Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 256

Volume 3 - Chapter 19: Crossing the River of Death - Part 2

Li Tianzong roared, raising his hand to summon a spear from the spatial realm of heaven and earth.

The spear's shaft, resembling dark black iron, was adorned with spiraling dragon patterns. As his hand gripped it, divine flames erupted skyward. He thrust the spear fiercely toward the incoming sword light.

With a deafening boom, the sword energy swept across, shaking heaven and earth.

The power beyond the Dao Realm tore through the surroundings, unleashing destruction that devastated buildings and demons within a ten-mile radius.

Li Tianzong raised his head and howled in rage, but his spear was steadily forced back. His aura turned violent, and the demon kings beside him revealed ferocious expressions, roaring, “It’s useless! You cannot escape!”

Another resounding boom echoed as the spear was deflected, and the sword light pierced straight through, slicing into the ground.

The entire surface of Dragon City quaked violently, as though struck by a magnitude ten earthquake.

Li Tianzong’s body was grazed by the sword light, spraying blood. Half of his body was severed, a sword wound slicing through him from shoulder to thigh.

The demon kings within him howled in fury, rapidly gathering demonic energy to heal and pull his wounds together.

Li Hao observed the scene with a calm gaze. At this moment, his overwhelming strength was something only he could comprehend. He controlled this realm, embodying the power of a true immortal god.

He raised his hand, and infinite power surged from all directions, coalescing into countless strands of sword energy. These overlapped, transforming into three silver-white sword rays that streaked toward Li Tianzong.

All of this unfolded in the blink of an eye, a display of power beyond imagination.

Immortals, able to summon winds and rains, are capable of anything.

At this moment, Li Hao wielded the power of the world itself, drawing upon its immense pressure to perform such feats.

No matter how strong a Dao Domain may be, it cannot truly destroy heaven and earth or annihilate the void. Thus, Li Hao remained impervious to the Dao Domain’s constraints, unable to be crushed.

Boom!

Three consecutive sword rays shattered the Dao Domain, ignoring its rules, and slashed directly into Li Tianzong. One severed his arm, another split his chest, and demonic energy erupted from within.

From afar, the Candlefire God and Yin Lady stealthily approached, intending to deliver a final blow to Li Hao. However, upon witnessing this terrifying sight, they were struck with shock.

Li Tianzong, who had condensed multiple layers of Dao Domains, was being utterly suppressed by the white-haired Li Hao!

“What has he done? How is this possible?” Yin Lady's wide eyes filled with disbelief.

The Candlefire God’s pupils contracted as his heart raced wildly. An ancient memory from a distant lineage surfaced, making his hair stand on end.

“That… seems to be the power of a Saint…”

He murmured, his voice trembling with shock beyond words.

Li Tianzong’s massive form staggered backward repeatedly, grievously injured by Li Hao’s sword energy. Blood sprayed from his body.

Yet his eyes emitted an even more terrifying red glow. He let out a furious roar. The demon king heads upon him, ready to snarl threats at Li Hao, suddenly turned pale as though drained by an unseen force.

“You bastard…”

Before the demon heads could roar further, they retracted into Li Tianzong’s body, seemingly pulled by an overpowering force.

Li Tianzong’s demonic aura grew even more intense, and his wounds rapidly healed. Severed limbs regrew swiftly.

“Those who stand in my way shall die!!”

His blood-red eyes seemed to weep tears of blood as he roared, manifesting the shadows of multiple demon kings behind him, amplifying his terrifying presence. The Dao Domain shrank, condensing onto the spear as it tore through the air with unstoppable force.

The thrust of the spear was like thunder, piercing the heavens with the momentum of tearing apart the skies above Dragon City.

Li Hao raised his hand as well, unleashing his strongest sword technique: Sword Dao Reincarnation!

Spring and autumn, winter and summer, dozens of sword arts and Dao techniques merged into a cycle of the four seasons.

In the end, the rotation of seasons condensed into a pitch-black sword ray.

This sword ray resembled the night itself, capable of devouring everything and enveloping all.

Within it lay terrifying destructive intent, colliding violently with the spear.

The ensuing shockwaves were deafening. Li Tianzong’s flesh was torn asunder, and his demonic body crumbled as he burned his entire life force and divine soul to unleash boundless power.

Li Hao, too, was bleeding profusely, his body deteriorating. The immense power required to unleash his strongest sword forced him to draw upon even greater reserves of strength, depleting his Undying Force. Originally, he could sustain this form for three minutes, but now the time was halved.

Li Hao knew his time was running out.

Seeing Li Tianzong charging at him like a mad beast, he braced himself for another clash.

The two fought fiercely in the void, their blows producing terrifying shockwaves.

“Soldiers, merge with me and fight!”

Li Tianzong roared again, and the corrupted soldiers of the city turned into streams of black smoke, flying toward his body to merge with him.

Li Hao’s expression shifted. If Li Tianzong truly completed this fusion, even in his immortal form, he might not be able to stop him.

Why must it come to this?

Li Hao gazed at those bloodshot, violent eyes and sighed softly.

He longed to look up at this world one last time, even if it was an illusion.

But he knew he had no time left.

“I’ll send you back…”

Li Hao raised his hand. The Azure Frost Sword shattered, but he summoned his power to bind the fragments together, forming a broken blade imbued with his strongest sword intent.

With three successive strikes, one sword slashed through the demons and corrupted soldiers within the city, while the other two struck Li Tianzong.

The demonic aura surrounding Li Tianzong dispersed as his massive body exploded, his chest splitting open.

Yet delivering such a powerful attack caused Li Hao’s body to deteriorate further. His flesh continued to collapse at an accelerated pace, and the fragments of the Azure Frost Sword disintegrated into dust. Left with no other choice, he charged forward himself, delivering blow after blow with his fists.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Each strike landed on Li Tianzong’s enormous demonic body, leaving gaping holes as streams of demonic energy spilled out.

Li Tianzong roared in rage, but his body was entirely suppressed by Li Hao.

At last, it seemed Li Tianzong realized his defeat.

“I wanted to go home… I wanted to bring you all home…”

His voice became a mournful roar, like a wounded beast. Tears of blood streamed from his eyes, his despair reminiscent of the day Dragon City was destroyed.

Boom!

Li Hao’s final punch shattered the remaining demonic energy surrounding Li Tianzong. The hundred-zhang-tall demonic form vanished, and his body plummeted straight into the city below.

Li Hao’s own body, however, had become horrifyingly frail. The flesh on his chest and abdomen had completely fallen away, leaving behind an empty, broken shell.

Even the Undying Force could no longer sustain him, and his strength was rapidly running out.

Turning his head to face the city, Li Hao raised his hand once more. Channeling all the power of heaven and earth, he unleashed a final slash.

A wave of sword energy rippled outward from his position, spreading rapidly like a tidal wave. Its destructive force rivaled that of a Dao Domain’s full extension. Everything it touched—demons, corrupted soldiers—was obliterated before they could even cry out.

This included several Three Immortals Realm great demons and even demon kings, none of whom could resist.

The Candlefire God attempted to flee, but the energy came too swiftly. He roared as he summoned his Dao Domain in a desperate defense, only to be consumed entirely.

“Haor!”

Li Xiaoran’s voice echoed as he rushed from the distance, his body stained with demonic blood. But what he saw made him freeze in place.

Li Hao’s body was disintegrating, turning to dust before his eyes.

From the deep crater below, Li Tianzong climbed out, his hair disheveled. The demonic aura around him was gone, and no trace of black energy remained. Even the crimson glow in his eyes had disappeared.

He looked around in confusion before his gaze fell on Li Hao’s fading figure in midair. His pupils shrank, and he hurriedly surged toward him.

“Child!”

Like a rainbow streaking across the sky, Li Tianzong reached Li Hao, trembling as he saw the remnants of his dissipating body.

“You… how could you do something so foolish?”

Li Hao, feeling his consciousness being pulled away by the forces of heaven and earth, smiled faintly upon seeing Li Tianzong’s now-clear eyes.

“Now, you can go back…”

Beside him, golden text shimmered into view, indicating the completion of the main mission.

Had he truly cleared it?

Li Hao tried to take a closer look, but his vision was already blurring. Everything seemed to be slipping away, his being drawn into the vast expanse of heaven and earth, merging with it completely.

“If I’ve cleared it… I should be free now, right…”

He murmured to himself.

His body dissolved like dust, vanishing before the eyes of Li Tianzong and Li Xiaoran.

Li Xiaoran, who had rushed to the scene, stood frozen, covered in demon blood. He watched as Li Hao faded away like a wisp of breeze, gone entirely.

The boy’s final, barely audible words lingered in his ears, breaking him into uncontrollable sobs.

Crossing the River of Death allowed his elder brother, Li Tianzong, to find release.

But Li Hao could never return…

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