Chapter 75: Lesson

“Hm?”

Both were stunned—such minimal battle damage?

“How is this possible? Even with fifteen-ri assistance, in chaotic combat, there should have been many casualties. Could your intelligence be wrong—were there really not that many demons?” Xia Yong barked.

The driver trembled and hurriedly said, “I dare not deceive you! There were countless demons, swarming everywhere. I heard there were forty to fifty thousand, and I saw seven or eight Great Demons of the Spirit Traveling realm, plus a Crimson Python Dragon. But thanks to Young Master Li, he slew them all and saved the entire city.”

The Crimson Python Dragon… must be the one driven out from the Sacred Palace… Xia Qingshuang’s eyes flickered, her expression turning grave.

That Crimson Python Dragon was no ordinary Great Demon of the fifteen-ri realm—it had cultivated demonic arts within the Sacred Palace, and was only slightly inferior to us.

“I didn’t expect the Li family’s third generation had such a talent,” Xia Qingshuang said.

“Hmph, meddling fool. This isn’t Qingzhou—it’s not the Li family’s territory.”

Xia Yong now believed the driver’s words. He sneered: “He just entered the world and comes here to show off? How outrageous! Doesn’t the Li family’s defense of Yanbei’s battlefield have enough chaos already?”

“Hey!”

Inside the carriage, Li Yuanzhao could no longer hold back his anger: “How dare you speak like that? We helped your Xia family resolve the demon crisis, and now you blame us?”

“Hm?”

Hearing the chubby boy’s shout, both froze.

Xia Yong’s face changed slightly. “Are you a Li family member?”

“Of course!” Li Yuanzhao’s face flushed with fury.

These Tan Palace students wouldn’t dare impersonate the Li family… Xia Yong suddenly felt embarrassed—he’d only muttered a few complaints behind their backs, and now they’d heard it all.

Too late to apologize now—it would tarnish the Xia family’s prestige. He coldly said, “A Li family disciple who made it into Tan Palace must be nothing special.”

“You—!”

This remark enraged everyone.

Tan Palace was still one of the top academies in the world. Though not as elite as Wu Liang Mountain or the Divine General’s Mansion, gaining entry was incredibly difficult.

Yet to him, it sounded like a pitiful place.

Though Du Qiuyue and the others were furious, they dared not speak up—it was the Xia family.

Li Hao felt surprised. He’d never met someone with such low emotional intelligence. No wonder ancient generals lost to civil officials—this man’s brain was built to offend.

“Brother Yong, let’s go.”

Beside him, Xia Qingshuang realized Xia Yong had gone too far. She immediately decided not to linger, preparing to head to Cangyu City—if all was well, they’d return home early.

Xia Yong sneered and seized the chance to back down, ready to leave.

Li Hao spoke: “You’re just leaving like that?”

“Hm?” Xia Qingshuang frowned, turning to the boy seated in the center of the carriage. Instantly, she sensed—he was the core of this group.

“We saved you from the demon crisis. You don’t even thank us. And now you dare criticize the Li family’s affairs in Yanbei?”

Li Hao spoke coldly.

Had they not mentioned Yanbei, he’d have let it slide.

But his parents still guarded Yanbei. Though they hadn’t seen each other in over a decade, and perhaps no deep blood ties remained, he still remembered the three-thousand-year demon corpse his rough father had sent home—and his young mother’s worried gaze.

In his heart, he regarded them as family.

“Who the hell are you, looking for trouble? The Li family has been stuck in Yanbei for over a decade—how many supplies and weapons have they requested from the imperial court? Can’t we even talk about it?”

Xia Yong’s face darkened, looking down at Li Hao.

“You bastard! How dare you insult Brother Hao!”

Li Yuanzhao flew into a rage. Had he not sensed these two were immensely powerful, he’d have struck them himself.

“The Li family has fought for over a decade—we swallowed our hardships alone. Isn’t it the court’s duty to supply us with provisions?”

Li Hao said coldly: “Have you never begged the court for aid? You’re a Divine General’s Mansion too—you should understand the hardship of defending the border even better. Yet here you mock us—is this your Xia family’s family creed?”

“You’re also from the Li family’s third generation?”

Xia Yong’s face flushed with shame and rage: “Your Li family is utterly lawless! You haven’t even left Qizhou yet—this is our territory. Who the hell do you think you are, questioning our thousand-year family creed? Give him a slap!”

He was fifteen-ri. To say “slap” meant to slap. Under his spirit control, others had no choice.

But Li Hao’s hand didn’t move. He merely glared sharply—his spirit control surged downward, crushing down upon Xia Yong’s head.

With a mournful cry, Xia Yong’s Purple-Horned Steed collapsed.

This was a top-tier warhorse, equal in quality to Crimson Blood Horses—battle-hardened, drenched in demon blood, radiating fierce killing aura. Yet now its hooves buckled, and it knelt forward.

Xia Yong, mounted atop, turned pale. He tried to levitate—but the pressure pinned him. He tumbled off his horse.

He rolled to his feet, disheveled, shock flashing across his face as he stared at the boy in the carriage.

Though both wore academy robes, the boy carried an unmistakable air of nobility.

“Fifteen-ri? Impossible!”

Xia Yong couldn’t believe it. This boy was so young—and yet matched his own realm. Worse, his spirit control was even more domineering than his own.

Xia Qingshuang’s face changed. She stared at Li Hao: “Which Li family scion are you?”

Li Hao didn’t answer. He only said coldly: “I need an apology. Otherwise, none of you leave today.”

“You—!”

Xia Yong snarled: “This is Qizhou, not Qingzhou!”

“Even if this were your Xia family’s front gate, you still owe an apology!” Li Hao said, each word sharp.

“Fine. Let’s see if you can even bear it!”

Xia Yong instantly unleashed his Primordial Spirit, transforming into a streak of golden light as he lunged with a palm strike at Li Hao.

Li Hao sat unmoved. Behind him, golden light flashed—his own Primordial Spirit shot out and slammed forward with a punch.

This was the ultimate technique passed down by Second Uncle: Half-Invincible Fist.

This fist art was even three-tenths stronger than the fourth form of Hai Wuyan’s style.

Yet he didn’t unleash his full power.

Boom! The instant palm met fist, Xia Yong’s Primordial Spirit melted like snow before a furnace—shattered by a single punch! Xia Yong’s face turned deathly pale. He spat blood, stared at Li Hao in terror, raised a trembling finger—but could not speak. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed unconscious.

All of this happened in an instant. Li Hao’s Primordial Spirit had already returned to his body.

Xia Qingshuang snapped back to awareness. Her face paled. A shattered Primordial Spirit meant grave injury. Even with the Xia family’s countless healing elixirs, he’d need half a year to a year to recover. For an ordinary person, it would take decades.

So brutal.

Xia Qingshuang stared at the boy in the carriage. His face was as cold as ice. He stared back.

“Your attack was too cruel!” Xia Qingshuang gritted her teeth.

“If it weren’t for me, another Li family disciple would’ve either swallowed the insult—or been slapped right here!”

Li Hao’s gaze was icy: “You dared to order the Li family to publicly slap someone? Bold. I’ve already held back—I didn’t kill him.”

Xia Qingshuang’s eyes flashed with fury, but she knew she was in the wrong—and she wasn’t his match. She raised her hand, levitating Xia Yong’s body onto his horse, then said:

“Given you saved Cangyu City, I won’t press this further. Let this be over.”

With that, she cracked her whip, urging the horse to turn back.

She’d planned to visit Cangyu City—but now, with Xia Yong severely wounded, she had to take him home for healing, lest he suffer lasting damage.

Seeing them leave, those in the carriage realized Li Hao had just clashed spirits with them. They hadn’t yet inherited their Primordial Spirits, so they couldn’t perceive it.

“The Xia family is so unreasonable!” Li Yuanzhao fumed.

“I never thought the Xia family was like this.”

Ren Qianqian frowned. She now saw herself as Li Hao’s attendant—half a Li family member. His words at the tea stall had already earned her respect for the Li family.

Seeing another Divine General’s Mansion behave so cruel and arrogant, she felt deeply disappointed.

Li Hao watched them depart, made no move to stop them, only shook his head slightly, and told the driver to continue.

He didn’t dwell on this incident. In any great family, there are arrogant fools. He’d heard of the Xia family’s legendary merits—he didn’t hate the entire clan, but his impression of them had dimmed slightly.

(End of Chapter)