Chapter 138: Returning the First Favor to the Li Family (7K Combined Chapter)

Seeing Li Hao chatting so casually with this Great Demon King, Li Li Hongzhuang and Li He both felt deeply conflicted.

They could tell this Great Demon King held Li Hao in high favor, as if they were lifelong friends—this bond could not stem from the Li family's name, nor even from Li Hao's own extraordinary talent alone.

After all, this was a Great Demon King of the Four Standings realm.

Even if Li Hao's talent was unparalleled, his future ceiling would likely be no higher than the Four Standings realm, at best barely brushing the toes of that True Person from Qian Dao Palace.

As for transcending the Four Standings realm, that was exceedingly, exceedingly difficult—within the Four Standings realm, each step forward was a chasm as vast as heaven itself, crossing it like climbing to the heavens!

In the clouds, Feng Bo ping gave Song Song Qiumo a slight nod, then vanished without descending to exchange pleasantries.

He was used to freedom, disliked entanglements in mundane affairs, and had little to say with other Four Standings cultivators; only a handful of people truly clicked with him.

Had Li Hao not been here, he would have been merely a clear breeze drifting through the mortal world.

When the wind rises, the heart remains still; when the heart stirs, the wind cannot settle.

"How long do you plan to stay here?"

After meeting Song Song Qiumo, Li Hao brought her to the encampment.

Song Song Qiumo looked around and saw the city reduced to nothing but small mounds of earth; her gaze sharpened slightly.

Then she spotted the sword-holding girl Ren Ren Qianqian and the nervous little white fox watching her, and she smiled faintly.

"How long do you want me to stay?" she asked Li Hao casually.

Li Hao answered without hesitation: "The longer, the better."

Song Song Qiumo smiled, lips pressed together. "I thought you were living in poverty, so I came to offer a small kindness, hoping you'd be overwhelmed with gratitude and repay me when you reached the Four Standings realm. But now I see I've merely added flowers to brocade."

"Perhaps this ten-thousand-li desert beyond the border is missing only this one flower."

Li Hao smiled.

Song Song Qiumo clearly hadn't expected such a reply; her cheeks flushed slightly. She gave Li Hao a light, teasing glare before saying:

"I'll stay at most half a year."

Li Hao nodded slightly, knowing she had obligations—half a year was already a great deal.

"For these six months, you can eat whatever you want," Li Hao chuckled.

"I want Xiao Xiang Su."

"No problem."

The encampment had no flour or other ingredients, so Li Hao fetched paper and ink and wrote down everything he needed—many of which were his personal favorites, including food, ink, brushes, and paper.

He also added a chessboard, for leisurely games.

But with no worthy opponent to play against, his chess skills wouldn't improve.

Still, Li Hao didn't mind—he'd keep it ready for a future kindred spirit.

Li Hao obtained Liangzhou's topographical map from Li Li Hongzhuang and gave it to Song Song Qiumo, instructing her to procure supplies from the nearest city.

Even the nearest city lay a thousand li away from this pass.

Previously, with Elder Feng by his side, he'd had to guard against sudden appearances of Four Standings Demon Kings and couldn't leave. Now, with Song Song Qiumo handling logistics, the encampment's supplies could finally grow abundant.

Li Hao used his telekinetic power to draw trees and stones, building a small fenced courtyard around the mound.

Within the courtyard, he constructed buildings and pavilions from wood.

A Fifteen Li cultivator serving as foreman was truly the perfect role for him.

Watching Li Hao slowly transform this dilapidated encampment into something new, Li Li Hongzhuang felt a strange illusion—that this boy might rebuild the long-destroyed city right here!

Yet the feeling felt unreal; even that Great Demon King had said he'd stay only half a year.

After half a year, he'd leave, leaving only that Four Standings elder in the clouds—no one knew how long he'd guard Li Hao.

Such top-tier experts rarely became entangled with a single person.

Not long after, Song Song Qiumo returned with her purchases—vast quantities of supplies and provisions.

Li Hao had Ren Ren Qianqian and the white fox help carry everything into the fenced courtyard.

Though the white fox couldn't yet take human form, her tiny paws clutched reed mats and wool blankets, standing on her hind legs and stumbling as she carried them toward the courtyard.

After half a day of labor, the place was utterly transformed.

Yet the newly built courtyard still carried the fresh, forest-like scent of new wood, lacking the warmth of human presence.

But courtyards are like that—they only gain spirit when someone lives in them.

Li Hao built a fire in the courtyard, selected several demon carcasses, cut the fattest parts, and roasted them over charcoal.

He had Ren Ren Qianqian watch the fire while he kneaded dough to make cakes for Song Song Qiumo.

If one ignored the blood-soaked demon corpses outside the fence and the piles of corpses, the scene inside the courtyard was heartwarmingly peaceful.

Li Li Hongzhuang, however, felt a strange emptiness—as if she had no role left to play.

With two Four Standings cultivators stationed here, the news would spread quickly; unless some foolish minor demons came near, the great demons would dare not approach.

She no longer needed to grip her sword, ready for battle at all times.

Her body, tensed for over a decade, slowly relaxed.

She sat by the fire, inhaling the rich aroma of roasting meat, watching the boy kneading dough beside her, and suddenly felt as if this were all a dream.

Who could have imagined that at this perilous pass, she'd one day enjoy such tranquil moments?

Soon, the dough was ready; with Li Hao's power infused, it fermented rapidly.

Li Hao set up a griddle to bake the cakes and separately heated oil to fry Xiao Xiang Su for Song Song Qiumo.

He added chopped cilantro and other spices to enhance the flavor.

"Dinner's ready!"

Once everything was prepared, Li Hao called Elder Feng to join them.

Elder Feng had already revealed his form to Li Li Hongzhuang; there was no need to conceal himself anymore, except for his true identity.

The group sat around the fire, eating and drinking casually.

Elder Feng ate and drank on his own, savoring roasted meat and wine.

Li Hao handed him a baked cake, stuffed with roasted meat.

? ￠O

Elder Feng found it novel, took a few bites, and couldn't help but praise it.

As Elder Feng was enjoying his meal, Li Hao casually took his wine flask and drank two mouthfuls himself, sighing with satisfaction.

Elder Feng realized what had happened, glared at him, snatched the flask back—his wine was nearly gone.

Watching Li Hao's casual, intimate behavior with the elder, Li Li Hongzhuang and Li He grew even more baffled by this boy.

After eating and drinking, Feng Bo ping slapped his buttocks and stepped out of the courtyard, vanishing without a trace—utterly carefree.

Li Hao watched the direction Elder Feng had gone and sighed inwardly—he knew the old man had left to avoid being recognized by Li Li Hongzhuang and the others, fearing his presence might bring trouble, so he chose to sit alone among the mountain tree branches, keeping company with the wind and sky.

Li Hao felt ashamed and rose to gather the demon corpses.

He intended to brew a fine batch of wine for the old man.

After careful selection, Li Hao cut valuable parts from several Three Imperishable Demon Kings and returned to the courtyard to begin brewing.

Song Song Qiumo slept in a side room of the courtyard, yawning, looking utterly bored.

Occasionally, her gaze drifted to the figure in the courtyard, busy with daily chores; a faint smile touched her lips, and she found it amusing.

She had come to deliver the sword manual—this supreme Tan Palace technique—and the boy had casually tucked it into his robes. She'd observed: since receiving it, Li Hao hadn't even glanced at it a second time.

To this boy, the world's supreme cultivation techniques and the boundless wealth of the Divine General's mansion seemed less valuable than the simple smoke of a hearth.

What a peculiar little fellow…

That evening, Li Hao finally finished arranging all the wine vats and buried them in a cellar behind the courtyard, waiting for fermentation.

Under the glow of the crimson sunset, Li Hao finally had time to sit on a wooden chair he'd made himself, gently swaying, and pulled out the cultivation manual, slowly flipping through it.

Taiji Qiankun Sword.

Yin and Yang interwoven.

Li Hao turned page by page; when he finished reading once, a prompt flashed before his eyes—he had entered the beginner stage.

Li Hao immediately closed the manual, leaned back on the chair, and closed his eyes to meditate.

As the sword technique entered his mind, a flood of information surged in; its essence and intent unfolded before him, layer by layer, like unraveling silk.

What is Tai?

More than "Da."

What is Da?

Heaven and earth are Da!

"All things under heaven and earth have their Dao. My understanding of meaning and Dao is still insufficient—too shallow. These sword techniques and cultivation methods all seem to share common threads—if I could fuse them, perhaps I could create a technique encompassing all things!"

Li Hao suddenly understood.

He had entered the Heaven-Man realm, entered the Heavenly Gate, and fused spirit and form—he was halfway beyond the mortal world.

His thoughts were no longer bound by the techniques themselves; he could perceive the subtleties of all cultivation methods without needing to follow their forms.

His Tianren Zongshi's Dao was all things, yet now Li Hao felt he had taken only a single step on this path—if he could truly reach its end, only then would his journey as a Tianren Zongshi be complete.

What sights would he see then?

Li Hao's thoughts drifted slightly, then he smiled gently.

Let all things follow their natural course.

Just as his Tianren Zongshi's heart—perfectly balanced, that is nature.

All things under heaven need not be deliberately pursued or catered to—sunlight shines upon the earth not by intention, but by the natural cycle of heaven.

To greedily chase that single ray of light, to pursue the sun, is like Kuafu chasing the sun—he will only dry up and die.

Though the sun is warm, it cannot be stared at directly.

The bright moon is cold, yet it illuminates past and present.

There is no need to fixate on but one side of heaven and earth; all things in the world have their own grace.

Heaven and earth are thus, humans are thus, and cultivation techniques are thus.

Li Hao felt his inner state had subtly advanced another step; countless techniques subtly shifted within his mind, yet he was still far from the peak of the Tianren Zongshi realm.

He smiled faintly, paid it no mind, and gestured to bring forth a sketchboard and brushes; then his spiritual essence rose into the air, observing the piled corpses of demons and monsters afar.

He sketched casually, stroke by stroke.

These demons and monsters were dead, yet depicting their corpses still granted considerable experience.

Li Hao sketched one after another, and his Painting Dao experience surged rapidly, drawing ever closer to the Sixth Stage.

In the blink of an eye, two days passed.

Over these two days, the bamboo-fenced courtyard outside grew unusually quiet; no demons or monsters appeared again.

The boy in the courtyard gladly enjoyed the peace, sketching over a thousand drawings, rendering each demon corpse more than ten times over—his experience was fully drained, and his Painting Dao successfully broke through to the Sixth Stage, earning him one Art Skill Point.

The experience required to advance from Sixth to Seventh Stage is one hundred thousand.

He still needed to accumulate one hundred thousand experience points to reach the Sixth Stage's bottleneck; only then could he achieve Painting Dao's Spiritual Entry to ascend to the Seventh Stage.

"Spiritual Entry, Spiritual Entry—when will I ever achieve it…?" Li Hao murmured to himself, feeling he still had no clue.

He stopped sketching and resumed writing down cultivation techniques.

He carefully recorded each technique he had refined to a higher tier.

At noon, smoke curled gently from the bamboo-fenced courtyard, when a group of galloping horses arrived outside the encampment.

Feng Bo seemed to sense something; his gaze shifted slightly, his figure flickered, and he vanished beside the nearly roasted meat.

The others were already accustomed to his unpredictable comings and goings, and paid him no mind, their attention fully fixed on the newcomers outside the courtyard.

Li Li Hongzhuang stared closely, then froze slightly: "Eunuch Chu?"

She recognized the man—he had personally come to her father's door when he received the imperial decree as a child.

Chu Chu Jiuyue rode his horse through the pass; when he saw the scattered wreckage and pitted, sunken ground, his eyes darkened slightly.

The soil here was a deep reddish-brown, as if soaked in countless streams of blood.

His gaze swept across, and soon he spotted the ruined encampment—many tents torn apart and piled together.

On the other side lay a dark shadow: a mountain of demon and monster corpses, some already showing signs of decay.

He caught the stench of rot and putrid flesh; his face twisted slightly, but he quickly regained composure, his eyes falling upon the encampment's center, where surprise flickered in his gaze.

Compared to the chaos and sea of corpses outside, the encampment's center held a uniquely serene bamboo-fenced courtyard.

Smoke curled gently within, like a humble peasant household.

But how could there be a peasant home here, on this border?

He spurred his horse forward, several imperial guards following behind.

Arriving before the bamboo fence, Chu Chu Jiuyue clearly saw the scene within; his gaze met Song Song Qiumo's, who sat by the fire—her expression calm, unresponsive.

Chu Chu Jiuyue noticed Li Hao and Li Li Hongzhuang on the other side, and suddenly understood—the reason for such quietness was this great demon king's presence.

He felt surprised; the Tan Palace's principle of self-isolation seemed to have been broken.

He dismounted and entered the courtyard.

"Imperial edict from His Majesty Yu: Li Hao, Earl, receive the decree."

Chu Chu Jiuyue announced softly.

Li Hao also recognized the familiar face; he promptly brushed flour from his hands and stepped forward with a slight bow: "Eunuch, long time no see."

"How is young Tianren Zongshi Li?" Chu Chu Jiuyue smiled warmly.

Li Hao frowned slightly, then nodded: "All is well."

"His Majesty Yu, moved by your valor in journeying to the border and guarding this pass, has bestowed upon you a precious sword. Please accept it," Chu Chu Jiuyue said simply.

There were no idle onlookers here, so he saw no need for flowery words.

Li Hao saw the dark-gold sword offered to him, surprised, yet accepted it with both hands: "Thank you, His Majesty Yu, thank you, Eunuch Chu."

"No need to thank me—I'm just a messenger."

Chu Chu Jiuyue smiled, then added: "His Majesty instructs that if the Earl wishes, he may at any time travel to Emperor Da Yu Province and enter the Outer Hall of Thousand Islands Palace to study, where he may hear the Sage's Dao-sound."

Upon hearing this, Li Li Hongzhuang and Li He both rose to their feet, staring at Li Hao in shock.

Could this young master truly be so favored by His Majesty Yu?

Training within Thousand Islands Palace? That privilege was reserved for imperial heirs alone, throughout history.

Even among imperial princes, competition was fierce—not every prince was worthy.

And Li Hao was the young master of the Divine General's Mansion—likely the future True Dragon. Such a sensitive identity, if he entered Thousand Islands Palace, would draw him too close to the imperial family—how would the other Four Divine General Mansions react?

This favor was truly astonishing.

Li Hao understood the weight of these words; he was stunned. Had His Majesty Yu truly met him before? Could it really have been that old man playing go beneath the willow tree that day?

There seemed to be no other possibility.

Gazing at Chu Chu Jiuyue's kind, smiling eyes, Li Hao bowed deeply: "Thank you for His Majesty's kindness, but I am bound by duty. I humbly beg His Majesty's understanding."

Chu Chu Jiuyue was taken aback, studying Li Hao closely—was this child merely guessing blindly, or did he truly intend to remain here to guard?

He had heard of the father-son battle; he understood it better than most. From Li Hao's tone, it seemed he truly meant to sever ties with his father.

To abandon his noble surname and wealth, and now to forsake the chance to train in Thousand Islands Palace—was he truly willing to pay any price to cut the bond?

Chu Chu Jiuyue fixed Li Hao with a steady gaze: "You are still young. Do not make such decisions too impulsively."

"Thank you for delivering the message," Li Hao replied.

Chu Chu Jiuyue heard him and knew further persuasion was useless; he gave a slight nod:

"Since you are resolved, I shall return with your exact words."

Li Hao nodded.

Chu Chu Jiuyue glanced at him once more, then turned away without hesitation, mounted his horse, and departed.

Only after riding dozens of miles beyond the encampment did Chu Chu Jiuyue suddenly recall something and mutter to himself: "Perhaps I left too soon… the aroma of that roasted meat was quite good…"

His stomach gave a faint rumble.

He shook his head. A good horse never turns back for grass—he couldn't bring himself to ride back. He spurred his mount, and with a sharp cry, galloped full speed ahead.

…

…

Within the courtyard.

After Chu Chu Jiuyue left, Li Li Hongzhuang and Li He had heard the exchange, and from Li Hao's reply, they sensed his unyielding resolve. They wanted to speak, but no words came—both sighed inwardly.

To give up the chance to train in Thousand Islands Palace—how resolute this child's determination must be. They knew any persuasion would be futile.

Li Hao returned to the fire; Song Song Qiumo's gaze fell upon the sword in his hand, and she said calmly: "The sword is quite fine."

Li Hao, hearing this, gripped the hilt and drew it slowly.

With a sharp *clang*, the blade emerged—like a dragon's roar, a flash of brilliance seemed to streak across heaven and earth.

Merely the blade's edge in that instant carried a piercing, blinding sharpness.

"It's Long Xiao!"

Li He gasped, his eyes filled with shock and gravity.

Li Li Hongzhuang's expression changed slightly; she had not expected His Majesty Yu to bestow such a priceless sword.

This was the foremost of the Ten Famous Swords!

Its fame and status surpassed even Yongye—Yongye took ten years to forge, yet only three years after its emergence was it sealed away again.

Long Xiao had passed through the hands of numerous powerful figures in the Great Yu Dynasty; forged centuries ago, it had once been the sword of a Sword Saint.

"Yes, a fine sword."

Li Hao lightly tapped the blade; a low, rumbling dragon's roar echoed through it—a chilling aura of malice that sent a cold edge of sharpness through him.

After a brief glance, Li Hao sheathed the sword and handed it to Ren Ren Qianqian.

Ren Ren Qianqian removed her own sword from her waist and accepted it with both hands, her eyes wide with wonder and excitement.

She had heard of Long Xiao's name—it was a top-tier legendary sword, one her own father had never even glimpsed. Now she held it in her hands.

"The roasted meat is ready—let's eat."

Li Hao smiled.

Li Li Hongzhuang and Li He snapped back to reality, their expressions complex; at that moment, a figure appeared silently—Feng Lao, who had just left.

He paid little attention to Li Hao's reward, merely glanced at Long Xiao, then pulled out his wine gourd, ready to eat and drink.

That night.

Li Hao transcribed 124 cultivation techniques—the total sum of the Li family's methods he had learned in Tingyu Pavilion; he had copied only those he had refined to higher tiers.

What he once learned as low-grade, he now returned as high-grade—he considered himself repaid in full.

Additionally, he wrote three supreme techniques, each born from his own insights after entering the Tianren Zongshi realm, shaped by his understanding of the Dao of all things.

He bundled these three supreme techniques together and sent them to the Li family.

Yet learning these three techniques was not easy—they had a prerequisite.

After finishing.

Li Hao handed them to Song Song Qiumo and entrusted her to deliver them to the nearby Liangzhou city, to find the Li family's garrison there and have them send them back to the Li family.

…

…

Several days later.

In Qingshou City, before the Divine General's Mansion.

Several Jiao Lions galloped toward them—massive beasts capable of carrying seven or eight riders, some burdened with enormous bundles tied to their backs.

The leader dismounted and approached the gate guards, presenting his identity token, then whispered a few words.

Word quickly reached the Shanhe Courtyard.

In his study, Li Li Tiangang was reviewing interrogation records; his face was dark, his eyes flickering.

At that moment, a personal guard entered and reported the situation outside the mansion.

Li Li Tiangang froze, then slammed his fist on the desk and roared: "Return the first favor to the Li family? What does he mean? You say he returned many cultivation techniques?!"

Seeing the guard nod, Li Li Tiangang's face turned ashen. "Bring them all in—I want to see how he repays it!"

Soon, the enormous bundles from the Jiao Lions were carried into the Shanhe Courtyard.

Along with the bundles, there was a letter.

Yu Yu Xuan handed the letter to Li Li Tiangang, then casually untied a bundle—and found it filled entirely with books.

Li Li Tiangang opened the letter and saw a few lines of elegant yet precise script.

The handwriting clearly surpassed that of any military officer among them.

When he finished reading, his expression darkened.

He reached out and summoned several books into his hands, flipping through them rapidly.

The cultivation techniques inside were written in the same hand—each one penned by a single person.

He finished one book, then picked up another, then another, going through several in succession.

The courtyard fell into an eerie silence, utterly still.

Zhao Bo and Li Fu stood nearby, faces etched with worry.

"Good. Very good."

After finishing several books, Li Li Tiangang's eyes held not only rage, but shock.

These few techniques he'd grabbed at random were all top-tier—exactly as the letter claimed!

He hadn't just repaid the debt—he'd repaid it with interest, exceeding it tenfold!

Total count: 124.

In addition, three supreme techniques.

Li Li Tiangang found it hard to believe—his son had learned so many techniques!

Over a hundred!

In just fourteen years, he'd mastered over a hundred?

While cultivating so many disparate techniques, he'd also raised his cultivation base to the Fifteen Li Realm—and even attained the Heavenly Sage Realm through sudden enlightenment during his duel with me?

Even Li Li Tiangang's heart now wavered slightly.

Such talent was unheard of—even a demon reborn and possessing a body might not reach this level.

Had he truly been wrong?

Had he been too harsh on him?

But instantly, the cold, sword-raising gaze of his son flashed in his mind—and the faint warmth in his heart cooled to ice.

His talent was unparalleled, but his disposition was unfit to be the Li family's True Dragon—he'd drawn his sword against his own father; what would he do to other Li clan members?

If he entrusted the Li family to him, Li Li Tiangang could never rest easy.

Great Yu is in a time of turmoil—he must steer this ship with absolute precision. One misstep, and even a thousand years of glory could vanish overnight. How could he face his ancestors then?

Taking a deep breath, Li Li Tiangang picked up the remaining techniques and began copying them.

Each technique bore a name; he assigned the top-tier ones to Yu Yu Xuan for review, while he personally examined the supreme techniques.

Yu Yu Xuan's status and achievements were not yet sufficient to access supreme techniques.

Meanwhile, Li Li Tiangang summoned several Elders from Tingyu Tower—Elders who had spent their entire lives within the mansion, all distinguished illegitimate heirs of Li Li Muxiu's generation, entrusted with managing and guarding Tingyu Tower alongside Li Li Muxiu.

These Elders were living archives of the Li family, their minds filled with countless Li clan secrets.

All techniques collected into Tingyu Tower were reviewed by them.

As the Elders mobilized, word spread to other courtyards, sparking shock and surprise; all rushed to the Shanhe Courtyard.

In a single day and night, the Elders completed their review of every technique, confirming all were cultivable, none defective.

Upon hearing this, Li Li Tiangang's heart churned with complex emotion—shock, pride, joy, and an indescribable fury.

Hearing the Elders' words, He He Jianlan, Li Li Xuanli, and others were stunned.

Over a hundred top-tier techniques! Even a True Sage, devoting their entire life to refining their own supreme technique, would rarely waste time on such a task.

The last time so many top-tier techniques were collected into Tingyu Tower was a thousand years ago.

Back then, regional sects had plunged the empire into chaos, defying imperial law with force; the court had dispatched the Divine General's Mansion to purge and exterminate them, slaughtering entire sects—only then had they seized hundreds of techniques, of which top-tier ones numbered barely a hundred.

And now, all these techniques were returned by Li Hao alone?!

Had several Fourth-Stage experts helped Li Hao refine them?

Most shocking of all, they knew Li Hao had spent years in Tingyu Tower under his second uncle's watch—where he could learn any technique he wished, and as a direct heir, that was acceptable.

But Li Hao was only fourteen—he'd learned over a hundred techniques from there? That was simply absurd.

Where did he find the time or energy?!

"Li Tiangang, are you satisfied now?"

Li Li Muxiu arrived, startled by the commotion. After learning the situation, his face held no trace of joy—only icy coldness as he stared at Li Li Tiangang.

Hearing his words, others' expressions shifted, realizing the true purpose behind Li Hao's return of these techniques.