Chapter 802: Life and Death Together

"How dare you!"

Hearing the Wind Spirit Clan chief's words, the old man beside Meng Wanning narrowed his eyes, stepped forward, and unleashed a crushing aura like a surging tide crashing down upon Jin Fengling.

But the many powerful figures behind Jin Fengling were prepared, instantly erupting with their own auras to form a protective barrier around him.

"Go ahead. I'll handle everyone else and everything else."

The Wind Spirit Clan chief, seeing Jin Fengling pause, spoke coldly.

The crescent-shaped divine sword in his hand suddenly blazed with brilliant silver-white light, transforming the surrounding heavens and earth into a sealed domain—where countless long moons hung in the sky, their pale beams like cold, crooked eyes staring down upon the Dream Clan.

Feeling the chilling sword qi, the Dream Clan members' eyes filled with shock and fury; the old woman clutching the withered staff had deep, resolute eyes—since the entire clan had come here, she never intended to retreat easily.

Just as she gathered her immortal energy and a seven-colored misty glow erupted from the divine stone in her palm, a clear, calm voice suddenly spoke:

"Master, the Dream Clan, everyone."

Everyone turned involuntarily to look at the boy beside the Emperor's Altar.

"Let them come. If they want my life, let them prove they have the strength to take it!"

Li Hao's gaze swept over the Dream Clan leaders, then slowly said: "I accept your kindness."

Hearing this, the Dream Clan leader—Meng Wanning—grew anxious. She hadn't come merely to make Li Hao feel indebted, but to save him: "Don't be reckless."

"I don't want to drag the innocent into this."

Li Hao cut her off, shaking his head: "If there's a future, I wish to fight alongside you all—but today is my matter, and I alone will bear it."

"Boy, don't overthink it. Since we've come, we won't stand idly by."

The old man beside Meng Wanning spoke firmly, yet softly.

His brows were sharp as sword blades; he usually spoke in a rough, boisterous tone, so this gentleness was rare.

Li Hao looked at this stranger—an old man whose eyes held sincerity—and his fingers clenched involuntarily. He knew the man meant it, but precisely because of that, he could not drag his entire clan into this.

A bloody clash between both sides might not even carve him a path out.

After all, two others nearby were also watching with hungry eyes.

Moreover, the Supreme One had yet to reveal any intention—no one knew if someone else, like the white-haired youth, might interpret the Emperor's will and act to please him.

Without a word spoken, without a sound uttered, others would still respond—that was the Emperor.

Their intervention, if the Supreme One did not stop them, did not violate his promise—but his silence was tacit approval.

Li Hao knew relying on the Dream Clan's intimidation to quell others' desires was nearly impossible. Perhaps today, only his death could end this.

But even if he died, he would drag every one of those who dared step forward down with him.

"Elder, what merit have I, Li Hao, to earn your favor and kindness? Today, anyone who has ever held a grudge against me—step forward, and I shall fight to the death here!"

Li Hao gave one last deep look at the Dream Clan members, then bowed deeply. When he raised his head again, his cold, piercing voice echoed across the entire arena.

Hearing the boy stand at the storm's center, eyes sharp as an eagle's, gaze sweeping all with arrogance, countless people were stunned!

Two of the top hundred great clans—the Dream Clan and the Wind Spirit Clan—were nearly slaughtering each other for him. He had refused the Supreme One, defied the Heavenly Palace, yet still refused to bow in this dire situation!

Behind Li Hao, Mingyue's expression shifted. She frowned, staring at his back—his upright figure like a divine sword piercing the heavens. Only when facing the tender, complex gazes of others did he bow deeply; facing Jin Fengling and the Wind Spirit Clan's pressure and blades, he stood like resilient grass bending but never breaking.

She didn't understand why he was so stubborn—this was the Supreme One's direct disciple, yet he'd rather die than accept?

If he turned back now, begged his master softly, even if he couldn't rejoin the sect, his master would at least spare his life.

Hearing Li Hao's words, Meng Wanning's face changed instantly. The old man beside her and the other Dream Clan members also paled with anxiety. The old woman holding the divine staff froze, staring at the boy in surprise—then, when she met his sharp, profound gaze, she suddenly understood something.

She fell silent.

She had tacitly allowed the entire clan to come here—including herself—hoping to carve him a path, betting on a future.

But this boy had never treated them as mere pawns. He didn't want them to bleed or be dragged in.

Trapped in despair, yet still thinking of others' suffering… Her fingers tightened on the withered staff. A long-dormant ache stirred in her throat; she quietly drew a deep breath.

She wanted to speak, to order the attack—but she held back.

As clan chief, she would never let her emotions sway her. She remained calm.

In this moment, the boy's choice, though painful and heartbreaking, was unquestionably the wisest and most rational.

Even if she sacrificed her entire clan, she might still not help him.

The Dream Clan today was not the Dream Clan of a hundred thousand years ago… She could not truly summon the ancestral relic, nor could she risk the clan's total annihilation to fight for him—that was unrealistic. Even Meng Wanning, even herself, in such despair, would never ask their clan to make such a sacrifice.

No one could bear the cost of an entire clan's destruction for their sake.

"Clan Chief!"

Meng Wanning turned to the old woman, seeing her head bowed in silence, and her pupils shrank—her face turned pale.

The old man beside her also understood her thoughts. His face darkened, but he showed no anger—only silence as he placed a hand on Meng Wanning's shoulder and shook his head slightly, his eyes filled with complex emotion.

Seeing the Dream Clan yield, the Wind Spirit Clan chief's cold gaze softened, and he quietly exhaled.

Ultimately, this was Jin Fengling's feud with Li Hao. To drag the entire clan into a bloody clash over a great-grandson—he had to weigh it. But this was happening in the Heavenly Palace, and the boy had refused the Supreme One, disgracing the Immortal Emperor's face. This act could please the Supreme One and serve other purposes with Lord Jin. That's why he came himself.

Now, avoiding battle was naturally best for him.

After all, the Wind Spirit Clan had already shown its stance—with no real loss.

The other Dream Clan members, seeing the old woman tacitly accept Li Hao's words, were unwilling—but facing the Wind Spirit Clan, they knew it was nearly impossible to pass through them and safely escort Li Hao away. Even if they all died here, they might still fail.

"Hmph. At least you have some spine. Since you insist, I'll deal with you myself."

Jin Fengling sneered and strode toward Li Hao.

Li Hao's gaze swept over him, then turned to the Wind Spirit Clan chief behind him, lingering for an instant on the crescent-shaped divine sword in his hand before settling on his aged face:

"If your worthless brat is slain by me, what will your clan do? Kill the young, then send the old?"

Hearing his cold, mocking words, the Wind Spirit Clan members all changed expression, and someone immediately shouted in anger.

"Ignorant brat! How dare you speak to our Clan Chief?"

"What attitude! Our Clan Chief is a powerhouse among Immortal Kings! You'll never reach such a realm in your lifetime!"

"You've only got a bit of talent. Even reaching Immortal King will take you ten thousand years—how dare you be so arrogant?" Facing the Wind Spirit Clan's furious shouts, Li Hao ignored them entirely, his eyes coldly fixed on the clan chief.

"Hmph!"

The Wind Spirit Clan chief narrowed his eyes. He'd seen this boy's audacity before. But what kind of man was he? He knew this boy was bold yet cunning—this wasn't mere provocation. He was trying to carve out a way out.

Did he truly believe he could defeat his great-grandson against all odds?

He was curious. Unless the boy had held back when facing the Sword Heart—unless he still had power unshown. But how could that be?

That had already been the peak of the True Immortal realm.

Still, for caution's sake, he said: "If you defeat him, my Wind Spirit Clan will not trouble you. After all, this is merely a battle between youths. But whether others will pursue you—that's none of our concern!"

His words left vast room for maneuver. If Li Hao truly defeated Jin Fengling, he could let it go—but whether "others" might be secretly ordered to hunt him down was another matter entirely!

As a great clan, they could never let such a threat escape. Today, they must crush this boy here!

One offense must mean total annihilation—leave no chance!

Great clans that had stood for tens of thousands of years in the True Realm naturally had ruthless methods.

Hearing his words, Li Hao's eyes turned icy. This was nearly identical to the Supreme One's words—and the result? He now faced these troubles.

So they never intended to let him leave… Li Hao laughed, but his eyes grew colder.

As he stepped back onto the Emperor's Altar, passing beside Mingyue, his gaze didn't waver—not even a glance at her.

Feeling his utter disregard, Mingyue's expression changed. But seeing the boy now like a cornered beast, trapped in despair yet still defiant, she suddenly felt he was vastly different from her.

He had never relied on the wild beasts of the mountains and forests—she was the peerless golden lotus nurtured in a sacred cave.

Whoosh!

As Li Hao stepped back onto the Emperor's Altar, a green shadow suddenly shot forward and entered the altar.

"I'll stay with you."

The green shadow before Li Hao was Lin Qingying.

Her sudden appearance stunned the Ten Thousand Swords Tower members, who then burst into shocked cries.

The elder who looked like a noblewoman—Lin Qingying's master—paled instantly and stepped forward in alarm: "Qingying, what are you doing?!"

Lin Qingying didn't hear her. She turned back to Li Hao, her eyes soft as water, yet heavy and profound.

Li Hao froze. He hadn't expected her to appear at this dire moment.

Seeing her gaze, he understood her heart—and smiled, yet felt something indescribable.

"Don't worry about me."

He dropped his smile, speaking low: "Even if I die, I'll take some with me. You don't need to die with me."

"If you die, I won't live."

Lin Qingying said simply.

Li Hao's heart trembled slightly. He clenched his fingers, forcing a light tone as he whispered: "Leave. I have the Immortal Emperor's inheritance—I have ways to survive. I might live. But if you die first, won't it be for nothing?"

Lin Qingying paused, staring at Li Hao. His words on the clouds, and the Supreme One's silence, had confirmed he inherited the Immortal Emperor's legacy.

She fell silent. Her resolve to follow him to death now wavered.

If what Li Hao said was true, she truly couldn't help.

"Go. Trust me."

Li Hao said.

Lin Qingying looked up at Li Hao, gazing deeply into the boy's sincere eyes. Finally, she nodded, whispering softly:

"No matter what you say, I believe you."

Then she turned and left the Emperor's Altar. As she went, she added: "But if you die, I won't live alone."

She returned to the ground. Countless eyes fixed on her—astonished, confused, murmuring.

At this moment, Li Hao faced several Immortal Lords, trapped in despair, moments from death—and yet this woman still chose to stand with him. Such deep, unwavering devotion—what bond did they share?

"Your Highness, isn't Li Hao your fiancé?"

On the other side, Chu Tianhuang and Boya Xuejian and the others fell silent; Chu Tianhuang whispered softly.

Behind him, Chu YueLi wore an expression of shock and fury, furious at Li Hao for his foolishness.

"I knew it—his nature would eventually bring disaster. I never imagined that the stronger he became, the more arrogant he'd grow. If he'd just humbly become a disciple of the Supreme Master, nothing would've happened. But he insists on walking straight to his death!"

She was frantic with rage. If Li Hao had become the Supreme Master's disciple, even if their marriage was only nominal and held no affection, she could still have ridden his glory to gain resources and factional support within the imperial clan.

But now, if Li Hao perishes, that connection—even without the marriage being fulfilled—would likely make people avoid her entirely.

"Back in the Ancient Immortal Realm, when he dared to step on the imperial clan, I knew he was an arrogant man!"

Chu YueLi was so furious her teeth nearly ground to dust. How could anyone be so stupid? Even a toe could make the right choice—and yet he chose wrong!

"That nasty woman—no one knows who she is—wasn't she eager to go die with him? Then why did she turn back?"

She glared at Lin Qingying, whom she'd already seen exchanging glances with Li Hao; now her hatred burned even hotter.

Chu Tianhuang frowned slightly and whispered, "Aren't you going to beg His Majesty for help?"

"If His Majesty wanted to help, would he need me to beg? I have no idea what he's thinking. It's his own fault—he's useless!"

Chu YueLi spat, her face flushed with rage.

Chu Tianhuang sighed inwardly, gazing at the boy with regret. He had been a peerless prodigy—yet his nature doomed him to fall. Countless prodigies had been lost throughout history, but to witness one so rare, so monstrous, perish before his eyes…

"The nuisances are gone. Now it's time for you to die."

At that moment, Jin FengLing stepped onto the Emperor's Platform, the dark demonic energy swirling violently along his sword.

Beside him, the two white-haired youths arrived as well.

(End of Chapter)