Main Text, Chapter Eighty-Four: Contest of Strength (Eighteen)

Xu Le had come straight for the very heart of the khan’s tent.

He truly had no time to search for Luo Dun one place at a time. In such utter chaos, he moved like a fish in water; wherever he went, it was as though he had entered an empty land. The entire encampment of the Thousand-Ledger tribe had become a great, disorderly hive, and no one had the wit to stop him.

Yet the truth was that he was still a lone man crashing blindly through a place full of enemies. Once everyone in the encampment reacted, then even with all his skill, to be trapped here would still be extraordinarily perilous.

If he could reach the core of the khan’s tent and seize either Black Owl or Black Fruit, would the Thousand-Ledger tribe still dare refuse to hand Luo Dun back?

After the plan to slip silently into the khan’s tent had been shattered, Xu Le had made that decision at once. And after setting the whole encampment ablaze, he carried it out without the slightest hesitation.

His grandfather had once said that when one thought of something, the best course was simply to do it. In ordinary times, one might indulge in endless speculation and weigh every side. But in an age of chaos, before armies and battle lines, there was no room for such delay. To strike quickly against delay was the best choice of all.

Amid a sky full of flying sparks, burning horses charging everywhere, and panicked crowds shouting and fleeing in all directions, Xu Le and Bu Li’s two mounts cut through as swiftly as blades through water.

Yet he had not expected that at the very center of the khan’s tent he would find the Turkic Azure Wolf Cavalry of the Zhibi tribe. Among them also stood Zhang Wansui, one of the great generals under Wang Rengong.

The Zhibi tribe had long been the vanguard of the Turks’ southern invasions of Mayi Commandery, and the blue wolf tails hanging from their fur caps had become a nightmare in the hearts of countless commoners of Mayi.

As for Zhang Wansui, as a great general under Wang Rengong, he often led troops on inspections through the countryside. Shenzhu was under Wang Rengong’s rule, so Zhang Wansui had naturally visited often.

Whenever such a general of Wang Rengong came touring the region, the bold and unruly youths of the countryside would always rush to join the excitement. They would either display their abilities or show their ferocity.

Ordinary men, once drafted into the Eagle-Soaring Office, were merely common soldiers. But if the commander took a liking to them, one’s starting point inside the office would be higher than others’, and one would have a better chance of rising to prominence in the future.

Xu Le had also joined the local hotheaded youths of Shenzhu a few times, and had gone to watch Zhang Wansui’s procession. He had felt the admiration of his companions at his side, who spoke of how a true man ought to be.

And now Wang Rengong’s trusted general had appeared here.

In that instant Xu Le seemed to understand. The reason the Nine Surnames’ alliance had finally turned into this was because the Turks had been directing everything from behind the scenes. Ge Da and Black Fruit had long since pledged themselves to the Turkic Zhibi tribe.

And Zhang Wansui’s arrival must mean that Wang Rengong was conspiring with the Zhibi tribe to deal with Liu Wuzhou, who was now entrenched in the land of Yunzhong.

Old Luo Dun, as chief of the Lianghaite tribe, had been dragged into all this. On his very first merchant journey, Xu Le had run straight into such an affair.

Tonight he had once again thrown the Thousand-Ledger tribe into chaos, killing and setting fire within Liu Wuzhou’s territory. No matter how much Liu Wuzhou cared for appearances, no matter how much he looked after fellow townsmen from Mayi, he probably could not tolerate this either. Xu Le had originally planned that after rescuing Luo Dun, he would go and surrender himself to Liu Wuzhou, first sending Han Yue, Song Bao, and the others back home, while he himself would take one step at a time from there. After all, since his enemies were foreign tribesmen, Liu Wuzhou likely would not be inclined to kill him.

But now, having discovered the Turks’ collusion with Wang Rengong, he had found the best explanation for Liu Wuzhou. If this evidence were delivered to Liu Wuzhou, who knew? He might even dispatch Heng’an Eagle-Soaring troops to help Old Luo Dun reclaim control of the Lianghaite tribe.

Find Old Luo Dun, and leave at once! Since he could not find Ge Da, Black Owl, or Ge Da, Black Fruit, then first seize the Turkic noble standing behind them!

Xu Le狠狠夹了一下马腹, and with his spear swinging, he charged straight at Zhibi Sili, the one closest to him and guarded by the Turkic Azure Wolf Cavalry.

Zhibi Sili stared blankly as Xu Le’s white horse came like lightning, crashing directly toward him.

At first he was still somewhat dazed, but then he understood. This Young Master Le, who had shaken Yunzhong to its core, had already stormed into the Thousand-Ledger formation by day and still was not satisfied; by night he had come sneaking in again. This Young Master Le truly had a heart forged of iron.

Zhibi Sili roared and drew his straight blade, preparing to meet Xu Le’s charge. As a young khan of the Zhibi clan, there was no reason for him to retreat before an enemy.

The Turkic Azure Wolf Cavalry guarding him also reacted at once, all drawing their blades and moving to block Zhibi Sili’s front. No matter what, they could not allow anything to happen to the young khan here.

Zhibi Luoluo shouted fiercely, “Attack! Hurry, attack! Stop him!”

The Turkic Azure Wolf Cavalry around Zhibi Luoluo also rushed in with a frenzy, drawing their blades as if mad, willing to die in order to stop Xu Le. If anything happened to the young khan, none of them, the personal guards of the Azure Wolf Cavalry, would survive.

Even Zhang Wansui was stunned for a moment, staring in open-mouthed disbelief as, amid the fire that swept through the whole camp, a white horse came crashing straight ahead. On its back, a youth held a spear tucked beneath his arm, leaning forward low over the horse’s back in the textbook posture for a heavy cavalry charge.

The magnificent white steed, with a long cry, slammed headlong into the ranks of the Turkic Azure Wolf Cavalry. Thudding impacts, the crack of broken bones, and the screams of the cavalry all rang out together. Three or four Azure Wolf riders were hurled backward in a straight line, no one knowing how many bones in them had been broken.

This white horse, whom Black Fruit had never been able to tame, became wildly excited in such a killing ground. After that ferocious collision it did not fall. It staggered a few steps sideways, then steadied itself again, crying out in rage, tossing its head, leaping and surging, even seizing one Azure Wolf rider by the shoulder and flinging him away in a single motion.

Though only a warhorse, in the midst of battle this white steed truly had the bearing of swallowing a dragon. How could Black Fruit ever have subdued such a beast?

Xu Le had originally been prepared for the horse to tumble after the collision. His foot had merely rested lightly in the stirrup; if the mount fell, he would leap up at once and continue on foot, forcing his way in until Zhibi Sili was seized.

But this divine steed beneath him had performed far beyond all expectation, showing such valor and magnificence.

With such spirit, it could indeed swallow a dragon.

Xu Le made up his mind: even if he were beaten to death, he would never give this mount back. And its new name would be Dragon Swallower.

As such fierce thoughts churned in his mind, his hands did not delay in the slightest. The spear, which had been slightly drawn back, now snapped forward in an instant. A spear was only a hard wooden shaft, unlike a horse lance with its full spring. If thrust forward in a charge and struck against an enemy formation, such tremendous force would snap it at once. Now that it was extended, Xu Le held the rear end of the spear with one hand and swept it around.

With a sharp cracking burst, one Azure Wolf rider’s neck was broken by the sweep. The few Azure Wolf riders standing before Zhibi Sili had already been reduced to very few, and after the collision and the strikes, what now stood before Xu Le was only Zhibi Sili with blade in hand.

Xu Le clenched his horse’s flank, and Dragon Swallower, who had been raising its head and stamping and leaping a moment before, immediately lunged forward toward Zhibi Sili.

Zhibi Sili had also ridden into battle with his father and was known among his people as a promising youth. He was by no means timid. But now that Xu Le had charged in, swept aside his guards, and closed the distance, Zhibi Sili understood the situation in an instant.

A man on foot against a man on horseback, a short blade against a long weapon—damn it all, he could not beat this Young Master Le!

Hastily, Zhibi Sili withdrew. Xu Le gave him no chance to escape; Dragon Swallower was already closing in at speed. Zhibi Sili roared and slashed with his blade, aiming for the side of Xu Le’s thigh. Xu Le had already lowered his spear with one hand, striking down like lightning upon the straight blade in Zhibi Sili’s grip.

With a crisp crack, Zhibi Sili felt as though struck by thunder. The straight blade flew from his hand. Xu Le had already changed his grip, switched the spear, bent low, and drove one fist straight into Zhibi Sili’s face.

These motions were as swift as lightning. Zhibi Sili took the blow full in the face. It was as though a ritual orchestra had suddenly opened beside his ears, cymbals and drums all sounding at once, while stars burst wildly before his eyes.

Before Zhibi Sili, with blood streaming from his nose, could even fall, Xu Le had already hooked an arm around him, yanked hard, and dragged the Zhibi tribe’s young khan face-down across the saddle. He withdrew the spear and pressed the butt against Zhibi Sili’s skull, then roared, “Is this enough weight for you? If not, then come at me! I’ll kill him and catch another one!”