At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

His words were firm and resounding, carrying the spirit of royalty and the majesty of a commander-in-chief, penetrating the wind outside the tent with unwavering resolve.

"Yes, sir!"

The kneeling scouts accepted the order without delay, immediately rising with their hands clasped, turning and rushing out of the tent to deliver the orders to various military camps.

Inside the large tent, the atmosphere was solemn and heavy.

Xiao Yunche turned around and strode towards the armor rack beside the tent, raising his hand to take down the hanging armor.

The heavy armor weighed down his shoulders, and the cold iron bones clung to his body, instantly concealing his refined demeanor and replacing it with the fierce edge of a ruthless general.

His movements were swift and steady, skillfully tightening the armor straps and fastening the shoulder and waist armor. Every movement was crisp and efficient, without the slightest hesitation.

Then, he raised his hand and grasped the sword hanging on the tent wall. With a soft clang, the long sword was drawn half an inch from its sheath, its cold light piercing to the bone. In an instant, it returned to its sheath and hung steadily at his waist.

Donning a full suit of armor, Xiao Yunche's aura underwent a complete transformation, becoming as majestic as a mountain and as deep as a cold abyss, exuding a chilling and imposing presence.

"Let's go to the drill ground to muster the troops and then storm the city walls to defend against the enemy!"

He spoke in a deep voice, then strode out of the central command tent.

Wang Yang and Shen Luoyan exchanged a glance, both seeing solemnity and determination in each other's eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, they immediately followed.

From the very beginning of the standoff in southern Xinjiang, from planning and layout to training and deployment, the three have always been of one mind and fought side by side.

With a formidable enemy at their doorstep and a life-or-death battle imminent, they naturally stand with Xiao Yunche through thick and thin, sharing life and death, defending the city gates and fighting against the Yan army together!

……

A long wind howled outside the tent, the twilight deepened, and the oppressive feeling between heaven and earth grew stronger. The grim atmosphere on the eve of a great battle enveloped the entire military camp.

They hurried along, and in no time, the three arrived at the central training ground.

The training ground is now completely different from what it used to be.

Tens of thousands of border soldiers had all assembled, forming neat and orderly square formations, a vast, dark mass stretching as far as the eye could see.

Layers upon layers of armor, cold and sharp swords and spears pointing straight to the sky, their chilling light reflecting off the setting sun, dazzling and awe-inspiring.

Tens of thousands of soldiers stood tall and straight, their faces resolute and their eyes burning. The entire army was silent, with only the rustling of the wind through their armor. The iron-blooded military might was palpable.

Veteran General Zhou Lin, clad in heavy armor and wielding a long sword, stood at the forefront of the army formation, personally overseeing the deployment and control of the troops with orderly command and solemn expression.

Seeing Xiao Yunche approaching quickly, Zhou Lin immediately stepped aside, cupped his hands, and reported in a deep voice, "Your Highness, the entire army has assembled, is fully equipped, and is ready to engage the enemy at any time!"

Xiao Yunche nodded slightly, said nothing more, and strode forward, stepping onto the towering command platform.

The command platform, built of bluestone, stands tall and majestic, overlooking tens of thousands of iron-willed soldiers below, offering a wide view and encompassing the entire army formation.

The evening breeze rustled his armor and cloak, causing them to flutter and his dark hair to dance in the wind. His figure was tall and imposing, standing on the high platform like a war god guarding the mountains and rivers, exuding a majestic aura.

The next second, Xiao Yunche raised his hand and gripped the long sword at his waist, his arm suddenly exerting force!

"Clang!"

A clear and piercing sword cry suddenly resounded throughout the heavens and earth. The longsword was fully drawn, its three-foot-long blade gleaming with a cold light that pierced through the dark twilight sky!

He raised his arm and swung his sword, the longsword pointing straight at the sky beyond the pass. His gaze swept over the tens of thousands of soldiers below, his eyes sincere and sharp. His voice was loud and clear, filled with inner strength, and resounded throughout the entire training ground, reaching the ears of every soldier!

"Brothers!"

"An army is raised for a thousand days, but used for only one!"

"We have guarded the southern frontier, remaining vigilant day and night, all for this very day!"

"At this moment, the Yan Kingdom's army of 100,000 has brazenly invaded, reaching the gates of my Duanyun Pass, intending to trample upon my land and invade my territory!"

"Duanyun Pass is the first line of defense in the southern border of our Great Qian Dynasty, and the gateway to our vast land!"

"This pass must not be breached! This place must not be lost!"

His words, each one stained with blood, were resounding and powerful, brimming with sincerity and determination, and deeply moving.

"Today! I, your humble servant, and all my soldiers swear an oath! We will defend the pass to the death, until our lives are gone!"

"I, Xiao Yunche, stand with all my brothers in this army today, sharing life and death, honor and disgrace! Together with you, we will fight on the battlefield, protecting our Great Qian land with our own flesh and blood!"

"We must let the arrogant Yan people know that the sons of Great Qian never fear war and will never kneel! Not an inch of our Great Qian land can be ceded or invaded!"

The impassioned oaths and the burning passion for their country instantly ignited the fighting spirit in the hearts of all the soldiers present!

The pent-up emotions of many days, the fervent patriotism of guarding the frontier, and the determination to defend the country all erupted at this moment!

"Defend the city gates to the death! As long as we live, the gates will stand!"

"We swear to protect our Great Qian land to the death! We will never retreat an inch!"

Tens of thousands of soldiers raised their arms and shouted in unison, their voices soaring to the heavens!

The unified shouts shook the mountains and rivers, overpowering the howling winds and resounding throughout every inch of Duanyun Pass. They pierced through the heavy twilight beyond the pass, carrying an indomitable will to die, and intimidating the main force of the Yan army approaching from afar!

The morale of the troops is high, and their fighting spirit is overwhelming!

On the command platform, Xiao Yunche's gaze was sharp as he looked down at the soldiers below, their morale high and their fighting spirit soaring. He gave another order in a deep voice: "All troops, stand at attention! Hold your positions firmly and be ready to engage in battle at any time!"

"All generals, follow me to the city walls!"

After speaking, he sheathed his sword, turned around, and led Zhou Lin, Wang Yang, Shen Luoyan, and other core generals, quickly heading towards the city wall.

The group moved quickly and soon reached the towering Duanyun Pass.

Standing on the side of the crenellation, one can take in the view of the scenery beyond the pass.

At this moment, on the desolate plain, the entire army of 100,000 Yan soldiers had arrived at the city gate, halted their advance, and stood in formation.

The endless, dark mass of soldiers covered the entire wilderness, stretching from the city walls to the distant horizon, with no end in sight.

Countless battle flags stood tall and fluttered in the wind, their crimson characters resembling swallows, their murderous aura soaring into the sky.

Layer upon layer of sharp spears stood tall like a dense forest, and tens of thousands of armored soldiers stood solemnly, deathly still, their oppressive aura overwhelming, like an endless dark tide, tightly besieging Duanyun Pass.

One glance at it sends chills down your spine and makes your scalp tingle.

Zhou Lin, standing beside him, gazed at the endless Yan army formation beyond the pass, his expression growing increasingly solemn. He sighed deeply, saying:

"Your Highness, the Yan Kingdom has mobilized all its main forces from the border for this attack. Conservative estimates suggest that its military strength is no less than 100,000. This is a long-planned, all-out offensive!"

With an army of 100,000 pressing down on the city, a dark and imposing force, Duanyun Pass faced an unprecedented deadly and perilous situation, defended by only tens of thousands of troops.

The generals on the city wall all looked somber, none daring to underestimate the situation in the slightest.

A fierce wind howled past, making Xiao Yunche's armor and cloak flutter loudly.

He stood atop the city wall, facing the wind, his gaze cold and resolute, fixed on the Yan army below. There was no fear in his dark eyes, only a resolute determination to not yield an inch of the land and a chilling killing intent.

Facing an enemy force several times larger than himself, he stood tall and unwavering, like an ancient mountain.

A moment later, his thin lips parted slightly, his voice cold and hard, carrying an unwavering resolve, each word carrying immense weight:

"What if it's 100,000? What if it's 200,000?"

"Today, Duan Yun Pass stands here, and I, Xiao Yunche, stand here!"

"If the Yan Kingdom wants to breach the gates of my Great Qian and cross its mountains and rivers, they will have to step over my dead bodies!"

His voice was firm and resounding, his unyielding spirit deeply moving!

……

Below the city gate, at the forefront of the Yan state's central army formation.

Atop the magnificent and exquisite black and gold chariot sat a tall and aloof figure.

It was Murong Di, the general of Yan's southern expedition.

He was clad in silver armor, tall and slender, with a handsome and sharp face. His brows and eyes carried an innate nobility and ruthlessness. His gaze drifted leisurely towards the towering Duanyun Pass, a hint of amusement and confident smile flashing in his eyes.

The walls of Duanyun Pass are high and the fortifications are strong, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. Moreover, the Daqian army is highly motivated and on high alert. If we rashly launch a strong attack, we will only suffer wasted losses. Even if we eventually break through the pass, the Yan Kingdom will suffer extremely heavy casualties, which would be a net loss.

Murong Di, a seasoned warrior, would never do something so foolish and detrimental.

What he wanted was not a fierce and brutal attack to break through the city, but to subdue the enemy without fighting and to break the morale of the Daqian defenders without shedding blood!

General Tian Cheng, the personal guard beside him, bowed and gazed at the majestic city gate, then asked in a low voice, "General, our army has reached the foot of Duanyun Pass, and the entire force is in formation. Should we order an immediate attack?"

Murong Di's eyes shifted slightly, and a cold smile curved his lips, a smile that concealed a knife, sinister and sharp.

"Siege the city? No rush."

He slowly shook his head, his gaze returning to the top of Duanyun Pass, and said softly, "Duanyun Pass has high walls and strong defenses, and the defending troops are elite. A hasty attack will only increase casualties."

"I have fought for many years, conquering cities and fortresses, and I have never relied solely on brute force."

"Today, I will utterly terrify these Great Qian soldiers atop the city walls, rendering them utterly incapable of fighting!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly gave a deep, authoritative order: "Bring the Emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty here!"