Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 743: Li Tong's Gratitude and Pan Feng's Death Battle

Ma Chao and Dian Wei were surrounded, their bodies riddled with wounds, their clothes stained red with blood. Yet, their gazes remained steadfast, revealing a resolute determination to face death. Dian Wei shouted, jerking sideways, and using his left arm to block Wang Yue's thrust. With a sharp "puff," the blade pierced flesh, blood splattering. Dian Wei seemed insensitive to the pain. Using the momentum, he swung the heavy bronze crane lantern in his hand, unleashing it like an unstoppable siege engine, towards the guards before him.

The guards couldn't withstand such a fierce attack, and they screamed and flew backwards. In an instant, people and horses were thrown to the ground, and a gap was created in the previously tight encirclement. Ma Chao seized the opportunity and swung his long sword repeatedly, forcing back the surrounding enemies. He rushed towards the closed palace gate with Dian Wei.

Arriving at the gate, Dian Wei, ignoring the excruciating pain of his wound, raised the bronze palace lantern high with both hands and, with all his strength, smashed it down against the palace gate. With a resounding "bang," the gate shook violently, sending wood chips flying. Dian Wei smashed again and again, each blow carrying immense force. His arms trembled from the exertion, and blood dripped down his arms, pooling on the ground.

Finally, under Dian Wei's relentless hammering, a large gap was smashed into the solid palace door. Ma Chao and Dian Wei looked at each other, and without even taking a breath, they dragged their exhausted and injured bodies and fled through the gap.

In the square outside the palace, a dense swarm of palace guards surrounded Ma Chao and Dian Wei. Blades flashed, shouts of killing were deafening. Ma Chao and Dian Wei stood back to back, brandishing their weapons with impenetrable force. Each strike carried deadly force, yet the enemy continued to surge forward like a tide, showing no sign of diminishing. Lü Bu, Zhao Yun, and Wang Yue pressed on from behind, their eyes etched with fierce determination, determined to capture Ma Chao and Dian Wei.

Just as Ma Chao and Dian Wei were beginning to feel their strength wear thin, a burst of passionate neighing erupted, followed by the rapid, powerful clatter of hooves. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Aurora, like a flash of white lightning, carrying Ma Chao's weapon as it charged into the encirclement of the palace guards at lightning speed. Its swift and powerful hooves flew, knocking the guards back wherever it passed, completely unable to withstand the swift onslaught.

Behind Ji Guang, Pan Feng and Wu Anguo, along with Ma Chao's personal guards, charged forward, blood-soaked. Pan Feng swung his axe with ferocity, each blow drawing screams of agony from his enemies. Wu Anguo's hammer sent the ground ablaze with dust, forcing the enemy to retreat. The personal guards also fought bravely, each one against ten, their weapons flashing with a cold light as they engaged in a desperate struggle with the palace guards.

When Ma Chao saw the reinforcements arriving, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes and he shouted loudly: "Brothers, charge out!" After that, he exerted force with the sword in his hand again, and joined forces with Dian Wei, Pan Feng and others to launch a final charge out of the encirclement.

Because the attack had been planned within the palace, everyone was afraid of arousing Ma Chao's suspicion, so they didn't bring their usual weapons. Furthermore, since they were in the palace, their horses were stationed far away, making it difficult to mobilize them at this moment.

Ma Chao seized the opportunity when Aurora rushed to his side. With a swift turn, he staggered onto the saddle and snatched up the golden tiger-head spear. In an instant, as if possessed by a god of war, his aura suddenly transformed, becoming awe-inspiring and unstoppable. As he swung the golden spear, a flash of cold light gleamed. Wherever he touched it, the palace guards retreated, no one daring to confront him.

Dian Wei, Pan Feng, Wu Anguo, and Ma Chao's personal guards, though without the aid of horses and forced to follow on foot, showed no fear, each one bloodthirsty. They tightly surrounded Ma Chao, using their flesh and blood to build a line of defense for him, fending off wave after wave of enemy attacks.

Seeing this, Lü Bu, Zhao Yun, and Wang Yue rushed to intervene. Zhao Yun, wielding a brilliant silver spear and displaying exquisite skill, advanced with his might. However, Lü Bu, without his signature Fang Tian Hua Ji (Fang Tian Hua Ji), was armed only with a longsword, significantly reducing his combat effectiveness. While Wang Yue was adept with weapons, he struggled to unleash his full potential against the mounted Ma Chao in a footfight. Despite this, the three men still posed a significant threat to Ma Chao and his companions.

Ma Chao and his entourage were surrounded by danger, and every step forward was extremely difficult. Ma Chao's personal guards kept falling, their blood staining the palace floor red, but the survivors did not retreat at all. They still gritted their teeth and struggled to break through towards the palace gate, step by step, paving the way for escape with their lives.

Lu Bu stood in the back, raised his head and laughed heartily. The shrill laughter was particularly abrupt amid the shouts and calls of killing: "Ma Chao, you are so stupid! The palace gate has been sealed for a long time, and you are still running there desperately. Can you open this heavy palace gate? You are simply courting death, and it is futile!" He laughed and danced, trying to use these words to undermine the fighting spirit of Ma Chao and others, with cunning and complacency flashing in his eyes.

However, Ma Chao and the others seemed oblivious. Their minds were completely unconcerned with Lü Bu's nonsense. Ma Chao crouched on Aurora's back, his eyes fixed on the palace gate. He brandished his golden tiger-head spear relentlessly, each strike carrying the power of a fatal blow, his single-minded desire to reach the gate. Dian Wei, Pan Feng, Wu Anguo, and the others also kept moving. Even as their wounds bled and their strength gradually faded, they fought with all their might.

Guarding the southern palace gate today was none other than Li Tong, the captain who had accompanied Wang Jie on his diplomatic mission to Xiliang. Standing behind the closed gate, he listened to the cries of fierce fighting outside, his brow furrowed. He was filled with doubt about the order to seal the palace gate, but military orders were as firm as a mountain. Although he didn't quite understand, he obeyed the order nonetheless. He led his soldiers to firmly guard the palace gate, spears gripped tightly in his hands, always on guard.

In the distance, something strange happened. Li Tong heard the increasingly intense shouting and screaming, and his heart skipped a beat. He was instantly alert, but before he could comprehend the situation, he realized that something catastrophic had occurred in the palace. Since he had received the order to seal the palace gates, he took full precautions, firmly guarding the gates with his soldiers.

As the sounds of fighting grew closer, Li Tong finally gained a clearer view of the situation. He spotted Ma Chao, atop his Aurora, wielding his Tiger-Headed Golden Spear as he charged forward. Though the battlefield was thick with smoke and he couldn't see anyone else, Ma Chao stood out too clearly to be mistaken. Instantly, memories flooded back.

Recalling their mission to Xiliang, they, as imperial envoys, held different positions from Ma Chao, yet Ma Chao had been open and unreserved in his care and assistance. Those heartwarming memories stirred a wave of emotion within Li Tong. He turned abruptly, looked at his officers, his eyes welling with tears, and spoke eagerly yet firmly, "Marquis Wei is trapped! This court must be in turmoil! Brothers, we were deeply indebted to Marquis Wei during our time in Xiliang, and now is the time to repay him! A true man should repay even a drop of kindness with a spring. How can we be so ungrateful and stand by and watch?"

After hearing this, the generals were stunned at first, and then they clenched their weapons tightly, with determination in their eyes, and responded in unison: "We are willing to obey the captain's orders and follow the captain to repay the kindness of Marquis Wei!" For a moment, morale was greatly boosted, and everyone was ready to open the palace gate to meet Ma Chao.

Ma Chao and his entourage, charging left and right amidst a hail of spears and swords, finally reached the palace gates. But when Lieutenant Li Tong prepared to open the gates to receive them, other palace guards stepped forward to stop him. These guards, unlike Li Tong, were stunned by his attempt to open the gates, their faces filled with disbelief.

"Li Tong, are you crazy? This is disobeying the imperial order!" A palace guard leader shouted loudly, his eyes full of anger and confusion.

Li Tong was extremely anxious, with beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He responded loudly: "Marquis Wei is a loyal and righteous man. Now he is being harmed by a traitor. How can we just stand by and watch him die? I, Li Tong, will take responsibility for today's affairs alone!" After saying that, he exerted force suddenly, trying to push away the palace guards who were blocking his way and open the palace gate.

However, everyone had their own agenda, and not everyone was willing to fight to the bitter end alongside Li Tong to repay Ma Chao's kindness. As soon as Li Tong and a few of his loyal men pushed open the palace gates, the guards on the other side slowly closed them. A fierce struggle ensued, back and forth, neither side yielding. The gates opened a little, then closed again, opened a little more, then slammed shut again, the struggle continuing unabated.

Ma Chao saw this scene from a distance and was extremely anxious. He urged Aurora to speed up, while waving the tiger-head golden spear, and tried his best to kill the approaching enemies, trying to break through the obstruction as soon as possible and rush to the palace gate.

Ma Chao's face was covered in blood, his hair matted and clinging to his face. His guards were few and far between, nearly all dead. With Dian Wei, Pan Feng, and Wu Anguo desperately protecting him, he finally reached the palace gate. Ma Chao was at the end of his strength, but the will to survive still burned in his eyes. He looked at the men struggling to open the palace gate and asked hoarsely, "Which brother will save my life?"

Li Tong shouted back, "Captain Li Tong has received great favors from you, my Lord!" Ma Chao's heart warmed. Without a second thought, he rushed towards the city gate, accompanied by Li Tong. However, Lü Bu, Zhao Yun, and the others were already approaching, leaving Ma Chao with only a few guards. His situation was precarious.

When everyone had slipped through the city gate, Pan Feng suddenly stopped, turned around and shouted to Ma Chao: "My lord, please retreat quickly! Pan Feng is repaying your great kindness today!" His voice was full of unyielding determination, and it was particularly clear in the chaotic fighting.

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao was horrified, his eyes instantly reddening. Without hesitation, he turned back to rescue Pan Feng. However, Wu Anguo was quick to act. He stretched out his hands and grabbed Ma Chao tightly, crying, "My lord, I can't! Pan Feng risked his life to save us. If you go back, his sacrifice will be in vain!" Ma Chao struggled hard, veins popping in his arms, and roared, "Let me go! I can't abandon Pan Feng!" Li Tong also said anxiously, "My lord, please leave immediately! Don't delay!"

Pan Feng stood alone at the narrow palace gate, towering like an unshakable mountain, radiating a fearless aura. Lü Bu arrived first. Seeing Pan Feng blocking his way, his eyes widened with rage, he roared, "Pan Feng, you're courting death!" He then swung his sword at Pan Feng. Undeterred, Pan Feng wielded his axe with ferocious force, engaging Lü Bu in a fierce battle. Each clash of axe and sword produced a dull, resounding thud that shook the air around them. Zhao Yun, not to be outdone, flashed his silver spear and lunged at Pan Feng. Pan Feng parried left and right, quickly sustaining several wounds. Blood flowed, quickly staining his clothes and the ground beneath his feet. But his gaze remained resolute, unwavering. He had only one thought in mind: to buy Ma Chao enough time to escape.