Chapter 829: The Swan Song

Liu Bei’s veteran troops were almost all elite soldiers qualified to join Taishan’s city management corps. Guan Yu’s personal Dao-wielding soldiers were also among the best of the best. Yet even so, when facing the Xian Deng Guards, they could only manage to hold their ground. As for suppressing the Xian Deng, it was the other way around—Xian Deng was suppressing them. Their terrifying combat prowess!

Chen Xi and Jia Xu exchanged glances, both seeing the concern in each other’s eyes. The overwhelming strength of the Xian Deng had left them shaken. Their most powerful troops couldn’t be deployed here, and the remaining forces weren’t quite up to par. Ideally, Hua Xiong or the city management corps would have handled this situation.

"Forget it, we’ll deal with the Xian Deng later. Let’s focus on Yuan Shao’s army first. While the Xian Deng are sharp, they are just a part of the army. It shouldn’t be too difficult to keep them occupied," Guo Jia suggested, signaling the elite archers to press forward. He then turned to Chen Xi and Jia Xu with a calm expression.

"Alright, let’s go with that," Chen Xi agreed. The best way to handle a special unit like the Xian Deng was to find an opponent of equal strength or use a strategy to wipe them out. A direct confrontation would indeed be troublesome.

Soon, Liu Bei’s elite archers moved forward, and the previously reckless Xian Deng suddenly became cautious. A single arrow from a five-stone bow was enough to blow apart the head of a Xian Deng soldier. In such a situation, no matter how strong their will was, it wouldn’t be enough to resist death.

However, as Chen Xi observed, the archers only managed to kill a few dozen Xian Deng soldiers. Most of the arrows were deflected by the small round shields on the wrists of the Xian Deng. Chen Xi watched as one soldier tilted his shield at a twenty-degree angle, causing the incoming arrow to ricochet away harmlessly.

In this moment, Chen Xi could only admire the Xian Deng’s origins as heavy crossbowmen. They were well-versed in handling arrows, displaying a monstrous level of skill.

Once the Xian Deng were pinned down, Liu Bei’s forces launched a fierce counterattack from all sides, pushing Yuan Shao’s army into retreat with wave after wave of assault.

It wasn’t a matter of leadership or strategy at this point. The difference in the quality of soldiers was clear. Aside from the bright spot in the Xian Deng’s position, Yuan Shao’s entire army was being pushed back.

On the wide plains, in the cavalry battles, the speed advantage of the White Horse Cavalry was fully displayed. Without engaging in direct clashes, they thoroughly suppressed the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry, who were twice their number. Zhang He, commanding the enemy forces, even narrowly escaped death when Zhao Yun charged at him at high speed.

If viewed from above, Yuan Shao’s army would resemble a wedge, with the sharpest point being where the Xian Deng were positioned. Meanwhile, Liu Bei’s army would appear like a large pair of scissors, seemingly poised to cut through Yuan Shao’s forces.

"General, you handle Zhang He, and I will take on the Xian Deng," Xue Shao said to Zhao Yun during the cavalry’s regrouping. The White Horse Cavalry harbored a deep hatred for the Xian Deng, especially those who had fought at Jieqiao like Xue Shao.

"Zhang Ming, you deal with Zhang He. Leave the rest to me," Zhao Yun replied without hesitation, leading the most elite White Horse Cavalry. They broke away from the main group, quickly forming a "V" formation, with Zhao Yun and a group of White Horse Cavalry spearmen at the center, their eyes burning with resolve.

The speed of the White Horse Cavalry was already astounding. The moment their formation was complete, they surged toward the Xian Deng at the front. Before Qu Yi could laugh in anticipation, a hail of arrows rained down on his troops.

As the Xian Deng raised their shields to retaliate, the White Horse Cavalry split into two groups. Hidden within them, Zhao Yun and his spearmen charged forward, shifting from their previous strategy of keeping the archers on the outside and the spearmen in the center. Instead, the spearmen led the assault, directly targeting the Xian Deng as they prepared to counterattack.

Before the Xian Deng could react, they were bombarded by a frenzied barrage of arrows. Dazed and unable to adjust, they were then struck by the lightning-fast charge of Zhao Yun’s spear-wielding cavalry, who launched a fatal attack with incredible speed.

In the blink of an eye, Zhao Yun’s cavalry had pierced through the Xian Deng. However, many of the charging spearmen were also struck by arrows, with some barely hanging on, gritting their teeth to follow Zhao Yun.

As the White Horse Cavalry’s spears broke through the Xian Deng line, many of the spearmen smiled as they fell from their horses. The defeat at Jieqiao had indeed been a fluke, not a testament to the Xian Deng’s invincibility. When the White Horse Cavalry abandoned everything for a full-speed charge, their unmatched speed could rival any unit, even if it meant exchanging their lives.

Yet this was likely the White Horse Cavalry’s swan song. Their extreme speed granted them unparalleled killing power, but the price was their own lives. The White Horse Cavalry truly was the fastest, most agile unit.

As the Xian Deng broke, Liu Bei’s forces immediately followed the blood-soaked path carved out by the White Horse Cavalry. Zhao Yun stood still, positioned between the remnants of the Xian Deng and Yuan Shao’s troops, with a vast open space in front of him. He didn’t turn back. He knew that none of the White Horse Cavalry remained behind him.

Of the White Horse Cavalry who had followed Xue Shao to Taishan after the defeat at Jieqiao, only Xue Shao remained. The moment the charge began, Zhao Yun understood that this would likely be the last time Gongsun Zan’s White Horse Cavalry would fight. Even if he had tried to stop the White Horse Cavalry’s final charge, they would have found another way to prove their enduring pride.

"You were all remarkable. Leave the rest to me," Zhao Yun said calmly, without turning back. He gripped his spear tightly, feeling an uncharacteristic sense of tranquility. At that moment, Zhao Yun suddenly sensed his strength waning. It decreased until it reached the level of Qi Condensation, but then it stabilized.

At that moment, Zhao Yun broke through the barrier for the seventh time, yet instead of resetting his cultivation, his internal energy fused with the surrounding vital energy, enveloping him in a radiant glow.

As Zhao Yun charged into Yuan Shao’s forces, both Liu Bei’s army and Yuan Shao’s troops were stunned. The suppression of cloud energy on Zhao Yun had almost entirely vanished. Cloaked in a luminous aura, Zhao Yun ignored the oppressive cloud energy as he tore through the enemy ranks.

Single-handedly, Zhao Yun cleaved his way through, fearless, heading straight for Yuan Shao. In that moment, Zhao Yun seemed as fierce as the legendary Lü Bu. He soon collided with Yan Liang, and despite the support of the military formation, Yan Liang was soundly defeated, causing a significant drop in Yuan Shao’s morale.

With the Xian Deng broken and their morale already low, Yuan Shao’s troops were further demoralized by Zhao Yun’s assault. Guan Yu’s Dao-wielding soldiers and Xu Ding’s Tiger Guards launched a powerful charge, while Zhao Yun wreaked havoc within the enemy ranks. The chaotic situation led to a breakdown in command, and Yuan Shao’s forces soon collapsed.

Liu Bei pursued them, capturing nearly ten thousand prisoners and driving Yuan Shao’s forces across the Yellow River. However, Shen Pei burned the pontoon bridge, preventing Liu Bei from continuing his advance. With that, the great battle finally came to an end.

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