Night Crossing the Yi River, Iron Sails Raised, Shattering the Yan Pass in the Endless Night

"What of the Blood-Clad Army? Even if they are unstoppable, they are still flesh and blood. They have not grown wings—can they possibly fly across the raging Yi Water?"

Atop the towering walls of Yi Water Pass, Qing Qin stood clad in heavy armor, sword in hand. His gaze swept across the neatly arrayed soldiers below, his voice booming like a bell, every word piercing straight into their hearts as he bolstered the defenders' morale.

"The Yi Water surges on, its currents fierce! Every bridge that could bypass this pass has long since been torn down by us and sunk to the riverbed! If they wish to force a crossing and assault us, it would be no different from climbing to the heavens to pluck the moon—harder than ascending to the sky!"

"Even if they truly dare to force a crossing, we hold the high ground! The walls are guarded by giant defensive ballistae, with thousands of archers standing ready. If we strike from above, they will be nothing but living targets, fit only to be beaten!"

"Even if you know nothing of military strategy, do you not understand the principle of 'striking from above, advancing like bamboo splitting open'?"

Before him, row after row of soldiers stood ramrod straight. Though their armor was somewhat old, it remained orderly.

These soldiers had all been urgently transferred in a short time from several cities between Yi Water Pass and Ji City. In recent days, they had learned that they had come here to resist the Blood-Clad Army, and their morale had remained low.

The Blood-Clad Army's fearsome name had long spread through every state. Wherever that army passed, cities fell and defending forces scattered. Their devastating strength, crushing everything in its path, had filled these men with fear from the bottom