"Ouch!"
The short man screamed, staring at Li Hao in shock. Even if his opponent was on guard, it shouldn't have been that easy to block his close-range attack. But somehow, it had been blocked, and with incredible force!
"You're at the Four Establishments realm?!"
The short man was astonished. He couldn't discern Li Hao's aura, but judging by his age, he thought that reaching the Three Immortals realm would already be impressive.
"Spare me, take the item, just don't kill me..."
Without waiting for Li Hao's response, the short man quickly pulled out a belt and offered it to Li Hao. "The Dao Yun Blood Fruit is inside. Please spare me!"
Dao Yun Blood Fruit?
Li Hao was surprised. He had just heard about this fruit from Ji Yunguo, and now it was right before his eyes.
However, he was doubtful that the fruit was really in the belt. Instead of taking it, Li Hao suddenly threw a punch, aiming directly at the man's head.
The man had been chased and was now offering him a treasure. It was clear that he intended to pass the trouble on to Li Hao. His plea for mercy was insincere and malicious.
"You..."
The short man was both shocked and angry. He roared, and a golden talisman appeared in his palm—the Sacred Heart Treasure Talisman.
The talisman burned with divine light, enveloping his body to block Li Hao's punch.
But when Li Hao saw the talisman, he immediately reacted. He abruptly exhibited the "Flying Segment" attribute, doubling his attack range.
Even before his fist was fully extended, the terrifying destructive force struck the man's head.
There was a loud bang, like bursting fruit pulp.
The short man's mouth hung open slightly, and even in his last moment, he couldn't believe what was happening. He didn't understand why he was dying.
However, his body had already lost its vitality, and a divine soul flew out from the top of his head, trying to escape.
But Li Hao's condensed sword aura, hidden with the "Hidden Bow" attribute, had been lurking in the surroundings. As the divine soul rushed out, the sword aura instantly sliced through it.
When the sword aura was concealed with "Hidden Bow," it went undetected, and its lethality doubled.
In that instant, the short man's divine soul was cleaved in half, and the sword aura then burst like a porcupine, shredding the soul to pieces.
The short man was only at the Three Immortals realm. In front of Li Hao, he didn't even have a chance to use the Sacred Heart Treasure Talisman to try and survive.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye. The short man's physical body and divine soul were both destroyed, leaving only the already activated Sacred Heart Treasure Talisman, enveloping his headless corpse.
All that was needed now was to wait for the talisman to burn out, and only a corpse would remain.
In that brief moment, the three pursuing figures had caught up. They were startled to see Li Hao easily take down the short man, and immediately surrounded Li Hao in a triangular formation.
"Damn brat, I should've killed him myself! It's too good for him to die by your hands!"
The leading young man glared at the headless corpse, still seething with anger. The short man was only at the Three Immortals realm, yet he had almost snatched the Dao Yun Blood Fruit from him. It was an embarrassment!
"Kid, hand over his corpse. I am from the Ancient Sacred Clan of Qin, and you'd better not be as foolish as that stupid thief!"
The young man shouted at Li Hao, his eyes carefully scrutinizing him. The more he looked, the more his brow furrowed. This boy didn't seem to be from the Great Wilderness Heaven.
But for someone of his age from outside the Great Wilderness Heaven to have such cultivation, to instantly kill someone at the Three Immortals realm...
Li Hao held up the glowing corpse and raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you thank me first? I stopped him for you and even killed him."
"Young man, hand over the Dao Yun Blood Fruit first, and my young master will definitely reward you handsomely."
The middle-aged man next to him stared intently at Li Hao, his tone gentle. However, his body subtly released his aura, enveloping the surroundings and sensing for any companions with Li Hao.
The old man, on the other hand, quietly locked down the surrounding area, using secret techniques to prevent Li Hao from escaping like the short man, relying on the Sacred Heart Treasure Talisman and secret arts.
Li Hao, with his connection to the pulse of the world, had an extremely keen perception of his surroundings. Although their actions and probing were subtle, he immediately sensed them and narrowed his eyes. It was clear that they had murderous intentions.
He felt a twinge of anger. These people from the Great Wilderness Heaven seemed to have even less regard for rules and order.
"Give me the corpse first! Then we can talk about what you want!" The young man's anger from being provoked by the short man hadn't completely faded.
"What if I don't want to give it to you?" Li Hao said.
The young man's eyes turned icy, and he said angrily, "Then you're asking for death!"
"Die!"
After locking down the surroundings, the old man secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He exchanged a glance with the middle-aged man, confirming that there was no one else around except for Li Hao. In other words, this young man, who seemed to have come out of nowhere, was alone.
Without hesitation, the old man attacked.
As a member of an Ancient Sacred Clan, there was no one they dared not kill. Even if Li Hao was a descendant of a Sacred Clan, it wouldn't matter. In the Great Wilderness Heaven, strength was revered, and if one's skills were lacking, death was deserved!
There was a loud bang.
Attacking at such close range, the old man, who was at the Four Establishments realm and a veteran servant of the Sacred Clan, had also cultivated an extremely profound Sacred Clan technique. His attack was like instantaneous lethal lightning, with no chance of evasion under the guidance of the Dao Yun.
Li Hao chose not to dodge. The attack was too fast, and his back shook with the impact, his body leaning slightly forward. He felt a stinging pain on his back.
But soon, his Indestructible Divine Body activated, and the stinging pain from the graze wound quickly healed, and the pain disappeared.
"How is this possible?!"
The old man's eyes widened in shock. This boy wasn't wearing any divine armor or protective clothing, yet he had blocked his attack with his bare body?!
The young man and the middle-aged man were also stunned, their faces paling.
Li Hao's eyes turned icy, and he used his Object Control power to levitate the glowing corpse and place it to the side. Then, he stepped forward, his movement as swift as the heavens, instantly closing in on the young man.
"You!"
The young man's face twisted with shock and anger. He raised his hand and slashed with his sword.
But the sword light was shattered by Li Hao's punch, and the sharp blade scraped against Li Hao's fist, creating sparks and leaving a bloodstain. It was clearly a high-grade divine weapon.
However, as the sword light shattered, Li Hao's punch landed on the young man's chest.
Suddenly, a low roar erupted from the young man's chest, and a dark tortoise-shell virtual shadow appeared, roaring at Li Hao and using its shell to block Li Hao's fist.
Li Hao's eyes widened in surprise. Under the young man's golden silk robe was a divine armor, and this golden silk robe was no ordinary garment. It seemed impervious to water and fire, its soft yet tough material protecting the young man.
The powerful impact sent the young man flying, and the black tortoise-shell virtual shadow faded slightly.
"Damn you! Don't be arrogant!"
The middle-aged man flew into a rage, and a primitive-looking stone spear suddenly appeared in his hand. He thrust it towards Li Hao, the ancient and rugged spear emanating a wild and ancient aura.
Instead of meeting the attack head-on, Li Hao employed the Heaven and Earth Invisible Technique to maneuver around it. With his catalog open, his movements became more agile.
Like a dazzling bolt of lightning, he swiftly caught up to the young man.
Fierce energy gathered in Li Hao's palm as he unleashed another ferocious punch.
"You're asking for death!"
The young man roared, a mix of anger and a hint of fear. This boy was like an untamed dragon, his strength terrifying. Despite his divine armor, the youth's blood was boiling, and his meridians were in turmoil. It was hard to believe that he was in the Dao Heart Realm!
At this moment, as Li Hao engaged in battle, the veiling effect of his Myriad Existences attribute was greatly diminished, revealing his true cultivation level—only the Three Immortals Realm!
It was always the proud and talented ones who turned the tables on their opponents, but today, he was the one being humiliated. The young man couldn't believe what was happening.
Dazzling sword light flashed like black fireworks, slicing through the air. However, Li Hao suddenly activated his Supreme Body, entering a brief state of invulnerability.
Under the influence of the Supreme Body, the sword's path was diverted, and despite being locked onto by Li Hao's gaze, the blade silently slid past without causing any harm!
Bang!
Li Hao's fist struck again, and the Black Tortoise shadow roared once more. But this time, the fist's intent was overwhelming like a storm, engulfing the shadow completely.
The shadow dissipated, and the punch landed on the young man's chest, causing the golden silk robe to dent and his chest to cave in, forming a huge crater. Bones shattered, and internal organs shifted.
The young man spat out a mouthful of blood, his body flying backward like a fallen golden bird.
"Young Master!"
The middle-aged man and the old man rushed over, their faces filled with shock. Their young master had divine armor, yet he was still severely injured?
Li Hao raised his hand, and energy surged in the void, as the world pulse acted like a pump, frantically drawing power from all directions. It condensed into terrifying sword auras that transformed into two sword dragons, roaring towards the two men.
They were startled and angry, quickly blocking the attack. The old man, seeing Li Hao still advancing towards their young master, widened his eyes in fury and shouted, "Stop! How dare you be so rampant?!"
As he spoke, the old man paid no heed to blocking the sword dragons, instead activating his divine armor. A swirling sword shadow circled his body, protecting him as he blocked the incoming sword auras from all directions.
However, several sword auras slipped through like fish that had escaped the net, striking his body.
Bang!
Before the old man could reach the young master, a sword aura penetrated his body. In an instant, his body stiffened as if his nerves had been extracted, leaving him rigid in place.
A pulling force, as if falling into an abyss, suddenly assailed him.
The old man's pupils constricted as he felt his strength rapidly draining away. He was horrified and on the verge of despair, thinking he was about to die. But he hadn't even sustained any serious injuries!
As his consciousness began to fade, driven by fear, he hastily activated his Life-Reversing power.
His family had sent him to accompany the young master because he still had a chance at life reversal. Even in dangerous situations, he could help the young master escape.
But now, it seemed that he was the one who had died first, so this opportunity for life reversal could only be used on himself.
A whooshing sound echoed as his soul escaped from his feet, wrapped in a force that propelled it away into the distance.
Perhaps due to the influence of the life reversal, the old man's mind was now filled only with an overwhelming fear of death, causing him to forget about the young master.
The pursuing sword auras missed their mark, allowing the old man to escape.
Li Hao frowned slightly but didn't give chase. With his current strength, he couldn't yet contend with life reversal.
He turned his attention back to the young man, throwing punches in quick succession. The youth raised his sword to block, unleashing a powerful aura, but it was scattered by Li Hao's punches. The remaining blows landed on his body and head.
"I... I am..."
Soon, the young man's body was battered beyond recognition, his flesh and blood a mess, his soul imprisoned within his mangled body and pummeled relentlessly.
Even in his final moments, the young man couldn't utter a complete sentence. Thus, a genius of the Ancient Sacred Clan met his end.
The middle-aged man, surrounded by the sword dragons, witnessed this scene, his heart filled with shock and despair.
Although their young master was just one of the many young lords in the Qin family, and his talent was only considered upper-middle, he shouldn't have been so easily defeated.
Moreover, the one who had killed him was just a boy! Could he be a top genius from another Ancient Sacred Clan?!
"You... you're doomed!"
Fear and terror filled the middle-aged man's eyes. If the young master's brother found out that his younger sibling had chased after the Dao Yun Blood Fruit only to be killed, who knew how furious he would become!
As their escorts, they would also be held accountable.
Li Hao heard the middle-aged man's words and picked up the young man's sword from the ground. The sword was entirely silver, exquisitely crafted, and emanated a faint silver light.
Hearing the man's words, Li Hao glanced at him and casually tossed the divine sword aside.
With a whoosh, the sword light suddenly tore through the air, piercing the sword tide and slicing towards the middle-aged man's head.
The man was horrified and quickly burned a Sacred Heart Treasure Talisman, which transformed into a black bell shadow that enveloped his body.
But in the next moment, the bell rang and was torn apart by the silver light, which slashed towards his shrinking pupils.
The divine sword was extremely sharp, and in Li Hao's hands, it demonstrated even greater power than when the young man had wielded it. It directly cleaved the middle-aged man in two, along with his soul!
"You're quite decisive, kid. It's a pity that you let the life reversal one escape," Ji Yunguo said, having hidden himself within Li Hao's body without revealing his presence. He had watched as Li Hao swiftly took down these three members of the Qin family, a smile spreading across his face.
"Won't they go back and report this?" Li Hao frowned, a little worried that taking out the underlings would attract the attention of their superiors, which would be troublesome.
"Definitely," Ji Yunguo replied. "Otherwise, what's the point of having a life reversal expert accompany the young master? But it seems like they don't intend to go back."
As he spoke, a column of black smoke rose from the distant mountains, seemingly a signal of some sort.
"That's a distress signal from the Qin family," Ji Yunguo explained. "Looks like there are other Qin family experts nearby. They plan to take revenge on the spot."
...
In front of a reddish-brown cliff, a large hole could be seen, from which a twisted, withered vine protruded, gently twisting and convulsing.
Outside the cliff, on several low-lying hills, a number of figures had gathered. They were young elites from various tribes and families within the Great Wilderness Heaven, each dressed differently.
At this moment, the demon king's transformation was already halfway done, and it was too late to stop it. Although it sensed the intruders, it was powerless to do anything.
They didn't try to interrupt the process either, quietly waiting for the second blood body to be refined. This blood body would absorb most of the demon king's essence and medicinal power, like a newly grown millennium blood ginseng, ten times more precious than the Dao Yun Blood Fruit.
That was why no one had chased after the person who took the Dao Yun Blood Fruit earlier.
Aside from waiting for the birth of this second blood body, they were also cautious because of the ancient sacred clan, the Qin family, who had sent one of their young masters to pursue the thief.
For a Dao Yun Blood Fruit, they had endured the idea of conflicting with the Qin family, but this second blood body was a different matter.
"That genius from the Qin family, Qin Tianchen, is here too. I'm afraid it will be difficult to get our hands on it."
"Let's wait and see. That Red-Blooded Vine Demon King is not to be trifled with, and there are other families here too. Let's see who makes the first move."
Many eyes were fixed on several exceptionally poised figures in the field, one of whom was particularly conspicuous—the genius of the Ancient Sacred Clan, Qin Tianchen.
Rumor has it that he was born with sacred bones and extraordinary talent, possessing the potential to become a sage. He started cultivating at the age of three and reached the Divine Wander Realm by the age of ten.
Then, at the age of fourteen, he entered the Heaven-Human Grand Master realm, and at seventeen, he stepped into the Three Immortals realm. He was infamous for his ruthless slaying of a demon king in adverse circumstances.
Now, at only twenty-four years old, his strength was already comparable to that of many older generations. He was a force to be reckoned with, and it was said that not long ago, he ventured deep into the Great Wilderness and single-handedly slew an ancient ferocious beast!
Among the crowd, Qin Tianchen's appearance was as exquisite as jade, his posture extraordinary as he quietly observed the Red-Blooded Vine Demon King in the cave.
Not far from him, a few figures occasionally glanced in his direction, their eyes revealing a sense of gravity.
It was said that he had already reached the limit of the Through Force Realm and mastered the Divine Power State. Yet, he had also come here.
As everyone waited, suddenly, a column of black smoke soared into the sky in the distance.
The two elders beside Qin Tianchen noticed it and were taken aback, their faces immediately turning grim. That direction was where the second young master had gone to pursue the thief.
Qin Tianchen's peripheral vision caught the sight, and his usually indifferent expression froze for a moment. Then, his eyes widened, and a formidable aura burst forth from his body, surging into the sky.
"Big brother!"
In the distance, a divine soul rushed over at high speed. It was the elder who had attacked Li Hao earlier.
Seeing Qin Tianchen, who had just taken off, he hurriedly said, "Young master, someone is trying to take the Dao Yun Blood Fruit, and they're going to kill the young master!"
"Who?!"
Qin Tianchen's eyes narrowed at the news. He had come here to protect his younger brother and help him obtain the Dao Yun Blood Fruit. How dare someone try to kill his brother?
All the people who had come to compete for the fruit were still here, and no one had left.
Seeing that the elder was only a soul, Qin Tianchen's expression darkened. "Where's Tianyu?"
"I... I used Reverse Life to escape..." The elder stuttered, his heart filled with tension and fear.
Qin Tianchen's eyes flashed with thunderous rage. "So, you abandoned my younger brother and escaped by yourself?!"
"Big brother, please go and save the young master..." The elder quickly pleaded, having used the opportunity of Reverse Life to escape. But the young master was only at the Divine Heart Realm, and he feared that he wouldn't be able to escape death. He hoped that they would still make it in time.
Qin Tianchen's face turned ugly, and he wanted to slap the elder to death. However, he didn't have time to pursue this matter further. He turned and took a step forward, intending to chase after the culprit, but then he saw a figure flying toward them in the distance. The figure wore a golden silk robe and carried a glowing silver sword.
This attire belonged to his younger brother.
But the person wearing it was a young man.
After the battle in Liangzhou, Li Hao had fled to the Moye River, where he killed a young man and took his clothes. This robe was a treasure, and he used it to cover himself, discarding his previous strip-like robe.
As for the divine armor, it was useless now, so he didn't bother retrieving it.
At this moment, he was tracking them down, intending to take the initiative and also to prevent them from searching for him and discovering that he came from outside the Great Wilderness Heaven, which would attract powerful enemies to the Great Yu Divine Dynasty.
"So many people?"
Li Hao scanned the area, noticing figures on the mountains all around.
His gaze fell on the elder's soul, seeing him pleading in front of a young man, and he immediately understood. The young man was most likely the one the elder had come to seek help for.
"It's you?!"
Qin Tianchen saw Li Hao wearing his younger brother's clothes and holding his sword, and his eyes turned red with rage. His usually icy demeanor transformed into fury.
"Who are you?!"
The two elders beside Qin Tianchen also rushed over, their eyes widening with shock when they saw Li Hao's attire. They shouted angrily.
The commotion drew the attention of everyone nearby, including those waiting for the birth of the Red-Blooded Vine Demon King's second blood body.
It seemed that Qin Tianchen's younger brother, whom he had just chased after, had been killed?!
With Li Hao's distinctive appearance, they immediately recognized him, and the fact that he had taken the young man's clothes and weapon meant that he had likely killed him.
"Who is that young man? He looks so young!"
"He looks like he's only in his teens. Which clan's genius is he?"
"He dared to kill someone from the Ancient Sacred Qin Clan and even chased after them. This guy's guts are too big!"
The crowd watched in awe and shock, whispering among themselves.
"Listen up, I'm from the Ancient Divine Clan, the Heavenly Clan!"
Li Hao heard the elder's question and thought, He's giving me an opening. He had come here intending to conceal his identity, and if he just left, he didn't know what means these people from the Ancient Sacred Clan might have to track him down and discover that he was from outside the Great Wilderness Heaven.
Since they call themselves a sacred clan, I'll call myself a divine clan. That shouldn't be too much, right?
Hearing Li Hao's clear response, the world fell silent for a moment as everyone stared in astonishment.
Ancient Divine Clan?
Did I hear that right? I've never heard of this clan before! Is there really an ancient divine clan in the Great Wilderness Heaven?!
The crowd was shocked, feeling as if their eyes had been opened to a whole new world.
Qin Tianchen was also taken aback, a hint of doubt flashing across his angry face. Ancient Divine Clan?
His elders had never mentioned such a clan before. The reason the Ancient Sacred Clan was called sacred was because their ancestor was a sage! Thus, their bloodline carried the legacy of the ancient sage.
Could this young man before him be a descendant of the gods?
But where are there gods in this world? I've never even heard of them!