Empress, please lay down your armor, for I will save the world with a single sword!

Emerging from the high walls and deep courtyards of the Northern Yong Prince's Mansion

The sun outside was already shining brightly, making the bluestone pavement reflect light.

As Wu Liang walked down the street, his mind was still replaying the conversation at Qiyun Courtyard last night and Yan Hai's recruitment pitch this morning. His thoughts were a jumbled mess, and he couldn't make sense of it.

Alright, just thinking about it in silence won't do any good; I also need to listen.

He wandered over again and arrived at the same teahouse as yesterday.

As soon as I entered, wow, it was still as lively as ever.

The place was bustling with noise, the aroma of tea mingled with the smoke, and the shouts of waiters and the laughter of tea drinkers filled the air.

He was looking for an empty seat when a shout from the stage caught his ear.

The gaunt old storyteller pounded his gavel with tremendous force, spitting almost onto the faces of the tea drinkers in the first row, as he got into the story:

"...If we were to name the most impregnable and formidable defensive line in the world today, which one inspires fear in the enemy?"

"Hey! That has to be the Broken Desert Heavenly Wall Formation, created single-handedly by our old King of Beiyong, who spent ten years of his life on it!"

The Broken Desert Skywall Formation?

Wu Liang paused, the name itself sounded imposing.

He quickly stood on tiptoe, scanned the room, and spotted a table against the wall with half of it empty. He immediately squeezed over and plopped down.

I had just sat down when I turned my head and burst out laughing.

The man sitting next to me, with his pointed face and monkey-like cheeks, wearing that familiar silk robe, wasn't he the idle man who broke the news of the abdication in the capital yesterday?

The idler also saw him, paused for a moment, then grinned, revealing his uneven, yellow teeth, and greeted him with a smile: "Hey! Brother, it's you again? Here for tea and storytelling again?"

Wu Liang smiled and nodded, "Yes, what's your name, brother?"

"Haha, just call me Zhao Si! Don't be so formal, brother!" Zhao Si waved his hand, acting like a familiar friend.

At this time,

The old storyteller's voice rose several octaves, drawing the attention of both of them:

"Why do I dare say that? Ladies and gentlemen, you may not know this! This Broken Desert Heavenly Wall Formation is no ordinary city wall or pass! It is an impregnable fortress painstakingly built by our Northern Yong King, drawing upon the power of heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers! A true national bulwark!"

The old man gestured with a famous hand gesture, as if the great formation was right before his eyes:

"On the front, there are three strategic passes that block the only passage for the nomadic barbarians to move south! On both sides, the mighty Cangjiang River forms a natural barrier! And there are thousands of beacon towers, like keen eyes and ears! As for the Black Wind Gorge on the flank, hehe, it's a natural fortress that even birds can hardly cross!"

He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, spittle flying from his mouth:

"Ten whole years have passed since the completion of this Broken Desert Skywall Formation! How many times have those wolf cubs from the Northern Desert, relying on their powerful cavalry, marched south, trying to take our place? And what was the result? They all ended up with broken heads and blood, not even getting to touch the bricks of our passes and city walls!"

Finally, he struck the gavel heavily, his words resolute:

"If you ask me, this single Desert Skywall Formation is worth three hundred thousand elite soldiers!"

"good!"

"The King of Beiyong is mighty!"

The audience cheered loudly, and many tea drinkers felt proud, their faces beaming.

The old storyteller bowed with satisfaction, took a sip of tea, and slowly stepped off the stage to rest.

The hall was once again filled with a buzz of discussion.

Wu Liang sat there, his heart pounding like a cat's claws. This "Broken Desert Heavenly Wall Formation"... is it really that miraculous? Can it withstand 300,000 soldiers? Is it just hype? But looking at the storyteller and the tea drinkers' confident expressions, it didn't seem like a baseless rumor.

He turned his head and looked at Zhao Si beside him.

This guy is well-informed and travels the streets; we had a pretty good chat yesterday.

Fourth Brother.

Wu Liang smiled, somewhat curious, "This 'Broken Desert Heavenly Wall Formation' they're talking about on stage... is it really that powerful? Can it withstand 300,000 soldiers? This... isn't just an exaggeration, something they've made up, is it?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Si glanced at Wu Liang sideways and snorted, his expression as if he were looking at a country bumpkin who had never seen the world.

"You little brat, you really have no taste! You don't even know about the treasures that guard our borders and are part of our family's wealth?"

Wu Liang wasn't annoyed. He chuckled, scratched his head, and adopted a sincere "I'm just a country bumpkin" attitude: "Fourth Brother, to be honest, I come from that remote corner of Guyu City. Where I'm from, the mountains are high and the emperor is far away, news is very scarce, like a sealed-off box. I really haven't heard much about these important military and national affairs. I hope you can give me some pointers, Fourth Brother, so I can broaden my horizons!"

As he spoke,

He gestured towards the counter and called out in a loud voice, "Waiter! Bring me a pot of good wine! And a few plates of the finest pastries and seasonal fruits! Hurry up!"

Zhao Si's eyes lit up immediately, his disdain vanished, and he burst into laughter, patting Wu Liang's shoulder forcefully.

"Alright! You're a true brother! Well then, I'll give you a good talking to today, so you'll understand exactly where Bei Yong's confidence comes from!"

Soon, wine, snacks, and fruits were served and laid out on the table.

Zhao Si didn't stand on ceremony. He picked up a pastry and popped it into his mouth, then slurped down a sip of wine before wiping his mouth and launching into a long explanation: "This Broken Desert Heavenly Wall Formation sounds mysterious, but to put it simply, it's just three main parts: the Three Throat-Locking Barriers, the Cangjiang Natural Barrier, and the Beacon Towers for Signalling. They're all interconnected, incredibly powerful!"

He started counting on his fingers and began to explain in detail:

"Let's start with these three strategic passes: Iron Blade Pass, Falling Rock Pass, and North Guard Pass! They're situated on the narrow path that's the only way south from the grasslands, built along the steep mountainside. The terrain there, wow, it's truly a place where one man can hold off ten thousand!"

"The key is that these three checkpoints are not isolated; they support each other and are arranged in a triangular formation."

"For example, if the enemy launches a fierce attack on Iron Blade Pass, Falling Stone Pass and Zhenbei Pass can then flank you from the side with powerful bows and crossbows, firing relentlessly! You won't have a moment's peace as you attack the city! Who can withstand that?"

Wu Liang listened and nodded subconsciously.

This arrangement is indeed ingenious.

Zhao Si took a sip of his drink and continued, "Even if you're lucky, or stubborn enough to actually conquer all three passes, hey, what awaits you after that is the Cangjiang River!"

He gestured with his hands, saying, "The river is so wide you can't see the other side, and the current is as swift as a galloping horse! And that's not all, the watchtowers on both banks are as dense as a forest! And what's mounted on them are divine crossbows!"

"Long range, powerful shot, covering the entire river surface!"

"Our Northern Yong Navy's warships patrol the river day and night, like shuttles. Every ferry crossing is heavily guarded; not even a fly can get across!"

Finally, there was the beacon tower signaling the alarm.

Zhao Si lowered his voice, speaking with a hint of mystery, "From the frontier to the central army camp in Beiyong, a total of nineteen beacon towers were built along the way! During the day, smoke signals were lit, and at night, fires were lit."

"In the event of enemy activity, the signal fires will relay the message, and within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn... at most the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the news will reach the rear camp! They can immediately muster troops and dispatch generals to rush to the rescue!"

After he finished speaking, he smacked his lips, looking at him with admiration.

"That's why they say the King of Beiyong is so wise and powerful, a military genius!"

"Look at this defense system! It's so well-organized, impenetrable! It's truly turned the north into an iron fortress!"

After listening, Wu Liang remained silent for a long time, only nodding in agreement, but his heart was churning like boiling water.

I see……

So this is where Bei Yong's confidence comes from!

No wonder... no wonder that old fox Pei Xiao dared to have the idea of ​​heading south to the capital to defend the emperor!

……