"Don't panic! Hold your ground!" Ju Shou shouted loudly.
At this moment, with two sabers in hand, Zhang Yan was like a god of slaughter possessed, exceptionally brave. Any Soldier who approached was instantly cut down by his blades!
It turned out that his dual saber technique was the 'Flying Swallow Swordsmanship' upon which his fame rested. Only now did he truly display the realm of his 'Peerless Swordsmanship'!
Even Yan Liang and Wen Chou could only parry at this point and were unable to counter him.
Seeing Zhang Yan's left saber flash, a blade wind swept through, instantly cutting down a swathe of armored Soldiers. With a slash from his right saber, dozens more lost their lives. In a moment, no one could get within ten paces of Zhang Yan.
This sight greatly shocked Ju Shou.
Just now Xiahou Lan had broken out of the camp, and now Zhang Yan was also unstoppable. If this spread, he would likely become the subject of ridicule.
Zhang Yan sneered, his two sabers swirling, pressing towards Yan Liang and Wen Chou. The two Generals fought with their respective weapons, complementing each other and not falling behind.
Zhang Yan scattered the troops, greatly reducing the pressure on the Black Mountain Army, and the forces immediately surged into the camp.
"Maintain formation! Block them!"
Ju Shou struggled to command, but saw the formation was scattered and signs of defeat were already apparent. Coupled with Zhang Yan's divine bravery, it was ultimately difficult to reverse the decline. However, the Soldiers' morale remained high, and they fought and retreated, Try your best maintaining their ground.
Just at this critical moment, another force was seen arriving from a distance. Ju Shou looked from afar and his eyes lit up.
"Brothers, the Lord has arrived! All troops heed my command, fight back with all your might, and drive the bandits out of the camp!"
Ju Shou shouted excitedly.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yan's heart couldn't help but be greatly alarmed.
He didn't expect Zhang Chen to arrive so quickly! This Ju Shou was skilled in command, and the two people in front of him were very difficult to deal with, making it hard to break through the camp for a while. If he delayed any longer and Zhang Chen's large army arrived, he would be in great trouble!
What to do? What to do?
Zhang Yan was in a great hurry, knowing he couldn't continue to be entangled. So, he forced back Yan Liang and Wen Chou with his two sabers and withdrew.
"Zhang Yan, your time is up! Why don't you quickly dismount and surrender!"
Outside the camp gate, Zhang Chen rode at the forefront, casually throwing out a blood-soaked cloth bag.
Inside, an object rolled out, which turned out to be a bloody head!
Zhang Yan looked closely and saw that it was indeed the head of Pei Yuanshao!
Pei Yuanshao is dead, could it be that the army breaking through from the west also...
Zhang Chen stood his ground with his spear, his eyes flashing with a cold light, and shouted: "Zhang Yan, Longyao is broken! Your breakthrough forces have also been completely annihilated. At this point, do you still want to stubbornly resist?"
"Hmph, Zhang Chen, I admit you are very capable. But you killed my sworn brother, a hatred as deep as the sea. For me to surrender is absolutely impossible!" Zhang Yan said fiercely, "Today, I will fight you to the death!"
"Stubborn and ignorant." Zhang Chen shook his head and lightly shouted: "Kill!"
"Kill!" Zhang Yan pointed his two sabers, ordering his Soldiers to turn their spearheads and charge towards Zhang Chen.
At the same time, Ju Shou's army also charged out from the camp, attacking from front and back.
Zhang Yan's twenty thousand troops were already in a death trap!
Zhang Yan was almost like a madman at this moment, his two sabers slashing continuously, cutting into the enemy formation as if entering an uninhabited land.
"A generation of good Generals, what a pity, ultimately cannot be used by me..."
Zhang Chen sighed, raised his spear, and spurred his horse, charging towards Zhang Yan.
Seeing this, Qu Yi, who was beside him, also spurred his horse forward to cover and kill.
Zhang Yan had just fought fiercely against the two Generals, Yan and Wen, and was already physically exhausted. How could he have any strength left to fight now? After only a few exchanges, his flaws were fully exposed. Zhang Chen seized the opportunity and pierced his right shoulder with a spear!
Blood flowed profusely.
Qu Yi swept his saber, knocking away the steel saber in his left hand, and was about to deliver another blow to end his life, but was stopped by Zhang Chen.
Zhang Chen looked at the blood-soaked Zhang Yan, whose heroic curtain had fallen, and sighed lightly, asking: "Zhang Yan, I will ask you one last time, are you willing to surrender?"
Zhang Yan propped himself up with his single saber on the ground, enduring the pain, and looked around, only to see corpses strewn everywhere.
The Yellow Turban... the general trend is gone!
Holy Maiden, this subordinate is incompetent, I have failed the Holy Maiden, I have failed the Upper Divine Envoy...
Zhang Yan's thoughts were in chaos, and he smiled sadly: "Winners and losers, it is fate. For me to surrender to you is absolutely impossible!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen closed his eyes slightly and sighed lightly: "Farewell... General."
With that, the Xuan Tie Si Leng Qiang (Black Iron Four Edged Spear) in his hand suddenly thrust out.
Zhang Yan slowly closed his eyes, accepting death calmly.
However, just as the spear tip was about to pierce Zhang Yan's chest, an invisible force blocked it.
"Lord, when you can spare someone, spare them..."
That familiar voice came from his ear again. Zhang Chen slightly raised his head, looking up at the sky.
Zhang Ning has arrived!
In mid-air, it was that familiar graceful figure, arriving on the wind, like a fallen immortal, breathtakingly beautiful.
"Holy Maiden..."
Zhang Ning looked down at the battlefield, which resembled a purgatory of Asuras, and her heart was filled with sorrow.
A war, how many innocent lives perished just like this, and all of this was nothing but the stubborn obsession of going against the heavens...
"Lord Zhang Chen, the Yellow Turban's momentum is gone. May I ask you to have mercy and spare A'Yan's life? I am willing to take him into seclusion from now on and never appear again."
Zhang Chen said indifferently: "What if I refuse?"
"Lord, you should know that if I want to take him away, you cannot stop me."
Zhang Chen smiled slightly and said: "Today is different from the past. I presume you know your own situation best. Don't blame me for not reminding you, your immortal technique, which has gone awry, has been used eight times. One more time, and even immortals cannot save you!"
As soon as Zhang Chen finished speaking, both Zhang Yan and Zhang Ning's expressions changed.
These words were not groundless; Zhang Chen had already seen the signs through his 'Insight Eye'.
【Name: Zhang Ning】
【Possessed Attributes: The Essential Arts of Pacifying Heaven·Demon (Red), Holy Maiden of the Yellow Heaven (Gold), Benevolent to the People (Gold)】
【The Essential Arts of Pacifying Heaven·Demon (Red)】: As the direct descendant of the 'Great Virtuous Teacher' Zhang Jiao, you are born with immortal destiny and can cultivate the immortal secret scripture 'The Essential Arts of Pacifying Heaven' to the highest realm. Unfortunately, your practice went awry, and you suffered qi deviation. Although you reached the grand completion realm, you cannot use it more than nine times, otherwise your meridians will be severed, and your spirit and soul will dissipate! (Current usage count: 8/9)
She had used her immortal technique eight times. One more use, and her meridians would be severed, and her spirit and soul would dissipate!
Zhang Yan was startled and quickly asked: "You... what you said, is it true?"
Zhang Chen looked up at Zhang Ning and said: "If you don't believe me, feel free to try."
"Lord Zhang Chen, do you think you can scare me away like this?" Zhang Ning smiled faintly, then her hands secretly formed a magical seal.
Suddenly, her brow furrowed, as if she was suffering some pain, and then with a 'wah' sound, a mouthful of blood gushed out. She could no longer support herself and fell directly.
"Holy Maiden!" Zhang Yan was greatly alarmed and was about to rush forward, but was immediately held back by Soldiers with knives at his neck.
"Stop!" Zhang Chen ordered, "Let them go."
Zhang Yan quickly ran to Zhang Ning, supported her body with his hands, and said with concern: "Holy Maiden, Holy Maiden!"
"A'Yan..." Zhang Ning's face was pale. She slowly opened her eyes and caressed his cheek.
"This subordinate is incompetent, even with a hundred thousand troops, I could not win. This subordinate... has failed the Holy Maiden."
"No, A'Yan, it's my fault. It was my obsession that was too deep, which killed so many people..."
"No! I know the Holy Maiden has always been kind and benevolent. Falling to this state is all beyond your control..."
After Zhang Yan finished speaking, he turned to look at Zhang Chen and said: "Since Lord knows the Holy Maiden's condition, do you have a way to save her?"
Zhang Chen looked at Zhang Ning, who was on the verge of death, and then at Zhang Yan, saying: "Half a month ago, General Yang Feng brought a letter from Guan Hai. In his letter, he entrusted me to save Zhang Ning. Now, the divine physician Hua Tuo is in my camp."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yan pondered for a moment, then knelt deeply before Zhang Chen: "Since this is the case, can Lord save her?"
Zhang Chen's expression was solemn and said: "Zhang Yan, I know you are loyal and righteous, and you hate me deeply because of the matter of Zhang Niujiao. But I am an official, and he was a bandit. It is only right and proper for me to kill him; my conscience is clear! I know you will never surrender, and I cannot do something that would leave a hidden danger. Today, I will give you a choice!"
"What choice?" Zhang Yan asked vigilantly.
Zhang Chen's gaze was cold and stern, revealing a chilling aura.
"If Zhang Ning dies, the Yellow Turban will be overthrown, and even if you cause trouble, you will have no just cause. Conversely, if you die, although Zhang Ning is the Holy Maiden of the Yellow Turban, she will have no one left to use, and will likewise be unable to achieve anything. Therefore, you and she, only one can live!"