Chapter 1590 IF Scenario: What if Shen Tang woke up earlier (Part 4)
"Oh."
A cold laugh broke the heavy, serious atmosphere.
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice, and Shen Tang saw the lingering sneer on the face of the burly young man who had remained silent all along: "What are you laughing at?"
Instead of answering, Yunda asked, "How many warriors does the entire tribe have?"
Ji Mo Cong said, "Less than two thousand."
"Less than two thousand? Enough to start a business, but to achieve the 'unification' the Queen speaks of, it's beyond what the phrase 'stretched thin' can describe. The Queen's words are arrogant and laughable." Yun Da's eyes were filled with undisguised sarcasm. The first to react was not Ji Mo Cong, but rather his lord, Ji Sun Yin, who rarely showed such ferocity, his eyes filled with a chilling warning.
Yunda firmly and coldly brushed his hand away.
As a subject of Ji Sunyin, this action can be considered disobedience!
However, Wenda was indeed disobeying orders.
If Ji Sunyin were to join these foolish clansmen in their rebellion, Yunda could do without a lord. His loyalty was never to any specific person; Ji Sunyin was merely a vessel for the "Dao." Once he ceased to be a vessel, the bond between ruler and subject would be severed!
Yun Da slowly stood up, his martial energy surging in his hands.
With a whoosh, the red tassel fluttered, and the ice and snow solidified into a spear.
"What does the Queen intend to use to fulfill your 'grand pronouncements'? With just these few ignorant women? Or with you, this ignorant brat? The cruelty of the world is not child's play." There has never been a single scholar or warrior among the women. So what if the Gongxi clan has two thousand strong men? So what if half of them are warriors or scholars?
He finally understood why they had been called to the meeting.
The Gongxi clan planned to serve this woman as their master, hoping to force their lord, Ji Sunyin, to submit. If Ji Sunyin agreed, they, as his subjects, would naturally serve him. Yun Da, upon realizing this, was both angry and amused. Were they slaves who had signed indentures? Or were they blindly loyal retainers? Ji Sunyin had made him serve because he possessed qualities worthy of his service.
However, what does this have to do with the woman sitting on it?
If Ji Sunyin dares to agree today, Yun Da dares to overturn the table!
As ice-attribute martial energy spread, the temperature of the entire space plummeted, and tiny specks of snow-white frost spread from Yun Da's center, slowly climbing up the tree trunks from the ground. Faced with this situation, Ji Sun Yin's other subordinates remained silent, coldly watching the situation spiral out of control.
Ji Sunyin naturally wouldn't allow Yunda to do that.
He could leave with his subjects in a huff, but he could not allow them to be disrespectful to the high priests or show contempt for his people. But before he could make a move, a tremendous force suddenly pressed down on his shoulders, the unexpected shock nearly causing him to kneel. He tried to speak, but his mouth and tongue were sealed by a familiar force, and he could not utter a sound.
Ji Mo Cong calmly stood up: "Young man, what do you intend to do?"
Yunda held up his ice spear and sneered, "What do I have to do with it? I just want to learn from her and see what gives the Queen the confidence to say such things!"
Seeing the tense atmosphere, as if it could explode at any moment, Shen Tang felt a chill run down her spine. Even as a model young woman who loved painting in peacetime, she could see how sharp the conflict was. If she were the heroine of a wish-fulfillment novel, this would be the perfect opportunity to slap someone in the face.
But she isn't!
But she can't say anything that would lower her status right now.
Shen Tang's mind was in a mess, and she didn't dare to think about how to end this.
"Since you want to see it, why not take a look?"
The clear female voice sounded very distinct at that moment.
Shen Tang inwardly wanted to applaud her sisters.
He was straightforward and direct, refusing to back down or suffer any humiliation—truly a role model! However, when she realized everyone's gaze had turned to her, Shen Tang's internal applause froze completely. Because those words had just come from her own mouth!
Shen Tang: "..."
Ha, you might not believe it—
Her mouth has its own thoughts!
Shen Tang was inwardly panicking. She secretly scanned Yun Da's entire body and couldn't help but mutter nervously to herself, "This guy must be at least 2.2 or 2.3 meters tall, right? Look at his muscles, his fists give the impression that he could kill 300 otaku with one punch."
Chen, the painter and homebody, Tang: "..."
You jerk, why would you say something so harsh?
In contrast, Yun Da did not further scorn or mock her; instead, his expression became more serious. In his view, even if Shen Tang was an ignorant child, her courage to accept the challenge was worthy of respect. This respect was not for her, but for her courage.
Ji Mo Cong had originally intended to suggest that Gong Xi Yu spar with Yun Da to demonstrate the piety of the Gong Xi clan to His Highness, but since His Highness wanted to have a match, she naturally couldn't spoil his fun. The other high priests shared the same thought at this moment.
Shen Tang: "..."
She was filled with regret that she hadn't run away last night.
Who would have thought she would be beaten the very next day?
Yun Da had no idea what Shen Tang was thinking at that moment. He simply held his gun and clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, which looked very virtuous, but in Shen Tang's eyes, it was as terrifying as a death warrant. What was even more terrifying was that after Yun Da bowed, he charged forward with his gun, the tip of which preceded the snow.
Shen Tang felt as if her blood was about to freeze.
The next moment, she finally came to her senses.
Immediately afterwards, countless ice shards exploded and dispersed into white mist, a fierce wind howling, and thousands of sword shadows could be clearly seen amidst the snowstorm. Looking up again, Shen Tang met Yun Da's suddenly constricted pupils. The latter's ice spear had been blasted, its tip gone.
Half of the red tassel hung limply on the ground.
And she herself—
He held a narrow, long, and simple-looking sword in his hand.
The others, or rather Wei Lou and his group, had not anticipated this incident and did not defend themselves at first. However, Ji Mo Cong and his group had already vacated the area and made hand seals, instantly weaving countless vines into a seemingly defenseless shield wall to isolate the shockwave.
Ji Sunyin broke free from her mother's restraints, coughing incessantly.
Before he could even open his mouth, vines wrapped around it, sealing it completely. Ji Mo Shuang's icy warning reached his ears; the suppression of his bloodline prevented him from acting rashly, and he could only turn his gaze to the center of the arena. Yun Da recovered from his initial shock and decisively charged forward, dragging his spear. The broken spear shaft left a trail of sparks as it dragged across the ground, and the moisture in the air surged wildly, instantly restoring the spear tip to its original state.
As the sword thrust straight at Shen Tang's face, martial energy enveloped his entire body, transforming into a full set of martial armor. Shen Tang, in turn, donned an even more exquisite, intricate, and imposing silver martial armor, beneath which a striking red robe gleamed. Wei Lou and the others simultaneously changed their expressions; they were certain of the martial energy's aura.
Is this Shen Youli a man?
Gender doesn't matter; what matters is her ability.
Wei Lou quietly gave his nephew a wink. The uncle and nephew had a tacit understanding that had lasted for decades, and Wei Cheng naturally understood what he wanted to ask. He slowly shook the skull, and the flames in its eye sockets flickered much more slowly, seemingly reflecting the owner's current state of confusion.
He couldn't see through Shen Youli's strength.
Either the opponent's martial arts are unique and highly deceptive, or their strength far surpasses his own. Yun Da's strength is not much different from his, so which possibility it is will soon be revealed. However, no one expected the answer to come so quickly, including Yun Da himself and Shen Tang. Shen Tang stared expressionlessly at his right hand, which held a sword against Yun Da's throat.
There are ten thousand alpacas galloping around in my heart.
Not only did her mouth have its own ideas, but her hands and feet did too! She actually managed to overturn a burly warrior who was two meters and two or three meters tall. With the thought that "her hands and feet have raised the bar high, so she absolutely can't let it fall down," Shen Tang, with an inscrutable expression, twirled her sword, looking down at Yun Da, whose worldview seemed to have been reshaped: "Does Your Excellency agree to accept defeat?"
Yunda's face turned pale, then green, then red.
On the surface, Shen Tang waited for his opponent to admit defeat, but in his heart he was thinking, "Hey, I have to say, this guy's face is quite charming."
The phrase "still charming" popped into her mind.
Yun Da took several deep breaths, climbed out of the pit, and gritted his teeth: "I am not a sore loser. If I lose, I lose."
Shen Tang said, "Your Excellency is straightforward."
Yunda: "..."
Shen Tang's thoughts were always unconventional. She calmly glanced at the edge of the pit, pondering how she could gracefully escape from this six- or seven-meter-deep hole. This world seemed illogical; how could two tiny people create such a crater?
It's practically a walking artillery shell or excavator.
She looked around but couldn't find anything suitable.
The pit was so steep it was almost vertical, and the only way out was by climbing with both hands and feet. This would completely ruin her cool and awe-inspiring image. Shen Tang secretly recalled the feeling of flying and disappearing into the ground, hoping to use it to propel herself vertically into the air.
or--
See how Yunda does it, and then learn from them?
Shen Tang's face remained expressionless, leading Yun Da to believe she was unfathomable and disdainful of humiliating her defeated opponent. However, a question lingered in his mind: "Since she is a man, why wasn't she angry when she was addressed as 'Queen'?"
Shen Tang: "???"
What is this guy mumbling about?
How did I become a man?
As the high priests gracefully descended into the pit and walked behind her one by one, Shen Tang calmly replied, "I am not a man, I am a woman. What's wrong with you calling me 'Queen'? And why should I be angry? Is that an insulting term?"
It's normal for Shen Tang, being an outsider, not to understand.
She clearly didn't get Yunda's point.
I just felt completely baffled.
Yunda was surprised instead: "A woman?"
Shen Tang crossed her arms: "What's so strange? Do you think I'm too good at fighting? Or do you find it unacceptable to lose to a member of the opposite sex?"
Guang Yunda was one thing, but Wei Lou and the others had similar reactions.
Shen Tang: "..."
There's definitely something fishy going on here.
Before she could ask any further questions, Ji Mo Cong smiled and looked at Wei Cheng, challenging him to a duel: "Your Highness's strength is beyond doubt, and the lads of the Gongxi clan cannot be allowed to make a fool of themselves in front of you all. Lord Wei, would you like to have a friendly spar?"
Wei Cheng was indeed a forthright and generous person.
He has always respected the strong.
"How can I refuse the challenge from the Queen?"
If the Gongxi clan could also demonstrate considerable strength, he and his uncle would have to change their previous assessment of the clan. If they truly possessed a solid foundation, their earlier words wouldn't have been mere wishful thinking. As for the woman's sudden ability to cultivate, they would find out more about it later.
Wei Cheng thought his opponents would be Ji Mo Shuang and the others, guessing that they were female martial artists/scholars who had never appeared in the world, just like Shen Tang. At the very least, they should be Gong Xi Yu, the lord's younger brother. But the one he summoned was a complete stranger, and someone with no cultivation potential at all.
After what happened with Shen Tang, Wei Cheng had already stopped being so dismissive.
“Wise Lady, this man is probably no match for me.”
Ji Mo Cong laughed and said, "That's definitely not the case."
Wei Cheng was puzzled.
Knowing full well that they're going to lose, why do they still come and feed the enemy?
Is this a deliberate attempt to save face for them?
As it turns out, that's not the case.
Ji Mo Cong simply wanted to show them where the confidence of the Gongxi clan in calling themselves His Highness's weapon came from—even the most ordinary clansmen, as long as the high priest was present, would transform into the most valiant and fearless warriors under his command.
Divine power surged from his palm and transformed into a wooden staff.
"God is witnessing, go and prove your fearlessness."
"Yes, High Priest."
On one side, Wei Lou frowned almost imperceptibly, clearly disliking certain words used by Ji Mo Cong. However, Shen Tang's words just now made him willing to set aside his prejudice and continue to observe how things developed.
The Gongxi clan also included warriors and scholars.
Most of the tribesmen preferred to form combat units centered around the high priest. This method lacked the high barriers and restrictions of warriors and scholars; as long as a tribesman was a believer, they could wield divine power under the high priest's leadership. While their individual combat abilities weren't outstanding, their strength lay in their endurance. Wei Lou and the others gradually understood why the Gongxi tribe hadn't been plundered.
Even the wealthiest people have distant relatives, and what good is it for the Gongxi clan to live in seclusion? They can't be robbed. Indeed, when they saw the hundred-plus large, meat-filled buns for breakfast, they knew the Gongxi clan was incredibly wealthy, like a child carrying a gold brick in the marketplace.
Even if an ordinary warlord brings two thousand elite soldiers, it's just like sending food to be eaten.
Wei Lou pondered, his gaze sweeping over Ji Mo Cong.
Although they still didn't understand the source of their power, they could see that the so-called high priest was the core. With the high priest present, these people who believed in so-called gods could unleash their armed forces. In other words, without these people, they were lambs to the slaughter.
The weakness is quite obvious.
Because might makes right, Yun Da and the others, seeing that Shen Tang indeed had the foundation to rise to power, were no longer as resistant as before. Everyone present was a respectable person; when there was no conflict of interest, why tear off the mask of civility? However, this did not mean that the conflict had disappeared.
Wei Lou: "What does my lord mean by this?"
The meeting ended hastily.
The rest will be discussed later tonight.
Wei Lou and the others also had the opportunity to hold a private meeting with their lord behind closed doors to discuss some matters openly. Ji Sunyin, still preoccupied with the previous conflict, did not respond immediately. Wei Lou continued, "Among the warriors of the Gongxi clan, is there one like you, my lord?"
If we say "yes," then he is a member of the Gongxi clan.
All subordinates under his command should carefully consider their future decisions regarding staying or leaving.
Not everyone wants to follow a lord who serves others.
It's best to part amicably and save face for each other. After all, we had a pleasant past together, so there's no need to make things awkward for each other.
If they said "no," then the emperor and his ministers would pretend that nothing unpleasant had happened on this trip and continue to move towards the goal they had set.
The others also watched Ji Sunyin in silence.
The air was so heavy it felt suffocating. Wei Lou crouched down, half-kneeling, his posture humble as he looked Ji Sunyin in the eye, but his words were extremely authoritative: "My lord, answer carefully."
＿|￣|●
The draft has been published; it was in the previous chapter.
The mushroom was originally intended to be the opening theme, but it was scrapped because some settings were changed and it didn't feel right. The character design was also altered.
(End of this chapter)
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