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Chapter 271: Lingyuan Pavilion
Chapter 271: Lingyuan Pavilion
Upon hearing Li Hao's inquiry, Ren Qianqian's expression changed slightly. She hesitated, then whispered, "Old Feng is gone."
"Gone?"
Li Hao was taken aback and immediately asked, "Was there some urgent matter? Where did he go?"
"Old Feng didn't say."
Ren Qianqian shook her head slightly, glanced at Li Hao, and after a moment's thought, decided to recount what she had seen. In her view, this was Li Hao's personal matter, and she should simply tell him what she had witnessed, allowing him to make his own judgment.
After listening to Ren Qianqian's account, Li Hao's expression turned grim.
As she described, when he had entered the Mourning River, Li Tiangang had arrived at Heavenly Gate Pass and had a verbal altercation with his avatar. Old Feng had gone out to confront him and never returned. She hadn't heard any message from Old Feng about his departure.
It was as if he had left without a word.
Later, Li Muxiu had come to inform Ren Qianqian that Old Feng had left on some business and had asked her to keep a good watch over Heavenly Gate Pass for Li Hao.
Although it was just Ren Qianqian's account, based on Li Hao's understanding of Old Feng, he could almost imagine the conflict that had erupted and the humiliation Old Feng must have endured.
Clearly, Old Feng had been forced to leave.
Li Hao felt a surge of wrath within him. He took a deep breath, but soon, a sense of unease crept in.
Given Old Feng's temperament and strength, Li Tiangang should have been no match for him. Even if Li Tiangang was the True Dragon of the Li Family, capable of transcending realms to battle Fate Reversal, Old Feng was stronger than the average Fate Reversal cultivator, with unparalleled Body Movement Techniques. In a real fight, Li Tiangang wouldn't even be able to touch him.
Force alone couldn't intimidate Old Feng.
It had to be words.
And Old Feng's nature was calm and detached, with few things he truly valued. Insults and ridicule would have no effect on him.
The only way to drive him away with words would be to say something that truly wounded him.
Thinking this, Li Hao felt a sharp pain in his heart. His eyes burned with anger, but he suppressed it, turning it into a piercing cold light.
"Did Old Feng not say goodbye to you?"
Li Hao asked Ren Qianqian.
Ren Qianqian nodded.
Li Hao's brow furrowed slightly. He had a nagging feeling that something was off. Given Old Feng's character, he would have left a message, even if he had to go. Moreover, Ren Qianqian had followed him, and Old Feng had always been fond of the little girl. He wouldn't have left without a word.
Unless he had left in a hurry.
Or perhaps, he had been deeply hurt by what that person said. Given that person's nature and Old Feng's position, they would have seized on any weakness to attack. The only thing that could force Old Feng to leave without a word must have been something related to Li Hao.
Was he trying to sever all ties with him, unwilling to let his reputation be tainted by association?
Li Hao's gaze flickered. The more he thought about it, the more he believed this was the case. There were few things that could threaten Old Feng, and now, he himself had become Old Feng's weakness, causing the old man who had protected him from Qingzhou to leave in sorrow.
But Old Feng should know that he didn't care about his reputation.
"Old Feng, where have you gone..."
Li Hao murmured to himself, gazing at the city outside the courtyard. The old man who had helped build this city with him had ultimately left in sorrow just as it flourished. How must he have felt?
"Master, can we find Old Feng?"
Ren Qianqian, unable to hold back, asked. She still didn't know Old Feng's true identity, but she had grown fond of the old man, who had never put on any airs. He was easygoing and serene, making everyone feel comfortable around him.
Li Hao fell silent.
If Old Feng wanted to hide, who could find him?
The world was vast, and with Old Feng's Body Movement Techniques and experience, he had evaded capture for years. Even the wanted posters of him in various cities were far from accurate. Once, while fishing, Old Feng had even asked Li Hao to draw a wanted poster of him. He took it that night, went to a city that had a bounty on his head, tore down the original poster, and replaced it with Li Hao's drawing, criticizing the crude work of the original artist, saying it was unworthy of his status.
At the time, this had made Li Muxiu and Li Hao laugh in spite of themselves.
Li Hao had obliged him, drawing without any hesitation. Later, a painter had noticed the skillful work and bought it for study, replacing it with the original poster. Old Feng had shared this story with Li Hao and Li Muxiu while fishing, making them both laugh uncontrollably.
But now, all of that seems so distant, like those peaceful and quiet days will never return.
"Unless Old Feng himself is willing to come out, no one can find him."
Li Hao slowly shook his head and said to Ren Qianqian, "Please invite Commander Liangzhou to come by later."
When Ren Qianqian heard Li Hao’s words, she also felt a bit sad and nodded in response.
Li Hao planned to use Liangzhou’s influence to spread the word that he had returned to Heavenly Gate Pass.
It was uncertain, however, whether Old Feng would be willing to come back and see him once he heard the news.
With this thought in mind, Li Hao entered the courtyard and saw the familiar arrangements inside, which had not changed much. He fetched paper and writing materials and quickly drew several wanted portraits. If Old Feng saw these drawings, he would surely know that Li Hao was looking for him.
The idea of using a wanted poster to find Old Feng made Li Hao both amused and melancholic. If Master Zi could see these wanted posters, he would probably recall those past times as well.
Next, Li Hao called over a Grandmaster Realm general to help him send a message to Youzhou, asking the Xia Clan for assistance in finding Old Feng and spreading the news.
The young man back then was too weak to protect him, but now, Li Hao did not want Old Feng to suffer any more.
Time flew by.
Cangya City held a grand banquet to celebrate Li Hao’s return, and the entire city was filled with days of jubilation.
However, the news of Li Hao’s return to Cangya City was also spied upon by the Tianji Hall demons outside the city. The city’s cheers could not be concealed, and this news quickly spread through Tianji Hall.
Outside the city, the area extending for thousands of miles from Heavenly Gate Pass, which Li Hao had previously cleared, saw demons gradually returning and settling down. After all, the Cave Mansion treasure sites could greatly enhance cultivation speed, and they were not willing to give them up easily.
But now, with the news from Tianji Hall, these demons knew that the young man had returned to Heavenly Gate Pass.
Within a few days, all the demons within thousands of miles outside the city fled in fear, dreading that the young man would emerge again and cleanse the area.
This situation left the Tianji Hall bird demons, who were responsible for Heavenly Gate Pass, with mixed feelings. The young man’s mere return to Cangya City had intimidated the demons for thousands of miles beyond the pass, preventing them from settling down. This was the terrifying might of the young man.
And just two years ago, that young man had only just entered the pass.
His rapid growth over just two years was beyond imagination, truly earth-shattering.
Not long after Li Hao returned to the pass, the Xia Clan learned of the news, and Xia Yuanwu personally rushed over, climbing the pass to formally thank Li Hao.
When Youzhou was pacified, Li Hao had left in a hurry to aid Qingzhou, and they had not had the chance to say a proper goodbye. The Xia Clan naturally did not want to gloss over such a significant matter, and their gratitude towards Li Hao was sincere.
Li Hao invited Xia Yuanwu to sit in the courtyard and responded that it was a trivial matter from the past, not worth mentioning.
Seeing the young man’s calm and composed demeanor, Xia Yuanwu felt a bit at a loss. He immediately invited Li Hao to visit the Xia Clan.
They had originally planned to offer Li Hao a small chick raised by the old lady, a Three Eternities Realm demon. However, Li Hao’s current mount was already a Fourth Establishment Realm Demon King, and even a Void Realm ruler.
The previous “small gift” now seemed quite meager.
Moreover, Li Hao’s efforts in resolving the disaster and slaying the Gluttony Valley Lord had almost single-handedly saved Youzhou from peril. If they did not offer a substantial thank you, it would be better not to thank him at all.
Among the demons raised by the old lady, there were two Demon Kings who had guarded important areas for the Xia Clan for many years and had contributed significantly in times of crisis. This time, Xia Yuanwu had received instructions from the old lady to offer one of these Demon Kings to Li Hao, allowing him to personally choose.
Gifting a Fourth Establishment Realm demon, along with a special blood pact formulated by the Xia Clan’s secret art, which made rebellion difficult, was undoubtedly a significant gift.
At this moment, Xia Yuanwu voiced his offer, but Li Hao gently shook his head in refusal.
Ordinary Fourth Establishment Realm demons held little significance for him. Signing a blood pact with them would be utterly useless.
After all, with just a thought, even Great Peace Dao Realm demons would be powerless before him.
Instead of keeping them around for daily chores, it would be better to leave them with the Xia Clan. At least the Xia Clan defended the four states and frequently went on campaigns, where those demons could contribute.
Seeing that Li Hao was unmoved, Xia Yuanwu inwardly sighed with a wry smile. This was something that other Divine General Manors had long coveted, but to the young man before him, it seemed to hold no appeal.
He looked troubled; if he had come here just to say a few words of gratitude, it would seem insincere.
Li Hao, noticing his discomfort, thought for a moment and then had an idea. The Xia Clan, being a thousand-year-old Divine General Manor, had accumulated cultivation techniques that were not much inferior to the Li Family. Compared to demon king-level pets, cultivation technique secret manuals would be more valuable.
"Would you like to take a look at the Lingyuan Pavilion?"
Hearing Li Hao's words, Xia Yuanwu was taken aback. The Lingyuan Pavilion was where the Xia Clan stored its cultivation technique secret manuals, similar to the Rain Listening Pavilion of the Li Family.
"If it's too much trouble, letting me see half of it would also be fine."
Li Hao said.
Xia Yuanwu's expression eased somewhat. The Lingyuan Pavilion was one of the foundations of the Xia Clan. For a powerhouse like Li Hao, with a divine soul so powerful, a single glance would allow him to remember everything. Although he might not cultivate all of them, cultivation techniques were the lifeblood of major forces.
Just like the Jianghu Sect, where cultivation techniques were at the core and the highest secrets.
"If General Haotian agrees to keep it confidential, the Lingyuan Pavilion can be fully open to you."
Xia Yuanwu said, "But I need to report this to the Patriarch first to give you a definitive answer."
The Lingyuan Pavilion, apart from a few cultivation techniques that even the Xia Clan's main lineage might not learn, contained nearly all of the Xia Clan's cultivation techniques.
For example, the old lady's demon taming secret technique was not included in the Lingyuan Pavilion. It was a single lineage transmission, only to be learned by true dragons, stored in the Xia Clan's secret vault, the true foundation of the clan.
"Fine."
Li Hao nodded in agreement. He mainly wanted to use these cultivation techniques to deduce more complete ones. Even if he passed them on to Ren Qianqian or others, they would be his own deductions, significantly different from the original techniques, so it wouldn't count as a leak.
After a few more pleasantries, Xia Yuanwu immediately set off back to Youzhou.
Liangzhou was not far from Youzhou, and two days later, Xia Yuanwu returned to Heavenly Gate Pass in Liangzhou to inform Li Hao of the Xia Clan's decision:
"The Patriarch has agreed. General Haotian can visit the Lingyuan Pavilion at any time."
Li Hao smiled, surprised that the Patriarch of the Xia Clan had such foresight.
He immediately left some War Banners at Heavenly Gate Pass and took Ren Qianqian along to broaden her horizons. This little girl had been confined to the small courtyard since following him to Heavenly Gate Pass, inevitably feeling a bit bored.
Candlelight Deity grumbled when Ren Qianqian climbed onto its back. Li Hao gently patted Candlelight Deity's head, and it reluctantly accepted the situation.
On the way, Li Hao discussed with Xia Yuanwu the matter of having the Xia Clan help search for Old Feng. Xia Yuanwu had heard of Feng Boping and, after expressing surprise, promised to do his best to assist.
(End of Chapter)
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