Chapter 324: Preaching from the Dais

The junior shaman tremblingly lowered his sleeve. Meeting Wang Yang's sincere and gentle gaze, he felt a sense of bewilderment and said in a trembling voice:

"You... are you really... really... but if the Saintly Barbarian Badan heard wrong, why didn't the Pan Wang tell him—"

Wang Yang shook his head:

"The heart of the Pan Wang is not something you can fathom. Although Badan misheard the divine decree, he held sincerity in his heart and hoped to become a divine messenger. The Pan Wang temporarily hid the mystery; this was a trial for Badan, to see if he could perceive his error in his remaining years and remove the prejudice in his heart. At the same time, this was also a trial for the Yidu tribe. It was to see when you, the people, would realize the true intent of the Pan Wang and refine your eyes to distinguish the true path."

"Moreover, at that time, the tribe was being oppressed by the Han people. Badan passed down the misinterpreted words; although he deviated from the path of the Pan Wang, he invisibly gathered the scattered hearts of the people and gradually nurtured the foundation for prosperity. Therefore, my friend, please do not resent Badan. Although he committed an unintentional error, he was not without merit—"

Wang Yang stood up straight, a look of compassion appearing on his face, as if he were speaking for a loyalty that had never been understood. The junior shaman's gaze moved involuntarily with Wang Yang, looking up in reverence.

Wang Yang continued:

"He was a loyal servant of the Pan Wang. Although he led you down the wrong path, he always held the resolve to serve the Pan Wang as he traveled. He used the wrong method to fire a warped and inferior pottery vessel, but this vessel once held the spring water of life, supporting the tribe as it traversed the desert."

The atmosphere in the crowd became solemn. Many barbarians nodded, whether in remembrance of Badan or in recognition of Wang Yang's words.

"But my friend!"

Wang Yang's tone changed abruptly. He looked toward the crowd, his eyes pained yet burning with intensity:

"The Pan Wang tolerates your temporary deviation to preserve your lives in the wilderness, yet he never promised that you could remain in error forever! When you walked out of that desert and stepped onto fertile land, could you still use that warped and inferior vessel to hold the blessings of the Pan Wang? Because of the erroneous firing, this vessel is already covered in cracks. If you continue to use it, it will only cause the living water bestowed by the Pan Wang to leak away, leaving you to fall into thirst once more! The filth and scale covering it will also defile the holy grace of the Pan Wang, making you grow ever more distant from his heart!"

"The Pan Wang has read through thirty thousand generations of spring and autumn, spanning eight hundred million miles of starry rivers! The heavens are like rags before him; the nations of the world are like dust in his eyes! Yet only you, the Yidu tribe, are most valued by him; you are the people chosen from among ten thousand clans! But for so many years, your tribe has walked further and further down the wrong path, always using that warped and inferior vessel to hold the sacrifices offered to the Pan Wang! The Pan Wang has constantly given you revelations, constantly led you back to the right path, yet you have turned a blind eye! You have turned a deaf ear!"

People in the crowd began to sob. Many covered their mouths as they wept, and the junior shaman's eyes were blurred with tears, struggling to hold back his grief, yet Wang Yang's voice grew ever more severe!

"You used stubborn hearts to block your ears! You used dust-covered eyes to shield yourselves from the light! You have pushed away the saving hand of the Pan Wang time and time again! That is why disaster began to descend, until you had to leave your homes! You were forced to leave the land where your ancestors lived! You were forced to move to this barren land!"

"Look with your own eyes! What kind of life are you living now? You wear coarse clothes, eat inferior food, and hide in old forests where no people dwell. Other barbarian tribes despise you for your poverty, the Prince of Badong mocks you as stray dogs, and even the wild barbarians are unwilling to come here to compete with you for food!"

"Yet even so, the Pan Wang has not abandoned you! He has constantly provided you with shelter, letting you taste sweetness in bitterness, letting you see hope in desperation, and even resolving the crises you could not solve three times in silence, waiting for you to turn back. But what about you?! You still hold onto that warped and inferior vessel and refuse to let go! You still use filthy and erroneous thoughts to beg for the blessings of the Pan Wang!"

At this moment, the junior shaman was weeping uncontrollably, unable to stop his grief, and the crowd below was in an even greater uproar of wailing. Everywhere one looked, there was sorrow; some even fainted from the intensity of their crying!

Xiao Baoyue watched this, dumbfounded and terrified.

She knew that Wang Yang was taking a life-threatening risk, and she knew that Xin Yi's life was also being gambled away. But she did not send Xin Yi away, because Xin Yi would never leave, and she herself would not be so pretentious as to order Xin Yi to depart. In any case, as long as she did not die, she would take Xin Yi with her wherever she went; even if she were to marry, Xin Yi would accompany her as a dowry maid. If the simple-minded Xin Yi were not under her care, she would be deceived to death by others.

"Xin Yi, you don't understand. Some things cannot be changed by the level of one's martial arts. No matter how well you practice your skills, you cannot protect me. We must go back, win this battle, and then go to the Yongning tribe to bring those weapons and cargo manifests back to the capital. Only then can we protect ourselves!"

Xin Yi nodded, half-understanding, and followed Xiao Baoyue as they hurried toward the direction where the sounds of slaughter were loudest.

Xiao Baoyue knew she was risking her life, and she knew Xin Yi's life was also being gambled away. But she did not send Xin Yi away, because Xin Yi would never leave, and she herself would not be so pretentious as to order Xin Yi to depart. In any case, as long as she did not die, she would take Xin Yi with her wherever she went; even if she were to marry, Xin Yi would accompany her as a dowry maid. If the simple-minded Xin Yi were not under her care, she would be deceived to death by others.

"Hagu Qilu! Hagu Qilu!"

Someone shouted, and a squad of barbarian soldiers surrounded Xiao Baoyue! Xin Yi blocked Xiao Baoyue's path, just about to engage in battle, when she saw Ang Ta, his armor stained red and his hair disheveled, push aside the soldiers blocking his way. He stared with bloodshot eyes and walked over, his curved blade still dripping with blood, his voice hoarse:

"Noble Lady Xiao, you caused this mess? Now you want to run? I tell you, it's too late!!!"

Xiao Baoyue stepped out from behind Xin Yi and walked toward Ang Ta, her eyes cold:

"Do you still think I started this? Don't you understand yet that even if we didn't make a move, the other side would have? Do I look like someone who wants to run away?"

Ang Ta snorted indifferently: "You—"

"I ask you, why did you retreat?" Xiao Baoyue asked coldly.

Ang Ta paused, then flared up, raising his blade:

"You—"

"I represent the Prince of Badong when I ask you! Why did you retreat?!"

Xiao Baoyue gave a clear shout. Facing the dripping blade, she was not afraid; instead, her chin lifted slightly. The authority of someone long accustomed to high status was revealed, her gaze sharp and compelling.

Ang Ta didn't know why, but his momentum was involuntarily stifled. He then shouted angrily:

"Holding on until now has not been easy! If you aren't convinced, try it yourself! Right, aren't you good at setting up formations? Go set one up then!"

Xiao Baoyue ignored his mockery and asked quickly: "You sent troops to guard the west, didn't you?"

"They attacked from the southeast; there must be an ambush in the woods to the west—Damn! It was a trap!"

Ang Ta was also a clever man. Hearing Xiao Baoyue's words, he immediately realized the problem. They had attacked so fiercely because they had concentrated all their troops on that one spot! They had deliberately attacked only there to make him think there was an ambush in the western woods! They wanted to trick him into splitting his forces to guard it! If he hadn't been tricked and deceived, the situation wouldn't be this bad!

"Pull the troops back from the west! Gather all the scattered soldiers you can—"

Ang Ta regretted it deeply: "It's useless! The southeastern line could collapse at any moment; filling it with more men will only lead to a faster collapse!"

"Who said anything about saving the southeast? Exit from the south gate and strike their flank!"

Ang Ta's eyes lit up. He immediately called his lieutenants.

Xiao Baoyue gazed into the spreading night. Deep within the darkness, a pair of smiling eyes seemed to be reflected.

Baoyue paced twice, then suddenly called out to Ang Ta:

"Don't strike the flank! The flank will surely be prepared! We will strike directly out of the south gate! Burn their camp! Destroy their morale!"

"A brilliant plan!" Ang Ta was overjoyed! This Noble Lady Xiao was indeed formidable!

"Give me two horses; I will go with you."

Ang Ta was stunned: "You want to go too?"

"Of course. Following you is safest right now, and besides—"

Xiao Baoyue gritted her teeth, her long eyes filled with hatred:

"I want to personally tear that little thief into ten thousand pieces!"

The Wenyang tribe's camp gradually became clear in the night, with only a few flickering campfires. Ang Ta, who had been holding back a belly full of anger, finally had a chance for revenge. He raised his blade and roared: "Agra!"

"Agra!!!"

The Yongning infantry and cavalry howled as they charged into the camp!

Suddenly, a drum sounded, and ten torches were lit simultaneously! Shadows flashed, and as the bowstrings hummed, a rain of arrows pierced the night sky, splashing down upon them!

Ang Ta and Baoyue were shocked!

The Yongning soldiers were unprepared, falling in swathes like wheat stalks crushed by a great wind!

At this moment, the camp gates swung open, and a loud shout rang out from within:

"Lady Xiao's brilliant plan pacified the world, but she lost herself and broke her own troops!"

Ang Ta was terrified, reining in his horse and fleeing back!

Xiao Baoyue felt a sharp pain in her stomach, nearly falling from her horse!

The Han and barbarian languages were shouted alternately, accompanied by arrows like rain beating against withered lotus leaves!

Chen Qingshan, wielding a crimson long spear, led the cavalry in a charge out of the camp gates!

Wang Yang shouted, wielding his blade: "Change blades!"

The barbarian translator beside him shouted: "Huxi!"

The archers discarded their bows and drew their blades. Wang Yang raised his blade to the sky and roared:

"Ya Tutu Cha!!!"

Before him, curved blades rose toward the sky in unison, as if a crescent moon of chilling killing intent had risen. The barbarian soldiers used all their strength, roaring at the top of their lungs: