A swift horse galloped from the western side of the Shenyuan Pass, hurried into the city, and headed straight for the Military Commissioner's residence.
The scout returned and went directly into the study: "Report, General. Lingwen County is under attack. Li Qiongqi came to challenge us at the gates. Commander Sha personally went out to meet the enemy. After a few exchanges, he was struck from his horse."
Everyone in the study was astonished.
After just a few exchanges, Sha Ying was actually unhorsed? This Qiongqi beast is truly formidable.
"How is Sha Ying?" Huo Tingshan asked about his subordinate's condition.
The soldier replied: "Mr. Ke was present at the time. He swiftly ordered all the centurions of the Black Armor Cavalry to advance together. They managed to hold off Li Qiongqi and rescue Commander Sha."
Hearing that his life was at least saved, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"This Li Qiongqi appears even more formidable than the rumors suggest."
Gongsun Liang said solemnly: "The Jingzhou army is coming from within the strategic pass. The natural barriers did not hinder them in the slightest. Once they pass Lingwen County, it's the Shenyuan Pass. My lord, we must dispatch troops immediately to stop Li Qiongqi. Otherwise, if he retakes this strategic pass from the rear and flank, it will not be easy to capture it again."
Huo Tingshan also understood this logic. He said to the reporting soldier: "Order Xiong Mao to proceed to Lingwen County at once."
Some men possess the courage of a hundred, fierce as tigers and wolves on the battlefield, but lack leadership ability and strategic vision. Such soldiers can serve as vanguards but are not suited to be commanding generals.
The soldier accepted the order and left.
After the scout departed, the discussion in the study continued. However, before an hour had passed, the scout returned again in haste.
"General, Commandant Xiong has been defeated."
The study erupted in uproar.
"Xiong Mao was defeated? Is there something amiss here?"
"Is he still alive?" someone asked.
The scout answered: "He is alive, but his shoulder blade and arm are seriously wounded."
Huo Tingshan raised an eyebrow, rising from his seat. "This Li Qiongqi is interesting. I shall go meet him myself."
Chen Shichang's face showed concern. "My lord, Li Qiongqi has defeated two of our fierce generals in a row. His momentum is at its peak now. I believe we should avoid confronting him directly."
"Avoiding him now is not appropriate. It will only bolster the enemy's morale," Huo Tingshan said, already walking out. "Moreover, as long as our army remains in Jingzhou for a single day, this Li Qiongqi is unavoidable."
He left the Military Commissioner's residence, mounted Wu Ye, and swiftly exited the city, whipping his horse to a gallop. The iron hooves kicked up a trail of dust.
Lingwen County and the Shenyuan Pass were not far apart, and Wu Ye was among the finest of thousand-li horses. Before long, the walls of Lingwen County were right before his eyes.
With the Jingzhou army attacking, the four city gates were tightly shut, contrary to their usual state. The guards on the wall had keen eyesight and spotted a single rider galloping from afar—a black horse cutting through the dust, its aura like a rainbow.
"It's the General! Open the gates!" the guard captain hurriedly said.
With a creak, the not-so-heavy city gate opened.
Huo Tingshan urged his horse straight through, entering from the east gate, cutting directly through the market streets, all the way to the west gate.
A crowd had gathered at the base of the gate. Feng Yuzhu, leading over a dozen medics, was treating the wounds of Xiong Mao, Sha Ying, and other injured soldiers.
"Clear water" was poured from small jars to rinse the soldiers' wounds. Watching the water flow freely, Xiong Mao's broad face grew even paler, whether from the pain of his flesh wounds or from heartache was unclear.
"The General is here," someone said.
Sha Ying and Xiong Mao, sitting on the ground, turned their heads in unison, then looked ashamed and tried to rise.
"Don't move recklessly!" Feng Yuzhu scolded. "The sterile saline solution our Lady produced is precious. Don't waste it."
In this era, salt was undoubtedly valuable. Salt tax was a major source of national revenue. It was no exaggeration to say that salt could sometimes even be used as currency.
Not just salt—since learning that this water was not ordinary water but distilled water, produced through a process similar to distilling liquor, Feng Yuzhu had almost equated the two.
Lady Pei's fine brew sold for twenty taels a jar in Chang'an. The jar in his hand must be worth fifteen or sixteen taels at least.
A plowing ox cost only two taels of silver. This one jar was worth seven or eight oxen—wealth an ordinary family might save their entire lives through frugality without ever spending.
Scolded by Feng Yuzhu, Xiong Mao, and Sha Ying beside him, settled down. The two sat side by side at the base of the gate, wrapped in linen bandages. To Huo Tingshan, they looked utterly bullied.
"A single Li Qiongqi reduced you to such a state? Have you been slacking in your training?" Huo Tingshan rode forward.
Both Sha Ying and Xiong Mao hung their heads in shame.
There was no excuse. Defeat was defeat, and they had nearly lost their lives. It was utterly humiliating.
Just then, a brazen voice shouted from outside: "You whelps of Youzhou! Your father Qiongqi is here! Come out and meet your death! Hahaha! Do you have no one left? If you're afraid, scurry back to your Youzhou! Don't squat in the latrine if you can't shit!"
The corner of Huo Tingshan's mouth twitched.
If Lingwen County was a latrine, then what were the common people inside it? Wasn't it said that Li Qiongqi had spent some time in a temple? Was this the uncouth thing the temple's influence produced?
"Open the gate," Huo Tingshan ordered.
"General!"
"General!"
Xiong Mao and Sha Ying spoke simultaneously.
"That Li Qiongqi is exceptionally fierce, and his footwork is bizarre. The iron-ridged serpent spear in his hand is no ordinary weapon. When I fought him, my blade was shattered by his spear." Not caring now about boosting the enemy's prestige, Sha Ying quickly added.
Huo Tingshan merely grunted in acknowledgment.
The guards on the side, upon hearing the order "Open the gate," did not dare delay and pushed the gate open once more.
Huo Tingshan rode out of the city.
Ancient tradition held that five colors—blue, red, white, black, and yellow—represented the east, south, west, north, and center respectively, later known as the "Five Direction Flags." (1)
Youzhou lay in the north, its army's banner was black; Jingzhou lay in the south, its banner was red.
Outside the city, the Jingzhou army had arrayed itself. The crimson banners unfurled in the wind, like a Vermilion Bird spreading its wings in flight. Huo Tingshan's gaze swept over them. The enemy forces were not large, numbering around ten thousand.
The troops were indeed few, but perhaps having dealt two heavy blows to their Youzhou generals, their morale was soaring. Seeing the gate open again, the Jingzhou generals were surprised that after two consecutive defeats, someone still dared to come out.
Li Qiongqi's spirits lifted, eagerly looking to see who would come to fight. At the sight, he paused slightly.
The new challenger rode a tall black warhorse. The horse, from head to tail, was about ten feet long, its coat as dark as an inkstone, without a single stray hair. Its four legs were long and powerful, clearly a fine steed capable of a thousand li a day.
Li Qiongqi's eyes burned with envy, but when his gaze shifted upward, he forgot about the black horse.
The man on the horse was burly, clad in armor, a black cloak lined with red flowing behind him. As he rode out, though he was alone beneath the city walls at that moment, his presence felt mountainous and oceanic, as weighty as if he led a vast army, causing an almost stunned moment of stillness.
"It's Huo Youzhou!" a deputy general beside Li Qiongqi exclaimed.
Li Qiongqi exclaimed in shock, "That's Huo Tingshan?"
His deputy answered, "Absolutely no mistake. I've seen him once before; the impression was profound."
Meanwhile, Huo Tingshan below the city walls was also looking at Li Qiongqi.
Military commanders typically have tall, robust builds, and this man was no exception. Li Qiongqi stood nine feet tall, with a broad face and a double chin. He held a single-edged iron-ridged serpent spear horizontally behind his back with one hand, looking exceptionally spirited and vigorous.
He certainly appeared full of vigor.
The man opposite let out a loud laugh at this moment, urging his horse forward with the serpent spear leveled. "Well met, Huo Tingshan! Today, I will surely take your head back to claim my reward."
As Li Qiongqi spurred his horse forward, the Jingzhou soldiers behind him waved their flags and shouted in unison, boosting his morale. For a moment, it was as if a giant-winged tiger followed behind Li Qiongqi, the phantom of the ancient fierce beast Qiongqi seemingly stretching and elongating from his back.
Huo Tingshan drew the ring-pommeled sword from his waist and also urged his horse forward.
Both men rode fine steeds, and the distance between them vanished in the blink of an eye. The opponent came with ferocious momentum, the iron-ridged serpent spear whipping up a fierce wind. Huo Tingshan raised his sword first to block. The two weapons collided with a deafening "clang!"
A terrifying force spread from the point of contact to the hands gripping the weapons. Huo Tingshan raised his long eyebrows. "The lad has some strength, indeed more formidable than the average man."
Hearing himself compared to ordinary men and being called "lad," Li Qiongqi's expression darkened. However, that single clash of blades had already made it difficult for him to underestimate his opponent.
This Huo Youzhou's sword hand hadn't budged an inch. It was said the man possessed innate, tremendous strength—it seemed the rumors were true.
"Cease your arrogance!" Li Qiongqi lifted his serpent spear and thrust again.
His serpent spear was eighteen feet long, its serpentine blade winding at the tip, reflecting a gleaming light under the sun. The surface was stained with blood, though it was unclear whether it was Sha Ying's or Xiong Mao's.
The ring-pommeled sword and the serpent spear clashed again with a sudden, tremendous crash. Huo Tingshan clamped his legs against his horse. Wu Ye understood and quickly surged forward again. The blade of the ring-pommeled sword slid along the inner curve of the serpent spear, sparks faintly flying from the intense friction.
The iron-ridged serpent spear was long, its tip a curved, double-edged serpent blade. Below the blade was a long haft made of combined iron and wood, with the serpent blade comprising about one-third of the spear's total length.
Such long weapons become cumbersome at close quarters, and Li Qiongqi, aware of Huo Tingshan's intent, immediately retracted the spear, then thrust it forward fiercely again.
Huo Tingshan guided his horse to sidestep and evade. Seeing the serpent spear return, now aimed directly at his throat—clearly intending to sever his head—he immediately swung his sword horizontally to block another blow. Using the force to dissipate the opponent's tiger-like strength, he abruptly lunged forward with a thrust.
Startled, Li Qiongqi hastily swayed his body to dodge, a strand of his long hair drifting slowly down.
The two men went back and forth, sword glints flashing, the sounds of clashing metal incessant. Time slowly passed. More than two quarters of an hour later, the duel in the field still showed no clear victor, which began to unsettle some of the Jingzhou soldiers.
That Huo Youzhou still showed no signs of weakening. Could it be this battle's outcome was truly undecided?
Yet, just as this thought arose, a loud laugh suddenly came from the front. The deputy focused his gaze and saw that a problem had arisen with the ring-pommeled sword in Huo Youzhou's hand.
After numerous heavy collisions with the iron-ridged serpent spear, cracks had now appeared on the blade's surface.
With another "clang!" the upper part of the ring-pommeled sword completely shattered, fragments clattering to the ground.
Li Qiongqi laughed even more heartily. "Huo Tingshan, prepare to die!"
Those watching from the city walls and gates of Youzhou were wide-eyed with fury. Just as Sha Ying struggled to rise, intending to order the Black Cavalry centurions to charge forth and rescue their commander, they suddenly saw their Great General use the broken blade to parry, sliding it swiftly down to the root of the serpent blade. Then, with his left hand, he actually grasped the iron-wood haft behind the serpent blade.
Once his left hand took hold, Huo Tingshan simply released the shattered ring-pommeled sword. His right hand joined his left, both gripping the wooden haft at the top of the iron-ridged serpent spear.
Li Qiongqi hadn't expected his opponent to advance instead of retreating. Caught off guard, he found his serpent spear seized.
Each man now held one end of the spear, beginning a contest of pure strength.
Veins bulged on Huo Tingshan's arms. Li Qiongqi gritted his teeth. The iron-ridged serpent spear remained motionless between them.
Both sides seemed to enter a static state. As time ticked by, beads of sweat poured like rain from Li Qiongqi's forehead, and the hand gripping the spear began to tremble.
The spear in his hand, along with him and his horse, were being pulled toward Huo Tingshan.
"Wu Ye," Huo Tingshan suddenly barked.
The large black horse, hearing the command, reared and actually flew out a hoof, accurately kicking the left foreleg of the opposing horse.
The force of a horse's kick is no small matter, especially since Wu Ye was more robust than the average steed. That single kick directly broke the foreleg of Li Qiongqi's horse.
From Huo Tingshan's shout of "Wu Ye" to the horse's rear, it happened almost in an instant.
Li Qiongqi's horse knelt and collapsed as its foreleg gave way. The rider, affected, involuntarily lost most of the strength in his hands. The iron-ridged serpent spear was instantly wrenched away.
After seizing the weapon, Huo Tingshan swiftly spun it in his hand, reversing the spear. It came down heavily on Li Qiongqi's right shoulder, the sharp serpent blade cutting through his shoulder guard.
Blood gushed forth instantly, soaking Li Qiongqi's right shoulder and scapula. The bloodied serpent blade was now just a finger's breadth from slicing his neck.
Li Qiongqi's face immediately paled considerably.
The watching soldiers' emotions varied. The Youzhou side felt like a long drought ended by sweet rain, their earlier dejection swept away.
"Great General, mighty and majestic!"
"Great General, mighty and majestic!"
Cheers continued from the city walls.
In stark contrast to Youzhou's boosted morale, the Jingzhou army's spirit was visibly shaken. They had only ten thousand troops on this campaign. If General Li were beheaded, facing the Youzhou army would be like throwing an egg against a stone.
"The situation looks bad. It seems General Li is doomed now. If the Youzhou forces later pour out from the city, led by Huo Youzhou himself, our few men won't even be enough to fill the gaps between their teeth. Should we..."
"But deserters are executed without exception."
"Choose between dying early or dying late."
...
Huo Tingshan, mounted on Wu Ye, looked down at Li Qiongqi. "Defeated foe, do you yield?"
With his horse down and a blade at his neck, Li Qiongqi couldn't rise. Maintaining his seated position on the ground, he stubbornly retorted, "I do not yield! You had your horse kick and injure mine, winning by underhanded means! Moreover, I had already fought two of your generals earlier, expending energy on them. When I fought you, I was somewhat fatigued. All these factors combined led to my loss. Kill me if you will. Even if you take my head, I, Li Qiongqi, still do not yield!"
Despite his injury, his voice remained full of vigor.
Huo Tingshan narrowed his eyes. "If you pledge allegiance to my Youzhou army, I will spare your life. What say you?"
"A scholar may be killed but not humiliated. How could I, Li Qiongqi, be one who betrays his lord to save his own skin? Kill me if you must. It's just death either way. Save your breath." Li Qiongqi snorted coldly.
Huo Tingshan sneered, "Cong Liuqi, in his bid to annihilate my Youzhou army, even resorted to such despicable acts as spreading plague. He treats the people on the borders of Sizhou and even Jingzhou as mere grass. Yet you remain stubbornly loyal, still following such a ruthless man."
"Enough nonsense! Just kill me if you must. Why slander my lord's good name?!" Li Qiongqi roared in anger.
Huo Tingshan scoffed and moved the serpent-blade spear away. "Since you are unconvinced, I won't kill you. Go back and open your eyes wide to see clearly what your so-called 'honorable' lord is truly like."
Seemingly caught off guard by this unexpected turn, Li Qiongqi was momentarily stunned. "You're not killing me? Let me tell you, this chance is only once. If we meet again, I will not lose to you."
Huo Tingshan taunted, "So much empty talk. If I can defeat you once, I can defeat you a second time."
"You will regret this," Li Qiongqi gritted his teeth and stood up. His gaze then shifted to the iron-ridged serpent spear in Huo Tingshan's hand, his words trailing off unsaid.
Huo Tingshan knew what he meant—he simply wanted his weapon back. But...
He was dreaming.
"Letting you go once is already me valuing your talent. Don't push your luck. Get lost," Huo Tingshan mocked him.
Li Qiongqi left in shame and fury.
However, after only two steps, the serpent spear was once again leveled at his neck. Li Qiongqi halted, not enraged as if the other had changed his mind. Instead, his face showed understanding; he had known Huo Tingshan wouldn't simply let him go.
"Answer me one question, and then you may leave freely," Huo Tingshan said. "Why can your iron-ridged serpent spear repeatedly shatter others' weapons?"
Li Qiongqi was slightly taken aback, not expecting this question.
But speaking of his weapon, a complex expression crossed his face. "The serpent spear was bestowed upon me by my lord. It is said that Mr. Zhou Du used ten pairs of young boys and girls as a sacrifice and prayed to the heavens for eighty-one days. Only then were the spirits moved to grant this invincible divine weapon."
Indeed, it was invincible. Since obtaining the divine weapon, Li Qiongqi had never encountered a weapon that could withstand it.
Huo Tingshan's face remained expressionless, unclear whether he believed the story or not. "Get lost."
Li Qiongqi turned and left. This time, he encountered no further obstruction. His pace quickened, and troops from the Jingzhou army came out to receive him.
Huo Tingshan shouldered his trophy—the iron-ridged serpent spear—and returned to the city. The gates were already open, with officers lining the road to welcome him.
Having just won a battle, morale was revitalized. Even the severely wounded Sha Ying and Xiong Mao had more color in their faces.
"Great General, Li Qiongqi is fierce and formidable. Letting a tiger return to the mountains invites endless future trouble," Sha Ying said gravely.
Huo Tingshan's attempt to recruit Li Qiongqi earlier had not been loud, so those in the distance had not heard it.
Sha Ying was the first to engage Li Qiongqi. The opponent was exceptionally fierce. If not for his own agility and the competence of the Black Armored Cavalry's centurions, he would have fallen beneath Li Qiongqi's blade.
Later, Xiong Mao came to assist.
Xiong Mao possessed the highest martial prowess among their group, yet he too was defeated by Li Qiongqi. This meant that aside from Huo Tingshan, none of their commanders could counter Li Qiongqi. If the Great General were absent, the enemy would have free rein.
Xiong Mao nodded beside him, agreeing with Sha Ying's point.
Huo Tingshan said, "Li Qiongqi is now wounded and certainly not as fierce as before. If you engage him again now, you might not necessarily be at a disadvantage."
Sha Ying worried, "But wounds always heal. Once he recovers, he will be a man-eating Qiongqi beast once more. If he attacks again and you, Great General, happen to be absent, what should we do then?"
Xiong Mao nodded again.
Huo Tingshan curled the corner of his mouth. "This Li Qiongqi is indeed a fierce beast, with sharp enough claws and teeth. Killing such a rare beast would be a pity. If he could be tamed to serve me, wouldn't that be a fine thing?"
Sha Ying fell silent, finding it both surprising and not entirely unexpected. Ever since the Great General wounded but did not take the man's life, he had vaguely anticipated this.
"The time before his wounds fully heal... I think it should be sufficient for me to tame the beast," Huo Tingshan said, turning his gaze toward the direction the Jingzhou army had departed.
