Chapter 296: Facing Thousands, Killing in a Flash
"Is this really the strongest one here?"
"Weak, so weak."
"A Dao Master from the mortal world, yet only capable of this? He's merely cultivated these three martial extremes through sheer perseverance over time. An old bag of bones, it's about time he was buried."
"Still, to reach this level in such an energy-starved place speaks to some decent talent."
Six figures stood in the sky—four men and two women, all radiating an unparalleled brilliance, like dazzling pearls that outshone everything around them.
They exuded an aura of supreme confidence and arrogance, as if they were above all others. Their expressions were relaxed and casual, mocking as they looked down on the old Daoist standing in the square.
The old Daoist was a True Immortal of the Qian Dao Palace, with the surname Qin. He wasn't from the Jiang family but was a child picked up from the ruins left by rampaging demons and monsters thousands of years ago by an ancestor of the Jiang family. The ancestor had kept the boy by his side, allowing him to listen to teachings and cultivate.
The little Daoist boy of the past was now a white-haired, decrepit old man, teetering on the edge of death. If that Jiang ancestor were still alive, he would see that the once laughing, cherubic little boy now had a face full of wrinkles like dried tree bark. Yet, the old man's brows and eyes still bore a faint trace of his childhood features.
Whether it was sweat or blood, it dripped from the edge of his face.
The True Immortal Qin breathed heavily, his sword resting against the ground to support his body.
His Daoist robes were torn, his vitality was dim, and his face was pale, but he raised his eyes, staring intently at the six figures in the sky.
These six, though young and full of spirit, possessed terrifying power that set them apart from the countless other geniuses the old Daoist had seen. They were not merely prodigies—they were masters of the Dao, just one step away from transcending into sainthood!
Though that final step was incredibly distant and difficult, blocking the way for countless extraordinary geniuses throughout history, even reaching this point placed them among the rarest of the rare.
Was this the end?
The True Immortal Qin's eyes were sharp, but his heart was sinking.
Not long ago, he had told Emperor Yu that he would hold the line for ten more years, shielding the youth from the storms so that he could fully mature and take his place.
But now, these six monstrous beings, emerging from behind the three Archaic Gods, had shattered all those hopes.
It was like a disaster, unforeseen and unavoidable.
A meteor falls, destroying a city, killing everyone in its path.
The powerful Dayu Divine Dynasty had a hidden force of thirty or forty Path-seeking Realm experts within the royal family alone!
Such a deep foundation could withstand any storm and upheaval. With such vast territory, even dozens of meteors falling wouldn't destroy the dynasty.
But now, these six Dao Masters were like the sky collapsing for the Dayu Divine Dynasty!
"Not bad, you've survived twenty of our moves and still aren't dead. You should hold on; there are far more than twenty people here, after all."
A stunningly beautiful woman covered her mouth as she laughed, her eyes like bright stars, her brows like distant peaks, exuding an endless charm. Her smile was like blossoming peach flowers, yet her words sent a chill down everyone's spine.
The True Immortal Qin took a deep breath, his eyes focusing, growing even colder.
The energy within him was retracting and condensing, his meridians slowly tearing and melting, his whole body beginning to crack.
He was prepared to burn his Dao power in a final, desperate attack.
But just then, a figure suddenly flew over, standing in front of him.
Clad in a black imperial robe, with a long train dragging on the ground, the robe was adorned with majestic dragon patterns, radiating an aura of nobility.
The True Immortal Qin froze, his expression changing as he looked up at the figure before him.
It was none other than Emperor Yu.
At this moment, Emperor Yu held the dragon-patterned jade seal, his presence imposing, his eyes burning like torches as he stared at the six figures in the sky.
"This is the incense of my Jiang family. You've come for this, haven't you? I'll give it to you, but can you spare us? If you want to establish a Dao lineage, the billions of people in my Dayu will be willing to worship you!"
Emperor Yu slowly raised his hand, lifting the precious jade seal, his voice low and dignified.
The lightning-fast assault of these six Dao Masters had broken through the imperial city, shattered the imperial palace, and defeated the True Immortal—events so sudden and unexpected that he had no choice but to make this decision.
"Your Majesty…"
"Your Majesty…"
Hearing the Emperor's words, Xia Linglong, Li Muxiu, and the other powerful reinforcements who had been captured were all stunned.
Looking at the towering figure of the Emperor, they felt an overwhelming urge to weep. This was the Emperor, to whom tens of thousands bowed, now forced to lower his head.
After over three thousand years, was this great dynasty finally meeting its end?
The True Immortal Qin stared blankly at the Emperor's back, realizing that the Emperor had already seen that they had no hope left.
Although Emperor Yu was only a Path-seeking Realm expert, he understood the terrifying power of these six Dao Masters, not to mention the demons that hadn't yet made their move.
The True Immortal Qin's hand, gripping his sword hilt, trembled slightly as he lowered his head.
Three thousand years of planning, now stolen by others—how could such hatred be endured?
The founding ancestor was about to be resurrected, only to be destroyed at the last moment—how could this be endured?
The entire city was in ruins, the people reduced to mere livestock—how could this be endured?
But Emperor Yu was no fool; he wasn't like anyone else. This was a humiliation worse than death, yet he endured it because he had to.
As he watched the Emperor hand over the jade seal, effectively surrendering the Dayu Empire, everyone was filled with indescribable sorrow and grief.
Those who had come here were all powerful figures, not fools, and they understood that the Emperor was trying to save the human race, hoping that by preserving some strength, there might still be hope for the future.
But where was this hope?
The True Immortal Qin bowed his head, realizing that the Emperor had likely placed all his hopes on that young man.
At least the young man hadn't come…
Thinking of that youth's potential and rapid growth, the old man's sadness and overwhelming anger seemed to lessen somewhat.
Perhaps in just ten years, that young man would reclaim everything they had lost.
In that case, the present suffering might not be so unbearable.
But just as he felt a slight relief, a cold voice rang out above him:
"That incense, we can take it after killing you anyway. Everything here already belongs to us. Is this move of yours to create division among us, hoping to find a chance?"
The speaker was a young man in a yellow-and-white robe, exuding an aura of nobility and ease, but his eyes were cold and emotionless.
It was as if he could see through the heart of this mortal emperor.
Hearing his words, everyone froze, their faces changing.
The Emperor's face twitched slightly, his heart sinking to the bottom.
But before he could speak again, the young man let out a cold snort and said, "How dare you try to play imperial tricks in front of me? Kneel!"
His words carried the force of the Dao, instantly surrounding the Emperor.
The Emperor's face changed, and the power of the Great Dao within him erupted, revealing the aura of a Path-seeking Realm expert.
A vast and unparalleled force radiated from him as he tried to resist the Dao power, but it was as if an invisible hand grabbed his released power, forcing it back into his body.
His eyes widened in anger, his dragon robe fluttering as he tried to resist the oppressive force. His legs strained as they were forced to bend, his muscles tearing and bleeding profusely.
"Your Majesty!"
"Don't do it!"
"I'll fight you to the death!"
Among the crowd, someone, shocked and enraged by the scene, rushed toward the sky, unleashing their full power.
Boom!
The figure barely left the ground before it exploded, their soul flickering briefly like a firework before being snuffed out, as if someone had gently extinguished it.
At the same time, the True Immortal Qin, full of rage, swung his sword, trying to sever the Dao rules.
"Hmph, still resisting?"
The young man snorted coldly, his eyes flashing with golden light. Dao patterns flowed behind him, and they suddenly pressed down.
With a muffled grunt, the True Immortal Qin spat out a mouthful of blood, his injuries worsening.
The Dao force that had been cut off by the Emperor also received a stronger, crushing blow.
The ground beneath him caved in, cracking open as if a massive weight had fallen on it. A mighty pressure enveloped the Emperor, forcing him to kneel, stripping him of his dignity.
The Emperor understood that the enemy intended to make an example of him, to break the will of the others, leaving them in despair and willing to submit as slaves.
He could die, but he could not die in disgrace.
Boom!
He radiated an intense killing intent, his eyes bloodshot as he unleashed all his strength, his entire body glowing with a golden hue—signifying the peak of divine power.
At the same time, he absorbed the vast energies of the Heaven and Earth veins to support himself.
However, the overwhelming Dao force, as if wielding divine authority, was irresistible. It pressed down on him, forcing him to kneel rapidly. All of this happened in an instant.
Splat!
Blood splattered everywhere.
The ground trembled violently, as if a mountain had crashed down.
Emperor Yu's legs were severed at the knees, leaving only his thighs, which slammed heavily onto the ground, standing firm.
At the moment of kneeling, he had severed his own legs. Though the Dao force acted upon him, his posture remained upright.
Everyone was stunned, their eyes filled not only with despair but also with overwhelming grief and anger.
The young man in the sky slightly raised his eyebrows, evidently surprised that Emperor Yu would rather cut off his legs than kneel.
But did this really defy his will?
"If you won't kneel, then you'll lie down!"
The young man spoke again, his words carrying the power of the Dao.
The True Immortal Qin roared towards the sky, unleashing a furious shout as he charged forward, sword in hand.
"Don't spoil Brother Mu's fun." The stunningly beautiful woman who had previously laughed, now moved to intercept the True Immortal Qin, preventing him from interfering.
Boom!
On the ground, Emperor Yu spat out a mouthful of blood, his body slammed down as if struck by a heavy blow, causing him to lie flat on the ground.
"Your Majesty…"
Seeing this scene, the onlookers' eyes reddened, their bodies trembling with rage.
But no one dared to make a move. The difference in power was too vast. At this moment, they were like lambs in a slaughterhouse. Those who had previously attacked in anger didn't even make it close before they were killed.
"I heard there's a particularly talented youngster among you. Why hasn't he come? Could it be he's smart enough to abandon you?"
Another young man, wearing a half-mask, asked with interest.
The expressions of the crowd in the square changed slightly—they immediately knew who he was referring to.
Not long ago, General Haotian had slain the Buddha, gaining fame across the land. Aside from the True Immortal Qin, he was the strongest figure in Dayu.
But he hadn't come.
However, no one held this against him.
They only felt a deep sadness.
If even the True Immortal Qin was defeated, what could the general do? Coming here would only mean sharing in their humiliation and death.
At least Haotian didn't come… Li Muxiu, standing among the crowd, silently sighed with relief.
Though he possessed a fist filled with near-invincible power, it was of no use. In front of these six young men and women, they were no better than moths to a flame.
Whether they were experts of the Absolute Skill or the Taiping Dao, it made no difference under the terrifying power of these individuals whose words shaped reality.
Even if they were to lose their minds in anger, they would not be able to harm them in the slightest.
However, despite the desperate situation, Li Muxiu felt a sense of relief seeing that Li Hao hadn't arrived. He knew that even if all the old-timers like them perished here, there was still hope for the future!
Because of this, despite the earlier grief and anger, he had maintained his composure.
Moreover, he secretly transmitted his thoughts to other familiar faces, urging them not to act recklessly.
As long as they survived, they had to endure the humiliation.
Staying alive was the most important thing!
"Tian Gang, don't act impulsively. As long as Haotian doesn't come, even if the dynasty falls, with time, he will definitely avenge us!"
Li Muxiu transmitted his thoughts.
Beside him, Li Tiangang and Li Fenghua had arrived as well, having immediately set out from Qingzhou upon receiving the Eight Directions Flag of the imperial capital.
The Eight Directions Flag from the capital—no one dared ignore it. It meant something catastrophic had occurred in the world!
"I know, I'm not reckless."
Li Tiangang replied, his expression complicated. The current situation was beyond anything he had imagined. What shocked him even more was that in this dire crisis, the hope of the Dayu Divine Dynasty now rested on a mere child.
"Let's continue our little game, then."
"There's the royal family, along with these old fellows who came as reinforcements. There are more than eighty of them."
"You need to withstand our eighty attacks before you can die, alright?"
The woman with the enchanting smile in the sky spoke, her words like those of a demon.
As she spoke, she raised her hand toward the True Immortal Qin, sending out a terrifying purple energy that ripped through his back, cutting deep to the bone.
In Yunzhou, at the Wang Family's Divine General's Mansion.
Inside the hollow mountain, a large number of people had gathered, including many of the Wang family's younger generation.
While the distant crisis in the capital was of concern, they were more focused on the person within the Mie River. They wondered if the real Chong Er would emerge alive.
The situation in the capital was already being handled by the family elders—mobilizing troops, planning strategies, sending reinforcements. All the younger members could do was wait for news.
Before the statue of Ksitigarbha, someone repeatedly checked their Mie River scroll, flipping through the Merit Rankings. Every time they saw the top name, "Chong Er," still there, they breathed a sigh of relief.
Inside the main hall of the mountain, the younger generation of the Wang family continued to discuss, still shocked by the revelation that Li Hao was actually Chong Er.
The news was too explosive. For these young members of the Wang family, while they admired and were curious about Li Hao's status as a general, their feelings didn't extend beyond that. But the name Chong Er evoked awe and admiration throughout the entire Wang family.
After all, Chong Er had accomplished something that the Wang family had strived for over centuries but had never achieved. His fame and abilities surpassed even those of many ancestors of the Wang family.
Even the most revered figure in their eyes, Wang Zhendong, paled in comparison to this name.
"Miss, General Haotian is actually Chong Er! His Majesty said that this is a feat worthy of being enshrined as a Divine General!"
In the crowd, a young maid spoke excitedly to the young woman beside her.
Earlier, they had discussed who Chong Er might be, guessing that he was an old master hidden in the martial world. But to their surprise, he turned out to be none other than the young general who had recently risen to prominence.
"Yes…"
The young woman's eyes sparkled with admiration as she thought back to her previous encounters with the young man, her cheeks flushing slightly.
"He's still alive, he hasn't come out yet. Even the Hell-level Mie River couldn't stop him?"
"By now, those two Mie Rivers should have merged, right?"
Inside the hall, many young people were discussing, their eyes filled with awe and curiosity, and even more with envy. The young man's brilliance was dazzling. His numerous feats and accomplishments were enough that if any one of them were attributed to these youths, it would secure them promotions and widespread renown.
As they quietly conversed, suddenly, a golden light appeared before the statue of Ksitigarbha.
The hall fell silent instantly, with all eyes turning toward the source of the light.
They saw the void seemingly twist, and a figure stepped out, revealing itself.
It was none other than Li Hao.
With the Mie River trial complete, Feng Lao had held him back for a while to chat. After their brief reunion in the Great Wilderness, Feng Lao seemed to have many things he wanted to talk about.
When the Clear Town Mie River was about to dissipate, he reluctantly said goodbye to Li Hao, promising to meet again before disappearing from the Mie River. This was similar to how the situation had ended when Li Hao first cleared the Feng Mountain Mie River.
Unlike with the Dragon City Mie River and Ji Yunge, who had followed him back outside, Feng Lao hadn't returned with him.
Though puzzled, Li Hao didn't dwell on it and quickly left the Mie River himself.
Fortunately, after Feng Lao's obsession was dispelled, the Hell-level Mie River seemed to stop extending its influence, allowing Li Hao to make an easy escape.
Now, as soon as he emerged, he saw many figures waiting.
"General Haotian!"
A senior member of the Wang family, who had accompanied Li Hao inside, was waiting nearby. When he saw Li Hao suddenly appear, he was both thrilled and relieved.
"Thank goodness you're safe!"
Li Hao was a bit speechless. Although he understood the man's relief, the way he phrased it felt strange.
Did they think I was dead or something?
"Where are they?" Li Hao asked, glancing around and noticing that Wang Yongzhi and Wang Zhendong were nowhere to be seen.
"The patriarch is in the council chamber. I'll go notify him immediately."
The man responded promptly, his spirit leaving his body and disappearing in a flash.
The other young members of the Wang family watched Li Hao closely, although they were excited and thrilled to see him, they held their breath, not daring to approach him carelessly.
Perhaps it was the weight of the young man's numerous prestigious titles and accomplishments that made them feel both nervous and pressured. Despite being of similar age, the difference in their statuses was like heaven and earth.
Before long, Wang Yongzhi came rushing in.
Seeing Li Hao safe and sound, he was overjoyed, hurrying over and saying:
"General Haotian, it's such a relief that you're unharmed. My Wang family owes you so much. If something had happened to you, we wouldn't know how to repay the debt."
"Patriarch, there's no need for such courtesy. You've helped me too, in finding Feng Lao." Li Hao replied with a smile.
"That was merely our duty. How can it compare?"
Wang Yongzhi forced a smile, shaking his head. Then his expression turned serious as he released a barrier to isolate their conversation from the surrounding Wang family members, saying to Li Hao:
"General Haotian, we just received the Eight Directions Flag with an urgent message. His Majesty instructed me to tell you to leave the Dayu Divine Dynasty as soon as possible. If you haven't reached the Dao Law Realm, do not return!"
"Hmm?"
Li Hao was taken aback by this sudden news.
"What happened?"
Seeing Wang Yongzhi's serious demeanor, Li Hao realized that even the surrounding Wang family members were being kept in the dark.
"The imperial capital was attacked."
Wang Yongzhi's voice was low. "We received the first message with a request for reinforcements, reporting that the imperial capital was under attack by demons. But shortly after, another Eight Directions Flag was sent with the message I just relayed to you. His Majesty knew you would come to our Wang family, so he ordered me to ensure you got the message to leave the Dayu Divine Dynasty immediately!"
Li Hao was stunned for a moment, his pupils contracting.
The imperial capital was attacked?
First, they asked for reinforcements, and then they told him to flee?
The stark contrast in these messages made it clear to even a fool that the situation must have taken a turn for the worse!
Li Hao glanced at the patriarch of the Wang family, reading the same understanding in his eyes.
No wonder he was so cautious, isolating even his own family members. If this information got out, the entire world would be thrown into chaos.
"When did this happen?" Li Hao asked immediately.
"Just fifteen minutes ago."
Wang Yongzhi replied, "The news of the attack on the imperial capital was so sudden. The previous attacks on Liangzhou and Qingzhou were probably just diversions, meant to draw the True Immortal away. But now, they've directly attacked the imperial capital, likely with some other trump card in hand, and with the combined power of all the demons!"
Li Hao took a deep breath, saying nothing more as his figure flickered and disappeared from the hall.
Wang Yongzhi was stunned, hastily chasing after him, only to see that Li Hao had already arrived at the main hall of the Wang family's estate, where he retrieved Zhuo Huo Shen.
"General Haotian, where are you going?" Wang Yongzhi asked urgently.
"To the imperial capital!"
Before his words had fully dissipated, Li Hao, along with Zhuo Huo Shen, vanished from the estate.
Wang Yongzhi was left frozen, his face turning pale. He quickly dashed outside, but Li Hao was already gone, leaving no trace of Dao Rhyme from his teleportation, making it impossible to track him.
Wang Yongzhi felt a cold sweat, realizing that he might have caused a disaster. He had assumed that once Li Hao learned of the situation, he would retreat.
After all, life was more important.
The contrasting messages were enough to suggest that the imperial capital might have already fallen into enemy hands and faced an unprecedented crisis, prompting the emperor to forgo any call for reinforcements and instead urge Li Hao to flee.
Wang Yongzhi could also infer the emperor's reason for wanting Li Hao to leave. If the Dayu Divine Dynasty were indeed facing unparalleled disaster, then this young man might be their only hope for the future!
But now, instead of fleeing, Li Hao was heading straight for the imperial capital. Wasn't this a suicide mission?
The emperor's message clearly indicated that even the True Immortal might be in danger!
After a moment of stunned silence, Wang Yongzhi hurried to find Wang Zhenfeng, instructing him to head to the imperial capital for reinforcement.
At this point, there was no point in keeping Wang Zhenfeng in Yunzhou. There would be no eggs left unbroken when the nest falls unless the Wang family betrayed the emperor and abandoned Dayu in its time of need.
Li Hao sped through the void, moving at an astonishing speed.
He had placed Zhuo Huo Shen and Xi Yan into his internal space, choosing to travel at full speed himself.
Although this meant he would expend a lot of energy and arrive at the battlefield with somewhat reduced strength, Li Hao couldn't afford to be conservative.
The two avatars of the Archaic Gods from the battle in Qingzhou were still fresh in Li Hao's memory. He had sensed that behind them were likely even more powerful entities.
If it were only those two avatars, they wouldn't dare to covet Dayu. After all, the True Immortal had a high chance of being at the Dao Law Realm.
Traveling from Yunzhou to Dayu required crossing half the dynasty's territory, a considerable distance.
Li Hao raced forward at top speed, occasionally teleporting, moving like lightning.
His passing left a faint echo in the air, as if a storm had just swept through.
After crossing two provinces, Li Hao suddenly noticed a fierce battle ahead between a human and a demon.
Sword energy slashed through the void, forming terrifying sword strikes.
On the other side, demonic energy surged—a true dragon demon, its scales like steel, deflecting the sword strikes with sparks of electricity.
A dragon demon? Dragon Gate?
Li Hao noticed the dragon demon, his eyes flashing with a cold light, and he didn't slow down, instead performing a triple teleportation to rapidly close the distance.
"Hmm?"
The dragon demon, sensing Li Hao's presence, looked alarmed, just about to react when it saw the face of a young man appear close by.
Its pupils contracted in fear, but before it could make a move, its body exploded.
A terrified scream of the demon's soul attempted to escape, but before it could flee, it was annihilated by the overwhelming Dao Domain.
In an instant, an Absolute Skill Realm dragon demon was slain.
The human on the other side, who had been preparing to attack, froze and quickly stopped his movements.
"Someone this young… Is it you?!"
Seeing the young man's face, unfamiliar yet unmistakable, the sword-wielding elder quickly recognized him.
The young man's fame was too great. In the current world, someone of this age with such terrifying power could only be the young general from the Li family.
Hearing the surprised exclamation, Li Hao felt a twinge of recognition, glancing at the elder and frowning slightly.
It was a half-familiar face.
Sword Saint, Jian Wudao.
Li Hao hadn't expected to run into the Sword Saint from the Jian Lu sect, especially not in a situation like this.
But it couldn't really be called a rescue—the dragon demon might not have been able to kill the Sword Saint; they were likely evenly matched, destined for a long battle until both sides withdrew.
They had met twice before—once when the elder had been invited by the Li family to take on a disciple, and the second time when the elder had been invited by Bian Rushue to lend his support in the True Dragon Battle.
Now, they met for the third time, but their statuses had dramatically shifted.
Seeing him, Li Hao couldn't help but think of the little shadow that had once followed him around in the courtyard as a child, causing his brow to furrow slightly. He had nothing to say to the old man and moved to leave immediately.
"Wait."
Jian Wudao, seeing Li Hao about to leave without a word, quickly called out.
"Hmm?"
Li Hao paused, turning back.
"You're indeed powerful, but I believe I wasn't wrong."
Jian Wudao gazed steadily at Li Hao, his old eyes filled with firm conviction. "Xu'er will surpass you one day, especially in swordsmanship. She has been chosen by the Sword Saint to inherit his legacy, and she will truly stand at the pinnacle of the sword!"
"…"
"Boring."
Li Hao's face darkened. He left a curt response and quickly teleported away.
Was it worth wasting a second to hear such drivel?
"That's a true Sword Saint, a Saint Realm being!"
Jian Wudao called out to Li Hao's retreating figure, but Li Hao didn't stop, teleporting several hundred miles away in a few short moments.
Watching him leave, Jian Wudao's expression turned complex. Ever since Li Hao had risen to fame and especially after the father-son battle in Qingzhou, where Jian Wudao had witnessed Li Hao's swordsmanship firsthand, his Dao heart had wavered.
It made him question his understanding of the sword.
Could he have misjudged not just the person but also their swordsmanship?
The battle had seemed to confirm that he had been wrong not only about the person but about the boy's potential in the way of the sword.
This had damaged his Dao heart, halting his progress in swordsmanship.
It wasn't until one day, when Bian Rushue encountered a Sword Saint during her travels and was unexpectedly chosen as his disciple, that Jian Wudao's Dao heart had regained its former clarity.
The disciple he had chosen was the best. He hadn't made a mistake!
After all, the Sword Saint himself had spoken so highly of her, praising her as possessing a natural sword bone, merely hidden beneath the surface, and most importantly, possessing a pure heart for the sword.
With such a heart, one could achieve the ultimate in swordsmanship.
And while Li Hao's reputation had grown and his power increased, with tales of him recently slaying top demon kings like Long Jueshen and Feng Lingxiao, power in cultivation was one thing, but mastery of the sword was another.
Bian Rushue's cultivation talents might not match Li Hao's, but her talent in swordsmanship would eventually allow her to catch up and surpass him.
Jian Wudao's earlier words weren't meant as a challenge to Li Hao, but as something he felt he had to express.
After all, this young man had nearly caused him to lose his Dao heart, to abandon his path of cultivation. It had left him with a deep sense of unease.
"The ultimate peak of swordsmanship, where all techniques are rendered meaningless… My Dao is not wrong…"
Jian Wudao murmured to himself.
As Li Hao sped through the territory of Dayu, he activated the Heaven and Earth veins, constantly replenishing his energy. Yet, despite the replenishment, it felt like a drop in the ocean.
He was maintaining his top speed, covering over a hundred miles in a single breath.
For others, using this speed repeatedly would have drained them long ago.
But with all his major veins opened and his energy reserves far surpassing the norm, combined with the Heaven and Earth veins, Li Hao could afford to be extravagant, crossing half the dynasty's territory in mere moments.
If Zhuo Huo Shen were traveling at this pace, he'd have collapsed from exhaustion halfway.
Now, as Li Hao approached the borders of Dayu, he saw demonic energy surging from the ground. A massive wave of demons was attacking the border, having already breached it.
There were barely any defenses in place—the demons seemed to have encountered no resistance as they poured into the province.
Li Hao frowned, pushing aside the thought of dealing with the demon wave, instead focusing on reaching the heart of Dayu as quickly as possible.
Before long, Li Hao finally arrived at the sacred capital, the imperial city.
This was his first time visiting.
He had never come here for any of the honors or titles previously bestowed upon him. Now, his first visit revealed a majestic city, broken and crumbling, with demonic creatures crawling over the walls.
The sight made his scalp tingle.
Li Hao's expression darkened as he took in the scene.
The information he had received from Wang Yongzhi had prepared him for a dire situation, but he hadn't expected it to be this catastrophic.
The world's greatest array had failed, and the city had been breached.
Whoosh!
Li Hao's figure shot forward like a bolt of lightning, quickly closing in on the city.
"Hmm? More reinforcements?"
Inside the city, a black-robed youth and a violet-patterned woman, leisurely wandering around, had already feasted on four or five human Path-seeking experts, enjoying a full meal.
The battle in the imperial palace was not for them; they were here to mop up, to cleanse the city.
Sensing the rushing wind, the two demons raised their eyebrows, intrigued by the new prey.
But as they caught sight of the approaching figure's face, their expressions froze, quickly turning to horror.
"It's that brat!"
As they locked eyes with Li Hao, he too focused on them.
Whoosh!
His speed suddenly surged, appearing before them in an instant.
These two were familiar faces—they had fought in Qingzhou, but only as avatars.
Now, seeing the traces of fresh blood at their lips, Li Hao's eyes turned cold and merciless.
"You dare to come here to die?"
The black-robed youth sneered, his eyes filled with killing intent. "You killed our avatars last time, and we haven't settled that score yet. But you've walked right into our trap!"
Whoosh!
Li Hao didn't respond. Instead, his figure flickered, appearing directly in front of the youth.
Gui Xu teleportation!
The black-robed youth was momentarily stunned. What was going on?
He hadn't sensed any Dao Rhyme guiding the teleportation. For a Dao Heart expert, teleportation relied on Dao Rhyme and displacement. But here, he felt nothing.
Bang!
Before the youth could react, Li Hao's fist smashed into his face, unleashing a flurry of punches in less than a second.
The youth's head exploded, blood splattering as his shocked eyes flew out.
The physical contact triggered the Huang Que Tu's lethal attribute, with a 1% chance of an instant kill.
It only took forty punches for this attribute to activate.
A soul-crushing force surged into the body. Though the youth's head had exploded, his reflexes were quick, and his soul moved to control the headless body. But then, he felt a bottomless abyss swallowing his power and vitality.
His strength was rapidly fading.
The youth froze, horrified, and tried to activate his reverse fate power.
But the next moment, he was enveloped by the fifteen-layer Dao Domain, accelerating the destruction of his body and cutting off the reverse fate energy.
With a resounding bang, the black-robed youth's body, unprotected, was obliterated by the crushing force of the fifteen-layer Dao Domain.
It all happened in the blink of an eye, appearing as if Li Hao had simply teleported, delivered a punch to the head, and then obliterated the body.
The black-robed youth hadn't even had time to react, left stunned in place.
Meanwhile, the violet-patterned woman beside him nearly lost her mind in fear. The cold smile on her face twisted into terror as she hurriedly teleported away.
Bang!
Li Hao's figure vanished again, using Gui Xu teleportation to appear directly behind her, delivering another barrage of punches.
This time, the violet-patterned woman had already formed a protective Dao force. Even with the fifteen-layer Dao Domain, it couldn't immediately break through.
Li Hao immediately summoned a breath of celestial energy, concentrating it into his fists. Soon, his fists penetrated the Dao force, shattering her head.
The woman let out a scream of pain, which abruptly ended as her head exploded.
The Huang Que Tu attribute triggered again, forcibly taking her life.
In the battle outside Qingzhou, Li Hao had struggled to deal with their avatars, but now, mastering the seven extremes, each with its unique state, made all the difference.
The Gui Xu teleportation was especially effective in close combat, making him lethal. Combined with the Huang Que Tu attribute, Li Hao didn't need to transform into a celestial to kill a Path-seeking expert.
Even a Dao Law expert, caught off guard, could fall to his sneak attack.
So far, Li Hao hadn't encountered anyone who could resist the Huang Que Tu's instant kill effect, not even the undead saint of the Ji family.
After eliminating the two Path-seeking demons, Li Hao quickly expanded his divine sense, covering the entire city. His expression changed as he sensed the situation.
Whoosh!
He tossed the violet-patterned woman's corpse, which was already reverting to its original form, into the imperial palace like a cannonball.