Mythical Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1125: Chapter 1081: Breaking Skill with Strength

Even though both Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, as well as Gan Ning, knew that Lyu Bu had undoubtedly used some special method, they were even more certain that even with that external help, they absolutely couldn’t achieve the same feat.

After single-handedly overturning nearly ten thousand troops, he charged through the formation, taking on the Chanyu’s Imperial Guard and killing the Chanyu. Finally, he swept through the Xianbei Royal Court with a momentum that was unstoppable, pushing the frontier of Bingzhou to its limits and leaving his mark across the land.

Regardless of how many times Lyu Bu swung his blade, he left his stamp on the earth, and unsurprisingly, it would take a thousand or eight hundred years for that lake to disappear.

However, Hua Xiong was very calm. Back when he was in the Xiliang Army, he was tormented back and forth by Lyu Bu and had long been immune. Especially after advancing to this level himself, he understood Lyu Bu’s strength even more; after all, it was overwhelmingly strong, and there was nothing to be done about it.

”Actually, I’m more curious about where Ma Chao has gone.” Although Fa Zheng was shocked by Lyu Bu’s extraordinary prowess, he was more interested in Ma Chao.

”Ma Chao likely led the Qiang and Hu as Cao Cao’s support,” Chen Xi thought for a moment and said.

Fa Zheng scratched his cheek, feeling that it was somewhat inappropriate for Ma Chao, whose mind hadn’t fully matured, to go about his duties so earnestly.

”We should consider whether Lyu Bu will turn around to attack the Xianbei tribes like Kebinen and Murong, after all, their previous route was headed straight for Yunzhong,” Chen Xi was not interested in Ma Chao, as he was just a little guy constantly bullied by Fa Zheng.

”It all depends on Cao Cao’s mentality,” Jia Xu said with a certain spiritual insight, ”If he wants to match Lyu Bu, then he certainly won’t ask him for help.”

”Cao Ren, as the chief general, might be willing to yield,” Liu Ye considered and said.

”If Lyu Bu launches a surprise attack on the Xianbei rear army from Jiuyuan, and Cao Cao attacks from the front along with the Qiang and Hu, victory would not be difficult,” Chen Xi estimated. Despite Kebinen and his group leading a formidable Xianbei force, Lyu Bu’s previous performance was simply too formidable.

”This is probably not so easy,” Li Youu said at this point, ”We don’t need to discuss his strength, and the Trap Formation is also unnecessary to discuss, but he lacks the military strength. The intelligence does mention that the soldiers under Lyu Bu are driving the Xianbei.”

”Chen Gong timed this perfectly,” Guo Jia chuckled, ”It’s clear that he doesn’t plan to give Cao Cao any excuse to seek assistance.”

”He can be somewhat shortsighted sometimes, eradicating the Hu People first and then dealing with personal grudges between the parties. By doing so, he gave the Western Xianbei a lifeline,” Chen Xi said helplessly.

”How can you say that, after all, it’s about restoring the land,” Guo Jia covered his mouth with a wooden fan and laughed secretly, appreciating Chen Gong’s approach. He knew very well that there were personal grudges involved, but it was not their business, so he was happy to see Cao Cao suffer.

Just as Guo Jia predicted, after receiving news of Lyu Bu’s destruction of the Xianbei army, Chen Gong immediately dispatched all his troops. At that time, he had no intention of provoking Cao Cao, and his main aim was to recover the territory.

Later, when Chen Gong learned from other sources that Lyu Bu had eliminated the Xianbei Chanyu and Helian, a series of thoughts immediately came to him. After specifically finding Zang Hong and Hu Zhao, he began the rapid restoration of the land under the banner bearing the character ”Lyu.”

When the news of Lyu Bu taking the Xianbei Royal Court came back, Chen Gong immediately started the largest scale restoration and expulsion of the Xianbei. That ”Lyu” banner was more effective than any army!

Naturally, by this time, Chen Gong was mingling his intentions to disgust Cao Cao with the fervent restoration of the land.

As for the Xianbei, Chen Gong knew very well that as long as Lyu Bu remained, the Xianbei would never invade Bingzhou again after this battle. In fact, at this point, any land you seize becomes yours. Since that’s the case, why let Cao Cao profit both in fame and fortune?

Wasting some of Cao Cao’s strength, Chen Gong felt no pressure, as he was now a staunch opponent of Cao, and whenever he had the chance to irk Cao Cao without harming the national interest, he would certainly not miss it.

Just as Liu Bei’s group predicted, Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan were very reluctant to seek Lyu Bu’s help upon learning of the current situation, but Cao Ren, as the chief general, nevertheless softened and sent people to seek assistance.

After all, the Xianbei, after War Eagle sent back Lyu Bu’s series of astounding feats and found the chief of the Foreign Department to obtain on-site information, corroborated the news with the Chanyu’s Imperial Guards. In short, the title ”Ghostly Deity Lyu Bu” had been recognized by the Xianbei.

Facing such an opponent that was beyond human, the Xianbei chief knew he couldn’t dawdle any longer, as once the opponent advanced, along with the garrison soldiers defending along the Great Wall, it would spell doom. Such a super martial artist shouldn’t even exist!

However, no matter how much the Xianbei people raged in their hearts, reality had already told them that they had to either withdraw or face death. So, under Kebinen’s leadership, the Xianbei had already begun their retreat.

This was the source of Cao Ren’s deep dilemma. If the Xianbei simply withdrew, with no one blocking the rear, the frontal forces, along with the side-aligned Qiang and Hu, were simply ineffective!

While it was possible to capitalize on the Xianbei’s low morale now, with the Cao Army in high spirits, to achieve significant results, all their previous arrangements were now useless. Their goal was to capture this group of young and strong Xianbei, numbering two hundred thousand, in one fell swoop!

Now, if they attacked, even with the Qiang and Hu providing support, Cao Ren estimated he could kill ten to twenty thousand, and capture twenty to thirty thousand if lucky. But as for more than that, it was just dreaming—nobody was blocking the Xianbei’s retreat route, so it was all just floating clouds.

After all, the Xianbei were not yet within the strategic encirclement on a large scale, and the Qiang and Hu were still at the side front of the Xianbei, not at the strategic rear.

Originally, they considered that with the Cao Army attacking the front, the Qiang and Hu could sneak attack from the rear side, profiting from a single battle, and then drive the Xianbei to retreat towards the east, in the direction of Jiuyuan, forcing Lyu Bu to act. Then, after annexing the Xianbei, they could incorporate Lyu Bu’s weakened forces as well.

After such a major battle, the Xianbei would be severely weakened, likely unable to recover their full strength for five to six years, especially with Ma Chao moving through the Northern Desert to attack the Xianbei’s rear. Essentially, after this battle, the Western Xianbei would find it difficult to rise again.

At that time, whether Lyu Bu was guarding the border or not would be irrelevant. They could effortlessly annex Lyu Bu’s forces, as Cao Cao wouldn’t mind taking on the easy border guarding, and besides, Cao Cao had always eyed the civil and military officials under Lyu Bu with great interest.

The plan, however, couldn’t keep up with the changes. Lyu Bu undeniably crushed it with raw might, regardless of Cao Cao’s meticulous schemes, ultimately shattering the Xianbei’s will to fight, and rendering the battle unwinnable for them.

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