Numerous monks bowed down in worship, shouting, "Great Master, I have achieved enlightenment!"
Li Xuanxiao felt his awkwardness return. He looked up at Jing Shan, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, seemingly having gained some understanding as well.
Did his aura seem even more ethereal now?
Very good, it wasn't a waste of his effort.
After all the monks had awakened, Li Xuanxiao found the Abbot Master.
Abbot Fan Lu and the two abbots looked at Li Xuanxiao with changed expressions.
This person was no longer someone they could casually look down upon as a mere Martial Artist.
Instead, he was a Buddhist High Monk whose affinity for the Buddhist Path was even deeper than theirs!
After all, they had only comprehended the Buddhist Path Cultivation Technique of the Origin Realm, not the Buddhist Martial Arts.
The display of Buddhist Dharma he showed was something they absolutely could not replicate!
Abbot Fan Lu and the two abbots expressed their gratitude to Li Xuanxiao.
Li Xuanxiao waved his hand, stating that since his Buddhist Dharma was also obtained from the Scripture Pavilion, this act was considered a repayment to Fanyin Temple.
Abbot Fan Lu smiled broadly, exclaiming, "Amitabha, what great fortune!"
The other two abbots exchanged a glance and invited Li Xuanxiao to be a guest at their temples in the future.
Li Xuanxiao glanced at them; those two old bald donkeys likely had ulterior motives!
He casually agreed a few times but didn't say much more. He had wasted too much time at Fanyin Temple and took his leave immediately.
...
On the way back to the Royal City, Li Xuanxiao took out Si Bingwen's demon slaying token and the Southern Demon's message-transmitting jade talisman.
While reading scriptures and Buddhist Dharma in the Scripture Pavilion, his waist had vibrated multiple times, but he was busy collecting fragments of Buddhist Dharma then and hadn't checked.
Now that he was out, it was a good time to listen to what news there was.
First was the Southern Demon's sound transmission jade talisman.
He poured True Qi into it, the light flowed, and the Southern Demon's voice immediately came through.
"Sir, our Demon Venerable has agreed to cooperate with you, but the cooperation is strictly limited to you. The Demon Venerable still does not trust the Great Yu Royal Family. The Demon Venerables of the other two nations also do not trust humans."
"Your action in helping them eliminate the demon traitors has earned their approval. They agree that during the invasion of the Myriad Demon Nation, their subordinate demons and monsters will also jointly resist the enemy."
"Furthermore, they guarantee they will not proactively attack human Martial Artists. When necessary, they will also provide you with some assistance."
Li Xuanxiao nodded; achieving this much was sufficient.
Using the same technique, he caressed the demon slaying token.
True Qi was injected, light flowed, and Si Bingwen's voice came through.
"Li Xuanxiao, upon receiving this message, return to the Demon Slaying Division immediately!"
The message was concise, without any extra nonsense.
Li Xuanxiao had a guess in his heart.
Considering the time, Dayu should have already begun its pre-war personnel mobilization.
As a Origin Realm Martial Artist, he would likely be assigned a task.
It just depended on where he was assigned and what role he would play.
He immediately sped up, heading straight for the Demon Slaying Hall of the Demon Slaying Division.
Inside the Demon Slaying Hall, Li Xuanxiao saw Si Bingwen.
"Dayu's war mobilization order has been issued. Based on your Realm and birthplace, you have been assigned to the Martial Artist Corps of Pei Prefecture, one of Dayu's Nine Prefectures."
"Commander Si Yiwu recommended you to the Royal Family to serve as the Vice General of the Pei Prefecture Martial Army!"
Li Xuanxiao slightly raised an eyebrow—Vice General?
That was an official position second only to the Commander!
It ranked as a second-grade official, equivalent to a modern Brigade Commander!
He could command over a thousand Martial Artists, making it a very important post.
But he lacked experience in large-scale legion warfare; could he really handle such a major responsibility?
He had doubts in his heart but did not voice them.
"Si Yiwu is now your direct superior. If you have any questions or needs, you can go to him."
Li Xuanxiao nodded, indicating he understood: "May I ask, Hall Master, where is Lord Si Yiwu now?"
...
Royal City, Si Family Residence.
It was already the start of autumn, and the leaves of the plane trees in the courtyard began to fall quietly.
Si Yiwu sat silently in the pavilion in the backyard. The tea on the stone table grew cold, yet he seemed completely unaware.
The Demon Army of the Myriad Demon Nation could invade Dayu at any moment.
As the Commander of a province, he had to lead from the front and raise the banner high!
After confirming his health was sound, Si Yiwu immediately requested reinstatement to his former post as Commander of Pei Prefecture.
But regaining his official position was easy; some things were very difficult to restore.
Yang Zhiru, Vice General Yang, who had followed him in battles years ago, had long since resigned and retired.
The Hall Masters under his command had also almost all been replaced.
Si Yiwu sighed softly, a look of reminiscence surfacing in his eyes.
The upheaval in the Pei Prefecture Demon Slaying Division had sent too many old comrades away, leaving him with much emotion.
The people and things he hadn't paid much attention to before, those familiar presences.
Only after they suddenly vanished did he realize belatedly how important they were to him.
The hollowness in his heart was not something to be shared with outsiders.
Some bitterness, like tea, could only be tasted silently by oneself.
"Old friends wither one by one, like fallen leaves in the wind..."
Sighing, Si Yiwu shook his head and chuckled lightly.
He was truly getting old; he was actually starting to become sentimental.
Then he heard footsteps approaching from afar. He turned his head to look, and upon seeing the person arriving, a faint smile immediately appeared on his face.
Li Xuanxiao respectfully walked up to Si Yiwu and bowed: "Commander, your subordinate has arrived to report!"
The youth before him was spirited and full of vigorous energy!
In Li Xuanxiao, Si Yiwu saw something joyful.
It was called hope.
A group of old people depart, and a group of new people grow up.
The cycle repeats, ceaseless and unending!
His mood suddenly cleared up.
"Li Xuanxiao, are you willing to fight alongside me?"
Li Xuanxiao naturally nodded: "It is my honor to fight side-by-side with Commander!"
Si Yiwu let out a hearty laugh and suddenly stood up.
"Good!"
A bold shout.
In an instant, he transformed from a fragile, sentimental, and world-weary man into a mighty lion in his prime!
"The demons of the Myriad Demon Nation dare to invade Dayu; we will ensure they never return!"
"Vice General Li, come with me and slay them all!"
...
The news that the Myriad Demon Nation was about to invade Dayu had been disseminated months ago from Headquarters' Flying Eagle Hall to the Flying Eagle Halls in all subordinate prefectures.
Then, through the prefectural Flying Eagle Halls, it was spread to the county yamen in all subordinate cities.
The county yamen then posted the information publicly in the cities via proclamations.
Now, the common people across Dayu's Nine Prefectures were almost all aware of this fact.
The Martial Artist Conscription Order was also issued a month ago, requiring all Martial Artists at the Extreme Realm and above to register at their local yamen.
If they were already Martial Artists of the Demon Slaying Division, they were to wait in place for assignment to different units.
They would join the corresponding units when the army set off.
This large-scale mobilization made all the citizens recognize the reality.
Dayu was truly going to war...