Chapter Twelve: Defying Fate with Immortality

“Ding! Xing Tian’s exclusive skill ‘Immortality’ activated.
Immortality: Breast, navel, and severed-head dance soldiers, Xing Tian’s exclusive skill.
Effect One: Nullifies all negative status effects.
Effect Two: Immunity to one fatal attack, then restores 50% of current status.
Note: Effect Two triggers a cooldown of three years.
With Xing Tian’s immortality activated, Ghost God Effect Three is nullified, maintaining his martial strength at a steady 134.”

This is incredible—Xing Tian’s skill seems somewhat unbalanced. Although immortality doesn’t boost attributes, the ability to completely negate negative status effects allows Xing Tian’s peak martial strength to remain perfectly at 140. While theoretically Lu Bu could also reach a maximum of 140, it relies on fighting multiple enemies and using a bow. Moreover, Lu Bu’s martial strength can be diminished; for instance, if Lu Bu encounters his own Wuba attribute, he’s immediately reduced to rubble, essentially becoming a blank general without any activated skills.

Effect Two is even more excessive. Xing Tian’s peak martial strength is already maxed out. According to Li Xiang’s guess, even the strongest generals could only match Xing Tian at best. Considering that killing Xing Tian once would cost the enemy a tremendous, perhaps unbearable price—and that Xing Tian must be killed twice within three years to truly die—if Xing Tian faced a general with an equally high martial ceiling, using a mutual destruction strategy, the enemy would undoubtedly suffer. Fortunately, Xing Tian is on their side, Li Xiang thought.

After Lu Bu’s Ghost God Effect Three failed to activate, he lost his last advantage. In less than ten exchanges, Xing Tian struck him down again. This time, Lu Bu couldn’t rise, forced instead to be carried off by a few soldiers to recover, unwillingly defeated.

“Ding! After the fierce battle, Xing Tian has gained insight. Base martial strength +1. Current base martial strength: 105.”

Hearing this notification, Li Xiang, watching from below, smiled even more brightly. Xing Tian was one step closer to reaching full peak. Not only had he achieved his goal, but he had also broken through a bottleneck, reaching an unparalleled pinnacle. If Xing Tian advanced further, he would enter the realm of divine generals. Truly, a double blessing.

“Well, kid, you hadn’t even used your full power when you sparred with me. I thought we were evenly matched. You’ve kept your strength hidden well. When we return, we’ll have a proper match.” As Xing Tian approached, Xiong Kuohai laughed heartily, patting Xing Tian on the chest.

“Ha ha ha, Kuohai, no need to rush. After this contest, we should be heading straight to reinforce Yanmen Pass. How about this: once on the battlefield, you and Xing Tian compete to see who kills more Hu barbarians?” Li Xiang glanced at the excited Xiong Kuohai.

“Your suggestion is reasonable, my lord. Brother Xing Tian, shall we see who can chop off the most Hu heads?”

“I dare not refuse.” Xing Tian answered with a face full of excitement.

While Li Xiang and the two others conversed below, the action on stage grew even livelier.

When Lu Bu, severely wounded, was carried off, Ding Yuan’s face turned dark as iron.

“Inspector Ding, congratulations. Though young, Lu Bu is extraordinarily brave. Today, on the training ground, he proved his martial prowess. Though defeated, he retains honor. Inspector, having such a fierce son makes us all envious. If Fengxian trains for another few decades, he might have a chance to defeat Xing Tian. Inspector, do you think my words hold truth?” When Li Yang saw Lu Bu, whom he had long feared, defeated by Xing Tian, he couldn’t help but feel elated.

After hearing Li Yang, Ding Yuan’s face darkened further. Leaving a curt remark to leave the matter of the expedition to Lord Li, he turned away with a stern expression, unwilling to look at Li Yang any longer.

That night, in the study, Li Xiang suddenly said, “Father, have you ever considered going further—to truly become the ruling authority of Bingzhou?”

Li Yang was momentarily stunned, then asked with suspicion, “My son, do you have a way to remove Ding Yuan?”

“Father, you jest. Ding Yuan is after all a provincial inspector, equivalent to a second-rank official in the imperial court. To kill him without just cause would be hard to justify to the court. Besides, even you cannot remove Ding Yuan—how could I possibly succeed?” Li Xiang replied.

Li Yang was not disappointed. After all, this was expected. If Li Xiang had tried to forcibly eliminate Ding Yuan, Li Yang would have been disappointed. A noble family must have its own rules, and killing is the last resort. “Then how do you plan to help me become the inspector of Bingzhou?”

Li Xiang carefully considered Wang Meng’s plan. “To achieve this, we must win the upcoming great battle. Then, father will likely need to relinquish most of the credit to Ding Yuan and use Ding Yuan’s name to bribe General He Jin, persuading him to transfer to the capital. If someone from a noble family close to ours speaks up in court, father can smoothly become the inspector of Bingzhou.”

Li Yang fell silent. After a long pause, he said to Li Xiang, “Your strategy is clever, but it depends on a decisive victory over the Xiongnu. Given our current strength in Bingzhou, achieving this is difficult. I have received secret reports that the Xiongnu have reinforced troops—now, 150,000 Xiongnu cavalry have gathered at Yanmen Pass. This is why Ding Yuan and I no longer wish to delay the expedition. Otherwise, do you think Ding Yuan would have conceded after just one duel today and agreed not to lead the troops personally? That would be farcical.”

Hearing this, Li Xiang was momentarily stunned, then inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. This time, luck was on their side; otherwise, the first step of the plan might have been broken.

However, given the situation, Li Xiang had no choice but to proceed with the next step.

“Father, though the enemy is numerous today and I see no way to win, my teacher, Mr. Wang Meng Wang Jinglüe, is a man of extraordinary talent. I have persuaded him to take command of the army. Father only needs to order General Fan Neng, who will lead the troops, and send a letter to our second uncle and Deputy General Meng at Yanmen Pass, instructing them to follow Mr. Jinglüe’s strategy. I will surely defeat the Xiongnu soundly.”

Li Yang remained expressionless but looked at Li Xiang deeply. “Xiang’er, you want us to place everything on an outsider’s shoulders. This is a gamble.”

At this, Li Xiang knew his father had agreed. He immediately replied, “The greater the risk, the greater the reward. Since you are willing to take such a risk, I will win a staggering fortune for you.”

“Father, it’s late. I will take my leave.”

At this moment, Li Xiang’s heart was undoubtedly excited. If all went well, he would take the first step toward dominating the world. But as he stepped out, a faint sigh came from behind, “I fear your plan, Xiang’er, is not so simple!!!” Though phrased as a question, the tone was one of absolute certainty.