Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 273

Volume 3 - Chapter 28: The Young Man Enters the Great Wilderness - Part 2

However, this was the way of the Desolate Era's heavenly talents. Slaying a Demon King under adverse circumstances might shock the barbarians beyond the wilderness, but in the Great Wilderness Heaven, it was merely considered excellent.

Even so, he knew that Li Hao’s true strength was far beyond this. Hence, even within the Ancient Holy Clans, Li Hao was enough to be deemed a heavenly talent. This was why he cherished Li Hao’s potential.

After resolving the battle with the female Demon King, Li Hao did not linger and immediately resumed his journey.

With his All-Manifestations Attribute, he could obscure his aura, though the sounds of his movements inevitably attracted some of the demons and monsters along the way.

Li Hao dealt with two more on the road—both at the Three Immortals Realm—who tried to ambush him, only to be crushed under a single strike.

Lacking a weapon, Li Hao’s own body had already reached the level of a Five-Forged Divine Weapon, making his punches and kicks devastatingly destructive.

As he traveled, he also digested the memories and martial arts techniques he had brought out of the River of Death.

Thanks to his eidetic memory, these techniques were directly stored on his Panel. Within it, his insights from the Body Refining Dao of Seven Stages allowed him to further refine and evolve these techniques.

For instance, the previously developed Ten Thousand Blood True Demon Technique had now transformed into the True Demon Art of Spirit Sacrifice, which improved the efficiency of absorbing and refining the blood essence of demons.

This made it possible for Li Hao’s body to condense its strength to its limit at an even faster pace.

Ji Yunge guided Li Hao along the way, helping him avoid several perilous forbidden zones in the Great Wilderness Heaven.

These zones were inhabited by famous Great Demon Kings, and one could not set foot there lightly.

Li Hao had no intention of taking unnecessary risks to hunt them either. His immediate priority was escorting Ji Yunge back to the Ji Family. If possible, a deeper desire in his heart was to catch a glimpse of his mother—to ensure her safety.

The night was cool and serene.

Within the ancient, endless wilderness forest, remnants of white bones could occasionally be seen scattered about.

A small fire, fueled by dried leaves and broken twigs, burned atop a sturdy branch. Yet the branch did not ignite, for it was brimming with moisture and vibrant life force. Ordinary flames could hardly spark a forest fire amidst such vitality.

Furthermore, the damp, miasmic air meant that without a steady supply of fuel, the fire would soon die out.

At this moment, Li Hao rested by the fire, adjusting his state.

Leaning against a tree trunk, he plucked a blade of grass, folded it into a makeshift reed, and gently blew into it, producing a soft melody.

Moonlight spilled down, accompanying the ancient forest. The faint whistling sound meandered through the air, blocked from traveling further by a Soundproof Barrier set up by Li Hao.

The tune lingered solely within the surrounding branches.

...

As the melody played, Li Hao’s Music Dao experience grew slowly but steadily.

This, too, could be considered cultivation.

Bereft of books, painting tools, or a chessboard to study, he used music to amuse himself.

Ji Yunge stood on another branch, hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the distant stars and moon. His eyes glimmered with yearning for home.

Listening to Li Hao’s wistful and looping grass-whistle tune in this quiet, moonlit night, Ji Yunge felt his longing deepen.

Turning to glance at the young man, he saw Li Hao silently gazing into the darkness of the ancient forest, lost in thought.

“What’s this tune called?” Ji Yunge asked.

“Moonlight,” Li Hao replied.

“You said in the River of Death that you didn’t want to return home, yet your music is filled with longing,” Ji Yunge remarked, his eyes sharp.

“They’re two different things,” Li Hao said softly, removing the grass reed from his lips. “What I miss are my friends.”

“Are your friends strong as well?” Ji Yunge asked.

“That depends on how you define strength.” Li Hao smiled faintly. “Some can fish. Some enjoy food and drink. Others have no particular talents, but they live joyfully.”

“I believe that finding happiness in life is also a skill,” he added.

Ji Yunge’s gaze flickered momentarily. “I noticed you spent considerable time enjoying yourself in the River of Death, even in such a perilous place. Were you not afraid of dying?”

“Fearing death is no reason to abandon living,” Li Hao replied. “That would be putting the cart before the horse.”

He didn’t mention his Panel, though his perspective was genuine. “Cultivating diligently is for the sake of living, but if you spend all your time cultivating and forget to live, then… what’s the point?”

“Without strength, you’d only face despair in the presence of demons and monsters,” Ji Yunge countered.

Li Hao smiled. “And yet, how many powerful warriors die before they’ve had the chance to enjoy life? Take you, for instance. You’re no weakling, are you?”

Ji Yunge froze, his expression shifting slightly. Li Hao’s words implied that even someone as strong as Ji Yunge had perished, which bordered on offensive.

Yet, instead of anger, Ji Yunge seemed lost in thought.

Reflecting on his long life, most of his years had been spent cultivating. And what he cherished most in retrospect were not moments of training, but the camaraderie, the laughter, the mundane yet heartwarming experiences...

These were the memories he clung to, not the path of cultivation.

Especially now, as a departed soul, his longing to return to the Ji Family was driven by attachment—not to the sacred mountain itself but to those who dwelled upon it.

Li Hao, noticing Ji Yunge’s silence, resumed playing his grass whistle.

He had no objections to cultivation but believed that amidst the rigor, one should pause for a cup of tea or a bit of conversation.

That was the essence of truly “living.”

The night grew cooler—a single flickering fire, a hauntingly melodic tune, and two souls with diverging thoughts.

Under the bright, full moon...

...

For several days, Li Hao pressed forward relentlessly.

While traveling, he also practiced the martial arts stored in his Panel, one by one.

Each practice session refined his body further, increasing his strength. Combined with the blood essence absorbed from the demons he hunted along the way, his progress was astonishing. His physical body now rivaled that of an Eight-Forged Divine Weapon.

Though he had achieved the strength of a Nine-Forged Divine Weapon in the River of Death, it required substantial support from divine medicines, which he now lacked. Progress relied solely on his techniques, though they were nearly as effective.

“This place feels off,” Li Hao muttered as he stepped into a crimson-hued mountain range shrouded in red mist.

The mist brushed against his skin, making his flesh feel disturbingly soft.

“This is the Red Wood Corpse Ridge,” Ji Yunge explained. “It’s where a Dao Seeker fell. His Dao Domain lingers, creating this dangerous zone. It constantly erodes one’s blood and qi. Prolonged exposure can lead to weakness, aging, or even death. But with your physique, you should endure it.”

He paused and added, “Deep within lies a Scarlet Blood Vine Demon King, rooted in the Dao Seeker’s remains. Every sixty years, it produces a single Dao Rhythmic Blood Fruit. It greatly enhances the physical body, aiding in achieving the Tongli Extreme Realm and unlocking divine power states.”

Li Hao blinked. Such a fruit seemed unnecessary for himself but could benefit Qianqian.

Since he was already here, it wouldn’t hurt to investigate. If the fruit proved useless for him, gifting it to Qianqian would still be worthwhile.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, sudden sounds of something cutting through the air came from ahead.

“Stop!”

“Who is that? Quick, help me block him! I’m from the Qin family of the Ancient Holy Clans!”

Several angry shouts echoed as Li Hao turned his gaze forward.

A short man was sprinting ahead at full speed, with three figures chasing him closely, their movements incredibly fast.

The fleeing man’s eyes flickered when he saw Li Hao standing in midair. With a desperate tone, he shouted, “Don’t block me! I’ll give you the treasure!”

While speaking, he had already closed the distance to Li Hao’s side.

Just as Li Hao was about to question the situation, the man suddenly attacked, thrusting his palm toward Li Hao’s face.

Bang!

Li Hao caught the man’s wrist mid-strike. With a sharp crack, the bones shattered under his grip.

“...”

Li Hao tilted his head, confusion evident in his voice. “What are you trying to do?”

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