Chapter 282 - Lyu Bu and Diao Chan (1/2)

“The real topic?” Zhao Changge was rather baffled.

“I brought you here not to listen to my adventures. More importantly, I want you to strive harder and bear responsibilities after learning my deeds,” Zhao Yun said with grave import.

“Please guide me, General Zilong,” Zhao Changge asked humbly.

Zhao Yun nodded slightly. “Here is where I defend against enemy incursions. Responsibility means you must remember this: wealth, honors and the pursuit of immortality aren’t the most important things.”

“As a Hua Xia person, you must remember, we only exist with the Hua Xia state. That is true no matter how many enemies we have in our homeland, or what important deeds we have yet to accomplish.”

“Even unifying our land isn’t as important as defending our territories. Promise me, if an enemy attacks Hua Xia again, you must challenge him with the spear in your hand!”

After saying this, he threw the dragon gut silver spear to Zhao Changge. The latter took the spear and slowly twirled it in his hands. This refined spear gave a low hum, assenting to Zilong’s passionate words.

It was still gleaming with a faint silvery light. It appeared to be willing to follow Zilong again, if the latter gave the order to defend Hua Xia’s lands.

Zhao Changge also felt his body consumed by a burning zeal. He took an oath. “I, Zhao Changge, swear to Heaven! If Hua Xia is again invaded by enemy tribes, I will kill them all!”

“I will do this whether or not Heaven punishes me! As long as I hold this spear, I will spend my entire life forging the Hua Xia spirit with my hot blood!”

His oath resounded through the clouds into the heavens. A ray of light flashed across the sky. His oath had been accepted.

“Bravo! This is how men from Hua Xia ought to be!” Zhao Yun cried, inwardly consoled.

Then he surveyed the surroundings. “In the past, I, Zilong, constructed Tu City to defend against Qiang enemies. This man I brought here shall swear to defend Hua Xia with his life!”

With that, hot tears welled in his eyes. He suddenly knelt down and turned towards the direction of Sichuan. He said in a pained voice, “Master! Premier! Although I am dead, my heart is still alive. My resoluteness has not died!”

“Hua Xia is now unified again. My remnant spirit is still alive. I will do my best to defend this country. This man I brought here is my heir. He, too, will battle by my side.”

“We will use the long spear in our hand to defend this land, over which you have so bravely fought! Even if it means confronting 10,000 enemies. Even if I have only one man and a steed left, we will sacrifice our lives to defend Hua Xia!”

“Master! Premier! I miss you two so much. I yearn to follow you again. If but once… only once…”

Zhao Changge was behind him, watching this scene silently. Who would have thought the legendary Victorious General Zhao Zilong would kneel here, declaring his ambitions with a tear-stained face?

Zilong knelt for his master and premier, as well as for this land. He declared in a sobbing voice his willingness to sacrifice his last drop of blood for Hua Xia. He would expend the last whiff of his grand ambitions for her.

As the faint moonlight shone on his silvery armor, he appeared so utterly forlorn and lonely.

Zhao Changge watched the silhouette of this hero. He only saw his endless dejection and sorrow, as well as his firm resolution. His nose tingled and he quietly wiped away tears from the corners of his eyes.

He advanced and knelt down beside General Zilong. In his heart, the image of this hero loomed even larger, becoming even more unattainable and forlorn.

His dauntless heart was intent on subjugating this troubled time. The long spear in his hand would quell the land. In his unwavering loyalty, he saved his master’s son. He shook heaven and earth at the Battle of Changban. His silvery spear and white horse subdued the world. His lofty deeds were recorded in annals.

Zilong, oh Zilong! Zhao Zilong from Mount Chang!

These five words paid tribute to his loyalty and faithfulness. It also proclaimed his power, as well as his firm resolution to protect Hua Xia.

Changge and Zilong knelt here for a long time, gazing at the mighty land. Everything was expressed without a spoken word.

At another location, Lyu Hao too had arrived at his destination. There was a grave there. He stared at it from a distance, the double-bladed halberd inside his body stirring restlessly. The grave seemed to be Lyu Bu’s.

“Could General Lyu Bu be looking for me?” Lyu Hao asked himself.

“Boohoo…”

Suddenly the sobs of a woman resounded around him. Her sobs were full of a heartbreaking sorrow. One could tell that they were from a peerless beauty.

Lyu Hao knitted his brows, going after the source of the voice with a perplexed expression. The grave was just ahead. He clapped his hand on his head and walked slowly over.

“Ah!”

He could not believe his eyes at all. His eyeballs almost dropped to the ground.

Before Lyu Bu’s grave, knelt a ravishing beauty. She was sobbing loudly. Although she was weeping, her appearance was still so astoundingly beautiful.

Almost as if the moon in the sky would be covered by dark clouds, shamed by her looks.

“What bewitchment! Diao Chan can indeed shame the moon!” Lyu Hao remarked sheepishly.

As he started there, Diao Chan seemed to sense something. She immediately turned back her head and asked in shock, “Why is there his power in your body?”

“Oh! I…”

Lyu Hao did not quite know how to explain. As he stared at the grief-stricken beauty, he felt ashamed not to have answered her. He could only summon the double-bladed halberd.

“Clang!”

Glints of fiery sparks. They instantly coalesced into the double-bladed halberd, materializing in Lyu Hao’s hand.

“This is my husband’s double-bladed halberd!”

Diao Chan instantly widened her eyes and dashed towards Lyu Hao. She began to caress that halberd fondly and carefully, hot tears welling in her eyes.

Drip!

A drop of her crystalline tears fell on the halberd. It slowly seeped in.

“Buzz!”

Immediately after that, the double-bladed halberd started to glow with an intense light. A powerful, brutal spiritual strength surged out.

“Whoosh!”

The spiritual strength slowly condensed into a human figure, clad mightily from head to toes in armor. The resolute face and heroic demeanor belonged to none other than the Flying General, Lyu Bu!

“Diao Chan,” Lyu Bu addressed her slowly.

“My lord!”

Diao Chan immediately threw herself into his arms and started sobbing. “My lord! It’s really you! I have finally seen you again! Do you know how much I miss you? Boohoo…”

The rims of Lyu Bu’s eyes also turned red as he listened to her. He clasped his beloved tightly in his arms and said, “Chan, I’m sorry!”

Lyu Hao on one side started to retreat sensibly, leaving them to themselves. Lyu Bu’s apology might seem simple, but it encompassed all the helplessness in this man’s life.

“My lord, I have waited your return for a millennium. I always believe you will come back and see me. I am indeed right!” Diao Chan sobbed.

Lyu Bu fondled her head and said, “Chan, it’s been hard on you. I’m useless and have made you suffer. If Heaven gave me another chance, I would not have gone to battle.”

“Wealth and honors, the state and her lands, lofty ambitions… all these cannot compare with one-millionth of you! I was foolish, so foolish!”

“I finally understand that you are the most precious treasure in my life!”

He lamented plaintively. His case was a classic elucidation of the old saying, “Even heroes will fall to a beauty’s charms.” Even a powerful general like Lyu Bu had his sentimental side.

Diao Chan raised her head, gently caressing his handsome, resolute face. “No, my lord, even if I cannot stay by your side forever, I am honored to have been your wife.”

“Besides, I have also made use of you. But you still remain as devoted to me as ever. I am the one who has let you down…”

Lyu Bu heard her and shook his head. “If that was your intention, I would willingly be used by you. Even if this meant going against the world! I would do it willingly, without the slightest regret!”

“My lord, since you are willing to forgive me and stay by my side, I regard this life to be complete. Promise me, don’t leave me again. Even if our spirits disperse, we must head for our next rebirth in Hades together.”

Diao Chan said slowly, burying her head into his chest.

“Great! As long as you stay by my side, I am willing to die at once!” Lyu Bu guffawed.

“Don’t speak such nonsense!” Diao Chan covered his mouth and chided him.

“Alright…”

Lyu Bu put his hand on his head and showed remorse. He replied sheepishly, “I… was wrong. Since you’re staying by my side, I can’t die so suddenly.”

“We will stay together for life, until our spirits expended themselves. We will never part again. Even on the Yellow Spring Road, I will lead you by your hand. I won’t let anyone bully you!”

“Yes, if my lord is willing, I will stay by your side forever, even until death. No matter what troubles or blessings befall us, I will never part from you again!” Diao Chan also gave a smile.

Her smile was so ravishing that it could launch a war in troubled times. Even the moon, after peeping out from the clouds, would feel shamed by her beauty again.

And the two of them sat on the ground, recounting to each other their solitude in the past millennium. Lyu Hao walked a few kilometers away and lay down supine on the ground.

“I wonder where Changge is. Is he asleep? Has he encountered any dangers?” Lyu Hao asked himself, facing heaven.

Lyu Bu seemed to remember something and said to Diao Chan, “By the way, that lad’s my heir. Since he helped us meet again, we must offer him our sincerest thanks.”

“Yes, he is our great benefactor. We must repay him lavishly. I will listen to your every arrangement, my lord,” Diao Chan said gently.

“Wait for me here and don’t wander about. I will be… right back. It will only take a moment!”