Border Army

Since they had confirmed the location of the cave residence, Liang Zhaohuang and his companion did not delay. They did not even enter Yongchang Commandery's commandery city, heading straight for the distant mountain range.

This place was already close to the border between Ning Province and the Demon Country. Battles between the Human Race and the Demon Race often took place here, and if the fighting went poorly, the Demon Race could even push into Yongchang Commandery.

Because of that, the Human Way did not flourish here. The commanderies, counties, villages, and towns did not occupy much land, and there were many stretches of wilderness.

And in the wilderness, members of the Demon Race were often hidden.

To avoid accidents, after Liang Zhaohuang entered Yongchang Commandery, he frequently circulated the Five Elements Dharma Eye to observe the surroundings.

The Five Elements Dharma Eye could observe the circulation of Five Elements spiritual power. It could not be said to detect every hidden demon creature, but it was always of some use. Places where demon creatures belonging to the Five Elements lay concealed would inevitably disturb the flow of Five Elements spiritual power.

Whenever they saw such abnormalities, Liang Zhaohuang and his companion would avoid them from afar.

In addition, the two of them had made plenty of preparations, having prepared dozens of Invisibility Talismans alone. Proceeding carefully and stealthily like this, they finally managed to avoid many dangerous places.

But some troubles, in the end, were hard to dodge.

As Liang Zhaohuang and his companion carefully bypassed a river where water vapor was abnormally gathering, a fierce wind suddenly attacked from the sky.

As the two walked here, their nerves were constantly drawn tight. The moment they sensed the attack, both of them immediately offered up Five-Colored Light Shield Talismans.

At once, a layer of five-colored light shield appeared around each of them, protecting them separately.

Clang! Clang!

Two sharp sounds rang out abruptly. The five-colored light shields were struck by the violent assault until they trembled and swayed, ripples spreading across them.

Only then did Liang Zhaohuang clearly see the demon creature attacking them. It was a demon bird, shaped like an eagle, with a white head. Its pair of sharp talons flashed with azure light as they clawed at the Five-Colored Light Shields around the two of them, almost tearing the light shields apart.

Ning Province had been seized from a Demon Country controlled by a demon bird. Within that Demon Country, there were many demon birds. These demon birds infiltrated Ning Province from high in the sky, making them the hardest to stop, and they often caused considerable destruction and slaughter.

At this moment, the two of them being attacked by a demon bird could be said to be within reason, something entirely foreseeable.

Liang Zhaohuang reacted swiftly. Seeing the demon bird, he immediately activated the Five Lights Bracelet on his arm. Red light shone, and five fireballs in succession blasted toward the demon bird.

"Screech!"

The Eagle Demon let out a piercing cry and fiercely flapped its wings, raising a great sheet of wild wind that scattered and blew away three fireballs in succession.

The last two fireballs followed close behind and blasted over. Azure light surfaced over the Eagle Demon's body, blocking one fireball, but it could no longer block the final one. That fireball struck its body, and it flew up with a sharp screech.

Clan Chief Liang Xuelin had also made his move by then. He directly offered up a talisman, which transformed in midair into a long thorny vine. It coiled like a snake and bound toward the Eagle Demon, intending to trap and lock it down.

The Eagle Demon screeched, its two claws tearing through the wind as they grabbed downward, clawing at the long thorny vine as though catching a snake.

With a ripping crack, the long thorny vine was instantly torn apart under the eagle talons, looking as though it was about to collapse and scatter.

At this moment, Liang Zhaohuang urged the Five Lights Bracelet into motion. Azure light flared, and the spell Thorn Vine shot out, landing on the torn long thorny vine. Immediately, the cracks on the long thorny vine rapidly healed, and it swiftly grew longer, winding upward and binding the Eagle Demon's two claws.

Clan Chief Liang Xuelin then offered up another talisman, which transformed in midair into an illusory boulder and smashed directly into the Eagle Demon, knocking it down to the ground.

Liang Zhaohuang continued urging the Five Lights Bracelet. Golden light lit up, and a Golden Blade Technique directly chopped down, taking the opportunity to sever the Eagle Demon's head.

The two cooperated with great tacit understanding and did not spend much effort before killing this Eagle Demon.

"Fortunately, it was only a first-rank demonic beast. If it had been second-rank, we'd have been finished!"

Clan Chief Liang Xuelin looked at the Eagle Demon's corpse on the ground and spoke with lingering fear.

"This is still our Human Race's territory, after all. For some first-rank little demons to be able to sneak in is already impressive. Even if there really are some great demons, I'm afraid they wouldn't bother with us. They'd be heading for the commanderies, counties, and province cities."

Liang Zhaohuang shook his head as he spoke.

At this moment, a Flying Boat flew over from the horizon. It was a small Flying Boat only about ten feet long.

Five people stood on the Flying Boat. The leader's whole body carried a heavy, oppressive might; he was actually a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"We are the Ning Province Border Army Imperial Sky Guard. We discovered demon qi erupting here. Who are you? What have you come here to do?"

As the Flying Boat drew near, someone behind that Foundation Establishment cultivator called out in a raised voice, questioning them.

Ning Province Border Army Imperial Sky Guard!

"As expected of a place close to the frontline battlefield. This reaction speed is much faster than Yang Province's."

Liang Zhaohuang thought of the Black Wind Bandits that had ravaged the villages and towns under Ludong County some time ago. Those county commandants and patrol inspectors had basically all followed behind the Black Wind Bandits, making a fortune off the disaster. Even after three humble clans were wiped out, they still had not managed to take down the Black Wind Bandits.

Compared with the reaction speed of the Ning Province border army, it was simply the difference between heaven and earth.

Of course, if things were really as Zhu Yuqing had said, and there were other hidden circumstances behind the Black Wind Bandits, then that was another matter.

Several thoughts flashed rapidly through Liang Zhaohuang's mind, but his movements were not slow. Following Clan Chief Liang Xuelin, he immediately bowed to the people on the Flying Boat.

In this part of Ning Province close to the border, these border army cultivators were not to be provoked. If they offended them and were cut down as spies, Liang Zhaohuang and his companion were merely humble-clan cultivators who had not entered the ninth rank, and they would have nowhere to argue their case.

"Reporting to my lord, the two of us are retainers of the sixth-rank commandery-aristocrat 'Crimson Cauldron' Wang Clan of Luyang Commandery in Yang Province. We came to Ning Province to gather some spirit herbs, and here we encountered an attack from a demon bird. It has already been slain by us."

In the border army, a Foundation Establishment cultivator was at the very least a military officer of Subordinate Ninth Rank. Clan Chief Liang Xuelin directly addressed him as "my lord," and as he spoke, he took out the calling card given by the Wang Clan as proof.

In this borderland, when facing the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty's border army, a humble clan like the Liang family had no fame or status. Saying their own name would be useless. Only by bringing out the sixth-rank commandery-aristocrat Wang Clan could it have some effect.

The Luyang Commandery Wang Clan had a family-inherited Crimson Cauldron Art that led straight to the Golden Core realm, so they used "Crimson Cauldron" as their title.

The Foundation Establishment cultivator on the Flying Boat reached out and beckoned. The calling card in Liang Xuelin's hand flew up and landed in his hand. He poured magic power into the calling card to activate it, and first discovered a "Crimson Cauldron" mark, proving that this was the "Crimson Cauldron" Wang Clan's calling card and that there was no problem with it.

Afterward, the other party examined the Eagle Demon's corpse on the ground again. After confirming everything was correct, he returned the calling card to Clan Chief Liang Xuelin.

He said in a deep voice, "This place is close to the border frontline and belongs to the border army's controlled zone. You may move about here, but you are not permitted to take any destructive action."

"If you discover any Demon Race infiltrators, kill them if you can. If you cannot kill them, you must send a signal and summon our border army."

As the other party spoke, he waved a hand and tossed over a talisman, explaining that it was a message talisman used to summon the border army.

"In addition, if the front line is in urgent danger and the border army issues an emergency summons, you must proceed to the front line unconditionally from this location and take part in the battle, without fail!"

"Anyone who disobeys orders or shrinks back and refuses to advance will be beheaded without mercy!"

Finally, the Foundation Establishment cultivator on the Flying Boat barked these words sternly, his aura erupting around him and making him seem even more imposing, not to be defied.

"Yes, my lord!"

Liang Zhaohuang and his companion did not dare show anything unusual and hurriedly answered.

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