To guard against a night raid by the Black Qiang, the White Qiang Royal Court had posted roving scouts along its perimeter, while inside, torches burned everywhere. Oil, cattle dung, and firewood were burned as freely as if they were free of charge.
While it could not be said to illuminate the entire encampment as brightly as day, an ordinary small detachment of troops would certainly find nowhere to hide.
Yet Xiantian experts were another matter entirely.
The three slipped inside without a sound and swiftly located the most conspicuous pavilion—the White Qiang King's tent.
Torches stood erect all around as Wolf Guards patrolled with bows strung and blades bared. White Qiang internal masters stood sentinel as well; though not at the Xiantian realm, by joining forces they could still hold their own against one for a few exchanges, roughly comparable to the inner guard experts of the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor.
"Asuli should be inside."
"I wonder if Yan Xiangxue and Zhao Yu are in there too?"
"Could this be a decoy? What if they put an imposter inside while they hide in another tent?" Zhuixingzi asked.
Shi Mo glanced at him, utterly speechless.
"Probably not. Staying here gives him time to react. If he hides out in some tent and gets stumbled upon by chance, wouldn't that be even more dangerous?" Zhaixingzi at least had some wits.
Shi Mo's eyes shifted, and he turned to the two of them. "I will go check on that old hag Yan's tent. You two can scout the Chengyuan Army camp. After fighting hard all day, they might not have enough vigilance to mount a proper guard tonight."
"Fine!" Zhaixingzi and Zhuixingzi nodded at once.
Watching their backs disappear into the distance, Shi Mo gave a couple of sinister chuckles. He stayed put, lurking in the shadows near the White Qiang King's tent, making no move to leave.
He had no intention of looking for Yan Xiangxue. If Zhaixingzi and Zhuixingzi managed to kill Zhao Yu and stir up chaos, he might well be able to seize the opportunity to capture the White Qiang King and force the tribe into surrender.
***
Meanwhile, Zhaixingzi and Zhuixingzi slipped into the Chengyuan Army camp, which was located not far from the White Qiang Royal Court.
Compared to the White Qiang, the Chengyuan Army's encampment was laid out much more strictly. Perhaps because of three consecutive days of fierce battle, however, the soldiers were thoroughly exhausted. Though the torches blazed brightly, few guards and patrols were actively making rounds.
Even outside the commander's main tent, only a dozen or so guards stood watch out front, merely going through the motions.
*A chance!*
Zhaixingzi and Zhuixingzi's eyes lit up. Circling around to the back of the tent, they found a vast swath of darkness. Not a single secondary tent stood there; it seemed as though a passage had been deliberately left clear.
Seeing this, Zhaixingzi grew hesitant. "Is this an escape route he left for himself, or a trap laid in secret?"
Zhuixingzi sneered viciously. "What is there to fear? The White Qiang have no real experts anyway. Even if it is a trap, we'll just fight our way out."
The two exchanged a glance and crept noiselessly toward the rear of the pavilion.
Zhaixingzi moved effortlessly enough, but Zhuixingzi had only one leg remaining. Propped on a crutch under his left arm, he nevertheless landed without making a sound, demonstrating an extraordinary mastery of lightness skill.
"There's breathing inside. Only one person."
"Go in!"
Zhaixingzi brought his fingers together like a blade and made a swift slicing motion. As if severed by a razor-sharp weapon, the coarse canvas split open with a sharp rip, tearing a wide opening.
The pair slipped inside together, only to see someone sit up from the bed in the center of the tent, looking at them in apparent shock. "You really dared to come?"
Zhaixingzi saw that the youth was quite handsome and young, his brow bearing a trace of frivolous arrogance amidst his shock. Moreover, his features bore a striking resemblance to Zhao Zheng; one look was enough to tell he was his flesh and blood.
"Zhao Yu?!"
Zhaixingzi and Zhuixingzi could not contain their delight. They had never expected him to actually be right here in the main tent, completely unshielded by personal guards.
They had indeed overthought things. He really was just an arrogant, pampered heir!
"Little dog!"
With a furious shout, Zhaixingzi lunged forward like a streak of lightning. At the same time, his left hand shot out. Wang Yu instantly felt an invisible force dragging him forward, seeking to pull him straight into the enemy's grasp.
With just that tug, Wang Yu's balance swayed. He immediately recognized that Zhaixingzi's internal strength was indeed profound, even surpassing Qiao Riyan's. However, Wang Yu's martial intent remained completely unaffected, showing that his opponent's martial realm was not particularly high.
Wang Yu steadied his mind, grounded his stance, and bellowed, "Loose arrows!"
The very next instant, right beneath Zhaixingzi's eyes, Wang Yu flashed a faint smile. He slapped his hand down onto the bed, and the wooden boards split apart instantly, dropping him straight down.
Wang Yu vanished in the blink of an eye. Startled, Zhaixingzi and Zhuixingzi flashed forward and landed beside the bed together.
Zhaixingzi swept his palm across, shattering the wooden frame into splinters to reveal a tunnel five feet wide. A silhouette was already disappearing into the depths.
Just as they were pondering whether a trap lay below and whether they should pursue, a shield that fit the opening almost seamlessly—its outer surface bristling with sharp iron spikes—suddenly thrust upward into place.
Clearly, whether they had wanted to pursue or not, the way down was now firmly blocked.
Then both men remembered Wang Yu's shout.
The next instant, a cry echoed from outside: "His Highness is safe!"
Clamor erupted on all sides, and the first volley of arrows arrived right on cue.
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
Scores of fletched shafts tore through the tent fabric, converging directly on the two men trapped inside.
Roaring in unison, they waved their palms to deflect the arrows, then bounded upward, ripping through the top of the tent.
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
Before the first volley had even settled, the second wave was already flying toward them.
While the first volley had been somewhat inaccurate due to the obstruction of the tent, the second wave flew thick and fast the moment they burst outside and exposed their positions.
The two knocked the arrows aside again, charging outward at top speed.
Yet the third, fourth, and fifth volleys followed in virtually seamless succession.
Xiantian experts were formidable indeed. Even if the Five Great Bandits of Mount Qi had been here, they would likely have been turned into hedgehogs. But Zhaixingzi and Zhuixingzi projected their true qi, and the Star-Plucking Hand also exerted a pulling force; after five full volleys, not a single arrow had pierced their defenses.
"Keep shooting!" Zhao Shan barked, flicking his wrist to loose three flying daggers.
Organized in squads of fifty, six squads of archers had completely surrounded the pavilion. Though their armor was disheveled from being hastily donned, their gazes were razor-sharp, and their hands drew their bows with utter steadiness.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
Zhuixingzi brandished his solid iron crutch, swatting aside all three flying daggers.
With the two fighting back-to-back, even the relentless storm of arrows could not halt their headlong charge.
"Scatter!"
Seeing them about to crash into their line, Zhao He shouted. The archers near him dispersed instantly, while those on the opposite side kept firing without hesitation, sending a barrage straight into the pair's backs.
Zhaixingzi and Zhuixingzi were forced to wheel around to parry before dashing outward once more.
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
Zhaixingzi grunted in pain. Lacking his right arm, he could not defend in time, and an arrow buried itself in his right shoulder.
Right at that moment, they spotted half a dozen torches flaring to life not far away. Standing at the center of the light was a figure with dirt and grass clinging to his hair and clothes—none other than Wang Yu, who had just emerged from the tunnel.
"Cripples of heaven and earth!" Wang Yu called out loudly. "Don't leave yet! Stay and play a while longer!"
*Cripples of heaven and earth?!*
Zhaixingzi and Zhuixingzi whipped their heads around, fury blazing in their eyes hot enough to reduce Wang Yu to ashes if looks were fire.
"Tell me, how did you two manage to be so exceptionally stupid?" Wang Yu shouted again. "We are in the middle of an active war! How could we possibly leave ourselves unguarded? Yet you came charging right in, and of your own accord, no less!"
"Was it Shi Mo who suggested this assassination to you?"
Wang Yu began driving a wedge between them. "You two are being used as pawns by the Black Qiang! They knew full well that the White Qiang defenses were tight and that a night raid stood no chance of winning, so they needed someone to draw the fire.
"You two were simply the ideal candidates: not Black Qiang yourselves, with no powerful backing to protect you. Once used, you can be tossed aside without a second thought. Even if you die here, it won't matter to them in the slightest.
"Otherwise, why are you the only ones here? Where is Shi Mo? Where is Qubi Amu? Where is that Xiongnu envoy? Why haven't any of those experts shown their faces?"
Wang Yu sneered, "Are they all waiting near the White Qiang King's tent for an opportunity of their own?
"You two are sacrificial lambs!" Wang Yu pointed accusingly. "Shi Mo used your hatred for me to coax you into striking at the White Qiang, drawing their enmity onto yourselves. I truly pity you.
"Setting the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor aside for a moment, the White Qiang have no shortage of experts. Senior Yan is a Xiantian Grandmaster, and Gulanrena is a Xiantian expert as well, with even more talents rising in the White Qiang's future.
"Do you two truly believe the White Qiang are finished? What if they survive this crisis? Once new experts arise, aren't you afraid White Qiang masters will march on the Xingxiu Sea to seek revenge?
"Even if you aren't afraid for yourselves, don't you have disciples? Aren't you afraid your successors in the Xingxiu lineage will be dragged down with you?
"Old Man Xingxiu's lineage would be utterly extinguished!"
Speaking to this point, Wang Yu suddenly sensed that something sounded slightly off.
Then he heard Zhaixingzi howl in rage, "Little dog! Both our disciples were killed by you!"
"Oh, right, my apologies." Wang Yu waved his hand dismissively and dropped that point, returning to his earlier argument. "In short, I just wanted to let you know that you've been played for fools."
Wang Yu asked with an air of genuine curiosity, "It couldn't possibly be that you two came up with the idea to assassinate me all on your own, could it?"
Zhaixingzi and Zhuixingzi were left speechless. In truth, this operation really had been their own suggestion.
Yet most people refused to admit their own mistakes, preferring to blame others.
Why hadn't Qubi Amu come?
Why hadn't Yuwen Haojie come?
Shi Mo had come along, but why had he refused to stick with them, insisting on acting alone? And even now, there was not the slightest stir from the White Qiang Royal Court to buy them an opening!
Zhaixingzi and Zhuixingzi burned to tear Wang Yu apart, but they saw hundreds of soldiers already shielding him, flanked by a dozen or so manor guards who were clearly no weaklings.
In the end, they could only lower their heads and keep fighting their way out.
From the center of the camp to its outer perimeter, wave upon wave of arrows rained down upon them. Though cohesive volleys were difficult to sustain near the edge, the chaotic hail still found its mark, and both men fled bleeding into the night.
Gulanrena suddenly stepped out from behind Wang Yu. "Why didn't you let me strike?"
Both Zhaixingzi and Zhuixingzi were injured. If Gulanrena and Wang Yu attacked together, supported by the manor guards and elite soldiers, they had an excellent chance of pinning both men down, or at least killing one.
"If even Shi Mo can read the board, how could I make a mistake?" Wang Yu shook his head. "As long as we hold out, victory is guaranteed. Under these circumstances, since Shi Mo hasn't shown himself, there's no need for us to take unnecessary risks."
If Gulanrena had joined the fray, the arrow fire would have had to halt. If Shi Mo had been lurking in the shadows and launched a sudden ambush, things could have gone very wrong.
Wang Yu chuckled. "Let's just keep stalling. They think stalling will break us, while we know that stalling brings certain victory. It all comes down to whether Uncle Rong and General Feng can smash into the Black Qiang Royal Court before we collapse."
Gulanrena smiled as well. "If our count of days is correct, General Feng and the others should be arriving soon, shouldn't they?"
Wang Yu nodded, casting his gaze toward the west. "Indeed, they should be arriving soon."
Chapter 121