Ma Chao hurried towards the capital, covered in dust from his journey. The closer he got, the more news flooded him like a tide, constantly impacting his heart.
Ma Chao’s heart was filled with doubts and confusion; one moment he heard that General He Jin had been killed, then a little further on, he heard that the Ten Attendants had been exterminated, followed by news that the Emperor was missing, and then that Lu Zhi was a rebellious traitor who had abducted the Emperor.
This series of news exploded in Ma Chao’s mind like thunder, making his already anxious mood even more agitated.
Ma Chao galloped non-stop, barely resting, his face growing thin and haggard, his once handsome features now covered in a gray haze of exhaustion.
His eyes were bloodshot, revealing deep worry and urgency.
His hair was disheveled from the journey, and his clothes were covered in dust, making him look disheveled and downcast.
But he ignored all of this, his only thought to reach Luoyang as quickly as possible to find out what was truly happening, a sight that was both heartbreaking and admirable for his persistence and determination.
Outside Luoyang City, Dong Zhuo’s Army and Ding Yuan’s Army remained in a tense standoff.
Lü Bu rode his warhorse, strutting back and forth before the Luoyang city walls, wantonly provoking them.
Facing this situation, the morale of Dong Zhuo’s Army within Luoyang City became extremely low.
Yet, in terms of dueling, they were no match for Lü Bu; several of Dong Zhuo’s generals were successively defeated by Lü Bu, one after another, completely unable to do anything against this incredibly brave God of War.
As for Dong Zhuo, he could neither abandon the safety of Luoyang and directly engage in a large-scale battle with Ding Yuan’s Army outside the city, nor could he cope with the immense pressure brought by Lü Bu.
On Ding Yuan’s side, he also did not permit Lü Bu to lead an actual assault on the city, so the two sides simply remained in a daily stalemate.
This situation gradually made Lü Bu feel a bit restless, secretly annoyed that he couldn’t fight to his heart’s content each time, unable to display his full strength; this awkward stalemate was extremely stifling for him.
Every time he returned from battle, Lü Bu would report to Ding Yuan with an unhappy expression, eagerly stating that if he were allowed to exert his full effort, Luoyang City might have already been taken.
However, Ding Yuan would always mercilessly scold Lü Bu as a brainless brute, shouting that matters of state were not something a mere warrior who only knew how to fight could understand.
Every time Lü Bu heard such a reprimand, he would feel a surge of frustration; his bravery was well-known, even Dong Zhuo’s Army trembled in fear, yet Ding Yuan ignored all of this, assigned him a civil post, and yet constantly called him a brute.
Lü Bu would always vent his dissatisfaction privately to Ding Yuan, Zhang Liao, and Gao Shun.
Zhang Liao, being meticulous, often came to persuade him, patiently comforting him to be patient.
Gao Shun, on the other hand, was a taciturn and dull person; he wouldn't say comforting words, but would silently accompany Lü Bu, staying by his side to soothe Lü Bu’s restless heart in this way.
With their companionship, Lü Bu’s vexed mood could only be slightly alleviated, but the feeling of suppression in his heart always remained difficult to disperse.
Ma Chao finally arrived in Luoyang, covered in dust, and from afar, he saw the two armies confronting each other outside Luoyang City, their battle cries shaking the heavens.
On the battlefield, the attacking side flew the fluttering banner of Ding Yuan, the Governor of Bing Province, whose soldiers were fierce and eager for battle; the defending side, guarding Luoyang, flew the banner of Dong Zhuo of Western Liang, which flapped in the wind, Dong Zhuo’s Army stood ready.
However, the situation on the battlefield was very strange; no matter how the attacking general provoked, Dong Zhuo’s Army merely watched Lü Bu, keeping their flags furled, and Ma Chao was temporarily unable to grasp the situation.
Finally, under the constant provocation from Ding Yuan’s side, Dong Zhuo’s Army could no longer hold back; they opened the city gate, and from a distance, a general was seen leading troops out to charge—this person was Hua Xiong, the former fiercest general of Western Liang.
Hua Xiong led a surging tide of soldiers behind him, charging fiercely onto the battlefield, their hooves raising a cloud of dust that instantly converged with Lü Bu.
The two engaged in a fierce clash, the clang of weapons and battle cries intertwining, making for a breathtaking spectacle.
In just a few rounds, Hua Xiong was steadily pushed back by Lü Bu’s incredibly powerful offense; his moves appeared so weak before Lü Bu, and he was quickly and easily defeated.
And the attacking general in this battle was the overwhelmingly powerful Lü Bu, his tall and mighty figure particularly conspicuous on the battlefield.
Lü Bu had long lost patience from the repeated provocations and duels; at this moment, his eyes gleamed with a chilling killing intent, and he wielded his Fangtian Halberd, relentlessly pursuing Hua Xiong, vowing to annihilate him.
Lü Bu’s eyes gleamed with chilling killing intent as he urged his warhorse in relentless pursuit, his Fangtian Halberd whistling through the air, and it seemed Hua Xiong was about to perish under this terrifying attack.
Just at this critical moment, Ma Chao, like a bolt of lightning, charged into the battle array with his spear raised, displaying an unstoppable momentum.
His white battle robe flapped in the wind, his silver long spear gleamed with cold light, and he instantly arrived near Lü Bu, shaking his spear to deflect Lü Bu’s Fangtian Halberd, which was about to strike Hua Xiong, successfully saving Hua Xiong.
Everyone on the battlefield was stunned by this sudden turn of events; for a brief moment, there was a temporary silence on the battlefield, and all eyes were focused on this brave young general, Ma Chao.
Ma Chao descended abruptly like a brilliant meteor; his arrival was like a blazing fire suddenly igniting in the darkness, causing the morale of the previously low-spirited Xiliang Army to erupt like a volcano in an instant, receiving an unprecedented surge of invigoration.
The soldiers of the Xiliang Army gazed at the majestic Ma Chao, their eyes gleaming with excitement, and they strained their voices, shouting Ma Chao’s name with all their might, their voices fervent and resonant, as if they would pierce the clouds.
Hua Xiong, standing by, was even more uncontrollably excited; his face flushed crimson from extreme exhilaration, and he continuously expressed his deep, surging gratitude in a trembling voice.
And Lü Bu, the moment he saw Ma Chao, his eyes instantly ignited with a fervent glow, and he developed an extremely strong interest in Ma Chao’s arrival.
After a brief exchange with Ma Chao, Lü Bu’s heart was deeply shaken; he clearly and keenly perceived Ma Chao’s exquisite and superb martial arts, which had reached such an astonishing level, making him undoubtedly an extremely formidable opponent.
In Lü Bu’s heart, an indescribable exhilaration and joy quietly surged; he realized that an opponent worthy of his full effort and serious attention had finally appeared.
His blood began to boil, and every cell in his body seemed to cheer with excitement, for he knew that a confrontation with such an equally matched master would be a breathtaking and exhilarating contest, which made even him, a martial arts expert, anticipate and thrill at the prospect.
Lü Bu suddenly let out a loud challenge, his voice echoing across the battlefield like a clap of thunder, carrying unparalleled momentum and majesty.
At this moment, Ma Chao, concerned about the battle situation, had no time to say much to Hua Xiong and unhesitatingly accepted Lü Bu’s challenge, immediately confronting Lü Bu face-to-face.
With grave and stern expressions, they simply exchanged names before swiftly engaging in an extremely fierce clash like a violent storm.
Their figures moved like wind, their weapons wielded like lightning, each collision erupting with dazzling sparks, the sound of spear and halberd clashing like continuous thunder reverberating across the battlefield.
In the blink of an eye, they had already exchanged forty to fifty blows, yet neither side had managed to gain a clear advantage.
However, this duel between masters was filled with breathtaking peril at every moment, every round fraught with danger, where a slight misstep could lead to a desperate situation.
Just as the battle raged fiercely, Dong Zhuo, hearing of Ma Chao’s arrival, was greatly startled and rushed to the city wall to observe the fight.
When his gaze fell upon the scene of their intense battle, seeing the perilous and dangerous situation at every turn, a deep concern for Ma Chao’s safety immediately surged within him, so he promptly and decisively ordered the gongs to signal a retreat.
Ma Chao, hearing the urgent retreat signal, knew he could no longer prolong the fight; he quickly feigned a move at Lü Bu, then turned like lightning and galloped towards Luoyang City.
Lü Bu also clearly understood that, given the current situation, he truly could not defeat Ma Chao, so he did not insist on pursuing him.
Instead, he brazenly displayed his formidable might at the front of the formation, fully exhibiting his arrogant demeanor before contentedly returning to his own ranks.
