Chapter 132: Fortune Infuses the Body, Sword Rises and Falls

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“Damn it! Hold the line for your king! Anyone who takes even one step back will have his entire clan put to death!” the First Prince shouted frantically.

Yet while the Divine Strategy Army could easily withstand the beast cavalry of a single kingdom, it was hard-pressed to resist the combined assault of two nations, attacking from both above and below.

With a thunderous boom and a splintering crash, the thick city gates were finally smashed apart by the yak-elephant heavy cavalry!

The First Prince’s heart lurched. He hurriedly turned to look behind the gates.

To his astonishment, just as the ferocious yak-elephant cavalry was about to surge into the city and slaughter its way through, it plunged into a massive pit some twenty to thirty yards long, ten yards wide, and nearly seventy yards deep.

Dozens of the yak-elephants let out shrieks that shook the heavens. At the bottom of the pit, hundreds of iron spikes shaped like logs had been driven upright, piercing through the creatures’ bellies as dark-red blood sprayed in every direction.

“When was this trap set? Why was I not informed?” the First Prince demanded.

“Your Highness, Protector Lei ordered the army to dig and prepare it before he departed!”

“Oh?” The First Prince shook his head inwardly. Though Lei Wanshan was extraordinarily brave and had fought in countless battles, even he could not have devised such an ingenious stratagem. An image of a stubborn figure with an iron will surfaced in the First Prince’s mind.

Before he could think further, the pit had already been filled with the corpses of several hundred yak-elephants, and the beasts that followed trampled over them in succession.

After enduring a barrage of cannon fire and shot from the Divine Strategy Army, the enemy had suffered heavy losses, but it still charged recklessly into the city, now nearly impossible to stop!

The First Prince hurriedly dispatched troops to intercept them, but hundreds of thousands more enemy soldiers appeared a hundred miles beyond the city. Forced to attend to one front while neglecting another, he was torn with indecision and anxiety.

With no other choice, he personally entered the fray, charging straight toward the Prince of the Vilu Kingdom, who rode atop a colossal five-zhang yak-elephant and wore a bright-yellow fur robe.

“Hahaha! Just in time! I was hoping to cross blades with you, First Prince of the Feng Court!”

Changzan roared with laughter and raised a broad-backed golden saber to meet him.

The First Prince was, without question, the foremost martial expert among the princes. His seven-foot greatsword cleaved through wind and air, and his technique, speed, and strength were flawless. Only after engaging him did Changzan realize how formidable he truly was, and he could do little more than grit his teeth and defend himself.

“Pang Ji! Get down here and help me!”

At his command, Pang Ji let out a fierce whistle. Carrying a Dragon-Gall Silver Spear, he leapt down from a flying tiger-eagle.

Every thrust was vicious and treacherous, aimed at the First Prince’s back. Enraged, the First Prince struggled to hold his own against the two of them.

But if this continued, the defenders would eventually be defeated and the Divine Strategy Army destroyed. He could flee alone and return to the capital, but what awaited him there would be impeachment and attacks from his imperial brothers. He would never have another chance to recover his position.

“Hahaha! So the First Prince of the Feng Court is nothing special after all. Today, I shall capture him and take him back to my kingdom to empty my chamber pot!” Changzan laughed as he grew bolder with every exchange.

“You bastard! Fortune Infusion—Golden Dragon Illuminates the World!”

The First Prince thrust his sword into empty air. Blinding golden radiance erupted around him, accompanied by the faint, furious roar of a dragon.

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From somewhere within the boundless firmament, a thread of continuous golden light descended, enveloping him and pouring into his body. In an instant, dragon scales covered him, and his form swelled until he stood ten feet tall.

His strength and speed rose dramatically, increasing more than tenfold compared with moments before!

“Hmph! Do you think you alone can command the power of fortune?”

Pang Ji and Changzan each raised their heads and summoned their own power. A strand of purplish-black fortune and a strand of milky-white fortune descended into their bodies.

Working together, they still firmly overpowered the First Prince. He stamped about in fury, yet could do nothing to change the situation!

At that moment, a figure shot toward the battlefield where the three men fought. Judging by his movement and speed, he was no weaker than any of them.

“It’s you!” Changzan glared furiously. He was more familiar with Han Chong’s appearance than Pang Ji was. It had been Han Chong who, using several red banners, had driven the yak-elephant heavy cavalry into a frenzy and sent them out of control—something Changzan still hated him for bitterly.

“Boy Han, have you come to avenge the prince of your kingdom? Help the two of us capture him, and we shall forgive your past offenses!”

Pang Ji tried to entice him.

The First Prince’s heart tightened. He had already been unable to withstand the two princes; if another expert joined them, his position would be hopeless.

“Han Chong, I was wrong to blame you earlier. Put aside our former grievances and help me drive these two men back. I shall restore you to your former post, and once we return to court, I will petition for your promotion and ennoblement!”

“Heh. I have no interest in your promotions or titles,” Han Chong said with a cold laugh. “I am here only to prevent the soldiers and people of Northern Court Prefecture from being slaughtered and enslaved.”

His contempt left the First Prince deeply embarrassed, though he could not bring himself to lash out.

Han Chong then joined the battle, wielding the Heaven-Slaying Demon Sword, and tossed the Golden Dragon Immortal-Binding Sash back to the First Prince.

Recovering the treasure, the First Prince’s confidence surged. He wielded the Immortal-Binding Sash in his left hand and lashed it toward the two princes, immediately increasing the pressure upon them.

Elsewhere, Xun Kang and a contingent of officers and captains from the Demon-Slaying Battalion were locked in a fierce battle with the four marshals of the two kingdoms.

When they caught sight of Han Chong’s return from afar, they were overjoyed. Their morale soared, and they closed their encirclement around the four marshals even tighter.

With both sides evenly matched, the battle became a test of endurance and willpower. Friend and foe alike gritted their teeth and held on, waiting for the opposing side to lose its composure first.

At last, one of the middle-aged marshals from the Shule Kingdom, overcome with fear and a desire to live, abandoned the other three and fled toward the outskirts of the city.

Xun Kang shouted, “All troops, heed my order! Slay the enemy marshals and raise the prestige of Great Feng!”

The officers and generals of the Demon-Slaying Battalion had carried a nameless fire in their hearts ever since being sent to the northwest.

Today, after fighting with their lives on the line, they had finally found an opportunity to distinguish themselves. If they could kill even one enemy marshal, they would at last be able to hold their heads high!

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Three guerrilla generals and more than a dozen captains pounced upon the enemy like wolves upon tigers. Though the three remaining marshals possessed extraordinary strength, they found it increasingly difficult to hold out. Each time they attempted to escape, the officers and generals stopped them at the cost of their lives.

One marshal suddenly shoved the marshal from the other kingdom beside him into the path of a blade, then fled for his life while the other man took the attack.

The treacherous act immediately pushed the two marshals toward the brink of death. In the blink of an eye, they were swallowed by the surrounding officers, hacked apart, and torn to pieces.

Of the four marshals, two had fled and two had died. The morale of the two princes collapsed completely.

Pang Ji gave a sharp whistle. A tiger-eagle swooped down from the sky, and he seized its talons as it carried him upward.

“Damn you, Pang Ji! You coward!” Changzan roared in fury and resentment.

But while he was distracted, the Immortal-Binding Sash wrapped around him and sent him tumbling to the ground.

Just as he was about to beg for mercy, Han Chong’s sword rose and fell. A huge head rolled across the earth.

“Han Chong!” the First Prince cried out, a chill running down his spine.

That had been the prince of an entire kingdom! Han Chong had actually killed him without the slightest hesitation. This would cause relations between the two kingdoms to deteriorate sharply.

The First Prince could not help reassessing Han Chong’s character. The man was upright and incorruptible, conscientious in his duties, and repeatedly produced ingenious stratagems at the most critical moments.

Yet when facing an enemy, he struck with ruthless and merciless decisiveness, enough to make anyone’s blood run cold.

When Han Chong turned his icy gaze toward him, the First Prince gave an awkward laugh.

“General Han has slain the prince of an enemy kingdom and rendered a great service. I shall certainly memorialize the court and request a reward for you!”

“Your Highness, if you would simply stop making trouble for me, I would already be burning incense in gratitude.”

Han Chong gave a cold laugh. His purpose in cutting off the enemy prince’s head had been to kill one as a warning to many.

He meant to warn the others not to make trouble for him again. Otherwise, they would do well to consider whether the head upon their shoulders would remain there.

The First Prince felt a chill in his heart. This man truly was a reckless scholar. If pushed too far, he might even dare to cut down the First Prince himself!

“No, no, that will never happen. I have always rewarded merit and punished wrongdoing fairly. General Han has repeatedly distinguished himself in battle—how could I possibly commit such an unrighteous act?”