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

Chapter 777 Yang Guo and Xiaolongnu
As the sun sets and dusk deepens, a thin layer of mist hangs over the mountains and forests.

Li Zheng stood beneath an ancient pine tree, his posture as straight as a sword, his black cloak fluttering slightly in the evening breeze. He had just finished a fierce battle, and the lingering scent of blood still clung to him, but his expression was unusually calm, as if the intense battle he had just fought was nothing more than a fallen leaf that he had casually brushed aside.

Not far away, two white figures stood silently in the shadows of the trees. The man carried a sword on one arm, his features exquisite yet with a hint of arrogance; the woman was dressed in snow-white robes, her beauty ethereal and otherworldly, like a fairy untouched by worldly concerns. They were none other than Yang Guo and Xiaolongnu.

"Have you seen enough?"

Li Zheng suddenly spoke, his voice neither loud nor soft, yet it seemed as if a sharp sword pierced the silence.

Yang Guo's pupils contracted slightly—he considered himself to possess unparalleled lightness skills, believing that he and Xiaolongnu could remain undetected even by top-tier martial arts masters. Yet this person before him seemed to have known of their presence all along!
Xiaolongnu gently pressed Yang Guo's arm, took a half step forward, and said in a clear, cool voice, "I'm sorry, brother, we meant no harm."

A sharp glint flashed in Yang Guo's eyes as he sized up Li Zheng: "If I'm not mistaken, you are that general's master, aren't you?"

He was referring to Li Wangsheng, the young commander of the "Tian Ce Fu" who had just led his troops to repel the Mongol elites.

Li Zheng shook his head, a slight smile playing on his lips: "My name is Li Zheng. What's yours?"

"Yang Guo."

"Little Dragon Girl."

A hint of surprise flashed in Li Zheng's eyes, then he clasped his hands in a respectful greeting: "So it's the Condor Hero and Miss Long, my apologies for my rudeness."

His manners were just right, neither servile nor arrogant, yet showing respect for the two men. Such demeanor was something that ordinary江湖客 (jianghu ke, a term referring to people who travel the world of martial arts and chivalry) could not possess.

Yang Guo crossed one arm, a half-smile playing on his lips: "Brother Li, you have a keen eye, recognizing us both. But I wonder..." His gaze suddenly sharpened, "The Tian Ce Mansion has been hidden for a century, why has it suddenly reappeared in the martial world? And why, of all times, during the Mongol invasion?"

The forest suddenly became eerily quiet; even the chirping of insects and the calls of birds had vanished.

Li Zheng's expression remained unchanged; he merely stroked the hilt of the sword at his waist: "Brother Yang, is your question on your own behalf, or on behalf of the entire Central Plains martial arts world?"

Is there a difference?

“Of course.” Li Zheng raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as lightning. “If Brother Yang is simply curious, I will tell you frankly; if fellow martial artists have doubts…” He suddenly smiled, “then please wait and see.”

Xiaolongnu keenly sensed that when Li Zheng said "wait and see," there seemed to be a cold glint in the shadows of the surrounding trees—there were actually no fewer than twenty elite soldiers lying in ambush in this forest!
She gently tugged at Yang Guo's sleeve and whispered, "Guo'er, this man is unfathomable."

Yang Guo was well aware of this. In all his years of wandering the martial world, this was the first time he had encountered such an unfathomable person. He appeared gentle and refined, but in reality, he was sharp and reserved; he spoke with humility and politeness, yet his every word exuded an unquestionable authority.

Just as the atmosphere became tense, a rapid sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from afar.

"Report—!"

A black-armored knight galloped in, dismounted, and knelt on one knee: "Reporting to my lord, the remnants of the Golden Wheel Monk's forces are fleeing towards Xiangyang. General Li requests permission to pursue them!"

Li Zheng frowned slightly: "Order Li Wangsheng: Do not pursue a desperate enemy; continue to guard key routes as originally planned."

"Yes!"

The knight obeyed and left, completely ignoring Yang Guo and his companion as if they didn't exist. This disciplined manner secretly surprised Yang Guo—even the most elite Mongol guards, the Kheshig, were probably no better.

"Brother Li, what a grand display!" Yang Guo said with a half-smile. "It seems the Tian Ce Mansion has quite a grand plan in mind this time."

Li Zheng remained noncommittal: "In chaotic times, it's all about self-preservation."

"Self-preservation?" Yang Guo raised an eyebrow. "As far as I know, the Tian Ce Mansion was an elite force secretly established by Emperor Taizong of Tang, specializing in military campaigns. Now that the Mongols are powerful, why have you chosen this moment to appear?" He suddenly took a step closer. "Could it be that you intend to profit from the chaos?"

Before the words were even finished, the sound of taut bowstrings filled the forest!
Li Zheng raised his hand and gestured, instantly dispelling the lurking killing intent. "Brother Yang, you worry too much," he said calmly. "The Tian Ce Mansion has been silent for a century, long since withdrawn from worldly affairs. However..." He gazed towards Xiangyang, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, "...some debts, it's time to settle them."

Little Dragon Girl suddenly spoke up: "What debt?"

Li Zheng looked at her, his gaze softening slightly: "Miss Long, have you ever heard of the An Lushan Rebellion?"

Yang Guo's heart skipped a beat. As Huang Yaoshi's disciple, he naturally knew that period of history—when An Lushan rebelled, the Tang Dynasty went from prosperity to decline, and the legendary invincible Tian Ce Mansion mysteriously disappeared during that turmoil.
"you mean"

"There are other hidden circumstances surrounding what happened back then," Li Zheng said calmly, yet a chill ran down Yang Guo's spine. "And today's Mongol invasion is exactly the same as it was back then."

Just then, a red flame suddenly rose from the distant mountain peak!
Li Zheng's expression changed drastically: "This is bad!"

The fireworks exploded in the air, forming a strange wolf's head pattern—the signal that the Mongol army was gathering!

"Report—!" Another scout galloped in, "My lord, Mongol cavalry has been spotted thirty miles to the northwest, numbering no less than five thousand!"

Yang Guo gasped, "The Mongols arrived so quickly?"

Li Zheng, however, remained unusually calm: "Order all battalions to deploy according to the third contingency plan. Also, send a fast horse to inform Hero Guo Jing to quickly dispatch reinforcements to guard the eastern pass."

After the messenger left, he turned to Yang Guo and his companion: "Gentlemen, the situation is critical. Would you be willing to lend me a hand?"

Yang Guo and Xiaolongnu exchanged a glance. Although they still had doubts about the Tian Ce Manor, a formidable enemy was at hand.
"What needs to be done?" Yang Guo asked directly.

Li Zheng took out a map from his pocket and pointed to a valley: "This is a route the Mongols must take. I've laid an ambush, but I need two experts like you to oversee it."

He looked up at Yang Guo, his gaze intense: "Especially Brother Yang's 'Heart-wrenching Palm,' it might just rout the enemy vanguard in one fell swoop!"

Yang Guo was startled—the Ecstasy Palm was a unique martial art he created himself, and very few people in the martial arts world knew about it. How did Li Zheng know about it?
Seemingly sensing his confusion, Li Zheng smiled slightly: "Although the Tian Ce Mansion has been secluded for many years, it is not entirely ignorant of matters concerning the martial world."

In the distance, the sound of war drums could already be faintly heard.

Yang Guo took a deep breath and grasped Xiaolongnu's hand: "Alright, we promise you. However," his gaze sharp as a sword, "after this matter, I need an explanation."

Li Zheng nodded solemnly: "It's a deal."

That night, dark clouds loomed over the city.

The Mongol cavalry surged into the valley like a tidal wave, led by none other than the Golden Wheel Monk, who had been defeated during the day. At this moment, he sat astride a black warhorse, his face terrifyingly gloomy.

“Master, the valley ahead is treacherous; there may be an ambush,” a centurion warned.

The Golden Wheel Monk sneered, "An ambush? Even if it's a dragon's den or a tiger's lair today, this Buddha will flatten it!"

Before he finished speaking, countless torches suddenly lit up on both sides of the valley!
“Shoot!”

With a command given, a hail of arrows rained down, and the Mongol cavalrymen were instantly thrown to the ground.

"Form a defensive formation!" the Golden Wheel Dharma King roared, throwing his golden wheel in the air. The wheel drew an arc in the air and cut dozens of arrows in half!
Just then, a clear and melodious dragon's roar resounded—

"Roar!"

Yang Guo descended from the sky, waving his one arm. An invisible force, like an angry dragon, blasted into the enemy formation, causing men and horses to fall wherever it passed!
(End of this chapter)