Transmigrating to the Three Kingdoms as Lu Bu: I Have a Pseudo-Apocalypse System

September 12th, Chang'an City, General's Mansion, Martial Arts Training Ground of the Personal Guard.

Before the morning mist had completely dissipated, the sound of rushing air could already be heard from the training ground.

Zhang Xiu, dressed in a black outfit, was practicing his spear techniques in the field, holding a twelve-foot-long spear.

The spear tip flicked like a silver snake, sometimes as swift as lightning, sometimes as steady as a rock; the spear shaft seemed to come alive in his hands.

The Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear – this was the unique skill of the spear master Tong Yuan, and Zhang Xiu, as his eldest disciple, had mastered it to perfection. (Later, he was able to kill Cao Cao's personal bodyguard, the infamous Dian Wei, in the Battle of Wancheng, demonstrating that Zhang Xiu's martial prowess was indeed among the top in the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period.)

But at this moment, Zhang Xiu was holding back a lot of anger.

Zhang Xiu, known as the Spear King of the North, was already famous throughout Liangzhou in his early twenties.

In the Liangzhou Wuwei and Jincheng area, who wouldn't show respect to Zhang Xiu when his name was mentioned?

But now, he has to be a hostage for Lü Bu in Chang'an, and he has to serve as a guard and stand guard in the personal guard camp.

Although Lü Bu gave him the official title of Imperial Guard Colonel, directly under the General, which sounded good, it was just a title and he didn't have much independent authority to lead troops.

Lü Bu would never grant him the authority to lead troops independently in Chang'an.

Zhang Xiu knew in his heart that this was a high-level hostage.

His uncle Zhang Ji commanded troops in Hongnong, while he himself was held hostage in Chang'an, with the two sides keeping each other in check.

"Hey!"

Zhang Xiu thrust out with his spear, the tip piercing the wooden stake, sending wood chips flying everywhere.

He holstered his gun and stood there, his chest rising and falling slightly.

Just then, footsteps came from the entrance of the training ground.

Zhang Xiu turned his head and saw Lü Bu, dressed in simple training clothes, walking towards him.

He was followed by Cheng Lian, Zhang Liao, and Meng Cheng, who was dressed as a civil official.

"Captain Zhang, you're up early." Lü Bu said as he walked to the sidelines, "Was that spear technique just now Master Tong Yuan's Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear?"

Zhang Xiu was startled—Lu Bu could recognize his master at a glance.

He clasped his hands and said, "General, your discerning eye is precisely what my master taught you."

Lu Bu nodded, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes: "I've long heard of Zhang Xiu, the Spear King of the North, whose spear skills are unparalleled. Seeing him today, I can confirm it's true. How about it, interested in sparring with me?"

Zhang Xiu was taken aback.

Lu Bu wants to spar with him?

On the sidelines, Cheng Lian, Zhang Liao, and others also became interested.

Meng Cheng whispered to Zhang Liao, "General Zhang, how many moves do you think Zhang Xiu can last against the Great General?"

Zhang Liao stroked his chin: "Zhang Xiu is known as the King of Spears in the North. His strength should not be underestimated. He certainly won't be killed instantly like those captains and strategists in Li Jue and Guo Si's army."

Cheng Lian nodded: "That's right, I bet Zhang Xiu can last more than ten rounds."

"Ten rounds?" Zhang Liao shook his head. "Have you forgotten how heavy the General's new halberd is? Besides, the General's strength has been improving rapidly recently, much stronger than it was a few months ago. I think Zhang Xiu can only last five rounds at most."

Meng Cheng, a civil official, wasn't particularly skilled in martial arts and was blindly confident in Lü Bu: "I think it would be difficult even for him to last a single round. The General is the best in the land; even the three heroes couldn't defeat Lü Bu at Hulao Pass. How much ability can Zhang Xiu, a young man, possibly have?"

Their conversation wasn't loud, but Zhang Xiu, a martial artist, had sharp ears and eyes and heard everything clearly.

A surge of resentment welled up inside me.

Zhang Xiu was a man who had never been defeated in Liangzhou, so why was he looked down upon like this?

"Since the General is in the mood, I am willing to accompany you." Zhang Xiu clasped his hands in a fist salute, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.

Lü Bu laughed: "Very well, bring me my halberd!"

Two guards quickly brought over Lü Bu's new halberd.

The halberd was twelve feet long, with a shaft as thick as an infant's wrist, and its head gleamed coldly. It was difficult for two personal guards to lift, but Lü Bu took it with one hand and casually tossed it in his heel.

Zhang Xiu's pupils contracted slightly.

The weapon weighing ninety-nine pounds was as light as an ordinary spear in Lü Bu's hands.

The two stood in the center of the training ground.

More and more guards gathered on the sidelines, and even some off-duty soldiers came to watch. A clash between the Northern Spear King and the unparalleled Lu Bu—such a scene was rarely seen.

"Captain Zhang, please." Lü Bu stood with his halberd in hand, his aura as steady as a mountain.

"General, please forgive me!"

Zhang Xiu no longer held back, and with a flick of his spear, he struck first.

The spear moved like a dragon, aiming straight for Lü Bu's face!

This shot was fast, accurate, and ruthless; the spear tip pierced the air with a "whoosh" sound, demonstrating Zhang Xiu's profound skill.

On the sidelines, Cheng Lian couldn't help but exclaim, "What excellent marksmanship!"

However, Lü Bu remained motionless until the tip of his spear was only three feet away from his face before he moved.

With a swift movement, the halberd tip struck the spear tip precisely.

"clang!"

The sound of metal clashing was deafening.

Zhang Xiu felt a tremendous force coming from the spear shaft, which made his hands go numb and the spear almost slip from his grasp.

He was terrified and quickly took three steps back to dissipate the force.

Lu Bu did not pursue, but simply said, "The first move."

Zhang Xiu's expression turned serious.

He had used seven-tenths of his strength in that last shot, but Lu Bu easily deflected it.

Moreover, the power transmitted from the halberd was astonishing.

If he hadn't reacted quickly and deflected the force in time, he probably would have lost his weapon in one move.

"Again!"

Zhang Xiu took a deep breath and changed his spear technique.

The Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear technique was unleashed, with countless spear shadows, as if a hundred birds were truly flying together, the spear tip piercing towards Lü Bu from all angles.

This move combines feints and real attacks, making it impossible for ordinary generals to distinguish which spear strike is real and which is feint.

But Lü Bu seemed to be able to see through everything.

He didn't bother to distinguish between reality and illusion; with a wave of his halberd, he drew a semicircle.

"Clang clang clang clang!"

A series of rapid collisions rang out.

All of Zhang Xiu's spear thrusts were blocked by this halberd!

Not only that, the terrifying force emanating from the halberd made Zhang Xiu's arm go numb and tingly, forcing him to retreat once more.

"The second move," Lu Bu said calmly.

On the sidelines, Zhang Liao's expression changed: "The Great General's power is even more terrifying than before."

Cheng Lian also became serious: "Zhang Xiu's spear technique is indeed exquisite, but the difference in strength is too great. One force can overcome ten techniques; no matter how exquisite the skill, it is difficult to use it in the face of absolute power."

Zhang Xiu's mind was in turmoil at this moment.

Two moves!

He was forced to retreat twice in just two moves!

Moreover, he could sense that Lü Bu wasn't using his full strength at all; it was more like he was testing his limits.

A deep sense of powerlessness came over me.

But he was, after all, the King of Spears of the North, and he had the pride of a martial artist in his bones.

Zhang Xiu gritted his teeth and poured all his strength into the spear.

"The third move—the phoenix nods!"

This is one of the killing moves of the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear. The spear tip is like a phoenix nodding its head, changing three times with one strike, and is specifically designed to break through heavy armor defenses.

Zhang Xiu charged at Lü Bu like an arrow released from a bow.

He used all his strength in that shot, and the tip of the gun made a sharp whistling sound due to its high speed.

A hint of approval finally flashed in Lü Bu's eyes.

"Well done!"

He stopped defending in place and took a step forward, his halberd meeting the attack head-on.

This time, Lü Bu used seven-tenths of his strength.

The halberd tip and the spear tip collided again.

"clang--!"

A louder collision than the previous two occurred.

Zhang Xiu felt an overwhelming force surge towards him, and he could no longer hold onto his spear. It flew out of his hand and landed with a thud three zhang away.

He himself was also shaken by the force and staggered back seven or eight steps before finally losing his balance and falling to the ground.