Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress-Chapter 779 - 776: Both Jade and Stone are Burned_1

General Zhao Sheng, still fighting to the last breath, pulled out a long spear from a nearby corpse and threw it towards Lin Kangle. Zhao Sheng would never allow anyone to disrupt the morale of the Daliang Army.

However, after a night of fierce battle, Zhao Sheng’s strength was depleted. The long spear fell to the ground before it reached Lin Kangle.

Breathing heavily, Zhao Sheng turned to see the Daliang soldiers in his direction, discarding their armor and fleeing. The Jin Army pursuing them shouted, surrender and you won’t be killed. Many Daliang soldiers threw away their helmets and squatted with their hands over their heads to show surrender, while others lost the will to fight. Despite outnumbering the Jin Army several times over, they were cornered by just four or five Jin soldiers, dropping their weapons and shivering without the will to continue fighting.

"General, the city gate has been breached, the Jin Army has entered the pass. We can’t hold them off! We will escort you out!" shouted a Zhao family soldier who supported Zhao Sheng. "Zhao family soldiers, we must carve a bloody path for our general! Charge!"

Despair filled Zhao Sheng’s heart. He looked up at the azure sky washed clean by the rain, illuminated by the golden rays of the sun, making the majestic Qingxi Mountain appear even grander. Yet his heart was engulfed in a dark, cold despair.

If they could hold the Qingxi Mountain Pass, Liang Kingdom would still have a chance.

Losing the pass meant the door to Liang Kingdom was wide open. There would be no natural barriers left to defend, the threat of the nation’s demise was imminent!

This was the Qingxi Mountain Pass, known as the most formidable pass in the world, undefeated for centuries. Yet this year, it had been breached by the Jin Kingdom not once but twice. Was it the heavens’ will for Daliang’s downfall, and his own as well?

He had pledged his life to defend the pass. What was the point in having so many Zhao family soldiers carve a path of blood for him if he couldn’t hold the pass?

He had been careless and underestimated the enemy, losing the Qingxi Mountain Pass. He had failed the Zhao family ancestors who guarded the pass with their lives, failed the soldiers who died defending it, and failed the Third Prince who secured his chance to fight in this battle.

Zhao Sheng looked at the sunlight reflecting off the cliffs, shining over the eerie, hellish battlefield, and the mound of corpses illuminated by the golden light.

Filled with grief and indignation, Zhao Sheng pushed away the Zhao family soldiers trying to escort him and cried out, "Third Prince, I am sorry. Zhao Sheng is going ahead!"

With that, Zhao Sheng raised his broadsword, ready to end his life.

"General!"

"General!"

The Zhao family soldiers were horrified.

Just as the broadsword was about to touch his neck, a whistling metallic gleam from the morning sun skimmed past the heads of the soldiers too late to stop Zhao Sheng...

"Clang—"

The broadsword that almost touched Zhao Sheng’s neck was suddenly knocked out of his hand by a powerful force.

Zhao Sheng turned to see a white stallion charging through the sunlight, jumping over numerous obstacles and soldiers engaged in battle.

On the stallion, a female soldier in military attire sat straight-backed, with a fluttering cape and a composed expression. She swiftly notched an arrow and drew her bow, calmly released...

The arrow’s cold gleam brushed past Bai Jinzhi’s ear, pierced the throat of a Liang soldier attempting to attack her from behind, and embedded itself in the wall, its blood-stained tail quivering.

Bai Jinzhi looked up to see Bai Qingyan, her excitement causing her blood to boil. "Eldest Young Lady!"

Covered in sweat from the battle, Bai Qingyan saw that Bai Jinzhi was safe, reined in her horse, and shouted, "The Qingxi Mountain Pass has been breached! The Liang Army is defeated! Surrender and you won’t be killed! Those who resist, kill without mercy!"

Her voice was steady, solemn, and powerful, filled with an intimidating determination causing terror and awe. The Jin soldiers following Bai Qingyan surged forward, pointing sharp blades at the Liang soldiers, forcing the already retreating and broken-spirited Liang soldiers to lose their will to fight.

Zhao Sheng was supported by General Zhao’s soldiers. Afraid he might attempt suicide again, they held him tightly.

Struggling to catch her breath, Bai Qingyan stood on horseback under the brilliant sunlight, watching the Liang soldiers drop their weapons and kneel in surrender. Her eyes turned to Zhao Sheng, surrounded by Zhao family soldiers.

Their gazes met. Zhao Sheng, looking into Bai Qingyan’s unwavering yet imposing eyes, felt his last hope of redeeming himself dissolve like the last spark in an incense burner, vanishing into the air.

"Princess of Zhen!" Lin Kangle smiled in Bai Qingyan’s direction, "It is the Princess of Zhen!"

With the Princess of Zhen leading the troops, surrounding the surrendered Daliang forces, victory was assured, filling everyone with excitement.

Bai Jinzhi dashed over the bodies of enemy soldiers towards Bai Qingyan, leaping with joy like a child. The Zhao family soldiers beside Zhao Sheng gripped their swords, watching Bai Jinzhi charge towards Bai Qingyan, seeming to await a chance for a last stand, to die honorably.

Seeing Bai Jinzhi getting closer, the soldier’s grip on his sword tightened...

But before he could charge, Zhao Sheng pulled him back.

"General?!" The Zhao soldier looked at Zhao Sheng, who was staring fixedly at Bai Qingyan. Following his gaze, the soldier turned and felt a chill down his spine.

The cold gleam of an arrow nocked in the hand of the Princess of Zhen was aimed straight at him with an unfathomable, dark, and indifferent look that made his blood run cold.

Had he moved a moment later, not pulled back by the general, his throat would have certainly been pierced by an arrow.

The Zhao family soldier’s sword fell to the ground with a clatter, the situation firmly under the Jin Army’s control.

Bai Qingyan sheathed her bow and jumped off her horse, catching Bai Jinzhi in a single-armed embrace as she ran towards her.

"Eldest Young Lady! You finally arrived..." Bai Jinzhi clung to Bai Qingyan, her voice choked with tears.

Lin Kangle, riding up and saluting Bai Qingyan, watched in amazement. The normally invincible and brave Bai Jinzhi on the battlefield now buried her head in the Princess of Zhen’s arms, sobbing like a child. He had never seen Bai Jinzhi like this before.

"All right, all right..." Bai Qingyan gently patted Bai Jinzhi’s head, swallowing back her scolding words for her recklessness. Seeing Bai Jinzhi covered in blood, her heart ached more than she cared to admit. She spoke softly, "Your soldiers are still here, do you really want them to see their general act like a child in her elder sister’s arms?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Jinzhi quickly straightened up, embarrassed, and wiped her tears with her arm. She smiled at Bai Qingyan, "Eldest Young Lady, if you had come any later, I would have taken Zhao Sheng’s head to boost our soldiers’ morale!"

Bai Qingyan wiped the blood and grime off Bai Jinzhi’s face with force. "We fight to end wars, not to pursue slaughter."