189-192
Chapter 189: Shaking the Four Directions (Extra Chapter for Alliance Leader 'Car Sticker Poster Billboard', Thank You for Your Generous Support)
"Come on, surround and kill him!"
In the mid-air, Lu Yuan roared as he sped through the sky, his body twisting and turning with incredible agility.
His furious bellow was aimed at the Demon Kings outside the city, urging them to assist, but more importantly, he was trying to force a flaw from Li Hao, an opening for him to strike.
Hearing the furious shout of the Dragon Gate's Grand Elder, Demon Kings like Bai Shenjun were filled with doubt and confusion.
This was Lu Yuan!
A renowned figure among the Demon Kings, a master of the Absolute Art Realm. Even he needed assistance?
"Even Lu Yuan can't handle that kid?!"
Bai Shenjun's face was filled with disbelief.
The killing moves of the Absolute Art Realm were incredibly powerful, capable of easily taking down a Life Transformation Realm cultivator.
Yet, he was being chased by Li Hao?
He recalled the Grand Elder's earlier words about going to the Heavenly Gate Pass to deal with this troublesome thorn.
Could it be that he had been chased all the way from the Heavenly Gate Pass?
His heart clenched, a mixture of shock and anger surging through him.
What kind of son did this Li Tiangang have?
Years ago, he had repeatedly sent assassins, each time employing foolproof methods, yet they had all failed.
The first assassination attempt involved a Heaven's Cycle Realm cultivator.
The most difficult part of that assassination was infiltrating the Divine General's Mansion.
Yet, they had succeeded in infiltrating.
The child was only six years old at the time. They thought it was a sure thing, but the Heaven's Cycle Realm assassin failed.
Later, he dispatched two fifteen-mile-realm Jiao Generals to ambush and assassinate the boy. Even Li Junye of the Li family, at fourteen, hadn't reached the fifteen-mile realm, had he?
Such an assassination, if the opportunity arose, was a guaranteed kill!
Yet, it failed again, and the assassin was counter-killed.
Only through reports from the Heavenly Dipper Palace did he learn that the boy had been hiding his strength, that he was the most monstrously talented cultivator in the Li family's history.
Not long after, the Yanbei Battlefield was concluding, and various demon races were clamoring to leave. As a result, he was reprimanded by the Saint Palace's Grand Elder.
While this resentment simmered, he heard more and more news about Qingzhou and the Li family.
And now this.
The infant he had repeatedly failed to assassinate, the one who was still in swaddling clothes, was now chasing after the Dragon Gate's Grand Elder right under his nose?!
Bai Shenjun felt like the world was upside down, unable to believe it was real.
But Lu Yuan's earth-shattering roar was undeniable, the chilling dragon might was genuine.
However, he didn't move.
Having cultivated for thousands of years, he was considered one of the most talented Demon Kings, and he could easily see that Lu Yuan wasn't truly calling for them to surround and kill Li Hao, but rather… begging for help!
If even Lu Yuan couldn't win, wouldn't they just die faster if they went?
Bai Shenjun no longer had a chance at the Life Transformation Realm. Thinking of Li Hao's terrifying sword formation, his body felt rooted to the ground, as if he hadn't heard the call.
The Void Realm Demon Kings also sensed that something was amiss. They had heard rumors about the young general who had emerged from the Heavenly Gate Pass. The Heavenly Dipper Palace had sent them a lot of intelligence about this young hero, which is why they had avoided the pass, leaving only Lu Yuan to deal with him.
Now, he had failed.
"Grand Elder!"
While the Void Realm Demon Kings hesitated, several Dragon Gate Demon Kings took the initiative, rushing towards Lu Yuan. At the same time, they roared at the other Demon Kings:
"What are you all standing around for? Is a single human boy going to scare our Demon Alliance into dissolving?!"
These words caused the faces of many Void Realm Demon Kings to flush with shame.
It was true.
The reputation of a single youth had scared them into inaction?
"Kill!"
"Assist Brother Lu Yuan, kill that human boy!"
The Void Realm Demon Kings also joined the fray, but one of them quickly released a Void Realm distress signal.
Initially, they hadn't intended to call for reinforcements. They had only sent a signal to Lu Yuan through the Heavenly Dipper Palace, urging him to quickly break the formation.
Now, Lu Yuan had been defeated, and they had no choice but to call for help.
This call for help would inevitably affect Yin Madam, who was engaged in battle with the Great Desert Sword Saint, but they couldn't worry about that now.
As numerous Demon Kings surged forward, the overwhelming demonic aura that had been surrounding the defensive formation's perimeter vanished, rushing towards the boy who was speeding through the air, surrounding him.
On the city walls, within the formation.
Li Xuanli and Li Tiangang finally reacted, their faces filled with shock.
Li Hao was chasing after a Demon King!
How was that possible?!
Li Xuanli and Li Tiangang were both stunned, a mixture of shock and confusion washing over them.
This scene was beyond their imagination and comprehension.
That was a Demon King!
How old was Li Hao?
He was only fifteen this year. When he had suppressed the world's Grand Masters, he was only at the Heaven's Man Realm. In less than a year, even if Li Hao was incredibly talented, even if he had reached the Three Immortals Realm in a year, it was impossible for him to engage a Demon King in battle, right?
But the reality was unfolding before their eyes.
Seeing the Demon Kings collectively charge out to hunt Li Hao, Li Xuanli hurriedly said:
"Quickly, form the formation, we'll go slaughter the demon tide and draw those Demon Kings over here!"
They couldn't help Li Hao, even if they wanted to. Not only was it too late, but it was a battle at the Demon King level, a fight they couldn't possibly interfere with.
Li Tiangang abruptly turned to Li Hongzhuang, "Give me five war banners!"
"What are you going to do?" Li Hongzhuang was taken aback.
Li Tiangang roared, "Of course, I'm going to save that reckless boy! Doesn't he know where he is? He dares to come here? Quickly, give me the war banners!"
Li Hongzhuang quickly replied, "I'll come with you."
"You and Fifth Brother go kill the demon tide and draw the other Demon Kings back. If they return, retreat back into the formation immediately!"
Li Tiangang turned to the Thousand Mechanisms Daoist, "Senior, I'll trouble you to watch over things and provide support from the sidelines!"
Since the war banners had intimidated the Demon Kings the previous night, the demon tide had set up camp outside the defensive line, and they had been helpless.
The demons were waiting for reinforcements, and they were doing the same.
However, Dayu Prefecture was tens of thousands of miles away, not something that could be reached in a short time.
Of the various Divine General Mansions, the closest were the Li and Xia families.
But Li Tiangang knew that he had to send a message back, telling his second uncle, Li Mu, to absolutely not leave Qingzhou.
Because Liangzhou was guarded by the Li family. Attacking Liangzhou could be a feint, with the real target being Qingzhou!
After all, the Saint Palace, Dragon Gate, and even the Void Realm had all put in a lot of effort. It could be said that they had completely broken with the Great Yu Dynasty, yet the Sect Master hadn't appeared, which could only mean he was elsewhere!
Therefore, he could only rely on the Xia family.
But the Xia family hadn't shown up yet. The other Divine General Mansions were located further away, and it would take at least half a day for them to arrive.
From last night until now, it had been exactly half a day.
Perhaps if they held on a little longer, reinforcements from the other Divine General Mansions would arrive.
The current crisis in Liangzhou was entirely due to the three top demon forces gathering and choosing to launch a swift attack.
Each top demon force was comparable to a Divine General Mansion. Their secret gathering and rapid attack was a clear sign that they were tearing apart the centuries-old facade of peace, aiming to trigger a full-scale war between the Dynasty and the demons!
Liangzhou was the opening act of this war!
Hearing Li Tiangang's words, the Thousand Mechanisms Daoist immediately said, "General, I'll go with you."
"No, you need to stay here to provide support for them. Just hold on!"
Li Tiangang immediately responded.
Without giving him a chance to speak further, he took the five war banners from Li Hongzhuang. He had learned how to use them from her last night.
Just as he was about to step out of the formation, a sudden, earth-shattering boom echoed through the air, startling everyone within and outside the defensive line, both humans and demons.
Li Hao and the Demon King Lu Yuan were seen locked in a fierce melee.
In their close-quarters combat, Lu Yuan was struck so hard that he plummeted to the ground, creating a deafening crash that shook the earth!
Such power stunned those on the city walls, and countless powerful demons within the demon tide were speechless in shock.
Li Hao was seen with a murderous aura that filled the sky, his divine power erupting as he charged forward.
But the Void Realm and Dragon Gate Demon Kings had already caught up, and in an instant, countless attacks rained down, demonic light slashing, purple flames burning, completely engulfing Li Hao.
Upon witnessing this, Li Tiangang's eyes widened in fury, roaring:
"Stop!!"
He stepped out of the formation and rushed towards the scene.
Despite his many disagreements with Li Hao, he was still his son. How could he just watch his son die?
But the next moment, amidst the countless demonic energy and purple flames, a divine light erupted, deflecting all those attacks.
The youth's figure stood like a supreme deity, his entire body bathed in golden light, completely unscathed!
Li Tiangang, who was rushing towards the scene, was stunned, his scalp tingling.
Was that really his son?
In just over a year, he had become so terrifyingly strong?
At this moment, Li Hao's eyes were like divine lightning, ignoring the other Demon Kings and charging directly at Lu Yuan.
With a loud bang, Li Hao's feet slammed into Lu Yuan's waist and abdomen, crushing his body into the earth.
Lu Yuan let out a pained roar. Li Hao's attack was like ten thousand mountains converging on a single point, a force that even his meticulously refined dragon body couldn't withstand. Bones shattered, scales cracked.
How long had it been since he had suffered such a severe injury?
Before Lu Yuan could retaliate, a Heavenly Dao Dharma Image appeared behind Li Hao.
This time, his Dharma Image no longer needed to contract!
Drawing upon the power of the Heavenly Veins, this Dharma Image, hundreds of feet tall, stood like a giant overlooking the world, its entire body radiating a golden, majestic divine power.
Li Hao's eyes widened, and he suddenly activated the Dharma Image, lifting the old dragon's body.
"Rise!!!"
Li Hao roared to the heavens, his voice filled with rage.
The Heavenly Dao Dharma Image seemed to open its mouth, emitting a silent roar, its hands clasped together, holding Lu Yuan's massive dragon body, before violently swinging him around!
With a deafening boom, the entire battlefield's ground cracked, and the demon tide in the distance was shaken so violently that it lost its footing.
Lu Yuan spat out a mouthful of blood. Although his physical body was incredibly refined, the sheer force of the impact was so great that it felt like his internal organs were about to be ripped out.
Li Hao unleashed his overwhelming divine power. The Heavenly Dao Dharma Image, wielding Lu Yuan's body, swung him wildly across the plains behind the demon tide, a furious display of strength!
This scene left the numerous Liangzhou soldiers, the young and old of the noble families on the city walls, speechless and wide-eyed.
That was a Demon King, being swung around like a stray dog under the power of that youth's enormous divine soul!
"Stop!!"
The Dragon Gate Demon Kings roared in anger, revealing their true forms, spewing demonic flames and blades, charging towards Li Hao to kill him.
The other Void Realm Demon Kings were shocked, their pupils constricting, but they didn't stop. They unleashed a barrage of attacks on Li Hao, trying to stop him and help Lu Yuan escape.
The attacks of the numerous Demon Kings rained down on Li Hao, a devastating onslaught that seemed to tear the heavens apart and shatter the earth!
Li Tiangang watched in horror, snapping out of his daze and quickly chasing after them, but he was too far away, and the other Demon Kings were closer. His intervention was too late!
"Hao'er!!" He roared.
"Li Hao!"
On the city walls, Li Wushuang's face drained of color, covering her mouth.
"Hao'er!"
Li Xuanli's eyes were bloodshot, but he couldn't do anything to help.
A tremendous roar echoed through the air, countless blades tearing through the void, shattering the earth.
Everyone within the defensive line gasped, some shedding hot tears. But as the dust settled, a golden figure remained standing in the same spot, completely unharmed!
His figure stood tall and straight like a spear, reaching towards the heavens, his shoulders seemingly bearing the weight of the turbulent sky!
At this moment, the entire battlefield fell silent, a brief moment of stunned quiet.
Li Hao had withstood the combined attacks of numerous Demon Kings and emerged unscathed!
Upon seeing this, Li Wushuang's eyes couldn't help but well up with tears.
Li Tiangang, who had been rushing towards the scene, also saw this. He was stunned for a moment, and suddenly, he felt a sense of bewilderment.
That child, it seemed, no longer needed the protection of others.
After being away from the Li family for a year, he had blossomed into an even more dazzling light.
A light that even made him feel a little unfamiliar.
Was that really his son?
This should have filled him with joy and excitement, but for some reason, the image of that snowy day flashed through his mind.
The image of that thin figure stepping out of the Li family's gates in the snow.
His heart suddenly clenched, a feeling he couldn't describe.
Like the farewell he had with his wife on the Yanbei Battlefield, the pain of wanting to grab something but being unable to.
Roar!
Suddenly, Lu Yuan's roar echoed through the air, snapping everyone out of their stupor.
The Heavenly Dao Dharma Image was still swinging Lu Yuan's body, Lu Yuan's scales oozing blood. He roared, his dragon claws digging into the ground, unleashing his Absolute Art, the Infinite Thunder Dao.
His entire body erupted with countless bolts of lightning, a sudden burst of power that allowed him to break free from the Heavenly Dao Dharma Image's grasp.
"Die!!!"
Lu Yuan roared in fury, his true anger unleashed, activating his Undying Power, his aura rapidly rising.
Dark clouds gathered above his head, countless bolts of lightning converging.
The other Demon Kings also snapped out of their shock. Seeing that Lu Yuan's aura had returned to its peak, they immediately gathered around him, ready to cooperate and kill the youth.
"How can his physical body be so strong? Am I mistaken?"
A Demon King asked in shock.
The other Demon Kings remained silent, none of them having an answer.
Li Hao had withstood so many of their attacks and blocked them with his physical body alone, something even they, the Demon Kings, couldn't do!
"Kill!"
Lu Yuan was still preparing his Absolute Art, roaring at the other Demon Kings.
These Demon Kings also saw that Lu Yuan was preparing a killing blow, so they didn't say anything more, quickly charging towards Li Hao to buy him time.
Bang!
The Heavenly Dao Dharma Image suddenly lifted its foot and swept it out horizontally, kicking a Dragon Gate Demon King that looked like a dragon and a Jiao combined, sending it tumbling.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 190: A Lone Battle Against the Myriad Demons
The colossal form of the Dragon Gate Demon King was sent hurtling through the air, crashing violently onto the earth.
The Heaven and Earth Dharma Image, facing a multitude of Demon Kings, let out a silent roar. Its arms swung, unleashing a series of terrifying fist strikes. Each strike manifested into a genuine, otherworldly phenomenon, like lightning flashing and thunder booming, wind surging and fire erupting, as it blasted towards the Demon Kings.
The grotesque forms manifested by the Demon Kings clashed with the Heaven and Earth Dharma Image, creating a scene reminiscent of a legion of devils battling a true deity.
Li Tiangang, rushing towards the scene at full speed, watched with a constantly shifting expression.
The familiar Heaven and Earth Dharma Image brought back memories of the battle in Qingzhou.
Back then, the clash had been earth-shattering, a fight that had raged from the Divine General's Mansion all the way out of the city, culminating in a sky-splitting battle above Qingzhou.
The arrogant young man, brimming with youthful vigor, had been suppressed by the Dharma Image's invincible might.
Now, however, the power of this Heaven and Earth Dharma Image was even greater than it had been back then.
And the aura of awe-inspiring majesty emanating from the Dharma Image sent shivers down the spine of Li Tiangang, who had now broken through to the Four Pillars Realm.
This was not the brash confidence of youth, but an undeniable authority!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With a relentless barrage of punches and kicks, Li Hao's Heaven and Earth Dharma Image fought alone against the Demon Kings. The force of their clashing attacks tore the ground beneath the Dharma Image, leaving behind a series of terrifying claw-like fissures.
But even as the Dharma Image's body was torn apart by the Demon Kings' attacks, it would instantly heal, a constant influx of power sustaining it.
Conversely, the Demon Kings were repeatedly sent flying or knocked over by Li Hao's Dharma Image, unable to get close and incapable of inflicting any real harm.
"Scram!"
Li Hao's eyes were like cold lightning. His Dharma Image's arms swung, unleashing a force equivalent to a hundred thousand tons, sweeping across the battlefield.
A mountain ape-like Demon King, a being of the Vast Void Realm, leaped forward, only to be smashed in the face by a single punch, sent flying backward.
Another Demon King, resembling a winged crocodile, swooped down, but was met with a back-kick from Li Hao, soaring through the air before crashing down several miles away.
The Dharma Image raised its hand, drawing upon the power of Heaven and Earth. A beam of pure, condensed energy formed in its palm, a sword-like light that suddenly lashed out, unleashing a torrent of spring rain.
The raindrops, like swords and tides, surged towards the Demon Kings.
The Demon Kings roared in fury, raising their hands to shatter the sword-light, but the rain of light was endless, a relentless downpour that forced several of the Demon Kings to retreat.
The half-dragon Demon King of Dragon Gate roared as it charged forward. Its flesh was like divine iron, its scales impervious to blades and spears. It charged straight into the rain of swords, attempting to break Li Hao's assault.
But suddenly, the sword-light raindrops that struck its scales, dissipating into nothingness, began to seep into its body.
The Demon King felt a sudden stagnation of its power, a sensation of being ensnared by a soul-snatching force. Its body grew rapidly heavy, as if burdened by a thousand mountains. With a thud, its forward momentum faltered, and it crashed to the ground at the feet of Li Hao's Dharma Image.
Its life force extinguished, it died instantly.
This bizarre scene filled the other Demon Kings with terror. They suddenly realized that the torrent of sword-light contained a terrifying killing move, much like the killing move hidden within Li Hao's army banner!
It was impossible to see through, impossible to defend against. The only way to survive was to avoid getting close.
"Don't let that sword-light touch you!"
"He has a hidden attack!"
The Vast Void Realm Demon Kings were filled with dread. They frantically unleashed their demonic power, shattering the raindrops with all their might, preventing them from getting close.
But the torrent of sword-light was too powerful. As they fought and retreated, they were pushed back a hundred miles by the might of a single man.
Having forced the Demon Kings back, Li Hao's Heaven and Earth Dharma Image suddenly raised its hand, launching the sword-light within it towards the dark clouds Lu Yuan had conjured.
Lu Yuan was enraged. His Demon Kings were unable to stop Li Hao.
The strange attack had also filled him with alarm. Even he couldn't understand how the elder had died.
If Li Hao had blasted him to death with a punch, he could have accepted it. After all, it was visible. But the raindrops of sword-light, while powerful, clearly weren't capable of killing a Demon King.
Yet, one had died.
Faced with the unknown, he felt fear.
Now, as the sword-light pierced through the clouds, Lu Yuan let out a low growl, channeling the thunder within the clouds into countless whip-like bolts of lightning, wrapping them around the sword-light and shattering it.
But the sword-light also extinguished countless bolts of lightning, delaying the formation of the ultimate killing move brewing within the clouds.
"Attack! Are you all waiting to die?!"
Lu Yuan roared.
The faces of the Demon Kings were grim. They knew that if they showed any signs of fear, the situation would only worsen.
"Kill!"
They roared as they charged again, splitting into groups to surround Li Hao from all directions.
By this time, Li Tiangang had arrived, urgently shouting, "Hao'er, run!"
Li Hao, who was about to attack Lu Yuan, heard the call and furrowed his brow slightly, glancing in that direction.
When he saw Li Tiangang's figure, his brow furrowed again, but quickly relaxed. He didn't look back, instead charging straight towards Lu Yuan.
Seeing that Li Hao ignored him, Li Tiangang was both anxious and angry. He turned to the Demon Kings and shouted, "If you have the guts, come at me!"
"I'll gladly oblige!"
Bai Shenjun, who had been hesitating on the sidelines, was still agonizing over when to join the fight. If he didn't participate, he would undoubtedly face the wrath of Dragon Gate later.
If he did participate…he didn't want to die.
Seeing Li Tiangang come forward, he suddenly found the human general he had hated and fought against for years in Yanbei rather endearing. He was just feeling a bit awkward about being a mere spectator, and now, here was an opportunity.
With a swift movement, Bai Shenjun stepped forward to block Li Tiangang's path.
"Get lost!"
Li Tiangang roared in anger, slashing out with his divine blade.
Bai Shenjun flicked his finger, sending a beam of sword-light that shattered the blade's glow.
He sneered slightly, "Just stepping into the Dao Heart Realm, and you dare to be so arrogant? Truly worthy of being a Li. But compared to your son, you're still far behind if you think you can fight me."
"Then let's try!"
Li Tiangang's eyes were icy, his entire body erupting with divine power, like a raging inferno. His aura rapidly intensified as he unleashed the Nine Steps Against Heaven, his steps echoing like a mountain range.
Bai Shenjun, no longer holding back, manifested his true deity form. His massive body lunged towards Li Tiangang.
The two instantly engaged in a fierce battle.
Meanwhile, on the city walls, Li Xuanli was also busy. He quickly gave orders to the others, activating the nodes of the protective formation and taking the opportunity to attack the demons outside the defensive lines, forcing the Demon Kings to return.
With the Thousand Mechanisms Daoist overseeing the situation, even if Demon Kings rushed to the rescue, they could still retreat in time.
Soon, the city walls were filled with the roar of a thousand armies, as they charged out towards the demons.
The demon tide was stirred. Numerous Immortal-Free Realm Great Demons within the tide, commanding the demon armies, were enraged when they saw the humans within the defensive lines daring to attack. They roared, commanding their forces to charge.
However, Li Hongzhuang led the charge, riding at the forefront, wielding the Haotian Banner.
She threw three banners, which flew into the demon tide and tore through it. Instantly, sky-piercing sword-light erupted, sweeping across the battlefield, cutting down countless demons without resistance.
Even the Immortal-Free Realm Demons within the tide were caught in the sword-light's path. In terror, they poured all their strength into their indestructible bodies, but the sword-light sliced through them, severing their flesh.
Each banner exploded like a depth charge within the demon tide, creating a bloody chasm tens of miles wide.
Seeing such terrifying power, the demon tide began to falter.
On the other side, Li Hao, facing the onslaught of the Demon Kings, bent down and picked up the half-dragon corpse on the ground. He swung it with a sudden, powerful motion.
Bang! Bang! Two loud sounds echoed as the dragon corpse, like a long whip, lashed out at the other Demon Kings, tearing their flesh and skin.
The Demon Kings were repeatedly struck by the whirling dragon corpse whip, unable to get close.
After swinging the whip a few times, Li Hao saw that the Demon Kings were still relentless in their pursuit. His anger ignited. He suddenly leaped into the air, unleashing the Heaven and Earth Without Trace Technique.
With a step, he instantly appeared before a Demon King, unleashing a powerful punch.
The Demon King was startled by Li Hao's sudden appearance, filled with terror. It tried to dodge, but Li Hao's fist struck it down.
Li Hao pressed his advantage, unleashing a series of punches that shook the ground, smashing the Demon King's head into a bloody pulp.
Other Demon Kings roared as they attacked, but Li Hao ignored the onslaught. His body, tempered like a seven-times refined divine weapon, was impervious to their attacks.
Bang!
Li Hao smashed the Demon King's head to pieces. The instant its soul escaped, the Heaven and Earth Dharma Image reached out and grabbed it, then roared as it squeezed the soul, crushing it into nothingness.
A Dao Heart Realm Demon King was no match for Li Hao.
Such ferocity filled the other Demon Kings with both terror and awe. This human youth was even more formidable than the rumors spread by the Heavenly Pivot Palace. He was like an ancient Demon King reborn!
Seeing the Demon Kings cowed, Li Hao quickly picked up the soft, mangled body of the Demon King on the ground. He merged with the Heaven and Earth Dharma Image, his power surging.
His aura exploded, rising towards the heavens as he charged towards Lu Yuan.
With a whoosh, he flung the mangled Demon King's body into the dark clouds, tearing a gaping hole in their dense mass.
Countless bolts of lightning struck the Demon King's body, tearing it apart.
Li Hao raised his hand and unleashed a punch towards Lu Yuan. The punch drew upon the vast power of the surrounding environment, condensing into a collapsing fist shadow, carrying a terrifying killing intent, and slammed into Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan was enraged. He had no choice but to unleash the power he had been building up.
Endless bolts of lightning coalesced into a thunder dragon, roaring as it charged towards Li Hao.
Neither of them attempted to defend against the other's attack. They both struck directly, trading blows for blows.
Li Hao's gaze was cold and unwavering. He didn't dodge or evade, allowing the thunder dragon to roar towards him. His flesh bulged, the various body refinement techniques he had cultivated reaching their peak, emitting waves of vital energy.
Bang! Bang!
Two violent impacts echoed. Li Hao was bitten by the thunder dragon and sent crashing into the ground, plowing a furrow for several miles.
Lu Yuan, struck by Li Hao's fist, spat out blood and flew backward, letting out a pained cry as he plummeted from the sky.
"Hao'er!"
Li Tiangang caught sight of this, his face contorting in a mixture of shock, anger, and disbelief.
Li Hao's power exceeded his wildest expectations. Facing a combined attack from numerous Demon Kings, he had managed to severely injure the Ultimate Realm elder dragon Lu Yuan. No wonder he could chase him all the way here.
In just over a year, how could he have grown so strong?!
"You dare to be distracted!"
Bai Shenjun roared, suddenly striking down with a powerful claw, sending Li Tiangang crashing to the ground.
Then, with a furious roar, he swooped down, as if wanting to unleash all the anger he had accumulated over years of fighting in Yanbei onto Li Tiangang.
Especially after Li Hao had killed his second life beyond the Pass, leaving him with no more reckless courage.
Kill!
His body crashed down, like a force of millions of tons, tearing Li Tiangang's armor to shreds.
Li Tiangang spat out a mouthful of blood, but his eyes were wide with anger. He unleashed a surge of power, forcing Bai Shenjun's attack back.
Bai Shenjun's eyes narrowed. Li Tiangang was indeed strong. Facing a Fate Defying Realm being, he still had the strength to fight back.
"Your Li family, they are all destined to die!"
"But compared to your son, you are truly lacking."
Bai Shenjun's gaze was as cold as ice, his voice devoid of emotion, "If your son had been guarding Yanbei back then, there would have been no need for a decade-long war."
"But you should be grateful that that little monster was only born a dozen years ago. If he had been born a decade or two earlier, I might have already fallen at his hands."
As he spoke, his body erupted with killing intent, charging towards Li Tiangang once more.
Li Tiangang's heart was shaken by his words, his expression shifting rapidly. Seeing him charge, he roared and raised his blade again.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 191: The Immortalizing Fist
The battlefield was engulfed in a raging inferno of war.
Li Xuanli, stationed atop the city walls, commanded the troops. Though he dispatched wave after wave of elite forces to engage the monstrous tide, his attention remained fixed on Li Hao.
Seeing the demon kings completely disregard the monstrous horde, their sole focus on killing Li Hao, his heart sank, his face etched with worry.
When he witnessed Li Hao being slammed to the ground by the Land Abyss Old Dragon's ultimate technique, the Thunder Dragon, his heart pounded in his chest. He feared for Li Hao's safety, but in this colossal war, as a mere Three-Immortality Realm cultivator, he was powerless to intervene.
"Kill him!"
The demon kings, seeing Li Hao struck down by the Limitless Thunder Dragon, seized the opportunity to unleash their attacks. Terrifying demon arts rained down, each imbued with their full strength. They knew that anything less would be insufficient to harm this monstrous youth.
Boom!!
Suddenly, a terrifying aura erupted.
The Thunder Dragon, tearing and biting at Li Hao, found its throat abruptly seized by a colossal hand. The hand, pulsating with destructive and annihilating power, unleashed a torrent of thunderous light, like countless blades, attempting to break free from the grasp of this Heavenly Dao Manifestation.
But the hand remained unyielding, the energy channeled through the Heavenly Veins sustaining its unbreakable form.
The Limitless Thunder Dragon, in its struggle, exhausted its thunderous energy, gradually weakening. Its roars turned into whimpers.
Li Hao's Heavenly Dao Manifestation reappeared behind him, clutching the Limitless Thunder Dragon. He looked up at the charging demon kings, his body erupting in a brilliant silver radiance.
The charred, blackened skin from the thunderous flames rapidly peeled away from his body. He understood that, with these demon kings disrupting him, if he wanted to swiftly eliminate the Old Dragon of the Ultimate Technique Realm, he had to enter the Immortalizing state.
During the relentless pursuit, he had already exited the Immortalizing state. Otherwise, with such a prolonged chase, he would have reached the Immortalizing Limit long ago.
His initial plan was to assess the situation further, to ensure no other Ultimate Technique Realm demon kings lurked within this vast battlefield. But it seemed there were none.
If that was the case, then it was time for a swift resolution!
As he opened the floodgates of his body, connecting to the Heavenly Veins, the power of Heaven and Earth surged violently, pouring into his being.
Bang!
Li Hao's Manifestation crushed the Thunder Dragon, while he himself, in a blur of motion, instantly closed the distance to a demon king.
He unleashed a fist.
The terrifying power of his punch instantly swept across the area. The mere heat radiating from his fist scorched and cracked the demon king's rough beast hide. With a single blow, its head exploded.
A soul, attempting to escape its body, was met with a thunderous roar from Li Hao.
The roar, like a sonic attack, reverberated outwards, causing the soul to shriek in agony as it was torn apart by a colossal force, dissipating into nothingness.
In the blink of an eye, a Dao Heart Realm demon king was annihilated.
Li Hao abruptly turned, his gaze sweeping over the remaining demon kings. He activated the Art of Heavenly Trace, appearing in a flash before another demon king. Bang!
Another punch. The other demon king, a Void Realm cultivator, barely had time to react. The grey wooden armor that had enveloped his body shattered into countless fragments, scattering like rain. A fist pierced through his chest, spraying blood everywhere.
The Heavenly Dao Manifestation, which had crushed the Thunder Dragon, vanished for a fleeting moment, only to reappear behind Li Hao. The colossal Manifestation reached out, seizing the demon king's tiger-lion-like body by the fore and hind limbs, and tore it apart.
A terrifying surge of power erupted, ripping the demon king's body in two, blood gushing out like boiling water.
The soul, attempting to flee, was sucked in by the Heavenly Dao Manifestation's gaping maw, held captive.
Then, a sword qi materialized out of thin air, slicing through the soul, obliterating it.
In the blink of an eye, the second demon king met its demise.
The remaining demon kings were struck with terror, finally realizing that the youth had not been using his full power!
What kind of monster was this?!
They finally understood why he was able to pursue Land Abyss to this point. It wasn't just the abilities he had previously displayed.
Flee!
At this moment, the Void Realm demon kings were utterly terrified. The Demon Alliance, which they had served for thousands of years, their secluded existence for countless years, could not end here!
Moreover, they had realized that they posed no threat to Li Hao. Only extremely powerful divine weapons could potentially harm this youth.
Conversely, Li Hao was a human war machine to them, unstoppable by any means!
"Tiger Suppression!"
"Blood Sea Kraken Diagram, Qiongqi Mountain Diagram!"
Li Hao roared, his body launching into a relentless pursuit, unleashing the might of his diagrams.
His body erupted with terrifying power, like a tiger's roar, like a dragon soaring through a sea of blood. Most terrifying of all was the figure of Qiongqi perched atop a giant peak, an ancient and ferocious demon king, whose diet even included true dragons.
The Void Realm demon kings were paralyzed with fear. In this brief moment of hesitation, Li Hao had already struck, consecutively killing two more demon kings, their heads reduced to a bloody mess.
The enormous demon king corpses were flung out, crashing into the monstrous tide in front.
A large area was cleared within the monstrous tide, where the human and demon forces were locked in a fierce battle. The numerous powerful demons within the tide were startled by the sudden impact of the flying corpses.
Upon witnessing the scene unfolding on Li Hao's side of the battlefield, both the human and demon commanders and leaders were dumbfounded.
They had assumed that Li Hao was trapped in a stalemate, surrounded by numerous demon kings. But in the blink of an eye, he had driven them back like a tiger dispersing a pack of wolves, eliminating them one by one, causing the rest to flee in panic!
"Hao'er!"
Li Xuanli, who had been closely observing, was astonished, his eyes wide with shock.
Bai Shenjun and Li Tiangang, locked in a seemingly fierce battle, were actually both holding back, keeping a watchful eye on Li Hao.
Seeing Li Hao's ferocious display, they were both stunned.
"Good thing I didn't go over there..." Bai Shenjun's heart trembled. That kid was a monster, terrifying!
He was already considering retreat. Li Tiangang wasn't as weak as he had imagined, managing to hold his own against him. The battlefield was clearly on the verge of collapse!
With decisive action, the moment he felt the urge to retreat, he pushed Li Tiangang away and fled, avoiding being entangled and held back.
Li Tiangang, his blood churning, stumbled backward, but couldn't chase after his old nemesis.
Looking at the fleeing demon kings and the monstrous youth pursuing them, he felt a sense of unreality.
On this battlefield, he had never been dazed or lost in thought, yet today, he had experienced it several times.
Bang!
Li Hao strode forward in pursuit. A Void Realm demon king, seeing Li Hao closing in, screamed and activated his Counter-Fate opportunity, turning to flee.
Li Hao immediately felt a strange force enveloping and isolating him. Even his killing intent towards the demon king seemed to weaken.
Was this the power of Destiny?
Li Hao's eyes narrowed, his Heavenly Veins sweeping across the area, drawing in the power of the surrounding thirty miles, condensing it into his fist.
"Die!!"
He roared, taking a half-step forward. His fist pulsed with invincible power, laced with hidden sword intent.
Boom!!
As this earth-shattering fist struck out, countless sword qi shot into the sky, propelled by the force of the punch, raining down on the demon kings like a torrential downpour, piercing their bodies like sieves.
Fatal attributes triggered one after another. The demon kings had no time to dodge, no time to escape, as they felt their power being drained away.
Terror and despair filled their eyes. What kind of power was this?
They never understood until their dying breaths!
Bang bang bang!
One after another, the demon king corpses fell, crashing into the monstrous tide below, like massive boulders, crushing any demons that were too slow to escape.
"No!"
The Elder Vine Demon had lost his Counter-Fate opportunity. Now, his body was being pierced by the rain of sword qi. Though he felt the pain, he was still enduring it.
But suddenly, his power was drained away. He felt like he was falling into the abyss of death.
He wanted to crawl, but he couldn't.
His body lost its strength, his soul sealed.
Born from the Thunderwood, he had cultivated for ten thousand years, and now, he had reached his end.
With a thud, the Elder Vine Demon's body crashed to the ground.
The sword qi unleashed by that single punch had annihilated four demon kings. The remaining one, having activated his Counter-Fate opportunity, fled desperately forward.
But Li Hao's gaze remained fixed on him. The terrifying power of his fist, like a blazing sun, like a meteor streaking across the sky, carrying the force of a shattered earth, pursued him relentlessly.
The demon king's heart pounded in his chest, his pupils constricting. Even after activating his Counter-Fate opportunity, he still felt enveloped by death.
But soon, that feeling vanished.
Just as Li Hao was about to test the limits of his abilities, to see how miraculous this Counter-Fate truly was, he suddenly heard a cry from the battlefield.
Turning his head, he saw Li Hongzhuang trapped within the monstrous tide, surrounded by seven or eight powerful demons.
And behind her, there were no banners.
Li Hao was startled, his expression shifting slightly. He couldn't afford to continue pursuing the demon king. He had a feeling that even if he did, he wouldn't be able to harm him. It was better to rescue Li Hongzhuang.
This thought flashed through his mind, causing his fist to change direction, slamming into the rear of the monstrous tide.
Bang!
The earth outside the defensive line shook violently, like a magnitude ten earthquake. Cracks spread across the land, some demons falling into the fissures.
The force of the punch swept across, carving a hundred-mile-long scar of blood through the dense monstrous tide!
Any demon that came into contact with the force of the punch was vaporized. Even the Immortal Realm demons, before this terrifying punch, were powerless to resist, crushed like tiny pebbles.
As the aftershocks of the punch dissipated, the battlefield, previously filled with the roars of countless demons, fell into a brief silence.
That terrifying punch had annihilated hundreds of thousands of demon soldiers!
Among them were numerous powerful demons, Heavenly Man Realm, Fifteen-Mile Realm, and other demon vanguard officers!
The demons that could be assembled for an attack on the city by several top demon factions all had some level of cultivation. Zhou Tian Realm cultivators didn't even qualify to be foot soldiers, yet they were now obliterated by Li Hao's single punch!
The youth, clad in shimmering gold, stood above the battlefield, radiating divine power, seemingly suppressing the entire battlefield single-handedly!
Like a youthful deity!
His figure shone like a blazing sun, impossible to look at directly, causing countless soldiers and demons to be awestruck.
However, one side was awestruck with awe, fervor, excitement, and exhilaration.
The other side was filled with fear, trembling, and despair!
Li Xuanli, the Liangzhou Military Governor, Qianji Daoist, and others on the city walls were all speechless with shock.
Li Qingling and Li Xueyun were also stunned, unable to believe their eyes. Was this their nephew?
The Li family had produced countless heroes and talents, but never a celestial prodigy as terrifying as this. It filled them with both awe and fear.
Li Tiangang also stood in the sky above the battlefield. Bai Shenjun had already fled. He stared blankly at the scene, speechless with shock.
But Li Hao's brow furrowed, his expression darkening.
He belatedly realized that when Li Hongzhuang was in danger, his sudden change of mind might have been caused by Destiny.
After all, the results showed that the demon king had indeed escaped!
When he looked at the demon king who had just used Counter-Fate, he couldn't see him anymore. Even the demon king's aura had vanished!
Was this the power of Destiny?
Li Hao's heart trembled. Li Hongzhuang's predicament might have been Destiny's arrangement, but the fact that his own thoughts could be influenced was terrifying!
He took a deep breath. This was the first time he had used his full strength, and all he felt was the profound, unimaginable depth of Destiny.
He turned around, listening to the roars behind him, looking at the Land Abyss Old Dragon, whose face was filled with rage. "Where do you think you're running?"
Land Abyss, hearing such insulting words, shot Li Hao a cold glare. "Flee? You're the one who's going to die!"
Li Hao raised an eyebrow, his expression shifting slightly. His body suddenly twisted, activating the Art of Heavenly Trace while also triggering the speed-enhancing attributes of his diagrams.
Thousand Mountains Bird Flight Diagram, Snow Mountain Spirit Fox Diagram, Qilin Warhorse Diagram!
Three diagrams combined, boosting his speed to an incredible degree, making him as fast as a phantom.
Bang!
Where Li Hao had been standing, a blazing sun-like light erupted, but it only destroyed an afterimage.
Li Hao appeared in another location as if teleporting. Turning his head, he saw a tall, sturdy young man standing in the air where he had been a moment ago.
His body was like forged steel, his muscles evenly distributed, his hair cascading down to his waist, strands of gold, his entire body covered in golden divine patterns, as if a surging flow of fiery divine flames coursed through him.
This young man had a golden mark on his forehead, like a vertical pupil.
His face was cold and stern, but his eyes held a hint of surprise as he stared at Li Hao, who had evaded his attack.
"So you were still holding back?"
Land Abyss was also startled. He hadn't expected Li Hao to be able to burst forth with such terrifying speed in a moment of crisis. He hadn't shown such speed during the pursuit earlier.
Just how many more abilities did this kid have hidden?
His heart was filled with anger.
Li Hao's face darkened. Another Ultimate Technique Realm demon king!
"Land Abyss, is this the battlefield you command?"
Another icy voice echoed, and the surrounding air turned frigid. Massive dark clouds gathered overhead.
A woman with the appearance of a noblewoman approached, her movements elegant yet instantaneous, appearing on the battlefield in the blink of an eye. She stood with Land Abyss and the flame-like young man, forming a triangle that surrounded Li Hao.
Li Hao felt three Dao Rhythms locking onto him.
The reason he was able to dodge the young man's attack earlier was because the young man hadn't used Dao Rhythms to lock onto him, avoiding alerting him and giving him a chance to prepare.
"Yin Madam, this should have been a battlefield for your Void Realm cultivators to handle. Yet you dragged me into it, and you still have the nerve to question me?"
Land Abyss was furious, his words devoid of courtesy.
Li Tiangang, in the distance, saw the noblewoman and his face changed drastically.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 192: I Am Not a Li, But I Am Human (Extra Chapter for Reaching 40,000 Concurrent Readers, Thank You, My Fellow Admirers!)
Li Tiangang had witnessed the formidable power of the Yin Matriarch during the previous battle in the Eastern Frontier. Even without employing her ultimate techniques, she was still a match he couldn't contend with.
Furthermore,
If she was here, where was the Desert Sword Saint?
Seeing the golden-haired youth beside her, radiating like a fiery deity, Li Tiangang's heart plummeted, and the answer became clear.
Simultaneously, a far more terrifying thought arose in his mind.
"Are you the Candlelight God of the Taixu Realm?"
Li Tiangang suppressed the tremor in his voice, asking for the youth's identity.
The Candlelight God, the ruler of the Taixu Realm's forces, the most powerful demon king.
And also, the Yin Matriarch's husband.
Their simultaneous arrival meant that the Desert Sword Saint had likely encountered grave danger.
Earlier, Li Tiangang had sent out the Eight Directions Order to Qingzhou City, preventing his second uncle, Li Mu, from coming. This was because the Taixu Realm had launched a full-scale invasion, essentially tearing off the mask of civility. However, only the Yin Matriarch had appeared, not her husband, leading him to worry that the latter was lurking in Qingzhou.
But now, it seemed that wasn't the case.
Perhaps his decision to prevent his second uncle from coming was a mistake.
His heart sank further.
From the moment the two Ultimate Technique Realm demon kings appeared until now, everything had transpired in a blink of an eye. The previously fierce battlefield fell into an eerie silence.
Hearing Li Tiangang's question, the youth casually glanced at him and said:
"Wasn't the Li Family's True Dragon you saw last time perish in Cangzhou?"
Li Tiangang's expression shifted slightly. These words revealed that the Taixu Realm, though secluded, was constantly monitoring the movements of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty.
Perhaps many events behind the scenes were subtly influenced by the Taixu Realm.
"The Candlelight God I remember didn't look like this."
Li Tiangang stared at him, secretly adjusting his breath. Deep in his eyes, a profound apprehension lingered.
Three Ultimate Technique Realm experts, this lineup was gathered in Liangzhou. The demons' determination to tear Liangzhou apart was far greater than he had imagined.
"My husband's divine arts have reached a new level, naturally leading to rejuvenation. Li Tiangang, it's a pity that the Grand Elder of the Sacred Palace isn't here. Otherwise, you wouldn't have the chance to speak anymore."
The Yin Matriarch smiled softly. Though they were conversing, none of the three moved, nor did they attack Li Tiangang. They were wary of allowing Li Hao to escape.
Compared to Li Tiangang, Li Hao was the true threat.
At such a young age, he was already this terrifying. If not slain, he would undoubtedly become the second True Person of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty!
Li Tiangang's face darkened. He knew the Yin Matriarch was right. Given his clashes with the Sacred Palace in Yanbei, the Sacred Palace elders would likely attack him first if they saw him.
"Let's finish this quickly, before those others arrive for reinforcements."
Lu Yuan said with a grim face.
"If they come, we'll deal with them then."
The Candlelight God didn't seem to mind, saying indifferently, "I heard an interesting story on the way here. I heard that you and your father have severed ties, and this boy has abandoned the Li family name. Such an act of defiance, it seems it wasn't just a feigned act."
He looked at Li Hao with interest, saying, "Since you're not a Li anymore, what are you doing here?"
Hearing this, Li Tiangang's face also changed slightly. This was indeed a shameful scandal for the Li family.
But upon hearing the demon king's words, his heart inexplicably skipped a beat. He couldn't help but look at Li Hao.
Li Hao was silently accumulating power, coldly stating, "Though I am not a Li, I am human!"
The Candlelight God raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by Li Hao's response. But after a moment's thought, he found it quite reasonable.
Li Tiangang's face flickered, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes as he said:
"What nonsense are you spouting? The three-year agreement hasn't ended yet. You still bear the Li name!"
Li Hao raised an eyebrow, sneered, but didn't bother to respond.
The Candlelight God chuckled, but a deep coldness gleamed in his eyes. "How about we do something interesting?"
"You all want to save Liangzhou, don't you? If you can kill your father, I'll allow the blood sacrifices of Liangzhou to live for one more day. How does that sound?"
Hearing his playful words, Lu Yuan was the first to object, angrily saying, "Candlelight Sovereign, there's no need to waste time."
"It's not a waste of time."
The Yin Matriarch's eyes hardened, coldly stating, "This Li Tiangang killed my son, and now I want his son to kill him!"
Lu Yuan was stunned, instantly understanding why the couple was engaging in so much idle chatter.
He felt a surge of anger, but the couple was clearly in sync, and he couldn't argue with them. He could only focus on regaining his strength.
The Candlelight God's words stunned Li Tiangang. He subconsciously glanced at Li Hao. Seeing the boy's expressionless face, a surge of anger erupted in his heart.
He took a deep breath and said, "If you truly can do as you say, I agree. For the people of Liangzhou, I, Li Tiangang, am willing to die!"
Although it was only a reprieve of one day, that day was crucial.
It would be enough time for reinforcements to arrive.
Then, the variables in Liangzhou would be unknown.
However, though he spoke these words, he wasn't truly prepared to surrender. After all, the words of demons were unreliable.
"What do you think?"
The Candlelight God looked at Li Hao, with a hint of a smile.
Li Hao exhaled softly. The energy he had just unleashed was now fully restored thanks to the nourishment of the Heavenly Veins.
In the brief exchange of words, he had returned to his peak state.
"I want to eliminate you all." Li Hao stated.
He suddenly erupted, entering the Immortal Transformation state, borrowing the power of the four directions, and launched a powerful punch towards Lu Yuan.
Among the three great demon kings, Lu Yuan was the one he had already fought, and their attacks were familiar. Li Hao planned to break through the enemy lines through him.
Lu Yuan, a seasoned veteran, immediately saw through Li Hao's intentions and felt a surge of rage. He was being treated like a pushover!
"You're courting death!"
He roared, his entire body gathering thunderous energy. A thunder sword, a manifestation of the Infinite Thunder Dao, slashed towards Li Hao.
The Yin Matriarch and Candlelight God's faces turned cold. They hadn't expected the boy to be so audacious. Surrounded and locked down by three great demon kings, he dared to launch a proactive attack!
"Die!"
The Yin Matriarch suddenly raised her hand, and a black, crescent-moon-shaped attack materialized, hurtling towards Li Hao's back.
Li Hao ignored it and continued to charge towards Lu Yuan.
His fist collided with the thunder sword, unleashing a blinding display of thunderous light that engulfed Li Hao's body. Countless thunderous flames scorched his skin, causing cracks to appear, but they quickly healed.
Lu Yuan's Infinite Thunder Dao could injure him, but only slightly. His self-healing ability was able to restore him quickly.
With a loud bang!
The black moon struck from behind, and Li Hao had no way to avoid it. He could only endure the blow.
The crescent-moon attack exploded against his back, like a frigid, icy lake enveloping his body. Then, it transformed into countless razor-sharp crescent blades, relentlessly shredding his spine. In a single breath, there were tens of thousands of attacks, the frequency incredibly high.
Li Hao's back split open, revealing flesh and blood. He roared and retaliated with a backhand strike, shattering the black moon. However, his body lost its balance.
Previously, he had only faced Lu Yuan, and the attacks of the other demon kings couldn't injure him, so he could ignore them. It seemed like a multi-pronged attack by numerous demon kings, but it was essentially a one-on-one duel with Lu Yuan.
But now, the Yin Matriarch, an Ultimate Technique Realm expert, had intervened, and Li Hao could no longer focus solely on killing Lu Yuan.
Furthermore, Lu Yuan, an Ultimate Technique Realm expert, had been severely injured by Li Hao's earlier attack, but he had recovered remarkably well. The self-healing ability of Ultimate Technique Realm experts far surpassed that of ordinary Three Immortals, even reaching almost half of Li Hao's speed!
"Damn it!"
Li Tiangang roared, throwing out his battle flags, detonating them one after another.
"Hmm?"
The Candlelight God saw the surging sword energy within the battle flags and a hint of surprise flickered in his eyes. He raised his hand and unleashed a torrent of flames and scorching energy, incinerating and distorting the launched sword energy, completely erasing it.
This sword energy only possessed the full power of a Dao Heart Realm attack. Under his attack, it dissipated like smoke and dust, posing no threat.
"Sword energy of the same origin. Did this boy create this military flag?" The Candlelight God looked at Li Hao with some surprise.
Hearing this, Li Tiangang was shocked.
Made by Li Hao?
How was that possible?!
But he couldn't dwell on it. He continued to throw out the remaining battle flags and said to Li Hao, "Run!"
He wanted to buy some time for Li Hao, but the remaining battle flags, upon exploding, were also blocked one by one by the Candlelight God. Some flags unleashed thousands of sword energies, attempting to assassinate the Candlelight God, but his body naturally emanated a scorching aura, and the sword energies melted before reaching his flesh!
"You die first."
The Candlelight God raised his hand and slapped Li Tiangang.
A magnificent divine palm, like the scorching sun, pushed forward.
Li Tiangang took nine steps in succession, instantly pushing his aura to its limit, roaring as he unleashed the Great Flame Luo Hand, delivering his strongest Xingtian Blade strike.
Bang!
The blade energy shattered. Under the scorching divine palm, his divine might was overwhelmed, and his body was slammed to the ground. His entire armor seemed to be twisting and melting, and his cloak was already ablaze.
His body crashed to the ground, his limbs cracking. His Unbreakable Body was severely damaged, and he lay near death.
The Candlelight God let out a soft "hmm," clearly surprised that his palm hadn't killed the Dao Heart Realm Li Tiangang.
Indeed, these Li family members had something special about them.
He was about to strike again when his expression shifted. He saw Li Hao fighting against Lu Yuan and his wife, two against one, and he wasn't losing ground!
Furthermore, the boy's flesh and blood were tearing apart, and the power of the surrounding world was frantically pouring into him, a terrifying sight.
Such a miraculous scene stunned the Candlelight God.
A corner of a long-forgotten memory seemed to be triggered, reminding him of the True Person's movements he had once witnessed, which seemed to be similar, able to draw upon the power of the world!
This boy has already glimpsed the path of the Ask the Saints?!
The Candlelight God's heart trembled, and he no longer bothered with Li Tiangang. His entire body ignited with flames, and he suddenly attacked Li Hao.
Li Hao, his body covered in blood, was constantly borrowing the power of the world. His power surged to an even more terrifying level, but his own body began to collapse.
"Die!!"
Li Hao roared, smashing a fist towards Lu Yuan, aiming to eliminate one demon king first.
Lu Yuan was startled and repeatedly retreated from Li Hao's continuously rising power, feeling both shock and anger. This boy kept shocking him, erupting with increasingly ferocious power.
He roared, "You can't kill me. I still have a chance to defy fate!"
"Lu Yuan, what do you mean by that?!"
The Yin Matriarch's face suddenly changed.
Lu Yuan's words implied that he wanted Li Hao to shift his target to her?
Li Hao ignored them, charging straight towards Lu Yuan. His fists rained down, his Heavenly Dao Manifestation lunged forward, embracing Lu Yuan's body, ignoring the thunderous flames erupting from his body, and slamming him to the ground.
Dragon scales flew, and Lu Yuan let out a pained cry.
But at that moment, a scorching chill washed over Li Hao. Although the two sensations were contradictory, it was Li Hao's true feeling.
The scorching power seemed to incinerate the surrounding world, but for the first time in this battle, Li Hao felt the icy grip of death.
He suddenly turned his head and saw a sun-like disc of fire, adorned with mysterious Dao patterns, hurtling towards him.
The Dao rhyme pulled, a sure hit.
Li Hao quickly activated the Taishang Body's Void state, temporarily making himself untargetable.
The Dao rhyme's pull seemed to be affected, weakening for a brief moment.
Li Hao's body moved quickly, the Heavenly Dao Without Traces technique flickering, allowing him to evade the attack.
Bang!
The earth burned, cracking open a hole, and the soil and sand within instantly turned into magma.
Lu Yuan's body was caught in the blast, and some of his scales curled from the intense heat.
The Candlelight God's face changed slightly, and he looked at Li Hao again. He saw that the ethereal aura covering Li Hao had dissipated, broken by the heat wave.
Clearly, the boy had just used some special technique to dodge the attack.
The Candlelight God took a deep breath, his gaze cold. "It's fortunate that I personally intervened, otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to deal with you. For the Great Yu Divine Dynasty to send a seedling of the Ask the Saints to such a battlefield is utterly foolish!"
"Die!"
His entire body was covered in fine scales, and the divine patterns on his forehead bloomed, like a golden eyeball, or a tiny sun.
He raised his hand and unleashed a divine flame, straight towards Li Hao.
Li Hao's face turned pale. The Candlelight God's power was far greater than Lu Yuan's.
Was there such a huge gap between Ultimate Technique Realm experts?
His Taishang Body state couldn't be maintained continuously, and now he had no way to avoid the attack.
Rather than suffer severe injuries, it was better to borrow more of the world's power!
Li Hao's flesh and blood were tearing apart, and the surrounding borrowed power became even more powerful. His flesh was tearing, but his aura was even stronger, revealing golden flesh and bright golden blood!
In the Divine Power state, his flesh healed incredibly fast, but it couldn't keep up with the rate of destruction.
Bang!
Li Hao raised his fist and smashed it out, as if half the sky behind him was pushed out with the punch.
A terrifying roar echoed, and the golden divine flame was suppressed and contracted by the fist's power until it extinguished!
The Yin Matriarch and Lu Yuan were both shocked, looking at the boy in disbelief. This power was too strong. If it were them, they would have been severely injured!
And at this moment, the boy, covered in blood, was like a war god from mythology, his eyes filled with fierce killing intent, as if he still had more to give!
The Candlelight God hadn't expected his near-full-power attack to be broken by Li Hao.
He was shaken, and surprise flashed in his eyes.
But the stronger Li Hao's power became, the stronger his killing intent grew. He took a deep breath, knowing that there was no need to hide anymore. He had intended to keep his trump card for the real endgame.
After all, destroying Liangzhou was just the first step!
But at this moment, if he continued to hide, he might not be able to kill the boy.
Boom!
Dao patterns emerged from the flames that appeared in the surrounding world, and the four directions seemed to transform into a sea of flames and hellfire!
Li Hao suddenly felt that the power he was borrowing from the world was disappearing, and his Heavenly Veins were being compressed. A terrifyingly scorching power was closing in.
Li Hao's heart was filled with alarm. This was the first time he had encountered such a situation.
Could it be that the Taixu Realm's Sovereign wasn't an Ultimate Technique Realm expert, but a Great Peace Dao Realm expert?!
Li Hao had heard from his second uncle that Great Peace Dao Realm experts had their martial arts evolve into Dao Domains!
Within a Dao Domain, they were invincible, with a gap in power compared to Ultimate Technique Realm experts!
At this moment, the surrounding sea of flames gave Li Hao that feeling. Even his Heavenly Veins were restricted, and the power he was borrowing was being cut off!
"I can't withstand this!"
Li Hao's mind was filled with warnings. His face was grim, and he unleashed several punches, blasting a gap in the surrounding sea of flames that hadn't yet completely enveloped him, and then rushed towards the distance.
"Trying to escape?!"
Lu Yuan and the Yin Matriarch saw Li Hao's actions and quickly charged out, trying to stop him.
But Li Hao was now using all his power on his movement technique, sprinting at full speed.
He quickly broke free from their pincer attack.
As he broke free, Li Hao saw the defensive line in the distance and the countless figures on the city walls, including familiar faces like Li Xuanli and Li Wushuang.
His face changed. If he escaped alone, the demon kings would remain, and the defensive line and formation would be destroyed in an instant.
Thinking of the fervent words in the letter sent to his family beyond the border, and seeing the terrified and desperate faces on the city walls, he gritted his teeth and took a deep breath.
He deactivated the speed boost from the two talismans, slowing down slightly.
It looked like he had just exhausted himself after a burst of speed.
He turned to look at the three demon kings and roared, "If I don't die today, I will crush your Taixu Realm and Dragon Gate to dust one day!!"
Then, he ran forward again.
Lu Yuan's eyelids twitched. If this boy continued to grow at such a ferocious rate and didn't die, he might actually achieve his words!
"Candlelight God, you must kill him!"
Lu Yuan urged, chasing after Li Hao. He had realized that the Candlelight God seemed to have stepped into that realm, a terrifying secret.
The Candlelight God was in the process of establishing his Dao Domain. He hadn't fully entered the Great Peace Dao Realm, only half-stepping into it, so the Dao Domain unfolded slowly. He hadn't expected Li Hao to escape.
Seeing that Lu Yuan and his wife had failed to stop him, he cursed the Dragon Gate's incompetence.
Then, he no longer bothered to continue establishing the Dao Domain. He used his Kunpeng-like movement technique, leaping forward and chasing after Li Hao at high speed.
Without fully entering the Great Peace Dao Realm, he couldn't open and close the Dao Domain with a thought, nor could he keep it around him at all times. Unless it was a head-on battle, where he could unleash the power of the Great Peace Dao Realm for a short time by expanding the Dao Domain, but if the opponent was escaping, it was difficult.
This was his current weakness and flaw.
Li Hao ran at full speed, controlling the power of the world, no longer continuing to borrow it.
He had just been on the verge of losing control. It was thanks to the Candlelight God's unintentional release of the Flame Dao Domain that he was able to briefly cut off the flow of world power, allowing him to regain his composure.
Pfft!
The Candlelight God's movement technique was extremely fast. He raised his hand and shot out a divine flame, striking Li Hao in the back.
Li Hao felt a burning sensation and excruciating pain in his back. He spat out a mouthful of blood. The Candlelight God's attack was far more powerful than the other two.
He gritted his teeth and summoned a torrential downpour of sword energy, attacking behind him.
These sword energies were not powerful. He wanted to use the enemy's underestimation to his advantage.
However, having witnessed Li Hao's sword energy kill demon kings before, Lu Yuan was extremely cautious. Seeing the Yin Matriarch about to physically withstand the attack and ignore the sword energy, he quickly said:
"Don't touch this sword energy. It's very strange!"
The Yin Matriarch was startled. Seeing that he had already erected his protective energy, was on full alert, and had even slightly slowed down, she was surprised, but she quickly protected herself as well.
The Candlelight God ignored them, his body spewing out fiery energy, automatically incinerating the sword energy.
Bang!
He attacked again, a second divine flame shooting out, striking Li Hao once more.
The Immovable King phantom that materialized behind Li Hao raised its hand and slapped away some of the divine flame's power, then endured the blow.
"I'll draw them away. Be careful!"
Seeing that he was close enough, Li Hao wiped the blood from his mouth and quickly sent a voice transmission to Li Xuanli within the formation.
Li Xuanli watched Li Hao being chased by the three demon kings, his heart pounding with fear and anxiety. Hearing Li Hao's sudden voice transmission in his mind, he was stunned.
Looking at the figure being continuously bombarded by the three demon kings, his eyes welled up with tears. The boy hadn't simply run away. He was deliberately drawing the three demon kings' attacks towards himself?
The entire population of Liangzhou was being shouldered by a fifteen-year-old boy.
Seeing Li Hao coughing up blood and covered in wounds, he felt a pang in his heart, his heart ached, and tears welled up in his eyes. He was filled with resentment at his own powerlessness.
Bang! Bang!
Li Hao fought while fleeing, gradually shifting the battlefield outside the defensive line, charging towards the border of Liangzhou.
On the city walls, countless people watched the boy being chased by the three demon kings, flying past the side of the defensive line formation, and were shocked.
Some aristocratic youths roared angrily, asking why the formation wasn't activated for Li Hao?!
But their elders understood. Even those who had spent half their lives in the cold and ruthless world of aristocratic power struggles, whose hearts had long since become numb and callous, couldn't help but be moved by the boy's righteousness.
Ascending the formation but not entering, sacrificing himself to lure away the demon kings – this action was for the sake of all living beings!
(End of Chapter)