Capítulo 10: Chapter Ten: The God of War of a Past Era
"Run! Run! Maintain the timing of your alternations!"
Huyan Gui shouted hoarsely, his face drenched in sweat.
Under his command, the five teams of cavalry took turns to circle in front of the massive ant, occasionally tossing out some food as bait.
Huyan Gui had underestimated the difficulty of this operation.
Despite the cavalrymen being highly skilled riders, maintaining perfect coordination for an extended period was no easy feat.
When they set out, there had been a total of two hundred fifty men; now, only around one hundred sixty remained!
If they stayed too far from the ant, it would ignore them completely.
Yet if they got too close, the creature's massive mandibles could easily tear through multiple cavalrymen!
In the face of such a beast, the powerful warhorses were akin to defenseless sheep, their strength simply incomparable.
"Chief! We're almost at the Pinchuan River!"
The sharp-eyed Huyan Qingbai shouted, his voice strained.
The exhausted warriors perked up at the news.
If they could manage to lure the giant ant across the river and incite it, those damned Zuo Qiu people would pay dearly!
The best outcome would be for the beast to settle in the western hills, allowing the Zuo Qiu Clan to experience the suffering they had endured…
However, Huyan Gui's expression grew complex.
Reaching the Pinchuan meant nearing his father's residence.
According to the Huyan Clan's traditions, every generation of leaders who stepped down was required to leave the main clan settlement and take up a defensive post at the border of their territory.
As the former mightiest warrior of the Huyan Clan, he must face death on the battlefield, even if it meant sacrificing himself!
A month ago, the old chief had endured much in the attack by the giant ant, and his health had been deteriorating.
After passing the mantle to his son, he had moved to the eastern bank of the Pinchuan River, accompanied only by a few retainers and servants. It was uncertain how he had been faring since…
Huyan Gui sighed, his expression resolute once more.
"Father, watch over me, the clan will never decline under my leadership!"
He removed the bow strapped to his back, turned, and drew an arrow, casting a glance over his shoulder.
Whoosh!
The arrow flew in a straight line, piercing the left compound eye of the massive ant, splattering juices everywhere!
The ant, in pain, shook its head and immediately accelerated, intent on clearing away these bothersome little creatures before returning to its nest to recuperate.
Soon, the chase between beast and man approached the Pinchuan River.
During this time, several more cavalrymen sadly lost their lives.
But upon seeing the stunned expressions of the Zuo Qiu sentinels on the opposite bank, the Huyan warriors felt exhilarated.
They could almost envision the monster helping them to decimate the enemy forces!
"Another war has begun, hasn't it…"
On the eastern bank of the river, in a small tribe, the old chief of the Huyan Clan emerged from his tent, supported by a cane.
No longer clad in his former armor, he wore a coarse linen robe that made him appear frail in the autumn breeze.
Seeing in the distance his son Huyan Gui and the others riding and shooting arrows, desperately trying to lure the giant ant toward the riverbank, he froze momentarily and then sighed deeply.
"A beast from beyond the heavens has thrown my clan, known for its boundless courage, into chaos…
For centuries, the three clans have battled beneath the heavens, perhaps merely a farce in the eyes of the divine?"
The old chief would never forget the sight of the giant ant's arrival a month ago.
The vast rift in the sky and that colossal hand…
How did the towering deities living beyond the heavens perceive them?
Were they just insignificant specks of dust?
From the old chief's perspective, the giant ant was likely a punishment sent by the gods for the Huyan Clan's warlike nature.
Now, Huyan Gui was attempting to drive it toward the Zuo Qiu Clan; would the divine beings simply stand by?
Moreover, it was said that the young master of the Zuo Qiu Clan was favored by the gods…
"I hope it's not too late."
The old chief slowly opened his half-closed eyes, his long-bent back gradually straightening!
He tossed aside his cane to a nearby servant who had rushed over to assist him and turned back toward the tent.
Moments later, he re-emerged, donned in his old armor, wielding the curved saber he had fought with for many years!
"Chief, you're…"
Under the stunned gazes of his servants, the old chief silently mounted his aging warhorse, whose coat was sparse.
Clip-clop… clip-clop…
The sound of hooves began slowly, then accelerated rapidly, eventually breaking into a full gallop!
A few attendants who had rushed out of the tent, watching the figure of one man and his horse racing away, were overcome with tears.
"Old Chief!!"
The warrior of the previous era of the Huyan Clan would not escape the fate of death on the battlefield!
At this moment, the giant ant had been successfully lured to the river's edge by Huyan Gui and his followers.
The Zuo Qiu warriors stationed on the opposite bank dared not slacken their vigilance, repeatedly firing arrows in hopes of halting the monster's advance.
However, contrary to their intentions, the ant perceived them as allies of Huyan Gui.
Having taken several arrows, it became even more enraged, its forelimbs wading into the water, preparing to cross the river!
"Quick! Quick! Inform the young master! Only the divine beast, the dragon horse, can deal with such a creature!"
Two Zuo Qiu warriors spurred their horses back to report, while the remaining soldiers braced themselves for the impending confrontation.
The traps previously set to ambush Huyan cavalry would likely be ineffective against this gigantic beast.
All they could do was fight to block its advance!
At that moment, Wang Hui, mounted on the griffin, soared above the fray.
He immediately spotted the old chief of the Huyan Clan racing towards the scene and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in surprise.
"This old man is truly remarkable!"
...
"...Father?"
To ensure the giant ant was lured into Zuo Qiu territory, Huyan Gui did not hesitate to leap from his horse and jump into the river as bait.
This daring act did indeed succeed.
But when he emerged, dripping wet from the riverbank, he was met with the sight of his old chief riding forth with a drawn sword, rushing toward him with fierce intent!
Huyan Gui could hardly believe his eyes.
When was the last time his father had ridden so gallantly? Fifteen years ago?
In a daze, he felt transported back to his youth, watching with admiration as his father led troops into battle, filled with hopes of one day becoming a similarly brave hero of the Huyan Clan…
As the two figures drew closer, the old chief's white hair and wrinkled face became distinct.
Huyan Gui suddenly snapped back to reality.
This was no illusion; his aged father was indeed coming!
"No…"
Huyan Gui instinctively tried to stop him.
But as he opened his mouth to speak, he saw the old horse, panting heavily, reaching the riverbank. The old chief stood on the saddle and leaped into the air!
At that moment, the giant ant had just reached the center of the Pinchuan River.
Sensing movement behind it, the ant instinctively turned its head to look.
Clang!!
The old chief held the saber with both hands, delivering a powerful downward stroke!
Using the momentum of his descent, the strike was immensely forceful.
The curved saber, a trophy from slaying a Nalan noble years ago, was of high quality and fine craftsmanship, still admirable even by today's standards.
Regrettably, the old chief no longer possessed the keen eyesight of his youth; his strike missed the critical spot, instead hitting the ant's hard head capsule.
Crack…
A few brittle sounds echoed as clear cracks appeared on its head, nearly piercing through!
While the ant was not particularly intelligent, it could sense that this little creature posed an extraordinary threat!
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