"If we don't retreat now, when will we?" Guan Yu hadn't expected to seize Yuan Shao's corpse so unexpectedly. Regardless of who had killed Yuan Shao, as long as Yuan Shao was dead, all problems would be resolved.
Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, and Hua Xiong imdiately turned back like the wind. From the start, they had limited n and horses. If not for being forced into this situation, who would have dared to clash head-on with the well-organized opposing army? Now that all their goals had been achieved, and with Yuan Shao's corpse even retrieved as a bonus, there was no longer any justification to continue the fight.
After Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, and Hua Xiong retreated, Yuan Shao's Army finally regained their senses. Their lord had died—just like that—right after being successfully escorted, as they were about to retreat back to Jizhou. He had died right before their eyes.
Jiang Yiqu's face was filled with disbelief at this mont. His army had activated the Cloud Qi Formation from the start. How could an arrow still reach them and kill Yuan Shao before his very eyes?
What chilled Jiang Yiqu even more was that he hadn't seen the trajectory of that arrow at all. Yuan Shao had simply flown off his horse—his death taking place under Jiang Yiqu's supposed protection.
In truth, Wen Chou and the others had grown complacent after seeing their reinforcents. Otherwise, with Wen Chou's ability, even if it ant risking injury, he would surely have blocked that arrow. Yet, it happened so swiftly that none of them even reacted—not even Wen Chou himself noticed it coming.
"Chase them! We must recover my father's body!" Yuan Tan finally snapped to attention and dashed forward without hesitation.
In the next instant, all the soldiers of Yuan Shao's Army charged toward Guan Yu's group with maddened fervor. Yuan Shao was dead. Dead! He had died just like that, without even having the chance to leave his final words!
Wen Chou led the charge from the front, directing his n to pursue Guan Yu. At the sa ti, Jiang Yiqu, Gao Gan, and Chunyu Qiong all rallied their forces in a frenzy, determined to recover Yuan Shao's corpse—even if it ant their own deaths!
The cavalry led by Jiang Yiqu and Gao Gan attacked from the flanks, sweeping forward like a giant wild goose formation. They moved to encircle Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, and Hua Xiong from both sides in a wide arc.
"You go left, I'll go right. Charge through and hold them off." Hua Xiong made a quick hand signal to Zhao Yun as he spoke. If they got surrounded, it would spell real trouble. Back when Yuan Shao was still alive, they had the resolve to fight to the death. But with Yuan Shao now dead, there was no point in throwing everything away over his corpse.
"General Guan, take Yuan Shao's body and move quickly. The Curly-Haired Red Hare is incredibly swift, and it will be almost impossible for anyone to catch you riding alone. Hurry and inform our lord that Yuan Shao is dead!" Zhao Yun cupped his fist in farewell, then charged towards the Yuan Shao Army closing in from the left flank. Similarly, Hua Xiong spurred his horse towards the elite cavalry on the right flank.
Guan Yu, carrying Yuan Shao's body, charged straight through the center. With the Curly-Haired Red Hare freed from the burden of other cavalry, its speed surged explosively. In what felt like an instant, Guan Yu beca but a tiny fleeing dot on the horizon.
Wen Chou's bloodshot eyes glistened with rage. Without caring about the soldiers behind him, he clamped his legs against his horse's flanks. The steed beneath him, the prized mount gifted to him by Yuan Shao, sped forward like the wind as Wen Chou furiously pursued Guan Yu.
Though the Curly-Haired Red Hare was fast, Guan Yu's heavy blade, his own weight, and the additional burden of Yuan Shao's corpse slowed him down. anwhile, the horse Wen Chou rode, while not as fast as the Curly-Haired Red Hare, was a rare and extraordinary steed, and it wasn't easy to shake off Wen Chou's pursuit.
After several dozen miles of chase, Guan Yu noticed that Wen Chou was relentlessly following him. Judging the distance, he abruptly turned his horse around and hurled Yuan Shao's corpse to the ground, preparing to end Wen Chou here and now.
The sight of Guan Yu discarding Yuan Shao's body enraged Wen Chou to the point of nearly bursting a vein. Though Yuan Shao was already dead, Wen Chou would never allow anyone to desecrate his lord's body!
"Boom!" Like a shadowy blur, Wen Chou crashed headlong into Guan Yu. This ti, Wen Chou didn't yield a single step, while Guan Yu staggered back three paces.
Yet, despite this apparent advantage, Wen Chou showed no trace of joy. He imdiately gripped his spear and launched an aggressive assault. At this mont, he cared nothing for fairness or principle. His sole goal was to retrieve Yuan Shao's body—and to see Guan Yu dead!
Wen Chou unleashed his Inner Qi in a frenzied torrent, each strike a madly ferocious attack. Within just a few exchanges, he managed to suppress Guan Yu. Bearing the weight of blood-soaked revenge, the death of comrades, and the loss of his lord, Wen Chou vented his Inner Qi like a dam bursting uncontrollably.
In this mont, Wen Chou's Inner Qi gushed forth at an inconceivable rate, miraculously regenerating within him just as fast as he was expelling it. Under ordinary circumstances, such a breakthrough might have thrilled him, paving a new path for soone at the pinnacle of Ultimate Inner Qi Manifestation. But now, Wen Chou had forgotten everything.
He forgot the toll these relentless attacks took on his body, forgot the internal injuries caused by endlessly drawing upon his Inner Qi, and forgot the ambitions he once yearned to achieve. All he could rember was recovering Yuan Shao's corpse—and killing the red-faced man in green before him!
This berserk fighting style gave Guan Yu significant trouble, but it still fell short of causing him real harm. After all, Guan Yu too had set foot upon a unique path beyond the realm of Ultimate Inner Qi Manifestation—a path wholly his own, unlike those of Xiang Yu, Lyu Bu, or Zhao Yun.
Wen Chou's wild outburst didn't last long. Though fury and the thirst for revenge had driven him to an unprecedented state, his body could no longer endure such frantic overexertion.
"Boom!" As spear clashed against blade, the wills imbued within their weapons visibly collided and vied against one another. While Guan Yu's will was more refined, he couldn't help but be influenced by the vengeful determination coursing through Wen Chou's strikes.
After a heavy slash that forced Wen Chou backward, Guan Yu discerned that Wen Chou's body had reached its breaking point under the strain of his manic Inner Qi. Wen Chou's collapse was imminent.
Gazing at Wen Chou's blood-red eyes, Guan Yu slowly shifted the Green Dragon Crescent Blade to his other hand. Then, gripping it tightly with both hands, he realized that his heart had begun to waver.
"Wen Chou, you've stabbed countless tis, and I have yet to retaliate. Now, take one strike from . If you survive this blow, I will not hinder you further!" Guan Yu spoke suddenly.
Without waiting for the dying Wen Chou to answer, Guan Yu let all the Inner Qi imbued in the Green Dragon Crescent Blade dissipate, leaving it as a plain, unadorned bronze blade radiating an intangible yet formidable aura.
Whether or not he understood, the long spear in Wen Chou's hands beca completely shrouded in jet-black Inner Qi. The original golden hue of his Qi had all turned to pitch black after his transformation.
Guan Yu and Wen Chou both gripped their weapons tightly. In the next mont, a streak of azure-red and a streak of black-red light collided violently before streaking past one another. There was no sound—utter silence—as the two froze in place. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian to vote for recomndations or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian to read.)
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