Древние и чудесные искусства

Глава 13

“Understood!” Orlando said. He saw Krusen looking at him worriedly and knew what he was thinking, so he immediately returned a smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t cause any trouble!”

Krusen knew very well that Orlando always made such a promise before causing trouble.

Richard and James gathered all the Western knights in the village as the backbone of the entire offensive plan. They were all equipped with weapons soaked in the Fountain of Light to deal with the extremely difficult-to-kill Rakshasa, while Clary, Anthony, and Yu Ke were ready to support the troops' attack with their superb martial arts.

"Take back the Temple of the Emerald Buddha!" Richard shouted, raising his arms in front of the crowd.

Immediately afterwards, Orlando and Kruse set off amidst the deafening cheers of the Cavaliers.

“It will definitely succeed…” Huiren said to the Nayan beside him. The Nayan had by then converted to Buddhism and become Huiren’s disciple.

“Yes, Master,” the Nagō replied respectfully.

"Do you see? Such a small force is fighting against such powerful darkness. But the hopes of the common people are often placed on these seemingly insignificant forces. As long as we have good intentions and always believe that heaven will eventually give the righteous path a chance, then nothing is impossible," Huiren continued.

“And what became of them?” Nagyan asked, pointing to the Western knights he had never seen before.

“Fate…who can say for sure? Perhaps they will die far from home, but so what? If they fight for justice in life, what is there to regret in death?” Hui Ren clasped his hands together and silently paid tribute to the knights who faced death without fear before him. “Amitabha, if Heaven is merciful, it will surely bless them to return home and enjoy their old age in peace.”

"Amitabha..." After hearing this, the Nayan felt deeply moved and quickly put his palms together and said.

Orlando and Krusen struggled up the mountain path, which was very rugged and lined with dry thorns. The sharp thorns cut bloody wounds on their bodies from time to time. It seemed that few people had ever walked this path before.

Orlando walked along, desperately suppressing the urge to sneak off to the side of the road and hide, to scare Kruzen. He had promised Kruzen he wouldn't be naughty anymore. But to remain completely silent the whole way was truly too much for him.

If Claris were here, we could play pranks on Krusen together. This is incredibly boring.

Just then, the sound of horns drifted from the foot of the mountain. The knights must be setting off. The sound was incredibly distant and moving, truly befitting a bugle call for battle. Listening to it, Orlando felt a surge of inexhaustible energy coursing through his body.

So they climbed even harder to the top of the mountain. They had to release the Fountain of Light before the troops reached the city gates; otherwise, if the knights and the city guards clashed, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The journey went smoothly. As soon as they reached the top of the mountain, Orlando took off his necklace and looked at Krusen.

"Is it alright?" he asked uncertainly, fearing he might have made a mistake. Krusen looked down the mountain, his exceptional eyesight piercing through the clouds, and spotted the knights on the march. The knights were marching in formation through the forest. Without horses, they had abandoned their heavy armor and lances, opting instead for lighter armor and swords and shields more suitable for infantry combat. Some were even equipped with heavy two-handed swords to increase their lethality; for example, Knight Commander James wielded a two-handed greatsword taller than a man.

The procession advanced towards the ancient city, and the outline of the city gate could be seen in the distance. Yu Ke stepped to the front of the procession, hoping that the guards on the gate could see their former commander from afar. But Krusen sadly discovered that the soldiers, their minds clouded by Huizhi, had already drawn their bows and were waiting for them to come within range before firing.

“Get ready…” Krusen cautiously assessed the distance between the group and the city gate, waved his hand, and said to Orlando, “Let’s begin.”

So Orlando opened the necklace, which, though small, could hold countless springs of water, enough to bring a downpour into the ancient city.

+: The Corpse King, the Feudal King

- Mystery Tribe

Section 31, Just you wait and see...

Orlando silently chanted the incantation in his mind. Then he raised his hand and sprinkled most of the spring water in the necklace into the sky. The crystal-clear water droplets splashed in the air and immediately showed a beautiful rainbow under the reflection of the sunlight.

"Let it rain!" he shouted. The spring water that fell into the air turned into raindrops, more and more, like a torrential downpour.

Krusen also began to exert his abilities, reciting ancient incantations from the tribe in his mind, communicating with the elements that controlled the weather. Dark clouds and strong winds arrived at Krusen's summons, showering the city with rain of light.

“Just you wait and see…” Orlando said gleefully, looking at the city bathed in the heavy rain. He saw the soldiers guarding the city awaken from their nightmares, and the demons guarding the city walls began to burn in the rain. They screamed in agony, struggled, and twisted their bodies before finally turning into a pool of foul-smelling sewage.

Under Yu Ke's orders, the garrison opened the city gates, and Anthony and his knights stormed into the city. What a sight awaited them: torrential rain was washing away more than ten years of filth from the ancient city, a pungent stench filled the air, and the screams of Rakshasa were heard everywhere as they struggled to their death in the rain, their corpses instantly washed away by the downpour.

"It's raining!" People kept rushing out of the house.

But the people who ran out to celebrate the rain soon discovered its difference. The evil thoughts that had been lurking in their hearts vanished instantly under the cleansing rain, and truth and conscience were restored. Those who awakened in the rain seemed to understand the truth as if waking from a dream. They embraced each other, encouraged one another, took up arms, and joined Antony's army. And the demons formed from their evil thoughts vanished in an instant.

"Halt!" The elite palace guards rushed from the military camp outside the palace, their orders being to intercept Anthony's army at all costs.

The two armies arrayed themselves in the heavy rain. The elite guards, armed with leopard-tailed short spears and one-handed longswords, and clad in brocade armor, stared menacingly at the knights with shields and swords.

"Sheathe your swords!" Just then, Yu Ke suddenly rushed between the two sides. The palace guards were shocked to see their former commander. They had once been Yu Ke's subordinates and knew his character and abilities well. They hurriedly ordered their soldiers to sheath their swords, prostrate themselves on the ground, and obey Yu Ke's orders.

"Huizhi has spread heretical rumors, destroyed and hoarded the Jade Buddha, a national treasure, and indiscriminately killed innocent people, bringing disaster to the common folk. Today, we are here to rid the people of this scourge, reclaim the Jade Buddha Temple, and restore the prestige of our Golden Ox Kingdom! Those who wish to follow me, come with me; those who do not, you may leave now!" Yu Ke shouted loudly in front of the guards. The soldiers immediately cheered. It turned out that they had long been dissatisfied with the Grand Preceptor's tyranny and perverse actions. Encouraged by Yu Ke, they all joined Anthony and his men in attacking the Jade Buddha Temple.

Seeing that a major battle had been averted and that a new and valiant force had joined the fight, Anthony was overjoyed. He roared and led the group toward the Jade Buddha Temple.

Just then, something unexpected happened.

Suddenly, a thick, dark beam of light shot up from the direction of the palace, piercing the sky like a black sword, cutting away the dark clouds summoned by Krusen. Finally, the dark light exploded in the air, like a giant umbrella that opened up over the city, blocking not only the rain but also the sunlight, making the city suddenly dark and gloomy.

The torrential rain gradually subsided and eventually stopped completely.

"What happened?" Orlando, who had already returned to the team, asked anxiously.

"It's Huizhi!" Huiren hurriedly reminded everyone.

+: The Corpse King, the Feudal King

- Mystery Tribe

Section 32, Everyone Get Ready

"Ready, everyone!" James roared, charging at the forefront. The crowd responded with a deafening roar. As soon as the roar subsided, the first wave of Rakshasa survivors of the rain pounced from the front. The knights immediately formed a neat line, swords raised high, saluting as they charged into the enemy ranks—the knights' noble etiquette remained unchanged even when facing demons like Rakshasa.

The Rakshasa at the forefront fell like wheat under a sickle, but those behind quickly filled the gaps, engaging the knights in a chaotic melee. Anthony and Yu Ke also joined the knights' battle, and two silver-white flowers of heroism bloomed amidst the dark mass of Rakshasa.

The twin blades and longsword are integrated into one, and every step and every swing shows perfect coordination. Any Rakshasa who dares to approach will be dismembered in an instant by the deadly weapon that has been soaked in the Fountain of Light. Every blade of light that touches the ground means the complete annihilation of an evil thought.

Two blurry, dancing blades, sometimes merging into one, sometimes splitting in two, spread justice among the horde of Rakshasa like two spinning razors, reducing hordes of Rakshasa to ashes wherever they went. Soon, a huge void appeared within the Rakshasa blocking their path.

"Charge!" Krusen roared, leading his elite guards and the rest of the men through the lines of knights and Rakshasa, and into the Jade Buddha Temple. Upon seeing this, Yu Ke immediately broke free from the Rakshasa ranks, rushing to the front of the palace guards and directing them to split into two lines, protecting Hui Ren and the commoners on either side.

The temple also concealed a large number of Rakshasa soldiers, who roared and pounced. The elite guards immediately turned and joined the battle. Their long-dormant anger made them as fierce as wolves and tigers, each fighting ten against one. Their leopard-tailed spears and longswords, accompanied by thunderous roars, were swung at the Rakshasa. These weapons, now soaked in the rain of light, became so deadly that countless Rakshasa fell before them.

"Go find the Jade Buddha!" Huiren led the remaining people toward the ancient pagoda, ignoring the scattered Rakshasa harassing them along the way. For them, time was life.

Outside the temple, the vanguard knights had already dealt with the Rakshasa blocking their way. Although they had suffered losses, the superb martial arts of Anthony and Yu Ke greatly boosted their morale. The Rakshasa reappeared outside the temple, frantically trying to rush into the temple, but the valiant knights, driven by a thirst for victory, once again threw themselves into the battle, fighting fearlessly against an enemy force several times their size.

At this moment, the people who had rushed into the ancient pagoda discovered the jade Buddha that had lost its luster. Huiren had no time to think, took out a full jar of Bright Spring water, and called on everyone to soak their sleeves in the spring water and wipe the jade Buddha, which was tainted by the stench of money.

Piece by piece, the thick layer of copper and blood grime began to slowly dissolve under the wiping of the spring water.

At the foot of the tower, Krusen, Clari, and the others were locked in a fierce battle with the Rakshasa who were still swarming toward the ancient tower. Palace guards fell one after another, while the Rakshasa seemed to be increasing in number, gradually surrounding them.

Outside the temple, the knights were also embroiled in a fierce battle. The Rakshasa seemed endless, surging in from all directions. The knights held their line, refusing to retreat an inch, but as their comrades fell one after another, the gap in the line grew wider and wider.

The situation was dire; he could no longer hold on, James thought. With a desperate resolve to take everyone down with him, he roared and charged into the densest part of the Rakshasa ranks. Two-handed swords, taller than a man, whistled around him, sweeping away all the evil spirits around him. The Rakshasa fell like a tide, but then surged forward again. One Rakshasa soldier dodged his greatsword, swiftly closing in and plunging a short sword deep into the knight's shoulder. James roared, turned, and with a single hand, lifted the Rakshasa, hurling it into the horde like a stone. But then two more short swords pierced his ribs, and a third plunged straight for his chest, about to pierce the heart of this fearless warrior…

Just then, Huiren wiped away the last bit of dirt from the jade Buddha.

+: The Corpse King, the Feudal King

- Mystery Tribe

Section 33, The Fall of Faith

A dazzling golden light immediately rose from the direction of the ancient pagoda, like a fireball, and rapidly exploded in all directions. It expanded at an astonishing speed, transforming into a giant sphere of light in an instant, enveloping the entire Jade Buddha Temple.

What a dazzling golden light it was! It was like countless gleaming golden swords gliding through the air. All the Rakshasa exposed to the golden light turned to ashes before they could even scream. The valiant knights watched helplessly as their opponents turned into wisps of dust in an instant, and the short swords thrust at them fell from mid-air.

The clanging of metal disappeared completely, and everything fell silent in an instant.

People are well aware of one fact:

They won this small battle.

Chapter Seven

The casualty situation was better than expected; the knights and the palace guards lost less than 30%, and the new recruits could make up for the losses.

As a large number of Rakshasa were eliminated, more and more people regained their senses and came to the Emerald Buddha Temple from all corners of the city, thus gradually increasing the size of Anthony's army. The temple's garrison erected watchtowers near the walls to guard the surrounding area.

Now, flickering flames raged throughout the rest of the city. The ravaged Rakshasa, like ants whose nest had been disturbed, wreaked havoc everywhere. They searched for people who had regained their sanity, brutally murdering them and then setting their homes ablaze. Hundreds of flames and thick black smoke filled the entire sky.

The palace guards, comprised of experienced and well-equipped warriors, took on the heavy responsibility of defense. The knights, on the other hand, were responsible for training ordinary citizens on how to protect themselves with weapons, so that they could continue the attack should the defenses be breached.

Cavaliers captain James was seriously injured but survived. His heroic act earned him everyone's praise. Of course, the most revered among them were Anthony and Yu Ke, whose superb martial arts skills had saved countless lives. Wherever they appeared on the battlefield, it became the most inspiring place. However, these two rarely spoke to others; when they had nothing to do, they would sit on the courtyard wall, gazing into the distance, each lost in their own thoughts.

The knights gradually developed a sense of respect and affection for the former head of the palace guard, who had been condemned. Although Yu Ke remained melancholy and rarely spoke, his sincere, courageous, and noble conduct earned him the respect and admiration of the knights.

For the remainder of the day, the Rakshasa wandered throughout the city, seemingly unaware of any orders to attack, allowing supplies and personnel to continue flowing in intermittently from outside the temple. However, by evening, this was no longer possible. The Rakshasa gradually surrounded the temple, severing all communication with the outside world before sunrise.

Huiren gathered the people in the temple together, and together they moved the restored jade Buddha back to the Jade Buddha Hall. Afterwards, he sat down with the monks to chant scriptures, trying his best to restore the people's lost faith.

As night fell, people's tense nerves began to relax. Richard accompanied James to the watchtower by the courtyard wall, where they gazed together at the ancient city shrouded in darkness.

+: The Corpse King, the Feudal King

- Mystery Tribe

Section 34, Our Most Glorious Thing

“You seem to be a bit too far from home, sir,” Richard said.

“Yes. Aren’t you the same?” James replied. His injuries hadn’t fully healed; thick bandages were still wrapped under his armor.

“The Rakshasa’s encirclement isn’t too tight yet, you still have a chance to break out. This isn’t your responsibility. If you die, I will…” Richard wanted to continue, but the Knight Commander quickly waved his hand, signaling him to stop.

“I understand how you feel, but I would feel even worse if I abandoned my friends and left you in a difficult situation.”

"But……"

"Fighting alongside you is our greatest honor."

“Likewise,” Richard said emotionally, his long, strong fingers gripping the knight’s large, thick hand tightly.

Just then, a commotion near the back gate caught their attention. They immediately ran toward the source of the noise, only to find that the guards had discovered several new refugees who were preparing to enter the compound.

"Who goes there..."

“A new citizen, sir,” a soldier from the city defense force replied.

"Give them a wash with spring water," James ordered. All refugees had to undergo this check to prevent the Rakshasa from infiltrating. Another soldier brought a towel soaked in spring water, which was applied to the faces of several refugees without incident.

"Go in." The knight commander waved his hand, and the soldiers immediately let the refugees into the temple. But just as they passed Richard, he suddenly had a bad feeling. However, it was only for a moment, and then the feeling disappeared.

“There will be another attack tomorrow…” the knight commander said, staring at the distant firelight. Richard, however, seemed completely absorbed by the firelight and could only nod reluctantly.