A Thousand Years of Elegance Discussed in Laughter (Complete) - 39

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The words of the Ghostly Lord, a sinner for all time, in Chapter Sixteen of Volume Forty-Three

struck Ren Xiaoyao like a bolt from the blue, causing him to tremble violently.
At this moment, the horror in his heart was beyond words; he was utterly unable to accept this cruel and merciless reality!
Resentment, anger, self-blame, and shame surged forth, engulfing his already crumbling mind like a tidal wave.
It was over. Everything was over.
The four kingdoms had agreed to send troops simultaneously.
Two million fierce and powerful soldiers would sweep across the Song Dynasty.
Even if he were in Xunfeng City, even if he possessed the invincible army of "Heavenly Extreme Elite Soldiers," he might not be able to hold off the enemy and protect the Song Dynasty.
And if he died on the summit of Tianshan Mountain, and the Ghostly Lord, Hentian, Xukong, and others
relayed the news of Fei Yun, his master, and several seniors back to the Central Plains… the Heavenly Extreme Sect would be doomed, and the martial arts world of the Central Plains would be thrown into chaos.
What would they rely on to resist the foreign invaders, what would they rely on to defend their homeland?
Originally…originally…
the Great Song Dynasty still had the Yang Family Army, the last guarantee for the nation and its people, the last bastion of its power.
But the Tanguts secretly dispatched skilled assassins to kill them at the Three Passes…
all hope vanished, and the four hundred military prefectures conquered by Emperor Taizu in his campaigns were on the verge of destruction.
Destroyed by his underestimation of the enemy, destroyed by his fatal flaw, destroyed by his arrogance and overconfidence, destroyed by his…
Ren Xiaoyao, you are the eternal sinner of the Great Song Dynasty!!!
Ren Xiaoyao stared blankly ahead, his gaze empty and lifeless.
His body convulsed, his blood froze, his chest felt as if struck by a thousand-pound boulder, and he struggled to breathe.
—The words of the Ghostly Lord overwhelmed him in a torrent of despair.
He felt his strength suddenly vanish, his legs stumbled, and he almost collapsed to the ground.
He seemed to hear himself howling, his body weak, the world spinning around him.
"...
Brother Ren...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..." Seeing Ren Xiaoyao like this, Xuan Qingqiu was in tears, her slender hands covering her jade-like cheeks, sobbing uncontrollably. Regret gnawed at her heart like a venomous snake.
He was the most perfect, the most outstanding, and the most devoted man she had ever met.
For her, he didn't hesitate to sacrifice his own power, going to great lengths to heal her injuries.
For her, he didn't hesitate to abandon the entire martial arts world, taking her to Flower Calyx Valley for medical treatment.
For her, he didn't hesitate to fall off a cliff, risking his life to taste that rare wooden fruit.
For her...
Ren Xiaoyao had given her so much, too much to calculate, too much to count, too much to describe in words.
Even more so, Ren Xiaoyao had unlocked her heart, which had been closed for eighteen years, allowing her to taste the true flavor of love.
And yet, she had betrayed Ren Xiaoyao to her master, driving him to his death.
"Junior sister, why are you still crying at a time like this?" Chen Yixi chuckled sinisterly, coldly saying, "With Ren Xiaoyao dead, the Central Plains martial arts world will all be ours. Junior sister, you have rendered great service to the Holy Sect, and Master will surely reward you handsomely."
Hentian also laughed, "Yes, Brother Guiming, if you hadn't raised such a good disciple, we don't know how long we would have had to wait to kill this little bastard."
Xuan Qingqiu sobbed, only crying incessantly, her pitiful and charming temperament...
Any man, even these evil sect masters present, except for the Guiming Divine Lord and Hentian who were heartbroken and possessed by love, would feel a strong urge to embrace her and cherish her tenderly, yet they would feel ashamed of their own appearance and could not bear to defile that peerless beauty that transcended the mortal world and belonged only to the immortal realm.
—Xuan Qingqiu was the kind of stunningly beautiful woman that every man would want to take to bed with, yet could not bear to harm even slightly.
Only Chen Yixi dared to defy the world, his eyes burning with lust, never leaving Xuan Qingqiu's full, proud breasts: "Master, now that Junior Sister's mission is complete, my marriage with her..."
"How dare you touch my woman!!!"
A thunderous roar erupted in the air—no, it was a human voice.
The voice wasn't loud, but it was like a thunderclap, shaking Chen Yixi's internal organs and making his knees weak.
Ren Xiaoyao!
Just moments before, Ren Xiaoyao had been pale and swaying precariously, but suddenly he straightened his back, his two sharp, cold eyes shooting towards him, his expression intimidating.
Their eyes met, staring at each other, Ren Xiaoyao's gaze like a pair of sharp swords piercing through Chen Yixi's eyes and into his heart, causing the latter to tremble and take two steps back in fright.
"Qingqiu." Ren Xiaoyao turned to look at Xuan Qingqiu, who was crying her eyes out.
"I don't blame you!" Upon hearing these four words, Xuan Qingqiu's delicate body trembled.
“Ghost Netherworld Lord is your master. He has raised you and taught you. You cannot disobey your master’s orders. He asked you to infiltrate my side and gather intelligence for him. As his disciple, how could you not obey?” Ren Xiaoyao’s eyes softened as he sighed. “At first, you may have wanted to harm me, but I believe that after spending some time with me, especially after the incident of retrieving the Wood Treasure Fruit from Ghost Sorrow Cliff, your views and attitudes towards me have definitely changed. You will no longer be as eager to get rid of me as you were when we first met…”
Zhao Xuanqing stared blankly at his heroic demeanor, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion.
"Afterwards, many things seemed to be done for the Asura Sect, but in reality, you were always ambiguous, trying every possible way to ease the conflict between the two sides." Ren Xiaoyao's tone was solemn as he stared intently into Xuan Qingqiu's eyes, filled with emotion. "Even this time, you hesitated before telling Master about my solitary journey, and you cried bitterly in my arms, begging me to take you away—at first I thought you were frightened, but now it seems you were making a last-ditch effort to remind me to return to the Central Plains and not blindly stumble into this enormous trap."
Xuan Qingqiu's sobs gradually subsided, but her tear-stained face still couldn't hide her desolate appearance, possessing a heartbreakingly lonely beauty that revealed the torment and inner conflict she suffered.
"So I don't blame you. If anyone's to blame, it's me for being too stupid. I didn't see that the annihilation was just an illusion. Instead, I was blinded by the easy victory and rashly left the Central Plains for Tibet, falling right into their trap. Even the wisest can make a mistake. I lost to myself, and it has nothing to do with you."
"Even now, he... he's still protecting me, comforting me, not wanting me to be sad!"
Xuan Qingqiu's heart trembled, and her self-reproach and guilt intensified.
"You brat, what are you spouting when you're about to die!" Chen Yixi was extremely jealous. Hearing that his junior sister had shed tears in Ren Xiaoyao's arms, he was furious. He stomped his right foot on the ground and shouted angrily, "Do you believe me? I'll send you to the Western Paradise right now!" As he said this, Tian Jue Di Mie, the Four Asura Envoys, the Five Great Assassins, and Xu Ci either showed smugness or a cold smile, while Gui Ming Shen Jun, Hen Tian, and Xu Kong looked solemn.
How could Ren Xiaoyao, who had been dejected and listless, recover so quickly?! Was
his mental fortitude truly so strong that, trapped in such a perilous situation with almost no chance of survival, and knowing the impending doom of the Song Dynasty, he still had the mind to comfort Xuan Qingqiu?!
"You think you can kill me?" Ren Xiaoyao slightly raised his head, his disdainful gaze particularly scornful.
Their eyes met, and Chen Yixi suddenly shouted, "At worst… at worst, I'll stab you with the final blow… I'll rip out your heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys, cut them into pieces, and feed them to… to the dogs!"
Ren Xiaoyao stared at him silently, his eyes burning like flames, showing no sign of backing down.
Strangely enough, even in this brief eye contact, Chen Yixi felt uneasy and disturbed by Ren Xiaoyao's gaze. His throat gurgled, his tone wild, and he roared, "We're all...we're all about to die, and you...you're still showing off your power?"
Guiming Shenjun, Hentian, and Xukong sensed something amiss, exchanging glances but shaking their heads.
Even with their shrewdness, none of them could figure out what Ren Xiaoyao intended.
"Fine, fine, you want to rip out my heart and rip out my kidneys? Then come on!" Ren Xiaoyao laughed without surprise, his sharp eyes shifting, gleaming with an eerie, deep light.
Chen Yixi's face stiffened, and he suddenly felt himself sink into nothingness, floating and limp, as if in a drunken stupor.
"Ahhh...I'll give you my life!" Chen Yixi suddenly shouted, drawing his sword.
"Yi Xi, don't be impulsive." Before Ghost Lord could finish speaking, Chen Yi Xi had already made his move. A flash of brilliant light, carrying a bluish glow, erupted with a clear, piercing buzzing sound, aimed directly at Ren Xiaoyao's neck!
No, no, it wasn't Ren Xiaoyao.
It was Yun Yu Shi, the Yun Yu Shi closest to him!!!
This sword strike was the culmination of Chen Yi Xi's life's work, both fast and ruthless. Even if Yun Yu Shi knew he was about to attack,
he wouldn't have had a moment to maneuver or dodge at such close range!
"Swoosh!" The Bloodthirsty Soul-Stealing Sword pierced through his right chest.
Yun Yu Shi swayed, suddenly waking up, then felt a burning sensation in his throat as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"Yi Xi, you…" Yun Yu Shi was filled with shock and rage, blood gushing from his chest like a spring.
"You...what are you doing!?" He took three quick steps back, creating distance. As soon as he regained his footing, he nearly fell, his expression extremely strange. "You...you...why did you kill me..." In his rage, Chen Yixi's sword lost its aim, but it had already severely injured his right lung. Yunyu Shi uttered these words haltingly, unable to breathe, bending over and coughing violently, blood gushing out, staining his clothes red.
Hentian was stunned, Xukong was stunned, everyone in the room was stunned.
Seeing Ren Xiaoyao with no way out and certain death, their bodies, which had been filled with excitement, now seemed to have all their blood drained away, their minds suddenly becoming a blank, empty void.
No one knew how to deal with this sudden change!
Especially Guiming Shenjun, whose expression changed drastically, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at the disciple he had raised.
He hated Ren Xiaoyao to the core and wanted to kill him, so why... why did he betray him at the last minute?!
"Ren Xiaoyao, prepare to die!" Chen Yixi roared, thrusting his long sword straight at Gui Ming Shenjun's back!
Everyone looked at each other, even more shocked.
He was calling for Ren Xiaoyao, so why was he attacking his own master?!
It was Ren Xiaoyao's doing!
Hentian and Xukong suddenly realized.
Gui Ming Shenjun snatched the sword away with a swift movement, holding it in mid-air, and forcefully pulled Chen Yixi's sword down. Then, with a swift movement of his right hand, his palm struck Chen Yixi squarely on the forehead.
Chen Yixi swayed and fell to the ground, temporarily losing consciousness.
"Ren Xiaoyao, what kind of kung fu did you use?!"
"Ninjutsu? Mirror Flower Water Moon!!!"

Volume 43, Chapter 17: The Doomed Couple.

At 2:28 PM on May 19th, the entire nation observed three minutes of silence to mourn the dead and pray for the living.
"Ninjutsu!?" "
Ghostly Lord, Hentian, and Xukong exclaimed in unison.
"No, it's not ninjutsu, it's illusion. It can control the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch at will. Apart from me, who possesses intuition, no one in the world can break this illusion."
Ren Xiaoyao proudly raised his head, looking down arrogantly at the entire audience, finally stopping at Hentian.
"I have long heard that the twelfth level of the Heavenly Demon Heart Sutra, Yama's Exhaustion, can seal the opponent's senses of touch, smell, taste, sight, and hearing at the limit of power. In the Battle of Bianliang in the past, Yelü Deguang relied on this amazing skill to defeat six masters—one monk, two companions, and three swordsmen—in one battle. If it weren't for the emergence of the great hero Ren Qiufeng, the martial arts world of the Central Plains would have been in ruins. Today, I will try to fight you evil bastards from the Asura Cult, Absolute Kill, and Maitreya Cult with Mirror Flower Water Moon!" "
Heavenly Annihilation, the Four Asura Envoys, the Five Great Assassins, and Xu Ci all trembled and took a few steps back.
Hentian remained unmoved and said in a deep voice, "That's right. Both are about the five senses. All I can do is strip them away, but you can manipulate them at will. Mirror Flower Water Moon is indeed superior to Yama's Exhaustion, but..." A cold smile appeared on his lips, and his eyes shone brightly as he stared at Ren Xiaoyao, as if he could see right into his heart. "Leader Ren's martial arts are superb. He must know very well that whether it's Yama's Exhaustion or Mirror Flower Water Moon, all martial arts that affect the mind and will primarily rely on the user's own mental will and will, as well as the corresponding internal energy."
Ren Xiaoyao's expression changed slightly. "
Everyone here is a top-tier expert in the martial arts world. Even with your unparalleled and supremely powerful innate qi, trying to control us all at once is nothing short of a pipe dream. Especially me, Brother Guiming, Master Xukong, and I—none of us have internal strength cultivation below yours. If you were to attack us one-on-one when we were caught off guard, your chances of success might be around 70-80%. But now… Hmph!"
Xukong sneered, clasping his hands together. He continued, "Of course, you can forcibly use the Mirror Flower Water Moon technique to control our three subordinates, making them work for you and fight their masters. They are all top-tier experts. No matter how exquisite your ninjutsu or how profound your internal strength, you would have to be completely focused and exert all your strength to 'manipulate' them. Let alone fighting them, even moving a clone would be wishful thinking."
"In other words, even if we were to throw a single hidden weapon while we're 'fighting amongst ourselves,' you, Ren Xiaoyao, who dares to claim yourself the supreme master of the martial world, would be certain to die!" Ren
Xiaoyao's mind went blank for a moment, feeling dizzy and almost fainting.
The Ghostly Lord stood calmly about ten paces away, his eyes gleaming with demonic light, and smiled, "If you truly wanted to escape using 'Mirror Flower, Water Moon,' you would never have used it to attack Yixi first to give us time to prepare. But you did it anyway, for a simple reason—to disrupt our formation, weaken our morale, and seize the opportunity to strike!"
"Alas!" Ren
Xiaoyao put his hands behind his back, looked up at the sky, and let out a long sigh. His eyes shone with an indescribable sorrow, reminding him of the scene when Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, committed suicide at the Wujiang River.
"They are all infamous, cunning masters of the evil path. My supposedly foolproof plan was seen through in an instant… Fine, fine, then I will use all my skills to test my abilities."
The Ghostly Lord looked at him coldly and sneered, "What, you still want to fight like a cornered beast?"
"If you want my life, you'll have to pay a bloody price!" "Ren Xiaoyao roared, channeling his innate supreme qi to its limit. With a flick of his wrist, the Ice Soul Frost Sword instantly emitted countless points of blue light, shooting out with
incredible speed! This was Ren Xiaoyao's all-out attack, the sword's edge containing the force of a thousand pounds! The wind pressure generated by the sword howled, swirling up icicles across the ground. Everyone's eyes were suddenly filled with light, countless tiny ice fragments rained down like a storm, mixed with chilling sword qi, assaulting them relentlessly. Their breath caught in their throats, as if Ren Xiaoyao had swept away all the air around them. Even if they desperately tried to inhale, they couldn't suck in anything.
On the summit of Tianshan Mountain, an unprecedented battle between good and evil began!
×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××
"Stars fill the sky!"
"Without the wings of a colorful phoenix to fly with!"
"Flick of Flames!"
"Ten Thousand Buddhas Pay Homage!"
"Zhurong Covers the Snow!
" "Ninja Shadow Clone Slash!"
"Holy Dragon Severs the Nine Heavens!"
"The Overbearing Dragon Regrets!" "
The Forbidden Secret Technique of the Flying Sword Style? Awakening the Ultimate Forbidden Technique of Unparalleled Chaotic Dance—Swallow Return Secret Sword!"
...
The clang of swords clashing and Ren Xiaoyao's fierce shouts that shook the peaks continued for a full four hours.
This battle darkened the sky and the sun and moon, and the mysterious ice that had accumulated on the summit of Tianshan for thousands of years was completely destroyed by the raging energy, revealing the bare ochre rocks.
Blood splattered, staining the mountains red, at first drop by drop, then pools, and later...
not a single rock of its original color could be seen on the entire summit of Tianshan.
The scene was tragic and unbearable to behold.
Desolate, cold, tragic, and pitiful...
anyone who saw it would be filled with fear!
"Boom!" Palm and sword clashed, the sound reverberating through the clouds.
Ren Xiaoyao arched his body and was thrown backward, leaving a long trail of blood in his wake. His Ice Soul Frost Sword pierced the ground with a "crack!", creating a crack that stretched for three zhang (approximately 10 meters), shattering rocks as if plowed by an iron rake.
Ren Xiaoyao's face turned purple, and he suddenly vomited blood. His hands split open, and his body trembled violently. Even leaning on his Ice Soul Sword, he was forced back, standing a few zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) away, coldly watching him. He wiped the blood from his lips with his sleeve, nodded fiercely, and said, "Good, good, even in the face of a cornered beast, you are still so fierce. Back then, you couldn't even withstand my 'Heavenly Calamity Fire' alone, but now, more than a dozen of us have taken turns fighting, and only now have you been exhausted..."
"No matter how powerful your martial arts are, no matter how many unique skills you possess, you've still lost. You're exhausted and utterly defeated!" Hate Heaven's eyes blazed with fury as he strode forward amidst the starry sky. His long robe, stained crimson inside and out, billowed with an oppressive wind pressure that made Ren Xiaoyao's face turn deathly pale. Suddenly, he thrust out a finger, and with a soft "hiss," Ren Xiaoyao's chest was pierced by the force of the finger. A spurt of blood shot into the air, and his fingers swelled and bled, making it difficult for him to even hold the Ice Soul Frost Sword.
Xu Kong's outer robe was completely torn. His shoulder trembled, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, reflecting his cold smile, which held a hint of eeriness that sent chills down one's spine: "To achieve our goal in one battle, to kill Ren Xiaoyao, not only will the Central Plains martial arts world be ours, but the entire world will be ours. What does it matter if a few people are injured or a few subordinates die?"
At this moment, on the summit of Tianshan Mountain, apart from the three of them who could still stand and speak, everyone else was seriously injured and staggering.
Xu Jie's robe at his chest was torn to shreds, and the inner breastplate he wore was split in two—he had fallen for Ren Xiaoyao's trick, "Once you've seen the ocean, other waters are nothing." The incomparably sharp sword energy pierced through his back, and blood gushed out like a spring, instantly forming a rapidly expanding pool of blood beneath him.
The Heavenly Annihilation and Earthly Destruction were skillfully countered by his Nine Revolutions Returning to Origin Force. Their attacks landed squarely on each other, causing them to stumble and fall, unable to rise.
The Wind and Thunder Envoy fared even worse; his remaining right arm was almost limp, unable to be lifted, his chest and abdomen burning like fire, two of his front teeth broken, and his cheeks swollen like buns.
The five assassins lay together, their blood surging, blood gushing from their leg wounds, struggling to stand, but utterly powerless.
This was Ren Xiaoyao's desperate battle. Ghostly Netherworld Lord, Hentian, and Xukong were all splattered with blood; thirteen top masters were all severely injured!
"Ren Xiaoyao, die!" Ghostly Netherworld Lord bent down, grabbed the Bloodthirsty Soul-Stealing Sword, and thrust it towards Ren Xiaoyao's chest.
"No—" Xuan Qingqiu cried out, stumbling forward and shielding Ren Xiaoyao with her arms.
"Qingqiu, what are you doing!" Ghost Lord's face darkened.
Xuan Qingqiu's high chest heaved rapidly, tears welling in her eyes as she sobbed, "Master, you...you promised your disciple that you would only cripple Brother Ren's martial arts, not kill...not kill him, that's why I..."
"Not kill him? Hahaha." Ghost Lord laughed loudly, coldly looking at his disciple, "If Master didn't say that, would you have told me Ren Xiaoyao's true whereabouts?"
Xuan Qingqiu's delicate body trembled violently, and she collapsed.
Hentian said sinisterly, "If you don't cut the weeds at the root, they will grow back in the spring breeze. Back then, we carelessly let Ren Xiaoyao escape, which caused countless troubles and made it difficult to achieve our great cause. Today, we finally managed to force him into a desperate situation..."
"Master—"
Xuan Qingqiu trembled, her jade hands gripping her knees, and she knelt on the ground.
"Please...please spare Brother Ren...sob...I'm willing to give my life for his..."
"Qingqiu, don't beg him!" Ren Xiaoyao, enduring excruciating pain, struggled to his feet. He grasped Xuan Qingqiu's delicate, chiseled shoulders, gently turning her around and pulling her tightly into his arms. He carefully examined her beautiful face, noticing tears streaming down her cheeks like pearls. He smiled and gently wiped away her tears with his sleeve.
Xuan Qingqiu trembled violently, exclaiming, "Brother Ren!" She looked up at him with a sorrowful expression.
Ren Xiaoyao deeply felt her inner struggle and pain, and said softly, "No, you don't need to be like this, you don't need to feel sorry for me. I know that from beginning to end you have always had me in your heart... cough cough cough... always thinking of me, even when you were forced by your master's kindness... forced to reveal that in my heart I still hoped... hoped that I could overcome this calamity and be with you to the ends of the earth, forever. That's enough, that's enough. To have a place in your heart, to have you always thinking of me, remembering me, even if it means death, I, Xiaoyao, would be willing!"
His unfocused gaze gradually focused, staring steadily into the void, and he murmured, "They say, 'To have one true friend in life, what more could one ask for?' Xiaoyao is blessed by the heavens with eight at once, what more could he ask for in this life?"
Xuan Qingqiu looked at him with tears in her eyes, then suddenly lowered her head as if she had made a decision, biting her cherry lips and saying, "Brother Ren, Qingqiu... Qingqiu has thought it through, if Master... if he insists on killing you, Qingqiu will never live alone."
"How can this be? You're in the prime of your life..."
"Qingqiu swore an oath to help Master one last time in the village, and this heart belongs to Brother Ren." Xuan Qingqiu gazed at him tenderly, her snow-white lips gently parting, her thin lips glistening and beautiful, even though they were bloodless, they looked as if they were powdered. "If Brother Ren dies, how can Qingqiu live alone in this world!!!"
In an instant, Ren Xiaoyao felt an immense emotion that he couldn't explain. Although his body was in constant pain from his severe injuries, his heart was warm, filled with emotion and satisfaction.
He loved Xuan Qingqiu to the core, and Xuan Qingqiu loved him to the core too.
Their love was mutual, unwavering until death!
The Ghostly Lord was both anxious and angry, shouting, "Qingqiu, what's so good about this boy? Why do you want to die with him!"
Xuan Qingqiu's eyes were filled with tears as she tightly embraced Ren Xiaoyao, but she didn't say a word.
Hentian sneered, "Well, well, what a pair of doomed lovers, just like back then..."
"What a sin, what a sin!" Guiming Shenjun suddenly roared to the sky, his voice filled with bitterness and desolation, "After Ruoxue died, I was overwhelmed with grief and searched the world to find you, a girl who looks just like her when she was young. I spoiled you, doted on you, and indulged you in everything I wanted, just to raise you to be cold and arrogant, just like Ruoxue back then, and then marry you off to Yixi, so that he could fulfill the wish that Master could not achieve."
"Who would have thought... What a tragedy, what a tragedy! I raised you with such care, but... I never imagined you'd end up being raised by that beast Ren Qiaocui's bastard son..." The Ghostly Lord grew angrier with each word, his sword swirling and thrusting towards Ren Xiaoyao's neck. Xuan Qingqiu desperately tried to stop him, but the Ghostly Lord, enraged, reached out to pull her away. Xuan Qingqiu, however, gritted her teeth, clinging tightly to Ren Xiaoyao's neck, refusing to let go.
Ren Xiaoyao suddenly threw his head back and laughed, his voice like a wail, shaking the pebbles scattered on the ground.
"What are you laughing at!"
"I'm laughing because my wish has been fulfilled. Even if you hadn't made a move, I would have lived out my remaining years anyway. Now that Qingqiu is with me, I won't be lonely even in the afterlife..."
"Wish? What wish!?" Hentian seemed to sense something was amiss and asked in a deep voice.
"I know I'm trapped in a dead end, certain to die, so why am I still fighting you all?" Ren Xiaoyao used his sword to support himself, barely managing to stand. More than a dozen wounds around his body burst open, blood gushing out. "I'm exchanging palm strikes for palm strikes, sword strikes for sword strikes, fighting you head-on, not because I'm protected by the Cangmang Taxue Armor, making most of my body impervious to blades, but because I want to severely injure you, at any cost. I'm using hidden weapons and poisons—things I used to disdain—without reservation this time, all for the same purpose!"
"You…you…" Hentian suddenly realized, stammering in shock, "You want to weaken our strength, so we can't deal with Yi Tianhan and Fu Longyuan after killing you…"
"That's right. Even if I'm not here, Fei Yun can still control the Heavenly Extreme Sect's 100,000-strong army and hold Xunfeng City against the Liao and Western Xia. As long as Senior Yi, Senior Fu, my master, third uncle, and eldest brother can return alive, even if the Absolute Killing suddenly 'revives,' the Central Plains martial arts world will not be thrown into chaos. The Yang family is loyal and brave for generations, and the Tangut assassination attempt may not succeed. In this way, the Great Song still has a glimmer of hope. What does it matter if Ren Xiaoyao is ultimately shattered to pieces!"
Gui Ming Shenjun, Hen Tian, and Xu Kong exchanged glances, their expressions changing. No one noticed that Ren Xiaoyao quietly moved one hand behind his back and pulled out a pair of firework signal tubes...
"I, Ren Xiaoyao, have lived a life of heroism and romance, enjoying the adoration of the world and the pleasures of life. That is enough for me. Today, I am betrayed by treacherous officials and perish here. Before I die, I have no other wish but that Heaven will favor me and bless my Great Song Dynasty with peace and tranquility throughout the land." Ren Xiaoyao finished his long sigh and suddenly raised the fireworks signal tube high above his head.
"Whoosh—"
"Whoosh—"
Two flashes of light shot out, soaring into the sky and exploding in mid-air, forming six large characters hanging in the air: "Hentian is not dead, return quickly!
" Seeing the magnificent and exquisite five-colored fireworks, Hentian lost his mind and cried out, "Oh no! This is the fireworks signal tube developed by the skilled craftsman Hu Laosi of Tingyu Pavilion. It can be seen from dozens of miles away when it is launched at night." He tried to stop him, but it was too late. He could only watch helplessly as Ren Xiaoyao transmitted the truth.
Gui Ming Shen Jun, Hen Tian, and Xu Kong exchanged bewildered glances, simultaneously feeling a sense of despair at the sight of "Yan.
" "Qing Qiu, let's go."
"Yes, even in the underworld, we'll still be husband and wife."
At the same time, Ren Xiaoyao, holding Xuan Qingqiu's slender hand, gazed at her tenderly, embraced, shared a deep kiss, and resolutely jumped off the bottomless cliff atop Tianshan Mountain!

Volume 44, Chapter 1: The Demise of the Green Forest

–
News of Ren Xiaoyao's death reached Bianliang. Emperor Zhenzong was overcome with grief. Urgent reports also arrived from the border: the Western Xia, Tubo, and Goryeo kingdoms were mobilizing large armies to invade, and the Liao Kingdom was also presenting troops on the border. The entire court was in a state of panic.
Emperor Zhenzong intended to mobilize a large army to defend the border, but devastating news arrived from the Three Passes: Yang Yanzhao had been assassinated and was seriously injured, and the Grand General Huyan Zhuo had also been poisoned and was unconscious. Long Feiyun and others were blocked on their return journey by the Maitreya Sect, the Tangut Society, and the Juesha, and could not reach Xunfeng City in time. The Song Dynasty had no usable soldiers and no capable generals.
Suddenly, Yelü Changsheng led an envoy to visit the Song Dynasty, offering to mediate and ensure the Song's safety on the condition that Princess Huayu be sent to marry him as a princess.
For the sake of the country and its people, Ye Zhiqiu and Princess Huayu were forced to part.
Zhuge Wenjie entered the capital and directly stated that this was a Liao Dynasty plot, aiming to capture Princess Huayu and leave the Song border unprepared. Ye Zhiqiu was greatly alarmed and led the Green Forest Alliance experts from thirteen provinces to intercept them, but they were ambushed and suffered heavy casualties. Although he ultimately won back his beloved wife through his own abilities and divine intervention, seven or eight out of ten Green Forest Alliance experts from the thirteen provinces were killed, and all the leaders, including Chen Bashan, Zhang Donghua, and Yang Weicai, perished in battle.
Our story begins here.
~
Liao Army Main Tent.
Yelü Changsheng removed his blood-soaked battle robe.
"Your Highness is back?"
A sweet voice called from the inner tent.
"Yes, I'm back."
Yelü Changsheng smiled nonchalantly.
"The Green Forest Alliance from the thirteen provinces has been wiped out?"
A woman in white robes, her
face veiled by a light gauze, with a curvaceous and graceful figure, emerged from the inner tent with a charming laugh. She was slightly taller than the average woman, exuding an alluring charm. Her beautiful eyes, hidden behind the gauze, held a certain provocative quality, reflecting a captivating wild beauty that was breathtaking.
"Pretty much. Everyone who deserved to die except Ye Zhi Qiu is dead."
The woman walked to Yelü Changsheng's side, her delicate, boneless hands resting on his strong back.
"Yao Ji doesn't understand. Since you brought Princess Hua Yu here, you could have rushed back to Liao. Why did you deliberately slow down your journey, waiting for Ye Zhi Qiu to kidnap her, and even deliberately hold back, letting her rescue her?"
"There's an old saying in the Central Plains, I wonder if you've heard it, Yao'er." Yelü Changsheng turned around gracefully, her little finger lightly hooking, the thin veil slipping down her cheek.
It was an exquisitely beautiful face, with fair and smooth skin, delicate eyebrows, and a playful yet charming bun. She was incredibly alluring and beautiful, her captivating eyes seeming to drip with water, gazing at Yelü Changsheng with tender affection, a delicate, moving, and slightly seductive smile playing on her lips.
"What are you saying?" Yao Ji pressed her delicate body against him, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, and asked with a seductive smile.
"My intentions are not what they seem."
Yao Ji smiled, a shallow dimple appearing at the corner of her mouth. Although her smile carried a hint of mockery, it was still full of charm: "Does Your Highness mean that we are not here for Princess Hua Yu, but..."
"But for the Thirteen Provinces Green Forest Alliance!" Yelü Changsheng's eyes flashed, a murderous intent appearing and disappearing in an instant.
"I see, Yao Ji understands." Yao Ji covered her mouth and giggled, her coquettishness carrying a unique charm. "Your Highness forced the Song Emperor to hand over Princess Hua Yu, yet deliberately slowed down the delegation's return journey, luring the Green Forest Alliance of the Thirteen Provinces to come and seize her, taking the opportunity to wipe out these arrogant bandits in one fell swoop. But... for mere outlaws, are you really willing to abandon such a beautiful woman as Princess Hua Yu?" "
Willing, why wouldn't I?" Yelü Changsheng's lips curled into a profound smile as he said calmly, "Although Ren Xiaoyao is dead, the Central Plains martial arts world still has Dugu Yu, and a group of elites who were also among the Four Heroes of the Martial World, along with their considerable power. If they are not eliminated, the Emperor's great cause of unifying the world will inevitably face obstacles sooner or later."
"The main force of the Beggars' Sect is far away in Junshan, and I can't reach them even if I want to. Xiao Xingchen's Taishan Sect has the fewest members and the weakest power, so it's pointless to touch them. The Thirteen Provinces Green Forest Alliance is different. In the past, they were at most a rabble of robbers and plunderers, but since Ye Zhiqiu became the leader, he has worked hard to reform. If we don't take this opportunity to get rid of them, I'm afraid it won't be long before another strange force belonging to the Jianghu will appear in the Song Dynasty."
"Then... since the Green Forest Alliance experts from the thirteen provinces are dead and wounded, why did Your Highness 'release' Princess Huayu back?" Yao Ji's slender fingers brushed against his strong body, like shaking a tree of lustrous peonies and crabapples, and she glared at him jealously. "Don't you often think about this beautiful woman who is the most beautiful woman in the world?" After saying that, she covered her mouth and smiled, pinching her tender red palms, which made her soft hands even more delicate and smooth, even more so than jade.
“Even a centipede, though dead, does not fall down. The Green Forest Alliance of the Thirteen Provinces has hundreds of strongholds. Although the alliance’s experts have been almost entirely wiped out in this battle, if Ye Zhi Qiu rushes to various places and does his best to gather his followers and integrate his forces, it will not be difficult to raise an army in a short time. Although with the might of my Khitan’s million-strong army, even if these people came, they would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. However, in order to reach Bianliang as soon as possible and destroy the Song Dynasty as soon as possible… Hmph, I will destroy all forces that may be able to stop me.”
Yao Ji was stunned for a moment, then let out a silvery laugh, reached out and placed her hands on his broad chest, and said coquettishly, “Strange…” "No way! After Princess Huayu was sent here, you kept finding ways to scare her, deliberately making her suffer and be wronged, so that when the time was right, you could return her to Ye Zhi Qiu..."
Yelü Changsheng stroked her delicate, pink hands and laughed arrogantly, "Heroes are easily swayed by emotions, and women are easily swayed by love. Princess Huayu was born into the royal family and has enjoyed a life of luxury and comfort since childhood. With a little manipulation, I'm not afraid I can't have her... Hahaha, Ye Zhi Qiu is known for his devotion. At a time like this, would he be willing to leave Princess Huayu to travel all over the country to rebuild the Green Forest Alliance in the thirteen provinces? Come, keep me company."
"Ah!" Yao Ji let out a soft moan as Yelü Changsheng's large hands slipped under her clothes, grasping her full breasts. His rough yet powerful hands kneaded and played with her nipples, enjoying the soft touch. Her cherry-like nipples quickly hardened.
Yao Ji's legs went weak, and she blushed as she leaned against Yelü Changsheng's chest, her two jade-like arms encircling his neck, offering him a passionate kiss.
Yelü Changsheng embraced her firm yet supple waist, his fingertips touching the curve of her waist where it dipped and then rose again, feeling the firm elasticity of her two warm, soft breasts. His hand then slid inside her skirt. He first caressed the alluring crevice between her buttocks, then grasped her two round, firm, and plump buttocks.
"Your Highness, you're so naughty,"
Yao Ji said shyly, pushing away Yelü Changsheng's rough hands. Her watery eyes captivated him, her brows and eyes brimming with desire. His hand had already slipped between her legs, touching the smooth, creamy skin of her inner thighs, where it was burning hot, a wet, slippery sensation making her too shy to let Yelü Changsheng know her urgent need.
"Tell me, what's wrong with me?" Yelü Changsheng pinched her cheeks hard twice, then reluctantly withdrew his hand, cupping her face, which was as red as a peach blossom, his fingertips tracing her full, sensual red lips.
"Your Highness letting Princess Huayu go is merely placing her with Ye Zhiqiu. Once the Song Dynasty falls, won't this beautiful princess, with her unparalleled charm and captivating beauty, return to Your Highness's hands anyway?" Yao Ji's voice was as gentle as flowing water, unintentionally tinged with a hint of jealousy. "Your Highness, don't forget Yao Ji just because you have Princess Huayu." She murmured in Yelü Changsheng's arms, even her breath was hot. Despite her attempts to curry favor, her figure and expression still gave off a watery beauty—a pool of water about to boil.
"Once the Song Dynasty falls, she won't be a princess anymore, at most... hehe, just a plaything under my bed." Yelü Changsheng laughed heartily, embracing Yao Ji as he entered the inner tent.
The soft, luxurious bedding was incredibly supple. Yao Ji lay on it, a seductive smile on her face, her fair, jade-like cheeks
flushed. A light silk robe draped over her body, revealing her exquisite figure. Her two full, snow-white thighs were mostly exposed, revealing glimpses of her pink, rosy breasts. This snow lotus on the iceberg had become a potent aphrodisiac. Her translucent white skin, her undulating curves, her well-proportioned muscles, and her incredibly elastic thighs were breathtakingly white. Her high, full breasts, her slender waist and delicate neck, and her fair, alluring figure exuded a captivating fragrance. Her slender waist was so small it could be encircled by a single hand. The skin beneath her fingers was smooth and supple, soft and boneless. A touch between her full, snow-white thighs revealed a slick, slippery surface.
Every part of her body seemed to harbor boundless lust, ready to erupt and destroy at any moment. Any normal man who touched her, no matter where he touched her, would lose control and even be willing to destroy himself.
Yelü Changsheng was no exception.
Thinking that he would soon conquer the Song Dynasty, enter the Central Plains, and occupy that beautiful world that everyone yearned for and envied, fulfilling the grand ambition that generations of Khitan ancestors had failed to achieve despite their lifelong efforts, Yelü Changsheng's blood surged. With a roar, he pounced on her, his wolfish body pressing wildly against Yao Ji.
With a soft moan, her pink legs curved like jade, her soft breasts and snowy buttocks swayed, a passionate and indescribable pleasure surged within her. The gentle moans, almost like sobs, brought him an unspeakable, exquisite joy. The soul-stirring moans and wolfish panting lasted almost the entire night, an endless display of debauchery and springtime...
×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××
After settling the caretakers for Princess Huayu, Ye Zhiqiu met Yang Wenhao beside a cliff.
This veteran, who had served as the leader of the Green Forest Alliance for twenty consecutive years across thirteen provinces and had already retired, had resolutely returned to the mountains upon hearing of the princess's rescue, leading a group of experts to her aid without hesitation. Now, covered in blood and with a deathly pale face, he lay in the arms of his eldest son, Yang Yishan, his fatal wound a sword pierced by Yelü Changsheng.
The brothers in the stronghold surrounded him, but they were helpless, unable to save him
. Ye Zhi Qiu saw at a glance that Yang Wenhao's life was hanging by a thread, and, fighting back tears, knelt down beside him, took his hands, and channeled the true energy of his Heavenly Dao Divine Art.
Even if he had mastered the Universal Divine Power, he couldn't save this dying elder.
Of the five thousand skilled fighters of the Thirteen Provinces Green Forest Alliance, less than eight hundred remained after the battle, all wounded, lying or sitting, facing the biting cold wind, filled with sorrow and bitterness.
Yang Wenhao's eyelids trembled, and he barely opened his eyes. Seeing Ye Zhi Qiu, his body trembled slightly, and a faint smile escaped his lips as he hoarsely said, "Chief...Chief!"
Ye Zhi Qiu nodded silently, and when he looked up again, his face was covered in tears.
A stronghold chief who knew medicine bent down to take his pulse, and after a moment, his expression darkened, and he shook his head without a word.
Ye Zhi Qiu suppressed his grief and sobbed, "Senior, the princess... the princess has been rescued..." Yang Wen Hao, perhaps influenced by Ye Zhi Qiu's input of true energy, had a focused look in his eyes and a blush on his face. He grabbed Ye Zhi Qiu's hands tightly and said haltingly, "That... that's good. The princess of our Great Song... must not be sent... to be defiled by the Khitan dogs..."
"Yes, yes, this junior understands."
"Chief Boss..." Yang Wenhao tried to sit up, but he was too weak and fell back into Yang Yishan's arms, saying intermittently, "Alliance Leader Ren was unfortunately... unfortunately killed, the Central Plains martial arts world lost a pillar of strength... The future of the martial arts world... will depend entirely on you, Chief Boss..." Ye Zhiqiu knew he was having a final burst of energy, and his heart was breaking. From the first day he met this highly respected senior, he had always cared for and looked after him like a loving father, supporting him wholeheartedly and without hesitation, supporting him in securing his position as Chief Boss. But he had been seriously injured and on the verge of death because of his recklessness in falling into Yelü Changsheng's trap.
A man doesn't easily shed tears, but only when he is deeply grieved.
Ye Zhiqiu collapsed to the ground and wept bitterly, heartbroken.
"Senior, it's my fault, it's my fault for killing so many brothers, it's my fault for destroying the Thirteen Provinces Green Forest Alliance..."
"No, no—" Yang Wenhao shook his head with the last ounce of strength he had left, revealing a final smile. "The Thirteen Provinces Green Forest Alliance will not perish, as long as the brothers are still here... as long as... as long as we find it... with its support... we... we still have hope..."
Ye Zhi Qiu shuddered and brought his ear close to Yang Wenhao's trembling mouth.
Yang Wenhao said in a barely audible voice, "Remember, thirty li south of Tanyuan City… Mu Ke Village, find the village chief, Heavenly King Mu Hong, and her daughter… Mu… Mu Guiying!" His throat throbbed, and he breathed his last.
"Senior—"

In Chapter Two of Volume Forty-Four, Courtroom Strife

, in the Fu Ning Palace, Emperor Zhenzong sat silently on his dragon throne, his face grave.
He had dismissed all the eunuchs and palace maids, leaving only one person by his side.
Ye Zhi Qiu!
"How is my sister? Is she injured?" After a long pause, Emperor Zhenzong asked with difficulty.
"She's not injured, but…" Ye Zhi Qiu's handsome face was full of worry as he sighed, "Alas, she was frightened in the Liao camp, and I'm afraid… I'm afraid she won't recover in a short time." "
It's alright, stay with her in the palace. I believe… Hua Yu will get better." Emperor Zhenzong sighed as he spoke of his most beloved sister.
"Hmm." Ye Zhi Qiu nodded, a wave of endless guilt washing over him.
It was his fault for not protecting Hua Yu properly, which led to her death...
"By the way, your men suffered heavy losses this time rescuing Hua Yu, didn't they?"
"The dead and wounded were numerous."
"How could that be?" Emperor Zhenzong was taken aback, exclaiming in surprise, "Although I don't understand the affairs of the martial world, when Emperor Taizu established the Tianji Sect, he received much help from the heroes of the greenwood. The late emperor also mentioned that 'there are many masters among the outlaws of the martial world, whose strength should not be underestimated.' In addition, brother-in-law, your martial arts are superb, having inherited the true teachings of the late emperor. How could this be..."
"I was so anxious to save Hua Yu that I got caught..."
"It's just me and my brother-in-law here. There's no need for your 'I' here." Emperor Zhenzong turned around like a whirlwind and slapped Ye Zhi Qiu's shoulder hard.
"Yes." Ye Zhi Qiu nodded slightly, then changed his words, "I was so anxious to save Hua Yu that I fell into Yelü Changsheng's ambush, and as a result... alas, of the five thousand men who went, less than... less than eight hundred returned."
"What? Then... wouldn't the Green Forest Alliance of the thirteen provinces be..."
"The dead and wounded are everywhere, and it will take at least twenty years to recover." Ye Zhi Qiu lowered his head sadly.
"With the country in crisis, the court's manpower is already scarce. I had hoped to use your men as a surprise force, to be used when necessary, but who knew..." Emperor Zhenzong sighed to the heavens. "As
soon as Hua Yu recovered, I immediately went to various places to gather manpower, to raise twenty or thirty thousand..."
"It's too late!" Emperor Zhenzong slammed his hand on the desk, gritting his teeth as he pulled out several letters.
"An urgent report from eight hundred li away!?"
"Hmm!"
Ye Zhi Qiu hurriedly flipped through the document, his expression changing drastically: "Li Deming, the ruler of Western Xia, personally led an army of 400,000 to attack Lanzhou, requesting the court to send reinforcements immediately; Yu Zanghuama, the Grand Marshal of the Tubo Kingdom, led an army of 300,000 directly towards Jiading Prefecture, requesting the court to send reinforcements immediately; the Goryeo Kingdom's two naval forces, each with 150,000 troops, approached Dengzhou and Mizhou... This, this, this..."
"They've made their move! They've made their move! Five countries have joined forces to try and divide up my Great Song Dynasty!" Emperor Zhenzong roared.
"Four kingdoms! The Liao Kingdom has also made a move?"
"No, it's Dali!" Emperor Zhenzong slammed his fist on the table, his face turning from red to purple. His chest heaved violently, veins bulged on his forehead, and he gasped for breath for a long time before finally saying in a hoarse voice, "Duan Fubi, the Minister of Works of Dali, has led an army of 200,000 to garrison Shicheng County. Although they haven't entered the country yet, everyone knows what Sima Zhao's intentions are. Once our army is defeated, these 200,000 troops will be able to reach the border in less than two hours!"
"In that case... in that case, apart from Fusang, our Great Song is surrounded by enemy states!"
"Yes!" Emperor Zhenzong gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "If it weren't for Prince Wuling signing Fusang as an ally for me and for the Great Song, the court would already be surrounded by enemies on all sides and doomed!"
"Then what do we do now!?" Despite Ye Zhi Qiu's outstanding reputation in the martial arts world, he was completely ignorant of military affairs.
"The military system of this dynasty differs from that of previous dynasties. Elite troops from all regions have been transferred to the central government, known as the 'Imperial Guards,' responsible for protecting the capital, the heartland of the court, and important national passes. They are mainly distributed in five major regions: the Central Guards are stationed in Kaifeng, the capital; the Heavenly Guards are stationed in Hejian Prefecture in the north (near the Song-Liao border); the Earthly Guards are stationed in Fengxiang Prefecture in the west (near the Song-Xia border); the Dragon Guards are stationed in Yongzhou, Guangxi in the south (near the South China Sea); and the Divine Guards are stationed in Songjiang, Liangzhe Circuit (near the East China Sea). The elderly and weak soldiers in the local areas are called the 'Warrior Guards,' responsible for maintaining daily order, suppressing military uprisings, and some are also stationed on the borders; and the next level of troops..." "They are local militia, also known as village militia, composed of local people selected or recruited according to the proportion of able-bodied men registered in the household. They do not leave production in peacetime, but gather and train during the off-season to undertake tasks such as building city walls, transporting grain, capturing bandits, or assisting the imperial guards in guarding the border..."
Seeing that Ye Zhi Qiu was a little confused, Emperor Zhenzong did not say much and went straight to the point: "In short, Western Xia, Tubo, Goryeo, and Dali have all mobilized the full strength of their countries. The local militia and village soldiers alone are definitely not enough to resist them. We must send the imperial guards to provide reinforcements... Just now, I discussed with the ministers that in order to ensure the border is absolutely safe, the central government's 800,000 imperial guards will be almost entirely mobilized..."
"Almost entirely mobilized!? What about the Liao army... what will happen when the Liao army comes?" Ye Zhi Qiu was shocked.
"There are still 30,000 Imperial Guards in the capital, who are my personal troops. Apart from that... alas!" Emperor Zhenzong sighed to the sky and shook his head helplessly.
"What! Thirty thousand... thirty thousand Imperial Guards, and the Khitan's Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, personally trained by Yelü Changsheng and known as 'the most valiant in the world,' number one hundred thousand..."
Before Ye Zhiqiu could finish speaking, the urgent voice of the Grand Eunuch Jiao Tonghai rang out from outside the door.
"Your Majesty, an urgent report has arrived from the border."
"Quickly, bring it to me." Emperor Zhenzong sat back on his dragon throne, regaining the grandeur and majesty of the Song Dynasty.
"Yes." Jiao Tonghai quickly walked to the desk and respectfully presented the document.
Emperor Zhenzong opened the document, and his expression suddenly changed drastically. His hand trembled, and he dropped the document.
Ye Zhiqiu picked it up in astonishment, but after just one glance, his body trembled violently, and he staggered back several steps, crashing heavily into the wall.
The document contained only one sentence
—Emperor Shengzong of Liao personally led an expedition, appointing Yelü Changsheng, the Prince of Nanyuan, as the Grand Marshal for the Pacification of Song, with 400,000 cavalry and 600,000 infantry, falsely claiming 1.8 million troops, to advance on our dynasty! Inside the
Zichen
Hall, civil and military officials lined up on both sides, and a tense and solemn atmosphere permeated the air.
"Your Majesty!"
The Eighth Prince stepped forward and reported: "The Liao Kingdom accuses our Celestial Dynasty of going back on its word, secretly sending martial arts masters to assassinate the envoy team, and arbitrarily launching an invasion. They have mobilized a million troops to attack the border, and Taizhou, Dingzhou, and Yunzhou have fallen one after another. Li Yan, the prefect of Taizhou, Zhang Huadong, the militia commander, and Wang Jizhong, the military commissioner of Dingzhou, died for their country, and Wang Jizhong
, the military commissioner of Yunzhou, was captured." Huyan Zan reported: "The Liao vanguard general, Prince Xiao Talin of Lanling, has successively defeated the Weilu Army (Xushui, Hebei) and the Shun'an Army (Gaoyang, Hebei) and attacked Beipingzhai and Baozhou; Xiao Guanyinnu led his army to capture Suicheng and captured Wang Xianzhi, the commander of the Datong Army. Now the two have joined forces to launch a fierce attack on the three passes. Marshal Yang Yanzhao, despite being wounded, is commanding the troops to defend the pass to the death." The officials began to murmur amongst themselves. The Liao
Kingdom's wolfish ambitions were known throughout the land. The court had long ago amassed heavy troops in Dingzhou and Daming Prefecture to prevent the Liao army from advancing south and conquering the Hebei region. They had also dug canals and breached dikes along the Baoding-Tanyuan line, turning the area into muddy swamps to slow the Liao cavalry's advance. Their preparations were undeniably thorough, and their defenses impenetrable. Yet, the Liao army's advance was swift and decisive, sweeping through everything except for the renowned Yang family army; all other forces
were utterly annihilated!
Emperor Zhenzong was not like Emperor Taizu or Emperor Taizong. He had been on the battlefield since childhood and had fought countless battles. He had never encountered such a situation
before and was in a panic: "My dear ministers, what... what should we do?" Not only him, but all the civil and military officials were also in a panic. The Song Dynasty had never been besieged by an army of 2.2 million from five countries!
Wang Qinruo, the Vice Chancellor (previously written as Wang Ruoqin, a mistake by Canjian), was a Liao spy. Instructed by Yelü Changsheng to disrupt the Song Dynasty's politics, he immediately approached the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, the Liao army is powerful; we cannot confront them head-on. I believe it would be better to move the capital to Jinling and have the entire country avoid them."
Feng Zheng countered, "Jinling is a land of imperial aura. Since Sun Quan, the King of Wu, established his capital here, it has served as the capital for seven dynasties: Eastern Wu, Eastern Jin, Liu Song, Qi, Liang, Chen, and Southern Tang. Nestled against mountains and beside water, it is a strategically important location, with the fortified Stone City and the formidable Yangtze River. Even with a million armored soldiers, the Liao people would find it difficult to cross." As Wang Qinruo's protégé, he naturally sided with his mentor.
Chen Yaosou, the Acting Privy Councilor (Deputy Chief of the General Staff), sneered, "Hmph, the Yangtze River is a natural barrier? Of all the dynasties that established their capitals in Jinling, apart from the Liu Song, Qi, and Liang dynasties, the Eastern Wu, Eastern Jin, Chen, and Southern Tang were all destroyed by the north. Lord Wang, by proposing to move the capital to Jinling, do you intend for our dynasty to repeat the same mistakes and perish at the hands of the Khitan?"
Feng Zheng countered, "According to Privy Councilor Chen, where should the capital be moved?"
Chen Yaosou replied resolutely, "If we wish to preserve the Song Dynasty, we should move it to Chengdu. Chengdu is a land of four strategic passes..." The capital of Sichuan, a land of plenty, boasts abundant resources and a strategically advantageous location, making it ideal for defense. The people of Sichuan are prosperous, with the riches of the Yangtze River source supplying its capital region. The strategic passes of Mianzhu and Jianmen serve as the key to its defenses. From the north, it can encompass the entire country, including the Guanzhong Plain. It controls the resources of the northern frontier, defending three sides while maintaining control over the eastern barbarians. Looking eastward, it can conquer the surrounding wilderness, securing Lizhou, Bazhou, and Dazhou. As Li Bai said, "The road to Shu is difficult, more difficult than ascending to heaven." Unless the Liaodong barbarians grow wings, they can forget about it…
"Hahaha, Lord Chen was born in Chengdu and wants to bring prosperity to his hometown, so that's why he says such things. The Shu Road is difficult? Hmph, don't you see that Shu Han was destroyed by the Western Jin, and Later Shu was destroyed by this dynasty? The Shu Road in western Sichuan is nothing to speak of!" Wang Qinruo sneered and retorted sharply, "Your Majesty is wise. Jiangnan has always been a land of fish and rice. Wang Xizhi once said, 'With the small Wu and Yue regions, nine-tenths of the world is controlled.' It connects to the Yangtze and Huai Rivers in the north and controls the lakes and seas in the south, possessing abundant resources and geographical advantages. Moreover, it is located in the center of the country, facilitating the transport of grain. Where in the world is there a better place to establish a capital?"
"The Eastern Wu established its capital in Jinling, but it lasted only fifty-one years; the Liu Song dynasty established its capital in Jinling, but it lasted only fifty-nine years with four generations and eight emperors; the Southern Qi dynasty established its capital in Jinling, but it lasted only twenty-three years with three generations and seven emperors; the Liang dynasty lasted fifty-five years, but only three generations and four emperors; the Chen dynasty lasted thirty-three years, with only three generations and five emperors. Hahaha, all dynasties that established their capitals here have had short reigns. The imperial aura of Jinling is truly evident."
"What a joke! Shu Han, based in Chengdu, only lasted for 42 years under two emperors. Later Shu, founded by Meng Zhixiang, also had two emperors whose reigns were even shorter, at most 40 years. Wouldn't moving the capital to Chengdu be...?"
"Nanjing is a corner of the country, not conducive to the recovery of the Central Plains.
" "Hmph, isn't Chengdu also a place of stability and defense?" "
Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, started his army from Shu and eventually unified the country, establishing the 500-year foundation of the Han Dynasty."
"That's because Xiang Yu misjudged people. With Zhang Han, Sima Xin, and Dong Yi, a few useless men, guarding the pass of Sichuan, how could they be compared to the fierce army of Liao!"
...
The group argued heatedly, as if they believed that there was no other way but to move the capital.
Seeing this, Emperor Zhenzong grew increasingly flustered and hurriedly said, "Minister Wang, Minister Chen, moving the capital..."
"Your Majesty!" A white-haired old man on the left roused himself and stepped forward, his voice booming, "Your subject Kou Zhun believes that moving the capital to avoid disaster is absolutely unacceptable. I urge Your Majesty to reconsider!" "Your subject Zhao Defang
reiterates: The Liao people have recklessly started a war and invaded our borders. The Celestial Dynasty should drive them out with a large army!"

Volume 44, Chapter 3: The Court Deliberations -

Driving Out with a Large Army!?
Emperor Zhenzong was stunned, as were all the civil and military officials.
"Prime Minister, were you perhaps absent from the previous court assembly?"
"To resist the armies of Western Xia, Dali, Tubo, and Goryeo, the central imperial guards have been almost entirely mobilized. Are we to send the Imperial Guards to the frontier?"
"The Imperial Guards number only 30,000. How can they possibly be a match for the fierce and powerful army of the Khitan?"
Wang Qinruo and Chen Yaosou launched their attack simultaneously. The two factions, who had been arguing just moments before, now turned their attention to Kou Zhun (the Eighth Prince was highly respected, and they dared not criticize him).
Kou Zhun proudly declared, "Although the border army was defeated, some remnants remain. If we gather them together, we can have over 20,000 soldiers. The Yang family army stationed at the three passes was not greatly damaged and still numbers 30,000..."
Wang Qinruo interrupted, "That's only 80,000. How can that withstand the Liao's million-strong army!"
Kou Zhun retorted sharply, "If we follow Lord Wang's words, the Sun-Liu alliance's 60,000 men could not possibly defeat Cao Cao's 830,000 in the Battle of Red Cliffs; in the Battle of Fei River, the 70,000 Beifu soldiers were bound to lose to the Former Qin's 970,000-strong army; and the battles of Julu, Guandu, Yiling, and Kunyang were all certain defeats!"
Chen Yaosou shook his head, "Prime Minister, you are mistaken. In the Battle of Red Cliffs, the Sun-Liu alliance had the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, and with the help of Zhuge Liang, Zhou Yu, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei..." Zhao and other renowned generals of their time; in the Battle of Fei River, they relied on the natural defenses of the Fei River, Xie Xuan's wisdom, and the fact that the Former Qin army was divided into factions with inconsistent command, plus Zhu Xu's defection on the battlefield, all contributing to their great victory; in the Battle of Julu, Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, burned his boats; in the Battle of Guandu, Cao Cao cleverly cut off Yuan Shao's supply lines; in the Battle of Yiling, Lu Xun burned eight hundred li of linked camps; in the decisive Battle of Kunyang, Liu Xiu defeated the enemy while the fog was thick; the Twenty-Eight Generals of Yuntai were all exceptionally brave and skilled! In contrast, our dynasty, due to the Liao army's rapid advance, has lost all the strategic passes along the border. Our capable generals are gone—the Prince of Wuling has perished, Marshal Yang is seriously wounded, and the old General Huyan is too old. All the former tiger generals—Cao Bin, Cui Yanjin, Li Hanqiong, Guo Jin, Pan Mei, Yang Ye, Tian Chongjin, Yuan Jizhong, Cui Han, Yin Jilun, Tian Qinzuo, and Fan Tingzhao—have all died. How can we possibly win this battle!
"How can we not fight!" The Eighth Prince stepped forward proudly and said with great confidence, "Even without favorable timing and terrain, our army only needs to have the support of the people, and we can still win this battle!"
Feng Zheng asked, "May I ask Your Highness, how do we obtain the support of the people?"
"By personally leading the expedition!"
"What!?" Not to mention the court officials, even the legitimate emperor on the dragon throne was shocked.
The Eighth Prince declared proudly, “Your Majesty is divinely mighty, and the generals are of one mind. The armies of Hebei eagerly await Your Majesty’s arrival to command the front lines and fight the Liao invaders. On the day Your Majesty arrives, the morale of the three armies will surely be a hundred times higher, and they will fight to the death!”
After speaking, the Eighth Prince stepped back, and Kou Zhun immediately stepped forward and continued, “Your ministers are weak and ignorant, just like old women in the countryside. Now the enemy cavalry is approaching, and the hearts of all sides are in danger. Your Majesty can only advance an inch, not retreat an inch. If you follow the advice of Wang Qinruo and Chen Yaosou to move the capital to avoid disaster, then the people will collapse, the Liao people will follow closely behind, and Chengdu and Nanjing will be impossible to reach!”
Bi Shi’an, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and Councilor of State Affairs, earnestly pleaded… He then said, “If Your Majesty passes through Hebei, the Khitan will naturally retreat. There are no fearful or disobedient forces in the four directions. We should carry on the legacy of our ancestors and uphold the might of our Great Song Dynasty. This is the time to do so!”
Emperor Zhenzong of Song was different from other children in his childhood. He was handsome and had an extraordinary temperament. When playing with the other princes of his generation, he always liked to arrange troops and command “battles” and often called himself “Master.” As he grew up, he became a refined emperor. A few years ago, he personally led an expedition, but with 300,000 troops guarding him from the front and back, he fought against a mere 100,000 Liao soldiers. This time, he was really a little apprehensive about leading 30,000 Imperial Guards to the front line to fight against a million Liao soldiers.
"My beloved ministers, it is not that I do not wish to personally lead the expedition, but... how can a mere tens of thousands of troops possibly stop the Khitan?"
Seeing the emperor's slight fear, Wang Qinruo was secretly delighted. He immediately seized the opportunity, adopting the demeanor of a loyal minister, and knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty is wise. Hebei is mostly plains, which are perfect for the Liao cavalry to roam freely. Although the Imperial Guard is the elite of our dynasty, it has been stationed in the capital region for many years and has no experience in major battles. If we encounter Yelü Changsheng's Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, I fear... I fear they will be routed at the first touch! To ensure Your Majesty's safety and to safeguard the dynasty, I humbly request Your Majesty to move the capital to avoid disaster."
Chen Yaosou and others immediately echoed, and their henchmen rushed forward, prostrating themselves and chanting, "Please, Your Majesty, issue an edict to move the capital!"
Even those civil and military officials with a fighting spirit, upon hearing the name of the invincible Tiger and Leopard Cavalry that had swept across the Northwest, mostly shuddered involuntarily.
Emperor Zhenzong, seeing this, panicked and hurriedly said, "This, this…then so be it…"
"Your Majesty!" Gao Qiong, seeing the situation was amiss, declared loudly, "The Khitan have the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, but does our Great Song have no soldiers who can rival them?"
Emperor Zhenzong was first taken aback, then realized, "The Grand General refers to…" "
The Heavenly—Extreme—Army!"
The three words fell silent.
Yes, the Heavenly—Extreme Army, this ever-victorious army, founded by Emperor Taizu, had fought countless battles and was invincible!
"Your Majesty, do you remember..." Commander Gao Qiong stroked his white beard and said, "Forty years ago, Emperor Taizu launched a western expedition, using only 60,000 Tianji Army troops, divided into two routes, and in 66 days broke through the natural barrier of Shu Road, pacifying Later Shu; twenty-five years ago, the late Emperor personally led an expedition to attack Northern Han, and the Loyal and Brave King led 100,000 Tianji Army troops as a detachment, annihilating 300,000 Liao reinforcements at Shiling Pass, forcing Liu Jiyuan of Northern Han to surrender; four years ago, the Liao war god Yelü Xiezhen led 400,000 troops to invade our Guanzhong region, and it was the Tianji Army again that achieved a great victory, forcing Yelü Xiezhen to his death, and the entire Liao nation was terrified, suspending court for five days... Your Majesty, in this time of national crisis, we should mobilize the entire Tianji Army to go north to defend against the enemy,
what is there to fear if the Khitan cannot be defeated!" Yes, the Khitan have the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, and the Great Song has the Tianji Army, what is there to fear!
The fear of the officials subsided, and the scales of the court discussion tipped towards the side advocating war.
Wang Qinruo chuckled sinisterly, “The reason the Tianji Army is invincible is because its commanders throughout history—Emperor Taizu, Prince Zhongyong, and Prince Wuling—were all wise, brave, and skilled in warfare. However, Prince Wuling is now dead, and the Tianji Army is without its former strength. How can they possibly shoulder such a great responsibility?”
Gao Qiong hurriedly replied, “Your Majesty, although Prince Wuling sacrificed himself for the country, many of the old generals of the Tianji Sect are still alive. Qin Huaiyu, Zhang Jinghong, Zhu Shunwu, Liu Qingping, and Qin Tianyu (Liu Ningtao has already led the Tianji Sect’s Dongting Navy to join the Song Dynasty’s Lianghu Navy in resisting Goryeo) followed Emperor Taizu in his campaigns and made countless contributions…”
“These gentlemen are indeed talented generals, but not commanders. They can command ten or twenty thousand men, but to lead an army of one hundred thousand… Hmph, I’m afraid they are not up to the task.” Wang Qinruo’s words dampened the enthusiasm that Emperor Zhenzong had just begun to build.
The Eighth Prince reported, "With the death of Prince Wuling, Princess Fengwu will temporarily assume the position of leader of the Tianji Sect, and naturally, she will also be the commander-in-chief of the Tianji Army. Princess Fengwu is skilled in both literature and martial arts, and was highly praised by Emperor Taizong in her early years. She was the successor personally groomed by Prince Zhongyong. If it weren't for the sudden emergence of Prince Wuling, the leader of the Tianji Sect would have been her long ago."
"No matter how skilled she is in literature and martial arts, she is still a woman!" Wang Qinruo mocked sarcastically. "According to Lord Kou's words, if His Majesty personally leads the expedition with the Tianji Army as the main force against the Liao Army, wouldn't that be tantamount to handing over the country and its people to a woman? At that time, all the barbarians will humiliate our Song Dynasty for having no one to lead it, with the entire nation's army entrusted to a woman!"
Kou Zhun and the Eighth Prince exchanged a glance and sighed inwardly.
The concept of male superiority and female inferiority is an unchangeable mindset in ancient times. No matter how talented or capable a woman is, she is no match for a man. Therefore, even with the emperor's approval and the title of "King of Heavenly Pole," the succession of the Heavenly Pole Sect to his daughter required her to be disguised as a man. After Ren Xiaoyao's death, the leaders of the Heavenly Pole Sect strongly recommended Long Feiyun as their successor. Long Feiyun only dared to temporarily assume the role, fearing the contempt and criticism of the sect from future generations.
Now, if Long Feiyun were to lead the resistance against the Khitan, the Song Dynasty would lose face and national prestige!
Wang Qinruo had the upper hand, but dared not press further. Firstly, Long Feiyun's talent was personally recognized by the late emperor, and her appointment as the leader of the Heavenly Pole Sect was an open secret. Secondly, Kou Zhun and the Eighth Prince were both shrewd and calculating, and many ministers in the court had intricate connections with the Heavenly Pole Sect. Saying too much could lead to accusations of disrespecting a princess.
The court was deadlocked, and Emperor Zhenzong could not speak.
At this moment, Cao Liyong, the Palace Attendant and Deputy Envoy of Ceremonies, stepped forward and said
, "Your Majesty, I believe that neither the imperial expedition nor the relocation of the capital to avoid disaster is feasible." Emperor Zhenzong, wondering what brilliant plan he had, pressed, "Please speak, Minister Cao."
"I believe we should... negotiate peace—"
"Pfft—" Emperor Zhenzong on the dragon throne choked, spitting out half a mouthful of tea. He quickly composed himself and wiped it with his sleeve.
The expressions of the civil and military officials also twitched.
Negotiate peace? All the evidence indicated that this simultaneous attack on the Song Dynasty by the five kingdoms was orchestrated by the Liao Dynasty, their wolfish ambitions blatantly obvious.
Negotiating peace with the Khitans? Was that even possible?
It was tantamount to seeking a tiger's skin!
Cao Li, a learned old man who entered officialdom through his familiarity with the *Spring and Autumn Annals* and *Mencius*, was timid by nature. Seeing the unusual expressions on the faces of the emperor and his officials, he stammered, “This old minister believes that even a large country will perish if it is fond of war. Mencius once said, ‘Those who use force to feign benevolence can become hegemons, and hegemons must be large states. Those who practice benevolence through virtue can become kings, and kings do not need to be large. Tang ruled with seventy li of land, and King Wen with a hundred li. Those who subdue others by force do not win their hearts… It is better to subdue others by virtue; those who subdue others by virtue win their hearts and minds, like the seventy sons…’”
This means that Mencius said, “Those who use force to feign benevolence can become hegemons, and therefore, to become a hegemon, one must be a large state.” Those who practice benevolence and righteousness through morality can win the submission of the world. It's not necessarily a large country that wins this submission; for example, King Tang of Shang only ruled over a territory of seventy li, and King Wen of Zhou only one hundred li. Those who conquer others by force do not receive genuine obedience; they are merely lacking in power. Those who win people's submission through morality do so with heartfelt sincerity, like the seventy disciples who submitted to Confucius.
The officials, hearing this, couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Benevolence and morality were only worth mentioning in times of peace, especially when applied to the Song Dynasty itself. When the Song Dynasty was preparing to invade other countries, it might have been acceptable to offer suggestions on how the court could subdue others through virtue. But now that the Khitans were attacking, what use were their pronouncements like "Even a large country will perish if it loves war" and "Those who subdue others by force do not win their hearts"? Were they supposed to reason with the Khitan barbarians who had invaded their doorstep?
Despite his thoughts, Wang Qinruo remained silent. Yelü Changsheng's orders to him were to create chaos in the Song court and suppress the pro-war faction. As long as the Song Dynasty didn't commit all its remaining forces to resist the Liao army, it didn't matter whether they moved the capital or negotiated peace. Kou Zhun and the Eighth Prince also remained silent, racking their brains to figure out how to resist the Liao army.
Long Feiyun was a woman, and having her as commander would damage the prestige of the Song Dynasty. So… should they
use the Tianji Army to fight against the Western Xia or the Tubo, and recall 300,000 Imperial Guards to defend against the Khitan in the north?
No, the Khitan were a fierce and powerful army; 300,000 Imperial Guards would be no match for them!
Should they still recall the Tianji Army and give command to Yang Yanzhao?
Even worse, Yang Yanzhao had been assassinated by a Western Xia master and was still seriously injured; how could he be the commander-in-chief!
Should the Emperor personally take command?
Still no good; Wang Qinruo's influence over the Emperor was too great, and even if Long Feiyun and Yang Yanzhao had good battle strategies, they wouldn't be implemented!
Sigh, if only this guy would shut up.
Hesitating for a moment, Grand Commandant Huyan Zan strode forward and proclaimed, "Your Majesty, I have a plan for your consideration."
Emperor Zhenzong was moved and said, "Please speak, General."
Huyan Zan was a veteran of three reigns. In his early years, he followed Emperor Taizu in his campaigns, accumulating countless merits. He was once known as one of the three great generals of the early Song Dynasty, along with Long Yinxiao and Yang Ye (also known as Yang Jiye). Yang Ye was framed by Pan Mei and Wang Shen, suffered a defeat and died, and Long Yinxiao inherited the Tianji Sect and withdrew from the court. For a long time, it was Huyan Zan who guarded the border, ensuring the peace of the Song Dynasty. Because of his bravery in battle, always leading from the front, he had fought in more than two hundred battles, shedding enough blood to fill dozens of bushels, severely damaging his vitality. In his old age, he was ill nine times out of ten, bedridden, and had not attended court for more than half a year. This time, upon hearing that the Liao Dynasty had raised an army of a million to invade the south, he dragged his ailing body to the Golden Palace.
"In my humble opinion, none of our dynasty's forces capable of shaking the mighty Khitan army is the Heavenly Pole Army. Your Highness says that Princess Fengwu, being a woman, is unsuitable to be commander. Very well, then I will take command, and the command will be handed over to Princess Fengwu."
The old general's involvement is brilliant!
Kou Zhun and the Eighth Prince exchanged a smile.
In terms of seniority and reputation, no one in the court could match Huyan Zan. Moreover, in the eyes of the Khitans, this old general had considerable influence. It was indeed a brilliant plan to have him lead the army openly while Long Feiyun secretly commanded it. However…
Emperor Zhenzong said with considerable worry, “The old general is advanced in years and suffers from many illnesses, I fear…”
“For the sake of the Song Dynasty, this old minister has no regrets even if he dies. I will rather die on the battlefield than see the Liao army retreat!”
Every word he uttered shook the court and the officials. Huyan Zan—this veteran general who had served the Song Dynasty and the court with utmost loyalty, had made countless contributions and could have enjoyed his retirement—in this critical moment when the enemy was at the gates and the country was on the verge of collapse, he did not hesitate to drag his old and frail body, like a candle in the wind, to the front lines!
As for them, apart from the Eighth Prince, Kou Zhun, Bi Shi’an, Gao Qiong, and a few other pro-war figures, who among them was not filled with fear, lest the Liao army besiege the city and take their lives? They even had the intention to move the capital and negotiate peace.
Emperor Zhenzong, seated on the dragon throne, also had red eyes. The old general's unwavering loyalty to the country deeply moved this pampered emperor who had never personally experienced war (a few years earlier, during his personal campaign, the Liao army had been defeated by Yang Yanzhao before he even reached the battlefield). Suddenly, he felt an inexplicable urge, as if driven by some force, compelling him to ride like his ancestors, Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, and command the land…
Wang Qinruo, who had served Emperor Zhenzong for decades, immediately recognized his intention to personally lead the campaign. Thinking to himself, “This is outrageous!” he hurriedly reported, “Your Majesty, I…”
The Eighth Prince, having already devised a plan, gave Kou Zhun a wink, who quickly said, “Your Majesty can rest assured. Besides the Tianji Army, heroes from all walks of life in the Central Plains martial arts world will also gather at the border to form a righteous army…” "The army assists the court in resisting foreign enemies. According to my preliminary estimate, the number is approximately..."
Wang Qinruo saw an opportunity and changed his tone coldly, saying, "The Khitan army is at its peak, and even our imperial guards are no match for them. What use are mere江湖草莽 (jianghu grasshoppers)?"
Kou Zhun feigned surprise and said, "What? Lord Wang says that jianghu people are all grasshoppers, and the righteous army is all a rabble?" He added the words "rabble" out of the blue and deliberately emphasized them.
Wang Qinruo was annoyed that jianghu people had ruined his important affairs several times (the Battle of Xunfeng, the punishment of traitors in Suzhou), and he seized every opportunity to slander them. Now, he was oblivious to this and unconsciously went along with Kou Zhun's words, saying, "Exactly. Putting aside everything else, just this time, Prince Consort Ye led his men to attack the Khitan delegation. The operation was not discreet, giving the other side a pretext to launch an attack southward." His mind was truly vicious; he actually wanted to frame Ye Zhiqi as well.
Kou Zhun continued, "Lord Wang, this is a generalization…
Wang Qinruo is used to opposing him, and he always refutes everything Kou Zhun says." He shouted, "Nonsense! Everything I say is true. Those Jianghu people are all eccentric and arrogant. Few of them are literate. Except for their leader, they dare to disobey even the imperial court's orders. What are they if not a rabble?"
"Wang Qinruo!"
Before he could finish speaking, a loud shout rang in his ears.
"Huh?"
Wang Qinruo subconsciously turned his head and saw a flash of golden light.
"Snap!" "
The golden whip bestowed upon the Eighth Prince by Emperor Taizong struck him heavily in the face.
"Ah—"
Wang Qinruo screamed, clutching his head and collapsing to the ground, blood streaming from his fingertips.
"Eighth Prince... ouch... you... you, you... ouch... ouch ouch!"
Wang Qinruo howled in pain, rolling around in the Golden Palace.
"Your Majesty, what... what are you doing?"
Emperor Zhenzong finally reacted after a long while, asking in surprise.
"Wang Qinruo has insulted Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, and his entire clan should be exterminated. I am teaching him a lesson on behalf of the late Emperor!"

Volume 44, Chapter 4: The Emperor's Personal Expedition.

The Eighth Prince was full of "indignation," but Kou Zhun beside him turned his back, covering his face with his sleeve.
What was the old man doing behind his sleeve?
Sneering!
—Wang Qinruo thought himself extremely clever, but even with a little trickery, he fell for it.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty! I am innocent... I am innocent!"
Wang Qinruo, bewildered by the sudden beating, was then accused of "insulting Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong." Terrified, he covered his mouth and knelt on the ground, wailing incoherently. "
I have always been loyal to the court… hiss… loyal to the nation, how could I dare to show the slightest disrespect to Emperor Taizu… hiss… Emperor Taizong…" The Eighth Prince's whip knocked out two of his front teeth, making his speech slurred and comical.
"Still dare to argue!" the Eighth Prince roared, lashing Wang Qinruo's shoulder with the whip.
"Ouch—!" Wang Qinruo screamed like a pig being slaughtered, his dignity as the Vice Chancellor completely gone.
Emperor Zhenzong, seeing his trusted minister beaten in court, was even more astonished. Completely bewildered, he asked, "Brother, what exactly happened to Minister Wang…?"
"Wang Qinruo!"
the Eighth Prince shouted, pointing his halberd. "'What use is a mere commoner?' You say that, don't you?" “
Yes, yes,” Wang Qinruo replied in a trembling voice.
“So it was those who said the rebel army was a rabble, right?”
“I…I didn’t say that!”
“Didn’t?” The Eighth Prince sneered, “Lord Kou asked, ‘Lord Wang said that all the martial arts figures are scoundrels, and the rebel army is a rabble,’ and you answered faster than anyone else.”
“I…” Wang Qinruo was speechless.
“Even if you didn’t say it in court, you must have said it in private, otherwise why would you admit it so directly?”
“This, this…”
Wang Qinruo stiffened, suddenly realizing he had been tricked, but it was too late to back down.
Kou Zhun and the Eighth Prince took advantage of his constant opposition to them, deliberately steer the conversation toward the martial arts heroes he hated most, setting a trap for him to fall into.
“Martial arts figures, martial arts heroes are all a rabble…Hmph, well said.” "The Eighth Prince said coldly, "The Heavenly Pole Sect is the number one sect in the Central Plains martial arts world, so of course it's the rabble you're talking about..."
"No, no... that's not what I meant. I didn't mean the Heavenly Pole Army..." Wang Qinruo was about to explain.
How could the Eighth Prince give him the chance? He interrupted, "What you're trying to slander isn't the Heavenly Pole Army, but Emperor Taizong and Emperor Taizu. Think of Emperor Taizong's ten years of hard work in establishing the Heavenly Pole Sect. He went through countless hardships and dangers, and finally it became the number one sect in the martial arts world. He followed Emperor Taizu in his campaigns, making great achievements, pacifying Later Shu, destroying Southern Tang, conquering Southern Han, and pacifying Wuyue..." He rattled off a long list of the Heavenly Pole Sect's merits. "You say the Heavenly Pole Sect is a rabble, which means that Emperor Taizu was the leader of the rabble. Emperor Taizong also held a position in the Heavenly Pole Sect, so naturally he was too..."
"Injustice! Injustice! Your Majesty, please understand... I had no such intention, absolutely not..." Wang Qinruo was terrified, prostrating himself on the ground, banging his head against the ground, crying and wailing with snot and tears streaming down his face.
These two really know how to pick a fight, actually using such a thing to frame him at this critical moment!
Kou Zhun added fuel to the fire, deliberately raising his voice, "Not only that, many of our dynasty's meritorious veterans have served in the Tianji Sect. Lord Wang has now included them all in his insults. Impressive, truly impressive. Let me roughly count how many there are—hmm, Prince Weiwu Shi Shouxin, Prince Langya Wang Shenqi, Prince Bohai Gao Huaide, Prince Henan Murong Yanzhao, Prince Longxi Li Jixun, Prince Jiyang Cao Bin… ah, and also Prince Zhongyong and Prince Wuling."
"Lord Kou, you… you… you're framing me! This… this… this is taking things out of context…" Wang Qinruo was about to defend himself when he suddenly saw all the officials' faces turn ashen, staring at him angrily. Even Emperor Zhenzong on the dragon throne had a furious expression on his face. He trembled in fear, prostrated himself on the ground, and banged his head against the floor of the Golden Hall.
"Your Majesty, I am guilty... I was careless for a moment, I... I..." Seeing that his "master" was also about to become angry, Wang Qinruo was terrified and fainted on the spot. Having done so many bad things, and having spent his whole life only knowing how to sow discord, he finally tasted the bitterness of being framed.
This was not surprising. Although Emperor Zhenzong was a wise and insightful ruler, he was completely ignorant of the ways of the world. The cunning Kou Zhun and the Eighth Prince pulled him along from one side to the other, and brought in a large group of founding fathers. They really thought that Wang Qinruo was determined to move the capital and had inadvertently insulted Emperor Taizong.
Careless? In this era of supreme imperial power, carelessness was also a serious crime of deceiving the emperor!
If Wang Qinruo had not been a former official of his when he was still Prince Shou, who had served him diligently since he was a prince and whose character and conduct suited him well, he would have already summoned the palace guards to take him out of the Zichen Hall and behead him.
"Guards! Take Lord Wang to the side hall and have the imperial physician prepare him properly." Emperor Zhenzong, being a benevolent ruler, though furious, did not abandon Wang Qinruo to his fate. After a brief cleanup of the scene, the court meeting continued. With
Wang Qinruo gone, the pro-relocation faction was greatly weakened. Feng Zheng, without his mentor's support, dared not utter a sound. Chen Yaosou was not a treacherous minister; he was merely a civil official by birth, weak-willed, and wanted to do his part for his hometown, which was why he advocated relocating the capital to avoid disaster. Now, moved by Huyan Zan's loyalty to the country, and with the pro-war faction constantly analyzing the enemy's situation, portraying the Khitan army as utterly incompetent while praising the Tianji Army and the Yang Family Army, they even considered fighting.
Emperor Zhenzong, however, after a period of excitement, began to hesitate.
It wasn't that he was cowardly or afraid of the Khitan, but rather that, since ancient times, there were far too many things for an emperor to consider when personally leading a campaign.
Leaving aside the numerous entourages, carriages, and palaces, just to ensure the emperor's safety, at least 40,000 to 50,000 troops were stationed nearby for extended periods, unable to engage in decisive battles, and the consequences of defeat would be immeasurable!
Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, personally led an expedition against the Xiongnu, but was ambushed and trapped at Baideng Mountain. If it weren't for Chen Ping's strategy of bribing the Chanyu's wife with gold and silk, there would be no 400-year reign of the Han Dynasty. Later, Emperor Shi Chonggui of the Later Jin Dynasty rashly launched an attack on the Khitan, but his generals Du Chongwei and Zhang Yanzhe rebelled one after another, leading to his defeat and capture, and the Later Jin Dynasty perished. Even his father, the ambitious and talented Emperor Taizong, riding on the momentum of conquering the Northern Han, led an army of 500,000 to attack the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, but ultimately suffered a major defeat at Gaoliang River, only managing to return to Bianliang alive thanks to the sheltering of Ye Zhiqiu's parents.
Even including the Tianji Army, the Song Dynasty's forces numbered only 180,000, while the enemy boasted a full million fierce warriors. No matter how eloquently the courtiers spoke, the facts were undeniable
—the chances of victory were no more than one in ten.
To ask him to personally lead an expedition into a battle almost certainly lost…
Emperor Zhenzong hesitated. Suddenly, a palace attendant reported that Jing Si, the Grand Commander of the Tianji Sect's Inner Guard, was requesting an audience outside the palace.
Jing Si had been a high-ranking general and one of Emperor Taizong's most trusted confidants. Years ago, during the campaign against the Northern Han, Jing Si led a battalion of Tianji Sect soldiers, braving arrows to scale the city walls. Two arrows pierced his feet, and two teeth of his cannon were broken, yet he fought to the death. Emperor Taizong personally praised him, bestowing upon him the title of Golden Armored Heavenly King, a rank equivalent to a marquis. His position within the Tianji Sect was second only to Qin Huaiyu, Zhang Jinghong, and Liu Ningtao. His arrival in the palace must be for important matters.
Emperor Zhenzong was deeply moved and immediately summoned him.
Jing Si, dressed in mourning, entered the hall, startling all the officials.
Emperor Zhenzong asked in surprise, "Minister Jing, what's going on...?"
Jing Si bowed and said, "The death of our leader at Tianshan is deeply incriminating, and the Liao Kingdom is implicated. Replacing the leader, I inquired about the Khitan's invasion and immediately ordered the craftsmen to forge white helmets and armor in preparation for the campaign."
"Oh, the acting leader has received the news." "
Yes, there are spies planted within the Liao army. As soon as Yelü Changsheng's vanguard moved, news arrived. The acting leader predicted his brilliant military strategy, that none of the generals in Hebei could withstand him, except for the three passes guarded by the Yang family army, which could be held. However, Marshal Yang is wounded, and it will be difficult to hold out for long. Therefore, I personally led the Longxiang, Huyi, and Feiyu armies to provide reinforcements!"
"What?! The Tianji Army has already been mobilized!?"
Emperor Zhenzong was overjoyed upon hearing this, secretly praising Long Feiyun for her decisive and resolute action.
"On behalf of the leader, I say: Speed is of the essence in war, and I dare not delay for even a moment. I have specially ordered my subject to deliver this memorial, earnestly requesting Your Majesty to pardon the crime of unauthorized military action."
Crime? The Heavenly Pole Sect responded swiftly, sending troops to aid the border in a timely manner. Emperor Zhenzong was overjoyed and had no time to punish them
. He declared loudly, "Sect Leader Long is too lenient. Now that the nation is in peril and the Song Dynasty is facing a critical moment of survival, I hereby grant Sect Leader Long the authority to command and deploy troops. All actions of the Heavenly Pole Army need not be reported to the Privy Council." "Your subject obeys the decree," Jing Si kowtowed in gratitude and continued, "Sect Leader Long's three armies, Dragon Soaring, Tiger Wing, and Flying Feather, totaling 20,000 men, will reach the Three Passes within days; the second batch of 10,000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry will be stationed in the city within ten days; the third and final batch of 10,000 cavalry and 40,000 infantry will soon set off. Within half a month, the Heavenly Pole Sect's 100,000-strong army will be gathered at the border, at Your Majesty's command—even if Sect Leader Long suffers misfortune and dies, our three armies will grieve deeply. We have all sworn a solemn oath at the Heroes' Monument: until the Liao army retreats, until the mourning period ends, until the border troubles are quelled, until the Xunfeng army returns!"
It was another heroic statement!
How magnificent!
The entire court was deeply moved.
Ren Xiaoyao's status in the hearts of the Tianji Army was indeed…
almost godlike!
It was a pity that fate was jealous of his talent, causing his early death; otherwise, with the army fighting
with all their might and the soldiers united, what fear would the mere Liao dogs have? "According to our secret report, masters from the Shura Sect, the Absolute Kill, the Maitreya Sect, the Dangxiang Society, the Ghost Sorrow Mansion, and the Heavenly Dragon Gate have rushed to the Song-Liao border overnight to assist the Liao army in conquering our dynasty."
The officials were once again shocked.
Despite their high positions in the court, they had heard of these organizations, especially the Shura Sect and the Absolute Kill, who had repeatedly disrupted the peace of the Central Plains martial arts world. Emperor Taizong's disastrous defeat at Gaoliang River was also inextricably linked to them.
In a battle on a plain, hundreds of thousands of troops would be attacking each other, and the disorganized and disorganized martial arts practitioners would be of little use. However, in this battle against the Khitan, the focus is on defending the city to the death. In other words, the key to the two armies' struggle lies in the attack and defense of the city. This is where the martial arts masters can show their prowess!
Imagine ordinary soldiers building ladders, using shields to fend off arrows, oil, rolling logs, and stones—a perilous climb to the top of a city wall. Meanwhile, an attacker can scale it in the blink of an eye with just a few quick steps and a few footholds in mid-air. Carrying heavy wooden clubs and stones, weighing hundreds of gold pieces, to the top would require immense manpower and physical effort, but against a master of external martial arts, a single punch or palm strike would shatter them instantly. A more skilled fighter could even deflect them back, leaving whoever threw them in the lurch. On a dark, stormy night, an ordinary soldier attempting a sneak attack would be easily wiped out by a torch. But a highly skilled individual, adept at concealment, could slip into the city and open the gates before the patrolling soldiers could detect them…
If the attacking side had a large number of martial arts masters, it would be a nightmare for the defending side!
Seeing this, Jing Si hurriedly said, "Everyone need not worry. The acting leader has already informed all the heroes of the border situation. Senior Dugu Yu has generously returned to the mountain to regain control of the Central Plains martial arts world, and has ordered all the heroes of the world to go to the front lines to help the country defend the border. Masters from Shaolin, the Beggars' Sect, the Four Great Families, the Five Great Sword Sects, the Tang Clan of Sichuan, and other places have all set off."
Emperor Zhenzong and his civil and military officials finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Jing Si stepped aside, and Kou Zhun was about to step forward to petition Emperor Zhenzong to reassure him of his intention to personally lead the expedition when a palace attendant suddenly reported, "The Dowager Lady She of Tianbo Mansion wishes to see you." "
Quickly, quickly invite her—no, I'm coming!" Emperor Zhenzong left his throne and personally went out to greet her.
Since the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, how could there be a custom of a ruler welcoming a subject?
Had Emperor Zhenzong been so terrified by the Liao Kingdom that he lost his mind?
Not at all. It was because when Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, was conquering Liu Jiyuan of the Northern Han, he had a past relationship with Yang Gong, the father of Yang Ye (Yang Jiye), who was serving the Northern Han at the time. Yang Gong and Zhao Kuangyin's armies fought against each other and developed a mutual respect. Zhao Kuangyin exchanged his jade belt for the golden whip in Yang Gong's hand, declaring that if any descendant of the Yang family surrendered to the Song, he would not betray them.
After Yang Ye surrendered to the Song, he made great contributions to the expansion of the Song Dynasty's territory. On his deathbed, Zhao Kuangyin bestowed upon She Taijun a dragon-headed cane, beneath which rested a jade plaque inscribed with eight large characters written by Zhao Kuangyin himself: "Though without the imperial carriage, it is as if I were personally present." Like the concave golden mace held by the Eighth Prince, both were imperial gifts, capable of striking down tyrannical rulers and executing treacherous officials. Holding this precious cane was tantamount to the late emperor's presence; one need not bow to the emperor upon entering the palace, nor bid farewell upon leaving; simply tapping the cane three times was sufficient. Therefore, Emperor Zhenzong personally went to greet She Taijun upon hearing of her arrival.
She Taijun arrived at the Zichen Hall, tapped her dragon-headed cane, and asked, "Your Majesty, I have heard that the Liao Kingdom has raised a million-strong army to invade our dynasty, and important border towns have fallen one by one. Is this true?"
Emperor Zhenzong sighed softly and nodded, saying, "Except for the three passes aided by the Yang family army, the others… alas!"
"How does Your Majesty intend to respond? To fight or…?"
"This…" Emperor Zhenzong hesitated slightly.
Kou Zhun said, "The Heavenly Pole Sect has already mobilized 100,000 troops to march north to meet the enemy, and the court will soon... make a response."
She Taijun, being so astute, knew that Kou Zhun was telling her that the Emperor had decided to fight, but hadn't yet decided to personally lead the campaign. After a moment's thought, she asked, "May I ask who will lead the army this time?"
The Eighth Prince replied, "General Huyan Zan."
She Taijun was moved, "Oh, the old general is going." Huyan Zan
said solemnly, "This old general has received great favors from Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, and should repay them with his life." "
And what about the vanguard officer and the other generals?"
"Ah, this..." Emperor Zhenzong hesitated again.
"If Your Majesty hasn't decided, why not entrust it to our Yang family?" She Taijun's words were startling.
Emperor Zhenzong was astonished, "Aren't all the Yang family's generals at the Three Passes? Where did they come from..."
"My grandson Yang Zongbao is eighteen years old, and my youngest grandson Yang Wenguang is thirteen..."
"Eighteen... how can thirteen-year-old children go to war!?" Emperor Zhenzong exclaimed in shock.
"The rise and fall of a nation is the responsibility of every citizen. The Yang family has a long history of loyalty and valor. Now, with the nation in peril, all those who can wield weapons are called to fight. Even if all the men perish, twelve widows will remain, vowing to defend the Great Song to the death!"
Emperor Zhenzong trembled, tears streaming uncontrollably down his face.
The Yang family, the foremost family of meritorious officials in the Great Song Dynasty, had served the Song Dynasty loyally for generations since Yang Ye. More than a decade ago, when Emperor Taizong led his army on a northern expedition, Pan Renmei and Wang Shen framed Yang Ye, leading to his tragic death at the hands of Yelü Xiezhen. Seven sons perished, and only one returned. Yet, the Yang family had no complaints. The only surviving son, Yang Yanzhao, guarded the border for the country, defeating the Liao army time and again, exchanging his blood for the stability of the Song Dynasty. For many years, he had not even returned home once...
Now, the Khitans have invaded, and the matriarch, She Taijun, is actually sending her twelve-year-old grandson to the battlefield to resist the foreign invaders!
Compared to the Heavenly Pole Sect and the Yang family, this timid and cowardly Song emperor was utterly ashamed!
"Issue my decree!" Emperor Zhenzong's eyes were bloodshot, his blood suddenly boiling. He slammed his hand on the dragon throne, his imperial majesty instantly revealed. "Assemble the Imperial Guards from the capital, with Huyan Zan as commander, Yang Zongbao as vanguard, and the twelve widows of the Yang family as deputies. Choose an auspicious day to march north and resist the Liao army. Prince Yong, Zhao Yuanfen, will remain in Tokyo to handle state affairs. I will personally lead the expedition to pacify Liao. Anyone who again speaks of moving the capital to avoid disaster or negotiating peace will be executed without mercy!!!"
The Eighth Prince and Kou Zhun exchanged a glance: "Your Majesty is wise!"
All the officials knelt in unison: "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" The court and the countryside were shaken, the sound carrying for miles.
Amidst the resounding cheers, Emperor Zhenzong slowly raised his dragon head, facing southwest, tears welling in his eyes.
"Prince Wuling, Ren Xiaoyao, if you were still alive, why would I hesitate to personally lead the expedition!"

Volume 44, Chapter 5: The Battle of the Three Passes

. The Three Passes, North Gate.
Banners fluttered, battle cries shook the heavens.
A dark mass of Liao soldiers charged forward on horseback, using their superb archery skills to continuously fire arrows at the city walls, covering the advance of their siege ladders and siege chariots.
Further away, catapults and crossbows hurled huge stones and burning fireballs at the walls, creating deafening explosions.
The defenders on the walls desperately retaliated, using catapults and fire arrows to strike the distant siege equipment, and nearby, rolling logs, boulders, ash bottles, and boiling oil to kill the enemy. Liao soldiers halfway up the walls constantly plummeted to their deaths, their bodies mangled and bloody. Broken ladders and burning siege chariots were scattered everywhere.
On the pass, soldiers of the Yang family army moved back and forth incessantly. Some carried weapons, some roamed around shooting arrows, some used hooks and sickles to push back ladders, and others hurled rolling logs and stones down from the city walls. In this fierce battle of attack and defense, waves of fearless Liao soldiers continued to scale the walls, only to be turned into a pile of mincemeat after a counterattack.
Arrows and stones rained down like locusts both inside and outside the city, adding to the deadly spectacle of this merciless war.
In the suffocatingly tense and brutal atmosphere, two generals sat atop the city tower, their eyes fixed on the battlefield, issuing commands from time to time, directing the entire Song army defending the city with horns and war drums.
On the left is Yang Yanzhao, the commander-in-chief of the Yang Family Army. A month ago, he was assassinated and only barely survived thanks to the desperate protection of his guards. Upon hearing the news, Emperor Zhenzong immediately dispatched the best imperial physicians from the capital, but even after treatment, he had only recovered to about 50-60% of his strength. Even the slightest movement caused him excruciating pain, as if it were piercing his very lungs.
Hearing that the Khitans had launched a southward invasion and that strategic passes along the border were falling one after another, this top general of the Song Dynasty, disregarding his own still-healing injuries, endured the excruciating pain and stood on the front lines, commanding the battle-hardened Yang Family Army to defend the three passes to the death, repelling the Liao's repeated attacks.
Beside him stood a young general, clad in gleaming silver chainmail, her bearing dashing and spirited, her features exquisite. Three white feathers adorned her head, fluttering in the wind, making her even more beautiful than the renowned female generals of the Yang family. Especially striking was the long, plain white cloak she wore, billowing in the chilling, murderous aura, exuding an ethereal, otherworldly charm that would captivate not only women but also men.
White clothes, white armor, white robes, white feathers—all in mourning!
Long Feiyun!?
Indeed!
That night, they saw the fireworks signal launched by Ren Xiaoyao in the village, realizing the situation was dire, and hurriedly abandoned village affairs to rush to Tianshan overnight.
With Meng Fei leading the way, the group ascended the relatively flat southern slope, taking half the time of Ren Xiaoyao. In fact, the Asura Cult members also ascended the southern slope; otherwise, who in this world, besides Ren Xiaoyao, could have survived such a devastating avalanche that shook the mountains?
At the summit of Tianshan, a heart-wrenchingly tragic scene unfolded before the women's eyes.
The millennia-old ice and snow had vanished completely, replaced by icicles formed from congealed blood, shattered clothing, broken weapons, and…
gaps in the rock face cracked by the force of the sword energy.
The massive boulder was completely shattered; a mere touch and it collapsed with a deafening roar.
Undoubtedly, a horrific battle had taken place here.
One of the victors was their beloved Ren Xiaoyao!
Where was Xiaoyao?!
This was everyone's first reaction. After a brief moment of shock, they frantically searched for Ren Xiaoyao's whereabouts.
However, after searching for a long, long time, they found not a single clue.
The summit was only so big; where could Xiaoyao have gone?
Had he left the summit?
Impossible; there were no traces of Ren Xiaoyao on the only path down the mountain.
—Just looking at the scene on the summit revealed the hatred and cruelty of the battle. Even someone as skilled in light-footed martial arts as Ren Xiaoyao couldn't have left without leaving a trace.
Then where could he have gone? Had
he jumped off the cliff to his death?!
The women didn't want to consider this possibility, but at this moment, it was the only one.
Sure enough, Ren Xiaoyao's footprints were found at the edge of the cliff.
The footprints were very deep, indicating that he was exhausted and could no longer even maintain his steps, something that used to be effortless for him.
"How come Qingqiu is here too?!"
When Long Feiyun discovered this, the women were even more astonished.
They looked at each other for a long time, followed by despair, endless despair.
With Ren Xiaoyao's martial arts skills, even if he faced the Asura Sect and Juesha's many masters, escaping successfully was still possible. But if the other side captured Xuan Qingqiu to use as a hostage (no one would suspect that Xuan Qingqiu was the Asura Sect's Holy Maiden and the disciple of the Ghost Netherworld God Lord; they all thought she had been kidnapped by Juesha and the Asura Sect), then...
no matter when, no matter where, Ren Xiaoyao would never abandon his beloved woman to escape alone.
So...
Xiaoyao committed suicide.
After using a firework signal tube to tell them the message "Hentian is not dead, return quickly," Ren Xiaoyao took Xuan Qingqiu and jumped off the precipice at the top of Tianshan Mountain!
This was a possibility that no one wanted to see or accept.
Yet it was the only possibility!
In an instant, the women collapsed.
Nangong Fengyi, Nangong Fengzi, Shui Furong, Lin Yuxiu, Su Hanbi, and even the usually resolute and strong-willed Long Feiyun and the ninja Zhen Gongji Mina, were all weeping uncontrollably.
Meng Fei and Meng Lei beat their chests and wailed to the heavens!
Their elder brother and sister-in-law had died at the hands of the Asura Cult and the Absolute Assassins, and now…
Xiaoyao too…
Overwhelmed with grief, everyone held only one belief: Revenge!
Revenge for Xiaoyao!!!
The Asura Cult, the Absolute Assassins, and even Chisong Hushi, who disguised himself as a bandit and forced Ren Xiaoyao to risk his life alone!
Heartbroken, they left Tianshan and searched desperately for traces of the Asura Cult and the Absolute Killer Sect, but to no avail. Tian Jue Di Mie, the Four Asura Envoys, the Five Great Assassins, Xu Ci, and Xu Jie were all severely injured by Ren Xiaoyao and wouldn't recover for months. Gui Ming Shen Jun, Hen Tian, and Xu Kong were also seriously injured; if they were to fight, they would likely only be on par
with Yi Tian Han and Fu Long Yuan. Trying to play tricks under these circumstances would be suicidal. With Ren Xiaoyao dead, the fall of the Song Dynasty was inevitable. There was no need to risk a further fight. Gui Ming Shen Jun, Hen Tian, and Xu Kong decided to preserve their strength and led their respective groups away overnight. Except for the inaccessible summit of Tianshan (a place most people couldn't reach), all traces that might reveal their whereabouts were cleared.
If they couldn't find the Asura Cult and the Absolute Killer Sect, they would target Chi Song Hu Shi!
The death of the Prince of Wuling of the Song Dynasty within Tibetan territory was no longer a taboo. The group abandoned their pretense of banditry and stormed the main camp, wiping out the ten thousand Chisong Tiger Division stationed there.
Following Meng Lei and Yi Tianhan's instructions, the group waited at the main camp for the other camps to return from their raids and continue their slaughter. However, Long Feiyun extracted a shocking piece of information from a severely wounded but still alive camp commander:
Tibet had mobilized its entire army to attack the Song Dynasty!
Moreover, the Liao, Western Xia, Goryeo, and Dali kingdoms would also be sending troops simultaneously!
With the nation in peril and the situation dire, the group could not linger and returned to the Central Plains under cover of darkness. Along the way, the Asura Sect, the Maitreya Sect, the Tangut Society, and the Absolute Assassins constantly harassed them. Although no powerful figures were dispatched to directly intercept them, their journey was significantly delayed. Emperor Zhenzong, having no generals to rely on, was forced to offer Princess Huayu as a sacrifice…
Upon returning to the Heavenly Pole Sect, they announced Ren Xiaoyao's death. The 100,000 followers wept bitterly, and the entire city of Xunfeng was immersed in mourning and grief.
Ren Xiaoyao was dead. Their invincible war god, their most respected and revered leader, was dead.
He died at the hands of the Asura Sect and the Absolute Assassins, he died in the crossfire of the Liao Dynasty's plan to invade and annex the Song Dynasty in alliance with Western Xia, Tibet, Goryeo, and Dali.
Revenge! Revenge! Avenge our leader!
Not only were Heavenly Pole Sect spies throughout Liao, each one highly skilled and capable, but even a random citizen of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun would know that the Khitan were about to invade the south.
—The mobilization of a million-strong army—what a massive undertaking! Could it be kept secret
? While Long Feiyun was slightly less astute than Zhuge Wenjie, she possessed invaluable intelligence from Chisong Hushi. A moment's thought revealed that Yelü Changsheng's demand for Princess Huayu was a ruse to lure the Song Dynasty into lowering its guard, a pretext for a surprise attack on the border.
She also believed that Ye Zhiqiu's deep affection for Princess Huayu would surely lead him to mobilize the entire Green Forest Alliance across thirteen provinces to reclaim her.
However, this would give the Liao Dynasty a legitimate pretext for military action, allowing a million-strong army to march south in an instant.
Given Yelü Changsheng's cunning and the ferocity of his Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, how could the border garrison, even with its preparedness, possibly withstand such an onslaught?
Aside from the three passes guarded by the Yang family army, the other passes would likely be swept away by the Liao army in a whirlwind within three to five days. Yang Yanzhao was severely wounded, and the Yang family army numbered only twenty to thirty thousand, trapped in an isolated city…
they probably wouldn't be able to hold out for long.
If the Yang family army suffered another defeat, the Song Dynasty would truly be finished. Even with the Tianji Army taking its place, the impact on the Song army's morale, fighting strength, and overall strength would be immeasurable!
A million-strong army of tigers and wolves—only the Tianji Sect could rival them in the world.
Long Feiyun made a decisive move, launching a mobilization without imperial decree. Her 100,000-strong army, clad in white helmets and armor, swore a solemn oath before the Heroes' Monument: "
Until the Liao army retreats, until the mourning period ends, until the border troubles are quelled, until Xunfeng is returned!"
She led the Longxiang, Huyi, and Feiyu armies, marching day and night, finally arriving at the three passes before the Liao army completed its encirclement.
The fifth day—this was the fifth day since she led her army to arrive, and a full half-month had passed since the Liao army launched its offensive.
Initially, Aliqi, the Deputy Privy Councilor of the Southern Court and Vanguard Commander, led 50,000 troops to camp 50 li outside the city, launching sporadic attacks to block the Yang family army from rescuing other passes. Several days later, Xiao Guanyinnu, the Privy Councilor of the Southern Court and General Manager of the Campaign, led 50,000 troops to reinforce the city, launching an attack from the east and north gates. Five days ago, after she led the Longxiang, Huyi, and Feiyu armies into the city, Xiao Talin, the Liao vanguard general and Prince of Lanling, whose prestige was second only to Yelü Changsheng, led a 100,000-strong army that had won consecutive victories, conquering more than ten passes, and whose fighting spirit and momentum were unstoppable, and was heading straight for the Three Passes.
At this point, the vanguard of the Liao army, numbering 200,000, who were marching south to attack the Song Dynasty, gathered at the Three Passes, completely surrounding the city. Xiao Talin learned that the two most elite cavalry units of the Tianji Army were also in the city, which made him even more delighted. He knew that if he could annihilate all the troops in the city, the Song Dynasty would have no power to resist. He ordered his soldiers to attack day and night, giving them no chance to catch their breath.
Standing atop the city wall, Long Feiyun directed the battle, watching the fierce and relentless fighting. She couldn't help but recall a saying her father had uttered: "War is like a game of chess; one must possess a ruthless and indifferent mindset, disregarding all life and death, to make the right decisions and calmly command the advances, retreats, attacks, and defenses of one's own forces, achieving the greatest results with the least loss!" The attacking Liao army, like swarms of ants indifferent to their own lives, scaled the walls, charging towards the enemy on the ramparts. The defending Yang family army, relying on the high walls, fought desperately to repel the enemy, annihilating those attempting to scale the walls at the crenellations or beneath them. Meanwhile, the Longxiang and Huyi armies, brought by Long Feiyun and hailed as the most elite troops of the Tianji Sect…
were all resting inside the city.
Resting!?
Yes, resting. Five days had passed; they hadn't fought a single battle, hadn't even come to the city walls.
In Sun Tzu's *The Art of War*, the chapter "Heroic and Female Cities," cities are divided into two categories: "Heroic cities" are those situated on high ground or backed by mountains, with good water sources, and are extremely difficult to conquer; "Female cities" are those situated in low-lying areas, between two mountains, or backed by valleys, lacking abundant water and vegetation, and can be easily breached with sufficient force. Sanguankou,
as the most important border pass of the Song Dynasty, was naturally a formidable city, easy to defend and difficult to attack.
Of course, formidable cities are also categorized. The first tier is Xunfeng City, considered the most impregnable city in the land. Consider the legend of the Dragon's Roar and the chaos of the Tianji Sect; even the legendary general Yelü Xiezhen, leading an army of 400,000, couldn't conquer it. The second tier includes Bianliang, Hangzhou, and Luoyang. Bianliang, as the capital, is naturally formidable; Hangzhou is home to many wealthy merchants, and money makes everything easier; Luoyang, the ancient capital of six dynasties, has accumulated wealth over generations and is also extraordinary. Sanguankou naturally belongs to the third tier.
Given General Yang's extensive combat experience, holding the Three Passes for a month or two shouldn't have been a problem. However, Xiao Talin attacked day and night, without stopping for twelve hours straight. The city's inhabitants had all evacuated, and the troops were extremely limited. By this time, the Yang family army, having endured days and nights of relentless attacks, was showing signs of exhaustion.
This was the forty-sixth wave of the Liao army's offensive. In the previous two waves, their army had thwarted the Yang family army's hopes of breaching the city with lime, chaff, boiling oil, and stones. This time, the Yang family army was clearly too exhausted and lacked supplies, making their defenses much weaker than before. They were no longer able or able to stop the battering rams from directly assaulting the city gates.
"Boom boom boom!" A large, sturdy battering ram, supported by dozens of Liao soldiers, crashed into the city. Its sharp, over ten-foot-long front end slammed into the thick, solid city gate. The battering ram was fitted with a fan-shaped protective top, so stones and arrows could not harm the Liao soldiers below.
The violent impact made Long Feiyun's heart leap into her throat. Just then, a ceramic jar was thrown from the city wall, smashing against the battering ram and shattering it. The oil inside splattered everywhere, and a torch was thrown down, causing the entire ram to burst into flames. Several Liao soldiers, splattered with oil and wearing thick animal-skin robes, were instantly engulfed in flames, screaming and rolling on the ground trying to extinguish the fire.
Not far outside the city, hundreds of elite cavalrymen, surrounding several Liao generals, watched from afar. Among them were Xiao Talin, Xiao Guanyinnu, and Aliqi.
This time, they employed a "open corner" strategy, focusing their attack on the east, west, and north gates, leaving the south gate open "so that" the city's defenders could escape.
Ten miles outside the south gate, in a dense forest along the only escape route, lay an ambush of 60,000 troops. If the defenders tried to escape, they would be forced to flee, suffering total annihilation.
If they didn't escape, they would be trapped and die within the city!
Xiao Talin, perched high on his horse, his eagle eyes gleaming, surveyed the fierce, life-or-death battle between the two sides. He muttered, "Well done, Yang Liulang. Lacking supplies and reinforcements, he's managed to hold out for so long."
Xiao Guanyinnu chuckled, "Although the five kingdoms' military training will undoubtedly lead to the fall of the Song Dynasty, a series of crushing
defeats is pointless. A few bloody battles now and then are what truly showcase the might of our Khitan warriors." "Indeed," Xiao Guanyinnu said, "not to mention, my eight hundred elite infantrymen fought desperately to scale the city walls, fully expecting to seize the opportunity to break through, but alas... over two hundred were slashed and speared by Long Feiyun, and the rest died on the spot. In the end, we gained nothing... You tell me... how can a woman be more powerful than a man? I really doubt it..."
"If you doubt it, let's test her tonight and see if she's a woman or a man,"
Xiao Talin suddenly sneered.
Xiao Guanyinnu and Aliqi were both startled.
"The Yang family army is clearly defeated. I predict that the three passes will fall within half an hour at most." Xiao Talin's tiger-like eyes gleamed with a lewd light, like a wild beast. "At that time, Long Feiyun will be taken prisoner... Hmph, we'll also taste the flavor of the Song princess, hahaha."
"Hahaha." The generals laughed lewdly in unison.

Volume 44, Chapter 6: Abandoning the City

"Alas, we can't hold on any longer." Almost simultaneously, Yang Yanzhao on the city wall let out a long sigh.
"Yes, the three armies are exhausted, and the defensive equipment is almost exhausted. If we continue fighting, it will only be a matter of life for life." Long Feiyun nodded slowly, her words seeming to be a warning to him.
"It's all that scoundrel Wang Qinruo's fault!" a general behind Yang Yanzhao, wielding a large axe, roared. "How many times has the Marshal petitioned the court for funds to reinforce the city walls and improve our military equipment, only to be suppressed by him? It's caused us... the city walls are only reinforced once a year, and we don't have enough silver to buy bows, crossbows, oil, logs, and stones. If it weren't for the people voluntarily helping us build defensive equipment, the Three Passes would have been..."
"And that's not all," another general interjected indignantly. "The court stipulates that border provisions are sent every four months, and during wartime, the city must maintain reserves for at least six months. The 800,000 dan of grain should have arrived at the beginning of last month, but he kept delaying it with excuses. Now, with the Liao army besieging the city, nothing can be sent in. Thankfully, the Marshal foresaw this and knew we couldn't rely solely on the court, preparing enough provisions for a month's use. Otherwise, the soldiers wouldn't even have enough to eat, how could we defend the city..."
"Jiao Zan, Meng Liang, that's enough!" Yang Yanzhao shouted. "These are objective reasons, beyond our control. You two just need to fulfill your duties and fight the battle well!"
"But... Marshal, we are not satisfied with this defeat!" Jiao Zan and Meng Liang said in unison.
"The facts are clear, the three passes cannot be held." Yang Yanzhao looked up at the sky again, his tone filled with desolation and sorrow.
"...Marshal, do you mean you plan to break out!?" Meng Liang was stunned for a moment before asking.
When had the brave and fearless Yang family army ever been defeated!
"Yes, otherwise not only us, but even the Heavenly Pole Army brought by the princess would be wiped out here..."
"The Heavenly Pole Army!" Jiao Zan snorted, his face full of black lines.
Long Feiyun led her troops to reinforce the city, which initially delighted Meng Liang, who thought he would finally witness the Song Dynasty's most elite cavalry clash with the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry. However, five whole days had passed, and the Longxiang and Tiger Wing armies hadn't moved an inch, while the Flying Feathers were nowhere to be seen. Only Long Feiyun, along with Longxiang Army Commander Qin Xiang and Tiger Wing Army Commander Zhang Feng, and other officers, had come to the city walls to observe.
What was this? Coming here to freeload, watching the Yang family army… no, not even glancing at them.
Meng Liang's expression was also grim. He and Jiao Zan were always on the same side, speaking with one voice, hence the proverb "Jiao is inseparable from Meng, and Meng is inseparable from Jiao." However, he was more level-headed than Jiao Zan, knowing that Long Feiyun was renowned for her literary and martial talents, and that the Tianji Army were all loyal and brave men. Having arrived at the Three Passes, they couldn't possibly remain inactive. But with the situation so dire, why hadn't Princess Fengwu given the order yet? Did they really intend to wait for the city to fall?
Yang Yanzhao, whether oblivious to his beloved general's indignation or deliberately ignoring it, turned to Long Feiyun and said, "Having died in battle, does the princess mean..."
Long Feiyun smiled slightly, "The same as Marshal Yang, abandon the city and retreat."
"Retreat to where?"
"What does General Yang think?" Long Feiyun countered.
"Naturally, to Tan..."
"Chanzhou." Long Feiyun uttered two words that made Yang Yanzhao's eyes suddenly light up.
"Chanzhou is situated close to the Yellow River, with a strong city and wide surroundings, capable of accommodating hundreds of thousands of soldiers. The surrounding area is rich in water and marshes, which can greatly hinder the Liao army's cavalry raids. At the same time, since the Khitans are not good at water, transporting grain, fodder, and defensive supplies by boat and ship is much safer than by land. Finally, and very importantly, the commander of Chanzhou, Ji Yanwo, comes from a military family and is a rare capable general in the second-line border region (Sanguankou, Taizhou, Dingzhou, Yunzhou, Baozhou, Suicheng, and Datong are adjacent to the Liao border and are considered the first line, while other prefectures north of the Yellow River are the second line). Although he is still young and lacks prestige and experience, he is very capable in battle. The defense of Tanzhou is no worse than that of Sanguankou in all aspects. Moreover, her elder sister is the Emperor's favorite Consort Hui. Wang Qinruo not only dares not withhold supplies, but also wants to send more and more. Therefore, whether considering the terrain, geography, city, or logistical support, Chanzhou is currently the best choice."
“But if we retreat to Chanzhou, the entire Hebei region will fall to the Khitans, leaving only Chanzhou as an isolated city. If it falls, the Liao army will cross the Yellow River and advance unimpeded, and the Song Dynasty will perish!”
“Military strategy says: ‘Place yourself in a desperate situation, and you will survive.’ Our army will fight with our backs to the city, fighting to the death, just like Han Xin’s decisive victory over the Zhao army at the Battle of Jingxing.”
The two seemed to be arguing, yet they both seemed to agree on retreating to Chanzhou.
“If we retreat, which gate should we use?” Faced with this crisis, Yang Yanzhao’s words carried a hint of casualness.
“How about the South Gate?” Long Feiyun raised her eyebrows slightly, speaking easily, also appearing nonchalant.
“The South Gate…” Yang Yanzhao silently repeated, then his eyes lit up as he looked at Long Feiyun.
Long Feiyun raised her beautiful face, a captivating smile playing on her lips, seemingly confident.
The two exchanged a knowing glance and smiled at each other.
"What?! Break out from the south gate?!" Jiao Zan exclaimed anxiously. "Xiao Talin is the second most powerful general in Liao after Yelü Changsheng. He is extremely skilled in warfare. If others attack a corner of the city, it will cause the morale of the defenders to collapse, forcing them to fight and flee. He... he... I, an old Jiao, know that Xiao Talin must have set up an ambush outside the city, just waiting for us to come out."
"Yes, there must be an ambush at the south gate. We absolutely cannot leave." Meng Liang was also anxious.
Long Feiyun chuckled and said quietly, "Hehe, do you two generals think that I intend to walk into a trap and lead the army into the pocket set by the Liao people?"
"Isn't that so? Xiao Talin has been fighting with our Yang family army for so many years. We know his tactics better than anyone, especially this time with the Tianji Sect's Longxiang and Huyi armies... Hmph!" She stopped halfway through her sentence, obviously thinking that the only two cavalry forces in the Song Dynasty that could fight against the Khitan Tiger and Leopard Cavalry were clearly in the city, but they refused to fight.
“If the princess wants to go through the south gate, then she can take the Heavenly Pole Sect troops with her. Anyway, our Yang family army is determined not to leave!” Meng Liang chimed in from the side.
Yang Yanzhao turned around, cupped his hands in a bow, and said, “Jiao Zan and Meng Liang were originally members of the Green Forest. Although we have followed me for a long time, we have never been able to change our fiery temper. We hope the princess will forgive us.”
Long Feiyun nodded, her dark, bright eyes, like two gemstones, shining with the light of wisdom.
“General Jiao, General Meng…” Long Feiyun smiled without taking offense.
“Hmph!” Jiao Zan and Meng Liang responded with a low hum.
“I led the Heavenly Pole Army a thousand miles to reinforce you, and stayed at the Three Passes for five whole days, but I did not move a single soldier or send out a single drop of troops. I watched as the Yang family army defended the city alone, suffering heavy casualties. You must be complaining in your hearts, right?”
“Hmph!”
“Then later I will return the favor with a great victory to the Yang family army, as a tribute to the heroic soldiers who sacrificed their lives.”
“A great victory!?” Jiao Zan and Meng Liang looked at each other in disbelief.
"Weren't we supposed to abandon the three passes and retreat to Tanzhou? How come..."
"Losing a battle doesn't necessarily mean abandoning the city, and similarly, abandoning the city doesn't necessarily mean losing the battle!" A smile appeared on Long Feiyun's breathtakingly beautiful face, but it was quickly replaced by a sorrowful expression as she said with endless reminiscence, "Xiaoyao, the deep-seated hatred and great kindness of the Liao Kingdom that caused your death, I, Yun'er, will now lead the army to avenge you!!!"

Volume 44, Chapter 7: Dragon Soars and Tiger Wings -

South Gate of the Three Passes.
"Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom!"
Amidst the deafening sound of war drums, 18,000 elite cavalrymen from the Dragon Soaring and Tiger Wings armies began to assemble.
Long Feiyun rode the Jade Snow Kirin Steed, tightly gripping her father's legacy, the Heaven-Breaking Halberd. Her white battle robe fluttered in the bleak wind, her beautiful and delicate face as cold as iron.
Behind them stood Qin Xiang, commander of the Dragon Cavalry, and Zhang Feng, commander of the Tiger Wing Army, each reining in their horses, their weapons held upside down, their tips gleaming with a chilling, menacing light.
These were no longer the pampered young masters of yesteryear, but capable generals who could stand alone in the Heavenly Pole Sect, and even the entire Song Dynasty!
In the short time it takes to drink a cup of tea, both armies had assembled, clad in uniform crimson armor and robes, like a red cloud shrouding the war-torn land.
This was the Song Dynasty's most elite force, an indomitable, unyielding, and indomitable cavalry army!
The entire south gate was silent, without a sound, not even the snorting of warhorses.
Why?
Because these were carefully selected, rigorously trained horses. Without their master's command, they would not make any unnecessary movements; with their master's command, they would do anything.
Even to their deaths!
This was the Dragon Soaring, Tiger Wing Army. Their horses were the best in the army, their weapons the best, their armor the best—everything they used and equipped was of the highest quality.
And of course, there were themselves—the strongest, most loyal, and most fearless warriors in the army.
A suffocating solemnity filled the air as thousands of resolute eyes gazed ahead.
At the front stood Long Feiyun, unwavering as a mountain, her eyes as cold as frost.
"Soldiers!" Long Feiyun raised her Heaven-Piercing Halberd and shouted to the troops, "I know that you were selected from various halls of our sect and transferred to the Dragon Soaring and Tiger Wing Armies. You endured so much hardship and cruel training, all so that one day you could serve your country, kill the Liao dogs, kill the Tartars, and defend our homeland!"
"This time, when the Liao Kingdom invaded, I led you day and night, without rest, to reach the Three Passes. You all thought that there would soon be a battle to fight, and that we could show the Liao army the power of our Central Plains cavalry. But until today, I have not used you. Instead, I want you to rest well in the city. Apart from daily drills, you are not allowed to participate in any city defense operations..."
The soldiers all looked puzzled. Obviously, they still did not understand Long Feiyun's intentions. If it weren't for the strict discipline of the Dragon Soaring and Tiger Wing Armies, which forbade private conversations and noise, they would probably have been discussing it by now.
“I know you’re all suffering, watching helplessly as the Yang family army fought valiantly and sacrificed their lives for the country. You, with your superior equipment, are forced to rest in the city, not even allowed to go up to the city walls.”
“Master, please, send us out to fight!”
“We want to avenge Master Ren!”
“We can’t let the Yang family army’s blood be shed in vain!”
Several generals shouted boldly, and the soldiers also showed eager expressions.
Long Feiyun’s expression remained unchanged as she calmly asked, “Do you all really want to fight?”
“Yes!” The soldiers had been holding back for five whole days. Not only had the Yang family army been constantly complaining, but they themselves were also suffering. They were all like wolf cubs who hadn’t eaten meat, and if it weren’t for military regulations, they would have been howling long ago. Now, hearing the Master’s question, they responded in unison, their voices shaking the rooftops and echoing through the sky.
“You really want to fight?”
"Yes!" Even the city gates swayed.
"Good, then let's fight! Let's fight a glorious battle, and use our actions, the blood and heads of the Liao invaders, to comfort those loyal and patriotic martyrs who sacrificed their lives." Long Feiyun raised her whip, cracking it in mid-air, the Heaven-Piercing Halberd sweeping across the sky. "Brothers, I, Long Feiyun, will live and die with you! I, Long Feiyun, will be the first to charge into the enemy ranks, and I will be the last to leave!" Her words were passionate and tragic, and combined with Long Feiyun's heroic figure and unparalleled beauty, they possessed a powerful and moving appeal. The soldiers immediately roared in unison, "The Heavenly Army will surely win!" Their cries soared into the sky, and not one of them failed to feel a surge of fighting spirit, their hearts united with Long Feiyun's, willing to fight to the death for their commander.
Long Feiyun revealed a smile utterly incongruous with the brutal battlefield, as radiant as the sun. She calmly declared, "Soldiers, even if we must abandon the city and retreat, we must fight a resounding victory! Only then will we live up to the name 'The Heavenly Army's Finest Soldiers Under Heaven,' and only then will we comfort the spirit of our leader in the afterlife!"
Qin Xiang and Zhang Feng raised their arms in unison, shouting, "Regardless of life or death, we will forever follow our leader!" The entire army roared once more, ready to fight to the death.
At that moment, a dark figure leaped in—it was none other than the commander of the Flying Feathers, Zhen Gongji Mina. "We have fulfilled our mission; the locations of the Liao army's ambush have all been thoroughly investigated."
With these simple words, the soldiers suddenly understood.
So, we were supposed to eliminate the Khitan ambush outside the south gate!
"Dragon Soaring, Tiger Wing Army, attack!" Long Feiyun spurred her horse and charged forward. A deafening roar, like a collapsing mountain or a tsunami, erupted below the city walls. Eighteen thousand weapons of all kinds were raised high, a chaotic and savage killing intent surging through the sky. Officers' commands and shouts rose and fell, and patches of red dust billowed from the south gate, converging into a raging, roaring torrent that swept southward. "
The
Heavenly Extreme Army has retreated!" Looking at the billowing dust at the south gate from afar, Aliqi sneered.
"Oh, so they plan to use the entire Yang family army as a shield to preserve two cavalry units?" Xiao Guanyin's eyes flashed as she gazed at the fierce battle raging on the city walls.
Over the past two days, the arrows had become increasingly scarce. The defenders, who usually only used about ten large crossbows to fire arrows before a major Liao attack, had this time used all thirty usable crossbows of various sizes on the city walls, firing in a continuous, uninterrupted barrage.
At the command of the defense commander, Yue Sheng, volleys of crossbow bolts fired in rapid succession—fifteen powerful arrows from eight-bow crossbows in a short span of time. As soldiers quickly reloaded their bolts, another fifteen crossbows immediately followed, and within range, not a single Liao soldier escaped, falling from their horses and scattering blood and flesh—a truly gruesome sight.
Xiao Talin and Aliqi exchanged glances, realizing that the situation was indeed as Xiao Guanyin had described—the Yang family army was going all out, sparing no effort to cover the Tianji army's escape.
"It's time! Launch a full-scale attack! Capture the three passes in half an hour, then march south to cooperate with Generals Yelü Guozhen and Yelü Guobao's forces to annihilate the Tianji Army!" With this order, Xiao Talin commanded 50,000 fresh troops, composed of swordsmen, shield bearers, and archers, to surge forward, surging towards the city like a tidal wave to the rhythm of the war drums.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!" Yue Sheng personally rang the bronze bell on the city tower, quickly informing the entire city's defenders of the message. Meng Liang, Jiao Zan, Chen Lin, Chai Gan, Liu Chao, Zhang Gai, Guan Bo, Guan Jun, Wang Qi, Meng De, Lin Tieqiang, Song Tiebang, Qiu Zhen, Qiu Qian, Chen Xiong, Xie Yong, Yao Tieqi, Dong Tiegu, Lang Qian, Lang Wan, and the other twenty-two valiant generals of the Yang family army all went into battle, engaging the Liao army scaling the city walls. They were
fighting tooth and nail! The entire Yang family army was fighting with everything they had!
Five
li south of the Three Passes lies Ziyang Mountain.
A flock of wild geese flew across the sky, their mournful cries echoing in the fading darkness. The setting sun, like blood, dyed the distant, rugged mountains crimson.
Sparse, low shrubs grew on the barren mountainside, and to the right stretched a plain.
Bathed in the last rays of the setting sun, a vast army of cavalry galloped across the mountains, a dazzling, crimson spectacle. Like rivers flowing into the sea, they surged into the expansive plain ahead. Their red robes, armor, and helmet plumes appeared even more poignant under the setting sun, as if bleeding.
The vast sky and silent wilderness, save for the howling north wind and the clatter of hooves, conveyed a chilling and desolate atmosphere.
Suddenly, Long Feiyun, galloping swiftly, pulled on the reins.
With a sharp neigh, the Jade Snow Kirin Steed reared up, its massive hooves slamming heavily into the ground, raising a cloud of dust. Its hooves, however, remained motionless, as if forged of iron.
Qin Xiang and Zhang Feng
followed suit, reining in their horses. Then came the officers and generals behind them, followed by the Dragon Soaring and Tiger Wing armies.
A full eighteen thousand cavalrymen, suddenly halted. No horses collided, no weapons touched their comrades. Every squad, every platoon, every sergeant, every battalion stood perfectly still, the army's formation showing no sign of disarray, no flaw whatsoever.
Swift as the wind, silent as the forest, fierce as fire, immovable as a mountain, unfathomable as the shadows, moving like thunder!
This was the invincible army, the path to kingship crafted by Ren Xiaoyao! (The Takeda clan only learned the first four lines: "Swift as the wind, silent as the forest, fierce as fire, immovable as a mountain." Five hundred years later, they were able to dominate the Warring States period, invincible and unstoppable. The "Dragon Soaring" and "Tiger Wing" lines, using all six lines as their military spirit, demonstrate their formidable fighting power.)
"Master..."
Qin Xiang rode forward respectfully and asked, "Are the Khitan ambush ahead?"
"No, they are lying in ambush in the apricot grove ten miles away."
"Then... does this mean we need to devise a military strategy on the spot?"
Long Feiyun did not answer him. With a wave of her slender hand, she announced loudly, "All soldiers, listen to my command, turn around!"
"Turn... turn around!?" Zhang Feng was greatly surprised upon hearing this.
"Master, you've changed your mind. You're not going to attack the Liao ambush anymore."
"Did I say I was going to attack the Liao ambush?" Long Feiyun smiled faintly.
Qin Xiang and Zhang Feng exchanged bewildered glances.
"Xingzilin is mountainous, not conducive to large-scale cavalry raids and ambushes. Furthermore, the 60,000 Liao troops are rested and well-rested, their morale high. Even if we launch a surprise attack, by the time we wipe them out, the Yang family army will be completely annihilated. Therefore…" Long Feiyun's eyes flashed with killing intent. She abruptly turned her horse, her Heaven-Piercing Halberd pointing towards the void, and shouted sharply, "All troops, listen to my command (the vanguard, center, and rearguard—not 'Flying Feather' suddenly appearing)! Return immediately to the Three Passes! Our target—the West Gate, the Liao ruler and commander-in-chief, Xiao Talin!"

Volume 44, Chapter 8: Returning After Departure.

"Charge! Charge! Charge!" Aliqi raised his spiked club, shouting excitedly.
He was a young general of the Khitan, unlike Xiao Talin and Xiao Guanyinnu, who had fought on the battlefield for decades. He desperately needed a great victory to prove his strength.
The Liao army launched a full-scale attack. The remaining hundred-odd ladder wagons and battering rams, along with two battalions of assault troops wielding massive shields, advanced towards the east gate under the cover of catapults and crossbows, to the sound of war drums. Meanwhile, the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry charged towards the city walls in a circular formation, every soldier drawing their bows and arrows, relying on the innate archery skills of the Khitans to suppress the Yang family army on the city walls from a distance, creating an opportunity for the main attacking force to quickly close in. "Boom!" The sturdy west gate finally succumbed to the impact, collapsing and crumbling into the passageway, raising a cloud of dust and splintered wood. The morale of the attacking Liao army soared, their shouts shaking the heavens, completely drowning out the sounds of fighting and clashing weapons.
"Hahaha, we've won, we..."
Aliqi was only halfway through his shout when Xiao Talin behind him suddenly changed color and yelled, "Quickly, retreat!" The messenger quickly blew the horn, and the battering ram convoy responsible for breaching the gate hastily retreated, but it was too late.
Xiao Guanyin, who had been Xiao Talin's deputy for over a decade, knew the reason for his sudden change of expression: it was due to a miscalculation of the timing of the breach. Undoubtedly, the battle-hardened Yang family army had secretly moved the sand and stone carts used to reinforce the city gate, allowing it to be easily breached and completely disrupting their plans.
According to the original siege strategy, the battering rams must have retreated immediately upon the breach, the fortification soldiers would have cleared the obstacles in the passageway, the infantry would have stormed into the city, and finally the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry would have swept in like autumn leaves, annihilating the remaining remnants of the Yang family army.
However, at this moment, due to discrepancies between the actual situation and the predictions, the Liao army, despite its overwhelming advantage, was still struggling to manage its timing. Sure enough, gongs sounded inside the city, and a large contingent of troops poured out of the city streets, led by the two fierce generals Jiao Zan and Meng Liang. They killed anyone they saw and broke into several groups, breaking out in all directions. The fortification soldiers responsible for breaking down the gates and clearing the enemy lines scattered and fled in all directions, giving the enemy cavalry more opportunities to escape. The battlefield outside the east gate was in complete chaos, with friend and foe indistinguishable. Xiao Talin squinted, observed for a while, and suddenly said, "Hmph, if Yang Yanzhao hadn't been injured, he might have been able to carve a bloody path by charging forward on horseback with his spear. Now... it's just a desperate struggle."
Xiao Guanyin smiled and said, "Congratulations, Your Highness! Congratulations, Your Highness! In today's battle, the three main forces of the Great Song Dynasty that could only rival our Khitan army have been completely annihilated. There are no more obstacles to pacifying the Song Dynasty. In my humble opinion, even without the arrival of King Yelü's 300,000 central troops and the King's 500,000 rear troops, Your Highness's army alone is enough to reach Bianliang and capture the Song Emperor."
"Your Highness is mighty! Wherever your troops point, they are invincible!"
"Your Highness's command is decisive and your deployment is skillful. You truly deserve to be called the number one tiger general of our Khitan. This battle has been a great success, shaking the world and pacifying the Song Dynasty. Even King Yelü's military achievements cannot compare to yours."
The generals' praises rang out.
Xiao Talin was also somewhat smug. In terms of seniority, he was a veteran general of the same generation as Yelü Xiezhen, unmatched in the current court. In terms of military achievements, Yang Wudi, the father of Yang Yanzhao, who was feared by the Khitan, was one of the three tiger generals of the Song Dynasty, and was forced to his death by Xiao Talin himself. If he hadn't gone to the northeast to quell the rebellion and missed the Battle of Gaoliang River where he decisively defeated the Song army, the title of God of War might not have belonged to Yang Yanzhao.
With the deaths of Yelü Xiezhen and Yelü Xiuge, he should have been the number one general in the Liao army. However, Yelü Changsheng suddenly emerged, taking on almost all the easy battles by relying on his royal lineage, defeating the Uyghurs in Xizhou, defeating Goguryeo, and subjugating the Jurchens. In just a few months, he became famous throughout the world, leaving Xiao Talin to fight to the death with the Yang family army on the southern front.
As a result, Yelü Changsheng won more and more battles, and his achievements grew ever greater, but he could never overcome the hurdle of the Three Passes, allowing his nephew Yelü Changsheng to surpass him and become the new war god in the eyes of the Khitans.
This time, with a million-strong army marching south, Yelü Changsheng was the commander-in-chief, and Han Derang was the deputy commander, while he only managed to "get" the position of vanguard officer. How could he not feel frustrated?
Therefore, he was determined to capture the Three Passes and annihilate the strongest resistance forces of the Song Dynasty before the central and rear armies arrived, thus securing all the credit!
Now that the Three Passes had fallen, his goal was about to be achieved.
The halo of the Liao Dynasty's number one tiger general was destined to be placed on his head—Prince Xiao Talin of Lanling!
×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××
After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the Yang family army gradually began to falter.
Xiao Talin waved his hand: "Go, follow me to take Yang Yanzhao's head."
The soldiers responded in unison, grabbing their weapons and preparing to charge.
Xiao Talin suddenly pulled on the reins, looking around and saying, "Wait, did you hear anything?"
Xiao Guanyinnu paused, listened intently for a moment, and said in confusion, "Yes, the sound of soldiers fighting."
Xiao Talin pondered, "No, not from the Three Passes, it's... our rear!"
"The rear!?" Xiao Guanyinnu's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly turned her head, listening intently for a moment. Sure enough, she heard a series of strange sounds, like thunder or a flood. In just a moment, the sound had grown much louder, and Xiao Talin's personal guards also heard it and turned to look.
"Neigh-neigh-neigh—"
The warhorses under Xiao Talin, Xiao Guanyinnu, and Aliqi simultaneously began to rage, as if sensing some impending danger.
"Woo—woo-woo—woo-woo-woo—"
Three short and one long, eerie horn-like sounds suddenly rang out from the front (the direction had completely changed; what was in front now was what was behind just moments before), the resounding notes piercing the distant void and clearly reaching the ears of every Liao soldier.
"A flag! A great flag!"
a sharp-eyed guard suddenly screamed shrilly, pointing into the distance.
A thick red line rose from the horizon in the distance, slowly writhing.
Directly in front of that red line, sure enough, was a bright red flag; though far away, its fluttering majestic form could still be vaguely sensed.
In just a moment, the writhing red line thickened considerably.
As time passed, Xiao Talin and Xiao Guanyinnu simultaneously gasped. Under the dark sky, a blood-red banner fluttered in the wind, its four large white characters, "Revenge and Avenge," embroidered on its crimson surface. Beside it were two smaller white banners, their characters a deep crimson.
Dragon Soaring, Tiger Wing!
Heavenly Pole, Heavenly Pole Army!
They've returned!?
Under the banner of "Revenge and Avenge," a swarm of crimson cavalry charged across the mountains and fields, hooves flying, mud and grass splattering, a ferocious killing intent filling the air. The gleaming weapons were raised high, reflecting the cold glint of the white ribbons tied around each cavalryman's head (if the Dragon Soaring and Tiger Wing Army wore white helmets and armor, their fiery aura wouldn't be as striking, so they remained dressed in red, with only white ribbons on their heads as a sign of mourning).
The Liao soldiers began to stir, glancing around nervously, their eyes filled with a strange fear.
Of the Liao vanguard of 200,000 troops, 60,000 had followed Yelü Guozhen and Yelü Guobao to ambush at Xingzilin, and nearly 50,000 were either dead or wounded. Only 90,000 were actually engaged in the siege. Of these, 10,000 were stationed at the north and east gates as diversionary forces, while the main force of 70,000 had converged at the west gate. Just now, Xiao Talin had ordered a full-scale attack, and all the troops had pressed forward, becoming entangled with the Yang family army. At this point, withdrawing was simply impossible.
Xiao Talin only had 3,000 guards, the Tiger Guard Battalion, who had fought alongside him for many years and were battle-hardened. But facing the 18,000-strong Dragon Cavalry and Tiger Wing Army, comparable to the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, the odds of victory were practically
zero!
Xiao Guanyin's pupils suddenly constricted. He spurred his horse to block Xiao Talin's path, turning back with a hoarse voice, shouting, "Prince, run! They want... your life!"

Volume 44, Chapter 9: The Situation Reverses

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!! Enemy attack!!!!" A soldier shouted, and the entire Liao formation erupted into chaos. Horror, fear, and panic spread like a tide. Not only Xiao Talin's guard battalion, but even the attacking Liao army was thrown into disarray. The soldiers didn't know whether to continue following their commander Xiao Talin's orders to fight the stubbornly resisting Yang family army, or to immediately retreat and protect him.
Long Feiyun gripped the Heaven-Piercing Halberd, a symbol of glory and valor, galloping at the forefront of the cavalry. Among the troops, she was the only one in white armor and helmet, like a red leaf standing out against a sea of green, exceptionally conspicuous and dazzling. Her pure white cloak fluttered behind her shoulders, making a slapping sound, as the gentle slope receded beneath her feet like a tide.
Ahead, the Liao army, thrown into chaos, scattered and fled in disarray like sheep awaiting slaughter.
"Kill Xiao Talin and avenge Master Ren!" Long Feiyun roared to the sky, a chilling killing intent pouring from her eyes. She felt it, she felt it…
the fear that permeated the hearts of the Liao soldiers, an endless fear!
Yes, this was the effect the Longxiang and Huyi armies had on the enemy—not only to physically annihilate the Liao army, but also to mentally destroy them!
Amidst the chaos, Xiao Talin's shout rang out: "Don't panic, don't be disorderly! Order Yao'er Weikang, Taizhen Xuqing, Li Jinwu, and Wuyan Yanshou's troops to continue the siege! Yelü Zongyun, Yelü Zongdian, Yelü Zonglei, Yelü Zonglin, the front army becomes the rear army, the rear army becomes the front army, deploy the Crane Wing Formation to meet the enemy!!!"
A renowned general after all, Xiao Talin instantly calmed down.
The messengers swiftly relayed his orders to the various armies, and the soldiers returned to their ranks, each fulfilling their duties. The chaos was somewhat contained.
The three thousand Tiger Guards were the first to return to normal.
They marched forward in orderly steps, their hooves pounding the cold ground. Once their formation was fully deployed, Xiao Guanyin gave the order, and the swordsmen and shield bearers halted abruptly. Over a thousand shields slammed heavily into the ground simultaneously, forming cold, solid walls. Countless blades peeked from the gaps in the shields, gleaming with a deathly light!
"Prepare to fire!"
Two thousand archers strode forward, mechanically drawing arrows from their quivers and nocking them to their bows. With a creaking sound, the bowstrings were drawn taut, each archer's expression cold, eyes narrowed, staring emotionlessly into the void before them, each cold arrow pointing in the same direction.
"Release!"
"Whoosh—"
"Whoosh—"
At Xiao Guanyin's command, the two thousand archers simultaneously released their bows, the piercing whistling of the bowstrings tearing through the air. A thousand wolf-feathered arrows, carrying a chilling killing intent, instantly flew towards the heads of the Longxiang and Huyi armies, then fell viciously like raindrops, the dark rain almost obscuring the entire sky.
Without the slightest hesitation or pause, the Longxiang and Huyi armies, rushing forward like a fiery cloud, paid no heed to any of this. Even their horses were heavily armored, so they had no need to worry about the arrow attacks. The clanging sound of the arrows striking the heavy armor close to their horse's head was more like the prelude to a major battle to them.
"Ha!"
"Ha!"
"Whoosh—"
A deafening roar rose from behind Long Feiyun, and the three thousand Longxiang soldiers following closely behind sprang into action, sending over three thousand javelins soaring into the air, drawing graceful arcs in the sky, forming a chilling spear formation that flowed down, whistling sharply as it viciously plunged into the Liao army's formation.
Aliqi stared intently at the torrential rain of javelins pouring down from above, his pupils suddenly contracting: What the hell is this? How come I've never seen it before?
"Ah, javelins, the javelins commonly used by the Jurchens!!!"
Xiao Guanyin exclaimed, but it was too late.
The soldiers' large shields were held horizontally; how could they withstand these javelins falling from the sky—even if they had enough reaction time, could those specially made shields, weighing dozens or even nearly a hundred pounds, be easily raised above their heads?
Not to mention the unprotected archers behind them.
"Swish swish swish—"
"Pfft—pfft—pfft~"
"Ah!"
The javelins, carrying the coldness of death, pierced down, the crisp sound of piercing flesh intertwined with the agonizing screams, continuous and endless. In an instant, hundreds of Liao soldiers had been pierced through by the torrential rain of javelins, nailed to their cold faces; flesh and blood could not ultimately withstand the sharpness of the weapons.
These were specially made javelins for the Dragon Soaring and Tiger Wing Armies, cast from mixed iron, powerful and heavy, capable of piercing even a horse's head with a single thrust, let alone a human body. They pierced through without resistance, and with a series of dull "thuds," vibrant lives were instantly turned into cold corpses.
"Clang!"
Aliqi swung his club diagonally, forcefully deflecting a javelin. With a clear, metallic clang, the javelin suddenly changed direction, grazing his side and plunging into the chest of a foot soldier right beside him. The sharp, three-edged blade easily sliced through his outer animal hide armor and pierced his vulnerable body.
"Ugh—"
The Liao soldier screamed in agony as he collapsed to the ground with a thud. The newly reorganized formation instantly crumbled again. The unstoppable flow of people trampled over him, and before he could even struggle, his head was crushed. His mangled body twitched twice before falling silent.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!!"
A continuous series of whooshing sounds echoed through the sky.
"Thud!"
"Sizzle!"
"Ah—"
"Ouch!"
In an instant, the sounds of sharp weapons slicing through flesh and blood mingled with screams. The three thousand Tiger Guards were either killed instantly or severely wounded, completely losing their fighting ability.
Xiao Talin's heart was bleeding!
These were his personal guards, soldiers who had followed him for decades. They hadn't even touched the enemy before they fell one by one.
But he had no choice.
The previous advance had been too smooth, and he had never imagined that
the Tianji Army would return and turn to attack his central army!
Now that things had come to this, the generals in command were all except for him and Yelü Changsheng. With the Yang family army and the Tianji army attacking from both sides, it would be lucky if they weren't completely annihilated.
But he was Xiao Talin, the future Xiao Talin who would become the most powerful general in the Khitan!
Since the Tianji army had come, they had to be wiped out
—no matter the cost, even if it meant his Tiger Guard!
The Three Passes were strategically important, except for the West Gate, which was flat and open; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to gather 70,000 troops for the main attack.
Facing cavalry on flat ground…
difficult!
Yelü Changsheng allocated 30,000 Tiger and Leopard Cavalry to him, and sent 20,000 to Xingzilin, intending to first launch an ambush with infantry and archers, then rely on the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry to pursue and kill, ensuring no Song soldier escaped.
Therefore, only 10,000 Tiger and Leopard Cavalry remained in the main camp, and after deducting the dead and wounded, at most 6,000 were available to fight the Tianji army.
Six thousand exhausted soldiers against eighteen thousand fresh troops.
If it were the Song Dynasty's cavalry, they might be able to put up a fight, but facing the Dragon Soaring and Tiger Wings...
just looking at their overwhelming momentum, sweeping across the mountains and plains like red clouds obscuring the sun and raging fire, Xiao Talin knew:
the combat power of these two cavalry forces was definitely no less than that of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry... no, even ordinary Tiger and Leopard Cavalry couldn't compare; it had to be the 30,000 Xuanjia Tiger and Leopard Cavalry under Yelü Changsheng! There was
only one way to win.
Form the Crane Wing Formation, expanding laterally to both sides as quickly as possible, coordinating with the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry to form a huge "pocket," encircling the Dragon Soaring and Tiger Wings charging from the front.
Infantry expansion takes time, so what to do?
Use the lives of the Tiger Guard soldiers to stall for time!
Xiao Talin's hundred-plus Tiger and Leopard Cavalry guards were all sent out at this time, only thanks to the desperate protection of a few lieutenants that they weren't instantly riddled with arrows.
The Dragon Soaring and Tiger Wings drew closer and closer, and Xiao Talin's heart clenched tighter and tighter.
Although they had exhausted their javelins, and Tiyin Qiongyao Nayan had brought 5,000 fresh troops who had retreated in time to guard him, Xiao Talin knew that once the two armies clashed, these men would be wiped out in at most two incense sticks' time!
His troops, however, would need three incense sticks to complete the encirclement!
Just then, something incredible happened. The Tianji Army, still twenty zhang away from Xiao Talin's central position, suddenly dispersed to the flanks.
Dragon Flying to the left, Tiger Wings to the right, they advanced in an arc, flanking east and west.
It's over!
Xiao Talin suddenly realized.
The frontal charge was merely a show put on by Long Feiyun, intended to distract them, lure him into deploying the Crane Wing Formation, and disperse the 40,000 troops he had withdrawn.
The Tianji Army's true killing move was to flank them, directly attacking their rear and flanks, fully utilizing the advantages of cavalry charges, attacking from the left and right flanks to the rear.
The center—the center was empty!!!
"Quick, turn around! Hold both sides!"
Xiao Talin shouted hoarsely, but it was too late.
"Kill! Avenge the leader!"
Qin Xiang and Zhang Feng raised their weapons high and roared madly, the veins on their arms bulging. Their eight thousand soldiers responded with a thunderous roar,
"Kill!" The gleaming blades drew cold arcs in the air and slashed down mercilessly.
"Clang!"
"Ah—"
"Pfft!"
"Wow!" "
Neigh—"
In an instant, all sorts of sounds exploded simultaneously. The Dragon Soaring Army on the left and the Tiger Wing Army on the right were like a boulder, crashing heavily into the surging torrent. The sky and earth suddenly burst into incredibly dazzling waves, which flashed and disappeared like fireworks. A chilling killing intent swept across the bloodshot eyes of every Heavenly Extreme Army soldier, and the cold steel blades, carrying the aura of death, slashed down menacingly...
Amidst the splattering blood, countless heads were thrown into the air, drawing strange arcs in the air before falling far to the ground.
If Xiao Talin's troops had formed a crescent moon formation or a wild goose formation, concentrating their forces to block the Dragon Soaring and Tiger Wing Armies, there might have been hope of stopping their charge. But he was greedy and eager to make a name for himself, insisting on using a crane wing formation. Before the flanking maneuver was even completed, they were scattered by the high-speed cavalry.
After five days of waiting, the Longxiang and Huyi soldiers, led by Qin Xiang and Zhang Feng, first used their thunderous, fast-paced cavalry tactics to break down the enemy. Then, relying on their superior archery and fighting skills, they ruthlessly intercepted and slaughtered the disorganized and fleeing enemy, leaving no survivors.
In moments, the enemy was in complete chaos, fighting individually. The Longxiang and Huyi soldiers, while maneuvering through the enemy ranks, maintained their formation, highlighting the vast difference in strength compared to the enemy's disarray.
The outcome was decided; it was just a matter of how many people could be killed.
Xiao Talin was on the verge of tears. Now, apart from the five thousand men around him, the rest of his soldiers had completely lost their ability to resist. He gritted his teeth, intending to lead these five thousand men to cut off the Tianji Army's rear and fight them to the death. But when he looked up, he saw another cavalry force suddenly appearing in front of him!
Two thousand cavalrymen!
They were all elites selected from the Dragon Soaring and Tiger Wing Armies, the cream of the crop.
Led by Long Feiyun, they charged rapidly towards the central army, shouting, roaring, and howling.
The soldiers had only one goal—Xiao Talin!

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