The Human Emperor c1-2382
Page 648
“Haha, of course! If I discover that you haven’t let him go or plan to kill him midway, I’ll destroy the paper and make it so that you’ll never get a chance to learn the secrets of formation phenomena. This is the first and last time I’ll make a deal with anyone!”
Wang Chong chuckled and waved his sleeve.
In the end, Duwu Sili had been unable to resist the allure of formation phenomena. But as long as he could save Chen Bin, it was all worth it.
In the end, Wang Chong and Duwu Sili, the commanders of the Great Tang and the Western Turks, reached an agreement. But not only did the atmosphere not relax, the tension was turned up to the maximum.
“Qianli, get ready. If something looks wrong, immediately move to stop Duwu Sili and save Chen Bin!”
Everyone was so focused on Wang Chong and Duwu Sili that little attention was paid to Gao Xianzhi, who had been silently observing the entire situation from behind Wang Chong. At this moment, his lips moved as he used a message transmission technique to whisper into Cheng Qianli’s ear.
Wang Chong and Duwu Sili had genially reached an agreement, but few people noticed that endless killing intent was seething beneath the calm surface. Duwu Sili and Wang Chong had agreed to exchange after counting down from three. In that instant, Wang Chong could only succeed if Duwu Sili was focused on taking the paper recording the method of formation phenomena, convinced that it was the real thing.
But if Duwu Sili thought that he had been tricked or that Wang Chong wasn’t going to give him the real thing, he would definitely turn and kill Chen Bin. If that happened, Chen Bin would be doomed. Moreover, Chen Bin was already right next to Duwu Sili, so even Gao Xianzhi would find it very difficult to save him.
“Understood.”
Cheng Qianli gave an almost imperceptible nod, a grim look on his face.
“Three!”
A weighty and steely voice thundered through the skies. With this voice, the exchange between Wang Chong and Duwu Sili had begun. The atmosphere suddenly became somber and grim. Kaclack! The joints of Duwu Sili’s fingers cracked as he grasped Chen Bin’s neck.
His expression was cold and sinister, completely different from when he was negotiating with Wang Chong.
Kaclack!
Duwu Sili placed his other hand behind him, its joints also crisply cracking. Not far behind him, Shamask and Chekun Benba suddenly tensed up, their expressions turning solemn as their gazes passed over Duwu Sili’s hand.
Chapter 1010 - Pitched Battle!
Chapter 1010: Pitched Battle!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
“Two!”
As Duwu Sili’s countdown reached ‘two’, the atmosphere grew even more solemn. Nobody moved, but an invisible tension began to spread through the air. Everyone’s eyes turned sharp, all signs of relaxation vanishing. At this moment, Wang Chong suddenly removed the third and last sheet of paper from his bosom.
The snow-white paper was extremely thin. Under the sunlight, one could faintly make out lines upon lines of handwriting.
Duwu Sili blinked for a moment. He seemed to be forced to look over by some invisible attractive force, and many others turned to look with him.
Formation phenomena!
Only by obtaining this last sheet of paper would the secret be truly complete. Formation phenomena represented the supreme realm of formations. This was not some simple mantra or powerful formation. If one could comprehend its secrets, the famed Celestial Wolf Illusory Formation of the Western Turks would reach an even higher level and be capable of creating its own formation phenomena.
At that time, the Celestial Wolf Cavalry were certain to be even more unstoppable!
And the Great Scarlet Sun Formation of Ü-Tsang was on the same level of the Celestial Wolf Illusory Formation, having not reached that highest level. The secret of the formation phenomena would also allow the Tibetans to raise the formation to an even higher level and create formation phenomena belonging to the Great Scarlet Sun Formation! No one could resist this sort of temptation.
“Great Minister!”
Far back in the rear, several zhang from Huoshu Huicang and Dusong Mangpoje, Huoba Sangye blinked and licked his lips in desire.
Although he had come to wipe out the Wushang Cavalry, take his revenge, and maintain the reputation of the Ü-Tsang Empire’s cavalry, if he could get the secrets of formation phenomena and bring his Great Scarlet Sun Formation to an even higher level, why wouldn’t he? After all, the Tibetan Plateau also had legends of supreme formations!
“One!”
The final moment had arrived.
In this tense atmosphere, Wang Chong, Duwu Sili, Gao Xianzhi, Huoshu Huicang, and all the others were like taut bowstrings, their muscles all tightening up.
Bang!
The air thundered. The first to move was not Duwu Sili, but Wang Chong. In a flash of white light, the final sheet of paper broke free of Wang Chong’s palm. However, this paper was not fired at Duwu Sili, but at an angle, in a direction where no one was present.
Duwu Sili’s eyes widened as he followed the paper. He seemed calm on the surface, but he had unwittingly begun to show a tiny hint of tension. He could see that there was a ball of light in Wang Chong’s hand, aimed at the paper in the air, ready at any moment to destroy this last part of the secrets pertaining to formation phenomena.
Bang!
With a flick of his wrist, Duwu Sili almost immediately pushed Chen Bin from the back of his horse.
“Wang Chong! I give you your man and you give me the secret of formation phenomena!”
As his voice rumbled through the air, Duwu Sili also tossed Chen Bin at an angle, in almost the complete opposite direction from where Wang Chong had thrown the paper. If Wang Chong wanted to save Chen Bin, he would not have the time to destroy the third paper recording the secrets of formation phenomena. Similarly, if Duwu Sili wanted the formation phenomena, he could not kill Chen Bin.
It was clear that both Wang Chong and Duwu Sili had thought about this point.
Boom!
In flashes of light, Wang Chong and Duwu Sili both shot into the air. One lunged at Chen Bin while the other lunged at the third sheet of paper. Clashes of experts were decided in mere seconds, and for experts of their level, far, far too much could happen in a single second. The urgent task at hand was to get their hands on what they had come for.
“Wang Chong! Eat my halberd!”
Duwu Sili rejoiced to see Wang Chong lunge at Chen Bin. The moment the two passed by each other, when they were at their closest, Duwu Sili immediately poured all his Stellar Energy into his black halberd and fired off a furious black dragon at Wang Chong. At almost the same moment, the air howled as Wang Chong transformed into the Godking Yama. Bang! One of its left palms blocked the attack from Duwu Sili’s black halberd while the enormous vajra pestle in one of its right hands swung at Duwu Sili.
“Move!”
In this moment, Wang Chong and Duwu Sili were far from the only ones to take action. Shamask and Chekun Benba had been staring at Duwu Sili’s left hand this entire time, and when they received the signal, these two Brigadier Generals of the Western Turkic Khaganate jumped at Chen Bin like hungry tigers.
The more Wang Chong cared about him, the more obvious it was that Chen Bin was extremely important. Moreover, if they killed Chen Bin, they would deal a massive blow to the morale of the Tang army. For this reason, it was worth it for the two of them to strike as one and kill Chen Bin.
“Shameless! You would dare!”
With a furious roar, Cheng Qianli shot out from Wang Chong’s side, his eyes flashing with cold light as he rushed to Chen Bin. The battlefield instantly became extremely tense. But the greatest variable in this transaction was still the ever-silent Gao Xianzhi.
“There are some things that don’t belong to you. Duwu Sili, you can stop dreaming now!”
A cold and dignified voice resounded in everyone’s ears. Boom!Gao Xianzhi expl
oded forward, his speed surpassing everyone else’s. The moment he entered the fray, all the countless experts on the battlefield appeared insignificant before his tremendous storm of energy.
“Damn it!”
Duwu Sili’s expression twisted. Every empire and faction in the world would have a few outstanding Great Generals, but even amongst Great Generals, Gao Xianzhi was of the kind that made others envious. Even Abu Muslim treated Gao Xianzhi with great respect, so one could easily imagine how powerful he was.
“Gao Xianzhi! I’ve already released the hostage! Do you want to destroy our agreement?”
Duwu Sili’s heart tightened. He had had some doubts before, but Gao Xianzhi’s reaction had dispelled all of them.
If this were not the real secret to formation phenomena, a supreme Great General like Gao Xianzhi would not have been so nervous and made to take it for himself.
“Gao Xianzhi, don’t even think about it!”
Duwu Sili exploded all the power in his body. Discarding any thought of fighting with Wang Chong, he rushed with astonishing speed toward the paper in the air.
Duwu Sili had reacted quickly, but there was someone whose speed exceeded even his. When Duwu Sili had counted to two, Huoshu Huicang had already readied to strike. However, while his original targets had been Wang Chong and Chen Bin, Huoshu Huicang had now changed his target to Gao Xianzhi.
The earth shook as a dazzling golden saber energy slashed through the air at Gao Xianzhi. Boomboomboom! The air rang out with the explosions of their clash of energies and dust quickly shrouded the field.
“Damn it! My formation phenomena!”
Duwu Sili’s face was filled with anxiety as he unhesitantly unleashed a tremendous wave of golden Stellar Energy into a golden barrier to keep out all the shockwaves. Duwu Sili had decided to use his Stellar Energy to block the energy from the clash between these two Imperial Great Generals. Bzzz! Lunging forward, Duwu Sili stretched out two fingers, caught the paper, and brought it back into the safety of his palm. When he felt the rough texture of the paper, he felt like a great weight had been lifted off his mind.
“Let’s go!”
With the last part of the formation phenomena in his hand, Duwu Sili immediately used the Celestial Wolf’s Divine Procession to shoot like a lightning bolt into the distance. He seemed to have even forgotten about Chen Bin. Of course, what was most important was that Duwu Sili had already spotted an enormous beast approaching the battlefield.
Roooar!
Before anyone could react, the roaring Behemoth dropped down from the skies, crashing like a meteor into the earth.
“Giant ape!”
The sight of that enormous black silhouette made Shamask and Chekun Benba tremble in fear. They lost all will to fight and immediately broke away from Cheng Qianli and began to flee.
The giant ape’s strength was unrivaled. Even Great Generals were no match for it, let alone Brigadier Generals like them.
“You think you can run? Without leaving anything behind?!”
Wang Chong sneered at this sight. If Shamask and Chekun Benba dared to attack Chen Bin, they would not be allowed to so easily retreat.
Bang!
With this thought, he threw the vajra pestle, which streaked like a comet into Shamask’s backside. At almost the same time, the air howled as a massive boulder smashed into Chekun Benba.
Wang Chong had ordered the giant ape to throw this boulder.
Bang! Bang!
Shamask and Chekun Benba screamed as they were struck from behind. Vomiting blood, they fled even faster from the battlefield.
Roooar!
The giant ape roared as it leaped into the air and began to pursue the Tibetan and Turkic soldiers. This time, the giant ape was not empty-handed. It now wielded a giant cudgel ten-some meters in length. When the cudgel moved, the air would shriek around it.
“Go go go! Run!”
In the distance, the Mutri Great Cavalry and Celestial Wolf Cavalry had long been wary of the giant ape. Although the giant ape had always been some distance in the rear during this exchange, all of them had been paying close attention to it.
To these elite cavalry, the greatest threat was not Great Generals like Wang Chong or Gao Xianzhi, but this giant ape.
Gallop! In a cloud of dust, the countless cavalry rode off like a retreating tide, leaving faster than they had come.
Chapter 1011 - Fighting and Scheming Over Pieces of Paper!
Chapter 1011: Fighting and Scheming Over Pieces of Paper!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Bang! An enormous cudgel flew through the air and struck the cavalry in the rear. “Aaaah!” Several dozen Mutri Great Cavalry and Celestial Wolf Cavalry were struck by the giant cudgel, the enormous impact pulping their bodies and killing them on the spot.
With the transaction complete, Cheng Qianli having thrown Chen Bin to Li Siye, the two sides no longer needed to cooperate, and Wang Chong would not let this chance go by. But the one who felt most pressed by this situation was not Wang Chong, but Gao Xianzhi.
“Duwu Sili, where are you going? Leave behind the formation phenomena!”
Gao Xianzhi’s speed was like that of a lightning bolt, sufficient to make any level of expert gasp in fright. The air boomed as Gao Xianzhi pursued Duwu Sili with incredible speed, leaving a long white trail behind him.
A ten-some-zhang stream of Sword Qi cleaved through the air like water as it slashed at Duwu Sili. Gao Xianzhi seemed to be set on Duwu Sili and intent on pursuing him until the very end. A sharp energy was locked onto Duwu Sili, suffused with a resolve to never stop until the secret to formation phenomena was taken back.
“Bastard!”
Duwu Sili was both shocked and enraged. In the past, he really wouldn’t have feared a battle with Gao Xianzhi, but right now, a single strike would be sufficient to pulverize the paper in his hand. Clashes between experts were decided in seconds, and in this situation, Duwu Sili didn’t even have time to unfold the paper and memorize its contents.
Duwu Sili was also sure that Gao Xianzhi would never give him this opportunity!
“Huoshu Huicang, hurry and help me stop Gao Xianzhi! Afterward, I’ll divide the secret of formation phenomena with your side!” Duwu Sili bellowed as he clutched the paper.
He had been only half-convinced of the veracity of this last part of the secret to formation phenomena, but now, he was eighty percent confident. If it were not real, Gao Xianzhi would not be so doggedly pursuing him.
This boy is truly easy to swindle. He doesn’t even understand the principle that all deception is fair in war. The people of the Central Plains are truly sincere! Duwu Sili scornfully thought.
He was now basically certain that in this formation phenomena transaction, Wang Chong had not carried out any discussions with Gao Xianzhi, and had made this decision on his own. If this were not the case, Duwu Sili would have never had this chance.
At this time, Huoshu Huicang had already fled some distance, but when he heard Duwu Sili’s words, he immediately changed his mind. While everyone was retreating, Huoshu Huicang turned and charged at Gao Xianzhi. Bang! A golden Vairocana Buddha appeared in the air, and then an earth-sundering saber energy cleaved at Gao Xianzhi.
Boom!
Saber energy clashed with Sword Qi, throwing the air and earth in the surrounding fifty zhang into turmoil and creating a series of explosions. This simple collision was enough to buy Duwu Sili an important moment to catch his breath. Neeeeigh! His warhorse cried out, and Duwu Sili picked up speed, leaving behind an afterimage as he vanished into the distance.
Meanwhile, the furious Gao Xianzhi was simply unstoppable, and not even Huoshu Huicang could stop his advance. Whoosh!A terrifying Sword Qi swept past Huoshu Huicang, shattering the armor on his left shoulder and tearing open a bloody wound. But Huoshu Huicang only creased his brow for a moment, his face showing little expression. It was like Gao Xianzhi had attacked someone else’s arm.
<
br /> “Let’s go!”
After blocking Gao Xianzhi for one attack, Huoshu Huicang began to rapidly retreat. Although Huoshu Huicang was weaker than Gao Xianzhi, if he put all his mind into escaping, not even Gao Xianzhi could do anything.
“Lord Protector-General does not need to worry about them. Come back!”
Just when the ashen-faced Gao Xianzhi was prepared to pursue, Wang Chong came from behind him and urged him to stop.
Dalun Ruozan had already left. He had been present for this transaction, and there was no guarantee that one would be able to gain much more from a continued pursuit. Killing a few Mutri Great Cavalry and Celestial Wolf Cavalry was already quite decent.
“What a pity! A little bit more and I could have gotten it back!” Gao Xianzhi loathsomely spat as he looked into the distance.
Wang Chong would save his subordinate while he would destroy the secret to the formation phenomena. Gao Xianzhi had not opposed this transaction because he had planned to destroy the paper the moment the exchange occurred. In this fashion, he could satisfy Wang Chong by allowing him to rescue Chen Bin while also putting a stop to Duwu Sili’s schemes.
Alas, a single Huoshu Huicang had made all his plans for naught.
“Haha, Lord Protector-General, there’s no need to worry. Let them go!”
To his surprise, Wang Chong seemed unperturbed, watching with a smile as Duwu Sili and his men fled.
Gao Xianzhi turned in shock to Wang Chong. When he saw Wang Chong’s smile, his mind immediately buzzed with countless thoughts, and he suddenly seemed to understand.
“Heh, Lord Protector-General, the transaction is complete. Let’s go back first and then talk about it.” As if guessing at what Gao Xianzhi would ask, Wang Chong preempted him.
Gao Xianzhi nodded in understanding. After gathering the army and the giant ape, they set off for Talas.
……
In the distance, with Talas no longer in sight and the Tang having stopped their pursuit, Duwu Sili finally breathed a sigh of relief.