Chapter 350: One Sword Clears the City (Combined)

This earth-shattering roar of fury shook everyone, leaving them all stunned as they gazed toward the distant horizon.

But they were too far away—nothing could be seen in their line of sight, which only proved that the speaker's power was utterly terrifying, their perception far surpassing theirs.

"Who is that?"

"Who is shouting?"

"Is this our Li family's reinforcements?"

Inside the city, every soldier was jolted—the shout was deafening, clear proof of an existence of immense power.

The civilians fleeing through the streets also heard it, all stunned, feeling as if the voice were a god from the heavens, roaring in wrath as they looked down upon mortals.

"Is that voice… his? Impossible—he's already dead…"

As He He Jianlan, Li Li Hongzhuang, and others were stunned, their eyes widened slightly—this voice was too familiar, yet unlike their memories.

But only juniors would address Li Li Muxiu this way, and among all juniors, only that child had been closest to him.

Could this be a miracle?

They felt their blood surging violently—excitement, tension, trembling disbelief, too afraid to look.

Yet they still strained their vision, gazing toward that distant horizon.

In midair, Long Long Jueshen and Feng Feng Lingxiao both froze.

Li family reinforcements?

They could sense the fury in the voice, meant to intimidate them—but when they probed the source, they saw nothing.

Too far—it exceeded their perception. Did that mean the opponent was stronger than them?

They exchanged glances, seeing shock in each other's eyes, then their killing intent surged instantly.

Kill quickly!

They must eliminate Li Li Muxiu before any change occurs, to avoid complications.

At that moment, Li Li Muxiu, utterly drained and ready to die, heard the sudden shout.

The sorrow in the voice, the familiar address—his body, already resigned to death, tensed slightly.

His closed eyes opened once more.

Hallucination? Even as I die, I still hear that little rat's voice?

But the child is dead—heard it from the couple's own lips, seen it with their own eyes—devoured by the Demon Saint, denied even the chance to enter the River of the Dead, utterly erased.

And when he later returned to Tianmen Pass to investigate, he heard Li Hao's avatar had also disintegrated at some point.

The avatar's destruction proved Li Hao's true body was dead.

Yet now… was he imagining things? Li Li Muxiu's eyes met the approaching figures of Long Long Jueshen and Feng Feng Lingxiao—both speeding toward him, their Dao Domains rapidly expanding, already attempting to crush him with domain pressure before they even drew near.

But Li Li Muxiu could no longer muster a Dao Domain to resist.

Even if the child were alive, why would he come here…

The Li family owed him far too much…

Li Li Muxiu thought bitterly, watching the approaching Dao Domain, wanting to resist—but his body felt shattered, powerless, forced to wait for the instant of pain to end.

As the Dao Domain neared his body, time suddenly slowed—a blazing, godlike light burst forth before Li Li Muxiu's eyes.

The two terrifying Dao Domain attacks were abruptly halved! But behind them, Long Long Jueshen and Feng Feng Lingxiao's Sacred Heart Treasures struck down in rapid succession, instantly blotting out all light and shadow.

Yet at that moment, the heavens and earth fell silent.

The Sacred Heart Treasures, roaring with power to tear the sky and split the earth, suddenly slammed into the crimson figure standing before Li Li Muxiu.

Boom—a violent, scorching explosion rang out.

The heavens and earth trembled—all furious assaults, all howling winds—halted, blocked by the golden youth's body, not a single ripple touching Li Li Muxiu.

There stood the youth, mountain-like, amid flames and crimson gold light, towering before Li Li Muxiu like an unshakable, majestic peak!

His golden hair streamed wildly; intense divine flames erupted from his body under the impact of the two Sacred Heart Treasures, scattering like sparks from a red-hot sword struck by a hammer.

Yet his feet did not retreat an inch—solely relying on his flesh, on his youthful chest, he blocked the two furious attacks! Li Li Muxiu stared, dazed.

That back was familiar yet alien—his heart, long since dead with despair, trembled violently; his eyes widened slowly, his suspicions so fragile he dared not touch them, dared not disturb them, fearing it was all a dream, a fleeting illusion before death.

Then the youth slowly lifted his head—golden, furious hair flickered like flames, his eyes burning with indescribable righteous rage as he fixed them on the two stunned faces: "How dare you!!"

Whoosh—the ground below erupted in ten-thousand-zhang dust, a vast aura surged forth like a hurricane, sweeping all debris away.

Simultaneously, it forced Long Long Jueshen and Feng Feng Lingxiao to halt.

"Dao Domain—you're…"

"Impossible!"

Long Long Jueshen and Feng Feng Lingxiao stared in utter disbelief, horror etched on their faces—the youth's crimson-gold, godlike body, perfectly proportioned, like a golden wall they could not cross.

What stunned and terrified them was not the Dao Domain aura he emitted—but that he had blocked the Sacred Heart Treasures with his bare flesh?! What kind of monster is this?! "Kneel!"

The youth spoke one word.

Five layers of Dao Domain slammed down instantly—boom! The hundreds of meters of air before him were crushed; the ground beneath buckled violently as if pressed by an unseen force.

Long Long Jueshen and Feng Feng Lingxiao hadn't even reacted—the speed of his Dao Domain was too fast, beyond their reflexes. By the time they realized it, they hastily raised their own Dao Domains to resist—but then something even more horrifying happened.

Their Dao Domains were sealed within their bodies, unable to manifest even a fraction!

Without Dao Domain resistance, the overwhelming pressure of the youth's Dao Domain struck them instantly—thud, thud—both leaders of the top demonic factions collapsed straight to the ground.

From head to toe, even down to their hairs, they were covered, crushed, utterly immobilized—this force was boundless, beyond their imagination, beyond their resistance, capable of killing them as easily as crushing a bug.

The shock and terror in Long Long Jueshen and Feng Feng Lingxiao's hearts were beyond words—their eyes bulged as if about to burst. In thousands, even tens of thousands of years, they had never felt so lost or terrified—everything had come too suddenly, the youth's appearance too abrupt!

Just moments ago, their senses hadn't even detected him—but now he had crossed the limit of their perception in an instant, appearing before them—this speed was unthinkable!

Li Hao gazed at the two demonic beings crushed beneath his feet, the flames in his eyes unextinguished—but the icy fury within him refused to end their lives so easily.

He turned around, his back to the entire city, a force lifting Li Li Muxiu's body gently into his arms.

Seeing the old man's severed arms, half his body sliced clean through, Li Hao's furious eyes grew slightly damp.

As Li Li Muxiu saw Li Hao's face, his slowly widening eyes snapped fully open.

The face differed slightly from his memory, but those eyes, that emotion—confirmed instantly: this was the child who had made him weep so many times.

The child who had sat beside him fishing by the lake.

The child who had eaten roasted meat with him in Tingyu Tower.

His body trembled, voice hoarse: "Is it Hao'er? Have my old eyes gone dim? Why can't I recognize you anymore…"

Li Hao had reshaped his body with cosmic power from the abyss—his face and voice had changed, yet those closest could still see the shadows of his past.

"It's me, Second Elder."

Li Hao held his shattered remains, biting his lip, voice thick with grief: "I'm too late!"

Youzhou was close to Liangzhou—when he had left the Li family on that snowy day, heading for Liangzhou's Tianmen Pass, it had taken five days.

Now, returning from Youzhou through Liangzhou, with Zhuohuoshen racing at full speed, the journey still took half a day.

Since entering Qingzhou, Li Hao had seen nothing but ruined cities and scorched earth—many city walls already occupied by demons. He immediately knew Qingzhou was on the brink—otherwise, with the Li family's military strength, they would never abandon these cities and their people unless they were utterly overwhelmed.

So he hadn't even bothered rescuing the cities already taken—he had ordered Zhuohuoshen to unleash its full power and sprinted here, barely making it in time.

Fortunately, he possessed the Flight Segment trait, doubling his attack range—just now, he had unleashed nine layers of Dao Domain simultaneously, pushing his power to the limit, continuously performing air displacement at maximum range—equivalent to consecutive instantaneous teleports—allowing him to barely intercept those two lethal attacks.

Li Li Muxiu heard Li Hao's words and finally believed—this was truly the child he had longed for, the one he could never forget.

"You still call me Second Elder…"

Tears welled in Li Li Muxiu's eyes: "But I failed to protect you—you suffered too much. I'm so weak…"

Li Hao understood what he meant. Flashing images crossed his mind, but he shook his head slightly, calming his grief, took a deep breath, and said: "Second Elder, rest now. Heal your body. Xiyen, look after him for me."

"Yes, your Second Elder is my Second Elder."

Xiyen obediently responded, extending from Li Hao's wrist, rooting into the ground beside them, then sending out a crimson tendril like a soft hand, gently touching Li Li Muxiu's wounds, pouring healing energy into him.

Li Li Muxiu sensed this was a demon—but he felt no fear, allowing her to heal him.

At that moment, Zhuohuoshen raced toward them—Li Hao's ultimate burst had been so fast he'd left Zhuohuoshen far behind.

Seeing Zhuohuoshen, Li Li Muxiu's pupils contracted—though the Tai Xu Realm had secluded itself for a thousand years and its master rarely appeared, others might not have seen it, but he had—he recognized it instantly: the Tai Xu Realm's master!

"Second Elder, don't be afraid."

Li Hao said, placing Li Li Muxiu onto Zhuohuoshen's back.

Li Li Muxiu froze—he immediately sensed Zhuohuoshen's profound reverence for Li Hao, not a trace of hostility.

Had Li Hao tamed it? The thought sent a shiver through him—this was the master of the Tai Xu Realm…

After securing the old man on Zhuohuoshen's back, Li Hao turned to face the vast city.

His aura still blazed, like a divine god of flame, his gaze cold, radiating an aura of supreme dominance—alone above heaven and earth.

At this moment, standing just beyond the city walls, he became the sole focus of the heavens and earth.

Inside the city, aside from the demonic hordes still charging the walls, all demonic elders engaged in battle halted, staring in terror at the youth.

The youth's single word had crushed two demonic leaders—shattering their understanding, filling them with dread!

Beyond the demon kings, He He Jianlan, Li Li Hongzhuang, and others in the city also stared, frozen, at the youth.

His face was godlike in beauty, yet his brows were icy as frost, thick with killing intent.

His face felt familiar, yet they dared not believe it—but only that child would treat Li Li Muxiu this way. They felt as if witnessing a miracle.

Could it be… he truly didn't die?!

"Who is he?"

"No Li family aura—but he's strong—unimaginably strong!"

"Dao Domain—and not just one. His flesh blocked Sacred Heart Treasures? Is this real?" In midair, the ancestral spirits of the Li family were also stunned by the youth's sudden arrival, their expressions filled with shock, joy, and overwhelming confusion.

When did the Great Yu Divine Dynasty produce such a prodigy? "Who is he? How did our Li family gain such a figure? Had we known, why ever leave the ancestral shrine?"

One of the Li family's ancestral spirits murmured.

Beside him stood a boy, who stared blankly at the golden figure and said:

"That must be… Brother Hao."

"Brother Hao?"

The ancient ancestor's lingering soul glanced at the chubby boy—such familiarity in his tone, could they know each other?

But aside from age, their cultivation bases seemed impossibly distant—how could they even be acquainted?

"It's him, no doubt—he's calling out to Second Master; it must be him…"

Nearby, Li Li Wushuang murmured, gazing at the boy. Though his face had changed, that aura, that crimson-golden body—unchanged. She knew: he had returned!

Hot tears spilled from her eyes. He hadn't died—he was back! "Of course, I always knew—Chong Er really was him…"

High above, Song Song Yufeng also saw the boy, his eyes blazing with light.

The Li family's earlier news—even the funeral held for the boy—could not have been fake. It had made him doubt whether the Chong Er he'd seen was wrong, whether it wasn't Li Hao after all.

After all, the dead are erased from the Merit List.

Yet Chong Er's name still remained on the Merit List.

But the Li family would never joke about something like this.

This contradiction had shaken his very sense of reality—but now, he was so delighted he wanted to laugh aloud.

Undoubtedly, the Merit List never erred—it was not something mortals controlled. Mortals, however, make mistakes. Clearly, the Li family had been wrong. The boy had not died; perhaps what they saw was merely an illusion of his death! Whatever the reason, the prodigy still lived—not merely the Li family's prodigy, but the future pinnacle strength of the entire Great Yu Divine Dynasty!

"He's already reached the Dao Domain… what a little monster…" Song Song Yufeng exclaimed in awe after his initial shock.

Nearby, the Water Water Qilin had halted, its blue eyes brimming with moisture as it gazed at that figure.

"Who is that…"

Ji Ji Qingqing gazed from afar, feeling a flicker of familiarity, yet mostly unfamiliarity.

At this moment, Li Hao's gaze swept across the entire city, his spiritual sense enveloping all of Qingzhou City.

After all, the city spanned no more than a hundred li—though vast, even an ordinary Fourth Establishment cultivator could span it with a single thought, let alone him.

His eyes passed over familiar figures within the city; seeing some familiar faces still alive, Li Hao quietly exhaled in relief. He met the gaze of the azure Water Water Qilin for a brief moment, then smiled gently at her.

Then his gaze fell upon the golden lingering souls—these souls clung to the Li family like feathered robes. The sight reminded him of the scene in the Fengshan Mohe of Longcheng, and he instantly understood.

Meanwhile, the demon kings and elders seemed intimidated, not daring to move.

Yet the demonic tides surrounding the city still surged forward, attacking relentlessly. Some had already breached gaps in the army's lines and poured into the city, chasing and destroying civilians.

Li Hao's eyes turned icy, like frost. He raised his hand, and the celestial veins extended outward, instantly gathering the heavenly and earthly power within hundreds of meters, drawing it into his palm like a whale drinking water.

This power coalesced, forming a sword qi dozens of meters long—brilliant and piercing, as if reaching straight to the Gates of Heaven, dimming heaven and earth.

As the sword qi condensed in Li Hao's palm, more sword qis split off from it, soaring into the sky above Qingzhou City, densely arrayed, and in an instant, formed a curtain of blades.

Its vast expanse and sheer number froze every demon king and demon in the city.

Among them, demons who had fought in Liangzhou turned pale as snow—like Bai Bai Shenjun.

At this moment, he finally snapped back to his senses. Though the boy's appearance had changed, this feeling—there was no mistake.

That boy… was the terrifying boy from Liangzhou! "It's Hao Tian—it's that Hao Tian General!!"

Fear flashed in Bai Bai Shenjun's eyes, but more than fear—despair.

During the Liangzhou battle, he had witnessed the boy's power firsthand. He had chosen not to join the siege against him in the final battle—and that choice had saved his life.

But now, the boy had returned, and grown even more terrifying. His growth rate was beyond imagination!

Their palace master had been suppressed. The Dragon God of Longmen had been suppressed.

Moreover, Bai Bai Shenjun recognized Zhu Huo Shen—the Lord of the Tai Xu Realm—quietly standing beside the boy, as if already subjugated.

"Flee!!"

Overwhelming survival instinct drove Bai Bai Shenjun to scream in despair, turning and fleeing. He abandoned all demons, abandoned his status as a Saint Palace elder—only escape mattered.

Escape this place, escape Qingzhou, escape Great Yu!

Bai Bai Shenjun's terrified, desperate cries snapped the other demon kings back to reality—they all trembled in their cores.

Hao Tian!

Since the Liangzhou battle, this name had echoed like thunder among demons—nearly a reflex! The human Hao Tian—the monstrous, peerless warrior boy! "He… he wasn't dead, was he…?"

Some demon kings stared at the sword qis filling the sky, feeling the ocean-deep power—and lost even the courage to flee.

The Li family had long spread word of the boy's death; they had known it well.

But how to explain this? Was this a ghostly trick?

No one answered. No answers came.

Only the ever-growing sword qis remained—countless cold eyes, gazing down upon the demons.

As the demon kings fled, the sword qis instantly shot downward, chasing them at unimaginable speed.

Sword qis rained like a dragon of blades, striking the fleeing demon kings.

Bai Bai Shenjun knew Li Hao's attacks were strange—he dared not meet them with his body. He roared, unleashing his full power, revealing his true form, and unleashed demonic arts to destroy the sword qis.

But this sword dragon, forged from countless blades, was far fiercer than what he had faced in Liangzhou. As the dragon roared with fangs and claws, it tore through his demonic arts and struck him fully.

Bai Bai Shenjun's pupils shrank. He suddenly realized a terrifying truth: the boy's attacks were strange, untouchable—but now, the boy had entered the Fourth Establishment, and specifically the Tai Ping Dao Domain. Naturally, he now wielded the Dao's resonance.

Meaning: once locked on, the attack would inevitably strike.

Unless he could sever the Dao's resonance!

But clearly, though he possessed this ability, it consumed immense energy. A few times might suffice—but these sword qis numbered beyond count; he could not block them all!

Most importantly, across this vast battlefield, beneath this ocean of sword qi, the boy had caused every single blade to resonate with the Dao's essence—what kind of terrifying spiritual awareness was this?! Boom! Sword qi struck his body like raindrops. Bai Bai Shenjun roared in fury—these blades tore through his flesh, not enough to kill him, yet his screams and struggles soon ceased, as if his spine had been ripped out.

His soul seemed pulled away; his strength drained rapidly.

"I…"

Bai Bai Shenjun's eyes widened, their light extinguished, filled with fierce resentment and terror—he once again felt the horror of the boy's attacks.

But he would never again have a chance to defy fate.

Thud! As Bai Bai Shenjun's body fell, the other demon kings met similar fates—hunted down by sword dragons in midair, soon falling lifeless.

The two demon elders who had once forced the Li family and even their ancestors to burn their souls in battle now fled like panicked insects—but one after another, they perished. None escaped the boy's reach; the moment they neared the city's edge, they faced even fiercer attacks!

These once-arrogant demon kings now screamed and fell, some begging Li Hao for mercy, offering to become his mounts, his servants—yet none escaped death.

A rain of blades, a bloodbath—leaving everyone who had fought to stare in stunned silence.

The name the demon kings had cried out—this name was thunder to them too.

Earlier uncertain, they now confirmed the boy's identity beyond doubt.

"Hao'er…" He He Jianlan and others' eyes grew wet with tears.

At this most desperate moment, it was Li Hao who returned to save them.

The boy who had once stepped out of the Li family now saved Qingzhou City alone.

Outside the city, the demonic tide still surged forward—frontline demons were paralyzed with fear, but those behind, sensing less, still obeyed orders and charged.

Li Hao's eyes calmly swept over them, then he swung the sword qi he had condensed in his hand toward them.

As if idly flicking his wrist, the sword qi surged forth, guided by Dao's resonance, becoming a staggering blade that slashed into the massive demonic tide beyond the city.

This sword stroke was like a god's finger pressing down—the demonic tide, like ants, instantly split open by a deep gash. The ground cracked, and where the sword qi cut, countless demons died—some bodies vanished entirely, erased from existence.

The sword qi he had slashed did not dissipate—it shattered into countless blades, shooting into the demonic tide, moving at blinding speed.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

One by one, demonic figures, before they could react, were pierced through—their bodies and souls annihilated.

The demonic tide, stretching dozens of li, collapsed visibly under the flying blades.

Li Hao then retracted his hand, his gaze falling upon the two demonic leaders lying prostrate before him.

"Don't kill me! I can be your mount!"

Feng Feng Lingxiao cried out hastily.

The Dao Domain crushing him made him feel like a chicken on the chopping block—utterly powerless.

Long Long Jueshen gritted his teeth. As a Dragon God who had cultivated for ten thousand years, he clung fiercely to life—but his dragon pride forbade such humiliation.

"Even if you kill me, my Tian Yuan Dragon Clan will never forgive you."

Long Long Jueshen stared at Li Hao. He knew begging would only earn him the fate of a mount. Better to die with head held high than live a life of crawling survival.

Not all beings bow before death.

"You plotted against the Great Yu Divine Dynasty. Someone gave you orders, didn't they?"

Li Hao looked down at them, his eyes cold, devoid of any emotion. "Who gave you the courage to gamble everything like this?"

Feng Feng Lingxiao cried out: "I'll tell you! It was San Huang Shen who forced us! Our Saint Palace once lived in peace with Great Yu. Millennia ago, we made a pact with your former emperor—not to invade each other. We were coerced!"

"San Huang Shen?"

Li Hao's eyes flickered. As his Dao Domain had spread, he had sensed a strange force in the air—true Dao power. He had felt it before on the Wen Dao Realm cultivators of the Ji family.

Whoever could command these top demonic factions, and silence the True Person of Qian Dao Palace like a corpse, must also be a Wen Dao Realm cultivator.

(End of Chapter)