Mythical Three Kingdoms

”Now, I am only a sliver away from Lyu Bu in terms of the strength of my Heart Spirit.” Guan Yu silently looked back toward the north. That previous strike, where he fused his Heart Spirit into the momentum of his blade, had made Guan Yu understand his path.

As Guan Yu adjusted his breathing and spurred his horse toward Mount Tai, a streak of yellow-black light suddenly flashed before him.

”General Guan!” Xu Chu called out in Guan Yu’s direction.

”Zhongkang, why are you here?” Guan Yu warily stared at Xu Chu. There had been an instance before when someone had disguised themselves as Taishi Ci to approach him, but Guan Yu had seen through the deception. As such, at Xu Chu’s appearance, Guan Yu was immediately on guard.

”Marquis Chen said that the Xuanyuan Cauldron has emerged and deduced that one cauldron would fall into your hands,” Xu Chu said, cupping his hands from afar. ”He believes you will rush to Mount Tai as quickly as possible. To prevent any ambushes along the way, he sent me to escort you.”

”Many thanks!” Guan Yu exhaled deeply. While Xu Chu was speaking, Guan Yu had been carefully discerning whether he was genuine. Thankfully, after thorough examination, he confirmed that Xu Chu was indeed who he claimed to be. Although some issues arose in the conversation, they weren’t enough to raise significant suspicion.

”General Guan, return to Mount Tai swiftly! Marquis Chen clearly stated that many hidden experts and secluded masters would reveal themselves.” Xu Chu cupped his fists again, turned his horse, and bolted toward Mount Tai. Speaking of which, this feat was only possible because Xu Chu’s horse, Claw Yellow Flying Lightning, which he had seized from Cao Cao, could actually fly. The other mounts, unfortunately, fell short of such capabilities.

”Understood!” Guan Yu lowered his Green Dragon Crescent Blade and urged his mount, the Curly-Haired Red Hare, which seemed to be in perfect sync with his intent as it surged forward. As for Zhao Yun, Guan Yu had no concerns at all—when it came to raw strength, Guan Yu was fully aware that Zhao Yun feared no one.

”Splat!” Zhao Yun beheaded the last of the Taoists with his sword, then looked down at the lifeless bodies with a bitter smile. Even though several Taoists had created mirror images of him at the cost of their own lives, Zhao Yun still dispatched them all unscathed.

”As expected, when danger looms, my instincts immediately focus and calm my Heart Spirit. The serious me in such moments—wielding just one sword strike—emanates an aura that transcends this level of cultivation.” Zhao Yun sighed bitterly as he placed the Yitian Sword in front of him, his expression of helplessness reflected in the mirrored surface of its blade.

[I clearly broke through the seventh extreme not long ago, clearly stepped past that threshold, yet my power didn’t increase in the slightest.]

Zhao Yun felt utterly helpless. He had surpassed the limits of Inner Qi Manifestation in terms of his Essence, Qi, and Spirit, yet his overall strength showed no visible improvement.

[Does this mean that even if I push past this extreme, it’s meaningless? While Inner Qi may grow stronger, my Will can only handle the upper limit of what I hadn’t yet broken through. Despite stepping forward, there’s nearly no change at all. Truly… frustrating.]

Zhao Yun raised his head to the sky and let out a long sigh. Perhaps under heaven, no one could rival him in terms of Inner Qi cultivation anymore. Still, the constraints of his Heart Spirit capped his strength. The power he possessed had already surpassed what he could wield, and excess strength beyond one’s limit was ultimately unusable.

”From now on, I’ll have to find ways to enhance my Heart Spirit. Hmm, let’s start by looking more menacing.” Zhao Yun pulled out a bronze mirror from his robes and began adjusting his face. ”Eyebrows raised, hair flowing, eyes must radiate Killing Intent, facial expression cold as ice, and my aura must exude Evil Qi...”

After a period of self-tweaking, Zhao Yun managed to blend Taishi Ci’s facial features, Guan Yu’s piercing gaze, and Gan Ning’s fierce eyebrows. He then projected a darkness akin to Xu Chu’s and let his hair flow as if moved by an invisible breeze. Pleased, he sheathed the Yitian Sword at his waist.

”Looking a bit fiercer now,” Zhao Yun noted with satisfaction, clapping his hands. Mounting his Night Illuminating Jade Lion, he charged toward Mount Tai, oblivious to the disdainful snort from his highly intelligent steed.

Guan Yu returned swiftly. With Xu Chu accompanying him, the two Inner Qi Manifestation-ranked military generals deterred any restless and reckless experts from emerging against them. Ultimately, all they could do was watch Guan Yu enter Mount Tai from a distance.

The moment the Xuanyuan Cauldron entered Mount Tai, Liu Bei and the others felt a faint sense of pressure. However, this led to many complications as well. While the Cauldron’s world-shaking energy had dissipated, the residual pressure alone was enough to humble ordinary individuals. Everywhere Guan Yu passed, large swathes of citizens knelt to see him off.

Soon, the city’s administrative forces arrived to welcome him. Notably, this was the only group Guan Yu encountered along the way that didn’t bow to the Xuanyuan Cauldron.

”Elder Brother!” The moment Liu Bei appeared, Guan Yu cupped his hand in salute and, laughing heartily, placed the Xuanyuan Cauldron he had been carrying on his shoulder onto the ground.

”Second Brother, did you encounter any trouble on your journey back?” Liu Bei glanced at the Xuanyuan Cauldron briefly. Even standing nearby, Liu Bei could feel its faint oppressiveness.

”Insignificant vermin! How could they hinder my return?” Guan Yu spoke with pride, not mentioning the dangers he faced on the road in the slightest.

”Congratulations, General, on acquiring such a divine object!” Jia Xu said with a slight, knowing smile. ”With this artifact in our possession, our northern campaign will be considerably easier.”

”Elder Brother, we must launch the northern expedition immediately! This is the Xuanyuan Human Cauldron, said to unite the hearts of the people. Meanwhile, the Xuanyuan Heaven Cauldron has fallen into Yann Liang’s hands.” Guan Yu cupped his hands as he spoke, understanding the urgency of the situation.

”Yunchang, stay patient,” Liu Bei assured him. ”Zichuan and I have already discussed this. Preparations for a full-scale northern campaign are underway. Twelve thousand troops will gather at Mount Tai from Qingzhou in ten days. By then, I will appoint you to lead the vanguard and attack Wei Commandery.”

”Very well!” Guan Yu said solemnly, brimming with anticipation.

”So this is the Xuanyuan Cauldron?” Chen Xi crouched beside the artifact, tapping it lightly as his curiosity got the better of him, appearing entirely irreverent.

”If anyone should know, wouldn’t it be you, Zichuan?” Liu Bei said with a resigned look at Chen Xi’s gleeful demeanor.

”It no longer carries that overwhelming pressure that could sweep across the land,” Chen Xi remarked, tapping it again. ”If we could weaponize that ability and use it multiple times, it wouldn’t be bad.”

”This is a divine artifact meant to stabilize the nation! Such reckless use is unthinkable,” Xuu Zijiang, who had been peering down from an inn, said irritably.

”Weren’t you planning to leave to find your elder brother? Also, I’m not fond of conversing with you like this,” Chen Xi said, craning his head to address Xuu Shao.

”Greetings, Lord Xuande! Greetings, everyone!” Xuu Shao, a carefree and unrestrained figure, leaned halfway out of the window to bow to the assembled group below. ”Unlike Marquis Chen, I feel weak-kneed near such divine objects. To avoid embarrassing myself, I’ll refrain from coming down. But I must still convey my congratulations, Lord Xuande. The restoration of the Han Dynasty is within reach.”

”Enough, Zichuan, don’t embarrass yourself further,” Liu Bei said, tugging Chen Xi’s sleeve lightly. ”Yunchang, I’ll have to trouble you to place this divine artifact in the Jingling Palace. That is undoubtedly the most suitable location for it.”

Guan Yu reached out, once again hoisting the Xuanyuan Cauldron onto his shoulder, and carried it toward the Jingling Palace, the ideal sanctuary for such an artifact.

(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please access it via m.qidian.com for a seamless reading experience.)