Chapter 40

"That is only natural."

Li Yuanzhao frowned and said, "Do you think I can't do it on my own? Why don't we go back and spar again? We didn't decide a winner last time!"

Li Yun let out a cold snort. His sparring matches with Li Yuanzhao over the last two years had been almost neck and neck, making it hard to tell who was better.

However, in terms of their respective ages, he had lost slightly.

After all, the latter was a year younger than him.

In terms of battle body talent from bone measurement, he had also lost; he was seventh grade, while his younger sister and Li Yuanzhao were both eighth grade.

Therefore, his words were naturally not aimed at Li Yuanzhao, but at the other person—the guy who made him secretly annoyed once he grew old enough to understand things.

Thinking that he had once been beaten black and blue by a piece of trash, he felt exceptionally irritated. Fortunately, this matter was known only to Heaven, to Earth, and to him and Li Hao.

Seeing Li Hao all these years made his teeth itch with anger. If not for the fact that Second Uncle and Fifth Uncle were always accompanying Li Hao, he would never have let go of the chance for revenge.

Li Yuanzhao saw Li Yun cast a cold glance toward Li Hao. Although he was young, he wasn't stupid, especially after being with Brother Hao for so many years and hearing all sorts of magnificent and strange stories—stories that not only spoke of gods, ghosts, and spirits, but also of the cruelty of human nature. Although he couldn't fully understand them yet, he was slightly more mature than his peers.

Precisely because of this, he had heard Li Yun's intent from the start, which was why he had deliberately shifted the focus onto himself.

Seeing that Li Yun only dared to make snide remarks, he couldn't be bothered to take it seriously, lest he make everyone unhappy. He smiled at Li Hao and said, "Brother Hao, I heard that in another year, Sister Xue'er will be coming back."

"That's right."

A smile appeared on the corner of Li Hao's mouth.

"I heard from my master that the rules in the Sword Hut require at least the Shenyou Realm to descend the mountain. Could it be that Sister Xue'er will be able to break through to the Shenyou Realm next year?" Li Yuanzhao asked curiously.

The Shenyou Realm was a Fourth Realm powerhouse. Out in the world, they were existences capable of venturing deep into a tiger's den to slay demons and eliminate monsters. At the border, they could even carve out a bloody path and serve as a Captain in the army, second only to a General!

One had to know that next year, Bian Ruxue would only be fifteen years old.

This kind of progress, placed among the top geniuses with ninth-grade battle bodies, was considered a top-tier existence.

Those figures who were famous throughout the world were mostly ninth-grade battle bodies; that was merely the starting point for top-tier prodigies, just the upper limit of bone measurement!

And the various opportunities, hard work, talent, and comprehension that followed would continue to widen such a gap.

Beside them, Li Yun's ears pricked up the moment he heard the three words "Sister Xue'er," and his eyes couldn't help but glance toward Li Hao's side.

The seed that had sprouted in his heart when he was young seemed to be faintly showing its tip once again.

However, thinking of the three words "Shenyou Realm," the young man's expression grew heavy and dejected once more. Precisely because he now understood the world and knew the gap in cultivation, he realized just how unreachable this distance was.

"That's right."

Li Hao nodded. Being in the Shenyou Realm while traveling the world could be considered having a guarantee of survival.

He glanced at a shadow not far away with a complicated expression. While he found it funny in his heart, he also felt that this kid was a bit asking for a beating.

It had been too long since he'd taught him a lesson, and he actually still dared to harbor thoughts.

"Fifteen years old and in the Shenyou Realm, that's truly amazing. If she came to the Tan Palace Academy, I reckon the Palace Master would personally welcome her, and she would directly enter the Inner Palace to become a personal disciple," Li Yuanzhao couldn't help but exclaim.

The few of them were only at the Perfected Zhou Tian Realm, still a bit away from Ji Hun.

This time, entering the Tan Palace Academy was also to inherit the souls of the ancient heroes of Tan Palace.

This was their mother's instruction; as for the specific reason, they didn't know.

"Her master is, after all, the Master Master Jian Sheng; there's no comparing to that," Li Hao comforted him.

In fact, these guys also belonged to the genius category. The reason they hadn't apprenticed into a famous mountain was simply because the direct descendants of the Li Clan seemed to have an invisible rule: apprenticing into a famous mountain was fine, but if one were to apprentice, it had to be to a master of the Master Master Jian Sheng's caliber to become their personal disciple.

Otherwise, they would remain in the mansion to cultivate, and once they had achieved success in their cultivation, they would then apprentice into various major powers, make a name for themselves, and display the prestige of the Li Clan's younger generation.

Such a standard requirement was limited to direct descendants; those born of concubines were different. Like branches spreading out, once their foundations were stable, they had long since apprenticed into many famous mountains and under famous teachers, and they had also made the Li Clan's name ring out within various powers.

Even without the True Dragon appearing, the descendants born of concubines had already become young leaders in many second and third-rate powers.

This also made the Li Clan's prestige in the world extremely heavy, and it was not limited to the military camps at the border.

"That's right," Li Yuanzhao sighed. Being taught by a famous teacher of the Master Master Jian Sheng level was something one couldn't help but envy. At the very least, ninth-grade battle body aptitude was the starting point; that was the lowest threshold.

At this moment, with a Flood Dragon Lion clearing the way, a massive carriage like a mobile home was driving down the street. No one in Qingzhou City was unaware that this was the vehicle of the Divine General's Mansion. Passersby retreated one after another, pointing and whispering on the sidelines. Just by looking at the destination, they knew that the people inside the vehicle were mostly the True Dragons of the Li Clan, going to the Tan Palace Academy to cultivate.

The carriages ridden by the wandering martial arts heroes and the young masters and young ladies of famous noble families who had rushed over from various provinces were all restless and uneasy when they encountered the demonic Qi emitted by the Flood Dragon Lion, stopping in their tracks. Some were even so scared that they ran frantically to the side of the road, not daring to block the way, and no matter how hard the coachmen pulled, they couldn't move.

The majesty of the Divine General's Mansion was fully displayed at this moment.

Before long, the vehicle came to a stop, and Uncle Ming, who was driving, gently informed them that they had arrived outside the Tan Palace Academy.

The Tan Palace Academy was not far from the Divine General's Mansion to begin with, so they could be considered close neighbors.

When the vehicle came to a steady stop, the gazes of the three, including Li Yuanzhao, were slightly focused.

Although they also belonged to the category of prodigies with extraordinary aptitude, they usually cultivated within the mansion and had never truly displayed themselves in front of outsiders. Coupled with their youthful temperament, they couldn't help but feel a trace of nervousness at this moment.

Li Hao didn't feel much. Once the carriage stopped, he rose leisurely and casually lifted the carriage curtain.

Light shone onto his face, and at the same time, countless noisy and bustling sounds rushed toward them, pouring into the carriage compartment, as if a single lift of the curtain had unveiled a prosperous human world! The three people inside the carriage came back to their senses and saw Li Hao standing leisurely at the carriage entrance, quietly looking around amidst the countless noisy sounds, a faint smile on his face as always, his expression composed.

Li Zhining's eyes focused slightly, and memories of the past seemed to surface a little, but she quickly sobered up, and the lifted corner of the curtain closed once again.

When all three of them rose and came outside the carriage, they saw what a bustling scene it was outside.

The vast square was filled with figures, shoulder to shoulder in a dense crowd. Most of them were young men and women carrying weapons such as sabers, swords, and spears, full of vigor.

Among the crowd, there were also some young men in luxurious clothing, accompanied by attendants, with no strangers allowed within their immediate vicinity.

There were also young ladies in rainbow-colored feathered garments, accompanied by graceful maids holding umbrellas to shield them from the scorching sun, standing out uniquely and exceptionally conspicuously in the crowd.

Looking out, it was all dense crowds of young martial artists.

And at this moment, the few people standing on the carriage instantly became the focus of everyone's gaze.

After all, the Flood Dragon Lion carriage of the Divine General's Mansion was too eye-catching.

The Great Yu regulations stated that for carriages pulled by dragon-blooded beasts, the Emperor could have nine heads when traveling, Princes and Dukes could have seven, and only Marquises and officials of the fifth rank and above were qualified to use five Flood Dragon Lions. The rest, such as scholar-officials and famous noble families, were only qualified to have three or two.

As for commoners and wealthy merchants without titles, they could only use one mount to pull a carriage, and they were not allowed to use mounts with Flood Dragon dragon bloodlines.

Although Li Hao and the others held no official titles, as the sons of a Hou Jue, they could also enjoy the glory of their father's generation.

"Is that the Divine General's Mansion?"

"The Li Clan of Qingzhou City, a thousand-year Divine General's Mansion, truly imposing!"

"That's four more spots gone. I heard the spots at the Tan Palace Academy are limited, it's infuriating!"

"Hmph, I, Lin Yan, will definitely lead my Liuzhou Lin Clan to rise from my generation and contend with the heavens and the earth!"

"I heard there's a piece of trash in the Li Clan of this generation. I wonder if he came?"

The thousand-year glory made countless people envious and jealous, and it didn't know how much heroic spirit and drive it had stirred up in the hearts of the young people. Amidst the noise, there was even more eagerness to try.

Li Yun, Li Yuanzhao, and Li Zhining had tense expressions. Although they were pretending to be calm on the surface, their fingers were already sweating, revealing their inner nervousness.

These gazes seemed capable of burning people. Li Yun didn't linger any longer, said coldly with a stiff face, "We're leaving first."

He then took his younger sister Li Zhining and jumped off the carriage. Amidst Uncle Ming's "Young Master, walk slowly and be careful," they entered the crowd like tigers entering a forest.

The surrounding people unconsciously retreated. What they respected was not the young people, but the surname behind them.

"Brother Hao, let's go too," Li Yuanzhao swallowed his saliva secretly and said to Li Hao.

Li Hao, however, stood slightly on tiptoe, looked around, and sniffed lightly. Soon, his eyes lit up, and he said, "Let's go!"

After saying that, he jumped off the carriage. The surrounding people retreated one after another, not daring to block the path of this young man in brocade clothes.

Li Yuanzhao followed closely behind, but after walking only a few steps, he grabbed Li Hao's sleeve: "Brother Hao, did we go the wrong way? The Tan Palace Academy isn't over there."

"I know."

Li Hao said without looking back: "But there's food ahead."

Fame and titles were behind, but delicious food was ahead! (End of chapter)