Chapter 152: The Opening Axe

Xiao Ding volunteered to enter the fray and face Han Qianhu. Gao Wangjun also offered him a parting word, "Be most careful!"

Carrying the spiked mace he had looted from Balatian, Xiao Ding spurred his steed forward toward the frontline.

When Han Qianhu saw the young man emerging from the opposing camp, holding none other than Balatian’s signature spiked mace, he could not help but feel a jolt of astonishment.

"Who are you? And why is Balatian’s mace in your hands?" Having served alongside Balatian for many years, Han Qianhu naturally recognized the weapon instantly.

"My name is Tian Xiaoding. As for why Balatian’s mace is in my hands, the answer is simple: because I killed him," Xiao Ding replied with a grin, as casual and effortless as eating a meal or going to sleep.

"You, you... You’re the one who killed Balatian?" Han Qianhu stared at Xiao Ding, disbelief flickering across his features.

"That's right, I killed him. Are you planning to avenge him?" Xiao Ding still wore that same irritating, cheeky smile.

"Fine, fine, fine! I never expected a brat like you to have some real skill, actually managing to kill General Ba. Come, come then, spur your horse forward and let us cross swords!"

With that, Han Qianhu urged his steed forward, raising his cleaver with a downward chop meant to "Split Mount Hua in Twain." Xiao Ding met it by holding his spiked mace horizontally overhead in the "Support the Heavens with Fire" stance. The two weapons collided with a thunderous crash, and Xiao Ding successfully parried the broadaxe aside.

At the very instant the broadaxe descended, Gao Wangjun, watching from the rear ranks, squeezed her eyes shut in sheer terror, unable to bear looking any longer. She thought to herself that Tian Xiaoding was surely done for, certain to be cleaved clean in two, horse and all, by Han Qianhu.

Yet, to her utter surprise, Xiao Ding actually deflected that massive broadaxe. This involuntarily filled Gao Wangjun with a measure of reluctant admiration for his physical strength. *That blockheaded fellow really packs quite a punch!* she thought.

Having weathered Han Qianhu’s initial blow, Xiao Ding immediately swung his spiked mace in a ferocious counter-strike aimed directly at the crown of Han Qianhu’s head, executing the "Mount Tai Pressing Down the Summit" style!

Han Qianhu had traded blows head-on with Xiao Ding just moments before, leaving both his hands tingling and his arms aching. He muttered darkly to himself that even if he had eaten his fill over the past few days, his raw strength might not necessarily surpass this young man's by much. No wonder the boy had managed to slay Balatian; it seemed he genuinely possessed formidable skills.

Seeing the incoming mace, Han Qianhu initially wanted to copy Xiao Ding’s earlier overhead block, but worried that his empty stomach meant he lacked the strength to withstand the blow, he dared not risk a direct parry. Instead, he jerked his horse’s head to the side, dodging out of the path, and then used the edge of his cleaver to bat aside the head of Xiao Ding’s mace, deflecting it harmlessly to the side.

Having neutralized the attack, their horses circled, and Han Qianhu smoothly swept his axe horizontally, aiming directly at Xiao Ding's waist. If a broadaxe of that size were to connect with a man's waist, it would undoubtedly cut him cleanly in half.

Xiao Ding thrust his mace outward to block, and with another deafening crash, Han Qianhu’s axe was knocked wide.

Han Qianhu felt the shock reverberate through his hands so violently that he nearly lost his grip on the shaft. Hastily pulling back his axe, he seized the momentum to slash downward at the head of Xiao Ding’s mount. Though he wasn't aiming for Xiao Ding himself, the young man would never allow his horse to be struck.

Lifting his mace once more, Xiao Ding struck out with force. Yet another thunderous clang rang out, sending sparks flying in all directions. Taking a quick glance at the axe blade, Xiao Ding noticed not a single notch upon it. Truly, it was a fine weapon!

The impact left both of Han Qianhu’s arms numb once again. *I cannot afford to be dragged down in a war of attrition like this,* he thought. *If this continues any longer, I might very well end up killed by this brat.* Consequently, he decided to employ his previous strategy—feigning defeat to set up a sneak attack.

Seeing Han Qianhu turn tail to run once more, Xiao Ding immediately gave chase. From the rear, Gao Wangjun felt her heart sink as she watched him pursue. *Does he not know the man can throw flying axes?* she panicked. *Is he throwing his life away?*

Xiao Ding, however, was unaware that Gao Wangjun was currently agonizing over his safety. As he gave chase, he was already on high alert. He had witnessed Han Qianhu throw his flying axe at Luo Simao earlier, and he knew full well the enemy might try the same stealthy tactic on him.

Therefore, even as he spurred his horse in pursuit, Xiao Ding had already drawn his repeating crossbow. *Before you can hurl your flying axe at me, I'll just pepper you with crossbow bolts first!* he reasoned.

Thinking was as good as doing; Xiao Ding aimed straight at Han Qianhu’s back and loosed several bolts. Unfortunately, Han Qianhu was clad in heavy armor, and with Xiao Ding firing while galloping on a charging horse, the accuracy suffered. Two of the bolts struck the armor without piercing it, clattering uselessly to the ground.

However, a third bolt found its mark, striking Han Qianhu right in the joint of his right elbow—precisely the spot left uncovered by his armor. That was how Xiao Ding managed to pierce his defenses. Han Qianhu had never dreamed that before he could even deploy his hidden weapon, Xiao Ding would strike first with his own.

A sharp pain flared in his right elbow, and his grip failed him. The massive broadaxe slipped from his fingers, crashing to the dirt with a loud clang.

Just as he thought to rein in his horse and dismount to retrieve his weapon, he caught sight of Xiao Ding charging toward him, brandishing the spiked mace.

Daring not linger, Han Qianhu whipped his horse and fled pell-mell back toward his own lines. This time, the retreat was genuine, not a feint.

Xiao Ding trotted up to the abandoned cleaver, executed a cavalry pickup trick to scoop the heavy weapon off the ground, and beamed with delight. *Such a massive axe, forged from the finest steel! If I take this back and melt it down in the armory workshop, how many new-style crossbow bolts could we forge from it? Heh heh!* He could not suppress a chuckle.

If Han Qianhu had any inkling of Xiao Ding’s inner monologue at that moment, there is no telling how angry he might have been.

By then, however, he had already scrambled back to his camp, where military physicians rushed forward to extract the bolt, apply medicine, and bandage the wound.

When he looked back and saw Xiao Ding making off with his weapon, he was so infuriated he nearly passed out on the spot.

"Was it this man who killed General Ba?" Li Daocheng demanded.

"Yes, he admitted it himself!" Han Qianhu replied bitterly.

"Which of you is willing to go forth and slay him to avenge General Ba?" Li Daocheng asked, sweeping his gaze across the assembly.

The assembled commanders lowered their heads in silence. Even Balatian had been killed by this young punk; who else would dare provoke him? They knew full well that if they faced Balatian themselves, victory was far from certain, let alone defeating the man who had slain him.

Seeing that no one volunteered, Li Daocheng had no choice but to call someone out by name. "Shu Tianxiu, your injuries should be healed by now. Go take the field this time and test his mettle."

"Understood, I obey!" Shu Tianxiu spurred his horse out of the formation.

Shu Tianxiu had suffered internal injuries some time ago when he was unluckily struck by a spear fired from a novel crossbow. After days of recuperation, however, those internal wounds had completely healed.

By this time, Xiao Ding had already handed Han Qianhu’s broadaxe over to his own soldiers. He spurred his horse forward to approach Shu Tianxiu. Finding the opposing general vaguely familiar, he suddenly realized this was the very military commander who had aided Xibugou in the siege of Xinquan City.

"What is your name? You're the one who led troops alongside Xibugou to attack Xinquan City, aren't you?" Xiao Ding called out.

Shu Tianxiu looked at Xiao Ding with a trace of panic. "I am Shu Tianxiu, a military commander of the Great Xia Nation! You must be Tian Xiaoding? You're the one who killed General Ba?"

"Exactly, no doubt about it! Look, Balatian’s iron hammer is still right here in my hand," Xiao Ding said, giving the spiked mace a little shake.

"Very well, then let us fight to the death! I want to see just how capable you really are!" Shu Tianxiu blustered, forcing a facade of toughness.

"I have no intention of fighting you to the death," Xiao Ding retorted. "If anyone dies here, it'll be you. I haven't lived enough yet—why on earth would I want to die?"