Chapter 33: Forced to Keep Up Appearances

Zhao Yun’s spear danced through the air, filling the sky with blossoms. To the casual observer, it appeared incredibly ferocious, but only Zhao Yun himself knew that he was being forced into this.

Lu Bu’s sheer ferocity left him shaken. In terms of technique, Zhao Yun discovered that his own, of which he was so proud, was seemingly on par with Lu Bu’s. But when it came to physical strength and the intensity of inner energy, Lu Bu outclassed him by miles. Glancing down at his own steed, Zhao Yun felt a pang of heartache—usually, his horse was the one biting others, but this time it had been bitten by Red Hare.

How could he fight this? Zhao Yun had been pondering this question since he first lunged forward with his spear. After weighing himself against Lu Bu, he realized that even if Lu Bu were locked in a death match with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, his own chances of winning in a one-on-one duel were at best two or three in ten.

Zhao Yun finally understood: Lu Bu’s halberd technique prioritized momentum over form. Once Lu Bu became enraged, or became as fanatically immersed in battle as he was now, he remained terrifyingly lethal even after exhausting half his inner energy.

To defeat Lu Bu, one had to shatter his confidence and strip him of that invincible aura; otherwise, no matter how long the fight lasted, Lu Bu would maintain the same level of performance he displayed at the start, and might even grow stronger the longer the battle went on.

It was a vicious cycle. A bitter smile touched Zhao Yun’s handsome face. Well, since it was a cycle, he would simply disengage. Zhao Yun decided then and there not to lock horns with Lu Bu, opting instead to rely on endurance and speed.

Zhao Yun maintained his extreme velocity. From the front, he looked like a hedgehog, with spear tips appearing everywhere. No matter how he twisted his pole, the tip always seemed to curve toward Lu Bu. Even Guan Yu, who was resting nearby, watched in disbelief as Zhao Yun’s spear shaft bent in three or four arcs to reach Lu Bu. How on earth was he generating that kind of force?

The ringing of the spear never ceased from the moment Zhao Yun joined the fray. Lu Bu and Zhao Yun danced their weapons so fast they became a blur, yet they had not once truly collided. They remained locked in a deadly gaze, waiting for the slightest opening to deliver a lethal blow.

Zhao Yun continued to accelerate. He felt as though Lu Bu was adapting to his speed and needed to push further, lest he be countered. He had already realized he truly couldn’t beat this guy—the man’s strength was maddeningly overwhelming. He had started with a thirty percent chance of victory, but as the fight progressed, his confidence plummeted; now, he felt he had less than ten percent, and he suspected that if it continued, he might have none at all.

To be honest, Zhao Yun now felt the same sentiment Lu Bu had held toward Zhang Fei: what on earth was this guy fed while growing up? However, unlike Lu Bu, who wanted to capture Zhang Fei to study him, Zhao Yun had no such desire. He began signaling frantically for Guan Yu to come and assist. Unfortunately, Guan Yu completely misunderstood; to him, the battle was a stalemate, so why interfere? Let this magnificent clash continue!

Lu Bu stared at the "pretty boy" before him with fiery eyes. At first, he thought he could topple him with steady, disciplined strikes, but now he wondered: could this be the legendary master he had been waiting for, the one whose defeat would elevate him to a new level?

The thought struck him, and Lu Bu felt it was highly probable. Who else possessed the strength to trade blows with him for so long without losing? Lu Bu grew fanatical. He believed he had reached the pinnacle; even if the King of Chu, Xiang Yu, crawled back from the Wu River, he was certain he could strike him down as well.

Kill! Kill! Kill! With this thought, Lu Bu grew more excited, and his aura became increasingly overwhelming. He used his intuition to crack the spear techniques that had seemed so elusive. But before his momentum could climb higher, he felt Zhao Yun’s spear quicken once more.

Lu Bu continued his barrage, and Zhao Yun silently employed his ultimate arts. His speed increased—where he once struck once, he now struck twice. Yet, even so, Zhao Yun could do nothing against Lu Bu. He could only watch helplessly as Lu Bu’s aura climbed, unable to suppress it any longer.

The forces at Hulao Pass and the coalition of the eighteen lords were stunned. Lu Bu’s ferocity had already been proven; only Liu Bei’s brothers, Guan and Zhang, could hold their own against him. To the coalition, Lu Bu was already a god-like existence.

And now, another had emerged from behind Liu Bei to fight Lu Bu to a draw. Damn it! Liu Xuande must have had incredible luck—why did all the good things fall to him?

Liu Bei watched Zhang Fei with a worried expression, completely ignoring the envious gazes around him. Since hearing Chen Xi’s words, Liu Bei had reached an enlightenment: in these chaotic times, whether it was the jealousy of others or even if everyone present wished him dead, as long as they lacked the capability to act on it, he would simply have to endure. This era was not a peaceful age of benevolence, but a chaotic one fought with fists!

Zhao Yun finally found it impossible to point his spear at Lu Bu’s vitals without colliding with the halberd. For the first time since the duel began, a true clash occurred. Unlike Lu Bu’s shock and anger, Zhao Yun felt only helplessness. Taking advantage of Lu Bu’s momentary surprise, he tapped the tip of the halberd and instantly put distance between himself and the dangerous man.

"General Guan, give me a hand!" Zhao Yun roared. The game was up; his signals to Guan Yu had been in vain.

Guan Yu was puzzled. Why, when the fight was still a stalemate and no sign of weakness had appeared, did Zhao Yun need his help? Though confused, Guan Yu shouted, "Do not panic, Zilong! Yunchang is here!" and swung his Green Dragon Crescent Blade toward Lu Bu.

"I will kill you!" Lu Bu spurred his horse, charging at Zhao Yun in a rage. He had been played. No wonder the man hadn't engaged in a direct clash—he had speed but no power. Had they not collided just now, Lu Bu might never have realized how weak Zhao Yun’s inner energy and physical strength actually were.

"What a nuisance," Zhao Yun sighed, thrusting his spear toward Lu Bu. When the tips clashed, it did not result in Lu Bu’s desired outcome of sending the spear flying. Instead, the force transmitted through the shaft surged like a tidal wave, layer upon layer, proving to be no weaker than his own.

But Lu Bu was not one to change his mind; he had sworn to kill Zhao Yun, and kill him he would. With this conviction, he struck out in fury.

Zhao Yun stood firm against the onslaught. The spear blossoms shifted into points of cold light, desperately blocking Lu Bu’s attacks, refusing to be driven back as Lu Bu had anticipated.

"Clang!" With a thunderous roar, they parted again. During the time it took for Guan Yu to arrive, the two had clashed over a hundred times like lightning and thunder. Zhao Yun, giving his all, held his ground through sheer adrenaline, while Lu Bu, failing to secure a quick victory, began to doubt his own judgment.