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Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 326
🕑 Added 2025-04-12 08:33:16 +0000 UTCVolume 3 - Chapter 58: Youzhou Under Attack
Li Hao’s mount, the Candlefire God, was currently revealing its true form but only partially.
After all, the Candlefire God's original body spanned hundreds of zhang. Its movement could cause the earth to quake and mountains to sway, creating far too much disturbance.
As he revisited his homeland, Li Hao felt a rare sense of nostalgia. Although the vast wilderness outside the Great Wilderness Heaven differed vastly from its interior, the energy drifting between heaven and earth here had clearly diminished, becoming thin and weak—hence the name "barren lands."
Yet this so-called "barren" earth carried a familiar, earthy scent buried deep in his bones. It was the air he had breathed since childhood upon arriving in this world.
It felt comfortable.
This comfort wasn’t the kind that came from cultivation but one that refreshed the body and mind.
Li Hao’s thoughts traversed across endless mountains, returning to that Tianmen Pass, the small fenced courtyard, the old man in the courtyard, and the young girl who always carried her sword.
If he had time, perhaps he could invite that gluttonous girl for another barbecue feast.
Thinking of those fleeting peaceful moments in the wind and snow, a faint smile tugged at the corners of Li Hao’s lips.
He urged the Candlefire God to continue forward.
Using the attributes of the Heaven and Earth Diagram, Li Hao observed the number of markers he had left behind, which had dropped from 100 to 96, with four battle flags lost.
These were the battle flags he had left at Tianmen Pass, possibly damaged by accidents. However, from the numbers, he could roughly judge that the pass should still be safe and sound.
The Candlefire God carried Li Hao, flying swiftly through the air as mountains, rivers, and lakes roared by beneath them.
Spotting the vast ravines and great lakes below, Li Hao could sense the presence of demonic creatures within them. His fingers itched as he mentally marked these locations, thinking they would be excellent spots for wild fishing.
...
"When I return, I should invite Feng Lao for a leisurely fishing trip..."
At this moment, Xiyan, who had transformed into a crimson wooden bracelet coiled around Li Hao’s wrist, extended a small crimson tendril from the bracelet. Resembling a cowlick, it swayed in the wind as it curiously observed the unfamiliar scenery of the wilderness beyond the Great Wilderness Heaven.
"Where are we going?"
"First to meet some old friends, then to see this world."
"Oh."
Xiyan extended her small crimson tendril further onto Li Hao’s arm to get a clearer view of their surroundings.
Li Hao didn’t stop her, allowing the fresh breeze to brush against his face.
"Shall we just go straight?"
The Candlefire God murmured below.
"You don’t know the way?" Li Hao asked in surprise.
"I don’t have much of an impression."
"Do you not recognize the areas beyond Liang Province?"
"I don’t recognize Liang Province either."
"..."
Li Hao fell silent. It seemed that Senior Yunge had truly erased their memories thoroughly.
This ruler of the Void Realm, if he encountered his former old comrades, likely wouldn’t recognize them either.
"Do you have any recollection of the Void Realm?"
"Just a little."
"And how much is 'a little'?"
"I only remember a mountain there, with many little demons who feared me."
"..."
Li Hao nodded thoughtfully. It was said that the Void Realm had been secluded for a millennium, so it seemed some traces of its thousand-year roots remained imprinted.
"If you don’t know the way, let’s just go straight. Cross mountains as they come; we’ll eventually reach Great Yu," Li Hao said.
On his return journey, Li Hao had encountered several demons. Occasionally, Xiyan would detect rare treasures or divine herbs, prompting a detour for collection. This had led to deviations from his original route.
By the time he tried to retrace his steps, he found himself completely lost.
The Great Wilderness Heaven was shrouded in miasma, with its terrain appearing identical. Li Hao wasn’t particularly adept at navigating (he was something of a directionally challenged person). Fortunately, relying on his Dao Domain to disperse the miasma, he aimed for his destination with the simplest method: proceeding in a straight line.
Eventually, he made his way out.
Now, he would once again employ this tried-and-true straightforward method of navigation.
Once he entered Great Yu, he could ask someone for directions, and he would know his bearings.
After all, he had once studied the Geography of the Nineteen Provinces, a classified map stored in the Divine General Mansion. Only the old master’s casual temperament had allowed him, as a mere boy, to browse it.
Although lost, the journey over the past few days wasn’t entirely fruitless.
Apart from traveling, Li Hao had used his breaks to draw upon the forces of heaven and earth to heal the Candlefire God and the Yin Lady, aiding in their recovery. This also attracted numerous demons, curious like flies drawn to the scent of blood.
Li Hao didn’t let these opportunities slip away. He killed them all, refining their demonic blood using the True Demon Art and offering it to Xiyan.
For Li Hao, the blood essence of these demon kings was no longer particularly effective.
His physical body had been refined to an unimaginable degree, reaching a bottleneck that seemed insurmountable without an extreme and unique method of superlative tempering.
As for Xiyan, her original body had the innate ability to absorb blood and convert it into nourishment. This unique talent remained intact, and with Li Hao’s help and the rare treasures gathered along the way, her cultivation advanced rapidly.
Her strength had now leaped from the Dao Heart Realm to the Reverse Fate Realm.
Her body had also undergone immense refinement, becoming so resilient that it rivaled a Five-Forged Divine Weapon.
Within her realm, even the physical prowess of the dragon race might not surpass hers.
...
The howling wind accompanied the Candlefire God as it carried Li Hao across over 100,000 li, flying over mountains teeming with demons.
Sensing the presence of the Candlefire God’s great demon king aura, the other demons trembled in fear and quickly prostrated themselves.
Li Hao casually struck down the mountain peaks with traces of human presence, eradicating the demons that dwelled there.
For the remaining demons that fed on their kin or peacefully cultivated the energy of heaven and earth in seclusion, he left them alone.
...
As they pressed onward, Li Hao began to notice battle flags and shattered armor hanging from the branches of trees on some mountain peaks. He knew he was nearing Great Yu.
Re-entering the martial world, Li Hao now carried no sword. There was no need.
The grass and trees of heaven and earth could transform into the sharpest sword energy in his hands, slaying all in his path.
"Xia Family, is it..."
Li Hao’s gaze lingered on a tattered battle flag atop a mountain, the word "Xia" fluttering on its surface. His expression shifted slightly, realizing he had entered the territory guarded by the Xia Family.
Not long after, he saw scattered villages along the border. Li Hao instructed the Candlefire God to use its shapeshifting abilities, changing from its original fiery lion-dragon form into a simple, unremarkable shaggy-haired horse.
If he were to ride a demon king into the territory, it would attract far too much attention, and he might as well become the talk of the town.
Under the cover of night, he descended in an uninhabited wilderness. Moments later, a youth on horseback emerged, galloping from the wildlands to the main road, heading toward a nearby town.
The town had no defensive arrays, making it easy for demons to infiltrate unnoticed. However, Li Hao observed that each household had hung low-level Demon-Suppressing Talismans.
With a casual glance, he could tell these were rudimentary talismans. If an ordinary small demon approached, the talismans would ignite, releasing red light to mark the demon.
For greater demons, however, a single breath would be enough to blow them away, rendering them useless.
The town was simple and rustic. Yet, despite the late hour, it was brightly lit, with sounds of opera, drums, and gongs emanating from the center of the town, creating an air of festivity.
Along the way, children holding colorful lanterns chased each other, laughing and running toward the bustling heart of the town.
Li Hao extended his divine sense to scan the area. Aside from the magistrate’s office, he also noticed a run-down building with a crumbling plaque that read Demon Subduing Division. Its entrance seemed to double as a marketplace, the ground littered with vegetable scraps left behind by vendors.
It was the perfect example of "small but complete in every respect."
The Demon Subduing Division was nearly empty, with only two or three officers present, their uniforms unkempt, matching the town’s casual and modest atmosphere.
Li Hao smiled faintly and retrieved the corpse of a slain demon from his Heaven and Earth Space, sending it under the cover of night to the storage room of the shabby Demon Subduing Division. He then located a silver box tucked under a bed in one of the locked rooms, pulling out several silver ingots.
It could be considered an exchange of goods.
The demon’s head, if submitted, should fetch them a considerable bounty.
As the silver ingots floated back into Li Hao’s hands, he entered a deserted alley. The Candlefire God transformed into the figure of a young man. This time, he refrained from adopting the fiery and awe-inspiring appearance he had once displayed while pursuing Li Hao. Instead, he concealed his aura and suppressed his divine radiance.
Even so, the Candlefire God’s stern features exuded an air of unapproachability.
Standing in this quaint and unassuming town, his unique presence made him particularly conspicuous.
Li Hao led him to an inn and requested two sets of clothing and a room from the attendant.
Currently, Li Hao’s attire was a divine robe he had crafted using his powers, its brilliance concealed to appear more ordinary.
He planned to rest for the night, confirm the route, and resume his journey to Tianmen Pass the following morning.
"Honored guest, are you heading to Liyang City to provide reinforcements?"
The inn attendant’s tone was exceptionally respectful, even a bit reverent.
He could sense that Li Hao wasn’t an ordinary person—this had nothing to do with his clothing but rather his demeanor and aura.
Moreover, the Candlefire God’s calm gaze made it impossible for anyone to meet his eyes directly.
Despite both of them deliberately suppressing their presence, they still drew attention.
"Liyang City?"
Li Hao’s thoughts stirred as he immediately deduced that he was in the Xia Family’s territory.
This was Youzhou, the Xia Family’s main base of operations.
It wasn’t far from Liang Province.
"Reinforcements for Liyang City? Is there a demon incursion?" Li Hao asked curiously.
The five Divine General Mansions were stationed in their respective provinces to ensure stability and prosperity. He found it surprising that demons dared to invade such territories.
"You don’t know?"
The attendant looked momentarily puzzled but kindly explained, "Honored guest, judging by your accent, you’re not a native of Youzhou. If you’re here for sightseeing, you’d best leave quickly—things have been anything but peaceful here lately."
"Oh?"
Li Hao’s eyes narrowed. "Tell me more."
From the attendant’s account, Li Hao quickly learned of Youzhou’s current state. Liyang City, a critical fortress on Youzhou’s frontier, had been repeatedly attacked by demons.
In addition to Liyang City, several other border cities in Youzhou had also suffered from demon incursions, leaving the people in a state of panic.
Some young nobles, hearing of the unrest in Youzhou, had banded together to hunt demons, hoping to earn merit and achieve fame.
"It seems the battle in Liang Province was merely an appetizer for these demons. Declaring war against the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, they clearly intend to fight to the bitter end."
Li Hao frowned deeply, sensing an ominous storm brewing from the demons, threatening the entirety of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty.
He then asked the attendant about the situation in Liang Province.
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