Seven days later.
The Great Zhen Royal Court.
“Report~! Great King, the Xunfeng Tribe has sent someone!”
Inside the military tent, Li Zhen was kissing Shuoyan Yu'er when he heard the voice outside. He stopped his hands and clicked his tongue.
This person had come at the worst possible time.
“Great King~, please spare me~”
That soft, bone-melting voice caused the flame that had just died down within Li Zhen to blaze up again.
This little minx had learned all sorts of ways to please him.
This was damn exhilarating!
“Little minx, wait for This King tonight. This King will properly pamper you!” After saying this, Li Zhen waved his sleeve and turned to leave.
After stepping outside the military tent, Li Zhen waved his hand. “Bring him to my main tent!”
“Yes!”
The soldiers rose and gazed at Li Zhen fervently.
.....
Outside the military camp.
The man from the Xunfeng Tribe looked at the grand banner fluttering in the distance, his face filled with confusion.
Most of the tribes in Dan Prefecture used wolf-head banners, but for some reason, seeing this wolf-head grand banner filled him with an inexplicable sense of fear.
There was also overwhelming confusion.
Why was the character Li printed on it?
Before he could think further, the soldier in charge of delivering the order walked out.
“Come in with me!”
“Come in with you? How dare you! Bring your master, Shuoyan Yu'er, out here!”
The man from the Xunfeng Tribe immediately shouted angrily.
The Xunfeng Tribe had defeated the Shuoyan Tribe in the past. According to Dan Prefecture's rules, the defeated party had to obey the orders of the Xunfeng Tribe.
This time, he had come under the orders of Xunfeng Yi to conscript the able-bodied men of the Shuoyan Tribe into the Xunfeng Tribe.
“Dismount!”
The soldier delivering the order glared furiously and shouted.
Immediately afterward, more than a dozen armored men rushed out of the camp carrying sabers.
When the people of the Xunfeng Tribe saw the Wolf Cavalry armor and weapons, their eyes filled with shock.
Where had the Shuoyan Tribe acquired such fine armor?
This sort of armor certainly did not look like discarded goods from the Central Plains.
Before he could speak, he suddenly suffered a heavy blow from behind.
Bang!
A soldier knocked him off his feet with a club.
“Take him back to see the Great King!”
When the man from the Xunfeng Tribe heard the words “Great King,” he forgot his pain. His face was filled with bewilderment.
Great King?
What exactly had happened to the Shuoyan Tribe?
“Hmph, you Xunfeng dogs!”
A burly man removed the weapon from his body and threw it onto the ground, then dragged him into the camp.
“You beasts of the Shuoyan Tribe, you will pay for this! When my master launches a great invasion, you will...”
The Shuoyan tribesman beside him could not endure it any longer. He turned around, gathered strength in his left arm, and swung a slap across the man's face.
Smack!
After that slap, a bloody taste immediately filled the man's mouth.
Ptui!
Blood and two teeth flew out with it.
“Take him away!”
After being slapped, the man from the Xunfeng Tribe did not dare to speak again. As they went deeper into the military camp, the anger in his heart was gradually replaced by shock.
Every soldier constantly passing by wore wolf-head armor. It was not merely one or two of them; everywhere he looked, they were all dressed alike.
Elite armor, sharp weapons, and exquisitely crafted bows!
What exactly had happened to the Shuoyan Tribe?
The Shuoyan Tribe had possessed nothing before.
Soon, he was brought to a main tent.
“Great King, the man from the Xunfeng Tribe has arrived!”
The curtain was lifted, and a scar-faced, middle-aged man wearing a blue robe walked out.
His name was Shuoyan Hexu. He was the commander-in-chief of the first ten-thousand cavalry, personally appointed by Li Zhen, and the first person to reach the first grade.
Shuoyan Hexu reached out and seized the man. He turned and entered the military tent, then threw him onto the ground.
“Great King!”
At his voice, the man from the Xunfeng Tribe raised his head.
When he saw Li Zhen seated in the place of honor, his eyes immediately widened.
“You are... you are... Li Zhen!”
They all possessed portraits of Li Zhen, so they could recognize him immediately upon seeing his face.
“Slap him!”
Li Zhen casually waved his hand.
“Smack!”
Shuoyan Hexu slapped him so hard that his head smashed into the ground. He crouched down, seized the man's hair, and lifted his blood-covered head.
“This is now the Great Zhen Royal Court, and the person before you is the Great King of our Great Zhen Royal Court!”
At Shuoyan Hexu's words, the man's eyes widened in utter disbelief.
The Li Zhen they had been searching for everywhere was actually in the Shuoyan Tribe—and he had even dared to establish a royal court!
Li Zhen sat up straight and looked at him. “Tell me, then. What brings you here?”
After taking several blows, the man from the Xunfeng Tribe no longer dared to act arrogantly. Lowering his head, he said, “Our master wants the men of the Shuoyan Tribe to join the tribal army. I...”
I...
He recounted nearly everything Xunfeng Yi had said.
A faint chill appeared on Li Zhen's face.
Put plainly, they wanted to forcibly seize the able-bodied men and use them as cannon fodder for the Xunfeng Tribe.
They were also searching for Li Zhen.
The Xunfeng Tribe and the Zhelan Tribe were currently locked in fierce conflict, and too many people had been killed or wounded in battles of every size.
Li Zhen rose and slowly walked to the man's side. “Go back and tell your master that I, Li Zhen, am right here. Have him bring his people over!”
“Huh?”
The man raised his head, clearly unable to process what he had heard.
He had thought that after seeing Li Zhen, he certainly would not be allowed to leave.
“Remember to tell him everything you saw and heard here. Have him bring enough men. Shuoyan Yu'er is my queen, and you killed my father-in-law. This grudge must be settled!”
Li Zhen rose and left the military tent.
He had no interest in dealing with such a minor soldier.
What he wanted was the entire Xunfeng Tribe.
After Shuoyan Hexu had someone take the man away, he followed closely behind Li Zhen.
“Great King, should we make preparations?”
His eyes danced with blazing battle intent.
After a month of training, the warriors of the Shuoyan Tribe had been completely transformed.
As the commander-in-chief of the first ten-thousand cavalry, he now felt that even against the Black Cavalry, his Grand Army was not without the strength to fight.
“Send the order. The first ten-thousand cavalry is to enter first-level combat readiness. If they do not come within an hour, we will go to them!”
Li Zhen stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the azure sky. His leisurely days were over!
This battle would resound throughout Dan Prefecture, and Great Yu would also learn of his whereabouts.
“Shao Xuxue! Shao Xuji! I wonder what you will think when you learn what I, Li Zhen, look like now!”
After saying this, he let out a loud laugh.
“Yu'er, prepare This King's armor! Donning armor!”
The clash of weapons and the thunder of war were the true nature of a man. A good man ought to be this way, naturally and inevitably!
The Phoenix-Winged Purple-Gold Crown, golden chainmail armor, Lotus-Silk Cloud-Treading Boots, and Overlord Spear.
Once armored, Li Zhen was no longer the elegant young gentleman he had been before.
Reflected in Shuoyan Yu'er's eyes was a young general.
“Great King, you look so handsome in armor!”
“Was I not handsome before?” Li Zhen turned around and looked at Shuoyan Yu'er with a beaming smile.
“You are so annoying!”
“Hahahahahaha!”
Wearing his armor, Li Zhen walked out of the military tent and arrived at the commander's platform he had established himself.
Looking at the ten thousand wolf cavalry already fully equipped and ready to depart, even his eyes could not conceal their fiery excitement.
“Shuoyan Hexu, I entrust the grand banner to you! If it falls, you will face military discipline after the battle!”
“Yes, Great King, rest assured! If I stand, the grand banner stands!”
Shuoyan Hexu roared.
This was an honor!
“My warriors, the Wolf God will bestow blessings upon you. On this journey, we will crush the Xunfeng Tribe!” Li Zhen rode through the ranks, inspecting the army that belonged to him!
The eyes of the soldiers on both sides were filled with fervor and madness as they looked at Li Zhen!
“Kill! Kill! Kill!”
“The entire army, attack!”
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