamask, Chekun Benba, listen for my order. Get ready to fight at any moment!” Duwu Sili said, gazing into the distance.

  “Yes, Milord!”

  The two bowed and affirmed. Shamask in particular was burning with a desire for battle.

  “Milord, be at ease. This general will do his utmost!” Shamask declared.

  In the battle with the Wushang Cavalry, Shamask had lost all his dignity. This matter was now in the past, but it remained an enormous disgrace for Shamask. He spent every moment thinking of ways to wipe away this smear on his record.

  Time slowly passed, the atmosphere turning more solemn. As the Turks watched, Wang Chong and his Wushang Cavalry approached with astonishing speed. Eight thousand zhang, six thousand zhang, four thousand zhang, two thousand zhang… Wang Chong finally stopped.

  The two armies stood in a distant standoff, the air between them saturated with tension. The countless gray wolves in the Turkic camp bared their teeth and prepared to attack. The Turkic elites were even more nervous than the wolves, their bodies tensed up, their eyes focused, and their sweating hands tightly gripping their weapons.

  The sight of the Tang sweeping unstoppably through the Arabs had left a deep fear on each of their hearts. In comparison, Wang Chong’s Wushang Cavalry were far more composed and leisurely.

  “Great General, have you thought about my proposal?”

  At a distance of more than one thousand zhang, Wang Chong rode up on his White-hoofed Shadow and cut straight to the point. His sharp voice cut like a knife through the darkness, shattering the silence between the two armies.

  “Hmph!”

  Duwu Sili glared at Wang Chong and rode forward, sweeping his halberd before him.

  “Brat! I have no idea what you’re talking about, but there is one thing I know. That you dared to come to my door and find me means that you are so reckless that you have no idea what death is. You escaped me last time, but I’d like to see who can save you now!”

  Duwu Sili’s eyes exploded with killing intent.

  Wang Chong’s strength was insufficient, but he had a mountain of schemes and tricks. His Godking Yama transformation only made him a basic Great General, yet he had been able to stop a peak Great General like Duwu Sili. The mere mention of this filled Duwu Sili with shame. Although he was after the formation phenomena, Duwu Sili wouldn’t mind if he could kill Wang Chong in the process.

  “Hahaha…”

  Wang Chong heartily chuckled at Duwu Sili’s words. Not only was he unafraid, he even rode a few more steps forward.

  “Since that’s the case, Great General, why don’t you try?”

  “Impudent!”

&n
bsp; Duwu Sili’s pupils constricted as his body exploded with rage. Boom! While everyone was still under the impression that the opposing commanders were still exchanging ‘pleasantries’, unconsciously believing that they were not yet going to fight, Duwu Sili suddenly shot forward in a flash of light, creating a sonic boom in the air around him. Duwu Sili used the Celestial Wolf’s Divine Procession to transform into a black beam of light that thundered toward Wang Chong.

  The power behind this attack was terrifying. As his black halberd moved, it cut through the air like it was water, and the air in a radius of several dozen zhang around him began to twist and contort into black fissures that seemed to reach into the underworld.

  Even more frightening was the destructive energy contained within the halberd. As Duwu Sili moved forward, he was like a giant plough digging through the earth, and countless rocks and bits of earth exploded in every direction, leaving behind large pits and holes.

  “Great General!”

  Even Shamask and Chekun Benba were alarmed by this abrupt attack. By the time they reacted, Duwu Sili was already in front of the Tang army, unleashing his heaven-shaking attack on Wang Chong.

  “Lord Marquis!”

  “Not good!”

  The Wushang Cavalry were similarly alarmed. No one had expected Duwu Sili to abruptly attack.

  But Wang Chong was not surprised at all.

  Wang Chong faintly smiled as he countered.

  Boom!

  In a flash of light and howl of wind, the Godking Yama appeared and clashed with Duwu Sili. For a moment, the entire world seemed like it would tear apart, enormous shockwaves and explosions forcing the Wushang Cavalry and Turks to back up while covering their ears.

  A cold snort could be heard amidst the fierce winds, and Wang Chong’s Godking Yama could be seen standing firm in its position. Duwu Sili, on the other hand, was forced back a distance before stabilizing himself in the air.

  Silence!

  The battlefield was deathly still.

  Everyone felt their hearts leaping into their throats. That battle had simply been too fast, ending before they had even finished reacting. When one reached the cultivation level of Wang Chong or Duwu Sili, many soldiers could only look up in fear and admiration. No one besides Wang Chong and Duwu Sili knew the exact specifics of that battle.

  “This foul brat!”

  As Duwu Sili sat upon his black divine steed, floating in the air, a sharp and savage killing intent flickered through his eyes. He appeared calm on the outside, but great waves were raging in his mind. He clearly understood what had transpired. Duwu Sili was one of the strongest Great Generals of the world, and this point was beyond question. Although he was still a little lacking compared to someone like the Governor of Iron and Blood Abu Muslim, he undoubtedly surpassed Wang Chong.

  But this attack that had contained all his power had been firmly blocked by Wang Chong, and without the use of any technique or skill. In just a day, the Godking Yama had ascended to a whole new level of strength.

  “Just what in the world happened? How did this brat’s strength rise so quickly!”

  Duwu Sili clenched his fists in disbelief.

  In that exchange just now, he had been floating in the air using the Celestial Wolf’s Divine Procession, not firmly planted on the ground like Wang Chong, so he had been in the more disadvantageous position. But there was no question that Wang Chong’s strength had risen to the point where it could equal his own.

  Duwu Sili found this simply unacceptable.

  He could not allow some obscure junior to stand on his level!

  “How was it? Duwu Sili, do you want to try again?”

  As Duwu Sili tried to digest this fact, Wang Chong spoke, his expression elegant and natural. Even though he was facing a powerful Great General like Duwu Sili, he felt no fear. After absorbing all the energy of the King of Giants Ghareeb Hassam, Wang Chong had reached an astonishing level of power. He was now a true Brigadier General, one who was only a sliver away from reaching the Great General level.

  One could easily imagine the power of the Godking Yama at this level of strength.

  “Bastard thing, do you really think I can’t kill you!”

  Duwu Sili leveled his black halberd, contorting the air in a radius of several dozen zhang with torrents of killing intent. Even from a distance, he exuded an aura of dread and terror.

  “Duwu Sili, I know that you’ve captured one of my men. Bring him out! If he’s missing even a hair on his body, you know what I will do.”

  Wang Chong pretended not to hear. He spoke in a flat tone to Duwu Sili, but his voice was backed by a powerful threat.

  In any negotiation, strength was the most basic foundation.

  Wang Chong might not have had the right to negotiate in Duwu Sili’s eyes before, but in this clash, he had amply displayed his power and gained this right!

  The winds blew across the battlefield as the Turks and Wushang Cavalry stared at their respective commanders. All of them understood that everything hinged on the conversation between these two commanders. There were no hostilities as of now, but a gruesome battle could ensue at any moment.

  The atmosphere was tense.

  “Watch his hands!” Shamask suddenly whispered. “If something looks fishy, Milord will give us the signal. Everyone should attack as soon as the signal is received!”

  “Mm.”

  Chekun Benba nodded his head. Both of them stared at Duwu Sili’s right palm. After serving Duwu Sili for so long, they had both come to understand Duwu Sili’s unique habits. He would never issue an obvious call to attack, but would signal his orders using special hand gestures. At that moment, the Celestial Wolf Cavalry would explode forward, catching the enemy off guard.

  All was quiet as Duwu Sili stared at the Great Tang youth with constantly shifting eyes. No one knew what he was thinking.

  Chapter 1004 - Dalun Ruozan, the Oriole Stalking Behind! “Hah!”

  Chapter 1004: Dalun Ruozan, the Oriole Stalking Behind!

  “Hah!”

  After some time, Duwu Sili suddenly chuckled sinisterly.

  “Boy, you think too highly of yourself! Correct! The man you want truly is in my hands, but for what reason do you think I should hand him over? You only brought five thousand soldiers with you and want to take someone from me? Isn’t that a little too simpleminded? Aren’t you worried that I will join with the Tibetans and kill you and your Wushang Cavalry?”

  With these last words, the already seething killing intent on Duwu Sili’s body instantly swelled. This nearly tangible killing intent shrouded the air, causing the surrounding temperature to drop.

  “Hahaha…”

  Wang Chong was not only unafraid of Duwu Sili’s words, he even laughed.

  “If this were really the case, Dalun Ruozan, Huoshu Huicang, and Dusong Mangpoje would have already showed up, not waited this long. If my guess is correct, by hiding the fact that you were after the formation phenomena from them, you’ve already caused cracks to appear in your alliance. Otherwise, why would you lead your army to set up camp here alone!”

  Buzz!

  These words seemed to give Duwu Sili a sharp jab, and his entire body trembled. Although Wang Chong had only been speaking casually, his words had struck true. For his own gain, he had entered the battlefield alone while hiding his true goal: the formation phenomena. But afterward, he was exposed by Dalun Ruozan, and though the Tibetans had not directly accused him of anything, their relationship was clearly very awkward.

  This was obvious purely from the fact that the two sides had set up their camps in separate areas.

  “This brat… what a vicious gaze.”

  Duwu Sili began to unwittingly clench his fists, his joints cracking as his desire to kill Wang Chong increased.

  Wang Chong’s gaze was far too sharp. Duwu Sili felt like he could hide nothing from him.

  “Brat, you’re too proud!” Duwu Sili harshly shot back. No matter what Wang Chong guessed, he would ne
ver admit to it. “Regardless of what happened between me and the Tibetans, don’t forget that it’s that Great Minister of Ü-Tsang who wants to kill you the most. Heheh, if he knew that you only brought five thousand soldiers, what do you think he would do?”

  Behind Wang Chong, Li Siye, Kong Zi-an, and Huang Botian all grimaced at these words. Although the Wushang Cavalry were one of the strongest forces in the world and feared no one, the combined might of four mighty individuals like Duwu Sili, Huoshu Huicang, Dusong Mangpoje, and Dalun Ruozan was something that even they would find hard to stop.

  “Interesting. The art of war is the art of deception. Great General is correct. Dalun Ruozan truly might appear here. But how do you know that I only brought five thousand Wushang Cavalry?”

  Wang Chong faintly smiled, his expression brimming with confidence.

  Duwu Sili grimaced at these words, and his gaze unconsciously flitted past Wang Chong and peered into the darkness. He had believed that Wang Chong had only brought his five thousand soldiers, but if Gao Xianzhi and Cheng Qianli had also come, the situation was completely different.

  He needed to rethink his plans.

  But when he saw that callous ridicule in Wang Chong’s eyes, Duwu Sili understood and flew into a rage.

  “Bastard! Do you really think I can’t do anything to you! You value your subordinates, right? Don’t think that I won’t just kill him and have you leave with nothing!”

  “You dare!”

  Wang Chong’s expression instantly chilled, and thick killing intent exploded from his eyes. Not even in front of a supreme Great General like Duwu Sili did he try to hide his desire to kill.

  Clangclangclang! The Wushang Cavalry behind Wang Chong began to pull out their swords and aim them at Duwu Sili.

  “Haha, just a nameless soldier. I, Duwu Sili, have killed countless such people. There is no one in this world that I would not dare to kill!”

  Duwu Sili roared in laughter. At his level of cultivation, there was truly nothing he did not dare to do. He was even willing to lose his chance at the formation phenomena if needed.