"They're here."
Li Xiaoran's figure appeared at some point, standing behind Li Hao as he stared into the distance beyond the city, where darkness prevailed a hundred miles away.
Demonic silhouettes began to emerge from that darkness, rushing forth as if crawling out of an abyss.
"They're fast."
Li Hao hadn't expected the main quest to begin with such a swift response from the demons. It was dawn, and they had to hold out until the break of dawn in ten days! He couldn't afford to rest during this time.
Both men gazed into the distance, where withered grass swayed in the wind. On the horizon, a torrent of demons rushed towards them, drawing ever closer.
On the command tower atop the city wall, Li Tianzong stood clad in battle armor, his presence commanding and awe-inspiring.
He issued orders, and his deputy beside him relayed the commands through a display of colorful flags, sending signals in all four directions. Above them, signal fires of various colors rose into the sky, conveying the orders to other parts of the city.
Soon, the demons were upon them.
In an instant, at Li Tianzong's command, countless rockets shot forth from the walls, and numerous Transcendent Masters of the Tianren Sect also unleashed their weapons, soaring out of the city to engage the enemy.
Li Xiaoran and Li Hao joined the fray, their hands lifting to release dazzling sword and knife lights that shot forth. Their weapons flew dozens of leagues, slicing into the demon horde.
The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox's tail was affixed to the body of the Frostbite sword, its massive upper body brandishing claws and fangs as it rampaged through the demon tide, devouring countless demons in an instant. Among the fallen were not only the Heavenly Human Realm demons but also the Three Immortal Realm great demons.
Li Hao watched as the decimal points behind the Mumhe Tongguan progress bar flashed rapidly, his heart slightly settling as he manipulated the Qingfrost sword to sweep across with lightning speed.
His qi surged, stirring up a sword tide like a green river that swept through the demon wave, instantly clearing a large area.
Li Xiaoran's knife light drifted within the tide, specializing in slaying the mighty demons, his might as thunderous as ever.
"You take this side, and I'll go to the other." Li Xiaoran said to Li Hao, "Be careful of those two lurking in the demon tide, waiting to ambush you."
"Understood." Li Hao nodded, and the two separated but remained within close proximity to assist each other if needed.
With their intervention, the offensive of the demon tide was greatly alleviated.
However, not long after, earth-shattering roars reverberated from within the demon tide, and two hideous figures of Demon Kings burst forth, charging towards the Qingfrost sword.
Li Hao's expression turned cold as he manipulated the Frostbite sword to counter-attack without hesitation.
The sword tide rose, piercing through countless demons, and from within it, two brilliant sword lights converged, rushing towards the two Demon Kings.
Li Hao felt a twinge of regret that he hadn't obtained the 'Yellow Sparrow Painting' during this time. As a result, his attributes panel lacked the deadly attack attribute.
The Yellow Sparrow Painting had been obtained in Liangzhou, and although Li Tianzong had sent people to search for it on Li Hao's behalf, perhaps due to a difference in perception, it had yet to be found.
Without this attribute, Li Hao felt that his attack prowess seemed somewhat lacking in this chaotic group battle.
Otherwise, simply by stirring up endless sword tides, he would have had a chance to slay the Demon Kings. But now, he had to expend his true energy to pose a threat to them, which increased his consumption significantly.
Bang! Bang!
Both Demon Kings were struck by Li Hao's sword lights, sustaining severe injuries. Li Hao manipulated the Frostbite sword to pursue them relentlessly, the demon soul roaring as it entangled and tore at the two Demon Kings. The flying sword then beheaded them, cleaving their massive bodies open, gutting them.
The sword light spun, annihilating even the escaping souls.
The two Demon Kings of the Dao Heart Realm couldn't withstand three exchanges against Li Hao.
Cheers erupted from the soldiers atop the city wall as a barrage of rockets and weapons from the Transcendent Masters rained down, assisting Li Hao in decimating the demon tide and leaving no survivors.
As Li Hao held his ground atop the city wall, deep within the demon tide, three figures sat atop a hill, surrounded by a whirlwind of rushing demons.
"That brat has cultivated to such a level so quickly."
"He doesn't seem that far off from the outside world. No wonder he reached the Three Immortal Realm at the age of fifteen."
"This kid definitely has a big secret. He might possess a rare treasure or could even be a sage who has reincarnated through the bloodline of this God General's Mansion!"
The three figures fixed their gazes on the flashing green sword light in the distance, their eyes cold and gloomy. They were none other than the Candlelight God and Lu Yuan, accompanied by Yin Furen.
Contrary to Li Xiaoran's speculation, Yin Furen had not remained outside the Mumhe River but had joined them here.
At this moment, their cultivation levels matched those they had in the outside world.
The Candlelight God had opened a domain, isolating the rules and maintaining his and his wife's original cultivation levels.
As for Lu Yuan, he had relied on his dragon clan bloodline to rapidly grow within the demon horde, eventually regaining his former power.
"Sage reincarnation? Hmph, that's just a legend." The Candlelight God scoffed, dismissing Lu Yuan's words. He knew that Lu Yuan was trying to intensify his killing intent towards Li Hao.
"Just wait. It's only the first day. Even without our intervention, they won't last," Lu Yuan said, his eyes cold as he stared at the city wall. "Those big guys haven't even made their move yet."
Lu Yuan didn't argue, his gaze fixed on the city wall.
His bold entrance was due to the fact that the Dragon Gate Demon King had once entered the Mumhe River and understood the unique rules of this place.
It was only the first day of the ten-day siege.
They sat back and watched the battle unfold, biding their time for an opportunity to strike.
"Li Xiaoran has attempted to escape multiple times and managed to get out alive each time. He must have found a way to ensure his survival. When he prepares to retreat, that's when we'll make our move," the Candlelight God said.
Lu Yuan nodded in agreement.
They waited silently, and outside the city walls, the demons fell by the thousands, their corpses piling up like mountains and their blood flowing like rivers.
The magnitude of this battle weighed heavily on Lu Yuan and the Candlelight God, and it was only because of the sheer number of demons that they hadn't been eradicated already.
With Li Hao, Li Xiaoran, and the other renowned defenders joining the battle, the demon tide soon crumbled.
Dinner was delivered from the mansion to be eaten on the command tower, and Li Hao sat on the ground, sharing the meal with the soldiers.
He had absorbed the five slain Demon Kings, refining their essence blood with the Ten Thousand Blood True Demon Art, further tempering his physical body and making it even stronger.
The pitch-black clouds on the horizon were too dense to see through. Li Hao asked Li Xiaoran if he had sent people to investigate that foreign darkness.
Li Xiaoran informed Li Hao that anyone who ventured into that black zone beyond the border would never return.
It wasn't simply a matter of being killed by the demon beasts, but rather, a consequence of the unique rules of the Mumhe River, influenced by Li Tianzong's obsession, which had fused with those rules.
During the Dragon City battle, that zone of darkness had signified an onslaught of demon beasts, and stepping into it meant certain death.
Thus, it contained the law of inevitable demise.
Only a realm of peace could break these rules with the power of the Dao, allowing one to traverse the forbidden zone unscathed.
That night, more waves of demon beasts continued their attacks, keeping the soldiers on the command tower on high alert, leaving them no opportunity to rest.
By the second day, the demon tide's offensive became even more ferocious. Li Hao and Li Xiaoran had to focus all their attention on the section they were defending to hold their ground.
Amidst the surging demon horde, Demon Kings lurked. Li Hao, with his Three Immortal Realm cultivation, stood alone against them, slaying the Demon Kings one by one.
Among these Demon Kings, there were already some at the Reverse Life Realm, capable of withstanding Li Hao's attacks and escaping far away.
While Li Hao and Li Xiaoran were fighting the demons, the other sons of the Li family gathered together, supporting each other and defending another section of the wall.
On all four sides of Dragon City, Li Hao and Li Xiaoran were each battling alone, while the other two sides were guarded by the older generation of Li family members who were born to concubines.
"There are so many Demon Kings!"
On the northern side of Dragon City, four youthful figures gathered, their expressions grave.
The eldest among them, Li Xuanli, gazed at the endless demon horde outside the city, watching the older generation of concubines' children manipulating divine weapons to kill and fight against the Demon Kings. He clenched his fists tightly.
"Including Little Nine, all of us have stepped into the Three Immortal Realm, but we dare not leave the city."
"Those Demon Kings will definitely target us. If we show ourselves, we will surely be attacked. These demon beasts hate the Li family the most."
The faces of the few were solemn, and they dared only to control their divine weapons to kill the demon horde from a distance.
"It's a pity that we don't have the terrifying power of the tenth brother. Only he can kill Demon Kings."
Li Junye stood tall and proud, manipulating the Evernight Divine Sword.
He was adept in both spear and sword, and his entry into the realm of masters, followed by his breakthrough to the Three Immortal Realm, had now reached the Unbreakable Realm. His progress was astonishing.
Originally, he was the most dazzling among the nine sons, but now his radiance was overshadowed by Li Hao.
"Don't mention him. Let's think about how to deal with these demon beasts first and help ease Father's burden." Li Tiangang said solemnly.
Li Junye fixed his gaze on the demon tide, pondering, "Those Demon Kings are all hiding in the distance, afraid to come closer. They're only using those low-level demon beasts to test us. If we can lure them over here, with the help of the uncles hiding in the shadows, we should be able to take down a few."
"Lure them out?"
Li Xuanli's eyes flickered. "That's not a bad idea, but the Demon Kings' attacks are too terrifying. We might not be able to withstand the first strike."
"I have the Sacred Heart Treasure Talisman, which can protect us for a while."
Li Junye said, "I'll go and attract them, and you guys wait here for me."
"Don't go, Little Nine! It's too dangerous! Father said we must not step out of the formation," Li Tiangang immediately objected.
Li Junye glanced at the demon tide and said, "Seventh Brother, rest assured, I know what I'm doing."
As he finished speaking, he abruptly recalled the Evernight Sword and rushed out of the formation.
The Demon Kings in the demon tide seemed to sense something and turned their gazes towards Li Junye.
"You dare to court death, brat of the Li family!"
A multi-eyed demon dragon roared and charged towards Li Junye.
Two other Demon Kings, upon noticing Li Junye, also abandoned their fight with the older generation of Li family members and rushed towards him.
Li Junye remained calm and swung his sword, attempting to strike them down, but he was easily slapped away by the Demon Kings. A bolt of black lightning then struck him, sending him flying.
Li Junye did not immediately use the Sacred Heart Treasure Talisman. The Demon Kings were still at a distance, and he mustered all his strength, channeling his extreme art to protect himself as he chose to endure this first strike.
A loud bang sounded, and his body flew backwards. He spat out blood, his body limp as if paralyzed, his skin torn and charred black.
Upon seeing this, the other Demon Kings attacked again. Li Junye hurriedly crawled back towards the formation.
The Demon Kings became even more furious, pursuing him even more aggressively. At this moment, Li Junye ignited the Sacred Heart Treasure Talisman.
The other older generation of Li family members, upon hearing Li Xuanli's mental message, now understood Li Junye's plan. They roared and charged out of the formation, engaging the Demon Kings in battle.
The other hidden elders within the city also unsheathed their swords and rushed out of the formation to join the fight.
The few Demon Kings were shocked and tried to retreat, but it was too late. They were quickly surrounded and killed.
At this moment, Li Junye had already been dragged back into the formation by Li Tiangang.
"Ninth Brother, you're too reckless!" Li Tiangang couldn't help but scold him.
Li Junye grinned and said, "But it worked, didn't it?"
"Go and heal your injuries now. Don't talk," Li Xuanli quickly said.
Li Junye nodded and immediately calmed his mind. After consuming a pill, he closed his eyes and began to heal his Unbreakable body.
With Li Junye's lure, several Demon Kings were slain, greatly reducing the offensive pressure of the demon tide, which significantly eased the burden on the defenders.
These Demon Kings seemed less intelligent and cunning than those outside the Mumhe River, perhaps influenced by some residual resentment. When they saw the bloodline of the Li family, they went berserk and charged forward.
On the third day, Li Junye attempted the same tactic again, luring the demon beasts out.
However, a figure suddenly rushed out from within the demon horde and slapped away the Sacred Heart Treasure Talisman's protective light with a palm strike, shattering it. With another palm strike, Li Junye was killed on the spot!
"Little Nine!!"
Li Tiangang and the others were shocked and furious, their eyes almost popping out of their sockets as they roared in anger.
He clenched his fists and sent a command to his hidden third brother, ordering him to leave the city and deal with the Demon King.
Li Xuanyin charged out with his spear, engaging the Demon King in a fierce battle, but neither could gain the upper hand.
That night, Li Hao and Li Xiaoran received the news of Li Junye's death, and both fell silent.
The previous deaths of several others had already prepared them for this moment.
However, since everyone was born from Li Tianzong's obsession, they didn't feel too saddened by these losses.
The real Li Junye had died in Cangzhou, sacrificing himself to save countless common folk from a flood.
Now, with the impending fall of Dragon City, the entire city would be laid to waste, and everything was just beginning.
On the third day, Li Hao and Li Xiaoran were each facing immense pressure. There were seven or eight Demon Kings in the demon tide, including one at the Absolute Learning Realm who was leading them.
Li Hao's Qingfrost sword was entangled by the Absolute Learning Realm Demon King, preventing him from assisting elsewhere, which also meant the formation was bearing the brunt of the Demon Kings' attacks.
"Tomorrow, this formation will probably be broken."
During a brief respite from the demon tide, Li Xiaoran rushed over to Li Hao's side and said, "By then, we can only fall back to the God General's Mansion. The formation there should be able to hold for a while longer."
Li Hao hadn't expected to see signs of the city's fall on just the third day.
Moreover, the Candlelight God and Lu Yuan, the old dragon, hadn't made their move yet.
"Once we retreat to the God General's Mansion, the Candlelight God will likely come over and open a domain outside, attacking the formation," Li Hao said gravely.
Li Xiaoran sighed, "The situation is much better now. Before, when I was alone, the formation was already badly damaged by the third day, and I could barely hold on. Now, with you sharing the burden, the pressure is reduced, and the others can reinforce other sections, so we've managed to hold out without any casualties."
Li Hao remained silent.
In the evening, Li Hao spotted a group of figures approaching the city wall. Upon taking a closer look, he recognized several female generals, including 'Mother' Chen Hefang.
"Little Ten, you must be tired as well."
Chen Hefang's stern gaze softened as she saw Li Hao, and she stepped forward to speak to him. "Your father asked me to call you back. He has something important to tell you."
Li Hao looked at her for a moment and asked, "Are you all..."
"The Li family does not have cowards who cling to life," Chen Hefang said softly. "For the sake of the people of Liming, the Li family will fight to the last drop of blood!"
Hearing this, Li Hao's heart stirred.
The other female generals smiled upon seeing Li Hao.
"We heard that Little Ten is the most outstanding, holding off an entire section by himself at the Three Immortal Realm. You are truly remarkable."
"Our Li family has such a talented young man, and we do not shame the glory of our ancestors."
"Good boy, go on back now."
These female generals were Li Hao's aunts and cousins, whom he couldn't recognize, but he knew they were of the Li family.
"He's probably going to tell you about the ancestral hall," Li Xiaoran transmitted his voice.
He, too, had received news about the ancestral hall when the city walls were about to crumble.
Li Hao fell silent for a moment before bidding farewell to his 'mother' and the other female generals and returning to the mansion.
Upon his return to the God General's Mansion, Li Hao witnessed the stark contrast between the once bustling and vibrant courtyard, filled with guests, and its current desolate state, with leaves scattering in the wind and the grounds untended.
In the empty courtyard, only a handful of servants remained.
The others had likely joined the city's defense forces or been dismissed, leaving only a few familiar faces.
Li Hao spotted the young Zhao Bo, who was also dressed in battle armor, ready to take on the demons at any moment.
"Young Master, you're back. The Lord is waiting for you in the main hall," Zhao Bo said with a bow.
Li Hao glanced at him but ultimately said nothing.
As he turned and entered the main hall, he saw his 'father' sitting alone at the dining table.
Hearing Li Hao's footsteps, Li Tianzong looked up. His eyes, threaded with blood vessels, now held a hint of darkness and an air of sinister energy, akin to heavy yin evil.
Li Hao sensed a strange chill in his father's aura, but this feeling quickly vanished. When Li Tianzong saw Li Hao, his previously cold and somber expression softened.
"Little Ten, come and sit here."
Li Tianzong beckoned Li Hao to his side with a gentle and peaceful tone.
Li Hao nodded. Having received a mental message from Li Xiaoran, he was prepared for this conversation.
However, with most of the nine sons of the Li family now perished, the tragic reality weighed on Li Hao, and he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Even as a spectator of a play, one couldn't help but be moved by the sorrowful scenes and characters.
How much more so for Li Hao, who had personally experienced the concern and affectionate regard of his 'brothers,' their genuine care and deference towards him?
It was just that, in reality, they didn't have the chance to foster such a relationship.
"Little Ten, you are the most brilliant genius of our Li family in a thousand years."
Li Tianzong motioned for Li Hao to sit by his side. At that moment, they were the only ones in the room, as Li Tiangang and Li Xuanli were still on guard duty atop the city walls.
Li Hao sat quietly, listening as his father continued.
"I've witnessed your growth during this time."
Li Tianzong's eyes softened as he looked at Li Hao and said, "I really like the sculptures you made for us, and the paintings you did for me and your mother. I will treasure them. The dishes you cooked were also delicious—the best I've ever tasted..."
"What virtue or ability do I, Li Tianzong, possess to deserve a son like you?"
He extended his broad palm and gently patted Li Hao's shoulder, saying,
"I've been very happy during this time we've spent together."
As he spoke, he smiled, but then his expression turned regretful as he murmured,
"It's just a pity that you aren't truly my son..."