With the rise of my family, I can summon the Daoist Soldiers' Nest.

The retreating Northern Xiongnu army, dragging its tattered ranks, marched dejectedly into the distance.

The horses' hooves were slow and their steps were disordered. The fierce spirit that once roared and charged under the walls of Shuofang City had been worn away by repeated defeats and heavy casualties.

Looking at the dejected scene from the high ground of the central army, the Left Grand Commandant took a deep breath and gestured to his personal guards to issue an order to urgently summon the leaders of all units to the central army tent.

Standing beneath his banner, his voice steady and powerful, he announced the army's next plan to the crowd: the entire army would turn and head towards Beiyuan City to join forces with the 200,000-strong main force stationed there, and together they would breach the prefectural city of Beiyuan County.

He asserted that as long as Beiyuan City was captured, the battle situation would be reversed in one fell swoop, and the disadvantage of the defeat at Shuofang City could be reversed.

The tribal chiefs received their orders and went off to spread the news of this new objective throughout the camp. The low morale gradually rose, the ranks became more compact and orderly, and they began to move toward Beiyuan City.

Inside a moving carriage, the Great Shaman Morigen was closing his eyes and regulating his breathing, circulating his internal energy to heal his injuries.

The carriage curtain fluttered slightly, and the less seriously injured protector pushed open the door and entered, his steps still bearing the weariness of returning from the battlefield.

"Great Shaman, Grand Commandant Gang has finalized the plan; the army is turning towards Beiyuan City," the Protector reported in a deep voice.

Morigen slowly opened his eyes and nodded.

There is no possibility of capturing Shuofang City in this battle. The only option now is to follow the Grand Commandant's strategy, attack Beiyuan City first, and then plan our next move.

"On my way back, I met the Second Prince," the Protector continued. "He asked me how to deal with the Lin family in Wuwei County."

Upon hearing this, Morigen sighed softly, "Let's put this matter aside for now. We are both injured, and besides, the battle of Beiyuan City is imminent, and they will only need more strength there."

"The Northern Han capital has dispatched two Acquired Realm martial artists to Shuofang City, so the defenses and martial artist lineup of Beiyuan City will only be stronger. We cannot afford to be distracted at this moment."

The protector nodded silently, knowing that what the great shaman said was true. The battle of Beiyuan City was the most important thing at the moment, and any minor issue could shake the overall situation.

The Northern Xiongnu army marched toward Beiyuan City under the cover of night, while the Lin family of Wuwei County, due to this series of changes in the battle situation and Morigen's temporary suspension, unknowingly escaped a calamity.

A few days later, the Northern Han army in Shuofang City, after an emergency rest, had recovered most of its fighting strength.

Treatment of the wounded continues, with medics and auxiliary soldiers constantly shuttling back and forth, sending batches of lightly wounded back to prepare them for a return to the battlefield.

Under the command and coordination of General Zhenwei Ma Yang, the Northern Han army completed its final reorganization and resupply.

Through aerial reconnaissance, it has been discovered that the enemy is advancing towards Beiyuan City, intending to join forces with the 200,000-strong main force there to reignite the great battle.

Ma Yang made a decisive decision, leaving 50,000 soldiers to defend the city and the wounded who had not yet recovered to hold Shuofang City, while he personally led an army of 80,000 to embark on a journey to the next battlefield.

Liu Yun was also in the army.

He was accompanied by five Lin family warriors. In addition, the Chen family army was also included in the northward advance and would go to the Northern Plains with them.

Lin Hu and two other Lin family warriors with more serious injuries were left in Shuofang City to recuperate.

Although the arrow wound in Lin Hu's left arm has been removed, his tendons and bones still need rest and he will not be able to wield a gun and ride around for a short period of time.

The other person's flesh and blood injuries were even more severe, requiring him to stay in bed at the clinic for an extended period of time.

The war in Kitahara County was raging, with the sounds of battle and fighting never ceasing.

Meanwhile, in Xiang County, a thousand miles away, a peaceful scene of singing and dancing unfolds, as if it were another world isolated from the rest of the world.

In the new county town of Xiangxian, the city gates are already open early in the morning light.

Merchants from all over the country were already waiting outside the door, and as soon as the door opened, they rushed in like a tide.

People carrying loads, pushing carts, leading horses—all sorts of livelihoods converged at the wide street corner. Accompanied by the rolling wheels and bustling footsteps, the entire county town seemed to be gently awakened by an invisible hand.

Before long, shouts rose and fell along the long street, breakfast vendors loudly solicited customers, and cloth shop assistants displayed newly arrived colorful silks.

The sounds of pedestrians talking, children laughing, and the clanging of clappers by county officials on patrol blend together to create a vibrant morning symphony.

The former ruins and silence are gone, replaced by bustling activity and tranquility. Compared to the blood-soaked battlefield thousands of miles away, this place is like a completely different world.

Although martial artists could be seen on the streets from time to time, they all sheathed their swords and put their knives on their backs, walking with composure, without showing any signs of killing intent.

However, Xiang County was not entirely born into peace and prosperity.

In the center of the busiest street in the county town, two martial arts arenas stand majestically, surrounded by crowds of onlookers.

This is clear evidence of the martial spirit of the people of Xiang County; the people have not forgotten the suffering of six years ago.

These two arenas were set up by the Lin Family Martial Arts School, an initiative proposed and promoted by Lin Ye. Similar arenas can also be seen in various towns in Xiang County.

As living standards have become more affluent, more and more people are practicing martial arts. In order to discover and select outstanding talents and provide them with focused training, the Lin Family Martial Arts School has started to recruit talents through martial arts tournaments.

Under the witness of the Lin Family Martial Arts School, winning a single match grants entry into the school for training, and the more consecutive wins one achieves, the more intensive training one will receive.

At this moment, martial arts competitions are taking place simultaneously on two arenas.

On one of the seats, two middle-aged men stood facing each other. Judging from their figures and footwork, they were both second-rate martial artists.

Time has etched its marks on their faces, and the burdens of life have worn away the sharpness of their youth.

They may have come from small families, or they may have been bodyguards or farmers. However, due to a lack of opportunities and resources when they were young, their martial arts skills gradually deteriorated and stagnated as they struggled to make a living.

Now that the Lin family is ruling a peaceful and prosperous society with an enlightened lord, some of them want to revive their old skills or make a name for themselves by joining the Lin family's guards, seeking a stable and honorable life.

Such things are commonplace in Xiang County.

Not long ago, there was a refugee from out of town, over forty years old, who was also a mediocre martial artist. He won five consecutive matches and was recruited into the guard team.

His name seems to be Wang Wu. You can tell from his name that he comes from a farming family. It is said that he also has a little girl with him. Recently, there have been rumors that he has been promoted to a third-rate martial artist.

People in Xiang County have become accustomed to such things lately, so even though the martial arts competition on this stage seemed more impressive in terms of spectacle, there weren't many onlookers.

The other arena was surrounded by people, and the two people facing off on the stage were both teenagers.

After all, youthful spirit is most captivating, and many folk tales and legends feature dashing young heroes in fine clothes and riding spirited horses. Compared to two middle-aged men who have weathered many storms, they are naturally more appealing to the audience.

Moreover, the identities of these two teenagers today are not simple, which adds even more interest.

At this moment, the two on the field are engaged in a fierce battle. One is wielding a wooden sword, and the other is wielding a wooden saber.

The two boys were about the same age, around fifteen or sixteen, both possessing a striking, spirited air. The audience almost unanimously cheered for the boy on the left, their shouts rising and falling.

"Go for it, Young Master Lin!"

It turns out that the man on the left is Lin Ye's younger brother, Lin Chuan.

He held a wooden sword and used a sword technique he had learned from the Qingyuan Sword School.

Although he is currently only a mediocre martial artist, his sword moves already have a certain charm. The sword light flows like water, like rolling waves, continuous and unending, carrying a kind of gentle yet strong spirit that makes people admire him.

The boy opposite him held a wooden sword, and his swordsmanship was based on the mountain-splitting sword routine that Lin Ye had brought back years ago. His swordsmanship was wide and powerful, swift and fierce.

Whenever Lin Chuan's sword momentum gradually grew into a wave, about to sweep over, he would suddenly slash in with his blade, forcefully interrupting the continuity of the sword moves, causing Lin Chuan's repeated attacks to fail, leaving him frustrated and his cheeks slightly red.

Seeing that things were going on like this, Lin Chuan was bound to lose.

But as the young man listened to the chorus of "Go, Young Master Lin!" from below the stage, his gaze swept over the dozen or so girls near the ring, especially a girl in a yellow dress whose bright eyes were also cheering for Lin Chuan.

The young man's heart fluttered, and eager to prove himself to his beloved, he abandoned his defensive stance and launched a full-scale attack.

However, his eagerness to win caused him to lose his composure.

Faced with Lin Chuan's increasingly powerful sword strikes, which resembled waves, the Mountain-Splitting Saber, though still fierce, began to appear rushed.

Lin Chuan seized the moment when the man's sword missed its mark and his energy slightly dissipated, and with a deft flick of his sword tip, he knocked the wooden sword from the man's hand.