Chapter 212: Passing Through the River of Death
"Haoer, what, what are you saying?"
Li Xiaoran's body trembled as he heard Li Hao's whisper, and he saw the power from all directions converging, frantically squeezing towards Li Hao's body.
The force gathered into a storm, isolating him, and the mere gathering of power made him feel unreachable.
At the center of this vortex of power, Li Hao's body shone with a golden radiance, and the hair that had turned black earlier now turned silver-white again, root by root.
From black to snow-white, as if his vitality was also fading.
Li Xiaoran was stunned, feeling as if all the blood in his body had frozen. He guessed what Li Hao was about to do.
He opened his mouth slightly, wanting to shout and stop him, but when the words reached his lips, he couldn't utter a single sound.
Was there any other hope?
None.
He couldn't help but shed tears. After so many years of effort and no hope, it would ultimately fall to a child to risk his life!
He looked at Li Tianzong, who was striding over like a devil, and said sadly, "Big brother, please wake up. Your grandson is here to take you home!"
Boom!
The response was Li Tianzong's sudden raised fist, like a black meteorite emitting dense smoke, viciously smashing towards the two of them.
At the same time, the demons and monsters around them rushed forward like a tidal wave, madly charging at them even though they would be affected by the fist's momentum.
Li Xiaoran suddenly realized that the current situation had been interfered with by the River of Death. What they were facing now was not the demons or Li Tianzong, but this very river!
The River of Death intended to use the hands of these numerous demons and Li Tianzong to keep the living here, accompanying the deceased in their eternal sleep!
Under the whistling fist force was a brilliant azure sword glow, forcibly halting the huge fist in its tracks.
But it only paused slightly before smashing down again.
Li Hao's body was surrounded by a swirling aura, and his scarlet-golden divine body, which had entered the divine power state, was constantly shattering at this moment, with the transformation into a fairy exceeding the eighty percent critical point.
And his aura continued to rise, as if rushing towards the abyss of death.
However, Li Hao's expression calmed at this moment. The Qing Shuang Sword in his hand whistled out a sharp cry, once again cleaving onto the fist.
The sword spirit within the sword wailed and roared, finally barely deflecting the hand.
Li Tianzong's body paused, his eyes bloodshot and red as he roared, "All soldiers, follow me and kill! Kill our way out!"
He seemed to regard this place as the former battlefield of Dragon City, mistaking Li Hao in front of him for a demon, and intended to lead all the soldiers through this deathly challenge.
Li Hao didn't speak. The Qing Shuang Sword dancing in mid-air was like ice cracking, releasing a vast river of sword energy that swept through the surroundings, guarding Li Xiaoran's body within it and slashing towards the demons and the abnormal soldiers.
Perhaps, the real way to pass through the River of Death was to assist Dragon City and the demons in a mutual slaughter during the ten days of defending the city. Under the premise of ensuring that the formation doesn't break, let the soldiers of Dragon City also be consumed to a bare minimum. Only then, in this abnormal stage, there would be hope to hold on by themselves and resolve everything.
This was a rare and valuable piece of information, but whether it could be taken out was unknown.
The river of sword energy cleared the demons around Li Xiaoran, and Li Hao looked at Li Tianzong, who had already unleashed his Domain of the Great Path.
"Fourth Uncle, take care of yourself and try to stay alive. I'll see if I can fight for a glimmer of life for you!"
Li Hao said in a low voice.
This was also to repay Li Xiaoran for his help in the River of Death.
And the glimmer of life he wanted to fight for was to defeat Li Tianzong and kill all the demons, so that the River of Death would end, and Li Xiaoran could leave.
But to do that, he had to reach the limit of his transformation into a fairy, and even then, he would only have a slim chance.
Li Hao himself was not sure.
As he spoke, he soared into the sky, as if gathering the momentum of the four directions of the world, and ruthlessly punched towards Li Tianzong, intending to halt his body and block the battlefield in front of him to avoid affecting Li Xiaoran.
Boom!!
Li Tianzong also raised his fist and smashed it down, like a collision between heaven and earth. The terrifying shockwave caused the demons within a dozen miles to faint and die.
Li Hao's body was rapidly shattering and then rapidly regenerating, his blood-soaked body resembling a blood man.
Li Tianzong's Domain of the Great Path unfolded, and with a single thought, it instantly extended to four or five miles, enveloping Li Hao's body within it, not even giving him a chance to escape. This was the true speed of a Domain of the Great Path at the Peaceful View Realm.
At this moment, multiple rules appeared within the domain, not just one. There were other rules mastered by the Demon Kings at the Peaceful View Realm, and they were all superimposed and fused at this moment.
Several strands of rule power pressed down forcefully, causing Li Hao's body to shred like silk being pulled from a cocoon at extreme speed.
But thankfully, his body had reached the strength of a Nine-Cast Divine Soldier, barely able to hold on for a moment.
Taking advantage of this brief moment, Li Hao's body shifted, and numerous movement techniques were driven to their limits, allowing him to withdraw from the range of the domain in an instant.
As soon as he retreated from the domain, the rate of shattering slowed down.
However, Li Tianzong seemed to have locked onto Li Hao and pursued him with large strides.
As Li Hao's body retreated, he soared into the sky at extreme speed, creating distance while drawing upon more power from the heavens and earth.
His body tore and shattered again, giving a feeling of imminent disintegration.
When his transformation into a fairy exceeded ninety percent, Li Hao's flesh had already disintegrated, exposing his organs, looking incredibly miserable as if he had crawled out of a blood pool.
But Li Hao's absorption didn't stop, continuing to push towards the limit.
The power between heaven and earth squeezed even more frantically, and by this moment, it could no longer be suppressed, with everything rushing towards that limit of destroying everything.
Soon, Li Hao's transformation into a fairy reached ninety-nine percent.
His flesh and blood fell off, and the organs in his chest cavity also dropped out, leaving behind a incomplete shell of a body that could no longer bear the strain.
According to Li Hao's previous feeling at the Heaven's Mandate Realm, if he were to completely transform into a fairy, his consciousness might only be able to persist for an instant before being annihilated.
That would be the most extreme moment.
But now, his physique had strengthened by dozens of times compared to the Heaven's Mandate Realm, and even in the most extreme case, he could barely maintain his consciousness for a few breaths.
Boom!
Li Hao's body completely fused with the heavens and the earth, reaching the limit of his transformation into a fairy.
The countless roars and howls of the demons and monsters within Dragon City all faded away.
It was as if his sense of hearing had been damaged, his body falling into a vast lake, and then, his consciousness, like a spider's web, connected to every part of the lake.
He himself had become one with the heavens and earth!
The Sage realm had three levels: seeing oneself, seeing the heavens and earth, and seeing all living beings.
At this moment, Li Hao seemed to have truly 'seen the heavens and earth'.
He suddenly realized where his path of seeking the Dao should lead him.
But at this moment, he had no opportunity or time to refine his heart and cultivate his Dao heart.
Perhaps he would never have another chance.
An unimaginable power connected to his consciousness, and at this moment, Li Hao became the master of this vast realm.
He felt the boundless and mighty power coursing through his body, clashing and destroying with wild abandon.
He had never been so powerful, and yet so vulnerable!
His life was about to end.
All of this happened and concluded in an instant. Li Hao's consciousness shifted from the heavens and earth back to his body, and he watched as it crumbled and perished. A calm gaze in his eyes, a sharp killing intent emerged, and suddenly, an indomitable force was unleashed!
In an instant, his crumbling body began to slowly heal and regenerate!
A powerful self-healing force, like the revival of all things, caused new flesh and blood to grow, filling and replenishing his body, which had been like an empty shell, making it whole again.
His physical body was strong, comparable to a Nine-Cast Divine Soldier, and being in the divine power state further enhanced his self-healing abilities. Combined with the indomitable force at this moment, he was finally able to withstand the destruction brought about by his transformation into a fairy.
As his body condensed, it also shattered, but it appeared to be in a state of continuous condensation.
The destructive force of his limit-breaking transformation into a fairy didn't stop, it just seemed to have paused.
In the blink of an eye, his body underwent dozens of cycles of shattering and regeneration, his flesh and blood constantly refining and condensing to an even more extreme level.
However, when the indomitable force faded, Li Hao's life would also come to an end, completely transforming into a fairy, and disappearing from this world!
And the duration of the indomitable force was only three minutes.
A vast and overwhelming demonic might swept forward, and Li Tianzong, his eyes bloodshot, roared, "You can't stop me!"
Li Hao looked up, his eyes meeting the fierce, bloodshot gaze of Li Tianzong. His face was contorted with rage, and his eyes seemed filled with deep hatred and killing intent, devoid of his previous gentleness.
But Li Hao knew that the Li Tianzong before him was not the same person he had known before.
Unperturbed, Li Hao's eyes remained calm as he tightened his grip on the sword in his hand, feeling his body constantly crumbling and regenerating, enduring the tearing pain. He spoke softly, "I won't stop you, I'm just showing you the way."
The Qing Shuang Sword in his palm seemed to sense its master's state of mind, and it suddenly erupted with dazzling azure light, cutting through the demon aura that had darkened the sky and leaving a trail of azure light in its wake.
Vast sword intent converged in Li Hao's palm, and cracks began to appear on the body of the Nine-Cast Divine Sword, as if it would shatter at any moment under the influx of the immense power of the heavens and earth channeled by Li Hao.
Li Hao did not retreat but instead charged directly towards Li Tianzong.
His body entered the Domain of the Great Path, but it was as if he was walking on lotuses, effortlessly pushing away the rules and power field of the domain, preventing it from getting close!
His blood-soaked figure seemed like a drifting immortal, gracefully stepping through Li Tianzong's domain. The sword glowed like a rainbow, and he gently slashed downward.
But this seemingly gentle sword strike carried with it a thunderous silver-white radiance, effortlessly slicing through the domain and striking towards Li Tianzong's body.
Li Tianzong seemed to sense the impending danger and looked up sharply, his bloodshot eyes glaring at the dazzling sword radiance. He roared, and the bodies of several Demon Kings emerged from his body, their heads formed from condensed demon aura, as they roared:
"Stop him!"
ROAR!
Li Tianzong roared, raising his hand and summoning a long spear from the space between heaven and earth.
The spear's body was like dark black iron, with spiraling dragon patterns coiling around it. As he gripped it, heavenly flames ignited, and he thrust the spear towards the sword radiance.
A loud bang reverberated as the sword intent pressed down, causing the heavens and earth to tremble.
The power that surpassed the Dao realm tore through, shaking the buildings and demons within a ten-mile radius, reducing them to rubble.
Li Tianzong roared towards the heavens, but the long spear was forced back. His aura became violent, and the Demon Kings also revealed ferocious expressions, shouting:
"It's useless! You can't escape!"
BANG!
The long spear was knocked aside, and the sword radiance pierced through, slicing directly into the ground.
The entire Dragon City shook violently, as if a magnitude ten earthquake had struck.
Half of Li Tianzong's body was slashed by the sword radiance, and blood sprayed from the wound.
From his shoulder to his thigh, a deep sword mark was left.
The Demon Kings on his body roared and quickly channeled their demon aura to repair and pull the torn flesh back together.
Li Hao saw this, his eyes calm and unblinking. At this moment, his strength was something only he could truly comprehend. He had become the master of this realm, akin to a true immortal!
He raised his hand, and endless power rushed towards him from all directions, condensing into countless sword auras that overlapped and transformed into three silver-white sword rays, instantly reaching Li Tianzong and striking him.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye, and the amount of power he could wield was beyond imagination.
Immortals could control the wind and rain and were capable of anything.
At this moment, Li Hao commanded the power of the heavens and earth, and with the might of this realm, he could achieve such feats.
No matter how strong the Domain of the Great Path was, it could not truly destroy the heavens and earth or shatter the void. Therefore, Li Hao could not be trapped or destroyed by the domain!
BOOM!
Three consecutive sword lights broke through the Domain of the Great Path, ignoring its rules, and struck Li Tianzong's body, severing his arms and ripping open his chest, revealing even more demon aura within.
In the distance, Zhu Huoshen and Yin Furen stealthily approached, intending to deliver a final blow to Li Hao. But upon witnessing this terrifying scene, they were both shocked.
Li Tianzong, who had condensed multiple Domains of the Great Path, was being overwhelmed by the white-haired Li Hao before them!
"What has he done? How is this possible?"
Yin Furen's eyes widened in disbelief.
He muttered, his heart shaken to its core, unable to describe the feeling.
Li Tianzong's massive body staggered backward, severely wounded by Li Hao's sword aura, spraying blood everywhere.
But his eyes shone with an even more piercing red light, and he roared fiercely. Just as the heads of the Demon Kings on his body were about to roar and threaten Li Hao, they suddenly changed color as if something was drawing them in.
"Damn it..."
Before the Demon Kings could roar, they retracted into Li Tianzong's body, as if pulled in by a force.
Then, Li Tianzong's body emanated an even denser demonic aura, and his wounds quickly healed as his severed limbs regenerated.
"Those who stand in my way shall die!"
His eyes seemed to weep blood as he bellowed, and behind him, several silhouettes of Demon Kings appeared, adding to his terrifying aura. His Domain shrank and condensed onto the long spear, piercing through the air towards Li Hao.
This spear thrust seemed to tear through the heavens, with the might to rip apart the sky above Dragon City.
Li Hao also raised his hand, unleashing his most potent swordsmanship, the Sword Extremes Cycle of Reincarnation! Spring and Autumn, Winter and Summer, encompassing dozens of sword techniques and the essence of swordsmanship, all condensed into the four seasons.
Finally, as the seasons turned, it transformed into a pitch-black sword radiance.
This sword radiance seemed like the night, capable of devouring everything in its path and shrouding all in darkness.
It contained a terrifying destructive force, colliding fiercely with the long spear.
A violent shockwave reverberated, tearing Li Tianzong's flesh and blood, shattering his demonic body. He even burned his meridians and soul, unleashing immense power.
Li Hao's body also bled, constantly crumbling as he had drawn upon immense power to forge his strongest sword strike. The Undying Force couldn't keep up, and what should have lasted three minutes was now halved.
Li Hao knew his time was running out.
Seeing Li Tianzong charging at him like a madman, he fearlessly engaged in close combat.
The two clashed in mid-air, their fists colliding and creating terrifying shockwaves.
"Soldiers, charge with me!"
Li Tianzong roared again, and all the aberrant soldiers in the city turned into black smoke, drifting towards his body to merge with him.
Li Hao's expression changed as he witnessed this. Even in his Fairy Transformation state, he wasn't sure if he could withstand their combined might.
Why was he so obsessed?
Li Hao looked into those fierce, crimson eyes and sighed softly.
He wanted to look at this world a little longer, even if it was all an illusion.
But he knew he was running out of time.
"I will send you home..."
Li Hao raised his hand, and the Qing Shuang Sword shattered, but he manipulated his power to fuse the fragments together, forming a broken sword blade. With this, he swung out once more, channeling his most potent sword intent.
Three consecutive sword strikes—one towards the demons and aberrant soldiers within the city, and the other two towards Li Tianzong.
His demonic aura was dispersed, and his body exploded, his chest cavity ripped open.
Exerting such immense power caused Li Hao's flesh and blood to crumble even faster, and the fused Qing Shuang Sword also shattered into pieces. He had no choice but to charge forward, his fists raining down relentlessly.
Bang, bang, bang!
His fists pounded Li Tianzong's massive demonic body, leaving countless holes, and countless streams of demonic energy rippled out from within.
Li Tianzong roared and howled, but his body was completely suppressed by Li Hao.
It seemed to finally dawn on him that he had failed.
"I want to go home... I want to take all of you home..."
He wailed like a wounded beast, tears of blood flowing from his eyes, reflecting the despair he had felt when Dragon City fell.
Bang!
Li Hao's final punch struck, shattering the demonic energy in Li Tianzong's body. The hundred-foot-tall demonic form disappeared, and he fell straight down towards the city.
At this moment, Li Hao's body underwent a terrifying transformation. His chest and abdomen were devoid of flesh and blood, leaving only a fragile shell.
Even the Undying Force couldn't keep up with the destruction, and it was almost depleted.
Li Hao turned his head to look at the city and suddenly raised his hand, drawing upon all the power of the heavens and earth and unleashing a devastating strike.
A sword aura, like ripples, emanated from his side, rapidly spreading and destroying everything in its path. Demons, aberrant soldiers, and even some Immortal Beings and Demon Kings were wiped out without a sound.
The Candlelight God tried to escape, but the power came too swiftly. He used his Domain to block, roaring in defiance, but his body was engulfed.
"Hao'er!"
Li Xiaoran rushed over from a distance, only to see Li Hao's body dissipating like dust.
Li Tianzong climbed out of the deep pit, his hair disheveled, but his body no longer emanated any demonic aura or black qi. The crimson in his eyes had also faded away.
He looked around, and when his gaze fell upon the dissipating figure of Li Hao, his pupils contracted, and he rushed over.
"Child!"
He rushed forward like a rainbow, reaching Li Hao and looking at his fading body, his whole body trembling.
"How could you do something so foolish?"
Li Hao felt his consciousness being pulled by the power of the heavens and earth, about to dissipate. Seeing Li Tianzong, who seemed to have regained his senses, he smiled faintly.
"Now, you should be able to go home..."
Beside them, golden font characters appeared, informing Li Hao that he had completed the main quest.
Had he passed?
Li Hao wanted to take a closer look, but his vision was already blurry, and everything seemed to be drifting away. He felt himself being pulled into the vast heavens and earth, completely merging with them.
"If I've passed, then I should be liberated, right...?"
Li Hao murmured.
His body turned to dust, dissipating before Li Tianzong and Li Xiaoran's eyes.
Li Xiaoran, who had rushed over, was also covered in the blood of demons. He watched as Li Hao vanished like a wisp of breeze, completely ceasing to exist, and stood there, stunned.
The boy's final words, whispered like silk, echoed in his ears, and he couldn't help but break down in tears.
Passing through the River of Death meant that Li Tianzong would be liberated.
But Li Hao couldn't return...!