After both returned to their respective camps, Ma Chao felt genuine joy at having such a formidable opponent. Dong Zhuo specifically called Ma Chao over, looking at him with loving eyes, a glint of admiration shining within them, and spoke to him in a gentle, smiling tone: "Mengqi, today's battle was truly magnificent! Your performance has greatly pleased and satisfied me."
Ma Chao humbly replied, "Thank you for the praise, Dong Gong. I merely did my best."
Dong Zhuo nodded slightly, then added, "That Lü Bu is indeed a fierce general, and his martial arts are rare in this world. I have no intention of belittling his martial arts in the slightest."
Ma Chao agreed profoundly, saying, "Dong Gong is absolutely right. That Lü Bu is indeed a strong opponent. Fighting him made me feel my blood boil and I benefited greatly."
Meanwhile, Lü Bu also returned to his camp. Originally, he felt a slight disappointment due to his horse's lack of strength, but thinking of encountering such a well-matched opponent, he felt an eagerness to fight another battle. But just then, Ding Yuan said with a dark expression, "Hmph, a mere warrior! Aren't you usually extremely confident in your martial arts? Don't you often feel that you haven't been suppressed and have no room to display your skills? Now, you're nothing more than this; you can't even defeat an unknown junior, a mere youngster." Hearing this, Lü Bu's expression tightened, and he nearly erupted in anger on the spot. At this point, Zhang Liao quickly stepped forward, cupping his hands and saying, "Lord Jianyang, your words are mistaken. Although that Ma Chao is young, we have often heard of his impressive displays in Western Liang, which proves that his reputation is well-deserved. And Fengxian did not lose; it was merely his horse's lack of stamina." Before Zhang Liao could finish speaking, Ding Yuan impatiently said, "Alas, you all are full of excuses. In peacetime, you swagger around, but you are merely a bunch of boors." With that, he flicked his sleeve and left.
After hearing Ding Yuan's words, Lü Bu's face instantly turned extremely gloomy, as if it could drip water. Burning rage flared in his eyes, the flames of anger almost erupting. He gnashed his teeth tightly, the muscles in his jaw bulging from the effort, producing a grinding sound, showing the extreme anger he was suppressing within. His hands unconsciously clenched into fists, veins bulging, nails digging deep into his palms, as if to vent the indignation in his heart through this method. His chest heaved violently, his breathing becoming rapid and heavy, each breath seemingly carrying endless frustration and fury.
In that instant, he truly wanted to rush up and argue with Ding Yuan, even wanting to throw a punch, to make Ding Yuan pay for his contemptuous and demeaning words. But the last shred of reason told him not to do so. He could only forcefully endure this stifling anger, standing still, but his body trembled slightly from rage. His gaze was fixed on the direction Ding Yuan had left, his eyes filled with a complex mixture of unwillingness, resentment, and anger, as if he wanted to engrave Ding Yuan's retreating figure in his mind. And deep within his heart, his dissatisfaction and resentment towards Ding Yuan grew wildly like weeds, secretly vowing that one day he would make Ding Yuan regret his words and actions of today.
Zhang Liao looked at Lü Bu's angry and frustrated appearance, his face full of awkwardness. He hesitated for a moment, but still had to reluctantly organize his words to comfort Lü Bu: "Fengxian, that Ding Jianyang has always been straightforward. His words might have been unintentional. Don't take them too much to heart. With your martial arts, your brothers all believe in you. You should rest quickly; we still have to continue fighting later."
Lü Bu listened to Zhang Liao's words, his face still overcast with gloom and sadness. He felt incredibly frustrated, his mentality already somewhat shattered. He turned to look at Zhang Liao, saying with a hint of complaint, "Wen Yuan, I wholeheartedly serve him, how could he treat me like this!" Zhang Liao sighed lightly and advised again, "Fengxian, don't think too much. The big picture is more important."
The other generals and soldiers were also deeply hurt by Ding Yuan's words. Their faces were all grim, their hearts filled with indignation and helplessness. Their originally high morale plummeted at this moment. In this oppressive atmosphere, everyone remained silent, with only deep bitterness and helplessness lingering in the air.
After resting, Ma Chao and Lü Bu both recovered their strength. Lü Bu even changed to a magnificent warhorse, standing majestically before the formation.
The two faced each other again, their eyes burning with intense fighting spirit. The battle erupted instantly. Lü Bu was the first to swing his Fangtian Halberd, striking directly at Ma Chao like a bolt of lightning, the halberd's shadow heavy, carrying a sharp gust of wind. Ma Chao showed no fear, his long spear dancing like a spiritual snake, its tip glinting with a cold light, precisely parrying Lü Bu's every attack.
Lü Bu's figure flickered like a ghost, each strike containing immense power. The Fangtian Halberd in his hand seemed to come alive, chopping, slashing, picking, or thrusting, endlessly changing. Ma Chao was also agile, advancing and retreating freely, his long spear sweeping out a dazzling array of light and shadows. At times, he attacked densely like a sudden storm, and at other times, he defended steadily like an unmoving rock.
As the battle continued, their moves became increasingly extraordinary. Lü Bu suddenly leaped into the air, his Fangtian Halberd slashing down fiercely from above, as if to split the earth. Seeing this, Ma Chao dodged sideways, his long spear sweeping horizontally, the shaft rubbing violently against the air, emitting a sharp whistling sound. The two went back and forth, halberd and spear constantly clashing, sparking countless fires. The surrounding soldiers watched in awe, shaken by the fierce engagement. Dust flew across the battlefield, their figures appearing and disappearing within it, like a breathtaking painting.
Seeing that he could not defeat Ma Chao for a long time, Lü Bu pondered for a moment and then took off the bow and arrows from his back. He was skilled in archery, but at this moment, he hesitated. After all, Ma Chao had shown enough grace when his horse was exhausted earlier, and he truly did not wish to harm him with a sneak attack. But with battle at hand, he still spoke, "Mengqi, your martial arts are extraordinary. Try my archery."
Ma Chao, reminded by this, also said, "General Lü is skilled in archery, and I am also adept at it."
With that, both sides drew their bows. Lü Bu was the first to shoot an arrow, which flew like a meteor straight towards Ma Chao. Ma Chao, quick-witted, dodged it easily with a sidestep. Immediately after, Ma Chao also shot an arrow back. Lü Bu, unhurried, slightly shifted his body and dodged the arrow. Subsequently, both shot two more arrows each, all of which were skillfully evaded by the other.
For a moment, both generals realized that arrows could not harm the other, so they simultaneously discarded their bows and once again wielded their weapons to fight. The fierce battle resumed, both sides using all their strength, trying their best to determine supremacy on the battlefield.
The two generals fought fiercely for another 150 bouts, yet neither could defeat the other. However, Ma Chao still remembered Lü Bu's earlier situation with his horse's exhaustion, perhaps feeling it inappropriate to take advantage of him at this moment. He thrust his long spear into the ground and invited Lü Bu, "Let's return to our camps to rest. General Lü, do you dare to fight at night?" Lü Bu heard this and responded loudly, "Why not? Today's battle was truly exhilarating!" Both admired each other, and couldn't help but burst into laughter. Afterward, they returned to their respective camps, preparing for a night battle by lamplight.
When Ma Chao returned to Luoyang City, Dong Zhuo personally warmed a pot of fine wine for him, holding the cup and bringing it over. He said with concern, "Mengqi, this battle, followed by two more, is very tiring. Why do you still need to fight at night? If anything were to go wrong, my heart would ache endlessly." Ma Chao respectfully accepted the wine cup, tilted his head back, and drained it with a "dong" sound. He said, "Thank you, Dong Gong. I will always remember your concern, but I am greatly pleased by General Lü's bravery. I hope Dong Gong will not worry too much." Dong Zhuo's care for Ma Chao made all the generals in the hall envious.
However, upon Lü Bu's return to his camp, he was still met with Ding Yuan's ruthless face. Ding Yuan angrily rebuked, "When two armies fight, the goal is victory. Since you released an arrow, why did you warn that Ma Chao? It seems you both held back in your fight. Are you putting on a show for me? If it's a battle, why harbor personal feelings? Why warn your opponent to dodge arrows in the midst of a battle?" Lü Bu prostrated himself in fear, saying, "I truly had no such intention, foster father. Please see clearly." Ding Yuan said with some disgust, "I cherished your talent and took you as my adopted son, yet you do not cherish my kindness towards you, and you flirted with an enemy general on the battlefield. If you cannot win the next battle, I will not let you off lightly." Lü Bu collapsed to the ground, his heart filled with both fear from being misunderstood and anger from being treated this way.
