Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Hua Xiong rode non-stop to Sishui Pass, his impatience growing more pronounced as he galloped. When he arrived at the pass, he saw the timid guarding officer and was instantly enraged. He immediately scolded the officer, his eyes filled with contempt, and was extremely dissatisfied with his cowardice.

Back then, Hua Xiong had been firmly entrenched as Xiliang's foremost general, a scene of immense glory and honor. However, with the sudden emergence of Ma Chao, Hua Xiong faced Ma Chao and was defeated. He realized the vast gap between them. His brilliance was completely suppressed by Ma Chao. Ma Chao was like an insurmountable mountain, leaving him feeling helpless and defeated. Ma Chao finally left Luoyang, but who could have imagined the emergence of the unrivaled warrior, Lü Bu? Lü Bu and Ma Chao fought a close, evenly matched battle, which infuriated Hua Xiong, who knew he wouldn't dare challenge Lü Bu. But his fall from the top general to third place had unknowingly built up resentment within him.

Facing Ma Chao and Lü Bu, he was helpless, watching his position in the Prime Minister's favor plummet and his importance dwindle. This sense of loss consumed him, and he desperately wanted to prove his worth again. So, after reprimanding the defending general, he eagerly assembled his cavalry, opened the gates, and fearlessly charged towards Sun Jian's forces to engage in battle. He hoped that this battle would reaffirm his prowess and strength, restore his lost glory, and reclaim his place in Dong Zhuo's heart. With such determination and desire, Hua Xiong charged towards Sun Jian's camp like a raging lion.

Hua Xiong came to the front of the battle array with a fierce and arrogant look. He shouted at the top of his voice: "Sun Jian, you are a nobody, yet you dare to challenge me? You have no idea of ​​your own limitations!"

At this moment, Sun Jian, Sun Ce, and his generals quickly deployed their troops. Within Sun Jian's camp, the soldiers were all adorned with bright armor, their banners flying, their morale so high it seemed to reach the heavens. However, Hua Xiong, with his usual confidence as the leader of the Western Liang cavalry, still held a look of disdain in his eyes.

Hua Xiong looked at Sun Jian and the others and continued to shout, "Humph, Sun Jian, you dare to think of fighting against my Xiliang army with just this small number of troops? You are really overestimating your own abilities!" Sun Ce was immediately furious when he heard this. He straightened his spear, kicked his horse's belly, and rushed out of the camp like a whirlwind, shouting, "Don't be so presumptuous, Xiliang barbarian. Come, come, try the power of my spear!" Hua Xiong laughed wantonly when he saw a young man coming, who still looked a bit childish. He said even more arrogantly, "Haha, you little brat, hurry back to the town and eat milk for two more years. Don't be so arrogant!" You will be beaten by me and cry for your parents, don’t regret it then!” Sun Ce was so angry that his face turned red after hearing this, and he shouted loudly: “You ignorant fellow, how dare you laugh at me, today under my Yangtze River, I will let you see how powerful I am and see how capable you are to be so arrogant!” Sun Jian also frowned in the formation and shouted: “Hua Xiong, don’t underestimate us, today I will let you know how powerful we are!” But Hua Xiong curled his lips in disapproval and sneered: “Huh, with all you guys, you think I will look at you in the eye? You are just dreaming!” The two sides were on the verge of a fierce battle.

On the battlefield, Hua Xiong, riding atop a tall warhorse, cast a disdainful glance at Sun Jian's camp across from him, shouting arrogantly, "Hmph, who of you will be the first to die? You dare to challenge my Xiliang army? You're truly overestimating yourselves!"

Sun Jian's face was stern. Beside him, Sun Ce could no longer contain his excitement. He leaped out on his horse, spear in hand, and glared at Hua Xiong, saying, "Hua Xiong, stop being so arrogant. Today, I'll show you how powerful I am!"

Hua Xiong looked at the young Sun Ce with a disdainful smile on his face, and sneered: "Hey, you little brat, you dare to come out and embarrass yourself, go home and drink your milk!" Sun Ce was furious when he heard this, and roared: "Hua Xiong, give me your life!" Then he rushed towards Hua Xiong like a gust of wind.

The two men instantly engaged in a fierce battle, spears flying back and forth, sparks flying everywhere. After thirty or forty rounds, Hua Xiong was shocked. He realized that Sun Ce's spear skills were superb, and he was definitely not an ordinary person. But he still shouted stubbornly: "Hmph, he has some skills, but it's not good enough!"

By the time the fight had reached seventy or eighty rounds, Hua Xiong was sweating profusely, secretly astonished at Sun Ce's prowess. He was even more struck by the familiarity of Sun Ce's spearmanship. As the force of Sun Ce's spear grew more and more intense, Hua Xiong gradually began to lose his composure, his movements becoming chaotic. Sun Ce's strength had surpassed his expectations. Furthermore, he sensed a touch of Ma Chao's techniques and routines in Sun Ce's spearmanship, almost as if he could actually see a touch of Ma Chao in Sun Ce. Furthermore, the fact that Sun Ce's spear and Ma Chao's were made of the same material fueled Hua Xiong's suspicions, and as the fight progressed, he increasingly felt that Sun Ce and Ma Chao might share some connection.

After a hundred or so rounds, Hua Xiong, seeing the situation was hopeless, struggled to hold on while speaking, "Young General, I wonder... how it is that your... your er... weapon, your spearmanship, seems so similar to General Ma Chao's?" Sun Ce sneered, "Hmph, Ma Chao is my brother!" Hua Xiong's eyes flickered with confusion as he quickly replied, "Ma Chao... he was a formidable general. Back then, I served under Grand Tutor Dong and fought him. His martial arts skills astounded me. That spear in his hands was like a dragon, unstoppable. His demeanor, his commanding presence, and the composure he maintained after defeating me all commanded me with all my heart. I'm well aware of the gap between us and him, and I'm completely convinced."

Hearing Hua Xiong mention Ma Chao, Sun Ce couldn't help but feel a surge of longing and pride for his brother. His offensive gradually subsided, no longer as fierce as before. This finally gave Hua Xiong a chance to breathe. He gasped for breath, trying to adjust his condition.

However, Hua Xiong knew he was no match for Sun Ce. The battle continued, and by the 120th round, Hua Xiong was completely disoriented, his moves becoming disorganized and flawed. Sun Ce, seizing the perfect moment, swung his spear, the tip piercing Hua Xiong like lightning. Hua Xiong tried his best to block, but ultimately failed to fully avoid it. Sun Ce's spear struck Hua Xiong hard in the shoulder, sending him screaming and nearly falling from his horse.

But Sun Ce didn't kill him; he merely wounded him. Then, with a flick of his spear, he flung Hua Xiong back toward his own camp. Hua Xiong's men quickly caught him, staring at Sun Ce in horror. Standing proudly with his spear in hand, Sun Ce declared, "Today I will spare your life, to show you the power of the men of Jiangdong! Send a message to your Prime Minister, Dong: Don't underestimate the heroes of this world!" With that, Sun Ce turned his horse and slowly returned to Sun Jian's camp, leaving Hua Xiong there, his face etched with pain and resentment, yet also with a new appreciation for Sun Ce's strength and magnanimity.

The spirits within Sun Jian's camp were incredibly high, with enthusiastic cheers and enthusiastic applause rising and falling like a surging wave. Amidst this clamor and excitement, Sun Ce rode his horse with dignity and commanding presence, slowly returning to his base camp. Sun Jian gazed at his returning son, his face filled with confusion and his eyes filled with bewilderment. He asked, "Bofu, why did you spare his life in this battle? With your abilities, you could have killed him."

When Sun Ce heard his father's question, he immediately dismounted, walked respectfully to Sun Jian, bowed his hands and said with respect: "Father, although this barbarian general's words are extremely rude, I learned that he and my brother Ma Chao had an intersection. Since he is related to an old friend, I had an idea and thought it would be better to spare his life." After hearing this, Sun Jian's face showed a relieved expression. He nodded slightly, thinking to himself that he was a heroic man with great ambition and aspirations. Naturally, he could understand Sun Ce's behavior.

Moreover, he had heard Sun Ce mention Ma Chao many times, and deep down, he was actually filled with curiosity and strong interest in Ma Chao. Thinking of this, Sun Jian stopped pursuing the matter and turned his gaze towards Hua Xiong's departure, a thoughtful expression on his face. Sun Ce stood respectfully beside Sun Jian, fully aware of his father's trust and support.