Chapter 415: Haotian Battles a True Immortal
"Haotian Honored One, we will cooperate with you wholeheartedly to eliminate this ancient demon. We will follow your arrangements, and we hope you can set aside past grievances!"
The Logician Sage hurriedly said to Li Hao, his expression sincere.
"Indeed, All Heavens are on the verge of destruction. We were wrong before, and we hope the Haotian Honored One will give us a chance to make amends."
The other Sages also spoke up one after another.
"This is a True Immortal-level ancient demon, a true deity. I am but a One Calamity Sage. Why do you all think I have a solution?"
Li Hao looked around at the Sages, and after a moment of silence, he spoke.
The Sages were all stunned, their expressions instantly becoming complicated. The Mohist Sage said bitterly:
"Haotian Honored One, you are currently the only one in All Heavens who holds the greatest hope. If you are unwilling to take the risk, we will respect your wishes. You are right, this is a True Immortal-level ancient demon, the difference is too vast. Even if we all fight desperately, we may not be able to shake it even slightly. If you are not confident, you can also leave to seek refuge and preserve a spark of hope."
Hearing his words, several Sages wanted to speak but ultimately held back, remaining silent.
Li Hao sighed inwardly. He was not in the mood to blame them for breaking the seal earlier. The matter had passed, and repeatedly mentioning it was pointless. This True Immortal-level ancient demon's arrival meant that no one in All Heavens could stop it.
"I can only try my best," Li Hao said.
If it were an ancient demon commander, he would turn around and leave without hesitation. But it was a True Immortal ancient demon. He had cooked one before and analyzed its body. If he could seize an opportunity, he might not be without a sliver of a chance to kill it.
Although the hope was slim, retreating now meant that the All Heavens and the mortal realm behind him would be reduced to purgatory.
Moreover, the Source Ancestor and the God King wouldn't last much longer. If this True Immortal chased after him, his Yuan Shen power might not be able to completely hide the Holy Land. He could only buy time for the Holy Land to seek refuge and hide on the Sun God.
Hearing Li Hao's words, the Sages couldn't help but show joy. The Law Sage stared at Li Hao and asked, "Haotian Honored One, what is your chance of success?"
"One percent!" Li Hao said truthfully.
Upon hearing this, the Sages' expressions changed slightly, their eyes filled with sorrow. But they also knew that it was a True Immortal-level ancient demon after all. Even a one percent chance was incredibly precious.
"The Haotian Honored One is willing to risk his life, we are truly ashamed of ourselves."
One Sage was filled with remorse. Li Hao's magnanimity made him feel even more ashamed and regretful for what they had done earlier.
The other Sages also wore bitter expressions, completely admiring Li Hao.
If it were them, they probably wouldn't have such courage, nor would they necessarily forgive so easily.
"Adversity reveals heroes, Haotian Honored One! Just tell us how you want us to cooperate. Even if it means we rush to our deaths to cover you, we will not hesitate!" The Logician Sage said earnestly to Li Hao.
Li Hao nodded, then his expression suddenly changed slightly as he looked towards the ancient palace.
He faintly sensed an aura there, already locking onto their space.
That True Immortal-level ancient demon should have already dealt with the Source Ancestor and the God King. Although they had cultivated to the God Realm, in front of a True Immortal, they were no different from newborn infants.
Li Hao took a deep breath and immediately projected an avatar, rushing towards the Holy Land.
At the same time, he looked at the Sages. With their cooperation, this battle could be considered the strongest lineup All Heavens could muster.
If they still couldn't contend, All Heavens would descend into darkness, leaving only a desperate escape.
"That ancient demon has noticed us. Prepare to fight," Li Hao said in a deep voice, "I will take the main attack, you all can operate freely from the side and cooperate with me."
"It's chasing after us?"
Hearing Li Hao's words, the Sages' expressions changed drastically, and they couldn't help but look at the ancient palace with apprehension.
"Let's leave the tactical arrangements to the Strategist Sage. Tell us what we need to do?" The Mohist Supreme Sage looked at the Strategist Sage.
Beside the Strategist Sage was the Primal Sage. They both came from the Cloud Xia World. After Li Hao destroyed the Void Holy Land, only the Primal Holy Land and the Strategist Holy Land remained in the Cloud Xia World.
The Strategist Sage was a small old man with a yellowish-brown jacket. His expression was extremely calm, knowing that time was critical, he quickly said: "Everyone, the ancient demon's black mist has an extremely wide range and can corrode Yuan Shen. This ability of a True Immortal-level ancient demon will only be stronger! Even if we all attack together, we will only be quickly obliterated, meaningless. We can only entrust our power to the Haotian Honored One. There isn't enough time to prepare a comprehensive grand formation, but I have a Sage formation that I have been working on for many years, it just depends on whether you are willing to cooperate."
"Just tell us!" The Logician Sage urged anxiously.
"It is the Sages' Celestial Array, requiring 108 Sages to cooperate. This array can superimpose thirty percent of each Sage's power, pouring it into one person!" The Strategist Sage said something astonishing.
Hearing his words, the Sages were all shocked and stared at him in astonishment.
Such a military formation existed?!
Although the Strategist Sage said it was a thirty percent power superposition, the superimposed power of over a hundred Sages would be incredibly terrifying. Even if it was just a hundred One Calamity Sages forming the array, they could probably contend with, or even suppress and defeat, the Source Ancestor and God King!
They had never heard of such a military formation.
"Are you confident? Why have I never heard you mention such a military formation before?" A Sage couldn't help but ask.
"I have deduced it myself over a thousand times, and failed only twice!" The Strategist Sage said in a low voice, "This military formation is not tolerated in All Heavens, you naturally haven't heard of it. Otherwise, it would be a forbidden technique. I don't want to end up like the God King."
Hearing his words, the Sages' expressions changed slightly. Indeed, such a terrifying military formation, whoever mastered it would rule All Heavens. If this military formation were exposed, not to mention the difficulty of gathering a hundred Sages, once the news leaked during the process, it would definitely be suppressed by the Supreme Sages.
"Quickly set up the array then!" The Yin-Yang Master Supreme Sage hastily urged.
The Strategist Sage nodded and immediately began to set up the array.
Li Hao hadn't expected that the other party had such a thing. Sure enough, the Sages of All Heavens all had their hidden trump cards.
The Sages moved extremely quickly. As the Strategist Sage set up the array, the Mohist Supreme Sage selected 108 Sages, arranged by cultivation level from high to low.
As the Sages entered their positions in the military formation, a golden light array rose in the void, and the core of the array locked onto Li Hao. The power of 108 Sages, like golden divine rainbows, converged towards Li Hao's body.
Li Hao immediately felt streams of Sage Dao power pouring into his Sage Dao. In his consciousness, projections of the Sages seemed to appear, also standing in the positions of the military formation, transmitting their power like long rainbows.
What this military formation was channeling was not only the Sages' power, but also their Sage Dao. It seemed to be reflected and transferred over as well.
Li Hao immediately felt his Soul Succession power rapidly rising.
He used Heaven and Earth Soul Succession, capable of Soul Solidification 360 times. He had broken through this limit before, surpassing the extreme boundary, but now, he was surging faster towards the direction beyond the extreme boundary.
Li Hao thought of the Li family's Soul Breaking Art, inheriting the True Dragon, with the spirits of numerous ancestors solidifying the soul for him, which could break the original limit again.
However, their Soul Succession was in the Four Establishments Realm. Succeeding ancestors could only solidify the soul 80 times. Even if they broke through the 80 times limit and reached the Soul Succession level of the Hearing Dao Realm, it would only be a hundred times or so.
Now, this Strategist Sage's military formation actually had the effect of this technique, but the difference was that this was the Sages breaking the limit for Li Hao, with Sage Dao Soul Solidification.
As the military formation operated, Li Hao's aura became stronger and stronger.
At the same time, Li Hao felt the aura at the ancient palace becoming clearer, rapidly approaching them at an alarming speed.
"Be careful, it's coming!" Li Hao reminded. His expression was solemn and he was on full alert.
Hearing Li Hao's words, the Sages' hearts tightened, and they all looked towards the ancient palace direction.
…
At the same time, Li Hao's avatar had arrived back in the Holy Land.
"Haotian, is that your avatar?" As soon as Li Hao's avatar returned, the anxiously waiting Medicine Sage and Sword Master quickly greeted him outside the Holy Land.
"Yes, the situation is very bad. A True Immortal-level ancient demon infiltrated using a special method, exceeding my expectations. We must evacuate immediately," Li Hao's avatar said quickly, "Immediately notify Nine Provinces Immortal Island, explain the situation to them clearly. We must evacuate and seek refuge immediately. Also, whoever is free, go to the mortal realm and bring the people of the Great Yu Nineteen Provinces here. The Holy Land may not be able to accommodate them all, see if Nine Provinces Immortal Island has any space."
He spoke quickly, informing them of the situation.
Hearing Li Hao's avatar's words, the Medicine Sage and Sword Master were shocked. A True Immortal-level ancient demon descended?
This realm had no Immortals, yet now, a True Immortal-level ancient demon had descended, which was no different from a tiger entering a flock of sheep.
"What about your main body?" Feng Boping teleported in and asked anxiously.
Li Hao's avatar said in a deep voice, "The Source Ancestor and God King have already sacrificed themselves. My main body is joining forces with the Sages, preparing to fight a desperate battle with that True Immortal-level ancient demon. If we win, All Heavens will be safe. If we lose, you all seek refuge, it can be considered preserving a spark of hope."
Hearing these words, the blood drained from everyone's faces.
"Haotian, that is a True Immortal-level ancient demon! Do you have any chance of winning?" Lie Heaven Sage rushed over and said anxiously.
"No chance of winning, only fighting to the death. Otherwise, the Holy Land is so large, although my Yuan Shen can cover it and hide it, the area is too vast. I can only guarantee that it won't be detected by second-tier ancient demons, but if it's a True Immortal-level ancient demon, I have no such confidence," Li Hao said.
At this time, many Half-Sages in the Holy Land also heard their conversation and rushed over anxiously, looking up.
Hearing Li Hao's words, Vast Heaven Sage and Medicine Sage were silent. They knew that Li Hao was risking his life to buy them time to seek refuge.
"If you hid alone, the True Immortal-level ancient demon wouldn't be able to find you, right!" Sword Master stared at Li Hao and said.
Li Hao had stayed outside the Immortal Gate for twelve years before. He didn't believe Li Hao had no way to evade the True Immortal-level ancient demon's pursuit.
Li Hao's avatar didn't speak. If it was just him alone, he could indeed hide. He could even use the Heaven and Earth space to bring some people, but the Heaven and Earth space was limited in size. Compared to the Holy Land, it could shelter too few people.
Feng Boping was silent. He understood Li Hao, the other party would never abandon his friends.
"I accompanied you in the mortal realm, now, I will accompany you once more!" Feng Boping said to Li Hao's avatar and was about to move.
Li Hao's avatar raised his hand and grabbed his arm, saying in a deep voice, "Elder Feng, help me take care of my friends."
Among the crowd, Ji Xuan Shen and others also rushed out. The news of Li Hao's departure had spread throughout the Holy Land, causing unease. Now hearing Li Hao's words, Ji Xuan Shen and others widened their eyes, their eyes slightly red.
They were contemporaries with Li Hao, or even older than him, but now they could only watch this former opponent, now friend, rush to the front line, fighting for their chance to survive.
"No chance of winning, that's even more reason for me to go." Feng Boping tried to break free, but found that Li Hao's avatar's power was also extremely great, startling him inwardly.
"You stay here and accompany Second Master. He'll be missing a fishing buddy, don't let him lose another one." Li Hao's avatar's gaze swept over the crowd, seeing Li Muxiu, who looked anxious in the crowd.
Li Muxiu was now in the Hearing Dao Realm. Although Li Hao's voice was soft, he still heard it and his eyes instantly turned red.
He felt as if his heart was being twisted, but he couldn't open his mouth. Only when it was time to charge forward did he realize his own powerlessness was so despairing!
Feng Boping felt a lump in his throat, his voice slightly hoarse, he said, "Don't talk nonsense, you must not die, I won't allow it!"
Li Hao's avatar felt a hint of amusement and heartache, saying, "Elder Feng, help me take care of them."
Then he looked at Vast Heaven Sage and Medicine Sage, saying, "Nine Provinces Immortal Island, please contact them as soon as possible. I will go all out to fight soon, this avatar will dissipate."
"As quickly as possible!" He instructed.
Vast Heaven Sage nodded silently. Although he had only known Li Hao for a short time, they were already chess friends, and with Li Hao helping him refine pills, he deeply appreciated this young junior. But now, only sorrow remained.
Among the crowd, the Li family members stared blankly at this scene. He Jianlan, Li Wushuang, Li Yuanzhao and others were already in tears.
They hadn't expected to just meet Li Hao, and now they were about to part again, possibly forever.
"Hao'er, why is your life so bitter?" He Jianlan's face was full of tears, feeling sad for the young man in the sky.
"Why does this kind of thing have to be shouldered by you?"
Hearing her sorrowful whisper, Li Tiangang and Ji Qingqing beside her trembled, their fingers involuntarily clenching.
Behind them, Li Ping An looked at the youth under the gaze of everyone, lost in thought.
Li Hao's avatar quickly explained everything, then his expression suddenly solidified, and he said in a deep voice, "I need to focus on fighting now, everyone, be sure to seek refuge as soon as possible, don't let down the time I and the Sages are fighting for!"
After speaking, his figure slowly dissipated.
"Haotian!"
"Brother Hao!"
Seeing Li Hao's avatar disappear like smoke, many people cried out.
Vast Heaven Sage and Medicine Sage were the first to calm down and act immediately. One took the lead to set off, while the other urged the Holy Land to move closer to Nine Provinces Immortal Island.
Feng Boping was slightly stunned for a moment. Thinking of Li Hao's words, his expression was complex. He gave a brief instruction, then casually tore open a rift and entered the mortal realm to transfer the people of Great Yu.
…
While they were all taking action, fifty thousand miles away from the ancient palace.
Li Hao and the Sages waited here. At this time, in the void, besides the 108 Sages in the military formation around Li Hao, the rest of the Sages had hidden in the void rifts.
Whoosh! Accompanied by a whistling sound, terrifying pressure suddenly approached. Soon, a figure in the void rapidly shifted, approaching at a speed visible to the naked eye.
When the ancient demon's figure was visible to the naked eye, Li Hao also severed the power of Immortalization, his expression solemn, staring intently at the opponent.
His aura was constantly rising, accumulating, and the power of the extreme boundary was operating.
He entered God Force state, his whole body emitting golden divine light. Then, he entered Extreme Immortalization, his hair turning silver-gray. The tearing of his body, under the tenfold healing of the God Force state, was almost imperceptible. His consciousness merged with the heavens and earth, becoming one with this realm!
"It's coming!" The Sages tensed up, their expressions grim, staring at this ancient demon who had appeared in the Immortal Gate.
The fact that it could come here meant that the Source Ancestor and God King had already fallen.
Two top Sages who once intimidated All Heavens, now perished in the blink of an eye, making people feel desolate and sorrowful.
"No True Immortal, just a group of Sage-level beings?"
The True Immortal-level ancient demon overlooked Li Hao and the others, a cruel murderous intent showing in its eyes. Its gaze landed on Li Hao. Compared to the faint glow of the other Sages, the Yuan Shen fluctuations and aura emanating from this young man were as bright as the moon, even more formidable than the two ants it had killed before.
But fortunately, there was no True Immortal here, which wasn't the worst situation for it.
If there were a True Immortal, although it wouldn't fear it, if that True Immortal held an Immortal Emperor's treasure, it would still be somewhat apprehensive.
Silence fell briefly in the void.
They sized each other up. Li Hao didn't rush to attack. He had no confidence in this battle, so besides fighting, he also wanted to prolong the battle time as much as possible.
But this silence lasted only a very short time. In the next moment, the ancient demon's eyes revealed a scarlet light, no longer bothering with nonsense. It had no patience for talking to ants like these. It would kill them all, and then search their souls to understand the situation of this realm.
Unfortunately, the two ants before were not their true bodies and had no soul source. They had annihilated after being killed, giving it no chance to search.
With a low roar, the ancient demon swung its sharp claws towards Li Hao and the others, obviously wanting to slap them all to death.
That seemingly simple attack, in the eyes of the Sages, could be seen as the claws cutting off the sky, tearing and destroying countless Great Daos in the void, carrying irresistible terrifying power.
Was this the method of a True Immortal?
The Great Daos that were indestructible and unerasable in their eyes were now collapsing and being destroyed.
Just one strike made the sliver of hope and belief that the Sages had ignited feel like a candle flame about to be extinguished.
But Li Hao's eyes erupted with a soaring light. His whole body's power exploded with all his might, no longer concealing or holding back at this moment.
The Immortal Power in his body surged outwards. Combined with the Heaven and Earth power attracted by Extreme Immortalization, a substantial storm cocoon vortex seemed to form around his body.
The Eternal Dao Domain emerged. The void around Li Hao cracked, and eight broken Immortal weapons shimmered and floated out. Accompanied by Li Hao's Yuan Shen control, they suddenly pierced through the gaps in the ancient demon's claws.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Accompanied by the void tearing, the terrifying wind pressure between the claws was torn apart by the broken Immortal weapons, directly slashing towards the ancient demon's weak side abdomen, wanting to use this as a breakthrough point to tear its skin and dismantle its body.
While the broken Immortal weapons pierced through, the claws also descended, pressing down towards Li Hao's head.
He roared, mobilizing all the power in his body. Fame and Fortune appeared in his palm, and he raised his hand to unleash a sword, a strike of extreme power.
This sword strike had the posture of "Immortal Guides the Way", but its power was not like "Immortal Guides the Way", but more like "Immortal's Wrathful Strike"!
Countless thunderbolts surged in the void, and the heavens and earth seemed to emit a rumbling sound of anger.
That sword strike shook the sky, lifting all the power within tens of thousands of miles around him like seawater inverting, concentrated on the sword light, and collided with the claws.
Terrifying sound vibrations shook, and the heavens and earth rumbled.
Irregular纹路 (wenlu - patterns/lines/veins) cracked in the void. The sword light covered the entire claw, actually lifting the claw forcefully!
This terrifying impact gave the Sages hiding in the surrounding Heaven and Earth rifts a feeling of shock, looking unbelievably at the young man flashing with silver thunder, was that Li Hao's true strength?!
When the sword light blocked the claws, under Li Hao's Yuan Shen manipulation, the eight broken Immortal swords rapidly slashed at the ancient demon's side abdomen, but rubbed against it, making a harsh sound. The sword edge scratched the ancient demon's skin, but it felt like cutting into a wooden stake, with a sense of being stuck.
Li Hao's expression changed drastically. He wanted the eight broken Immortal swords to dismantle it simultaneously, achieving an instant physical kill.
But his Yuan Shen was split among the eight broken Immortal swords, and the power of manipulating objects was also divided into eight, weakening it. He couldn't pierce deep into the flesh and blood.
At this time, the ancient demon was also shocked. It was actually injured. As a True Immortal, it was actually injured by a Sage-level being, it was simply bizarre.
It let out an angry roar, exhibiting the true pressure of a True Immortal. Immortal power surged, and the eight broken Immortal swords that had pierced into its body were instantly shaken away, and even Li Hao's Yuan Shen felt a violent tremor.
And the 108 Sages who formed the military array with him all felt their Yuan Shen shake. Although they would only bear a very small part of the impact, it still gave them a feeling of dizziness.
Li Hao saw the Immortal power displayed by the ancient demon, his expression becoming extremely solemn. The bones all over his body creaked, and the All Heavens Star Meridian emerged behind him. Shining starlight from stars gathered around him, surrounded him, reflecting brilliant starlight on him, bringing a continuous flow of All Heavens Star power.
Seeing this scene, the Sages were once again shocked.
But Li Hao's actions did not end. His body swelled rapidly, displaying Law Manifestation of Heaven and Earth. From the original size of a normal person, in the blink of an eye it reached thousands of zhang (Chinese unit of length, approx. 3.33m), straight up to tens of thousands of zhang!
At this time, Li Hao's size was already close to that of the ancient demon.
At the same time, Li Hao's Heaven and Earth Dharma Idol emerged behind him.
This Dharma Idol was slightly larger than Li Hao's Law Manifestation of Heaven and Earth, but not with the huge gap it had before.
But strangely, around Li Hao's Dharma Idol at this moment, there were projections of Sage Dharma Idols, but those Sage Dharma Idol projections were only half the size of Li Hao's Dharma Idol, but there were a full hundred of them, filling the entire sky!
"That is, my Dharma Idol?" The Sages in the military formation were horrified to discover that their Dharma Idols were actually projected by Li Hao, surrounding Li Hao's Dharma Idol.
Li Hao also noticed this, something he hadn't expected. Even more surprising to him was that when he cast Law Manifestation of Heaven and Earth at this moment, these Sage Dharma Idols manifested with it, bringing even more terrifying power.
"Could this be the path to the ultimate end?"
Li Hao's eyes flashed, but he had no time to think more about it. He took a deep breath and used his last trump card, the prototype of the Heavenly Dao condensed by the trinity of Three Saints.
As this power of the Heavenly Dao prototype spread out, the ancient demon in front of Li Hao also slightly changed color.
"斩!" (Zhǎn -斩, meaning斩/chop/behead/sever)
Li Hao recalled the eight broken Immortal swords, only summoning the sharpest one among them, pouring his entire body's power into it. The sword light suddenly surged, instantly drawing a moon arc and disappearing into the ancient demon's side abdomen, so fast that even the Sages' Yuan Shen couldn't capture it.
(End of this chapter)