Chapter 197

Gao Niu's strength was at the peak of the ninth layer of Strength Refining. Yet this Yellow Turban Commandant had barely reached the fifth layer; facing Gao Niu, he couldn't even take a single blow before being killed in an instant.

"Who are you?"

Sensing the aura radiating from Gao Niu, the Yellow Turban Commandant's expression changed.

"Heh! A noble person forgets things easily! You actually don't remember me?"

Xi Zhicai gave a cold laugh.

"You..."

The Yellow Turban Commandant looked at Xi Zhicai carefully for a few moments; the face seemed somewhat familiar, and suddenly he realized something.

"So it's you, the fish that slipped through the net."

After speaking, he wore a murderous look: "Haha! Originally, you had escaped, and I had no way to deal with you in this vast land, but who would have thought you would be so stupid as to think that relying on a single ninth-layer Strength Refining expert would be enough to take revenge?"

"Truly laughable."

"Brothers, kill them for me!"

The Yellow Turban Commandant drew his blade and sneered repeatedly.

Gao Niu's ninth-layer Strength Refining strength did indeed make him very wary, as he himself had only barely reached the eighth layer, and it was unstable.

If it were one-on-one, he would definitely retreat immediately, but now he had thousands of Yellow Turban soldiers around him; why would he fear the former?

After all, a ninth-layer Strength Refining expert was not a martial general who had reached the Gang Refining stage. If it were a first-level Gang Refining martial general, he would have left without hesitation.

"Kill!"

Gao Niu and the others didn't waste words either.

One side had thirty-two people, the other had thousands; it looked like Gao Niu and his men were mantises trying to stop a chariot.

"Zhongkang, look over there, those Yellow Turbans seem to be besieging someone?"

On the other side, on the battlements of Xu Family Manor, a group of guards was standing watch, one of whom looked somewhat worried.

"Big Brother, they are indeed besieging a group of riders."

"Hmm! Zhongkang, the identity of that group being besieged by the Yellow Turban army seems unusual. Looking at their attire, they are either government officials or disciples of a noble clan out on a study tour."

"We cannot let them meet with disaster here at our Xu Family Manor."

Xu Ding said with a solemn expression: "No matter what their identity is, if they meet with disaster here, we will not be able to escape the consequences."

"Look, those guards are very well-equipped; those two young masters are not ordinary nobles."

"Zhongkang, go down and save them."

"Save them?"

"Big Brother, once we take action, we will offend the Yellow Turbans and the Taiping Dao," Xu Chu said in a muffled voice. Although he was simple and honest, he was not stupid.

He naturally understood that once he took action, it would be equivalent to being in a state of hostility with the Yellow Turban army. Previously, they had thrown away the other side's treasures, which must have angered the Channel Commander behind this group of Yellow Turbans.

If they took action now, they would offend the Yellow Turban army deeply.

Their Xu Family Manor's strength in this area was indeed not weak, especially since he was a great expert at the sixth level of Gang Refining, and there were thousands of young men in the manor, most of whom had practiced martial arts for years, and each of them was quite capable.

Plus, with the manor walls, even if it were a Yellow Turban army of hundreds of thousands, Xu Chu was not worried that their manor would be breached.

However, Xu Chu knew that the Yellow Turban army was still very formidable.

These days, from the news he had gathered from outside, in Yingchuan Commandery, the Imperial Court's Forbidden Army had been firmly suppressed inside the city by the Yellow Turbans.

The Forbidden Army, that was the most powerful army of the Divine Han Imperial Court.

He was a bit worried that if they really angered the Channel Commander behind this group of Yellow Turbans, it would provoke the other side's fury, leading them to bring a large army to attack their Xu Family Manor.

By then, even if they could resist, there would be casualties in their Xu Family Manor.

"Go!"

Xu Ding naturally knew his younger brother's worries, but given the situation they were in, they certainly could not stand by and watch them die.

If the forces behind those nobles found out, it would not be a good thing for Xu Family Manor.

One look at those two young masters showed they were not ordinary; the family background behind them must be extraordinary. If they were held accountable, their Xu Family Manor would not have an easy time, and Xu Ding also understood some of the behavioral styles of noble clans.

He could not help but worry.

Secondly, he also had some thoughts: if they could save those two noble young masters, then their Xu Family Manor could make contact with the noble clans behind them.

It was a debt of life-saving gratitude.

If they could connect with the noble clans behind the two young masters, it would definitely be beneficial for Xu Family Manor.

Their Xu Family Manor was indeed quite good in the surrounding area, with a high reputation; even the County Lieutenant did not dare to easily offend their Xu family.

But that was all.

Their Xu family was considered a small landlord in the county, much better than most commoners.

But who wouldn't want better?

Who wouldn't want to take a step further and make their Xu family a true powerful clan? But this step was very difficult.

Their Xu family must have a "great official" of four hundred shi, and then develop slowly.

A County Magistrate or County Lieutenant of four hundred shi was not easy to come by. For some noble clans, their disciples could be recommended as filial and incorrupt, and after a few years of assessment, they might be promoted to a County Magistrate, County Lieutenant, or County Assistant.

Their Xu family did not have this opportunity, because recommendations for filial and incorrupt were almost exclusively for scholars, only for clans with a tradition of poetry and books.

What was their Xu family? They had some family-transmitted martial arts, but they truly had no tradition of poetry and books.

Once, the Xu family had tried to change, which was to go to the border to join the army, in order to get ahead. Relying on military merit, there were indeed clansmen who became Colonels.

But that was the limit, and it was exchanged for brave martial strength on the battlefield, and this was already the ceiling.

Without a military strategy tradition, not knowing how to command troops, they could only serve as a Colonel.

And this was exchanged with the blood of countless Xu family disciples. After a few years, the clansmen were covered in wounds and then retired.

Before them was an opportunity. If they could befriend noble clan disciples, with his younger brother's Gang Refining cultivation, he might stand out in the future.

Especially now that the Yellow Turban Rebellion was raging across the world, this was an even better opportunity. He hoped his younger brother could rely on those two noble clan disciples to achieve merit and establish a career.

Therefore, even if it meant offending the Yellow Turban Taiping Dao, Xu Ding believed it was worth it.

Of course, he did not tell Xu Chu these things.

Xu Chu had no objections. After receiving his brother's affirmation again, Xu Chu picked up his nine-ring broadsword and jumped directly from the manor's battlements.

Then, with long strides, he charged toward the Yellow Turban army.

At this moment, Gao Niu and the others were already fighting fiercely with this group of Yellow Turbans.

Gao Niu took the lead, and the riders behind him also charged forward without fear.

They were personally selected by Su Fan from tens of thousands of troops, and each of them had at least the cultivation of the fifth layer of Strength Refining.

Coupled with excellent warhorses and that incredibly luxurious three-layered iron armor, each of them was almost peerless in defense; ordinary blades and swords could not harm them at all.

Therefore, although there were only thirty riders, they were like hundreds or thousands of iron cavalry; when they charged, they actually made the thousands of Yellow Turban soldiers unable to stop them.

"Damn it! Charge!"

"Block them!"

The Yellow Turban Commandant in the rear watched Gao Niu and the others, their momentum seemingly unstoppable, and was instantly furious.