Chao Tong's Vengeful Curse and the Jiang's Retaliatory Assault

Qula rode his wounded horse back to camp. As he drank tea and wine, he recounted the results of his raid. Everyone praised him upon hearing his tale. However, his fine steed "Nima Rangxia," struck by Aru's poisoned arrow, died shortly after returning to camp.

Wanting to show off in front of everyone, Chao Tong solemnly declared he would immediately avenge for Rongtsa. Furious, he donned his sorcerer's robes and hat, took out his blazing ritual offerings, and with his blood-red beard bristling, he roared like an angry black dragon demon in a tone used to summon deities:

"Today I, Chao Tong, cast this curse, ceaselessly tossing ritual offerings while chanting. When the offerings are hurled toward the enemy, they shall taste the flesh and blood of our foes; when cast into the sky, the myriad stars shall lose their light; if they fall from the heavens, they shall strike King Sadan's head; if carried away by a gale, they shall break Qula's spine; if they land upon the earth, the ground shall quake and mountains shake; if scattered to the four directions, black mist shall swiftly shroud all. The Jiang domain of Sadan shall turn pitch black, bringing calamity upon Sadan's subjects. I, the elder of Darong, have long held this wish: to utterly annihilate our enemies. I beseech all deities to aid me, ensuring I gain glory before all."

As he chanted, Chao Tong shook his curse-hat three times, his beard-knot swaying. The red ritual offerings glowed like raging fire, lighting up half the sky. Within the red light, a boulder shot toward the Jiang army camp, knocking over a hundred Jiang soldiers and horses. The Jiang troops were terrified, fearing such disaster might strike again, and they scattered in panic.

Seeing this, Minister Boidoi was enraged. He immediately mounted his Black Wind Cloud-Chaser steed and declared, "How can we not seek revenge after such losses? Those willing, follow me to battle!" With that, he turned his horse and galloped toward the Ling camp.

Qula mounted his Blue-Grey Crane horse, and Caima Keji mounted his Blue Blaze horse, both charging toward the Ling camp alongside him. Simultaneously bursting forth with the three brave generals were Kalin Kala, Serige Bu, and Qindui.

Seeing five or six riders charging one after another from the Jiang camp, the Ling army immediately grew alert. The Great King Gesar said, "This morning our army suffered some losses. Now it's hard to predict what will happen next. All heroes must mount up immediately and go to the camp gates to meet the enemy."

Bara, Danma, Michong, Gade, Sinba, Gongba, Chao Tong, and the heroine Adanam all swiftly mounted their horses and raced toward the camp gates.

The Jiang troops charged at the Ling camp like starving wolves descending upon a flock of sheep. They slashed their way from the camp's west gate to the east gate, then turned back from the east to the west, cutting back and forth. Thanks to the full protection of the Ling kingdom's guardian deities, the Ling forces suffered no major losses in men or horses. Seeing the Jiang troops attacking, the Ling heroes guarding the gates pursued them closely. Unable to withstand the assault, the Jiang troops had to flee backward, with the Ling forces in hot pursuit. Seeing pursuers behind them, the Jiang soldiers reined in their horses and turned back, ready to fight to the death.

Fierce Clashes and Verbal Barbs on the Battlefield

Sinba angrily shouted, "Ah! You Jiang men, why this madness? These lame horses that cannot gallop will only meet their death against a powerful foe. What use is such frenzy today? If you don't rein it in, you will lose your lives. If you want to fight, you need real skill. If you lack it, you'd best stop now. I am Sinba of the red beard; even a hundred thousand enemies do not concern me. I'll split you from head to heel, scattering your bones and flesh into mud."

After Sinba finished, Jiang commander Qula steadied himself on his horse and replied, "The six heroes on the battlefield today will not flee but fight to the death. We wield our weapons in combat, helmets on our heads ready to die. You, who were ever obedient and played the wise counselor to your Hor master, White Tent King, betrayed him to save your own skin when he lost his power and position. Shame on you, Sinba, for your thick-skinned shamelessness, following the Ling people in their wicked deeds! A Hor general acting as a Ling lackey is like making a woman a sorcerer. Jiang brothers, do not hesitate! Follow me, Qula, to meet the enemy! Let's see now who is truly heroic, whose war blade can claim more foes!"

With that, Qula charged headlong toward the Ling army without looking back. The Ling heroes, each holding sharp weapons, stood ready in tight formation, with Michong and Chao Tong lagging behind. Gongba then reined in his horse and, alongside the heroine Adanam, Danma, and other heroes, surged forward. Jiang warriors Qindui and Qula, charging at the front, met Danma. Qindui immediately shot an arrow at Danma, shattering his saddle to pieces. Though wounded in the hip by the arrow, Danma ignored the pain. Enraged, he notched an arrow and shot it fiercely, striking Qindui squarely in the heart. The arrow pierced his armor and emerged gleaming white from his back. Qindui fell from his horse, dead. Cheers erupted from the Ling heroes.

Infuriated, the Jiang troops charged forward again. Sinba swung his giant axe at Qula. However, as Qula's time had not yet come and he was protected by demon gods, the blow missed. Seeing the situation turn dire, Qula immediately wheeled his horse around and fled. Sinba gave chase. Though he couldn't catch Qula, he encountered Kalin Kala. With one axe stroke, Sinba cleaved both Kalin and his horse in two.

Wounds, Pursuit, and the Aftermath of the Skirmish

Enduring his wound, Danma continued the pursuit. He shot an arrow at the enemy, hitting Caima Keji in the right shoulder. Wounded, Caima hurriedly fled. Boidoi, now even more enraged, fought desperately alone against the Ling troops. When he charged at Michong, Michong didn't even dare look back, simply fleeing. Boidoi gave fierce chase but was blocked by Bara, allowing Michong to escape. Bara and Boidoi clashed for several rounds without a clear victor, eventually disengaging and each returning to their own camp. Having lost Qindui and Kalin, the Jiang troops were disheartened and retreated to their camp one after another.

Among the Ling heroes, concern was high due to Danma's hip wound. In the camp, several heroes were praised, especially Sinba and Danma. Within a few days, thanks to the careful treatment by several renowned army physicians, Danma's wound showed rapid improvement, though due to its severity, it had not fully healed in the short term.

Back in their camp, the Jiang troops mourned the loss of two commanders, Qindui and Kalin. Commander Caima Keji, wounded in the right shoulder, was unable to fight for several days and had to remain in camp to recuperate.

Gesar's Divine Mission and the Negotiation of a Truce

On the Ling side, the Great Lion King Gesar was preparing to follow the prophecy of the heavenly maiden Langman Gam to journey to the divine realm and fetch the white conch key, needed to subdue King Sadan of Jiang's soul-binding snake. He addressed his heroes: "I will go to the divine realm to fetch the white conch key. I hope everyone will guard the camp well during this time and manage military affairs. Riding my swift steed, I will fetch the key and return quickly. There is no need for anxiety."

Upon hearing this, his uncle, Chief Steward Rongtsa Chagen, said, "Great King, your intention to fetch the key from the divine realm is excellent. However, we are uncertain whether we can guard the camp effectively here. The Jiang are particularly fierce and often harass us, and Danma is wounded. If you truly must leave the camp, it would be best to first negotiate with the Jiang army for a temporary ceasefire of a few days, to see if an agreement can be reached."

The Great King Gesar said, "To set everyone's mind at ease, we can send someone to negotiate with the Jiang. If negotiation fails, it doesn't matter."

Thus, Gongba, Michong, Sinba, and a hundred riders went to negotiate with the Jiang. Seeing a group of horsemen approaching their camp, the Jiang troops thought the Ling were launching a raid today and immediately fell into disorder.

When the Ling force reached the river, they halted. Sinba and Gongba rode ahead a stretch and shouted their proposal to the other side. A Jiang soldier in golden armor came forward to listen. The soldier then reported to Commander Qula in the Jiang camp: "The Ling have come to negotiate. They propose a ceasefire for several days. I wonder if this would be advantageous for us?"

Qula said, "These Ling people are full of fanciful ideas. They wiped out our vanguard troops led by Yula, and now they come to negotiate a truce. Who knows what our king will think of this. Whether we agree to their proposal or not, it's best for Minister Boidoi to consider and decide."

Boidoi said, "We cannot agree to the Ling's proposal. It's unclear what benefit a temporary truce holds for them. For our side, a temporary truce offers no advantage. However, Commander Caima Keji is currently wounded in the right shoulder and cannot fight. Agreeing to a brief ceasefire for a few days might be acceptable."

Having said this, Minister Boidoi mounted his steed, rode out from the camp, reached the riverbank, reined in his Black Wind Cloud-Chaser horse, and shouted to the opposite side: "If golden wheat grains wish a bountiful harvest, one must see how the seedlings grow. You Ling come to negotiate a truce; we must see what is truly in your hearts. Since you have come to negotiate, there must be give and take. I will state the Jiang position clearly: we can agree to a temporary ceasefire for seven days. Let the warhorses rest temporarily, let the sharp arrows return to their quivers, let the curved bows loosen their strings, let the armor hang on the walls. When the seven days are up, we shall test our mettle again and see who are the true heroes. This seven-day truce is agreed upon today; when the deadline arrives, there will be no further delay."

With that, Boidoi turned his horse and immediately returned to the Jiang camp.

Note

Ritual Offerings:: Filthy substances refined through magic, specifically used to combat demons and evil spirits.