Capítulo 5: Chapter Five: Delving into the Nalan Clan! The Might of Longma
"Lady Yue..."
A warrior from the Zuo Qiu Clan hurried over to Zuo Qiu Yue's side and spoke cautiously, "We are deep within the territory of the Nalan Clan, and it is likely that our presence has already been detected by their scouts! With only a little over three hundred of us, moving forward may be too perilous."
He glanced apprehensively at the imposing Longma a short distance ahead, lowering his voice as he added, "Can we truly rely on this beast?"
Before he could finish, Longma, with its keen ears, turned its head, snorting in annoyance.
Puff—
The visible steam that erupted from its nostrils startled the nearby Zuo Qiu warriors, causing them to hastily scatter, fearing a fatal swipe from its tail!
"Mind your tone! This is the divine beast, Longma, bestowed upon us by our esteemed deity, not a mere monster!"
While soothing Longma's agitation, Zuo Qiu Yue rebuked her subordinate with a frown. "The might of this sacred beast has already been affirmed by my father. It will ensure our success, and the Nalan Clan will soon regret their betrayal of the Zuo Qiu Clan!"
At her words, Longma bared its teeth in a display of pride, indifferent to the feeble Zuo Qiu warriors.
Although their leader and this young girl were not particularly formidable, at least they possessed good judgment!
Inadvertently, Longma caught sight of a figure on the path behind them, and it suddenly halted...
Its master!
With a softening of its hind legs, Longma nearly dropped to its knees in reverence.
However, upon meeting Wang Hui's gaze, it understood instantly, managing to suppress the urge to rush forward and pay homage, continuing instead to stride confidently ahead.
Zuo Qiu Yue noticed something amiss and observed Longma with suspicion, uncertain about the beast's peculiar behavior...
Perhaps it was merely excitement before battle?
Half an hour later, the narrow mountain path came to an end, revealing a vast valley before them.
Numerous stone structures, large and small, dotted the valley, with a stone wall at the entrance serving as a makeshift gate!
They appeared starkly different from the wooden houses of the Zuo Qiu Clan and the tents of the Huyan Clan.
"The disparity in living environments has fostered distinct customs among these tribes; it is quite intriguing..."
Wang Hui stood with his arms crossed, gazing down from the mountain path with a sense of wonder.
At his feet lay an unconscious Nalan scout...
To Wang Hui, the miniature world resembled a large toy shaped like a fishbowl.
Yet for these diminutive natives, it was ample enough to give rise to diverse branches of civilization!
"Stop!"
At this moment, Zuo Qiu Yue raised her arm high, and over three hundred warriors immediately halted, forming a rough circular formation with vigilance.
Except for Zuo Qiu Yue and a few close guards armed with waist knives, most of the Zuo Qiu warriors wielded wooden spears.
In contrast, the Nalan warriors stationed atop the stone wall brandished stone axes, with piles of projectile stones stacked nearby.
A stout, bearded man stood on the stone wall, his face grave as he observed the Zuo Qiu formation.
His name was "Nalan Huazi."
As the most formidable fighter of the Nalan Clan, he was entitled to the most exquisitely crafted weapon.
A long-handled iron sword!
The gleaming blade could be seen reflecting light from a distance, a significant deterrent to enemies.
However, upon witnessing the exceptionally fierce Longma step forward, Nalan Huazi felt for the first time that his formidable iron sword offered no sense of security!
"…How could the Zuo Qiu Clan possess such a beast?"
He fixed his gaze on Longma below and asked his attendant in a hushed tone, "Have all eight scouts returned with reports? Is this truly all the Zuo Qiu Clan has sent?"
"Lord Huazi, seven scouts have returned, all stating that only this one team has ventured into the mountains…"
The attendant replied cautiously, "None have seen Nalan Zhu Du; should I send people to search for him?"
"You..."
Nalan Huazi was about to give orders when he suddenly noticed Longma, which had been pacing, springing forward with surprising speed!
Boom!!
The heavily scaled head of Longma struck the gate with tremendous force!
The impact was so powerful that the entire stone wall trembled.
The wooden gate, crafted from logs, showed a visible dent, nearly breaking apart!
"Crush that beast!"
The panicked Nalan guards shouted as they hurled stones downward.
Yet even rocks the size of human heads merely left white marks on Longma's scaled hide, inflicting no substantial harm whatsoever!
"Hold your fire!"
Nalan Huazi shouted urgently to stop the guards' futile attacks, calling out to Zuo Qiu Yue from a distance, "Yue! Our two clans have coexisted peacefully for several years; why do you suddenly come to provoke us?"
"Peaceful coexistence?"
Zuo Qiu Yue responded, her indignation barely contained, as she coldly retorted, "The Nalan Clan's duplicity has thwarted any chance for an alliance; otherwise, we would have formally united five days ago!
Had it not been for the protection of the sacred relic and the divine intervention that saved me, I would have perished in your schemes long ago!
And now you feign innocence and neutrality? Today marks the day of your Nalan Clan's extermination!"
As she spoke, she gestured emphatically.
At her command, Longma snorted, suddenly pivoting and delivering a powerful swing of its tail.
Boom!!
The spot previously dented by Longma's head endured another blow, resulting in a large breach!
The ropes maintaining the wooden gate began to fray, and the structure swayed precariously!
The Nalan tribesmen were thrown into a state of panic.
Previously, their sturdy stone wall and massive gate had withstood assaults from even the fierce Huyan Clan.
Yet here they were, being effortlessly dismantled by a single beast!
"…Sacred relic?"
Nalan Huazi was more concerned with Zuo Qiu Yue's words, his expression one of suspicion.
The statue of the Yin Yang Fish had once been in the possession of the Nalan Clan as well.
However, aside from serving as a talisman for worship and trade, it had not revealed any peculiarities.
He pressed further, "You claim that a deity has descended; what evidence do you possess?"
"The divine beast that is about to breach your defenses is the evidence!"
Zuo Qiu Yue, filled with righteous fervor, boldly proclaimed, "Divinely bestowed Longma, manifest your sacred might and obliterate this treacherous Nalan Clan!"
As she spoke, she saw Longma raise its front hooves high before bringing them down with tremendous force!
Crash—
The massive wooden gate splintered and collapsed!
Seeing this, Zuo Qiu Yue could not help but feel a surge of joy.
Longma had been rather temperamental in recent days, yet it obediently performed its duties during this critical moment.
Her efforts in arranging for the company of several mares had not been in vain after all...
What Zuo Qiu Yue did not realize was that Longma's eagerness today was not for her, but rather to win the favor of its true master.
As the great gate toppled, the Nalan clansmen who had been observing in fear scattered in panic.
While the guards, displaying a semblance of responsibility, pressed forward, they were easily knocked aside by Longma's flailing tail!
Only Nalan Huazi remained a semblance of a threat, steadfastly wielding his long-handled iron sword to defend the breach.
At this moment, Wang Hui, standing at a distance with arms crossed, wore a contemplative expression.
"Longma is, after all, merely a fusion of a horse and a small lizard from the miniature world, with limited capabilities.
Considering its displayed physical strength, it is at best comparable to the ant I placed in the eastern plains, perhaps a bit weaker in terms of power...
The Nalan Clan's population is conservatively estimated to exceed thirty thousand. Does Zuo Qiu Yue truly believe that with just over three hundred warriors and Longma, she can annihilate an entire clan?"
Watching Longma engage in the assault, Wang Hui quietly pondered the girl's intentions...
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