Chapter Forty-Eight: Li Hao Appears (Part Two)
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“What is it, brother? Just spit it out already, don’t leave us hanging any longer.”
Some impatient souls urged him on. The young man’s demeanor remained serene, unaffected by the pressure, as though withholding information was not at all awkward for him.
He lowered his voice even further, almost to a whisper: “Have you heard? The young master of the Du clan from Battle Palace had his legs broken by someone.”
“I have heard about it. It’s been the talk of Li Shui City these past days. Was it someone close to that boy who did it? That Lu Zhengtian, though never one to flaunt himself, has been hailed as a future member of the Five Young War Gods. It’s not impossible for him to have broken the Du clan’s young master’s legs.”
Many found the youth’s analysis reasonable. After all, Li Hao seemed far too young—barely a boy of ten or so. They’d heard that the Du clan’s young master was prodigiously gifted, already at the peak of the Foundation Realm, just a step from entering the Travelling Realm—a formidable young talent. In their minds, no matter how monstrous a boy’s talent, it was impossible for one so young to possess such cultivation. Yet Li Hao’s talent was not merely prodigious; it was an anomaly among prodigies. They believed that Lu Zhengtian, with his early-stage Broken Mirror strength and background, could easily handle the Du clan’s young master.
The storyteller shook his head with a quiet chuckle, and those around him sensed a discrepancy, prompting someone to ask, puzzled, “Was it Lin Huashu, the young palace master of Book Sage Palace?”
The young man shook his head again. Someone, daring to imagine, ventured, “Could it be that boy himself who broke the Du clan’s young master’s legs?”
Laughter erupted.
They thought it the funniest joke.
“Yes, it was that boy who did it himself...”
The laughter ceased abruptly at those simple words.
“That’s impossible!”
They could hardly believe it—a boy of ten, aside from his good looks, showed nothing special.
The young man continued, “I saw it with my own eyes. That day, Du Qingfeng was flaunting his lineage, bullying a rather down-and-out boy. At first, three of Du Qingfeng’s six followers were entangled by the boy’s own companions. Du Qingfeng watched the spectacle with relish, only for the boy to suddenly dash forward, delivering a swift, unadorned punch to Du Qingfeng’s jaw. Du Qingfeng was sent flying over ten yards, blood streaming from his mouth, planning to retaliate. Everyone thought the boy had stirred up a hornet’s nest and would suffer, but the next moment left them all stunned. The boy bore the brunt of Du Qingfeng’s blazing fire laws, charging straight at him. No one understood why he would risk certain death, but soon he proved his decision was right.”
“Enough with the details, tell us the result.”
The impatient crowd lost what little patience they had for suspense.
The young man, undisturbed by the interruption, smiled kindly and continued, “Just as Du Qingfeng’s fist was about to connect with the boy’s face, guess what he did.”
Everyone was curious how Li Hao would respond. Someone, unable to wait, asked, “So what did he do?”
“He ducked, slipping under Du Qingfeng’s armpit.”
Before the young man could finish, someone cut him off: “Hmph, I thought it’d be some advanced movement technique. Anyone could do that!”
The speaker found it trivial, hardly worth mentioning.
The young man persisted, “No, you’re wrong.”
“Why?”
“The moment the boy’s head cleared Du Qingfeng’s armpit, he instantly raised his leg, rotating his upper body ninety degrees. With the momentum, his leg struck Du Qingfeng’s abdomen solidly, sending him flying another ten yards. Before Du Qingfeng could get up, the boy charged over and kicked his legs twice. The sound of bones shattering and Du Qingfeng’s screams echoed—so it happened. That’s all I saw and heard about this boy.”
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The young man finished his tale with vivid gestures, and silence followed. His gaze swept the crowd, who had all become lost in the mental image he had painted. After a long moment, they finally snapped out of their reverie.
“This boy truly has guts.”
“And his actions are so satisfying—people like Du Qingfeng, using his background to run roughshod over others, we could only endure. That boy did wonderfully.”
“He’s incredible—decisive, quick to react, impressive.”
Compliments and admiration rippled through the crowd. At this moment, all thoughts of the affront to their precious princess were forgotten, replaced by awe and respect for Li Hao.
The young man added, “Do you want to know who the three boys were, the ones who tangled with Du Qingfeng’s six companions?”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
“Who were they?”
...
He continued, “I heard those three are the youngest, most prodigiously gifted talents among the twelve great clans of Battle Palace.”
“Wow, that boy really has charm—surrounded by dragons and phoenixes among men.”
Someone said, “Wasn’t there a rumor that those three had questionable morals, much like Du Qingfeng?”
Another replied, “I don’t know about that.”
Someone else said, “How could that be? If they were like Du Qingfeng, how could they stand up for others and act so righteously?”
An echo followed, “That’s right. Someone must have been reprimanded by those three and spread slander in retaliation.”
“Yes, yes, that must be it.”
The crowd speculated wildly, unaware of the history between Kui Hu and the others and Li Hao. Now, Kui Hu and his companions had changed their ways, transformed from arrogant bullies into righteous young heroes. The previous misdeeds were naturally denied by those who didn’t know the truth.
Those acquainted with Li Hao’s background felt only admiration and awe. At this moment, Li Hao had unknowingly become an idol in many hearts, thrust into the center of attention.
Lin Huashu spoke, “Brother Li Hao, this is my sister, Lin Xueyou.”
He turned to his sister, “He’s the one we’ve been waiting for, Brother Li Hao.”
Li Hao greeted Lin Xueyou with the smile that had swept countless young maidens off their feet, “Li Hao greets Sister Xueyou. Sister Xueyou, you are truly beautiful.”
Meeting the handsome youth for the first time, Lin Xueyou’s curiosity was piqued. Her brother, Lu Zhengtian, and Lu Xuemei’s group were all waiting for this boy. Li Hao had managed to intrigue her. She thought to herself, “He really is outstanding. Hm? So young, yet his cultivation is so advanced—what a monster!”
Lin Xueyou sensed Li Hao’s peak Foundation Realm cultivation and was quite astonished.
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She asked, “Your name is Li Hao?”
Li Hao nodded.
Lin Xueyou continued, “Brother Li Hao is handsome and talented, truly remarkable. And you’re so sweet-tongued—do you always coax Sister Xuemei and Sister Luyao like this?”
Lu Xuemei and Luyao hadn’t expected Lin Xueyou’s teasing to be so mischievous, leaving them both embarrassed.
Li Hao was at a loss for words. If he said “yes,” it would seem he flattered every girl he met. If he said “no,” it would imply he only praised Lin Xueyou, or worse, that he was lying. Seeing Lin Xueyou’s lively, lovely almond eyes blinking at him, her youthful cheeks tinged with shy red, he finally uttered something that took her aback: “Sister Xueyou, your eyes keep blinking—what’s wrong?”
“Brother Li Hao, haven’t you noticed? Look closely—did you run into Sister’s eyes?”
Lin Xueyou was unexpectedly witty, her words stunning the crowd and even more so Li Hao.
For a moment, Li Hao was startled. He took a deep breath and replied, leaving Lin Xueyou stomping her foot in mock anger, “I didn’t run into Sister’s heart, only her eyes. That’s good, that’s good.”
Laughter erupted.
Li Hao’s answer sent Lu Xuemei and her companions into fits of laughter, breathless and radiant, none more so than Lu Zhengtian and his friends.
Lin Xueyou held back for a long while, but ultimately Li Hao lost the verbal duel, utterly defeated. Hearing Lin Xueyou’s words, the Lu Xuemei sisters felt a pang of jealousy, though they smiled and hid their feelings deep within.
As for Lu Zhengtian, Lin Huashu, and Kui Hu, their enigmatic smiles left the reasons unknown. Many around, jealous of Li Hao, could only admire him from afar.
Finally, Lu Zhengtian broke the stalemate, “Now that everyone’s here, let’s go. The selection tournament is about to begin.”
Three women and six men walked together, each man handsome and distinguished, each woman dazzling.
On the way, Lu Xuemei asked, “Brother Li Hao, you broke through again?”
Li Hao replied, “Yes, after I returned, I broke through by chance.”
He did not tell Lu Xuemei and Luyao about the two masked, black-clad Broken Mirror cultivators who had tried to assassinate him on the journey. Li Hao had safely reached the Five Star Cavern, and Lu Zhengtian and Lin Huashu, upon returning, chose not to mention the attempt on Li Hao’s life to spare Lu Xuemei and Luyao unnecessary worry.
Lu Xuemei asked her brother and Lin Huashu if they had gone to look for Li Hao. Her brother said, “No.”
Lu Xuemei believed him; after all, in the Lu Jiashan star domain, Du Qingfeng could not cause much trouble in her mind.
Li Hao had grown up here, regarding Lu Xuemei, Luyao, and those close to him as family. He owed this place so much; he did not wish them to worry. He had not forgotten his mission, despite all the comforts and honors here. His grandfather had been missing for years—surely there was an unknown reason behind it. One day, he would seek out the grandfather who had risked everything for him, return to the distant Li Tian star domain, and find his long-lost parents. His father and mother surely missed him deeply. When the time came to leave, he wished to depart carefree, without regret or burdens, so that no debt or guilt would linger in his heart.
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