Chapter 290: Demon

While waiting for news from the Wang family, Li Hao also began his daily cultivation routine.

Despite being able to slay the Dao Fa realm with his current abilities, it still felt like a stretch and he had to use all his tricks without holding anything back.

This sense of difficulty sparked a sense of crisis within him.

Currently, his martial arts cultivation was as follows:

Eight segments in the Physical Dao, seven in the Control Dao, six in the Body Method Dao, Sword Dao, and Fist Dao.

As for his arts, he had achieved six segments in the Chess Dao, four in the Music Dao, three in the Poetry and Calligraphy Dao, three in the Sculpture Dao, seven in the Culinary Dao, seven in the Painting Dao, and five in the Fishing Dao.

He had one remaining art point.

At present, only his Culinary and Painting arts had reached the Spirit level. The most promising ones to reach that level next were the Chess and Fishing arts.

If he could reach the Spirit level in these arts, there would be a qualitative improvement in his Body Method Dao, Sword Dao, and other skills.

However, he had just reached the sixth segment in Chess Dao and still had some way to go to perfection, while Fishing Dao was even further behind.

Fortunately, there was no bottleneck from the fifth to the sixth segment, and as long as he had enough experience, progress would come naturally.

In the past few days, he had been busy slaying demons and fighting enemies and hadn't had much time to cultivate peacefully. Now that he finally had some free time, Li Hao brought along Feng Lao, as well as a chess set and Ren Qianqian, traveling thousands of miles beyond the pass to find a lake.

He condensed his strength into a thin line and cast it into the lake, making it nearly invisible. His technique in using the invisible line while fishing was truly remarkable.

The tip of the line pierced the body of a small demon fish, following its meridians like acupuncture without causing any pain. The little demon fish was unaware that it had been hooked by Li Hao's line and continued to swim and play in the water, oblivious to the fact that it had become Li Hao's bait.

"Feng Lao, why don't you give it a try?" Li Hao smiled and said to Feng Lao beside him.

Although his soul was incomplete and his movements were slow, Feng Lao seemed to have fishing ingrained into his physical body after years of practice. Before Li Hao could finish speaking, Feng Lao shook his energy into a line and extended it into the lake.

Seeing this skilled display, Li Hao couldn't help but smile.

He casually took out a tea table and a chess set from the Heaven and Earth Space, and Ren Qianqian brewed tea for Li Hao by his side, silently contemplating by the shore.

Li Hao used fishing as a metaphor for swordsmanship and explained the principles of the sword to her.

The gentle breeze blew, carrying the soft murmur of the boy by the lake, harmonizing with the constant chirping of cicadas in the distant forest.

While Ren Qianqian was deep in thought, Li Hao taught Xu Yan how to play chess. Since he had brought her to the bustling human world, he wanted her to experience all kinds of joys.

At least, in his opinion, playing chess was enjoyable.

Xu Yan was very smart, and after understanding the rules, she was already playing quite well.

"What is he doing?"

In the distant forest, two figures stood—a young girl and an old man, who were none other than Ying Xiaoxiao and the tea stall owner from Qingzhou Official Road.

"If I'm not mistaken, he seems to be playing..." The tea stall owner said with a bitter smile, speaking in a low voice.

Ying Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes slightly and said, "I know, but shouldn't he be cultivating?"

She watched the boy by the lake, who seemed as carefree as a drifting cloud or a wild crane, drinking tea, playing chess, and fishing leisurely, showing no signs of practicing his sword or martial arts.

Was this the daily life of that peerless genius?

It was fine to take it easy occasionally, but it seemed that during the time they had been following him, they had never seen the boy cultivate.

"He was able to kill a Buddha Lord in the Dao Fa realm with his cultivation in the Tai Ping realm. Although that Buddha Lord's fusion of Buddha and Demon had some defects and was a forced combination, it was still a Dao Fa realm existence. He is probably contemplating the Dao..." The tea stall owner's eyes flickered as he spoke softly.

They had followed Li Hao all the way, and when Li Hao had slain the Buddha Lord earlier, they had witnessed the battle from a great distance.

"Contemplating the Dao..." Ying Xiaoxiao fell into deep thought. Indeed, with the boy's current strength, he should have reached the bottleneck of the Tai Ping realm. As long as he comprehended his own Dao, he would be able to step into the Wen Dao realm.

"But the way he's contemplating the Dao is really strange."

Ying Xiaoxiao's eyes flickered as she spoke. She had seen many geniuses cultivate and comprehend the Dao, but most of them either secluded themselves in cave dwellings or trained in the mortal world. Who would have thought that this boy would choose to spend his days leisurely traveling with his close companions instead of experiencing the mortal world?

By the lake, Li Hao's eyes lit up.

The line in his hand quickly tightened as the little demon fish he had hooked earlier was caught by a larger demon.

He had a bite.

Li Hao pulled the line swiftly, causing a splash in the lake. The large demon was startled and tried to spit out the small fish, but Li Hao's line had already pierced its body like a spiritual needle, pulling it out of the lake.

Fishing Experience +68.

The demon, which was at the Heaven and Man realm, saw the boy on the shore and roared, "Ignorant brat, how dare you fish for your grandfather? Die!"

Before it could finish its sentence, it died.

The fishing line moved swiftly within its body, severing its meridians and bones. It also triggered the 1% fatal attribute, and the demon's eyes, filled with terror, quickly dimmed.

Li Hao casually flicked his wrist, tossing the demon onto the shore and storing it in the Heaven and Earth Space.

Today's lunch was settled—they would have grilled fish.

Li Hao cast his line once more, extending it even further into the lake, several thousand meters away.

He repeated the same process, using a small demon fish as bait, and then waited patiently.

Although he could easily turn the lake upside down with his current strength, killing all the demons within, it would take away the fun of fishing.

He took a sip of tea and placed a chess piece on the board, noticing Xu Yan tilting her red-bearded chin as if deep in thought. Li Hao smiled slightly, his gaze drifting to the distant sky, where the clouds floated like pieces on a chessboard, each cloud resembling a chess piece.

He stared intently, his heart filled with enlightenment.

The mountains and rivers, and all things in nature, followed the laws of heaven, just like the vertical and horizontal lines on a chessboard.

The concept of "strategy" originated from this small chessboard.

The mountains and rivers were the chessboard, and the beasts were the pieces...

As Li Hao's gaze fell upon the lake's surface, the vast, rippling waters stirred by the gentle breeze seemed to transform into a boundless chessboard.

Deep within the lake, demons swam, their movements like chess pieces wandering within the squares, forming their own chess formations.

"Chess..."

The previous game with the Emperor had given Li Hao a deeper understanding of the Chess Dao, and now it seemed that he had taken another step forward, touching upon another level of insight.

...

...

Several days later.

Outside Tianmen Pass, a snow-white figure flew swiftly.

Light flowed around his body, obscuring his form as he soared through the air, invisible to anyone.

He stopped in front of a city, his gaze falling upon the fluttering flags atop the walls. The two characters on the flags stirred a murderous intent in his calm eyes.

It was this suddenly emerging monstrous genius who had caused his plans to be thwarted one after another, leaving him in an extremely embarrassing situation where he could be exposed and targeted by others at any time.

"Anyone who dares to slay the Buddha Lord, even with the strength of the Dao Fa realm, must die!"

The speaker was none other than the Holy Son, his eyes icy cold. Although he himself was in the Dao Fa realm, having trained under a Saint since childhood, his mastery far surpassed that of the average cultivator at this level. His abilities were divine and transcended the realm of martial arts, embodying the profound truths of the Great Dao.

With his divine senses, he scanned the entire city, and soon his gaze landed on a small courtyard surrounded by a bamboo fence.

In an open area within the courtyard, a young man was skinning a fish, while a red-bearded vine demon with four marks of cultivation was building a firewood stack nearby.

There was also a young girl practicing her swordplay, guided by a disheveled-looking fellow who would occasionally step in to correct her.

The Holy Son was taken aback by the peculiar scene, wondering if he had come to the wrong place.

However, based on the layout of the city, it was clear that the small courtyard was at its center, guarded by a formidable array of sentries. The cultivations of the people within the courtyard, including the four-mark Demon King tending to the firewood, were evident.

Only the young man's aura was obscure, shrouded from the Holy Son's perception.

Undoubtedly, this young man was the target of his visit.

Just as the Holy Son was about to make his move, his eyes flickered towards a teahouse not far from the courtyard.

At the window of the teahouse, an elderly man and a young girl were also looking in his direction.

The Holy Son's expression changed slightly as he sensed the presence of more experts. In the next moment, the old man from the teahouse vanished from his seat.

Soon after, with a series of flickers, the Teahouse Old Man appeared in the sky outside the city, joining the Holy Son in the air above. Their figures stood tall, yet they seemed invisible to the guards on the city walls.

"Bloodline of the Saints..."

The Teahouse Old Man's eyebrows rose slightly as he regarded the Holy Son, a hint of killing intent flashing in his eyes.

Upon sensing the aura the Holy Son had revealed during his sudden movement, the Holy Son's pupils contracted in shock, and he exclaimed:

"Demon Clan?!

The Teahouse Old Man heard his exclamation and smirked, "Are you here for us or for that young man?"

The Holy Son was astonished to find a member of the Demon Clan in this world, and even more so to encounter one here.

Soon, he recalled the legends surrounding the Demon Clan—they were said to be harbingers of disaster, appearing wherever there was strife, bringing about more bloodshed and chaos.

Moreover, the Demon Clan was known for their cruel methods, capable of suppressing incense power, and practicing a different, savage form of cultivation.

"Hmm?"

The Teahouse Old Man looked at him casually, but his eyes narrowed gradually, radiating killing intent.

The Holy Son sensed the vague and powerful aura emanating from the old man, and his heart stirred with anger and surprise. Was this old man also in the Dao Fa realm?

How could there be a member of the Demon Clan hiding in this small Dayu?

His heart seethed with annoyance. He had thought that dealing with a single monstrous genius was challenging enough, but now, with the presence of the Demon Clan, his plans were in disarray.

"So, you're in cahoots... How nice!"

The Holy Son gritted his teeth slightly, not wanting to linger any longer. He swiftly turned and attempted to leave.

However, the Teahouse Old Man was not about to let him go so easily. In an instant, he gave chase, and the two of them flew thousands of miles away from the city in a flash.

"How dare you!"

The Holy Son's anger erupted, and as he tried to depart, he was met with resistance. A loud bang echoed as the two exchanged a powerful palm strike, their terrifying Dao power causing the air to vibrate with a high-pitched hum that only the most perceptive individuals could detect.

"I'll remember you!"

The Holy Son struck out with his palm, not intending to prolong the fight. He used the force of the exchange to propel himself away at great speed.

Aside from the old man, there was also the young girl and the young man back at the city, and he did not want to attract their attention with a big commotion.

The Teahouse Old Man glanced back, then decided against pursuing further. He raised his eyebrows, let out a mocking laugh, and kept his eyes on the retreating figure until it disappeared from view. Only then did he turn back.

Upon returning to Cang Cliff City, the Teahouse Old Man re-entered the teahouse and briefed his granddaughter on the situation.

"No wonder those demons were so bold. It turns out that the Holy Clan has been spying on the incense power here..."

Ying Xiaoxiao's eyebrows arched slightly, a mix of surprise and nonchalance in her expression.

It was not unexpected that the Holy Clan, who cultivated using incense power, would covet the abundant incense power in this region.

"However, it has nothing to do with us. If they provoke us, we'll kill them. After all, the grudge between our ancestors has yet to be settled..."

Ying Xiaoxiao's voice was cold and indifferent.

The Teahouse Old Man nodded slightly and took a sip of tea, feeling a slight burning sensation in his palm.

There was something about that young man of the Holy Clan...

As the two of them were eating and drinking, a young man's voice reached their ears.

"Would you like to come over and join us?"

Ying Xiaoxiao and the Teahouse Old Man exchanged a glance, recognizing the voice as that of the young man they had been following.

The Teahouse Old Man's earlier display of power had caused a disturbance in his aura, which the young man had undoubtedly sensed.

"Miss," the Teahouse Old Man said, looking at Ying Xiaoxiao.

Although they were not afraid of this young man, their clan preferred to stay out of conflicts whenever possible.

"It's fine," Ying Xiaoxiao waved her hand dismissively. The golden bell on her wrist jingled as she moved, drawing discreet glances from the patrons at the neighboring table. What a beautiful girl...

However, as they sneaked glances, their eyes widened in shock. They had just witnessed the old man and young girl at the table vanish into thin air right before their eyes.

They must be seeing ghosts!

Outside the small courtyard, the old man and the young girl appeared.

The guards at the entrance did not stop them, and they entered the courtyard.

"It smells delicious," Ying Xiaoxiao remarked, her nose twitching slightly as she inhaled the aroma of grilled fish wafting from the firewood.

Upon seeing the old man and the young girl, Li Hao immediately recalled the two figures from the official road.

He had always felt like someone was tailing him, but he couldn't pinpoint the source until he sensed the disturbance from the small teahouse earlier, confirming his suspicions.

"Aren't you selling buns anymore, Senior?"

Li Hao looked at the Teahouse Old Man, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Hearing Li Hao's words, the Teahouse Old Man's face reddened slightly, and he cleared his throat, "I've earned enough money, so I'm taking my granddaughter out for some fun."

Li Hao smiled but didn't press the matter further. "You two have been following me for quite some time. What brings you here?"

Ying Xiaoxiao's gaze shifted from the grilled fish on the firewood, and with a bright smile, she replied, "It's nothing much. I just felt that following you, I'd get to see interesting things, so I tagged along."

What kind of reason is that? Li Hao raised an eyebrow, but as he met her clear and innocent eyes, devoid of any guile, he felt that she was probably telling the truth. Otherwise, her excuse was far-fetched.

"So, what interesting things have you seen?" Li Hao asked.