https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-159-The-Li-Family-s-Second-Favor-23-/13450193/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-161-Beyond-the-Pass-Demon-Slaying/13450195/
Chapter 160: Storms Brewing
Chapter 160: Storms Brewing
Upon hearing the Battle Report, Li Tiangang’s furrowed brow didn’t change; he merely nodded slightly.
Then, his gaze shifted to the vast expanse beyond the black land.
"These Demons, they keep harassing us, probing our strength in the east."
"The west is defended by Fifth Brother; the Demons have already scouted that area. They might attack from the north or the south..."
Mentioning the south, his eyes narrowed.
To the south of Liangzhou was the Heavenly Gate Pass.
Thinking of the pass, he recalled the stubborn and unyielding young man, and those cold, defiant eyes.
The wrinkles on his forehead deepened.
"Marshal, after Young Master slew the Young Demon King in Daiyue City, the old Demon King of Wan Shan won’t give up easily", Li Fu said, his expression filled with worry.
Looking at the injured soldiers around him, he thought of the young man at Heavenly Gate Pass and the harsh winds and snow of the frontier.
Li Tiangang remained expressionless and said, "The Young Demon King was a prodigy of unparalleled talent. The old Demon King of Wan Shan won’t let this go. He might ally with other Demons to invade our territory."
"What...?" Li Fu couldn’t help but glance at him.
Li Tiangang spoke calmly, "Li Hao is under the protection of a Fourth Establishment Realm expert, an old friend of Second Uncle. He also has the Qilin from Tan Palace Academy. He should be safe."
"This time, I’m leading the army to Liangzhou, so I’ve temporarily entrusted the management of the household to Elder Sister-in-Law. Second Uncle, being unattended, might not be able to hold back and will likely head to Heavenly Gate Pass."
"With them there, even if the old Demon King of Wan Shan gathers the two Demon Kings outside Heavenly Gate Pass for an attack, they should be able to defend themselves. This is a good opportunity to clear out the Demon Kings outside Heavenly Gate Pass and let the Demon Suppression Bureau deal with the aftermath. That way, we won’t have to abandon Heavenly Gate Pass."
The previous decision to abandon Heavenly Gate Pass was a last resort.
If they could hold it, that would be best.
After all, it was a place established by the Former Emperor and the Li Family’s ancestors, soaked in the blood of countless valiant soldiers.
Li Fu was taken aback. If so, wouldn’t they be using Li Hao to lure the Demon Kings beyond the pass?
"Wouldn’t it be too dangerous for Young Master to participate in a Fourth Establishment Realm battle?" Li Fu couldn’t help but ask, his worry evident.
"If he doesn’t want to participate, he can simply retreat. As long as he bows his head, the Divine General Manor will always welcome him back."
Li Tiangang said coldly, "I sent him a letter to give him a way out, but he’s too proud and arrogant to admit his mistakes. He didn’t even reply!"
"In that case, let the Demon Kings teach him a lesson. Let him learn what cruelty and despair are. Once he sees life and death, he’ll realize how ridiculous his arrogance is!"
"But Young Master is still young. It’s normal for him to have a young man’s pride. Won’t this method be..."
"No more talk about it."
Li Tiangang waved his hand to cut him off, "We’re in the eastern border. Liangzhou could erupt into danger at any moment. The Dragon Gate has been spotted, and the Holy Palace of Yanbei, an old ally, plans to shift its base here, using Liangzhou as a weak point. This could be a battle as fierce as the one in Yanbei. Don’t let your focus waver!"
Li Fu opened his mouth slightly, gave a bitter smile, and said no more.
At that moment, a swift sparrow darted down from the clouds like an arrow.
Li Tiangang looked up and then raised his hand. The rapidly descending sparrow quickly halted and perched on his forearm.
The bird's chest swelled, and it spat out a scroll from its beak.
"It's the First Lady's Cloud Sparrow."
Li Fu recognized this small bird demon, a specialized messenger bird bred by the Divine General Manor for battlefield communications.
Li Tiangang took the scroll, unfolded it, and read a few lines, his expression changing slightly.
"Marshal, could something be wrong in Qingzhou?" Li Fu couldn't help but ask.
Li Tiangang's face turned grim, and with a flick of his fingers, the scroll turned to ashes.
"The second favor..."
Li Tiangang's fingers, which had crushed the scroll, clenched into a fist.
He recalled the past in Yanbei, when he heard that Li Hao couldn't Cultivate. He had rushed out of the army formation alone and slain a Three Immortalities Great Demon, transporting its Precious Blood back.
Now, that young man had sent the Nine Cauldron Demon King's Precious Blood as a return for that past favor.
Was this considered even now?
Li Tiangang felt a mix of discomfort and anger welling up inside him.
He could almost see the cold eyes of that young man when he returned the Demon King's Precious Blood.
The scroll also mentioned that four Demon Kings had attacked Heavenly Gate Pass. Fortunately, the Heavenly Mechanism Tower and Second Uncle had gone to reinforce the defenses, driving the Demon Kings away.
Four Demon Kings, such a formidable force. Even though Li Tiangang wasn't at Heavenly Gate Pass, he could sense the danger there.
He was both relieved and had a complex feeling about the Heavenly Mechanism Tower and Second Uncle going to assist.
He suddenly realized that the young man, now famous across the land, would be valued by many, even without the Li Family's connections.
Using brute force to force him back would be met with too much resistance.
And these people would only fuel the young man's stubborn and strong-willed nature.
"Does he plan to guard Heavenly Gate Pass for three years and then cut ties?"
Li Tiangang murmured to himself, a cold glint in his eyes. He took a deep breath, calming his emotions, and refocused his mind on the battlefield in Liangzhou.
He understood that the young man, being so stubborn, would be determined to see his path through to the end.
The previous battle in Qingzhou had made the Li Family famous, but it was a shameful fame.
After all, a father and son battling each other, despite most people condemning Li Hao for his filial impiety, ultimately tarnished the Li Family's reputation.
He wouldn't let such a scandal happen again.
Once the war in Liangzhou was over or the situation in the Eastern Region stabilized, Li Tiangang planned to personally visit Heavenly Gate Pass and bring him back!
He never took that so-called agreement seriously, and tearing it up wouldn't matter.
He wouldn't let Li Hao so easily leave the Li Family.
...
...
In the vast marshlands a thousand miles from the city, where black stones stretched endlessly.
The marsh extended for hundreds of miles, with mud bubbling up occasionally.
A foul stench wafted from the marsh. Suddenly, the mud stirred, and a massive figure emerged, revealing itself to be a Jiaolong.
Its body coiled through the marsh, its scales covered in mud, and its emerald eyes seemed to contain a potent venom.
"Have you investigated? Li Tiangang is indeed in the Eastern Region."
"The Li Family's Fifth Elder is in the west, and Li Tiangang is here in the east. In Cangzhou, the Li Family's Eighth Elder's whereabouts have been revealed."
"The two old Li Family members are still stationed in Qingzhou."
Several figures appeared above the muddy marsh, dressed in black robes. The edges of the robes revealed dark golden clothing, extremely luxurious.
"Although our people haven't fully moved to Liangzhou yet, the rumors have already made the Li Family as nervous as a startled bird."
One of the black-robed figures let out a strange laugh, occasionally flicking out his forked tongue to lick his cheek and nose.
Seeing his unconscious action, another black-robed figure beside him frowned and said unhappily:
"Can you put away that disgusting habit? We are destined to undergo tribulations and transform into dragons, trying to shed our wyrm bodies. You still cling to your snake nature, it's truly revolting."
"That's your business. I have no intention of becoming a dragon; I want to become a great snake!"
The first figure sneered in response.
His words actually concealed a deeper thought: not only to become a great snake, but to become a snake that eats dragons!
"Hmph!"
The others nearby all let out cold snorts, their faces showing disapproval.
"Did you come here to argue? Just say what you have to say. I still need to go back to bed for a nap."
The mud wyrm in the swamp said lazily.
"The elders have ordered you to occasionally gather some of the younger ones to attack the Eastern Border, to pin down Li Tiangang and keep him occupied. Soon, the Holy Palace will take over this area."
"The Holy Palace and Li Tiangang are old enemies, from Yanbei to here. They've vowed to flay and eat him alive. This time, he won't have the help of the Blade Saint from Yanbei or the favor of the Great Desert Sword Saint. Let's see what Li Tiangang has to defend himself with!"
"This Liangzhou land is barren and desolate, having produced no great heroes. Even if there were any, they are either dead or long gone."
"Hmph, if it weren't for our weakness, I would have gone to find Li Tiangang and caused him trouble."
"Let's not. That Li Tiangang brat, though not from the older generation of the Li Family, has reached the peak of the Three Immortalities realm. In Yanbei, he is said to have slain over a dozen Three Immortalities Great Demons. He's terrifying!"
"Fortunately, that Uncle Nine of the Li Family died in the battle at Cangzhou. Otherwise, our Demon Race would have another formidable enemy!"
"Let's stop the idle chatter. We still need to head north."
"North, that area borders Youzhou, where the Xia Clan is stationed. It's a tough spot to break through."
"Originally, breaking through from the south would have been best, but we heard that Li Tiangang's son is there, guarded by someone at the Fourth Establishment Realm. We had to change our route."
As the black-robed figures spoke, they waved goodbye to the mud wyrm in the swamp and flew north.
"That Xia Clan, I've heard they don't have a good relationship with the Li Family. Let's go and probe them first, to see if they will cross the border to help when we invade the north."
One of the black-robed figures said.
...
...
Heavenly Gate Pass, Cangya City.
With the assistance of many martial artists, Cangya City was almost complete.
The old Star Official from the Celestial Observatory, along with his few students, was busy constructing an array, sweating profusely.
Xia Xianglan, unlike her usual playful self, followed her master quietly, helping him diligently while also observing and learning carefully.
Occasionally, when she looked up, she could only see the outline of the wattle yard in the city.
Li Hao wrote down a Spirit Refinement Technique he had fused and modified for Ren Qianqian. This technique could be cultivated to a level close to that of the Imperial Clan's.
The Spirit Refinement Technique he cultivated himself combined several techniques, allowing him to surpass the one from the Imperial Clan.
While Ren Qianqian cultivated in the camp, Li Hao took the Dragon Dawn Sword, placed Little White Fox on the mat in the yard, and then walked out of the pass alone.
The three Demon Kings had already escaped, and he wasn't sure if he would encounter them at their lair.
Li Hao was in dire need of a Demon King to practice on.
(End of Chapter)
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