Gather! 4

    Gather! 4

    “How many have been defeated?”

    “This is the sixth one, Great One.”

    Tubin and Tuoba Yiyi, who joined last, stepped back and watched. The two understood well why Zhang Ran was holding such an event as soon as they arrived.

    It was an implicit show of force telling them to know their place since they came late. A rough communication saying if they were dissatisfied, they should protest following the logic of power.

    “Is she really Han? She seems just like one of us. Not even Ma Chao who the Qiang follow, and with a woman’s body to boot, to be that capable.”

    As Tubin exclaimed in admiration, Tuoba Yiyi chimed in appropriately.

    Though pretending to be calm, in truth Tuoba Yiyi’s surprise was several times greater than Tubin’s.

    ‘Can a person really be like that…’

    Zhang Ran fought the challengers in whatever way they wished.

    If they wanted mounted combat, she got on a horse; if they wanted to fight on the ground, she dismounted; she didn’t even hesitate to face them in unarmed combat.

    With swift movements, she would whirl around and in the blink of an eye, limbs would be subdued, a martial art that brilliantly targeted joint areas considered vital points.

    Even Tuoba Yiyi, who prided himself on not being inferior in unarmed combat anywhere, was full of movements he had never seen before.

    “Oh! Even the horse is divine!”

    Another exclamation burst from Tubin’s mouth.

    When Tuoba Yiyi quickly gathered his wits and looked ahead, he saw the challenger’s horse sprawled on the ground while the horse Zhang Ran rode was lifting its front legs as if showing off its strength.

    It seemed the horses had collided and one was knocked down. Like master, like horse. Unlike its beautiful appearance, its strength was on an unbelievable level.

    “Are there no more challengers!”

    The sight of the woman letting out a majestic shout atop the brilliantly platinum-colored horse was like seeing a heavenly general descending to earth.

    Perhaps that’s why. Unconsciously, those words flowed from Tuoba Yiyi’s lips.

    “A heavenly maiden…”

    A woman descended from heaven.

    The term wasn’t particularly special. In fact, Zhang Ran was once called by the nickname “Little Heavenly Maiden,” likening her to the Nine Heavens Fairy Maiden.

    Even now, as time passed, stories of the Little Heavenly Maiden were still circulating in some parts of Jingzhou that had passed from Liu Bei to Sun Quan.

    However, for Tuoba Yiyi, the title “heavenly maiden” was a word with special meaning.

    ‘Yiyi, you are the offspring of a heavenly maiden. Don’t forget that you were born with special energy.’

    When making the second son Tuoba Yiyi his successor instead of his brother Tuoba Pigo, their father had said so.

    And until his dying moment, Tuoba Yilu entrusted his position to Tuoba Yiyi. He chose Tuoba Yiyi, who had no particular maternal clan power.

    Conversely, Tuoba Pigo, who had quite a large maternal clan, changed his name to Tuoba Pigo and left with his followers and maternal clan to found the Tuoba clan.

    At first, Tuoba Yiyi also believed he had special power. Because he was born with the blood of a heavenly maiden.

    So to prove his father’s choice was right, and to steady the tribe shaken by Tuoba Pigo’s independence, he waged war against Budugen, the Western Great Man.

    The result was defeat. It wasn’t a crushing defeat, but it was clear that if things continued this way, the safety of the tribe couldn’t be guaranteed.

    Finally, Tuoba Yiyi swallowed his frustration and sought refuge with Tubin, the great man of the Murong clan.

    Shattered confidence, blurred self-esteem. To Tuoba Yiyi, who even doubted whether heavenly maidens really existed in the midst of that, the appearance Zhang Ran showed swept away such worries.

    How could that woman not be a heavenly maiden?

    There’s no way a woman on earth could have such a delicate body yet consecutively defeat battle-hardened warriors.

    ‘Is this what the Central Plains people call the Mandate of Heaven?’

    The Yellow Emperor, god of the Central Plains, learned military strategy from the Nine Heavens Fairy Maiden and gained the world.

    The Nine Heavens Fairy Maiden, at the pinnacle of heavenly maidens, was also the peak of martial arts, versed in military strategy, tactics, and combat skills.

    Born from a heavenly maiden, learning from a heavenly maiden.

    How could that not be the Mandate of Heaven?

    After being defeated for underestimating Budugen, who had fallen to being a puppet of the Central Plains, Tuoba Yiyi studied the Central Plains.

    Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without danger.

    Tuoba Yiyi fought without knowing himself, let alone knowing the enemy, so defeat was inevitable.

    But what if he realized himself from a heavenly maiden and learned about the Central Plains? What if he completed knowing the enemy and himself?

    ‘Very well. I’ll gladly place myself under you. But before that. I’ll test you one last time.’

    Even in the midst of excitement, Tuoba Yiyi didn’t forget his status as a guest.

    Maintaining calm in any situation and making rational judgments. That was Tuoba Yiyi’s greatest strength.

    “Great One, I’d like to step forward.”

    “Oh… You yourself, Tuoba Yiyi?”

    “Yes. I hear she’s a female general famous even in the Central Plains, but shouldn’t we confirm if she’s suitable for our tribe to accept as an ally?”

    This was welcome news to Tubin, who was uncomfortable with just submitting under Zhang Ran without doing anything, and also reluctant to send a Murong warrior and be humiliated.

    If he wins, all the better, and even if he loses, it’s the defeat of Tuoba Yiyi as a guest, so there’s no great worry of embarrassment.

    There’s no loss, but potential gain, so what could be better?

    Tubin brightened and patted Tuoba Yiyi’s shoulder.

    “As expected! My eye for people wasn’t wrong. Go on. Show them the potential of our Xianbei!”

    Having received Tubin’s permission, Tuoba Yiyi rode towards the dueling ground where Zhang Ran stood alone, with no challenger appearing yet.

    Parting the crowd and standing before Zhang Ran, Tuoba Yiyi. Attention focused on the appearance of a new challenger.

    “I am Tuoba Yiyi, leader of the Tuoba clan! I challenge you!”

    §

    ‘So he’s come out.’

    How valuable he must be, Tuoba Yiyi only came out as the 7th challenger.

    There seemed to be quite an age difference with his brother, Tuoba Pigo. Unlike his brother who was close to 50, Tuoba Yiyi looked to be in his early 30s.

    But something was strange. Unlike previous challengers who showed strong competitive spirit to defeat me, Tuoba Yiyi didn’t show such desire for victory.

    Rather, it felt like facing a disciple requesting a duel to seek learning from me.

    It’s not like he felt the difference in strength from seeing me consecutively defeat challengers. There must be some reason, but I couldn’t quite guess what it was.

    ‘I’ll think about it after winning first.’

    I don’t know what thoughts Tuoba Yiyi had in coming here, or why he had such thoughts. But it’s a clear fact that he came out as my opponent.

    “Decide how we’ll fight.”

    “Until now the challenger has decided, so I’ll follow your choice.”

    Is it an expression of confidence? Tuoba Yiyi was coming on quite boldly.

    I was already starting to feel the ebb and flow of strength. Not knowing how many more I could face, it would be nice to go easy.

    However, I couldn’t ignore the gazes around me to simply accept the proposal and suggest fighting dismounted in a way advantageous to me just to conserve energy.

    After defeating six challengers, those who would rush in out of desire for fame seemed mostly discouraged, and those remaining were representatives of quite powerful tribes like Tuoba Yiyi.

    If I showed weakness in this situation, those who had lost fighting spirit might charge in again. Even in the latter case, after defeating Tuoba Yiyi, there would be at most one or two left.

    “Let’s do mounted combat.”

    So here it’s right to go with the method they’re most confident in.

    Though nomadic peoples are several times better than Han people when it comes to horsemanship, with a fine horse like Jinjing Huang, even that difference can be easily overcome.

    “Very well! They say you’re the greatest female general of the Central Plains, indeed how gallant!”

    Unlike other Xianbei, Tuoba Yiyi used a spear closer to the Central Plains style.

    With no separate referee, we accepted the end of our conversation as an implicit signal to start, and charged towards each other.

    Clang!!

    The sound of hooves covering the clear metallic sound of spears clashing.

    After exchanging one bout and crossing each other, I and Tuoba Yiyi immediately turned our horses’ heads and rushed at each other again.

    Amidst lengthening shadows, brilliant spear shadows rippled chaotically across the earth.

    Befitting a hero who would later, along with Tuoba Gui, bring various ethnic minorities including the Xianbei under his command, Tuoba Yiyi’s strength surpassed the realm of ordinary people.

    The unity of horse and rider in attack and defense typical of nomads accustomed to mounted combat. If I had been riding an ordinary horse, I might have been in trouble from Tuoba Yiyi’s attacks targeting my horse.

    However, Jinjing Huang quickly avoided the attack even before I pulled the reins. Moreover, as if reading my mind, it moved to exquisite positions, smoothly connecting the flow of attacks.

    Rather than simply a fine horse, the expression “spirit beast” was more fitting.

    With Jinjing Huang’s help, it didn’t take long before I knocked Tuoba Yiyi’s spear to the ground. Tuoba Yiyi’s eyes vacantly swept his empty hand that had lost the spear.

    “The match is decided.”

    I said, with my back to the sunset drawn by the sun disappearing as if sliding down a mountain ridge.

    Tuoba Yiyi silently nodded. He seemed lost in deep thought.

    Leaving Tuoba Yiyi silent as if he had some realization, I looked around once.

    I wondered if there were any more challengers, but everyone was busy avoiding my gaze.

    Just then, dusk began to settle.

    Amidst everyone’s silence, only I opened my mouth.

    “The challenge ritual is over. As promised, I command you.”

    Receiving sincere gazes I hadn’t seen before, I said to them.

    “Everyone prepare to leave. It’s war.”

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