Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 362

Volume 3 - Chapter 81: Ascending Boundless Mountain

Li Hao's thoughts spiraled as he became increasingly convinced of the possibility. Given Feng Lao’s personality, he would never have left without a word unless some emergency had arisen.

"Your Highness, do you know who was fighting in the Supreme Dao Realm battle?"

Li Hao immediately asked.

"It should be Moruo," Jiang Lichen replied. "Though I didn’t get a clear look, the overwhelming demonic aura at the time couldn’t have been mistaken. Your friend is likely already gone."

"Moruo?"

Li Hao froze in shock.

"You don’t know?" Jiang Lichen cast him a glance, then quickly realized that the youth before him was just a teenager. Aside from cultivating and practicing swordsmanship, how much time could he possibly have had to learn about these top-tier experts?

"Eight hundred years ago, Moruo emerged like a comet, wreaking havoc everywhere. The Buddhist Sect sent masters to subdue him, but they were killed instead. Moruo broke through their encirclement and escaped, vanishing for over two centuries. When he resurfaced, he had already entered the Supreme Dao Realm and began causing chaos again..."

Jiang Lichen continued, "Five hundred years ago, the Buddha himself intervened but failed to kill Moruo, as the latter sensed the ambush and fled in time. That battle shook the heavens and the earth. Although Moruo survived, the world witnessed the Buddha's incredible power—his Dao Domain was at the fifth layer!

Jiang Lichen glanced at Li Hao. "Though slightly weaker than your current strength, five hundred years have passed. The Buddha, once a prodigy of his time, has likely only grown stronger. He is now one of the pinnacle existences in the Supreme Dao Realm."

"Three hundred years ago, Moruo publicly killed a Bodhisattva. Enraged, the Buddha decreed that all Buddhist disciples across the world were to pursue Moruo until the end of time."

"Since then, Moruo has rarely appeared. Occasionally, news of him surfaces, but the authenticity is often questionable. Many such rumors are merely demons or those who have strayed into madness, borrowing Moruo's name to frighten people."

"If you’re thinking of finding Moruo, you won’t succeed on your own. Even the Great Yu Divine Dynasty has been hunting him for years without any results. For someone of the Supreme Dao Realm, such pursuits are ultimately meaningless."

"If you still wish to track Moruo, you might try inquiring at Boundless Mountain. They’ve fought Moruo before and are said to have been secretly investigating him for years. But it’s unlikely to yield much."

Jiang Lichen concluded his explanation in one breath. Li Hao’s face darkened. Moruo?

Feng Lao had no connection with Moruo. Why would the latter target him?

Could it be a mere chance encounter that sparked murderous intent?

At that moment, a soldier hurried in from the courtyard, bowed to Li Hao, and reported:

"General Haotian, we have news of the person you wanted apprehended!"

"What?"

Still processing Jiang Lichen’s words, Li Hao was momentarily stunned. He turned sharply to the soldier.

"Where?"

"At Boundless Mountain," the soldier replied hastily. "Just now, Boundless Mountain issued a proclamation. They’ve captured the infamous thief Feng Boping, who has been stealing for years. He will be executed tomorrow at noon atop Spirit Peak!"

Li Hao's pupils contracted, and his mind buzzed. He felt as though his blood was boiling.

Execute Feng Lao?

Wait—Moruo, Boundless Mountain?

Li Hao turned to Jiang Lichen and asked, "Your Highness, are you sure you didn’t missee anything earlier?"

...

Jiang Lichen was equally surprised. By now, he had realized that Feng Boping was the person Li Hao had been searching for.

"Strange. Could Moruo have delivered him to Boundless Mountain? But they’re mortal enemies..."

Jiang Lichen murmured to himself. Suddenly, his expression changed as if he had pieced together a shocking revelation.

"Ah, so that’s it! No wonder he said that..."

"What?"

Li Hao couldn’t help but ask. At the same time, an incredible thought crossed his mind.

Yet, recalling the Candlefire God and Yin Lady, it didn’t seem entirely implausible.

Jiang Lichen looked at Li Hao but said nothing. Their gazes met, and it seemed they both understood the other’s thoughts.

Li Hao’s expression darkened. A memory of years ago surfaced in his mind—Feng Lao fishing by the lake and casually mentioning:

He once stole a sacred treasure from Boundless Mountain while the Buddha was in seclusion. That artifact was used to suppress the deadly River of Death.

It was a relic imbued with a saint’s aura, capable of stabilizing the treacherous waters of the River of Death and preventing its further expansion.

The theft had enraged the Buddhist Sect, leading to a relentless pursuit of Feng Boping.

Yet, due to his elusive nature, they had never caught him.

But now, he had been captured.

Li Hao felt a deep ache in his heart. Feng Lao, rootless and drifting, had managed to evade capture precisely because of his lack of ties.

But his repeated interventions from Qingzhou to Liangzhou and then to Tianmen Pass had exposed his whereabouts, allowing the Buddhist Sect to track him down and apprehend him.

A once-rootless wanderer had revealed a weakness through newfound connections.

Once, a boy had been the weakness of that couple in Yanbei, leading to their assassination by demons. Yet, that boy had grown into the hardest stone.

Now, he himself had become Feng Lao’s weakness, binding him to this fate.

Clutching his chest, Li Hao felt a faint tearing pain. Feng Lao must have known he’d been exposed and understood the danger he was in. Yet, he stayed to protect Cangya City from the shadows, fulfilling their promise to one another.

Such loyalty transcended words.

"Let’s go! We’re heading to Boundless Mountain!"

Li Hao gritted his teeth and spoke to the Candlefire God.

Jiang Lichen was stunned. He looked at Li Hao and said:

"You’re going to rescue him? If I’m not mistaken, you’re now a duke. At your age, accumulating two more great merits would make you eligible for the rank of first-class duke or even an ascension to Divine Lord. You’d enjoy incense offerings for generations, and there’s even a chance you could one day reach the Saint Realm. Are you sure you want to risk all that for a thief?"

"Titles and achievements pale in comparison to the joy of sharing a drink with a friend."

Li Hao’s eyes were cold as he stared at the Candlefire God and climbed onto its back. "Let them scorn me if they will. To have a few close friends in life is enough."

Seeing Ren Qianqian walking toward him anxiously, Li Hao’s cold expression softened slightly. In a low voice, he said, "Stay here and focus on your cultivation."

Jiang Lichen was taken aback by Li Hao’s words. He had assumed this youth was like the others he’d encountered—chasing fame, power, and immortality. But now, he realized that might not be the case.

His royal brothers and nephews schemed against one another, striving for nothing but "glory."

"To have a few close friends in life is enough... What a sentiment."

Jiang Lichen murmured, then suddenly burst into laughter. "Kid, I like you. I’ll join you on this trip! That Buddha is no easy opponent, but if necessary, I’ll draw my sword alongside you!"

"Your Highness, you are part of the royal family. It would be unwise for you to get involved. This is my personal matter."

Li Hao spoke as he signaled the Candlefire God to move.

The Candlefire God’s hooves struck the ground, and it soared into the air.

Jiang Lichen laughed even louder. "Where I go is my business! Royal family or not, I am who I am! I am Jiang Lichen, the Sword Lord!"

As he spoke, he too leapt into the air, following Li Hao with precise and ethereal footwork.

In an instant, the two of them left Tianmen Pass behind.

Li Hao glanced back at Jiang Lichen, who was keeping pace. He hadn’t expected the prince to actually follow. This royal seemed different from the others—somewhat unhinged.

"The Buddhist Sect is the royal family’s official ally. Won’t this create problems for you?" Li Hao asked with a frown.

Jiang Lichen accelerated, nearly matching the speed of the Candlefire God, and laughed heartily. "Problems? Let that sly old fox of a brother deal with them. If the Buddha comes to him afterward, all the better—I enjoy making his life difficult!"

Li Hao's eyes narrowed slightly, realizing that Jiang Lichen was referring to Emperor Yu.

It seemed these two brothers did not get along.

But why had Emperor Yu sent him to aid Li Hao?

"Earlier, you said it was thanks to me that you were able to escape. Did His Majesty send you to assist me in exchange for your release? Were you imprisoned before this?" Li Hao glanced at the manacles still faintly visible on Jiang Lichen’s wrists.

Jiang Lichen laughed wildly. "Indeed. He also promised me that once I ensured your safety, I could strike him with my sword once I return to the capital. When this is all over, I’ll deliver that blow!"

Li Hao froze, his mind conjuring an image of the elderly man playing chess beneath a willow tree—the kind and gentle visage of Emperor Yu. A strange ache rose in his heart. It seemed His Majesty had placed a great deal of trust in him.

Taking a deep breath, Li Hao suppressed his thoughts and urged the Candlefire God to pick up speed.

...

Meanwhile, news of the public execution of the Thief Saint, Feng Boping, at Boundless Mountain had spread among the various factions.

Those who had been victims of Feng Boping’s thefts rejoiced at his capture, celebrating the end of his infamous career.

Some factions close to Boundless Mountain immediately set out, hoping to interrogate Feng Boping before his execution and recover their stolen treasures.

This news also reached the Divine General Mansion in Qingzhou.

When Li Muxiu heard it, he froze in shock. His face turned ashen.

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