War God Long Ao

He was incredibly fortunate.

Cradling the Fire Qilin in his arms, Long Ao still felt as if he were in a dream.

The Five Innate Realms were the Hundred Scattered Heaven Realm, One-Line Heaven Realm, Evolution Realm, Fusion Realm, and Unity Realm.

The Five Transformations were the Thunder Tribulation Realm, Transformation Realm, Human King Realm, Earth Emperor Realm, and Taoist Ancestor Realm.

'No matter how he tried to probe it, Long Ao couldn't determine the Fire Qilin's true realm of power. Could it be at the Taoist Ancestor Realm?'

In the end, he gave a helpless shrug. Long Ao knew that regardless of the Fire Qilin's power, having it protect the Long Family for even just three years was more than enough.

Long Ao was completely confident. Given three years, his Cultivation would certainly break through into the Transformation stage. Even if he couldn't reach the Taoist Ancestor Realm, he could at least reach the Human King or even Earth Emperor Realm.

For this very reason, Long Ao cradled the Fire Qilin and prepared to return to his family as quickly as possible. But just then, he ran into an acquaintance—one he had only just recently parted ways with.

"Hall Master Gu."

Gu Bai, the Hall Master of the Thunder National Protection Hall, was also a Transformed Martial Artist. He had come to Red Fire Mountain with numerous experts for the sake of the Qilin of Red Fire Mountain.

Gu Bai had never liked Long Ao. If he weren't wary of Long Ao's talent, potential, and the Ghost King Sect backing him, he would have killed him long ago. He certainly wouldn't have waited until now.

"Long Ao, I was just telling my men that after we were done on Red Fire Mountain, we'd make a detour to Red Fire Town to pay you a visit. I never thought we'd run into you here. It must be fate."

'Fate?'

Long Ao scoffed inwardly, utterly despising the man.

Previously, when he had represented the Thunder Empire in the war between the two empires, a single word from Gu Bai had nearly gotten him killed.

Long Ao was no fool. If he couldn't even see through Gu Bai's intentions, there would be no point in living. For that reason, he felt nothing but disdain for the man.

"Long Ao, as someone from Red Fire Town, you should be very familiar with Red Fire Mountain, right?"

Of course Long Ao knew what Gu Bai was getting at. He sneered inwardly but said aloud, "Hall Master Gu, I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with Red Fire Mountain. I have other business to attend to, so if there's nothing else, I'll be on my way."

Without waiting for Gu Bai's consent, Long Ao turned and walked away.

Although he knew full well that Gu Bai was a Transformed Martial Artist, Long Ao wasn't the slightest bit worried.

Long Ao's Cultivation had already reached the Unity Realm. He was just one step away from officially becoming a Transformed Martial Artist, but that single step represented a huge gap in strength.

Long Ao was completely confident that if forced to fight, he could use the Nine Needle God-Sealing to rapidly increase his strength. Slaying Gu Bai at that point would hardly be a difficult task.

Watching Long Ao's retreating figure, Gu Bai's face became incredibly grim, his expression as foul as could be.

As the Hall Master of the Thunder National Protection Hall, forget a nobody like Long Ao; even the Emperor of the Thunder Royal Family, Zhao Mang, wouldn't dare treat him with such disrespect.

His fists clenched, and a sinister smirk crept onto his lips. Gu Bai muttered to himself, "Long Ao, just you wait. I will make you regret this."

After returning to the family estate, Long Ao immediately sought out his grandfather, Long Haoshi, and his father, Long Yi. He got straight to the point. "Grandpa, Father, you must immediately prepare a quiet, secluded place. No matter who it is, no one is to disturb this senior."

Hearing Long Ao speak so gravely, Long Haoshi and Long Yi understood the seriousness of the matter. Without the slightest hesitation, they immediately went to make arrangements.

In less than an hour, a large, secluded courtyard was established in the Long Family's rear gardens, near the ancestral hall. The environment was beautiful and peaceful.

Once the Qilin was settled, Long Ao held nothing back. He recounted his three-year agreement with the Fire Qilin in full detail.

After he finished, both Long Haoshi and Long Yi were utterly astonished.

Neither of them seemed to have expected that Long Ao would actually find the Fire Qilin and make a three-year pact with it.

A Fire Qilin… Long Haoshi and Long Yi of course knew what this meant. The Qilin Race was one of the most powerful races in Heaven and Earth, a supreme existence that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Dragon Race.

Strictly speaking, the Qilin Race was superior to the Dragon Race.

However, the Qilin Race had far fewer members than the Dragon Race—not even a tenth of their number. Yet every single member of the Qilin Race was immensely powerful. Based on that alone, one could only imagine the true strength and depth of the Qilin Race.

After their initial shock, the faces of Long Haoshi and Long Yi lit up with delight. They both knew that with a Fire Qilin protecting the family, who in the entire Celestial State would dare to make a move on the Long Family?

"Grandpa, Father, this matter must absolutely not be leaked."

Long Haoshi nodded. He and Long Yi certainly understood the gravity of the situation. "Ao'Er, rest assured," Long Haoshi said. "This secret will stay between the three of us."

Of course, Long Ao trusted his grandfather and father; they were the people closest to him, after all.

The reason Long Ao didn't want this matter to be leaked was very simple.

Everyone in the Celestial State already knew about the injured Qilin on Red Fire Mountain. If news that a Fire Qilin was protecting his family got out, everyone would realize that he had seized the opportunity. If that happened, he was sure that endless trouble would come his way in the future.

It was for this very reason that Long Ao planned to conceal the matter.

"Grandpa, in a few days, I'm going to leave the family to train. For the next three years, with the Fire Qilin protecting us, I can't say we'll be completely without worry, but I'm confident that most people won't dare to cause trouble for the Long Family."

Long Haoshi and Long Yi both nodded in agreement.

"Grandpa, Father, unless it's absolutely necessary, do not disturb the Fire Qilin. During these three years, I will train and do my best to raise my strength. I believe that after three years, I will be able to protect the family with my own power."

At this moment, Long Ao exuded a powerful confidence. Three years might be a short time for others, but for Long Ao, it was more than enough.

"Ao'Er, be careful."

"Grandpa, Father, don't worry." After settling in the Fire Qilin, Long Ao continued helping Long Ying and the others improve their strength. In just one month, to the utter shock of Long Ying and the rest, every single one of them had truly advanced three Tiers in their Cultivation. If word of this got out, it would likely shake all of Red Fire Town, and perhaps even the entire Nebula Kingdom.

「One month later.」

Long Ao bid farewell to his parents, grandfather, and family, then mounted a snow-white horse and galloped away.

The land was vast, the sun scorching. A lone rider and his horse galloped between Heaven and Earth. With soaring ambition, he set forth to tread upon the world; with a single blade, he would stain the very sky. This world was fated to witness the rise of a peerless powerhouse.