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

Xie Xuan stood there for a long time, watching Jiang Chuan's departing figure.

The peerless imperial sword materialized and stood beside him, saying softly, "Jiang Chuan has extraordinary talent. In the future, he may be like Wang Zhihuan, venturing into the outer heavens and finding his own destiny sword."

Xie Xuan nodded slightly: "No one can predict his future. I only wish him peace and success, and that he can go further and further on the path of cultivation."

Just then, Zhang Wei, the Prince of Dushan, hurriedly walked in, clasped his hands in salute, and said, "Commander, the generals of Hulao Pass have discussed and decided to reorganize the three armies at noon and prepare to counterattack the outer city!"

Xie Xuan's eyes lit up, and his spirits lifted: "Good! We should not retreat." He pondered for a moment and then said: "Zhang Wei, please help me find out the truth about the fall of Weicheng. This matter is of utmost importance."

Zhang Wei cupped his hands and replied, "Rest assured, Commander, I will do my utmost to handle this matter!" With that, he turned and hurriedly left to prepare for various tasks.

At noon, inside Hulao Pass, war drums thundered, shaking the earth.

Jiang Chuan, clad in armor and wielding a sharp blade, resolutely joined the counterattack.

Standing atop the city wall, gazing at the battlefield beyond the pass, he silently vowed in his heart: "Li Tianxing, today is the day of reckoning! Twelve years ago, you slaughtered my village and killed my family. I will avenge this blood debt!"

Xie Xuan stood inside the pass, gazing at the soldiers about to depart for war, his heart filled with mixed emotions. Memories of the past flooded back; he thought of Chen Jianjia, the woman he loved most in his life, and of all the little moments they had shared.

"Jianjia, wait for me, I will definitely resurrect you," he murmured to himself.

The road ahead is fraught with difficulties and dangers, but for the sake of his beloved and for the sake of justice, he will never back down. As the war drums grew more urgent, the inner city gate of Hulao Pass slowly opened with a dull thud.

Shen Mojun led the Fierce Tiger Cavalry, galloping out towards the battlefield. Jiang Chuan gripped his weapon tightly, following closely behind as the massive drawbridge slowly lowered, creaking and groaning, like a passage connecting life and death, linking the inner city and the barbican.

Under the command of their general, the 50,000 defending troops charged out in batches.

Zhou Shen, a fierce general under Wang Lang, had a resolute expression on his face. Holding a long sword, he took the lead and led the swordsmen and shieldmen across the suspension bridge.

They seemed to disregard their own lives, focusing solely on retaking the fortified city.

At the city gate, five thousand fierce tiger riders, led by Shen Mojun, were all dressed in black armor, looking majestic and awe-inspiring.

Shen Mojun brandished his spear and shouted, "Kill!" The Tiger Cavalry responded in unison, their voices echoing through the sky.

They rode their tall, strong warhorses out of the city gate, their iron hooves pounding the ground with a deep, powerful sound that seemed to crack the earth.

These five thousand fierce cavalry charged straight into the barbican, displaying astonishing power in their first charge.

The warhorses neighed, their iron hooves mercilessly trampling the army of the dead. Hundreds of the dead were instantly crushed to the ground, their bodies mangled and bloodied by the horses' hooves.

As the spears were swung, many more dead were thrown off their feet and crashed to the ground.

The army of the dead showed no fear.

The dead, their faces deathly pale and bodies stiff, still charged desperately from the flanks. They stretched out their withered hands, grabbed the cavalrymen's legs, and pulled with all their might, trying to drag them off their horses. A chaotic melee ensued.

Inside the barbican, corpses piled up, the living and the dead pressing against each other.

The cavalry's initially fierce charge gradually weakened, and the warhorses slowed down.

Shen Mojun, mounted on his horse, inwardly cried out in alarm. If things continued like this, the cavalry would be trapped. He decisively ordered, "Cavalry, re-form ranks and prepare for the second charge!"

Reality proved even more difficult than he had imagined. Once the warhorses stopped, launching another charge amidst this encirclement was no easy feat.

The dense mass of dead surrounding them hindered the cavalry's movement. Their warhorses pawed restlessly as the riders struggled to fight their way out and regroup.

Wengcheng (outer city wall)
Zhou Shen, wielding a long saber, was locked in a fierce battle with an unnamed demon general. This unnamed demon general was tall and exuded a sinister aura. As he swung his black demonic sword, wielding it, black mist billowed up, sending chills down one's spine.

No one dared approach within five zhang (approximately 10 meters) of the two. The aftershocks of their fight were incredibly powerful; a moment's carelessness could result in serious injury.

Each swing of Zhou Shen's blade carried immense force, attempting to slay the demon general before him. The demon general, however, was equally resilient, using his demonic sword to parry Zhou Shen's attacks while simultaneously searching for an opportunity to counterattack.

On another part of the city wall, Jiang Chuan and Ye Xuan fought side by side.

Jiang Chuan, dressed in a white robe, still appeared ethereal and otherworldly despite being on this bloody battlefield. He held no weapon, yet fought against the surrounding dead with his powerful inner energy.

Looking at the situation on the battlefield, he turned to Ye Xuan and said, "I have a sword that can sweep across all directions and help the army climb the outer city walls."

Upon hearing this, Ye Xuan's face lit up with joy, and he quickly said, "Alright! I'll organize shield bearers to protect you right away." With that, he swiftly turned around and shouted loudly to the surrounding soldiers, "Shield bearers, come and protect Mr. Jiang Chuan at once!"

Upon hearing the order, the soldiers immediately sprang into action, holding shields and surrounding Jiang Chuan, forming a solid defensive line.

Jiang Chuan circulated the innate pure Yang true energy within his body. A layer of golden light gradually rose around his body, growing brighter and brighter, as if a golden sun was rising above him.

As he circulated his inner energy, Jiang Chuan raised his hands upwards, and 128 flying swords shot out from his body, soaring into the sky.

These flying swords arranged themselves in mid-air, instantly transforming into a massive Azure Dragon Sword Formation. Within the formation, sword energy crisscrossed, emitting a buzzing sound. The Azure Dragon Sword Formation charged towards the army of the dead within the barbican.

Wherever it went, the army of the dead was instantly torn apart, their bodies sliced ​​into pieces by the sword energy, turning into patches of blood mist.

The Azure Dragon Sword Formation then cleared the road leading to the outer city.

Whether it was the soldiers engaged in fierce combat or the generals watching from the inner city, everyone was awestruck by Jiang Chuan's powerful sword formation. Such immense power existed in the world.

Jiang Chuan's sword strike also exhausted one-third of his internal energy.

His body swayed slightly, and his face showed signs of exhaustion.

Ye Xuan had been watching Jiang Chuan closely. Upon seeing this, he immediately stepped forward, took Jiang Chuan's arm, and asked with concern, "Mr. Jiang Chuan, how are you?"

Jiang Chuan waved his hand dismissively and said, "It's nothing, it just consumed some true energy. Everyone, let's prepare to capture the city."

Zhou Shen's situation also took a turn for the better.

Taking advantage of the moment when the nameless demon general was distracted by Jiang Chuan's sword formation, Zhou Shen seized the opportunity, shouted loudly, raised his long sword high, and with all his strength, slashed at the demon general's neck.

The blow was powerful and heavy; the demon general couldn't dodge in time and Zhou Shen severed his head. The headless corpse fell to the ground with a thud. Zhou Shen stepped on the demon general's body, raised his long sword high, and shouted, "Take the city!"

This statement boosted the morale of all the soldiers.

The soldiers shouted and charged toward the outer city walls.

Just as the Hulao Army was about to recapture the Wengcheng, an unexpected event occurred.

Suddenly, the gates of Hulao Pass were pushed open by a powerful force. The person who opened the gates was none other than Meng Tian, ​​the fiercest general under Xian Zhen and the former cavalry commander of the Great Jin's Wind and Thunder Cavalry.

Meng Tian rode a skeletal warhorse, its eyes burning with eerie flames, as if it came from hell. He exuded a chilling aura. He drew his sword. Just then, a muffled rumble echoed from the ground behind him, like the thunder of a thousand horses.

Upon hearing this sound, Shen Mojun immediately shouted three times towards the city gate, "Close the gate! Close the gate! Close the gate!" But it was already too late.

Meng Tian coldly observed everything before him and issued the order: "Wind and Thunder Cavalry, charge!" With his command, the Wind and Thunder Cavalry surged forward from behind.

The sound of horses' hooves thundered, like the footsteps of death, drawing ever closer.

Shen Mojun, who was in the barbican, felt the ground tremble. Based on his years of experience in battle, he immediately judged that it was the sound of hooves of cavalry coming from beyond the pass.

"This is bad!" he thought to himself, turning to look at his deputy general, who also looked grave. "Our Tiger Cavalry is in deep trouble now. They're trapped in this fortified city, unable to advance or retreat."

The lieutenant nodded vigorously, his face full of anxiety: "General, without space to charge, our cavalry simply cannot confront Meng Tian's Wind and Thunder Cavalry head-on. Moreover, there are countless undead soldiers surrounding this barbican. What should we do?"

Shen Mojun's gaze was resolute: "What's the panic! Pass down the order, tell the brothers to prepare for battle. We, the Fierce Tiger Cavalry, are not weaklings!"

On the inner city tower, Yuan Zhe and Wang Lang exchanged a glance, both of them showing worry in their eyes.

"This situation is too tricky," Yuan Zhe said helplessly.

Before Wang Lang could respond, Wu Lianjiang stepped forward and shouted, "General, let me lead the troops out and catch them off guard!"

Yuan Zhe glanced at Wu Lianjiang, then looked at Wang Lang and said in a deep voice, "General, what's the use of taking back the outer city if we can't close the city gate? We can't act rashly."

Wang Lang pondered for a moment, then let out a heavy sigh: "Very well, I will personally go and close the city gates."

"Yuan Zhe, Wu Lianjiang, you two stay behind and hold the inner city at all costs." With that, he leaped down from the city wall, strode towards the ranks of soldiers, and shouted, "My men, charge with me!"

Seeing the critical situation, Shen Mojun decisively ordered, "Brothers, dismount! Let's use our flesh and blood to clear a path for the general!"

The warriors of the Fierce Tiger Cavalry roared in unison, leaped off their horses, brandished their long swords, and charged towards the densely packed army of the dead.

They shouted slogans and fought fiercely, every move they made carrying the spirit of a fight to the death.

A young cavalryman slashed at a dead man with his long sword, but the sword got stuck because he used too much force.

Without a second thought, he smashed his fist into the dead man's head, roaring, "For the general! For Hulao Pass!"

His comrades were also in a frenzy, some of them scratched by the dead, but they still gritted their teeth and persevered.

Looking at the horrific scene before him, Shen Mojun was filled with a sense of tragic heroism: "Brothers, even if we die today, we will die a worthy death!"

He brandished his spear, and wherever it went, the dead fell one after another.

Wang Lang led the inner city's cavalry out of the city gate and clashed head-on with Meng Tian's Wind and Thunder Cavalry.

In an instant, the entire barbican trembled.

Wang Lang locked onto Meng Tian, ​​his long sword pointing directly at him: "Meng Tian, ​​today is your death day!"

Meng Tian sneered, "Wang Lang, you're so arrogant! Watch how I raze Hulao Pass to the ground today!"

The two men spurred their horses forward simultaneously, their longswords clashing with their spears, sparks flying everywhere. The surrounding soldiers were forced back by the powerful force of the impact, some even being thrown back, their fates unknown.

The Wind and Thunder Cavalry's charge was incredibly powerful. The dismounted Tiger Cavalry gradually couldn't withstand the impact, and their defensive line began to collapse.

On the ramparts of the city, Zhou Shen waved his banner and shouted, "Success or death! Brothers, kill!"

Jiang Chuan, wielding a long sword, charged into the enemy ranks. His sword energy surged, and wherever he went, enemies fell to the ground.

The battlefield situation became increasingly chaotic, lasting from noon until dusk, with both sides continuously reinforcing their troops, resulting in a growing number of soldiers.

The inner city of Hulao Pass even began to urgently conscript soldiers, and the original shouts of battle were gradually replaced by the dense sounds of swords clashing.

On the city tower, Yuan Zhe gripped the drumsticks tightly with both hands and vigorously beat the drum.

Each beat of the drum seemed to draw upon all the strength in the body.

His hands were already bleeding profusely from the impact, but he showed no sign of stopping.

The soldier beside him said with concern, "Sir, please take a rest. Let me do it."

Yuan Zhe glared at the soldier: "No way! I want to cheer on the general's charge, what's a little injury!" After saying that, he continued to beat the drum with force.

As dusk fell, a figure suddenly crawled out of the karez well inside the inner city of Hulao Pass. It was none other than the demon general Sun Weining, his figure ghostly and his eyes gleaming with an eerie light.

"Hmph, as long as I go to the underground palace and destroy the city's protective formation, Hulao Pass will be within my grasp." He muttered to himself, and was about to rush towards the underground palace when he was stopped by a figure.

"If you want to destroy my Hulao Pass, you'll have to get past me first!" The newcomer was none other than Zhang Wei, the King of Dushan.

Sun Weining's expression changed: "Zhang Wei, mind your own business!"

Zhang Wei sneered, "Today is your death day!" With that, he charged toward Sun Weining.

Sun Weining hurriedly raised his sword to defend himself, but he was powerless against Zhang Wei's overwhelming strength.

In just a few rounds, Zhang Wei pierced Sun Weining's chest with a single sword strike.

Sun Weining slowly fell to the ground, his eyes wide open in death.

Zhang Wei drew his sword, wiped away the blood, turned and left the alley, his figure quickly disappearing into the twilight.

Under Zhang Wei's control, the defensive array of Hulao Pass slowly activated. Inside the underground palace, Wu Lianjiang was working at full power to operate the array, his forehead covered in sweat. He quickly formed hand seals: "Defensive array, activate!"

As his voice faded, a burst of white light shone brightly within the magic circle, and the power of thunder began to gather.

High above, the once clear sky was now filled with changing winds and clouds, with thunder and lightning rapidly gathering to form a huge dark cloud.

Under the pull of this force, the ancient underground palace began to slowly rotate.

On the plains beyond the Great Wall, Xian Zhen stood on a high place, looking up at the dark clouds in the sky filled with thunder.

The soldiers around him were also awestruck by the magnificent sight. (End of Chapter)