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

Qingzhou Prefecture.

Tuoba Han stood in front of the map, his finger slowly sweeping across the location of Yuzhou, landing on Qinghe County, and then turning back.

His brows were furrowed, his gaze was deep, and his face no longer showed the disheveled state he had when he fled from Yuzhou.

The shadow of defeat had been buried deep in his heart after these days, replaced by a more intense fire of revenge.

He, Tuoba Han, will not be discouraged by one failure.

"Strategist, what's the situation on the King's side? What's his attitude towards the battle in Yuzhou?" Tuoba Han didn't turn around, his voice low and steady.

Sikong Yu approached with his hands clasped in greeting, his steps lighter than usual, a smile on his face.

"Your Highness, the King's attitude is very firm."

"He said that one success or failure is not enough to destroy the Northern Barbarians' will to rule the northern border of the Great Qian Dynasty."

"His Majesty will fully support His Highness in regrouping, capturing Yuzhou City, and recovering the lost territories in the north!"

"Furthermore, His Majesty has specially dispatched two brave warriors, Barbarian Butcher and Barbarian Owl, as vanguard generals, leading 20,000 iron cavalry to come swiftly to our aid!"

"This humble general has just received a messenger's message: the army has passed Cangzhou and will arrive in Qingzhou soon!"

Tuoba Han turned around abruptly, his pupils contracting sharply, his face filled with shock and joy.

"Barbarian Butcher? Barbarian Owl? The King actually sent the two of them?"

His voice was filled with unbelievable ecstasy.

Sikong Yu smiled and nodded: "Exactly!"

"General Barbarian Slayer, the last disciple of Golie, the God of Guns of the Grasslands, and the number one spearman of the Northern Barbarians!"

"General Barbarian, a master archer who hits the bullseye every time, the foremost marksman of the Northern Barbarians!"

"Both warriors are capable of taking on ten thousand men on the grasslands. With their assistance, how can Your Highness not conquer Yuzhou City?"

Tuoba Han's eyes flashed with a burning light, and the corners of his mouth turned up as he smiled:

"Okay! Okay!"

"With the aid of the two brave warriors, Barbarian Butcher and Barbarian Owl, how could I possibly fail to take Yuzhou City? How could I possibly fail to kill that white-haired old man?"

He turned around, his gaze sharp as a knife.

"Su Mu, you killed my general Yeluqi, seized my Yuzhou City, and forced me to flee in a sorry state."

"I will always remember this debt."

"This time, I will reclaim everything, with interest!"

Looking at Tuoba Han's excited expression, Sikong Yu's smile slowly faded.

He lowered his eyelids, remained silent for a moment, and a layer of worry appeared between his brows.

Tuoba Han noticed his unusual behavior and frowned slightly.

"Strategist, why are you so worried? Twenty thousand cavalry and two brave warriors from the grasslands—this is a tremendous stroke of good fortune, so why are you frowning?"

Sikong Yu sighed, cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, I don't mean to spoil your mood, but I have some concerns that I must express."

"explain."

Sikong Yu sighed softly, his tone heavy.

"Your Highness, the King's generous reinforcements this time, including the dispatch of Generals Barbarian Butcher and Barbarian Owl, demonstrate His Highness's determination for the Northern Territory."

"For Your Highness, this battle is one of absolute certainty: victory is the only option, defeat is not an option."

"Your Highness, don't forget that behind you stands the Left Wise King."

"He's been watching your position day and night, hoping you'll suffer a defeat in the North so he can seize the opportunity to take your place. If you lose this battle again, even the King might not be able to protect you."

Tuoba Han's smile froze.

He remained silent for a moment, the fervor in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by a calm and composed demeanor.

"Strategist, you truly are my closest friend."

"You deserve much credit for my success today."

He stood up, put his hands behind his back, and paced around the hall for a couple of steps.

"However, strategist, you can rest assured that I had already made the worst-case scenario plan when I stepped into this battlefield in the North."

"If we win, the entire northern border will be in my hands; if we lose, I will have no face to see the King again."

"I know this better than anyone else."

He stopped, turned around, and looked at Sikong Yu with deep eyes.

"However, I have a trump card up my sleeve, and it won't be so easy for the Left Wise King to interfere."

Sikong Yu was slightly taken aback, then cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Highness is very farsighted; I was overthinking it."

Tuoba Han continued, "Right now, we should do everything in our power to take Yuzhou City and Qinghe County and complete the great cause in the north."

"This time, I am absolutely confident."

"With the two brave warriors, Barbarian Butcher and Barbarian Owl, and twenty thousand iron cavalry, plus the thirty thousand Qingzhou garrison under my command, even if Su Mu had three heads and six arms, he couldn't overturn the heavens!"

Before he could finish speaking, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

A bodyguard strode in, knelt on one knee, and spoke in a loud voice.

"Your Highness! Generals Barbarian Tu and Barbarian Xiao, leading 20,000 cavalry, have arrived ten miles outside the city! The vanguard is at the city gate!"

Tuoba Han's eyes lit up, and he turned around abruptly.

"They came so fast!"

He waved his hand and strode towards the door.

"Let's go! Follow me out of the city to greet them!"

……

Qingzhou Prefecture, North Gate.

The city gates were opened wide, and the drawbridge was lowered.

Tuoba Han rode on his horse, with Sikong Yu following closely behind. Behind them were hundreds of Qingzhou garrison soldiers, lined up on both sides with banners waving.

In the distance, dust filled the sky.

Thousands upon thousands of hooves pounded the earth at the same time, like muffled thunder, like a landslide, like a sleeping giant awakening from the ground.

Amidst the dust, a black torrent surged forth.

Twenty thousand iron cavalrymen, a vast and mighty force, stretched as far as the eye could see.

The armor reflected the hazy sunlight, and the forest of swords and spears, along with the clouds of banners, created a suffocating sense of oppression.

At the very front were two jet-black horses.

The knight on the left was burly and strong, with broad shoulders and a thick waist. He held a ten-foot-long iron spear in his hand. The spear was black, and the spearhead was bright, gleaming with a dazzling cold light in the sunlight.

That spear was no ordinary spear; its shaft was thick and weighed at least seventy or eighty pounds, yet it felt as light as a feather in his hands.

This man was none other than Man Tu, the top marksman of the Northern Barbarians and the closed-door disciple of Ge Lie, the God of Guns of the Grasslands.

This guy once killed a fully grown wild bear with a single spear thrust on the grasslands, and also once killed thirteen enemy generals amidst a vast army.

It is said that his marksmanship was so fast that it was difficult to see with the naked eye; often, the enemy would have his throat pierced before he could even see the shadow of the gun.

The knight on the right was lean and dark-skinned, with sharp, hawk-like eyes that were sunken deep in their sockets.

He carried a huge bow on his back, its arms as black as ink, exuding a powerful aura.

This man was Manxiao, the top archer of the Northern Barbarians.

The two rode side by side, one on the left and one on the right, like two killing gods who had emerged from hell.

Behind them, 20,000 iron cavalry surged from the horizon like a black tide.

This army was the elite of the Northern Di's great iron cavalry.

"Whoa!"

Man Tu reined in his horse, and the black warhorse reared up, coming to a steady stop in front of Tuoba Han.

The owl followed closely behind, its movements clean and efficient.

The two men dismounted, knelt on one knee, clasped their hands in a fist salute, and sang in unison.

"Your humble generals, Man Tu and Man Xiao, have been ordered by His Majesty to lead 20,000 iron cavalry to await Your Highness's command!"

The two men's voices were loud and clear, causing the echoes to reverberate throughout the city gate.

Tuoba Han dismounted and strode forward to personally help the two of them up.

"Good! Good! Good!"

"With the assistance of these two generals, how could I possibly fail to capture Yuzhou City?"

The two stood up and immediately asked:

"Your Highness, I've heard that there's a centenarian in the Great Qian army who killed Yeluqi?"

Tuoba Han nodded, a hint of hatred flashing in his eyes: "That's right. That old man's name is Su Mu, his martial arts are strange, and his swordsmanship is domineering."

"Yeluzzi fought him, but couldn't withstand a single move before being cut down from his horse."

Man Tu snorted coldly, a slight upturn of his lips revealing a disdainful smile.

"One move? Yeruzi is nothing special."

"This humble general would like to meet that old man and see if he can withstand a single shot from me."

Barbarian Owl stood to the side, saying nothing, but raised his hand to touch the bow on his back, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips.

Looking at the two of them, Tuoba Han felt even more confident.

"Generals, please follow me into the city! I have prepared a banquet to welcome you both!"

Man Tu waved his hand: "Your Highness, there's no rush for the banquet. This humble general would like to first examine the terrain of Yuzhou and study the siege strategy."

Tuoba Han was taken aback, then burst into laughter: "Good! As expected of a warrior from the Northern Di! Come! Follow me!"

The massive army marched into Qingzhou Prefecture, and 20,000 cavalrymen began to pitch tents in a continuous stretch outside the city, as far as the eye could see.

At night, Tuoba Han came to the city wall and looked at the brightly lit camp. He couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.

He thought to himself, "Su Mu, just you wait. This time, I will personally cut off your head and wipe away the shame of my Yu Province's defeat."