第20章 赌约(感谢替X代品&的推荐票~)

The other guard was horrified when he saw his companion suddenly collapse.

Staring at the bloody hole between his companion's brows, his face had already gone pale as paper!

Wasn't this man who called himself a "spear master" devoid of any soul power fluctuations?

How had he killed his Soul Master colleague in a single strike?

The guard's legs gave out, and he fell straight to the ground.

Looking at the expressionless Zhao Yun was like looking at a god of slaughter, and terror crept through his heart!

Fortunately, Zhao Yun had no intention of slaughtering innocents.

He said to the terrified guard:

"Go tell your general that a spear master wishes to see him.

"As for why your companion died, I trust you won't embellish the story and will report the truth, right?"

The surviving guard hurriedly nodded, scrambled into the residence, and ran off to report at top speed.

Zhao Yun did not wait where he was and walked straight into the City Lord's Mansion.

Before long, a surging aura suddenly erupted from the center of the City Lord's Mansion, accompanied by a furious roar:

"Who dares kill my gate guard and barge into my residence?!"

Zhao Yun looked up at the golden light shooting into the sky and faintly shook his head.

A Soul King without a flying martial soul naturally could not fly.

Though the other man's roar had been loud, he was probably rushing toward him on foot right now.

The thought was rather amusing.

Of course, a Soul King could still run very fast.

Before long, Zhao Yun saw a burly figure wielding a golden spear racing toward him along the lakeside corridor!

He was brimming with menace, like a raging bull!

Zhao Yun stopped and calmly watched him approach.

Owens charged straight at Zhao Yun.

Seeing that this unfamiliar man showed no fear, he thrust his spear when he was still two meters away from Zhao Yun!

Yet before the spearhead could touch Zhao Yun, he suddenly pulled the spear back, intending to lure out his opponent's move.

But Zhao Yun had not moved even once from beginning to end, nor had his expression changed in the slightest!

Seeing how composed his opponent was, Owens's expression instead grew increasingly grave.

Facing an attack from a Soul King, yet remaining so calm without exposing even the slightest opening...

This man was stronger than him!

Owens suddenly sneered.

"So Su Yuntao wasn't bluffing me. It's only been a few days, and Spirit Hall has already sent someone to kill me?

"But..."

Owens suddenly gripped his spear tightly and assumed a defensive stance.

"Even if you're stronger than me, I will never submit to you!

"Even if it costs me my life, I'll tear a piece of flesh off you!"

Looking at the vicious red-haired man, Zhao Yun was not angered. Instead, he smiled approvingly.

It seemed Han Feng's intelligence had been correct.

This Owens truly had backbone, just like Gasen!

He appreciated people like that.

Zhao Yun replied gently, "General Owens, you misunderstand.

"I am not from Spirit Hall. I heard that your spear technique has reached a bottleneck, so I came specifically to offer some guidance."

Owens looked utterly bewildered by those words.

Guidance on spear technique?

Did offering guidance on spear technique require killing one of his guards and forcibly breaking into the City Lord's Mansion?

That was far too overbearing, wasn't it?

He did not believe the man's nonsense and snorted coldly.

"Heard? Who did you hear it from?

"My spear technique is among the best in the entire Pelagi Kingdom. No one would dare claim to be stronger than me!

"Why would I need guidance from a madman like you?!

"Even if your soul power is greater than mine, when it comes to spear technique alone, you can't possibly be my match!"

Seeing Owens successfully take the bait, Zhao Yun's lips curled slightly.

"I didn't expect Your Excellency to be so confident. How about we have a match?

"No soul power, just pure spear technique.

"Though my physical strength is certainly greater than yours.

"But spear technique is usually about skill and speed, so you won't be at much of a disadvantage.

"Still, for the sake of fairness, I'll wield my spear with only one hand.

"Whoever first strikes the other with the spearhead wins.

"The loser agrees to one condition from the winner. How about it?"

After hearing the man's challenge, Owens gradually calmed down.

As an old general seasoned by countless battles,

he knew very well that since the other party dared propose a wager, he must have considerable confidence.

Although he was very confident in his own spear technique,

without knowing the terms of the wager, he could not simply agree.

"A match is fine, but we must settle the terms of the wager first.

"Otherwise, if you ask me to surrender to Spirit Hall, I could never do that, even in death!"

Seeing Owens say this, Zhao Yun nodded in agreement.

"Of course."

Owens grinned.

"If I win, you'll become my bodyguard from now on and protect my safety at all times!"

"Become a bodyguard?"

Zhao Yun paused, then sneered.

"There are only two people in this world qualified to have me as their bodyguard.

"One was my former lord, and one is my current lord.

"But... I accept.

"However, if I win, you must renounce your current nationality and join my Shu-Han Empire!"

"The Shu-Han Empire???"

Owens looked completely baffled.

He had lived for more than forty years, yet this was the first time he had heard the name of this country.

"Is it some remote little country over in Star Luo?"

Zhao Yun shook his head.

"It has nothing to do with Star Luo, but it does have something to do with the Pelagi Kingdom.

"Don't worry. Joining this country will not have much impact on you.

"You will still be the commander defending this city. Only the one you swear allegiance to... will change slightly."

Owens's eyes immediately narrowed.

"You mean... you want me to betray my motherland?"

A glint gathered in Zhao Yun's eyes as he explained calmly.

"What you should be loyal to is the people of this land, not the name Pelagi Kingdom, isn't that right?"

Owens's gaze sharpened at once.

"What is the difference between the two?"

With his hands behind his back, Zhao Yun turned and walked to the railing, watching a large fish swallow a small fish in the pond.

"The difference is that your motherland is this land and the people living upon it.

"Not those lofty nobles who care nothing for whether the common people live or die!

"Don't you wish for your country to change from its current twisted, diseased state into a happy and normal one?"

"..."

Owens fell silent.

As a high-ranking commander, he naturally understood the current state of the Pelagi Kingdom.

Countless commoner men were sent to the battlefield as expendable cannon fodder, all to preserve the safety and decadent luxury of those nobles.

And all of this was the handiwork of that hot-tempered king and the noble parasites beneath him!

If someone could truly remove those parasites without harming the common people... he would not be unable to accept it!

He was unwilling to be Spirit Hall's lackey, and naturally, he was also unwilling to be the lackey of those noble parasites!

After a long silence, Owens finally agreed.

"Fine! As long as you can defeat me, I will join the Shu-Han Empire you speak of!

"But there is one condition: this Shu-Han Empire must not harm the ordinary people of the Pelagi Kingdom!"

Zhao Yun smiled faintly. "Of course. I promise you."

Owens abruptly pointed his spear at Zhao Yun.

"Then it's settled! Come with me to the training grounds, and we'll settle this there!"