Arc

This page features another, more idiosyncratic way of grouping together the chapters and volumes of The Ravages of Time. Additional arcs, acts, and sagas will be devised and approximated as the series continues and as this blog progresses.
To stress the point once more – the categorization in this page is NOT OFFICIAL (see the chapter and volume listing page for the ‘canonical’ arc divisions) and merely stands as a convenient way of grouping volumes together according to the main military campaigns and political struggles involved. Also notable are the following characteristics: ‘acts’ are constructed with dominant characters in mind; ‘sagas’ in turn are based on a larger-scale view of things and seem to arise in batches of 150-160 chapters.
SAGA ONE: Liu Xie becomes Han’s last emperor and is kept under control by Dong Zhuo and his generals.
ACT I. Might of Dong Zhuo; the Sima clan profits as heroes emerge, geniuses step up, Lü Bu ascends, and the crisis in the empire escalates
Prologue –Xu Lin’s Assassination
  • V1 (1-6) After the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the Struggle with the Ten Attendants, Dong Zhuo’s Xiliang army occupies the capital and warlords form the Guandong Alliance to fight him
Hostage Rescue and Burning Luoyang Arc
  • V2 (7-14) The Guandong Alliance sets up the rescue scheme
  • V3 (15-23) Dong Zhuo begins the relocation operation
  • V4 (24-32) Dong Zhuo’s forces gain the upper hand
  • V5 (33-41) The rescue and the relocation succeed
Hulao Pass Skirmish Mini-Arc
  • V6 (42-50) The alliance falls apart and narrowly averts complete defeat
Chang’an Coup and Xiliang Uprising Arc
  • V7 (51-59) Yuan Shao betrays Gongsun Zan along the way
  • V8 (60-68) Lü Bu and Li Ru scheme against each other
  • V9 (69-77) Dong Zhuo dies and Lü Bu takes Chang’an
  • V10 (78-85) Dong Zhuo’s remaining followers drive out Lü Bu
ACT II. Rise of Cao Cao; the Sima clan submits, the Sun clan revives, Liu Bei gains, Lü Bu rampages, Yuan Shu schemes, and the emperor suffers
Xuzhou Invasion Arc
  • V11 (86-93) Xuzhou holds out and wears down
  • V12 (94-101) Liu Bei and other forces arrive to aid Xuzhou
  • V13 (102-109) Cao Cao’s forces pull back from Xuzhou
Yanzhou Struggle Arc
  • V14 (110-117) Lü Bu’s forces gain the upper hand
  • V15 (118-125) Cao Cao’s forces bounce back and defeat Lü Bu
Sun Clan and Imperial Seal Recovery Arc
  • V16 (126-134) Yuan Shu sets up the remnants of the Sun clan
  • V17 (135-142) Yuan Shu and the Sun clan each lose a key officer
  • V18 (143-150) Yuan Shu gains the seal and Sun Ce is free to begin anew
Emperor Rescue Mini-Arc
  • V19 (151-158) Liu Xie leaves Chang’an and Cao Cao defeats Li Jue and Guo Si
SAGA TWO: Cao Cao takes the young Han emperor under his custody and the Jian’an era commences.
ACT III: Myth of Lü Bu; the Sima clan declines, Cao Cao rebounds, Liu Bei endures, Sun Ce advances, and old pillars of the realm crumble
Jiangdong Conquest Arc
  • V20 (159-166) Sun Ce’s forces outwit various opponents
  • V21 (167-174) Sun Ce continues to expand in Jiangdong
Xuzhou Takeover Mini-Arc
  • V22 (175-182) Lü Bu drives out Zhang Fei with help from Yuan Shu
Wancheng (Nanyang) Ambush Arc
  • V23 (183-190) Pang Tong strings together warlords to pounce on Cao Cao
  • V24 (191-198) Cao Cao’s forces hold on and repel the attackers
Henei Suppression (Sima Clan Downfall) Mini-Arc
  • V25 (199-206) The Sima clan faces punishment for treachery and rebellion
Xuzhou Consolidation (Chu and Han Remembrance) Arc
  • V26 (207-214) Lü Bu and Liu Bei team up to fight Yuan Shu upon the collapse of Liu Chong’s coalition
  • V27 (215-222) Liu Bei survives Lü Bu’s assault and joins Cao Cao’s campaign
Flooded Xiapi and War God’s Last Ride Arc
  • V28 (223-230) Cao Cao advances into Xuzhou once more
  • V29 (231-239) The flood sweeps away Lü Bu’s initial advantage
  • V30 (240-247) Lü Bu attempts to spring out of the trap
  • V31 (248-256) The last stronghold falls and defectors capture Lü Bu
  • V32 (257-263) Cao Cao and Liu Bei’s forces deal with Lü Bu and his few followers
ACT IV: Charge of Sun Ce; Sima Yi rebuilds, Cao Cao prepares, Liu Bei flees, the Yuan clan presses, and the unrest in the empire intensifies
Jiangdong Intrigues Mini-Arc (plus Interlude of 2 side-story chapters set during the Yellow Turban rebellion, also included in the same volume)
  • V33 (264-269) Sun Ce and Sun Quan consolidate the eastern region
Showdown Preludes and Preliminary Skirmishes Arc
  • V34 (270-277) Yuan Tan leads the vanguard force to Xuzhou
  • V35 (278-285) Liu Bei wields Cao Cao’s troops and finishes Yuan Shu’s dynasty
  • V36 (286-293) Sun Ce attacks Jiangxia and weakens Yu Ji’s Taiping sect
  • V37 (294-301) Liu Bei rebels and Cao Cao’s forces retake Xuzhou
Little Conqueror’s Surprise Assaults and Sudden Departure Arc
  • V38 (302-309) Sun Ce shifts course and strikes Cao Cao
  • V39 (310-316) Guan Yu leads Cao Cao’s forces to victory
SAGA THREE: The Imperial Clan splinters and once-loyalist houses defy the chancellor behind the throne.
ACT V: Flight of Yuan Fang; Sima Yi assists, Cao Cao and Yuan Shao battle, Liu Bei retreats, Ma Teng intrudes, with the northlands at stake
Guandu Campaign Arc
  • V40 (317-324) Yuan Fang secures a win and makes up for the loss at Yan ford
  • V41 (325-332) Jia Xu heads Cao Cao’s defenses in Runan
  • V42 (333-340) Yuan Fang burns his enemies in Gushi and Wuchao
  • V43 (341-348) Cao Cao’s forces begin to turn the tide
  • V44 (349-356) The Yuan clan retreats in utter defeat
Northern Unification Arc
  • V45 (357-364) Cao Cao’s forces engage the armies of Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang
  • V46 (365-372) Cao Cao conquers the north and Guo Jia blocks Sima Yi’s ambitions
ACT VI: Three Kingdoms Foreshadowed; Sima Yi connives, Zhuge Liang unveils, Cao Cao marches south, Liu Bei and Sun Quan team up
Jingzhou and Jiangxia Turnovers Mini-Arc
  • V47 (373-380) Liu Biao loses Jiangxia and Liu Bei gains another opportunity
Initial Invasion and Changban Standoff Arc
  • V48 (381-388) Cao Cao’s forces take Jingzhou by storm
  • V49 (389-395) Zhao Yun covers for Liu Bei’s retreat with refugees to Xiakou
  • V50 (396-403) Zhang Fei guards Changban and Liu Bei joins forces with Sun Quan
Flames of Chibi Arc
  • V51 (404-411) The two sides attempt to outmaneuver each other
  • V52 (412-419) Cao Cao’s forces thwart Huang Gai’s ruse and gain the upper hand
  • V53 (420-427) Zhou Yu’s comeback sets the battlefield ablaze and delivers the alliance victory in Chibi
Storms of Huarong Arc
  • V54 (428-435) Cao Cao retreats to Huarong where Zuo Ci and Zhuge Liang commence their schemes
  • V55 (436-443) Guan Yu and the weather tear down Cao Cao’s last lines of defense
Southern Jing Pacification (New Assassins) Arc
  • V56 (444-451) Rescue arrives for Cao Cao and Liu Bei moves to take the four commanderies
  • V57 (452-458) Liu Bei’s commanders meet their worthy matches in the four commanderies
  • V58 (459-465) Liu Bei’s forces begin to turn the tide and gain the upper hand
  • V59
TO BE CONTINUED

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