Having dealt with the Cloaker of the Earth Clan, the Demon Clan army on the other side had already surged forward, and Sheng Lingxin unhesitatingly ordered Long Haochen to continue circling back.

They only needed to rush back a short distance of about a thousand meters to enter the protection range of the Exorcist Pass.

Although this attack had failed, it had also eliminated many Demons, buying the Exorcist Pass some time. As long as the losses weren’t too great, Sheng Lingxin could accept it.

Just as Long Haochen, riding Haoyue, had finally turned around and put away the Sun’s Fire, an extraordinary scene unfolded, shaking everyone.

Right on their path back, three enormous pillars of light suddenly shot into the sky.

Each pillar of light was over thirty meters in diameter. Under the dark night sky, these three hundred-meter-tall pillars were incredibly conspicuous.

The three pillars were different colors. The one in the center was fiery red, while the two on the sides were black and azure, respectively.

Vaguely visible within these three massive pillars seemed to be actual giant columns, engraved with countless exquisite yet strange patterns. At least, Long Haochen had never seen anything like them before.

All three giant pillars exuded an intense aura of pressure, blocking their path like an insurmountable chasm in front of the Radiant Angel Knight Order.

The situation Sheng Lingxin had most feared had ultimately occurred. Clearly, the Demons had already laid a trap, waiting for the Radiant Angel Knight Order to come out. This trap wasn’t particularly clever, just a matter of sitting and waiting for the rabbit. But the Radiant Angel Knight Order had always been a significant threat to the Demons, and as the military commander of the Exorcist Pass, Sheng Lingxin couldn’t possibly avoid mobilizing this force to join the battle.

After all, the knights’ battlefield was on the plains, not defending the city. In the end, they were successfully caught in the enemy’s trap.

Sheng Lingxin took a deep breath, and his entire being seemed to enter a strange state. Long Haochen clearly felt that the military commander behind him seemed to become ethereal, even more elusive than before.

“Long Haochen, you should know Long Xingyu, right?” At this moment, Sheng Lingxin actually asked Long Haochen this question.

“Huh?” Long Haochen was shocked.

Sheng Lingxin smiled slightly, saying, “I never expected I’d meet Brother Long’s descendant. You don’t have to deny it. The Dou Sha Xuan Yuan Sword skill was created by Brother Long himself. If he didn’t teach it, who else could learn it? In this world, as far as I know, only three people know this skill. One is naturally Brother Long himself, and the other is you.”

Here, he paused for a moment before slowly continuing with a voice filled with emotion, “And the last one is me.”

Long Haochen turned to look at Sheng Lingxin. He suddenly realized that the expression on the military commander’s face was very gentle, and his gaze towards him no longer held the slightest edge.

“Commander, you…”

Sheng Lingxin’s smile didn’t fade, “I used to be Brother Long’s little follower, his most loyal supporter. He was my idol. In my heart, Brother Long’s position even surpassed my grandfather’s. I never thought I’d see Brother Long’s Dou Sha Xuan Yuan Sword again on the battlefield today. Is he doing well?”

Long Haochen gently shook his head, saying, “I haven’t seen my father in a long time either.”

“Father? You really are his son. Haha, good, very good. It seems Cai’er really has a good eye.” Sheng Lingxin laughed heartily. Not far away were those three strange, gigantic pillars of light, but at this moment, he could still laugh.

“Commander, what’s wrong?” Long Haochen felt a faint sense of unease rising in his heart, and it was getting stronger and stronger.

Sheng Lingxin calmly said, “It’s nothing, just remembering some things from the past. Do these Demon brats think they can destroy my Radiant Angel Knight Order like this? It’s laughable. Later, don’t attack. Just ride your mount to the left. Your strength won’t attract their attention. I will deal with the enemies myself.”

“Yes, Commander. What are those three pillars of light?” Long Haochen accepted Sheng Lingxin’s order while also curiously asking.

Sheng Lingxin answered irrelevantly, “Is this your first time on the battlefield?”

Long Haochen nodded subconsciously.

Sheng Lingxin smiled slightly, and a strange look appeared on his handsome face, “You’re really lucky. Your first time on the battlefield and you get to face the pinnacle of the Demon Clan. You’ve heard of the seventy-two Pillar Demon Gods, right? Those are three of them.”

Long Haochen stared back at him in disbelief. He really wanted to ask the seventh-tier peak military commander, who hadn’t yet reached the eighth tier, why he could still laugh. According to Long Haochen’s knowledge, even the weakest of the seventy-two Pillar Demon Gods was an eighth-tier peak powerhouse.

At this moment, Sheng Lingxin raised his hand again, and a ball of light shot into the air, and the halo spread, forming a dazzling large flower in the air.

Long Haochen now understood that in the darkness, this was Sheng Lingxin’s way of issuing orders to the Radiant Angel Knight Order.

Sure enough, as the halo spread, the Radiant Angel Knight Order following them slowed down sharply and quickly rearranged their formation, changing from the previous charging cone formation to a defensive circular formation in a very short time. All the Radiant Angel Knights faced outward, and no longer moved as a whole, retracting their formation to assume a complete defensive posture.

Long Haochen hadn’t yet recovered from the shock of the seventy-two Pillar Demon Gods that Sheng Lingxin had spoken of. He had heard of the existence of the seventy-two Pillar Demon Gods since he was very young. It was because of the descent of those seventy-two Demon God Pillars, more than six thousand years ago, that the continent was brought from the glorious era to the dark era.

Looking at those three giant pillars that seemed to connect the sky and the earth, he couldn’t help but feel how small he was.

“Stop.” Sheng Lingxin ordered.

Long Haochen quickly had Haoyue stop. At this time, those three giant pillars of light began to move, seemingly slowly, but actually swiftly approaching.

With a flash, Sheng Lingxin had already landed in front, looking back at Long Haochen. The smile on his face seemed to have become much warmer, “Remember my words, go back around from the left. Your strength won’t attract their attention. Take good care of Cai’er in the future. You are Brother Long’s son, so I can rest assured. She’s my only daughter.”

He is Cai’er’s father?

In an instant, Long Haochen finally understood why he had followed Sheng Lingxin to the battlefield. It turned out he was Cai’er’s father, the husband of the Mage Corps Commander, Lan Yanyu. No wonder his attitude towards him was so cold before, but now, he had recognized him because of his father.

Sheng Lingxin just simply explained this and then slowly went forward, facing those three gigantic pillars of light. A faint gray airflow began to condense on his body, and his entire being became as transparent as a gray crystal. A pair of gray folded wings, much smaller than the wings formed by a Radiant Knight, slowly unfolded from behind him and then retracted, clinging to his back. In each of his hands, a gray light extended, like two gray daggers.

This scene in front of him was too shocking for Long Haochen. Under the dark night sky, Sheng Lingxin was alone, heading towards the distant, pinnacle power of the Demon Clan.

The three giant pillars were getting closer and closer. Compared to the light they radiated, Sheng Lingxin seemed so small. But his shoulders, which didn’t seem too broad, seemed to be able to withstand everything, able to support this sky.

Long Haochen didn’t ride Haoyue to immediately go around to the left, but stared blankly at Sheng Lingxin as he walked forward step by step in this place filled with the smell of blood. He only felt that something was stuck in his chest.

Taking a deep breath, without a doubt, the air on this battlefield filled with the smell of blood must be turbid. But as Long Haochen took this deep breath, he closed his eyes.

His heart was burning, his blood was burning, his spiritual power was burning, and the infinite fighting spirit was also burning.

Can I really just go back like this? In front of the Radiant Angel Knight Order and the Dark Night Assassins, just go back like this?

Where is the glory of the knight? If I did that, would I still be worthy of being a knight?

How can I explain it to Cai’er? I abandoned her father and escaped on my own?

Slowly raising his head, Long Haochen’s eyes were filled with pride, “I am the owner of the God Seal Throne of Doom and Slaughter, the son of the God Seal Knight of Judgment and Trial, Long Xingyu. Even if I die in battle, how can I be a deserter?”

When he opened his eyes again, Long Haochen’s gaze was already full of determination. Haoyue’s three heads looked back at him, nodding lightly.

Long Haochen and it were of one mind, and he could naturally feel Haoyue’s thoughts. There was a blood contract between them. If Long Haochen died, Haoyue would not be able to survive alone. Therefore, he didn’t let it leave. Since that was the case, they would share life and death.

Taking a deep look at the distant Exorcist Pass, a trace of tenderness appeared on Long Haochen’s face, Cai’er, if I can live to go back, I want to kiss your face.

“Haoyue, let’s go.” Long Haochen shouted, and a few more elixirs appeared in his hand. After taking a Returning Spiritual Elixir, he fully urged the Holy Guide Spiritual Furnace in his body to operate, trying his best to recover the previously consumed spiritual power.

Haoyue’s four hooves flew, and it quickly caught up to Sheng Lingxin.

Sheng Lingxin suddenly turned his head, angrily shouting, “Why haven’t you left yet?”

Long Haochen stared at him with a firm and persistent gaze, “I am a knight. If I abandon you and leave, what qualifications do I have to be with Cai’er? I am Long Xingyu’s son. There is only Long Haochen who dies in battle, and there is no Long Haochen who abandons his comrades and escapes alone.”

Sheng Lingxin was stunned, looking at Long Haochen’s gaze. He seemed to see again the Judgment and Trial God Seal Knight who galloped across the battlefield and was invincible.

Long Haochen’s solid eyes had already told him many things. He would never retreat because of facing strong enemies. At this moment, Sheng Lingxin suddenly felt a strong sense of regret in his heart. Why did he let Long Haochen come out to take risks!

(To be continued)