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

The two discussed it for a long time, but still couldn't come up with a good idea.

As if suddenly remembering something, Zhao Dun excitedly said, "Brother Mu, what do you think if the Grandmaster Tongming Zhenren of Tianzhu Mountain, the number one sect in the Northern Border Daoist Sect, could personally lead the expedition?"

The renowned Master Tongming is famous far and wide; if he were to come, the morale of our Heyang army would surely soar!

Mu Suifeng clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Brilliant! Brother Zhao, your idea is brilliant. Master Tongming is highly respected. If he were to come in person, the soldiers' confidence would surely be greatly boosted. However, we must send someone to invite him immediately; time is of the essence and we cannot afford to delay."

Zhao Dun nodded repeatedly and immediately ordered, "Lu Qian, select a few capable men, take my personal letter, and rush to Tianzhu Mountain. Be sure to ask Master Tongming to come out of the mountain to help. Remember, this matter is extremely urgent and cannot be delayed for even a moment!"

Lu Qian accepted the order and hurriedly left.

Zhao Dun and Mu Suifeng watched his departing figure, hoping that Master Tongming would agree to come out of the mountains.

Outside Hulao Pass, Xian Zhen led his 200,000-strong army to arrive in a grand procession.

The procession resembled an endless black torrent, raising dust wherever it went and plunging vast fields into a gray gloom.

On the walls of Hulao Pass, the garrison stood ready, their expressions tense, their hands gripping their weapons tightly.

Wang Lang, clad in armor, stood atop the city wall, gazing at the densely packed enemy troops beyond the pass. He had spent his life studying military texts and could recite various military strategies by heart, but this was the first time he had ever experienced such a large-scale war.

Although he felt nervous, he was also filled with an indescribable excitement. He thought to himself, "In my life, I, Wang Lang, have finally waited for this day to be able to fight against a famous general like Xian Zhen. Even if I die in battle, I will have no regrets."

Meanwhile, on another part of the city wall, Xie Xuan and Yuan Zhe were huddled together, discussing the battle situation.

Xie Xuan said solemnly, “Brother Yuan, the Heyang army will engage in a decisive battle with Xian Zhen’s army at noon eight days from now.”

Although the 60,000 garrison at Hulao Pass faces a dire situation against Xian Zhen's 200,000-strong army, with proper planning, victory is not entirely impossible.

Yuan Zhe glanced around the city wall and said, "Brother Xie is absolutely right. I have observed it carefully. Hulao Pass is a strategically important location, and we have many things we can use. In my opinion, we can start with the wind direction and the Abyss Black Fire."

"Abyssal Black Flame?" Xie Xuan asked in confusion, "What is this?"

Yuan Zhe explained, "This Abyss Black Fire is a special kind of flame that originated in the abyss of the South China Sea in the Song Kingdom. This flame is extremely peculiar; once ignited, it can burn fiercely even if it falls into water, and its power is astonishing."

I've prepared five barrels of Abyssal Blackfire in advance, just waiting to be used in crucial moments.

Xie Xuan exclaimed with delight, "Brother Yuan, this plan is brilliant! With the help of the Abyss Black Fire, we will surely catch the enemy off guard!"

As the two were talking, Xian Zhen's army had already begun to attack the city.

The sounds of battle cries shook the city walls, and catapults creaked and groaned as huge stones rained down on them.

The defenders on the city wall were not to be outdone, and they threw iron barrels filled with abyssal black fire toward the enemy ranks.

Yuan Zhe shouted, "Archers, prepare to fire! Ignite the abyssal black fire in the iron barrels!"

A row of archers swiftly drew their bows and shot arrows, the sparks flying, accurately hitting the iron barrel.

With a loud "boom," the five iron barrels were ignited, and flames shot into the sky instantly, spreading rapidly.

Chaos erupted in the enemy ranks as soldiers scattered in all directions.

Xian Zhen stood at the front of the formation, gazing at the towering flames, his face ashen.

He snorted coldly and ordered, "Continue the attack on the city, don't panic!"

Under his command, the army of the dead quickly regained its footing and launched another fierce attack on the city walls.

Jiang Chuan stood atop the city wall, his eyes fixed on the endless enemy troops rushing in from beyond the pass.

The archers lit five iron barrels filled with abyssal black fire.

In an instant, a violent explosion resounded throughout the heavens and the earth, and flames shot into the sky.

The flames spread instantly, engulfing thousands of the dead in a flash.

These spirits, awakened by the demonic forces, felt no pain or fear, and simply let the flames burn their bodies to a crisp.

Fueled by the strong winds, the fire spread rapidly, threatening to reduce everything around it to ashes.

The defenders cheered at the sight, seeing it as a good omen.

But the attacking army of the dead showed no sign of retreating, bypassing their burning comrades and continuing their charge toward Hulao Pass.

Xian Zhen's 200,000-strong army surged toward Hulao Pass in a dense and imposing manner.

The siege ladder was pushed down to the city walls by the soldiers with all their might. The fifteen-zhang-high ladder was huge and gave people a strong sense of oppression.

Standing atop the city wall, Wang Lang thought to himself, "These scoundrels dare to be so arrogant. Today, I will make sure they never leave alive!"

Thinking of this, he suddenly drew his sword from his waist and shouted, "Watch me cut down these ladders today!" With that, he charged toward one of the ladders.

He leaped high into the air, his sword gleaming with fierce power, and slashed down at the cloud ladder. With a loud "crack," the sturdy cloud ladder was severed in half by his single strike.

Just as Xian Zhen noticed Wang Lang's actions, he snorted coldly and drew his famous sword, the Tribulation Crossing Sword. As soon as the sword was drawn, demonic energy instantly surged forth, as if the entire world was shrouded in this overwhelming demonic aura.

Xian Zhen, wielding the Tribulation-Crossing Sword, swiftly slashed at Wang Lang. This sword strike possessed astonishing power, seemingly capable of cleaving space itself.

Wang Lang sensed this powerful threat and tried to escape, but it was too late.

Just when life and death were at stake, Xie Xuan appeared.

He had been closely monitoring the battlefield situation, and when he saw Wang Lang in danger, he drew his Qing Shuang sword without hesitation.

As soon as the Azure Frost Sword was drawn, a chilling aura emanated from it, as if the surrounding air itself had frozen. Xie Xuan charged forward to meet Xian Zhen's attack. The Azure Frost Sword in his hand clashed with Xian Zhen's Tribulation-Crossing Sword, producing a deafening roar.

The two were evenly matched in this attack, and the powerful force caused the surrounding air to fluctuate violently.

Jiang Chuan watched as the Azure Frost Sword was drawn and immediately felt a powerful force rushing towards him. He secretly exclaimed, "This Azure Frost Sword truly lives up to its name; its power is so immense!"

After Xie Xuan repelled Xian Zhen, he looked at the cloud ladders and said loudly, "Everyone, please be careful. These cloud ladders have been reconstructed by demonic secret techniques. Ordinary attacks cannot completely destroy them."

Only by killing the members of the demonic sect inside the cloud ladders can these ladders be completely destroyed!

Yuan Zhe nodded in agreement, "That's right. Although those members of the Demonic Sect are hiding in the cloud ladder, they are still flesh and blood. As long as we find them, we will definitely be able to kill them!"

Jiang Chuan pondered for a moment, then said, "I think if we could completely destroy the ladder and let it crash down, killing the people inside, that would be a viable solution."

After listening to everyone's words, Wang Lang nodded and loudly ordered, "All troops, listen to my command! Be on high alert immediately and prepare to fight! Today, we will make sure these enemy troops never return!"

He looked at Xie Xuan and said, "Xie Xuan, please make arrangements on how we should deal with these siege ladders." Xie Xuan nodded, then turned to Jiang Chuan and Yuan Zhe and said, "Jiang Chuan, Yuan Zhe, you two will each be responsible for destroying two siege ladders, and I will be responsible for the other one. General Wang Lang, I will trouble you to protect me from the side."

Wang Lang nodded and replied, "Alright, go ahead without worry. With me here, I won't let you be disturbed!" Xie Xuan then gripped the Azure Frost Sword tightly with both hands.

He closed his eyes. A powerful aura emanated from his body, and the surrounding space seemed to distort. He unleashed his ultimate technique—Qi Yun Shan He (Qi of Mountains and Rivers).

The Azure Frost Sword in his hand shone brightly, and a huge sword aura shot out from the sword, flying towards one of the cloud ladders.

This sword energy was incredibly powerful; wherever it passed, the air seemed to be torn apart.

Jiang Chuan, witnessing this scene, exclaimed inwardly, "Is this Xie Xuan's Qi Yun Shan He? Truly formidable! His Dao intent is so powerful, it's breathtaking!"

Jiang Chuan and Yuan Zhe each rushed toward the ladder they were responsible for.

Jiang Chuan moved with agility, a sharp dagger in his hand. He arrived at the foot of a cloud ladder, looking at its towering height without fear. With a sudden leap, he jumped onto the ladder. He quickly climbed, cautiously observing his surroundings as he went.

Yuan Zhe, on the other hand, had a completely different style. He was burly and incredibly strong. Wielding a large iron hammer, the ground seemed to tremble with every step he took. Arriving at a siege ladder, he roared, raised his iron hammer, and smashed it down hard on the ladder.

With each strike, the ladder shook violently, making a creaking sound.

The siege ladders finally came to a stop atop the Hulao Pass city walls. With a sharp "crack," the massive drawbridge was severed and lowered.

The army of the dead surged out from the siege ladders, weapons in hand, their faces contorted in a ferocious grimace, and charged toward the defenders on the city walls.

The defenders immediately took up their weapons and charged forward. The catapults continued to fire stones, huge rocks flying back and forth across the city walls, causing immense damage.

Facing the flying boulder, Yuan Zhe showed no fear. He suddenly raised his hand, uttered a soft shout, and unleashed the "Sky-Supporting Finger," a unique skill of the Seven Sages of Jixia.

This finger, with its resolute force, pierced straight into the boulder.

With a muffled thud, the boulder shattered, and fragments scattered everywhere.

Jiang Chuan, standing to the side, looked surprised, clearly shocked by Yuan Zhe's extraordinary skill.

Xie Xuan was also on the city wall at this time. Seeing Yuan Zhe's attack, he said approvingly, "Brother Yuan's finger technique is quite powerful."

Yuan Zhe smiled modestly and quickly waved his hand, "Thank you for your kind words, Brother Xie. These are just some minor tricks, far inferior to your great abilities."

Xie Xuan said no more and turned his attention back to the battlefield. He moved his hands rapidly, unleashing the Qi-based Mountain and River Technique. With his movements, the originally ordinary wooden structures within those cloud ladders slowly began to change.

Textures resembling human faces emerged from the wood, and these wooden figures, as if brought to life, crawled out from the cloud ladder. Though small in size, they moved nimbly, carrying timber, and step by step walked towards the demon within the cloud ladder.

The demon inside the ladder, who was originally focused on rushing to the top of the city wall, suddenly witnessed this bizarre scene.

Their faces showed fear, and they exclaimed, "What kind of Taoist magic is this!" Inside the narrow cloud ladder, they wanted to hide but had nowhere to escape.

Jiang Chuan watched Xie Xuan's actions from the side, pondering to himself, and then imitated Xie Xuan, using the Qi Yun Shan He technique.

It was intelligent by nature and quickly found the demon in the cloud ladder.

Yuan Zhe hurriedly said to Jiang Chuan, "Jiang Chuan, conjure some wooden figures to lure those demons to touch them. As soon as they touch them, I can use the space displacement technique to pull them out of the cloud ladder."

Jiang Chuan thought the plan was feasible and immediately did as he was told. He exhaled a stream of spiritual energy, and instantly, wooden figures appeared near the cloud ladder.

The demons were in a panic when they saw the wooden figures appear. Some of them, unaware of the trap, thought they should deal with these little things first and reached out to touch them.

The moment the demon's hand touched the wooden figure, Yuan Zhe immediately took action.

He quickly formed hand seals, and a spatial fluctuation emanated from them.

The demons only felt the scene before them change, and they were pulled out of the cloud ladder.

How could Yuan Zhe let this opportunity slip by? He raised his finger and unleashed the "Sky-Piercing Finger" once more, instantly striking the demon with a burst of spiritual energy that killed him on the spot.

Wang Lang had been waiting for an opportunity. Seeing this, he shouted and swung his long sword, sending a sharp sword aura slashing towards the cloud ladder.

With a "crack," the cloud ladder was cleaved in two by his sword.

He quickly turned around and attacked another ladder. With the same move, the second ladder collapsed with a loud "crack".

Thus, with the help of everyone, Xian Zhen's two important siege weapons were successfully destroyed.

The army of the dead seemed endless, relentlessly climbing the ladders and charging towards the city walls.

Those who rushed to the top of the city wall engaged in a fierce battle with the Hulao Army.

The Hulao soldiers, their faces resolute, brandished their weapons and fought fiercely against the dead.

The demonic archers kept shooting arrows at the city walls from below.

Arrows rained down on the city walls, and many of the Hulao soldiers were unable to dodge them and fell to the ground, suffering heavy casualties.

But the Hulao Army did not retreat and continued to resist stubbornly.

After five rounds of arrow rain, the demonic archers gradually became exhausted.

Prolonged, high-intensity hurling caused their bowstrings to break or their tension to decrease, resulting in arrows that lost their previous power.

As the threat of the arrow rain gradually diminished, the Hulao Army seized the opportunity to stabilize their position.

They cooperated with each other, reorganized their defenses, and gradually gained the upper hand.

Wang Lang's two swords successfully destroyed two siege ladders, halting Xian Zhen's army's offensive.

The demonic soldiers on the city walls were also completely wiped out by the fierce fighting of the Hulao Army.

It seemed that Xian Zhen's plan had been thwarted. But Xian Zhen was sitting steadily on the central siege ladder. His body was surrounded by overwhelming demonic energy, and he did not panic despite losing two siege ladders. He sat there quietly, as if waiting for a crucial moment.

Outside Hulao Pass, the once clear sky suddenly changed dramatically.

A dense, demonic aura surged forth from the depths of hell, billowing and blotting out the sky. The surroundings were shrouded in gloom and darkness.

Xie Xuan stood atop the city wall, gazing at the overwhelming demonic aura, and his heart sank.

Such a massive amount of demonic energy could not have been released by an ordinary demonic cultivator; there must be a demonic holy weapon at work behind it.

Sacred weapons are heaven-defying existences that touch the threshold of the Heavenly Rank; each one possesses immense power and is often accompanied by a powerful weapon spirit. (End of Chapter)