With Mei Wu putting it that way, Chong Houhu could say no more. If he kept arguing, wouldn't he wound the pride of his trusted general? He could only let him go. "Be careful, General Mei. That young Su Quanzhong has some skill."
"Rest assured, Marquis! I'm off!"
Mei Wu urged his mount toward the battlefield. When the two met, Su Quanzhong saw that Mei Wu was merely a junior general and sneered. "State your name! Grandpa Su's blade doesn't kill nameless ghosts!"
Mei Wu gave a cold snort of his own. "Hah! Su Quanzhong, I am Mei Wu!"
Words had failed them. Mei Wu thrust the butt end of his axe at Su Quanzhong's chest, intending to run him clean through.
Su Quanzhong had been taught by an excellent master, and it showed in his superb mounted combat skills!
When he saw the axe haft stabbing toward him, he threw himself back to dodge. Then he snapped upright and brought his Fangtian Painted Halberd down on Mei Wu.
Mei Wu raised his axe to meet it.
Clang!
The weapons collided with a tremendous crash. Mei Wu's horse whinnied and retreated several steps, showing just how strong Su Quanzhong was.
The impact left Mei Wu's arms numb and the webs of his thumbs aching!
"You..."
He had never imagined Su Quanzhong would be this capable.
Su Quanzhong was secretly startled by their clash too. Who would have thought a mere junior general under Chong Houhu could have such skill?
He really couldn't underestimate the Great Shang.
"Enough talk! Come and die!"
One wielded an axe, the other a halberd. They fought on, trading blows through twenty exchanges without a victor. But though neither had won, Mei Wu was struggling to hold on. His arms were numb, and sweat poured off him like rain.
Su Quanzhong, meanwhile, was still as vigorous as a dragon and lively as a tiger.
This brat is too fierce. Why not use that move? Mei Wu thought.
With that, he feinted, wheeled his horse around, and fled. How could Su Quanzhong let him escape?
Su Quanzhong gave chase on horseback. Seeing him follow, Mei Wu knew he had taken the bait. The gap between them narrowed. Su Quanzhong raised his Fangtian Painted Halberd to slash Mei Wu across the back, but just then, Mei Wu pulled a tiny gourd from his robe!
"Om mi hu!"
He chanted an incantation and opened the palm-sized gourd. A cloud of black vapor flew out and shot straight at Su Quanzhong. Unable to dodge in time, Su Quanzhong took the blast full in the face. He screamed and fell to the ground.
"Hahaha! Men, tie him up!" Mei Wu laughed wildly when he saw Su Quanzhong fall.
Su Quanzhong's face had swollen, and he lay on the ground screaming without pause.
Zhu Wushuang and Xiang Wuchen exchanged a glance. "What do we do?"
"Go!"
"Right!"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Across the hushed battlefield, two bulky figures came pounding along like rammers. Even the earth trembled beneath them.
Mei Wu froze. An earthquake?
"Watch out, General!"
A sharp-eyed soldier in the Great Shang ranks had spotted the two hulking figures charging at Mei Wu.
Puzzled, Mei Wu slowly turned his head.
Wham...
Man and horse alike were sent flying by the two bulky figures...
They flew a long, long way...
Straight back into the Great Shang lines, dozens of meters away.
Neither Mei Wu nor his horse made a sound before passing out.
"General Mei! Someone fetch a physician!" Chong Houhu shouted at once.
After Mei Wu was carried away, Chong Houhu looked toward the battlefield and sucked in a cold breath. "What are those things?"
Two enormous figures stood on the battlefield. They seemed to be women, but why were they so huge? They stood considerably taller than ordinary men, with rolls of fat all over. Now one carried Su Quanzhong, while the other led his horse toward the Ji Province camp.
"Marquis, they must be reinforcements from Ji Province!"
"Obviously! Did I need you to tell me that?" Chong Houhu seethed. They had been on the verge of capturing Su Quanzhong, only for two pigs to burst onto the scene out of nowhere!
"Marquis, what should we do now?"
Chong Houhu saw that it was getting late. Night would fall soon. "Fall back ten li and set up camp. We'll discuss our next move."
"Yes!"
A messenger went at once to relay the order to retreat ten li and make camp.
Meanwhile, Zhu Wushuang carried Su Quanzhong back to the city walls. Su Hu had already hurried down from the ramparts. "My son!"
Zhu Wushuang dropped Su Quanzhong on the ground. His face was swollen.
"Senior Sister Xiang, look at this boy! After that sneak attack, he looks just like one of my people!"
Xiang Wuchen nodded. "He does. If his ears were a little bigger, he'd be just like one of mine."
Su Hu was no ordinary man. He knew the ones who had saved Su Quanzhong had to be great masters, so he bowed at once. "Thank you, honored immortal ladies, for saving my son!"
"There's no need for thanks, Marquis Su. We came here under orders."
Su Hu did not know who had sent them, but this was no time to ask. "Please, honored immortals, come inside the city and speak with me."
Zhu Wushuang and Xiang Wuchen gave slight nods and followed Su Hu into Ji Province City.
In the main hall of the Ji Province Marquis's residence.
The household physician came to report. "Marquis, we cannot tell what manner of injury the young master has suffered, and we have no remedy. He is growing weaker by the moment. I fear... he has little time left..."
Su Hu stamped his feet in distress. His adviser Zhou Ding drew him aside and whispered, "Marquis..."
"Hmm?"
"Those two honored immortals possess considerable power. Why not ask them for help?"
"Oh! Of course!"
Su Hu went before Zhu Wushuang and Xiang Wuchen and bowed. "Honored immortals..."
Zhu Wushuang smiled faintly. "What is it, Marquis Su?"
"Honored immortals, I don't know what underhanded attack my son has suffered. Please save him. I, Su Hu, would be grateful beyond words!" Su Hu was about to kneel as he spoke.
Xiang Wuchen raised a hand. Su Hu felt a gentle force lift him back up. "Your son has fallen victim to a crooked art. This is easily remedied. Have Su Quanzhong swallow this pill with spring water."
She took a Porcelain Bottle from her robe and tipped out a tiny pill, red and gleaming like a gemstone.
Su Hu accepted it, too grateful for words. "Thank you, honored immortal!"
Less than fifteen minutes after taking the pill, Su Quanzhong woke. The swelling in his face had vanished too.
Father and son came to thank them again. "Thank you, honored immortals."
Zhu Wushuang said calmly, "There's no need. We came here to help you, Marquis."
"Oh? May I ask who sent you?"
Zhu Wushuang and Xiang Wuchen hastily rinsed their mouths with tea, straightened their clothes, and prayed for seven or eight minutes with utmost devotion.
The sight made even Su Hu nervous. What kind of great master could require so much ceremony?
"That cannot be said. It cannot be said."
Su Hu and Su Quanzhong fell flat on the floor with a thud...
If you can't say it, what the hell were you praying for?
Still, they knew it had to be someone extraordinary. Otherwise, why would these two honored immortals have come?
"Marquis Su, besides saving your eldest son, we have another reason for coming. Please let us meet your daughter, Su Da Ji."
"Oh? You want to meet my daughter?"
"That's right."
"Very well. Please come to the Inner Hall."
Zhu Wushuang and Xiang Wuchen exchanged a glance and smiled. They knew everything would work out.