A Compendium of One Hundred Demons: My Path to Immortality in a World of Demons and Monsters

After a short while, Toghtogbuhua finally closed his eyes reluctantly and said with difficulty, "Withdraw the troops."

The adjutant beside him was stunned: "General, we still have three thousand iron cavalry, and there are less than five hundred remnants left in Qingyang City. What should we do?!"

"I said, withdraw the troops!"

Tuotuo Buhua roared, shoved his warhorse away, and staggered to his feet.

He didn't look at Xu Yuan again, nor did he glance at Qingyang County. He just limped northward.

"The shaman is dead, and the Eternal Heaven has vanished." His back to everyone, his voice hoarse, "Go back and tell the Right Wise King that Qingyang City is haunted… not by demons, but by demons far more terrifying than demons!"

"This city must not be attacked again."

Three thousand Xiongnu cavalrymen began to retreat like a receding tide.

They abandoned all their provisions, supplies, and dead comrades.

They also abandoned Qingyang, a city wall they once thought was easily within their grasp.

Xu Yuan stood on the altar, calmly watching the Xiongnu army retreat in panic.

He didn't chase after them.

It's not because of kindness.

But -

The backlash from forcibly breaking through the realm has arrived.

"puff---"

Xu Yuan coughed up a mouthful of blood and finally collapsed to his knees.

Before his consciousness faded, he heard countless exclamations coming from the direction of Qingyang County.

He saw Shen Qingyi running towards him, her skirt hemmed up, her eyes red as if she had been crying.

He saw Chen Hanchuan dismount, kneel down, and kowtow heavily in his direction.

He also saw those Qingyang garrison soldiers he didn't know, their eyes red, clasping their hands in front of him, kneeling down, and calling his name.

"Xu Yuan———"

He heard Shen Qingyi's voice, drifting from afar, tinged with sobs.

He wanted to say, "I'm fine."

But when he opened his mouth, he only spat out another mouthful of blood.

"Damn it..." Xu Yuan cursed weakly, "I really overdid it this time..."

He then collapsed on the altar and lost consciousness.

In the last instant before his consciousness sank into darkness, Xu Yuan "saw" the first page of the Hungry Ghost Encyclopedia in his mind, where the image of the Hungry Ghost seemed to have a strange curve at the corner of its mouth.

That was no longer just simple hunger.

Rather, it is a kind of...relative satisfaction.

[The devouring of the divine soul projection is complete]

[Hungry Ghosts Light Up Progress: 100%]

[The entire encyclopedia entry is now unlocked]

[Unlocked: Hungry Ghost Path - First Glimpse]

[Unlock Ability: Soul Devouring (Can actively devour the essence of living beings and make it available for one's own use)]

[Unlock Trait: Eternal Hunger (Health Recovery Speed ​​+300%, True Essence Recovery Speed ​​+200%, Negative Status Resistance +50%)]

[Warning: Due to insufficient physical strength, the forced breakthrough to the Qi Condensation stage resulted in 27% damage to the meridians. Seven days of rest are required.]

[Warning: Overuse of the encyclopedia will accelerate "that person's" awakening]

That one?

Xu Yuan wanted to ask, "Who is that?"

But the darkness before him completely engulfed him.

………………

Xu Yuan was unconscious for two whole days.

When he woke up again, he found himself lying on a sickbed in the innermost room of the Shen residence, his whole body wrapped in bandages, looking like a mummy.

Beside the bed, Shen Qingyi was dozing off on the table, with obvious dark circles under her eyes, clearly indicating that she hadn't had a good night's sleep in a long time.

Xu Yuan wanted to call out to her, but found his throat was burning dry.

He had no choice but to reach out and gently touch Shen Qingyi's hair.

The latter was instantly awakened.

She was initially confused, but when she saw Xu Yuan's open eyes, her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

"You're awake," she said, her voice choked with emotion.

"Hmm." Xu Yuan nodded in response, then forced an ugly smile. "I still didn't die. I've disappointed the Xiongnu."

Shen Qingyi didn't respond to his joke.

She just stared at him, for a long time.

It went on for so long that Xu Yuan became somewhat uncomfortable.

Then she raised her hand and slapped him hard on the shoulder.

"Hiss—" Xu Yuan gasped, "Miss Shen, I'm injured right now!"

"I know." Shen Qingyi withdrew her hand, her eyes still red, but the corners of her mouth curved into a smile. "I just wanted to hit you."

She stood up, handed him a bowl of water, and then turned her back to him to tidy up the medicine bottles on the table.

"A lot has happened during the two days you were in a coma."

Xu Yuan remained silent, simply listening quietly.

"The Xiongnu have retreated. Toghtok Bukha led his remaining troops more than 300 li away and have now retreated back to the border of the grasslands." She paused, "General Chen said that the Xiongnu will be unable to move south again for at least three months."

"Qingyang has held out," Xu Yuan said softly.

"You held on." Shen Qingyi turned around and looked at him earnestly. "Xu Yuan, you did it."

Xu Yuan did not respond to this solemn statement.

After thinking for a moment, he simply asked, "What are the battle losses?"

Shen Qingyi paused for a moment: "The Qingyang garrison numbered 1,200 before the battle. After that day, 347 were still able to fight. During the defense of the city, 482 died in battle, 93 were seriously wounded and disabled, and the rest were slightly wounded."

"What about the people in the city?"

"During the blood sacrifice, sixteen people died suddenly from excessive fright, seven people have not yet woken up due to damage to their souls, and the rest are unharmed."

Xu Yuan nodded.

Four hundred and eighty-two.

sixteen.

seven.

These are not just numbers; they are living, breathing human lives.

He closed his eyes and let out a long breath.

"General Chen said that he has urgently reported your merits in this battle to the prefectural city," Shen Qingyi said. "Lord Xiao has also replied."

Xu Yuan slowly opened his eyes.

"The letter says that once you recover from your injuries, you can directly enter the Prefecture's Demon-Suppressing Division as a Demon-Suppressing Envoy. There is also a commendation order, appointing you as a seventh-rank Loyal and Outstanding Colonel, a hereditary position!"

Rank 7.

In the military, this is a rank that commands three hundred men.

Xu Yuan, however, was not very excited and simply nodded.

"Also," Shen Qingyi took out an envelope from her sleeve, "this is a letter that the old village chief asked someone to send from the prefectural city."

Xu Yuan took it and opened it.

The letter was written on rough paper with crooked handwriting, clearly indicating that it was written by someone else.

The first line contains only one word:

"Yuanwa, we've arrived. There's meat to eat in the prefectural city. Little Stone has gained three pounds."

Xu Yuan looked at the words and suddenly smiled.

…………

Three days later, outside the north gate of Qingyang County.

Chen Hanchuan led all the able-bodied garrison troops in the city to line up and see them off.

Xu Yuan wore a new outfit today, a blue shirt and trousers, made from fabric that Shen Qingyi personally selected from a cloth shop in the city.

He carried the Ghost Cry Bow on his back and a long sword hanging at his waist.

On his shoulder was a silver epaulet of a seventh-rank loyal and distinguished captain, which Xiao Yunhan had sent along with a letter.

"Brother Xu," Chen Hanchuan stepped forward, clasped his hands in a deep fist salute, "Have a safe journey to the prefectural city."

Xu Yuan returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "General, please take care as well."

Chen Hanchuan didn't say anything more, but took out a tattered battle flag from his pocket and solemnly handed it over with both hands.

That was the "Qian" character flag of the Qingyang garrison, with dozens of knife marks and arrow holes on its surface, and some of the edges were charred.

"This is our Qingyang City's military flag," Chen Hanchuan explained. "The brothers have discussed it, and this flag should be yours to take!"

Xu Yuan reached out and took it.

The flag was very light, and the fabric was rough.

But when he held it in his hand, it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

"Thank you, General Chen, and thank you, brothers."

He bowed deeply to the lined-up guards.

More than three hundred people clasped their hands in unison to return the greeting.

No one speaks.

Xu Yuan mounted his horse.

Inside the Shen family's carriage, Shen Qingyi's curtain was half-rolled up, revealing her profile.

"Young Master Xu," she called out.

Xu Yuan turned his head.

Shen Qingyi looked at him, hesitant to speak.

Finally, he simply said in a soft voice, "Cangzhou Prefecture is not like Qingyang County. The Demon Suppression Division has many rules. You should... take care."

"Miss Shen, please take care as well." Xu Yuan nodded earnestly. "Qingyang needs you."

Shen Qingyi was slightly taken aback, then nodded gently.

The carriage curtain was lowered.

As dawn broke, the north gate opened wide.

Xu Yuan spurred his horse, and the guards parted to make way for him, watching him slowly disappear at the end of the official road.

Chen Hanchuan stood on the city wall, watching the receding figure, and remained silent for a long time.

"General, will Brother Xu return?" the adjutant beside him asked.

Chen Hanchuan did not answer.

He simply stared at the now deserted official road and murmured to himself:

"From this day forward, there will be no more nameless people in Qingyang City."

"In the future, when the world sings its praises, one line will surely be among them—"

Once there was a young man who guarded a lonely city, devoured gods, and defeated ten thousand armies.

"His name is Xu Yuan, originating from Qingyang!"