Chapter 24
The Guifang Queen
Since the battle between both sides began, it was the first time the Guifang soldiers were forced to retreat during a direct confrontation.
While that was happening with Guifang, Shang Dynasty was experiencing an unprecedented rush of morale. The soldiers roared, as if letting off steam. They had finally done justice to make up for their past failures.
On the city walls, Deng Jue had forgotten about his fatigue as he rushed to the top of the walls and grabbed hold of the drumsticks, drumming with ferocity.
At that moment, the thunderous drumming moved the heavens and the horns blared with overwhelming excitement!
…
Xia Ji gripped his dark halberd tightly and rushed forward. He was not bothered by the retreating Guifang soldiers that were left in his dust. He was focused on chasing the group of Frost Giants.
The Frost Giants fled in a stampede that shook heaven and earth. They were breathless and realized that their spiked clubs would only serve to slow them down. So, they threw their weapons away and started running with wild speed while hugging their heads.
A strange ebb and flow pattern started to emerge on the battlefield.
The Frost Giants ran the fastest at the front.
Behind them, the Shang Dynasty’s Seventh Imperial Prince chased after them with a speed to match.
Further behind the back of the Seventh Imperial Prince were the retreating Guifang soldiers, exotic tribes, and bandits.
Right behind them were the Red Leopard Camp and the swordsmen from the martial arts world of the Imperial Capital…
The two parties at the forefront ran faster than the rest and it was not long before those behind had completely lost sight of them.
Deng Gongjiu looked worried as he said, “Oh no, His Highness has gone all the way to the front.”
Despite the pang of worry, all he felt right now was passion burning in his bloodstream for having the privilege of being a follower of such an invincible Imperial Prince. Besides that, with his understanding of Guifang, they did not seem like a tribe who would set up traps. The ambush at Wolf Restraining Pass was an exception, an arrangement specifically planned out by the King of Guifang.
It would be wiser to be worried about his own predicament first.
Deng Jiugong got rid of unnecessary thoughts from his mind and grabbed tight onto his Green Dragon Sword as he focused on engaging the enemy bandits.
…
They were now far away from where the battlefield was.
The Frost Giants bolted at inhuman speeds.
They ran and stole glances back at the same time, spotting the black-armored monster still hot on their tails under the moonlight. They all gave out pitiful wails. As the top warrior, Luo Luo ran much faster than the others, kicking dust behind him.
However, it did not matter how fast they ran. Xia Ji was already right there, not too far and not too close, persistently chasing after them.
The Frost Giants realized they could not get rid of this most powerful black armored shorty and started to take an ‘unusual route’.
They began to climb the mountains.
The giants had a physical advantage when climbing mountains. Their fingers had powerful strength that could easily dig into the rocks. Besides that, ice and frost could cling steadfastly to the sides, which enabled the giants to tramp over mountains and cross ravines.
Xia Ji stood on a cliff and watched as the giants started to make the climb. He did not fall behind as his hands activated the Eighteen Levels of Hell Suppression Energy, which allowed him to go through mountains and cut through rocks. He was as agile as an ape as he pursued his quarry closely.
The Frost Giants passed over a cliff and continued running as they turned back to look.
All they saw was a clear figure in black armor tailing them like Death himself amidst the pure white snow. The Frost Giants let out another collective pitiful wail. Some had even turned their heads around and started roaring in rage for no apparent reason. However, they never stopped running despite the continuous roaring.
They continued running.
He continued chasing.
Just like that, the pursuit lasted for half the day.
They ran from midnight to dawn and continued from dawn to noon.
Xia Ji had the help of the inner vitality of the Nine Suns, which supplied unlimited recovery for him. Running did not exhaust too much of his energy. In fact, he was gradually recuperating from the fatigue he felt from the previous close-quarters combat.
…
Finally, the Frost Giants ran into a valley, which was covered in thick ice and snow.
Xia Ji followed immediately and observed his surroundings carefully. Suddenly, his gaze caught onto something. From afar, he saw numerous mystic blue beings sporting huge bellies. There were quite a lot of them.
“Is this… where the Frost Giants set up camp? Three thousand Frost Giants are all here?”
He gave his right hand a shake and pointed the dark halberd in a slant fashion toward the snow in front of him. He stood his ground on the outskirts of the giants’ campsite.
As for the Frost Giants who ran all the way, they were finally back at their camp.
Their arrival had woken up the giants who were sleeping and every one of them with the huge belly stood up. Close to three thousand pairs of eyes shot unfriendly stares at the black armored shorty who had followed the others so casually into the valley.
However, Luo Luo and the other Frost Giants who had escaped back to camp quickly started conversing with the others.
They communicated with unknown words.
Close to three thousand pairs of giant eyes started to reveal fear. Their limited brain capacities finally understood one thing—he was no ordinary black armored shorty. He was the most powerful black armored shorty.
With that, the giants stood up one after the other as they held their huge clubs in front of them as a form of protection. They roared at Xia Ji from afar.
Oddly, Xia Ji managed to translate what they had meant.
“Oh, damn it, don’t come over here!”
“Don’t you come over!”
“Hey, we’re talking to you. Don’t come here. I swear, if you take another step forward, I will beat you up, I swear!!”
Xia Ji took a step forward.
One of the Frost Giants suddenly gave an angry roar as he circulated his strength to throw a giant rock at that black armored monster from afar.
Xia Ji caught the rock easily and threw it back with added violence.
Boom!!
The giant rock crashed to the ground.
The earth trembled.
Three thousand pairs of eyes stared at the giant rock. The giants pondered the power needed to do this and a more pronounced fear filled each of their faces as they eventually retreated even more.
Xia Ji found this funny.
These Frost Giants truly had a naïve and simple brain. It had never crossed their minds that if they had tried to chase him away as a group, he would most certainly have to make a run for it.
Instead, the extent of these giants’ thoughts was ‘if our strongest warrior could not defeat him, then I stand no chance against him’, or to put it in another way, these huge blocks of ice only knew to utilize their savage strength and the blood flowing within them. They were not well-versed in battle, much less being proficient with martial arts. They were also scared of death and occupied a rather extreme spectrum of bullies who only knew how to fear the strong and trod on the weak.
Xia Ji had no idea whether to cry or laugh over this.
He moved forward a few more steps but decided to stop. He would still be able to handle a couple of dozen Frost Giants, but there were three thousand giants here.
Besides that, he did not come all the way here to engage in a slaughterfest with the giants.
He had never killed a giant before this, not because the giant’s ice and frost blood froze their wounds too quickly, but rather, he had other thoughts deep down in his mind.
“Hopefully, I’m able to wait for it.”
Xia Ji stopped in his tracks and started to wait patiently.
Far away from him, three thousand Frost Giants began to get into a sudden argument. Luo Luo hugged his head and gave a roar that was difficult to decipher.
Xia Ji really wanted to know what they were saying, but he could not communicate in their language. The only thing he sensed was the violent rage from the tallest, biggest Frost Giant’s roar, which seemed to also insinuate that this giant was also a tyrant at home.
Before long…
Someone a size smaller than the rest was pushed out by the giants.
It was a ‘small-sized person’ who was only 1.8 meters tall. The person had silver hair and blue eyes, with snow-white skin as fair as ice and frost, and had an exotic air about their person.
The girl’s mystic blue eyes stared at Xia Ji. Surprisingly, she spoke the language of the Central Plain fluently.
“I’m the Master of Guifang and the daughter of the Frost Giants’ top warrior Luo Luo. My name is Tu Luo.”
Xia Ji gave a sigh of relief as he smiled.
His wait was over…
This was the person he was looking for.
She was also the reason he came here with an inkling of hope.
His thoughts were simple: If Guifang was able to receive the services of three thousand Frost Giants, there must have been a ‘middleman’.
This Master of Guifang was obviously the ‘middleman’.
She was a child of mixed heritage who had the blood of the Frost Giants flowing in her. As for how she was born, there was no need to get into details.
The thoughts flashed across his mind before Xia Ji called out loudly, “I am the Seventh Imperial Prince of the Shang Dynasty, Xia Ji.”
Tu Luo was taken aback. She clearly did not expect that ‘this monster who is absolutely not one of those common shorties’ emphasized continuously by the Frost Giants would be someone of such lofty status.
So, the Guifang Queen replied plainly, “You are very powerful. Father and my two uncles tell me you’re a monster.”
“We, Guifang, and the Frost Giants have always shown respect to true warriors.”
“Since the Imperial City has you, we will not attack the Imperial City.”
“From this day onward, we will avoid any place you are present.”
“If you stand guard at the Wolf Restraining Pass, we shall not siege the borders.”
Xia Ji suddenly said, “What if I tell you this is not the reason why I’m here?”
Her expression curious, Tu Luo asked, “Then what do you seek here?”
Xia Ji, “For an alliance.”
Tu Luo asked again with curiosity, “Are you looking to forge an alliance with us to go after Tujue and Quanrong? From what I gather, your side has a political marriage with Tujue.”
Xia Jie replied, “No. I’m asking for a personal alliance with all of you.”
Tu Luo suddenly understood what this was about. “So, that is why you’ve only wounded Father and my uncles, but did not kill any of the Frost Giants?”
Xia Jie smiled. He did not deny it. From the very beginning, his aim was never to guard the Imperial City, nor was it to slaughter all of Guifang and the Frost Giants. What he wanted was to increase his power and control, and to have a hidden card up his sleeve which he could play.
Tu Luo said, “I’ll need to discuss this with my father and uncles.”
With that, she turned to speak to the other giants in roars.
The three Frost Giants who were ten meters tall conversed as they turned their heads toward Xia Ji’s direction.
Soon…
Tu Luo walked out and said, “My father and uncles said that they are willing to form a friendship with a true powerhouse. However, what exactly do you want us to do for you?”
Xia Ji smiled and said, “I just want to be friends.”
“Friends?”
“I just need help extended to me whenever you can when I need it.
“Right now, the entire Shang Dynasty treats all of you as the enemy. If the Shang Dynasty and Tujue get on good terms, they would surround and attack you come spring and summer. You have Tujue on your West, Luosha at the North, and Quanrong in the South. Would Quanrong and Luosha offer to aid you?
“The Frost Giants may be powerful, but you are influenced greatly by the seasons. If the records on the ancient books are accurate, Frost Giants need to retreat into your underground ice cellars during the peak of summer, or make an early journey to the Northern mountain and rivers to hibernate during summer to bypass the hottest time of the year.
“When that moment arrives, it will spell the end of you.”
Tu Luo gave this some consideration and replied, “You’re completely right.”
Xia Ji said, “However, I can help you, and right now, I need your help in return. At least till before springtime.”
Tu Luo said, “Can the Seventh Imperial Prince provide more details?”
Xia Ji said, “Why not?”
Tu Luo displayed quite the courage as well as superior insight as she walked directly toward Xia Ji. Some of the giants wanted to follow her, but she raised her hand to inform them it was unnecessary.
On the other side, Xia Ji was also walking toward her calmly. They looked at each other and later sat slowly down at the center where a table formed naturally of stone was situated.
Xia Ji laughed as he said, “Your Highness, just see for yourself. Our initial trust for each other can be formed just like that, isn’t that right?”
Tu Luo laughed as well, “In that case, Seventh Imperial Prince, why don’t we chat openly and honestly about how we should become friends?”