Chapter 345: Haotian, We Meet Again!
"My spear path…"
Crimson Light stared in disbelief at the youth before him, his face full of horror. His spear path, capable of incinerating everything, had been severed by a single sword strike from this opponent?!
What kind of sword path was that?
He felt a terrifying tremor—the slicing sensation of that sword intent was overwhelming, as if nothing could stand in its way.
In the Buddhist hall above, the Sword Saint's usually indifferent eyes suddenly narrowed. A glint of light flickered within them, revealing a trace of astonishment.
As the supreme master of the sword path, he saw more clearly than anyone else. That single strike contained countless sword intents—hundreds, even thousands!
Such an extreme concentration of sword intent, integrated into one's own sword path, made it indestructible and utterly terrifying!
The Sword Saint cultivated the Sword Path of All Beings—first observing all beings, then refining his sword path. It shared a similar yet distinct trajectory with his opponent's approach. And now, the level of swordsmanship Li Hao displayed was not inferior to his own.
If they fought at the same realm, purely comparing sword techniques, it was uncertain who would come out on top!
The Literary Saint's eyes shimmered with a scholarly glow, as if wondrous laws were condensing within them. He squinted and said, "What a formidable young talent. In less than a century, he's honed his skills to this degree. Given a few more centuries, he might even have a chance to offer himself to the Dao and become a saint!"
Achieving sainthood within a millennium was already extraordinarily rare, let alone offering oneself to the Dao in just a few centuries. His words were the highest praise for Li Hao.
Below the platform, Zhantan sat with several half-saint figures—Night Ancestor, Azure Ancestor, and others who had come to cheer for Li Hao. Seeing this sword strike that shattered the formation, they exchanged stunned glances.
"Qingfeng's sword…"
"His sword path is this terrifying?!"
As half-saints, their techniques had also reached the level of entering the Dao. But even among those who had entered the Dao, there were differences in quality. For instance, the Sword Saint's Path of All Beings was far more complex and fearsome than other sword paths.
Zhantan was momentarily dazed. During this time, Li Hao had been discussing the art of painting with her and had never once picked up a sword. She hadn't expected that when he finally drew his blade, it would be this horrifying.
"With strength like this, he's no less than Qingjiu," Zhantan murmured to herself, her shock giving way to delight.
On the battle platform, Li Hao sheathed his sword, no longer looking at Crimson Light. That single strike was enough to make the other realize the gap between them.
His gaze fell on the three Buddhist holy sons, his eyes carrying a cold edge. "Since you call me a demon, here's your chance to subdue one. Don't disappoint me!"
His words broke the prior silence, sending shockwaves through the crowd.
To say such a thing in the supreme holy land of the Buddhist sect was arrogance beyond measure!
Crimson Light snapped out of his daze, his eyes wavering, still reeling.
Only now did it fully dawn on him—he had truly lost.
As Li Hao had said, he'd been defeated with a single sword!
One sword was all it took!
He had concealed his spear path, but his opponent had hidden an even greater sword path. This was Li Hao's true sword!
While Crimson Light was lost in thought, the three Buddhist holy sons regained their composure, staring at Li Hao with fear and trepidation.
Even just standing near the platform, they had felt the terror of that sword strike. If Li Hao unleashed another, the three of them combined might not withstand it.
"Benefactor, you're far too arrogant!"
"If not for our Buddhist precepts, we'd have subdued you long ago!"
The three holy sons spat out their words, their faces grim.
"As Buddhist holy sons, with a demon standing before you, you lack the courage to face it head-on?!" Li Hao's eyes snapped open, radiating a chilling sword-like glare. "Since you see demon-slaying as your duty, now's the time to test your cultivation!"
The three holy sons were so infuriated they nearly spat blood. Test their cultivation? Who was he to say that—he wasn't their elder!
But seeing the cold glint in Li Hao's eyes, they knew that even if they acted, it would only bring humiliation upon themselves.
"Benefactor Qingfeng, don't push too far!" a half-saint Buddha riding a green lion chanted a Buddhist mantra, frowning as he spoke.
Li Hao wanted to laugh. Who was pushing whom? They'd splashed dirty water on him, and now they blamed him for striking back too hard?
"The Prodigy War has its rules—age and realm, all on the same starting line. Since you call me a demon, I'll allow all three of you to face me together. Are the grand holy sons of the Buddhist sect too afraid to subdue a demon?!" Li Hao's gaze was sharp and piercing.
At his words, the three holy sons' faces turned purple with rage, their hearts seething with hatred for Holy Son Puhua. He'd stirred up trouble and left them to bear the consequences. Why provoke this monster for no reason?!
The crowd below exchanged looks. Indeed, the Prodigy War's rules pitted peers against each other. Li Hao was challenging three at once, yet the Buddhist holy sons didn't dare act.
In that moment, many felt disappointed in them.
You're supposed to be future Buddhas!
To retreat under demonic might—how could you protect the masses in the future?
In an instant, the incense gathered around the three holy sons noticeably waned.
Sensing this, their expressions shifted, a mix of shock and fury rising within them.
Humiliation was one thing, but tampering with their incense was like cutting at their lifeline!
The foundation of their path to sainthood was being shaken—akin to killing their parents. Unforgivable!
"You're too arrogant! Even if I can't match you, I'll extinguish your demonic flames!" one of the holy sons bellowed, his heart burning with anger. Yet his face remained solemn and dignified as he chanted a Buddhist mantra, his body erupting in brilliant golden light.
A grand heaven-and-earth Dharma image emerged behind him. Having fused his soul with heaven and earth, aspiring to sainthood, he'd been a genius in his youth, famed far and wide. Later, favored by the Buddha Lord and taken as a disciple, he stood out even among the countless prodigies of this holy land—one of the top few.
The other two holy sons didn't hold back either, acting in unison. Chanting scriptures, a Sanskrit-like resonance filled the air, golden Buddhist light illuminating the heavens like a sunset glow.
Such a majestic scene left the people of Canglan Realm awestruck.
The incense waning from the three holy sons stabilized. With solemn expressions, they merged with their Dharma images as if facing death itself, transforming into three towering Buddhas on the platform. In unspoken coordination, they struck together.
In an instant, three Buddhist palms descended, linked as one, their momentum forming a chain. The three palms morphed into three mountains, merging into a Buddhist light mountain range, aiming to suppress Li Hao.
"It's the World-Honored Buddha Palm!"
"Encompassing past, present, and future—this is one of the ultimate techniques created by the Buddha Lord!"
"One palm can suppress heaven and earth, freezing time and space. Qingfeng's finished!"
"Challenging three at once—he's too arrogant! Our Buddhist holy sons aren't pushovers for him to underestimate!"
Below, many Buddhist disciples cried out, their eyes gleaming with excitement.
Lin Shuhai watched the Buddhist light palms forming a mountain range, his expression turning grave. He could tell the three holy sons were perfectly coordinated. Individually, this palm technique could only unleash a fraction of its power, but together, they executed it in full!
It was equivalent to a strike from the Buddha Lord in the Dao Law Realm!
Though it lacked the power of the saintly path, it was still a world-shaking feat.
On the platform, Crimson Light regained his senses. Seeing the Buddhist light pressing toward Li Hao, his expression shifted. He hadn't expected these underestimated Buddhist holy sons to possess such a technique.
Though it was a combined effort, its threat to him was undeniable—terrifyingly so.
They say there's always a greater sky beyond. Crimson Light now witnessed the might of other prodigies anew.
Li Hao looked up, his vision filled with golden light. Beyond it were the forms of three Dharma Buddhas, united in their suppression.
He twirled a sword flourish in his hand, his expression unchanged from before. Raising his hand, he swung his sword!
The jet-black Merit Slash carved a dark streak through the void, cracking it open. The golden light split, as if invaded by something dreadful, its Buddhist radiance extinguished!
The combined palm strike was severed by a single sword. The sword energy soared skyward, slashing horizontally, shattering the pervasive Buddhist light and striking one of the holy sons' Dharma images.
That Buddha's face showed shock. Only in direct contact did he feel the terror of Li Hao's sword path—the sheer ferocity and extremity of its intent to cut through all!
Boom!
The Buddha's golden light faded, the sword cleaving through the holy son's shoulder, severing an arm.
Li Hao swung again, sweeping horizontally.
The dark sword light flashed via Void Return, instantaneous. The other two holy sons tried to dodge, but the sword energy was too fast. The Buddhist astral energy on their Dharma images barely formed before being sliced apart, their images shattered, and their physical bodies forced out.
The sword energy didn't take their lives; it was more like a whip, lashing them out of their Dharma images and slamming them into the newly reformed formation barrier.
With three resounding crashes, the holy sons were flung against the barrier. The Buddhist light on their robes flickered and dimmed, their bodies trembling as they spat blood.
Li Hao didn't pursue, retracting his sword and gazing at them coldly.
One sword broke their ultimate technique; one sword defeated three sons!
As the three fell from the barrier, the excitement on the Buddhist disciples' faces froze, as if their throats were gripped and slapped hard. Their eyes brimmed with disbelief.
The World-Honored Buddha Palm had lost?
Three holy sons couldn't withstand a single strike from Li Hao!
Reflected through the boundary stone, the people of Canglan Realm gasped in shock.
The youth stood tall on the platform, wielding a three-foot dark sword, like a young sword god vanquishing all prodigies!
"This is his true sword path…" Holy Son Haoyue stared at Li Hao's figure, dazed. As a swordsman, he understood Li Hao's sword better than most. This sword path was terrifying, imbued with an ultimate intent—invincible!
As a sword, it embodied sharpness to the extreme.
It could cut through flames, Buddhist light—seemingly everything!
He'd once thought to challenge Li Hao again after improving in seclusion, to reclaim his honor. But now, he saw the vast chasm between them.
Li Hao was like his master—aside from not being a saint, his sword path's terror was no less!
On the platform, Li Hao defeated the three holy sons but didn't strike fatally. A severed arm could regrow. This was, after all, a Buddhist holy land, so he showed restraint.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Li Hao noticed an increase in the incense gathering around him.
He paused, feeling a mix of surprise and irony.
Even in Canglan Realm, deeply influenced by the Buddhist sect, the root of human nature remained reverence for the strong—an instinct.
The law of the jungle applied across the heavens. Though branded demonic, his display of overwhelming power still earned him vast incense.
Behind him, Lin Qingying was momentarily lost. She'd seen Li Hao's sword outshine the entire Sword Ancestor Sanctuary before. Was this now his true sword path?
She never imagined the scarred少年she'd rescued held such fearsome power.
Was this the caliber of a disciple under a supreme saint?
She gazed deeply at Li Hao's back, reining in her thoughts, clutching her sword tightly, and standing silently in his shadow.
On the platform, silence fell as the three holy sons were defeated.
The platform quieted.
Crimson Light gave Li Hao a deep look. Though his heart ached, he had to admit Li Hao was strong—beyond his current ability to match.
Others who'd been eager to vie for first fell silent. To claim first, they'd need to defeat Li Hao; beating anyone else was meaningless.
This towering peak stood before them, evoking a sense of unreachable heights.
Lin Shuhai sighed softly, shaking his head, letting go of a faint hope.
"It seems this hundred cities' worth of incense will go to this young man. I wonder which sect he hails from," the Literary Saint said with a gentle smile.
His latter remark was casual, but he glanced at the Buddha Lord—a subtle jab.
The Buddha Lord caught the implication. The words seemed offhand, but he knew the Literary Saint feared he might act against the youth. This was a warning.
A youth with such prowess, if merely from a top divine dynasty faction, would be implausible.
Unless he was a reincarnated saint relying on past-life memories, he must have a saint—or even a supreme saint—guiding him.
"Such a sword path, yet not under the Sword Saint's tutelage—what a pity," the Buddha Lord said to the Sword Saint beside him.
The Sword Saint narrowed his eyes, sensing the probe—whether they had any connection. Though he disliked Li Hao for defeating Holy Son Haoyue and shaming his disciple, with Qingfeng now opposing the Buddhist sect, he wouldn't trouble him.
"The heavens hold countless swordsmen. My Sword Ancestor Sanctuary may be a holy land for swordsmanship, attracting prodigies from all realms, but some swordsmen forge their own paths. It's not a pity," the Sword Saint replied. "Witnessing such a stunning sword path is, for me, a fortunate event."
The Buddha Lord smiled, knowing the Sword Saint wouldn't reveal more. He said softly, "All things have cause and effect. Let me divine this youth's origins to clarify his roots for everyone."
*You're the one who wants to know…* The Sword Saint chuckled inwardly, sensing the Buddha Lord's concern.
He'd long heard of the Buddha Lord's Path of Cause and Effect—terrifying, even surpassing his own Sword Path of All Beings.
After all, beings sank within cause and effect. Among saintly paths, the Buddha Lord's was top-tier, one of the few pinnacle saints below the supreme level.
The Literary Saint's eyes flickered, curious about Li Hao's origins.
As the Buddha Lord activated his Path of Cause and Effect, a radiant wheel of merit glowed behind him. His fingers moved, causality flowing at his fingertips. Every effect had a cause, traceable to its source.
Yet, as the saintly path condensed and sought the origin, something seemed to block it.
"Hm?" A faint, nearly imperceptible shock flashed in the Buddha Lord's eyes.
Something obstructing his causal probe?
Such a feat could only be achieved by a supreme saint—and only if they intervened personally!
Did a supreme saint stand behind this youth, shielding him all along?
The Buddha Lord's gaze flickered with contemplation as he looked at the youth on the platform.
"Buddha Lord, have you divined it?" the Literary Saint asked after a pause, surprised by the silence.
The Buddha Lord's expression remained calm. "Cause and effect are ever-changing. With such talent, he must come from a renowned lineage."
"Under which saint?" the Sword Saint inquired.
The Buddha Lord smiled enigmatically, offering no answer.
Seeing his inscrutable demeanor, the Literary Saint and Sword Saint exchanged a deep look but pressed no further.
On the platform, Li Hao's gaze swept over the other ten contenders.
Holy Son Haoyue met Li Hao's eyes, his expression shifting slightly. He lowered his head silently, said nothing, then turned and leapt off the platform, abandoning the fight for first.
Others, meeting Li Hao's gaze, remained unresponsive.
Lin Shuhai gave Li Hao a smile—wordless, yet his expression seemed to say, "Congratulations, brother."
Li Hao nodded slightly in return, his gaze settling on the last figure—the Twin Buddha Sons.
They stood on the platform, unmoving from the start.
Now, meeting Li Hao's eyes, a smile spread across their face as they said softly, "This sword path is truly impressive."
Their words stirred the crowd below. Even the Twin Buddha Sons acknowledged Li Hao's sword path!
But with those few strikes, even low-realm martial artists could feel the terror—vision splitting, a stinging pain like needles. Merely looking could wound.
"Want to fight for first?" Li Hao asked, his tone neutral.
The Twin Buddha Sons chuckled softly. "First place won't be yours. Speaking of which, it seems we're fated…"
"Hm?" Li Hao's eyes narrowed, locking onto them.
"Haotian, we meet again. It seems you haven't recognized me," the Twin Buddha Sons said gently.
At those words, Li Hao froze, his expression shifting dramatically.
A chill suddenly coursed through him. He stared at them and said, "You are…?"
"My incarnation in the mortal world was slain by you, disrupting my great path. And now, here you are, vying for incense against my true self. Have you truly forgotten me?" the Twin Buddha Sons said with a smile.
Li Hao's pupils contracted. "You're the Buddha Master?!"
He was stunned. The Twin Buddha Sons before him were the Buddha Master?!
Though their aura of both Buddha and demon was similar—the Buddha Master used an incarnation to cultivate the demonic path while his true self pursued the Buddhist path, aiming to unite them and transcend the Insight Realm to sainthood—the Buddha Master had cultivated for over two thousand years. How long had the Twin Buddha Sons existed?
If this was reincarnation, the timeline didn't match.
The Twin Buddha Sons appeared sixteen or seventeen. Given the time conversion between the mortal world and the holy lands, even if the Buddha Master reincarnated immediately after Li Hao slew him, he'd be around ten now.
Seeing Li Hao's shock, the Twin Buddha Sons smiled. "If my reincarnated body hadn't been too frail ten years ago, I'd have descended to the mortal world and killed you long ago."
Their words spoke of killing, yet their expression remained compassionate and serene.
Li Hao suddenly understood.
Though they didn't elaborate, it clicked.
The Twin Buddha Sons were a reincarnated saint—a reincarnated body. This had been speculated before and was now confirmed.
The Buddha Master's incarnation wasn't cultivated by the Twin Buddha Sons but by their past life, sent to the mortal world.
Their true self had reincarnated recently, becoming the Twin Buddha Sons.
"Your true self reincarnated, cultivating both Buddha and demon. Your incarnation descended to the mortal world to pursue the dual path. You planned to unite your reincarnated self with your past incarnation at their peak, reaching the ultimate realm?" Li Hao narrowed his eyes, piecing together their scheme.
The Buddha Master's ambition was vast, aiming to bypass the Insight Realm and ascend directly to the Saintly Path.
Even without the incarnation, the Twin Buddha Sons' original plan was formidable—likely aiming to claim supremacy among supreme saints!
"Correct. If I succeed, I'll perceive past and present, discern yin and yang, comprehend heaven and earth, master all Buddhist laws and profound truths, and become a Supreme Saintly Buddha!" the Twin Buddha Sons said calmly, unsurprised that Li Hao deduced their plan.
The crowd below was stunned by their exchange. The Twin Buddha Sons were indeed a reincarnated saint, with ambitions to become a supreme saint!
"What a grand vision."
"Is this the Twin Buddha Sons' great vow? Worthy of a reincarnated saint."
"So Qingfeng and the Twin Buddha Sons knew each other long ago? Wait, no—Qingfeng's a pseudonym. What did the Twin Buddha Sons call him?"
"Haotian—it's Haotian!"
The crowd buzzed with discussion.
Outside, Zhantan and Night Ancestor and the others felt their hearts quake.
Haotian?!
They'd recently spoken of that Haotian. Was it the same person?
Before, even if Li Hao's real name had been revealed, they might not have connected the dots—across the heavens, with countless beings, there were surely hundreds of thousands with the same name. But with Li Hao's monstrous talent and the same name, it was hard to call it coincidence.
Recalling Haotian's legend, Zhantan and the others were shocked. But then they realized—now that Li Hao's identity was exposed, if the saint from the Void Sanctuary learned of this, they'd surely come to hunt him down.
Their thoughts grew chaotic, their faces filled with worry.
Li Hao glanced at the Buddha Lord and said to the Twin Buddha Sons, "With such a grand vow to lead the Buddhist sect, I wonder if the Buddha Lord agrees."
"That's between me and the Buddha Lord. What you should worry about is whether you'll survive my hands today," the Twin Buddha Sons replied with a faint smile.
Li Hao now understood why they'd occasionally smiled at him earlier, with that eerie intent. They'd recognized him from the start.
With his identity exposed, this place was no longer safe. He needed to leave quickly.
If he turned and fled now, they might not let him go. He'd have to deal with them first, then find a safe haven.
His mind raced as his gaze shifted. His hand brushed his sword's edge naturally, quietly slicing out a drop of golden divine blood. He then retrieved a pill from the spatial rift, letting the blood seep into it as he gripped it.
He handed the pill to Lin Qingying, saying, "Head down first."
Simultaneously, he transmitted, "Find a place to discard this pill. Don't keep it on you."
He could regenerate from a drop of blood. If the Void Saint arrived unexpectedly and killed him here, he could revive through that divine blood.
Under the watch of three saints, Li Hao could only use Jiang Xuetu's concealment trait to hide the blood in the pill. Whether it would be detected, he wasn't sure.
(Chapter End)