The memories of all humanity are awakening, except for mine.

At this moment, Jiang Chuan was filled with boundless pride and couldn't help but recite a poem aloud: "Riding the wind on my sword, I soar through the clouds and break through the nine heavens."

Tao Hongjing, who was standing nearby, also became interested and immediately responded with a poem: "Dushan welcomes distant guests, and the sword formation displays a new dynasty."

The two looked at each other and burst into laughter, their joyful chatter echoing across the mountaintop.

After laughing, Tao Hongjing led Jiang Chuan to a sheltered valley.

The valley was quiet and peaceful, surrounded by trees, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves.

Tao Hongjing's expression turned serious. He said to Jiang Chuan, "This place is quiet and suitable for cultivation. Next, I will teach you the mental cultivation method of the Heavenly Profound Sword Formation." After saying that, Tao Hongjing stretched out his finger and gently touched Jiang Chuan's brow.

A powerful surge of soul energy entered Jiang Chuan's soul sea, and a massive amount of information instantly unfolded in his mind.

Jiang Chuan felt a sudden flash of insight, as if he were witnessing the mysteries of the sword formation. He focused his mind intently, memorizing all this information.

In the valley, Jiang Chuan began his arduous training. He immersed himself in the practice of the sword formation every day, constantly trying and comprehending its principles.

More than twenty days have passed in the blink of an eye.

It was the dead of winter in the North, with heavy snow falling and the entire valley quickly covered in thick snow, and the rivers froze into ice.

Jiang Chuan and Tao Hongjing both turned into snowmen, but Jiang Chuan remained focused on his cultivation and was unaffected by the outside world.

During this period, Tao Hongjing's spirit briefly left for Hulao Pass.

When he returned, he found Jiang Chuan still meditating.

Tao Hongjing looked at Jiang Chuan and recalled how it took him a whole year to comprehend the Heavenly Profound Sword Formation, while Jiang Chuan had already grasped it in just twenty days.

Jiang Chuan's body was constantly emanating a powerful sword intent, which shocked Tao Hongjing.

Seven days later, Jiang Chuan finally woke up from his meditation.

As if sensing something, the Azure Frost Sword automatically unsheathed itself, its sword light flickering and its sword intent spreading out.

Jiang Chuan mobilized his internal energy, attempting to activate the Heavenly Profound Sword Formation.

A massive magic circle appeared behind him, slowly rotating and emitting a faint light. The Azure Frost Sword split in two within the magic circle, then into four, and continued to split until it finally formed one hundred and twenty-eight flying swords that circled around him.

Each flying sword carried the aura of a blue dragon, flying in an orderly fashion. Tao Hongjing watched, feeling both gratified and excited.

Jiang Chuan was exceptionally gifted; his innate Daoist constitution allowed him to master sword formation techniques in a short period of time.

The sound of swords echoed through the valley, and Jiang Chuan's sword formation began to take shape.

Tao Hongjing stood in the valley, looking at the river.

At this moment, Jiang Chuan was surrounded by 128 flying swords, each of which was imbued with the sharp azure dragon sword energy.

As the spiritual energy of the river surged, these flying swords soared into the sky, carrying an aura of world destruction, and flew straight toward the distant snow-capped peaks.

In an instant, the 128 flying swords flattened the distant snow-capped peaks.

A massive avalanche occurred, with countless snowflakes rushing down, shaking the entire valley.

Jiang Chuan's talent far surpasses that of his own back then. This talent allowed him to cultivate the Heavenly Profound Sword Formation to such an astonishing level in such a short period of time.

"This...this power is simply unimaginable!" Tao Hongjing murmured to himself, his tone a mixture of relief and self-mockery.

He was gratified that the successor he had chosen was so outstanding, but he also felt self-deprecatingly that his own cultivation speed back then paled in comparison.

Jiang Chuan controlled the sword formation, feeling the surging power within his body, and was quite satisfied.

With this move, he could already roam freely in the Realm of Knowledge. If he were to unleash the power of the Dragon Soul in a life-or-death situation, he might actually be able to fight against a Supreme Being.

With this in mind, Jiang Chuan began to plan his next steps. He needed to start cultivating his Purple Mansion and at the same time find a suitable method of body refinement to enhance his physical strength.

After all, the body is a container for soul power. If it is not strengthened, the huge impact when the dragon soul awakens may cause the body to collapse.

Tao Hongjing stepped forward, patted Jiang Chuan on the shoulder, and said, "Jiang Chuan, your sword formation has already achieved extraordinary power. However, the path of cultivation is endless."

Jiang Chuan put away his sword formation and respectfully said to Tao Hongjing, "Senior, I am so grateful for your guidance that I have achieved what I have today. However, I know that I still have many shortcomings. Next, I would like to cultivate the Purple Mansion, and I hope that you can give me some guidance."

Tao Hongjing nodded and said, "Cultivating the Purple Mansion is indeed an important direction for you going forward. However, this is not something that can be accomplished overnight; it requires your patience. By the way, I see you are also considering methods of body refinement; that's a good idea."

Jiang Chuan's eyes lit up, and he seized the opportunity to ask, "Senior, does Tianzhu Mountain have any suitable body-refining methods?"

After pondering for a moment, Tao Hongjing said, "Most Taoist cultivators focus more on cultivating true qi and comprehending the Dao of Heaven. Body refinement is not our forte."

Among all the lands of China, the Buddhist methods of body refinement are considered top-tier.

Jiang Chuan felt somewhat disappointed, but still asked, "Then, senior, what should I do given my situation?"

Tao Hongjing smiled and said, "I once obtained a Buddhist body-refining technique called the Dragon Elephant Divine Demon Technique. Although it is only a fragment, it is still a low-level technique. If you cultivate it, you will definitely benefit from it."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chuan immediately became interested and quickly said, "Senior, is this technique really suitable for me? I hope you can teach it to me."

Tao Hongjing nodded and said, "Don't worry, I will teach you this technique when we return to Heyang."

However, this technique will undoubtedly be extremely difficult to master; you must be mentally prepared.

Jiang Chuan solemnly said, "Senior, I am not afraid of hardship. As long as it can improve my strength, I will do my best."

Tao Hongjing suggested returning to Heyang City. The two packed their belongings and embarked on their journey home.

During the flight, Jiang Chuan looked down and saw Lefeng Town. The once bustling town had been destroyed by war and was now a ruin.

Jiang Chuan gazed at the ruins below, recalling his encounter with Ouyang Mu here. Back then, the town was full of life. But everything had changed beyond recognition.

“Senior, this Lefeng Town…” Jiang Chuan couldn’t help but ask.

Tao Hongjing looked down, sighed, and said, "This war is too cruel."

Xian Zhen's army appeared mysteriously, and their target was far more than Weicheng.

Inside the City Lord's Mansion of Heyang City

Zhao Dun clutched the secret letter he had just received, which read: Jade City has fallen.

"Xianzhen, you devil!" Zhao Dun cursed in a low voice, his fists clenching involuntarily, causing the letter to tremble slightly.

Xian Zhen's army of 100,000 dead soldiers captured Yu City in a short time and massacred the city. The Sun family in the Southern Region was also wiped out as a result. It was truly inhumane.

What frightened Zhao Dun even more was that Xian Zhen's army was growing rapidly, and it was about to reach 200,000, or even 300,000.

"Someone come here!" Zhao Dun turned around abruptly and shouted. A guard appeared, kneeling on one knee awaiting orders. "Go, investigate Xian Zhen's army's movements again, and get detailed information!" Zhao Dun's tone was urgent.

The guards obeyed and vanished instantly.

Zhao Dun paced back and forth in the hall, pondering the defenses of Heyang City. Although Heyang City was a strategic location in the Southern Region, its defensive capabilities were clearly insufficient to withstand such a massive army of the dead.

"With the limited forces in Heyang City, they simply cannot withstand Xian Zhen's massive army," he muttered.
A short while later, the guard returned, still kneeling on one knee, and reported: "Lord, Xian Zhen's army is heading north and is estimated to arrive at Heyang City in three days."

Zhao Dun's face darkened, and after thinking for a moment, he asked, "Are there any other possibilities for their marching route?"

The guard replied, "Lord, it's possible we'll pass through Heyang City, or we can't rule out going directly to Hulao Pass."

Zhao Dun nodded and dismissed the guards.

Heyang City, Hulao Pass, and Dangyang Pass are the only three important defense lines remaining in the southern region, but the combined forces at these three locations number only 150,000, which is far less than Xian Zhen's 200,000-strong army.

"If we were to fight Xian Zhen, even if we won, the Southern Region would suffer a severe blow."

"When the royal army from Handan in the north marches south, and the unparalleled infantry of Qi in the west crosses Dangyang Pass, how will the southern region resist?"

Zhao Dun grew increasingly desperate, his forehead covered in sweat. After much deliberation, he decided to seek help from Xie Xuan.

He hurried to his desk, spread out the paper, picked up a pen, and quickly wrote a letter detailing the dire situation in the Southern Region and imploring Xie Xuan to send troops. After finishing, he took out his secret seal and stamped it heavily on the envelope.

"Guards!" Zhao Dun shouted, and his bodyguards reappeared.

"You must personally deliver this letter to Xie Xuan. Don't make any mistakes!" Zhao Dun solemnly handed the letter to the guard.

The guard accepted the letter with both hands, nodded in acknowledgment, and disappeared into the night.

Tao Hongjing brought Jiang Chuan back from Dushan. Along the way, they witnessed the devastation in the northern border and were filled with grief.

Wherever Xian Zhen's army of the dead went, the towns and cities in the Heyang region were destroyed beyond recognition. The once prosperous places were reduced to ruins, with broken walls swaying in the wind.

The living fled in terror; the dead, controlled by Xianzhen's evil magic, became part of the army of the dead and continued south.

"This is simply hell on earth!" Jiang Chuan's voice trembled.

He thought of Chen Yuanfang and Caiyun from Liuzhuang Village in Machi Town, and a wave of worry washed over him.

"Brother Tao, I wonder how Yuanfang and Caiyun are doing now?" Jiang Chuan turned to look at Tao Hongjing.

Tao Hongjing looked grave and shook his head, saying, "If the six great powers of the North continue to ignore this, the Yan Kingdom is likely doomed."

He gazed into the distance, his eyes filled with helplessness. The two walked and discussed the situation in the Southern Region.

Tao Hongjing analyzed: "Xian Zhen's army of the dead is growing in number, and the military strength of the Southern Region is simply no match for it."

Even if we conscript soldiers now, we can't assemble a fighting force in a short time.

Jiang Chuan nodded and said, "I've heard that too. Xian Zhen's army is different. Those undead cavalry are very powerful, while ordinary ghost soldiers are relatively easier to deal with."

Tao Hongjing's expression grew even more serious, and he reminded Jiang Chuan: "Jiang Chuan, don't be careless."

Xian Zhen's personal guards haven't shown up yet, so he definitely has more tricks up his sleeve.

After this battle, the situation among the seven great kingdoms of the North will likely change drastically, and the Yan Kingdom... is probably in grave danger.

Jiang Chuan felt a pang of sadness, clenched his fists, but felt powerless.

As they were walking, a black torrent suddenly appeared ahead.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a horde of nine thousand demonic beasts, rushing out from the direction of Dushan and heading south.

These demonic beasts exuded a terrifying aura, and like Xian Zhen's army of the dead, they were clearly part of the army of the dead.

"What...what should we do?" Jiang Chuan was starting to panic.

Tao Hongjing thought for a moment and said, "Don't rush, let me check the situation first. These magical beasts are powerful, but we can still manage them." With that, he pulled Jiang Chuan to a secluded spot to hide and observe the movements of the beast horde.

At Hulao Pass, Xie Xuan and the King of Dushan were playing chess.

The black and white pieces are intertwined on the chessboard, and the situation looks quite tense.

Xie Xuan, dressed in white and possessing an extraordinary air, said as he placed a piece: "King Dushan, have you heard? The nine thousand demonic beasts have defected to Xian Zhen."

King Dushan laughed heartily, stroked his beard, and said, "What's there to be afraid of? I have my own ways of dealing with those nine thousand demonic beasts." With that, he also placed a piece.

Xie Xuan chuckled as he looked at the chessboard and said, "During the decisive battle, Li Tianxing will probably be in Xian Zhen's army. They're trying to force me to leave Hulao Pass and fight them."

King Dushan nodded and asked, "So what do you plan to do?"

Xie Xuan flicked his sleeve and said confidently, "The power of a quasi-saint is enough to tear apart Xian Zhen's army formation. I am confident that I can defeat them."

The King of Dushan said with some worry, "I just don't know if Zhao Dun can hold the rear."

Xie Xuan smiled and said, "Mu Suifeng owes me a favor, and it's time for him to repay it. I've already written to him asking him to help Zhao Dun. With his help, Heyang City should be able to hold out."

That night, on Mount Du, a fierce wind howled, as if countless vengeful spirits were wailing. Nine thousand demonic beasts broke through the seemingly impenetrable blockade and rushed south.

They were agile and their sharp claws gleamed coldly in the night. Their target was Yucheng, where Xian Zhen's army of 200,000 was located.

These magical beasts have been domesticated into cavalry, and their existence has made them the only terrifying force in the history of the Northern Territory capable of rivaling the Great Zhou Iron Cavalry.

Within the Jade City, Xian Zhen stood on the tall skeletal warhorse, draped in a black cloak that fluttered wildly in the wind.

His gaze drifted into the distance, towards the direction from which the nine thousand demonic beasts had come, but his thoughts involuntarily drifted back to seventy years ago.

Seventy years ago, Prince Yu of Jin issued an order for his death.

Those were dark days. Xianzhen, unwilling to accept defeat, dismissed his generals and stood alone on the command platform, looking down at the 60,000-strong army below.

His words echoed across the empty training ground: "Today, I, Xianzhen, face a desperate situation. Only those who are willing to say 'I am willing to follow the general to the Yellow Springs' can go to war with me!"

At that moment, shouts rang out from below the stage: "We are willing to follow the general to the Yellow Springs!"

A surge of warmth welled up in Xianzhen's heart. These people were truly his brothers, willing to share life and death with him.

As time passed, of the original 60,000 troops, only Meng Tian remained by his side.

Meng Tian rode a brown steed to Xian Zhen's side, reached out and handed Xian Zhen a broken bronze hammer handle.

"General, do you still remember the promise Gongzi Yu made? After the mission is accomplished, you can come and go freely with Fu Ming'er." Meng Tian's voice was deep. (End of Chapter)