An invitation from the Xia Family

Youzhou City, Xia Family Divine General Residence.

Inside the Eastern Pavilion Courtyard, a noblewoman sat regally in the hall.

She looked to be in her forties, but her skin was as smooth as cream, even more delicate than a young girl's. Against the backdrop of her luxurious attire, she seemed like a beautiful woman walking out of a painting, with a dignified and noble bearing.

She is not the madam, but Xia Linglong, the current Family Head of the Xia Family, and also the True Dragon of the previous generation.

Because Xu Nuo to remain unmarried for life, she was qualified to compete for the title of True Dragon. In addition, she Heavenly Talent talented and was rumored to be the most talented person Heavenly Talent the Xia Family in hundreds of years.

He entered the Three Immortalities Realm at the age of twenty. Although he was not as outstanding as the Li Family Prodigy who achieved Immortality at the age of nineteen more than ten years ago, he was still extremely brilliant and famous All Under Heaven.

During her leadership of the Xia Family, various Demon forces took advantage of her being a woman, mocking the Xia Family's decline and weakness. They wreaked havoc in the other states under the Xia Family's control, causing widespread suffering.

However, after Xia Linglong took power, she swiftly attacked with ruthless methods, killing and repelling these Demons.

In many battles, she personally led her troops into battle, wearing iron armor and her hands stained with the blood of countless Demons. After returning home, Cloud Garments wear Colorful Skirt and apply rouge and powder, enjoying flowers Tea Tasting like the ladies of the kingdom.

The books those ladies were reading were " On Discussions of Women" and "The Husbandry Studies," while she held military books, strategies, and maps of Demon Earthly Territory.

Half a month ago, the Gluttony Valley, which had been besieging the Mo River Beyond the Border Liang Prefecture, suddenly shifted its offensive and launched an attack on the Xia Family's You Province. This battle caught them off guard, and with the elders of the Gluttony Valley leading the charge, the Eastern Border defense line was breached, and now half of eastern You Province has fallen.

More than thirty cities suffered casualties and were burned.

The population of each city and its surrounding Townships and villages numbered at least four to five million, and in some cases as many as ten million.

The fact that her own territory had suffered such a heavy blow meant she hadn't had much rest for days. The Valley Master of Gluttony Valley had been even more reckless, launching a sneak attack on the Divine General Residence, but he was forced back by the combined Unique Skill Realm.

However, this battle also made her realize that the Valley Master of Gluttony Valley was not to be underestimated. Although he was not in the Dao Realm Unique Skill Realm. His flesh and blood were so refined that they were comparable to top-tier Divine Weapon. The strongest Signature Technique in the Unique Skill Realm were greatly diminished when they were used against him.

Fortunately, the Gluttony Valley Master is not yet at the Great Void Realm; he is Great Demon King who rose to power five hundred years ago and has not yet entered the Dao Realm.

Otherwise, the Xia Family will truly face a calamity, and only by using their strongest resources can they withstand it!

Despite this, the Xia Family is currently in dire straits.

"From the eastern battlefield, Xia Changkong has sent word that the Second Defense Line is about to fall, and they are retreating to the Bright River area to activate the Third Defense Line of defense there."

Inside the hall, an old man spoke in a low voice.

He was a senior member of the Xia Family, and he was already wearing armor, ready to go into battle at any time.

His gaze fell on Xia Linglong, who looked like a noblewoman in the hall. Although she was a woman, no one in the Xia Family dared to look down on her and they all respected her greatly.

"Family Head, please allow me to go to war and accompany Changkong to defend the area!"

The old man volunteered, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, and said, "If the Third Defense Line falls, I will fight that Gluttony Valley to the death!"

The others paled, hesitant to speak, wanting to stop them, but unsure what to say. As members of the Divine General Residence, this was the mission they had always shouldered, especially since countless soldiers had already fallen on the front lines, and they too had their own families.

"A bloody battle is the last resort, but not the goal."

Xia Linglong spoke, Autumn Water eyes, usually so gentle, now filled with coldness, devoid of any tenderness:

"If the Gluttony Valley Master makes a move, even the Third Defense Line might not be able to hold. The current disparity in strength between the two sides is too great, especially in terms of elite forces. At the same time, we must also guard against the possibility that other Demon forces might take advantage of the chaos to attack. Before the situation becomes clear, we must not gamble everything!"

The old man's expression changed slightly. He stared at her, but did not question her. Instead, he waited for her to continue.

After a slight Pause, Xia Linglong focused her gaze and whispered:

"The Third Defense Line will feign a standstill, luring the Gluttony Valley Master into the Azure Ridge, where our Xia Family ancestors buried Magic Array. Using the power of the Magic Array, we can seal off the Gluttony Valley Master. Afterward, we will charge to the front lines, wipe out all the Demon, and finally engage the Gluttony Valley Master in a great battle. This time, I plan to summon our ancestral sacred treasure!"

Upon hearing her words, the old man's expression changed slightly, and the others' pupils also contracted.

They all sensed the Family Head's immense determination.

"But if that happens, once the Third Defense Line is breached, we will lose more than a dozen cities..." the old man couldn't help but say.

Xia Linglong gazed at him and said, "I already had Seventh Uncle lead 100,000 troops to evacuate the city's residents, leaving only a small force to City Warden the city. It doesn't matter if the city falls, as long as the people are still alive. Once the war is over, our Xia Family will send troops to help them rebuild the city."

"Have they all been evacuated?" the old man couldn't help but ask.

Xia Linglong paused for a moment before saying, "It's too late, but cutting our losses in time is the only way to save more people. We have no other choice."

Everyone fell silent, including the old man. He knew his niece was intelligent and resourceful; if she couldn't think of a better solution, it meant there really wasn't one.

"The request for reinforcements has been sent to Great Yu Province, but I've heard that Demon are also lurking outside the Imperial City, making it impossible to send reinforcements. Ever since the battle of Liang Prefecture —no, it should be said that it's been the frequent Demon attacks over the past few decades, all targeting the territory guarded by the Li Family, nearly causing the Li Family's lineage to be cut off—I've had a premonition that these Demon seem to be plotting something big..."

Xia Linglong took a deep breath, her eyes icy, and said:

"The Battle of Liang Prefecture was just the beginning. Fortunately, that young man held it back. Otherwise, given Liang Prefecture's terrain, if it had fallen into the hands of Demon, the next target would have been You Province. Add to that their ability to invade other states via rivers, and they could attack or defend at will—it would have been a disaster!"

"Their swift attack failed, their momentum was cut short, and they had no choice but to retreat, hoping to create a breach through our You Province. This is just the beginning. His Majesty should have sensed it, but he hasn't sent reinforcements yet. If I'm not mistaken, these Demon's true intentions may not be You Province, but the Imperial City..."

"Now, it all comes down to who makes the first move, who loses their patience first."

"Therefore, we can only rely on ourselves!"

Upon hearing her words, everyone's expressions turned solemn, knowing that the thousand-year peace of the Great Yu Dynasty had been shattered.

As members of the Divine General Residence, they were constantly exposed to Frontier war reports, and they had long had this premonition, also seeing that the Great Yu Dynasty's deterrent power against these Demon was weakening year by year.

The Demon, however, are becoming increasingly rampant. This battle was inevitable, but no one expected it to come so soon.

"Heroes emerge in times of chaos, and the emergence of that young hero is enough to show that chaos has arrived..."

Someone sighed softly.

"Then I'll go to the Azure Ridge area first to set up the formation in advance," the old man said to Xia Linglong.

Xia Linglong nodded and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Fourth Uncle."

"There's no need for thanks for slaying the demon; don't insult me," the old man sneered.

Xia Linglong's cold eyes softened slightly as she said, "I was wrong."

The old man waved his hand and was about to get up when suddenly, a beam of light like an arrow flew over and landed in the Divine General Residence.

The old man immediately sensed it, his expression changed slightly, and he raised his hand to retrieve the urgent message transmitted by the Xia Family's special Secret Method.

"Liyang?"

Upon seeing the words on the letter, the old man's expression changed slightly; it was a letter from Liyang!

Xia Linglong's expression also turned serious. "Liyang couldn't be defended so quickly?"

The old man pushed the letter towards her.

Xia Linglong quickly flipped through the pages, and her originally solemn expression suddenly froze slightly.

"Liyang has fallen?"

"Has the city fallen, or are they calling for reinforcements?"

When the others learned that the news came from Liyang, their hearts tightened. If the Northwest fell, the Demon would attack You Province from both sides.

After reading the letter, Xia Linglong couldn't help but look up at the old man.

The old man's eyes showed a questioning look.

Xia Linglong's eyes gradually shone with a strange light as she said, "Liyang is safe!"

"They won?"

"Didn't they say their food supplies were cut off? If the Demon cut off their supplies, they must be planning a siege. They should be able to hold out for a while."

Everyone was stunned, then their faces lit up with surprise.

Finally, amidst the continuous battle reports, we heard some good news.

"Could it be that my son, Xia Yuanming, broke through at the last minute?"

"Your son isn't as clever as Azure Frost. It should be Azure Frost, but she only recently entered the Heaven and Man Realm. She probably doesn't have the ability to decide the outcome of a battle, does she?"

Upon hearing the good news, everyone's expressions brightened considerably, and they even exchanged a few jokes.

Xia Linglong didn't keep them in suspense and said, "Everyone remembers that young general who was granted a Gong-rank Noble, right? He's come to You Province!"

"Um?"

"What!"

Everyone was stunned for a moment, then realized that there was only one young general in the entire Great Yu Dynasty who had been granted the title of Gong-rank Noble, and that was the one who guarded Liang Prefecture.

They were certainly familiar with him, and when the boy's deeds spread, a phenomenon appeared in the cities of various states: some Battle Flag engraved with the words "Haotian" were made in the storehouses, in preparation for being hung up when Demon attacked the city and war broke out.

After the power of that Battle Flag spread, all sides regarded it as a strategic resource.

Perhaps one day when the Great Yu Dynasty is in full danger, the banners of that young man and his mythical fame will be raised in every city!

Regarding this phenomenon, although they were Divine General Residence of the young man's great reputation, they also knew that only the young man could accomplish it. Because of the special nature of that Battle Flag, its Battle Flag even surpassed that of the ancestral flags of the Five Divine General Residences' Mansions.

Are you referring to General Haotian?

"Wasn't he at the Mo River outside Liang Prefecture? Why is he in You Province? Did he come specifically to reinforce us?"

"Liang Prefecture and You Province aren't far apart, so maybe he heard the news? But we haven't heard anything about him leaving the Mo River. The Demon outside the Mo River retreated a while ago to attack Qing Prefecture, and now there are no Demon outside the Mo River. Maybe there wasn't a major battle after he came out, so we don't know?"

"Could the information be wrong? Qing Prefecture is about to fall, and he's not in Qing Prefecture, but instead came to our You Province first?"

"Doesn't he know about what happened in Qing Prefecture?"

Everyone looked at Xia Linglong with surprise and suspicion.

Xia Linglong also realized that if the young man had come out, he should have already rushed to the aid of Qing Prefecture. Could the information be wrong?

But then, she thought of some things about that boy, her eyes flickered, and she immediately Bai Yuan.

It seems that the battle between father and son in Qing Prefecture had a significant impact; the young man truly chose to leave the Li Family and sever all ties with the Li Family!

I'm afraid there's not only no gratitude, but also hatred; otherwise, why would they come to You Province instead of Qing Prefecture?

Thinking of this, a question flashed through her mind. Although she didn't know what had happened between the father and son, the fact that the young man could appear to save Liang Prefecture and even risk his life to lure away the ruler of the Great Void Realm was enough to show that he had a kind heart and a chivalrous spirit. What mistake had he made to deserve such treatment from the Li Family?

"The military dispatch showed no signs of being opened, and the Secret Pattern on it remained intact. The message must be true, unless Demon have already invaded Liyang and forced them to write this message."

Xia Linglong said, but this also meant that the news was absolutely true and could not possibly be false.

Because the sons of the Xia Family there would never betray their Lineage.

Everyone understood what she meant, and some people showed delight, saying:

"Regardless, his willingness to help our Xia Family is a favor in itself. Now that Liyang City has been defended, and given that he is said to be able to slay Demon King and possesses power comparable to the Unique Skill Realm, why not invite him over to discuss the campaign against the Gluttony Valley Master?"

"That's good. If he's willing, we can ask the old lady to give him a chick," another person suggested.

Xia Linglong nodded slightly; she shared the same thought.

The chicks that old lady was raising weren't real chicks, but rather Great Demon.

The Xia Family's Cultivation Method lean towards the kind of manipulation of Object Manipulation refinement, thus they are also skilled at taming Demon and warhorses.

The most elite warhorses in the entire Great Yu Dynasty came from the Xia Family. The Dragon Flood Serpent of the Imperial Clan were also raised and trained by the Xia Family. There was a position in the Imperial Court called the Dragon Tamer, which was held by the Xia Family generation after generation.

Many of the Half-Blood mounts of high-ranking officials and ministers, such as the Flood Dragon Lion of Qing Prefecture, originated from the Dragon Taming Bureau.

"With such strong support, any price is worth paying," the old man said to Xia Linglong.

Xia Linglong nodded and immediately ordered someone to come and write a letter back to Liyang.

Liyang City.

The sentries outside the city returned and reported to the Old General of the Xia Family and others that the Demon army outside the city had all withdrawn.

Upon hearing this news, everyone was stunned. They never expected that the Demon Tide that had caused such panic and unease in the city would retreat so easily and so quietly.

All because of the arrival of a boy.

One person entered the city and scared away millions of Demon outside!

Is this the boy's formidable reputation?

Previously, they had heard about the boy's various deeds from various sources, and they were only shocked and envious, even a little jealous. But at this moment, they truly felt just how much of a threat the boy had among the Demon!

All the controversies and rumors came to life at this moment.

The young man simply rode into the pass on horseback, without uttering a single word to the Demon, yet his words were more powerful than their desperate roars and their valiant resistance!

That's the difference.

Several young Major General from the Xia Family wore complex expressions. They were the younger generation of the Xia Family, and their counterparts were the younger generation of the Li Family. The young man in question was from the Li Family, but now they had suffered a complete defeat.

Even if you tied them all up together, they wouldn't be a match for that boy, which saddened them.

Li Hao hadn't stayed in Liyang City for more than two days when he received a reply from the Xia Family. Xia Linglong, the Family Head of the Xia Family, personally wrote to invite him to the Xia Family's Divine General Residence for a gathering as a token of her gratitude.

Li Hao was somewhat surprised. He had originally planned to stay in Liyang City for a while before leaving and returning to Liang Prefecture, but the Xia Family Head had personally and solemnly invited him, and it would be somewhat Past to refuse such a gesture.

Fortunately, the journey from Liyang City to Youzhou City takes less than half a day, so it's not a significant delay.

To his disappointment, the Old General of the Xia Family collected some Famous Painting and Chess Manual for him, but none of them met the requirements of being true "masterpieces" and could not be included.

Liyang City is Frontier city, constantly at war. Its reserves of arrows and grain far surpass those of a scholar's writing materials, so there is nothing he needs.

"When we meet, it might be a good idea to ask the Xia Family for help in finding them."

Li Hao thought to himself, then sat on his horse and asked the Old General of the Xia Family for a pass to Command Token.

The Old General of the Xia Family wanted to accompany Li Hao personally, but Li Hao refused because the Candlelight God was unwilling to carry him.

With the pass in Command Token, Li Hao saw no need to hide anything and ordered the Candlelight God to fly away at full speed.

The Candlelight God soared into the air, revealing a body resembling Fire Lion with a dragon's tail, and vanished from Liyang City in the blink of an eye.

"That's... Demon's mount?"

The Old General of the Xia Family and Xia Qingshuang and the others were all stunned. They had dealt with Demon all their lives, but they had never recognized that Li Hao's horse was actually Demon in disguise!

Moreover, the Aura emanating from that Demon filled them with fear; it was definitely not an ordinary, Great Demon.

Youzhou City, Xia Family Divine General Residence.

Li Hao arrived riding the Candlelight God, but just before entering the city, he jumped off and had the Candlelight God transform into a young man to follow him into the city.

The city was bustling and prosperous, so Li Hao wasn't in a hurry to leave. He let Xi Yan on his wrist enjoy the Evening Primrose along the way. Earlier, in that small town, he had accompanied her to listen to an opera one night, which had made her happy for several days.

On the streets, various lanterns, paper umbrellas, and cosmetics were sold at stalls.

Li Hao bought a string of candied hawthorns and held them in his hand. Every now and then, Evening Primrose would stick out a tuft of Little Chi Xu and lightly dip them in the candied hawthorns to steal a bite.

"So sweet~"

Evening Primrose secretly licked the candied hawthorn, Little Chi Xu, very agile, ate with great relish. "Although it's not very nutritious, it's so delicious."

Li Hao smiled and said, "I haven't had a chance to cook for you yet. I'll let you experience my cooking skills later."

"OK!"

Evening Primrose readily agreed.

Li Hao smiled slightly and led her around the streets for a while before casually strolling to the Xia Family Divine General Residence.

Upon learning of Li Hao's arrival, the Xia Family was immediately alarmed, not expecting Li Hao to arrive so quickly.

Upon hearing the news, Xia Linglong immediately put down her teacup and rushed out of the Eastern Pavilion Courtyard to greet him outside the mansion.

Upon seeing the young man and boy standing outside the mansion, Xia Linglong's gaze immediately fell on Li Hao. She had never seen the Human Race form that the Candlelight God had transformed into. After all, the Candlelight God had been living in seclusion for too many years. Although he had appeared in Liang Prefecture before, his Divine Might was overwhelming, which was quite different from his current appearance with his Aura restrained. Moreover, those who had seen him before could not describe his specific appearance to others.

"General Haotian, welcome to my Xia Family residence."

Xia Linglong smiled.