The Name of Eternals

Chapter 183: Whose Flag, Whose Name!

Liangzhou, Western Border.

War flames burned, and the land was scorched for thousands of miles.

The Blackstone Great Wall, once standing tall, was now in ruins, its stones stained with blood, surrounded by remnants of broken walls. Scattered corpses littered the ground, mixing human soldiers with demon bodies. Some corpses had been bisected, their arms torn, but they still held onto the demon flesh with their teeth.

Some demons were riddled with holes, yet their sharp teeth still clung to human corpses, indicating a fierce struggle to the end.

Both sides fought with utmost ferocity, showcasing their savage tenacity in this battlefield, which held the fate of millions.

Broken weapons, shattered armor, and severed limbs were strewn everywhere, yet the battlefield had fallen silent.

The humans had retreated, and the demons pursued them. Only a few stray wild demons scavenged the battlefield for fresh corpses to feast on.

A monkey demon climbed the broken city walls, where a battle flag hung limp like a tattered rag. It grabbed the broken flagpole and shook it vigorously.

The flag fluttered in the wind, its dark characters twisting before settling down lifelessly.

The little monkey demon let out a few amused screeches and shook the flagpole again.

As the flag unfurled...

A grand chase ensued!

The battlefield extended five thousand miles beyond the western border.

On the vast plains, the demon tide surged, a black mass rolling over mountains and across rivers, sweeping everything in its path.

Ahead, thousands of soldiers charged towards the city.

Signal fires rose continuously along the way, transmitting urgent messages.

At the front line, an army rushed out to meet them, ready to lay down their lives to buy time.

"Hurry, faster!!"

Li Xuanli, covered in blood and barely holding his injuries together with medicine, was exhausted beyond measure. Yet he knew he couldn't fall. His entire being thrummed with anger and determination, driving him forward.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh! The demon tide loomed at the edge of visibility, closing in fast.

In the ranks, a signal flare shot up. A Li family general, glancing back at the approaching demons, pulled his reins and slowed his pace.

He roared for his troops to stop, intending to hold the line and give Li Xuanli more time.

As the commander, Li Xuanli could not fall here. His death would mean the collapse of the defense.

Moreover, Li Xuanli was one of the few remaining legitimate heirs of the Li family, with only three of his generation left. Another loss was unthinkable.

He recalled his mother's teachings about the nobility of legitimate heirs and how the family's thousand-year glory relied on them.

In his youth, he had rebelled against this, aspiring to shine as bright as the sun and moon.

But in middle age, after witnessing the funerals of Li family's six legitimate sons, he understood that being a legitimate heir was about more than birthright; it was about responsibility.

Serving under Li Xuanli for years, he grew to respect this legitimate commander deeply.

Just as his mother had said, legitimate heirs were noble, and the illegitimate were expendable.

His mother had instilled this to ensure he never disrespected the legitimate line.

And these words rooted deeply, becoming an indelible part of him.

Watching the approaching demon tide, this illegitimate general smiled.

"Even my mother says I'm expendable. Dying with you demon scum is no loss."

"Come on!!"

He raised his spear and roared, leading his troops in a countercharge.

Li Xuanli saw the signal and the receding figure of his sworn brother. They had shared drinks and camaraderie, never letting birth status come between them.

He had vowed to see his brother ennobled and lay a tombstone for his mother in the family cemetery.

But now, all that was slipping away.

Tears blurred his vision, mingling with blood or tears on his hand.

He pressed on, gritting his teeth, shouting, "Faster!!"

The army sped towards the defensive line.

Along the five thousand mile retreat, many cities stood, choosing to stay and fight, sacrificing themselves for Li Xuanli.

As the demon tide broke through, these border cities knew they couldn't escape. They chose to die defending their homeland.

A city nurtures its people!

Yet these cities fell like stones in the black waves of demons, barely slowing the tide.

Their protective formations were quickly shattered by powerful demons, and the citizens and soldiers became demon fodder.

The demons devoured everything in their path, leaving no survivors.

Only a few stopped to feast, quickly smacked by commanding demons to keep moving.

Their relentless advance left behind a trail of blood and bodies.

"They're here!"

On the defensive line, soldiers watched tensely as the army approached, followed closely by the demon tide.

"Prepare to welcome them! Activate the formation once they're inside!"

"Summon the Astral Monitors!"

"Lower the drawbridge!"

Orders rang out from the city walls.

The defenders, strong but tense, knew from Li Xuanli's reports that three demon kings had breached the line.

The demon tide could be delayed, but the unseen demon kings made them nervous.

The ground shook as thirty thousand weary troops charged like an earthquake.

Li Xuanli, seeing the near walls, shouted, "Raise the formation!!"

His voice, powered by his soul, spread a hundred miles, reaching the defenders.

The commander on the wall turned pale, realizing the urgency. "Activate the formation now!"

The formation would slow Li Xuanli's troops, who lacked authorization for the second line's defenses.

Only commanders had the precious tokens to bypass formations.

"Hmph, quick thinking!"

Three demon king figures appeared, the ones who had breached the first line. They had hidden, waiting for the right moment.

Their plan was to let Li Xuanli's army reach the second line, then trap them as the formation closed, making it easier to break through quickly and penetrate deeper into the territory.

Speed was crucial to prevent Liangzhou from reacting, ensuring reinforcements from the Yu Emperor couldn't arrive in time.

Their goal was to break through quickly and decisively.

Swoosh! The demon kings charged, one launching a bone spear like a missile, aiming to stop the formation.

Boom! The bone spear struck the wall, destroying hundreds of meters and killing nearby soldiers with its shockwave.

"Hurry!"

Despite the destruction, the formation activated just in time.

Boom, boom! The other two demon kings' attacks were blocked by the formation, causing a dazzling display of defensive runes.

The bone spear wielder cursed, finding his weapon unresponsive, trapped by the formation's barrier.

"Damn it!"

His weapon lost, he cursed but remained unfazed. The formation's resilience meant only a slight delay.

"Li family's brat, think you're smart? I'll take your head!"

He charged at Li Xuanli's troops, his body glowing with green veins, eyes sparking with cold light.

Li Xuanli saw the demon kings coming and roared, "Form up!"

The soldiers quickly assembled, forming a battle formation even on horseback, showing their rigorous training.

In the Li family's ranks, the Xuan Battalion was elite, their techniques among the best.

Their formation conjured a peacock-like spirit, shrieking as it attacked the demon king.

"Hmph, you think a formation will save you?"

The demon kings turned their fury on Li Xuanli's army, raising the earth to trap them outside the city.

Inside, the commander called for repairs on the damaged formation.

"Open node thirty-four! Who will lead a force to support General Li?"

Several generals stepped forward, pledging to fight.

"Commander, let me clear a path for General Li!"

"Allow me, I will pave the way!"

The commanders, many linked to the Li family by blood or gratitude, volunteered.

The commander's eyes swept over them, quickly choosing two. "You two, go!"

"Yes, sir!"

They led their troops through a side gate, flanking the battlefield to attack the demon kings.

Boom! The demon kings struck, the peacock spirit shattered, and soldiers fell, but their spirit animals fought on, aiding their masters.

Li Xuanli saw his daughter, Li Wushuang, wounded but determined. "Not yet," he growled, sensing her power surge, ready to sacrifice herself.

Tears streamed down her face as she felt the battlefield's brutality. Their survival depended on countless sacrifices.

"You have a future," he urged, handing her a formation token. "Use this to escape."

She took it, shaking, realizing the gravity of their situation.

"Go!"

He roared, signaling a general to escort her.

The troops scattered, knowing it increased their chances.

Li Xuanli flew into the sky, challenging the demon kings. "Fight me!"

"You're not worthy!"

The demon kings attacked, aiming to kill him quickly.

A blood-robed elder among them sent a blood-red beam at Li Xuanli, who barely deflected it with his soul-imbued punch.

Another demon king whipped him with electrified whips, shattering his armor and leaving him scarred.

He fell, his soldiers forming a protective circle around him.

"Dad!"

Li Wushuang, seeing her father injured, held back tears, knowing he was buying them time.

"Miss, don't look at the demon kings, they'll notice."

Li Jian warned, hiding her identity as they approached the city.

"Xuanli!"

A woman's voice rang out as reinforcements arrived.

Li Wushuang saw her master, Qianji Daoist, with two other women, charging in.

"Master is here!"

Li Wushuang's eyes instantly lit up as if she had seen a savior.

"Uncle Jian, it's my master, my master is here!"

She couldn't contain her excitement and shouted.

Li Jian looked up, and his eyes also showed a hint of joy.

In the distance, aside from the Qianji Daoist, there were two female generals rushing over, both appearing to be in their forties.

They were Li Muxiu's second and fourth sisters.

They had married far away decades ago and had been living as noblewomen. Upon receiving Li Muxiu's message, they immediately donned their long-stored, dusty armor and grabbed their weapons, rushing over at the fastest speed.

During the journey, their makeup had already worn off, but it seemed they had returned to their younger days when they galloped across battlefields.

They knew that if the Li family wasn't in grave danger, Li Muxiu, with his peculiar temperament, would never seek their help.

Therefore, without much thought or hesitation, they came.

"Three demon kings!"

Qianji Daoist's gaze was heavy, landing on the three great demon kings.

His white hair and youthful face gave him an ethereal, otherworldly appearance.

"Qianji old man!"

The three demon kings also noticed him, their eyes narrowing as they revealed cold smiles.

"You dare to come alone?"

One of the demon kings stepped forward, his body exuding a surge of demonic aura, covering the sky like dark clouds, vaguely revealing a two-winged dragon-like form.

"Yuanlong!"

Qianji Daoist's face changed upon seeing him. This was a high-ranking elder from Longmen, and his strength was not weak, being in the Destiny Transformation realm.

"The women of the Li family are here too? It seems the sons of the Li family are truly about to die out!"

Another demon king sneered, half of his face splitting open to reveal jagged teeth and a red tongue. His body twisted, revealing his true form, a hideous monstrous insect.

"You deal with him, I'll take care of this brat!"

The demon king with green veins on his face said.

He raised his hand, grabbing a boulder from the ground and hurling it towards the army camp, simultaneously slamming down a palm to crush them all.

"Stop!"

Qianji Daoist roared angrily, swiftly releasing a white light that shattered the boulder and struck at the demon king's hand.

"Dare to be distracted!"

Yuanlong demon king's eyes filled with murderous intent as he attacked, his dragon-shaped phantom lunging to bite, spewing a large amount of toxic demon fog.

Qianji Daoist waved his sleeve, dispersing the fog, and said to the two Li family sisters beside him, "Quickly, go assist General Li, I'll hold them off!"

The two saw the dire situation and quickly split up, rushing towards Li Xuanli.

"You think you can fight the three of us alone?!"

The monstrous insect demon king shrieked, pouncing on Qianji Daoist and spitting out a blood sword, which shot out with sharp black light.

Qianji Daoist raised his hand, summoning a golden seal to counter the blood sword.

"Who gave you the courage!"

Yuanlong demon king roared, revealing his true form, his dragon tail sweeping down.

Qianji Daoist was shocked, hastily raising a golden barrier and continuously striking at the dragon tail with his palms.

But the dragon tail, covered in sharp, shimmering scales, shattered his palm strikes and smashed into him.

With a loud bang, Qianji Daoist's body was thrown to the ground.

The blood sword bypassed the golden seal, speeding towards him.

Qianji Daoist roared, releasing his spirit and summoning a divine weapon, a long whip, to entangle the blood sword.

The blood sword struggled, while Yuanlong demon king dived down.

The ground shook as Qianji Daoist and Yuanlong demon king clashed, both in the Destiny Transformation realm, causing a sky-shattering battle.

On the other side, the green-veined demon king shook off the divine weapon, a nine-section whip. With Qianji Daoist occupied by Yuanlong demon king, the weapon lost its edge and was easily discarded.

"Die!"

He dived towards Li Xuanli, revealing his true form, a massive giant spider.

Countless poisonous threads shot out, piercing through many of the Xuan Battalion soldiers protecting Li Xuanli, killing them instantly, erasing their souls without a chance to enter the Martial Temple.

"Stop!"

Two angry shouts echoed.

Golden light appeared, a burning holy talisman flew over, transforming into a purple divine bell that enveloped Li Xuanli, revealing a Sacred Heart Talisman.

The giant spider demon king roared, spewing more threads to cover the divine bell, but turned his gaze towards the two Li family women.

"Seeking death!"

He was angered, his eyes shooting out green light to kill the two women.

Li Qingling suddenly burned a Sacred Heart Talisman, transforming into green light that wrapped around her, increasing her speed to that of a phantom.

She quickly grabbed her fourth sister, heading towards Li Xuanli, intending to use the talisman's speed to escape.

Li Xuanli also had a Sacred Heart Talisman, but he had used it to block a fatal blow while defending the border.

Seeing his two aunts, he coughed up blood and urgently said, "Why did you come? You need to leave!"

"Don't speak, just hold on to me!"

Li Qingling quickly said.

She grabbed Li Xuanli's arm, preparing to rush towards the city.

But suddenly, a figure flew over, crashing into the ground before them, creating a deep pit.

The three saw that the figure was Qianji Daoist.

He was covered in blood, looking miserable, no longer the ethereal figure he had been moments ago.

The three were shocked. Qianji Daoist, a Destiny Transformation realm expert, had been defeated so quickly?

At this moment, two terrifying auras rose, causing the three to shudder, and a series of fearful cries erupted from the nearby city wall.

The three turned to see not only the three demon kings but also two more figures.

"You're quite slow!"

One of them, dressed in white, was handsome and elegant.

But unlike his usual calm demeanor, his eyes now held a deep, cold severity.

"Sage Palace, White God!"

"Blood Lake Flood Dragon!"

Many on the city wall recognized these two demon kings.

Besides White God, the other was a Longmen elder, similar in strength to Yuanlong demon king.

At this moment, five demon kings hovered, seeming to engulf the sky.

The terrifying demonic aura spread like dark clouds, leaving Li Xuanli, Li Qingling, and others wide-eyed in disbelief and despair.

The soldiers on the city wall were also speechless, unable to comprehend the presence of five demon kings.

"Master…"

Far away, almost reaching the formation, Li Wushuang looked back, her initial joy turning to shock and disbelief.

Her powerful and invincible master was defeated?

How could this happen?

Her master had come.

But even her master had lost!

Li Jian, guarding her, showed no joy, his face as dark as a pot, realizing that this second line of defense could not hold.

Five demon kings, who could stop them?

Boom, boom!

In the distance, the demon tide surged closer.

With the three demon kings blocking momentarily, the tide had already caught up.

The generals and soldiers who had gone to stop them were overwhelmed, barely slowing them before being engulfed.

Despair!

At this moment, everyone, inside and outside the city, felt despair.

The arrival of five demon kings overshadowed everything, their terrifying pressure stifling any words.

In front of the demon kings, thousands of troops seemed like paper, unable to resist.

The second line of defense's formation could not hold either!

All eyes fell on Qianji Daoist in the deep pit, the only four-pillar expert and the last remaining hope.

Qianji Daoist slowly climbed up, disheveled, his once neat hair now a mess.

He looked at the five approaching demon kings, staggering, a large bloody hole in his abdomen, a near-fatal wound from White God's sneak attack.

His face was pale, drenched in cold sweat, having not suffered such severe injuries in over a century.

Seeing the five demon kings encircling him, he knew that without a Destiny Transformation opportunity, he couldn't escape.

But he had already used up his Destiny Transformation chance.

Was he also going to die here?

"Old man, it seems you don't have another chance to transform!"

White God caught the glimpse of sadness in Qianji Daoist's eyes, smiling coldly.

The demon tide advanced with them, closing in on the remaining troops outside the city.

The flood of demons seemed ready to devour Li Xuanli's army in an instant.

Li Xuanli felt despair but quickly roared with defiance, "Xuan Battalion, to the death, fight with me!!"

His roar echoed through the camp, reaching the city walls.

"Hmph, an ant trying to shake a tree!"

White God sneered, raising his hand to kill Li Xuanli first.

In Yanbei, he had fought Li Tiangang for years, harboring deep hatred. Now, he was filled with killing intent towards Li Tiangang's brother.

Just as he raised his hand to strike, a woman's angry shout echoed from the horizon.

"Stop!!"

That was a woman's angry shout!

The voice was clear and piercing, traveling across thousands of miles and reaching the ears of Bai Shenjun and the other demon kings.

The demon kings all looked surprised. Could there be another woman from the Li family daring to come here?

"Little sister!"

Li Xuanli almost instantly recognized the voice. It was his youngest sister, the one guarding Tianmen Pass.

His originally angry face now showed rare panic. In this desperate situation, no matter how many people came, it was useless. His sister coming here would only mean another life lost!

"Hongzhuang, don't come!!"

His eyes reddened with moisture as he shouted loudly.

But what answered his shout was the sound of something piercing through the air at high speed!

A black shadow shot from the horizon, like a sharp arrow or a falling meteor, cutting through the sky and crossing the vast plain, shooting straight into the ground beneath the demon kings!

The ground erupted, dust flying, creating a deep pit several meters wide.

In the pit, there was a flag!

The flag had been wrapped around the flagpole to reduce wind resistance. As it landed, the force binding the flag loosened, causing the fabric to unfurl.

As the breeze stirred, the flag was revealed!

The large flagpole, over ten meters tall, was now firmly planted in the battlefield. As the wind blew, the characters "Hao Tian" were clearly visible.

Bai Shenjun, who was about to strike, stopped in his tracks, his pupils contracting sharply.

At the same time, his heartbeat seemed to shudder violently.

Could it be that battle god-like boy?!

He quickly looked towards the horizon and saw more shadows flying towards them.

A series of flags, one after another, flew through the air and planted themselves into the ground in the path of the demon tide.

As the ground exploded and the flags were revealed, the demon tide's leading commanders, the Great Demons of the Three Indestructibles, were momentarily bewildered. But as they saw the unfurled "Hao Tian" characters, their bodies trembled, showing signs of fear.

They immediately roared, shouting orders to halt the entire army.

A series of long howls echoed, causing the surging demon tide to quickly slow down.

Finally, they stopped four or five miles away from the flags.

Seeing the distance, the Great Demons among the demon tide, dripping with cold sweat, breathed a sigh of relief.

The frequent reports from Tianji Hall had long informed them about the situation outside Tianmen Pass.

This matter had already spread among the higher echelons of the demon forces. Longmen and Shenggong even took Li Hao's battle flags back for research, resulting in the explosion that killed a Great Demon of the Three Indestructibles.

Everyone knew that the boy guarding Tianmen Pass was the toughest nail in Liangzhou.

And he was the last stronghold they planned to devour!

This Hao Tian battle flag, planted five thousand miles outside the pass, had long spread its terrifying reputation, instilling fear.

"Don't, under any circumstances, destroy those flags!"

A knowledgeable Great Demon urgently shouted.

Fearing that some reckless demon might trample the flags.

The sudden appearance of these battle flags, coupled with the demons' strange reactions, left Li Xuanli and the others, who were facing despair, stunned.

What... is going on?

Qianji Daoist was also stunned, looking at the battle flag with bewilderment.

Everything seemed to revolve around this battle flag.

These demons were extremely afraid of this flag.

Even the ancestral Yuanzi battle flag of the Li family, representing the invincible Yuanzi Battalion, never had such an imposing presence.

Whose flag was it, and whose name was on it?!

Li Xuanli, upon seeing the battle flag clearly, was immediately shocked. Living in Liangzhou, he naturally knew whose flag this was.

Hao'er had come too?

He quickly looked up, scanning the distance, but saw only a red figure flying towards them—it was his sister, Li Hongzhuang.

Li Hongzhuang landed, carrying a large bundle of battle flags on her back.

"Brother!"

Li Hongzhuang called urgently.

Li Xuanli, looking beyond her, quickly asked, "Is Hao'er here too?"

His voice was filled with tension, a mix of hope and fear. He feared that if Li Hao came, he might also get into trouble.

He knew Li Hao was protected by Four Pillar Realm experts, and if Li Hao came, those experts would likely follow.

But they were facing five demon kings!

Li Hongzhuang bit her lip, not answering. She was worried that her answer would be overheard by the demon kings.

Although she wasn't sure how much Li Hao intimidated these demon kings, it was best to stay silent.

At this moment, Bai Shenjun's gaze swept over Li Hongzhuang, then fixed intently on the direction she came from, as if nervously waiting for something.

But no figure appeared.

Nevertheless, Bai Shenjun did not dare to relax.

He knew that boy was not only terrifyingly powerful but also extremely cunning. He might be hiding, waiting for the right moment to strike!

The previously overwhelming momentum outside the city had paused briefly due to Li Hongzhuang's arrival.

Countless demons in the demon tide halted before the line of battle flags, not daring to advance.

The demon kings also stopped, not attacking further.

This bizarre scene left the people on the city walls dumbfounded.

These demons seemed very scared!

"The Hao Tian flag... could it be from Tianmen Pass?"

"How is that possible?"

On the city wall, the Liangzhou Commander murmured.

The reputation of that young general was too prominent. Even if he didn't intentionally inquire, he had heard it from his subordinates.

But was this really that young man's flag?

Why were these demons so fearful?

It was too strange!

"Has that kid from Tianmen Pass also come?"

The demon kings, their gazes serious, looked into the distance.

Although they didn't see the young man, they all felt uneasy.

The stories about that young man had long circulated among their major factions, and he was listed as a must-kill target.

Fighting three demon kings alone and injuring a Destiny Transformation realm demon king's second life—it was terrifying.

If he was here, the outcome of this battle would be uncertain.

The most crucial question was, where was Li Hao?

Had he come or not?

If he hadn't, why were his battle flags here?

If he had, why couldn't they see him?

"Like being here."

"Damn it!"

"Little brat, show yourself if you dare!"

"Hiding, what kind of skill is that?"

The demon kings roared, scanning the surroundings.

These sudden shouts left everyone on the city walls shocked and confused.

What were these demon kings doing?

Whose name were they calling?!

"That seems to be the Hao Tian young general's battle flag!"

"Yes, that's right. I went to Tianmen Pass, didn't see him, but I saw this battle flag!"

"It's his flag!"

"That's the Hao Tian young general's battle flag!"

In the city walls, some hastily assembled family troops, recognizing Li Hao's battle flag, cried out in shock and excitement.

Their voices quickly spread, and soon, everyone was astonished. This really was the battle flag of that young general!

A mere young general's flag had stopped this horde of demons that broke through the frontier and chased five thousand miles into the interior, intimidating them!

Even the demon kings were wary?

That young man had such a reputation?!

Under Li Jian's escort, Li Wushuang, who slipped into the city's formation while the demon kings were distracted, heard the cries of astonishment within the city and was stunned.

She stared blankly at the fluttering flags on the battlefield, the two characters swaying in the wind.