Chapter 250: Pursuit
Chapter 250: Pursuit
"Xuanshen!"
Seeing Ji Xuanshen block the way, Ji Daosin's expression changed slightly, and he called out softly.
However, he didn't blame him. He could see that Ji Xuanshen was just trying to stop Li Hao from leaving, not out of genuine hostility.
"There's no need for a challenge. You've already won."
Li Hao looked at the young man in front of him and said calmly, "In the Ji Family, you are the strongest prodigy."
"But I haven't defeated you yet!"
Ji Xuanshen's face was a mix of anger and helplessness. He stared at Li Hao, whose body was enveloped in Divine Flame, and said, "You are now in the Great Peace Dao Realm. Although I don't know how you managed it, you were able to defeat me at the Three Eternities Realm. Now, you must be even more powerful."
"Just one move, one exchange!"
"If you can defeat me in one move, I'll let you go!"
He stared intently at Li Hao, "Dare you accept?"
Hearing the young man's words, the other members of the Ji Family were taken aback. No one thought Ji Xuanshen was being arrogant or reckless. They could see that his one move was an all-out effort to hold onto the opponent who had once defeated him.
This wasn't hostility; it was camaraderie!
Perhaps, this was the mutual admiration between prodigies?
"You're right. If I don't defeat Xuanshen, running away after winning is a retreat!"
"If you want to leave the Ji Family, you must accept the challenge!"
The other prodigies, having understood Ji Xuanshen's intentions, all rallied to support and challenge him.
Facing Li Hao, who mastered the Dao Domain, they had no confidence in lasting even one move. But Ji Xuanshen also mastered the Dao Domain, and with the help of Sacred Bone Power, he might just be able to hold on for one move!
These words sounded like a challenge, a refusal to back down, but the other elders of the Ji Family looked at Li Hao with hope, wishing he would agree.
Give Ji Xuanshen a chance.
A chance not to challenge, but to keep him.
Li Hao understood Ji Xuanshen's intentions and fell silent for a moment.
When he first climbed the mountain, there were countless obstacles.
Now, as he descended, there were still countless obstacles.
Back then, it was for the Ji Family.
Now, it was also for the Ji Family.
But this time, the obstruction was entirely different.
"Let's give it a try, then."
Li Hao seemed to sigh, though he already knew the outcome and the answer.
Hearing Li Hao's agreement, the anger and complexity in Ji Xuanshen's eyes turned to joy. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, afraid that Li Hao would insist on leaving and not give him any chance.
After all, if Li Hao really intended to leave, he couldn't stop him.
But one move, he was confident he could manage.
Despite being defeated by Li Hao at the Three Eternities Realm, he had since advanced from the half-step Dao Realm to the Great Peace Dao Realm!
In an instant, his Dao Domain could unfold, and the power of the rules would surge several times over.
As a prodigy of the Ji Family, he was confident he could withstand one move from Li Hao.
"Keep your word!"
Ji Xuanshen took a deep breath, his eyes becoming serious. His aura began to rise, the Heaven-Earth Meridian faintly appearing, gathering all the power of the surrounding world.
With the experience from their last battle, he chose to strike first, though it might seem unfair. He swiftly drained all the power from the nearby area.
This way, Li Hao wouldn't be able to quickly enter the Land Immortal Realm, where the battle would be more even, and he felt he might not even last one move. After all, Li Hao was no longer at the Three Immortalities Realm but at the peak of the Fourth Establishment Realm!
As vast power condensed around him, Ji Xuanshen exuded a heavy intimidation, and crackling, thunderous power gathered around his body.
He stared at Li Hao, but Li Hao showed no signs of preparing or moving.
"Don't blame me for not giving you time to prepare!"
If they were to fight again on the Training Ground, he would have paused and waited. But now, he just said this and swiftly unleashed his Dao Domain, pressing it over Li Hao.
In the Great Peace Dao Realm, the Dao Domain was paramount. Whoever had the stronger Dao Domain and seized the initiative first would be the winner.
Ji Daosin and others watched Li Hao, seeing that he showed no sign of bursting into action, and they secretly rejoiced, thinking that perhaps Li Hao was willing to stay after all?
Just as everyone was stunned by Ji Xuanshen's power and secretly delighted, Li Hao simply took a step forward, continuing on his way.
Facing the approaching Dao Domain, his expression remained calm, and he walked straight ahead as if it were nothing.
The Dao Domain enveloped him, but to Ji Xuanshen's and everyone else's shock, Li Hao's body showed no change, only his hair gently fluttering, as if caressed by a spring breeze.
Before Ji Xuanshen could react, two layers of Dao Domain spread from Li Hao's body. In an instant, they shattered Ji Xuanshen's Dao Domain, forcing it back and then pressing against it, ultimately pushing it back into Ji Xuanshen's body.
In Li Hao's dual Dao Domain, his Dao Domain was completely suppressed, unable to unfold!
The rules within Li Hao's dual Dao Domain were not exerting their full force, only applying a slight suppression.
Then, Li Hao took a step forward, walking straight past Ji Xuanshen.
Throughout the entire encounter, it seemed that Li Hao didn't even raise a hand, never making a move.
Ji Xuanshen, on the other hand, was unable to move, as stiff as a stone statue. He stared blankly at the young man who walked past him, only his eyes able to move.
The shock and horror in his heart were indescribable.
Was the gap really this wide?
What followed was a wave of bitter defeat and pain.
Ji Daosin, Ji Tianchao, and the others had expected a fierce clash, but Ji Xuanshen's built-up momentum was effortlessly halted by Li Hao, like the gentle spring rain nourishing all things, silently and without a trace.
This was... defeat.
And a complete and utter defeat at that!
Ji Daosin and Ji Tianchao, along with the others, were stunned. The moment Li Hao revealed his dual Dao Domain, they felt their hearts constrict, knowing the outcome.
The young man before them had not only reached the Dao Realm but had surpassed their expectations in a stunning manner.
The many Ji Family members who had rushed over were now completely silent.
Even the prodigies who had been cheering for Ji Xuanshen were dumbfounded, watching this scene in disbelief, unable to accept that Ji Xuanshen, who had just entered the Great Peace Dao Realm, had been so easily defeated.
Li Hao didn't even need to make a move; his Dao Domain alone had completely overwhelmed him, the gap between them was unimaginably vast!
As the young man's figure grew more distant, Ji Daosin and the others finally came to their senses and quickly caught up.
"Can you really not stay with the Ji Family?"
Ji Qingyuan's heart was shaken, his eyes filled with complex emotions as he asked softly.
Ji Daosin glanced at him, surprised that he would also try to persuade the young man to stay, feeling both astonishment and a sense of sorrow.
"Though I am not a member of the Ji Family, I can be a friend of the Ji Family. Let everything follow its natural course."
Li Hao said, his tone calm.
Upon hearing the young man's words, Ji Daosin and the others fell silent, knowing that they could not keep Li Hao at this point.
The resources of the Ji Family were of no interest to this young man.
As for the so-called family protection, it was a laughable notion. After all, this young man had already risen to prominence, capable of traversing the Great Wasteland Sky.
Apart from the War Gods of the Holy Races, a few ancient immortals, and some Forbidden Areas, there was hardly anything that could stand in his way.
Ji Daosin couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Seeing Li Hao's dual Dao Domain had made him feel even more painful and regretful, even regretting the momentary pause when Li Hao had asked him a question earlier.
If he had immediately agreed, would the young man have changed his mind?
In this somber atmosphere, they walked the rest of the way, arriving at the entrance to the Sacred Ground Secret Realm.
Despite his pain and reluctance, Ji Daosin still opened the Sacred Ground Secret Realm for Li Hao, saying:
"I still stand by my words. The Ji Family will always welcome you back. Here is the transmission pattern for the Ji Family Sacred Ground Secret Realm."
He raised his hand, and a pattern resembling an array appeared in his palm, visible to Li Hao.
Li Hao, seeing this, had intended to refuse, but since the pattern had already been revealed, he would have to erase that memory to avoid knowing it.
Seeing the other's determination, Li Hao didn't say more, only sighing inwardly as he raised his hand to bid them farewell.
"I'll see you off a bit further."
Ji Yunyue and the others stepped forward, wanting to spend more time with Li Hao.
Li Hao politely declined, but Ji Yunyue and the others insisted on accompanying him, so he let them.
Ji Tianchao accompanied him in silence, not speaking, but his eyes were filled with profound sorrow.
After they had walked a thousand miles from the Ji Family Sacred Ground Secret Realm, Li Hao again politely declined their offer to see him off.
"Next time you return to the Great Wasteland Sky, remember to visit us."
Ji Yunyue said, tears welling in her eyes.
Ji Yunqing and the others were also reluctant to part.
"I will", Li Hao nodded, then bid them farewell.
Watching the young man's departing figure, Ji Yunqing murmured, "Apart from our Ancestor, it seems the Ji Family has lost a potential Sage."
"Third Brother said that if given ten years, he could fight alongside me. At the time, I thought Third Brother was being too generous, but now I think he was too cautious."
Ji Tianchao gazed in the direction the young man had gone, saying softly, "With a dual Dao Domain and such insight, if he dedicates himself to the Dao, he should be able to achieve enlightenment within five years. In our lifetimes, we might even witness the rise of a Sage."
"Sage...?"
Their children and the rest were taken aback, their hearts heavy with complex emotions.
They had missed the opportunity to bring the Ji Family back to glory through this person.
The day after Li Hao's departure.
At the summit of Holy Mountain, Ji Xuanshen and several Prodigies arrived to seek out Patriarch Ji Daosin.
"You're going beyond the Great Wasteland Sky?"
Ji Daosin was taken aback upon hearing Ji Xuanshen's words. Seeing the determined looks on the other Prodigies, he furrowed his brow.
"That young man won't return to the Ji Family. Chasing after him would be futile and could backfire", he said.
Ji Xuanshen shook his head slightly. "I just want to see for myself. Beyond the Great Wasteland Sky, in the barren realm ruled by the Jiang Family, what kind of environment could nurture such a Heaven's Pride?"
"That's right. We enjoy countless Divine Medicines and treasures in the Ji Family, yet none of us can match him. I want to see what kind of place lies beyond the Great Wasteland Sky", Ji Qing Shuang added.
Her father, Ji Qingyuan, had known of his daughter's thoughts since the previous day. He frowned slightly upon hearing her words but did not intervene, sighing inwardly.
With Ji Xuanshen, a Great Peace Dao Realm cultivator, accompanying them, these Ji Family Prodigies, who were already formidable, would be unlikely to run into trouble.
After all, the Prodigies of the Ancient Holy Clan were not delicate songbirds in a gilded cage.
Ji Daosin glanced at them, then at Ji Xuanshen. Seeing the unyielding gaze, he understood that the decision was final.
If he persisted in blocking their path, it would become a mental obstacle for them, hindering their cultivation progress.
"Very well. The Great Yu Divine Dynasty is ruled by the Jiang Family. Although it is a barren land, you must still abide by their rules. Remember, that dynasty is ruled by the Jiangs", Ji Daosin said earnestly.
Ji Xuanshen and the others exchanged glances, visibly relieved.
"Understood. The Jiang Family, one of the eight Ancient Holy Clans that once stood alongside our Ancestor", Ji Xuanshen nodded.
"Indeed", Ji Daosin continued. "In the past, the ancestors of the Jiang Family were defeated in the Holy War of the Great Wasteland Sky and were expelled. They were exiled to the barren lands beyond, but their heritage and Dao lineage have not been severed."
"Thousands of years ago, a Prodigy was born in the Jiang Family, naturally possessing a hundred unobstructed meridians. He unified the barren lands, established a dynasty, and brought order, becoming a top-tier powerhouse. It's said he died in battle, but the truth remains uncertain. Regardless, it's best not to provoke them."
Ji Xuanshen and the others were deeply impressed. A person born with a hundred unobstructed meridians was truly a prodigious talent.
"Additionally, while investigating that young man, we also looked into the Great Yu Divine Dynasty. They are now in decline, surrounded by Demons, and a major battle could erupt at any moment. These Demons are backed by ancient Demons from within the Great Wasteland Sky. There will inevitably be a life-and-death struggle that will shake the imperial capital. Remember not to go to their Imperial City lightly."
Ji Xuanshen and the others were shaken by these words. The young man's homeland was in such a precarious state?
"Understood", Ji Xuanshen nodded.
Ji Daosin looked at him, paused, and then sighed deeply.
"Xuanshen, living in the same era as that young man is your misfortune, but don't be too fixated on him. Apart from him, you are the most outstanding Prodigy in our Ji Family and the pride of your parents. Do you understand?"
Ji Xuanshen fell silent for a moment before replying, "I understand."
Ji Daosin nodded slightly, his expression softening. "If you encounter that young man and he needs any help, send word back immediately. If he aims to revive the Jiang Family dynasty, our Ji Family will offer him our full support!"
Ji Xuanshen glanced at the Patriarch. As a member of the Ancient Holy Clan, he was well aware that even the smaller tribes within the Great Wasteland Sky looked down on the lands beyond, let alone offering full support to revive a dynasty.
"I understand."
Ji Xuanshen spoke with gravity.
Ji Daosin's expression showed satisfaction.
A few days later.
At the edge of the Great Wasteland Sky, a young man sat atop a Demon with a fiery red mane, resembling a lion.
Gazing at the distant mountains, the young man murmured, "I'm back..."
(End of Chapter)
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