thefictionvixens Chapter 57 On the Value of Gai Nie and Li Chungang
Chapter 57 On the Value of Gai Nie and Li Chungang
In martial arts battles, the emphasis is on exquisite techniques and profound inner strength, but the situation on the battlefield is quite different.
Those who were slow to escape were easily deflected by the spears of cavalrymen flanking them. Those who tried to dodge or parry were rammed into by the galloping warhorses, their bones broken and their tendons and bones immediately overwhelmed by the iron hooves of the pursuing horses. Those who tried to leap away were riddled with spears in mid-air...
In the first round of fighting, only Zhaixingzi of the Xingxiu Sect was left to resist. He was the senior disciple of the Xingxiu Sect and his martial arts skills were passed down from Ding Chunqiu. He was considered a first-class master in the martial arts world.
His movements were elusive, and his palms carried a poisonous wind as he struck down two cavalrymen who had charged too close.
This immediately attracted special attention. Several riders deliberately drove them away and surrounded them in a small open area. Their cloaks were torn, and their purple robes were stained with dust and blood.
A lance thrust at his side, which he barely dodged, but another struck him heavily on the back, causing him to cough up blood and fall to the ground. Before he could get up, several heavy iron hooves trampled on his limbs. After a clear sound of bones cracking, a scabbard slammed into the back of his head, and the world was plunged into darkness.
Seeing this, Mu Wanqing, who was watching the battle from the high slope, couldn't help but swallow hard.
Having roamed the martial world and witnessed countless battles, she held the imperial court's lackeys in utter contempt. But today, after witnessing the army's methods of warfare firsthand, she was suddenly struck by the realization that the martial world and the battlefield were entirely different concepts.
The cavalry didn't even need to make overly complicated slashing movements; they simply maintained a tight formation and rolled over like plowing through the ground.
The weight and speed of the horse and rider together make them the most terrifying weapons. Under the trampling of iron hooves and the collision of lances, mortal bodies are like tattered cotton or clay sculptures, turning into mincemeat in just one second.
Tong Lao didn't have any other thoughts. She was just watching Murong Fu, who was fighting with Ding Chunqiu, and was curious about his skill of using minimal force to overcome great strength.
As for the massacre by the army below? She didn't really feel anything, after all, it wasn't like she hadn't fought before.
Every thirty years, when her powers are depleted, Li Qiushui will inevitably come to provoke her, and after she recovers, she will inevitably go to Western Xia to take revenge.
She had seen the imperial guards of the Western Xia palace more than once.
Of course, she wouldn't be foolish enough to confront the charge of thousands of cavalry head-on. With her skills, as long as she wasn't determined to fight to the death, these troops really couldn't hold her back.
After thinking for a moment, Tong Lao looked at Russell and, instead of asking him if he could escape, directly asked Russell how long it would take to kill all these people.
Upon hearing this, Kumārajīva, Su Xinghe, and others who had vaguely overheard it couldn't help but turn their heads and look at Russell.
Russell stroked his chin, thought carefully, and said seriously, "If they don't run, it will take an hour."
No matter what, he's just a martial artist, not a god. He needs to breathe, and although his stamina is far superior to ordinary people because of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill, it still has its limits.
Moreover, fully armored and unarmored, cavalry and infantry are completely different concepts.
If he had to choose between an ordinary person in armor and a wandering swordsman without armor, he would definitely choose the former in a one-on-one situation, but he would definitely choose the latter in a one-on-many situation.
Even if someone with flesh and blood is a little stronger than an ordinary person, their fatal points are still fatal. They can be killed with a single palm strike. If they are wearing heavy armor, they will need to exert ten more units of force just to inflict effective damage.
Just like the battle at the Beggars' Sect headquarters, facing a bunch of unarmored wandering warriors, his only worry was how to prevent them from escaping.
If he were facing a group of fully armored cavalry, he would be thinking about how to conserve his strength and ensure his own escape while inflicting as much damage as possible.
His current assessment of his combat strength is roughly as follows: in a head-on confrontation, a thousand heavily armored cavalrymen are about his current limit. Any more than that and he won't be able to hold out. He'll have to run if necessary.
Therefore, the more capable a person is, the more they can appreciate the true significance of Gai Nie's feat of taking down 300 Dragon Tiger Cavalry while carrying a burden, and Li Chungang's ability to break through 2,600 armor in one fell swoop.
……
The battlefield below.
After Zhaixingzi died, the battlefield fell silent again. Apart from Ding Chunqiu and Murong Fu, who were still locked in combat, there was no other movement. The Tibetan cavalry began to skillfully regroup, gradually returning to a disciplined formation from the wedge shape they had formed during the charge.
Seeing this, Ding Chunqiu became increasingly anxious. He never expected that there would be a master like Murong Fu in this army.
He originally planned to first cut off the flag and kill the commander to dampen the morale of this cavalry, and then slowly poison these ignorant fools.
But now he was blocked by Murong Fu, who appeared out of nowhere, and behind him were many cavalrymen who were eyeing him covetously.
He knew in his heart that Murong Fu was no match for him, and even if they fought for another half an hour, they might not be able to determine the winner.
But by then, both sides will be exhausted. Murong Fu can leave whenever he wants, but Murong Fu will likely be torn to pieces by a flurry of blades.
The thought of this made me panic.
When masters clash, victory or defeat often hinges on a single thought; a moment of discouragement can lead to a slowdown in one's actions.
Murong Fu naturally wouldn't let this opportunity slip by, and his offensive intensified suddenly. He forced Ding Chunqiu to retreat half a step with a single move. However, he knew that Russell had come for revenge, and he couldn't presume to take his place. After a moment's thought, he kicked Ding Chunqiu in the chest and then turned back, like a hawk returning to its nest, lightly landing back on the high slope. He cupped his hands in greeting to Russell and said:
"Brother Luo, this Old Monster Ding's martial arts are truly superb. I am not up to the task, and I'm afraid Brother Luo will have to take action himself."
Pah! Sycophant! So shameless!
Kumārajīva cursed inwardly, "Murong Fu has no shame whatsoever!"
"Thank you for your trouble, Young Master Murong." Russell also felt it was time for him to make his move, so he stopped refusing and strode out.
Ding Chunqiu was wondering why, even though he was clearly at a disadvantage, Murong Fu turned and left without hesitation, and the surrounding cavalry showed no intention of charging forward. Then, a figure crashed down before him like a meteor.
"Who are you?" Suppressing his surging blood and qi, Ding Chunqiu examined the newcomer and, confirming that he had never seen him before, a hint of doubt crept into his voice.
It is true that he is infamous, but he has been living in seclusion in Xingxiu Sea for many years and rarely goes out. When did he offend such a person that he was able to mobilize an army to besiege him and even have a master like Murong Fu to help him?
"You old geezer, how dare you lie to me!"
Before Russell could answer, he noticed the Seven Treasures Ring on Russell's left thumb. His expression changed drastically. Looking around, he finally saw Su Xinghe on the gentle slope, sneering at him. How could he not realize that he had fallen for his trick? Wu Yazi was not dead at all!
"I'm so angry! I'm so angry!"
Ding Chunqiu was enraged. He saw colorful smoke faintly emerging from his sleeves as he lunged at Russell.
He knew he wasn't going to make it today, so he tried to take as many people as he could with him before he died.
Then there is no more then.
Russell thrust out a single palm, and with a deafening roar, the air in front of the palm print was compressed by the violent force, creating a visible shockwave that struck Ding Chunqiu squarely in the chest, instantly shattering him into pieces.