As long as Li Dao joined Heaven Mending Pavilion, it would mean they, too, had a monstrous prodigy who could rival Shi Yi.
Given time, Heaven Mending Pavilion would surely usher in an age of glory!
"You're here, junior brother."
Xia Youyu nodded to Li Dao in greeting, then addressed the people behind her.
"Everyone's here. Let's set out!"
With that, the group headed out of the Stone Kingdom Imperial Capital in a grand procession.
Just as they left Starleap Tower, several figures slowly emerged inside. They cast a long look in the direction the group had gone, then turned and vanished into the darkness.
In the Void God Realm, at Martial King Manor's estate.
The blessed land, once wreathed in immortal mist with cranes soaring overhead, was now shrouded in the smoke of battle.
"Who exactly are you?!"
Shi Li's expression was dark as storm clouds. He stared at the child in beast-hide clothing opposite him, unquenchable fury blazing in his eyes.
Already seething over the matter with Li Dao, he had come to the Void God Realm to teach that insolent Bear Child a lesson.
He had never expected to be attacked before he even left his own blessed land.
The mere recollection sent blood surging up his throat.
The moment he entered the Void God Realm, he had seen a child charge straight into the crowd and launch a furious assault, catching them completely off guard.
He wanted revenge, but he simply could not beat his opponent!
Shi Hao wore a mask he had obtained from Lord Bird. Unbothered by Shi Li's question, he said,
"I already told you. I only came to take back what's mine."
"Your people from Martial King Manor pushed me too far. I had no choice but to fight!"
At those words, Shi Li's already gloomy expression grew even uglier.
Wasn't that the very line the Little Devil King had spread around?
Several families' blessed lands had been stripped clean by someone using that exact excuse.
He had originally looked down on those plundered families, believing they had only been robbed because they were too weak.
He had never expected the boomerang to come flying back so quickly and strike Martial King Manor squarely on the head.
He felt utterly stifled, and his hatred for Damn You, Daoist, the instigator of it all, deepened further.
Yet facing this reckless youngster, he felt powerless.
Even all of them together had failed to defeat him. What could Shi Li possibly do alone?
"Boy, do you know the consequences of offending Martial King Manor?"
From the moment Shi Hao struck, he had stopped caring about any of that. Shi Li's words were nothing but wind passing his ears.
"Do you know who I am?"
Hearing Shi Hao's deliberately lowered voice, Shi Li's mouth twitched. He said nothing, but his silence was answer enough.
"You don't even know who I am, so how are you going to make me pay?"
After reviewing why Damn You, Daoist had made enemies of the whole world and ended up a wanted man, Shi Hao had prepared thoroughly this time.
His faintly smug words made Shi Li tremble with rage.
"You, you..."
Shi Hao wasted no more breath. The Suanni behind him, already poised to strike, charged straight at Shi Li with crushing might.
The shield of divine power before Shi Li shattered on impact, failing to hold for even a single breath.
The Suanni raised its forehooves and stamped down. Shi Li's body shattered on the spot.
Ignoring the wreckage inside Martial King Manor, Shi Hao headed straight for the treasury, the grin beneath his mask nearly stretching to his ears.
Outside Martial King Manor's blessed land, Lord Bird and Grandpa Jingbi exchanged a glance as they watched the thick smoke rising within.
"Tsk, tsk. Bear Child's a ruthless one, too. He's every bit a match for the Little Devil King."
"They're both invincible among those at the same cultivation level. I wonder which would be stronger if they clashed?"
Grandpa Jingbi offered no reply and merely rubbed his hands together. As far as he was concerned, whoever paid more Essence Jade was stronger!
"Tsk, look at you, you old rascal. You look like you've never seen the world."
"It's only some Essence Jade, isn't it? Sell some more copies of 'The Untold Story of Bear Child and Martial King Manor,' and won't the Essence Jade come pouring in?"
At Lord Bird's words, Grandpa Jingbi smacked his fist into his palm, his eyes lighting up.
"That's a good idea!"
"Hehe, more Essence Jade to earn!"
While the two were discussing this, they saw Shi Hao emerge with bundles slung over his shoulder and bags clutched in his hands.
He had strung the bulging bundles together, dragging them behind him in a long train.
Hearing the strange chuckles that escaped the two odd old men's mouths from time to time, Shi Hao felt an inexplicable unease.
The two immediately fell silent when they saw him approach. Taking in the spectacular sight behind him, they smacked their lips and said,
"Boy, that's... quite a distinctive look."
Shi Hao rolled his eyes at them and tossed each of them a bundle.
"There's enough inside to cover your payment. That's it for our partnership for now. I'll come find you next time."
Grandpa Jingbi hurriedly tried to persuade him.
"Young man, all you've done is get your hands on some resources. How can you abandon your career just like that?"
Shi Hao glanced at the bundles behind him, then at the old man, and said nothing more.
This was enough for his needs. Better to make a run for it first. If anyone tracked him down, he would be in trouble.
"Ah, our easy mar- ahem, youngsters are so easily satisfied."
Watching Shi Hao hurry away, Grandpa Jingbi merely made that remark before turning back to continue discussing their earlier plan with Lord Bird.
Because Shi Hao had broken Shi Yi's record, scouts from various factions had long been watching him from outside.
Seeing Shi Hao laden with bags and bundles, then looking at Martial King Manor's smoke-shrouded blessed land, they shuddered.
"Don't tell me he looted Martial King Manor?"
"No, we have to report this immediately. Isn't he on his way to becoming a second Little Devil King?"
The scouts immediately sent word back. If a fellow like this set his sights on them, their families would not only suffer considerable losses but also disgrace.
The Void God Realm, which had gradually settled down after the upheaval caused by Li Dao, once again became a sea of treacherous, shifting currents because of Shi Hao.
At Deer-Chasing Academy, the War Goddess rushed into the Void God Realm without delay after learning of Shi Hao's exploits.
"I couldn't recruit the Little Devil
King, but surely I can recruit a Bear Child?"
This time, even more factions came looking for Shi Hao than had sought out Li Dao before.
After all, a shining example stood before them. With Li Dao's feat of fighting his way through the entire Void God Realm as a precedent, far more people naturally wanted to recruit Shi Hao.
Still more factions strengthened the defenses of their own territories, guarding against a raid by Bear Child.
Just as the Void God Realm was about to erupt into an uproar, Li Dao and his companions stood atop the Blue-Feathered Sparrow, flying toward Heaven Mending Pavilion.
"Achoo, achoo-"
Li Dao rubbed his nose. For some reason, ever since leaving the Stone Kingdom Imperial Capital, he had been sneezing nonstop, and his right eyelid kept twitching.
"What's going on? Is someone plotting against me?"
Before you continue