Volume 1, Chapter 501 – To Leave One’s Name in History

Even though Zhang Jiao held the Heavenly Tome in his hand and had attained what could only be called the pinnacle of the sorcerous path, even to the point of borrowing ghost soldiers for battle, he was still defeated again and again, driven back a million li, and hunted all the way by Huangfu Song like a stray dog.

Such dazzling military achievements shook both court and countryside. For a time, Huangfu Song became a rising new star, almost the hottest figure inside and outside the imperial court.

On the other battlefields across the land, the Yellow Turban troops also suffered one defeat after another. Lu Zhi and Zhu Jun had likewise reaped considerable victories.

A massive uprising that had begun with tremendous momentum was, after only a few months, almost completely suppressed by the imperial court.

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Youzhou bordered the lands beyond the frontier to the north, where foreign tribes such as the Wuhuan and Xiongnu were entrenched. It also adjoined Ji, Bing, and Qing Provinces, making it a true crossroads.

When the Yellow Turban rebellion broke out, many of the foreign tribes beyond the frontier seemed to sense an opportunity. They gathered considerable forces and grew restless. Yet before they could make a move, they were directly crushed at lightning speed by Gongsun Zan’s White Horse Volunteers and the Bingzhou wolf cavalry stationed on border defense, collapsing into total defeat.

During these past few months, Liu Bei had not rested for even a moment. Since raising troops in Zhuo Commandery, he had rushed from one place to another, capturing twelve commanderies of Youzhou in succession. The power under his command had expanded at astonishing speed and now numbered in the millions. With the military merit he had accumulated, he had already been appointed within the Great Han court as a fourth-rank General Who Conquers the North.

This was not some self-styled miscellaneous generalship. The Great Han court had personally issued the letter of appointment. At this moment, Liu Bei was already protected by the Great Han’s national fortune. If he continued to develop at this pace, promotion to the third rank would only be a matter of time.

Aside from Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, Liu Bei had also gained another batch of generals under his command. There were not many first-rate ones, but second- and third-rate fierce generals were far from rare.

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Because of this, Shi Lan’s position within Liu Bei’s camp had become increasingly delicate. In recent days, she had rarely even taken part in battle. Other than Guan Yinping occasionally coming to seek her guidance in Martial Dao, no one else came to see her.

What others saw as a deserted threshold was, to Shi Lan, a relief instead. That way, when the time came for her to leave, there would not be much trouble.

The Great Han’s national fortune was still flourishing, blazing like the noonday sun. Perhaps this world would not truly develop as it had in her memories. It merely bore some resemblance.

Knock… knock…

A somewhat hurried knocking at the door woke Shi Lan from her secluded cultivation.

She rose and opened the door. As expected, standing outside was Guan Yinping in a fitted martial outfit.

“Sister Lan.”

After greeting her, Guan Yinping, all smiles, walked straight inside and familiarly found a desk to sit at.

“What has you so happy?”

Shi Lan sat opposite Guan Yinping and, seeing the smile she could not hold back, asked in puzzlement.

By rights, Shi Lan associated with Zhang Fei and the others as an equal, which made her an elder to Guan Yinping. Unfortunately, Shi Lan truly did not like being called “Aunt Lan,” so they could only address each other on separate terms.

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“Zhang Jiao has already been driven to the brink and is fleeing around the Yu Province region. My lord intends to lead troops there to capture the rebel. If we can seize Zhang Jiao, it will be another great merit. My lord has already agreed to grant me a hundred thousand light cavalry so I may form an independent route, and all battle merits won will belong to me.”

Guan Yinping looked even more excited as she pulled out a tiger tally from her robes.

“Sister Lan, I want to ask you to come with me. If we really can capture Zhang Jiao, all the battle merit will be yours.”

Without waiting for Shi Lan to speak, she pushed the tiger tally straight toward her.

“Sister Lan, I know you care little for fame or profit, but with your martial skill, you are already among the finest in the world. A heroine like you ought to leave her name in history. If you choose to retire into seclusion just like this, it would be far too much of a pity. It is not only men who can build merit and accomplish great deeds in this world.”

Looking down at the tiger tally, Shi Lan’s gaze paused slightly. It was not because of the achievements Guan Yinping spoke of, but because of those four words: leave her name in history.

Prestige points were something she would never think she had too many of. Whether to improve her cultivation or to serve as a hidden trump card, they were of immense use.

If she could truly leave a mark in this world’s historical records, her prestige points might also gain another steady source of income.

“When do we leave?”

Once she thought of this, Shi Lan stopped hesitating. The Great Han’s battle merit could not only be exchanged for official rank, but also for cultivation resources. It killed two birds with one stone.

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“The sooner the better. Tonight!”

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Liu Bei was far from the only one who had set his sights on Zhang Jiao. Throughout the world, those who wanted to be ennobled as marquises and appointed generals were as numerous as carp crossing a river, too many to count. For a time, Yu Province became a place where winds and clouds converged.

Compared with infantry, the light cavalry led by Shi Lan and Guan Yinping moved much faster. Traveling day and night without pause, they entered the borders of Yu Province after only two days and nights.

After entering Yu Province, signs of war were everywhere. The earth was cracked, mountains had collapsed, and countless fertile fields had been trampled beyond recognition by iron cavalry. Mud covered everything, and common people fleeing the ravages of war in desperate haste could be seen all across the land.

Less than half a day after entering Yu Province, Shi Lan and Guan Yinping encountered the first roaming band of Yellow Turban troops. Their number was fewer than ten thousand, but their combat power was extremely formidable. Among them were three men whose martial skill was no weaker than Guan Yinping’s.

Those who had survived Huangfu Song’s pursuit until now were all elites of the Yellow Turban troops. But before the present Shi Lan, they were no different from weeds by the roadside. In a single clash, their formation was smashed apart. The three leading generals died in battle, and countless soldiers surrendered.

The battle ended quickly. The two left behind five hundred light cavalry to absorb the surrendered troops, then continued onward with the rest of the army.

After covering another two hundred thousand li in a rushing advance, they saw another tide of figures surging toward them from the front, spread across mountains and plains. They were all Han troops clad in armor, throwing away helmets and armor as they fled in total rout, with yellow-brown dust billowing behind them.

“Thunder, come!”

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A loud shout rang out from within the dust. In an instant, dark clouds blanketed the clear sky that stretched ten thousand li, lightning churned, and the spiritual qi of heaven and earth surged violently. Countless bolts of lightning smashed down among the Han troops in a blink. The earth shook and the mountains trembled, while innumerable charred corpses and shattered bones were flung into the air and fell like rain.

“There is a mighty expert within the formation whose sorcery has touched the divine. I may not be a match for them. We should avoid their edge for now.”

Seeing this scene, Shi Lan’s eyes narrowed slightly. She planned to first learn the enemy’s true depth before making a move. If there was only a single eighth-order sorcerer, then with the power inside the Qiongluo Realm, killing them would not be difficult.

“Come save me at once! I am the Administrator of Hedong!”

Before Shi Lan could move aside, a cry for help suddenly rang out from the routed Han forces.

An Administrator ranked comparably to one of the Nine Ministers and already counted as a major frontier official. Guan Yinping hesitated for a moment, but Shi Lan had no such concern. She immediately gave the order and began to alter the army formation.

If they were even one step slower and got entangled by the Yellow Turban troops, there would be many more casualties.

“Kill!”

Shi Lan had only just turned the formation around when earthshaking battle cries came from the distance. A line of heavy cavalry charged over. Dozens of crimson battle banners bearing the character “Cao” were scattered through the formation, as though soaked through with blood.

One figure rushed at the very front. He was not mounted, yet moved with the force of thunder. His build was extraordinarily burly, his face covered by iron armor, and his blood and qi was more vigorous than an azure dragon’s by a hundredfold. From over a hundred li away, he leapt into the air like a meteor and came crashing heavily into the boundless yellow sand!