Chapter 72: Wuliang Mountain

The demon horde fled in disarray, and Li Hao found Li Fu on the city wall.

Seeing Li Fu unconscious and severely wounded, Li Hao sighed inwardly.

It was all his fault for arriving too late, failing to protect Li Fu.

Li Hao found Yue Shuhong and asked him to arrange for someone to treat Li Fu.

Yue Shuhong immediately agreed and ordered men to carry Li Fu away, sending the best military physician to treat him.

Wei Feng brought Li Yuanzhao and Ren Qianqian to find Li Hao, and they saw the scene here.

The demons outside the city had been crushed; the ground beneath the high walls was littered with corpses, identical in appearance to the western quarter—except there were more of them, and the blood flowed thicker!

There were few wounded on the city wall; seeing Li Fu being carried away, Wei Feng glanced at Li Hao—his sleeves untouched by blood, as if nothing had happened—and his lips twitched twice.

In ancient times, one only heard of family retainers secretly protecting their young master; this was the first time he saw a young master secretly protecting his retainer.

The Li family is turning heaven upside down…

“Your sword.”

Li Hao saw Ren Qianqian and snapped back to reality, immediately handing her the sword.

A thought suddenly surfaced in his mind: No, it’s your sword.

Ren Qianqian clearly had no idea what the boy was thinking; her gaze was complex as she took the sword he offered, yet her eyes remained fixed on Li Hao’s face.

She, who always knew every detail of her beloved sword, didn’t even notice the blade had slightly curled.

“Are you really Fifteen Li?”

She bit her lip slightly and asked, her emotions tangled.

This was also the answer Du Qiuyue and the others desperately wanted to know; though they had seen Li Hao fly through the air and crush the demon horde, it all felt like a dream—too unreal.

Wei Feng’s expression changed slightly; he glanced worriedly at his young mistress. Encountering a monster like Li Hao would devastate a peer’s spirit—if her sword heart shattered and she never recovered, it would be terrible! Li Hao smiled but said nothing.

But that too was an answer.

Ren Qianqian thought of the bright moon and asked: “That sword technique of yours…”

“Want to learn?”

“Yes!”

Ren Qianqian’s eyes lit up instantly, and she nodded firmly.

“Too bad—it’s one of my family’s supreme sword arts, not taught outside. But if you’re willing to become a Li family retainer, or swear to serve in the Yuan Battalion for thirty years, I might teach you.” Li Hao said.

Ren Qianqian froze, then suddenly gritted her teeth: “I’ll become your retainer.”

“My retainer?”

Li Hao was startled. “Do you know what a retainer means? It’s for life. Your father is a Grand Master; with your status, your future holds endless wealth and honor.”

In his view, this was clearly unnecessary.

He wasn’t like himself, burdened with a debt that must be settled.

“Yes, Miss, don’t act rashly!” Wei Feng hurriedly said.

If following Li Hao could help her learn something, he’d be delighted—but becoming someone’s retainer… that status was far too low! Had Li Hao not been standing right there, he’d have spoken far more harshly.

Ren Qianqian shook her head. “As long as you teach me that sword technique, I’m willing. Besides, I’ve long heard your Li family’s Tingyu Tower holds countless martial arts from across the world—if I become your retainer, can I also go inside and see them?”

“You’ve got quite the clever little plan.”

Li Hao smiled. “But to enter Tingyu Tower, I’ll have to judge your performance first.”

“No problem.” Ren Qianqian said solemnly.

Wei Feng couldn’t wait: “Miss, this is a major decision—you should consult your Master! You…”

“I am I, he is he. He has his own path as a Grand Master; I will have my own path!” Ren Qianqian said seriously.

Foolish… Wei Feng’s lips twitched. What path could becoming a retainer possibly offer?

He dared not imagine what would happen when they returned—his Master would likely flay him alive.

Li Hao hadn’t expected this girl to be so stubborn, but over the past decade, he’d come to understand the people of this world—they were fiercely competitive.

Certain feudal ideas ran deep—for example, a man who didn’t seek glory was no better than trash, despised by all.

Women too—in this martial world, while refined ladies existed, many girls from childhood dreamed of challenging the sun and moon.

Especially this girl, born into a martial arts family.

Worse still, she had awakened Sword Heart, obsessed and devoted to the Way of the Sword, willing to do things beyond reason to train. Just as he himself, for a single game of chess, would traverse mountains and travel thousands of miles with joy.

“Fine. Think it over on the road. We’ll decide when we return to Qingzhou.”

Li Hao said, fearing the girl might act on impulse.

Hearing this, Wei Feng glanced at Li Hao with gratitude, his mind racing as he considered how to dissuade his mistress from this idea.

Ren Qianqian merely shook her head slightly, saying nothing more—she knew her mind was made up, and no one could change it.

Li Hao glanced at Li Yuanzhao beside him, who seemed bursting with words to say, and patted his shoulder, signaling they’d talk later.

Li Yuanzhao understood Li Hao’s meaning, suppressing his excitement and nodding firmly.

After that, Li Hao found Yue Shuhong and asked if there were any poetry collections, calligraphy, qin scores, or recipes from famous chefs in Cangyu City.

He’d traveled out once—he didn’t want to return empty-handed.

Hearing Li Hao’s request, Yue Shuhong looked confused and bewildered.

He’d expected Li Hao to ask about something else, but all these… utterly irrelevant things?

His expression turned odd; he assumed the young master might have peculiar tastes and didn’t press further, simply listing everything he knew.

But as a military officer, he rarely paid attention to such matters, so he summoned a civilian official from his household to take Li Hao around the city.

…

…

Wuliang Mountain.

As one of the top forces of the Great Yu Dynasty, Wuliang Mountain’s Fan Tian Jingtu territory was vast, containing thousands of miles of mountain ranges, majestic Buddhist halls, and over a thousand Mahayana Buddha peaks.

Vast clouds and mist drifted, making the entire Jingtu realm feel like a spiritual paradise, ethereal and otherworldly.

At this moment, before the Vajra Heart Hall on one of the Mahayana Buddha peaks.

A man and a woman climbed up from the mountain’s base and arrived at the grand entrance of the hall.

“This is Qianfeng’s Vajra Heart Hall.”

The young bald monk in a cassock smiled.

“Vajra Heart Hall?”

The woman beside him had hair like a black waterfall, a peach-shaped face, and eyes like clear lakes—now her gaze shimmered with astonished brightness:

“Vajra Heart Hall? He was last a Galan Dharma God—now, now he’s already a Vajra?”

Galan Dharma God and Vajra were both titles and ranks within Wuliang Mountain’s Buddhist hierarchy.

Galan Dharma God required Shenyou Realm cultivation; Vajra required reaching Fifteen Li.

“Master Qianfeng is exceptionally gifted. He ascended the mountain at six, became a disciple of Wuliang Ancient Buddha, and by eight, had already reached the peak of Tongli. At ten, his Zhou Tian was complete; at ten and a half, he inherited the Buddha’s True Soul. By fourteen, he had entered Shenyou.”

The young monk smiled. “After returning from slaying demons last year, Master Qianfeng secluded himself for three months. Before turning eighteen, he shattered Shenyou and officially entered Fifteen Li, receiving the title of Vajra, with the Buddhist name Qiankun Vajra!”

The woman beside him was stunned.

“Qiankun” Vajra—such a grand Buddhist title.

Clearly, Wuliang Mountain held him in the highest regard.

Her admiration deepened further; the image of that sword-wielding figure in the Demon Forest became clearer in her mind.

“Take me to see him quickly.”

The woman hurriedly said.

The young monk glanced at her and softly chanted a Buddhist mantra: “Nan Shi, though Master Qianfeng is a lay disciple of our sect, he harbors great ambition. Your visit may…”

“I don’t care. Let me see him—I’ll speak to him myself.” The woman cut him off, shaking her head. She knew what he was about to say, but since childhood, she had always dared to love and hate, insisting on clarity in all things.

“Very well.”

The young monk sighed slightly, recalling his Master’s words: Greed, anger, delusion—this woman had violated the precept of delusion.

“Please announce my arrival—I’ve come to register Master Qianfeng.”

The young monk approached the hall’s entrance and spoke to the two armored soldiers holding steel spears.

The soldiers’ armor bore special markings; on their shoulder guards, a gilded, scorching “Yuan” character was etched—prompting the monk to think of the young man’s illustrious status within, stirring faint envy. But he immediately realized this was greed, and hastily whispered a Buddhist mantra.

(End of Chapter)