Longzang

Chapter 255 The Test (Bonus Chapter)
The Shattered Realm.

The Zhao delegation's convoy proceeded at a leisurely pace. Although this was a lawless land, teeming with bandits, the bandits were no fools. Upon seeing the thousands of iron cavalry escorting them and the fluttering Zhao banner, they all obediently disappeared.

The Zhao cavalry was renowned throughout the land, and the bandits had no intention of risking their lives to test the sharpness of their swords.

At this moment, an army appeared ahead of the delegation, its armor gleaming, its banners fluttering, each bearing the character "Jin". The delegation's escorting general, seeing this army from afar, spurred his horse forward to meet them, shouting, "Who dares block our path?"

Feng Lin rode out and said, "This humble general is Feng Lin, the deputy general of the Western Jin Dynasty. I have been ordered to wait here to escort the princess into the pass!"

General Qianfeng returned to the carriage to report, and someone inside said, "Let him come over and talk to me."

Feng Lin rode alone to the princess's carriage, dismounted, and bowed. He dared not be negligent in his etiquette; the woman before him was not only Princess Ning of Zhao, but also the younger sister of Consort Yuan. The princess of Zhao might not be able to do anything to him, but a single word from Consort Yuan could cost him ten heads.

What kind of territory is this?

"Your Highness, we are currently still in Anzhao County and will soon enter Bianning County."

“Anzhao County…” The princess in the carriage repeated the name of the place several times, then said, “Lead the way.”

Feng Lin said, "Bandits are rampant in this area, and some of them are quite powerful. I plan to send an elite force to protect your carriage for your safety."

"I don't like people around my carriage, so don't block my view."

Since the princess had spoken, Feng Lin dared not say anything more. He divided his troops into two parts: one part cleared the way ahead, while the other part ran alongside the delegation a few miles to the side to block any possible bandits from the west.

The girl in the carriage looked out the window, exclaimed, "Those soldiers are actually quite well trained. Isn't it said that the Western Jin army, except for the northern border troops, is utterly ineffective? Oh, the ones leading the way for us aren't so good."

The old man yawned and said, "The Western Jin Dynasty is very large, and there are many talented people. There are always people who want to do something. However, the formation he's using is a bit strange. I'm afraid he has other intentions."

The girl asked, "Will bandits really come to rob the carriage later?"

"Not only are there two groups, but there are two groups as well."

The girl immediately became excited: "Really? Can I take the lead?"

The old man immediately shook his head: "Military formations and tactics are just things I taught you for fun in private. If your sister knew you liked this, do you think she would lock you up for days when we get to Jindu?"

The girl reluctantly sat back down and said, "I know! You're just afraid of scaring those princes of Jin, aren't you? I've heard they're all effeminate, and I'm really not interested in them. Why don't you tell me about the arrangements? The bandits are coming soon, at least I'll know, right? The more I know, the less it will ruin things for you, sister."

The girl's beauty was truly rare in the world, and her current appearance of being wronged was enough to melt anyone's heart.

The old man sighed helplessly and said, "Your sister looked just like you when she left the capital. Well, alright, I'll tell you a few more words. Besides the gifts, we brought something else with us this time. That thing can't leave the ground and can't move too fast, which is why it's traveling with our delegation."

"Ah, what kind of treasure is it?" The girl's eyes lit up with curiosity, like a kitten seeing a ball of yarn.

The old man chuckled and said, "It's not a treasure at all; on the contrary, it's something harmful. You mustn't look at it. Many people in the court know that we brought this item, and many others know that it will be given to Prince Jin. When the bandits come, they will snatch it from us and then hand it over to Prince Jin."

The girl said, "I understand. Prince Jin doesn't want anyone to know that he obtained this item, right?"

The old man nodded: "Not bad." "Isn't this a bit... a cover-up?"

The old man smiled and said, "As long as there is no direct evidence that the thing has ended up in the hands of the Prince of Jin, that's fine."

"The bandits are to take the blame?"

The old man chuckled.

The girl then asked, "Then why were there two groups of bandits?"

"The first group of bandits isn't really one of us yet. I need to assess his strength to see if he's worth recruiting. If he's capable enough, I'll hand him over. But if he can't withstand the test, then there'll be a second group of bandits, and those will be our own people. They'll take the item and deliver it to Prince Jin."

The girl's curiosity was piqued: "Who are the first people to arrive? How are you going to test them? Do you need my help?"

The old man laughed and said, "Is my Great Zhao about to perish? Does it really require Princess Ningguo to personally intervene? The bandit coming later is named Wei Yuan, the kid who erected the boundary stone in the west. As for my test, it's very simple."

In chaotic times, personal strength and the ability to gather followers are equally important. If he can withstand even thirty percent of my power in an attack, and thirty of his followers remain at the Foundation Establishment stage, then he will have passed the test.

The princess exclaimed in surprise, "You have 30% of the Dao power? Isn't that equivalent to a top-tier late-stage Dao Foundation cultivator?"

"It's not that exaggerated. I'm old, and my cultivation has declined somewhat in recent years. Thirty percent of my Dao power is only at the level of a late-stage Heaven Rank cultivator. I won't make things difficult for him. As long as he can handle it, he'll pass the test."

"Wei Yuan, Wei Yuan..." The princess murmured the name, then suddenly remembered something: "I think I've seen his information before. Wasn't he only a Foundation Establishment cultivator for less than a year? Isn't your standard a bit too unfair?!"

The old man said leisurely, "So as long as he can handle it, he's considered to have passed the test."

At this moment, the earth trembled slightly. The Zhao general, a veteran of many battles, immediately ordered the chariot to stop, the cavalry to gather, and to form a defensive formation.

A cloud of dust began to appear on the distant horizon, and a large band of bandits rolled in, their numbers astonishing.

Feng Lin also rode back to the caravan. Upon seeing the large band of bandits appear, he narrowed his eyes and immediately ordered the troops running parallel to the west to form ranks and hold their positions to block the bandits.

The Zhao general frowned immediately. In his view, the best solution was to withdraw these men, station the chariots there, and then provide flank support with his own cavalry. Now, several thousand infantrymen were several miles away from the chariots, arrayed in open terrain, without fortifications, barricades, or powerful bows and crossbows; they even lacked a few Daoji (military officers). Facing the bandits like this was tantamount to suicide.
These soldiers were all tall, strong, and robust, which pleased the Zhao general, who was experienced in leading troops, and he felt a pang of pity to see them go to their deaths. However, these were not his soldiers, nor were they soldiers of Zhao, so he could not say anything, and could only hope that the bandits who came were a rabble.

The billowing dust in the distance rapidly approached, and the bandits could already be seen clearly within it. These bandits were well-equipped, riding top-quality steeds, with crossbows hanging from their sides, and their numbers numbered around four or five thousand.

The Zhao general's expression was somewhat solemn. Were the bandits from the Broken Domain all this elite? Even in Zhao, these people would be qualified to be part of the main cavalry force.

With his thousand iron cavalry, the Zhao general was not afraid of the several thousand bandits who were attacking, but it would be a tough battle.

Feng Lin, mounted on his horse, watched the surging bandits, a sinister smile playing on his lips. He wondered what Yue Qilin's expression would be if he saw his soldiers die like this.

A moment later, several knights appeared at the foot of the mountain in the distance, and then more and more knights emerged from the mist that filled the air below the mountain.

As soon as he turned out of the foot of the mountain, Wei Yuan saw two armies fighting in the distance. He was quite surprised. He hadn't even arrived yet, so why were they fighting?

(End of this chapter)