All the demons were dumbstruck with shock, intimidated by the unwavering aura of this youth.
Elsewhere, the Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation continued to drag the Heaven-Devouring Demon Ancestor, furiously smashing it into the ground and creating deep trenches as if the earth were cracking open.
The nearby mountains were shattered by the impacts, scales on the Demon Ancestor’s head were knocked loose, and its skin was ripped open, flesh bursting forth.
It let out a roar of rage and humiliation, suddenly shooting out countless scales from its tail, slicing the palms of the Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation, and then with a fierce twist of its tail, broke free.
The divine light surged within the Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation, healing the rips in its palms.
Li Hao watched the Demon Ancestor struggling to break free and chased after it with his sword drawn.
“Bastard, do you really think you are invincible?!”
The Heaven-Devouring Demon Ancestor roared, its majesty as a Demon King completely swept away, rage turning its eyes blood red as it charged at Li Hao instead of retreating.
As it neared, the ferocity in its eyes became apparent, and it suddenly opened its mouth wide, which, aside from two exceedingly long fangs, contained numerous small sharp teeth.
At this moment, it used its most powerful Cultivation Technique, the Heaven-Devouring Demon Skill!
Like a vortex, a powerful sucking force suddenly enveloped Li Hao; at such a close distance, it didn’t believe that Li Hao could escape!
“Hao Er!”
Feng Boping, who was far away, saw this and his complexion changed drastically. Just as he was about to hurry over, Monarch Bai suddenly sensed something, roared loudly, and transformed into a white tiger, pouncing at him.
Li Hao saw his opponent’s gaping maw and, although he had anticipated it, was unable to avoid the enveloping suction force.
His eyes cold, he held the Dragon Soar Sword in his hand, and seeing that trying to pull away was useless, he suddenly accelerated and headed straight into its mouth.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, Li Hao was swallowed by the Heaven-Devouring Demon Ancestor.
In its eyes gleamed a bloodthirst: “Boy, even True Dragons have been devoured by me, you…”
Before it could finish speaking, its expression abruptly changed, and then it fiercely opened its mouth, spewing out a mouthful of black demonic blood.
At the same time, a whirlpool-like Sword Qi swept out from inside its body, sending numerous Sword Qi flying in all directions.
One of those Sword Qi struck through its body and burst out with a strange light.
The Heaven-Devouring Demon Ancestor was about to struggle and spit out Li Hao, but suddenly, as the eerie Sword Qi penetrated, its body convulsed as if its spine was being drawn out, shrouded by the shadow of death.
“No!”
The Heaven-Devouring Demon Ancestor immediately thought of the Ten Thousand Caverns Ghost Mother who had strangely perished not long ago, its pupils constricting with terror.
As it watched its life diminish beyond recovery, it hastily used its Defying Fate power!
Its body split open violently, and from the huge flesh on the back, another demon body emerged, only thirty to fifty feet long, much smaller than the original.
The smaller demon body flew out and immediately fled into the distance.
Meanwhile, the massive body of the Heaven-Devouring Demon fell straight down.
Just before it hit the ground, a dragon roar and a flash of golden light emerged from its spine, soaring to the sky—it was Li Hao, who had been swallowed.
Li Hao looked toward the fleeing Heaven-Devouring Demon Ancestor; its energy was feeble, and it seemed its Cultivation Realm had fallen, making it an excellent opportunity to kill it.
Just as he was about to pursue, he suddenly felt a wave of dizziness as if something indefinable in the void had briefly disturbed him.
When he looked again, he could no longer lock onto the figure of the Heaven-Devouring Demon Ancestor; it had vanished without a trace.
The remaining demon aura traces also disappeared, seemingly erased by some kind of “fate”-like power.
Li Hao’s eyes became somber; this was the power of the Defying Fate Realm.
It was far more than simply a second life; it was a guaranteed escape from death!
Even in the face of his fatal attributes, it could survive, which was truly terrifying.
No wonder those families with a Defying Fate Realm powerhouse can prosper indefinitely, even if they are besieged and assassinated, causing their families to be destroyed. But with Defying Fate as a safety net, after escaping, one would have antagonized a lurking Four Stands Realm powerhouse—like a venomous scorpion, a situation no one would want to provoke or confront.
Li Hao’s gaze withdrew and looked towards the other side at the Phoenix.
Feng Shan Jun, upon seeing the Heaven-Devouring Demon Ancestor’s body fall, realized something was wrong. At this moment, as Li Hao looked over, it felt a surge of horror and immediately used its fastest movement technique, transforming into a red cloud and swiftly flying away into the distance.
As a Defying Fate Realm Demon King, having come from far away, it was now fleeing in a panic.
With its True Phoenix Bloodline, it felt indescribably stifled and ashamed, but fear was dominant—the fear of being chased down by Li Hao.
Li Hao’s movement technique was only at the Third Stage, and even though the Illustrated Handbook Attributes enhanced his speed, he was still much slower than the fire phoenix. It was too late to catch up on his own.
He threw the Dragon Soar Sword, enshrouding it with the power of item control and adding the Hidden Bow and Flying Phase properties.
The Dragon Soar Sword turned into a streak of golden light and flew out at extreme speed.
Boom!
The sword slashed towards the body of the fire phoenix.
Feng Shan Jun sensed the danger and narrowly avoided it, failing to trigger the double assassination property of the Hidden Bow, only managing to nick the edge of its wings.
It was wounded and in pain, feeling both shocked and furious, and released a vast expanse of fiery clouds that enveloped the surroundings, transforming into a domain of a sea of fire.
The Dragon Soar Sword caught up again but was blocked by the sea of fire, its lethality greatly reduced. It kept hacking away, but Feng Shan Jun, with its feathers hard as iron, barely resisted, cutting a path a hundred miles away, yet it could not be stopped.
Li Hao watched as the opponent got away, frowning slightly with some regret. Movement was currently his weak point.
It seemed necessary to quickly immerse himself in poetry and books or musical rhythm to reach a state of mind, raise his movement technique to the Fourth Stage, then add points to reach the Sixth Stage. Then, together with the Illustrated Handbook’s enhancement, probably few Demon Kings would be able to outrun him…
Li Hao summoned back the Dragon Soar Sword and turned to attack Monarch Bai, who was entangled with Feng.
Monarch Bai was constantly monitoring the situation here, and when the Heaven-Devouring Demon Ancestor was forced to use the Defying Fate opportunity, he paled, realizing that the situation was dire and started to flee.
But Feng Boping responded quickly and tangled with him, blocking his way.
“Get lost!”
Monarch Bai, vexed by Feng Boping’s persistent engagement, let out a roar. It was furious, not expecting that it would be the last one to remain.
It let out a tiger’s roar, its fierce presence shaking everything around it.
Li Hao narrowed his eyes as he watched and suddenly charged forward, all the Illustrated Handbook Attributes embedded in his flesh bursting forth.
The Qiongqi Mountains Painting, Tiger Press, Blood Sea Fierce Jiao Painting!
“Who the hell are you roaring at!”
Li Hao roared back, his might shaking the heavens.
The combined ferocity of the many Illustrated Handbooks caused Monarch Bai to falter, feeling a chill in his gut.
Back when he faced this young man’s father, he had looked down on him, and if not for his wariness of the Sword Saint from Northern Yan, he would have personally taken the field rather than lying low behind the scenes of the Northern Yan war, merely acting as a commander.
“You!”
Monarch Bai, outraged and seeing the countless streams of Sword Qi gathering in the sky, felt his anger turn to fear, knowing that faced with a two-on-one situation, it was impossible for him to escape unscathed.
“I will remember you!”
Monarch Bai gritted his teeth and immediately used the Defying Fate opportunity.
Its body suddenly rushed toward the distance, turning into a streak of white light.
Li Hao manipulated countless streams of Sword Qi to chase and kill, but they all missed. It was as if a certain power was guiding them, causing them to veer off course.
The opponent seemed to stand amidst the oncoming torrent of arrows, yet remained unharmed, possessed of an astonishing luck.
Feng Boping saw the opponent forced to use the Defying Fate opportunity and stopped in his tracks as well. He knew that under normal circumstances, with his Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation, there were few in the Defying Fate Realm who could see his movements or catch up to him. But once the opponent used Defying Fate, he could be as fast as he liked and still would not catch up.
Various “accidents” would occur, leading to the loss of the opponent.
If he pushed too hard, provoking a backlash from that power, even some “accidents” could severely injure him!
As Monarch Bai fled, the young girl in the red dress had already taken the lead to retreat. She realized that the plan to besiege the young man was crumbling when she saw the Heaven-Devouring Demon Ancestor forced to flee!
The battle was over, and the young man’s Fighting God ferocity could no longer be blocked.
“It’s terrifying, this young man’s physique is comparable to a True Dragon!”
“Three Demon Kings couldn’t besiege him, and he even turned the tables and killed them!”
The young girl, transformed into a red bird, flew into the distant clouds and away from the battlefield.
But the scenes left on the battlefield were branded in her mind like scars, causing her heart to race with fear and shock.
“Quick, send out the message, everyone clear the way wherever this young man goes!”
She suddenly snapped back to reality and urgently sent out the message with a mysterious whistle.
That young man, unstoppable!
With the Demon King’s defeat, those Three Immortal Realm Demons that had come from far away also recognized the grim situation and prepared to flee.
But their speed couldn’t compare to the Demon King’s. After his failed pursuit of the Demon King, Li Hao immediately infused his immortal power into the Dragon Soar Sword and went full force after them.
With the Flying Phase complemented by the Hidden Bow attribute, he also laid many traps around the area. As the Three Immortal Realm Demons attempted to flee, they ran into these hidden strings and were immediately entangled and strangled, incidentally granting Li Hao a wealth of fishing experience.
“Spare our lives…”
The Three Immortal Realm Great Demons trembled and shivered, begging for mercy in front of Li Hao.
Li Hao paid them no heed; the Dragon Soar Sword flew past, piercing through these demons.
These Great Demons had come from thousands of miles away seeking revenge, only to face such an outcome, filled with regret and anger until their deaths.
Li Hao controlled the Dragon Soar Sword, pursuing and slaying all the demons within a hundred li, quickly sweeping clean all the living beings visible nearby.
Releasing the strings, Li Hao strung the corpses of these demons together.
The body of the Ten Thousand Caverns Ghost Mother, with countless ghoul-like limbs inside it, looked extremely terrifying and was also strung up by the strings.
These strings, dragging numerous demon corpses, fluttered like a string of kites along the way, exuding an aura of death.
Far away, a Bird Demon from the Tianji Palace was hidden in the clouds, secretly witnessing this scene and trembling uncontrollably, having never seen such a terrifying spectacle.
To the demons, this scene was as if a demon had attacked and killed people from the Human Race’s cities, binding their crushed corpses to his belt in a grisly and horrifying manner.
At this moment, in their eyes, Li Hao was such a demon, extremely terrifying.
“The Demon King couldn’t stop him, it’s over, we’re doomed!”
The Tianji Palace’s Bird Demon, stricken with horror, quietly transmitted Li Hao’s movements.
As Li Hao sped along his way, what he saw were empty mountain tops where the demons had long since fled.
“What, the Human Race is invading?”
“More like entering, you call this an invasion?”
“He killed the Demon King?”
Upon hearing the information from the Tianji Palace, the many demons at first looked down upon it, but when they learned that the Human had slain the Demon King, they were all shocked and stricken with terror.
Some hurriedly packed their belongings and fled, while a few remained half-doubting, depending on their own abilities, hiding nearby in caves, hoping to secretly catch a glimpse of the truth about this member of the Human Race.
But it was this very idea that cost them their lives.
In a mountain lake five hundred li away.
A portly middle-aged man lay in the middle of the lake, surrounded by fish demon beauties, like orioles and swallows, having a joyful time, when suddenly a bird rushed in, speaking anxiously:
“Paying respects to Lord Abyss Lake.”
“Hmm?”
The portly man looked askance, recognizing the Bird Demon from the Tianji Palace, and nonchalantly said, “What’s the matter?”
“Lord Abyss Lake, I beg you to leave quickly. A young human is heading this way, slaughtering demons,” said the bird urgently.
“Hmm?”
The portly man was stunned, then burst into laughter: “Do you know what you’re saying? You want me to leave?”
“That young man just fought with three Demon Kings. Feng Shan Jun and the Heaven-Devouring Demon Ancestor were defeated, and the Ten Thousand Caverns Ghost Mother died at his hand. Please, my lord, do not underestimate him,” the bird hurriedly said.
The smile froze on the portly man’s face, and he turned serious. He had heard of the names Feng Shan Jun and the Heaven-Devouring Demon Ancestor.
They were defeated by that Human Race youth?
“Who is that? When did the Human Race have such a young generation? Could it be a disciple of that True Immortal?” the portly man asked.
“No, that young man is Marshal Haotian from the Heavenly Gate Pass, from the Li Family!”
“The Li Family?”
The portly man frowned. He knew of the Divine General Mansion of the Dayu Divine Dynasty but had spent many years dominating the demon territories and had not approached that dynasty. He had not paid much attention to it, content to live out his days as a mountain king in comfort.
“My lord, please leave quickly to avoid harm,” the bird urged.
The portly man’s expression soured. He had spent thousands of years in this mountain lake, and now he was being driven away by a brash youngster from the Human Race?
Without even seeing his face.
Yet he was a Demon King. When had he ever lost his dignity like this!
“Absolutely absurd!” he exclaimed furiously.
The portly man, despite his anger, knew that the Tianji Palace would not provide false information nor dare to deceive him. He took a deep breath and gathered the fish demons around him, saying, “My beloved wives, my children, come with me, we must leave for now!”
Though they left, using his Demon Art, he instructed some common small fish demons to stay behind and watch what happened.
Then, he took his whole family of demons and flew away from that place.
Not long after the portly man had left, Li Hao’s figure rushed in.
Coming upon a mountain lake, Li Hao’s Divine Soul surged into it and discovered a demon lair built at the lake bottom, ostentatiously luxurious, decorated with many pearls and jewels.
In the fault trenches inside and outside the lake were also piles of bones from many demons and the Human Race.
“`
Li Hao snorted coldly, his Divine Soul transformed into the Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation, standing in the lake like a towering giant, stirring the water with his arms and raising thousands of layers high, killing all the small demons and aquatic life within!
With his arms, he scooped up the lake water and splashed it around, then brought over two large mountains from nearby to fill in the lake, causing the water to spread and irrigate the surroundings, leaving a trail of devastation before continuing forward.
As he advanced, he flattened mountains and lakes in his path, leaving behind a terrifying trail of destruction.
The earth was scarred, the demon territory laid to waste.
Wherever he passed, it was as if iron hooves had trampled, ploughing a thousand miles of wasteland.
The number of Bird Demons in Tianji Palace was limited, so they only reported to the Demons of high cultivation levels; those of lower realms, such as the Demons of the Heavenly Human Realm, didn’t even have time to be notified, while the smaller demon clans were simply overlooked.
And these demon clans, still basking in comfort and pleasure, saw a youth galloping towards them from the horizon.
Behind the youth was a kite-like string of countless demon corpses, densely packed and terrifying to behold.
When these demons realized what was happening, it was already too late to flee; they were pierced by the Sword Qi that Li Hao pressed out with a single finger, leaving corpses strewn everywhere.
A great number of Demons perished or escaped, fleeing elsewhere.
As Li Hao continued to press forward, the Bird Demons of the Tianji Palace realized that his area of clearance was not aimless but radiated in a fan shape from the foundation of Heavenly Gate Pass, extending widely sideways, and the youth did not progress further there.
“He’s clearing out the demons’ territories outside Heavenly Gate Pass!”
The Bird Demons of Tianji Palace quickly grasped the thoughts of this youth but were both shocked and fearful in their hearts.
Although it was just clearing the region reflected by Heavenly Gate Pass, the scope of the cleanup was too deep, extending four to five thousand miles from Heavenly Gate Pass!
Li Hao had already driven away three Demon Kings along his path and destroyed their lairs.
These Demon Kings, upon receiving the information from Tianji Palace, could only suppress their anger and temporarily leave their dens, planning to return and inspect the damage later.
The clamorous disturbance here also reached even further away.
The three major demon forces gathered outside Liangzhou received the reports from Tianji Palace.
Tianji Palace in Liangzhou was short of members, so the main hall of Tianji Palace dispatched an additional batch and divided it into three branches, specifically to stay outside Heavenly Gate Pass to monitor the situation there.
Such treatment was second only to that of the headquarters of the five great Divine General Mansions.
“That youth can actually kill Demon Kings now, how old is he?”
“Isn’t he just fourteen years old? Wasn’t he just entering the Heavenly Human Realm in Qingzhou? How did he become capable of killing Demon Kings in the blink of an eye!”
The Liangzhou branches of the three major demon forces were shocked upon receiving the news.
However, when they learned that the youth was only clearing the area outside Heavenly Gate Pass, they breathed a sigh of relief.
They then recalled the youth and his father’s deeds in the great battle in Qingzhou.
“Maybe the news is true; otherwise, the Li Family wouldn’t need to concoct any schemes, letting such a scandal splatter onto themselves.”
“If this youth is really just abiding by the agreement, then our attack on Liangzhou shouldn’t have much impact on him.”
“Why not, let’s start from the east side of Liangzhou. If we can’t defeat the small ones, let’s kill his father first!”
“Good idea, I’ve also had enough of Li Tian Gang. He was as stubborn as a lump of dog shit in Yanzhou, causing us heavy losses!”
The three major demon forces were secretly discussing.
“Our Dragon Gate’s Grand Elder will not leave seclusion until a year later, so let’s wait and see then.”
“First, let’s confuse them with a feigned attack, making them think we’re just trying to draw their attention and not actually planning a real assault.”
The three forces were discussing their plans.
Meanwhile, Feng Shan Jun and the Heaven-Devouring Demon Ancestor, who had previously fled, were severely injured. The Heaven-Devouring Demon Ancestor, though having survived, was greatly weakened and stripped of most of its power during the escape from death, plunging its cultivation level down to the Three Immortal Realms.
It would need some time to accumulate power in order to return to the Demon King status.
It desired revenge but had to bide its time.
As for Feng Shan Jun, after escaping, it was only wounded and would recover after a period of convalescence; hearing about the gathering of demons in Liangzhou, it immediately rushed over, hoping to gain information and possibly leverage the power of these demons for revenge.
…
Li Hao pushed forward relentlessly, slaying countless Demons, and sat atop a hill surrounded by remains.
Gazing at the stars and moon above, Li Hao knew it was time to head back.
Having cleared such a great distance, it was about time.
After resting for a night, Li Hao dragged back numerous demon corpses the next day, making his way back.
On his way back, he selected and brought back some of the higher cultivation level demon corpses from those he had previously slain.
As Li Hao returned, the Bird Demons of Tianji Palace who had been stealthily tailing him were suddenly overjoyed and immediately notified the escaped Demon Kings and Great Demons that the scourge was finally gone!
These Demons felt both aggrieved and relieved, and they hurried back to their dens.
However, when they arrived at their territories, they found their lands were devastated and no longer suitable for habitation.
The Abyss Lake Demon King returned to his mountains and lakes, and although frustrated, he thought he could bear it.
But upon seeing that two mountains had filled in his lake and that all the lesser demons had died tragically, he nearly vomited blood from rage.
“Aaaaargh… I will have my revenge!!”
The Abyss Lake Demon King roared in fury.
The other two Demon Kings with similar sentiments did the same. Containing their towering rage, they obtained information from Tianji Palace and headed to join the three major demon forces on the borders of Liangzhou, willing to temporarily pledge their allegiance.
“`
Heavenly Gate Pass, Cangya City.
The arrays atop the city walls had been fully constructed, with troops of the Bloodsha Army and voluntary martial artists patrolling for any signs of demon activity.
Clad in bright crimson armor, Li Hongzhuang ascended the city walls, her gaze reaching out to the horizon beyond the pass, her eyebrows tightly furrowed.
“It has been two days, why hasn’t this child returned…”
Worry filled her heart.
Although those three Demon Kings were wanted by the Monster Suppression Department and most likely had fled their lairs, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t be lurking nearby, possibly crossing paths with Li Hao.
They shared deep enmity, and outside the pass lay the demons’ domain, perilous in the extreme.
“Li Ye,”
After contemplating for a long time, Li Hongzhuang suddenly spoke up, calling over her deputy.
She planned to dispatch a squad of elite warriors to scout the three Demon Kings’ lair.
A middle-aged deputy general walked toward her upon hearing her summons, but all at once, cries of alarm rose in the distance.
The deputy and Li Hongzhuang, as though by reflex, tensed up and turned toward the source of the commotion, and then followed the gaze of the soldiers on the wall to look eastward, outside the pass.
There, against the azure sky, a black dot appeared, expanding gradually, like a floating hill approaching swiftly.
“A demon attack?”
Li Hongzhuang’s complexion shifted subtly, and she took a few steps forward, her hand resting on the parapet as she peered intently into the distance.
When her gaze focused and she made out the shape of the approaching shadow, her stern expression froze in place.
“Hao, Hao Er?”
Whoosh!
Li Hao soared toward the interior of the pass, trailing behind him the entangled and dragged bodies of numerous demon corpses, like kites swaying just below him, the fishing lines taut.
Seeing the walls of Cangya City, Li Hao felt a sense of long absence and hastened his flight.
As Li Hao entered the pass, all the soldiers on the walls also saw the frightening sight, shaking with alarm, and they couldn’t help but burst out in astonished cries.
“It’s Marshal Haotian!”
“These, are these all demons slain by the Marshal?”
“My heavens, all these demons are from the Three Immortal Realms, and there are so many!”
The soldiers of the Bloodsha Army were somewhat restrained, but the martial artists who had come to reinforce were unceasing with their exclamations.
Great Demons from the Three Immortal Realms were a rare sight even on a normal day, formidable beings that could dominate a region spanning hundreds or even thousands of miles, extremely uncommon.
Yet now, they hung like a net full of fish caught mid-air, all felled by Li Hao’s fishing.
Upon Li Hao’s return, the entire city received the news, and when they heard that Li Hao had slain numerous Great Demons, everyone excitedly rushed to see.
Li Hao returned to the city, laying the corpses of the demons on the ground that had previously held the Black Bird Demon King’s body, and when he saw Li Hongzhuang rushing over, he smiled and said to her,
“Help me look after these, and later, when I have some time, let’s have a feast for everyone.”
“…”
Li Hongzhuang was stunned for a moment, then puzzledly said, “Did you hunt all these? How far did you go?”
“Not that far, just strolled around outside.”
Li Hao answered nonchalantly.
Li Hongzhuang looked at him skeptically. One couldn’t encounter so many Great Demons without going ‘not that far.’
She suspected that Li Hao had gone beyond the lair of those three Demon Kings, a thousand miles away, to much farther places.
“Did you visit the lair of those three Demon Kings? Is it already empty?” she asked.
Li Hao nodded, “They’ve all fled.”
Li Hongzhuang sighed with relief and said, “It’s good that they’ve run. As long as you’re safe, that’s what matters. With your exceptional talent, why risk yourself now? After ten years of hard cultivation, you’ll most likely step into the Four Stands Realm. It’s not too late to adventure then.”
She was full of confidence in Li Hao.
To enter the Four Stands Realm ten years later, Li Hao would only be 24, still far ahead and breaking records.
After all, for most people to reach the Three Immortal Realms by the age of 24 would leave them grinning ear-to-ear, considered a top-tier genius.
She had only recently found out that Li Hao’s father, her own seventh brother, was also extremely talented, having entered the Immortal Realm at the age of 23. Therefore, to step into the Four Stands Realm at 24 would be astonishing!
When Li Hao heard her words, he couldn’t help but give her an odd look.
Was this little aunt cursing him?
Entering the Four Stands Realm only after ten years, what a vicious curse…
“I’m a bit tired, I’ll go rest now.”
Li Hao said.
Li Hongzhuang caught on and, noticing Li Hao’s tattered clothes, her expression changed as she asked, “Are your injuries severe?”
“Quite severe,”
Li Hao replied, “I need to get a good sleep for a couple of days.”
“…”
Bidding farewell to Li Hongzhuang, Li Hao returned to the wicker-fenced courtyard and immediately noticed that something had changed in Ren Qianqian, who came to greet him. Her aura seemed transformed, and there was a kind of divine light, contained within her.
“Have you entered the Divine Travel Realm?”
Li Hao said with a smile.
Ren Qianqian was a year younger than him, only thirteen now. Stepping into the Divine Travel Realm at her age was quite a good pace for her cultivation progress.
The vast majority of ninth-grade martial talents, even after joining major forces, would only reach the Divine Travel Realm at fourteen, and at fifteen or sixteen, they’d achieve more.
After that, it all depended on innate talent; those with high comprehension might step into the Heavenly Human Realm at eighteen or nineteen, maintaining their breakneck speed through the realms and could be hailed as geniuses.
Those with lesser talents might need to reach their twenties or thirties, and others, perhaps in their forties or fifties.
“Young Master, you’re not hurt, are you?”
Ren Qianqian’s voice was low and full of surprise as she looked at Li Hao’s ragged clothing, her eyes brimming with distress and urgency.
Li Hao chuckled, handing her the sword, “It’s just a minor wound, already healed. Just find me a new set of clothes.”
Accepting the Dragon Soar Sword from him, Ren Qianqian, reassured by Li Hao’s words and seeing no wounds on his exposed body, finally felt relieved and said,
“I’ll go find some for you.”
Then she ran back to the room in the courtyard with the sword in her arms.
Li Hao went to the tea room in the courtyard, picked up the teapot and shook it, finding it had water, and drank directly from the spout.
After two days of relentless battle, he felt quite thirsty.
Before long, Ren Qianqian came running back with new clothes. Li Hao took them and then went to bathe.
After washing himself from head to toe and rinsing the blood from his hair, he put on the new clothes and emerged fresh and clean.
The little white fox was waiting outside the door. Li Hao bent down to pick it up and rubbed its fluffy head. Then he went back to the tea room, brewed a full pot of hot tea and said with a smile,
“Feng, care for some?”
“No need for me, there’s too many prying eyes in the city right now.”
Feng’s voice floated into his ears.
Li Hao’s smile slightly faded, but after a moment of silence, he picked up the teapot and the tea table, told Ren Qianqian and the little white fox to go about their business in the courtyard, and then took to the skies, landing on a hilltop not far outside the city.
“There’s no one around now.”
Li Hao set the tea table, personally brewed the tea, and gestured for his guest to sit.
“You, lad.”
Feng Boping appeared, drifting like a breeze across, and sat opposite him at the table.
“I certainly don’t need your tea,” said Feng Boping, but he still lifted the cup, drained it in one gulp, his face beaming with smiles and contentment.
“But I do,”
Li Hao replied.
Then he also filled his own cup, sitting atop the hill with the cold wind blowing, yet his Supreme Body automatically isolated it so that not a bit could penetrate. His true energy enshrouded the teapot, keeping the tea from cooling too fast.
“Spring will soon be here.”
Feng Boping gazed out at the expanse of sky and earth, took a deep breath, the warmth of the tea steaming from his mouth.
Li Hao nodded.
With the great battle over, they both had a rare moment of relaxation, drinking together in peace and tranquility.
When the teapot was empty, Li Hao stood up, bid farewell to Feng, and returned to the wicker-fenced courtyard.
After practicing her sword for a while, Ren Qianqian saw Li Hao come back and quickly ran over, asking, “Young Master, did you go far these past two days?”
“Not too far, just a few thousand miles,” Li Hao said with a smile, hugging the little white fox that jumped into his arms but noticing the dim red in its eyes was receding, and it seemed a bit livelier than before.
Ren Qianqian was taken aback and then said with a hint of melancholy, “Young Master, you have already climbed to the peak. When will I be able to catch up with your pace?”
Her cultivation was quick, yet compared to Li Hao, there was a vast gap. She feared she would become more distant from him and participate less in his undertakings as time passed.
“No need to catch up,”
Li Hao said with a smile, “I will come down the mountain to see you.”
Ren Qianqian paused briefly, then looked up at Li Hao, her eyes sparkling.
Soon after Li Hao’s return, numerous martial artists arrived at the wicker-fenced courtyard, voices chattering. Li Hao learned they wanted to serve, to join the army.
But they didn’t want to join Li Hongzhuang’s Bloodsha Army; instead, they wished to serve under Li Hao’s command.
Li Hao did not resist this; the emperor had bestowed upon him the right to recruit soldiers, albeit on a limited scale.
To accommodate these coming warriors, however, was well within his means.
After all, only one or two thousand warriors wished to stay, and of them, merely seven or eight hundred were willing to serve under him.
Li Hao promptly pulled up a stool in the wicker-fenced courtyard. He tasked Ren Qianqian with the registration while he had the warriors demonstrate their talents one by one. Based on their cultivation realms and other skills, he assigned different positions.
Some were suited for reconnaissance, others for spearheading charges, and some for joining the cooking squadron to assist him.
The days passed in these quiet, cheerful moments.
Liangzhou Western Frontier.
On the towering city walls, a hundred feet high, soldiers clad in dark armor stood in ranks, on strict guard.
Inside the city, numerous large-scale war machines were being assembled, as well as massive dragons, elephants, and flood dragons pulling war carriages as big as small buildings from within the territory, filled with arrows, weapons, and provisions.
In the barracks, everyone had their duties from patrolling to standing watch.
War eagles continually returned to the camp from beyond the borders, bringing back the intelligence they had gathered.
“Strange, these demons have gone quiet.”
In the camp, Li Xuanli sat in his commander’s seat, frowning in thought.
The intelligence had detected a group of demons 800 li away, retreating towards the east.
This group of demons had been circling the Western Frontier for a long time, launching occasional attacks. Among them lurked three Great Demons of the Three Immortal Realms, acting as if they intentionally provoked them, trying to lure them over the defense line in pursuit, but he wasn’t fooled.
Now, these demons had chosen to retreat, which seemed abrupt.
Taking other intelligence into account, could the attacks by demons beyond the Liangzhou Territory really be a feint?
Was their purpose to tie down the military strength of the Li Family?
“Dad.”
A figure ran into the military tent, it was Li Wushuang.
Seeing his precious daughter, Li Xuanli’s tightly furrowed brows relaxed, and he chuckled lightly,
“I heard that earlier, outside the defense line, you led a team and slaughtered a group of demons. How did it feel?”
At the mention of this, Li Wushuang replied irritably, “They were just a bunch of minor demons.”
Li Xuanli chuckled inwardly; he wouldn’t have let you engage if he hadn’t known they were minor demons.
“Even though they were minor demons, you should not pursue them too deeply. You must understand that in the army, military law is as immovable as a mountain. These cunning demons are beyond your imagination, especially those attacking the border, all controlled by military strategists. You must treat them as sly and cunning ghosts,” Li Xuanli instructed.
“I know.”
Li Wushuang said, “That’s what I came to talk to you about. I got intel from the mouth of one of the minor demons. They are feigning an attack, but in reality, they have already retreated.”
“Oh?”
Li Xuanli raised an eyebrow and asked, “How exactly did you get that minor demon to confess?”
“I’ve been to the torture chamber before, and I learned a few things,” Li Wushuang replied.
Li Xuanli fell silent, letting out a wry smile: “What is a girl like you doing in a torture chamber, such a dirty and chaotic place… Nevertheless, this matter still needs to be deliberated. I will investigate further.”
“More investigation?”
Li Wushuang was surprised.
“Of course,” Li Xuanli said irritably. “The group of minor demons you were sent to kill was at most in the Divine Travel Realm. How could such low-level demons possibly know anything about battle plans? They’re cannon fodder in an actual fight, unless what they know was intended to be known by them from those Great Demons.”
Li Wushuang was taken aback, “Dad, are you saying this is a trap within a trap?”
Li Xuanli nodded slightly, “But it’s also possible I’m just overthinking it. Either way, I will investigate further. You just go and rest easy.”
“Alright then.”
Seeing this, Li Wushuang could only nod and leave.
After she left, Li Xuanli’s expression turned serious. He pondered for a moment before summoning his personal aide, instructing him to write two letters.
One was to be sent to Qingzhou, insisting that they must guard against demon activities in their area.
The other was destined for Li Tian Gang in the Eastern Frontier.
“If these demons are a decoy, the target must be Qingzhou. If it’s a genuine attack, this retreat could be a feint to strike the Eastern Frontier. I wonder how Tiangang is faring…”
His gaze flickered, and suddenly, another thought crossed his mind, prompting him to have the aide write another letter, to be sent to Heavenly Gate Pass.
“That lad, even though he has just repelled three Demon Kings, those Demon Kings harbor resentment, and are likely to unleash their fury on Liangzhou. They might even collude with other Demon Kings to attack Heavenly Gate Pass. Now that Dragon Soar’s trail has been revealed, the Holy Palace, holding an old grudge against the Li Family, might send people as well…”
“I must warn him to be careful.”
…
Liangzhou, Eastern Frontier war front.
The black stone Great Wall stretched endlessly, completely covering the war front.
Six hundred li outside the city, two figures swooped down with their auras concealed. One of them was clad in a luxurious robe of red gold, with a face fair as jade, handsome and sumptuous.
The other was dressed in a black robe, with a cap covering his entire body, shrouded in shadows.
“That’s the place guarded by Li Tian Gang up ahead.”
The man in the black robe spoke in a deep voice, “Feng Shan Jun, I know you want revenge, but even if you charge in now, you might not be able to kill Li Tian Gang. This border is protected by Arrays, and with our strength, we cannot easily break through.”
“On the contrary, attacking now would alert them, the equivalent of disturbing the grass to alert the snake.”
The man in the red gold robe, none other than Feng Shan Jun who had barely escaped with his life from Li Hao,
His eyes flamed with golden fire as he gazed through the void at the military camp within the defense line, his eyes brimming with murderous intent:
“I’m aware. I’ve promised not to act rashly and jeopardize your plans.”
At these words, the man in the black robe slightly relaxed, smiling, “Feng Shan Jun, there’s no need to be hasty. A year from now, when our clan’s elder emerges, we will certainly trample Liangzhou, and we can take that opportunity to deal with that brat for you.”
Feng Shan Jun replied coldly, “Dealing with that brat is one thing; Li Tian Gang must be left for me to torment to death with my own hands!”
“No problem,”
The man in the black robe agreed readily with a smile.
Feng Shan Jun deeply looked at the distant defense lines, feeling a surge of anger in his heart, but he still restrained himself.
There was the Li Family’s army; they surely couldn’t breach the formation and achieve victory in such a short amount of time.
…
Within Heavenly Gate Pass.
Seven hundred people were willing to enlist in the army to defend Cangya City, to protect this pass.
Li Hao incorporated them into the ranks, registered them, and handed over the household registries to the governor of the Liangzhou Military Department, the Fifth Uncle, Li Xuanli.
He was entrusted with the defense of Liangzhou and also took over as the governor of its military department, with the authority to deploy troops from different cities within the Liangzhou Territory, including the city guards. Under his command, they were to obey unconditionally.
This register needed to be entered and reviewed by him, otherwise, if these soldiers died in battle and Li Hao didn’t step in, there would be no one to collect their remains or erect monuments in their honor. They would only be considered as martial artists who died in battle, solitary ghosts.
Not long after returning,
Li Hao received the Star Bureau Official, an elderly man. Accompanied by him, Li Hao started to test the array protecting Cangya City.
Being a frontier city, the level of its array was the Five Mysterious Star Formation, which sealed the fighting spirits of five Great Demons at the peak of the Three Immortals Peak, amplified by the power of the heavens and earth’s stars, barely able to match the fighting strength of two Demon Kings from the Tao Heart Realm.
Defending against an attack from a single Demon King was not an issue; they could at least hold out for half a day.
Furthermore, all the soldiers in the city could channel their strength into the array to amplify the power of the fighting spirits further. They could also borrow strength from the array to enhance their own abilities, significantly increasing the commanding officer’s fighting power.
“Please, Commander, conduct the inspection.”
As the array was activated, Li Hao saw the shadowy outlines of five Great Demons’ fighting spirits emerge in various parts of the city, at the four city walls and the city center.
These fighting spirits were the consumables of the array and the accumulation of the Royal Family’s battle achievements over hundreds of years.
Li Hao flew out of the city and saw the entire city covered by the array; from any point of attack, the five demons could use the power of the array to instantly reach a location and launch an attack simultaneously.
“Then I’ll just give it a simple try,”
Li Hao said.
Whether the array had any flaws would depend on whether the fighting spirits could exercise their corresponding combat power.
Li Hao didn’t use the Dragon Soar Sword but instead threw a punch with his bare hand.
The power of the punch drew from the surrounding heavens and earth, forming a gigantic fist imprint that pressed down mightily.
At the city walls, everyone initially had faces full of excitement and anticipation, but as the punch continued to expand, their expressions turned solemn and tense.
Roar!
The five demons roared and charged forward.
Yet, under the suppression of the punch, the mighty demons appeared like tiny insects against a mountain, unable to halt the punch’s momentum; they were pushed back step by step.
Boom, boom, boom!
All five demon fighting spirits crashed against the array’s golden shield, causing ripples to undulate like wavy light, making the array’s color appear much fainter.
Li Hao quickly retracted his power and flew back.
The Star Bureau Official stared blankly at Li Hao before he finally reacted and asked,
“Commander, did you use your full strength?”
“No,”
Li Hao shook his head; it was just a casual punch, using only thirty percent of his strength.
The Star Bureau Official was slightly stunned, then furrowed his brow, looked around at the array patterns on the city walls, and murmured, “That shouldn’t be…”
Li Hao also felt that the five Great Demons shouldn’t be so weak. He immediately comforted the old man, “Senior, no need to rush. Take your time and check again. Maybe there’s a small issue somewhere.”
The Star Bureau Official pondered and agreed.
Even though Li Hao’s attack was intimidating and powerful, he felt that even if Li Hao had reached the Four Stands Realm, he shouldn’t have been able to suppress the five demons so easily. There must have been an issue with the transmission of power in the array.
“Apologies for the trouble, Commander. I will investigate further,”
he said.
Xia Xiang Lan suddenly felt guilty; was it the secret pattern she had engraved earlier that caused the problem?
After bidding farewell to the Star Bureau Official, Li Hao found the martial artists who had recently enlisted and instructed them to purchase a batch of cloth to make military flags—the more, the better.
The next day,
Li Hao received a message from the Governor of the Liangzhou Military Department; the seven hundred recruits had passed their enrollment.
Additionally, he received a letter from the Fifth Uncle filled with concern, cautioning him to be very careful of the Demon King’s retaliation.
Li Hao sighed and put away the letter, asking Ren Qianqian to place it in the wooden box in his room.
That afternoon, a bird demon arrived in front of the pass, requesting to see Li Hao from the guards.
A visit from demons was something Li Hao hadn’t expected, and he immediately called for an audience.
The bird demon transformed into the likeness of a seven- or eight-year-old child, dressed in plain orange clothes. As the soldiers led the child into the bamboo-fenced courtyard, the child glimpsed a young girl practicing swordplay and a boy casually sketching on the opposite bench.
At the boy’s feet, a little white fox lay lazily, glancing at him.
The boy flinched inwardly at the sight and approached Li Hao with a nervous expression:
“Com, Commander.”
“From Tianji Palace?”
Li Hao continued sketching the ghastly corpse in the distance, gathering Painting Experience, without turning his head, he simply replied.
With his Divine Soul seated high in the sky and overseeing the surroundings, Li Hao could see the ghastly bloated body of the ghost mother from beyond the courtyard’s fence.
