Tang Dynasty Demon Suppression Division

Upon hearing him mention his mother, a slight ripple seemed to appear deep within the old monk's eyes, but it quickly subsided. He closed his eyes, his tone resolute.

"Foolish child... I have failed your mother. Over the years, I have tried to forget my emotions and desires, but I have always failed. Perhaps it is because I have not been able to completely let go of this country and my old friends."

"Li Yan, you are now the ruler of a country. You should be self-reliant and strong. In the future... do not come again."

"Go."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Yan felt a gentle force lift him up. He looked up at the old monk, who had once again fallen into meditation.

Seeing that his father had made up his mind, Li Yan walked heavily out of the meditation room, turned around and kowtowed three times before slowly getting up and taking one last look at the figure sitting there alone.

He turned around and walked out of the Zen temple step by step.

The moment he stepped out of Huangjue Temple's gate and onto the palanquin, all the grief on Li Yan's face vanished without a trace. He leaned back on the soft brocade cushion, his fingers gently tapping the armrest, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

"Go, send a secret decree to Luo Tian, ​​instructing him to find out who is behind this demonic chaos and whether it is related to that person," he whispered to the outside of the curtain.

"Yes."

A figure quietly retreated and disappeared in an instant.

Inside the demon clan's dungeon.

Li Yuan was resting with his eyes closed. After a night, he had already cleared the remaining poison from his body. The wound on his shoulder looked bloody and mangled, but in fact, the bone injury had healed and there was nothing to worry about.

"Lord Chen! Lord Chen!"

A series of footsteps approached, and Li Chongwen, clinging to the fence, called out urgently in a low voice.

Li Yuan pretended to slowly wake up, looking at him with a shocked expression, "Lord Li? Why were you released?"

"Lord Chen, I just begged His Majesty the Demon Emperor, and seeing how pitiful I was, he allowed me to move around in the cave." Li Chongwen's eyes flickered, and he spoke nonsense.

Li Yuan sneered inwardly. The Demon Emperor would pity you? That reason is too far-fetched. However, he naturally wouldn't expose him and waited for the other party to continue.

"Lord Chen, I have a favor to ask. Could you please send a message to my son, Li Yuan, and have him come to rescue me?" Li Chongwen pleaded.

Li Yuan sighed, "Lord Chen, I know you want to leave, but aren't you making things difficult for me? Firstly, I am also a prisoner and cannot send messages. Secondly, Li Yuan is currently in Chang'an, and even if I ride as fast as I can, it will take me more than half a month to get here."

"Lord Chen, you are mistaken. You just need to help me write the letter, and I will find a way to send it out. As for when my son will come to rescue me, that is none of your concern."

He then leaned closer with a mysterious expression, "I have some connections with this Demon Emperor. If this matter is handled well, I can put in a good word for you and maybe he can let you go back."

Li Yuan's face showed a struggle, but he also looked very tempted. "If you can guarantee to let me go back, I might give it a try."

"No problem," Li Chongwen immediately patted his chest and assured him, "You wait here, I'll be right back."

He walked away happily as he spoke. Zhao Lingyun looked at him with pity. No wonder Li Yuan didn't dare to acknowledge his relatives. Anyone would feel bad having a father like that.

Half an hour later, Li Chongwen returned, followed by the Silver Wolf strategist.

"His Majesty said that if you can persuade Chen Shuo to send Li Yuan over, he will definitely let you go back."

After saying that, he handed over a piece of paper. "This is His Majesty's order. Take a look."

Li Yuan took it and looked at it. Sure enough, it was stamped with an official seal and signed "Chen Su Demon Emperor". He frowned. Among the dozen or so demon emperors of the Demon Court, he didn't seem to have heard of this person.

"That's good, I'll write it now."

Li Yuan stared at the warrant in silence for a long time, as if he had finally been relieved. Silver Wolf's lips curled into a mocking smile, and he waved his hand. Immediately, someone brought him paper and pen.

Seeing Li Chongwen staring intently at him, Li Yuan sneered inwardly, picked up his pen and began to write without the slightest hesitation.

He used his own handwriting, which was completely different from the original owner's style; the strokes were strong and powerful.

Upon receiving the letter, Li Chongwen hurriedly took it and read it carefully. Finding the contents to be normal, he said that he was currently a guest at the Chen Su Demon Emperor's place and had met Li Chongwen. He asked Chen Shuo to help send a message to Li Yuan, inviting him to come and reunite with his son.

Then he pleaded with Chen Shuo to come and rescue him for the sake of his father.

After confirming that everything was correct, Li Chongwen smiled with satisfaction. "I'm leaving now. Wait for my good news."

After saying that, he left with the silver wolf. In the main hall, the Chen Su Demon Emperor casually glanced at the letter and handed it to the Azure-Eyed Eagle King below, saying, "You personally deliver it to Tiger Wolf Gorge and see their reaction."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The Azure-Eyed Eagle King accepted the order and left, but the Silver Wolf hesitated and asked, "Your Majesty, would Li Yuan really walk into a trap for the sake of such a biological father?"

"Humans value filial piety most, so there's no harm in giving it a try. Besides..." He paused, then sneered, "What I want is more than just Li Yuan."

Liangzhou, the seat of the Demon Suppression Division of Longyou Road.

In the main hall, Chu Jinghong sat in the main seat, with the plump Left Demon Suppressor sitting beside him, smiling at everyone. On the other side sat Zhang Wu, the Chief of the Longyou Dao Division, and behind him stood several powerful Golden Badge Demon Suppressors.

Below, at the banquet, sat dozens of people, including monks, Taoists, and laypeople, each with an extraordinary air about them. They were representatives of the most prominent sects and families in Liangzhou.

"Gentlemen, the chaos and peril in Liangzhou are beyond my comprehension. Three strategic locations are under attack, and demon kings are appearing frequently. This is not a calamity affecting just one city or region, but a matter of life and death for our Longyou region, and even for the entire northern border of the Tang Dynasty!"

The crowd below the stage exchanged glances, each harboring their own thoughts. Chu Jinghong watched coldly, a sneer playing on his lips.

"The Demon Suppression Bureau, acting on His Majesty's decree, has mobilized experts from all factions to serve in the Bureau and assist in the defense of various passes. This is a sign that a national war is about to begin. We hope that everyone will prioritize the greater good, set aside sectarian differences, and work together to fight against the evil forces!"

As expected, there were few responses below, with many sect representatives watching coldly or remaining silent with their heads down, looking troubled.

"Master Jingxu, you are a model for sects in Liangzhou. What are your Qingfeng Temple's plans?"

Seeing that no one spoke, Zhang Wu simply called out names directly.

An old Taoist priest dressed in a Bagua robe coughed and had no choice but to speak: "Lord Chu, it's not that we are unwilling to help, but Liangzhou is a bitterly cold place, and the inheritance of sects is not easy."

"Given the current unclear nature of the demonic threat, sending elite disciples to dangerous areas rashly could jeopardize the sect's foundation if losses occur. Perhaps... we should first send some outer disciples to serve. If the situation becomes critical, we can send more men later."

Upon hearing this, people from other sects echoed his sentiments.

"Indeed, my faction also has important matters to attend to recently, and we really can't spare many men..."

"Defending the territory is a matter for the imperial court and the border troops; it is truly inappropriate for us outsiders to interfere too much..."

"Lord Chu, may we return to the mountain to discuss this further and make a decision?"

Immediately, excuses and perfunctory responses were heard everywhere.

Chu Jinghong listened expressionlessly until the sound gradually subsided. Only then did he slowly raise his eyelids, his gaze coldly sweeping over everyone present.

"When the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact?"

"Do you all truly believe that once the demon court's iron hooves trample Liangzhou, your sects will be able to remain unscathed?"

He sneered, revealing a bright yellow imperial edict in his hand. "By imperial decree, if the Longyou region falls, all sects and aristocratic families that fail to provide aid will be punished as traitors who collude with the enemy!"

The room fell into a deathly silence as everyone stared at the imperial edict in his hand, unable to believe it.