The Name of Eternals

Chapter 212: Peace in Liangzhou

Liangzhou, one month ago.

With reinforcements arriving from various places, the demonic front was quickly broken, and most of the cities that had been swiftly occupied by demons were rapidly reclaimed.

In every part of Liangzhou, battle flags fluttered. To prevent demons from harming too many civilians in some cities, Li Tiangang and Li Xuanli discussed drawing a light cavalry unit from the main army to replace the Haotian battle flags and go ahead to each city. Their goal was to intimidate and scout the situation.

If the situation was dire, they would wait for the main army. If the battle flags could scare the demons in the city, they would rescue the civilians ahead of time.

After all, waiting even one more day could mean tens of thousands of civilians becoming demon fodder.

Therefore, speed was paramount in reclaiming territories and rescuing civilians.

As the grand counterattack began, the medium and small demon forces that followed the three major demon forces in trying to fish in troubled waters were panic-stricken. They hadn't expected the front lines to collapse so quickly.

Initially, with the favorable intelligence from the Tianji Hall, these demons had been confident that conquering Liangzhou was a certainty. However, the situation reversed dramatically.

Once again, the ancient dynasty's fear imprinted in their bloodline resurfaced.

Many factions with older demons chose to retreat, taking advantage of the chaos in Liangzhou to avoid being tracked down.

If they were wanted, survival outside the borders would be difficult, requiring constant evasion.

"Why, why did we lose so quickly?"

"Weren't we told that the Grand Elder of Longmen would lead us to conquer Liangzhou?"

Many great demons roared in anger, questioning the bird demons of Tianji Hall.

The bird demons of Tianji Hall felt bitter. As demons, they naturally sided with the three major forces. They hadn't disclosed that the Taixu Realm ruler had personally commanded the battlefield. This was a secret of the war, not to be revealed to prevent these informed demons from being captured and their knowledge extracted by the humans.

"According to frontline reports, Longmen has been defeated. For specific reasons, you need to purchase blood jade for information."

Using the same rhetoric, the bird demons of Tianji Hall responded to the various demon forces.

Regardless of the war's outcome, Tianji Hall made considerable profits.

This is why Tianji Hall, seemingly lacking combat power, ranks among the top demon forces, alongside Longmen and others.

Some demons chose to flee without investigating further, knowing that detailed information would eventually become available for free.

However, wealthier and more impulsive demons, though angry, still purchased the information and quickly learned the details from the bird demons.

The Taixu Realm ruler personally commanded, but a young human general emerged, dominating the battlefield, slaying seven demon kings, and was chased beyond Liangzhou's borders by the Taixu ruler and Longmen Grand Elder.

This news quickly spread among the demons. Demons who had long resided outside Tianmen Pass, migrating elsewhere, were surprised but not shocked. They had already heard of the young general's renown at Tianmen Pass.

But other demons outside Liangzhou were stunned to hear that another extraordinary human genius had emerged! Old demons lamented, recalling the events in Cangzhou over a decade ago.

There too, a young general emerged, leading a few thousand iron cavalry to single-handedly pacify and guard a province.

Now, fifteen years later, another young general has appeared, seemingly a cycle of destiny, indicating that the human race's luck has not waned, with three execution blades still hanging over the demons' heads.

Fleeing demons trembled at the name Haotian, fleeing in panic.

This reclamation effort consumed little military strength. With the Dayu royal army's reinforcements arriving to encircle Liangzhou, many fleeing demons were eradicated.

The fifty thousand-strong royal army that came to reinforce now merely cleaned up, with escaping demons facing the grand army's annihilation, suffering heavy casualties. Only a few small demons escaped, leaving behind fear and pain-filled memories.

"Report, Your Highness!"

The scout returned, bearing the royal flag, the black "Yu" character fluttering in the wind.

"Thirty li ahead, the demons have abandoned the city. Our army has taken over, rallying the remaining guards and civilians, treating the wounded."

The scout dismounted swiftly and reported.

Before him was a red-scaled dragon, over ten zhang long, with a young man in golden armor standing on its back, cloak billowing.

Being addressed as "Your Highness" indicated an extraordinary status.

The "Yan" character on his chest armor marked him clearly. Known to the court and noble families, he was the famous Thirteenth Prince, Jiang Yan.

Young, with a formidable reputation for bravery, he was rumored to be a marquis if not for his royal lineage.

At this moment, Jiang Yan frowned slightly at the scout's report, saying, "I heard a great demon was stationed there. How did they manage to repel them without a fight?"

"Reportedly, without a single casualty."

The scout lowered his head respectfully, detailing the situation.

Jiang Yan's starry-eyed gaze revealed a hint of surprise, then turned cold:

"Haotian battle flag? The idea that a single flag could deter great demons is laughable!"

"The flags of our Dayu ancestors should hold more deterrence than the Haotian flag. These demons, it seems, have been shown too much mercy by my father over the years!"

"Relay my orders!"

His face turned icy: "Any demons encountered along the way, kill them all, leave none alive. Capture the great demons alive. Once Liangzhou is pacified, I want to build a high sacrificial altar and use the great demons to strike fear into the demon horde!"

"Let these demons know the fate of invading the lands of the Dayu Dynasty!"

With the arrival of the royal army, other forces from various states also arrived in Liangzhou to reinforce the battlefield.

These forces included noble families, martial sects, and local armies, all coming to aid upon hearing of Liangzhou's plight.

However, each state spans seven to eight thousand to tens of thousands of miles. Without certain military items to accelerate travel, reinforcements often took time.

By the time these forces arrived, the battlefield in Liangzhou was nearing the end of its cleanup. The entire campaign, from the demon attack to the resolution, took less than ten days.

The remaining task was to sweep out hidden demons throughout the region. Some demons fled to towns and villages, hiding until the danger passed, ready to harm civilians again.

Given the vast number of demons that breached the lines, careful searching was necessary across the expansive Liangzhou.

"Old Seven, we just interrogated a bird demon from Tianji Hall. Haor led those three demon kings to the River of Death guarded by Fourth Uncle."

In the Liangzhou military headquarters, Li Xuanli's eyes showed a hint of hope: "Maybe, with Fourth Uncle's help, Haor might be safe. Fourth Uncle has a lot of experience with that river."

Li Tiangang sighed with relief, nodding: "With Fourth Uncle there, escaping through the River of Death is possible. Are the demon kings stationed outside the river?"

"They've also entered." "In that case, this is valuable intelligence. We can trap them!"

Li Tiangang's eyes brightened.

Li Xuanli nodded: "But Zhuhuo Shen is a half-step Grand Dao Realm. To hunt him, we'll need Second Uncle's help and a few of the key figures from the Divine General's Mansion. If we could get that old lady from the Xia family…"

He paused, then shook his head, knowing she rarely left her post.

"How about asking the Buddha Lord?" Li Xuanli pondered.

Li Tiangang squinted: "The Buddha Lord might not act personally, maybe just send a Bodhisattva. This time, the Liangzhou situation should be clear to you!"

Li Xuanli thought of Lin Wujing and certain rumors, nodding slightly:

"But the true men of Qiandao Palace won't easily leave. We can't let this rare opportunity slip."

"Let the royal family take the lead. I heard princes Jiang Yan and Jiang Chong have arrived. Talk to them. If they can call upon the Sword Saint and other strong fighters, and the Forbidden Army commander, Zhuhuo Shen will die!"

Li Tiangang's eyes flashed coldly.

"Agreed."

Li Xuanli nodded.

As Liangzhou returned to peace, Prince Jiang Yan, along with the Liangzhou military and the Divine General's Mansion, built high sacrificial altars within the state, using nine great demons of the Third Immortal Realm to offer sacrifices to heaven.

This was officially said to honor the souls of the dead civilians, but it also served to intimidate the demons.

The news quickly spread, further terrifying the demons outside the borders.

After the sacrificial rites, information spread widely.

...

Xia Family.

In a modest courtyard, an elderly woman tended to her poultry, feeding chickens and ducks.

"Cluck, cluck."

The old woman took a handful of rice, scattering it in front of the yellow chicks, letting them peck.

The chicks pecked eagerly at the rice, eating with gusto.

Suddenly, the courtyard door opened, and a middle-aged woman in patched clothes entered, holding a letter.

She looked plain, with her hair pinned by a gray wooden hairpin. However, beneath the rough cloth sleeves, her skin was as white as jade, seemingly delicate.

The old woman, sitting in a rocking chair, gently swaying, looked lovingly at the pecking chicks, a kind smile on her face.

As the middle-aged woman approached, she looked up, her eyes naturally falling on the letter, her smile fading slightly.

"Madam, it's a letter from the Li family."

The middle-aged woman spoke softly and respectfully.

The old woman took the letter, reading it slowly. After a while, she folded it gently, murmuring: "Now that the nation's fortunes are declining, these old fellows are becoming restless."

"Madam, should we go?"

The middle-aged woman asked cautiously, "It is indeed a rare opportunity. Zhuhuo Shen, with his domain, should not fall in the River of Death. When he comes out, it will be the perfect time to hunt him."

The old woman placed the letter behind the rocking chair, grabbed another handful of rice, and tossed it to the chicks: "Tianji Hall should have already informed other demon forces. Although demons fight among themselves, they understand the danger of mutual destruction."

"The Ancient Demon Hall and Taixu Realm may not reinforce, but the Gluttony Valley, Longmen, and the Sacred Palace will send people."

"It's both an opportunity and a trap."

"This battle could also be bait from the demons."

She gently kicked one of the largest chicks, chuckling: "Don't eat it all, leave some for the others."

The largest chick, slightly aggrieved, moved towards the middle-aged woman's feet.

The middle-aged woman shifted slightly and said, "Madam, shall we wait and see?"

"Wait."

The old woman replied softly.

...

Wang Family.

In a palace-like hall, three figures gathered.

"We just received another letter from the Li family. The chaos in Liangzhou has been quelled."

A burly, stern-faced man spoke softly: "Earlier, Li Tiangang sent an urgent call for reinforcements. Our Wang family is too far away. By the time we arrived, it would be over, so we didn't respond. If we don't show some gesture now, we might be criticized."

"Hmph, so what if we are criticized? These demon matters don't concern us. Our Wang family has already given them soldiers. Isn't that enough?" Another emaciated middle-aged man retorted coldly.

"Those are past matters, let's not dwell on them."

An elderly man, sitting at the head, spoke softly: "Grudges and grievances are past clouds, not worth pursuing."

"The current situation of the Dayu Dynasty, with demons surrounding us, is a minor issue. The problems with the River of Death are growing more severe."

"Zhen Dong is striving to reach ten thousand merit points. We don't know what special changes will occur at ten thousand points."

He sighed, his brows filled with worry and a hint of hope.

"There should be some changes. Our years of challenges and research on the River of Death suggest the merit list is not just a title."

The stern man said: "Our 98th ancestor reached ten thousand merits, didn't he? He seemed to receive an extra chance of reversing fate, leading to our Wang family's prosperity over the years."