Chapter 206: The Dragon City Showdown, Sacrifice of the Nine Sons

Li Hao used Qing Shuang to cut his finger, but the wound healed in an instant.

Even the residual sword energy from Qing Shuang couldn't slow down the healing process.

Li Hao felt that even if he lost a limb, he could regrow it in the blink of an eye. What a terrifying vitality! To be immortal and indestructible was the Three Perfections, and at this moment, he seemed to have truly approached immortality.

"If one reaches the Ultimate Realm, one would truly be undying," Li Hao thought to himself.

However, it was a pity that although he was extremely close to the limit, he had not truly broken through and reached the Ultimate State.

At this moment, when Li Hao was seventeen years old, the demons outside Dragon City had already begun to stir.

Demons were repeatedly attacking the city, and although a full-scale war had not yet broken out, they were constantly probing.

With each probe, if the soldiers of Dragon City did not put up a strong resistance, the demons might take advantage of the situation and launch a full-scale attack.

The atmosphere at the dining table in the Shenjian Manor became more and more solemn.

"Where's Xingbei? Is he still guarding the city?"

Li Tianzong asked with a solemn expression as he picked up some vegetables.

Chen Hefang also had fewer pearls and jewels on her, looking more plain. Nowadays, many resources in the Shenjian Manor were sent to the front line, and everyone in the manor started to tighten their belts.

"He's over there with Fengping. They can take care of each other, so you don't have to worry too much," Chen Hefang said with a hint of pain in her eyes. "Now that you're back, just rest well and conserve your energy."

Li Tianzong fell silent for a moment and said, "If I could step into the Realm of Great Peace, those demons wouldn't be so rampant..."

Chen Hefang smiled bitterly, "The Realm of Great Peace is not so easily achieved. Each step in the Four Establishments Realm is like climbing to heaven. You're already very good."

Li Tianzong didn't say anything more and just focused on eating his meal.

However, when he glanced at Li Hao, the seriousness and solemnity in his eyes softened a little, and he showed a look of relief.

"As long as we can hold on for another ten years, Xiao Shi will definitely be able to step into the Realm of Great Peace. By then, those demons will surely be afraid..." He had great confidence in Li Hao's talent.

Although at the Four Establishments Realm, one's early roots and talent were no longer as important, and it was more about opportunities and comprehension instead, he felt that Li Hao could achieve it.

Li Hao sighed inwardly upon hearing this. He was afraid that they wouldn't even have ten years.

Would his strength be enough to help defend Dragon City in a year's time? Li Hao also wanted to pass this trial, but when he thought of what Li Xiaoran had said, that over a hundred Demon Kings appeared after defending the city for four days, the pressure on him was immense.

This time, the Candlelight God and the old dragon, Lu Yuan, were hiding among them.

Li Hao shook his head. He dared not continue to comprehend the Dao here, as he was worried that time would leap forward to a year later. So, before that happened, he could only try his best to improve his physical strength and cultivate the other realms to an even more extreme level.

Only then could his combat power be maximized.

After finishing his meal, Li Hao got up and retired to cultivate.

If he could get another art skill to the Spirit level and raise his control over the Dao to the seventh level, his combat power would also greatly increase.

Li Hao placed his hopes on the Way of Painting.

He immersed himself completely in his painting skills. During his breaks, he would follow Li Xiaoran to patrol the city and slay demons.

Nowadays, most of the demons within the city had been cleared out.

Occasionally, they would venture out near the city to search for any remaining threats.

This Dragon City was even bigger than Li Hao had imagined, but the sky in the distance outside the city was pitch-black and endless, like a deep abyss.

It seemed like a place where even thoughts could not reach, hiding countless demons.

Li Hao absorbed the Demon Kings he hunted with the Myriad Blood True Demon Art, and his physical body continued to refine and grow stronger.

"Paint..."

Li Hao occasionally sat on the top of the city wall, gazing into the distance as he picked up his brush to paint.

This sight caused some of the other soldiers guarding the city to feel puzzled, but they all knew that this young master of the Li family had extraordinary talent and was a genius of the ages, so they didn't discuss it much and just focused on their own duties.

With the tip of his brush, he painted the distant, dark and deep horizon, like an inverted abyss, chilling the hearts of those who gazed upon it.

Having already perfected his experience in the Way of Painting, Li Hao immersed himself in it, comprehending the spiritual essence within his paintings.

From then on, Li Hao sat on the city wall and painted every day. Over ten days, countless sheets of paper fell, each one depicting the pitch-black horizon outside the city and the hideous demons that poked their heads out from within.

It wasn't until Li Hao painted a picture of countless demons emerging from the abyss that he gradually touched upon a hint of spiritual essence.

Perhaps influenced by the atmosphere of withered grass flying outside the city, his heart was filled with sorrow, and the demons in his painting seemed about to break free and leap out.

As Li Hao comprehended the Way of Painting, he felt that time around him was also accelerating, though not as fast as when he was comprehending the Dao.

Li Hao faintly felt that this might be an intentional rule set by the River of Extinction to prevent people from comprehending the Dao here.

Once one became immersed in their cultivation, the River of Extinction would accelerate, either kicking them out or bringing them to the final desperate situation.

"It seems that unless one reaches the Realm of Great Peace and covers their body with a domain, isolating oneself from the rules of the River of Extinction, one cannot survive here comfortably," Li Hao thought to himself.

He wondered how the Candlelight God was doing at this moment. Was he hiding among the demons, cultivating, or secretly plotting and commanding a portion of them?

Li Hao had no way of knowing, but before his eyes, as he continued to slay demons and comprehend the Way of Painting, half a year quietly passed in the River of Extinction.

The demons' attacks became even more rampant and violent.

After one such time leap, Li Hao returned to the manor and saw two coffins lying in the main hall—they were his eldest brother, Li Xingbei, and second brother, Li Fengping, who had not yet been buried!

Li Hao's expression changed slightly as he noticed Li Xiaoran's presence as well. He immediately went over and transmitted his voice to ask what had happened.

Li Xiaoran, who had now recovered his cultivation from before his death and reached the Exquisite Realm, told Li Hao that Li Xingbei and Li Fengping had been attacked by a group of Demon Kings while guarding the city. They managed to hold off the attack and protect the city, but unfortunately lost their lives in the process.

Both of them had reached the Three Perfections Realm, and although their talent was extremely high, they were not yet able to kill Demon Kings like Li Hao while in the same realm.

Li Hao's expression turned gloomy. The great battle of Dragon City had not yet begun, but the nine sons of the Li family had already started to fall.

Li Xiaoran transmitted his voice to Li Hao, "You're only at the Three Immortals realm now, and even if you reach the Dao Heart realm, it will still be challenging. I suspect that in the coming days, Dragon City will face Demon Kings at the Grand Peace realm, and with the inclusion of the Grand Void Overlord this time, the difficulty is even greater than usual."

Now, witnessing the extraordinary talent Li Hao had displayed, Li Xiaoran's thoughts had quietly changed.

Rather than risking their lives to pass through the River of Extinction, ensuring Li Hao's safe retreat had become the top priority.

As their eldest brother had said in the River of Extinction, Li Hao was indeed the hope of the Li family for the future!

With Li Hao's talent, as long as he continued his cultivation, he would undoubtedly lead the Li family toward a glorious future, rivaling the era of their ancestors!

Waiting for Li Hao to attain the Grand Peace realm, and then assisting him in passing through the river together, was also an option. With Li Hao's cultivation speed, the wait wouldn't be too long.

Hearing Li Xiaoran's transmission, Li Hao nodded slightly. Their main objective was to defend Dragon City, while the main mission of the Candlelight God was most likely to destroy it.

"Big brother must have anticipated that someone from our Li family would come to release him and take him home, so he left us a backdoor..."

Li Xiaoran looked at his eldest brother in the hall, his expression filled with sorrow. Although the person before him was not his actual elder brother, but merely a lingering soul, perhaps even influenced and enslaved by the River of Extinction, his emotions were still stirred.

However, he quickly regained his composure.

This wasn't his first time in the River of Extinction.

The scene before him was one he had witnessed countless times.

Li Hao looked into the hall, his gaze solemn.

The other seven siblings, including the now fifteen-year-old Li Hongzhuang, were grief-stricken. Some had angry eyes, and some clenched their fists, all of them exuding hatred and killing intent toward the demon beasts.

Li Hongzhuang wore a lady's skirt and dangling earrings, her attire emphasizing grace and elegance. However, at this moment, her eyes were red from crying, and she stared fixedly at the coffin, deep in thought.

Li Hao knew that this "little sister" of his would once again walk the path she had taken within the River of Extinction, transforming from a wealthy young lady into a sword-wielding female general.

Perhaps this was an unavoidable destiny.

Li Hao averted his gaze, choosing to skip the sad scene before him. He maintained his calm, knowing that his growth task was nearing 100% completion, and his eighteenth birthday was approaching.

With the demise of Li Xingbei and Li Fengping, the prelude to the battle had begun, and he needed to focus even more on his martial arts training.

A few days later, Li Ziye, the sixth brother, was killed by a Demon King who had infiltrated the city. By the time Li Hao and Li Xiaoran arrived, they only saw half of his body, a tragic sight.

Although they knew that the River of Extinction was at play, and everyone in Dragon City, except for Li Tianzong, was a product of Li Tianzong's obsession, Li Hao still felt his emotions stir as he witnessed the cruel death of Li Yuanzhao's father.

He drew his sword with a fierce movement and cleaved the Demon King in two, the force of his strike even splitting the street beneath them, unleashing a burst of divine power.

After slaying the Demon King, Li Hao rushed to Li Ziye's side. The latter's breath had already faded, but his eyes remained open.

However, there was a hint of relief in those eyes, and a slight smile curved his lips, as if he had witnessed the demise of the Demon King and seen Li Hao coming to reinforce them...

Li Hao gently closed his eyes.

He recalled how, at the age of four, during a banquet, they had been attacked by demon beasts. Injured and lying in bed, the first person he saw when he opened his eyes was this "sixth brother," who had stayed by his bedside despite his own exhaustion.

Although they were all products of Li Tianzong's obsession, Li Xiaoran had told him that they resembled the people Li Tianzong had known in life, their personalities quite similar.

This also meant that if it were in the real world, this "sixth brother" would also have a gentle and considerate nature, always looking out for others.

"Yuanzhao, you have a good father..." Li Hao thought to himself.

It was a pity that Yuanzhao was born just as his father died in battle, and they never even got to meet.

Li Hao picked up Li Ziye's body and returned to the Shenjian Manor.

Seeing "Mother" Chen Hefang's grief-stricken appearance, Li Hao noticed that a few strands of white hair had quietly appeared in her temples.

Li Hao's lips moved as if he wanted to offer some words of comfort, but he suddenly didn't know what to say, and he fell silent.

He clenched his fists slightly, choosing to accelerate time and skip the sorrowful gazes and heart-wrenching wails before him.

A month after Li Ziye's sacrifice, the third and fourth brothers also met their demise.

The previously cleared Dragon City was once again infiltrated by countless demon beasts, and the defensive array seemed to have lost its ability to detect and warn them about the demon beasts, which puzzled Li Hao.

"The original Dragon City was like this as well. It was infiltrated by demon beasts, and one of them killed a demon beast that had been granted an order by the Great Yu God Dynasty and took its token..." Li Xiaoran said in a low voice.

Li Hao remained silent, thinking that this situation must be imprinted in Li Tianzong's heart, becoming his heart demon, which was why such an unreasonable situation was occurring.

As Li Hao once again immersed himself in the Way of Painting, he had not yet emerged from his meditative state when he received a notification regarding his growth task, which had been close to 100% completion.

Task Complete.

These four words, which should have brought joy, instead caused Li Hao's heart to sink.

He glanced at the progress of passing through the River of Extinction and saw that completing the growth task had only contributed 10% to it.

The cumulative progress from slaying numerous demon beasts amounted to only 3%.

Currently, it was at 13%.

At the same time, the main mission also gave a prompt, officially beginning.

As the ancient golden characters in the River of Extinction faded, Li Hao felt the city wall beneath his feet tremble slightly.