Chapter 74 of 100

Chapter 74

16 min read3,877 words

Luoshixun, with the intention of a quick and decisive battle, struck successfully and without hesitation plunged into the crowd. His Tang saber slashed left and right, splattering blood, and six men had already fallen dead under his horse.

The Tujue people were greatly alarmed and in chaos. They had seen Luoshixun and his men from a distance and had prepared to meet the enemy, but they never expected that the valiant centurion would be killed in one move, and six brave Tujue warriors would die in an instant.

This was not the end. A Tujue soldier, holding a spear, was enraged by the brutal deaths of his fellow tribesmen and charged forward with a roar, brandishing his spear.

"Perfect timing!" Luoshixun's Tang saber accurately caught the spear and slid down the shaft. As the horse and man crossed paths, the Tujue soldier's hands were brutally severed, and his palms and fingers fell to the ground.

In mid-air, Luoshixun seized the spear and, turning his horse, thrust it through the Tujue soldier who had lost both hands, piercing him through the heart.

When it came to cavalry combat, the spear was his most proficient weapon. He did not stop after killing the Tujue soldier with one thrust. Swinging the spear, another ten Tujue soldiers fell like paper, instantly stabbed to the ground. Then, he rode over their bodies, charging deeper into the fray, leaving behind ten spurts of blood, like fountains of red.

Luoshixun's bravery and ferocity were as always, striking fear into the hearts of his enemies. Pei Qingyi's performance was also terrifying. Her method of killing was very different from Luoshixun's. If Luoshixun's style was brutal and domineering, then hers was the antithesis—graceful and gentle, but equally lethal.

She did not fight on her own horse but leaped like a highly agile monkey, accurately landing on the backs of the enemy horses, using them as stepping stones to glide to another target. Of course, before landing on the horse, the soldiers on the horse would die first, struck down by her twin swords, which moved like two white ribbons.

Her sword skills were as beautiful as a dance, deadly and terrifying, yet without a trace of blood. All those who died by her hand were struck in vital points and fell dead on the spot.

More remarkably, she killed eight men in a row without touching the ground, as if she had a pair of light wings behind her.

"Excellent skills!" Luoshixun, who had witnessed this, could not help but praise her loudly.

Pei Qingyi, performing a sword flourish in mid-air and killing another man, replied, "Thank you for the compliment."

At this moment, Yinan, who had been fleeing for his life, also charged back on his horse, striking forcefully. His crescent-shaped saber sliced open the chest of a Tujue soldier in front of him, and he spurred his large, fiery red warhorse to crash into the Tujue soldier and horse, sending them rolling to the ground.

The Tujue soldiers were always brave, but in the face of Luoshixun and Pei Qingyi, one fierce and one graceful, they lost all courage, their hands and feet turning cold with fear. With Yinan, known for his bravery, whistling and turning his horse to flee, they all escaped.

Luoshixun threw his spear, pinning the farthest man to the ground, then drew his bow and, stopping his horse, shot at the Tujue soldiers one by one.

His shooting speed was not fast, but his aim was accurate, and his arrows were powerful. With the distance between them being only a dozen steps, the spinning arrows had a deadly effect, and several men fell dead in an instant.

Yinan pursued relentlessly, riding fast and shooting arrows, taking advantage of the victory, and single-handedly chased down and killed all the remaining Tujue soldiers.

Luoshixun and Pei Qingyi exchanged a glance and turned to leave.

Their purpose was to find someone, not to get involved in unnecessary trouble. However, if this Yinan was the historical Yinan, his death now would be a significant loss to the Tang Dynasty, so they had to lend a hand, though they did not intend to have much interaction with him.

"Benefactors, please wait!"

Seeing Luoshixun and Pei Qingyi leaving, Yinan unexpectedly rode after them, shouting in a familiar but somewhat awkward Central Plains Chinese.

"It seems he really is the historical Yinan!"

Luoshixun thought to himself. It was not surprising that they recognized them as Central Plains people. Luoshixun had inadvertently spoken a sentence in Chinese while killing the enemy, and Pei Qingyi had instinctively responded.

Anyone with a keen eye could easily see through the key points.

However, it was not simple for a Tujue person to speak Chinese.

The Tujue people had their own language and script, and the vast majority of Tujue people did not speak Chinese. However, the nobles of the Tujue people certainly knew Chinese. This was not only true for the Tujue but for all the surrounding ethnic groups of China throughout history. It was a matter of pride for the Chinese. Faced with the profound Chinese culture, the surrounding ethnic groups could only worship and learn.

In the noble circles of the ethnic groups, not speaking Chinese or writing Chinese characters was a sign of being uncultured and would be looked down upon by the upper class.

Yinan spoke Chinese well, clearly indicating he was from the noble class.

The same name and noble status, there were no such coincidences.

"Is there something?" Luoshixun pulled the reins, turned his head, and responded indifferently.

Yinan showed no displeasure, only respectfully approached, placing his left hand on his chest in the traditional grassland greeting, and bowed deeply: "I, Yinan of the Tiele tribe, thank the two benefactors for saving my life. May I know your names? I will remember them in my heart and repay you when the opportunity arises."

Luoshixun said, "It was a small effort, a chance encounter, no need to make it so important!"

Yinan's sharp eyes swept over Luoshixun and Pei Qingyi, and he bowed again: "The two benefactors have their reasons, and I do not insist. As a descendant of the Tiele people and the wolf god, failing to repay a favor would be a disgrace, and I would have no face to live in this world. The greedy Tujue people killed my brothers and stole my wealth. The only thing left is this fine horse with the blood of the Heavenly Horse. Please accept it as a token of my gratitude."

Luoshixun was greatly moved and finally took a serious look at the young man in front of him. He was in his mid-twenties, with a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes, exuding a heroic and imposing presence. The horse he led was a fiery red, with not a single stray hair, and it was a magnificent steed.

He was also a lover of horses and knew a bit about horse breeding. He could see that this red horse was indeed an excellent steed, comparable to the Snow Treading of Pingyang and the Tiele Piao and Qingzhui of Li Shimin.

The ancients loved horses as much as their lives, but this man offered his horse without hesitation, without any pretense, which was truly rare.

"He is a remarkable person!"

Luoshixun evaluated him in his heart and then said, "Are you really willing to part with it?"

Yinan said resolutely, "You Chinese have a saying, 'A fine horse should be given to a hero.' I, Yinan, am not as brave as you. Let it follow you; I have no regrets."

Luoshixun indeed needed a fine steed and did not refuse, saying, "Then I will accept it. Yinan of the Tiele tribe, I will remember your name. We will meet again, and I will treat you to a drink!"

Yinan watched Luoshixun and Pei Qingyi leave, looked at the bodies on the ground, took out his saber, and snapped it in two, gritting his teeth and swearing, "I, Yinan of the Tiele tribe, will not rest until I destroy the Tujue."

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