Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 119 Life and Death Showdown
When Zhu Wen led his army to the front of Yan Shuai's main camp, the troops led by Lin Yan, Xu Qing, Chang Hong, Wang Chongba and others on the west side were on the verge of collapse.

If Huang Chao hadn't been strict in disciplining his troops, and hadn't been driven by a strong desire for revenge as the leader of the alliance with Wang Xianzhi, the western front, which was the right flank of the army, would not have been able to hold out until Zhu Wen's army arrived.

However, they ultimately relied on their advantageous position on the slope to successfully carry out their containment mission.

When ten thousand people are of one mind, even Mount Tai can be shaken; this is exactly the situation described.

When the enemy saw their friendly forces arriving from the east, cheers erupted like a tsunami, and their morale soared once again like a white rainbow piercing the sun.

The two-pronged attack plunged General Yan's main force into a fatal crisis.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Tian Jun spurred his horse forward, spear in hand, and charged into the fray, shouting and fighting fiercely. In an instant, he felled several enemy soldiers, as if he were in an empty field.

The spearhead glowed with a bluish light, swirling like a dragon, yet its sharpness was unmatched. In the blink of an eye, it had arrived beneath the canopy, before the Flame General Zhen Ranyu, seated in his chariot.

The face that came into view made Tian Jun feel breathless for a moment.

Such a stunning beauty exists in the world.

Zhen Ranyu's face was slightly pale, presumably due to her injuries, but this did not diminish her beauty in the slightest; on the contrary, it added a touch of serene elegance.

As a woman, Tian Jun was genuinely amazed by her beauty.

The spear in her hand did not stop moving; its momentum grew even stronger.

The Blazing Sky-Burning Blade swept across, its scorching heat hitting Tian Jun's face, yet she didn't even flinch.

The two weapons clashed, the clanging sound echoing endlessly.

"His moves have the influence of Kou Qianzhi." Zhen Ranyu's red lips parted slightly as she calmly commented, "He's an old acquaintance too."

"Tian Si Niang owes Commander Kou a debt she can never repay in her lifetime. But now I am working for the Grass Army, and I can only risk my life to ask Commander Yan to die!" Tian Jun said resolutely without any hesitation.

The man who killed Commander Kou was none other than the man she loved. But it was on the battlefield, Zhu Wen fought to the death and won honorably. Commander Kou himself "laughed as he died at the hands of his enemy," so she had nothing to say.

The immense force emanating from her opponent's weapon during their exchange had already startled Tian Jun. Even though she was severely injured, she had never witnessed such power in her life.

What makes the Four Commanders so formidable is not only their unparalleled wisdom and strategy, but also their martial prowess, which makes them masters of their time.

But Tian Jun and Zhu Wen had made a pact to fight to the death together, so they had no reason to turn back.

The spears moved crisscrossing, and suddenly spiraling bursts of energy emanated from the spinning points, making their trajectory completely unpredictable.

Zhen Ranyu swung his blade in a furious slash, but it missed the spear.

Blood flowed like a curtain, spraying skyward.

Tian Jun's warhorse was beheaded by Zhen Ranyu, but the spearhead had already pierced Zhen Ranyu's left shoulder, penetrating his armor, and blood flowed out instantly.

Having landed a successful blow, Tian Jun landed smoothly on the ground, drew her spear, and retreated like a whirlwind.

Zhen Ranyu clutched her chest, spitting out blood again.

Her injured heart meridian was aggravated by Tian Jun's fierce attack, causing her to vomit blood.

"Little girl, you've got some skills." Even at this moment, Zhen Ranyu maintained the composure of a renowned general.

Amidst the billowing yellow dust, the sound of galloping hooves rang out once more.

"Brothers, fight on! The rear guard has broken through the bandits' blockade and will be rushing to our aid soon to annihilate the enemy!"

Several messenger cavalrymen, covered in blood, galloped in from the south, shouting loudly.

Zhu Wen frowned slightly.

He knew that Tian Jun possessed extraordinary explosive power. But his courage and skill in injuring Yan Shuai with a single blow was indeed beyond his expectations.

The messenger cavalrymen brought news that was not true.

The rear guard was led by Governor Zang Zimian, but he had lost his right arm in the Battle of Qizhou, and four of the five Corpse Kings of the Imperial Corpse Sect had been destroyed by Wang Xianzhi and Liu Yanzhang before their deaths, greatly reducing their strength.

Duan Hongyan and her team's interception force should be able to hold out for a while longer.

These cavalrymen were clearly arranged by Commander Yan to spread false news that reinforcements were coming to boost morale.

The effect was real. The Flame General's main force, which had been in a great slump due to being attacked from both sides, suddenly burst into cheers and rallied.

Zhen Ranyu's eyes flickered as she suppressed her injuries, mounted her horse, and boosted morale, causing the government troops' fighting spirit to surge.

A squad of hunters, armed with grappling hooks, pounced on Tian Jun, grabbed her armor, and tried to capture her alive.

Tian Jun roared, broke free, swept a government cavalryman down with a spear, and seized the horse. But seven or eight government knights quickly surrounded him, slashing and stabbing wildly with their swords and spears.

On horseback, Tian Jun suddenly felt weak and exhausted.

It turned out that her desperate attack, while injuring Yan Shuai, had also exhausted too much of her strength, leaving her feeling dizzy for a moment.

Tian Jun suddenly bit her tongue, and the sharp pain instantly brought her to her senses. But now the enemy's morale was high, and she was entangled and besieged by seven or eight cavalrymen. Her newly acquired horse was not very obedient, and she was at a disadvantage for a time.

Qin Yan, Bi Shiduo, Huo Cun, and others also found themselves in fierce fighting under the counterattack of the government troops.

Zhu Wen was about to go to rescue Tian Jun when he saw Zhen Ranyu riding a chestnut warhorse, like a ball of flame, swirling towards his cavalry.

If we don't deal with her, this woman's desperate struggle could easily crush our army.

The general is the courage of the army. As the commander-in-chief, Zhen Ranyu disregarded her injuries and took the lead in the charge, which was enough to inspire the fighting spirit of her subordinates to the extreme.

On the battlefield of life and death, Zhu Wen could only tell Tian Jun to fend for herself.

He spurred his horse, drew his sword, and charged forward like a thunderbolt. His eyes were as cold as ice, but his killing intent surged like fire in his chest: "I have long heard of the great name of General Yan. I, Zhu Wen of the Grass Army, have come to learn from you!"

Zhen Ranyu noticed that the boy's eyes opposite her had turned a bright red.

Zhao Qianye, the leader of her subordinates, the "Five Swords of Burning Heaven," has a pair of blood-red eyes.

This similarity did not cause Zhen Ranyu to hesitate in the slightest. The Blazing Sky Blade swept towards Zhu Wen with the power to sweep away thousands of troops.

The scorching heat seemed to burn Zhu Wen and his horse to a crisp in an instant.

As the swords and spears clashed, the immense force caused Zhu Wen's blood and qi to surge violently.

She truly deserves to be called the strongest woman in the world; even when severely injured, she still possesses such power.

But this only excited Zhu Wen more.

The original plan was to cooperate with Tian Jun to kill Yan Shuai. However, facing an injured person, it would be unfair to win two against one.

However, the ever-changing battlefield did not allow for the attrition tactics employed when facing Kou Qian; a swift victory was the only option.

The two horses crossed paths several times, their battle resembling a collision between the stars Antares and Venus, the surging energy burning patches of black color on the ground.

Zhu Wen felt a metallic taste in his throat, and he felt as if a mouthful of blood was about to gush out of his throat.

"As expected of Commander Yan, even at his last gasp, he still possesses such terrifying power," Zhu Wen murmured.

Zhen Ranyu calmly looked at him: "You don't have much affection for Wang Xianzhi. Why did you come to kill me with the intention of dying?"

"My master said to take revenge, and I, Zhu, will obey."

Zhu Wen swallowed the blood that was rising in his throat: "But for me, killing Commander Yan, regardless of whether he lives or dies, will make me a force to be reckoned with!"

Zhu Wen gave a resolute shout, spurred his horse forward, and charged at Zhen Ranyu once again like an arrow released from a bow.

The two horses crossed paths again.

This time, Zhu Wen adopted a completely reckless and desperate fighting style, abandoning all defense.

But Zhen Ranyu could see clearly that her weapon was longer, and Zhu Wen would be pierced off his horse by the Blazing Sky Blade before he could hurt her.

What is this kid thinking?
Before she could get an answer, Zhu Wen had already switched the knife from his right hand to his left.

His left hand was stronger than his right because Zhu Wen was born left-handed.

When he was a child, he didn't want to be seen as an outsider, so he deliberately corrected his behavior.

But Huang Chao told him that the more this was the case, the more he could practice the left-handed sword as his deadly move.

After a year of rigorous training, the left-handed sword, with the force of splitting Mount Hua, unleashed a blinding crimson light.

Zhen Ranyu tried to dodge, but her chest injury suddenly flared up, and a sharp pain made her instantly lose her strength.

A chill ran down her throat; it was the sensation of the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Sword brushing against her snow-white neck.

Then, Zhen Ranyu's double-headed spear-blade, the Blazing Sky Blade, slammed into Zhu Wen's back.

It was the spear shaft, because when Zhu Wen switched hands with the sword, he made a subtle change in his body posture, which allowed him to avoid Zhen Ranyu's fatal blow.

The immense force still shattered his shoulder blade, caused excruciating pain throughout his body, and caused him to spit out blood. He fell off his horse and immediately lost consciousness.

(End of this chapter)