Volume 1, Chapter 253 – Deployment Order

A Demon Emperor?

“There is a Demon Emperor outside Xianwu City right now, watching us?”

“This…”

“The strength of this Demon Emperor…”

The Demon-Suppressing Marshals were all startled and found the matter extremely troublesome. Although the Xianwu Yin-Yang Grand Array was said to be able to trap even a Human Emperor for three months, the gap in strength between Emperor level experts could also be enormous. Whether it could hold one off for that long was hard to say.

“It is only a dying old cat, an Emperor level expert at the third-level Heaven-Gazing Realm. At most, it has only a few months of natural lifespan left. It cannot threaten Xianwu City.”

Yun Chen shook his head slightly and instructed them,

“The only thing you need to do is hold the city to the death and wait for reinforcements. Once a Sovereign returns to Lingyang, all the invading demon foes will naturally be wiped out. Hold on a while longer.”

“We understand.”

“Lingyang is about to undergo great changes…”

After saying that with deep meaning, Yun Chen’s figure slowly dissipated, and the spatial passage closed along with it.

“In that case, let us gather all units first and prepare for battle with all our strength.”

“That is all we can do…”

“One year is not that long.”

…

West Xianwu City, the rear courtyard of the Shi Residence.

Shi Lan stood in front of a mirror, adjusting her Yueji Skirt bit by bit. On the bed not far away, a brand-new set of battle armor was neatly folded.

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She had just received Bai Weiyang’s military order, instructing her to return to camp and await orders.

Clearly, the war was close at hand.

As a top-grade magic treasure, the Yueji Skirt was no weaker in defense than the Scarlet Dragon inner armor she had obtained from an earlier draw, and it also had the effect of amplifying one’s power.

The coming war would very likely be the most terrifying situation Shi Lan had encountered since arriving in Lingyang. Naturally, she would not leave a protective treasure like the Yueji Skirt lying idle in her Qiankun Bracelet any longer.

After arranging the skirt properly, Shi Lan began putting on her battle armor. With practiced ease, she fastened the black iron belt, then put on her headpiece and tied her hair back again into a neat, high ponytail.

As time had passed, she no longer needed to leave these things to others.

Standing before the mirror, Shi Lan looked at the woman in black armor reflected there, pressed a hand lightly to her chest, and slowly let out a breath.

She already possessed the Glazed Jade Body. On top of that, she wore the Scarlet Dragon inner armor close to her skin, and with the Yueji Skirt and battle armor added over it, she could be said to be armed to the teeth.

It could be said with certainty that, barring accidents, Shi Lan’s chances of surviving on the battlefield far exceeded those of any commander of ten thousand, and even any Demon-Suppressing General.

Rumble…

“Hiiih—”

A booming roar like muffled thunder sounded out, followed by the long neighs of flood-dragon horses.

Shi Lan lowered her eyes, opened the door, and walked out.

When she reached the main gate, she saw Shi Tianlu in battle armor as well, with an excited Shi Qinghu standing beside him.

Other than the father and son, there was no one else at the gate.

The front gate was already wide open. Outside stood row upon row of silent Demon-Suppressing Army soldiers.

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“Where are Mother and the others?” Shi Lan asked in confusion.

“There is no need to make a great fuss to see us off. It is not as if we will not return,” Shi Tianlu said, waving a hand.

“And Qinghu…”

Looking at the excited Shi Qinghu beside him, Shi Lan had a faint premonition.

“All martial artists in the city are now required to assist in defending the city. I have already transferred away most of the household guards in advance. Qinghu has already entered the Innate Realm, so naturally he has to go as well,” Shi Tianlu said in a deep voice.

“Isn’t that too dangerous?”

With her premonition confirmed, Shi Lan frowned slightly. Shi Qinghu was only a boy of around ten.

“When I was fifteen, I was already out on my own making my way in the world. If a real man hides behind others day after day, what future can he possibly have?”

Shi Tianlu’s tone was sharp. Looking at Shi Qinghu, he said stiffly, “Without tempering, how can he shoulder great responsibility?”

After entering the Heavenly Astral Realm, Shi Tianlu seemed reborn, brimming with vigorous vitality and a strong spirit of enterprise.

Shi Qinghu said nothing. The excitement between his brows was not dampened in the slightest. Instead, he looked even more spirited.

Understanding Shi Tianlu’s painstaking intentions, Shi Lan said nothing more. She stepped out through the gate and swung herself onto a riderless flood-dragon horse.

“Follow me.”

Shi Tianlu said that, leapt onto his horse, and Shi Qinghu followed close behind.

Several hundred riders set off in grand force.

…

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Within the drill ground camp, martial artists in all kinds of clothing could be seen everywhere, along with groups of Demon-Suppressing Army soldiers.

“A Lan, the battlefield changes from moment to moment. If anything unexpected happens, preserving your own life is what matters most. Do you understand?”

As they were about to part, Shi Tianlu could not help offering a reminder.

“Do not worry, Father. I will be careful.”

Warmth stirred in Shi Lan’s chest. After nodding in agreement, she led her men straight toward Bai Weiyang’s main tent.

“Father, that is not what you just told me. And from childhood until now, it does not seem like you have ever scolded Elder Sister.”

Shi Qinghu looked puzzled. He did not quite understand.

“Can you compare with your sister? She is a girl, alone and slight. Moving about amid battle formations is far harder for her than for you.”

Shi Tianlu let out a cold snort and continued riding ahead.

Shi Qinghu lowered his head on horseback and did not dare say anything more, but inwardly he could not help grumbling.

“How is Elder Sister alone and slight? She could punch a hundred of me to death…”

…

When Shi Lan entered Bai Weiyang’s main tent, it was already packed with people, many of them unfamiliar faces.

Because of the repeated fierce battles, every unit had long since become incomplete, and there were large vacancies in the ranks under most Demon-Suppressing Generals.

Some of those vacancies were filled by martial artists such as Shi Lan and Shi Tianlu, while others had remained empty the whole time.

Now that the entire Demon-Suppressing Army was being reorganized, Bai Weiyang, as an exceptionally outstanding Demon-Suppressing General, was naturally the first to have the vacancies under his command filled.

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At present, Bai Weiyang already had an army of one hundred and fifty thousand under him, with thirteen commanders of ten thousand and more than a hundred commanders of a thousand.

Shi Lan’s entrance drew quite a few gazes. After all, most women were in the women’s camp, and Shi Lan was the only one who had appeared here.

After sensing Shi Lan’s cultivation, most of those probing gazes took on a trace of awe.

A Heavenly Astral Realm cultivation base made her a comparatively rare expert even within the Demon-Suppressing Army.

A hint of satisfaction showed in Bai Weiyang’s eyes. Shi Lan always seemed to bring him surprises.

After bowing, Shi Lan walked into the crowd, and the path before her opened without obstruction.

“In this battle, most of the focus is on defense rather than frontal confrontation, so there is no need to charge enemy formations. Instead, you are to wear down the demon race’s strength to the greatest extent possible…”

Half an hour later, Bai Weiyang had finished arranging the military affairs, and the manpower was divided up again.

The strength under Shi Lan’s command had increased by leaps and bounds.

For some reason unknown to her, Bai Weiyang assigned her eight thousand Demon-Suppressing Army soldiers and five thousand martial artists who had been gathered together, for a total of thirteen thousand troops.

The burden weighed heavily on Shi Lan at once. These were thirteen thousand human lives. Not everyone could bear that kind of pressure.

Shi Lan wanted to ask Bai Weiyang about it, but he gave her no chance. He directly issued the order for her to lead her troops straight to the city wall.

“Roar—”

Shi Lan had only made it halfway when savage, thunderous roars rang out one after another from outside the city. Immediately afterward, the Demon-Suppressing Token emitted an unprecedented scorching warning.