Eternal Name

Chapter 269: Right and Wrong, Let the World Judge

Lin Wujing bowed slightly and said, "Buddha Lord, he's very stubborn. His flesh has already rotted under the burning of the Ten Directions Karma Fire, but he still refuses to reveal anything. He stayed at Heavenly Gate Pass for a long time and has a close relationship with the Li Family's Fist Saint. I suspect he might have given the item to the Li Family."

"The Li Family..."

The Buddha Lord's eyes seemed to contain golden wheels and bright moons, like a galaxy condensed, brilliant and profound, "If the Li Family obtained this sacred object, they wouldn't have burned their souls to summon their ancestors for this initial attack on Qingzhou."

Lin Wujing's eyes flickered. "Is it possible that they consider this object a treasure, surpassing even their ancestral souls? After all, this is something left behind by the Saint. If they could glean even a little insight, they could also comprehend the Dao..."

"If it weren't for that young man, Li Qianfeng would have been my disciple for ten years. He could have descended the mountain to claim the True Dragon position, spreading the incense of my Buddhist teachings throughout the states guarded by the Li Family, converting the world."

The Buddha Lord sighed lightly, "But everything was shattered by that demonic star. When Li Junye perished, a shooting star fell, and a demonic star rose. This is a calamity for our Great Yu Empire..."

Lin Wujing narrowed his eyes, remaining silent for a moment before saying, "If the sacred object isn't with the Li Family, it's most likely at Heavenly Gate Pass. But after that demonic star's avatar dissipated, I investigated Heavenly Gate Pass, and I didn't find the sacred object. Unless it's on that demonic star himself."

"The thief colluded with the demonic star. The Divine General's Mansion's glory has faded, demons surround us. Before the great calamity arrives, we must retrieve that sacred object. Only then can my Buddhist teachings descend and save the world."

The Buddha Lord said.

Lin Wujing nodded slightly, "I'll go and try to convert him again."

After bidding farewell to the Buddha Lord, Lin Wujing left the Buddha Lord's spiritual realm and then went to a secret location in the mountains.

This place was behind Wuliang Mountain. A winding path extended, leading into a cave. The cave was dimly lit. Following the damp stone slabs straight down, one could hear the sound of water dripping and eroding the stone.

When he reached the deepest part, it was a dungeon, with the sound of iron chains and intense heat.

He saw a figure, his clothes tattered, bound by chains in a pool of lava-like fire. His hands were bound by chains, and his feet were also wrapped in chains, with an extremely heavy Xuan Heavy Iron Ball attached to the end of the chains.

His leg muscles were pulled by the chains, his skin torn, and his arms were the same. His hair was disheveled.

In the lava pool below, crimson figures, like snakes, swam back and forth. Occasionally, the lava flames would rise and splash onto his body, burning white mist and craters into his flesh.

Seeing Lin Wujing approach with a halo of Buddhist light, a crimson dragon, the largest in the lava pool, with dense scales, slithered out. It spoke in a delicate, feminine voice,

"Greetings to the Bodhisattva."

Its body prostrated itself before Lin Wujing, its voice sweet and melodious.

Lin Wujing's expression was indifferent. He looked at the figure in chains, being roasted, and said,

"Still refusing to confess? Even the Ten Directions Karma Fire cannot convert you. Do you know how grave your sins are?"

The chains rattled slightly, and the disheveled figure raised his head slightly, revealing bright, mocking eyes,

"Don't waste your efforts. You'll never get that thing!"

"The Buddha Lord promised that if you are willing to return it, he will allow you to enter my Wuliang Mountain, convert to Buddhism, and help you eliminate your karma!"

Lin Wujing said coldly, "You are a lone wolf, wandering the world, committing countless foolish mistakes in your youth. It's not too late to turn back now. With the Buddha Lord's intervention, even the emperor will give you some face. He will erase all your past sins, allow you to enter the empty realm, and you will no longer be a mortal!"

"Haha..."

"If I wanted to be an official, why wait until now? If I wanted to be a general, I would already be a First-Rank Marquis!"

The figure in chains laughed loudly, "Have you ever heard the saying, 'Fame and fortune are all dust, wealth and glory are but fleeting clouds'? You baldheads, you're all so sanctimonious. Isn't it all for that bit of incense? You say your Buddhist teachings don't strive for anything, but you're fiercely competitive when it comes to incense.

"You say your Buddhist teachings convert the world. Without incense money, who would care about the common people's hearts?

"Building golden bodies for the Buddha, leaving corpses on the streets. I spit!"

Hearing his insults, Lin Wujing sneered slightly, "The Buddhist teachings convert the world. That is the Dao! The suffering you see, isn't it because they are bound by karma fire and seeking suffering themselves? It's their destined劫. You're a mortal with mortal eyes, unable to see through the illusions of the world. I don't blame you, but now you have the chance to escape the sea of suffering, but you don't cherish it. What's the difference between you and those ordinary mortals?"

"I am an ordinary mortal. Why should I be different?"

The figure in chains scoffed, "Your teachings are fine for deceiving those young men with weak minds, but don't bother trying them on me. At this age, we all know what the world is like. If I could still be swayed by you, then I would have lived in vain!"

Lin Wujing's face turned cold. "A mere thief, yet you claim to have seen through the world. It's laughable. If you don't want to be an official or a general, if you don't like fame and fortune, then why do you steal everywhere?"

"Taking other people's treasures, harming others to benefit yourself. There are countless paths in the world, but you choose the most despicable one. And you look down on the world with an arrogant attitude. This isn't becoming a demon, what is it?!"

The figure in chains laughed loudly, "I like to steal, I like to rob. So what? The world is like this. It's just that some people succeed in robbing and become emperors, while others fail and become bandits and thieves.

"My whole life, I've lived it in a way I like. You see me as a thief, I see you as whores!

"Right and wrong, let the world judge. What do I have to fear?!"

Lin Wujing took a deep breath and said, "I already know that your demonic nature is deep-rooted. You can't be converted unless you're reborn. You colluded with the Divine General's Mansion, trying to find a safe haven for yourself in case something happened to you in the future. But you were wrong. The Divine General's Mansion is now struggling to survive. They won't harm their ancestors' thousand-year glory for a mere thief like you, someone with a tarnished reputation!"

The figure in chains' laughter stopped abruptly. He narrowed his eyes and said, "Something happened to the Li Family?"

Lin Wujing sneered, "You're struggling to survive yourself. You still have the energy to worry about them? Don't act so concerned in front of me. There are no Li Family members here. Li Qianfeng is my Buddha Lord's direct disciple. If he knew you existed, he would consider you a disgrace to the Divine General's Mansion and be the first to kill you!"

The figure in chains' eyes flickered. He didn't ask any further.

He knew the other party wouldn't answer.

"You may be a thief, but your taste is good. You stole good things. You saw that the Divine General's Mansion's demonic child has extraordinary talent and approached him. But what's the point? Since the battle of Liangzhou ended, he has been ennobled as a Third-Rank Duke and promoted to Great General of Liangzhou, a First-Rank official!"

Lin Wujing sneered, "At such a young age, he's reached the pinnacle of power. In the future, when the emperor passes the throne, he might even consider his opinions. Such a person, with glory for generations, do you think he'll abandon his fame and fortune to plead for you?"

The figure in chains froze, then chuckled softly, "Not bad. Reaching the pinnacle of power. Truly worthy of him..."

"You just need to hand over the sacred object, and you'll be freed immediately. Don't be so stubborn. No one will come to save you!"

Lin Wujing roared angrily.

The figure in chains raised his head and glanced at him, chuckling softly, "I don't need them to save me. It's just death. I've already experienced the world's beauty. I've tasted the finest wine and the most beautiful people in this world. What does death matter?"

"You call him a demonic child. Haha, you better not let me escape. Otherwise, I'll let the world know who the true master of the Ancient Demon Palace is!"

Lin Wujing's face changed slightly. His eyes were cold, "Burn, burn him!"

In the lava, flames surged, and large patches of fire scorched and splashed onto the figure in chains. His flesh burned, and the flames scorched his body.

But he didn't cry out in pain. Instead, bursts of laughter echoed.

Lin Wujing's eyes were icy. He knew this old bone was stubborn. He wouldn't give in unless he was in excruciating pain.

...

...

In Qingzhou City.

After leaving the Divine General's Mansion, Li Hao went for a walk on the streets, buying some fragrant pastries for Xiyan, Zhuohuo Shen, and himself.

Then, he went to the mountains to visit his old friends.

In the main hall of the Tan Palace, he sipped a pot of tea with Song Yufeng

By the side of the Azure Pool, he grilled some food for Song Qiumei.

He also played a few games of chess with Shen Yunqing and the others.

Many Tan Palace disciples came to visit and ask for guidance, and Li Hao answered casually. In the eyes of the White Palace disciples, Li Hao was still their Tan Palace teacher.

Li Hao was quite satisfied with this trip to Qingzhou. He had eaten well, drunk well, and visited his old friends. As he was leaving, he didn't ask anyone to see him off. He only bid farewell to Song Qiumei before quietly departing.

As he passed by the bustling brothel, he saw that the plaque at the entrance still had the two lines of poetry he had casually recited when he had gotten drunk.

The youthful spirit in the poetry made Li Hao smile slightly. He didn't linger, taking to the air.

As he flew out of the city, not far away, Li Hao's gaze suddenly fell upon the official road. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he descended.

He landed not far from the official road, then walked towards it with Zhuohuo Shen.

He saw a tea stall ahead. On the table, an old man was busy cleaning up, washing the used bowls and chopsticks, wiping the remnants of food from the table.

Under a tent beside the tea stall, three horses were tied up, and two young men and a middle-aged man were drinking tea.

"Sir, would you like some tea? My tea is cheap, and my steamed buns are delicious."

The tea stall owner saw Li Hao approaching and greeted him.

The other three also looked at Li Hao. When they saw Zhuohuo Shen, who had transformed into a young man behind Li Hao, his aura subdued but his demeanor cold and imposing, they quickly averted their gaze.

They knew that when traveling the world, one should not offend those who looked like they were not to be trifled with.

Li Hao's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the tea stall owner. "I'm familiar with the road to Qingzhou. Why have I never seen this tea stall before?"

"That's an interesting observation, sir. Just because you haven't seen it before doesn't mean it wasn't here." The tea stall owner laughed.

"When did you come here, owner?"

Li Hao sat down at a table and chair.

"Just a few days ago."

The tea stall owner laughed, "I used to be in Liangzhou, but these days, my granddaughter also wanted to help me. Since the journey was long, we came back here."

As he spoke, a girl stood up from behind the stacked steamer baskets. She wore blue-green clothes, like a summer blue butterfly. She had been bending over, seemingly searching for something.

"Grandpa, I can't find the paper for the buns."

"Look under the basket."

The tea stall owner turned his head and said, then smiled at Li Hao, "Sir, what would you like? Two baskets?"

"Mm."

Li Hao looked at him intently, then at the girl. He saw her bend over again, finding the oil paper for the buns, a smile on her face.

When she noticed his gaze, she also looked at Li Hao. Her eyes were bright, like moonlight shining on a spring, her skin white and translucent, her nose small and delicate, with a sense of liveliness and intelligence.

She stood there, exuding an air of nobility that was completely different from the dilapidated tea stall. She seemed like a young lady from a noble family, but her smile was kind, with a touch of the casualness of a girl next door.

"Alright."

As their eyes met, Li Hao felt as if he had been seen through, a strange feeling in his heart. He withdrew his gaze and nodded.

He had encountered this tea stall owner in Liangzhou before. The other party had said that business was good in Liangzhou, and Li Hao hadn't investigated further, so he had let it go.

Now, he had encountered him again in Qingzhou. Even if Li Hao was numb to the world, he could sense something was amiss. But what surprised him was that, although he hadn't investigated carefully, even with a subtle and hidden sense, he couldn't detect any aura from the other party.

The same was true for the girl.

But compared to the tea stall owner, the girl's attire was much more casual. Her clothes, though not luxurious, were not shabby either. The color scheme and her aura, even if she were wearing rough linen, would be like a snow lotus in the world, fresh and elegant, attracting attention at a glance.

She couldn't be the daughter of a rural farmer. After all, how could her skin be so white and delicate after being exposed to the sun and wind?

"Old man, this tea is refreshing. It's quite good."

Li Hao said as he poured himself a cup and sipped it.

The tea stall owner chuckled, "It's made with clean spring water, so it's naturally fragrant."

He seemed to emphasize the word "clean" slightly.

Li Hao's eyes flickered slightly. The old man had no demonic aura or killing intent. Although he was strange, he didn't seem like a bad person.

Forget it... He didn't want to delve too deeply. When traveling the world, not everything needed to be investigated thoroughly.

That would be too tiring.

As the tea stall owner returned to his stall to knead dough and make steamed buns, the girl in blue-green clothes walked towards Li Hao's table with a confident yet slightly lively gait.

She had a natural and comfortable smile on her face. "Sir, weren't you afraid of the demons gathering in Qingzhou City before?"

"If you weren't afraid, why would I be?" Li Hao glanced at her and continued to sip his tea.

"We were afraid too. It's only because the demons have all been eliminated that we dared to set up our stall." The girl laughed.

"The demons were just eliminated, and you dare to set up a stall. That's pretty bold."

"Grandpa said, 'Fortune favors the bold.' To do business, you have to compete with heaven, earth, and people. You can't be timid."

"That's quite a philosophy."

"Of course."

The girl raised her white, delicate finger and pointed to the sky, "You have to observe the timing. If it's windy or rainy, you'll lose money. You also have to watch out for people. Even though it's a small business, as long as there's profit, people will fight for it. Isn't that right?"

"That's not bad."

Li Hao finished his cup of tea and nodded in agreement.

But what kind of heaven, people, and profit she was talking about was debatable.

After a few casual exchanges, the awkwardness at the tea table seemed to dissipate. The girl smiled and asked,

"My name is Ying Xiaoxiao. Ying is for 'responding to the times', and Xiao is for 'unfettered'. What's your name?"

"You can call me Haotian."

Li Hao looked at her intently.

This was a test of her reaction.

If it were an ordinary person, he would have simply made up a name to get by.

The girl heard Li Hao's name but didn't react much. She simply continued, "Then what's your surname?"

"I don't have a surname."

"How can someone not have a surname?" Ying Xiaoxiao laughed.

Seeing her natural expression and calm eyes, Li Hao also smiled slightly and said,

"Even without a surname, I can still live a good life."

If he had to say a surname, he could also say Li. But that was his surname in his previous life. Since he had died in his previous life and transmigrated here, he had bid farewell to his past life.

Born in this world, he would use the name of this world.

Hearing Li Hao's words, Ying Xiaoxiao was slightly stunned. The smile on her face gradually faded.

"The steamed buns are ready. Be careful, they're hot."

At this moment, the tea stall owner brought over the steamed buns, steaming hot.

"Try them. My grandpa's cooking is very good."

Ying Xiaoxiao immediately said, her bright eyes filled with anticipation, as if waiting for Li Hao's evaluation after he tasted them.

Li Hao smiled, "I've already experienced it."

He picked up chopsticks from the chopstick holder, tapped them together on the table to align them, and then began to eat. "The taste hasn't changed. It's good."

"As long as the customer likes it."

The tea stall owner laughed.

Li Hao nodded, eating the buns and drinking tea.

He ordered a basket for Zhuohuo Shen and asked the owner to pack him one to take back for Xiyan to try.

After he finished eating and drinking, he looked at the girl who had been sitting across from him, observing him. He stood up, leaving a few silver coins on the table, and said, "May we meet again. I hope I can eat these delicious buns again."

The tea stall owner took the silver coins, wiped the table with a cloth, and said with a smile, "Sir, you can come back anytime."

Li Hao smiled and waved goodbye, then walked along the official road.

The other three at the tea stall had also finished eating and left on horseback, heading towards Qingzhou City.

Only the grandfather and granddaughter remained at the tea stall. The tea stall owner looked at the direction Li Hao had left, sighing lightly, "He's a young hero. I didn't expect such a monstrous talent to emerge from this place with such thin divine power..."

"Otherwise, how could he have received the favor of a Saint Realm cultivator? He has a Saint's mark on him."

Ying Xiaoxiao looked intently, whispering.

The tea stall owner was slightly stunned. He couldn't help but look again, then shook his head and sighed, "I don't know what's going on. This young man looks very similar to a child from before. That child was also a monster, but he seemed a little weaker than this one. His name seems to be the same, but strangely, his aura and appearance have completely changed."

"Oh?"

Ying Xiaoxiao was intrigued, "You're talking about the one from Heavenly Gate Pass?"

"That's right."

"We've met him. He wasn't there, just an avatar, and it seems to have dissipated."

Ying Xiaoxiao's eyes flickered. "Since his name is the same and his age is similar, do you think it could be some kind of transformation, like a complete rebirth, but even more thorough, which caused his aura to change completely?"

The tea stall owner thought for a moment and said, "It's possible, but that kind of technique is very difficult to achieve. Unless a Saint Realm cultivator is involved, if he did it himself... I can't think of any technique that could do that. Even if he possessed another soul, his soul would still carry his original aura."

Hearing this, Ying Xiaoxiao immediately decided, "Then let's go and see what's going on."

The tea stall owner was stunned. He quickly said, "Miss, no. He already sensed something was wrong when you were here."

"But he didn't attack. That means he's not the kind of person who meddles in other people's business."

Ying Xiaoxiao smiled, "Besides, even if he did attack, it's fine. We're not afraid of him. We're just curious. We've already collected the killing resentment in Qingzhou City. It's time for us to leave."

The tea stall owner sighed. He knew his granddaughter's temper and casual nature. Seeing that he couldn't persuade her, he said,

"Although he noticed that we're not ordinary, we still need to maintain appearances. We can't make things difficult for him."

"Alright. Anyway, it was rumored in the Vast Wilderness Heaven that someone was impersonating us and killing the prodigies of the ancient sacred clans. So, we'll impersonate an ancient sacred clan and have some fun."

Ying Xiaoxiao laughed, "That's reasonable, right?"

Reasonable... The tea stall owner sighed and looked at her. Which ancient sacred clan's prodigy could compare to you, Miss?

Immediately, when there was no one around, the tea stall owner raised his hand and rolled up the tea stall, storing it in his sleeve. The old man and the young girl disappeared from the official road.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 270: Return to Cangya City

In a city in Qingzhou, demons roamed, corpses littered the ground, and blood splattered on collapsed buildings.

Some demons gnawed on the remains of soldiers, tearing out their entrails. Organs, severed arms, and legs were scattered everywhere.

The few surviving citizens were herded into the open spaces of destroyed buildings, enclosed like pigs in a pen, trembling with fear.

Hard-working merchants, scholars, and martial artists were all crammed together, indistinguishable from one another, all fish on the demon's chopping block, awaiting their fate.

A delicate and frail noble lady tried to cry, but someone covered her mouth, afraid of provoking the demons.

Their grief was simply noise and annoyance to the demons.

"Who can save us…"

Everyone was filled with anxiety, looking longingly towards the distance, praying for the Dayu army to arrive and slay the demons.

From time to time, someone would be chosen, taken away to be torn apart and roasted alive, emitting screams that sent shivers down the spines of those who remained.

Some people were so terrified that they had soiled themselves, collapsing to the ground. When the demons picked them up, they were as limp as boneless creatures.

High in the sky, a figure seated on a fiery red demon beast roared through the air from a distance.

As it passed over this city, it slowed down slightly. When it saw the horrific scene within the city, the young man on the fiery beast's back frowned. Without any apparent gesture, a gentle breeze suddenly swept through the air.

The breeze transformed into dozens of sharp sword energies, swift as shadows, shooting out at incredible speed.

The demons in the city fell one after another. The remaining demons, alerted by the change, couldn't see their enemy. By the time they were surrounded by demon corpses, they noticed the young man seated on the back of the fiery red demon beast, high above them.

Screams of terror, anger, and pleas for mercy echoed, but to no avail. All of them were pierced through the head by the sword energies.

In a matter of breaths, all the demons in the city had perished.

Only corpses remained, including those demons who had been gnawing on the remains, still holding severed arms in their mouths, lying in the dust.

This sudden change stunned all the survivors who had been herded into enclosures, awaiting their slaughter. Among the martial artists, there were also Shenyou Realm experts who had been hiding and biding their time. They quickly noticed the fiery red demon beast in the sky and the young man on its back.

"Someone has come to save us!"

"It's a general from the court! It must be a general from the court!"

"That's the general's mount. It's not a demon!"

In an instant, as some martial artists shouted, others also realized what was happening, seeing the fiery figure in the sky above the city. Some elderly commoners, their eyesight failing, could only see a ball of fire, like a god suspended in the air. They knew that this was their savior, one of the generals who roamed freely in the court.

For a moment, all the survivors in the city were filled with grief and knelt down in gratitude, shouting their thanks.

Li Hao sighed softly. After eliminating the demons and making sure there were no survivors, he told Candlelight God to continue on their journey, heading to the next city.

Before returning to Liangzhou, he had thought about the countless cities he had seen ravaged by demons. Now, as he returned, he had taken care of them.

Some cities had already been pacified by the Li family army, while others hadn't yet been reached. The demons in these cities had either retreated or, in their greed, were still occupying the cities and tormenting the people.

The faster they reclaimed the lost territories, the fewer casualties there would be.

Shortly after Li Hao left, two figures roared through the air, one old and one young.

The young woman in blue and green clothes looked down at the city, then raised her hand and beckoned. On her wrist was a golden bracelet with nine small bells. They chimed softly, tinkling.

Then, black wisps of energy rose from various parts of the city, seemingly carrying the screams and ferocious roars of vengeful spirits, and they burrowed into the bells on her wrist.

Soon, all the black energy that had flown out from the corpses, the ruins, and the cracks in the walls was absorbed and disappeared.

Ying Xiaoxiao lowered her wrist, glanced at the ruined scene in the city, shook her head slightly, and then continued flying with the old man beside her.

After they left, about two hours later, the sound of horses' hooves echoed from the distance. Flags fluttered, and it was clear that it was the Li family's army sent to quell the chaos.

When the army entered the city, they saw the demons that had already been eliminated and were stunned.

They questioned the martial artists and some of the respected elders of the noble families in the city, and they learned that a general riding a fiery red demon beast had come and slain all the demons.

Hearing their description, the Li family soldiers looked at each other in disbelief.

The scene in the sky above Qingzhou City was still vivid in their minds. They wouldn't forget it for decades to come. Wasn't that Haotian General?

When the citizens asked the officers for the general's name, the Li family soldiers didn't hide it.

Soon, the name "Haotian" spread among the survivors. Some merchants and noble families suggested that they should contribute funds to build a golden statue of Haotian General in the city when they rebuilt it, to suppress demons and build a temple for him.

…

…

In less than a day, Li Hao, riding Candlelight God, had circled through most of Qingzhou. He didn't see any demons in over a dozen cities, so he changed direction and told Candlelight God to head to Liangzhou.

The remaining areas could be slowly cleared by the Li family army.

The next day.

In the slightly damp morning mist, Li Hao sat on Candlelight God's back and arrived at the border of Liangzhou.

Seeing the familiar Dragon Pass Road, Li Hao felt a pang of nostalgia.

Looking down from the sky, the Dragon Pass Road, once a dangerous place, now resembled a dragon stretching out from the border, with lush greenery on both sides and birds and beasts singing in the mountains and forests.

Li Hao dismounted from Candlelight God's back and told him to transform into a human form as well, to avoid startling the people in the city.

As the two of them walked towards the Dragon Pass Road, suddenly, a call from an old man came from behind.

"Young man, are you going to Cangya City?"

Li Hao turned his head and saw an old man and his grandson, their baskets filled with herbs, mushrooms, and other things they had gathered that morning.

He was slightly startled, then couldn't help but smile. Time seemed to have returned to two years ago.

The old man clearly didn't recognize the young man before him as the one who had advised him not to enter the Dragon Pass Road two years ago.

But Li Hao recognized him. He smiled and said, "Yes, I'm going to Cangya City."

"The Dragon Pass Road is just ahead."

The old man called out to Li Hao. These familiar words, identical to those from before, made Li Hao pause slightly. But the old man was smiling and shouted, "I wish you young masters from the noble families all the best in your future endeavors!"

Li Hao slowly smiled and said, "I wish you a bountiful harvest every day."

The old man smiled, waved his hand, and left with his grandson.

They were all just passing through this world, a brief encounter, simple words of concern, simple blessings.

Li Hao watched them walk away, then turned and continued walking towards the Dragon Pass Road.

Two years had passed, and the changes here were significant.

The once dangerous place now had a hint of prosperity. The young people who came here in droves, seeking fame and fortune, had clearly brought a touch of greenery to this place.

There was one less tea stall on the Dragon Pass Road, but more merchants had set up shop along the way. Li Hao's steps quickened, and he felt a sense of ease, almost like he was going home.

Old Wind must have been waiting for a long time. Qianqian must have reached a bottleneck in her cultivation.

Countless thoughts raced through his mind. Soon, Li Hao arrived at Cangya City.

Looking at the city, he saw that it was covered by a formation, and flags bearing his name were planted on the city walls, fluttering in the strong wind.

Li Hao covered Xiyan with his Dao Domain to conceal her aura. He didn't have to worry about Candlelight God. Aside from the formation in the imperial capital, there were few formations that could sense the presence of a Great Peace Dao Domain. This was the limit of the Sky Observation Department's abilities.

After all, the old Grand Sky Observer had passed away, and his successor hadn't been able to inherit his abilities.

When he entered the city, he noticed some obvious changes in just a few months. The streets were cleaner, and there were more merchants in the city, but they were more orderly.

This was a border city, and it was rare to see such prosperity.

Compared to the increasingly crowded city, there was a vast open space in the center of the city, separated from the rest. In the center of the open space was a simple and unassuming small courtyard surrounded by a fence.

At the edge of the courtyard, hidden in the shadows, were Heaven and Man Realm martial artists patrolling.

Li Hao's consciousness swept over the area. He saw a young woman practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard and smiled slightly. He sent a voice transmission,

"I'm back."

In the courtyard, Ren Qianqian, who was practicing her sword, froze, then looked around in shock.

Soon, she realized what was happening and quickly rushed out of the fenced courtyard. She saw the young man not far from the entrance.

"Young… Young Master?"

Ren Qianqian was stunned. The young man's appearance had changed slightly, but his consciousness and tone of voice made her instantly recognize him as Li Hao.

But when those people had come earlier, they had seen Li Hao's clone dissipate. Didn't they say that Young Master was dead?

Ren Qianqian was confused, thinking she was dreaming. She rubbed her eyes. When she saw him clearly again, tears suddenly flowed from her eyes, and she ran towards Li Hao.

"Young Master, you're alive…"

She threw her arms around Li Hao and cried.

Li Hao was a little surprised. After she cried for a while, he felt the clothes on his shoulder were soaked. His heart felt a little warm. He said,

"Silly girl, why are you crying? I'm back now."

After Ren Qianqian's emotions calmed down, Li Hao took her into the courtyard.

The Heaven and Man Realm martial artists guarding in the shadows were stunned. They had thought Li Hao was some kind of noble young master, but hearing the sword-wielding girl's words, he was Haotian General?!

Many of them widened their eyes in shock, then became incredibly excited.

Earlier, Li Tiangang and the others had come here, trying to confirm whether Li Hao was truly dead by observing his clone. When they learned that Li Hao's clone had dissipated, they had confirmed it.

And the news they had confirmed had spread, causing the entire Cangya City to mourn.

But now, Li Hao had returned!

The general who had pacified Liangzhou, the peerless prodigy, he had returned!

Shortly after Li Hao entered the courtyard, several Heaven and Man Realm martial artists, unable to contain their emotions, rushed in to ask Li Hao if he was truly Haotian General.

Seeing these masters with red eyes, Li Hao felt a lot of emotion. He nodded in confirmation, letting them know that he had returned.

The news spread quickly, and the entire Cangya City was in an uproar. Countless people rushed to the courtyard. The area outside was filled with noise.

Inside the courtyard, Li Hao had already introduced Candlelight God and Xiyan to Ren Qianqian and briefly asked about what had happened in his absence.

He was surprised to learn that his clone had dissipated. Now he understood why everyone thought he was dead.

It was probably due to severing his bloodline, or maybe he had been too badly injured. Li Hao planned to recreate a clone.

Even if his previous clone hadn't dissipated, its strength had been fixed from the moment it was created. It didn't share memories or transfer power with its original body.

Therefore, his previous clone was clearly too weak compared to his current self.

However, before recreating a clone, Li Hao planned to find some secret manuals for refining the spirit and controlling objects.

He had already broken through to the seventh stage of the Dao Control Realm. If he could find some secret manuals for refining the spirit and controlling objects, he could quickly increase the limits of the Shenyou Realm and the Fifteen Li Realm.

Currently, he had reached the Dao Extreme in the Strength Realm, the Zhoutian Realm, and the Soul Continuation Realm.

But the Shenyou Realm and the Fifteen Li Realm were still a bit short of their limits.

He had also achieved the Dao Extreme in the Heaven and Man Realm and the Three Immortality Realm.

Once he reached the peak of the Shenyou Realm and the Fifteen Li Realm, Li Hao could consider pushing towards the Dao Extreme of the Four Pillars Realm.

"Where's Old Wind?"

Li Hao asked Ren Qianqian, feeling a little surprised.

He had been back for a while, but Old Wind hadn't appeared yet. Even if he had gone out to fish because he was itching to do so, he shouldn't have gone too far.

After all, Old Wind was a man of his word.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 271: The Lingyuan Pavilion

Hearing Li Hao's question, Ren Qianqian's face changed slightly. Hesitant, she whispered, "Old Wind is gone."

"Gone?"

Li Hao was stunned. He immediately asked, "Was there something urgent? Where did he go?"

"Old Wind didn't say."

Ren Qianqian shook her head slightly. She looked at Li Hao, thought for a moment, and then told him what she had seen.

In her opinion, this was Li Hao's private matter. She just had to honestly tell him what she saw and let the young master decide for himself.

After listening to Ren Qianqian's words, Li Hao's face darkened.

As she said, while he was in the River of Oblivion, Li Tiangang had come to the Heavenly Gate Pass and had a heated argument with his clone. Old Wind had stepped in to confront him, and then, he hadn't seen Old Wind return.

He hadn't received any messages from Old Wind informing him that he was leaving.

It was like a silent departure.

Afterwards, Li Mu Xiu had come to tell Ren Qianqian that Old Wind had left on some business and asked her to keep a good watch over the Heavenly Gate Pass for Li Hao.

Although it was just Ren Qianqian's account, based on Li Hao's understanding of the man, he could almost imagine the kind of conflict that had erupted and the humiliation and embarrassment Old Wind had endured.

Clearly, Old Wind had been forced to leave.

Li Hao felt a surge of anger in his heart. He took a deep breath, but soon, he felt something was amiss.

With Old Wind's temperament and strength, Li Tiangang couldn't do anything to him. Even if Li Tiangang was the True Dragon of the Li Family, capable of fighting beyond his realm, Old Wind was stronger than ordinary Defying Fate Realm practitioners, and his movements were ethereal. If they really fought, Li Tiangang wouldn't even be able to touch his shadow.

Force wouldn't be able to intimidate Old Wind.

It had to be words.

And Old Wind's temperament was carefree. He didn't value many things. Insults and mockery wouldn't work on him.

To force him to leave with words, unless something truly hurtful was said.

Thinking about it, Li Hao felt a stabbing pain in his own heart. His eyes burned with anger, but it was suppressed, turning into a sharp, cold light.

"Didn't Old Wind say goodbye to you when he left?"

Li Hao asked Ren Qianqian.

Ren Qianqian nodded.

Li Hao's brow furrowed slightly. He had a nagging feeling that something was wrong. With Old Wind's temperament, even if he left, he would have made it clear.

Moreover, Ren Qianqian had followed him all the way. Old Wind was quite fond of the little girl and wouldn't leave without saying goodbye to her.

Unless he left in a hurry.

Or, he was truly heartbroken by someone's words. With Old Wind's temperament and his status, he would definitely seize upon this point to attack. And the only thing that could force Old Wind to obediently leave without saying goodbye was something related to him.

Was he trying to completely sever ties with him, unwilling to let his reputation taint him?

Li Hao's eyes flickered. The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. There weren't many things that could threaten Old Wind. He had become Old Wind's weakness, causing the old man who had protected him all the way from Qingzhou to leave in sorrow.

But Old Wind should know that he didn't care about reputation.

"Old Wind, where did you go…"

Li Hao muttered to himself, gazing at the city outside the courtyard. The old man who had built this city with him had ultimately left in sorrow when the city was thriving. How sad must he be.

"Young Master, can we find Old Wind?"

Ren Qianqian couldn't help but ask, hearing Li Hao's words.

She still didn't know Old Wind's identity, but she liked the old man. The old man, who never had any airs of seniority, was easygoing and calm, making him a pleasant person to be around.

Li Hao fell silent.

If Old Wind wanted to hide, who could find him?

The world was vast. With Old Wind's movements and experience, he had been wanted for years but had never been found. He had even taken many wanted posters of himself from various cities to show off and complain to Li Hao. The portraits were very different from him.

Once, while fishing, Old Wind had even asked Li Hao to draw a wanted poster for him. Li Hao had stayed up all night to draw it and then, in the dead of night, went to a city that had issued a wanted poster for him. He tore down the original wanted poster and replaced it with the one Li Hao had drawn for him. He criticized it, saying that the wanted poster was too crudely drawn, making it seem like the artist hired was too low-level, not befitting his status.

At that time, Li Mu Xiu and Li Hao had both laughed in disbelief.

Li Hao had drawn it without any hesitation. Afterwards, the wanted poster was actually admired by an artist for its exquisite craftsmanship. He bought it to study and replaced the original wanted poster. When Old Wind was fishing, he told Li Hao and Li Mu Xiu about it, making them laugh uncontrollably.

But now, everything seemed so distant. That leisurely and peaceful time seemed like it could never be recovered.

"Unless Old Wind wants to come out himself, no one can find him."

Li Hao slowly shook his head and said to Ren Qianqian, "Ask the Liangzhou Grand Marshal to come here later."

Ren Qianqian, hearing Li Hao's words, also felt a little sad. She lowered her head and nodded in agreement.

Li Hao planned to use the Liangzhou forces to spread the news, informing Old Wind that he had returned to the Heavenly Gate Pass.

He just didn't know if Old Wind would be willing to come back and see him if he heard the news.

Thinking about this, Li Hao entered the courtyard. Seeing the familiar furnishings, not much had changed. He took out paper, pens, and other materials and quickly drew wanted posters. If Old Wind saw these drawings, he would definitely know that he was looking for him…

Thinking that he would use wanted posters to find Old Wind, Li Hao found it both amusing and sad. If the old man could see these wanted posters, he would probably recall their past.

Next, Li Hao summoned a Grandmaster Realm general to go to Youzhou to deliver a message, asking the Xia Family to help him find Old Wind and spread the news.

The young man had been too weak to protect him before, but now, Li Hao didn't want Old Wind to suffer any more injustice.

Time flew by.

Cangya City held a banquet to celebrate Li Hao's return, and the entire city was filled with cheers for several days.

And the news of Li Hao's return to Cangya City was also learned by the Tianji Temple demons who were watching from outside the city. The cheers of the entire city couldn't be concealed. This news quickly spread through the Tianji Temple.

Outside the city, the Heavenly Gate Pass, extending for thousands of miles, the areas that Li Hao had cleared out had gradually been occupied by demons who had secretly returned. After all, they had found caves and treasure lands that could increase their cultivation speed. It was hard to give them up easily.

But now, with the news from the Tianji Temple spreading, these demons all knew that the young man had returned, back to the Heavenly Gate Pass.

In just a few days, the demons within thousands of miles outside the city had all fled in the dead of night, fearing that the young man would come out again and clear them out.

This situation made the Tianji Temple bird demons who were responsible for the Heavenly Gate Pass feel complex. The young man had simply returned to Cangya City, yet he had intimidated the demons within thousands of miles outside the pass, preventing them from settling down. This was the terrifying might of the young man.

And two years ago, the young man had only just entered the pass.

His growth in just two years was unimaginable, it was nothing short of astounding.

Not long after Li Hao returned to the pass, the Xia Family learned the news. Xia Yuanwu personally came to the pass, climbed onto the ramparts, and expressed his sincere gratitude to Li Hao.

During the pacification of Youzhou, Li Hao had left in a hurry to provide reinforcements for Qingzhou. They hadn't had time to properly say goodbye. The Xia Family naturally wouldn't let this matter pass so easily. Their gratitude to Li Hao was genuine.

Li Hao invited the Xia Family elder to sit in the courtyard. He said that the matter was in the past, a small matter, not worth mentioning.

Seeing the young man's carefree demeanor, Xia Yuanwu felt awkward. He immediately invited Li Hao to visit the Xia Family.

They had originally planned to ask Li Hao for help and give him a chick raised by the old lady. It was a three-immortality realm demon, but now, Li Hao's mount was a Four Pillars Realm demon king, and it was the Taixu Realm master.

The previous "small gift" seemed truly insignificant.

Moreover, Li Hao had single-handedly resolved the disaster, killing the Gluttonous Valley Master, almost single-handedly rescuing Youzhou from danger. If they didn't give a substantial gift, it would be better not to give anything at all.

Among the demons raised by the Xia Family old lady, there were also two demon kings. They had been guarding important locations for the Xia Family for many years and had contributed greatly in times of crisis. This time, Xia Yuanwu had come with the old lady's instructions to give one to Li Hao, allowing him to choose personally.

Giving a Four Pillars Realm demon, with a blood contract established by the Xia Family's special secret techniques, making it very difficult to betray them, was undoubtedly a grand gift.

At this moment, Xia Yuanwu spoke his words, but Li Hao shook his head slightly and declined.

Ordinary Four Pillars Realm demons were of little significance to him. Signing a blood contract was useless.

After all, with a single thought, even a Taiping Dao Realm demon would be powerless against him.

Rather than keeping it by his side to eat, drink, and defecate, it would be better to leave it with the Xia Family. At least, the Xia Family guarded four states and often went on campaigns. They could take the demon out to do some work.

Seeing that Li Hao was unmoved, Xia Yuanwu secretly sighed. This was something that other Divine General's Mansions had long coveted, but it seemed to hold no appeal to the young man before him.

He looked troubled. If he just came here to say a few words of thanks and gratitude, it would be insincere.

Li Hao saw his dilemma and, after thinking for a moment, suddenly had an idea. The Xia Family was also a thousand-year-old Divine General's Mansion. Their collection of techniques was not inferior to the Li Family's. Compared to demon kings as pets, techniques and secret manuals were more valuable.

"Would you like to see the Lingyuan Pavilion?"

Hearing Li Hao's words, Xia Yuanwu was stunned. It was the Xia Family's repository of techniques and secret manuals, similar to the Li Family's Listening Rain Tower.

"If it's inconvenient, I'll just look at half of it."

Li Hao said.

Xia Yuanwu's expression eased slightly. The Lingyuan Pavilion was one of the Xia Family's foundations. For a strong individual like Li Hao, with his powerful soul, he could memorize everything with a glance. Although he wouldn't be able to cultivate all of them, techniques were the foundation of a major force.

Just like martial arts sects, techniques were their core and their highest secret.

"If General Haotian is willing to view it personally and promise not to share it with anyone else, the entire Lingyuan Pavilion can be open to General Haotian."

Xia Yuanwu said, "But I need to return and report to the family head before I can give General Haotian a definitive answer."

The Lingyuan Pavilion, besides some techniques that even the Xia Family's direct descendants might not be able to learn, contained almost all of the Xia Family's techniques.

For example, the old lady's demon taming techniques were not included in the Lingyuan Pavilion. They were passed down through a single lineage, or only the True Dragon could learn them. They were kept in the Xia Family's secret vault, the true foundation of their family.

"Alright."

Li Hao nodded in agreement. He mainly wanted to use these techniques to refine more perfect techniques. Even if he taught them to Ren Qianqian or others, he would teach them the techniques he had refined, which would be significantly different from the originals. It wouldn't be considered leaking secrets.

They chatted for a while longer, and Xia Yuanwu immediately set off for Youzhou.

Liangzhou wasn't far from Youzhou. Two days later, Xia Yuanwu returned to the Liangzhou Heavenly Gate Pass and told Li Hao the Xia Family's decision, "The family head has agreed. General Haotian can visit the Lingyuan Pavilion at any time."

Li Hao laughed. He hadn't expected the Xia Family head to be so decisive.

Immediately, he left some war flags at the Heavenly Gate Pass and then took Ren Qianqian with him to experience the world. The little girl had been guarding the small courtyard since she had followed him to the Heavenly Gate Pass, and it had been a bit monotonous for her.

Candle Flame God, seeing Ren Qianqian climb onto his back, was unhappy and snorted. Li Hao gently patted Candle Flame God's head. He could only accept it helplessly.

On the way, Li Hao talked to Xia Yuanwu about asking the Xia Family to help find Old Wind. Xia Yuanwu had also heard about Feng Bopíng and, while surprised, said he would try his best to help.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 272: Primal Spirit, Seven Extreme Realms (Combined Chapter)

In less than half a day, Li Hao had returned to Youzhou.

This time, he considered the speed of the old man, Xia Yuanwu, and didn't rush. After all, besides reaching his destination, the scenery along the way was also important.

As he approached the Xia Clan's Divine General Manor, he saw Xia Linglong standing at the entrance to welcome him. This time, there were several more people with her, including three elders with restrained and profound auras. They were clearly the older generation of the Xia Clan.

Seeing the young man step down from the Candlelight Divine's back, the old men who had led the troops outside were all stunned.

He had slain the Gluttonous Valley Master with his sword in Youzhou, stirring up a sword tide to quell the calamity. This was witnessed by millions.

Moreover, when they had rushed to Qingzhou to provide reinforcements, they had learned that the Dragon Gate and the Sacred Palace, which had besieged Qingzhou City, had also been destroyed by Li Hao.

The leaders of those two forces were Tranquil Peace Realm experts, who had been a major headache for the Divine General Manors for years. Now, they had been slain by Li Hao in a single day, shocking even the older generation.

"Heavenly Emperor's General, please."

Xia Linglong looked at the young man with gentle eyes and invited him with a smile.

Seeing him again, her feelings were different from before. Earlier, she had witnessed Li Hao slaying the Gluttonous Valley Master with Xia Yuanwu, and she had learned that Li Hao had gone to Qingzhou and slain the two old demon kings, Dragon Jue Shen and Feng Lingxiao. She already knew that this young man, despite being only a teenager, had already reached the pinnacle of the Great Yu Dynasty.

Besides the True Person of the Qian Dao Palace, perhaps only the recognized second strongest expert, the Buddha, could fight him, and the outcome was still uncertain.

Many of Xia Linglong's generation, including the next generation, who were Li Hao's peers, had also heard the news and had come to watch from afar in the manor.

Upon learning that the legendary young man was coming, many of the younger generation of the Xia Clan were extremely excited, both curious and respectful.

Born into a military family, they carried the Xia Clan's glory on their shoulders, but they generally admired strength. After all, in military confrontations, they didn't fight with words, only with fists and feet.

And most of those born into military families were straightforward. They didn't like empty talk. Real strength and real achievements were the most convincing things.

And Li Hao had both.

Whether it was his awe-inspiring Four Pillars Realm cultivation or his achievements in slaying demon king leaders, either one was beyond the reach of his peers.

"They said he was at the Fifteenth Mile Realm when he was fourteen. Logically, his cultivation speed should have slowed down after reaching the Fifteenth Mile Realm. But he's actually accelerated."

"Is this the Heavenly Emperor's General? He's really as young as they say."

"They say he killed the Gluttonous Valley Master with a single sword. He's a demon god among Tranquil Peace Realm experts."

Many of the Xia Clan's descendants watched from afar, whispering among themselves.

Some of the more talented prodigies also had complex expressions. It wasn't envy, but a sense of immense disparity, a blow to their confidence.

They were still competing with their peers, not yet standing out, while the young man was already surrounded by his elders and even the older generation, like a star surrounded by stars, standing out from the crowd.

The gap was too great.

When they arrived at the Xia Clan's guest hall, Li Hao sensed the warm atmosphere of the Xia Clan. He immediately told Xia Linglong that he wanted to visit the Lingyun Pavilion.

Xia Linglong also saw that Li Hao didn't seem to like the noise. The young man had a quiet nature, and wherever he was, he was like a figure sitting on a mountain peak, serene and faraway.

She immediately dismissed the Xia Clan's descendants and then led Li Hao to the Lingyun Pavilion.

Li Hao asked Xi Yan to go to the Candlelight Divine and wait there.

Then, he instructed the old man, Xia Yuanwu, to take care of Ren Qianqian.

Ren Qianqian was nervous and uneasy along the way, but she was also excited and surprised. She hadn't expected that Li Hao would be treated with such respect in the Xia Clan, which was also a Divine General Manor.

Seeing that Li Hao was about to leave her side, she became nervous, but she still nodded obediently, giving Li Hao a reassuring smile.

Xia Yuanwu saw that the little girl was uneasy. The Divine General Manor was imposing. To avoid making her too nervous, he took her to his own courtyard.

On the other side, Li Hao arrived at the Lingyun Pavilion.

Xia Linglong smiled, "Heavenly Emperor's General, this is the Xia Clan's most important place, the Lingyun Pavilion. It's named after the soaring clouds. Our ancestor built this pavilion, hoping that the Xia Clan would gather all the martial arts in the world here, allowing future generations to freely learn them, master countless techniques, and create a brilliant martial arts era."

Li Hao nodded, "If you want to create a martial arts era, you need to share the techniques."

Xia Linglong was slightly stunned. She looked at the young man intently, her lips curving into a smile,

"Heavenly Emperor's General, you're right. Our Xia Clan also plans to put the lower-grade techniques into martial arts schools throughout the country, teaching them to the people. Although doing so will involve arguing with those Confucian scholars in the court, it's not too difficult. The difficulty now is that the demons are rampant outside the realm, and the external threat hasn't been eliminated. We're afraid of internal strife."

Li Hao was a little surprised. He thought for a moment and then understood.

The external threat was the demons. If martial arts techniques were widely shared at low prices or even for free, the number of martial artists in the world would increase dramatically. And with more martial artists, it would be easy for chaos to break out, leading to internal strife.

Some martial artists, although they possessed martial arts, lacked martial virtue. As long as they were paid, they would compete with each other and work for the demons, seeking only profit.

If the demons infiltrated and colluded with these martial arts sects, both internal and external strife would erupt, and this promotion of martial arts would actually hasten the demise of the Great Yu Dynasty.

But to suppress the demons, they needed to cultivate more martial artists. This was a contradiction.

If they were to manage martial artists, it would be equivalent to enlisting them in the army. If the number of soldiers increased, they would need to provide food, lodging, and cultivation resources, which would be a huge expense in times of peace. They couldn't just dismiss them.

Once they were dismissed, these martial artists would cause chaos and become bandits, harming the people.

Therefore, the court needed to use martial artists to slay demons, but they also needed to control the number of martial artists. The balancing act was extremely difficult, and there were countless ingenious methods and strategies that couldn't be fully explained.

"Everything is like yin and yang, but balance is hard to achieve."

Li Hao said.

He wasn't good at governing the world. That required understanding people's hearts.

And if one understood people's hearts too well, life would become boring.

He could tolerate the loneliness of drinking alone, but he couldn't tolerate the boredom of life.

Xia Linglong heard Li Hao's words and a few thoughts flashed through her eyes. Then, she looked at the young man deeply and said softly, "Heavenly Emperor's General, please. You can stay here as long as you want, just promise not to tell anyone."

"I will not betray the Xia Clan Master's trust."

Li Hao said.

Then, he walked into the Lingyun Pavilion.

The pavilion was filled with martial arts techniques. Li Hao glanced around. The layout was similar to the Listening Rain Tower.

He didn't waste any time and quickly began to search through the books, storing them in his panel one by one.

He had previously chosen which techniques to store, but now he didn't have that much time. It was pointless to spend time figuring out whether they were completely overlapping or not. He would store them first.

Besides, the panel didn't have any drawbacks other than taking up space.

Since the battle in Qingzhou City, where he had slain the two avatars of the Divine Beings, Li Hao had become more cautious. Although he was now a Tranquil Peace Realm expert, there was only one expert in the Great Yu Dynasty who could defeat him openly, and there might be no more than three if you counted those in the shadows.

But the two Divine Being avatars were Dao Realm experts!

But they hadn't attacked the Great Yu Dynasty yet. Instead, they had used these demon forces outside the realm to contain it. If he hadn't intervened this time, they would have continued to hide in the shadows.

If they really wanted to invade the Great Yu Dynasty, they could simply kill the emperor, slaughter the royal family, and directly seize the throne. Then, they could attack from the imperial capital and destroy the five Divine General Manors. This was the best course of action.

They hadn't done this, not because they were stupid, but because they couldn't.

Either the True Person of the Qian Dao Palace was too strong, or there was a hidden force in the Great Yu Dynasty that they feared, and they needed to use external forces to force it out.

Now, he had slain the two avatars of the Divine Beings, and they would surely see him as a thorn in their side. If even the avatars were so terrifying, what about the real bodies? Li Hao wasn't sure he could win against them. He needed to increase his strength as much as possible.

At this moment, as he stored the martial arts techniques, including the body-tempering techniques, Li Hao stored them all in his panel.

He used his eight-stage Flesh Dao to refine the body-tempering techniques, refining the lower-grade techniques into high-grade ones, and the high-grade ones into supreme ones. Then, he combined them to create more high-grade techniques.

As he stored book after book, a large amount of information flooded into Li Hao's mind, but with his current physique, he could easily digest it.

Dozens, hundreds, thousands!

All the martial arts techniques in the entire Lingyun Pavilion were stored in his panel as he wandered through it.

Among these techniques, Li Hao discovered that most of them were actually focused on soul cultivation and object manipulation.

There weren't many body-tempering techniques, and the number of sword techniques, fist techniques, blade techniques, and other types of techniques was relatively small.

Li Hao had heard before that the five Divine General Manors each had their strengths. The Li Clan was known for learning a variety of techniques, the Xia Clan was known for soul cultivation, the Wang Clan was known for their strange techniques, and they were skilled in cultivating avatars and controlling puppets and mechanisms.

In the Divine Excursion Realm and the Fifteenth Mile Realm, the Xia Clan members were generally stronger than those from other Divine General Manors.

Their strongest soul cultivation technique was almost as good as the royal family's.

The same was true for object manipulation techniques.

This made Li Hao feel pleasantly surprised. He felt like he had come to the right place.

As he stored book after book of soul cultivation techniques, they were quickly digested by his seven-stage Dao of Manipulation. The soul aura in his body slowly began to rise, then faster and faster.

Li Hao immediately enveloped himself in his Dao Domain to isolate his aura and began to cultivate in meditation.

His soul floated behind him, like a golden warrior, covered in burning flames, refining his soul.

The top-tier supreme soul cultivation techniques of major families could only cultivate the soul to twenty miles.

The royal family's top-tier soul cultivation technique could cultivate the soul to thirty miles.

Li Hao had originally possessed three of the Li Clan's top-tier soul cultivation techniques, and Feng Lao had helped him steal the royal family's top soul cultivation technique. He had cultivated his soul to the level where he could divine excursion for fifty miles.

Now that he had reached the Four Pillars Realm, his soul had naturally strengthened, and he could easily fly for a hundred miles.

But this distance was enhanced by his Dao thought and the shaping of his soul during his realm advancement. Aside from these enhancements, his limit in the Divine Excursion Realm was still fifty miles.

To cultivate his Divine Excursion Realm to its limit, Li Hao guessed that he would need to reach at least a hundred miles.

At this moment, as he refined book after book of soul cultivation techniques, Li Hao cultivated on the spot, his soul forming seals, his divine fire spreading.

All of this was isolated by his Dao Domain, and even the temperature didn't leak out.

As he cultivated, Li Hao's soul continued to change, absorbing the power of the moonlight that wandered through the world, replenishing his soul.

Soul cultivation techniques were similar to how demons cultivated by breathing in the essence of the sun and moon. But most demons, except for those with extraordinary talent, could only absorb moonlight. Moonlight was gentle, while the sun's essence was intense, and it could easily burn their souls if they absorbed it.

But now, as his soul strengthened, Li Hao absorbed both the sun's and moon's power from the world, and a scorching sun fire burned on his soul, radiating a terrifying aura.

With just a collision of souls, Li Hao could easily ignite another person's soul.

As his soul continued to condense and strengthen, the connection between his soul and his body became even closer. During this rapid improvement, Li Hao had a feeling that perhaps if he cultivated the Divine Excursion Realm to its limit, his soul alone, as long as it didn't perish, could live forever!

It was important to note that under normal circumstances, if the body was destroyed, the soul was relatively fragile. It needed to find a new body to possess as soon as possible. Otherwise, if it was exposed in the air for too long, it would be burned and destroyed by the sun.

But now, Li Hao's soul had absorbed the sun's essence and cultivated, and it was no longer afraid of being burned by the sun.

After a long time.

As he fused more and more soul cultivation techniques, Li Hao's soul rapidly improved. Soon, he felt a mysterious sensation. His soul seemed to suddenly transform, reborn from its old shell.

The golden flames on his soul behind him now all surged into his body. His soul became completely golden, giving him a sense of solidity.

"This is..."

Li Hao opened his eyes, his heart moved. His soul erupted, bursting out of his Dao Domain and flying straight out of the Lingyun Pavilion's dome, standing in the sky.

The sun and moon shone on him, and his soul was golden. It had been somewhat illusory before, but now it was like a golden true body.

His soul suddenly erupted, then vanished, disappearing into a place of illusion, a space between spaces.

Soon, his soul reappeared.

Li Hao tried repeatedly and suddenly understood. He had reached the peak of the Divine Excursion Realm. Besides the various enhancements to his soul's power, even if his body was destroyed, his soul could exist for a long time.

Moreover, his soul could travel through spatial rifts, a place that even Dao Heart Realm experts couldn't attack. Unless a Tranquil Peace Realm expert intervened and used their Dao Domain to squeeze it out.

It was important to note that this was an ability that could be achieved in the Divine Excursion Realm. It was terrifying.

"Illuminated by the sun and moon, one can divine excursion through the void, travel through rifts of nothingness..."

Li Hao pondered, naming this peak of the Divine Excursion Realm the Primal Spirit.

His soul had indeed transformed differently from ordinary souls. Li Hao felt that he would only be able to experience more benefits of the peak of the Divine Excursion Realm in a truly evenly matched battle.

But for now, the fact that he could travel through the void, and only a Dao Domain could force him out, was already incredibly exaggerated.

If he had mastered this ability earlier, he could have easily killed enemies with his soul alone. It would be difficult for anyone below the Tranquil Peace Realm to deal with him.

It was important to note that this was something that could be achieved in the Divine Excursion Realm.

Li Hao retracted his soul and then continued to cultivate.

The cultivation of the numerous soul cultivation techniques didn't reach its limit after he cultivated his Primal Spirit. Li Hao's Primal Spirit continued to grow and strengthen under these techniques.

Li Hao had long known that there should be a final realm beyond this peak realm.

That was the true limit.

But reaching it might be ten times harder than reaching the peak realm.

The peak realm was already extremely difficult. Not many prodigies of the Ancient Wilderness Holy Clan had reached all of them, let alone the final realm.

Time flew by.

After a long time, Li Hao's Primal Spirit finally stopped cultivating. The numerous techniques that enhanced his Primal Spirit had also reached their peak.

Li Hao flew out his Primal Spirit, leaving the Lingyun Pavilion and appearing outside the city in the blink of an eye. Then, he crossed mountains and rivers, flying towards the sun and moon. The scorching sun, which could normally burn his soul, now felt warm on his skin.

The sun's essence was more condensed and powerful than moonlight. It was absorbed by his Primal Spirit and continuously nourished it.

"They say that only some ancient demon kings with extraordinary talent are born with the ability to breathe in the sun's essence. Other races, even most dragons, can only absorb moonlight to cultivate."

Li Hao thought to himself. His Primal Spirit's flight speed was much faster than his body's. This meant that he could quickly kill most enemies with his soul, and his body wouldn't even have to move.

After flying for four or five hundred miles, Li Hao felt a chill. The connection between his Primal Spirit and his body became weak. It was a strange feeling. When his body felt cold, the surrounding world seemed to change, like illusory seawater washing over his body.

Continuing forward was like walking deeper and deeper into a seemingly real and illusory sea. If he got lost, it would be terrifying.

"My Primal Spirit alone can't completely break free from my body." Li Hao thought to himself.

His Primal Spirit began to return.

He quickly flew back the hundreds of miles. When he returned to his body, Li Hao stretched slightly and then continued to cultivate.

This time, it was object manipulation techniques.

The Fifteenth Mile Realm was named after the fact that one's soul could manipulate objects and travel fifteen miles in a breath.

This was the limit for most people without a background.

And fifteen miles in a breath was the speed of a full-power attack, not a normal state. For example, a Fifteenth Mile Realm expert could travel at full speed, manipulating their object to fifteen miles away, but they could only do this for a short time, two or three times in a row, before they would be exhausted.

The royal family's object manipulation technique could be cultivated to twenty-five miles.

Other top-tier techniques could reach twenty miles.

Although there was only a five-mile difference between fifteen miles and twenty miles, it was a qualitative change in combat.

What did five miles mean? The opponent might be killed before they even had a chance to attack.

This was also the reason why the royal bloodline experts could rule over everyone. In the Fifteenth Mile Realm, the royal family's object manipulation speed of twenty-five miles could easily kill other experts of the same level.

Li Hao had previously cultivated to forty miles, and after absorbing many techniques in the Heavenly Mechanism Tower, he had reached eighty miles.

Now, with his realm advancement and soul enhancement, his object manipulation speed was even faster.

As he combined the numerous object manipulation techniques, Li Hao's Primal Spirit flew out again. He picked up a speck of dust from the ground outside the Lingyun Pavilion, covered it with his power, and manipulated it for over a hundred miles.

As his object manipulation speed continued to increase and his understanding of object manipulation deepened, Li Hao gradually touched upon a certain subtlety of object manipulation.

No matter how fast object manipulation was, it was nothing compared to traveling through the void.

And when speed reached its peak, it seemed to be able to tear through the void and travel through space.

...

...

Two days later, Li Hao walked out of the Lingyun Pavilion.

Xia Linglong didn't know how long Li Hao would stay, so she didn't wait outside after taking him to the Lingyun Pavilion. After all, as the Xia Clan's master, she still had many things to deal with.

Especially since Youzhou, although the Gluttonous Valley Master had been slain, and the remaining demons had either been killed or driven away, the cities that had been destroyed by the demons needed to be rebuilt, and many of the people who had been injured or killed needed to be comforted and helped.

As Xia Linglong was busy, she received news that Li Hao had left the pavilion, and she was stunned.

"He came out after only two days?"

Xia Linglong was surprised, then she thought that Li Hao might have finished reading all the top-tier techniques and memorized them in his mind. It was normal for him not to cultivate there.

She immediately put aside her work and went to greet him.

Li Hao exchanged a few words with the clan master, expressing his gratitude, and prepared to leave.

"Heavenly Emperor's General, my Xia Clan has two demon kings. Although they're not as good as the master of the Vast Void Realm, they're still good enough to guard the gate. You can go and see them."

Xia Linglong invited him.

Li Hao smiled, "Clan Master Xia, you're too polite. I've already benefited greatly from being able to see the Lingyun Pavilion. You can keep those demon kings to kill enemies."

Xia Linglong looked at Li Hao. Seeing that he wasn't just politely refusing, she couldn't help but feel a little admiration. After all, they were demon kings. Although Li Hao didn't need them, it didn't mean they were useless.

Learning that Li Hao was leaving, the Xia Clan members went to see him off again.

Li Hao took Ren Qianqian, the Candlelight Divine, and Xi Yan, who had quickly climbed back onto his wrist, and bid farewell to the Xia Clan. Then, he left Youzhou.

Before leaving, Li Hao left two chess pieces for the Xia Clan, saying that they could be used as his banners.

Li Hao had infused these two chess pieces with his power and sealed sword energy within them. They were imbued with Dao Domain rules, and they could easily kill even Supreme Realm experts, and they would severely injure Tranquil Peace Realm experts.

When Li Hao explained the function of the two chess pieces to Xia Linglong, she was immediately overwhelmed.

She was stunned, shocked by Li Hao's methods and grateful for his gift.

Although the Xia Clan was a Divine General Manor, shining brightly, they had all sensed that the Great Yu Dynasty would face a major challenge after the difficulties in Youzhou and the appearance of the Divine Being's avatars outside Qingzhou City.

Now, receiving such a powerful treasure was a great favor.

Compared to Xia Linglong's endless gratitude, for Li Hao, it was simply payment for the Lingyun Pavilion.

After all, he had gained a lot this time. He had successfully broken through to the peak of the Divine Excursion Realm and the Fifteenth Mile Realm, mastering the peak realm state!

Besides, the other techniques had significantly improved his swordsmanship, fist techniques, body-tempering, and other aspects, further enhancing his strength.

Except for the Four Pillars Realm, he had now reached the peak of all the martial arts realms before it.

...

Half a day later, Li Hao returned to Tianmen Pass. As soon as he returned, he felt an extremely sinister aura appear in the city.

This aura wasn't concealed at all. It wasn't arrogant or restrained, but it naturally emanated, causing Li Hao's eyes to narrow slightly in surprise.

Some of the soldiers in the city saw Li Hao return and quickly went to report to him.

Li Hao said that he already knew and then, with the Candlelight Divine, returned to his small courtyard.

He saw a figure with disheveled hair sitting in the place where he used to drink tea, pouring himself a drink.

His clothes were torn and ragged, and there were two broken iron shackles on his wrists.

(End of Chapter)