Chapter 691: Yan Liang
Chapter 691: Yan Liang
September 25, 2017
Zhang Mancheng and the others' effortless display of loyalty greatly pleased Lu HaiKong. With their allegiance, he had essentially accomplished most of his goals for this trip.
However, there was one more person Lu HaiKong wanted to meet before considering his journey a complete success. If he could bring this final individual under his command, it would be the perfect culmination of his efforts.
But convincing this person to join him seemed challenging, as they had been causing trouble and stirring up unrest in recent months.
When Lu HaiKong encountered this individual, they were confined in a room made entirely of iron.
The room was approximately twenty to thirty square meters, with walls crafted from solid steel, each at least one meter thick. Numerous small holes were drilled into the walls, and within these dense clusters of holes were specially crafted crossbow bolts.
Should the walls be struck with sufficient force, these bolts would shoot out, their power proportional to the strength of the attacker.
This iron cell was so sturdy and perilous that it could even imprison formidable figures like Yan Liang. Only a master blacksmith like Gong Sun Chun could forge such a cell.
And the person locked inside was none other than Yan Liang, one of the Four Pillars of Hebei, a renowned general on par with Wen U.
Yan Liang had been confined in this cell for some time, receiving the worst treatment among all of Lu HaiKong's captives.
There was no other choice. When Wang Yue was captured, at least Dian Wei was present to keep watch. But when this individual was caught, Lu HaiKong's Beifeng City was busy with the Artifact Auction, leaving no one to guard him. Thus, this was the only option.
Despite the less-than-ideal accommodations, Lu HaiKong didn't mistreat Yan Liang. He even arranged for someone to keep him company and sent him many books. However, Yan Liang's attitude remained unchanged.
As Lu HaiKong approached Yan Liang's cell, he heard the sound of footsteps, and the prisoner shouted without even glancing at him.
"Get lost! All of you, scram! Don't bother me; I'll never join Lu HaiKong!"
Lu HaiKong reached the cell's door as Yan Liang yelled. Through the narrow, elongated window, he saw Yan Liang inside.
At that moment, Yan Liang also looked up, and their eyes met. Startled by Lu HaiKong's sudden appearance, Yan Liang took a step back.
Despite his verbal defiance, Yan Liang secretly held Lu HaiKong in high regard.
He had personally witnessed Lu HaiKong's strength during the Yellow Turban affair, and the fear that Lu HaiKong instilled in the Yellow Turbans had subtly influenced Yan Liang. Moreover, after not seeing each other for months, the sudden encounter startled Yan Liang, causing him to take a few steps back.
Lu HaiKong, standing outside the cell, smiled at Yan Liang. He didn't mind the prisoner's earlier outburst.
"How about some fresh air and exercise?" Lu HaiKong asked, his first words to Yan Liang in months.
Facing Lu HaiKong, Yan Liang's previous ferocity had vanished.
His expression was complex, unsure why Lu HaiKong had suddenly appeared and what he meant by his offer. After a moment's hesitation, he nodded, sensing a potential opportunity.
After Yan Liang's nod, Lu HaiKong ordered his men to unlock the cell.
Through the narrow window, Lu HaiKong had only seen Yan Liang's face when he leaned closer. It was only when the cell door opened that Lu HaiKong truly saw Yan Liang's current state.
Yan Liang's hands and feet were bound by thick iron chains, and his muscular body bore several recent arrow wounds. Lu HaiKong glanced at the varying degrees of indentations on the cell walls and understood what had transpired.
Without saying more, Lu HaiKong turned and led Yan Liang out of the cell.
As they walked, Lu HaiKong strolled casually ahead, while Yan Liang, shackled in chains, followed behind, accompanied by several Fire Battalion members with strengths around 50 to 60. This was Yan Liang's best chance for escape in months.
Yan Liang's heart stirred with anticipation, but each time he considered acting, he instinctively glanced at Lu HaiKong ahead.
Lu HaiKong's stride was always so casual, appearing defenseless, yet this very nonchalance made Yan Liang, once fearless, hesitate.
Following Lu HaiKong, they soon arrived at the training ground where Lu HaiKong had witnessed Zhao Hong's martial arts demonstration. As they entered, Lu HaiKong stopped.
"Unchain him," Lu HaiKong instructed the Fire Battalion members nearby.
Yan Liang's eyes lit up at these words, brimming with barely contained excitement. As Yan Liang's excitement peaked, Lu HaiKong's men approached and removed his chains.
"Let's have a go. It's been a long time since I've stretched my muscles."
As the chains on Yan Liang's body were removed, Lu HaiKong tossed a Great Gate Saber of Elite rank towards him.
Yan Liang cautiously caught the saber, his eyes fixed on Lu HaiKong.
If it weren't for Lu HaiKong standing before him, this guy would have seized the opportunity to escape without hesitation. But facing Lu HaiKong, and with the chains removed by him and the weapon provided, Yan Liang dared not make any reckless moves.
Just as Yan Liang took the saber, Lu HaiKong picked up an Elite-ranked battle axe and, without further ado, loosened his muscles before charging at Yan Liang.
The first bout between Lu HaiKong and Yan Liang had officially begun!
In terms of sheer strength, Lu HaiKong was only slightly inferior to Yan Liang, but when it came to an actual fight, the situation was different.
Yan Liang had been imprisoned for several months, and during that time, he had a rough time. He had been relentlessly pummeling the walls, resulting in a constant state of injury and recovery. Consequently, his body had been in a weakened state for months.
This condition was extremely detrimental to his health, and for Yan Liang to unleash 90% of his combat power under these circumstances was already remarkable.
Lu HaiKong's strength, though rated at 90, was not far inferior to Dian Wei's in terms of his formidable physique. His martial arts insight far surpassed his strength, and with the addition of his unique warlord trait, "Unmatched Tyrant," his combat power far exceeded his strength value.
As a result, when Lu HaiKong and Yan Liang clashed, Yan Liang was immediately overwhelmed and bloodied.
In a 6 to 9 battle, the outcome was clear!
After a dozen or so exchanges, Lu HaiKong had a clear understanding of Yan Liang's current abilities. He then retracted his offensive and gave the initiative to Yan Liang.
Even though Yan Liang knew that Lu HaiKong was intentionally giving him an opportunity, he didn't let this golden chance slip by. Yan Liang unleashed a continuous stream of saber techniques towards Lu HaiKong.
Interestingly, Yan Liang's saber techniques followed the Cloud Style, which contrasted sharply with his robust physique, creating an unpredictable and ever-changing display.
At times, the sky would be clear, and at others, it would be shrouded in dark clouds. His strongest and weakest attacks alternated frequently, making his saber techniques appear bizarre.
When unleashed, these saber techniques indeed exhibited astonishing combat power. Lu HaiKong, slightly overconfident, was caught off guard and found himself in a tight spot.
At one point, Lu HaiKong almost capsized, but he managed to turn the tide by forcibly activating "Purple Qi from the East," narrowly avoiding defeat.
After activating "Purple Qi from the East," Lu HaiKong abandoned his overconfidence and unleashed a barrage of violent attacks, quickly overwhelming Yan Liang with a few axe swings.
"Old... I... I'm not convinced! If I weren't in this state, you would have fallen to my saber long ago!"
Perhaps after this battle, Yan Liang had a clearer understanding of Lu HaiKong's strength. Realizing that Lu HaiKong wasn't as formidable as he had imagined, Yan Liang loosened up and even started protesting.
Hearing this, Lu HaiKong laughed and tossed aside the nearly broken Elite-ranked battle axe, standing before Yan Liang and looking down at him.
"You're really not convinced?"
Yan Liang looked up at Lu HaiKong and swallowed before nodding.
A smile crept onto Lu HaiKong's face. "In that case, I'll give you ten chances to challenge me. You can choose the timing, and when you feel ready, we can begin. If, within these ten attempts, you can hold your ground against me for a hundred moves, I'll let you go!"
Yan Liang's eyes lit up at these words.
"Of course, my word is my bond!" Lu HaiKong's face beamed with the satisfaction of a hunter bagging his prey.
"But, what if you fail all ten challenges?"
Yan Liang paused, then understood Lu HaiKong's intention. After some thought, he felt he had a good grasp of Lu HaiKong's strength and agreed without hesitation.
"If I lose all ten times, from now on, I'll go wherever you tell me, east or west!" Yan Liang's eyes flickered as he spoke.
Lu HaiKong observed this flickering gaze and smiled, amused that this big, dumb guy was engaging in wordplay with him.
"You don't need to go that far. If you lose, you have two choices: either pledge your loyalty to me or..."
Lu HaiKong paused, his eyes twinkling with mischief, before continuing, "...undergo castration."
Yan Liang's face contorted upon hearing this, thinking, "This is a bit too cruel..."
(End of Chapter)
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