Chapter 465: The Return of Chong Er
Li Hao nodded. Since the other party was unwilling to share more, he didn't press further—he wasn't particularly interested anyway.
As the group approached the registration officer, each person stepped forward to register their name and background. Soon, it was Huo Xiaoqi's and Li Hao's turn.
"Name, origin, cultivation level."
The officer pulled out an identification token and asked.
Huo Xiaoqi recited his details as if he had done this countless times before:
"Huo Xiaoqi, from Yuying County, Jinkong Continent, current cultivation: True Immortal Stage Eight."
As he spoke, he unleashed his aura, revealing his cultivation realm.
The officer nodded slightly, used Immortal Dao laws to engrave the information onto the identification token, and tossed it to him.
"This item is your identity proof—you must not lose it. Without it, you won't be able to enter the city."
"Additionally, some battle formations in the field attack indiscriminately across specific areas. Wearing this will mark you as an ally, preventing friendly fire. You need to imprint your primordial spirit mark on it. If someone else tries to forcibly invade and steal your mark, the token will self-destruct."
Huo Xiaoqi nodded, took the token, and stepped aside.
"Name."
When Li Hao stepped forward, the officer pulled out another blank token.
After a moment of thought, Li Hao followed Huo Xiaoqi's lead and reported:
"Chong Er, from Wenxin Futuo City, current cultivation: True Immortal Stage Three."
Upon hearing Li Hao's words, the officer glanced at him but didn't question his name or origin. To the Wildfire Battalion, these details weren't particularly important.
"You're only at True Immortal Stage Three—what made you think about enlisting?"
The officer raised an eyebrow.
Li Hao straightened his posture, his expression serious, and replied:
"I want to slay demons."
The officer held his gaze for three seconds, then nodded slightly and said,
"Bravery is commendable—not bad. I hope you can survive in the Wildfire Battalion. If you manage to earn merit and bring back three Ancient Demon heads within three years, come find me. I'll make you one of my personal soldiers."
Li Hao was slightly surprised and bowed, saying,
"Thank you."
Although he wasn't planning to climb the military ranks, he still appreciated the gesture.
"Go now."
The officer waved him off, and a black-armored soldier stepped forward to lead Li Hao and the others toward the Wildfire Battalion's base.
As they walked, Li Hao and the rest saw numerous soldiers in different battle armor.
The official army units had uniform armor, clearly identifying their respective divisions. Soldiers with wolf-head engravings on their shoulder plates belonged to the Sky Wolf Army. Even within the Sky Wolf Army, different units had distinct patterns on their shoulder armor, allowing those familiar with the system to immediately identify their affiliations.
"This is the Wildfire Battalion. First, follow him to collect your gear, then go report in."
The soldier leading them gestured forward.
In front of them stood a vast military compound, but unlike the regular army, the Wildfire Battalion's soldiers wore mismatched battle armor—each person's gear varied.
However, they all shared a common shoulder insignia—a True Treasure emblem that, when activated, could emit a special glow, slightly enhancing one's Immortal energy.
On the battlefield, this insignia also helped distinguish them from enemies and allies.
A senior soldier stepped forward and led them to claim their shoulder insignia.
"There are no weapons or armor provided here. If you want them, you'll need to exchange merit points. Once you join the Sky Wolf Army, you'll be given a Sky Wolf Battle Armor—a top-tier True Treasure, capable of withstanding attacks from Ancient Demons below True Immortal Stage Seven."
The Wildfire Battalion's squad leader explained before leading them to a military building.
"This is the Yinglong Guard Battalion of the Wildfire Battalion. Commander Shi Tianjin is waiting inside."
The guide waved them inside.
Li Hao and Huo Xiaoqi exchanged glances before following the others into the compound.
Inside, numerous training areas were visible—each one shrouded in barrier formations, where figures could be seen sparring or practicing their weapons.
In the main hall, a burly middle-aged man in heavy Sky Wolf Battle Armor sat at a banquet table, drinking and eating without restraint.
Hearing footsteps, he looked up, spotting Li Hao and the others.
"A new batch of recruits?"
The man pressed his wine gourd onto the table, his eyes slightly hazy from alcohol, and gave them a scrutinizing glare.
The recruits hesitated, some feeling nervous and choosing to remain silent.
Huo Xiaoqi stepped forward and responded,
"Yes."
"Oh, True Immortal Stage Eight—not bad."
Noticing Huo Xiaoqi's cultivation level, the commander's initially fierce expression relaxed, and he even smiled.
"Alright, everyone, stop what you're doing. We've got new brothers joining us—come and welcome them!"
His booming voice echoed throughout the training grounds, shaking the barrier formations.
Immediately, the figures inside the formations paused their training and began gathering in the main hall.
A total of seven or eight soldiers assembled, their weapons still in hand.
"Oh? A True Immortal Stage Eight? That's promising."
"There are also two at True Immortal Stage Seven—not bad, not bad."
These soldiers, though casually chatting, exuded a naturally fierce aura—these were battle-hardened warriors.
Seeing Li Hao, someone in the crowd frowned and said, "Why is there a True Immortal Stage Three among us? Without at least True Immortal Stage Five, how does he expect to survive on the battlefield?"
Aside from Li Hao, the lowest cultivation level among the others was True Immortal Stage Five.
Shi Tianjin also noticed Li Hao's cultivation realm, and the smile that had just surfaced on his face instantly faded. He seemed to sneer coldly, then tilted his head back and gulped down the remaining wine in his cup before rising to his feet.
"Since you've all come to my Yinglong Guard Battalion, you'll have to follow my orders. If you perform well, I can recommend you for the Sky Wolf Army. But first, you need to survive here!"
"As long as you listen to me, I can guarantee you'll live a little longer. But if you act on your own in battle, don't blame me when you die!"
His tiger-like gaze swept over the recruits, exuding a terrifying aura.
Aside from Li Hao and Huo Xiaoqi, the others all had a change in expression, some looking visibly uneasy.
"Don't worry, I meant what I said—I'll cover you."
Huo Xiaoqi sent Li Hao a transmission in secret, reassuring him.
Li Hao responded calmly, "Thank you."
"The vacant residences are over there. Choose one for yourself. Normally, there aren't many strict rules here, but do not leave the city without permission, and do not cause trouble. If you offend someone you shouldn't, you'll regret it. When battle comes, stay in formation and don't retreat."
Shi Tianjin waved them off, then sat back down, continuing to drink.
Li Hao caught a whiff of his cheap wine and rough food, but quickly turned away—after being accustomed to fine cuisine, these coarse meals were difficult for him to stomach.
"Come on, let's pick rooms next to each other."
Huo Xiaoqi nudged Li Hao, clearly fond of him and wanting to look after him.
Li Hao didn't refuse and followed him to the back of the barracks, where a row of individual courtyard residences stood. The two of them chose neighboring courtyards.
"Oh, right. If there are leftover belongings in the courtyard, deal with them yourself. You can throw them away if you want."
Shi Tianjin's voice echoed from the front yard.
Li Hao entered his assigned courtyard and noticed that it still had a set of female clothing and bedding, with a noticeable lingering scent—clearly, they had been used recently.
His eyes flickered, but he didn't ask any questions. There was only one likely explanation—the previous occupant was already dead.
"Come on, let's go check out the city."
Huo Xiaoqi had already inspected his own courtyard and, feeling satisfied, arrived at Li Hao's door with an invitation.
Since Li Hao had nothing else to do and was also curious about the place, he agreed.
After they left, a few veteran soldiers who were resting glanced at Shi Tianjin.
"Commander, that True Immortal Stage Three kid—shouldn't we just kick him out? He's only here to die. If we take him along, he might drag us down."
"Yeah, what if he pisses himself the moment the battle starts?"
Shi Tianjin bit off a chunk of dragon sinew and said, "It's fine. Just ignore him on the battlefield. Kids like that don't survive their first war anyway."
The other veterans exchanged glances but didn't argue further.
They all knew—once you stepped into this city, there was no turning back. If they kicked him out, no other battalion would take him in.
"That area over there looks like the camps for sect disciples."
"Let's go take a look."
Huo Xiaoqi led Li Hao out of the Wildfire Battalion's quarters and toward another part of the city.
His familiarity with the place was subtle yet noticeable, though he tried to hide it.
Li Hao didn't expose him and simply followed along.
Before long, they arrived in front of a towering complex of spires.
Above them, enormous golden rankings hovered in the sky, radiating a brilliant glow.
Li Hao glanced up and saw that these were sect-exclusive merit rankings.
Wan Shan Sword Pavilion Merit Ranking.
Star Hall Merit Ranking.
Illusory Sea Sect Merit Ranking.
...
Great Dream Nine Abyss Merit Ranking.
Among them, Li Hao even spotted his own sect's ranking.
Surprisingly, the top name wasn't Ji Qingxuan, but someone named Zhuang Wuyou.
Ji Qingxuan was ranked fourth!
Considering Ji Qingxuan had just broken into the top 100 on the total merit ranking, this meant the top three from Great Dream Nine Abyss were all even more powerful figures.
Li Hao had heard that even sect elders occasionally came here to earn merit—not just disciples.
Some Earth-grade sects even had their sect masters personally leading missions here.
However, such cases were rare. After all, war was unpredictable—if a sect master fell, it would be a devastating blow to the entire sect.
Moreover, if other factions learned that a sect leader was at the border, they might launch an attack on their sect's headquarters, so caution was necessary.
Huo Xiaoqi's gaze scanned the various merit rankings, but Li Hao keenly noticed that his longest pause was at the Illusory Sea Sect's Merit Ranking.
There was also a subtle glimmer in his eyes, like he was gathering determination.
Li Hao immediately understood.
The Illusory Sea Sect was one of the Five Heavenly Sects, ranked on the same level as Wan Shan Sword Pavilion.
"The foundation of the Five Heavenly Sects in accumulating merit points is truly unmatched. Every single one of them has over a million merit points!"
Huo Xiaoqi sighed in admiration.
On the sect merit rankings, only the top one hundred names were displayed, but below the rankings, the total sect merit points were listed, each one surpassing a million.
Among the Second Heavenly Sects, the highest-ranking had only around seven hundred thousand merit points.
The Third Heavenly Sects were even lower, with only around five hundred thousand merit points.
Meanwhile, Great Dream Nine Abyss, as one of the strongest among the Fourth Heavenly Sects, had also accumulated nearly five hundred thousand merit points!
"Let's go."
After scanning through the rankings, Huo Xiaoqi turned and left.
Li Hao took one last glance but didn't dwell on it. He had come here undercover, not planning to reveal his identity or reunite with Ji Qingxuan and the others. Otherwise, they would definitely assign people to protect him, which would only hinder his ability to hunt ancient fiends freely.
BOOM!
As Li Hao and Huo Xiaoqi were heading back, a massive bell chime suddenly rang above Qinghe Desolate City, shaking the entire sky.
The sound originated from beyond the Nine Heavens, yet it resonated throughout the entire city.
In the next moment, all around them, people who were previously strolling leisurely, bargaining at market stalls, or engaged in idle conversation suddenly froze, their expressions changing dramatically.
Almost instantly, soldiers clad in armor from various battalions rushed toward their respective camps, moving with extreme urgency.
"It's an enemy assault! The ancient fiends are invading again!"
"Move! Move!"
BOOM!
As countless soldiers sprinted through the streets, a second bell chime echoed through the sky.
This time, the troops moved even faster, their formations turning into rivers of armor surging toward the battlefront.
"It's two chimes—a Disaster-Class Assault!"
In an instant, the streets emptied, as if all idle warriors had vanished.
Li Hao and Huo Xiaoqi exchanged glances, then quickly hurried back to Yinglong Guard Battalion.
By the time they arrived, the others had already assembled.
Seeing them return, Shi Tianjin's expression darkened. He had just been about to berate them but, after glancing at Huo Xiaoqi, he held his tongue. As for Li Hao, someone who was doomed to die soon anyway, wasting words on him would be pointless.
Once they had taken their places, Shi Tianjin spoke in a deep, solemn tone:
"This is a Disaster-Class Assault. The enemy incursions are divided into four levels—Evil-Class, Disaster-Class, Heaven-Class, and Desolation-Class!"
"For Evil-Class Assaults, the Sky Wolf Army is usually deployed. Disaster-Class Assaults require the Tiger-Lion Army as the main force. Heaven-Class Assaults—those happen once in a thousand years and turn into massacres where both Dragon Battle Army and Peacock Army must join the fray!"
His gaze grew even more serious as he scanned the gathered warriors.
"As for Desolation-Class… don't even ask, and don't even think about it. In a war of that magnitude, Wildfire Battalion would be nothing but cannon fodder, and even the Sky Wolf Army might be completely annihilated."
Hearing this, the recruits' expressions changed. Li Hao and Huo Xiaoqi simply grew more solemn.
"Look up."
Shi Tianjin suddenly raised his head.
Everyone instinctively followed his gaze, and far in the distance, they saw shadows streaking across the sky—a vast, black tide, rapidly filling the horizon.
In the blink of an eye, the sky darkened, as if a massive storm cloud had descended.
Yet upon closer inspection, this was no mere cloud—it was a colossal army, their armor gleaming with a dark golden luster, their bodies exuding overwhelming martial dominance.
"The Tiger-Lion Army has entered the battle."
Shi Tianjin's eyes narrowed, deep within them a flicker of awe and yearning. He himself belonged to the Sky Wolf Army, stationed here as commander of the Wildfire Battalion. If he could lead Wildfire Battalion to earn ten Level-100 Merits, he could apply to join the Tiger-Lion Army—where higher ranks, better treatment, and greater strength awaited.
The Tiger-Lion Army's shadow loomed over the city for a dozen seconds, a black storm of steel before finally disappearing over the horizon.
Not long after, another wave of warriors surged through the city—but this time, brilliant lights of various colors streaked across the sky, with each sect's signature weapons on full display.
Among them, a colossal floating sword was unmistakable—Wan Shan Sword Pavilion.
A brilliant path of starlight shimmered, agile and elegant—Star Hall.
Li Hao's gaze shifted, and among them, he spotted Great Dream Nine Abyss's battle banner, dozens of feet tall, fluttering majestically in the wind.
Within the ranks, he saw familiar faces—Ji Qingxuan, Wei Hongye, Lu Wuchen—and even Lin Yufeng, standing among the Spear Abyss disciples.
At this moment, they all bore solemn expressions, fixated on the battlefield ahead. None of them glanced down, and none noticed the young figure watching them from below.
"The sect disciples are entering battle too."
"It's our turn. Get ready!"
Shi Tianjin's eyes burned with battle fervor, his True Immortal Stage Ten cultivation now fully unleashed.
As the sect disciples soared into the distance, the warriors of Wildfire Battalion also launched into the air—countless figures ascending like blazing sparks, illuminating the vast battlefield like a sea of scattered fire.
"Follow me to war—earn immortal merits!"
Shi Tianjin let out a thunderous battle cry, and with a burst of divine energy, he led the charge into the sky.