Chapter 65: Assault on the City

Song Yueyao stood frozen, her eyes wide.

She had assumed the attack was the work of some passing powerhouse—or perhaps a general from the Xia Family. But it wasn’t. It was the Demon-Subduing Bureau.

And not even a high-ranking official… just a plain Demon Suppression Officer?

Then, she noticed the boy’s face—strangely familiar.

Where had she seen him before?

…This morning?

Song Yueyao had a terrible case of face blindness. She rarely paid attention to others, treating them like mere blades of grass. But her memory wasn’t bad. And suddenly, it clicked.

This boy was one of the five new recruits who had reported to the Demon-Subduing Bureau that morning. A disciple of the Tan Palace.

Then it hit her.

The boy who’d been carrying a wild rabbit when she’d gone to verify the Class A Academy’s cultivation assessment… it was him.

Just dressed in a dark robe now, she hadn’t recognized him at first.

At that moment, Li Hao noticed the woman chasing after him from behind. He glanced slightly to the side, and their gazes met—just for an instant.

Li Hao didn’t care much. He gave a small nod, then resumed walking, the Demon-Slaying Blade in hand.

But Song Yueyao… froze like she’d been struck by lightning.

That sideways glance… so familiar!

Her mind flashed back to the cave. The fleeting glimpse of a profile in shadow.

Him?!

She couldn’t believe it. The one who’d secretly completed the Realm-Meh River trial… was this boy?

She felt disbelief surge through her—until she looked around.

The ground was littered with the corpses of Ape Spirits.

The evidence was undeniable.

Among the Outer Courtyard Disciples, who else could have completed the Realm-Meh River trial?

Her body moved without thought. She leapt down from the treetop, landing in a fluid motion, then sprinted forward.

“Wait!”

Li Hao stopped. He turned slightly, eyes calm.

“Senior Sister?”

That word—Senior Sister—sent an unexpected wave of comfort through her. Her tense nerves eased, just slightly.

She hurriedly asked, “You… killed all these Ape Spirits?”

She already knew the answer. But she couldn’t help asking anyway.

“…”

Li Hao paused, a faint, almost puzzled expression on his face.

Was this senior sister’s eyesight really that poor? Was there someone else here?

This was a massacre scene. Even a child could tell.

Seeing Li Hao’s odd stare, Song Yueyao felt a flush rise to her cheeks. She realized she’d asked a stupid question.

She glanced at the blade in his hand—the Demon-Slaying Blade, its edge jagged and splattered with dried blood. It was clear this weapon had been through countless battles.

“…And the Great Demon atop the mountain?” she asked, voice tight with awe. “You killed that too?”

Li Hao gave a small nod.

Just a bunch of lost souls and one fifteen-li demon. Nothing special.

Seeing him confirm it, Song Yueyao’s heart jolted.

She swallowed hard. “How old are you?”

“…Asking a boy his age is quite rude,” Li Hao said, deadpan.

“…”

Song Yueyao nearly choked. Here, in the midst of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, he still had the nerve to joke?

But even if he didn’t answer, she could tell. He looked no older than fourteen or fifteen. The Tan Palace’s new recruits were capped at sixteen—so he was definitely within that range.

Fourteen or fifteen, and already at the Fifteenth Li Stage?

The shock hit her like a hammer.

She felt utterly crushed.

She was the pinnacle of talent in the Tan Palace—Ninth-Rank Combat Body, a prodigy among prodigies. Even with such a rare talent, the cultivation boost from a Ninth-Rank Combat Body was immense. And yet… she was this far behind?

The last time she’d heard of someone like this was when her grandfather spoke of the legendary Ninth Young Master of the Li Clan.

But back then, she was too young. She’d only heard the tale—like a myth.

Now, here was a real, living prodigy standing right in front of her. Like a legend stepping into reality.

It felt unreal.

“Are you alone?” she asked, unable to stop herself. “How did you end up here?”

She stared at his dark robe—clean, almost untouched by blood. Only the Demon-Slaying Blade bore the scars of battle.

He looked like he’d been slaying demons while still having time to spare.

“Senior Sister,” Li Hao sighed, “are you interrogating a suspect?”

Song Yueyao was stunned. She’d never been so curious about anyone before—and now she was being reprimanded for it.

“Just saw some spirit beasts nearby,” Li Hao added, “and since I had time, I came to deal with them.”

Seeing her embarrassed expression, he softened slightly.

“Besides,” he said, “I’ve got work to do.”

With that, he leapt lightly onto a tree branch, summoned his Spirit Soul, and began patrolling forward with the Demon-Slaying Blade in hand.

Song Yueyao’s pupils contracted.

Words couldn’t describe what she was seeing.

Her face paled.

Her grandfather had once spoken of prodigies like this—she’d thought it was exaggeration, praise beyond reason.

But now… she realized the truth.

There were people like this in the world.

But… how?

The Ninth-Rank Combat Body was the peak. And she—herself a prodigy—could only see this boy’s back.

How could someone so young be so far ahead?

Not long after, the Black Blade returned, flying back into Li Hao’s grip.

He shook off the blood, then glanced down the mountain trail.

The tail end of the path had been cleared.

He turned, ready to finish off the remaining spirit beasts along the way.

“You—wait!” Song Yueyao snapped back to reality, calling out.

She hurried after him.

When she caught up, she stared at his profile and asked, “Earlier at the Tan Palace… was it you who completed the Realm-Meh River?”

Li Hao looked at her, silent for a moment.

He hadn’t told anyone. The Tan Palace had promised rewards for those who completed the trial—but for some reason, he still felt a strange unease.

After all… it had been a test for new students from other sects.

“Yes,” he said finally.

“How did you do it?” Song Yueyao asked, eyes wide. “The Palace Master even issued a Reward Decree. Why didn’t you claim it?”

How had he done it?

Li Hao shrugged. He couldn’t explain. It just… clicked, as if he’d been drawing something and suddenly understood.

Later, he thought—maybe the black-robed scholar had been too ashamed, too outmatched, and fled in disgrace.

Seeing him remain silent, Song Yueyao pressed, “Hmm?”

Li Hao snapped back. “Was it the Chi Xiao Sword?”

“Yeah.”

“Like you see,” he said, “I’m fifteen li.”

“…”

Song Yueyao felt like someone had slammed a sledgehammer into her face.

A wave of heat, shock, and irritation surged through her.

Fifteen li? Did he think the Chi Xiao Sword was too weak?

Damn it!

She clenched her teeth. Her curiosity warred with a sudden, fierce fascination.

Then—far off, a wolf smoke rose into the sky, blooming like a crimson flower.

Song Yueyao’s eyes snapped to it.

Her pupils contracted.

“Purple Smoke?” she gasped, horror dawning. “Impossible! That’s only used during a Demon Invasion of the City!”

Li Hao froze.

As a member of a General’s Clan, he knew the signals.

Purple Smoke was only raised in extreme emergencies.

Once released, it meant sealing the city gates, locking down the entire capital.

Demon Invasion?

Suddenly, the words of the bear spirit beast echoed in his mind.

North… spirit beasts…

“I’m going back,” Li Hao said immediately.

His body blurred. He leapt into the air, his form vanishing in a streak of black.

A Flying Body Technique.

Song Yueyao stared, stunned.

She’d seen many who could fly—but none moved as fast as him.

But…

Why didn’t he take me with him?!

She gritted her teeth, stomped her foot, then turned and raced through the forest, chasing after the fading shadow of the boy who had just rewritten her world.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end