Volume One: The Hidden Dragon in the Abyss Chapter 28: Trump Card

The Yu Kingdom has many who surpass him, but all are renowned grandmasters and are reluctant to step forward. How pitiable, the talented youths of Yu, that today they must rely on the Crown Prince of Jin to uphold their honor.

The Lord of Yu seemed unconcerned, recalling the rumors circulating in the streets; perhaps there truly was some secret understanding between him and our princess. Xu Wei's gaze toward him had also changed.

They had already witnessed Wang Chuan’s brilliance, but what of his martial prowess? It was said he had been enlightened by a sage and entered the Way in a single stroke. Now they could see for themselves just how formidable he truly was, and whether the tales were real. Many were curious.

"A person of such intelligence and insight as His Highness Wang Chuan must cultivate faster than ordinary men, and grasp the true essence of martial arts. That is the mark of genius," praised one minister.

"But I’ve heard Wang Chuan is arrogant, ruthless, and vengeful," a young noble lazily remarked. "The barbarian met today is equally brazen; let’s see who truly has the strength to be boastful!"

…

Seeing the Young Tiger King show off in the distance, a wave of suppressed exclamations arose. As fellow humans, they were furious at the barbarians’ provocation and wished Wang Chuan would teach him a harsh lesson. Yet, each has their strengths and weaknesses, and these barbarians excel in brute force.

Such disparity made the contest seem devoid of suspense. Even so, Wang Chuan’s willingness to accept the challenge without hesitation earned him admiration for his courage.

If the barbarians failed to restrain themselves, their overwhelming power could maim or kill—it was no game. The grandmasters present would intervene if necessary; after all, he was a crown prince, and the Lord of Yu could not risk Jin’s wrath.

Wang Chuan stood arrayed in brocade, combining scholarly elegance with heroic spirit. Yet, everyone still lingered in the atmosphere of his astounding poem; they regarded him as a man of talent.

He walked slowly toward the Young Tiger King, all eyes fixed upon them. Xu Wei slipped out of attention, sitting upright once more, gazing expectantly at Wang Chuan, a proud smile blossoming on her face.

Then Wang Chuan raised his long halberd and proclaimed loudly, "I fight for the Princess of Yu!"

An uproar swept the field. Eyes turned to Xu Wei; she blushed, lowering her head shyly, as everyone watched her, then glanced at Wang Chuan, their gazes shifting between the two.

At last, they stood only ten steps apart.

The Young Tiger King roared, brandishing his heavy axe and charging at Wang Chuan. The immense force left a streak of air like a shining ribbon.

Wang Chuan swung his halberd, intercepting the attack ahead of time, thrusting upward at an angle.

With exquisite precision, Wang Chuan dissolved the overwhelming blow layer by layer, effortlessly meeting it and seizing the initiative.

Everyone present was full of admiration.

Wang Chuan’s strike was clever, executed with ease, like a nimble antelope, or a skilled butcher dissecting an ox.

It was the Young Tiger King’s fault for focusing too much on brute strength; his martial skills lacked refinement, and he was helpless before a true expert.

"Lock!" the Young Tiger King shouted, swinging his axe as long winds swept up, dust flying from all directions.

Xu Wei became inexplicably nervous, clutching the Empress’s arm. "Mother, will he win? He will, won’t he?"

"Yes, don’t worry, Wei’er," the Empress comforted her.

Xu Wei recalled Wang Chuan’s feats; he was powerful. Surely he could defeat this Young Tiger King. It would be fine.

On the field, vital energy gathered and merged, sealing Wang Chuan from all sides.

He had fought in the army before; on the open plains, this move was his pride, capable of defying thousands.

Even the air seemed sucked away, creating an oppressive atmosphere.

Waves of force pressed down layer upon layer; from afar, dust seemed to soar skyward.

The heavy axe descended on Wang Chuan with the might of splitting heaven and earth.

Wang Chuan thrust out his halberd, surging true energy from within, unleashing it through the weapon.

The area around him abruptly shattered.

Heaven and earth’s energy scattered like countless falling petals.

The domain fractured, energy raged, wind and waves were suppressed.

It was a moment of extreme peril, as if a perfect water barrel had suddenly been riddled with holes, and water poured out in all directions.

The Young Tiger King was shaken as energy collapsed around him, stunned by the backlash.

With a single blow, Wang Chuan reversed the situation.

Below him, the ground suddenly collapsed into a bottomless pit that expanded rapidly, swallowing all energy.

The Young Tiger King had no time to react before the torrent of energy surged forth, binding him instantly.

Spectators stared in utter shock, faces and postures frozen at the unbelievable scene.

Wang Chuan strode forward, halberd in hand.

A mighty wave of force erupted beneath his feet, surging forth, and sand and earth compressed by power shot skyward.

The halberd, like a beast, like a dragon, leaped forward and struck the Young Tiger King.

Dust and sand billowed, stones flew, as if the end of days had arrived.

Many in the crowd were still confused, unable to recover their senses.

Wang Chuan unleashed a world-shaking blow, completely shattering their previous impression of him.

"The power he just displayed has reached the grandmaster level," the Lord of Yu explained to the Empress and her daughter.

They watched, sensing awe without true understanding.

"What does that mean?" Xu Wei was still puzzled. "Is it very powerful?"

"Yes, extremely so. That’s why I am at ease letting him face the challenge," the Lord of Yu replied. "At this stage, it is incredibly complex. Every move involves soul, secret arts, technique, and mastery of energy transformations."

He was intimately familiar with Wang Chuan; his intelligence files filled several tables.

Bang…

A surge of force sent the Young Tiger King flying like a broken kite, his heavy axe snapping in pieces.

Wang Chuan kicked him twice in the knees; his legs folded, forcing him to kneel, his head striking the ground heavily.

A wave of astonished exclamations swept the crowd.

He had won.

Wang Chuan stood quietly, graceful and handsome.

Later, a poet would praise: "On the road, he is as flawless as jade; a gentleman unmatched in the world."

…

"So what if you defeat me? My Tiger Tribe numbers tens of thousands; each is ready for battle!" The Young Tiger King pounded the ground, staring fiercely at them, his voice full of menace. "Do you truly refuse friendship with my tribe?"

His eyes bulged with rage, muscles twitching—there was no dignity at all.

At his words, a chill spread among the crowd.

The barbarians numbered just over ten thousand; more than that could not be resisted.

If truly pushed, the consequences would be dire.

The Lord of Yu slammed the table, glaring at him: "If you want war, so be it! Whether it’s your wish or your whole tribe’s, Yu has more than a million bold sons! The long wind carries Han songs for ten thousand miles—dealing with you hardly requires great effort. Will you dare report today’s events truthfully?"

The Young Tiger King’s face changed; he could not act on his own authority.

The Lord of Yu sneered—war was not so simple.

Yu was far from the northern frontier; even if the Tiger Tribe came for such a trivial matter, they would have to cross Wei and Jin. Would they dare let the barbarians pass?

Thus, the initiative was in his hands.

What was there to fear?

Suddenly, he raised his hand, and everyone saw hundreds of red banners embroidered with the character "Yu" unfurl around the hunting grounds, their corners whipped straight by the wind, snapping as if eager to break free and soar skyward.

The highlight of the banquet—the military parade—had arrived.

Then the thunderous beat of war drums rolled forth, shaking all with awe at the majesty of Yu’s imperial army.

My army has arrived!

The Lord of Yu rose, and the others quickly followed.

The army had assembled; on the parade ground, war drums thundered, clouds of battle seemed to gather, the martial spirit at its peak.

Cavalry and infantry divided into five formations: front, rear, left, right, and center. Each squad marched in formation, weapons raised, movements unified, banners and armor gleaming.

Yu’s national strength was not inferior to any other.

All knew Yu had enjoyed years of peace and rest, but now they revealed their fangs.

"Roar! Roar! Roar!"

Each squad of cavalry and infantry, as they passed the parade ground and looked to the Lord of Yu, struck their shields with spears and sword backs, letting out bold cries that echoed across the plains, raising dust, shaking the capital, stirring passions and heroic resolve.

Boom, boom…

The sound thundered like the heavens.

On the parade ground, thousands stood tall, holding battle spears, riding mighty horses, arrayed in formation.

Next came the heavy cavalry.

To everyone’s astonishment, these knights wore full armor, their mounts clad in black war gear, with only glimpses of fiery red visible between the plates.

These armored cavalrymen, their vitality soared skyward!

Each soldier was clearly skilled; the weight of their armor did not hinder them, their battle spears raised, exuding cold and murderous intent.

For a moment, the entire arena was silent save for the pounding hooves.

Where the army pointed, none could stand against it!

This was a terrifying tide of armored might.

"The human race has deep foundations and immense strength," even the Sixth Princess of the Demon Clan watched with gravity.

The power of a great nation, awe-inspiring and dominant!

"Let the world witness my firearms division!" the Lord of Yu finally ordered.

Firearms.

Once again, everyone was astounded, Wang Chuan included.

They had managed to create such weapons!

Dozens appeared, each holding a firearm three or four feet long.

At that moment, servants released pigeons from afar.

Bang, bang, bang…

Gunshots rang out; at several hundred paces, each pigeon was struck, exploding into fragments and falling to the ground.

"Are these firearms? Yu has created a national treasure!"

"With these equipped, the army could sweep the world!"

"Just a hundred firearms, and even grandmasters would not escape!"

"…"

The ministers were elated, feeling as if long-suppressed pride could finally be released.

None of this had been revealed to them beforehand—the Lord of Yu had hidden it well.

When news reached the people, they celebrated wildly.

No one dared underestimate Yu anymore; walking the streets, everyone held their heads high.

…

The hunt had ended, achieving the best possible result.

Wang Chuan arrived in Fucheng, and Yang Hao and Loyal Uncle greeted him after so long.

"Your Highness, this time your fame has spread across the land again," Yang Hao sighed. "The Lord of Yu must be grateful for your actions, showing us sincerity."

"That man is cunning and shrewd—he is not to be trusted deeply," Wang Chuan shook his head.

He had involved Wang Chuan in his schemes, though he kept to the proper limits.

Yang Hao reported that the Prime Minister had sent someone, and that the Fourth Prince had dispatched men to plot against him.

Wang Chuan paid little heed, leaving it for Yang Hao to handle.

He had long known the Fourth Prince was behind it; one day, he would settle the score.