Banners fluttered in the wind atop the city walls of Qingxia Valley.

A wisp of sunset slowly descends from the horizon.

Zhao Yan, clad in silver armor, gazed at the Wen Jin army outside the valley. Under the setting sun, they stretched out in a dark mass, seemingly without end.

At dawn, the Jin army had already launched its attack on the city. The arrows stuck in the gaps in the city walls and the countless corpses below the city were enough to prove the ferocity of this first round of attack.

Wen Yong took the lead in directing the siege from the front lines, while Luo Ying and Xu Qingshan climbed the city walls to find a breakthrough. However, due to Zhao Yan's high vantage point, these two masters of the Jin army did not gain any advantage.

At noon, the Jin army withdrew and reorganized. By evening, Wen Yong led the army to approach the pass.

Looking at Wen Yong, who was leading the way, Zhao Yan praised him, saying, "Although Wen Tai only has this one son, he is indeed a brave and valiant man."

Yang Huanyun, also clad in silver armor, walked to Zhao Yan's side and said, "It's been many years. This child has grown so much. He was protected by Wen Tai and his sisters since he was little. I never expected him to grow up to be such a hero."

Zhao Yan asked, "Are you familiar with him?"

"I like to hold him and play with him."

As if awakening a cherished memory, Yang Huanyun smiled and said, "Heh, little snotty-nosed brat."

While the two were chatting, Wen Yong reined in his horse, raised his crescent-shaped halberd, and shouted, "Zhao Yan! This is the last time I will advise you. A small pass cannot stop my Wen Jin army. It's only a matter of time before we break through! If you surrender now, I promise you I will not kill any prisoners. Going back a few years, both Wen Jin and Zhao Han were from Jing. There's no need to let our soldiers die in vain!"

Zhao Yan said, "Little brat, I may not be as smart as my older brother, but I'm not brainless. If you don't want the soldiers to die, why don't you just retreat back to Yongliang?"

Wen Yong's expression changed drastically. Before he was made crown prince, he hated being called a brat. Now that he was crown prince and deputy governor of the east, he already considered himself a big shot.

That little bottom sound was particularly jarring.

This is intolerable!

Wen Yong shouted, "After I break through the barrier, I, the Grand Commander, will take your dog's head!"

Zhao Yan said loudly, "With me here, we can hold off ten thousand men. You dogs won't get in."

"You're so powerful, do you dare to come down and challenge me?"

After Wen Yong finished speaking, Luo Ying and Xu Qingshan came out.

Wen Yong said, "Luo Ying has long wanted to compete with you. Do you dare to come down?"

"So you were deliberately trying to provoke me." Zhao Yan sneered, tightening his grip on the gun as he prepared to jump off the city wall.

Yang Huanyun said, "Knowing it was meant to provoke you, why did you still go down?"

Zhao Yan said, "Don't worry, they can't stop me."

“But there’s no need for that…” Yang Huanyun looked at Lian Zhongyi and said, “Sir, don’t you think so?”

Lian Zhongyi stroked his beard and said, "The Third Young Master is no fool. Is he in such a hurry to go down to give the Jin army a warning and boost the morale of the Han army?"

Zhao Yan nodded and said, "I can't hide it from you, sir."

Lian Zhongyi said, "Then let's go. As the head of the four great generals of Zhao Han, the Azure Dragon General should put the Wen Jin army in its place. But please remember, Third Young Master, as soon as they launch an attack on the city, do not linger in battle, and return immediately."

"clear."

Zhao Yan gave Yang Huanyun a confident look, then leaped down from the city wall with his spear in hand.

Seeing this, Wen Yong laughed and said, "As expected of Zhao Han's Azure Dragon General, you have guts!"

Zhao Yan pointed his spear at Wen Yong and said, "You are the Crown Prince of Wen Jin, and I am the younger brother of Emperor Zhao Han. Why don't we fight?"

Wen Yong's face paled, and he sneered, "A grandmaster like you wants to fight me? That's just too much of a bully."

Luo Ying put on gloves and walked forward to block Wen Yong, smiling coldly: "As expected, the people around Zhao Cheng are becoming more and more shameless. Zhao Yan, your opponent is me."

Zhao Yan glanced at Luo Ying supporting the coffin and said, "If you can't beat my sister, you can't beat me either."

Luo Ying's smile vanished instantly, and she shouted, "I have never lost to Yang Taozhi. We are evenly matched!"

"I'm saying you can't beat them. A draw is still a loss, isn't it?"

Zhao Yan spoke leisurely, and his appearance was just as Luo Ying had described, with a cheeky and despicable air, much like Zhao Cheng.

"A grandmaster like you, stop spouting nonsense!"

Luo Ying let out a low shout, and his body instantly turned into a blur as he swung his palm directly at Zhao Yan's throat.

Zhao Yan tapped his heel, slid backward, and thrust his spear forward, disrupting Luo Ying's attack rhythm with the force of the spear.

The spear is suitable for mid-range combat, but it can be troublesome if someone gets close. Close combat is precisely Luo Ying's forte, which may be why Wen Yong sent Luo Ying to fight.

Theoretically speaking, Luo Ying's playing style is a counter to Zhao Yan's.

But theory is just theory; Zhao Yan didn't give Luo Ying a chance to get close at all. When the two grandmasters made their move, although they didn't create any earth-shattering commotion like Luo Wushan and Cangwu, it was clear from their first exchange that both of them had pushed their speed and power to the limit.

The soldiers on both sides of the city wall kept their eyes darting around, unable to see Zhao Yan and Luo Ying's movements clearly.

To martial artists below the highest level, the two had exchanged dozens of blows, but in reality, they had fought each other over a hundred times!

After a hundred breaths, Luo Ying withdrew and stepped back, one hand behind her back, trembling slightly, the other hand on her abdomen, adjusting her breathing.

"I never expected that you would be a mid-stage Grandmaster at such a young age."

Luo Ying made a judgment in his mind. He had reached the mid-stage of Grandmaster several years ago. If Zhao Yan was only at the early stage of Grandmaster, he would have defeated Zhao Yan long ago after a hundred or so exchanges of blows.

No wonder Zhao Yan was named the Azure Dragon General, the head of the Four Great Divine Generals. It wasn't just because he was a member of the Zhao family, but also because he possessed such strength.

Zhao Yan may not be as good as Yang Taozhi yet, but he is younger than Yang Taozhi.

The potential for future achievements is limitless!

Zhao Yan said, "I don't know anything about the mid-term or early-stage. As long as I can beat you, that's fine."

“And…” Zhao Yan pointed to Wen Yong beside him and said, “I’m different from this little brat. I’m already a father, and I’m not young anymore.”

Wen Yong's face darkened.

You two can fight it out, what does it have to do with me?

unlucky!

Luo Ying sneered, "You're still too arrogant!"

"Ghost General!!"

Knowing Zhao Yan's skill level, Luo Ying didn't hold back at all, skipping Ghost Supporting Coffin and directly using Ghost Supporting General.

With a swift movement, a massive hand formed from black mist slammed down towards Zhao Yan.

"According to history!!"

Zhao Yan did not shy away from its sharp edge, ignoring the giant hand above his head, and directly thrust his spear at Luo Ying.

Luo Ying's heart tightened; she never expected Zhao Yan to choose such a lose-lose approach.

Was he unaware of the power of the Ghost General, or did he simply not take it seriously?

Just then, a sharp sword aura suddenly attacked and intercepted Zhao Yan.

Zhao Yan then leaped backward, redirecting his spear to point at the palm above his head.

As the black mist dissipated, Luo Ying and Xu Qingshan stood on either side of Zhao Yan.

"Shameless!" Yang Huanyun slammed his fist on the city wall and shouted, "Despicable villain, two against one!"