Chapter 29: The Mad Liu Bei

"Your Majesty, could it be that General Xiahou… has already stepped into the Houtian Realm?" Lu Zhi asked, his voice trembling slightly.

"Yes, Miaocai has successfully broken through to the Outer Heaven Realm, and what's more, the Outer Heaven Second Layer."

"Excellent! Truly worthy of being the talent Your Majesty has set his sights on. In just twenty short days, he's already reached the Houtian Second Layer!" Hearing Liu Bian's affirmative reply, Lu Zhi was overcome with excitement.

"What remarkable talent. It seems we have plenty to work hard for ahead — none of you want to be left too far behind, do you?" Guo Jia, standing at the side, joked with the crowd.

"Fengxiao speaks truly. It seems we'll be busy from now on…" The others, hearing Guo Jia's words, sighed in agreement.

They had only just received their Cultivation Methods today, and now they learned that someone had already successfully broken through to the Houtian Second Layer. Every one of them was proud and ambitious, so they immediately resolved to devote more time to Cultivation from now on, hoping not to be left too far behind by the others.

……

Name: Xiahou Dun

Age: 20

Realm: Houtian Second Layer

Identity: Tiger Ben Army Commander

Talent: Heavenly Upper Grade

Physique: Man Shen Body (Unawakened)

Cultivation Method: Heaven and Earth Creation Martial Canon

Loyalty: 100

……

Liu Bian glanced at Xiahou Dun's attributes, then shifted his gaze to the arena.

"Enough talk, I'm in a hurry. All of you come at me together. If any of you can last three moves against me, I'll admit defeat!" Seeing that no one was moving, Xiahou Dun taunted.

"Damn it, I really can't stand this kid anymore. Since this bastard is asking for death and looking down on us, let's teach him a proper lesson today and show him what we're made of!" Xu Chu and Zhang Fei at the side, seeing his utterly arrogant expression, could no longer hold back and charged forward.

Facing the incoming fists of the two, Xiahou Dun's face showed a slightly serious expression. Internal force circulated through his legs, and he swiftly dodged their attacks.

"What incredible speed…" Watching Xiahou Dun's speed, everyone's pupils contracted, and grave expressions appeared on their faces.

Paying no heed to their astonishment, after dodging the two men's fists, Xiahou Dun swiftly flashed behind Zhang Fei, mobilized the internal force in his dantian, gathered it in his right hand, and struck toward Zhang Fei's shoulder…

"Boom… thud!"

Hearing the boom, everyone saw Zhang Fei's Divine Body sent flying by Xiahou Dun's single palm strike, crashing heavily onto the ground over ten meters away.

"Hiss…" A collective sharp intake of cold breath immediately rang out across the scene.

Everyone stared wide-eyed at Xiahou Dun standing proudly in the arena. Even Xu Chu was so frightened he stood frozen in place.

As for Zhang Fei and the other's strength, everyone present knew it perfectly well. Among them, only Guan Yu and Dian Wei could defeat the two.

And even then, it was a narrow victory — absolutely impossible to do what Xiahou Dun had just done: facing two men's joint attack and defeating one with a single move so effortlessly.

Instantly, everyone lost any desire to spar. The gap was far too great; going up would be purely asking for a beating.

"Does anyone else wish to spar?" Seeing the crowd cowed into submission, Xiahou Dun swept a triumphant glance over them and asked.

"Hmph, you're strong, sure. But don't get cocky — one day we might surpass you." Hearing Xiahou Dun's words, Xu Chu, who had come back to his senses, said resentfully.

"Then I'll be waiting!"

"Go check on that big black fellow. I didn't use much force in that palm strike." After replying to Xu Chu, he turned and spoke to Liu Bei and the others.

Hearing Xiahou Dun's words, Guan Yu hurried forward to examine Zhang Fei's injuries.

"Second Brother, I'm fine, don't worry about me." After getting up, Zhang Fei looked at Guan Yu's concerned gaze, patted the dust off his clothes, and said to Guan Yu.

"Good that you're alright. This man's strength is far too great — he cannot be taken head-on!" Seeing that Zhang Fei was fine, Guan Yu sighed.

Before absolute strength, even the proud Guan Yu bowed his proud head.

"A fierce general, a truly peerless fierce general. If I could obtain this man, who in all the Han Dynasty could stand against me? That throne — it might not be beyond my reach!"

At this moment, Liu Bei's heart was filled with excitement and ambition. He knew deeply that to achieve great things, he must have sufficient strength and talented people to support him.

And the Xiahou Dun before him was precisely such an outstanding talent.

Unlike the shock of everyone else in the arena, Liu Bei was not awed by Xiahou Dun's martial prowess. Instead, he calmed himself and began thinking about how to establish a connection with Xiahou Dun and win his loyalty.

Thinking of this, Liu Bei stepped forward without hesitation, cupped his hands in a bow toward Xiahou Dun, and said: "I am a descendant of Zhongshan Jing Wang — Liu Bei, Liu Xuande. At present, what Bei lacks under his banner is precisely talent like yourself, good sir. If you, good sir, could follow me, then with my Second Brother and Third Brother added in, who in all Tian Xia could be our match? Let us together create this great flourishing age of the Han Dynasty!!!"

In his excitement, Liu Bei blurted out the thoughts he had long hidden deep within his heart before everyone present.

"What? Audacious Liu Bei — are you trying to rebel? How dare you speak such wild words here! I have no student like you." Hearing Liu Bei's words, Lu Zhi outside the arena could no longer sit still. He immediately stepped forward and loudly interrogated Liu Bei.

"Big Brother…" Guan Yu and Zhang Fei at the side also looked at Liu Bei with expressions of utter disbelief, their faces full of disappointment.

Was this still the Big Brother they had always respected in their hearts?

In an instant, Liu Bei became the focus of everyone's attention. Seeing the alienation and wariness on their faces, Liu Bei could no longer hold himself together.

"Hahahaha, that's right, I've been using you two fools all along. If it weren't for the fact that you two have high martial skills and are so easy to deceive, how could someone of my status — a descendant of Zhongshan Jing Wang, a scion of the great ancestor — possibly have sworn brotherhood with you two idiots!"

"Hahahaha, only I can inherit that throne, and only I can bring about the Restoration of the Han!"

"That Liu Bian is nothing but a yellow-mouthed child. What right does he have to be Emperor of the Han? What right does he have to bring about the Restoration of the Han…"

Seeing that everyone had already heard his treasonous words, Liu Bei dropped all pretense and poured out every grievance in his heart in one breath.

"I never expected that I, Guan Yu, who have held loyalty and righteousness as my life's principles, would be deceived by a petty man like you. Liu Bei, you are unworthy of being my Big Brother. From this day forth, we are done." Having spoken, Guan Yu swung his Blade and cut off a strip of his own robe, throwing it on the ground.

"Second Brother is right. We took you as our Big Brother, yet all along you were using us. You hypocritical little man — who would have thought your heart was so dark. From this day forth, I, Zhang Fei, am also done with you!"

Zhang Fei, his face full of sorrow, finished speaking to Liu Bei, then imitated Guan Yu's action and cut his robe to sever ties with Liu Bei.

"Hahahaha, that's only because you two were foolish. Who told you you were so easy to fool!" Liu Bei watched Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's actions and laughed wildly, his expression frenzied.

"Liu Bei, you insolent wretch! With His Majesty present, how can a traitor like you be allowed to run amok here!"