Chapter 110: Zhao Yun and Yan Xing

Li Wenhou and Beigong Boyu were utterly stunned. They had never imagined that their trump card would fall to the Han general in a single exchange, and so humiliatingly at that. For a moment, they were thrown into a panic.

Seeing Han Sui nearby, they remembered that he possessed a formidable general named Yan Xing. Li Wenhou hurriedly said, "Wenyue, I believe you have seen it for yourself; that Han general is fierce, and only your Yan Xing is capable of challenging him. You must send him out at once."

Han Sui cast a disdainful glance at Li Wenhou, his heart filled with resentment. When they needed him, they begged; when they did not, they looked at him with cold indifference. Moreover, even when begging, they used this commanding tone. With a caustic, mocking tone, Han Sui replied, "Chieftain, you are mistaken. Yan Xing only possesses a modest grasp of martial arts; how could he possibly be a match for such an opponent? You have many capable men under your command, Chieftain; surely you can handle this yourselves. Why would there be any need for a small person like me to intervene?"

Li Wenhou’s veins bulged at these words, but he quickly suppressed his temper, as he still required Han Sui’s assistance. "Wenyue, do not be offended. I was rude before and I offer you my apologies here. In the future, I shall certainly follow your lead." Yet, throughout his words, the deep-seated malice in his eyes lingered.

Seeing Li Wenhou back down, Han Sui felt a surge of satisfaction. He cared little whether the apology was sincere; even if it were merely a gesture, it allowed him to vent his pent-up frustration.

"Boyan, are you confident?" Han Sui turned his attention away from Li Wenhou to his son-in-law, Yan Xing.

"Father-in-law, that Han general is nothing more than a common cur. I can dispatch him with a turn of my hand," Yan Xing boasted confidently. Having seen Zhang Fei’s performance earlier, he deemed it unremarkable. His ease in previous battles against the Han army, where he had faced no equal, had led to an inflated sense of self-importance; he held no one in high regard. Of course, had he known that Zhang Fei had not even used half of his strength, one wonders what his reaction might have been.

"Excellent! Boyan, your valor is unmatched. I leave it all to you." Hearing such confidence, Han Sui laughed heartily.

"Thank you, Father-in-law." With that, Yan Xing spurred his horse toward Zhang Fei.

At that moment, however, Yan Xing noticed a young general on a white horse, wielding a silver spear, emerge from the Han ranks and approach Zhang Fei, appearing to exchange words.

"Zilong, what brings you here?" Zhang Fei asked, looking at Zhao Yun with confusion.

"Yide, the Lord has ordered you to return. Let me handle this battle," Zhao Yun said with a smile.

Zhang Fei’s eyes widened in disbelief. He turned back to look at Liu Yao, as if seeking confirmation. Liu Yao nodded, signaling that it was indeed the case. Liu Yao chose to send Zhao Yun because he was more composed. It was not that Zhang Fei lacked prowess, but Zhao Yun was a tactical fighter, better suited for the specific task at hand: the execution of Yan Xing. Liu Yao had given him orders to kill him, as he had an objective involving ancient records and needed a suitable person to carry it out.

Seeing Liu Yao’s nod, Zhang Fei hung his head in disappointment. Yet, upon reflection, he realized he had already fought a round and should leave opportunities for others. Given his close friendship with Zhao Yun, he quickly let it go and rode back to the main formation.

"My Lord!" Zhang Fei bowed to Liu Yao. Liu Yao nodded and smiled, saying, "Yide, do not take it to heart. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future."

"My Lord, I understand," Zhang Fei said with a simple grin, then remained silent, turning his gaze toward the duel between Zhao Yun and Yan Xing.

"Yan Xing of Jincheng is here. My spear does not strike nameless men; state your name at once!" Yan Xing looked at the fair-faced young general with contempt. He had not expected Liu Yao to change commanders, let alone replace a fierce-looking warrior with such a pale-faced stripling. He could not help but look down on Liu Yao as well.

Zhao Yun frowned slightly. He already possessed some renown, while Yan Xing was the true unknown. To be treated with such disdain did not sit well with him, and compounded with Liu Yao’s order for a clean kill, his murderous intent toward Yan Xing deepened.

"General Who Pacifies the Bandits of the Great Han, Zhao Yun, style name Zilong," Zhao Yun said calmly, then spurred his horse toward Yan Xing.

"A mere rat," Yan Xing muttered dismissively, charging toward him. Having only recently become a general under Han Sui, he was unaware of Zhao Yun’s previous feats. This destined Yan Xing to a tragic fate.

Watching Yan Xing approach, Zhao Yun squeezed his horse’s flanks. The Night-Shining Jade Lion was a creature of spirit and understood its master’s intent; its speed surged instantly. Zhao Yun thrust his Dragon-Gall spear directly toward Yan Xing’s face.

Yan Xing, still gathering his momentum, had not expected the opponent to possess such a remarkable steed. Before he could react, Zhao Yun was already upon him. He hurriedly abandoned his charge to parry with his spear.

The Dragon-Gall strike was ferocious; even though it was deflected by Yan Xing’s spear, it still grazed his cheek, leaving a deep, bloody scar. The two men and their horses crossed paths.

Watching from the sidelines, Han Sui was alarmed. Had Yan Xing not reacted in time, he would have been a ghost under the spear. His confidence in Yan Xing began to wane.

Li Wenhou and Beigong Boyu, however, sneered. They felt mixed emotions—pleased that Yan Xing had suffered a setback, which damaged Han Sui’s reputation, but worried that if even Yan Xing were not the Han general’s match, they would be at a loss. Perhaps they would have to commit their entire force, but seeing the morale of the Qiang warriors already shattered by the failed duel, they could only offer bitter smiles.

Yan Xing was in turmoil, unable to believe what had happened, though the pain in his cheek proved it was real. He grew furious, blaming the incident on Zhao Yun’s "ambush" rather than his own lack of skill. In truth, Zhao Yun’s success had indeed relied on the advantage of his horse.

The two turned and engaged once more. With a thunderous "clang," the Dragon-Gall spear and Yan Xing’s weapon collided. They then traded blows—spear against spear—appearing to be evenly matched.

Seeing Yan Xing holding his own and even gaining a slight advantage, Han Sui’s heart settled. He assumed the previous exchange was merely a fluke and that Yan Xing was now displaying his true prowess. After all, as long as Yan Xing did not fall, the Qiang army held the absolute advantage.

Yan Xing, seeing that his opponent appeared unremarkable and was being pushed back, felt his confidence swell. He swung his spear with renewed vigor, putting all his strength into an attempt to strike Zhao Yun down.

Zhao Yun, however, only sneered inwardly. He was feigning weakness for two reasons: to drain Yan Xing’s stamina and to find a fatal opening. Although Zhao Yun’s skills far surpassed Yan Xing’s, killing him was not a simple matter, hence the current pretense of being on the defensive.