Beginning with the Ubume Bird

Chapter 58: Chapter 12 Breakout (3)

Editor: Larbre Studio

The ashen hooves sank deep into the mud, as a handful of Black Mane Warhorses burst out from among the sword formations of the Shangshan Legion. Each rider was in a sorry state, with one or two arrows stuck in their bodies.

Li Yan’s spearhead was smeared with flesh and blood, with stains of blood in the crevices of his armor. Only his pair of eyes remained bright and clear, shining like great stars, evidence of his ferocious battle to fight his way out!

The entire squad formed a wedge with Li Yan leading the charge. A few brothers with lighter injuries were spread out on the wings, while Deng Tianxiong brought up the rear of the formation.

In one hand, he wielded the Goose Feather Sword so tightly that no wind could pass through. An arrow had struck his chest, but the armor had prevented it from penetrating deeply.

Aside from Li Yan, Deng Tianxiong had the lightest injuries. It was only natural that he should undertake the crucial role of covering the rear – second in importance only to leading the assault.

However, as Li Yan cut a path through the enemy camp and the pressure on him eased, the situation for Deng Tianxiong holding the rear became perilous all at once.

Their horses weren’t any stronger than those of their enemies and couldn’t shake them off quickly. As time passed, more and more Japanese pirates encircled them, and it seemed they would soon be trapped in an inescapable situation.

At this moment, Deng Tianxiong faced three or four cavalrymen wielding long spears. In his right hand, he clutched a blood-drenched Goose Feather Sword; in his left, a broken spear. Waving his sore arm, he parried two spear points and trapped another spear shaft under his arm, his neck veins bulging with effort.

Li Yan turned his horse around, yelling to his brothers on both sides to protect the horses in the center and push forward. Spurring his mount, he charged back into battle!

A few riders broke away from the melee and, undaunted, charged at Li Yan, who until just moments ago had seemed invincible.

Li Yan thrust his spear forward, which was parried by the foremost man. Without hesitation, he pushed forward, but the attacker was experienced in spear fighting, sidestepping Li Yan’s blade, drawing a short knife from his saddle, and aiming a stab at Li Yan. Simultaneously, another cavalryman arrived, spear aimed at Li Yan’s chest.

Li Yan let out a hearty laugh, put all his force into a vicious shake of his wrist, and the semi-bent spear shaft slapped against the long shaft, sending the spear tip bouncing upwards like a cunning serpent, aiming deviously for the enemy’s eyes.

The man’s head burst open as it was pierced, and the spear’s momentum didn’t stop there, burying itself into another opponent’s neck.

Li Yan leaned back to pull out his spear, shaking off the blood and flesh. A flick of his wrist created three dazzling spear flowers, driving back the last two attackers. He then galloped toward Deng Tianxiong.

The Li Clan of Hejian, unmatched in both spear and sword.

The sword, Twenty-Four Moves of Main Frame of Combat Sword.

The spear, Marquis Huan’s Eight Spears.

Marquis Huan, otherwise known as Yan people Zhang Yide.

Countless arrows were nocked to bowstrings, and the staggered cold light shot out, enveloping Deng Tianxiong.

Deng Tianxiong’s pupils reflected the twinkling arrowheads. With a tiger’s roar, he forcibly snapped the spear shaft, dropped his weapons, shifted his seat towards the back of the saddle, and with the back of his hand, grabbed onto the saddle, flipping beneath the horse’s belly.

Blood spurted like fountains, and the horse riddled with arrows collapsed with a pitiful whine.

Deng Tianxiong grabbed a long knife from the ground just as three mounted soldiers approached, their spears pointing downwards as they thrust at him!

The long spear whistled fiercely, sweeping away the spear that was about to pierce Deng Tianxiong’s chest. As the horse galloped past, a hand reached out to Deng Tianxiong.

“Tianxiong, get on the horse!”

Deng Tianxiong passed his left hand over and, with a kick of his leg, flipped up behind Li Yan.

“My lord…”

“Hold tight.”

Li Yan maneuvered his spear like a dragon emerging from the sea, hooking an adjacent Japanese pirate and tossing him off his horse. The spear drew a wide circle, warding off the surrounding men and horses. Planting his feet firmly in the stirrups, he mounted another horse and called out to Deng Tianxiong, who was still on the original mount.

“Tianxiong, just charge ahead!”

Deng Tianxiong didn’t bother with any nonsense like “What about you, my lord?” and slapped the flat of his blade fiercely on the horse’s backside as a surging wave of armed troops moved to confront Li Yan.

Li Yan took a small porcelain bottle from his bosom, pressed it against the restless horse’s neck, and stuffed the contents from the bottle into the horse’s mouth.

Faux Qiong Qi Blood: After consumption, it temporarily enhances the horse’s speed and endurance. It ignores the effects of gunfire, high-level Exotic Beasts, and malevolent spirits.

The horse’s mane quivered, its eyes instantly filled with blood stria, and a blood-red mist burst forth from its mouth. The surrounding Black Mane Warhorses couldn’t help but retreat. The horses engulfed by the bloody mist knelt down with a thump, so frightened that they defecated and urinated uncontrollably, creating a nasty mess.

“Is it that effective?”

Li Yan twirled his spear with both arms, slicing through the throats of two cavalrymen who had no idea what had just happened, then he turned his horse to leave.

But within a few breaths, the blood-red mist had dissipated, and the Shangshan Legion’s cavalry charged at him again.

The horse, invigorated by the Qiong Qi Blood, snorted vigorously. Its misty breath rose in the chilly frostlight, creating a beautifully eerie scene.

Li Yan fought while retreating. No longer straining his horse’s endurance, he watched Deng Tianxiong run far ahead. Just as he was about to spur his horse forward, he noticed the immense troops of the Shangshan Legion were suddenly in disarray. Looking left, amidst the billowing dust, a cavalry unit forcefully broke through!

The leading rider, on a Green-Mane Dawan, donned intricate scale armor on its head. The rider, sporting a winged helmet with a towering plume, wielded the Profound Edge Great Spear—a one-point-seven-meter long weapon—in an Azure Tiger Head Beast Swallow Armguard. The steed charged forward with a fierce neigh, and at the spear’s point, men and horses tumbled.

The front of the great spear was a dark, broad blade; the back, a thick club studded with long nails.

“What a weapon!”

Li Yan’s eyes lit up.

However, the man caught sight of Li Yan clad in his bright red heavy armor and narrowed his slender eyes, veering his horse towards Li Yan!

“Sel…”

Li Yan knew he was too late. Extending his arm forward defensively, the man flipped his spear with tremendous force and weight, bringing the nail-studded club down fiercely.

A surge of blood welled up in Li Yan’s chest. In the blink of life and death, there was no time for niceties. He lowered his spear, causing the dark Shuo Stick to instinctively dip, spun the spear shaft in his palm, and slapped it toward the other’s head.

The great spear was so weighty that Li Yan’s half-hearted block caused the club end to lose its leverage, making it impossible for the other to raise his spear for a counterattack in time.

The man yelped in surprise, kicked hard with both legs, and leaned back to dodge the spear shaft. Since he couldn’t lift the great spear for the moment, he simply slapped it backward, raised his arm across, and flipped the back half of the spear blade over, slashing a dark arc straight for Li Yan’s chest.

“Clang!”

The spear and great spear collided.

“Friendly fire!”

“What a fine Hebei spearman.”

The two men exclaimed in unison, locking eyes for a moment.

“…”

“Hahaha, my brother, you truly are brave! How many of you dared to charge into the Japanese pirates’ cavalry unit?”

“Commissioner of the Chengwuwei Command Banner, Li Yan, reporting with my brothers to join the camp as ordered.”

“A fine warrior.”

The two withdrew their weapons as a blue tidal wave of cavalry thundered from behind. Gazing into the distance, Li Yan saw the green-clad cavalrymen wielding long swords with Three-eyed Firearms slung behind them, followed by guard troops with round, red-topped helmets carrying halberds, soldiers equipped with Thunderclap Cannons on their backs, three men carrying a short barrel tiger drum cover, the sound of rolling wheels as soldiers pushed the Great General Cannons, carrying nozzles, rockets, and a dense sea of heads as far as the eye could see…

The man looked at Li Yan: “Did you enjoy yourself tonight, brother?”

Li Yan licked his lips and smiled, “I was just about to strike down the foe.”

The man pointed to the sky with his long sword and bellowed:

“The Commissioner commands that by the tenth of January, the grand army must reach the walls of Pyongyang City. Brothers, muster all your strength! Slaughter these Japanese pirates, set up camp, and feast on pork.”