My strength increases by one percent every day; I can destroy stars with my bare hands.

Looking at this group of hypocritical relatives, Mr. and Mrs. Li were furious.

If they hadn't refused to help, her son wouldn't have been forcibly taken away.

Now that they hear that Li Xuancang has become a squad leader, they are scrambling to curry favor with him. Their attitude is truly disgusting.

Li's father wanted to drive everyone away, but due to clan ties, he couldn't act directly and could only respond coldly.

The crowd sat around Li's parents, chatting warmly and praising Li Xuancang's success in every sentence.

He spoke of kinship and blood ties within the clan, subtly hinting at deeper meanings in his words.

"Brother, now that Xuan Cang has become a border sergeant, our entire Li clan is counting on you for our care."

"Yes, in these chaotic times, taxes are heavy and bandits and demons roam freely. If Xuan Cang could speak up and help our clan reduce some taxes and seek military protection, our entire clan would be grateful for his great kindness."

"We are all one family. Now that Xuan Cang has prospered, he should naturally share the good fortune with the clan. From now on, the clan will follow Xuan Cang's arrangements. I only ask that you, my nephew, can protect the clan."

"..."

Everyone kept talking about Li Xuancang, and no one was worried about him; they were only thinking about how to gain benefits from him.

They talked back and forth, their minds filled with the desire to use Li Xuancang's power to benefit their clan, completely forgetting how they had abandoned the Li family and stood by them in their time of need.

As Li's father listened to these words of flattery, his expression gradually turned cold, and he spoke in a deep voice.

"Xuan Cang fought bloody battles on the border, and every achievement he made was earned with his life. We cannot make decisions about his affairs."

Upon hearing this, the smiles on everyone's faces froze instantly.

Li's father disregarded everyone's emotions and said bluntly, "As for the clan, since they no longer recognized our branch, there's no need for them to come again."

With just one sentence, the elders and relatives of the Li clan were left speechless, their faces filled with embarrassment, and they were filled with regret.

Some people hated Li's father to the core, but dared not show it, and still wore smiles on their faces.

"Da Hai, the character 'Li' can't be written with one stroke. We're from the same clan, and even if our bones are broken, our tendons are still connected. What happened before is in the past, so don't hold a grudge."

"Yes, Dahai, Xuancang is a member of the Li clan. Now that he has made something of himself, he should take care of his clan."

"Ocean, you must be magnanimous!"

"..."

The elders, relying on their age and seniority, said things that made Li's parents tremble with anger, their eyes turning red.

"Get out! The Li family doesn't welcome you. Get out of here!"

Li's father completely lost his composure, pointing at everyone and cursing loudly, no longer caring about his fellow clansmen.

No one expected that Li's father would turn on them so suddenly, and everyone's faces darkened.

"Li Dahai, don't you dare to be so insolent!"

"Li Dahai, how dare you speak to the clan elders like that? Do you have any respect for the clan?"

"Li Dahai, are you trying to forget your roots?"

"..."

When soft tactics failed, the crowd resorted to hard tactics, attempting to force Li's father to comply using religious rituals and laws.

Li's father swept his cold, angry gaze across the crowd, and threatened them sharply.

"Get out of here, or I'll report you to the authorities and have you all thrown in jail."

Upon hearing this, those who had previously loudly rebuked Li's father all turned pale and trembled.

They were so angry that they forgot that the Li family was no longer what it used to be and was not someone they could afford to offend.

Given the Li family's current status and position, if the matter is reported to the authorities, the entire Li clan will be severely punished, if not killed.

"Da Hai, they speak without thinking, don't take it to heart."

"Ocean, we'll be going now, we'll come back to see you another day."

"Dahai, we're all members of the Li clan, please don't report this to the authorities!"

"..."

Everyone was sweating profusely and dared not utter another word of defiance, fleeing the Li family as if their lives depended on it.

The Li family's anger gradually subsided as they watched the crowd leave in a panic.

After leaving the Li family, the panic on everyone's faces gradually disappeared, replaced by resentment.

"You, Li Dahai, now that you've risen to prominence, you don't care about your clan anymore."

"Just wait! This kind of ungrateful scoundrel will surely be punished by heaven."

"The battlefield ahead is a fight to the death. When Li Xuancang dies on the battlefield, let's see how arrogant he can still be then!"

"..."

They failed to gain any advantage and instead left the group looking disheveled and embarrassed.

The crowd was furious and even cursed Li Xuancang, who was far away on the border.

Li Xuancang was completely unaware of what had happened in Qingxi Village; he was eagerly anticipating the arrival of the great battle.

"Thump, thump thump thump..."

As dawn broke and the sky began to lighten, a rapid and somber drumbeat resounded throughout the camp.

"Oh no, this is the rallying drum! Head to the training ground immediately!"

Upon hearing the drumbeats, all the soldiers, regardless of what they were doing, put down what they were doing, donned their armor, picked up their weapons, and quickly assembled at the training ground.

Li Xuancang also led his team and quickly arrived at the training ground.

Within moments, all three thousand soldiers and more than five thousand conscripts had assembled.

The atmosphere was somber; the air itself felt thick and heavy, creating an oppressive atmosphere.

"Barbarian invaders are attacking; the entire army is on high alert and will defend the passes to the death."

General Zhou Xingzhan, the commander of the army, stood on the command platform, clad in heavy armor, holding a command flag, his voice resounding throughout the entire camp.

He exuded a faint aura, his presence was astonishing.

"Is this the Qi Refining Realm?"

Li Xuancang stared intently at Zhou Xingzhan on the high platform, his ambition burning fiercely.

Given enough time, the Qi Refining Realm is not the end, nor is commanding thousands of officers the end.

"Come with me."

At Wang Xuanshan's command, he led five hundred soldiers from the lakeside post station away and quickly rushed to the defense line.

Li Xuancang clenched his fists, feeling a surge of excitement, and quickly entered the defensive line.

Before long, the barbarian army, a dark mass, covered the wasteland below the ridge.

The army numbered over ten thousand, stretching endlessly and densely packed, with no end in sight.

Battle flags fluttered in the wind, the roars of monsters and the howls of barbarians mingled together, and the murderous aura shook the heavens, pointing directly at the human army.

"The barbarians and the demons have joined forces; they are truly despicable."

"Two formidable enemies are colluding; we are in danger."

"This battle is likely to end badly, but we hope we can stop the barbarians' attack."

"..."

The defenders felt heavy-hearted as they watched the approaching barbarian army of tens of thousands and the monsters sandwiched among them.

The barbarians are fearless and the monsters are even more ferocious; they are all great enemies of the human race.

Now that they're in cahoots, this battle will be very difficult.

Zhou Xingzhan stood at the forefront of the defensive line, holding a long spear, his cold gaze fixed on the approaching army, his face showing no sign of panic.

Beside him were ten powerful centurions, each at the Blood Condensation Realm.

Wang Xuanshan and other commanders at the Bone Forging Realm were stationed in their respective areas, leading their troops in battle.

As everyone looked at Zhou Xingzhan, who stood firmly on the battlefield, their fear and anxiety gradually faded. It was as if with Zhou Xingzhan there, they would not be defeated.

All three thousand defenders were mobilized, arrayed at passes, city walls, and mountain passes, with swords and spears ready and arrows nocked.

Every soldier had a solemn expression; they knew that today was a battle to the death.

The 5,000 conscripts trembled with fear; some could barely hold their weapons.

They were all ordinary people who had been arrested for failing to pay their taxes. They had never seen such a scene before, and they were all terrified, their hearts trembling.