Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

Autumn in the capital is usually the most pleasant season.

In previous years, at this time, the red leaves on the Western Hills resembled clusters of burning flames, attracting dignitaries, scholars, and literati from the city to flock out of the city to climb the hills and appreciate the autumn scenery.

The shops along Chang'an Avenue are dazzling, and the cries of vendors can be heard from dawn to sunset.

But now, this vast capital city is as silent as a giant tomb.

The autumn wind swept across the empty streets, swirling up a few withered yellow leaves and scattering scraps of paper all over the ground.

The city gates were already tightly closed, and behind the heavy iron gates were piles of sacks filled with sand.

On the city wall, there was a guard every five steps and a sentry every ten steps.

The most elite troops of the Ming Dynasty, the Beijing Garrison and the Shenji Battalion, were all fully armed and guarded the battlements as if facing a formidable enemy.

The usually imposing Red Barbarian General Cannon, though polished to a gleaming shine, now pointed directly eastward.

But the gunners standing guard by the gun emplacements couldn't help but tremble slightly in the hands holding the torches.

Fear, like an invisible dark cloud, pressed heavily on the hearts of every Ming soldier.

Outside Fengtian Gate of the Forbidden City.

Emperor Chengping, Zhu Youzhen, did not wear the bright yellow dragon robe, but instead put on a set of dark gold mountain-patterned armor.

He stood quietly on the white marble steps, a sword of the emperor at his waist, gazing at the hazy eastern sky.

Time has etched deep lines on this emperor's face, and the graying temples appear particularly desolate in the autumn wind.

But his straight back remained as it had been taught when the Grand Tutor was alive.

Like a spear piercing the sky, it would rather break than bend.

"Your Majesty, you should retreat to the Qianqing Palace for the time being. It's windy outside, and your health..."

Grand Secretary Song Yin stood beside Zhu Youzhen, his face also showing signs of weariness and vicissitude.

This once-powerful God of Wealth, who had controlled the nation's finances, now spoke with a deep sense of powerlessness.

Zhu Youzhen slowly shook his head, his gaze still fixed on the east.

"Retreat? Retreat to where? Can those few wooden doors of the Qianqing Palace stop those flying swords from overseas?"

Zhu Youzhen's lips curled into a bitter smile.

He reached out and patted the Emperor's Sword at his waist, his voice low but resolute.

"Back then, the Grand Tutor taught me that the rules of the Ming Dynasty were established by cannons and silver. The emperor of the Ming Dynasty should have the backbone of the Ming Dynasty."

"In the past half of my life, I have expanded the sea frontiers and pacified the four barbarian tribes. I can say that I have not disgraced the foundation laid by my ancestors, nor have I failed the teachings of the Grand Tutor."

Zhu Youzhen turned his head and looked at Song Yin, his eyes slightly red.

"Minister Song, those people are no ordinary men. Our warships, which we are so proud of, are nothing more than broken planks in their eyes."

"Tianjin has fallen. The 100,000 soldiers in the Tongzhou camp were killed or wounded before they could even touch the hem of the enemy's clothes."

"I know that the capital cannot be defended."

Song Yin knelt down on the cold gold bricks with a thud, tears streaming down his face.

"Your Majesty! As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn! I have already arranged for the Imperial Guard's elite soldiers to escort His Highness the Crown Prince and his family from the harem out of the city through a secret passage and head south to Jinling."

"Your Majesty, please come with us! As long as Your Majesty lives, the Ming Dynasty will endure!"

"I'm not leaving."

Zhu Youzhen drew half of the Emperor's Sword, its chilling light reflecting in his bloodshot eyes.

"In the Ming Dynasty, there were only emperors who died in battle, not cowards who fled."

"The emperor guards the nation's gates, and the monarch dies for the state."

"If I were to flee, how would the people of the world view the Zhu family? How could I face my ancestors and the Grand Tutor in the afterlife?"

Zhu Youzhen sheathed his sword, and with a wave of his sleeve, the emperor's majesty burned like a raging fire.

"Order the commanders of the nine gates! No one is to retreat even a single step! When the cannons are exhausted, use the muskets; when the muskets are exhausted, use your swords; if your swords are dulled, bite them!"

"Today, I stand here outside Fengtian Gate and watch how they destroy my Great Ming Dynasty!"

Song Yin lay prostrate on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, but could no longer utter a single word of comfort.

Faced with absolute superhuman power, the courage and strategy of mortals appear both tragic and pale.

Tongzhou is a vital transportation hub, located only a few dozen miles from the capital.

This place was originally the most prosperous canal port in the Ming Dynasty, where merchant ships from all over the world gathered.

But now, this place has been turned into scorched earth.

Thick smoke billowed into the sky, warehouses at the canal wharf were ablaze, and countless wrecked warships of the Ming Dynasty navy floated on the river.

The blood stained the canal water a shocking dark red.

On a high ground outside Tongzhou City.

Three people dressed in moon-white tall crowns and long robes were floating in mid-air, several feet above the ground.

They were surrounded by a faint blue light, like gods descending from the heavens, looking down at the battlefield below, which was like a living hell.

The leader was a young man who looked to be only in his early thirties.

He had a handsome face, even with a touch of the supernatural, and a red mark between his eyebrows that looked like a vertical eye.

He toyed with a crystal-clear jade ruyi in his hand, looking down at the remnants of the Ming army who were still fighting desperately.

His eyes were full of mockery and contempt, like a cat playing with a mouse.

This person was named Ying Que, a true disciple of the "Penglai Sect" on the overseas immortal island.

Although they may not be among the top ranks on the island, they are already an unparalleled existence in the mortal world.

"Senior brother, these mortals do have quite a bit of guts. Those hidden weapons that look like fire pokers, and those iron balls that lumps of iron shoot out, are quite powerful."

"If it were those outer disciples who hadn't yet established their foundations, they would probably suffer even more."

Beside Ying Que, a beautiful female cultivator covered her mouth and chuckled. Her gaze swept over a Shenji Battalion soldier below who was aiming a musket at them, and a hint of disgust flashed in her eyes.

Ying Que snorted coldly and gently tossed the jade ruyi in his hand.

The jade ruyi grew larger in mid-air, instantly transforming into a dazzling white light.

It struck the Ming army formation below like a bolt of lightning.

"boom!"

A deafening roar.

The hundreds of Shenji Battalion soldiers who were holding their ground in formation, along with the cannons behind them, were instantly torn to pieces by the bombardment of this white light.

Limbs and severed bodies, along with dirt and scraps of iron, were thrown into the air before crashing to the ground like a rain of blood.

"An ant is still an ant."

Ying Que put away the jade ruyi, his eyes revealing a condescending indifference.

"We have been in seclusion on the Immortal Island for two thousand years, and we thought that the Central Plains of China had long become a barren land with depleted spiritual energy. But we never expected that these mortals would come up with such strange and ingenious skills and dare to disturb our Immortal Sect's peaceful cultivation."

"Today, let's teach them a lesson, wipe out this mortal dynasty, and rebuild the foundation of our Great Qin Immortal Dynasty."

"Senior brother is right. The masters of this world should rightfully be those of us who have glimpsed the Great Dao. Those mortal emperors have been usurping divine artifacts for far too long."

Another male cultivator echoed this.

Ying Que raised his head and gazed at the majestic outline of the capital city in the west.

"Send a message to the elders in the rear, saying that Tongzhou has fallen. My two fellow disciples and I will go ahead to the Forbidden City and take the head of that mortal emperor as a congratulatory gift to the sect leader."

Having said that, Ying Que waved his sleeve.

A cloud rose from beneath their feet, carrying the three of them like immortals on a tour, drifting leisurely towards the capital.

They are not in a hurry.

The most interesting part of a cat catching a mouse is delivering the fatal blow when the mouse is at its most desperate and fearful.

They want all the mortals in the world to see it for themselves.

How laughable and vulnerable that lofty imperial power is in the face of the immortal path!

On the official road outside Tongzhou City.

The once flat and wide dirt road was now crowded with people fleeing in panic, their families in tow.

The cries, shouts for help, and the wails of children mingled together, creating a tragic picture of a living hell.

An out-of-control carriage rampaged through the crowd, knocking down several elderly and infirm people who couldn't avoid it in time. The wheels mercilessly ran over them, leaving several bloody marks.

But no one dared to stop and help them up.

All that remained in everyone's eyes was extreme fear of what lay behind them, and they fled desperately westward.

In this crowd going against the flow.

A man wearing a faded blue cloth robe was walking slowly eastward against the surging crowd, his hands behind his back.

He walked slowly, his pace as leisurely as if he were strolling in his own backyard.

But the surging crowds of refugees, the runaway horses, and even the heavy crates knocked over by the crowd.

Just as you're about to touch his body, you'll be gently pushed away by an invisible and gentle force.

He did so like a drop of water entering the ocean, without causing the slightest ripple.

Yet, amidst the chaos of the world, they carved out a smooth path for themselves.

Li Changqing looked around at the desolate scene that resembled the end of the world.

A flicker of pity and deep anger flashed in those eyes that had witnessed a century of vicissitudes.