Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 357

Volume 3 - Chapter 78: Lingyuan Pavilion

Hearing Li Hao’s question, Ren Qianqian’s expression shifted slightly. She hesitated before replying softly, "Feng Lao has left."

"Left?"

Li Hao was stunned. He immediately asked, "Did something urgent happen? Where did he go?"

Ren Qianqian shook her head slightly. After glancing at Li Hao and deliberating, she finally recounted what she had witnessed. In her view, this was a personal matter for Li Hao. Her responsibility was simply to relay what she had observed truthfully and let this young master make his own judgment.

After listening to Ren Qianqian’s account, Li Hao’s expression darkened. According to her, when he entered the Heavens Gate Pass, Li Tiangang came looking for him and provoked a dispute. Feng Lao went out to confront him, but afterward, Feng Lao never returned, nor did he send any message about leaving. It was as if he had disappeared without warning. Later, Li Muxiu informed Ren Qianqian that Feng Lao had left for some business, instructing her to remain at Heavens Gate Pass to safeguard the place for Li Hao.

Although Ren Qianqian's explanation was second-hand, Li Hao, understanding the personalities involved, could easily imagine the conflict that erupted at that time. He could also deduce the humiliation and insult Feng Lao might have endured.

Feng Lao had been forced to leave.

Li Hao felt a surge of anger boiling within him, but he quickly took a deep breath to calm himself. Yet, a faint sense of unease lingered in his heart.

With Feng Lao’s disposition and strength, Li Tiangang should not have been able to do anything to him. Even if Li Tiangang was a true dragon of the Li family, capable of battling across realms and challenging the Reverse Fate Realm, Feng Lao was far stronger than ordinary practitioners of that level. His movement techniques were unparalleled; if it came to a fight, Li Tiangang would not even touch his shadow. There was no way physical strength alone could compel Feng Lao to leave—it had to be words.

However, Feng Lao was a serene and carefree individual, valuing few things deeply. Insults and ridicule had no effect on him. The only way to force him to leave was by saying something truly piercing.

As this thought struck him, Li Hao felt a sharp pain in his chest, as if his own heart had been wounded. Anger burned in his eyes, though it was suppressed, transforming into a glint of icy determination.

"When Feng Lao left, did he not bid you farewell?" Li Hao asked Ren Qianqian.

Ren Qianqian shook her head.

Li Hao frowned slightly. Deep down, he sensed that something was off. With Feng Lao’s character, even if he were to leave, he would have left clear instructions. Along the journey, Feng Lao had treated this young woman kindly, almost fondly. It was unlikely that he would leave without saying a word unless he left in great haste—or he was deeply wounded by what was said.

Given Li Tiangang’s nature and Feng Lao’s status, it was certain that Li Tiangang had seized on this vulnerability to attack. For Feng Lao to leave without saying goodbye, it could only mean it was related to him.

Was this Feng Lao’s way of severing ties completely, not wanting his reputation to implicate Li Hao?

Li Hao’s gaze flickered, his thoughts spiraling deeper into this possibility. There were few things in the world that could threaten Feng Lao, yet somehow, Li Hao himself had become Feng Lao’s weakness. This old man, who had protected him all the way through Yuan Province, now left quietly, heartbroken.

"Feng Lao, you should know... I never cared about my reputation."

Li Hao murmured to himself, gazing at the bustling city beyond the courtyard. The old man who had helped him build this city was now gone, leaving during its most prosperous time. How sorrowful must he have been?

"Young Master, can we find Feng Lao?" Ren Qianqian couldn’t help but ask after hearing Li Hao’s words. She didn’t know Feng Lao’s true identity, but she deeply admired him. The old man had no airs of a senior, always approachable and kindhearted.

Li Hao fell into silence. If Feng Lao truly wanted to hide, who could find him?

This world was vast, and with Feng Lao’s movement techniques and years of experience in evading capture, even while being pursued, no one had been able to find him. In fact, Feng Lao often mocked the wanted posters of him in various cities, pointing out how inaccurate the drawings were.

One time, while fishing, Feng Lao had even asked Li Hao to personally draw a wanted poster for him. That very night, he replaced the old poster in a city with the new one, criticizing the poor craftsmanship of the original artist as unworthy of his dignity. Li Hao and Li Muxiu couldn’t help but laugh at the memory.

But now, those peaceful and carefree moments seemed so distant, as if they were forever lost. Unless Feng Lao willingly came out of hiding, no one would be able to find him.

Li Hao slowly shook his head. "Call the Liangzhou Governor for me later."

Ren Qianqian felt a pang of sadness upon hearing his words and lowered her head in acknowledgment. Li Hao planned to use Liangzhou’s forces to spread word that he had returned to Heavens Gate Pass, hoping Feng Lao would hear the news and come back to see him.

...

Li Hao returned to the small courtyard. Everything inside was as familiar as ever, unchanged. He quickly set up his materials and began drawing wanted posters. If Feng Lao saw these, he would surely recognize that Li Hao was looking for him.

The thought of having to search for Feng Lao through such means made Li Hao feel both amused and sorrowful. If Feng Lao saw the posters, he would likely smile and recall their past banter...

Li Hao summoned a Master Realm general to deliver a message to Youzhou, requesting assistance from the Xia family to spread the news. This time, he would not allow Feng Lao to endure any further indignities.

...

Time flew by. In Cangya City, a grand banquet was held to celebrate Li Hao’s return. The entire city reveled in cheers for several days. However, outside Heavens Gate Pass, where Tianxian Hall's demon spies kept watch, the news of Li Hao’s return could not be concealed.

The information quickly spread through Tianxian Hall’s network. Meanwhile, the regions thousands of miles beyond Heavens Gate Pass—territories that Li Hao had previously cleared of demons—began to see monsters secretly returning. These demons sought to reclaim their strongholds, unwilling to give up on these precious cultivation grounds, which could accelerate their progress.

But upon learning that Li Hao had returned to Heavens Gate Pass, these demons panicked. Within days, all the monsters within several thousand miles evacuated overnight, fearing that Li Hao might once again sweep through the region, annihilating them.

This mass exodus caused even the bird demons of Tianxian Hall, responsible for overseeing Heavens Gate Pass, to feel conflicted. Merely the news of the youth's return had terrified thousands of demons into fleeing.

This was Li Hao’s terrifying reputation.

Two years ago, he had entered Heavens Gate Pass for the first time. In just one year, his rapid growth had exceeded all expectations, a rise so astonishing it was deemed extraordinary.

Not long after Li Hao’s return, the Xia family received word of it. Xia Yuanwu personally made his way to the pass, arriving at the stronghold to formally express his gratitude. During the chaos in Youzhou, Li Hao had left abruptly to assist Qingzhou, leaving no time for proper goodbyes.

The Xia family couldn’t afford to downplay their appreciation. Their gratitude toward Li Hao came from the depths of their hearts.

The elder of the Xia family, Xia Yuanwu, was welcomed into the courtyard. As he thanked Li Hao earnestly, Li Hao responded with humility. "It’s all in the past. It was a minor matter, not worth mentioning."

Seeing Li Hao’s calm demeanor, Xia Yuanwu found himself at a loss. He hesitated briefly before extending an invitation for Li Hao to visit the Xia family. They had originally planned to offer Li Hao a steed bred by an elder of the family, a mythical beast that had grown from the offspring of a Three-Immortal Realm demon. However, with Li Hao now in the Fourth Pillar Realm and a Void Realm sovereign, presenting such a "small gift" seemed almost trivial.

Furthermore, Li Hao had already resolved the disaster in Youzhou, slaying the Lord of Gluttony Valley. With his strength alone, he had pulled Youzhou back from the brink of destruction. Anything less than a significant show of gratitude felt insincere.

The elder Xia Yuanwu explained that among the mythical beasts raised by their family, there were several demon kings. Over the years, these creatures had loyally guarded the Xia family’s critical territories and fought valiantly in times of need. Xia Yuanwu offered one of these Four Pillar Realm demon kings as a gift to Li Hao, allowing him to personally choose a companion.

Furthermore, the Xia family employed a unique secret technique to form blood contracts with their beasts, ensuring their loyalty. It was undoubtedly a grand gesture.

However, Li Hao gently shook his head and declined. To him, a typical Four Pillar Realm demon king held little value. A blood contract? It was meaningless.

"Below the Immortal Dao Realm, even a Great Dao Realm demon king cannot withstand me," Li Hao explained. "Instead of keeping it by my side, only to have it consume resources, it’s better left with the Xia family. At least there, it can continue contributing during your frequent campaigns."

Xia Yuanwu smiled wryly. The beasts, long coveted by other Divine General Mansions, held no appeal for Li Hao.

Sensing Xia Yuanwu’s predicament, Li Hao thought for a moment and suddenly had an idea. "The Xia family is a thousand-year-old Divine General Mansion with an accumulation of martial arts techniques rivaling the Li family’s. Compared to a demon king, the techniques stored in your Lingyuan Pavilion would be more valuable to me. How about letting me take a look?"

Xia Yuanwu froze momentarily. Lingyuan Pavilion was where the Xia family stored its martial arts techniques, akin to the Li family’s Tingyu Pavilion.

"If it’s inconvenient, I wouldn’t mind seeing just a portion," Li Hao added.

Xia Yuanwu’s expression softened. While Lingyuan Pavilion was one of the Xia family’s most important foundations, for someone of Li Hao’s strength, viewing their martial techniques posed no significant risk. With his powerful divine sense, he could memorize everything at a glance, though he wouldn’t be able to fully comprehend or cultivate them all.

"General Haotian, if you promise not to disseminate what you see, Lingyuan Pavilion can be fully opened to you. However, I must first report this to the family head to obtain their approval," Xia Yuanwu explained.

Lingyuan Pavilion housed nearly all of the Xia family’s martial arts techniques, though certain exclusive skills, such as the beast-taming techniques of one elder, were stored separately in a secure vault and passed down to select members only.

"Very well," Li Hao agreed. His primary intention was to use the techniques as a reference to refine and improve his own methods. Even if he passed them on to others, they would be significantly modified versions, bearing little resemblance to the originals.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Xia Yuanwu departed for Youzhou to report the matter. The distance between Liangzhou and Youzhou was not great, and within days, Xia Yuanwu returned to Heavens Gate Pass with the Xia family’s decision.

"The family head has agreed. General Haotian is welcome to visit Lingyuan Pavilion at any time," Xia Yuanwu conveyed.

Li Hao smiled. He hadn’t expected the Xia family head to show such boldness.

Before departing, Li Hao left some of the Haotian Battle Flags at Heavens Gate Pass. Then, he brought Ren Qianqian along, intending to let her broaden her horizons. The young woman had been staying in the small courtyard since following him to the pass, and the routine had grown monotonous for her.

Candlefire God snorted in discontent when it saw Ren Qianqian climb onto its back. Li Hao patted the mythical beast’s head gently, and it begrudgingly accepted the arrangement.

On the journey, Li Hao discussed with Xia Yuanwu the matter of seeking Feng Lao. Xia Yuanwu, having heard rumors of the incident, expressed his willingness to assist.

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