Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 247

Volume 3 - Chapter 14: If Only You Were Really My Son - Part 1

“They’re here.”

The figure of Li Xiaoran appeared at some point, standing behind Li Hao, his gaze fixed on the pitch-black area a hundred li outside the city.

There, silhouettes of demonic creatures gradually emerged, charging out of the darkness like they were crawling from the abyss.

“That was fast,” Li Hao muttered.

He hadn’t expected the demonic creatures to appear so soon after the main mission to defend Dragon City had just begun. It was the break of dawn, the time when they had to hold out until the dawn ten days from now.

During this time, he couldn’t afford to rest.

The two of them gazed out beyond the city walls. The withered grass swayed as a torrent of demonic creatures surged closer and closer from the horizon.

Atop the city’s command tower, Li Tianzong appeared clad in battle armor, exuding an imposing aura.

He issued orders, and the adjutants beside him used an array of colored flags to signal commands in all directions. Above them, different-colored beacon fires lit the sky, relaying the orders to the rest of the city.

Before long, the demonic creatures drew near.

At Li Tianzong’s command, countless flaming arrows shot from the city walls, while numerous masters in the Heaven and Man Realm unleashed their weapons, sending them flying beyond the walls to intercept the invaders.

Li Xiaoran and Li Hao also joined the fray. With a simple wave, their sword light and blade light slashed outward, their weapons flying dozens of li into the horde, cutting down swaths of demonic creatures.

The Azure Frost Sword danced amidst the tide, its blade trailing nine attached demonic souls. The massive upper bodies of these souls clawed and gnawed ferociously, devouring numerous demonic creatures in moments, including those in the Heaven and Man Realm and even a few great demons of the Three Immortals Realm.

Glancing at the rapidly increasing percentage of progress in the River of Death’s clearance, Li Hao felt a bit relieved. Manipulating the Azure Frost Sword, he swept it in wide arcs through the horde.

His aura surged, unleashing a tide of sword energy that spread like a blue river, carving a large swath through the tide of demons.

Li Xiaoran’s blade light weaved among the enemies, targeting the great demons with thunderous momentum.

“You stay here; I’ll head to the other side,” Li Xiaoran said to Li Hao. “Be careful of those two hidden in the horde, waiting to ambush.”

“Understood,” Li Hao replied with a nod. The two separated but stayed close enough to support each other if needed.

Their combined efforts significantly eased the pressure of the demonic assault.

But soon, deafening roars erupted from the demonic tide as two fearsome Demon Kings charged out, their menacing forms aiming for the Azure Frost Sword.

Li Hao’s expression turned cold. With a thought, he maneuvered the Azure Frost Sword to counterattack.

The sword tide surged again, piercing countless demonic creatures. Two brilliant beams of sword light coalesced, slicing toward the two Demon Kings.

Li Hao sighed inwardly. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been able to acquire the Yellow Bird Diagram recently. Without its lethal attack attribute, his current stats lacked a critical edge.

The Yellow Bird Diagram had been in Liang Province. Although Li Tianzong had sent people to search for it on Li Hao’s behalf, their efforts had yet to bear fruit, likely hindered by the deeply ingrained perceptions of the region’s inhabitants.

Without this attribute, Li Hao felt his group combat methods were somewhat insufficient in these chaotic skirmishes. Otherwise, the endless tide of sword energy alone might have been enough to kill a Demon King. Now, he had to rely on his true energy to pose a threat, significantly increasing his energy consumption.

Boom! Boom!

The two Demon Kings were forced back by Li Hao’s sword light, sustaining severe injuries. Li Hao chased after them with the Azure Frost Sword. The demonic souls attached to the sword roared, swiftly entangling and devouring the Demon Kings. Moments later, the flying sword decapitated them both, slicing open their massive bodies and spilling their innards.

The sword light spun, eradicating the escaping souls as well.

Two Demon Kings of the Dao Heart Realm had fallen to Li Hao in less than three exchanges.

Cheers erupted from the soldiers on the walls. A storm of flaming arrows and countless weapons from the masters followed, helping Li Hao eliminate the demonic tide and striking down the stragglers.

As Li Hao stood atop the city walls, overseeing the battle, three figures watched from a mountaintop deep within the demonic tide. Around them, countless demonic creatures howled and surged forward.

...

“That boy has progressed to this level so quickly.”

“It seems there’s not much difference between him and the outside world. No wonder he reached the Three Immortals Realm at fifteen.”

“This boy must be hiding a great secret, perhaps possessing some extraordinary treasure—or maybe even a Saint reincarnated through the bloodline of the Divine General Mansion!”

The three figures—Candlefire God, Lu Yuan, and Yin Lady—fixed their cold, calculating gazes on the azure sword light flashing in the distance. Contrary to Li Xiaoran’s earlier assumptions, Yin Lady had not remained outside the River of Death but had joined the others here.

Their cultivation levels matched those from the outside world, thanks to their unique methods.

...

Candlefire God had opened a Dao Domain, isolating rules to maintain his and his wife’s original cultivation. Lu Yuan relied on his dragon lineage, rapidly regaining his strength among the demons until he returned to his previous level.

“Reincarnated Saint? Hah! That’s just a myth,” Candlefire God sneered, dismissing Lu Yuan’s suggestion as a ploy to deepen his murderous intent toward Li Hao.

“Just wait. This is only the first day. Even if we don’t act, they won’t last. The big ones haven’t even moved yet.”

Lu Yuan didn’t argue, his eyes fixed coldly on the city walls. His confidence stemmed from knowledge passed down by a Demon King who had once entered the River of Death, giving him insights into its peculiar rules.

This was a ten-day siege, and it was only the first day.

The three continued to observe, biding their time for an opening.

“When Li Xiaoran eventually attempts to retreat, that’s when we’ll strike,” Candlefire God said.

Lu Yuan nodded.

The battle outside the city walls raged on. Piles of demon corpses formed hills, rivers of blood flowed, and the relentless warfare even left Lu Yuan and Candlefire God looking grave. Only the sheer numbers of the demons made such carnage sustainable; even they couldn’t fathom the full extent of the horde.

Thanks to the efforts of Li Hao, Li Xiaoran, and the renowned generals defending the city, the demonic tide began to falter. However, other areas still suffered damages.

Li Hao’s expression remained serious. It was only the first day, and he had already killed five Demon Kings. This scale rivaled the demonic forces that once attacked Liang Province.

Dinner was delivered to the city walls, where Li Hao sat with the soldiers, eating and drinking together.

The five slain Demon Kings were brought back and refined by his Ten Thousand Blood True Demon Art, their essence enhancing his physical strength further and making him even more formidable.

Overhead, the dark clouds hung heavily, their depths obscured and impenetrable. Li Hao inquired with Li Xiaoran about whether anyone had been sent to scout the blackened area beyond the battlefield.

Li Xiaoran told him that anyone venturing into that dark region never returned.

It wasn’t simply that they were killed by the demons—it was a result of the unique rules of the River of Death, shaped by the obsessions of Li Tianzong, which had seeped into the very fabric of the area.

During the Dragon City War, the blackened region represented the demonic horde itself. To step into it was to invite certain death. The rules embedded in the area ensured death was inescapable.

Only those who had reached the Supreme Dao Stage could break through such rules and traverse this forbidden zone.

As night fell, more waves of demonic creatures attacked the city, keeping the soldiers on high alert, unable to rest.

By the second day, the demonic onslaught intensified. The section of the battlefield where Li Hao and Li Xiaoran were stationed required their full attention to hold the line.

The overwhelming tide of demonic creatures surged with even greater ferocity, and more Demon Kings lurked among their ranks. Li Hao, standing at the forefront in the Three Immortals Realm, confronted them directly and killed one Demon King after another.

Among the Demon Kings was one at the Reverse Fate Realm who withstood Li Hao's attacks and managed to escape into the distance.

As Li Hao and Li Xiaoran fought fiercely against the demons, other members of the Li family gathered at different areas of the battlefield, working together to defend their assigned sectors.

All four sides of Dragon City were under siege. Li Hao and Li Xiaoran held one side alone, while the remaining three sides were defended by older, secondary branches of the Li family.

...

“There are so many Demon Kings!”

On the northern side of the city, four young figures stood together, their expressions grim.

The eldest among them, Li Xuanli, looked out at the endless tide of demonic creatures, his gaze lingering on the older generation of branch family members as they fought against the demons and clashed with Demon Kings. His fists clenched tightly in frustration.

“Even with the four of us in the Three Immortals Realm, we don’t dare leave the city walls.”

“The Demon Kings’ attacks are relentless. If we show ourselves, we’ll be targeted immediately. These demons seem to hate the Li family the most.”

Their faces were heavy with worry as they relied on their divine weapons to attack the demonic tide from within the safety of the city walls.

...

“Unfortunately, we don’t have the terrifying strength of Lao Shi. Only Lao Shi can kill Demon Kings.”

Li Junye stood tall and composed, manipulating the Eternal Night Divine Sword.

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