Volume 2 - Chapter 43: Slaying Demons Beyond the Pass
Beyond the pass, the cold wind howled.
Li Hao traversed through the skies, flying swiftly toward distant lands.
This time, he no longer needed to worry about ambushes from Demon Kings or relying on Feng Lao’s protection to escape death.
Although he was only at the pinnacle of the Three Immortals Realm, Li Hao felt that even if he encountered a Demon King in the Dao Heart Realm, he could still hold his ground without needing to ascend into the Immortal Stage.
Regrettably...
After increasing his cultivation level from the seventh stage of the Body Refining Dao to the eighth, he received a prompt indicating that he now needed to condense his Dao Heart.
The four steps of the Fourth Pillar Realm began with the Dao Heart Realm, the weakest step yet the most critical.
Li Hao understood that he could only find and solidify his Dao Heart by relying on himself, enabling further breakthroughs.
He had a feeling that once he discovered his Dao Heart and increased its level, he could potentially leap straight to the pinnacle of the Fourth Pillar Realm—the same level as the Boundless Buddhist Lord.
By then, except for the Imperial Court, no place in the Great Yu Domain would be able to halt his advance.
Within a 300-mile radius beyond the pass, Li Hao had already subdued the area during previous expeditions.
Now passing through once again, he saw only a few stray minor demons that had wandered into the region, living quietly and scavenging for food. With a flick of his hand, he wiped them out.
In this wilderness, demons were like weeds—if left unchecked for some time, they would inevitably grow back.
Li Hao decided he would later create his own battle flags to stake his claim in these territories, letting the demons know these areas were forbidden to them.
Seven hundred miles ahead lay the Myriad Mountains Region.
Once a forbidden zone for humans, entering it meant certain death at the hands of the Myriad Mountains Demon King, who would face no repercussions from the Great Yu Divine Dynasty.
But now, Li Hao stepped boldly into this land.
Along the way, he casually slew four Heaven and Man Realm demons.
These demons had claimed their own peaks as their domains, each spanning roughly a hundred miles, yet they did not encroach upon one another.
Li Hao didn’t give them a chance to speak, erasing them with a wave of his hand and leveling their peaks to the ground.
When he reached what was once the heart of this forbidden region, he found the towering mountains eerily silent.
Only a few minor demons of the Zhoutian Realm, lacking intelligence, scurried about.
The other demons had vanished—either perished in the great battle or fled after hearing of the conflict.
As he sped through the region, Li Hao spotted caves carved by demons that reeked of filth.
On the mountaintops, tattered demon banners inscribed with "Myriad Mountains" swayed limply on jagged cliffs, devoid of their former glory.
Li Hao released his divine soul, surveying the entire Myriad Mountains Region.
Any minor demons he encountered baring their fangs and claws were promptly crushed underhand.
Near the central area, he approached the peak that once belonged to the Myriad Mountains Demon King. The rugged slopes were lined with stone steps winding toward the summit, where a palace gleamed with opulence, exuding a sinister aura despite its splendor.
...
Surrounding the area stood enormous lion statues, the original form of the Myriad Mountains Demon King. The bases of these sculptures were engraved with dragons and phoenixes, as if to flatter the mighty lion.
Flying past, Li Hao shattered them with a casual strike.
With a physical strength of a million pounds, he could effortlessly cleave mountains and split rocks. Using his object manipulation powers, a single thought could move mountains or sever peaks.
“They didn’t leave in much of a hurry,” Li Hao noted.
The palace held no items of significance, only ornamental gemstones and jade embedded into the halls.
To demons, these held no value beyond their luster.
After scouring the area, Li Hao found little of interest. Even the abodes of the Three Immortals Realm demons were empty, indicating they had prepared for retreat well before the great battle.
With a single kick, Li Hao demolished the grand hall that resembled a royal palace. Rising into the sky, he left the area.
Turning southward, he headed toward the Dragon Mountain Dojo.
...
...
At the Dragon Mountain Dojo...
Once bustling with life, the expansive Enlightenment Platform now lay empty and desolate.
The fragrant incense that once burned constantly had dwindled to just a few sparse sticks, their embers barely smoldering.
Two minor demons, yet to achieve full transformation, crawled furtively through a dog hole at the back of the dojo. Finding the deserted platform, they grinned gleefully.
Scurrying forward, they reached the incense and puffed out their chests, attempting to inhale it.
Suddenly, a shadow loomed over them, accompanied by a stench and the hum of winged insects. The swarm enveloped the two demons.
Their expressions twisted in terror, but before they could scream, their bodies were crushed into pools of blood. A trace of demonic aura rose from their remains and was absorbed into the mouth of a mummified demon.
“Even mountain demons dare to consume dragon incense.”
The mummified demon sneered. This incense was no ordinary offering; it was crafted from the flesh and blood of specific demons, its fumes containing potent demonic energy to aid cultivation.
“The Dragon Lord still hasn’t returned. Rumors say the attack on Tianmen Pass ended in failure.”
A seductive, half-centipede demoness slithered into view, waving a folding fan to partially cover her face. She spoke in a sweet, gentle tone:
“Husband, it’s just the two of us left here. Shouldn’t we leave too? It’s likely the Dragon Lord won’t come back.”
“Leave? Where would we even go?”
The mummified demon shook his head. “If the Dragon Lord finds us missing upon his return, he’ll hunt us down.”
“We could flee elsewhere, perhaps to the northern regions of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty. Yanbei has recently concluded its war, and I’ve heard that many demons perished there. Surely, there will be ample territory for us to claim as our own.”
The seductive centipede demoness suggested this with a sly smile.
“That region is under the jurisdiction of the Sacred Palace. Although they’ve been pushed back several thousand miles after their defeat, if we were to go there, we would need to declare our allegiance to the Sacred Palace. After all, we aren’t mere mountain demons.”
The mummified demon hesitated, his tone cautious. “Besides, I suspect the Dragon Lord might have sought refuge with the Dragon Gate. He mentioned before that the Dragon Gate was planning an assault on Liang Province. I wonder if they’ll choose Tianmen Pass as their breakthrough point. If they do, the Dragon Lord will surely return. When that happens, we can follow him into battle and earn our share of the spoils.”
“Dragon Gate...”
Hearing those words, the centipede demoness’s eyes glimmered with desire. As a demon with scales, she naturally harbored ambitions of joining the Dragon Gate.
It was said that many true dragons resided there, and they even taught demons the techniques needed to endure tribulations and transform into dragons.
“Since you have such plans, husband, I will defer to your judgment.”
Her voice was soft and tinged with flirtation as she spoke.
The mummified demon grinned and was about to pull her close to speak further when his expression suddenly froze. He turned abruptly to look behind him.
What he saw caused his pupils to contract sharply.
Not far from the dojo, a figure dressed in noble attire stood silently, watching them.
“It’s you!”
The mummified demon immediately recognized the youth and was overcome with dread. It felt as though his soul was about to leave his body.
He had been one of the few Three Immortals Realm demons to escape the assault on Tianmen Pass and had personally witnessed the terrifying power of this young man. Ordinary demons in the Three Immortals Realm were no match for him!
The fact that this human had tracked him down here, over a thousand miles from Tianmen Pass, sent a chill through his very being.
“A human?”
The centipede demoness looked at Li Hao with some confusion. She initially intended to charm and subdue him, but the sheer panic on her husband’s face made her heart tighten. A sense of foreboding crept over her.
“You mentioned something about the Dragon Gate just now. Tell me more.”
Li Hao smiled faintly.
“You dare come here? This is our demon territory!”