286: Take your people and get out!

With a single halberd strike, Chu Yu actually shattered the first Dragon shadow!

Spiritual power exploded, the Formation core collapsed, and the Cultivator guarding it instantly burst apart and died!

The second halberd strike broke the second Formation!

The third halberd strike shattered the third Dragon!

...By the seventh Formation, Chu Yu was covered in blood, his Meridians were severed, and his halberd was broken!

Yet, he abandoned his halberd and tore apart the eighth Dragon shadow with his bare hands, using his arms to forcefully resist the spiritual chains, flesh flying and bones shattering!

Before the ninth Formation, he had fallen from his horse, kneeling on one knee, but still looked up and roared furiously:

"Heaven wants me to perish?!"

"I will fight a Heaven-Defying battle!"

He suddenly tore open his chest armor, revealing the mark on his heart transformed from Yu Ji's soul light, and slammed his palm down fiercely!

"Yu Ji—lend me your Battle Intent!"

Boom—!!!

A White Tiger phantom soared into the sky from his body, letting out a long roar, and actually completely tore apart the ninth Dragon shadow!

Heaven and Earth changed color, the snow and wind froze, and the Nine-Layered Dragon Trapping Formation was broken!

Eight hundred iron cavalry followed closely, breaking through the encirclement and carving out a bloody path!

By the Wu River, the snow and wind grew fiercer.

The river water roared like ten thousand horses galloping, and the cold air condensed into ice crystals, suspended in the air.

A lone boat was docked by the shore, and the Wu River Pavilion Chief stood at the bow, his white hair fluttering, shouting loudly:

"Hegemon King! Get on the boat quickly! There are still a thousand miles of land in Jiangdong, and eight thousand of our disciples can rise again! Cross the river! The Chu Kingdom still has hope!"

Xiang Yu stood on the riverbank, gazing at the surging river water, silent for a long time.

He thought of Lu Chen, of the Battle of Peng City, of his Hegemon Body being taken, of Fan Zeng dying with hatred, and of Yu Ji dancing her last and committing suicide... He smiled, a desolate and tragic smile.

"I, Xiang Yu, have swept across the world my entire life, never suffering a single defeat in battle!"

"But if I cross the river today, it would be to abandon these eight hundred soldiers, to abandon Yu Ji's ambition, and to abandon the name of Hegemon King!"

"I would rather die in battle than be a fleeing dog!"

He took off his battle armor and gently placed it on the snow, then handed the reins of his Black Steed to the Pavilion Chief:

"You go... It has been with me for many years; it shouldn't die here."

The Black Steed neighed towards the sky, its four hooves kneeling, unwilling to leave.

Xiang Yu gently stroked its mane and whispered, "Go... Live for me."

The Pavilion Chief was in tears, but eventually steered the boat away.

Xiang Yu turned, facing the several thousand Han Army soldiers pursuing him.

He had no armor, no halberd, no horse, only a single sword.

But he stood in the snow and wind, like an indestructible battle monument!

"Who—dares—to—fight?!"

His voice was like thunder, cracking the ice on the river and causing rocks to roll down the mountain!

He charged into the enemy Formation like a mad demon, his sword light like lightning, every strike carrying "White Tiger Battle Intent," beheading, dismembering, and shattering armor!

One sword, killed ten men!

Two swords, cut down a hundred men!

Three swords, dyed ten li with blood!

The Han Army was terrified; no one dared to approach him, only the "Soldier Soul Battle Guards" surrounded and attacked him with Formations.

Yet, Xiang Yu fought with increasing ferocity, sacrificing blood for Battle Intent, exchanging injuries for lives, and actually cut down three hundred elites!

Finally, he ran out of strength.

He leaned against an ancient pine tree, his entire body without a single intact patch of skin, his blood dyeing the snow beneath him crimson.

But he still held his back straight, his eyes like torches, staring intently at Han Xin, the Han Army commander who was pursuing him.

Han Xin dared not advance, only ordering from afar: "Surround but do not attack; wait for his strength to deplete."

Xiang Yu looked up at the sky, a blood moon hanging overhead.

He chuckled lightly and whispered:

"Yu Ji... I am coming to join you."

He slowly raised his sword and placed it across his neck.

"Heaven wants me to perish; I will take my own life to preserve the name of Hegemon King!"

"But the blood shed today will, in the future, transform into a towering raging inferno, burning away your false heavenly mandate!"

The sword light flashed—

Blood gushed forth, like a blooming red lotus, staining the sky full of snow and wind!

A generation's Hegemon King thus fell, at the tender age of thirty-one.

Heaven and Earth fell silent, and the snow and wind abruptly stopped.

Only the Wu River roared, as if singing an elegy for the Hegemon King.

The Han Army swarmed forward, vying for his remains.

Dozens died in the scramble, their blood staining the riverbank.

Wang Yi, Yang Xi, Lu Ma Tong, Yang Wu, and Lu Sheng, five of the lowest-ranking generals, seeing an opportunity, rushed forward immediately, ready to seize Xiang Yu's body, because Liu Bang had said that whoever killed Xiang Yu and brought his body would be granted "Lord of Ten Thousand Households"!

Just at this moment—

Boom!!!

A brilliant golden light struck down from the sky, like Nine Heavens divine thunder, exploding with a roar!

The Qi wave swept a hundred zhang, and the five men were sent flying like kites with broken strings, crashing heavily onto the snow, spitting blood, their weapons shattered!

The snow and wind abruptly stopped, and Heaven and Earth were silent.

In mid-air, a figure stepped through the Void Realm, his black hair like a waterfall, his eyes as deep as stars.

He stood in the air, a faint golden halo swirling around him, stepping on stairs that appeared out of nowhere; with each step, the Void Realm trembled, and Spiritual Pressure was like a mountain!

Lu Ma Tong struggled to his feet, his right arm in excruciating pain, but still roared furiously: "Who! Dares to obstruct our great Han Army soldiers?!"

"Get out of the way! Otherwise, I'll make sure you die without a burial place!"

The newcomer was Lu Chen.

He coldly glanced at Lu Ma Tong, his voice like ice: "Noisy."

Before his words finished—

He raised his hand and, with just one finger, pointed into the air!

"Slash!"

An invisible sword light, like a meteor from beyond the heavens, instantly pierced through Lu Ma Tong's right arm, going straight through his heart!

Lu Ma Tong died on the spot without even a scream, his body falling to the ground.

The other four were horrified, but still did not retreat!

They knew—

This was their only chance!

If they retreated, they would remain Mortals; if they advanced, they would become Lords of Ten Thousand Households!

"Together! Kill him!"

Wang Yi roared, charging forward first, his long spear thrusting straight at Lu Chen's heart!

Yang Xi, Yang Wu, and Lu Sheng followed closely, the four of them working together, their offense like a tide!

Lu Chen's gaze was cold, as if he were looking at four ants.

"Seeking death."

He lightly raised his right hand, and four sword lights shot out like lightning—

The first one pierced through Wang Yi's head, his head exploding, brains splattering everywhere;

The second one severed Yang Xi's left leg; he screamed and fell to the ground, blood gushing out;

The third one penetrated Lu Sheng's right arm, his entire arm turning into a bloody mist;

The fourth one severed Yang Wu's right leg; he howled and rolled, in agony.

The four instantly lost their fighting capability, screaming repeatedly, yet no one dared to step forward again.

Lu Chen slowly walked towards Xiang Yu's body, that broken body still standing straight like a pine, even in death, carrying an unyielding pride.

He lowered his head, gazed at Xiang Yu's cold face, and whispered:

"Brother... I'm sorry, it's not that I didn't want to save you, it's just that this was your destined end."

The five hundred thousand Han Army soldiers were silent, everyone terrified.

That strike just now, they saw it clearly—

All five were Foundation Establishment Cultivators, yet under Lu Chen's single finger, they were annihilated!

Such power, perhaps only the legendary Golden Core Immortal Venerable could achieve!

Han Xin stood in the central army, his face grave.

He had thought that with Xiang Yu's death, the world would be settled, the overall situation decided.

But this mysterious person before him could kill five generals with a single finger, walk through the Void Realm, and even he could not discern his cultivation!

Suspicion arose in his heart:

"If this person had acted earlier, why would Xiang Yu have ended up like this? Why did he only appear after Xiang Yu's death?"

Han Xin dared not act rashly, so he personally stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, his tone extremely respectful:

"May I ask, Immortal Master, from where do you hail? And what is your relationship with this Xiang Yu...? Our great Han is willing to treat you with the courtesy of a National Preceptor, grant you a blessed land, and enjoy ten thousand years of incense!"

Lu Chen, however, didn't even glance at him, only lowered his head to tidy Xiang Yu's battle armor, his voice cold as ice:

"Take your men—and get out!! Otherwise, don't blame me for being merciless!"

Upon hearing this, Han Xin trembled all over, cold sweat pouring down, not daring to show any temper, and quickly nodded: "Alright, Immortal Master, I, I will get out now!"