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Three days later, at Eagle's Sorrow Gorge.

The morning mist had not yet completely dissipated, and the ravine was filled with dampness and the scent of grass and trees.

The Tuyuhun army, like a long, venomous snake, trudged laboriously along the rugged mountain path. The vanguard had already suffered greatly, constantly harassed by stray arrows, traps, and poisonous insects. Although casualties were not high, their marching speed was severely affected, and morale began to decline.

Murong Xiaojun rode a tall Qinghai horse, his face grim. He was about forty years old, with a rugged face, wearing gleaming chainmail, a leather robe over it, and a curved sword at his waist. He was a famous and brave general of Tuyuhun.

He thought that choosing the secret passage would allow him to take the enemy by surprise, but he didn't expect to encounter such fierce resistance as soon as he entered the mountain, which made him have an ominous premonition.

“Grand Preceptor, look at this…” Murong Xiaojun looked at a strangely dressed monk beside him.

This monk was tall and obese, with a face full of menacing features, yet he feigned compassion. He wore a strange robe that was half red and half yellow, and around his neck hung a huge string of skull prayer beads. He carried a heavy, gilded staff. This was none other than Fazang, the "Evil Monk" and the Tibetan National Preceptor. He practiced "Joyful Meditation" and was skilled in the art of mental manipulation and control. He was known throughout Tibet for his cruel methods and bizarre behavior.

Fazang squinted his narrow eyes, surveying the mist-shrouded mountains and forests on both sides, and said in broken Chinese, "General, do not worry. This slight disturbance is merely the work of the local barbarian soldiers taking advantage of the terrain. Once our army passes through this dangerous place, the path ahead will surely open up. I have already sensed that although there is an ambush ahead, there are no top-level experts guarding it. When we encounter the main force of the enemy, I will use the 'Great Joyful Zen Sound' to convert them, making them kill each other and clear the way for our army."

Murong Xiaojun was skeptical, but since things had come to this point, he had no choice but to press on and ordered his troops to speed up and get through the unsettling canyon as quickly as possible.

Around noon, the vanguard of the Tuyuhun army finally reached the most dangerous "One Line Sky".

Looking up, the cliffs on both sides soared into the clouds, leaving only a thin slit in the sky, dimly lit and chillingly cold. The passage was narrow, allowing only four or five people to walk side by side, and the ground was littered with jagged rocks.

"Hurry! Get through quickly! Don't stop!"

Murong Xiaojun urged loudly, also feeling that this was an excellent ambush location, and alarm bells were ringing in his mind.

Just as the Tuyuhun army stretched out in long columns, cautiously passing through the narrow passage, and the central part of the army had also entered this death tunnel—

"Boom! Crash—!"

A deafening roar came simultaneously from both the front and rear! Countless massive logs and boulders were pushed down from the cliffs on both sides of the passage, instantly blocking the narrow passage! The Tuyuhun army was cut into three sections, unable to support each other!
"kill--!"

"Fire arrows!"

Suddenly, countless heads appeared on the high cliffs on both sides—the Miao soldiers led by Jiao Luofeng! The soldiers roared and hurled more logs and rocks down, while their bows and crossbows fired in unison, raining down arrows on the Tuyuhun soldiers who were in chaos at the bottom of the valley!
In an instant, the narrow passage turned into a living hell. The Tuyuhun soldiers had nowhere to hide or escape, and countless were crushed or shot to death. Screams, wails, and the neighing of horses mingled together, and blood and flesh flew everywhere, flowing like a river.

Murong Xiaojun's eyes were bloodshot as he swung his sword to deflect several stray arrows, shouting fiercely, "Don't panic! Shield bearers, form ranks! Archers, return fire! Quickly, move the stones blocking the road!"

However, in such terrain, command completely failed. The soldiers were only concerned with avoiding death falling from the sky, and they couldn't possibly listen to orders.

The monk Fazang's expression also changed drastically. He vigorously swung his staff, knocking away several pieces of rock, while chanting incantations. A strange spiritual wave attempted to spread towards the cliff top, trying to disturb the ambush soldiers. However, Jiao Luofeng and the Miao soldiers were brave, simple, and honest, with unwavering minds. In addition, Wanwan had warned them beforehand, so they were on guard against this spiritual magic, and the effect was minimal.

"Bald monk! Prepare to die!"

A sharp shout came from the side and above, and two crimson phantoms, like ghosts, floated down from the rocks protruding from the cliff face, heading straight for Fazang! It was Wanwan and Sina!
Wanwan, barefoot, landed on a protruding rock. Her figure was incredibly graceful. The Heavenly Demon Twin Slashes in her hands drew two stunningly beautiful arcs, one severing the head and the other the waist and abdomen. The speed was as fast as lightning, and the sword energy was incomparably sharp, locking onto Fazang's vital points.

Sina then lightly raised her jade hand, and countless silver needles, as fine as cow hair and coated with potent poison, "Thousand-Thread Gu," rained down like flowers, enveloping Fazang and his guards. At the same time, she uttered seductive sounds to disturb their minds.

Fazang was shocked, not expecting the opponent to arrive so quickly and with such ruthless attack.

"Ah-"

With a roar, his monk's robes billowed, his skull prayer beads emitted a hazy, malevolent light, and his staff swung like a windmill, protecting his entire body.

"Clang clang clang!" A series of dense metallic clanging sounds rang out. He barely managed to block Wanwan's double slashes and some of the poison needles, but several poison needles still pierced through his defenses and hit his arms and shoulders, causing a tingling sensation.

"Witch! She actually used poison!"

Fazang was both shocked and furious. He used his internal energy to expel the poison, and at the same time, he swept his staff horizontally, and a fierce and domineering gust of wind swept towards Wanwan.

Wanwan chuckled softly, her figure swaying like a willow catkin in the wind, seemingly effortless, as the Heavenly Demon Silk ribbon silently slipped from her sleeve, coiling like a serpent towards Fazang's staff and legs. She had already broken through the eighteenth level of the Heavenly Demon Technique; her movements were far more unpredictable and agile than Fazang had imagined. Simultaneously, her double-slash technique shifted, from fierce and powerful to subtle and gentle, the blade light flowing like mercury, penetrating every crevice, specifically targeting the weaknesses in Fazang's internal energy flow and the transitions between techniques.

Sina circled around the perimeter, using poison needles, Gu worms, and bewitching smoke to target Fazang's personal guards and Tuyuhun soldiers who tried to approach, preventing them from providing assistance.

As Fazang fought, he became increasingly alarmed. His opponent's martial arts skills and coordination far exceeded his expectations. His mastery of mental techniques was almost ineffective against Wanwan's clear and tranquil mind, and his close-combat skills were completely suppressed. In addition, his internal energy circulation was impaired due to poisoning. In less than ten moves, he was already in grave danger.

On the other side, Murong Xiaojun attempted to organize a counterattack, but his formation was in disarray and morale was low. Jiao Luofeng led his Miao soldiers to throw countless burning oil cans and firewood down from the cliff, setting the valley ablaze with thick smoke, further exacerbating the chaos. Feng Zhen's Qiang soldiers also charged out from the forests on both sides, engaging the Tuyuhun soldiers in close combat with short sticks and curved swords. They were agile, leaping and bounding among the rocks, making it difficult for the Tuyuhun soldiers to withstand them.

"General! Our retreat is completely blocked! We can't break through from the front either! We're surrounded!"

The lieutenant, his face covered in blood, rushed in to report.

Murong Xiaojun looked at the hellish scene before him, and his heart turned cold. He knew he had fallen into a trap, and this surprise force was now in dire straits.

"Break through! Head west to the gentler part of the cliff and climb up!"

He roared an order to make a final stand.

However, on the western cliff, Chuanmouxun's Yi cavalry had already dismounted, armed with spears and bows, ready for battle. Any Tuyuhun soldier attempting to climb became a sitting duck.

The battle lasted less than two hours. Nearly ten thousand Tuyuhun vanguard and elite central troops who had entered the "One Line Sky" were almost completely annihilated.

Under the desperate protection of his personal guards, Murong Xiaojun, leading several hundred remaining soldiers, managed to emerge from a relatively hidden crevice in the rocks, fleeing in disarray and disarray. The monk Fazang, however, was attacked by Wanwan and Sina, suffering dozens of knife wounds before his neck was severed by the Heavenly Demon Silk, killing him instantly. His evil skills ultimately could not save him. Wanwan stood amidst the sea of ​​blood, her bare feet still spotless, her Heavenly Demon Twin Slashes untouched by blood. Looking at the fleeing enemy, she said to Sina, "Order Chuan Mouxun to pursue them for thirty li; there's no need to relentlessly pursue them. Murong Xiaojun has suffered a severe blow and is unable to launch another attack in the short term. Clean up the battlefield, treat the wounded, and escort the Tuyuhun prisoners back to Songzhou. After screening, use them as laborers to build border fortifications."

"Yes, Commander Wan."

Looking into Wanwan's calm and unwavering eyes, Sina felt even greater awe.

Feng Zhen and Jiao Luofeng also came to report back. Both of them were covered in blood, but they were in high spirits. This battle was a great victory, with minimal losses, and they almost completely annihilated the enemy's elite troops.

"well done."

Wanwan rarely showed a hint of approval: "Record the battle results in detail, send a message by carrier pigeon to Xiangyang, and report to the Alliance Leader. At the same time, find a way to send the news of Murong Xiaojun's crushing defeat and Fazang's death to the Tuyuhun royal court and Tibet. I want Murong Fuyun and the Tibetan Zanpu to know that those who invade our Shu territory will be punished!"

"As ordered!"

"Next, let's see how Master, Clan Leader Song, and the Alliance Leader perform in the Central Plains."

Wanwan murmured to herself, her figure swaying in the dissipating mist like a crimson enchanting lotus, beautiful yet deadly.

………………

Autumn of 623 AD.

War clouds loomed over the Central Plains, and the air was thick with the scent of killing.

The Heavenly Alliance launched a multi-pronged attack, shaking the entire world.

Shan Meixian led an expedition across the sea to the east, and the Silla Kingdom was destroyed; Su Dingfang's surprise attack crossed the Qinling Mountains and thrust into the heart of Guanzhong; Xu Shiji's detachment advanced northward, and engaged in fierce skirmishes with Dou Jiande's border troops along the Xiangcheng and Yangdi line, thus tying down Dou's forces; while in Western Shu, Wanwan completely crushed the covetousness of Tuyuhun with a brilliant ambush, stabilizing the rear.

However, everyone's attention eventually focused on the heart of the Central Plains—Luoyang.

This will be the final battlefield that determines who will rule the world.

Nanyang Basin, Tangzhou Frontline.

Over the past few months, Song Que and Li Jing have engaged in an intense strategic game and tactical probing in the area from Tangzhou to Zhixian.

Song Que was ruthless and fierce in his military tactics. He did not rush to a decisive battle because of the arrival of Li Jing's army. Instead, he used Tangzhou as bait and sent small elite troops to harass the city of Tangzhou in turn to wear down Qin Qiong's defending troops. He also deliberately exposed some "weaknesses" to lure Li Jing to send troops to help or to attack.

Li Jing's military tactics were steady and meticulous. He discerned Song Que's intentions and firmly established his main force in advantageous terrain near Zhixian, fortifying the area with deep trenches and high walls, avoiding any rash advances. He dispatched cavalrymen, including Yuchi Jingde, to repeatedly engage in skirmishes and battles with Song Que's scouts on the edge of the vast Nanyang Basin, conducting reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance, cutting off and protecting supplies, firmly grasping the initiative on the battlefield. At the same time, he continuously fortified the Zhixian camp, transforming it into a solid stronghold that could be attacked or defended at will. He even constructed several hidden retreat and supply routes behind Zhixian, relying on the foothills of the Funiu Mountains, preparing for a prolonged stalemate or even a retreat in case of unfavorable circumstances.

The two top commanders of the era are like two unparalleled chess players, placing their pieces on a small piece of the board. It may seem calm, but it is actually extremely dangerous. Any slight mistake could lead to the collapse of the entire game.

Under Qin Qiong's steadfast defense, Tangzhou City stood like a reef in a raging storm, battered and bruised, yet resilient. The breaches in the city walls, blasted by catapults, were repeatedly fought for and repaired; corpses piled up like mountains beneath the walls; the moat was filled in and then dug up again several times. The defending army suffered heavy casualties, but Qin Qiong led from the front, sharing the hardships with his soldiers. Coupled with Li Shimin's continuous supply of provisions and small reinforcements from Luoyang, they managed to withstand the relentless onslaught of Song Que's main force.

Neither Li Jing nor Song Que could gain the upper hand, and the battle seemed to have reached a stalemate. But everyone knew that this stalemate was fragile, and any external intervention could break it.

And this external force soon arrived in a way that exceeded everyone's expectations.

...............

Xiangyang, Tiangong Pavilion.

Yi Huawei, dressed in a moon-white robe, stood in front of the huge Central Plains sand table.

On the sand table, flags representing various forces were densely packed and intertwined. His gaze passed over the stalemate in Tangzhou, over the small red flag of Su Dingfang's army secretly marching in the Qinling Mountains, over Dou Jiande's yellow area north of the Yellow River, and finally locked firmly on the large golden "Tang" flag planted on the city wall of Luoyang.

"It's time to break the deadlock."

Behind him, Lu Miaozi, Shang Xiuxun, Song Zhi, and Song Shidao, who had just arrived from Jiangling, stood solemnly.

Song Zhijian suggested, "Alliance Leader, Li Jing is a seasoned and shrewd strategist. He has retreated to Zhixian, relying on its advantageous terrain, and with experts like Ning Daoqi and Liaokong stationed there, it will be difficult for Clan Leader Song to break through the stalemate quickly. Should we proceed with the original plan and mobilize the second batch of reserves from Baling and Jiangling to the north to increase pressure on Tangzhou?"

Yi Huawei shook his head slightly: "Li Jing is waiting, waiting for the reaction in Guanzhong, waiting for Dou Jiande's decision, and perhaps, he is also waiting for me to take action personally. Reinforcing Tangzhou is exactly what he wants, throwing more troops into that quagmire. What I want is not to defeat Li Jing, but to completely destroy the Li Tang's will to resist in the Luoyang area, and settle the matter in one battle."

He lightly tapped the location of Luoyang on the sand table: "Li Shimin concentrated his elite troops and Buddhist masters along the Luoyang-Zhixian line. Luoyang itself was actually somewhat vulnerable because troops were diverted to support the front line. He thought that with the natural barriers of Tongguan and the Yellow River, and with Li Jing's army outside to hold it back, Luoyang was as solid as a rock."

A cold smile played on his lips: "I'll show him what it truly means to rely on natural defenses."

A glint flashed in Lu Miaozi's eyes: "Does the Alliance Leader mean... to bypass Li Jing and take Luoyang directly?"

"good."

Yi Huawei turned to the crowd: "Li Jing is firmly pinned down in Zhixian by Brother Song, and Li Shimin's attention is also on the southern front. The defenses around Mengjin Ferry on the Yellow River, northeast of Luoyang, are relatively weak. I will personally lead an elite force northward from Xiangyang along the Baihe River, passing through the northeastern edge of the Nanyang Basin, traversing the hilly area between the Funiu and Xiong'er Mountains, avoiding the main reconnaissance range of Li Jing and Li Shimin, heading straight for Mengjin Ferry, crossing the Yellow River, and launching a surprise attack on Luoyang!"

As soon as this statement came out, everyone was shocked.

This plan is extremely audacious, almost a desperate gamble. Leaving aside the perils of a long-distance raid, simply crossing the formidable Yellow River to strike deep into enemy territory is a cardinal sin in military strategy. (End of Chapter)