Chapter 1: Bestowed Name: Li Hao

Headache, intense pain!

Li Hao tried to open his eyes, but felt it was extremely difficult.

Finally, a narrow slit slowly opened before him.

Dim light entered his vision: towering ancient halls, solemn and majestic; before him stretched a rugged, dark-gold dragon-scale carpet.

At the top of the steps at the carpet’s end sat a mighty giant, awe-inspiring and imposing, his gaze blazing like candlelight in the night, radiating a soul-stirring brilliance.

Where… is this? Wasn’t I just playing a game?

Oh, my phone died—I was just about to charge it…

Li Hao’s mind felt sluggish, dazed, staring blankly at everything around him.

Damn, did I fall asleep again holding my phone?

But this doesn’t seem like a dream.

“Nineteen years old, valiant beyond all generals, slain the royal court, exterminated great demons, quelled a century of chaos in Cangzhou—such a hero is not merely a loss to your Li family, but a grief to countless subjects of the Great Yu Dynasty!”

“Xing Wu Hou, step forward to receive the imperial decree!”

A commanding voice echoed through the hall, deafening.

Li Hao strained to look and saw rows of officials in court robes standing with bowed heads along both sides of the carpet—this was… the imperial palace? The Great Yu Dynasty… wasn’t there no such dynasty in history? As Li Hao puzzled, a towering giant suddenly stepped forward beside him, posture erect; even from his back alone, a scent of blood and slaughter seemed to linger.

“I hereby bestow upon Li Jiulang, Li Junye, the title of First-Class State-Protecting Marquis, promote him to Grand General, grant him burial in the imperial mausoleum, award ten carts of ancient treasures, three Yu Dragon Tokens, and ten dou of gold!”

“From this day forth, the entire nation shall observe three days of mourning; the imperial court shall abstain from meat for seven days, to honor the heroic soul of the State-Protecting Marquis!”

Upon hearing this lavish bestowal, everyone in the hall was stunned.

At just nineteen, he was made a general and ennobled as a marquis! Ordinary marquises bore titles like Northern Pacifier or Plain Marquis—but to be named “State-Protecting Marquis”? This was a glory unmatched in history; likely never to be repeated.

After all, being named First-Class Marquis at nineteen was truly illustrious! “Your subject humbly accepts the decree on behalf of my ninth brother, and thanks His Majesty the Yu Emperor!”

The towering, spear-like figure knelt on one knee; his voice, deep and low, held little joy or excitement—only a quiet, buried sorrow, hoarse with grief.

“This is what your Li family deserves. I owe you.”

“Xing Wu Hou, that child is yours, isn’t it? I wish to bestow a name upon him—do you consent?”

“Your subject has done nothing to merit such imperial grace!”

“All Li sons are heroes of the Great Yu! When your son was born, your brother, the State-Protecting Marquis, perished beyond the borders—perhaps this is the Dao’s cycle. Heaven took my beloved general, yet gifted the Great Yu another worthy son.”

“I now name him… Hao!”

“May he inherit the State-Protecting Marquis’s will, cleanse the realm for the Great Yu, and unify the Eastern Huang!”

“Your Majesty, this name is too exalted—your subject fears he cannot bear it.”

“No matter. The Li sons are worthy of it.”

Single name Hao? Li Hao froze, then nearly laughed—what a coincidence, it matched his own name!

Wait.

Could the child they’re speaking of… be me?

Li Hao looked down—and froze. He was in a swaddling cloth, tiny hands and feet, impossibly pink, cradled in the arms of a beautiful woman clad in armor.

“Bring my Dragon Blood Jade to Hao’er.”

Soon, a pale-faced eunuch walked forward solemnly and handed over a dark-red jade pendant engraved with a dragon motif.

A slender, delicate hand beside his head gently took it; the beautiful woman holding him whispered, “Thank Your Majesty for your boundless favor.”

What is going on…?

Li Hao blinked. Was this a dream?

Suddenly, waves of dizziness overwhelmed him—he could no longer hold on, and slipped into unconsciousness.

…

…

Qingzhou City, Divine General’s Mansion, Li family.

The Great Yu Dynasty had five Divine Generals; the Li family was one of them.

Nine generals in one family, all loyal and heroic—they were nobility among nobility, enjoying endless wealth and honor.

Yet beneath this overwhelming fortune lay blood and flesh forged in sacrifice.

Six of the Li family’s nine sons had fallen!

The youngest, Jiulang, had served only two years, just promoted to Captain, when the Cangzhou campaign erupted—he led tens of thousands of iron cavalry and stormed straight to the enemy’s royal capital.

He broke fifteen cities, slew a hundred demons, earned deeds worthy of ten lifetimes, becoming the sixth Li warrior to die for his country.

Now his golden statue stands in the Martial Temple, worshipped by the people.

At this moment.

About three months had passed since the State-Protecting Marquis’s bestowal.

Over these months, the Li household had slowly emerged from grief; the shadows on their faces had lightened somewhat.

Today, the mansion celebrated good fortune—rarely so lively.

Nobles from every province, court ministers, either came in person or sent envoys to Qingzhou; lavish carriages lined the front of the Divine General’s Mansion, drawing crowds of onlookers.

Today was the hundred-day feast of Xing Wu Hou’s son, Li Hao.

This golden-spoon-born prodigy, named by the Yu Emperor at birth, famed across the land, and heir to a Divine General’s house—without doubt, he would one day claim his place in the world.

As the saying goes: cultivate favor early. Inside the Shanhé Courtyard of the Divine General’s Mansion.

In his mother Ji Qingqing’s arms, Li Hao gazed curiously at the bustling, vibrant scene outside.

Over these months, Li Hao had realized—he wasn’t dreaming. He had… transcended.

This was not a historical dynasty, but the Ephemeral Realm.

Here were martial cultivators, great demons, swordsmen, and court politics.

Fortunately, the Great Yu Dynasty was powerful; demons dared not roam openly. Those few that slipped in were few, so the people lived comfortably—let alone someone born into the top-tier aristocracy like himself.

Life had promise!

“Hao’er, mother never wished you born into the Li family, do you know that?” Outside, the noise of celebration swelled; inside, Ji Qingqing’s face was troubled as she murmured softly.

Li Hao looked up, startled, at his mother.

His vocal cords were undeveloped—he couldn’t speak. Even if he could, he couldn’t ask why—otherwise he’d frighten the girl to death.

Though to Li Hao’s eyes, Ji Qingqing still looked like a girl—barely twenty.

Yet these months of unwavering care and warmth had made him grow attached to this mother.

“I’d already chosen your name: Le Ping—Li Le Ping. I only wish you happy, safe, and healthy. Unifying the realm? That’s the imperial dream—not the Li family’s dream, not mine…”

Ji Qingqing whispered to herself. The flattery of nobles outside didn’t bring her pride or joy—only discomfort.

“The Yu Emperor named you Hao because Jiulang died—he hopes the Li family will rise again. This name carries the Yu imperial family’s hopes, and their pressure on the Li family…”

She didn’t continue.

This heavy expectation now rested on her child—no one could imagine how much pressure would follow today’s honors.

Li Hao looked at the sorrow in the girl’s brow. At this moment, she was no longer the revered Seventh Lady of the Divine General’s Mansion, nor the fearsome iron-faced general of the battlefield—she was simply a mother.

He couldn’t speak, only buried his head deeper into her chest.

Trying to soothe her with his warmth.

Feeling the movement, Ji Qingqing looked down at her child’s long lashes and lovely face—her eyes softened instantly.

She held Li Hao, trembling slightly, her slender hand soothing the infant, as if soothing her own heart: “No matter what, mother will stand by you. Your father has reached the ‘Three Immortalities’ realm—there’s a chance you inherited that power.”

“Even if your martial talent is mediocre, that inherited power alone will let you catch up to your father’s youth—you won’t fall behind your peers.”

“No matter what the future holds, mother will stand before you—no one will ever harm you…”

She whispered.

“The hundred-day feast is about to begin—why are you here?”

At that moment, the burly Xing Wu Hou walked over, gently wrapping his arm around Ji Qingqing’s waist, puzzled: “What are you thinking? Are you unhappy?”

“Of course not.”

Ji Qingqing smoothed her emotions, looked up, and smiled—she didn’t tell her husband her true thoughts. She knew the Li sons were stubborn; they glorified dying on the battlefield. Her private feelings could never outweigh the Li family’s thousand-year glory.

“Have the sisters arrived?”

“All of them. They’re waiting for you and Hao’er.”

Xing Wu Hou glanced at Li Hao, ruffled his little head—but his rough palm felt like a blade, making Li Hao roll his eyes.

This big pork-foot of a father—can’t he be gentler?

Ji Qingqing carried Li Hao to another room filled with ladies from various branches; chatter erupted instantly.

“Oh my, Hao’er is so beautiful—prettier than Jing’er was as a baby!”

“Yes, Shuang’er, look at your little brother—so adorable!”

“Oh oh, his little eyes are staring right at me!”

Besides the ladies, their children were there too—some just one or two years old, tugging at their parents’ pants, eyes wide and curious, staring at the swaddled Li Hao.

A few others, five or six years old, acted like little adults—no mischief, standing quietly, looking bored, too timid to leave, showing no interest in the new baby brother.

“Come here, Hao’er, let Auntie Wu hold you.”

A beautiful woman picked him up, beaming with affection, then suddenly exclaimed: “Oh! Is Hao’er hungry?”

“He just ate this morning.”

The woman didn’t doubt it—assuming he was hungry, she didn’t press further after hearing Ji Qingqing’s reply, only gently pinching Li Hao’s cheeks, giggling.

Other ladies gathered around to coo at Li Hao, and when the moment was right, they presented gifts.

Ji Qingqing tried to refuse, but they forced them into her hands anyway.

These are all priceless treasures; on Li Hao’s hundredth-day banquet, the gifts received alone filled half of Shanhe Courtyard, all rare and invaluable artifacts.

One jade-green bracelet had been placed on Li Hao’s soft little hand, gifted by the beautiful woman Wu Niang who held him, said to nourish the spirit.

Li Hao had been growing drowsy from the chatter, but after putting on the bracelet, he felt a cool, subtle force flow through his tiny hand into his body, and his spirit noticeably improved.

His drowsiness vanished completely, and his thoughts grew sharper.

He squinted, and instantly a blur of characters flickered before his eyes.

Compared to the murky fuzziness when he first transmigrated, as he grew day by day over the past months and his mind developed, the characters had slowly become clearer.

And now, like a nearsighted person putting on glasses, they became perfectly clear.

………

Friendly reminder: newbie return. Haven’t written in a long time—slow start up front, takes off after 600,000 words, explodes in excitement at one million words; went from 7,000 initial subscriptions to an average of 70,000, with peak subscriptions over 100,000, getting more thrilling by the chapter~() (End of Chapter)