Dayu Dynasty, Pei Prefecture.
After several months, Pei Prefecture finally welcomed the return of its Commander.
Countless Martial Artists and countless common people stood eagerly awaiting along both sides of the official road in Pei Prefecture City.
In front of the majestic and magnificent city gate, two rows of soldiers stood straight, holding long spears.
On the flat and wide official road outside the city, hundreds of Demon Slaying Division
Martial Artists rode their horses forward, their expressions stern and their presence imposing.
The sound of the hooves roared like thunder.
Li Xuanxiao felt quite helpless. They had clearly flown back the entire way; why did they have to stop outside the city and change horses to enter? Wasn't this completely unnecessary?
He disliked this kind of formalism, but he could roughly understand why they needed to do this.
A grand display could showcase the strength and might of Dayu's military, boosting the confidence of the military and the populace.
With a great war looming, morale and public sentiment were very important factors.
The procession finally entered the city, and immediately, drums sounded everywhere, and the areas along the city's main roads erupted in excitement.
Si Yiwu, as the Commander of a prefecture, was rarely seen by these ordinary Martial Artists and common people.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to catch a glimpse of the Commander's heroic bearing.
Of course, compared to Commander Si Yiwu, more people were actually there for Li Xuanxiao!
After all, the Commander came from a Martial Dao noble family in the Royal City, his background was lofty, naturally creating a sense of distance.
But Li Xuanxiao was different!
As a Genius Martial Artist who rose from a subordinate city, his background allowed many Martial Artists of ordinary origins to feel a greater sense of identification.
Li Xuanxiao's deeds during the Pei Prefecture turmoil—transforming into a rainbow to rescue countless cities—had inspired countless Martial Artists.
The fact that he later risked initiating the Eight Halls Rotation Battle in the Royal City, fighting the Royal City's elite Martial Artists just to immediately rebuild Pei Prefecture, demonstrated his selflessness.
This had become a topic of lively discussion among the people of Pei Prefecture during their leisure time.
This further elevated his standing in the hearts of the Pei Prefecture populace.
Whether Martial Artists or ordinary citizens, everyone was extremely curious and expectant of Lord Li, whom they had discussed thousands of times but never actually met in person.
After entering Pei Prefecture City, the group slowed their pace, and the horses changed from a gallop to a walk.
At the very front of the procession was the powerfully built Si Yiwu.
In his prime, he looked heroic and vigorous, and even the tall warhorse beneath him seemed to share in the glory, raising its head high.
The injury that cost him an arm did not diminish Si Yiwu's imposing aura; instead, it highlighted his heroism and tenacity.
Many Martial Artists looked upon him with expressions of respect and adoration.
As time passed, quite a few Martial Artists learned the inside story of what happened at the Pei Prefecture Demon Slaying Division.
The Commander's formidable strength in fighting several Demon Emperors of the Mystic Realm single-handedly, and his righteousness in sacrificing an arm to protect his subordinates.
Such a Martial Artist deserved our respect!
"Commander is mighty!"
"I also heard about the Demon Slaying Division incident. In that heart-stopping battle, the Commander single-handedly held off multiple Demon Emperors to protect his subordinates—truly fearless and selfless."
"The Commander's righteousness makes him a model for us Martial Artists!"
"Brave and fearless, only our Pei Prefecture Commander is such a person!"
Beside him, trailing by half a body length, was Li Xuanxiao, serving as the Deputy General.
Compared to Si Yiwu's heroic bearing and elevated posture, Li Xuanxiao appeared much more low-key.
He merely sat calmly atop his horse, following the procession without looking sideways.
But to be able to accompany the Commander at his side, it was genuinely difficult not to attract attention.
As people swept their gazes over the Commander, their eyes naturally fell upon Li Xuanxiao beside him. Immediately, everyone showed looks of surprise, marveling at Li Xuanxiao's youth.
"He looks barely over twenty, yet he can ride shoulder-to-shoulder with the Commander. Who on earth is this person?"
"Only those at the Deputy General level are qualified to accompany the Commander at his side..."
"Such a young Deputy General!? I haven't heard of anyone like this in Pei Prefecture!"
"Our Dayu truly has an abundance of talent! I wonder how this young Lord compares to our Pei Prefecture's Lord Li Xuanxiao?"
"Speaking of which, where is Lord Li Xuanxiao right now? A figure like him should be at the front of the procession, right?"
The men looked on with envy and astonishment, many secretly lamenting the gap between themselves and this young Martial Artist.
The women, however, had their eyes light up, revealing joyful smiles, their eyes glittering with admiration and curiosity for the young Deputy General.
Compared to the imposing middle-aged Commander, the spirited and handsome young man was clearly more likely to capture their attention.
"Wow! What a handsome Young Master!"
"Why am I suddenly feeling parched...?"
"Young Miss, Young Miss, watch yourself! You're about to drool!"
Most people in the crowd only knew Li Xuanxiao through word-of-mouth accounts of his deeds.
But there were also a few who had actually seen Li Xuanxiao in person!
Many people immediately recognized the young Deputy General as none other than Li Xuanxiao, Pei Prefecture's great hero!
Instantly, the crowd erupted.
"What!? He is Li Xuanxiao!"
"But I heard Lord Li Xuanxiao is a true Mystic Realm Martial Artist! How old does this Lord look?"
"It's absolutely correct! I was fortunate enough to witness Lord Li's heroic posture while slaying demons. To be honest, I was also shocked by his age back then."
"No wonder he can hold the position of Deputy General. I thought he was just some connected figure from the Royal City, but it turns out it's Lord Li Xuanxiao."
"That makes sense now. Only such a young prodigy is worthy of the Deputy General position!"
"With Lord Li Xuanxiao here, our Dayu's probability of victory has greatly increased!"
The crowd cheered enthusiastically, and the sound of their shouts for Li Xuanxiao was faintly higher than the previous wave calling for the Commander.
Si Yiwu clicked his tongue inwardly. As the Commander of a prefecture, how could he be less popular than this brat Li Xuanxiao?
He turned his head, glancing sideways at Li Xuanxiao. He saw the young man sitting straight, as if he hadn't heard anything, appearing utterly composed.
What a fine young man! Even in such a scene, he could remain expressionless and tranquil. Both his talent and Dao Heart were top-tier!
He recalled that when he was Li Xuanxiao's age, if he had been equally loved and respected, his tail would probably be sticking straight up into the sky.
However, what he didn't know was...
Although Li Xuanxiao appeared calm, his heart was far from peaceful.
His social anxiety was facing an unprecedented, massive challenge at this moment.
If he hadn't needed to save face for the Commander and the Demon Slaying Division, he would have immediately shot into the sky and fled from here.
Damn it, this is truly awkward.
He even considered dismounting, picking up his horse, and walking instead.
His expression was calm and collected, not because he didn't want to show any emotion.
It was purely because his face had gone numb...
He kept his gaze straight ahead because he was afraid that if his eyes met anyone else's, he wouldn't be able to maintain his composure.
It was agony.
Fortunately, the entrance to the Pei Prefecture Demon Slaying Division was right before his eyes.