Mythical Three Kingdoms

”What’s there to be afraid of?” A hint of coldness surfaced on Zhao Yun’s face. He could sense the hidden power within his opponent’s body. Yet even if that man were to unleash all his strength, Zhao Yun had absolute confidence in himself—especially under this dense and widespread Cloud Qi, he feared no one!

Zhao Yun pulled on the reins, and his mount—the Night Illuminating Jade Lion—charged toward Zhang He. His dozen or so trusted aides followed, guarding on both sides as they rushed towards Zhang He.

”Take this spear thrust!” Zhang He, having gauged Zhao Yun’s capabilities after the previous strike, thrust his spear with all his might without revealing his true power, the move was forceful and heavy.

”Cling!” Zhao Yun parried Zhang He’s steel spear and then a fight-sized burst of spear blossoms appeared right before Zhang He’s eyes. Without waiting for Zhang He to react, the spear burst forth like a pear blossom ejecting stamens with a fierce thrust.

”Clang!” Zhang He, grasping his spear, managed to block it, his shoulder armor was struck off a piece, but fortunately, it didn’t injure his flesh.

Zhang He watched Zhao Yun with bloodthirsty eyes. The man’s physical strength wasn’t imposing, his Inner Qi not that strong, nor his prowess terribly astonishing. Plus, the Cloud Qi was suppressing the performance of Inner Qi; he seemed like a good opponent, the perfect match for his current state.

Zhang He laughed loudly as he swung his long spear fiercely toward Zhao Yun. Zhao Yun held his spear in his right hand and, with astonishing speed, aimed a stab toward Zhang He’s chest—which was too fast for one to see through.

”Boom!” Guided by instinct, Zhang He parried Zhao Yun’s fatal thrust, and Zhao Yun, in turn, swept his long spear aside, killing two of Zhang He’s aides instantly.

”Die!” Not caring for the life and death of his own aides, Zhang He lunged with his spear at Zhao Yun’s waist. The heavy thrust caused bursts of noise in the air, while Zhao Yun, without any regard, poked at another one of Zhang He’s aides’ chests with his silver spear. Then, the little blade at the bottom of his spear pressed down Zhang He’s thrust, and with a backward twist, he pressed down on Zhang He again, killing several more aides.

”Zhao Yun, do you dare to duel with me?” Zhang He bellowed in anger. He had realized that Zhao Yun’s focus wasn’t on him—every move targeted his aides, utterly disregarding him.

”You’re too weak,” Zhao Yun glanced at Zhang He. ”You might be somewhat interesting if you put in all your effort, but under these circumstances!”

”To death with you!” Zhang He stabbed out in rage. He hadn’t expected Zhao Yun to be so strong—obviously not as physically powerful as him, his Inner Qi was only on par with his own. But the ease with which Zhao Yun performed made it clear that he was much stronger than Zhang He. Was this the prowess that had not faltered even against Lyu Bu?

Zhao Yun thrust his spear horizontally, a move plain and unadorned. Zhang He summoned all his strength to collide with Zhao Yun’s spear, but the next moment, he felt as though he had hit a truck, sent flying backward, his aides alongside him.

”Pfft...” A mouthful of blood spurted from Zhang He, his eyes wide with shock as he looked at Zhao Yun, ”To think there’s such a level of skill!”

At that moment, Zhang He recalled a technique Yann Liang had been perfecting, so similar to the move just witnessed, both exemplifying power consolidated yet not scattered.

”You’re simply too weak,” Zhao Yun swept his spear, scattering Zhang He’s aides in just a few moves. Since the strength of their Cloud Qi was not much different, they were not able to suppress each other’s Inner Qi completely.

Seeing his aides scattered by Zhao Yun, Zhang He hesitated no longer. He immediately mounted his horse, realizing that this duel couldn’t go on. Without revealing his true strength, he’d be overpowered within ten moves.

”Think you can escape? Let’s capture you first!” Zhao Yun swept away Zhang He’s remaining guards with his spear and took the lead in chasing after Zhang He.

”Thud, thud, thud!” The Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry saw Zhao Yun’s movement at this time, turned around, and a rain of arrows poured directly towards Zhao Yun. Zhao Yun danced his spear, easily deflecting the arrows, while the White Horse Soldiers fired a volley that engulfed the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry. The black and white cavalry clashed once again.

”Zhang Liao, halt your escape!” Zhao Yun, fearing nothing, led a dozen trusted aides straight towards Zhang He, while the White Horse Soldiers also noticed the situation and flanked Zhao Yun’s direction, firing arrows to carve a path towards the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry. The original head-to-head situation started to shift.

Zhang He glanced back at Zhao Yun, whose pursuit seemed relentless, and fury filled his heart. After taking another look at the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry’s situation, he realized he could not allow Zhao Yun’s endless chase to continue; otherwise, even the elite Wolf Cavalry would crumble.

Without any further hesitation, Zhang He signaled the nearby soldiers to disperse and inform the team leaders of the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry. After briefly fleeing again, Zhang He, without a moment’s hesitation, turned abruptly and thrust his spear towards Zhao Yun behind him, and the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry also uniformly turned to strike at the White Horse!

”Pfft!” The Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry’s backward thrust caused many unprepared White Horse Soldiers to fall off their horses, and Zhang He faced Zhao Yun once again.

”Boom!” With a composed expression, Zhang He thrust his spear at Zhao Yun. They crossed paths, and Zhang He, together with his horse, skidded sideways for several steps, while Zhao Yun also stepped back two steps.

”Again!” Zhang He, still composed, turned his horse and thrust his spear at Zhao Yun, the long spear gleaming with a layer of black lacquer, viciously charging towards Zhao Yun.

Zhao Yun remained calm, swatting away Zhang He’s long spear. He had already felt the condensed power on that previous strike, not to be blocked head-on.

”Die!” Zhang He’s spear, deflected earlier, in the next moment viciously swept towards Zhao Yun with terrifying power, the compressed air on the spear’s shaft exploding violently, Zhang He’s spear piercing towards Zhao Yun with fearsome force.

”Bang!” Zhao Yun held his spear with both hands, blocking Zhang He’s long spear with even greater speed. Where their spears met, Zhao Yun suddenly felt a numbness in his hands, while Zhang He’s palms oozed fresh blood.

The bleeding Zhang He didn’t stop his assault but, as if possessed, his eyes flickered madly and he launched a desperate counterattack against Zhao Yun. His frenzied attacks, although blocked by Zhao Yun each time and even countered when opportunities arose, went unnoticed by Zhang He, who only continued to attack Zhao Yun in his madness, each thrust heavier and more forceful than the last.

After ten moves, twenty, thirty, Zhang He, exerting all his strength, managed to repel Zhao Yun with a thrust. Then as Zhao Yun braced for the next attack, Zhang He bellowed, ”Retreat!”

Simultaneously, from the rear of the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry, a series of bronze gong clangs were heard. At this signal, the Bingzhou Wolves who had been ready to counterattack turned and began their withdrawal following Zhang He.

Zhao Yun was taken aback, and then he roared, ”Kill!” Immediately he led the White Horse Soldiers in hot pursuit of Zhang He and the retreating Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry.

Having covered no more than ten li, Zhang He passed the hillside where he had previously set an ambush. Zhao Yun, leading the White Horse Soldiers, rushed over as well.

”Kill!” The infantry ambushed on the hillside bellowed as Zhao Yun passed by, and a volley of arrows shot down towards the White Horse Soldiers on the slope. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at , your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)