"Xuan Shen!"
Upon seeing Ji Xuan Shen attempting to block their path, Ji Daoxin's expression changed slightly, and he let out a soft exclamation.
However, he didn't blame him; he could tell that Ji Xuan Shen only intended to stop Li Hao from leaving and didn't bear any true ill will.
"There's no need for a challenge; you've already won," Li Hao said calmly to the young man before him. "Within the Ji family, you are the strongest genius."
"But I haven't defeated you yet!" Ji Xuan Shen's expression was complex, a mix of anger and powerlessness. He stared at the divine flames that enveloped Li Hao and said, "You've already reached the Grand Peace Realm. Although I don't know how you did it, you were able to defeat me when you were in the Three Non-Mortal Stages. Now that you've progressed further, you must be even more formidable."
"Just one move. Let's exchange just one move!"
"If you can defeat me in a single move, I'll let you leave!"
He stared intently at Li Hao. "Do you dare accept?"
Hearing the young man's words, the other members of the Ji family were taken aback. No one thought that Ji Xuan Shen was overestimating himself or being recklessly arrogant. They could all tell that when he said 'one move', he intended to use all his strength to hold back the opponent who had once defeated him.
This wasn't hostility but camaraderie!
Perhaps this was the mutual admiration between geniuses?
"That's right! If you don't defeat Xuan Shen and just run away after winning, that's cowardice!"
"If you want to leave the Ji family, then accept his challenge!"
The other geniuses who had arrived also understood Ji Xuan Shen's intentions and voiced their encouragement and goading.
Facing Li Hao, who had mastered the Dao Domain, they lacked the confidence to withstand even a single move. But since Ji Xuan Shen also possessed a Dao Domain and the power of a Sacred Bone, they believed that together, he might just have a chance to hold off Li Hao for a move!
Although their words sounded like a challenge and a grudge, the older members of the Ji family turned their gazes toward Li Hao, hoping that he would agree.
They wanted to give Ji Xuan Shen a chance.
Not a chance to challenge, but an opportunity to stay.
Li Hao, of course, understood Ji Xuan Shen's intentions as well. He fell silent for a moment.
Back then, when he had entered the mountain, there had been countless obstacles.
Now, as he was leaving, there were still countless obstacles.
Back then, it had been for the sake of the Ji family.
And now, it was also for the Ji family.
However, something extra had been added to the mix.
And this something extra was the most precious and rare thing of all.
"Then let's give it a try," Li Hao said with a sigh, although he already knew the outcome in his heart.
Hearing Li Hao's willingness to agree, the anger and complexity in Ji Xuan Shen's eyes turned into delight. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, afraid that Li Hao would insist on leaving without giving him any opportunity.
After all, if Li Hao truly wanted to leave, he couldn't stop him.
But for just one move, he was confident.
Even though he had lost to Li Hao when the latter was in the Three Non-Mortal Stages, during this period, he had progressed from the Half-step Dao Realm to the Grand Peace Realm! In an instant, he could unleash his Dao Domain, and his power over the rules would increase several fold.
Being in the same realm, he was the absolute genius of the Ji family. He didn't believe that he couldn't withstand a single move from Li Hao.
"You have to keep your word!" Ji Xuan Shen took a deep breath, and his eyes grew solemn. The aura around his body began to rise, and the veins of the world appeared, gathering the power of the heavens and earth from all directions.
Having experienced their previous battle, Ji Xuan Shen chose to take the initiative this time, although it might be considered unfair. He quickly depleted the power of the nearby heavens and earth, leaving none for Li Hao.
By doing so, he could prevent Li Hao from rapidly entering the Land Immortal Realm. Ji Xuan Shen felt that if they clashed in that realm, he might not even be able to withstand a single move, as the current Li Hao was no longer in the Three Non-Mortal Stages but at the peak of the Four Establishments!
As immense power gathered within him, an oppressive might emanated from Ji Xuan Shen's body. Thunderous and lightning-like transformative power condensed around him.
He stared at Li Hao, but to his surprise, Li Hao didn't seem to be gathering his strength or making any moves.
"Don't blame me for not giving you time to prepare!" Ji Xuan Shen said. If they were facing each other on a battle platform, he would have waited. But now, he only said this sentence before swiftly unleashing his Dao Domain toward Li Hao.
In the Grand Peace Realm, the Dao Domain reigned supreme. Whoever's Dao Domain was stronger, seized the initiative, and emerged victorious.
Ji Daoxin and the others looked at Li Hao, and seeing that he showed no signs of erupting with power, they secretly rejoiced. Perhaps Li Hao was also willing to stay in his heart?
Just as everyone was stunned by Ji Xuan Shen's display of power and secretly delighted, Li Hao simply lifted his foot and continued walking forward.
Facing the oncoming transformative Dao Domain, his expression was calm, as if he didn't see it at all. He just kept walking.
The Dao Domain enveloped him, but to the astonishment of Ji Xuan Shen and the others, Li Hao's body didn't change in the slightest. His hair just gently fluttered in the breeze, as if caressed by a gentle spring wind.
And yet, Li Hao's domains did not exert their full strength, merely suppressing Ji Xuan Shen lightly.
Subsequently, Li Hao took a step forward and walked right past, brushing shoulders with Ji Xuan Shen.
From start to finish, Li Hao didn't even seem to lift a hand, nor did he make any moves.
As for Ji Xuan Shen, he was already immobilized, like a stiff statue. He stared dumbfoundedly at the young man walking towards him and brushing past his shoulder, only his eyes able to move.
The shock and astonishment in his heart were indescribable.
Was the gap really that huge?
What followed was a wave of defeat and bitter pain.
Ji Daoxin and Ji Tianchao, who had expected to witness an intense clash, were stunned. Ji Xuan Shen's momentum, which he had been gathering for a long time, was effortlessly suppressed by Li Hao, like spring rain nourishing all things, silently and without a trace.
This was... defeat.
And a thorough one at that!
Ji Daoxin and Ji Tianchao were both dumbfounded. When Li Hao revealed his dual Dao Domains, their hearts skipped a beat as they realized the outcome.
The young man before them had not only achieved the Dao Realm, but had far exceeded their imagination with his dazzling display.
The numerous other Ji family members who had rushed over were silent at this moment.
The proud geniuses of the Ji family, who had been cheering earlier, were also left speechless, astonished by what they had just witnessed. They couldn't believe that Ji Xuan Shen, who had stepped into the Grand Peace Realm, had been defeated so easily.
Not only did Li Hao not make a single move, he didn't even need to lift a finger. His Dao Domain completely crushed Ji Xuan Shen, the gap between them was unimaginable!
Watching the young man's departing figure, Ji Daoxin and the others finally reacted and quickly chased after him.
"You truly won't stay with my Ji family?" Ji Qingyuan asked, his heart shaken and his eyes complex as he looked at the young man.
Ji Daoxin glanced at him, surprised that he would also try to keep Li Hao. He felt a mix of wonder and sorrow.
"Although I am not a member of the Ji family, I can be a friend to the Ji family. Let fate decide," Li Hao said calmly.
Hearing the young man's words, Ji Daoxin and the others fell silent. They knew that at this point, they couldn't keep Li Hao.
All the resources of the Ji family meant nothing to this young man.
As for the so-called family protection, it was an even more ridiculous notion. After all, this young man had already risen to prominence and was capable of roaming the Great Yu Dynasty at will.
Aside from the battle gods of the various holy clans, a few ancient beings, and some forbidden lands, there were hardly any places that could stop him.
Ji Daoxin sighed inwardly. Seeing Li Hao's display of dual Dao Domains only added to his pain and regret. He even regretted the slight pause Li Hao had made when asking his question earlier.
If he had agreed immediately, would this young man have changed his mind?
In this depressed atmosphere, they finished their journey and arrived at the entrance to the Secret Holy Land.
Despite his pain and reluctance, Ji Daoxin still opened the way to the Secret Holy Land for Li Hao. "I'll say it again. The Ji family will always welcome you in the future. This is the teleportation secret pattern for our Ji family's Secret Holy Land."
He raised his hand, and a secret pattern, like an array, appeared in his palm, presented for Li Hao to see.
Li Hao saw it and wanted to refuse, but since he had already seen the secret pattern, unless he forgot this memory, he now knew it.
Seeing their persistence, Li Hao sighed inwardly and bid them farewell with a wave of his hand.
"Let me send you off a little further."
Ji Yunyue and the others stepped forward, wanting to spend a little more time with Li Hao.
Li Hao politely declined, but they insisted, so he let them accompany him.
Ji Tianchao remained silent, his eyes filled with a mix of sadness and the weight of his years.
After they had traveled a thousand miles away from the Ji family's Secret Holy Land, Li Hao politely refused their company again.
"If you ever return to the Great Yu Dynasty in the future, remember to come and visit us," Ji Yunyue said, her eyes glistening with tears.
Ji Yunqing and the others also found it hard to part.
"I will," Li Hao nodded and bade them farewell.
Watching the young man's departing figure, Ji Yunqing murmured, "Aside from our ancestor, our Ji family seems to have lost a future sage."
"Third brother said that he would be able to fight side by side with me in ten years. At the time, I thought third brother was being too conservative. Now, I feel that third brother was being optimistic."
His children and grandchildren fell silent, their emotions complex.
Here was someone who could bring glory back to the Ji family, yet they had failed to keep him.
The day after bidding farewell to Li Hao, Ji Xuan Shen and several other peak geniuses arrived at the summit of Saint Mountain to seek out Ji Daoxin.
"Are you going beyond the Great Wilderness?" Ji Daoxin asked, taken aback by Ji Xuan Shen's words. When he saw the determined look in the eyes of the other geniuses, he frowned.
"That child will not return to the Ji family, and it's pointless for you to chase after him. Don't make things worse," he said.
Ji Xuan Shen shook his head slightly. "I just want to see for myself the place beyond the Great Wilderness, ruled by the Jiang family. I want to understand the environment of that barren dynasty that nurtured such a peerless genius."
"Yes, I also want to see. We, who have enjoyed countless divine pills and treasures in the Ji family, are still inferior to him. I want to see what that place beyond the Great Wilderness is like," Ji Qing Sheng added.
His father, Ji Qing Yuan, had known his daughter's thoughts and, hearing these words, simply furrowed his brows and sighed inwardly, but he did not stop her.
With Ji Xuan Shen, a Grand Peace Realm expert, accompanying them, these geniuses of the Ji family were already strong, and it was unlikely they would encounter any danger in that place.
After all, the geniuses of the ancient sacred clans were not fragile songbirds in a cage; they were not so delicate.
Ji Daoxin glanced at them and then at Ji Xuan Shen, and when he saw the young man looking directly at him without averting his gaze, he understood that his decision was firm.
If he tried to stop them now, it would become a hurdle in their hearts, difficult to overcome, and their cultivation might suffer as a result.
"Very well," Ji Daoxin relented. "The Great Yu God Dynasty is ruled by the Jiang family. Although it is beyond the Great Wilderness, you must still abide by their rules while you are there. Remember, that dynasty belongs to the Jiangs."
Ji Xuan Shen and the others exchanged glances, relieved by his permission.
"We understand," Ji Xuan Shen nodded. "One of the eight ancient sacred clans that once fought alongside our ancestors, the Jiang family."
"That's right," Ji Daoxin said. "In the ancient battle of the Great Wilderness, the ancestors of the Jiang family were defeated and expelled from the Great Wilderness to that barren land beyond. But their heritage and Dao lineage did not end there."
"Thousands of years ago, a heaven-defying genius was born into the Jiang family, with all one hundred meridians inherently unblocked. He unified that barren land, established a dynasty, and brought order, becoming a top powerhouse. Later, it was said that he died in battle, but whether that's true or not, there's no need to provoke them."
Hearing this, Ji Xuan Shen and the others felt a chill in their hearts. To be born with all one hundred meridians open was indeed a heaven-defying talent.
"Also, when we were investigating that child's background, we learned some information about the Great Yu God Dynasty. It is currently in decline, surrounded by demons and on the brink of a great war. These demons have the support of ancient demons from within the Great Wilderness, and a battle that will shake their royal city is imminent. Remember, do not lightly venture into their imperial city," Ji Daoxin warned solemnly.
Hearing this, Ji Xuan Shen and the others felt a chill in their hearts. Was the boy's homeland already in such peril?
"We understand," Ji Xuan Shen nodded.
Ji Daoxin looked at him, paused for a moment, and then sighed. "Xuan Shen, it is unfortunate that you live in the same era as that child, but you don't have to be so fixated on him. Aside from him, you are the most outstanding genius of our Ji family, and you are also the pride of your parents. Do you understand?"
Ji Xuan Shen fell silent for a moment before replying, "I understand."
Ji Daoxin nodded slightly, his expression softening. "If you see that child and he needs any help, send word immediately. If he intends to uplift the Jiang family dynasty, our Ji family will do our best to assist him!"
Hearing this, Ji Xuan Shen looked at the clan leader. As members of an ancient sacred clan, they knew better than anyone that their clans, even the smaller ones, looked down upon the lands beyond the Great Wilderness and would never deign to set foot there, let alone offer their help.
"I understand," Ji Xuan Shen said solemnly.
Ji Daoxin smiled, pleased by his response.
Several days later, at the edge of the Great Wilderness, a young man sat atop a fiery lion-like demon with crimson fur.
Gazing at the distant mountains, the young man murmured, "I'm back..."