Chapter 213: Liangzhou's Peace
Chapter 213: Liangzhou's Peace
Liangzhou, one month ago.
With the arrival of reinforcements from all sides, the Demons' front lines collapsed, and the majority of the cities they had swiftly captured were quickly reclaimed.
War Banners fluttered across Liangzhou. To prevent the Demons from causing too much harm to the Commoners in some cities, Li Tiangang and Li Xuanli discussed and decided to send light cavalry units from the main army, equipped with Heavenly Battle Flags, to various cities ahead of the main force to intimidate and gather intelligence.
If the situation was dire, they would wait for the main army. If the War Banners could intimidate the Demons in the city, they could rescue the Commoners more quickly.
After all, even a single extra day could mean tens of thousands of Commoners becoming food for the Demons.
Thus, in the campaign to reclaim territory and rescue the Commoners, speed was of the essence.
When the grand counteroffensive began, the many medium and small Demon factions that had joined the three Great Demon powers, hoping to profit from the chaos, were thrown into panic. They hadn't expected the front lines to collapse so quickly.
Initially, they had received favorable intelligence from the Tianji Hall, which assured them that the Demons would easily conquer Liangzhou. But now, the situation had reversed.
Suddenly, the ancient kingdom's fear, deeply ingrained in their blood, resurfaced.
Many factions with elderly Demons chose to retreat, taking advantage of the chaos in Liangzhou to avoid being traced.
If they were wanted, they would find it difficult to survive outside the kingdom, constantly on the run.
"Why? Why did we lose so quickly?"
"Didn't they say the Dragon Gate Grand Elder would lead us to break through Liangzhou?"
Many Great Demons roared in anger, questioning the bird Demons of the Tianji Hall.
The bird Demons of the Tianji Hall were bitter. As Demons, they naturally favored the three major powers, and they hadn't even revealed that the Void Realm Sovereign had personally joined the battle.
This was a secret of the war, to be kept hidden to prevent the Human Race from capturing and interrogating any Demons who knew the truth.
"According to intelligence from the front, the Dragon Gate has already been defeated. For the specific reasons, you will need to pay with blood jade."
The bird Demons of the Tianji Hall repeated this response to the various Demon factions.
Regardless of the war's outcome, the Tianji Hall would always profit. This was why, despite having little combat power, they were still ranked among the top Demon factions, alongside the Dragon Gate.
Some Demons chose to flee immediately, not bothering to investigate, knowing that the information would eventually spread and become public.
But some wealthier and more aggressive Demons, though angry, decided to purchase the information immediately. They soon learned the detailed reasons from the bird Demons of the Tianji Hall.
The Void Realm Sovereign had personally commanded the battle, but a Young General of the Human Race had emerged, cutting down seven Demon Kings. The Young General was pursued and forced to flee beyond the borders of Liangzhou by the Void Realm Sovereign and the Dragon Gate Grand Elder.
This news quickly spread among the Demons. The Demons who had long resided outside Heavenly Gate Pass and had recently migrated elsewhere were surprised but not entirely shocked. They had already heard of the Young General's reputation at Heavenly Gate Pass.
Other Demons outside Liangzhou were stunned to learn that another World-Class Genius had emerged among the Human Race!
Elderly Demons lamented, recalling the Cangzhou incident from over a decade ago.
A Young General had led a few thousand iron cavalry to single-handedly pacify an entire state.
Now, fifteen years later, another Young General had emerged, seemingly part of a fated cycle. This seemed to indicate that the Human Race's fortune had not waned, and the three guillotines still hung over the heads of the Demons.
The Demons, hearing Hao Tian's name, fled in disarray.
The reclamation operation did not consume much military strength. With the arrival of reinforcements from the Dayu Imperial Family, the Demons were surrounded and many were eliminated.
The fifty thousand troops of the Imperial Clan, originally sent as reinforcements, now only had to handle the mop-up. The fleeing Demons faced a massive army, suffering heavy casualties. Few managed to escape, and those who did saw their races and factions destroyed, leaving only a few Lesser Demons to carry the memories of fear and pain.
"Report, Your Highness!"
The vanguard returned, bearing the banner of Emperor Yu, the black Yu character fluttering in the wind.
"The city thirty miles ahead, the Demons there have already abandoned it. Now, the army has taken over and is calling on the remaining guards and Commoners to tend to the wounded."
The lead scout dismounted swiftly and reported.
In front of him was a Jiaolong, its body covered in red scales, stretching over a dozen zhang in length. On its back stood a young man wearing golden divine armor, his cloak billowing in the wind.
To be called "Your Highness" clearly indicated his extraordinary status.
The "Yan" character on his chest armor revealed his identity, a familiar figure to both the court and the Noble Families. He was one of the most renowned among the dozens of Princes, the Thirteenth Prince, Jiang Yan.
At a young age, he had already earned a formidable reputation for his military prowess. If not for his Imperial Clan lineage, he would have at least been granted the rank of Marquis.
Jiang Yan listened to the scout's report and furrowed his brow. "I heard there was a Great Demon guarding that place. How many troops did they use to drive it away so quietly?"
"None, Your Highness. They didn't lose a single soldier."
The scout bowed respectfully and recounted the details.
Jiang Yan's eyebrows, which were like drawn swords, showed a glint of surprise, which quickly turned to coldness.
"Hmph, Heavenly Battle Flag? To think a single War Banner could intimidate a Great Demon! Ridiculous!"
"Is the Imperial Ancestor's Flag of our Dayu Imperial Family less powerful than that Heavenly Battle Flag? It seems the Demons have been too leniently treated by my father these past years!"
"Pass the order!"
His face was cold as he commanded, "Slay any Demons we encounter along the way, leaving none alive. Capture the Great Demon alive. Once Liangzhou is pacified, I will build a grand Altar and refine the Great Demon to intimidate all demons under the heavens!"
"Let these Demons know the consequences of invading the territory of our Great Yu Divine Dynasty!"
As the Imperial Clan's army approached, forces from other major provinces also rushed to Liangzhou to support the battlefield.
These forces included Noble Family heirs, various martial Sects, and local troops from different provinces. Upon hearing of Liangzhou's plight, they came from all directions to offer aid.
However, each major province spanned tens of thousands of miles, and without using certain secret military artifacts to accelerate their march, the reinforcements often took some time to arrive.
By the time the various forces reached Liangzhou, the battlefield cleanup was nearly complete. The entire campaign, from the Demons' initial attack to the final pacification, took less than ten days.
The remaining task was to clear out the Demons hiding in various parts of the province. Some had fled to towns and villages, waiting for the coast to clear before continuing to harm the Commoners.
After the defenses were breached, an unknown number of Demons had flooded in, and Liangzhou's vast territory required thorough investigation.
"Seventh Uncle, we just interrogated a bird Demon from the Tianji Hall. Li Hao lured the three Demon Kings to the Mourning River, where Fourth Uncle is stationed."
In the Liangzhou military headquarters, Li Xuanli's eyes showed a glint of hope. "With Fourth Uncle's help, Li Hao might be safe. Fourth Uncle has a lot of experience with the Mourning River."
Li Tiangang sighed in relief and nodded. "With Fourth Uncle there, escaping through the Mourning River is a possibility. Is the Demon King now guarding the Mourning River?"
"It has entered the river."
"In that case, this is valuable information. We can catch them like fish in a barrel!"
Li Tiangang's eyes gleamed.
Li Xuanli nodded. "But the Candlelight Deity is at the Half-Step Great Peace Dao Realm. To hunt him down, we'll need to summon Second Uncle, and even then, it might not be enough. We'll also need the Sea Pillars from the other Divine General Manors to join forces. If we could get the old lady from the Xia Clan involved..."
He paused, then shook his head. The old lady had been the guardian of the Xia Clan for many years and rarely left, so she was unlikely to intervene over this matter.
"Perhaps we should ask the Buddhist Master?" Li Xuanli suggested.
Li Tiangang narrowed his eyes. "The Buddhist Master might not act, and might only send a Bodhisattva to handle it. You should see the situation in Liangzhou clearly now."
Li Xuanli thought of Lin Wujing and certain rumors, and nodded slightly.
"But the True Person from Qian Dao Palace won't leave the palace easily. We can't let this rare opportunity slip away, can we?"
"Please have the Imperial Clan step in. With their call, I've heard that Princes Jiang Yan and Jiang Chong have both arrived. We should discuss the matter with them. If they can rally Sword Saint and other powerful figures, and we also invite the Imperial Guard Commander, the Candlelight Deity will surely die!"
Li Tiangang's eyes flashed with a cold light.
"Alright."
Li Xuanli nodded.
With the chaos in Liangzhou now quelled and peace restored, Prince Jiang Yan, along with the Liangzhou army and the Divine General Manor, constructed a grand altar within the state to offer sacrifices to the heavens using nine Great Demons from the Three Eternities Realm.
They claimed it was to honor the spirits of the fallen commoners of Liangzhou, but in reality, it was to intimidate the Demons.
This news quickly spread, causing even more fear among the Demons beyond the borders.
After the Demon sacrifice concluded, messages were sent in all directions.
...
Xia Clan.
In a simple courtyard, an elderly woman was tending to her poultry, feeding chickens and ducks.
"Peck, peck."
The elderly woman took a handful of grain and tossed it in front of a few yellow chicks, letting them peck at it.
The yellow chicks pecked at the grain obediently, enjoying their meal.
Suddenly, the courtyard gate was pushed open, and a middle-aged woman, wearing patched clothes, walked in, holding a letter.
She had a simple appearance, with her hair tied up in a gray wooden hairpin, but beneath her rough, homespun sleeves, her skin was as smooth and white as congealed fat, looking as if it could be pierced by a gentle touch.
The elderly woman was sitting in a reclining chair, gently swaying, watching the yellow chicks peck at the grain with a contented smile.
When the middle-aged woman approached, she looked up, her gaze naturally falling on the letter in the woman's hand, and her smile faded slightly.
"Madam, it's a letter from the Li Family."
The middle-aged woman spoke softly and respectfully.
The elderly woman reached out to take the letter, slowly reading it. After a while, she gently folded it and murmured:
"The nation's fortunes are waning, and these old men are becoming restless."
"Madam, should we go?"
The middle-aged woman asked cautiously, speaking in a soft voice: "This is indeed a once-in-a-millennium opportunity. If the Candlelight Deity has a Dao Domain, he likely won't perish in the Mourning River. Once he emerges, it will be the perfect time to hunt him."
The elderly woman placed the letter behind her on the reclining chair and then grabbed another handful of grain, tossing it to the yellow chicks at her feet:
"The Tianji Hall must have already shared this intelligence with other Demon forces. Although Demons are often at odds with each other, they understand the principle of mutual dependence."
"The Ancient Demon Hall and the Void Realm are unlikely to provide support, but the Gluttony Valley, Dragon Gate, and Holy Palace will send people."
"This is both an opportunity and a trap."
"This battle could very well be a bait set by the Demons."
With that, she gently kicked one of the yellow chicks, chuckling softly: "Don't be greedy and eat it all. Leave some for the others."
The largest yellow chick, kicked to the side, looked a bit aggrieved and huddled closer to the middle-aged woman's feet.
The middle-aged woman shifted her feet slightly and said, "Madam, does this mean we will observe the situation for now?"
"Let's wait and see."
The elderly woman said softly.
...
Wang Family.
In a grand hall that resembled a deep palace, three figures gathered.
"We just received a letter from the Li Family. The chaos in Liangzhou has been quelled."
One of the figures, a tall and imposing man with a stern face, spoke in a low voice: "Earlier, Li Tiangang sent the Eight Directions Command Flag for aid, but our Wang Family is too far away. By the time we could have provided support, it would have been over, so we didn't respond. If we don't show our support this time, we might be criticized."
"Hmph, what does it matter if we're criticized? These Demon affairs have nothing to do with us. We've already given our troops to them. Is that not enough?" Another middle-aged man, thin and gaunt, said coldly.
"Those are past matters, let's not bring them up again."
An elderly man, seated above them, said in a low voice: "Grievances and grudges are like passing clouds, impossible to settle clearly."
"The current situation in the Great Yu Divine Dynasty is that the surrounding Demons are a minor concern. The problem with the Mourning River is becoming increasingly severe."
"Zhengdong is currently striving to reach ten thousand Merit Points. I wonder what special changes will occur once he reaches that mark."
At this, he sighed, his brows furrowed with worry and a hint of hope.
"Something will surely change. Our years of challenging and studying the Mourning River have shown that the Merit Board is not just a nominal title."
The imposing man on the right said, "The 98th Ancestor broke the ten thousand Merit Points barrier, didn't he? It's recorded that he received an additional Fate-Defying Chance, leading to our Wang Family's prosperity and the emergence of many talented individuals in recent years."
(End of Chapter)
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