The arrival of Luo Clan’s elites squashed the remaining confidence of Nieyao’s forces. Subsequent to Feng Xue’s strategic triumph, Ming Feizhen dismounted to stroll into Nieyao with Hong Jiu. As if a calamity was coming, every insect and animal fled helter skelter as soon as they caught a whiff of Ming Feizhen’s scent. The soldiers, on the other hand, charged straight at him.
Hong Jiu casually slammed three soldiers away. “Leader, where did the twenty thousand soldiers come from? Why do these folks look like they were caught by surprise? They looked ready to piss their pants when they opened the doors.”
“Take a guess.”
Be it arrows or blood, nothing could instil tension in Mount Daluo’s duo.
Hong Jiu grabbed his head. “Uh… Now this is a tough one… While a number of them resemble Xiuyu’s soldiers, all of them venerate Martial Paragon. I’m under the impression they’re veterans of Nanjiang’s military.”
“Bingo. If your luck didn’t suck so much, you would probably do well as a gambler.”
Eyes gleaming, Hong Jiu chopped two attackers dead on the spot. “Since they’re veterans equipped with Xiuyu’s gear, they must be former soldiers of Morcher. Wait, how did they appear at Nieyao’s doors along the long war zone?”
“Your flow of logic is correct, but there are things you’re unaware of since you didn’t personally travel all the roads.”
Ming Feizhen snatched a spear from a nearby soldier and then swung it just as casually, beheading a captain from afar. As he walked, he swung left, then right, opening up a path for himself. “To counter Gewu’s trap, information is a must. That’s why I infiltrated Nieyao every night I was free. I know his formation as well as the back of his hand. I know where his defences are strongest and thinnest. Considering Gewu raised a private military of ten thousand here, he could only have been orchestrating a takeover of Baimu and Wanyu or conquer all of Nanjiang. That’s why I never showed him mercy.”
“Every night?”
Even with Ming Feizhen’s speed, to travel to and from Nieyao and Mount Wanyu in the same night would come at the expense of sleep. How many nights did Ming Feizhen actually sleep in the last few months if he went there almost daily?
“I was stuck for how to deal with his army, frankly. As a last resort, I would have to ask His Majesty to mobilise a big army. The reason it was my last resort was because it’d alert the enemy – probably would’ve forced Gewu into rebelling. Gewu only needed to let the beasts out before we were ready, and Nanjiang’s citizens would’ve been in peril. I was stuck until I remembered Heisina Tribe.”
“What about them?”
“Heisina Tribe suffocated for years under Baimu’s oppression, yet they suddenly had the strength to fight back. You think it was all willpower? That compelled me to contemplate how they suddenly had the means to retaliate when they were barely surviving at the border. Armies don’t grow or strengthen themselves; they need to train, practice in actual combat, as well as need sufficient nourishment and rest to perform optimally. On my first meeting with their warriors, it occurred to me that their fighting style and the army’s style was distinctively similar.
“Uncle Feng Xue stressed to pay attention to Heisina Tribe. Following my open and covert observations, I discovered Morcher boldly employed plenty of Heisina Tribe members despite how detested they are. The Beussent we now know is one of them. The military at Nanjiang’s border took the majority of Morcher’s forces under their wing subsequent to Morcher’s fall. Nanjiang’s border forces and Xiuyu’s are considered two strongest militaries.”
“No wonder…”
Ming Feizhen smiled. “There was one more hurdle. Heisina Tribe lived beside Nieyao whilst avoiding natural disasters, wild beasts and foreigners. Where would they have lived?”
“Hmm… Must be an underground path, secret chamber or something of that secret nature if they’re to protect their defenceless children and women.”
“If you were their enemy, you wouldn’t even let them have your dregs or faeces, much less the high morale they have now. They reside in a big cavern neighbouring Nieyao that they spent years digging. Twenty years ago, they finished digging a path that led straight into Xiuyu. If you think about it, they couldn’t have waltzed in to enlist given their affiliation. Therefore, when Xiuyu began recruiting locals for their army, they signed up as residents of the city. Heisina Tribe has proven they are brave warriors with an innate gift for combat in addition to possessing patience that few have. At present, a third of Xiuyu’s city guards are Heisina warriors.”
The more Hong Jiu thought about, the more questions he unveiled. “Is His Majesty aware?”
“If I didn’t let him in on it, how would they have been allowed to leave Xiuyu to assist? Without their forces, would His Majesty trust his precious daughter to some nobody with nothing to his name besides Mount Daluo?”
“Genius. His Majesty wouldn’t stress out if we have twenty thousand on their ten thousand, and he won’t suspect your abilities too much.”
Although he smiled, there was uncertainty in Ming Feizhen’s eyes. Regarding Hong Jiu’s last point, Ming Feizhen wasn’t so sure. Given Emperor Yuansheng sent Dugu to spy on him, Emperor Yuansheng probably couldn’t be any more suspicious than he already was.
“That’s why I have Uncle Feng Xue lending me a hand. Without his influence and brains, having ten thousand on them wouldn’t make a difference.”
“Is that why you spared the nutcase?”
“If I didn’t spare him, how could I guarantee his overconfidence would galvanise him to bring his ten thousand soldiers to the slaughter? He thinks extremely highly of himself and has a narrow mind. I was certain he’d block out all advice once I crippled him and that he’d try to kill me using his covert forces because he has his head all the way up his rear. Thanks to him, I just had to go along with him to wipe out the pressure in Nieyao.”
Ming Feizhen raised his voice. “There are four dragons in the city, namely the python, Baidizi, the big snake, Chichen, a flying spirit feather, Shuyu, and a jiao, Wazi. Split up into two-man cells in order to fight them.”
All the Divine Realm adepts heard the instructions loud and clear.
“It’s time.” Ming Feizhen stopped and turned to Hong Jiu. “The dragons will be here soon. Once the beast army charges out, it’s going to get messy.” Peering into the distance, he said under his breath, “I expect the dragons to have consumed human flesh already. They’re not going to be remotely the same as before. Two Divine Realm fighters will barely even the odds. If the beasts have other beasts supporting them, the Divine Realm fighters will be in peril. You must protect the dragon slaying formation to diminish their aggression. Regroup with Sixth and the rest now. When necessary… you can utilise The Proud Dragon Repents.”
Hong Jiu froze for a tick. “Understood. Take care, Leader.”
Once Hong Jiu was gone, Ming Feizhen stared at the sky for a period before finally heading out.
Glossary
The Proud Dragon Repents – For the non-savvy, it’s one of the moves from Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.
