C9 Attacking Dong Wu!

"Ah!" A piercing scream erupted from Dian Wei as a transparent, bloody hole materialized in his chest. Propelled backward, he crashed to the ground with a thunderous impact, his life force extinguished.

Everyone gasped in shock. It was inconceivable that Cao Jun's most formidable warrior, Dian Wei, had been slain by a single blow from Lyu Bu.

"Sir, when did the general acquire such formidable strength?" Zhang Liao and Gao Shun looked to Chen Gong, their eyes filled with bewilderment.

Chen Gong stood frozen, his expression one of utter astonishment.

"Cao Cao, aren't there still several generals at your command? If you're reluctant to face me alone, feel free to join forces against me. Haha!" Lyu Bu boasted, brandishing his halberd with a wild arrogance.

"Advisor, what's our next move? Lyu Bu's martial prowess has clearly advanced," Cao Cao inquired, his focus drifting.

Beside Cao Cao, Guo Jia, looking a shade paler, pondered before responding, "Then we shall meet Lyu Bu's challenge and dispatch all our elite generals. I refuse to believe we can't overcome him."

"Very well, we'll proceed as the advisor suggests," Cao Cao resolved, determined to vanquish Lyu Bu.

Xu Chu, Cao Zhang, Pang De, Xiahou Yuan, Xiahou Dun, and the rest of the elite generals advanced in a coordinated assault, encircling Lyu Bu.

"Haha! Bring it on!" Lyu Bu taunted, unfazed by the onslaught. "Today, I will annihilate Cao Cao's finest to cement my legendary status!"

"Insolent!" Cao Cao's generals bellowed, unleashing their most devastating attacks upon Lyu Bu.

The battlefield erupted into chaos, with fierce winds and rampant energy surging in every direction, shaking the earth and causing the very air to quiver.

"Perish!"

With the unification of the three kingdoms as his goal, Lyu Bu showed no mercy. His halberd danced through the air, and a massive Thunder Dragon tore through the bodies of Xu Chu and the other generals in an instant.

With a cacophony of crackles, lightning streaked across the sky, and thunder roared. The overwhelming power of the Violet Palace Realm was utterly devastating to the generals of the Xiantian Realm. Struck by the lightning, they were charred beyond recognition, their deaths undeniable.

"General Lyu is mighty!" Lyu Bu's subordinate initially froze, then burst into a frenzied shout, his eyes blazing with fanaticism as he looked at Lyu Bu.

"Cao Cao, this is what you get for opposing me. I suggest you surrender now to avoid a graveless death!" Lyu Bu's icy gaze pierced Cao Cao.

Shuddering under that terrifying stare, Cao Cao asked, "Advisor, Lyu Bu's martial prowess is overwhelming. What's our move?"

Guo Jia, equally terrified and pale-faced, advised, "My lord, we must retreat. With Lyu Bu's strength, even if we defeat his forces, we won't be able to kill him. It's best to let someone else handle such a formidable foe."

Reluctantly, Cao Cao, having lost his general, had no choice but to command loudly, "Retreat!"

"War God! War God!" The soldiers' cheers thundered from atop the walls of Xuzhou.

"My lord, your strength is now divine. With you, our conquest of the world is certain," Chen Gong exclaimed with joy.

Lyu Bu remained composed. "My strength alone isn't enough to conquer the world. Now that we have Xu Province as our base, we must focus on its development."

"Indeed. Today's great battle will surely make my name legendary. We must capitalize on this momentum to attract more talent and bolster our forces," Lyu Bu declared solemnly.

As Lyu Bu had predicted, beneath the walls of Xu Province, his single-handed defeat of Cao Cao's generals had intimidated all. Some were convinced that Lyu Bu's martial skills had ascended to a divine level.

In the great hall of Xu Province, Lyu Bu announced, "I have several commands that must be executed without fail."

"First, issue a decree to attract talents from all walks of life, disregarding their origins; we value ability above all."

"Second, put out a call for skilled craftsmen. All those with expertise are welcome, and they will be well-compensated."

"Third, with Xu Province as our foundation, we will proceed to annex Qing Province, Yu Province, Liang Province, Bing Province, Yi Province, Yang Province, Jing Province, and You Province, thereby sweeping across the world."

After issuing his commands, Lyu Bu dedicated himself to cultivation.

His primary goal in arriving in the Three Kingdoms was to leverage the temporal differences for his training.

"I have twenty years. Even though the vital energies of heaven and earth here are vastly different from those in the Mirage Sea Realm, with sufficient time, I should be able to elevate my cultivation to the third tier of the Zifu realm," Yuwen Tian mused. "Once I've unified the world, I can earn 1000 villain's points and use them to grasp the Heaven Divine Arts. That should lead to significant advancements."

Lyu Bu's foresight was accurate. His victory in the fierce battle at the foot of Xu Province's walls had touched the hearts of people everywhere. The subsequent issuance of his recruitment edicts drew scores of talents to his banner.

While he lacked the most elite generals and strategists, Lyu Bu was content. The lower and middle-tier strategists and warriors were still crucial to his current needs.

Over the next year, Yuwen Tian refrained from warfare, delegating all his affairs to focus solely on his cultivation, only occasionally checking in on the progress of his domain and offering guidance.

With a deep exhale, Yuwen Tian released a cloud of murky breath. Rejuvenated in the confines of his chamber, his eyes sparkled with a brilliant golden gleam.

"After a year of dedicated practice, my cultivation has reached the pinnacle of the Zifu realm's first level. Yet, advancing to the second level presents an extraordinary challenge," Yuwen Tian acknowledged as he stepped out of his retreat. He realized that further seclusion would be futile; perseverance and steady effort were now required.

"Chen Gong, how is Xu Province faring under our governance?" Lyu Bu inquired.

"My lord, following your strategic directives, Xu Province is thriving. The people are content and prosperous, and our military might is growing stronger," Chen Gong reported.

"Good. Now that Xu Province is a secure stronghold, it's time for us to broaden our reach. We cannot afford to remain isolated," Lyu Bu declared.

"Which region shall we target first, General?" Chen Gong asked.

"Looking at the landscape, we face three primary adversaries: Liu Bei in Yizhou, Cao Cao to the north, and Sun Quan in Jiangdong. Sun Quan is the weakest link; we'll strike him down first, followed by Liu Bei, and finally, we'll turn our attention to Cao Cao," Lyu Bu strategized.

"Effective immediately, we will dispatch troops to Eastern Wu. I intend to annihilate Sun Quan of Jiangdong within five years," Lyu Bu declared with a resolute tone.

At his command, Lyu Bu's forces sprang into action, swiftly marching toward Jiangdong.

With Lyu Bu, the God of War, leading them, confidence surged among the ranks.

In Jiangdong, Sun Quan addressed Zhou Yu, "Lyu Bu has mobilized his forces against our Eastern Wu. What are your thoughts?"

"Lyu Bu is nothing but a braggart. This time, we'll ensure he has no return journey."

"We must not underestimate Lyu Bu. Rumor has it he has undergone significant changes. His martial prowess has greatly increased, and he has gained considerable wisdom in his conduct. Moreover, his forces are formidable. We must marshal all our strength to repel him," Zhou Yu advised with gravity.

Clearly, he was well aware of Lyu Bu's recent endeavors.

"Hmm, Gongjin makes a valid point. We cannot afford to be complacent," Sun Quan agreed, nodding thoughtfully.

Back in Lyu Bu's camp, Chen Gong and others gathered to formulate their offensive strategy.

"Just proceed with the standard approach and advance methodically. After all, I've allotted five years for this campaign, so there's ample time to make your move," Lyu Bu instructed nonchalantly.

"However, that alone won't suffice to conquer Eastern Wu. I'll personally enter the fray and neutralize Zhou Yu, Lu Su, Lu Meng, Lu Xun, and their ilk. After that, the rest is up to you. Any objections?" Lyu Bu inquired.

"Rest assured, my lord. Eastern Wu's backbone rests on these few key figures. Without them, we are certain to gain complete control over Eastern Wu," Gao Shun and Zhang Liao responded confidently.

"Very well, but let's not rush things," Lyu Bu cautioned, before setting off to confront Zhou Yu and his compatriots.

Meanwhile, in the Eastern Wu camp, Zhou Yu and Lu Su sat beneath a bright lamp, deliberating on their defensive strategy.

"Gongjin, what kind of tactics do you anticipate Lyu Bu will employ against us?" Lu Su inquired.

"It's difficult to predict. Against an ordinary foe, we could rely on the formidable Eastern Wu navy and the natural defenses of the Yangtze River without fear. But Lyu Bu is no ordinary man. His martial skills are so extraordinary that he could turn the tide of a major battle single-handedly," Zhou Yu explained, visibly troubled by the thought of facing Lyu Bu.

At this moment, Lyu Bu had stealthily infiltrated the Dongwu camp. His formidable spiritual force detected the presence of Lu Su and Zhou Yu, prompting a cold smirk to curl at the corner of his mouth.

Both Lu Su and Zhou Yu were formidable in their own right, with Lu Su's spiritual prowess having reached the pinnacle of the Xiantian Ninth Stage, his perception extraordinarily keen.

"Who's there?" Although Lu Su had not detected anyone, his instincts warned him that something was amiss.

Zhou Yu was on high alert as well.

"Heh, impressive perception," Lyu Bu chuckled softly as he made his presence known.

"You! Lyu Bu!" They both exclaimed, their mouths agape in shock. "You've come to make a move against us."

"Indeed. Without you two, I'm curious to see if Dongwu can still hold its own," Lyu Bu said with a light laugh.

Lu Su's expression chilled, and in an instant, a formidable pillar of fire burst forth from the void, its terrifying might seeming to scorch the very air as it hurtled towards Lyu Bu.

With a casual wave of his hand, Lyu Bu dissipated the fire pillar into nothingness.

"In fact, I'm willing to offer you a chance to live by siding with me," Lyu Bu suddenly expressed, appreciating their talents. After all, the wisdom and abilities of these two men were among the finest in all three kingdoms.

"You should be aware of my strength. With me in the picture, Eastern Wu's defeat is certain," Lyu Bu stated calmly. "You're intelligent men; surely you don't wish to perish in the prime of your lives, your talents never fully realized."