Chapter 184: Whose Banner is That, and Whose Name Does it Bear?
In the western reaches of Liangzhou, war rages, scorching the land for thousands of miles.
The Black Stone Great Wall, once standing strong, now lies in ruins. The city bricks are stained with blood, and broken walls are all that remain.
On the ground lie the scattered corpses of both demons and human warriors, intertwined in death. Some bodies have been sliced in half at the waist, with limbs torn apart, yet their teeth still bite fiercely into the flesh of their demonic foes.
Some demons are riddled with holes, but their sharp teeth still cling to the flesh of their victims, as if they had been tearing at them in their dying moments.
Both sides have fought with all their might, their ferocity and bloodlust evident on this battlefield where the fate of countless lives hang in the balance.
Broken weapons, shattered armor, and severed limbs are strewn about, yet the battlefield is now silent.
The human forces have retreated, with the demon horde in pursuit. Only the occasional stray demon, lagging behind the main force, sneaks onto this now-quiet battlefield in search of fresh corpses to feed upon.
A monkey-like demon climbs atop the ruined battlements, where a tattered battle flag hangs limply. It picks up the broken flagpole and shakes it vigorously.
The flag flutters in the wind, the character "xuan" twisting and turning before falling limp once more.
The little monkey demon chatters and cackles, finding the whole situation amusing, and shakes the flagpole again.
As the fluttering flag unfurls...
A grand pursuit unfolds!
The battlefield lies five thousand li west.
On the vast plain, a massive demon horde surges forward like a black wave on the horizon. They climb mountains and cross waters, sweeping across the land in their relentless pursuit.
In the forefront, a vast army of horses and soldiers charges towards a distant city.
Along the way, signal fires rise into the sky, conveying intelligence.
Ahead of them, within the city defenses, a large force surges forth to meet them, accurately positioned to fight to the death in their rear.
"Faster, faster!"
Li Xuanli is covered in blood. Though he has taken stimulants to stabilize his severe injuries, his body is exhausted beyond measure.
Yet, he knows he cannot fall. At this moment, his entire being is sustained by sheer willpower and rage.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Behind them, the demon horde is almost upon them, filling their vision.
A signal rises from within the human ranks. One of the Lee family's generals, born of a lesser wife, turns to glance at the pursuing demon horde. Suddenly, he pulls hard on his horse's reins, slowing his mount.
He roars an order to his troops, halting their retreat to engage the enemy and buy Li Xuanli time.
As the overall commander, Li Xuanli must not fall here, or the defense line behind them will collapse.
Moreover, Li Xuanli is of the direct lineage of the previous generation of the Lee family. Of the nine sons, only three remain. How could they afford another loss?
He recalled the lessons his mother had taught him since childhood—the direct lineage is noble, and those born of lesser wives must show respect and yield to them.
The Lee family's thousand years of glory rested on the shoulders of this lineage.
In his youth, he had been rebellious and proud, believing himself capable of matching the sun and moon.
But in middle age, he had witnessed the funeral of the sixth son of the direct lineage and seen how they always charged at the forefront of every war.
Finally, he understood that the difference between the direct lineage and those born of lesser wives was not just in birthright but also in the burden of responsibility they carried.
Now, having served under Li Xuanli's command for many years, he had long since been won over by this member of the direct lineage.
Just as his mother had said, the direct lineage was noble, while those born of lesser wives had cheaper lives.
Perhaps his mother had warned him repeatedly when he was young out of fear that he might offend the direct lineage in his impetuousness. But those words had sunk deep into his heart, leaving an indelible mark.
As he faced the oncoming demon tide, a smile appeared on the face of this general born of a lesser wife.
"Even my mother said I have a cheap life. So what if I die here with you demons and beasts?"
"Come on, then!"
He raised the long spear in his hand and roared, leading his troops against the tide.
Li Xuanli also saw the signal fire and turned to look at the figure on horseback, now distant. He was a sworn brother who had once shared drinks and laughter in the army camps, and their bond had transcended the distinction between direct lineage and those born of lesser wives.
He had once said that he wanted to witness his brother's enfeoffment as a noble and the erection of a stele for his mother, to be buried in the Lee family cemetery.
But now, all that was left behind.
His eyes moistened, and he wiped them, unsure if what blurred his vision was blood or tears.
He did not stop, but grit his teeth and roared, "Faster!"
The entire army accelerated, rushing towards the defensive line ahead.
Along the five-thousand-li journey, there were numerous border cities. They were all large, strategically located cities.
The defenders of these cities had chosen to stay and guard their homes, providing rear support for Li Xuanli.
When the demon horde broke through the border so swiftly, these border cities knew they could not escape. So, they chose to fight and die in the land that had raised them.
A city nurtures its people!
However, in the face of the mighty demon horde, these cities were like rocks overwhelmed by black waves, instantly submerged.
They barely created a ripple, relying on the city's defensive array to hold out momentarily. But in an instant, they were crushed by the three immortal demons within the demon horde, and the entire city's populace and warriors fell to the claws of the demons.
The demons left nothing but death in their wake, devouring everyone in their path.
Yet, with the human army in pursuit, the demons dared not linger. Some devoured their prey as they ran, while others, drawn by the allure of a tasty meal, were left behind, only to be slapped to death by the greater demons who ruled over them.
Such was the might of the demon army that their speed remained unchecked as they swept through each city.
And in those cities, they left behind only blood, bodies, and bones.
"They're here, they're here!"
On the defensive line, the soldiers on the battlements stared intently, their faces tense as they watched the oncoming cavalry. Farther behind them, the demon horde pursued relentlessly.
"Lower the drawbridge!"
A series of commands rang out from the top of the city walls.
The defenders here were also of the Three Immortal Realm, incredibly powerful, but their faces were solemn and tense. The intelligence they had received from Li Xuanli's side was that three Demon Kings had broken through the defense line!
At this moment, the demon horde approaching them was formidable, but not unstoppable. At the very least, they could hold them off for a while.
However, the three Demon Kings had disappeared from sight, and it kept him on edge.
The ground shook as three hundred thousand weary troops galloped forward like an earthquake.
Li Xuanli gazed at the walls now within reach. Seeing that the defenders had made their preparations, his eyelids twitched uncontrollably, and he roared,
"Set up the array first!!'
His roar reverberated for a hundred li, infused with his soul power, and reached everyone within the defense line.
On the wall, the Three Immortal Realm Grand Commander's face changed slightly as he suddenly realized something. He immediately ordered, "Quick, activate the array first!"
Activating the array would impede Li Xuanli and his troops, as they only had the border array tokens and not the ones for this second line of defense.
Especially for the hundreds of thousands of troops, none of them had the tokens. These tokens were challenging to manufacture, and only the commanding officers were given one.
"Hmph, you're pretty quick!"
In the void, three figures suddenly appeared—the three Demon Kings who had broken through the border array earlier. They had been hiding and pursuing, now appearing as if they had teleported.
The reason they hadn't finished off Li Xuanli and his army earlier was to let them reach the second line of defense and have the array activated, sealing them out.
Then, it would be easy for them to break through quickly, rush into the second line of defense, and advance deeper into the heart of Liangzhou.
Speed was critical in warfare. As long as they maintained their pace, Liangzhou wouldn't have time to react, and even the reinforcements from Emperor Yu might not arrive in time.
These humans stuck together, and affecting one would affect them all. The demons not only had to breach the city but also do it swiftly. Otherwise, they would be at a disadvantage if the battle dragged on.
They had experienced this too many times, and the war in Yanbei over a decade ago was a prime example.
Swish!
The three Demon Kings could no longer be bothered to hide and quickly gave chase.
One of the Demon Kings raised his hand and slapped it forward, intending to block the array.
A bone-like spear, crude yet powerful, pierced through with a deafening boom, stirring up demonic clouds as it shot forward.
The array quickly solidified, but the bone spear was too fast. It slammed into the wall, destroying it and killing or injuring the soldiers within hundreds of meters. Even those at the Heaven Man Sect Master Realm had their faces turn pale, their qi and blood churning, and their flesh softening under the aftershock.
"Quick!"
In the moment the bone spear breached the wall, the array finally solidified.
Bang! Bang!
The attacks of the other two Demon Kings were blocked by the array, causing countless divine patterns to flash.
The Demon King who had summoned the bone spear roared and tried to call it back, but the spear didn't respond. The array could block his control.
His ability to control the spear couldn't penetrate the array.
"Damn it!"
With his weapon gone, the Demon King spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm, annoyed but not worried.
While he was displeased that his disguise had been seen through, he could only spend a little more time dealing with this. Once the array was broken, his weapon would return to him.
He didn't care if these troops had Four Established Realm cultivators or not, nor did he care about their weapons.
"You quick-witted brat from the Li family, I'll tear your head off myself!"
The Demon King's body was covered in green veins, and his eyes flashed with cold lightning as he charged towards Li Xuanli's army.
Li Xuanli saw the three Demon Kings and secretly acknowledged their presence. Seeing them turn back, his eyes darkened, and he growled, "Form the array!"
The army of ten thousand horses swiftly came together, forming an array even as they rode.
Their ability to form an array while on horseback was a testament to their rigorous training.
Among the many banners of the Li family, the ace was the Yuan Battalion, but the Xuan Battalion was also an elite force, with most soldiers cultivating middle-grade and top-grade techniques.
Ordinary young masters of sects would not necessarily be able to defeat a soldier from the Xuan Battalion of the same realm unless they were young prodigies.
Boom!
As the army array solidified, a peacock-like illusion burst forth from the formation, screeching towards the sky as it charged at the Demon King.
"Hmph, since the array is activated, you'll all die outside!"
The three Demon Kings turned, channeling their anger towards Li Xuanli and his troops. With a wave of their hands, they caused the ground to rumble, and a high platform rose from the ground outside the city, intending to block the entire army.
Inside the city, the Three Immortal Realm Grand Commander immediately ordered someone to call the Bureau of Astronomy to repair the array on this section of the wall.
Fortunately, the damage to the array wasn't extensive, and only a small portion of its power had been diminished. If they repaired it in time, it could still recover.
"Quick, open node number 34 of the array. Who wants to lead troops out to rescue General Li?!"
As the Grand Commander shouted, several generals stepped forward:
"Commander, I am useless, but I am willing to clear a path for General Li!"
"Commander, let me go. I am willing to clear a path for General Li!"
"I will definitely create a bloody path for General Li. I will personally attract the attention of the Demon Kings!"
Several generals spoke out loudly.
Their willingness to step up wasn't just driven by passion but also by their connections to the Li family. Some were born to Li family concubines, some had received the Li family's grace in the past, and some were orphans rescued by the Li family from cities ravaged by demons years ago.
These various connections formed a river of goodwill, which was the foundation of the Li family's thousand-year-old influence and prestige!
The Grand Commander of Liangzhou took a deep breath and quickly pointed to two of the colonels, saying, "You two go together. I leave it to you!"
"Yes, sir!"
The two colonels' eyes gleamed with determination as they replied loudly, then swiftly took to the air, leading their troops. "Brothers, follow me out of the city! Those who die in battle will have their names remembered for generations!"
"Kill!"
The two colonels led their troops out from a separate section of the array and rushed towards the Demon Kings from the side, intending to relieve the pressure on Li Xuanli.
The peacock let out a mournful cry as countless soldiers spewed blood and tumbled from their horses, falling amidst the trampling hooves.
But the Blood-red Horses were sentient and did not abandon their masters. After galloping some distance, they abruptly halted, turned, and bit down on their riders' armor, tossing them back onto the saddles before surging forward once more.
Beside Li Xuanli, Li Wushuang spat out blood. As a member of the battle formation, her face had turned deathly pale, and her vital energy surged tumultuously.
Above her, the overwhelming demonic might filled the sky, and death had never felt so imminent.
She lifted her head to gaze at the heavens, shrouded in demonic clouds, her eyes reflecting despair and anger.
Just as she was about to rupture her meridians and burn her divine soul to empower the army formation further, Li Xuanli seemed to sense her spiritual fluctuations and angrily glared at her, roaring:
"Don't be foolish! It's not time for that yet."
Li Wushuang's tears welled up, and she had never felt the cruelty of the battlefield so deeply. The countless soldiers who had died while covering their retreat at the border remained vividly etched in her memory.
It was only because of those who fought and died that they could escape to this second line of defense.
"You are a ninth-grade battle body with top-notch talent. Don't waste yourself here; you still have a future!"
Li Xuanli said in a low voice, "Quickly leave the formation. I'll have Firm Uncle protect you. Mix with the army and enter the city from the side."
As he spoke, he quickly handed a formation token to Li Wushuang.
Li Wushuang trembled. This was her father's formation token.
A token for the second line of defense!
These tokens were extremely rare. Aside from being difficult to construct, they were also limited in number to prevent them from falling into the hands of the demon beasts, which would render the formation useless.
"Father!" Li Wushuang said sorrowfully.
"Go!" Li Xuanli roared, "Wait until you reach my level of cultivation before thinking about slaying demons and beasts. You still have a long way to go, so don't be foolish!"
Li Wushuang's eyes welled up with tears, and she couldn't hold them back. At that moment, she finally realized that talent and genius were meaningless in the face of death.
Only true strength mattered.
Otherwise, no amount of fame would save you when faced with mortality!
She was too weak; any powerful demon could easily kill her!
Her cultivation speed was already fast, but it wasn't enough, not nearly enough!
"Go!" Li Xuanli glared at her and then glanced at another Three Immortality Realm general beside him.
The general understood and immediately jumped onto Li Wushuang's warhorse, concealing his aura and taking off his general's battle armor. He ordered the surrounding army to disperse and cover Li Wushuang as she made her way into the city from the side.
The army scattered, leaving the three Demon Kings an even more vulnerable target in front of them.
This would only hasten their demise, but it was a necessary choice.
Staying together would result in their swift annihilation by the Demon Kings anyway, so they might as well take their chances by dispersing.
Li Xuanli knew the Demon Kings were after him, and he took a deep breath before surging into the sky and roaring:
"You beasts, dare to face me alone?!"
"And you think you're worthy?!" The three Demon Kings didn't take the bait; they had no intention of falling for such provocation. Their sole purpose was to annihilate him swiftly and then destroy the formation on the city wall.
"Die!"
One of the Demon Kings, a blood-robed elder with a cold expression, raised his hand. A blood-red light shot forth from his palm, resembling a giant ruler. Though crude in appearance, it rushed towards Li Xuanli, aiming to smash him to pieces.
As a Dao-Heart Realm expert, his attack was guaranteed to hit its mark.
Li Xuanli felt a sense of impending doom as if he had been isolated from the army formation. His heart pounded, and he roared, channeling his divine soul and stirring the power of the formation with every fiber of his being as he threw a punch.
A thunderous boom resounded as his fist collided with the blood ruler, sending a wave of sanguine energy rippling through the air.
Another Demon King lifted his hand, and countless purple whips of light, resembling electric currents, lashed out at Li Xuanli.
His battle armor was instantly shredded, his cloak torn to pieces, and his body, which had been recuperating in the God General Mansion for many years, was once again grievously injured, covered in cracks and scorched black.
He plummeted to the ground, creating a deep pit where he landed amidst his troops.
The nearby Xuan Battalion soldiers quickly surrounded him, forming a protective formation around him.
The rest of the army continued to disperse, charging towards different sections of the city.
"Father!" Li Wushuang saw Li Xuanli's severe injuries and felt her eyes sting with tears. She wanted to call out to him but bit her lip instead, tasting the bitter tang of blood.
She understood that her father was drawing the Demon Kings' attention, giving her and the other soldiers a chance to escape.
"Miss, don't look directly at the Demon Kings, or they might sense you," the Three Immortality Realm general behind her whispered.
Li Wushuang felt a mix of anger and frustration, but she averted her gaze and lowered her head.
"Xuanli!"
Just then, a sharp cry of anger rang out.
Several figures could be seen racing towards them from the distant defensive line.
Li Wushuang looked up, recognizing one of the figures as her master, Qianji Daoist.
"Master has come!" Li Wushuang's eyes lit up with hope.
"Firm Uncle, it's my master, my master has come!" she exclaimed excitedly.
They were LiMuxiu's second elder sister and fourth younger sister, who had married far away and lived as noble ladies for decades. Now, upon receiving LiMuxiu's message, they immediately took out the armor that had been sealed away in their trunks for many years, put it on, took up their weapons, and rushed over as fast as they could.
As they traveled, their makeup had smudged, and they seemed to have reverted to their youthful selves, charging across the battlefield.
They knew that the Li family must be in dire straits for LiMuxiu, with his eccentric temperament, to seek their help.
So, they had hardly thought or hesitated before coming here.
"Three Demon Kings!"
Qianji Daoist's eyes grew solemn, fixing on the three mighty demon kings.
He had a youthful face despite his white hair, and he looked immortal and ethereal.
"Old man Qianji!"
The three demon kings noticed him, their eyes narrowing slightly as they revealed cold smiles.
"Do you dare to come alone?"
One of the demon kings stepped forward, his demonic aura surging and covering him like dark clouds. A coiled, winged dragon appeared faintly behind him.
"Abyssal Dragon!"
Qianji Daoist's expression changed as he recognized the dragon elder from the Dragon Gate, a high-ranking and powerful figure in the realm of immortality.
"Have the women of the Li family come too? It seems the men of the Li family are truly fated to die out!"
Another demon king, with a split face revealing sharp teeth and a red tongue, sneered. His limbs twisted, revealing his true form as a hideous monster.
"You deal with him; I'll take care of this brat!"
The demon king with the blue veins on his face said.
He grabbed the rocks on the ground and hurled them at the army camp while slapping his palm down to crush them all.
"Stop!"
Qianji Daoist roared and struck out with his hand, sending a beam of white light to shatter the rocks and slap the demon king's palm.
"How dare you be distracted!"
The Abyssal Dragon demon king's eyes filled with killing intent, and he immediately attacked, his true dragon form emerging to bite and tear at his opponent while spewing out a cloud of toxic demon mist.
Qianji Daoist waved his sleeves, dispersing the mist, and said to the two Li family sisters-in-law beside him, "Quick, go and guide General Li. I'll hold them off!"
The two women saw the dire situation and immediately split up, rushing towards Li Xuanli.
"Do you think you can fight the three of us alone?!"
The other monster-worm demon king let out a sharp cry and pounced on Qianji Daoist, shooting a blood sword from his mouth that glowed with a sharp, dark light.
Qianji Daoist raised his hand, summoning a golden seal that flew towards the blood sword to destroy it.
"Who gave you the guts?!"
The Abyssal Dragon demon king roared, revealing his true form. His dragon body swept forward, and his tail lashed out.
Qianji Daoist was startled, quickly conjuring a beam of golden light to block the attack. He struck out with his palms, sending shockwaves towards the dragon's tail.
But the dragon's tail was covered in shimmering, razor-sharp scales that shredded his palm prints and knocked him to the ground.
Bang! The blood sword veered around the golden seal and flew towards its target.
Qianji Daoist roared, unleashing his soul and summoning a divine weapon—a long whip—to entangle the blood sword.
The blood sword struggled, but the Abyssal Dragon demon king swooped down.
The ground shook violently as Qianji Daoist and the Abyssal Dragon demon king clashed, both of them powerful immortals. Their battle shook the heavens and the earth.
On the other side, the demon king with green veins on his face ignored the divine weapon, a nine-section whip, that was attacking him. Qianji Daoist was too busy fighting the Abyssal Dragon demon king to control the whip effectively. The demon king easily shook off the attack.
"Die!"
He dove towards Li Xuanli, revealing his true form as a giant spider.
Countless silk threads shot out like blades, instantly piercing through the many Xuan Battalion soldiers protecting Li Xuanli. Their bodies and souls were destroyed, leaving them with no chance to enter the Martial Temple.
"Stop!"
Two furious roars rang out.
Then, a golden light appeared, and a burning sacred talisman flew towards them, transforming into a purple divine bell that enveloped Li Xuanli. It was a Sacred Heart treasure talisman.
The giant spider demon king roared, spewing more silk threads to cover the purple divine bell. But his eyes shifted to the two Li family sisters-in-law nearby.
"Asking for death!"
He was annoyed and narrowed his eyes, shooting out green light to slice the two women.
Li Qingling, however, burned a Sacred Heart treasure talisman, enveloping herself in green light and increasing her speed to that of a phantom.
She quickly grabbed her fourth sister and rushed towards Li Xuanli, using the talisman's speed to escape.
Li Xuanli also had a Sacred Heart treasure talisman, but he had used it earlier at the border to block a fatal attack.
When he saw his two aunts, he coughed up blood and said urgently, "Why are you here? Get out of here!"
"Don't talk, just grab me!"
Li Qingling said hastily.
She grabbed Li Xuanli's arm and pulled him towards the city.
But suddenly, a figure swooped down and slammed into the ground in front of them, creating a deep pit.
The three of them looked up and saw that it was Qianji Daoist.
He was covered in blood and disheveled, a far cry from his previous ethereal appearance.
They were shocked. How could Qianji Daoist, an immortal, be defeated so quickly?
Just then, two terrifying auras rose, startling the three of them and causing a commotion on the city walls nearby.
One of them wore white, with a handsome and elegant face.
But unlike his usual detached demeanor, his eyes now held a deep and chilling coldness.
"Saint Palace, White Immortal!"
"Blood Lake Flood Dragon Demon!"
On the city walls, many recognized the identities of these two Demon Kings.
In addition to White Immortal, the other was an elder of Dragon Gate, also a Demon King, whose strength was comparable to that of Abyssal Dragon Demon King.
At this moment, the five Demon Kings hovered in the air, as if they were about to devour the heavens and the earth.
The terrifying aura of the demon monsters covered them like dark clouds, causing Li Xuanli and Li Qingling, among others, to widen their eyes in disbelief, with despair being the dominant emotion.
The numerous soldiers on the city walls were also struck silent, unable to utter a word.
How could there be five Demon Kings?!
"Master..."
Li Wushuang, who was already on her way to the formation far away, turned back upon hearing this, and the joy in her eyes turned into shock and disbelief.
How could that invincible master of hers be defeated?
How could this be?
Clearly, her master had arrived.
But even he had been defeated!
Li Jian, who was protecting her, did not show any relief on his face either. Instead, his face turned ugly as he realized that this second line of defense might not hold.
With the appearance of five Demon Kings, who else could come to their rescue?
Rumbling~~!
In the distance, countless demon monsters surged forward in a tide.
In the brief moment when the three Demon Kings had blocked their path, the demon tide had caught up.
And the generals and soldiers who had stayed behind to hold them off had long been engulfed, only slightly slowing them down before they resumed their pursuit.
Despair!
At this moment, both inside and outside the city, everyone felt despair.
The appearance of the five Demon Kings was like an eclipse, their terrifying pressure causing people to dare not even whisper.
An army of thousands was like paper paste before the Demon Kings, utterly incapable of putting up any resistance.
And this second line of defense formation would definitely not be able to hold them off!
All eyes fell on Qianji Daoist, who was the only Four Established Realm cultivator left on the battlefield, and their last glimmer of hope.
Qianji Daoist slowly climbed to his feet, his hair disheveled and his face covered in dust. The coiled bun on his head had come loose.
He looked up at the slowly approaching five Demon Kings, his steps faltered, and there was a gaping bloody hole in his abdomen, a fatal injury inflicted by White Immortal's sneak attack, which had almost pierced his heart.
His face was pale and ugly, and cold sweat covered his forehead. In over a hundred years, he had never suffered such a severe injury.
Seeing the five Demon Kings surrounding them, he knew that unless he used his Reverse Life Opportunity, there was no way he could escape.
But he had already used up his Reverse Life Opportunity.
Could it be that he was going to die here?
"Old thing, it seems you don't have a Reverse Life Opportunity left!" White Immortal, having sensed the fleeting despair in Qianji Daoist's eyes, sneered.
As they took steps forward, the tide of demon monsters followed suit, surging towards the remaining army outside the city.
That overwhelming flood seemed ready to devour Li Xuanli's army in an instant.
Despair filled Li Xuanli's eyes, but it soon turned into raging bloodlust as he roared, "Xuan Battalion, listen to my command! One last battle, follow me and fight to the death!"
His roar echoed throughout the entire army and reached the city walls.
"Hmph, a mayfly trying to shake a tree!" White Immortal coldly sneered as he raised his hand, ready to strike Li Xuanli down.
Having fought Li Tian Gang for so many years in Yanbei, he had come to hate Li Tian Gang to the bone. And now, he felt the same killing intent towards Li Tian Gang's brother.
Just as he was about to strike, a sharp cry of anger rang out from the horizon.
"Stop!"
It was a woman's angry shout!
The voice was crisp, yet it traveled thousands of miles, reaching the ears of the Demon Kings.
The Demon Kings were taken aback, wondering if another woman from the Li family had arrived.
"Little sister!" Li Xuanli instantly recognized the voice as that of his youngest sister, who guarded the Tianmen Pass.
His angry face now showed a rare look of panic. In this desperate situation, even if more people came, it would be futile, and his little sister coming over would only result in her death as well!
"Red Makeup, don't come over!" Li Xuanli's eyes reddened as he shouted hoarsely.
But in response to his shout, there was a piercing sound of breaking through the air!
A black shadow flew from the horizon like a sharp arrow or a falling meteor from the sky. It cut through the sky and across the vast plain, landing directly in front of the Demon Kings with a deep pit.
Dust rose from the ground, and inside the pit was a flagpole. The flag had been wrapped around the pole, reducing air resistance, and as it landed, the wrapping around the pole dissipated.
The cloth slowly slid down, revealing a military flag.
Stirred by the breeze, the flag unfurled, revealing the words "Hao Tian."
Just as White Immortal was about to strike, he saw the two characters on the flag and his steps faltered as his pupils contracted.
At the same time, his heart seemed to skip a beat.
Could it be that boy, the battle god?
He looked up towards the horizon, and indeed, one after another, black shadows flew towards them.
Military flags, one after another, flew and landed on the ground in front of the demon tide.
As the ground exploded, the flags were revealed, and the three immortal demons leading the demon tide, after a brief moment of surprise, saw the words "Hao Tian" and their bodies trembled as they revealed looks of shock.
In the end, they stopped about four to five li away from the battle flag.
Seeing that they were only a few thousand meters apart, the Three Immortal Realm Great Demons among the group were drenched in cold sweat, secretly relieved.
The Ten Machines Palace had been sending frequent intelligence, and they had long known about the situation outside Tianmen Pass.
This matter had already spread among the upper echelons of the demon forces. Longmen and the Saint Palace had even taken Li Hao's battle flag back for research, resulting in the death of a Three Immortal Realm Great Demon.
Everyone knew that the young man from Tianmen Pass was the toughest nut to crack in Liangzhou.
That was also the place they planned to uproot last!
The Hao Tian battle flag, planted five thousand li outside the pass, had become a symbol of deterrence, striking fear into the hearts of countless demons.
"Don't, whatever you do, don't destroy that battle flag!"
A Great Demon, aware of the secret, hastily shouted in a loud and angry voice.
He was afraid that some reckless demon would trample and destroy the flag.
The sudden appearance of the battle flag and the demons' strange reaction left Li Xuanli and the others on the battlefield stunned.
What was going on?
Elder Qianji was also taken aback, looking at the military flag with puzzled eyes.
Everything seemed to revolve around this flag.
These demons were extremely afraid of it.
But when the Li family ancestor's 'Yuan' battle flag was planted on the battlefield, symbolizing the unstoppable Yuan Battalion, it had never struck such fear into the hearts of their enemies.
Whose flag was this, and whose name did it bear?
Upon seeing the flag clearly, Li Xuanli's body trembled. Being from Liangzhou, he naturally knew who the flag belonged to.
Had Hao'er come as well?
He quickly looked up and scanned the horizon, but he only saw a bright red figure flying towards them. It was his youngest sister, Li Hongzhuang.
On Li Hongzhuang's back was a large bundle of battle flags, which she was now descending with.
"Fifth Brother!"
Li Hongzhuang called out anxiously.
Li Xuanli scanned her back and asked urgently, "Is Hao'er here too?"
His voice carried both anticipation and fear, afraid that if Li Hao had come, he would also be in danger.
He knew that Li Hao had four Establishment Realm protectors, and if Li Hao was here, those protectors would most likely be with him.
But before them stood five Demon Kings!
Li Hongzhuang bit her lip, not answering, as she was worried that the Demon Kings would hear her.
Although she didn't know how much of a deterrence Li Hao posed to these Demon Kings, it was better to be cautious and keep quiet.
At this moment, White Immortal's gaze swept over Li Hongzhuang's figure, and he stared intently at the direction from which she had come, as if anxiously awaiting someone's arrival.
But no one appeared.
However, White Immortal did not relax his guard.
He knew that the boy was not only terrifyingly powerful but also extremely cunning. Perhaps he was hiding his presence and waiting for the right moment to strike.
The arrival of Li Hongzhuang and the flags she carried temporarily halted the advance of the demon army outside the city.
The countless demons in the demon tide all stopped a few thousand meters away from the line of flags, not daring to take another step forward.
The Demon Kings also stopped in front of the flags, not continuing their attack.
This bizarre turn of events left those on the city walls dumbfounded.
It seemed like these demons were afraid of something?
"The Hao Tian flag... Could it be the one from Tianmen Pass?"
"How is that possible?"
On the city walls, the Liangzhou Commander-in-Chief muttered to himself.
The reputation of that young general was too resounding for him not to have heard of it, even if he didn't intentionally seek out the information.
But whose flag was this?
How could these demons be so afraid of it?
"Isn't that the flag of the Hao Tian Brigadier General?"
"Yes, that's right! I've been to Tianmen Pass, and although I didn't see him, I saw this flag!"
"It's indeed the flag of Brigadier General Hao Tian!"
Inside the city, some of the temporary militia forces assembled from the aristocratic families had youths who recognized Li Hao's battle flag, and they exclaimed in shock and excitement.
Their voices quickly spread, and soon, everyone found it hard to believe that this was indeed the battle flag of Brigadier General Hao Tian. How could the flags of a mere brigadier general stop the tide of demons that had breached the border and pursued them for five thousand li? Even the Demon Kings seemed to be deterred by it!
Li Wushuang, who had entered the city's defensive array under Li Jian's protection, heard the exclamations of shock and excitement within the city, and she stood there, dumbfounded, staring at the fluttering flags on the battlefield.