Chapter 50 - You Have Limits, But I Don'T!

Su Dingfang exuded an air of unwavering confidence as he spoke. "I'm going to run… You can't stop me," he declared boldly, although he felt embarrassed at uttering those words.

Turning to Su Li, he continued, echoing their previous conversation, "As you mentioned, considering my courage and martial prowess, how would I fare in the mighty Tang Dynasty?"

The battle between Su Dingfang and Su Li had reached its conclusion. Su Dingfang, who had claimed that he could defeat the entire Tang Dynasty with just five fingers, was clearly no match for Su Li. The difference in their strengths was immense. It was evident that even with Su Dingfang's skills if Su Li focused his efforts on him, there would be no chance of escape within a hundred steps. The only limiting factor was Su Li's low acuity attribute, which affected his speed and agility.

Is the gap really this significant? Su Li pondered.

He knew that his strength and physical attributes would easily overpower Su Dingfang. Being a super first-class warrior like Xiang Yu, he had surpassed the limitations of the human body.

Su Li remarked, "If Luo Shixin were still alive, perhaps he could put up a fight against me. But as things stand now, in terms of martial prowess alone, it would be difficult to find an opponent throughout the entire Tang Dynasty."

Su Dingfang gazed at the composed Su Li, a hint of emotion flickering on his face. Moments ago, Su Dingfang had been contemplating the limitations of human beings. It was the overwhelming pressure of the all-around strategic prowess displayed by the Tang Dynasty's generals in Dou Jiande's camp that had prompted Su Dingfang to abandon his focus on martial prowess and wholeheartedly embrace the study of military strategy in his twenties.

It was during his encounter with his younger brother, whom he hadn't seen for over a decade, that Su Dingfang had come to this realization. He discovered that he had limits, while his younger brother had none. Su Dingfang was confident that, in terms of personal martial prowess alone, none of the existing Tang Dynasty generals could surpass Su Li. Reflecting on the past, he concluded that perhaps only Luo Shixin, who had died from exhaustion, could have posed a challenge to Su Li during the Sui and Tang Dynasties.

Su Li's strength and physique exceeded the boundaries of ordinary imagination. Su Dingfang, known for his bravery, didn't dare engage in a direct confrontation with Su Li. Merely blocking Su Li's attacks proved to be arduous enough. Su Li's abilities transcended the capabilities of an ordinary human, evoking a sense of hopelessness in others. Observing Su Li's relaxed demeanor after the fight, devoid of any signs of sweat, indicated that he had merely been warming up, leaving Su Dingfang wondering how long Su Li's physical strength could sustain him in battle.

History had shown that only tactics bordering on foolishness could be employed in the face of such unparalleled bravery. The strategy involved severing Su Li's wings and surrounding him with a massive army to force him into exhaustion and ultimately defeat.

Xiang Yu fought fiercely for half a day, leaving behind a mountain of corpses and blood. Luo Shixin, on the other hand, bravely defended a city alone, battling relentlessly for an entire day and night until exhaustion claimed his life.

According to Su Dingfang's assessment, the only way to overcome Su Li's extraordinary bravery was to employ a large number of powerful bows and crossbows or surround him with heavy troops. Given Su Li's current display of strength, he seemed to have very few apparent weaknesses, except for his speed. He was arguably on par with the legendary ancient Overlords in terms of sheer strength and physique.

"With your exceptional skills, the only way to defeat you on the battlefield would be to encircle you with overwhelming forces or employ formidable bows and crossbows to bring you down. If you commanded thousands of elite soldiers with consistent provisions and logistical support, you would be an unstoppable force capable of maneuvering at will!" Su Dingfang remarked, his face reflecting a mix of admiration and emotion.

He never anticipated that his younger brother, whom he hadn't seen in over a decade, would possess such extraordinary abilities. The younger brother he could easily lift up, the little child who used to pester him to play games, had now become a fearless warrior. What was even more impressive was that Su Li had developed a unique fighting style perfectly suited to him, one that showcased both openness and precision, particularly effective with long weapons. An opponent would struggle to last even five rounds against Su Li when wielding a mighty halberd and striking with all his might.

True generals should not be judged by their bravery alone. Personal bravery ceased to be the primary criterion for evaluating a general a long time ago. As armor grew stronger, weapons became sharper, the crossbow's range and power increased, and personal bravery's influence on the battlefield diminished. Su Dingfang, having learned from the disadvantages of relying solely on bravery without understanding strategy, shifted his focus to the art of war.

He recognized that personal bravery's role in battle would continue to dwindle, gradually losing its impact on the overall situation. However, some exceptional individuals defied common sense, such as Overlord Xiang Yu and the late Luo Shixin. Despite lacking strategic acumen like Su Dingfang once did, Luo Shixin dominated the world with his unparalleled bravery. Xiang Yu, the Western Chu Overlord, possessed not only military strategy and tactics but also harnessed his martial prowess to the fullest, achieving remarkable military accomplishments that resonated throughout China for decades, establishing his dominance on the early Han Dynasty battlefield.

In Su Dingfang's opinion…

If his younger brother was just a simple reckless man, the lowest limit he could reach would be Luo Shixin's level, making him a renowned first-class general solely based on his bravery.

However, if someone could master the art of war and strategic strategies fully utilize their abilities, the upper limit of their potential could surpass that of Overlord Xiang Yu… or even go even higher.

Xiang Yu's military strategy primarily focused on the battlefield. If he had been more proficient in internal governance, Liu Bang might not have threatened him as much.

Undoubtedly, Xiang Yu, with his combination of wisdom and strength, was a formidable figure on the battlefield.

Even renowned military genius Han Xin, with all the advantages of the Han Dynasty's internal governance, logistics, support base, and various bribes, alliances, and maneuvers against Xiang Yu's forces, only narrowly managed to defeat Xiang Yu.

Su Li possessed exceptional personal bravery that surpassed ordinary understanding. His upper limit was extraordinarily high.

Su Dingfang wholeheartedly praised and expressed his admiration for his younger brother Su Li, considering him capable of becoming a king with his power.

However, despite the high praise from Su Dingfang, Su Li only paid attention to his brother's words regarding encircling and killing heavy troops and using bows and crossbows. Su Dingfang quickly suppressed his own little pride.

Although Su Dingfang affirmed that Su Li was no match for him in terms of martial prowess alone, there were still ways to overcome this limitation. This was not surprising, as the lessons from the downfall of the Western Chu overlord were still remembered.

Even if one possessed military strategy and battlefield intuition similar to the Overlord of Western Chu, coupled with personal bravery that defied common sense, they could still be defeated by the combined forces of the Han Dynasty.

Su Li's personal bravery was even three points inferior to that of the Overlord. Regarding the art of war, he only possessed some common sense and basic knowledge learned from veterans who had fought many battles.

The Early Han Dynasty's Heavenly Regiment, which defeated Xiang Yu, undoubtedly had many talented individuals. However, the Heavenly Squad of the Tang Dynasty was not to be underestimated either.

Setting aside Li Er's character for the time being, Xiang Yu's methods and tactics were slightly inferior to those of the Tang Dynasty's Heavenly Squad.

Regarding military affairs, Li Jing was likely no less capable than Han Xin, the legendary soldier.

Indeed, the early Tang Dynasty's Heavenly Squad consisted of formidable generals renowned for their bravery and combat skills. It included renowned figures like Li Shimin, Yu Chigong, Cheng Yaojin, Qin Qiong, and many others.

Even Li Er himself gained fame for his military exploits. Apart from being an emperor, he was also a first-class general.

Not to mention internal affairs, as individuals like Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and Zhangsun Wuji managed the Great Tang in an orderly manner.

However, it was too early for Su Li to aspire to become an ancestor of the Tang Dynasty.

"But… I am not Xiang Yu!" Su Li grinned.

Unlike Xiang Yu, Su Li was not as reckless. He didn't want to antagonize the entire world needlessly.

Looking at it optimistically, there was only a slight difference between his strength and physique compared to Xiang Yu's, with just over two months having passed.

"In another two or three months, maybe I can take on the Tang Dynasty's Heavenly Squad all by myself," Su Li said with a smirk.

He would have no rivals in the entire Tang Dynasty if he waited another year and a half.

Hence, Su Li remained calm and composed. They were heroes in the later stages, after all. He was determined to keep progressing.

"With your skills, I fear you are already invincible. However, you must learn some war tactics if you don't want to exhaust yourself and meet the same fate as Luo Shixin. Have you learned any?" Su Dingfang asked after a moment of contemplation.

Su Li was delighted upon hearing this. Could he really achieve what others couldn't?

He was still in the early stage, and there was a long way to go before reaching the late stage. However, Su Li didn't reveal this harsh reality. In Su Dingfang's eyes, someone like Su Li was already extremely terrifying. He might consider him a monster if he were to find out that this was just the beginning.

Nonetheless, Su Li listened attentively to Su Dingfang's words. There was a limit to personal martial prowess, although he wasn't aware of where his own limit lay. If he could understand and apply the strategies well, it would have an effect greater than the sum of its parts.

Besides, Su Dingfang was a first-class general renowned for his military exploits in later generations, with a world-renowned understanding of the art of war.

Su Li had already acquired some knowledge of the art of war, and his foundation of common sense in this field was solid. However, he lacked the means to adapt and cleverly use these ideas. Wasn't it time to seek guidance now?

"I have learned a little bit… It's just that most of it is superficial knowledge without truly understanding the underlying principles!" Su Li honestly confessed.