Lu Junyi can be regarded as the top master in Liangshan, but he is not invincible. There are some hidden strong men who appeared late and have launched real challenges to him.
Arich's strength
As the guard of Miyun County in Tanzhou, Liao State, Arich faced the Liangshan army on the battlefield for the first time. His appearance quickly aroused the vigilance of the Liangshan generals, because his martial arts skills were obviously beyond the scope of ordinary warriors. Arich's most outstanding record was his fight with Xu Ning, one of the Eight Hussars of Liangshan, and he defeated the opponent in only thirty rounds.
Xu Ning's marksmanship had been praised by Lin Chong, but this quick defeat shocked the Liangshan camp. Arich then fought against Dong Ping, one of the five tiger generals, for 50 rounds. The two sides could not decide the winner, which proved that he has the strength of Liangshan's top warrior. Had Arich not appeared so late in the Liao chapter, his reputation would have been more widely known.
Sun An’s continued fierce battle
Sun An, who was once the commander-in-chief of Hebei Tian Hu, showed unforgettable endurance on the battlefield. Qin Ming, one of the Five Tigers of Liangshan, took the lead in confronting Sun An. They fought fiercely for more than 50 rounds and still could not tell the difference. Lu Junyi, who was watching the battle, concluded that Qin Ming might be exhausted, so he personally went to take over his role in the battle.
Lu Junyi and Sun An fought for fifty rounds, and it was still a tie. After that, the two sides changed their horses and continued fighting. In the end, Lu Junyi had to use a tripping rope to capture Sun An. This incident can reflect Sun An's frontal combat effectiveness from the side. In Liangshan's subsequent rankings, Sun An's martial arts was considered second only to Lu Junyi, and surpassed most of the Five Tigers.
Du Bo's peak showdown
As for Du Bo, who was the number one general among Wang Qing's forces in Huaixi, although the description of his martial arts in the book is brief, its weight is substantial. After losing his generals one after another, Du Bo personally participated in the battle. The one-on-one duel between him and Lu Junyi became one of the most fierce battles in the book. This duel was in a long stalemate, with neither side able to gain a clear advantage.
At the critical moment, Sun An, who had returned to Liangshan, killed Du Fu's lieutenant and joined the battle group, thus forming a two-on-one situation. With the help of Sun An, Lu Junyi finally defeated Du Bo, and this became the most difficult battle in Lu Junyi's life. If Du Bo had been allowed to appear earlier, his strength should have been more widely recognized.
An underestimated Liao general
In addition to Arich, among the Liao camp, there are young generals such as Yelu Zongyun who have outstanding strength. Yelu Zongyun once fought with Guan Sheng for thirty rounds, and the two sides did not decide the outcome. The other Yelu brothers also fought against the Five Tigers of Liangshan and did not lose. These Liao generals no longer appear after the chapter of conquering Liao, so their military force has not been fully discussed.
The martial arts system possessed by the generals of the Liao Kingdom was different from that in the Central Plains. It focused more on actual combat situations on the battlefield rather than on competitions in the arena. This difference has caused their strength to be underestimated in folklore. In fact, some Liao generals are fully qualified to be included in the ranks of top masters.
The hidden master of Tian Hu camp
In addition to Sun An, Tian Hu also has quite powerful generals such as Bian Xiang and Shan Shiqi. Bian Xiang once fought against Shi Jin and Hua Rong at the same time, but he was always undefeated. Shan Shiqi fought with Lin Chong for fifty rounds and ended up in a draw. These generals were wiped out early by Liangshan, so their achievements did not attract enough attention.
Most of Tian Hu's generals were born in the wilderness. Their fighting style was brave and direct, but they lacked channels to spread their reputation. After their power collapsed, the names of these masters gradually faded out of people's sight.
Wang Qing Group’s martial arts inheritance
The Wang Qing Group has a unique martial arts inheritance system, of which Du Bo is the most outstanding representative. Most of the generals of this group have undergone systematic military training, and their fighting methods are closer to those of the regular army than those of the Green Forest Heroes. This background makes their strength evaluation standards different from those of Liangshan.
After Wang Qing's defeat, his martial arts system also dissipated, and the deeds of many masters were not fully recorded. These factors together led to the fact that the strength of Du Bo and other generals did not receive the reputation they deserved.
Dear readers, outside of the scope of Liangshan's One Hundred and Eight Generals, do you think there are other hidden masters who have not received sufficient attention and deserve re-evaluation? Welcome to share your views. If you think this article is useful, please like and support it so that more friends can see it.
