Chapter 32: Guan Yu's Mighty Battle with Zhang Liao!

  Just as Guan Yu was leading his 50,000 cavalrymen to attack the main tent of Guo Si, Zhang Liao and Song Xian arrived with their troops. It turned out that Zhang Liao had suggested to Guo Si to arrange their troops in a "?" shape formation, with each side using fire signals to communicate with each other. If one side was attacked, they would raise the signal fire, indicating that something was happening on that side, and the other two sides would immediately launch a pincer attack on the enemy.

  Zhang Liao was indeed a skilled military commander, and his strategy was quite correct. Unfortunately, he encountered Tian Feng, who had already seen through the enemy's deployment. Tian Feng ordered Guan Yu to lead his troops directly to the main tent, making Zhang Liao and Song Xian think that Guan Yu had fallen into their trap and come to attack them from both sides.

  Taking advantage of Guan Yu's exceptional martial arts skills and the fact that his 50,000 soldiers were all cavalrymen, Tian Feng ordered him to engage the enemy in a swirling battle, buying time for Gao Shun and Ji Yi to launch a counterattack on Zhang Liao and Song Xian's troops from both sides.

  Meanwhile, Tian Feng ordered Zhang Ren to lead his troops to attack the enemy from behind, cutting off their retreat route. As the enemy was trapped, Tian Feng led his infantry to launch a surprise attack from behind, while Guan Yu launched a decisive blow in the middle of the battlefield. The outcome of the battle was already certain: Guo Si's army would be completely defeated.

  Moreover, Liu Bei's forces were far superior to those of Guo Si and Zhang Liao combined. They also had hidden siege engines that they had been holding back for a long time. How could Guo Si possibly win?

  Second Master Guan saw the enemy army, Zhang Liao and Song Xian had already led their troops to kill them. Second Master Guan immediately ordered the cavalry behind him to form a battle line, while Second Master Guan himself held the Green Dragon Crescent Blade in his hand, leading the charge into the enemy formation with a swing of his blade.

  At this time, the second master was like the King of Hell, with a large knife in his hand, and no one dared to compete with him. The Green Dragon Crescent Moon Knife hung in the wind, chopping towards the enemy army, and some people thought that holding a shield could block the second master's knife, but the second master's innate divine power was not something that ordinary people could understand. With one knife, he cut down both the shield and the person holding it! Song Xian saw this and did not dare to come forward to fight, ordering his soldiers to retreat and surround Guan Yu.

  Guan Yu, however, was not afraid at all, and with a fierce cry, he charged forward on horseback, his knife flashing in the sunlight. Nothing could stop him now, and the five thousand soldiers behind him saw how powerful he was and their morale rose even higher. They followed closely behind Guan Yu, cutting down the enemy's lives.

  At this time, Guan Yu's knife technique was like a raging fire! His Spring and Autumn Knife Technique had already taken shape. Who could compete with him? The Green Dragon Crescent Moon Knife in his hand was chopping, sweeping, slashing, hacking, slicing, cutting, blocking, pressing, strangling, and erring, using the enemy's lives to practice.

  In this practice, Guan Yu also incorporated movements such as wrapping around the waist, wrapping around the neck, cloud chest, and dancing back. The Spring and Autumn Knife Technique finally formed a complete set of moves! But Song Xian's soldiers couldn't take it anymore, and some of them even fled when they saw Guan Yu charging towards them.

  Guan Yu had already broken through Song Xian's army formation. He was not someone to be trifled with, and with a flick of his horse's mane, he turned around and charged back. With a wave of the Green Dragon Crescent Moon Knife, he killed his way back! This time, Song Xian had no choice but to grit his teeth and lead his army to block Guan Yu.

  Song Xian was also a famous general in the Three Kingdoms period, and it was clear that he was not ordinary. He charged towards Guan Yu on horseback, but how could his abilities compare to those of this super-first-class godly general? Guan Yu took the initiative and struck first, using his One Horse Three Knives technique.

  The first knife chopped towards Song Xian in a circular motion, and Song Xian saw it coming and quickly drew his gun to block Guan Yu's knife. The sound of "clang" echoed through the air as Song Xian was shaken by Guan Yu's knife, but before he could react, Guan Yu's second knife came chopping down.

  Guan Yu took advantage of the moment when the two horses crossed paths and chopped towards Song Xian's waist with a horizontal slash. Song Xian had no choice but to use his gun to block Guan Yu's knife, but this blow shook his tiger's mouth open! Song Xian saw that he was in danger and tried to flee on horseback, but how could Guan Yu let him escape? He turned around and chopped towards Song Xian's throat with his third knife!

  Song Xian had no way to avoid it and heard a "plop" sound as blood splattered three feet high, and his head rolled off under the horse. Guan Yu used the Green Dragon Crescent Moon Knife to pick up Song Xian's head, and when his soldiers saw their general die, they lost their will to fight and fled in all directions.

  Guo Si managed to gather his troops and stabilize the formation, but he saw that his own army was coming to attack, so he ordered the archers to shoot arrows. Zhang Liao saw this and shouted loudly, "Don't panic, everyone! Wait for me to go and meet Guan Yu! You can follow closely behind me!" Zhang Liao also charged forward on horseback, knife in hand, to fight Guan Yu.

  At this time, Guan Gong saw a man wearing an iron chain mail, riding a brown war horse, holding a large knife that was not inferior to his own. Looking at the man's height of about 1.85 meters, with regular features, but now with furrowed sword-like eyebrows, truly exuding an aura of invincibility within a hundred paces and killing intent within a thousand paces!

  At this time, Zhang Liao also saw the second master Guan Gong. Looking at the second master again, he was wearing a green battle robe with golden armor inside, and a golden helmet on his head! When looking at his face, only the second master Guan Gong's vermilion phoenix eyes, sleeping cicada eyebrows, and heavy date-like face (i.e., Guan Gong's complexion is like a red date, and his facial shape is also like a date, both in shape and color are similar to a date, hence called heavy date face), with five strands of long beard fluttering on his chest. He held the 82-kilogram Green Dragon Crescent Blade in his hand! His majestic aura was overwhelming, as if the war god from the ninth heaven had descended upon the world!

  Zhang Liao saw this and cupped his hands, saying: "Are you Guan Yu, the second brother of Liu Bei?"

  "Ah, it's you, Zhang Liao, also known as Zhang Wenyuan," said Guan Yu.

  Zhang Liao replied, "I am indeed Zhang Liao, Zhang Wenyuan! I have long heard that General Guan beheaded Hua Xiong at the wine ceremony in front of Bomaoguan, defeated Lv Bu three times in front of Tiger Trap Pass, and fought Lv Wenhou at night on top of Yangpingguan. Today, I see that it is indeed true. Now, Wenyuan will learn from General Guan's superior skills!" After speaking, he held his sword horizontally in his hand and was about to charge forward for a fierce battle with Lord Guan!

  Guan Er Ye saw this and waved his hand, saying: "Wen Yuan brother, I have a few words to say, can you listen to them before we fight?"

  Zhang Liao heard Guan Gong say so and replied: "Please ask Yunchang brother to come!"

  Guan Yu spoke up, saying: "Now the great Han Empire is in danger, like a pile of eggs, all because of the national thief Dong Zhuo! And your master is named as the Han Chancellor but is actually the Han thief. I see that Wen Yan's brother is dignified and majestic, with an air of self-assurance, also a hero among men. I think of my elder brother Liu Bei, who was originally a member of the imperial family of the Han Dynasty, and is now the uncle of the current emperor, the legitimate king of the Han Dynasty. With one heart, he wants to help the Han Dynasty and the world, why do you assist the tyrant and not come here to jointly support my elder brother Liu Bei? In the future, when we eliminate the other heroes and help the Han Dynasty, it will be possible to leave a name in history! Brother Wen Yan, what do you think of this?"

  Zhang Liao listened to this and thought for a moment before saying, "Brother Yunchang, I've heard that loyal ministers do not serve two masters. Now, I, Zhang Liao, have no choice but to choose Dong Zhuo as my master. Whether he is a Han traitor or a loyal minister, it's all the same! There is no option for me to betray my master and seek glory elsewhere. Please forgive me, Brother Yunchang! However, I have one thing to say beforehand: your military commander, Li Yu, was originally the fourth brother of the Han Emperor Liu Bei. He fought bravely in battles north and south, exhausting himself for his lord. Truly a great hero! But wasn't he also wrongly accused and killed by your elder brother not long ago? It can be seen that Liu Bei is also somewhat overrated! However, it's rare for us to meet for the first time and yet have such a deep connection. Why don't we just engage in a fierce battle of three hundred rounds, and if I die at the hands of such a heroic Brother Yunchang, it won't be a waste of my life as Zhang Liao, Zhang Wenyuan!"

  Guan Yu heard this and didn't say anything else, after all, that matter was indeed Liu Bei's fault. He could only respond by saying: "Brother Wen Yan says so, if you don't accept the challenge, it would be a loss of face for your brother, I'll order the entire army to retreat, and then I'll have a great battle with Brother Wen Yan for 300 rounds!" After speaking, he raised his large knife as a substitute for the military order, and the remaining 40,000 or so soldiers retreated in an orderly manner.

  Zhang Liao also ordered: "Today I will decide life and death with Yunchang, no matter whether we win or lose, you are not allowed to assist in the battle!"

  "Come on! Wen Yuan brother! You and I will have a great sword fight!"

  Zhang Liao also smiled and said: "Let's see who wins or loses today!"

  Zhang Liao charged forward on horseback, brandishing his sword. Guan Yu, not to be outdone, rode forth on his steed, the Red Hare, wielding his Green Dragon Crescent Blade.

  The two of them had just begun to fight and sparks flew everywhere. Zhang Liao and Guan Gong were both famous for their knife skills, and they were also top-notch generals in the chaotic world of the Three Kingdoms! The characteristics of Zhang Liao's knife technique were dense rhythm, true shape, and unique style! In this battle with Er Ye, Zhang Liao used a series of moves including chopping, sweeping, slashing, hacking, slicing, intercepting, blocking, pressing, strangling, and feinting, as well as inserting movements such as wrapping around the waist, neck, chest, and back. It can be said that at this time, Zhang Liao's knife technique had already formed a complete set of routines. The true and false moves were intertwined, making it difficult for the opponent to defend against! As for Er Ye Guan Gong's Qinglong Yanyue knife, he used his own Spring and Autumn knife technique, which was reasonable in its layout, with upper and lower parts responding to each other, and left and right parts complementing each other. The moves he used, such as chopping, hacking, sweeping, hanging, slashing, wiping, intercepting, blocking, pricking, and stabbing, were all clear and neat. It truly had the style of "a big knife like a fierce tiger". Each move was majestic, with a powerful and fierce momentum. Because his knife was heavy, Zhang Liao didn't dare to meet every attack head-on! Er Ye's knife technique could be said to be just like his personality - upright, majestic, and powerful! At this time, the two of them were fighting, with sparks flying everywhere, like lightning and thunder. Er Ye Guan Gong's big knife technique was unstoppable, with moves such as splitting hair, chopping and hacking at the chest, flipping over and slashing upwards, grinding waist and turning around, inserting flowers and quickly hacking upwards, holding the knife and embracing the moon. Zhang Liao was not to be underestimated either, using moves such as dancing flowers and scattering hands to grind upwards, falling into his arms and embracing the moon, brushing the knife and flipping over to hack upwards, stabbing back and scaring people's souls, flipping over to the left and fixing the lower momentum, covering with white clouds and turning back. The two of them were truly evenly matched, like chess players meeting their match, generals encountering a worthy opponent, fighting for dozens of rounds, with partial victories and defeats!

  Taking advantage of the two horses' momentary distraction, Zhang Liao secretly shook his arms, which were slightly sore at this time. Er Ye also wiped the sweat from his temples at this time, and his temples were covered in sweat! But neither of them let go! With a loud whinny, the warhorses clashed together!

  When the two men had been fighting for over twenty rounds, Guan Gong saw an opportunity and used his single arm to lift up his horse. The horse understood its master's intent and immediately stood up on its hind legs! Guan Gong took advantage of the momentum and swung his Green Dragon Crescent Blade downwards with great force, striking towards Zhang Liao! Zhang Liao quickly drew his sword and used both arms to block Guan Gong's blade with a "Fire Rising to Heaven" stance. The sound of their blades clashing was like thunder, and Zhang Liao felt his arms go numb! Guan Gong also felt some soreness in his arms from using too much force. At this moment, Guan Gong realized that Zhang Liao was indeed a formidable opponent! Zhang Liao also understood the true extent of Guan Gong's reputation - every single one of his knife strikes was real and not just for show!

  At this time, the sound of killing came from both sides, and when looking around, smoke and dust were rolling in from both sides, with an unknown number of horses and men rushing towards this place. Guo Si saw this and threw down Zhang Liao, leading his army to retreat alone! Zhang Liao also couldn't continue fighting with Lord Guan, so he had no choice but to lead his army to break through the siege and leave! The Second Master, Lord Guan, was not a pampered child's parent. Although he admired Zhang Liao's martial arts in his heart, he also understood that this was a battle where each side was fighting for its own interests. He immediately waved the Green Dragon Crescent Moon Blade in his hand, using it to replace military orders. The soldiers behind him were all veteran warriors who had survived countless battles and immediately understood the signal, rushing forward on horseback to pursue! The Second Master, Lord Guan, actually abandoned his main force and chased after Zhang Liao alone!

  At this time, Guo Huai wanted to retreat, but it was too late. Guo Huai's army had more infantry, while Tian Feng's left and right wings, led by Gao Shun and Ji Yi, were all cavalry, surrounding Guo Huai in the middle! Gao Shun waved his long spear and charged into the enemy array first, with great bravery. Guo Huai's army was already low in morale after being defeated by Lord Guan, how could they withstand Gao Shun's fierce attack? Gao Shun wielded his long spear like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, and soon he would reach Guo Huai! Just then, someone shouted loudly: "General, don't worry! Wen Yuan is here!" Guo Huai saw Zhang Liao arrive and felt slightly relieved. Zhang Liao waved his big knife to block Gao Shun, and the two engaged in battle. Guo Huai saw this and wanted to rush out on horseback, but unfortunately, Ji Yi led his army to attack! Ji Yi held a spear and charged into Guo Huai's right wing array first. Guo Huai had no choice but to wield his big knife to fight Ji Yi. Although Ji Yi was skilled in battle, his martial arts were only mediocre, and he couldn't defeat Guo Huai after dozens of rounds! Zhang Liao saw Lord Guan approaching from behind, while Guo Huai was being entangled by Ji Yi, so he pretended to swing his knife and rushed towards Ji Yi. Guo Huai saw Zhang Liao come to rescue him, pretended to swing his knife, and handed Ji Yi over to Zhang Liao before fleeing with his army! At this time, Zhang Liao single-handedly fought against Ji Yi and Gao Shun, while Lord Guan was chasing from behind! He thought that Guo Huai could stabilize the situation and retreat back to Tianshui City step by step, but unexpectedly, Guo Huai only knew how to run away! He felt extremely disappointed.

  Just then, someone shouted loudly: "Guo Jiu, you little boy, where are you escaping to? Zhang Ren has been waiting for a long time!" Guo Jiu was shocked and pale with fear. It turned out that Zhang Ren had arrived early and was waiting for the signal from Military Advisor Tian Feng to attack from both sides. Now that the two wings on either side had launched their attacks, it was his turn, so he led his troops in a charge!

  What about Guo Zuo's life now? To be continued!

  I'm still waiting for you!