Three Kingdoms: Zhang Fei was sent flying by a single spear thrust, leaving Liu Bei stunned.

A month later.

The weather in Yanzhou was gradually turning cooler, but the atmosphere in Cao Cao's camp was still fiery.

After more than a month of rectification and selection, Cao Cao's two brilliant policies have begun to show results.

The "Qingzhou Soldiers" were officially formed.

One hundred thousand elite young men, handpicked from among the surrendered Yellow Turban soldiers, were reorganized into a completely new force. No longer ragged bandits wielding wooden clubs, they donned uniforms and took up standard weapons. Under the rigorous training of Cao Cao's generals, they were transforming at an astonishing speed from a disorganized rabble into a disciplined and formidable army.

Their families were also properly settled. With their loved ones as their "Achilles' heel," these once unruly Yellow Turban soldiers were now utterly loyal to Cao Cao and obedient to his every word. They knew that Cao Cao had given them a new life, dignity, and hope. To protect this hard-won peace, they were willing to give everything.

The implementation of the "military agricultural system" brought new vitality to the entire Yanzhou region.

Hundreds of thousands of displaced people, once a source of social instability, have now become hardworking farmers. They toil diligently on the land allocated to them by the government, clearing wasteland and cultivating the land. Although life remains difficult, at least they have hope. Looking at the thriving rice seedlings in the fields, long-lost smiles have returned to their faces.

The army had the most loyal recruits, and the rear had the most stable granaries.

Standing on high ground, Cao Cao surveyed the scene, his heart filled with boundless pride. He knew that the two most important cornerstones of his quest to conquer the world had been firmly laid.

And all of this started with that young man who was both godlike and demonic.

Zhang Ziqian has been quite free during this period.

Cao Cao treated him as a national treasure, providing him with the best food and drink. Apart from being dragged out by his generals for "sparring" (being beaten up one-sidedly) every day, he had almost no other tasks.

His daily life consists of eating, sleeping, and playing "games" (entering VR space).

The fragment of Lu Bu's martial spirit cannot be fused yet because the prerequisite of "the Flying General's approval" has not been met. However, he is not in a hurry, since Li Cunxiao's martial spirit has not been fully developed yet.

He spent most of his time on "friendly exchanges" with the red-haired hulking gatekeeper, General Ratahn of Shattered Stars.

Although he was always beaten black and blue, his fighting skills and control over his strength improved rapidly through this high-intensity training. He felt that he was now much stronger than when he fought the Yellow Turbans.

That day, he was taking a nap in his tent when he was awakened by a series of hurried footsteps.

"General! General Zhang! The divine weapon... the divine weapon is ready!"

It was the voice of the old blacksmith, filled with barely suppressed excitement and fervor.

"Oh? It's done?" Zhang Ziqian sprang out of bed with a jolt, rushing out barefoot without even putting on his shoes.

Outside the tent, generals and soldiers who had come after hearing the news had already gathered.

In the center of the open space, a dozen of the strongest blacksmiths were working together to carry a huge object wrapped in thick cloth, moving it step by step with great difficulty towards this location.

With each step they took, they left a deep footprint in the hard ground. The weight of that object was evident.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"

Cao Cao also rushed over in person. He waved for everyone to step back and make way for the blacksmiths.

"General, I have not failed you!"

The experienced craftsman walked up to Zhang Ziqian, his face flushed with excitement. He directed the others to carefully place the object down.

"boom!"

A muffled thud was heard, and the entire ground seemed to tremble.

The master craftsman reached out with trembling hands and suddenly ripped off the thick cloth covering it!

In an instant, a dazzling, cold light shot into the sky, causing everyone to instinctively squint.

An unparalleled divine weapon lay there quietly.

Its design is exactly the same as the projection Zhang Ziqian showed. The entire piece is made of the purest refined steel, mixed with extraterrestrial meteorite iron, and it took a month of hammering and forging.

The halberd's body was dark, yet it gleamed with the cold, metallic sheen. Its blade was sharp and menacing. The ornate yet domineering crescent-shaped blade reflected a chilling, crimson light in the sunlight.

Everyone was awestruck by the imposing aura of this divine weapon, and for a moment, there was complete silence.

"Excellent! Excellent halberd!" Cao Cao was the first to come to his senses and exclaimed sincerely.

He was a discerning person; with just one glance, he knew that this halberd was an absolutely rare and powerful weapon of the time.

"This halberd weighs two hundred and sixteen catties," the master craftsman proudly announced its weight. "It represents the culmination of our life's work!"

"Two hundred and sixteen jin!"

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, and other fierce generals subconsciously swallowed. They considered themselves to be incredibly strong, but the thought of using such heavy weapons to fight was something they wouldn't even dare to imagine.

"Ziqian, come, try out your new weapon," Cao Cao said to Zhang Ziqian with a smile.

Zhang Ziqian couldn't wait any longer.

He chuckled, stepped forward, and casually grasped the cold halberd shaft with one hand.

Then, to everyone's astonishment, he exerted force with his wrist and lifted the halberd, which weighed over two hundred pounds, off the ground with just one hand.

The whole process was as easy as picking up a twig from the ground.

"Buzz—"

He casually made a flourish.

The heavy halberd seemed weightless in his hands, transforming into a black whirlwind. The sound of it tearing through the air was sharp and piercing, and the gust of wind it generated made those around him lose their footing.

"Not bad! Not bad!" Zhang Ziqian weighed the item in his hand and nodded in satisfaction. "The feel is just right!"

He stroked the cold halberd with great affection, liking it more and more as he looked at it.

This is the weapon a real man should use!

Seeing his relaxed and carefree demeanor, the soldiers around him changed their gaze from awe to fervent worship.

In their eyes, Zhang Ziqian was no longer human, but a god descended from heaven!

Just then, a scout rode in at full speed into the camp.

"Report! My lord! Urgent military news!"

The scout dismounted, knelt on one knee, and loudly reported: "Tao Qian, the governor of Xu Province, has raised an army to invade the eastern border of our Yan Province! Furthermore... we have received intelligence that Lü Bu, the Flying General of Xiliang, after breaking with Yuan Shu, has led his remaining troops into Chenliu County and has been taken in by the prefect Zhang Miao!"

"What?!"

This news caused the expressions on everyone's faces to change.

Tao Qian's invasion was somewhat expected. But Lu Bu, that fierce tiger, had unexpectedly come to his bedside!

Cao Cao's brows furrowed instantly.

He knew that the infamous "Yanzhou Incident," the crisis that nearly cost him everything, had quietly begun. Zhang Miao, the governor of Chenliu, was a longtime friend, but he was easily swayed, and his strategist Chen Gong was an ambitious man. Lü Bu's arrival in Chenliu was like planting a powerful bomb in his own backyard.

The strategists and generals under his command were also in an uproar, discussing countermeasures.

However, one person's focus was different from everyone else's.

"Lü Bu? He's arrived in Chenliu?"

When Zhang Ziqian heard this name, his eyes lit up instantly.

He shouldered the newly acquired halberd, strode up to Cao Cao, and said excitedly:

"Boss! Your chance has come!"

"What are we waiting for? Let's go beat him up!"

"My Red Hare is waiting for me!"