My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

Ji Xuanyuan sat by the stone stove, leaning against the mountain rock, closing his eyes to rest.

The ashes in the stone stove were still warm. Zhao Yun and Li Cunxiao stood guard nearby. Li Cunxiao, bored, picked up stones from the ground and crushed them. He had crushed countless stones already.

About half an hour later, hurried footsteps came from afar.

A soldier came running up, panting, and knelt on one knee: "General! We found him! We found the person you were talking about!"

Ji Xuanyuan opened his eyes, his gaze clear and bright: "Don't rush, speak slowly."

The guard's chest heaved violently, clearly from running all the way: "That guy was on the hilltop two miles away! We saw him from a great distance! He was roasting a rabbit over a fire, so I ordered someone to stay put and rushed back to report..."

He swallowed hard, his face still showing shock: "We didn't dare go near him... that guy was terrifying! He was probably nine feet five inches tall, with arms thicker than an average person's thigh! His face was full of scars, his eyes were like copper bells, and he looked like a small mountain sitting there!"

"Ugly is good." Ji Xuanyuan actually laughed, a lively look appearing on his pale face.

"The uglier the better. Being so ugly that it intimidates people is the best material for a bodyguard."

He straightened his fox fur coat: "Jingsi, have someone bring out all the wine and meat we brought. Come with me to meet this brave warrior Dian."

Li Cunxiao's eyes lit up, and he immediately ordered his personal guards to fetch wine and meat. Zhao Yun followed with his spear, his white robe standing out conspicuously in the mountains and forests.

The group followed the direction pointed out by the guards; the mountain path was rugged.

As they approached the hilltop, several of the guards who had stayed behind to observe came up to them. One of them whispered, "General, that guy can eat like crazy! He's been eating ever since Wang Er left. He's already eaten three rabbits and two deer legs! And he's still gnawing on them! It's terrifying!"

Upon hearing this, Ji Xuanyuan's smile deepened: "Hehe, being able to eat is a blessing, this is nothing. Jing Si was much scarier when he was a kid."

Li Cunxiao scratched his head, a hint of embarrassment on his dark face. He remembered when he was a child in the mountains, his older brother would always give him more of his own food, saying that he was sick and weak and couldn't eat much... In fact, it wasn't that he couldn't eat much, but that he was afraid his younger brother would go hungry.

"Let's go, let's go see this guy." Ji Xuanyuan waved his hand and took the lead walking up the hillside.

On the hilltop, in a relatively flat clearing, a fire crackled and popped, with half a roasted deer on top. A huge figure, with his back to the crowd, was engrossed in eating.

Just as the guards had described, the man was over nine feet tall, broad-shouldered and burly, wearing a tattered hemp shirt that revealed his bronze-colored, bulging muscles. His hair was as messy as tangled grass, and his face was covered with a thick beard. At first glance, he truly looked like a bear spirit or a demon descended to earth.

As if hearing footsteps, the person suddenly turned around!

Turning around, everyone could finally see his face clearly: a square face with a wide mouth, eyes like copper bells, a nose like a hanging gall, and two thick eyebrows that were almost joined together. Although his face was weathered, he still had a fierce and ruthless air about him.

"Who?!" came a voice as loud as thunder.

Before he finished speaking, Dian Wei grabbed a cheap short halberd from the side of him. It was crudely made by himself from a mountain stone. Without even looking at it, he threw it in the direction of the crowd!

The short halberd pierced the air, accompanied by a mournful whistling sound!

"Brother, be careful!" Zhao Yun shouted sharply, his bright silver spear emerging like a white dragon from its cave, the tip of the spear precisely striking the blade of the short halberd!

"clang--!"

The sound of metal clashing echoed through the mountains. The short halberd was knocked away and stuck into a tree trunk three inches deep!

Upon seeing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Dian Wei's eyes.

He slowly stood up, and when he stood up, he appeared even taller, with shoulders almost twice the width of an average person.

"Good marksmanship," he said in a deep voice, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Yun.

"You...aren't government troops?"

Ji Xuanyuan stepped forward, with Li Cunxiao close behind.

Although he was sickly, he was composed and dignified. Dressed in white and wearing a fox fur coat, he looked like an immortal descended to earth in the mountains and forests, which contrasted sharply with Dian Wei's roughness.

"Brave warrior, do not be hasty," Ji Xuanyuan said, bowing with his hands clasped, his voice clear and melodious.

"We are not government soldiers; we have come specifically to find you."

Dian Wei was skeptical, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

Indeed, although these people were clearly armed, their uniforms were inconsistent and did not resemble county or prefectural soldiers. The young man in white who was in charge had an extraordinary demeanor and was definitely not an ordinary official.

He relaxed his guard slightly, but remained vigilant: "What do you want with me? I'm a fugitive."

Ji Xuanyuan smiled: "It was precisely because I knew of your situation that I came to find you. Dian Zhuangshi avenged his friend, personally slaying a powerful figure—this is the act of a true hero! It's just a pity that this world is unjust, forcing you to hide in the deep mountains..."

He paused, and seeing that Dian Wei's expression had softened slightly, he continued, "To be honest, my name is Ji Xuanyuan, a native of Zhuojun. When the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, I gathered righteous troops to quell the rebellion and temporarily assumed the position of Commandant of the Rebellion Suppression. On this occasion, I passed through Chenliu and heard of your heroic deeds, so I have come to invite you to come out of seclusion and join us in accomplishing great things!"

Dian Wei was stunned.

He stared wide-eyed, sizing up Ji Xuanyuan, then at Zhao Yun, Li Cunxiao, and the personal guards, before finally saying, "You...you want to recruit me?"

"That's right." Ji Xuanyuan nodded.

"It would be a pity to let your martial arts skills go to waste in the mountains and forests. Why not join me in the army? Firstly, you can make a name for yourself, and secondly... your case is not the concern of the government within the rebel army."

Dian Wei scratched his messy hair and asked in a simple voice, "So... is food provided?"

The question came as abruptly as everyone was taken aback.

Dian Wei replied seriously, "I have a big appetite. People have tried to recruit me before, but the wages they offered weren't even enough to cover my food. If it's like that where you are, then I won't go. At least I can hunt in the mountains to fill my stomach."

Upon hearing this, Ji Xuanyuan burst into laughter: "All the soldiers in my army are provided with two meals a day and meat every ten days! As for you, Dian Zhuangshi..."

He deliberately drew out his words: "I'm granting you three meals a day, and if that's not enough, I'll add a midnight snack—it's on me, Ji Xuanyuan!"

Dian Wei's eyes widened even more, his Adam's apple bobbing: "R-really?"

"There is no joking in the army," Ji Xuanyuan said solemnly, then revealed a mysterious smile.

"Moreover... I also have a delicacy that no one in the thirteen states of the Han Dynasty could find, called 'hot pot.' Its wonders are beyond words—it's fresh, fragrant, spicy, and numbing, with meat and vegetables cooked together. In the cold winter, eating it around a hot pot can ward off the cold and warm the body, while in the hot summer, it has a unique flavor when paired with an iced drink..."

He described hot pot in vivid detail, from the preparation of the broth to the cooking of the ingredients, from the preparation of the dipping sauce to the joy of sitting around and eating together.

Dian Wei's mouth watered at the thought, and he kept swallowing.

"...Even the current emperor probably hasn't tasted such a delicacy," Ji Xuanyuan concluded.

"When we get back to Zhuojun, I'll make it for you myself!"

This combination of "deception" and "enticement" had an immediate effect.

Originally, it was Ji Xuanyuan who came to recruit Dian Wei, but now it's Dian Wei, this simpleton, who's taking the initiative to step forward, his big, round eyes filled with longing: "General! General Ji! You must take me in! I, Dian Wei, will go through fire and water for you! As long as... as long as I can taste that hotpot you mentioned!"

As he spoke, he actually knelt down with a thud and hugged Ji Xuanyuan's leg.

The guards were dumbfounded, Li Cunxiao grinned, and Zhao Yun couldn't help but laugh.

Ji Xuanyuan sighed inwardly: Sure enough, simpletons are easy to subdue. If you feed them, they'll be devoted to you. This Dian Wei is truly pure.

He quickly helped Dian Wei up, but his thin arms and legs couldn't withstand Dian Wei's embrace: "Brave warrior, please rise! From this day forward, you are my general, Ji Xuanyuan's general! From now on, as long as I have food to eat, I will never let you go hungry!"

"Thank you, General! Thank you, General!" Dian Wei scrambled to his feet, rubbing his hands excitedly. Then, he suddenly remembered something: "By the way, General, when are we going back to Zhuojun? That hot pot..."

"I'll head back after I finish my business," Ji Xuanyuan said with a smile.

"Now, come down the mountain with me."

On the way down the mountain, Dian Wei followed closely beside Ji Xuanyuan. Although he was large, he walked lightly, clearly used to being in the mountains.

As they walked, Ji Xuanyuan suddenly asked, "Dian Wei, do you have a courtesy name?"

Dian Wei shook his head: "I'm just a rough man, I don't have any courtesy name. My master named me Dian Wei, saying that 'Wei' means tanned cowhide, which is durable and wear-resistant..."

"How about I pick one for you?"

Ji Xuanyuan stopped and looked at him, saying, "In ancient times, there was E Lai, who was strong enough to wrestle a tiger and was unparalleled in loyalty and courage. You, Dian Wei, chased a tiger across a stream, and your bravery is no less than that of the ancients. So, let's use 'E Lai' as your courtesy name, what do you say?"

Although Dian Wei didn't understand the allusions, he felt a sense of awe upon hearing phrases like "strong enough to wrestle a tiger" and "unparalleled loyalty and bravery," and nodded repeatedly: "Good! Good! E'lai...this calligraphy is excellent! Thank you, General, for bestowing this calligraphy upon me!"

Ji Xuanyuan smiled and nodded, then said to his personal guards, "Go and bring up the pair of halberds I prepared."

Before long, two guards struggled to carry over a long wooden box. When the box was opened, a pair of short halberds lay inside.

These halberds are about four feet long, with black shafts that feel heavy in the hand. The halberd heads are shaped like the Chinese character "卜" (bu), with crescent blades on both sides that gleam coldly. The tips of the halberds are like cones, and cloud patterns are engraved on the shafts. The craftsmanship is exquisite and far superior to the rough blanks that Dian Wei made himself.

"Erlai, I have another gift for you." Ji Xuanyuan gestured to his personal guards to present the double halberds to Dian Wei.

"Don't you have your own weapon yet?"

Dian Wei's eyes widened as he stared at the twin halberds, his Adam's apple bobbing. "That...that's definitely not true! My master ran off with some woman, leaving me some money before he left, not nearly enough to forge weapons...and then he hid in the mountains for half a year. Where would he get the money to forge weapons..."

He reached out his hand, wanting to touch but not daring to, looking both simple-minded and pitiful.

Ji Xuanyuan picked up the left-hand halberd with considerable effort and handed it to Dian Wei: "This pair of halberds is called the 'Flying Halberds.' They are made of the finest wrought iron and were forged by a renowned craftsman from Youzhou over three months. The left-hand halberd weighs thirty-nine jin, and the right-hand halberd weighs forty-one jin—from now on, these will be your weapons."

Dian Wei received the double halberds with trembling hands.

Upon handling them, he immediately recognized their extraordinary nature—the weight was just right, the center of gravity was precise, and the blades were so sharp they could reflect a person's image.

He tried swinging it a few times, and the halberd whistled through the air, actually cutting down a section of the bushes next to him!

"What a fine halberd! What a fine halberd!" Dian Wei was so excited that his face turned red, and he knelt down again with a thud.

"General, you have shown me such great kindness! Dian Wei... Dian Wei doesn't know how to repay you! From this day forward, my life belongs to you, General! Anyone who dares to harm a single hair on your head, I, Dian Wei, will tear them to pieces!"

He spoke incoherently, but his words were sincere. These two flying halberds were probably the most precious gift Dian Wei had ever received in his life.

Ji Xuanyuan helped him up and said gently, "What use is your life to me? Live well and follow me to achieve great things."

Dian Wei nodded emphatically, picked up his double halberds, and swung them around for a while.

The halberds flashed like lightning, the wind whistled, and the massive body moved with extraordinary agility. The two halberds were wielded with effortless skill, and as he swung them with fervor, he let out a roar and cleaved a millstone-sized boulder beside him—

"boom!"

The rocks split open with a crash, sending fragments flying everywhere!

The guards gasped in shock, and Li Cunxiao's fighting spirit intensified. If his elder brother hadn't spoken beforehand, he would have loved to spar with Dian Wei right now.

Zhao Yun's expression was solemn. He could see that although Dian Wei's halberd technique was unorthodox, every move was deadly. It was all unorthodox, honed in life-or-death battles. Coupled with his monstrous strength, Zhao Yun would indeed find it difficult to gain the upper hand in foot combat.

Ji Xuanyuan was secretly delighted.

Everyone says Wu Song in *Water Margin* was incredibly brave in fighting tigers, but how many of the fiercest figures from the Three Kingdoms period couldn't chase and kill tigers? Dian Wei was invincible in foot combat; in the Battle of Wancheng, Cao Cao killed three wise men with a single cannon shot; Jia Xu set a deadly trap, but Dian Wei managed to break through it, allowing Cao Cao to escape...

In this life, apart from his several "abnormal" younger brothers, Dian Wei is undoubtedly the best in foot combat. With him by his side, where in the thirteen provinces of the Han Dynasty could he not go?

"Evil come!" Ji Xuanyuan called out.

Dian Wei immediately sheathed his halberd and respectfully replied, "General!"

"Come down the mountain with me, we still have a long way to go to Qingzhou." Ji Xuanyuan turned around, his white robes fluttering in the mountain wind.

"Once things are settled in Qingzhou, when we return to Zhuojun, I'll make you hot pot."

Dian Wei grinned, a smile both honest and fierce: "I'll obey the general's orders!"

As the sun set, the group descended the mountain.

Dian Wei, carrying his double halberds, was like a moving mountain, closely following Ji Xuanyuan.

He would occasionally glance at Li Cunxiao's Yuwang Spear and Zhao Yun's Bright Silver Spear, his eyes full of curiosity.

Li Cunxiao, however, took the initiative to come over and asked, "Hey, big guy, who taught you your halberd technique?"

Dian Wei said, "My master taught me, but he only taught me for three months before he left. After that, I just figured it out on my own and practiced fighting tigers and black bears in the mountains..."

"Fighting a bear?" Li Cunxiao became interested.

"How did you fight? Tell me!"

The two honest and straightforward warriors found themselves chatting about how to strangle a tiger and how to tear apart a leopard, making the surrounding soldiers' scalps tingle.

Zhao Yun rode alongside Ji Xuanyuan on the other side and whispered, "Brother, this Dian Wei... is indeed a fierce warrior. With him here, we have a better chance of success on our journey to Qingzhou."

Ji Xuanyuan shook his head and looked eastward: "The battle of Qingzhou is not about bravery, but about strategy. Ten thousand Yellow Turbans... cannot be defeated by a few fierce generals."

He coughed a few times, his face appearing even paler in the setting sun.

"Send word to set up camp outside Chenliu City tonight, and head to Qingzhou at full speed tomorrow morning—Yun Chang and Yi De are probably getting impatient."

"promise!"

As dusk settled, the group of people disappeared at the end of the official road.

Meanwhile, in the Mangdang Mountains, the embers of the campfire gradually died out. The mighty general Dian Wei, from that moment on, stepped out of the deep mountains and embarked on his own legendary journey through a chaotic world.