Three Kingdoms, Myth

The scene rewinds to the moment Qu Yi was prepared to sacrifice himself. Covered in blood, Qu Yi swung his saber and cut down a centurion of the White Horse Cavalry. Charging forward, he met another oncoming saber head-on. The pain brought clarity to Qu Yi, and with a reverse strike, he beheaded his opponent.

"Thud!" This time, Qu Yi couldn't avoid the incoming strike, and a saber pierced through his abdomen. But by this point, Qu Yi no longer cared about preserving his life. With the White Horse Cavalry's banner falling, their defeat was inevitable. Laughing as he decapitated another enemy, Qu Yi knew that Yuan Shao's victory was now irreversible. The White Horse Cavalry was doomed.

"Out of my way!" Just as Qu Yi was about to be overwhelmed by the enemy, Yan Liang charged in, releasing a crimson energy blade. Although the blade shrank significantly after traveling just a short distance, it was enough to save Qu Yi's life.

"Pant... pant..." Yan Liang gasped for breath. Using his inner energy in such a situation was immensely taxing. Normally, he could unleash a massive energy blade tens of meters long, but within the confines of the battlefield, it was reduced to just a fraction of its power.

"Get up here!" Yan Liang rushed forward, grabbing Qu Yi by the collar and fending off the surrounding enemies with his spear. He then turned his horse in another direction, knowing that even he couldn't last long in the enemy's midst without his personal guards.

To be honest, Yan Liang had never liked Qu Yi's boastful nature before, but after witnessing Qu Yi's actions on the battlefield, he had to admit that he respected him. Whether it was Qu Yi's skill or his loyalty, Yan Liang was impressed. That's why he risked his life to rescue him from the center of the enemy formation.

"Brother, I'm coming too!" Wen Chou shouted, leading their personal guards into the fray. Soon, the two groups converged.

"Zhengli, from now on, I acknowledge you as my brother! Even though I didn't like you before!" Yan Liang placed Qu Yi on his horse, laughing heartily as he treated his wounds. "You did a great job!"

Qu Yi groaned in response but said nothing. His earlier actions were driven by adrenaline and the realization that he was alone. Now that he had been rescued, who would willingly choose death?

"Well done!" Wen Chou laughed alongside them. "We've been oppressed by the White Horse Cavalry for too long. This time, let's turn them into dead horses!"

"The White Horse Cavalry is finished! As long as my heavy shielded infantry can withstand their first charge, and you cut off their retreat, my death squads will show them that without their speed, cavalry are nothing but toys!" Qu Yi laughed arrogantly. Perhaps such words would have been met with scorn before, but now he had proven his capabilities on the battlefield.

In fact, the moment the White Horse Cavalry's banner fell, chaos spread through their ranks. At the rear, Gongsun Zan, as if struck by lightning, collapsed from his horse in shock. The undefeated elite that had dominated the northern frontier had been utterly defeated with the fall of their banner.

Meanwhile, Qu Yi's death squads were burning with determination. He had fulfilled his promise, leading a squad of 300 men with no hope of survival into the heart of the White Horse Cavalry and cutting down their banner. Now it was up to his death squads to finish the job.

When the commander is unafraid of death, how can the soldiers hesitate? Before the battle, Qu Yi had arranged for the posthumous affairs of every soldier, including his own. Now that he had fulfilled his promise, it was time for the death squads to do their part.

"Kill!" With a fierce roar, the death squads fought with reckless abandon, ignoring all injuries as they slaughtered the White Horse Cavalry. Their sole objective was to kill every last one of them.

A sword cleaved through an enemy's head, and with bloodshot eyes, the death squad members relentlessly hacked at their next target. Ferocious, maddened, and fearless in the face of death, the death squads seemed possessed by spirits, their blood-red aura overwhelming the once-pristine white of the enemy's formation.

Yuan Shao watched in awe as the death squads, even after the battle, stood firm, gripping their blood-stained swords as they reassembled. In that moment, Yuan Shao understood what it meant to have an elite force. The fierce gaze and murderous aura of the death squads were enough to make any other troops instinctively step aside. This was Qu Yi's elite force, the "First Assault," the strongest offensive unit.

Standing before the First Assault were the remnants of the heavy shielded infantry, who struggled to stand upright. Their armor was battered and bloodstained, their shields dented, but their imposing figures and determined expressions marked them as Qu Yi's elite "Great Spear Guards," the ultimate defensive unit.

In that moment, Yuan Shao finally understood why Qu Yi always seemed to regard his own troops as superior. Because even when exhausted, Qu Yi's soldiers commanded such respect that other units would instinctively avoid their path. This was the aura of true elite troops, forged on the whetstone of the White Horse Cavalry!

"Zhengli, you've worked hard," Yuan Shao said, bowing to Qu Yi, who was covered in blood and riddled with wounds.

"Glad I didn't disappoint you!" Qu Yi replied solemnly, casting a glance at the generals behind Yuan Shao. His intimidating presence made them all lower their heads in submission.

"Hahaha, Zhengli, come! Yuan Tu and the others have surely prepared a victory feast!" Yuan Shao laughed, completely unconcerned by Qu Yi's arrogance. He could feel Qu Yi's unwavering loyalty, and as long as Qu Yi was loyal, his arrogance didn't matter. After all, Qu Yi had the skills to back it up. The White Horse Cavalry had fallen—what more proof was needed?

Yuan Shao led Qu Yi at the forefront, followed by Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Shen Pei, and the rest of the officials. In that moment, no one harbored any jealousy toward Qu Yi, for he had single-handedly removed the greatest obstacle looming over Jizhou—the White Horse Cavalry! His pure, overwhelming strength commanded the respect of all the military generals.

Returning victorious, the entire army was rewarded. After witnessing the might of the First Assault and Great Spear Guards, Yuan Shao fully understood the deterrent power of an elite army. Even a half-strength First Assault led by Qu Yi was enough to make ordinary soldiers instinctively step aside. Now, Yuan Shao eagerly anticipated what a fully formed First Assault could achieve!

At the victory feast, Qu Yi was the main focus, with even Yuan Shao taking a backseat. As the wine flowed, Qu Yi knelt before Yuan Shao. "My lord, I request the honor of battling Gongsun Zan once more. This time, I will eliminate your worries for good!"

Yuan Shao laughed heartily, perhaps a bit drunk, and without thinking, he responded, "I fully trust in your abilities! Finish this cup, and then go do whatever you need to do! I, Yuan Benchu, will support you with everything I've got!"