Chapter 51: Braving the Lines to Rescue the Noble

Seventeen men from the Lang Battalion, together with Qingqing, Obaba, and Nan Jiyun, made a total of twenty. Nan Jiyun and Yu Lang divided the twenty into four groups, each with five members, and each group chose a leader. The five-person formation was something they had practiced often at Washing Moon Academy; after a brief rehearsal, everyone regained the familiar rhythm from their training, no longer so lost and anxious as before.

Yu Lang, Qingqing, Obaba, Yang Xu, and Dai Yang formed one group, with Yu Lang as leader; the other group leaders were Zhang Chengxing, Xue Wenyang, Li Dahuo, and Nan Jiyun. Each team was under the command of its leader, who was also responsible for the safety of the members. With seasoned leaders at their helm, the brothers of Lang Battalion felt a renewed sense of confidence.

Following Yu Lang’s example, the group crushed fresh grass and smeared its juice on their clothes for camouflage. Yu Lang led them around the other side of Mount Liang. Only when the “Goose Feather Fan” and his soldiers appeared in their line of sight did he signal everyone to lie low and wait for the right moment to strike.

Nan Jiyun, crouched beside Yu Lang, whispered, “They’ve just repelled us; now is when they’re most arrogant and careless. I’ll lead a team to kill their leader, and you attack from behind the archers. That’ll surely break their ranks. If we don’t strike now, when will we?”

Li Dahuo, on the other side, smiled. “Yu Lang is cautious; he’s probably thinking about what that leader just said.”

“What did he say?”

“That leader claimed, ‘Even if you were sons of Li Longji, we would dare to tie you up and play you to death.’ Brother Yun, think about it: we said nothing, yet he blurted this out, specifically mentioning Li Longji’s sons. Could it be his innermost thoughts slipping out in the heat of the moment?”

Nan Jiyun drew a sharp breath. “You mean these men might be planning to ambush Prince Li Shao? If they’re targeting the prince, the strength they showed just now isn’t enough; surely there are other experts hidden in the forest. I overlooked this step. What local official would have the nerve to plot against the prince? And why would the prince appear here?”

Yu Lang replied softly, “According to the dean, Prince Li Shao is very close to Senior Brother Huangfu. He probably learned through his own channels that Huangfu was besieged and came to rescue him. As for who’s behind the attack…”

Yu Lang glanced at Li Chun, who quickly spoke up, “Brother Lang suspects my father and brother. The truth is, both of them wholeheartedly support Consort Wu’s son, Prince Li Mao, and have never backed the prince. But my father and brother are shrewd men; they’d never do something as foolish as assassinating the heir apparent…”

“This isn’t foolish at all—it’s a clever move. His Majesty’s greatest fear is collusion between court officials and frontier generals, especially involving the heir. If the prince died while rescuing Senior Brother Huangfu, the emperor would be angrier than sorrowful and unlikely to pursue it too deeply. When a new heir takes the throne, your Li family would be top contributors.” Li Dahuo’s tone was edged with resentment; he had always despised Li Linfu and Li Yu, the father and son whose scheming knew no bounds.

Li Chun lowered his head.

Yu Lang patted Li Chun’s shoulder. “This has nothing to do with you. I know your character better than anyone. If your family ever faces disaster, I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

Li Chun looked gratefully at Yu Lang; if not for his constant protection, the other students at Washing Moon Academy would have shunned him.

Yu Lang’s promise was not only because he had shared three years as classmates with Li Chun and found his character impeccable, but also because he owed Li Yu a life. If the time came, he wouldn’t spare Li Linfu and his son, but he wanted to repay the kindness from three years ago, so he wanted to protect Li Chun.

“Quiet, everyone. A group is approaching from the north,” warned Zhang Chengxing, the leader with the best vantage point from the highest slope.

Prince Li Shao, clad in a bright yellow cloak, rode at the forefront, followed by a large contingent of heavily armed elite soldiers: about three hundred cavalry and five hundred infantry. The three hundred cavalry all rode rare Ferghana steeds, their backs adorned with long lances, their silver armor dazzling—truly imposing. The five hundred infantry marched in tight formation behind the horses, scarcely lagging in speed.

Zhang Chengxing was visibly excited, whispering, “These are the unrivaled elite of Great Tang, the Tiance Army!”

Yu Lang thought to himself: The Tiance Mansion was Li Shimin’s legacy from his conquest, with unparalleled prestige, and Li Shimin himself served as Grand General. According to history, Li Shimin disbanded the Tiance Mansion after ascending the throne. Could this Tiance Army be the prince’s own force?

The Lang Battalion watched in awe. Most of them had cultivation higher than the Tiance soldiers, but on the battlefield, their own abilities would barely perform at a tenth of their potential—they were no match for this elite.

Suddenly, Li Shao’s sweat-blooded steed stepped into a pit, revealing densely laid caltrops.

The Lang Battalion all held their breath.

Li Shao squeezed his horse’s flanks and let out a fierce shout. The steed neighed and, together with Li Shao’s body, leaped over the trap.

“What skill!” Li Shao could command a horse weighing several hundred jin to leap into the air; his own cultivation was no less than the Void-breaking realm.

Li Shao steadied his mount and signaled for a halt. The three hundred cavalry instantly reined in their horses, stopping as one, their formation untouched.

Li Shao and his army were separated by the caltrop array. The “Goose Feather Fan” gave the order without hesitation; two teams of swordsmen emerged from the woods, two teams of cavalry charged down the slope with momentum.

At the same time, countless powerful crossbows appeared on the hillside, aiming at the cavalry beyond the caltrop barricade, their bolts whistling through the air.

The Tiance Army infantry raised shields, protecting the cavalry and their mounts behind them.

Li Shao’s sword flashed; in a few exchanges, he slew thirteen swordsmen, using his agility to throw the bandit cavalry into chaos, causing them to trample each other.

At that moment, Yu Lang gave a solemn order: “First and second groups, circle behind the archers and kill them all. Third and fourth groups, go down and protect the prince. Fifth group, kill the commander with the goose feather fan!”

“Understood!” Inspired by the Tiance Army’s valor, the Lang Battalion moved swiftly and decisively.

Yu Lang drew his blade, leapt into the air, and blocked a heavy black iron sword aimed straight at Li Shao’s head.

The owner of the heavy sword was also airborne, his face masked, a deep scar tracing the corner of his eye.

Sword in hand, he was clearly a master of the Enlightened Profound Realm.

Yu Lang summoned his Grindstone Blade and clashed with the scarred man’s black iron sword. He lunged at the man himself, and the two exchanged dozens of blows in midair, neither gaining the upper hand.

At first, the scarred man was astonished. This youth, barely twenty, was at a realm where every twenty-year-old in Great Tang was considered a prodigy, yet he had no recollection of him.

After dozens of exchanges, the scarred man realized the youth was still some distance from the Enlightened Profound Realm; his sword technique relied on his wondrous black blade, and his resilience owed much to a physical strength far beyond ordinary men, compensating for some of the gap in cultivation.

If you haven’t reached the Enlightened Profound Realm, don’t blame me for being ruthless! The scarred man unleashed all his power, infusing his fists with overwhelming internal energy, each move shaking the very earth.

Yu Lang blocked a few strikes and felt his chest tighten, his tendons pushed to their limit and on the verge of rupture.

Nan Jiyun’s enormous blade flew through the air, forcing the scarred man back several yards.

The scarred man’s expression changed abruptly. Facing two wielders of celestial-grade weapons, both half a step into the Enlightened Profound Realm, he knew he couldn’t handle it. Without a backward glance, he withdrew and fled.

He had barely flown a few yards when ten arrows from Tiance Army snipers whistled toward him.

The scarred man snorted contemptuously, sweeping his sleeve to block nine arrows, but the tenth pierced his chest.

“Ah!” he cried in pain, not daring to linger, fleeing with all his might.

Yu Lang was secretly shocked—there were archers in the Tiance Army capable of piercing the chest of a cultivator at the initial Enlightened Profound Realm with a single arrow.