Chapter 74: Xia Qingshuang
Chapter 74: Xia Qingshuang
While the city guard was clearing the Demon Corpses outside the city, Song Yueyao also reported the situation in the Blackwind Mountains to Yue Shuhong.
Yue Shuhong immediately dispatched scouts to verify the information.
When the scouts saw the hill covered in Demon Corpses, they were utterly terrified.
The number of Demon Corpses here was no less than those piled up outside the city.
Especially the square platform of Demon Corpses, which was entirely composed of Great Demons, with a rough count of over twenty.
The scouts also spotted the famous Gigantic True Divine Bear Demon, which had long been a menace outside the city. Now, it lay as a slightly rotten, stinking corpse, placed at the bottom of the platform.
Shaken and trembling, the scouts hurried back to the city and reported everything to Yue Shuhong in detail.
After listening, Yue Shuhong stood in a daze for a long time before finally letting out a long sigh.
Having been in charge of Cangyu City for decades, he naturally knew that all the Great Demons lurking around Cangyu City must have been completely eradicated by Li Hao!
If it hadn't been for the Tan Palace Academy's fortuitous assignment, which Li Hao had happened to take on... Yue Shuhong couldn't even imagine what kind of hell Cangyu City would have become.
He felt both excited and nostalgic, as the heavy burden that had weighed on his heart for decades finally lifted.
Two days later.
The Demon Corpses outside Cangyu City were mostly cleared, and Li Hao and his group's academy task was officially declared over.
Their departure was relaxed and leisurely, in stark contrast to their hurried arrival. Yue Shuhong provided them with a carriage and personally saw them off at the city gate.
"Sir, I have already reported the situation in Cangyu City to the Provincial Capital."
"Furthermore, once everything here is settled, I will personally travel to the Imperial Capital to request a death sentence."
Outside the carriage, Yue Shuhong bowed solemnly and said.
Li Hao glanced at him and immediately understood that he intended to take all the blame himself.
"Do you know that such a heavy burden of guilt will implicate your entire clan?" Li Hao asked.
Yue Shuhong's face remained calm as he replied, "I do. That's why I severed ties with my clan twelve years ago. According to Great Yu Law, severing ties for over ten years is considered a complete break, with no further association or liability."
Li Hao looked at him for a moment and said, "It seems you are also a skilled player."
"Sir, you flatter me."
Li Hao didn't say more, withdrew his hand, and pulled down the carriage curtain.
"Sadly, you won't be able to taste the wine brewed by Tiger Robe Head."
Yue Shuhong's body trembled slightly. After a moment of silence, he lifted his head and smiled.
"If you don't mind, when you pass through Cangyu City in the future, pour a cup of wine on this road as a toast to me."
The wind stirred the curtain, causing it to ripple and sway.
A single word came from inside the carriage:
"Agreed."
Yue Shuhong's smile grew warmer.
The carriage slowly moved forward, driven by the coachman. In the morning sun, it followed the official road lined with cypress trees, heading forward.
The city and the people at the gate gradually became smaller.
But faintly, one could still see the person waving at the carriage, as if saying goodbye, followed by a deep bow.
Until they could no longer see each other.
...
...
Inside the carriage, only Li Hao, Ren Qianqian, and Li Yuanzhao remained.
The coachman was a soldier from Cangyu City who would return to the city after delivering Li Hao and his group to Qingzhou.
Wei Feng had bid a hasty farewell to the group the previous day. With Li Hao around, he no longer needed to secretly protect the Young Miss.
Compared to the Young Miss's safety, he was now more worried that she would actually agree to become Li Hao's Attendant.
Although Li Hao was of noble birth, Ren Qianqian was the daughter of a Martial Master. Being an Attendant would be a lifelong mark of her status.
He needed to hurry back and request reinforcements. Only his master could persuade the Young Miss.
As for Li Fu, still recovering from his injuries, he stayed behind in Cangyu City.
Less than half a day after leaving Cangyu City, Li Hao and his group suddenly saw two fast horses approaching on the official road.
The rider on the fast horse seemed to recognize the Cangyu City emblem on the carriage. After passing the carriage by several dozen meters, he abruptly pulled the reins and turned back, blocking the carriage and its occupants.
"Stop!"
The rider was a man and a woman. The man, in his twenties, wore a purple battle armor, a sword at his waist, and a flying feather hat, looking dashing and heroic.
The woman wore a purple, finely crafted battle armor, carried a bow on her back, and a sword at her waist. She had no helmet, and her black hair flowed with the cloak, fluttering behind her.
"Are you a soldier of Cangyu City?"
After stopping the carriage, the young man immediately gripped the reins, his face slightly angry as he pointed at the driver.
The driver was startled. Upon recognizing their armor, he hurriedly got up and knelt, saying, "Wugang Yue Ming of the Cangyu City Defense Unit, greeting the two honored lords."
"Why are you here? Who is in the carriage?"
The young man shouted angrily, "We heard that Cangyu City was attacked by Monsters. Are you deserters?"
At this, a cold, murderous look appeared in his eyes.
The driver Yue Ming hurriedly explained, "My lords, there has been a misunderstanding. The demonic disaster in the city has been quelled. I was ordered by the City Governor to escort these Tan Palace students back to Qingzhou."
"Tan Palace students?"
Hearing this, the two people's eyes flickered, and the young man's expression softened slightly. "Have them come out so I can see."
The Tan Palace Academy in Qingzhou was renowned throughout the land, and they were aware of it. However, they saw no need to study at Tan Palace themselves.
Li Hao and the others inside the carriage also heard the commotion. Yu Wei, sitting by the door, immediately lifted the curtain to look outside, wondering who could be so blind?
Stopping them was one thing, but Li Hao and Li Yuanzhao were inside the carriage.
"It's the Xia Clan's military armor."
Li Yuanzhao, peering through the curtain, immediately recognized the two.
Both from the Divine General Manor, although Li Yuanzhao hadn't traveled far, he had studied the common knowledge about these top-tier noble families.
Seeing Li Hao and the others' young faces and their Tan Palace uniforms, the two riders immediately knew the driver was telling the truth.
"What did you mean by saying the demonic disaster has been resolved?" The dashing woman asked, her eyes cold as she looked at the driver.
The driver replied nervously, "My lords, the Monsters caused chaos, but fortunately, the Young Master of the Li Family intervened and quelled the disturbance."
"Li Family Young Master?"
The young man frowned. "Which Li Family Young Master?"
"The Li Family of the Divine General Manor in Qingzhou", the driver replied respectfully.
"Hmm?"
Xia Yong and Xia Qingshuang exchanged glances. It was them?
Wait, Young Master?
To be called that, it must be a third-generation member of the Li Family.
After all, the second generation of the Li Family were already middle-aged, and there were only three of them, all famous throughout the land.
However, they had heard that this demonic disaster was led by a Fifteen Li Realm Great Demon, with tens of thousands of monsters. Such a force would require at least two Fifteen Li Realm prodigies from their Xia Clan to suppress.
But they hadn't heard of any notable third-generation members of the Li Family.
A few years ago, a few of them had caused a minor stir.
One was six when he was taken in by the Buddhist Master of Wuliang Mountain, another was a disciple of the Daoist from Qianji Mountain, both direct disciples.
There was also one who was born with great fortune, personally named by Emperor Yu, leading the world to believe he had exceptional talent. However, he then disappeared, and rumors spread that he was a cultivation waste, though the truth was unknown.
"Could it be the one from Wuliang Mountain has entered the world?"
The two exchanged glances. The one called Young Master couldn't be the Li Family girl who entered the Heaven List a year ago.
"The third-generation member of the Li Family from Wuliang Mountain should be eighteen this year. An eighteen-year-old Fifteen Li Realm…." Xia Yong's eyes narrowed slightly, a trace of battle intent in them.
Beside him, Xia Qingshuang remained calm. "If that's the case, we can rest easy."
She turned to the driver. "Tell me, how many casualties were there in the city?"
"Only over two hundred City Guard Soldiers were injured, and a dozen or so perished", Yue Ming replied respectfully.
(End of Chapter)
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