Through countless dynasties, I can summon the heroes of Chinese history.

Chapter 109 Old Zhuang

At this moment, all of Cao Debang's skills were unleashed.

With the Divine Halberd increasing martial prowess by eleven points, Roar increasing it by six points, and Tiger's Might increasing it by three points, Cao Debang, when equipped with a warhorse and divine weapons, can unleash a maximum of 129 points of martial prowess.

Such strength would be considered outstanding even among mid-level divine generals.

Moreover, Cao Debang's three skills all have a certain suppressive effect. If these three suppressive effects come together, even opponents of the same level may not be his match.

[Ding dong, Cao Debang's skill Tiger's Might] Effects 1, 2 and 3 are activated simultaneously. His own strength increases by 3. Within a one-kilometer radius centered on himself, the morale, combat power and speed of all friendly soldiers are greatly increased, and Mu Yu's strength is suppressed by one point.

Cao Debang's own combat strength increases by 3, and his current combat strength value rises to 127;

Mu Yu's current combat strength is -1, and his current combat strength value has decreased to 122.

Damn it.

Sensing the sudden burst of violent battle aura emanating from Cao Debang, Mu Yu couldn't help but curse angrily.

The scorching power surged towards him like a raging storm, instantly turning Mu Yu's face as cold as iron. He gripped the broadsword in his hand so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and cold sweat even seeped between his fingers.

His original plan was clear and prudent: to use protracted combat to restrain Cao Debang step by step, not to engage in a direct confrontation of strength, but to rely on agile movements and steady sword techniques to exhaust the opponent's strength and wear down his patience, and quietly wait for his own prince to personally lead reinforcements to arrive.

At that time, they will be able to attack from both inside and outside, and will surely find a good opportunity to win the battle. He has even calculated the time in his mind. The reinforcements will arrive in no more than half an hour. As long as they can hold on for a little longer, the outcome will be reversed.

But the situation on the battlefield is unpredictable. In the blink of an eye, the situation completely disrupted his plans, leaving him no room for steady progress and cautious steps.

The Liangshan army, which had been firmly in control of the battlefield and charging into battle with unstoppable momentum, suddenly saw its offensive completely collapse like a receding tide.

The soldiers could no longer hold on. The continuous high-intensity fighting forced them to abandon their armor and weapons and shrink their formation. They went from charging in scattered lines to crowding together and retreating layer by layer to a complete defensive posture.

However, their hastily formed defensive line was already very loose. Coupled with the frenzied counterattack of the aristocratic government troops, the entire line was already on the verge of collapse. The left flank was torn open, the soldiers on the right flank were trampling each other, and the central army was full of loopholes, with every place a fatal weakness that the government troops could exploit.

The root cause lies in the natural gap in combat capabilities between the two armies, which became fully apparent during the stalemate.

Although the aristocratic government troops were initially overwhelmed by the Liangshan army's momentum and suffered repeated defeats, these soldiers were all veterans who had received formal training, were well-equipped with excellent armor and sharp weapons, and were subject to strict military discipline. Even when they suffered setbacks, they were able to maintain their position and persevere.

In contrast, the Liangshan army was cobbled together from refugees and some outlaws, and their equipment was so rudimentary that most of them only wore cloth clothes and leather armor, and their weapons varied in length.

If it weren't for the training provided by Deng Qiang and others, which gave the Liangshan army a bit of spirit, coupled with their inherent courage and bravery, they probably wouldn't have been able to hold on for long.

Just like now, even with the buff to the entire army, which temporarily boosted the soldiers' morale, the effect of this buff could not outweigh the rapid depletion of their stamina during the long and fierce battle.

The Liangshan army's already weak fighting spirit was gradually worn down as the fighting continued.

The soldiers went from initially charging bravely to barely parrying, and then to having to exert all their strength with every swing of their swords. They felt as if the weapons in their hands were as heavy as a thousand pounds, and their legs were as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

When they were resisting the counterattack of the powerful families' army, they were already overwhelmed and full of weaknesses.

Even more fatal was that the aristocratic government troops, which already had a numerical advantage of several times over the Liangshan army, now fully unleashed their power.

The government troops advanced like a black tide, layer upon layer. The front ranks were filled with long spears and their armor gleamed, while the rear ranks of archers continuously fired arrows to suppress the enemy. The war drums thundered and the horns sounded repeatedly, their coordination was seamless.

The Liangshan army was already outnumbered, and now their numbers dwindled with each battle.

Even if the Liangshan warriors fought bravely and relentlessly, managing to achieve a brutal one-for-one exchange, the disparity in troop numbers was undeniable.

Every time a soldier of the Liangshan army falls, their fighting strength is reduced and their defenses are weakened.

As for the aristocratic soldiers, even if one of them fell, two more would immediately take his place, keeping their formation as disciplined as ever.

The numerical gap between the two sides will only widen and become increasingly difficult to bridge as the fighting intensifies and bloodshed increases.

Looking around, the Liangshan army's defensive perimeter was shrinking at a visible speed. Soldiers on the outer perimeter were falling one after another, and those in the inner perimeter were beginning to show panic, with some even trying to flee.

If this continues, the entire Liangshan army's defense line will collapse completely before His Highness the Prince of Laiyang's reinforcements arrive, and the annihilation of the entire army is only a matter of time.

Cao Debang and Mu Yu both witnessed and remembered this rapidly changing battle situation.

At this moment, a cold smile finally appeared on Cao Debang's tense lips. He was secretly delighted. He had just been suffocated by this pest, unable to move an inch. Now it was the Liangshan army's turn to taste the backlash on the battlefield.

Mu Yu's strategy of protracted fighting was ultimately forced to change course due to the rapidly deteriorating battle situation.

Mu Yu's face was as cold as iron. He was always cautious and would never use a desperate move unless absolutely necessary.

This can be clearly seen from his decades-long stagnation at the peak of the Heavenly Realm. If he hadn't made that desperate gamble at the end, even with his potential as a Divine General, he probably would have stopped there in this lifetime.

However, it was after that battle that Mu Yu's temperament changed somewhat. The current battle situation could not be delayed any longer. In order to hold off or even defeat Cao Debang and stabilize the army, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and resort to such a desperate measure.

[Ding-dong, Mu Yu's skill "Old Strong" has been activated;]

Old and vigorous: This skill is easier to activate the older one gets. If one has not awakened it by the age of 55, it will never be awakened. Furthermore, the specific strength and effect of awakened skills vary from person to person.

Effect 1: After this skill effect is activated, the user's attack power increases by 4.

Effect 2: When fighting an opponent, depending on their strength, in a one-on-one fight, it will suppress the opponent's strength by 1 to 4 points, and in a group battle, it will suppress the opponent's strength by 1 to 3 points.

Effect 3: The owner of this skill can maintain their basic martial strength at its peak until the age of 100. After reaching the age of 100, their basic martial strength will be permanently reduced by 1 point every five years. If their basic martial strength reaches the level of a Divine General, they can maintain their peak state until the last moment of their life.

(Note: This is a permanent passive effect.)