Mythical Three Kingdoms

”Just sleep it off. He didn’t die from it. The clash of spiritual capacity is essentially injecting one’s spirit into the opponent’s mind, leading to mutual destruction. For now, it’s only an external manifestation. With some rest, he should recover,” Pang Tong said while pressing against his temple. ”Avoid getting too close in the future.”

”As long as he’s fine. But letting that Yan Yan guy escape? I’m annoyed. I wanted to capture him alive,” Sun Ce grumbled. ”As a military general, abandoning his comrades? Next time, I’ll kill him.”

”If we hurry, we might be able to catch up,” Pang Tong replied, his eyes half-closed.

”First, we’ll encircle the Yizhou army. An Inner Qi Manifestation without honor who’s focused solely on escape cannot be caught!” Sun Ce said with a dark expression. ”Earlier was the best chance; there won’t be another opportunity like that.”

”By the way, what’s your Legion Talent?” Pang Tong asked, slightly curious. Though he had speculated earlier that Sun Ce might explode with power far exceeding his limits during a rebound from being pressed to the brink, the domineering spear strike killing an Inner Qi Manifestation who had previously been evenly matched was far beyond mere limit-breaking strength.

”It seems to make opponents cower while exuding an indomitable presence on our side. However, it doesn’t completely align with typical Legion Talents, as it also has an effect on me personally. Earlier, Yan Yan clearly had issues defending against it,” Sun Ce said uncertainly, as it was his first time using his Legion Talent.

”Is it dominance?” Pang Tong murmured. After a brief estimation, he said, ”Your talent might be both a Legion Talent and a Monarch Talent. Try it on me once.”

Sun Ce nodded and easily activated the Legion Talent, but it couldn’t encompass Pang Tong.

”As expected, it’s a Monarch Talent,” Pang Tong confirmed. ”Very good, very good. I’ve suddenly realized following you is promising. Next, Bofu, what you need to do is lead your subordinate generals and three thousand troops to charge forward, reaching Yizhou as quickly as possible!”

”Three thousand troops…” Zhang Xun approached with Lebo’s decapitated head in hand, just in time to hear this. ”Isn’t that a bit too few?”

”We need speed. By the way, who is this?” Pang Tong turned to see Zhang Xun holding the head, only to avert his gaze quickly, looking slightly nauseated. Already feeling dizzy, seeing a corpse was tolerable, but seeing a severed head made him queasy.

Li Feng grabbed the head from Zhang Xun’s hands and tossed it aside.

”My trophy!” Zhang Xun exclaimed, reaching for it, but was immediately tripped by Jiang Qin. While he’d seen clueless people before, this level of cluelessness was downright rare.

”Tie this guy up! Bofu, pursue Yan Yan immediately. No need to capture him; just scatter his forces completely. As for the routed soldiers, disregard them—I’ll gather them behind. Gong Yi, you stay back as well,” Pang Tong commanded, enduring nausea and dizziness while issuing orders. He then dragged the now-tied-up Zheng Du to rest near Yiling.

Just as Yan Yan had once relentlessly pursued them back then, Sun Ce pursued in return, but this time the tide had turned. Sun Ce relentlessly attacked Yan Yan’s routed troops with an overwhelming advantage.

As Pang Tong had anticipated, Yan Yan’s Legion Talent could indeed prevent the complete collapse of his army. However, it was ultimately limited, and Sun Ce’s powerful attacks, as Pang Tong predicted, broke through that limit.

A routed army’s collapse is like a snowball rolling downhill—Sun Ce’s relentless pursuit added immense momentum, leaving Yan Yan’s forces with no opportunity to reorganize and scattering them further.

Yan Yan led his trusted aides in retreat, never daring to linger even for a moment. As he withdrew back to the place where he had once crushed Sun Ce with aplomb, only a few hundred troops remained of his tens of thousands, and only a handful of over ten renowned generals survived. As for the three main strategists, Zhang Song was absent, Liu Ba dispersed amidst the rebel army, and Zheng Du had been captured by Sun Ce’s forces.

Looking back at the exhausted faces of the soldiers, tears nearly fell from Yan Yan’s eyes. Once proud like a tiger, now fearing Sun Ce like one—defeated, utterly routed!

”Report! General, five li ahead, there’s an encamped force!” a scout reported to Yan Yan. By now, constant fleeing had suppressed the range of scouting to just five li.

”Pang Shiyuan even accounted for this…” Yan Yan said bitterly, gazing at the blazing sun overhead.

”Report! General, Sun Ce’s forces are now five li behind us!” Another scout delivered the report.

”Obstructed ahead, pursued behind—looks like this is where I, Yan Yan, will meet my end!” Yan Yan gazed at his remaining troops—morale low, weapons and armor in shambles—unable to confront two enemy forces.

”Who’s there? Is that General Yan?” Suddenly, Taishi Ci, who had arrived with the scout, asked aloud.

”Who’s asking?” Yan Yan turned his head to the side and saw Taishi Ci, clad in silver armor and wielding the Sky Piercer, now standing before him.

”I am Taishi Ziyi under Lord Xuande’s command. I’ve come to assist. Assistant Officer Zhang has also arrived. Please, General Yan, retreat swiftly—I’ll handle the enemy,” Taishi Ci said, clasping his halberd as he saluted Yan Yan. His trusted aides quickly gathered, and Zhang Song soon arrived on horseback.

”Yan Yan, you old scoundrel, don’t even think about running!” Before Yan Yan and Zhang Song could recount their bitter defeat together, Sun Ce’s voice, persistent and vexing, rang out behind them—a sound Yan Yan had heard countless times during their retreat.

”General Yan, I urge you to retreat to camp and rest. I’ll handle what comes next!” With these words, Taishi Ci spurred his horse forward rapidly, while his soldiers efficiently formed ranks to shield Yan Yan’s routed troops from disrupting the military formation once battle resumed.

Sun Ce charged ahead, failing to spot Yan Yan but encountering a heavily-armored, battle-ready force instead. His expression grew serious. Facing such a well-equipped army in this situation was far from ideal.

”Who are you people to dare block my path, Sun Bofu?” Sun Ce pointed his long spear at the opposing army. He couldn’t see Taishi Ci, and his Monarch Talent pressed outward toward the enemy—a power he’d come to understand as making foes hesitant and fearful.

”Sun Bofu?” Taishi Ci raised an eyebrow. ”That might be the best news I’ve ever heard. Let me take your head!”

”Taishi Ci, do you think I fear you?” Sun Ce laughed heartily as he spurred his horse forward to engage Taishi Ci. Having nearly been defeated by Taishi Ci before, Sun Ce was now brimming with fighting spirit upon facing him again.

Taishi Ci stood unfazed, immediately charging ahead to clash with Sun Ce. Zhang Xun and others, knowing Sun Ce’s fervor for combat, ordered their soldiers to withdraw, making space for Sun Ce. Meanwhile, everyone around cheered him on—Sun Ce’s combat prowess had already earned their unanimous trust.

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