Volume 2 - Chapter 9: No Blade of Grass Left Behind - Part 2
He instructed Ren Qianqian to stay within the camp and look after the little white fox, then hefted the crescent-shaped tusk blade onto his shoulder and strode toward the wilderness.
“You’re leaving tonight?” Li Hongzhuang, sitting atop a small mound, opened her eyes as she noticed his movement.
“It’s best to strike before they relocate,” Li Hao replied with a smile. He had rested enough while working on the tusk and felt about 70–80% recovered.
“...”
Li Hongzhuang was momentarily speechless, surprised by how enthusiastic this young man was about hunting demons—more so than herself.
“Be careful,” she said at last. Given Li Hao’s earlier feat of slaying two Great Demons, she trusted his strength. Though only at the Heaven and Man Realm, his combat ability had already reached the Three Immortals level.
Li Hao nodded and leapt into the darkness beyond the camp.
...
The whistling wind rushed past as Li Hao traversed the rugged terrain under the cloak of night.
Releasing his divine soul from the top of his head, it roamed under the moonlight, scanning the area vigilantly.
Along the way, he encountered traces of lesser demons. With a wave of his hand, he used his Object Manipulation ability to dispatch them effortlessly.
Traveling in a straight line, Li Hao crossed the wilderness beyond the pass, through dense forests, and over several mountains, covering a distance of 300 li by night.
Eventually, a strong stench of blood reached his nose.
The ground was stained with fresh blood and scattered with the mutilated remains of demons.
He surveyed the area and found three demon corpses nearby, their bodies severely mangled, as if they had been injured and then devoured by their own kind.
Li Hao’s gaze shifted toward a distant mountain, its surroundings littered with carcasses of all kinds. The air was thick with the stench of rot.
Without hesitation, he flew toward the mountain peak.
...
Deep within a large cave carved into the mountainside, firelight illuminated a few monstrous shadows on the walls.
“Madam, please restrain your grief. Black Scales has already gone to the Dragon Mountain Dojo,” a demon’s voice said cautiously.
“Shut up! You cowards! If any of you had covered his retreat, how could he have fallen?!”
A furious female voice echoed through the cave.
The cave fell silent.
Suddenly, a faint breeze wafted into the cavern.
“Who’s there?!”
The shadows on the walls jolted, and two figures cautiously stepped forward from a bend in the cave.
“You dare remain here? Bold indeed,” a calm voice said.
Under the faint moonlight at the cave’s entrance, Li Hao appeared, carrying the crescent-shaped tusk blade. Behind him, in the moonlit exterior of the cave, lay a mountain slope strewn with demon corpses.
The two figures in the cave recoiled in terror. One, a burly middle-aged man with a leopard tail, instantly recognized Li Hao’s face and exclaimed, “It’s you!”
The realization hit like lightning. Their lord had fallen at this youth’s hands!
Escape!
Overwhelmed by panic, the man transformed and darted toward the deeper recesses of the cave.
A streak of sword energy, as delicate as falling petals, slashed through the air.
Where did the petals come from in the cave?
Before the thought could form, the man’s body split apart and collapsed onto the "petals" on the ground, instantly torn to shreds.
A streak of light marked his soul’s desperate escape, but it, too, was obliterated by another flash of sword energy.
The second demon, witnessing the scene, abandoned all thought of resistance and bolted toward the cave’s depths.
Two minutes later...
Li Hao sat at the heart of the cavern, where massive logs formed a blazing bonfire.
Four demon corpses lay motionless nearby.
Li Hao flipped through two books in his hands, calmly recording their contents into his system interface.
Before him, a tall, broad-shouldered female demon knelt, trembling.
“No other techniques?” Li Hao asked coldly.
“N-no more,” the demoness stammered, her eyes filled with terror.
In front of this youth, they hadn’t even had the chance to resist. His sword energy seemed to ignore all barriers, reaching its target instantly.
“You said the Dragon Lord has six other subordinates of comparable strength to your king?” Li Hao frowned. Six Three Immortals Realm demons attacking simultaneously would have overwhelmed Li Hongzhuang and her forces long ago.
“Y-yes.”
“Then why haven’t they joined forces to attack Tianmen Mountain?” Li Hao pressed.
“The king said the Dragon Lord doesn’t want the pass to fall too quickly. This way, it can enjoy more fresh prey over time while also keeping the Li family’s forces tied up here...”
The demoness quivered under Li Hao’s piercing gaze, her voice trembling but her feral nature faintly visible beneath her fear.
“So why did it order an attack tonight?”
“The king wanted to devour Li Hongzhuang and leave the pass intact to see if more Li family members would come to defend it—one by one, to be eaten,” the demoness answered carefully, clearly aware of Li Hao’s lineage.
Li Hao’s eyes narrowed. Using Tianmen Pass as bait?
It was eating the Northern Frost Kingdom’s sacrifices while luring the Li family into a trap.
“What’s the reason for keeping the Li family occupied here?” he asked again.
“I don’t know. The king didn’t tell me,” she replied, her face pale.
“Hmm?”
Li Hao’s piercing gaze bore into her, making her shudder.
“Well... I think...”
She leaned closer, seemingly about to whisper, when suddenly her mouth stretched open unnaturally wide. Her fangs extended as her face twisted into a ferocious lion’s maw, lunging to bite Li Hao’s head off.
But before she could reach him, Li Hao’s palm slammed down on her skull, forcing her jaw against his knee. Her head cracked audibly, the bones no match for the hardness of his knee.
As her mind reeled, Li Hao’s fingers flicked against her neck. A sword light shot from his fingertips, severing her spine and decapitating her instantly.
Her soul attempted to escape, only to be snuffed out as Li Hao casually exhaled, his Object Manipulation ability crushing it into oblivion.
He then glanced at the two books he had just finished scanning into his system.
With a faint squeeze, the books crumbled into dust, scattering onto the ground.
Li Hao stood, brushing his hands clean, and slung the crescent tusk blade over his shoulder. He exited the cave and stood at its entrance.
Releasing his divine soul, he swept the surroundings within a radius of thirty li.
Every demon within his perception fell swiftly to his soul’s slashes.
On the ground, he spotted some wild animals yet untouched by demonic corruption. He killed them too.
Even behind the mountain, he collapsed several ant nests with a wave of his hand and crushed the fish in a nearby stream.
Finally, he used earth manipulation to block both ends of the stream, cutting off its water source. Without water, life would naturally diminish in the area.
After a meticulous final sweep to ensure nothing remained alive, Li Hao turned and vanished into the night.
...
An hour later, Li Hao arrived at another mountain basin.
This was the lair of the Six-Tusked Stabbing Boar. At the basin’s edge, a small demon patrolled atop a hill, holding a banner.
From ten li away, Li Hao plucked a blade of grass and flicked it, piercing the demon’s brow.
The patrol demon collapsed, its flag falling alongside it.
Li Hao stepped into the basin, holding his breath as a foul stench of excrement and urine overwhelmed him.
Inside the lair, the stench mingled with the thick, metallic scent of blood.
Moments later, Li Hao dashed out of the basin, pinching his nose in disgust.
The lair of that boar demon could kill with its smell alone...
It had truly indulged itself in luxury. Within its lair were not just seven or eight female boar demons but also two leopard demons and a sparrow demon, revealing its extravagantly degenerate lifestyle.
...
Returning to the camp under the night sky, Li Hao saw Li Hongzhuang seated on a small mound, holding her sword as if dozing lightly.
His footsteps stirred her awake, and she slowly opened her eyes, fatigue flickering before vanishing.
“Did you find it?” she asked.
“Mm.”
Li Hao nodded.
“Was there any danger?” Li Hongzhuang asked, glancing at him, though his unscathed state made the question redundant.
“Nearly gagged,” Li Hao replied with lingering distaste.
“?”
Li Hongzhuang didn’t press further, watching as Li Hao sat by the campfire.
...
Back in the camp, Ren Qianqian emerged from her tent and greeted him.
“You’re back, Young Master.”
“You’re still awake?”
“I just woke up.”
“Go back to sleep,” Li Hao said with a wave of his hand.
“What about you...?”
“No need to mind me. Go rest,” he replied.
Understanding that she couldn’t help, Ren Qianqian bid him goodnight and returned to her tent.
Li Hao sat by the dim campfire, scanning the quiet surroundings. Somewhere in the shadows, he sensed the presence of Feng Lao, still watching over him.
He sighed inwardly, more determined than ever to grow stronger. Only then could the elder find some respite.
“Let’s add something special to tomorrow’s meal,” he murmured.
“You brat, you said it!” a voice teased from the darkness.
Li Hao chuckled and nodded firmly.
Under the moonlight, the old and young figures both wore faint smiles.
...
Li Hao didn’t rest but began practicing the body-refining techniques he had just acquired—five in total.
Of them, two were extraordinary, surpassing even the Thousand Serpents Sacred Body of Tingyu Pavilion. Only his fully developed Taichu Arts could rival them.
The two techniques were the Five Organs Primordial Unity Technique and Mingyu True Demon Technique.
After inputting the techniques into his system, they immediately advanced to their peak stages.
Li Hao sifted through the influx of knowledge that flooded his mind and began practicing them by the extinguished campfire.
As his body moved, his bones emitted deep, resonant sounds like rolling thunder.
His qi, blood, muscles, and internal organs all surged with energy, greedily absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy and strengthening his body.
Li Hao’s flesh began to undergo rapid transformation, becoming smooth, tough, and resilient.
In the shadows, Feng Lao observed him, his eyes filled with astonishment.
Over the past days, he had followed this extraordinary young master, but this was the first time he witnessed him train.
Rumors in the household claimed that Li Hao never practiced martial arts. Yet here he was, cultivating in the dead of night.
Could such limited practice time still yield such astonishing results?
Feng Lao’s shock deepened when the surrounding energy began spiraling toward Li Hao, converging like a funnel into his body.
“Is he cultivating, or devouring heaven and earth itself?” Feng Lao muttered in disbelief.
The Five Organs Primordial Unity Technique absorbed the energy ravenously, reforging Li Hao’s internal organs, flesh, and meridians. His strength soared as waves of power radiated from his body.
Even Li Hongzhuang, resting on her mound, cracked open an eye, her curiosity piqued by the unusual energy fluctuations.
When Li Hao completed one full cycle of the technique, his body brimmed with newfound vitality. His qi surged, his flesh hardened to beast-like toughness, and his strength climbed to new heights.
Not stopping, he began the second cycle, followed by a third...
With each repetition, his improvements became more pronounced. By the ninth cycle, the enhancements had reached their peak.