Su Man’s eyes flickered for a moment, then burst into laughter: “I have always been a subject of the Sovereign and a subject of the Heir Apparent; where does the word ‘surrender’ come into this?”
With a sudden draw of his saber, a flash of polished steel sliced backward, tossing dozens of heads high into the air, blood erupting like springs.
Zong Yuan glanced at them, noting that most of these men were Fang Xu’s trusted confidantes, and paid them no mind. Su Man immediately moved to the inner side of the city wall and roared down: “Are you all dead? The Heir Apparent has returned, why haven’t you opened the gates for me!”
The two hundred armored guards in the gate archway below first froze, then scrambled clumsily to lift away the heavy steel crossbars one by one. A few who recovered their wits tried to intervene, but Su Man leaped down, his saber flashing out to cleave them instantly in two.
In a mere moment, the city gate boomed open.
And just a few breaths later, Zong Lan led two thousand iron cavalry across the threshold.
Even from below the walls, he could sense the corpse of Fang Xu atop the battlements. He first clapped Su Man hard on the shoulder and said simply, “Old Su.” Then he laughed heartily: “What a Purple Thunder Spear, Zong Yuan! Even Fang Xu is dead by your hand. The Heir Apparent has discerning eyes; he certainly did not misjudge you.”
Zong Yuan descended from the air, sparing Zong Lan a faint glance, too indifferent to acknowledge him. After dismounting, he walked directly outside the city gate and knelt down.
“Your subject, Zong Yuan, welcomes the Heir Apparent back to the city! I have not failed in my duty; Fang Xu’s head has been taken!”
Zong Lan turned back and saw Zong Shou and Tan Tao several hundred yards away also speeding toward the city gate. He waved his hand, and the more than two thousand riders dismounted in unison, likewise kneeling on the road. “We welcome the Heir Apparent back to the city!”
Surrounding the area, several thousand soldiers of the East City Army, who had already gathered there, watched the scene largely bewildered and at a loss. They couldn’t tell if they should charge forward or kneel with the others to welcome the returning party.
As they hesitated, they saw Zong Lan and Zong Yuan both raise their heads, their gazes like blades sweeping over the assembly. A cold “Hmph,” and instantly, two immensely powerful martial intents suddenly pressed down across a thousand-yard radius.
Almost ninety percent of the armored troops could not bear the pressure and promptly collapsed. The remaining men’s faces flushed pale.
Su Man also knelt with Zong Lan and the others, but his expression was utterly stunned.
These two thousand cavalrymen before him—whether the Black Fox Iron Cavalry or the Black Armor Wind Dragon Riders—were the elite of the elite. Yet such elite troops were always the thorns in the army’s side; without sufficient power, even a mighty Demon King City Lord could not command their respect. Now, most of them were bowing their heads meekly, showing little sign of defiance. Su Man knew Zong Lan’s temperament well: proud and untamable, a trait that had only been suppressed when the late Sovereign Zong Weiran was alive. Even if he held loyalty for the Heir Apparent, he could not entirely shed his arrogance. Yet now, even he stood with a respectful expression, his eyes burning with fierce light.
As for Zong Yuan, Su Man knew this man’s absolute devotion to the father-son pair, Zong Hao and Zong Yang. Yet, inexplicably, he had unexpectedly placed himself under the Heir Apparent’s command.
Thinking back a few days to the battle at the strait, where three thousand iron cavalry crushed an army of thousands, the memory alone was enough to stir the soul.
If he hadn't just witnessed Zong Yuan slay Fang Xu with a single spear thrust, it would have been impossible to believe this young man had achieved such terrifying success.
And judging by his expression, he was clearly not serving out of reluctance; his demeanor was almost one of reverence. Even when this man obeyed Zong Hao before, he never displayed such profound respect.
Zong Shou, astride his fourth-tier war steed armored to the teeth, sped like lightning through the gate archway.
He was startled by the scene of several thousand people kneeling before him, and the shout of, “Welcome the Heir Apparent!”
After a long moment of astonishment, he managed to regain his composure. In an instant, a surge of bold ambition flooded him.
So this is why some say a great man should lie on a beauty’s lap while drunk and hold the reins of the world while sober. This feeling of commanding thousands and holding absolute authority was truly intoxicating.
After today, he would control the entire Qiantian Mountain City. Perhaps then he could unite the East Lin Cloud Continent, or even contend with the Divine Emperor of the Central Lands!
After a long pause, he shook his head sharply, letting out a short, self-mocking laugh.
His aspirations, it seemed, were far less resolute than he imagined. These past few days, merely grasping petty authority had nearly shaken him.
He couldn't help but take a deep breath, forcing his state of mind to settle.
In this life, he was not Tan Qiu, but Zong Shou, the Demon King’s son. Yet his pursuit remained unchanged.
Returning today to claim the Demon King’s throne was only to fulfill the dying wish of his predecessor.
His hand instinctively grasped the Thunderwing Saber at his waist; Zong Shou smiled inwardly, a strange sense of peace settling in his heart—this was his foundation!
Thoughts flashed by, but in just a moment, Zong Shou refocused. He waved his right hand, signaling everyone to rise, then turned toward Su Man.
Among this contingent of the East City Army officers, only this man wore the robes of a Deputy Commander, indicating the highest rank and strength.
Racking his brain, Zong Shou, though small when he left, retained memories of all figures in the city above the Xuanwu Grandmaster level.
In a moment, Zong Shou recognized his identity: “You are Su Man? Deputy Commander of the East City Army? What is the situation inside the city?”
Su Man was a capable man. After bowing to Zong Shou, his reply was exceptionally concise: “Young Master Zong Yang and Grandmaster Yuan of the Zong lineage are at the Apex Palace on the mountain peak, striking the Council Bell nine times to summon advisors. However, only their trusted subordinates have responded so far. Duke Baguo and Qiu Tingzhu are stationed at Mount Zhenqian. Though they command forty-seven thousand troops within the city—more than ten thousand more than those rebellious traitors—they are hesitant to move rashly for fear of a counterattack. Most forces are currently facing each other in the southern part of the city. Oh, and Duke Haoguo Chai Yuan, for reasons unknown, has not gone to the Apex Palace. However, the eighty thousand Martial Masters of the Wind Bear Clan within the city are also fully mobilized.”
“Duke Haoguo Chai Yuan?”
Zong Shou narrowed his eyes slightly, quickly piecing together the internal situation. His gaze swept over the surroundings.
“The East City Army comprises five garrisons, plus auxiliary troops, totaling sixty thousand soldiers. Tell me, Commander Su, how long will it take for these men to be brought under my control?”
Hearing this, Su Man was further perplexed. Since they had returned to the city, why not immediately join forces with Hu Qianqiu and Qiu Wei at the Apex Palace? A direct confrontation there would likely settle everything instantly.
After all, though Zong Shi and the others pooled their strength, they were inherently not united. And the hundreds of thousands of troops they had gathered were mostly coerced. As the legitimate heir, Zong Shou only needed the support of key officials; a call from the heights would immediately sway nearly half of them.
Why waste time here in the East City?
Was it concern over the experts dispatched by Dao Mingzong and Fang Su Zong? But now that the general momentum had shifted, would those people truly dare to act recklessly within Qiantian Mountain City?
After a moment’s hesitation, Su Man replied with resolute certainty: “One quarter of an hour! The Fourth Garrison of the East City Army has been under my control from the beginning. Give me one quarter of an hour, and I can secure the Second and Third Garrisons. The commanders of the remaining two garrisons are staunch loyalists to Fang Xu; they will require the Heir Apparent to send someone to handle them.”
His gaze fell upon Zong Lan and Zong Yuan.
Zong Shou offered no reply, staring thoughtfully at the distant high mountains. The main peak of Qiantian Mountain stood twelve hundred zhang tall, with the secondary peak, Mount Zhenqian, at nine hundred and seventy zhang.
Currently, Qiantian City was shrouded in darkness and silence, save for the brightly lit peaks of these two mountains.
Then, with an inscrutable depth, he curled his lips. This situation was several times better than he had anticipated.
He cast another glance toward the area where the Wind Bear Clan, especially Chai Yuan’s family, resided in his memory.
He seemed to have devised a plan; the odds of victory in today’s struggle had just increased by several measures.
On the summit of Mount Zhenqian, Hu Qianqiu grinned widely, chuckling: “As expected of the Heir Apparent, you truly haven't disappointed this old Hu Qianqiu. You actually broke through Town Mountain Pass; that’s a full half-day earlier than I predicted! Your skill is astonishing! Such a powerful strike bears the Sovereign’s style.”
“Is that the Purple Thunder Spear, Zong Yuan?”
Even though they were dozens of miles apart, Qiu Wei, focusing his energy into his eyes, could vaguely make out the scene ten miles away.
He had just witnessed with his own eyes Zong Yuan slay Fang Xu with the Thunder Spear Intent, decapitating him in one blow.
This man truly lived up to his reputation as an unparalleled general seed.
The fall of Town Mountain Pass was astonishing, but with this man present, it seemed somewhat plausible.
With this man here, it was truly the Heir Apparent’s good fortune. He couldn’t help but wonder what methods the Heir Apparent used to make this man willingly pledge his service.
This astonishment only lasted a moment. When he looked into the distance and saw the figure riding into the city shortly after was indeed the Young Master Heir Apparent, whom he hadn't seen in three years, Qiu Wei’s tension instantly eased: “It is indeed the Heir Apparent! Now that he is back, those mere jumping clowns are courting their own doom. The immediate priority is to send men to escort the Heir Apparent to meet with us.”
As he spoke, he suddenly paused. He noticed that the nearly ten thousand troops who had entered the city with Zong Shou from the East Gate were, unexpectedly, not marching toward the main body of Qiantian Mountain City. Instead, after a brief rest, they split off, heading toward the garrisons of the East City Army.
What was the meaning of this?
Qiu Wei found it strange. Since they were back in the city, they should hasten to pool their strength and solidify the position of the Demon King.
Once the proper relationship between sovereign and minister was established, Zong Shi’s faction would not be able to stir up any trouble.
And the sudden assassination of Fang Xu, like what Zong Yuan did just now, was ultimately an anomaly.
Once the other side was prepared, the commanding generals would surely be cautious, guarding their forces heavily. Moreover, Zong Shi’s faction was not without powerful experts.
Even if they controlled another fifty thousand East City troops now, it wouldn't serve much purpose. At this moment, they were hesitant to act; more troops would be useless, merely giving the enemy more time to react—it was unwise.
While frowning in confusion, he suddenly heard Hu Qianqiu beside him laugh: “It’s those brats, Zong Shi and the others, running out again! I knew they couldn’t sit still.”
Qiu Wei followed Hu Qianqiu’s gaze and saw Zong Shi and the others standing at the edge of the mountaintop, looking down from a distance.
The night was deep, yet their grim faces were still visible. (To be continued)