Chapter 191 - 145: Attacking the Mountain (4)
The stronghold walls were densely packed with bandits. Rows of archers had nocked their arrows, poised and ready for battle.
One of the bandits shouted commands from the side, "Quick, prepare to meet the enemy!!"
WHOOSH... WHOOSH...
SWISH... SWISH...
A rain of arrows filled the sky.
Ordinary soldiers from the Guard Army, or even weaker Martial Artists, would be thrown into a panic and suffer considerable casualties if faced with such an attack.
But this time, the attackers were over a dozen Martial Scholars. Most of them possessed strength of seven to eight thousand jin, with a few even reaching ten thousand.
Furthermore, these Martial Scholars were clad in Iron Armor, all of exceptionally fine quality.
For the moment, the rain of arrows proved ineffective.
In just a few leaps, the men charged onto the stronghold walls and began to clash with the bandits.
A tall, thin Martial Artist led the charge.
He swung his iron fists like pincers, blasting one bandit after another into a bloody pulp.
His iron fists were like hammers. Each punch he threw shattered a bandit’s skull.
The force of his punches was ferocious. A flurry of fist-shadows flickered like roaring thunder, each blow striking so directly that the bandits had no time to dodge.
Every single punch caved in a bandit’s skull.
Though his frame was slender, his strength was boundless.
Every punch he threw sent several bandits to the ground, screaming in agony.
In just a few moves, he had cleared a large area around him.
Faced with such an onslaught, the ordinary bandits were instantly routed and began to disperse.
~~~~~~
’That’s Wang Mangzi of the Wang Family. To think he’s still fighting so desperately at his age!’
Chen Hu sighed to himself as he watched the ferocious Wang Mangzi.
This Wang Mangzi was over forty years old and a well-known figure in Shanyang Prefecture. He was a Martial Artist of exceptional Talent, though it all seemed to be in his strength. As for his personality, he was incredibly reckless.
He had attempted the Prefecture Examination many times, but always failed because his scores in the Military Strategy section were rock bottom.
After all, the man never studied; it was an accomplishment that he could even write his own name.
It was the same this time. His rank was somewhere between seventieth and eightieth, meaning he originally had no chance of passing.
But this final, additional test must have given him a glimmer of hope. ’Is that why he’s being so brazen?’
’Charging straight in like that?’
Chen Hu shook his head at the sight. He felt the man was far too reckless and would surely pay the price for it soon.
「Meanwhile.」
In another part of the forest, two other people were also discussing Wang Mangzi.
And they were saying much the same thing.
This, in turn, benefited Fang Yue, who was hiding in a large tree.
His current location was roughly two hundred zhang from Tenglong Stronghold.
From atop this giant tree, over thirty zhang tall, he could get a rough view of Tenglong Stronghold.
He naturally witnessed the spectacle of the dozen-plus Martial Scholars storming Tenglong Stronghold.
’At this rate, other Martial Scholars are bound to charge up there soon.’
Fang Yue mused.
’After all, though the bandits are numerous, the leaders whose deaths count for battle merits are not. There are only a few dozen of them.’
’Killing one of the dozen or so chieftains would be a sure-fire way to pass the Prefecture Examination.’
’Otherwise, you’d have to take the heads of several lesser chieftains just to have a chance.’
Just as Fang Yue was mulling this over, another dozen or so Martial Scholars shot out from all directions, just as he’d predicted, and charged the stronghold.
But at that very moment, a furious roar erupted from Tenglong Stronghold.
Immediately after, Fang Yue saw a dark silhouette charge onto the stronghold’s walls.
It immediately clashed with Wang Mangzi, who had been about to press his assault deeper into the stronghold.
Due to the distance, even with his powerful vision, Fang Yue couldn’t see the details clearly.
He could only make out the two trading several blows in an instant. In the space of just three or four breaths, Wang Mangzi’s entire body was sent flying backward, tumbling outside the stronghold walls.
Before his opponent could give chase, Wang Mangzi flipped to his feet and fled down the mountain.