Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 264

Volume 3 - Chapter 23: The Archaic Ji Family - Part 3

"No one ever told me this item was so precious!"

"I almost lost it several times!"

"It's merely a tool to obscure Heaven's Mandate."

At that moment, a calm voice resounded, causing the three people to freeze in surprise.

Li Hao turned to see the elderly figure from the source of the River of Death's obsession manifest as a faint shadow nearby. The elder looked at them indifferently and said:

"Even without this dragon blood jade, he wouldn't have died. At the very brink of life and death, this young man had already shattered the power of the River of Death. The life force from his physical body flowed back on its own. The dragon blood jade only triggered itself when it sensed his consciousness fading."

"Who are you?"

Li Tianzong's expression shifted as he felt an intense, oppressive aura from the elder. It was a sensation that made him tremble, as though the elder could consign him to eternal torment with a mere thought.

Li Xiaoran also sensed the unique aura emanating from the elder but did not feel the same oppression as Li Tianzong. Instead, his gaze grew sharp and wary.

"You people from beyond the wastelands wouldn't know my name even if I told you," the elder said coldly, clearly unimpressed with Li Tianzong and Li Xiaoran.

Li Tianzong froze, the familiar phrase sparking a vague memory.

"Senior, where is this place?" Li Hao asked, having already noticed the towering ancient trees around them. It was evident this was not the same area where they had initially entered the River of Death.

"This is the source of the River of Death," the elder replied calmly. "The place you entered earlier was merely an opening to the river. I told you to take me back. Naturally, I brought you out of the source. This place... is closer to my homeland."

As he spoke, the elder looked off into the distance, his gaze filled with nostalgia, hope, and a faint impatience.

Li Xiaoran's expression darkened as he turned to Li Hao. "What terms did you agree to with him?"

"He is the source of the River of Death's obsession. I need to take him back. Otherwise, the River of Death will awaken again," Li Hao explained.

Moreover, he had already completed 99% of the task; he was only a step away from finishing it.

"Where do you need to take him?" Li Tianzong asked hastily.

Li Hao also looked at the elder, sensing that this place was indeed in the outside world and not an illusion. This lent credibility to the elder's words.

Still, such a mystical matter was beyond his comprehension. How could the River of Death be relocated, with its source tied to a single departed soul?

"The Great Wilderness Heaven, the Ji Family of the Archaic Holy Lands!" the elder declared indifferently.

Hearing this, the three of them trembled.

A flash of memory surged in Li Hao's mind—during the True Dragon contest, one of his eighth mother's children, Li Rumeng, had whispered something to him.

"The Great Wilderness Heaven, where Mother came from." His mother’s surname was Ji!

Li Tianzong and Li Xiaoran’s pupils constricted. When Ji Qingqing had married into the Li Family, they were present. Back then, the woman's origins had been explained in a similar manner...

Was the elder's homeland truly where Li Hao's mother’s family originated?

"Y-you are from the Ji Family of the Archaic Holy Lands?" Li Tianzong stammered.

If that were true, then they might even be relatives!

Yet the elder clearly hadn’t recognized them.

"You know of it?" the elder asked, his gaze flickering with surprise. He hadn’t expected these so-called people beyond the wastelands to know of the Ji Family’s name. Could it be that the Ji Family's reputation had spread even beyond the Great Wilderness Heaven?

Li Tianzong hesitated, debating what to say. Finally, he asked, "Might I inquire, senior, which branch of the Ji Family you hail from? Do you know Ji Qingqing?"

"You know Qingqing?" the elder exclaimed, clearly surprised. Then, as though realizing something, his eyebrows arched.

"Based on the timeline, that little girl should have grown up by now. What, did she go off to play in your Great Yu Divine Dynasty? Hah! With her talents, she could probably sweep through the younger generation of your dynasty with ease," he said with a smug curl of his lips.

Li Tianzong was speechless. Ji Qingqing's cultivation level was unknown to them; they only knew it wasn’t weak. Evidently, she had not fully displayed her strength.

Her true identity had only been revealed during her marriage and was known to very few. After all, many families within the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, including other Divine General Mansions, held both fear and prejudice against the residents of the Great Wilderness Heaven.

Li Tianzong glanced at Li Hao, wanting to speak but ultimately saying nothing. He understood the Ji Family’s strict rules. Ji Qingqing’s marriage to Li Tiangang had been her own decision. If not for their deep mutual affection, even as her father, he wouldn’t have agreed to it.

With a sigh, Li Tianzong conveyed a message to Li Hao via sound transmission:

"Hao'er, you know your mother’s identity. Once we deliver him, don’t linger in the Ji Family’s territory. Whatever you do, don’t let them know your mother is Ji Qingqing. I fear they might harm you."

Li Hao froze. During his time at Tianmen Pass, he had asked Feng Lao some questions about the Great Wilderness Heaven. While Feng Lao’s knowledge was limited, he had mentioned a few points—one being that families there possessed extremely pure bloodlines and rarely intermarried with outsiders.

Li Tiangang and Ji Qingqing’s union had been an exception born of their shared determination and the Divine General Mansion's protection. By concealing Ji Qingqing’s identity, they had maintained peace for all these years.

This explained why his mother had terrified the Saint Palace into retreating when she revealed herself in Yanbei but had chosen to leave afterward.

Li Hao fell silent.

Visit the Ji Family, but not acknowledge his mother?

He recalled faint memories from his infancy—gentle, loving eyes and the serene beauty of a woman who had once cared for him.

"Let’s go. We must depart," the elder urged.

"We’re coming too," Li Xiaoran said, rising.

Li Hao snapped out of his thoughts, seeing that both were preparing to accompany him. He quickly said, "Fourth Uncle..." He turned to address Li Tianzong, but the words caught in his throat.

Calling him “Grandfather” would imply accepting that identity. Yet avoiding it would surely hurt the elder, who would feel deeply saddened by his current situation.

The Ji Family elder had mentioned that his remaining time would only allow him a single glimpse of his homeland. The thought filled Li Hao with sorrow.

After the battle of Dragon City, he understood how much this elder yearned to return home.

"You two should return. The power of the River of Death has infiltrated Grandfather’s body. I fear he won’t last much longer," Li Hao said.

Li Xiaoran paused and looked at Li Tianzong.

Li Tianzong’s expression shifted as he, too, sensed his deteriorating condition. He hadn’t realized it was so dire.

"That’s right. You two should leave now. This boy alone is enough to take me back," the Ji Family elder said impatiently.

"Big Brother, is it true?!" Li Xiaoran’s eyes reddened as he looked at Li Tianzong.

Li Tianzong remained silent, his gaze shifting to Li Hao. "What does it matter? Just a glimpse... It’s not necessary. Seeing you, my grandson, is enough. I’m already content."

"Since my end is inevitable, I’ll pass on my strength to you. Perhaps it will help you reach even greater heights!"

Li Hao understood his intent but shook his head slightly. "I haven’t fully comprehended the Dao Heart yet. Even if you transfer your power to me, it will only enhance my soul’s strength. It won’t help me break through realms."

While enhancing his soul was beneficial, Li Hao knew he could achieve that by cultivating spirit-refining techniques. Why let this elder exhaust himself to the point of annihilation for something he could manage on his own?

Li Tianzong froze, an inexplicable urge to cry welling up in him. "But my dear grandson, I haven’t given you anything yet... You nearly died for my sake."

"You’ve already given me so much," Li Hao said with a gentle smile. "You acknowledged my paintings, even my so-called frivolous hobbies..."

Li Tianzong’s heart ached even more as he replied, "Those are trivial matters. How could my grandson, with unmatched talent, not be worthy of praise?"

Li Hao fell into a brief silence before smiling again. He turned to Li Xiaoran and said, "Fourth Uncle, I’ll trouble you to take Grandfather back. Please be careful along the way."

Li Xiaoran was still reeling from the realization that his older brother would soon fade away. His thoughts were in disarray, but he nodded slowly. "I understand, Hao’er. You be careful too. If I don’t see you return, I’ll come looking for you!"

"No need to look for him. This boy is much stronger than you," the Ji Family elder scoffed. As the source of the River of Death's obsession, he had witnessed everything that transpired inside. He was thoroughly impressed by Li Hao’s performance.

"Fourth Uncle, farewell," Li Hao said as he bid them goodbye.

"This seems to be near the border of the Great Wilderness Heaven. The region is full of powerful demons and monsters. You must exercise caution," Li Xiaoran warned.

Li Hao nodded in acknowledgment.

"Hurry up and leave. Stop dawdling," the Ji Family elder urged, clearly impatient.

Li Xiaoran and Li Tianzong exchanged a glance. They couldn’t help but wonder which elder of the Ji Family this man might be, as his patience was nearly non-existent.

After reiterating a few key details about the Great Wilderness Heaven to Li Hao, Li Xiaoran turned to leave. The Ji Family elder interrupted mid-discussion, saying, "I’ll explain the details along the way. You should leave now!"

The two men finally relented, thinking the Ji Family elder would likely guide Li Hao himself.

After parting ways, Li Hao called out to Li Xiaoran, "Fourth Uncle, once you’ve taken Grandfather back, please stop by Tianmen Pass. Inform my sword attendant that I won’t return for now. The defense of Tianmen Pass will rely on her and my clone."

He deliberately referred to her as his sword attendant instead of mentioning Feng Lao, fearing that her true identity might not sit well with Li Xiaoran. The message, however, would naturally reach Feng Lao, who would understand his intentions.

"Understood," Li Xiaoran replied. He thought back to the rumors he had vaguely heard about Li Hao and Li Tiangang. His expression shifted slightly but remained neutral, given the presence of his elder brother.

As they bade farewell, Li Hao watched Li Xiaoran and Li Tianzong leave together. They identified the direction of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty and then took to the skies.

"We should go as well," the Ji Family elder said.

Li Hao lingered for a moment, then nodded slightly, retracting his gaze.

…

…

Li Xiaoran carried Li Tianzong through the wilderness, flying straight ahead.

Every few hundred li, they paused briefly to confirm their position.

After continuous progress, Li Xiaoran eventually pinpointed their location. His face lit up with joy. "This is just outside the Liang Province. Judging by the route ahead, we can pass Tianmen Pass on our way back."

"Tianmen Pass?"

Li Tianzong was curious. "Didn’t I just hear Hao’er say he’s stationed there? Hao’er is still so young—how can he already be leading soldiers and fighting battles? This should still be his time to focus on cultivation."

Li Xiaoran forced an awkward smile. "Hao’er is exceptionally gifted, as you’ve seen yourself. His rapid progress in cultivation is astounding. Gaining experience early on might not be a bad thing."

"That’s true. Even though he’s only fifteen outside, by eighteen, he could already contend with demonic kings at the Supreme Dao Realm..."

Li Tianzong’s eyes sparkled with excitement and pride. "With a descendant like him in our Li Family, I can pass on without regret!"

Hearing the words "pass on without regret," Li Xiaoran’s expression changed slightly.

He remembered what Li Hao had said earlier—that his elder brother could only look once before fading away entirely.

An ache swelled in his heart, and he remained silent, lowering his head as he quickened their pace.

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