Chapter 383: Completion of the Final Meridians, Lord of the Stars (Guaranteed Update)
Li Hao's words were already considered a clear refusal.
But Ying Xiaoxiao was not angry. Li Hao's ability to resist temptation instead gave her a sense of relief. In her eyes, this young man had been extraordinary since his time in the mortal realm. The struggle for fame and fortune seemed unable to move him, and now, he remained consistent.
However, losing Li Hao's assistance, this campaign would inevitably bring some losses to the God race.
She was silent for a moment, then gazed at Li Hao and said, "If it's not to assassinate the Source Ancestor, but to assist my God race in blocking a few Three Calamity Saints, would you be willing?"
"If that's the case, you only need to lure the Three Calamity Saints you want to deal with here. If they still want to cause trouble, I can help you eliminate them."
Li Hao said.
Hearing this, Ying Xiaoxiao already understood Li Hao's thoughts. He was unwilling to get involved in the conflict between the Source Ancestor and the God race. This action was likely out of consideration for their friendship. Thinking of this, she felt warmth in her heart, yet also some shame, and said:
"In this calamity, the Source Ancestor will most likely also come to invite you. Will you agree to him?"
Li Hao slightly shook his head, "This is your affair. I plan to enter secluded cultivation recently and don't want to get involved in these matters."
Ying Xiaoxiao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Regarding this matter, she also hoped Li Hao could stay out of it. After all, too many clansmen had already been sacrificed when the Ancestral God was resurrected.
"I understand. Farewell, take care of yourself."
Ying Xiaoxiao said, she looked deeply at Li Hao, knowing that this farewell, the next time they meet, she didn't know what the scene would be, or perhaps, there would be no chance to meet again.
After all, in this calamity, as the Goddess, she must not abandon the fight. If the Ancestral God is defeated again, she will also perish along with him. But their clan has lived in humiliation for too long, they would rather choose a brilliant demise than to continue hiding everywhere in such obscurity and insignificance.
Ying Xiaoxiao left. Li Hao watched the direction she departed, still able to smell the faint floral fragrance lingering in the air, the scent from her clothes.
He was slightly silent, knowing that this woman carried the mission of her race, but coming to invite him this time, she didn't put him in a difficult position at all.
"Even saints cannot escape the mundane, fame, fortune, hatred, merit... can you sever all of these?"
Li Hao murmured to himself.
The Emperor Sword manifested itself from the void. Hearing Li Hao's words, as if understanding his feelings, it emitted a soft humming response.
Li Hao withdrew his gaze, turned around and returned to the small courtyard, continuing his secluded cultivation.
At the same time, Ying Xiaoxiao also returned to the God race's secret divine hall.
"Where is the Ancestral God?"
Ying Xiaoxiao saw many figures of clan elders in the divine hall, and also her grandmother, but did not see the Ancestral God, and couldn't help but ask.
"The Ancestral God has gone to meet its mount, that Li Fire Candle Dragon wild beast."
Ying Qingshuang said gently, then noticing Ying Xiaoxiao's expression seemed somewhat unusual, she asked, "What's wrong? Did that Heavenly Venerable Hao not agree? Was he dissatisfied with the conditions? Did you tell him about the God Realm? Although his talent is extremely high, if he truly wants to reach the Source Ancestor's level, or be comparable to other Supreme Saints, relying solely on talent in cultivation is far from enough, he also needs foundation!"
"For him, this is a rare opportunity. If the Ancestral God is willing to bestow those Extreme Dao powers, it would be enough to help him step into the God Realm!"
Reaching the God Realm means ascending to heaven in one step, becoming a pivotal figure among the Supreme Saints.
Such temptation cannot be said to be small.
Ying Xiaoxiao naturally knew this as well, but hearing her grandmother's words, she was not in a hurry to explain, but a trace of bitterness appeared in her eyes, and she said in a low voice:
"Grandmother, if he agrees, will the Ancestral God really give him those Extreme Dao powers?"
Hearing these words, Ying Qingshuang was stunned.
Before the Ancestral God's revival, she managed the God race, how could her thoughts be simple? Her expression slightly changed, and she said, "Xiaoxiao, what nonsense are you talking about? No matter how the Ancestral God considers it, there is reason to it. You should not question and overthink!"
Speaking of which, her tone became somewhat stern.
Ying Xiaoxiao looked at the stern side of her grandmother, who was usually extremely tolerant and gentle with her, and felt somewhat uncomfortable in her heart. Her not strongly inviting Li Hao was not only because she didn't want the young man to get involved in such dangerous affairs, but also because she faintly felt that if the other party really agreed, he might very likely become a pawn.
When the Ancestral God made her swear upon her Dao heart, she faintly sensed something was wrong. She was not stupid, on the contrary, she was extremely intelligent and sensitive to certain things, and precisely because of this, she felt she could understand the young man's heart.
Just like, she could vaguely see through the heart of this Ancestral God, it seemed not to be as kind and gentle as she had heard and imagined in her childhood.
Perhaps, after being sealed for many years, hatred has distorted and blinded his original personality.
However, as a descendant, the teachings from childhood and the beliefs in her bones made her unwilling to speculate further.
Ying Xiaoxiao lowered her head, as if accepting her grandmother's reprimand, and after a moment she said, "I told him about the God Realm, and he also knows the difficulty of achieving the God Realm. This is a great opportunity, but he doesn't seem very interested and is unwilling to get involved in this matter."
Ying Qingshuang frowned, gazed at her, and said, "Xiaoxiao, this is a major matter for our race. I hope you don't mix in your personal affections. Don't forget that you are the Goddess of our race, bearing the mission of the clan. The Ancestral God is sincerely inviting him. If he agrees, it will only be beneficial to him. Although there are risks, even if the assassination fails and he loses this path, the Ancestral God will immediately take action and confront the Source Ancestor. At that time, the Source Ancestor will have no time to attend to him, and he will not be in danger."
Hearing this, the bitterness in Ying Xiaoxiao's eyes deepened.
She took a deep breath and shook her head, "Grandmother, he really is unwilling."
"Did you tell him that if he agrees, we will also betroth you to him, to unite with our God race? In this way, in the future he will be considered the God race's son-in-law, and if the God race can rule the heavens, he will definitely benefit greatly." Ying Qingshuang said, staring intently into her eyes.
Ying Xiaoxiao's eyes flickered, she turned her head away and said, "I didn't mention this matter."
"Why didn't you mention it?" Ying Qingshuang's expression slightly changed, with some anger.
"I have only met him a few times. He wouldn't care about such a proposal."
Ying Xiaoxiao said.
"But you bear the burden of the God race. This is a combination of interests, you cannot not know that."
Ying Qingshuang said angrily.
Ying Xiaoxiao slightly bit her lip, it was precisely because it was a combination of interests that she was unwilling, unwilling to use herself as a bargaining chip, and to be rejected as well. She knew the young man's heart, even the Extreme Dao God Realm could not shake him. Adding one more chip might not break that balance.
On the contrary, it would make her seem cheap in the other party's eyes, which is something she is unwilling to do in her heart…
"You are muddleheaded…"
Ying Qingshuang saw her stubborn appearance, both angry and helpless, and sighed, "It's my fault for indulging you too much in the past, for not managing you well. This is a major event planned by our race for countless years, how can you act based on your own preferences? You, how can you let those dead clan elders, let your Uncle Mo, rest in peace?"
Ying Xiaoxiao felt a pain in her heart when she heard her mention Uncle Mo, and lowered her head without saying a word.
At this moment, waves of fluctuations suddenly came from the void of the divine hall.
Immediately following, a majestic figure suddenly stepped out, its entire body seeming to be burning with raging flames, exuding an imposing aura.
At the same time, another eerie aura of destruction emerged, accompanied by a hoarse dragon roar. It could be seen that besides the God King, there was also a huge dragon race creature beside him.
This dragon race creature exuded an ancient and wild aura, its eyes like the core of a divine sun, burning with fierce flames, making the air distort, containing scorching laws. Its scales were dark red, like blood that was intensely concentrated, exuding a bloody and murderous aura.
Ying Xiaoxiao and Ying Qingshuang were no strangers to this dragon beast from the murals. This was the Ancestral God's partner during his past campaigns. They, as descendants, called it the Candle Dragon God.
Legend has it that the Candle Dragon God and the Dragon Saint of the Dragon Ancestor Holy Land were once twin brothers, one fled into the rivers and seas, cultivated into the Dragon Saint, and the other chased after the sun and moon, cultivated into the Dragon God!
The Dragon Saint established the Holy Land, to protect all scaled insect races under heaven, and carved out a place for himself in the Upper Three Realms.
And the Dragon God followed the God King, fought in the heavens, and since the God King's fall, it was also sealed, and disappeared without a trace.
"Ancestral God!"
Ying Qingshuang and Ying Xiaoxiao saw the Ancestral God and the Candle Dragon God, and hurriedly knelt down to pay respects.
Many clan elders in the hall also looked over, and hurriedly respectfully bowed down, their expressions excited.
Not only has the Ancestral God returned, but the disappeared Candle Dragon God has also been brought back, it seems that they are returning to the most prosperous period of the God race again, the mythical era recorded in the clan records is about to arrive!
The God King's eyes fell on Ying Xiaoxiao, and he said, "How is the matter I entrusted to you? Is the other party satisfied with the conditions?"
Ying Xiaoxiao's expression slightly changed, and she lowered her head even further, saying, "The other party did not agree, and said he did not want to get involved in these matters."
"Hmm?"
The God King's eyes slightly changed, becoming somewhat cold and stern, "Did you tell him about the God Realm? Does he know what kind of opportunity this bestowal is, it's equivalent to tens of thousands of years of his own arduous cultivation! This is something that even talent cannot erase, it must rely on the accumulation of time!"
Ying Xiaoxiao lowered her head and said, "I told him, but the other party has no intention of joining the war, and is unwilling to take risks."
"Humph!"
Cold light shot out from the God King's eyes, "I heard that he became a Saint before the age of 30, relying on his heaven-defying talent, he indeed has this arrogant mentality, but I didn't expect him to be just a coward. He doesn't even dare to strive for such an opportunity, laughable!"
Saying this, he said coldly, "He is unwilling to assist, and also refuses to marry into our clan. In that case, after we quell the Source Ancestor, I will personally go and take a look at this talent!"
His eyes contained anger and killing intent. If it weren't for the war, and he didn't want to make another enemy, he would have eliminated this kind of person in advance.
Ying Xiaoxiao heard the killing intent in the Ancestral God's words, her face became somewhat pale, she bit her lip and said:
"Ancestral God, it is my incompetence in handling matters. I didn't mention the marriage to him. He has no malice towards our clan either, he just doesn't want to get involved in right and wrong. I hope you will not blame him."
"Hmm?"
Hearing these words, the cold light in the God King's eyes became even more chilling, "Are you disobeying my arrangement?"
Terrible Extreme Dao power emanated from his body, waves of dark fluctuations emerged, and terrifying pressure enveloped the divine hall. Many clan elders were trembling with fear, but their eyes also secretly contained excitement.
The stronger the Ancestral God, the more excited they became.
And under this pressure, Ying Xiaoxiao felt as if the Extreme Dao power in her body was locked, and her whole body's bloodline had a feeling of trembling. Her face was pale, and she said:
"Ancestral God, I did not intentionally disobey, I just felt that proposing it would be useless, I am willing to accept punishment…"
"Could it be that you think, with the great war imminent, I will not easily punish you severely?"
The God King's gaze was like a sharp sword, falling on her, his eyes containing majesty and coldness.
Ying Xiaoxiao bit her lip, without saying a word, while Ying Qingshuang, kneeling in front of her, quickly said:
"Ancestral God, Xiaoxiao is confused for a moment, please forgive her, she is definitely not intentional. Over the years, Xiaoxiao has traveled around for the God race, rescued many clan elders, and has also made great contributions…"
Ying Xiaoxiao looked at her grandmother, who had just sternly reprimanded her, but now pleaded for her with a tense face, bit her lip even harder, and felt heartache.
"Humph!"
The God King coldly snorted, interrupting Ying Qingshuang's words, but the coldness in his gaze towards Ying Xiaoxiao slightly subsided, and he said indifferently:
"Since this person knows of our God race, he is involved in this affair. Do you know, is his unwillingness to agree to our God race because the Source Ancestor has approached him in advance? Even if not, if war breaks out, what if the Source Ancestor invites him to assist?"
Hearing this, Ying Xiaoxiao quickly said, "He said he is unwilling to get involved, and he will refuse even if the Source Ancestor invites him."
"He said it himself?"
"Yes."
"Laughable!"
The God King's eyes became stern, and he said, "The Source Ancestor hasn't offered any conditions yet, and he will refuse? If the other party promises, giving him even richer conditions, countless incense offerings, will he still refuse?"
Ying Xiaoxiao was slightly stunned, but she quickly shook her head and said, "He will refuse."
The God King saw her resolute appearance, but instead was somewhat amused and laughed in anger, "You are not him, how do you know he will refuse? His refusal to you, perhaps it's not that the demands we proposed were not tempting enough, but that he thinks our God race is weak. After all, among the Saints of the heavens, the Source Ancestor is the leader, and his faction is powerful. His unwillingness to assist our God race does not mean he is unwilling to assist the Source Ancestor!"
Ying Xiaoxiao was silent. The young man's face appeared in her mind again, as well as their conversation, and the several encounters in the mortal realm, and the laughter and chat in front of the bonfire in the fence courtyard.
Her eyes became firm again, and she said, "He won't."
"I never expected that a madman would actually be born from my bloodline."
Sarcasm was revealed in the God King's eyes, obviously finding Ying Xiaoxiao's conviction laughable. How can the human heart remain unchanged forever?
Back then, he and the Source Ancestor had even drunk at the same table, addressing each other as brothers. Later, when they said they would break up, they broke up, and when they said they would fight to the death, they fought to the death. The sincerity revealed between exchanging cups, instead turned into a sharp sword that pierced through his chest later!
The human heart… he had already seen through it, and long ago stopped believing in it!
Rather than believing in so-called emotions, he believes more in the real power grasped in his hands.
Only deterrence, only power, makes it easier to make people submit.
Heartfelt tenderness and benevolence, in the end, how many people can they get to help?
That battle was earth-shattering, not only was his divine body shattered, but his divine heart was also broken.
Those Saints who used to call him brother, just indifferently watched him fall. From those people's eyes, he saw fear, and also saw indifference, but could not see the past friendship.
The Saints… those hypocritical faces, he must tear them apart!
This is the reason why he wants to return at all costs, to seek revenge!
"Since you believe in him, even more than you believe in me, then I will wait. I will wait until the great war begins, to see if he will stand by the Source Ancestor's side, and if he will, draw his sword and point it at you!"
The God King sneered, a hint of sarcasm revealed in his eyes, looking at the kneeling woman, in his eyes, besides sarcasm, he also seemed to see his former self, also so naive and foolish.
Is this his own bloodline? It seems it is indeed his own bloodline, but, he is no longer the person he once was!
Seeing that the Ancestral God did not punish her, Ying Qingshuang's tense expression obviously relaxed, but in her heart she let out a long sigh.
"Old Ying, I'm hungry. Being trapped and sealed there these years, my divine blood has run dry, I need to replenish it…"
At this time, the Li Fire Candle Dragon beside him spoke, its voice low and hoarse, but carrying a hint of hunger. Its eyes also fell on Ying Xiaoxiao and others below, and a light seemed to flicker in its eyes.
Hearing this, the God King immediately understood its meaning, and also knew that this old partner had indeed suffered.
He was slightly silent, then said to Ying Qingshuang, "Prepare a live sacrifice, select a batch of Half-Saints, to help Candle Fire restore its strength."
Hearing his words, Ying Xiaoxiao was stunned, her face unsightly, and she couldn't help but look up at that Candle Dragon God.
However, that majestic Dragon God heard about in murals since childhood, protecting the clan, and being a being who fought fiercely against the Saints, was now staring straight at her.
From the flames leaping in those eyes, she saw greed and hunger.
Ying Qingshuang hesitated slightly, then nodded in agreement.
She knew that their God race's bodies contained divine blood and divine power. Both the Ancestral God and the Candle Dragon God had cultivated to the final realm of power, and they needed the power of their same origin to recover.
If they could sacrifice themselves for this great war, presumably many clansmen would be willing.
...
Minor Thousand Realm, Heaven Stealing Holy Land.
After Ying Xiaoxiao left, Li Hao returned to the small courtyard again, continuing his daily cultivation.
In addition to condensing meridians, he occasionally played chess with Hongyue, cooked some gourmet food himself, and studied the Dao of Cooking.
The experience of the Dao of Cooking had long been accumulated. If he could comprehend the Saint Dao of Cooking, his Sword Dao could also break through to the tenth stage. At that time, his own swordsmanship could also improve further. At the same time, the Immortal Guides the Way swordsmanship could also be cultivated to the second level, the Extreme Realm.
Among the three levels of immortal-grade swordsmanship, being able to cultivate to the Extreme Realm is already a peerless evildoer among billions, meaning that swordsmanship truly reaches the ultimate sword level rumored in the world!
Now, he has only touched the 'Intent', which is the shadow of this ultimate sword.
Even so, in the eyes of sword saints who have never seen a truly ultimate sword, and in the eyes of Bian Ruxue and the others, the Immortal Guides the Way he displayed was already the pinnacle of swordsmanship.
Now, Li Hao is also interested in seeing the real pinnacle.
As for the 'Source' of the third level, it's even more terrifying.
As time passed, the number of meridians Li Hao condensed became more and more, and the accumulated power within his body became heavier and heavier. Between his gestures, he was subtly mobilizing the power of the stars in the heavens.
Even without using the Heavenly Stars Meridian, Li Hao could condense vast power within his body at any time, enough to suppress a Three Calamity Saint with one strike.
In the blink of an eye, half a year passed.
The number of meridians in Li Hao's body climbed to 1464.
As the meridians condensed, he faintly felt that these many meridians seemed to surround each other, corresponding to all directions of the heavens, forming some kind of formation!
"It seems… almost at the limit."
The more meridians condensed, the clearer this feeling became for Li Hao. Now, he felt as if he was only one step away.
This made him feel regret in his heart. He originally thought he could correspond to countless stars in the heavens, but he didn't expect there to still be a limit.
Li Hao chose to press on and cultivate this final limit to completion.
He wanted to see what kind of changes the true final realm would bring.
Although he had previously touched upon the Heavenly Stars Meridian, it was only on the way to cultivating the final realm, not yet reached. But now, he was only one step away from reaching it.
Soon, as Li Hao's primordial spirit comprehended, a meridian slowly condensed.
As this meridian condensed, the Heavenly Stars Meridian seemed to be completely activated, like invisible spider silk shrouding him from all directions, countless threads, corresponding to many directions, completely surrounding his body.
And this newly condensed meridian, seemed to transform into a formation eye, activating the entire star formation.
1465 meridians underwent transformation and change. The stars of the heavens, seemed to be connected to Li Hao's body at this moment.
Li Hao clearly felt that the power of the stars was circulating, and waves of primordial star power, originating from the stars, poured into his body.
Among them, some meridians underwent changes.
Among them, seven meridians, seemed to transform into seven dragon bones, extending into his body, supporting his body!
Under the support of these seven "dragon bone meridians," although he was clearly sitting in the courtyard, he seemed to be faintly sitting between heaven and earth, his body like lifting up the entire stars of the heavens, and those seven dragon bone meridians, were his core spine!
In addition to these seven dragon bone meridians, some other meridians also changed, like turning into thick veins, flesh and blood, continuously transporting primordial star power, containing terrifying power, and also a trace of stellar will!
This will, is like a tiny Heavenly Dao power.
Li Hao's heart trembled. According to his understanding from his previous life, the world he lived in should also be a huge star.
But here, this star has Heavenly Dao will, while those stars in the sky, are dead and silent. At this moment, even from those dead and silent stars, a faint will was transmitted over.
Those wills, entrusted the primordial power of the stars to Li Hao's body, transmitting it to him.
At this moment, Li Hao felt as if he had transformed into the Lord of the Stars.
These meridians that delivered star primordial power, became star meridians, totaling 28!
Li Hao thought of the astrology of the Directorate of Astronomy in the Divine Dynasty, the Three Enclosures, Four Symbols, and Twenty-Eight Mansions.
Now, it seems to correspond exactly to the number of meridians in his body.
"These 28 star meridians, correspond to the power of the 28 Mansions. This power is enough to rival a Supreme Saint!"
"And those seven dragon bone meridians, can resonate with the stars in the sky at any time…"
Li Hao felt that if this second final realm was fully activated, the special state he entered would be extremely terrifying.
At that time, he could transform into a Star Lord, mobilizing the power of the stars in the heavens. If a Supreme Saint did not use a Dao Calamity Emperor Weapon, Li Hao felt he could fight them, and even not be defeated!
Although he is only a new Saint who just passed the Human Tribulation, he already has the capital to fight against a Supreme Saint.
However, Supreme Saints, besides cultivation, also have terrifying foundations. The power of the Six Tribulation Emperor Weapons, Li Hao has not encountered, and does not have much confidence in his heart.
He still needs to become stronger, to truly make up for the foundation accumulated over these long years.
Li Hao carefully sensed the power within his body, and that vast stellar power. This power, even the Saints have not been able to touch. The changes brought about by the second final realm, in addition to the vast and endless power, also include a powerful increase in strength.
But this also means that Li Hao's Zhou Tian realm, has reached its ultimate limit.
If only having Zhou Tian realm cultivation, it is difficult to imagine how one could reach this final realm. One can only cultivate other realms to completion, and then return to refine this one.
(End of this chapter)