Chapter 251: A Surprise Attack on Youzhou
Li Hao sat atop a demon beast, the Candlelight Spirit, which revealed its true form but did not fully unleash its massive size. After all, the true body of the Candlelight Spirit was over a hundred zhang tall, and its movements would cause the earth to tremble.
Returning to familiar territory, Li Hao felt a sense of nostalgia. Although the outer reaches of the Great Wilderness were markedly different from the inside, the energy drifting between heaven and earth was noticeably diminished, making it a barren land.
Yet, this "barren" earthy scent was like a bone-deep memory, the familiar fragrance he had breathed since his arrival in this world.
It was comforting.
Not the kind of comfort one felt during cultivation, but a soothing sensation for body and mind.
His thoughts drifted across a thousand mountains to the Heavenly Gate, the bamboo fence courtyard, the old man within, and the sword-wielding young girl.
If time permitted, he could invite that gluttonous woman to join him for a barbecue.
Recalling those rare moments of peace in the midst of snow and wind, a slight curve appeared at the corners of Li Hao's mouth.
He urged the Candlelight Spirit to continue their journey.
Using the attributes of the Cosmos Chart, Li Hao checked the number of markers he had left, which had decreased from 100 to 96, losing only four battle flags.
These flags had been left at the Heavenly Gate, and their loss was likely due to unforeseen circumstances. However, from this number, he could roughly determine that the Heavenly Gate was probably safe and sound.
The Candlelight Spirit carried Li Hao as it flew through the air, with mountains and lakes rushing by below.
As he caught glimpses of the vast and deep canyons and lakes, Li Hao sensed the presence of demon beasts within, and his heart itched with excitement. He mentally marked these places as excellent spots for wild fishing...
At this moment, Xiyuan, who had transformed into a red wooden ring wrapped around his wrist, lifted a red whisker from the ring, like a stray hair, swaying with the wind as she curiously examined the novel sights of the outer Great Wilderness.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"First, we'll pay a visit to an old friend, then we'll take a look at this world," Li Hao replied.
"Oh." Xiyuan's little red whisker extended onto Li Hao's arm, allowing her to get a clearer view of their surroundings.
Li Hao didn't stop her, letting the gentle breeze caress his face.
"Do we just keep going straight?" the Candlelight Spirit below them whispered.
"You don't recognize the way either?" Li Hao was surprised.
"I have no recollection," came the response.
"Do you have no impression of the entire area outside Liangzhou?"
"I don't remember Liangzhou either."
"..."
Li Hao fell silent for a moment, realizing that Senior Yun Ge had truly erased their memories.
This ruler of the Grand Void Realm might not even remember his old acquaintances if he were to meet them.
"Do you have any impression of the Grand Void Realm?" Li Hao asked.
"A little," the Candlelight Spirit replied.
"How little?"
"I only remember a mountain there. There were many little demons on it who feared me."
"..."
Li Hao nodded. It seemed that the impressions left after a thousand years of seclusion in the Grand Void Realm were still somewhat tangible.
"Since we don't know the way, let's just keep going straight. We'll cross mountains if we encounter them, and we should eventually reach Dayu," Li Hao said.
On his return journey, Li Hao encountered several demon beasts, and occasionally, Xiyuan would sense rare divine medicines and herbs, detouring to collect them. This meandering path eventually led them astray from their original route.
When they tried to retrace their steps, they realized they were lost.
The inner Great Wilderness was filled with miasma, and the terrain was similar everywhere, making it difficult to navigate. Li Hao himself wasn't particularly good with directions (a bit of a path idiot)
, but fortunately, he was able to dispel the miasma with his Domain and aim for a specific direction. Using the most straightforward method, he traveled in a straight line and eventually found his way out.
Now, he would have to rely on this straightforward old method once again and continue traveling in a straight line.
As long as he entered Dayu, he could ask for directions and figure out his bearings.
After all, he had once looked at the map of the Ten Kingdoms, and such maps were considered confidential within the God General Mansion. It was only because of the old master's casual nature that he, as a child, had been allowed to browse through it.
However, despite getting lost, these few days of wandering weren't entirely fruitless.
Aside from traveling, Li Hao would absorb the power of heaven and earth during their rest stops to heal the Candlelight Spirit and Yin Furen, aiding them in restoring their cultivation. This naturally attracted the attention of many curious demon beasts.
Like insects drawn to the scent of blood, Li Hao didn't let these opportunities pass by, defeating them all and refining their demon blood with the Spirit Demon True Devil Art, channeling the essence to Xiyuan.
The blood of these demon kings had minimal effect on Li Hao now.
His physical body had been tempered to an unimaginable degree, seemingly reaching a bottleneck. Unless he found an extremely powerful tempering technique, further improvement seemed unlikely.
On the other hand, Xiyuan's true body possessed the ability to absorb blood and convert it into nourishment. Thankfully, she hadn't lost this skill, and with Li Hao's help, along with the rare divine medicines they had gathered on their journey, Xiyuan's strength had skyrocketed. Her cultivation had advanced from the Dao Heart Realm of the fleshly body to the Reversal of Fate Realm.
Additionally, her body had become extremely resilient, reaching a level comparable to a five-forged divine weapon.
In the same realm, even the physical bodies of dragon clan members might not be as strong as hers.
The wind howled as the Candlelight Spirit carried Li Hao across tens of thousands of miles, soaring over mountain peaks surrounded by demon beasts.
These demon beasts sensed the overwhelming presence of the great demon king and hurriedly bowed their heads in submission.
As Li Hao passed by mountain peaks with traces of human qi, he casually swatted them down, wiping out the demon beasts dwelling upon them.
The very grass and trees could become the sharpest sword qi in his hands, slashing through everything in its path.
"The Xia family, huh..."
Li Hao's gaze flickered as he noticed the tattered battle flag on top of a nearby mountain, recognizing the characters fluttering on it. It seemed he had entered the territory guarded by the Xia family.
Not long after, when he spotted some scattered villages on the border, Li Hao immediately instructed the Candlelight Spirit to use its demon beast transformation technique. It changed from its previous appearance of a fire lion with a dragon's tail into an ordinary horse with a mane.
Riding a demon king into the city would be too outrageous, and he would instantly become the center of attention.
Soon after, they landed in an uninhabited wasteland under the cover of night. Before long, a young man rode out on horseback, leaving the wilderness and entering the official road, galloping towards a township.
The township lacked even basic spell formations, making it impossible to detect the intrusion of demon beasts. However, Li Hao noticed that each household displayed talismans for repelling demons.
With a quick scan, Li Hao realized that they were all low-level demon-repelling talismans. If an ordinary demon came close, the talismans would burn, turning into red light that would pursue and bind the demon.
However, to a great demon, these talismans were as insignificant as a breath of air—easily blown away.
The township was rather simple, but at this moment, on this night, the town was brightly lit, with the sounds of opera, gongs, and drums emanating from its center, creating a lively atmosphere.
Along the way, children carrying colorful lanterns ran and played, heading towards the town.
Li Hao's divine sense swept over the town, revealing that aside from the yamen (government office)
, there was also a run-down demon-subduing office with a broken signboard. However, the entrance of the demon-subduing office seemed to be a bustling marketplace, with leftover rotten vegetable leaves scattered on the ground.
Even a small town like this seemed to have all the necessary functions.
The demon-subduing office was empty, and the two or three staff members who were supposed to be on duty had their uniforms unbuttoned, perfectly fitting the township's laid-back and casual style.
Li Hao smiled faintly. He retrieved the corpse of a demon beast he had hunted along the way from his spatial storage and quietly delivered it to the warehouse of the demon-subduing office under the cover of night. Afterward, he located a silver box hidden under the bed in a locked room and took a few silver ingots from it.
It was a fair exchange.
The demon beast's head would likely fetch them a considerable reward if they turned it in.
As the silver ingots flew back into Li Hao's hand in the darkness, he found an alley with no one around. He instructed the Candlelight Spirit to transform into a young man, but unlike the majestic and awe-inspiring appearance it had when pursuing Li Hao, it now concealed its aura and divine light.
Even so, the Candlelight Spirit's cold and stern demeanor still gave off an extremely intimidating vibe.
Standing in this simple township, its unique aura made it stand out.
Li Hao brought the Candlelight Spirit to an inn and asked the attendant to prepare two sets of clothes and a room for them.
Li Hao's current attire was still the divine clothing he had created with his power, but he had dimmed its radiance to make it appear more ordinary.
He planned to rest for the night, inquire about the route, and then continue his journey back to Heavenly Gate the next day.
"Sir, are you also going to Liyang City to reinforce the defense?"
The attendant was extremely polite, even respectful.
He could sense that Li Hao was no ordinary man, and it had nothing to do with his clothing. It was Li Hao's gaze and aura that set him apart.
Moreover, the calm yet unblinking gaze of the Candlelight Spirit behind Li Hao added to their intimidating presence.
Even though Li Hao and the Candlelight Spirit were trying to keep a low profile, they still stood out.
"Liyang City?"
Li Hao's eyes narrowed as he realized he had entered the territory of the Xia family.
This was the headquarters of the Xia family, in Youzhou.
It wasn't far from Liangzhou.
"Reinforcements for Liyang City? Are there demon beasts attacking there?"
Li Hao asked, surprised.
The grand duchies guarded by the Five Great God Generals were usually the most stable and prosperous regions, heavily guarded and unlikely to be invaded by demon beasts.
"You don't know?"
The attendant was taken aback but remained friendly. "Sir, from your accent, I can tell you're not from Youzhou. If you're here for sightseeing, I suggest you leave as soon as possible. Youzhou isn't very peaceful these days."
"Oh?"
Li Hao's eyes narrowed. "Tell me more."
Soon, Li Hao learned about the recent situation in Youzhou from the attendant. Liyang City was a critical pass in Youzhou, located on the border. Lately, it had been frequently attacked by demon beasts.
In addition to Liyang City, several other border cities in Youzhou had also been assaulted by demon beasts, causing panic among the people.
This small town was located some distance away from Liyang City, and previously, young masters from aristocratic families had come here upon hearing about the turmoil in Youzhou. They intended to slay demons, establish merit, and compete for glory.
"It seems that the battle in Liangzhou was just an appetizer for these demon beasts," Li Hao frowned, sensing an impending storm of demon activity brewing, threatening the entire Great Yu Dynasty.
He then asked the attendant about the situation in Liangzhou.