Volume 2 - Chapter 51: The Five-Thousand-Mile Banner - Part 1
When Li Hao instantly discerned his identity, the boy’s expression subtly changed.
He glanced cautiously at the peaceful-looking young man before him. It was difficult to reconcile this serene figure with the fierce and imposing youth he had glimpsed outside the pass earlier.
But he knew that any misstep at this moment could cost him his life.
“Greetings, Major General,” the boy said respectfully, bowing low before nervously continuing, “I have come on orders. Earlier, when you swept through the outer territories, you destroyed the palaces and dwellings of three Demon Kings. They have sent us from the Tianji Hall to ask how you intend to compensate them.”
“Compensate them?”
Li Hao raised an eyebrow and looked at him with some surprise. “What kind of compensation are they asking for?”
“They hope you will apologize and promise not to intrude again, so the two sides can avoid conflict. If you agree, they are willing to ensure peace at Tianmen Pass and allow you to guard it smoothly for the next three years.”
The boy spoke respectfully, though his voice trembled faintly.
Li Hao narrowed his eyes slightly and chuckled. “So, they know I’ll be stationed here for three years? It seems you’re quite well-informed. If that’s the case, you can tell them this: the compensation is right here. They can come and take whatever they want—but they must come in person.”
“This…”
The boy’s face contorted in distress. “Major General, we’re trying to negotiate here. Please don’t get angry. Surely, you don’t intend to stay at Tianmen Pass forever? I advise you to reconsider.”
“Oh?”
Li Hao’s gaze suddenly sharpened, carrying a force so overwhelming that it bore down on the boy, making feathers emerge from his skin as his true avian form nearly revealed itself. His body bent involuntarily, and he fell to his knees.
“Mercy, Major General! Mercy!”
The boy’s beak-like mouth, now prominent, trembled as he pleaded.
Li Hao retracted his intense gaze and said calmly, “I’ve said my piece. If they want compensation, they must come themselves. Hiding in the shadows while demanding compensation—do they not remember how I razed their mountain strongholds?”
The boy stammered nervously, “We’ve told them, but they are… very angry…”
Li Hao cut him off. “Could it be that your real purpose in coming here is to test my patience—or something else?”
The boy’s heart constricted sharply. He nearly screamed in terror but forced a strained smile. “How could that be? Although we of the Tianji Hall are part of the demon forces, we’ve never participated in wars. In fact, we even collaborate with your human race at times. We’re only here to deliver a message.”
“Oh? Then tell me—who in the human race are you collaborating with?”
“That… I don’t know. My cultivation is too low…” the boy stammered, trembling.
Unwilling to waste more time on such a minor figure, Li Hao coldly said, “Get out.”
“Yes! Thank you, Major General, for sparing my life…”
The boy felt the oppressive force that had been like cold steel against his back dissipate. Scrambling to his feet, he prepared to leave.
“Wait.”
Li Hao stopped him, his voice cold. “Leaving empty-handed? Qianqian, bring him my military banner.”
Ren Qianqian, who had been listening intently, was startled but quickly reacted. She pulled the military banner from the side of the courtyard and handed it to the bird demon boy.
The boy took the banner, his expression filled with tension and confusion as he looked at Li Hao.
“Take my banner back to your demon territory,” Li Hao said coldly. “Plant it on the farthest mountain I conquered. Your Tianji Hall should know which mountain that is.”
His icy gaze bore into the boy. “The next time I patrol the area, if I find my banner toppled or damaged, I will raze the entire outer territory again—and this time, I’ll expand the scope!”
“Also, let your Tianji Hall know to tread carefully when dealing with me in the future.”
Feeling Li Hao’s undisguised killing intent, the bird demon boy was struck speechless, his body trembling.
He was being ordered to plant a human military banner in the heart of demon territory and ensure it remained intact?
Li Hao’s previous conquests had stretched five thousand miles beyond the pass—deep into demon lands! Now, this young man wanted to plant his banner under the very noses of the demon forces. This was naked humiliation and intimidation!
Dominating, ruthless, and arrogant!
The boy’s initial impression of the gentle and composed young man had vanished, replaced by the image of a battle god who ruled over all with unmatched power.
“I… I understand,” the bird demon boy said, shaking as he reluctantly agreed.
He knew the only reason he could leave alive was to carry out Li Hao’s orders. Otherwise, he wouldn’t make it out of this courtyard.
...
After the bird demon boy’s trembling departure, Ren Qianqian stepped forward, her face filled with astonishment. “Young Master, did you really flatten the Demon Kings’ lairs beyond the pass?”
Li Hao nodded slightly. Seeing her shock, he smiled and said, “Practice your swordsmanship well. You’ll be able to do the same one day.”
Ren Qianqian’s heart raced, though she smiled wryly. Her goal had once been merely to surpass her martial arts master.
Demon Kings… They were beings at the Fourth Pillar Realm!
Yet Li Hao’s words seemed to open a door to a broader world, filling her with renewed determination to train.
As she turned to eagerly resume her practice, Li Hao stopped her. “Bring me some paper. I need to write a letter.”
Ren Qianqian obediently retrieved paper and asked curiously, “Young Master, who is this letter for?”
“For the Liang Province military headquarters,” Li Hao replied.
“Huh?” Ren Qianqian looked puzzled. Li Hao didn’t seem particularly close to the people there.
“These demons from the Tianji Hall coming here—it’s likely a probe,” Li Hao said as he wrote. “Talk of compensation from the Demon Kings is nonsense. If their intelligence is accurate, they wouldn’t dare even mention such demands. I think this bird demon came to test my resolve—or perhaps to confirm whether I’ll truly stay here for three years…”
His words carried weight. Ren Qianqian couldn’t process it all but grasped one key point: Demon Kings wouldn’t dare ask for compensation from Li Hao?
What exactly had Li Hao done beyond the pass?
Soon, Li Hao finished the letter and handed it to Ren Qianqian. “Give this to Li Hongzhuang to send to Uncle Li Xuanli.”
With that task complete, Li Hao returned to his painting, his focus undisturbed.
...
The bird demon boy, clutching the banner tightly, flew over the new border city, under the watchful gazes of many warriors and soldiers. He soared into the clouds and didn’t slow until he was nearly 800 miles away, where several other bird demons waited.
“You brought back a military banner?”
A red bird demon transformed into a young woman in a crimson dress, recognizing the banner as Li Hao’s. Her tone was incredulous.
The boy nearly choked at her words. “Stole it? He forced it on me!”
“Why?”
“To plant it on the mountain he razed and ensure it stays intact—or else…”
The crimson-dressed woman and her companions were stunned by such audacity.
“Did you gather any information?” she asked after a pause.
“He’s too sharp. I barely hinted at anything, and he nearly saw through me,” the bird demon boy said, recalling the earlier confrontation. His expression shifted from indignation to lingering fear. “From what he said, it seems he truly intends to remain at Tianmen Pass. The agreement is real.”
The crimson-dressed woman frowned and gestured for him to recount the details.
After listening intently, her brows furrowed deeper. “That youth is indeed a grave threat to us. We must inform both the Dragon Gate and the Sacred Palace. If this menace isn’t eliminated, the consequences will be dire.”
“Absolutely,” the bird demon boy nodded in agreement.
“Still,” the crimson-dressed woman continued, “it appears he won’t leave Tianmen Pass to involve himself in the war in Liang Province. When the Grand Elder of Dragon Gate exits seclusion, we’ll deal with him altogether.”
She glanced at the military banner he was holding. “Go on, plant the banner as he instructed. Consider it a token of submission. Notify the demons nearby to steer clear of that mountain for now and avoid provoking him.”
“Understood.”
The group of bird demons then spread their wings and flew toward the distant horizon.
...