Chapter 335: My name is Fang Zhengzhi
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
"Woosh!" Another whistling sound rang out.
An arrow flew across everybody’s eyes with lightning speed, then once again landed on the target. Following the landing of the arrow, another white feathered arrow snapped into two.
"Crack!"
A sound that shook the soul rang out.
This arrow was naturally the arrow Fang Zhengzhi shot. The broken white-feathered arrow that landed on the ground was also naturally Princess Shan Yu’s white-feathered arrow.
However, this scene happened too quickly.
Before anybody had managed to recover completely from the outcome of the first arrow, the same thing occurred once again.
If a soul could tremble, then, everybody on the scene at this moment were trembling. General Tai’s eyeballs were very close to falling on the ground.
Bright red veins of blood filled his eyeballs.
"He hit again?!"
If the first shot was a coincidence, then, what was this?
Was it still a coincidence?
This was a question that didn’t need much thought. However, it was exactly this simple and clear question that caused him to remain in disbelief.
"It can’t be, it is impossible for this little kid to have such skills. He is just a spy…"
Just as unwilling to believe this as General Tai was the General Mu standing beside him, as well as the five hundred Silver Horned Wolf Cavalry soldiers standing still in neat rows not too far away.
Just fifteen minutes ago, when they looked at Fang Zhengzhi, the only thing other than spite in their hearts was mockery.
However, when they looked at Fang Zhengzhi now.
They were filled with shock.
"What accurate archery skills!"
This was the only thought that flashed in their mind.
The Southern Mountain Range respected true ability, and respected people for their combat prowess.
Among these skills, archery was held in the highest regard. After all, the geography and landscape of the Southern Mountain Range was complicated, and the living conditions and environment were harsh. This had resulted in settlements fighting among themselves for territory.
However, these struggles and fights between settlements couldn’t occur in vast, open places.
Most of them occurred in the form of ambushes in the dense forest and long distance shots.
Hence, to be able to live in a place like the Southern Mountain Range, archery was the most fundamental survival skill, as well as a survival skill that a powerful person had to possess.
"He… can actually achieve this?" Princess Shan Yu’s expression was now completely frozen.
As the leader from the younger generation in the Southern Mountain Range, she was fully deserving the title of number one in archery skills. To be able to attain the title of number one in a place where strength and power determined respect…
She was truly number one.
Fang Zhengzhi’s shot wasn’t spectacular, and even appeared extremely ordinary. However, he used the simplest and most ordinary technique to shoot an arrow onto her own.
If Princess Shan Yu wished to achieve this.
She could definitely achieve it as well. However, she was too careless. She underestimated her opponent. Ever since she was informed that three of Fang Zhengzhi’s arrows had missed the bullseye, she didn’t bother to consider such an outcome.
"Shameless!" Princess Shan Yu could only use this term to describe Fang Zhengzhi’s actions.
Because, other than this term, she really couldn’t find another term that expressed her anger and dissatisfaction.
Two arrows had landed accurate on her own two arrows.
Then, from the current results, she had hit a total of twenty-eight arrows. Even if she included her special prize for being the first to complete and added another arrow, totaling to twenty-nine, Fang Zhengzhi had already shot twenty-nine arrows on the targets, resulting in a draw.
Most importantly, Fang Zhengzhi still had another arrow in his hand.
If Fang Zhengzhi released another arrow and shot down her own arrow.
Then, the outcome would be Fang Zhengzhi having thirty arrows on target, while she would only have a pathetic twenty-seven arrows.
Thirty arrows, twenty-seven on the bullseye, three outside the bullseye. On the other hand, she had twenty-seven on the bullseye. No matter what, it was impossible for her to win Fang Zhengzhi.
Cruel!
Fang Zhengzhi naturally knew what Princess Shan Yu was thinking. However, he still flashed a smile he believed was bright and warm towards Princess Shan Yu, and waved his hand furiously.
In Princess Shan Yu’s eyes, this action was undoubtedly the greatest mockery.
Fang Zhengzhi didn’t pay any further attention to Princess Shan Yu. Instead, he drew the bow in his hand into a full crescent once again.
Everybody’s gaze was tightly fixated upon the arrow in Fang Zhengzhi’s hand.
Including Princess Shan Yu.
At this moment, breathing seemed to have completely stopped.
Because, everybody knew that if Fang Zhengzhi managed to shoot down the white-feathered arrow once again, it meant that Princess Shan Yu was about to lose this competition.
"Woosh!"
Under the gaze of everybody, the third arrow shot out and whistled through the air, its feather dancing freely in mid-air and tracing a beautiful arc.
"Thud!"
There was pindrop silence.
Everybody looked towards the target.
Without any doubt, the third arrow once again landed within the bullseye.
However…
Unfortunately, it didn’t hit the white-feathered arrow.
It was like an isolated arrow, carrying with it an air of coldness and arrogance. It didn’t bother knocking off the white-feathered arrow on the target. Instead, it stood alone quietly on the target, enjoying its solitude.
At this moment, Fang Zhengzhi was also in solitude. Just like a boat drifting in a torrential rain, surrendering itself to the powerful wind and quietly floating on the surface of the sea.
Silence.
Nobody spoke.
Even though Fang Zhengzhi didn’t manage to hit Princess Shan Yu’s white arrow, based on what Princess Shan Yu said, if one judged based on the number of arrows on target, as long as Fang Zhengzhi’s arrow landed on the target, it meant that he had won.
However, would Princess Shan Yu admit defeat?
"Damn it, I missed!"
Fang Zhengzhi swore, then forcefully smashed the bow in his hand onto the ground with a regretful expression. With a crack, the bow broke into two pieces.
Immediately after, he looked towards Princess Shan Yu with an extremely miserable and bitter look.
"Can… this be counted as a draw?" As Fang Zhengzhi spoke, he pointed at the three arrows on the target.
"Draw?!"
All of the soldiers looked at one another in confusion.
General Tai and General Mu were also absolutely confused. They didn’t quite understand why Fang Zhengzhi claimed that this clearly victorious outcome was a draw.
If this guy stupid?
"You want to offer a draw with me?" Princess Shan Yu was slightly surprised.
"That’s right, I have a total of thirty arrows on target. However, there are only twenty-seven on the bullseye. Three are outside the bullseye. On the other hand, princess has twenty-eight on target. Adding on the extra arrow, there are twenty-nine. However, twenty-eight are within the bullseye. Hence, I was thinking whether you can grant me kindness and count the two arrows outside of the bullseye as one arrow within the bullseye?" Fang Zhengzhi explained with a gloomy look.
Count the two arrows outside the bullseye as one within the bullseye?
When Princess Shan Yu heard this, her eyes instantly lit up. Just as she prepared to agree readily, she suddenly felt that it seemed a little too enthusiastic.
Hence, she coughed softly.
"I believe that only three arrows outside the bullseye can count as one within the bullseye?"
"Sigh… I am so young and talented, and possess such great archery skills. This is the time when I should be making great accomplishments on the battlefield. I never imagined that I would die in a foreign land away from home before I even managed to return my parents’ love and care for me… How depressing, how depressing!" When Fang Zhengzhi heard this, he instantly plead in a tearful voice.
"Alright alright. Seeing that you are such a filial person, even though I won you this time, due to your decent morality and values, I will temporarily spare you this time!" Princess Shan Yu looked at Fang Zhengzhi’s pitiful expression and finally waved her hands impatiently.
"Thnak you Princess!" Fang Zhengzhi instantly expressed his gratitude, but didn’t kneel down.
Princess Shan Yu didn’t seem to take much offense at his. Instead, she raised her head lightly and looked towards the azure blue sky with an expression of one standing on the peak of a mountain, unable to find any worthy opponents that could defeat her.
"Princess’s archery skills are unparalleled in this world!"
"Princess is mighty and powerful!"
"Princess is kind-hearted and caring, I am willing to follow Princess till death!"
When the five hundred Silver Horned Wolf Cavalry soldiers heard this, they instantly reacted and called out loudly.
On the other hand, General Tai’s expression was as dark as night. She actually didn’t kill this little kid? Just as he prepared to speak, General Mu, who was standing beside him, pulled him back and lightly shook his head.
"This kid is very smart. I fear he is even smarter than what we imagined!" General Mu said softly.
"Old man, why do you regard him so highly? I think that this little kid is nothing but a shameless person! As for his archery skills… it can only be considered not too bad!" When General Tai heard General Mu’s words, he was clearly somewhat unconvinced.
"No, his archery skills are extraordinary. At the very least, it is higher than what it seems on the surface. However, in order for him to live, he can only lose. Furthermore… he must lose in this manner!" General Mu shook his head.
"He can only lose? And must lose in this manner? Old man, don’t tell me that you are saying this little kid’s actions were all on purpose?" General Tai’s expression was clearly somewhat shocked.
"I don’t know. But, he indeed managed to keep his life, didn’t he?" General Mu looked at General Tai.
General Tai didn’t speak further. Instead, he looked towards Fang Zhengzhi. He wanted to infer something from Fang Zhengzhi’s face very badly.
However, in reality, all he saw was a raised middle finger.
"Little kid… I will make sure I kill you!"
…
In the Sagely Mountain City.
An ancient city was built on the peak of the highest mountain in the Southern Mountain Range. Legend said that a few thousand years ago, this mountain didn’t exist at all. The Sagely Mountain City was only an ordinary city built in the middle of the forest.
However, a huge incident changed the fate of this ancient city.
That night, flames rose from the ground, swallowing the entire Sagely Mountain City. The glow of flames lit up the entire Southern Mountain Range. That was a disaster, a disaster that caused destruction to Heaven and Earth.
A city, along with thousands of lives, was about to be eradicated from the world.
However, at the most critical moment, a powerful person descended upon this city. With his own power, he moved the land in all directions and built a tall mountain.
In the end, the powerful person saved thousands of lives, his own body buried below the tall mountain.
In order to commemorate this powerful person, they named this mountain Sage Mountain, worshipped by thousands of people. The ancient city on the peak of the mountain was also renamed to Sagely Mountain City.
Turning into a sacred land for successive dynasties of kings of the Southern Mountain Range.
The Sagely Mountain City was completely built by tough mountain stones. After dynasties of repairs, the mountain rocks of the present Sagely Mountain City was almost completely covered by a layer of green coloured flora.
It was a green coloured ancient city.
At the Eastern side of this ancient city, there was a palace-like building constructed purely with white jade. That was the residential area of the kings of successive dynasties in the Southern Mountain Range.
At this moment, in a room covered completely with animal hide within this palace.
A youth around the age of thirty was lying on a gigantic leather chair. His skin was dark. On his body, he wore a luxurious silver coloured leather hide, while the shoes on his feet were covered completely with golden threads that twined around them. Two five-coloured feathers adorned his hair, and between the two feathers, there was a dazzling blue gem.
"Your Highness!" An elderly man wearing an animal skin walked into the room respectfully and knelt down on one knee facing the youth on the gigantic chair, his two hands raised into the air.
"What is it?" The youth noblelite glanced at the elderly man and picked up a fruit from the table, swallowing it in one mouth. His tiger eyes flashed with a faint blue light.
"Princess Shan Yu sent people to pass the message that everything had been arranged. The other two generals are ready and had already set up arrangements. Hence, she sent me to ask Your Highness, when will you attack?"
"What’s the rush? The cage had already been established, how could the beasts in the cage escape? A hundred thousand soldiers aren’t enough. I believe there are still many people from the Great Xia Dynasty on the way. We won’t rush into action for now."
"Your Highness plans to swallow them all in one move? But, in this case, there will be quite a lot of pressure on us. After all, if there are more people, this battle cannot be fought as easily."
"Don’t worry, I have already set up arrangements for everything. The Great Xia… Ha ha, they had already sat in the position of power for long enough, isn’t it time to change places?" The young noblelite smiled coldly.
"Your Highness, on Princess Shan Yu’s side…"
"What are you trying to say?"
"I am only rather worried. Princess Shan Yu has the most elite forces of the Southern Mountain Range in her hands, three thousand Silver Horned Wolves. Would she…"
"She wouldn’t!"
"I understand, I will take my leave!"
…
The sun gradually began to set.
In a huge military tent within the Southern Mountain Range.
Fang Zhengzhi had already removed the animal skin on his body and changed into the symbolic rattan armour of the Southern Mountain Range army. On his head, he even wore a tattered straw hat.
If it wasn’t for his pristine white skin, one might really mistaken him as a standard leader of the Southern Mountain Range soldiers at first glance.
The reason he was seen as a leader naturally wasn’t the slightest bit related to his official position. Instead, it was because Fang Zhengzhi had attained a piece of animal skin on his shoulder.
Since he had decided to make a living in this army.
He had to be domineering enough.
Fang Zhengzhi had fully maximised this point.
After all, nobody in the entire history of the Southern Mountain Range army ever had the courage to impersonate a leader in the princess’s military tent.
Princes Shan Yu lay on a golden animal hide. However, her jet-black eyes glanced towards Fang Zhengzhi’s body and finally settled upon the small animal skin on Fang Zhengzhi’s shoulder.
"You are really quite reckless. You dare to impersonate a centurion in front of me? Tell me, who are you, what is your name, and what purpose do you have in my army? Don’t worry, nobody would dare to enter my military tent without my permission!"
"My name? I am Fang Zhengzhi." Fang Zhengzhi replied immediately without the slightest bit of hesitation.