Chapter 815: The Price

"Quickly inform the forward troops of Xian Deng!" Qu Yi roared as he withstood a strike from Zhao Yun. Seeing He Mao, Han Meng, and Zhao Rui charging toward him, he grew furious. These idiots couldn’t see how dire the situation was for them, yet they still rushed forward to their deaths!

Qu Yi's shout instantly made Yuan Shao's generals understand how they should respond. It was clear that Zhao Yun was growing stronger the more he fought, completely disregarding both Yan Liang’s overwhelming mental strength and Qu Yi’s near-limitless military soul energy. To Zhao Yun, they had both become nothing more than whetstones!

"Zilong, kill Yuan Shao now!" Chen Xi yelled as he resisted the mental assaults from the opposing strategists, shouting encouragement to Zhao Yun. "Believe in yourself—you can do it!"

"Die!" Zhao Yun's sword shimmered as he fiercely slashed at Yan Liang. Compared to Qu Yi's seemingly endless internal energy, Yan Liang’s strength, amplified by his mind, was still easier to overcome.

"Bring it on!" Yan Liang's eyes burned with resolve. Before Zhao Yun's sword could fully extend, Yan Liang charged at Zhao Yun, sweeping his sword toward Liu Bei, who was already closing in on Yuan Shao.

Thud! Zhao Yun forcibly shifted his sword mid-strike, blocking Yan Liang while simultaneously slashing again toward Yuan Shao.

Yan Liang moved swiftly, inserting himself between Liu Bei and Yuan Shao. Raising his left arm, he desperately used his body to block the remnants of Zhao Yun's sword slash.

A flash of blood gleamed as Yan Liang, clutching his sword in one hand, stood unwavering. His left arm and side were carved with a massive wound, deep enough to reveal bone. Yet he showed no fear or hesitation, standing firm before Yuan Shao.

Licking his lips, the entire hall fell into an eerie silence. Blood continued to drip from Yan Liang’s body, but instead of diminishing his aura, it only made him seem more fearsome and imposing.

"Master, please step back," Yan Liang said without turning his head, his gaze fixed solely on Zhao Yun. He had been waiting for the right moment to shield Yuan Shao, even at the cost of a severe wound. Now that Yuan Shao was behind him, everything was manageable.

Liu Bei stood beside Zhao Yun, observing Yan Liang as blood poured from his wounds. Despite the continuous flow of blood, Yan Liang showed no sign of weakness. In fact, it only seemed to heighten his fierce determination. Perhaps, to Yan Liang, Yuan Shao was his heaven!

"Be careful," Yuan Shao muttered, retreating with a heavy heart. As he glanced at his remaining forces confronting Liu Bei’s group, though his numbers were greater, they did not hold the upper hand.

Liu Bei watched Yuan Shao’s retreating figure and, after a moment of hesitation, spun his sword with a flourish and sheathed it. He glanced at his unscathed companions and nodded. Without any further delay, he issued the order, "We’re leaving."

Yuan Shao watched as Liu Bei’s group gradually withdrew. Surprisingly, there was no hatred in his eyes. Instead, he seemed to echo Liu Bei’s earlier words: if a mere display of bravery could end the war, it was worth trying.

"Master..." Qu Yi cautiously guarded against a possible ambush as Liu Bei's group retreated, leaving the remaining warriors and strategists on Yuan Shao’s side dejectedly glancing at one another, all with downcast expressions.

"Enough. Let’s return to tend to our wounds. We’ll discuss things further once we’ve recovered." Yuan Shao’s expression remained calm. This encounter had revealed to him Liu Bei’s determination and the extent of his ruthlessness. Yuan Shao now understood another side of Liu Bei—one who pursued the simplest, most effective methods.

"Zhongkang, are your injuries serious?" Liu Bei’s group retreated quickly, knowing that if they were caught by the Xian Deng troops, things could get ugly. Once on the boat, Chen Xi glanced worriedly at the gaping wound on Xu Chu’s chest. It was clear that some vital organs had been damaged.

"I won’t die," Xu Chu said, spitting out a mouthful of blood. "Wen Chou isn’t much better off. I hit him hard with that palm strike, but he managed to detonate his internal energy and blew away part of my lung."

Chen Xi winced. Half of Xu Chu’s lung had been blown apart, and his heart had been affected as well. Yet, despite all that, Xu Chu was still talking as though nothing had happened. Aside from his pale complexion and occasional bleeding from his chest, he showed no other signs of injury. Truly, the resilience of internal energy masters was terrifying.

"That’s good to hear. How long do you think it’ll take for Wen Chou to recover?" Chen Xi pondered before asking. "I saw that your palm strike caved in his chest."

"His heart must have been damaged, but my own recovery will take longer since I’ve rebuilt my body through training. However, I should regain combat ability faster than he will." Xu Chu hesitated before replying.

After referencing Dian Wei’s training methods, Xu Chu had strengthened his internal organs, which is why Wen Chou’s secret technique hadn’t critically injured him. For a typical internal energy master, such an attack would have shattered their organs beyond repair.

But Wen Chou hadn’t fared much better. He hadn’t expected Xu Chu to still be able to fight after enduring such a blow. If Wen Chou hadn’t retreated and deflected some of the force, his heart would have been completely destroyed. If Xu Chu had possessed a technique to detonate internal energy within his opponent’s body, Wen Chou would have died on the spot from the internal and external injuries combined.

"Master Liu, it seems that in the end, we’ll still need to rely on our armies. I had hoped we could resolve this king against king," Chen Xi said, turning to Liu Bei after confirming Xu Chu’s condition.

"There’s nothing to regret. I agree with part of what Yuan Shao said. Both ministers and generals can only truly shine after enduring the trials of this chaotic era," Liu Bei said, shaking his head. He wasn’t one to dwell on failure. Though he was disappointed that Yuan Shao hadn’t been killed, he quickly adjusted his mindset.

"Still, Zilong, you had the chance to kill Yuan Shao earlier. Why didn’t you take it?" Liu Bei asked, puzzled.

"There was someone constantly watching Yuan Shao from the shadows—someone on par with Left Daoist. Likely one of Yuan Shao’s protectors. If I had killed Yuan Shao, they might have harmed you, Master," Zhao Yun explained with a sigh. He had indeed had the opportunity to strike, but he couldn’t ensure Liu Bei’s safety.

"These people..." Chen Xi frowned. "So they won’t allow Yuan Shao to die under such circumstances?"

"It’s not that, Lord Chen. I am only here to protect Yuan Shao from assassination. If you had struck him down earlier, I wouldn’t have intervened, as that wouldn’t be considered an assassination," a voice suddenly sounded in Chen Xi’s ear.

"You’re Yuan Shao’s guardian?" Chen Xi, startled, kept his composure as he asked calmly.

"Yes, I’m still on this boat, but I cannot interfere or speak on such matters. Yuan Shao’s survival this time is truly a matter of fate. Had he not taken my presence into account, he would have been dead by now," the voice replied, tinged with a sigh.

"If you don’t care about Yuan Shao, why protect him?" Chen Xi asked, confused.

"It’s the price we pay to remain in the Central Plains," the voice answered after a brief silence, its tone filled with melancholy. "Next time you get such an opportunity, don’t hesitate. No one will stop you. Most of us favor Lord Liu."

Previous Chapter | | Next Chapter