Tang Dynasty Demon Suppression Division

"Brother Shi, no need for formalities, thank you for your trouble."

"You're too kind, Lord Li." Shi Yong grinned, glanced behind him, and saw Xu Sheng. "Oh? Where's Lord Chen? Didn't he come with you this time?"

Han Chong couldn't help but smile awkwardly: "Lord Chen is in trouble. Now, these men are all Lord Li's subordinates."

"Lord Chen, he..."

Shi Yong blurted out the question, but then swallowed it back. The work of the Demon Suppression Division was extremely dangerous, and people often died in the line of duty. He was already used to it and could only sigh inwardly.

After resting for a day in Wuwei, Li Yuan and his group set off again, continuing their westward journey along the Hexi Corridor.

After another four or five days of travel, they finally arrived in Suzhou.

Suzhou is much smaller than Wuwei. Although it is called a city, it is actually just a larger town with low city walls, exuding a ruggedness unique to the frontier.

There weren't many people coming and going at the city gate; they were mostly merchants, and occasionally you could see squads of patrolling soldiers walking by.

The head of the Suzhou Demon Suppression Division was named Zhou Hai, a man in his forties with a lean build. He had already received Han Chong's notification and had prepared accommodations for Li Yuan and his group.

It was a large courtyard located in the west of the city. It wasn't luxurious, but it was spacious and clean, enough for the eight of them to live in.

"Lord Li, the conditions are simple, I'm sorry to have troubled you," Zhou Hai said somewhat embarrassed.

"That's already very good." Li Yuan looked around and nodded in satisfaction. "Captain Zhou, thank you for your hard work."

After settling in, Li Yuan went to see Ma Teng, the local garrison commander of Suzhou, who had 500 soldiers under his command responsible for border patrols.

"Lord Li, patrolling the border is a tough job. You look like you come from a wealthy family, how could you endure such hardship? Let us do it."

Ma Teng was a rough and uncultured man. Seeing that Li Yuan was only seventeen or eighteen years old and had a handsome face, he assumed he was just a rich young master trying to gain military merit and didn't take him seriously at all.

Li Yuan just smiled and didn't say anything more. He let Shi Yong lead them around Suzhou City and its surroundings to familiarize them with the local customs.

Shi Yong had previously spent some time in Suzhou and was very familiar with the area.

Suzhou is located at the westernmost end of the Hexi Corridor. Further west lies the territory of Longyou Road. The climate here is dry and cold, the land is barren, and crop yields are very low. Most residents make a living by herding.

Besides the garrison, the city was mostly filled with merchant caravans. These merchants from the Western Regions brought spices, gems, and fine horses. After resupplying here, they would continue eastward to Chang'an.

As Li Yuan walked, he observed and silently noted down the terrain of each place.

The following morning, Ji Fanghua came to say goodbye to Li Yuan.

"I'm going to Kucha now," Ji Fanghua said, leading her horse. "Farewell."

"Take care on your journey." Li Yuan smiled. "Send me a message when you arrive in Kucha."

Ji Fanghua nodded: "You should also be careful. Those people in the capital won't let this go so easily."

"I know."

Ji Fanghua didn't say anything more, turned around and left. At the city gate, twenty cultivators were already fully prepared. When they saw her coming, they all mounted their horses.

"drive!"

Ji Fanghua did not turn back, but raised her whip and rode into the depths of the desert.

After seeing Ji Fanghua and her entourage off, Li Yuan summoned Zhou Hai. He needed to familiarize himself with the situation in Suzhou as soon as possible, formulate an inspection plan, deploy defense forces, and clear the grain supply route as soon as possible.

In the morning, while the group was discussing something, a demon-hunting guard rushed in.

"Captain Zhou, something terrible has happened!"

Zhou Hai snapped impatiently, "What's the panic? Can't you see Lord Li is here?"

"What is it?"

Li Yuan looked up and asked.

"Miss Ji and her companions have been attacked." The visitor looked tense. "We just received urgent news that they have been attacked."

Li Yuan stood up abruptly. Ji Fanghua and the others had been away for less than an hour when they were attacked. These demons were too audacious.

"Where?"

"Forty li west of Suzhou City lies Huangfengtan, but the specific details are unknown."

Without saying a word, Li Yuan got up and left: "I'll go first. Commander Zhou, gather the men and follow me."

Zhou Hai said urgently, "Please wait a moment, my lord, I will go with you..."

"No, I'll go right away."

The coincidence was too great, and Li Yuan had a bad feeling. He didn't dare to delay for a moment and flew away without even riding a horse.

Upon seeing this, Wu Yu called out and jumped up to leave. Xu Sheng and the others quickly followed, startling Zhou Hai so much that he hurriedly gathered his men, his voice even changing tone.

If Li Yuan had gotten into trouble in Suzhou on the very first day, he wouldn't have been able to bear the consequences, no matter how many heads he had.

Li Yuan's figure transformed into a streak of light, and the forty-mile journey was completed in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. In the distance, he could see the demonic aura soaring into the sky.

His expression changed instantly; this aura was clearly that of a demon king.

Among Ji Fanghua's group, the highest cultivation level was only at the Breaking Illusion Realm, how could they be a match for the Demon King?

Broken horse carcasses were scattered across the Gobi Desert, and several cultivators lay sprawled in pools of blood.

In the center of the battlefield, Ji Fanghua, holding a short sword, confronted a gigantic monster.

She was covered in blood, her left arm hanging limply at her side, clearly indicating a serious injury, but she still stood straight, her gaze defiant, showing no sign of backing down.

The monster resembled a lizard, its entire body covered in dark red scales. It was over three zhang long, spewing black smoke from its mouth, and its vertical pupils emitted a ghostly green light.

His aura was violent, clearly indicating he was at the level of a demon king.

Around the battlefield, dozens of smaller demonic creatures were eyeing the remaining cultivators menacingly, emitting low growls.

"You beast! Prepare to die!"

Li Yuan swooped down from the sky, his nameless sword unsheathed, starlight blazing as he slashed towards the Demon King's head.

Sensing the overwhelming power of Li Yuan's blade, which seemed to cleave a mountain, the demon king was startled, clearly not expecting reinforcements to arrive so quickly.

As a demon king-level being, it reacted extremely quickly, dodging the blade with a swift movement and then whipping its tail to meet it head-on.

"clang--!"

The blades collided with a loud bang, sparks flew everywhere, and Li Yuan felt a tremendous force, which made his arm go slightly numb.

This demon king's power was actually no less than that of the Golden Scale Lizard King.

But he was no longer the same person he used to be. Without taking a single step back, he used the force of the impact to flip in the air and land steadily in front of Ji Fanghua, shielding her behind him.

"Are you alright? Can you hold on?"

"I'm fine." Ji Fanghua's face was pale, but her expression was surprisingly calm. "It's just that my left arm is dislocated, it's nothing serious."

"Alright, Wu Yu and the others will be here soon. You hold them off for a while."

Ji Fanghua decisively withdrew and turned to support the other cultivators. With Li Yuan's strength, she had no worries about dealing with a demon king.

Li Yuan gripped his sword in one hand, his aura rising steadily. He unleashed his mid-stage Qi Condensation Realm cultivation without reservation, and his powerful pressure spread outwards, frightening the surrounding lesser demons into retreating with fear in their eyes.

The demon king also sensed Li Yuan's aura. Its vertical pupils contracted slightly, and it let out a low growl: "So you're at the Qi Condensation Realm... Who are you?"

"Li Yuan, Inspector of Hexi Circuit".

For a long time afterward, he would be stationed in Hexi, so Li Yuan held nothing back. This was his first battle after taking office, and he needed to use force to deter others.

"You dare to touch my people? You've got some nerve. State your name."

Upon hearing the name Li Yuan, the demon king's vertical pupils constricted sharply, clearly indicating that he was familiar with the name.