Mythical Three Kingdoms

Chang'an, Liu Xie involuntarily felt his legs weaken upon hearing that roar. Sliding off the Dragon Throne, he collapsed to the ground, kneeling toward the east. Though there seemed to be strength to resist, in that moment of weakness, he did not rise.

Chenliu, Xun Yu's tears involuntarily flowed down his face as that dragon's cry broke the silence. In a previously bleak and hopeless situation, he had groped forward in the darkness, struggling to find a path. But now, he finally realized that the Han Dynasty's national fate still existed—and not just existed, but thrived. Heaven has not forsaken the Han Dynasty!

Bingzhou, in the midst of a bloody battle at Jiuyuan, Lyu Bu wielded the Sky Piercer, slashing down a Hu general before him. Beneath him, the Red Hare reared back and let out a piercing cry toward the heavens. Then, Lyu Bu spun the Sky Piercer in a wide arc and ascended into the sky, standing there amidst an almost unbearable pressure, resolute and unyielding.

"A mere dead item, and it dares seek my submission?" Lyu Bu sneered coldly, as a golden-red brilliance exploded from his body. Meanwhile, within Jiuyuan City, the delicate Diao Chan absorbed the overwhelming power Lyu Bu sent across vast distances. The frail strength she'd shown previously melted away, and she slowly stood tall and firm.

Yanzhou, Zhao Yun gently patted the neck of his steed, the Night Illuminating Jade Lion, soothing the agitated beast so it would not stir under the present circumstances. As for the golden cloud gradually appearing over his body, he paid it no mind, his eyes fixed intently westward—toward the battlefield where Yann Liang and Tian Feng clashed with Guan Yu and Guo Jia.

Jizhou, Yuan Shao turned his head back toward Yanzhou. In that moment, his gaze reflected all that was occurring on the battlefield there.

Although Yuan Shao had not known what was emerging before, in that moment of turning back, he understood. The two cauldrons that manifested were none other than the Xuanyuan Heaven Cauldron and the Xuanyuan Human Cauldron. As his gaze returned, knowledge of these two cauldrons—their names, their meanings: Heaven and Human—seemed forcibly ingrained into his mind.

At this moment, countless reclusive individuals across the land stepped out of their hidden abodes, silently gazing toward the Central Plains Heartland. Suspended in the void, the colossal bronze cauldron captured their attention—some were struck by awe, some overcome with fervor, others consumed by greed. The myriad facets of human nature erupted in full expression at this moment.

"The Heaven-Man Dual Cauldrons have emerged," Wang Yue remarked, standing atop the once-glorious Weiyang Palace. Though his ambition of holding office had yet to be realized, his role as a covert guardian of the emperor had persisted quietly over the years. His only duty was to protect the emperor from death—but if the emperor sought to command him, it would depend entirely on the emperor's ability to earn that power.

"The Son of Heaven of Han..." Wang Yue cast a contemptuous glance at the emperor who knelt trembling and prostrate on the ground. This Son of Heaven? A title to inspire awe? Yet here he cowered under the pressure. Did he even grasp the significance of this act of submission? Liu Xie upon the Dragon Throne evidently did not.

Tong Yuan squinted toward Yanzhou, fully understanding the implications of the Heaven-Man Dual Cauldrons' emergence. Not only were they tied to national destiny; they presented the perfect opportunity for so-called immortals to seize fortune and grace.

Silently, he wiped his long spear. "Immortals... Beyond the Northern Frontier, any immortal who dare enters the Central Plains at this moment—shall meet only death!"

Rewind time by one quarter hour, Yanzhou's Jiyin region: Guo Jia, after rigorous calculation and meticulous plotting, had finally led Tian Feng into a trap. Yet Tian Feng was no easy adversary. As soon as the ambush triggered, Tian Feng activated his contingency plan—Yann Liang's army stormed forward from the rear.

Alas, Guo Jia had foreseen this move. When Yann Liang appeared, Guan Yu immediately led soldiers to confront him head-on; the battle's outcome was nearly set in stone.

Truthfully, barring unforeseen events, either Yann Liang or Tian Feng was bound to fall here. However, even Guo Jia's calculations could not foresee the catastrophic twist—the Heaven-Man Dual Cauldrons were struck by Yann Liang and Guan Yu, shattering the earth, and emerging from the depths.

With the near-perfect strikes from Guan Yu and Yann Liang, the ground cracked violently, and the buried Heaven-Man Dual Cauldrons surfaced, almost as though their majesty had been defiantly provoked. A thunderous dragon's roar instantly resonated in every mortal's heart.

On the battlefield above, Guan Yu and Yann Liang were struck as if by lightning, plummeting to the ground. Every soldier on both sides dropped their weapons and knelt toward the cauldrons' direction.

On the field, only Guo Jia and Tian Feng remained standing, gritting their teeth against the tremendous pressure. But even comparing this to the distant corners of the Great Han Dynasty, the strain upon Guan Yu, Yann Liang, Guo Jia, and Tian Feng was immeasurable.

"This is..." Guan Yu steadied himself against the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, struggling to rise. Behind him, the Azure Dragon's shadow grew ever more distinct as he labored. Yet Guan Yu could only see, across the field, Yann Liang similarly rising, with the hardened red dragon shadow behind him almost fully solid.

Nearby, roughly over a hundred paces away, Yann Liang watched Guan Yu. As Guan Yu managed to push himself upright through sheer willpower, Yann Liang gritted his teeth, moving shakily to his feet as well. Both of them, their Inner Qi immensely suppressed, injured from their fall without any protection, continued to stand.

"The Heaven-Man Dual Cauldrons of the Xuanyuan Yellow Emperor's sacrificial rites..." Guo Jia spoke with a grave expression. Even though he'd never seen the artifacts before, their overwhelming presence made their authenticity undeniable. What imitation could conjure golden light representing national destiny, respond to the cries of countless citizens, and hover effortlessly in the void?

Tian Feng's eyes burned with fanaticism. The roaring dragon sounds surrounding him, and the golden coiling dragon that swirled between reality and illusion atop the Heaven-Man Dual Cauldrons, drove Tian Feng to grit his teeth and slowly move closer to the cauldrons. He now understood the significance of these two artifacts—they encompassed the Great Han Dynasty's six-hundred-year destiny!

"General Guan, seize the cauldrons quickly! The Great Han Dynasty's fortune cannot be allowed to fall into Yuan Shao's hands!" Guo Jia, standing far from the cauldrons, saw Tian Feng approaching unsteadily but resolutely. He shouted at Guan Yu with all his might.

Guan Yu let out a muffled grunt in response, acknowledging Guo Jia's cry. Both Guan Yu and Yann Liang had suffered from the backlash of national fate, yet they had also withstood its scrutiny successfully!

Upon hearing Guo Jia's shout, Guan Yu immediately opened his eyes, glaring at the Heaven-Man Dual Cauldrons suspended in the void and radiating dazzling golden light. With great strides, he advanced toward them. As for his soldiers, only the elite troopers who could struggle onward at all remained standing; the majority knelt motionlessly, subdued by the crushing force.

"Guan Yunchang, you shall not!" Yann Liang staggered forward in pursuit, his mind awash with thoughts of the Heaven-Man Dual Cauldrons, the six-hundred-year fortune of the Han Dynasty, Yuan Shao's favor and recognition—all pouring through his heart. Yann Liang struggled forward relentlessly.

Guan Yu cast an icy glance at Yann Liang, his cold and proud expression unmoved as he strode toward the Xuanyuan Cauldrons. By then, Tian Feng was already nearing the Xuanyuan Heaven Cauldron.

But ultimately, Tian Feng was closer. Guan Yu's earlier advantage in position seemed now to have favored Tian Feng instead. Originally intent on cutting down either Yann Liang or Tian Feng, Guan Yu's hesitation had inadvertently given Tian Feng the upper hand.

(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile readers, please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)