The Name of Eternals

Chapter 181: Rising Sword and Wolves' Smoke

Li Hao spoke, secretly transmitting his instructions about the battle flags to Li Hongzhuang.

Li Hongzhuang was momentarily stunned. Hearing that the flags contained Li Hao's sword techniques, she was taken aback. Battle flags infused with sword techniques? This was on par with the abilities of the Si Tian Jian, the celestial monitoring bureau. How did Li Hao achieve this? She looked at Li Hao with a puzzled expression and asked him through a transmission.

Li Hao didn't explain and simply said, "There's no time to delve into details. Senior Hongzhuang, if you want to reinforce them, you'd better set off quickly. I'll give you fifty battle flags!"

Li Hongzhuang snapped back to reality, realizing that there was no time to probe into Li Hao's secrets. This nephew had too many mysteries to uncover, his extraordinary talent being just one of them, and that alone defied explanation. It could only be attributed to his exceptional natural gift.

"I'm not going."

A figure appeared; it was Li He.

He stared at Li Hao, knowing that with his current strength, he was no match for Li Hao. Thus, his expression was sincere and solemn:

"Young Master, in such a perilous time, with demons attacking Tianmen Pass, please let me stay with you this time."

The last time Tianmen Pass was in a critical state, he had been knocked out by a Four Stages Realm expert and sent out of the pass. This event had haunted him ever since. He was moved by Li Hao's act of saving him in a crisis but felt ashamed of his own failure, unable to face himself.

"I was ordered to protect the young master. Even if it means dying, I want to die in front of the young master."

Li He solemnly requested.

Li Hao felt a bit speechless. The martial generals of the Li family were indeed stubborn.

Li Hongzhuang glanced at him, thinking about the recent intelligence from Tianmen Pass. Her expression was complicated. She should stay to defend, but with Li Hao's strength and the presence of a Four Stages Realm expert, her Fifth Brother needed her more.

"Hao'er, let him stay. I can travel alone, and it will be faster." Li Hongzhuang quickly said.

Li Hao thought for a moment and agreed.

Li He's presence would be more useful here than at the western front.

Li Hao's soul left his body, flying to the city walls of Cangya City. He gathered fifty battle flags he had marked within a hundred-mile radius and brought them back to the courtyard.

Fifty flags piled up like several stacks of hay bales.

Li Hongzhuang used her power to cover the flags, understood Li Hao's instructions on how to use them, and said, "I'm off. Be careful here!"

She looked deeply at Li Hao. With his nod, she soared into the sky, carrying the battle flags, and sped towards the inner regions, utilizing her utmost speed.

The distance from Tianmen Pass to the western front was thirty thousand miles, and to reach the second defensive line mentioned by Li Xuanli was twenty thousand miles.

Using object manipulation speed, traveling dozens of miles in a breath, she could get there quickly.

But this was the maximum speed used in battle, unsustainable for long distances. The energy expenditure would exponentially increase over time, and she would be exhausted by the time she arrived.

Liangzhou was vast, with hundreds of cities, each with a territory of over a hundred miles, encompassing numerous towns and large wilderness areas, spanning a diameter of ten thousand miles.

Even using the undying power to travel at full speed, she would be exhausted halfway. The state of undying power couldn't last that long.

Thus, Li Hongzhuang didn't hold back, immediately unleashing her full speed.

Since Li He couldn't keep up, she traveled alone to utilize her undying power fully.

...

After Li Hongzhuang left, Li Hao called the Haotian Army and ordered the city to be locked down.

He also sent out signals warning of a demon disaster, advising wandering warriors to either enter the city or hide.

Li Hao considered that if the western front was in trouble and demons dared to attack Tianmen Pass, then the eastern and northern fronts might also face invasions.

Thinking of the eastern front, he frowned. He hadn't paid attention to that side and didn't want to.

The northern front was too far, almost opposite, spanning a hundred thousand miles across Liangzhou, making it difficult to reinforce quickly.

"Withdrawing to the second defensive line, if the eastern and northern fronts fall, they should also retreat there. News of the border being breached should have spread throughout Liangzhou. The noble families, if they want to survive, should send reinforcements."

"Moreover, in such chaos, the imperial army should also come."

"As long as the second defensive line holds, it will buy time."

"But if the western front has demon kings, other places likely do too. Withdrawing the defense lines will gather the demon forces, increasing the pressure, perhaps even more."

Li Hao's eyes flickered. The fifty battle flags he gave Li Hongzhuang might not be enough.

He summoned a master, who served as a captain in the Haotian Army, and gathered twenty more battle flags, instructing him to ride swiftly to the western front.

The master, receiving the order, mounted a crimson horse and rode out.

Li Hao sent scouts to gather information on the demons outside the pass, to determine their numbers and types.

"Last time I cleared them, they haven't learned their lesson yet. Tianji Hall knows my strength and still dares to invade, probably with at least four demon kings..."

Li Hao's expression turned serious. Another tough battle was ahead.

"Young General..."

Xu Zhouyuan, hearing the reports, trembled. This was his first time facing the bloodthirsty aura of the border soldiers directly.

Li Hao issued orders rapidly. The courtyard quickly emptied.

Hearing Xu Zhouyuan, Li Hao smiled at his nervous expression, "Senior, don't worry. Tianmen Pass will be fine."

He then sat back down, "There's still time. Let's finish this game."

Xu Zhouyuan was stunned, feeling a sense of shame. Though not a warrior, he had lived seventy years. Yet he wasn't as calm as this young man.

"Then I'll accompany the young general."

Xu Zhouyuan took a deep breath, composing his thoughts.

Meanwhile, outside Tianmen Pass, seven hundred miles away, a horde of demons surged through the towering wilderness, led by four great demons of the Three Immortal Realm.

"Both the eastern and western fronts have fallen? As expected of Longmen and Taixu Realm, their actions are extraordinary. Liangzhou will soon be ours!"

"Their forces must be concentrated inland now. If they don't withdraw the lines, they'll die faster."

"This brat at Tianmen Pass destroyed my nest and ancestral land. Let's see if he can stay calm now!"

"When the brat leaves, we'll break through Tianmen Pass, make some contributions, and earn ourselves some territory."

The leading great demons were those driven out by Li Hao during his previous sweep.

With Tianji Hall's warning, they had hidden early and avoided danger. However, their lairs were destroyed, marked with flags, making them wary of approaching.

"Lords, General Haotian hasn't returned. He left for Tianji Tower six days ago. Even if he studied for only one day, it would take until tomorrow to return if traveling normally."

A bird demon from Tianji Hall reported.

When Li Hao left, he hid his tracks, making it difficult for Tianji Hall to detect. They had to rely on Tianji Tower's handlers for information.

Tianji Tower also gathered intelligence, and Tianji Hall, modeled after Tianji Tower, didn't dare stay too close to Tianji City, leaving them to guess Li Hao's whereabouts.

"Humph, the one on the city wall is just a clone, similar to our demon arts, to scare people."

An Immortal Realm demon sneered. Though rare, they had seen many clones. Most were only a tenth as powerful as the original.

"Let's attack before he returns!"

They quickly decided and ordered the army to advance at full speed.

The scouts soon detected their movements and reported back.

"Report!!"

A soldier rushed into the courtyard.

Xu Zhouyuan, just about to place a black piece, almost dropped it in surprise, looking up anxiously.

Li Hao narrowed his eyes, signaling the soldier to report.

"Reporting, General! We've detected demon activity outside the pass, numbering around fifty thousand, including two great demons of the Three Immortal Realm. The strength of the other demons is unknown."

Li Hao raised an eyebrow.

Fifty thousand?

Only that many?

If led by demon kings, they wouldn't bring just fifty thousand unless to conceal their presence or for a swift attack.

But for a swift attack, the demon kings alone would suffice, moving quickly and quietly, without a large army drawing attention.

Fifty thousand wasn't enough to worry demon kings.

"Continue scouting and report back." Li Hao ordered.

"Yes."

The scout left.

Li Hao turned back, noticing a gap in the black pieces on the board. He smiled, placing a white piece.

"Young General..." Xu Zhouyuan swallowed nervously.

Li Hao smiled, "Senior, the inner array is in place. With me here, it's either life or death. Let's finish this game."

Xu Zhouyuan was stunned, then realized he couldn't leave now. If Tianmen Pass fell, the demons would attack quickly. How could they outrun demons with their carts and horses?

He composed himself, drank some tea, and refocused on the game, feeling bolder in the face of danger.

As the demon tide approached, scouts continuously reported to Li Hao.

The demon tide was getting closer.

A hundred miles outside the pass, the demon tide saw the scattered flags, causing the great demons to pause, feeling a nightmarish deja vu, followed by rage.

"Order to avoid the flags. Do not touch them."

The great demons commanded.

The demon tide condensed, slowing their advance.

"I'll guard the flags to prevent any accidents." A Three Immortal Realm demon said, releasing power to cover the flags.

The demon tide continued, soon reaching Tianmen Pass.

On the walls, the soldiers were ready.

Seeing the approaching beast tide, the Haotian Army and Blood Fiend Army were tense.

Reports reached Li Hao.

"They're here?"

Li Hao narrowed his eyes. If there were hidden demon kings, this would reveal them.

"Qianqian."

Ren Qianqian had stopped practicing, anxious from the continuous reports. Hearing Li Hao, she fetched his sword from the sword case.

The sword case, crafted by Wanqi Tower when forging Longxiao Sword, usually held the sword.

Ren Qianqian opened the case. With a clang, Longxiao Sword unsheathed, its bright light reflecting in her eyes. The sword flew like a golden dragon, arcing over the courtyard, heading outside Cangya City.

The city's diameter was only sixty miles, a mid-sized city. Li Hao's range was a hundred miles.

In the streets, noble youths from various states rushed to the walls.

Hearing about the demon attack, they weren't afraid but excited.

Usually, hunting demons required arduous journeys. Now, they could witness a demon tide.

As they hurried, a golden light streaked overhead, emitting a terrifying pressure and killing intent.

The golden light roared like a dragon, heading outside the city.

"What was that?"

"Looked like a sword!"

"Quick, let's see!"

Surprised, they chased the golden sword light.