Mythical Three Kingdoms

The veteran soldiers of Liu Bei's personal unit were almost all qualified to join the elite Mount Tai City Management Force, and the School Sabre Bearers under Guan Yu were also among the finest troops. Yet even so, when facing the Vanguard Death Squad, their efforts could barely be described as holding the line, let alone suppressing them. On the contrary, it was the Vanguard who overwhelmingly suppressed them. Such terrifying combat power!

Chen Xi and Jia Xu exchanged glances, seeing the concern in each other's eyes. The sheer might of the Vanguard was indeed shocking. Their strongest troops could not be deployed here, and the other armies under their command were clearly struggling to contend with the Vanguard. Originally, countering them with Hua Xiong or the Mount Tai City Management Force would have been the most appropriate choice.

"Forget it; we'll deal with the Vanguard issue later. For now, let's focus on addressing Yuan Shao's forces. The Vanguard may be sharp, but after all, they are merely a single unit of troops. Dragging them down shouldn't be too difficult," Guo Jia signaled the elite archers to press forward before turning to Chen Xi and Jia Xu to say.

"Alright, let's proceed as such," Chen Xi nodded in agreement. The most effective way to handle such a specialized unit like the Vanguard was to find them a match of equal caliber or to devise a strategy for annihilation. Taking them on directly would indeed be troublesome.

Soon, the elite archers of Liu Bei's army advanced. The previously rampaging Vanguard noticeably adjusted their movements with caution. The arrows launched by the Five-Stone Strong Bows were sufficient to blow the heads off the Vanguard soldiers. In such a circumstance, no matter how indomitable their will was or how much they resisted death, it ultimately made little difference.

However, judging by the situation Chen Xi observed, only dozens of enemy soldiers were actually being killed by the arrows. Many more were deflecting the arrows away using the small shields strapped to their wrists. Chen Xi clearly witnessed a soldier tilting his small shield at a twenty-degree angle, causing an incoming arrow to ricochet cleanly off.

Faced with this scenario, Chen Xi could only concede admiration, acknowledging that the Vanguard, with their background as Heavy Crossbowmen, were indeed monsters in their mastery of arrow defense.

After successfully intercepting the Vanguard, the counteroffensive by Liu Bei's forces intensified significantly across other fronts. Wave after wave of relentless assaults drove Yuan Shao's army into retreat.

This wasn't merely a matter of command or leadership anymore; it was a stark disparity in troop quality. Apart from the bright spot at the core where the Vanguard held firm, Yuan Shao's forces were in full retreat everywhere else.

On the open plains, cavalry maneuvers unfolded in bloody carnage. In engagements where the White Horse Soldiers avoided direct clashes, their superior speed shone undeniably, thoroughly suppressing the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry that outnumbered them two to one. Meanwhile, as Zhang He, Yuan Shao's commander, was targeted, he barely avoided being speared off his horse by Zhao Yun during a swift charge.

From a bird's-eye view, Yuan Shao's army had taken a wedge-like formation, with its sharpest point concentrated where the Vanguard were positioned. On the other hand, Liu Bei's army had adopted a scissor-like structure, as if threatening to cut through Yuan Shao's forces entirely.

"General, you handle Zhang He while I go to break through the Vanguard," Xue Shao said decisively to Zhao Yun as the White Horse Soldiers converged into formation. A burning hatred for the Vanguard was shared deeply among all the White Horse Soldiers, especially for Xue Shao, who had fought in the Battle of Jieqiao.

"Zhangming, you deal with Zhang He; leave everything else to me," Zhao Yun spoke without unnecessary words, leading the most elite White Horse Soldiers as they split off from the larger cavalry formation. Rapidly, they restructured, pulling the mounted archers into a "V" shape, with Zhao Yun and a group of fiery-eyed White Horse Soldiers wielding spears at the center.

The White Horse Soldiers, already known for their astonishing speed, wasted no time upon forming ranks. Like lightning, they charged toward the Vanguard Death Squad at the front lines. Before Juo Yi could laugh triumphantly, a torrential downpour of arrows rained upon them.

The moment the Vanguard raised their arms in retaliation, the White Horse Soldiers split into two swift waves, with Zhao Yun and others hidden within surging forward. Abandoning their typical strategy of placing mounted archers at the outer flanks and spear cavalry in the center, the sharp spear cavalry plunged straight toward the Vanguard preparing to strike.

Before the Vanguard could react, they were met first with a furious flurry of rapid-fired arrows. In their stunned moment of disarray, Zhao Yun spearheaded the charge of the spear cavalry, penetrating directly into their ranks at maximal speed and delivering a lethal blow.

By the time the Vanguard regained their senses, they had already been pierced through. Of course, many of the charging spear cavalry had been struck by multiple arrows as well, but they clenched their teeth and pushed through with sheer determination, following Zhao Yun relentlessly.

The instant the White Horse Soldiers smashed through the Vanguard with their long spears, quite a few of the spear cavalry slid lifelessly off their horses with smiles on their faces. The defeat at Jieqiao? It was merely a mishap, and not proof of the Vanguard's invincibility. When the White Horse Soldiers sacrificed everything for their charge, their extreme speed was enough to trade lives with any unit.

Regrettably, this tactic was nearly the White Horse Soldiers' swan song. The unparalleled lethality brought by their maximum speed came at the ultimate cost—their own lives. Indeed, the White Horse Soldiers were the swiftest and most agile unit.

The moment the Vanguard was broken, Liu Bei's army immediately poured through the blood-soaked path carved by the White Horse Soldiers, pressing deep into Yuan Shao's forces. Zhao Yun stood quietly behind the defeated Vanguard, ahead of Yuan Shao's army, with a vast empty space in front of him. He remained still, never looking back, knowing there would be no White Horse Soldiers left behind him.

From the remnants of the White Horse Soldiers who followed Xue Shao to Mount Tai after the defeat at Jieqiao, only Xue Shao remained. At the moment the charge began, Zhao Yun knew this would likely be the last deployment of General Gongsun's White Horse Soldiers. Even if he had tried to stop those who had resolved themselves to die, they would have found other ways to prove the enduring pride of the White Horse Soldiers.

"You all are worthy heroes. Leave the rest to me," Zhao Yun said calmly without turning back. He tightened his grip on his long spear. For some reason, at this moment, Zhao Yun, in serene tranquility, felt his strength slowly diminishing, retreating to the state of Qi Refining to Gang before stabilizing.

In that instant, the seventh barrier of extreme Inner Qi shattered—not as Zhao Yun had predicted, into rebuilding, but instead scattering outward. The dispersing Qi merged with his Essence Qi and the surrounding Heaven and Earth Qi, enveloping him in a radiant glow.

When Zhao Yun charged into Yuan Shao's army, everyone—whether Liu Bei's troops or Yuan Shao's forces—was left in shock. The suppression of Cloud Qi on Zhao Yun seemed to have vanished entirely. Cloaked in shimmering radiance, he barreled forward fearlessly into the enemy ranks.

Alone, mounted, he carved through the battlefield, unstoppable and unshaken, heading straight for Yuan Shao. In those moments, Zhao Yun resembled the fearsome Divine Lyu Bu. Before long, Zhao Yun confronted Yann Liang. Despite the latter having the support of the military formation, Yann Liang was utterly defeated in their duel, causing Yuan Shao's army's morale to plummet dramatically.

Already shaken by the breakthrough against the Vanguard, Yuan Shao's army further fell into chaos as Guan Yu's School Sabre Bearers and Xuu Ding's Tiger Guard charged in. With Zhao Yun tearing through their ranks left and right in the interior, confusion compounded, and the army began to collapse due to disorganized dispatch.

Afterward, Liu Bei led his forces in full pursuit, capturing nearly ten thousand prisoners and pushing Yuan Shao back across the Yellow River. Unfortunately, Sheni Pei set fire to the pontoon bridge to prevent Liu Bei's continued advance, bringing this intense battle to a halt. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast recommendation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com for reading.)