A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 229 Sovereign, Father, and Subject: Yun Tianbiao

Inside Quancheng, just as the army had finished its preparations and was ready to set off, Yun Tianbiao sent someone to summon Guo Jing.

A few days ago, when Yun Tianbiao had just arrived in Quancheng, he heard that none of the generals Liu Guang had sent to attack Liangshan had returned, except for Guo Jing.

To provoke the fleeing soldiers and make an example of them, Yun Tianbiao had Guo Jing flogged and beaten severely. The Taoist priest had been carried out of the military camp at the time, and he was carried in again today.

"I am injured and cannot get up," Guo Jing said, groaning twice as he lay on the sedan chair. "Please forgive me, Grand Commandant Yun."

Yun Tianbiao said, "I know you harbor resentment, but among those who led the troops to attack Liangshan last time, you were the only one who escaped safely. If I don't punish you, wouldn't those foolish and upright officials in the court use your status to attack Chen Daozi?"

Guo Jing simply kept his head down and refused to speak.

Yun Tianbiao stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder, then said, "Actually, that's nothing. Daozi is such a heroic figure, he's naturally not afraid to take some blame for you. But you know, the Emperor has a strange dislike for you. If word gets to the Emperor's ears, it won't be just a mere beating that can be dealt with."

Guo Jing was then moved.

He recalled the scene when Chen Daozi wanted to introduce him to the Emperor of Heavenly Mandate. At that time, the Emperor of Heavenly Mandate did not know his name, but just seeing his face, he was already furious and had a hidden murderous intent.

Seeing that things were not going well, Chen Daozi didn't dare to mention the matter of introduction again and instead signaled Guo Jing to quietly leave.

Guo Jing was also extremely aggrieved, and he really didn't know what he had done to offend that emperor. In the end, he could only attribute it to his bad luck, and perhaps it was just that they were destined to clash and could not meet.

Years later, Guo Jing sometimes recalled the emperor's expression and felt a chill creep into his heart. If a court official were to report the great defeat of Liangshan along with his name, Guo Jing, and the emperor found out, it was very likely that he would be executed.

Yun Tianbiao's voice came again in a low voice: "Besides, I know that you came to the sect with your own skills. Before you became a disciple of Chen Daozi, you had already mastered a set of good magic, especially the art of substitution. For you, being punished with a cane is just a small matter."

Guo Jing stood up and bowed deeply to Yun Tianbiao, saying with tears in his eyes, "General, you have gone to great lengths. I almost misunderstood you and deserve to die. Please accept my three bows to repay your kindness."

Yun Tianbiao helped him up and said, "If you want to repay me, you don't need to bow to me. Just be loyal to your duty."

"This general will set off today to attack Liangshan. I know that Liangshan is a dangerous place with eight hundred miles of water and many evil people and bandits. I'm afraid it will take more than a few days to completely pacify it."

"While the battle at the front is at a stalemate, those sorcerers may attempt to assassinate officials in Quancheng and disrupt our rear. I will leave General Deng Zongbi, Xin Congzhong, Divine Fire General Wei Dingguo, Holy Water General Shan Tinggui, and others behind to assist in the defense. I fear this may not be enough, so you must assist them wholeheartedly!"

Guo Jing nodded repeatedly and said, "I will certainly exhaust my mind and soul, even at the cost of my life."

Yun Tianbiao looked pleased, stroked his long beard, and took out a brocade box from his sleeve. He said, "Chen Daozi heard that you lost the Nine Yang Divine Bell and that your cultivation was reduced by nearly half. He specially ordered me to bring three Dragon Tiger Pills. In case of emergency, you can take one pill to temporarily restore your former magic power. Apply the other two pills to your eyes to cast the Heavenly Eye Illusion Technique. You should know how to use them."

Guo Jing was overjoyed, carefully accepted the brocade box, and thanked him earnestly repeatedly.

After leaving the camp, Yun Tianbiao mustered his troops and generals, divided them into a vanguard, a central army, and a rearguard, and invited Liu Yongxi, the bamboo shoot crown immortal, to ride alongside him as they headed towards Liangshan.

The army marched out of Jinan and traveled for most of the day, gradually approaching the densely forested hills from between the town and the plains.

Yun Tianbiao reined in his horse and looked around, then said to Liu Yongxi, "Master Liu, I see that there are dense forests on both sides of the road ahead, as well as rolling hills and valleys. The army must be very careful when passing through there. It would be better to stay here for half an hour to rest and recuperate before continuing, in case anything goes wrong."

Liu Yongxi sat steadily on his horse, holding a small bonsai in his hand. The bonsai contained only a single stalagmite. Hearing this, he said, "Military affairs will naturally be handled according to your wishes."

Yun Tianbiao nodded and was about to order the soldiers to rest when he suddenly heard a faint call coming from afar.

A troop of elite soldiers stepped forward and escorted the shouting man back to the army camp to see Yun Tianbiao.

The man had handsome features and a spirited air. His armor was tattered, stained with blood and dampness. He carried a withered branch as a walking stick and looked extremely exhausted. He called out to himself, "Are these the imperial troops? Are they reinforcements sent by Prefect Liu?"

Yun Tianbiao recognized him; his tattered armor was typical of a Song Dynasty general. He asked, "Who are you? Why are you in such a disheveled state, shouting in the mountains?"

"This humble general, Shi Xiu, was ordered to attack Liangshan a few days ago. He was wounded by the bandit leader and fell into the water. He drifted for days and nights and only regained consciousness on the shore this morning."

The man stared at Yun Tianbiao for a moment, then exclaimed in surprise, "You...you recognize me! You're Yun Tianbiao, aren't you? Grand Commandant Yun, you've come at the right time! Quick, quick, go to Quancheng to rescue us!"

Yun Tianbiao raised his thick eyebrows and said, "Why are you talking so incoherently? Don't panic, explain why."

"oops!"

Shi Xiu was extremely anxious. He poked the ground twice with a dry branch and said, "I had just woken up this morning and wanted to find a way back to Quancheng. But because of my serious injuries, I was walking slowly. I heard the sound of people and horses in the mountains and forests. When I looked from afar, I saw that it was the leader of the Liangshan bandits. He was leading a group of cavalrymen in red robes, fully armed with swords and armor, heading towards Quancheng."

Yun Tianbiao was taken aback: "When did this happen? Which road did they take? How many people were there?"

Shi Xiu pointed: "About half an hour ago, they passed by the back of that hill. There weren't many of them, about a thousand riders, but the bandit leader Guan Luoyang and the sorcerer Lin Lingsu were among them."

Yun Tianbiao's face showed even greater surprise, yet also a hint of suspicion as he carefully examined Shi Xiu from head to toe.

Liu Yongxi whispered a few words in his ear, and Yun Tianbiao's face immediately darkened. He roared angrily.

"Shi Xiu! How dare you! You've already joined the Liangshan bandits, yet you still dare to come before me and lie about military affairs, deceiving me with falsehoods. Do you think you can fool the discerning eyes of the Pure and Cool Dharma Realm Master Zhiming?!"

His shout caused all the horses in the army to tremble and neigh softly.

The three armies, front and rear, revealed their killing intent, their swords and spears showed their sharp edges, their banners waved, and even the wind and clouds changed color. The sun in the sky was temporarily blocked by the rolling dark clouds!

Such divine power can terrify tigers, leopards, and all beasts, and silence the birds in the jungle.

Shi Xiu, facing the shout directly, flew into a rage, his voice booming like shattered gold and jade: "Yun Tianbiao, what do you mean by this?!"

"Though I am unworthy, I have always been the first to charge into battle during the Xia dynasty's campaigns. My loyalty and courage shine like the sun and moon; how could I dare to be a traitor?"

"If you don't believe me, then cut off my head with your knife. But you absolutely must not fail to return to Quancheng. Otherwise, if the prefect of Quancheng and the people of the city suffer, you, this cuckolded scoundrel, will be scorned by all and infamous for eternity!"

Shi Xiu's voice was filled with extreme anger. At the end of his speech, he spat out a mouthful of blood and fell backward.

Yun Tianbiao quickly waved his hand, signaling everyone to help him up.

Liu Yongxi said from the side, "What are you doing? I just told you that this person still has residual fierce energy in his lungs, is seriously injured, and has even walked through the gates of hell. Moreover, it is an old injury from several days ago. It is absolutely impossible for him to be using a self-inflicted injury as a ruse."

"I just wanted to bluff him a little more, just to be on the safe side." Yun Tianbiao looked displeased. "I was indeed overthinking it, but this brat actually insulted me like this in front of all the soldiers, so he must be punished."

Yun Tianbiao ordered his men not to treat Shi Xiu's injuries, and said to Liu Yongxi, "Take him back to Quancheng. If he is still alive when you get to Quancheng, revive him so that he understands that I, Yun, am not such a petty person."

Immediately, someone brought a horse and tied Shi Xiu to its back. Shi Xiu was unconscious, and the person who tied him up was rather rough, causing a little more blood to spill from the corner of his mouth.

Furthermore, scouts went into the mountains and forests to investigate the direction Shi Xiu had pointed out.

Liu Yongxi said, "You're telling me to go back to Quancheng to help, so you must be going to Liangshan."

"good."

Yun Tianbiao smiled and said, "That bandit leader is indeed quite bold. He probably intends to enter the city on horseback to kill the leader, so that Quancheng will be thrown into chaos and he can take the opportunity to plunder. But I want to take advantage of the fact that there are no experts in charge, and first flatten Liangshan and cut off their retreat."

Liu Yongxi also laughed and said, "While I'm keeping them occupied, when you return to help, it will be the moment to catch them like turtles in a jar."

The scouts reported that there were indeed hoofprints on the other side of the hillside. Yun and Liu looked at each other and smiled, and then they split up their forces.

Liu Yongxi led three thousand men, all cavalry, and hurried back to Quancheng.

Yun Tianbiao, full of vigor, cracked his whip and ordered the rest of his troops to stop resting and travel at full speed towards Liangshan.

They traversed mountains and forests, and after walking for about two quarters of an hour, the vanguard passed through a mountain pass.

Just as the central army was about to pass through, suddenly hundreds of canisters of gunpowder were thrown down from the dense forests on both sides of the mountain.

Boom boom boom boom!!!

Once those gunpowder canisters touched a hard object, they exploded on the spot, with flames roaring, smoke billowing, and detonations echoing everywhere, spraying steel balls and toxic fumes in all directions.

A narrow strip of land, about a hundred feet long and ten feet wide, was completely covered by smoke and fire. The high temperature baked the dense forest on both sides, causing countless branches and leaves to turn yellow, curl up, wither and fall.

These gunpowder canisters are called "Black Five Stone Thunderbolts." They were carried by Yan Shude's army when they attacked Liangshan. They were made by skilled craftsmen in the army using the residue left by soldiers after they exhaled foul air, mixed with five kinds of refined ores.

A jar that looks no bigger than a baby's fist was enough to blow up two large water buffaloes, charring their bodies so that no blood could be seen from the wounds.

Amidst the smoke and flames, the air currents suddenly churned violently. Two massive arms covered in armor pushed aside the dust and flames, and a divine image of destiny, which had been bowing, slowly straightened up.

The image of the Buddha was still surrounded by the thick smell of gunpowder. Some parts of its body had been blown apart, leaving only blurry wisps of smoke. However, under the protection of the Buddha, such a violent explosion only killed less than three hundred soldiers in the central army.

Suddenly, an ancient Taoist sword flew through the air and pierced through the Dharma image.

A large hole instantly rotted open in the chest area of ​​the enormous Dharma image, and the loose demonic energy and military might were transformed into black rainwater, which poured down.

Thousands of figures emerged from the woods on both sides, their rough robes turning fiery red as they raced forward.

Taking advantage of the chaos caused by gunpowder and black rain, these people, from their high vantage point, broke through the outer defenses of the Song army, charged into the ranks, and cut off the front and rear of the army.

"We've fallen for their trap!"

Yun Tianbiao was both shocked and furious. He leaped off his horse, and the huge Dharma image in the air was instantly swallowed up by his leaping figure.

Vast, murky black smoke seeped into his body through the gaps in his armor and battle robes, penetrating his muscles and bones.

Below, all the generals that Yun Tianbiao brought had been found by the fierce generals of Liangshan, and they were all people that Yun Tianbiao recognized.

Wherever Lin Chong rode past, any general or officer on horseback who saw the cold glint of his spear tip was struck and fell from their horse.

Wu Song's twin swords moved like wheels, charging forward at top speed, leaving the Liangshan disciples who had been closely following him far behind. Wherever his figure passed, he cut through the enemy lines, and the Song army was pushed into trenches like a tidal wave.

But when Yun Tianbiao glanced around, the first person he saw was Lu Da.

Lu Da brandished his crescent shovel, walking slowly, but even before he arrived, his imposing aura emanated from him, causing the warhorses fed with ore in the army to tremble and jostle wildly.

The difficulty in reorganizing the officers' and soldiers' ranks was largely due to the interference caused by Lu Da.

Yun Tianbiao strode through the air, his figure stretching across the sky, attempting to cross the mountain pass first and lead the vanguard into battle.

However, the ancient Dao sword that had pierced his aura and dharma image turned a corner in the dense forest and flew back.

Yun Tianbiao was focused on moving forward, seemingly unaware of the danger approaching his back.

Just as the tip of the Dao Sword was less than three feet from his back, Guan Luoyang's hand gripped the hilt...

A crescent-shaped beam of light suddenly appeared in mid-air.

It should have been described as a crescent moon, but the blade's arc was long and wide, making it far too magnificent and imposing.

When such magnificent radiance appeared near the ground, the scenery of the mountains became mere background, and the sun in the sky, obscured by dark clouds, could only remain silent in the face of it.

The mountains were shrouded in darkness, with only the bright moon overhead.

Guan Luoyang blocked the crescent moonlight with his sword, and his figure crashed down, hitting the mountainside beside him.

Wherever the energy passed, the trees within a twenty-foot radius were instantly blown away, their leaves scattered, branches flying everywhere, and then the bare trunks snapped open with a crack.

Centered on the spot where Guan Luoyang landed, all around were trees that had fallen outwards, revealing an open area.

Yun Tianbiao stood opposite Guan Luoyang, unleashing a powerful attack with his sword, the Azure Dragon Turning Over, and the full force of the attack under the bright moon. His aura completely overwhelmed Guan Luoyang the moment he drew his sword.

But no matter how hard he pressed the blade down, the sword that Guan Luoyang held above his head refused to yield.

"That scoundrel Shi Xiu has indeed defected to the Liangshan bandits."

Yun Tianbiao spoke with righteous indignation, "However, I have a question. If he were a coward who had surrendered to the bandits, why would he risk his life as bait to use such a vicious scheme? And how could he have kept his secret from me without revealing the slightest flaw?"

"A truly valiant person remains unmoved even in anger, and Shi Xiu is such a person. No matter how much you use martial arts or magic to intimidate him, how can you possibly discern Shi Xiu's true nature?"

Guan Luoyang said, "As for why we are willing to risk our lives, it is naturally because we are on the right path, and our righteousness reaches to the heavens. No amount of danger can sever our resolve."

Yun Tianbiao laughed loudly: "This ignorant bandit, a man without a ruler or father, dares to call himself the righteous one. The Emperor is the Son of Heaven, the ruler of all people. To pay homage to the Emperor and serve in the court is the only righteous path."

Guan Luoyang clicked his tongue in amazement: "With treacherous officials in the court, the people are suffering, and powerful clans and wicked gentry are preying on the villagers. It's truly amazing that you can still speak of the righteous path with such fervor."

"Hmph, managing local powerful clans is the duty of local officials. If there is corruption in the area, that's for us high-ranking officials in the imperial court to handle. The well-being of the people is a matter for the emperor and his court officials to consider. What official position do you hold that gives you the right to interfere and act recklessly?"

Yun Tianbiao grew angrier as he spoke, his face turning as red as lacquer. "The Great Song Dynasty, under the rule of Emperor Tianming, was originally a peaceful world. It is because of treacherous villains like you who do not know how to be considerate of the court and respectful to the officials that you have caused so many troubles. This is why loyal and virtuous officials like Prefect Liu have suffered."

"You thieving scoundrel, you sorcerer, prepare to die!"

The Spring and Autumn Period broadsword rubbed against the blade, producing a deafening sound.

Yun Tianbiao's face was hotter than burning coals, his heart filled with rage.

Guan Luoyang's expression was colder than a sword blade, and he laughed heartily.

"I really made a stupid mistake."

The sword of non-action pointed straight to the heavens, as if it wanted to pierce the clouds.

Guan Luoyang said nothing more and slashed down with his sword.

To speak another word to someone who only cares about becoming an official and doesn't treat ordinary people as human beings would be an insult to one's own voice.

Only by fighting our way out can we find peace!

(End of this chapter)