Chapter 219: Reinforcements, Haotian Flag (Third update)

"Hmm?"

Li Hao was eating a bun and suddenly felt the taste was somewhat familiar, as if he had eaten it somewhere before.

Looking up, the old man at the tea stall looked a bit familiar, and he suddenly remembered it was the tea stall boss he had met on the way when he went to behead demons in Qizhou.

"It's you?"

Li Hao looked at the other party in surprise.

"Hmm?"

The tea stall old man looked at Li Hao in confusion.

Li Hao's gaze stared over, sensing the other party's aura, but found that he was just an ordinary person.

"Boss, were you previously setting up a stall at the border of Qizhou?" Li Hao asked.

The tea stall old man looked at Li Hao in surprise and said: "You know me, old man?"

"When I passed by, I even learned how to make buns from you," Li Hao said.

Hearing Li Hao say this, the tea stall old man seemed to recall it, suddenly realizing:

"So it's you, how did you come to be here?"

"I should be the one asking you, how did you come here? Didn't you set up a stall in Qizhou for many years?"

"It's not that I heard some young heroes drinking tea say that business is good here, and they are all rushing here, so I thought about bringing the old man along, and came here,"

The tea stall old man laughed: "Not to mention, business here is indeed much better, look."

As he spoke, a few more young men in brocade clothes rode over from outside Longguan Road. Seeing the tea stall, the young men dismounted.

"Old man, bring a bowl of tea!"

"It's impolite to call people like that, you should call me Boss."

"Hey, you're just too particular; we are now people of the Jianghu, calling you old man is what's called carefree."

"My father said, when walking outside, don't mistake impoliteness for being carefree, otherwise you'll be beaten."

"Yo, you even rhymed for me."

Several young men sat down and chatted casually, glancing at Li Hao's side. Seeing Li Hao was of similar age to them, they just thought he was another guy who came to Cangya City to see the world.

"Coming."

The tea stall old man smiled and greeted them, handing them a pot of hot tea, saying: "We also have some buns and snacks here, do you want some?"

"Sure, bring a few portions, one for each."

"Alright."

The tea stall old man smiled and agreed.

Turning back to busy himself at the stall, he said to Li Hao while busy: "Young hero, are you also here to join the fun in Cangya City?"

"I live here."

Li Hao drank tea and ate buns, asking: "From Qizhou to here, the journey is long, are you here alone? Such a long road is not easy to walk."

The young men at the next table heard Li Hao's words and were all surprised, immediately casting their gazes over. A more familiar young man immediately said excitedly:

"Brother, you live here? Did you just come to buy a residence, or did you join the army?"

"Brother, have you seen that Young General Haotian?"

"The journey is indeed long, the road is not easy to walk, just walk slowly."

The tea stall old man smiled and said: "As long as you can walk to the place you want to go, walking slowly is also a scenery."

Li Hao was interrupted by these young men and looked at this tea stall boss again. Although he felt a bit strange, there were many coincidences in the world; perhaps he was overthinking.

"Boss, I'm leaving first."

Li Hao finished eating and stood up to say to the boss.

Then he turned to look at the few young men and smiled: "The border is very dangerous, you guys should go play somewhere else."

"Then how did you..."

The few young men saw his old-fashioned advice, and being at the age of hot-bloodedness, they were unconvinced and wanted to compare, but saw Li Hao turn and step into the air, disappearing outside the tea stall.

Flying in the air.

The sign of the Fifteen-Li Realm!

The words of the few young men rushed to their lips, but they were instantly dumbfounded.

This guy, who looked of similar age to them, was actually in the Fifteen-Li Realm!

But soon, they looked at each other and became excited.

It was said that many people were running to Cangya City now, and countless geniuses wanted to challenge that legendary youth; it seemed it was indeed true.

One could meet geniuses everywhere here!

"Brothers, eat quickly, let's go too."

The few young men immediately became agile.

"What a bunch of impatient guys..."

The tea stall old man saw this and shook his head with a smile.

Li Hao returned quietly to Cangya City and back to the small courtyard with the fence.

Several patrolling Grandmasters saw Li Hao and immediately saluted. Li Hao waved his hand to let them continue.

Ren Qianqian was cultivating in the courtyard. Hearing the movement, she opened her eyes to look, and seeing it was Li Hao, she immediately finished her cultivation and ran over.

"Young Master, you're back."

"Hmm, has there been any movement recently?"

"Nothing on our side."

Ren Qianqian said: "But this morning, Senior Hongzhuang received a military report; as for what it specifically was, I don't know."

Li Hao recalled the strict inspection of the city guards when entering the city, his gaze shifted slightly, and he said to Ren Qianqian:

"Help me find some clean clothes, I'll go ask."

"Okay."

Ren Qianqian nodded.

Li Hao released his divine soul to probe the whole city and soon found Li Hongzhuang's figure.

His figure flickered, disappearing from the small courtyard, and he arrived at the City General Mansion where Li Hongzhuang lived.

Li Hongzhuang was cultivating by condensing her sword, suddenly startled, looking up, seeing Li Hao who appeared like a breeze, only then did she breathe a sigh of relief, saying:

"Hao'er, are you back? From the Tianji Building to here, it would normally take six or seven days to travel, right?"

"Hmm, just got back."

Li Hao sat on the chair beside him, seeing a plate of snacks, casually picked one up and threw it into his mouth, asking:

"Heard from Qianqian there was a military report, and seeing the soldiers on guard when I came back, is something the matter?"

"The demons that were wandering outside the Liangzhou border were indeed feigning retreat, and now they are gathering at the Western Border of Liangzhou, preparing to attack."

Li Hongzhuang said about this matter, her brows furrowed, saying: "It was intelligence sent by Fifth Brother, detected last night, and the military report was delivered this morning by fast horse."

"These demons, their demonic hearts truly don't die!"

Murderous intent and anger rose in her eyes.

Li Hao realized, he also had some guesses about the situation outside the pass.

"Then how is the situation on the Western Border?"

"Still unknown for the time being."

Li Hongzhuang shook her head: "Fifth Brother only said to let us be on guard here too, as the demons might come to invade at any time, telling us to keep our scouts focused and not slack off."

"So today I let all the soldiers in the city brace themselves, and also sent several teams of elite scouts to outside the pass. Currently, the first team to set off has returned from eight hundred miles away, but didn't see any trace of demons."

Li Hao hadn't mentioned much to Li Hongzhuang about clearing outside the pass, but within five thousand miles outside the pass, it had long been cleared by him.

It was normal that they couldn't detect demons within eight hundred miles.

However, now that the demons were gathering to attack the Western Border of Liangzhou, it was possible they would gather troops to come to Tianmen Pass again, after all, this was the pass on the south side of Liangzhou.

Clearing it before didn't mean there were none now.

Therefore, Li Hao didn't say anything, knowing the situation once the scouts she sent returned.

If those demons really dared to come over, he would clear them again.

It just so happened that the demons beheaded before had been eaten by the whole city for over a month, and had long been eaten up.

Adding some ingredients wasn't bad, saving him procurement expenses.

Now that he had left the Li Clan, he was self-reliant, and money and wealth were all earned by himself, relying on the rewards he had received earlier, as well as selling demon materials in exchange.

He had no money before, and it was all advanced by Song Qiumo; Li Hao hadn't had a chance to repay her for this money and this favor.

"If the other scouts don't detect any trace of demons, it means these demons might have concentrated their strength to attack the Western Border."

Li Hongzhuang said: "When the time comes, we will go and probe the battle situation on the Western Border."

"However, it is also possible that these demons have split up, and the main army hasn't marched to our side yet. I will send people to probe for the next few days."

She wouldn't underestimate or slack off. With the speed of the demon army, marching a thousand miles a day wasn't strange, and the great demons among them, as vanguards, could rush to a thousand miles away in less than half a day to attack the city in advance.

Li Hao nodded; this was indeed steady.

"Tell me anytime if there is a situation."

Li Hao prepared to leave immediately.

Li Hongzhuang looked at him and said: "You returned after only five days in Yongzhou, didn't you look through it properly in the Tianji Building, or did that Tianji Chief not want to let you look more?"

"No, he let me look at will."

"Then why did you return so early?" Li Hongzhuang was surprised.

Because he finished looking... Li Hao smiled, waved his hand and said: "The journey was too long, haven't bathed for several days, I'll go change clothes first."

"..." Li Hongzhuang was speechless. You wouldn't be in such a hurry to return just to bathe, right?

Not waiting for her to continue questioning, Li Hao had already stepped out of the General Mansion, disappearing before her eyes.

"This guy..."

Li Hongzhuang couldn't help but shake her head, feeling it was quite funny, not knowing how Li Hao's lazy temperament could cultivate to this extent, forming a sharp contrast with their disciplined Divine General Mansion descendants, yet Li Hao was more outstanding than anyone else.

Returning to the small courtyard.

Li Hao washed simply, changed into new clothes, sent a message to Old Man Feng who was sitting in command in the dark, and then suddenly remembered that he had returned too hurriedly, not wandering around Yongzhou to bring back any delicious specialties.

However, he was mainly worried about demon incursions at Tianmen Pass, after all, the news of his departure would likely not be hidden from the Demon Heavenly Machine Palace.

"Actually didn't take this opportunity to attack Tianmen Pass, it seems the main army has all transferred to the Western Border?"

"Maybe they felt I wasn't there, even if they broke Tianmen Pass, once I returned, they would only have to retreat, after all, there are too many battle flags here."

Li Hao knew these demons outside the pass must have witnessed the power of his battle flags, at least the Heavenly Machine Palace knew.

Shaking his head, Li Hao didn't think anymore. Since the demons were attacking the Western Border, it meant they really had plans to invade Liangzhou, and he had to guard this Tianmen Pass well.

"The world is starting to get chaotic..."

Li Hao felt he also had to work hard. He asked Ren Qianqian to invite that Little Chess Saint, Xu Zhouyuan.

Treating these art masters, Li Hao was extremely polite.

Ren Qianqian also inherited Li Hao's attitude, coming to the inn where the Little Chess Saint lived, her attitude very polite, stating Li Hao's invitation.

Xu Zhouyuan was already over seventy, white-haired and gray-bearded. Because his martial arts aptitude was mediocre, he didn't cultivate, only relying on the wealth accumulated from his reputation to buy some pills to strengthen his body.

But he was a mortal, with a weak constitution, unable to eat too strong medicinal treasures, so the pills he ate only allowed his lifespan to be slightly longer than that of ordinary mortal old men by ten or so years, his body slightly more robust.

His attendant boy saw Ren Qianqian and was flattered, hurriedly inviting her in.

Xu Zhouyuan learned that the youth had taken an interest again and also showed a smile. Thinking of the game with the other party, mutual slaughter, hard to distinguish between victory and defeat, he also felt his heart itch, agreeing immediately.

Ren Qianqian offered ten taels of gold, handing it to this Little Chess Saint.

Xu Zhouyuan hurriedly declined, but Ren Qianqian said it was the Young Master's rule.

He had no choice but to accept.

...... He had also accepted more than ten bags like this before.

Hard to refuse the kindness, hard to refuse the kindness...

Xu Zhouyuan followed Ren Qianqian into the carriage with a full face of smiles, heading to the small courtyard with the fence.

The surrounding aristocratic children recognized Ren Qianqian and exclaimed in shock, seeing her invite Xu Zhouyuan with such a humble and compliant posture, only thinking this old man was some senior in the Four Standing Realms.

However, when the carriage went far away, they only learned from the inn waiter that this old man was just a mortal, nicknamed Little Chess Saint.

"A chess player?"

Everyone felt surprised, just a mortal, yet would be treated so politely by that sword attendant genius?

In the small courtyard with the fence, Li Hao had already prepared snacks and tea, and also wiped the cool mat.

Hearing the carriage sound, Li Hao knew that the old senior had come.

Waiting for Xu Zhouyuan to walk into the courtyard, Li Hao stood up immediately to welcome him, saying: "Senior, you've worked hard."

"Young General, please don't fold me," Xu Zhouyuan hurriedly said. Although he was nicknamed Little Chess Saint and had quite a reputation, the Great Yu Divine Dynasty was based on martial arts after all.

The most respected in the world were still these martial artists.

Chess? It was just an unorthodox path that didn't enter the stream.

"Where, where, Senior please." Li Hao received him into his seat and poured tea for him.

Xu Zhouyuan had also received such treatment from Li Hao before, but didn't accept it calmly because of this, still saying carefully and politely: "Young General is too polite."

Accompanying a general is like accompanying a tiger, and literati accompanying a general is just like this.

"Senior, don't be constrained."

Li Hao laughed, waved his hand to signal others to retreat, and made a gesture of invitation to this Little Chess Saint senior.

Seeing this, Xu Zhouyuan, who had just picked up the tea he had tasted, put it down immediately and began to grab pieces in the chess box.

Ren Qianqian knew Li Hao played chess and didn't like others to disturb him. If disturbed, he would inevitably be furious, and that reaction was like when a martial artist was disturbed during cultivation.

To this, she was long accustomed.

Retreating to the side, she began to cultivate on her own, taking the opportunity to guard Li Hao.

In the small courtyard, it returned to tranquility.

The sunlight shone in the corridor of the eaves, falling on the shoes Xu Zhouyuan had taken off outside the corridor, the small grass in the cracks of the bluestone slabs tender and green.

You play a piece, I play a piece, the two played chess quietly.

Xu Zhouyuan also gradually entered the state, no longer as constrained as before, fully investing in the placement of pieces.

One game ended, Li Hao barely won by a small margin.

This Little Chess Saint's chess skill was extremely high, at the level of five dan; Li Hao occasionally had negligence, and it was easy to flip the car.

Seeing the experience prompt appearing on the panel, Li Hao smiled slightly and greeted the other party to continue.

This tranquility continued until suddenly a harsh shouting sound broke in.

"Report!!"

Xu Zhouyuan, who was deep in thought about where to place his piece, was startled by the vigorous roar, and the piece in his hand fell onto the chessboard.

It happened to knock away a white piece in the corner of the game, causing it to change position.

Bang!!

The pitch-black giant palm slammed down, the brilliant golden light on the formation constantly flashing, countless divine runes rotating rapidly, but in the end, it couldn't be blocked, and with a bang, it shattered in response!

And the giant demonic palm slammed down, shattering the foundation stones of the defensive line outside the formation!

With the destruction of the formation, the gap in the Great Wall was torn open. In an instant, countless demon tides swarmed in, pouring in like a tide from the gap under that great Demon King, breaking the Great Wall and rushing toward the city!

Many soldiers of the Xuan-character Battalion spat blood, falling to the ground, unable to support themselves.

"Father!"

Li Wushuang looked at the figure that flew back; Li Xuanli was seriously injured, crashing into the city wall, shattering the stones, his battle armor dented, and even his Imperishable Treasure Body couldn't withstand it, suffering serious injuries.

Li Wushuang hurriedly rushed up and helped Li Xuanli up.

"Quick, quick, retreat!"

Li Xuanli climbed up, looking at the three Demon Kings standing in the air, his flushed crimson face full of anger, but his daughter beside him made his thoughts calm:

"Contract the defensive line, retreat quickly!"

"Quick, release the distress signal!"

He hurriedly roared.

The deputy general who came to help heard this and quickly relayed the order. At the same time, beacon smoke rose into the sky.

"Cover the Marshal's retreat!"

Other generals saw this and quickly gathered, their expressions solemn, knowing that this was a moment of life and death.

There was no one in the Four Standing Realms sitting in command here; once the formation was broken, the three Demon Kings were unstoppable!

"Kill!!"

A general of the Three Imperishable Realm roared, throwing out his long spear and leading his battalion to charge out.

Millions of people and countless demon tides collided, like two floods crashing, blood and limbs splashing, the intersection of the battle was distinct, just like the black and white pieces distributed on that chessboard.

"Report!!"

Xu Zhouyuan's gaze withdrew from the black and white pieces of the disrupted game, looking up toward the military officer who came to report.

The other party had already arrived in the courtyard, seeing Li Hao's figure, immediately knelt on the bluestone slab in front of the chess table, presenting with both hands: "Young General, there is a military report from the Liangzhou Military Department Viceroy!"

Li Hao frowned slightly, the game was affected, and he was a bit displeased, but the military report was of great importance, so he didn't have much temper, beckoning to take the military report.

Before he could flip through it, a figure rushed over, Li Hongzhuang rushing in wearing bright red armor.

She had stayed at the border for a long time, and except for bathing and sleeping, she never took off her armor.

Even when sleeping, she wore soft armor, ready to get up and join the battle at any time.

"Just heard that war horses entered the city, and the person who delivered the letter was covered in blood. Did something happen on the Western Border of Liangzhou?!"

Li Hongzhuang saw Li Hao and asked hurriedly.

Li Hao's expression shifted slightly, quickly opening the military report, his gaze sweeping over it, reading it all.

"The Western Border is broken, led by Demon Kings!"

Li Hao's gaze sank. The Western Border was broken so quickly?

Just heard from Li Hongzhuang that their scouts detected demons gathering outside the border last night, the intelligence was delivered this morning, and now it was afternoon, so it only took ten-plus hours from the demons gathering to attacking.

The Western Border had formations to block them.

However, three Demon Kings... it was no wonder.

Li Hao furrowed his brows. He wasn't surprised that three Demon Kings appeared in the demon tide, only that the Western Border didn't have anyone in the Four Standing Realms sitting in command, which surprised him.

Was the defensive strength of the Western Border actually this weak?

"Demon King!"

Li Hongzhuang heard Li Hao's words, her pupils contracted, hurriedly saying: "Then Fifth Brother, how, how is he?"

Her heart was contracting, the scene of the Third Brother and Sixth Brother dying in battle appearing before her eyes, as well as the funerals she had attended one after another, the low mourning in the mansion and the white of wearing mourning clothes.

"He is fine for now."

Li Hongzhuang breathed a sigh of relief, her hanging heart falling back into her chest, hurriedly saying: "Then is Fifth Brother asking us to reinforce? Now that the formation is broken, how do they plan to guard?"

Li Hao shook his head, looked at the military report, sighed, and put it away:

"He didn't ask us to reinforce, but warned us to be careful, to be on guard against Demon Kings. In addition, he said they have already contracted the defensive line and retreated to the second defensive line."

Li Hongzhuang was stunned, and soon understood, her expression complex, saying to Li Hao: "Then... are we going to help?"

Li Hao pondered for a moment. The dark-side clone was in charge of the formation here, and could also guard slightly.

As he weighed it, another sound rushed in from outside the courtyard.

"Report!"

A Haotian Army soldier rushed in, hurriedly saying to Li Hao: "Young General, saw a warning beacon signal outside the pass, scouts probing encountered an attack!"

Li Hao and Li Hongzhuang's expressions both shifted slightly.

The Western Border just broke, and demons came here too?

"Do you know how many there are?" Li Hao asked.

"Not detected yet."

Li Hao looked at Li Hongzhuang, and Li Hongzhuang's expression also turned ugly.

Li Hao saw her thoughts, wanting to contract the defensive line like Li Xuanli, concentrate strength, and drag it out until reinforcements arrived.

He was silent for a moment and said: "This military report was delivered here, calculating the time, they should have already retreated to the second defensive line. How about this, you and Li He take my battle flags and go."

"Both of you are in the Three Imperishable Realm; if you rush at full speed, you can arrive in the fastest time."

Li Hao planned to let them take his marked battle flags to assist in the battle, while he himself sat in command at Tianmen Pass.

Once he solved the demons here, if there was still time, he would go to assist.

His battle flags contained five percent of his lethality, which could be considered an extremely terrifying killer move!

This would also be enough to block many demons for that Fifth Uncle. ===== CHAPTER 220 =====

This way, he can also block many demons for that Fifth Uncle.