https://novelcool.info/chapter/Follow-the-path-of-Dao-from-infancy-Chapter-1043-214-Ancient-Demon-Descent-All-Saints-Regret-10-1k-words-seeking-monthly-votes-_7/13561037/
Chapter 1: Bestowing a Name, Li Hao
Chapter 1: Bestowing a Name, Li Hao
Headache, intense pain!
Li Hao tried to open his eyes, but it felt incredibly difficult.
Finally, a narrow slit slowly opened before his eyes.
Dim light filtered in, revealing an ancient grand hall, majestic and solemn. Before him was a dark golden dragon-scaled carpet.
At the end of the carpet, on a raised platform, sat a giant with an awe-inspiring presence, his gaze piercing like a flame in the night, radiating a captivating light.
Where... am I?
Wasn't I playing a game?
Oh, my phone ran out of battery, and I was just about to charge it...
Li Hao's mind was sluggish, dazed and confused as he looked around.
Damn, did I fall asleep holding my phone again?
But this doesn't seem like a dream.
"Age nineteen, a hero who led the army, defeated the royal court, exterminated the Great Demon, and pacified the century-long turmoil of Cangzhou. Such a hero is not only a loss to your Li family but also a pain to the millions of citizens of the Great Yu Dynasty!"
"Marquis Xingwu, step forward and hear the imperial decree!"
A solemn voice echoed in the grand hall, deafening.
Li Hao strained to look and saw many officials in official robes standing on either side of the carpet, their heads bowed. This is... the imperial palace?
The Great Yu Dynasty... I don't remember there being such a dynasty in history.
As Li Hao was puzzled, a towering giant suddenly stepped forward, his posture straight and imposing. Just from his back, one could sense a killing aura.
"Today, Li Jia's Ninth Son, Li Junye, is bestowed the title of First-Class Guardian Marquis, promoted to a general, and allowed to be buried in the Imperial Mausoleum. He is granted ten carts of ancient treasures, three Yu Dragon Tokens, and ten dou of gold!"
"From this day on, the nation will mourn for three days, and the palace will abstain from meat for seven days to honor the spirit of the Guardian Marquis!"
The grand hall was shaken by this immense reward.
At just 19 years old, he was made a general and ennobled!
And usually, marquises are titled as Marquis of the North or Marquis of the Plains, but this title of 'Guardian of the Nation' is an unprecedented honor!
No one before, and likely no one after, will achieve such a distinction.
After all, being ennobled as a First-Class Marquis at 19 is truly remarkable!
"Your Majesty, I accept the decree on behalf of my ninth brother. I thank Emperor Yu!"
The imposing figure knelt on one knee, his voice low and somber, lacking the usual joy and excitement, only a faint sorrow, his voice hoarse.
"This is what your family deserves, and it is I who owe you!"
"Marquis Xingwu, is that your child? I wish to bestow a name upon him. Do you agree?"
"Your subject has done nothing to deserve such imperial grace!"
"The sons of the Li family are all heroes of the Great Yu Dynasty. When the Guardian Marquis died in battle, your son was born. This might be the cycle of fate. Heaven took away my beloved general and bestowed upon the Great Yu a fine son."
"I hereby name him... Hao!"
"I hope he will carry on the Guardian Marquis's legacy, sweeping away the chaos and unifying Donghuang for the Great Yu Dynasty!"
"Your Majesty, this name is too noble, and your subject fears he cannot bear it..."
"No matter, the sons of the Li family deserve it!"
A single name, Hao?
Li Hao was taken aback and almost laughed. What a coincidence, the same name as mine?
Wait a minute.
He said 'child.' Could he be talking about me?
Li Hao looked down and was instantly stunned. He was in a swaddling cloth, tiny hands and feet, and was being held by a beautiful woman in military armor.
"Bring the Dragon Blood Jade to Hao."
Soon, a pale-faced eunuch with a serious expression approached, handing over a dark red dragon-patterned jade pendant.
A delicate, fair hand gently took it, and the beautiful woman holding him whispered, "Thank you, Emperor Yu, for your kindness."
What is going on...
Li Hao blinked. Is this a dream?
Suddenly, dizziness washed over him, and he couldn't hold on any longer, falling into a deep sleep.
...
...
Qingzhou City, Divine General Manor, the Li family.
The Great Yu Dynasty has five divine generals, and the Li family is one of them.
With nine generals in one family, all renowned for their loyalty, the Li family stands as the noblest of nobles in the Great Yu Dynasty, enjoying endless wealth and glory.
However, beneath this immense prosperity lies the blood and flesh of their kin.
Of the Li family's nine sons, six have already fallen!
The youngest, Ninth Son, joined the military only two years ago and was recently promoted to the rank of Commander. No one could have predicted that during the Cangzhou Campaign, he would lead tens of thousands of iron-clad cavalry and fight all the way to the enemy’s capital.
He broke through fifteen cities and beheaded a hundred demons!
He earned a reputation that would last ten generations, becoming the sixth Li family member to die in the line of duty for the nation.
Now, his golden statue stands in the Martial Temple, receiving the veneration and offerings of the people.
At this moment,
It has been about three months since the "Guardian Marquis" title was bestowed.
In the past few months, the people of the Li household have gradually emerged from their grief, with the shadows of sorrow lifting from their faces.
Today, the manor is filled with joy, a rare moment of lively celebration.
Nobles from various provinces and ministers from the imperial court either personally attend or send representatives to Qingzhou. Luxurious and prestigious carriages line up in front of the Divine General Manor, drawing the attention of passersby.
Today is the Hundred Day Feast for Li Hao, the son of Seventh Son, Marquis Xingwu.
This young prodigy, born with a golden spoon in his mouth, was named by Emperor Yu himself and has already gained fame across the land. Being from a family of divine generals, there is no doubt that he will have a prominent place in the future.
As the saying goes, it’s never too early to curry favor.
Inside the Divine General Manor, in a room within the Mountain and River Courtyard,
Li Hao, cradled in his mother Ji Qingqing’s arms, curiously observes the bustling scene outside the courtyard.
Over the past few months, Li Hao has come to realize that he is not dreaming but has, in fact, been transported to a different world.
This is not a historical dynasty but the Ephemeral World, a realm of Martial Artists, Great Demons, Swordsmen, and the Imperial Court.
Fortunately, the Great Yu Dynasty is strong, and Demons are forbidden from entering. Those who dare to sneak in are few, so the lives of the people are relatively prosperous, especially for someone born into the top echelons of society.
Life is full of promise!
"Hao'er, do you know that your mother doesn’t wish for you to be born into the Li family?" Amidst the noisy festivities outside, Ji Qingqing’s face is clouded with worry as she softly murmurs these words.
Li Hao looks up at his mother in surprise.
His vocal cords are not yet fully developed, so he cannot speak, and even if he could, he wouldn’t dare to ask why, for fear of frightening this young woman.
Though Ji Qingqing appears to be a young girl, only in her early twenties,
Her unwavering care and warmth over the past few months have made him feel a sense of dependency on her.
"Actually, your mother had already thought of a name for you, Le Ping, Li Le Ping! I only wish for you to grow up healthy and safe. Unifying the world is a dream of the imperial family, not of the Li family, and certainly not mine..."
Ji Qingqing whispers to herself, the fawning faces of the nobles outside do not bring her pride or joy, but rather a sense of discomfort.
"Emperor Yu named you because he saw that Ninth Son had died and hoped that the Li family would rise again. This name carries the expectations of the Great Yu Dynasty, a weight of hope and a driving force for the Li family..."
She trails off.
The heavy burden of these expectations, placed on her child, is not hard to imagine. The more favor he receives today, the greater the pressure he will bear in the future!
Li Hao sees the sorrow in the young woman’s eyes. At this moment, she is no longer the revered Seventh Lady of the Divine General Manor, nor the iron-faced female general who strikes fear into the hearts of enemies on the battlefield. She is simply a mother.
Unable to speak, he buries his head deeper into her chest.
Trying to convey her comfort through her body heat.
Feeling the movement in her arms, Ji Qingqing lowered her head and looked at the child's long lashes and beautiful face, her eyes immediately softening.
She held Li Hao, gently trembling, her slender hands soothing the child, as if also comforting her own heart:
"No matter what, Mother will help you. Your father has already reached the 'Three Immortalities' realm, and there's a chance you might inherit that power."
"Even if your Martial Dao aptitude turns out to be mediocre, with the power your father has passed down to you, it will be enough for you to catch up to the steps of your father's youth, and you won't fall behind other children your age."
"Whatever happens in the future, Mother will stand by your side and never let anyone harm you..."
She whispered softly to herself.
"The Hundred Day Feast is about to start. Why are you here?"
At that moment, the burly Marquis Xingwu walked over, gently wrapping his hand around Ji Qingqing's waist and asked in surprise, "What are you thinking about? Are you not happy?"
"Of course not."
Ji Qingqing hid her emotions, smiled up, and didn't share her thoughts with her husband. She knew Li Hao's father had a single-minded character, taking pride in dying on the battlefield, and her personal concerns would never outweigh the thousand-year glory of the Divine General Manor.
"Have the sisters all arrived?"
"Yes, they're all here, just waiting for you and Hao'er."
Marquis Xingwu glanced at Li Hao, ruffling his little head. But his rough hand felt like a blade, making Li Hao roll his eyes.
This big oaf of a father, couldn't he be a bit more careful?
Ji Qingqing carried Li Hao to another room filled with the ladies and their children, where the chatter immediately swarmed around them.
"Ah, Hao'er has grown so handsome, he's even more beautiful than Jing'er was when she was little."
"Yes, Shuang'er, look at your little brother, how cute he is."
"Hey, his little eyes are staring at me!"
Besides the ladies, their children were also there. The younger ones, just one or two years old, tugged at their parents' pants, their eyes wide and curious, looking at the baby Li Hao in the cradle.
A few older children, around five or six years old, stood to one side, acting mature and not mischievous, looking rather bored but not daring to leave, showing little interest in the new little brother.
"Come, Hao'er, let Fifth Lady hold you."
A beautiful woman picked up Li Hao, her face full of affection, and suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, is Hao'er hungry?"
"He just ate this morning."
The beautiful woman didn't doubt it, assuming Li Hao was just hungry again. Hearing Ji Qingqing say he had already eaten, she stopped worrying and gently pinched Li Hao's little face, giggling.
The other ladies also gathered around to play with Li Hao, and when the time was right, they presented their gifts one by one.
Ji Qingqing tried to refuse, but the gifts were forcefully placed in her hands.
These were treasures worth more than a thousand pieces of gold. Today, at Li Hao's Hundred Day Feast, the gifts received filled half of the Mountain and River Courtyard, all rare and precious.
One of the gifts was a jade-like bracelet placed on Li Hao's tender little hand by Fifth Lady, who said it had the effect of nourishing the spirit.
Li Hao, who had been feeling a bit tired from all the chatter, felt a cool sensation flow through his hand and into his body after putting on the bracelet, making him feel much more alert.
His drowsiness vanished, and his thoughts became sharper.
He squinted his eyes, and a blurry string of characters appeared before him.
Compared to the hazy and indistinct characters when he first crossed over, as he grew day by day over the past few months, his brain developed, and the characters gradually became clearer.
And at this moment, like putting on glasses for nearsightedness, they became perfectly clear.
...
After a six-month break, the beginning might not be perfect, but it will get more exciting as it progresses.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
