“I don’t know if the rest of you have realized, but the greatest advantage the Arabs have in this war, their greatest strength, is not those elite soldiers, but the Governor of War Qutaybah. All of the soldiers regard him with incomparable respect, and he is the foundation of their morale. But Qutaybah seems to have encountered an opponent!”
At this time, Dalun Ruozan gave a profound look at Dusong Mangpoje.
No one knew the backgrounds of those two elders, but this was not the first time Dalun Ruozan and the Tibetans had run into him. The two sides had clashed when the Tibetans had attacked the Great Tang reinforcements led by Su Hanshan. As for Dusong Mangpoje, this was already his third meeting with those two!
Dusong Mangpoje said nothing, but his brow imperceptibly twitched while a flash of heartache flitted through his eyes.
He knew what Dalun Ruozan was referring to. In the battle of the triangular gap on the northeast corner of the Tibetan Plateau, those two elders had forced Dusong Mangpoje to flee and caused almost his entire army to be wiped out. This had also left the entire northern region of Ü-Tsang devoid of soldiers and unable to fight back against the Great Tang, only watch as the plateau was invaded.
Dusong Mangpoje had even recently heard that they had built a massive ranch there to raise warhorses. This was a humiliation that the proud Eagle of the Steppe would probably never be able to wash away.
After a long while, Dusong Mangpoje mastered his emotions and finally spoke. “Leave that person to me. In the future, no one will be able to stop Qutaybah.”
Tap tap tap!
At this moment, heavy footsteps shattered the silence in the tent. Soon after, a voice speaking in Arabic came from outside.
“Is Ü-Tsang Great Minister Dalun Ruozan present?”
This voice had the trill unique to Arabs.
Dalun Ruozan appeared a little surprised, but replied, “Enter!”
A hairy Arab guard with hawkish eyes and a high nose entered the tent.
The Arab guard got straight to the point. “Great Minister, the Lord Governor has ordered that in tomorrow’s battle, Ü-Tsang should deploy its soldiers and do everything in its power to cooperate!”
Buzz!
Dalun Ruozan instantly grimaced at these words.
“What is this Arab saying?” the hitherto-silent Duwu Sili suddenly asked.
Dalun Ruozan didn’t hesitate in revealing what the Arab guard had said. In a flash, the mood in the tent changed, with even Huoshu Huicang appearing somewhat angry. He knew that the Arabs would target their rage at them, but he hadn’t imagined that it would be so fast. And it seemed like the Arabs actually wanted the Tibetans to be in the vanguard and serve as cannon fodder.
Before Dalun Ruozan could reply, Dayan Ersongrong could not restrain himself. “These bastards are going overboard!”
To the young genius Dayan Ersongrong of the Dayan Clan, people like Dalun Ruozan, Dusong Mangpoje, Huoshu Huicang, and Duwu Sili were all supreme existences, truly important individuals. But this was precisely why he found the Arabs’ request so unacceptable.
“Hahaha, Great Minister, do you need me to kill him?” said a brash and devilish voice. Dama Trimo, the Brigadier General of the Yarlung Royal Lineage, patted the golden Buddha dagger at his waist and laughed. His gaze was as sharp as a blade as it incessantly scanned this Arab guard like he was inspecting a slab of meat on a cutting board.
“Bastard! What are you planning on doing!” the burly Arab guard roared. Although he didn’t understand Tibetan, Dama Trimo’s gaze clearly communicated his intentions.
“Dama Trimo, stop!” Huoshu Huicang sternly reproved.
Dama Trimo had an overly murderous nature that even he had heard of, and now was certainly not the time for internal strife.
“Haha, since Great General has spoken, then I suppose I can let this ignorant scoundrel live.”
Dama Trimo wickedly chuckled.
Huoshu Huicang shared an uncommon friendship with Yarlung Great General Namri Songtian. Moreover, everyone on the plateau knew of Huoshu Huicang’s loyalty to Ü-Tsang. Dama Trimo might have been an extremely murderous person, but he still greatly admired and respected this loyal Great General.
Dalun Ruozan quickly waved his hand and dismissed the Arab guard. The tent fell silent once more as everyone focused on Dalun Ruozan.
The Arabs had their complaints about the Tibetans, a point that could be seen from tonight’s conference. The two might not have shared a language, but after the horrendous losses in today’s battle, the Arabs had unexpectedly not invited the Tibetans and Western Turks to their night conference. The displeasure of the Arabs could also be seen in the order the Arab guard had been sent to convey.
Chapter 1095 - The Next Day, Another Battle!
Chapter 1095: The Next Day, Another Battle!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
“Great Minister, what do we do now? Must we really serve as the vanguard for the Arabs tomorrow?” said Huoshu Huicang, stepping forward.
“I feel that the greater priority is to determine if this was Abu Muslim’s order, or if it was Qutaybah’s or Osman’s. We were only allies with Abu Muslim. If this order came from the mouth of one of those other conceited Arab governors, perhaps we don’t need to treat it seriously,” Dusong Mangpoje commented, his expression serious and his eyes thoughtful.
“Now is not the time to wonder which governor gave the order. No matter which one it was, it has already obtained Abu Muslim’s approval. The Arabs have taken too many losses, so they hope that by sending us onto the field, they can reduce their casualties. There isn’t anything strange about that. For the sake of our alliance and to defeat our common enemy, we probably won’t be able to avoid stepping onto the field this time!”
Dalun Ruozan sighed.
The current state of this battle was far away from what Dalun Ruozan had originally predicted. Dalun Ruozan was far more worried about the Great Tang than the dissatisfaction of the Arabs.
“Hahaha, Dalun Ruozan, I didn’t think you would be put into difficulties by such a minor matter.” Laughing, Duwu Sili strode forward, his eyes bursting with sharp light. “The Arabs are arrogant and conceited and look down on us; let’s go onto the field and show them our strength! It’s not just the Great Tang and Arabia that can be considered the strong empires of the world!”
Unlike the others, Duwu Sili appeared to not care very much about the Arab order. On the contrary, he seemed to be anticipating this conflict.
“Soldiers are trained for a thousand days to be used in a single moment. Since Great Minister finds it difficult, let the Western Turks take the vanguard tomorrow!” Duwu Sili confidently declared.
The tent was absolutely quiet as everyone stared at Duwu Sili in shock. Dalun Ruozan stared thoughtfully at Duwu Sili and then seemed to understand.
……
A night quickly passed, and a new day arrived, one of blustering winds and chilly temperatures. Outside Talas, the ground was covered in a layer of white frost, as were the two steel defense lines.
The soldiers standing behind the defense lines were shivering, clearly affected by the cold. The weather was even colder than it had been yesterday. With every day that passed, this region to the west of the Cong Mountains seemed to be growing colder. Although it was still not the season for snowfall, there was little difference to Talas.
Even the ordinary soldiers could feel the abnormal weather, but the mood in Talas remained somber and grim. The change in weather was far less important than the battle that was on the verge of restarting.
Bwoooom!
A blaring horn shattered the serenity of early morning. As everyone watched, the silent Arab camp came to life like an awakening monster, group after group of Arab soldiers surging toward Talas.
Neigh!
The neighing of horses, the shouting of men, the clattering of armor… all of it mixed together into a massive din. Four black Arabian war banners, snapping in
the cold wind of the morning, began to rapidly approach the first steel defense line.
Four mighty figures rode beneath the black war banners, stalwart and dignified. At the very front of the army was a golden figure, a sun that had fallen to the mortal world, who instantly attracted everyone’s notice.
“It’s Qutaybah!”
“Report this to Milord!”
In front of the first defense line, the Tang soldiers trembled at the sight of this figure, all their drowsiness vanishing, to be replaced with tension. “Hyah!” A scout mounted his warhorse and quickly rode into Talas.
“Haha, the Arabs have moved out, so now it’s our turn!”
In the rear of the army, Duwu Sili squinted his eyes, sharp light exploding from them while excitement covered his face.
“Hyah!”
Duwu Sili immediately galloped forward on his black steed, rising into the air toward the battlefield. Behind him, the rows of Western Turkic cavalry roared and yelled as they excitedly followed.
Awooo!
Following close behind them were tens of thousands of massive gray wolves, even larger than men, their canines bared.
“Let’s go!”
Farther back in the rear, Dalun Ruozan and Huoshu Huicang looked away from Duwu Sili and gave their own orders. Soon after, nearly seventy thousand Tibetan cavalry charged forward.
The air was somber while winds howled over Talas. War was once more descending.
Boom!
Not long after the Arabs moved out, there was a deafening metallic clatter from the lofty walls of Talas as its gates flew open. An energetic army with bright eyes marched out in disciplined fashion from the city.
Their armor was covered in scars and marks, but this did not make them seem shabby. On the contrary, these suits of armor exuded a tenacious will tempered through hundreds of battles. The seven stars in the shape of a ladle on their chests clearly communicated their identity.
The Divine Martial Army!
The Divine Martial Army had suffered significant casualties in yesterday’s battle, but after a night of reconsolidation, the soldiers of the Divine Martial Army had returned to their peak performance in every aspect: strength, mindset, morale, and Stellar Energy.
The rumbling continued as the Divine Prison Army, Dragon Stallion Army, Roaring Tiger Army… all the top-class armies of the Great Tang, their backs straight and their faces energetic, marched out from the city. At the very rear of this army were Wang Chong, Wang Yan, Gao Xianzhi, and Cheng Qianli, the highest Tang commanders.
Gao Xianzhi had barely ridden out of the city gates when he noticed something different and creased his brow. “Wang Chong, something’s wrong. The Arab formation seems to be different from yesterday.”
He had almost instinctively noticed that the Arab formation was subtly different.
After taking a glance, Wang Chong couldn’t help but laugh.
“Haha, it seems like the chess piece we laid beforehand is about to show its effects. The Western Turks are prepared to head into battle!
“The Arabs took too many losses in yesterday’s battle. Qutaybah and Abu Muslim probably plan to use Duwu Sili as cannon fodder.”
“Cannon fodder?”
Gao Xianzhi creased his brow in confusion at these words.
“By this, I mean scapegoats.”
Wang Chong faintly smiled.
Bwoooom!
The horns blared once more, and Qutaybah’s group came to a stop. Both sides entered a distant stand-off in the grim atmosphere. The commanders of the respective armies, Qutaybah and Abu Muslim, Wang Chong and Gao Xianzhi, met gazes, the collision seeming to produce sparks in the air.
As for everyone else, the vast majority of them looked to Wang Chong mounted on his White-hoofed Shadow. Even the Arab War God Qutaybah now paid attention to the young Tang commander-in-chief.
“Wang Chong, it seems that you’re already a thorn in his side. You must be careful in this battle.”
Gao Xianzhi broke out in laughter.
“Haha, just let them try. I’m just afraid that their attacks won’t break my Karmic Battle Armor.”
Wang Chong faintly smiled.
The surrounding people couldn’t help but laugh at this comment. Wang Chong didn’t have the highest level of martial arts of the people present, but his defensive capabilities were so formidable that there were truly very few people that could compare. Even Qutaybah found it very difficult to kill him, much less others. Moreover, the Demonic Emperor Old Man and Wushang Village Chief were both present. Even if Qutaybah and Abu Muslim were up to something, they wouldn’t get the chance.
……
“When the battle starts, kill that brat first!”
Aybak viciously glared into the distance.
“He won’t be able to run. In this battle, whether it’s him or that Gao Xianzhi, all of them will die!”
Boom! Osman took two steps forward, his expression cold and sinister.
The Tang might have won yesterday’s battle, but their advantage was still not very significant. The Arabs still outnumbered them and had still not sent out their best commanders.
Osman turned to Abu Muslim and said, “Abu Muslim, we’ve lost enough of our men. Let the Tibetans and Western Turks go first. Let them grind away at some of the Tang’s edge. After all, they are all armies of the east!”
Abu Muslim had been the primary backer of this alliance and the true executor. It was naturally best if he were the one to order around the Tibetans and Western Turks.
“Mm!”
Abu Muslim nodded and called over a messenger.
“Pass on my order. Inform the Western Turks and Tibetans to prepare to move out!”
“This subordinate will deliver this order!”
The messenger bowed and quickly left.
Upon receiving the message from the Arabs, Duwu Sili heartily laughed. His eyes showed no fear, only a sliver of anticipation.
“Hahaha, Shamask, Chekun Benba, it’s our turn to go out there! Pass on my order! All soldiers, prepare to charge!”
More than a month had passed since he had obtained the secret of formation phenomena. Duwu Sili had spent almost every night and day training in this technique and had already developed his own understanding of formation phenomena. He had infused the principles he had comprehended through his own career and experiences and was confident that the power of the formation phenomena was now even greater than it originally was. Right now, Duwu Sili was confident in fighting any possible opponent.
Soldiers were trained for a thousand days to be used in a single moment. In Duwu Sili’s mind, the battlefield of Talas was the best place for the Western Turks to make their debut. Duwu Sili wanted to use this stage to show everyone the power of the Western Turks. This was also the best chance to show to the Arabs that the Western Turks deserved a greater share of the pie in their future hegemony over the world.
Chapter 1096 - Breaking the Turkic Formation Phenomena!
Chapter 1096: Breaking the Turkic Formation Phenomena!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Awooo!
Howls resonated through the sky. The first to move were not Duwu Sili and his twenty thousand elite soldiers, but the vast sea of massive gray wolves that had followed Duwu Sili from the Turkic steppe.
Clouds of dust churned as the howling wolf packs lunged at the first steel defense line. Following close behind them were countless Western Turkic soldiers, waving their weapons in the air and roaring as they surged toward the steel walls.
Kacrack!
Not long after these twenty thousand soldiers began to move, there was a peal of thunder in the air. Above the Western Turkic cavalry, roiling thunderclouds began to gather, immediately casting a dark shadow over the Western Turkic army.
Rumble! From a distance, one could see countless lightning bolts flashing within the dark clouds. And the moment these thunderclouds appeared, all the Western Turkic cavalry seemed to ha
ve been stimulated. Their strength, speed, and dexterity all began to soar.
Even Abu Muslim, Osman, and Ziyad were somewhat taken aback by this sight. The strength the Western Turks had displayed at this moment forced the Arabs to regard them in a new light.
“This bastard… he was hiding his strength!”
Huoba Sangye’s eyes flashed with anger.
In the battle with Su Hanshan’s reinforcements, they had clearly needed this kind of strength, but this scoundrel had decided to act clumsy and only now use the formation phenomena.
“Duwu Sili had always planned to keep the formation phenomena for a moment like this. Why else did you think Duwu Sili was so positive last night?” Dalun Ruozan calmly said as he looked forward.
“He just wants to get a bigger cut of the spoils!”
Duwu Sili’s skill in feigning weakness was at such a level that anyone who didn’t know his true goals would be very easily fooled by his words and actions and fall into his traps. But this was not the case with Dalun Ruozan, who could see through Duwu Sili and his secrets as if he was made of glass.
“Go; we should prepare as well!”
Dalun Ruozan urged his horse forward.
……
Whoosh!
In the blustery wind, bits of sand and stone pelted the steel walls, creating a clamorous dinging and banging. As he saw the vast sea of wolves surging toward him, Wang Chong couldn’t help but faintly smile.
This is really a case of Li Gui trying to rob Li Kui1. For Duwu Sili to want to use formation phenomena against me is truly amusing!
A playful smile appeared on Wang Chong’s lips as he looked at the Western Turk army charging out from the west like a lightning bolt.
The seeds that he had sowed more than a month ago were finally about to flower and bear fruit. Now was the time to reap the harvest.
Meanwhile, Duwu Sili’s wolves and his soldiers were getting closer and closer to the first defense line. Duwu Sili had chosen an excellent area to attack, precisely the left flank which had been heavily damaged in yesterday’s battle by the Revelation Army. A significant number of steel walls in that area had been knocked away by the Revelation Army, and the entire defense line was crooked and still not completely repaired.
The Human Emperor c1-2382 Page 697