"Little one, back in my day, I was never as arrogant as you—seeking death wherever I went," the elder said.
Spiritual Qi covered his hand, his brows furrowing as he stepped forward.
Li Hao raised his arm and grasped into the air, his fist clenched as though grabbing an invisible sword.
Suddenly, a silver-white blade formed in his hand, the cold light of Sword Qi flickering at its edge.
His gaze softened as he stared at the blade, his rhythmic voice calm, laced with cold indifference.
"Inliten Sword Art, Second Form – Piercing Sky."
He pulled the sword back and stepped forward, Sword Qi buzzing along the blade's edge.
Li Hao looked at the old man, his eyes pale white like the peaks of the northern mountains. Then he thrust the blade with surgical precision, aiming directly for the neck.
The attack shot forth at a speed of 7.92 FS, nearly connecting—but Fe Ran clapped his hands together, catching the sword light.
However, the Sword Qi was far stronger than he anticipated.
He tilted his head to the side as a stream of white Sword Qi burst out between his hands—just barely missing his throat.
"Little one, your skills are good... but you can't match this old man in raw speed. Still, I commend your effort."
"Grandfather...!"
"Mm?" Fe Ran looked back—only to see blood dripping from Fe Yu's mouth. A silver line of light was etched into his neck.
His eyes widened in shock. He turned to Li Hao with incredible speed—but suddenly—
The world tilted.
The ground raced toward him. The last thing he saw was Li Hao swinging his sword, a wave of blood splashing across the earth.
His body dropped to its knees, spurting blood from his neck. A heartbeat later, he collapsed entirely.
For several long seconds, he stared at his fallen body—only then realizing… he had been decapitated.
Li Hao turned toward Xian Ling, his gaze chilling.
"Ling'er, let me give you a piece of advice—don't get distracted when your opponent is still in front of you."
Li Hao turned and walked away. The flames continued to burn beneath the moonlight as he and Xian Ling departed.
As for the protectors and members of the Fe Family, they didn't dare move.
Even the Grand Elder had fallen. If they stepped forward now, wouldn't they just be throwing away their lives?
LI HAO'S COURTYARD
Half a month passed.
Time flowed like a silent river, imperceptible to all.
Li Hao stepped into his cultivation room and sat down in a lotus posture, his spiritual power circulating through his meridians.
"It seems this battle paid off," he thought. "I was able to test my strength against someone of equal power."
"I'm just a step above him in skill and strategy… but his speed was still slightly faster," Li Hao acknowledged.
"But no matter. Now is not the time to dwell on minor issues."
Spirit Qi surged to its peak. He had reached the threshold of perfection—it was time to break through.
He stilled his mind. His entire consciousness sank inward, focused completely.
To step into the Third Turn, one must open a Spiritual Sea within the subconscious… and refine the body with Spirit Qi to its absolute limit.
Li Hao began circulating Qi throughout his meridians, core, and flesh.
The Qi grew denser with every cycle—concentration rising steadily.
At its zenith, the Qi condensed into drapes of liquid light—flowing Spirit Qi, thick and heavy.
As the liquid Qi flowed, a single drop fell into his consciousness—forming a vast ocean of Spiritual Qi.
More drops followed, steadily filling the sea. The concentration continued to rise.
And then, above the heavens—under the glow of Spirit Qi—stars lit up, illuminating the world.
In the sea within his mind, above the golden ocean, stars shimmered—reflected like constellations upon the water's surface.
Li Hao felt the shift. His consciousness had gained control over Qi on a deeper level.
With this new mastery, his power surged—exponentially faster than before.
As the Spiritual Sea reached its final form, his control approached its peak.
Every breath, every motion, now carried a trace of Qi.
With this refined control, he began using the spiritual energy from Heaven's reach to temper his physical body.
His bones and muscles strengthened to new extremes—reaching the zenith of physical refinement in moments.
Li Hao opened his eyes, his thoughts calm and deep—like a still river beneath a storm.
He clenched his fist.
"My strength has improved over tenfold. I estimate I could now split mountains in half with nothing more than pressure waves."
Li Hao looked outward. His enhanced strength had also improved his perception.
But more importantly—his Spiritual Sea was far from normal.
For the average cultivator, the spirit sea was a blue ocean beneath an empty sky.
Without a spiritual physique or unique bloodline, only the most elite techniques could produce any greater result.
But his… was different.
His sea glowed golden. The stars above it pulsed like a celestial map.
Li Hao closed his eyes again and continued forward on his path.
SEVERAL DAYS PASSED
Li Hao had completed his consolidation.
His Spiritual Sea was calm and vast.
He stepped out into the courtyard, where Xian Ling sat waiting.
Li Hao walked over and stood beside her, arms clasped behind his back.
The wind gently stirred his hair. He looked at her with a serene gaze and said, "Ling'er, prepare. We're leaving."
"Huh? Where to, Brother Hao?" she asked, tilting her head in curiosity.
Li Hao looked east.
"To the Eastern Martial World," he replied.