Although they were military generals and not much versed in poetry, they could at least discern the good from the bad and grasp the meaning. At this moment, they all watched the youth in shock.
The iron-blooded resolve, ringing pride, and domineering aura in that poem—coupled with memories of the young man defeating the Great Elder of Dragon Gate alone and fighting against the ruler of the Great Void Realm—made their eyes shine with admiration. They looked at him with complex gazes, their faces filled with fondness yet frustration, wishing he bore the Xia surname.
Why had no such prodigy been born among the sons of the Xia Family?
Xia Linglong’s eyes also grew complex from the initial astonishment. The old master had recited lines in the poem she particularly remembered, which felt like a reflection of her state of mind on the demon-slaying battlefield.
Sleeping in the open, eating with the wind, she vowed never to back down,
Using the fresh blood of foes in place of rouge to adorn her face.
Though born a woman, she adorned her face with blood instead of powder amid the horrors of war.
Others embroidered their silk handkerchiefs; she was stitching the vast landscape of Dayu.
When first hearing the youth’s name, she took him for a natural-born hero; upon closer observation, she realized he was no ordinary mortal.
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During the banquet, Xia Linglong and many of the Xia Family were wholeheartedly dazzled by Li Hao’s wide-ranging talents. Halfway through the meal, as Xia Linglong watched the old master of the Hanlin Hall converse cheerfully with Li Hao, she sat by the side, her eyes slightly distant in contemplation.
She began to retreat inwardly, uncertain whether to speak to the youth about the battlefield in the Eastern Territory or to invite him to join the war.
Given a few more years, this young man would undoubtedly protect the entire Dayu. Yet now, she felt a sense of guilt for wanting to risk his life in such danger.
At the close of the banquet, Xia Linglong remained silent. Li Hao had heard about the situation in Youzhou and, in particular, that the eastern part was in chaos with countless sacrifices.
Seeing that the Family Head had not mentioned this, he asked in surprise,
“Is it true that there’s turmoil in the east of Youzhou, and the situation is dire? May I offer my assistance?”
Xia Linglong felt a jolt in her heart at Li Hao’s question. Watching the earnest and bright eyes of the young man, she felt compelled to smile and shook her head.
“There is indeed chaos, but the Xia Family can quell it.”
“Family Head.”
Xia Yuanwu, an elder of the Xia Family, saw Xia Linglong avoiding the topic and could not hide his concern.
Although he greatly admired the young man, Youzhou was currently in grave peril, and the youth’s strength was comparable to that of the Ultimate Study Realm; he would be a significant asset!
Other family members noticed Xia Linglong’s reluctance and felt a complex mix of emotions. Their admiration for the young man made them reluctant to ask for his help, but the dire situation in the Eastern Territory and Youzhou’s crisis pained them even more.
Amid these conflicting emotions, their faces couldn’t help but reveal their unease.
Li Hao, sensing the atmosphere, said to Xia Linglong with a hint of confusion,
“Senior Xia, please speak frankly. Whether or not I can help is another matter.”
He, too, realized that the Xia Family’s invitation was not solely out of gratitude for the events in Liyang City.
Upon hearing Li Hao’s response, Xia Linglong’s expression shifted. She gazed at the youth for a long while, then sighed softly to herself, considering the plight of Youzhou’s people before finally voicing her initial thoughts.
“Gluttonous Valley Master?”
Li Hao’s eyes flickered upon hearing Xia Linglong’s words.
This was also a Great Demon King, whose stature was equal to that of the Candle Flame God before the latter’s Half-step Tao Realm powers became known.
However, compared to the Great Void Realm, Gluttonous Valley had a more modest legacy, rising to power abruptly 500 years ago through bloodthirst and brutality—this allowed them to ascend as a top demonic force in a mere five centuries, striking terror in the hearts of many.
Many frontier fortresses, upon hearing the name of Gluttonous Valley, would not even dare to defend their walls but fled in the dead of night.
Being overtaken by other demonic forces meant there was still a chance of survival, a possibility of awaiting reinforcements. But the demons of Gluttonous Valley were so bloodthirsty and cruel that they could devour an entire city overnight, sparing not even a mouse.
Li Hao had long learned of these top demonic forces as stories from Listening Rain Tower.
“Is it only Gluttonous Valley?” asked Li Hao.
Xia Linglong’s gaze grew heavy. She eyed Li Hao and confirmed, “That’s right. Both the Holy Palace and Dragon Gate are laying siege to Qingzhou. For now, we have only seen traces of Gluttonous Valley inside Youzhou. There might be other forces behind it, but that’s uncertain.”
“Siege on Qingzhou?”
Li Hao’s eyelids twitched upon hearing Qingzhou. With Liangzhou just stabilized, how could Qingzhou be under a siege already?
“What is the situation in Qingzhou?” Li Hao urgently inquired, images of familiar faces surfacing in his mind—the gluttonous woman, the two old masters, the lady of the house, Yuan Zhao, the students from Tan Palace Academy…
His heart tensed.
Xia Linglong and the others were surprised to hear Li Hao’s anxious questions, realizing that the young man was truly unaware of Qingzhou’s condition.
Perhaps he had just emerged from Mo River and was not up to speed with the outside world… Making this judgement, Xia Linglong saw Li Hao’s urgency and felt a sense of loss and regret. She knew that having Li Hao’s help for Youzhou was a lost cause, yet she still disclosed what she knew in detail.
“I heard that much of Qingzhou has fallen. The leaders of both the Holy Palace and Dragon Gate have attacked, even reaching the outskirts of Qingzhou City. They are probably still engaged in battle. But since Gluttonous Valley’s attack on Youzhou, we’ve had less information about the situation there.”
She whispered, seeing the urgency in the young man’s eyes,
“If you need to reinforce Qingzhou now, there’s still time. My Xia Family can lend you the War Banner to boost Qingzhou’s might.”
By lending the War Banner, she meant allowing Li Hao to go to Qingzhou and dispatch troops under the Xia Family’s banner, pretending to be Xia Family’s army coming to support.
Although the Xia Family’s War Banner was not as effective as Li Hao’s, it was still extremely intimidating to the Demons; after all, it signified the Xia Family’s entry into Qingzhou, a force to be reckoned with. This would cause the Holy Palace and Dragon Gate attacking Qingzhou to think twice, at least buying a bit of time, however brief.
Upon hearing her words, Li Hao knew that she was entrusting the glory of the Xia Family to him, which was a grand gesture of gratitude shown to the Divine General Mansion.
At this moment, he had no appetite for eating and stood up, saying, “The Xia Family’s goodwill is appreciated on behalf of the people of Qingzhou. There’s no time to delay, let’s set out.”
Li Hao remembered the Geomantic Chart of the Nineteen Provinces. If he was not mistaken, the Eastern Territory of Youzhou was on the way to Qingzhou, albeit requiring a slight detour.
“Then I wish General Haotian a triumphant journey…”
Xia Linglong and many people of the Xia Family also stood up from their seats, their expressions complex. The young man hailing from Qingzhou rushed to aid his homeland immediately — a common sentiment; they had no reason to hold him back.
“Hm? What are you still standing around for? Lead the way. Let’s deal with Gluttonous Valley on the way.”
As Li Hao was about to leave, he saw that Xia Linglong and the others remained motionless, just bidding farewell with a salute, prompting him to call out.
“What?”
Li Hao’s words left everyone from the Xia Family stunned. Xia Linglong, coming to her senses, asked incredulously, “You, you’re going to help us attack Gluttonous Valley first?”
“Since it’s on the way, let’s get moving,” said Li Hao.
Hearing Li Hao’s bold declaration, the Xia Family elder Xia Yuanwu couldn’t help speaking up, “General Haotian, the Gluttonous Valley Master is at the peak of the Ultimate Study Realm. Although he doesn’t possess the power of the Tao Realm, he is still very troublesome to deal with. If you really plan to take action, we could lure him to the Ming River area in Youzhou…”
“There’s no need for such trouble, just slaughtering him will do,” Li Hao interrupted, and, anticipating their various concerns and objections, wasted no time by bluntly continuing: “I can handle the Grand Tao of Peace Realm as well; you need not worry.”
“!!”
The people of the Xia Family were all stunned, looking at Li Hao with shock, suspecting the youth had misspoken.
Li Hao had no time to waste explaining. The time it would take to explain would be enough for him to have killed the Gluttonous Valley Master many times over.
He glanced at Xia Linglong and said, “Elder Xia Linglong, could you lead the way?”
Xia Linglong was taken aback, looking at Li Hao’s casual gaze, then she suddenly realized that the youth had left the Mo River unscathed, even when pursued by the Candle Flame God – he may have made another breakthrough.
Could it be that he was now able to contend with someone of the Grand Tao of Peace Realm?
The thought was startling, yet this youth had created too many miracles successively, and her heart trembled. Although she found it hard to believe, Li Hao had said it himself, so she chose to trust it.
“Alright, I’ll lead the way for you!”
Xia Linglong made a decisive gesture, summoning a divine spear that flew from afar and landed in her hands.
“I’ll go too,” said Xia Yuanwu promptly, calling for his own weapon as well.
Whether Li Hao was telling the truth or not, his willingness to help was an opportunity for Xia Yuanwu to offer support.
“You all keep up at full speed; I might be faster,” Li Hao signaled to the Candle Flame God, who nodded slightly. In a swift turn, its body was enveloped in flame, transforming from the appearance of a young man into the fearsome form of a Fire Lion with a Dragon Tail, its hooves resembling a Qilin, imposing and mighty.
It soared into the sky, radiating fierce flames and searing heat, with waves of heat sweeping through the entire Divine General Mansion.
Li Hao leaped onto its back and seated himself, then directed Xia Linglong to show the way.
Xia Linglong and others, watching the youth seated on the back of the Demon, felt as if they were beholding a deity within the flames, all shook in terror.
That youth was actually a Demon, and yet none of them had previously noticed!
Such a method could only mean that this demon was extremely terrifying, far beyond their imagination. Read new chapters at empire
Xia Linglong, wielding the divine spear, flew through the sky, feeling the aura emitted by the demon under Li Hao’s command. She felt waves of terror and pressure that made her heart quiver with an incredible feeling, as if the strength of this demon surpassed even hers!
“Let’s go!” Li Hao shouted.
His voice snapped Xia Linglong and the others out of their daze. If there had been doubts and concerns before, now their confidence was redoubled. Xia Linglong quickly pointed in a direction and said, “Over there!”
Whoosh!
Flames swept across the sky as the Candle Flame God sprinted on all fours, rapidly treading on the fireworks and charging forth at great speed.
So fast!
Xia Linglong and the other Xia Family members were alarmed at the sight and hastily gave chase.
Apart from Xia Linglong, Xia Yuanwu was also closely following. Another elderly member of the Xia Family was left with a shocked expression on his face as he stayed hovering in mid-air, left behind to guard the Divine General Mansion of the Xia Family.
“My heavens, am I seeing this right?”
“Is that a mount from the Four Stands Realm?”
“Did he say he was going to casually slaughter the Gluttonous Valley Master? Did I hear that wrong?”
“I don’t know, but I heard he previously defeated the Great Elder of Dragon Gate. Now… he might be even stronger, right?”
After Li Hao and Xia Linglong left, the people of the Xia Family remaining in the courtyard were all stunned and exclaimed with astonishment.
The young man was elegant and gentle, appearing approachable, but now he seemed formidable, giving off an invincible vibe.
That figure, sitting atop the demon with Divine Fire Fierce Flames swirling around, also ignited hope in their eyes. Perhaps this young man could really solve the disaster in Youzhou?
…
…
Li Hao sat atop the Candle Flame God, speeding along like lightning.
Xia Linglong and Xia Yuanwu were using the Xia Family’s top movement techniques to fly at full speed, barely keeping up. Both were astounded and couldn’t make out the depths of the demon under Li Hao.
An elderly Xia Family member who had previously rushed to assist in Liangzhou and wasn’t Xia Yuanwu, thus, he couldn’t recognize the identity of the Candle Flame God.
And since sightings of the Candle Flame God were extremely rare, hardly anyone recognized its appearance.
In about half an hour, guided by Xia Linglong, they arrived at the eastern battlefield in Youzhou, at the second line of defense.
Only the Candle Flame God could sustain such a high-speed journey. Xia Linglong and Xia Yuanwu had nearly been forced to tap into their Unwithering Strength, now nearly drained of their physical energy.
After all, this journey had been a near full-speed sprint, something even those from the Four Stands Realm would find exhausting.
Fortunately, the reserve of Unwithering Strength allowed them to retain their combat abilities upon reaching the battlefield.
Even from a great distance, Li Hao could hear the earth-shaking roars coming from the battlefield.
His expression turned slightly somber, reminiscent of the time he pursued an old dragon to the frontline battlefield in Liangzhou.
Looking up, he saw a towering defensive line on the plain ahead, with countless demons attacking like a flood. The arrays on that defensive line had obviously already been shattered, with the Human Race and demons engaged in a mixed battle.
Li Hao scanned his surroundings, sensing several powerful presences lurking behind the Demon Tide.
But these presences were still not strong enough, at most at the Defying Fate Realm.
“Gluttonous Valley Master, come out!” Li Hao called out.
The young man’s sharp voice, like thunder rolling across the sky, swiftly rolled out. In an instant, accompanied by the howling wind, it spread across the entire vast battlefield, like thunderclap ringing in the ears of countless demons.
Upon hearing Li Hao’s furious shout, Xia Linglong and Xia Yuanwu’s faces dramatically changed. They had been considering discussing with Li Hao about taking a detour for a sneak attack, but Li Hao had directly exposed his position.
They quickly scanned the surroundings of the battlefield, remaining vigilant against the Gluttonous Valley Master.
At the same time, behind the Demon Tide, four monstrous demon figures stood, gazing intently in the direction of the chaotic battle, ready to join the fray at any moment.
Behind them stood a young girl on a hillside, dressed in a golden silk gown.
A golden curved feather sat atop the girl’s head. Her body exuded a weak Demon Qi, and she looked up with a restrained expression, her hands hanging at the sides of her dress, respectfully eyeing the burly man before her.
This man, with numerous bones at his feet from the Human Race and various other demons, was covered in dense brown fur with curved ram horns atop his head. His pale green eyes seemed devoid of any emotion, radiating an indifferent Demon Qi.
“Tai Sui King, are you truly not considering retreating? The news from the western parts of Youzhou seems to be true. If that young man gets invited by the Xia Family to join the battle, Youzhou might not end up on the winning side.”
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The girl in the gold gown spoke again with respect.
The burly man before her was none other than the Gluttonous Valley Master, Tai Sui King—a figure of great renown among demons, leading a group feared by many for their ruthless ‘eat-all’ antics.
“Hmph, just because of a piece of news, you expect me to retreat? How could I, the Gluttonous Valley Master, command a host of demons with any dignity thereafter?”
Tai Sui King’s eyes were piercing cold as he glanced at the girl like a sharp sword.
“Don’t talk about not having seen it firsthand; even if that Human Race brat really comes to Youzhou, I’d like to have a few moves with him. If the Candle Flame God couldn’t handle it, let me give it a try!”
“But if that young man participates in the battle and cooperates with the Xia Family, I fear that our side will suffer significant losses. The Desolate God only asked us to contain them; it’s better not to push them too hard right now…”
The girl in the golden gown spoke with her head lowered.
“Hmph!”
Tai Sui King let out a cold snort, his voice pounding against the girl’s chest like a drum hammer, causing her face to suddenly turn pale.
“All you in Tianji Palace need to do is provide information. Stick to your duty. When did it become your place to give orders?”
Seeing his slightly bared fangs, the girl trembled and quickly knelt down, bowing her head, not daring to speak further.
The other four demons snickered at the girl’s frightened demeanor, revealing a hint of bloodthirstiness and disdain. If not for Tianji Palace’s sake, they wouldn’t mind tasting this little thing.
“Don’t compare our Gluttonous Valley with those wastes in the Great Void Realm. Not even the Half-step Tao Realm could conquer a single Liangzhou, despite a sneak attack, laughable!”
Tai Sui King crushed the skull in his hand that he had picked clean, his gaze filled with scorn.
At first, when he heard that the Candle Flame God had reached the Half-step Tao Realm, there was a hint of surprise and astonishment in his heart. But later, when he heard that even a Human Race youth couldn’t be dealt with, he felt that the Candle Flame God’s Half-step Tao Realm was a bit over-rated.
Below the Tao Realm, there was virtually no resistance against the Tao Realm—this was an acknowledged fact, unless that Tao Realm was just for show.
Besides, it was just a Half-step Tao Realm—who wasn’t? Tai Sui King mused internally, keeping his secret. He mocked the Candle Flame God precisely because he knew the overwhelming power the Half-step Tao Realm had over the Ultimate Study Realm.
When he had previously gone to attack the Xia Family’s Divine General Mansion, it was just a probe; he didn’t reveal his full hand. With the confidence of the Half-step Tao Realm, he dared to challenge the mansion, knowing well that these ancient families, with their Saint Heart Heavenly Treasures, might hide one or two old monsters. A mere Ultimate Study Realm coming to the door was hardly enough.
However, after testing the waters, he hadn’t touched upon the true depth of the Divine General Mansion. Yet, he felt that, should he truly encounter it, he would be able to escape at full force.
At the moment, as he awaited the second coming of this succulent feast, a sharp shout from a youth suddenly came from the sky.
The voice exploded over the battlefield like thunder, causing Tai Sui King and the four Gluttonous Valley Elders to freeze with murderous intent rising on their faces as they looked towards the source of the sound.
“It’s the Xia Family!”
“That’s Xia Linglong; she dares to step out from the Xia Family. Isn’t she afraid of death?”
“Are they planning to have a decisive battle with us here?”
Several Gluttonous Valley Elders recognized Xia Linglong and Xia Yuan Wu; these two were pillars of the Xia Family, who had actually left the protection of their Array.
“Since they’ve come, don’t even think about leaving!”
Murder flashed in Tai Sui King’s eyes. He had recently clashed with Xia Linglong and Xia Yuan Wu, but that had been outside the gates of the Divine General Mansion. He was constantly wary of other old monsters emerging from the mansion, so it was merely a probe, and he hadn’t fought to his fullest.
But now, here, he could be unrestrained.
They couldn’t really think I’m just from the Ultimate Study Realm, could they… Tai Sui King’s mouth twisted into a cruel smile as he soared into the sky, leading the four Elders towards Li Hao.
“This youth?”
At the same time, they also noticed Li Hao, the bold one who had earlier shouted. The Gluttonous Valley Elders weren’t fools; instantly they recalled the report from the Tianji Palace Bird Demon… Was this the Haotian General of Liangzhou?
Their hearts lurched with alarm—the General’s reputation was no less distinguished than the older generation of the Xia Family, capable of contending with the Ultimate Study Realm and defeating Lu Yuan, the Great Elder of Dragon Gate. His strength was formidable, not to be underestimated.
“Here they come!”
In the sky, as Tai Sui King and the other Demon Kings flew forward, Xia Linglong and Xia Yuanwu also saw them, their expressions turning serious.
Among them was the Gluttonous Valley’s Great Elder, a powerful figure in the Ultimate Study Realm, and Tai Sui King, the Gluttonous Valley Master, was also a top figure in the Ultimate Study Realm. They had previously joined forces to attack but had not managed to inflict much damage, for the opponent’s flesh was refined to the extreme, comparable to an Eighth Cast Divine Weapon, extremely fearsome.
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Only a Ninth Cast Divine Weapon can inflict some damage, but still very limited.
After all, even a Ninth Cast Divine Weapon would have a hard time severing an Eighth Cast Divine Weapon.
“Be careful…”
Xia Linglong quickly sent a message to Li Hao, “The Gluttonous Valley Master’s physical body is extremely tough, we must first deal with the others and then join forces to kill him.”
“So you are the young Human Race who couldn’t even kill the Candle Flame God?”
The Tai Sui King’s gaze also landed on Li Hao. His eyes narrowed, and his murderous intent intensified.
Li Hao was somewhat surprised. The opponent didn’t recognize his own steed—the Candle Flame God. This isolation in the Great Void Realm seemed too extreme.
“Is it just your Gluttonous Valley here?”
Li Hao asked.
“What do you think? Our Gluttonous Valley is not like those wastes from the Great Void Realm,” a grinning Gluttonous Valley Elder replied harshly.
“I ask, you answer.”
Li Hao spoke, and at the same time, his Dao Domain shot out like a sharpened sword.
With a loud bang, the face of the grimacing Gluttonous Valley Elder abruptly burst open, shredded apart.
His Divine Soul burst from the twisted flesh, already terrified, but before it could struggle to escape, the ensuing force covered it and wiped it out.
All this was accomplished in the midst of Li Hao’s speech, the sudden change happening too quickly for anyone to react.
Not only the Tai Sui King and his group, but even Xia Linglong and Xia Yuanwu did not react until the Demon King’s Divine Soul was obliterated without even a scream. They were startled as they turned to look at Li Hao beside them.
Right here and now, only Li Hao could do such a thing.
“This…”
The Tai Sui King and the remaining three Gluttonous Valley Elders were also stunned. Their cold expressions suddenly turned to fear, unable to discern the method of Li Hao’s attack.
“You… you are from the Grand Tao of Peace Realm?”
The Tai Sui King sensed the traces of the Dao Domain in front of him, but he was somewhat incredulous. His originally burly body seemed to shrink, his presence completely gone, his face horrifyingly staring at Li Hao.
Instantaneous Dao Domain?
This was not something a Half-Step Dao Domain could match; this was the true Grand Tao of Peace Realm!
Hearing the Tai Sui King’s words, Xia Linglong and the others, along with three of the Gluttonous Valley Elders, were shocked, their ears buzzing as they stared blankly at Li Hao.
The Grand Tao of Peace Realm was exceptionally rare within the entire Dayu Divine Dynasty, and now, was this young man before them one of them?
“You still have some discernment.”
Li Hao glanced at this burly man and said, “You must be the Gluttonous Valley Master, right? What is your purpose in attacking Youzhou? Did you orchestrate it? What do you know about the previous attack on Liangzhou? Are your demons planning to break with the Dayu Divine Dynasty? Who gave you the courage, and who is backing you up?”
He asked in one breath, and after finishing, he calmly stared at him, “You better not talk nonsense. Answer my questions one by one, and I’ll make it quick for you.”
Silence.
The air was dead silent.
Everyone was looking at this young man, whose calm and composed face showed a trace of impatience.
Facing the Tai Sui King, facing the elders of the Gluttonous Valley, this young man seemed to view them as fish on a chopping board, ready for slaughtering!
Xia Linglong and Xia Yuanwu were dazed, initially expecting a fierce battle, but the situation turned out to be like this.
They now understood why Li Hao said he was simply dealing with it along the way.
The Grand Tao of Peace Realm was an existence only second to that of the True Person. In front of it, this Gluttonous Valley was as weak as an infant, hardly able to withstand a single blow!
No wonder Li Hao directly summoned the Gluttonous Valley Master, no wonder he was so unbridled—as it turned out, everything was due to… his overwhelming strength!
Bang!
Suddenly, another Gluttonous Valley Elder exploded, his Divine Soul just bursting out screaming for mercy, but in an instant, it flickered out like ashes.
It was as if an invisible hand was lightly rubbing it out, like ash falling from fingertips.
The sudden attack made the remaining two Gluttonous Valley Elders fall to their knees in the void before Li Hao, trembling and urinating themselves, shaking so hard that bile almost seeped out.
“General, spare our lives, spare our lives…”
“We are willing to become your mounts, to work like oxen and horses for you…”
They kept kowtowing and pleading, devoid of their previous ferocious and brutal demeanor.
“Seems like someone wants to compete with you for the job of carrying me,” Li Hao said to the Candle Flame God beneath him.
The Candle Flame God’s flames surged fiercely, his eyes coldly gleaming, “Can I eat them?”
“Sure.”
Li Hao naturally agreed.
The Candle Flame God’s Dao Domain suddenly expanded, the fierce flames burning and enveloping everything.
The two Gluttonous Valley Elders didn’t dare evade but only grew more desperate in their pleas.
The merciless Dao Domain enveloped them, the intense burning laws covering and instantly igniting the bodies of the two Gluttonous Valley Elders.
“You, you are the Candle Flame God?!”
Only then did the Tai Sui King recognize that this Fire Lion-like demon was actually the master of the Great Void Realm!
He felt as if struck by lightning, unable to believe his eyes.
Although he looked down upon the Candle Flame God, the latter was, after all, the master of the Great Void Realm, cultivated for ten thousand years. What happened to the pride of a Demon King?
To think it had been tamed into a mount!
Hearing the Tai Sui King’s words, Xia Linglong and Xia Yuanwu were also stunned, their faces filled with horror as they looked beneath Li Hao. This being was the master of the Great Void Realm?
They couldn’t help but gasp sharply, suddenly understanding why Li Hao had appeared in Youzhou, why there had been no movement in the Mo River at Liangzhou—it was not their Xia Family’s intelligence network that had failed, but Li Hao had subdued the Candle Flame God in the Mo River!
This is none other than a Great Demon King of the Half-Step Tao Realm, yet he is willing to debase himself to become a mount, which is even more difficult than killing him!
Xia Linglong looked at Li Hao and suddenly felt that the meal she had previously eaten was in vain. Any sense of familiarity that had been established was now completely dissipated, and she felt that the youth before her was so unfamiliar, as though she didn’t understand him at all.
“Be quick, don’t waste my time.”
Li Hao frowned and urged the Tai Sui King.
The Tai Sui King came to his senses, his complexion turning ugly – in his eyes, there was a glimmer of despair, knowing that today he likely wouldn’t be able to escape.
He had already used his opportunity to defy fate and had no second life left – he feared he would fall here.
“Fine, I’ll talk, I’ll talk…”
The Tai Sui King, with a face as morose as if mourning the dead, lowered his head and said, “No wonder the Candle Flame God met his defeat. With a monster like you, it’s a pity I didn’t realize it sooner, but today…”
As he whispered this, he suddenly looked up, his face vicious as he roared: “Even if you kill me, you will die too!”
While he was whispering, his Dao Domain had quietly unfolded. Now, suddenly sweeping forth, it enveloped his body and pressed outwards, aiming to take Xia Linglong and Xia Yuan Wu with him, looking for a cushion in his fall.
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Xia Linglong and Xia Yuan Wu were taken aback, not expecting that the Gluttonous Valley Master had also reached the Half-Step Dao Domain.
As they watched the Dao Domain rapidly expanding, the two hastily unleashed their Unwithering Strength, trying to distance themselves, but in the next moment, the Dao Domain melted away like ice and snow, rapidly retracting and being forcibly suppressed back into the body of the Tai Sui King, unable to spill out even a bit.
“A Half-Step Dao Domain, and you dare to show off?”
Li Hao raised an eyebrow: “There are many ways to die; do you have to choose the most painful one?”
All roaring on the Tai Sui King’s face had gone out, leaving him stunned.
He had anticipated that in front of the true Grand Tao of Peace Realm wielded by Li Hao, it would be hard to free himself. Plus, with the Candle Flame God, two against one, he would most likely meet his end here. But he didn’t expect the disparity to be so vast, beyond his imagination and understanding.
His own Dao Domain could be forced back, unable to unleash even a little!
What was the difference between this and crippling the Dao Domain?
“You, you…”
The Tai Sui King looked at the youth as if seeing a ghost; at that moment, the youth appeared before him like a nightmare.
“Forget it, die.”
Li Hao saw that he had no intention of speaking and completely lost his patience. The Dao Domain pressed down, and with a boom, the Tai Sui King’s physical body burst apart.
An Eighth Cast physique had no resistance in front of his Dao Domain – he had only used one layer.
There was no need to use two layers of Dao Domain against a Half-Step Tao Realm opponent.
The Divine Soul of the Tai Sui King burst forth from the physical body, still standing dumbfounded in the air, not running away, seemingly aware that any struggle was futile.
Only when touched by the Dao Domain does one realize its terror.
Li Hao did not completely erase him but instead wiped out most of his Divine Soul, preserving only a tiny part, which he handed to Xia Linglong, saying:
“Elder Xia Linglong, I’ll leave this interrogation to you. I’m heading to Qingzhou first, and I’ll come back to get an understanding from you later.”
As a leader of a top demonic force, he must be involved in this grand scheme. Li Hao did not intend to let him die so easily – that would be letting him off too lightly.
Xia Linglong took the remnant Divine Soul of the Tai Sui King, feeling unexpectedly honored by the trust. She was stunned for a moment, then quickly nodded: “I will, rest assured!”
She rapidly released her power to suppress and seal the Divine Soul of the Tai Sui King.
“Haotian General, be careful on your way to Qingzhou. Once my Xia Family quells the disturbance in Youzhou, we will make haste to come to your aid,” Xia Yuan Wu also quickly said, his words rushing, not wanting to delay Li Hao’s journey.
Li Hao nodded.
Then, with a wave of his hand, the Heaven and Earth Vein extended outward, and the boundless force from all directions converged above his outstretched fingertip.
That surging power, in an instant, transformed into limitless Sword Qi. Beams of sword light appeared overhead on the battlefield, magnificent and vast as if to cover the heavens and the earth with Sword Clouds.
Such an imposing aura and power stunned Xia Linglong and Xia Yuan Wu. Although they could also gather such assaultive force, their scope was nowhere near as broad, their aura nowhere near as terrifying.
Yet the youth before them seemed to unleash it with a mere flick of his hand.
“Kill.”
Li Hao uttered the word softly, and countless Sword Qi suddenly fell like raindrops, accompanied by the roaring sound of thunder, descending into the Demon Tide.
The demons still rushing toward the battlefield were immediately covered by this tremendous sword rain from the sky. Each strand of Sword Qi struck down, killing a demon instantly, without exception.
Even Heavenly Human Realm demons were no match for a single Sword Qi.
Only demons of the Three Immortal Realms could barely defend themselves. But under the continuous bombardment of Sword Qi, they quickly became riddled with wounds. When subjected to hundreds, even thousands of Sword Qi, they inevitably encountered that 1% fatal attack and perished.
The scope and magnitude of this Sword Qi were so vast, it almost obscured the entire battlefield.
The most terrifying part was that almost all the Sword Qi could be precisely controlled; under Li Hao’s command, they wove through the frontline where the Xia Family’s soldiers were fighting the demons, and amidst that chaotic battle, they accurately reaped the lives of demon after demon.
For a moment, across the several hundred-mile frontline, everyone witnessed the massive sword rain plummeting down.
The sky seemed to collapse into a whirlpool sea, from which countless droplets poured out.
Countless and covering the majority of the battlefield.
With the Flight Attribute doubling the range of attack, this sword rain effortlessly covered more than two hundred miles.
With one wash, countless demons fell.
Xia Linglong and Xia Yuan Wu, standing beside Li Hao, were so shocked they couldn’t speak.
Without the Tai Sui King, the Great Elder of Gluttonous Valley, and the remaining Elders, they would have had to expend considerable effort and time to eliminate all these demons.
But now, under the barrage of Li Hao’s sword rain, in just a short moment, the ground’s howls were already being completely drowned out…
