The Human Emperor

The moment he left, the long blare of a horn came from the southeast. The vast Tibetan army retreated like the receding tide, drawing back from the Tang-occupied mountain.

Mengshe Zhao, with a sense of tacit understanding, also began to retreat.

In just a few moments, an empty zone of land had been created around the mountain.

Amidst the blustery winds at the summit, Old Eagle looked down and reported, ”Young Master, theyʼve retreated!”

”Mm, as they should.”

Wang Chong sneered as he glanced up at the gradually darkening sky. The initial assault, the rain of fireballs, the White Elephant Corps… the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army had launched three to four waves of attacks in a single day, but he had defeated every one of them.

”Since they know that now is the time to retreat, then perhaps itʼs not too late for them!”

Dalun Ruozan, Huoshu Huicang, and Geluofeng were influential figures of the southwest, on the same level as Zhangchou Jianqiong. All of them were people who needed to be regarded with vigilance.

If anyone else had said what Wang Chong had said, they would have been looked upon with contempt. But in Wang Chongʼs mouth, no one believed these words to be improper.

His actions had amply proved that he had the strength and qualifications to say such words.

Not even the Annan Protectorate army generals had realized that Wang Chongʼs place in their heart had gradually risen above Wang Yan and Xianyu Zhongtong, generals who they had spent the last month fighting to the death for.

”Pass down my order. The soldiers should begin to fire the stoves and begin to make their meals.”

”But Young Master, what if they use this chance to attack?” Old Eagle said.

”Hmph, if they dare!”

Snorting, Wang Chong left with a flick of his sleeve. This sort of tactic was meant to invite them to attack, and Wang Chong looked forward to welcoming it.

……

”This is naked contempt! This child is jeering at us!”

As he saw the smoke of campfires rise from the mountain, Huoshu Huicang suddenly spoke, his eyes turning to Dalun Ruozan with an obvious meaning. While he said that Wang Chong was jeering at the Tibetans, he was actually saying that Wang Chong was challenging Dalun Ruozan.

”What can I do? This is beyond my abilities!” Dalun Ruozan said with a bitter smile.

”Hmph! You will concede?” Huoshu Huicang said, not believing any one of his words. Huoshu Huicang was extremely familiar with the Ngari Great Minister. Anyone who thought that he was actually conceding would be committing a fatal error.

Those people who thought that Dalun Ruozan would so easily concede had already had their bones ground into dust, transformed into a pile of dirt.

At the very least, if Zhangchou Jianqiong were present and saw the expression on Dalun Ruozanʼs face, he would have only increased his vigilance.

”However, this brat truly canʼt be underestimated! Even Zhangchou Jianqiong wouldnʼt have been able to push me to this state.”

With these final words, Dalun Ruozan deeply furrowed his brow.

Huoshu Huicang also fell quiet. The deep understanding he had developed with Dalun Ruozan after working with him for so many years let him know that these words of Dalun Ruozanʼs had come from the heart.

With this sort of evaluation from Dalun Ruozan, Wang Chong was allowed to be proud of himself.

……

Dusk began to set in as light continued to gradually seep out of the world.

The entire battlefield had fallen into silence, the campfires blazing in the darkness like little stars. At this time, the Tang, the Mengshe Zhao, and the Tibetans were all minding their own business, descending into a rare calm.

Buzz!

Deep within the darkness, in a place that no one was paying attention to, several figures silently appeared on the northwest face of the mountain.

”This is the place!”

This person had two sabers sheathed on their back and stood next to Dalun Ruozan. It was the valiant Tibetan general who cultivated the Metal element, Tumi Sangzha. With him were Longqinba and Ciren Xiangxiong as well.

All of them had very grave expressions.

The Great Minister never did anything meaningless, much less at a time like this.

”Just what is this brat up to?”

Ciren Xiangxiong slowly raised his gaze from the base of the mountain to the summit. This was a long ʼpathʼ, around ten-some zhang wide. It did not lead to any other place on the mountain, and there were no steel walls here, only an uncountable number of caltrops of all shapes and sizes.