Translator: DavidT Editor: DavidT, Rock
An abrupt change!
A sharp whistle sounded followed by a wave of swooshing sounds breaking through the sky. A dense wave of arrows then shot towards the Yu Family's troops from all directions like the rain. Most of the arrows were shot down from a high point and were extremely accurate.
The Yu Family's experts who were still in their fairyland dreams were like the patrons of a brothel receiving a stick to their face just when they were at the peak of the moment. Countless groans and miserable moans of disbelief sounded and there were even a few high pitched shrieks which almost made everyone go deaf! A few hundred burly figures collapsed from horseback and rolled on the ground groaning. Their blood painted the forest floor red and all of their riches added a shimmering gold and silver to the red painting.
Those who were 'luckier' actually had dozens of arrows sticking out of their body and looked like a life-sized porcupine. There were even some who had so much jewelry and gold on them that the arrows were unable to strike their flesh but were deflected by those treasures instead. The greedy were truly more blessed. There were even some who were completely unscathed!
Countless Shui Family experts then charged out from the dense forest and their sword lights shot towards the sky. They immediately tangled together with the White and Purple Jade experts of the Yu Family in a large chaotic battle!
"Stay calm! Everyone form a circular formation and do not break formation. Protect the injured within the circle and face the outside together!" Yu ZhanKong recovered from the initial shock and roared out commands. At the same time, he felt like puking blood from regret!
I have underestimated the enemy! I knew that the Shui Family members must have had ulterior motives for coming to Heavenly Star. The Family Head had hinted me to be wary of them but I underestimated them because their forces in Northern Wei were wiped out! It is all because of the two old Ling fools! If not for those two old b*st*rds misleading us, how would we be trapped in such a miserable plight! At this moment, Yu ZhanKong who had no avenue to vent his frustrations made the two Ling elders his target. He hated the fact that he could not swallow the two of them whole!
There were plenty of troops from the Shui Family who entered Sky Bearing this time. As half the local snake in Sky Bearing, the Yu Family naturally noticed the arrival of the Shui Family. During a banquet with Duke Ling, Duke Ling had mentioned to Yu ZhanKong and Yu ZhanShui that Water of Heavenly Wind wanted to spend a large fortune to construct a manor in Sky Bearing. At the same time, they wanted to form an alliance with the Ling Family and they were currently in discussion with the Ling Family to buy a plot of land. After that, Duke Ling then changed the topic and did not elaborate on the matter further.
While Duke Ling did not elaborate on the topic, Yu ZhanShui himself would naturally not let the matter go so easily. If their old rival wanted to purchase a plot of land in 'their own' territory, he naturally had to send men to investigate the matter. After a series of investigation, everything was indeed just as what Duke Ling had said. The Shui Family had already chosen a place and date to start the construction. At the same time, they were hiring workers for the job. On top of that, many of the members of the Shui Family who came to Sky Bearing were talented architects. After hearing the same piece of news from a few different sources, Yu ZhanKong and Yu ZhanShui were at ease. At the same time, they also made plans to burn down the new Shui manor after the construction was almost done to let the Shui Family suffer huge losses! You actually want to construct a manor in the second camp of our Yu Family, Sky Bearing City? You are really seeking death!
The two of them naturally did not know that all the sources of information in Sky Bearing were in the hands of the Violent Wind Gang. This so-called construction project of the Shui Family was intentionally spread to confuse and numb the Yu Family. As for ensuring that all sources of information would spread the same news, that was the specialty of the Violent Wind Gang! Together with the fact that everything went their way after the Yu Family arrived in Sky Bearing, the guard of the Yu Family was lowered and they were no different from spoiled children. They were no longer as alert as the time they first came, and never imagined that someone would make a fool out of them in their 'second camp'!
The ambush was just too sudden and despite Yu ZhanShui and Yu ZhanKong trying their best to buy time for their subordinates, they were already trapped in the dense forest and their enemy's encirclement. They were being attacked from all directions and it was impossible for them to form up into an effective formation in a short period of time. Hearing Yu ZhanKong's orders, apart from half of the White Jade experts who were able to form a formation with their superior cultivation, the others were trapped in a bitter battle with the Shui Family experts. Miserable groans sounded all over the place and the sound of swords puncturing into the human flesh could be heard all around. In just a short few minutes, the Yu Family had already suffered severe casualties!
Endless Shui Family's disciples jumped down from the trees and joined into the battle. At the same time, the earth would suddenly loosen and a Shui Family disciple covered in mud would suddenly spring forward from underground, killing many Yu Family experts in a short moment. On top of that, there would be sharp arrows slicing through the air with the targets being the Yu Family members who were like fish on a chopping board! With almost every arrow released, a miserable shriek would accompany it!
Yu ZhanKong's eyes were bloodshot and he pounced forward while brandishing his sword. His strength was at a completely different level than an ordinary White Jade disciple and even with enemies all around him, the Shui Family's disciples would fall onto the ground wherever he went. All of a sudden, a bright light flashed and Shui QianRou shot into the air with her sword pointing forward and clothes fluttering in the wind. She then shot down from the tree like a gust of wind and in just a blink of an eye, she covered a distance of seventy feet. Together with a brilliant splendor from her sword, she descended from above and charged straight at Yu ZhanKong.
Yu ZhanKong did not bother dodging the blow and he swung his sword forward with a loud roar. With a loud clang, both the swords met and sparks shot out in all directions. Yu ZhanKong was forced back two steps before he could withstand the force of Shui QianRou's strike. Shui QianRou then spun around in the air and kicking the trunk of a large tree, she shot back towards Yu ZhanKong again and engaged in a bitter battle with him.
The six Shui Elders also emerged from their hiding spots in unison and attacked together. They charged into the crowd with their sleeves floating in the wind with every action of theirs looking extremely carefree and unrestrained. However, not a single shred of mercy could be seen in their blows and a wave of miserable groans sounded.
The situation on the battlefield was extremely intense!
***
"Not too far in front of us is the Black Pine Forest. After this place, we would be near home." Ling Tian waved his whip to point the forest out to Xiao YanXue. At the same time, a trace of agitation could also be seen in his eyes. While four months wasn't a long period of time, he had been through far too many life or death situations in this short period of time. While Ling Tian was extremely arrogant and always looked so confident, he was still a man. He also knew how to feel fear, especially in the face of someone like Justice, who he was no match for even with all his strength! If he was just the slightest bit careless, he would have died in a foreign land and every step of his was truly heart-wrenching!
After going on such a huge journey, he was finally back at the place where he grew up in. The place where all of his loved ones were. All of a sudden, a strange emotion rose up in his heart and he felt his nose sniffling.
"We are finally arriving at Sky Bearing…" What Xiao YanXue felt was completely different from Ling Tian. Every time she was a step nearer to Sky Bearing, Xiao YanXue would grow even more nervous. There was also a strong sense of embarrassment in her heart as though she was a newly wed lady meeting her in-laws for the first time. These few days, Miss Xiao had always been extremely silent or her face would be flushed red. She just did not know what to feel in her heart and the scene of her meeting the Ling Family members played over and over again in her heart for over a hundred times. She would imagine what they would say upon seeing her and how she should respond to them. However, she realized that all of her preparations were completely useless.
"Look at your nervous appearance. Haha, you look just like a frightened quail." Ling Tian looked at Xiao YanXue and burst out laughing, "Little Xue'er, what are you afraid of?"
"I am not afraid at all! You are the little quail! Can't anything nice come out from your mouth?!" Xiao YanXue glared at Ling Tian fiercely before quickly lowering her head silently. She had completely forgotten to scold Ling Tian for calling her 'Little Xue'er'.
This name was something that Ling Tian had thought of in a flash of inspiration. Along the way, he loved the name more and more as he used the name. However, Xiao YanXue was extremely dissatisfied with the name and protested a couple of times. She only allowed Ling Tian to call her 'YanXue' but not 'Xue'er'. On top of that, why did Ling Tian have to add the word Little? However, Ling Tian refused to listen and the two of them had argued over this matter along the way.
Xiao YanXue naturally did not know what the name 'Xue'er' meant to Ling Tian in his heart. In fact, Ling Tian would never use this name to address Li Xue despite it belonging to her originally.
To a certain extent, the name 'Xue'er' was a big taboo in Ling Tian's heart!
"Little Xue'er, the various powers of the world can no longer sit still and the Yu Family has officially announced war on Western Han. What do you think the world is fighting over? What do you think is the key to victory?" Ling Tian said with a mysterious smile.
"The key to victory?" Xiao YanXue blinked her eyes, "How can this be answered simply? The circumstances, geography, commander, quality of soldiers… all of these are important factors which will affect the final victor. How can there be a single key to victory?"
"What if the troops and general of both parties are similar?" Ling Tian asked with a smile.
"This… the battle will definitely last for a long time." Xiao YanXue said with uncertainty.
"Ah ah, that's right." Ling Tian chuckled, "The moment war lasts for a long time, then the key defining factor between both parties would then be… money!"
"Money?" Xiao YanXue turned to look at Ling Tian.
"That's right! Just as the saying goes, 'Money can move the ghosts and buy over the deities!' Fighting a war is basically a fight of wealth! A fight of supplies and support! The moment both parties are engaged in a long drawn-out battle and have similar equipment and strength, the only thing that would differentiate them would be how long they can last! The tents of the soldiers, dressing of the soldiers, meals, weapons, and arrows. Even the water and feed for the horses needs money! The expenditure of an army with hundreds of thousands of men would be hundreds of thousands of gold! This expenditure is not when they are fighting but resting! If the war begins, you have to add on the damage of the weapons as well… at that time, millions of gold would be required every day to support the war." Ling Tian smiled proudly, "Thus, fighting a war is also a battle of wealth! Without wealth, there isn't a need to fight a war!"
Xiao YanXue gradually understood what Ling Tian was saying, "What you mean is…"
Ling Tian smiled warmly, "When war develops to a certain stage, there needs to be a good housekeeper and that is more important than anything else! When two forces are similar in strength, the final deciding factor would be this! Any unnecessary expenditure every day could result in the defeat of an army. Thus, the one in charge of the overall finances is an extremely important figure!" As he said that, Ling Tian looked at Xiao YanXue and said firmly, "And you are the most talented figure in this regard! Little Xue'er, when you are at Sky Bearing, your job would be to be a good housekeeper and ensure the biggest benefit for my Ling Family!"