Chapter 312: Chapter 63: Reinforcements, Haotian Flag (Third Update)
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“Hmm?”
Li Hao was eating a baozi when he suddenly felt the taste was familiar, as if he had eaten it somewhere before.
He looked up and found the old vendor at the tea stall somewhat familiar, suddenly recalling that this was the tea stall owner he had encountered on his way to Qi State to slay demons.
“Is it you?”
Li Hao looked at the other person in surprise.
“Hmm?”
The old vendor at the tea stall looked at Li Hao with confusion.
Li Hao focused his gaze on the vendor, sensing his aura, only to find he was just an ordinary person.
“Boss, weren’t you setting up your stall in Qi State before?” Li Hao asked.
The old vendor looked at Li Hao in surprise and said, “You know this old man?”
“When I passed by before, I even learned how to make baozi from you,” Li Hao said.
Hearing Li Hao’s words, the old vendor seemed to recall as well and said suddenly:
“So it’s you, what are you doing here?”
“I should ask you the same, why are you here? Haven’t you been setting up your stall in Qi State for many years?”
“Isn’t it because some martial youths said business was good over here, they are all rushing this way, so I thought I might as well bring this old man and move over here.”
The old vendor laughed and said, “And sure enough, business is indeed much better here, look.”
As they were speaking, a few young men dressed in brocade clothes rode on horses from outside Dragon Pass Road, and seeing the tea stall, they dismounted from their horses.
“Old man, some tea!”
“That’s rude to call someone like that, you should call him boss.”
“Hey, you are too particular about these things, we are people of Jianghu now, calling him old man makes us look bold.”
“My dad said that when you are out and about, don’t mistake rudeness for boldness, or you’ll end up getting beaten up.”
“Wow, you even made it rhyme.”
The young men casually sat down to chat and laugh, glancing over at Li Hao, who seemed to be about their age, assuming he was just another guy who came to experience Cangya City.
“Here you go.”
The old vendor greeted them cheerfully, handed them a pot of hot tea, and said, “We also have some baozi snacks, would you like some?”
“Sure, a portion for each of us.”
“Alright.”
The old vendor replied with a smile.
He turned back to his stall to get busy, while speaking to Li Hao: “Young hero, are you here in Cangya City to join the fun?”
“I live here.”
Li Hao, sipping tea and eating baozi, asked, “From Qi State to here is a long journey, did you come by yourself? It’s quite a difficult road to travel.”
The young men at the next table were surprised to hear Li Hao and immediately looked over, with a rather forward youth speaking excitedly:
“Brother, you live here? Did you just buy a place or join the army?”
“Brother, have you seen Marshal Haotian?”
“The road is indeed long; if it’s hard to travel, just go slowly,” the old vendor said with a smile. “As long as you get to where you want to go, being slow is also scenery.”
Li Hao was interrupted by these youths and took another look at the tea stall owner. Although he felt something was odd, coincidences are common in this world, and perhaps it was just his own overthinking.
“Boss, I should get going.”
Li Hao finished his meal and got up to tell the owner.
He then turned to the young men and said with a smile, “This area can be quite dangerous, you might be better off going somewhere else to have fun.”
“How so…”
The youths, seeing his mature behavior and being of an age when blood runs hot, immediately felt challenged. They were about to argue when they saw Li Hao step into the air and disappear outside the tea stall.
Flight.
The mark of the Fifteen Li Realm!
The words at the tip of the young men’s tongues suddenly fell silent.
This fellow who seemed their age was actually of the Fifteen Li Realm!
But soon, they looked at each other with excitement.
They had heard that many were flocking to Cangya City, where countless talents wished to challenge the legendary youth. It seemed indeed to be true.
Talents could be found everywhere here!
“Brothers, let’s eat quickly, we’ll go too.”
The young men suddenly became swift in their actions.
“What a bunch of impatient lads…”
Seeing this, the old vendor shook his head with a smile.
…
…
Li Hao quietly returned to Cangya City and went back to the walled courtyard.
The patrolling Grandmasters who saw Li Hao immediately saluted, and Li Hao waved them to continue.
Ren Qianqian was practicing in the courtyard; hearing the noise, she opened her eyes to look, and upon seeing Li Hao, she immediately stopped and ran over.
“Young master, you’re back.”
“Yes, has there been any news lately?”
“There’s been nothing here,” Ren Qianqian replied, “but this morning, Elder Hongzhuang received a military report, I’m not sure of the details.”
Li Hao remembered the strict patrols at the city gate when he entered and his expression shifted subtly. He turned to Ren Qianqian and said:
“Find me some clean clothes. I’ll go ask.”
“Okay,” Ren Qianqian nodded.
Li Hao released his Divine Soul to explore the entire city and quickly located Li Hongzhuang’s presence.
His figure flickered, and he vanished from the courtyard, appearing at the residence of Marshal Li Hongzhuang.
Li Hongzhuang was concentrating on her sword practice when she suddenly sensed something, looked up, and upon seeing Li Hao appearing like a gust of wind, she relaxed and said:
“Hao Er, you’re back? From Tianji Tower here, even at the fastest, it would normally take six or seven days, right?”
“Yes, I’ve just returned.”
Li Hao sat down on a nearby chair, saw a plate of snacks, picked one up and tossed it into his mouth, and asked:
“I heard from Qianqian there’s a military report; I noticed the soldiers seemed to be on alert when I came back, is something happening?”
“The demons previously roaming around Liangzhou Territory are indeed feigning a retreat; now they are rallying at Liangzhou’s western border, preparing to attack,” Li Hongzhuang said, frowning as she mentioned the matter, “It’s intelligence from my fifth brother, spotted last night. A military report was delivered this morning at full gallop.”
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