Chapter 936 - 159: Tension
Qu Chulü looked at the laughing Tatars opposite him, laughed despite his anger: "Lowly slaves, cherish the remaining time you have."
The rise of a new tribe naturally meant a reshuffling of power, most of the old nobility of the Naiman Tribe were killed, and many of the tribe members became slaves of the newly emerged Tatar Tribe.
These laughing Tatars all emerged as new military aristocrats upon the sea of corpses of the Naiman Tribe.
A bonfire ignited on the mountain top.
The shaman, wearing a silver magical crown and holding a drum made of human skin, danced ancient and mysterious steps around the fire.
The accompanying shamans beside him poured meat, milk, and wine into the fire from bowls and basins. These offerings were consumed immediately by the mysterious flames, turning into a profound green smoke that rose straight to the heavens with the wind.
Boom!
A fierce wind suddenly rose.
Flags, initially swaying slightly, were instantly blown into a frenzy by the wind, dust flying everywhere. Those horses of the Khitan army equipped with face guards fared better, only feeling their helmets clattered under the impact of the sand.
Without helmets or face guards, they couldn’t even open their eyes.
In Qu Chulü’s eyes burned a fierce fire of revenge, as if recalling the scene of the past grassland battle where Tatars frantically slaughtered his tribe.
He let out a thunderous roar: "It’s the shaman of the Tatars, Master Jueyuan, please subdue the demons and exorcise the evil!"
"Old monk is here!"
From the Eastern Huayan Sect, a high monk venerated by the Liao dynasty for generations, raised his head sacredly. Originally just a frail, ordinary old monk, he suddenly widened his eyes, akin to a wrathful Vajra: "You dare!"
His body radiated golden light, forming a Wisdom Fist seal with his hands, from afar resembling a benevolent gold Buddha seated cross-legged.
The great Buddha raised his hand toward the sky, vaguely capturing a struggling black spirit body into his palm.
The shaman dancing on the altar suddenly suffered a heavy blow, the blood spewed from his mouth staining his robes red.
The accompanying shamans wanted to assist him, but were knocked aside by his drumstick.
"Continue the offerings!"
He said, then staggered again into the dance.
As more offerings were thrown into the fire, it burned fiercer.
Clouds began to gather in the sky, electric arcs flashing within them.
This was the great power nurtured by the "Blue Sky" worshiped overwhelmingly by nomadic tribes.
Even the Turkic people who migrated to Asia Minor maintained faith in "Longevity Heaven."
In their past conquests over other nomadic tribes, whenever Tatars demonstrated the power of thunder control, enemies often lost the courage to continue fighting.
Boom——
Rolling thunder scared the Khitan Cavalry, their faces turning ashen.
Among the Khitan people, there were many believers in the Buddhist sect, Nestorianism, and Fire Worship, but generally held a polytheistic attitude, deep down retaining a nomadic awe towards the "Blue Sky."
This was an inherent characteristic of the nomadic peoples who lived by following water and grass, with a lower "disaster resistance" than farming peoples. Even the strongest tribes could be easily destroyed by a snowstorm or flood.
"The opportunity is here!"
Su Butai laughed before the formation: "With the mighty power of Longevity Heaven, the Khitan children are already scared witless, pass my orders, let each unit advance on its own!"
Following Su Butai’s command, apart from the Qesem Army arrayed around him, the Tatar light cavalry began engaging.
They rode on dwarf horses, pulling riding bows, and shot toward the Khitan cavalry on both flanks from a distance.
This was the classic Tatar strategy, with cavalry archers initiating, using mounted archery, harassment, disrupting enemy formations, followed by heavy cavalry charging at the enemy formations like thunder.
Khitan people hearing the thunder, occasionally witnessing their companions shot down by the Tatars’ subtle archery, saw these Tatar light cavalry lacking heavy armor, yet their riding bows were extremely well crafted.
Occupying the territory of Great Jin, opposing the Southern Song in the north and south, the Tatar army’s level of military equipment fully capable of crushing all nations in the Central Asia region.
The Khitan light cavalry attempted counterattacks, but their riding bows were weak compared to the Tatars’, and their archery significantly less skilled.
Sensing unrest, Qu Chulü could no longer endure, shouting: "Warriors of Naiman Tribe, warriors of the Six Departments, for Great Liao, for revenge, launch attacks on the Tatar flanks!"
After speaking, he glanced at the severe expression of Master Jueyuan next to him, knowing that the high monk was engaged in a crucial contest with the Tatar shamans, otherwise the rolling thunder above would have already descended.
Previously, when their Naiman Tribe faced the Tatars in decisive battle, a thunderstrike killing their shaman led them to believe they lost Longevity Heaven’s protection, causing morale to crumble, and subsequent defeat without fighting.
He guided his horse to the main formation of the Palace Army, coming before Yelv Zonghan: "General, the present key to the battle entirely depends on whether your Palace Army can defeat the Tatar Chief’s Qesem Army."
Although Yelv Zonghan looked down upon Qu Chulü, he knew this battle concerns the future of the Khitan people. If defeated, their affiliated tribes would immediately switch allegiance to the Tatars.
The vast Western Liao Dynasty would be directly cast into the dust.
"I know, spare me your nonsense." He gripped the reins, silently praying that the backup plan he had previously set would come into play at a critical moment.
The skirmish among the light cavalry was hard to determine quickly, but the disparity between both sides became evident from the first moment of combat.
Neither Qu Chulü nor Yelv Zonghan believed that their light cavalry could prevail over the enemy.
"Signal the fire, send messages, immediately unleash the Ivan Tribe from the rear to attack, we’ll pincer the Qesem Army front and back!"
He gripped the reins, his heart continuously praying for the backup plan he had set previously to come into play at a critical moment.
The skirmish among the light cavalry was hard to determine quickly, but the disparity between both sides became evident from the first moment of combat.
Neither Qu Chulü nor Yelv Zonghan believed that their light cavalry could prevail over the enemy.
"Signal the fire, send messages, immediately unleash the Ivan Tribe from the rear to attack, we’ll pincer the Qesem Army front and back!"
He gripped the reins, his heart continuously praying for the backup plan he had set previously to come into play at a critical moment.
The skirmish among the light cavalry was hard to determine quickly, but the disparity between both sides became evident from the first moment of combat.
Neither Qu Chulü nor Yelv Zonghan believed that their light cavalry could prevail over the enemy.
"Signal the fire, send messages, immediately unleash the Ivan Tribe from the rear to attack, we’ll pincer the Qesem Army front and back!"