After receiving the Sacred Heart Talisman, Li Hao once again thanked Chu Jiuyue and asked him to express his gratitude on his behalf to His Majesty Emperor Yu.
To Li Hao, his impression of the supreme and noble existence of the Dayu Divine Dynasty still remained as it was when he was an infant, the snapshot image from when he first arrived here.
It was a towering figure with a majestic stature, seated on the dragon throne, with an aura capable of swallowing mountains and rivers and an imperious spirit that looked down on all living beings.
It seemed one could only worship from afar, never to approach or offend.
However, the numerous awards granted by the other party made Li Hao feel that this austere figure was not so cold and heartless, and not so unattainable.
…
The snow was still falling.
The burned letter had not received a response and thus quietly faded away.
No more letters came from Qingzhou City.
Li Hao remained focused on his daily cultivation, sketching the snowy landscape and mountains outside the gates, fishing for little demons in the wilderness, while also exploring the vast and profound Dao of the universe, still unwilling in the depths of his heart to miss out on the ultimate pursuit.
Perhaps, did he also harbor a heart for martial arts?
Time hurriedly passed.
In the blink of an eye, half a year went by.
From the early winter when he first arrived at the camp, to now deep winter, the snow accumulation on the ground had thickened even more.
But like Yin and Yang, when the fallen snow accumulates to a certain depth, it is time for the clouds and moon to break open.
In the snowy land, demons stealthily emerge from their caves in the distance, preparing to hunt for their food.
Between the trees, two wild mountain tigers fight over a deer’s carcass.
The river’s surface is frozen, but beneath the ice, small fish swim up and down freely.
Atop a snowy mountain peak, Li Hao sits, sensing every minute detail and movement within tens of miles, as if his body has merged with the mountaintop.
He watches the clouds and the morning sun, silently listening to the sound of the snow melting.
The snowflakes fall from the sky, yet they originate from the steam that rises and solidifies from the earth.
Seeds buried deep in the soil sprout and grow strong, eventually becoming towering trees. Come autumn, with just a breeze, the leaves can drift towards the unreachable sky.
Fish trapped in water live in the lowlands of the earth, but move about as freely as if flying in the sky.
While people on land seem to be busily moving east and west, enjoying their freedom, they are restrained by various orders, as if wearing invisible chains around their ankles, unable to free themselves.
All beings are part of life, but life is not just all beings.
In these past six months, Li Hao had touched the bottleneck of the Dao of All Things—the elusive brilliance was before his eyes, just a bit more, and he could break through the barrier and integrate it fully.
Now he, with the fusion of the essence of all things and the re-assembling of various swordsmanship techniques, although his cultivation level remained at the Celestial Master Realm, had truly stepped to the edge of the Great Grandmaster Realm, with his actual combat strength being about fifty percent stronger than when he was in Dayue City.
If he were to encounter that young Demon King again, with the sword moves he comprehended in these six months, he could easily slay it.
Initially, during the brief moments of respite in battle, his melding of the self-created Reincarnation Sword Skill had already proven to be frighteningly lethal, and now, after six months of contemplation, he had refined and improved this swordsmanship even further.
At this moment, a gust of cold wind blew in, brushing past his face and whipping up the surface snow.
Wind?
A flicker of thought seemed to pass before Li Hao’s eyes, he narrowed them slightly and sat quietly for a moment, but that thought slipped away.
He had been feeling this recently, but it always seemed to lack just a little strength to grasp it.
Raising his hand to brush off the snow, Li Hao picked up the little white fox that was snuggled up beside his knees and stood up to leave.
He flew back to the camp by controlling the air.
Over the past six months, the number of stone houses built around the camp had also increased. Considering the impending battle that could occur at any time after half a year, Li Hao had not put too much effort into constructing residential houses, treating it more as a form of enjoyment or a process of comprehending nature.
He was still cooking the midday meal by himself.
During the meal break, Li Hao once again urged Song Qiumo to return to Tan Palace, advising her that there was no need to stay here with him anymore.
Considering the Wan Shan Demon King was able to endure the pain of losing his child for half a year, it showed he had an extremely cunning and stable nature. If Song Qiumo continued to stay, the Demon King might spend a considerable sum to hire other Demon Kings to entangle her. |em|pyr.
Therefore, Li Hao felt there was no need for her to continue wasting time with him.
Guarding the Heavenly Gate Pass was a private matter he had accepted. He didn’t wish to involve too many people in it.
Song Qiumo didn’t utter a word, merely silently eating her meal. After finishing, she looked up at Li Hao and said, “Since you say so, then I’ll leave today.”
Li Hao sighed with relief, saying, “If you do go, please convey my regards to the Palace Master.”
“Okay,” Song Qiumo nodded, her agreement crisp and clear.
After the meal, she packed up the trinkets she had acquired during her stay, all of which were small items she had picked up while procuring supplies from nearby cities, such as silk hairbands, wrist bells, and so on.
With everything packed away, Song Qiumo then bid farewell to Li Hao.
“Got no regrets?”
Li Hongzhuang accompanied Li Hao to see her off, and after watching Song Qiumo’s figure disappear entirely into the sky, Li Hongzhuang looked at Li Hao and asked.
“Regrets?”
Li Hao was perplexed.
“Deep down, you must have hoped she would stay, right?” Li Hongzhuang said softly.
Li Hao laughed, shaking his head slightly, “Then you are mistaken. I am sincerely happy for her departure, at least she won’t have to face danger.”
“Really?”
Li Hongzhuang looked at him in surprise, gazing intently at Li Hao.
Li Hao said, “If possible, I hope you could leave too. There’s no need for you to stay for the burial. I might be able to get away, but you might not.”
Li Hongzhuang slightly frowned, staring at Li Hao, and said,
“Do you have any other methods? Relying on that senior alone, I’m afraid he might not be able to hold them off, unless he’s like my second uncle, a being who has reached the Peerless Technique Realm, perhaps capable of suppressing them with a single punch.”
There are four distinct levels within the Four Stands Realm, and the gap between each level is enormous. Li Hongzhuang could not determine at what level that senior was.
“There’s only one way.”
“What?”
“If we can’t beat them, we run.”
“…”
Li Hao smiled and returned to the camp.
Li Hongzhuang quickly followed after him, speaking seriously, “What time is it for jokes now? Why don’t you go find your fourth uncle? Uncle Xiao Ran stepping in would mean that ordinary Four Stands Realm demons are no match.”
Li Hao’s eyes flickered, and he shook his head slightly. When he had left the Li Family, he was alone, taking nothing with him except the clothes on his back, not even the famous sword Eternal Night. He didn’t want to take anything from the Li Family or rely on any connections with them.
“Now is not the time for stubbornness!”
Seeing Li Hao shake his head, Li Hongzhuang urgently said, “We previously speculated that if the Demon King of Wan Shan comes, we might face an attack from three demon kings. If they double up on that senior, even if just for a brief moment, the other one could kill you!”
“I understand.”
Li Hao looked at her quietly, “That’s why I said, if things go south, I’ll make an early escape. As for you, you might become a burden, and I won’t be able to concern myself with you at that time. If you don’t want to die, it’s best if you also leave as soon as possible.”
“By the time you realize, it will be too late,” Li Hongzhuang hurriedly said.
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Li Hao shook his head slightly, not continuing the conversation with her.
Seeing Li Hao’s stubbornness, Li Hongzhuang sighed, began to pack her luggage, and said,
“I can’t persuade you. I will go back to Qingzhou to find your father, your second uncle, your fifth uncle, and have them come to persuade you. I hope by then the Demon King of Wan Shan hasn’t arrived yet.”
Li Hao was a bit helpless and speechless towards his little aunt, shook his head and paid her no more attention.
After packing her luggage, Li Hongzhuang also left. No one could withstand the wrath of the Demon King of Wan Shan, and as Li Hao had said, she would only be a burden if she stayed.
On the other side, Li He was anxious, continuously sending messages to Qingzhou, but like dropping stones into the sea, there was no response.
He did not know what the Duke was thinking, but his orders were to protect Li Hao, and he could not leave as easily as Li Hongzhuang.
At this moment, Li He pondered whether he should knock Li Hao unconscious and forcefully take him away.
But after the battle at Dayue City, he knew he was no match for this young master. Once the demons attacked, it wasn’t sure who would be protecting whom.
As he was considering whether to launch a surprise attack, suddenly, his vision went dark.
Following that, he fell straight into the snow, face first.
The figure of Feng Boping emerged from behind Li He, patted his hands, and said to Li Hao, “This base-born old chap from the Li Family, stubborn as a mule, not much different from those other Li family members. We had better send him away first.”
The very Li He who was just contemplating how to knock Li Hao unconscious and carry him away, was now knocked out himself.
Li Hao smiled, handing Li He over to Ren Qianqian. There were fast horses in the camp, and he said to Ren Qianqian, “Take him out of Liangzhou, to any place, um, go to Qi State, wait for me in Cangyu City.”
Ren Qianqian’s face was full of worry. She wanted to persuade him, but these past few days, she had seen both Song Qiumo and Li Hongzhuang attempt repeatedly to no avail, knowing the young man’s pride would not allow him to yield.
She could only agree, looking at Li Hao intently, “Young master, I will wait for you in Cangyu City. You must survive!”
Li Hao, seeing the clear lake-like eyes of the young girl and feeling the pure concern in them, smiled slightly, “Don’t worry, you followed me to learn swordsmanship, and I haven’t yet taught you the true sword arts. I won’t die so easily!”
Ren Qianqian bit her lip quietly, not saying a word.
She deeply gazed at Li Hao, thinking to herself, even if you don’t teach me swordsmanship, I don’t want to see you die… These thoughts remained unspoken in her heart.
There weren’t many words of farewell. Li Hao patted the Red Blood Horse’s rump, sending the young girl on her way.
Li He’s body was also loaded onto the horse’s back, and together, they left via Dragon Pass Road.
This Dragon Pass Road had been cleared by Li Hao. Demons occasionally passed through, but were slain. It was relatively safe.
“Little fellow, if something happens to me, you’ll have to find a cave in this wilderness and practice on your own.”
Li Hao bent down, looking at the little white fox that clung to his leg with both of its paws.
The little white fox looked up, its watery eyes pitifully gazing at Li Hao, making a distinctive fox’s whimper.
Li Hao returned to the small fenced courtyard. With everyone else gone, the yard suddenly seemed empty.
In the nearby snowfield, the figure of the sword-practicing girl was gone.
In the side bedroom, there was no trace of Song Qiumo’s enchanting figure.
And by that solitary grave a thousand miles away, the vivid red figure that used to sit quietly, drinking, was also absent.
“Feng, you’ve never fished for a Demon King before, have you?”
Li Hao looked at the old man leaning on the armchair in the courtyard and smiled. After so many years of acquaintance, they had become friends unconcerned with age. He owed so much that it was beyond words of thanks.
“Hmm, this time I might give it a try.”
Feng Boping chuckled lightly, holding a jug of wine and gently swaying it.
Li Hao sat next to him, took the jug and drank a couple of sips, and asked, “Feng, you’ve been here for so long, yet you seem to have never urged me to cultivate.”
He knew how others viewed his daily actions as frivolous, losing ambition through indulgence. At the mansion, he had some concerns, but here he had let go completely.
Let go of “cultivation.”
“Cultivation is also for the sake of joy. Since you are joyful, what does it matter if you cultivate or not?”
Feng Boping said with a light chuckle.
Li Hao knew that Feng was naturally carefree and unconcerned with trivial matters. Hearing this, he still turned to look at him and then smiled:
“If I could become a bit stronger, you wouldn’t have to work so hard.”
Feng Boping shook his head slightly, his demeanor serene, “A mere three years of trials and tribulations are not worth mentioning.”
Li Hao looked at him and didn’t speak again.
The elder and the younger sat quietly drinking wine, watching the snow scene. Although there were fewer people in the courtyard, it had become even more tranquil.
To prepare for the arrival of the Wan Shan Demon King, Li Hao and Feng had made some preparations, laying many secret plans outside the Heavenly Gate Pass.
Both were adept at fishing, and they were also waiting for the other’s arrival.
Whether they could match the opponent would depend on the size and quantity of the catch.
If the line broke, it would be time to let go.
Another half month passed in the blink of an eye.
Li Hao sat on the mountain top, basking in the cold wind.
The wind today seemed exceptionally strong and cold.
Li Hao sat quietly, with the little white fox curled up in his arms.
With Li Hao’s physique, he naturally didn’t mind the chilly wind. He watched the countless Falling Snow being swept up by the cold wind from the sky, swirling and fluttering, landing among all things.
Suddenly, a sense of enlightenment, as if surging up all at once, filled him.
Days of accumulated thoughts, the sediment of reflection, and the repeated impacts at the door of his heart, at this moment, abruptly broke through the last barrier in his mind.
Li Hao had an epiphany.
He suddenly understood what it was he had been tirelessly seeking.
He also suddenly understood what was common among all things in this vast world.
—It was a breath!
Mountains, rivers, birds, beasts, and all living creatures are animated by this breath!
So too is the cultivation of martial artists.
Ordinary people rely on this breath to live.
Martial artists, rely on Qi Force traveling through their meridians to exert power.
Emotions and desires, all are a breath.
The growth of all things, too, is a breath!
But this breath is not the breath understood by ordinary people; this is a breath of the heavens and earth!
This breath can evolve all things, nourish all things, transform into mountains, rivers, birds, beasts, and into life itself!
Li Hao closed his eyes, and the Qi within his body rapidly contracted and transformed, merging with the heavens and the earth.
This sensation was similar to cultivation, yet also different.
His Qi melded with the heavens and the earth, dispersing, transforming under the refinement of the world, like washing off all adornments, revealing a dazzling brilliance.
This brilliance was ethereal and illusory as if it didn’t exist in the real world.
Li Hao presented all his Qi to the heavens and the earth and then asked the world to lend him a breath, which he integrated into himself.
Li Hao called this breath Immortal Qi.
The Grandmaster Limit, the Land Immortal Realm, achieved!
When this breath of Immortal Qi entered his body, Li Hao’s every pore emitted billions of dazzling lights, as if a splendid, divine, flaming sun had been engulfed within him.
The accumulated snow around his body began to rapidly evaporate and melt away.
His flesh and blood throbbed and writhed, transforming and refining, purging impurity from the bone and marrow, with a silvery white radiance seeping from his pores, shrouding his figure within a mist of Immortal light.
His physical body was transforming, so too was his True Force, and even Li Hao’s spiritual soul and dharma aspect transcended because of this breath of Immortal Qi. His golden divine soul shrank, shifting from the form of a youth to that of an infant.
It then grew from infancy back to the form of a youth.
Only now, the originally staunch and vigorous spirit had acquired a few more traces of an ethereal, detached-from-dust aura.
The little white fox leaped out of Li Hao’s embrace in shock, sensing that vast Immortal might and showing a look of fear in its eyes, wanting to approach yet not daring to.
It just raised its tiny paw, tentatively and gently touching it.
But the Immortal mist appeared like an illusion; unaffected by the touch of its small paw, it seemed untouchable.
The transformation continued, the snow between the mountain peaks boiling and melting, turning into clear mountain springs, flowing down through the gullies and crevices, making the entire mountain look as if it had been rejuvenated.
The sweeping bitter cold wind turned into gentle rainwater. As it approached within several yards of Li Hao’s body, the rainwater quietly changed its course, falling elsewhere.
The area where the youth sat alone remained clean and quiet.
The rain, like nourishing Spirit Rain, fell on the newly brightened mountain peak cleared of snow, and gradually, the ground began to sprout a lush green glow—tender shoots emerging with great vigor from the solid mountain, drawing upon a certain power.
They grew rapidly under the nourishment of the rain.
In the depths of winter, yet this mountain flowed with warm springs, in stark contrast to the pure white snow outside, standing out like a striking peak.
The mist of Immortal light that surrounded Li Hao gradually dissipated.
Returning into his body, contracting through his pores; when all the light was hidden away, Li Hao also slowly opened his eyes.
In his eyes, a silver-white brilliance gently bloomed, his skin as clear as glaze, as white as dawn’s light, containing a restrained luminance, with each pore filled to the brim, holding boundless strength.
Li Hao understood that this was the limit of the Grandmaster Realm.
After spending the better part of a year, he had finally taken this step.
He looked at the mountain he sat on, where tufts of green grass clustered, and new tender green buds sprouted on the branches of old trees that had withered in autumn and winter.
This was the manifestation of his current power. Before, his Qi Force was purely strength, devoid of property unless he cultivated various specific properties of Cultivation Techniques, such as cold or blazing flames, polishing them over a long time, could he imbue his Qi Force with some special dark forces.
Just like Song Qiumo, her attacks inherently carried an undercurrent of the ultimate Yin cold force.
After a prolonged engagement, it could even freeze an enemy’s body, slowing down the movement of their Qi Force.
Li Hao had mastered various Cultivation Techniques before, and his Qi Force also contained these dark forces, but most of the time, Li Hao didn’t need them. His fights were often resolved swiftly with fast sword slashes cutting through complications in just a few moves.
But now, all these characteristics had fused into this breath of Immortal Qi.
All myriad changes arise from the heart!
His power could cover all kinds of properties and could freely switch between any of them.
A realization dawned upon him;
“All that I’ve lost was never mine to start. All that I seek only traps me within its grasp.”
“All things serve my purpose, but none belong to me.”
“A gentleman uses things but is not used by them.”
“The Great Tao is simple; desirelessness is firmness.”
“Without action, all actions are possible!”
At this moment, Li Hao’s Grandmaster State of Mind reached perfection in the Extreme Realm.
From seeing one’s true self to seeing the world, and then all living beings, he came to understand the simplicity of the Great Tao, where all things converge into one!
His understanding and application of power had transcended that of a typical Great Grandmaster. Just as with the tender shoots on the mountain, his power did not inherently possess the effect of reviving plants. He merely cleared the Falling Snow from this mountain.
Allowing it to transition from the depth of winter into spring and autumn.
Thus, the flowers and plants on the mountain grew on their own.
While the outcome was the same, the application of power was different. This shift in philosophy was extremely important. A typical Celestial Master would absorb the power of the heavens and earth into themselves and then slay their enemies.
But how limited would that be to carry within oneself?
Li Hao dispersed all his personal Qi Force, leaving only this breath of Immortal Qi standing within his body.
If he needed power, he could draw it from the vast world at any time. This was the principle of “all things serve my purpose, but none belong to me.”
He no longer absorbed the power of the heavens and earth into his body, leaving the power with the world. Whenever he needed it, he would merely borrow a bit.
This was “A gentleman uses things but is not used by them; he controls the force without being restricted by it.”
If one treats this power as their own, greedily drawing from the world, they’re bound by it and also by the limitations of their body; after all, if the body is a container, it has a point of overflowing.
Li Hao lifted his hand, slowly assuming a stance, moving his fists and feet, and self-contemplating his State of Mind.
What is the world?
Between his fists and feet, lay the world.
As long as a breath of Immortal Qi endures, he could establish his own world.
Li Hao’s Martial Arts realm had transcended the Great Grandmaster Realm. He hadn’t reached the three Immortal states, but he already surpassed them.
He called a dried branch to serve as a sword; between the sword’s blade and his breast, lay the world.
He stepped forward, and between his two feet, again lay the world.
Li Hao casually swung the dry branch, unleashing a surge of Sword Qi.
In an instant, the Falling Snow in the sky seemed to split quietly, the Sword Qi, as if formless, light, and airy, pierced through dozens of miles in a flash, extending even further, soon reaching a hundred miles away, tearing through the clouds in the sky, slicing open a trail of sword light within the dense clouds that continuously spilled out heavy snowflakes.
A Sword Cleaves the Heavens!
The clouds parted, revealing a brilliant sunrise-like radiance, and the great snow unexpectedly ceased.
With a casual punch, Li Hao unleashed endless winds, sweeping away the snow from the mountainous landscape. Wherever his gaze landed, the snow swirled and soared, forming a blizzard that forcefully pushed dozens of miles away.
Without the snow, the ambient temperature across dozens of miles seemed to have risen.
Spring began to reveal itself on the earth slowly.
A smile emerged on Li Hao’s face, feeling as though he could inhale and exhale the essence of the heavens and the earth.
“Lend me a spring breeze worth a hundred thousand, bold enough to change the face of heaven and earth!”
He casually tossed a withered branch, bent down, and picked up the stunned Little White Fox at his feet, rubbing its ears while smiling, “Have you learned it?”
It’s a lost cause… the Little White Fox’s eyes were blank.
Li Hao chuckled, carried it in his arms, and turned to leave, stepping so lightly that each stride spanned ten miles, his speed through the air increasing even more.
A few steps later, Li Hao returned to Heavenly Gate Pass, inside the small courtyard.
On a rocking chair in the courtyard, Feng Boping lay swaying gently. Hearing the movement, he slightly opened one eye and looked towards Li Hao.
Then, he gradually opened the other eye and sat up straight, surprised as he asked, “Have you reached the Three Immortal Realms?”
“Not yet,” Li Hao put down the Little White Fox.
“Great Grandmaster Realm?”
Feng Boping took another look and sensed that Li Hao’s casual demeanor seemed perfectly seamless, as if he could react to an attack at any moment—a kind of aura only present in the Great Grandmaster Realm.
Li Hao slightly nodded.
Feng Boping was momentarily speechless; dear boy, he hadn’t even reached the Great Grandmaster Realm when he suppressed all the grandmasters under the heavens before.
But that was expected since from the battle in Qingzhou, Li Hao had just entered the Heavenly Human Realm, and it had been barely over half a year… Ah, Feng was feeling a bit jealous again, despite having already witnessed Li Hao’s cultivation speed. From Heavenly Human Realm to Heavenly Man Perfection in just over half a year, that was still quite exaggerated.
This kid, I haven’t even seen him cultivate much… Feng Boping pondered inwardly. If it wasn’t for watching Li Hao grow up, he might have felt quite envious.
But with Li Hao’s current pace, he felt that soon this little wretch would truly be able to sit equally with them old timers.
The next ten years of the Dayu Divine Dynasty would belong to this young lad.
Thinking this, Feng Boping’s lips slightly curled into a smile, but then he thought of the imminent threat of Wan Shan, the Demon King, and his brows furrowed slightly.
“If something happens, we’ll leave immediately,” Feng Boping told Li Hao solemnly.
Li Hao nodded slightly. Although he had now reached the limit of Grandmaster Realm, self-proclaiming the Land Immortal Realm, he still wasn’t confident about clashing with a Demon King from the Four Stands Realm.
He had heard Feng talk about the distinctions within the Four Stands Realm.
The Four Stands Realm, though it’s called one realm, actually consists of four distinct stages.
The first stage is the Tao Heart Realm, the second is the Defying Fate Realm, and the third is the Ultimate Study Realm.
The final stage is the Grand Tao of Peace Realm, opening up Taoist sects and possessing the power of Ask Sage.
The gap between each stage is tremendous. Feng belongs to the second stage, the Defying Fate Realm, having the power to alter fate for others or himself once.
This ability to defy fate is not only capable of transforming a frail constitution into an extraordinary prodigy.
It also allows one to reverse dire situations when faced with a life-threatening crisis, thus securing a sliver of survival chance!
In other words, reaching the Defying Fate Realm grants one a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to avoid death in extreme circumstances.
Most in the Defying Fate Realm keep this opportunity for themselves, but many elders from the Five Great Divine General Mansions have given this chance to their descendants to continue their legacy.
Like Second Uncle, who is in the Ultimate Study Realm, such as the Sea-Calming Divine Needle, situated in the Divine General Mansion.
The final step, the Grand Tao of Peace Realm, represents the pinnacle of existence within the Dayu Divine Dynasty, few and far between, and the most well-known among them currently is the Buddha Lord of Mount Wuliang, who is of this realm.
The others are either not well-known or have long since fallen.
Such as the ancestors of the Five Great Divine General Mansions, all were in the Grand Tao of Peace Realm, ushering in an era of peace for the Dayu Divine Dynasty!
Feng had previously engaged a Demon King, who was only at Tao Heart Realm, but adept at escaping, so Feng refrained from pursuing deeply due to concerns for Li Hao’s safety.
If the Wan Shan Demon King were to strike this time, Feng speculated that the Demon King himself might be in the Defying Fate Realm. Coupled with the previous Demon King from the Tao Heart Realm, that would make two; if the Wan Shan Demon King managed to engage Feng while the previous Demon King attacked Li Hao, Li Hao would struggle to defend.
Beings of the Tao Heart Realm carry attacks imbued with the laws of Taoist Charm, which are bound to hit their mark.
That is to say, as long as the opponent strikes, Li Hao must endure the attack.
Currently, Li Hao is only in the Heavenly Human Realm, and even the Indestructible Realm of the Immortal Realm could hardly withstand it, a casual strike could cripple him.
In the Unwithering Realm, he could barely withstand a hit or two, assuming the opponent isn’t using full force.
“Hopefully they’ll take their time coming,”
Li Hao said.
If he could enter into Spiritual Awakening, he could add points and advance directly into the Three Immortal Realms.
Feng Boping looked at Li Hao, his heart slightly stirred; given time, it wouldn’t be difficult for Li Hao to step into the Three Immortal Realms.
Although the leap from Heavenly Human Realm to the Three Immortal Realm is also an immensely challenging milestone, numerous prodigies have stepped into the Heavenly Human Realm at a young age, yet it took them over a hundred years to enter the Three Immortal Realm—such examples are abundant. However, he had great confidence in Li Hao.
Still, even if he entered the Three Immortal Realm, the gap with the Four Stands Realm would still be too vast.
And with the Water Qilin gone, these Demon Kings might not be patient for long.
“No matter what, you focus on your cultivation, leave the rest to me,” Feng Boping said.
Li Hao nodded, then grabbed some ingredients to simply make some barbecue before taking out his painting boards to start sketching in the courtyard.
Now, his Art of Painting and Fishing Tao were both nearing a hundred thousand experience points.
Once the experience points were full, he would need an uplift in his state of mind to continue gaining experience points, but he could start exploring the state of mind beforehand.
“I must settle on one path, I can’t ponder both Art of Painting and Fishing at the same time, otherwise dividing attention between both won’t allow for focus and will just be a waste of time.”
Understanding the importance of focus, Li Hao had originally planned to attain spiritual awakening through Fishing, but now that the demons near the outskirts had been cleared and there were no targets for fishing, he found it slower to comprehend. On the contrary, his skills in Art of Painting allowed him to sketch effortlessly.
Heavy snow flew in all directions.
Li Hao stood in the courtyard, capturing the snow scene.
Feng Boping had thought Li Hao would go to cultivate, but seeing him still immersed in past amusements, he couldn’t help but be surprised.
Yet, he seemed to discern something; Li Hao’s swift progress in cultivation appeared to be related to these daily leisure activities.
But the specifics of how it translated, he couldn’t figure out, after all, some genius behaviors are eccentric, beyond the understanding of ordinary people.
He didn’t demand Li Hao to cultivate, letting him be as he wished.
Time passed by.
Another month went by outside the pass.
The pervasive snow seemed to be letting up gradually, and in another month, spring would arrive.
In the courtyard, Li Hao held a bowl, eating slices of meat from the pot.
His Painting Experience was full, earning a Skill Point, but his state of mind had yet to reach that transcendent spirit realm.
His artistic skill had reached its peak, but it remained within the worldly realm, capturing the essence of subjects but not transcendent.
“Hmm?”
Suddenly, Li Hao felt that a hidden thread he had set up miles away in the air had been brushed by the wind.
This was no natural breeze but as if something had passed by.
His eyes narrowed for a moment as he immediately looked to Feng Boping.
At the same time, Feng Boping also looked towards Li Hao. Without words, both read the other’s thoughts in an instant.
They’re coming!
“To actually appear a hundred miles away, it seems… there are three!”
Feng had hidden threads spread around as well, but although he had been Fishing for many years, his technique might not be as good as Li Hao’s, who benefited from the experience enhancements from the board, insights from Sixth Stage Fishing, mastery over numerous Fishing techniques, and the special attributes from the “River Snow Painting.”
The hidden threads belonged to an object-controlling force that could vanish unseen, something Feng Boping couldn’t do.
Therefore, Feng’s threads were only touched once, while Li Hao had four or five triggered.
But even though only one was touched, it had already felt the force of three beings.
“This old guy, he really did call for reinforcements, let’s go!”
Feng Boping immediately wrapped up Li Hao and the little white fox in his robes and used his movement technique, Heaven and Earth Traceless Skill.
If it were only the two Demon Kings from Wanshan District, Li Hao had discussed with Feng and had planned to hold the ground and scare them away with the protective charm.
After all, guarding the frontier pass was also a strategy.
Not purely relying on brute force.
But against three Demon Kings, there was no need to think about it; trouble was bound to happen.
And now, as those three Demon Kings drew nearer, most of the densely woven hidden threads Li Hao had set within miles began to be touched and torn apart by the bodies of these Demon Kings!
[Fishing Experience +546,+523,+632…]
Despite the tearing of the threads, he still gained experience; a series of prompts appeared, which Li Hao chose to ignore.
His experience points soared, and by the time the Demon Kings reached the outskirts of the camp, his experience points were almost at Sixth Stage Perfection.
Just then, a figure darted from another direction.
Li Hao and Feng Boping immediately looked over, only to see a person in a deep blue dress with watery-blue hair, a figure charming and stunning; it was Song Qiumo.
“What are you doing here!”
Li Hao’s face changed abruptly, he couldn’t help but exclaim loudly.
Song Qiumo smiled faintly, “Of course, I came to see how these fellows plan to take revenge on you.”
“You never left?!” Li Hao was furious.
“Now is not the time to talk about that, right? Whether we choose to retreat or stand our ground, I’m with you,” Song Qiumo said with a charming light laugh.
Li Hao, seeing her like this, couldn’t say he wasn’t moved, his feelings incredibly mixed. What virtue or ability did he possess? It was merely the gift of some small fragrant pastries that earned him such favor.
But with things as they were, Li Hao knew that now wasn’t the time to discuss it. Clenching his teeth and taking a deep breath, he felt the rapidly approaching three Demon Kings through the hidden threads and said, “Three against three, we can try it. If we can’t scare them off, it’s not too late to retreat.”
With Song Qiumo and Feng protecting him, plus the protective charm, Li Hao felt they had the means to parley.
“I’m okay with that,” Song Qiumo said with a smile.
Feng Boping smiled indifferently, “Then let’s have a talk.”
No sooner had they flown out of the camp than they rapidly returned to it.
At the same time, the three Demon Kings had appeared within the camp, sensing that Li Hao had already left. The burly elder with dark golden fur at the center, letting out an angry roar.
His voice was like that of lions and dragons, shaking the entire Heavenly Gate Pass.
With an angry swipe of his palm, the small courtyard still emitting wisps of smoke was instantly covered by his enormous divine palm, about to be shattered.
Out of nowhere, a streak of water light sped forth, crashing against the divine palm. A vast curtain of water passed over, forming a dome that protected the small yard below.
“If we’re fighting, let’s not ruin this place.”
Song Qiumo emerged, her face wearing a soft smile: “I quite like this small courtyard, so let’s not break it, shall we?”
The burly golden-furred elder saw her and his eyes emitted an icy light.
Another old man beside him in a Taoist robe, with white hair and beard, gently stroked his beard, his eyes squinting: “You didn’t leave? Good, we can finally settle our previous unfinished business.”
Behind Song Qiumo, Li Hao and Feng also appeared.
Upon hearing the words of the robed old man, Li Hao immediately understood that this elder was the Dragon Master from Longshan Taoist Temple.
“Hmph, I also anticipated that you might be lurking in the dark, deliberately luring us in. I just didn’t expect you to actually have such self-restraint. For this young man of the Human Race, is it worth it?”
The golden-haired and burly elder’s eyes were cold and fierce. He had come searching for the Dragon Master precisely to deal with this unexpected situation.
Song Qiumo said indifferently, “Even if I can endure, I can’t endure as much as you. Your own son died, yet you managed to hold back for half a year before coming. Are you really that wary of me, or is it because you have so many sons that losing one doesn’t matter?”
“Wary of you? You’re not worthy!”
Wan Shan, the Demon King, suddenly let out a roar like a lion’s, sending shockwaves through heaven and earth, causing the snow on the nearby mountain peaks to collapse.
This divine intimidation was enough to make anyone below the Four Stands Realm tremble in their hearts and minds, but besides Li Hao, only the Little White Fox remained.
The Little White Fox had been stealthily placed outside the camp by Li Hao when he returned. As for Li Hao, he didn’t feel much about this direct and fierce intimidation; he merely found it somewhat deafening.
“Why bother with so much useless talk? What else are you afraid of? Are you worried that we still have an ambush?”
Li Hao spoke up, “Don’t worry, we have no ambush. The others have already left; there are just the three of us here.”
The golden-haired and burly elder, upon seeing Li Hao, had murderous intent almost spilling from his eyes as he stared at him, but Li Hao’s words managed to contain the elder’s explosive rage, calming him down slightly.
The more Li Hao spoke like this, the more uncomfortable the elder felt.
“You think you can intimidate me? I’ve lived for ten thousand years, how old are you? You don’t even amount to the smallest fraction of my life; you think you can scare me?!”
The golden-haired and burly elder growled lowly.
Listening to the other party, Li Hao couldn’t help but smile inwardly, aware that the other party was already wary.
He had purposely said such things, playing a bluffing strategy, guessing that this Old Demon King had been hesitant to avenge his son, indicating a suspicious and extremely cautious nature.
Caution naturally comes with doubts and suspicions.
Even if the other party still decided to attack, these doubts would cause him to be on guard, providing some help to Li Hao’s side in the battle.
Ignoring the old monster’s retort, Li Hao instead looked at the Dragon Master beside him, and with a smile that hinted at confidence, he said:
“This must be the Dragon Master, a name I’ve long heard of. The three of you have now transgressed our territory. If we don’t die today and one of us manages to escape, you will be relentlessly hunted by the Dayu Divine Dynasty!”
“Is it worth it?”
The robed elder looked at Li Hao, who had now withdrawn his Myriad Attributes, revealing the aura of a Celestial Master.
Seeing Li Hao’s realm and combining it with the information he had received, the Dragon Master felt a measure of surprise and solemnity.
Learning of the killing of the Little Demon King by someone in the Heavenly Human Realm, he was initially taken aback and stunned, but he ultimately felt pleased and slept well that night, even having a pleasant dream.
Why?
The Little Demon King was too monstrous. If it were to truly grow up and join forces with Wan Shan, the Demon King, then the area outside Heavenly Gate Pass would be under Wan Shan’s control.
Despite having had a bit of rapport with Wan Shan in the past.
But rapport is rapport, brotherhood is brotherhood—your son’s death doesn’t prevent me from rejoicing.
Therefore, the Dragon Master held a fairly positive impression of this young man from the Human Race. However, this positive impression did not prevent him from taking the Demon King’s offer to kill the youngster.
“If you all die here today, naturally there will be no wind to spread the news.”
The Dragon Master spoke nonchalantly.
Li Hao chuckled, “You’re that confident, huh? Killing me might not be difficult, but if these two beside me want to leave, you really think you can stop them?”
The Dragon Master sneered but did not reply.
He was prepared to be hunted by the Dayu Divine Dynasty for coming here.
“Although I don’t know what benefits he promised you, I can offer you our benefits.”
Li Hao, without any hesitation and in front of Wan Shan, the Demon King, directly tempted the Dragon Master with benefits, “If you join us and help us kill Wan Shan, the Demon King, his domain will belong to you. Moreover, your transgression today will not be considered as such. Instead, you’ll be seen as abhorring evil as if it were your enemy, coming to assist us.”
“With that, you would also receive an order from my Dayu Divine Dynasty, granting you military merits, allowing you free entry into our lands from now on.”
“Additionally, I will personally provide you with some help. You know my talent; favored by His Majesty, my future is boundless. As long as you agree, from now on, you will be my brother!”
“Do you think such petty tricks can sway us?”
Wan Shan, the Demon King, chuckled coldly, but intense anger burned within him.
The Dragon Master stared deeply at Li Hao, then indifferently said, “What you offer is tempting, but unfortunately, your tactics are too naive. I have lived for tens of thousands of years. We have known each other for thousands of years. How could you grasp this? He is my brother!”
“I can add more money.”
Li Hao said with a smile, “Whatever you need, feel free to ask for it.”
“Humph, don’t bother.”
The Dragon Master gave a faint sneer and turned to Wan Shan, the Demon King, “I’ll take care of that Water Qilin; you can personally deal with this youngster yourself.”
Wan Shan, the Demon King, nodded, fixing his gaze on Li Hao, about to speak, when he saw Li Hao unexpectantly giving the Dragon Master a meaningful look.
His expression shifted, and he glanced at the Dragon Master.
The Dragon Master, puzzled by the look from Li Hao, was unaware of any message from him.
Only when he met the gaze of Wan Shan, the Demon King, turning towards him did he come to his senses and immediately said in a deep voice,
“Big bro, this kid is full of tricks, cunning and sharp-witted, don’t let him speak any longer. Since I promised you, I won’t go back on my word!”
Wan Shan, the Demon King, stared at him for a moment, nodded slightly, but even though he said that, he felt an extremely uncomfortable sensation in his heart.
He didn’t dare to easily turn his back on the Dragon Sovereign next to him anymore.
Their relationship had not really reached that level of familiarity; it was mainly a union of interests.
Taking a deep breath, he realized that this youngster, with just a few words, had made him wary and defensive, and he had fallen into the youngster’s verbal trap, which further angered him. He wished he could tear him to pieces.
“Leave this Qilin that serves as a dog for the Human Race to you,” the Demon King said, intending to divide the battlefield.
The Dragon Sovereign also realized that the other party had been influenced and sighed inwardly, while also secretly admiring the cunning of this young human, who, apart from his incredible talent, was also cunning as a ghost.
“Alright!” he consented with a voice, and at this point, with suspicion aroused, further words were useless; he could only prove himself with action.
Song Qiumo transmitted a message to Li Hao, “Should I lure him away, or stay here?”
She was worried that in the heat of battle, the opponent might unexpectedly lash out at Li Hao, or use Li Hao as a target for an attack. In such a case, Li Hao would become her weak point, forcing her to exhaust herself defending him, and she herself would become more vulnerable to attack.
“Lure him away,” Li Hao transmitted back.
Song Qiumo nodded slightly and said to the Dragon Sovereign, “Then let’s take it outside and finish that fight from earlier.”
“That suits me fine,” the Dragon Sovereign said with a cold laugh as he turned and flew away.
Song Qiumo immediately followed suit.
Seeing them leave, Wan Shan, the Demon King, heaved a sigh of relief and immediately turned to Li Hao with a cold smile, “Boy, you’re going to die!!”
He didn’t give Li Hao another chance to speak; as soon as his words fell, he ferociously attacked Li Hao.
“Do you think it’s just the two of us over here?” Li Hao quickly retorted.
Wan Shan, the Demon King, laughed loudly, “The more you say that, the more you’re just bluffing!”
He attacked fiercely, aiming to kill Li Hao.
Feng Boping stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Li Hao. He raised his hand and released a beam of green light, blocking Wan Shan’s attack.
Li Hao then flew to another side to avoid distracting Feng.
“You, go kill him!”
Wan Shan, the Demon King, had this intention and said to the man in the black robe beside him.
There was a chill in the man’s eyes. As Li Hao retreated, his body flashed abruptly, vanishing in an instant, reappearing in front of Li Hao.
Li Hao’s pupils constricted, but he was already prepared.
If it had been before, he wouldn’t have been able to detect such a teleportation technique used by someone in the Four Stands Realm, but now, with a breath of Immortal Qi in his body observing the world, he could sense the fluctuations of the opponent’s attack.
Feng had said that attacks from the Tao Heart Realm cannot be dodged.
The man in the black robe was using his own body as a weapon, attacking the air directly in front of Li Hao. Since the air offered no resistance, he could easily hit it.
When he hit it, it meant that his body would appear at that point of attack—thus achieving the effect of teleportation.
This was the principle behind the teleportation of the Four Stands Realm.
The reason why the attack anchor wasn’t directly set on Li Hao was because the further the distance of the attack and the stronger the target itself, the weaker this inevitable attack would be, after all, teleportation had its distance limitations.
Therefore, getting closer first, then striking at close range with full power, would be the best way to deliver a fatal blow!
But Li Hao had anticipated all of this.
Hence, at the point where the attack was aimed in front of him, there were many invisible lines and a condensed large fish hook!
When the man in the black robe appeared in rage the next moment, these lines immediately snapped out, entangling on him, and the big fish hook swung and immediately caught on the rib of his chest.
“Hm?!”
The man in the black robe hadn’t expected his teleportation to be anticipated by the young man. The stinging pain in his chest made him pause briefly and then a surge of even greater murderous intent welled up.
Suddenly, he struck out with his palm, which tore like an eagle’s claw, ripping dark shadows into the space in front of Li Hao.
This strike followed a trajectory of the Dao and was sure to hit its mark.
Reacting with extreme speed, Li Hao’s strength surged in an instant, with the Seven Stars Lighting effect, which had already been released as soon as he left Feng’s side.
The singular breath of Immortal Qi inside him doubled, then with the stirrings of the Yin and Yang Dual Pulse, the Immortal Qi grew even more immense.
From one breath, it became three.
Like three Silver Dragons swirling inside his body, converging and separating at will, all happening in an instant.
As the Immortal Qi spread through the pores into the world, Li Hao seemed to become one with the entire world, experiencing an extremely close connection.
His body was no longer a mere leaf on the ocean, but turned into the surf, rising and falling with the waves.
As the opponent’s attack tore through the air, Li Hao drew his sword, and the Dragon Soar Sword slashed furiously, gathering the force of heaven and earth, roaring like a dragon’s cry!
