Chapter 646: The Wolf Infiltrating the Flock (5k)
The rising morning light illuminates the world, shining on the bodies and faces of the few survivors and the vast forest behind them.
Although the operation did not take long, sneaking into the lair of the gods was too dangerous, and several people had the illusion that they had spent a long time.
Sensing Zhao Duan's gaze, Tuoba Weizhi turned back, lowered his eyelids, restrained the joy in his eyes, and saluted humbly:
"Master, what are your orders?"
Zhao Duan said awkwardly:
"Nothing, just checking on you."
Tuoba Weizhi was stunned for a moment: "Master wants to see me?"
As she spoke, the priestess began to take off her clothes quickly and efficiently, which scared Zhao Duan so much that he hurriedly stopped her loudly.
And under the strange looks of the other two women, he repeatedly comforted Tuoba Weizhi and finally calmed him down.
This child is so honest... Well, it can also be understood as a kind of unfamiliarity with the outside world.
Having lived in the isolated Layuan for a long time, Tuoba Weizhi was seriously lacking in many "common sense of life".
For example, she couldn't understand jokes or teasing, and would follow Zhao Duan's unintentional words without hesitation.
This quality seemed to be something that the superiors should like, but Zhao Duan did not relax his vigilance against Tuoba Weizhi.
Even if many clues confirmed her words, and there was a dragon soul that could suppress the other party, Zhao Duan was cautious and careful, so of course he would not easily trust a foreign race completely...
Well, it is suspected that he is the last emperor of Qi after his gender was changed.
Whether they are loyal or not still needs to be examined.
"I say, we have escaped, what should we do next?"
Yuxiu slowly sat up straight and looked at Zhao Duan with worry in her eyes:
"It looks like we can't go back the same way."
Zhao Duan said calmly: "The earth is round."
"ah?"
Zhao Duan didn't explain, but just smiled and said:
"Since we're on Yunfu Road, we can head south and get back. But our time is precious, so there's no need to waste it on the road. So, the most urgent thing is to reunite with the old Heavenly Master.
However, if my guess is correct, after Song Zhi realized that we had sneaked into La Garden and taken away the priest, he would definitely follow Zhang Tianshi and try to find us.
Therefore, the Heavenly Master will not rush to look for us anytime soon, and will definitely have to deal with him to buy us time to escape."
He analyzed it in detail, his tone full of convincing meaning:
"So, we just need to find a place in Yunfu where Zhang Tianshi will definitely find us and wait for him to join us."
Yuxiu nodded and asked tentatively:
"Are we going to Zhengyang Mountain?"
Last time, a few people were chased by the God of Death and fled to Zhengyang Mountain.
"No," Zhao Duan shook his head and said:
"Let's go find Zhao Shixiong!"
He said calmly:
"Xu Jianwen led the Liao people to attack the border troops led by Zhao Shixiong.
If I were in the capital, it would be fine, but since I'm already in Yunfu, there's no reason not to go. Even if I can't be of much help, I can at least help to restore morale. Especially... we might not be unable to help."
He looked at Tuoba Weizhi.
He asked seriously, "As a priest, how much influence do you have on the Liao people's army?"
Tuoba Weizhi thought for a moment and said:
"I'm not sure. I've lived in La Garden all year round and haven't had much contact with the Liao people. Even though I represent a god, my prestige is certainly far less than that of the clan leader."
In other words, she couldn't use her identity to force the Liao people to withdraw their troops... Zhao Duan was not disappointed and said:
"I heard that the strongest person in the army going out to fight is the tribe's first warrior?"
Tuoba Weizhi nodded:
"Yes. His name is Poyun. He is a warrior who was given the red flute. He is very powerful."
"How strong is he? Compared to you? How confident are you in fighting him?" Zhao Duan asked, and added:
"I mean you now."
Tuoba Weizhi shook his head.
Is it still not working? Zhao Duan was a little disappointed.
In La Garden, he witnessed the priestess' abnormal martial arts with his own eyes, and believed that she was no weaker than a half-step celestial being. However, it seemed that leaving Dajiang had weakened her combat power more seriously than he had imagined.
But the next second, I heard Tuoba Weizhi say seriously:
"I'm not sure I can beat him to death."
Three people: ? ?
Good fellow, so your shaking your head doesn't mean you can't beat him, but rather that you may not be able to kill him...
Zhao Duan was surprised and delighted, and almost wanted to laugh out loud three times:
Now that we have this brave general, the world can be pacified.
Yuxiu was not as optimistic as him, frowning and saying:
"But what if Song Zhi brings Da Laba with him, chases him out of Dajiang, and rushes to the front lines?"
Even if Da Laba left Dajiang, he would be suppressed, but at least he could retain his celestial fighting power, which was enough to destroy the southwestern border army.
Tuoba Weizhi shook his head and said:
"No. The gods will not leave Dajiang. The clan leader is the god's servant, not the master. The gods are like wild beasts and will not invade each other's territory. Therefore, the gods do not want to leave Dajiang."
Is that so? Zhao Duan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized:
Yes!
If Laba could be driven away from DJI, then why had Xu Jianwen stayed there for so long? He would have already brought an evil god with him to stir up trouble.
This also explains why Zhang Yan angered the sleeping Laba after using the power of [Heavenly Dao]... because Heavenly Dao invaded Laba's territory.
Since it is certain that Dalaba will not come out, if it is just the Liao people army, the threat will be much smaller.
Of course, the Liao people, with a group of powerful men, cannot be underestimated, not to mention the remnants such as Xu Jianwen and Qi Yuchun.
Zhao Duan pondered in his heart, and then thought about whether he should meditate and return to the palace to save the news here.
But then he thought, firstly, the matter was not urgent, and the empress had just left the capital not long ago.
Secondly, he still didn't trust Tuoba Weizhi enough. If he started to meditate and lost control of his body, he might not be able to stop Tuoba Weizhi with only the Jade Sleeve and the Golden Tablet as his guardians.
"Forget it, there's no rush. Let's wait until I meet up with Zhao Shixiong, and then I'll consider going back to Zhenbao to tell him about the progress here."
The four of them made a plan and immediately stopped hesitating. They first took a brief rest nearby and had something to eat.
Then Zhao Duan took out several sets of clothes from the scroll and changed into them. After the four of them had changed their appearance, they rushed towards the core of the southwestern border army.
…
…
Yunfu Road, border town.
As a garrison town for the southwestern frontier troops, Biancheng has gradually expanded over the past few hundred years and has in fact become a city of considerable county size.
But at this moment, the atmosphere in the entire border town was depressing and solemn, with soldiers moving back and forth in the city, as if in a wartime state.
Inside the office of the Border Army Commander-in-Chief in the city.
Zhao Shixiong sat at the head of the group, calmly listening to his subordinates' reports one by one. Finally, he slammed his hand on the table and scanned the generals with a sharp gaze:
"I don't want to know the movements of the Liao soldiers. I only have one request: the border defense line must not be breached!"
All the trusted generals stood up and said:
"I will not allow the evil beast to invade Dayu!"
Zhao Shixiong waved his hand and said, "Go!"
Many generals stood up and hurried out of the yamen.
After the people left, a tall and plump woman with steady and powerful steps walked in from outside the door carrying a food box.
Gongsun glanced worriedly at Zhao Shixiong, who was resting with his eyes closed. He slowly walked to his side, put down the food box, opened the lid, and took out the dishes one by one, saying softly:
"You've missed dinner time again. Even if you're a martial arts expert, if you keep fighting like this and don't eat, you'll be defeated."
Zhao Shixiong opened his eyes, grabbed one of Gongsun's hands, and said bitterly:
"Yunfu was first tormented by Xu Jingtang. I just came back to conquer Yunfu and suppress the bandits in the southwest, and now we have the Liao people coming north, the first in a hundred years. How can I relax and enjoy my food when I shoulder such a heavy responsibility?
Gongsun Mo Ran.
The couple originally followed Zhao Du'an's orders to attack Yunfu and spent several months to wipe out the remnants of Xu Jingtang.
It also took a lot of energy to keep the people safe.
He had planned to withdraw and head north to support Xiping, but unexpectedly trouble arose again.
"Come for a walk with me." Zhao Shixiong stood up and said.
The couple walked out of the Commander-in-Chief's Office, walked out of the street, and went all the way to the top of the South City Gate.
"General!"
All the soldiers along the way who saw the two men puffed out their chests excitedly, which was enough to show the prestige of this not-so-tall border army general.
Flags fluttered on the city walls.
Zhao Shixiong leaned forward slightly, holding the parapet with both hands, squinting his eyes at the distant southwestern Xinjiang that almost bordered the sky and the earth, as if he was silently confronting the sea with a piece of land.
"The people below reported that the soldiers of the Liao people are approaching us." Zhao Shixiong said softly.
Gongsun Yingqi raised his eyebrows:
“Is it the main force?”
"Without dividing up the troops, the Liao people's army, except for the scouts, almost all gathered together and headed straight towards us. They are like a huge battering ram, cutting through the mountains and building bridges across the water. It seems they are determined to smash our tough bones." Zhao Shixiong sighed.
Gongsun frowned:
"This isn't a normal way of fighting. Is it because they don't know how to fight? Or is it because the Liao people are small in number, so instead of dividing their forces and letting us defeat them one by one, why not gather them together?"
Zhao Shixiong snorted coldly:
“Maybe it’s a bit of both, but I think they are more confident.
The population of the Liao people is indeed small. If a fight really breaks out, as long as the time is prolonged, with the depth of the Yu State, they can definitely be gradually consumed and brought down.
But these guys are very powerful individually. If we ignore them and let them pounce on us like tigers or bulls, we might accidentally hit them and they will pose the greatest threat to us.
But what I'm more curious about is why they suddenly showed up? I have a feeling there's something going on."
Gongsun said worriedly:
“Then it’s better to fight and retreat, and abandon this place.
Well, just like what Zhao Duan always said, trading space for time, Your Majesty's request to us is not to repel these foreign enemies, but to delay them. The real battlefield is still in Xiping."
Zhao Shixiong burst into laughter, his slightly hunched back straightened, and a heroic spirit almost soared to the sky:
"Retreat? No, I won't retreat even a single step!"
This thin tiger from the southwest had a resolute glint in his eyes:
"That Zhao Duan was on the eastern front, slaying Xu Wen with a sword and suppressing the Eight Princes Rebellion. How could I, a member of the Zhao clan, lose to him?
If I retreat, I don't know how I'll be laughed at in the future. Gongsun, how about you and I just stand here and wait for those thieves to come?"
Gongsun was stunned, then realized that her husband's words were not out of anger, but as a "surrendered general", he must not retreat.
He needed to use this battle to defend against the enemy and wash away the shame of having once submitted to Xu Jingtang.
…
…
On the plain.
The Liao people's army stopped marching and started cooking.
One by one, the Liaoren warriors thrust their huge and rough battle flags into the ground.
Suddenly, the patrolling scout looked behind him in surprise, and saw a huge strange bird breaking through the clouds in the sky and landing here like an arrow.
Almost subconsciously, many warriors raised their bows and arrows.
"Stop! Are you blind? That's the white flute beside the patriarch!" A Liaoren officer shouted angrily.
A giant bird flapped its wings and landed in the makeshift military camp. Scout Bai Di jumped down, her eyes weary and her voice hurried:
"Where is the general? The clan leader has sent a message."
soon.
Bai Di arrived at a temporary military tent in the middle of the long army.
With the help of the white flute at her waist, she entered the big tent unhindered. What she saw was several generals sitting together, discussing something in front of the map on the table.
"The clan leader has sent a message." Bai Di said coldly.
A group of generals were startled and looked at each other. At this time, the clan leader suddenly sent a message. Could it be that something had happened in the clan?
"You guys go out first." At this time, the person sitting in the main seat spoke.
He is tall and straight, handsome, with slightly dark skin and slightly curly hair. He is rare in handsomeness among the Liao people.
However, the most eye-catching thing is his pair of pupils with a light golden color, which can make people feel fear just by looking at them.
At this moment, the supreme commander of the entire army was sitting casually, even a little lazily, on a rough ox horn chair.
At the same time, a famous general stood up and walked out without saying a word.
In the blink of an eye, only four people were left in the tent.
"Bai Di, what did the patriarch send you here for? Haha, it won't be so easy to get the results of the battle." The lazy man with golden pupils joked.
"General Poyun."
Although Bai Di did not like this man's wild character, he still bowed deeply to show his respect for the tribe's first warrior.
Then, she walked over to Poyun's side and saw another man from the Yu Kingdom wearing a black cloak, with an elegant demeanor and pale complexion. She bowed slightly and said, "Your Highness."
Xu Jianwen smiled:
"What did Song Zhi say? We just came out not long ago, I hope nothing happened in the clan."
Bai Di nodded truthfully:
"Yesterday, Zhang Yanyi from the Tianshi Mansion suddenly broke into Dajiang, angering the gods. A fierce battle ensued between him and the clan leader within Dajiang, resulting in his death.
At the same time, Zhang Yanyi is suspected of sending a disciple to sneak into the La Garden and kidnap the Tuoba priest. The clan leader sent me to inform the two of you to cooperate in capturing the disciples of the Tianshi Mansion and rescuing the Tuoba priest.
At first, Xu Jianwen was still smiling, but after listening to this report, the smile on his face froze and his hands suddenly clenched.
Behind him, Qi Yuchun, who was sitting quietly, was suddenly startled.
Zhang Yanyi made a move? What was his purpose at this moment?
On the side, Po Yun, who was in a lazy posture, also frowned.
"Speak clearly! Speak carefully!" Xu Jianwen said sternly.
After learning what had happened from Bai Di, Xu Jianwen frowned, his heart filled with worry and a strong sense of uneasiness.
"Have you determined how many people sneaked into Layuan and who they are?" Xu Jianwen suddenly asked.
Bai Di shook his head:
"It's not certain yet. But judging from the intelligence we've gathered, it should be Zhang Yanyi's fourth disciple Han Zhao, second disciple Yu Xiu... There are two or three others, but we're not sure yet."
Zhao Duan fled all the way, killing everyone who saw him, and did not leave many traces in Layuan, so he was not exposed yet.
Are only the people from Tianshi Mansion taking action?
Xu Jianwen subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. Just now, the name "Zhao Duan" subconsciously appeared in his mind, but then he thought he was being too nervous.
Zhao Duan was seriously injured in the battle with Prince Jing. He should be in the capital now. How could he suddenly appear in Xinjiang?
There is absolutely no need for that. Even if he wants to show up, he should go and meet up with Zhao Shixiong.
So... could it be that Zhang Yanyi felt the pressure from Buddhism, so he took some actions?
But what is it for?
The treasures in the temple? There isn't much left.
The Tuoba priest? The divine servant suspected of being connected to the Crown Prince of Qi? But I'd clearly investigated this numerous times, and the priest had always refused to cooperate...
If anyone wants to stop me from mobilizing troops, they should come after me. There is no reason to seek bad luck on Laba.
Thoughts flashed through Xu Jianwen's mind, but despite his intelligence, he couldn't figure it out.
"I understand. Let's go out and rest first."
At this time, Po Yun, who was tall, handsome, and had strange and cold golden eyes, waved his hand, letting Bai Di leave first, and then looked at Xu Jianwen and said lightly:
"Your Highness, do you know Zhang Yanyi's purpose?"
Xu Jianwen shook his head:
"I still can't figure it out. But it's definitely not a good thing. You should immediately send out orders and have people search for them."
Po Yun frowned and said unhappily:
"The border town is just ahead. Now that the army is on the march, it's time to advance. How can we stop and split up our forces to look for people? We Liao warriors don't have as many soldiers as you Yu. We can't use them all up like ants."
Qi Yuchun, who had been silent, suddenly spoke in a cold voice:
"Your Highness's order, do you dare to disobey?"
Po Yun glanced at Qi Yuchun with a sidelong glance and said disdainfully:
"Do you have the right to speak here? What are you looking at? Do you want to fight me?"
Qi Yuchun was angry but dared not speak!
He was well aware of Po Yun's power. The other party was only a step away from becoming a celestial being. He had no chance of winning if he fought against him.
At the same time, this bravest warrior of the Liao people is also their greatest reliance in dealing with the southwestern border troops.
If there were no such master, it would be extremely difficult to capture Zhao Shixiong, who was holding the Soul-Breaking Sword and seemed to be close to becoming a half-step immortal.
"General Poyun!" Xu Jianwen suppressed his anger. "Before we set out, Song Zhi said that everything must be done according to my orders."
Po Yun said calmly:
"Your Highness, I have also heard a saying from your country of Yu that a general is not bound by military orders when on the battlefield."
After a pause, he met Xu Jianwen's cold gaze calmly and said:
"Also, Your Highness Xu, you must understand that if Clan Leader Song hadn't spoken, do you think we would be willing to come here and fight Zhao Shixiong to the death? To expand our territory for you?"
Xu Jianwen suddenly laughed and said soothingly:
"I have promised that if you help me regain the throne, I will naturally reward the entire Liao people tribe. That will be a benefit you can hardly imagine."
After a pause, he said seriously:
"Of course, you have your reasons for not sending troops to search for them.
However, you must order everyone to be on high alert and pay attention to any abnormalities. Otherwise, if those priests stand before Zhao Shixiong, they will also be your powerful enemies."
Po Yun laughed, stood up, stretched, and said in a contemptuous tone:
"I understand, but Your Highness is too timid."
He walked out, and Xu Jianwen stood up and followed him out of concern.
The two walked out of the tent.
At some point, the sky was filled with dark clouds and it looked like it was going to rain.
Xu Jianwen reminded:
"Although you are powerful, there are always those who are better than you. For example, Zhao Duan, whom I mentioned, killed a pseudo-celestial being not long ago."
Po Yun's golden pupils were filled with indifference. In a trance, one would mistakenly think that he was not a same species as humans, but some kind of higher-dimensional life.
He said calmly, "Zhao Duan? He'd better pray not to appear in front of me, otherwise..."
Po Yun swung his arm without any warning and punched the sky.
"boom!!!"
There was a roar of thunder in the dry land. Countless Liao people on the earth looked up and saw a huge hole pierced through the dark clouds thousands of miles in the sky. The sunlight shone through and the dark clouds shattered and dissipated.
The Liao people cheered.
Po Yun looked up at the sky, raised the corner of his mouth, and said indifferently:
"Just beat him to pieces!"
…
…
Under the same sky.
On a rugged official road further south.
Zhao Duan and his four friends, who had changed their appearance, mixed in with a group of refugees who had fled with their families after learning about the war, preparing to find out the news.
At this moment, Zhao Duan suddenly raised his head, looked towards the far north, and muttered:
"Did you hear that? It seems like there's thunder ahead."
Tuoba Weizhi, Yuxiu and Jinjian were stunned for a moment. Just as they were about to make a careful distinction, they suddenly saw a shadow coming over and covering the four of them.
Then, a shout came from above their heads:
"Listen up, everyone on the ground! Get down on your knees and cover your head! Otherwise, I'll shoot you!"
The four of them were stunned for a moment, and raised their heads like the people around them, and then were shocked to see a huge "flying boat" covered with vines flying in the air from afar!
The flying boat was like a boat in the water, except that thick ropes were stretched tight at all four corners. The ropes extended upwards and were held by several huge strange birds, which pulled the flying boat forward together.
"Fuck...this works..." Zhao Duan was shocked.
Soon, he noticed that at the edge of the flying boat, a Liaoren warrior was drawing the bowstring and aiming the cold arrow at the people below.
Yuxiu's heart moved, and she whispered:
"We ran into the Liaoren tribe's recruitment team!"
(End of this chapter)
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