Follow the path of Dao from infancy - Chapter 71
Chapter 71: Chapter 68: Great Justice
West of the city.
In an old mansion, a side room showed signs of burning, the courtyard pond was decayed, covered with weeds and green moss.
No one lived here anymore.
Inside the courtyard, dressed in black garments, Li Yuanzhao and others, led by Cui Fan, carried their weapons and searched the mansion for traces of demons.
But evidently, the demons had long gone, leaving no trace behind.
Just as Cui Fan was about to call off the search, suddenly, a grey sparrow flew in.
Cui Fan, surprised, reached out to catch it.
The sparrow obediently landed, a scroll of paper tied to its leg.
Untwisting the scroll, Cui Fan read it carefully, his face changing color immediately.
“What is it?”
Yu Wei, not far away, quickly asked.
Cui Fan gripped the paper tightly, a grim look on his face, “The patrol is over. I’ve just received a message that a demon has attacked the city. We are to assemble at the city defense post in the west immediately to discuss our response.”
“A demon attack on the city?”
The others were startled, utterly shocked.
Even having lived deep within the territory, they understood the gravity of a demonic invasion of the city.
“Then let’s hurry!” Li Yuanzhao was the first to react, speaking immediately.
Cui Fan’s expression kept changing. He couldn’t understand how a demon could be attacking the city.
Was the intelligence exaggerated?
They had to go to the west side of the city to see.
“Let’s go.” He called out, taking the lead to leave.
Suddenly, two figures came rushing at great speed from the sky, landing one after the other.
“Qianqian!”
“Yuan Zhao!”
The ones who had arrived were Wei Feng and Li Fu. They were already aware of the demon attack on the city and had seen the vast cloud of demonic fog gathering in the north. The situation was extremely dire.
“Uncle Wei?” Ren Qianqian was taken aback, clearly not expecting Uncle Wei to follow her.
Her mind was quick, and she soon guessed that he must have been secretly following her all along, protecting her from the shadows.
This made her frown slightly, feeling somewhat helpless in her heart. She was out for experience; couldn’t her father trust her to take care of herself? How could she stand on her own in the future?
“Uncle Fu?”
Li Yuanzhao was also stunned but then understood: Uncle Fu was worried about Hao.
“Where’s Hao Er?” Li Fu scanned the surroundings and, not seeing Li Hao, quickly asked.
Li Yuanzhao candidly replied, “Hao had too much to eat at lunch and went to the outhouse.”
“At such a critical moment, this guy is nowhere to be found,” Li Fu became anxious and irritated.
Cui Fan, with his keen perception, immediately understood that these two powerful characters were the protectors of the young ones, and he couldn’t help feeling envious as he respectfully addressed them:
“Elders, I have just received news of the demon attack on the city. Is it true?”
“What, you don’t trust the reports from your own city?” Li Fu gave him a glance, speaking irritably.
Cui Fan, running into a dead end, felt a bit discomfited and at the same time couldn’t help but feel alarmed; the intelligence was actually true—this was a catastrophe unseen in a century.
“There are really demons attacking the city? How many?”
Ren Qianqian hurriedly asked.
Li Yuanzhao and the others were also very concerned.
Wei Feng sighed, “These demons have premeditated this attack for a long time. You all just have unlucky timing, arriving right in the middle of it. Qianqian, you should come back with me, I can ensure your safe exit from the city.”
Ren Qianqian shook her head and immediately replied, “I won’t leave. I’m out here to gain experience—this is a rare opportunity. Uncle Wei, with your strength, can’t you fend off the demons? You are of the Fifteen Li Realm, more than enough to defend a great city!”
Wei Feng’s face showed complexity. “I’ve glimpsed deep demonic energy within that fog which belongs to a very powerful existence of the Fifteen Li Realm. As for whether there are other demons hidden in the shadows, that remains unknown. If I were alone, I would be willing to take the risk, but Miss, you…”
“You don’t need to worry about me. I can take care of myself,” Ren Qianqian insisted.
Wei Feng shook his head: “The number of these demons is vast. Entrusted by my master, my duty is to protect you.”
“Uncle Wei, why are you…” Ren Qianqian couldn’t hide her vexation.
On the side, Li Fu, hearing Wei Feng’s words, expression complicated, said to Li Yuanzhao:
“Go find Hao and stay with him. Don’t go anywhere. I will send a message back to our mansion immediately. It’s a pity this area belongs to the Xia Family, but we can’t worry about overstepping at a time like this. I must go north to help; otherwise, the city might fail to hold.”
With that said, he turned to Wei Feng: “Brother Wei, I’d be obliged if you could take care of the two youngsters from the Li family. This favor will not be forgotten by our Li Family!”
Upon hearing this, Wei Feng did not decline. It was a rare opportunity to receive the gratitude of the Li Family.
Looking after one child is the same as looking after three.
“Alright, Li, do you really intend to head north to face the enemy?” Wei Feng asked.
“As a member of a military family, how can I flee upon encountering demons? Although this is the Xia Family’s jurisdiction, I cannot stand idly by if I encounter them!” Li Fu said gravely.
Wei Feng’s gaze grew solemn, and he clasped his hands in respect, “Li’s righteousness is commendable. Go ahead, as long as I live, I will make sure to take good care of them!”
“Good, with your word, I am at ease,” Li Fu nodded.
With the Fifteen Li Realm’s protection, which was even more reliable than his own, he immediately said to Li Yuanzhao, “Yuan Zhao, you must behave and not wander off; find Hao Er!”
Having said this and seeing Li Yuanzhao nod vigorously, he then leaped towards the distance, heading north.
As Wei Feng watched Li Fu depart in the distance, he said to Li Yuanzhao, “Let’s go find your brother.”
Li Yuanzhao was also worried about Li Hao’s safety and quickly nodded, but his gaze turned towards Cui Fan.
Cui Fan managed a wry smile, “In that case, shall we meet up first and then go to check on the west of the city?”
Wei Feng shook his head, “Defending the city is your responsibility. I am only in charge of protecting our young mistress and the young master of the Li Family. I will not involve myself in other matters. As for the assessment credits, do as you please.”
He notably intensified his tone on the words “as you please.”
He was not Li Fu, bounded by the identity of a military family. Here, he could come and go as he pleased, stay or leave depending on his mood.
Cui Fan was dumbfounded and quickly said, “The patrolling mission has ended, and they have all performed very well. I will certainly grade them fairly, but…”
Wei Feng let out a cold scoff, knowing the other wanted to tie him to this city. He was about to rebuke curtly but heard Ren Qianqian shout emphatically, “Uncle Wei, I want to help defend the city. I won’t let these villagers be slaughtered by demons!”
Miss! Wei Feng’s expression changed.
Ren Qianqian suddenly drew her sword and laid it across her arm, looking sternly at Wei Feng:
“Uncle Wei, if you dare knock me out and take me away from here, I’ll sever one of my arms when I wake up!”
“Miss…” Wei Feng felt his heart clench, aware that the young mistress was naive to the world and still soft-hearted, but this was excessively stubborn.
He sighed and said, “Alright, I will accompany you to assess the situation first. If things go awry, you must listen to me. Otherwise, I will take you back to the mountain myself for the master to deal with.”
Ren Qianqian’s expression sobered, and she nodded, “Okay!”
The two reached an agreement and immediately set off without further delay, quickly leaving the large residence and heading back to the Monster Suppression Department.
But inside the Monster Suppression Department, there was a flurry of activity; the headquarters had long been deserted. They learned from one of the storeroom attendants who stayed behind that all personnel from the Monster Suppression Department had already been dispersed to the four sides of the city to follow the orders of the City Defense Army.
“Hao, Hao!”
Li Yuanzhao shouted in the Monster Suppression Department, searching everywhere for Li Hao but didn’t find him.
Meanwhile, yellow smoke signals rose from the city walls.
This was a signal that battle had been joined.
Ren Qianqian’s face fell, “There’s no time to waste. Let’s go to the west of the city first. Uncle Wei, please use your Divine Soul to help look for where Li Hao might be.”
Wei Feng nodded but wasn’t overly anxious. The elder from the Li family he had met on the road had not yet appeared. Likely, Li Fu had dared to leave because another elder was secretly watching over them.
That was someone who could easily kill two Fifteen Li Realm serpent demons. If he was willing to make a move, he could resolve the demonic calamity of the city.
Under the lead of Wei Feng and Cui Fan, they headed to the western city wall.
Displaying his strength, Wei Feng ascended the city wall, courteously invited by the commanding officers of the City Defense Army, bringing the others with him.
As soon as they reached the city wall, they saw a large number of Demons rushing towards them from the wilderness beyond.
These Demons burst out from the woods far away, seemingly in alliance with the northern demons, ready to breach the city together.
“So many demons!”
Watching the teeming swarm of demons, Li Yuanzhao and Ren Qianqian, along with the others, turned deathly pale.
No wonder, even some veteran soldiers of the City Defense Army couldn’t help but shudder, their hearts pounding.
The approaching Demons, numbering at least several thousand, were enormous and fearsome in appearance, some transforming into rolling demonic mists in midair.
This scene was indeed a demonic dance of chaos.
The sharp, strange laughter was already making many people’s scalps tingle.
“Uncle Wei, have you found Hao yet?”
Li Yuanzhao, looking slightly pale, urgently asked Wei Feng who was by his side.
Just as Wei Feng was about to reply, his gaze shifted abruptly, and turning his head, he saw two figures speeding towards them, one after the other.
At the sight of the young man in black robes ahead, Wei Feng was stunned.
If he was not mistaken, that young man was the Divine General Mansion kid he had been following!
Yet now, the boy was riding the wind?!
Under Wei Feng’s astonished gaze, Li Hao came soaring through the air with the city guard Yue Shuhong by his side.
Li Hao also noticed Li Yuanzhao and the others, and he gracefully landed in front of them.
