https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-239-Painting-Dao-Enlightenment-Qi-Vein/13450356/
Chapter 240: Your Son Is a Prodigy
Chapter 240: Your Son Is a Prodigy
The news of Li Hao emerging from his cultivation seclusion spread quickly. Soon, Ji Yunyue and others arrived to visit him.
Upon seeing him again, they all noticed that Li Hao’s aura seemed to have subtly changed.
However, Li Hao’s Omni Attributes concealed the specifics, making it impossible for them to gauge his exact level.
Li Hao inquired and learned that his Painting Dao Enlightenment and cultivation of Qi Veins had taken five days.
"When can I see my mother?"
Li Hao asked.
"The Wasteland Sea is nearly calm. You will be able to see her soon."
Ji Yunyue retrieved an ancient mirror, about ten inches tall, from her spatial item and said gently, "This is the Saint Treasure Sky Mirror. I borrowed it from the Patriarch. It allows us to observe the situation on Heavenly Prison Island. You can see Qing Qing from a distance right now."
Li Hao thanked her and took the mirror. Under Ji Yunyue’s guidance, he infused it with power. Instantly, he felt his consciousness sink into the ancient mirror, and a vast map appeared in his mind.
This map covered the entire Ji Family Sacred Ground Secret Realm. By focusing his thoughts, Li Hao could observe any part of the Secret Realm.
The fact that they had lent him this item also indicated the Ji Family’s recognition of Li Hao.
Li Hao could sense their goodwill but did not rashly pry into other areas. Instead, he focused his thoughts on the northernmost part of the Sacred Ground Secret Realm, as Ji Yunyue had mentioned.
The mirror displayed an image, as if piercing through mist, revealing a vast expanse of sea.
The sea was deep and dark red, as if the bottom was covered in a layer of congealed blood.
Waves surged and clouds gathered, with occasional sea breezes blowing through.
Li Hao was inwardly astonished. The Ji Family Sacred Ground Secret Realm was far more expansive than he had imagined.
The Holy Land he had seen earlier, by map scale, seemed to occupy only one percent of the entire area!
In the center of this vast sea, there was a deep, black hole. From a high vantage point, it appeared bottomless, like a giant eye in the middle of the sea.
Above this massive hole, there was a floating island, swaying slightly in the strong winds from above.
Three thick, massive chains anchored the island from three different angles, like a kite tethered to prevent it from soaring higher.
Li Hao focused his thoughts on the island and saw several mountain peaks and caves. In one of the mountains, there was a thatched hut.
In front of the hut, a figure was bending over, moving stones and piling them up beside the hut. Her clothes were tattered, and her hair was unkempt, as if she hadn’t washed in a long time.
Her face and arms were covered in mud and dried dirt.
Despite her disheveled appearance, Li Hao immediately recognized the woman who had held him in her arms fifteen years ago.
Li Hao had not expected to see her in such a wretched state upon their first meeting again.
She was a far cry from the elegant woman in fine clothing he remembered from the Divine General Manor.
Li Hao’s expression turned grim, a mix of anger and complex emotions welling up inside him. He took a deep breath and said:
"Given my mother’s cultivation, she shouldn’t be in such a sorry state. Could they have crippled her cultivation?"
Ji Yunyue and the others also saw the image and their faces changed slightly. They were familiar with the situation on Heavenly Prison Island.
It was an extremely perilous place, where many of the Ji Family’s criminals were imprisoned.
Ji Qingqing’s crime was relatively minor compared to others, such as betraying the family, colluding with demons, or killing clan members for treasure.
Some were executed on the spot, while others were spared due to the pleas of their ancestors and exiled to this place.
"Qing Qing’s cultivation has not been crippled", Ji Yunqing quickly explained, fearing Li Hao might misunderstand. "If her cultivation were to be crippled, she wouldn’t last a few days on Heavenly Prison Island. It would be no different from execution."
"That’s right. Moreover, Qing Qing has pure bloodlines and is considered a prodigy in our clan. She reached the Three Eternities Realm in her teens. Crippling her cultivation would be a waste", Ji Yunyue added.
She looked at the image in the ancient mirror and said, "This is due to the special laws of Heavenly Prison Island."
In the Wasteland Sea beyond Heavenly Prison Island, ordinary people cannot cross it, not even those at the Ultimate Mastery Realm. The only exception is those who have mastered a Dao Domain, using their own Dao Domain rules to counteract the Wasteland Sea's rules.
At the center of the Wasteland Sea lies the Wasteland Abyss, a place where even a Dao Domain cannot penetrate. It is an absolute no-fly zone where sound cannot carry, and Heavenly and Earthly Energy are completely isolated!
Therefore, one cannot Cultivate on Heavenly Prison Island, and any energy consumed cannot be replenished.
The prisoners there can only rely on their physical strength to endure. If they cannot hold on, they will die there.
Ji Yunyue said softly, "When Qing Qing was sent to Heavenly Prison Island, we filled her Heavenly Earth Space with food and drink. Patriarch turned a blind eye, and we planned to send supplies every ten years. After all, doing it too frequently would invite suspicion. She won’t go hungry, but the environment there is indeed harsh."
Ji Yunqing nodded and sighed, "Fortunately, Tianchao has spoken to the other prisoners on the island, so they won’t dare to provoke Qing Qing. Besides, the prisoners there all hope for a chance to be released and won’t easily offend someone with connections outside. Your mother may have a hard time, but you don’t need to worry about anything else."
Li Hao silently gazed into the ancient mirror. In front of the thatched hut, a woman was moving stones, rebuilding the wall that had been blown down.
She wiped the sweat from her brow and seemed to sense something, looking up toward the sky.
Her gaze seemed to pierce through the ancient mirror, meeting Li Hao’s eyes.
Li Hao felt an inexplicable, indescribable sensation.
It was like a connection of blood.
But the woman in the mirror only glanced once, looking puzzled, before walking back into the hut, seemingly to rest.
Li Hao continued to watch for a moment, then shifted his gaze to other parts of Heavenly Prison Island. He saw several mountain caves where Ji Family prisoners, dressed in tattered clothes and covered in dirt, sat or lay listlessly.
Some of them used stone shards to carve marks on the mountain walls, as if recording the days.
The number of prisoners was not large, but Li Hao could feel the desolate, gloomy, and desperate atmosphere that permeated the island with just a glance.
He stopped watching, put away the ancient mirror, and asked Ji Yunyue, "How long will it take for the Wasteland Sea to calm down enough for a Dao Domain to take me across?"
"Don’t worry, it should be fine by tomorrow. You saw that the Wasteland Sea is almost calm. Even if a Dao Domain takes you across, the lack of energy in the Wasteland Sea will make the return trip difficult. The safest option is to take a boat."
Ji Yunyue immediately advised, "Tomorrow, I will go with you and pick the Twin Flowers first. Only with the Twin Flowers can we detoxify your mother and safely take her away from Heavenly Prison Island. Without them, she would die from the poison once she leaves the island and the Wasteland Sea’s special environment."
"She’s poisoned?" Li Hao’s expression changed.
"It’s not the kind of poison you’re thinking of. It’s a special drug that all prisoners on Heavenly Prison Island must take to prevent them from being rescued by family members or escaping on their own.
"As long as they stay on the island, they are safe and no different from normal people. But if they leave without permission, they will face serious consequences."
Li Hao understood. The Ji Family’s control over the prisoners was extremely strict.
"Child, tomorrow your aunt will take you there. Since you’ve just emerged from Cultivation, why don’t you go see your grandfather first? He has been talking about wanting to see you every day since he heard about you."
Ji Yunqing said gently.
Li Hao looked at them, seeing the hope in their eyes, and thought of Li Tianzong’s lingering soul. A pang of sympathy rose in his heart, and he nodded.
Seeing Li Hao agree, both of them looked pleased and immediately took him to the Ji Family Ancestral Hall.
On the way, Li Hao asked why they hadn’t seen the old senior, referring to Ji Tianchao.
Mentioning Ji Tianchao, both Ji Yunqing and Ji Yunyue had peculiar expressions on their faces as they glanced at Li Hao.
Ji Yunqing said, "Recently, people from the Qin Family have been wandering around the secret realm's perimeter, causing trouble for our Ji Family. They claim that someone saw a young man who called himself from the Ancient Divine Race arrive here and then disappear. They suspect he entered our Ji Family's secret realm to investigate."
As he spoke, both of them looked at Li Hao.
Li Hao was slightly taken aback, surprised that someone had apparently observed his movements on his way here, yet he had not noticed anything.
"According to the Qin Family's description, this young man defeated their prodigy, even the Ultimate Mastery Realm's Qin Tianchen, who is one of their top ten prodigies and extremely powerful. The young man was only around fifteen or sixteen years old..."
Ji Yunqing kept his gaze on Li Hao as he relayed this information.
Seeing their peculiar expressions, Li Hao immediately realized they had already guessed that the young man the Qin Family was talking about was him.
He then put on a helpless look.
He didn't try to hide it and simply asked, "Will this cause trouble for the Ji Family? Should I go and deal with it myself?"
"Is that young man really you?"
Ji Yunqing couldn't help but laugh when Li Hao admitted it.
Li Hao nodded.
The two of them exchanged a look, both wearing expressions of "I knew it."
But then they burst into laughter. Though they had already suspected it, hearing Li Hao confirm it still brought them a sense of pleasant surprise.
"Recently, the Great Wasteland Sky has been buzzing with your name. They say an Ancient Divine Race young man is wreaking havoc, extremely powerful, and can defeat prodigies even in adversity. We guessed it might be you."
"Are those legends true? Do you really come from the Ancient Divine Race? Isn't your father from outside the Great Wasteland Sky?"
Both of them looked at Li Hao curiously.
"Rubbish. If I didn't say it that way, I was afraid they wouldn't accept it", Li Hao explained.
"..."
Both of them were speechless.
They had considered various reasons and explanations, but they never expected this.
"Can't accept it? Are you worried the Qin Family and other families' prodigies would have their Dao Hearts shattered?"
"You're a good person, Li Hao..." They both smiled inwardly. But thinking about the impact of Li Hao's demonstrated strength, it was clear that many of the young generations from various families had been deeply affected.
Some were dejected and disheartened, while others revered Li Hao as a reincarnated deity, holding him in the highest esteem.
Compared to Li Hao, the reputations of other prodigies paled in comparison.
After all, in the ancient noble families, strength was the ultimate measure of respect.
"Even Patriarch guessed it was you. He sent Tianchao to handle the Qin Family, which is why he didn't come", Ji Yunqing said with a smile.
"They wouldn't dare to cause real trouble here. This is our Ji Family's territory. If they push it, we'll cut them all down, leaving not a single one. Let them see how the Qin Family reacts. If it comes to a war, we'll have the advantage of striking first."
Ji Yunyue spoke, and though she was a woman, her eyes sparkled with a fierce determination that rivaled any man's.
Li Hao was momentarily speechless, getting a taste of the ancient noble families' way of doing things.
Not long after, Li Hao entered the Ji Family's Ancestral Hall and met his grandfather.
Thinking about the ancestors enshrined in the Ancestral Hall, Li Hao decided to follow the Ji Family's etiquette and bowed in reverence.
After Ji Yunqing introduced Li Hao, he and Ji Yunyue left the Ancestral Hall.
Ji Yunzhan, seeing his grandson, flew out from the memorial tablet, pulling Li Hao into a series of questions.
Li Hao sat on a zabuton and chatted with the old man's heroic soul. Despite being strangers, they didn't feel awkward, and Li Hao felt relaxed and at ease. They even talked about his mother's childhood.
Occasional light laughter could be heard from the Ancestral Hall.
Ji Yunqing stood outside the Ancestral Hall, listening to the laughter inside, and his eyes showed a sense of satisfaction.
The next day.
News arrived that the Wasteland Sea was calm.
Ji Yunyue came early in the morning, and Li Hao, who had been waiting all night, also got up, accompanying his aunt as they flew toward the far north of the Sacred Ground Secret Realm.
The thought of meeting Mother face-to-face soon filled Li Hao with a sense of anticipation. It wasn't that he harbored deep emotions, but it felt like he was about to meet an old friend from years ago.
He still remembered the earnest concern in those seven family letters.
He had also kept the woman's intentions in his heart.
……
……
Outside the Ji Family territory.
In a desolate area of scattered rocks, a figure lay in hiding—Li Tiangang.
He closely watched the distant commotion, where intense battles had erupted earlier, emitting energy that drew his attention and made him realize that this was the Ji Family Territory he had been searching for for days.
He had been circling the area for four or five days, but it seemed he was always stuck in one place.
He realized he had fallen into some kind of maze.
At first, he suspected his wife had deliberately left him false information to avoid him finding her and risking his life. But then he thought, if his wife was willing to leave the route to the Great Wasteland Sky, even if he didn't join the Ji Family, the area was still extremely dangerous. There was no need to deceive him.
If she really wanted to deceive him, she would have refused to provide any clues at all.
"Qing Qing, Li Hao..."
Li Tiangang's eyes gleamed as he took a deep breath.
He concealed his aura and waited for the commotion to end and the other group to leave. After a moment, he cautiously approached.
When he saw the group with the ancient character "Ji" on their clothing, Li Tiangang felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. He knew he had finally arrived at the Ji Family secret realm his wife had mentioned.
The ancient character "Ji" was his wife's surname and one of the few ancient characters he recognized.
As the group was about to leave, Li Tiangang gritted his teeth and decided to take a risk. Whether he lived or died, he couldn't let his mistakes be passed on to his children, including his wife.
"Please wait a moment!"
Li Tiangang stepped forward and called out.
The many Ji Family members were startled and quickly turned their gazes to him.
"Who are you?!"
Someone immediately shouted in warning.
Li Tiangang quickly responded, "I am Ji Qingqing's husband, here to find my wife."
He didn't directly reveal his surname or identity, fearing that the Ji Family might attack without considering the circumstances, trying to avoid causing trouble for the Li Family.
If the other side really intended to leave the Great Wasteland Sky and seek trouble with the Li Family, he would have to rely on the family to seek royal protection.
Hearing Li Tiangang's words, the Ji Family members were taken aback.
One of the elders, Ji Yunyu, Ji Yunge's fourth brother, Ji Fourth Brother, stepped forward.
"Are you Qing Qing's husband?"
Ji Yunyu was stunned by Li Tiangang's words but then thought of the young man, his eyes lighting up.
"Um..."
Li Tiangang felt immense pressure from the elder, his heart trembling. He had encountered a Great Peace Dao Realm existence before, and this elder gave him a similar feeling.
The Ji Family truly harbored hidden dragons and tigers. Even a random elder was in the Great Peace Dao Realm, just as his wife had said. If he hadn't reached the Dao Realm, coming here would have been a near-certain death!
He tensed his body, gritted his teeth, and was about to plead for forgiveness, hoping to save his wife and Li Hao with his own life. But suddenly, the elder said to him:
"Did you get separated from your son? Why are you only coming now?"
His tone was surprisingly gentle.
Li Tiangang, accustomed to military affairs, sensed no hostility in the elder's words and was taken aback. His heart tightened again.
"Senior, have you seen my son?"
He looked at the elder with some tension.
Ji Yunyu couldn't help but laugh, saying, "Your son came a few days ago. Why are you only here now? Were you trapped outside by an array and lost your way?"
Li Tiangang's face turned slightly pale, but seeing the kind smile on the elder's face, he felt a glimmer of hope.
"Yes, I was foolish and got trapped by the array. Senior, has my son offended anyone? I am willing to apologize on his behalf, and even offer my life to uphold the Ji Family's laws. I just beg you to spare my wife Qing Qing and my son Li Hao from any harm."
"Li Hao?"
Ji Yunyu was taken aback, the smile on his face instantly vanishing. He narrowed his eyes and said, "You just said you are Qing Qing’s husband?"
Li Tiangang’s face changed when he sensed the sudden coldness in the other’s words. He didn’t know which part he had said wrong and felt uneasy, but he replied, "That’s right."
"You said your son is Li Hao?"
"…That’s right."
"Nonsense!"
Ji Yunyu’s face darkened. "Think again. What is your son’s name?"
"My son…" Li Tiangang felt a sense of absurdity. Did he really need to think about his son’s name?
"Do you know Ji Leping?"
Ji Yunyu stared intently, though puzzled. He suddenly thought that the child might have taken his mother’s surname for various reasons. Besides, the man in front of him was at the Fourth Establishment Realm, so there was no need to pretend and court death.
"Ji Leping…" Li Tiangang was confused.
Suddenly, a memory from over a decade ago pierced through his mind, striking him like an arrow.
In a sunny moment in the courtyard, when the woman’s belly was swollen with pregnancy, she had said softly, "Husband, if our child is born, let’s name him Le Ping. Li Le Ping, what do you think?"
"Fine, I’ll do as you wish…"
Le Ping, Le Ping…
Li Tiangang’s pupils dilated, his heart trembling. He remembered the end of the father-son battle in the interrogation hall, when his second sister-in-law had admitted to the poisoning. And after the True Dragon battle, in the courtyard, the young man had spoken with conviction, "I remember everything from my childhood!"
So, he really remembered everything.
But since Li Hao was given his name, no one had mentioned it again. Even if he remembered, who had told him?
Could it be that he had remembered the words his wife whispered to the child in her arms?
Li Tiangang’s body trembled slightly, feeling both incredulous and a deep, tearing pain in his heart.
It was Ji Leping, not Li Le Ping. The child had taken his mother’s surname?
He clenched his teeth, knowing this wasn’t the time to argue. He had come here only to ensure Li Hao’s safe return, so he forced a smile. "That’s right, it’s his nickname."
"Is he really your son?"
Ji Yunyu stared intently.
Li Tiangang quickly replied, "Absolutely, no lies. I know my marriage to Qing Qing broke the noble rules, but I’m willing to take full responsibility. I hope you won’t make things difficult for them."
Seeing his earnest attitude, Ji Yunyu’s expression softened. He smiled lightly, "Don’t be nervous, come inside with me."
Li Tiangang felt a slight relief at the change in the other’s demeanor but remained uneasy. He had heard from his wife countless times about the strict rules of the Ji Family.
He deeply understood that unless he possessed the strength of a True Person from the Qian Dao Palace, it would be a death sentence to come to the Ji Family to claim someone.
But now, he had no choice.
"Yes, Senior."
Li Tiangang bowed his head and walked over.
The others, hearing that he was indeed Ji Leping’s father, were surprised and curious, sizing him up to see what kind of person could raise such a prodigy.
Upon entering the Sainthood Immersion Secret Realm, Li Tiangang was awestruck by the magnificent Holy Mountain and the numerous floating islands.
He finally understood that his wife’s warnings about the dangers of the Ji Family were not exaggerated.
This was the ancient Holy Race of the Great Wasteland Sky?
Li Tiangang's heart pounded wildly, and the hope he had felt seemed even more elusive.
He clenched his teeth, feeling small and powerless. This feeling had once made him hate himself intensely.
He had been powerless when his father died.
He had been powerless when his brothers died.
Even after taking over the True Dragon position from his ninth brother and defending Yanbei for over a decade, he had still felt powerless when his wife left.
Now, he felt it again.
This sense of utter hopelessness and powerlessness.
"You don’t need to be nervous. Your son is doing well here, and Qing Qing will be released soon."
Ji Yunyu saw Li Tiangang’s tense, gray, and dejected appearance and couldn’t help but smile, offering some comfort.
Li Tiangang’s heart jolted, and he suddenly looked up, his eyes wide with shock.
"Senior, is that true?"
"Of course, your son is a prodigy of our clan!"
(End of Chapter)
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