Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 6: Double Brilliance
horse.

A fine horse.

A galloping horse.

Riding a yellow horse, there is a tall and handsome young man with naked upper body, wearing a tiger-skin battle skirt around his waist and a purple wine gourd hanging on his belt; his muscular body bulges inch by inch as if cast from bronze, reflecting the sunlight and emitting a healthy glow, his upper body forms a perfect inverted triangle, full of masculine charm.

Yet, at this moment, he was brandishing a Xuanhua axe, like Xing Tian dancing with his halberd, slaughtering with abandon, blood showering the sky like a cascade. His smile was bright and cheerful, his eyes pure, as he reveled in the slaughter without appearing cruel or bloodthirsty, but rather deriving a childlike pleasure from it.

"Meng Juehai is coming, the three armies are in retreat!"

The Tang army's crossbow arrows shot towards Meng Kai's naked upper body, but he swung his axe and deflected them all, as easily as a pedestrian shaking off the dust on his clothes.

The carefully laid out positions of Snow Marshal Qi Kerang's army were actually trampled upon by this young man on horseback, as if he were entering and exiting without any trace!

"Big Brother, be careful!"

Qi Ke ordered the vanguard to thrust a spear straight up from the gap under Meng Kai, but with the sound of an arrow leaving the bowstring, the spear suddenly stopped in the air. The spearman holding the spear and wearing full armor had a sharp arrow stuck in his throat. The arrow had penetrated through the extremely narrow gap in the armor. In an instant, his eyes turned white, blood came out of his mouth, and his expression still showed the extreme unwillingness before death.

The person who shot the arrow was a tall girl with an oval face, skin as white as snow, and clear facial features.

With the girl's bell-like cry, she quickly put the long arrow on the bowstring and shot it out at an incredible speed. When the bowstring sounded, the girl's waist swayed like a willow in the wind. When she drew the bow left and right, people often fell to the ground. There was even a long arrow that directly penetrated one person's neck and shot through the throat of the person behind him, stringing the two people together like mutton on a skewer.

It was obvious that if the young girl hadn't been there to help him shoot arrows from behind, killing the infantrymen who posed a threat to Meng Kai in time, how could Meng Kai, even with his extraordinary courage, have been able to defeat the enemy? After all, the enemy wasn't just a mob, but the iron-clad Taining Snow Army!

One of them wields a large Xuanhua axe, the other draws a red lacquer longbow, their close and distant coordination is so seamless that it is truly impenetrable and invulnerable. Their radiant faces complement each other beautifully, like a perfect match.

"With the help of your unparalleled divine arrows, what do I have to fear even if there are millions of strong soldiers on the opposite side?" Meng Kai laughed loudly, and swung his axe violently like the dance of gods and demons. The Tang army soldiers, who were like a steel forest, fell down like wheat being cut. The enemy formation seemed to be broken by waves and could not withstand the attack of the fierce general.

Of course, there were more than just these two knights charging into battle, but this invincible pair of young heroes attracted everyone's attention.

The vanguard of the Xueshuai Army, having landed and established a temporary position, finally understood Huang Chao's plan: to have his two disciples, a perfect match, lead an elite cavalry assault, tearing through Qi Kerang's beachhead with a torrential downpour. An ordinary person wouldn't be able to do this, but the tacit coordination between Meng Kai and the young girl, both near and far, was more than enough to break through the heavily guarded lance and crossbow defenses!

"Brother Juehai is very skilled, he is truly an extraordinary hero."

A clear, porcelain-like voice suddenly rang out. It was Zhu Wen, galloping up on horseback, clapping his hands. He then drew his blood-red Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Sword, emitting an aura of murderous death. With a flurry of furious slashes, he severed the spearman in front of him, armor and all, in two!

As Zhu Wen slaughtered, he felt his blood boiling, and a red glow surged from his precious sword. Within his heart, a pure white tiger emerged, roaring and raising its head.

Could it be that the image of the white tiger that suddenly appeared in my mind was the spirit of the precious sword?
Zhu Wen understood. Wang Xianzhi, the leader of the Wang Alliance, had previously asked Huang Chao about his senior brothers and sisters, but they had only just appeared on the Songzhou battlefield today. Presumably, they had been out gathering intelligence. And today, Huang Chao had ordered the two, who had just returned from scouting Qi Kerang's movements, to lead a cavalry assault on Xue Shuai's beachhead, and had sent Zhu Wen as a backup, just in case anything happened to them.

Meng Kai turned around, exclaimed, and laughed, "This must be Junior Brother Zhu Wen. I heard that Master has accepted a new disciple. Seeing him today, he is indeed a good-looking and handsome man!"
The girl immediately clasped her fists and saluted Zhu Wen: "Hongyan greets Young Master Zhu."

As she spoke, she stuck out her tongue at Zhu Wen and gave him a clever smile, which was as bright as a hundred flowers in full bloom. Even on the battlefield where life and death were at stake, many Taining soldiers could not help but be stunned for a moment, marveling at the girl's stunning beauty.

The enthusiasm and straightforwardness of the two made Zhu Wen feel that even the scenery before him became lively.

"This must be Junior Sister Duan Hongyan." Zhu Wen smiled brightly.

"Wait a minute." Duan Hongyan chuckled: "I haven't even asked about age yet, and you call me junior sister right away. Are you trying to take advantage of me?" Although she said so, her words were soft and gentle, like a willow branch brushing against one's face. Her innocence and cheerfulness had a kind of heart-warming charm.

Zhu Wen said helplessly, "Should I say that my junior sister is as capable as any man, or should I say that women who find fault are boring?"

Duan Hongyan was not angry at all when she heard this. She laughed heartily, "You have a really funny mouth! It's decided. Regardless of age, since I was the first to join the sect, I will call you my junior brother. This is your punishment for disrespecting me! Junior brother Zhu Wen, do you think this is a good idea?"

Zhu Wen looked at Meng Kai and saw that while he was fighting bravely against the enemy, he did not forget to give him a wicked smile.

However, at this moment, several sharp swords flashed cold light and stabbed towards the neck of the horse under Meng Kai's seat!
This attack by Qi Kerang's army was sudden and coordinated, clearly a result of rigorous training. The swordsmen wore light armor, held shields in their left hands, and moved with remarkable agility.

Meng Kai was greatly shocked and hurriedly whipped his horse to retreat. At the same time, he put his left hand on the horse's back and practiced the technique of "man and horse becoming one", which stimulated the speed and endurance of the warhorse and made it possible for him to ride the horse more freely.

But even so, Meng Kai's yellow horse was still pierced by a long sword, which pierced through the horse armor in the chest, scratched the chest, and blood oozes out.

Almost at the same time, several other Grass Army cavalrymen were unable to dodge, and their horses were pierced directly through the chest, or their heads were cut off by a sword. The knights fell to the ground and were killed cleanly by the swordsmen next to them.

"Three thousand Vietnamese soldiers! Three thousand Vietnamese soldiers!"

Someone among the Cao Army cavalry exclaimed.

The Three Thousand Yue Armies were elite swordsmen recruited by Qi Kerang in Jiangdong. They formed the rear tower soldiers and were named after the story of Goujian defeating Wu with 3,000 men.

I saw a row of swordsmen holding swords facing outward, their shields linked together like a city. Each of them wore a dark turban and a black headscarf, and wore water rhinoceros armor. They were full of imposing spirit and their momentum was as strong as a mountain.

Moreover, this team of elite sword and shield warriors did not simply line up in front of the position to guard it, but advanced at the same time like a wall, ready to meet the next wave of charge from the Grass Army cavalry!
A very tall man among them shouted with a frown, "Meng Juehai! I heard that you are quite brave among the bandits. Let's see if you can withstand a blow from me, Chu Kuangsheng!"

Meng Kai's expression suddenly changed, but Zhu Wen on the side raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Why bother, senior brother? I will kill this fool for you today." As he spoke, the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Sword pointed sideways, blood flashed, and the murderous aura was overwhelming.

A dwarf named Feng Geyin sneered nearby, "No need for that. I heard the bandit Huang Chao and Huang Jutian have a new disciple, so we two sworn brothers will kill you two. And you little brat over there, I, Feng Geyin, will take your life!"

"I am a madman from Chu, singing and laughing at Confucius." Zhu Wen said contemptuously, "How dare you two rats use a line from Li Bai's poem as your name? What a boast!"

Obviously, "Chu Kuangsheng" and "Feng Geyin" could not be their real names, but rather the names these two sworn brothers used to travel the world. They were both martial arts masters under Qi Kerang.

"You two are fighting on foot instead of on horses?" Meng Kai shook his head and said, "That's too unfair." He pointed at the two Grass Army knights and said, "Lend your horses to the two enemy generals.

Chu Kuangsheng and Feng Geyin seemed a little embarrassed when they heard what Meng Kai said. Chu Kuangsheng said awkwardly, "How can we two brothers borrow the bandits' war horses? If there are good horses in the camp, please bring them to us!"

At that moment, two warriors in the formation sent out their mounts, allowing Chu Kuangsheng and Feng Geyin to switch.

Interestingly, Feng Geyin’s mount is not a warhorse, but a giant, pure black dog.

This dog was quite rare, called a mastiff. But this mastiff was indeed unusually tall, standing next to Feng Geyin, it was much taller than the dwarf Feng Geyin.

Chu Kuangsheng and Feng Geyin were seen mounting their saddles, urging their horses to gallop like the wind and lightning. It was obvious that their horsemanship was quite good.

Zhu Wen pulled the reins of his horse and passed Feng Geyin on horseback. For a moment, their swords clashed, making clanging sounds that shot straight into the sky.

A huge force was transmitted from the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Sword, which shocked Zhu Wen: This dwarf is so strong!
Feng Geyin's face was ashen and he looked wretched, just like Tuxingsun.

Since Zhu Wen entered the martial arts world, he has been instructed by two martial arts masters, Wang Xianzhi and Huang Chao, and has sorted out his original unconventional martial arts, eliminating the rough and retaining the finer ones. In a short period of time, he has made great progress. With an ancient sword like the Great Xia Dragon Bird in his hand, who would have thought that he would be at a disadvantage against the dwarf Feng Geyin!

Feng Geyin was a dwarf and had a dwarfish appearance. She hated handsome men the most. Seeing Zhu Wen's handsome appearance, she couldn't help but feel a surge of anger. Her sword skills were extremely fierce, and she wanted nothing more than to swiftly kill Zhu Wen and unhorse him.

On the side, Chu Kuangsheng's sword was like a violent storm. As his name suggests, his eyes turned red in the instant he started fighting, his face full of murderous intent, and he swung out sword after sword in succession. It was completely a routine move from horse fighting, which was very different from fighting on foot. Although his moves were fierce, they were very methodical.

But Meng Kai lived up to his name, imposing as a mountain, his long-handled Xuanhua axe swinging wildly and fiercely, his axe skills expertly mastered. He was like Xu Huang from the Three Kingdoms period, reincarnated, or Cheng Yaojin, Duke of Lu, reborn. Although he and Chu Kuangsheng appeared evenly matched, Zhu Wen could see from the corner of his eye that Meng Kai was attacking with all his might, while Chu Kuangsheng was still using the large shield in his left hand to block.

However, swords are light and short, and are not as effective in cavalry combat as long weapons. They are only good for agility, and it is natural to use a shield for defense.

Zhu Wen secretly thought that even if his martial arts skills were not as good as Brother Meng's, how could he lose face in front of the enemy?
This was his first high-profile battle since truly entering the arena of troubled times. His opponent wasn't the vulnerable local army, nor was it Xue Chong's lax Tianping troops. Instead, it was the battle-hardened Taining Brigade, commanded by Qi Kerang, one of the Four Great Marshals of the Tang Dynasty.
As Huang Chao's new disciple, how could he not give his all and show the manly spirit he should have?
With a thought in mind, he urged his horse forward and attacked with the sword in his hand. Red light splashed everywhere, forcing Feng Geyin to stop her horse and fight with him.

But Feng Geyin, the dwarf, was not only incredibly strong, but his swordsmanship was also incredibly vicious. While blocking Zhu Wen's blade with his shield, he used his longsword to strike at the horse's belly and lower ribs. Each move was deadly, like the ancient alien Tu Xingsun's Ditang staff.

The long sword in his hand also has a socket on the hilt. By loosening the socket, the hilt can be lengthened and locked again for use in cavalry warfare. Although it is not as long as Meng Kai's long-handled Xuanhua axe, it is not inferior to the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Sword in Zhu Wen's hand in length.

Moreover, the Tibetan mastiff that Feng Geyin rode was also extremely well-trained. It could gallop as fast as a horse. It would howl from time to time and try to bite Zhu Wen's horse's neck, forcing Zhu Wen to be careful and on guard.

The flash of swords whirred, the wind danced, and the clang of weapons clashing was like the incessant beat of drums. The two sides had already exchanged dozens of rounds, a match made in heaven, both fighting to a fever pitch, their spirits high and their killing intent surging.

The war drums in both camps were beating continuously, cheering for the generals on both sides. However, the soldiers of both armies watched in silence, afraid of missing any moves. They were dazzled by the fierce fight between dragons and tigers, and their hearts were hanging in their throats.

Junior sister Duan Hongyan, who was watching the battle from behind, clenched her fists and shouted, "Big brother is so mighty, kill that enemy general quickly", then she looked intently at the battle situation in Gaixin with her watery eyes, wondering whether she should be fair and whether she should cheer up Zhu Wen as well?

The words spoken to Zhu Wen when they first met made Duan Hongyan feel that this elegant young man was very interesting.

Zhu Wen was the only one internally groaning. He'd been a martial artist, assuming his skills were formidable. But when he truly faced the battlefield, faced with a major battle, he realized there were always better people. Compared to his senior brother Meng Kai, who remained calm and composed, Zhu Wen's breathing had increased significantly, and sweat was dripping down his body, but he still couldn't find a flaw in the dwarf Feng Geyin.

calm.

He tried to tell himself.

Zhu Wen's greatest pride wasn't his martial arts, but his intelligence. Born with a brilliant mind, he acted with extreme meticulousness. With the arrogance of a newborn calf fearless of a tiger, Zhu Wen even considered himself as intelligent as the feared Snow Marshal Qi Kerang.

Zhu Wen did not loosen his grip on the Dragon Sparrow Sword at all, dragging and striking to block Feng Geyin's sword momentum. He concentrated all his attention and kept testing, his mind working at high speed, trying to make his will float up, overlooking the situation on the field and finding a way to win.

But at this moment, a loud roar like thunder resounded in the air, and dust all over the ground rushed into the sky; everyone present felt their ears ringing and their scalps tingling.

"You rat, prepare to die!"

Meng Kai roared loudly, his eyes gleaming with brilliance, and he swung his axe down with the force of a splitting mountain. In an instant, the pressure emanating from him seemed to surge a thousandfold, a terrifying pressure that crushed Chu Kuangsheng with the axe blade.

This roar was so powerful that it ignited the boiling blood!

With the enthusiasm of fighting and the will to win, Meng Kai's axe instantly exerted 120% of its strength. Before the axe fell, Chu Kuangsheng was already afraid, shocked by the power emitted by Meng Kai - that was the invisible field unique to masters, which was hard to explain, but could make the opponent feel like being crushed by Mount Tai at the moment of eruption.

Chu Kuangsheng's face changed color, and he quickly picked up his sword. Relying on his experience, he tried his best to block the path of Meng Kai's giant axe and use his strength to absorb the force.

With a sharp clang, the greatsword narrowly blocked Meng Kai's Xuanhua axe's chop. Chu Kuangsheng felt a numbness in his palms and breathed a sigh of relief.

However, who would have thought that Meng Kai suddenly showed an extremely happy smile on his face. He suddenly retracted the giant axe, and while Chu Kuangsheng's palm was numb, he quickly slid the tip of the axe to the other side of Chu Kuangsheng's iron sword, and used his clever strength to pick it up.

Taking advantage of Chu Kuangsheng's unpreparedness, Meng Kai used a move called "Spear Picking the Yellow River", but it was not an axe technique, but the northern spear technique taught to him by Huang Chao. He did not stab Chu Kuangsheng in the chest which was protected by thick rhinoceros armor, but picked up his giant sword, achieving the effect of using only a little force to move a great object.

Chu Kuangsheng's huge body suddenly became mechanically stiff. He fell off the saddle like an iron tower, his feet left the stirrups, and he fell off the horse with a bang, becoming a "buttocks falling backward like a wild goose on the sand", falling on the ground with all four legs in the air, splashing sand and dust all over the sky.

Meng Kai was filled with lofty enthusiasm, roaring with laughter. He whipped his horse with his left hand, urging it forward. He then took the wine gourd from his waist, uncorked it, and drank from it, shouting into the wind—"How wonderful!" The wine flowed down his naked chest.

The clatter of hooves was urgent, and the horses galloped at breakneck speed. Before the Taining army had a chance to rescue Chu Kuangsheng, the yellow horse crushed him with all four hooves, trampling him relentlessly. In a flash, Meng Kai had ridden over Chu Kuangsheng. Chu Kuangsheng's water rhinoceros leather armor remained intact, but his chest was completely dented by the horse's hooves, his ribs broken, his internal organs crushed into a ball, and blood gushed from his mouth. It was obvious that he was dying.

For a moment, all the Taining soldiers watching the battle changed color.

"Kill! Use killing to nourish me. I have longed for blood for a long time..."

The shadow of the white tiger in Zhu Wen's heart suddenly solidified, speaking human language in his heart, accompanied by a weird laugh.

Feng Geyin was originally an expert in swordsmanship, and was well prepared for Zhu Wen's chain of sword beams. However, out of the corner of his eye, he saw his sworn brother Chu Kuangsheng fall off his horse and be trampled to death. He was shocked and panicked, and his hands lost their composure. His already scorched face turned even more earthy, and cold sweat dripped down. Zhu Wen seized the opportunity and attacked him. With a loud shout, he swung his sword at the neck, going straight into the joint of the armor, and instantly cut off the dwarf's head. With a scream, the two halves of the body fell from the big dog, leaving only the big dog looking at Zhu Wen in panic with a naturally confused expression.

"Well done!" Junior Sister Duan Hongyan beamed, gazing at the victorious Meng Kai and Zhu Wen. Her eyes, piercing with genuine joy and pride, shone brightly. Dressed in crimson, her smile radiated even more, like the vibrant crimson kapok flowers of southern Xinjiang. Her blazing, heroic demeanor was irresistible.

Meng Kai did not answer, but expressed his gratitude to the junior sister with his eyes, and then he raised the Bagua Xuanhua Axe in his right hand, just like the Northern Zhenwu Demon-Slaying Heavenly Lord who flattened the demons. Wherever the axe passed, sand and stones flew, grass and leaves swirled, and even ghosts and gods seemed to flee.

"I embrace the sun and the moon, singing wildly; I ride six dragons and swallow the Milky Way."

"With wine in my cup from all corners of the world, I go to the battlefield drunk with my sword in hand!" Meng Kai chanted with great passion.

"There is endless wine in the cup, and endless heads of enemies to be cut off, hahahahaha!" Meng Kai laughed heartily, his voice shaking the sky. He drank the remaining two or three pounds of liquor in the wine gourd, his face flushed, and with his left hand he drew the Tai'a sword from his waist. The sword light shot out the coldness of the Bullfight, piercing through the galaxy, and the heroic light was wild and fierce.

The hero who had just ridden his horse to crush Chu Kuangsheng into a pulp was majestic and powerful, and with a powerful sword spirit, he used the sword in his left hand and the axe in his right hand, using both weapons at the same time. He rushed forward like a whirlwind, and chopped the battle formation of the "Three Thousand Yue Armors" into pieces as if chopping melons and vegetables. The blood was dripping, and his horse's hooves trampled on countless deer antlers and thorns, and he rushed alone into the depths of the Taining Army's beachhead!

(End of this chapter)