The Sword Order is an emergency rescue mechanism of the Sword Pavilion. When one side issues a Sword Order, it indicates that they are unable to defend and need rescue.

Since the Song Dynasty issued sword edicts throughout the land before the end of the War of Ruins, there have been no sword edicts for twenty years.

So when he heard the sword order, Song Jiqin immediately stood up in shock. It was as if he had returned to twenty years ago, to that helpless moment when he was still a child.

"Is the situation serious?" he asked.

“Your Highness, you should know how those who stayed in their homeland view us,” Shadow said. “The fact that they asked us for help proves that they are truly desperate and have nowhere else to turn.”

"According to intelligence from the Ash City Sword Pavilion branch, the enemy is suspected to have one Extreme Realm Heavenly Cultivator and one Bright Realm Blood Cultivator. This is the minimum estimate."

Hearing this, Song Jiqin's heart sank, and he asked directly.

How many people can Jian Ge mobilize?

The shadow did not answer immediately, as if it was thinking, or as if it could not speak.

"Your Highness, I don't know."

I have no idea.

This is a somber answer.

After the war in ruins, the Sword Pavilion suffered heavy losses, and now it dares not operate openly. Some branches have also lost contact with each other, and some branches and the main branch have also lost contact with each other.

So much so that even the shadow representing the Sword Pavilion of the New Song City didn't know how many living forces the Sword Pavilion still had.

Song Jiqin unfolded the map and examined it carefully, while also exchanging ideas and discussing it with his shadow.

Finally, he made up his mind and said:

"You must go all out, mobilize all available resources, and spare no expense to ensure that the people of the Song Dynasty are not sacrificed with blood."

"Please tell Elder Jian to board the armed merchant ship 'Lily' as an escort. I will coordinate with the Lily to have them travel along the Song River to Ash City."

"You're going to use the 'Lily'?" Shadow exclaimed in surprise. "That's Your Highness's only naval force!"

Although New Song City is not allowed to possess its own military armed forces, there are still many loopholes to exploit. For example, military forces nominally supported by money, operating in the form of mercenaries, are no longer subject to restrictions. The armed merchant ship "Lily" is one such force.

For the newly established Song City, which was in dire need of development and had invested most of its funds in building a new home, the "Lily" ship represented the entirety of Song City's naval military force! One ship, and that was the entire navy of Song City!

"Won't this arouse suspicion and attention from the Blue Dynasty?" Shadow asked. "Besides, this is too risky. The Lily is the seed of the Song Dynasty's navy."

"The seeds of the army are the people of the Song Dynasty. If we do not go all out to rescue them when the imperial edict is issued, the people of Song will be disappointed in me and in the entire Song Dynasty." Song Jiqin said, "Then the Song Dynasty will truly be doomed."

"As for the Blue Dynasty, I will personally go to Thousand Tower City to ask them for help. Given the political climate in the Blue Dynasty, they won't send much assistance. We'll have to rely on ourselves. At the same time, I can offer myself as a hostage to get them to tacitly approve of your Sword Pavilion's mobilization."

“Your Highness, a wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall,” Shadow said. “Why would you do that? What if the Blue Dynasty takes the opportunity to place you under house arrest?”

“If the Lan Dynasty wants to place me under house arrest, then let them. With their power, they can do it anytime. I don’t need to go to Thousand Towers City to place me under house arrest,” Song Jiqin said casually. “Besides, there’s another part to what you said.”

"What's the other sentence?" Shadow asked, startled.

“Those who die fulfilling their duty are destined for a just end,” said Song Jiqin.

"The situation is urgent and there is no time to waste. We must act immediately. I will make all the necessary arrangements before leaving New Song City. If I do not return, my wife will temporarily act as the city lord. She is a princess of the Blue Dynasty and will be less feared. The actual administrative affairs will be handled by the King and the two ministers..."

Shadow listened intently, memorizing every single word.

Even though he knew he didn't need to write these words down, Song Jiqin was just telling him once, and he would make proper arrangements before taking action.

...

Upon arriving at the expert's residence, Chen Jing was led by the expert to a basement.

Experts lifted the covers in the warehouse, revealing a staircase leading downwards.

"Master, there's an underground passage here. When was it built?" Chen Jing asked, looking at the dark, bottomless passage.

The expert with the long knife at his side didn't turn around: "It was built for air defense during the war of ruins."

"Wasn't Ash City a wasteland during the Ruins War? It was built here by later people," Chen Jing asked, puzzled.

Ash City was built by scavengers after the War of Ruins. It started as a small supply depot, a small trading market, and a refuge, but it gradually grew into a city.

“It’s wasteland, but beneath this wasteland lies…” The expert swung his fist, using a martial arts technique to ignite it and create a lighting effect.

The deep stone steps stretched downwards, and every breath Chen Jing took in and out carried an inescapable chill and dampness.

“There is a standing military base. Although there was no one there when we found this place, it was this base that helped us survive the most dangerous period. Come down.”

Chen Jing looked at the tunnel entrance and felt something was off. The people using long swords as weapons were leading him into a military base used for air defense.

Chen Jing didn't say anything, but continued to follow, and followed the expert into a very small room.

"Where is this...?" Chen Jing asked, puzzled.

"Jiange sets up shrines at every military base." The expert punched again, keeping the flames burning.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!