Ledakan!Dari jarak dekat, pedang itu berbenturan dengan cakar dalam sekejap.Kekuatan Agung Langit dan Bumi mengalir deras ke ujung bilah pedang, seakan-akan merobek celah, memancar keluar.Niat Dao yang selaras sempurna terputus oleh Pedang Naga Terbang. Pria berjubah hitam itu mengira tebasan pedang dari seseorang di Alam Manusia Surgawi takkan mampu menahan serangan itu dan akan hancur semudah ranting kering diterjang badai. Namun, saat mereka bersentuhan, kekuatan dahsyat yang terpancar dari ujung pedang hampir membuatnya kewalahan.Dampak destruktifnya beriak, memaksa Li Hao dan pria berjubah hitam itu terhuyung mundur. Sambil mundur, Li Hao memanipulasi tali pancing tersembunyi untuk menarik kail yang tertancap di tulang rusuk pria itu, menenggelamkannya semakin dalam.Rasa sakit di dada lelaki itu menyebabkan dia mengangkat tangannya dan menebas, ujung telapak tangannya setajam pisau, memutuskan garis yang tersembunyi.Namun, saat talinya putus, kail yang terpasang merobek sepotong daging, membuatnya menarik napas tajam kesakitan. Di saat yang sama, ia merasakan luapan amarah yang tak terkendali.Sebagai seorang Raja Iblis, terluka hanya dalam pertemuan singkat dengan anggota Ras Manusia dari Alam Surgawi Manusia benar-benar tidak terbayangkan!”Mati!!”Dalam kemarahannya, lelaki berjubah hitam itu melancarkan serangan lain, mengarahkan jarinya untuk menjatuhkan Li Hao.Jari Sembilan Kali Lipat yang Menghancurkan Awan!Dipandu oleh Niat Dao, jari ini pasti akan mengenai, memancarkan kekuatan iblis yang menakutkan yang tampaknya menekan salju dan angin di langit hingga terdiam.Ekspresi Li Hao menegang saat garis-garis tersembunyi meluas dan terlihat di sekelilingnya.Pada saat yang sama, ia melepaskan kekuatan Yin dan Yang Dual Pulse. Qi Abadi mengalir ke dalam dirinya dari kekuatan antara Langit dan Bumi, lalu menggunakan saluran utamanya sendiri seperti gasing untuk menarik kekuatan dari sekelilingnya, semuanya terkonsentrasi pada bilah pedang!Jiwa naga yang tersegel di dalam Pedang Naga Terbang, bagaikan tanah gersang yang menyambut hujan, dengan penuh semangat menyerap gelombang kekuatan ini. Kekuatan naga muncul dari bilah pedang, Naga Sejati yang padat dan terkonsentrasi melilit lengan Li Hao yang memegang pedang, memperkuatnya dengan kekuatan mengerikan Naga Sejati.
Li Hao merasakan jantungnya berdetak kencang, bahkan menyakitkan. Ia tahu jari yang mengguncang bumi itu tepat diarahkan ke jantungnya.Musuh menginginkan pembunuhan satu pukulan!Suara mendesing!Dia melangkah maju, pedangnya mengayun ke bawah dengan ganas.Tao Abadi, Pedang Taiji Qiankun!Di depan pedang, Ilusi Yin Yang berevolusi seolah membentuk formasi halus yang meraung ke arah serangan dengan ujung pedang.Ledakan!!
A cataclysmic collision erupted, scattering countless ribbons of light in the air as the ground behind Li Hao cratered from the impact.
Li Hao’s body didn’t retreat an inch; his black hair fluttered wildly as the Yin Yang Formation in front of the blade shattered under rapid rotation, dissipating much of the vast force of the finger strike. He took another step forward and his sword light violently slashed onto the diminishing illusion, completely shattering it!
High above, the man in the black robe trembled with his internal energy in disarray, his eyes shifting from rage to shock.
As a Demon King, to have his attack blocked by someone beneath the Four Stands Realm—and not just anyone, but one who was not even among the Immortals, merely in the Heavenly Human Realm—was astonishing!
While he was shocked, he also felt fear and trepidation. If such a freak of the Human Race were to grow and cultivate, wouldn’t he become the second True Human within the Dayu Divine Dynasty?!
If so, he dared not imagine, how could there be any space left for Demons to dwell around the Dayu Divine Dynasty in the future?!
“Incredible speed!”
The man’s eyes were filled with coldness as murderous intent raged within him. Unleashing his Martial Will, he lifted his hand and pointed another deathly strike.
The second finger fell, just as turbulent and terrifying as before, pulling at the endless currents of Qi around him.
Li Hao was somewhat surprised to see the same move again, his heart tinged with shock and joy, suggesting that the previous attack may very well have been the opponent’s strongest move.
In these brief exchanges, Li Hao had realized that although this Four Stands Realm Demon King was powerful, he was not as invincible as he had imagined.
Had it been half a month ago, he might not have been able to withstand the onslaught, but now, by borrowing the Power of Heaven and Earth, he was capable of battle!
This realization excited Li Hao, and without the slightest hesitation, he wielded his sword again.
The same sword move as before, the Yin Yang Illusion appeared once more.
But as his sword light struck halfway, the finger was already upon him, faster than before.
Li Hao’s pupils contracted for a moment. At this critical instant, he utilized the hidden lines he had set up around the area as a contingency to restrain the opponent. They quickly pulled, yanking his body away.
Then, leveraging his own strength, he retreated at breakneck speed, like a marionette being pulled by its strings.
At the same time, his sword technique was ready.
There was a booming collision, and the entire camp trembled.
The man in the black robe’s face changed, his anger flaring as he pressed down once more with his hand.
He refused to believe that a mere member of the Human Race could possess such vast energy to continuously unleash such terrifying sword moves.Di bawah serangan gencar Jari Penghancur Awan Sembilan, dilengkapi dengan Niat Bela Diri yang cepat, Li Hao hanya bisa mengelak di dalam perkemahan, tetapi saat ia mengelak dan menciptakan jarak, ia akan membalas dengan serangan pedang.Qi di dalam dirinya diperpanjang, aliran Qi Abadi yang konstan menjaga komunikasi dengan Kekuatan Langit dan Bumi, yang berarti energinya tidak akan terkuras dalam waktu singkat, sehingga ia menjadi setengah Abadi. Namun, durasinya permanen.Setelah tujuh atau delapan serangan berturut-turut, area kamp asli dan halaman berpagar telah hancur oleh pertempuran.Tetapi pada saat ini, Li Hao tidak punya waktu untuk khawatir, memfokuskan seluruh perhatiannya pada pertempuran yang sedang berlangsung.Semakin lama pria berjubah hitam itu bertarung, semakin marah dan takjub ia. Setelah berulang kali melancarkan serangan terkuatnya, ia merasa lelah dan hampir saja menggunakan Kekuatan Abadinya. Namun, pemuda Ras Manusia ini masih bergejolak dengan kehidupan?!Akhirnya, menyadari bahwa ia tidak dapat membunuh Li Hao setelah bersusah payah, lelaki berjubah hitam itu membuang segala rasa malu; menghadapi Manusia dari Alam Manusia Surgawi ini, ia melepaskan kekuatan sejatinya, melepaskan Kekuatan Abadi!
With the surge of Unwithering Power, his body’s depleted strength was quickly replenished, his spirit became full again, and his eyes emitted a terrifying light as he roared and charged into the fray.
Boom!
With a raise of his hand, he struck down a palm print, and within it was a Ninefold Cloud-shattering Finger pressing down.
At the same time, he spat out a ball of black demon wind from his mouth, as if countless blades were sweeping through the wind.
As power continuously gathered, his deadly moves erupted simultaneously.
Li Hao’s face suddenly changed, his swordsmanship shifted, and the barely balanced power in his body tilted at this moment.
“Immortal Tao, Reincarnation!”
Li Hao slashed down again, the sword light curved like an arc, the arc light like a round moon, swiftly pushing forward.
The black demon wind was instantly extinguished; the huge palm print met the sword arc and shattered, but the sword arc also flickered with lightning, as if it couldn’t bear the strain.
The finger that followed the palm and pierced through completely shattered the sword light, but at the same time, the finger was also disrupted. Several bouts of force burst forth, overturning tents in the distant camp.
Li Hao’s inner energy slightly churned, but he quickly contained it and backhandedly slashed out a second sword.
The robed man’s pupils contracted, and his face lost its color in shock.
You’re still not dead?
This kid was actually holding back earlier?!
He felt his blood rush to the top of his head as if he were about to explode in a mad rage, his eyes turned blood-red and vicious, and his body gradually underwent Semi-Demonization, his hands transforming into sharp claws, screeching sharply.
Similarly relentless attacks bombarded continuously, black feathers emerging on his skin, the more he fought, the deeper his demonization.
Both sides were unleashing ruthless moves, causing the earth to quake and heaven to thunder with their might.
Yet both seemed to enter a deadlock, neither able to best the other.
Under the Unwithering state, the robed man revealed his true form, transforming into a huge Black Bird, but on its back were golden feathers, the thin bloodline of an ancient Demon King within its body.
It roared, flapping its wings, the heavens and earth changing color as towering Demonic Qi suppressed from above like dark clouds, a gigantic finger extending from within.
Li Hao stamped on the ground, soaring into the sky, carrying the might of the Immortal Tao Reincarnation, and attacked the apocalyptic finger.
His body plunged into the demonic fog, then cleaved through the black mist and shattered the finger, but he himself spat out a mouthful of blood.
Under the Reincarnation Sword Skill, his body’s Immortal Qi fluctuated, and he was barely keeping up, relying solely on his strong constitution.
The Black Bird Demon King’s assault was broken, enraging it further; its Unwithering state wouldn’t last long.
Once the state declined, it might even be weaker than before.
This filled it with insufferable anger and shame—was it, a prestigious Demon King, going to be counter-killed by a junior from the Heavenly Human Realm?!
Boom!!
As both sides were gathering strength, ready to launch a new round of the most intense collision, suddenly from the horizon a grey shadow shot towards them, smashing violently into the nearby camp.
Li Hao turned to look and saw through the dust a figure in a grey robe clambering out of a deep pit looking extremely wretched, with shredded clothes and an exceedingly large bloody hole torn through his gaunt chest!
It was Feng!
Li Hao’s pupils contracted to pinpoints, his blood feeling instantly cold and solidified.
But then, as if a fiery blaze was kindling from the bottom of his heart, it almost tore his entire soul apart with its burning rage!
“Feng!”
He let out a distorted roar and rushed over.
Feng Boping climbed unsteadily out of the pit, spitting out blood, his complexion pale and ugly. Hearing Li Hao’s shout, he turned to look and noticed the Black Bird in its true form. His heart skipped a beat—Li Hao had forced the Demon King to reveal its real self?
“Run!!”
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Feng Boping urgently bellowed at Li Hao.
Li Hao’s body, however, didn’t stop. Just as he reached Feng, he suddenly felt two immense Demonic Qi bearing down on him.
Turning his head, he saw two demonic figures racing across the sky. One revealed its original form, a giant lion with golden fur and scales covering its four limbs.
The other wore a dark silver robe, brilliantly patterned on the chest, tall and handsome in figure—a young man in appearance.
At the moment, his hands smeared with blood, he was toying with a rib bone.
“Old man, you have quick reflexes, ducking out of the way.” The silver-robed youth sneered, but there was a cold murderous intent in his eyes.
Li Hao’s complexion turned grave; there was yet another Demon King!
Beyond that Dragon Lord, the Wan Shan Demon King had actually summoned another!
Seeing the gravely injured Feng Boping next to Li Hao, the golden lion that was Wan Shan stomped out of the void. Seeing Li Hao’s changed expression, it burst out with a fierce and exhilarating laugh:
“To prevent your high-level experts from being in charge, I specially asked him to join the fray, but now it seems, all your earlier bluffs were just a show of strength!”
“Competing in strategy with me? Don’t worry. I won’t kill you easily. I’ll refine your soul and imprison you in the Mo River, where you’ll beg for death but won’t find it!”
Li Hao felt a chill surge up from deep within. This old Demon King was too careful.
He had guessed that his opponent was suspicious and cautious, but he didn’t expect him to be this prudent.
Having the Dragon Lord show up might have been meant to lull them into thinking there were only three.
But in reality, another was lying in wait in the shadows. Their lines of defense were compromised and destroyed by Wan Shan, and during the battle, some of it receded, morphing into combat power, preventing them from noticing this one hidden in the dark.
Four Demon Kings!
To kill him, a mere Heavenly Human Realm, they had actually mobilized so many Demon Kings; it was nothing like the villains in stories, coming out one by one, allowing the hero to defeat them one step at a time.
This ancient Great Demon struck to kill, leaving no hope or way out for him!
Just like when he was a six-year-old child, he was targeted for assassination by Demons from the Zhou Tian Realm, but this time the gap and peril far exceeded that.
“Go quickly, I’ll hold them off!”
Feng Boping grasped Li Hao, standing in front of him, his aged face no longer the rosy hue of usual days, but rather pale, yet his gaze was as sharp as a blade, firmly fixed on the opponent:
“That Demon King ambushed me, luckily I dodged it, there shouldn’t be a fifth one nearby!”
Li Hao looked at the withered body standing in front of him, a blood cavity the size of a fist in the old man’s abdomen, piercing through his ribs, and tearing apart the worn robe on his back.
If it had been any higher, it would have hit the heart!
Li Hao felt all the blood in his body trembling, veins on his forehead throbbing violently, a sensation of acute pain and madness welled up inside him.
“Together!”
Li Hao clenched his fists, his gaze firmly fixed upon the three Demon Kings in the sky, filled with an urge to destroy everything.
“I can defy the heavens and change my fate, I can find life in a dead end, don’t worry about me, you go first!”
Feng Boping didn’t dare to look back, but spoke hurriedly, with an unquestionable seriousness in his voice.
When Li Hao heard this, he bit through his lip, his heart bleeding with sorrow, and clenched the sword in his hand:
“Feng, have you forgotten? Five or six years ago, you said that if you had a chance to defy the heavens and change fate, you would give it to me!”
Back then, he was still seen as useless by others.
A casual remark made by Feng while fishing, but Li Hao remembered it.
But it seemed that Feng had forgotten.
Upon hearing Li Hao’s words, Feng’s body trembled, as if startled for a moment, and then suddenly burst out with a power like a gale, enveloping Li Hao and sending his body flying.
“Just take revenge for me, go!!”
For the first time, Feng Boping roared at Li Hao.
“Hah, no one can escape, still thinking of fleeing?!”
Wan Shan, the Demon King, sneered coldly, giving a glance to Gao beside him; in his heart, he was also somewhat surprised and puzzled, it had been so long, yet Gao had still not dealt with the kid. Although he had told Gao not to kill him but to capture him alive first, since he wanted to slowly torture this damned member of the Human Race to death.
But it seemed that Gao had also become a bit too excited in his play.
The Black Bird Demon King, without saying much, felt only shame and anger, and as Li Hao flew out, he immediately used his swiftness to pursue.
Feng Boping’s aged and withered body roared up to the sky, his flesh seemed to swell, while more blood oozed from the gaping wound beneath his abdomen, staining the ragged robe on his body with red.
He leapt up, attempting to block the way.
But Wan Shan, the Demon King, and the silvery-robed youth seized the opportunity and killed their way forward simultaneously.
From afar, Li Hao waved his hand to disperse the wind and saw Feng’s aged body alone before three powerful Demons. His eyes nearly split open, and he let out a mournful and piercing roar to the sky.
The immortal power inside him was released at that moment.
Li Hao unlocked the shackles and restrictions of his body, desperately drawing upon the Power of Heaven and Earth.
When he accessed the Land Immortal Realm, he borrowed the strength of Heaven and Earth. Feeling that vast mighty force, he could vaguely sense that if he overdrew the Power of Heaven and Earth, his body would merge into it.
The more he merged into Heaven and Earth, the deeper he became a part of it, the stronger the power he could borrow!
But in doing so, his body would also disintegrate, fully merging into Heaven and Earth, completely losing oneself, becoming a force amongst Heaven and Earth.
He may disintegrate and become mountains and rivers, beasts, or even just a snowflake.
Assimilate with Heaven and Earth!
This was a forbidden move that Li Hao dared not step into, the Land Immortal Realm’s deadly limit!
But at this moment, he took that step.
His body absorbed the Power of Heaven and Earth to a great degree, his flesh tearing, his size swelling rapidly!
The wild power surged like a hurricane, rolling towards Li Hao.
In the midst of Heaven and Earth, the atmosphere changed, all was silent as death.
A vast oppressive force suddenly dominated the entire scene!
At that moment, the three Demons attacking Feng Boping all shockingly raised their heads.
Feng Boping also paused, turning to look.
He then saw the energy between Heaven and Earth gathering like a flood, converging rapidly into the frenzied youth.
The youth’s black hair thickened, his eyes bleeding tears, flashing a terrifying luster. His figure swelled as if an ancient god or demon had awakened.
“Aaaaahhhhh!!!”
Li Hao let out a roar that shook Heavenly Gate Pass, filled with pain, rage, and madness!
He raised the sword in his hand, and at that moment, the Dragon Soar Sword, bearing the mighty force of heaven and earth, was fully invoked by Li Hao, revealing its true sword might.
The Divine Sword unleashed dazzling divine light as if unsealed, all the power between Heaven and Earth gathering towards the blade, condensing and intensifying. Then, as the youth stepped forward, a vast sword might swept out with a slash!
“Cycle of Heaven and Earth!!”
The fearsome sword might turned into a vortex that seemed poised to swallow everything like a black hole, sweeping forth.
The space around it twisted, slashing towards the three Demon Kings.
Behind the vortex, the Dragon Soaring Sword Soul flew out, transforming into a resplendent True Dragon, biting down on the Black Bird Demon King in one gulp, its body instantly coiling around and entangling it.
“Shatter for me!”
The Black Bird Demon King, horrified, struggled fiercely, but the blood within it felt a sense of reverence and trembling before the True Dragon coiling around.
It struggled in anger, watching as the swallowing sword shadow came closer, with a looming shadow of death.
“Brother Nie, help me!!”
Letting go of the dignity of a Demon King, it yelled urgently.
Wan Shan, the Demon King, without needing a plea, had already moved, shocked by the youth’s terrifying might, but his body did not stop. With a roar, he struck out several palm prints, which overlapped like a demonic hand, smashing towards the sword shadow.
With a loud Boom!
The heavens and earth exploded, and the Reincarnation Sword Shadow emitted a roaring sound. The demonic hand contained a terrifying might, but its palm was constantly being abraded and finally burst apart.
Wan Shan, the Demon King, only felt his blood surge in reverse, a look of horror in his eyes.
The black hole formed by the Reincarnation Sword Shadow was shaken by the demonic hand and also showed signs of fluctuation and disintegration. It suddenly autonomously split, transforming into countless sword shadows that shot out like swimming dragons.
Boom, Boom, Boom!
In an instant, the Black Bird Demon King’s body withstood a baptism of countless Sword Qi.
These Sword Qi fell like raindrops, piercing through the demon’s wings leaving small puncture wounds, but the damage dealt was not significant.
However, an inconspicuous thread of Sword Qi followed a hole in the torn wing, entering the Black Bird Demon King’s body, and in an instant, its pupils shrank violently.
It felt as though its bones were being suddenly pulled out, and it had a sensation of being powerless.
The strength within its body, Divine Soul, and will all rapidly decayed and waned.
What is this… situation?
It could not believe what was happening, and its eyes widened in shock.
Subsequently, its huge body fell straight down, crashing heavily onto the ground.
Even as the life faded from its eyes—still filled with disbelief—the light within them quickly dimmed, and its life force swiftly declined, dead!
This scene stunned Wan Shan, who was just catching his breath, and the silver-robed youth prepared to act was also frozen in place.
Then, they both widened their eyes in shock, staring at the Black Bird Demon King who died in the blink of an eye on the ground.
Dead?!
The most terrifying posture of the previous sword technique had been fully blocked by Wan Shan, which caused it to disperse, leaving only the residual Sword Qi rain.
They could feel that the lethality within the Sword Qi was not strong, but even so… it actually killed him?!
Wan Shan and the silver-robed youth both turned their heads in horror, looking at the youth who was stepping forward.
The crumbling, god-like figure seemed to use some Secret Technique, revealing an exceedingly frightening aura.
They felt as if the youth was carrying the entire heavens and earth on his back, pressing down upon them.
Only at the Heavenly Human Realm, how could he possess such might?!
They could not understand; everything before their eyes was too strange.
At this moment, Li Hao had already raised his hand, roaring as he swung the second sword strike.
This sword’s might was even greater than before, like the gates of hell unleashing death, with Sword Shadows racing like dragons toward Wan Shan, the Demon King.
Wan Shan’s face changed dramatically, unable to imagine what kind of Secret Technique could allow a Heavenly Human Realm to be elevated to such a level and be used for a second time.
In anger, he roared and slapped out his demonic hand again, crashing into the Reincarnation Sword Shadow.
The Sword Shadow dispersed, and then, together with the Dragon Soaring Sword Soul, it struck at Wan Shan, the Demon King.
Wan Shan, feeling the deathly aura creeping over him, felt his hair stand on end, and, with a chilling dread swelling in his heart, he abruptly contracted his body and turned to flee.
“Run!”
He did not confront the strange Sword Rain head-on but chose to escape instead.
The death of the Black Bird Demon King had been too bizarre, and faced with a similar scene, his scalp tingled with horror.
Although he could not sense much power in the Sword Rain, it was this very fact that made it so eerie!
Seeing this, the silver-robed youth also changed his expression slightly and, without staying any longer, quickly retreated.
The Reincarnation Sword Shadow chased after them, but their escape was incredibly fast, and Li Hao could only dismantle the Reincarnation Sword Shadow into countless beams of sword light that flew out.
Though their speed increased, it was still not fast enough, and they failed to catch up.
In the blink of an eye, both Great Demons had left Heavenly Gate Pass.
At the same time, a violent trembling was transmitted from the distance, where it appeared the Dragon Lord was battling with Song Qiumo.
Li Hao saw that before the two Great Demons left, they sneak-attacked Song Qiumo, severely wounding her, and while the Dragon Lord hesitated, Wan Shan had already beckoned him to retreat.
Li Hao, sword in hand, chased after the three Demon Kings who had fled beyond Heavenly Gate Pass, vanishing into the distance a hundred miles away.
Li Hao hurried to Song Qiumo’s side and saw her azure dress drenched in blood. Her shoulder blades displayed several exceedingly deep claw marks. At the moment, she was weak and pale, but was staunching her blood and stabilizing her condition, seemingly without the threat of losing her life.
“What happened to you?”
Seeing Li Hao approaching like a divine demon, Song Qiumo was startled. She struggled to steady her breath and quickly said,
“Is this some kind of secret technique?”
Even as she asked, she had never seen any secret technique that could cause such a transformation.
Moreover, the aura radiating from Li Hao’s body was so oppressive that even she felt overwhelmed, as if the entire sky above was about to come crashing down with his every move.
Seeing that Song Qiumo was safe, Li Hao managed to slightly restrain the raging killing intent in his heart. Her words also reminded him of his situation, and he quickly reined in his strength, stopping the influx of Immortal Qi and the borrowing of the earth’s energy.
But as easy as it was to say, his body had already been collapsing and deteriorating. Now, as he forcibly blocked the flow of the earth’s power, his pores seemed to have broken open, and his body couldn’t close up like a released floodgate!
Li Hao crouched down, biting down hard on his teeth. His eyes reddened with bloodshed, knowing that if he couldn’t control himself, what awaited him was complete disintegration, becoming nothing more than a breeze in this world!
He did not want to die!
Yet the pain of collapsing and tearing apart assaulted him from all over his body.
The endless power of the earth seemed intent on crushing his bones, pulverizing his flesh, and grinding his viscera and entire body into dust, eventually merging him with the earth and sky!
“Aaaaah!!”
Li Hao let out a bestial roar, his vocal cords already torn asunder; his voice was a blood-curdling scream of sorrow and agony.
Song Qiumo, sensing that something was terribly wrong with Li Hao’s condition, showed a panicked expression on her weak and pale face, and urgently asked, “How can I help you?”
But Li Hao was already unable to speak.
Seeing this, Song Qiumo could only attempt to manipulate her own power, transforming it into a soft sheet of water encircling Li Hao, hoping to heal and delay the disintegration and collapse of his body.
However, the soft deep water, which possessed healing powers, accelerated the disintegration of Li Hao’s body upon contact.
At this moment, he was in an excessively saturated state. The more power he absorbed, the faster his body disintegrated.
Then, Feng Boping, dragging his injured body, rushed over. On seeing this scene, he paused for a moment but then promptly realized something:
“Quick, cut off this part of the world!”
Song Qiumo was quick to respond. Upon seeing that her power was useless, even worsening Li Hao’s pain, she swiftly withdrew her energy.
Upon retracting it, she was horrified to notice that some of her power had been savagely and dominantly absorbed by Li Hao.
At Feng Boping’s shout, she swiftly collected her thoughts, took a deep breath, and redirected the part of her power used for self-healing, joining forces with Feng Boping to form a barrier cage to trap Li Hao within.
But what shocked both of them was that after their barrier cage was formed, it did indeed slow down the disintegration of Li Hao’s body, yet their barrier began to tremble and shake as if it was slowly disintegrating!
Even their barrier power was being absorbed by Li Hao!
This outcome stunned both of them. It was their very own power that was being plundered!
Not even demons were this terrifying, unless it was a Great Demon beyond the Four Stands Realm, draining them as a ghost would a mere mortal.
And Li Hao’s behaviour at the moment was just like that.
While they were shocked, Li Hao was biting down hard, using every ounce of his strength to control his body. The barrier formed by Feng Boping and Song Qiumo joining hands had an effect, momentarily interrupting the power of this part of the world.
Although power continued to pour incessantly into Li Hao’s body, it was no longer as turbulent as before.
Li Hao groaned low, continually suppressing his body and the Immortal Qi within, transforming the power absorbed into his body and dispersing it from another part.
Such rapid circulation was possible, fortunately, because he had opened enough major channels within his body, aided by the Yin and Yang Dual Pulse, which barely allowed him to transform part of the vast and immense power of the earth and sky, reducing the rest of the damage to his body significantly.
In the extreme agony of being torn apart, Li Hao was attempting to bring both his body and mind to a state of calm.
Only then could he trigger the property of “laying low”, allowing his body to slowly heal.
This was a self-healing power comparable to the Undying Realm.
But with the pain of being torn apart in both flesh and Divine Soul, the peace of mind Li Hao sought was excruciatingly difficult, utterly elusive!
He clenched his teeth tightly, closed his eyes in pain, clenched his fists, and hunched over on the ground like a curled-up shrimp.
He felt the wind between heaven and earth and thought how nice it would be if that gentle breeze could whisk away the pain from his body.
But the wind merely brushed by lightly, taking nothing with it, leaving nothing behind.
Would he just die like this?
Li Hao couldn’t help but wonder.
He thought of the brilliant courtyard under the starry sky, of the many faces that had seen him off on both sides of the road when he left the resplendent Divine General Mansion.
He thought of the little white fox, of Ren Qianqian, of Feng who had just shielded him, a fist-sized hole gaping open in his chest, and also of Song Qiumo, pale and weak.
Scalding tears fell like beads of sweat from his face.
Li Hao breathed slowly, thinking of the tranquility he had felt at the peak of the snowy mountain when he perceived the essence of the world.
He knew that merely resisting and converting was not enough; he needed to guide and transfer this energy out.
Just like a snowflake in the cosmos, rising with the wind and falling when it ceases.
His breathing, initially deep, became rapid, then gradually transitioned from rapid to slow.
His tightly curled body was slowly relaxing until he finally sat down on the ground.
The body that had swelled to four or five meters slowly shrank back down.
But as his skeleton and flesh contracted and reverted to their original form, his cracked skin was ragged, and his body was drenched in blood, like a blood-soaked figure.
Song Qiumo gazed intently at him, silent, her delicate hand buried in the snow, clenching tighter bit by bit.
Within her clear, stream-like eyes, deep anger and intent to kill gradually emerged.
Feng Boping, seeing that Li Hao seemed to have stabilized, let out a slight sigh of relief. At this moment, the barrier he had set up with Song Qiumo had fallen to pieces, riddled with holes.
The power of the universe continued to pour into Li Hao’s body, but upon reaching his surroundings, except for a little that entered, the rest swirled around like a whirlwind, transferring elsewhere after revolving.
On the face of the young man, bathed in a sea of blood and with skin flayed open, Feng Boping saw the pain slowly recede, revealing a sense of tranquility amidst his features.
Feng Boping couldn’t ease his heart, on the contrary, his eyes moistened, and a single tear trickled down.
If it weren’t for the boy’s departure from the glorious and noble mansion, how could he have encountered such peril and faced the Great Demon King of the Frontier Pass at such a young age?
He wondered how many people in that mansion would genuinely feel sorry for the boy if they saw this scene.
The energy of the universe whirled past, picking up the snow and the dead leaves within it, but near Li Hao, it formed a hurricane-like force, encircling him.
And there, in the eye of the hurricane, sat Li Hao, his face becoming more tranquil and peaceful, his torn skin still seeping blood. Yet gradually, the bleeding started to cease.
The attribute of concealing one’s prowess and biding time activated at this moment. In that hellish torture, Li Hao achieved inner peace and relaxation.
His breathing grew smoother and longer.
The broken flesh all over his body seemed to scab over.
Below him, the snow was dyed red.
Time passed, unknown how long.
Li Hao slowly opened his eyes, and what met his gaze were the concerned expressions of Feng and Song Qiumo. Li Hao revealed a faint smile, “I’m alright.”
“You were nearly dead, and you say you’re alright!”
Feng Boping clenched his teeth slightly, wanting to lift his hand and knock hard on Li Hao’s head, but he held back. His tense body relaxed at this moment, and he sat down with a thump next to him.
Song Qiumo gazed deeply at Li Hao, remaining silent without saying a word.
Li Hao raised his hand, dispersing the energy of the world swirling around him. At this moment, he had already controlled the runaway Immortal Qi within his body, no longer borrowing from it.
The turbulent energy of the world also settled down, like autumn leaves falling in the breeze.
“I’ve involved you both.”
Li Hao looked at the two, and now all three were severely injured and in a sorry state.
“Don’t talk nonsense, once we recover from our wounds, we’ll take the fight to them!”
Feng slightly bared his teeth, and now that he had relaxed, he flipped his palm and took out some medicines from within his robe, pouring out bottles and jars, and picking and stuffing them into his mouth.
Though these medicines were extremely precious, they couldn’t take immediate effect, as they required time to be absorbed.
Still, they could make one recover in just a day or two if taken after a big battle.
“Exactly.” Song Qiumo also took her own healing medicine and swallowed it, responding softly to Feng Boping’s words.
Li Hao nodded. Today’s score, of course, could not be settled so easily.
“Little Mouse.”
Feng Boping tossed some medicines to Li Hao, but Li Hao didn’t catch them and just shook his head; he was immune to these medicines, and they wouldn’t work on him; he could only rely on himself.
Luckily, his special attribute of concealing prowess surpassed these medicines, and if he could step into the Immortal Realm of the Undying, combined with this attribute, he felt his self-healing ability would reach unimaginable levels.
Just as Feng Boping was about to speak, a sudden whooshing sound approached rapidly from afar.
The three of them looked up, their expressions changing dramatically. In the distant horizon, the three Demon Kings that had fled were returning!
“Looks like you’re all not in great shape, haha!”
Wan Shan, the Demon King, charged ahead, his eyes revealing a ferocious killing intent and joy.
Seeing the trio’s condition, Li Hao needn’t be mentioned, looking like a bloodied figure as if his skin had been peeled off.
The other two seemed like flickering candles in the wind, still unable to adjust.
Seeing the three Demon Kings return for a counter-slaughter, Li Hao’s heart sank to the bottom.
“You never thought we’d counter-slaughter back, did you?”
Wan Shan, the Demon King, bared his teeth, but his eyes were unusually ferocious. Having seen Li Hao’s eerie posture before, he had guessed that it was some Secret Technique, which was why he decisively retreated.
But undoubtedly, no matter what Secret Technique it was, such an exaggerated boost in power was bound to not last long.
Thus, he had waited for the energy here to settle before turning around to strike back, intending to devour all three of them and avenge his brothers and son!
“I haven’t tasted Qilin meat yet, fellow Daoist.”
The Dragon Lord looked towards Song Qiumo with a smile on his face, but that smile was somewhat unsettling.
Song Qiumo and Feng Boping’s complexions turned ugly, but they immediately stood up, their auras surging, showing an unyielding stance and shielding Li Hao behind them.
However, at this moment, they were at the end of their tether, with little strength remaining.
Song Qiumo’s expression was complicated. She too was in the Defying Fate Realm, but the chance to defy fate had already been used up; otherwise, she could have restrained the three Demon Kings a little with her own power.
“Just a paper tiger, kill!”
The silver-robed young man took the lead in stepping forward, ready to make a move, when suddenly, an overwhelming and vast aura swept over them.
All that could be seen behind Song Qiumo and Feng Boping was the figure of the blood-soaked youth. His body cracked again, his bones making a cacophony like shattering glass. His body, not yet fully healed and covered in cracks, was now slowly swelling up once more.
Feeling this aura, both Feng Boping and Song Qiumo were startled and turned their heads, only to see Li Hao’s blood-red eyes, blood rolling down, and his body constantly splintering and spurting out a large splash of blood.
“Hao Er…” Feng lost his voice.
Li Hao slowly took a step forward. The previously silent Immortal Qi was mobilized again, drawing on the Power of Heaven and Earth.
His body, on the verge of collapsing, yet lifted his head and stared boldly at the three Demon Kings in the sky, his voice cold:
“You don’t think my Secret Technique can only be used once, do you?”
All three of Wan Shan’s group were shocked. The silver-robed young man halted his steps. Looking at the figure of the youth that looked like it could collapse at any moment, feeling the terrifying collapsing power emanating from his body, he dared not act rashly.
The Black Bird Demon King had died unclearly, and he still hadn’t figured out the cause of its death.
The longer they lived, the more they treasured their lives. Confronted with such unheard-of and peculiar circumstances, he chose to act with caution.
“It’s merely for show, Hmph!”
Wan Shan, the Demon King, snorted coldly. Although he was furious inside and thought of retreating, his expression seemed dismissive as he vehemently raised his hand and unleashed a vast Demonic Palm smash down.
Billowing Demonic Qi rolled like clouds, intent on annihilating everything within hundreds of meters around them.
In Li Hao’s hand, the Dragon Soar Sword burst forth with a sharp cry, fiercely slashing down.
The dragon’s soul soared into the sky, colliding with the Demonic Palm, then tore it apart. Countless scales ejected from the dragon’s soul were innumerable strands of Sword Qi.
Wan Shan’s expression changed slightly, and he swiftly slapped out his palm again, blocking these Sword Qis and quickly retreating once more, fleeing again:
“Kid, just you wait!”
The silver-robed young man also quickly followed his lead, leaving swiftly. Only the Dragon Lord was slightly puzzled. Although he felt the power Li Hao was emitting was extremely strong, comparable to the peak of the Tao Heart Realm, it didn’t seem to have a reason to fear.
However, since Wan Shan had chosen to retreat, he saw no reason to stay any longer.
“Seems it’ll have to wait until next time.”
With regret in his heart, the Dragon Lord glanced at Song Qiumo and quickly flew away.
The three Great Demon Kings had come quickly and left just as quickly.
In the blink of an eye, the world was clear again, and the Demon Qi had dissipated.
Li Hao spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, swiftly closed his pores, sealed his entire body, and cut off the Heaven and Earth again.
But this time, it was even more laborious. Feng and Song Qiumo also lent their strength again, squeezing out some power to erect a Barrier for Li Hao.
Luckily, the confrontation this time was not intense. After half a stick of incense had passed, Li Hao barely managed to control his fracturing body. Yet compared to before, this second fracturing caused far greater damage; the flesh on his body’s surface had all peeled off, dissolving into the Heaven and Earth.
If it happened again, he feared he would be left with nothing but a skin-wrapped skeleton.
His organs and the like would be exposed.
The caution and slyness of these Demon Kings were unmatched by ordinary people.
Li Hao, enduring the extreme pain, but forced himself to remain calm, and slowly entered the state of Hiding One’s Abilities and Biding Time, stopping the injuries throughout his body.
“We must leave quickly, they’ll definitely come back!”
Upon seeing that Li Hao’s aura had stabilized and there was no immediate danger to his life, Feng Boping immediately spoke up.
Song Qiumo also nodded slightly. Although she did not know why Li Hao could still deploy this strange Secret Technique, there was no doubt that another time would be too much for Li Hao to bear.
They could only take the chance to leave now.
Li Hao did not refuse. He also knew that staying now was pointless and would only lead to their deaths at Heavenly Gate Pass.
The agreement was likely to be broken.
Thinking of this, his heart, which had regained tranquility, started to fluctuate, and he almost broke the state of Hiding One’s Abilities and Biding Time.
However, just as the three were retreating deep into the mountain pass, the ground suddenly began to shake.
The many hidden lines Li Hao had set up “Outside the Pass” when entering the “Transform to Immortal” state had already dissipated, lacking the strength to maintain those buried at a distance.
Now, the tremors in the ground could only be felt physically.
“It’s the Demon Tide!”
Feng Boping was the first to investigate, his finger retracting from the ground, his expression changing as he said, “It’s a hundred miles away, moving very fast. It will be here in a minute!”
Song Qiumo, supporting Li Hao’s bloody body, felt her finger touch the sticky, cracked flesh, causing her to tremble with emotion and reluctance. Her eyes filled with hatred, she immediately said:
“`
“Let’s go now!”
“`
She took Li Hao and was about to fly to another location, but suddenly, three figures appeared instantaneously, blocking their way forward, and it was the three Demon Kings that had left earlier.
“It seems this secret technique takes a huge toll on oneself.”
Wan Shan, the Demon King, noticed that Li Hao’s condition was even more miserable than before, realizing the tremendous damage the technique did to the body. He figured it couldn’t be used many more times and felt a sense of relief.
“I didn’t expect that the ‘next time’ I mentioned would come so quickly.”
Dragon Soar wore a smile, his tone tinged with mockery.
Feng Boping’s expression darkened, and he transmitted his voice to Song Qiumo, “You take Hao Er and run first, I will hold them off.”
“You…” Song Qiumo looked at him, her complexion slightly changing, as if she understood what he was about to do.
Li Hao’s face was ugly; he could see the Demon Kings’ intention to trap them, relying on the demons’ tide to exhaust their strength and then finish them off.
Brutal, cunning, and desperate.
Perhaps, he could only release completely, no longer holding back, and enter the final moment of transforming into an Immortal.
That was the limit of fusing one’s body with the power of heaven and earth, retaining only a sliver of consciousness, yet it was also the most powerful instant!
Maybe at that moment, his strength could surpass the three Demon Kings and win a chance of survival for Feng and the others.
At that thought, Li Hao took a deep breath. He looked at Feng, who quietly stepped forward to protect him, and slowly said,
“You all go, I’ll handle this.”
Feng Boping spoke solemnly, “Hao Er, you have a bright future ahead of you. Just listen to me this time.”
A smile tugged at Li Hao’s lips, “This was originally my own affair; I’ve already involved you all. This time, let’s do as I say.”
Speaking, he was about to release the Immortal Qi again, channeling the power of heaven and earth.
But at that moment, the ground suddenly began to shake again, growing more intense.
More demons?
The expressions of Li Hao and his companions changed slightly, but they realized the rumbling was coming from the direction of Dragon Pass Road within Qingzhou.
The expressions of the three Demon Kings shifted slightly as they turned to look.
As the ground shook, waves of battle cries also gradually approached, at first faint but growing louder and more powerful until they swept through Heavenly Gate Pass.
“Kill! Kill!!”
“Master Hao, we’ve arrived!!”
“Demons, move faster!!”
A group of figures on horseback charged forward, wearing various clothing from all nineteen provinces.
Above their heads flew those of the Fifteen Li Realm and masters from the Tianren Sect!
Additionally, among them were two from the Three Immortal Realms, also racing over.
However, upon seeing the three Demon Kings in front of Li Hao, the two from the Three Immortal Realms’ previously angry expressions suddenly stiffened, feeling somewhat astonished and unsure whether to advance or retreat.
They had anticipated an attack by the Demon King but hadn’t expected three!
The rest of the figures on horseback only saw the appearances of the three Demon Kings, unable to perceive the extent of the Demon Kings’ aura due to the huge difference in their realms.
With a thunderous charge, a multitude of figures poured into the pass and galloped into the camp.
On seeing the ravaged scene within the camp, strewn with destruction, those who had rushed over were shocked, unable to imagine the carnage beyond the pass was so severe!
“Master Hao, we are here!”
Many from the Heavenly Human Realm flew in, and when they saw Li Hao’s body riddled with gaping wounds, looking like a bloodied wretch, they were struck with horrified amazement.
On the Debate Platform of Dragon River, this young man had once used a single finger to suppress all grandmasters, a peerless elegance unmatched in history. Now, he was reduced to such a pitiable state.
“Could these three demons be…”
Someone managed to sense the aura of the three Demon Kings, feeling an unusually dreadful sense of fear, and a terrible thought began to surface.
Could it be that they were facing a Great Demon King, the one who had driven Li Hao to such extremities?!
“We’ve arrived too late.”
In the crowd, Bai Chunhai stepped forward, and next to him was another great grandmaster, Lin Qingfeng.
When they had parted in Dayue City, having learned of Li Hao’s slaying of the lesser Demon King of Wan Shan, they surmised that Li Hao might face Wan Shan’s vengeance. Thus, they kept a close eye on the young man to whom they owed a life-saving favor.
At the same time, they also gathered details from various sources about the battle in Qingzhou City, as well as Li Hao’s commitment to defending Heavenly Gate Pass.
As a result, many headed over, joining forces in Liangzhou, hoping to offer their support at Heavenly Gate Pass.
In doing so, it would serve the country, defend the frontier pass, and repay Li Hao for saving their lives.
Recently, news had somehow spread that Wan Shan, the Demon King, was planning to attack Heavenly Gate Pass, prompting them to assemble in nearby cities and rush over.
Now, it seemed they had arrived just in time.
On seeing these figures charging forward, Li Hao’s expression slightly changed, and he quickly said, “This is not a place for you; hurry and leave!”
“Are these three Demon Kings?”
Lin Qingfeng had already detected the concealed yet terrifying aura of the three Demon Kings, his gaze shifting with concern. If he had known this earlier, he might have reconsidered, but now…
He had come anyway.
Retreating now would be embarrassing.
Besides, looking at the two figures beside Li Hao, he recognized one as the Demon King from Tan Palace Academy.
Many of them had graduated from Tan Palace Academy in earlier years.
They were no strangers to this Demon King.
As for the other, although he didn’t recognize them, they seemed to be a powerful figure from the Four Stands Realm, which meant there might still be a possibility of putting up a fight.
“Master Hao, we will hold off the demon tide; you get away first!”
A grandmaster came forward; he was almost surrounded and killed by demons during the defense but was rescued by Li Hao’s Dragon Soar Sword that penetrated through seven demons with a single thrust.
