xymnovel Chapter 113 What, you want to merge with the fire?
Chapter 113 What, you want to merge with the fire?
Then the eight burly men below the stage simultaneously raised their horns, puffed out their cheeks, and blew them out.
"Waaaaah—waaaah—"
The deep sound of horns echoed across the riverbank, desolate yet solemn.
The followers under Que Xuan immediately fell silent, countless eyes fixed on the figure on the high platform, some even kneeling in worship. It was unclear whether this was a spontaneous act or pre-arranged.
As the horn fell silent, Que Xuan slowly withdrew his arm and took a bronze sword from his attendant. The sword was covered with strange runes.
He raised his sword and began to dance on the stage.
He would sometimes point to the sky, sometimes trace patterns on the ground, his steps moving in a seemingly predictable rhythm. The bronze sword occasionally reflected a blinding light in the sunlight, and combined with the incantations he chanted, it certainly had a certain intimidating quality.
Li Sheng stood below the stage, watching without saying a word.
His eyes never left Que Xuan's movements.
He could indeed discern some skill in those sword dances and martial arts routines. Que Xuan, at least in the area of feigning supernatural abilities, had certainly put in the effort.
Every movement was fluid and natural, without the slightest hesitation, clearly indicating that it had been practiced repeatedly.
As for the incantations, Li Sheng couldn't hear them clearly or understand them, but he could roughly guess that they were nothing more than superstitious nonsense.
Although Que Xuan looked young, his practiced manner clearly indicated that he was an "old charlatan."
Li Sheng noticed that some of the soldiers behind him had started to stare blankly.
The believers of Que Xuan were in an even worse state, kneeling on the ground and repeatedly shouting "Heavenly messenger!"
Li Sheng made no move; he simply watched quietly.
He knew that all of this was unstoppable.
Humans are such creatures, easily influenced by their environment. Religious rituals and sacrificial ceremonies evolved specifically to address this. Only an extraordinary will can resist such environmental erosion.
A moment later, Que Xuan's "sacrifice" finally came to an end.
He walked slowly down from the high platform, followed by four attendants carrying incense burners, and eight trumpeters clearing the way, making quite a grand entrance.
Li Sheng also stepped forward.
The two sides met in the open space between the altar and the camp.
Que Xuan still had a trace of divine compassion on his face, as if he had not yet detached himself from the scene he had just been acting out.
Before the two leaders could speak, one of the leaders behind Que Xuan stepped forward and shouted sharply.
"How dare you! Now that you've met a messenger of the gods, why don't you bow?"
Que Xuan did not stop him, his face still bearing that affected expression.
Li Sheng completely ignored the clown who jumped out and just stared into Que Xuan's eyes.
Instead, one of his personal guards stepped forward, his voice louder than the leader's, as if he were furious.
"Insolence! My general's soul once left his body and returned to the heavens, sitting at the same table as the gods! Even when the gods themselves came, they did not require my general to bow down, let alone a mere messenger!"
The leader choked for a moment, his face turning red.
"you--"
"What? Do you want a fight?!"
The guard showed no fear, placing one hand on the hilt of his sword, his gaze sharp as a knife.
Upon seeing this, the leaders on the other side also gripped their weapons.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
All the followers under Que Xuan's command turned their eyes in this direction. The hundred elite soldiers following behind Li Sheng also silently gripped their sword hilts, waiting for Li Sheng's order.
The atmosphere instantly became tense and hostile.
Li Sheng stood at the front, calmly looking at Que Xuan with unwavering gaze.
Que Xuan was also looking at him.
The two stared at each other for several breaths.
Que Xuan's pupils contracted slightly.
This young man... is different.
Since he began preaching in Xiapi, some have trembled in his presence, some have wept bitterly before him, and others have tried their best to hide their fear. But Li Sheng is the first person who remained unmoved even after he had just completed the entire sacrificial ceremony and the atmosphere was at its most intense.
Most importantly, none of Li Sheng's personal guards, though only a hundred in number, retreated even a single step.
Que Xuan quickly made a judgment.
His reserved smile reappeared on his face, and he raised one hand, waving it with feigned magnanimity.
"Alright, alright, we're all brothers, why ruin the harmony?"
The leader immediately stepped aside, like a dog being scolded by its master.
Que Xuan turned to Li Sheng with a beaming smile.
"General Li, my men are ignorant of etiquette, please forgive them. We are gathered here today to discuss important matters, to overthrow the tyrannical Han and establish a peaceful world. These minor details need not be taken seriously."
He spoke so naturally and fluently, as if he were the master of the place, the one in control of everything.
Li Sheng glanced at him and nodded slightly.
"I hope that's really what the messenger thinks."
Que Xuan was met with a rebuff, so he could only maintain his smile and gesture "please" with his hand. The two walked side by side toward the temporary tent that had been prepared in advance.
After taking their seats, Que Xuan spoke first.
"General Li, I have heard that you captured three counties in succession in Xiapi, which has made you a formidable force in Xuzhou. I truly admire you."
He paused, then changed the subject.
"To be frank, General, since I received this divine mandate, I have amassed tens of thousands of followers. I have conquered cities and territories with unparalleled success. All the counties in the south of the country were taken by my own hand. Those powerful and influential families who usually act arrogantly and domineeringly, don't they surrender at the mere sight of me?"
He said this with an undisguised air of boasting.
Li Sheng listened attentively, nodding occasionally, and spoke slowly and deliberately.
"The messenger's methods are excellent. Moreover, what I witnessed during the sacrificial ceremony just now has impressed me greatly."
Que Xuan noticed the indifference in Li Sheng's tone but didn't pay it any mind. He thought Li Sheng was subtly admitting defeat, which made him even more smug.
"And what about the general?"
He leaned forward, his eyes filled with curiosity.
"I've heard that General, you've only been in rebellion for two months, yet you've already gathered several thousand men and captured three counties in succession. You must have some extraordinary abilities, right?"
Li Sheng looked into Que Xuan's eyes, his voice calm.
"I fear the messenger may laugh at me, but I am merely a martial artist, devoid of any skill. I have come into this world with only one purpose: to bring peace to my fellow villagers. If anyone stands in my way, I will not play any tricks on them; I will simply crush them."
There was a moment of silence in the tent.
Que Xuan's smile froze.
Crushing them all?
That's a really rude way to put it.
He sneered inwardly.
He's really a brute; he can't do anything but fight.
"I see."
Que Xuan smiled again, his tone now carrying a hint of disdain.
"Then the general must be exceptionally skilled in martial arts?"
This time, it wasn't Li Sheng who answered, but the guard standing behind him.
"My general could easily take the head of an enemy general amidst a sea of soldiers!"
His voice was firm and resounding, full of pride.
Que Xuan's expression changed slightly.