Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 987: Chapter 694: Though the Body Remains Young, the Heart Has Grown Old

After teasing Chen Hengchang for a while, Lv Hua left Jiangnan and crossed the Wanshan Ridge, arriving at the territory controlled by the Da’an New Dynasty.

At this time, the Da’an New Dynasty and Chen Hengchang’s domain were divided with the Wanshan Ridge as the boundary, with the southern side belonging to Chen Hengchang and the northern side under Da’an’s control.

The eastern part of the Wanshan Ridge is filled with rolling hills; although there are no steep mountains, the terrain is extremely complex, and there are only three main roads crossing the ridge. These three roads were originally important passages between north and south in Da Rong.

Now, with both sides using Wanshan Ridge as the boundary, simply blocking these three main roads can trap the opposing army on the other side of the ridge.

Of course, there are many smaller paths within the ridge, and Lv Hua’s group certainly didn’t take the main roads; they crossed the ridge along rugged trails.

The path they took was actually from near the Taoist Palace Mountain into Wanshan Ridge, then over the mountains towards Cui Xia Valley.

Cui Xia Valley was originally beside a main road, and now it has almost become Yu Tonghai’s base camp, with fifty thousand soldiers stationed around the valley.

However, these soldiers weren’t guarding Cui Xia Valley; they were there to block Chen Hengchang’s army from moving north.

Inside Cui Xia Valley, a thousand soldiers stood guard, along with four Innate Martial Artists: Ji Zhen, Bull Horn Elder Wu Anchou, Yanggu Granny Zhou Qing, and Mingshan Elder Lu Jin.

These four are all acquaintances of Yang Zhenshan, and except for Ji Zhen, the other three are Loose Cultivators. Wu Anchou used to guard the valley, but when the Innate Martial Artists left, he returned to his hometown, Bull Horn Mountain.

After the Yang family took control of the Capital City, Yang Zhenshan personally penned a letter and invited Wu Anchou back.

Simultaneously, Yang Zhenshan also invited Zhou Qing and Lu Jin.

Wu Anchou, Zhou Qing, and Lu Jin all have a common characteristic: they are Innate Martial Artists residing within Wanshan Ridge, making it quite difficult to invite the trio.

Only because Yang Zhenshan had some connections with them could he invite them to hold fort at Cui Xia Valley.

Back then, Wu Anchou was able to guard the valley because Yang Zhenshan arranged it.

Zhou Qing and Lu Jin had accompanied the army in campaigns against Star Moon Sect, so they are all familiar with Yang Zhenshan.

With four Innate Martial Artists holding fort and fifty thousand soldiers stationed around, Cui Xia Valley and this main road are solid as a rock.

As for the other two main roads, they are closer to the west; one connects to the western region of Jiangnan, and another connects Yun Gui and Longnan. Of course, there is also a main road between Longnan and Bashu, but those routes have no connection with Jiangnan.

Among the three roads, the one near Cui Xia Valley is undoubtedly the most important, which is why Yang Chengye had Yu Tonghai personally lead fifty thousand soldiers to station here.

Lv Hua’s direction of escape from Jiangnan roughly followed this main road, but instead of directly using it, they crossed mountains to get past.

When Lv Hua and his thousand subordinates arrived near Cui Xia Valley, Yu Tonghai, who had previously received news, was already prepared to welcome them.

Amidst the undulating waves of greenery, Lv Hua, dressed in black, stood under a large tree, gazing at the camp on the opposite hillside.

That camp was the camp of the Da’an New Army.

The so-called Da’an New Army is the army under Yu Tonghai’s command, built upon the foundation of the Beihai Navy.

Although the Da’an New Dynasty has rebuilt the Navy Commander’s Mansion and established the Three Seas Navy, realistically, only the Beihai Navy exists because the East Sea Navy and South Sea Navy bases remain under Chen Hengchang’s control.

This new army intends to acquire the East Sea Navy and South Sea Navy, and its soldiers are primarily newly recruited, including newly enlisted young adults and Martial Artists, former garrison soldiers, and previous imperial guard soldiers and the Emperor’s personal army.

After Da Liang attacked the Capital City, many imperial guard soldiers and Emperor’s personal army soldiers were dispersed, and the Da’an New Dynasty gathered them again, forming this new army following selection and recruitment.

This new army is still in the training and integration period, so the exact combat strength is uncertain, but with the foundation of the Beihai Navy’s soldiers, they only need a training period to become a strong force.

Lv Hua’s people were on the hillside behind him, and although both sides had met, they remained distinctly separate, camped on either side of the hillside.

Before Lv Hua escaped from Jiangnan, he first sent a message to Yu Tonghai, arranging to meet here.

They had actually arrived yesterday, only to be blocked here by the new army on the opposite side.

Of course, Yu Tonghai hadn’t made the arrangements solely for them; he had provided food, water, tents on the hillside, and even some military doctors, just not allowing them to continue northward.

Yu Tonghai’s handling wasn’t wrong, after all, most of the people behind Lv Hua were followers of the Divine Sun Sect; these people weren’t good people.

They shouldn’t be categorically judged as good or bad; most were forced to join the Divine Sun Sect and are rather pitiful, especially those who emerged from Yun Ling Mountains without a choice.

However, they have also practiced the Spirit Continuation Blood Refining Skill and once consumed human blood.

They are indeed pitiful, but they have also committed atrocities.

Therefore, upon receiving Lv Hua’s message, Yu Tonghai was troubled about how to deal with these people.

Lv Hua waited for a whole day and night, and finally, Yu Tonghai arrived late.

Yu Tonghai, wearing a dark purple Qilin robe, leapt nimbly from the woods.