Supreme Golden Palace

Chapter 224 The Ape (Part 1)

Seeing that Lü Shang's deployment was appropriate, Zhao Yan's tense nerves relaxed slightly, and he immediately said, "My lord, there are still some dry rations and medicines in the city. I will have them prepared for the army immediately."

"Thank you for your trouble, Magistrate Zhao,"

Lü Shang nodded, then turned his gaze to Xiao Ji and said, "Tell the brothers to hurry up and give the horses water and feed them. We'll depart on time in an hour."

"Here!"

Xiao Ji solemnly agreed, turned his horse around and left, and the Liangzhou cavalry at the city gate quickly dispersed.

Looking at the battle-hardened elite troops before him, Zhao Yan felt a little relieved. He leaned close to Lü Shang and whispered, "My lord, the mountain path at Gongmen Village is narrow, and the Qiang cavalry have a commanding view from above. Please be careful when you go there."

Upon hearing this, Lü Shang chuckled and said, "Don't worry, Magistrate, I will be careful."

That being said, in Lü Shang's view, the one who should be wary at this moment is not him, but the Qiang people who are causing trouble in Longyou.

Li Yuanba was able to kill a million rebels in Siming Mountain, and Lü Shang was no less capable of single-handedly slaughtering a million rebellious Qiang in Longyou.

Lu Shang, who has already attained the status of a martial arts immortal, possesses martial prowess that is considered the pinnacle of human strength. Even earth immortals and arhats who have escaped the three calamities must show him some fear.

After all, Li Yuanba could be killed by a lightning strike, so with Lü Shang's cultivation level, plus the two great treasures he possessed, the Mirror of the Mind and the Eight Steeds Painting, not to mention ordinary lightning, even the divine lightning of the Thunder Gods would hardly harm him in the slightest.

However, Lü Shang was not a particularly ruthless villain and would not have slaughtered millions in one fell swoop.

Moreover, in this world, there is a Heavenly Court and an Underworld. The net of Heaven is vast, and those who commit heinous crimes will surely be punished.

Li Yuanba possessed the ferocity of the Golden-Winged Roc, making him unafraid of being purged, while Lü Shang could not act without restraint.

The time it takes for an incense stick to burn passes in the blink of an eye, and the town gates open once again.

Five hundred Liangzhou cavalrymen drank their fill of water and fed their horses; their armor gleamed coldly in the twilight.

Xiao Ji, gripping his sword, stood ready on his horse and said, "My lord, the brothers are all prepared!"

"it is good,"

Lü Shang nodded, mounted his horse, and Zidian Hanshuang snorted and lightly pawed the ground with its hooves.

"Set off,"

The five hundred cavalrymen responded in unison, and the group set off immediately. After leaving Qingshui County, the cavalrymen sped along the mountain road heading west.

After traveling twenty miles, the mountain path became narrower and narrower as they went on, with steep cliffs on both sides that could only allow two riders to ride side by side.

As dusk deepened, the mountain wind swirled withered leaves that brushed against his armor, making a soft rustling sound. In the distance, the hooting of owls added to the somber atmosphere.

After traveling another ten miles or so, the vanguard scout reined in his horse and reported, "My lord, the outpost of Gongmen Village is just ahead."

Lü Shang raised his hand to signal the troops to stop, dismounted, and led his horse slowly.

Before long, he saw the checkpoint of Gongmen Village, where a group of Qiang soldiers patrolled with curved swords at their waists.

Further away, the village gate was built in the valley, and the village walls were made of stacked logs.

Black flags of the Qiang people were planted on the top of the wall, and the figures of Qiang cavalry could be vaguely seen.

As dusk settled completely, the thick shadows cast by the mountain walls on both sides of the path pressed the figures of the five hundred cavalrymen even lower.

Lü Shang raised his hand and pressed down on the bamboo whip at his waist, his gaze sweeping over the patrolling Qiang soldiers.

"Take care of them, quickly!"

The two scouts immediately dismounted. As military scouts, they were both skilled in agility and quickly reached the sentry post.

Then, the two scouts suddenly sprang into action, and a group of seven or eight Qiang soldiers were dragged into the bushes nearby in an instant.

"Walk,"

Lü Shang mounted his horse, Zidian Hanshuang, which was extremely intelligent and its hooves moved lightly, making no sound at all.

Five hundred cavalrymen followed closely behind, continuing along the mountain path, and soon arrived at the foot of the camp.

The gate of the village was built in a narrow part of the valley, and the village wall, made of logs, was several dozen feet high.

Every three steps along the wall, a Qiang soldier stood guard with a bow, the black flags on them fluttering in the night wind.

"Who is there?"

Suddenly, a shout came from the city wall, followed by a torch being thrown down. "Sui army! It's the Sui army!"

The firelight swept across the armor of Lü Shang and his men, and the Qiang soldiers cried out in alarm.

"kill,"

Lu Shang spurred his horse's flanks, and Zidian Hanshuang let out a long neigh before leaping up and landing directly in front of the camp gate.

Rumble!
The next moment, the bamboo whip slammed into the village gate like a thunderclap, shattering the gate and sending wood chips flying everywhere.

"kill!"

Xiao Ji led five hundred cavalrymen in close pursuit, their hooves trampling through the broken gate and rushing into the village.

The Liangzhou army was already a battle-hardened force, and at this moment they appeared even more ferocious.

"Sui dogs, stop your arrogance!"

Just as the Qiang army at Gongmen Village was thrown into chaos, a dark figure suddenly rushed out of the village.

The man wore a bronze beast-face helmet, black armor, and held an eight-foot-long iron rod in his hand.

The iron rod whistled as it slammed down on Xiao Ji. Xiao Ji swung his sword to meet it, but the impact caused his chest to churn with blood, and he nearly vomited blood.

"What kind of monster is this?" After trying it out, Xiao Ji was shocked and felt a sense of fear.

After gaining the upper hand, the newcomer was about to strike again with the iron rod when a figure appeared out of nowhere and blocked Xiao Ji's path.

Lu Shang looked at the Qiang man's beast-face helmet, his eyes growing colder, and said in a low voice, "A member of the Shaodang Qiang?"

Before Lü Shang could finish speaking, the Qiang general wearing a bronze beast-face helmet already had a fierce glint in his eyes.

The iron rod swept across again, its sharp sound cutting through the air as it aimed directly at Lü Shang's face.

This blow was even more powerful than before, and the bonfire in the village crackled and popped in the strong wind, making his black armor look like the fangs of a demon.

Xiao Ji, watching from the side, felt a tightness in his chest. He had been injured by the force of the blow he received earlier. Seeing the Qiang general's imposing attack, even though he knew Lü Shang was a peerless warrior, he instinctively wanted to urge his horse forward.

But then Lü Shang stretched out his hand, his five fingers like hooks, and grabbed at the iron rod.

"clang!"

The clanging of metal startled the birds in the village. The Qiang general felt a brute force surge through the iron rod, his arm went numb as if struck by lightning, and his tiger's mouth split open instantly, blood flowing down the iron rod.

"Is this all you've got? You dare to attack me?" Lu Shang sneered, his fingers suddenly tightening.

Click!

The finely forged iron rod was pinched so hard by Lü Shang that it bore five finger marks.

The Qiang general was terrified and hurriedly tried to pull his staff back, only to find that the iron staff was held firmly in place by iron clamps and could not move at all.

He looked up at Lü Shang, his eyes beneath the beast-faced helmet filled with terror.

"Wake it up for me!"

Qiang Jiang mustered his strength and stomped his left foot hard on the ground, causing the gravel to sink deep into the ground.

"Humph,"

Lu Shang slightly raised his hand, lifted him up along with the stick, and smashed him directly against the stockade wall.

Bang!
The Qiang general slammed the log village wall hard, leaving a dent in the thick wood.

He spat out blood, and his bronze beast-face helmet flew off and landed on the ground, revealing a fierce face covered with short hair.

This person was extremely ugly, resembling both an ape and a human!
Lu Shang slowly walked up to the Qiang general, and after a careful look at the general's short hair, he said, "So you're a bastard with demon blood mixed in. No wonder you have such strength."

"Half-demon!"

Lu Shang's feet sank slightly, and the Qiang general felt a great force pressing down on him, his bones groaning incessantly, unable to move any further.

He looked up at Lü Shang, his eyes no longer fierce, only filled with despair.

(End of this chapter)