Chapter 121 - 125: Solo Reinforcement. The Flag of Hao Tian!. Advanced Cultivation Technique. Savage Killing. Defeating the Undying.
Chapter 121: Solo Reinforcement
At the end of the Dragon Pass lies the city of Cang Cliff.
Tianmen Pass stands outside its walls.
Cang Cliff City was built against a sheer cliff, its walls towering and majestic, reaching high into the clouds.
Within its walls were grand watchtowers and arrow towers, as well as a bustling central district where residents lived and traded. It was a thriving place, serving as a trade hub between the Great Yu Dynasty and the Northern Frost Country, with constant caravans passing through.
But that was eight hundred years ago.
Now, all that remains is a small mound of earth.
Inscribed on this mound are the characters "Cang Cliff," signifying what used to be a majestic city.
An array of military camp tents surround this small earthen mound, firmly entrenched with it as their center.
At the edge of the camp, several battle flags bearing the ancient characters "Tian Yuan" flutter in the cold wind.
This is the Li family's banner.
Each of the Five Great Divine Generals has a title, such as the Heavenly Brilliance God General Manor of the Wang family, while the Li family holds the title of Heavenly Origin God General Manor.
At this moment, the cold wind howls, sweeping up dust and sand.
Behind the military camp tents, at the edge of the cliff, lies a collection of burial mounds of varying sizes. Crude wooden plaques, carved from broken wood, are stuck into the ground, serving as both tombstones and markers for those buried within.
Huff, huff.
Beside these graves, several soldiers clad in battered armor are digging pits with iron spades.
Not long after, a few more soldiers arrive carrying stretchers. On one stretcher lies a severed hand, a mutilated leg, tattered battle armor, and a dented helmet.
Once the pits are dug, they carefully place these remains inside, filling and covering them with sand.
Then they find a tree, cut off a segment, split it into wooden plaques, and use their fingers to carve a few words before sticking them into the mounds.
On some stretchers, there are only a few fingers and fallen boots.
These, too, are buried, and the wooden plaques are inscribed with four words: "Li Family Warriors."
The cold wind whispers through the camp, slipping through the gaps between the tents, emitting mournful cries.
Li Hongzhuang, clad in bright red armor, stands silently before the graves, her face expressionless.
Most of the wooden plaques here bear no names, for the battles against the demons are too fierce, and it is already a blessing to have one's body intact after death.
After the newly added graves are filled, she reaches out, and a vice commander by her side hands her a flask of strong liquor.
She flicks her finger, popping the cork, and pours the liquor onto the ground before the graves.
She takes the last sip herself, sharing a drink with these valiant warriors.
Then, without another glance, she turns and leaves.
She has been doing this for twenty years, witnessing this heartbreaking scene time and again.
From being the vice commander who once handed her the wine, she has now become the commander.
Her third and sixth brothers, who used to help with the wine, have both fallen in battle.
And so, despite being a daughter, she chose to step forward.
To hold up the sky for Daliang Province!
Li Hongzhuang is the youngest daughter of Li Tianzong. She has nine renowned brothers, each extraordinary and revered by all. The most exceptional among them is undoubtedly Li Junye.
But he, too, passed away over a decade ago.
Back then, she was guarding this border and couldn't leave. She couldn't even attend the funeral of her ninth brother, with whom she had played and grown up together in the courtyard. Her tears could only fall on this battlefield.
She still remembers her father telling her when she was a child that he gave her this name, hoping that she would find a good husband and marry into a loving family.
From then on, she would teach and raise children, putting down her sword and taking up a book instead.
Free from the suffering of slaying demons.
But from a young age, seeing the wounds on the soldiers who returned to report military affairs and the empty ancestral tablets in the ancestral hall, she knew that she couldn't give up the sword in her hand.
And so, she diligently cultivated, seeking renowned masters and learning unparalleled martial arts.
Then she descended from the mountains and entered the secular world, wielding her three-foot green blade to slay the countless demons beyond this pass.
She has been fighting continuously here for twenty years!
Two decades of wind, frost, and battles have turned her delicate skin into something rough and tough like sandpaper.
Her once flowing youthful hair is now tied up under her helmet, soaked with oil and stained with the blood of demons—dirty, messy, and carrying a putrid smell.
This is something that women would find hard to tolerate, but she has grown accustomed to it.
Only her face remains unchanged—still breathtakingly beautiful, with a timeless elegance.
But her eyes, once clear and gentle, have now turned as cold and sharp as the stars in winter.
"Commander, we've just finished counting. We've slain 28 demons, lost 7 warriors, and have 12 injured," a vice commander reports to Li Hongzhuang.
Li Hongzhuang remains expressionless, having witnessed the previous battle herself. She already has a rough estimate of the casualties and simply says, "We received a message from the family saying that reinforcements will arrive soon. Once they're here, we'll withdraw and rotate our troops."
"Have we received any news on the reinforcements' whereabouts?" the vice commander asks.
The vice commander shakes her head slightly and is about to speak when a sudden blast of a horn echoes from outside the military camp.
Their faces change simultaneously, and they quickly take to the sky, soaring high above.
In the direction of Dragon Pass, they spot several small figures approaching. As they draw closer, they recognize a young man and woman, along with a white fox.
"How could there still be people coming through Dragon Pass?" the vice commander wonders aloud.
They are both perplexed, quickly flying towards the newcomers.
They have been guarding Tianmen Pass, and although reinforcements have arrived sporadically over the years, the numbers have been small, suggesting that there might be intentions to abandon Tianmen Pass.
As for Dragon Pass, it has long fallen, occupied by demons.
Even the reinforcing troops would bypass Dragon Pass from the outside, and some would suffer heavy losses even before reaching it.
"A military camp?"
At this moment, Li Hao and Ren Qianqian approach, their faces filled with confusion.
They had expected to find Cang Cliff City at the end of their journey, but instead, they are greeted by military camp tents, cracked earth riddled with pits, unclaimed demon corpses, and tattered battle flags—a grim battlefield.
Hearing the horn, Li Hao looks up and sees two figures descending from the sky.
"Who are you?" Li Hongzhuang asks, looking at the young man before her. His face seems vaguely familiar, and she furrows her brows in confusion.
Li Hao opens his mouth to speak but suddenly falls silent.
He had said that he no longer bore the Li surname, so how should he introduce himself? His eyes reflect his uncertainty, but soon, he finds an answer and says, "My surname is Ji. You can call me Ji Hao. I'm here as part of the replacement reinforcements."
"Ji Hao?"
Neither Li Hongzhuang nor the vice commander has heard this name before, but upon hearing "Li Hao," their eyes light up, and they glance past him into the distance.
"Then where are the others?"
Their excitement turned to dismay, and they looked at Li Hao in disbelief. 'Just you?'
'Not just me,' Li Hao said. 'This is my Sword Attendant, and this little guy is my companion. There are three of us.'
As for Elder Feng, he had already concealed himself nearby and was the reason Li Hao dared to come to Tianmen Pass. However, he couldn't be introduced to these people due to his sensitive identity.
Elder Feng's status was despised by the world, and only Second Uncle had a personal relationship with him, which no one else knew about. Otherwise, it would have caused an uproar long ago.
'...'
Hearing Li Hao's words, Li Hongzhuang and the vice commander were stunned, their hardened faces from years of battle showing a hint of astonishment.
Looking around, they indeed couldn't detect any other presence.
Just this boy?
Reinforcements?
Li Hongzhuang asked angrily, 'Are you joking?'
After waiting and hoping for so long, they had only been greeted by a teenager, and her heart burned with anger.
Li Hao shook his head and said seriously, 'No, I really am here as a replacement. For the next three years, I will guard this place until I die.'
'You think you can hold this place for three years?' Li Hongzhuang was so angry that she felt like laughing. Was he planning to defend this desolate fortress alone? Even she wouldn't dare to make such a claim! 'Seventh Brother must have gone crazy!'
Li Hongzhuang ignored Li Hao and turned to the vice commander. 'Send a message back immediately. Ask Li Tiangang what he means by this. Does he really intend to abandon us, or is there another reason?'
The vice commander nodded and was about to leave when suddenly, a figure flew towards them and landed in front of the group.
It was an elderly man wearing battle armor, his hair gray and his gaze calm and restrained.
He glanced at Li Hao before bowing to Li Hongzhuang and addressing her respectfully. 'Miss.'
Li Hongzhuang sensed that he possessed the aura of a Triple Immortal like herself and examined him carefully, but she couldn't recall who he was.
The vice commander beside her seemed to recognize him and exclaimed, 'Are you General Li He?'
'Li He?'
Li Hongzhuang's eyes widened as she heard the name, and after a moment's thought, her face lit up with surprise. When she was still a child practicing in the martial arts arena, Li He had already made a name for himself in the outside world.
He was from the previous generation of the Li family, of the same generation as Second Uncle and the others.
However, he was a child born to a concubine.
Among the children born to concubines in that generation, Li He was one of the most outstanding.
'Miss Hongzhuang, may I have a word with you in private?' Li He requested.
Li Hongzhuang was slightly puzzled but followed him to the side.
Li Hao remained with the vice commander.
Li Hao was not surprised by the sudden appearance of the elderly man. Although this was their first face-to-face encounter, the man had been following them from Qingzhou all the way here for the past five days.
According to Elder Feng, he was probably sent by Li Tiangang to secretly protect him.
Li Hao didn't have any particular feelings about this.
Most of the demons they had encountered on the way were dealt with by Elder Feng and himself. After his injuries healed, he could handle any demon below the Immortal realm without Elder Feng's help.
At this moment, while the elderly man was speaking privately with the young lady, Li Hao asked the vice commander, 'At the end of Dragon Pass, isn't there Cang Cliff City? How much further is it from here?'
The vice commander replied in a low voice, 'The place where you are standing right now used to be Cang Cliff City.'
'Huh?'
Li Hao was taken aback and looked at him in surprise.
He then looked around, but there was no city in sight.
'After hundreds of years of war and frequent, fierce attacks from the demons, Cang Cliff City has endured countless storms and suffered too many heavy blows. It no longer has the strength to repair its walls or restore its formation patterns. The entire city has been flattened.'
The vice commander continued, 'Now, only that small mound over there remains, which can barely be considered a city, and it's the place we're guarding.'
He pointed to a small earthen mound not far away.
Li Hao looked in that direction and froze.
The mound was only a few meters high, and a casual slap could flatten it.
This was... Cang Cliff City?
He knew that the border wars were brutal, but he never expected them to be so devastating.
An entire city had been razed to the ground.
'So, you're telling me that when you're guarding this place, you have no cover at all? When the demons come, you just take them head-on?' Li Hao asked.
The vice commander replied expressionlessly, 'Our bodies are the only walls we have.'
'...'
Li Hao fell silent.
Not long after, Li Hongzhuang and Li He returned.
Li Hongzhuang looked at Li Hao with a complicated expression and said, 'So, you're Hao'er!'
Li Hao glanced at the old man, Li He, guessing that he must have told the young lady about the situation.
'Yes, it's me. Now do you believe me? You can withdraw your troops now,' Li Hao said.
Li Hongzhuang's eyes were filled with complexity and sorrow. 'How could Seventh Brother be so heartless? It was just a minor disagreement. Why did it have to come to this? What about Fifth Uncle, Second Uncle, and my eldest sister-in-law? Don't they care?'
Li Hao shook his head slightly, not wanting to bring up those matters again.
'Hao'er, you're too impulsive. Go back now. If you stay here, you will die!' Li Hongzhuang said.
No wonder she had felt that the boy's face looked familiar. Even though it was their first meeting, she didn't want to see her nephew acting recklessly.
'It's fine,' Li Hao said with a slight smile. 'Dying here would at least make me a martyr. Dying elsewhere would mean nothing.'
'You're so stubborn, and your father won't really kill you,' Li Hongzhuang said with a pained expression.
Li Hao shook his head. 'Aunt, it's getting late. You should retreat as soon as possible. I heard that these soldiers have been guarding this place for many years. They should return to see their wives, children, and mothers.'
Hearing this, the vice commander's body trembled slightly, and his numb, cracked face seemed to show a hint of moisture.
However, Li Hongzhuang fell silent for a moment before shaking her head. 'Everyone else can leave, but I will stay.'
She turned her head to look at the small earthen mound behind her, even though it could no longer be considered a city.
But this was the place where her third and sixth brothers had given their lives to defend.
She wanted to fight here until her last breath.
'The heroic souls of the soldiers here need someone to accompany them,' Li Hongzhuang said, her eyes sharp and determined. 'I originally planned to wait for the reinforcements and continue fighting with them. But now that it's only you, I, your aunt, will stay and fight the demons with you. We'll kill as many as we can!'
'This place is the land of the Great Yu Dynasty and has been guarded by our Li family for many years.'
'Unless commanded by the Emperor, we will not yield an inch!'
Her eyes shone with a sharp light, and despite being a woman, she stood tall like the Great Wall.
Chapter 122: The Flag of Hao Tian! (8th Supplemental Chapter)
As the news of the retreat spread throughout the military camp, many soldiers who had been recuperating and healing their wounds inside their tents stumbled out in a daze.
Only when they heard the vice-commanders' loud announcements did some life return to their numb faces, followed by an outburst of mournful wails.
Numerous soldiers wept bitterly, and some even ran towards the burial mounds to find their fallen comrades. They laughed and cried, then scooped up a handful of yellow soil from the graves, keeping it close to their hearts as they prepared to bring their friends' remains back to their hometowns.
"Reporting to the Commander-in-Chief!"
"All ten thousand Blood Fiend Soldiers of the Red Letter Camp are now present, with a total of nine thousand, six hundred, and twenty-three soldiers accounted for and ready for orders!"
"Awaiting your instructions, Commander!"
A middle-aged vice-commander, a distant relative of the Li family, stood before Li Hongzhuang, his voice hoarse but resolute.
His eyes, however, were already glistening with unshed tears.
Li Hongzhuang's face, as fair as snow and the moon, twitched slightly, her gaze drifting past the vice-commander to rest on the haggard, pale, and tear-stained faces of the soldiers standing behind him.
Finally, her eyes landed on the distant burial mounds.
The remaining ninety-thousand-plus soldiers now lay eternally asleep there.
Each and every one of them had been personally trained by her!
And the vastness of the burial grounds extended far beyond what met the eye, also containing the remains of the troops led by her third and sixth brothers, their graves stretching endlessly into the distance.
Even the usually stoic Li Hongzhuang couldn't help but have her eyes well up with tears at this sight.
She composed herself, took a deep breath, and declared in a loud voice, "I announce that the Blood Fiend Army will set off today and return home!"
The words "return home" echoed in the ears of the nine thousand, six hundred, and thirty-two soldiers, and every one of them had tears in their eyes.
"Understood, Commander-in-Chief!"
The three vice-commanders, along with all the soldiers, roared in unison.
When they said "all," they included the souls of the more than ninety-thousand brave warriors who lay buried. They would bring their spirits home as well.
Finally, they could embark on the journey back home...
Amidst the excited and tearful voices, one of the vice-commanders stepped forward, bowed to Li Hongzhuang, and asked, "Commander-in-Chief, what about our reinforcements?"
"Reinforcements..."
Li Hongzhuang glanced at Li Hao, who stood beside her, and said, "He is the reinforcement who will be taking over from you."
The vice-commander turned to look at Li Hao, his body trembling slightly.
The one taking over from them was... this child?
"Commander-in-Chief, this..."
"Don't ask any more questions. Go now, and head home early. It's not safe to travel once night falls," Li Hongzhuang replied, her face regaining its usual stern and cold expression.
Seeing her expression, the vice-commander dared not say more. He nodded, then looked at Li Hao once more, committing the young man's appearance to memory.
The other soldiers had overheard their conversation as well. After the initial excitement, they were now shocked. They couldn't believe that they were all being withdrawn, leaving only this young man behind to hold the fort.
Many of the soldiers anxiously shouted, demanding an explanation, while others insisted on staying, given the circumstances.
However, Li Hongzhuang kept a cold face and did not respond. Under the urging of the vice-commanders, the soldiers eventually left to gather their armor and equipment before beginning their journey back to their homeland.
Li Hao watched silently as the soldiers passed by, one by one. He could smell the dust and the thick scent of blood that clung to these veterans.
The little white fox sat obediently at his feet.
Ren Qianqian stood quietly behind Li Hao, holding her sword. The girl's eyes were red as she took in the soldiers' scars, damaged armor, and bent blades, her heart trembling.
"Commander-in-Chief, aren't you leaving?"
Another vice-commander looked at Li Hongzhuang and couldn't help but ask.
Li Hongzhuang shook her head slightly. "You all go first. I'll follow later. There's no need to wait for me."
She knew that if she said she would stay, many of these soldiers would insist on staying with her, even if they had to be driven away.
After all, they had fought side by side for so many years, risking their lives together. How could they possibly abandon her now?
Hearing her response, the vice-commander hesitated for a moment, then glanced at Li Hao again, still unable to understand why such an important task had been entrusted to a young man who appeared to be a wealthy young master.
But since Li Hongzhuang wasn't explaining, and they couldn't fathom the reasons themselves, they had no choice but to obey the military law and carry out their orders.
With the departure of the nine thousand soldiers, the camp suddenly became quiet and empty.
Only Li Hongzhuang, Li Hao, Ren Qianqian, and the little fox remained.
Li He was nowhere to be seen. He had privately told Li Hongzhuang that he would only act in secret and would only intervene if Li Hao's life was in danger; otherwise, he would not involve himself in any matters.
Li Hongzhuang had said nothing in response to this.
Regarding the matter of Li Hao and her seventh brother, she had only heard about it from Li He and wasn't directly involved, so she didn't know the full story.
Her sole focus was on defending this solitary city.
Apart from explaining Li Hao's situation, Li He had also conveyed a message from the Yu Emperor.
The Great Yu Dynasty was currently in turmoil, with demons and monsters wreaking havoc across the land. The Emperor had decided to temporarily abandon Tianmen Pass for the time being.
In the future, when the Great Yu Dynasty regained its strength, they would reclaim this strategic location.
Therefore, even if this place fell, no one would be blamed. If anyone were to be punished, it would be Li Tiangang, but even then, the consequences would be minor due to his outstanding achievements in establishing Yanbei.
In other words, this place had already been deemed expendable.
No more reinforcements would be coming!
Li He had informed Li Hongzhuang that she was free to leave at any time and that she shouldn't risk her life here.
But could she really leave?
Li Hongzhuang gazed at the vast burial mounds, her mind filled with images of her third and sixth brothers drinking, fighting, and sacrificing their lives on this very land. Every inch of this soil was soaked with the blood of her brave soldiers!
The Yu Emperor wanted to abandon this place, and her seventh brother seemed to agree, but... she couldn't bring herself to do the same!
Li Hongzhuang took a deep breath, composed herself, and walked into the camp.
Although the soldiers had left, some of the tents remained, creating the illusion of a larger army and misleading the demons and monsters into thinking they were still numerous.
"You can choose any tent you like. The conditions here are simple. Ever since the city fell, there have been no common folk around. They were all relocated over a decade ago."
Accompanied by Ren Qianqian and Xiao Baihu, he walked over, his eyes scanning the wooden plaques, each engraved with names or unified titles.
The cold wind brought a chilling sensation to Li Hao.
"Are these... all the valiant heroes who perished here?" Ren Qianqian's fair face was pale, her hand covering her mouth as she spoke in a trembling voice.
The sight of countless graves, far exceeding ten thousand, was a deeply moving spectacle.
The usually playful Xiao Baihu remained still, sitting quietly at Li Hao's feet, silently observing.
Li Hao fell into a momentary silence.
He had come to this place to repay a debt of gratitude.
And in three years, that debt would be settled.
However, at this moment, seeing the countless fallen warriors, he suddenly felt that his presence here might hold a greater significance beyond merely repaying his debt.
During these three years, he ought to do something more.
Unfortunately, his current cultivation was still too weak.
A Heaven-Human Grand Master could establish their own sect within the country, but in this perilous borderland, one's life could be snuffed out at any moment, and he still relied on Feng Lao's covert protection.
Only upon reaching the Three Immortals realm would he possess the ability to ensure his own safety.
"My cultivation progress is still too slow..." Li Hao's eyes reflected a profound depth.
Although he had astonished the world by attaining the Heaven-Human realm at the age of fourteen, it was still insufficient for the challenges that lay ahead.
He needed to become stronger and improve at an even faster rate!
Li Hao took a deep breath and left the cemetery, entering the military camp.
He searched through the other tents but couldn't find any food. As he walked, he spotted Li Hongzhuang sitting on a small earthen mound engraved with the words "Cangya City," polishing her sword.
"Sister Hongzhuang," Li Hao called out as he approached.
Li Hongzhuang raised her eyebrows slightly, her gaze falling on the young man before her as she frowned and said, "You should call me Aunt."
"I am no longer a member of the Li family," Li Hao stated.
Li Hongzhuang's face turned slightly somber as she recalled Li He's words, and she asked, "What exactly happened to cause such a rift?"
Li Hao shook his head slightly, not wanting to dwell on the subject, and asked, "It's almost evening. Are you hungry? I'll go look for something to eat."
"Evening is approaching, and demons and monsters will be roaming about. It's best not to wander off on your own," Li Hongzhuang advised, aware that Li He would be secretly protecting Li Hao but still reluctant to see him take any unnecessary risks.
Li Hao looked up, noticing the emergence of the moon and the twinkling stars.
He smiled faintly, turned, and left the small mound, leading Ren Qianqian and Xiao Baihu as they casually strolled through the camp, wandering among the tents.
Although the tents had been neatly packed away, there were still remnants of broken armor and tattered, foul-smelling clothing within. Li Hao made his way to the cooking area and rummaged through the salt canisters.
He smiled, released his soul, and scoured the surrounding wilderness, soon locating a demon beast about thirty li away.
Bending down, he picked up a broken sword blade from the ground and, with a flick of his wrist, sent it flying.
The blade sliced through the air and, in an instant, appeared thirty li away, piercing the demon beast's head with pinpoint accuracy.
The demon beast's body twitched a couple of times before it succumbed to death.
Li Hao utilized his power to draw the carcass toward him.
This demon beast weighed about three tons and resembled a cross between a pig and a lion, its fangs protruding menacingly.
Li Hao picked up Ren Qianqian's sword and used it to butcher the demon beast, skillfully removing the internal organs and cutting the meat into pieces.
"Qianqian, help me with the fire."
"Okay."
Ren Qianqian had grown accustomed to assisting Li Hao during their journey over the past few days. She nodded and quickly gathered some firewood, soon igniting a blazing bonfire.
By the time she was done, Li Hao had finished preparing the demon beast's meat, selecting the choicest cuts and using sharpened wooden sticks and broken spear shafts collected from the ground to skewer the meat for roasting over the fire.
With a sprinkling of salt and spices, Li Hao began the simple cooking process, and soon the aroma of sizzling meat filled the air as the juices dripped into the flames.
While the meat was cooking, Li Hao walked over to one of the tents.
He examined the black and yellow patterned tent, then folded it up. With a swift stroke of his sword, he cut and tailored the fabric into several evenly sized pieces.
He then used the demon beast's hair to fashion a brush, dipped it in the creature's blood, and began to paint on the cloth.
"What are you doing?"
Li Hongzhuang, drawn by the scent of cooking meat, had descended from the small earthen mound and silently approached the bonfire, suddenly asking this question of the preoccupied Li Hao.
Li Hao glanced at her and smiled, "Your Blood Fiend Army has withdrawn, and so has your military flag. I'm making a new battle flag."
"I didn't take all of my military flags; I left some here," Li Hongzhuang explained.
Li Hao smiled faintly, "Those are yours, and this battle flag is mine."
"Hmm?"
Li Hongzhuang looked on with curiosity.
At that moment, Li Hao finished writing and used his power to dry the blood on the cloth. With a wave of his hand, his power extended several li into the surrounding forest, felling several trees which he drew toward him.
The trees were swiftly stripped and fashioned into poles.
Li Hao wrapped them with the leftover fabric, binding one end, while the other end was stuck into the ground, propping up the flag.
Thus, a simple yet imposing battle flag was created.
The fabric hung down, fluttering in the night breeze.
Two large characters, written in demon beast blood, swayed in the wind: Hao Tian!
Li Hongzhuang stared, transfixed, for a long moment before turning to look at Li Hao, "You're already at the fifteen li realm?"
Li Hao shook his head.
"I'm at the Heaven-Human realm," he stated truthfully.
"?"
Li Hongzhuang's pupils contracted slightly, and she was momentarily stunned.
Heaven-Human realm?
Li He hadn't mentioned Li Hao's cultivation to her; he had only spoken about some of the events that had transpired within the mansion.
And she, having spent most of her time at the borderlands, was largely disconnected from news from within the country, her attention wholly focused on guarding against demon beasts.
Chapter 123: Advanced Cultivation Technique
A Heavenly Man at the age of fourteen?
Li Hongzhuang remembered the year Li Hao was born, the same year her ninth brother fell in battle.
Fourteen years had passed since then.
Li Hongzhuang also recalled that even a genius like Li Junye had only reached the Heavenly Man Grand Master realm at the age of seventeen.
Now, the young man before her had achieved this feat at the age of fourteen.
A full three years ahead!
"With your talent, you must be the true dragon of the Li family, right?" Li Hongzhuang snapped out of her daze and asked.
How could such a treasure be cast aside beyond the Heavenly Gate?
What was her seventh brother thinking?
True dragon... A slight tug appeared on Li Hao's lips as he smiled and said, "Talent is nothing special. There's nothing unusual about the Li family's true dragon. Only when I have genuine strength will I be truly worthy of attention."
Li Hongzhuang was speechless. "You're saying this because you lack nothing. What do you mean, 'just talent'? It's easy to stand and talk without feeling the pain. Reaching the Fifteen Miles realm may be attributed to talent and family cultivation, but achieving the Heavenly Man realm is more than just talent."
"It requires insight and enlightenment that is one in a million!"
"One in a million is nothing," Li Hao said indifferently.
"For the young talents of the Li family, having exceptional talent is indeed not unusual. But your talent is unparalleled in the history of the Great Yu Dynasty! You must be one in a billion among the billions of cultivators that Emperor Yu has ruled over throughout the millennia!" Li Hongzhuang exclaimed.
Li Hao shook his head slightly, not wanting to discuss this further. He waved the crude battle flag in his hand and asked, "What do you think of this?"
"It's not much," Li Hongzhuang replied honestly after giving it a glance.
Li Hao smiled. It was indeed not impressive, being hastily made from tent cloth.
However, he hoped that even so, this battle flag would be enough to intimidate demons and monsters.
Li Hongzhuang looked at the meat on the grill and said, "I've had this Lion Paw Demon before, but it didn't taste this fragrant in the past."
"That's because it wasn't made by me," Li Hao said with a smile, his eyes reflecting the seriousness and confidence of a chef.
Li Hongzhuang glanced at him and remained silent, her gaze fixed on the flickering campfire. In those cold eyes, numb from countless battles, a faint glimmer seemed to appear.
[Cooking Experience +182]
[Cooking Experience is full. Please upgrade as soon as possible.]
Having finished cooking, Li Hao was accustomed to the two prompts that appeared before him.
Cooking was the only art he had cultivated to the sixth level so far.
However, his experience points were already maxed out, and he could only advance to the seventh level by cultivating his spiritual state.
But until now, he had not found a way to do so.
This was different from reaching the third level, where one only needed to be sufficiently focused and passionate, with a one-sided devotion.
It also required achieving a certain degree of transcendence, similar to how a Grand Master establishes their heart.
However, in the affairs of the world, it was easy to talk about liking something, but difficult to talk about transcendence.
On the path of transcendence in cooking, Li Hao was still exploring.
He had inspected the tents in the various camps earlier, and as expected of a border garrison, the soldiers' belongings lacked items like a chessboard or painting paper. Even the inkstone, brush, and ink were scarce, only kept in small quantities for recording military information and sending messages.
Currently, he possessed six art techniques:
Chess, Painting, and Fishing, all at the fifth level.
Poetry and Music at the third level, and Cooking at the sixth level.
Without achieving transcendence and spiritual cultivation, his physical cultivation and sword technique were also stuck at the sixth level, unable to progress further.
The pressing matter at hand was to cultivate one of these arts to the seventh level by achieving transcendence and spiritual cultivation.
Li Hao had considered that, given the crude conditions here, he would have to temporarily set aside chess and painting. Aside from cooking, the most suitable art to breakthrough with was fishing.
After reaching the Fifteen Miles realm, Li Hao no longer needed a fishing rod for fishing.
A fishing rod could only be used to catch creatures at the Connection and Heaven Circling realms, like minor demons.
It was extremely difficult to hook a powerful demon unless it was a stroke of luck...
Without a fishing rod or line, Li Hao could, like LiMuxiu, use his own energy to condense a line and fish in all directions.
Fishing didn't necessarily require a lake.
In the mountains and wilderness, as long as he was fishing and something took the bait, he could accumulate fishing experience.
Just like how children use hooks to catch frogs in the fields or lure eels in their burrows, it was also a form of fishing.
What is fishing?
Striking while lying in wait!
Li Hao had also thought about learning a new art, such as carving.
However, he didn't lack art points for now, and reaching the third level of carving would require him to cultivate his heart, which would take some time.
In this dangerous borderland, he had to quickly advance his cultivation to the Immortal realm to have a chance of surviving on his own!
At this moment, the meat was done cooking.
Li Hao's thoughts returned to the present, and he took the grilled meat off the skewer, first offering a portion to Li Hongzhuang.
Then, he cut some for Ren Qianqian and Xiao Baihu before finally taking a piece for himself.
Li Hongzhuang accepted the meat and thanked him. She then swiftly cut it with her dagger and brought a piece to her mouth with the dagger's tip.
"Hmm?"
Li Hongzhuang's chewing motion paused slightly, and then she quickly sped up her chewing.
"Not bad."
She nodded slightly, her expression carrying a hint of approval, but her eyes revealed her satisfaction.
Li Hao smiled and asked while eating, "Are you really going to stay here and defend to the death?"
Perhaps due to her long military life, Li Hongzhuang's behavior and demeanor resembled that of a male warrior. Even her sitting posture was unaffected, giving no hint of her past as a gentle and graceful young lady who used to embroider peony flowers with her needle and thread.
She casually tore off a piece of tendon meat and said, "I wouldn't call it defending to the death. I'm just accompanying these brothers for a while longer and slaying more demons along the way. Without reinforcements, this place will eventually fall. Let's see how many I can take down before that happens!"
As she spoke, a sharp, cold light flashed in her eyes.
Li Hao nodded and remained silent, lowering his head to finish his meal.
After satiating his hunger, Li Hao took another portion, wrapped it in a leaf, and set it aside for Feng Ye.
The flags were made from tent cloth, but the characters on them were still robust and powerful, after all, he had reached the third level in calligraphy.
Li Hao glanced at them and smiled, compared to the Blood Slaughter Army's battle flags, these indeed looked rather pitiful.
After setting up the flags, Li Hao returned to the campfire and took out some paper he had collected from the various tents, along with a brush, ink, and inkstone, and began to record something.
"What are you doing?" Li Hongzhuang asked curiously. "Are you writing a letter home?"
Li Hao shook his head slightly. Where could he send a letter when the world was his home? At this moment, this place was his home.
"This is the Listening Rain Pavilion's cultivation technique."
"Are you going to record the cultivation technique?"
"Mhm, I'll record it and then return it to the Li family."
Li Hao replied with a smile, but his expression remained calm.
Li Hongzhuang thought of the matter between Li Hao and Li Tiangang, and her face changed slightly. "Are you really going to completely sever ties with the family? The bloodline bond is unbreakable!"
"Nothing is truly unbreakable."
Li Hao narrowed his eyes, a hint of coldness in his voice. "Perhaps your sword isn't sharp enough yet."
Li Hongzhuang caught the subtle jab in Li Hao's words and raised her eyebrows, but she didn't argue with him.
She knew that this child, who had just left home, likely still carried a great deal of resentment in his heart.
"However, do you think that by recording the cultivation technique, you will have truly returned it?" Li Hongzhuang asked.
Li Hao replied indifferently, "The techniques I'm returning are all upgraded versions of the originals, which should more than make up for it."
Indeed, he planned to write down his insights and deeper understandings of those cultivation techniques and return them to the Li family.
Although, by this calculation, the Li family would be gaining much more, but he couldn't be bothered to quibble over such things.
As long as he could cut off the connection, that was enough.
"Oh?"
Li Hongzhuang was surprised. "How many cultivation techniques have you practiced?"
To refine and upgrade a cultivation technique required tremendous effort and dedication. It was manageable for one or two techniques, but if the number increased, would he really be able to refine and upgrade every technique he had practiced?
How much time and energy would that take?
"Several dozen, I guess." Li Hao replied casually.
He picked up the brush and began writing down the first technique.
Stone Skin Hundred Refinements – Upgraded Version of Golden Skin Hundred Refinements
The originally low-grade technique, under his enhancement from reaching the sixth level in body refinement, had been elevated to a high-grade technique, capable of training his body to a level comparable to gold and iron.
Although both were at the Grandmaster realm, Li Hao's physical body, enhanced by these body refinement techniques, was more than ten times stronger than an ordinary grandmaster.
In addition, Li Hao also wrote down the essence of the technique: Golden Skin Hundred Refinements – Vajra!
It could be instantly activated, increasing his defensive capabilities by several folds.
If used for a short period, its effect was comparable to half of the 'Indestructible State' of the Three Immortals.
If he were to reach the Indestructible State himself and then activate this essence, his defense would become even more formidable.
This essence was not part of the Stone Skin Hundred Refinements, so he wasn't going back on his earlier words about not using the Li family's techniques.
As for the enhancements that techniques like Stone Skin Hundred Refinements brought to his physical body, he couldn't discard them, so he could only make up for it with this more generous compensation.
"Several dozen?" Li Hongzhuang was taken aback when she heard Li Hao's words.
She looked at Li Hao's face, illuminated by the campfire, solemn and serious, and it didn't seem like he was joking.
She was slightly dazed. At the age of fourteen, he had reached the Heavenly Man realm and mastered several dozen techniques?
In the years that she had been away from home, what kind of monster had the Li family cultivated?!
Suddenly, Li Hongzhuang's face changed slightly, and she turned her head towards the outside of the camp.
In the darkness, there were clusters of shadows that resembled drifting clouds, swaying like shadows in the forest.
"Looks like they know we're retreating."
A murderous aura flashed in Li Hongzhuang's eyes as she gripped the hilt of her sword.
Li Hao also looked up, pausing in his writing.
The wind carried a putrid smell, the stench of demons.
"Stay here, I'll be right back."
Li Hongzhuang stood up and instructed, then walked towards the darkness.
However, Li Hao didn't plan to wait here. His spiritual soul flew out from behind him, and in its vision, the night became as clear as daylight.
He saw in the mountains and forests dozens of miles from the camp, silhouettes of demons rushing towards them, like surging waves crashing in from all directions, spreading through the bushes, rocks, and trees without making a sound.
There were quite a few of them.
Li Hao immediately put away his brush and the paper with the recorded techniques, handing them to Ren Qianqian. "Keep this safe for me."
When Ren Qianqian heard Li Hongzhuang's words, her face paled, and she became anxious. "Young Master, are you going too?"
"You stay here. Feng Ye will secretly look after you."
Li Hao glanced at the meat wrapped in leaves. "And he hasn't had dinner yet."
Smiling at the girl, Li Hao patted Little White Fox's head and then walked forward.
As he walked, he slightly raised his hand, and from various places on the ground, several broken short swords flew towards him, gathering by his side.
He grabbed one of the less damaged swords, while the rest followed him forward.
"Li Hongzhuang!!!"
"The main army has retreated, and you dare to stay behind? Do you want to bury your soldiers with you?"
"They're all in my stomach now. Come if you dare!"
Outside the camp, there was a tiger-like roar, revealing a savage and cheerful killing intent.
Obviously, it was delighted to have caught this rare opportunity.
"Chi Hu Jun!!!"
Li Hongzhuang, clad in bright red battle armor and holding a three-foot-long sword, stepped out of the camp. Her exquisite face was icy cold.
"I let you escape last time, and now I'm here to wait for you."
"Hahaha! Do you think I came alone? Fei Peng, come out and meet this Iron Lady!"
In the darkness, a huge tiger demon appeared, its body wrapped in chains. Its face was sinister and terrifying.
Chapter 124: Savage Killing
As it roared, a black cloud suddenly descended upon the night, obscuring the darkness.
Whoosh!
Countless black feathers shot out from mid-air, raining down like arrows towards Li Hongzhuang.
Li Hongzhuang gently tapped her toes, floating back lightly to avoid the steel-like feathers.
She looked up at the enormous black bird, its size resembling a small hill, and a solemn expression appeared in her eyes.
"Kill!!"
The Chi Hu Jun bellowed, signaling the charge.
In the distant wilderness, the ground trembled as countless demons and monsters charged towards the pass.
Standing before the pass was a lone figure, a woman in a bright red dress, holding a sword.
Li Hongzhuang's eyes turned cold, without a hint of retreat, and the aura around her body gradually brewed like a gathering storm.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Countless stones and toxic mists swiftly emerged from the forest, propelled by the demons with a range of fifteen li, covering the campsite.
Additionally, some demons let out strange, piercing shrieks that contained soul-shaking assaults, buffeting Li Hongzhuang's body.
A golden soul shield manifested behind Li Hongzhuang, and with a light chant and hand seals, she forcefully shouted, shattering the demonic arts with a reverberating bell-like sound.
At the same time, the soul shield waved, summoning a gust of wind that dispersed the incoming toxic mist.
If not for her presence, the army would have suffered heavy casualties from these demonic arts alone.
Compared to this tidal wave of demons, Li Hongzhuang's attention remained fixed on the two great demons.
Soon, numerous demons rushed forward like rolling black smoke, their hideous forms covering the sky and the ground, seemingly intent on engulfing the lone crimson figure.
But suddenly, a dragon-like sword cry reverberated.
The three-foot green blade erupted with radiance, transforming into a giant sword that slashed towards the horde of demons, instantly separating countless heads from their bodies and causing them to explode.
However, the number of demons was vast, and Li Hongzhuang was soon surrounded. She swung her sword relentlessly, slaying the demons and defending against the attacks of the controlled beasts with the golden light that enveloped her body.
Suddenly, a black feather, mixed with the demons, shot towards her.
Li Hongzhuang's eyes narrowed, already on guard. She brandished her sword, executing the Li family's boundless sword technique.
Sever the River!
The sword edge was powerful and heavy, as if to split the earth, and it cut through the black feather, causing it to fall.
At the same time, a putrid wind approached, and the Chi Hu Jun arrived before her, its massive body towering over her. Its tiger paw alone was the size of Li Hongzhuang's delicate frame, and it slammed down with purple light flickering in its palm, accompanied by crackling lightning.
Li Hongzhuang swiftly blocked with her sword, but the force of the blow still sent her flying backward.
The flying peng bird swooped down, spewing a mouthful of golden-red flames faster than an arrow, aimed at the spot where Li Hongzhuang had just retreated.
A golden light flashed in Li Hongzhuang's eyes as she unleashed another technique, Departure!
Her sword edge suddenly ignited with flames, and with a swift slash, she dispersed the incoming fire.
Just as she made her move, a sharp, piercing whistle cut through the air, moving at an incredible speed and creating a sonic boom.
A wild boar demon with curved, sharp tusks charged out from the horde of demons.
Li Hongzhuang's pupils constricted slightly as she recognized the demon—it was the Liu Ya Zhi Zhu, said to possess the bloodline of the ancient demon king Dang Kang, and it stood on par with the Chi Hu Jun.
At this moment, the boar demon seized the opportunity presented by Li Hongzhuang's attack, bursting forward with impeccable timing.
Li Hongzhuang's eyes shone with a cold light, and her body suddenly erupted with surging blood energy. Her other hand lashed out with a mighty punch, unleashing an invincible aura.
It was the Half-step Invincible Fist.
However, she had not cultivated it to perfection. After all, only that old man truly understood the pinnacle of this technique.
It wasn't that he hadn't taught her, but she couldn't grasp the essence of this supreme master technique, as it wasn't something she had personally comprehended.
A loud bang echoed as her body was sent flying backward, her fist's power broken. In her haste to counter the charged attack, her body now stirred with turbulent blood energy, and she had sustained minor injuries.
The Chi Hu Jun and the flying peng bird swiftly pressed their advantage, not giving Li Hongzhuang a moment's respite.
Li Hongzhuang couldn't hold back anymore, and she unleashed the power of Non-Decay.
She had already stepped into the third step of the Three Non-Mortal realms—the Non-Decay realm.
The power of Non-Decay emerged, suppressing the blood energy within her body, and a mighty, violent force surged forth from within.
Her face turned cold as she realized that the flying peng bird's appearance had been a ploy to distract her, making her believe that only those two demons had come. In truth, they had also allied with the boar demon.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a tearing sound came from behind her, causing Li Hongzhuang's expression to change slightly. She thought there was another ambush, and a quick glance revealed the source of her concern.
Several flying swords were speeding towards the two charging great demons, but they were easily swatted away by their claws.
These flying swords were already damaged, and despite the hardness of the precious iron, they couldn't withstand the power of the great demons.
"There's someone else?"
The three great demons turned their attention to the rear, and Chi Hu Jun's eyes narrowed with malevolence. "There's actually a little brat hiding here. A Heavenly Man? Seeking death!"
They had all noticed a young man, sword in hand, approaching alone.
"Tear down all the tents!"
Chi Hu Jun roared, unwilling to give anyone a chance to hide or play tricks.
The horde of demons surged into the campsite from all directions, ignoring the battle standard planted at the border.
Some of the tents were instantly shredded and destroyed.
Li Hongzhuang saw that it wasn't a sneak attack but rather Li Hao coming to support her, and her expression changed as she shouted, "Go back!"
With three great demons of the same realm attacking, she had to focus all her attention on them and had no spare capacity to protect Li Hao.
Without hesitation, she calmed her mind and turned her attention to the Chi Hu Jun, charging towards it first.
At the same time, amidst the horde of demons, several formidable figures with surging demonic energy rushed forward, heading straight for Li Hao.
A demon with coiled snake-like limbs and a humanoid form, now transformed into a pale-skinned, black-skirted woman with an enchanting gaze, spoke with a seductive smile:
"Little brother, you smell so delicious!"
"But you stink." Li Hao retorted.
The black-skirted enchantress's smile froze, and a booming laughter echoed from beside her. A burly and tall man strode towards Li Hao, declaring: "Then I shall be the first to taste you!"
The energy within him surged, forming the silhouette of a giant ape behind him, towering like a mountain.
Li Hao glanced at Li Hongzhuang and, without further ado, unleashed the power within him.
His meridians rumbled, and both his Yin and Yang meridians were instantly activated.
As he took a step forward, the entire campsite seemed to tremble beneath his feet.
"What?!"
The burly man's expression changed, his eyes widening in shock. "What is this?!"
In the next moment, Li Hao was upon him, his eyes cold as stars. With a half-step forward, he unleashed a fierce punch!
A howling gale seemed to extinguish all the wind on the battlefield! Then, with an explosive roar, his fist struck out.
The burly man was horrified. His body swelled, thick black hair sprouting all over as he attempted to reveal his true form. At the same time, he brought his palms together and slammed them towards Li Hao, shouting: "Quick, attack together! There's something wrong with him—"
A loud bang reverberated.
His palms shattered, blood and flesh splattering everywhere, and his massive body was instantly pierced through.
The invincible fist seemed to penetrate his body, leaving a gaping hole.
This Heavenly Man realm giant ape demon didn't even have time to reveal its true form before it was punched to death by Li Hao!
The enchanting smile on the black-skirted woman's face froze, and her pupils contracted, turning into snakelike slits.
The other demons' faces twisted in shock, and a demonic wind suddenly picked up as they all revealed their true forms, no longer daring to hide.
"What is this kid?!"
"A demon possessing a human body?!"
"Damn it, let's join forces and kill him!"
The demons revealed their ferocious faces, no longer daring to be careless or sluggish, and they all charged towards Li Hao.
The black-skirted enchantress transformed into a green-scaled viper, her body emitting a toxic mist that carried a putrid stench as she coiled towards Li Hao.
A many-eyed giant elk demon shot out a seven-colored divine light from its head, transforming into a flying sword that radiated divine light as it slashed towards Li Hao.
Another demon, a purple-eyed Mad Bull Demon, manifested blood-red eyes on its horns, focusing on Li Hao as if casting some sort of special demonic technique.
Faced with the attacks of several demons, Li Hao did not underestimate them. A cold light flashed in his eyes, and the broken sword in his hand fiercely cleaved through the air, releasing a sharp sword aura.
In the heavens and earth, fragrant flower petals seemed to fall, landing on the ground and sprouting blood-red seeds that grew into scarlet flowers.
As the petals fluttered, a massive and sharp sword aura suddenly slashed out.
In an instant, the distance between Li Hao and the three giant demons seemed to be severed, the sword aura reaching them in the blink of an eye!
Three splashes of blood sprayed, and with a thud, the many-eyed giant elk's head, adorned with majestic antlers, fell to the ground, cleanly severed.
At the same time, the sword aura swept horizontally, cutting the green-scaled viper's waist and abdomen into two segments.
The purple-eyed Mad Bull Demon's waist and abdomen were also directly sliced open, leaving a deep wound.
However, because the sword aura had already passed through two demons, its momentum weakened by the time it reached the third, and it only managed to create a deep gash instead of cutting through its body!
Despite this, the terrifying might displayed by the three giant demons in an instant collapsed.
The two segments of the green-scaled viper's body writhed and twisted violently, emitting painful hisses as it looked at Li Hao with sheer terror.
From the body of the many-eyed giant elk, a fragmented soul escaped, attempting to flee into the distance.
But a petal fell, instantly transforming into a sword aura that annihilated the soul!
"This isn't the Heavenly Man realm!"
"Run, this isn't something we can handle!"
The green-scaled viper's head and tail separated as they frantically slithered away in opposite directions.
The purple-eyed Mad Bull Demon's organs slid out, but it hurriedly used its power to push them back into its body. The madness in its eyes turned to fear and pain, and it turned to flee as well.
Li Hao's sword had sliced through three demons, and when he saw them trying to escape, he swiftly pursued, unwilling to let them go.
However, his movement technique was only at the second stage, so he wasn't very fast.
Fortunately, he still had one Art Technique point that he could use.
In the past, when Li Hao was in the Shen Jiang Fu, he hadn't needed to rely on movement techniques, but now, at the border, their importance became apparent.
Without hesitation, Li Hao chose to use his point.
Soon, his movement technique improved to the third stage.
A flood of information surged into his mind, and at the same time, the Bai Feng Xing Shen Fa advanced from its ultimate state to its true form!
Li Hao's figure took a step forward, and his body seemed to be adorned with feathered wings that enhanced his speed.
Chapter 125: Defeating the Undying (Catch-up 925)
The two Heavenly Human Realm demons were injured, and although they were running for their lives, Li Hao's sword was faster.
Using the other shore technique once more, petals paved the way for his pursuit.
In an instant, his sword aura tore through the Purple Eye Mad Bull demon's body, ripping its massive form apart.
Then, the sword aura took a sharp turn and blasted the head of the Green-scaled Viper demon.
Both great demons perished in that moment.
Despite being in the Heavenly Human Realm, they were no match for Li Hao, who defeated them in a single exchange.
Li Hao's gaze turned towards Li Hongzhuang, intending to provide reinforcement. The Li Hao of today was vastly different from when he had first stepped into the Heavenly Human Realm.
After these few days of cultivation, he had integrated numerous techniques into his Path of the Master of the Myriad Creations, forming the foundation for a new technique system.
However, at this moment, another powerful demon burst forth from the horde of monsters and demons.
Simultaneously, the camp was under assault from all sides as monsters crashed into the tents, shredding them to pieces.
Some of the demons even charged towards the graveyard.
Li Hao glanced at Li Hongzhuang, who was holding her ground against three Undying Realm great demons. Her extraordinary techniques displayed immense power, causing the three demons to hesitate in engaging directly.
From the looks of it, she could still hold on for a while.
Li Hao no longer held back and saw no need to conceal his strength. He unleashed the Heaven and Earth Dharma Form.
In an instant, a hundred-zhang-tall dharma form manifestation appeared, resembling a majestic deity descending upon the world.
Li Hongzhuang, who was in the midst of a fierce battle with the three great demons, was startled by this sudden and awe-inspiring presence. When she noticed its appearance, she was astonished.
Such a formidable soul form could only belong to someone at the Four Establishments Realm or above.
However, the appearance of this soul form resembled that of a young man.
Surprise flashed in Li Hongzhuang's eyes as she wondered about the soul refinement technique Li Hao had cultivated. How had he managed to refine his soul to such a terrifying extent?
At this moment, Li Hao's Heaven and Earth Dharma Form loomed over the camp. With a raise of its palm, it smote the horde of monsters and demons, instantly annihilating countless foes.
Facing this onslaught of monsters and demons, the most suitable technique to employ would be the Boundless Sea Sword Art—a wide-range group attack.
Alternatively, the Falling Snow Sword Art could also cover a large area.
However, both of these were Li family martial arts, and Li Hao had promised never to use them again.
He manipulated his dharma form, employing a self-created technique that integrated his understanding of the Path of the Master of the Myriad Creations.
Combining the Falling Snow Sword Art, the Yin-Yang Polar Sword, and the concept of rainfall, a new sword art was born—the Blizzard Sword Art.
Integrating two high-grade sword arts with rainfall, one of the myriad phenomena in nature, resulted in an unparalleled supreme technique.
Li Hao took the heaven and earth and all things as his teachers, and rainfall was one of the myriad things. The concept of rainfall complemented the Falling Snow Sword Art, and when combined with the illusory and substantial nature of the Yin-Yang Polar Sword, the killing moves in the blizzard became unpredictable.
Unfortunately, Li Hao did not have a divine sword in his hand at the moment, which diminished the power of his sword art to a certain extent.
Nonetheless, it was more than sufficient to annihilate these lesser monsters.
In an instant, the temperature in the area plummeted, and cold air spread, as if snowflakes were appearing, along with dew-like raindrops.
Then, a force swept them up, turning them into a storm that engulfed the horde of monsters and demons.
As the monsters and demons came into contact with the edges of the blizzard, their bodies were swiftly torn and shredded, and they were uncontrollably pulled into the vortex, completely pulverized.
What appeared to be snowflakes and wind blades were, in truth, countless sword auras forming a whirlpool.
Li Hao took a deep breath, and his meridians pulsed as he swung his sword three times.
Three blizzard vortexes ravaged the camp, claiming the lives of countless monsters and demons. The Heaven and Earth Dharma Form casually stomped and swatted, crushing numerous foes under its feet and palms, even those at the Fifteen-Li Realm. Those who dared to attack the dharma form were easily swatted away by its palm.
Li Hao stood in the camp like an invincible war god, manipulating sword auras with ease and slaying the monsters and demons one after another.
More and more monsters and demons threw themselves at him, but the casualties were heavy. Countless blood flowed, and limbs were scattered everywhere.
Li Hao held a broken longsword in his hand, standing firm and unmoving.
In his heart, he felt regret and emotion. It seemed that among his first six realms, only the Soul Continuation Realm had reached its pinnacle, allowing him to condense the Heaven and Earth Dharma Form.
In the other realms, he had yet to touch the limits.
Once all his meridians were fully opened, perhaps he could reach the limit of the Cyclic Heaven Realm, and who knew what divine wonders he would achieve then, including in the other realms as well.
"Divine Might!"
Seeing more monsters and demons rushing towards the graveyard, Li Hao's eyes flashed with anger, and he unleashed the power of the Heavenly Human Realm's Dharma Form Realm—the Divine Might.
The Heavenly Human Realm had three stages: Unification, Dharma Form, and Great Mastery.
Upon first entering the Heavenly Human Realm, one could not truly be considered a master yet. They could only integrate their techniques and understand the essence of their path.
The next step was to refine the soul, strengthen it into a Dharma Form, and master Divine Might, which could awe and shake thousands of troops.
Finally, there was the Great Mastery Realm, where one could face tens of thousands of enemies. At this stage, one could struggle even in the midst of a myriad army, but it would not last long. There was still a vast gap between this realm and the freedom of movement that came with the Three Undying Realms.
After his period of cultivation, Li Hao had progressed from the initial Unification Stage to the Great Mastery Realm.
Unrivaled against tens of thousands!
At this moment, he stood in the camp like a god of war, his dharma form unleashing relentless attacks and refining his Divine Might, striking fear into the hearts of the monsters and demons before the graveyard.
Then, he condensed his Divine Might into a sword, reminiscent of the Divine Might Blade that Li Tiangang had used when they fought.
Of course, the Divine Might condensed by the Three Undying was even more powerful than that of a master.
The strength of this Divine Might depended on the power of one's soul.
And Li Hao's Divine Might was unparalleled among his peers. As he roared, countless monsters and demons were terrified, their livers and gallbladders splitting with fear. The reckless charge they had been engaged in suddenly and abruptly slowed.
Although Li Hao was alone, with the assistance of the Heaven and Earth Dharma Form, he exuded an aura of overwhelming might, causing some of the demons in the back to calm down and feel a sense of fear, making them hesitate.
"Damn it!"
In the distance, the giant bird, Fei Peng, who was besieging Li Hongzhuang, saw that his subordinates were suffering heavy casualties. His eyes widened in anger, and he let out a frustrated scream towards the sky.
"Watch out!" Li Hongzhuang suddenly swung her sword at him.
Fei Peng hurriedly dodged, but his wing was still slashed by the attack. He was both shocked and furious. He said to Chi Hu Jun, "Hold her off for a while. I'll go and tear that damn kid to shreds!"
Chi Hu Jun wanted to keep him there but then thought that the iron lady seemed to care about that boy earlier. If Fei Peng went and killed him, it might distract her. So, he nodded and said, "Go, and come back quickly!"
"Three breaths!"
Fei Peng's figure darted out rapidly, intending to tear that damn boy to pieces within three breaths.
Li Hao was continuously pushing back and killing the horde of demons and monsters when he suddenly sensed a sound breaking through the air coming his way. He turned his head and saw that it was the black giant bird.
Instead of being alarmed, Li Hao was pleased because this meant that Li Hongzhuang's pressure would be relieved.
"I wonder how my current strength compares to the Three Undying?"
Li Hao stopped paying attention to the demons and monsters, and the Heaven and Earth Dharma Form behind him also turned to face the incoming black giant bird.
"Die!!"
Fei Peng roared and charged forward, unleashing his most ferocious attack. Black lightning shot out like thunderbolts, aiming to strike the boy down.
Li Hao's eyes turned solemn as he slowly took a step forward and unleashed another ultimate move that he had comprehended.
Combining the Half-step Invincible Fist, the Duan Jiang Sword Art, and the Meteor Context, he formed his own unique fist strike—Raging Star!
As Li Hao stepped forward, the qi circulation technique within his body rapidly contracted and revolved. In the blink of an eye, it reached seven revolutions.
The Seven Star Lantern attribute was triggered, causing his technique's power to double!
In conjunction with the amplifying effect of the Yin-Yang Double Blast, the might of his physical body alone reached a staggering 35 million jin!
At the same time, the ruthless sword intent of the sword art, combined with the power boost from the Invincible Fist and the pushing force of the Dharma Form, caused Li Hao's fist to reach its peak power.
With a howl, the night sky seemed to dim as the brilliant fist force tore through the night, erupting forth.
The air became distorted, and the extreme fist intent shot out like a falling star, carrying an invincible aura that illuminated the black giant bird's pupils.
"This, this is impossible!"
The black giant bird screamed, its claws waving as it released over a dozen black thunderbolts. However, in the face of this fist force, they were completely annihilated.
Subsequently, its body was engulfed by the fist shadow, and its massive form was smashed away by the Dharma Form's fist, causing it to cry out in agony. Its chest caved in and shattered, and its feathers fell off in a flurry.
With a swoosh, the black giant bird's body tumbled to the ground on Li Hongzhuang's side of the battlefield, its body soaked in blood and dust, looking pathetic.
Chi Hu Jun and the Six-Toothed Wasp Pig's pupils contracted, and they paled in shock. They almost got caught off guard by Li Hongzhuang's attack and were about to be split in half by her sword.
They quickly created distance and looked at the black giant bird.
Fei Peng had said he would be back in three breaths, but it had been much less than that. He had returned in just one breath, but he had been beaten back.
The two great demons stared in astonishment at the distant boy. There was no doubt that the boy had reached the Heavenly Human Realm, but... how could someone in the Heavenly Human Realm knock a great demon of the Three Undying Realms away in just one breath?!
Li Hongzhuang was frustrated that she couldn't take advantage of the situation, but when she saw Fei Peng on the ground, her eyes also showed shock. She couldn't help but divert some of her attention to Li Hao. Had he been the one who made that earlier move?
At this moment, Fei Peng, who was lying on the ground, climbed to his feet. Blood and broken internal organs were spat out from his beak, and his eyes revealed shock, anger, and fear as he looked at the boy. That fist's power had made him sense the feeling of impending death, filling him with dread.
"Run!"
Fei Peng dared not stay any longer. Demons valued their lives, and it was not worth fighting to the death against these humans, especially when they weren't sure if there were any other humans hiding in ambush.
Today's attack had been mainly to test their defenses, and if they could kill Li Hongzhuang in the process, it would have been a bonus.
But that boy was too unpredictable, and it made Fei Peng feel uneasy.
For Fei Peng, shouting a warning was already going beyond what was necessary. As he finished speaking, he spread his wings and took to the air, speeding away into the distance.
Chi Hu Jun and the Six-Toothed Wasp Pig's expressions changed slightly. With Fei Peng gone, they knew they would be at a disadvantage in a two-on-two fight. Earlier, with three against one, they might have been able to wear Li Hongzhuang down and eventually kill her. But now, without Fei Peng, it was impossible.
The two demons hesitated for only a moment before quickly turning to flee as well.
They had attacked this place multiple times before, and whenever they couldn't take it down, they would simply retreat.
Li Hongzhuang swung her sword and gave chase, but the two great demons were incredibly fast. At the same time, the horde of demons and monsters rushed forward to block her, acting as meat shields. Although they couldn't threaten Li Hongzhuang, they managed to slow down her pursuit.
"You stay here and watch. I'll go after them," Li Hao said to Li Hongzhuang without giving her a chance to stomp her feet in frustration. He then rushed out and took to the skies, chasing after the two escaping great demons.
Li Hongzhuang froze, and her expression changed drastically.