Zhao Sheng, who was still fighting desperately, heard these words and immediately pulled out a long spear from a corpse beside him, hurling it toward Lin Kangle. Zhao Sheng absolutely would not allow anyone to disturb the morale of the Great Liang army. However, after a night of fierce battle, Zhao Sheng’s strength was already exhausted. The long spear fell to the ground before it could even reach Lin Kangle.

Zhao Sheng gasped for breath, turning back to look at the Liang troops who were swarming toward him in a chaotic retreat, abandoning their helmets and armor. The Jin army pursuing behind the Liang troops was still shouting, “Surrender and you won’t be killed!” How many Liang soldiers had already discarded their helmets and armor, crouching with their heads in their hands to show submission, and how many Liang troops had lost all will to fight… Despite clearly outnumbering the Jin army several times over, they were being cornered by just four or five Jin soldiers, dropping their weapons and trembling with no heart left to fight.

“General, the city gate has been breached! The Jin army has entered the pass! We can’t hold on any longer! Let us escort the General out!” The soldiers of Zhao’s army beside Zhao Sheng supported him and shouted, “Soldiers of Zhao’s army! We need to carve out a bloody path for the General! Charge!”

The situation was hopeless, and Zhao Sheng’s heart was filled with desolation.

He looked up in despair at the azure sky washed clean by the rain, at the golden light of the great sun illuminating the majestic Qingxi Mountain with its imposing grandeur. Yet his heart gradually lost all color, leaving only a bleak and desolate despair.

If they could have held Qingxi Mountain Pass, the Liang Kingdom would still have had room to maneuver.

With the loss of Qingxi Mountain Pass, the Liang Kingdom’s gates stood wide open… There were no more natural barriers to defend, and the danger of national destruction was imminent!

This was the world’s greatest stronghold, Qingxi Mountain Pass! Since its construction hundreds of years ago, no nation had ever been able to breach it, yet this year… it had been conquered by the Jin Kingdom not once, but twice in succession! Could it be that Heaven wanted to destroy his Great Liang… to destroy him, Zhao Sheng?

He had made a military pledge. Having failed to defend Qingxi Mountain Pass, what use would it be for so many soldiers of Zhao’s army to carve out a bloody escape route for him?

It was his carelessness and underestimation of the enemy that led to the loss of Qingxi Mountain Pass. He had failed the Zhao family ancestors who had devoted their lives to defending Qingxi Mountain Pass for generations, failed the soldiers who had sacrificed their lives to defend this pass, and even more so… failed the Third Prince who had fought for this opportunity for him to go to battle.

Zhao Sheng looked at the brilliant golden light that had moved from the cliff face to this hellish place of carnage, looking at the corpses of his comrades piled like mountains, illuminated by the golden light.

Filled with grief and indignation, Zhao Sheng pushed away the soldiers of Zhao’s army who wanted to escort him to safety, crying out in anguish: “Third Prince, Zhao Sheng has failed you! I go ahead!”

Having said this, Zhao Sheng raised his broadsword, intending to end his own life.

“General!”

“General!”

The soldiers of Zhao’s army were shocked.

Just as Zhao Sheng’s broadsword was about to touch his neck, a streak of metallic cold light accompanied by a whistling sound shot through the morning sun, passing over the heads of Zhao’s army soldiers who could no longer stop Zhao Sheng…

“Clang—”

The notched broadsword that had already touched the skin of Zhao Sheng’s neck was suddenly struck by a tremendous force and flew from Zhao Sheng’s hands.

Zhao Sheng turned his head and saw a white steed emerging from the brilliant sunlight, rearing up with a long neigh, leaping over layers of obstacles and soldiers engaged in combat.

Upon the steed sat a woman in military dress, her posture upright, her cloak billowing in the wind, her expression calm and composed. Her movements were extremely swift as she once again nocked an arrow and drew her bow, steadily releasing it…

The cold arrow shaft grazed past Bai Jinzhi’s ear, piercing through the throat of a Liang soldier who was attempting to attack Bai Jinzhi from behind. The feathered arrow embedded itself in the wall behind, its blood-stained fletching trembling incessantly.

Bai Jinzhi looked up to see Bai Qingyan, her entire body burning with excitement: “Elder Sister!”

Bai Qingyan, who had been fighting until she was covered in sweat, saw that Bai Jinzhi was safe and reined in her horse, raising her voice in a commanding shout: “Qingxi Mountain Pass has been breached! The Liang army’s defeat is sealed! Those who surrender will not be killed! Those who dare to resist stubbornly… will be executed without mercy!”

Her voice was steady, solemn, and powerful, decisive in its killing intent, carrying a bone-chilling murderous aura and an imposing dignity that none dared to look upon directly. The Jin soldiers, following closely behind Bai Qingyan, surged forward, their sharp blades and weapons pointed directly at the Liang army, forcing the already retreating and demoralized Liang troops to lose all courage to continue fighting.

Zhao Sheng was supported by his soldiers, and his subordinates, fearing that Zhao Sheng might try to slit his throat again, held him firmly in place.

Bai Qingyan controlled her heavy breathing, sitting mounted in the brilliant and dazzling sunlight. Seeing the Liang army laying down their weapons one after another and kneeling in surrender, her gaze turned toward Zhao Sheng, who stood surrounded by soldiers of Zhao’s army.

Their eyes met. Zhao Sheng looked at Bai Qingyan, whose eyes showed no ripples of emotion yet carried an overwhelming presence. The last bit of desire in his heart to fight Bai Qingyan and redeem his honor vanished like the final spark in an incense burner, turning to smoke and disappearing without a trace.

“Princess Zhenguo!” Lin Kangle also turned toward Bai Qingyan’s direction with a smile on his face, “It’s Princess Zhenguo!”

Princess Zhenguo had led troops to surround the surrendered Great Liang forces. Victory was assured—how could this not stir one’s emotions?

Bai Jinzhi stepped over enemy corpses and ran toward Bai Qingyan, as excited as a child. The soldiers of Zhao’s army beside Zhao Sheng gripped their weapons tightly, their gazes fixed directly on Bai Jinzhi as she charged toward Bai Qingyan, seemingly waiting for an opportunity to fight to mutual destruction and die a worthy death.

Seeing Bai Jinzhi getting closer and closer, that man’s grip on his blade grew tighter and tighter…

But before he could charge out, he was held back by Zhao Sheng.

“General?!” The soldier of Zhao’s army looked at Zhao Sheng, seeing him staring intently in Bai Qingyan’s direction. He too turned his head, and immediately felt a chill run through his entire body.

Princess Zhenguo’s arrow, gleaming with metallic cold light, was pointed directly at his position without deviation. She watched him with eyes that were bottomless, slate-dark, and indifferent in a way that struck terror into one’s heart.

If he had moved just now… and had not been pulled back by General Zhao, he would certainly have been shot through the throat with an arrow.

The soldier of Zhao’s army let his blade clatter to the ground with a “clang.” The situation was already under the Jin army.

Only then did Bai Qingyan put away her bow and arrow, turning to insert the feathered arrow into her quiver. She nimbly leaped down from her steed and caught Bai Jinzhi, who was flying toward her, in a single-armed embrace.

“Elder Sister! Elder Sister, you’ve finally come…” Bai Jinzhi hugged Bai Qingyan tightly, her voice choked with emotion and tinged with tears.

Lin Kangle, who had ridden over to Bai Qingyan’s side and was bowing in respect, looked at Bai Jinzhi, who was usually invincible and iron-blooded in battle, now burying her head in Princess Zhenguo’s embrace like a child, her voice choked with emotion. This was quite unexpected—he had never seen Bai Jinzhi display such a childlike demeanor.

“Alright! Alright…” Bai Qingyan gently stroked Bai Jinzhi’s head. The words of reproach she had intended to speak for Bai Jinzhi’s reckless audacity were swallowed back down. Looking at Bai Jinzhi, covered in blood, Bai Qingyan felt more heartache than anything else, saying softly, “Your troops are still here. Do you want to let them see their general acting spoiled in her elder sister’s arms?”

Hearing this, Bai Jinzhi quickly straightened up, embarrassedly wiping away her tears with her arm, then showing Bai Qingyan a bright smile: “If Elder Sister had come any later, I definitely could have taken Zhao Sheng’s head to boost the morale of our troops!”

Bai Qingyan raised her hand to vigorously wipe away the blood stains from Bai Jinzhi’s face: “We fight wars to end warfare, not for the sake of slaughter.”