Traveling back in time to Liu Feng, starting with rescuing soldier Guan Yu.

Inside the south gate of Fancheng, the bloody battle continues.

Cao Ren's Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, which had been reduced from over a hundred men to just over fifty, managed to fight their way through the heavily besieged Fengzi Camp, leaving Cao Ren only two hundred paces from the south gate.

Two hundred steps!

Cao Ren was covered in blood, unable to distinguish between his own and the enemy's. His sword was dulled, so he seized a spear and continued fighting. Behind him, the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry were all wounded, yet not one of them retreated. These veterans, who had followed Cao Cao in countless battles, used their flesh and blood to carve a path through Liu Feng's army.

Kou Wei was bloodthirsty and personally led his most elite squad to relentlessly pursue Cao Ren's rear guard. He knew that once Cao Ren broke through the south gate, it would be difficult to intercept and kill him.

The South Gate was right in front of us.

Cao Ren thrust his spear forward, forcing back a Shu Han soldier in front of him, and looked up at the half-open city gate. If only they could break through and cross the Han River… Although Fancheng had fallen, Cao Ren realized that this force was not large. Holding Xiangyang would allow them to wait for reinforcements!

"Close the city gates!"

A loud shout came from the city wall. Cao Ren looked up sharply, his pupils shrinking. On the city wall, the large banner with the character "Ma" fluttered in the wind. Ma Liang stood behind the crenellation, his hand on his sword, while hundreds of crossbowmen behind him drew their bows in unison, the cold arrows aimed at the remnants of the army below.

Cao Ren's blood almost froze at that moment.

Beneath the south gate, the sounds of battle shook the heavens.

Cao Ren reined in his horse and looked back. Behind him, more than fifty Tiger and Leopard Cavalrymen were all wounded, their battle robes stained with blood. They formed a circular formation back to back, protecting Cao Ren at the core, while the outer perimeter was surrounded by layers of swords and spears from Kou Wei's Fengzi Battalion. On the city wall, Ma Liang's crossbowmen were ready to fire, blocking the last escape route.

Cao Ren gave a bitter smile.

Having fought for half his life, from raising an army in Chenliu to following Cao Cao in the struggle for the Central Plains, from Guandu to Chibi, from Jiangling to Fancheng, Cao Zixiao had fought countless tough battles, defended Nan Commandery, and withstood Zhou Yu. Even Guan Yu, known as the unparalleled fierce general, was defeated by him. He never imagined that he would perish here.

Just then, the sound of orderly footsteps echoed from the north street. Illuminated by the firelight, a large banner bearing the character "Liu" led the way. Beneath the banner stood a general clad in black armor, wielding a long spear, followed by a massive throng of soldiers who surged forward like a tidal wave, completely blocking the streets and alleys inside the south gate. It was Liu Feng leading his main force.

The Shu Han soldiers automatically parted to the sides, making way. Liu Feng spurred his horse forward, holding his long spear level, and stopped thirty paces from Cao Ren.

"Cao Ren, don't run! Liu Feng is here!"

The two armies faced each other, separated by less than fifty paces. On one side were the battered and bruised remnants of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, and on the other were the elite Shu Han troops in their gleaming armor. Torches crackled and burned, illuminating Cao Ren's blood-stained face and Liu Feng's calm countenance.

"Cao Ren," Liu Feng said, his voice low but enough to drown out the commotion, "Fancheng has fallen, and you are now surrounded. Dismount and surrender."

Cao Ren slowly raised his hand and wiped away the blood that was obscuring his eyes.

"Liu Feng. So you are Liu Feng. Shouldn't you be in Wancheng? What are you doing here!"

Liu Feng laughed loudly, "Does Cao Cao think that by appointing Cao Zhi as commander and using Wancheng as bait, he can trick me? You all underestimate Liu Feng!"

Cao Ren dismounted, raised his head, and his eyes flashed like a wolf's. "I never imagined that Liu Bei's adopted son would possess such courage and insight. But don't forget, an adopted son is ultimately a tool in someone else's hand. When Liu Bei's own son succeeds to the throne, the first person he will eliminate will be you!"

Cao Ren, already knowing his fate was sealed, still tried to sow discord between Liu Feng and his lord, and between father and son. As soon as he spoke, a commotion broke out in Liu Feng's army. Kou Wei's expression changed, and he was about to lash out, but Liu Feng raised his hand to stop him.

Liu Feng was not angry. He simply looked at Cao Ren as if he were a dead man.

"Whether you're an adopted son or a foster son, it doesn't matter." Liu Feng slowly raised his long spear, its tip gleaming like autumn water. "What matters is that the one who takes your head today is my adopted son. Cao Ren, Cao Zixiao, General Who Conquers the South of Cao Wei—I will gladly accept your head!"

Cao Ren laughed loudly, looking up at the sky.

Laughter echoed through the blood-and-fire-stained night, hoarse and desolate. After laughing, he casually tossed the spear to the ground and took a ring-pommel longsword from his guard. The blade was broad and thick, its edge riddled with nicks, yet as he held it, his aura shifted abruptly.

"I started my rebellion in Chenliu and fought against the King of Wei my whole life," Cao Ren said, brandishing his sword before him, each word deliberate and forceful. "I defeated Yuan Shu, vanquished Lü Bu, destroyed Yuan Shao, and conquered the Wuhuan. The fire at Red Cliffs couldn't kill me, and Zhou Yu's year-long siege of Jiangling couldn't break me. Even if I fall here today, I'll take a few of them down with me!"

He suddenly stepped forward, his blade pointing forward: "Who will come first to die!" His voice was like a booming bell, causing the nearest Shu Han soldiers to involuntarily take a half step back.

Liu Feng raised his hand, stopping the soldiers behind him who wanted to rush forward and attack. He also planted his long spear in the ground, drew his sword from his waist, held it horizontally above his chest, the tip of the blade aimed at Cao Ren, and walked forward steadily. The armor plates scraped together, producing a soft metallic sound, each step resonating with the heartbeats of everyone present.

Thirty steps.

Twenty steps.

Ten steps.

Cao Ren didn't wait for Liu Feng to get close. He roared, his entire body snapping back like a bowstring stretched to its limit. Gripping his sword with both hands, he brought it down with a powerful, sweeping strike. This strike was devoid of any fancy moves, reflecting only the most basic understanding of killing techniques from a veteran of decades of battle—fast, heavy, and accurate.

The blade tore through the air, whistling as it descended. Liu Feng dodged, the blade grazing his shoulder armor, sparks flying. Cao Ren's momentum wasn't over; he followed up with a horizontal slash, the speed of his change of move belying his severely wounded state. Liu Feng parried with his sword, the two blades clashing, the clang of metal on metal piercing the eardrums. Cao Ren's strength was astonishing; this strike forced Liu Feng back half a step.

Before Liu Feng could regain his footing, Cao Ren's third strike was already upon him.

Like a tiger cornered in a desperate situation, he poured all his strength into every strike, aiming straight for vital points. His swordsmanship was far from exquisite, even slightly distorted due to his injuries, but his reckless and ferocious aura forced Liu Feng to retreat three steps.

The remnants of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry cheered in unison, their voices hoarse yet filled with fighting spirit.

Liu Feng stopped when he retreated to the fourth step.

He suddenly changed his move, no longer parrying, but instead using the back of his blade to deflect Cao Ren's slash. At the same time, he sprang up, slashing upwards with a backhand. This strike was cunning and powerful. Cao Ren hurriedly parried, but the impact caused his hand to split open, and he nearly dropped his sword.

Liu Feng gave him no chance to catch his breath.

The second, the third, the fourth strike. Each strike was relentless, each strike aimed to kill. At this moment, the young deputy general displayed a shrewdness beyond his years. He didn't engage Cao Ren in a brute force contest, but instead used speed to overcome slowness, skill to defeat brute force. Each strike from Cao Ren required immense physical exertion, while Liu Feng's blade grew faster and more ruthless.

Cao Ren's left leg was the first to give way. The wound from the spear piercing him in the chaos of battle burst open with the violent movement, blood seeping into his boots from his leg armor, leaving a bloody trail with every step. His breathing grew heavier and heavier, each swing of his sword feeling like dragging a mountain.

But his knife never stopped.

Amidst the clashing of blades, Cao Ren suddenly lunged forward, abandoning all defense, and thrust his blade straight at Liu Feng's heart. This was a suicidal move. Liu Feng dodged to the side, the blade tip piercing Cao Ren's shoulder armor, leaving a bloody gash on his shoulder. At the same time, Liu Feng's own blade was already swinging out.

A flash of light.

Cao Ren's right arm, which was holding the knife, was severed at the elbow.

The severed arm, carrying the long sword, flew into the air, blood gushing out and blooming into a scarlet flower in the firelight. Cao Ren groaned and staggered backward, desperately trying to cover the wound on his severed arm with his left hand, but he couldn't stop the blood from gushing out from between his fingers.

But he did not fall.

This Cao Wei general who had held out in Fancheng for months, even after losing an arm, still stood tall and looked up at Liu Feng. His face showed no fear, no pleading, not even anger, only a stubbornness that ran deep in his bones.

"Come on," Cao Ren's voice was hoarse, yet still carried a hint of amusement, "Give me a quick death."

Liu Feng was silent for a moment. Then he stepped forward, gripped the knife in a reverse grip, and slashed the blade upwards.

Cao Ren's head flew high into the air, then crashed to the ground, rolling into the dust. The headless corpse stood upright for two breaths before collapsing with a thud.

The entire room fell silent.

The fifty-odd remaining Tiger and Leopard Cavalry soldiers stared at their commander's corpse. Some had eyes wide with rage, others wept bitterly, but not one dropped their sword and surrendered. Suddenly, the centurion raised his longsword and roared, "Tiger and Leopard Cavalry! Following the General..."

He didn't finish speaking. Ma Liang's crossbowmen fired a volley, pinning the last elite Tiger and Leopard Cavalry to the ground.

Liu Feng bent down, picked up Cao Ren's head, and held it high.

"Cao Ren is dead! Fancheng has fallen!"

Two thousand elite Han soldiers shouted in unison, their voices shaking the night sky. Liu Feng threw his severed head to his personal guard, wiped the blood from his face, and looked up at the opposite bank of the Han River. The flames in Xiangyang had already turned half the sky crimson, and thick smoke billowed upwards, obscuring the stars and moon.

"Pass down the order." He mounted his horse, his voice calm. "Leave five hundred men to guard Fancheng and gather the surrendered soldiers. The rest will cross the river with me."

"I was supposed to stand atop the city walls of Xiangyang before dawn."