Listening to the howling wind and the battle cries echoing from the depths of the canyon, she closed her eyes as her grandfather’s words from childhood echoed in her ears—when he held her in his arms and taught her to play chess.

“A general who dares to lead from the front can inspire the fierce blood of soldiers, ensuring victory in battle and success in every attack!”

She no longer possessed the martial skills of her youth, but to carry the banner of the Bai Family Army, she must sacrifice herself and stand at the very forefront, leading the charge to inspire the Bai Family Army in their brave fight against the enemy!

Only by taking this position and charging ahead could she ignite fearlessness in the hearts of the Bai Family Army’s elite warriors.

The roaring voices of the Western Liang army approached from the deep valley. She opened her eyes, raised her bow and nocked an arrow, drew it to full draw, and aimed at the pitch-black canyon swept by fierce winds.

Father had said… when the nation faces war and the people face hardship, the children of the Bai family bear an inescapable responsibility to lead from the front, sacrificing themselves to protect the people—this is the integrity and backbone of the Bai family.

From this day forward, she would inherit the integrity and backbone of her grandfather and father!

She would not remove her armor until death in battle!

The battle cries grew closer. Her torch-like gaze caught the first Western Liang soldier charging out from the canyon’s bend. Gritting her teeth, she drew the bow to its fullest and released the arrow.

The arrow cut through the wind, piercing straight through the Western Liang soldier’s throat. In an instant, the morale of the Bai Family Army soared!

The passionate and fervent Bai Family Army warriors heard Bai Qingyan’s battle cry: “Capture Yun Poxing alive! Kill!”

“Kill!”

Drawing swords and raising spears, the Bai Family Army followed Bai Qingyan in charging toward the deep valley, meeting the enemy head-on with overwhelming force, unstoppable as a breaking dam.

During the charge, she continuously drew arrows and nocked her bow, targeting the Western Liang generals wearing cloaks among the retreating troops. The Sun-Shooting Bow… every arrow found its mark.

The surviving Western Liang soldiers saw that whenever Bai Qingyan nocked her bow, a Western Liang general would surely die, sending chills through their hearts. Seeing the Bai Family Army charging like fierce tigers and wolves with boiling blood, they were immediately terrified and began to retreat.

Although Cheng Yuanshan protected Bai Qingyan and provided cover, she still took a blade to her shoulder.

When her arrows ran out, she pulled them from nearby corpses and shot them again!

Spotting Yun Poxing protected by three shields in the distance, she stepped on the corpse of a nearby Western Liang general and forcefully pulled out a feathered arrow. The blood-dripping arrow howled like a tiger as it shot toward Yun Poxing, too fast to intercept, piercing through his thick armor with such force that it knocked him to the ground.

“Marshal!”

“Marshal!”

The Western Liang army cried out in shock and panic.

Hearing this, the morale of the remaining Western Liang soldiers completely collapsed. In just moments, they were slaughtered by the unstoppable Bai Family Army burning with fighting spirit, as helpless as chickens. Yun Poxing was also surrounded by the Bai Family Army.

At this moment, fewer than ten men remained by Yun Poxing’s side.

Yun Poxing pressed tightly against the arrow near his heart as blood gushed out. Gritting his teeth and struggling to stand with the help of Western Liang soldiers, he surveyed the murderous Bai Family Army surrounding him. His heart filled with indignation—did Heaven truly intend for him to die here today?

He, Yun Poxing, did not fear death, but he didn’t want to die under the blades of the Bai Family Army! He didn’t want to die at the hands of Bai Weiting’s granddaughter! He had lived his entire life seeking only to leave his name in history. Even if he could return to Western Liang and die afterward, that would be acceptable! He had finally slaughtered all of Bai Weiting’s sons and grandsons, finally shaking off the reputation of “fearing the Bai Family Army like a child fears his father.” Why was Heaven treating him this way?!

“Move aside!”

Cheng Yuanzhi’s deep, bell-like voice came from behind. The murderous Bai Family Army soldiers, eager to tear Yun Poxing apart, opened a path.

Yun Poxing raised his bloodshot eyes to look at the silver-armored young woman walking through the Bai Family Army ranks.

In this howling dark canyon, the armored young woman bore wounds on her face and blood on her body, holding the Sun-Shooting Bow. Her eyes were both calm and sharply piercing, like Bai Weiting… like Bai Qishan. Her entire being radiated terrifying killing intent. Her steps rang with metallic force as she walked against the wind, her blood-soaked red cloak billowing, her hair ribbon and long hair flying in the wind. Her presence was like a god of death descending upon the world, sending chills down one’s spine.

Yun Poxing had heard of Bai Weiting’s eldest granddaughter. Although rumors spread that during the great battle to destroy Shu, Bai Weiting’s eldest granddaughter had personally beheaded the fierce general Pang Pingguo, Yun Poxing had dismissed it as propaganda spread by Bai Weiting to mythologize the Bai family bloodline—merely a ploy to make other nations believe that the Bai family’s descendants, male or female, were invincible.

Later, when Yun Poxing heard that Bai Weiting’s eldest granddaughter had been severely injured and lost all martial arts, he became even more certain this was Bai Weiting’s scheme, fearing others would discover his granddaughter was worthless.

But who could have known that just when he had killed all the Bai family men and thought Jin no longer had any fierce generals capable of battle, Bai Weiting’s eldest granddaughter would quietly emerge.

Having campaigned for many years, just observing her fierce and sharp aura and the cold, imposing edge barely contained in her eyes, he knew this woman was someone who could be even more ruthless than Bai Weiting. Like a new wolf king of the grassland pack, always more agile and more vicious than the old wolf king.

Heaven wanted to destroy him!

Surrounded by the remaining Western Liang soldiers, disheveled Yun Poxing felt desolate in his heart. He pushed aside the Western Liang warriors protecting him, stepped forward, and, gritting his teeth while feigning composure, sneered coldly at Bai Qingyan, who now stood less than two zhang away: “I didn’t expect Bai Weiting to have such a beautiful granddaughter like a flower or jade. Wasn’t it said that your martial arts were completely ruined? How is it… coming to this battlefield of men, are you here to serve as a plaything for our Western Liang warriors?!”

This was Bai Qingyan’s first time seeing Yun Poxing. At forty-six years old and in his prime, he possessed the rough voice and tall frame typical of Western Liang people. His eyes were filled with slaughter and weathering, extremely cunning.

“You!” Cheng Yuanzhi moved to draw his blade, but was stopped by Bai Qingyan.

She suppressed the blazing hatred burning in her chest. The acrid smoke and bloody scent carried by the fierce wind helped her maintain a clarity not shattered by rage.

She hated him! She wanted nothing more than to devour Yun Poxing’s flesh and blood alive. He had beheaded and disemboweled her seventeenth brother; he had severed her father’s head and hung it in the Western Liang camp to intimidate and provoke the Bai Family Army. How could she not hate?!

Originally, with just one arrow, she could have taken Yun Poxing’s life, could have let him die cleanly, could have severed his head and carved out his heart and lungs! She could have thrown his head into the Western Liang army camp!

But… she had deliberately aimed to miss.

Because reason told her that Yun Poxing could not die. If Yun Poxing died… the Emperor and those petty officials in court would have no restraints and would no longer tolerate the Bai family or the Bai Family Army.

When the cunning hares die, the hunting hounds are cooked; when the birds are gone, the good bow is stored away.

It was necessary to leave behind an enemy general in Nan Jiang that Jin could not defeat except for her, except for the Bai Family Army—someone to intimidate the Great Jin Emperor, who was skilled at burning bridges and killing the donkey after it had served its purpose. Only then would the Emperor have many concerns.

She looked at Yun Poxing’s bloodshot red eyes and forced herself to remain calm.