A figure turned to look at Xie Bi’an, a smirk playing on his lips. "Brother Xie, what's with the sudden decline after just a few days?"
Xie Bi’an stared at the figure, disbelief etched on his face. "Brother Huo, what are you doing here?"
Huo Qubing offered no explanation, instead addressing Xu Zhao ahead of them. "It's a long story. I'll explain it all when we get back."
Xu Zhao, caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the figure, tried to pull back the Chun Jun sword he was holding, but the opponent's grip was far too strong.
Huo Qubing chuckled lightly and opened his hand, releasing the sword.
Xu Zhao retrieved his sword, stepping back a few paces. He eyed the man clad in armor with caution. "Who are you?"
Huo Qubing chuckled again, flicking his crimson cloak behind him with imposing grandeur. "Feng Lang Ju Xu..."
Xu Zhao's eyes widened, and he blurted out, "You're Huo Qubing!?"
Upon hearing this, Huo Qubing smiled faintly. "I didn't expect you to recognize this general."
Xu Zhao gripped the Chun Jun sword tightly in his hand, his expression utterly serious.
Seeing Xu Zhao's silence, Huo Qubing spoke. "Since you recognize this general, lay down your weapons and surrender. Confess your accomplices, and perhaps you can save your life."
Xu Zhao let out a light laugh and raised the Chun Jun sword in his hand. "You'll have to ask my Chun Jun sword if it agrees to that."
Huo Qubing, after all, had still died.
Huo Qubing looked at the Chun Jun sword in Xu Zhao's hand and smiled. "Chun Jun sword? Interesting."
"Hmph!"
Xu Zhao struck first, unleashing a slash with the Chun Jun sword.
"Foolishness."
Huo Qubing uttered a sigh of exasperation and instantly drew the Golden Leopard saber from his waist, parrying the blow. "Hah!"
The clash of the two cold weapons erupted with a burst of energy.
Xu Zhao was sent flying back ten meters, crashing into a large tree behind him.
Everything happened so fast that Xie Bi’an hadn't even had time to react before seeing Xu Zhao sent flying.
Xu Zhao leaned against the tree to steady himself, a mouthful of blood surging, but he forced it down. His face was pale, filled with shock.
This guy was ridiculously strong.
Huo Qubing looked at Xu Zhao, his expression turning serious. "I'll say it one last time: lay down your weapons, and I won't kill you!"
Sensing Huo Qubing's immense pressure, Xu Zhao knew.
He was no match for this man.
The only way to defeat him was to use *that*.
Seeing Xu Zhao's continued silence, Huo Qubing swung the Golden Leopard saber and slashed. "Die!"
"I'll risk it all." Xu Zhao suddenly roared, his entire aura shifting dramatically.
Huo Qubing stopped in his tracks, observing Xu Zhao, who was now radiating a crimson bloody aura.
Xie Bi’an, witnessing Xu Zhao's aura surge tenfold, shouted, "Brother Huo, stop him quickly!"
Huo Qubing chuckled, exuding confidence. "No need to panic. I want to see just how strong he can become."
Seeing that Huo Qubing had no intention of intervening, Xu Zhao's face contorted with malice. "You will pay for your arrogance."
Huo Qubing looked at the vengeful Xu Zhao with disdain. "Is that so? Then I shall wait and see."
Xu Zhao's aura continued to surge, his muscles swelling, tearing through his clothes and pants. Veins bulged on his face.
"Twenty times!" Xie Bi’an exclaimed in astonishment.
This fellow's aura had increased by a full twenty times.
Xu Zhao's muscles had grown to a monstrous size, and his body now stood three meters tall.
Even Tyson would have been terrified.
Xu Zhao looked at his transformed body with satisfaction, grinning at Huo Qubing. "This is my strongest state."
He recalled that back then, he had fought Shen Tianming to a standstill in this state.
Whether Shen Tianming had held back was unknown.
Huo Qubing looked at Xu Zhao, who could no longer be considered human, and smiled. "Good appearance, but lacking substance."
Hearing Huo Qubing's evaluation, Xu Zhao roared in anger, "Presumptuous!"
He then swung a fist larger than Huo Qubing's head towards him.
Huo Qubing let out a dismissive chuckle and raised his other hand, preparing to catch the incoming fist.
*Bang!*
Huo Qubing caught the fist, but his body didn't budge, nor did he show any strain.
"What!" Xu Zhao's face was filled with disbelief. "This is impossible, absolutely impossible!"
Huo Qubing pushed the fist back with force, disdainfully saying, "What's impossible about it? Even if you were twice as large, this general wouldn't bat an eye."
Xu Zhao gripped the Chun Jun sword and swung it down. Huo Qubing, seizing the opportunity, swung the Golden Leopard saber to meet it.
*Clang!*
The sharp sound of cold weapons clashing echoed thunderously.
Despite his enlarged body, Xu Zhao's speed had not diminished; it had even increased.
The Chun Jun sword slashed repeatedly, but Huo Qubing blocked each one perfectly.
Seeing that Huo Qubing had blocked everything, Xu Zhao's composure shattered, and his swordplay became erratic.
Huo Qubing seized the moment, dodged the incoming sword, lunged forward, and landed a punch directly into Xu Zhao's abdomen.
Xu Zhao cried out in pain, spitting out bile. His massive body was sent flying backward, crashing through six large trees before coming to a halt.
Huo Qubing walked over slowly, his hand gripping the Golden Leopard saber trembling slightly. Black blood dripped from the hilt onto the ground.
Xu Zhao looked at the approaching Huo Qubing with utter shock. "Impossible, how can you be this strong?"
Huo Qubing sneered, exuding an aura of unmatched power, like a war god descended. "What's impossible about it?"
"At sixteen, I took up arms and fought enemies. At seventeen, I was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Champion. At nineteen, I struck fear into the Xiongnu, making them dare not invade our Han Dynasty. At twenty-one, I led troops to the wolf-dwelling Xu mountain."
"With all this, how can you possibly contend with me?"
Huo Qubing looked at Xu Zhao like a ferocious tiger eyeing a lamb destined for slaughter.
Xu Zhao tightened his grip on the Chun Jun sword, refusing to believe it.
With the Chun Jun sword in hand and his strength amplified twentyfold, why should he be defeated by this man?
"Hah!"
Xu Zhao roared and stood up, brandishing the Chun Jun sword and slashing at Huo Qubing.
Seeing Xu Zhao's frenzied state, Huo Qubing's face broke into an excited smile. "Good, very good. It's been a long time since I've felt this kind of pressure."
Huo Qubing raised the Golden Leopard saber, a wicked grin on his face.
"You, Xu Zhao, are worthy of fighting me!"
In the deep night forest, only the crisp sound of clashing cold weapons could be heard.
Sword light and saber flashes, sparks from the collision of the Golden Leopard saber and the Chun Jun sword illuminated the surroundings.
Huo Qubing fought with increasing vigor, as if he had returned to his days of galloping across battlefields.
The two clashed, then simultaneously retreated.
At this moment, Xu Zhao bore dozens of wounds, large and small.
Though not fatal, they bled incessantly.
In contrast, Huo Qubing, though breathing heavily, had no visible injuries.
The only place he seemed to have sustained damage was in his palms, which gripped the Golden Leopard saber.