Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

On the other side, Chen Zhan, with Gu Yu in tow, flapped his wings and flew swiftly, avoiding the search range of the Western Xia pursuers. About half an hour later, they landed in front of an abandoned mountain god temple on the border of the Great Song Dynasty.

The temple is dilapidated and the roof is drafty.

Gu Yu followed them into the temple, patted the dust off her clothes by the moonlight, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Master, are we just going to let Xiaoyaozi go like this?"

Chen Zhan leaned against the broken wall, lightly tapped his fingertips, and a wisp of blood and qi ignited a small fire, illuminating a small area in front of him.

"There's no need to fight with Xiaoyaozi. Let's get down to business first."

"Moreover, he is unable to break through his cultivation level, is not long-lived, and would not concern himself with matters such as wars between several countries."

Gu Yu nodded and then asked, "What kind of place is the Valley of Immortality and Longevity?"

Chen Zhan said, "It should be the place where Xiaoyaozi's martial arts were passed down, but as for the specifics, I don't know."

"When I was collecting information, I discovered that in the martial arts world more than a hundred years ago, Murong Longcheng created the 'Dou Zhuan Xing Yi' technique, Duan Siping mastered the Six Meridians Divine Sword, and Zhao Kuangyin conquered the world with the Taizu Long Fist. These people were all geniuses, but they also had their limitations."

"The martial arts they possess mostly inherit the foundation of their predecessors, or they spend their entire lives creating only one or two top-level techniques. After all, a person's talent and ability are limited, and they also have to devote time to cultivation and managing their sect and family, so they don't have enough time and energy."

“The only exception is Xiaoyaozi. The martial arts of the Xiaoyao Sect include the Tianshan Six Yang Palm, the Tianshan Plum Blossom Hand, the Lesser Formless Skill, and the Eight Desolations and Six Harmonies Supreme Skill. There are more than ten top-level skills, of which at least three are unparalleled in the world.”

"If all of these were created by him alone, with such talent and ability, people like Murong Longcheng and Duan Siping from over a hundred years ago would not have been able to compete with him at all."

Upon hearing this, Gu Yu suddenly understood, a look of realization flashing in her eyes: "So Master guessed that Xiaoyaozi also had a lineage? Not entirely self-created?"

"Exactly."

Chen Zhan chuckled lightly, "He refuses to say because he wants to conceal the traces of his inheritance and make people think he is a born genius. And the Valley of Immortality has too many mysteries, so it's normal that he doesn't want them to be spread."

"Shall we go to the Valley of Immortality now?" Gu Yu's eyes gleamed with anticipation.

Chen Zhan slowly shook his head, his tone steady: "No rush. Right now, the Liao and Xia are eyeing the borders of the Great Song with covetous intent. Zhao Qingtan is preparing for war in the capital, and there is still no news from Jingzhe and the others in Yanyun. Let's put the matter of the Valley of Immortality aside for now. It's not too late to explore it after we have dealt with these two major threats from Liao and Xia and stabilized the situation around the Great Song."

He walked to the temple gate, looked up at the northern night sky, where the moonlight was hazy and he could vaguely see the faint lights of the border town in the distance.

"The most urgent task is to reach the northwest border and meet up with Liu Changzuo to find out the deployment of Western Xia's troops. Li Qiushui has been taken away by Xiaoyaozi, and the Western Xia royal family will not let it go. They will definitely mobilize a large number of experts to search for her. This is a good opportunity."

Chen Zhan and Gu Yu rested at the mountain god temple until dawn, then set off for Yanzhou.

As the morning light pierced through the morning mist and shone on the ancient border road, the two sped along and soon came into view the majestic city of Yanzhou.

This city guards the border between the Song and Xia dynasties. It has abundant water and grass, making it suitable for horse grazing. It is also rich in salt. It is not only an important place for grain supply, but also a vital route for trade and travel, making it of extraordinary strategic significance.

Previously, the Song and Xia states had repeatedly fought here, and traces of swords and arrows can still be seen on the city walls.

Upon arriving at the city gate, Chen Zhan took out the black iron token given to him by Zhao Qingtan. The guards immediately let them through upon seeing the token and led the two to the prefectural capital.

General Fang Jue of Yanzhou had already received the notification and was waiting in front of the government office with his subordinates. When he saw Chen Zhan arrive, he quickly stepped forward to greet him respectfully: "Lord Chen has come from afar and must be tired from your journey. I have prepared a room for you. Please rest for a while."

"No need."

Chen Zhan waved his hand and got straight to the point, "When will General Liu Changzuo's troops arrive? How many troops are currently garrisoned in Yanzhou?"

Fang Jue bowed and replied, "My lord, there are currently 5,000 garrison troops in the city, all of whom are veterans who have been guarding the border for many years. General Liu's army will take several more days to arrive. After all, the deployment of 100,000 troops, along with provisions and supplies, cannot be as fast as your army's light-duty journey."

Chen Zhan nodded, understanding the situation.

He and Gu Yu stayed at the government office for two days, discussing border defenses with Fang Jue every day. During this time, they also sent people to investigate the movements of the Western Xia and waited for the army to join them.

Before two days had passed, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the city. The guards rushed to report that a large number of strangely dressed people had gathered below the city, with unusual weapons and suspicious behavior.

Fang Jue's expression changed, and he immediately stood up: "This is bad, it seems that heretical bandits are about to attack the city!"

He then ordered the city gates to be closed and the soldiers to prepare for battle.

Chen Zhan raised his hand to stop him, looking towards the direction outside the city, and said calmly, "General, please calm down. These are my men. There is no need to panic."

No sooner had the words been spoken than two figures emerged from the crowd outside the city; they were Shuangjiang and Bailu.

The two were dressed in tight-fitting clothes, and the people following behind them were a motley crew.

Some had long hair and were barefoot, some had tattoos on their faces, and their weapons were either bone whips or poisoned blades. Others carried copper hammers and iron pestles. Most of them had ugly appearances and exuded a wildness.

The soldiers on the city wall had already drawn their bows and nocked their arrows, pointing them directly at the city below, waiting only for Fang Jue to give the order to fire.

"Oh, so you're one of Lord Chen's men."

Fang Jue breathed a sigh of relief, but still looked doubtful. "But these bandits... heroes."

"They are all martial arts practitioners from the thirty-six caves and seventy-two islands near Tianshan, who voluntarily came to help."

Chen Zhan said calmly, "The General must have received the imperial edict by now. His Majesty has ordered that once General Liu's army arrives, we shall command them to launch an attack on Xia."

"There was indeed an imperial edict."

Fang Jue's eyes lit up instantly.

Previously, he had secretly thought that the young emperor was impulsive and wanted to attack Western Xia on a whim, which was a foolish move. Now he saw that Chen Zhan had already made arrangements.

Recalling the several imperial edicts issued in recent days, Liu Changzuo led 100,000 troops to the border, with provisions and weapons being transported to the border in a steady stream. It was clear that this was a well-planned move, not a spur-of-the-moment decision.

Although 100,000 troops were not a full-scale attack, they were enough to severely damage the Western Xia.

Looking at the noisy crowd of martial artists below the city, Chen Zhan instructed Shuangjiang: "Keep your men in check and do not disturb the people in the city. Set up camp outside the city and await further orders."

Shuangjiang accepted the order and left. She turned around and reassured the crowd, who gradually became orderly and followed her to the camp outside the city.

Three days later, Zhao Qingtan personally arrived in Yanzhou.

Dressed in silver armor, she stood tall and straight. Upon seeing Chen Zhan, she quickly stepped forward and whispered, "Liu Changzuo's army has passed Huanzhou and will arrive in Yanzhou tomorrow."

Chen Zhan nodded and said, "I have made arrangements for the people from the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands. They will infiltrate Western Xia in batches from the west side of Yanzhou. Shuangjiang and Guyu have also led a team there to target Western Xia's grain routes and post stations, disrupting their rear."

Chen Zhan looked north: "You will personally command the Western Xia side. The real key to victory lies not in the northwest, but on the Liao-Song border. If the Song Dynasty cannot reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun in one fell swoop, even if the Western Xia is defeated, they can retreat to the Western Regions and continue to harass the border in the future; but if the Song Dynasty can defeat the Liao Dynasty and cripple it, the Western Xia will be in a situation where the lips are gone and the teeth are cold, and there will be no possibility of them ever again touching the Central Plains."

Zhao Qingtan stood beside him, gazing at the outline of the continuous military camps outside the city, her tone firm: "I understand. Don't worry, Brother Zhan, I will personally lead the charge here. I will carry the relic you left behind with me. Even if all the remaining experts of Western Xia come out, I can handle them."

Chen Zhan chuckled lightly, “The Western Xia has already lost most of its experts. A few days ago, I sneaked into the Western Xia palace at night. Although there are still a few experts at the Tongxuan Realm, they lack top-tier combat power at the Upper Tongxuan Realm. They are all cowards, and you can handle them.” He added, “I have already sent someone to contact the Tubo. Once I start the war in Yanyun, they will send troops to contain the Western Xia’s southwestern defense line; the Dali Duan family has also agreed to send troops to help cut off the Western Xia’s southern supply lines. You and Liu Changzuo should act according to the situation and proceed cautiously.”

"it is good."

Zhao Qingtan nodded emphatically, and the two discussed some more details of the battle until dusk.

That night, Chen Zhan left Yanzhou City alone.

Outside the city, the night was as dark as ink. His blood surged, and his blood-red wings suddenly unfurled, carrying the biting night wind as he soared into the sky.

Bloodwing Flight consumes a great deal of energy and blood, and he rarely uses it under normal circumstances. However, the current war is urgent, and he needs to rush to Yanyun to make arrangements as soon as possible.

With a flap of its wings, its figure streaks across the night sky like a shooting star, traversing thousands of miles in a single night to reach the Yan-Yun region on the border between Liao and Song.

As night faded and dawn painted the river red, Chen Zhan's figure swept across the Juma River and arrived in Xiongzhou territory in an instant.

The Song-Liao border was defined by the Juma River, the upper reaches of the Hutuo River, and Yanmen Pass. Hebei East Road served as the core of the defense, with the Baigou River acting as the boundary river. The plains were undefended, and the defense line was built entirely by the three passes, three prefectures, and four armies.

Xiongzhou, guarding Waqiao Pass, is located 30 li south of the Baigou River. It is not only a military fortress but also a trading post for trade. It is a necessary passage for the Liao Kingdom to advance south. The banners on the city wall flutter in the morning wind, and the footsteps of the border guards rise and fall.

Chen Zhan landed directly on the Xiongzhou city wall, just as the soldiers were changing shifts, the sounds of clashing armor and shouts mingling together.

The soldiers on duty caught sight of the figure that had appeared out of nowhere and immediately became alert. They all drew their bows and nocked arrows, pointing them at him: "Who is spying here? State your name immediately!"

Chen Zhan remained calm and did not rush to reveal the Dragon God Guard token.

Border soldiers might not recognize this item, which could easily lead to misunderstandings.

He lightly touched the bricks of the city wall with his toes, and his figure flashed like a ghost, disappearing from the soldiers' sight, leaving only a slight rustling sound.

A moment later, in the council hall of the General's Mansion, Li Guanglu, the General of Xiongzhou, was whispering to Wang Guangzu, the newly appointed general, while looking at the defense map.

The map spread out on the table marked the camps and key roads on both sides of the Baigou River. The two were discussing the Liao army's movements when Chen Zhan pushed open the door and entered with steady steps, without saying a word of announcement.

"Guards! An assassin has broken into the hall!"

"General Wang, there is no need to panic. I am Chen Zhan, and I have come to assist you on the orders of the young emperor."

Wang Guangzu suddenly stood up, his hand on the sword at his waist. Before he could finish speaking, Chen Zhan slammed a black iron token onto the table. The token was engraved with the words "Dragon God" and gleamed with a cold light.

Wang Guangzu's gaze fell on the token, his expression instantly becoming serious, and he understood immediately.

Before leaving the capital, the young emperor and the regent Zhao Qingtan repeatedly instructed that Chen Zhan's opinions should be the primary consideration in this war against Liao.

Although this person's identity is mysterious, he has the power to turn the tide of battle.

Even upon seeing Chen Zhan in person, he could not hide his surprise. The man before him was too young, with a handsome face and a tall and straight figure. He looked to be only in his early twenties and did not seem like someone who could stand against so many top experts from the Liao Kingdom.

Chen Zhan noticed his scrutinizing gaze, but didn't care. He smiled slightly and said, "Lord Wang will know my abilities in a few days. Right now, it's more important to discuss the war."

Wang Guangzu suppressed his doubts and nodded, saying, "Please speak, Lord Chen. General Li and I are all ears."

Chen Zhan leaned over and scanned the defense map on the table, his fingertip pointing to the north bank of the Baigou River:
"Our army has mobilized 150,000 troops. The Liao spies must know about it. With such a large force, there is no room for any conspiracy. We don't need to take a roundabout approach. We can just attack the cities directly. We will crush the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun one after another."

"A direct assault on the city?"

Wang Guangzu and Li Guanglu both frowned, their faces filled with disbelief.

The two had expected Chen Zhan to have some ingenious plan, but they didn't expect him to use such a straightforward approach.

Li Guanglu said in a deep voice, "Lord Chen, this is not advisable. Our army only has 150,000 men. Directly attacking the city will result in heavy casualties. Even if we capture Zhuozhou New City and then conquer several other cities, our forces will be reduced by more than half. The Liao people will also ambush and harass our supply lines along the way, leaving us in a dilemma."

Wang Guangzu nodded in agreement: "General Li is absolutely right. Attacking a city relies on having a large number of people, but defending a city has the advantage of terrain. Under the rain of arrows and rolling stones, even a large number of troops will have difficulty operating. It usually takes ten days to half a month to capture a city. How can we fight like this?"

Chen Zhan tapped the table lightly with his fingertips and asked, "What is the closest city in the Liao Kingdom to Xiongzhou?"

"Zhuozhou New City is more than 50 li away from here, and you need to cross the Baigou River."

"Once we cross the Baigou River, we enter the Liao territory. There may be ambushes on the river and along the banks. Our troops have conducted several reconnaissance missions and have discovered the activities of Liao cavalry."

"Ah."

Chen Zhan nodded, his tone resolute, "We will attack Zhuozhou New City tomorrow. I will pave the way, and there will be no ambushes along the way. I guarantee your safety."

"But this..."

Li Guanglu still wanted to argue, but Chen Zhan raised his hand to interrupt him.

"I'd like to make a deal with you two."

"If we fail to capture Zhuozhou New City within an hour, I will no longer interfere in military affairs. If we do capture it, then proceed as I have instructed, advancing city by city. What do you say?"

He was too lazy to explain further; verbal arguments were useless. He would convince the entire army after the siege tomorrow.

Li Guanglu hesitated; capturing a fortified city in an hour was simply a pipe dream.

The soldiers guarding the city relied on the walls, and it would take most of the day just to demolish the city gates and break through the walls, not to mention clearing out the garrison inside the city.

Wang Guangzu, however, had a sudden thought. Remembering the imperial court's instructions, he gritted his teeth and replied, "Very well! We will do as Lord Chen says!"

With the matter settled, Chen Zhan rested temporarily at the General's Mansion, while Wang Guangzu and Li Guanglu mobilized troops overnight.

Despite their doubts, the two proceeded with the preparations as planned, ultimately selecting only 50,000 troops.

When attacking a city, more troops are not necessarily better. Several thousand people taking turns to attack is already the limit. More than that will only lead to crowding around the city walls and being slaughtered by arrows.

The next morning, 50,000 Song troops set off. When they crossed the Baigou River, they found no Liao army ambush and no cavalry raids along the way.

We arrived at Zhuozhou New City smoothly.

At this moment, the sun was rising in the east, and on the city wall, the Liao army was already in full battle array, with bows strung and swords drawn, on high alert.

Chen Zhan was already standing on the open ground not far from the city walls, his aura subtly concealed, awaiting the arrival of the army. (End of Chapter)