Chapitre 62: Chapter 198: Foundation Establishment, an Unrivaled Prodigy
"Hao'er..."
Li Xuanli clenched his fists, his heart filled with sorrow.
The Li family soldiers and the Liangzhou Commander beside him also lost their smiles, falling into a solemn silence.
The elders of the Xia and Chen families, who had rushed to their aid, were stunned by the unison of the deafening shouts. Never had they witnessed a general command such awe-inspiring loyalty.
Among the voices were many proud aristocratic soldiers from various cities, their enthusiasm surpassing even that of the regular army.
It was common knowledge that the aristocratic families and warlords of the Great Yu Shenchao looked down on each other.
The warlords despised the aristocratic families for their greed and shallow pursuit of wealth, considering them a blight on the Great Yu.
The aristocratic families, wary of the warlords' might and scorn, reciprocated the sentiment, secretly disdainful of their blind loyalty and inflexibility.
Yet, here they were, united under one name—a truly astonishing sight.
"Li Hao..."
Li Wushuang, her body also stained with blood from the battle, asked hoarsely, her arms feeling limp after the intense fight.
The name of the young man echoed in her ears.
Her face devoid of color, she turned to her father and asked, "Are we going to look for him?"
Li Xuanli's heart twinged as if stabbed by a sharp needle. His voice cracked as he replied, "Look for him? Where do we even start?"
Li Wushuang's face paled further. Indeed, where do you even begin searching in such a vast world?
That young man... had been lost because of their Li family!
A sense of grief welled up within her. As someone of the same generation as Li Hao, she knew that he had accomplished so much, only to meet such an untimely end.
Beside them, Li Tiangang's expression changed upon hearing Li Xuanli's words. His massive, sturdy frame trembled slightly, and he felt as if his blood had turned to ice.
Where do we even begin to look...
Pursued by three people at the Jue Xue realm, the danger was unimaginable, especially with one of them being at the Half-step Taiping Dao realm!
After a long silence, he said in a low voice, "Fifth brother, let's first tend to the wounded and reorganize our remaining forces. We'll deal with the yaomo plague in various places in Liangzhou later."
"We'll search for him after the campaign is over."
Li Xuanli glanced at him, knowing that any words of comfort would be futile at this moment. "I'll send out two light cavalry teams to track and see if Hao'er's good fortune can save him from this calamity."
Li Tiangang's eyes flickered as he thought about how the child had indeed received blessings from countless people, and his good fortune could be considered profound.
He nodded and said, "That's a good idea. Also, let them bring along the military flag... His military flag will provide protection if they encounter other yaomo on the way."
At this point, he had to admit that his son's reputation far surpassed that of the Li family's Yuanzi Camp.
At least in this Liangzhou campaign, within Liangzhou itself, everyone would know his name from now on.
Including the yaomo.
Li Xuanli nodded, knowing this as well. Currently, in Liangzhou, Li Hao's military flag held the most power. If they displayed their own battle flags, the yaomo might still resist or even attack depending on the situation. But with Li Hao's flag, it was hard to say.
No one could tell if the flag was real or fake, and the child's reputation was resounding. He had turned the tide of the battle, slaying seven yao kings and sweeping across the universe, establishing his might with his flag.
These accomplishments would be spread far and wide among the yaomo, including those of the Tianji Temple, who were well-informed, unless it was some ignorant wild yaomo.
"Let's go to another place as well. Since we're here, we might as well see if there are any remaining yaomo." The elder from the Chen family spoke, his eyes cold. His battle robe was stained with blood from the earlier fight with the yaomo, but despite his white hair, he exuded a bloodthirsty, killing intent.
The elder from the Xia family nodded, glancing at Li Tiangang. With sharp eyes and ears, he had already pieced together the general situation from the surrounding discussions and the shouts of the aristocratic soldiers.
It was only because of the arrival of Li Tiangang's son that this second line of defense had held out for so long.
The young man had slain seven yao kings, and their corpses still lay scattered on the battlefield like small hills, a terrifying sight.
Such feats were not something they, as elders, could necessarily achieve.
Not to mention that he had also drawn away three Jue Xue realm experts, one of whom was the master of the realm, Zhu Huoshen, who had revealed a shocking secret—he was already at the Half-step Taiping Dao realm, almost on par with the Buddha!
"It looks like the next generation of the Five Great Divine Generals has surpassed us..."
"The Li family's true dragon, unmatched by anyone..."
The elder from the Xia family sighed inwardly, thinking of the outstanding younger generation from his own family. In comparison, he couldn't help but shake his head.
The gap was too obvious.
However, the fact that the Li family's true dragon was so exceptional was not necessarily a bad thing for the upcoming situation.
Thinking of the various secret intelligence reports, the elder's expression turned even more solemn.
"All of us bear responsibility for the suffering of the people," said Qianji Daoren, gently flicking his dusting brush as he spoke to the other two.
He glanced at his distant disciple, his eyes flickering slightly as the memory of the day he took Li Wushuang as his disciple suddenly flashed through his mind.
Standing beside her at that time had been a young boy whom no one had paid any attention to.
Who could have imagined that today, he would be the one to shine brighter than anyone else?
Even he himself had been saved by that young man, owing him a debt of gratitude.
Having lived for hundreds of years, he had finally misjudged a person...
Sighing inwardly, he felt a sense of regret and transmitted a message to Li Wushuang, telling her to be careful, before leaving with the elders of the Xia and Chen families. They began scouring Liangzhou, searching for any remaining traces of the yao kings.
At this moment, in a corner of the courtyard, Li Hao was huddled together with the young man, Li Xiaoran.
Now that Li Hao could speak, the two could communicate.
"Everyone else is insignificant, but in front of your grandfather, that is, my eldest brother, you must conceal your identity at all costs. Never let him find out that you are from outside the Mo River," Li Xiaoran said, glancing around cautiously. He proceeded to cast a soundproof barrier and continued in a low voice, "In front of others, even if you behave strangely, as long as it's not too frequent, they won't notice anything amiss. But my eldest brother is different; his obsession has a self-awareness, and the entire Dragon City exists because of him."
"If he becomes aware of your anomaly and realizes that you are not his son, Li Jianlang, but someone from outside the Mo River, he will expel or even annihilate you. Remember this!" Li Xiaoran warned gravely.
Li Hao's expression turned solemn as he nodded in understanding.
Li Xiaoran's visits to him were always done with utmost caution, likely an attempt to disguise his true identity as well.
Interestingly, Li Hao had no name here and was only referred to as Li Juro.
Perhaps, the old man who had passed away only had nine sons, and with Li Hao being the unexpected tenth child, he had not thought of a name for him, hence the peculiar moniker.
"Did you also start from infancy when you came here?" Li Hao asked curiously.
"More or less. We all start from the beginning," Li Xiaoran nodded, a hint of melancholy in his eyes. "Before my eldest brother passed away, he always felt that he hadn't worked hard enough, which is why he ultimately fell in battle."
"Perhaps it was this thought that led to the unique rules of this Mo River. The rules of other Mo Rivers at the Youdu level differ greatly," Li Xiaoran explained.
Li Hao's eyes widened in realization, and he asked curiously, "So, we entered together, but you came in many years before me?"
"That's right. Time is quite bizarre here. You've already experienced it yourself. I've actually been here for a long time. Aside from cultivating, I've also been searching for traces of those demons and monsters. They've already infiltrated Dragon City, and when you turn eighteen and the Dragon City War breaks out, they will reveal themselves," Li Xiaoran revealed.
"I must eradicate them in advance!" Li Xiaoran declared, his eyes flashing with killing intent.
Li Hao could sense the powerful aura emanating from Li Xiaoran, indicating that he had already cultivated to the Three Immortals realm.
Li Xiaoran turned to Li Hao, as if reading his thoughts, and said, "My identity does give me a bit of an advantage in passing through this Mo River. That's why I've always been the one guarding this place. Each time I come here, it's usually with my original identity. I suspect that this is also due to my eldest brother's lingering obsession deliberately arranging things this way."
"My eldest brother also wanted to be free. He wanted me to take him home..." Li Xiaoran's eyes flickered with a trace of sadness as he spoke.
Li Hao fell silent for a moment before asking, "If I display exceptionally remarkable talent, will it expose me?"
"No," Li Xiaoran quickly regained his composure and shook his head. "No matter how extraordinary you are, it won't matter as long as you don't say anything strange—anything that my eldest brother wouldn't expect you to know at your age."
Li Hao understood—as long as he didn't deviate from the path his current self was expected to take, he would be fine.
"If we slowly spend the next decade or so here, how much time will pass outside?" Li Hao asked, his concern evident. He was worried about the three Demon Kings and whether they had entered the Mo River or turned back to Liangzhou.
"Are you worried about the Demon Kings outside?" Li Xiaoran asked perceptively.
"Don't worry about them. They've all entered this Mo River as well. A few years before you were born, the Candlelight God, who could open the Taiping Dao realm, managed to ignore some special rules within the realm and directly made his way to Dragon City, intending to kill you and me swiftly," Li Xiaoran revealed.
"But he underestimated the power of our Li family, as well as the strength of my eldest brother's obsession!" Li Xiaoran continued, his eyes flashing with determination. "In a major battle a few years ago, he was driven back by my eldest brother, who led the ancestral spirits of the Li family clan. That opponent is likely lying in wait outside Dragon City, biding his time until the Dragon City War breaks out so he can strike again."
Li Hao was taken aback. Had the enemy come to kill him several years ago, even before he had entered the Mo River? And now, in the timeline within the Mo River, that enemy was ahead of him?
"Since the Taiping Dao realm can ignore the rules, wouldn't it be easy for the Buddha to intervene and solve the problem?" Li Hao asked, his curiosity piqued.
Given the relationship between the Li family and the Buddha, it wasn't entirely impossible to request his assistance, as long as the price was right.
"It can only ignore a portion of the rules," Li Xiaoran clarified. "And even though the Taiping Dao realm can traverse the realm with ease, it can, at best, only ensure one's own safety. If one violates certain taboos, there will still be dangers. The mysteries within this place run deep, and you will come to understand that in time."
Li Hao's heart chilled at the thought of even the Buddha facing dangers due to taboo violations. What secrets were hidden within this place?
"Aside from the Candlelight God, I suspect that the old dragon Lu Yuan has also entered, leaving only the Yin Lady to watch over things outside," Li Xiaoran speculated, his gaze fixed on Li Hao. "They pursued you here because of your talent, right? I recall that your birthday is the same as Little Nine's death anniversary, and you're fifteen years old this year?"
Li Hao nodded.
Li Xiaoran sighed, "That explains why you were able to attract their attention. A fifteen-year-old at the Three Immortals realm, coupled with that terrifying power you unleashed in desperation, it's no wonder they were so desperate to kill you. You're even more fearsome than Little Nine. Tian Gang really sired an exceptional son!"
Without noticing Li Hao's furrowed brows, Li Xiaoran continued, "Time is indeed strange within this Mo River. However, the time you spend awake here corresponds directly to the time that passes outside. That old dragon, Lu Yuan, has definitely entered as well. There have been Demon Kings from the Dragon Gate who ventured into this Mo River in the past, and after escaping, they would undoubtedly share their intelligence about this place with the Dragon Gate. With the Candlelight God already inside, Lu Yuan would most likely be coerced into joining him."
"When you're outside and your martial arts reflect upon each other, you'll also see significant improvement."
"You're only two years old now, and although you have sixteen years, the time you actually have for cultivation is limited. Unless you cultivate to the Divine Travel Realm, you won't be able to go for years without sleep."
"So, the time you spend cultivating here is actually shorter than outside, and you'll need to work harder!"
Li Hao understood this and replied, "I understand. Take care of yourself, too."
Seeing a maid searching for Li Hao in the distance, Li Xiaoran knew it was about time and carried Li Hao over to the maid, teasing him along the way.
Li Hao played along, acting like a two-year-old child and laughing gleefully.
"Young Master, we've been looking for you."
The maid breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Li Hao and immediately bowed to Li Xiaoran.
Li Xiaoran waved his hand, a playful smile on his face, and bid farewell to Li Hao.
Li Hao watched him leave the courtyard, then, sitting in the maid's embrace, he pondered for a moment before closing his eyes.
...
In the courtyard, Li Hao soaked in a large barrel of medicine.
Now, he was three years old.
In the mansion of the Divine Generals, the optimal cultivation process, refined over countless years, was to build a foundation at the age of three, dissolve the blood at four, measure the bones at five, and begin martial arts training at six.
Starting martial arts training too early could damage the bones and hinder physical growth, which would be counterproductive.
Li Hao had accelerated his time to the age of three specifically for the purpose of building his foundation.
Once the foundation-building failed, he would have more time to do other things.
At this moment, several figures stood in the courtyard.
"Mother" Chen Hefang and "Grandfather" Li Tianzong were present.
His other brothers were also there, including the one-year-old Li Hongzhuang, who had just learned to walk.
Foundation-building was a major event, and Li Tianzong personally presided over the process for Li Hao, with all his brothers in attendance. Li Hao saw his uncles for the first time—First Uncle, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, and so on—all of them looking like adolescents and children.
Some exuded vigor and spirit, while others had youthful faces but brows that hinted at their bravery and courage.
Li Hao didn't pay too much attention to the others but felt a bit nervous when facing this "father," Li Tianzong.
Li Xiaoran had warned him that Li Tianzong had self-awareness, and his behavior could change at any moment. He must be extremely cautious not to reveal any flaws in front of him.
"Light the incense."
Li Tianzong gave the order.
A middle-aged steward in the courtyard acknowledged with a respectful voice and lit a stick of incense in the nearby incense burner.
Li Hao recognized him as Zhao Bo, but his back was not yet hunched over with age.
He felt a surge of warmth and sadness as he realized that he had left something behind when he departed from the mansion—precious memories and bonds.
He wondered how Zhao Bo, Qingzhu, and Yuan Zhao were doing. Was Qingzhu still as lively as ever? Was Yuan Zhao taking care of himself and eating well? Did anyone continue to tell him stories after he left?
"So fast!"
At that moment, Li Tianzong's exclamation interrupted Li Hao's train of thought.
Li Hao was startled and looked down at the barrel.
To his surprise, he saw strands of darker black liquid in the barrel, absorbing towards his body.
Li Hao was bewildered.
He blinked vigorously and checked the panel, but there was no prompt indicating that he couldn't absorb the medicine.
What was going on? Li Hao was perplexed.
He recalled that he should have been isolated from the medicine, only able to rely on the panel's stat allocation.
But now, he could feel waves of intense and peculiar power surging into his body, making him feel uncomfortably hot all over.
Was this the feeling of foundation-building?
Was he actually foundation-building?
Li Hao was stunned, and his heart skipped a beat as he wondered if the panel was malfunctioning.
However, upon further inspection, he found that the panel could be summoned at any time, and there seemed to be no issues with it.
Could it be because of the Mo River?
The Mo River was extremely mysterious, and no one knew its origin or nature.
Li Hao was perplexed, but suddenly, he thought he understood the reason.
The panel isolated his original body from absorbing the medicine.
However, this infant body he currently inhabited was not his true body; it was a body within the Mo River.
Previously, Li Xiaoran had mentioned that the martial arts insights gained here could be taken out after leaving the Mo River, but the specific cultivation level could not be synchronized with the physical body outside.
In other words, if he cultivated poorly here, he would still be at the same level when he left.
And if he cultivated stronger here, he would still revert to his original level upon exiting.
The cultivation level achieved within the Mo River could not be taken out; only the martial arts insights, integrated into his memories, could be retained.
He had solved a pointless mystery.
"However, now I can see that if I can absorb all sorts of things, coupled with the stat allocation from the panel, what would be my limit in terms of cultivation speed?" Li Hao thought to himself.
At this moment, as the medicine surged into his body, Li Hao felt waves of intense warmth throughout his small frame, filled with a powerful sense of vigor.
So this is what foundation establishment feels like... Li Hao felt incredibly comfortable, as if his body was being massaged.
While Li Hao was enjoying himself, Li Tianzong and Chen Hefang, who were outside, were completely stunned.
Li Hao's other "brothers", who had already completed foundation establishment, were also astonished by the changes in the medicine bucket.
His speed far surpassed theirs.
"So fast! Is he going to finish absorbing it in just one incense stick's worth of time?" asked Li Xingbei, the eldest brother.
"It's way faster than mine, even faster than Ninth Brother's. This is unbelievable!" exclaimed Li Fengping, the second eldest brother.
As Li Tianzong watched the medicine in the bucket turn lighter and lighter, being drawn towards Li Hao's body like a dragon sucking water, his initial shock soon turned into hearty laughter.
"Good, good, good! Indeed, you are the son of Li Tianzong!"
He laughed heartily, his face filled with delight as he looked at Li Hao.
Li Hao, however, was too immersed in his enjoyment to notice.
Before long, in the span of just one incense stick's worth of time, the medicine in the bucket had turned clear, completely absorbed by Li Hao.
Li Tianzong had already instructed Zhao Bo to bring a second bucket for Li Hao, which was now poured in.
One after another, three buckets were absorbed by Li Hao, his body finally reaching its limit.
Li Tianzong was left dumbfounded, muttering, "Even more than Little Nine's amount!"
Li Hao examined his body and felt light as a feather. Just on the first day of foundation establishment, his body had undergone significant changes, his constitution greatly enhanced.
Li Hao didn't stop there. After a brief moment of closing his eyes, he fast-forwarded to five days later, with a few extra jumps in between.
But Li Hao felt that his body was noticeably stronger than before, indicating that during those skipped days, his body had been continuously absorbing the foundation establishment medicine.
With this realization, Li Hao immediately closed his eyes again, letting time leap forward even faster, each time opening his eyes to several days later.
He would check his body's condition, ensuring it was progressing as expected, before fast-forwarding again.
Time leaped forward rapidly, and soon a year had passed.
At the age of four, it was time for blood dissolving.
Due to Li Hao's exceptional talent, Li Tianzong slaughtered a Yao King and used its precious blood to temper Li Hao's body.
However, the Yao King's blood was first diluted, and this initial attempt was only a shallow test.
Ordinarily, the blood of a Tianren Realm Yao Demon was already considered a great luxury for a noble family.
Only a handful of top sect disciples would use the blood of a Sanbuxu Realm Yao Demon.
As for the blood of a Yao King, it was rarely used, firstly because it was too precious and hard to obtain, and secondly, because its potency was too strong for a four-year-old child to handle. It could easily infect the child, transforming them into a half-demon.
Li Tianzong was cautious and didn't give Li Hao too much Yao King blood at once.
But soon, Li Hao's absorption speed once again surprised him, as the diluted Yao King blood was quickly absorbed.
"Good, good, good!"
Li Tianzong couldn't stop smiling. He was overjoyed and astonished by this youngest son's talent, which was undoubtedly the most exceptional in the Li family for hundreds, if not thousands of years!
After the blood dissolving process at the age of four, Li Hao still looked like a child, but his body now possessed a vigorous vitality.
Li Hao didn't continue skipping time. Instead, he fast-forwarded to the idle moments when he wasn't soaking in the medicinal bath, and he asked Zhao Bo to find him a chessboard.
Although Zhao Bo was puzzled by Li Hao's unusual request, he doted on this extraordinarily talented young master and didn't stop him. He instructed the servants to purchase a chess set.
During his free time, Li Hao would go to his small courtyard to practice calligraphy and painting in addition to playing chess.
The courtyard was relatively quiet, as his other "brothers" were at the martial arts training ground. Only Li Hao and his two-year-old "sister", Li Hongzhuang, were left in the yard.
For some reason, the two-year-old Li Hongzhuang was very attached to Li Hao. She found him hiding in the side room, painting, and followed him there.
Seeing this little girl, who was his little aunt in the real world, calling him "older brother" with her rosy cheeks, Li Hao felt a mix of helplessness and strangeness.
He didn't know how they had become so close during the times he had fast-forwarded, but she seemed very affectionate towards him.
Li Hao reluctantly found some snacks to keep her occupied while he painted.
This familiar feeling reminded him of the courtyard where he used to play chess and paint, with a little tail following him around.
But that little tail had disappeared.
Li Hao shook his head slightly, clearing his mind, and continued to sketch on the paper with swift, skilled strokes.
Bang!
Just as Li Hao was engrossed in his painting, admiring the beautiful strokes and the increasing experience points, the door to the side room was suddenly pushed open.
Li Tianzong's tall figure stepped in. Seeing Li Hao and Li Hongzhuang there, his eyes flickered, and he looked at Li Hao, asking, "What are you doing?"
Li Hao's heart skipped a beat, but it was too late to hide, so he reluctantly answered, "I'm painting."
Li Tianzong glanced at the drawing board, and his stern face softened as he said, "If you want to paint, just paint. Why are you hiding here? Your mother has been looking for you everywhere."
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone