Follow the path of Dao from infancy

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However, it was only after the carriage had gone far and they learned from the inn's young servant that the old man was just an ordinary person, nicknamed "Little Chess Sage."

"A chess player?"

Everyone was surprised. He was merely a common man, yet he was treated with such courtesy by that sword attendant prodigy?

...

In the small fenced courtyard, Li Hao had already prepared refreshments and tea, and had wiped down the cool bamboo mat.

When he heard the sound of the carriage, Li Hao knew that the old senior had arrived.

As soon as Xu Zhouyuan entered the courtyard, Li Hao immediately stood up to welcome him, saying, "Senior, you must be tired."

"The young general mustn't overexert this old man," Xu Zhouyuan hurriedly replied. Although he was known as the Little Chess Sage and had some reputation, the Dayu Divine Dynasty's foundation was ultimately grounded in martial arts.

In this world, martial artists were still the most revered.

Chess Tao? It was just an insignificant side path after all.

"Not at all. Please, senior," Li Hao said as he led him to a seat and poured him tea.

Xu Zhouyuan had been treated this way by Li Hao before, but he didn't easily accept it, still cautiously replying with politeness, "The young general is too courteous."

Staying with a lord was like staying with a tiger, and when scholars and literati accompanied generals, it was just like this.

"There's no need to be formal, senior."

Li Hao smiled, waved his hand to dismiss the others, and gestured to the Little Chess Sage senior to proceed.

Upon seeing this, Xu Zhouyuan, who had just taken a sip of tea, immediately put it down and began to grab pieces out of the chess box.

Ren Qianqian knew that when Li Hao played chess, he disliked interruptions. If disrupted, he would certainly get angry, a reaction resembling that of martial artists when startled during their cultivation.

She was already accustomed to this.

She retreated to the side to cultivate on her own, while also keeping watch for Li Hao.

The small courtyard returned to tranquility.

Daylight fell on the eaves and corridors, touching upon Xu Zhouyuan's shoes he had taken off outside the corridor and the tender green grass growing between the blue stone pavement cracks.

Your move, my move, the two settled into a quiet game of chess.

Xu Zhouyuan gradually entered the zone, no longer as restrained as before, fully engrossed in playing his pieces.

At the end of the game, Li Hao barely won.

This Little Chess Sage's skills were extremely high, at the level of fifth dan. With any oversights from Li Hao, turnovers were an easy possibility.

Seeing the experience prompt emerge on the panel, Li Hao smiled slightly and invited his opponent to start another round.

This quiet momentum continued until suddenly, a piercing shout intruded.

"Report!!"

While deeply contemplating his next move, Xu Zhouyuan was startled by the vigorous bellow, the piece in his hand falling onto the chessboard.

It happened to knock off a corner of white pieces on the board, changing their position.

Bang!!

A huge dark palm fiercely suppressed down, the array's dazzling golden light flashing non-stop, countless divine runes rapidly spinning, yet ultimately unable to withstand, with a bang, shattered by the impact!

And the massive demon palm thunderously suppressed down, smashing the foundational stones of the external defensive line!

As the array collapsed, a breach in the wall was torn open. In an instant, countless demons swarmed in like a tide, entering through the breach beneath the Great Demon King, breaking through the wall, and rushing toward the city!

Many soldiers from Xuan Camp spat blood, falling to the ground, unable to hold on.

"Father!"

Li Wushuang watched as the figure that was thrown back and crashed onto the city ramparts, breaking the stones. Li Xuanli was severely injured. The dents in his battle armor and his Indestructible Treasure Body made it difficult to withstand, having sustained heavy injuries.

Li Wushuang quickly rushed over and helped Li Xuanli get up.

"Quick, retreat!"

Li Xuanli got up, his eyes on the three Demon Kings suspended in the air; blood roiled and anger flared on his flushed face, but the presence of his daughter by his side brought his thoughts back to calm:

"Constrict the defensive line, hurry and retreat!"

"Quick, release the signal for help!"

He bellowed urgently.

The deputy who had come to help relayed the orders swiftly, and meanwhile, smoke signals rose into the sky.

"Cover the governor's retreat!"

The other generals, seeing the situation, quickly converged, their expressions solemn, aware that this was now a moment of life and death.

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There was no Martial Artist from the Four Stands Realm stationing here, once the Array broke, no one could stop the three Demon Kings!

"Kill!!"

A general of the Three Immortal Realms roared as he threw his long spear, leading his troop to charge into battle.

Millions of people and countless demons clashed together, like two torrents colliding, with blood and severed limbs splattering everywhere, the battlefield as distinctly separated as the black and white stones on a chessboard.

"Report!!"

Xu Zhouyuan's gaze shifted from the disturbed black and white pieces on the chessboard, looking up at the reporting officer.

The latter had already arrived at the courtyard, and upon seeing Li Hao's figure, he immediately knelt on the bluestone floor in front of the chess table, presenting with both hands: "Young General, a military report from the Liangzhou Military Department has arrived!"

Li Hao frowned slightly, he was somewhat displeased by the disruption of his Chess Tao, but knowing the importance of the military report, he was not in a mood to be angry and gestured to take the report.

Before he could examine it, a figure rushed over in haste, Li Hongzhuang entered in bright red armor.

Having spent a long time at the Frontier Pass, she never took off her armor except for bathing and sleeping.

Even while sleeping, she wore light armor, ready to rise at a moment's notice, fully armed for battle.

"I just heard that war horses entered the city, the messenger was covered in blood, did something happen in the western regions of Liangzhou?!"

As soon as Li Hongzhuang saw Li Hao, she quickly asked.

Li Hao's expression changed slightly, he swiftly opened the military report, and with a glance, he read through it all.

"The western regions have fallen, led by a Demon King!"

Li Hao's gaze darkened, had the western regions fallen so quickly?

Just as Li Hongzhuang mentioned, last night their sentinels had detected demons gathering; the intelligence was sent this morning, and now it was afternoon. The demons had gone from assembling to attacking in just a dozen hours.

The western regions had the protection of an Array.

But with three Demon Kings... it was no wonder.

Li Hao furrowed his eyebrow, the appearance of three Demon Kings among the demonic hordes did not surprise him, but the absence of a guardian from the Four Stands Realm at the western regions did.

Was the defense force of the western regions really so weak?

"Demon King!"

Li Hongzhuang's pupils contracted upon hearing Li Hao's words, and she hurriedly asked, "What about Fifth Brother, how is he?"

Her heart clenched as images of her third and sixth brothers' deaths in battle came to mind, along with the funerals she had attended, filled with the mournful cries of the household and the white of mourning garments.

"He's safe for now."

Li Hongzhuang immediately breathed a sigh of relief, her heart slightly settling back in her chest, and quickly asked, "So, is Fifth Brother asking us for reinforcements? Now that the Array is broken, what's their plan for defense?"

Li Hao shook his head, glanced at the military report, sighed, and tucked it away:

"He didn't ask for reinforcements but reminded us to be careful and to beware of the Demon King. Moreover, he said they have now retreated to the second defensive line."

Li Hongzhuang was stunned, and then she also understood; her expression became complex as she said to Li Hao, "So... should we go and help?"

Li Hao pondered for a moment. With his shadow clone managing the Array here, it could provide some defense.

While he was weighing the options, another voice came from outside the courtyard.

"Report!"

A soldier of the Haotian Army rushed in, urgently saying to Li Hao: "Young General, we saw the warning signal fires outside the pass, a scouting sentinel has been attacked!"

Both Li Hao and Li Hongzhuang's expressions changed slightly.

The western regions had just fallen, and now demons had come here?

"Do you know how many are there?" Li Hao asked.

"We have not yet determined the number."

Li Hao looked at Li Hongzhuang, whose expression had also turned grave.

Li Hao could tell she was thinking of doing as Li Xuanli had done: shrink the defensive lines and concentrate forces, stalling until reinforcements arrived.

He fell silent for a moment, then said, "By the time this military report reached us, they should have already retreated to the second defensive line. Here's what we'll do – you and Li He go together, take my battle flag with you."

"Both of you are from the Three Immortal Realms, if you hurry, you can reach there in the shortest possible time."

Li Hao planned to have them carry his marked battle flag to assist in the fight, while he himself would stay to defend Heavenly Gate Pass.

After dealing with the demons here, if there was still time, he would go to offer further assistance.

His battle flag contained fifty percent of his killing power, considered an extremely formidable weapon, comparable to a full-force blow from someone in the Tao Heart Realm!

This way, he could also fend off many demons for his uncle.

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