Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 330

Volume 3 - Chapter 61: The Xia Family’s Invitation - Part 1

Youzhou City, Xia Family Divine General Mansion.

In the East Pavilion courtyard, a noblewoman sat gracefully in the main hall.

She appeared to be in her forties, yet her skin was as smooth and radiant as polished jade, even surpassing that of a young maiden. Dressed in luxurious attire, she seemed like a stunning figure stepped out of a painting, exuding both elegance and nobility.

This woman was not merely a lady of the house but Xia Linglong, the current head of the Xia Family and a former True Dragon.

She had pledged never to marry, a vow that allowed her to qualify for competing for the True Dragon title. Coupled with her extraordinary talent, it was said she was the most gifted individual in the Xia Family in centuries.

At twenty, she stepped into the Three Immortals Realm. Although she fell short of matching the Li Family’s prodigy who reached the Immortal Realm at nineteen a decade ago, her achievements were once brilliant enough to garner fame throughout the world, making her a household name.

When she assumed leadership of the Xia Family, various demon and monster factions sought to exploit her gender, mocking the Xia Family’s decline and weakness. They caused unrest across other major provinces under the Xia Family’s jurisdiction, leaving the people in despair.

However, Xia Linglong took swift and decisive action after ascending to power. Using thunderous methods, she personally led armies into battle, repelling and slaying the invaders.

In many campaigns, she donned armor on the front lines, her hands stained with the blood of countless demons. Upon returning, she would change into colorful robes, adorned with makeup, partaking in refined pursuits like a noblewoman appreciating flowers and tea.

Yet, while others of her status would read books such as Discussions on Women or Studies in Household Management, the texts in her hands were military treatises, tactical manuals, and maps of demon territories.

Half a month ago, the demon forces of Gluttony Valley, which had been encircling the River of Death in the border region of Liang Province, suddenly shifted their offensive toward the Xia Family’s Youzhou. Caught off guard, the Eastern defensive line was breached under the personal command of Gluttony Valley’s Valley Master. Now, half of eastern Youzhou had fallen.

Over thirty cities and countless surrounding villages and towns were burned or destroyed, with death tolls and displaced populations ranging between four to five million per city, some exceeding ten million.

The devastation inflicted upon their home province had left Xia Linglong sleepless for days. Recently, the Valley Master of Gluttony Valley had even launched a direct attack on the Divine General Mansion but was repelled by several Absolute Technique Realm elders of the Xia Family working together.

This clash revealed the Valley Master’s alarming strength. While not yet in the Dao Realm, his prowess in the Absolute Technique Realm made him nearly unmatched. His blood and flesh were so refined that his body rivaled top-tier divine weapons, drastically reducing the effectiveness of even the most advanced Absolute Techniques against him.

Fortunately, the Valley Master had not yet reached the Grand Void Realm, as he had only risen as a Great Demon King five hundred years ago. Otherwise, the Xia Family would have faced an unparalleled disaster, needing to deploy their most potent ancestral resources to withstand the threat.

Even so, the Xia Family was already in dire straits.

“The Eastern battlefield has sent news. Xia Changkong reports that the second defensive line cannot hold and that they must retreat to the Ming River area and activate the third defensive line there.”

An elder clad in armor, ready to march into battle at any moment, spoke gravely in the main hall. His sharp gaze fell upon Xia Linglong, who, though a woman, commanded immense respect and awe within the Xia Family.

“Family Head, allow me to join the battle and assist Changkong in holding the line!”

The elder’s eagle-like eyes gleamed as he declared resolutely, “If the third defensive line falls, I will fight Gluttony Valley to the death!”

The others in the hall looked alarmed, hesitating to speak, torn between discouraging him and recognizing the weight of their duty. As part of the Divine General Mansion, protecting their homeland had always been their mission. Many of their kin had already perished on the front lines.

“Bloodshed is the final recourse, not the goal.”

Xia Linglong’s voice broke the silence, her autumn-water eyes devoid of their usual gentleness, now as cold as frost.

“If the Valley Master of Gluttony Valley personally acts, even the third defensive line may not hold. The disparity in power between our forces is too great, especially in terms of peak combat strength. Moreover, we must guard against other demon factions potentially taking advantage of the chaos. Until the situation becomes clearer, we cannot recklessly put all our eggs in one basket.”

The elder’s expression shifted slightly, but he refrained from questioning her. Instead, he awaited her next words.

After a brief pause, Xia Linglong’s gaze sharpened as she spoke in a low tone:

“We’ll use the third defensive line as a decoy to lure the Valley Master into Cang Ridge. There lies an ancestral array buried by our forebears. With its power, we’ll trap the Valley Master. Then, we’ll counterattack the front lines, annihilate the demon forces, and finally engage the Valley Master in battle. This time, I plan to deploy the ancestral sacred treasure!”

Her words caused the elder’s face to change, and the others’ pupils constricted in shock.

It was clear to all present how resolute their Family Head was.

“But if the third defensive line falls, we’ll lose over ten more cities...” the elder murmured hesitantly.

Xia Linglong met his gaze and replied firmly, “I’ve already ordered Uncle Seven to lead an army of 100,000 to evacuate the civilians from those cities. Only a small garrison remains. If the cities fall, so be it. As long as the people survive, the Xia Family will send troops to rebuild once the war ends.”

“All evacuated?” the elder asked.

Xia Linglong fell silent briefly before replying, “Not entirely. But severing a limb in time will save more lives. We have no other choice.”

The crowd remained quiet. The elder, too, fell into silence. He knew his niece to be sharp and strategic. If she had not devised a better solution, it meant that none existed.

“The call for reinforcements has been sent to Dayu Province, but reports suggest that even outside the imperial capital, demon forces have entrenched themselves, making aid impossible. Since the battle at Liang Province—or rather, over the past few decades of frequent demon attacks, which have largely targeted the territories under the Li Family’s control, nearly severing their lineage—I have suspected that these demons are scheming something grand.”

Xia Linglong took a deep breath, her expression icy.

“The battle in Liang Province was only the beginning. Thankfully, it was defended by that young hero. Otherwise, given Liang Province’s geography, its loss would have made Youzhou next, followed by invasions into other provinces along the rivers. It would have been catastrophic!”

“The demons’ swift assault failed, their momentum shattered in one strike. Now, they’re shifting their strategy, attempting to carve a breach through Youzhou. But this is only the beginning. His Majesty must be aware of this as well. Yet, reinforcements have been slow to arrive. If my suspicions are correct, Youzhou is not the true target of the demons. Their sights may very well be set on the imperial capital...”

“Now, it’s a matter of who moves first, and who loses patience.”

“In the meantime, we can only rely on ourselves!”

Her resolute tone left everyone in the room heavy-hearted. They realized that the millennium of peace enjoyed under the Dayu Divine Dynasty had come to an end.

As members of the Divine General Mansion, accustomed to receiving border war reports over the years, they had long harbored such premonitions. They had also observed the waning deterrent power of the Dayu Divine Dynasty against the demons, while the latter grew increasingly audacious.

This battle was inevitable, but none had expected it to arrive so soon.

“In times of chaos, heroes rise. The emergence of that young hero already signifies the arrival of a chaotic era...” someone sighed softly.

“I will head to Cang Ridge first and prepare the array,” the elder said to Xia Linglong.

Xia Linglong nodded. “I’ll leave it to you, Uncle Four.”

“There’s no need to thank me for slaying demons. Don’t insult me,” the elder replied with a cold snort.

Xia Linglong’s frosty demeanor softened slightly as she responded, “That was my mistake.”

The elder waved dismissively and prepared to leave. Suddenly, a streak of light shot through the air like an arrow, landing within the Divine General Mansion.

The elder immediately sensed its presence. His expression shifted as he raised a hand to retrieve the urgent Xia Family transmission.

“Liyang?”

Upon seeing the word on the message’s exterior, his expression grew graver. “A message from Liyang!”

Xia Linglong’s expression turned sharp. “Has Liyang fallen so quickly?”

The elder pushed the message toward her.

Xia Linglong opened it and swiftly scanned the contents. Her initially tense expression froze momentarily.

“Liyang has fallen?”

“Is it a collapse or a call for aid?”

Hearing that it was a message from Liyang, everyone’s hearts sank. If the northwest also fell, the demons would mount a two-pronged attack against Youzhou.

After finishing the letter, Xia Linglong looked up at the elder.

His gaze held a question.

But Xia Linglong’s eyes suddenly gleamed with a rare brilliance as she said, “Liyang is safe!”

“They held their ground?”

“Wasn’t their supply line severed? With their provisions cut off, the demons were likely planning a siege. They should have been stalling for time.”

Everyone was stunned, then their faces lit up with surprise.

Amidst the torrent of war reports, they had finally heard some good news.

“Could it be that my son, Xia Yuanming, broke through at the critical moment?”

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