Chapter 24

Since they had made up their minds, the two did not hesitate. Xue Tong went out to ask the villagers for two inferior horses and prepared weapons such as bows, knives, and long spears. They set off from the mountains early the next morning.

Worried about He Yun and the others, they spared no effort in urging the horses. By noon, they had already traveled over twenty miles and entered the Changping area of Xian County. According to the "Records of the Grand Historian," in the 47th year of King Zhaoxiang of Qin, during the Warring States period, Qin and Zhao faced each other, and the decisive Battle of Changping, which determined the fate of the two major powers, took place here.

This vast mountainous area has rugged and complex terrain, with the Dan River flowing swiftly and many tributaries forming a network throughout the region. The Danzhu Ridge, the source of the Dan River, rises and falls like a raging beast. From the Danzhu Ridge, through the Nan Gong Mountain and Yangtou Mountain, to the Maan Gorge bordering Huguan, there are remnants of the hundred-mile stone city defense line built by the State of Zhao.

The great general of Zhao, Lian Po, once relied on the Dan River and the hundred-mile stone city defense line to fortify against the Qin army, and the two armies, numbering hundreds of thousands, were in a stalemate in this small area for three years. In the later stages of the battle, the King of Zhao replaced Lian Po with Zhao Kuo, who was only good at talking about military strategy on paper; while King Zhaoxiang of Qin sent Bai Qi, the Marquis of Wu'an, to lead the army and personally went to the Guandong region, conscripting all men over fifteen years old from the Hedong Commandery to form the last fighting force, which was sent to reinforce the Changping battlefield.

It was this new army that cut off the Zhao army's supply lines and retreat routes, ultimately annihilating the 400,000-strong Zhao army. According to legend, after the Qin army buried the 400,000 Zhao soldiers alive, they collected their heads and built a platform on the mountain, which was called the Bai Qi Platform by the local people.

This great battle ultimately determined the course of history in the late Warring States period. The defeated never recovered, while the victors, with the prestige of their victory, dominated the region for decades, subjugating the two Zhou states and destroying the other feudal lords.

Although Changping was a small place under the jurisdiction of Xian County, it was actually densely populated and had a thriving commercial sector. The city walls were not inferior to those of Xian County, and it was considered a place of considerable scale in southern Bingzhou.

Lu Yao and Xue Tong had been in Bingzhou for many years and had traveled through this important traffic hub connecting Shangdang and Hedong countless times. As soldiers, they always felt many emotions when galloping through the ancient battlefield. But this time, as they passed through Changping, they were filled with deep sorrow. Lu Yao never expected to see such a scene on his journey.

As they moved forward, they crossed the Shi River and Guo River, passing through four villages. However, the villages, which were once bustling with the sounds of chickens and dogs, were now completely deserted. Many houses had been burned to the ground, leaving only charred beams and pillars. The houses that were not burned were overgrown with thorns and had become gathering places for wolves, foxes, and dogs.

On the vast plain, the remains of bodies, gnawed by wild animals, were scattered everywhere. Flocks of scavenger birds circled above, making dark and unpleasant calls. As they galloped past, small animals occasionally fled in a flurry.

Lu Yao and Xue Tong exchanged glances, their faces pale, and they instinctively urged their horses to move faster, hoping to leave this hell on earth as soon as possible.

Around noon, the two finally arrived at Changping City.

Lu Yao shaded his eyes and looked. The city was in ruins, with the gate tower collapsed and the heavy wooden gate shattered into pieces. Looking closely, the inside of the city gate was dim and unclear.

Villagers usually came here to sell mountain goods, and this year should be no exception. If they wanted to find their traces, they had to start from Changping. But the gray and desolate city in Lu Yao's eyes seemed to exude an indescribable eeriness.

"Strange, not a single person in sight?" Xue Tong looked around and muttered.

They waited outside the city for half an hour, but no one entered or left. Only the north wind rushed through the gate, making a whistling sound.

Xue Tong asked, "Could it be that the Hu people attacked and everyone fled?"

Lu Yao pondered, "I don't think so. If the Hu people were in the city, it wouldn't be so quiet."

The two cautiously approached the city gate, but there was no sign of anything unusual inside. They exchanged glances and, with a loud cry, galloped straight into the city.

Changping City was not large, and the two moved quickly, reaching the center of the city in a blink. Lu Yao looked around and saw an indescribable scene, which made him gasp in shock!

The main street was densely lined with countless bodies. The mangled limbs and shattered torsos lay haphazardly on both sides of the street, some still oozing blood. Among the dead were both civilians and Hu people. The ground was stained red with blood, and the strong smell of blood made the horses uneasy, snorting loudly. The north wind howled, stirring up dust that fell on this grim scene, making it look like a hellish battlefield.

Lu Yao turned his horse and saw a person not far away.

There, at the intersection of the main street, was a training ground, the place with the densest concentration of bodies. In addition to that person, there were more than ten men in black attire standing around, but at first glance, everyone seemed to focus only on that one person!

The man had broad shoulders and a tall, straight figure, standing with his hands behind his back. He wore a luxurious white cloud-patterned brocade robe and a sword inlaid with pearls and jade hung from his waist. Despite being in a sea of corpses and blood, his robe and sleeves were spotlessly clean, without a single stain or bloodstain. He seemed to be in a painting, ethereal and detached from the world.

He appeared to be in his thirties, extremely handsome, with skin as white as jade, thick eyebrows slanting into his temples, a high nose, and eyes that sparkled with a fierce light, as if shooting out electric rays. Lu Yao, riding a tall horse from the north, was also tall, but when he met the man's gaze, he felt an inexplicable sense of looking up to him. The man's eyes were so powerful that they almost made one want to bow in reverence; indeed, with just one glance, he exuded pride, dignity, and superiority!

Such eyes were unforgettable at first sight. Lu Yao instinctively reined back his horse, and for a moment, he did not think about whether this person was a friend or an enemy, but could not help but marvel: What a remarkable person!

Just as he was in a state of shock, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of He Yun.

On one side of the training ground, there were more than ten tall wooden frames, each with a person hanging from it. The first person was He Yun, who was almost unrecognizable, with tattered clothes, whip marks, and bruises all over his body, and injuries on his face. He was tightly bound, with a rope hanging from the wooden frame around his neck, leaving only his toes touching the ground.

At that moment, a large man was walking towards He Yun, his sword making a ringing sound as he drew it, ready to strike!

Lu Yao's heart was shaken, and his blood almost boiled. A few months ago, he had three thousand subordinates, and after those life-and-death battles, only He Yun remained. Was he going to watch He Yun die right before his eyes today?

"Hey!" Lu Yao shouted like a thunderclap, spurred his horse, and charged straight at the man with the sword.

Lu Yao's silver spear had been lost in the forest outside the nameless fort, and he was now using a makeshift spear he had made a few days ago. Although it was not his usual weapon, the spear moved with great momentum.

A figure flashed in front of him, and a man in black rushed forward, shouting, "Don't rush!"

Lu Yao had no time to waste words. He thrust the spear forward, the wind whistling as it aimed at the man's chest. The man, seeing the danger, roared and drew a thick-backed fish-scale saber to block. Lu Yao, using the momentum of his horse, struck with a force of a thousand catties. The man could not withstand it, and with a loud "clang," he was thrown into the air and fell several feet away.

Lu Yao galloped past like the wind, not stopping.

"Rude!" Another man shouted, and before his voice faded, he swung his saber from the side, with the force of a thunderbolt, aiming at Lu Yao's horse. Lu Yao parried with his spear, and the impact sent a powerful force through the spear. Lu Yao, still recovering from his injuries, felt a severe shock in his right arm, almost losing his grip on the weapon. He saw that the man was wielding a massive horse-chopping saber.

Seeing that his charge was about to be stopped, Lu Yao changed his move quickly, switching the spear to his left hand and using his waist strength to sweep it horizontally. This counterattack was incredibly fast, and the man's heavy saber, though powerful, was not very agile. He could not pull it back in time and had to let go of the saber and retreat quickly. Lu Yao's horse was fast, and he had already charged past.

The extraordinary man in the white robe, seeing Lu Yao break through the two men's interception in quick succession, clapped his hands and praised, "Very good!"

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