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"Is it really him?"

Among the young generals, a female general stared blankly at the young man, her thoughts abruptly shifting to the official road of Qi State two years ago.

Back then, the young man seated in the carriage had left a deep impression on her, a fourteen-year-old defending a city.

Soon after, she heard news of that young man again, his name shaking Qingzhou.

Later, at fifteen, he rescued Liangzhou and his fame spread far and wide.

"This lady is Xia Qingshuang, the pride of our Xia Family."

"This is Xia Yucheng..."

The veteran general of the Xia Family quickly introduced several young Xia Family generals to Li Hao, hoping to use this opportunity to connect them with Li Hao's network.

Although they were all aware of Li Hao's defection from the Li Family, the young man's current reputation and achievements no longer required the Divine General Mansion to establish his fame; he was a legend in his own right.

The young duke, not yet sixteen, held a high position among the emperor's subjects and was capable of slaying a Demon King, making him someone no one wished to offend.

While the Xia Family's veteran general was making the introductions, these young Xia Family generals felt compelled to bow and pay their respects due to Li Hao's title and office. While they were excited and shocked, they also felt a slight embarrassment.

After all, they were the chosen heirs of the Xia Family, yet the young man before them came from the Li Family; they belonged to the same generation, but they were seven or eight, or even more than a dozen years older than he was. Now, having to bow to him felt as though the glory of the Xia Family that they carried on their backs was bending as well.

However, the ranks and titles of the five great Divine General Mansions were unified by the dynasty. Li Hao's status would make him a distinguished guest wherever he went. They dare not show disrespect, otherwise, it was not just Li Hao they were offending, but His Majesty himself.

Li Hao, mounted on his horse, simply nodded slightly to greet them.

The crowd exchanged polite pleasantries and escorted Li Hao into the City Lord's Mansion.

Inside the mansion, two young generals exchanged glances, both with awkward looks in their eyes.

Earlier in the council hall, they had been strongly against draping over the young man the tiger-skin coat adorned with his War Banner, questioning its deterrent power and fearing it would bring shame to the Xia Family. Now that the person in question had suddenly arrived and was right before them, they couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty.

"Haotian General, how did you kill that Great Demon of the Three Immortal Realms? We didn't see you make a move…"
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Xia Yuanming asked, curious.

He had been the one most opposed to using Li Hao's War Banner previously, but now faced with the man himself, he felt somewhat intimidated. The young man's deeds of slaying seven Demon Kings were witnessed by all and could not be fabricated.

Hearing his question, Xia Qingshuang also fixed her gaze on Li Hao.

She remembered that when she was defending Qi State, there were rumors that the young man had reached the Fifteen Li Realm.

Only two short years had passed…

"Your realm is not high enough; you wouldn't understand even if I explained it to you."

Li Hao said to the young man, his tone calm and devoid of any mockery.

On hearing this, Xia Yuanming felt somewhat embarrassed and a bit chagrined, but considering that the young man had saved Liyang City, he didn't take it to heart and simply refrained from further flattery.

The veteran general of the Xia Family, however, felt that Li Hao's answer was quite normal and gave Xia Yuanming a disapproving look. Martial techniques were secrets of Martial Arts; it was somewhat presumptuous to ask such a question.

"General, there were rumors that you were being hunted by a Great Demon of the Great Void Realm, did you just manage to escape?"

He changed the subject, asking with curiosity.

In recent times, countless people had their attention fixed on the Mo River outside Liangzhou Territory, but there had been no activity there. Unexpectedly, the person they were waiting for had suddenly appeared in Youzhou.

"Something like that."

Li Hao responded, then immediately began to inquire about the situation in Liangzhou.

Even though he had learned some information from the inn's attendant earlier, the person before him was a general of the Xia Family, and the intelligence he possessed was bound to be different.

After he had grasped the situation, Li Hao fully relaxed, assured that the Liangzhou Territory had indeed become peaceful.

However, despite the peace in Liangzhou, other states within Dayu had erupted into war.

The Xia Family Veteran General touched upon the matter of Youzhou, which was surrounded by enemies on all sides. They had entered into war with the Gluttonous Valley, one of the top forces amongst the Demons. If not for Li Hao's arrival today, it wouldn't take long before the northwestern direction would likely be breached by the Demons.

Yet Liyang City was not the main battlefield of Youzhou.

In the Eastern Territory, war reports were coming in thick and fast, and the main forces of the Xia Family were also concentrated there.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

After the Xia Family Veteran General had finished speaking, he suddenly knelt on one knee before Li Hao, earnestly begging for his assistance to lend the Xia Family a helping hand.

The other young Xia Family officers were stunned, having never expected this clan uncle to pay such a great homage to Li Hao.

Li Hao helped the other to his feet and slightly furrowed his brows, contemplating, "This matter, I must not act rashly. You had better consult with the head of your Xia Family."

Hearing what Li Hao had to say, the Xia Family Veteran General immediately understood that the young man's wisdom was far from ordinary. His personal plea was evidently not significant enough.

"I will report to the head of the family, and I hope you can stay in Liyang City for a few more days," The Xia Family Veteran General hastily said.

Li Hao nodded slightly, "That can be arranged. However, I am still waiting to return to Liangzhou and cannot stay for long, just three days."

"Three days..."

The Xia Family Veteran General immediately tensed up and agreed.

Afterward, he immediately dispatched someone to arrange accommodation for Li Hao.

But Li Hao did not stay in the mansion but had them find him a quiet courtyard within the city.

After Li Hao had left, the Xia Family Veteran General quickly dispatched a messenger to send a letter urgently to the clan, traveling thousands of miles.

When Li Hao entered the city, a Bird Demon that was on high-altitude lookout in the skies of Liyang City witnessed everything.

Seeing the strangely dead Demons on the official road, as well as the fallen Great Demon of the Three Immortal Realms, its initially relaxed expression instantly turned into shock, nearly causing it to lose its feathers in fright.

Afterward, it saw the young horseman being respectfully invited into the city by the Xia Family Veteran and without a doubt, all this was the work of that young man.

So easily able to kill a Great Demon and also a young man, putting the two together, there was only one identity.

The young man who was said to be trapped in the Youdu Level Mo River had returned!

Upon this realization, the Bird Demon quickly took flight in panic, flying over a hundred li away from Liyang City where the Demon Tide had stationed its massive army, including two Great Demons of the Three Immortal Realms.

At this moment atop a hill, two Great Demons were indulging in a drinking spree. One of them, with a concealed aura was tearing at a human leg while sipping wine, seeming thoroughly relaxed and comfortable.

The Tianji Palace Bird Demon flew in hurriedly and frantically, rushing to convey the intelligence.

"What?!"

"That guy from Liangzhou, he's come here?"

"Wasn't he supposed to be in the Mo River?"

Both Great Demons were suddenly pale with shock and confirmation was sought from the Bird Demon. In the end, with panic and fear, orders were promptly issued for the Demons to retreat, for the time being.

The massive tide of assembled Demons then rapidly receded like a tide in sight of the Xia Family's secret scouts emerging from the city.

At the same time, the Bird Demon sent this news back to Tianji Palace, which was then quickly circulated from the Youzhou branch of Tianji Palace to the frontlines of Youzhou's battlefield.

Almost simultaneously as the Xia Family in Youzhou City received the news, on the hill where the Valley Master of Gluttonous Valley was stationed within the battlefield of the Demon Warfare, news from Tianji Temple arrived as well.

The young General from Liangzhou, he had arrived in Youzhou!