Chapter 1395 - 1071: Fierce Battle

From within Hulao Pass emerged a Deputy General under Yu Wenye’s command, named Xue Lin. He was the second son of Xue Daotong, the Assistant, and had just turned twenty a few days prior before joining Yu Wenye in the campaign against Luoyang.

Although he had followed Yu Wenye into battle before, this was his first time leading troops in combat. As he galloped out of the crowd and looked at the vast sea of enemy soldiers ahead, Xue Lin instantly felt his palms turn cold and damp with sweat, soaking the reins in his hands.

He gritted his teeth, tightened his grip on the reins, and spurred his horse forward: "Who dares boldly invade my territory?"

Upon hearing this, laughter erupted from the opposing side, and someone loudly replied: "Hulao Pass is the Hulao Pass of Luoyang. You haven’t even taken Luoyang, so what right do you have to call this your territory?"

"That’s right, if you ask me, you’d better dismount and surrender quickly, and go call your mom."

"Hurry back, haha."

The crude laughter made Xue Lin’s face gradually pale. Just as he clenched his teeth, preparing to angrily retort, Shi Yutao rode forward from the front, scrutinized him with a disdainful look, and said: "You, go back and bring out someone I recognize."

Xue Lin frowned, "What?"

Shi Yutao hefted the hand axe in his hand with a cold sneer: "I don’t wield my axe against unknown people. Bring me someone who can withstand three strikes; don’t say I’m bullying a child."

As soon as he finished speaking, the soldiers behind him burst into wild laughter.

Xue Lin was so angry his face turned white, yet he refused to retreat. Instead, he shook the reins, moved his horse two steps forward, and said, "My name is Xue Lin."

Shi Yutao looked at him coldly, "What achievements do you have?"

Xue Lin declared, "Today, driving you back will be my first merit!"

With that, he suddenly shouted, urging his horse to dash forward and swung his spear viciously towards Shi Yutao’s chest!

This sudden onslaught caught even his own troops off guard. In the blink of an eye, Xue Lin was already upon Shi Yutao. However, Shi Yutao seemed to have anticipated it, standing firm without any intention of dodging, and in the instant the spear was about to pierce his chest, he swiftly raised his hand axe to block in front of him.

Only a "clang" was heard as the spear tip directly struck the axe blade.

Xue Lin’s eyes widened with rage as he thrust forward with all his might, yet Shi Yutao remained unmoved, not even a tremor in the hand holding the axe. In contrast, as Xue Lin pushed forward in vain, his grip on the spear shaft began to slip, and his posture on horseback showed signs of instability.

On the city wall, witnessing this scene, Yu Wenye furrowed his brow slightly.

Shen Tu Tai remarked, "Too hasty."

In the next moment, seemingly affirming his assertion, Shi Yutao suddenly withdrew his hand axe. With the spear tip losing its support, Xue Lin lost his balance, lunging forward. Seizing his moment of imbalance, Shi Yutao sidestepped the spear that aimed for his chest, then backhanded his axe, striking towards Xue Lin fiercely!

This move alarmed those trailing behind Xue Lin.

As they unconsciously gasped, Xue Lin, who nearly fell from his horse, suddenly stabilized himself by hooking one leg forcefully into the stirrup to anchor himself to the horse’s back at the moment he lost balance.

Though his stance was tilted, he managed to pull himself back upright by leveraging the stirrup.

Upon seeing this, the soldiers behind him instantly shifted their gasps to cheers, even Shi Yutao’s men halted their jesting.

Shi Yutao’s expression turned somber, realizing that this young general wasn’t one to be underestimated. He never dared disregard an opponent before they were down. As the axe missed, Xue Lin was already swinging his spear at Shi Yutao’s head. Shi Yutao quickly raised his big axe to block, as Xue Lin fiercely thrust several times at his forehead, throat, chest, and shoulders with the sleek and lethal precision reminiscent of a serpent. Despite the cumbersome size of Shi Yutao’s hand axe, he wielded it with extraordinary dexterity, blocking every deadly thrust with resounding clashes. He then swung his axe in a sweeping motion aiming to cut Xue Lin in half!

"Watch out!"

Someone in the crowd shouted. Xue Lin dared not be careless and immediately raised his spear to block. But this axe strike, charged with formidable strength from Shi Yutao’s muscular arms, struck the spear, shocking it to bend and sink, nearly sweeping Xue Lin off his horse!

Watching him fend off this strike, Shi Yutao’s left hand gripped the axe handle firmly while his right hand slightly pulled back the axe, seemingly ready to retract. However, before Xue Lin could catch his breath, the axe head suddenly thrust forward again, crashing into Xue Lin’s chest!

This was wholly unexpected for Xue Lin, as there was no time to retract his spear and no strength left to resist. He could only fall backward, lying flat on his horse.

The axe just narrowly brushed past his nose!

Yet as he narrowly dodged, Shi Yutao did not give him a chance to rise, his right hand pushed upward, sending the axe slashing down towards Xue Lin’s face!

At that moment, Yu Wenye instinctively caught his breath, Shen Tu Tai also held his breath, his frown so deep it nearly overshadowed his eyes with his thick brows.

Just when everyone thought Xue Lin would be split by the axe, his horse neighed wildly, and leaped forward two strides!

Just these two steps allowed him to narrowly evade Shi Yutao’s axe!

It turns out that in the instant of nearly falling back to avoid Shi Yutao’s attack, Xue Lin anticipated a follow-up, and as he reclined, his right foot kicked the horse’s belly hard, startling it to spring forward and saved his own life!

"Well done!"

Seeing this, Shen Tu Tai couldn’t help but murmur approvingly!

He let out a deep breath, turned to Yu Wenye, and said, "I didn’t expect that this boy could show such capability in his first battle; not bad."

Only then did he notice Yu Wenye withdrawing a hand from the parapet, which bore two deep finger marks. Breathing a sigh of relief, he muttered with some gratitude: "Luckily, we have a warrior left for his father."

Shen Tu Tai glanced at him, saying nothing.

This Xue Lin is the second son of Xue Daotong, who practically grew up beside Yu Wenquan, now the Emperor’s confidant. His eldest son Xue Jing is too weak to practice martial arts, and now serves as Chamberlain at the Crown Prince Mansion.

Watching Xue Lin’s debut performance, though hindered at every turn, yet not yielding, Yu Wenye was quite satisfied, exhaling a long breath. He then turned to Shen Tu Tai and whispered: "You shall go down and aid him in the battle."

Hearing this, Shen Tu Tai was momentarily startled.