313-314
Chapter 313: Betrayal, The Pinnacle of Harmony (Part 1 & 2)
The divine intent exuded an indifferent and supreme aura, as if a celestial being were looking down upon the mortal realm from the clouds.
However, that sliver of Celestial Emperor's will, perched even higher than the clouds, gazed upon all living beings with an even more indifferent and merciless majesty!
"Hm?"
A faint sound of surprise seemed to emanate from the divine intent.
Instantly, the Celestial Emperor's will descended with overwhelming force, brutally severing the divine intent that spanned countless miles.
The divine intent vanished, leaving behind only a surging torrent of immense power in the void.
Li Hao's newly formed body was once again torn apart by the chaotic force, shattering into countless fragments.
But soon, he was reborn from a single drop of blood. As long as a single drop remained, he could not die – this was the power of the Three Immortal Pinnacle.
Seizing this fleeting opportunity granted by the severed divine intent, Li Hao rapidly consolidated his essence, once again achieving the pinnacle of his Immortal Transformation, and then sprinted towards the distance at full speed.
However, the surrounding space was a chaotic void, with no discernible directions. Even with the exquisite perception of the pinnacle Immortal Transformation, Li Hao felt like he was adrift in a vast river, unable to find the shore, as if the surrounding space was constantly shifting.
The celestial gate, which had been clearly visible just moments ago, now seemed to be separated by layers of spatial barriers, unreachable.
Li Hao's heart was filled with both shock and fury, as he rapidly activated various body refinement techniques.
Though he had entered the Dao Comprehension Realm after being summoned by Chu Jiu Yue, he hadn't fully completed his cultivation. His Dao power hadn't fully transformed, and many of his body refinement techniques remained incomplete, hindering his physical body's consolidation.
Capitalizing on the surging power of the heavens and earth, Li Hao suddenly activated the Primordial Dao Body.
A torrent of energy surged into his flesh. This incomplete technique, which Li Hao had now refined to the Dao level, could cultivate the Supreme Dao Body, allowing for a temporary transformation into the Dao itself – untraceable, imperceptible, and invulnerable to harm or annihilation!
As the technique surged, Li Hao's flesh and blood underwent further refinement and enhancement, his physical strength slowly increasing.
While using the Supreme Dao Body to conceal his aura, he simultaneously searched for a way out of this chaotic space.
But soon, a wave of will enveloped him – the divine intent that had been severed earlier.
However, this time, besides indifference, there was a clear hint of anger in its tone.
His own Saintly will being severed was simply inconceivable!
Furthermore, the will that had severed his own was vast and boundless, not an individual's will, but rather the oppressive weight of the entire heavens.
It was a power beyond his comprehension.
With the descent of the divine intent, through his understanding of Void Dao, he quickly pinpointed Li Hao's location.
Despite his extreme concealment, his transformation into the Dao, the Saint still sensed him.
If it were another Saint, they might not have been able to perceive it.
To actually transform into the Dao, and cultivate Dao techniques to such a degree… He truly deserved to die!
With a resounding boom, a colossal force swept forth, once again aiming to obliterate Li Hao.
Upon being detected, Li Hao's heart was filled with shock and rage. He couldn't believe that this Saint was relentless in his pursuit.
He roared, once again condensing the Celestial Emperor's will to counterattack.
"Whose will is this?!"
The divine intent was instantly severed, seemingly filled with genuine anger. However, without the divine intent's control, its power remained anchored to its original point, quickly impacting Li Hao's body.
Li Hao swiftly activated the Supreme Dao Body, transforming into the Dao, like a howling wind. Even in his Dao form, his body was sliced open.
The Dao was indestructible, yet it could be cleaved, much like how Li Hao had previously slain the six Dao Law Realm beings. With sufficient oppressive force, the Dao could be parted like water, not truly destroyed. Even if shattered into a billion pieces, disconnected from each other, it wouldn't disappear.
Li Hao hastily activated his body's regenerative abilities, entering the pinnacle Immortal Transformation, using his heightened perception of the heavens and earth to search for a way out of this chaotic space.
If he remained here, he would inevitably be found.
However, before Li Hao could catch his breath, the divine intent that had just been extinguished reappeared.
And this time, it wasn't just the divine intent. A blurry figure emerged in the void – a spatial manifestation of the Saint's true form.
"Hmph!"
A cold snort escaped the figure's lips as he raised his hand, his killing intent even stronger. The surrounding void seemed to contract suddenly, countless chaotic spatial blades, like a hurricane, sweeping towards Li Hao.
Li Hao's eyes widened in fury as he violently swung his Merit Dao Sword, unleashing a devastating blow.
The sword energy surged, like a vast river resonating through the chaotic void, but it was swallowed by the overwhelming force, relentlessly crushing towards him.
Li Hao hastily condensed another sliver of the Celestial Emperor's will, aiming it at the manifestation.
But this time, the blurry manifestation was prepared. He instantly raised his hand, isolating the surrounding energy, creating layers of spatial barriers to extend the Celestial Emperor's suppression.
However, the Celestial Emperor's will seemed to transcend time and space, and despite his various countermeasures, it still accurately targeted him.
The blurry manifestation trembled slightly, on the verge of disappearing. The divine intent was suppressed, but this time it didn't dissipate immediately. Supported by the spatial manifestation, it held on.
But even so, Li Hao's action had thoroughly enraged the Saint.
Countless violent whirlpools surged through the void, engulfing Li Hao.
Li Hao felt as if he were in the middle of a vast ocean, and the Saint was the master of this void ocean, capable of summoning storms and controlling everything.
"Break for me!!"
Li Hao's eyes were wild with fury as he roared.
He had endured countless hardships throughout his journey, and he refused to die here.
He hadn't shed tears before the Divine Might Blade, nor had he bled in the face of countless demons outside the Pass. In this moment, he unleashed his boundless will, his Dao power surging wildly, his physical strength and the power of the heavens and earth he commanded reaching their peak.
Bang!
He manipulated a portion of the void's energy and smashed it against the surrounding whirlpools.
The whirlpools tore apart, but the next moment, even more violent void storms swept in, endless and unstoppable.
Even a mere spatial manifestation controlled by a sliver of Saintly will possessed power and abilities dozens of times greater than a Dao Law Realm expert!
Pfft!
Li Hao's body was torn apart, his flesh and blood shredded by the void's power, unable to withstand it. His body became fragmented.
Even though he had transformed into the Dao, merging with the heavens and earth, this void power could cleave even the heavens and earth. This was the might of a Saint's attack!
Li Hao desperately activated various Dao-level body refinement techniques, attempting to resist the erosion of this power, but his body was still torn to pieces.
His blood and bones scattered, intense pain permeated his consciousness. However, Li Hao's consciousness was now dominated by that sliver of Celestial Emperor's will, suppressing everything, including his own pain.
He did his best to gather his fragmented body, preparing for rebirth from a drop of blood.
But at this moment, the blurry manifestation sensed Li Hao's intentions. After two previous attacks, he had understood Li Hao's life-saving techniques. Now, he raised a finger, and the void vibrated like boiling water. Countless blade-like tearing forces sliced towards Li Hao's scattered remains.
The scattered blood was pulverized and completely annihilated.
Li Hao's consciousness trembled, filled with shock and fear. The Saint was attempting to obliterate all of his flesh and blood, completely erasing him!
Although he could be reborn from a drop of blood, if there were no drops left, he would undoubtedly die!
Since the Abyss, this was the first time Li Hao had faced such a dire situation, and it was merely a Saint's spatial manifestation.
He had thought that the Dao Comprehension Realm and the Saint Realm were only one realm apart, but now Li Hao felt a chasm between them. In the face of a Saint, everything was an ant, and the Dao Comprehension Realm was merely a slightly larger ant, with no ability to resist.
Suddenly, a domain emanated from his fragmented body. Forty-nine layers of domain instantly expanded, like an absolute realm.
But the next moment, this domain was invaded by the unstoppable void power, gradually tearing it apart. The supreme laws contained within the void, like perfectly honed blades, sliced through the domain. Although it seemed somewhat slow, like cutting through a thick book, it was still tearing it apart!
"Hm?"
A hint of surprise flashed in the blurry manifestation's divine intent. He clearly hadn't expected Li Hao to have so many tricks up his sleeve. Forty-nine layers of domain – it was a bit excessive.
If he had devoted that energy to cultivating his realm, he might have even been able to walk the path of Dao Sacrifice.
Boom~!
More void power surged in.
Li Hao watched helplessly as his domain was invaded and torn apart, unable to stop it. At this point, he only had one last trump card.
His consciousness rushed into his Sea of Consciousness, activating the Saintly Mark.
With a hum, the silver-gray mark seemed to unfold within his Sea of Consciousness.
Then, a wave of vast and boundless energy emanated from Li Hao's Sea of Consciousness.
Li Hao's impression of the Saint who had bestowed the mark was still vivid – as if he were seated in a world of immortals and gods, surrounded by divine radiance and encompassing Dao, untouched by the dust of the world.
Now, he had no choice but to seek their aid.
He had hesitated to activate this mark earlier, hoping to rely on his own strength as much as possible, unwilling to bear another debt of gratitude, to be bound by another favor. But now, he had no other option.
"Hm?"
As the Saintly aura spread from Li Hao's body, the blurry manifestation frowned slightly and immediately launched a more ferocious attack, aiming to quickly obliterate Li Hao.
However, after the mark was activated, the hazy aura it released enveloped Li Hao's body, blocking a portion of the attack.
At the same time, a blurry figure appeared before Li Hao – the Saint who had bestowed the mark upon him.
"Save me."
Li Hao hurriedly pleaded.
The Saint also saw Li Hao, but seemed surprised: "You're not dead yet?"
"What?"
Li Hao was stunned, as if struck by lightning, looking at him in disbelief.
The figure seemed to be separated by an endless void, its form blurry, its features indistinguishable, but its voice was exceptionally clear.
"You..."
Li Hao felt his mind racing, confused by the meaning of those words.
But at that moment, the Saint didn't pay any more attention to him. Instead, he noticed the Saintly manifestation not far away, showing a hint of surprise. Soon, he understood the situation and said:
"Being hunted down, huh? That's good. I had planned to take you as my disciple, slowly corrupting you, but now it saves me the trouble."
"Yang Saint?"
At this time, the Saintly manifestation also recognized the Saintly manifestation Li Hao had called upon.
Saints had long lifespans, and they clearly knew each other.
"Xu Saint, why would you bother yourself with such a trivial matter, a mere junior? Do you have any grievances with the Ji Family?"
The Saint, who was referred to as Yang Saint, asked with a hint of curiosity, his words also probing his intentions.
Hearing those words, Li Hao felt a wave of coldness wash over him, from head to toe, suddenly regaining his clarity.
But what followed was a surge of shock, anger, and resentment.
It was all too sudden. He hadn't noticed any clues beforehand, and he had thought he held a trump card.
But the disciple recruitment was a mere facade?
And from the sound of it, this Saint seemed to have a grudge against the Ji Family?
Had he bestowed the mark to eliminate him?!
"Is this child of Ji Family bloodline? I see..." Xu Saint, upon hearing the other's words, also understood, and the hostility in his demeanor lessened considerably.
He knew that this Yang Saint had a significant feud with the Ji Family's ancestor. Later, the ancestor had fallen, dissipated, and reincarnated. The reincarnated body severed its karmic connection with its past life, even Saints couldn't calculate it, unless the reincarnated body awakened its memories and cultivated back to the Saint Realm.
"Since that's the case, if I eliminate this child, Yang Saint won't object, right?"
Xu Saint said calmly.
"Of course not. It saves me the trouble. Even if you didn't do it, I would have done it myself. This is no longer the Ji Family's territory, nor is it the mortal realm. Killing him won't alarm the Ji Family."
Yang Saint's manifestation spoke with amusement: "I'm just curious how he managed to provoke you."
"He injured my Saintly Son. He deserves to die."
Xu Saint's answer was concise.
He didn't mention that the boy was a Seven Pinnacle Realm expert during the human realm's disciple recruitment trial. If this news spread, the entire Sacred Lands would be shaken. Although he knew that the Yuan Shi Sacred Land and the Heavenly Phoenix Sacred Land had witnessed it, and it couldn't be concealed, eliminating Li Hao before the news spread would render everything a mere illusion.
A fleeting prodigy would at most be talked about for a while before fading into the dust of time.
If he revealed this information now, it might cause unforeseen complications, leading to other thoughts.
"I see."
Yang Saint didn't think much more about it. Besides this, he couldn't think of any other reason why Li Hao would provoke a Saint.
"Then, I'll leave it to you."
Yang Saint said, turning to look at Li Hao, seeming to smile faintly:
"Seeking my help? Didn't you ever wonder why I was the first to appear after the Ji Family's Extreme Dao Stele assessment? Do you think the one who often lingers near your home is your neighbor, or your enemy?"
"Heh... Ji Family, I will ensure the Ji Family never rises again!"
He chuckled softly, but his figure gradually faded from Li Hao's sight, not the least bit worried about Li Hao's survival.
After all, a Saintly manifestation personally taking action, no matter how prodigious, was futile.
Seeing the Saint disappear without attacking him, Li Hao felt a slight relief amidst his shock and anger.
He had thought he had called upon a powerful ally, but it had almost been a path to his demise!
Saints, Saints... Li Hao clenched his fists, feeling an indescribable rage.
While the two were talking, he had quietly healed his body and understood the sinister nature of the mark.
The Saint was an enemy of the Ji Family's ancestor, constantly watching the Ji Family. The Extreme Dao Stele assessment was the best way to showcase a prodigy's talent. If the Ji Family truly produced a Four Pinnacle Realm prodigy, it would be detected by the Saint. Then, under the guise of taking them as a disciple, it would be a trap!
It was all a conspiracy, a Saint's scheme. They hadn't exterminated the Ji Family, but it was tantamount to annihilation!
There would never be any hope of advancement, unless the Saint fell!
In the face of a Saint, they were reduced to mere playthings, living with a false sense of hope, but in reality, without any future.
Li Hao couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Fortunately, he had many things he wanted to do, and he hadn't been hasty in the past. If he had rashly activated the mark and sought to become the Saint's disciple, based on his previous situation in the human realm, the Saint would have taken him in first, and then, as the Saint had said, either corrupt him, leading him astray and preventing him from becoming a Saint, or simply eliminate him.
Nothing was more comfortable and reassuring than raising the offspring of one's enemy under one's own eyes, making them serve as one's own pawns.
Insidious, vicious!
Li Hao realized at this moment that Saints were not without desires, but their desires were vast and unimaginable!
However, thinking about these things was useless at the moment. His gaze fell upon the Xu Saint's manifestation, his eyes filled with a heavy and subtly ferocious anger.
"That was your last trump card, wasn't it? You should die."
Xu Saint said indifferently, like pronouncing Li Hao's death sentence.
Without further ado, the surrounding void power surged like boiling water, transforming into countless sharp blades that pressed down on Li Hao, unstoppable.
Li Hao's eyes were filled with anger and killing intent. At this point, he had no choice but to fight with everything he had to create a sliver of an opportunity.
But was there truly such an opportunity?
Li Hao didn't know, but he knew that he couldn't die so easily.
"Saint, Saint... If I don't die, I will shatter your Sacred Lands and twist off your heads!!"
Li Hao's eyes were bloodshot as he roared, his body refinement techniques spinning rapidly, his bones cracking, and his flesh and blood consolidating and strengthening.
His physical strength gradually approached ten thousand jin. Although it was incomparable to the power of the heavens and earth he could now manipulate, pure physical strength could enhance various aspects of his body, greatly impacting his ability to manipulate and withstand the power of the heavens and earth.
Bang!!
Li Hao roared and swung his sword, his arms flushed with blood, rapidly manipulating a portion of the power of the heavens and earth, unleashing a powerful blow.
The sword energy was like a rainbow, instantly shattering two whirlpools, then tearing straight through.
But at the same time, more void whirlpools surged in, tearing gaping wounds in his body.
Behind Li Hao, various phantoms appeared – the manifestations of various body refinement techniques. His bones were violently transforming, his flesh and blood were strengthening, and his regenerative abilities were also enhancing. But these void blades were too sharp, unstoppable. Even with the combined forty-nine layers of domain, they only slowed their advance.
"Void Annihilation Hand!"
Seeing that Li Hao was still holding on, Xu Saint's eyes turned cold. He suddenly raised his hand, and the surrounding void energy converged, forming a collapsing black hole-like hand that smashed towards Li Hao.
The domain touched the void hand and quickly collapsed, being ground to dust.
Li Hao furiously swung his sword, but the vast power of the heavens and earth he had manipulated, upon touching the void hand, seemed to pass straight through and be swallowed, unable to even slow its advance.
Li Hao's eyes widened in fury. His major meridians suddenly ruptured, shattering the Heavenly Meridians as well. He roared, pushing his entire body to its limit!
Bang!!
He suddenly swung his sword, condensing boundless momentum. His flesh and blood contracted and tightened at this moment. The various body refinement techniques, under this extreme operation, brought about rapid transformation to his body.
A brilliant sword light erupted, colliding with the void hand.
The void trembled, the laws became chaotic, and countless blades impacted and sliced Li Hao's body.
And more vast blades surged from the surrounding void, not stopping or being hindered by the sword strike.
His body felt as if it were being torn apart, wounds appearing continuously.
Li Hao's flesh and blood writhed and trembled, constantly contracting. His physical strength continued to rise, reaching the ten thousand jin mark.
At a certain moment, Li Hao felt his entire body tremble, as if his flesh and blood, all his blood and cells, were vibrating.
He felt like a peanut, being "peeled open." From the trembling flesh, a trace of a more extreme, more special power emerged.
At this moment, his physical body touched the limit of life, unable to cross it. The deepest secrets of his flesh seemed to be activated.
A feeling of intense heat, like a volcanic eruption, surged from every part of his body, from every bone, every drop of blood.
Brilliant golden light bloomed from the wounds all over his body. The blood that had been flowing out turned into a brilliant golden color, the blood emitting an endless golden radiance, like the blood of a deity!
Li Hao's brain, thoughts, and everything else were squeezed by the transformation, with countless pieces of information flooding his mind.
The extraordinary insights of the Nine Stages of Physical Body Dao allowed him to quickly understand the transformation and situation he was experiencing.
He had touched the Pinnacle of Harmony!
The Pinnacle of Harmony was Divine Power, and this pinnacle... was like Divine Blood!
If Divine Power was merely a temporary state of tenfold increase in strength, with the body turning golden like a god, then now, he had undergone a complete transformation. His flesh and blood had changed at its very core!
Divine Blood!
This was true Divine Blood!
If a Three Immortal Realm expert procreated, a portion of their bloodline power could be inherited through their bloodline, and it was called Divine Blood by mortals.
But in reality, it was like the Sword Saints and Blade Saints of the human world, merely using those great titles as praise, not truly deserving them.
But now, Li Hao had touched the limit of life, his flesh had transformed, and the blood in his body had truly changed, becoming Divine Blood!
Something he had yearned for in his youth, he had now cultivated it with his own abilities!
And it was true Divine Blood!
This also meant that at this moment, he was no longer a mortal, but had transformed into a god!
The golden blood seemed to contain boundless and vast vitality. Every drop of Divine Blood contained enough power to unleash an endless burst of strength!
Li Hao had a feeling that this Divine Blood was like the Dao, seemingly indestructible!
"Hm?"
Xu Saint's manifestation sensed Li Hao's sudden change in aura, paused slightly, and his expression changed instantly.
The brilliant golden light and familiar aura caused a name to flash in his mind: Demon Race!
No, to be precise, it was the God Race.
But that was an ancient race that had long been sealed by the Saints, the most primitive race in the Sacred Lands.
"Transformation? I see. Is this the secret of the God Race? It was actually cultivated by a human. What kind of realm is this?"
Xu Saint's manifestation saw the shocking secret from Li Hao, a hint of seriousness appearing in his eyes.
So, the God Race wasn't a foreign race, but originally human.
Was it because the ancestor of the God Race had also cultivated in this way, and then reproduced their bloodline, that the God Race came into being?
He thought of many things in an instant, but soon, these thoughts were temporarily put aside. Looking at Li Hao, whose flesh and blood were rapidly healing, exuding a powerful and terrifying aura, the killing intent in his eyes became even colder.
"Then you deserve to die even more!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter 314: A Decade, The Sword Ancestor's Sacred Ground (Two-in-One)
As the Void Saint unleashed another attack, waves surged through the void. These were Void Tides, the true power of the Saint's manifested avatar.
Li Hao erected his Dao Domain, but even the forty-nine layers were swiftly pierced, unable to withstand the assault.
He channeled the power of the void, condensing it into a single sword that cleaved through the oncoming tides.
His Dao power surged, and he then raised his hands to swat at the surrounding waves.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Consecutive blasts of Dao power reverberated through the void, but the Void Tides seemed inexhaustible, endlessly surging towards Li Hao.
Li Hao, meanwhile, felt an inexhaustible wellspring of power within himself, his strength brimming, perpetually at the peak of divine energy eruption.
However, while the Profound Strength Pinnacle had brought about a qualitative change to his body, a mutation in his bloodline, the enhancement to his raw power was not significant. Ten million jin of pure physical strength was still no match for the Void Tides.
Boom!
The tides closed in, tearing Li Hao's arms apart.
A torrent of golden divine blood sprayed outwards, yet it was not extinguished by the Void Blades.
If it were his previous physical form, it would have been quickly obliterated, but now, the divine blood lingered in the void, spinning like golden beads. In the face of the Void power capable of pulverizing Saint-Heart treasures, the blood merely deformed, refusing to be annihilated!
This change, seemingly insignificant, offered Li Hao a glimmer of hope.
He continued to fight back with sword and palm strikes, allowing the Void power to carve his body into an even more ravaged state.
Blood and flesh splattered everywhere, his body eroded by the Void power, riddled with holes like a hornet's nest.
Yet, his blood and bone fragments scattered around him, and Li Hao could sense his Dao intent and will within each drop, ready to coalesce at any moment. Every drop of blood could reconstitute a true body!
At this moment, Li Hao suddenly understood that the various pinnacles of martial arts, including the Pinnacle, seemed interconnected, mutually reinforcing.
For instance, the Seventh Pinnacle, Rebirth from a Drop of Blood, was a prerequisite for Ultimate Transcendence, fully unleashing the power of the Sixth Pinnacle.
And now, the Profound Strength Pinnacle's divine blood, with every drop capable of forming a true body, required Ultimate Transcendence to integrate his will into the heavens and earth. Otherwise, even if the divine blood could regenerate, it would only create puppets, devoid of the original consciousness.
But now, his consciousness was deeply rooted in the heavens and earth, difficult to extinguish in a short time, and his divine blood was incredibly resilient and indestructible, significantly boosting his survivability.
Whoosh!
Under his will's control, the divine blood shot out in all directions.
Li Hao transitioned from wholeness to fragmentation, scattering in every direction.
"Hmm?"
The Void Saint noticed that Li Hao's flesh and blood were proving difficult to annihilate with Void power, a hint of gravity entering his eyes.
The God Race's most feared aspect was their ability to achieve Sainthood through the Extreme Dao, a path far too convenient. Their physical bodies, however, were not as formidable as this young man's.
Perhaps this was why the God Race they encountered were mostly descendants of the Ancestors, their bloodlines diluted over time.
Boom!
The Void Saint raised a hand, closing in the void, intending to imprison all of Li Hao's divine blood.
As the Void power enveloped and destroyed, many drops of divine blood were imprisoned, but they were like being within a Void furnace, constantly refined, not immediately dissipating. Instead, they were slowly eroding, being torn apart tens of thousands of times per second.
The process resembled refinement.
The remaining divine blood swiftly coalesced into Li Hao's form, and in an instant, he multiplied into thousands, charging towards different parts of the void.
The Void Saint's face hardened as he imprisoned the void, capturing and refining each drop of divine blood one by one.
He hadn't expected a mere Dao-Seeking Realm cultivator to be so difficult to kill.
Saints and Dao-Seekers were worlds apart. Even a Half-Saint could slay one with a thought, let alone him with his manifested avatar.
As a large amount of divine blood was imprisoned and refined, it diverted a significant portion of the Void Saint's power. Li Hao's mutilated body fled into the distance, the spilled divine blood behind him condensing into forms, channeling the power of the heavens and earth to strike, throwing the entire void into chaos.
Li Hao noticed that when he communicated with the Saint's mark earlier, the other party's avatar had descended. While it hadn't saved him, its appearance had created a fissure in the void.
Though the fissure was quickly sealed, Li Hao had captured the trace.
While unleashing sword strikes and bursts of power, he didn't actively resist the encroaching Void power, allowing his body to become even more fragmented, scattering his divine blood further.
Amidst the vast expanse of blood, dozens of drops of divine blood quietly vanished, utilizing the abilities of the Supreme Dao Body to transform into Dao, hiding within the void. They then covered themselves with the myriad attributes, dispersing in all directions.
Escape!
Li Hao knew that engaging in battle with this Saint's avatar was futile. Even if he destroyed the avatar, it would likely summon the Saint's true body.
Moreover, he currently lacked the power to destroy the avatar. The disparity in strength was too great, the Seven Pinnacles far from sufficient.
If he hadn't touched upon the Heavenly Venerable's will of the Sixth Pinnacle, even a sliver of Saintly Intent would have been enough to obliterate him!
The difficulty of fighting against adversity was beyond imagination.
Whoosh!
Li Hao's entire body erupted in a spray of divine blood. Under his will's command, these drops could unleash terrifying power, all utilizing the technique of the Netherworld Shift!
Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of drops of divine blood simultaneously shifted through the Netherworld, scattering in their escape.
Such a tactic stunned the Void Saint, who was enraged. An ant he could have easily crushed was now displaying a tenacious and terrifying ability to survive.
He moved swiftly, contracting and solidifying the void. Many drops of divine blood, as they emerged from the Netherworld, were locked on, imprisoned within the void.
However, the Void power could not immediately annihilate them, only gradually refine them. If he released the imprisonment, the divine blood would escape, and if he continued the imprisonment, it would consume the Void Saint's power.
His manifested avatar, projected here, was experiencing a sense of inadequacy!
Slaying a mere Dao-Seeking Realm cultivator was proving troublesome and difficult.
But it also solidified his determination to kill Li Hao. Another avatar manifested in the void, and the two avatars simultaneously attacked, imprisoning and killing the scattered divine blood.
Boom!
Li Hao's body was completely torn apart by the Void Tides, but the resulting blood and bone fragments scattered in all directions.
If the other party used Saintly Intent to capture him, he would directly use the Heavenly Venerable's will to obliterate it. This forced the Void Saint to employ a more laborious method of searching and suppressing.
Li Hao's thoughts became unprecedentedly grave and calm, suppressing his anger. He subtly concealed the "Jiangxue Diagram" and "Hidden Bow" concealment techniques on a few drops of divine blood, and he stretched his divine blood, using the "Hidden Line" technique of fishing to bury these thread-like drops of blood within the chaotic void.
The rest of the divine blood either fled or condensed into his form, unleashing a sword tide to attack the opponent, creating a terrifying spectacle.
His purpose was not to kill, but to conceal.
With his current strength, he had no chance against a Saint, and could only endure and flee.
He remembered the trace of the fissure that had opened earlier and quietly diverted a portion of his divine blood towards it.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In the void, the tides clashed with the sword energy. The Void Saint seemed annoyed, and suddenly, the power of his two avatars merged, and he pressed down with his hand.
In an instant, the entire void froze, as if time had stopped.
The divine blood that had continuously escaped through the Netherworld Shift to extremely distant locations was now imprisoned. The void within a radius of ten thousand li was completely still!
Then, the Void Saint raised his hand, continuously refining the imprisoned divine blood.
The blood that he could have previously annihilated with a flick of his wrist was now like golden beads, requiring slow grinding, extremely time-consuming.
The Void Saint was annoyed, but he could only do this. This battle had also yielded some gains for him, at least witnessing the hidden origins of the God Race firsthand.
As time passed, the scattered divine blood, bone fragments, and other debris in the void were all gradually annihilated and ground to dust by the Void Saint one by one.
"Such a difficult-to-kill Dao-Seeking Realm cultivator is truly rare. The God Race is actually cultivated through physical bodies. It seems that my path of physical cultivation needs further improvement. The path of body refinement is not entirely without merit."
The Void Saint muttered to himself, then looked towards the void. Wherever his gaze fell, everything was cleared.
He extended his perception, and soon, he sensed a slight fluctuation in the void.
Boom!
With a grasp of his hand, the void trembled, and a drop of divine blood was squeezed out.
The Void Saint glanced at it and then continued to refine it.
This young man's various abilities had broadened his horizons. This subtle concealment, if he hadn't achieved Sainthood through the Void Dao, might have been difficult to discern.
After spending over ten minutes grinding this drop of divine blood to dust, the Void Saint glanced around again and then lingered no longer, disappearing from the scene.
Shortly after his disappearance, three drops of divine blood suddenly appeared in the void.
These three drops of divine blood carried Li Hao's will and quickly charged towards the void trace he had previously captured, fearing that it would disappear.
However, as the divine blood reached the void trace, a figure materialized, the Void Saint who had just disappeared.
His eyes were cold, with a hint of icy mockery, and he raised a hand to suppress, the void being imprisoned.
Li Hao attempted to resist, but with only the power of three drops of divine blood, he could not channel much of the power of the heavens and earth. Soon, they were refined and annihilated.
The Dao power within the divine blood was also stripped away, gradually dissipating in the void.
Dao power cannot be destroyed, but as the will that controls it is destroyed, it gradually dissipates, returning to the heavens and earth.
The Void Saint looked at the void, let out a cold laugh, and then his avatar dissipated.
The void resumed its flow, silent and still.
After a long, long time.
A single drop of golden divine blood emerged from the void.
As soon as this drop of divine blood appeared, it quickly rushed towards the trace of the fissure, fearing that it would disappear.
At the same time, the divine blood was rapidly transforming, condensing into Li Hao's form.
Whoosh!
Finally, touching the trace, Li Hao slipped through.
However, as soon as he crossed the fissure, Li Hao saw a familiar figure and aura.
It was the Void Saint's avatar!
He stood in the heavens and earth outside the fissure, watching Li Hao with a faint smile.
"So it really was you. You're quite good at disguising yourself."
He raised a hand and suppressed Li Hao, the void being imprisoned.
At this moment, although Li Hao had been reborn from a drop of blood, he was in an extremely weakened state. He looked at the Saint in shock and anger, roaring, "I will never let you go!"
Soon, his body was suppressed and crushed, exploding on the spot.
The Void Saint gathered the exploded flesh and blood into a ball, refining it in his palm.
"This concealment technique is truly exceptional, even I couldn't detect it..." The Void Saint muttered to himself. Earlier, he had noticed that the other party possessed some very special abilities, capable of deceiving the eyes of a Saint.
This made him even more attentive to the matter. Such a monstrous talent must not be allowed to escape.
While his avatar was here killing Li Hao, his true body was being questioned by the Saints of the Primordial Saint Ground and the Heavenly Phoenix Saint Ground, unable to split his attention.
Although his true body couldn't come in person, it didn't matter. The Void Saint's avatar had no intention of leaving, still paying attention to this void. As a Saint, he had plenty of time.
...
Meanwhile, within the Immortal Gate.
Yuzu and the Divine Maiden sensed that the fluctuations within the Immortal Gate had disappeared. It seemed that the battlefield had been moved, or perhaps the young man had been killed by the Void Saint.
After all, he was only a Dao-Seeking Realm cultivator. The moment the Void Saint's will descended, his fate was sealed.
This filled them with indignation and anger. Such a monstrous talent had been killed by the Void Saint Ground.
Seven Pinnacles, a feat that shook the ages, was rare throughout the entirety of the Saintly Lands. They had never heard of such a thing.
They knew that in the Saintly Lands, over the past thousand years, many Saints had used avatars to reincarnate and cultivate anew, and even some Saints had personally reincarnated in order to strive for the Eight Pinnacles!
Now, the young man was just one step away from achieving this, yet he was slain by a Saint!
Many reincarnated Saints had never cultivated to the Seven Pinnacles. Even if the young man was a reincarnated Saint, his cultivation and insights in this life were enough to be unparalleled throughout history.
The difficulty of the Seven Pinnacles was harder than anyone imagined. Aside from the conventional pinnacles like Profound Strength and Heavenly Cycle, some pinnacles could not be achieved through time and foundation alone. For example, the Soul Succession Pinnacle. If one were to reincarnate, without a grand will, they would still be unable to inherit the souls of the heavens and earth!
Compared to the most difficult, however, was the Sixth Pinnacle.
It could not be compensated for by talent or cultivation techniques.
"You, Void Saint Ground, prepare to bear the wrath of all the Saints!"
Yuzu's eyes were filled with rage. Such a prodigy should have belonged to their Primordial Saint Ground. If he had cultivated to become a Saint within the Primordial Saint Ground, even if he recovered his memories as a Saint and returned to his position, it would still be a favor and a great connection for the Primordial Saint Ground!
But now, it was all a pipe dream.
"Humph, should the trials continue? If not, this Immortal Gate shall be withdrawn."
The elder coldly snorted, not bothering to argue.
Ji Xuan, Shen, and the others heard their words and turned pale, unable to believe it.
That dazzlingly brilliant young man, was he… really dead?
They had yet to catch up to his footsteps, and he had already fallen into the dust.
They felt a sense of bewilderment and loss, as if something vital had been taken from their hearts, leaving a void.
The elder's aloof and indifferent attitude towards life filled them with anger, but they knew that compared to a Saint Ground, they were still too weak.
Anger was useless.
...
...
In the chaotic void.
As time passed, there was no concept of time here, endlessly blurring, like months, or perhaps years.
Suddenly, a golden bead appeared in the void, a single drop of divine blood.
However, the luster of this divine blood was no longer as brilliant as before, somewhat dim, eroded by the void power here.
After the divine blood appeared, its aura remained subtle, but this time, it did not head towards the fissure, but drifted through the void, seeking another exit.
As this drop of divine blood drifted, it gradually took shape, transforming into Li Hao's form.
"That fellow should be gone, right?"
Li Hao cautiously surveyed his surroundings.
But suddenly, a figure materialized before him, softly saying:
"Were you looking for me? You're quite persistent. This should be your last drop, right?"
The figure that materialized was none other than the Void Saint.
He looked at Li Hao, whose body was eroded by the Void power, his aura weak, his eyes revealing a hint of indifferent killing intent. This was within his expectations.
The void was not a place to linger. After so long, even if Li Hao could disguise himself, he would be eroded and perish by the void, unless he also comprehended the Void Dao within the void, allowing him to remain for a long time.
But if someone could comprehend the Void Dao, he, the Saint who had achieved Sainthood through the Void Dao, would surely sense it.
"You..."
Li Hao was shocked to see the other party, then despair filled his eyes.
"Your disguise was quite convincing earlier, but now it's time for it to end."
The Void Saint's eyes were cold, and with a raise of his hand, he suddenly suppressed, a wave of Void power enveloping Li Hao.
Li Hao erupted in a frenzy, but he was too weak at this point, and was quickly suppressed. Then, his body exploded.
This time, the exploded blood and bone fragments did not splatter, but were imprisoned by the Void Saint and directly refined.
The Void Saint scanned his surroundings, shook his head slightly, and his avatar dissipated from the scene.
However, he did not truly leave, but remained hidden in the void, waiting patiently.
Although he believed this was the last drop of the young man, he still chose to stay for safety's sake.
"His previous life must have been a Supreme Saint who had experienced the Heavenly Tribulation. There are things on him that interfere with my calculations..."
The Void Saint's avatar's eyes flickered. If it were an ordinary person, he could easily calculate their situation and wouldn't have to wait here.
During this time, his true body had also endured considerable pressure. Many Saints who had heard the news came to question him, and some took the opportunity to stir up trouble.
But compared to these individuals who only clashed verbally, the two Saints who had truly injured him were the ones who had torn their faces with him and fought a Saintly battle.
Saints rarely fought each other because it was difficult to truly kill them. Without a guarantee of a decisive victory, they would not easily engage.
But those two Saints were like madmen, attacking without regard for the consequences. If he hadn't been the Void Saint, one of the Saints with the best survival abilities, he would have been injured.
In the void, this was his main battlefield. Each Saint's Dao was different, and in a battlefield that suited their Dao, they were practically invincible, even Supreme Saints would be reluctant to fight them.
The other party had even attempted to rescue this young man, but fortunately, he had transferred the Void battlefield in advance. The void he was guarding now was in an extremely remote area outside the Immortal Gate, unknown to anyone but him.
The two Saints were so furious, most likely because they knew the young man's previous life, which was why they reacted so strongly.
"Unfortunately, you provoked the Void Saint Ground first."
The Void Saint's avatar did not regret attacking Li Hao. Even if he had no grievance with Li Hao, killing him was killing him. After all, from the information he had received, this young man had a close relationship with the Jiang family, and the Jiang family had become disciples of the Primordial Saint Ground, so this young man would most likely also enter the Primordial Saint Ground.
If the Primordial Saint Ground were to produce such a monster again, the Void Saint Ground would have to retreat even further in the future Cloud Mist Realm.
Time flew by.
The Void Saint's avatar continued to guard the area.
When he had killed the last drop of the young man's blood, the latter had already been in the void for a year.
Eroded by the void, his body had decayed, and his divine blood had dimmed.
Now, three years had passed, and there was no movement.
The Void Saint estimated that based on the signs and depth of the dimming of Li Hao's divine blood he had seen earlier, after three years of erosion by the void power, it should have completely decayed.
In other words, even if the other party was still hiding here, they would have long since decayed and would no longer be able to disguise their aura.
Like prey forced into a cave by a hunter, although it did not come out for a long time, it had already starved to death inside, or even decayed.
However, to prevent any unforeseen possibilities, the Void Saint's avatar still did not leave. He wanted to eliminate any "what ifs"!
Saints, when dealing with matters, eradicated the roots, leaving no trace of trouble.
Now, with the passage of time, his Void Saint Ground was repeatedly provoked by the two Saints, but he had sent out another avatar to cultivate a good relationship with Yang Saint and asked him for help, and the situation was temporarily stabilized.
In a daze, another three years passed.
The Void Saint's avatar sat there, looking at the unchanging void, and the image of the young man's final despair flashed through his mind. He was certain that the other party was truly dead.
The last drop of blood had been annihilated.
To take a step back, even if he wasn't dead, the other party would have long since left the void, and there was no point in continuing to guard it.
After all, such a long time, the erosion of the void was enough to reduce the other party to dust!
However, out of caution, the Void Saint's avatar still chose to wait for another three years.
Time passed quickly. A total of ten years had passed since the opening of the Immortal Gate in the mortal realm.
The Void Saint's avatar slowly stood up, glanced at the space where the chaotic Void power flowed like a river, and after such a long time, there was still no reappearance of divine blood. Without a doubt, the other party had been killed by him.
He no longer waited, and his avatar dissipated from the scene. His mind returned to the Void Saint Ground to deal with the troubles caused by killing this mortal boy.
...
After the Void Saint's avatar dissipated, the void remained as calm as ever.
Time quietly changed, and several more months passed.
Suddenly, a faint golden light appeared, an extremely weak golden thread.
It was inconspicuous and extremely subtle.
It was covered with the myriad attributes, the Jiangxue Diagram, the Hidden Bow, and other concealment techniques, masking its aura to the extreme.
At the same time, it also used the Hidden Line technique of fishing to conceal itself as a thread.
Multiple concealment techniques layered on top of each other finally managed to deceive the Saint's perception.
At this moment, this golden thread was extremely weak. After appearing, it did not check the surrounding situation, but directly rushed into the void.
This time, there was no Void Saint avatar to block it. The golden thread used the Netherworld Shift to continuously shuttle through the void, and it did not encounter the Void Saint's avatar for a long time. Li Hao finally understood that the other party had left.
He wandered through the void, but the golden thread on his body was extremely weak.
This golden thread of divine blood was able to persist until now because he had covered it with other divine blood, like an outer garment, layer by layer of erosion, to persist until now, but it was also severely damaged. The erosion of the void power caused the Dao power on his body to almost dissipate.
He didn't know how long it had been, but in the flowing void, when the golden thread was about to be eroded and annihilated, Li Hao finally glimpsed a fissure that could lead to the outside world.
Without hesitation, he wandered towards it, and soon squeezed out of the void, arriving in the outside world.
In an instant, a rich surge of heavenly energy poured in.
At this moment, Li Hao could truly be said to have stepped into the Saintly World within the Immortal Gate.
As soon as he made contact, Li Hao could feel that the power here was richer and stronger than in the mortal realm. Even without actively absorbing it, it seemed to be actively drilling into his body.
Li Hao looked around, and he did not see the Void Saint's avatar. His heart finally relaxed.
He had hidden two more golden threads in the void, a total of three.
This one was still used for reconnaissance, but it seemed that the other party had really left.
When his body exploded and his divine blood scattered and fled, he had used all sorts of methods and thoughts to disguise himself, including the desperate cries and angry curses when his divine blood was refined, all to convince the other party that he was truly dead.
The previous drop of divine blood being eroded by the void was also intentional, to make the other party miscalculate. Now, it seemed that he had calculated correctly and gambled correctly.
He had won this gamble!
At this moment, absorbing the heavenly energy, Li Hao's body was gradually stretching.
From a golden thread, it transformed into the shape of a body.
But he had been in the void for too long, and the erosion of the power was too deep, slowing down his self-healing speed.
His Dao power was also thin and dissipating. During the previous battle, his heavenly meridians had also been severed. This battle had truly inflicted severe injuries on him.
As soon as his body had solidified, Li Hao's consciousness grew weary and fell into a deep sleep.
His body fell straight from the sky, his flesh like a roaring meteor, falling straight down.
With a thud, he crashed onto a mountaintop, and the ground trembled.
In a daze, Li Hao seemed to smell a soft fragrance, and a pair of slender, soft hands lifted his arm.
His consciousness completely fell into slumber.
Wandering in the darkness.
Until a series of calls came, after a long time, Li Hao slowly opened his eyes, and a gentle old man's voice reached his ears:
"You're awake?"
Li Hao was stunned, his heart suddenly tightened, and he quickly opened his eyes to look. He saw the face of a white-haired old man, who looked very amiable.
At the same time, a pungent smell of strong medicinal herbs wafted over, along with other musty scents.
Li Hao's consciousness gradually cleared, and he looked around. He saw that he was lying on a straw mat, surrounded by dark ancient trees, in a courtyard-like building, with an open courtyard nearby.
On the eaves of the house, various dried herbs were hanging.
Not far from the straw mat, there was a large copper furnace, emitting steam and medicinal fragrance.
Li Hao was startled and asked the old man beside him, "Where is this?"
"This is the Sword Ancestor's Sacred Ground."
The white-bearded old man smiled, "You seem to be quite badly injured. Did you fight with someone, or were you being chased by enemies? Fortunately, you encountered me, and I treated your wounds. Strangely, none of the usual medicines worked. Thankfully, I have another kind of external application ointment that managed to stabilize your condition."
Li Hao was slightly stunned. He looked down and saw that he was wearing a simple blue and white robe, and faint scars were still visible on his chest under the collar.
He had the Concealment attribute. As long as he was out of combat and relaxed, his body could slowly heal itself.
After reaching the Three Immortality Realm, this attribute was not very meaningful to him, but now that his body was damaged, this attribute seemed to have come into play again.
"Thank you, senior, for saving my life." Li Hao immediately sat up and expressed his gratitude.
The white-bearded old man chuckled, "You don't need to thank me. She's the one who saved you. If you want to thank someone, thank her."
He then pointed with his chin towards the courtyard.
There, a woman in green stood, slowly practicing her sword. Her movements were gentle and slow, but her swordsmanship was perfectly rounded, as if she was drawing in the energy of the surrounding heavens and earth.
Li Hao narrowed his eyes slightly and immediately saw that this woman's cultivation was extremely high, with Dao power flowing through her limbs. She was clearly a True Person Realm cultivator!
At the same time, her sword intent was condensed and extremely spiritual.
Li Hao suddenly remembered the faint fragrance he had smelled when he was unconscious, and he immediately got up, walked barefoot into the courtyard, clasped his hands together, and said,
"Thank you, miss, for saving my life. I don't know how to address you, but I will repay your kindness in the future!"
"It's nothing. Just leave after your injuries have healed. Don't disturb my sword practice."
The woman in green did not turn around, her sword did not stop, and her voice was as clear and crisp as melting snow on a mountain.
Li Hao was slightly stunned. He looked at her back and suddenly remembered that when he was unconscious, as soon as he had condensed his body, he seemed to have been naked...
His face flushed slightly, and he coughed lightly. He didn't bother her any further and slowly retreated to the edge of the courtyard.
He sat on the wooden board under the eaves, patted the mud off his feet, and then returned to the straw mat in the room.
He looked at the room, which seemed to be a pill refining room, with medicinal herbs everywhere.
"Qingying is just like that. Don't take it to heart."
The white-bearded old man saw Li Hao's awkwardness and smiled at him.
Li Hao quickly said, "I wouldn't dare, senior. How could I take offense at such a life-saving grace."
(End of Chapter)