Mythical Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1563: Chapter 1506: Hu Cavalry Arrives, the Battle Begins

When Wei Yan first arrived, he was only at the peak of Qi Refining to Gang, but with each battle, he broke through Inner Qi Manifestation even before the great battle between Yuan Liu.

The opposite was true for Guan Ping, who could never break through that limit. Unlike Wei Yan, who only learned a few moves when Guan Yu was in a good mood, Guan Ping could be considered the greatest second-generation figure in the world today.

With a group of uncles and seniors like Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, and Xu Chu eagerly instructing him, he still couldn’t break through the level, even though Zhao Yun clearly stated that Guan Ping’s talent and accumulation were already sufficient.

Regarding this statement, others may not believe it, but Chen Xi did. After two draws with Pang De during the coffin-lifting times and another draw when ambushed by Xu Huang, leading hundreds of defeated soldiers to triumph over Ding Feng and successfully breaking through, Guan Ping exhibited strength that had already reached the threshold of the top ten.

However, unfortunately, during the Battle of Jingzhou, Guan Ping and Guan Yu died together before reaching their peak potential. Otherwise, with such brutal combat power, they wouldn’t have been handled by those so-called valiant generals later on. It’s not that the Shu Han second generation wasn’t fierce; it’s that most of them have died...

Moreover, Guan Ping had a great personality. He endured hardships at a young age without any poor habits associated with being a second-generation figure. Chen Xi was very optimistic about him, but Guan Ping never reached that level, leaving Chen Xi helpless.

Liu Bei, on the other hand, wished to independently lead a legion, requiring great merit and ability. Either you had the commanding prowess like Zang Ba and Yu Jin, whose combat power wasn’t extraordinary but whose command was powerful, or you had the dominance of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, not necessarily the best commanders but could incite soldiers to exhibit fierce combat power.

Sadly, Guan Ping didn’t meet the standard on either side, so despite liking Guan Ping, Liu Bei could only place him as a deputy general or a chief general in the reserve legion.

Even Guan Yu thought Guan Ping lacked ambition, and Guan Ping himself realized this. Yet no matter how hard he tried, he reached this limit and found it difficult to make that final step.

This was a pain Guan Ping carried all along. Fortunately, Guan Ping’s nature was calm. If it were someone else constantly being told so, they might have been crushed by mental pressure.

After all, no matter who saw Guan Ping, they would say, ”Keep trying, don’t disappoint your father!”

Guan Ping even somewhat regretted being Guan Yu’s son, but this wasn’t something he could choose. What he could choose was gradually fading the shadow of his father’s imitation from himself.

”I will,” Guan Ping said with slight silence.

”Juu Fu, Zhu Ling, you two follow me to command the infantry,” Zang Ba said, not overly focused on Guan Ping’s thoughts, but turned to Juu Fu and Zhu Ling.

Both cupped their fists and saluted. Frankly, Juu Fu and Zhu Ling were somewhat frightened, which was also why Zang Ba placed them by his side.

”Yuanzhi, you sit in the central army and maneuver on my behalf, but don’t take any actions before our army’s offensive is restrained,” Zang Ba said to Xu Shu, trusting Xu Shu’s vision and ability.

”General Zang can rest assured,” Xu Shu said most solemnly, bowing to Zang Ba.

”I am at ease,” Zang Ba nodded, ”Guo Huai, Wenn Hong, you just protect the central army.”

”We will not disappoint the General’s trust,” Guo Huai and Wenn Hong were prepared to die.

Afterward, Zang Ba started to arrange without saying more. Under Xu Shu’s preparations, a military formation similar to a Goose Formation but with the center formed by a Phalanx slowly materialized. The Cloud Qi in the sky clearly condensed into one body, gray-yellow cloud Qi slowly spread open.

With the cloud Qi spreading out, Xu Shu, standing on the war chariot, activated his Spiritual Talent, adjusting the cloud Qi. The Cloud Qi Formation displayed several effects, adding to the legions in each area.

This was one of the formations taught by Lord Pang De, and fortunately, Xu Shu’s Spiritual Talent had the ability to perceive the flaws in military formations. It was because he could perceive them that he could reverse engineer; otherwise, he couldn’t have learned this formation so quickly.

With Zang Ba’s formation unfolding, a slight tremor had already been transmitted, tens of thousands of troops, although not all cavalry, moving as one it was enough to prepare the Han Army several miles away.

Looking from afar at the gray line from the horizon surging forward, many Han soldiers had sweat in their palms, yet having experienced battles, they weren’t overly fearful. Arrows were drawn, laid loosely on the bowstrings, and great shields were slanted while long spears were set straight on them.

”The Hu People’s formation is still generally terrible!” Zang Ba sneered as he gazed at the Hu People filling the sight.

Xu Shu fully activated his Spiritual Talent, his eyes firmly fixed on the direction of the Hu People’s advance. Flaws appeared in his view one by one, only to disappear as the march continued. The Hu People’s formation had flaws but none were fatal.

[It seems only after we engage can things be determined.] Xu Shu slowly exhaled.

Wei Yan and Guan Ping also took deep breaths adjusting their inner agitation. Facing an army of this number head-on the first time, neither knew why their entire body felt somewhat heated at this moment.

Guo Huai tightly held his long spear, realizing the immensity of the northern war only after seeing the boundless Hu People upfront. It wasn’t the matter of a single family nor surname; this was truly a matter concerning the whole realm.

As the Hu People advanced, the distance between the sides grew closer, yet the earth-shaking feeling gradually disappeared. However, the intense sensation of impending thunder grew heavier, and when the distance closed to one mile, the sun hanging high in Zhongtian was obscured by clouds or Cloud Qi.

As the Miscellaneous Hun cavalry approached within one mile, everyone on Zang Ba’s side was prepared, and as they crossed that one-mile boundary, the Hu cavalry suddenly accelerated, crazily speeding toward Zang Ba’s central army.

The Hu People’s left and right wings, led by Xianbei warriors, also erupted with astounding speed, the sky’s black-yellow cloud Qi extending two scissor-like blades, cutting toward the smaller gray-yellow cloud.

Wei Yan and Guan Ping also urged their horses forward at the moment the Hu People started their charge, left and right wing cavalry drawing massive arcs toward the enemy, seeking to encircle and annihilate; they were barriers the Hu People had to cross.

War drums sounded ”dong dong dong,” marching forward with a neat phalanx, the infantry protected by cavalry aligned in position, placing nearly two-zhang long spears flat, the dense Long Spear Formation gradually advancing forward, a battle on the brink of eruption.