A soldier from Yuan Camp glanced at the young monk, recognized his identity, nodded, then turned and entered the Vajra Heart Palace to report.
Soon after, a young man dressed in a blue robe and wearing a half-length Kasaya in mysterious yellow, walked out from the palace.
He stood tall and straight, with star-like brows and sharp eyes. Beneath his fierce brows, there was a pair of cold and resolute eyes.
With a sword at his waist and an imposing presence, he resembled a proud dragon.
“Brother Song.”
Upon seeing the young monk, Li Qianfeng nodded slightly.
“Li Qianfeng, do you still remember me?”
The beautiful woman beside him spoke out, staring at the young man, her eyes lighting up.
Li Qianfeng glanced at her and frowned. “You are?”
“One year ago, Qingfeng Ridge!”
The woman’s eyes shimmered with hope, “Do you remember?”
“Qingfeng Ridge…” Li Qianfeng’s eyes revealed a hint of reminiscence as he pondered, “It seems the demon there has already been eliminated.”
“It’s me, Murong Qiulan. Back then, it was you who shielded me from that Yin Wind Serpent Demon’s attack. Without you, I would have already died!” Murong Qiulan said hastily.
Li Qianfeng frowned slightly and glanced at her. “You came here for?”
“I said at that time that I would definitely repay your kindness. I, Murong Qiulan, would not marry anyone but you in this lifetime!”
Blushing, Murong Qiulan summoned the courage, biting her teeth as she spoke.
“So, you are here to repay your debt with ingratitude?”
Li Qianfeng raised his eyebrows.
Murong Qiulan: “…”
The young monk beside them cast an astonished glance at Li Qianfeng, who could speak such harsh words to such a beautiful woman. Indeed, this junior brother truly deserved to be a direct disciple of the Buddha Lord.
“I just want to repay you…” Murong Qiulan bit her lip, speaking with a sense of grievance.
She had traveled thousands of miles, used connections to come up the mountain, only to encounter such a cold reception.
“What is your family background?”
Unmoved by the woman’s pitiful appearance, Li Qianfeng calmly asked.
Murong Qiulan was momentarily stunned, then quickly responded, “The Murong family is the foremost great clan in Bai Feng City. My father, the clan leader, already reached the Fifteen Li Realm in his youth, traveled widely, and made extensive connections. He has long since stepped into the Heavenly Human Realm and, given the chance, this life… might not be without hope of reaching the Three Immortal Realms.”
“Your father’s age?”
“He just turned fifty-four this year.”
“He’s already old.”
Li Qianfeng shook his head slightly, “With such talent, reaching the Immortal Realm is arduous, and even if he truly steps into the Immortal Realm, he would count for nothing in front of my Li family. Your family status is too humble!”
Murong Qiulan opened her mouth slightly, speechless.
How could she not be aware? Considering family background, how many in Dayu could compare to the young man before her?
She clenched her teeth and said, “But, my mother said, if two people truly love each other, why bother about family background? I don’t mind, I am willing to forego a dowry, I don’t want anything, I just want you!”
“Your words are very greedy in themselves!”
Li Qianfeng said indifferently, “I myself surpass countless dowries, marrying me is like gaining half a province! The matter of my marriage will be decided by my mother in the future, and she would only consider someone of equal social standing, such as a princess or the daughter of a duke. Your family’s status is probably not esteemed by her.”
Murong Qiulian’s face turned ashen, at a loss for words.
She hadn’t expected this to be the case, coming forth as a woman to confess her feelings, even inclining herself to pursue him, and yet to be spurned.
The young monk nearby was astounded by Li Qianfeng’s words; this junior brother was incredibly fierce!
“But what if the person you marry in the future is not to your liking?”
Murong Qiulan was biting her lip, feeling as if her heart were bleeding.
Li Qianfeng said impassively, “Matters of marriage are essentially transactions, not about liking. In this life, only the sword accompanies me, the rest are merely trivialities.”
Upon hearing this, both were stunned, and then silence ensued.
The stunning young man before them, like a proud dragon under the sun and moon, possessed exceptional talents, yet he seemed to have devoted all his heart to the sword in his hand.
Clearly, discussing love and affection with such a person was futile.
Murong Qiulan was silent for a long time before she said, “I understand, but… if I were willing to marry you as a concubine?”
As she said this, she raised her head again to look at the extraordinary young man.
The young monk beside her changed his expression slightly, glanced at the woman, and subtly turned his head away, somewhat unable to bear it.
Is this what the master spoke of as the world’s foolish passions?
“As a concubine…” Li Qianfeng pondered for a moment and said, “As a grandmaster’s daughter, you barely qualify, but it must wait until after I am first married.”
“I can wait!” Murong Qiulan immediately said.
“Very well.”
Li Qianfeng nodded his head once, not saying more, then turned to the young monk beside him and asked, “Brother Song, did you bring the registration book? I am about to leave the mountain for a while after coming out of seclusion.”
The young monk snapped back to reality, nodded, and pulled out a register from his kasaya, along with a brush and ink.
“Brother Qianfeng, you have been up the mountain for more than a decade; are you returning home this trip?”
“Indeed, it is time to visit home, but before that, I must also strive for some achievements.”
As Li Qianfeng spoke, he took the brush and ink to register.
The young monk asked in surprise, “Oh? Does Brother Qianfeng still need achievements?”
“Brother Song jests, we of the Li Family must each earn our own accolades. Moreover, this return is to compete for a True Dragon position; having some achievements surely helps,” Li Qianfeng replied, appearing very amiable as he made quick work of the registration before handing back the brush and ink to Brother Song.
The young monk blew the register dry, closed it, put away the brush and ink, and said with a smile, “Brother Qianfeng, you are too cautious. With your cultivation level, who can compete with you for the True Dragon position?”
Li Qianfeng smiled faintly, his gaze drifting to the distance.
In his mind, an image surfaced, that of the woman his mother had mentioned when she visited him on the mountain.
Li Wushuang.
A year ago, when he descended the mountain to slay demons, he also heard her name. She had already made it to the Qiankun List’s Qian Rank!
A ninth-grade battler, taught by a renowned master, a year and a half younger than him, she had already earned a reputation in Jianghu, one step ahead in making a name for herself.
This journey would see her as his greatest competitor.
Though they had not met, Li Qianfeng felt a premonitory sense that she was following closely behind his footsteps.
Thinking this, he slightly curled the corner of his mouth, determined to let his cousin know that not everyone could catch up to his shadow.
He believed in himself, as well as the sword in his hand.
“May I accompany you?” Beside him, Murong Qiulan seized the opportunity and asked cautiously.
She looked at Li Qianfeng with a pitiable expression, the image of his sword strike that crushed the Yin wind serpent demon still echoing in her mind.
“If you can keep up, then follow me.”
Li Qianfeng said indifferently, unfazed by her demure demeanor.
Inside Cangyu City.
After the demon calamity was resolved, Li Hao and others were also ready to make their way back home.
The business of the Monster Suppression Department had also slowed down, with no other tasks besides cleaning up the demon corpses outside the city.
Temporarily, hardly any demons dared to invade Cangyu City, unless it was some foolish little demon with a lack of spiritual intelligence who dared to commit offenses against the wind.
Meanwhile, Li Hao collected calligraphy, poetry, and books throughout the city, reaping significant rewards.
[Name: Li Hao]
[Age: 14]
[Cultivation Level: Peak of the Fifteen Li Realm]
[Sword Dao: Sixth Stage (Flying Phase) (Hidden Bow)]
[Sword Techniques: Endless Sea (True Form), Falling Snow Sword Skill – Avalanche (True Form)…]
[Physical Body Path: Sixth Stage (Myriad Forms) (Tiger Press)]
[Physical Techniques: Golden Skin Hundred Refinement – Vajra (True Form), Thousand Jiaos Holy Body – Transform into Jiao (True Form), Primordial Fifth Layer (True Primordial Body), Dragon Cicada Void Body – Dragon Ascent (True Form)…]
[Control Path: Sixth Stage]
[Control Techniques: Heavenly Gang Zhou Tian Skill – Heavenly Gang (True Form), Hundred Battles Cycle Heaven Skill – Unparalleled (True Form), Dragon River Divine Meridian – Dragon’s Breath (True Form), Nine Revolutions Starry Sky Skill – Nine Revolutions (True Form)…]
[Fist Technique: Sixth Stage]
[Fist Techniques: Half-Step Invincible Fist Sixth Layer (Perfected), Heaven and Earth Penetrating Fist (Perfected)]
[Body Technique Path: Second Stage]
[Movement Technique: Bai Fengxing (Perfected)]
[Chess Tao: Fifth Stage (18322/50000)]
[Art of Painting: Fifth Stage (8273/50000)]
[Poetry and Books: Third Stage (4999/5000)]
[Musical Rhythm: Third Stage (4999/5000)]
[Fishing Tao: Fifth Stage (21827/50000)]
[Culinary Dao: Sixth Stage (99999/100000)]
[Chess Catalogue Collection: Myriad Forms, Tiger Press, Flying Phase, Hidden Bow, Concealing Brilliance, Seven Phoenixes Lighting the Lamps]
[Masterpiece Painting Collection: Thousand Mountains Birds Flying Painting, Snow Mountain Spirit Fox Painting, Kylin Steed Painting, Blood Sea Fierce Jiao Painting, Mountain Landscape Painting, Qiongqi Mountains Painting]
[Poetry and Books Catalogue Collection: Zhao Xinhuan’s Poetry, Song Yuan’s Poetry]
[Musical Scores Collection: Phoenix Seeking Mate, Hidden Orchid, Moon Chime, Little Hu Xiao]
[Fishing Catalogue Collection: None]
[Cooking Recipes Collection: None]
[State of Mind: Chess Mind (Expended), Art Mind (Expended), Fishing Mind (Expended), Culinary Mind (Expended)]
[Artistic Skill Points: 1]
On this trip, he acquired two chess manuals, “Concealing Brilliance” and “Seven Phoenixes Lighting the Lamps.”
Li Hao chose to embed “Concealing Brilliance” into his Physical Body Path, and soon, its attributes became apparent.
Concealing Brilliance: In a relaxed state, the body rapidly heals itself, and severed limbs can slowly regenerate.
This effect was excellent, although he had hardly ever been injured.
“Seven Phoenixes Lighting the Lamps” was a chess manual for a trapping and killing formation.
Li Hao wanted to use it in both the Sword Dao and the Control Path, but after some thought, he chose the Control Path.
As the embedding occurred, its attributes also became evident.
Seven Phoenixes Lighting the Lamps: After seven cycles of cultivating, one can temporarily double the strength of their cultivation.
Seeing this effect, Li Hao was somewhat astonished.
This effect was too strong, wasn’t it? It implied that if he cycled his Meridian Opening Skill and Qi Circulation Skill seven times, the strength would be doubled?
It was known that as his Control Path reached the Sixth Stage, most of the cultivation techniques he commanded had also reached the True State.
Some lower-tier techniques, under profound insights into the Dao, could even evolve into high-grade techniques.
Also, when many techniques advanced, Li Hao’s number of meridians significantly increased, from 69 to 98!
The Qi circulation cycles increased from 248 to 369.
Just the Qi force of his inherent Zhou Tian Realm totaled over eight million jin.
With the instantaneous doubling effect of the Yin and Yang Dual Pulse, it could reach over seventeen million jin!
Even the Imperial Family only possessed about two million jin, nearly nine times more, and now with this attribute effect, it would be eighteen times!
The gap was as vast as the difference between the clouds and the mud.
However, Li Hao knew that such an increase, although it harmed the body, belonged to a short burst of aggressive attack.
Moreover, he had not yet fully opened all 108 major meridians in his body to reach the limit; there was still room for improvement.
The only aspect that had reached its limit was probably his soul, which had managed to condense the Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation.
This trip yielded tremendous gains, including two chess manuals, three masterpieces, two poetry collections, and four famous musical scores.
Li Hao had not chosen to embed any of them at the moment.
He believed that with his current strength, only the Heavenly Human Realm could possibly force him to exert his full power.
Then he would know which areas he was still lacking and could further compensate for them.
When the City Defense Army was clearing the demon corpses outside the city, Song Yueyao also reported the situation at the Black Wind Mountain Range to Yue Shuhong.
Yue Shuhong immediately sent scouts to verify the information.
When the scouts saw the mountain top covered with demon corpses, they were utterly shocked.
The number of demon corpses here was no fewer than those piled up outside the city.
Especially that neatly arranged high platform of demon corpses, which contained all Great Demons, and roughly counted, there were more than twenty.
The scouts also saw the legendary Strength True God Bear Demon that had been well-known outside the city, but now, it too had become a lightly decaying, foul-smelling corpse, stacked at the bottom of the flesh platform.
The scouts’ legs trembled, and they hurried back to the city to report everything in detail to Yue Shuhong.
After listening, Yue Shuhong stood still for a long time before exhaling deeply.
Having been stationed in Cangyu City for so many years, he naturally knew that the Great Demons lurking around Cangyu City must have all been slain by Li Hao!
If it hadn’t been for the Tan Palace Academy coincidentally assigning a task that Li Hao happened to accept… Yue Shuhong dared not imagine what Cangyu City would have become at this moment.
He was both exhilarated and sighing, feeling as if a great rock that had been weighing on his heart for decades had finally fallen.
Two days later.
The demon corpses outside Cangyu City were mostly cleared away, and the academy task for Li Hao and the others was declared to be over.
Their arrival was hurried, but the return journey seemed leisurely and relaxed, as Yue Shuhong provided a carriage for the group.
He personally escorted them to the city gate to bid farewell.
“Young master, I have already reported the matters of Cangyu City to the provincial government.”
“Additionally, once everything here settles down and is handled properly, I will personally go to the Imperial Capital to request death as my punishment.”
Outside the carriage, Yue Shuhong bowed solemnly.
Li Hao looked at him, immediately understanding that he was prepared to take all the blame upon himself.
“Are you aware that shouldering such responsibility all on your own could implicate all nine of your clans?” Li Hao said.
Yue Shuhong’s expression remained calm, he calmly said, “I know, which is why I have already severed ties with my nine clans. Twelve years ago, I cut off all relations, and according to the laws of Dayu, after breaking off relations for more than ten years, one shall be deemed as unassociated, without any connection, and the crime will not implicate others!”
Li Hao looked at him intently, saying, “It seems you are also a good chess player.”
“You flatter me, young master.”
Li Hao did not say more. He withdrew his hand and let down the carriage curtain:
“It’s a pity, you won’t be able to taste the wine brewed in Tiger Robe Head tavern.”
Yue Shuhong’s body shook slightly, and after a moment of silence, he lifted his head with a faint smile on his face:
“If the young master doesn’t mind, someday when you pass by Cangyu City, pour a cup on this road, and consider it as sharing a drink with me.”
The breeze stirred the curtains, causing a gentle sway.
From inside came a single word:
“Agreed.”
Yue Shuhong’s smile grew even more radiant.
The carriage began to move slowly, as the coachman cracked his whip. In the morning sun, following the official road lined with green cypresses, it moved steadily onward.
The city and the figure at the city gate gradually shrank into the distance.
But it was still vaguely visible that the person was waving an arm towards the carriage, as if saying goodbye, then made a long, deep bow.
Until they could no longer see each other.
Inside the carriage were only Li Hao, Ren Qianqian, Li Yuanzhao, and others.
The coachman, a soldier from Cangyu City, would have to drive the carriage back to Cangyu City on his own after dropping Li Hao and the others off at Qingzhou.
Wei Feng had already bid them a hasty farewell the day before. With Li Hao present, there was no need for him to protect his young mistress from the shadows.
He was now more worried about his mistress actually agreeing to Li Hao’s proposal to become his follower.
Even though Li Hao was of high status, Ren Qianqian was, after all, the daughter of a Grandmaster, and being a follower was a label that would stick with her for life.
He had to hurry back and request reinforcements, as only his master could persuade his mistress.
As for Li Fu, his injuries had not yet healed, so he stayed in Cangyu City to recuperate.
At that moment, less than half a day’s journey from departing Cangyu City, on the imperial road, two swift horses suddenly approached from ahead of where Li Hao and his company were traveling.
The riders on the swift horses seemed to recognize the flag of Cangyu City on the carriage and, after passing by the carriage at a distance of several tens of meters, they suddenly pulled the reins, turning around to come back in front of the carriage, blocking the path of several individuals.
“Stop there!”
The riders on the swift horses were a man and a woman, the man in his twenties wearing purple armor, a sword at his waist, and a flying-feather cap on his head, full of valiance.
The woman was dressed in purple fine armor and wore a bow on her back and a sword at her waist. She had no helmet but a head full of black hair that trailed behind her with the cloak of her armor.
“Are you a soldier from Cangyu City?”
After bringing the carriage to a halt, the young man immediately gripped the whip, pointing at the coachman somewhat angrily.
The coachman, startled at first, quickly saw the armor of the two individuals and, shocked, hurriedly rose and knelt: “Commander Yue Ming of the Cangyu City Defense Army, at your service.”
“Why are you here? And who are the occupants within the carriage?”
The young man shouted angrily, “We heard that Cangyu City was attacked by demons. Are you deserters who have abandoned the city?!”
By saying this, a chilling killing intent already appeared in his eyes.
Carriage driver Yue Ming hastily explained, “Your Excellencies have misunderstood, the demonic calamity in the city has already been quelled. I am following the orders of the city’s lord, escorting these Tan Palace Academy students back to Qingzhou.”
“Tan Palace Academy students?”
Upon hearing this, both individuals’ eyes flickered slightly, and the young man’s expression softened a bit, saying, “Call them out, I want to take a look.”
The Tan Palace Academy in Qingzhou is world-famous, and they too were aware of it. However, it held no necessity for them to go there to study.
Inside the carriage, Li Hao and the others heard the commotion outside. Yu Wei, who was sitting at the carriage door, immediately lifted the curtain to look out, wondering which fool was causing trouble.
It was one thing to stop him, but inside the carriage were both Li Hao and Li Yuanzhao of the Li Family.
“They’re wearing the military armor of the Xia Family.”
Li Yuanzhao immediately recognized the identities of the two through the carriage curtain.
Belonging to the same Divine General Mansion, although Li Yuanzhao had not traveled far, he had learned about these noble families of the highest stream.
The two individuals on the swift horses saw the youthful faces of Li Hao and the others, along with their Tan Palace uniforms, and immediately knew that the carriage driver hadn’t been lying.
“I asked you, what do you mean by saying the demonic disaster is resolved?” the valiant woman asked coldly, turning her eyes toward the coachman.
The coachman nervously replied, “To report to Your Excellencies, the demon caused chaos, but fortunately, Master Li of the Li Family stepped in and quelled the disturbance.”
“Master Li of the Li Family?”
The young man frowned, “Which Master Li of the Li Family?”
“The one from the Li Family of the Divine General Mansion in Qingzhou,” the coachman replied respectfully.
“Hmm?”
Xia Yong and Xia Qingshuang glanced at each other, could it really be them?
Wait, Master Li?
To be referred to as such, it must be someone from the third generation of the Li family.
After all, the second generation of the Li family had already reached middle age, and only three members were left, all well-known throughout the land.
Yet it was rumored that during this demonic calamity, a Great Demon from the Fifteen Li Realm was leading the siege, along with tens of thousands of other demons. Such a force, at the very least required two prodigies from the Fifteen Li Realm of the Xia Family to suppress.
But from the third generation of the Li family, no famous individuals had been heard of yet.
More than a decade ago, however, a few caused a small ripple in the world.
One entered Mount Wuliang as a disciple of the Buddha Master at the age of six, another became a Direct Disciple of a Daoist from Qianji Mountain.
It was also said that another was born with a fortune that matched the heavens and was personally named by Emperor Yu. Everyone thus deduced that his talents were extremely high, but later on, no news was heard, and rumors even circulated that he was a cultivation failure, though the truth behind those rumors was unclear.
“Could it be that the one from Mount Wuliang has entered the world?”
The two exchanged a look, knowing that the one addressed as Master Li couldn’t be the Li family’s young lady who had made her name known just a year ago on the Qian List.
“The third generation Li from Mount Wuliang should be eighteen this year. Eighteen and already in the Fifteen Li Realm…” Xia Yong narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of battle spirit emerging.
On the side, Xia Qingshuang appeared calm as she said, “Since that’s the case, we can be at ease.”
She looked towards the coachman, asking, “How are the casualties within the city?”
“To report to Your Excellencies, only over two hundred of the city’s defending soldiers were injured, and about a dozen have perished.”
Coachman Yue Ming was extremely respectful.
“Hmm?”
Both of them were taken aback. Such minor battle damages?
“How is that possible? Even with the assistance of the Fifteen Li Realm, there would still be many casualties in a chaotic battle. Could it be that the intelligence you brought is incorrect, and there aren’t that many demons?” Xia Yong said sternly.
The coachman shivered in fear and quickly said, “I would never dare to deceive you. There are countless demons, so many that they blacken the horizon. I heard there are forty to fifty thousand, and I saw with my own eyes seven or eight Divine Travel Realm Great Demons, as well as a Red Jiao, but all thanks to Li of the Li Family who cut them down and kept the whole city safe.”
Red Jiao, that must be the jiao dragon driven out of the Holy Palace… Xia Qingshuang’s eyes moved slightly, and her expression became serious.
That Red Jiao is not like an ordinary Fifteen Li Realm Great Demon; it possesses sorcery nurtured within the Holy Palace and is only slightly inferior to them in strength.
“I never expected that the third generation of the Li Family would have such a capable person,” Xia Qingshuang said.
“Hmph, sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. This place is not Qingzhou, nor is it the Li Family’s territory.”
Xia Yong also believed the coachman’s words now and snorted coldly, “To act so high and mighty upon entering the world, how preposterous. Are the battlefields overseen by the Li Family in Northern Yan not chaotic enough?”
“Hey!”
Inside the carriage, Li Yuanzhao, having heard this, couldn’t suppress his anger and retorted, “What are you talking about? We help you, the Xia Family, solve the demon scourge, and yet you blame us instead!”
“Hmm?”
Upon hearing the plump boy’s shout, both of them were startled.
Xia Yong’s face changed slightly and he asked, “You are a disciple of the Li Family?”
“Of course!” Li Yuanzhao said, his face full of anger.
These students from Tan Palace Academy, they should not dare to impersonate the Li Family… Xia Yong immediately felt a twinge of embarrassment. Initially, he had only intended to express dissatisfaction behind their backs, but his words were overheard.
Now that it had come to this, admitting his mistake would only undermine the Xia Family’s prestige, so he maintained a stern face and said, “To be admitted to Tan Palace Academy, a Li Family disciple’s talent must be just so.”
“You!”
His words seemed to have angered everyone.
After all, Tan Palace is a top-tier academy. Although it may not compare to Mount Wuliang or Divine General Mansion, gaining entry is extremely difficult.
To the other party, it seemed to be spoken of as a place of little worth.
However, although Du Qiuyue and the others were annoyed, they dared not say anything, for this was the Xia Family’s domain.
Li Hao was somewhat surprised; he never imagined there truly existed people in the world with such low emotional intelligence. No wonder those ancient military officers could not outsmart civil officials—such remarks were bound to offend people the moment they were uttered.
“Yong Brother, let’s go.”
Xia Qingshuang, realizing that Xia Yong had spoken inappropriately, decided not to linger any longer and prepared to go to Cangyu City to see if everything was alright before returning home as soon as possible.
Xia Yong snorted coldly, taking the opportunity to gracefully make an exit.
Li Hao said, “Are you just going to leave like this?”
“Hmm?” Xia Qingshuang frowned and looked towards the youth sitting in the center of the carriage, instantly recognizing that this young man seemed to be the core of the group.
“You solve the demon scourge for you, and you can’t even say thanks, and now you have the audacity to criticize the Li Family’s affairs in Northern Yan?” Li Hao said coldly.
If they hadn’t mentioned Northern Yan, he might not have bothered to care.
But with his parents still in Northern Yan, and despite not having seen them for over a decade which might mean not much affection ran deep, he still remembered the three-thousand-year-old demon corpse sent back by his coarse father and the concerned look in his young mother’s eyes.
In his heart, he naturally considered them his family.
“What exactly are you, picking a quarrel? The Li Family has been fighting in Northern Yan for over a decade, swallowing all the hardships. Is it not right for the court to provide food and equipment?” Xia Yong’s face darkened as he looked down at Li Hao.
“Bastard, how dare you insult Hao Brother!” Li Yuanzhao fumed with rage, and he would have taken action personally if he was not aware that the two before him were very powerful individuals.
“My Li Family has been fighting for over a decade, keeping the difficulties to ourselves. Isn’t it proper for the court to supply the food and equipment?” Li Hao said indifferently, “What, has the Xia Family never sought assistance from the court? As a fellow Divine General Mansion, you should understand the difficulty of guarding the frontier. Instead, you ridicule us here—is this how the Xia Family teaches its members?”
“Are you also a third-generation Li?”
Embarrassment and annoyance flashed across Xia Yong’s face, “The Li Family is simply lawless. We haven’t even left Qi State yet, and this is the Xia Family’s jurisdiction. What gives you the right to question our Xia Family’s thousand-year teachings? Slap him!”
He was at the Fifteen Li Realm, ready to strike a slap at any moment.
Under the control of object manipulation, others had no control over their own bodies.
But Li Hao’s palm remained still, he merely narrowed his eyes sharply, and the power of object manipulation enveloped and suppressed the area above the adversary’s head.
With a whine, the purple-horned horse ridden by Xia Yong let out a cry of anguish.
This warhorse was of the same outstanding breed as the Red Blood Horse, battle-hardened and having witnessed countless Demon blood, it naturally carried a fierce and murderous aura. However, at that moment, its hooves suddenly gave out, and it knelt down.
Xia Yong’s face changed drastically on horseback, intending to leap into the air, but the suppressing force caused him to tumble directly off the horse.
He struggled up from the ground in a flustered manner, a flash of horror crossing his face as he stared at the young man inside the carriage.
Although dressed in the same academy attire, the young man exuded a noble air.
“Fifteen Li Realm? Impossible!”
Xia Yong could hardly believe it; how young this teenager was, yet his realm was comparable to his own, and that object manipulation Divine Power was even more tyrannical than his own.
Xia Qing Shuang’s pretty face changed slightly, she stared at Li Hao and asked, “Which young master of the Li Family are you?”
Li Hao couldn’t be bothered to answer, just coldly said, “I need an apology from you, or no one is leaving today!”
“You!”
Xia Yong said angrily, “This is Qi State, not Qingzhou!”
“Even if this place were at the doorstep of your Xia Family, you would still owe me an apology!” Li Hao articulated each word.
“Very well, then I shall see whether you can really bear it!”
Xia Yong suddenly invoked his Divine Soul, transforming into a beam of golden light and thrusting his palm toward Li Hao.
Li Hao sat still, a flash of golden light behind him, his own Divine Soul flew out and suddenly smashed out with a punch.
This was a Peerless Technique taught by his second uncle, the Half-Step Invincible Fist.
This technique was even more powerful than the fourth form of the Endless Sea by three parts.
However, he did not strike with full force.
With a thud, at the moment of the impact between the fist and the palm, Xia Yong’s Divine Soul melted like snowflakes in a furnace, rapidly disintegrating, and shattered by the punch!
Xia Yong’s face instantly turned deathly pale, he violently spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, looking at Li Hao in horror. He raised a trembling finger, unable to speak, his vision darkened, and he fainted to the ground right then and there.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye, and Li Hao’s Divine Soul had already returned to his body.
Xia Qing Shuang regained her senses, her expression changed dramatically, realizing that the soul injury was severe. Even with the Xia Family’s countless precious medicines for recovery, one would have to rest for at least half a year to a year. For ordinary people, it might even take decades to heal.
Such a ruthless move.
Xia Qing Shuang looked at the young man inside the carriage. His face was as cold as ice, and he looked back at her as well.
“Your attack was exceedingly ruthless!” Xia Qing Shuang gritted her teeth and said.
“Today, if it weren’t for me, other descendants of the Li Family would have either swallowed their anger or truly slapped you!”
Li Hao’s gaze was icy, “For your Xia Family to dare to make the Li Family suffer such an insult in public, what audacity. Not killing him was already showing mercy!”
A flicker of indignation passed through Xia Qing Shuang’s eyes, but knowing she was in the wrong and furthermore not being a match for the young man, she immediately raised her hand to gesture, lifting Xia Yong’s body onto the horse from afar. She then said:
“In light of your rescue of Cangyu City, I won’t trouble you any further. Let’s end this matter here!”
With that, she spurred her horse forward, carrying Xia Yong back on their way.
She had originally planned to visit Cangyu City, but now with Xia Yong seriously injured, she needed to take him back to the clan to be treated to avoid any lingering ailments.
Seeing the other party leave, the several people inside the carriage also realized that the exchange between Li Hao and the opponent was likely a clash of Divine Souls, which they, having not progressed in soul cultivation, could not perceive.
“The Xia Family is really unreasonable!” Li Yuan Zhao said huffily.
“Didn’t expect the Xia Family to be like this.”
Ren Qianqian frowned, by now she already considered herself a follower by Li Hao’s side, half a member of the Li Family. Coupled with Li Hao’s words at the tea stall on their journey, she held respect for the Li Family in her heart.
Seeing the Xia Family of Divine General Mansion acting so unrulily and unreasonably, she couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
Li Hao watched the others leave and did not attempt to stop them, simply shaking his head slightly and instructing the coachman to continue on their journey.
This incident wasn’t too important to him. It was common for large families to have arrogant individuals. He had heard somewhat of the Xia Family’s amazing feats and did not develop hostility towards the entire family, though his impression of them did drop slightly.
