Chapter 7: Diao Chan

  Guan Yu and Dian Wei finished laughing, then Guan Xing and Chen stepped forward. Guan Xing held his sword and cupped his fist, saying: "Uncle, let me see your strength in battle, don't hold back, or you will lose very badly."

  Chen nodded and said: "Then be careful, Your Excellency."

  Chen Dao finished speaking and led the charge, his twin hammers rising and falling in a flurry of attacks. Chen Dao's body was surrounded by hammer shadows as he pounded away at Guan Yu's vital spots, but Guan Yu remained purely defensive, without any counterattack. Seeing that ordinary methods could not break through Guan Yu's defenses, Chen Dao suddenly let out a loud shout: "My lord, beware!"

  After Chen Daohai finished shouting, his method changed suddenly. His arms slowly straightened, holding the twin hammers horizontally, and his body began to spin around. The twin hammers swung towards Guan Chen, each one with greater force than the last. Guan Chen only felt a gust of wind by his ear, and he was at a loss for how to respond. Three minutes later, Guan Chen jumped back, and Chen Daohai's twin hammers smashed into the ground, creating a deep pit about one square meter in size.

  "Good!" Guan Yu and Jian Wei cheered in unison.

  Guan Chen also stepped forward and praised: "Uncle Zhi's swordsmanship is truly unparalleled! It's not one bit weaker than my brother's knife skills or Dian Wei's spear skills!"

  "Yes indeed! My lord's words are true!" Dian Wei also joyfully praised.

  Chen Daowei heard this and knelt down to pay his respects, saying: "This is the reason why our lord has been on the defensive all along, which allowed my spear techniques to be fully utilized. If our lord were to take the offensive, I would certainly be defeated. From now on, I vow to follow our lord to the death and hope that our lord will understand my heart."

  Guan Chen stepped forward with a smile to help Chen Dao up, saying: "I've long understood Uncle's intentions. Let's go, everyone now understands each other's abilities, we should hurry along and rest when we arrive at Taiyuan County."

  "Yes" "Roger that" everyone chorused.

  The next day, they rushed on their journey. With the black tiger around, ordinary fierce birds and beasts didn't dare to approach Guan Xuan's group. The task of hunting was handed over to Chen Dao, while Guan Yu and Dian Wei were responsible for roasting meat. Guan Xuan still rode the black tiger, while Dian Shi and Dian Man shared a ride on a wild ox.

  Seven days later, Guan Yu and his party arrived at Taiyuan County, leaving Hei Hu and Ye Niu in the Taihang Mountains. Guan Yu had originally planned to go to Zhuo County to find Zhang Fei, as Zhang Fei was a good brother of his elder brother, so he must find him before Liu Bei did. However, Guan Yu wanted to take a look at what Taiyuan was like first.

  When Guan Chen saw the dilapidated Taiyuan, he couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. However, since they had come this far, they might as well go in and take a look around. So Guan Chen led several people to stroll along the main streets of Taiyuan.

  "Let me go! You killed my father and now you want to take me over? Give me money, I still need to bury my father!"

  As Guan Chen and his group were walking, they suddenly saw a crowd of people gathered in the distance. A woman's voice came from among them. Guan Chen curiously went over to join the crowd and saw a big man dragging a young girl who was struggling desperately. In front of her lay an old man's corpse.

  Guan Chen stepped forward and punched the robust man's cheek, knocking out two of his front teeth. The man fell to the ground, cursing loudly. Guan Chen shouted: "You're a slave who buried your father, yet you dare to abduct a civilian girl? What kind of thing are you?! Miss, don't be afraid, I'll take care of this today!"

  "Who are you? How dare you interfere with my business, you're tired of living! If you have the ability, wait for me!" The big man wanted to get up, but was pressed down by Chen.

  "Miss, don't be afraid, we are not bad people. Let's bury your father first and talk later. The old man has passed away, it's not good to leave him outside like this. Uncle Zhi, take him along too."

  Dian Wei and Guan Yu lifted up the girl's father, Chen rushed to push that big fellow, Guan Xing hugged Dian Man, and they followed closely behind the girl.

  Half a day later, the girl's father was buried. The woman pointed at the big man and said: "Benefactor, it was he who killed my father! He wanted to force me to marry him, but my father stopped him, so he beat my father to death!"

  "Scum!" "Ah!" Chen shouted and killed that big man with one punch.

  Then Guan Chen stepped forward and beheaded the big man, placing his head in front of Lao Zhang's grave. The girl made another offering, and Guan Chen signaled to the crowd to disperse. But just as they took a few steps away, the girl turned around and said: "Slow down, benefactor! You helped me bury my father, from now on I am your person, whether as a slave or a servant, I am willing with all my heart!"

  "Watching the girl in front of him, who was as thin as a withered tree, but still had a delicate face, Guan Chen said: "Burying your father was just something we did along the way, Miss, you don't need to worry about it. Our journey is also aimless, and bringing you along would be inconvenient for us! This is your hometown, I suppose you still have some relatives, why not go seek their help?"

  "Who would have thought that the woman would shake her head and say: 'Qiaoyan has long been unencumbered in this place! Otherwise, my father would not have died! Moreover, in these chaotic times, how can a lone woman like me survive?'"

  "Master, take her with you! As a big man, I can barely survive, let alone a weak woman. I'm worried that if we leave now, she'll be jumping from the wolf's mouth into the tiger's mouth." Chen Dao said, bowing his head and clasping his fists in respect to Guan Chen.

  "Master, take her with you, it's also good to have a companion on the road. Besides, this girl doesn't look bad either, she can be your maid." Dian Shi also spoke up.

  Guan Yu saw Guan Lin looking at himself and nodded: "Take it away!"

  "Guān Chén was overjoyed and said: 'Diao Chan, you can get up now. My brother has agreed to let me marry you! I am also willing to take you as my wife.'"

  Guan Yu heard this and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. What's going on here?! I agree to bring her along, but he looked at Diao Chan again and nodded silently.

  Guan Chen's words made Dian Shi laugh directly. Guan Chen didn't care about others, and came to the back of Diao Chan, saying: "Wife, relax a bit, I'll treat your body."

  Diao Chan didn't dare to move, and Guan Chen wasn't polite either. He gently pressed Diao Chan's neck acupoint, and a thread of spiritual energy smoothly entered her body. After pretending to massage for a few moments, Guan Chen smiled and said: "Wife, I've helped you unblock the energy in your body. From now on, your health will gradually recover. Let's go, we should leave this place first."

  After Guan Chen finished speaking, he left. Diao Chan only felt that after Guan Chen's gentle touch, her whole body was relaxed and comfortable, feeling refreshed all over, and her anxious thoughts flew away. With the support of Dian Shi, she quickly got up and followed him with an unusually light step. At this time, Diao Chan's gratitude towards Guan Chen grew even stronger in her heart. Looking at Guan Chen's majestic appearance, a faint smile appeared on the corner of Diao Chan's mouth.

  Guan Chen first went to a clothing store and bought three new sets of clothes for everyone, as well as some dry rations. Only then did they leisurely leave. Guan Chen's group was now not dressed in luxurious attire, but they looked much more refined than ordinary commoners.

  Guan Xun still chose to walk in the Taihang Mountains, and caught another muntjac deer for Diao Chan to ride. After a week of meat supplement, Diao Chan truly restored her beauty. She became the most dazzling existence in the whole team.

  Ten days later, the crowd left Nanzhuangguan and arrived at the border of Jizhou. As soon as they came out of Taihang Mountain, they were surrounded by more than 500 big men. The leader shouted: "Leave your money and go! Otherwise, we will take your lives."

  "Hey big brother, those two women are quite good! Want to stay together?" A thin man beside the burly man whispered, but his words were still heard by Guan Chen.

  "Get out! We agreed to rob only money! If we kidnap people, how are we different from bandits?" The big man roared in anger.

  The rat-brained man nodded upon hearing this and slowly leaned back, then suddenly drew out a short sword and stabbed it into the big man's left waist.