Chapter 282: The Long Night Is About To Turn To Dawn

Chapter 282: The Dawn Before the Long Night

Inside the tent, Batu still hosted the wretched pair with a grim, rigid countenance.

Yet at this very moment, Batu felt that he was the dog, and they were the masters of the house.

Who could have fathomed that under his own calculated precautions, within his very own military camp, and encircled by countless mounted troops, his head messenger’s life would still be claimed by these two with such effortless grace? Setting aside the raw capability required, the sheer audacity alone was beyond all but a select few, yet here they stood, a matched pair of it.

It would have been one thing to simply kill the man, but they had also pinned the blame upon him with master class. Had the messenger's entourage been allowed to return and tell the tale, even if Batu were to sever Zhao Changheng’s head afterward and plead that it was an unauthorized execution, did he truly believe the Chieftain would buy it?

Out of options, he naturally had no choice but to slaughter the entire entourage. But to issue such a command before the eyes of his entire army meant there was truly no turning back now.

At this juncture, even if Zhao Changheng were to offer his neck on a platter, Batu would not dare touch it, no matter how much rage burned within him. Matters having come to this, if he did not draw the Great Xia Empire as an ally, he would be left with no place to die without a proper grave.

As it turned out, they were the ones who did not trust him now.

The moment they set foot inside the tent, Yue Hongling tapped a finger against one of his acupoints, and an instantaneous, unbearable agony of itching and pain flooded his entire body: "This is my exclusive Sunset Flare Finger. Consider it a minor lesson. From this day forth, the moment my true qi touches your body, I can detonate it at will, leaving you without a corpse to bury. I care not whether Timur can dispel it; in short, even if your uncle were to rise from the dead, he most likely could not save you."

Batu sweat profusely from the sheer agony: "Why must it come to this? At this point, how could I possibly harbor any designs against you? I have long since been forced to walk this dark path with you until the bitter end."

Yue Hongling replied coldly: "The barbarians are faithless, do not blame my ruthlessness."

Zhao Changheng sat comfortably by the side pouring himself wine with great satisfaction, admiring his woman's performance, finding it more pleasing the longer he looked.

Yue Hongling was but a lone woman who had traversed the world by herself for so many years; when the time called for severity, she was naturally more ruthless than anyone, and would absolutely never soften her hand lightly. How had he managed to win the heart of such a maiden? It seemed that being handsome did have its advantages after all.

Batu could only accept his defeat, enduring the torture-like agony for a full half-hour before the pain barely subsided. He then lowered his eyes submissively and poured wine for them, as if nothing had transpired just moments prior.

Zhao Changheng secretly remarked to himself that this fellow was indeed quite a character. How had he ever thought of him as nothing more than a stubborn fool in the past?

He finally sighed and spoke: "Brother Batu, who is that sour face for? Had Hongling not saved you, you would have perished beneath Heshan's spear. Yet the moment you turned around, you were locking arms with Timur’s messenger and keeping a strict watch on the two of us? Did you perhaps think we would simply offer our necks for slaughter and ruin your grand Lion King designs?"

Batu said sullenly: "Enough, you well know why my face is sour. We are not friends; each of us schemes for our own ends. Now you have succeeded, and that is all there is to it. I must admit, Zhao Changheng, you are indeed a magnificent hero. Your grandeur, audacity, and martial prowess have earned my utmost admiration. Now that I have fallen into your snare, just speak plainly on what you wish to do."

"Before that, let us clarify one question."

"Speak."

"Who is whose mother?"

Batu’s face flushed crimson. After a long pause, he barked toward Yue Hongling: "Mother."

Yue Hongling had just taken a sip of wine, which she spat out entirely, nearly choking to death on the spot.

Zhao Changheng was likewise struck with awe: "Brother Batu, I could not tell that you were such an extraordinary talent."

Batu remained expressionless: "You flatter me, I am far inferior to your good self."

"Why wear a face that looks so utterly swindled?" Zhao Changheng leaned against the back of his chair, leisurely sipping his wine: "I am merely helping you walk the righteous path. Timur’s desire to swallow your tribe is practically written across his face, yet you could actually be deluded by a few paltry promises, believing you could attain the status your uncle once held and rest easy from then on? Are you still dreaming? Even your uncle was nothing more than a vassal in those days, did you truly think you could surpass him? I would love to see how you meet your end after becoming some dog-shit Lion King."

Batu thought to himself that he possessed Hulie as his hidden trump card, making it entirely possible for him to grow more powerful than his uncle ever was, to the point of becoming a faction that merely answered the call to arms without submitting as a vassal.

But at this moment, he would not voice such thoughts, choosing instead to say: "The resolution to oppose the Chieftain is not easily made; it is always best if everyone can live in mutual peace. Especially your performance tonight has made me realize that if Yue Hongling were to risk her life to assassinate me, I might very well fall. So what if the Chieftain himself came to slay me? I never felt the gap was so vast before, but today you two seemed to demonstrate it for me, making me all the more anxious."

"It seems you truly possessed the fearlessness of the ignorant before."

"Not entirely. The Chieftain and your Emperor hold each other in check. During the assault on Yanmen Pass, he merely sat in his rear command tent deploying troops and generals without stepping forth himself, let alone for a tribal dispute. Furthermore, I possess some connections within the Sacred Temple; so long as we do not openly sever ties, the Chieftain would not go so far as to personally assassinate a minor figure like myself. He still cares for his dignity."

"That does make sense." Zhao Changheng thought that if Xia Huangyuan were the template, who could say he would go out of his way to assassinate a mere Seven-Orifice realm weakling? Xia Huangyuan would likely slap you across the face first.

Batu sighed: "But if we are to completely sever ties, involving a shift in hegemony, then the nature of the matter changes entirely. The Chieftain will no longer harbor such reservations or pride; plucking my head would be like child's play. Your Emperor certainly won’t contain him just for my sake, will he? Even if you dared to promise it, I wouldn’t believe you."

Zhao Changheng stroked his chin: "If that is your concern, what if I provide you with another backer?"

Batu sneered: "What, does the Buddha of the Northern Border wish to bring forth the Maitreya Sect Master instead? Unfortunate as it is, even Maitreya is no match for a single strike from the Chieftain."

Zhao Changheng rolled his eyes: "You need not concern yourself with that. The number of Heaven-Rank figures I can speak with is greater than the number you have ever laid eyes upon."

Batu blanked for a moment, thinking to himself that it seemed to be the truth. Aside from the Emperor of Great Xia, this fellow could indeed speak before Cui Wenjing. It was said his relationship with Situ Xiao was anything but shallow; one wondered if Situ Xiao’s master, Li Shentong, could also be reasoned with?

A casual count already yielded three. He, Batu, truly had never seen three Heaven-Rank masters in his life.

Zhao Changheng fixed his gaze on Batu: "Matters have reached this stage, and shrinking back is useless. If I can find someone to tie down Timur, would you, Batu, dare to drive a blade into the Golden Tent Khanate from behind during the decisive battle at Yanmen?"

Batu’s breathing gradually turned heavy.

Zhao Changheng spoke word by word: "You also have the Sacred Temple backing you... The King of the Golden Tent, if Timur can claim it, why can you, Batu, not?"

"Say no more. If you want me to attack the Chieftain from the rear, it will be difficult to achieve." Batu took a deep breath: "To go to Yanmen, Yellow Sand Market is the mandatory passage. If I bypass Yellow Sand Market, and Ubalu attacks from behind when the time comes, I would be marching to my death. If I strike Yellow Sand Market first, it is impossible to ensure not a single soul escapes. Once the Chieftain receives word, I am still dead."

A sliver of a smile appeared on Zhao Changheng's face: "You may go ahead and take the detour. Ubalu will not strike your rear."

"Are you certain? Do not tell me you intend to assassinate Ubalu..." Batu glanced at Yue Hongling, who had remained silent throughout: "Just like earlier, even if Miss Yue can slay me, she cannot escape. Are you truly willing to trade your lives for Ubalu’s?"

"Regardless of whether we can achieve it... you have no other choice. Do you dare to gamble?"

Success meant ruling the steppes; failure meant death and the annihilation of his tribe.

Did he dare to gamble?

Batu gripped his wine bowl tightly, crushing it to powder with a sharp snap.

...

The moon was bright and the stars were sparse.

The Ferghana stallion galloped out of the camp, heading straight for Yellow Sand Market.

Yue Hongling rode at the front, while Zhao Changheng held her waist from behind. After they had ridden for more than ten li, Yue Hongling finally spoke: "Assassinating Ubalu is something I cannot do; I cannot even enter Yellow Sand Market. Could it be that you are lying to him?"

Zhao Changheng smiled: "I suppose you wish to ask if I am trying to push you into danger..."

Yue Hongling curled her lips: "I know you wouldn't, I just cannot understand how you intend to pull this off. And your so-called finding him a Heaven-Rank backer sounds like a total swindle. Could your ultimate goal merely be to trick him into stabbing Timur in the back so that Timur withdraws his troops, while you couldn't care less about what consequences befall his Combat Lion Tribe?"

"Of course not. Do not look at him as if he is helplessly dragged along by a few words of mine; in truth, if he sees no tangible results, he can completely stall his march, and in the end, everything will come to naught."

"So you can truly deliver what he requires?"

"I can only say I will do my utmost to try... This time I am not sending you into danger; you must not even enter Yellow Sand Market."

"Whoa!" Yue Hongling reined in the horse, frowning as she looked back: "I will not simply watch from the sidelines while you charge into danger."

"You have your own task to perform. Who knows how many experts from the Sacred Temple are within the market; will you be responsible for drawing them away? By no means engage in a prolonged battle; safety comes first."

Yellow Sand Market.

By the banks of the central Yellow Sand Lake, Chi Li and the Sacred Temple shamans had been surveying the interior and exterior of the lake for a full twenty-odd days, still pursuing their task with tireless devotion.

They firmly believed this place must be the exit of the secret realm; so long as they guarded this spot, Zhao Changheng and Yue Hongling could not escape even if they grew wings.

The first ray of morning light reflected upon the lake surface, a expanse of shimmering ripples that looked more and more like a secret realm, striking chords within the heart.

Chi Li even gained a few insights into his martial path from the mirage-like view...

Just as he was pondering, a clear, resonant female voice floated in from outside the market: "Where is Chi Li! Do you dare come out to finish the battle we left unresolved in Yangzhou?"

Yue Hongling!

How could she appear outside the market?

Chi Li stared blankly at the lake water he had been guarding dryly for over twenty days, nearly spitting out a mouthful of old blood.

Who the fuck said this lake was the exit of the secret realm?