Chapter 986: No Second in Martial Prowess

Xu Zijian's ranking of fierce generals listed thirty-six positions, but all thirty-six were taken by Lü Bu, with the concluding remark: "In martial prowess, there is no second place; the rest don't matter—just look at the first."

Such a ranking style was bound to displease many. After the release of the List of Talented Women, people from all walks of life, from nobles and scholars to commoners, eagerly awaited the next rankings. But what they got was just this.

The List of Talented Women had been powerful, and the List of Heroes was met with mixed reviews, yet people had high expectations for Xu Zijian due to his previous reputation. But now…

"Thirty-six Lü Bu's?" Guan Yu scanned the ranking with a displeased expression, snorted, and upon seeing the phrase "In martial prowess, there is no second," he nodded in silent agreement. "Hmph, while it's useless, it's not entirely without reason."

After reading the list, Guan Yu once again immersed himself in his comprehension of swordsmanship. "No second in martial prowess" was a strong motivation for him.

"Lü Bu?" Huang Zhong stroked his beard with slight discontent. During their duel at the Battle of Jiangling, there had been no clear victor, though Huang Zhong did feel a bit outmatched. Still, after seeing the phrase "In martial prowess, there is no second," Huang Zhong fell silent. A warrior’s value lies only in being the strongest.

He gently touched his Crimson Blood Saber and began practicing his sword technique. Unlike before, when he couldn’t fully control his icy powers, Huang Zhong had now completely mastered them. He longed for another duel with Lü Bu—his peak wouldn't last much longer.

It wasn’t because Huang Zhong's physical condition was deteriorating. In fact, after the Yangtze River flood, Huang Zhong had transitioned from rigid inner energy to flexible inner energy, reaching a new height of perfection. But this was a different kind of perfection, an evolution from extreme to harmonious, not a breakthrough in inner energy.

As a result, Huang Zhong's body had returned to its peak. However, with his son's health improving, Huang Zhong had resigned himself to the idea that his power would eventually decline. He couldn’t bear to face another situation where his son was on the brink of death.

Once Huang Xu’s body recovered enough to withstand his father’s strength, Huang Zhong would not hesitate to raise his son's cultivation to the mid-to-late stages of Innate Energy Out of the Body.

Those who reach Innate Energy Out of the Body are immune to diseases, plagues, and curses, and they possess strong self-healing abilities. With Huang Zhong’s mount, the Green Mane Horse, at his son’s side, Huang Xu would never face life-threatening danger.

However, after doing this, Huang Zhong would likely lose the possibility of further breakthroughs. He might never regain the strength he sacrificed. Thus, before that happened, he hoped to face Lü Bu in a proper fight once more.

"This guy again!" Zhang Fei scowled at the list. His face darkened as if it had been scorched. Yet, despite his frustration, he didn’t act out. If it had been anyone else at the top of the rankings, Zhang Fei would have picked up his serpent spear and challenged them.

"Well deserved," Hua Xiong said after a quick glance, showing little interest. This was exactly as expected.

"Lü Bu..." Ma Chao recalled the time he was struck into the thunderclouds by Lü Bu. A shiver ran down his spine—truly a monster. While the idea of thirty-six Lü Bu's seemed excessive, Ma Chao decided to hold his tongue.

"Ma Chao, you’re planning to attend the Qiang Alliance?" Pang De asked with a curious look, noticing Ma Chao’s unexpected silence. He had thought Ma Chao would curse after reading the ranking, but instead, Ma Chao merely adjusted his armor and said nothing.

"Yes, I plan to attend and claim the position of Qiang King," Ma Chao said confidently.

Only now did Ma Chao realize that Pang De had been stronger than him before. There was no choice; Pang De was older, with more time to accumulate power as a Qi Condensation into Steel practitioner, resulting in a higher breakthrough to Innate Energy Out of the Body. But now they were on par.

"The Qiang King?" A flash of surprise crossed Pang De’s eyes. "You’re going to face the hundred Qiang tribes alone?"

"Hmph, I’ll handle it," Ma Chao said with confidence.

In truth, Ma Chao was being forced into the situation. Not only had snow fallen across the northern grasslands, but it had also blanketed Xiliang. Like the Xianbei, the Qiang had no food and had no choice but to raid. This accelerated the timing of their alliance meeting.

Ma Chao’s explosive power, relying on lightning, was indeed formidable, but his endurance was lacking. He feared a prolonged battle against numerous opponents more than a duel with a single powerful foe.

In the battle against the hundred Qiang tribes, Ma Chao was uncertain whether he could last the entire fight. But given the circumstances, there was no turning back. The future of the Ma family depended on him. He had no choice but to face the challenge head-on.

"Be careful. Yan Xing is also attending the Qiang Alliance. If you enter, he’ll definitely try to stop you," Pang De cautioned. He held little hope for Ma Chao’s success. If winning the battle of the hundred Qiang tribes were easy, the Qiang would have been united long ago instead of remaining divided.

"I’ve been waiting for a chance to settle the score with him. But out of respect for the fact that he serves my uncle, I won’t kill him," Ma Chao said coldly. While he had come to terms with his feelings toward Han Sui, he couldn’t forgive Yan Xing, who had nearly killed him. There would be no reconciliation.

"Just be careful you don’t encounter him too late," Pang De replied. "He’ll likely wait until you're exhausted before making his move. He knows how strong you are."

"That sneaky coward. I’ll be on guard," Ma Chao said, waving his hand dismissively. He had confidence in his abilities.

After returning, Ma Chao had specifically sought out Dian Wei for a sparring match. According to Dian Wei, Ma Chao’s trump card techniques were enough to leave even the strongest Innate Energy Out of the Body warriors in a dire situation. Although Ma Chao didn’t think Dian Wei had struggled much.

"Just be cautious," Pang De nodded. He had great respect for Ma Chao’s strength, and with the support of the Li Feisha horse, there was little concern for his safety.

"By the way, round up some wild horse herds for me. I need three thousand warhorses, at least ten of them suitable for Qi Condensation into Steel. As for the rest, any will do, but also gather two thousand pack horses. I need them for something," Ma Chao instructed Pang De.

"That’s quite a lot. It’s not the season for wild horses to be running around, but I’ll do my best," Pang De said, frowning. He couldn’t understand why Ma Chao needed so many horses, especially the pack horses.

"Just make sure to get them as soon as possible," Ma Chao said with a wave.

In Xiliang, horses were abundant. Sometimes a wild horse herd could number in the thousands. Though wild, these horses were of excellent quality, and Ma Chao planned to gift them to Sun Ce. Of course, this "gift" would be paid for, though only at the cost of three thousand frontier warhorses.

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