Li Hao's expression changed slightly as he heard the other party's casual yet confident tone. It seemed that further denial was unnecessary.
On Li Hao's wrist, a blood-colored tendril on the blood vine ring floated up, standing erect like a cowlick, as if eavesdropping on Li Hao and Ji Yunguo's conversation.
The Ji family?
The Crimson Blood Vine Demon King was surprised. After living in the Red Wood Corpse Ridge for thousands of years, there had been several ancient saints who came to harvest the Dao rhyme blood fruit it produced, not to mention the other tribes. They would often fight before even reaching the ridge, their scalps dripping with blood.
Through these battles, it had learned a lot and longed for the world outside the Red Wood Corpse Ridge.
After all, it had never left since its birth.
The Ji family—there was only one in the Great Wilderness Heaven.
The Crimson Blood Vine Demon King felt a stir of unknown excitement in its heart. Earlier, the young man had claimed to be from the Ancient God Clan, and now he mentioned having Ji family blood. Could the Ji family be related to the Ancient God Clan?
It felt like it had eavesdropped on something incredible. Oh, how exciting! (> <)
"Your mother should be that little girl, Ji Qingqing, right? She actually married into your Li family."
Ji Yunguo sighed.
From Li Tianzong's obsession and the messages left by the Ji family in ancient times, he also knew about the most powerful divine dynasty outside the Great Wilderness Heaven. The Li family was a divine general in that Great Yu dynasty and could be considered a prominent and prestigious family.
Although such a family was insignificant in their eyes, it was not completely unknown.
Moreover, that dynasty had been extremely prosperous thousands of years ago. Even the Ancient Saints would not provoke them unless necessary.
Seeing that his secret had been seen through, Li Hao had nothing to say.
"No wonder those two guys were winking at you before they left. They must have been whispering warnings, telling you to hide your identity."
Ji Yunguo recalled the farewells from earlier. He had found it a little strange at the time but hadn't thought too much about it. Now, it was like being hit by a boomerang, and he finally understood.
Seeing Li Hao's tacit acknowledgment, Ji Yunguo sized him up. Although he had already guessed that Li Hao was Ji Qingqing's child when he sensed his bloodline aura earlier, he now saw the resemblance even more clearly.
"You don't have to be too nervous. Although our Ji family forbids intermarriage with outsiders, and any women who do so will be imprisoned for life, along with their spouses and descendants... there are always exceptions."
"If it were someone else, I might consider turning a blind eye because you're sending me back to the Ji family. But with your talent, I'll talk to those old guys when I get back, and we should be able to accept you."
"Hmm?"
Li Hao's expression changed slightly. Imprisoned for life?
So, the woman who exposed her identity in Yanbei, shocked the Saint Palace, and was then taken back to the Ji family was currently imprisoned?
As Li Hao's expression shifted, Ji Yunguo smiled and said, "With your talent, you're considered a top genius even in the Ji family. I don't know if any more monstrous talents have emerged in the younger generation of the Ji family during my absence, but in my generation, you would definitely be ranked first!"
Li Hao was only fifteen years old and had already reached the Three Non-Mortal Realm. His cultivation alone was enough to be considered a genius.
Not to mention that Li Hao had cultivated divine power and reached the limit of the Tongling Realm in that barren place outside the Great Wilderness Heaven.
In the Ancient Saint Clan, those who reached the limit of the Martial Realm were either the elderly with long lives or rare monstrous talents!
"After you send me to the Ji family's territory, I'll also give you a small gift."
Ji Yunguo said with a smile.
Li Hao, however, paid no attention to the gift and instead asked, "Senior, if a woman from an intermarriage is imprisoned, how can she be freed?"
Ji Yunguo's eyes softened as Li Hao ignored the gift he had mentioned and instead showed concern for his mother. Although he had not interacted with Li Hao much, he was growing more and more fond of this junior.
"Your mother, Ji Qingqing, has a high status in the Ji family as a direct descendant. If it were a lower-status member of the Ji family without anyone pleading for her, she might have been executed directly. But your mother has pure blood, so she will only be imprisoned."
Ji Yunguo also sighed with emotion. He never expected that the little girl who had pulled his beard when she was young would not only grow up but also have a son.
And it was because of this son that he was able to return.
"Your mother should be imprisoned, but once you become the top genius of the Ji family, you'll be able to visit her. In the future, when you gain power and influence in the Ji family, you'll naturally be able to release your mother, exchanging her freedom for your family's contributions."
Li Hao was slightly stunned, secretly relieved.
If their status was low, they would be killed directly. It seemed that the Ji family did place great importance on bloodlines.
The image of the gentle-eyed woman appeared in his mind. Although he had wanted to see his mother, whom he hadn't seen for over a decade, during this trip, it was more of a passing thought.
He had originally planned to leave after sending Ji Yunguo back, not wanting to disturb her. After all, that grandfather had said that his presence might not be a good thing for the Ji family and could disrupt their lives, causing trouble for her.
But now that she was imprisoned, he had to go.
The top genius of the Ji family?
Li Hao's eyes flickered, and he immediately asked Ji Yunguo more questions, wanting to understand the rules of the Ji family.
Ji Yunguo only gave a simple introduction, saying that the rest would become clear once Li Hao arrived at the Ji family.
Time flew by.
After a few more days, Li Hao had traveled seven or eight thousand miles, covering most of the straight-line distance across Liangzhou.
Along the way, he killed more than a dozen Demon Kings and a fierce beast with ancient Demon King bloodlines. The beast was extremely vicious and among the top in its realm, but it was no match for Li Hao, the little monster who could turn the tables. It was defeated in just a few moves.
By absorbing the essence blood of these Demon Kings, Li Hao's physical body was once again strengthened, like being tempered by thunder and fire, reaching an extremely high level even among the Nine Cast Divine Soldiers.
As he traveled through the mountains and rivers, sweeping across the Great Wilderness, Li Hao, though just a youth who had recently entered the Great Wilderness Heaven, was like a little wild beast, unstoppable.
Finally, Li Hao entered the territory of the Ji family.
His body soared in the sky, flying over the mountain peaks and cliffs. Before him was a vast forest that stretched as far as the eye could see.
In the center of the forest was a huge lake, hundreds of miles in diameter, with winding waterfalls that weaved through the forest and extended to the cliffs. The rushing waters created a loud rumble as they fell, and rainbows shone in the air.
"We're here."
There was a slight tremor in Ji Yunguo's voice, revealing his excitement and agitation.
"Yes," replied Ji Yunguo, his soul appearing beside Li Hao as he gazed into the distance, seemingly inhaling the scent of his homeland's soil.
However, without any organs, it was unclear if he could truly feel or sense anything.
"Ahead lies the sacred mountain of my Ji Clan, guarded by a barrier that only those with our blood can pass through. Otherwise, one must first pay homage to the mountain. Do you see it over there?" Ji Yunguo pointed with an outstretched hand.
Li Hao followed his gaze to a majestic mountain in the distance, upon which were inscribed several ancient characters.
"Ancient Ji Clan," he read.
Indeed, this place belonged to the Ji family.
"Thank you. My wish has finally come true," Ji Yunguo said, turning to Li Hao with a fervent and solemn expression. "As I mentioned before, now that I'm back, I want to give you a small gift."
He raised his hand, and with a twist of the void, a black ribbon-like tendril of the Yellow Spring's energy extended forth.
Li Hao recognized it immediately—it was indeed the power of the Yellow Spring.
Even in his current state, Ji Yunguo could still control some of the Yellow Spring's bizarre powers.
As the black ribbon-like tendril split open, it seemed to open a void portal, from which two figures fell. They resembled lion-snake hybrids, entwined together.
One was covered in crimson fur, while the other was silver.
Upon sensing their auras, Li Hao's expression changed drastically. "Candlelight Gods!"
These two demon-gods were none other than the Candlelight Gods, and they were still alive!
However, their eyes were tightly shut, revealing their true forms as they appeared to be unconscious.
Moreover, their bodies had shrunk, and their auras were significantly weaker.
"They possess the bloodline of the Great Yin Brilliance, originally a single entity born as twins. If one of them could cultivate to the Half-step Great Harmony Realm, their combination would instantly make them a true Great Harmony Realm!" Ji Yunguo explained to Li Hao. "A true Great Harmony Realm is far stronger than what you encountered in the Yellow Spring. From now on, be cautious and never underestimate them. With your current strength, you'll need at least a few more years of cultivation before you can match them."
"Due to the lingering resentment in the Yellow Spring, the power of those in the Great Peace Realm is not as strong as it was during their lives, and they may not be able to use all their secret techniques from their mortal days," Ji Yunguo continued, his words sending a chill down Li Hao's spine.
Li Hao nodded, acknowledging the warning.
"Once they merge and become a true Grand Harmony Realm, they can split back into their original twin forms and cultivate separately. If they can each achieve the Grand Harmony Realm on their own, their combined power when merged may even allow them to attain enlightenment!" Ji Yunguo added, his eyes falling on the unconscious Candlelight Gods. "Their bloodline is extremely powerful. Even in our Ji Clan, finding and taming such demon kings requires great effort. They are a rare find, and I give them to you as a gift!"
Li Hao was stunned. Was Ji Yunguo really giving him the Candlelight Gods as a gift?
"Thank you, I..." Li Hao began, his mind racing. These two demon kings were not to be taken lightly, but they would certainly make a delicious soup.
Noticing Li Hao's silence, Ji Yunguo laughed. "Don't worry. I've used the residual power of the Yellow Spring to erase their memories and imprint your image upon their minds. When they wake up, they will only remember you and recognize you as their master. Treat them well."
"Of course, as their master, you must also be aware that demons possess sentience. Anything with sentience will have moments of obedience and rebellion. Therefore, it's up to you to treat them well and guide them properly," Ji Yunguo cautioned.
Li Hao was taken aback. He was to become the master of the Candlelight Gods? Taming demon kings was incredibly difficult. For example, the first palace master of the Tan Palace had only reached an agreement with Song Qiumo thousands of years ago, and they didn't have a true master-servant relationship.
As for the other divine general mansions, it was said that the Xia family enjoyed taming demon kings. The elderly matriarch of the Xia family possessed extraordinary skills in this regard, and most of the areas under their control were secretly guarded by demon kings.
Those demon kings were also recorded in the Demon Register of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, recognized as "official employees."
If these Candlelight Gods could be truly tamed, they would undoubtedly be incredibly powerful allies. As a couple, they could merge to become a "Grand Harmony Realm", a force comparable to that of the Buddha Lord, the second-in-command of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty!
"I'll also teach you how to use the Heaven and Earth Jade Belt. For now, just store them inside it. Their physical bodies have been eroded by the Yellow Spring, and their cultivation has been affected. Once you gain the recognition of the Ji Clan and become a Proud Child of Heaven, you can request to have them sent to the Ji Clan's sacred site for healing," Ji Yunguo instructed.
The Heaven and Earth Jade Belt he mentioned was the jade belt that the short man had thrown to Li Hao. It contained the Dao Rhyme Blood Fruit, which was said to be a small world space.
Similar to the space created by the Dao Heart Realm, this small world space was transferred to a treasure by powerful beings. In the ancient saint tribes, such items were known as "microverses."
The microverse within the Heaven and Earth Jade Belt was vast, comparable to the size of the space created by the Defying Fate Realm. It could easily accommodate the Candlelight Gods, whose physical bodies were currently weakened.
"Now, I'm finally home," Ji Yunguo said, a sense of relief washing over him as he finished his instructions to Li Hao. His gaze fell upon the scenery before them, and his lingering obsession gradually faded away.
As Ji Yunguo's obsession dissipated, Li Hao felt a warmth in his palm, and a golden light emerged from it—the Golden Page of the Yellow Spring.
Ancient characters floated across the page:
[Progress: 100%. Completed Dragon City Yellow Spring. Reward: 100,000 Merit Points.]
[Congratulations! You are the first person in the Great Yu Realm to accumulate 100,000 merit points. The Treasury of Merit is now open.]
[Congratulations! You have summoned the Treasury of Merit. Reward: 10,000 Merit Points.]
[The Yellow Spring is closing. Please leave immediately.]
One by one, the ancient characters were imprinted on the page.
Subsequently, Li Hao's gaze fell upon the merit rankings on the golden page, and he saw that he had risen to the top spot, surpassing Wang Zhendong, who previously held the first position with 9,372 merit points.
Li Hao's merit points now totaled 9,527, still shy of the 10,000 mark.
As Li Hao marveled at this, the golden page shone with a brilliant light, and new words appeared:
[The Treasury of Merit has been unlocked. You may now enter and exchange your merit points for treasures.]
All around him, treasures imbued with the essence of the heavens and the earth's dao floated in mid-air.
Li Hao looked up, his eyes widening in astonishment.
It was too breathtaking.
The names of the treasures left him speechless.
[Sword Heart: 100 Merit Points]
[Master's Heart: 100 Merit Points]
[Nine Cast Divine Soldier: 10,000 Merit Points]
[Reversal of Fate: 10,000 Merit Points]
[Extreme Limit of Spiritual Power: 10,000 Merit Points]
[Sacred Heavenly Treasure: 50,000 Merit Points]
[Fruit of Enlightenment: 100,000 Merit Points]
...
Li Hao wondered if his eyes were deceiving him. These treasures were just too extravagant!
Sword Heart? Isn't this a state of mind? Could it really be exchanged?!
And Reversal of Fate? This unique ability is only possessed by those in the Reversal of Fate realm, equivalent to a second life!
Here, it could be exchanged for just 10,000 merit points!
The Extreme Limit of Spiritual Power was even more astonishing. The Divine Power state could also be exchanged, requiring the same amount of merit points as Reversal of Fate.
"This is just too outrageous."
Li Hao was incredulous. These intangible things had become "items" in the Merit Treasury of the Yellow Spring, available for direct exchange!
...
...
As Li Hao opened the Merit Treasury, the entire Great Yu Divine Dynasty, across the ten provinces, was set ablaze with excitement!
Anyone who had ever ventured into the Yellow Spring felt a burning sensation in their palms, and soon, a golden page appeared, emitting golden light:
[The first person in the Great Yu Realm to accumulate 100,000 merit points has appeared, and the Merit Treasury is now open.]
The golden words caused everyone to stare in astonishment.
When they hesitantly entered the Merit Treasury, they were dumbfounded by what they saw.
Based on their merit points, they could only see the merit treasures of the next level.
For example, 100 merit points could only view merit treasures priced at 1,000 points or less.
But with just 10 merit points, one could see merit treasures priced at 100 points.
Sword Heart, Master's Heart!
Just seeing these treasures left countless people in awe.
In addition to the Sword Heart, there were also the Knife Heart, Spear Heart, and numerous other weapon hearts!
It was common knowledge that enlightenment and understanding were prerequisites for becoming a genius.
However, now they could be directly exchanged!
Usually, this required talent and insight, and only a genius could hope to achieve it!
As for the Master's Heart, it was even more elusive. Many talented individuals from prominent families could, with ample resources, reach the Fifteen-Mile Realm, but some would be stuck at the Heavenly Man Master Realm for decades, their aspirations unfulfilled.
No matter how much their parents doted on them or how many resources they poured in, they couldn't forcefully advance to the Master Realm, and their aspirations would eventually wither and shatter.
But now, the Master's Heart in the Merit Treasury offered them hope!
"Oh heavens, this is truly a treasure trove!"
"Even the Master's Heart can be exchanged! This is too outrageous!"
"If one can pass the Yin Sha level of the Yellow Spring, they'll receive 1,000 merit points, enough to exchange for ten of them!"
"Can the Master's Heart be stacked? Will it turn us into super masters?"
"You're thinking too much."
At the same time, there was fervent discussion throughout the Great Yu Divine Dynasty.
Countless scions of noble families and members of the Divine General Mansions were stirred by this earth-shattering news.
In the Imperial City of Saintly Peace.
Within the majestic and solemn Imperial Palace, the Yu Emperor was holding court, seated upright on his dragon throne.
His figure, revealed during the morning court, was stately and imposing, that of a middle-aged man with a robust physique and eyes like the sun and moon, dazzling and commanding.
At his feet, on the dragon carpet, stood numerous ministers and military officers.
At that moment, they were discussing the matter of bestowing titles for meritorious service in Liangzhou.
"As for the Li family..."
A civil official was in the midst of reporting when sudden exclamations rang out, interrupting him.
The official's heart skipped a beat, thinking that he had somehow erred or spoken out of turn. As he looked up, he saw golden lights appearing on both sides of the court.
The Yellow Spring had extended into the Great Yu Divine Dynasty for over two millennia, and in the last eight hundred years, its influence had become increasingly apparent and severe. Initially, it was confined to a small area outside the empire, but now it was gradually spreading.
Ever since the Wang family was assigned to guard the Yellow Spring, this endeavor had become a means of pledging allegiance and demonstrating loyalty to the dynasty. Thus, many officials ventured into the Yellow Spring to obtain their Yellow Spring ledger as proof of their loyalty and virtue.
After all, one could exaggerate or fabricate tales of slaying demons and eliminating evil, but the golden paper of the Yellow Spring ledger was tangible proof of one's dedication and virtue.
"Merit Treasury?"
"What's going on?"
"The first person to accumulate 100,000 merit points has appeared? How is that possible? I recall Wang Zhendong having close to 10,000 merit points. Could the Yellow Spring be mistaken?"
"100,000?"
Everyone was astonished.
Soon, someone pulled up the merit rankings, and at the very top, they saw a name surpassing Wang Zhendong, the iron-fisted general:
Insect Two!
"Who is Insect Two?!
"Who is this person? What a strange name. Who is Insect Two?!"
In the court, everyone exchanged bewildered glances, shocked by what they saw.
Among them, several officials with the surname Wang had shocked expressions on their faces. They were all too aware of the dangers of the Yellow Spring, and yet, a name unrelated to the royal family had appeared at the top of the merit rankings?!
It was common knowledge that the merit rankings, aside from the order, held little significance, which was why few dared to challenge the Yellow Spring. Even Sword Saints and Blade Saints preferred to slay demons rather than venture into the Yellow Spring.
After all, the rewards offered by the Yellow Spring Bureau were meager compared to the fame, merit, and titles bestowed for slaying demons.
On the dragon throne, the Yu Emperor was taken aback, witnessing such a miraculous event for the first time.
Merit Treasury?
His eyes narrowed, focusing on the golden page and the Merit Treasury inscribed on it, his consciousness reaching out and penetrating it.
Soon, a palace no less magnificent than the Imperial Palace appeared in his mind, filled with countless merit treasures.
"Sword Heart?"
"Reversal of Fate?!"
The Yu Emperor's eyes scanned the treasures, his pupils contracting with shock. He immediately grasped the profound implications of the Merit Treasury's emergence and the earth-shattering impact it would have.