Chapter 129 - 131: Dragon Soaring in the Sky. They've all arrived. A Gift from Afar. - Path of Dao by Ancient Xi

Chapter 129: Dragon Soaring in the Sky (Back-filled Chapter 12, Part 2)

Everyone was astonished, even though they had proposed the punishment for their own ulterior motives. Even those ministers close to the Li family, who had argued against the punishment, could only attribute it to Li Hao's youth and his arrogance due to being spoiled.

Where did this talk of lofty aspirations, patriotism, and concern for the people come from?

It wasn't easy to get such praise from these decrepit and pedantic scholars.

The Grand Tutor respectfully said, "Your Majesty, a while back, one of my students returned from Qingzhou City and brought back a collection of poems. According to my student, all the poems in that book were written by the young master of the Li family. He made extensive inquiries and found no falsehoods!"

"Oh?"

Yu Huang was surprised that the young man could compose poetry.

But then he thought again. If the boy could play chess, then poetry shouldn't be too difficult.

In his opinion, chess was much harder than poetry.

Of course, he wouldn't dare voice this thought to the Hanlin scholars before him; otherwise, they would surely argue and debate endlessly.

"Obtaining this collection of poems has made me feel ashamed. We scholars spend our days reading the classics and observing the world, yet we are outdone by a child who sits idly in his courtyard. I am truly embarrassed to face Your Majesty."

As the Grand Tutor spoke, he gently raised his hand to cover his face, feigning a look of sorrow and regret.

Everyone stared at him, dumbfounded.

This old man must have been bewitched.

When had they ever heard these scholars utter the word "ashamed"? Usually, they would stubbornly argue even when they were clearly in the wrong, but today, they were admitting defeat?

Yu Huang's curiosity was piqued, and he urged, "Dear subject, stop keeping Us in suspense. Tell Us, what is the reason for your change of heart?"

Seeing this, Grand Tutor Zhao Shugong took out a collection of poems from his wide sleeve and presented it with both hands.

When Chu Jiuyue, the eunuch beside Yu Huang, waved his hand to take it, Zhao Shugong turned to the military governor of Liangzhou and, with a flick of his sleeve, said with piercing eyes, "There's no mistake that they fought as father and son, and that it goes against the moral principles. But you say that no reason can justify their actions. That statement is wrong!"

"Our Great Yu values rituals, but we do not adhere to rigid rituals!"

"Otherwise, aren't we just a bunch of outdated and inflexible old men?"

Aren't we?

The military officers secretly curled their lips in disdain.

However, Zhao Shugong's eyes blazed with intensity as he declared in a loud voice, "I ask you all, is someone who can say, 'I only know how to die for my country on the battlefield, why would I need my body to be returned home wrapped in horse leather?' considered a true patriot?"

"What about someone who says, 'Since ancient times, all men must die, but I shall leave behind my untainted loyalty?' Is this person considered patriotic?"

"Don't talk to me about titles and fiefs! A general's success comes at the cost of countless bones bleaching on the field!"

Zhao Shugong stared directly at the military governor of Liangzhou, his eyes burning with fervor, and his voice resonating in the courtroom, "These words advise against seeking titles and fiefs. They express sorrow for the fallen soldiers and prioritize the welfare of the people over personal glory!"

"I ask you, what kind of person would view the world with such gravity and treat fame and glory so lightly?"

"How many people can truly live up to this ideal?"

Everyone was stunned into silence, at a loss for words. But soon, anger began to stir within them. What was the meaning behind his gaze? It was as if he was implying that they were all driven by the pursuit of fame and glory.

The military governor of Liangzhou's expression changed slightly. Those few sentences had a profound impact on him.

His anger towards the youth from Qingzhou stemmed mostly from his worry about the defense of Tianmenguan and the safety of the people of Liangzhou.

But those words, "Why would I need my body to be returned home wrapped in horse leather?" struck a deep chord.

As a veteran of countless battles, he had witnessed the brutality of the battlefield and seen comrades who hadn't even been able to retain their bodies as a whole.

These words reflected the unspoken sentiments of those soldiers who fought and guarded the pass with their lives on the line.

It was just that they lacked the eloquence to express it.

At this moment, Yu Huang was also flipping through the collection of poems that Chu Jiuyue had passed to him, silently perusing the pages. His expression became solemn and silent.

"Even if he loves his country and is a good general and loyal subject, the fact that he drew his sword against his father cannot be denied!" someone suddenly spoke up.

Zhao Shugong turned to the speaker and coldly smiled, "That is indeed a fact, but does reality always reflect the truth?"

The man was taken aback, his thoughts scrambled by this question.

No wonder these pedantic scholars were known for their silver tongues. A single sentence had left him speechless.

"Flowers in the mirror and moon in the water, even what is seen may not be real," Zhao Shugong said in a cold voice. "Moreover, let's assume it is true. Does that mean that King Wuwu himself is completely blameless?"

"Isn't sending his son to guard Tianmenguan punishment enough? May I ask, who among you dares to take on that task?"

"..."

The crowd fell silent. They had been discussing the matter of a son turning against his father, but now the topic had shifted to them.

"Such a youth with a sincere heart, who can show such compassion to the common people, surely has a reason for his actions towards his father. I believe there must be other factors at play, and we should investigate thoroughly before making any decisions!" Zhao Shugong declared loudly.

Those who had previously proposed punishing Li Hao exchanged glances, unsure what to do now that the Hanlin scholars were siding with their opposition. It seemed they would not gain the upper hand in this argument.

"What can a few poems prove? Anyone can recite pretty words. It's all talk and no action," another voice, belonging to another military governor, rang out. His expression was cold and indifferent.

Zhao Shugong let out a cold laugh. "Then why don't you give it a try?"

"I may not be skilled in poetry, but I can speak plainly," the governor said. "Loyalty to our king and country is something we would die for without hesitation!"

Seeing his poetry was as good as seeing the man himself; they knew that someone with crooked intentions might be able to write a poem or two, but they would never be able to produce such a large volume of loyal and patriotic works.

At first, they didn't believe it, but after some discreet inquiries and further understanding, they confirmed that these poems were indeed all written by the same young man.

The emergence of such a talented and articulate youth from among these rough and uncivilized warriors caused a stir of emotion among the scholars, leaving them both sighing in admiration and awe, feeling as if their eyes had been opened to a new world.

"A body that has traversed three thousand battlefields, a sword that can stand against a million armies!"

At that moment, Yu Huang's voice rang out in the courtroom, causing everyone's hearts to tremble.

What majestic and powerful poetry!

Yu Huang's eyes also gradually shone with a brilliant light as the image of the extraordinary genius from Qingzhou became even clearer in his mind.

"Wonderful poetry, wonderful young man!"

Yu Huang smiled and praised without restraint.

Those who had intended to continue the debate had their faces turn slightly, and they fell silent.

Now that Yu Huang had spoken, there was no point in further discussion.

They could only pray that the snowstorm outside the pass would truly be able to overwhelm that young man...

The court session ended.

In the Qianming Palace.

Yu Huang strolled over with Chu Jiuyue slightly bending his body as he followed behind.

"You saw that child at the True Dragon Banquet. What did you think?" Yu Huang asked as he walked leisurely and stopped in front of a flowering tree. However, there was only one flower on the tree, and snowflakes fell on its branches.

Upon hearing this, he suddenly remembered a line from the collection of poems:

"Waiting till the eighth of September in autumn, when my flowers bloom, I shall kill all the others!"

A slight smile curved his lips. It wasn't surprising that the little fellow, who played chess with such aggressive moves, could create such a battle-cry-like poem.

Chu Jiuyue thought for a moment and replied, "Your Majesty, I observed that the child's demeanor was casual and unrestrained, but his temperament was calm and steady, unlike those who are frivolous and arrogant. As for the incident that day, it was indeed the personally-taught disciple of the Buddha Master who initiated the killing intent, although it was extremely subtle. Still, I managed to capture it..."

Yu Huang's eyes flickered slightly as he murmured, "Buddha Master..."

He looked into the distance and said softly, "It's snowing. I wonder how that child is doing out there. I heard that King Xingwu has withdrawn all his troops from that area. It seems he has figured out the hint I gave him and intends to abandon that place."

Chu Jiuyue lowered his head and remained silent, knowing that sometimes it was best to say less.

"When you have time, pay him a visit. I heard that the child left in a hurry and didn't even have a sword with him. Bring him one on my behalf."

A smile played on Yu Huang's lips as he said, "Send him the Dragon Soaring."

Chu Jiuyue's heart skipped a beat. That was one of the top ten famous swords in the world.

The Emperor's favor towards the young master of the Li family seemed to be even greater than he had imagined.

"Yes," he replied respectfully.

"Tian Gang is not afraid of his son dying, but I am..."

Yu Huang chuckled and added, "Also, tell him that if he gets tired, he can return to the Great Yu State. I permit him to enter the outer palace of the Qian Dao Palace and reside with the princes."

Chu Jiuyue's pupils contracted slightly, but he still respectfully agreed.

...

At the border of Liangzhou, at Tianmenguan.

In the desolate city of Cang Cliff, which was now just a small mound of earth.

The snow fell heavily, covering the demon corpses from the previous day's battle that lay in the camp.

"It's snowing," Li Hao said as he stopped writing the cultivation technique, using his power to cover the paper and prevent the snowflakes from touching and wetting it.

"It's not suitable for fishing on a snowy day..."

Li Hao murmured to himself, looking towards the direction of Qingzhou, wondering if it was snowing there too, and if the lake had started to freeze...

"Today, you two should also consider leaving," Li Hongzhuang said to Li Hao and Li He.

Li Hao's eyes flickered as he looked at her quietly.

Li Hongzhuang smiled faintly and said, "When you went to destroy their lair yesterday, did you ask about the situation at Longshandao? There's more than one Immortal there, and after you killed Chi Hu Jun, the mount of that old dragon, they will definitely come for revenge!"

"Over the years, the reason they haven't launched an all-out attack, I suspect, is deliberate," Li Hao said, thinking of his own investigations. "Do you know the reason?"

"There are several possibilities," Li Hongzhuang replied. "First, they are using it to extort more live sacrifices from the Northern Frost Country. Second, they are slowly weakening your Li family. After all, directly breaking through Tianmenguan is not very meaningful to them. Longguan Island has already been occupied, and they can already enter and leave as they please, although on a small scale."

"On the contrary, by keeping us trapped here, they can continuously deplete our resources," Li Hongzhuang continued. "That old dragon may have a grudge against your Li family's ancestors and is doing this intentionally."

Li Hao nodded, realizing that Li Hongzhuang was also aware of the situation.

"But today, they will most likely come with anger and won't show any mercy," Li Hongzhuang warned.

As her words fell, the ground seemed to shake violently.

The three of them looked towards the camp's exterior, where several enormous and majestic figures appeared in the distance.

Chapter 130: They've All Arrived (7k guaranteed, two-in-one)

"They're here."

Li Hongzhuang's eyes narrowed, and although she had anticipated this, when the demons truly arrived, her grip on her sword hilt tightened unconsciously.

The overwhelming demonic aura was unconcealed, covering them like a dark cloud.

Four majestic figures stood outside the camp, and the cold wind swept around them, dispersing anything that came within a hundred zhang of their bodies, preventing anyone from approaching.

Li Hongzhuang and Li He exchanged solemn glances and stepped forward, positioning themselves in front of Li Hao.

Despite their earlier disagreement, Li He did not forget his duty.

And Li Hongzhuang, as Li Hao's little aunt, felt it was her responsibility to protect him. She couldn't let anything happen to this child.

Li Hao had no intention of relying on their protection. He handed the cultivation technique in his hand to Ren Qianqian, who was standing nearby, and patted Little White Fox's head to signal it to stay calm.

Then, Li Hao picked up the Pig Tooth Sword that was lying on the ground. The enormous sword was slightly taller than him, resembling a crescent moon gate.

"Two in the Unfading Realm and two in the Undying Realm!"

Li Hongzhuang sensed the unrestrained demonic aura emanating from the four demons and discerned their cultivation levels. She had even fought against two of them before, who had also attacked their camp.

"Li He, can you handle one in the Unfading Realm?" Li Hongzhuang asked.

Li He was only in the Undying Realm and had not yet reached the Unfading Realm. However, he cultivated one of the Li family's top techniques, refining his qi with abundant resources. His cultivation level was slightly higher than that of demons of the same realm, and only those with powerful backgrounds would make him wary.

"I can hold it off, but killing it might be a bit difficult," Li He replied solemnly.

"Alright."

Li Hongzhuang glanced at Li Hao, who had walked up beside her, and said, "Li He and I will lure away the two in the Unfading Realm. Try to stall for time, and once I kill one of them, I'll come to reinforce you. Be careful, there might be more ambushers in hiding!"

"There are two more in ambush in the shadows," Li Hao said, surprising them.

His eyes were filled with black qi ever since he started cultivating the Bright Jade True Demon Art. This body-refining technique tempered his entire body and, as a side effect, refined his eyes as well. His pupils now contained black demonic qi, allowing him to see through some mist illusions and detect hidden figures with the help of the demonic qi.

Hearing Li Hao's words, the two were stunned for a moment before their faces changed drastically.

Six demons?

In that case, they couldn't afford to split up; otherwise, they would be defeated one by one.

Li Hongzhuang turned her head and glanced at the distant graveyard, a hint of sadness flashing in her eyes.

She had anticipated this day would come, but she hadn't expected it to arrive so soon.

She knew she couldn't... stay here with her brothers any longer.

"Let's prepare to retreat," Li Hongzhuang took a deep breath and said softly, "I'll cover for you. Li He, take care of Hao'er."

"Yes!" Li He replied.

"No need," Li Hao shook his head and dragged the Pig Tooth Sword on the ground as he walked forward. The rough edge of the sword left a deep groove in the ground. "I came here to guard this city, so you can leave, but I won't."

"Hao'er!" Li Hongzhuang's face turned pale, and she said angrily, "What are you talking about? This isn't the time to be stubborn; your life is at stake!"

Li He also wanted to persuade the stubborn young master, but at that moment, the four demons outside the camp could no longer hold back. They strode towards the camp behind the pass.

"Hongzhuang, I came looking for you last time and asked you to be my wife. You have one more chance today. Will you refuse or accept?"

Among the four demons was a gigantic peacock with deep blue feathers. As it crossed the pass, it transformed naturally into a graceful young man.

He was tall and elegant, and he approached with a folding fan in his hand.

However, the dense demonic aura behind him did not dissipate but swirled and condensed above his head, faintly forming the shadow of the original gigantic peacock.

Li Hongzhuang's eyes turned cold, and she took a step forward. "I can be your wife, but first, you must kill the ugly guy next to you as a betrothal gift for me!"

Next to the peacock young man was a gigantic frog as large as a mountain.

This frog had a tail, and its long, worm-like tail coiled and swayed like a scorpion's stinger, seemingly ready to strike at any moment.

Hearing Li Hongzhuang's words, the frog, covered in lumps of flesh, slightly opened its mouth, revealing a hideous smile. "You're doomed. I'll chew you to pieces!"

Its mouth was full of sharp fangs, packed tightly together.

The peacock young man turned his head with interest and said, "I think Hongzhuang's proposal is good. How about it, Brother Tu? Can you endure this humiliation?"

"Get lost!"

The giant frog roared, and the saliva it spat out landed on the peacock young man, but he casually flicked his sleeve and brushed it off.

"Stop wasting time," said the giant black-haired ox beside them in a deep voice. "I heard that the human youth who killed Chi Hu Jun was this little guy. He even killed the Sleeping Pig. Impressive."

Li Hao suddenly felt the gazes of the demons lock onto him, and the pressure they exuded was overwhelming.

But a red figure flashed in front of him, and Li Hongzhuang stood in front of him, her slender figure in tattered red armor looking like a straight spear.

"Chi Hu Jun was heavily injured by me. He just took advantage of the situation to claim the credit. If you have the guts, come at me!" Li Hongzhuang said coldly.

"Don't be in a hurry. None of you will escape today," the giant frog showed its sharp teeth and said maliciously, "I'll break her limbs first, then she can be your wife. It's annoying to have her be so tall and lanky."

"You're short yourself. Don't call my wife ugly," the peacock young man smiled.

The giant frog glared at him angrily but didn't bother to argue. Instead, it opened its mouth wide and spat out a giant red shadow, similar to a red-hot iron, towards the three of them.

Li Hongzhuang's pupils shrunk, and she swung her sword forcefully.

The sword qi slashed onto the tongue, which was covered in twisted blue veins and bulging muscles, and it made a metallic clanging sound.

The giant tongue was deflected, and the frog demon's body leaped forward.

Its legs and arms exploded with incredible power as it jumped and charged. In an instant, the ground beneath its feet caved in and cracked as if it had been struck by a meteor.

The dust stirred up by its movement floated in the air, but when it reached the peacock youth, it was blocked by an invisible force. He gently swayed his folding fan, covering his mouth and nose, as if he found the dust offensive.

Li Hao, Li Hongzhuang, and Li He all leaped back, unwilling to directly withstand this brute force.

[Fishing Experience +412]

A panel with this notification appeared before Li Hao's eyes.

He was not surprised.

The charging giant frog had triggered the hidden line that Li Hao had left on the ground.

This was an energy-condensed fishing line, and in other words, the frog could be considered to have entered the fishing process, albeit still in the pulling stage and not yet fully hooked. Nonetheless, it had provided feedback in the form of experience.

Fishing, aside from hooking, would grant a certain amount of fishing experience even if the target escaped, depending on the cultivation and situation of the prey.

At this moment, the giant frog was in a freshly hooked state.

Even so, it had provided over four hundred experience points, leading Li Hao to wonder about the immense amount of experience he would gain if he could directly fish a triple Undying Realm demon beast!

Li Hao's eyes gleamed with excitement at the prospect.

At the same time, the giant frog sensed that its forelimb had touched a tangled mess of lines, and this strange force quickly entangled its limb. It recognized this force as a peculiar human cultivation technique.

"Roar!!"

The giant frog thrashed about, letting out a roar as it leaped towards the trio in mid-air. The terrifying sound waves rushed towards them, causing Li Hongzhuang and Li He's faces to turn red as the blood in their chests churned uncomfortably.

However, Li Hao suddenly gained enlightenment, and fortune smiled upon him.

With his understanding of music at the third level of the Dao Realm, he was highly knowledgeable about sound. At this moment, amidst the piercing sound waves, he suddenly channeled his energy through the eighty-four thousand pores of his body and let out a roar of his own!

Roar!!

This roar was like a fierce tiger, like a true dragon, and like the wind piercing through the heavens. It was as if life itself had exploded with this final, desperate cry!

The roaring frog's croak was torn apart, its sound waves shattered and overwhelmed by Li Hao's roar.

The giant frog, which had intended to follow up its sound attack with another move, was caught off guard by Li Hao's unexpected roar and froze in place momentarily.

Li Hongzhuang and Li He, realizing what had happened, were shocked. They were grateful that Li Hao had mastered this sonic art, as it had interrupted the giant frog's assault. Otherwise, if they had been subjected to consecutive attacks, they would likely have been injured.

After all, there were five more demon beasts lurking in the shadows, waiting for their chance to strike!

"Seeking death!"

Li Hongzhuang and Li He's eyes flashed with killing intent as they launched their attacks.

At this moment, the giant frog found itself isolated, having charged ahead of the others to test their strength. They could not afford to show it any mercy.

Li Hao also swung his sword, the light of the blade shining like an avalanche.

The flurrying snowflakes in the sky suddenly accelerated and collapsed, sweeping towards the giant frog's mouth like a torrent.

A sharp, metallic ringing filled the frog's mouth as the sword energy slashed against its sharp fangs.

The soft flesh inside its mouth was left with numerous tiny sword wounds.

This sword strike would have instantly shredded a triple Undying Realm demon beast into pieces, but the giant frog was at the peak of the Unbreakable Realm, its flesh as tough as steel, and it only suffered a minor injury.

Li Hao, recalling his previous battle with the triple Undying Realm demon beasts the day before, was secretly astonished. He realized that the giant frog's weak spot did not seem to be its mouth.

The soft, pinkish flesh inside its mouth might even be tougher than the outer skin of some triple Undying Realm demon beasts!

After this sword strike, Li Hao took advantage of the gap in the attacks of Li Hongzhuang and Li He to quickly retract his fishing line.

With his Fishing Dao at the fifth level, he had mastered numerous fishing techniques, and the invisible line was one of them, which he had now honed to an even higher level. Even this triple Undying Realm giant frog had failed to detect his fishing line immediately.

At this moment, the energy-condensed fishing line, like a divine weapon chain, entangled the frog's forelimb and extended further, wrapping around its mouth and eyes.

The front part of the fishing line condensed into a hideous, curved explosion hook.

This hook was not a single hook but resembled over a dozen fishing hooks fused together. Once embedded in flesh, it would rip out a large chunk of meat!

Li Hao recalled Second Grandpa's words about how even a triple Undying Realm demon beast would end up with a twisted mouth after being hooked.

But he never expected that just a few years later, he would be able to fish for triple Undying Realm demon beasts himself!

"What is this thing!"

The giant frog was furious, feeling the pain as its limbs were entangled by the incredibly thin lines, sharper than any sword.

Moreover, it could barely see the line with its eyes, only able to perceive a vague, transparent shadow, and it struggled to capture its energy.

But the most bizarre thing was that this line seemed to crawl and coil around its body like a spirit snake, and the giant frog felt a strange sense of fear welling up within it!

"Lady, come to me."

As Li Hongzhuang was about to slash at the giant frog with her sword, the peacock youth stepped in front of her, his folding fan transforming into a divine weapon that clashed with her sword, creating sparks.

Li Hongzhuang's eyes turned icy, and she charged at the peacock youth with full force.

The peacock youth had intended to taunt her, but he was left speechless by her frenzied assault and could only retreat step by step, his expression turning solemn.

On the other side, the ground shook as the giant ox demon charged forward, its hooves kicking up purple demonic fog as it rammed towards Li He.

However, shortly after it started its charge, its front hoof seemed to kick something, almost causing it to stumble.

"Hmm?"

A shallow cut appeared on its hoof, causing the ox demon to frown. It scanned the area with its eyes, puzzled by the source of this injury, as it found nothing.

Recalling the dragon lord's instructions, it dared not be careless. Its body was enveloped in black light, causing the ground to shake violently, and sharp, mountain-like spikes erupted from the ground, sweeping towards them.

The earth cracked, and the remaining tents in the camp were torn apart by the suddenly erupting spikes.

Li Hao sensed that the other fishing line he had set up had been snapped, but he paid it no mind. He knew he couldn't simultaneously fish for two triple Undying Realm demon beasts, and the broken line had only contained a small amount of his energy. At this moment, his full attention was focused on the giant frog before him.

It felt like some extremely ancient memory, sealed away thousands of years ago, was suddenly resurfacing.

Back then, it was just a marsh froglet and had almost been fished away by a scholar-like young man.

"Damn it!"

The giant frog roared, as the memory of its near-death experience attacked its mind. It had reached the Triple Undying Realm, and it had been so long since it had last seen such a thing.

Who dared to try and fish it now?

It was no longer the marsh froglet of yesteryear!

The giant frog jumped violently, its demonic power surging like a skinning wind, flinging the fish hook away.

The fish hook was not as easily concealed as the fishing line, and Li Hao's expression turned slightly solemn. It was within his expectations that the hook would be flung away, as this was already considered hard fishing.

It was normal for the prey to not take the bait.

"Bad presentation."

Li Hao immediately realized his mistake; the fish hook had been exposed too quickly, and he should have disguised it as something else.

With that thought, an idea came to him, and he gathered the numerous demon corpses, hurling them at the giant frog.

These demon corpses were from the previous day, some weighing several dozen tons, but with his true qi power, he could easily manipulate them.

As he threw them, Li Hao transformed the true qi fish hook into the shape of a flying needle, mixing it in with the demon corpses, intending to first embed it into the giant frog's body.

"You little rascal."

Li Hao heard Feng Laoping's voice in his ear.

Feng Laoping had been observing from the side and was somewhat astonished to see Li Hao attempting to fish in such a tense battle, especially with a Triple Undying Realm demon as his target. This little mouse had bigger ambitions than him!

However, Li Hao's actions made him feel a bit itchy to give it a try himself.

Li Hao heard Feng Laoping's words and smiled. He could afford to be so casual because he had Feng Laoping by his side to divert the enemy's attention.

With a whooshing sound, the fish hook, transformed into the shape of a flying needle, pierced through the demon corpses and into the giant frog's body. However, it only penetrated a few dozen centimeters, which was barely anything considering the giant frog's massive size.

Even with his skill in hook-making enhanced by the Fishing Dao at the fifth level, it was already quite challenging to refine the fishing line to the point where it wouldn't be easily snapped, given that he was only at the Heaven's Mandate Realm himself.

"Die!"

The giant frog sensed the foreign object piercing its skin and felt both shocked and furious. It violently spewed out large chunks of rotten matter, emitting a pungent, acidic odor that corroded the ground, turning the sand and gravel below into a molten mess.

Li He wanted to reinforce them, but the continuous eruptions of earth spikes kept him busy dodging, his face full of shock.

At the same time, the fourth demon also joined the attack. It was a massive corpse demon, covered in countless maggots and black, multi-legged centipede-like creatures crawling in and out of its rotten holes.

It raised its hand, and a wave of evil spirits emerged from its body, flying towards the group.

Li He swung his sword to slash at the spirits, but his blade passed through them as if they weren't there.

The spirits pounced on him, gnawing at his body, and even his armor couldn't withstand them.

Li He was horrified as he realized this was an extremely powerful soul attack. He quickly summoned his own soul, condensing his divine might into flames that enveloped his sword, and swung again, tearing some of the spirits apart.

But the number of spirits seemed infinite, continuously pouring out from the massive corpse demon, leaving him overwhelmed.

The combined assault of the two great demons quickly pushed him into a dangerous situation.

At this moment, the two ambushing demons in the shadows suddenly struck.

One of them pounced on Li He like a cheetah, its speed astonishing.

Li He's pupils contracted as he sensed the break in the air, and he turned his head in shock, only to see a hideous maw about to bite down on him! Just as Li He's blood froze in his veins, the giant maw that rushed towards him suddenly collided with something and was jerked upwards in an unnatural posture.

It was as if there were a rope pulling on its head, flinging it into the air.

The wolf-like demon's eyes widened in shock as it looked up and saw a figure sitting amidst the clouds and mist.

Sitting amidst the clouds, he casually fished for all creatures.

"It's on the hook!"

Feng Laoping let out a soft laugh. This feeling of fishing for demons was much more satisfying than simply killing them.

With their strength, he could easily swat them away, but where was the fun in that?

Instead, he had buried the fish hook behind Li He in advance and lured the demon into his trap. This was truly exhilarating!

Killing demons was easy, but playing with them, outsmarting them, and toying with them as he pleased—that was what truly brought him joy. This was Feng Laoping's favorite pastime when he had some free time.

At this moment, the giant wolf demon was pulled into the air, struggling desperately to break free.

But Feng Laoping wasn't about to let it off the hook so easily, especially with that little rascal watching. If the demon broke free, he would become a laughingstock.

Instead of yanking hard, Feng Laoping gently tugged on the line, causing the fish hook to extend further into the demon's body. The soul power emanating from the hook locked onto the demon's soul, preventing it from breaking free.

"Rise!"

Feng Laoping commanded, and with a flick of his fingers, the fishing line retracted rapidly, pulling the giant wolf demon up into the clouds.

The demon's internal organs felt like they were being torn apart by the hook, and its entire body felt as if it were being skewered on a roasting spit. It couldn't break free, and the combination of shock and pain was overwhelming.

It was horrified and desperate, its eyes fixed on the elderly figure sitting amidst the clouds.

"Spare me, Senior!"

It pleaded, its body trembling. Although it had suspected that the humans might have an ambush, how else could they dare to kill Chi Hu Jun, it never expected to be caught in such a trap.

Feng Laoping smiled faintly.

The giant wolf didn't understand his words, but that didn't stop it from feeling terrified, its fur bristling and trembling.

At the same time, the several demon beasts engaged in fierce battle below also noticed the giant wolf being pulled into the sky, and when they looked up, their expressions turned to shock.

The small figure sitting there was like a star, making them feel as if they were bearing the weight of a hundred thousand mountains.

"Fourth... Fourth Establishment Realm..."

Fear filled the eyes of the demon beasts as their livers and gallbladders ruptured with terror.

The ox demon immediately turned and fled.

The giant frog also let out a strange cry, roaring, "Despicable!"

As it spoke, it struggled desperately, leaping away to escape.

But at the moment Feng Laoping made his move, Li Hao had already anticipated the giant frog's actions and had laid lines and hooks in its path as it jumped.

In its panic, the giant frog didn't notice Li Hao's actions at all, and as it leaped, it was pierced by the hook halfway through its jump, the tremendous force causing the fish hook to sink deep into its belly.

Li Hao's eyes lit up with delight, and he quickly caused the fish hook to split, taking root in the giant frog's belly and spreading out like a claw, firmly grasping its organs and flesh.

Whoosh!

An immense force transmitted through the fishing line, causing Li Hao's body to be pulled forward involuntarily.

He was pulled along for hundreds of meters before he could stabilize himself, his meridians erupting with power as the Seven Star Lamp attribute was exhibited, his cultivation technique rapidly cycling seven times, with an explosive increase in power on the eighth cycle.

He yanked hard on the fishing line, intending to keep the giant frog in place and capture it.

"Argh!"

The giant frog let out a miserable cry, filled with shock and terror. The figure sitting in the clouds above seemed like a judge from the underworld, filling it with a sense of impending death. It felt both anger and panic at the strange method obstructing its escape.

It spat a stream of corrosive liquid along the fishing line toward Li Hao.

But Li Hao simultaneously shot out several other fishing lines. Although these lines were thin, they had been condensed with a large amount of true qi, and he couldn't create too many or extend them too far.

Just as he was pulling, suddenly, a deep dragon's roar sounded from outside the camp.

Immediately afterward, a hurricane-like force swept through, like chaotic, blade-like winds.

Feng Laoping narrowed his eyes and coldly harrumphed.

A certain power seemed to resonate within his voice, countering the chilling murderous intent.

"I didn't expect it to be you."

A deep voice sounded from the distant location outside the camp.

Hearing this voice, Li Hongzhuang's face turned deathly pale. Even that dragon lord had come!

Just to kill a mount, the dragon lord had traveled thousands of miles and hidden in the shadows.

The next moment, Li Hongzhuang realized the reason. The dragon lord probably thought that they dared to kill Chi Hu Jun because they had something to rely on, so he had come to investigate.

Relying on... Li Hongzhuang looked up at the figure in the clouds, a gray-robed man with a simple appearance and an unrecognizable face.

She didn't know who he was, but she could tell that he was at the Fourth Establishment Realm!

They had a Fourth Establishment Realm expert secretly protecting them this whole time!

Li Hongzhuang had been guarding this place for many years, and there had been many times when she almost died, yet this person had never made a move. Apparently, this elder had come with Li Hao.

Was he sent by Seventh Brother?

But Seventh Brother had sent Li He, hadn't he?

As these thoughts raced through Li Hongzhuang's mind, the several demon beasts took advantage of the dragon lord's attack to escape the camp at top speed.

Only the giant frog, restrained by Li Hao's fishing line, was unable to flee.

Seeing its companions escape, the giant frog's eyes filled with blood, and it roared in frustration.

"How dare you invade our territory? Do you wish to die?"

Feng Laoping's voice sounded coldly from the clouds.

"I didn't invade your territory; I was just teaching a few disobedient children a lesson. As for you and I..." The deep voice trailed off.

But before it could finish, it was abruptly cut off, as if interrupted by something.

Boom!

The ground shook violently, like a magnitude-ten earthquake, causing the mountains to tremble.

Immediately afterward, a furious dragon's roar sounded from the distance:

"You're also a demon beast, yet you dare to work for the human race!"

A deep azure sword light, thousands of feet tall, pierced the sky, visible even from a hundred miles away!

The sword light cleaved downward, as if it would split the earth in two.

The surrounding forest seemed to be split by a long gully.

Then, a wave of water appeared in the air, like a waterfall, crashing down.

Roar!

Amidst the waterfall-like spray, a dragon's roar echoed, shaking Li Hao, Li Hongzhuang, and the others to their cores, even from a hundred miles away.

After the dragon's roar, a deafening explosion shook the earth once more, as if it had been struck again. The sand and gravel around Li Hao and the others trembled.

Then, everything fell silent.

But before long, two miserable cries rang out, only to be abruptly cut short.

Outside the camp, in the mountains, an eerie silence reigned.

Li Hao and Li Hongzhuang's faces turned solemn as they looked toward the long pass outside the camp.

Not long after, a figure slowly walked into view.

She had a slender figure, her long skirt shimmering with flowing light, and her head was adorned with deep azure hair that cascaded like a waterfall. Just from her hair color, it was clear she wasn't human.

Not to mention her eyes, which were as clear and azure as a pure stream, reflecting all living beings.

Behind this beautiful, slender woman were two deep azure chains of water, binding two massive beast shadows—the ox demon and the peacock, who had fled earlier.

At this moment, the peacock's eyes showed only a faint glimmer of life, and it was barely breathing.

Its chest had been pierced, leaving a massive bloody hole, and its spread tail now drooped and dragged on the ground.