Mythical Qin: I, Gao Yao, will never be a eunuch!

Chapter 1148 Ran Min, Lü Bu VS Uesugi Tiger, Yan Xiaoyi!

Fan Xian, of course, had no idea that Gao Yao, as a merchant, had built a trade network spanning two countries in just a few years, collecting medicinal herbs from all over the world. Through the divine-level medical skills rewarded by the system, he used these pills to cultivate martial arts masters' true energy, rapidly training them into experts.

These martial artists might not have the same solid foundation as those trained through orthodox methods, but Gao Yao, with the divine medical skills bestowed upon him by the system, could refine pills that could cause a rapid surge in a person's true energy in a short period of time. He could even obtain substitute medicinal herbs from his Chinese world; although the effects were slightly inferior, the quantity more than made up for the quality.

This explains why Gao Yao spared no effort in building a business empire—medicinal herbs, an endless supply of medicinal herbs, were the foundation of his foothold in this world.

"Who are you?" Uesugi Tora's booming voice broke the silence of the valley. "The Great General of Northern Qi is here. State your names!"

Before the black-clad army, the general wielding a greatsword slowly raised his head. His face was resolute and chiseled, yet his eyes held a complex expression of deep sorrow and murderous intent.

"You don't need to know." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to everyone's ears. "However, if you wish to know my name, that's fine too—"

He paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately:

"Ran Min."

At that moment, another general wielding a halberd spoke up, almost simultaneously, his voice carrying an arrogant air of looking down upon the world:

"Lü Bu".

As Lü Bu finished speaking, he turned his gaze to Fan Xian to assess his state. This was part of Gao Yao's mission: to test whether Fan Xian knew about these figures from Chinese history. However, Fan Xian's expression remained one of confusion, which largely confirmed Fan Xian's thoughts.

In contrast, Shang Shanhu, Yan Xiaoyi, and Haitang Duoduo all looked puzzled. They had never heard of Lü Bu or Ran Min. Shang Shanhu, as a general of Northern Qi, knew all the masters in the world like the back of his hand; Yan Xiaoyi, as a ninth-rank expert, was also familiar with all the forces at play; and Haitang Duoduo, a disciple of Ku He, was very knowledgeable. But they had absolutely no recollection of these two.

The unknown is the most terrifying. If the three of them had some confidence in this encounter before, their hearts were now shrouded in apprehension. A suddenly appearing army of two hundred warriors, and two generals with unfathomable auras—the power behind them was absolutely enough to wipe out everyone present.

"This matter is none of anyone else's business." Ran Min's voice rang out again, as he slowly raised his greatsword, its tip pointing at Uesugi Tiger. "Apart from Uesugi Tiger and Yan Xiaoyi, the rest may retreat. If you insist on interfering—"

A murderous glint flashed in his eyes:

"Kill without mercy!"

Before he finished speaking, Ran Min yanked the reins, and his black horse, Wuzhui, reared up and neighed loudly, charging towards Shangshan Hu like a beast unleashed from its cage! Almost at the same moment, Lü Bu also moved, his halberd drawing a cold arc in the air, and his Red Hare transformed into a red lightning bolt, rushing straight towards Yan Xiaoyi!

The black steed's iron hooves shattered the rocks, and Ran Min, man and horse, became one, charging forward with overwhelming force. The massive black iron sword in his hand, named "Zhan Hu," weighed eighty-three jin, and at this moment, he held it horizontally with one arm, the blade humming as if thirsting for blood.

Uesugi Tora's pupils constricted sharply. As a Grand General of Northern Qi and a ninth-rank expert, he had fought countless battles throughout his life, a fierce warrior who had fought his way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Yet, facing Ran Min's charge, he felt a long-lost sense of life-or-death crisis. It was a pressure he only felt when facing a Grandmaster!

"Form ranks!" Uesugi Tora roared, and the cavalry behind him instantly split into three teams, deploying in a wedge formation. He himself drew a thick-backed battle sword from beside his saddle—a sword named Po Jun, which had drunk the blood of countless soldiers of Nanqing.

Ran Min's charge was devoid of any fancy moves; it was a straight, relentless advance. His black horse, Wuzhui, grew faster and faster, its hooves thundering like war drums. When he was still thirty paces from Shangshan Hu, Ran Min suddenly leaped into the air, his greatsword raised high above his head, and unleashed a simple yet powerful slash!

"open!"

Before the sword even arrived, its energy had already condensed into a visible black gale, tearing through the air with a shrill whistle. Uesugi Tora's expression turned grave; he knew he couldn't take it head-on. As his warhorse shifted to the side, his "Breaking Army" blade slashed upwards, its blade infused with true energy, glowing with a blood-red light.

"clang--!"

The moment the greatsword clashed with the battle blade, a shockwave exploded outwards from the two of them! All the vegetation within a ten-foot radius snapped, and three nearby Northern Qi cavalrymen were thrown back along with their horses, spitting out blood.

Uesugi Torata felt an overwhelming, violent force surge from the blade, causing his tiger's mouth to split open and blood to flow down his wrist. He used the force to retreat, his warhorse staggering back seven steps before regaining its footing, leaving deep hoofprints on the ground.

Ran Min landed, his greatsword sweeping across, cutting three Northern Qi cavalrymen who attempted to launch a sneak attack in half at the waist, their remains mingling with the carcasses of their horses. Amidst the rain of blood, he slowly turned, his gaze upon Shang Shanhu as if looking at a dead man.

"A general on the battlefield, indeed," Ran Min said calmly, "but unfortunately, he will die today."

Uesugi Tora wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and grinned maliciously: "Arrogant!"

He spurred his horse and charged again, this time not engaging in a direct confrontation. His "Broken Army" blade transformed into a flurry of blade shadows, each strike cunning and ruthless, targeting Ran Min's vital points. This was a killing technique he had honed on the battlefield, without fixed moves, only the simplest and most effective killing skills.

Ran Min, however, remained steadfast in his approach, parrying and blocking with his greatsword in wide, sweeping movements. His swordsmanship was devoid of any beauty; each strike was as heavy as a mountain, carrying the brutal intensity unique to battlefield combat. Historical records state that Ran Min was "brave and skilled in battle," having led his army to a great victory over the Jin army and achieving remarkable feats in suppressing the rebellion of Liang Du, a garrison soldier.

Behind those victories lies this simple yet deadly swordsmanship.

The two exchanged blows for over thirty rounds, the clang of metal echoing through the valley. Uesugi Tora grew increasingly alarmed—Ran Min's true energy seemed inexhaustible, the power of each strike increasing. Even more terrifying was the murderous aura emanating from his opponent, an aura forged in the crucible of countless corpses and seas of blood—an aura cultivated only in the heat of a true large-scale war.

"Who exactly are you?" Uesugi Tora asked, panting heavily, after forcing Ran Min back with a single strike.

Ran Min stood with his sword drawn, and his black horse slowly walked to his side. He stroked the horse's mane, his gaze suddenly becoming distant.

“I once established the Ran Wei state and issued an order to kill the Hu people. Anyone from the six barbarian tribes, both inside and outside the capital, who dared to wield weapons was to be executed.” His voice was deep. “In one day, tens of thousands of Hu people were slaughtered; more than two hundred thousand foreign tribes died under my orders.”

Uesugi Tora shuddered. Although he didn't know what regime "Ran Wei" was, the bloody aura contained in the three words "Order to Kill the Hu" made even this veteran general feel uneasy.

"The Five Barbarian Invasions swept across China, and the Han people were nearly slaughtered." Ran Min continued, slowly raising the greatsword in his hand. "I am merely using killing to stop killing, using blood to repay blood."

Before he finished speaking, his entire demeanor changed drastically! If he was as steady as a mountain before, he was now as fierce as fire. Sensing his master's killing intent, the black steed stomped its hooves and charged again!