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

Xian Zhen was silent for a moment, then took out a wine flask from his bosom and slowly raised it: "Today, there is such a change at Hulao Pass. I don't know if it is a blessing or a curse."

"And may the wind and thunder bring you peace, and may everything go smoothly." With that, he tilted his head back and took a swig of wine. As the wind and sand blew by, his figure appeared somewhat lonely.

Finally, on this night, a bolt of lightning descended from the sky, illuminating the entire ancient city.

The defensive formation of Hulao Pass slowly activated amidst the roar of the white tiger.

The power of thunder surged down from the heavens, rushing madly towards the demonic energy within the pass.

The area inside the pass was illuminated as bright as day by the white light emanating from the impact of thunder and demonic energy, clearly defining the boundary between good and evil in this blinding light.

Jiang Chuan stood tall and straight on the road leading to the outer city.

He watched the lightning strike each and every undead with deadly precision.

Whether they were people who had died seventy years ago or those who had just passed away within the last month, they were all purified amidst the deafening roar of the White Tiger.

Under the impact of the thunder, these spirits gradually dissipated, turning into wisps of green smoke and disappearing into the world.

The city-protecting formation's attack pattern is terrifyingly powerful, but behind this immense power lies a huge price.

Each time it is activated, it takes a full ten years to accumulate enough energy again.

Everyone at Hulao Pass understood that this was a do-or-die battle. Once the energy of the city's protective formation was exhausted, Hulao Pass would have no such powerful trump card to use for the next ten years.

Inside the barbican, Wang Lang witnessed firsthand the horrific scene of Meng Tian being struck by lightning and shattered to pieces.

Meng Tian, ​​the once renowned general of the Wind and Thunder Cavalry in the Great Jin Dynasty, recalled the scene of his farewell to his wife before going to war in his last moments.

The general's wife's worried and gentle words still echoed in my ears. But everything had vanished like a bubble.

Meng Tian's death not only meant the end of his personal life, but also symbolized the complete annihilation of the valiant Fenglei Cavalry.

The fierce tiger cavalry of Hulao Pass were mercilessly wiped out in this bloody battle.

On the battlefield, 15,000 lives were lost, and the original 60,000-strong army at Hulao Pass had now lost half of its strength.

Inside the inner city, Yuan Zhe was vigorously beating the war drum. He gripped the drumsticks tightly with both hands, striking the huge war drum again and again until his arms ached.

Until the drumsticks in his hands broke one by one, all five drumsticks were reduced to fragments under his blows.

He witnessed Wang Lang personally stepping forward and closing the city gate.

On the outer city walls, the demon soldiers fell to the ground one after another under the attack of lightning, and were completely wiped out.

Because the cost of this great war was simply too heavy.

Zhou Shen, the brave and fearless general, died on the battlefield; Ye Xuan, seriously wounded, is now in critical condition; Jiang Chuan is also exhausted, as if a gust of wind could blow him over.

Most importantly, the defensive array at Hulao Pass has exhausted its energy. Will Hulao Pass be able to withstand the next wave of enemy attacks?

Jiang Chuan was too exhausted to fight any longer. He rode his warhorse wearily back to Chen Yuanfang's residence in the city. As soon as he entered the house, he collapsed onto the bed and instantly fell asleep.

The night was not peaceful for long. In the latter half of the night, the outer city fell again, and Deputy General Shen Mojun, the general who had been holding the outer city, died in battle at his post.

The siege had entered its third day. Xian Zhen's army had ceased its attack. Yet, the outer city walls were now filled with the dead. These spirits, their bodies stiff, exuded a chilling aura that sent shivers down the spines of anyone who beheld them.

Li Tianxing stood at the top of the cloud ladder, gazing at Hulao Pass in the distance. He wore a smile; in his view, the fall of Hulao Pass was already a foregone conclusion.

He planned to step into the Holy Gate once his Blood Transformation Demonic Art was fully mastered. At that time, even the sect leader of the Cloud Sea Immortal Palace on Tianzhu Mountain would be powerless against him. Little did he know that reinforcements from Heyang City were rapidly approaching.

Tao Hongjing, the Grandmaster of Tianzhu Mountain, personally led eight thousand cavalrymen, rushing towards Hulao Pass with all their might.

Each of them was equipped with two horses, which they rode in turns. They rode tirelessly, sparing no expense, to reach the battlefield as quickly as possible. If Hulao Pass fell, their painstakingly constructed plans in the north would be in vain.

Duke Zhao Dun of Cheng State was also leading the remaining eight thousand cavalrymen, galloping towards Hulao Pass.

Tao Hongjing and Mu Suifeng both understood that time was of the essence and every moment was crucial. Once Hulao Pass fell, everything would be irreversible.

With a worried expression, Mu Suifeng asked Tao Hongjing, "When will we be able to reach Hulao Pass?"

Tao Hongjing said without hesitation, "As long as we can get there in time, there's still a way to turn things around!"

Meanwhile, the eight thousand swordsmen of Heyang City are rushing towards Hulao Pass.

During a lull in the fighting, a soldier from Hulao Pass leaned against the city wall, panting heavily.

He had multiple wounds, and his clothes were stained with blood. Looking at his fallen comrades, his eyes were filled with grief.

A military doctor came over and said to him, "Brother, let me bandage your wound."

The soldier nodded and said, "Thank you."

The medic skillfully bandaged his wound, saying as he did so, "Your injury is quite serious. You'll have to be careful during the battle later."

The soldier smiled and said, "It's nothing. As long as we can hold Hulao Pass, this injury is nothing."

Wang Lang and Xian Zhen have entered a tense stage.

Both of them were panting heavily and had several wounds on their bodies.

Xian Zhen stared at Wang Lang, his entire body filled with murderous intent. He said, "Wang Lang, you will surely die today!"

Wang Lang snorted coldly and said, "Xian Zhen, it's not certain who will win!" After saying that, he swung his spear forcefully and thrust it at Xian Zhen.

Xian Zhen quickly used his longsword to defend himself, and the two clashed again.

In the villa, Xie Xuan was immersed in meditation.

His aura surged, and the Purple Yang True Qi within his body surged endlessly.

Xie Xuan finally opened his eyes, a deep purple light flashing across them before disappearing.

Huang Jian Jue Shi stood to one side, with a plum tree behind him.

The plum blossoms bloom proudly in the snow, emitting a delicate fragrance.

Huang Jian Jueshi reached out and gently plucked a plum blossom, smiling as he teased Xie Xuan, "Brother Xie, look at you, time waits for no one. Back then, you were so majestic, able to annihilate enemies with a flick of your finger—that was the style of a Sword Emperor. But now, you have to admit you're getting old."

Xie Xuan sighed softly and said, "Yes, no one can escape the passage of time. The high spirits of yesteryear can only remain in our memories now."

Huang Jian Jue Shi seemed to sense something. He looked at Xie Xuan and said, "Brother Xie, something's not right. I feel an aura about you that's both familiar and strange. This aura seems to be related to the life soul, but I can't quite figure it out."

Tell me honestly, what exactly happened in Tianwaitian back then? I always feel like you've become a different person since then.”

Xie Xuan was silent for a moment, then said, "Some things are preordained. The reasons behind this are too complex to be explained in a few words. There are some things that are better left unknown to you. If you know too much, it may involve the safety of the entire Outer Heaven."

Huang Jian Jue Shi grew increasingly curious and pressed on, "Brother Xie, don't play games with me. Just tell me, is your 'One Finger to Sever Heaven' related to all of this?"

Xie Xuan looked at the peerless swordsman and warned him seriously, "Sword Master, I advise you not to ask any more questions. The more you know, the greater the danger. Some secrets are better left buried deep in your heart."

Huang Jian Jue Shi wanted to ask more questions, but then there was a knock on the door.

"Who?" Xie Xuan asked.

“Mr. Xie, it’s me, Zhang Wei, the King of Dushan.” A loud voice came from outside the door.

Xie Xuan and Huang Jian Jueshi exchanged a glance, and Xie Xuan said, "Come in."

The door was pushed open, and Zhang Wei, the King of Dushan, strode in.

He was a burly man with a somewhat anxious expression. He said, "Li Tianxing's demonic array and demonic soldiers are still a huge threat."

Although Mr. Tao Hongjing is on his way, the eight thousand cavalry he brought will likely be no match for Xian Zhen's nine thousand demonic beast cavalry.

Xie Xuan pondered for a moment and said, "Xian Zhen is not to be underestimated. He has four powerful subordinates: himself, Meng Tian, ​​Wang Zeng, and Jiang He. Meng Tian and Wang Zeng are dead, but Jiang He, as Xian Zhen's shadow, has yet to show himself."

I suspect that these nine thousand magical beast cavalry are most likely being secretly commanded by Jiang He.

Zhang Wei patted his chest and said confidently, "Mr. Xie, leave those nine thousand demonic beast cavalry to me. I will definitely not let them set foot in Hulao Pass."

Xie Xuan looked worried and said, "Zhang Wei, it's good that you have this intention. However, I'm worried that Mr. Tao Hongjing won't be able to get to Hulao Pass in time. If he's late, the pressure on us will be too great."

Zhang Wei said with a solemn expression, "Mr. Xie, there is another matter that I am also very worried about. Once the spirit of that demonic weapon awakens, we may all be in dire straits."

Huang Jian Jueshi, standing to the side, snorted disdainfully and said, "Tch, just a weapon spirit of a demonic holy weapon, what's there to be afraid of? Back then, Wang Zhihuan single-handedly ventured into the Outer Heavens, how majestic he was! What trouble can a mere weapon spirit cause?"

While everyone inside Hulao Pass was discussing the matter, Jiang Chuan was lying in his tent on the other side. He had been sleeping soundly but was awakened by a deafening tremor. Jiang Chuan sat up abruptly, rubbed his head, and looked puzzled.

Chen Yuanfang rushed into the tent, his face grim. He said, "Jiang Chuan, something terrible has happened. General Shen Mojun has been killed in battle, and the outer city has been breached again."

Jiang Chuan asked sorrowfully, "Then what's the situation now?"

Chen Yuanfang shook his head and said helplessly, "The situation is very bad. The enemy's offensive is too fierce, and our defenses are starting to crumble."

Jiang Chuan stood up, feeling a slight ache in his injuries.

Liu Ling walked in carrying a bowl of spiritual liquid and said, "Jiang Chuan, quickly drink this spiritual liquid; it will help you recover from your injuries."

Jiang Chuan took the spiritual liquid and drank it all in one gulp. A warm current flowed through his body, and he felt his innate pure yang true energy becoming more and more abundant, and his injuries had also healed considerably.

Jiang Chuan looked out of the tent at the cruelty of the war, how many people had fallen on the battlefield, how fragile life was.

He turned to Chen Yuanfang and said, "Yuanfang, we must go all out in this war. I plan to go to the front lines, what about you?"

Chen Yuanfang looked at Jiang Chuan and said in a deep voice, "Jiang Chuan, I used to always look up to you. But from now on, I will follow in your footsteps and become a true sword saint. I will go with you."

Jiang Chuan nodded and said, "Okay, let's go together then."

The two stepped out of the tent, where chaos reigned.

The soldiers guarding the city were busy recruiting soldiers. The new recruits looked nervous as they hurried towards the battlefield with their rudimentary weapons.

Jiang Chuan and Chen Yuanfang exchanged a glance, then ran off in different directions.

Meanwhile, within the inner city of Hulao Pass, a sense of panic was spreading.

The people were filled with fear, and the streets were in chaos. The soldiers guarding the city tried to maintain order while constantly conscripting soldiers.

The new recruits were hastily armed. Although they were afraid, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and go to the battlefield in order to defend their homeland.

On the main battlefield, the undead army relentlessly surged towards the inner city walls, layer upon layer.

One by one they struggled to climb, and before long they had piled up into "human pillars" as tall as the inner city wall.

These "human pillars" poured down onto the city wall, a horrifying scene that resembled countless ferocious tentacles of a demon slamming against the wall.

The general of the 150,000 ghost soldiers sat high on his skeletal warhorse, coldly watching everything unfold.

His demon soldiers had already climbed onto the inner city walls and were engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand battle with the defenders.

Beneath the city walls, the undead army continued to climb relentlessly, attempting to break through the defenses and flood into the inner city.

Standing atop the city wall, Wang Lang watched the horrific scene unfold before him. Suddenly, he removed his helmet and tossed it aside, sending it tumbling to the ground.

He drew his sword from his waist. Raising the longsword high, he raised his arm and shouted, "We shall share the same quilt in life and the same grave in death! How can we say we have no clothes? We shall share the same robes!" His voice was stirring and heroic, and it spread throughout the battlefield.

Upon hearing Wang Lang speak, the morale of the three armies, which had been somewhat low, instantly soared.

They responded enthusiastically, raising their weapons and shouting in unison, as if their voices could pierce the heavens.

A surge of heroic spirit welled up in Wang Lang's heart. He roared, "Kill!" and charged headlong into the demon soldiers.

He wielded his longsword with great force, his sword energy spreading in all directions, and wherever it went, large numbers of demonic soldiers were swiftly cut down.

The demon soldiers fell to the ground one after another, letting out a series of shrill screams. The undead seemed fearless, continuing to surge forward relentlessly towards the city walls.

Seeing Wang Lang's fierceness from afar, Xian Zhen snorted coldly, "This old man does have some backbone. However, I am determined to take Hulao Pass today." With this in mind, he decided to take action himself.

Xian Zhen spurred his horse's flanks with a sudden burst of strength, causing the skeletal warhorse to neigh and leap high into the air. Using this momentum, Xian Zhen propelled himself off the horse. His renowned sword, Du Jie, was drawn from its sheath, its blade gleaming with an eerie light, resembling a dragon poised to pounce. (End of Chapter)