Abu Muslim and Ziyad glanced at each other, the two highest commanders deeply frowning. They had never heard a single word of what the red-robed attendant had said before. But who could have imagined that the Behemoths would have such a major flaw?
"So if it was a Psychic Energy practitioner, they could easily control the Behemoths? Did the Behemoths also die from excessive Psychic Energy control? "
Abu Muslim asked.
Abu Muslim had never imagined that the Qixi Protector-General of the Tang Dynasty would also be a Psychic Energy expert. Now that he thought about it, Masil had probably died for the same reason.
"That's not all."
To Abu Muslim's surprise, just when he thought that he knew all the secrets and answers, the red-robed attendant hesitantly said something else.
"In truth, in truth … when the Behemoths were created, the higher-ups had already considered this point. In order to prevent other Psychic Energy experts from controlling the Behemoths, the High Priest had long ago planted a seal in the minds of the Behemoths. All the Behemoths could only submit to Lord Masil and obey his orders. If Lord Masil were to die, the seal the High Priest planted in the minds of the Behemoths would explode, killing them one by one. No one can truly control our Behemoths for a long period of time. "
The High Priest!
This name made both Abu Muslim and Ziyad feel like they had been pricked by a needle. A hint of apprehension and deep respect appeared in their eyes. Every empire had a few extremely unique existences, and the High Priest was one of them.
Abu Muslim had heard of his name, but he had never had the chance to meet him. It was rumored that the High Priest was more than two hundred years old. Abu Muslim had even heard of his name when he was still a youth. Everything about him was shrouded in mystery.
In the Arabian Empire, there were even rumors that he had obtained Solomon's legacy. Others said that he had obtained the art of immortality.
But no matter which one it was, there was one thing that was certain. The High Priest wielded supreme authority in the empire. No governor or Great General would dare to offend or fear him.
In an instant, the air was silent and the surroundings were completely silent.
"Sir, if it's that person … then it's no wonder."
Ziyad's sudden words broke the silence.
"Yes."
Abu Muslim nodded, his expression somewhat relaxed. Even though he could not escape the blame for this defeat and Masil's death. However, if everything was related to that person, then his responsibility would be much smaller. More importantly, if the High Priest had really prepared in advance and made so many preparations, then perhaps this war was far from a complete defeat. There was still a chance to turn the situation around.
"Pass down my order, the army is to retreat fifty li! Retreat! "
Abu Muslim suddenly ordered as he looked forward.
Ziyad and the other Arab generals were dumbfounded by this order.
"But, sir, are we really going to give up just like that?"
Ziyad had an unwilling look on his face.
The Burner was dead, the Reaper was dead, and the other Behemoth was dead as well. Of the four strongest Behemoths, only the Consecrated was left. As long as the Consecrated fell, the Arabs would definitely have a chance to stage a comeback. Ziyad had originally believed that Abu Muslim would at least remain and wait for a chance to counterattack. But he hadn't expected for Abu Muslim to so decisively retreat.
"This is not giving up, but reorganizing the army. Today's timing is extremely unfavorable to us. Four Behemoths are dead, more than half of the Skyquaking Army has been killed, and one hundred thousand cavalry have been killed … Whether we admit it or not, we can no longer fight today, "Abu Muslim sternly said.
He was even more unwilling than Ziyad. He was even more unwilling than Ziyad. As the highest commander of the army, there was no such thing as defeat in Abu Muslim's dictionary. But this battle had already been lost. Whether he admitted it or not, it was a fact.
The urgent task at hand was not to tangle with the Tang Dynasty, as that would only be the bravery of a brute. The most important thing was to learn from this defeat and find a better opportunity to counterattack.
"… Retreat! In this battle, I underestimated that Qixi Protector-General of the Tang Dynasty. His role in this battle was far greater than we imagined, even surpassing that of Gao Xianzhi. Whether it is in terms of thinking, strategy, courage, or ability to scheme, this person is probably our greatest foe. If Arabia wants to conquer the east and unify the continent, this person will probably be our greatest foe. "
Abu Muslim's eyes were sharp as he stared at the youth on the giant ape's shoulder.
At this moment, Abu Muslim felt a little regret. He suddenly thought back to those spies he had sent to Qixi. After completing the report on the Western Regions, Qixi and Longxi had been the next targets. But at the time, Abu Muslim had believed that it was enough to destroy Gao Xianzhi and his Anxi Protectorate army.
As for Qixi and Longxi, it would not be too late to wait until he defeated Gao Xianzhi and occupied Anxi. Thus, the intelligence gathering and spying on these two places had not been very thorough. He had not even paid much attention to the fact that his Great General, Fomonlința, had been replaced by a youth.
From this point of view, the reason for the defeat of this battle had long ago been clear.
"Do you see the Consecrated? He's left the Consecrated there precisely to deal with us. He won't give us any chance to take advantage of this battle. Nothing unexpected will happen if he continues to stay. Retreat! "
With these final words, Abu Muslim waved his hand, his voice firm and unquestionable.
Rumble! Following Abu Muslim's order, the nearly one hundred thousand Arab cavalry galloped off to the west, leaving a trail of dust in their wake.
In front of the first defense line, four to five thousand zhang from Talas, the Tang Dynasty soldiers silently watched all this and breathed a long sigh of relief.
Both the Great Tang and Arabia had suffered grievous losses over the course of this battle, and all the soldiers were deeply fatigued.
"Everyone retreat!"
Wang Chong gave a profound glance into the distance, and then he quickly turned his head and steered the giant ape toward the City of Talas. In front of Talas, countless soldiers were bustling about, and in the center of these soldiers were the wounded. Although the Tang Dynasty had managed to win this battle, it had also paid a heavy price.
Countless soldiers and horses had been wounded by the attacks of the Behemoths and the giants.
"Milord, how are you?"
Leaping down from the giant ape, Wang Chong did a somersault and landed steadily on the ground. After which, he parted the crowd and swiftly walked up to Go Seonji and Cheng Qianli.
Whether it was Gao Xianzhi or Cheng Qianli, neither of them was in very good condition. Wang Chong scanned them and saw that their armor was in tatters and their bodies were drenched in blood. Their auras were also in disarray. They were no longer at the Great General level, and it seemed like they would find it very difficult to even maintain the Saint Martial realm.
"Not good!"
Cheng Qianli shook his head as he supported Gao Xianzhi, his expression fraught with concern.
"Milord was already injured while fighting the Behemoths, and now he's fighting Abu Muslim all by himself. His injuries are extremely severe. I've already done my best to use energy to protect his organs, but the situation is still not optimistic!"
Everyone had witnessed Abu Muslim's strength. His Seventy-Two Demon Pillars Art had allowed him to fight the Consecrated on his own, something that probably no one else present could do. And his defenses were so powerful that he could take the attacks of the Behemoths without dying. One could easily imagine the price Gao Xianzhi had paid to fight Abu Muslim in his weakened state.
"Don't listen to his nonsense. The situation isn't as serious as he says. I won't die yet."
Gao Xianzhi waved his hand and squeezed out a weak smile.
"Wang Chong, can the Consecrated really not hold on?"
"It's very difficult!"
Wang Chong shook his head. Even though Gao Xianzhi was injured, his perception was still as sharp as ever. It was clear that he had sensed something from the Consecrated's actions.
"I've already done all I can to prolong its life, but there are some things that cannot be reversed. In three or four days at most, this giant ape will be dead," Wang Chong said.
"The morale of the army depends on it. If the giant ape falls, it will definitely have a major impact on the army. More importantly, Abu Muslim won't easily give up. He's already sensed an opportunity and is certain to come back in the future. "
Gao Xianzhi said. Although he was heavily injured, he was still most concerned about the entire battlefield.
"He won't have a chance!"
Wang Chong indifferently said.
"And since he didn't succeed this time, he won't have a chance in the future."
"We can't be careless. Abu Muslim is too powerful. In our current situation, none of us can stop him. We'll have to rely on you and General Wang."
Gao Xianzhi said, his heart heavy.
Gao Xianzhi had originally been strong enough to stop Abu Muslim, but the situation had changed. If even the giant ape died, not many people in the Tang Dynasty would be able to deal with him.
"Milord is correct. Milord and I probably won't be able to help you. We'll have to rely on you for everything."
Cheng Qianli also had a heavy heart. Although his injuries were not as severe as Gao Xianzhi's, they were not optimistic either. Ziyad was stronger than him, and the bronze Ocean Ring in his hand was able to inflict severe injuries on Cheng Qianli every time they collided. The price they had paid in this battle was far greater than it appeared on the surface.
"Relax. The situation isn't as bad as you think."
To their surprise, Wang Chong smiled at their words. He was in a relaxed mood, not as heavy as he had imagined.
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