Dragon Canon

500 iron cavalry rolled out of their positions and charged straight toward the enemy force more than 10 li away with unstoppable force.

The “evaluation” mentioned by the palace eunuch was really a performance assessment. The King of Jin, along with King Cheng, and King Ying, would be evaluating the performance of all parties participating in this hunt. The participants were assessed based on how many Liao tribesmen each party killed and whether they managed to uncover the hidden treasure troves. The sum of these two scores determined the final rankings for the hunt.

Wei Yuan was just worrying how he could end up at the bottom of the rankings. If this attack caused his evaluation score to fall to the negatives, then it would be wonderful!

In the distance, the force flying the banner of the military commissioner of Yunxiang consisted of 50 skirmish cavalrymen and 450 infantrymen. They were all clad in light armor—the standard equipment for mountain guerilla warfare.

The leader of the force was a deputy general. When he heard the sound of hooves, he turned around and saw a massive cavalry charge bearing straight down on them. His face instantly turned deathly pale!

The terrain of the autumn hunting grounds was mountainous through-and-through—who would bring a heavy armor cavalry into such an event for no reason? Some areas were literally impassable by cavalry!

Furthermore, the Liao “pigs” and “sheep” being hunted wore nothing more than leather tunics at most, and their weapons consisted only of iron sabers and long spears. They weren’t allowed to have powerful bows or crossbows for obvious reasons, so there was no need to don heavy armor at all. Moreover, heavy armor would only restrict one’s movements; only lightly armored infantry could move with complete freedom in these mountainous terrain.

The deputy general thought for a moment and looked again at the direction the heavy armor cavalry was charging. A sudden realization struck him: They’re Barbarian Wei’s men! That’s it—they’re headed for the treasure!

The deputy general acted decisively and ordered the skirmish cavalry to break away from the main force and charge straight for the treasure trove, while he himself led the remaining infantrymen into a horizontal formation to block Wei Yuan. The deputy general was aware of the conflict between his lord and Wei Yuan, so naturally he wouldn’t allow him to reach the treasure trove so easily.

Seeing that his opponent had only formed a horizontal formation with only two rows front to back, a cold smile flashed across Wei Yuan’s face. He gave a hand signal, and Hsu Yi—she had been riding beside him—took a deep breath and shouted from a distance, “Anyone who dares to block the path of His Lordship the Military Commissioner deserves execution! Quickly remove your armor and clothing and kneel on the left side of the road, and your life may still be spared!”

Her voice was clear and melodious, and her cultivation was high. It carried far and wide and was clearly audible from dozens of li away.

The deputy general merely sneered inwardly and replied loudly, “Within the grand hunting grounds, everyone is free to walk as they please—how can this be called blocking the path? Besides... you!”

The cavalry force only came closer without slowing down in the slightest. Seeing this, the deputy general’s face finally turned pale!

He instantly side-stepped several dozen zhang to avoid the cavalry’s frontal assault, just in time to see Cui Yu’s spear pierce through the very spot where he had just been standing. A cold sweat immediately broke out on his brow!

They’re actually serious?!

The hundreds of heavily armored cavalry charged right through the thin, horizontal formation of lightly armored infantry with a thunderous roar. The outcome was like a boulder crashing into an egg. Blood splattered everywhere as hundreds of infantrymen were sent flying by the horses. Many more were impaled by the cavalry’s spears as well.

By the time the main body of the iron cavalry had swept through, only half of the infantrymen were still standing.

The deputy general was both shocked and furious. That single assault had caused at least two or three hundred casualties in his ranks! How dare they do this? How could they?!

Suddenly, he felt his surroundings grow dark. When he looked up, he saw a shadow rapidly expanding overhead, accompanied by an irresistible aura of authority that made his entire body tremble and left him temporarily paralyzed!

There was a thunderous crash, and a huge crater appeared in the ground. In the center of the crater sat the statue of a warrior, cross-legged with a saber resting across his knees. His appearance naturally commanded respect even though he wasn’t alive.

The sheer size of the crater alone revealed the immense force with which the statue had plummeted from the sky. At the moment, no one knew whether the deputy general crushed underneath the statue’s butt was dead or alive.

The surrounding terrain was flat; the mountains didn’t really begin until several li away. The surviving infantrymen knew it was impossible to stand against a heavy cavalry in such a terrain. Moreover, the corpses strewn across the ground made it crystal clear that the enemy had absolutely no qualms about killing them. Thus, they no longer dared to resist. They hurriedly knelt down and, as Wei Yuan demanded, stripped off their armor, clothes and weapons and piled them in a heap.

Cui Yu and Hsu Yi, together with eight other Dao Foundation stage cultivators, worked together to hurl the pile of equipment into the air. Then, they summoned a gale to blow them dozens of li away in one go. Looking at the 200 or so bare-bottomed men, Wei Yuan finally felt his mind clear and his spirits lifted, and he ordered the troops to withdraw.

With only 200 or so bare-bottomed men left in his command, Lü Wenbai had basically been nailed to the eighth place. Of course, he still couldn’t shake Wei Yuan’s hold in ninth place.

Upon returning to their defensive positions, Wei Yuan left several dozen men on guard and ordered the rest of his riders to return to their tents. Those who needed to sleep went to sleep, whereas those who needed to daydream went to daydreaming. As for himself, Wei Yuan returned to the central command tent to sit in silence and contemplate the sword.

100 li away, in the main hall of the King of Jin’s field camp.

Looking at Wei Yuan’s serene, broad face as he contemplated the sword, Lü Wenbai felt the urge to punch him in the face.

He abruptly rose from his seat and declared, “Your Holiness! Wei Yuan has acted in defiance of the rules and disrupted the hunt! His crime warrants execution!”

In the center of the hall stood a sand table model of the entire autumn hunting grounds. The object was, in fact, a True Lord-level mystic treasure capable of projecting scenes from any part of the hunting grounds according to the controller’s will.

It was a replica of the famous immortal treasure, the Go Board of Heaven and Earth. By casting fortune into the mystic treasure, setting up the board, and commanding the pieces to fight autonomously, one could simulate the grand trends of the world. Depending on the quantity and variety of fortune that was infused, it possessed a certain degree of prophetic ability. With good luck, one might even catch a fleeting glimpse of the heavenly mysteries.

Since this was a go board, fairness had to be ensured among the pieces. Thus, combat was restricted only to cultivators at the Avatar-stage or below, and any mystic treasure whose power exceeded a certain limit would be suppressed by the great array.

Everyone knew that the autumn hunt served two purposes. First, it was for the King of Jin to assess each participant’s military leadership skills. Second, it was a Sacrifice to Heaven ritual to seek heavenly mysteries. Naturally, no one was foolish enough to dare to break the rules right under the King of Jin’s nose, such as dispatching Avatar-stage cultivators to infiltrate the hunt and slaughter everyone in sight.

While the autumn hunt was ongoing, even a random brawl had to be fair. Otherwise, the King of Jin losing a few prizes was but a trivial matter, but failing to glimpse into the heavenly mysteries because the once-per-year Sacrifice to Heaven ritual was disrupted? That would likely result in a punishment far worse than decapitation.

Seated high atop his dais, the King of Jin responded, “Once the pieces are on the board, how they act is entirely up to them. Not even this lone one can interfere. If you have any objections, you will have to wait until the hunt is over to voice them, Dear Minister Lü.”

Lü Wenbai had participated in many such hunts. Naturally, he knew it was impossible to deal with Wei Yuan midway through the hunt. He was merely voicing his grievances to establish a moral high ground first.

King Ying, King Cheng, the Crown Prince, and King Wei were also present in the hall. Besides that, seated among them was a small, delicate, and charming-looking boy doing his best to look mature as he gazed solemnly at the sand table. He was none other than King Fu.

Seated at the very outer end was a burly, stern-looking man clad in grayish-white armor. He was obviously a member of the northern frontier border troops. This seat was usually occupied by Yue Jinshan, but since the man had just been punished and demoted, someone else had taken his place.

Aside from King Wei and King Fu, everyone here was at least an Avatar. Xu Tongshou and Lü Wenbai were both powerful cultivators in the late stage of the Avatar-stage.

Looking at Wei Yuan’s face—which had been deliberately set in a deeply contemplative expression—above the sand table, Lü Wenbai gritted his teeth in silent fury. The bastard was just a mid-stage Dao Foundation-stage cultivator and barely stronger than King Fu, who wasn’t even eight years old yet. What right did he have to sit on equal footing with him?

The King of Jin gave a mental command and switched to another scene. As Wei Yuan had chosen to hole up on his hilltop and was internally contemplating the sword, there was really nothing to see on the outside besides his big face.

Truth be told, the crushing defeat Lü Wenbai’s force just suffered was hardly unexpected. Infantrymen were already at an absolute disadvantage against cavalry, not to mention that they hadn’t anticipated the enemy to actually attack. Pitting a double-line formation against a charge of heavy cavalry was nothing short of suicide.

The scene shifted, and a small squad of Liao tribesmen suddenly appeared. They were hiding behind a pile of boulders and peering out slightly, gazing down at the valley below.

A thought struck the King of Jin, and the scenes shifted rapidly. Every time the scene shifted, a group of Liao tribesmen—sometimes numbering a dozen, and others over a hundred—would appear. They were all concealed behind the boulders.

Surprisingly, more than a dozen groups of Liao tribesmen were lying in ambush around this valley. Combined, their numbers likely exceeded 1,000!

It was at this moment a squad of Western Jin soldiers in vivid armor appeared. They had filed into a single line and were charging into the valley, jogging along the flat valley floor. Once they crossed this valley, they would be less than 30 li from a treasure trove.

This unit wore red armor trimmed with yellow. To say they were striking and conspicuous would be an understatement. Their banner bore the giant word, “Fu.”

Several pairs of eyes furtively glanced at King Fu before quickly looking away. Although the young boy looked calm on the outside, the color was gradually draining from his thin lips, and his hands were clenched tightly around his sleeves.

There was a deafening roar, and several massive boulders were rolled down the hills, cutting the column entering the valley into two sections. At the same time, the valley’s exit was blocked. The next second, countless Liao tribesmen sprung out of their hiding spots and hurled rocks down at the troops below. Instantly, the soldiers and horses were sent tumbling, suffering heavy casualties.

Several officers under King Fu’s command roared as they charged toward the flanks and attempted to storm the high ground. However, several Liao tribesmen boasting mid-to-late stage Dao Foundation stage cultivation immediately emerged from the group and blocked their paths, preventing them from succeeding.

The lead deputy general, seeing the rapidly mounting casualties among his men, grew frantic. He drew his waist saber, and the saber qi it produced shot dozens of zhang skyward! It actually possessed the power of a late-stage Avatar-stage cultivator!

Once more, several pairs of eyes swept over King Fu’s face without giving anything away. The young boy’s face was flushed with excitement, and he was biting his lower lip furiously and uncontrollably. They all shook their heads silently: He’s nothing more than a spoiled child.

If not for the fact that Dao Foundation stage cultivators couldn’t utilize True Lord-level mystic treasures, it was entirely possible that the real bigshots behind him would have bestowed one or two such treasures upon him.

King Wei’s eyes betrayed a look of disdain. Besides writing the word “cheater” on his face, he couldn’t be any clearer as to what he thought of his younger brother’s actions. The Crown Prince, on the other hand, wore a blank expression and showed not the slightest flicker of emotion.

Inside the autumn hunting grounds, the mere flash of the saber had caused wave after wave of suppression to fall upon it. The light kept shrinking until finally, only a ten-zhang-long streak of light remained, its power reduced from the late-stage Avatar-stage to the early-stage Avatar-stage. Yet even so, the saber possessed incredible power. One sweep was all it took to cleave more than 10 Liao tribesmen in two!

It was at this moment a Liao male who had, up until this point, seemed utterly unremarkable suddenly swelled in power, surging to the late stage of the Dao Foundation stage in no time. He then stepped in front of the deputy general and blocked his path. Although he was only wielding a rusty iron spear—it was such a terrible weapon that even the slightest contact with the saber light risked total disintegration—his spear technique was so masterful that he was able to keep the deputy general firmly pinned in place.

After the Liao tribesmen were done hurling their rocks, they roared and charged into the valley.

Aside from their handsome uniform, King Fu’s troops were all tall and burly. They looked formidable if nothing else. However, quite a few of them were so terrified that they actually dropped to their knees and begged for mercy. Of course, the Liao tribesmen did not even hesitate a second to raise their blades and sever their heads.

King Fu’s face turned deathly pale at this point. The tears had been welling up in his eyes all this time finally fell.

Moments later, the deputy general, with over ten arrows and bolts stuck inside his body, collapsed to his knees and died. The projectiles had been carried by his own soldiers; the Liao tribesmen had seized them and turned them against him.

The Liao male wielding the iron spear was wounded in several places, but he paid no heed to his injuries and went over to the Avatar-stage mystic saber to pick it up. He then violently slashed open his own chest, drenching the blade with his own blood. The light on the blade flickered several times before finally ceasing to glow.

When the Liao male swung the saber, a blood-red saber beam that was several zhang long appeared. To everyone’s astonishment, he had managed to subdue the weapon.

Although the power of the saber had clearly diminished, it still grazed the threshold of the Avatar-stage.

Everyone in the hall was in disbelief. These Liao tribesmen should’ve been theirs to hunt like pigs and sheep, and now one of them had come into possession of an Avatar-stage mystic treasure-grade saber!

King Fu’s deputy general was slain, and all 500 of his soldiers were slain or wounded. The Liao group immediately stripped the armor and clothing from the corpses and donned them themselves. In the blink of an eye, nearly half the Liao group was wearing the colors of King Fu’s forces, while several Liao leaders had transformed themselves into officers of King Fu’s forces.

After a brief discussion among themselves, the Liao leaders ordered a dozen or so riders to spread out and scout the surrounding area. Meanwhile, the main body of the Liao force disguised itself as prisoners and allowed themselves to be escorted out of the valley by the fake troops.

They had not gone more than three li when an army appeared ahead and blocked their path—it was a unit under the Crown Prince’s command.

The commanding general, upon seeing several hundred Liao prisoners being escorted, rode up to them with a greedy expression and said, “Are you the forces serving under His Highness, King Fu? Haha, it’s just a hunt—how did you end up in such a sorry state? Also, why are you even holding these people captives? I can alleviate you of some of the burden if you—”

Before he could finish, a blood red saber beam flashed through his neck and sent his head flying high into the air!