193-196
Chapter 193: All Are the Haotian Army (End of Volume Two)
"Will… will he die?"
Li Wushuang watched Li Hao lure the three Demon Kings away, her hand gently covering her mouth. She couldn't imagine that the carefree, nonchalant youth would make such a sacrifice.
No one answered.
Li Qingling and Li Xueyun were seeing Li Hao for the first time, and their hearts were shaken. Rumors couldn't compare to witnessing it firsthand. They immediately thought of the numerous Li family ancestors who had died on the battlefield, as well as their elder brother and others.
But compared to them, most had already started families and had children.
With their wives by their side, their children around them, they had enjoyed a degree of happiness.
The most heartbreaking was Little Nine, who had sacrificed himself to save Cangzhou before his wedding at the age of nineteen, a wound that remained open in the hearts of the Li family.
And now, this young man was only fifteen years old!
He had only seen fifteen autumns in this world!
How much happiness had he experienced? How many hardships had he endured?
No one knew.
The world only saw his dazzling light, but no one saw the scars hidden beneath.
Li Xuanli clenched his fists tightly, until he saw Li Hao's figure disappearing over the horizon, drawing the three Demon Kings away, before he let out a furious roar, shouting:
"Activate the formation, kill the demons!!"
His voice was hoarse.
The seasoned veteran's eyes were bloodshot, filled with red veins.
Hearing Li Xuanli's words, the others snapped out of their daze, erupting in thunderous shouts. The nodes of the formation were gradually closed. To prevent the Demon Kings from returning, they didn't completely dismantle it, keeping half of it active.
Through those nodes, the Liangzhou military governor commanded the various commanders and soldiers to charge out of the city.
Taking advantage of the gap created by the Haotian Young General luring away the three Demon Kings was the best time to annihilate the demon tide. Otherwise, if the Demon Kings returned and joined forces with the demon tide, Liangzhou would fall in an instant.
"My disciple, watch carefully here. Your master has rested enough."
The Thousand Mechanisms Daoist also stepped out of the formation and charged towards the demon tide.
Without any Demon Kings present, he was the undisputed top power among the demon tide.
Li Qingling and Li Xueyun quickly rushed out of the formation and towards Li Hongzhuang, who was deep within the demon tide.
Li Hongzhuang had also witnessed Li Hao lure the three Demon Kings away, but she had no time to spare. Besides the heartache, she knew she couldn't help in any way. She could only unleash her anger on the surrounding Three Immortals Realm powerful demons.
It was strange, her war banners had inexplicably fallen and disappeared earlier, but when Li Hao's terrifying punch had blasted into the demon tide, she had taken advantage of the stunned moment of the surrounding Three Immortals Realm demons to find the lost bundle of war banners.
Now, relying on the power of the war banners, she was forcing the surrounding Three Immortals Realm powerful demons into a retreat. Several of them had been directly slain by the sword energy unleashed by the banners!
A single war banner could directly take the life of a Three Immortals Realm powerful demon!
Unless the demon had a special life-saving technique, they could only barely escape.
With Li Qingling and Li Xueyun's arrival, the pressure on Li Hongzhuang lessened. She split four more war banners, giving one to each of her cousins, and then they charged into the demon tide together.
On the other side, Li Xuanli temporarily handed over command of the battlefield to the Liangzhou military governor.
The other man was also at the Three Immortals Realm, and his experience in defending battlefields was no less than Li Xuanli's. Li Xuanli himself charged towards the spot where Li Tiangang had fallen earlier.
The demon tide had surrounded that area, enclosing the spot where Li Tiangang had fallen.
Li Xuanli quickly killed his way through, cleaving through numerous demons with a single sword strike. He saw a red flame aura enveloping the area, a Sacred Heart Talisman protecting Li Tiangang.
He breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing Li Tiangang's shattered armor and the gruesome sight of his divine body cracked and bleeding, his heart ached. He turned and attacked the surrounding demons.
When the power of the Sacred Heart Talisman began to dissipate, he had cleared a space, quickly turned around, grabbed Li Tiangang, and retreated back towards the city.
"Don't run!"
Two Jiao Dragons charged out of the demon tide, rushing towards them.
Li Xuanli was furious and about to attack, but he saw a whistling sound approaching from a distance, a war banner flying towards them.
The two Jiao Dragons also saw it and were startled, quickly dodging. But when the war banner got closer to them, it suddenly tore apart.
A sword energy slashed across, and with a clang, the head of one of the Jiao Dragons was severed!
A large amount of Jiao blood sprayed out, and a Jiao Dragon soul escaped from its body, fleeing in terror towards the distance.
"Where do you think you're going!"
Li Hongzhuang roared in anger, chasing after it.
Li Xuanli breathed a sigh of relief and took the opportunity to quickly retreat with Li Tiangang.
Other generals came to meet them, engaging the large demons that were pursuing them, and a fierce battle erupted.
Li Xuanli successfully brought Li Tiangang back to the city walls. The waiting physicians had already rushed over to treat Li Tiangang's injuries.
Li Tiangang's consciousness was hazy, in a semi-comatose state. Under the physicians' treatment, he slowly regained consciousness and clarity.
He was at the Dao Heart Realm, his healing ability a step beyond the Three Immortals Realm, and with the effects of numerous divine medicines, his body was healing at a visible rate.
As soon as his consciousness returned, Li Tiangang took a sharp breath, as if waking from a nightmare. Then, he heard the sounds of battle and roars, along with the horn calls that echoed across the battlefield, instantly realizing where he was.
"Where are the Demon Kings? Where's Hao'er?!"
Li Tiangang quickly turned to look, but he saw smoke and dust rising from the battlefield, the sounds of fighting everywhere. Countless soldiers had charged out of the city and were engaged in a fierce battle with the demons.
But among them, he didn't see those terrifying figures.
"Hao'er…"
Li Xuanli heard his words, his face changing slightly, his heart aching.
"Hao'er is gone. He lured those three Demon Kings away!"
Li Tiangang's pupils constricted, his heart violently shaken, his heart feeling like it was being squeezed. He couldn't help but angrily say:
"Why didn't he enter the formation? If he had relied on the formation, he could have held them off for a while. As long as we waited for reinforcements…"
Li Xuanli saw his red eyes and knew that his anger wasn't a blame towards Li Hao, but fear.
He said hoarsely, "That Candle Flame God's power is incredibly terrifying. If I'm not mistaken, he seems to have a Dao Domain, but he doesn't seem to have truly stepped into the Great Peace Dao Realm. If Hao'er had entered the formation, and the other party had established a Dao Domain in front of it… the formation wouldn't have been able to withstand it!"
"Great Peace Dao Realm!"
Li Tiangang exclaimed, his voice like a tear, staring blankly at Li Xuanli.
He knew what the Great Peace Dao Realm meant.
It was a terrifying monster, the pinnacle among Demon Kings!
"He, he…"
Li Tiangang's lips trembled, the blood in his body seemed to rush to his brain, his entire body feeling icy cold.
Looking at Li Xuanli's bloodshot eyes, Li Tiangang finally realized that he might never see that child again.
"It can't be, it can't be…"
His voice trembled, his chest heaving violently. He couldn't believe that the child would die!
Seeing his distraught state, Li Xuanli felt even more uncomfortable. He secretly thought that if the child hadn't come to the Heavenly Gate Pass, perhaps this wouldn't have happened.
But seeing Li Tiangang's state, he knew how painful the loss of a child was, and he didn't want to provoke him further.
Moreover, if Li Hao hadn't been at the Heavenly Gate Pass, the second line of defense would have been ravaged by now!
The entire Liangzhou would have been destroyed under the demons' swift attack.
Reinforcements from the Great Yu Dynasty wouldn't have arrived in time. After all, the demons were prepared this time, willing to go to any lengths to start a war with the Great Yu Dynasty, and Liangzhou was just the beginning.
During the Cangzhou War, these demons had only been manipulating things from behind the scenes, using the power of the Great Yu's vassal states to cause chaos. Now, they dared to appear openly!
Li Xuanli regained his composure, looking at the chaotic demon tide, the numerous soldiers falling, he took a deep breath and immediately said to the Liangzhou military governor:
"Quickly, immediately change all the war banners to Haotian banners!"
"Take out all the blank war banners from the warehouse and write Haotian's name on them!"
The Liangzhou military governor was stunned, then he understood.
The Haotian war banners already had a great deterrent effect on the demons. Going into battle with the Haotian banners would significantly reduce casualties.
"Quickly!"
The Liangzhou military governor roared, passing on the order:
"All armies going into battle, raise the Haotian banners!!"
Hearing the Liangzhou military governor's words, the elders of the noble families who had gathered also realized what was happening.
Immediately, someone roared, changing their family banners to Haotian banners.
Some of the older generation of noble family soldiers hesitated. If they replaced their banners with Haotian banners, who would get the credit for this battle?
Whose heads would the demons they killed be counted under?
There are four things in life that are hardest to see through:
Fame, gain and loss, honor and shame, life and death!
Some people are fighting to the death, some are calculating their fame, and others are cowering in fear. Even when death is staring them in the face, they can't change.
Some people are inspired by desperation to fight back with courage, while others wail and cry until death, unable to struggle. It's just a matter of how many there are.
At this moment, the vast majority of noble family soldiers replaced their banners with Haotian banners and charged into the battlefield.
With the numerous Haotian banners rising on the battlefield, the demon tide retreated like a tide, especially the armies that charged into the demon tide with the Haotian banners. They were like sharp knives piercing through the demon tide. The powerful demons within, seeing the banners, were hesitant and dared not attack.
Those noble family soldiers who hadn't replaced their banners with Haotian banners suffered more attacks from the demon tide, suffering heavy casualties, almost being wiped out.
Li Xuanli and the Liangzhou military governor saw that the situation on the battlefield was quickly turning around, and they were secretly delighted and also shocked. Li Hao's reputation among the demons was indeed terrifying!
Most importantly, the sword formation within those Haotian banners was incredibly powerful, causing these bloodthirsty and ferocious demons to fear them.
Li Tiangang also noticed the situation on the battlefield, looking at the raised banners and the words Haotian on them.
He was a little dazed, a little lost.
At this moment, he finally realized that the carefree child in the courtyard, the nonchalant youth in his eyes, had changed, changed beyond recognition.
He had disliked the ordinary noble young master's demeanor, but now, seeing his figure on the battlefield, he seemed like an invincible war god.
Fighting ten Demon Kings with his bare fists, crushing a million demons with a single punch, he was no longer the Li Hao he knew.
In just one year, he had become a hundred times more dazzling than he was in the Li family.
Wherever the fluttering banners went, the demons retreated and avoided them.
His reputation was even greater than the Yuan Battalion founded by his ancestors!
The demons' fear fell into his eyes, shocking him while also causing him great sorrow.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 194: The Divine General's Death River
Across the vast wilderness, several figures darted through the air at incredible speed. Lightning flashed, thunder roared, and the howling wind sent shivers down the spines of the wild beasts and lesser demons in the outskirts.
"Halt!"
Lu Yuan roared, his voice echoing across the land. He enveloped himself in the Infinite Thunder Dao, his speed surging as he attempted to intercept Li Hao.
But Li Hao's movements were incredibly elusive. Every time Lu Yuan was about to catch him, he would abruptly change direction and accelerate.
This boy's movement technique clearly wasn't at its peak yet!
Bang!
Suddenly, a divine fire blazed towards Li Hao. He quickly dodged, narrowly avoiding the attack, which brushed past him.
But the searing heat left him with a burning sensation, a stinging pain. The opponent's attack could easily melt ordinary divine weapons!
"If you keep running, I'll turn back and kill everyone over there!"
Candle Flame God's gaze was chilling as he issued a direct threat to Li Hao.
He had long since noticed that Li Hao was deliberately drawing them away, allowing the people on the battlefield to survive a little longer. Such naivety!
Li Hao, upon hearing this, merely sneered, "I'd be delighted."
With that, he unleashed his full speed, charging towards the distance.
Candle Flame God was both shocked and enraged. He wanted to pause, turn back and threaten Li Hao by attacking the battlefield.
But Li Hao's sudden acceleration filled him with a sense of uncertainty.
After a moment's hesitation, he resumed the chase.
Compared to the people on the battlefield, Li Hao was absolutely crucial to capture.
"How about you chase him, and I'll clear out the battlefield?" Lu Yuan suggested loudly.
This was also a message for Li Hao.
Upon hearing this, Li Hao didn't slow down, instead gradually increasing his speed.
Candle Flame God and Yin Madam's faces darkened, but they didn't respond.
Seeing that Li Hao was unaffected, Lu Yuan was both angry and frustrated. When he saw that the couple didn't say anything, he knew that he couldn't back down, or there would be consequences later.
Whoosh!
Li Hao sped forward, gauging the distance. He activated the previously deactivated attributes of his Acceleration Scroll one by one.
His speed increased further, steadily pulling away from Lu Yuan and the others.
"He can still accelerate!"
Lu Yuan roared in fury. With a thunderous roar, he channeled lightning into his body, his bones resonating with the thunder, slightly increasing his speed. But it was still not enough to catch Li Hao.
Candle Flame God and Yin Madam also possessed incredible speed, but they could only watch helplessly as Li Hao grew further and further away.
"Damn it, his speed is unnatural!"
"What kind of movement technique is that? It seems familiar!"
"There was a petty thief who used to sneak into our Vast Void Realm to steal. He used this technique. Damn it!"
Candle Flame God and Yin Madam were filled with anger. If Li Hao escaped, they wouldn't be able to sleep soundly.
They unleashed their true energy, pursuing at full speed. They even resorted to secret techniques that damaged their bodies, just to barely keep up with Li Hao.
Feeling the three figures hot on his heels, Li Hao's face darkened. He had already pushed himself to the limit, yet he couldn't shake them off. These three Ultimate Realm beings were no pushovers.
If his movement technique had reached the seventh stage, perhaps he could have easily escaped.
Li Hao's gaze swept across the Liangzhou cities he was flying over.
These cities had been ravaged by the demon tide, now reduced to dilapidated ruins, littered with corpses and blood.
As Li Hao sped through the numerous ruined towns, large and small, he took a deep breath, recalling the letter his second uncle had sent, mentioning the fourth uncle.
His gaze swept across the landscape, identifying the direction based on the name of a ruined city, and charged towards another part of the Liangzhou border at full speed.
This breakneck chase spanned thousands of miles.
Only because Li Hao possessed the Heaven and Earth Pulse, akin to half the power of the Everlasting Might, was he able to persevere without collapsing from exhaustion.
Lu Yuan, Candle Flame God, and the other Ultimate Realm beings, however, were now panting heavily.
Maintaining full speed for thousands of miles was taxing even for them.
While they could briefly accelerate to cover tens or hundreds of miles in an instant, it was a momentary burst of speed that consumed a tremendous amount of energy, unsustainable for long periods.
And now, without using the Everlasting Might, they felt utterly exhausted.
Earlier, when Lu Yuan had crossed ten thousand miles to reach the Heavenly Gate Pass, he had flown leisurely, not feeling the slightest bit tired. The little energy he had consumed was naturally replenished through breathing.
But this desperate chase left them no time to even catch their breath.
What infuriated them was that, even as they neared their limits, the boy's speed didn't decrease. It was as if his strength was boundless.
They all suspected that Li Hao had already used the Everlasting Might.
If that was the case, once Li Hao's speed slowed, it would be their chance to unleash the Everlasting Might and pursue him at full speed, preventing him from resting and regaining the ability to use the Everlasting Might again.
In the blink of an eye, Li Hao reached the western border of Liangzhou.
He immediately saw the vast battlefield, ablaze with war.
Liangzhou soldiers and demon corpses were intertwined, fallen on the blood-red battlefield.
Countless banners were torn, carriages overturned, and defensive lines broken.
Li Hao's eyes were solemn. He could easily imagine the scale of the battle that had taken place here. Without pausing, he flew over the battlefield, charging out from the border region and then speeding towards the nine o'clock direction.
The three Demon Kings behind him followed closely, but their speed seemed to have slowed.
Li Hao also slightly reduced his speed, preventing them from truly collapsing and turning back to the battlefield.
Seeing Li Hao slow down, Lu Yuan, Candle Flame God, and the others were overjoyed. They suddenly accelerated, chasing after Li Hao again.
But at that moment, Li Hao also accelerated again, maintaining the distance.
They were both testing each other.
As Li Hao fled at high speed, his eyes scanned his surroundings, using mountains and rivers to orient himself.
He had long studied the Liangzhou topographical map. When he was at the Listening Rain Tower, he had a backup copy of the map.
After all, Liangzhou was the territory the Li family had guarded for many years.
There were a total of nineteen states, and each Divine General's Mansion guarded three to four states!
Originally, they guarded three states each. After the Death River erupted and extended into the Great Yu territory, the Wang family was ordered to establish the Death River Bureau. After resolving the Death River issue, they had to hand over some of the states they guarded.
In a way, this also weakened the Wang family's military strength.
There were countless hidden stories behind this incident, but it had happened hundreds of years ago. Buried for so long, only the older generation remembered those grudges.
Over thousands of years, the dynasties and powerful families had tangled relationships, with countless feuds and reconciliations.
By Li Hao's generation, the five Divine General's Mansions were still superficially at peace, a rare and fragile situation.
Whoosh!
Li Hao identified his location and turned towards another direction.
"This boy seems to be heading towards that place."
Yin Madam's face changed slightly as she saw Li Hao's actions.
Candle Flame God narrowed his eyes. He had already figured it out. He said coldly, "I heard that the fourth uncle of the Li family is stationed near that Death River. Humph, trying to use him to escape, huh? One by one, they'll all die!"
If they fought on the spot, he could unleash his Dao Domain. He wouldn't even bat an eye at a mere Ultimate Realm being.
Lu Yuan also realized Li Hao's intentions and said with a sullen face, "If that fourth uncle of the Li family is there, you deal with that boy, and I'll hold off the fourth uncle!"
"What if he enters the Death River?" Yin Madam quickly asked.
"Then he'll die even faster!"
Lu Yuan sneered, "We'll go in too. I've been in the Death River once before. Speaking of which, the Li family's previous generation True Dragon is imprisoned there. That True Dragon was killed by our master himself!"
Hearing his words, Candle Flame God and Yin Madam's eyes flickered, but they didn't say anything. They sped up their pursuit.
Mountains and rivers whizzed past. After crossing another two thousand miles, Li Hao saw many demons occupying mountains as kings along the way, but he ignored them.
Finally, the demons thinned out. For several hundred miles, he saw no sign of them.
Li Hao arrived at a majestic and perilous mountain range. It was filled with strange, jagged peaks that looked like they had been sharpened. Within the mountain range, there was a dark river, as if leading to the underground of the mountains.
The river water was pitch black.
Water as black as an abyss!
In the middle section of the river, near a broken peak, there was a white, pebble-covered beach.
By the beach stood a massive stone tablet, over ten feet tall. It bore several black characters:
Divine General's Death River!
Beside the tablet stood a figure, wearing a straw hat, his clothes tattered. He held a dark, broken blade and leaned against the tablet, drinking wine.
As Li Hao saw him, the figure also saw Li Hao.
Soon, he noticed the three Demon Kings pursuing Li Hao.
The old man's eyes seemed to narrow slightly.
Then, suddenly, the figure in the straw hat disappeared.
Swish!
Suddenly, a bright blade of light, as if severing the heavens and earth, flashed out from in front of the three Demon Kings pursuing Li Hao!
Lu Yuan's head ducked, narrowly avoiding being struck by the blade. He could feel that if he had been hit, even with his refined flesh, he would have been severely injured!
Candle Flame God and Yin Madam were both forced to stop by the blade of light.
Seeing this, Li Hao immediately knew that this old man was the fourth uncle of the Li family, Li Xiaoran!
"Immortal-Free Realm?"
A soft voice echoed in Li Hao's ear.
Li Hao looked up. The old man had somehow appeared beside him. The face beneath his straw hat was weathered, but he didn't seem much older than sixty. His features still retained a hint of handsome bone structure.
He must have been a remarkably handsome and talented individual in his youth!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 195: Li Family's Tenth Son, Li Hao! (Extra Chapter for Alliance Leader 'Chenlun Chuanshi', Thank You for Your Support!)
"Fourth Uncle?"
Though he had deduced the identity, Li Hao still asked tentatively.
"Hm?"
Li Xiaoran, hearing Li Hao's address, scrutinized him for a moment before saying, "Are you the little rat that the Second Brother told me about?"
"..."
Though unsure how his Second Brother had introduced him to this sibling, Li Hao could only nod silently.
"Li Xiaoran!"
The three demon kings, Candle Flame God and the others, had caught up. Land Abyss, looking at Li Xiaoran, narrowed his eyes before a cold smile touched his lips.
"Haven't you freed your elder brother yet?"
The casual ease on Li Xiaoran's face subtly vanished. He glanced at Candle Flame God and Yin Madam, his eyes narrowing.
"What, have the Void Realm masters come out to play?"
Li Hao quickly transmitted a message to him: "Fourth Uncle, they've joined forces to attack Liangzhou. It's almost fallen. Be careful. The one with the flames seems to be on the verge of stepping into the Taiping Dao Realm!"
Hearing Li Hao's message, Li Xiaoran's eyes flickered, but his expression remained unreadable.
Joined forces to attack Liangzhou?
Why would they come here?
Countless thoughts raced through Li Xiaoran's mind. A Void Realm master and the Dragon Gate Elder had joined forces. The regular garrison of Liangzhou wouldn't stand a chance.
"Why are they chasing you?"
Li Xiaoran transmitted a question. "Do you have a Sacred Heart Talisman? Are there any other demon kings besides them?"
"They didn't catch me."
Li Hao transmitted back. "I only saw six or seven other demon kings, and I killed them all."
"..."
Li Xiaoran was stunned, unable to help but glance at Li Hao.
The way he said it, he didn't know how to react.
He had clearly seen Li Hao's aura when he arrived, and it was that of a Three-Immortality Realm cultivator.
Slaying demon kings? Six or seven of them?
However, judging by the speed at which Li Hao had arrived, it wasn't the speed a Three-Immortality Realm cultivator should possess. Even amongst Ultimate Technique Realm cultivators, it was top-tier.
Li Xiaoran had too many questions, but he had no chance to ask. The opposing side had ignited a blazing inferno, Candle Flame God's Dao Realm expanding outwards.
At the same time, Yin Madam condensed black moonlight, refracting into hundreds of moonbeams, covering the surroundings, forming a killing array!
Earlier, they had been talkative because they wanted to witness a father and son clash, to vent their resentment.
But now, they didn't bother with any more idle chatter.
Sensing their aura, Li Xiaoran's expression changed. Li Hao hadn't been wrong; they did indeed possess Dao Realms.
However, they were different from the Taiping Dao Realm cultivators he had encountered before. They hadn't truly stepped into that realm yet.
But their power was still terrifying. How had Li Hao managed to hold them off for so long?
"You go first, I'll hold them off!"
"Fourth Uncle, you can't hold them off."
Li Hao quickly responded. "They have Dao Realms. We can only flee or use the Oblivion River to kill them, if they dare to come in!"
Li Xiaoran was slightly taken aback. He had thought Li Hao had come here to use him as a shield to escape, but it seemed he had other plans involving the Oblivion River?
Seeing the increasingly intense aura of the opposing side, Li Xiaoran immediately understood. He wouldn't have said anything more. If it were just three Ultimate Technique Realm cultivators, he could still fight them to the death. But once a Dao Realm was formed, he wouldn't be able to withstand it.
"Alright, you go first, I'll follow soon!"
Li Xiaoran quickly said.
"Let's go together."
Li Hao refused to let him stay behind. This was their first meeting, and Fourth Uncle was willing to face three Ultimate Technique Realm demon kings alone for him. Li Hao felt a sense of gratitude he couldn't quite express.
"Humph, none of you are getting away!"
Candle Flame God sneered, suddenly raising his hand. His brow split open, and a beam of divine fire shot out from his fingertips, aimed at Li Hao.
Clang!
Li Xiaoran's eyes widened, suddenly slashing out with a brilliant blade of light.
"Limitless Thunder Dao!"
Land Abyss suddenly attacked, blocking the blade of light. Countless thunderbolts condensed on his dragon claws, roaring towards Li Xiaoran, unleashing his full power from the start.
Yin Madam activated the moonbeam killing array, countless beams of moonlight crisscrossing, aiming to kill Li Hao.
Li Xiaoran's heart was shocked. He hadn't expected this couple to attack Li Hao, and with such ferocity. Was it necessary to attack a Three-Immortality Realm cultivator like that?
He roared, his hat flying off, his tattered clothes bursting apart, revealing his muscular upper body, his white hair flying wildly.
His eyes turned snow-white, his bones cracking with each step as he unleashed his ultimate technique.
"Boundless Wanderer's Blade!"
A brilliant blade of light slashed out, the distance between heaven and earth shrinking to a mere breath, instantly erasing space.
At the same time, the blade transcended the constraints of the technique, becoming formless, as free as the wind, the wind itself being formless.
This blade was unavoidable, destined to hit, even surpassing the pull of Dao Rhythms!
Bang!
The blade of light struck the divine fire, extinguishing it.
But Li Xiaoran himself bore the brunt of Land Abyss's claws. The Limitless Thunder Light struck him, tearing open a bloody gash, deep and visible to the bone.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Li Hao's face changed, not expecting the other party to unleash their full power to protect him. In a surge of anger, he unleashed a powerful punch, shattering the moonbeams that filled the sky!
Terrifying power emanated from his body. Li Hao drew upon the power of Heaven and Earth, once again entering the Immortalizing state.
His body became like a swirling storm, violent energy gathering. This scene stunned the recently injured Li Xiaoran, who looked at Li Hao in shock.
"Die!"
Land Abyss seized the opportunity, enraged, to kill Li Xiaoran.
Li Xiaoran had already reacted. Though he didn't know why, the junior that his Second Brother had mentioned was far stronger than he had imagined.
He abruptly turned, unleashing his ultimate technique again.
This blade slashed out in fury, piercing through the thunderbolts, arriving before them, striking Land Abyss on the head.
Land Abyss wanted to dodge, but he couldn't avoid the Boundless Wanderer's Blade, nor the shrinking of the distance between heaven and earth.
The dragon's head instantly caved in, a deep wound splitting open, almost cleaving the skull in two.
The Limitless Thunder Dao he had condensed also struck Li Xiaoran, but this time, Li Xiaoran was prepared. He slapped out a palm, dispersing much of the thunder light. However, the flames and destructive power within the thunder light charred his palm.
But compared to Land Abyss's injuries, it was significantly less severe.
The moment the two clashed, Candle Flame God and Yin Madam also attacked Li Hao. Divine fire and moonlight pressed down, as if the sun and moon had descended together, intending to trap and kill Li Hao.
Li Hao roared, his body turning golden, once again forcing his flesh into a divine state. His aura surged like a raging tide, unleashing a series of punches.
Bang bang bang!
The heavens and earth shook. Yin Madam's Black Moon technique, with its terrifying penetrating power, was shattered by Li Hao's punches, but it left terrible wounds on his fists. Its destructive power was even more ferocious than Land Abyss's Limitless Thunder Dao!
Li Hao dispersed the divine fire, but the scorching heat charred his skin. However, new, tender flesh quickly regenerated.
"Go!"
Li Xiaoran, seeing Li Hao's terrifying strength, was shocked and hurriedly shouted.
Candle Flame God's Dao Realm was about to form. Li Hao quickly transmitted a message: "Fourth Uncle, I still have the Sacred Heart Talisman. You go first, I'll be right there!"
Li Xiaoran was startled. Considering Li Hao's talent, it wasn't strange for him to possess a Sacred Heart Talisman. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly transmitted back:
"Be quick!"
Then, he unleashed a series of furious slashes, targeting Candle Flame God and Land Abyss.
The terrifying blade wind instantly approached the two. Candle Flame God's forehead shot out a golden light, like a divine ray, shattering the blade energy. However, the aftershock still forced him back a few steps, his face changing slightly.
Land Abyss, however, roared in anger and turned to defend himself. Limitless Thunder Dao enveloped his body. The terrifying tearing power weakened the blade wind that arrived in an instant, but his defense was not as fast as the opponent's blade technique. He was struck on the head again, blood gushing out, making him feel like his head was about to be chopped off.
His heart was filled with terror. Li Family's Fourth was too terrifying. After decades of not seeing him, he was even more formidable than the eldest brother back then!
Who could withstand such an instantly arriving blade technique?!
Li Xiaoran slashed a few times and quickly retreated. Candle Flame God's Dao Realm was about to form, and if he didn't leave, he wouldn't be able to escape.
When he turned to leave, he saw that Li Hao hadn't ignited the Sacred Heart Talisman, and he was momentarily stunned.
At that moment, Li Hao roared, his blood splattering, his veins bursting. He inhaled the power of six directions of Heaven and Earth, condensing it into a single fist, and unleashed a powerful blow.
This near-full-power Immortalizing Fist shattered Yin Madam's Black Moon and simultaneously extinguished the divine fire released by Candle Flame God.
Li Hao turned and charged forward, bursting out of the range of the Dao Realm's divine patterns as it closed.
He crashed to the ground like a bloody cannonball. Li Hao hurriedly used all his strength to control his body, shutting off the connection to the power of Heaven and Earth.
Fortunately, he hadn't truly reached his limit. With his full control, the violent energy that was wildly surging into him was finally somewhat suppressed.
Li Xiaoran was shocked. Li Hao didn't have a Sacred Heart Talisman, yet he had withstood the attacks with his own body.
He had let a junior cover his retreat!
His expression changing several times, Li Xiaoran quickly rushed towards Li Hao, grabbed him, and charged towards the giant stele.
"Hurry, enter the Oblivion River!"
In this emergency, he didn't have time to ask how Li Hao had gained such terrifying power. He rushed Li Hao into the Oblivion River.
"This is a Youdu-level Oblivion River. Once you're inside, make sure you find me. I'm at the Divine General Mansion!"
He hurriedly instructed.
The Youdu-level Oblivion River was extremely dangerous, only dared to be entered by Four-Establishment Realm cultivators. Only Taiping Dao Realm cultivators had a chance of clearing it!
In the history of the Great Yu Dynasty, there had never been a successful completion of a Youdu-level Oblivion River.
The True Person of the Qian Dao Palace might have the ability, but he was secluded in his palace and never concerned himself with worldly matters.
Moreover, the Oblivion River had previously extended beyond the borders of the Great Yu Dynasty. No one was willing to risk their lives to do such thankless work, cleaning up the Oblivion River for the demons.
However, in the past thousand years, the Oblivion River had gradually extended into the territory of the Great Yu Dynasty. Especially in the past five hundred years, its expansion had accelerated, leading to the establishment of a Divine General Mansion specifically to deal with it.
At this moment, in front of the giant stele, light appeared.
Li Hao saw a miniature temple on the back of the stele, similar in appearance to the one he had seen at the Tan Palace Academy.
However, the two divine statues within the temple were far more dilapidated.
The clay had peeled off, their faces were unrecognizable, and their colorful robes were severely damaged.
At that moment, a golden page emerged from Li Hao's chest, the same one he had received when he first entered the Oblivion River, his "Oblivion River Residence Permit"!
Li Hao's heart trembled. Now that his realm was higher, he found the Oblivion River even more mysterious.
This golden page was within his body, yet he couldn't detect it at all during his daily cultivation!
It was a force beyond his current understanding.
At the moment the golden page flew out, a household register also flew out of the temple, drawing the golden page into it.
In an instant, the scene before Li Hao changed, as if space and time were shifting, the heavens and earth revolving.
Countless lights flickered before his eyes. The giant stele disappeared, Li Xiaoran disappeared, the three demon kings disappeared.
Li Hao even felt as if his own strength was fading, being stripped away by something...
In this rapid transformation, only a few golden lights converged into ancient characters before his eyes:
[You have entered the Oblivion River]
[Your registered location has been confirmed: Great Yu Dynasty, Qingzhou]
[Challenger: Insect Two]
At the same time, a series of messages appeared in Li Hao's mind:
Oblivion River Territory: Dragon City Oblivion River.
Oblivion River Completion Rate: 0%.
Oblivion River Main Mission:
Guard Dragon City for ten days (not yet activated).
Oblivion River Side Missions:
1: Growth (activated).
Mission Content: Please survive until the age of eighteen before the destruction of Dragon City and achieve mastery in your chosen art.
Mission Progress: 0.01%.
Li Hao was a little confused. Survive until eighteen? How many years would he have to stay here?
Before he could ponder, the light that had been swirling before his eyes like divine patterns suddenly vanished.
Then, a voice echoed in Li Hao's ears, causing his eardrums to throb in pain:
"Tianzong, it's born, it's born!"
"It's a boy!"
Then, Li Hao felt as if he was passing through a constricted space. A blinding light appeared, and Li Hao instinctively closed his eyes.
After adapting slightly, he saw several giant faces appear before him.
Li Hao was bewildered.
What was going on?
"Fangmei, you've worked hard."
A middle-aged man with a stern expression now had a smile on his face. He turned to look at a pale-faced beautiful woman beside him with tenderness.
Li Hao had barely adapted to the faint light and looked at the beautiful woman. The more he looked, the more he felt that she resembled his grandmother.
The beautiful woman, with a loving expression, held Li Hao in her arms. Her forehead was covered in sweat, clearly having endured excruciating pain and effort during childbirth. But now, she had a bright, loving smile on her face:
"Child, from now on, you are the tenth son of the Li family..."
Li Hao was stunned.
This... what was going on?!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 196: Strange Rules
Li Hao had previously passed through the Tan Palace's Fengshan Mortal River, but his body hadn't undergone any changes. That Mortal River was merely a collection of seemingly normal villagers who were, in fact, already deceased. Simply guiding their souls to the afterlife was enough to destroy the river.
But now, he was regressing to infancy?
No wonder he had felt his own strength fading, as if being stripped away.
Was this the special characteristic of a Youdu-level Mortal River?
Li Hao was slightly alarmed. As his mind raced, he felt a wave of drowsiness wash over him. Soon, he couldn't hold on any longer and fell into a deep sleep.
…
When Li Hao woke up again, he saw his soft, pink hands and feet. He was lying on an unfamiliar bed, covered with a soft blanket.
He was wearing a bib, and though he wasn't a newborn, he seemed to be a few months old.
It wasn't a dream after all… Li Hao finally confirmed that he was still within the Mortal River. But what was going on with his body? He felt like he could get up.
Soon, Li Hao put his thoughts into action, and he actually managed to roll over and crawl on the bed.
This was something a newborn infant couldn't possibly do!
"I must be a few months old…"
Li Hao muttered, but the words that came out were just baby babble: "La la la la."
His vocal cords hadn't developed yet.
But there was no doubt that the flow of time here was a bit off.
He had only fallen asleep, and while he enjoyed sleeping in, it was unreasonable for him to sleep for several months, right?
Li Hao stopped crawling, touched his chin with his small hand, and sat on the bed, pondering.
At that moment, a golden character appeared before his eyes:
[Growth] Task Progress: 2.3%.
Li Hao was surprised. It had already progressed to 2.3%?
If he followed the task requirements and needed to live to eighteen, did that mean he was currently five months old?
Five months in the blink of an eye… Li Hao felt that if he slept a few more times, he'd probably fast-forward to eighteen years in the future.
By then, the main storyline task would probably begin.
Guarding Dragon City, this is the Dragon City Mortal River… Li Hao's eyes flickered. He felt that he needed to prepare thoroughly before he turned eighteen.
This was a Youdu-level Mortal River, and it was definitely not simple. Even Great Peace Dao Realm experts only had a "possibility" of clearing it, which showed how dangerous it was.
With a creak, the door suddenly opened.
A tall, slender young man in brocade robes walked in. He had sword-like brows and star-like eyes, looking exceptionally handsome.
Seeing Li Hao, who was about to transition from a sitting to a lying position, the young man's initially serious expression relaxed, and he whispered, "Little Rat?"
Li Hao was about to lie down and pretend to rest when he heard this. He was stunned. The only person who knew this nickname and had entered the Mortal River was the Fourth Master.
He looked at the other party with surprise and quickly noticed a resemblance to the elderly Li Xiaoran he had seen before:
"La la (Fourth Master)?"
"Can't speak clearly yet? Well, that's understandable. Listen to me. If you're Little Rat, raise your hand."
The young Li Xiaoran said softly.
Li Hao immediately raised his hand.
Seeing this, Li Xiaoran was basically certain of Li Hao's identity. He chuckled softly and said:
"I was worried you'd appear somewhere else, but you're right here in the Divine General's Mansion. That saves me the trouble of searching. I was wondering why Big Brother suddenly had a tenth son. I guessed it might be you, and it turns out I was right…"
"It's probably the Li family bloodline within you that caused Big Brother's obsession to transfer you into his lineage."
Seeing Li Hao's helpless expression, Li Xiaoran chuckled, then his expression turned slightly serious. "I don't know if you've been through a Mortal River before, but it doesn't matter. This is a Youdu-level Mortal River, and it's vastly different from the Mortal Rivers you know. There are special rules here!"
"For example, stripping us of our original bodies and powers is one of the rules."
"The flow of time here is also a special rule. Don't easily lose consciousness. When you sleep or fall unconscious, time will accelerate, but your body will only grow according to Big Brother's perception, and there will be no other changes!"
"For example, in Big Brother's eyes, if you behave in a normal way, after a few naps, it will be decades later. By then, your cultivation level will only reach the level that Big Brother's perception calculates, and it's very likely that you'll only be at the Heavenly Person Realm at most!"
"And the Heavenly Person Realm in the Dragon City battle later on is no different from cannon fodder. It's almost certain death!"
Knowing that Li Hao couldn't speak, his expression became increasingly serious as he continued, "Once you die in this body, you'll truly die. Your original body will disappear, becoming nourishment for the Mortal River. Even your own soul will be imprisoned by this Mortal River, unable to be reborn!"
Li Hao's heart sank. If he died in his current infant form, he would truly die?
No wonder this Youdu-level Mortal River was so dangerous. With such a drastic change in realm, which strong cultivator could endure it?
"Even Defy Fate Realm experts can't survive here unless you cultivate to the Defy Fate Realm within this place. But you don't have much time. Based on my own age, it's probably eighteen years from now."
"When you turn eighteen, it will be when Dragon Gate attacks the city!"
Li Xiaoran took a deep breath and whispered, "You must grow up before that time, strive to cultivate to your original realm, or even higher if possible."
Thinking of the power Li Hao had unleashed when he broke free from the Candlelight God's Dao Domain, a glimmer of comfort flickered in his heart, but his expression didn't relax. "Dragon City was once the most magnificent of Yanbei's cities. It was guarded by our Li family for a thousand years. Hundreds of years ago, an ancestor, filled with rage, killed a dragon clan demon king, dismembered it within Dragon City, and hung its dragon head on one of the city walls. From then on, the city was renamed Dragon City!"
"But this angered the dragon clan. Dragon Gate secretly plotted and accumulated strength. Decades ago, when Big Brother was guarding this city, Dragon Gate seized the opportunity and broke through the city gates."
"That battle was earth-shattering, with countless casualties. Even the imperial troops sent for reinforcements suffered heavy losses!"
Li Xiaoran's gaze was deep and serious. "Therefore, when you turn eighteen, the situation you face will be extremely dangerous. But thankfully, we can support each other this time. If we can't solve it, I have other ways to survive!"
"However, if we can solve it along the way, that would be even better."
He was guarding the Mortal River to assist his older brother in defending Dragon City and allowing him to find release.
Li Hao nodded slightly. Although he had many questions, he couldn't speak at the moment. He could only wait until he could speak later to ask.
"Don't think cultivation is easy."
Seeing Li Hao's calm expression, Li Xiaoran said seriously, "The special rules of this Mortal River will interfere with your original Dao Realm insights. Therefore, you're essentially starting over with cultivation and comprehension. You can try to recall your original techniques now, and you'll understand."
Li Hao was stunned. He was about to say that cultivation wasn't difficult, especially for someone like Li Xiaoran. It was like a strong cultivator being reborn, and with the mastery of his original techniques, he could quickly soar to great heights. In that case, clearing this Mortal River wouldn't seem so difficult.
Hearing Li Xiaoran's words, Li Hao immediately began to recall his swordsmanship, chess, and other insights.
He didn't think much of it, but when his thoughts turned to those aspects, Li Hao felt like he was blocked by a barrier and couldn't truly remember.
It was so strange!
He clearly knew he could use a sword, but when he tried to recall it, he forgot how to hold it!
And how to use his strength, he couldn't remember either!
It was like graduating from high school, knowing that he had studied and done well on exams, but when he tried to recall the details, he found that he had completely forgotten what was written on any page of his textbooks!
He couldn't even remember the exam questions!
Had he become a college dropout?!
Li Hao was shocked.
So, he had to start cultivating again?
Seeing the shock on Li Hao's little face, Li Xiaoran immediately knew that Li Hao had tried it. He smiled slightly and whispered, "Don't panic. In the early stages, you'll need to rely on yourself to cultivate again. But as your cultivation level increases, the interference of these special rules will decrease, and you'll gradually be able to comprehend some of your original Dao Realms."
"In other words, the faster you cultivate on your own, the more your previously sealed cultivation memories will leak out, and your cultivation speed will increase again later!"
"Otherwise, if you truly started over from scratch, in just a few decades, not counting the accelerated time while sleeping, reaching the Heavenly Person Realm would be the limit. Then, this Mortal River would become an unsolvable place."
Li Hao felt a little relieved upon hearing this. His mind raced, wondering if he could continue to absorb experience through the panel here.
With a thought, he called up the panel.
The characters flickered before his eyes, and the panel actually appeared.
Li Hao was overjoyed, but then he was dumbfounded. The panel was cleaner than his face, just like when he had first transmigrated.
"Could it be that my original panel is in my original body, and now it's in this new body?"
Li Hao pondered. The Mortal River and the panel were both strange and inexplicable things. When they were combined, it was even more impossible to figure out the result.
But the panel was still there, which gave him a sense of relief.
Without the panel, while he wouldn't become useless, his cultivation speed might not be as fast.
After all, he had reached the Heavenly Person Apex Realm entirely through his own insights, which showed that his martial arts comprehension was quite good.
"Also, don't wander outside the Divine General's Mansion at night. There will be demon attacks at any time."
Li Xiaoran warned, "Although this is the Divine General's Mansion, it's within Dragon City. Most of the things in this Mortal River are manifestations of Big Brother's obsession, so there will be some incredible situations. Don't be too surprised when you see them."
"Dragon City is not safe. I'll visit you often. You can sleep a few more times to quickly progress to the Foundation Establishment and Body Refinement stages, then start your cultivation journey."
"Don't worry. When you're fast-forwarding while sleeping, my time is normal. I'll go through each day, but you'll feel like it's a few months later in the blink of an eye."
Li Hao nodded. The Fourth Master had explained many things in detail, showing that he was a thoughtful person.
Li Xiaoran gave a few more instructions, then told Li Hao to rest and left the room.
After he left, Li Hao pondered for a moment. He wanted to find a chessboard, ink, and brush. Drawing could accumulate experience quickly in the early stages. It wasn't as safe here in the Mortal River as it was in the real courtyard outside. He should start with drawing and poetry.
But writing poetry required him to be able to speak first.
Soon, Li Hao discovered that he couldn't even walk yet.
With a wry smile, Li Hao lay down and decided to sleep until he could walk.
…
When Li Hao opened his eyes again after waking from his sleep, he immediately felt that his body had regained much of its vitality and was filled with more energy.
As soon as he opened his eyes, he heard a series of knocking sounds. He looked up, and the warm, gentle sunlight shone down. He was in a courtyard.
Judging from the construction of the courtyard, it was the Qinglian Courtyard where his grandmother lived.
It was also in that courtyard that he had fallen out with his nominal father.
Li Hao's eyes flickered slightly. Seeing the courtyard again, his thoughts couldn't help but drift back for a moment, but he quickly reined them in.
Compared to the real Qinglian Courtyard, the walls here seemed a little newer, and the sound of knocking echoed from within the courtyard.
Li Hao looked over and saw four boys sparring in the courtyard, using wooden weapons.
They were between three and seven years old.
And he himself was lying in the arms of a noblewoman, his grandmother, Chen Hefang.
"Shilang, watch your brothers train. In the future, you'll also need to become strong like them, to protect your home and country."
Seeing Li Hao wake up, Chen Hefang smiled gently, her face filled with maternal tenderness.
Li Hao was slightly stunned. The image of his grandmother outside the Mortal River flashed through his mind.
Six of the nine Li sons had died in battle. She had become a vegetarian and devout Buddhist, her hair already silver. Later, she only hoped that her children would live a peaceful life.
Li Hao fell silent for a moment, observing the four boys in the courtyard. The youngest was only about three years old, but his posture and gait were remarkably steady. He was wielding a stick with remarkable agility and liveliness.
The three older children were sparring.
"Hah!"
A wooden sword was knocked away. The older child winced in pain and retracted his hand. He grumbled, "Tiangang, you're cheating again!"
(End of Chapter)