Chapter 202

Under the scorching sun, the team that sneaked into Talos City changed into black Ramadan army uniforms. The crops in the valley outside Talos City had long been abandoned. The other side of the river had been through many battles and was now in ruins. The four walls were broken, but there were nearly two hundred thousand people gathered outside and inside the city. The scene was spectacular.

The horses galloped on the plains and approached Talos City. This was once the holy city of Zoroaster and also one of the three areas where the prophet Zoroaster preached. When the Tang Dynasty was at its strongest, its influence extended to this place. Later on, the Sassanid Dynasty was destroyed and the Tang army kept retreating to the east.

Hongjun had regained his calm and put the previous matter aside. After all, the life and death of Atay was more important to him. Only Li Jinglong followed behind him. He exchanged glances with Qiu Yongsi from time to time, worried that this was only the calm before the storm.

In Talos City, the temple had been destroyed. On the altar square that could accommodate a hundred thousand people, there was a huge mural on the north side. It was the scene of the God of Light, Alahu Mazda, giving the Ring of Fire to Zoroaster. In front of the mural was a giant sculpture of Zoroaster. His head had long been destroyed and one of his hands was stretched forward, symbolizing boundless light.

Li Jinglong and the others dismounted and looked at the center of Talos City. Seven days ago, Ba Si had sent a message to the entire Crescent Valley. He wanted to destroy the Ring in Talos City and execute the last member of the Yi Si Ai family.

"Come here." Li Jinglong had already scouted the terrain of the city and planned out their route. The city was packed with people. They first snuck into a house, where a middle-aged man dressed in black appeared. When he saw them enter, he took off his mask.

"This is La Shan." Li Jinglong said to everyone. "Zoroaster."

The middle-aged man made a hand gesture, which was the meaning of rising flames. Qiu Yongsi asked Li Jinglong with his eyes. Li Jinglong nodded and said: "He was the one who took us to Atay that day."

"Amman hasn't entered the city yet." La Shan could speak Chinese, but his accent was a little stiff. He said, "Ba Si will appear when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. Where is the brother you mentioned?"

"That's him." Li Jinglong patted Hongjun's shoulder and said, "You're responsible for cutting off Ba Si's arm with a flying knife and unlocking Atay's chains."

Hongjun grunted. La Shan then said, "We can set up an ambush now. Follow me."

"What about children?" La Shan noticed Chen Feng and asked.

Chen Feng replied, "I'll follow them. I won't make any trouble."

"You're such a good boy," La Shan smiled and handed Chen Feng a dagger, saying, "You can protect yourself."

The dagger was bigger than Chen Feng's arm. Yu Prefecture picked him up and tied the dagger to his back, using it as a dagger. La Shan led them out of the market. There were many people there, and everyone was dressed in black. They looked like the guards who came to patrol. They lined up in a row and swaggered. No one questioned them.

"I saw him," Hongjun whispered.

After leaving the market, they followed the broken stone road up to the Temple of Taros and the square in front of the temple. In the middle of the square, Zoroaster held a scepter on the ground with his left hand and pressed his right hand in front of him. The scepter stood like a stone pillar. Atay's clothes were torn, and his hair was covered in blood. He was tied to the scepter with his head hanging down. No one knew if he was dead or alive.

Under the altar and in the square, there were many people who came to witness history.

"Let's go," Qiu Yongsi urged, "Don't stay here any longer."

La Shan led them to a remote place and said to Hongjun, "Please come with me."

La Shan went to the side of the temple and threw out a rope. Hongjun and Yu Prefecture took Chen Feng and climbed up the side of the temple. When they reached a hidden platform, they hid under the shadow of the sun. They could see the situation in the square clearly. In front of the altar, where Atay was tied, they were all exposed to Hongjun's shooting range.

"I wanted to give him to Mo Rigen," Li Jinglong said, "but after thinking about it, it's safer to give him to you."

After all, Li Jinglong didn't know what kind of weapon Ba Si would bring. If it wasn't an ordinary magical weapon, Mo Rigen's Nailhead Seven Arrows might not be able to deal with it. Moreover, the chain that bound Atay was covered in runes. If it didn't break in one shot, it would easily cause problems.

"Is it far?" La Shan was obviously very nervous.

"The distance is just right," Hongjun answered. "Don't worry."

Li Jinglong pulled Qiu Yongsi and nodded to Hongjun. The two of them jumped down from the temple and blended into the crowd. Yu Prefecture and Chen Feng sat down.

The rooftops of the houses, in front of the temple, behind the pillars, and in the market were all filled with people. Only the space above the altar was empty, and it was tightly surrounded by guards. The nearest roof was a hundred steps away from the empty space. The arrows were already spent by the time they arrived in front of the altar.

Ba Si was obviously fearless. He was determined to completely destroy the Zoroastrianism at this moment. The black-clothed guards stood in all directions, each holding a scimitar. They stood motionless under the scorching sun, staring at the altar.

Hongjun noticed the guards at the top of the ruins of the temple. He thought that if something happened later, they would definitely be surrounded and attacked. La Shan understood his meaning from his expression and said, "They are all our brothers."

Yu Prefecture asked, "How many people do you have?"

La Shan held up three fingers and answered, "Three hundred. Originally, you didn't have to come. Everyone would have risked their lives to save Yi Si Ai."

Hongjun thought that Atay still had some loyal subordinates in Zoroastrianism. Unfortunately, with three hundred people, they couldn't save Atay.

Yu Prefecture said, "That's impossible."

La Shan said, "Even if we can't save him, it's the same if we die by his side."

When Li Jinglong infiltrated Zoroastrianism, he searched everywhere for Atay's whereabouts. It was because of this that he met La Shan. At that time, if La Shan intended to betray them, he could have captured him on the spot and taken him hostage. He wouldn't have gone through so much trouble to help them pretend to set a trap to save him.

Hongjun said, "Who gives the order?"

"You give the order." La Shan said, "Everyone is waiting for you to make a move. Then, we will rush forward to save His Majesty."

Hongjun nodded and asked, "What kind of magic does Ba Si have?"

La Shan shook his head and said, "No one has ever seen him use magic."

Hongjun was only afraid that Ba Si had some unusual and powerful abilities. However, even if he was some kind of big monster, Qiu Yongsi had the Demon Subduing Pestle and Li Jinglong's Mind Lamp, so he wasn't afraid of him. His eyes were fixed on the center of the altar. With the throwing knife in his hand, he was only thinking about which direction Ba Si would come from. La Shan thought that Hongjun was too nervous, so he began to tell him the history of Talos, as well as the battles between the Tang Army, Tufan Army, and Huihe Army here.

Since ancient times, the Ramadan, the Sassanid Empire, and the Tang Dynasty had both joined forces and fought against each other. It was difficult to tell who was the winner. At one point, they fought for control of Asia Minor and the Crescent River Valley. After the Sassanid Dynasty was destroyed, the Tang Army was powerless to reverse the situation. Although the Ramadan controlled a large area, the taxes were too heavy, and a small number of people still missed the previous dynasty …

"What do you plan to do after rescuing Atay this time?" Hongjun suddenly asked when he heard this.

"We don't have the foundation to restore our country anymore." La Shan replied, "As long as we save His Majesty, maybe we will leave Talos."

"Go where?" Hongjun didn't know why, but he thought of the Holy Land of the Demon Race.

La Shan said, "Live by the water and grass, and build a new Holy City."

"Isn't that the same as us?" Chen Feng suddenly said.

Yu Prefecture made a shushing gesture, indicating that Chen Feng shouldn't interrupt.

"If your strength is enough to take back Talos from the Ramadan," Hongjun asked La Shan again, "will you fight to rebuild the Sassanid Dynasty?"

"Of course." La Shan said, "The glory of Cyrus the Great is still there, who is willing to give it up?"

"Can't we live together?" Hongjun murmured. This sentence was not a rhetorical question, but a question to himself.

"War and blood are eternal." La Shan replied, "The Assyrians and the Macedonians have ruled us before, and now the Arabs have ruled us. Suffering can only be saved and liberated by our own hands."

Hongjun glanced at La Shan with a complicated gaze. La Shan said, "You Tangs haven't experienced this, you don't understand."

Hongjun didn't argue with him. At this moment, the crowd below burst into cheers. The guards separated the people, and a short general riding a tall horse slowly galloped over.

"That is Ba Si." La Shan said, "You can make a move at any time, His Majesty's life is in your hands."

As he spoke, La Shan faced Hongjun, holding a scimitar in his right hand and pressing it to his left chest. At that moment, Hongjun noticed the subtle movements of all the Ramadan guards around him. They all raised their scimitars and slightly turned to Hongjun's area. They quietly raised their wrists and pressed them to their left chests.

This was a certain etiquette of the Sassanids, an expression of gratitude to him.

Hongjun said in a low voice, "I understand."

Atay was tied to a stone pillar. When he heard the cheers, he raised his head slightly. Ba Si had already separated the people and was in front of the altar. He spoke in a loud and clear voice.

"He said that the Isai family's …"

Hongjun waved his hand, indicating that La Shan didn't need to translate. He just quietly looked at Atay. Suddenly, he had an illusion that he saw another him tied to the scepter. Ba Si's voice was sonorous and powerful. The square was silent. Nearly two hundred thousand people stared at the center of the altar. Ba Si wasn't tall, but his voice was very deep, echoing under the blue sky. Clearly, he was listing the crimes of the Isai family.

When Ba Si finished speaking, the people cheered again.

"How many of them do you think are real and how many are fake?" Qiu Yongsi and Li Jinglong stood together and observed the crowd.

"We'll find out very soon," Li Jinglong replied.

Several attendants stepped forward. One of them held a tray, upon which was placed the Zoroaster's holy relic, the Ring of Divine Fire. This ring symbolized light and fire, eternal in the mortal world.

Two other attendants held two trays. On one tray was a scripture, while on the other tray was a dagger. The handle was made of gold and inlaid with countless treasures. Although it was shaped like a dagger, the Caliph had called it the 'Sacred Sword'. It was often said that one hand holding a scripture, the other holding a sword to pass on the Dao.

In a flash, the dense crowd in the square held their breaths. It was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

The attendants placed the Ring of Divine Fire in the center of the altar. Ba Si pressed down on the scripture and began to recite the Sacred Commandment. Everyone in the square knelt down. Ba Si's voice rose and fell. Atay slowly raised his head, his bloodied face looking at the altar.

"I think …" Hongjun softly said in the silence.

La Shan suddenly turned his head and looked at Hongjun.

Hongjun shook the flying dagger in his right hand and used it as a Mo Sword. He whispered, "No matter who is ruling this land …"

At the same time, Ba Si held the Sacred Sword in his hand and pointed it at the Ring of Divine Fire. He raised it, revealing the Sun Wheel on his wrist. In front of and under the altar, the atmosphere was extremely tense.

"All living things are equal." Hongjun closed his eyes and said, "The only hope is that there will be no more killing and no more sorrow."

Ba Si shouted and slashed down with the Sacred Sword. Then, Hongjun held the Mo Sword and waved it elegantly!

In a flash, the Sword Qi flew out at an extremely tricky angle. It first broke the stone pillar behind Atay, then cut off his chain. The next moment, it whistled past the altar and shot toward Ba Si. At the moment when the chain was broken, Ba Si seemed to sense danger and fear at the moment of life and death. He instinctively blocked with his Mo Sword.

The Immortal Slaying Mo Sword collided with the Sacred Sword. A loud clang sounded, as if the sky was broken.

The Sword Qi was actually blocked!

This was the most powerful weapon in the history of the Central and Western Regions. The Immortal Slaying Flying Dagger was passed down from Lu Ya Dao Monarch during the Investiture of the Gods. The two words "Immortal Slaying" were enough to show how powerful it was. Ever since Hongjun obtained this weapon, he had never lost a single battle. He originally planned to use the Sword Qi to cut off one of Ba Si's arms and take away the Sun Wheel. But today, it was blocked by the Sacred Sword. He instantly knew that the enemy must have a super weapon!

"Save him!" Li Jinglong shouted and rushed to the altar at the same time with Qiu Yongsi!

Atay staggered and knelt down. The scene was suddenly in chaos. Hongjun put away his Mo Sword and jumped down. Arrows rained down. All the black-clothed guards under the altar released arrows at the same time, shooting at the altar!

Hongjun shouted and shook out the Rainbow Divine Light to block the arrows. Yu Prefecture handed Chen Feng to La Shan and said, "I'll leave him to you. Take him away!" Then he flew down as well.

In a moment, the altar became the target of everyone. The black arrows were like a rainstorm, all shooting in the direction of the Zoroaster. The impact of the impact forced Hongjun to retreat continuously.

La Shan gave the order and the ambushing troops moved out, continuously killing the crossbowmen.

"We haven't gotten the Sun Wheel yet!" Li Jinglong and Qiu Yongsi rushed to the altar and helped Atay up from the left and right. They shouted, "Yu Prefecture, take him away first!"

Atay had been tied up for a long time and his legs were weak. He knelt in front of the altar and stretched out his bloody right hand full of whip marks. He groped around the altar, trying to get the Fire Ring.

"It's too late!" Qiu Yongsi shouted, "He's going to use magic!"

Ba Si staggered up and shouted angrily. The two sides didn't speak the same language, but Hongjun guessed that Ba Si must be extremely angry. Then Ba Si flew up into the sky. He raised his left hand and the pages of the scripture quickly flipped. His right hand held the Holy Sword, which emitted a strong light and rose to the top of the sky.

In an instant, God's Wrath covered the sky of Taras City. 200,000 people fled in panic and fell to their knees, crying and begging for mercy. Dark clouds rolled and blocked the sunlight.

Hongjun shouted, "We can't get the Sun Wheel! The Holy Sword is not something you can resist! Run! "

However, Ba Si was surrounded by thunder and lightning. He was going to kill them all. He shook his right hand, and the Holy Sword turned into thousands of sharp blades in the air, covering the whole of Taras City! In the next moment, countless Holy Swords flashed and fell to the ground like meteors.

Hongjun shouted and pushed his hands forward. Suddenly, the five-colored Holy Light spread from the altar to the whole of Taras City. Qiu Yongsi raised the Demon Subduing Pestle and swept it at Ba Si. However, the moment the Holy Sword fell and hit the Demon Subduing Pestle, Qiu Yongsi was knocked back and vomited blood!

Li Jinglong's hand trembled as he drew his bow. The Heart's Lantern shone brightly in all directions, followed by a string of arrows that shot towards the sky. However, the white flames that burst forth from the Heart's Lantern arrows fell upon contact with the sacred sword. They were actually destroyed one after another!