Chapter 271: Primordial Spirit, Seven Extreme Realms
In less than half a day, Li Hao arrived once more in Youzhou.
This time, considering Elder Xia Yuanwu's pace, he did not travel at breakneck speed, appreciating the scenery along the way.
Upon arriving at the gates of the Xia family's grand mansion, he saw Xia Linglong personally welcoming him again. This time, there were a few more elders with deep, restrained auras—evidently the senior figures of the Xia family.
As they watched the young man dismount from Zhuhuo Shen, the seasoned elders, who had fought numerous battles, all focused their gazes on him.
The sword that cut down the Voracious Wolf Lord and quelled the turmoil in Youzhou was witnessed by millions. Moreover, when they rushed to aid Qingzhou, they learned that the Longmen and Shenggong forces besieging Qingzhou City had been eradicated by Li Hao.
The leaders of these two factions were both at the Taiping Dao level, long-standing threats to the major god general families. The fact that Li Hao had eliminated them both in one strike had left these seasoned warriors in awe.
"General Haotian, please."
Xia Linglong smiled warmly, extending her invitation to Li Hao.
Seeing Li Hao again, her feelings were different from before. After witnessing him slay the Voracious Wolf Lord and learning he had killed Long Jue Shen and Feng Lingxiao, she understood this youth, though only in his teens, was already at the pinnacle of Dayu's power.
Apart from the real person from Qiandao Palace, perhaps only the widely acknowledged second-strongest, the Buddha, could contend with him—and even that was uncertain.
Many of Xia Linglong's generation, as well as the younger generation, had come to observe from afar, curious and respectful of the legendary youth.
Born into a martial family, they revered strength and practical prowess over empty words. This young man embodied both.
Be it his Taiping Dao-level cultivation or his meritorious deeds in slaying demon kings, he surpassed his peers by far.
"At fourteen, he was said to have reached the Fifteen Li Realm. Typically, cultivation slows down after that, but he has only sped up."
"Is this really General Haotian? He looks so young."
"They say he killed the Voracious Wolf Lord with one sword strike. Among the Taiping Dao, he is a god of slaughter."
Young Xia family members murmured among themselves, feeling the weight of the vast gap between them and Li Hao, not out of jealousy but out of a realization of their own shortcomings. While they still competed among peers, Li Hao was already being celebrated by their elders.
The disparity was staggering.
As they reached the Xia family's reception hall, Li Hao sensed the warm atmosphere and quickly conveyed his desire to visit Lingyuan Pavilion.
Xia Linglong, noting his preference for tranquility, immediately dispersed the young onlookers and led him to Lingyuan Pavilion.
Li Hao left Evening Yan with Zhuhuo Shen and asked Elder Xia Yuanwu to take care of Ren Qianqian.
Excited and nervous, Ren Qianqian was astounded by the hospitality shown to Li Hao by the Xia family, another god general family. She became anxious but obediently nodded, showing a reassuring smile to Li Hao.
Xia Yuanwu, noticing her discomfort, led her to his courtyard to ease her tension.
Li Hao then entered Lingyuan Pavilion, where Xia Linglong explained its significance.
"General Haotian, this is our family's treasured Lingyuan Pavilion. Our ancestors hoped to collect all the world's martial arts here for future generations to study, aiming to create a glorious era of martial arts."
Li Hao nodded and remarked, "For a martial arts renaissance, sharing these techniques widely is essential."
Xia Linglong was momentarily taken aback, then smiled, "You're right. We plan to share our mid and lower-tier techniques with the public, though it will spark disputes with court scholars. But our real challenge is the demons outside our borders. We can't risk internal strife."
Li Hao understood immediately. While fostering martial arts could lead to a surge in fighters, it could also result in chaos if not managed properly. The demons could exploit such internal discord.
Balancing external threats and internal control was a delicate task requiring significant strategic prowess.
"Balance is difficult to maintain," Li Hao mused.
Xia Linglong, pondering his words, led him inside, expressing her family's trust in him.
Li Hao began meticulously absorbing the knowledge contained within the pavilion's books.
He swiftly scanned and recorded everything, particularly focusing on refining his primordial spirit and artifact-controlling techniques, pushing his abilities to their limits.
While the Xia family's strength lay in their spiritual cultivation, their techniques for refining the primordial spirit and controlling artifacts were among the best, rivaling even royal methods.
These techniques greatly benefited Li Hao, enhancing his cultivation and broadening his understanding of spiritual and artifact control.
As he immersed himself in the ancient texts, Li Hao felt his primordial spirit strengthening, reaching new heights. He could now traverse vast distances at incredible speeds and withstand intense sunlight that previously would have incinerated his spirit.
Days passed, and Li Hao's spirit refinement reached a critical point. His primordial spirit transformed, becoming more substantial and golden.
"This is…" Li Hao realized he had achieved the ultimate state of the Spiritual Realm, allowing his spirit to roam the void, unaffected by physical limitations.
This breakthrough, which he named the Primordial Spirit, marked a significant leap in his cultivation journey.
After spending two days in Lingyuan Pavilion, Li Hao emerged, his abilities vastly enhanced. Xia Linglong, notified of his departure, came to see him off, offering further aid and expressing deep gratitude.
Li Hao, declining additional offers of assistance, left the Xia family with two powerful protective artifacts as a token of appreciation.
Returning to Tianmen Pass, Li Hao sensed an unfamiliar yet formidable presence within the city. Entering his courtyard, he found a disheveled figure, shackled but familiar, seated at his usual spot, drinking tea.
The figure, though bound and ragged, radiated an aura of indomitable will.