Chapter 1594 - Strange Movements on the Border!
Chapter 1594: Strange Movements on the Border!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Wang Chong had felt as if he had already succeeded at cultivating the Art of God and Demon Obliteration, even learning to a proficient level several of its strongest techniques, but the strength Su Zhengchen had revealed so casually was still something he could not reach.
“Senior!”
Wang Chong was stunned. Only now was it apparent that this War God who had lived for more than one hundred years possessed a far higher cultivation level than anyone had imagined.
The back garden of the Su Residence gradually quieted down. Wang Chong and Su Zhengchen were the only people there. Even Little Jianjian had left at some point.
On this night, Su Zhengchen hid nothing, revealing everything he had learned in his life one by one so that it could be passed down to Wang Chong.
The Dao of the Sword was a vast world, and tonight, it opened its doors to Wang Chong.
This continued until nearly daybreak.
“It’s about enough. I have taught you everything I can. The rest will depend on you.”
The oil lamp was on the verge of burning out, its flame incredibly weak. Su Zhengchen raised his head, a faint hint of exhaustion on his face. The more powerful and profound the martial art, the more energy it took to pass it on.
Su Zhengchen had lectured Wang Chong on the art of the sword, an experience that many people could go their entire lives without encountering.
“Many thanks, Master!”
Wang Chong stood up and respectfully bowed. Su Zhengchen looked at Wang Chong and gave a content smile. In the end, Wang Chong had chosen to call him Master.
“Go. I’m rather tired.”
Su Zhengchen waved his hand, stood up, and walked into the house.
Wang Chong watched Su Zhengchen vanish into the complex of the Su Residence, and only when he was gone did he finally turn around.
As Wang Chong turned his head, his eyes flashed with the light of countless swords, as if streams of Sword Qi were roiling within. But then Wang Chong blinked, and all the light vanished.
As Wang Chong was leaving through the back gate, a voice came from behind him. Little Jianjian had suddenly come out and was now standing nearby.
“Senior Brother, the incident in front of the Imperial Palace was on purpose, right?”
Time seemed to stop, and Wang Chong’s foot froze in the air. But he quickly turned his head and smiled at Little Jianjian.
“Yes!”
Wang Chong didn’t deny it. Wang Chong truly had intentionally used the Art of God and Demon Obliteration right in front of the First Prince and King Qi.
Su Zhengchen had spent more than half his life, more than sixty years, imprisoned in his own residence because of Taizong’s words. Even the misfortune suffered by his children was connected to this decree.
Su Zhengchen had spent far too much of his life in a cage because of this decree, and this situation was bound to continue. This was the legendary War God of the Great Tang, someone who had rendered great service for the country and had saved countless lives on the border. It wasn’t right for him to die like this.
Many years had passed, and even Taizong was now nothing but dust. The men from that time were all gone, so for what reason did Elder Su have to cage himself for the sake of a decree from one hundred years ago?
Wang Chong had intentionally allowed the First Prince and King Qi to see that sword art so that he could force Su Zhengchen to walk out of his gloomy residence.
“So Senior Brother had the same idea.”
Surprisingly, Little Jianjian was not angry. In fact, he seemed relieved, giving a long sigh and smiling.
“Senior Brother, good work! You can leave Master to me and be at ease!”
A cunning light gleamed in Little Jianjian’s eyes as he watched Wang Chong depart.
……
The days continued to pass. While great waves were raging in the capital over Wang Chong’s return, in the distant north, past the forts set up by the Beiting Protectorate and seven-hundred-some li to the east, the Turkic steppe was barren and deserted.
In the past, the entire steppe would have been tense due to the combative relationship between the Great Tang and the Eastern and Western Turks, with war liable to start at any moment. In order to defend against their counterpart, both sides would have cavalry patrolling the borders, who would occasionally get into brief and violent skirmishes.
But after the Confucian Sect appeared and took control of the Imperial Court, signing a series of peace treaties, both sides had not skirmished in a very long time. This part of the steppe was able to obtain a rare moment of calm.
A breeze blew out of the north, but for some reason, the chill that tinged it seemed colder than it was in the past.
Dingling!
After some time, the ringing of bells attached to warhorses came from the north, and then a squad of Turkic cavalry appeared.
“So cold!”
The leading Turkic horseman rubbed his hands together as he observed his surroundings.
“This damn weather! Look at the air I breathe out! It’s almost about to freeze,” another Turkic horseman agreed.
“The weather is too cold, and winter has never come on so quickly before. I hear that in some tribes in the north, the mares have stopped producing milk, and many heads of cattle and sheep have frozen to death,” another horseman added, tightening the wool coat around him. “Half a month ago, one of Chaha’s friends went to the Lataina in the north, but they discovered that the ground there was covered in a sheet of ice one inch thick. The elder of that tribe even said that he had lived for decades and had gone hunting in that place many times, but never had the ground frozen over so early.”
“That’s not all,” a shorter Turkic horseman said. “Not too long ago, I received word that the more than one hundred thousand people of the Awang Tribe are migrating south. The Awang Tribe are stubborn people who don’t easily leave their territory, and they’ll fight to the death with anyone that intrudes on it. Last time, the Khagan even tried to convince them to move over by offering a most fertile piece of land, but their chief immediately refused. Even thinking about it now, it seems unbelievable.”
Many strange things had taken place on the steppe recently, incidents that would be rare even in a span of thirty years.
“Jincha’er, you’re close with the shamans of our tribe. Have you heard anything from them?”
A horseman turned to another horseman who had a scar on his cheek.
All the Turkic cavalry stopped and turned to the man riding at the very back. He had two sabers at his waist and his armor was covered in scratches. One could tell at a glance that he was a fierce Turkic horseman.
“How could I know? Those shamans are chattering weirdly that ‘the cold wave is coming, the cold wave is coming’, but how could I know what that means? I’m more worried about my own stomach,” Jincha’er said fervently, patting his belly.
“Now that the weather has gotten cold, there’s not enough food on the steppe and the army has started rationing. At each meal, I only get enough to make myself feel half-full. I just can’t stand it!”
“Right, right!”
These words drew the agreement of his comrades.
“The arm can’t beat the thigh. If that’s what our superiors say, what can we do?” a Turkic horseman helplessly said.
“Hmph! In the past, in what year did we not have enough wine and meat? But now we can’t even get half-full! It’s a disgrace! If not for the fact that those above signed some damn peace treaty with the southerners, forcing the army to retreat several hundred li and not even fight, we would have never fallen to this stage!” Jincha’er hatefully spat out.
“That’s right! Those Tang in the south are rich, with every one of their homes packed with meat and other foods to pass the winter! But now that both sides are at peace, we can’t steal it, only look!” another horseman resentfully said, his face vicious.
“Hey, who said we could only look?”
Someone strangely laughed. Everyone turned their heads to their stalwart leader at the very front, who was wearing red armor and carrying a thin saber covered in blood. This was a man who had clearly killed many people, and he was staring at his men with a mysterious smile on his face.
“Milord, you mean…”
The Turkic cavalry turned to their captain in anticipation.
“Haha, what does it matter that we signed a peace treaty? Are our superiors going to try and fight a war while letting us starve? Don’t the southerners have that saying? A Khagan can’t have hungry soldiers!” the Turkic captain said.
“Milord, what’s your plan? Hurry and say it!”
The men could hardly contain themselves.
“Heheh, relax; you won’t go hungry.”
The Turkic captain chuckled.
“Several days ago, our patrols discovered a village of southerners very close to us. Our people saw them take many things into their village, and as long we’re quick and don’t leave a trace, haha…”
The Turkic captain did not continue, but the eyes of his men lit up.
“I suddenly feel a little hungry,” one of the Turkic horsemen suddenly said.
All fell silent, and then they all glanced at each other in understanding, cruel smiles creeping onto their lips. Urging their horses onward, they rode toward the border, toward the lands of the Great Tang.
……
In the capital, in a study within the Wang Family Residence…
Wang Chong sat cross-legged on the floor, white steam completely engulfing his body.
Unlike before, this white steam was infused with countless gleaming, golden points of light. Each of these golden lights seemed to be as heavy as steel and contained vast quantities of energy.
As time passed, more and more of these golden lights appeared, and Wang Chong began to exude an even greater power.
A few moments later, the space within five feet of Wang Chong’s body began to shift and tremble. A golden Origin Immortal symbol instantly appeared on Wang Chong, and his body was plated in a layer of divine and sacred light.
It’s the seventh day now. I wonder if I will succeed, Wang Chong said to himself.
With this thought, the mantra of the Supreme and Infinite Origin Immortal Art began to emerge in his mind.