Chapter 254: The Xia Family's Invitation

In Yizhou City, within the grand estate of the Xia family, known as the Divine General Manor, a noble lady sat with poise and dignity in the main hall of Dongting Garden.

Though she appeared to be in her forties, her skin was as smooth as cream, even more delicate than a maiden's. Dressed in exquisite garments, she resembled a beautiful painting come to life, graceful and regal.

She was not a mere lady of the house, but the current head of the Xia family, Xia Linglong, also known as the True Dragon of the previous generation.

It was her vow of lifelong celibacy that had granted her the eligibility to compete for the title of True Dragon, and with her exceptional talent—rumored to be the most outstanding in the Xia family for hundreds of years—she had earned the position.

At the age of twenty, she had reached the Three Imperishables realm, a feat that, while not as impressive as that of the monstrous genius from the Li family who had achieved it at nineteen over a decade ago, had still been extremely glorious in its time, making her name known throughout the world.

However, when she took over the leadership of the Xia family, various demon forces had taken advantage of her gender, mocking the family as declining and weak. They had wreaked havoc in the other major states under the Xia family's rule, causing untold suffering to the people.

But Xia Linglong had swiftly taken decisive action, crushing and driving back these demons with lightning speed.

In many battles, she had personally led the troops, donning iron armor and staining her hands with the blood of countless demons. Yet, when she returned home from the battlefield, she would don colorful skirts and adorn herself with makeup and finery, resembling those ladies of noble houses who indulged in flower-viewing and tea-drinking.

The only difference was that those ladies pored over books like "On Womanhood" and "The Art of Being a Wife," while she held military treatises, manuals of strategy, and maps of the demon realms in her hands.

Half a month ago, the Gluttonous Valley, which had been besieging the Morbid River outside of Liangzhou, had suddenly shifted their offensive to the Xia family's Yizhou. This unexpected attack, led by the valley's elder, had breached the eastern defensive line, and now half of eastern Yizhou had fallen.

The casualties and destroyed cities numbered more than thirty.

Each city, along with its surrounding towns and villages, was home to at least four or five million people, with some having populations as high as ten million.

The severe damage inflicted on their headquarters state had left Xia Linglong with little rest in recent days. Moreover, the lord of the Gluttonous Valley had acted wantonly, launching a sneak attack on the Divine General Manor, only to be forced back by the combined efforts of several Unparalleled realm uncles from the family.

However, this battle had also made Xia Linglong aware of the valley lord's formidable strength. Though not yet at the Dao realm, he had few rivals among those in the Unparalleled realm. His flesh and blood were as refined as a top-tier divine weapon, and even the most powerful ultimate techniques of the Unparalleled realm had a diminished effect on him.

Fortunately, the Gluttonous Valley Lord was not yet at the Grand Void realm; he was a great demon king who had risen to power five hundred years ago but had not yet entered the Dao realm.

Otherwise, the Xia family would truly be facing a calamity, and they would have to deploy their strongest foundations to hold him off!

Even so, the situation was already dire for the Xia family.

"News from Xia Changkong on the eastern battlefield," a solemn elder reported from the hall. "The second line of defense is about to crumble. They plan to fall back to the Ming River area and activate the third line of defense there."

The elder, already clad in armor, was ready to march to war at any moment. His gaze rested on Xia Linglong, the lady of the house. Despite her gender, no one in the Xia family dared to underestimate or disrespect her; they all held her in awe and reverence.

"House Head, please allow me to join the battle and aid Changkong in defending the line!" The elder volunteered, his eyes sharp as an eagle's. "If the third line of defense falls, I will fight the Gluttonous Valley to the bitter end!"

The others in the hall paled, wanting to speak but hesitating, unsure of what to say. As members of the Divine General Manor, this was their duty, especially when countless warriors had already fallen on the front lines, leaving their loved ones behind.

"A bloody battle is the last resort, but it is not our goal," Xia Linglong spoke, her eyes, like autumn waters, devoid of their usual gentleness, now cold and resolute. "If the Gluttonous Valley Lord takes action, even the third line of defense may not hold. Currently, there is a huge gap in strength between the two sides, especially in terms of elite forces. At the same time, we must also guard against the possibility of other demon forces taking advantage of the chaos. Until the situation becomes clearer, we must not recklessly stake everything on a single throw!"

The elder's expression changed slightly as he fixed his gaze on her, not questioning but waiting for her to continue.

Xia Linglong paused briefly before continuing in a low voice, her eyes focused and intense:

"The third line of defense will be a feint, luring the Gluttonous Valley Lord into the Cangling Mountains, where our Xia family ancestors have hidden an array formation. We will use the power of the formation to seal off the Gluttonous Valley Lord, and then we will advance to the front lines and wipe out the demons. Finally, we will engage the Gluttonous Valley Lord in a decisive battle, and this time, I intend to bring out the Sacred Treasure of our ancestors!"

Hearing her words, the elder's face twitched, and the others' pupils constricted.

They all sensed the immense determination of their house head.

"But if the third line of defense falls, we will lose another dozen or so cities..." The elder couldn't help but interject.

Xia Linglong locked eyes with him and said, "I have already ordered Seventh Uncle to lead an army of 100,000 to evacuate the residents of those cities, leaving only a small number of defenders. It doesn't matter if the cities fall as long as the people are safe. Once the war is over, our Xia family will send troops to help them rebuild."

"Are we evacuating everyone?" the elder asked.

Xia Linglong fell silent for a moment before replying, "There isn't enough time, but by cutting off the afflicted limb, we can save the rest. We have no other choice."

The others remained silent, and the elder also fell quiet. He knew that his niece was intelligent and adept at strategy. If she couldn't come up with a better plan, it meant that there truly was no better option.

"We have sent a request for aid to Dayu State, but outside the Imperial City, demons are said to be lurking, making reinforcements impossible," Xia Linglong continued, taking a deep breath as her eyes turned cold. "The Liangzhou War, no, the frequent demon raids over the past few decades, all targeting the territories guarded by the Li family, nearly causing their lineage to be severed... I have a feeling that these demons are plotting something big..."

"The Liangzhou War was just the prelude," she went on. "Thankfully, it was held back by that young man, or else, with Liangzhou's terrain, once the demons occupied it, the next target would be Yizhou, and they could also invade the other states via the rivers. It would have been a major disaster, with the demons in an advantageous position to attack or defend!"

"Their swift strike failed, and their momentum was cut short. Now, they aim to tear open a breach from our Yizhou, and this is just the beginning. His Majesty must have sensed it as well, yet he has not dispatched reinforcements. If I'm not mistaken, the demons' true target may not be Yizhou, but the Imperial City itself..."

"Now, it's a matter of who makes the first move and who can no longer bear to hold back."

Meanwhile, the demons were becoming increasingly rampant, and this battle was inevitable, though they hadn't expected it to come so soon.

"Heroes emerge in chaotic times, and the emergence of that young hero is a clear sign that such times are upon us..."

Someone sighed softly.

"Then I shall head to the Cangling Mountains first to set up the array in advance." The elder said to Xia Linglong.

Xia Linglong nodded. "Thank you, Fourth Uncle."

"There's no need for thanks when it comes to slaying demons. Don't disgrace me," the elder coldly harrumphed.

Xia Linglong's icy gaze softened slightly as she said, "I was wrong."

The elder waved his hand, about to get up, when suddenly, a streak of light flashed towards the Divine General's Manor like an arrow.

The elder's expression changed as he sensed it, and with a wave of his hand, he captured the message that had been urgently sent using the Xia family's unique secret technique.

"Liyang?"

Seeing the words on the surface of the letter, the elder's face changed slightly. It was news from Liyang!

Xia Linglong's expression turned stern as well. "Has Liyang fallen so quickly?"

The elder pushed his palm forward, sending the letter to her.

Xia Linglong quickly scanned the letter, her solemn expression turning into one of slight surprise.

"Has Liyang fallen?"

"Is it a call for help or a report of defeat?"

The others tensed up upon learning that the news was from Liyang. If the northwest falls as well, the demons will attack Yizhou from both sides.

After finishing the letter, Xia Linglong looked up at the elder.

The elder's eyes held an inquiring look.

Xia Linglong's eyes gradually lit up as she said, "Liyang is safe!"

"They won?"

"Earlier, it was mentioned that their food supplies were cut off. The demons were probably planning to use a siege strategy, so they should be able to hold out for some time."

Everyone was stunned for a moment before their faces lit up with joy.

Finally, some good news amidst all the battle reports!

"Could it be that my son, Xia Yuanming, broke through at a critical moment?"

"Your son isn't as smart as Qing Shuang. It's probably her. But she's only recently entered the Celestial Realm, so she shouldn't be able to turn the tide of battle, right?"

Hearing the good news, everyone's faces showed a rare happiness, and they even teased each other.

Xia Linglong didn't keep them in suspense and said, "Do you all remember that young duke, the only one in the Great Yu Dynasty, the general who defended Xiayang State? He has come to our Yizhou!"

"Hmm?"

"What!"

The group was taken aback for a moment before realizing who she was talking about. There was only one young duke in the entire Great Yu Dynasty, and that was the general defending Xiayang State.

They were, of course, familiar with him, and when the young man's exploits became known, a phenomenon occurred in the cities of each state. Banners with the words 'Haotian' were crafted and stored in warehouses, to be hung up when demons attacked and chaos ensued.

The reputation of these banners spread far and wide, turning them into a strategic resource.

Perhaps one day, when the Great Yu Dynasty faced a grave threat, cities across the land would raise the banners of that young man, along with his mythical reputation!

As members of the Divine General's Manor, while they may have been jealous of the young man's fame, they also knew that only he could accomplish such a feat. The uniqueness of his banners had made them even more renowned than the flags bearing the names of the five great Divine Generals.

"Are you talking about General Haotian?"

"Wasn't he at the Mohe outside of Liangzhou? How did he end up in Yizhou? Did he come specifically to reinforce us?"

"Liangzhou isn't far from Yizhou. Maybe he heard the news? But I haven't heard of him leaving Mohe, though. Perhaps it's because the demons outside Mohe retreated to attack Qingzhou recently, and there are no more demons outside Mohe. Maybe he didn't engage in a big battle after leaving, so we didn't know about it?"

"Could the news be wrong? Qingzhou is about to fall, and he's not there but here in Yizhou instead?"

"Doesn't he know about Qingzhou?"

The group looked at Xia Linglong with astonishment.

Xia Linglong reacted as well. Indeed, if the young man had emerged, he should have rushed to aid Qingzhou first. Could the news be mistaken?

However, she soon thought of something about the young man, and her eyes flickered as she understood the reason.

It seemed that the battle between the father and son in Qingzhou had a significant impact. The young man had truly chosen to break away from the Li family and sever all ties with them!

He probably didn't just cut off ties but also held a grudge, or else why would he come to Yizhou instead of Qingzhou?

At this thought, a doubt arose in her mind. Although she didn't know what had happened between the father and son, the young man's willingness to save Liangzhou and sacrifice himself to draw away the master of the Grand Void Realm showed that he had a benevolent and chivalrous heart. What wrong could he have committed to make the Li family treat him like this?

"The military letter hasn't been opened, and the secret patterns on it are intact. The news is real unless the demons have already broken into Liyang and forced them to write this message," Xia Linglong said, implying to everyone that the news was undoubtedly authentic.

Xia Linglong nodded slightly, as this was also her intention.

The 'chick' that the old madam raised was, of course, not an ordinary chick but a powerful demon beast.

The Xia family's cultivation techniques tended towards the category of controlling beasts and refining the spirit, thus they were also adept at taming demon beasts and war steeds.

The finest war steeds in the entire Great Yu Dynasty were produced by the Xia family. Even the imperial family's dragon-scaled steeds were raised and trained by the Xias, who held the position of Dragon Steed Masters in the imperial court, a role passed down through generations within the family.

The hybrid mounts of many high-ranking officials and aristocrats, such as the lion-dragon steeds of Qingzhou, were all bred by the Dragon Steed Masters.

"With such a formidable ally, any price is worth paying." The elder said to Xia Linglong.

Xia Linglong nodded, immediately ordering someone to write a letter to be sent back to Liyang.

...

Liyang City.

Outside the city, the scouts returned and reported to the old generals of the Xia family that the vast demon horde had completely withdrawn from the area.

Upon hearing this news, everyone was taken aback. They never expected that the demon tide, which had caused fear and anxiety among the people of Liyang, would retreat so easily and without a sound.

All it took was the arrival of a young man.

One man entered the city, and a million demons fled!

Was this the extent of the young man's reputation? Previously, they had only heard about his various exploits through various sources, which left them shocked and envious, even a little jealous. But at this moment, they truly felt the immense influence the young man held over the demons.

All the controversies and rumors were embodied in this moment.

The young man had merely ridden into the city without uttering a word to the demons, yet he had achieved more than their desperate roars and valiant resistance!

This was the difference.

The young generals of the Xia family wore complicated expressions. As the younger generation of the Xia family, they were often compared to the younger generation of the Li family, and this young man was from the Li family. But now, they had been thoroughly defeated.

Even if you tied them together, they wouldn't amount to half of what this young man could do, and this realization left them feeling dejected.

Li Hao didn't stay in Liyang City for long. Soon after, he received a reply from the Xia family. Xia Linglong, the head of the family, personally wrote a letter inviting him to their ancestral home, the Divine General's Manor, to express their gratitude.

Li Hao was a little surprised. He had intended to leave for Liangzhou after a brief stay in Liyang, but now that the head of the Xia family had personally and sincerely invited him, it would be impolite to refuse.

Fortunately, it would only take half a day to travel from Liyang City to Yuzhou City, so he wouldn't be delayed much.

What disappointed him was that the Xia family's old general had collected some famous paintings and go game manuals for him, but none of them were true 'masterpieces' worth collecting.

Liyang was a border city that had endured years of warfare, so it stockpiled more bows and arrows than brushes and ink. Thus, it lacked the cultural artifacts he sought.

"When we meet, perhaps I can ask the Xia family to help me look for what I need." Li Hao thought to himself as he mounted his steed and asked the old general for a pass to expedite his journey.

The old general wanted to accompany Li Hao personally, but Li Hao declined because Candlelight didn't want to carry another passenger.

With the pass, Li Hao saw no need to conceal his mount any longer, and he instructed Candlelight to fly at full speed.

In the blink of an eye, Candlelight soared into the sky, revealing its true form—a fire lion with a dragon's tail. Soon, it disappeared from Liyang City.

"That's... a demon steed?!"

The old general and Xia Qingshuang were astonished. They had spent their lives fighting demons, yet they hadn't recognized that Li Hao's mount was a transformed demon beast!

Moreover, the aura emanating from Candlelight filled them with a sense of dread, indicating that it was no ordinary demon beast.

Yuzhou City, the Divine General's Manor.

Li Hao rode Candlelight into the city, dismounting just before entering. He instructed Candlelight to transform into a human and follow him as they approached the manor.

The city was bustling and vibrant, and Li Hao strolled leisurely, allowing Xu Yan, perched on his wrist, to enjoy the sights. Previously, in that small town, he had taken her to watch a play, and she had been delighted for days afterward.

Along the streets, they passed vendors selling various colorful lanterns, paper umbrellas, and cosmetic stalls.

Li Hao bought a string of tanghulu, a traditional Chinese snack of candied hawthorn berries on a stick. As he held it in his hand, Xu Yan would occasionally stretch out her small red whiskers to lightly lick and steal a taste.

"So sweet~"

Xu Yan secretly licked the tanghulu, her small whiskers dexterously stealing bites. "Although it's not very nutritious, it's delicious."

Li Hao smiled and said, "I haven't had a chance to cook for you yet, but in the future, I'll let you taste my culinary skills."

"Okay!"

Xu Yan readily agreed.

Li Hao smiled faintly and took her around the streets to enjoy the various attractions before eventually arriving at the Divine General's Manor.

When the Xia family received news of Li Hao's arrival, they were astonished at his swift arrival.

Xia Linglong put down her teacup and immediately left the East Pavilion, personally greeting him outside the manor.

When she saw the young man and his companion, her gaze fell upon Li Hao. She had never seen Candlelight's human form before, as it had been secluded for many years. Although it had appeared in Liangzhou, its aura then had been overwhelming, and its current subdued state was quite different. Moreover, those who had witnessed its true form in Liangzhou wouldn't have been able to describe its appearance in detail to others.

"General Haotian, welcome to my family's manor."

Xia Linglong greeted him with a smile.