Mythical Three Kingdoms

Guan Yu brandished his Great Sword, leading his most elite School Sabre Bearers and a group of powerful military officers, ruthlessly charging into Yuan Shao’s Army.

With one slash, he beheaded one of Yuan Shao’s Centurions. Guan Yu urged his horse forward, directly leading his trusted aides to penetrate Yuan Shao’s Army. Thanks to his astonishing combat power, Guan Yu quickly breached Yuan Shao’s Central Army. Against all odds, he detached from his main force, advancing with only a handful of elites deep into Yuan Shao’s formation, heading straight for Yan Liang.

Although Guan Yu was separated from his forces, he did not fall into the encirclement of Yuan Shao’s Army. From a distance, Gan Ning was visible, positioned opposite his own.

Elsewhere, Gan Ning wildly swung the Horizontal River Iron Chain, his strange whip-like attacks coupled with the vast range of his strikes exhibiting an astonishing effect. In this kind of large-scale battle, he managed to tear a dramatic gap through another side of Yuan Shao’s Army.

”Die!” Guan Yu coldly grunted. The dragon shadow on his Green Dragon Crescent Blade seemed almost tangible. Even in this kind of large-scale battle where Inner Qi was pushed to its limits, the Azure Dragon symbolizing Guan Yu’s resolve revealed an extraordinary effect.

Under the tremendous power of Guan Yu and Gan Ning, Liu Bei’s soldiers, upon clashing with Yuan Shao’s troops, ripped two massive breaches in their phalanx in an instant. The enormous wedge mercilessly pierced through Yuan Shao’s first line of defense.

”General Yan, choose between Gan Ning and Guan Yu to obstruct; we need a force to break through.” Ju Shou calmly suggested.

”Guan Yu!” Yan Liang mounted his horse without hesitation, gripping the long pole blade crafted specifically by Yuan Shao for large-scale battles, and charged toward Guan Yu. Compared to Gan Ning’s peculiar and unpredictable attack style, Guan Yu—having fought him countless times and understanding his ways—was the better opponent for Yan Liang to intercept.

Swiftly, Yan Liang led his own troops toward Guan Yu’s position. Yan Liang’s forces cleared the way as they advanced, like a dragon braving turbulent seas, and soon the two collided head-on.

”Guan Yu!” Yan Liang sneered as he swung his blade at Guan Yu’s head with overwhelming momentum, though lacking the vast destructive power of Inner Qi from before.

”Yan Liang!” Guan Yu, who had kept his phoenix eyes narrowed, abruptly opened them wide in this moment. A green blade shadow instantly reflected in his gaze as the Green Dragon Crescent Blade reversed its motion, slashing diagonally. In an instant of disbelief, Yan Liang, his weapon, and his horse were severed in half!

As Yan Liang caught sight of the blade shadow in Guan Yu’s eyes, he froze momentarily. Yet, with his unwavering willpower, even without Inner Qi, he regained his composure in the next instant. However, by then, it was too late. Guan Yu’s unrivaled blade stroke had already shattered his weapon, torn through his armor, sliced his chest, and slashed down diagonally, splitting him in two from his torso!

”See you in the next life. I hope you won’t be so careless next time!” Guan Yu remarked solemnly, gazing with pity at Yan Liang, who had matched him countless times without victor but now perished under a single stroke of his blade.

In the next moment, Guan Yu’s expression shed all traces of empathy, coldly surveying the soldiers of Yuan Shao ahead of him with mocking laughter.

This was the ultimate trump card Guan Yu had held against Yan Liang and marked the core difference between the two generals. Even without Inner Qi, Guan Yu remained one of the strongest warriors under heaven. This technique he had waited too long to unleash on Yan Liang. During their previous battles, when both had Inner Qi, this move had been utterly ineffective against him.

Even as proud as Guan Yu was, he understood that Yan Liang had been a general at his level. What his blade shadow truly rivaled was willpower. By Guan Yu’s judgment, Yan Liang’s resolve was virtually equal to his own, and with the full enhancement of Inner Qi, this technique would have been powerless to threaten him.

Precisely because of this, prematurely revealing this move would only have alerted Yan Liang to guard against it. Hence, Guan Yu silently awaited the perfect opportunity—the one and only chance!

After slaying Yan Liang with one strike, Yuan Shao’s troops facing Guan Yu froze momentarily, staring at him in utter bewilderment. Everyone stood dumbfounded!

”Kill!” Guan Yu swung his Green Dragon Crescent Blade horizontally, its chilling aura sweeping through thousands, instantly clearing the area before him. In that moment, morale surged among Guan Yu’s forces as if tigers had descended from the mountain, pouncing upon Yuan Shao’s Army.

As Guan Yu’s cold and formidable shout of ”Kill!” echoed through the battlefield, Yuan Shao’s soldiers, who had witnessed Yan Liang’s demise, finally regained their senses. Yet even in their moment of clarity, they couldn’t withstand Liu Bei’s forces, who fought with the ferocity of wild beasts, resulting in Yuan Shao’s Central Army’s left flank suffering an abrupt collapse.

Riding the momentum of Yan Liang’s slaying, Guan Yu advanced with unstoppable force, breaking through three defensive lines in succession. The entire left wing of Yuan Shao’s Central Army fell into chaos. Regardless of Ju Shou’s immense Spiritual Talent, he could do nothing to stem the disaster wrought by plummeting morale.

”Hold the line!” At this moment, Yuan Shao’s eyes blazed with fury. Yan Liang’s sudden demise left something shattered deep within him—a figure that had always stood before him, vowing to protect him no matter the cost, was now gone. How could this be?

”Great Halberdiers, block Guan Yu!” Compared to Yuan Shao’s debilitating grief, Ju Shou remained relatively composed, at least clear on what mattered most now!

”Kill him for me! Kill him!” Yuan Shao roared in unmatched rage, his forty-some years of life never having witnessed a moment angrier than this. ”All crossbowmen ready—kill Guan Yu! Three ranks of promotion and ennoblement for anyone who does! Kill him for me!”

Overcome with fury, Yuan Shao leapt from his war chariot, mounted his steed, and charged toward Guan Yu, sword in hand!

Yuan Shao’s gesture instantly halted the retreat of his shattered troops. Even more, his unyielding charge mobilized Yuan Shao’s Army in a dramatic shift of morale from the doldrums following Yan Liang’s death to a ferocious climb, fighting desperately against Guan Yu.

”Lord, a wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall! Please don’t charge forward. General Yan would never want you to risk yourself!” Shen Pei, clutching Yuan Shao’s waist, held him back with all his strength to prevent him from advancing further.

”Let me go!” Yuan Shao roared in rage, even swinging his fists at Shen Pei, who endured his blows, holding him tightly.

Yuan Shao’s frenzied strikes did not last long. When Shen Pei raised his head again, Yuan Shao had already suppressed his inner anguish. Blood-stained eyes fixed on the figure of Guan Yu, he drew his Sizhao Sword, pointing it at his adversary. ”Guan Yu, if I don’t kill you today to avenge Yan Liang, I would rather perish here myself!”

”Then prepare to die!” Guan Yu declared haughtily in response. He was now at a close distance from Yuan Shao, though the defense in this area had grown significantly stronger. Despite his harsh tone, sweat trickling down Guan Yu’s forehead gave away critical hints—the unity of Yuan Shao’s Central Army soldiers sparked by their leader’s actions was formidable! (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian.com to leave a recommendation or monthly vote. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com for reading.)