Chapter 959: Recalling the Past, Almost Like You

“Was it you who hurt my Red Hare?” Lü Bu, who had recently been focused on meditation and a vegetarian diet, glanced at the wound on Red Hare's back. His eyes ignited with golden flames of fury, but he restrained his anger as he looked at the young Ma Chao and asked.

“Are you the legendary Lü Bu, the so-called strongest in the world?” Ma Chao stood on guard, eyeing Lü Bu warily. He could sense the overwhelming aura from Lü Bu, but instead of fear, he felt his blood boiling with excitement.

“The strongest in the world?” Lü Bu glanced dismissively and stroked Red Hare's back. “If those ahead of me are all dead, then yes, I am. Was it you who wounded my horse?”

“Let’s fight! Let’s have a real battle!” Ma Chao laughed loudly, completely ignoring Lü Bu’s question.

“Red Hare, was it him?” Lü Bu didn’t bother asking Ma Chao again. Instead, he stroked Red Hare's mane, and the horse snorted in Ma Chao's direction, as if answering Lü Bu’s question.

“This is troublesome. If you don’t draw your weapon soon, I’ll be attacking first.” Fresh from a previous intense battle, Ma Chao felt surging power throughout his body. He laughed, ready to challenge Lü Bu.

“I’ve seen people seeking death, but never someone seeking it like this.” Lü Bu sneered coldly. “If you can survive one of my strikes, I’ll spare your life!”

With that, Lü Bu slashed through the air towards Ma Chao, empty-handed. In an instant, Ma Chao felt his hair stand on end as he desperately focused on the almost invisible point of attack. A thunderous boom followed, and Ma Chao felt as though he had crashed into a mountain, his body hurled backward, with his horse, Li Feisha, tumbling along with him.

“You actually blocked it.” Lü Bu was surprised as he looked at the crater left behind. He hadn’t expected Ma Chao to survive his attack.

After Lü Bu had taken that significant step forward, his strength had undergone an earth-shattering transformation. Even a casual strike now unleashed several times the power he had once possessed at his peak. Though he hadn’t used a weapon, the force he delivered was still comparable to his strongest attacks from his past.

Ma Chao crawled out of the crater, disheveled and wary of Lü Bu. His once-pristine golden armor was now shattered in several places, and Li Feisha bore numerous wounds. The damage caused by Lü Bu’s single weaponless strike had left Ma Chao trembling in fear.

“State your name,” Lü Bu’s calm voice reached Ma Chao, who was still on high alert. As arrogant as Ma Chao was, he now fully understood that Lü Bu could kill him in less than thirty moves—perhaps even fleeing would be impossible, as Lü Bu’s Red Hare was faster than his Li Feisha.

“I am Ma Mengqi from Xiliang!” Ma Chao shouted, his voice carrying desperation. Although Lü Bu hadn’t yet launched a follow-up attack, the intense pressure he felt made Ma Chao’s body break out in a cold sweat. If he delayed any longer, he would be completely at Lü Bu’s mercy. So, the moment he answered, he launched an attack at Lü Bu.

“Your courage is commendable.” Lü Bu watched Ma Chao’s attack without concern. To Lü Bu, even the lightning-fast strike seemed slow and insignificant. As he extended his hand, his internal energy formed into a halberd that was an exact replica of his famed Sky Piercer, down to the intricate details of the weapon’s design.

Clang! With one hand, Lü Bu struck the tip of Ma Chao’s spear, unleashing a force of immense power. Ma Chao’s hand went numb, his chest tightened, and before he could react, Lü Bu’s halberd changed direction and smashed down on him.

Unlike warriors such as Guan Yu, Ma Chao had never equipped Li Feisha with a saddle, so this time, Lü Bu’s blow sent him flying off his horse.

Another massive crater formed as Ma Chao emerged, injured but alive. More importantly, Ma Chao fully realized the immense gap between himself and Lü Bu. Lü Bu didn’t need any advanced techniques—each of his strikes was so overwhelmingly powerful that Ma Chao couldn’t defend against them. Lü Bu’s sheer strength was impossible to resist!

If Lü Bu was prideful, then Ma Chao was probably the closest to him in temperament. Both men were like the lone wolves of the plains.

Naturally, after taking two hits from Lü Bu, Ma Chao's pride wouldn’t allow him to simply flee. Though Lü Bu had likely been holding back, and Ma Chao knew that the next strike could be fatal, he was unwilling to retreat without fighting back.

Springing to his feet once more, Ma Chao chose not to mount Li Feisha. He realized that his horse had sustained internal injuries from the previous blow. With eyes locked on Lü Bu, Ma Chao prepared to carefully observe Lü Bu’s every move. He might lose or even have to flee, but he couldn’t back down without a fight!

“Not bad, your eyes.” Lü Bu gazed at Ma Chao, who was now incredibly focused. Though Ma Chao’s skill was still far from the top warriors, his temperament wasn’t lacking. With his current age and strength, Ma Chao indeed deserved the title of genius.

As Lü Bu recalled his own past, driven by his love for Diao Chan and his current desire for peace, he couldn’t help but see a reflection of his younger self in Ma Chao’s defiant eyes.

“Tell me your purpose. Since you’ve survived two of my strikes, I won’t pursue your clash with Red Hare further,” Lü Bu said, his deep voice reverberating through the surroundings, creating a sense of stillness in the air.

Lü Bu knew that Red Hare had a habit of wandering off and might have crossed paths with Ma Chao by accident. Since Red Hare’s injuries weren’t severe—its internal energy would allow it to recover in a day or two—and since Ma Chao’s eyes reminded him of his own past, Lü Bu felt nostalgic and decided not to press the matter further.

“And if I don’t tell you?” Ma Chao's concentration was intense. He finally understood why warriors like Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Huang Zhong, and Zhao Yun all had such solemn expressions when they mentioned Lü Bu—his strength was terrifying.

“If you don’t, I’ll make sure your body remembers everything that happens today,” Lü Bu responded, smiling faintly. Unlike his usual manic laughter or cold sneer, this time, his smile revealed genuine appreciation for talent.

“Well then, we’ll see if you have the ability!” Ma Chao shouted in defiance.

“Heh...” Lü Bu merely chuckled. The next moment, Ma Chao was sent flying through the air. Though Lü Bu hadn’t used a weapon or targeted a vital point, Ma Chao still felt as though his ribs had cracked.

In desperation, Ma Chao drew on the power of the divine stone. He didn’t care if he couldn’t absorb all of it—he just refused to be toyed with, even in defeat.

As he halted his airborne trajectory, Ma Chao stood firm in midair. Looking up, he no longer saw Lü Bu, but he felt a tremendous force crash into his back, sending him plummeting into the earth once again.

Boom! Ma Chao exploded upward from the ground with all his remaining strength, launching himself like a golden arrow toward Lü Bu.

At that moment, the greatest benefit of the divine stone wasn’t in boosting Ma Chao’s strength, but in rapidly healing his injuries. Even if it meant damaging his meridians, Ma Chao tapped into the stone's power, pushing himself to the limits of internal energy cultivation. In this way, he glimpsed a chance to fight Lü Bu. As for the pain in his body, a true warrior ignored all injuries!

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