He started as a shepherd and took on countless jobs.

A magnificent cloud-like formation rises.

Pei Si looked around and saw only the remains of demons, their foul-smelling blood already dried, making it impossible to distinguish whether it was human or demon blood.

Pei Si sat on the corpse of a silver-backed wolf demon, holding the Crescent Moon Pendant in his hand, his chest heaving, and his feet were on the head of a wolf demon.

Pei Si lifted his foot, and the glue on the sole of his shoe brought out fine, long strands of blood.

Under his command, no demons or monsters passed through the East Gate.

However, the other three gates lacked warriors of Pei Si's caliber to guard them, and unfortunately, they were breached. Small groups of demons infiltrated the county town and slaughtered its inhabitants.

Fortunately, Qingfeng returned in time, and with a single sword strike, he beheaded all the demons in the city.

The sun rose as usual.

Qingfeng and Mingyue left the remaining matters to Pei Si on behalf of the Tianshi Cave's dragon-slaying lineage, while they themselves returned to the mountain first.

Pei Si agreed.

Senior sisters Qingfeng and Mingyue have been cultivating on the mountain with their master since childhood, and are somewhat lacking in worldly affairs, so it is best to let Pei Si handle it.

Outside the city gate, Du Shouzhen, clad in tattered armor, directed the city guards to clear away the remains of demons.

Lu Pinghai and Shao Shuyun stood on either side of Du Shouzhen, their expressions serious.

The number of city guards and Yingyang troops was just counted, and the situation is not optimistic.

Of the city guards, only 30% have survived, having either gone missing or died in battle.

Only 20% of the soldiers registered in Yingyang Prefecture were soldiers.

Under a wave of demonic attacks, the military forces of Qingcheng County have been crippled.

Shao Shuyun's armor was stained with blood. His face was grim as he said, "Don't forget, this time the Red Lantern Goddess only sent her subordinate demons. Only one of her major evil spirits, the Sick Ghost, was sent. Even the Eagle-Soaring Ghost Slave, was not deployed. If it weren't for Master Qingfeng of the Celestial Master Cave on Qingcheng Mountain breaking into the enemy ranks, slaying generals and seizing flags, it would be questionable whether the three of us would still be standing here unscathed!"

Lu Pinghai's face grew increasingly gloomy, his fingers gripping the Buddhist prayer beads until his knuckles turned white.

Yes, even the Red Lantern Lady hasn't really gotten serious yet. If another wave comes, Qingcheng County will be ruins.

Du Shouzhen stood with his hand on his sword, looking towards Mengshan. The red light that had shone all night had finally dissipated.

The mountain god of Mengshan seems to have forced the Red Lantern Goddess to retreat once again.

Du Shouzhen's chest heaved as he took a deep breath and said, "General Shao, we must maintain this connection with the Celestial Master Cave. We must offer the required Dharma money."

Lu Pinghai glanced at Du Shouzhen, his throat bobbing: "Your Excellency, has the Demon Suppression Division responded?"

Upon hearing this, Shao Shuyun also looked at Du Shouzhen.

Du Shouzhen's face was gloomy, almost dripping with water. "My letters for help have been completely ignored."

"I now suspect... something might have happened to the Demon Suppression Division of Shu County?"

Du Shouzhen's eyes were dark and unfathomable.

What kind of unexpected event could happen?

Internal strife? Demon invasion?

Du Shouzhen didn't even dare to think about it.

Shao Shuyun snorted coldly, "Those people from the Demon Suppression Division are so arrogant."

Lu Pinghai coughed twice: "Your Excellency, the Taoist Master Xuanjian from Qingcheng Mountain is still waiting at the East Gate. Let's go and see him."

Du Shouzhen nodded.

…………

"I never expected that Master Xuanjian would be my young friend Pei!" Du Shouzhen was overjoyed, his long beard trembling three times.

It turned out to be an acquaintance!

Lu Pinghai's pupils dilated slightly.

Shao Shuyun looked exactly as I expected.

Pei Si: "Xuan Jian, the disciple of the Tianshi Cave who slew the dragon, was ordered by Master Huang Ting to go down the mountain with Senior Sisters Qingfeng and Mingyue to aid Qingcheng County. Now that the demons have retreated, the two senior sisters have returned to the mountain to report back."

"Lord Du, County Commandant Lu, General Shao, I, Pei, greet you."

Pei Si's gaze swept over the three of them, lingering on Lu Pinghai's face for a second longer.

"Good, good, good!" Du Shouzhen said "good" three times in a row, and his eyes were more and more satisfied as he looked at Pei Si. Such a young martial artist at the Outer Qi Realm was truly rare!

If I could take such a talented young man as my son-in-law, I would be lucky to become his father-in-law.

It's just a pity that I have a son.

Such a person must marry the legitimate daughter of the family. If he were to marry a concubine's daughter, wouldn't that be too much of a disservice to Young Master Pei?

Thinking of this, Du Shouzhen glanced at Lu Pinghai. Their Lu family's darling daughter, Lu Shuangshuang, was about the same age as Pei Langjun, and perhaps they could become a perfect couple...

Shao Shuyun muttered to himself that although he had also broken through to the Outer Gang Realm at Pei Si's age, he was born into a military family. From a young age, his grandfather personally guided him in martial arts training, honing his skills and nourishing his body with medicinal baths, which enabled him to break through to the Outer Gang Realm at the age of twenty.

But Pei Si broke through the realm too quickly. It seems that he was still in the Meridian Opening Realm when they last met at the dock. In just a few days, he has transformed all his blood and qi into true essence and blood essence, breaking through to the Outer Qi Realm.

With Pei Si's martial arts talent, if a large amount of resources were allocated to him, he would be like a tiger returning to the deep mountains and a dragon returning to the sea. In the future, he might be able to fight for the title of Martial Saint!

Lu Pinghai had another worry in his heart: why was there still no news of Shouhuai and Shuangshuang after so long?

He made Shouhuai stand on the front line so that the city guards would know that even his eldest son had gone to the battlefield.

Suddenly.

A city guard captain rode up, pulled on the reins, dismounted, and his forehead was covered in a thick layer of cold sweat.

"Lieutenant Lu...Lieutenant Lu!" The captain knelt on one knee and stammered.

Seeing this, Lu Pinghai had a bad feeling. Could it be...?

"explain!"

"Young Master Lu has lost an arm and is now unconscious. Miss Lu... Miss Lu perished in the jaws of a demon..." Large beads of sweat rolled down the captain's face.

With a loud bang, the Buddhist prayer beads in Lu Pinghai's hand suddenly burst open, and the round beads rose and fell on the ground.

Pei Si sighed inwardly. Just as he had imagined, Lu Shuangshuang's image flashed through his mind. Life is so unpredictable!

Lu Pinghai forced himself to endure the dizziness in his head.

Both of them are dead. How can he explain this to his elder brother?

Shouhuai was forced to go to the battlefield by him, but Shuangshuang volunteered to stand on the battlefield.

The apple of the eye of the Lu family, her eldest brother has even considered breaking the Lu family's tradition of passing on the water-collecting technique to men but not women.

Lu Pinghai still vividly remembered Lu Shuangshuang's voice and appearance. His bright niece, dressed in a black outfit, looked up at him and said, "Second Uncle, haven't you heard of women being just as capable as men?"

"I am a daughter of the Lu family, guarding the Mo River. As a member of the Lu family, I must also step into the fray to slay demons and monsters!"

Pei Si and Shao Shuyun: "County Magistrate Lu, please accept my condolences."

Du Shouzhen: "Brother Lu, the matter of my nephew and niece is of utmost importance, you should..."

Lu Pinghai nodded, mounted his horse, turned it around, and glanced back at Pei Si: "Young Master Pei, I entrust the funeral rites for my niece to you..."

…………

Lingcang Sword Sect.

A private room, a secluded space.

Ruan Qing was lying on the bed, with a gentle and elegant woman and a little girl with two buns sitting opposite her.

Ruan Qing's wife, Gu Qingyan. Ruan Qing's daughter, Ruan Wenxiu.

"Mother, who is Father waiting for?"

Gu Qingyan frowned, stroking her daughter's hair, her eyes filled with unconcealed sorrow.

We consulted a renowned doctor; it turns out that her husband, Ruan Qing, was injured in the fight with the eagle demon, and his foundation was damaged in a careless move.

Even though precious elixirs saved his life, renowned doctors predicted he wouldn't live more than two or three years.

How can we possibly defend such a vast foundation and such a powerful Lingcang Blade Sect?