Chapter 478: The Youngest Spirit Officer
The girl was momentarily distracted, standing still in place in a daze.
The sharp and clear sword intent brushed past her, leaving her feeling somewhat disoriented. That sword intent was extremely familiar to her—it was the same as the 'Qing Tian' she had just been practicing!
However, compared to the version she had been cultivating, that sword intent was far purer, as if it could split everything apart, tear through the clouds, and disperse the smoke and dust. Even the bright, clear sky and the sun seemed as though they might shatter!
"You..."
The girl snapped back to her senses and stared blankly at the young man in front of her. The immortal technique she was practicing had been something her grandfather had warned her a thousand times not to pass on to anyone else. Moreover, it was one of the Ten Immortal Arts that had once been lost to history. It possessed great power in the True Immortal realm, and was extremely difficult to cultivate and master even for True Immortals.
But the young man in front of her, a complete stranger, had casually used a sword intent that was far more rounded and complete, clearly indicating that his cultivation was higher than hers.
Yet, when she looked at his cultivation... she scanned Li Hao from top to bottom and realized that the young man was only at the third level of the True Immortal realm, while she was at the seventh level of the True Immortal realm!
"Who are you?"
The girl narrowed her eyes slightly, looking at the young man before her, whose nose was at the level of her head. He was tall and full of energy, with bright eyes and slightly raised eyebrows, a faint smile on his face. He seemed as gentle as a spring breeze, not angry at her reprimand, like a soft, refreshing breeze.
Her lips tightened, and the anger in her eyes dissipated somewhat, leaving more curiosity behind.
"And who are you?"
Li Hao smiled and responded with a question of his own.
The girl, with her delicate face, regained her calm expression. "This courtyard is mine. You're asking who I am?"
"Yours?"
Li Hao was slightly surprised, but didn't try to play games with her anymore. "The Celestial Master summoned me here. Who are you to him?"
The girl's eyes flickered as she guessed part of the reason. She glanced at Li Hao's fingers, which had just easily crushed her sword qi. For someone at only the third level of the True Immortal realm to casually crush her sword qi—this was something she could hardly accept. She asked, "How many times have you been reincarnated? I see that your cultivation level isn't high, yet your strength is considerable. Where did you learn the 'Qing Tian' technique?"
Li Hao shook his head. "You still haven't told me who you are to the Celestial Master."
"The Celestial Master you're talking about is my grandfather."
The girl's gaze was calm as she spoke. "As for you, I don't remember my grandfather ever taking you as a disciple."
Li Hao realized something, shaking his head. "I don't know why your grandfather summoned me here. Let's wait until he arrives and we'll figure it out then."
The girl frowned slightly, casting a glance at him but not saying more. She was about to turn to continue practicing her swordplay when she suddenly recalled the sword qi Li Hao had casually sliced through earlier. She instantly felt discouraged. Despite all her hard work, she couldn't even match a casual gesture from him.
"Hey."
"Huh?"
"How long did it take you to reach this level?"
The girl asked, her tone casual, but in her heart, there was a trace of disbelief.
"Just a few days."
Li Hao answered casually while his eyes wandered around, looking for another place in the courtyard to explore.
The girl froze for a moment, then her face darkened. "I wasn't joking with you."
"Neither was I."
Li Hao waved his hand, no longer wanting to argue with the girl, and turned to walk away.
"Wait a minute."
The girl's figure flickered, and she instantly moved in front of Li Hao. A faint trace of anger appeared on her delicate face. "I was just asking, no need to be so petty."
Li Hao was speechless, about to respond when a faint wave of pressure, almost undetectable, suddenly appeared. He looked up and saw the old man who had been on the battlefield earlier, slowly descending from the sky above the courtyard.
The girl also noticed the old man and stopped talking to Li Hao. She turned and greeted him happily. "Grandfather, you're back! You weren't hurt, right?"
"That Di Qiu is only at the second level of the King realm. He couldn't hurt me."
The old man's face displayed a doting smile, and wrinkles gathered around his eyes as he gently stroked his granddaughter's hair. His gaze then turned toward the young man by the arched bridge.
Upon seeing the young man standing with a tall and majestic posture, the old man's eyes softened, as though a deep ocean of time passed through them. He slightly restrained his smile, his voice neutral, with no discernible emotion. "What is your name?"
"Chong Er."
Li Hao slightly cupped his hands in greeting.
"Chong Er? What an ugly name."
The girl turned to look at Li Hao, slightly pouting. Just a moment ago, she had stood in front of Li Hao with a cold, unapproachable aura, resembling an elegant immortal. But now, standing beside her grandfather, she appeared a few years younger, showing a lively and willful demeanor, and spoke much more casually.
Li Hao couldn't help but roll his eyes at her. How rude.
The girl, surprised that Li Hao had dared to roll his eyes at her in front of her grandfather, was immediately annoyed. She turned to the old man, seemingly complaining, and said, "Grandfather, why did you call him here? Are you planning to take him as a disciple?"
Upon hearing "taking a disciple," the old man's eyelids twitched slightly. He then looked at Li Hao and asked, "Would you be willing to become my disciple?"
"Grandpa, are you really going to take him as your disciple?"
The girl couldn't help but widen her eyes, her face showing reluctance. Her brows furrowed as she thought about it. All the other disciples she had seen treated her with utmost politeness, carefully pampering her, and sending her rare and precious gifts, trying to make her happy. Yet, she didn't even care to look at them. But this boy in front of her, he seemed even more arrogant than her, which made her feel some resistance.
The old man ignored his granddaughter and calmly looked at Li Hao.
Li Hao was slightly stunned, then shook his head. "Sorry, I already have a master."
Although the Heavenly Master in front of him had a high position, Li Hao had been taught by the Immortal Emperor. Joining the Da Meng Jiu Yuan was already for the purpose of getting familiar with the True Realm. There was no need for another master.
"Hmm?"
Hearing Li Hao's answer, the girl was momentarily stunned.
Her grandfather was the Heavenly Master of the Fumo Division, and countless young talents tried to become his disciple. These talents were among the best of the best, including top-tier prodigies cultivated by the Earth Sect, who all tried their best to establish connections to join his sect, hoping to use his relationship to enter the Fumo Division.
And yet, now, someone was actually refusing?
The old man's eyes flickered slightly, but he wasn't too surprised. Instead, the corner of his mouth lifted into a slight smile as he descended. "I am Gu Changming, a Three-Star Heavenly Master of the Fumo Division. Would you be willing to join the Fumo Division?"
Fumo Division… Li Hao's eyes flickered. The old man's words were not just about inviting him to join, but also meant that he would receive support and cultivation within the Fumo Division.
"Joining the Fumo Division… is it busy?" Li Hao hesitated and asked.
Gu Changming was taken aback, clearly not expecting Li Hao to react in this way. Over the years, when he had invited young people he favored into the Fumo Division, only a few had politely refused, but it was the first time he encountered someone who would ask, "Is it busy?"
He couldn't help but laugh. "Well, that depends on you. If you want a laid-back position, that's not impossible."
"Is there such a thing as a laid-back position?" Li Hao thought for a moment. "Then it's fine."
"You…" The girl beside them was furious. Her grandfather had rarely extended such an invitation, and yet Li Hao was bargaining as though it was some kind of negotiation. It was too much.
"Xing Wan, go practice your sword. I have something to discuss with this young brother alone," Gu Changming said with a wry smile, waving his hand to dismiss her.
"Grandpa, you're really looking at him this favorably?" Gu Xingwan felt surprised. It was rare for her grandfather to show such a gentle attitude.
Gu Changming smiled without responding.
Gu Xingwan glanced at Li Hao deeply, then turned and left obediently.
Once Gu Xingwan had gone far, Gu Changming clasped his hands behind his back and walked in front of Li Hao. His eyes gently assessed Li Hao, his gaze filled with a hint of emotion and reflection. "Follow me."
He led Li Hao into the Shui Yue Hall.
The grand hall, towering and majestic, was surrounded by dense immortal energy. He led Li Hao deep into the hall and raised his hand to gently point at the void. Silver-gray ripples swirled, as if some kind of barrier was being opened.
The shimmering silver-gray ripples matched the patterns on the war chariot that Li Hao had sat in on the Starry Sky Ancient Road.
In front of them, like rippling water, a hidden temple appeared.
The light inside the temple was dim and shadowy. Even with Li Hao's divine sense, he could barely make out his surroundings, as some powerful force seemed to restrict his divine sense from extending further.
In the areas Li Hao could see, there was a totem pillar. The base of the pillar was wrapped with dragons and phoenixes, and the pillar itself was carved with immortal gods stepping on dragons and phoenixes. The aura was overwhelming, but the figures were distorted, their postures seemingly insane, with blood flowing from their foreheads as if a third eye had been gouged out.
Gu Changming stopped after just two steps, and Li Hao, following behind, was forced to halt as well.
"Earlier in the Main General Hall, we went over the records of the various generals' immortal achievements. After some discussion, you earned 1.92 million immortal merits for this battle, aside from killing the ancient demon!" Gu Changming said, his voice neither happy nor angry as he spoke.
Li Hao was stunned for a moment, a trace of joy flashing through his heart. But soon, a cold sensation and a sense of unease crept up on him. He asked, "How are these immortal merits calculated? What qualifications do I have to deserve them?"
Gu Changming turned to face Li Hao, his features even more profound in the dark temple. "How did you meet that ancient demon woman? Did you know beforehand that she was an ancient demon?"
As he spoke, his gaze seemed like two cold stars in the dark night, staring directly at Li Hao.
Li Hao's expression changed slightly. He felt an enormous pressure. At this moment, the old man's words were undoubtedly telling him that they had seen everything that happened on the battlefield.
"I knew."
After a brief silence, Li Hao replied, "But she didn't know that I knew her identity, so I used her to help the Peacock Army."
He avoided talking about how he had come to know Mi Xueyao and their months of interaction. Everything he said was the truth, so his response was very candid.
This was also a technique he learned from Xue Tian Sheng: the highest form of a lie was to avoid certain truths and tell only parts of the truth, making it impossible to debunk because of the information gap.
Gu Changming stared at Li Hao for a moment, then nodded slightly. "I believe your words, but others won't. They'll suspect you're a spy for the ancient demons and want to investigate you."
"Examination?" Li Hao frowned but didn't react too strongly. Instead, he gazed at the old man in front of him. Since the man was saying this, it naturally had its own reasoning.
Seeing Li Hao's calm expression, Gu Changming showed a trace of appreciation in his eyes, then sighed lightly and said:
"But you don't need to worry. I've told them you are from my Fumo Division. I've already ordered someone to send your file to Fumo Division. Your identity as a 'Chong Er' (ranked 2nd in position), and having served as a Fumo Guard for three years in Fumo Division, will be recognized."
Li Hao was slightly stunned. The information conveyed by this statement was immense. He fixed his gaze on the old man, unsure of why the man was helping him.
"Qingtian Swordsmanship, Ancestor's Immortal Body…"
Gu Changming looked at Li Hao, a smile curling on his lips, and said, "Originally, I wasn't completely sure, perhaps it was some coincidence, but after seeing you just now, I'm certain. You are the descendant of the Tianyang Immortal Emperor, and even the direct disciple of Immortal Emperor himself?"
Li Hao's expression changed slightly. This was the first time his identity had been recognized.
However, upon seeing that the old man didn't show any hostility, the tense muscles in his body relaxed a bit.
Seeing that Li Hao said nothing, Gu Changming's appreciation didn't wane. He said, "Don't worry. My clan once received the Immortal Emperor's grace, and I will keep your identity a secret. The reason I brought you here was for this purpose. Even my granddaughter, Xingwan, won't know. Although she trusts me, she is still too young…"
He spoke with sincerity at this point.
Li Hao knew that it was useless to explain at this moment. If the man had any ill intentions, he would have acted already. The fact that they were still speaking so closely showed that the old man wasn't an enemy.
"Why do you think so, Senior?" Li Hao asked.
Gu Changming smiled and said, "The third stage of True Immortal Realm can withstand attacks from Immortal Kings. Such a prodigy, combined with the Ancestor's Immortal Body, the lost Qingtian Immortal Technique… also, I can see that your soul age is not even a hundred years old. Do you think it's still difficult to guess?"
"…"
Hearing this, Li Hao himself found it quite reasonable.
"Thank you, Senior, for concealing my identity," Li Hao cupped his hands in gratitude.
Seeing that Li Hao had cleared his doubts, Gu Changming smiled and didn't feel that Li Hao was being naïve. On the contrary, the message Li Hao released suggested that if he still held any hostility, he would be the naïve one.
"So, you are the Immortal Emperor's descendant, or…?"
Gu Changming asked curiously.
"His disciple," Li Hao answered. "But not yet his direct disciple."
"Not yet a direct disciple?"
Gu Changming froze, and a trace of shock appeared in his eyes. With such a prodigious talent, he wasn't yet a direct disciple of the Immortal Emperor?
As expected of the Immortal Emperor...
"After that battle, did the Immortal Emperor really… go into seclusion?" Gu Changming asked softly.
Li Hao nodded slightly.
Gu Changming tightened his hand slightly, fell silent for a moment, and after a long while, he took a deep breath and said:
"Have you ever heard of the Tianmu Clan?"
"No," Li Hao shook his head.
A bitter smile appeared at the corner of Gu Changming's mouth. "Yes, it's been too long. Since that battle, for three thousand years, the Tianmu Clan has been pushed out of Baizu Mountain. It's normal that you haven't heard of it. The Immortal Emperor's legacy probably didn't mention it. After all, my clan was just a small clan that he casually saved. How could he pay much attention to it…"
Li Hao's eyes flickered. The Heavenly Master in front of him, had his ancestors received the Immortal Emperor's grace?
Gu Changming turned around and continued walking toward the front of the dark hall, leading Li Hao to the totem. Pointing to the totem, he began to recount a buried past.
The Tianmu Clan, once insignificant among the myriad clans in the True Realm, was fortunate enough to be assisted by the Tianyang Immortal Emperor. They left their mark on Baizu Mountain and became one of the hundred clans.
Once they became one of the hundred clans, the Tianmu Clan experienced immense change. The strength of its members surged, and the clan grew and developed rapidly.
But good times didn't last long. The Ancient Demon catastrophe struck, and the Tianyang Immortal Emperor fell. After that, for tens of thousands of years, the Tianmu Clan was expelled from Baizu Mountain. With the chaotic post-catastrophe environment, the various clans began to fight among themselves. The Tianmu Clan, in order to avoid conflicts, became more low-key and began to hide their identity.
With Gu Changming's current power and status, he naturally wasn't afraid of others discovering that he was from the Tianmu Clan. He just didn't want to make it public to avoid unnecessary trouble.
"Since you are the Immortal Emperor's disciple, after your great achievement in this battle, I will fight for you to become the youngest Spirit Officer of the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty!"
After revealing his identity, Gu Changming said to Li Hao warmly.
"Spirit Officer?" Li Hao was stunned. In the Fumo Division, only those at the Immortal King level could hold the position of Spirit Officer, which came with considerable authority. Many powerful families and sects would try to win favor.
"That's right. If you need anything, just let me know. Within the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty, I will do my best to protect you. Since you are the Immortal Emperor's disciple, you are not an ordinary person. Sooner or later, you will make a name for yourself in the True Realm. This Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty will not be your final destination."
Gu Changming said, seeing a bright future ahead for Li Hao.
Li Hao fell into a brief silence. He understood that the old man in front of him had given him significant help, probably not only because of the Immortal Emperor's unspoken favor but also out of the intention to cultivate and befriend him.
"Thank you."
Li Hao cupped his hands. He knew that the old man's help came not only as a repayment for his master's past grace but also with the possible aim of cultivating him for future benefits.
What he needed to do now was to try and repay that favor someday.