Volume 2 - Chapter 61: Saving Lives, Not Relieving Suffering
Qingzhou City, Tianyuan Divine General Mansion.
In the mansion’s Hall of Deliberation, the ladies of various courtyards had gathered, except for those from the Shuihua Courtyard.
Each lady held influence inherited from their husbands’ past connections. If their husbands were military officers, the troops once under their command, though now part of Li Tiangang’s jurisdiction, still harbored loyalties to these ladies and their networks.
At this moment, a Wanli Command Banner arrived from Liang Province, transmitted through secret techniques.
The Wanli Command Banner is only used in dire circumstances when a major province faces a blood-soaked catastrophe. Its speed surpasses that of standard military reports and letters, as it is imbued with unique arrays crafted by the Si Tianjian.
Whenever the Wanli Command Banner appears, it signifies widespread devastation and the imminent fall of a Divine General’s offspring.
“Eldest Sister-in-law, is this from Tiangang? What is happening in Liang Province?”
Among the ladies, Gao Qingqing was the most anxious. Her reddened eyes brimmed with unshed tears, on the verge of breaking down.
Twenty years ago, the Wanli Command Banner had also been raised from Tianmen Pass. That time, it heralded the death of Li Jiulang and nearly the fall of Tianmen Pass itself. Gao Qingqing could not help but fear that her husband might meet the same tragic fate.
“Could it be news from Cangzhou instead?”
Wang Xiangru frowned. Although Li Fenghua was stationed in Cangzhou, the region had seen little turmoil since Li Junye eradicated the demonic forces beyond its borders over a decade ago.
However, demonic invasions are unpredictable, often occurring without prior intelligence.
He Jianlan, her expression grave, finished reading the message inscribed on the banner. Turning to Li Muxiu beside her, she said,
“Second Uncle, Tiangang reports that Liang Province is in dire peril. The Void Realm has emerged, and both Dragon Gate and the Sacred Palace have joined forces in an attempt to overtake Liang Province.”
Hearing her words, Li Muxiu’s eyelids twitched.
He immediately recognized that the emergence of the Void Realm, secluded for millennia, was an ominous omen.
It felt like a harbinger of something far worse.
Wang Xiangru exhaled softly, her tense expression relaxing slightly.
But Gao Qingqing’s face turned ashen. Li Xuanli was in Liang Province, serving as the Grand Governor of the Military Division. He was stationed at the forefront. If Liang Province faced imminent destruction, he would never abandon his post. Even if it cost him his life, he would fight to the end.
As a descendant of the Li family and a bearer of the Divine General’s bloodline, how could he abandon millions of people to become a deserter?
Such was the curse within the blood of the Li family.
As a young woman, she had never considered these realities. Only after marrying into the Li family did she come to understand the sorrow and harshness their descendants endured.
Gao Qingqing nearly collapsed into her chair, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Seeing her state, the other ladies remained silent.
Once, they too had been in her position.
In this moment, their thoughts turned to their own fallen husbands, their eyes dim with grief.
“Don’t they fear death? Don’t they fear the wrath of a True Person descending upon them?”
Third Lady Lou Wanqing asked with a hint of disbelief.
“I will depart immediately for Liang Province,” Li Muxiu declared.
He Jianlan shook her head firmly. “Tiangang’s message was to inform us of the situation, not to call for reinforcements. He specifically instructed you, Second Uncle, to remain in Qingzhou and under no circumstances head to Liang Province.”
“Why?” Gao Qingqing asked in shock.
Li Muxiu paused, his expression changing subtly as a thought struck him.
“Tiangang mentioned that he suspects the demonic forces are mounting such a bold offensive not because they underestimated you but because, aside from Liang Province, Void Realm and Dragon Gate’s Demon Kings, or even their leaders, might be lying in wait outside Qingzhou.”
He Jianlan’s voice grew heavier. “If you leave, Second Uncle, they may immediately invade Qingzhou, heading straight for the Divine General Mansion.”
Li Muxiu’s face darkened. He had already realized this possibility.
If left solely to the Fifth Brother, Qingzhou might not hold. Though both the Divine General Mansion and Qingzhou had defensive arrays, these would only delay an inevitable siege.
Moreover, traveling to Liang Province would take him two days, even at maximum speed, as he would need to conserve energy for the ensuing battle.
“How could this be…”
Gao Qingqing’s face was drained of all color. She had thought this was a plea for reinforcements, but instead, it was Li Tiangang instructing Second Uncle not to provide aid.
“Then what of Liang Province? Should we simply stand by and watch it fall?” she cried.
He Jianlan understood her anguish but knew that comforting words were futile. Remaining calm, she said,
“Qingqing, don’t be hasty. Tiangang has already alerted other Divine General Mansions. The True Person from Qiandao Palace must have received the message, as has Boundless Mountain. Under the Wanli Command Banner’s decree, even past grievances must be set aside to provide reinforcements.”
“If they can spare just one or two senior experts, Liang Province may yet stabilize.”
Hearing this, Gao Qingqing’s wildly racing heart steadied somewhat, though she remained chilled to the bone.
...
“I will contact Second Sister and Fourth Sister to see if they can assist,” Li Muxiu said after a pause.
The two were married off and now had their own families and influence.
As direct descendants of the Divine General Mansion, neither was weak. Though not yet in the Fourth Pillar Realm, they had reached the pinnacle of the Three Immortals Realm.
Requesting their help in such a dire situation, knowing it might cost their lives, made him uneasy. Yet given the stakes, he had no choice.
“Can we write to Fifth Aunt?” Gao Qingqing asked suddenly, her tone urgent.
Fifth Aunt belonged to the older generation and was addressed by Li Muxiu as “Aunt.”
She had retired long ago, living a quiet, ordinary life.
Once, she was a famed general, slaying countless demons in battle, much like Li Hongzhuang today.
Li Muxiu hesitated briefly before nodding. “I will try.”
With that, he rose and left.
He Jianlan sighed softly, saying nothing.
“I will write to Father,” Ninth Lady Jiang Xianer said.
She had only been betrothed to Li Junye, and after his death, had voluntarily carried his battle armor to the Divine General Mansion as her dowry. Over the years, she had devoted herself wholeheartedly to its affairs.
He Jianlan glanced at her, her expression gentle. “We are too far from Dayu Province. By the time the letter reaches him, it will be too late. If that True Person has received the Wanli Command Banner, we must wait to see his decision.”
“We must try. Even if reinforcements arrive late, they might still make a difference,” Jiang Xianer replied resolutely.
Seeing her determination, He Jianlan no longer objected.
...
...
Boundless Mountain, Brahma Pure Land World.
Deep within the spiritual peaks, Lin Wujing carried a purple-gold Wanli Command Banner into the Pure Land.
The purple-gold light streaked across the heavens, illuminating the Brahma Pure Land, visible to countless onlookers.
“Buddha Lord, this Wanli Command Banner is from Liang Province, urgently requesting reinforcements!”
Lin Wujing first saluted the Buddha Lord before speaking unhurriedly.
The Boundless Buddha Lord sat serenely on his lotus platform, his expression gentle and compassionate. With a slight motion of his fingers, golden patterns of profound wisdom flickered in his gaze. After a moment, he spoke:
“The calamity in Liang Province is clear to me. This disaster also signals the eruption of karmic flames that our Dayu Divine Dynasty has suppressed for three thousand years.”
“Buddha Lord, what do you mean?”
“Slaughter, vengeance, indulgence, and desires... Greed, anger, and delusion have sullied this prosperous era. Time flows, karma cycles, and this calamity is unavoidable,” the Boundless Buddha Lord said slowly.
“Behind the demonic forces in Liang Province stands an immense danger. We must not act recklessly.”
Lin Wujing’s expression shifted subtly as he realized the gravity of the situation.
The Buddha Lord turned his gaze to a female Bodhisattva seated nearby and said gently, “Miaoshan, take the command banner and go to Liang Province to quell the demonic forces.”
“Yes, Buddha Lord,” Miaoshan replied, her demeanor serene as she lowered her head in acknowledgment.
“Remember, a Bodhisattva's compassion is for saving lives, not relieving suffering.”
“Endless suffering arises from one’s own karmic sins. Only the True Buddha can offer salvation.”
The Buddha Lord’s voice was soft, yet it resonated with profound meaning.
Miaoshan immediately grasped his intent and nodded. Saving lives meant guiding people toward righteousness. Relieving suffering would require entering the sea of suffering oneself and pushing others forward at great cost.
The wisdom of the Buddha’s teachings required contemplation.
...
...
Beams of purple-gold light shot through the skies above Liang Province. Even Fourth Pillar Realm cultivators found it nearly impossible to intercept these streaks.
This was the light of the Wanli Command Banner. By the time the purple-gold brilliance crossed above one’s head, the actual banner was already thousands of miles away.
Meanwhile, in the eastern region of Liang Province...
Under the combined efforts of Yin Lady and several Demon Kings, a concentrated surge of energy erupted. At that moment, the once-impregnable array shattered.
The golden light of the array crumbled as countless divine patterns disintegrated. In that instant, the eastern defensive lines were breached.
The 50,000 soldiers of the Yuan Battalion, standing directly behind the array, were thrown into disarray. Those with weaker cultivation fell unconscious from the impact, while some with low-level cultivation had their heads ring and perished instantly, their souls flying from their bodies.
Li Tiangang’s pupils contracted as he witnessed the golden radiance of the shattered array. The collapse of divine patterns signaled the complete fall of the eastern border defense!
The demonic tide surged forward with a bloodthirsty roar. The sight of the shattered golden light sent the demons into a frenzy, and they charged in excitement.
The pressure on the defensive line skyrocketed. Arrows and attacks fired into the demonic horde vanished like stones sinking into the sea, instantly overwhelmed.
As the entire defense line buckled under immense strain, ten Demon Kings stood high above, their gazes fixed on Li Tiangang. These included Yin Lady, several Void Realm Demon Kings, and two leaders from Dragon Gate.
“Li Tiangang!”
Yin Lady’s eyes glinted with a chilling malevolence. Her face twisted as a hint of her true form emerged—beneath her cheekbones, a jade-green eye opened wide.
“Die for me!”
With a sudden motion, she raised her hand, sending a gust of wind in the form of razor-sharp claws. The claw expanded into a structure hundreds of meters tall, threatening to tear the city walls apart.
Li Tiangang’s expression darkened. Though the medicinal pill he had taken earlier had bolstered his strength, much of its potency had already dissipated. He swung his blade with fury, but the claw’s immense power enveloped the strike.
With a deafening crash, he was sent flying backward, slamming into the ground and creating a deep crater.
The impact reverberated through his armor and his indestructible body, but even then, a mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips.
“Marshal!”
Yu Xuan and Li Fu, two of his adjutants, shouted in alarm as they rushed toward him.
“Stay back! All of you will die here!”
By now, the old vine demon and other Demon Kings had crossed into the airspace above the eastern frontier, stepping onto Liang Province’s territory.
Yu Xuan raised his head. The ten Demon Kings hovering above radiated an oppressive aura akin to ten blazing suns, instilling despair in all who witnessed them.
Yet, as a Heaven-and-Man Realm cultivator who had fought alongside Li Tiangang for years, Yu Xuan was no stranger to battle.
“Marshal, I fear we cannot hold this position any longer!”
He stood, roaring, “Marshal, you must retreat! Leave this to us!”
With that, a surge of violent energy exploded from his body. He forcefully shattered his own meridians, unleashing a torrent of power.
Simultaneously, his soul ignited, his entire being consumed in divine flames as he unleashed a blinding aura of energy.
Li Tiangang, usually calm and composed, had his expression shift drastically for the first time.
“Marshal, go now!”
Nearby, soldiers of the Law Battalion rushed to form a protective formation in front of Li Tiangang.
Yu Xuan, now a blazing figure, charged directly toward the ten Demon Kings, intending to block their advance...
“You’re just an ant!”
The vine demon elder sneered, casually whipping out a massive vine whip over a hundred meters long. With a thunderous crack, the blazing figure was extinguished, obliterated on the spot.
Like snuffing out a firefly, Yu Xuan’s defiance was over in an instant.
“A firefly dares challenge the moon?”
“Yu Xuan!”
Li Tiangang’s eyes widened in fury as he clenched his divine blade. Its flames flared to life, burning brighter than ever.
“Marshal!”
Li Fu stepped forward, blocking his way. “We cannot hold this position. If we die, so be it, but you must survive!”
“Stay calm, Marshal!”
The remaining adjutants also stepped up. Though they knew their meager strength was insufficient, as soldiers, retreat was not an option...