Chapter 87

Zhao Lu closed his eyes, awaiting death. But just as the barbarian's blade was about to fall, a sudden gust of wind arose.

A long spear swept across with overwhelming force, striking two barbarian warriors and sending them flying, spitting blood!

Zhao Lu, hardly believing his eyes, looked up to see the spear, made of fine iron, gleaming in the cold light. The man wielding it was as mighty as a god, towering on a green horse. Who else could it be but Lu Yao?

At this moment, the Jin army's defensive line had completely collapsed. The barbarian forces, like raging waves, broke through from several directions simultaneously. They concentrated part of their forces to encircle and annihilate the remaining Jin troops, while the flanks rapidly advanced towards the mountain pass. And it was at this moment that Lu Yao, leading his personal cavalry, charged in the opposite direction!

Two other barbarian warriors reacted at this point. They roared and lunged at Lu Yao.

Lu Yao clamped his legs hard against the horse's flanks, causing the horse to neigh in pain and surge forward. His right hand thrust the spear forward, striking one man in the chest. With a strange sound, the sharp tip of the spear pierced through the barbarian's back. Lu Yao flicked his wrist, and the spear, like a snake, retracted. The massive body of the barbarian fell to the ground like a burst blood bag.

At this moment, the remaining barbarian warrior pounced from the left, swinging a large axe.

Lu Yao slightly sidestepped to avoid the axe, then drew his sword with his left hand and slashed back. The blade, like snow, instantly cut the barbarian in two, and scalding blood splattered onto Lu Yao's body.

Lu Yao pointed towards the mountain pass and shouted sternly to Zhao Lu and Mu Lan, "Those who can still move, go quickly!"

With that, he spurred his horse towards another group of Jin troops that were surrounded. Over a dozen of his personal cavalry followed, roaring as they charged.

When the Xiongnu broke through the defenses, Lu Yao was both shocked and enraged. He had not anticipated the intensity of this attack. His original plan was to retreat while fighting, using the terrain to their advantage. However, the barbarians launched a strong attack from five or six directions simultaneously, with the vanguard consisting of selected barbarian warriors. The Jin army's barely maintained line crumbled instantly.

Looking around, the wooden barriers were littered with the bodies of Jin soldiers. The remaining troops were scattered into small groups, still fighting to the death. These soldiers were remnants of the Bingzhou army, who had joined Lu Yao for various reasons: some to secure a full meal, some because Lu Yao treated his troops well, some hoping for a better chance of survival under his leadership, and some to avenge their deep-seated hatred of the barbarians. But now, half of them were already dead, and the other half were in dire straits!

Lu Yao could no longer bear to think about it. He roared and immediately led his troops to the rescue.

After slaying several barbarian warriors and saving Zhao Lu and Mu Lan, dozens of nearby enemy troops had already noticed him. A whistle sounded, and except for a few who continued to besiege the isolated Jin soldiers, the rest surrounded Lu Yao.

How could Lu Yao fear such common soldiers? He charged forward like lightning, his spear spinning and stabbing wildly. The dozen or so barbarians at the forefront screamed in agony, and their bodies soon formed a semicircle around him.

Lu Yao spurred his horse forward. Two extremely fierce barbarians charged from the side to block him. Lu Yao pulled the reins, and his horse's hooves, as large as bowls, trampled them, breaking their bones.

Seeing Lu Yao's bravery, the barbarians besieging the Jin soldiers lost their will to fight and were easily routed. Lu Yao saved several more Jin soldiers.

Without hesitation, Lu Yao continued to charge towards another group of besieged Jin soldiers. He controlled his horse with his feet, holding a spear in one hand and a sword in the other, charging left and right. No one could stand against him, and he carved a bloody path through the loosely formed ranks of the barbarians.

When Lu Yao broke through the entire line, he glanced back. The Jin soldiers he had saved were closely following him, fighting with bloodied determination. From one, two, to over a dozen, and in a blink, they formed a small group of over fifty. Among them were young soldiers like Chu Kun from Jicheng, Lu Yao's old subordinates like Fei Cen and his deputy Tao Lei... Lu Yao had single-handedly saved all the warriors who were trapped by the barbarians!

However, his personal bravery could not change the overall situation. The wooden barriers set up by the Jin army had been completely demolished, and the barbarians were pouring in, their numbers increasing. If they were surrounded by a large force, even if he had three heads and six arms, he would still be doomed.

Therefore, Lu Yao no longer lingered in battle. Once the troops were roughly gathered, he led them to retreat towards the mountain pass at the end of the slope. Originally, there were dozens of Jin soldiers guarding the pass, but they had all fled. In such a situation where the army was collapsing, no one would stay to defend.

A large group of Xiongnu warriors also pursued Lu Yao and his men towards the pass. Lu Yao, at the rear of the group, wielded his spear and killed several pursuing barbarians, slowing down their pursuit.

Suddenly, the sound of iron hooves thundered, and Lu Yao's face changed: it was the Wuhuan cavalry! These elite cavalry had not participated in the earlier battle. They had been resting at the rear, and only charged forward after the three wooden barriers were breached, pursuing the fleeing Jin soldiers.

Lu Yao urged his horse to gallop, quickly catching up with the soldiers rushing towards the pass.

"Quick! Quick! Quick!" he shouted repeatedly, but how could the soldiers' running speed compare to that of a galloping horse? After a few shouts, the Wuhuan cavalry were already close. Several long spears extended, aiming at Lu Yao's back.

Lu Yao's horse was fast, and if he galloped away, he might be able to escape the pursuit. But if he did, the dozens of retreating Jin soldiers would surely die. Thinking of this, Lu Yao roared, "You all retreat quickly! I will hold the rear!" As he roared, he pulled his horse's reins hard!

With Lu Yao's roar, his horse neighed and reared up.

The Wuhuan cavalry, caught off guard, were unprepared. Three riders could not stop their horses and charged past him. Another seven or eight collided with each other, and two horses fell, blocking the path of the pursuing cavalry.

The horses and men were crowded together, trapping Lu Yao as well. Several Wuhuan warriors noticed this and roared, raising various weapons to attack Lu Yao.

Lu Yao thrust his spear horizontally, immediately deflecting their weapons. He then launched a full-force counterattack. The speed of his spear was so fast that the steel spear shaft vibrated violently, producing a "buzzing" sound. Although he had been injured in a night raid a few days ago and had not fully recovered, his bravery was undiminished. Despite the overwhelming number of barbarians, Lu Yao fought like a lion surrounded by wolves, repeatedly disrupting their formation.

Lu Yao's spear technique was different from any other spear master of the time, emphasizing the use of the forearm and wrist, with a shorter range but extremely fast strikes. With a slight movement of his arm, a silver light would spread. To the Wuhuan warriors, it seemed as if a silver ball suddenly exploded from the encirclement. Wherever the silver light reached, enemies fell in agony.

Taking advantage of this moment, the dozens of Jin soldiers ran as fast as they could, retreating to the pass.

But Lu Yao could not easily escape.

Although he was exceptionally brave, how could there not be formidable warriors among the enemy? In an instant, a warrior leaped out, blocking Lu Yao's path. This man had a ruddy complexion and a very imposing and heroic appearance. Although he was Han, he wore a Hun-style helmet and dressed like a barbarian. His shoulders were extremely broad, and his arms were long like those of a giant ape. He held two strange iron spears in his hands, using bizarre techniques.

This man was Wang Yang, a brave warrior under Shi Le. Although Wang Yang was not well-known in Bingzhou, he was one of the notorious bandits in Jizhou, with skills no less formidable than Qiao Xi. Lu Yao, eager to break free, shouted and charged with his spear like a storm. Wang Yang fought him on horseback, matching him blow for blow, and his demeanor suggested he still had reserves of strength.

In this situation of overwhelming odds, Lu Yao relied solely on his personal bravery to maintain the initiative. Once his momentum was hindered, the Wuhuan cavalry immediately attacked from both flanks with swords, spears, and other weapons. The leaders, such as Tao Bao and Ji Bao, were among Shi Le's most formidable warriors, making them very difficult to deal with.

With these few joining the battle, Lu Yao immediately found himself struggling, facing one danger after another.

******

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