"Well, it looks like we'd better hurry back to reorganize our military affairs," Chen Xi said, spreading his hands in resignation when he saw the future lord of Hebei ignoring him and called out to Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun.
"Oh, right, let me introduce you to Zhao Zilong of Changshan, hmm, our Cavalry Captain. You should talk more and exchange experiences," Chen Xi said as he walked out, introducing Zhao Yun to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.
"I've met Generals Guan and Zhang," Zhao Yun greeted with a fist salute.
Guan Yu narrowed his eyes and returned the gesture, while Zhang Fei greeted Zhao Yun with a hearty laugh and his booming voice.
[It seems like Zhao Yun is quite a bit stronger than Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, huh? These two guys haven't noticed that Zhao Yun is also a master.] Chen Xi thought to himself, tilting his head, but he had no intention of telling Guan and Zhang about it.
"Uh..." Chen Xi scratched his head as he looked at Hua Xiong, realizing that after the two of them had gone out, it was Hua Xiong who had taken control of the White Horse Soldiers. Damn it.
"Why didn't you run? With such a good opportunity, if it were me, I would have definitely left," Chen Xi asked curiously. He had heard from the soldiers of the White Horse Soldiers that Hua Xiong had even repelled Dong Zhuo's Army's surprise attack on the camp. It all seemed quite unscientific, "So, are you planning to join us?"
"No, I just don't like Zhang Liao," Hua Xiong said after glancing at Chen Xi.
"Oh, I see. I have noticed you've lowered your standards. You used to target Lyu Bu, but then you got annoyed at his subordinate generals instead. You've depreciated, old buddy," Chen Xi teased, almost making Hua Xiong choke, "But seriously, didn't I arrange patrols before I left? And our troops didn't panic at all, so how could they have been defeated?"
"It's because the enemy general Zhang Liao realized Lord Xuande was constantly gathering forces and stabilizing troops' spirits, so he personally attacked the main camp," a Capital Chief explained, seeing the disgruntled look on Hua Xiong's face, as if he didn't want to talk.
"Oh, I see. But how could he recognize Lord Xuande, and even know where our camp was? I really don't know what to say," Chen Xi sighed helplessly. The Coalition Army's security measures must be terrible.
"Let it go, forget about it. Hua Xiong, come with us to discuss Lyu Bu. Since you're an outsider, as long as you don't cause trouble, you can do as you like," Chen Xi sighed and looked at the still chaotic Coalition Army camp, guessing it would take Liu Bei a long while to arrive.
Sitting in the tent and listening to Guan Yu's truthful description, even Zhao Yun showed a solemn expression.
"Ha, Big Beard, you believe it now, huh!" Hua Xiong laughed when he heard that Guan Yu had been countered from the first move.
Guan Yu, with half-closed eyes, unleashed his killing intent toward Hua Xiong again, and usually, if Hua Xiong kept talking nonsense at this point, they would start a full-fledged brawl until Hua Xiong ended up on the ground.
"Hehehe, I'll stop talking," Hua Xiong wisely shut his mouth, not wanting to challenge Guan Yu when he was in a bad mood.
"Hey, Zijian, based on your understanding of Lyu Bu, do you have any ideas?" Seeing that everyone present fell silent after hearing Guan Yu's description, Chen Xi had no choice but to call on Hua Xiong.
"If there were a way, do you think I'd be bothered by Zhang Liao?" said Hua Xiong with some helplessness, "You all felt the terror of Lyu Bu today, right? Actually, you have no idea. Lyu Bu in action is even more terrifying. I've always suspected that the Red Hare Horse could fight better than I do!"
"..." "..." "..." Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun all looked at Hua Xiong. A horse fiercer than Hua Xiong himself, who's capable of Inner Qi Manifestation—could that still be considered a horse?
"I'm not joking," Hua Xiong continued under the pressure of the four men, "The Prime Minister saved the Red Hare, so it allowed him to ride. And when the Red Hare was given to Lyu Bu, the Prime Minister never thought Lyu Bu could tame it."
"Are you saying that horse might be capable of Inner Qi Separation?" Zhao Yun felt his face twitching. Was this still a horse? He remembered how thrilled he had been when his master, Tong Yuan, prepared the Night Illuminating Jade Lion for him after completing the Qi Refining to Gang.
You should know that it took Zhao Yun's master a whole year on the Great Prairie to catch the Night Illuminating Jade Lion, and even after Zhao Yun had just reached the Beginner External Internal Qi level, it still took him a considerable amount of time to tame it. If it were a horse with the level of Inner Qi Separation, Zhao Yun figured that even with his current strength, taming it would require at least half a month.
Just think, if the Night Illuminating Jade Lion, primed with Qi Refining to Gang, was not weaker than Zhao Yun at his initial Internal Qi Separation stage, how formidable would the Red Hare be?
"Probably," Hua Xiong conceded. "Anyway, when the Prime Minister was absent once, I tried to sneak out for a ride and got outsmarted by that horse." Hua Xiong shared the embarrassing memory.
"Alright, let's assess Lyu Bu's strength with that in mind. Well, having more doesn't scare me; it's having less that does. So, tell me, can he be dealt with or not?" Chen Xi said after pouring a round of drinks, while Liu Bei was probably still enjoying himself in the camp of those Feudal Lords he rescued, in Chen Xi's opinion.
"In a hundred moves, I estimate..." Zhang Fei started, his face darkening.
"It's about the same for me," Guan Yu sighed.
"And you, Zilong?" Chen Xi turned to Zhao Yun, who opened his mouth but didn't speak. "Can you take him down or...?"
A wry smile crossed Zhao Yun's face as he shook his head. "If his horse were a bit weaker, there might be a slight hope. Now, if the Red Hare really is at that level, there's no need to fight. Even King Xiang reincarnate riding the Black Steed would be at the same level."
Guan Yu and Zhang Fei frowned and glared at the pretty boy in front of them, who boasted so boldly he was in danger of throwing his back out. If Chen Xi weren't there, those two would definitely draw a line to see who measured up.
"Zilong, show us a move," Chen Xi said, noting the irritation on Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's faces. But he wouldn't have asked if he too didn't know this pretty boy's fierceness.
Scratching his head, Zhao Yun replied, "Zichuan, why are you so sure of my strength? I don't remember demonstrating my abilities." As he said this, Zhao Yun still made a motion as if drawing a bow, and a silver-blue arrow materialized in his hand.
Upon seeing this, Guan and Zhang instantly conceded; that was the very move Lyu Bu had previously used. They had tested it and found the move incredibly difficult to master—managing only a shapeless mess rather than a coherent form.
"Ha, that?" Chen Xi laughed. "I had some free time in the past and used numerology to calculate the significant figures of the world. Although I couldn't figure out some names, I would recognize them when they appeared before me, and you four are certainly on the list." Chen Xi spouted off some nonsense, believing it himself whether or not the others did.
"Oh?" The four men looked at Chen Xi with interest, putting the matter of Lyu Bu aside for now, as it seemed unsolvable.