...
"Third Brother, what do you think Second Brother is doing, riding so slowly?" Chen Xi nudged Zhang Fei's side.
"Second Brother is serious this time. Just watch, Hua Xiong is doomed. Every step Second Brother takes is accumulating his momentum. When he's within a hundred paces of Hua Xiong, his momentum will be fully charged. No one in this world can withstand it," Zhang Fei said gravely. He had rarely seen his second brother this cautious.
Just as Zhang Fei predicted, Guan Yu was indeed gathering momentum. Hua Xiong was already a top-tier master. Engaging him in close combat would make it impossible to quickly defeat such a powerful opponent. To win cleanly, Guan Yu needed to kill Hua Xiong within three to five moves.
Hua Xiong sneered at the leisurely approaching Guan Yu. He could sense no danger from Guan Yu. Clearly, the coalition was out of capable generals.
Reaching a hundred paces, Guan Yu assessed Hua Xiong. Indeed, he was a top-tier master with external Qi manifestation, but his Qi was unfocused and lacked solidity, significantly inferior to Guan Yu's own.
"Hua Xiong, remember, the one who beheads you is Guan Yu, styled Yunchang!" Guan Yu roared. A green glow shot forth, accompanied by a sonic boom, as he charged at Hua Xiong.
"Boom!" With a thunderous crash, Hua Xiong felt a sense of foreboding as Guan Yu approached. He slashed with all his might at the most dangerous point he sensed, the force of the blow sending him and his horse flying tens of meters away.
His hands numb and chest tight, Hua Xiong barely had time to recover before another massive green glow came crashing towards him. Guan Yu did not bother with subtleties, using the most straightforward method to overwhelm Hua Xiong. In his eyes, there was no need for finesse; brute force sufficed.
"Break it!" Hua Xiong summoned all his strength, his body seemingly ablaze, as he unleashed a massive red blade of energy towards Guan Yu's green glow. Unfortunately, it was futile. The green energy cleaved through Hua Xiong's attack like a wave crashing against a cliff, shattering it completely.
"Clang!" The resounding clash echoed, leaving everyone within hundreds of meters with ringing ears. Hua Xiong's grip weakened, blood trickling from his mouth, and his trusted iron saber, now cracked, could no longer keep up with the damage his body was taking. Hua Xiong realized his opponent was likely on par with Lü Bu, an overwhelming strength that brought despair.
"I am Hua Xiong!" Hua Xiong roared, pushing his body to its limits. The entire area before Sishui Pass was ablaze with fiery light as his previously unfocused blade energy began to solidify.
But it was all in vain. Guan Yu's green blade of energy struck with the force of a tidal wave, shattering Hua Xiong's desperate attack into glowing fragments before continuing its relentless path towards him.
As the blade neared, Hua Xiong glimpsed a fleeting sense of regret. He had yet to challenge Lü Bu, though he now understood the insurmountable gap between them.
In a sudden moment of realization, Guan Yu recalled Chen Xi's advice. Instead of slicing through Hua Xiong, he altered his strike to swat him aside like a tennis ball.
As the dust settled, Guan Yu stood alone on the battlefield. He casually approached the still-breathing Hua Xiong, lifted him, and turned back.
"I have completed the task," Guan Yu declared, tossing Hua Xiong aside to be bound.
Half-closing his eyes, Guan Yu respectfully saluted Yuan Shao before taking the cup of wine from Cao Mengde and drinking it. The wine was scorching hot, but luckily Guan Yu's red face concealed any discomfort.
Everyone silently marveled at Guan Yu's prowess. Previously, scholars like Kong Rong had thought the historical accounts of Xiang Yu were exaggerated. But after witnessing Guan Yu, they reconsidered. Perhaps the records were accurate, a stark reality rather than embellished tales.
"Alliance Leader, we should seize Sishui Pass while the enemy is unprepared!" Cao Cao was the first to react, realizing this was no time to be awestruck by Guan Yu's might.
Prompted by Cao Cao, the others quickly mobilized their troops. Taking advantage of the confusion at Sishui Pass, they stormed it and swiftly captured it.
Seated within Sishui Pass, Yuan Shao was in high spirits. Capturing Sishui Pass so quickly affirmed his command. Heartened, Yuan Shao reflected on the success of the operation.
In the midst of the celebrations, Liu Bei emerged as the center of attention, receiving praises for Guan Yu's unrivaled valor. Many warlords eyed him with envy, eager to recruit such talent.
Thanks to Chen Xi's constant counsel, Liu Bei skillfully navigated the social dynamics, chatting and joking with the other warlords. Even the most foolish could see that aside from Kong Rong and Gongsun Zan, most congratulators had ulterior motives. Yuan Shu's intense gaze, in particular, nearly burned with desire.
After a round of eating, drinking, and mutual flattery, Liu Bei, along with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Chen Xi, returned to their camp. This time, no one dared to underestimate Liu Bei. The Han dynasty still commanded some respect, evident in its possession of such a hero.
Back at the camp, Chen Xi groggily drank some sobering soup. Glancing at the still stern-faced Guan Yu, he asked, "Second Brother, what about Hua Xiong? He's a top-tier warrior. If he recovers without a skilled guard, we can't contain him."
Guan Yu exhaled steam, his spirit revitalized. "Even if Hua Xiong regains consciousness, I've suppressed his inner Qi in his dantian. Without external help, he cannot regain his former strength."
"Oh, I see. Keep a close watch on him. If we can persuade him to defect, even better," Chen Xi said, trying to rally his mental faculties to plan the next steps. Lately, being around Guan Yu and Zhang Fei had been quite beneficial.
"Hua Xiong is indeed formidable. In terms of raw power, he's very strong. But..." Guan Yu's eyes narrowed in contemplation.
"Huh?" Chen Xi looked at Guan Yu quizzically, not expecting such self-praise.
"Zichuan, Second Brother is right. Hua Xiong is incredibly strong. In a fair fight, it would take seventy to eighty rounds for Second Brother to find an opening. But Hua Xiong was too careless!" Zhang Fei exclaimed loudly.
"Indeed, Hua Xiong was a worthy opponent, but he misjudged my strength. I've perfected my ability to conceal my aura and momentum. Those three strikes, the first was twenty percent heavier than usual, the second thirty percent heavier than the first, and the third another thirty percent heavier. After withstanding the first strike, Hua Xiong had no chance to evade, sealing his fate," Guan Yu explained with a rare smile. His ultimate technique had proven devastating.