Zhang He was about 500 meters away from Guan Yu when he saw a vague figure on the road ahead. After a few more steps, the figure became more distinct, and just as he was about to send someone to investigate, he noticed the figure moved, darting forward swiftly.
So fast it was like a streak of light, before Zhang He could react, a massive Light Blade over a hundred meters long, delivered by that azure flash, was already in front of him.
"Block it for me!" Zhang He had recognized the newcomer as Guan Yu, but he knew something else even more clearly: the target was his own head, and even with some Cloud Qi exhausted, the remaining force of that super-strong attack was enough to chop him into dust. He should not have been leading the army at the front!
At that moment, all of Zhang He’s Inner Qi surged, with no concern for the strain on his body, uncontrollably erupting. Dark Qi burst forth, and under the desperate threat of death, Zhang He finally broke through his own limits. Yet at that time, he felt no joy, just gripping his Long Spear with both hands and thrusting fiercely at the gigantic Light Blade; he was determined to survive!
"Thud!" Zhang He barely managed to fend off Guan Yu’s strike, feeling fortunate that the slight Cloud Qi consumed much of its force. Still, even with that, Guan Yu’s strike, concentrated with Essence, Qi, and Spirit, was not something Zhang He, who had just made a breakthrough and was desperately gathering Qi, could withstand. The remaining power shattered his Long Spear and sent him flying hundreds of meters!
"The enemy general is dead! Follow me to slay the enemy!" Guan Yu didn’t care about Zhang He’s fate, nor did he bother about the emptiness within his body. He charged directly towards the enemy, and Guan Yu’s trusted aides, in the face of such a godlike attack from their general, roared as they rushed into the enemy lines. With their Chief General presumed dead and the Command Banner fallen, it was only natural that Zhang He’s army collapsed and fled in disarray.
Meanwhile, Wei Yan and others, tens of li away, also saw the calm yet vast shocking Light Blade. Although puzzled as to why Guan Yu would come their way, they recognized this as a golden opportunity.
"Gentlemen, fight fiercely, General Guan will arrive shortly!" Wei Yan shouted, then vigorously slew a whole row of enemy soldiers. Guan Ping’s troops, already under Guan Yu’s command, naturally recognized the serene Light Blade. Their once weary bodies surged with astonishing strength once again, knowing that reinforcements were nearly upon them!
In stark contrast to Guan Ping’s men, upon hearing Wei Yan’s cry that "General Guan is coming," the morale of Gao Lan’s men plummeted. The boost they received from Gao Lan’s furious roar upon Zhang He’s arrival dissipated completely under that Light Blade!
Even the tight formations, which had been fighting and retreating, started to crumble at that moment, and Wei Yan and Guan Ping seized the opportunity to lead their trusted aides and overpower Gao Lan’s forces, which were on the verge of collapse.
"General, we must retreat quickly!" Gao Lan’s trusted aides shouted, as it became obvious it was no longer about minimizing losses, but rather how to escape, "General, fall back; we will cover your retreat!"
Gao Lan bravely led half of his trusted aides to punch a hole at the weakest part of Wei Yan and Guan Ping’s defenses, then fought his way out. But of the more than two thousand men who had accompanied him, only about a hundred managed to escape. After Gao Lan’s flight, the soldiers surrounded by Wei Yan and Guan Ping, excluding the trusted aides, all surrendered.
"Tanzhi, leave some men to guard the prisoners, and the rest will come with me to meet General Guan. It’s a pity, this time we had lured an enemy chief general only to let him slip away!" Wei Yan spoke with some helplessness, still puzzled why they hadn’t seized the chance when it was right in front of them.
"I’ll go with you; we only need to leave a hundred or so men here to guard. I wonder why my father has come here? Could it be that he was afraid we’d walked into an enemy ambush?" Guan Ping arranged for a group of soldiers to stay and watch over the prisoners, then turned his horse towards the place from where the Light Blade had appeared and galloped off.
"General, the enemy army has been routed by our forces, however, it’s a pity we did not capture the enemy general. It seems he was rescued by his men. According to the soldiers we captured and interrogated, the commander leading the troops was Hejian’s Zhang He, the same one who wounded the Junior General," reported a Military Marquis, coming to Guan Yu after the chaos when Zhang He’s army was crushed.
"I understand," Guan Yu said with his eyes closed, standing still. He was perceiving something new within that single strike, a rare improvement. Sadly, there was not enough time to grasp it, "Is there any special intelligence about Leling?"
"According to the soldiers we’ve captured, there should be only a thousand men defending Leling City now. With the Chief General Zhang He seriously injured by you, it’s unlikely he can return to Leling. Gao Lan has already left the city for a night raid, probably ambushed by the Junior General; he too might not be able to return. It’s just a pity we don’t have enough troops, or we could take Leling in one fell swoop," the Military Marquis said helplessly. It was a golden opportunity they couldn’t seize. Once Zhang He recovered and led the Routed Troops back to the city, they’d never have such a good chance again.
"Halt, who goes there!" A loud shout from afar, and the School Sabre Bearers, who had just routed Zhang He’s troops, instantly mounted their horses and tensely watched the direction the voice came from, ready to charge at a moment’s notice.
"Vanguard Wei Yan, Guan Ping," said Wei Yan and Guan Ping as they halted their horses over ten steps away from a School Sabre Bearer.
As scouts, the School Sabre Bearers scrutinized Guan Ping and Wei Yan carefully and finally let out a sigh of relief. As Guan Yu’s trusted aides, they recognized Guan Ping and Wei Yan. Since it was Guan Yu’s son, there was no need for such wariness!
"We pay our respects to the General," said Guan Ping and Wei Yan, riding up to Guan Yu, dismounting and saluting with a fist.
"The two of you did well!" Guan Yu opened his eyes, and a deep glint struck Guan Ping and Wei Yan. They felt as if Guan Yu had grown stronger, and his aura had become even more substantial.
"Thank you for the compliment, General!" Wei Yan spoke.
"Wei Yan, you’ll lead your men and follow me to take Leling City tonight!" Guan Yu calmed himself, speaking steadily, but the immense confidence in his voice astonished Wei Yan. Leling was garrisoned by eight thousand men, and to think of seizing it by night was incredible.
"Understood!" Despite the shock, Wei Yan, with his deep respect for Guan Yu, asked no questions and simply responded.
"Guan Ping, you head southeast to escort Military Advisor Guo to the camp. Make sure no accidents happen! At dawn, lead the soldiers to Leling," Guan Yu turned and instructed his son. Compared to Wei Yan, Guan Yu believed his son was not yet mature and still required ample time under his tutelage.
"Understood!" Guan Ping saluted, slightly discontented at not being part of the siege, but he harbored no dissatisfaction with Guan Yu’s decisions. (To be continued. If you work, you are welcome to vote for it on Qidian ). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)