Chapter 71- :Meritorious Service. Mount Wuliang. Li Family True Dragon. Xia Qingshuang. Lesson. Secret Technique. Breaking the Mold.

Whose flying sword is this!

Has a Fifteen Li Realm expert arrived?!

Everyone was pleasantly surprised, looking around—could it be the Xia Family had come?

As Song Yueyao was stunned, an image popped into her mind, but the person she recalled previously wielded a damaged demon-slaying saber, not this sword. Could it really be the Xia Family?

Speaking of which, where is that guy?

Song Yueyao couldn't help but look around, yet she did not see Li Hao's figure.

Similarly, she did not see any generals from the Xia Family; perhaps they were standing somewhere out of sight.

While everyone was rejoicing, the remaining Great Demons were panicked and disordered.

This sudden change was completely unexpected!

Reinforcements? The Xia Family?

No matter what it was, the Red Eyebrow Taoist was dead!

Even he was instantly killed; the other remaining Divine Travel Realm demons didn't stand a chance.

Moreover, it was said that the Red Eyebrow Taoist had cultivated in the Holy Palace, possessed a millennium of Taoist practice, and was an extremely strong existence even among those in the Fifteen Li Realm.

The Giant Strength True God from the Black Wind Mountain Range, who was once a tyrant outside Cangyu City, known as the Giant God Demon King, was also defeated by the Red Eyebrow Taoist and had no choice but to obey his command.

However, faced with a Fifteen Li Realm expert from the Xia Family, was the Red Eyebrow Taoist really so vulnerable?

The demons were terrified and hastily began to retreat, no longer caring about the demon tide below them.

And as the Great Demons fled, the other Soul Succession Realm demons also saw the situation—the Red Eyebrow Demon King had fallen. How could they continue to fight?

The hordes of demons behind were still rushing forward, but the demons in front were already frantically turning to flee.

Their collisions with each other caused the entire demon tide to become chaotic.

Meanwhile, after the flying sword killed the Red Eyebrow Taoist, Li Hao continued to maneuver it through the battlefield, pursuing the escaping Divine Travel Realm Great Demons.

These Great Demons had the power to regroup and come back; Li Hao naturally would not spare them.

The sword light was like divine lightning, swiftly passing through the battlefield. The fleeing Divine Travel Realm Great Demons, stricken with terror, tried to resist, using their life-saving Demon Art. But under the divine speed and immense power of the flying sword, they stood no chance, effortlessly pierced through with no suspense.

One by one, the Great Demons screamed as they fell.

These Great Demons could only scatter and hope that Li Hao's Object Control range wouldn't be enough to catch up with them.

But as Li Hao operated the flying sword, he himself began to move, flying towards the north of the city.

Seeing this, Wei Feng, who had been ready to retreat, changed his mind. With Li Hao as a strong Fifteen Li Realm expert by their side, it seemed unlikely that the city would be taken, unless it was by a Heavenly Human Realm Great Demon.

And if that were the case, why would a Heavenly Human Realm Great Demon need the help of other demons and cause such a commotion?

Laying waste to a city would be just a matter of casual effort, a task that could be completed in the time it takes to burn a stick of incense.

But a Heavenly Human Realm Great Demon entering the region would be even more dangerous—if it committed such a massacre, it would definitely be pursued to the ends of the earth by the Five Great Divine General Mansions, and so they rarely invaded alone.

If they invaded mixed within the demon race forces at the border, they would not be individually marked for pursuit, and it would also be easier to retreat back into the demon realm to save themselves.

Thinking of this, Wei Feng immediately took Ren Qianqian and Li Yuanzhao and leapt forward to pursue, wanting to see the outcome of the battle for themselves.

With him at their side, if the situation turned bad, he could also retreat to safety in time.

At the same time, with Li Hao himself in action, the range of his Object Control expanded. The Divine Travel Realm Great Demons had not even escaped the battlefield before they were cut down one by one.

"How can his Object Control distance be so far!!"

A Great Demon that had shrunk into a small ball of black fog heard the whistling wind behind it and showed deep despair in its eyes.

Whoosh!

The sword light flashed by, shattering the black fog.

After all eight Divine Travel Realm Great Demons perished, Li Hao maneuvered the flying sword to turn and slash towards the demon tide.

The sword light sewed through the demon tide like threading a needle, with blood splattering incessantly as the demons were reaped crazily.

The once ferocious demon tide, in the blink of an eye, was left with nothing but a tragic sea of blood and countless corpses. The remaining demons scattered and fled.

Seeing this, the city defenders immediately called to others to pursue and attack.

Liu Shunqing and the Qi Family also led their disciples, rushing out to hunt down the demons—a rare opportunity to earn merit.

In less than half the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the demon tide had collapsed.

Gazing at the demon corpses littering beneath the city walls, and notably the most striking Red Jiao's body, severed into three sections, many of the City Defense Army felt as if they were dreaming.

They had already despaired, even having written their wills and left them in their military tents, yet they ended up successfully defending the city.

An attack by demons?

Under the onslaught of the flying sword, it seemed almost farcical—the ferocious buildup ended abruptly.

The demon clouds hovering in the north, following the death of the Red Eyebrow Taoist and the successive deaths of other Divine Travel Realm Great Demons, had already dispersed, and the sky returned to clarity.

Atop the city walls, soldiers and officers alike cheered with raised hands.

When Yue Shuhong rushed over, all he saw was the scattered demon horde and couldn't help being stunned.

Twenty years of deceitful coexistence with demons and painstaking efforts… all defeated by a single youth with a sword?

Besides being emotionally stirred, he also felt an unspeakable sadness and bitterness.

Seeking help everywhere, pleading, but it was all as fleeting as bubbles.

What was the point of all his compromising and struggling over the years?

He knew well that only strength could clear every obstacle.

But since his transfer here, with official duties weighing on him, how much spare time did he have to cultivate?

He stood speechless, looking up to the sky with a light sigh.

The tide of demons had ended. Given the number of their dead and injured, Cangyu City should have no fear of demon intrusions for decades to come.

But what about himself?

He smiled bitterly, then composed himself and walked towards Li Hao.

"Li Family's young master, I, Yue Shuhong, shamelessly represent all the people of Cangyu City in thanking you for your aid!"

Yue Shuhong's expression was solemn, hands clasped together, eyes grave, as he bowed deeply to Li Hao.

Li Hao beckoned with his hand, and the flying sword in the distance came floating over like a cloud, landing in his palm.

He looked at the city defender beside him, a middle-aged man with a tanned, rugged face bearing the marks of exposure to the elements.

"It was a trifle, no need for thanks," Li Hao said calmly.

Yue Shuhong's mouth twitched with bitterness, and he immediately said, "My collusion with demons and fraternizing with them, I will report to the Imperial Court. Furthermore, the young master's merit in defending the city, I will also record and submit, with all the soldiers here as witnesses. Your credit for this feat will not be diminished."

"Merit, a trifling matter," Li Hao shook his head slightly, unimpressed.

Seeing Li Hao's indifferent and casual demeanor, Yue Shuhong paused for a moment, recognizing that the youth's eyes were clear, not falsely modest.

But whether he was modest or not didn't matter; as he said, the credit was too significant to be obscured.

To note, during ordinary times, earning merits was extremely difficult.

Even in a state of war, earning great merit was no easy feat, with the most common methods being penetrating enemy lines, being the first to scale walls, capturing flags, or beheading generals.

There were also merit awards for capturing leaders or annihilating the enemy.

The first two, penetrating enemy lines and being the first to scale walls, were second-class merits that according to Dayu's reward and title laws, could confer a second-tier noble title.

Capturing flags and beheading generals, on the other hand, were first-class merits, even harder to attain, which conferred a third-tier noble title.

The noble titles in Dayu were ranked from lowest to highest: Knight, Baron, Earl, Marquis, and Duke!

Above the dukedom was the most prestigious title of Divine Marquis.

The ancestors of the Five Great Divine General Mansions were Divine Marquises; they followed the Former Emperor in battle, establishing the Dayu Dynasty and earning incredible merits that lasted a thousand years.

Apart from Divine Marquis, all other titles had three ranks. If one could earn a first-class merit, it would result in becoming a first-tier knight.

If it was a second-class merit, then one would become a second-tier knight.

If one was already a knight and then achieved first-class merit or three second-class merits, one would be promoted to Baron, awarded with farmland and lands, akin to being a noble landowner.

If one was an Earl, one could receive an estate!

Earning merit was difficult, but today Li Hao had single-handedly defended the entire city and its citizens; his merit surpassed even a first-class merit award.

As for how to calculate it specifically, Yue Shuhong didn't bother to think about it. He would leave it to the Imperial Court, estimating it to be at least a third-tier Baron.

__________

The demon horde scattered in disarray, and Li Hao found Fu at the top of the city walls.

Seeing Fu fallen unconscious with serious injuries, Li Hao couldn't help but heave a silent sigh.

It was his fault for arriving late, failing to protect Fu properly.

Li Hao located Yue Shuhong and asked him to arrange for someone to treat Fu's injuries.

Yue Shuhong agreed without hesitation; he immediately had someone carry Li Fu down and sent the best military doctor to treat him.

Wei Feng, bringing along Li Yuanzhao and Ren Qianqian, found Li Hao and witnessed the scene here as well.

The monsters outside the city had been routed; below the high walls, corpses were strewn everywhere—no different from the west side of the city. If anything, there were more bodies, and the blood flowed even thicker!

There weren't many injured on the city walls. Seeing Li Fu being carried down and then looking at Li Hao, who didn't even have blood on his sleeves and appeared unscathed, a twitch formed at the corner of Wei Feng's mouth.

Since ancient times, it's always the family's warriors who covertly protect their young masters; this was the first time he had seen a young master covertly protecting a warrior of the family.

It seemed the Li Family was turning the world of Tiangang upside down…

"Your sword."

Li Hao saw Ren Qianqian and remembered, immediately handing over the sword he was holding.

Suddenly a thought crossed his mind: No, it's "your" sword.

Ren Qianqian, clearly unaware of what the young man in front of her was thinking, took the sword with a complicated look in her eyes, yet her gaze remained fixed on Li Hao's face.

She, who had always known her beloved sword as well as the back of her hand, didn't even notice the slightly dulled edge of the blade at that moment.

"Are you really at the Fifteen Li Realm?"

She bit her lip slightly, asking with complex emotions.

This question was also eagerly sought by Du Qiuyue and the others; despite seeing Li Hao walking on air and defeating the horde of demons, everything seemed like a dream—too surreal.

Wei Feng's expression changed slightly; he looked at his young mistress with concern. Encountering a monster like Li Hao was a massive blow for his peers. If his young mistress's sword spirit collapsed and she never recovered, it would be terrible!

Li Hao simply smiled, without saying a word.

But that was an answer in itself.

Ren Qianqian thought about the bright moon and couldn't help but ask, "That sword technique of yours…"

"Want to learn it?"

"Mhm!"

Ren Qianqian's eyes suddenly brightened, and she nodded emphatically.

"Sad to say, that's one of my family's peerless sword techniques and it's not to be shared. Nonetheless, if you're willing to become a retainer of the Li Family, or agree to serve for thirty years in the Yuan Camp, I could teach you," Li Hao said.

Ren Qianqian was stunned, but then she clenched her teeth and said, "I can be your retainer."

"Mine?"

Li Hao was surprised: "Do you understand what being a retainer means? Once you are one, it's for life. With your father being a Grandmaster and your status, you'll enjoy endless wealth and honor in the future."

In his eyes, it was clearly an unnecessary act.

Not like him, burdened with a debt, in need of settling.

"Yes, miss, please don't be rash!" Wei Feng quickly said.

If the young miss could learn something by following Li Hao, he would certainly welcome it, but to become someone's retainer… such status was far too low!

If Li Hao weren't right there, he'd have been even more stern.

Ren Qianqian shook her head, saying, "As long as you're willing to teach me that sword technique, I'm willing. Moreover, I've long heard about your Li Family's Listening Rain Tower, which encompasses myriad Cultivation Techniques from all over the world. If I become your retainer, could I also take a look inside?"

"You sure have a knack for calculating your gains," Li Hao responded with a smile. "But to enter the Listening Rain Tower, I'll have to consider your performance."

"No problem," Ren Qianqian said earnestly.

Wei Feng couldn't hide his anxiety: "Miss, for such a significant matter, you should discuss it with your master. You…"

"I am myself, and he is himself. He has his own path as a Grandmaster. In the future, I will have my own path too!" Ren Qianqian spoke with seriousness.

How foolish… Wei Feng's mouth twitched, wondering what sort of path one could have as a retainer.

He dared not imagine how, upon returning from this trip, his master would most likely skin him alive.

Li Hao had not expected this youngster to be so stubborn, but through the years, he had come to understand the people of this world—they were quite shrewd.

Some entrenched feudal ideologies were deeply rooted, like the idea that a man is nothing without achievements —looked down upon and despised by everyone!

Women too, in this martial world, while there are certainly gentlewomen of noble families, there are also many girls who from a young age aspire to vie with the sun and moon.

Not to mention this little girl comes from a martial arts family.

What was even more critical was that she had comprehended the essence of the sword, was obsessed with and focused on swordsmanship, and could even do things beyond common sense to practice her skills.

Just like he would be thrilled to travel thousands of miles over mountains and through valleys for a game of chess.

"Alright then, think it over on your way back, and we'll talk again once we return to Qingzhou."

Li Hao said, afraid that the young lady might act impulsively.

Upon hearing this, Wei Feng couldn't help but give Li Hao a grateful look, his mind rapidly going over how he could persuade his young lady to drop this idea.

Ren Qianqian, however, shook her head slightly, saying no more, as she knew her mind was made up and no one could dissuade her.

Li Hao glanced at Li Yuanzhao next to him, who seemed to have a belly full of words to say to him, patted his shoulder, and signalled that they would talk later.

Li Yuanzhao, understanding Li Hao's intention, contained his excitement and nodded vigorously.

With that settled, Li Hao found Yue Shuhong and inquired if there were any collections of poetry, paintings, musical scores, or perhaps recipes from some illustrious chefs in Cangyu City.

It was a rare occasion for him to go out and he did not want to return empty-handed.

Hearing Li Hao's request, Yue Shuhong was a bit perplexed and bewildered.

He had thought Li Hao would ask about other things, but instead, it was all about these… irrelevant trinkets?

He gave a strange look, considering that these young masters might have some peculiar hobbies, he didn't ask further and told him everything he knew.

Still, as a military man, he hadn't paid much attention to such things and promptly summoned a scholar from the mansion and had him take Li Hao for a stroll around the city.

Mount Wuliang.

As one of the top powers of the Great Yu Dynasty, the realm of Brahma Pure Land where Mount Wuliang was located was extremely vast, home to continuous mountain ranges, imposing and majestic Arhat Buddha Halls, and over a thousand Mahayana Buddha peaks.

The vast clouds and mists wafted about, giving the entire pure land an ethereal, transcendent aura.

At this moment, in front of the Vajra Heart Palace on one of the Mahayana Buddha peaks.

A man and a woman, two figures, climbed from the foot of the mountain to the entrance of this grand and imposing palace.

"This is the Vajra Heart Palace of my junior brother Qianfeng."

The young monk, clad in a kasaya, said with a smile.

"Vajra Heart Palace?"

The woman beside him had cascading black hair, a face as beautiful as a peach blossom heart, and eyes as clear as a tranquil lake, now filled with surprised and bright ripples:

"Vajra Heart Palace? Last time he was still a Gandharva Dharma God, and now, now he's already a Vajra?"

Gandharva Dharma God and Vajra were both titles within the Buddhist ranks of Mount Wuliang.

The Gandharva Dharma God required the cultivation level of Divine Travel Realm. To be a Vajra, one had to reach the Fifteen Li Realm.

"Junior brother Qianfeng is naturally clever, came to the mountain at the age of six to study under the Infinite Ancient Buddha, reached Power Passage Realm Perfection at the age of less than eight, Perfect Zhou Tian at ten, succeeded in inheritting our Buddha's true spirit at the age of ten and a half, and at fourteen, he was already in the Divine Travel Realm."

The young monk continued with a smile, "Since returning from slaying a demon down the mountain last year, junior brother Qianfeng secluded himself for three months. Before the age of eighteen, he broke through Divine Traveling, formally entered the Fifteen Li Realm, was conferred the title of Vajra, with the Dharma name Qiankun Vajra!"

The woman beside him showed a look of shock.

"Qiankun" Vajra, that Dharma name was quite significant.

It was evident how highly Mount Wuliang regarded him.

Her eyes deepened with admiration, and the image of that figure wielding a sword to slay demons in the demon forest became much clearer in her mind.

"Hurry, take me to see him."

The woman said eagerly.

The young monk glanced at her and chanted a Buddha's name softly:

"Nan, although junior brother Qianfeng is a secular disciple of our Buddhist sect, he has great aspirations, I'm afraid your visit this time may be…"

"I don't care, let me see him, I will speak to him myself," the woman interrupted with a shake of her head, knowing what he was about to say, but she had always been bold in love and hate, wanting to clear up everything.

"Alright then."

The young monk upon hearing this, shook his head slightly, remembering what his master had said about greed, anger, and delusion, this female donor had committed the delusion.

"Please announce my arrival, I've come to register for junior brother Qianfeng," said the young monk as he approached the entrance of the heart palace and spoke to the two soldiers wearing armor and holding steel spears.

The soldiers' armor bore a special mark with a golden "Yuan" character scorched into their shoulder armors, which made the young monk think of the young man's illustrious status inside and couldn't help but feel a mix of envy and admiration, but immediately realized that he was being greedy and quickly chanted a Buddha's name in his heart.

__________

A soldier from Yuan Camp glanced at the young monk, recognized his identity, nodded, then turned and entered the Vajra Heart Palace to report.

Soon after, a young man dressed in a blue robe and wearing a half-length Kasaya in mysterious yellow, walked out from the palace.

He stood tall and straight, with star-like brows and sharp eyes. Beneath his fierce brows, there was a pair of cold and resolute eyes.

With a sword at his waist and an imposing presence, he resembled a proud dragon.

"Brother Song."

Upon seeing the young monk, Li Qianfeng nodded slightly.

"Li Qianfeng, do you still remember me?"

The beautiful woman beside him spoke out, staring at the young man, her eyes lighting up.

Li Qianfeng glanced at her and frowned. "You are?"

"One year ago, Qingfeng Ridge!"

The woman's eyes shimmered with hope, "Do you remember?"

"Qingfeng Ridge…" Li Qianfeng's eyes revealed a hint of reminiscence as he pondered, "It seems the demon there has already been eliminated."

"It's me, Murong Qiulan. Back then, it was you who shielded me from that Yin Wind Serpent Demon's attack. Without you, I would have already died!" Murong Qiulan said hastily.

Li Qianfeng frowned slightly and glanced at her. "You came here for?"

"I said at that time that I would definitely repay your kindness. I, Murong Qiulan, would not marry anyone but you in this lifetime!"

Blushing, Murong Qiulan summoned the courage, biting her teeth as she spoke.

"So, you are here to repay your debt with ingratitude?"

Li Qianfeng raised his eyebrows.

Murong Qiulan: "…"

The young monk beside them cast an astonished glance at Li Qianfeng, who could speak such harsh words to such a beautiful woman. Indeed, this junior brother truly deserved to be a direct disciple of the Buddha Lord.

"I just want to repay you…" Murong Qiulan bit her lip, speaking with a sense of grievance.

She had traveled thousands of miles, used connections to come up the mountain, only to encounter such a cold reception.

"What is your family background?"

Unmoved by the woman's pitiful appearance, Li Qianfeng calmly asked.

Murong Qiulan was momentarily stunned, then quickly responded, "The Murong family is the foremost great clan in Bai Feng City. My father, the clan leader, already reached the Fifteen Li Realm in his youth, traveled widely, and made extensive connections. He has long since stepped into the Heavenly Human Realm and, given the chance, this life… might not be without hope of reaching the Three Immortal Realms."

"Your father's age?"

"He just turned fifty-four this year."

"He's already old."

Li Qianfeng shook his head slightly, "With such talent, reaching the Immortal Realm is arduous, and even if he truly steps into the Immortal Realm, he would count for nothing in front of my Li family. Your family status is too humble!"

Murong Qiulan opened her mouth slightly, speechless.

How could she not be aware? Considering family background, how many in Dayu could compare to the young man before her?

She clenched her teeth and said, "But, my mother said, if two people truly love each other, why bother about family background? I don't mind, I am willing to forego a dowry, I don't want anything, I just want you!"

"Your words are very greedy in themselves!"

Li Qianfeng said indifferently, "I myself surpass countless dowries, marrying me is like gaining half a province! The matter of my marriage will be decided by my mother in the future, and she would only consider someone of equal social standing, such as a princess or the daughter of a duke. Your family's status is probably not esteemed by her."

Murong Qiulian's face turned ashen, at a loss for words.

She hadn't expected this to be the case, coming forth as a woman to confess her feelings, even inclining herself to pursue him, and yet to be spurned.

The young monk nearby was astounded by Li Qianfeng's words; this junior brother was incredibly fierce!

"But what if the person you marry in the future is not to your liking?"

Murong Qiulan was biting her lip, feeling as if her heart were bleeding.

Li Qianfeng said impassively, "Matters of marriage are essentially transactions, not about liking. In this life, only the sword accompanies me, the rest are merely trivialities."

Upon hearing this, both were stunned, and then silence ensued.

The stunning young man before them, like a proud dragon under the sun and moon, possessed exceptional talents, yet he seemed to have devoted all his heart to the sword in his hand.

Clearly, discussing love and affection with such a person was futile.

Murong Qiulan was silent for a long time before she said, "I understand, but… if I were willing to marry you as a concubine?"

As she said this, she raised her head again to look at the extraordinary young man.

The young monk beside her changed his expression slightly, glanced at the woman, and subtly turned his head away, somewhat unable to bear it.

Is this what the master spoke of as the world's foolish passions?

"As a concubine…" Li Qianfeng pondered for a moment and said, "As a grandmaster's daughter, you barely qualify, but it must wait until after I am first married."

"I can wait!" Murong Qiulan immediately said.

"Very well."

Li Qianfeng nodded his head once, not saying more, then turned to the young monk beside him and asked, "Brother Song, did you bring the registration book? I am about to leave the mountain for a while after coming out of seclusion."

The young monk snapped back to reality, nodded, and pulled out a register from his kasaya, along with a brush and ink.

"Brother Qianfeng, you have been up the mountain for more than a decade; are you returning home this trip?"

"Indeed, it is time to visit home, but before that, I must also strive for some achievements."

As Li Qianfeng spoke, he took the brush and ink to register.

The young monk asked in surprise, "Oh? Does Brother Qianfeng still need achievements?"

"Brother Song jests, we of the Li Family must each earn our own accolades. Moreover, this return is to compete for a True Dragon position; having some achievements surely helps," Li Qianfeng replied, appearing very amiable as he made quick work of the registration before handing back the brush and ink to Brother Song.

The young monk blew the register dry, closed it, put away the brush and ink, and said with a smile, "Brother Qianfeng, you are too cautious. With your cultivation level, who can compete with you for the True Dragon position?"

Li Qianfeng smiled faintly, his gaze drifting to the distance.

In his mind, an image surfaced, that of the woman his mother had mentioned when she visited him on the mountain.

Li Wushuang.

A year ago, when he descended the mountain to slay demons, he also heard her name. She had already made it to the Qiankun List's Qian Rank!

A ninth-grade battler, taught by a renowned master, a year and a half younger than him, she had already earned a reputation in Jianghu, one step ahead in making a name for herself.

This journey would see her as his greatest competitor.

Though they had not met, Li Qianfeng felt a premonitory sense that she was following closely behind his footsteps.

Thinking this, he slightly curled the corner of his mouth, determined to let his cousin know that not everyone could catch up to his shadow.

He believed in himself, as well as the sword in his hand.

"May I accompany you?" Beside him, Murong Qiulan seized the opportunity and asked cautiously.

She looked at Li Qianfeng with a pitiable expression, the image of his sword strike that crushed the Yin wind serpent demon still echoing in her mind.

"If you can keep up, then follow me."

Li Qianfeng said indifferently, unfazed by her demure demeanor.

Inside Cangyu City.

After the demon calamity was resolved, Li Hao and others were also ready to make their way back home.

The business of the Monster Suppression Department had also slowed down, with no other tasks besides cleaning up the demon corpses outside the city.

Temporarily, hardly any demons dared to invade Cangyu City, unless it was some foolish little demon with a lack of spiritual intelligence who dared to commit offenses against the wind.

Meanwhile, Li Hao collected calligraphy, poetry, and books throughout the city, reaping significant rewards.

[Name: Li Hao]

[Age: 14]

[Cultivation Level: Peak of the Fifteen Li Realm]

[Sword Dao: Sixth Stage (Flying Phase) (Hidden Bow)]

[Sword Techniques: Endless Sea (True Form), Falling Snow Sword Skill – Avalanche (True Form)…]

[Physical Body Path: Sixth Stage (Myriad Forms) (Tiger Press)]

[Physical Techniques: Golden Skin Hundred Refinement – Vajra (True Form), Thousand Jiaos Holy Body – Transform into Jiao (True Form), Primordial Fifth Layer (True Primordial Body), Dragon Cicada Void Body – Dragon Ascent (True Form)…]

[Control Path: Sixth Stage]

[Control Techniques: Heavenly Gang Zhou Tian Skill – Heavenly Gang (True Form), Hundred Battles Cycle Heaven Skill – Unparalleled (True Form), Dragon River Divine Meridian – Dragon's Breath (True Form), Nine Revolutions Starry Sky Skill – Nine Revolutions (True Form)…]

[Fist Technique: Sixth Stage]

[Fist Techniques: Half-Step Invincible Fist Sixth Layer (Perfected), Heaven and Earth Penetrating Fist (Perfected)]

[Body Technique Path: Second Stage]

[Movement Technique: Bai Fengxing (Perfected)]

[Chess Tao: Fifth Stage (18322/50000)]

[Art of Painting: Fifth Stage (8273/50000)]

[Poetry and Books: Third Stage (4999/5000)]

[Musical Rhythm: Third Stage (4999/5000)]

[Fishing Tao: Fifth Stage (21827/50000)]

[Culinary Dao: Sixth Stage (99999/100000)]

[Chess Catalogue Collection: Myriad Forms, Tiger Press, Flying Phase, Hidden Bow, Concealing Brilliance, Seven Phoenixes Lighting the Lamps]

[Masterpiece Painting Collection: Thousand Mountains Birds Flying Painting, Snow Mountain Spirit Fox Painting, Kylin Steed Painting, Blood Sea Fierce Jiao Painting, Mountain Landscape Painting, Qiongqi Mountains Painting]

[Poetry and Books Catalogue Collection: Zhao Xinhuan's Poetry, Song Yuan's Poetry]

[Musical Scores Collection: Phoenix Seeking Mate, Hidden Orchid, Moon Chime, Little Hu Xiao]

[Fishing Catalogue Collection: None]

[Cooking Recipes Collection: None]

[State of Mind: Chess Mind (Expended), Art Mind (Expended), Fishing Mind (Expended), Culinary Mind (Expended)]

[Artistic Skill Points: 1]

On this trip, he acquired two chess manuals, "Concealing Brilliance" and "Seven Phoenixes Lighting the Lamps."

Li Hao chose to embed "Concealing Brilliance" into his Physical Body Path, and soon, its attributes became apparent.

Concealing Brilliance: In a relaxed state, the body rapidly heals itself, and severed limbs can slowly regenerate.

This effect was excellent, although he had hardly ever been injured.

"Seven Phoenixes Lighting the Lamps" was a chess manual for a trapping and killing formation.

Li Hao wanted to use it in both the Sword Dao and the Control Path, but after some thought, he chose the Control Path.

As the embedding occurred, its attributes also became evident.

Seven Phoenixes Lighting the Lamps: After seven cycles of cultivating, one can temporarily double the strength of their cultivation.

Seeing this effect, Li Hao was somewhat astonished.

This effect was too strong, wasn't it? It implied that if he cycled his Meridian Opening Skill and Qi Circulation Skill seven times, the strength would be doubled?

It was known that as his Control Path reached the Sixth Stage, most of the cultivation techniques he commanded had also reached the True State.

Some lower-tier techniques, under profound insights into the Dao, could even evolve into high-grade techniques.

Also, when many techniques advanced, Li Hao's number of meridians significantly increased, from 69 to 98!

The Qi circulation cycles increased from 248 to 369.

Just the Qi force of his inherent Zhou Tian Realm totaled over eight million jin.

With the instantaneous doubling effect of the Yin and Yang Dual Pulse, it could reach over seventeen million jin!

Even the Imperial Family only possessed about two million jin, nearly nine times more, and now with this attribute effect, it would be eighteen times!

The gap was as vast as the difference between the clouds and the mud.

However, Li Hao knew that such an increase, although it harmed the body, belonged to a short burst of aggressive attack.

Moreover, he had not yet fully opened all 108 major meridians in his body to reach the limit; there was still room for improvement.

The only aspect that had reached its limit was probably his soul, which had managed to condense the Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation.

This trip yielded tremendous gains, including two chess manuals, three masterpieces, two poetry collections, and four famous musical scores.

Li Hao had not chosen to embed any of them at the moment.

He believed that with his current strength, only the Heavenly Human Realm could possibly force him to exert his full power.

Then he would know which areas he was still lacking and could further compensate for them.

____________

When the City Defense Army was clearing the demon corpses outside the city, Song Yueyao also reported the situation at the Black Wind Mountain Range to Yue Shuhong.

Yue Shuhong immediately sent scouts to verify the information.

When the scouts saw the mountain top covered with demon corpses, they were utterly shocked.

The number of demon corpses here was no fewer than those piled up outside the city.

Especially that neatly arranged high platform of demon corpses, which contained all Great Demons, and roughly counted, there were more than twenty.

The scouts also saw the legendary Strength True God Bear Demon that had been well-known outside the city, but now, it too had become a lightly decaying, foul-smelling corpse, stacked at the bottom of the flesh platform.

The scouts' legs trembled, and they hurried back to the city to report everything in detail to Yue Shuhong.

After listening, Yue Shuhong stood still for a long time before exhaling deeply.

Having been stationed in Cangyu City for so many years, he naturally knew that the Great Demons lurking around Cangyu City must have all been slain by Li Hao!

If it hadn't been for the Tan Palace Academy coincidentally assigning a task that Li Hao happened to accept… Yue Shuhong dared not imagine what Cangyu City would have become at this moment.

He was both exhilarated and sighing, feeling as if a great rock that had been weighing on his heart for decades had finally fallen.

Two days later.

The demon corpses outside Cangyu City were mostly cleared away, and the academy task for Li Hao and the others was declared to be over.

Their arrival was hurried, but the return journey seemed leisurely and relaxed, as Yue Shuhong provided a carriage for the group.

He personally escorted them to the city gate to bid farewell.

"Young master, I have already reported the matters of Cangyu City to the provincial government."

"Additionally, once everything here settles down and is handled properly, I will personally go to the Imperial Capital to request death as my punishment."

Outside the carriage, Yue Shuhong bowed solemnly.

Li Hao looked at him, immediately understanding that he was prepared to take all the blame upon himself.

"Are you aware that shouldering such responsibility all on your own could implicate all nine of your clans?" Li Hao said.

Yue Shuhong's expression remained calm, he calmly said, "I know, which is why I have already severed ties with my nine clans. Twelve years ago, I cut off all relations, and according to the laws of Dayu, after breaking off relations for more than ten years, one shall be deemed as unassociated, without any connection, and the crime will not implicate others!"

Li Hao looked at him intently, saying, "It seems you are also a good chess player."

"You flatter me, young master."

Li Hao did not say more. He withdrew his hand and let down the carriage curtain:

"It's a pity, you won't be able to taste the wine brewed in Tiger Robe Head tavern."

Yue Shuhong's body shook slightly, and after a moment of silence, he lifted his head with a faint smile on his face:

"If the young master doesn't mind, someday when you pass by Cangyu City, pour a cup on this road, and consider it as sharing a drink with me."

The breeze stirred the curtains, causing a gentle sway.

From inside came a single word:

"Agreed."

Yue Shuhong's smile grew even more radiant.

The carriage began to move slowly, as the coachman cracked his whip. In the morning sun, following the official road lined with green cypresses, it moved steadily onward.

The city and the figure at the city gate gradually shrank into the distance.

But it was still vaguely visible that the person was waving an arm towards the carriage, as if saying goodbye, then made a long, deep bow.

Until they could no longer see each other.

Inside the carriage were only Li Hao, Ren Qianqian, Li Yuanzhao, and others.

The coachman, a soldier from Cangyu City, would have to drive the carriage back to Cangyu City on his own after dropping Li Hao and the others off at Qingzhou.

Wei Feng had already bid them a hasty farewell the day before. With Li Hao present, there was no need for him to protect his young mistress from the shadows.

He was now more worried about his mistress actually agreeing to Li Hao's proposal to become his follower.

Even though Li Hao was of high status, Ren Qianqian was, after all, the daughter of a Grandmaster, and being a follower was a label that would stick with her for life.

He had to hurry back and request reinforcements, as only his master could persuade his mistress.

As for Li Fu, his injuries had not yet healed, so he stayed in Cangyu City to recuperate.

At that moment, less than half a day's journey from departing Cangyu City, on the imperial road, two swift horses suddenly approached from ahead of where Li Hao and his company were traveling.

The riders on the swift horses seemed to recognize the flag of Cangyu City on the carriage and, after passing by the carriage at a distance of several tens of meters, they suddenly pulled the reins, turning around to come back in front of the carriage, blocking the path of several individuals.

"Stop there!"

The riders on the swift horses were a man and a woman, the man in his twenties wearing purple armor, a sword at his waist, and a flying-feather cap on his head, full of valiance.

The woman was dressed in purple fine armor and wore a bow on her back and a sword at her waist. She had no helmet but a head full of black hair that trailed behind her with the cloak of her armor.

"Are you a soldier from Cangyu City?"

After bringing the carriage to a halt, the young man immediately gripped the whip, pointing at the coachman somewhat angrily.

The coachman, startled at first, quickly saw the armor of the two individuals and, shocked, hurriedly rose and knelt: "Commander Yue Ming of the Cangyu City Defense Army, at your service."

"Why are you here? And who are the occupants within the carriage?"

The young man shouted angrily, "We heard that Cangyu City was attacked by demons. Are you deserters who have abandoned the city?!"

By saying this, a chilling killing intent already appeared in his eyes.

Carriage driver Yue Ming hastily explained, "Your Excellencies have misunderstood, the demonic calamity in the city has already been quelled. I am following the orders of the city's lord, escorting these Tan Palace Academy students back to Qingzhou."

"Tan Palace Academy students?"

Upon hearing this, both individuals' eyes flickered slightly, and the young man's expression softened a bit, saying, "Call them out, I want to take a look."

The Tan Palace Academy in Qingzhou is world-famous, and they too were aware of it. However, it held no necessity for them to go there to study.

Inside the carriage, Li Hao and the others heard the commotion outside. Yu Wei, who was sitting at the carriage door, immediately lifted the curtain to look out, wondering which fool was causing trouble.

It was one thing to stop him, but inside the carriage were both Li Hao and Li Yuanzhao of the Li Family.

"They're wearing the military armor of the Xia Family."

Li Yuanzhao immediately recognized the identities of the two through the carriage curtain.

Belonging to the same Divine General Mansion, although Li Yuanzhao had not traveled far, he had learned about these noble families of the highest stream.

The two individuals on the swift horses saw the youthful faces of Li Hao and the others, along with their Tan Palace uniforms, and immediately knew that the carriage driver hadn't been lying.

"I asked you, what do you mean by saying the demonic disaster is resolved?" the valiant woman asked coldly, turning her eyes toward the coachman.

The coachman nervously replied, "To report to Your Excellencies, the demon caused chaos, but fortunately, Master Li of the Li Family stepped in and quelled the disturbance."

"Master Li of the Li Family?"

The young man frowned, "Which Master Li of the Li Family?"

"The one from the Li Family of the Divine General Mansion in Qingzhou," the coachman replied respectfully.

"Hmm?"

Xia Yong and Xia Qingshuang glanced at each other, could it really be them?

Wait, Master Li?

To be referred to as such, it must be someone from the third generation of the Li family.

After all, the second generation of the Li family had already reached middle age, and only three members were left, all well-known throughout the land.

Yet it was rumored that during this demonic calamity, a Great Demon from the Fifteen Li Realm was leading the siege, along with tens of thousands of other demons. Such a force, at the very least required two prodigies from the Fifteen Li Realm of the Xia Family to suppress.

But from the third generation of the Li family, no famous individuals had been heard of yet.

More than a decade ago, however, a few caused a small ripple in the world.

One entered Mount Wuliang as a disciple of the Buddha Master at the age of six, another became a Direct Disciple of a Daoist from Qianji Mountain.

It was also said that another was born with a fortune that matched the heavens and was personally named by Emperor Yu. Everyone thus deduced that his talents were extremely high, but later on, no news was heard, and rumors even circulated that he was a cultivation failure, though the truth behind those rumors was unclear.

"Could it be that the one from Mount Wuliang has entered the world?"

The two exchanged a look, knowing that the one addressed as Master Li couldn't be the Li family's young lady who had made her name known just a year ago on the Qian List.

"The third generation Li from Mount Wuliang should be eighteen this year. Eighteen and already in the Fifteen Li Realm…" Xia Yong narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of battle spirit emerging.

On the side, Xia Qingshuang appeared calm as she said, "Since that's the case, we can be at ease."

She looked towards the coachman, asking, "How are the casualties within the city?"

"To report to Your Excellencies, only over two hundred of the city's defending soldiers were injured, and about a dozen have perished."

Coachman Yue Ming was extremely respectful.

____________

"Hmm?"

Both of them were taken aback. Such minor battle damages?

"How is that possible? Even with the assistance of the Fifteen Li Realm, there would still be many casualties in a chaotic battle. Could it be that the intelligence you brought is incorrect, and there aren't that many demons?" Xia Yong said sternly.

The coachman shivered in fear and quickly said, "I would never dare to deceive you. There are countless demons, so many that they blacken the horizon. I heard there are forty to fifty thousand, and I saw with my own eyes seven or eight Divine Travel Realm Great Demons, as well as a Red Jiao, but all thanks to Li of the Li Family who cut them down and kept the whole city safe."

Red Jiao, that must be the jiao dragon driven out of the Holy Palace… Xia Qingshuang's eyes moved slightly, and her expression became serious.

That Red Jiao is not like an ordinary Fifteen Li Realm Great Demon; it possesses sorcery nurtured within the Holy Palace and is only slightly inferior to them in strength.

"I never expected that the third generation of the Li Family would have such a capable person," Xia Qingshuang said.

"Hmph, sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. This place is not Qingzhou, nor is it the Li Family's territory."

Xia Yong also believed the coachman's words now and snorted coldly, "To act so high and mighty upon entering the world, how preposterous. Are the battlefields overseen by the Li Family in Northern Yan not chaotic enough?"

"Hey!"

Inside the carriage, Li Yuanzhao, having heard this, couldn't suppress his anger and retorted, "What are you talking about? We help you, the Xia Family, solve the demon scourge, and yet you blame us instead!"

"Hmm?"

Upon hearing the plump boy's shout, both of them were startled.

Xia Yong's face changed slightly and he asked, "You are a disciple of the Li Family?"

"Of course!" Li Yuanzhao said, his face full of anger.

These students from Tan Palace Academy, they should not dare to impersonate the Li Family… Xia Yong immediately felt a twinge of embarrassment. Initially, he had only intended to express dissatisfaction behind their backs, but his words were overheard.

Now that it had come to this, admitting his mistake would only undermine the Xia Family's prestige, so he maintained a stern face and said, "To be admitted to Tan Palace Academy, a Li Family disciple's talent must be just so."

"You!"

His words seemed to have angered everyone.

After all, Tan Palace is a top-tier academy. Although it may not compare to Mount Wuliang or Divine General Mansion, gaining entry is extremely difficult.

To the other party, it seemed to be spoken of as a place of little worth.

However, although Du Qiuyue and the others were annoyed, they dared not say anything, for this was the Xia Family's domain.

Li Hao was somewhat surprised; he never imagined there truly existed people in the world with such low emotional intelligence. No wonder those ancient military officers could not outsmart civil officials—such remarks were bound to offend people the moment they were uttered.

"Yong Brother, let's go."

Xia Qingshuang, realizing that Xia Yong had spoken inappropriately, decided not to linger any longer and prepared to go to Cangyu City to see if everything was alright before returning home as soon as possible.

Xia Yong snorted coldly, taking the opportunity to gracefully make an exit.

Li Hao said, "Are you just going to leave like this?"

"Hmm?" Xia Qingshuang frowned and looked towards the youth sitting in the center of the carriage, instantly recognizing that this young man seemed to be the core of the group.

"You solve the demon scourge for you, and you can't even say thanks, and now you have the audacity to criticize the Li Family's affairs in Northern Yan?" Li Hao said coldly.

If they hadn't mentioned Northern Yan, he might not have bothered to care.

But with his parents still in Northern Yan, and despite not having seen them for over a decade which might mean not much affection ran deep, he still remembered the three-thousand-year-old demon corpse sent back by his coarse father and the concerned look in his young mother's eyes.

In his heart, he naturally considered them his family.

"What exactly are you, picking a quarrel? The Li Family has been fighting in Northern Yan for over a decade, swallowing all the hardships. Is it not right for the court to provide food and equipment?" Xia Yong's face darkened as he looked down at Li Hao.

"Bastard, how dare you insult Hao Brother!" Li Yuanzhao fumed with rage, and he would have taken action personally if he was not aware that the two before him were very powerful individuals.

"My Li Family has been fighting for over a decade, keeping the difficulties to ourselves. Isn't it proper for the court to supply the food and equipment?" Li Hao said indifferently, "What, has the Xia Family never sought assistance from the court? As a fellow Divine General Mansion, you should understand the difficulty of guarding the frontier. Instead, you ridicule us here—is this how the Xia Family teaches its members?"

"Are you also a third-generation Li?"

Embarrassment and annoyance flashed across Xia Yong's face, "The Li Family is simply lawless. We haven't even left Qi State yet, and this is the Xia Family's jurisdiction. What gives you the right to question our Xia Family's thousand-year teachings? Slap him!"

He was at the Fifteen Li Realm, ready to strike a slap at any moment.

Under the control of object manipulation, others had no control over their own bodies.

But Li Hao's palm remained still, he merely narrowed his eyes sharply, and the power of object manipulation enveloped and suppressed the area above the adversary's head.

With a whine, the purple-horned horse ridden by Xia Yong let out a cry of anguish.

This warhorse was of the same outstanding breed as the Red Blood Horse, battle-hardened and having witnessed countless Demon blood, it naturally carried a fierce and murderous aura. However, at that moment, its hooves suddenly gave out, and it knelt down.

Xia Yong's face changed drastically on horseback, intending to leap into the air, but the suppressing force caused him to tumble directly off the horse.

He struggled up from the ground in a flustered manner, a flash of horror crossing his face as he stared at the young man inside the carriage.

Although dressed in the same academy attire, the young man exuded a noble air.

"Fifteen Li Realm? Impossible!"

Xia Yong could hardly believe it; how young this teenager was, yet his realm was comparable to his own, and that object manipulation Divine Power was even more tyrannical than his own.

Xia Qing Shuang's pretty face changed slightly, she stared at Li Hao and asked, "Which young master of the Li Family are you?"

Li Hao couldn't be bothered to answer, just coldly said, "I need an apology from you, or no one is leaving today!"

"You!"

Xia Yong said angrily, "This is Qi State, not Qingzhou!"

"Even if this place were at the doorstep of your Xia Family, you would still owe me an apology!" Li Hao articulated each word.

"Very well, then I shall see whether you can really bear it!"

Xia Yong suddenly invoked his Divine Soul, transforming into a beam of golden light and thrusting his palm toward Li Hao.

Li Hao sat still, a flash of golden light behind him, his own Divine Soul flew out and suddenly smashed out with a punch.

This was a Peerless Technique taught by his second uncle, the Half-Step Invincible Fist.

This technique was even more powerful than the fourth form of the Endless Sea by three parts.

However, he did not strike with full force.

With a thud, at the moment of the impact between the fist and the palm, Xia Yong's Divine Soul melted like snowflakes in a furnace, rapidly disintegrating, and shattered by the punch!

Xia Yong's face instantly turned deathly pale, he violently spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, looking at Li Hao in horror. He raised a trembling finger, unable to speak, his vision darkened, and he fainted to the ground right then and there.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye, and Li Hao's Divine Soul had already returned to his body.

Xia Qing Shuang regained her senses, her expression changed dramatically, realizing that the soul injury was severe. Even with the Xia Family's countless precious medicines for recovery, one would have to rest for at least half a year to a year. For ordinary people, it might even take decades to heal.

Such a ruthless move.

Xia Qing Shuang looked at the young man inside the carriage. His face was as cold as ice, and he looked back at her as well.

"Your attack was exceedingly ruthless!" Xia Qing Shuang gritted her teeth and said.

"Today, if it weren't for me, other descendants of the Li Family would have either swallowed their anger or truly slapped you!"

Li Hao's gaze was icy, "For your Xia Family to dare to make the Li Family suffer such an insult in public, what audacity. Not killing him was already showing mercy!"

A flicker of indignation passed through Xia Qing Shuang's eyes, but knowing she was in the wrong and furthermore not being a match for the young man, she immediately raised her hand to gesture, lifting Xia Yong's body onto the horse from afar. She then said:

"In light of your rescue of Cangyu City, I won't trouble you any further. Let's end this matter here!"

With that, she spurred her horse forward, carrying Xia Yong back on their way.

She had originally planned to visit Cangyu City, but now with Xia Yong seriously injured, she needed to take him back to the clan to be treated to avoid any lingering ailments.

Seeing the other party leave, the several people inside the carriage also realized that the exchange between Li Hao and the opponent was likely a clash of Divine Souls, which they, having not progressed in soul cultivation, could not perceive.

"The Xia Family is really unreasonable!" Li Yuan Zhao said huffily.

"Didn't expect the Xia Family to be like this."

Ren Qianqian frowned, by now she already considered herself a follower by Li Hao's side, half a member of the Li Family. Coupled with Li Hao's words at the tea stall on their journey, she held respect for the Li Family in her heart.

Seeing the Xia Family of Divine General Mansion acting so unrulily and unreasonably, she couldn't help but feel disappointed.

Li Hao watched the others leave and did not attempt to stop them, simply shaking his head slightly and instructing the coachman to continue on their journey.

This incident wasn't too important to him. It was common for large families to have arrogant individuals. He had heard somewhat of the Xia Family's amazing feats and did not develop hostility towards the entire family, though his impression of them did drop slightly.

____________

Back to Qingzhou.

Li Hao and the others, carrying the mission letter from the Monster Suppression Department of Cangyu City, returned to Tan Palace Academy to report.

The letter bore the official seal of the Monster Suppression Department, and all five of them received full marks in their evaluations.

Upon receiving the letter, Su Yehua wasn't surprised.

After all, with two young masters from the Li family joining the mission, the Monster Suppression Department in Cangyu City, possessing the slightest bit of discernment, wouldn't make things difficult for them.

As for the truth behind the letter, she couldn't be bothered to scrutinize it closely. After all, background was a part of one's strength too.

Even she had to show some courtesy to these young masters and ladies of the Li family, in consideration of the face of the Divine General Mansion.

Jianghu was never outside the city but within it.

After the reporting was over, Ren Qianqian found Li Hao and expressed her wishes; she had made up her mind.

Li Hao, however, didn't agree immediately, but instead asked her to discuss with her parents. After all, becoming an attendant sword servant was a serious matter. It wasn't easy to break away once one joined; learning the peerless technique of the Li family would bind her to them for life, and even giving up one's cultivation level wouldn't set her free.

After Li Hao finished speaking, Ren Qianqian revealed that she lost her mother when she was young and didn't wish to discuss it with her father. This was a decision she could make on her own.

Seeing this, Li Hao was even less inclined to agree and suggested that it would be better for her to communicate with her father.

The young lady was inexperienced in the ways of the world, and he couldn't just spirit her away so easily. Otherwise, if her grandmaster father caused a commotion at the mansion in the future, although the Li family wouldn't be afraid, it would still be an unsightly mess.

Having refused Ren Qianqian, Li Hao took Li Yuanzhao and returned to the long-missed Mountain and River Courtyard.

He placed the box containing the head of the Tiger Robe Immortal in his room and, with other delicacies collected from Cangyu City, had Qing Zhi deliver a portion to the fifth elder guarding the family shrine, while he took the rest to Listening Rain Tower.

Not finding the second elder at Listening Rain Tower, Li Hao saw the daylight and instantly knew that at this time, the second elder was likely fishing by the shore of Black Water Lake.

He immediately flew out from Listening Rain Tower, heading for the shore of Black Water Lake.

Before long, the vast expanse of Black Water Lake came into view.

Li Hao found the second elder's usual fishing spot and, indeed, saw his and Elder Feng's figures.

Noticing someone approaching, the two turned their heads to look.

Li Hao descended from the sky, landing next to them, and said with a smile, "Second Elder, Elder Feng, how was the catch today? Who caught more?"

"It's Hao Er."

Feng Boping's face showed a smile as he said, "Of course, I'm the one who caught more!"

Li Hao's ability to fly didn't surprise them; they already knew about his approximate cultivation level.

After all, at the age of twelve, this young fellow had, in front of the two elders, accidentally fished up a small flood dragon from the Divine Travel Realm.

That had shocked and envied them greatly.

The shock was from Li Hao's frightening talent, surpassing even that of Li Jiulang, who was said to be a once-in-millennium genius.

But their envy was due to this lad's luck for actually managing to catch a flood dragon!

As for the silly dragon that was caught, they were both angry and annoyed, and after Li Hao cooked it, they ate several portions with gusto.

While eating, they muttered to themselves, "Why didn't it bite my hook? Is my hook not attractive?!"

Words aside, trouble aside, seeing the talent Li Hao displayed, even the fame-indifferent Li Muxiu was tempted, on the spot, to teach Li Hao martial arts and hoped he would focus more and not waste his time in frivolous pursuits.

With such talent, added to his personal teaching, Li Hao's future achievements might even surpass his own. If the Li family could produce a True Immortal, it would truly cause an earthquake across the land.

But Li Hao promptly sought the advice of Elder Feng, the Saint of Thieves, who had a more open view and persuaded Li Muxiu to relent.

With the example of Li Jiulang, Li Muxiu gave up the idea, allowing Li Hao to choose the life he liked.

Li Muxiu had also realized early on that even if he forced Li Hao to cultivate, the youngster would probably not do so wholeheartedly, which was quite frustrating.

He was puzzled, seeing that, without witnessing Li Hao's training, his realm was nonetheless soaring rapidly.

Because of Li Hao's persistence, his cultivation affairs were not widely publicized by Li Muxiu, so others in the mansion were still unaware.

At that moment.

Hearing Feng Boping's smug laughter, Li Muxiu gave him an annoyed glance, "What's the use of catching more? They're all small fish and shrimp. I'm aiming to catch a dragon."

Neither of them used fishing rods while fishing; they simply used energy from heaven and earth as lines to pierce through the bodies of small demon fish, guiding them to where bigger fish or flood dragons might be hunting for food.

"Catch one first, then talk," Feng Boping laughed.

Li Muxiu snorted lightly, noticing the packages in Li Hao's hands, and said, "Where did you buy these? Weren't you at Tan Palace Academy bullying the kids?"

"I just went on a mission for the academy, brought back some delicacies from Cangyu City," Li Hao said with a smile as he shared the food with the two elders: "Here, these are delicious."

"Wow, there's dairy crisp in this twisted doughnut," Feng Boping took a bite and commented, "The taste is good."

"You've grown thoughtful, kid," Li Muxiu said, laughing as he picked up some food and started eating.

At this moment, the white fox Xiao Rou joyfully ran over. Li Hao squatted down to embrace it in his arms and took out a piece of roasted meat for it, "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you."

"This little fox of yours, just like a cat, sure loves to eat fish," Li Muxiu commented.

Xiao Rou, holding the roasted meat with her two small paws, chewed meticulously. Hearing the words of Second Elder, she revealed a fox's typical grin, her eyes curving into slits.

Li Hao smiled, rubbed her head, and let her eat to the side. He also took out a portion for himself, sat down beside the two elders, and began to eat, chatting idly as he did.

"It shouldn't be long now before your father returns," Li Muxiu said while eating a crispy biscuit.

"Oh?" Li Hao expressed in surprise.

Could the war that had lasted for over a decade finally be coming to an end?

"I heard there's been a twist at the Northern Yan battlefield, and the Holy Palace intends to retreat," Li Muxiu explained.

Li Hao's eyes brightened. Does this mean he would get to see his parents?

"Little Hao Er, it's been over a decade since you've seen your parents, do you still recognize them?" Feng Boping teased with a smile.

Li Hao thought for a moment; the images of his parents in his memory had indeed gotten somewhat blurry.

Li Muxiu gave Feng Boping a disgruntled glare. It was quite the unwelcome reminder. He then said to Li Hao:

"It just so happens that your generation has all grown up. The Li Family's True Dragon seat will likely be decided this year. With your father back to support you, securing the True Dragon seat should be almost certain," he said.

"With Hao Er's talent, is there any dispute? If it was up to me, I'd give him the True Dragon seat right now," Feng Boping said as he ate.

Li Muxiu shot him a glance, "I wish it were that simple. Do you think managing the vast affairs of the Li Family is like being a lonely old man like yourself? We must keep other branches of the family satisfied. We can't favor one over the other and foster resentment in their hearts."

He then turned to Li Hao and said, "Right, Hao Er?"

"Mhm," he replied.

Li Hao nodded with a smile.

He had long heard talk of the True Dragon seat from his Second Elder.

Each generation, the Li Family would select a True Dragon who would receive the most abundant resources from the family, and also receive assistance from numerous ancestors in the ancestral shrine to enhance the quality of their soul!

The number of soul forms that one could condense in the Soul Succession Realm was closely linked to the targets inherited from the ancestors.

There were eighty for the Four Stands Realm.

Yet, there exists another method to increase the number of condensed souls, a secret technique created by the ancestors of the Li Family.

With the combined effort of the ancestral spirits, the quality of the soul forms could be elevated, reaching a level comparable to the True Human tier inherited by the royal families.

That is, 180 condensations!

Upon reaching the Divine Travel Realm, they would also help condense the Divine Soul, expanding the reach of the Divine Soul Realm.

Furthermore, upon attaining the Fifteen Li Realm, they would also help by imbuing the power of the ancestral spirits, pushing the Fifteen Li Realm beyond the pinnacle genius level, achieving top-tier standards.

The so-called True Dragon is to be unrivaled in their realm, truly invincible.

At the same time, as a True Dragon of the Li Family, one must bear the duty of enhancing the power granted by the ancestral spirits, and take on the legacy of the entire Li Family. Without any mishaps, they are expected to become the head of the family.

If there are millions of prodigies in the world, reaching the ninth-ranked battle physique would put one in the first-rate category. And for a ninth-ranked prodigy of the Li Family, coupled with numerous supreme cultivation techniques, this would be considered among the top echelons.

And the True Dragon would surpass the top-tier!

Although Li Hao was already at the Fifteen Li Realm, if he became a True Dragon, he would still enjoy the reshaping and assistance of the ancestral spirits for the previous realms.

Apart from the Soul Succession Realm, Li Hao felt that he had yet to reach the limits of the other realms.

Even for the Soul Succession Realm, he didn't know whether he could continue to progress and was quite eager about it.

Of course, the most important aspect was that if he didn't take the seat of a True Dragon, it was highly likely to fall to another individual.

Had it not been for the poisoning incident years ago, Li Hao wouldn't particularly care about the position of the True Dragon. After all, being a True Dragon carried with it immense responsibilities: to carry on the legacy of the Li Family, a millennium-old noble house, push through all obstacles, and perpetuate and magnify its glory. He knew very well how taxing it would be.

Only, someone had attempted to ruin him for the sake of their son's prospects years ago, scheming more than a decade in advance. Naturally, Li Hao couldn't let them get their way. He had been waiting for this day.

"The test for the True Dragon looks at all aspects, not just innate talent but also temperament, connections, contributions, and so on," Li Muxiu told Li Hao. "Sending you to Tan Palace Academy was also to let you get out and make some friends, not just keep company with us old folks all the time."

Feng Boping sneered, "Don't kid yourself; talent is definitely the most important. Everything else is just icing on the cake."

"Get out of here, don't lead Hao Er astray," Li Muxiu said with a stern look.

"Haha…" Feng Boping burst into laughter.

Li Hao smiled quietly, listening to the two elders' banter.

Before long, the line of the Second Elder's fishing rod twitched; something had taken the bait.

As the sun set into dusk and stars began to sprinkle across the riverside sky, with the evening drawing near, Li Hao cooked a demon fish that Feng had caught, preparing a barbecue that served as dinner for the three men and a fox.

____________

Three days later.

Song Yueyao returned to Tan Palace from Cangyu City with a tired look on her face, her task as a patrol envoy completed, and she temporarily set aside her official duties to report back.

She had already learned that Li Hao and the others had returned ahead of schedule, and by now, they must have already arrived back in Qingzhou.

Thinking of the strength Li Hao had displayed, she clenched her teeth in secret frustration. She had seen all sorts of geniuses during her years of study in Black and White Hall, but it was her first time encountering someone like him.

This, to some extent, struck a blow to her.

"Yue Yao?"

As Song Yueyao was preparing to return to Black and White Hall to report Li Hao's situation to her grandfather truthfully, she happened to run into Su Yehua, who was passing by outside the hall.

Seeing her friend, Song Yueyao slowed down her steps: "Su."

The two were only three years apart in age and had known each other as sisters for over a decade.

"You're back so soon? Was the task successful? You didn't encounter any Great Demons, did you?" Su Yehua asked gently upon seeing Song Yueyao's weary state.

Upon hearing "Great Demon," the image of neatly arranged demon corpses piled up high on the mountain top flashed through Song Yueyao's mind, causing her complexion to change slightly.

"What is it?" Su Yehua also looked slightly stunned. Could it be that she had really encountered a Great Demon?

"It's nothing." Song Yueyao shook her head slightly and then, with a sudden thought, asked, "Su, have Li Hao and his group already come back?"

"Hmm?"

Surprised, Su Yehua knew of Song Yueyao's cool nature over the years, her indifference to outsiders, and her usual lack of concern. Why would she ask about the two young masters of the Li Family?

Suddenly, she remembered that the task location assigned to those two also seemed to be Cangyu City.

"What, did they make trouble for you, add to your difficulties?"

Thinking of one of them, known for his lax demeanor and fondness for sleeping in class, Su Yehua frowned slightly and said reassuringly:

"After all, he is a young master from a prominent family who likes to act spoilt; don't take it personally…"

Song Yueyao was taken aback for a moment, then shook her head and said, "No, there was a major incident in Cangyu City. If it weren't for Li Hao taking action, I might not have been able to return at all."

"What?"

Su Yehua was stunned, looking at Song Yueyao in disbelief, wondering if she had misspoken.

Song Yueyao was not surprised by her reaction. It seemed her sister was not yet aware of Li Hao's strength. She recounted briefly what had happened in Cangyu City.

After listening, Su Yehua stared at Song Yueyao, dumbfounded.

"Fifteen Li Realm? Him?"

Images of the boy who used to sleep soundly during class flashed through Su Yehua's mind. If she remembered correctly, his registered age upon admission was… fourteen years old?

Seeing Su Yehua's shocked expression, Song Yueyao couldn't help but smile, feeling an inexplicable sense of joy.

It seemed she wasn't the only one who had been frightened.

The weariness on her face also dissipated quite a bit as she waved to Su Yehua, "I'm going to report in first."

With that, she turned and left gracefully.

Coming back to her senses, Su Yehua suddenly had an epiphany.

No wonder Li Hao never attended classes or participated in the Martial Arts Ranking; with such a level, he could be teaching the others himself.

However, having such a Cultivation Level, did he really need to join Tan Palace Academy?

She felt puzzled and decided to inquire more the next time she met Li Hao.

Within a few days, the disciples from Alpha Academy who had been sent out for academy tasks had all returned one after another.

Su Yehua gathered the disciples to evaluate their performance on this round of tasks.

The standout performances undoubtedly came from the teams led by the two princes, who had chosen the hardest tasks worth 15 credits and each received full marks in a unanimous team vote.

In addition, they established meritorious deeds during the tasks, assisting the Monster Suppression Department in cracking significant cases, receiving one third-class merit and one second-class merit respectively.

As for first-class merits, they are hard to come by outside war-torn border areas.

Even second-class merits were quite astonishing.

"Could it be that they also encountered a demon attack on the city?"

Du Qiuyue and Yu Wei whispered among themselves.

Yu Wei glanced over and said in a low voice, "I don't think so. It's possible that the Monster Suppression Department was just currying favor with them, attributing original merits to them, or perhaps the place they went to had something to do with their families' influence…"

"Shush!" Du Qiuyue was startled and hastily signalled him to be quiet.

Yu Wei also realized his indiscretion; the complex politics behind the royal family were not something they should discuss.

Even though these two princes were not favored, they were still of royal blood, and who knew if one day they might ascend to great heights?

Beyond the two princes, the next best performers were Wang Han, Li Yun, and their siblings, who also took on the most difficult tasks and achieved full marks as a team, although they did not earn any additional merits.

The expressions on the faces of other noble family disciples varied; some whispered among themselves, some admired their strength, while others sneered privately, unconvinced, attributing their success to connections.

Though only in their teens, they had already witnessed the huge disparities brought about by differences in status, and this gap would help them become more perceptive and worldly.

"These two…"

Li Yuanzhao watched as Li Yun and his sister were praised by Teacher Su Yehua. Despite a cool façade, his eyes could hardly hide his joy.

Li Zhining was still fine, but when Li Yuanzhao saw Li Yun's arm wrapped in gauze, clearly injured but still smirking contently, he couldn't help shaking his head.

Given Li Yun's strength and status, such injuries were likely due to impatience to excel in the task.

Compared to the showy Li Yun, Li Yuanzhao couldn't help thinking of Li Hao.

He liked playing with Li Hao, not only because their backgrounds were similar, but also because he genuinely admired the air about Li Hao.

How to describe it? Using some of the strange terms Li Hao once used, it was all about the "swagger."

Always maintaining a calm and relaxed demeanor, he acted as if everything was but passing clouds.

"If you encounter a mountain that's hard to cross… then we just go around it," Li Hao would say.

If he only knew how to slack off, it wouldn't count as a talent, but this time in Cangyu City, Li Hao single-handedly defended the city and slew the Great Demon, earning remarkable achievements, yet he remained low-profile and unostentatious, as though it were a minor incident.

Just this quality alone put him leagues ahead of Li Yun and the others.

Even those two princes, who feigned composure, couldn't compare to Hao in Li Yuanzhao's eyes.

Moreover, even though he was at the Fifteen Li Realm, Li Hao never boasted. If he had been like Li Yun, spreading the word everywhere, the whole world would've likely known by now.

Everyone seeks fame, but Li Hao says fame and wealth are burdens.

When Li Yuanzhao first heard this, he felt as if struck by a revelation. Even though he didn't understand completely, he just felt… it was awesome.

That's precisely why Li Yuanzhao liked to follow Li Hao around. Not for anything else, he just simply loved to learn.

"Teacher, where is Li Hao?"

At this moment, Li Yun noticed the absence of Li Hao beside Li Yuanzhao. He knitted his brows, a sudden unease gripping his heart. Could something have happened to him?

"Li Hao…"

Su Yehua glanced at the empty space next to Li Yuanzhao, a complex look flashing through her eyes, she said, "He was an exceptional case and has been admitted to the Black and White Hall."

"What?!"

At her words, the whole Alpha Academy erupted in uproar.

The noisy chatter instantly became like a bustling market, with everyone jostling and asking why and how.

In the crowd, Jiang Ye's originally smiling face suddenly fell.

Even as a prince, he had not been an exception, and yet the son of the Li Family was given an exception?

His face darkened, but recalling the earnest teachings of his instructor back in the palace, he regained a calm expression. Yet inside, he seethed with fury, unable to fully conceal the shadows in his eyes.

"Teacher," Jiang Ye spoke up, and suddenly the rest of the noise seemed to quieten down: "Why was he accepted as an exception?"

Jiang Ye fixed his gaze on Su Yehua.

Su Yehua, perceiving the prince's inner wrath, thought to herself that if he had reached the Fifteen Li Realm, no, even the Divine Travel Realm, he could have been accepted as an exception.

Yet her face remained serene, with a smile she said:

"Li Hao's cultivation level is above all of you, and he has distinguished himself with top-grade merit during the assignment in Cangyu City. Thus, to teach according to his aptitude, he was granted early admission to the Black and White Hall. If he were to remain here, we teachers wouldn't be able to instruct him, and he would simply be taking up one of your spots on the Martial Arts ranking."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other in astonishment, all bewildered.

Li Hao's cultivation level was higher than theirs? Could the other party have already attained soul inheritance?

But… what's this about top-grade merit?

Li Yun and Li Zhining were also full of question marks, equally bewildered; the two looked towards Li Yuanzhao.

Both had been to Cangyu City, so why hadn't Li Yuanzhao made any notable achievements?

Seeing Li Yun and his sister's gaze, Li Yuanzhao just smiled subtly, feeling secretly thrilled. Want to know? I'm not telling you.

After all, Hao had told him not to publicize it. When he asked why, Hao simply said he wanted to enjoy a few more days of leisure.

However, the incident at Cangyu City was too significant to be kept secret for long.

Li Yuanzhao was very much looking forward to it, wondering what expressions this brother and sister and the others would have once they knew of Hao's cultivation level.

After their uncle, their Li Family would once again make a name for themselves across the world!

Thinking of that scene, he could hardly wait for time to pass faster, for the news from Cangyu City to spread.

Meanwhile, in the Black and White Hall of Tan Palace.

Palace Master Song Yufeng sat in the hall. The tea before him had lost its steam, gone cold, yet he sat there entranced, forgetting to sip.

Beside him, Shen Yunqing, Zhao Zongyuan, and many other elders of the Tan Palace were present, with only a few absent due to other commitments.

Song Yueyao also sat on a chair at the back, just like everyone else, scrutinizing the youth before her.

Li Hao felt the gaze of the people around him, like they were watching a monkey, somewhat helpless. It had been more than ten minutes, and no one had spoken. In that time, he thought he could have painted two pictures.

"I'm very happy that you all let me enter the Black and White Hall directly,"

"But I do not like this waste of time,"

Li Hao cleared his throat and spoke humbly and innocently.

The gazes from Song Yufeng and the others, resembling those who observe monkeys, finally began to wane in intensity.

Li Zhining of the Li Family, who had fallen from grace a decade ago, had startled the world; a nineteen-year-old achieving the Immortal status was unheard of.

It was a pity that they never got to see his face while he was alive.

But now, seeing this fourteen-year-old at the Fifteen Li Realm made them unable to help themselves from observing closely, wondering if he really had some unusual features or supernatural limbs?

Being mere mortals, how did this young man cultivate?

Song Yufeng observed carefully for a long time, growing increasingly astonished. He had stealthily probed Li Hao's cultivation level with his breath, but found he could not see through it.

With his own realm, he struggled to scrutinize, a sign that the young man must have cultivated some secret technique to conceal his cultivation level, and to a profoundly deep level at that.

It was known that such techniques often offered minimal enhancement to direct combat abilities, yet here was Li Hao at only fourteen, spending time on such a superfluous skill, and still reaching the Fifteen Li Realm with his cultivation level—his talent was perhaps a bit extraordinary.

Back when the Emperor had conferred a name… indeed, the Emperor's vision was accurate!

Palace Master Song Yufeng thought to himself, and his reverence for that grand figure seated on the dragon throne grew deeper in secret.

"You have reached the Fifteen Li Realm, with such talent, even Gan Tao Palace would be suitable for you to enter as a disciple,"

Song Yufeng asked Li Hao curiously, "I would like to ask, why did you choose to come to our Tan Palace Academy?"

The others also looked curiously at Li Hao. Was it for that peerless technique, or something else?

Song Yueyao also gazed intently, waiting for Li Hao's response.

"The reason…"

Li Hao thought back to that day and said nostalgically, "I guess it was that morning when I just wanted to eat a piece of Mianyu Fragrant Crisp."

Everyone: "???"

What?

They had considered various answers, but this was not among them.

What in the world was Mianyu Fragrant Crisp?

A piece of crispy snack?

The reasons why people wanted to enter Tan Palace Academy were many: for revenge through martial arts, for fame, for carrying on a family business, for padding their resume… but they had never heard of someone doing it for a deep-fried crispy snack.

Silence fell in the hall. After a moment, Song Yufeng came to his senses and said with a bitter smile, "That fragrant crisp… must be really delicious."

"Mhm."

Li Hao's expression turned serious, and he spoke with some enthusiasm, "If you get the chance, you must try it. Remember to look for the right sign, it's from old Liu's family in Qinglian Alley."

Seeing Li Hao earnestly making the recommendation, everyone was dumfounded.

The fragrance crisps of Qinglian Alley… Song Yueyao murmured to herself, unintentionally noting it down.

"Could it not be for our Tan Palace's peerless Taiji Qiankun Sword Skill?" Huang Licao couldn't help but ask.

He felt that Li Hao's answer was too evasive. What was this nonsense about a fried snack?

__________

Tan Palace Academy attracts geniuses from across the Nineteen Provinces, not only because of the exceptional teaching level of these individuals but also because of this peerless technique.

This is also the treasure of Tan Palace Academy, not easily passed on to others, but those who can become the top student of Tan Palace's White Hall certainly qualify to learn it.

"If I can incidentally learn this swordsmanship, that would indeed be nice," Li Hao said with a smile, acknowledging the fact.

He indeed came for this peerless technique, just not as the other party had thought, as his main purpose.

After all, if he were truly in urgent need, he could completely entrust Feng to sneakily steal a copy by making an imprint.

Hearing Li Hao say this, Huang Licao's lips curled into a smile, his face revealing an 'as expected' expression, thinking to himself that this kid was really good at playing his role, almost fooling him.

Song Yufeng and the others exchanged glances, also revealing smiles of understanding.

After Li Hao left Tan Palace, Song Yufeng looked at the others and said, "Since he has come for the Taiji Qiankun Sword, does anyone have any thoughts?"

"The Li Family did indeed keep their promise."

Shen Yunqing stroked his beard and smiled, "Back then, the third son of the Li Family took an imprinted copy of the Taiji Qiankun Sword from us. He assured us it would never be passed on to a second person, and to think, he truly kept his word."

"Indeed, it's no wonder this young fellow came to our place," a senior elder nodded, clearly having a favorable impression of the actions of the Li Family's third son.

Although back then, the third son from the Li Family had enraged the entire Tan Palace Academy with his demeanor, but times had changed, and now the third son of the Li Family had long since died in battle beyond the frontiers, and they had let bygones be bygones.

Moreover, it was said that before his death, the Li Family's third son had used the Taiji Qiankun Sword to thrust through seventeen Demon Kings, deterring a host of demons; this allowed the peerless technique to shine its brightest light in the world, which, more or less, brought glory to their Tan Palace Academy.

"He has just enrolled, so we can't just give it to him that easily, can we?" someone said, looking toward Song Yufeng.

Song Yufeng's heart stirred, but he remained silent.

"What to do then? The boy's at the Fifteen Li Realm and if we put him in the White Hall, he'd be like a hand pressing down on a group of elites, taking the top spot if he wanted to. We old folks can't possibly go down and fight him, can we?" Zhao Zongyuan said irritably.

"Have you forgotten our rule? One needs to attend Tan Palace Academy for three years to qualify. Otherwise, if the Divine General Mansion's true dragons come over, wouldn't they take it whenever they wanted?" the elder said.

"That's true, but to have him stay here for three years would be a waste of a genius' time, wouldn't it?"

Shen Yunqing frowned slightly, saying this. After all, he had played chess with Li Hao, shared drinks, and even tasted the young man's barbecue, which was truly extraordinary, so he felt a bit biased toward him.

"The academy's rules are thus, we can't make an exception for the Li Family now, can we?" a long-faced senior elder said, his face stern.

Huang Licao said, "We have already broken the rules this time. Don't forget, we at Tan Palace Academy teach geniuses, and geniuses are meant to break conventions. If we bind them with rigid rules, that's when the real problems will arise."

"But if we set this precedent, won't it degrade the value of the technique if geniuses from other Divine General Mansions come to claim it?"

Watching the endless debate among the people, Song Yufeng pondered and then said, "How about we give him two options? He can either teach at Tan Palace for one year or take up a nominal teaching position in our Black and White Hall. This way, the sword manual wouldn't be considered lightly passed on."

Hearing the Palace Master's words, everyone quieted down, looking at each other knowingly.

When it comes to cunning, you truly are the master, Palace Master…

Next to Thousand Ren Cliff by Tan Palace, at the edge of a deep pond.

Li Hao was passing by this area on his way down the mountain and, struck by the charm of the deep and clear waters, felt an urge in his heart. He immediately returned to the student residences within Tan Palace to fetch paper and ink, then returned to the edge of the pond.

He set up his easel and began to draw beside the pond.

The experience system for the Art of Painting was quite user-friendly, with the amount of Painting Experience gained depending on the artistic conception or Cultivation Level of the subject of the painting.

For instance, replicating a Great Demon would yield more experience.

The same goes for portrait paintings of individuals with high realms.

However, after reproducing the same image a certain number of times, the experience gained would gradually reduce. Therefore, he needed to constantly draw different subjects.

But Li Hao guessed that if he wished to achieve Spiritual Awakening in the Art of Painting, he would probably need to put aside the idea of experience and bring a certain subject to a transcendent level.

Only by repeatedly painting the same thing a hundred times, a thousand times, or ten thousand times, might he be able to capture its spirit.

However, his Painting Experience was currently at the Fifth Stage, not yet at the peak of the Sixth Stage, so he would focus on maximizing his experience first.

Landscape painting with bold, free strokes, soon the board under Li Hao's hand depicted a majestic and precipitous cliff. Then with a flourish of his brush, the outline of the deep pond also appeared, and a painting that seemed to stand on the paper emerged.

Li Hao produced three paintings in a row, his Painting Experience increasing with each.

+183, +145, +92…

At the bottom of the pond, a huge shadow lay coiled on the stones.

Suddenly, it opened its eyes, disturbed by the sensation of being spied upon, a feeling it found quite uncomfortable, disturbing its Qingmeng.

With a whoosh, its Spiritual Thought swept out, discovering a young man at the bank.

Whose little ghost is this… it grunted softly, abruptly rising from the stones, swiftly swimming towards the mouth of the pond, and leaping out.

Splash The sound of water splashed, falling on the shore.

Li Hao, who was painting for the fourth time, preparing to fully exploit the scenery of the deep pond and sheer cliff, saw the sudden surge and rupture of the pond water, revealing a kylin entirely drenched in blue. He was astonished.

A Water Kylin?

He looked at the creature in amazement, the two staring at each other, big eyes locking onto small ones.

"Who allowed you to be here? Scram immediately!"

The Water Kylin shook off the droplets from its head and scolded with a beautiful voice, surprisingly like the tinkling of spring water from a woman.

Li Hao had heard that the founding Palace Master of Tan Palace Academy had once subdued a Kylin Great Demon to guard and protect the Tan Palace. He hadn't expected it to be right before his eyes.

It is said to be a Great Demon King of the Four Stands Realm!

Li Hao's eyes immediately lit up, sparkling with shiny stars.

"Senior!"

Li Hao promptly clasped his hands together, his attitude extremely respectful, "May I have the honor to paint a portrait of you?"

If he could paint this Water Kylin, his Painting Experience would definitely soar.

Li Hao had already gleaned all the 'wool' from the likes of Second Elder and Feng, along with Fifth Elder; they had provided him with a substantial amount of Painting Experience.

The Water Kylin was taken aback, tilting its head with a big question mark popping into its mind.

Was this disciple from the academy so obsessed with martial arts that he had lost his mind?

"What nonsense are you spouting?" The Water Kylin's eyes revealed a trace of anger and with a snort from its nostrils, the surrounding pond water seemed about to freeze over, emitting a heavy chill, "Scram, or I'll eat you!"

Li Hao knew it was bluffing, as the Water Kylin couldn't harm a Tan Palace disciple, of course, unless some disciple went too far and truly enraged it.

However, seeing the might it displayed at the moment, Li Hao felt a bit apprehensive; after all, neither Second Elder nor the others had ever shown such divine might before him.

He steeled himself and said, "This junior is from the Li Family down the mountain. Senior, if you ate me, I'm afraid it wouldn't taste very good."

"The Li Family?"

The chill in the Water Kylin's eyes wavered slightly. The taste could be more than 'not very good'; it might even cause it to shed a layer of skin.

"Hmph, even if I don't eat you, a little corporal punishment will suffice, and your Li Family wouldn't dare do anything to me," the Water Kylin coldly snorted. Despite its words, it had no real intention to harm Li Hao, as it would be somewhat in the wrong if those old 'youngsters' from the Li Family came to question it.

It couldn't just say, 'Your kid disturbed my peaceful sleep, so I beat him up,' could it?

After all, it was their senior.

By the standards of the Human Race, it ought to show some magnanimity.

Thinking this, it felt somewhat annoyed and stirred the pond water, about to sweep up Li Hao and send him flying off. Unexpectedly, at that moment, Li Hao suddenly shouted:

"Don't move!"

"Senior, please don't move!"

Li Hao said anxiously, "Just a moment, Senior, please hold your current posture, I can finish very quickly."

A trace of bewilderment appeared in the Water Kylin's large pure blue eyes.

By now, Li Hao had already picked up his brush and was fervently painting on the canvas.

The scene before him was too exquisite.

The Water Kylin stood upon the Emerald Pond, surrounded by surging waters, with the Thousand Ren Cliff beside it—this painting could be considered peerless.

"You …"

"Senior, I'm begging you, please stay still!"

Mortified yet curiously, the Water Kylin complied, having not encountered such a strange little fellow in a thousand years. What was he up to?

Seeing that the Water Kylin was indeed keeping still, Li Hao's gaze sharpened as he stared intently at the paper, completely absorbed. He was somewhat lost in the process, his brush strokes swift.

The ink flowed gracefully as his movements were smooth and fluid, with touches light and heavy, creating clear layers of depth.

Half an incense stick's time later, as Li Hao was nearly done, the Water Kylin had grown impatient, maneuvering the pond water to fall and saying, "Hey, what trick are you playing?"

Luckily, by then, Li Hao had just finished painting the surging waves of the pond. He was deeply focused, with his brush dancing quickly across the canvas. Finally, as he completed the last blade of grass by the pond with his brush, the entire painting was done.

[Painting Experience +1986]

Surprised at such a large amount of experience, Li Hao was overjoyed. This single painting was worth hundreds of his usual ones.

"Thank you, Senior!"

Coming back to his senses, Li Hao looked at the Water Kylin's angry eyes and hurriedly bowed deeply in gratitude.

His thanks were not just for the experience, but also for the cooperation of the subject, allowing him to complete such a painting.

Immersed in the Art of Painting, his love for the painting itself had become as strong as the joy he felt from gaining experience.

"Is it finished?"

The Water Kylin raised an eyebrow, somewhat understanding human behaviors, it ordered indifferently, "Let me see it."

Li Hao nodded, turning the canvas around.

Instantly, a breathtakingly beautiful painting was revealed before the Water Kylin.

The sharp cliff edges like swords, the lonely and profound Emerald Pond, and the majestic blue Kylin standing atop, with raging waves surrounding it, like the sovereign of the waters.

Its eyes gradually brightened up.

Was this Kylin in the painting itself?

Did it actually look… this beautiful?!

Swiftly, the Water Kylin's form flickered, and it stepped out from the Emerald Pond. As its front hooves touched the air, its body rapidly shrank and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a woman draped in azure robes.

Her hair was water blue, a teardrop-shaped mark at the corner of her eye, her countenance capable of toppling states, and her pale, bare feet gently stepped forward, floating down in front of the canvas.