https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-178-Array-Shattered-Ten-Demon-Kings-Desperate-Situation-/13450220/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-180-He-Deserves-Your-Pride-Second-Update-/13450222/
Chapter 179: Saving the World, Not the Suffering (First Update)
Chapter 179: Saving the World, Not the Suffering (First Update)
Qingzhou City, Heavenly Origin Divine General's Manor.
In the council hall within the manor, the Madams from various courtyards had gathered, except for those from Shuihua Courtyard.
Each Madam held the connections their husbands had established in the past. If their husbands had served in the military, the camps they once commanded, though now under Li Tiangang's leadership, still contained their own networks and influences.
Now, a Ten Thousand Mile Command Flag from Liangzhou had arrived through secret means.
This was the Eight Directions Command Flag, used only in the direst of situations when a major region was plunged into a bloodbath. It could travel thousands of miles instantly, far faster than ordinary military reports or letters, and was crafted by the Celestial Observatory with special arrays.
Whenever the Eight Directions Command Flag appeared, it meant that one side was suffering immensely, and that a Divine General Heir might fall!
"Elder Sister-in-Law, is this from Tian Gang? What's the situation in Liangzhou?"
Among the Madams, Gao Qingqing was the most anxious, her eyes red and on the verge of tears.
Twenty years ago, Heavenly Gate Pass had also received an Eight Directions Command Flag. That time, it was the fall of the Li Family's third son, and the pass had nearly been lost. She couldn't help but be worried now.
She feared that her husband might also meet the same fate.
"Could it be news from Cangzhou?"
Wang Xiangru frowned. Currently, Li Fenghua was defending Cangzhou, but since Li Junye had cleared out all the demons outside Cangzhou over a decade ago, there hadn't been any major incidents in recent years.
However, demon invasions were unpredictable and could strike suddenly without warning.
He Jianlan's expression was grave as she read the message on the flag. She then looked at Li Muxiu beside her and said:
"Second Uncle, Tian Gang says Liangzhou is in dire straits. The Void Realm has entered the world, and the Dragon Gate and Holy Palace have joined forces in this campaign, determined to overrun Liangzhou."
Upon hearing this, Li Muxiu's eyelids twitched.
He immediately realized that the Void Realm, which had hidden itself for a thousand years, reemerging was a very bad omen. It seemed to be a portent of something dire.
Wang Xiangru let out a silent sigh of relief, her expression calming down.
Gao Qingqing, however, turned deathly pale. Li Xuanli was in Liangzhou, serving as the military governor, and he was on the front lines. If Liangzhou was in danger, there was no way he could escape. He would fight to the death if necessary!
As a member of the Li Family and a descendant of the Divine General Bloodline, how could he abandon the millions of people in a major region and flee?
This was the trial faced by the Li Family's bloodline!
In their childhood, they had never thought about these things. It was only after marrying into the Li Family that they truly understood the hardships and sorrows of the Li Family's men.
Gao Qingqing sat in her chair, almost unable to steady herself, her body trembling.
Seeing her state, the other Madams fell silent.
They had all been in similar situations at some point.
At this moment, they all thought of their fallen husbands, their eyes dimming.
"Do they not fear death? Do they not fear that a True Person will come and destroy them?"
The third Madam, Lou Wanqing, asked in confusion.
"I will set out immediately for Liangzhou", Li Muxiu said.
He Jianlan shook her head and immediately said, "Tian Gang sent the message to inform us of the situation, but he did not ask for reinforcements. He specifically ordered you, Second Uncle, to stay in Qingzhou and under no circumstances to leave."
"Why is that?" Gao Qingqing exclaimed.
Li Muxiu was taken aback, a thought suddenly crossing his mind, and his expression changed.
"He Jianlan said that Tian Gang fears that the demons dared to launch such a large-scale attack without guarding against you, Second Uncle. It's likely that, besides Liangzhou, there are also Void Realm and Dragon Gate Demon Kings, or even their leaders, hidden outside Qingzhou!"
He Jianlan said solemnly, "If you leave, they might immediately invade Qingzhou and target our Divine General Manor directly."
Li Muxiu's face darkened. He had already realized this.
Relying solely on the fifth brother might not be enough to hold them off. Although the Divine General Manor and Qingzhou were both protected by arrays, they might not withstand a prolonged attack.
But if he were to travel to Liangzhou at full speed, it would still take two days to make the round trip.
After all, he needed to conserve some of his strength. Rushing to Liangzhou to join the battle at the absolute limit of his speed was not feasible.
"How could this be..."
Gao Qingqing's face was deathly pale. She had thought it was a request for reinforcements, but it turned out that Li Tiangang had instructed Second Uncle not to send any.
"What about Liangzhou? Are we just going to watch it fall? Are we going to wait for death?" she couldn't help but ask.
He Jianlan understood her feelings and knew that comforting her would be futile. He remained calm and said:
"Qingqing, don't panic. Tian Gang has sent orders to the other Divine General Manors. The True Person from Qian Dao Palace must have received it, and Wuliang Mountain likely has as well. Under the command of the Eight Directions Command Flag, even if there were some past grievances, they should still come to the aid!"
"If one or two of their elders can spare the time to intervene, Liangzhou should be able to hold its ground."
Gao Qingqing's heart, which had been trembling and contracting, steadied slightly, but her body remained icy cold.
"I'll send a message to my second sister and fourth sister to see if they can go and provide support", Li Muxiu said after a moment of silence.
Those two were already married and considered half-outside the Divine General Manor, with their own husbands and factions.
As children of the Divine General Manor's Main Lineage, they were no weaklings. Although they hadn't yet reached the Fourth Establishment Realm, they were all at the peak of the Three Immortalities.
In such a dire situation, asking them to risk their lives was embarrassing, but given the crisis, he had no other choice.
"Can we write to Grandmother Wu?" Gao Qingqing suddenly thought of something and asked hurriedly.
Grandmother Wu was from the older generation, and Li Muxiu had to address her as Aunt.
She had long retired and lived an ordinary life.
In her younger days, she was a famous female general, much like the current Li Hongzhuang, who had slain countless demons in battle.
Li Muxiu hesitated for a moment before saying, "I'll give it a try."
With that, he got up and left.
He Jianlan sighed softly but said nothing.
"I'll write to the Emperor", Ninth Madam Jiang Xian'er said.
She and Li Junye were only engaged. After Li Junye's death, she had voluntarily married into the Divine General Manor, wearing his armor. Over the years, she had devoted herself to the Manor's affairs, both big and small.
He Jianlan glanced at her, his expression gentle, and said, "We are too far from Dayu Province. Sending a letter now is too late. If the True Person receives the Eight Directions Command Flag, we can only see what they decide."
"We have to try. Even if the reinforcements are late, they might still make a difference", Jiang Xian'er said earnestly.
He Jianlan, hearing this, did not stop her.
...
...
At Wuliang Mountain, Vairocana Pure Land.
Deep within the spiritual mountains, Lin Wujing arrived with a purple-golden Eight Directions Command Flag.
The purple-golden light streaked across the sky, illuminating the Vast Heaven Pure Land, and countless people saw it.
"Venerable, this is the Eight Directions Command Flag from Liangzhou, requesting urgent aid!"
Lin Wujing first paid his respects to the Venerable before calmly speaking.
Infinite Buddha Master sat on his lotus throne, his expression serene and compassionate. He gently moved his fingers, and golden patterns seemed to flash in his eyes. After a moment, he said:
"I am aware of Liangzhou's calamity. This disaster also signifies that the Karmic Fire suppressed for three thousand years in the Great Yu Divine Dynasty is about to erupt."
"Venerable, what do you mean?"
"Slaughter, killing, indulgence, and excess—greed, anger, and delusion—all these impurities have seeped into this prosperous era. Time turns, and cause and effect cycle. This disaster cannot be avoided."
Infinite Buddha Master slowly continued, "Behind Liangzhou's demons stands a great evil. We must not act rashly."
Lin Wujing's face changed slightly, realizing the gravity of the situation.
Infinite Buddha Master turned to the female Bodhisattva beside the lotus throne and softly said, "Miaoshan, take the command flag and go to Liangzhou to subdue the demons."
"Yes, Venerable", the Bodhisattva replied calmly, bowing her head in agreement.
"Remember, the Bodhisattva is compassionate, saving the world but not the suffering."
"Suffering is boundless, all due to one's own sins. Only the true Buddha can ferry them across."
The Buddhist Master whispered softly.
The Bodhisattva immediately understood and nodded.
Saving the world lies in spreading goodness, while alleviating suffering requires one to step into the sea of suffering, offering a helping hand.
Buddhist teachings must be enlightened.
……
……
Purplish-golden rays of light streaked across the sky of Liangzhou, even those in the Fourth Establishment Realm found it difficult to intercept them.
This was the light of the Eight Directions Command Flag. When you see purplish-golden rays streaking overhead, the actual command flag is already thousands of miles away.
At this moment, in the eastern border of Liangzhou.
With the combined efforts of Lady Yin and numerous Demon Kings, the concentrated force erupted, and the formidable array finally shattered!
The moment the array broke, the fifty thousand soldiers of the Yuan Camp were all jolted into unconsciousness. Some soldiers with lower cultivation died on the spot, their heads buzzing, with only their divine souls drifting out of their bodies.
Li Tiangang's pupils contracted as he watched the shattered golden light of the array, countless divine patterns collapsing. At this moment, the entire eastern border truly fell!
The countless Demons of the Demon Tide, seeing the shattered golden light, all let out bloodthirsty roars, charging forward with excitement and fervor.
The pressure on the defensive line surged. Countless arrows and attacks plunged into the Demon Tide, sinking like stones in the sea, instantly swallowed up.
As the entire defensive line bore the immense pressure, Li Tiangang found himself facing Lady Yin and other Void Realm Demon Kings, including the Vine Demon Elder and the two Dragon Gate Demon Kings, a total of ten Demon Kings, all of whose eyes were fixed on him.
"Li Tiangang!!"
Lady Yin's eyes turned fierce and cold, her face already cracking to reveal a glimpse of her true form. Near her cheekbones, a greenish eye opened.
"Die!!"
She suddenly raised her hand, and a gust of Yin Wind Claw howled through the air, expanding in the storm to stretch for thousands of feet, as if to tear the entire city wall apart!
Li Tiangang's face turned pale. The elixirs he had taken earlier had already released much of their potency. He swung his saber in anger, but the saber beam was covered by the Claw. With a loud bang, his body was thrown back, crashing into the ground and creating a deep crater.
Despite the impact being mitigated by his armor and his Unbreakable treasure body, he still spat out a large mouthful of blood.
"Marshal!"
Yu Xuan and Li Fu, along with the other Deputy Generals, saw this and shouted anxiously, rushing to his side.
"Don't worry, you will all die!"
At this moment, the Vine Demon Elder and the other Demon Kings also flew in, stepping into the airspace of Liangzhou's eastern border!
Yu Xuan looked up, seeing ten Demon Kings hovering in the air like ten blazing suns, shaking the world. At this moment, no one could help but feel despair.
But he had fought alongside Li Tiangang for many years, and though he was only in the Tianren Realm, he was a seasoned warrior.
"Marshal, we can't hold this position!"
Yu Xuan stood up and roared, "Marshal, retreat first. Let us buy you time."
Saying this, he suddenly burst with a violent surge of qi, splitting his major meridians, and his qi power erupted wildly.
At the same time, his divine soul burned, as if torn by divine light, releasing a towering aura.
Li Tiangang's usually calm and composed face finally changed.
"Marshal, go now!"
Nearby, many of the Fa Camp's personal guards rushed over, forming an array in front of Li Tiangang.
Meanwhile, Yu Xuan had already unleashed his full strength, like a blazing sun, charging toward the ten Demon Kings, ready to stand in their path!
"Pathetic insect!"
The Vine Demon Elder merely glanced at him, sneered, and casually flicked a vine whip over a hundred feet thick. With a loud bang, it sliced through the roaring sun-like figure, extinguishing it on the spot.
It was like swatting a firefly.
How could a mere firefly compete with the moon?
"Yu Xuan!!"
Li Tiangang watched with eyes wide with rage, his divine saber bursting with intense divine flames.
"Marshal!"
Li Fu also stood in front of him, urgently saying, "We can't hold this position. Our deaths are nothing, but you cannot die!"
"Stay calm, Marshal!"
The other two Personal Attendant Deputy Generals also hurriedly said.
As they spoke, they all stepped forward, knowing their cultivation was low and they could hardly hold back the Demon Kings, but as soldiers, they could not retreat.
(End of Chapter)
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