Choose Liu Bei at the start, I am the only one who knows the plot of the Three Kingdoms.

Clearly, Penglai has begun preparations to take Liangzhou, and the fact that it has transferred key figures like Yu Ji shows that this matter is a much higher priority in Penglai's plans than helping Cao Cao conquer a new capital!

Without Yu Jina's unpredictable ability to create fog, would his army of over 100,000 men be willing to sacrifice lives to fill that death zone in the face of dozens of cannons poised to fire on the city walls?
Seeing that Tong Fei clearly stated that he could no longer use the mist formation, Cao Cao's expression became even more unpleasant.

He gazed at the dozens of cannons crouching like primordial beasts atop the new capital city, his mind in turmoil.

A strong attack would inevitably come at an extremely heavy price; but if we don't attack, are we just going to retreat and watch Gu Rubing gain a foothold in Xindu?

Ultimately, the ruthlessness of the warlord and his desire to conquer the new capital overcame his fear.

He suddenly waved his hand, his face showing a resolute determination.

"Since immortal magic is unreliable, then let us, the sons and daughters of Great Wei, crush this city with our flesh and blood! Issue the order! All troops, attack! Whoever scales the city walls first will be rewarded with a thousand gold pieces and enfeoffed as a marquis of ten thousand households!"

"kill--!"

The deafening sound of war drums suddenly rang out, like a death knell.

Countless Cao army soldiers, like a black tide, carrying ladders and pushing battering rams, roared like wild beasts as they launched a desperate charge towards the walls of Xindu.

Amidst the surging crowd, Tong Fei, dressed in black, blended into the siege force like an inconspicuous ghost, his cold gaze fixed on the city wall.

On the city wall, Gu Rubing looked down at the Cao army swarming in like ants. Instead of fear, he revealed a cold smile.

"Cao Mengde, it seems you've run out of tricks and are resorting to such brute force to attack the city? Very well, then I'll let you taste the power of my cannons once more!"

He suddenly waved his hand and gave the order.

"All artillery positions, aim at the densest enemy positions and give me a good beating!"

"Order!"

The well-trained gunners quickly adjusted the muzzle, loaded the shells, and lit the fuse.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom—!!!"

The next moment, it was as if dozens of thunderclaps exploded simultaneously on the walls of the new capital! Blazing flames shot out from the cannon muzzles, and thick smoke instantly filled the air!
Dozens of heavy iron cannonballs, accompanied by the whistling of death, traced low, flat arcs and slammed into the charging Cao army ranks!
"Oh!"

"Boom!"

"Crack!"

Violent explosions rang out one after another!
With each shell that landed, a horrific flower of flesh, blood, severed limbs, and mud bloomed amidst the dense crowd!
Flames soared into the sky, air currents rolled, and shattered shields, twisted weapons, and human fragments were thrown high into the air before raining down!
The area ravaged by the shells was instantly cleared, leaving only charred craters and a scene of utter carnage!

With just one volley, several alarming "vacuum zones" were created in Cao's charging formation, like a wall built of flames and death, which forcefully blocked the onslaught of subsequent troops!

The screams, wails, and the agonizing cries of soldiers being set ablaze instantly drowned out the shouts of the charge, turning the entire battlefield into a living hell!

Cao Cao watched from the rear, his eyes twitching, his heart bleeding.

These are his elite soldiers!
However, at the very moment when the cannons were roaring and the defenders' attention was drawn to the fierce battle on the front, Gu Rubing on the city wall, as well as Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and other generals guarding him, almost simultaneously changed their expressions!
A chilling, pure, and terrifying killing intent, seemingly capable of freezing the soul, suddenly erupted from the attacking forces like a tangible needle tip. At an illogical speed, it ignored the deadly zone of flying cannon fire between the two sides and rapidly approached the section of the city wall where Gu Rubing was located!

"Lord, be careful!"

Guan Yu's phoenix eyes snapped open, and Red Hare seemed to sense the threat as well, pawing the ground uneasily.

He grabbed Gu Rubing's arm, and together with Zhang Fei, they practically dragged Gu Rubing backward!

Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, and Huang Zhong reacted instantly, drawing their weapons and unleashing their aura to firmly protect Gu Rubing in the center!
Just as they left their original spot and retreated to the inner side of the horse path—

“Rumble——!!!”

A deafening roar, far more muffled and chilling than the boom of artillery, resounded!

The section of the city wall where Gu Rubing had just stood seemed to have been crushed by an invisible, primordial hand, suddenly caved in and collapsed!
Huge stone blocks and bricks shattered and collapsed as if molded from clay, sending dust billowing into the sky!

The several cannons deployed in that area, along with the dozens of gunners and defenders who were unable to evacuate in time, were instantly buried under the massive boulders, without even being able to utter a scream!

"This...this is?!"

Supported by his guards, Gu Rubing looked back at the section of the city wall that had instantly turned into ruins. His pupils contracted sharply, and a chill ran from the soles of his feet to the top of his head!

Such horrific destruction could not have been caused by ordinary human beings!
This can only be... a legendary general! And a legendary general who went all out!

However, legendary generals known to Cao Cao, such as Dian Wei and Xu Chu, were clearly stationed in the rear and did not participate in the siege!
Who made the move?

The answer appeared in Gu Rubing's mind almost instantly—Penglai! It was Tong Fei, the one who had infiltrated the army!

As if to confirm his conjecture, just as the dust from the collapsed city wall had not yet settled, a black figure shot out from the ruins like a ghost and leaped into the air! It was Tong Fei!

In his hand, a spear made entirely of pitch-black energy, radiating an ominous and deathly aura, had materialized at some unknown time!

"Ant, suffer death!"

Tong Fei's cold voice was devoid of any emotion. With a wave of his arm, the black energy spear, as if it had come to life, transformed into a black lightning bolt with a piercing shriek. It did not shoot towards Gu Rubing, but rather towards the densely packed guards on a section of the city wall next to him!

"Puff! Puff! Puff!"

Wherever the black spear passed, it was as if the scythe of death was wielded! The soldiers of the Fierce Army who were struck by the spear's light, whether they were wearing leather armor or iron armor, had their bodies instantly vaporized as if melted by the high temperature, or withered and shriveled up in a strange way. They fell down in droves before they could even scream!

That black energy seemed capable of destroying not only the body but also eroding the soul!

"You heretic! How dare you do this!"

Guan Yu's eyes widened in fury. His Green Dragon Crescent Blade let out a resounding dragon's roar, and he was the first to leap up, his blade flashing like a blue rainbow piercing the sun, directly slashing at Tong Fei!
"You traitor! Take this spear from your Grandpa Zhang!" Zhang Fei roared like thunder, his eighteen-foot spear carrying an overwhelming aura as he thrust at Tong Fei from the side!

Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, Huang Zhong, and Wei Yan knew there was no way out. Since their opponent had gone all out, these legendary generals were the only force that could stand against them! Each of the five men wielded a weapon, their auras merging into one, and they launched a fierce attack on Tong Fei from different directions!
Six legendary generals besiege one person!
In an instant, the sky above the new capital was filled with surging energy and flashing light! The glint of blades, the shadows of spears, the gleam of guns, and the arrows intertwined to create a dazzling yet dangerous spectacle of death! The sounds of explosions and clashing weapons filled the air!
However, even with the six legendary generals joining forces, they could only barely hold off Tong Fei, this monster from Penglai, and the battle reached a stalemate, with the generals even slightly losing ground!
Tong Fei's black energy spear was unpredictable and strange. Sometimes it solidified like a real weapon, and sometimes it dispersed like black mist. Its moves were ruthless and cunning, and the power it contained was far beyond what ordinary people could understand.

Each time Guan Yu and the others' weapons clashed with it, they felt a chilling, bone-deep force creeping up their arms, extremely difficult to dispel. At this rate, their defeat was likely only a matter of time!
While the city's elite forces were being held back by Tong Fei alone, Cao Ren, a general of the Cao army below, seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

"Soldiers! The city walls have fallen! Follow me and charge in! Today is the day to make our mark!"

Cao Ren brandished his sword and roared, leading his elite Cao army infantry like a flood bursting its banks, surging into the new capital city through the breach in the city wall that Tong Fei had breached!
"Stop them! We can't let them break in!"

Generals Zhang Liao and Deng Ai, among others, shouted themselves hoarse as they directed their soldiers to block the breach. The city's defenders also mustered their last ounce of courage, engaging in a fierce and brutal street battle with Cao Cao's army that had stormed into the city.

However, the collapsed section of the city wall not only killed soldiers and artillery, but also shattered the psychological defenses of the Liejun soldiers!

Even the sturdy city walls and invincible cannons could not stop the enemy, and even the combined might of our six strongest generals could not defeat a single enemy...

Despair and fear spread like a plague among the defenders.

Despite Zhang Liao and others' desperate resistance, the defensive line was being compressed step by step, and collapse seemed imminent.

Gu Rubing was protected by his personal guards. Looking at the chaotic and desperate battle before him, and at Tong Fei, who was fighting fiercely with the six generals in the air like a demon god, he clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh and bled.

He got it completely.

Penglai is no longer content with manipulating things from behind the scenes.

They began to intervene directly, using this almost rogue, rule-breaking power to forcibly interfere in the affairs of the world! It's pointless to talk about rules and strategy with such an enemy!
"Pass the order..."

Gu Rubing's voice was hoarse and deep, carrying a chilling coldness.

"The entire army...retreats."

He knew that Xindu could not be defended. Continuing to hold out would only result in the annihilation of the entire army.

This order was filled with resentment and humiliation, but it was also the most rational choice at the moment.

After leaving behind the corpses of countless soldiers who stayed behind to cover the retreat, Gu Rubing led his remaining troops and was forced to abandon the new capital and retreat once again.

Sitting on the swaying horse, Gu Rubing looked back at the city engulfed in flames and gradually covered by Cao's army flags, his eyes burning with a fierce fire.

"Penglai... Penglai!"

He repeatedly pondered those two words in his mind, and an unprecedented determination and killing intent gathered in his chest.

"Until you are all uprooted, this chaotic world will never have peace! To restore the glory of the Han Dynasty? No, before that, we must first sweep away you, these malignant tumors that have taken root in the world!"

Gu Rubing led his remaining troops to retreat from the new capital, with flames soaring into the sky and deafening shouts of battle behind them, their morale plummeting to rock bottom.

His heart was filled with resentment and humiliation. He was weighing whether to continue retreating to find a new stronghold or to regroup on the spot and make a final stand when a cloud of dust rose from behind and a not-so-large army was rapidly approaching!
"alert!"

The guards immediately tensed up and protected Gu Rubing in the center.

However, when the army approached and they could see the leading flag and the commander, Gu Rubing and his generals breathed a sigh of relief, followed by a complex mix of emotions.

The banner was the Wu King's banner of the Anluo Empire. The two leaders were Zhou Yu, a man of elegant bearing with a feather fan and silk turban, and Lu Xun, a young and handsome man with calm eyes.

Behind them followed approximately five thousand elite infantrymen.

"Governor Zhou? General Lu? What brings you here?"

Gu Rubing stepped forward, a hint of surprise on his face. As agreed, Sun Jian's reinforcements were mainly for defensive purposes and were not required to directly participate in this meat grinder-like siege warfare.

Zhou Yu dismounted, bowed to Gu Rubing, and solemnly surveyed the blood-soaked, weary soldiers before him, before speaking in a deep voice.

"Yu and Boyan were ordered to come and assist in the defense. Hearing that the King of Wei's main force was fiercely attacking Xindu, they specially led their troops to come and see if they could be of any help. But they never expected..."

He paused, looking at the still fiercely contested new capital city in the distance, his tone tinged with disbelief.

"The battle has become so intense."

He had originally thought that with Gu Rubing's abilities, even if he couldn't win the city, he wouldn't be in such a sorry state. But seeing it with his own eyes, he realized that Cao Cao's offensive was far more ferocious than he had imagined.

He secretly lamented that even if he sent 5,000 people, it would be a drop in the ocean, and it was uncertain how many would survive.

Lu Xun added from the side.

“Your Highness, although our army is small, all of us are brave warriors and are willing to obey Your Highness’s orders.”

The arrival of these 5,000 fresh troops was like adding a handful of new firewood to a dying ember. Although their numbers were small, the signal that "reinforcements have arrived" greatly reassured the morale of the Liejun army, which was on the verge of collapse.

The soldiers, who were originally filled with anxiety, saw the flags of their allies and heard the voices of Zhou Yu and Lu Xun. Their morale, which was on the verge of collapse, was finally stabilized, and they began to regroup and form ranks under the command of officers at all levels.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, generals such as Zhang He, Deng Ai, and Zhong Hui also displayed remarkable resilience, leading their troops in a fierce counterattack against the Cao army that had poured into the city.

Using their familiarity with the city's streets and terrain, they resisted step by step, fighting house by house, and managed to force Cao Ren's Wei vanguard back to the vicinity of the collapsed city wall. The two sides then engaged in an extremely fierce tug-of-war amidst the ruins and rubble.

However, everyone knows that the current stalemate is only temporary.

The most crucial part of the entire battle was not the infantry fighting on the ground, but the area in the air—even with the six legendary generals joining forces, they could only barely hold off Tong Fei, and were even slightly at a disadvantage!
Every swing of Tong Fei's strange black energy spear put Guan Yu and the others in grave danger; if this continued, defeat was only a matter of time.

Once Tong Feiteng makes his move, whether it's beheading Gu Rubing or massacring the ground troops, it will lead to a complete collapse. (End of Chapter)