Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 298

Volume 3 - Chapter 41: Revealing the Extreme Boundary, Who Else?! - Part 2

At this moment, the youth's image in everyone's eyes had undergone a complete transformation. He embodied the pinnacle of martial arts and was brimming with divine power. If this wasn't a heavenly prodigy, then what could possibly qualify as one?

Outside the arena, Ji Yufen stood amidst the crowd, his eyes wide with shock and his expression utterly frozen.

Both of them were in the Three Immortals Realm, yet the youth in the arena shone with dazzling brilliance, while he, standing among the crowd, seemed as dim as the dark night, completely ignored by all.

How could the gap be so vast?!

Divine power—he had actually cultivated divine power! But... wasn’t he just a mixed-blood?!

Countless roars of disbelief echoed in Ji Yufen's heart, mixed with despair. When compared to that youth, could he truly still call himself a heavenly prodigy?

He thought of what Ji Tianchao, the War God, had said earlier: if one truly were a prodigy, how could they suffer defeat?!

And now, that youth stood tall within the arena like an invincible legend.

In mid-air, the remaining heavenly prodigies noticed the terrifying momentum this youth had accumulated by consecutively defeating his opponents. To shatter this momentum and take him down, they would have to use overwhelming force!

The defeat of Ji Rufeng, coupled with the crimson-gold aura of divine power emanating from the youth, made them realize that they could no longer afford to underestimate him.

"Since you're the one who asked for it, don't blame us for being ruthless!"

A young man holding a folding fan put it away, exchanged glances with a few others beside him, and descended into the arena.

"Family Head, this was his own request, so we aren't breaking any rules," the young man said, bowing to Ji Daoxin.

Ji Daoxin looked at Li Hao. Despite the youth's domineering gaze, Ji Daoxin could sense his calmness—it wasn’t arrogance.

Was it because he wanted to free his mother and couldn't wait even a single day?

Did he plan to resolve everything quickly and cleanse the field in one go?

Ji Daoxin’s eyes flickered as countless thoughts raced through his mind. Finally, he nodded and said, "Since he’s willing, then so be it."

"Good!"

With Ji Daoxin’s approval, the youth with the folding fan summoned a spear into his hands. His eyes grew cold as he said to Li Hao, "Even though ganging up to defeat you is dishonorable, this is what you brought upon yourself!"

"You're just too arrogant and oblivious to your limits!" another youth added.

"Come on!"

Li Hao’s gaze was icy. Fighting multiple opponents at once within the confines of the Dao Field would actually save him effort, which was why he made this proposal.

The four opponents immediately spread out as soon as Li Hao spoke. Approaching rapidly from four directions, they launched their attacks at him simultaneously.

Given that Li Hao was in his Divine Power State, none of them held back, unleashing their might with thunderous strikes.

Since it was already a group attack, dragging the fight out would invite ridicule even in victory. Only with a devastating, overwhelming blow could they crush him!

"Die!!"

In an instant, the four of them unleashed their ultimate techniques, channeling power as vast as a flooding ocean. The ground of the Dao Field cracked apart as their bodies radiated crimson-gold divine light, revealing their mastery of the Divine Power State.

Like four golden deities, they closed in on the youth in the center, intending to kill him outright.

Boom!

A deafening shockwave erupted, causing many spectators to condense their souls above their heads and focus intently on the arena.

Amidst the dazzling explosion of divine light, Li Hao's figure burst forth from the center of the attack. With a single punch, he shattered the shoulder of the youth wielding the spear!

Grabbing the spear, Li Hao twisted his body and delivered a powerful kick. His foot, akin to the crushing stomp of an elephant, produced an ear-piercing sonic boom as he sent the youth flying. The divine spear slipped from the young man’s grasp.

Simultaneously, two blades of light slashed toward Li Hao. Without hesitation, he swept the spear in his hand, deflecting one blade of light. The spear then thrust forward like a golden dragon, piercing the heart and lungs of the second youth, sending him hurtling across the arena and embedding him in the distant ground, leaving a deep crater.

The remaining blade of light struck Li Hao squarely on the head.

"Le Ping!!"

Ji Tianchao, Ji Yun Yue, and the others cried out in alarm, their faces pale with shock.

Although those in the Three Immortals Realm wouldn’t die from a shattered skull, as long as their soul remained intact, reconstructing the body was an arduous process. A severed head meant the physical body was essentially dead, and it would be impossible to heal without relying on miraculous techniques.

The spectators gasped. Was the youth about to be ruined?

Had the divine body he painstakingly cultivated been destroyed just like that?

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Before the crowd could even finish their thoughts, a sharp metallic screech resounded—divine fire flared where the blade met flesh.

When everyone saw the outcome, their eyes nearly popped out in shock, jaws dropping in disbelief.

The divine blade imbued with destructive power had struck Li Hao’s head, yet it only produced a clanging noise!

His skull seemed forged of divine steel, showing no injury save for a few severed strands of hair. Not even a drop of blood flowed!

The stunned youth holding the blade froze momentarily, his mind blank. Such an outcome was unimaginable. Despite his extensive combat experience, he hesitated for a brief moment.

That brief moment was his undoing.

Boom!

Li Hao retaliated with a ferocious punch to the youth’s chest, shattering ribs and forcing blood to spew from his mouth.

Grabbing the youth’s body, Li Hao swung him fiercely into the ground and stomped on his abdomen. Broken organs spilled from the youth’s mouth along with spurts of crimson-gold divine blood.

"Too weak!"

Li Hao stood atop the fallen youth, his gaze sweeping disdainfully toward the final opponent charging at him.

That youth froze mid-charge, his face a mask of shock. Seeing Li Hao’s overwhelming might, he immediately halted.

He wasn’t a fool. It was clear this youth was a monster beyond reason.

Even a divine blade couldn’t harm him. How was this possible?

Unless he was a pure body refiner, tempering his flesh to an unfathomable level!

In the corner of the Dao Field, Ji Rufeng, who had been recovering from his defeat, sat still, watching the earlier exchange. When the divine blade failed to injure Li Hao, his jaw tightened, and his lips twitched.

Finally, he understood why he had been so brutally defeated in their earlier bout.

His fists had been fierce, but compared to divine weapons, they were far inferior. And this youth’s body was akin to a living artifact. Their techniques couldn’t even scratch him, let alone defeat him!

"Who else?"

Li Hao’s gaze shifted from the immobilized youth to the remaining figures in the air.

Hearing his audacious challenge, the heavenly prodigies still hovering above darkened their expressions, their eyes growing serious.

Half of the Ten Great Prodigies had already been defeated by Li Hao. Four of them had just joined forces and failed to harm him, exposing the terrifying defensive capabilities of his body.

"His flesh rivals divine weapons!"

"This is terrifying. Isn't he a mixed-blood? How did he achieve this level of refinement?"

"Without the resources of the Ji family, he managed to cultivate to this point. If the family had nurtured him, wouldn't he soar to unimaginable heights?!"

"Too strong—he's practically a monster!"

"Even among the prodigies of the Ji family, no one is this extraordinary. He's only fifteen years old. If he cultivates for another ten years, won't he be invincible in the Great Wilderness Heaven, unmatched even among the prodigies of the other ancient sacred clans?!"

The spectators buzzed with shock and animated discussion.

This youth had entirely overturned their understanding of mixed-bloods and outsiders.

A single thought echoed in everyone's minds: if the family used its resources to nurture this youth, just how far could he rise?

"This boy... I thought he was reckless, but it turns out he had such a trump card. His physical strength surpasses even ours..."

The sight left Ji Yunqing and the others shocked, but also pleasantly surprised and reassured.

Li Hao’s performance had far exceeded their expectations. When four prodigies surrounded him earlier, they had been anxious, fearing he might struggle to hold his ground.

But in just the blink of an eye, the battle was over!

"Third Brother really underestimated him. This boy isn’t just capable of contending with those in the Absolute Technique Stage—he’s practically invincible beneath the Dao Domain!" said Ji Laosi, trembling with excitement.

Ji Tianchao’s eyes gleamed with light as he clenched his fists. This War God of the Ji family was no less stirred.

Now, he finally understood why Third Brother dared to claim that in ten years, this youth would be able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him!

This youth was only fifteen yet had already cultivated to such a degree. Within ten years... it was indeed possible for him to reach the Dao Domain!

Beside him, Ji Qingfeng and the others were equally stunned. The strength of this youth had completely exceeded their expectations.

Earlier, they had dismissed him as an unworthy mixed-blood, but now, his astonishing display had shattered all their assumptions.

With this level of talent, even if he wasn’t part of the Ji family, he could easily join any other ancient sacred clan. As long as he agreed to sign a soul contract and pledge his loyalty, he would undoubtedly be treated as a heavenly prodigy and nurtured.

High above the arena, the few remaining prodigies looked down at the youth standing on the field. His gaze met theirs, unwavering and domineering. Their faces darkened.

"I’ll go," said a young woman as she stepped forward, drawing a sword from the space around her.

Upon seeing her, Ji Qingyuan, who was standing in the crowd, frowned slightly. The young woman was his daughter, Ji Qingshuang.

Ranked third among the Ten Great Prodigies, Ji Qingshuang was exceptionally powerful. Her mastery of sword techniques was unparalleled, possessing a dominance that bordered on invincibility within the Absolute Technique Stage.

If not for certain shortcomings in other aspects, she would have easily ranked higher.

Previously, Ji Qingyuan had suggested during the family council that his daughter should step forward to teach the mixed-blood junior a lesson. His goal had been to block the youth’s chances of becoming one of the family's core prodigies.

But now, after witnessing Li Hao’s strength, he had a nagging feeling that his daughter might not be a match for him!

"Step aside," came a cold voice before Ji Qingshuang could act.

The speaker was a young man dressed in a dark robe embroidered with cloud patterns. Standing with his hands behind his back, he exuded an air of calm authority. Despite the battles unfolding before him, his expression had shown only a fleeting hint of surprise, quickly returning to its usual placidity.

Hearing his words, Ji Qingshuang's cold gaze wavered slightly, and her expression changed.

"You are not his match," the young man said indifferently. "Four of you attacking together was already disgraceful. What now? Are you planning to let him defeat you one by one instead?"

Ji Qingshuang's face flushed with anger. Had anyone else spoken to her this way, she would have drawn her sword without hesitation. But the speaker was this young man—Ji Xuanshen, the strongest among the Ji family’s heavenly prodigies.

Though Ji Qingshuang was strong, she couldn't last a single exchange against Ji Xuanshen. The difference between them was like that of clouds and mud.

Moreover, after seeing Li Hao’s body withstand a strike from a divine blade, even she wasn’t entirely confident about her chances of winning.

As a heavenly prodigy, Ji Qingshuang’s experiences had forged her unyielding spirit and an aura of invincibility. She had fought and won many battles even when the odds were against her.

But being fearless didn’t mean she acted recklessly. Every time she fought a seemingly hopeless battle, it had been out of necessity, not choice. When given options, she naturally opted for the most prudent path.

Ji Xuanshen’s words echoed across the arena, causing the four defeated prodigies to flush with embarrassment.

They had joined forces intending to overwhelm Li Hao in a single, decisive strike, yet they were the ones utterly subdued, adding to Li Hao’s aura of invincibility.

"All of you, step down," Ji Xuanshen commanded as he slowly descended into the arena.

"Do you want to rest? I can wait," he offered.

"Just warming up," Li Hao replied with a smile. He had sensed that this young man carried an undeniable authority among the heavenly prodigies, and perhaps this would finally conclude the battle.

Li Hao’s words, however, left the others in the arena seething with frustration.

Fighting so intensely, and yet he called it a warm-up? Did he have no consideration for their pride?!

"You’re ruthless!"

The youth who had been pinned earlier wrenched the divine spear from his chest. Though his heart and lungs were regenerating, his words came out in a wheeze. Glaring at Li Hao, he spat out a grudging curse and staggered out of the arena.

Now, it was down to two monsters.

"Ji Xuanshen just said Ji Qingshuang isn’t a match for this boy. Does that mean he’s ranked third among the prodigies now?!"

"If Ji Xuanshen himself is stepping in, this might finally end."

"Indeed. It’s a pity. The boy is incredibly strong—four joined forces and still couldn’t defeat him. Look, he isn’t even injured. When he says it’s a warm-up, it might actually be true!"

"What a disgrace for the Ji family’s prodigies to suffer such a humiliating defeat!"

"Now that Ji Xuanshen is stepping up, he might actually kill this boy. Even though he’s a mixed-blood, he still carries the Ji family’s blood. Such a prodigy, even if not destined to become a War God, would undoubtedly become a pillar of the family’s strength!"

"The family head must be preparing something. Although this is a Dao Seed competition, it’s already reached this point. It would be best to let it end here."

"Right. Teach him a lesson to temper his arrogance, but killing him would be too much of a waste."

The crowd continued their heated discussions.

Their views on the youth in the arena had completely shifted. Some were even worried he might be killed by Ji Xuanshen, hoping the family head would intervene to protect him.

"Ji Xuanshen!"

Ji Tianchao, Ji Yun Yue, and the others recognized the strongest of the Ji family’s prodigies taking the stage. Their expressions turned grim.

"Old Ninth, tell that boy to back down. He’s done enough; he’s already proven himself."

"Yes, Ji Xuanshen has a Sacred Bone and has already mastered the Dao Domain. They’re simply not in the same league—the difference is far too great!"

Ji Yun Yue and the others grew increasingly anxious.

The gap between the Dao Domain and the Absolute Technique Stage was insurmountable.

Even if Li Hao exuded an aura of invincibility within the Absolute Technique Stage, it was still like trying to leap into the sky while bound to the ground.

In the eyes of the Dao Domain, the Absolute Technique Stage was nothing more than an insurmountable boundary.

And Ji Xuanshen, though a prodigy, was also among the Ji family’s top combatants, rivaling the three War Gods.

...

Seeing Li Hao refuse to back down, Ji Yunqing and the others' faces paled with worry.

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