Chapter 184: Chapter 175: Seeking Lü Bu, Ending the Chaotic Times
Upon hearing Yang Jin’s words.
The pseudo-drowsy Guan Yu abruptly opened his eyes:
"Strategist, how much certainty do you have?"
If you can’t beat them, join them.
Zhang Fei straightened his body, his face solemn.
With a tremor, Liu Bei looked hopeful.
More than half of the Eighteen Lords have been lost, and the million-strong army is nearly annihilated. For the Thirteen States, this is a severe blow to vitality. Without a decade of recuperation, there is absolutely no power to venture to Luoyang again to challenge Dong Zhuo.
Even more worrying is that those Dukes, frightened by Lü Bu’s might, may feel the terror in their hearts and choose to directly submit to "Dong Zhuo’s" command.
But if it’s the World’s Number One Martial General Lü Bu... he alone is enough to campaign against Dong Zhuo.
Having just experienced Lü Bu’s great power, everyone present thought that if this "idea" were realized, with Lü Bu’s might...
Yang Jin did not directly answer Guan Yu’s question but instead sorted out the context:
"Years ago, Dong Zhuo learned of a hero in Bing Province, bringing the Treasure Armor, Divine Weapons, and BMW Three Treasures, personally visited three times."
"The third time, twenty-year-old Lü Bu was finally moved by Dong Zhuo’s sincerity and decided to come out to assist. Dong Zhuo appointed him as Admiral, thereafter Lü Bu settled the chaos on the grassland with three arrows, as per the version spread by Dong Zhuo’s hundred thousand troops."
"The story ends there, and afterward, Lü Bu disappeared into silence."
Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei nodded; the version everyone heard about the "World’s Number One Martial General Lü Bu" was mainly this one, which tells of Lord Dong’s respect and humble approach to obtain the assistance of the Celestial Destiny God.
Yang Jin continued analyzing:
"Dong Zhuo gifted Lü Bu the Treasure Armor, Divine Weapons, and BMW, all of which are here, you all have seen them, these Three Treasures are dispensable for such a strong Lü Bu, would he care about these scraps?"
"Clearly, the Lü Bu in this version wasn’t subdued by Dong Zhuo’s methods, leaving his hometown to follow Dong Zhuo. Very likely, he only acted due to some reasons; his hometown is on the outskirts of Bing Province, perhaps that’s one reason."
Liu Bei’s eyes brightened. "Got it."
Lü Bu, there’s indeed a possibility to win him over, and not a small one.
Yang Jin was surprised that the "Mythical Version Lü Bu" was actually a youth, and this mythical version of Lü Bu had no foster father, no ambition, very mysterious, with almost no information spread about his personality.
When mentioning "World’s Number One Martial General Lü Bu," people know him only as the one who broke through the grassland army with three arrows; the rest is quite an enigma. As for what he truly looks like, how his character is, probably no one can provide an answer.
Is he a lover of wine? A womanizer? Has a violent disposition? Or a lover of money?
For the past ten years, with such might, Lü Bu never ventured the Mortal World, very likely none of these.
Moreover, with such formidable strength in this mythical version of Lü Bu, his youth likely never suffered any tragedies, nor would anyone dare belittle such an existence; hence Lü Bu always stayed in his hometown?
Yang Jin speculated in his heart, perhaps this Lü Bu is precisely due to being too invincible, everything comes effortlessly, becomes a being with no desires?
He shook his head again.
Then what would the personality of this mythical version of Lü Bu be?
He recalled those serene eyes; the youth carried not a trace of murderous aura. After awakening, aside from the Eighteen Lords’ wrongful deaths, Lü Bu only slaughtered soldiers and generals who attacked him proactively.
Faced with First-class Generals, his eyes even showed a hint of imperceptible appreciation, then he showed mercy...
Otherwise, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and a group of top generals would have already met their fate at his hands.
It shows Lü Bu does have human emotions, certainly communicable.
Yang Jin felt a slight stir in his heart, turning his gaze to a silent Hua Xiong beside him, he gently asked: "Brother Hua, have you thought it through?"
"I want to go home and farm." Hua Xiong’s eyes were filled with fatigue, seemed uninterested in the topic, said something seemingly senseless.
"Hua Xiong, the Second Brother spared your life, before heading home to farm, at least tell us where Lü Bu’s hometown is?" Zhang Fei shouted, his voice hoarse.
Hua Xiong hesitated briefly, looking at Yang Jin, considering Lü Bu’s whereabouts wasn’t hard to guess, he might as well repay a favor, he nodded.
"Alright. I’ll take you there."
"Brother Hua, does Lü Bu have any taboos?" Yang Jin stepped forward, in a familiar manner asked Hua Xiong, this was his true intent.
"Taboos?" Hua Xiong replied, "I have met Young Lü Bu a few times, don’t know him well. But rest assured, as long as you harbor no malice, Lü Bu won’t easily take your life."
Upon hearing, Yang Jin secretly let out a sigh of relief.
Hua Xiong knew Lü Bu, they wouldn’t, over trivial issues like stepping in with the left foot, trigger Lü Bu’s wrath, thus invite fatal disaster, that would be too unjust.
Liu Bei glanced around and suggested: "Let’s rest here briefly, until Zilong regains consciousness, then go find Lü Bu."
Yang Jin and Guan Yu nodded in agreement.
Hua Xiong didn’t mind, seated himself on the ground, staring blankly at Hulao Pass.
Zhang Fei felt a stir in his heart, laughed heartily: "Hua Xiong, your martial arts are exceptional, with Vigorous Qi Breaking Body, you are a First-class General in the world, if you return to farm, wouldn’t that be a waste of talent? Why not join my elder brother?"
"No need."
Hua Xiong shook his head lightly, his gaze slipping away from Liu Bei, once again fixing on Hulao Pass, "From now on, don’t call me Hua Xiong anymore. Just assume that the Hua Xiong of the past is dead."
Yang Jin was slightly taken aback, choosing not to touch upon the scars in the man’s heart, and instead quietly sat down nearby, probing gently, "You’re not really planning to go back to farming, are you?"
"Hmm, we’ll see," Hua Xiong replied rather casually.
"Speaking of which, what do you plan to call yourself after changing your name?" Yang Jin asked curiously.
"How about the name Hua Tuo?" Hua Xiong thought for a moment, certainly changing the name but not the surname.
"You’re Hua Tuo?!"
Upon hearing this, Yang Jin couldn’t help but be shocked, "Could it be that you also excel in medical skills?"
"Why do you ask?"
Hua Xiong’s eyes brightened, "Although I don’t know medical skills, my suturing skills aren’t half bad; you could say I’ve become a bit of a doctor from prolonged illness. Listening to you, it seems being a physician in the future wouldn’t be bad."
Yang Jin looked at Hua Xiong in shock, then turned his gaze toward his drowsy second brother Guan Yu.
...
On the other side.
Cao Cao, riding a fast horse, galloped thirty li, finally being urgently halted by the young strategist following him closely.
"Lord Cao, Lü Bu has already stopped..."
Cao Cao tightened his reins and turned back, only to see the nightmarish shadow of Lü Bu, which had been hovering over his heart, now vanished without a trace. He took a deep breath, suppressing the tumult rising in his heart, quickly steadied his mind, and decisively ordered his subordinates to gather the disarrayed soldiers who were utterly defeated.
"Was that world’s number one martial general Lü Bu truly human?"
Gazing at the thousands of battered troops before him, Cao Cao looked toward the distant, unreachable direction of Hulao Pass, knowing that the major situation had already been irreversibly altered.
This time, regardless of the final outcome of the Eighteen Lords’ joint crusade against Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao would never suffer a loss.
Though he had anticipated various outcomes of defeat, he had never expected it to conclude with such a dreadful scene.
Although he didn’t understand "nuclear weapons," such an existence, even before the battle began, his side’s morale would surely plummet to the bottom. Then, it might be his own men betraying him, cutting off his head to seek merit with the Dong Thief.
"Why does heaven allow such an existence..."
Guo Jia and fellow strategists were equally perplexed.
The ability of one man to slaughter millions made any astonishing strategy look pale and powerless before Lü Bu.
Just like those "Yellow Turban Warriors," these exception-breaking existences, even if they were to gather the power of the world to attack collectively, would still be vulnerable.
How could they help Lord Cao unify the land?
Cao Cao asked solemnly, "Ladies and gentlemen, is there any strategy to deal with Lü Bu?"
Despite the fact that the Eighteen Lords had lost half their forces, leaving large territories vacant, returning to recruit soldiers and attempt a comeback was not difficult. But at the mention of Lü Bu, a chill would involuntarily rise from the depths of his heart.
Surrender?
At this point, he had formed an unfathomable enmity with the Dong Thief.
With Dong Thief’s current tyrannical nature.
He would definitely be invited to the table.
Cao Cao pondered for a long time, unable to find a solution to combat Lü Bu, except to immediately pack up and offer his own head, or to find a way to sow discord between Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu.
The strategists present, after much brainstorming, only proposed the strategy of "sowing discord."
At this moment, a young strategist suddenly spoke: "Everyone, do you know of any reclusive sages who can capture Lü Bu?"
Upon hearing this, Cao Cao’s eyes suddenly brightened.
That’s right, since mortal power alone was insufficient to counter him, why not change the approach and seek help from heavenly beings?
Relying merely on Martial Arts Seventh Realm, Lü Bu had rampaged with tyranny, slaughtered millions; such acts harmed harmony and surely would incur heavenly retribution. Lü Bu couldn’t possibly defeat "Immortal Gods," right?
"Senior Brother, can Master lend a hand to capture Lü Bu?"
Guo Jia silently whispered.
"Feng Xiao, secretly come to Kunlun, and I will guide you," finally came an elderly voice to Guo Jia’s ears after a long while.
...
[In the Battle of Hulao Pass, Lü Bu, with a trace of divine thought, awoke with the help of many generals, and directly defeated the Eighteen Lords’ million-strong coalition, killing Yuan Shao, Han Fu, Kong Shuang, Liu Dai, Wang Kuang, Kong Rong in the chaotic battle...]
[After this battle, the world was in an uproar.]
[There was a saying among the people that "He who obtains Lü Bu obtains the world."]
...
