Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons

The unexpected reaction made Wen Jiao open her eyes. She saw that Wen Cheng's eyes were slightly red like peach blossoms because of grievance, and he was glaring at her angrily. His expression was like a rabbit that was forced to eat a whole piece of tough beef jerky.

Wen Jiao couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Wen Cheng glared at her again, rolled up his sleeves, grabbed a handful of thin wooden sticks that he had picked up at some point, and laid them on the ground. "I had thought about it when I came here. Sabron City is in a strategic location, surrounded by mountains and forests. If we just want to defend the city, as long as there is enough food and grass, it will be no problem to defend it for three to five years. But this will cost a lot of money and manpower, and we really can't afford it. In my opinion, it's better to take the initiative to attack."

"There is a dense forest of a hundred miles outside the city. We have the advantage of the terrain. We can set up an ambush in the forest in advance, and then select the best troops to go out of the city and challenge them..."

As she talked, a meticulous pre-war plan slowly unfolded. Wen Jiao squatted in front of her: "My national teacher, when did you learn the art of war?"

Wen Cheng's palm loosened, and the remaining half of the thin sticks fell one by one: "In recent years, in order to kill time, I have read all the books in the palace. Many of them are military books."

You learn wherever you live.

Wen Jiao finally understood where her affection for her came from. How could she not sympathize with her spirit of never-ending learning and pursuit of knowledge?

What's more...

Looking at Wen Cheng's serious expression, Wen Jiao suddenly remembered that the daughter of the King of Jiangxia in the past also accompanied her father on military marches for many years, even though she was born with a delicate and beautiful face.

But no one had ever thought that she was actually quite talented in marching and fighting. After all, since Princess Pingyang Zhao, the Tang Dynasty had not produced a woman leading troops for many years.

This battle was a huge change.

Years of experience have endowed Leba with perfect archery skills, a strong physique, high ambition and rage for revenge. He is dressed in golden armor, majestic and looks like a god. He rides a tall horse and charges forward, invincible wherever he goes. The soldiers of Manzagang avoid him one after another, and flee in panic when he chases them.

Lieba brandished his long sword and shouted, "The evil queen usurped the throne. You are ignorant. I will not bother with you. Tell the evil queen to come out and fight to the death with me!"

Gongze, standing far away, swung his meteor hammer and hit him hard: "Do you think you can see the queen whenever you want? And you pretend to be Prince Leba from the Ascending Sky Continent. Do you have no parents? And you rush to recognize our queen as your great mother?"

"You're looking for death!" Lieba's eyes turned red with anger. He kicked the horse's belly with his toes and chased after him. "If you have the guts, don't run. I'll twist off your head and use it as a wine jug!"

Gongze laughed: "It's still unclear who will twist whose head!" After saying that, he flicked the reins and the horse under him ran away.

Lieba chased after the fleeing Gongze and unknowingly ran into the dense forest. Because he was in such a hurry, most of the guards who were originally guarding him were lost, and only a few were left to catch up with him. Another guard hurriedly came from behind and shouted loudly: "My king, Princess Sam asked you to withdraw your troops. She said that you ran too fast and have been separated from the main force."

Lieba shuddered, and the blood boiling in his head subsided a little. He threw his cape, turned his horse around, and said, "Let's retreat."

"Why are you in such a hurry to leave? Didn't you shout that you wanted to see me, my dear 'child'?" A deep female voice came from the depths of the green forest, with a teasing smile.

"The Demon Queen Ha Xiang!" Although fifteen years have passed, Lieba still recognized the voice the first time.

The vines opened and closed, and Wen Jiao walked over step by step on the thick dead branches and leaves, sighing in a very villainous way: "If you are really Prince Leba, then you and your sister Sam should call me mother. Of course, you are just an imposter, so there is no chance for us to have a mother-son relationship."

Lieba's teeth were chattering. "How dare you, the witch queen, be called my great mother! My father wanted to depose you all those years ago. If he hadn't been concerned that you were the wife my grandfather had betrothed to him, he would have done it long ago. My mother is gentle and virtuous, and only deserves to be the queen. But they were both harmed by you, a scheming Yaksha woman. Today I will avenge my father and mother, take my knife!"

The young man in his early twenties had the strength of a dragon or a tiger, and his sword slashed with a sharp force. It was so powerful that it seemed like he had magical powers. If Wen Jiao had not known his strength from Gong Ze's military reports, she would have been shocked when they met.

Seeing the knife coming towards her, Wen Jiao dodged in time. The knife missed and hit a tree that was so big that two people could hug it, and it actually cut the tree in half.

"What a stamina!" Wen Jiao dodged and shot five arrows in a row. Each arrow was deflected by Leba and deeply penetrated into the surrounding trees.

Such valiant fighting power was not even matched by Ha Xiang in his prime. Moreover, Ha Xiang was getting older now and his skills were no longer as good as before.

As the two men fought, the ambushers who had been lying in wait appeared one after another, drawing their longbows to their full length, aiming dense arrows at Leba. Gongze also hid his body behind a large rock, drew his bowstring, and aimed at the heir to the throne who was in name only.

"The evil queen is really cunning. She used this trick to kill my mother, Zhuowasam, fifteen years ago. Fifteen years later, she wants to use the same trick again to kill her son!" Lieba realized that he had been ambushed and said with a changed face.

"Back then, the princess ascended to the Skyland Continent because of her meritorious deeds. Her two children were reluctant to leave their mother and also ascended with her. This was witnessed by many palace ministers and it is true. But you, pretending to be the son of the former king who ascended fifteen years ago, want to get your hands on the throne of Manzagang. I, Ha Xiang, have never offended your Majin Kingdom, but you forced Ling to this point. Are you bullying my Manzagang because there is no one there?" Wen Jiao also said angrily, "Since you are unkind, don't blame me for being unjust!"

After saying that, he swung his knife and cut off an inconspicuous vine behind him. Just as Lieba was about to laugh, he heard a rustling sound from above his head. He subconsciously looked up and saw a vine cage falling from the sky, trapping him right in the middle.

"Bang!" The vine cage fell to the ground, stirring up a cloud of fallen leaves.

Each vine used to weave the cage was three fingers thick, and was tied tightly with beef tendons. Trapped in such a cage, it would be difficult to escape even if one had the strength of nine oxen and two tigers. Leba roared in grief and anger, and chopped the cage hard again and again, shaking the ground faintly. Suddenly, there was a crisp sound of "bang", and it was his long sword that broke into two pieces, one of which fell to the ground.

"Young people are full of energy. If I were ten years younger, I would definitely fight you with swords and spears." Wen Jiao knocked on the cage, felt the backlash of Lieba's anger, and dropped her hands.

"Demon Queen, you only know how to use these dirty tricks. If you have the guts, fight me in a one-on-one fight!" Lieba pounded the cage wall so hard that his voice was about to split.

"I'm almost fifty years old. Fighting alone? Don't bully an old man like this." Wen Jiao said with a smile, and then ordered his attendants, "Tie him up and follow me back to the city. I forgot to tell you that my national teacher also led a troop to raid your base camp. I think she should be back by the time we return."

"How can there be a group of despicable women like you in this world!" Leba cried out "Woof".