Chapter 115: Evenly Matched

Under the moonlight, the atmosphere at the Divine Strategy Camp outside Langya City was heavy and suffocating. As Wolf Head appeared, a multitude of grey-robed monks began to materialize around the soldiers of the Divine Strategy Camp. These monks wore voluminous robes that concealed their entire bodies, and against the flickering, shadowy firelight of the surroundings, they appeared profoundly eerie.

"Wolf Head, the rumors say that the members of the Wolf Fang were driven mad by excessive slaughter and perished by killing one another; it seems those were all lies," Xiao Han said, his gaze burning as he fixed his eyes on the man before him—the Wolf Head with eyes of two different colors—remaining hyper-vigilant.

Once legendary elites of the Ye Dynasty, they were now pitted against each other, locked in a duel both had long yearned for.

"Hehehe, we did die. By the order of Prince Pingyi years ago, we were surrendered to the Buddhist Order and died to this mortal world." Wolf Head extended his tongue to lick his lips, a look of greed flashing in his eyes.

The members of the Wolf Fang were born with a bloodthirsty nature. Having spent so much time confined to a temple, they were now like wolves that had been starving for ages. When Wang Changgeng trained these death squads, he used brutal methods; the meat of common livestock could never satisfy the appetites of these demons. In their eyes, only the flesh of skilled martial artists was a delicacy.

Rumors in the streets always claimed that whenever the Wolf Fang marched on the Eastern Yi, one would see corpses of commoners strewn across the land, but never the body of a single general or soldier. The Wolf Fang required no provisions; the bodies of their enemies were their best sustenance.

Xiao Han squinted his eyes, his sword-like brows knit together. He gripped his long spear and pressed down hard against Wolf Head’s twin blades. A burst of explosive force surged forth. Sensing the struggle against the blades in his hands, Wolf Head hastily retreated, watching as Xiao Han’s slender spear struck the frozen earth like a giant hammer.

"Boom!"

A thunderous sound erupted, and a crater blasted open in the frozen soil beneath the spear.

"General Xiao, your 'Dragon Roaming the Creek' technique has improved quite a bit since those days!" Seeing Xiao Han’s formidable strength, Wolf Head’s retreating body suddenly paused. He tapped his toes on the ground and arched his back, delivering a mocking sneer before launching himself forward. The two curved blades in his hands acted like the blades of a giant pair of scissors, slashing toward Xiao Han’s waist.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

After several exchanges of blades and spear, Xiao Han blocked the cold edges of Wolf Head’s weapons with his spear, and for a time, they were locked in an inextricable struggle.

...

"You say that Xiao Han of the Divine Strategy Camp once crossed blades with Wolf Head?" Inside the inn, Feng Yewu asked, confirming with suspicion after hearing Lu Jue mention their past encounter. After all, even she, as a monarch, had been unaware of such history. Furthermore, the Divine Strategy Camp and the Wolf Fang had always been stationed far apart; it was nearly impossible for them to have crossed paths.

Wei Nanqi asked with a look of astonishment, "I have also specifically studied the history of the Wolf Fang; why have I never seen it recorded in the archives?"

Lu Jue smiled slightly and explained in a soft voice, "It is normal that there is no record. At that time, the late Emperor was on the throne, and I was accompanying my father into the palace. Also present was General Xiao Han, who had just entered the Grandmaster realm." Lu Jue glanced at the surprised Wei Nanqi and added, "It is not unusual that the archives contain no record. At the time, the secret agents of various nations were infiltrating one another, and the late Emperor feared that other clans would learn of the strength of his elites, so he deliberately left no evidence behind."

Feng Yewu was even more confused upon hearing this. Since she was a child, she had accompanied her father to the capital every year during the late Emperor's reign. Why was she unaware of this?

"When did this happen?"

Upon hearing Feng Yewu’s inquiry, a smile touched Lu Jue’s eyes as he replied softly, "It was during the incident where the Emperor's carriage was startled. Your Majesty was still young and frightened at the time, and you were likely not present for that trial."

Hearing this, realization dawned on Feng Yewu. It was indeed true; in all those years, that was the only time she had stayed at the Prince’s mansion in the capital, missing that classic duel by mere chance.

"And who won in the end?" Seeing Feng Yewu nod in recollection, Wei Nanqi asked the result with some urgency.

Lu Jue frowned as if recalling the event, and said softly, "In terms of the situation then, General Xiao Han’s techniques were slightly superior. However, on the way back after the audience with the Emperor, I heard my father sigh softly. He said that while Xiao Han had indeed won by half a move in a contest of skill, if they were trading lives, Wolf Head would have been the victor."

As a scholar, Wei Nanqi did not quite understand the words of Lu Jue’s father and asked in confusion, "If General Xiao Han won by a move or two, why would he lose his life?"

"Both the Wolf Fang and the Divine Strategy Camp are the elites of the Ye Dynasty. They focus primarily on killing enemies. No matter how exquisite the technique, once a flaw is exposed, death is certain." Feng Yewu narrowed her cold eyes, her gaze as deep as the night, casting shadows beneath her long lashes.

Although she had not been present that day, Feng Yewu now guessed why Xiao Han had won that half-move. A martial arts trial was supposed to end at the point of contact. If that half-move had been completed, Wolf Head would have been injured. But Wolf Head, a man born of assassination, had likely lost that half-move on purpose to lure Xiao Han into exposing a greater flaw, one sufficient to cost him his life.

They were all veterans of countless battles; Lu Jue’s father had naturally seen through the situation on the field, hence his sigh.

"Your Majesty is correct. If the late Emperor had not raised his hand to stop them, Wolf Head would have lost an arm, and Xiao Han would no longer be the general he is today." Lu Jue nodded slightly, fully agreeing with Feng Yewu’s conjecture.

Though Wei Nanqi did not understand everything, he gathered enough from their conversation to nod in agreement. "If the late Emperor had not intervened in time, would the Ye Dynasty not have lost two of its finest elites?"

"It is getting late. Let us move." Feng Yewu looked out the window. The bright, clear moon hung high in the sky, and the faint sounds of battle from outside the city could still be heard.

With that, Lu Jue and Feng Yewu departed together.

...

Inside the Prince Pingyi’s mansion, Wang Changgeng had donned his royal robes. He sat with extreme solemnity in the center of the great hall, his expression grave. Beside him, Zhao Xiyan waited with a look of anxiety.

"Your Highness, the Divine Strategy Camp has mobilized in full. Should I send the elites of the Penglai Pavilion to assist the Wolf Fang?"

Wang Changgeng heard this, but his gaze remained deep and expressionless. He replied softly, "Assist? That rabble would only cause trouble. The Langya Pavilion was founded by my own hand, and the Langya Pavilion has never feared anyone based on numbers."

Zhao Xiyan did not care about the derogatory tone in Wang Changgeng’s words. After all, compared to the Langya Pavilion, which consisted entirely of Grandmasters, the Penglai Pavilion was indeed a ragtag group.

"This subordinate heard that the Wolf Head once sparred with the Commander of the Divine Strategy Camp before the Emperor and lost by half a move. Today, they are locked in a battle of life and death—will this truly be alright?"

Zhao Xiyan was also a former assassin and naturally understood the advantages of the trade. Surprise was a killer’s greatest asset. On the way to the mansion earlier, the Wolf Fang had provoked their enemies so openly that the Divine Strategy Camp must surely be prepared. After all, the opposition was also comprised of elite soldiers and powerful generals.