The Demon Lords

Chapter 459 58: West_1

Atop a sand dune, a tent stood, crowned with a solitary purple horn.

This was the supreme symbol of power in the Barbarian Royal Court, somewhat similar to the Golden Imperial Flag in Qian State, an object that only those of "imperial" nobility could use. Its symbolic significance far outweighed its practical use.

Historically, the Royal Court had a total of three such tents, each crowned with a purple horn.

The horn was from a Pixiu.

Historically, two emperors of the Ji Family died on the battlefield. Their Pixiu mounts were subsequently seized by the Barbarians, who cut off their horns to be used as artifacts. The third horn was left behind by a fallen Marshal from Yan State.

Only a Pi Beast of truly noble bloodline could grow such a purple horn, and the Barbarians regarded it as a war trophy, a symbol of honor.

However, a hundred years ago during the Barbarians' western conquest, one such tent was lost in the west. Another was reclaimed when the first Earl of North Border began his defense of the desert, pursuing the Barbarian Royal Court with his cavalry and seizing it back.

This meant that the Royal Court now possessed only one such tent, and it was here.

Outside the tent stood a middle-aged man dressed in beast fur. His hair was red, his eyes shone with an amber luster, yet his face bore the dark complexion and ruggedness characteristic of a Barbarian.

It was rumored that the Barbarian Royal Court's Prince of Right Gulixi was of mixed blood; his father was a Roman, and his mother a Barbarian slave.

As a young man, he returned to the Barbarian tribes, rose through their ranks, and eventually became the Prince of Right Gulixi.

He stood there, gazing ahead. In the distance, a troop of black-clad cavalry, bearing the black dragon banner of Yan State, was advancing toward him.

Among the troop, there was a carriage.

A young man in golden armor galloped at the fore, exuding a heroic aura, as steadfast as a monolith.

When he arrived before the tent and saw the purple horn upon it, an angry expression crossed his face.

The Prince of Right Gulixi smiled faintly. Perhaps because he had lived in Rome during his youth, he still retained some Western traces.

The two men's gazes met. No sparks flew between them. One was composed and reserved, the other domineering and overt. It was impossible to say who had the upper hand or which style was superior; they simply each had their own merits.

The young man in golden armor urged his horse forward but was stopped by the outstretched hand of the Prince of Right Gulixi.

"Move aside! I must inspect the tent!"

The Prince of Right Gulixi said gravely, "Your Highness, among my Barbarian tribe, only one person is permitted to enter this tent. You may rest assured."

"And why should I trust you?"

A faint smile touched the Prince of Right Gulixi's lips. In the sunlight, his eyes seemed even more bewitching. "It's not a matter of trust," he said. "You've only brought a hundred cavalrymen, and none of the garrison commanders are present. If I truly intended something, I alone would suffice. I admit, Your Highness, you indeed possess a talent for martial arts. To have reached the Fourth Rank Martial Cultivator realm at such a young age is remarkable. Given time, your achievements in the martial path will surely be limitless. But as of now, you are no match for me."

Saying so, the Prince of Right Gulixi raised his hand, pointing towards the slowly approaching carriage. "The noble personage in the carriage isn't concerned about this, so why must Your Highness break the rules?"

"Is that the Ji Family's boy? Come in, let this Khan have a look."

An old voice drifted from within the tent.

The Prince of Right Gulixi withdrew his hand.

Ji Wujiang dismounted, walked to the front of the tent, and saluted. "Ji Wujiang has come to pay respects to the Barbarian Khan."

"Heh, times have truly changed. The people of the Ji Family have actually started to learn some manners, hehe."

Ji Wujiang lifted the tent flap and saw an old man in fine attire sitting cross-legged inside. The man was very old, curled up within, possessing none of the demeanor of a Barbarian King; he looked little different from an elderly, wealthy landowner from the Yan State countryside.

"What? So your Ji Family can learn to act civilized, but we Barbarians must forever live like beasts, eating raw meat and drinking blood?"

Ji Wujiang entered the tent.

"The Ji Family's lad, sturdily built indeed. A pity. It has been many years since anyone from the Ji Family personally ventured into the desert. I almost thought the descendants of the Ji Family had all grown soft from luxury, no longer able to stomach the desert sands."

A hundred years ago, the Barbarian Royal Court's western expedition ended in a great defeat.

The first Earl of North Border was enfeoffed with Beifeng Prefecture and began to pacify the desert.

The Barbarians, who for hundreds of years had been a great scourge to Yan, were henceforth unable to advance a single step further east. The scenes of the Ji Family's ancestral emperors repeatedly leading personal expeditions into the desert were indeed becoming a very distant memory.

"The desert? I've always wanted to come, but there was never a need to."

"That indeed sounds like a young whelp of the Ji Family," the Barbarian King said, showing no anger. He pointed to a cup of mare's milk wine before him. "Drink."

Ji Wujiang did not lose his composure. He directly raised the cup and drained it in one gulp.

"Well?" the Barbarian King asked.

"It's exceptionally foul."

"HAHAHA..."

The Barbarian King roared with laughter, then said, "This Khan has some Western wine here. In a few days, I'll have someone send you some. Wine, you see, is only interesting when shared."

"Then, this young one thanks the Khan."

The old Barbarian King consistently acted like an elder. Although their sides were hostile, and the current situation was fraught with tension, Ji Wujiang gradually set aside his initial arrogance and began to show the demeanor of a junior.

"Deep down, I've always been afraid. Afraid that I would die before getting a Ji Family member to ride into this desert for another look."