Chapter 341: Absorbing the Ultimate Path, Half-Saint Demon

At this moment, Zhao Qingshu looked somewhat disheveled. Though there was a hint of shock in his eyes, he quickly concealed it as he stepped out of the spatial rift. He looked up at the cloud bell in the sky, where the massive solar halo recorded the passage of time.

As he had silently counted, although there were some discrepancies during the confrontation, it was roughly accurate.

A quarter of an hour... Zhao Qingshu's heart sank, and a bitter smile appeared on his lips. Only after entering did he realize the true value and terror of the Twin Buddha Sons' one and a half minutes.

Inside the Wen Ancestor Holy Land, Li Qingyi and the others breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Zhao Qingshu finally emerge. They had feared something unexpected had happened, but with the Wen Sage present, the Buddha World Honored One wouldn't dare to play any tricks. There must have been another reason.

"Zhao Qingshu, 16 minutes and 29 seconds!"

The Buddhist referee announced loudly.

Seeing such a gap, the crowd erupted in murmurs. Previously, the Twin Buddha Sons had taken only one and a half minutes. Zhao Qingshu, a long-renowned saint within the Wen Ancestor Holy Land, had once single-handedly ventured into the demon realm, slain over a dozen Dao Realm demons, and burned their corpses in a sea of books, earning great fame in Canglan.

Now, after years of cultivation, he should only have grown stronger. Yet, he had taken 16 minutes?

This gap was a full sixteen times!

If such a difference existed during a confrontation, the outcome would be unimaginable.

Seeing Zhao Qingshu's result, the Wen Ancestor Holy Land, the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, and even the scattered talents from the Divine Dynasty all wore grave expressions.

They didn't believe Zhao Qingshu was weak. After all, he was a saint and one of the top ten in the Wen Ancestor Holy Land. Such a vast gap could only mean that the Twin Buddha Sons were terrifyingly strong!

"Interesting, interesting..."

Chi Guang's eyes sparkled, his fighting spirit burning like a raging flame.

At this moment, the third challenger stepped forward and entered the spatial rift under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

Time passed, and this time it was even longer. After nearly twenty minutes, the spatial rift finally rippled, and the challenger returned.

This person was a saint from the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, a formidable figure, but now he wore a look of fear and discomfort.

Seeing his result, those who had doubted Zhao Qingshu's performance now realized the terror of the Twin Buddha Sons.

For a moment, many eyes turned to the young Buddha Son, their hearts filled with anticipation, eager to see just how powerful the demon guarding the spirit pearl in the spatial rift was. No matter how strong, it was only at the Dao Realm, right? These saints were the cream of the crop among Dao Realm cultivators. To find a Dao Realm demon stronger than them would be akin to finding a top-tier saint among demons!

Surely, they couldn't have a Half-Saint guarding it, could they?

At this thought, many faces showed horror.

They quickly turned to the Buddha Honored One, but all they saw were the dazzling Buddhist lights and various phenomena around him, making it impossible to discern his thoughts.

Now, the fourth, fifth... one after another, talents stepped forward to enter the spatial rift leading to the Floating Life Demon Realm.

Their times mostly ranged from 17 to 20 minutes.

Zhao Qingshu, who had gone earlier, now looked slightly relieved. Compared to the monstrous Twin Buddha Sons, he was far behind, but compared to the others, he had done quite well.

Soon, the crowd erupted in murmurs again.

This time, it was Lin Shuhai from the Wen Ancestor Holy Land who stepped out.

As the top talent of this generation in the Wen Ancestor Holy Land, Lin Shuhai was highly renowned and watched by various forces. He was also a strong contender for the top three in this talent competition.

"It's Senior Brother Shuhai's turn!"

"Can Senior Brother Shuhai surpass the Twin Buddha Sons?"

"Hard to say. Those Twin Buddha Sons are too monstrous."

Li Qingyi and the others looked on with a mix of anticipation and worry, feeling even more nervous than if they were the ones competing.

Seeing Lin Shuhai step forward, Chi Guang turned to look, narrowing his eyes.

The Holy Son of Haoyue also showed a hint of coldness in his eyes. The others were too weak to be of reference, but observing Lin Shuhai might give some insight into just how formidable the Twin Buddha Sons were.

Lin Shuhai appeared calm, seemingly oblivious to the countless eyes on him. With an air of scholarly grace, he walked towards the spatial rift.

The crowd held their breath, silently counting the time.

When it surpassed 1 minute and 36 seconds, many sighed inwardly. Indeed, the Twin Buddha Sons were in a league of their own, too monstrous.

At 1 minute and 58 seconds, suddenly, the spatial rift rippled, and Lin Shuhai emerged, looking as composed as when he had entered, holding the silver-white spirit pearl in his hand.

The crowd erupted in astonishment, staring at him in shock. Although there was still a gap compared to the Twin Buddha Sons, it wasn't large!

A mere 30-second difference might just be a matter of taking a slightly longer path.

Chi Guang narrowed his eyes, rubbing his hands together, feeling even more eager and impatient.

Lin Shuhai stepped out of the spatial rift and glanced at the Twin Buddha Sons, only to see their eyes empty, gazing at the distant clouds. Though they stood at the highest point, admired by all, their thoughts seemed elsewhere, lost in contemplation.

A slight smile curled on Lin Shuhai's lips as he handed the spirit pearl to the Buddha Honored One and returned to his seat in the Wen Ancestor Holy Land.

"This Lin Shuhai is somewhat terrifying..."

Behind the Twin Buddha Sons, the other Buddhist saints and Bodhisattvas looked at him with grave expressions.

Others might not know the true terror of the Twin Buddha Sons, but they did. Yet, Lin Shuhai had come close in time, making it seem as if beneath that scholarly exterior lay a monster!

As the commotion caused by Lin Shuhai subsided, others took their turns, with times returning to the range of over ten minutes. Among them, Su Yun, whom Li Hao knew, took 16 minutes and 21 seconds.

Qiu Wuhen took 14 minutes and 12 seconds.

Bian Ruxue took 15 minutes and 29 seconds.

All were around a quarter of an hour, with little difference.

By the time the twentieth person took their turn, securing a time of 16 minutes, the one who had taken 20 minutes looked pale, knowing they were on the brink of elimination.

Soon, Li Hao saw Lin Qingying step forward.

Lin Qingying looked serious. Advancing to the top 20 was one thing, but the results of the Twin Buddha Sons and Lin Shuhai loomed like two mountains over everyone's hearts, representing the pinnacle of their generation.

She glanced at Li Hao, who gave her an encouraging smile. Only then did the tension on her face ease, replaced by a serene smile.

She nodded at Li Hao, then, clad in green, walked towards the spatial rift.

Not long after, the rift rippled, and Lin Qingying emerged, causing another wave of murmurs.

Lin Qingying's time was 4 minutes and 15 seconds!

Among the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, Lin Qingying had ranked third. No one expected her to perform so remarkably now.

"Another monster!"

The crowd's eyes turned grave, immediately noting this woman.

"It seems she's gained some insights into the sword path."

Li Hao smiled. Before leaving, he had told her that the ultimate soft sword path was emptiness. It seemed she had taken it to heart.

The Holy Son of Linghuan, who ranked second in the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, paled slightly. He was next after Lin Qingying. Previously, Lin Qingying had been severely injured by the Holy Son of Haoyue, her Dao Embryo shattered, preventing him from facing her. But now, it seemed he would likely lose.

Soon, the Holy Son of Linghuan's result came out: 8 minutes and 9 seconds!

A near doubling of Lin Qingying's time.

As he stepped out of the rift, the Holy Son of Linghuan glanced at the woman below, a bitter smile on his lips.

The Holy Son of Haoyue, however, frowned. Previously, using Lin Qingying as a medium for his sword path, he had severed his emotions, realizing the indifference of the sun and moon and the unity of heaven and earth. He had thought that with her Dao Embryo destroyed, Lin Qingying would be no more. Yet, her stunning performance now showed he had underestimated her.

Looking at her beautiful face, his eyes flickered, a hint of the emotions he had severed resurfacing, but he quickly suppressed them again.

Now, as the results of the talents came out one after another, those outside the top 20 were automatically eliminated. The elimination line was gradually approaching 18 minutes.

Zhao Qingshu and the others grew tense.

Soon, the Holy Son of Haoyue stepped forward, drawing many eyes.

The Holy Son of Haoyue's eyes were cold as he glanced at Li Hao, seated in the Divine Dynasty, his gaze icy.

Sitting beside Li Hao, Chi Guang felt the gaze and raised an eyebrow, returning a cold smile. But then he realized the gaze wasn't directed at him but at the breeze beside him.

His cold smile stiffened, turning into a hint of killing intent, his eyes sharper.

Soon, the Holy Son of Haoyue's result came out: exactly 2 minutes and 30 seconds!

Seeing this, many were amazed, but also sighed. This result placed him third, but compared to the Twin Buddha Sons, he was a full minute behind.

The Holy Son of Haoyue stepped out of the rift, his face dark. He had already calculated his time and, without looking at the result, returned to his seat with a grim expression.

"Hmph!"

Chi Guang snorted, looking at his own turn, which was coming up soon.

Several more talents took their turns, all taking over ten minutes. Finally, it was Chi Guang's turn.

He stood up, and countless eyes turned to him.

Although Chi Guang had lost to Li Hao in the Divine Dynasty's scattered talents battle, his mastery of a top-tier Dao-level divine ability still made him a formidable opponent in many eyes.

Seeing their looks, Chi Guang smirked coldly. What they had seen before was just a warm-up. Now, it was time to get serious!

He stepped onto the platform and directly entered the spatial rift.

Not long after entering, he emerged, his body still glowing with residual flames, holding the silver spirit pearl in his hand.

Time: 1 minute and 47 seconds!

Only 11 seconds behind the Twin Buddha Sons!

Seeing this result, Chi Guang's eyes turned cold as he glanced at the Twin Buddha Sons, only to find them still lost in thought, not paying attention. The cold light in his eyes intensified.

But then, he turned to look at the breeze below, his gaze cold and condescending.

Li Hao, seeing his look, was puzzled. It seemed this guy wanted to prove something to him?

Now, with Chi Guang's result out, the scene fell into a brief silence.

Many were dumbfounded, staring at him in shock. As a representative of the Divine Dynasty, such a result placed him second only to the Twin Buddha Sons!

Lin Shuhai and the Holy Son of Haoyue, the top saints of their holy lands, were behind him. If not for the Twin Buddha Sons, Chi Guang would undoubtedly be the biggest dark horse of this competition!

"Is this a joke? He's faster than Lin Shuhai!"

"He's surpassed the top saints of both holy lands!"

"He only ranked second in the Divine Dynasty's scattered talents battle. How strong must the first be?"

"What do you know? I heard from his fellow disciples in the cave heaven that his true strength lies in his spear technique. But in the previous battles, who saw him use a spear?"

"Holding back? No wonder. I thought it was strange that the Divine Dynasty's second could be so terrifying compared to the holy land's top saints. But even if he held back in the Divine Dynasty battles, this result is still frightening!"

"Surpassing the holy land's top saints, Chi Guang is the biggest variable for the top three!"

"Is it possible he's still hiding his strength and could even win the championship?"

The scene buzzed with shocked discussions, everyone whispering.

Hearing these discussions, a hint of cold pride appeared in Chi Guang's eyes as he calmly returned to his seat.

After sitting down, he glanced at Li Hao beside him, only to see Li Hao deep in thought, seemingly pondering something.

A slight smile curled on his lips. Feeling the pressure now?

After some thought, Li Hao finally took out his drawing board.

Such an opportunity, with the sage's manifestation, even if just a projection, drawing it should yield considerable experience. He just wasn't sure if it would be considered disrespectful.

If it were, the sage would likely warn him first, and he could stop then.

Fortune favors the bold.

With this in mind, Li Hao began to draw.

"Hmm?!"

Seeing Li Hao suddenly take out his drawing board, brushes, and ink, Chi Guang's expression changed slightly. He stared at Li Hao for a moment, then looked away, no longer paying attention, though his fist clenched tightly in his sleeve...

Li Hao chose to draw the Wen Sage first. Sensing the gaze, the Wen Sage looked over and, seeing Li Hao's drawing board and actions, showed a hint of surprise.

But then, as if remembering something, he glanced at Zhan Tan.

Zhan Tan, sensitive to the Wen Sage's gaze, also looked over and, seeing Li Hao's actions, was momentarily stunned, then chuckled.

Over the past few months, discussing art daily with Li Hao, she had come to deeply understand the young man's genuine love for painting. Throughout these months, Li Hao had shown little concern for cultivation, focusing instead on his art. She hadn't expected him to still have the leisure to paint amidst such a tense competition.

Seeing the Twin Buddha Sons' results, didn't he feel any pressure?

Or was he just planning to coast through?

Seeing the Wen Sage didn't stop him, Li Hao quickly began sketching.

Soon, just before his turn, the drawing was completed.

Li Hao put down his brush and looked at the panel, which showed a jump of 160,000 experience points. He was shocked. Even just a projection of the sage's avatar had yielded so much experience. Judging by the experience gap, this was an existence that could easily suppress a Half-Saint with a single finger.

Li Hao's mind raced as he looked at the Twin Buddha Sons and Lin Shuhai. They were also rich sources of experience!

However, with his turn coming up, he had no time to draw. He could only put away his drawing board for now, then stood up and bowed slightly to the Wen Sage.

The Wen Sage noticed Li Hao's action and smiled slightly. Such an unconventional little fellow was a first. Moreover, he knew his manners and didn't overstep, showing good upbringing.

Out of forty participants, Li Hao was the 35th to step forward.

As Li Hao stepped out, the scene quieted slightly. Many had high hopes for this top talent from the Divine Dynasty.

Although the Divine Dynasty's talents were generally considered inferior to those from the holy lands, this time, with Li Hao and Chi Guang breaking the norm, they had raised the bar for Divine Dynasty talents.

Su Yun, who had performed remarkably earlier, had a result that ranked among the top in the holy lands, causing many to reconsider their usual disdain for Divine Dynasty talents.

"Chi Guang took second place with such a result. Shouldn't this Qingfeng be even stronger?"

"How could that be? Chi Guang was a dark horse, holding back before. Haven't you heard? His true strength lies in his spear!"

"This Qingfeng shouldn't be underestimated either. Even if not as strong as Chi Guang, he should at least be within five minutes!"

"That's right. After all, he suppressed the talents of the Divine Dynasty, selected from dozens of Divine Dynasties in the Canglan Realm. He must be quite formidable."

The crowd watched Li Hao with grave expressions.

"He's about to take his turn. I wonder what his result will be."

Li Qingyi, seeing Li Hao, had a glint in her eyes. She had taken her turn earlier, with a time of 13 minutes. But she knew Li Hao's result wouldn't be over ten minutes; it would surely be within three minutes!

Lin Shuhai, hearing the whispers behind him, turned his gentle gaze to the young man, a hint of interest in his smile.

"Feel the gap!"

Chi Guang stared at Li Hao's back, a cold light in his eyes, eager to see Li Hao's expression when he emerged.

Li Hao stepped onto the platform, not looking around. After the spirit pearl was released, he walked straight into the spatial rift.

As he passed through the rift, Li Hao felt the familiar sensation of spatial shifting.

The scene before him changed, revealing a desolate land.

Here, withered branches and dead vines stretched endlessly, with a thick fog shrouding the area, making it seem like a forbidden land of death, filled with gray-black death energy.

Li Hao was momentarily stunned. His eyes glowed with golden divine light, and he saw countless black threads of killing intent floating within the gray death energy!

This... a treasure land?!

Li Hao was astonished. He hadn't expected the trial beyond the rift to be such a place. For him, this was an unexpected boon!

Sensing the divine blood within him, Li Hao didn't hesitate. He quickly reached out and began absorbing the threads of killing intent.

These were the nutrients needed for his path to sainthood through the ultimate path of killing.

As the black threads of killing intent gathered around him like a whirlwind, his divine blood activated, drawing the black energy into his body, where it was enveloped by the divine blood.

The divine blood acted like a miniature prison, sealing each strand of black energy.

The divine blood, now with a black streak running through its golden light, resembled a vertical eye.

Li Hao could feel that something extraordinary was being nurtured within.

Once all his divine blood had absorbed enough killing intent, a transformation would occur, marking his ascension to sainthood through the ultimate path of killing!

As he continued to absorb, the fog in the demon realm seemed to thin.

Li Hao opened his eyes, the golden light in them flickering before returning to their usual black.

He looked around. The black energy nearby was gone. He didn't delay; absorbing the killing intent had already taken him half a minute.

He expanded his divine sense, his primordial spirit soaring, searching for the spirit pearl.

Soon, Li Hao sensed the spirit pearl's aura and traces deep within the demon realm, where a hidden but terrifying presence lurked.

A look of surprise flashed in Li Hao's eyes. Having spent time with Zhan Tan, he was familiar with the aura of a Half-Saint. The terrifying presence by the spirit pearl was unmistakably a demon Half-Saint!

They really had a Half-Saint guarding it?

Li Hao's eyes showed a hint of shock, then he pondered briefly before darting forward.

His movement was swift, using the Void Shift technique repeatedly. The energy of heaven and earth gathered around him, providing an endless supply of power. Even the energy-intensive Void Shift could be used continuously without tiring.

In less than five seconds, Li Hao arrived at the spirit pearl's location.

There, a massive centipede-like demon, covered in eyes, lay coiled. Its body resembled a spider but was more grotesque, with dense spikes and black carapace.

The silver-glowing spirit pearl lay on the ground before it, rolling casually.

"Little one, you're quite interesting. The way you absorbed that killing intent reminds me of that bald one."

The Half-Saint centipede demon, with its dozens of purple eyes, all reflected Li Hao's figure. Its voice, like an old man's, carried a hint of amusement.

Li Hao asked, "How can I take this?"

The Half-Saint demon, knowing Li Hao was pressed for time, was in no hurry. It chuckled, "Normally, the trial is to withstand one of my attacks or leave a mark on me, and you can take it. I'm not making it hard for you youngsters. But if you tell me how you absorbed that energy and what you use it for, I'll give it to you directly."

Li Hao raised an eyebrow. This concerned the secrets of the divine race and the path to sainthood through killing. If not for the fact that this Half-Saint was a Buddhist demon, he would have considered silencing it.

"Let's stick to the normal trial," Li Hao said.

The Half-Saint demon's eyes flickered, its voice turning displeased, "I'm giving you a chance. If you agree, a quick divine sense transmission would take less than a breath. Then you can take the spirit pearl and return. With your current result, you might even surpass that Buddha Son. This is a rare opportunity for fame. You should cherish it."

"Let's do it the normal way," Li Hao said, growing impatient. Though he wasn't in a desperate rush—making the top 20 was enough, and based on previous results, anything under ten minutes would safely advance him—he didn't want to waste time here.

"Kid, you're quite confident in yourself!"

Seeing Li Hao's refusal, the Half-Saint demon's eyes glinted with malice.

It had been imprisoned here by that bald Buddhist and had seen the Buddha Honored One's methods. It wanted to probe further. If not for the Buddha Honored One's decree against killing, it would have devoured a few of the earlier talents who had entered.

"If I'm in a good mood, I might go easy on you. If not, your path as a talent ends here!"

The Half-Saint demon clearly understood the trial's rules and remembered the times of the previous talents. By delaying Li Hao past the time limit, it could ensure his defeat.

It wouldn't kill him, but it could still cut short his path as a talent, severing his fortune.

Li Hao fell silent for a moment, then said, "Fine, I'll tell you. It's a special technique that allows me to absorb killing intent and convert it for demonic cultivation."

"Too late now. Do you think I'd believe you? That's the Buddha Honored One's technique. Even that strange Buddha Son ignored it when he entered, unable to perceive it. Yet you can master it? This must be some sage's secret!"

The Half-Saint demon's voice grew fierce, "Even if you had told me earlier, I would have soul-searched you. Humans are deceitful. Even your women say men's words can't be trusted. How could I believe you? Dreamweave!"

It suddenly roared, activating a demonic secret technique.

Li Hao's vision was filled with dazzling colors, the world twisting. The previously gray, foggy world turned into a kaleidoscope of hues, but the distorted colors induced dizziness.

Li Hao looked at the spirit pearl. The Half-Saint demon, noticing his gaze, sneered and shot out a strand of silk, attaching it to the pearl and retracting it into its mouth.

"Life is but a dream. Sleep!"

The Half-Saint demon's voice became ethereal.

Layers of laws, like spiderwebs, began to entangle and envelop Li Hao.

But the next moment, the heavenly veins behind Li Hao suddenly rotated, and a terrifying Eternal Dao Domain manifested.

With the emergence of the Eternal Dao Domain, the laws surrounding Li Hao disintegrated, space twisted, and the kaleidoscope of colors vanished.

(End of Chapter)