By the time Chen Xi returned in the afternoon, Lu Yu had become much more composed, with his previous arrogance completely gone. It seemed that Lu Xun had given him quite a rough lesson. Chen Xi, however, didn't ask about what had happened earlier. After giving a few instructions to Lu Xun and Fazheng, he set off again with Zhuge Liang, Lu Yu, and some equipment.
Chen Xi headed back to Taishan in a carefree manner, unaware that at the same time, the Black Mountain Yellow Turbans had fallen into a dire situation. Aside from the combined efforts of Xun Chen and Tian Feng, part of the reason for their predicament was Guo Jia's decision to remain passive.
"Boss, this won't work. Our brothers are no match for Yuan Shao's forces," Li Damu said bitterly, clutching the wound on his chest. "And let's not even mention the others—Yan Liang alone is too much for us. Even with the suppression of his spiritual energy, it takes over ten of us just to barely hold him off."
"We need to hold out. For now, we still have the advantage of knowing the Black Mountain terrain. Their cavalry can't fully deploy here, and their infantry isn't as familiar with the terrain as we are. Once we establish contact with Liu Xuande, we'll have hope," Zhang Yan said with great reluctance. The only reason they had managed to hold out this long was that he had succeeded in uniting the Black Mountain army under Yuan Shao's pressure. But even that wasn't enough to resist.
"It's been so long. If Liu Xuande wanted to help us, he would've come by now," Yu Du said angrily, taking a bite of a steamed bun and washing it down with a gulp of water.
"If he won't come to us, then we'll go to him!" Zhang Yan said bitterly after thinking for a long time. It had come to this, after all. The reason he had been able to unite the Black Mountain army in the first place was precisely for this purpose.
The sound of a bowl falling to the ground echoed as Guo Daxian, who had been carrying water, froze in shock. Everyone stared at Zhang Yan in disbelief. Though they had anticipated this day might come, they hadn't expected it to arrive so soon.
"Does it have to be this way, Commander?" Zuo Xiao asked, his expression dark.
"It was decided from the beginning. The Black Mountain army can have a commander, but that commander must protect everyone," Zhang Yan said calmly. "Bring me a map. I need to figure out how to get to Taishan."
Bai Rao and the others exchanged glances. Although this had been agreed upon when they first formed their alliance—to resist Yuan Shao, the commander must protect the Black Mountain army—over the past few months, as Zhang Yan had proven himself in battle, even those who initially doubted him had come to recognize him as the rightful leader of the Black Mountain army.
Yuan Shao was indeed powerful—this was something Bai Rao and the others had come to understand through their escalating conflicts with him. They had begun to grasp the terrifying strength of Yuan Shao's forces.
If it weren't for Zhang Yan's rapid growth in each battle, the Black Mountain Yellow Turbans would have already been history. It was precisely because of this that Bai Rao and the others had fully accepted Zhang Yan as their commander, no longer out of mere necessity but out of genuine respect.
"You'll die if you do this," Yu Du said bitterly.
"It's better than all of us dying. Besides, do you really want to keep fighting? Liu Xuande is not bad—the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou are doing well under him," Zhang Yan said with a calmness that was almost eerie.
Yu Du was silent for a moment before sighing. "I'll help you find a way."
"Right now, Yan Liang's army has sealed off the road from Jizhou to Qingzhou. Although Licheng is not far, breaking through will cost us dearly. The only other route is through Yanzhou, which, fortunately, is still in disarray due to Lü Bu's rebellion. Otherwise, even that path wouldn't be easy," Zhang Yan said calmly.
Zhang Yan had already made up his mind to die. In fact, the moment he took up the mantle of leadership for the Black Mountain Yellow Turbans, he had resigned himself to this fate. To exchange his life for the future safety and prosperity of nearly a million Yellow Turbans—how could he not gamble on such a possibility, especially when others had already proven it was feasible? Unlike Guan Hai, who hesitated, Zhang Yan had no qualms. If he had to die, so be it.
The examples set by the two great leaders of the Qingzhou Yellow Turbans had left a profound impact on Zhang Yan, and the current state of the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou had filled him with longing. Even before taking up the mantle of leadership, Zhang Yan's heart had already turned toward Taishan. Compared to Yuan Shao's rule, Taishan was much closer to a paradise for the people.
Meanwhile, several miles away, Yan Liang's army was stationed at a camp. Since his defeat at Hulao Pass years ago, Yan Liang had trained tirelessly, and just last year, during a chance encounter, he had received guidance from a mysterious spear master, significantly improving his skills.
"I can finally catch a glimpse of Lü Bu's shadow at Hulao Pass. It turns out Zhao Zilong isn't as terrifying as Lü Bu," Yan Liang exhaled a breath of cold air and slowly stood up.
Thanks to the fortuitous encounter last year, Yan Liang's skills had greatly improved, even surpassing those of Wen Chou. However, to avoid undermining Wen Chou's confidence, Yan Liang had subtly passed on his insights to his brother rather than showing off his progress.
"Ultimate techniques, huh?" Yan Liang mused as he looked at the rising sun. "They're just obstacles on the path to greater heights. Lü Bu doesn't rely on any secret techniques yet remains invincible. I won't waste time creating such techniques—explosive power is fleeting."
"Ha!" Yan Liang shouted, and his spear erupted with a crimson glow, the stench of blood filling the air. A blood-red dragon coiled around the spear, and Yan Liang slammed it into the ground. The entire mountain peak sank several feet, while the spear only penetrated the rock by half a foot.
"Still not enough," Yan Liang muttered in frustration. What he wanted was for the spear to remain unscathed while the entire mountain sank three feet. He needed to fully grasp this technique and embed it into his body, for only then would his strikes carry the weight he desired.
After finishing his morning training, Yan Liang returned to the camp to oversee operations. However, before he could bathe and change, a messenger arrived, informing him that Tian Feng and Xun Chen wished to see him.
Though Yan Liang didn't particularly like Tian Feng and Xun Chen, Yuan Shao had ordered him to follow their commands. So, regardless of his personal feelings, Yan Liang would obey Yuan Shao's orders.
"Lead the way," Yan Liang said, removing his helmet and following the messenger to the central tent where Tian Feng and Xun Chen awaited him.
Upon entering the tent, Yan Liang handed his helmet and spear to the guards and, wearing only a sword at his side, stepped inside. There, he immediately noticed two unexpected figures—Ju Yi and Zhang He.
"Zhengli!" Yan Liang laughed heartily and gave Ju Yi a bear hug, pounding his back twice. "What are you doing here? Weren't you dealing with Gongsun Zan?"
"Hmph, Gongsun Zan's strength is nothing to me. I've already driven him out of You Beiping, and most of Youzhou now belongs to our lord. Gongsun Bogui no longer has the power to look south," Ju Yi said arrogantly, but Yan Liang appreciated that kind of attitude.