Mythical Three Kingdoms

After Chen Xi made up his mind, there was no need for further discussion. He left Chen Huan and Gan Luo behind to guard the military camp as a second line of defense, and ordered Gan Ning, who was to become a general, to immediately prepare for an internal and external coordinated assault to extinguish Yuan Shao's Army attacking New Linyi City.

"Get the hell out of my way!" Xuu Zhu kicked Lyu Xiang off the wall, then pivoted and split the great swords of Lyu Kuang and Lyu Xiang with another slash, forcing both to leap down from the ramparts.

"Damn it!" Lyu Kuang pulled his cousin to safety, just as a crossbow bolt from Xuu Zhu shot into the void, burying itself deep into the ground.

"I've told you that we're just feigning an attack, but you had to go and confront that monster with your life on the line, do you have a death wish?" Lyu Xiang and Lyu Kuang, each holding onto one of Lyu Xiang's arms, dodged Xuu Zhu's incoming long spear and pulled Lyu Xiang back to the vanguard.

"It's lucky for you that Xuu Zhu's strength is immense, but he's not skilled with a bow. Otherwise, with his force, even without Inner Qi, he could nail you dead with a Ten-Stone Strong Bow," Lyu Xiang lectured as they ran.

"How was I supposed to know that guy was so freakish!" Lyu Xiang spat out blood and said. And to think, though suppressed by Cloud Qi, he suffered a kick from Xuu Zhu and didn't break any bones, just spat out some blood and could still retort with such vigor, this indeed showed his toughness.

"I told you that monster has manifested Inner Qi, and yet you still went after him," Lyu Xiang said furiously. If it weren't for the fact that he was his cousin, and their uncle died early, leaving him as the only heir—if he died, the lineage would be cut off—who would bother about Lyu Xiang then?

"Isn't it because the Cloud Qi was suppressing him and he couldn't unleash the full strength of his Inner Qi Manifestation?" Lyu Xiang said with a bloodied grin. "My greatest ambition in this life is to quash Inner Qi Manifestation through Qi Refining to Gang."

The Lyu Kuang brothers fell silent; their cousin had far greater martial talent than them, but unfortunately, he had faced setbacks, and even having come to understand life and death, he couldn't achieve Inner Qi Manifestation.

"Don't throw your life away needlessly. Even the weakest who has achieved Inner Qi Manifestation is not someone you can contend with," Lyu Kuang slapped Lyu Xiang's back. "Next time, remember to bring your trusted aides if you're going up. You're a general, not a ranger anymore!"

"But what exactly are we here to do?" Lyu Xiang pouted, completely disregarding his cousin's words. If he had the chance, he would still go back and challenge someone with Inner Qi Manifestation—at least he would when Cloud Qi was suppressing it.

"What are we here for, I don't know either, but we'll naturally find out after we see Military Advisor Xuu. All we need to do is follow his orders," Lyu Kuang said nonchalantly.

"However, you'd better prepare yourself to be attacked from behind." Lyu Xiang pointed at the rear army disapprovingly.

"Alright, so I'm just here to be bait?" Lyu Xiang said discontentedly, then hefted his great sword and rode towards the rear camp on his horse.

"That was really dangerous earlier..." Lyu Kuang gazed at Xuu Zhu atop the ramparts, swinging his great sword with ease, making it impossible for ordinary soldiers to approach him. Even with their Inner Qi suppressed by the Cloud Qi, the three of them together couldn't defeat him.

"But thanks to Xiang's rash move, he charged straight to the top of the wall, now probably everyone thinks that's our actual target," Lyu Xiang also said with fear. His cousin had taken advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness to rush to the ramparts in one burst, startling not only Wang Xiu's side but also Lyu Kuang's.

"We absolutely can't let him do such a thing again. Uncle only had him as his sole descendant," Lyu Kuang turned and sternly advised.

"Report, commander, scout cavalry report that they have discovered Yuan Shao's Army ten miles away," Gan Ning reported to Chen Xi while on horseback.

"Raise our banner, prepare to attack. Xingba, you know what to do," Chen Xi said, locking eyes with Gan Ning.

"No problem," Gan Ning replied with a roguish laugh, no longer bothering to hide his aura. He led his troops directly towards the enemy, his momentum unrestrained, signaling to Xuu Zhu that reinforcements had arrived, and telling Lyu Kuang and the others that the enemy was upon them.

"Kill them all!" Gan Ning roared, leading the infantry in a swarm towards Yuan Shao's Army, crashing into their rear formation.

"They're finally here!" Lyu Xiang and Lyu Kuang exchanged looks and roared, as the remaining few cavalry on both wings charged out with full force and crossbow arrows shot out wildly, while the infantry, led by Lyu Xiang, violently clashed with Liu Bei's Army.

"Wipe them out!" Gan Ning laughed wildly as a halo of aqua light swept across his troops, instantaneously boosting their courage, momentum, and defense to various degrees.

"Die!" Gan Ning, wielding his great sword, charged into Yuan Shao's Army, sweeping away crossbow bolts with his iron chain, powerfully tearing through the enemy's formation before his trusted aides bravely led the way towards the command banner.

"Gan Xingba you little rascal, you're finally here," Xuu Zhu bellowed as he leapt from the city wall, followed by the gates of New Linyi City swinging open. Hundreds of cavalry, following Zhang Yan, charged crazily towards the army outside the city while Xuu Zhu stood like a god of war at the gate, guarding it.

"Hold the line!" Lyu Kuang and Lyu Xiang yelled, the troops on both flanks striving to encircle and suppress Gan Ning's momentum, but such a move left their center wide open.

Zhang Yan led the cavalry straight for Lyu Xiang's Central Army, and the next moment, Lyu Xiang's formation, which was like a bow shape, caved in as if it were dough being forcefully indented.

Seeing his Central Army in jeopardy, Lyu Xiang immediately led his personal guards to plug the gap. As the two sides' guards clashed, the superior force was immediately obvious; Xuu Zhu's Tiger Guards, even under Zhang Yan's lead, were unstoppable, crashing through like tigers descending from the hills, while Lyu Xiang's guards fought valiantly to their deaths but could not match the might of the Tiger Guards.

"Military Advisor, if you don't come now, we simply won't be able to break out," Lyu Kuang commanded, cursing under his breath. He could only consider himself a decent general, far from a great one. If it weren't for their numerical advantage and his brothers' fighting in the vanguard, their army might have already collapsed.

"Thud thud thud~" A chaotic clamor of horse hooves sounded, then amalgamated into the thundering of ten thousand horses galloping, and afterwards morphed into an overwhelming aura as a dark cloud pressed down on New Linyi City from afar. Aside from the thunderous hooves and the low, oppressive murmur of thousands of horses, the two armies locked in fierce battle couldn't help but feel a sinking in their hearts.

"Is this Xuu You's strategy?" Chen Xi looked puzzled at the surging army. Though the impact of thousands of double-horse cavalry was indeed terrifying, if this was Xuu You's planning, it seemed nothing more than a hard-fought battle with no clear victor.

"Reinforcements have arrived, kill!" Lyu Kuang bellowed, no longer holding any concern, promptly leading his personal guards toward Xuu Zhu's direction, "Break through New Linyi City's defense, take this new city!"

"Kill!" Yuan Shao's Army, seeing that glaring "Wen" character banner and bolstered by the sudden uptick in morale from being sandwiched front and rear, launched an assault on Liu Bei's Army. Unfortunately, Chen Xi had anticipated this, and such attacks were at best a temporary deterrent to Liu Bei, utterly incapable of pushing them back. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)