Volume 2 - Chapter 63: Reinforcements and the Haotian Banner – Part 1
“Hmm?”
Li Hao was eating a steamed bun when he suddenly felt the taste was familiar, as though he had eaten it somewhere before.
Looking up, he noticed the old man running the tea stand seemed familiar too. Then it hit him—this was the same tea stand owner he had encountered on his way to slay demons in Qizhou.
“It’s you?”
Li Hao stared at the man in surprise.
“Hmm?”
The tea stand owner looked at him in confusion.
Li Hao scrutinized him carefully, sensing his aura. To his surprise, the man was an ordinary person.
“Boss, didn’t you use to set up your stall near the border in Qizhou?” Li Hao asked.
The old man was taken aback and stared at him in astonishment. “You know me?”
“When I passed by back then, I even learned how to make steamed buns from you,” Li Hao replied.
Upon hearing this, the old man seemed to recall something and suddenly understood.
“So it’s you. What brings you here?”
“I was about to ask you the same thing. What are you doing here? Weren’t you running your stall in Qizhou for years?”
“I heard from some young martial heroes who stopped by for tea that business is better here. They were all heading this way, so I thought I’d bring this old man along for a change.”
The tea stand owner laughed. “And they weren’t wrong—business here is much better. Look.”
As they spoke, a group of young men clad in elegant, luxurious clothing rode toward them from the Dragon Pass Path. Upon spotting the tea stand, they dismounted from their horses.
“Hey, old man, a bowl of tea!”
“You shouldn’t call him that—it’s impolite. Call him boss.”
“Hah, you’re too uptight. We’re roaming the martial world now—calling him old man sounds more carefree.”
“My dad says being impolite isn’t cool. If you’re disrespectful, someone will teach you a lesson.”
“Ha! Now you’re even rhyming!”
The group of youths casually took their seats, laughing and chatting. They glanced at Li Hao, noting he seemed about their age, and assumed he was also here in Cangya City to broaden his horizons.
“Coming right up.”
The tea stand owner cheerfully served them a pot of hot tea. “We also have steamed buns and pastries. Would you like some?”
“Sure, bring us a portion each.”
“Got it.”
The old man smiled and busied himself at the stand. As he worked, he addressed Li Hao. “Young hero, are you here to join the excitement in Cangya City too?”
“I live here,” Li Hao replied while sipping his tea and eating his bun. “The journey from Qizhou to here is long. Did you come all by yourself? It’s not an easy road.”
Hearing Li Hao’s words, the youths at the nearby table were surprised. They turned their attention to him, and one particularly outgoing youth enthusiastically asked, “Brother, you live here? Did you just buy a place, or have you joined the army?”
“Brother, have you met the Haotian Major General?”
“It’s true the journey is long and the road difficult, but just take it slow,” the tea stand owner chuckled. “As long as you can reach the place you want to go, going slow lets you enjoy the scenery.”
Li Hao glanced at the tea stand owner again, feeling that something about this encounter was strange. However, coincidences were common in this vast world, and he might just be overthinking it.
“Boss, I’ll take my leave.”
After finishing his food, Li Hao stood up and bid the old man farewell.
Before leaving, he turned to the group of youths and smiled. “The borderlands are dangerous. You’d be better off exploring safer places.”
“And what about you…?”
The youths, all brimming with youthful energy, were taken aback by his mature advice. Unwilling to back down, they were about to retort when they saw him step into the air and vanish beyond the tea stand.
Flight.
The mark of someone at the Fifteen Li Realm!
Words froze on their lips. This guy, who looked to be their age, was actually at the Fifteen Li Realm!
Soon, their shock turned to excitement.
“Everyone says countless geniuses are heading to Cangya City to challenge the famed Haotian Major General. It seems true—you can meet talents everywhere here!”
“Brothers, eat quickly! Let’s go too!”
The group immediately sped up, eager to set out.
“What a bunch of impatient youngsters…”
The tea stand owner shook his head with a smile as he watched them leave.
...
...
Li Hao quietly returned to Cangya City and entered a small courtyard surrounded by fences.
A few patrolling masters noticed him and immediately saluted. Li Hao waved a hand, signaling them to continue.
In the yard, Ren Qianqian was cultivating. Upon hearing movement, she opened her eyes and, seeing it was Li Hao, immediately stopped her practice and ran over.
“Young master, you’re back!”
“Mm. Has anything happened recently?”
“There’s been no movement on our side,” Ren Qianqian replied. “But early this morning, Senior Hongzhuang received a military report. I’m not sure about the details.”
Li Hao recalled the heavily patrolled city gates he’d seen upon his return. His eyes flickered thoughtfully, and he instructed Ren Qianqian, “Get me a clean set of clothes. I’ll go find out.”
“Got it.”
Ren Qianqian nodded and hurried off.
Li Hao released his spiritual sense, scanning the entire city. It didn’t take long for him to locate Li Hongzhuang’s presence. His figure blurred, and he disappeared from the courtyard, reappearing moments later in the general’s mansion where Li Hongzhuang lived.
Li Hongzhuang was in the middle of a self-directed sword cultivation session when she suddenly sensed a presence. Startled, she looked up, only to see Li Hao arrive like a gentle breeze. She relaxed, exhaling in relief.
“Hao’er, you’re back? From Tianji Tower to here, even at top speed, it should take at least six or seven days.”
“Mm, I just got back.”
Li Hao sat on a nearby chair and casually picked up a piece of pastry, tossing it into his mouth. “Qianqian mentioned a military report. When I returned, I noticed the guards were on high alert. What’s going on?”
Li Hongzhuang’s expression turned serious. “The demons wandering outside the borders of Liang Province were only feigning retreat. They’ve now regrouped at the western border of Liang Province and are preparing to attack.”
Her brow furrowed as she continued, “The intelligence came from Fifth Brother. He discovered this last night, and the military report was delivered early this morning by fast horse.”
“These demons… their malice truly knows no bounds!”
A flash of killing intent and anger appeared in her eyes.
Li Hao nodded in understanding. The situation beyond the border aligned with his earlier suspicions.
“How are things on the western border?”
“We don’t know the full details yet.”
Li Hongzhuang shook her head. “Fifth Brother only said we should also remain vigilant. The demons could invade at any moment. He instructed us to have our scouts maintain close watch and not let down our guard.”
“That’s why I’ve ordered all the city’s soldiers to stay sharp. I’ve also dispatched several elite scout teams to investigate beyond the pass. The first team to return has already scouted up to eight hundred li away but found no trace of any demons.”
Li Hao had previously cleared out all demons within five thousand li of the pass, but he hadn’t mentioned this to Li Hongzhuang. It was natural that her scouts would find nothing within eight hundred li.
Still, now that the demons were amassing forces to attack the western border of Liang Province, it was entirely possible they might regroup and target Tianmen Pass again. This pass was a critical point on the southern flank of Liang Province.
The earlier cleansing didn’t guarantee the area was safe now.
Li Hao decided to wait for the scouts’ reports. If the demons truly dared to return, he’d simply clear them out once more.
Moreover, the city had already consumed the demons he’d previously killed over the past month. They were running low on supplies. Collecting fresh materials could both resupply the city and save him from spending his own money.
Ever since he left the Li family, he’d been living independently, earning his own way. His funds came from the rewards he’d received and the sale of demon materials.
Previously, when he had no money, Song Qiumo had even covered his expenses. Both the debt of money and the kindness shown were things he hadn’t yet had a chance to repay.
“If the other scouts don’t find any signs of demons, it’s likely their main forces are concentrating on the western border,” Li Hongzhuang speculated. “When that happens, we’ll need to probe the situation there ourselves.”
“Alternatively, the demons could be splitting their forces. The main army might not have reached us yet. I’ll continue sending people to scout over the next few days to make sure.”
She wasn’t about to underestimate the threat. Demonic armies could march a thousand li in a single day. Their vanguard forces, composed of greater demons, could cross such distances in half a day or less, launching surprise attacks well in advance of the main force.
Li Hao nodded, finding her cautious approach prudent.
“Keep me informed if anything changes,” he said, rising to leave.
Li Hongzhuang gave him a curious glance. “You went to Yongzhou and returned in just five days. Didn’t you take the time to properly review the records in Tianji Tower? Or did the tower master there limit what you could see?”
“No, he let me read whatever I wanted.”
“Then why did you come back so quickly?” she asked, puzzled.
“Because I finished,” Li Hao replied with a small smile, waving as he walked away. “I’ve been on the road for days. I need to wash up and change my clothes.”
“…” Li Hongzhuang was speechless. Was he really in such a hurry just to take a bath?
Before she could ask further, Li Hao had already stepped out of the general’s mansion and vanished from sight.
“This guy…”
Li Hongzhuang shook her head with a wry smile. She couldn’t help but wonder how someone so carefree could achieve such a high level of cultivation. Compared to the disciplined descendants of the Divine General Mansion, Li Hao stood out starkly. Yet, he was far more exceptional than anyone else.
Back in his courtyard, Li Hao took a quick bath and changed into clean clothes. After sending a sound transmission to Feng Lao, who was secretly guarding the city, he suddenly remembered that he’d left Yongzhou in such a rush that he hadn’t had time to explore or bring back any local specialties.
But his primary concern had been the potential demon invasion of Tianmen Pass. After all, it was unlikely the Demon Heavenly Secrets Hall would remain unaware of his departure.
“They didn’t seize this opportunity to attack Tianmen Pass. Does that mean their forces have truly shifted to the western border?”
...
...