PDLP Chapter 56 Strength Determines Everything
Chapter 56 Strength Determines Everything
Just as Yin was defeated at the gates of Youli City, finding itself in a predicament of being caught between a rock and a hard place, Yin was in dire straits.
In the distance, a five-colored rainbow streak, like a shooting star chasing the moon, tore through the sky, carrying a breathtakingly powerful aura, and landed precisely between the two opposing sides.
As the rainbow light faded, Zhang Kui's towering figure appeared. He wore a dragon-patterned black scale armor, his aura as deep as the sea, and his gaze majestic as he swept over the slightly flustered Northern Army soldiers below the city, finally settling on Yin Pobai.
"This humble general, Zhang Kui, greets General Yin." Zhang Kui clasped his hands in greeting, his voice clear and resonant, carrying a metallic quality.
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Kui's mind stirred slightly, and his golden core trembled gently. A massive aura, a mixture of true immortal power, earth witch's blood and qi, and the fierce killing intent accumulated from repeated blood battles, was released with a roar, like a sleeping primordial beast suddenly awakening.
This imposing force, like an invisible mountain, precisely pressed down on the Northern Army led by Yin Pobai.
In an instant, Yin Pobai felt his breath catch in his throat, as if the air around him had frozen, and a fear originating from the depths of his being gripped his heart. He seemed to see a colossal figure, towering over the heavens, coldly looking down upon him, this insignificant ant. The officers and captains behind him groaned, their faces turning deathly pale, their bodies swaying as if they were about to fall from their horses, while their warhorses neighed uneasily and retreated.
The pressure came quickly and went quickly, lasting only a few breaths before receding like the tide.
But even in that brief moment, it was enough to soak Yin Pobai and the others in cold sweat, their hearts filled with turmoil. Yin Pobai barely managed to steady his almost out-of-control mind, gripping the reins tightly, his knuckles white from the force, his mind a complete mess: "Zhang Kui... how did he come back? Where's Ma Yuan? That ruthless Qi Immortal Ma Yuan, could it be... impossible!"
He couldn't believe it. He had witnessed Ma Yuan's prowess and ruthlessness firsthand; no ordinary person could possibly be his match. How could Zhang Kui have escaped so quickly, and seemingly... completely unharmed?
Zhang Kui took in Yin Pobai's surprised and uncertain expression, a cold smile playing on his lips, but his face remained calm, as if the awe-inspiring aura from before had never existed. "General Yin, you have come a long way and must be tired. I just finished dealing with a small matter and am late in welcoming you. Please forgive me."
Yin Pobai forced out a smile that looked worse than a grimace, and said dryly, "It's alright, it's alright. I've long heard that General Zhang Kui is strict in his military discipline and has an elite force under his command. Seeing it today, it truly lives up to its reputation." His words carried a hint of probing, as well as a sense of regaining face, implying that even he, Zhang Kui's superior, dared to obstruct Zhang Kui's troops.
Zhang Kui smiled calmly, his tone firm and unwavering: "General, you flatter me. Since joining the army, I have been deeply influenced by Grand Tutor Wen's teachings and know that military discipline is the foundation of the army. I strictly follow Grand Tutor Wen's teachings in governing the army and dare not slack off in the slightest. All of this is to ensure that the defense is foolproof and to live up to Grand Tutor Wen's trust."
By bringing up Wen Zhong again, he was both stating his own position and reminding Yin Pobai who Zhang Kui was backing.
Yin Pobai's face grew even uglier, as if he had swallowed a fly, yet he couldn't refute it. Wen Zhong's prestige within the Shang army was far beyond what a mere Northern Commander like himself could shake. He took a deep breath, knowing he wouldn't gain any advantage on the topic of "strict military discipline," and would only humiliate himself. He could only reluctantly change the subject, pointing to the still tightly closed city gates, his tone softening slightly, but still retaining the air of a superior: "General Zhang, this Youli City is still under the jurisdiction of our Great Shang, isn't it? This Commander is here on the King's orders to inspect the troops; I can't just stand outside the city forever, can I?"
Seeing that Yin Pobai's momentum had waned, Zhang Kui knew the time was ripe; too much would be as bad as too little. Since the other party had already softened his stance and offered a way out, he didn't want to completely ruin things, as they were still nominally superior and subordinate. He immediately went along with it, clasping his hands in a fist and saying, "Of course, Youli will always be the King's Youli, and the Youli that Grand Tutor Wen cares about. Just now, my men performed their duties diligently; if there was any offense, I apologize to the General on their behalf."
Having said that, he turned to face the city wall, his voice suddenly turning stern, carrying the chilling authority of an iron-fisted military command: "Wu Wenhua, open the city gates, have the army line up, and welcome General Yin into the city."
"Understood!" Wu Wenhua responded loudly from the city wall.
The heavy city gate slowly opened with the sound of winches, revealing two rows of black-armored soldiers standing solemnly like statues. Even more chilling was the sight of a well-organized military formation already arrayed on the drill ground, with swords and spears like a forest, banners obscuring the sun, and an overwhelming aura of bloodlust mixed with the cold scent of steel emanating from it.
Accompanied by his personal guards and Zhang Kui, Yin Pobai entered Youli City with some trepidation. Upon entering the city, he was immediately shocked by the scene before him.
On the drill ground, the 30,000-strong army stood silently, with only the battle flags fluttering in the wind.
The elite cavalry stood solemnly to the left, both riders and horses clad in black armor, their long spears forming a forest of blades, their cold metallic sheen blending seamlessly. The knights' eyes were sharp, their auras intertwined with their steeds, ready to unleash a torrent of metal to tear everything apart at any moment. Captain Zhang Boyuan stood with his hand on his spear, his aura concealed yet surging like a volcano about to erupt.
The archers, arrayed on the right, carried specially made powerful bows almost as tall as themselves, their quivers gleaming with a ghostly light. Captain Li Zhongqian's gaze swept across the room like that of a hawk, leaving no doubt that a rain of arrows could cover any corner at a single command.
The elite Tiger Warriors stood in the center, their heavy lamellar armor gleaming darkly in the sunlight. Their massive shields formed an impenetrable wall, with long spears protruding from the gaps like steel hedgehogs. Captains Sun Shubao and Zhao Jiyu stood at the front of the formation, one as steady as a mountain, the other as fierce as a tiger, their concentrated killing intent almost emanating from their bodies.
This army moved with absolute discipline, and its unique military spirit, a blend of bloodlust, ferocity, and discipline, sent shivers down the spines of even the seasoned veteran Yin Pobai. He secretly compared them and concluded that even the most elite Northern and Southern Garrison armies of Chaoge, in equal numbers, would likely have no chance of defeating this ferocious force.
Zhang Kui's ability to train troops is terrifyingly impressive.
"Please inspect, General!" Zhang Kui's voice pulled Yin Pobai back from his shock.
The ensuing inspection resembled a meticulously planned display of force. Under Zhang Kui's tacit instructions, Wu Wenhua and the four captains took turns participating.
Wu Wenhua carried that terrifying spiked club and practiced alone. The sound of wind and thunder arose as he swung the giant club, the ground cracked, and air waves rose into the air. The pure sense of power was suffocating.
The Longxiang military exercise involved charging and breaking through enemy lines, its iron hooves thundering as it pounded the ground, its momentum like a landslide or a tsunami.
The Eagle Soars military exercise was filled with arrow formations, thousands of arrows were fired at once, the whistling sound of them piercing the air was chilling, and the straw doll targets that were set up were instantly torn to pieces where the arrows fell, and some talisman arrows even exploded with flames and ice, with amazing power.
The Tiger Legion military exercise demonstrated a coordinated defense and advance, with shield walls moving like mountains and long spears thrusting like a forest, integrating offense and defense seamlessly, making them virtually invincible.
Yin Pobai's palms were sweating as he watched. The displeasure and some ulterior motives he had felt earlier from being refused entry were instantly crushed by this absolute power. He now had only one thought: to complete this damned mission of entertaining the troops as soon as possible and leave this place that made him feel so much pressure.
After the inspection, during the break between arranging the military refreshments, Yin Pobai finally couldn't contain himself and seized an opportunity to subtly inquire of Zhang Kui: "General Zhang, when you arrived just now, did you encounter anything... unusual?"
Zhang Kui remained expressionless and said casually, "I did encounter one. He was ugly, with a blue face and fangs, and wore a skull rosary around his neck. He even enjoyed eating human hearts raw. He was truly a demon. When I saw him harming people, I fought with him and managed to seriously injure him. Unfortunately, that demon's escape technique was strange, and he managed to get away."
His tone was calm, as if he had just casually swatted away a fly, but the information revealed in his words sent a shockwave through Yin Pobai's heart—Zhang Kui had not only encountered Ma Yuan, but had also fought him head-on and seriously injured him, forcing Ma Yuan to flee in a sorry state.
These few casual words completely extinguished any remaining hope in Yin Pobai's heart and his intention to continue carrying out Fei Zhong's plan. Even a ruthless man like Ma Yuan had fallen at Zhang Kui's hands; could Yin Pobai's small force possibly stand a chance against Zhang Kui and his ferocious army?
He had completely forgotten about sharing the king's burdens and gaining the queen's favor. To hell with it, his own life was the most important thing.
Yin Pobai completely gave up all thoughts, and didn't even mention the task Fei Zhong had secretly assigned to "visit" Ji Chang, the Marquis of Xibo—he was joking, Zhang Kui was obviously protecting Ji Chang, why would he want to provoke him, did he want to die?
So he couldn't wait to finish rewarding the troops and distribute the gifts. After saying a few words of encouragement, he declined Zhang Kui's "earnest" invitation to stay overnight, citing "busy affairs of the court." He then led his personal guards away from Youli City as if fleeing a disaster, speeding towards Chaoge, wanting to get away from this place of trouble as soon as possible.
Watching Yin Pobai and his group disappear into the distance, their figures slightly flustered, Zhang Kui stood with his hands behind his back on the city wall, a cold smile curving his lips.
"The demons and monsters in Chaoge should be more subdued for now," he thought to himself. "After this incident, the likes of Fei Zhong and You Hun will not dare to easily reach out to Youli again for a while."