The onslaught of the terrifying inferno threatened to char Zeng Lu into cinders, but Abbot Palkyi stepped in just then.
âAmithabha!â
A golden light shrouded Zeng Lu.
Despite the inferno tearing and biting at the golden light, it failed to claim Zeng Luâs life. The latter was able to escape with some injuries.
Cough cough!
Watching as Zeng Luâs nephews supported him back into the crowd, Asudo couldnât help but feel a tinge of regret.
It would have been great if I brought down that fellow with my earlier attack. That would have eroded at least half of the rebelsâ morale, making it much easier to deal with them. What a pity.
But Asudo didnât let his thoughts show on his face. He remained composed as if his earlier attack was just a casual swat at a noisy fly.
It would be best if he killed Zeng Lu, but failure wasnât a problem either.
âWuu!â
Abbot Palkyi wiped off the blood seeping from the corner of his lips. His continuous casting of spells had taken a toll on him.
Asudo took that into sight.
That mage is formidable. He isnât at my level yet, but itâll take me some effort to bring him down. I shouldnât make a move anymore. Itâll ruin my image as an unfathomable expert if I fail to take him down quickly.
For the time being, I should focus on the psychological attacks.
âTsk, Tang slaves.â Asudo smirked. âLook at your faces. It has been so many years, but youâre still dreaming?â
His words were dripping with contempt.
âYouâre still hoping that your army will return? What a joke. They would have come a long time ago if they could. Give up! Stop daydreaming. You have been abandoned! No one is coming to save you! You are destined to spend your lives as a bunch of slaves!â
As Asudo said those words, unbeknownst to anyone, the beholder hiding in his neck quietly cast Mind Control.
Zeng Luâs sword-wielding hand trembled, his heart swelling with bitterness. How could he not know that?
They could tell as much from Great Tangâs many years of silence that the Tang army wasnât coming. Their efforts were futile.
Good.
Asudoâs eyes gleamed. His spell was working well. If he pushed a bit further, he might just be able to crush their morale and convince them to surrender.
Of course, there was no way he would show mercy to them after they surrendered, especially not when there were a bunch of monsters lurking outside. He couldnât let anything shake Shuleâs inner stability at this juncture, or else it might prove to be fatal.
âHah!â Abbot Palkyi had no idea why the rebel armyâs morale was plummeting, but he could guess as much that it was Asudoâs doing. He quickly interjected with a shout to salvage the situation. âYou tyrants are not one to speak. How much injustice has the other races living under your rule suffered over the yearsâŠâ
But there was no way Asudo would let Abbot Palkyi finish his piece. âArenât you Abbot Palkyi? You are awfully unenlightened for a scholar of our empire. Shouldnât you know that everything is already decided by fate?â
He pointed at the rebel army and scoffed, âYouâre suffering in this life because of the sins you have committed in your previous life. If you accrue good karma, youâll enjoy abundance in your next life. If you continue brandishing your weapons to willfully take the lives of others, youâll only end up suffering eternally in hell.â
Huuuuuu!
A powerful gale suddenly enveloped Shule, raising sands and sediments that made it difficult to open oneâs eyes. Something weird was drifting along with the roaring windâŠ
âBlack lotuses?!â
Someone recognized the flower petals.
That jolted the hearts of the rebel army.
âHAHAHAHA!â Asudo was overjoyed.
Even heaven is helping me! The sight of black lotuses at this juncture is bound to crush the rebel armyâs morale!
âDo you see that, Abbot Palkyi?â Asudo laughed as he channeled Mind Control via his beholder once more. âEven Buddha acknowledges my words. He has sent these black lotuses down to guide you, so that you can tell right from wrong. Turn back right now, or else you are courting your own doom!â
The samaneras panicked. They nervously stared at Abbot Palkyi, hoping that he could explain this phenomenon.
However, even Abbot Palkyi was shaken as well.
Could this mage be right? Could these black lotus petals be Buddhaâs revelation, telling us not to resist the Tibetans? Why else would black lotuses symbolizing death suddenly appear right now?
Itâs working!
Asudo could tell that Abbot Palkyi was wavering. The latter was crumbling under his psychological pressure. As long as one person put down his weapon right now, the others would blindly follow him.
He could almost hear the clanging sounds as the rebels dropped their weapons to the ground. Those crisp sounds would be a euphonious melody to the earsâŠ
KABOOM!
Deafening explosions that sounded like an avalanche suddenly shook the city.
Whatâs going on?!
Asudo and the others instinctively looked in the direction where the sound had come from.
Wait! That direction⊠the east gate?!
A crimson fireball reminiscent of the brilliant sun rose up the night sky before abruptly exploding. The blinding light that was released as a result dyed the night into day.
At the same time, something could be spotted flying in the air. They were neither rocks nor sand, but countless white bones. There were so many bones that they swiftly drowned Shuleâs city walls.
But that still wasnât the most striking thing of all.
What shocked the crowd the most was a single cavalryman using the flying white bones as stepping stones to leap onto the city wall.
Bam! frŃeweÉηovel.coɱ
Shu Yichao landed on the city wall and began his massacre.
His modao sliced all the Tibetans within its reach, causing their bodies to spurt bloody mists. Those almost looked like ominous roses blossoming beneath the night sky.
It only took moments for Shu Yichao to purge the east gateâs city wall. He proceeded to plant a dark red flag on the city wall, which fluttered to the night wind.
After decades, the imposing Tang flag had finally returned to Shule.
Following that, a thunderous roar echoed, âFighting against adversity, infallible like a mountain. I, Shu Yichao, have come to claim this city! Barbarians, open your eyes wide and look closely. Your Grandpa Tang is here!â