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Chapter 273: Old Feng's Message
Chapter 273: Old Feng's Message
When Li Hao saw the other person, the other person also saw him. A deep, reserved gaze emerged from the disheveled hair, calm but sharp, carrying a subtle Killing Aura.
Ultimate Mastery Realm... Li Hao took a closer look. Although the other person's gaze was piercing, there didn't seem to be any murderous intent.
He glanced around, and the courtyard was undamaged, which put his mind at ease.
"Senior, who are you?"
Li Hao approached the other person, sat on the cushion where guests usually sat, and took a sip of the already brewed tea.
"Name is Jiang Lidust."
The old man's eyes were cold, and he didn't seem to mind Li Hao's actions, only staring intently at Li Hao's face.
"You've made me wait a long time!"
Surnamed Jiang... Li Hao was taken aback. This was an Imperial Clan surname. Was the old man in front of him from the Imperial Clan?
However, with his current Duke Rank status, he didn't need to show excessive respect even if he met someone from the Imperial Clan.
"Prince, did you wait for me for something?" Li Hao asked, glancing at the other person's tattered clothes. This Prince seemed a bit unconventional.
"I waited outside the Mourning River to pick you up, but you disappeared to Youzhou without a trace. When I heard you were in Youzhou, you had already run to Qingzhou. By the time I caught up to Qingzhou, you were back here..."
Just mentioning it made Jiang Lidust's voice gradually fill with Wrath. He had never been toyed with like this before.
"..."
Li Hao was speechless. He hadn't realized that his constant travels had left a trail, and this trail had indeed been quite difficult to follow.
For a moment, he could only give an awkward laugh and say, "When I have time, I'll personally thank His Majesty."
"Hmph, I don't care whether you thank him or not. Besides, I didn't even manage to pick you up, so what's there to thank? You are his general, and it's only right that he sends someone to pick you up."
Jiang Lidust sneered and said, "My meddlesome brother can also make mistakes. Look at you now, you don't need anyone to pick you up. You've reached the Great Peace Dao Realm at such a young age, impressive indeed!"
"Just a stroke of luck."
Li Hao quickly humbled himself.
"Although you played me, making me search high and low, it was also thanks to you that I could come out. This should balance things out!"
Jiang Lidust spoke as if he was settling a vague grudge and a vague favor. After telling Li Hao, it seemed he no longer felt bound by this cause and effect, whether or not it truly balanced out was up to him.
Then, he fixed his gaze on Li Hao, his eyes scanning Li Hao's palm.
"I heard you also use a sword?"
"Hmm?"
Li Hao was a bit surprised and nodded. "I know a bit."
"Hmph, you exterminated Demons outside Qingzhou City, and the Sword Qi's afterglow is still present. I saw it, and I must say, it's not bad."
Jiang Lidust didn't care about Li Hao's humility, speaking bluntly without reservation.
"Looking at your palm, it doesn't seem like the hand of a sword user, but the world of Sword Dao has its geniuses, and you're not the only one. When I first practiced the sword at six, I executed a Perfect-Level Sword Move. My hands were smooth and tender, yet I far surpassed those who had trained for years!"
"You've cultivated to the Great Peace Dao Realm at a young age, which shows you're a smart one. Let me see how deep your Sword Dao is!"
As he spoke, his eyes locked onto Li Hao's, and a formidable aura suddenly erupted from his body.
Li Hao was taken aback. The aura emanating from the other person now contained a killing intent.
They were just talking, and now he suddenly wanted to draw his sword.
"Prince, what are you doing?" Li Hao frowned.
"Draw your sword, let me see it!"
Jiang Lidust stared at him intently.
"A sparring match? But you won't win against me", Li Hao shook his head.
"It's not just about Dao Domain. My Sword Dao is enough to break through Dao Domain! I pursue the ultimate in Sword Dao. Even without Dao Domain, I can break through Dao Domain. Even without understanding the Dao, I can sever the Dao with my sword!"
Jiang Lidust's eyes sparkled, and his words were somewhat terrifying, as if he was possessed.
Li Hao was stunned but didn't mock him. Instead, he seriously looked into the other person's eyes.
Such a mad idea, yet the other person's eyes showed not arrogance, but dedication, belief, and an extreme passion for his pursuit.
This feeling was deeper than Mindset entering the Spirit.
Li Hao fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, but this isn't the place for a fight. Please follow me, Prince."
"Do we need to pick a place? Anywhere will do."
Seeing Li Hao agree, Jiang Lidust's eyes gleamed even more brightly, barely able to contain his eagerness to start.
"This is my courtyard. Just as you love your sword, I love this place."
Jiang Lidust, who had been about to launch into action, hesitated for a moment upon hearing Li Hao's words and held back.
"I'll wait for you!"
With that, Jiang Lidust suddenly took to the air, speeding away.
Li Hao let out a sigh of relief, assuring Ren Qianqian that she could wait here safely, and then followed in pursuit.
Soon, the two of them arrived at a mountain peak outside the city.
"Where is your sword?"
Jiang Lidust looked at Li Hao's empty hands.
"Any blade of grass or tree can be a sword."
Li Hao casually broke off an old, withered branch and held it in his hand.
Jiang Lidust couldn't help but laugh heartily. "Good. I used to think the same—anything can be a sword. But it's not like that anymore. A sword is a sword, and nothing else. A sword can only be a sword!"
As he spoke, a black, seemingly broken longsword flew from his waist into his hand.
The sword had no scabbard, for it needed no concealment. As it landed in his hand, a series of sharp, resonant sounds rang out, like the roar of a proud dragon.
"Come, show me your Dao Domain. Don't worry, no matter what Dao Domain you have, I can break it with one stroke!"
Jiang Lidust's disheveled hair fluttered wildly, and his entire body exuded a rebellious and unbridled aura, as if he had transformed into a sharp sword standing between heaven and earth.
Hearing this, Li Hao didn't hesitate. He immediately extended his Dao Domain.
Threatening Aura!
The Dao Domain's law enveloped Jiang Lidust instantly.
The oppressive force of the Threatening Aura could prevent any power from being released from the body.
But at this moment, Jiang Lidust's eyes blazed with excited and intense battle spirit. Power erupted from the acupoints in his body, shooting out like Sword Qi. He condensed the power he had absorbed into his body into countless strands of Sword Qi, embedding them in his major meridians.
Li Hao concealed a stream of Immortal Qi in his abdomen, while Jiang Lidust harbored countless strands of Sword Qi in his heart. Despite the Dao Domain's rule, he still burst forth with powerful energy, resisting the rule's erosion and suddenly swung his sword.
Whoosh!
A brilliant light, like a burst of silver moonlight, seemed to contain a certain Dao Intent and slashed horizontally in an instant.
Li Hao was taken aback and soon discovered that his Dao Domain had been torn apart by an extremely sharp force, completely shattered!
He immediately thought about overlaying a second layer of Dao Domain but quickly abandoned the idea.
A spark of battle spirit ignited in his heart, and he swung the withered branch in his hand, releasing a powerful Sword Qi that cut through the air.
Bang! The Cycle Sword Light collided with Jiang Lidust's Sword Qi. Under the enhancement of the Dao Domain's rule, they fought to a stalemate.
"Your sword is not pure enough!"
Jiang Lidust glared fiercely and growled, "Is this your strongest Sword Art? It's not enough!"
As he spoke, he delivered a second strike. This sword cut through the Dao Domain once more, the condensed sword light like a celestial aurora, arriving in an instant.
Li Hao raised the withered branch and swung it down forcefully.
The sword light extinguished, and neither gained an advantage.
But the withered branch in Li Hao's hand broke.
Li Hao knew that without the enhancement of the Dao Domain's rule, he would have lost in terms of Sword Art alone.
"Your Sword Dao is only at the half-Sword Saint level."
Jiang Lidust's aura remained unshaken within the Dao Domain. His eyes were cold and regretful. "But for your age, it's not bad. In ten years, you might be able to challenge me again."
Li Hao nodded slightly, not denying it.
His Sixth Rank Sword Dao insight was still insufficient, lacking the spiritual immersion needed for his Sword Art to transcend the mundane. Jiang Lidust's understanding of the Sword Dao, on the other hand, was likely at the Seventh or Eighth Rank.
Using pure Sword Dao to break through the Dao Domain, his sword had reached a divine level, almost entering the Dao.
"Is this your full strength, or do you have other means? Show me your true power, and see if you can hone my sword to be even sharper!"
Jiang Lidust's eyes locked onto Li Hao.
Seeing the determination in his eyes, Li Hao nodded. "Alright."
As he spoke, he released the remaining half of the withered branch in his hand, letting it fall to the ground below.
But at the same moment, four layers of Dao Domain suddenly enveloped the area.
The sudden and terrifying might made Jiang Lidust's originally sharp eyes contract sharply, revealing a hint of shock. But in the next moment, his eyes suddenly blazed with even more brilliant light, filled with excitement and fervor. He laughed loudly, "Well done!"
A surge of sword light erupted from his body, and the vertebrae in his spine became translucent and radiant, like a sword itself.
He shot up into the air, his entire being radiating a vast and imposing aura, focusing all his power into a single sword strike, attempting to cleave through the Dao Domain.
But in the next instant, another layer of Dao Domain covered him.
Six layers of Dao Domain instantly enveloped him with a loud thud, as if a massive hand had grasped all the light emanating from his body, extinguishing it and forcing it back into his body. He was then frozen in place, unable to move within the Dao Domain.
Li Hao didn't unleash the full power of his Dao Domain's rules; otherwise, he would have instantly torn Jiang Lidust apart.
"You..."
Jiang Lidust's eyes strained to move, filled with shock and disbelief.
Li Hao slowly dissipated his power and retracted the Dao Domain.
Jiang Lidust's body immediately erupted with light, but his sword-wielding stance remained frozen in mid-air, and he stared at Li Hao in a daze.
After a long while, he suddenly rushed to Li Hao's face and asked, "Six layers of Dao Domain? Is this your limit?"
Li Hao shook his head slightly.
Jiang Lidust was momentarily lost in thought, but soon burst into laughter, "Good, good, good. I thought my sword was already sharp enough, but now I see how far I still have to go!"
"When I can split open your Dao Domain, that will be the moment I attain enlightenment!"
Li Hao's heart stirred, and he asked, "Prince, are you familiar with the Enlightened Realm?"
"Not really familiar, but are you interested in learning about it?"
Jiang Lidust saw through Li Hao's thoughts and laughed a couple of times, then said without hiding anything, "Even with your background from the Divine General Manor, unless your Li Family Ancestor tells you personally, this kind of true secret will never be recorded in any book. Some old men would rather take their secrets to the grave than let them out."
With that, he steered the conversation back, "The Enlightened Realm is divided into different levels. The first realm is the True Person Realm, and the second realm is the Dao Law Realm!"
"The True Person of Qian Dao Palace is in the True Person Realm. To break through the rules of the Dao Domain and touch the true Great Dao, one must discern the truth from the false, transcending technique to attain the True Person Realm of enlightenment!"
He continued, "The Dao Law Realm is even more mysterious and powerful. With the laws of the Dao Domain, one can command the elements, summoning wind and rain, and glimpse the Great Dao of heaven and earth. One is no longer bound by technique but by law itself!"
"Technique is the surface, Dao is the bone, and law is the flesh!"
Jiang Lidust glanced at Li Hao and said, "All cultivation techniques, secret manuals, and secret techniques are still at the surface level. Even secret techniques can only barely touch a fraction of the truth, still standing outside the threshold of the Dao."
"Once you cross that threshold, you truly enter the Dao, and then use the Dao to leverage the law. With just a fraction of effort, you can unleash a hundredfold of power!"
Li Hao was taken aback. He had asked the question casually, but he hadn't expected the Prince to have such detailed knowledge of the Enlightened Realm.
True Person Realm, Dao Law Realm.
The ability to command the law of Dao is almost like being a god.
Li Hao's eyes flickered, and he suddenly understood why the Avatars of the Wasteland Deities were so difficult to kill. Even at the True Person Realm, they had condensed the power of the Great Dao, which is unextinguishable. With the Great Dao Power forged into their bodies, the influence of the Dao Domain on them would be minimal.
The difference between these realms is like the difference between heaven and earth.
"You are talented and wise. If you can see through the illusions of fame and fortune and cultivate diligently here, you will surely achieve great things in the future."
Jiang Lidust saw Li Hao in deep thought and said, "Don't listen to my brother, who runs around trying to save mortals. What does it matter if all the common people die? They are fools, born to be stepping stones for others. Dying early means they can be reborn into a wealthy family, which is far better than struggling for a hundred years."
Li Hao was taken aback, at a loss for words.
It was hard to imagine these words coming from Prince's mouth; it felt more like something a demon would say.
"Moreover, the waters in Dayu are deeper than you think. Even if you don't go to Youzhou or Qingzhou, at most, a few commoners will die. Once these demons cross the line, someone will inevitably step in to eliminate them."
Jiang Lidust sneered, his eyes gleaming slightly.
"Although Dayu has declined, there are still things we can use to scare people. Do you really think the Divine Array in the state city where the Five Divine General Manors are located is just for protecting commoners? Ha, just focus on your cultivation here."
With that, he turned and flew back into the city.
Li Hao was stunned, following him back to the courtyard.
When he saw Jiang Lidust sit down in the same spot as before, he was speechless. It seemed the prince was planning to stay.
"Prince, what did you mean by that Divine Array?"
Li Hao asked, puzzled.
Jiang Lidust waved his hand slightly and said, "Don't overthink it. The less you know, the better. The fewer distractions, the clearer your mind will be."
Li Hao smiled bitterly, seeing that the prince wasn't going to elaborate. He then said, "Prince, I'm busy here, and this is a border city. You should go elsewhere."
"I won't leave until your Dao Domain is broken."
Jiang Lidust snorted, ignoring Li Hao and looking at Ren Qianqian, who was holding her sword. His gaze lingered on her sword for a moment, then he sneered and turned away.
Ren Qianqian felt relieved when she saw Li Hao return safely, but she was puzzled by the old man's glance, which seemed to carry a hint of disdain.
Even if my cultivation is low, you're a respected elder; there's no need to look down on me, right?
Li Hao, seeing that the prince was determined to stay, was speechless. However, since the prince was, after all, a prince, he couldn't force him to leave. He could only say, "Fine, do as you please, just don't disturb me."
"You do your thing, I'll do mine."
Jiang Lidust replied.
Seeing him say that, Li Hao didn't press further.
Time passed.
Soldiers came and went in the courtyard, reporting on the search for Old Feng, but there was no news.
Additionally, the Heavenly Mechanism Tower also sent a message back, saying they hadn't found Old Feng either. Not only Old Feng but also the Little White Fox had disappeared without a trace. Li Hao had entrusted the Heavenly Mechanism Tower to help investigate and report back if they found anything, but there was still no sign of them.
According to Qianqian, the Little White Fox had vanished one day. Initially, they thought it was just playing somewhere, but when it didn't return by nightfall, they realized it was missing.
When they sent people out of the city to search, they found nothing, no signs of a struggle. Tracing the fox's fur, they lost the trail halfway through.
"Hope that little thing hasn't met with any harm..."
Li Hao frowned, sighing inwardly.
"Are you looking for someone?"
Jiang Lidust, who was sensing the Sword Dao in the courtyard, raised an eyebrow when he heard the soldiers' reports. He glanced at Li Hao and said, "When I came to Mourning River to pick you up, I saw nothing unusual there, so I decided to check this place. I saw a battle outside the city. Could it be the person you're looking for?"
Li Hao was taken aback. A battle outside the city?
"Prince, did you see who it was?"
"Didn't pay much attention, but one of them had a pretty good Body Movement Technique. Unfortunately, he was up against a Great Peace Dao Realm practitioner. No matter how good his Body Movement Technique was, it was useless."
Li Hao felt a jolt in his heart. Good Body Movement Technique?
"When did this happen?"
Li Hao couldn't help but ask. If the other side was a Great Peace Dao Realm practitioner, it couldn't be Old Feng and Li Tiangang's battle, but another one.
Jiang Lidust thought for a moment and said, "About half a month ago."
"Half a month ago..." Li Hao was stunned. This was after Old Feng and Li Tiangang's confrontation.
Could it be that after the battle with Li Tiangang, Old Feng hadn't been driven away but was still secretly guarding Cangya City?
And then he encountered another battle?
(End of Chapter)
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