I, the military god of the Tang Dynasty, have risen since I destroyed the Turks

Chapter 775 Heroes Gather at Dasheng Pass

Dasheng Pass, Lujiazhuang.

It was late autumn, with a brisk wind and falling leaves. The manor was brightly decorated with lanterns and red ribbons, while outside, carriages and horses came and went in an endless stream, as heroes from all walks of life arrived. Today, Lu Zhanyuan, the master of Lu Family Manor, had accepted the invitation of Guo Jing and Huang Rong to issue a call to arms, gathering martial arts practitioners from all over the world to discuss a grand plan to resist the Mongols.

Inside the manor's training grounds, dozens of large mahogany tables had already been set up, laden with fine wine and delicacies. Heroes from all sides clinked glasses, chatting and laughing, yet a hint of solemnity lingered in their expressions. After all, this gathering was no ordinary martial arts banquet; it was a life-or-death contest concerning the very survival of the world!
Among the crowd, a middle-aged Taoist priest dressed in a green robe and carrying a long sword sat quietly, his expression serene. His face was gaunt, his eyes sharp as lightning; though he spoke, he possessed an imposing aura. This man was none other than Wang Chongyang, the leader of the Quanzhen Sect!

Not far from him, a man in purple robes, holding a folding fan, smiled and spoke in hushed tones with the person beside him. He had a refined appearance and composed demeanor, but a hint of sinister intent lurked in his eyes. This man was none other than the Valley Master of the Valley of Heartbreak—**Gongsun Zhi**!

Besides these two renowned masters, the guests also included Lu Youjiao, an elder of the Beggars' Sect, Qiu Qianren, the leader of the Iron Palm Clan, Duan Zhixing, a descendant of the Dali Duan family, and other martial arts luminaries.

At that moment, a commotion suddenly arose outside the village.

"Master Guo and Chief Huang have arrived!"

Upon hearing this, everyone rose to greet them. At the gate, a man and a woman approached side by side. The man was burly, with a resolute face and an air of righteousness; the woman was charming and lively, with eyes like autumn water, her gaze sparkling with vitality. They were none other than the renowned couple, Guo Jing and Huang Rong!

"Master Guo!"

"Boss Huang!"

Everyone clasped their hands in greeting, and Guo Jing returned the greetings one by one, his expression solemn. Huang Rong, on the other hand, greeted everyone with a smile and invited them to take their seats, her demeanor graceful and poised.

After everyone was seated, Lu Zhanyuan stood up and said loudly, "It is an honor for me, Lu Zhanyuan, that all of you heroes have gathered here at my Lu Family Manor today! This gathering is for the purpose of resisting the Mongol invasion from the south. I hope that you will all work together to protect our land!"

Everyone responded in unison, their voices shaking the sky.

Guo Jing stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and looked around at everyone, and said in a deep voice: "Gentlemen, I'm sure you've all heard that the Mongol army suffered a crushing defeat at the gates of Xiangyang and has temporarily retreated."

A cheer immediately erupted from the audience.

However, Guo Jing's expression turned solemn as he continued, "But what I want to tell everyone today is this: the Mongols will never retreat because of one defeat! On the contrary, they will definitely come back with a vengeance, and their offensive will only be more ferocious!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's faces changed.

Seeing the tense expressions on everyone's faces, Huang Rong smiled slightly and took over the conversation, saying, "There is no need for you all to worry too much. Although the Mongols are strong, the martial arts world of the Central Plains is no ordinary force either. The reason for gathering everyone here today is to discuss a foolproof plan to jointly resist foreign enemies."

Elder Lu Youjiao of the Beggars' Sect slammed his fist on the table and shouted, "Chief Huang is right! If the Mongol Tartars dare to come again, my 100,000 disciples of the Beggars' Sect will make sure they never return!"

Qiu Qianren, the leader of the Iron Palm Clan, sneered and said, "Elder Lu is full of heroic spirit, but the Mongol cavalry are not ordinary mountain bandits. Just having more people may not be enough."

Lu Youjiao glared angrily: "What do you mean by that, Chief Qiu? Are you trying to boost the morale of others while diminishing your own?"

Qiu Qianren said calmly, "I am just telling the truth. The Mongol army is well-trained. If we were to fight them head-on, even we martial artists might not be able to gain the upper hand."

Seeing that the two were arguing, Wang Chongyang suddenly spoke up: "Gentlemen, please stop arguing. Since Master Guo has summoned us, he must already have a plan. Why not listen to his advice?"

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at Guo Jing.

Guo Jing nodded and said, "Master Wang is right. I do have some ideas, but I need everyone's consideration."

He surveyed the crowd and slowly said, "The Mongols, having suffered this defeat, will surely adjust their strategy. They may divide their forces into multiple routes, bypassing Xiangyang, and heading straight for Jiangnan. Therefore, we cannot defend only one place; we must establish defenses at various key points." Huang Rong added, "Furthermore, the Mongol army is full of experts, especially Jinlun Fawang, Xiaoxiangzi, and Nimoxing, all of whom are formidable opponents. If they infiltrate the Central Plains to assassinate or sabotage, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Gongsun Zhi gently shook his folding fan and smiled, "Chief Huang is overthinking it. A few barbarian monks are nothing to worry about. If they dare to come, I, the Valley Master, will make sure they don't leave alive."

Huang Rong smiled without saying a word, but inwardly she was on high alert. This Gongsun Zhi appeared refined, but in reality he was a cunning and scheming man, not someone to be trifled with.

Just as everyone was discussing the matter, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the manor.

"Report—!" A servant rushed in, knelt on one knee, and shouted, "Master, there is a group of people outside the manor requesting an audience. They claim to be envoys from the 'Tang Army'!"

"Tang army?!" Everyone was shocked upon hearing this.

Guo Jing and Huang Rong exchanged a glance, a hint of doubt flashing in their eyes.

Lu Zhanyuan frowned and said, "Tang army? Where did this Tang army come from?"

Zhuang Ding shook his head: "I don't know, but they have a hero's invitation from Master Guo, saying they are here to help on orders."

Huang Rong's eyes flashed, and she whispered, "Brother Jing, this matter is strange. We did not invite any 'Tang army'."

Guo Jing said in a deep voice, "Let them in first, and you'll know as soon as you see them."

Before long, more than ten men dressed in black, close-fitting outfits entered through the gate. Their steps were synchronized, their breathing steady, clearly indicating they were all highly trained experts. The leader was a stern-faced young man with a long sword at his waist and eyes as sharp as knives.

The young man clasped his hands and said, "I am Li Chengfeng, the commander of the vanguard battalion of the Tang army. I have come here on the orders of my general to lend a helping hand to Hero Guo!"

The crowd looked at each other, none of them knowing the origin of this "Tang army".

Guo Jing stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Commander Li, I thank your army for your kindness. But may I ask which side your army belongs to? And why do you call yourselves the 'Tang Army'?"

Li Chengfeng smiled slightly and said, "Hero Guo, there's no need to doubt me. My general is a descendant of the reclusive sect 'Tian Ce Fu'. He has come out of seclusion this time only to fight against the Mongols and protect our country."

"The Tian Ce Mansion?!" Wang Chongyang's expression suddenly changed, and he murmured, "Could it be... the secret army created by Emperor Taizong back then?"

Li Chengfeng nodded: "Master Wang is indeed very knowledgeable. Indeed, my Tiance Mansion has been in seclusion since the end of the Tang Dynasty. Now that the country is in peril, it is only right that we should reappear in the world!"

Everyone was shocked upon hearing this.

Huang Rong's eyes flickered as she thought to herself, "If the Tian Ce Mansion is truly as powerful as the legends say, it would be a great help. But... what is their purpose in suddenly appearing?"

Just then, Gongsun Zhi suddenly sneered, "What Tian Ce Mansion? It's nothing but a bunch of cowards! Who knows if you're spies for the Mongols?"

Li Chengfeng's gaze turned cold, and he said in a chilling tone, "If Valley Master Gongsun doesn't believe me, he might as well try my sword!"

Before he finished speaking, the long sword at his waist was already drawn, its cold light flashing as it pointed directly at Gongsun Zhi!
The atmosphere in the arena instantly became tense!

Gongsun Zhi's face darkened, and he snapped his folding fan shut, sneering, "Such arrogance! This Valley Master will see what you're capable of!"

(End of this chapter)