The Empress's First Running Dog

Chapter 650 Imperial Consort Zhao Du'an arrives to meet the challenge!

The army of the Liao people has arrived!
The dawn illuminated the land outside the city, and the sounds of drums and horns rolled across the entire border town.

The soldiers, who had been waiting for a long time, surged onto the city wall. Banners fluttered in the wind, as if the entire sky was filled with a somber atmosphere.

"Commander!" Zhao Shixiong was the first to climb onto the city wall and come to Zhao Du'an's side.

This general, who was in fact the commander of the southwestern border army, did not sleep all night. He was dressed in full armor, as if he were on the battlefield.

Behind him, Gongsun, also dressed in military attire and carrying two swords, followed closely behind. The female general was heroic and impressive.

Zhao Du'an nodded, stood up, and was about to say something when he suddenly turned his head and saw three figures leaping onto the city wall one after the other.

They were all wearing cloaks, but now, with their feet on the city wall, they revealed their true faces.

These were the three divine officials: Yu Xiu, Jin Jian, and Han Zhao.

"coming?"

"coming."

They nodded briefly, without saying anything more, and the group of people looked at the horizon outside the city.

At this moment, the sun slowly rose, the sky and earth became brighter, the morning mist dissipated, and the distant army gradually approached.

With their superhuman eyesight, the group was the first to spot a large number of refugees.

Driven to the front as "vanguards," the refugees were followed by ferocious "beasts."

These ferocious beasts, almost like monsters, became the best "war chariots" under the control of the Liao warriors.

Then came the massive army of Liao infantry, a dark, imposing mass that was awe-inspiring to behold.

"Just as expected, these bastards are going to drive the refugees and storm the city," Gongsun said angrily.

Han Zhao asked curiously:
"What's the use? Can these captured refugees really attack a city?"

Zhao Shixiong explained in a deep voice:

"It's not an attack on the city, but a cover. Do you see those ferocious beasts? The enemy's real main force will hide among these refugees as cover."

In this way, if we were to hurl stones and oil from the city walls to defend ourselves, we would kill a large number of civilians.

This is undoubtedly an extremely vicious tactic.

Even when Xu Jingtang faced the Shenji Battalion's cannons, he only tied up a portion of the people near the city wall, making the Shenji Battalion wary, but he dared not truly defy public opinion and drive the people to become cannon fodder.

But the Liao people had no psychological burden at all.

"Then what should we do?" Yu Xiu frowned.
"Wouldn't that leave us with limited options?"

By this time, the army outside the city was getting closer and closer, and the refugees were running around in panic.

Like a flood bursting its banks, it threatened to wash away the city wall.

Zhao Duan said calmly:
"It's simple, just prevent them from charging at us."

He met their gazes, as if smiling:

"I heard a saying a long time ago: the best defense is a good offense. Gentlemen, the enemy chieftain has arrived. Are you willing to charge into the enemy ranks with me, slay the traitor, and behead him?"

Tuoba Weizhi silently stepped forward.

The three priests were also prepared and stepped forward with great enthusiasm.

"Madam, you should stay and take charge of the overall situation. I will accompany the Commander to the city for the battle." Zhao Shixiong suddenly looked at Gongsun with a gentle expression.

Gongsun was stunned for a moment, and a close attendant nearby hurriedly said, "General, you mustn't..."

Zhao Shixiong, however, waved his hand domineeringly to interrupt. This man, who was not very tall, raised his hand and grabbed, causing ripples to spread through the space, and the heavy Soul-Severing Blade came into his hand.

He looked at Zhao Du'an and smiled nonchalantly:
"With the Commander-in-Chief leading the charge, how can I, Zhao, shrink back? Please."

Zhao Du'an gave him a deep look, smiled faintly, and suddenly shook off his cloak, revealing a bright and shiny robe. He gripped his sword, gazed at the army outside the city, and with a deep breath, his voice boomed like thunder:
"Imperial Consort Zhao Du'an, come forth and meet the challenge!!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a surge of energy enveloped his entire body, and he suddenly leaped off the city wall like a comet, right before everyone's eyes.

Yu Xiu, Jin Jian, Han Zhao, Tuoba Weizhi, Zhao Shixiong... the five of them were a step behind and followed suit.

The six realms joined forces to charge into battle.

Imperial Consort Zhao Du'an... Zhao Du'an?

As the sound rolled across the border town, countless generals on the city walls were stunned, their faces showing disbelief.

Then the soldiers and even the common people in the city were stunned, doubting their ears.

Did I hear that right? Someone is claiming to be the Emperor's consort? Zhao Du'an?

And... how come even the great general jumped off the city wall with his sword?

On the city wall, Gongsun bit her red lips, suddenly turned and rushed to the war drum, snatched the drumstick from a soldier's hand, and began to beat the drum with all her might, shouting loudly amidst the rapid drumbeats:

"The Imperial Consort of Great Yu has led his esteemed disciples from the Celestial Master's Mansion to aid in the battle; the entire southwestern border army beats drums to welcome the enemy!!!"

Prepare to meet the enemy!

The sound of the drums startled everyone from their daze, and then, on and off the city walls, countless soldiers blushed and were overjoyed.

Zhao Du'an, who within a few months killed Xu Jingtang, then Xu Wen, and quelled the internal strife?
At this moment, the officers in the army finally understood why their general had undergone such a great change.

At this moment, watching the six worldly beings join forces to charge towards the enemy, everyone was filled with excitement, and the sound of drums, horns, and shouts of encouragement continued like a tidal wave!

The countless refugees, the fierce warriors, and the wild beasts outside the city all turned their gazes toward that one person almost simultaneously because of this thunderous declaration.

……

"boom!"

Holding the Zhen Dao sword, Zhao Du'an crashed down like a meteorite beneath the city wall, his legs creating a violent shockwave that sent large swaths of earth and rocks flying.

At the same time, a shocking scene unfolded: the thugs who were about to charge at the rear of the refugees almost simultaneously closed their eyes, collapsed to the ground, and stopped moving.

"Skip the refugees and charge with me!"

The image of the dragon girl in Zhao Du'an's pupils quickly dimmed.

The wild god on his body had not made a move since it devoured the "bewitching immortal". Just now, Zhao Du'an deliberately shouted loudly, partly to boost morale, but more importantly, to attract the attention of those beasts.

It drained the dragon girl's stored magic power and also took down dozens of vicious beasts.

This also halted the enemy's momentum in attacking the city.

Does this work too?
Zhao Shixiong and the others were startled, only to see Zhao Du'an already leaving afterimages and taking the lead in attacking the Liao people's battle formation. They hurriedly followed behind.

Countless "cannon fodder" felt a glimmer of hope in their eyes when they heard the name "Zhao Du'an".

Then, seeing the "beast" that had been relentlessly pursuing him die, he almost instinctively lay down on the ground, panting heavily. Turning his head to look back, he saw a bloody scene:
Zhao Du'an's Zhen Dao was enveloped in a thick aura. With a single slash, several Liao warriors in front of him had their foreheads split open, spitting blood from their mouths, and falling backward!
The "area attack" capability inherent in this weapon finally came into play at this moment.

Zhao Du'an did not use any magic or fancy abilities; at this moment, he transformed into a pure warrior.

His body was enveloped in rosy light, which deflected the blades thrusting from all sides. His inner strength flowed continuously into the blades, and when he swung them, limbs flew off.

Even though the Liao people's individual combat strength far surpassed that of the Yu Kingdom's soldiers, they were still utterly powerless against a fully-fledged martial artist in the world!

It's not just him.

The other five people surrounded him, each using their own methods.

Wherever Zhao Shixiong's Soul-Severing Blade pointed, heads flew off, and the terrified souls within the corpses were swallowed by the blade. Jade Sleeve Flying Swords circled around him, blood blossoming continuously around him.

Jin Jian swallowed the pill and was now extremely clear-headed. He waved his staff, and waves of starlight and moonlight surged forth.

Han Zhao rode the wind, striking out with each palm, sending warriors flying one after another.

As for Tuoba Weizhi, he was like a ghost, closely following Zhao Du'an. His movements were simple and unadorned, just punching and retracting his fists repeatedly, and countless corpses fell at his feet.

……

The central army of the Liao people.

"Zhao Du'an?!"

Xu Jianwen rode on the back of a demonic blood horse, gripping the reins tightly. The moment he saw Zhao Du'an leap off the city wall, his blood boiled.

Staring intently at Zhao Du'an, who was charging at the front of the battle, his knuckles turned white, and he murmured to himself:

"Could it be him...could it be him who infiltrated DJI...?"

The tall, imposing "First Warrior," Po Yun, with his thick hair, arrogant eyes, and handsome features, also narrowed his eyes:
"Is he the Zhao Du'an that His Highness mentioned? He doesn't seem very smart, yet he dares to think he can attack us with just a few people."

Xu Jianwen suddenly turned his head, stared at him, and said in a deep voice:
"Do not underestimate this man! He possesses a secret technique of our royal family and has killed a celestial being."

Po Yun remained defiant, saying calmly:
"What kind of celestial being is that Prince Jing? However, I really want to see what abilities he has."

"What are you going to do?" Xu Jianwen stared at him, feeling uneasy.

Po Yun took a deep breath, his joints cracking, and a shadow crossed his eyes:

"Of course we should fight back. Otherwise, are we just going to let them keep killing each other? The lives of our warriors cannot be wasted like this."

Xu Jianwen stared at him, her breathing rapid, and said:
"Even the strongest cultivator can't withstand a sea of ​​people. As long as you overwhelm them, you can wear them down. Once they're weakened, then you can make your move..."

Po Yun's eyes suddenly turned cold as he stared at Xu Jianwen and said:

"Your Highness! Those who died were warriors of my people, not cannon fodder under your command!"

The Liao people are few in number, and he cannot accept using human lives to expend resources.

Having said that, before Xu Jianwen could speak, Po Yun gave a deep order:

"All warriors, follow me to meet the enemy!"

Then, the strongest Liao warriors from each tribe in the crowd responded, and together with Po Yun, they wielded their weapons, stomped the ground, and charged towards the six worldly beings!
"You..." Xu Jianwen trembled slightly with anger, but it was too late to stop it now. He turned to look at Qi Yuchun:
"You go over there too, but be careful of Zhao Du'an. If anything goes wrong, come back immediately!"

Qi Yuchun nodded expressionlessly, took a step forward, and reached behind him to pull out a long spear wrapped with strips of cloth.

With a flick of his wrist, the spear was revealed with a hissing sound, its tip gleaming coldly.

The former commander of the Imperial Guards, who had also reached the pinnacle of worldly success, made his move once again.

……

"Back off!"

Sensing the approaching danger, Zhao Du'an decisively drew his sword and led the five men in a retreat.

However, the experts from the Liao people, including Po Yun, were faster. They each chose their opponents, separating the six people and scattering them into different small battlefields.

Han Zhao flew backward on the wind, but a piece of his clothes was cut off by a flying axe.

Cold sweat beaded on his forehead as he watched a burly, fanged expert, covered in axes, approach. With a wave of his hand, the spinning axes returned to his palm.

“I recognize you, the high priest of the Celestial Master’s Mansion,” Pang Shuo, the expert, grinned.
"I've heard you're skilled in magic?"

Han Zhao hesitated for a moment: "Actually, I'm an exception..."

“What a coincidence,” the other person laughed, “I just love killing the exceptions.”

Han Zhao: "..."

"Yu Xiu, we meet again. Last time I helped you escape from Layuan, and today I can finally avenge the sword wound you inflicted on me."

A middle-aged hunchback with reddish skin stared at Yu Xiu. His skin grew even redder, and his veins turned purple. With each step he took, he left a bloody footprint on the ground.

Yu Xiu remained expressionless.

Bathed in moonlight, Jin Jian retreated, when a female fang's voice echoed in her ears: "Heh, such a young sister, already learning to kill on the battlefield? Would you like to come back with me?"

Jin Jian turned his head and stared warily at a female Liaoren expert covered in colorful trinkets, frowning: What is this girl mumbling in her tongue?

"Zhao Shixiong, I am your opponent."

Just as Zhao Shixiong was about to approach Zhao Du'an, he was stopped by Qi Yuchun, who was holding a long spear.

"The Skinny Tiger of the Southwest" frowned and said coldly, "Where are Qi Yuchun and Xu Jianwen?"

Qi Yuchun said, "You are not worthy to see His Highness."

Jian Wen is really alive... Zhao Shixiong looked down at him with disdain: "You are no match for this general."

"Is that so?" Qi Yuchun sneered.
"How will you know if you don't try? Besides... Zhao Shixiong, how can you be so sure I haven't made any progress lately?"

……

“Master, he is Po Yun. He is very powerful. This servant can take him down.”

"Wearing a black robe that concealed his face, Tuoba Weizhi spoke in a low voice."

Zhao Du'an squinted, holding his knife, and shook his head as he watched the young man rushing towards him in the distance.
"I want to try it out first. You stop the people around you, but remember not to be too aggressive."

Before the war, Zhao Du'an instructed Tuoba Weizhi, as a "secret weapon," not to reveal her identity and full strength too early.

This is partly to prevent the opponent from having hidden tricks, and partly to avoid revealing all your cards right away and scaring them away.

In addition...

In Zhao Du'an's mind, he recalled the words the Empress had spoken to him. It was when the Empress was in the palace before she went to war that Zhao Du'an asked her how to advance to the half-step Celestial Realm.

"A half-step Celestial Being?" Xu Zhen looked at him and shook his head.
"In fact, the half-step Celestial Being is not a specific realm. Rather, it is a realm where, after achieving worldly perfection, cultivators attempt to gradually resonate with heaven and earth. The deeper the resonance, the closer one is to becoming a Celestial Being. After taking about fifty steps, one becomes a half-step Celestial Being."

The sorcerer's method of resonance is to become an avatar of the deity they cultivate, constantly deepening their understanding of the 'Tao' of their god. As for the warrior, the simplest way is to fight, to fight the strong, and to fight the even stronger.

Zhao Du'an snapped out of his daze, stroking the hilt of his sword, and looked at the "First Warrior of the Liao People" who had crashed down a few feet in front of him, feeling somewhat eager to try his luck.

"You are Zhao Du'an?"

A scrutinizing look appeared on Po Yun's handsome, frivolous face as he spoke in standard Yu language.

He was over two meters tall, so he looked down at Zhao Du'an, his gaze sweeping over "Tuoba Weizhi" who was fighting with other clansmen not far away, without paying much attention to him.

They assumed he was a martial arts master from the Yu Kingdom.

After all, the size of the Liao people after they reach adulthood is very different from that of the Yu people.

Zhao Du'an stood leaning on his sword, calmly meeting his gaze:
"It seems my reputation has spread to foreign lands, but it's a pity."

"What's a pity?" Po Yun asked with a hint of curiosity.

Zhao Du'an said earnestly:

"Unfortunately, you've met me. So, you are doomed to die today, I said."

(End of this chapter)