Mythical Three Kingdoms

"Too difficult to kill!" Xuu Chu scratched his head and said.

"It's normal." Guan Yu spat out two words. This is a top-tier Inner Qi Manifestation cultivator, not some miscellaneous soldier. If they decide to flee, very few can stop them!

Even the weakest Inner Qi Manifestation individuals are forged through countless sparring and refinement, completely different from those non-combatant Immortals!

"To kill an Inner Qi Manifestation expert, the result must be determined before they even react. Ten moves—if no victory is achieved within ten moves, unless you possess Lyu Bu's overwhelming strength, you can only win, not annihilate!" Guan Yu paused for a moment before speaking.

"Exactly that!" Gan Ning said helplessly. "Take down Yuan Shao first, then talk about the rest!"

On the other side, after Hua Xiong withdrew, he led his army straight to Liu Bei's Central Army, launching an attack. After executing a pincer maneuver, they finally subdued all the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry dispatched by Zhang He.

"Greetings, Lord!" Hua Xiong clasped his fists and saluted Liu Bei.

"Zijian, we owe this to you; otherwise, things would've gotten troublesome. But I heard you were with Zichuan at Puyang earlier—why the sudden change?" Liu Bei, looking at the blood-covered Hua Xiong, asked in satisfaction.

"The strategist instructed me to lead the army here to assist my lord!" Hua Xiong bowed respectfully.

"Lord, let's not waste any more time. Have Zijian gather all the Iron Cavalry—the reinforcements from Yuan Shao's Army will arrive soon!" Jia Xu suddenly interrupted Liu Bei's words.

"Yuan Shao's reinforcements?" Liu Bei was startled. "Zijian—assemble the Iron Cavalry and prepare to counter Yuan Shao's reinforcements."

It was evident Liu Bei had immense trust in Jia Xu's judgment, wasting no words as he directly issued orders to Hua Xiong.

"Please be assured, Lord," Hua Xiong replied resolutely. "After breaking through the main force of Yuan Shao's Army, I instructed most of my troops to scatter Yuan Shao's routed rear units to clear the battlefield and prepare for a decisive confrontation against Yuan Shao's reinforcements—to utterly break Yuan Shao Army's spirit."

"Can the Iron Cavalry still endure such intense combat?" Liu Bei asked, slightly stunned. He had seen the Iron Cavalry before, but compared to the past, the current forces under Hua Xiong had risen to a level capable of mocking most elite troops in the world. Their formidable combat power had clearly surpassed the limits of standard Iron Cavalry.

"With saddles and stirrups, the Iron Cavalry's strongest combat style can be unleashed at will. Against any elite unit under heaven, we fear nothing." Hua Xiong rarely displayed such pride.

"It's in your hands now. I must also make preparations!" Liu Bei patted Hua Xiong's shoulder and spoke.

After watching Liu Bei leave, Hua Xiong led his troops to flank the rear army. There, the Xiliang Iron Cavalry carved out a vast empty space on the battlefield with their ferocious strength. All surviving cavalrymen bore savage expressions, radiating fierce aura and maneuvering freely within that cleared space.

With Hua Xiong's arrival, Yuan Shao's main force—which was already encircled and retreating under pressure—experienced another drop in morale. The previous display of power by the Xiliang Iron Cavalry made it clear to all that once this force moved, even at the cost of life-defying resistance, Yuan Shao's Army would face inevitable collapse.

Fortunately, Sheni Pei, Tian Feng, Wen Chou, Zhang He, Gao Lan, and Jiangh Qi held the line, keeping Yuan Shao's troops fighting tooth and nail, hoping for an opportunity to escape.

At this moment, a horse-hoof rhythm resembling drumbeats arose. A Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry unit bearing a huge banner inscribed with "Xunzi" appeared several miles away.

"Reinforcements have arrived!" Wen Chou, whose eyesight was the best, roared upon spotting the banner. The others then saw the Wolf Cavalry under Chunyu Qiong's command.

"Not good! General, prepare to withdraw immediately—Hua Xiong has already anticipated this!" Sheni Pei, initially elated upon recognizing the reinforcements, suddenly paled with realization. He turned to Yuan Shao and shouted urgently.

"What?" Yuan Shao paused in astonishment, then noticed the already formed ranks of Hua Xiong's forces. His face contorted in anger as he roared, "Break westward! Trust Youruo—he will definitely resolve this!"

With Chunyu Qiong's cavalry appearing, Guan Yu, Xuu Chu, Gan Ning, and Zhao Yun put their full strength into the assault. However, Yuan Shao's generals relied heavily on tight defensive formations to barely hold their ground.

"Zhongjian—after a volley of arrows, charge head-on into the enemy's center. Then break through directly to the east flank encircling our lord at all costs!" Xun Shen, after arriving on the battlefield and observing the devastated scenario, immediately recognized the meticulously arranged forces of Hua Xiong and the advantages of the Xiliang Iron Cavalry's saddles and stirrups.

Though seemingly minor, Xun Shen understood how these small innovations could entirely shift the tides of war. Liu Bei had evidently withheld them until now to achieve absolute advantage upon their debut.

Chunyu Qiong's eyes grew solemn. Having crossed swords with Hua Xiong countless times on the Guanzhong battlefield, he fervently wished to avoid him. But now, the stakes were critical—his splendid future hinged on this very battle. Retreat was simply not an option!

Heeding Xun Shen's orders, Chunyu Qiong took immense risks by accelerating the Wolf Cavalry's speed. After the first wave of arrows volleyed, his Wolf Cavalry collided with the Iron Cavalry in a ferocious battle charge. In just one clash, a quarter of the Wolf Cavalry fell, while the Iron Cavalry suffered losses fewer than two-tenths of their force!

"Advance!" Chunyu Qiong roared through gritted teeth, clutching his wounded chest. He commanded a desperate charge against Liu Bei's encirclement of Yuan Shao, braving a rain of arrows and, with Sheni Pei's pre-planned tactics, successfully extracted Yuan Shao.

"Run, Lord!" Juo Yi shouted furiously. He had already resolved in his heart that, with the Wolf Cavalry holding Hua Xiong, the vanguard escape was achievable. But Guan Yu and others persistently pursued Yuan Shao for a kill—unless someone sacrificed themselves to cover them, Yuan Shao's escape route would become a death trap!

After ordering Wen Chou to escort Yuan Shao to safety, Juo Yi personally led the Vanguard Death Squad in a suicidal counter-charge against Liu Bei's forces surrounding Yuan Shao. These elite soldiers, true Death Soldiers, had been mentally prepared from the moment they joined. Under Juo Yi's command, they unleashed their full combat potential.

Amidst impassioned cries and heroic songs, the Vanguard Death Squad fearlessly launched their desperate counterattack. These loyal warriors from the Land of Yan and Zhao fought ferociously, with just over a thousand soldiers blocking Guan Yu's division of over ten thousand troops.

"Thump!" An arrow pierced through Juo Yi's left chest, pinning him directly. Zhao Yun slowly retracted his Precious Carved Bow. With Yuan Shao's troops fully routed, Zhao Yun was finally able to harness his Inner Qi. Killing the defenseless Juo Yi required no more than a single arrow.

"Charge!" With his heart shattered, Juo Yi roared and continued staggering forward. An instant later, countless arrows engulfed him. Stumbling through two steps, he muttered faintly to himself in a voice only he could hear, "Lord, I can follow you no more… In the next life, I wish to serve as your minister once again. You must escape..."

(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommended tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)