Chapter 427: Chapter 179: Before the World, Call Out My Name—I’m the Great Demon Hunter Master... Li Treading Immortal!
Tongye Duke’s Mansion.
The atmosphere is heavy.
Only the former Second Young Master, now known as the ’Pine Leaf Prefecture Venerable’, Li Xuanzong, presides over the proceedings, surrounded by capable officials and skilled generals under Tongye Duke Li Shen Yao’s command.
However,
Their expressions show no sign of relaxation, their faces tense and brimming with anticipation like before a looming storm.
Until, beneath the seating, a bearded elder clad in a Profound Gold Embroidered Tiger Robe, with a ’Prison Guard’ emblem on his back, breaks his thoughtful contemplation and suddenly opens his eyes, shining and spirited, stating:
"Second Young Master, our ’Demon Hunting Department’ Director, Great Demon Hunter Master, has agreed to visit the Tongye Duke’s Mansion for a discussion."
His palm opens.
A Jade Pendant was faintly heating up and glowing.
Prompting the people in the hall to look at each other, suddenly relaxing in expression.
Li Xuanzong sighed deeply and gratefully clasped his fists:
"The Demon Hunting Department, though only established for three months in Tongye State, has already laid such a massive foundation, rallying seventy percent of Primordial Pill and Innate level martial arts masters together, even surpassing our Duke’s Mansion by three points in terms of Martial Dao!"
"The Great Demon Hunter Master... surely an extraordinary Divine Being; for these three months, I have admired him from afar."
"Now, my father forcefully opened the Celestial Gate and failed, severely injured and bedridden, while my elder brother has defected to Great Yin, carrying a third of his military power and officials, at the time of confrontation turned East to the ’Marquis Hu Wei’, ready to patricide and fratricide, rebelling against my Tongye State."
"The demon forces are strong, Great Yin is unjust, my Tongye Duke’s Mansion stands alone, difficult to support."
"Luckily... if we can obtain the support of the Demon Hunting Department, coupled with a ’True Master’ martial arts expert we are trying to gather in Tongye Duke’s Mansion, whether in direct battle situations or high-level combat power negotiations, we might be able to catch a brief respite."
"Just wondering, now about to meet, Daoist Qing Shan, could you inform me, which eminent disciple is the Great Demon Hunter Master from the Life and Death Mountain and River Sect?"
Unlike his past confidence, Li Xuanzong nowadays has lost the vigor of single-handedly ruling a state for Tongye Duke’s Mansion, instead, this mess has burdened him to the point where he is dealing with chaos on all fronts.
Three months!
Four Prefectures in Tongye State have fallen, leaving Tongye Duke’s Mansion with only two Prefectures remaining.
Apart from deadly battles with the demon forces of Jing River Dragon Court in the Western Region and the confrontation with Great Yin Marquis Hu Wei in the East, countless casualties have occurred.
Adding to the strife from internal disputes and changes...
Once boasting ’one hundred thousand tiger soldiers guarding Tongye’, even if Celestial Beings came, they could be thoroughly encircled by Tongye Duke’s Mansion.
The combat strength now available has already depleted to ’one-tenth’, leaving only more than ten thousand elites still desperately defending the Guan’ai of Tongye Mansion.
If not for an organization called ’Demon Hunting Department’, rising amidst chaos, surprisingly gathered a force of nearly ’a thousand’ martial arts masters.
Among them, hundreds at Innate level, dozens of Primordial Pill Commanders, each trained with cultivation techniques even more refined than those once kept secret by the ’Sixteen Strong Schools’, possessing the power to kill five demons as one!
Surprisingly, standing firm in the Longxiang Prefecture area, resisting Jing River Dragon Court, greatly curbing the rampant arrogance of these demons.
If it weren’t for the Demon Hunting Department,
Tongye Duke’s Mansion might have long fallen.
And within Tongye Duke’s Mansion, after investigating the Demon Hunting Department,
Finally unearthed the fact that among the six Primordial Pill level Demon Hunter Generals...
Without exception!
Were once unassuming disciples of the Life and Death Mountain and River Sect.
Moreover, were all hunted and driven into exile by ’Dong Hongshuang’, the former Duchess, enduring exile and hardship.
Unbelievably, within just a year.
They have transformed and demand respect and a fresh perspective.
After receiving this news, Li Xuanzong’s face was visibly blanching with disappointment.
A month ago, Tongye Duke Li Shen Yao secluded himself in a deadlock, swearing to break through the ’Zhenren Pass’, to knock open the Celestial Gate for the first time, and rise to the ’Zhenren Realm’, but lacking the necessary methods and background, he rushed into it recklessly...
As expected, he fell hurriedly before the Celestial Gate, even his cultivation nearly completely collapsed.
Li Shen Yao was in his prime, experiencing prosperous times in cultivation, if he continued cultivation for a few more years, he would have a promising future, but with the unpredictable nature of life, when great pressures descend, he had no choice but to rush into decisions without ample reflections.
As a duke among dukes, and rooted in Tongye State with raised ’Human Race’ banner...
Having gained this crown, he must accept the consequences after it has fragmented.
With Li Shen Yao failed in his breakthrough, bedridden and barely surviving.
For a time, Tongye Duke’s Mansion became headless, forcing Li Xuanzong to step up, leading to an already tricky situation becoming even more exacerbated.
The urgency of the war made Li Xuanzong set sights on the newly emerging ’Demon Hunting Department’, as their achievements rose dramatically, and their gathered power grew larger...
He finally decided to invite one of the six Demon Hunter Generals stationed in Tongye Mansion, ’Daoist Qing Shan’, to the Mansion, seeking to combine forces with the mysterious ’Great Demon Hunter Master’, repel demons, guard against occult forces, and defend Tongye!
These individuals of the Demon Hunting Department were once disciples of the Life and Death Mountain and River Sect.
Three months ago, when the local position was still stable, even someone like Master Mountain and River, Li Treading Immortal, wouldn’t have descended to assist.
Now amidst storm and turmoil, considering bridging buried grievances with these old acquaintances, and surmounting difficulties together...
He originally thought the chances were slim.
But unexpectedly!
