Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

A chill wind whipped gravel between the two armies. Helan Gui's black-maned horse suddenly reared, yanking the bearskin cape from his shoulders. The Left General slammed his scimitar against the gilded saddle, and the bronze bells rang out with a piercing chorus: "You bastard! I am Helan Gui, the Left General of the Xianbei! If you are a man, stop your rhetoric and come out to fight me to the death!" His voice was like thunder, startling the Xianbei army, causing war drums to roar and wolf-head flags to wave like a raging tide.

"What a filthy creature you are!" Niu Jin roared, his horse shattering the ice as it galloped off. The fierce Xiliang general's Mo Dao wielded a silver arc in the wind, the tiger head on the hilt baring its teeth and snarling like a living creature. "You dare bark before my lord? Today, I'll let you, a steppe rat, taste the power of a Xiliang blade!" Before he had finished his words, the two horses collided like meteors, the sparks of their weapons exploding beneath the gray sky, like a premature ignition of war.

Helan Gui's scimitar, wrapped in the momentum of a prairie hurricane, slashed down towards Niu Jin's face, the blade slicing through the air with a piercing shriek. Niu Jin didn't flinch, his arms veins bulging. He clenched his Mo Dao with both hands, and met the scimitar's blow with the force of a mountain. "Dang!" Sparks flew, and the immense force of the impact sent both warhorses reeling back three steps. Helan Gui's knuckles went numb, and he nearly lost his grip on the scimitar, while Niu Jin's arm armor was cracked like a spiderweb.

"Is that all you can do?" Niu Jin's eyes widened in anger, and his roar startled the low-flying jackdaws. He clamped his legs against the horse's belly, and the warhorse neighed as it charged forward. His Mo Dao, like a black dragon emerging from the abyss, swept across Helan Gui's waist and abdomen. Helan Gui spun to the side, the blade barely glancing at his leather armor, severing a few strands of his sable fur tassels. Before Niu Jin could retract his blade, Helan Gui had already switched defense, his scimitar slashing in a strange arc, aiming for Niu Jin's throat.

Niu Jin jerked back, almost parallel to his horse's back, dodging the fatal blow. Before Helan Gui could react, he suddenly dropped his knife and grabbed the flat of the opponent's scimitar, instantly slicing open his knuckles and sending blood gushing out. Helan Gui, horrified, tried to draw his knife, but Niu Jin held it tightly. In the nick of time, Niu Jin freed his left hand, clenched his fist like a hammer, and smashed it hard into Helan Gui's face. "Bang!" A muffled sound echoed, and Helan Gui's bronze visor caved in, his nose bleeding, and he swayed on his horse's back.

Niu Jin, however, dropped his weapon the moment the two horses crossed, his large, iron-like hands gripping Helan Gui's leather armor shoulder straps. The Xianbei general reacted quickly, swinging his scimitar in a backhanded swing, but Niu Jin ducked his head to avoid it, ramming into the other's chest.

The two horses collided with a thunderous thud, their riders and horses tumbling as they twisted and tangled in the snow. Helan Gui, relying on his grassland physique, pressed his knees into Niu Jin's abdomen, his hands clamping around his neck. Niu Jin's face flushed crimson, a low, animalistic growl emanating from his throat. Suddenly, he bent his legs and kicked hard, using inertia to flip over and pin Helan Gui beneath him. The two men tumbled and tangled on the frozen ground, fists and curses mingling with heavy breathing, sending snow particles splattering with blood.

Helan Gui bit down fiercely on Niu Jin's arm, the sweet taste of blood exploding in his mouth. Niu Jin roared in pain, but seized the moment Niu Jin loosened his grip and headbutted Helan Gui in the forehead. Stars flashed before the Xianbei general's eyes, and he was caught in a trance as Niu Jin locked his shoulders and tossed him to the ground. Before he could rise, Niu Jin's iron knee was already bearing down on his chest, and his fists rained down on him.

The cold wind of December was as sharp as a knife, whirling sand and snow across the front lines of the two armies. As Niu Jin pinned Helan Gui to his horse, his iron fists raining down like a torrential rain, two roars suddenly rang out from the Xianbei army. Tuoba Ya's bronze wolf-headed spear sliced ​​through the chill wind, followed closely by Huyan Liehuo's chain hammer, humming loudly. Like arrows from a bow, the two riders charged into the battle group.

Brothers Hu Chi'er and Hu Che'er were already fully prepared. The elder brother, Hu Chi'er, wielded his golden tiger-head spear with lightning speed, precisely deflecting Tuoba Ya's heavy lance. The younger brother, Hu Che'er, wielded his hook-and-sickle spear, deftly deflecting Hu Yan Liehuo's chain hammer. The four of them instantly engaged in a tangle. The clash of metal mingled with the neighing of war horses, and sparks exploded beneath the gray sky, splashing onto the thinly icy snow.

For over twenty rounds, the Hu brothers coordinated flawlessly. Hu Chi'er forced Tuoba Ya back with a single spear strike, but Hu Che'er suddenly adapted his hooked spear, hooking Hu Yan Liehuo's weapon and yanking it hard. The Xianbei general staggered, his horse stumbling. Just when everyone thought he was doomed, Tuoba Ya suddenly abandoned his opponent, turned his horse, and charged towards where Helan Gui was pinned, his spear pointed directly at Niu Jin's back.

"Be careful!" Hu Chi'er shouted, spurring his horse in pursuit. Niu Jin, hearing the sudden sound of air breaking, suddenly turned over and swung his sword to block. Sparks flew, and Helan Gui took the opportunity to break free and tumbled towards Tuoba Ya's horse. Hu Che'er thrust his hooked spear, but was swept away by Tuoba Ya's horizontal spear. The huge impact made his palm numb. When Hu Chi'er arrived, his spear tassel just managed to entangle the other's horse reins, but was forced back by Tuoba Ya's wolf-tooth meteor hammer.

"Don't run!" Niu Jin roared and tried to chase him, but Hu Chi'er stopped him with his spear: "Wait a minute, General! The Xianbei are well prepared!" He raised his hand and pointed at the Xianbei army formation. A rain of arrows was coming like a swarm of locusts, obviously to support the defeated general. Hu Che'er put away his sickle spear and sneered: "This prairie wolf cub is quite cunning."

The wolf-headed banners before the Xianbei army's tents shook violently. Tuoba Ya's corpse, thrown back into the battle formation, stirred up a mist of snow half a foot high. Hu Yanye ripped the wine pouch from his waist, and the thick kumis poured onto the frozen ground, instantly freezing. His towering body weighed down his mount, causing it to neigh. His copper-studded leather boots fiercely kicked aside the guards blocking his path. "Han dogs! Don't sully my blade with these frivolous soldiers! I am Hu Yanye, the Left Xianwang of the Xianbei. Come fight if you dare!"

The Xiliang army broke apart, and Zhang Xiu's white horse galloped out across the broken ice. The red tassel of his silver spear fluttered in the wind, illuminating his black armor with a dazzling brilliance. "General Zhang Xiu is here! You, a rough-and-tumble man from the grasslands, let me show you the Han spearmanship!" Before he had finished speaking, the two horses had already collided with a thunderous roar. Hu Yanye's mountain-splitting axe came down with the force of thunder. Zhang Xiu turned sideways and twisted his spear, the tip of which entwined the axe blade like a spirited snake. Sparks flew, and the two men were already locked in a fierce battle.

Cold light and axe shadows intertwined into a web. Over thirty rounds passed, neither side's offensive slackening. Hu Yanye grew more courageous as the battle wore on. Each swing of his axe pierced the air with a sharp crack, the blade practically splitting the very air. Zhang Xiu's spear wielded like a dragon, weaving between the axe shadows with exquisite lance technique, sometimes stabbing the opponent's vital points, sometimes deflecting fatal attacks. The drums of the Xianbei army thundered in support of Hu Yanye, and the shouts of the Xiliang cavalry shook the snowy plains.

Forty rounds passed in a flash. Veins bulged on Hu Yanye's forehead as he suddenly changed his tactics, sweeping his axe like a splitting rock. Zhang Xiu clamped his legs around the horse's belly, his white horse rearing up, dodging the blow as his spear, like lightning, aimed for Hu Yanye's throat. Hu Yanye leaned back to avoid the blow, but Zhang Xiu seized the opportunity and swept his spear across, striking him hard on the shoulder armor. Hu Yanye grunted and nearly fell from his horse, but he steadied himself in the nick of time and swung his axe back at Zhang Xiu's mount. Zhang Xiu reacted with remarkable speed, leaping up, using the momentum to flip in the air, and landing safely in the open space behind Hu Yanye, his long sword pointed directly at his back.

A north wind whipped blood-spikes across the battlefield. The clash of Hu Yanye's mountain-splitting axe and Zhang Xiu's silver spear was deafening. After over forty rounds, both men's mounts were foaming at the mouth, their weapons riddled with nicks. Hu Yanye roared, slashing his axe downward. Zhang Xiu dodged sideways, aiming the spear tip for the Xianbei general's vulnerable spot. However, the Xianbei general's iron-like arm armor deflected the blow, sending sparks flying across their faces.

Ke Bineng's knuckles clenched white as he gazed at the stalemate within the battle array, a low, animal-like growl rising from his throat. "Left Wise Prince Hu Yanye is the backbone of the Xianbei cavalry, the sharp edge that holds the other divisions in check. He must not be lost!" The old Chanyu whipped his head around and cast a chilling glance at his eldest son, Ulanda.

Wulanda understood, his scimitar unsheathed three inches from his waist, and his horse, like an arrow from a bow, charged towards the battle group. Wulanda's scimitar slashed with a sharp sound, forming a pincer attack with Hu Yanye's mountain-splitting axe. Zhang Xiu's silver spear swung like a dragon's tail, sparks flying as he flicked left and right, and a cold light wove a dense net through the wind and snow. The two Xianbei heroes attacked like a tide. Hu Yanye's power was so great that every blow made his palms numb. Wulanda was cunning and ruthless, his blade aimed at the vital points. The snow surged where the three of them clashed, dyeing the snow within a radius of ten feet red.

Over ten rounds passed in a flash, Zhang Xiu's black armor ripped open, its silver spear tassel soaked in blood. Hu Yanye, seizing the opening, thrust his axe straight at his face, while Wulanda's scimitar simultaneously stabbed him in the side. In the nick of time, Zhang Xiu suddenly abandoned his position, his spear tip poking at Hu Yanye's throat. The Xianbei Left Wise King instinctively leaned back, and Zhang Xiu seized the opportunity to yank the reins. His white horse reared up, its iron hoof brushing against Wulanda's nose.

"Want to leave?!" Hu Yanye roared, swinging his axe across, but it missed. Zhang Xiu had already used the momentum of his horse's leap to flip back, his silver spear slicing a bloody half-moon in the sky, startling the pursuers into halting their horses. He landed steadily in front of the Xiliang army, propping up his shaky body with his spear. His blood-stained cloak rustled in the north wind, but he still held his head high and sneered, "Two grassland rats, nothing more than that!"

The setting sun shone blood-red across the snowy plains, stained the battlements of both sides a crimson. Ke Bineng removed the wolf-head horn from his belt, and his powerful blast pierced the biting cold wind: "Ma Chao! You command many brave generals, but do you dare to engage our army in battle?" Behind him, the Xianbei cavalry loomed like a dark cloud. Five thousand elite cavalrymen formed a circular tortoise-shell formation, their round shields linked like an iron wall, and long spears jutted from the gaps between them. Hidden within the formation were dozens of incredibly powerful catapults.

Ma Chao laughed heartily, his dark silver armor gleaming coldly in the twilight. "Very well! I'll show you the might of the Han cavalry!" He slammed his tiger-headed golden spear to the ground and pointed it at the Xianbei formation. "Zhang Xiu, listen to my command! Lead five thousand cavalrymen to break through!"

Zhang Xiu received the order, and his white horse neighed as it crushed the thin ice. The Xiliang cavalry formed a cone-shaped formation, piercing the Xianbei formation like silver arrows. The clatter of iron hooves shook the snowy plains. In the mist of snow kicked up by the horses' hooves, the Xianbei's catapults took the lead, sending huge rocks pelting down on the charging cavalry like meteors. Zhang Xiu swung his spear and shouted, "Disperse!" The cavalry nimbly shifted their formation, weaving between the cracks in the boulders and charging in a flash.

The Xianbei shields formed an iron wall, unmoved. Their spears thrust out like venomous snakes. Zhang Xiu, however, chose not to confront them head-on. Instead, he led his cavalry around the formation, piercing the shields where they met. Simultaneously, Ma Chao waved his command flag, and archers on both wings unleashed a volley of arrows, suppressing the Xianbei's long-range firepower.

"Kill!" With a furious roar, Zhang Xiu suddenly reined in his horse and turned, leading his cavalry to charge through the weakest point in the formation. The Xiliang warriors, shields held high, charged through a hail of spears and bullets, their lances sweeping across, instantly tearing a gap. The Xianbei formation was thrown into disarray. Zhang Xiu's spear pierced several enemy soldiers, shouting, "Follow me!" Five thousand cavalrymen surged forward like a torrent, shattering the seemingly solid tortoise-shell formation.