At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

Ten miles north of Cangzhou City.

In the wilderness, the cold wind howled, whipping up the withered grass and snowflakes on the ground, stinging our faces like knives.

A white steed pierced the night like lightning, intercepting two fleeing figures ahead.

"Whoa!"

Su Mu reined in the horse, and the Akhal-Teke horse reared up high, coming to a steady stop in front of a sparse grove of trees.

His eyes were fixed coldly on the two panting warhorses ahead, and on the two disheveled figures on their backs.

"You two!"

"It's time to end this."

Tuoba Lie suddenly pulled on the reins, raised his head, and looked at the white-haired, hunched old man in front of him.

He knew there was no escape.

How could an ordinary warhorse outrun a Ferghana horse?

Tuoba Lie took a deep breath and slowly drew the long sword from his waist.

The sword is entirely silver-white and as thin as a cicada's wing.

"Second brother, we're not running anymore."

His voice was steady, and his gaze was firm.

"There are two of us and he is alone. The pursuers from Daqian haven't arrived yet. This is our only chance."

Tuoba Han gritted his teeth and drew his long sword, pointing the tip at Su Mu.

His eyes were bloodshot, filled with deep-seated hatred and resentment.

"Su Mu! You have repeatedly driven me to the brink of despair! Today, we brothers will settle things with you!"

Su Mu snorted coldly, a glint of cold light flashing in his eyes.

"Desperate situation? You invaded my Great Qian, slaughtered my people, did you ever think of those you drove to desperation? Now that you're in my hands, you dare to talk about a desperate situation?"

"Enough with the nonsense! Prepare to die!"

Su Mu spurred his horse, and the Akhal-Teke horse neighed loudly and charged towards the two of them.

Tuoba Han gritted his teeth and went to meet him, raising his long sword high and slashing down at Su Mu's head.

In the first round, Su Mu dodged to the side, then slashed horizontally with his Dragon Slayer Saber. The back of the blade struck Tuoba Han's sword with a loud clang, and Tuoba Han's hand went numb, almost dropping the longsword.

In the second round, Su Mu swung his sword backhand, the blade sweeping across the area. Tuoba Han hurriedly ducked, the blade grazing his helmet and sending sparks flying.

A corner of his helmet was cut off, and a few strands of his hair fell down.

In the third round, Su Mu changed his swordsmanship, and the Dragon Slayer Saber, carrying immense force, slashed straight at Tuoba Han's chest.

Tuoba Han raised his sword to parry, and the two swords clashed, sparks flying everywhere.

His longsword vibrated violently, his hand split open, and blood flowed down the hilt.

He was thrown off his horse by the shock, crashed heavily to the ground, rolled twice, and coughed up blood.

Tuoba Lie's pupils contracted sharply, but he did not panic.

He knew that his second brother's martial arts skills were far inferior to Su Mu's, so his defeat was expected.

The one who truly needs to fight is himself.

Tuoba Lie leaped from his horse, drew his longsword, and with a flash of light, aimed straight for Su Mu's throat.

Su Mu swung his blade to parry, and the Dragon-Slaying Saber clashed with the longsword, producing a crisp metallic clang.

Tuoba Lie twisted his wrist, and the sword blade slid down the blade, stabbing straight at Su Mu's wrist.

Su Mu sheathed his sword and returned to defense, the hilt striking the blade and deflecting the edge.

Tuoba Lie's swordsmanship was like water, continuous and unbroken, each strike faster and more intense than the last.

His swordplay lacked the powerful, sweeping strokes of his earlier works; instead, it employed softness to overcome hardness and used the opponent's force against them.

Su Mu's Dragon-Slaying Saber was powerful and heavy, capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks with each strike. However, Tuoba Lie's sword always followed the momentum of the saber, avoiding direct confrontation and always striking from unexpected angles.

Su Mu frowned slightly.

He fought for several months, and all the opponents he encountered were known for their fierce and powerful fighting style.

Yeluqi's horse-slaying sword and Mantu's iron spear both relied on overwhelming force.

Kotoba Lie's swordsmanship followed a completely different path.

By using softness to overcome hardness and borrowing force to strike, he rendered the Five Tigers Breaking the Gate Blade powerless and unable to exert its strength.

The two fought their way from horseback to the ground.

Tuoba Lie's sword light flowed like water, drawing silvery-white arcs in the darkness.

Su Mu's Dragon-Slaying Saber shone with golden light, each strike carrying a whistling blade aura.

Swords clashed, sparks flew, and the surrounding trees were cut down by the sword and blade energy, their branches and leaves flying everywhere.

Twenty moves.

Thirty moves.

……

Tuoba Han lay on the ground, enduring the excruciating pain, watching the two figures locked in combat in the forest, his shock growing ever stronger.

He had never seen Tuoba Lie use his full strength.

He only knew that his third brother was obsessed with martial arts and spent his days sparring with Xue Wuchen, but he never expected that his swordsmanship was so advanced.

Could he possibly fight Su Mu to a draw?

Even the barbarian chieftain and Yeluqi were no match for Su Mu, yet Tuoba Lie blocked dozens of his blows!

A glimmer of hope ignited in Tuoba Han's heart.

Maybe...maybe the third brother can win?

Perhaps they still have a chance to turn things around?

Su Mu suddenly sheathed his sword and retreated.

"Excellent swordsmanship."

"The Left Wise King of the Northern Barbarians, you truly live up to your reputation. You are the Northern Barbarian I have ever encountered who has received the most blows from my swordsmanship."

Tuoba Lie's face showed no sign of smugness.

He knew that Su Mu might not have used his full strength yet.

He must have another plan.

Sure enough, Su Mu turned and walked towards the Ferghana horse, hung the Dragon Slayer Saber back on the saddle, and then drew a longsword from the side of the saddle.

"Your swordsmanship is impressive," Su Mu said, holding his longsword and looking at Tuoba Lie with a slight smile. "Then this old man will test your skills with my sword."

Tuoba Lie's pupils contracted sharply, and his grip on the sword tightened even more.

"You...you can use a sword?"

Su Mu did not answer.

He moved with light steps, and his hunched body suddenly became agile.

The longsword pointed diagonally at the ground, its tip trembling slightly and emitting a soft "humming" sound.

Instantly, Tuoba Lie felt an invisible pressure emanating from Su Mu.

Su Mu moved.

He used the Dugu Nine Swords, which he obtained by completing a side quest!

Tuoba Lie gritted his teeth and charged forward with the Flowing Water Divine Sword.

The two swords clashed.

"clang!"

With a crisp sound, Tuoba Lie felt as if his sword had struck an invisible wall, and most of the force was dissipated.

He tried to change his move, but Su Mu's sword had already struck him first, aiming for his wrist.

He hurriedly sheathed his sword to parry, but Su Mu turned his blade and thrust it toward his throat again.

That swordsmanship is too fast.

Su Mu's sword seemed to be able to predict all his moves; before he even made a move, Su Mu's sword was already at the position where he was about to strike.

He was on the defensive with every move, and he was always a beat too slow.

"The Flowing Water Divine Sword, Rivers and Lakes Hang Upside Down!"

Tuoba Lie shouted loudly, and his long sword swung upwards, the sword light like a waterfall, trying to force Su Mu back.

Su Mu did not retreat.

His sword tip lightly touched the weakest point of Tuoba Lie's sword.

With a "ding," the sword's momentum was broken, and the blade deviated several inches.

Su Mu's sword seized the opportunity and pierced straight into Tuoba Lie's chest.

Tuoba Lie dodged to the side with all his might, the sword blade grazing his ribs, tearing his robes and flesh, and blood seeping out.

Tuoba Lie gritted his teeth, swept his longsword horizontally, and the sword light surged out like a tide, attempting to suppress Su Mu with a wide-range attack.

Su Mu's sword drew a circle in the air, and the tip of the sword precisely struck the same spot on Tuoba Lie's sword.

This is the "Sword-Breaking Style" from the Dugu Nine Swords!

With three crisp "clangs," Tuoba Lie's sword strike was broken once again.

Su Mu's sword was like a venomous snake, cutting through his sword net and heading straight for his shoulder blade.

"puff!"

The sword tip pierced Tuoba Lie's right shoulder blade and emerged from his back.

Blood gushed out, staining half of his body red.

Tuoba Lie grunted, his longsword clattered to the ground, and he staggered back a few steps, kneeling on one knee, his face deathly pale.

He lost.

From the moment Su Mu drew his sword to the moment he sheathed it, it took no more than ten moves.

His Flowing Water Divine Sword was no match for Su Mu's Dugu Nine Swords.

As Tuoba Han lay on the ground, seeing Tuoba Lie kneeling on the ground, the hope that had just been ignited in his heart was instantly extinguished.

He struggled to stand up, but his legs gave way and he fell back down.

"Third brother..."

His voice was hoarse and filled with despair.

Su Mu, carrying his long sword, walked step by step toward the two.

White hair fluttered in the morning breeze, and blood dripped from the tip of the longsword.

Tuoba Han gritted his teeth, enduring the excruciating pain in his chest, struggled to get up, and spread his arms to block Tuoba Lie.

"Su Mu... if you're going to kill someone, kill me."

"My third brother... he was implicated because of me, please let him go."

Tuoba Lie raised his head, looking at Tuoba Han's back, his eyes slightly red.

"Second brother... get out of the way, you're no match for him."

Tuoba Han did not turn around, his voice carrying an unprecedented stubbornness.

"From childhood to adulthood, your second brother has never protected you."

"Today, let your second brother protect you this once."

He grabbed the long sword from the ground and, with his last bit of strength, lunged at Su Mu.

Su Mu did not move.

With a swift swing of his longsword, a flash of light appeared, and he precisely severed the tendons in Tuoba Han's right hand.

The long sword clattered to the ground.

Another sword pierced his thigh. Tuoba Han screamed and fell to the ground.

A long sword was placed against his neck.

The cold blade pressed against my skin; with just a slight pull, my head would be severed.

Tuoba Han closed his eyes, waiting for the fatal sword strike.

But the longsword did not fall.

Su Mu sheathed his longsword and placed it back into its scabbard.

He looked at Tuoba Lie, then at Tuoba Han, his eyes showing no murderous intent, only an unfathomable calm.

"I will not kill you."

Tuoba Han suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Su Mu in disbelief.

Why?

Su Mu did not answer.

In the distance, the sound of rapid hoofbeats could be heard.

You Zhongyi led a troop of cavalry galloping from the direction of Cangzhou City, their torches illuminating the grove.

"Elder Su! Elder Su!" You Zhongyi dismounted and ran to Su Mu, kneeling on one knee. "I am late, please punish me, Elder Su!"

Su Mu waved his hand and pointed to the two brothers on the ground.

"Take them back to Cangzhou and keep them safe. I have a great use for them."

You Zhongyi was taken aback for a moment, then clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Yes, sir!"

Several soldiers stepped forward, tied up Tuoba Lie and Tuoba Han, and lifted them onto the horse.

Tuoba Lie, strapped to the horse, endured the excruciating pain in his shoulder blades and glanced back at Su Mu.

"Su Mu, you'll regret it if you don't kill us."

Tuoba Lie was well aware of Su Mu's intentions, so he wanted to provoke Su Mu into killing them.

But Su Mu ignored him.

He turned and walked towards the Ferghana horse, mounted it, and led his soldiers back to Cangzhou.

On the horizon, the first ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds, shining on the earth, on the land scorched by war, and on the newly recaptured city of Cangzhou.

At that moment, the sky in the North brightened.