Chapter 290: Demon
Chapter 290: Demon
While waiting for news from the Wang Family, Li Hao began his daily cultivation.
Despite his current ability to slay Dao Law Realm opponents, it was only possible by using every means at his disposal, leaving nothing held back. This was still a stretch for him...
This realization instilled a sense of crisis within him.
Currently, in terms of his Martial Dao:
Flesh Dao Stage 8, Yudao Stage 7, Body Movement Path Stage 6, Sword Dao Stage 6, Fist Dao Stage 6.
In terms of his Artistic Skills:
Chess Dao Stage 6, Music Stage 4, Poetry and Literature Stage 3, Sculpture Stage 3, Cooking Dao Stage 7, Painting Dao Stage 7, Fishing Art Stage 5.
Remaining Art Skill Points: 1.
At present, only his Cooking Dao and Painting Dao have reached Enlightenment, while the most promising are Chess Dao and Fishing Art.
If he could achieve Spiritual Immersion, his Body Movement Path, Sword Dao, and others would undergo a qualitative improvement.
However, his Chess Dao experience has just reached Stage 6 and is not yet perfected, while his Fishing Art is still far behind.
Fortunately, there are no bottlenecks from Stage 5 to Stage 6; as long as he has enough experience, it will naturally progress.
Recently, he has been busy slaying demons and enemies, with little time for proper cultivation. Now that he has a rare moment of leisure, Li Hao brought along Old Feng, the chessboard, and Ren Qianqian to a lake several thousand miles beyond the Pass.
He condensed his power into a thin thread and cast it into the lake, making it hard to detect, utilizing the hidden thread technique of fishing.
The thread's tip pierced into the body of a small Fish Demon, traveling along its meridians like acupuncture, causing no pain. The small Fish Demon was unaware that it had been ensnared by Li Hao's thread and continued to play and frolic in the water, completely oblivious to becoming Li Hao's bait.
"Old Feng, why don't you give it a try?"
Li Hao smiled at Old Feng.
Although Feng Boping's Soul Deficiency made his movements slow, years of fishing had become a physical memory. Before Li Hao finished speaking, he had already condensed his Qi Power into a thread and extended it into the lake.
Seeing his skilled movements, Li Hao chuckled.
He casually took out a tea table and the chessboard from the Heavenly Earth Space. Ren Qianqian, beside him, prepared tea for Li Hao and quietly comprehended the surroundings.
Li Hao used fishing to illustrate sword principles, explaining them to her.
A gentle breeze blew, and the low whispers of the young man by the lake harmonized with the distant chirping of cicadas in the forest.
As Ren Qianqian pondered and comprehended, Li Hao taught Xiyian how to play chess. Since he had brought her to the bustling Mortal World, Li Hao naturally wanted her to experience various joys.
To him, playing chess was quite enjoyable.
Xiyian was very intelligent, and after memorizing the rules, she began to play with a semblance of skill.
"What is he doing?"
In the distance, two figures stood in the forest: a young girl and an old man, none other than Ying Xiaoxiao and the Old Tea Vendor from the Qingzhou Official Road.
"If I'm not mistaken, he seems to be playing..." the Old Tea Vendor said with a bitter smile.
Ying Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes slightly. "I know, but isn't he supposed to be cultivating?"
She looked at the young man by the lake, who appeared as leisurely as a cloud and a crane, sipping tea, playing chess, and fishing leisurely, with no sign of practicing swordsmanship or martial arts.
Is this the daily routine of that peerless prodigy?
Occasional relaxation was one thing, but it seemed that during their time following him, they hadn't seen the young man cultivate at all.
"He can slay a Dao Law Realm Buddhist Master at the Great Peace Dao Realm. Although that Buddhist Master's Buddha-Demon Fusion had some defects and was a forced fusion, it was still a Dao Law Realm existence. He is likely cultivating his path..."
The Old Tea Vendor's eyes flickered as he spoke softly.
They had been following him, and when Li Hao slew the Buddhist Master, they had been far away, observing the battle from a distance.
" Cultivating his path, huh..."
Ying Xiaoxiao pondered, nodding. Indeed, with the young man's current strength, he should be at the bottleneck of the Great Peace Dao Realm. As long as he comprehends his own Great Dao, he can enter the Enlightened Realm.
"But his method of cultivating his path is truly strange."
Ying Xiaoxiao's eyes sparkled. She had seen many prodigies cultivate their paths, but most either secluded themselves in cave mansions or trained in the secular world. Unlike this young man, who didn't venture into the mortal world but instead spent his days leisurely with those close to him.
By the lakeside, Li Hao's eyes lit up slightly.
The fishing line in his hand tightened quickly. The playful little Fish Demon that had been enjoying itself was suddenly targeted by a larger Demon, which bit it in one swift move.
Hooked.
Li Hao pulled swiftly, and the lake water splashed. The large Demon, shocked, tried to spit out the little Fish Demon, but Li Hao's line, like a spiritual needle, pierced through its body, pulling it out of the lake.
Fishing Experience +68.
The Demon was at the Tianren Realm. Seeing the young man on the shore, it roared in anger, "You ignorant brat, how dare you fish for your grandpa! Die!"
Before it could finish its sentence, it was dead.
The fishing line moved swiftly inside its body, piercing through its meridians and bones. It just so happened that the 1% Fatal Attribute was triggered, and the Demon's eyes, filled with terror, quickly dimmed.
Li Hao casually flicked his wrist, tossing the Demon onto the shore and storing it in the Heavenly Earth Space.
Today's lunch was secured. Time to go back and grill some fish.
Li Hao cast his fishing line again, extending it much farther into the lake, several kilometers away.
He repeated the process, using a small Fish Demon as bait, and then waited quietly.
Although with his current strength, he could easily churn the lake and kill all the Demons inside, that would take away the fun of fishing.
Taking a sip of tea and placing a chess piece, Li Hao saw Xiyian tilting her Red Beard, seemingly deep in thought. He smiled slightly, his gaze drifting to the distant sky and the floating clouds. The clouds seemed to form a chessboard, with each cloud acting as a piece.
He was captivated, gaining some insight.
The mountains and rivers, following the laws of heaven, were akin to the lines on a chessboard.
The concept of "layout" originated from this small chessboard.
The mountains and rivers as the chessboard, the beasts as the pieces...
When Li Hao's gaze fell on the lake, the vast, rippling surface, disturbed by the breeze, seemed to transform into a vast chessboard.
In the depths of the lake, Demons moved, like Go stones wandering within the grid, forming and changing their formations.
"Chess..."
Playing against the emperor earlier had deepened Li Hao's understanding of the Dao of Chess. Now, it seemed he had advanced even further, touching upon a new level of mindset.
...
...
A few days later.
Outside Heavenly Gate Pass, a snow-white figure raced through the air.
His body was enveloped in Dao light, faint and indistinct, flying through the void, unseen by anyone.
Stopping before the city, he gazed at the flag-waving fortress. The two characters on the flag stirred a murderous intent in his otherwise calm eyes.
It was this suddenly emerging Monster that had thwarted his plans, leaving him in an extremely awkward position, at risk of exposure and attracting others to vie for his position.
"Killing a Buddhist Master, even with Dao Law Realm strength, means certain death!"
The newcomer was the Holy Son. His eyes were cold. Although he was also at the Dao Law Realm, he had cultivated under the Sage since childhood, mastering far more than the average Dao Law Realm cultivator—Divine Powers.
These powers transcended Martial Dao Techniques, containing the profound truths of Great Dao.
Using his Divine Sense to survey the entire city, he quickly spotted a wattle yard within the city.
In the yard, a young man was skinning a fish, while a Red-Bearded Vine Demon was building a fire. A young girl was practicing swordsmanship, and a wild-haired man was guiding her, occasionally stepping in to correct her.
This peculiar scene made him pause, wondering if he had the wrong person.
However, from the layout of the city, it was clear that the small yard was in the City Center, heavily guarded. The occupants all had cultivation, and the Demon building the fire was a Fourth Establishment Realm Demon King.
Only the young man's aura remained hidden, indiscernible to him.
There was no doubt that this was his target.
Just as he was about to make his move, his gaze shifted to a teahouse nearby, where an old man and a young man were looking in his direction from a window.
The Holy Son's expression changed. More experts?
In the next moment, the old man's body vanished from his spot.
Then, in a series of flashes, the Old Tea Vendor appeared in the sky outside the city, standing not far from the city walls, yet the guards on the wall seemed unable to see them.
"Sage lineage..."
The Old Tea Vendor looked at the Holy Son, his brow slightly raised, a hint of murderous intent in his eyes.
The Holy Son, upon sensing the aura the Old Tea Vendor revealed upon his instantaneous teleportation, was taken aback, his pupils constricting in shock.
“Demon Race?!”
Old Tea Vendor’s lips curled into a sneer when he heard the term.
"Is it here for us, or for that young man?"
Holy Son looked at him with a mix of shock. The Demon Race actually appeared in the world, and right here.
Soon, he recalled the legends about the Demon Race. They seemed to sense the arrival of calamity, and wherever there was war, the Demon Race would descend, bringing more bloodshed and disaster.
Moreover, the Demon Race was known for their brutal methods, capable of suppressing Incense, making them another fearsome Cultivation technique.
"Hmm?"
Old Tea Vendor glanced at him casually, but his eyes gradually narrowed, a murderous intent flickering in them.
Holy Son felt the subtle, ominous aura emanating from the old man and his heart filled with shock and anger. This Demon Race was also at the Dao Law Realm?
How could such a small Dayu harbor a Demon Race spy?
He was frustrated. He had thought that dealing with a Monsters youth was already troublesome enough, but now there was a Demon Race as well. His plans were in ruins.
"So, you’re all in cahoots… Excellent!"
Holy Son gritted his teeth, not lingering, and quickly turned to retreat.
But Old Tea Vendor wasn’t about to let him leave so easily. He suddenly pursued, and the two quickly sped away, covering a thousand miles in an instant.
"You dare?!"
Holy Son was livid. He wanted to leave, and someone dared to stop him?
With a loud thud, the two exchanged a palm strike, and the terrifying Dao Power reverberated, sending sharp, almost imperceptible sounds through the air.
"You’re a tough one, I’ll remember this!"
Holy Son struck with one palm and didn’t engage in a prolonged battle, using the force to rapidly flee.
Apart from this old man, there was also that young woman and the young man. He didn’t want to cause too much commotion and attract their attention.
Old Tea Vendor glanced at him but didn’t pursue further. He raised an eyebrow, sneered, and watched for a moment until the other man disappeared, then turned and returned.
Upon returning to Cangya City, Old Tea Vendor went back to the teahouse and briefly explained the situation to his Young Miss.
"No wonder those Demons were so bold, it turns out the Holy Race has spied on the Incense here..."
Ying Xiaoxiao’s eyes narrowed slightly, a mix of surprise and unsurprise.
The Holy Race cultivated with Incense, so it was natural for them to covet the Incense here.
"However, it’s none of our business. If they provoke us, we’ll kill them. After all, our Ancestral Feuds haven’t been settled yet..."
Ying Xiaoxiao’s voice was cold.
Old Tea Vendor nodded slightly, took a sip of tea, and felt a slight burning sensation in his palm.
That young man from the Holy Race seemed to have some skills...
As the two were eating and drinking, a young man’s voice reached their ears.
"Would you two like to come over and sit down?"
Ying Xiaoxiao and Old Tea Vendor exchanged a glance, recognizing the young man’s voice.
The commotion Old Tea Vendor had caused earlier, with the fluctuations in his aura, had clearly been noticed by the young man.
"Young Miss." Old Tea Vendor looked at Ying Xiaoxiao.
Though they weren’t afraid of the young man, their clan preferred to avoid unnecessary entanglements.
"It’s fine."
Ying Xiaoxiao waved her hand, the Golden Bell on her wrist jingling softly, drawing covert glances from the people at the other tables. What a beautiful girl...
But then their eyes widened in shock as they saw the old man and the young woman vanish right before their eyes.
What the hell?!
In front of the courtyard, the old man and the young woman reappeared.
The guards at the gate didn’t stop them, and the two entered the courtyard.
"Smells good."
Seeing the fish roasting over the fire, Ying Xiaoxiao’s nose twitched, and her eyes lit up.
Li Hao recognized the old man and the young woman from the Official Road.
He had always felt like someone was following him, but he couldn’t pinpoint it. It wasn’t until he sensed the fluctuations from the small teahouse that he realized his suspicions were correct.
"Senior, aren’t you selling buns anymore?"
Li Hao looked at Old Tea Vendor, a smile playing on his lips.
Hearing Li Hao’s words, Old Tea Vendor’s face reddened slightly, and he coughed lightly.
"I’ve earned enough money, so I’m taking my granddaughter out to play."
Li Hao smiled, not bothering to delve deeper. "You’ve been following me for quite a while. What do you want?"
Ying Xiaoxiao’s gaze shifted from the roasting fish, her bright eyes and perfect teeth forming a gentle smile.
"Nothing much, just that following you seems to lead to interesting things, so I followed."
What kind of reason was that? Li Hao raised an eyebrow, but seeing the clear, bright eyes of the girl, free of any impurity, he felt she might be telling the truth. Otherwise, the reason was too far-fetched.
"What interesting things have you seen, then?"
Li Hao asked.
(End of Chapter)
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