Follow the path of Dao from infancy

Chapter 1252: Chapter 272: Immortal Merit Ranking (Part 3)

Li Hao’s eyes turned stern as he sensed the oppressive atmosphere of impending death around the city, as if at any moment, the place before him could transform into a fierce battlefield!

The air was filled with a heavy stench, but Li Hao could tell it wasn’t from the Ancient Demons, but rather the scent of the Human Race and other races.

This border city had resisted the Ancient Demons for countless ages and had buried countless people.

"The Ancient Demons are invading again!"

"It’s the call for the Peacock Army; it seems like a significant invasion this time!"

"We’d better get ready too, and if needed, it’s not bad to pick up some leftovers on the battlefield!"

In the streets and squares ahead, besides those figures soaring away at the call of the horns, more people remained on the ground, looking up and discussing animatedly.

Li Hao’s eyes glimmered slightly; an Ancient Demon attack occurred just as he arrived?

Evidently, it wasn’t a coincidence; perhaps this place regularly suffered Ancient Demon raids.

Moreover, Li Hao also knew that within the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty, the military was divided into five ranks, with the most powerful being the Chu Immortal Army, bearing the name of the founding ancestors and commanded by the National Guardian General. Even the princes were uneasy at the sight of the Chu Immortal Army since the soldiers had the privilege to slay royalty without guilt!

Of course, this guiltlessness doesn’t mean doing as they please; after slaying royalty, they must report to superiors and get the Grand Marshal’s approval. If the Grand Marshal deems it guiltless, then it is so!

If the Grand Marshal says there’s guilt, then there is guilt!

Hence, the status of that National Guardian General is exceedingly high and exaggerated.

Besides the top Chu Immortal Army, next are the Dragon Battle Army, the Peacock Army, the Tiger Lion Army, and the Sky Wolf Army spread throughout the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty’s Immortal Cities!

Previously, Shangguan Hong gave Li Hao the King Chu Command, which could mobilize the Tiger Lion Army.

The Tiger Lion Army is an elite force of the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty, with leaders all above the Fifth Level of Immortal Monarch Realm.

The Peacock Army is even more formidable; a hundred soldiers can slay an Immortal Lord, and ten thousand can rival the Perfection of an Immortal Lord!

As for the Dragon Battle Army, it can overpower the Heavenly Sect, causing even Immortal Kings to bow.

The top rank, the Chu Immortal Army, is invincible within the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty, virtually unstoppable with none able to withstand their might!

Li Hao came here without any intention of using the King Chu Command; he just wanted to quietly get some Ancient Demon Meat to eat.

At that moment, a suddenly dazzling light shone over.

Li Hao looked up, hearing gasps of astonishment from ahead.

In the sky, there stretched an enormous banner phantom, akin to an unrolling scroll, with three large characters greeting the eye first:

Celestial Merit List!

Soon after, a crack of light split open in one spot, emitting a dazzling beam.

When the light slightly dissipated, what filled the city’s illumination was actually a name!

"Ji Qingxuan!"

"Who is that?"

"My heavens, they actually made it onto the Celestial Merit List!"

"This indeed warrants conferring noble titles — in the top hundred of the Celestial Merit List, titled as great nobility, everyone enlisted is bestowed a significant rank!"

In the square, countless were astonished, murmuring in low tones.

Li Hao also froze when he saw the name; was it actually the Master Brother?

Now, he saw clearly that there were only a mere hundred names on the gigantic Celestial Merit List spanning the heavens!

But these hundred names, like a hundred towering mountains, had huge characters containing Daoist Charm seen throughout the city.

At this moment, Ji Qingxuan’s name was ranked ninety-ninth, just having entered the Celestial Merit List!

But even this alone had already left the entire city in shock.

"In the top hundred of the Celestial Merit List, changes are rare every decade; anyone elevated to it is destined to high rank and status. Who is Ji Qingxuan?"

"I heard he’s a disciple of some Heavenly Sect."

All around the square, discussions about Ji Qingxuan were everywhere.

As Li Hao listened to these conversations to understand the situation here, a voice suddenly came from behind him:

"You newcomers, come over here."

Li Hao turned to see a soldier clad in black battle armor, holding a long spear, standing amid the crowd, raising his hand to beckon everyone.

Those teleported from the Immortal City weren’t only Li Hao; over a dozen others were from nearby border Immortal Cities as well, now heading towards the soldier at the call.

"If you have orders, show them; if you came voluntarily to enlist, step aside for now."

The soldier spoke to Li Hao and the dozen others.

Li Hao had sneaked over without obtaining the special token from the sect, so he could only stand silently to the side.

From the crowd, three men and two women stepped forward, each declaring their origin and presenting their tokens.

Some were from certain families, ordered to come here to train and slay demons.

Two of them were disciples from the Heavenly Second Sect, who, along with Li Hao, had just passed the Wilderness Trial in the Ancient Immortal Realm. Failing to break into the top thousand, they returned to the sect without any rewards, so they came here for practical combat training.

The soldier called the newcomers and led them away to different places, then turned to look at Li Hao and the others.

"Did you volunteer for military service here? Given that there have been spies from the Ancient Demons, secretly selling important information of the Immortal Dynasty, those of you here can only prove your innocence by killing enemies, slaying Ancient Demons!"

The soldier swept his gaze over Li Hao and the others, his face extremely cold.𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

The remaining people, including Li Hao, felt a twinge of frustration at such treatment.

"We came here to slay Ancient Demons, and we’re suspected of being spies?"

"Are there people who would side with the Ancient Demons? Have their brains been eaten by dogs? If the Immortal Dynasty falls, will the Ancient Demons spare them?"

"Who knows what a spy thinks. If you could understand, wouldn’t you be a spy yourself?"

"...That seems to be the case."

"How many Ancient Demons do we have to kill to prove ourselves?"

"We came to slay Ancient Demons anyway, so it doesn’t really matter."

The crowd murmured among themselves.

The soldier said, "Accumulate enough Immortal Merits here, or bring back three heads of Ancient Demons, and only then can you obtain the identity card for entering the Sky Wolf Army!"

"To continue advancing, more assessments are required. Before that, you can only first join the Wildfire Army. There, you can’t learn the Immortal Tao Army Formation to prevent leaks, but there is also the Demon-breaking Army Formation, equally powerful. The requirements for you are also relatively simple: if there’s a breach in the front lines, it’s your job to intercept those who slip through!"

Hearing this, the dozen people looked at each other, all sensing the strict vigilance here.

"Why is it called the Wildfire Army?"

A young man standing next to Li Hao couldn’t help but ask curiously.

The soldier glanced at him, seeing the youth looking straight at him without fear, yet did not get angry, only saying:

"Because you are all chivalrous people, like unquenchable wild grasses, like indomitable wildfire!"

The young man widened his eyes slightly, muttering, "What a coarse explanation."

"If you have any objections now, you can still withdraw in time."

The soldier looked at everyone.

The dozen or so exchanged glances but none expressed a desire to withdraw.

The soldier nodded and said, "Excellent. If anyone had nodded to withdraw just now, congratulations, you would now be a corpse!"

Everyone froze, looking at him in shock.

"This is the borderlands, a battlefield; you can’t come and go as you please!"

The soldier suddenly barked.

Everyone’s expressions changed slightly, suddenly feeling the solemnity here, reining in their casual and frivolous attitudes.

"Now, come over here to register."

The soldier snorted coldly and said.

Everyone politely followed along.

"Little brother, you’ve come to slay demons with only a True Immortal Realm Third Level cultivation? That’s quite some zeal."

The young man walked beside Li Hao, suddenly commenting as he got closer.

Li Hao was taken aback; earlier, upon hearing Yun Wumian’s words, he had retracted his All Phenomena Attributes, revealing his true cultivation.

"Demonslaying is everyone’s duty." Li Hao thought for a moment and said earnestly.

The young man seemed to believe him, looking at him with wide-eyed surprise before discreetly setting up a soundproof barrier, whispering:

"Honestly, I have an assignment. He’s a disciple of the Tianyi Sect, here to accumulate Immortal Merits for the sect. Stick close to me in case of danger; I can look out for you."

Li Hao was surprised and asked, "The five Tianyi Sects, which one are you from?"

"I can’t say that."

The young man shook his head, then suddenly smiled mysteriously and said, "But, in ten years, when I make a name for myself in the Southern Domain battle, you’ll know!"