Chapter 592: Ning Tunan's Subtlety [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
"Is that all the strength you have?" As Bai Su's sword slashed down, he made a move that Bai Su hadn't expected—raising his hand and firmly grasping the sharp blade. Before anyone knew it, his hands were covered in finely crafted scale armor.
Bai Su didn't have time to sheathe her sword, so she decisively abandoned it and tried to retreat.
However, in the blink of an eye, the valiant martial artist before them was enough to launch a fatal strike at such close range.
The reaction of leukocytes is also not slow.
They were prepared to risk serious injury to avoid vital organs.
Who knew—
The expected pain didn't come, and the wounds that could have cleaved half her face and half her body didn't appear. This was because the enemy general's attacks were completely blocked by the qi barrier! The hastily appearing qi barrier was clearly less effective than the previous one, and it was torn apart after only a moment. Even so, it was enough for Bai Su to escape safely. Immediately afterward, the [Five Virtues of a General] activated, and five rays of light enveloped her!
Bai Su: "!!!"
The enemy general's gaze also fell on what was behind her.
"The arrogant will perish because of their conceit."
An indifferent female voice sounded from behind her.
Bai Su was all too familiar with that voice.
Ning Yan, Ning Tu Nan.
While Shen Tang's army of martial arts experts is indeed a weakness, it has never lacked literary talents who can control the overall situation—although each literary talent has their own shortcomings, none of them fail at crucial moments—and Ning Tunan is one of the few who is reliable and does not disappoint his leader.
That seems to be the case at present.
The enemy general watched with a grim expression as Bai Su's aura rapidly increased with the application of the [Five Virtues of a General], subtly threatening him. This move made him realize that this scholar who had made the move was not only strong but also experienced in his methods.
Ordinary military scholars typically use two or three of the Five Virtues of a General's Words of Power. Using four or five not only requires experience but also tests the scholar's literary energy reserves. This is because one word is equivalent to a 20% increase in martial energy, while five words provide a 100% boost!
It's a comprehensive support.
A scholar with the five virtues bestowed upon him is a literary talent that Shen Tang's makeshift team could never possess.
Bai Su was surprised by the sudden surge of martial energy, but she didn't lose her composure. At first glance, the two swords in her hands seemed unchanged, but upon closer inspection, one could see that the blades were surrounded by a thin layer of white mist, and there were also tiny, leaping electric currents.
She quickly said, "Tu Nan, don't get so close!"
Aside from the lord, which other literary figures would directly take to the field?
Martial arts masters are tough and resilient, while scholars, if surrounded, will be hacked to pieces no matter how many tricks they use.
To everyone's surprise, Ning Yan simply replied with a nonchalant remark.
"I am not Tunan."
"What?"
Compared to passive defense, Bai Su prefers to take the initiative. The moment she made her move, she understood why the "Five Virtues of a General," which unleashed all five virtues, was so popular. She could leave clear marks on the surface of the opponent's armor! She could even change the enemy general's arrogant attitude of "Go ahead and try to kill me!" This was enough to demonstrate the value of this incantation.
In an instant, she forcefully narrowed the gap between herself and the enemy general.
At the same time, she also understood why Gong Shuwu both loved and hated the literary scholars under his lord's command—loved because those literary scholars all possessed the ability to display all five virtues, and hated because they were all stingy, wanting to roam freely rather than assist.
Ning Yan is better; she's very generous.
But Ning Yan said, "You can call me Zixu."
He added, "They can't kill me."
Bai Su was puzzled. What was this "Zixu"? When did Ning Yan have a twin sister? She didn't have time to think about it. She only knew that with Ning Yan's guarantee, she could truly fight without worry and didn't need to spare any attention to protect Ning Yan's safety.
"I've already told you, you can't kill me."
Why waste your energy?
Ning Yan, who called herself "Zixu," stared indifferently at the blade that had pierced her chest. She raised her hand, pinched the unblemished blade between two fingers, and flicked it, sending a spurt of steaming blood onto her back. At the same time, the enemy soldier who had ambushed her from behind stared in astonishment at his own chest. He hadn't noticed when it happened; his chest was now pierced, and blood was gushing out.
The wound was exactly the same as the one he had when he ambushed "Zixu".
The soldiers attacking from all sides didn't notice this. Their raised blades came crashing down on "Zixu's" head, but the response was the roar of dragons and tigers as the sword was drawn. "Ning Yan's" swordsmanship wasn't particularly outstanding, but she was, after all, a scholar with a literary mind. She could use her literary energy to defend herself and deliver a cold, heart-piercing blow to her enemy without any problem.
With a swift movement, the sword fell, claiming two or three lives.
Bai Su: "..."
Although—
Tu Nan, have you forgotten the importance of being prepared for unforeseen circumstances?
Could it be that you've been corrupted by the lord and his ilk?
With the blessing of the Five Virtues of a General, Bai Su was able to unleash her full power on the spot, fighting a battle to a standstill against the enemy general who was far weaker than her. The latter was not a martial artist known for his speed and agility, and his defenses were not quick enough, allowing Bai Su to land six out of ten attacks.
In the blink of an eye, the two exchanged no less than a hundred blows.
The enemy general felt he had been toyed with by Bai Su, and his previously composed demeanor turned aggressive and agitated. His attacks were no longer as steady as before. Just then, a sharp pain spread rapidly from his right arm throughout his body.
Clang! The shoulder armor on his right arm came off.
He looked up and met Bai Su's disdain: "Looks like your martial armor isn't some indestructible tortoise shell after all."
Of the ten attacks, six hit the target, three landed in the same spot, and the rest were feints to probe and distract the target.
The other party indeed did not notice.
Or rather, he has enough confidence in himself.
The shoulder wound wasn't deep, but it was imbued with Bai Su's unique sword energy. Even if he tried to heal it by channeling his martial energy, it would be shredded by the dense sword energy. The bleeding couldn't be stopped immediately. Although not fatal, it severely hampered his combat effectiveness.
Neither offense nor defense is as smooth and flexible as before.
Bai Su achieved her goal.
"Where should we go next?" Bai Su whispered a murderous warning in his ear as she closed in, "Heh, how about your neck?"
The enemy general's expression changed drastically.
He suddenly unleashed his martial energy, forcing Bai Su back.
Bai Su's movement technique was exceptional; even when retreating, she could land gracefully, lightly touching the ground with her toes before charging forward again. Her target was the enemy's neck guard. The enemy general also thought Bai Su was going to do the same, and just as he raised his sword to defend, Bai Su unexpectedly turned around halfway.
It's still the right arm that's missing its shoulder armor.
Another sword mark was added.
The enemy general's eyes were blazing with fury.
It was as if they were accusing Bai Su of not playing by the rules.
Little did Bai Su know that she was secretly regretting her actions—the advantage of dual swords was useless on the battlefield, especially against a defensive martial artist like herself. Their destructive power was far inferior to the pair of double hammers wielded by Lu Ji. If it had been Lu Ji earlier…
That enemy general's arm could be completely destroyed!
On the other side of the battlefield.
Gong Shuwu led his men to clear the area.
His pure black armor was stained with countless amounts of blood.
Qiu Cheng certainly went all out.
This ambush force consisted of three skilled martial artists, led by a ninth-rank, fifth-grade doctor who seemed determined to succeed. The other two were also formidable fighters. One of them was being watched by Bai Su, while the other two were surrounded by Gong Shuwu. Gong Shuwu already had the upper hand, and with Ning Yan's assistance, the battle didn't last long before he beheaded the weaker fighter, casually tossing the head into a mud puddle: "If this had happened four years ago, I would have lost my life here. It's just that you came at the wrong time."
ヾ(ω`)o
Ning Yan's way of being a scholar is somewhat different from Yan An's way of being a scholar.
As mentioned before, the way of the scholar is to question one's own heart and explore one's inner convictions.
Yan An's unwavering commitment was to uphold righteousness, and Ning Yan shared the same ideals. After Yan An's death, she inherited his spirit. Therefore, the couple's literary signatures and scholarly principles shared similarities.
(End of this chapter)
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