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The cabin door slid open silently, and a bright figure stepped in, carrying the scent of the sea breeze.

Shan Wanjing wore a crimson, form-fitting soft armor that accentuated her youthful and healthy figure, covered by a waterproof black cloak, with the "Autumn Water" longsword, a gift from Yi Huawei, hanging at her waist.

After years of careful instruction from Yi Huawei, and having absorbed the essence of the Evil Emperor's Relic, he has not only reached the pinnacle of martial arts in terms of internal strength, but also exudes a confident and radiant aura in every gesture.

"Mother, all ships report that the formation is intact, the engine room is operating normally, and although more than ten sailors are suffering from severe seasickness, they are all fine. The brothers of the Marine Corps are in good condition, and the Lingnan local soldiers have adapted well."

Shan Wanjing's voice was clear and articulate.

"very good!"

Shan Meixian nodded slightly, shifting her gaze from the nautical chart to her daughter. A hint of tenderness flashed in her eyes as she said in a deep voice, "Wushuang, order them to maintain their course. The wind speed is increasing. Pay attention to the coordination between the oars and sails to save manpower. It is expected that we will reach the waters off Ungjin (now Gongju, South Korea) on the west coast of Silla by noon tomorrow."

He stood up and walked to the porthole, looking at the raging waves outside. His tone turned cold: "King Kim Chun-chu of Silla thinks that by relying on Goguryeo and Baekje and secretly colluding with the remnants of Japan, he can rest easy. He repeatedly violates our sea borders and plunders merchant ships. Does he really think that our Dongming Sect and our Heavenly Alliance are not sharp enough?"

Ruan Xingzhu laughed and said, "Madam, Jin Chunqiu is nothing but a frog in a well. He thinks that with a powerful neighbor on land to back him up and the sea to block him, he can act recklessly. He doesn't know that our Dongming ships are no longer what they used to be, nor does he know that the Alliance Leader has such brilliant strategies that he ordered us to cross the sea. This time, we will definitely let him know what the might of Heaven is!"

Shen Luoyan said softly, "According to the 'Shadow' intelligence report, Silla has deployed heavy troops at key points such as Ungjin and Gyeongju, and its main naval force is concentrated around Busanpo. Its defenses on the west coast are relatively weak, especially Ungjin. Although it is a strategic point, the garrison is only five thousand strong, and the navy is old. Our army can launch a surprise attack on Ungjin, and after landing, we can advance along the Geum River to Gyeongju, catching them off guard."

Cheng Yaojia added, "The nautical charts show that there are many sandbars and reefs at the mouth of the Xiongjin River, making it difficult for large ships to enter directly. Small boats are needed to clear the waterway first, or to land on nearby mudflats."

After a moment's thought, Shan Meixian decisively said, "There's no need for a direct assault on the port. Thirty miles south of Xiongjin, there's a bay called 'Wuewei Beach.' The beach is gentle and the water is deep enough. Although there's no dock, our new landing ships are sufficient to directly seize the beach. Order: The fleet turns southeast, target Yuewei Beach! Marine battalion and Libing, prepare for landing. The 'Zhenhai' ship and some fighting ships move forward and bombard any enemy fortifications on the beach with crossbows and whirlwind cannons to cover the landing!"

"Yes!" The four women and Shan Wanjing responded in unison.

The orders were swiftly relayed through flag signals, horns, and Shen Luoyan's "tidal sound," capable of piercing the wind and waves. The massive fleet traced a graceful arc across the sea, adjusted its course, and hurtled towards the designated landing point.

The following day, at noon, on the west coast of Silla, at Wolmidam Beach.

The sky remained overcast, the sea breeze had subsided slightly, but the waves were still surging. A vast expanse of greyish-white sand came into view, with low hills and sparse woods in the distance. On the mudflats, there were indeed some simple wooden palisades and watchtowers, and the figures of a few Silla soldiers could be vaguely seen—for Silla, an attack across the sea from the west was almost unprecedented, and the defenses here were more for small groups of pirates.

When a massive fleet, densely packed with masts, suddenly appeared on the sea, the Silla garrison on the beach was stunned, thinking it was a mirage. Only when the twelve "Jinhae" ships, like sea fortresses, approached within a few miles, revealing their menacing crossbows, did they awaken from their daze, and terrified gongs and horns sounded mournfully.

However, it was too late.

"Target: beachhead palisades and watchtowers! Ballistae fire! Whirlwind cannons, fire!"

On the flagship "Dinghai", Shan Meixian gave the order.

"Boom! Boom! Boom——!"

The sickeningly loud twang of crossbow strings echoed in unison as dozens of massive steel crossbows, each as thick as a child's arm and over ten feet long, with barbs, tore through the air with terrifying shrieks. Like the spears of death, they traversed miles and plunged viciously into the makeshift defensive fortifications! Wooden palisades were instantly ripped apart, watchtowers collapsed with a deafening roar, and sand and dust flew everywhere, accompanied by the agonizing screams of the defenders.

Immediately afterwards, the improved whirlwind cannons launched dozens of lit clay pots filled with flaming oil, which landed on the beach and in the woods behind, igniting raging fires and billowing smoke, further creating chaos.

After three rounds of long-range attacks, the beachhead was a scene of devastation. The surviving defenders were terrified and fled in panic.

"Landing ships, launch!"

Dozens of specially designed flat-bottomed landing craft emerged from behind the large ship, each equipped with a lowerable gangplank at its bow. Each ship carried fifty fully armed marines or Lingnan local soldiers. These soldiers, clad in light leather armor and armed with swords, shields, or bows and crossbows, had fierce eyes; they were carefully selected elites who had undergone extensive amphibious warfare training.

Shan Wanjing took the lead, leaping onto the bow of a landing ship and drawing her "Autumn Water" sword. The sword's light shone like a clear spring under the gloomy sky.

"Disciples of Dongming, charge with me! May the Heavenly Alliance be victorious!"

"Wan Sheng! Wan Sheng!"

Amidst deafening shouts, the landing craft, propelled by the waves, hurtled onto the beach at incredible speed, its bow ramp slamming heavily onto the sand. Shan Wanjing was the first to leap out, gliding across the slippery sand in a few bounds. With a flash of her sword, two Silla soldiers who attempted to resist collapsed, clutching their throats.

Following closely behind, countless Xuanjia warriors surged ashore like a black tide. Blades flashed, arrows flew, and sporadic resistance was quickly overwhelmed. The Lingnan barbarians were particularly fierce; familiar with the mountainous terrain, they immediately split into small teams upon landing, spreading out to the hills on both sides to mop up the remaining enemy and seize high ground.

The entire landing process went smoother than expected. In less than an hour, Moontail Beach and the surrounding area for several miles were completely under control. For the first time, the black flag of the Heavenly Alliance was planted on Silla soil.

Surrounded by her guards, Shan Meixian stepped onto the beach and nodded in satisfaction as she watched the temporary camp that was quickly set up and the supplies, warhorses, and equipment being unloaded from the ships.

"Wanjing, lead the Marine Corps forward one mile to establish a perimeter. Cheng Xianzi, immediately tally the casualties and inventory the supplies. Wushuang, organize manpower and quickly establish a makeshift dock on the beachhead to speed up unloading. Luoyan, send out scout teams to capture a few prisoners and ascertain the movements of the Xiongjin garrison and the road conditions to Jincheng. Ruan Xianzi, send brothers with good swimming skills to patrol the nearby waters to guard against a surprise attack by the Silla navy."

"Yes!" The group accepted the order and left.

Soon, scouts reported that the garrison commander of Xiongjin was terrified upon hearing of the army's landing. He immediately closed the city gates and urgently requested reinforcements from Jincheng and Hansan. There were two routes from Wolmidan to Jincheng: one was to go north along the coast through Xiongjin, a relatively flat route but potentially subject to attack; the other was to go east through the hilly terrain, a rugged but more concealed route that led directly to the west of Jincheng.

After discussing with everyone, Shan Meixian decided to split the forces into two groups: one group, led by Shan Wanjing, consisted of 8,000 elite marines and some Li soldiers, carrying light equipment, who would take the hilly paths to quickly infiltrate and advance directly towards Jincheng, drawing the attention of the main Silla force and seizing strategic points along the way. The other group, led by Shan Meixian herself, consisted of 40,000 main force soldiers (including most of the Li soldiers, heavy infantry, and siege equipment), who would advance steadily along the coastal road, first eliminating Xiongjin as a thorn in their side, clearing the rear, and then joining forces with Shan Wanjing at the foot of Jincheng.

"Mother, don't worry, your daughter will definitely live up to your expectations!"

Shan Wanjing rubbed her hands together, her eyes burning with fighting spirit.

Shan Meixian gently tidied her daughter's hair, which had been ruffled by the sea breeze, and said softly, "Think things through carefully and don't act recklessly. Jin Chunqiu must have skilled guards by his side, and although Silla is small, it has capable people. Be careful in everything you do."

"Daughter understands!"

Seven days later, in the heart of Silla, eighty li west of Geumseong, at Bird Ridge Pass.

This is a crucial pass leading to Jincheng, with steep mountains on both sides and a narrow valley in the middle, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. Silla general Kim Yu-sin led 10,000 troops to defend this strategic location, attempting to block Shan Wan-jing's surprise attack.

When Shan Wanjing led her troops to the pass, she observed the terrain and knew that a direct assault would result in heavy losses. She recalled Yi Huawei's usual teachings: "The best strategy is to attack the enemy's plans; the next best is to disrupt their alliances; the next best is to attack their army; and the worst is to besiege their cities."

She summoned scouts from the army who were familiar with the Silla language and naturalized warriors from Yingzhou, ordering them to sneak into the mountains behind the pass at night and spread rumors everywhere.

"Xiongjin has fallen, and the Heavenly Alliance army will arrive soon!"

"The Tang Dynasty (referring to the Li Tang Dynasty, with which Silla had ties) is preoccupied with its own problems and there is no hope of reinforcements!"

"The Heavenly Alliance has a million-strong army; those who submit will prosper, and those who resist will perish!"

At the same time, they brought some captured Silla noble families to the gate and tried to persuade them to surrender.

For two consecutive days, Shan Wanjing remained inactive, only harassing the enemy with small groups of troops and displaying the grandeur of her army.

On the third night, Shan Wanjing personally led Ruan Xingzhu, Shen Luoyan, and two hundred of the most elite marines, guided by local guides familiar with the terrain, to climb over cliffs along an extremely treacherous monkey trail and circle around to the rear of Bird Ridge Pass.

In the darkest hour before dawn, when the Silla garrison inside the pass was slightly lax due to days of tension, Shan Wanjing and her group appeared on the gate tower as if by divine intervention!
"Enemy attack! Enemy at the rear!"

A piercing alarm ripped through the night sky. Shan Wanjing's sword flashed like a bolt of lightning as she unleashed the "Nine Swords of Dugu," and wherever it passed, Silla soldiers fell like wheat being harvested.

Ruan Xingzhu's Fen Shui Emei Daggers moved unpredictably in the confined space, targeting vital points. Shen Luoyan's clear shouts were mixed with disturbing sound waves, making the nearby guards dizzy.

At the same time, the Heavenly Alliance army, which had been feigning an attack at the pass, suddenly intensified its offensive, with torches blazing and drums beating loudly, making it appear as if they were launching a full-scale assault.

Caught between attack from both inside and outside, the defending troops were thrown into chaos. Although their commander, Jin Yuxin, was brave, he was targeted by Shan Wanjing. In less than ten exchanges, he was pierced through the shoulder by a sword, severely wounded, and captured. With their commander captured, the defending troops inside the pass lost all morale, either surrendering or fleeing.

Bird Ridge Pass changed hands overnight. The last treacherous pass leading to Jincheng was opened.

When the news reached Jincheng, King Kim Chunchu of Silla was greatly alarmed, never expecting the "sea pirates" from the west to be so fierce and swift. He urgently summoned the entire army and quickly sought help from his allies, Goguryeo and Baekje. At the same time, he summoned two of the country's greatest protectors—Park Chung-hee, the supreme master of Hwarangdo, and Choi Jin-sil, the swordsmanship master "Seorak Sword" who lived in seclusion on Baekdu Mountain (Changbai Mountain)—to lead the royal guards and the elite of Hwarangdo out of the city to meet the enemy, attempting to annihilate this audacious lone army outside the city walls.

Five days later, thirty miles west of Jincheng, on the banks of the Huanglong River.

Shan Wanjing's vanguard encountered the main force of Silla, personally led by Jin Chunqiu. The Silla army, numbering approximately 50,000, relied on their numerical advantage and the morale of fighting on home soil. They arrayed themselves with their backs to the Huanglong River, banners waving, and swords and spears flying like a forest. At the front of the formation, two exceptionally skilled warriors stood out conspicuously.

A man dressed in a magnificent brocade robe, wearing a tall crown, with a fair complexion and no beard, holding a beautifully decorated long sword, with an arrogant gaze, was none other than Park Jung-hee, the "Lord of Wind and Moon." He led the "Hwarangdo," a military organization of young nobles from Silla, and was known for his elegant and swift martial arts skills. He had a very high opinion of himself.

The other was an old man dressed in simple white clothes, carrying an ancient longsword on his back. His hair and beard were all white, his face was thin and his eyes were as calm as an ancient well. He was none other than "Seorak Sword" Choi Jin-sil, whose swordsmanship was derived from the fierceness and resilience of the snow and ice of Baekdu Mountain. He held a transcendent position in the Silla martial arts world.

Shan Wanjing led 8,000 troops in formation. Although outnumbered, their formation was disciplined and their killing intent was strong and unyielding. She rode a magnificent white horse, her gaze sweeping over the enemy army before finally settling on Park Chung-hee and Choi Jin-sil, a cold smile curving her lips.

"Silla, a tiny place, dares to stand against us? Kim Chunchu, surrender now and hand over the royal seal, and I may inform the alliance leader to spare your royal family's life. If you stubbornly resist, today will be the day Silla is destroyed!"

Jin Chunqiu, his face pale with rage, roared, "Arrogant vixen! You invade my territory, kill my soldiers, and dare to utter such wild words! Lord Fengyue, Snow Mountain Sword, seize this woman for me!"

Park Jung-hee had long seen that Shan Wanjing was young, beautiful, and arrogant, and he felt both contempt and wickedness towards her. Upon hearing this, he laughed loudly: "Little beauty, you have quite the nerve! Once I capture you, I'll teach you a lesson!"

Having said that, he moved with lightning speed, rushing out of the formation. His longsword drew a dazzling light and shadow as it pierced straight at Shan Wanjing. His swordsmanship was indeed magnificent and swift, drawing cheers from the Silla army.

A cold glint flashed in Shan Wanjing's eyes, and she shouted, "You're asking for death!"

Without her making any move, she gracefully leaped off the horse, drew her Autumn Water Sword, and a cold, clear sword light, as clear as autumn water, arrived first and struck the most real point among Park Jung-hee's thousands of sword shadows with perfect precision!
"Ding!"

With a crisp clang of metal against metal, Park Chung-hee felt an overwhelming force emanating from the sword. His hand trembled violently, and the sword almost slipped from his grasp. The dazzling sword shadow vanished instantly.

He was immediately terrified, never expecting his opponent's swordsmanship to be so superb, and his inner strength to be so incredibly profound. Before he could change his move, Shan Wanjing's sword aura had already spread out like the Yangtze River. Under the "Sword Heart Clarity" realm, she clearly saw the flaws in her opponent's swordsmanship. She launched the "Nine Swords of Dugu" in response, attacking with every move, forcing Park Jung-hee to be flustered.

Within ten moves, Park Chung-hee was already struggling to stay afloat and in grave danger. Terrified, he feinted with his sword and tried to retreat.

How could Shan Wanjing let him escape? Her figure moved as close as a ghost, and with a flash of sword light, she used the "Breaking Sword Style" to aim straight for his throat!

"Be merciful!"

An aged shout rang out, and a chilling sword aura struck first, piercing straight at Shan Wanjing's ribs, forcing her to parry with her own sword.

"when!"

As the two swords clashed, Shan Wanjing felt a chilling, incredibly resilient sword energy penetrate her sword, causing a slight numbness in her arm. She secretly praised, "Excellent swordsmanship! Excellent internal strength!"

It was Choi Jin-sil, the "Seorak Sword," who made the move. Seeing that Park Chung-hee was in imminent danger, he finally intervened.

Taking advantage of the situation, Park Chung-hee retreated hastily back into his formation, his face pale, his earlier arrogance completely gone. (End of Chapter)