Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 254

Volume 3 - Chapter 18: I Want to Go Home - Part 2

“Let those Dead Soul Demon Kings grind down Li Hao first!”

“You are destined to die!”

The Candlefire God suppressed his anger, his gaze icy. Suddenly, he slapped his chest, activating a Sacred Heart Talisman that surrounded his body with radiant light. His speed instantly surged, and he vanished in a flash, fleeing Dragon City.

The Half-Step Supreme Dao Realm Demon King was being pursued relentlessly by Li Hao and forced to flee in panic.

When Li Hao saw the talisman light enveloping his opponent and accelerating him, he too activated a Sacred Heart Talisman, letting the talisman light engulf him as he gave chase at full speed.

However, as he reached the outskirts of the city, Li Hao sensed an unusual and ominous premonition of danger. It felt as if several intensely chilling gazes from behind the demon tide outside the city were locked onto him.

It was highly likely that among them were several Supreme Dao Realm Demon Kings!

In the brief moment he hesitated, the Candlefire God had already fled a hundred miles into the Dark Forbidden Zone outside the city. It took less than half a breath for him to cross that distance.

The region beyond the city carried the fatal rules of the River of Death. Even if Li Hao could currently resist the domain rules, it was uncertain whether he could defy the rules of the River of Death.

Li Hao's expression grew grim. At this point, he had no hope of escaping the River of Death alive. However, even if he were to die here, he wanted to kill the Candlefire God before his end.

He could not allow the Candlefire God to escape and wreak havoc on Liang Province.

Yet, even this final wish seemed impossible to fulfill now.

Li Hao cast one last glance in the Candlefire God's direction before decisively turning back and rushing to another part of the city to continue the slaughter.

Meanwhile, Lu Yuan was racing toward the outskirts of the city at full speed. He wasn’t one of the Dead Souls here—these Dead Souls would not perish completely even if they died. They would endlessly reincarnate in the River of Death until the river’s curse was lifted and resolved.

But if he died here, it would be a true death.

However, while entering the city earlier had been easy, escaping now felt incredibly difficult.

As he reached the outskirts, several elder soldiers of the Li Family appeared, blocking his path.

Though their cultivation levels were inferior to Lu Yuan’s, they were fearless and unyielding.

Lu Yuan roared in fury, unleashing a series of thunderous attacks to force them back.

At that moment, a streak of light shot toward him from behind at an alarming speed.

Lu Yuan turned in horror, only to see a black sword light slicing through the sky, spanning fifty miles in a single strike!

The sword light slashed ferociously, severing Lu Yuan's head clean off!

The myriad martial intents contained within the sword light annihilated his divine soul in an instant.

The colossal dragon corpse plummeted from the sky.

This Dragon Gate Grand Elder, despite being at the Absolute Technique Stage, could not withstand Li Hao’s peak strike at this moment!

Compared to his performance outside the River of Death, the main difference lay in the overwhelming power augmentations Li Hao currently possessed: divine medicines, the heroic spirits of his ancestors, and more.

Most crucially, his physical body was so refined that it rivaled a Nine-Forged Divine Weapon, nearing the limits of the Immortal Realm. The immense worldly power drawn during his Immortal Ascension far surpassed imagination.

Back when he was merely at the Heaven and Man Realm, Li Hao had relied on 40% of his Immortal Ascension potential to battle Dao Heart Realm experts and withstand attacks from Reverse Fate experts. Now, with the Earth and Heaven Meridian and nearly achieving the Three Immortals Realm, his strength was even more terrifying.

Li Hao glanced at the severed dragon corpse, then leaped forward to stand before it. Activating the Ten Thousand Blood True Demon Technique, he absorbed its essence to further refine his body.

As the dragon corpse dried up, Li Hao felt a faint sense of satisfaction. At least one of the three Demon Kings had been eliminated.

Without sparing another look at the old dragon that had cultivated for ten thousand years and shaken the Great Yu Dynasty, he turned and headed back toward the city wall.

...

When Li Hao arrived at the city wall, he found it overwhelmed by the demon tide. The corpses of soldiers and demons were strewn everywhere, and rivers of blood flowed.

The reinforcements sent to the wall, including Chen Hefang and Li Qingling from the Li Family, were nowhere to be seen.

Li Hao expanded his aura to scan the battlefield but could no longer detect their presence.

This meant they were most likely swallowed by the demon tide, their remains either devoured or lost within the bodies of demons.

Taking a deep breath, Li Hao controlled the Azure Frost Sword and charged into the demon tide, weaving through the battlefield.

Soon, he realized that the auras of his "brothers" were also fading.

The northern part of the city had fallen. Given their personalities, they had likely fought to their deaths against the demon tide.

Li Hao sighed deeply but continued battling the demon tide, striving to hold the line.

If he fought with all his might, perhaps he could defend the city for another day.

With Li Hao’s addition, the battlefield shifted dramatically. Sword qi surged, tearing through the demon tide, and the situation, which had been on the verge of collapse, was quickly stabilized by Li Hao’s efforts.

The demon tide persisted relentlessly, and Li Hao fought desperately. Without any Supreme Dao Realm enemies present, he didn’t need to enter his Immortal Ascension state. With the Earth and Heaven Meridian’s regenerative abilities, he could maintain a half-Undying Realm state, making prolonged battles manageable.

Within the demon tide, numerous Demon Kings emerged, appearing as if they saw a glimmer of hope for escape, charging toward Dragon City.

Li Hao fought fiercely, slaying these Demon Kings one after another. He absorbed the essence of their blood and power, refining it to further strengthen his body. Each battle honed his physique to even greater extremes, pushing the boundaries of many body refinement techniques.

As the slaughter continued, Li Hao alleviated the pressure on the northern front and moved to the eastern side of the city.

Like a sharp sword on the battlefield, he dashed back and forth, aiding in patching up breaches that had been overrun by the demon tide.

However, Dragon City was simply too vast. Even with Li Hao’s efforts, parts of the city were still invaded by demons. Inside the city, the populace fled in panic.

While battling, Li Hao issued orders to the Li Family soldiers, commanding them to retreat inward and shrink the defensive line to the inner circle of Dragon City.

With the protective divine array already destroyed, all they could do was form a human wall to hold off the demons.

Time slipped by.

As the battle progressed, an earth-shattering roar suddenly echoed across the battlefield.

Li Hao looked up to see a massive demonic figure plummet from the sky and crash into the city below.

He recognized it as the true form of the Tattered-Robe Youth. Earlier, the youth had been locked in combat with Li Tianzong, with neither able to gain the upper hand. But now, the Tattered-Robe Youth’s body was riddled with cracks, and he had fallen to the ground, his divine soul dim and faint.

Li Tianzong descended like a whirlwind of black mist, striking with fury. The black mist engulfed the demon's body, and soon, horrifying sounds of tearing and squirming flesh emanated from within.

Li Hao attempted to probe with his divine sense, but the black mist blocked his perception.

His actions seemed to disturb something. The black mist churned violently before condensing like a whirlpool, gathering into a single figure.

It was Li Tianzong.

Li Tianzong’s entire body exuded overwhelming demonic energy, his crimson eyes glowing with madness. He muttered something under his breath as though lost in delirium.

Li Hao’s keen hearing caught his words clearly.

“I must hold the line…”

“I must hold the line…”

Li Tianzong repeated the phrase in a hoarse whisper.

Sensing Li Hao’s gaze, he abruptly raised his head. His blood-red eyes were filled with savage ferocity, devoid of the calm demeanor and gentle smile he once had.

A chill ran through Li Hao’s heart as he felt an oppressive sense of being targeted.

Startled, he realized something was wrong with Li Tianzong’s state. It seemed as if Li Tianzong had succumbed to the irreversible madness Li Xiaoran had warned him about.

As Li Hao watched warily, Li Tianzong’s crimson eyes flickered briefly, reflecting Li Hao’s figure. For a fleeting moment, the violent killing intent in his gaze gave way to a trace of clarity.

“Go quickly…to the city…”

Li Tianzong shouted, but the effort seemed to trigger something within him. His expression twisted in pain, his face contorting as he let out a furious roar.

Suddenly, his body shot into the air, heading toward the outskirts of the city. His voice echoed as he bellowed, “Let me leave!!”

The deafening cry reverberated across Dragon City. Outside the city, a few concealed figures lurking among the demon tide suddenly unleashed their intimidating auras.

“What’s going on?”

The Candlefire God, hiding outside the city with his wife, the Yin Lady, furrowed his brow at the unexpected development. They had been suppressing their auras, waiting for the Dead Soul Demon Kings to breach the city and exhaust Li Hao before making their move.

Seeing Li Tianzong charge out like a demon, both of them were taken aback by the unexpected turn of events.

Having never been to the River of Death before, much of it was shrouded in mystery for them. Their first trip here was meant primarily to gather intelligence.

The Candlefire God noticed that the Dao Realm Demon Kings, who had previously shown disdain for him, now seemed eager to act. Their auras surged as they prepared to move.

“Are they targeting Li Tianzong?”

The Candlefire God’s expression shifted, his heart filled with suspicion.

At that moment, a scene that made his blood run cold unfolded before his eyes.

The Dao Realm Demon Kings charged out of the demon tide, surrounding Li Tianzong.

However, they did not attack him. Instead, they rammed straight into him.

Li Tianzong’s form became even more terrifying, his body swelling and his appearance grotesque like that of a demon. He opened his mouth wide and devoured the Dao Realm Demon Kings in a single gulp.

“This…”

Both the Candlefire God and the Yin Lady’s pupils contracted in shock as they witnessed this scene.

After consuming the Dao Realm Demon Kings, Li Tianzong exuded a terrifying aura of demonic energy. Like a fiendish god, he let out a deafening roar, his hair flowing wildly as his body grew larger and more beastly.

He stomped through the demon tide, turning back toward Dragon City and roaring, “All of you, die! Die…”

His blood-red eyes glowed violently as he charged into the city.

At the same time, an unprecedented transformation swept through Dragon City.

Li Hao saw that as Li Tianzong stormed through Dragon City with his overwhelming demonic aura, the soldiers who had been fiercely fighting the demon tide suddenly froze in place.

Then, black mist began to rise from their bodies, and they turned into beings that resembled demons or awakened vengeful spirits. Without hesitation, they merged into the demon tide and began slaughtering the city’s civilians.

The citizens themselves were not spared. Black mist seeped from their bodies as well, transforming them into demons that began destroying homes and structures.

Suspended in midair, Li Hao stared blankly at the shocking scene below.

What had been an assault by a demon tide had now turned into a full-scale collapse of Dragon City. Even the city’s soldiers and citizens had turned against it, becoming part of the demonic force.

Was this the true difficulty of breaking through the River of Death?

Li Hao felt an icy chill throughout his body, coupled with an overwhelming sense of bitterness.

Even if Dragon City could hold for ten days, the ninth or tenth day would likely see such transformations.

Even with everyone’s cooperation to defend Dragon City, they would ultimately face the betrayal of the city’s own soldiers and civilians, as well as the complete transformation of Li Tianzong.

Why was it like this?

Li Hao couldn’t understand. How could anyone possibly overcome such difficulty?

Even a Supreme Dao Realm expert couldn’t hope to manage it!

Roars echoed endlessly across the city.

The soldiers who had once fought desperately against the demon tide now had black mist surging from their eyes. Riding atop the demons they had previously battled, they rampaged through the city, destroying everything in sight.

More and more demons charged toward Li Hao’s position.

“Haor!”

In the distance, Li Xiaoran rushed over, clearly shocked by the scene.

Dragon City had almost completely fallen.

Only the Divine General Mansion, still protected by its unbroken array, remained untouched.

Outside the Divine General Mansion, a sea of demons and transformed soldiers surrounded it. Now, the only remaining defenders were Li Hao and Li Xiaoran.

Faced with the entirety of Dragon City’s demonic forces, it was up to these two to hold the line and achieve victory.

Li Hao wanted to laugh, but no laughter came. He had always known the River of Death at the Netherworld-Level was dangerous, but now he truly understood it.

No wonder Second Uncle had warned him that even a Fourth Pillar Realm expert shouldn’t enter the Netherworld-Level River of Death lightly—returning alive was nearly impossible.

“So, this is what it’s like…”

Li Xiaoran landed beside Li Hao, his gaze sweeping over the waves of demons surging toward them. Understanding dawned on him, and his face turned sorrowful and bitter.

“In the end, to defend Dragon City means confronting our eldest brother’s revived obsession…”

“So, it turns out the ultimate threat we must face is our eldest brother himself…”

Li Xiaoran’s sorrow deepened as he stared at Li Tianzong, who now resembled a demonic god, walking through the void step by step toward them.

In a voice filled with sadness, he cried out, “Big Brother, wake up! We’re here to take you home!”

Li Tianzong’s footsteps seemed to pause slightly, but it was only for the briefest of moments before he continued forward.

From his shoulders, chest, and back, several grotesque demonic heads sprouted, grinning mockingly at Li Hao and Li Xiaoran.

“You might as well stay here and die alongside him. Stay here with your big brother—no one leaves alive.”

“He’ll never wake up again. Prepare to die!”

“No one can escape the River of Death. Stay here with us!”

Amid their chilling taunts, Li Tianzong’s blood-red eyes glowed fiercely. His towering, demon-like body advanced, and he muttered under his breath:

“I must defend Dragon City. No one may approach… I will lead all my soldiers back. I must take them home…”

“I want… to take them home!!”

The red glow in his eyes intensified as he roared, his entire body emanating demonic energy that felt like a bottomless abyss, surpassing even the power of the Supreme Dao Realm.

Li Xiaoran cried out in grief, “Big Brother, the battle for Dragon City ended long ago! You were the only one who didn’t return, the only one left behind!!”

Boom!

Li Tianzong suddenly raised his hand, releasing a bolt of terrifying lightning aimed at Li Xiaoran.

Li Xiaoran had no time to react and could only watch as the attack approached.

Li Hao’s expression shifted. He saw the danger clearly and immediately swung his sword, shattering the lightning attack.

Stepping in front of Li Xiaoran, Li Hao shielded him and looked up at the hundred-foot-tall, demonic figure of Li Tianzong. In a low voice, he said to the man behind him:

“Fourth Uncle, step back. Let me handle this.”

“Haor, what are you planning to do?”

Li Xiaoran looked at him, his face filled with sorrow and despair.

His despair wasn’t for himself, knowing he would die here, but for Li Hao’s fate and their eldest brother’s eternal entrapment in this state.

When they all perished here, who in the Li Family would still be able to free their eldest brother and bring him back to the ancestral shrine?

Li Hao didn’t answer. He simply gazed at the approaching Li Tianzong, gripping his sword tightly.

Memories of the past two months flashed through his mind—the quiet conversations over dinner, the wistful words spoken softly the night before:

“If only you were my son…”

Li Hao’s aura surged wildly, the energy within him unleashed without restraint. He allowed the power of heaven and earth to flow through him freely.

“If you wish to go home, let me open the way for you.”

“Let’s see if my life can be traded for…”

He whispered softly and took a step forward.

This step led toward death, but also toward an unprecedented peak—Immortal Ascension to its very limit!

He had no choice. To not fight was to die. Faced with this reality, he would rather stake his life on a desperate gamble!

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