Chapter 476: Million Immortal Merit, Tianshi Summons
"Kill two Ancient Demons at the Ninth Stage of True Immortal Realm, five at the Eighth Stage, and nine at the Seventh Stage..."
In the courtyard, Shi Tianjin sat at the head of the table with his sword across his lap, tallying up his Immortal Merit. When he finished, a satisfied smile appeared on his face as he spoke:
"Finally, I don't have to stay in this Wildfire Army, training new recruits anymore. Adding to the Immortal Merit I've accumulated before, I now have two hundred thousand. With my complete cultivation at the Tenth Stage of the True Immortal Realm, I can apply to join the Peacock Army!"
Upon hearing his words, several veteran soldiers showed envy in their eyes and immediately congratulated him.
Joining the Peacock Army was a prestigious position. If they returned to the Immortal Dynasty's inner realm during a leave, their status would be comparable to that of elders in the Four Heavenly Sects (Xianjun Realm).
After all, the Peacock Army represented the royal family of the Yan-Chu Immortal Dynasty, a power that could not be offended. Even elders of the Four Heavenly Sects, whose cultivation exceeded the Immortal Realm, would have to show respect.
Furthermore, if one went for a marriage alliance, their spouse would at least be the legitimate daughter of a ten-thousand-year-old noble family or the daughter of a guarding general in the various Immortal City districts.
The other new recruits, though a bit slower to react, soon noticed the veterans flattering and fawning over Shi Tianjin, and they too began to mimic them and offer their congratulations.
In the cultivation world, one must not only rely on individual strength but also navigate social connections, as it was the same with sects and imperial dynasties.
"Xiao Qi, what about you? You killed quite a lot this time, right?"
Shi Tianjin looked at the young man sitting at the edge.
Though this young man was a new recruit, it was thanks to him that they were able to pick up so many kills among the Ancient Demons during this campaign. Otherwise, Shi Tianjin's Immortal Merit would have been reduced by at least ten thousand.
"Mm, more than a hundred thousand."
Huo Xiao Qi nodded, his expression remaining relatively calm.
"Over a hundred thousand Immortal Merit, combined with your cultivation, it's enough to enter the Tiger Lion Army. If you put in more effort, you could even join the Peacock Army!"
Shi Tianjin laughed heartily, patting his shoulder. After months of working together, he had come to regard Huo Xiao Qi as a valuable connection and had tried several times to strengthen their bond. The two were now considered friends.
The others looked at Huo Xiao Qi with envy. To have accumulated so much Immortal Merit so quickly—especially considering they had seen the treasures available in the Immortal Merit exchange vault—it was clear that this amount of Merit could be exchanged for plenty of cultivation resources.
Upon hearing Shi Tianjin's words, however, Huo Xiao Qi didn't feel overly excited. He didn't come here to join the Peacock Army. His purpose was to train himself for the South Domain War in ten years' time.
Of course, if he could accumulate Immortal Merit along the way and gain a higher position in the army, that wouldn't be a bad path either.
However, at that moment, his mind wandered to a particular figure.
If that person were still here...
Knock, knock.
Suddenly, a knock sounded on the door.
Everyone turned their heads and looked outside the courtyard, only to see a young figure standing at the door, gently knocking, before stepping inside.
"Chong Er?"
When they saw Li Hao's face, everyone froze, their eyes wide in shock.
Shi Tianjin, who had been sitting with his legs spread out on his chair, suddenly jumped to his feet. After a brief daze, a smile quickly appeared on his face as he strode forward and greeted,
"Chong Er, you're back! That's great! We haven't seen you in months. We were all worried, thinking something bad happened to you!"
Li Hao ignored the warmth on his face. When he saw Huo Xiao Qi was also there, he nodded at him.
Months had passed, and Huo Xiao Qi's aura was noticeably more stable, exuding a sharp and cold edge.
Seeing Li Hao, Huo Xiao Qi was momentarily stunned, but he quickly regained his composure. In a flash, he appeared in front of Li Hao and couldn't help but ask,
"Where have you been these past few months? I thought you were too aggressive and got targeted by one of the commanders among the Ancient Demons!"
It wasn't unusual for someone to be killed by the opposing generals on the battlefield, especially if they were too eye-catching. This was one of the reasons why many young prodigies avoided stepping into the battlefield—they could be killed at any moment.
Li Hao smiled lightly, and the situation was similar to what Huo Xiao Qi thought. He replied, "There were some small changes, but overall, it's nothing serious."
Seeing that Li Hao hadn't responded to him, Shi Tianjin felt a little embarrassed. Earlier, when Li Hao had arrived, he had also ignored the young man, treating him like a dead person. Now that he was being ignored in return, he could only feel slightly displeased.
"You saved us earlier, and we haven't had a chance to thank you properly. Come, come, sit."
Shi Tianjin warmly invited Li Hao to sit, hiding his displeasure, hoping to build a connection with Li Hao for his own benefit.
Li Hao didn't hesitate and took a seat. He noticed that there were noticeably fewer figures in the courtyard compared to before. The missing individuals were ones he hadn't even had the chance to recognize, which perhaps reflected the cruelty of war on the frontier.
"Over the past few months, with your strength, I'm sure you've accumulated a lot of Immortal Merit, right? I bet you've earned several hundred thousand!"
Shi Tianjin laughed, pouring tea and offering it to Li Hao.
Li Hao lightly tapped the table with his fingers in thanks but didn't drink. Instead, he looked at Huo Xiao Qi. "What about you?"
"I can't compare to you."
Huo Xiao Qi shook his head, his gaze complicated as he looked at Li Hao. From the initial surprise and excitement upon seeing him to now, everything had calmed down. He thought back to the strength Li Hao had shown when he saved them earlier and softly said, "With your cultivation, are you a disciple of the Heavenly Palace?"
Li Hao shook his head, thinking about what Huo Xiao Qi had mentioned regarding the South Domain War, and smiled, "When the South Domain War begins, you'll know."
Huo Xiao Qi couldn't help but laugh bitterly. He remembered when the young man had asked him the same question.
Shi Tianjin, seeing that Li Hao had no intention of forming a connection with him, couldn't hide the trace of irritation in his eyes. But he still maintained a smiling face and said,
"Chong Er, with your talent, I can recommend you to the Demon Suppression Division. I have a brother working there as a Demon Suppressor."
Hearing his words, the others looked at Shi Tianjin in shock. They didn't expect him to have connections with the Demon Suppression Division.
Shi Tianjin's lips slightly curled into a smile. Since Li Hao hadn't shown any interest in him, he had no choice but to bring up his connection with the Demon Suppression Division.
Although the brother he spoke of was merely an acquaintance, who knew what others would think?
Li Hao's eyes flickered slightly. The Demon Suppressor? The senior brother Ji Qingxuan, who had been mentioned earlier, seemed to be one of them.
"How about it?" Shi Tianjin asked with a sense of pride.
Li Hao shook his head. "I'm not interested."
Shi Tianjin froze for a moment. His face showed a hint of awkwardness, though his heart was filled with a mix of embarrassment and anger.
Huo Xiaoqi, standing beside him, secretly shook his head. He knew that with Li Hao's talent, he would never be swayed by the Demon Suppression Division. Besides, there were other ways to join the division if he really wanted to. He changed the subject and asked, "How much Immortal Merit do you have?"
"Not sure yet."
Li Hao picked up his identity token and said, "Let me take a look."
He used a strand of divine sense to infiltrate the token, beginning to calculate his Immortal Merit.
Shi Tianjin's eyes flashed with greed and anger. Had he known Li Hao possessed such powerful combat strength, he should never have agreed when Li Hao said he wanted to act alone. By doing so, the Immortal Merits Li Hao earned would be distributed according to the camp's rules, and Shi Tianjin would have received half of it for free.
With Li Hao's cultivation, if he worked hard enough, he could have accumulated several hundred thousand Immortal Merits in just a few months!
The thought made his heart ache.
The others, seeing Li Hao calculating his Immortal Merits, also stopped what they were doing. They focused on the young man, their eyes filled with curiosity.
After a while, Li Hao's divine sense finished processing the Immortal Merit from the ancient demon essence in the token, and the final number made even Li Hao himself a bit surprised.
"How much?" Shi Tianjin couldn't help but ask the moment Li Hao put down the token.
Li Hao glanced at Huo Xiaoqi, who was looking at him with curiosity, and replied, "1.37 million Immortal Merits."
Instantly, silence fell.
It was as if the entire courtyard had been frozen in time, with not a single sound.
Like a falling leaf breaking the silence, Shi Tianjin's eyes almost popped out. He was in shock, his voice trembling, "What? How much?!"
Huo Xiaoqi was also stunned, his mouth hanging open as he stared at Li Hao in disbelief.
When he first followed Shi Tianjin to hunt ancient demons, he had gradually accumulated around 100,000 Immortal Merits after switching to independent combat. But Li Hao had… 1.37 million?!
How many ancient demons had he killed to earn so much?
It was well known that on this dangerous battlefield, a cultivator at the True Immortal Realm's tenth level could easily sweep through the first-level ancient demons, continuously accumulating Immortal Merits.
But that wasn't the full picture. First, the ancient demons often formed large formations, like the original celestial formation used by the Peacock Army, which could fight across realms.
Moreover, when there were beings on the battlefield who could disrupt the battle, even stronger beings would come to suppress them. Simply killing ancient demons wasn't difficult, but surviving while doing so was another matter!
Yet Li Hao had accumulated 1.37 million Immortal Merits and survived to return. That was terrifying!
"This… with this Immortal Merit, you could apply to join the Chu Immortal Army, right?"
"How many ancient demons did you kill? Did they just lie down and let you kill them?"
The others were equally shocked, staring at Li Hao in disbelief.
Just one battle, and the young recruit in front of them seemed to have entered an entirely different world from theirs.
Shi Tianjin snapped back to reality, staring at Li Hao's face, making sure the young man wasn't lying. His eyes reddened, and he realized that if he hadn't agreed to let Li Hao leave back then, he could have received almost 700,000 Immortal Merits for free!
That much Immortal Merit would have been enough for him to join the Dragon War Army and exchange for a full set of celestial weapons and armor, greatly enhancing his combat power!
His breathing became heavy, and his throat tightened. Regret gnawed at his insides.
As everyone was still in shock, two piercing sounds suddenly cut through the air outside the courtyard.
Then, the door was knocked on again.
Two young men dressed in black long robes and wearing black pointed helmets stood at the entrance. Their eyes swept around the courtyard, exuding a chilling and murderous aura. They coldly asked, "Who is Chong Er?"
Li Hao, along with everyone else, turned around and looked. When they saw their attire, Shi Tianjin's heart skipped a beat, and his face changed.
"Demon Suppressors!"
"What are the Demon Suppressors doing here?"
"Could it be the ones Shi Camp Leader just mentioned? But this is too fast…"
Everyone looked at Shi Tianjin, then at Li Hao, their expressions filled with surprise and doubt.
Shi Tianjin's heart was pounding. He hadn't even notified that "brother" yet.
"It's me. Who are you?"
Li Hao stood up and frowned, looking at the two Demon Suppressors. He felt their aggressive approach was likely not for anything good.
However, as soon as the two young men saw Li Hao stand up, the coldness and murderous aura in their eyes immediately dissipated. They smiled slightly and bowed, saying, "Mr. Chong Er, we are here by order of the Celestial Master to summon you. Please come with us to meet the Celestial Master."
Li Hao paused for a moment, immediately recalling what Mi Xueyao had said when they parted ways earlier.
That Celestial Master, could it be the elderly man who had fought against the Imperial Jiang Clan's King-level warrior on the battlefield? Why would he summon him?
Li Hao's mind turned quickly, but he couldn't figure it out. Could it be that he and Mi Xueyao were seen as spies for walking together?
However, Li Hao felt no guilt, so he wasn't afraid, unless they couldn't tell right from wrong.
"Alright."
Li Hao agreed and stepped forward to approach the two Demon Suppressors.
Shi Tianjin and the others were all stunned. Even Huo Xiaoqi's face changed. The Celestial Master was a legendary figure within the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty. He was second only to the four great Demon Kings in the Demon Suppression Division!
"Let's go."
The two young Demon Suppressors nodded and turned to lead the way.
Li Hao followed them.
Shi Tianjin and the others exchanged glances. Given Li Hao's million Immortal Merits, it was clear that joining the Demon Suppressors would most likely be a good thing.
Shi Tianjin's face burned. He secretly clenched his fists. Just moments ago, he had said he would introduce Li Hao to his "brother" in the Demon Suppressors, but now, in the blink of an eye, Li Hao had been summoned by the Celestial Master. The difference in their status was unfathomable.
...
In the city of Qinghe, at the Lord Commander's Mansion.
This mansion stood at the heart of the vast Mo River, like a towering giant mountain, with a celestial gate reaching tens of thousands of feet high. On the gate were Demon Suppressors and Dragon War Army soldiers patrolling.
Standing at the celestial gate of the mansion, one could see the signals from the various city camps and the flying Immortal Merit boards from different sects.
At this moment, in the Star Sea Hall within the Lord Commander's Mansion.
The floor of the hall was a darkened miniature star field, with faint lights flickering like grains of sand. These were the immortal formations buried throughout the star field. The Immortal Platform used these formations to amplify their divine sense, covering half the battlefield.
At this moment, in the miniature star field, countless lights flickered, and immortal techniques exploded one after another.
But these were just miniature versions, looking extremely small, their power no more than that of firecrackers. In the real battlefield, these were terrifying attacks that could shake the heavens and earth.
At the main seat, an elderly man with snow-white temples sat. His eyes were half-closed, though a slit remained, gazing down at the miniature star field.
Around him, immortal power surrounded him, and the phantom of an Immortal Kingdom appeared, with various strange phenomena manifesting.
At this moment, with the movement of his Immortal Kingdom, the battlefield that had lasted for months was being slowly reviewed.
"This ancient demon attack was clearly aimed at us."
Beside him, a silver-haired, black-helmeted youth observed the battlefield replay, now seeing the small moves made by the ancient demons throughout the battle.
"On the surface, it was two strikes, but in reality, it concealed a King-level demon. Had the Celestial Master not warned us beforehand, we might have perished."
A woman with different pupils voiced her thoughts.
The elderly man lightly moved his hand, and the miniature star field shifted. He softly said, "The Southern Domain Campaign will begin soon. These sect disciples have become increasingly active in hunting the ancient demons. This time, we'll reorganize the sect rankings and resources. Not only will the rankings of the Southern Domain Campaign disciples be considered, but also their Immortal Merits. His Majesty's strategy is brilliant—by consolidating resources, he has made all the sects willingly join the battlefield to slay demons!"
"Indeed. These sects usually live in luxury and hoard resources. It's time they contributed on the battlefield," the silver-haired youth nodded in agreement.
"If it weren't for these sect disciples putting in the effort, the Tiger and Lion Army would likely have to sacrifice even more."
The different pupils woman looked at the miniature star field, where the battlefields of several Heavenly Sect disciples were shown, locked in a fierce struggle with the ancient demons.
The elderly man waved his hand slightly, and the battlefield turned once more. A smile appeared on his lips as he said, "This isn't surprising. But look here. Do you remember this little fellow?"
As the miniature star field rotated, a small figure appeared on the second defensive line, constantly fighting, darting between various camps and ancient demons.
The different pupils woman took a glance and softly said, "Of course, I remember."
This was the young man whom the Celestial Master had praised months ago, so she would never forget him.
"What's so special about this boy?"
A tall man in a black giant python robe, sitting on a massive stone chair surrounded by black dragon energy, resembling a supreme dragon, asked in surprise.
The elderly man smiled without answering, instead moving his hand to adjust the star field, bringing it to the final battle moment. He said, "If it weren't for this boy, Zhao Wang, your Peacock Army would have perished. Furthermore, if that had happened, this place, this place, and these places would have been affected as well. When I defeat Di Qiuyi, the chain reactions triggered here will cause casualties. You can see for yourselves…"