Chapter 429 Kill Me!
Yuwen Ye's pupils suddenly contracted.
Seeing Xue Xian charging closer and closer on his horse, he took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and spurred his horse to charge forward as well. Just as the wielding crescent blade came slashing down at him, Yuwen Ye swung his sword with both hands and once again blocked it.
A loud "bang" was heard.
As before, Xue Xian's knife was once again blocked by the hard hilt in his hand, but this time, Xue Xian's arms were not pushed away. Instead, he pressed down hard with both hands holding the knife.
Suddenly, as if Mount Tai were pressing down on him, Yuwen Ye felt as if he had sank down.
Standing on the city wall and witnessing this scene, Shang Ruyi's eyes flashed with a silent panic. After watching the horse battle just now, she understood that the strength of those who wield weapons on horseback comes entirely from their lower body, and most importantly, from their two legs in the stirrups, which are the source of power for the warriors on horseback.
If that area loosens, the general will be almost powerless on horseback.
As for Yuwen Ye—she clearly remembered that he had always suffered from leg cramps. It was because of this that Ashina Shali was able to escape back at Yanmen Pass. Although she had previously been mindful of his condition and given him some milk every night, she had not done so since the two of them had fallen out.
Looking at it now, Yuwen Ye's legs seem to be twitching involuntarily again.
And it's not just the legs.
For someone on horseback, waist strength is also very important. Just like his two lightning-fast attacks from behind, that was all thanks to his waist strength. This person's waist is indeed flexible and powerful, something that ordinary people can't match.
But just a moment ago, Shang Ruyi vaguely felt that his waist seemed to have gone limp, which caused his whole body to sink down.
Could it be—
Shang Ruyi was so nervous that she forgot to breathe. Her hand, with its fingertips already worn raw and bleeding, gripped the wall tightly as she stared intently down below.
Is Yuwen Ye really running out of energy?
Just as her heart was about to leap into her throat, a soft sigh suddenly sounded beside her.
"Second Brother Yuwen, are you a little tired?"
Shang Ruyi looked down and saw that Shan Tong'er had walked up to her at some point, leaning against the wall and staring blankly at the battlefield below.
Because of his vomiting during the day, Cheng Qiao and the others immediately took him down to rest. They didn't call him when they went out to battle. Unexpectedly, the boy woke up at some point and went up to the city wall by himself, looking at the battle situation below with a worried expression.
His words only intensified Shang Ruyi's unease.
She said, "You...can tell?"
Shan Tong looked up at her, her small face, pale and weak from vomiting, was full of worry. She said, "His strength seems to be much less than when he went to war."
"..."
"I now realize that when Brother Yuwen attacked me at Wanggang Village, he didn't use his full strength."
"..."
"Otherwise, I would have had a hard time surviving three moves from him."
"..."
But now—
Shang Ruyi's heart sank, and she suddenly said, "Stop talking!"
Shan Tong'er was startled. She looked at her somewhat gloomy face and then at her surroundings, and immediately understood.
Although he didn't understand the crime of disrupting morale, discussing the health of the commander-in-chief at this time would inevitably worry those around him. If morale were to drop, the troops would be difficult to lead.
Shan Tong'er quickly shut his mouth.
But after thinking for a moment, he looked up at Shang Ruyi and said softly, "Sister Ruyi, I want to help him."
At this moment, Shang Ruyi placed both hands on the wall, her dark eyes fixed on the battle below—after a stalemate, Yuwen Ye finally swung away the crescent blade that was pressing down on his head, and slashed at Xue Xian's lower abdomen with his backhand. This was the most difficult position to attack, but also the most difficult to defend. However, Xue Xian was not flustered and simply flicked the hilt of his blade upwards, deflecting the attack.
Following that, the two clashed blades several more times, the piercing sound filling the entire Fufeng.
Shang Ruyi said in a deep voice, "No."
"...!?"
Shan Tong'er stared at her with wide eyes in astonishment: "Why?"
Although Yuwen Ye had not yet clearly fallen behind, he was still fighting fiercely, so much so that the soldiers watching below could not see anything unusual about him. They were still cheering him on and even hurling insults at the soldiers of the Longxi Army opposite him. But those on the city wall could see it clearly.
After exerting that much force, Yuwen Ye's body began to feel weak.
If the fight continues, he really will—
But Shang Ruyi's expression remained grim as she said in a deep voice, "He must win this battle himself!"
In the past, even before this battle began, Shang Ruyi might not have had such conviction, let alone watched Yuwen Ye struggle in such a fierce battle and did nothing. But now, she fully understands that Yuwen Ye wants to use himself and his battle to inspire the fighting spirit of the Fufeng soldiers. Therefore, he not only cannot lose, but he also cannot show any bias in the battle.
Otherwise, the fighting spirit that he had just stirred up among these people would only dissipate more quickly because of his "incompetence".
By then, Fufeng will have truly collapsed.
Since Yuwen Ye has chosen to take on this responsibility, he must carry it through to the end. At this moment, the person on the battlefield is no longer just Shang Ruyi's husband, but the great general of the court, the reliance of the people of Fufeng, and even more so—Yuwen Ye himself!
Hearing Shang Ruyi's resolute answer, Shan Tong'er didn't quite understand, but she could tell from the solemn and serious expression on the face of this usually kind and gentle Ruyi that she would not send anyone to the battlefield to help Yuwen Ye.
But he was still worried.
Shan Tong'er muttered softly, "Are we just going to do nothing?"
"...!"
Upon hearing this, a bright light flashed in Shang Ruyi's eyes.
She suddenly turned around and exclaimed, "Where's the drum?!"
The people on the city wall were all focused on watching the battle below. When they heard her question, they were all a little stunned. It was the supervising officer Yin Changyue who immediately reacted and pointed to a large drum erected at the entrance of the watchtower, saying, "Here."
Shang Ruyi immediately went over.
The drumhead of this large drum is almost as long as an adult. It is placed on a tall wooden frame, which is about the same height as Shang Ruyi. There are two drumsticks on the side of the frame, which are also as thick as a person's arm. When Shang Ruyi picks them up, they feel heavy and press down on her wrist.
Upon seeing her posture, everyone around was stunned, wondering what this seemingly delicate young mistress of the Duke's mansion was going to do. For a moment, everyone forgot about the battle below and looked at her.
Yin Changyue was also taken aback: "Young Madam, what's going on—"
Shang Ruyi ignored them and turned her head to look at the battle below. The two men on horseback were still fighting fiercely. Xue Xian seemed to have figured something out and became more and more courageous in the battle. He swung his crescent blade like a halo and attacked Yuwen Ye repeatedly. Although Yuwen Ye was not to be outdone and blocked several attacks in succession, his elbows began to tremble uncontrollably.
Xue Xian seized the opportunity, roared, raised his crescent blade high, and slashed down at Yuwen Ye!
This strike was powerful enough to split rocks and cleave mountains!
Yuwen Ye gritted his teeth and actually swung his sword with one hand. The gleaming sword drew a dazzling fan of light above his head, and he was about to block Xue Xian's attack!
A sinister sneer had already appeared on Xue Xian's face.
At that very moment, a thunderous drumbeat came from above their heads!
In an instant, Yuwen Ye felt a jolt in his heart, and an unnamed power emerged from his limbs and body, intertwining and surging towards his arms. He roared, his Mo Dao forcefully blocking the Crescent Blade, and with a flick of his wrist, he directly pressed down on Xue Xian's head.
"...!"
Xue Xian was shocked, clearly not expecting that he would still have the strength to fight back at this moment, even managing to push his own sword back with a single hand. However, he was not weak either, and hurriedly pushed away the sword, then used the momentum to attack Yuwen Ye's ribs.
At the same time, another drumbeat resounded!
When the first drumbeat sounded, the soldiers of the Fufeng Army had not yet come to their senses. Some even thought it was their own heavy heartbeats. But when the next drumbeat sounded, they finally realized what was happening.
They all raised their heads and looked towards the city gate tower.
Before the heavy drum, a slender figure wielded a huge drumstick, striking the drumhead with all her might. Deafening drumbeats were produced by her hands, like thunder from the sky above the dome dyed red by the setting sun!
This is the young mistress of the Duke's mansion, and also their general's wife!
Originally, everyone was uneasy because of the presence of women and children in the army. After all, these weak people not only needed their protection, but would also be a burden in the most critical moments. Therefore, people were not only discouraged by the defeat in Fufeng, but also dissatisfied by the appearance of this woman.
But at this moment, all the dissatisfaction and discouragement were shattered by the sound of the drum!
This young lady, with her heroic bearing, stirred up the winds and clouds with the sound of drums, startling the people on the opposite side of the battlefield into a state of panic, which greatly pleased them. Some even began to shout, "Young lady!"
At the same time, someone shouted, "General!"
In an instant, the shouts of the two men intertwined and merged on the battlefield, converging together, and making the drumbeats resound to the heavens.
Amidst the fervent atmosphere, Yuwen Ye felt an indescribable power surging from his heart, from the drumbeats, from the trembling ground, and from all directions, instantly filling him. He calmly faced the attack, gracefully dodging Xue Xian's blade. At the same time, he spurred his horse forward, causing it to gallop two steps ahead, passing Xue Xian.
Just when everyone thought he was going to completely avoid the opponent's continuous attacks, he had only walked a few feet behind Xue Xian when he used the same trick again, striking Xue Xian's vital point on the back with his backhand.
Xue Xian was now somewhat annoyed.
He gripped the hilt of the longsword in reverse and forcefully slapped the Mo Dao in Yuwen Ye's hand downwards. The sharp blade missed again, leaving only a cut on the saddle on Yuwen Ye's back.
At the same time, Xue Xian spurred his horse to catch up and swung his sword at Yuwen Ye's shoulder.
Shang Ruyi looked down at the person engaged in fierce combat. Although the two were far apart, she seemed to be able to feel the conviction in his heart at this moment, and she wanted to transmit her own strength to him through the invisible drumbeats.
So she gritted her teeth and kept striking the drumhead with her heavy drumsticks.
The drums thundered.
Yuwen Ye couldn't see the scene on the city wall at all. He didn't even turn around, but the sound of the drums seemed to stir up a surging tide in his heart. His heart surged and surged with power. He wielded the heavy Mo Dao with even more ease. In an instant, he had already exchanged dozens of blows with Xue Xian on the galloping horse.
This time, neither of them stopped their horses nor held their ground. Instead, they kept swinging their long swords at each other, with clanging sounds echoing continuously. The two men rode their horses on their own two legs. The two horses, one red and one black, resembled intertwined flames and thick smoke as they galloped along the wide open space outside the city gate.
At this moment, the rapid, heavy drumbeats merged with the sound of horses' hooves, further stirring the hearts of those in battle.
The riders on horseback did not stop for a moment.
The two men sat firmly on their horses, no more than half a foot apart. They wielded their long swords like two bright, circular wheels of light, stirring up a foul wind in their hands. Before long, the two horses had run far around the open space and reached the banks of the Xiaolin River.
At this moment, the setting sun blazes like flames, and the flames of war rage on.
The once calm river surface suddenly reflected two fine horses and the figures of two people fighting passionately on their backs. In an instant, people and shadows, water and fire, reality and illusion intertwined, creating a stunningly beautiful scene.
The thunderous drumbeats further enhanced the scene, creating a powerful and awe-inspiring atmosphere that shook the mountains and rivers!
Seeing that the two had fought so far away that the sound of the drum could hardly be heard anymore, and that swinging the heavy drumsticks was no easier than wielding swords in battle, Shang Ruyi's arms began to feel sore and numb after a series of blows.
Yin Changyue and the others standing nearby whispered, "Young Madam, perhaps we should—"
"Need not!"
Before they could even finish speaking, Shang Ruyi interrupted them in a deep voice.
At this moment, she didn't have the energy to waste words with anyone. She needed to put every bit of her strength into this big drum and, through the sound of the drum, transmit it to Yuwen Ye!
"Get out of the way!"
With a loud shout, the people around dared not say anything and all stepped aside.
Shang Ruyi bit her tongue, almost tasting the salty, metallic flavor of her own blood. Her weak arms swung around like rolling wheels, causing the drumhead to vibrate violently as she struck it. Even the wooden frame below began to move, almost overturning her.
The kind boy, quick-witted and agile, rushed forward and grabbed the wooden frame below.
The thunderous drumbeats made his thick, hard arms go numb, but he gritted his teeth and held on tightly. The drumbeats were so powerful that they shook the clouds and the ground like muffled thunder, reaching the hearts of the people who were still fighting fiercely on the riverbank!
At this moment, the two men spurred their horses along the riverbank, splashing water that was half a person high. With the setting sun already slanting below the horizon, the blood-red sunset emitted its last heat and light, making the splashes of water look like rising flames.
The two fought fiercely amidst the blinding light and surging waves!
This scene got everyone's blood pumping!
Amidst the deafening shouts of the crowd, the two fought fiercely along the Xiaolin River for nearly a hundred rounds. Their two horses then galloped back along the long road towards the city gate, and soon returned to the city gate of Fufeng.
When Shang Ruyi used her last bit of strength to strike the drumhead with a heavy blow, producing a dull sound like a mountain collapsing and the earth splitting, Yuwen Ye shouted and swung his sword fiercely. The gleaming blade and the sharp edge of the sword caused Xue Xian to lean back, and even the steed he was riding seemed to be intimidated at that moment.
The horse also took several steps back.
Then, Xue Xian's figure suddenly swayed, almost falling down.
This unexpected turn of events surprised both sides. Everyone thought he had been injured and was about to collapse. The Longxi army was even about to charge forward regardless of their general. But upon closer inspection, Xue Xian himself showed a look of astonishment. He quickly gripped the reins to steady himself.
But he still kept shaking.
He wasn't injured; the one who was injured was—
"Red Steed!?"
Xue Xian let out a low cry, calling out to none other than the crimson steed beneath him.
Only then did everyone realize with astonishment that the crimson horse had just been walking on the riverbank, and was now dripping wet, with water droplets running down its body—and those water droplets were bright red!
That was blood!
Drop by drop, it fell beneath them, already staining a small patch of ground red!
Upon seeing this, Xue Xian was also shocked. He hurriedly looked around and discovered that the blood was flowing down from under the saddle on the horse's back, and the wound was under the saddle on his back.
That is, the spot where Yuwen Ye had previously struck his vital points several times, only to have them blocked by his blade, leaving scratches on the saddle.
His knife not only slashed through Xue Xian's saddle, but also wounded his horse time and time again from where Xue Xian couldn't see!
Because it was a magnificent red horse, the bleeding wasn't noticeable until it was too late. By the time the signs became apparent, the horse was already beyond saving!
"you--"
Xue Xian suddenly realized what was happening and looked up at Yuwen Ye.
So that was his plan.
Yuwen Ye's face remained as cold and stern as ever, but despite being soaked to the bone and dripping with water, he exuded a powerful, almost intimidating, murderous aura!
That murderous aura had already shattered people's minds and spirits, and Xue Xian's steed was at its limit, teetering on the verge of collapse!
"Red Steed!"
Xue Xian's eyes widened in horror, and as he cried out in alarm once more, the horse finally let out a mournful neigh and collapsed to the ground!
Just then, Yuwen Ye's face darkened, and his arm, which had been numb from fighting, suddenly rose up. The long sword in his hand was aimed at the panicked people in front of him, and in the last blood-red light of the setting sun, it emitted a bloodthirsty sound.
"Kill them!"
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