Loras charged at Lu Bu, but was immediately sent flying, landing heavily on the grass nearby.
When he regained consciousness, it was already dusk, and the soldiers in the camp were eating roasted meat.
"Loras, if you hadn't woken up soon, I would have eaten your share!" Lu Bu boomed.
"I'm awake, I'm awake!" Loras quickly scrambled up and trotted over.
He took the roasted leg of lamb Lu Bu handed him and took a huge bite.
"General Lu, when will I finally be able to defeat you?" Loras asked.
"In another twenty years!" Lu Bu replied. In twenty years, he would be old, and Loras would be in his prime. Currently, Loras was only sixteen—too young.
"Why are you so strong? I've never heard of someone like you before. Which house are you from?" Loras continued to question.
"House Grund," Lu Bu said.
"House Grund? Does that mean 'Green'?" Loras asked.
"No, it means two mouths: 'Lu'."
Their conversation was a bit nonsensical, like a donkey's lips not matching a horse's mouth. But after being defeated by Lu Bu ninety-nine times, Loras had suddenly developed a hero worship for this giant of a man.
He suddenly thought Lu Bu looked incredibly handsome, even more so than Renly. Loras's taste was... unquestionable.
Lu Bu was known as "Lu Bu among men," so naturally, he had an imposing presence.
By another fire in the distance, Lancelot was drinking with Zhang Liao and Gao Shun.
"Gao Shun, how is the training for the Formation Breakers coming along?" Lancelot asked.
"Training while marching isn't effective. If I could stop at a castle to train properly, I believe I could complete the preliminary training in six months," Gao Shun replied.
"Good. When we reach Winterfell, you stay there and train a thousand Formation Breakers!" Lancelot decided.
Then he looked at Zhang Liao.
"I plan to let Lu Bu command all the Flying Bear Legion. Zhang Liao, I want you to train another light cavalry unit for me—one that comes and goes like the wind. I've already thought of a name: the Tiger and Leopard Riders."
"Do we have the training methods, enough soldiers, and horses?" Zhang Liao asked.
"I'll figure out a way for you! You stay in Winterfell too. I can't commit all my forces to battle; I need to keep some trump cards for myself."
And so, Lancelot split the three thousand Flying Bear troops he had won from the lottery. He gave one thousand to Gao Shun to train as Formation Breakers and another thousand to Zhang Liao for the Tiger and Leopard Riders.
However, they weren't new recruits; they just needed to be trained in different combat styles.
Eventually, the Flying Bear Legion would be heavy cavalry, the Tiger and Leopard Riders would be light cavalry, the Formation Breakers would be a versatile multi-role unit, and the Unsullied would be the ultimate heavy infantry.
Lancelot would possess the strongest and most comprehensive army on land.
Upon arriving at Winterfell, Robb Stark showed a distinct lack of welcome toward Lancelot. After all, his father was under house arrest in King's Landing.
He had considered calling upon the bannermen to march on King's Landing to demand his father's release, but practically no lords were willing to heed his call.
Lancelot looked at the cold food on his plate—what the serving girl had just brought out.
Lancelot didn't take a bite. He looked at Robb Stark.
"Robb, now is not the time for sulking. If you have grievances, speak them. I'll do my best to meet your demands," Lancelot said.
"I demand the immediate release of my father. Otherwise, the coalition of the Seven Kingdoms will dissolve. The North will not answer the Iron Throne's call. We can fight the wildlings and White Walkers on our own," Robb Stark said coldly.
"Your father showed no dissatisfaction when he entered the White Sword Tower. On the contrary, that is the safest place for him right now," Lancelot countered.
"Robb, bring us some hot food. In weather this cold, you're making guests who have traveled so far eat this? Is this the hospitality of House Stark?" Brynden Tully chided.
"Who are you, old man? There's no place for you to speak here," Theon Greyjoy interrupted from the side, unaware of the Blackfish's identity.
The Blackfish immediately stood up, looking at Theon with a cold sneer.
"When Jaime Lannister was at Riverrun, he used to chase after me asking for stories about knights. And now a brat like you looks down on this old man?" the Blackfish said.
"Who do you think you are, old man? Don't think you deserve my respect just because you have white hair. If you've got skills, let's compete," Theon huffed.
"I am Brynden Tully, known as the Blackfish, brother to Duke Hoster, former Knight of the Gate in the Vale, and now one of the Knights of the Round Table."
"By the way, Theon, your uncle Victarion is also one of the Knights of the Round Table," he added.
"I wonder if you still remember him."
Both Theon and Robb Stark flushed with embarrassment.
"Great-uncle, I'm sorry. I'll go get you fresh food immediately," Robb Stark said. He had heard Catelyn speak of this uncle.
Compared to Duke Hoster, the Blackfish, Brynden Tully, was far more intimidating.
"No need! Theon, boy, let's compete. I hear you're good at archery. Let's have an archery contest!"
In the training yard of Winterfell, both the Blackfish and Theon held bows and began shooting at targets.
Their archery skills were evenly matched, but Theon, feeling somewhat intimidated, ended up losing the contest.
"Is there an archery contest going on? Why don't I join in too! Hahaha!" Lu Bu strode over.
He was also holding a strong bow with a two-stone draw weight.
Lu Bu swept his gaze over the group with disdain.
"Come, place my Heaven-Piercing Halberd one hundred and fifty paces away from me."
The crowd watched as a soldier carried the halberd and planted it one hundred and fifty paces from Lu Bu, turning the weapon to face the onlookers.
Apart from Lancelot, no one knew what he intended to do.
"What are you doing?" Theon asked. Even in his opinion, at such a distance, it would be impossible to hit, let alone with any accuracy.
"Watch closely! This is the Divine Arrow of yours truly!"
Lu Bu centered his qi in his dantian, squatted slightly, aligned his sights, and with a thwack, a sharp arrow flew through the air, striking the crescent blade of the halberd. Everyone heard a distinct clang.
Lu Bu didn't stop there. He picked up another arrow. This time, he didn't hit the crescent blade but shot it straight through the opening of the halberd's blade.
His archery instantly won Theon over. Theon looked at him with eyes full of worship and immediately called out, "Master!"
He begged Lu Bu to teach him archery.
Lu Bu, however, curled his lip. "You're not even as sensible as Loras! You're older than him, but your maturity doesn't match a sixteen-year-old child."
Lu Bu's words shattered Theon's defenses, and he walked away in shame.