Chapter Summaries

Zhang Liao led the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry in a surprise charge that shattered the Northern Barbarians’ front line and drove halfway up Great Jade Mountain. Tuoba Wanli arrived at the battlefield and saw the heavy cavalry rampaging through his troops, while the battle continued.

• The Tiger and Leopard Cavalry surprised the Northern Barbarian defenders, whose arrows could not pierce their cold-forged armor.
• Zhang Liao led ten thousand cavalry through several defensive lines and advanced toward Tuoba Wanli’s main camp.
• Jia Xu praised Zhang Liao’s attack, and Lin Yi sent Bai Zizai and the others forward.
• Ao Shuang told Tuoba Qingsong that the front line could not stop the cavalry, and Tuoba Qingsong ordered a retreat while he sought his father’s instructions.
• Tuoba Qingsong reported the collapse to Tuoba Wanli, who rode to the battlefield and saw the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry crushing his troops.

Tuoba Wanli committed the Wolf Cavalry against Lin Yi’s heavy cavalry and sent troops to guard the flanks, while Lin Yi’s forces advanced up Great Jade Mountain. Bai Zizai took the Asura Army into battle against the Wolf Cavalry to avenge his son, and the two forces collided in a bloody clash.

• Tuoba Wanli ordered the fifty thousand Wolf Cavalry to engage Lin Yi’s heavy cavalry and sent Tuoba Qingsong and Tuoba Qingshan to defend the flanks.
• Tuoba Wanli asked Ashina Dubi to summon reinforcements, intending to overwhelm Lin Yi’s army.
• After Xiliang advanced halfway up the mountain, the Wolf Cavalry charged toward the Tiger Cavalry while another force moved against the Leopard Cavalry and the Vanguard Dare-to-Die Warriors.
• Bai Zizai asked Lin Yi to let him fight the Wolf Cavalry, whose soldiers had killed his son, and Lin Yi agreed.
• Bai Zizai led the Asura Army forward, traded arrow volleys with the Wolf Cavalry, and challenged their commander, Yelü Sheng.
• The Asura Army and the Wolf Cavalry charged into each other, and blood flowed across the battlefield.

The Asura Army and Tiger and Leopard Cavalry overwhelmed Yelü Sheng’s wolf cavalry, while Bai Zizai killed Yelü Sheng in single combat. Asili tried to retreat, but Gao Shun’s Formation-Breaking Camp and Qu Yi’s Vanguard Dare-to-Die Warriors moved to trap his forces.

• The Asura Army attacked the wolf cavalry with savage fury, and Bai Zizai led his guards toward Yelü Sheng.
• Bai Zizai broke Yelü Sheng’s saber, trampled him with his horse, and beheaded him.
• The wolf cavalry tried to break out but ran into the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, which joined the Asura Army in slaughtering them.
• Asili ordered his remaining troops to retreat as the Formation-Breaking Camp and Vanguard Dare-to-Die Warriors blocked their path with a charge and volleys of arrows.
• Asili looked toward the mountain and hoped his king would come to save him.

Tuoba Wanli’s forces suffered defeats on both flanks as Lin Yi’s army prepared to launch its all-out assault. After Gongsun Zan’s signal confirmed a breakthrough, Lin Yi decided to join the battlefield himself.

• Tuoba Wanli sent Aertai with one hundred thousand troops to rescue Asili, whose cavalry was trapped by Lin Yi’s infantry.
• The White Horse Volunteers routed the Third Prince’s forces on the right flank, while Ma Chao’s Xiliang Iron Cavalry killed more than fifty thousand troops and blocked the left flank.
• Fireworks signaled that Gongsun Zan had broken through the left flank, and Lin Yi ordered the all-out assault.
• Jia Xu deployed Xiliang’s legions, and he told Lin Yi that Tuoba Wanli was as good as finished.
• Lin Yi told Xu Chu he would enter the battle and follow behind the advancing troops on Red Hare.

Tuoba Wanli’s army was surrounded after Ma Chao’s forces broke through, so he ordered a desperate charge toward Yulong City. Lin Yi and his reinforcements moved to stop the escape, trapping the Northern Barbarians under a deadly barrage.

• Tuoba Wanli learned that both wings had fallen and his army was surrounded, then rallied his soldiers to fight their way back to Yulong City.
• Tuoba Wanli led the charge toward Ma Chao, who used divine crossbows, cavalry barriers, and explosive satchels to slow the Northern Barbarians.
• Tuoba Wanli ordered his guards to clear a path through their own panicked troops as Gongsun Zan’s White Horse Volunteers approached.
• Lin Yi ordered his forces to the battlefield, while Zhang Liao’s Tiger and Leopard Cavalry broke through the enemy blocking force.
• Zhang Liao’s cavalry, the Asura Army, and the Vanguard Dare-to-Die Warriors attacked Tuoba Wanli’s main formation and cut down the Northern Barbarian soldiers with crossbow fire.

Lin Yi’s Xiliang army annihilated the encircled Northern Barbarians, and Tuoba Wanli’s surrender offer was rejected. Lin Yi killed Tuoba Wanli and Ashina Dubi, then celebrated victory with his troops.

• Lin Yi ordered his men to kill the captured Northern Barbarians, and the Xiliang army rained arrows on the encircled forces.
• The Northern Barbarian army dwindled under the assault, and Tuoba Wanli offered to surrender if Lin Yi spared his brothers.
• Bai Zizai rejected the surrender and led the cavalry in destroying the remaining Northern Barbarian troops, capturing Tuoba Wanli and Ashina Dubi.
• Lin Yi revealed that he had sent Xu Zhong to intercept Tuoba Wanli’s eldest son, then killed Tuoba Wanli and Ashina Dubi.
• Lin Yi reached the summit and announced the victory as the Xiliang soldiers celebrated.

After Lin Yi's forces annihilated the Northern Barbarian army at Great Jade Mountain, he celebrated the victory and received powerful system rewards, including Zhao Zilong, Guo Jia, and two armies. The chapter ended with Wang Yue reporting that Great Ning had launched a five-hundred-thousand-strong attack on Xiliang, leaving Lin Yi to decide whether to send reinforcements.

• Lin Yi celebrated the victory at Great Jade Mountain and promised promotions and rewards to the soldiers.
• Duan Yingxiong and Wang Chengfei arrived, saw the battlefield, and praised Lin Yi for crushing the Northern Barbarians.
• Lin Yi received system rewards: Zhao Zilong, Guo Jia, the Wudang Flying Army led by Wang Ping, and one hundred thousand Hanzhong Infantry.
• Wang Yue told Lin Yi that Great Ning had begun a joint attack on Xiliang with five hundred thousand troops.
• Lin Yi considered the report, noting that the Northern Barbarians were nearly defeated and that he could leave troops behind to deal with them.

Lin Yi prepared to return south and attack Great Ning while leaving Jia Xu to oversee the Northern Barbarians’ defeat. As Ning Kun’s forces struggled against Xiliang, news that Lin Yi had annihilated Tuoba Wanli’s five-hundred-thousand-strong army left Ning Kun and his advisers questioning their intelligence.

• Jia Xu advised Lin Yi to leave the Formation-Breaking Camp and Asura Army behind to finish conquering the Northern Barbarians, and Lin Yi appointed Jia Xu to lead them south afterward.
• Lin Yi ordered Zhang Liao and Ma Chao to prepare to return to Xiliang the next day.
• Shangguan Yun’s three-hundred-thousand-strong army failed to capture Great Ning Port and retreated under Gan Ning’s naval harassment.
• Ning Kun’s three-hundred-thousand troops suffered losses against Jiang Wei at Youning Commandery, prompting Tao Xianfang and others to suspect their intelligence about Xiliang’s strength was false.
• A scout reported that Lin Yi had annihilated Tuoba Wanli’s five-hundred-thousand-strong army at Great Jade Mountain, and Ning Kun’s camp reacted with disbelief.

Ning Kun learned that Lin Yi had defeated the Northern Barbarians at Great Jade Mountain and feared Lin Yi would unite the north and threaten Great Ning. He requested reinforcements as unrest spread across the empire and capital residents questioned the court’s decision to attack Xiliang.

• Ning Kun ordered Wang Xiaoyi to investigate reports that Lin Yi had defeated the Northern Barbarians, then questioned captured refugees about the battle.
• The Northern Barbarians told Ning Kun that Lin Yi had defeated their king and killed five hundred thousand troops at Great Jade Mountain.
• Ning Kun and his officers feared Lin Yi would become the King of the North and counterattack, so Ning Kun sent an urgent dispatch to the emperor requesting reinforcements.
• Residents in Great Ning’s capital discussed attacks on the empire’s borders and criticized the court for sending troops to suppress Xiliang.
• A bystander ordered men to drive away the residents for discussing state affairs, while the crowd looked anxiously toward a nearby restaurant.

Emperor Li Anlan met with former chancellor Lu Yafu to discuss Great Ning’s mounting crises and the threat posed by Lin Yi. An urgent dispatch from Great Wasteland Commandery left Li Anlan so shaken that he slumped onto the dragon throne, though the report’s contents remained unrevealed.

• Li Anlan challenged Lu Yafu for ignoring Great Ning’s dangers, and Lu Yafu warned that Lin Yi and the Prince of Northern Liang posed a greater threat than pirates or barbarians.
• Lu Yafu explained that Lin Yi had won Xiliang’s allegiance and that its commoners were helping resist Great Ning’s northern expedition.
• An eight-hundred-li express dispatch from Great Wasteland Commandery arrived, and Li Anlan ordered Wei Kuang to bring Lu Yafu back to the palace.
• Li Anlan read Ning Kun’s report and slumped onto the dragon throne, alarming Lu Yafu and the senior ministers.
• Zhang Zhiwei asked whether the northern rebellion was responsible, and Li Anlan replied that the situation was worse than that.

Li Anlan and his ministers learned that Lin Yi had defeated Tuoba Wanli and destroyed an army of five hundred thousand Northern Barbarians, leaving the north unified under Lin Yi’s power. Seeing an opportunity to act, Li Anlan ordered a three-hundred-thousand-man levy funded by the Privy Treasury to support the northern expedition.

• Zhang Zhiwei and the ministers read a memorial reporting that Lin Yi had defeated Tuoba Wanli and wiped out five hundred thousand Northern Barbarians.
• The ministers feared Lin Yi’s growing power, while Tan Cheng worried that Lin Yi would soon move south.
• Zhang Cong praised Lin Yi’s victory and urged Li Anlan to reward him generously.
• Zhang Zhiwei argued that Lin Yi’s army must have suffered heavy losses and suggested that Li Anlan send troops to help him.
• Li Anlan decided to recruit three hundred thousand troops for the northern expedition, with the Privy Treasury providing the funds.

News spread that Lin Yi had destroyed a five-hundred-thousand-strong Northern Barbarian army, shocking Great Ning and the southern chieftains. As Jiang Li’s son-in-law, Li Siyuan described Lin Yi’s power and considered seeking his help for revenge, while the chieftains feared what would happen once the north was unified.

• People across Great Ning spread news that Lin Yi had wiped out five hundred thousand Northern Barbarians at Great Jade Mountain, and they worried he might soon rival Emperor Li Anlan.
• The southern chieftains gathered under Jiang Li to assess the news and asked Li Siyuan, Jiang Li’s son-in-law, what he knew of Lin Yi.
• Li Siyuan recalled that Lin Yi commanded Xiliang, cowed the northern great clans, and was revered by the Western Regions, and he judged the news likely true.
• Li Siyuan privately saw Lin Yi’s conflict with the emperor as a chance to gain the power he needed for revenge.
• Jiang Li warned that the Northern Barbarians’ destruction would eventually leave the southern chieftains exposed to either Great Ning or Xiliang.

Li Siyuan arranged for rumors to proclaim Lin Yi Northern Emperor, hoping to provoke Emperor Li Anlan into attacking him. At Liangshan Pass, Lin Rusong learned that Lin Yi had avenged his mother and destroyed the Northern Barbarians, and wept with relief.

• A southern chieftain proposed waiting for the Prince of Xiliang and the emperor to exhaust each other before seizing their lands, but a Net arrow killed him as a warning.
• Jiang Li persuaded the chieftains to abandon plans to intervene and ordered A Mao to spy on Great Ning and Xiliang so they could choose a side after the war.
• Li Siyuan secretly ordered his deathsworn to spread a story that the southern chieftains recognized Lin Yi as Northern Emperor, intending to provoke Li Anlan.
• At Liangshan Pass, Lin Rusong received news that Lin Yi had annihilated five hundred thousand Northern Barbarian soldiers, killed Tuoba Wanli, and slain Ashina Dubi, and he wept with relief.

After Lin Yi’s victory destroyed the Northern Barbarians, Lin Rusong prepared to launch a campaign against Great Ning and force Wang Yining to write a proclamation. Zhao Yun arrived with Lin Yi’s token and letter, stopping him and prompting Lin Rusong to travel to Xiliang to hear his son’s plans.

• Lin Rusong and his generals celebrated Lin Yi’s revenge for Northern Liang after learning the Northern Barbarians had lost five hundred thousand troops and their leaders.
• Lin Rusong challenged Wang Yining to recognize Lin Yi’s achievement, while Wang Yining privately worried that Lin Yi’s power threatened Great Ning.
• Lin Rusong revealed he had kept Wang Yining alive so he could write a proclamation against Great Ning, and Wang agreed under threat to himself and his family.
• Zhao Yun arrived with Lin Yi’s message saying Lin Rusong need not bear the infamy of rebellion.
• Lin Rusong read Lin Yi’s letter, ordered the proclamation materials put away, and set out for Xiliang to learn what his son intended.

Lin Yi learned that rival powers were exploiting the Northern Barbarians’ defeat and that Li Siyuan had named him the Northern Emperor. He ordered a major offensive against Great Wasteland Commandery and Ning Kun’s forces, leaving Li Anlan’s campaign against Xiliang facing an even larger rebellion.

• Lin Yi reviewed intelligence about Li Anlan’s troop buildup, Guan Yu’s raids, and unrest among the southern chieftains and Great Ning’s clans.
• Guo Jia told Lin Yi that Li Siyuan had publicly honored him as the Northern Emperor, a move meant to provoke Li Anlan into attacking Xiliang.
• Lin Yi ordered Guo Jia to cut back on wine after Dong Feng warned that his health was seriously impaired.
• Lin Yi sent Gongsun Zan, Zhang Liao, and Ma Chao to attack Great Wasteland Commandery and the Mountain and River Commandery area, then destroy Ning Kun’s army.
• Lin Yi ordered Guan Yu to send an elite unit to harass Ning Kun’s rear while continuing to cause trouble across Great Ning.

Lin Yi assured Guo Jia that he had arranged a way to defeat Great Ning without making Lin Rusong bear the infamy of rebellion. When Lin Rusong caught up with him, he brought the Lin Clan Genealogy as a possible legitimate claim to rule, but Lin Yi said he had already secured Great Ning’s defeat.

• Guo Jia urged Lin Yi to exploit Great Ning’s confusion and launch a surprise attack, but Lin Yi said he had made other arrangements to spare Lin Rusong the stigma of rebellion.
• Wang Yue told Lin Yi that Lin Rusong was coming, and Lin Yi ordered the convoy to wait for him.
• Lin Rusong reunited with Lin Yi, checked that he was unharmed, and praised Xu Chu as a fierce warrior.
• Lin Rusong gave Lin Yi the Lin Clan Genealogy and explained that their ancestors had founded the Great Lang and Great Xuan dynasties, offering a legitimate banner for restoring their rule.
• Lin Yi considered the old dynasties’ claim far-fetched and assured Lin Rusong that Great Ning had no power to change its fate.

Lin Yi told Lin Rusong that his forces had Great Ning pinned down, then presented him with the heads of Tuoba Wanli and Ashina Dubi. After returning to Ping'an City as the celebrated savior of the north, Lin Yi reunited with Cai Yan and declared the Northern Barbarians no longer a threat.

• Lin Yi told Lin Rusong that the East Sea Pirates and his Western Regions army, alongside the forces in Xiliang, had Great Ning cornered.
• Lin Yi gave Lin Rusong the heads of Tuoba Wanli and Ashina Dubi, and Lin Rusong ordered them displayed for the people of the north.
• Lin Yi and Lin Rusong entered Xiliang City, where crowds cheered Lin Yi for defeating the Northern Barbarians.
• Lin Rusong praised Lin Yi for winning the people's support, and the procession continued to Ping'an City.
• Cai Yan welcomed Lin Yi, who embraced her and said the Northern Barbarians could no longer threaten the north.

After returning from defeating the Northern Barbarians, Lin Yi heard that Li Anlan had committed nearly eight hundred thousand troops to attacking Xiliang. Lin Yi reviewed the enemy’s deployments and prepared to face the emperor’s all-in gamble.

• Princess Shenle congratulated Lin Yi on his victory and realized he was likely about to move against her father, the emperor of Great Ning.
• Wang Zijin regretted having once looked down on Lin Yi as he returned to Xiliang in triumph.
• Xun Yu and Chen Qun welcomed Lin Yi, while Xiliang’s commoners cursed the emperor for attacking their prince during his campaign against the Northern Barbarians.
• Lin Yi sent Princess Shenle and Wenji to the rear courtyard, then asked Xun Yu about the situation in Wuning Commandery and Great Wasteland Commandery.
• Xun Yu reported that Li Anlan’s forces had withdrawn to await three hundred thousand reinforcements, and Lin Yi reviewed documents showing the emperor had committed nearly eight hundred thousand troops to the northern front.

Lin Yi prepared to attack Great Ning, using fabricated-looking evidence and aristocratic families to accuse Li Anlan of colluding with the Northern Barbarians and betraying his country. After ordering a proclamation and a march in two days, he reunited with Cai Yan.

• Lin Yi decided that Li Anlan's last gamble had failed and announced that he would move against Great Ning.
• Lin Yi showed Lin Rusong a brocade document bearing Tuoba Wanli's and Li Anlan's handprints, claiming it proved Li Anlan had colluded with the enemy.
• Lin Yi ordered Xun Yu to draft a denunciation and instructed northern and southern aristocratic families to endorse it and spread the accusations.
• Lin Yi told his followers to rest and prepare to march on Great Ning in two days, giving the proclamation time to circulate.
• Lin Yi went to the rear courtyard, where Cai Yan welcomed him, and carried her into the room.

Lin Yi learned that the Northern Barbarians had been completely conquered and received a gift pack of powerful troops, generals, and weapon plans. As he prepared to stir unrest against Li Anlan, nearly three hundred thousand Xiliang cavalry attacked Great Wasteland Commandery, forcing Ning Kun to organize its defense.

• Cai Yan told Lin Yi that the people of Xiliang had volunteered to transport supplies and equipment for the war.
• The system rewarded Lin Yi for annihilating the Northern Barbarians with Zhang Jiao, Zhang Liang, Zhang Bao, Huang Zhong, the Youzhou Legion, Divine Fire Flying Crow plans, and the Heirloom Seal of the Realm.
• Lin Yi ordered Wang Yue to deliver the Divine Fire Flying Crow plans to Ma Jun and instructed the Zhang brothers to spread a denunciation of Li Anlan.
• Ning Kun learned that the thirty thousand defenders at Great Wasteland Commandery had been wiped out by an approaching force of nearly three hundred thousand cavalry.
• Ning Kun ordered Zhang Dajun to lead a hundred thousand troops to defend Great Wasteland Commandery.