Chapter 1081: Breaking Through with Sheer Strength

Although both Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Gan Ning knew that Lü Bu must have used some special method, they were even more aware that even with such external assistance, they would not be able to achieve the same result.

After single-handedly defeating nearly ten thousand soldiers, charging through the enemy formation and killing the Chanyu under the protection of the Chanyu's guards, Lü Bu continued his rampage, sweeping through the Xianbei royal court with an unstoppable momentum, and pushing the borders of Bingzhou to their extreme limits, leaving an indelible mark on the land.

It didn’t matter how many swings Lü Bu took; in any case, he had stamped his mark upon the earth. Unless something unforeseen happens, that lake left behind would likely remain for a thousand years, if not more.

On the other hand, Hua Xiong was quite calm. Back when he was in the Western Liang army, he had been repeatedly tormented by Lü Bu, so he had already developed an immunity. Especially now that he had advanced to this level himself, he understood Lü Bu's overwhelming strength. At this point, there was nothing to be astonished by anymore.

"I'm actually more curious about where Ma Chao has gone," Fa Zheng, though also shocked by Lü Bu's incredible strength, was more intrigued by Ma Chao's whereabouts.

"Ma Chao should be leading the Qiang and Hu tribes as a support for Cao Cao," Chen Xi mused after thinking it over.

Fa Zheng scratched his cheek, feeling that it was somewhat unlikely for Ma Chao, whose brain seemed underdeveloped, to be seriously carrying out a support role.

"We should instead be thinking about whether Lü Bu will turn and attack the Xianbei tribes led by Kebineng and the Murong clans. After all, their march previously headed straight towards Yunzhong," Chen Xi said, showing little interest in Ma Chao, whom he considered just a plaything repeatedly crushed by Fa Zheng.

"That depends on Cao Cao's mindset," Jia Xu said in a calm tone. "If he’s intent on matching Lü Bu, he certainly won’t ask Lü Bu for help."

"It's possible that Cao Ren, as the commander, might lower his head," Liu Ye considered after some thought.

"If Lü Bu sets off from Jiuyuan and attacks the rear army of the Xianbei, while Cao Cao and the Qiang-Hu forces simultaneously attack from the front, victory wouldn't be too difficult," Chen Xi speculated. Although the Xianbei, led by Kebineng, were numerous and formidable, Lü Bu's previous performance had been too ferocious.

"That might not be so easy," Li You spoke up at this point. "We don't need to discuss his strength, nor his ability to break through formations, but his forces are lacking in numbers. Intelligence reports mention Lü Bu’s troops driving out the Xianbei."

"Chen Gong timed things perfectly," Guo Jia chuckled. "It’s clear he doesn’t plan on giving Cao Cao any excuse to ask for assistance."

"This man can be a bit short-sighted at times. He should first wipe out the Hu tribes before dealing with any personal grudges. By doing so, he’s letting the Western Xianbei off too easily," Chen Xi said, shaking his head helplessly.

"How can you say that? After all, it’s about reclaiming lost territory," Guo Jia laughed behind his wooden fan. He actually admired Chen Gong's approach, knowing that personal grievances likely played a role in this, but he didn’t mind at all. He was happy to see Cao Cao's misfortune.

As Guo Jia had predicted, after receiving the news of Lü Bu’s annihilation of the Xianbei army, Chen Gong immediately dispatched all of his forces. At that time, he had no intention of frustrating Cao Cao, focusing more on reclaiming lost lands.

Later, when Chen Gong learned through other channels that Lü Bu had killed the Xianbei Chanyu and his men, a series of thoughts quickly fell into place. After summoning Zang Hong and Hu Zhao, he raised the Lü banner and rapidly began reclaiming the lost territories.

When news of Lü Bu’s conquest of the Xianbei royal court arrived, Chen Gong immediately launched the largest campaign to reclaim the lands and drive out the Xianbei. That Lü banner was more effective than an entire army!

At this point, while harboring a desire to annoy Cao Cao, Chen Gong had fully engaged in the reclamation battle.

As for the Xianbei, Chen Gong knew well that as long as Lü Bu remained, they would not dare invade Bingzhou again. In fact, at this moment, any land seized would be theirs to keep. So why should he allow Cao Cao to benefit both in fame and territory?

Draining Cao Cao’s strength was something Chen Gong had no qualms about. After all, he was now a staunch anti-Cao supporter. Whenever there was an opportunity to irritate Cao Cao, he would seize it, without harming the country’s interests in the process.

As Liu Bei's group had predicted, Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan were extremely reluctant to seek Lü Bu's help upon learning of the current situation. But as the commander, Cao Ren softened his stance and sent someone to request aid.

After all, when the Xianbei saw Lü Bu’s series of fierce victories, confirmed by their chief's firsthand accounts of the battlefield and further verified by the Chanyu's bodyguards, the nickname "Demon God Lü Bu" had gained recognition among the Xianbei.

Faced with such an inhuman opponent, the Xianbei chiefs knew they couldn't afford to delay any longer. If Lü Bu attacked again, and with the wall garrisons reinforcing the defenses, it would be deadly. Such a superhuman figure should not even exist!

No matter how much the Xianbei fumed internally, reality had made it clear: either retreat or die. Thus, under Kebineng's leadership, the Xianbei began their retreat.

This was precisely what troubled Cao Ren. If the Xianbei withdrew without anyone blocking their retreat, only his forces at the front and the Qiang-Hu on the side would remain—hardly sufficient!

Although striking now, when Xianbei morale was low and Cao's army was high-spirited, might result in decent gains, their original strategy had become futile. The plan had been to swallow the twenty-thousand-strong Xianbei force in one fell swoop!

Now, even with support from the Qiang-Hu, Cao Ren estimated that at most they could kill one or two thousand and capture another two to three thousand. Any more would be a dream. Without someone blocking the Xianbei’s retreat, all their efforts would be in vain.

After all, the Xianbei had not yet entered the large strategic encirclement. The Qiang-Hu were positioned in front of the Xianbei flank, not behind them strategically.

Originally, they had hoped to have Cao's army attack the front while the Qiang-Hu ambushed the rear. After winning the battle, they would drive the Xianbei eastward towards Jiuyuan, forcing Lü Bu to act. After defeating the Xianbei, they would then absorb Lü Bu’s weakened forces.

After such a large battle, the Xianbei would be severely weakened, likely unable to recover for five or six years. With Ma Chao attacking the Xianbei from the north, the Western Xianbei would be hard-pressed to rise again after this conflict.

At that point, whether Lü Bu was stationed at the frontier would no longer matter. They could easily absorb Lü Bu’s forces, and Cao Cao wouldn’t mind taking over the defense of the borders. Besides, Cao Cao had always coveted the talented officials and generals under Lü Bu’s command.

But plans couldn’t keep up with changes. Lü Bu had decisively broken through with sheer strength. No matter how many calculations Cao Cao had made, in the end, they were crushed by Lü Bu’s overwhelming display, leaving no room for battle.

Previous Chapter | | Next Chapter