The Name of Eternals

Chapter 144: Li Tian'gang, He Defeated Your Younger Self

"The last lesson?" Hearing Li Hao's words, all the White Hall disciples were stunned.

In the face of the vast demonic tide and with Da Yue City on the brink of destruction, Li Hao still remembered he owed them a final lesson.

Buzz! Before the others could react, the Long Xiao Sword in Li Hao's hand emitted a buzzing sound, unleashing countless sword energies that wrapped around his arm.

"Tidal Surge!"

Li Hao stepped onto the city wall, appearing like an otherworldly immortal, with an air of transcendence and composure.

The techniques within his body rapidly circulated, forcefully pushing him to the third level of the Seven Stars Lamp.

The power surged through his meridians, concentrating in his palm. At that moment, it seemed the crowd could hear the sounds of seabirds and waves, a result of the sword energy's resonance.

The Long Xiao Sword left his hand. At the same time, the illusion of rolling ocean waves appeared over the city wall, a manifestation of the endless sword energy gathering with Li Hao's strike.

The unleashed Long Xiao Sword transformed into a roaring true dragon, surrounded by the surging tides, clashing with the demonic tide several miles away! In an instant, the sword tide surged like waves, engulfing everything.

Within the tide, the Long Xiao Sword, like a playful dragon, tore through and pierced a vast blood mist, instantly annihilating countless demons.

The scene was so terrifying that all the soldiers and Shen Yunqing and his companions were dumbfounded.

With the power of one person, he suppressed a horde of demons! This sword incorporated the principles of the Rising Moon and the Boundless Sea, combined with the Falling Snow Sword Technique. The essence of tidal waves and avalanches was as profound and advanced as the newly comprehended Samsara Sword Technique.

However, while Samsara focused on singular explosive power, this was a wide-ranging sword tide.

Boom, boom, boom...

The air echoed with sonic booms as the demonic tide was enveloped by blood mist, pulled into the sword tide.

Those at the Spirit Journey stage, or even the Fifteen Mile stage, were like sand grains in the tide, unable to resist or stop the onslaught.

Only some Heavenly Human Realm demons could barely hold their ground, using demon techniques and spiritual treasures to protect themselves.

But as the sword tide washed over, more demons perished, concentrating the sword energies on the remaining significant demons.

Moreover, the gathered colossal sword energies began to display various Master-level martial domains.

Stars and moon, flowers and birds, falling leaves.

Rotting, sharp, swift.

These myriad Master domains appeared within the sword tide like waves, crashing into the demonic tide.

Shen Yunqing and others had their pupils contract, eyes widening, as Zhao Zongyuan hurriedly shouted, "Quick, watch closely!"

All the White Hall disciples strained their eyes. Beyond the shock, they sought to understand how this sword was born, producing such a world-shaking force and spectacle.

"Don't look at the sword moves; you won't understand. He's teaching you not the moves but the Dao! The Way of the Sword!"

Shen Yunqing also shouted, his face full of excitement, his eyes intensely focused, trying to remember the sword intent within.

"Is this the Master-level martial domain he comprehended? How can it encompass so much?"

Su Yahua stared blankly, feeling incredulous. Her mind was captivated by the countless waves within the sword tide, each a Master-level martial path!

Among the city wall defenders were Masters, including Bai Chunhai and his disciple, who had previously been defeated by Li Hao. They stood there, stunned.

That otherworldly youth stood calmly, exuding an unparalleled aura.

The overwhelming sword tide was unprecedented, terrifying.

"Quick, observe carefully!"

Bai Chunhai recovered, urgently instructing his burly disciple.

The burly man was already dazed, entirely absorbed by the majestic sword tide's intent.

"Is this the limit of the Master level?"

Bai Chunhai muttered, recalling the painting the youth sought. If they survived, what harm was there in parting with it?

Outside the city, the demonic tide became a bloodbath. The surging sword tide forcefully halted them miles away, unable to advance.

The vanguard of the demon army became bloody corpses, bodies pierced, some with minimal wounds but lethally precise.

Within the demonic tide, a Three Immortals demon leader showed shock, unable to believe a human Master could unleash such an attack.

Maintaining such a vast sword energy attack required an impossible amount of energy unless at the Unyielding Stage.

"Damn it!"

The demon's eyes showed hatred and shock. With the Little Demon King dead, retreating was not an option.

"Kill!!"

It roared, charging at the dragon-like divine sword.

Meanwhile, Long Xiao detected the Three Immortals demon, buzzing, flying skyward, then swiftly slashing down.

"Mire Dragon Overlord!"

The demon roared, emitting black mud light. The ground beneath rotted into a mire, spawning a mud dragon charging at Long Xiao.

With a clang, Long Xiao's dazzling light cleaved the mud dragon, piercing the demon's body.

Countless mud droplets were washed away by the sword tide, swallowed entirely.

Panicked, the demon tried to flee, unable to match the sword's sharpness. Despite its anger, survival instincts took over, opting to escape.

Long Xiao pursued, but soon vanished from sight.

As the demon hesitated, a dragon roar erupted from behind, like a dragon leaping from the sword tide, savagely tearing the demon's body to pieces.

Countless sword energies washed over, slicing the body to shreds.

The exposed soul emitted a wail, burning to escape, but Long Xiao's tail whipped, shattering it.

With the Three Immortals demon eliminated, Long Xiao returned to the demonic tide, continuing its rampage, decimating countless demons.

In a short span, the mighty demonic tide was reduced to a few thousand, finally choosing to flee.

Long Xiao chased, within Li Hao's hundred-mile attack range, eliminating every last demon.

Those on the city wall, tense and prepared, felt as if waking from a dream, astonished by the impossible reversal.

One man and one sword had turned the tide, an incredible feat.

A buzzing sound approached, like a golden divine light, returning from miles away, landing in Li Hao's hand.

Li Hao's face was pale from exhaustion, having single-handedly slaughtered countless demons.

Back at Cangyu City, he had similarly faced many demons. Today's number was comparable, but he had expended significant energy battling the Little Demon King.

The quality of today's demonic tide also surpassed Cangyu City's, with numerous Fifteen Mile stage demons as minor leaders, seven or eight Heavenly Human Realm demons, and a Three Immortals demon capable of easily destroying a city.

Li Hao took a breath, stabilizing his energy, then turned to Su Yahua, Shen Yunqing, and the others. He had demonstrated to the best of his ability; their comprehension was up to them.

"I'll check elsewhere."

Li Hao spoke, then moved towards other city gates.

His soul emerged, surveying the battlefield. He saw demonic tides attacking the other three walls, fierce battles raging.

He immediately drew his sword, joining the fray.

This time, he lacked the energy for another sword tide, relying on Long Xiao's sharpness and his remaining energy for rapid strikes.

Even so, with Long Xiao joining, the pressure on the west wall defenders eased. Many Masters were saved from encirclement by the swift, golden divine sword.

Recognizing the sword, the Masters' expressions changed. Seeing Li Hao approaching, they were moved.

Having faced him earlier, they bore no grudge. The youth's assistance was without prejudice, earning their respect and admiration.

His talent and character were equally impressive.

In time, the west wall's demonic tide subsided, thanks to the combined efforts, including Li Hao's, killing the remaining demons.

With the west wall secured, Li Hao moved north.

The gate had been breached, demons flooding the city.

Long Xiao swiftly eliminated those breaking through, then plunged into the demon horde, cutting them down effortlessly.

Despite his exhaustion, Li Hao's determination and Long Xiao's sharpness made a formidable combination.

The defenders, including Li He and Helian's three Immortals, engaged the Three Immortals demons in the tide, while Li Hao and others dealt with the remaining demons.

Reinforcements from the west and east walls joined, turning the tide against the demons.

As the demonic threat waned, Li Hao sheathed his sword, tossing it back to the discussion hall.

Long Xiao flew back, landing in Ren Qianqian's hands.

Seeing the sword's return, Ren Qianqian sighed in relief, knowing Li Hao was safe. She couldn't perceive the battle beyond, being below the Spirit Journey stage.

Li Hao floated, observing. The accumulated demonic energy clouds had dissipated.

He wondered about Feng Lao's battle.

In his thoughts, a familiar voice spoke:

"Kid, you lasted an hour and even killed the Little Demon King."

Li Hao turned to see a plain figure, clothes torn, edges bloodied but not his.

Relieved, Li Hao asked, "What about the demon?"

"Escaped."

Feng Bo replied casually, "I could catch it but would leave the area, not ideal beyond the border."

"Good to see you're fine."

Li Hao smiled, indifferent to the demon's fate. He would deal with it later.

"You worried about me? Killing the Little Demon King made it slip, or it would have gone berserk."

Feng Bo smiled.

With just a few words, Li Hao could imagine how intense the battle Feng Lao had fought must have been.

"Hearing how that little demon king addressed the demon, it must be connected to the Ten Thousand Mountains Demon King. I didn't expect there to be two demon kings in the Ten Thousand Mountains. Seems like some of our intelligence isn't very accurate," Li Hao said.

Feng Boping nodded slightly. "If a demon king doesn't show itself and takes some effort to hide, it's not easy to detect."

As he spoke, he glanced at Li Hao. "Little rascal, you need to quickly improve your strength. In half a year, there might be trouble."

Li Hao was taken aback but immediately understood Feng Lao's meaning, his eyes growing serious.

Killing the little demon king today would surely alert the demons, and the Ten Thousand Mountains Demon King would learn about it.

If it were only the Ten Thousand Mountains Demon King, Feng Lao's protection would be enough. But now, with two demon kings, and with Song Qiumo leaving in half a year, the enemy would likely attack at that time.

If the situation grew more urgent, they might even strike sooner.

Either way, enmity with the Ten Thousand Mountains Demon King was established.

"Half a year..."

Li Hao sighed. If he gave up pursuing the pinnacle of martial arts, in six months, he might fully comprehend and refine his Dao heart, possibly advancing to the Three Immortals Realm, or even the Four Established Realms.

But missing the chance to achieve the pinnacle of martial arts and then trying to refine his Dao heart again would leave it incomplete, making it difficult to achieve his goal later.

...

...

Feng Lao's figure disappeared again, hiding in the shadows.

Li Hao returned to the discussion platform to meet Ren Qianqian.

"Young Master, are you alright?"

Seeing Li Hao, Ren Qianqian hurriedly asked with concern.

Li Hao's face was a bit pale, not looking well. The previous physical exertion was starting to show.

After enduring the challenges from masters across the world, slaying the peak Three Immortals little demon king, and nearly exterminating a hundred thousand demons, he had expended a tremendous amount of energy.

"I'm fine, just need some rest."

Li Hao reassured Ren Qianqian, then sat down to meditate and recover.

Before long, the returning masters arrived. Seeing Li Hao resting, they all showed respect. Many came forward to express their gratitude, having been saved by Li Hao's intervention.

Li Hao's unprejudiced assistance earned their respect and admiration.

Beyond his unparalleled talent, his character was also commendable.

Other masters who heard of Li Hao single-handedly defending a section of the city wall, exterminating a hundred thousand demons, and then moving to support other battlefields, also looked at him with complex emotions.

A prodigy of the age, even fictional characters in folk tales couldn't compare to the young man before them.

"Young Master Li, I hope you can forgive our previous offense. Thank you for your magnanimity."

Zhou Haitang stepped forward, bowing slightly to Li Hao.

For a master, this was the highest form of respect.

Li Hao frowned slightly and said indifferently, "My surname is not Li. Don't address me by that name anymore. My surname is Ji!"

Hearing this, the crowd was momentarily stunned. Then, recalling the infamous Qingzhou City battle, their faces changed, realizing that the prodigious youth before them had severed ties with the Li family.

They had thought this was a temporary act of defiance.

After facing difficulties and obstacles outside, the youth would naturally understand the protection of the Shenjiang Mansion and choose to return.

But now, it seemed the youth had long ceased to be a bird in a cage.

To call him a genius was an understatement; he was already a top-tier powerhouse capable of slaying great demons alone!

Unbeatable among masters, slaying the little demon king — these points alone showed he needed no further protection and could stand alone!

The crowd was momentarily speechless.

The causes and process of that battle were variously reported, and they were unclear. But today, witnessing the events, they couldn't imagine what could have caused the Li family to treat such a prodigy so harshly.

To the point of forcing him to abandon his family name.

Zhou Haitang was momentarily embarrassed, cupped his hands, and nodded, avoiding the topic:

"In the future, if you need anything, you can write to Tie Jian Peak or Lihua Sect. I owe you this favor!"

Li Hao nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

Though he might not need it, who could predict the future?

Other masters also stepped forward to thank Li Hao, avoiding using his former surname. Since Li Hao disliked the surname Li, they addressed him as Young Master Hao.

As for the surname Ji, they dared not use it, fearing implications with the Shenjiang Mansion.

"Young Master Hao, earlier you mentioned wanting a painting. I've considered it and am willing to give it to you for free. Do you still want it?"

Bai Chunhai, along with his disciple, approached with a smile.

His burly disciple, looking at the majestic youth, felt nervous and quickly said, "I was blind to your talent earlier. Please forgive me."

He bowed deeply.

Masters cannot be insulted; it often ends in bloodshed.

But Li Hao didn't mind, smiling at Bai Chunhai, "In that case, thank you."

Seeing Li Hao accept, Bai Chunhai felt inexplicably happy, a smile spreading across his face.

If it had been anyone else asking for a painting, he would have been reluctant, but this youth was an exception.

Outside the crowd, Li Wushuang had released the signal. With the city's defense over, she withdrew from battle.

She had heard everything Li Hao said, her face complex, gripping her sword tightly, biting her lip.

Her cousin truly intended to leave the Li family, saying it publicly. This would inevitably spread again.

If he really severed ties completely, could they still be considered cousins?

A painful knot tightened in her heart.

Before long, Li Hao received the painting from Bai Chunhai.

He glanced at it but didn't examine it publicly, handing it to Ren Qianqian.

Then, bidding the masters farewell, he and Ren Qianqian left the discussion platform, heading out of Da Yue City.

His purpose here was fulfilled, and he had gained a lot from the discussion. It was time to return to Tianmen Pass.

As he left the city, Li Hao saw the distant iron hoofed army approaching, with the banner of the Xuan family flying. It seemed his cousin had called for reinforcements, summoning their fifth uncle.

However, the distant camp was too far to arrive quickly.

Li Hao had no intention of greeting them, quietly flying away with Ren Qianqian from another direction.

...

...

Da Yue City narrowly avoided falling!

The little demon king of Ten Thousand Mountains led a demonic army in a surprise attack, with a Four Established Realms demon king intervening, only to be repelled by a mysterious expert!

The news spread across the states, with detailed military reports quickly reaching the imperial capital in Dayu Prefecture.

Meanwhile, another military report crossed mountains and rivers, reaching Qingzhou, delivered to Tianyuan Shenjiang Mansion.

In the mansion's council hall, Li Tiangang gathered family retainers, concubines, and Li Muxiu for a discussion.

On the table lay a large map of Liangzhou's mountains and rivers, alongside several confidential reports. Li Tiangang spoke, pointing out strategies and demonic movements.

Gao Qingqing, with a pale and solemn face, was the most distressed.

Her husband, Li Xuanli, was stationed in Liangzhou. With six of the nine sons of the Li family fallen, she feared her husband would be the seventh.

Since Li Xuanli's departure to Liangzhou, she had slept poorly, waking from nightmares of attending funerals for others, only to find her husband's pale face in the coffin.

Li Tiangang noticed her distress, feeling a pang of sympathy. He was equally anxious, not wanting his fifth brother to fall.

During their discussion, a military report arrived from Liangzhou.

Upon hearing it was from Liangzhou, everyone turned to look.

The report was first handed to Li Tiangang, who felt a deep sense of dread, quickly opening it. There were three reports in total.

He read each one quickly and carefully.

The first report detailed demonic activities outside Liangzhou.

The second report was about the master discussion in Da Yue City.

The third report detailed the demonic attack on Da Yue City.

Li Tiangang frowned at the first report, widened his eyes at the second, and looked shocked by the third.

Seeing Li Tiangang's changing expressions, the others grew nervous.

"Tiangang, what's the situation?" Li Muxiu asked, frowning.

Though he greatly disliked Li Tiangang, in such a critical matter, he needed to be informed to possibly assist Liangzhou.

Li Tiangang remained silent, holding the reports. Only after their persistent questioning did he hand them over for the others to read.

Gao Qingqing quickly read them, relaxing when she saw no mention of the feared event. Then, she was shocked by what she read, exclaiming in surprise.

"Hao'er participated in the master discussion?"

"How could he defeat Li Qianfeng's senior brother, Qin Wuque, who has dominated the Qianlong Rankings for three years, being regarded as the number one talent in Dayu at this time?"

"And he defeated all the masters in the discussion?"

"Hao'er just reached the Heavenly Human Realm, how could he defeat grandmasters?"

The crowd was shocked by the details in the master discussion report, unable to hold back their astonished exclamations.

Li Muxiu, reading it, showed joy, his eyes brightening, exclaiming, "Good, good, good!"

Laughing heartily.

It was his happiest moment in days.

That brat always brought surprises!

Li Muxiu couldn't stop smiling, also secretly amazed by Li Hao's terrifying growth rate. He had seen it before, but now it seemed even faster.

The child, once playful, was finally determined to train hard?

Was this his real training speed?

Li Muxiu laughed heartily, looking at Li Tiangang, who remained silent. He smirked and said:

"Li Tiangang, that direct disciple of the Buddha Lord, Qin Wuque, reached the Heavenly Human Realm at nineteen, with extraordinary talent!"

"In your youth, you also reached the Heavenly Human Realm at nineteen, didn't you? Hao'er, he defeated you in your younger years!"

"And with just one finger!"