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

In the city of Yuzhou.

The midday sun hung scorching overhead, baking the stone pavement until it was burning hot.

General Yeluqi, the vanguard general of the Northern Barbarians, rode a tall horse and charged through the streets toward the government office.

His face was filled with frustration, anger, and incomprehension.

Despite the overwhelming army pressing in and victory seemingly assured, Right Wise King Tuoba Han issued an urgent order for the entire army to retreat.

Why?

Yeluzi couldn't understand it.

He jumped off his horse, his iron boots hitting the ground with a dull thud.

The guards at the gate recognized him and quickly saluted, but he ignored them and strode towards the main hall.

"Reporting! Your Highness, General Yale requests an audience!"

Inside the main hall, Tuoba Han was gathered around a sand table with several civil officials and military advisors, discussing countermeasures.

Upon hearing the report, he raised his head, glanced in the direction outside the hall, and waved his hand.

"Let him in."

Several civil officials and military advisors exchanged glances, then stepped aside and sat down on either side, sitting upright and looking straight at the palace gate.

Yeluqi strode into the main hall, the armor plates clattering.

He even skipped the greetings and went straight to the point, his voice booming:

"Your Highness! Why did you suddenly order a retreat?"

His face was filled with anger, his brows were furrowed, and his tiger-like eyes stared straight at Tuoba Han, as if he were questioning the prince.

Tuoba Han was not angry.

He had anticipated that Yeruzi would take this action.

"General, have you forgotten the main purpose of our campaign?" Tuoba Han asked slowly and deliberately, his voice steady. "Our main force will hold back the main force of Daqian, leaving their rear vulnerable, so that General Chi Lie can lead the Canglang tribe to burn their supplies."

As he spoke, his gaze was fixed on Yeruzi.

"What? Chi Lie didn't burn Da Qian's supplies?" Yeluqi was taken aback, then asked, "Where's Chi Lie? Where is he?"

Speaking of Chi Lie, Tuoba Han sighed deeply.

He did not answer directly, but waved to the soldiers on the side of the hall.

The soldier nodded slightly, turned, and walked into the passage on the right.

A short while later, he and another soldier carried out two stretchers.

The stretcher was covered with a white sheet.

Beneath the white cloth was the outline of a human figure.

Yeluzi's pupils contracted sharply as he stared intently at the two corpses covered in white sheets.

The soldiers placed the stretcher in the center of the hall and gently lifted the white cloth.

They turned out to be two headless corpses.

The cut on his neck was so clean it was chilling, as if he had been sliced ​​off with a guillotine.

The blood had congealed, forming dark, hard lumps on the pale skin.

Yeluzi's pupils constricted, utterly shocked.

"Your Highness, this is...whose corpse is this? Why is it headless?"

Tuoba Han stood up and slowly walked forward.

He walked to the stretcher, looked down at the two headless corpses, and spoke in a low voice.

"That's why I ordered the withdrawal."

"General Chi Lie and his deputy Yu Tie were beheaded."

"What?" Yeluqi was shocked and froze on the spot.

"Your Highness, this...this is Chi Lie and Yu Tie?"

He bent down, leaned closer to the two corpses, and examined them carefully.

Although it lacked a head, its shape, armor, and physique were indeed Chi Lie's.

Yeluqi gasped, straightened up, and looked at Tuoba Han: "How is this possible? Didn't Chi Lie lead his troops in a night raid on Da Qian's rear and burn their supplies? How could it have turned out like this?"

He paced back and forth a couple of times, the more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed.

"In the Great Qian army, those guarding the rear were mostly old, weak, disabled, and green recruits; the capable fighters were all taken to the front lines by Qin Hao!"

"Chi Lie was just burning some supplies with the elite cavalry of the Canglang tribe, how could this be..."

"Moreover, given Chi Lie's martial arts skills, among the entire Daqian army, only Qin Hao has the ability to fight him; there is no one else! Who can kill him? Who can cut off his head?!"

Yeluqi's fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged out.

He couldn't figure it out.

He had sparred with Chi Lie and knew the guy's strength.

Although unwilling to admit it, Chi Lie's martial arts skills and battlefield experience were on par with Yeluqi's.

Moreover, Chi Lie also had elite cavalry from the Canglang tribe by his side.

Even if the night raid fails, with his abilities, escaping unscathed is by no means a problem.

How could someone have chopped off his head?

Tuoba Han sighed, walked to the sand table, placed his hands on the edge, lowered his head, and his voice was full of confusion.

"This is indeed hard to believe, but the facts are right before my eyes, and I have no choice but to believe it."

He raised his head and looked at the generals in the hall.

"According to reports from the fleeing soldiers of the Canglang tribe, when General Chilie and his deputy launched a night raid on the Daqian supply camp, they encountered an old man with white hair."

"An old man with white hair?" Yeluqi frowned even more deeply.

"That old man's swordsmanship was superb; he defeated Chi Lie with just three strikes."

"Later, the old man rode a white horse alone and chased after hundreds of cavalrymen of the Canglang tribe. Despite being surrounded and intercepted by the cavalry, he still managed to behead Chi Lie and his deputy general and escape unscathed."

Upon hearing this, the main hall fell into a deathly silence.

Yelu stood there stunned for a long time before he came to his senses.

"I don't believe it!"

"An old man with white hair? He defeated Chi Lie with three strikes? He single-handedly chased down hundreds of Canglang tribe cavalrymen? And he even beheaded Chi Lie?"

"Your Highness, do you believe it? An old man with white hair, who can barely walk, could do such a thing?"

"That's impossible! Unless I see it with my own eyes!"

Tuoba Han shook his head as he looked at Yeluqi's excited expression.

"I find it unbelievable too," he said, pointing to the two headless corpses. "But the fact is, Chi Lie's head is gone, and hundreds of elite troops of the Canglang tribe were utterly routed. Is this a lie?"

Yale opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but looking at the two corpses, he couldn't utter a single word.

Tuoba Han walked to the window with his hands behind his back, looked at the gray sky outside, and his tone became serious.

"With such a figure existing in the Great Qian Army, we must act with caution."

"The battle of Qinghe County requires careful consideration."

Upon hearing this, Yeluqi's anger flared up again.

He stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Your Highness, aren't you being too cautious?"

His voice was loud and clear, carrying a strong sense of determination.

"Our army completely overwhelms the Daqian army! As soon as the war begins, with my command abilities, Yeluqi can capture Qinghe County in less than three days!"

He patted his chest, his eyes gleaming with confidence.

"Perfect timing! Let me go and meet that old man who killed Chi Lie, and see just how powerful he really is!"

Tuoba Han turned around and looked at Yeluqi with a complicated expression.

He knew this subordinate all too well.

Brave, skilled in battle, and possessing the courage to fight ten thousand men.

However, this person has a fatal weakness: arrogance, underestimation of his opponents, and disdain for others.

Could someone capable of killing Chi Lie be an ordinary person?

"General Yale is tired from leading troops, please go and rest."

Tuoba Han waved his hand, his tone commanding and authoritative.

Yeluzi's face immediately darkened.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but seeing Tuoba Han's uncompromising expression, he swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

"This humble general... obeys."

He cupped his hands in greeting, turned around, and strode out of the main hall.

Tuoba Han watched his retreating figure, his brows furrowing slightly.

He beckoned, and a bodyguard quickly walked over, bowing to receive his orders.

"Keep a close eye on General Yale," Tuoba Han said in a low voice. "Report his every move to me immediately, without delay."

The guards accepted the order and turned to leave.

Inside the hall, the strategist stroked his beard and slowly spoke.

"Your Highness's move is wise."

Tuoba Han turned around and looked at him.

The strategist continued, "Even the Great General Qin Hao couldn't have beheaded General Chi Lie amidst hundreds of cavalrymen of the Canglang tribe, so this person is no ordinary individual."

"It seems we underestimated the Great Qian army; they are full of hidden talents."

Tuoba Han nodded, his gaze falling on the flag representing Qinghe County.

"What does the strategist think we should do about this?"

The strategist stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and slowly said, "As the saying goes, 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.'"

"In my humble opinion, we should first send spies to infiltrate the Daqian army to investigate this person's identity, find out his background, how high his martial arts skills are, whether he is a reclusive master temporarily assisting in the battle, or a hidden fierce general in the Daqian army."

He raised his head and looked at Tuoba Han.

"Once we've investigated thoroughly, we can then decide on this battle. If that person truly possesses extraordinary abilities, we'll have to find another way. If it's just the defeated soldiers of the Canglang tribe exaggerating..."

"Then let's take Qinghe County in one fell swoop and use that old man's head as a sacrifice."

After hearing this, Tuoba Han's lips curled up slightly, revealing a satisfied smile.

"The strategist's plan coincides with my own."

"You, strategist, will arrange this matter personally."

"I need to know who that old man really is."

Behind him, the strategist bowed and accepted the order.

"I will obey Your Highness's orders."