Chapter 424: Yuan Shen Annihilation, Beneath the Forbidden Ground

Before leaving, the woman with the red tassel spear selected several capable subordinates to remain and guard this place. They concealed the traces of battle and deployed an immortal array to shroud and obscure the Xuanpin Gate, making it undetectable to ordinary ancient demons, unless an Ancient Demon Lord of the Immortal Lord realm were to arrive.

However, such beings would typically not venture to such remote battlefields.

As the Saints departed, the myriad worlds gradually returned to peace.

Countless city residents rejoiced in their survival, building temples and golden statues everywhere to worship Hao Heavenly Lord, who had sacrificed himself for the myriad worlds.

Many factions also underwent a reshuffle, and the structure of the myriad worlds would drastically change in the near future.

Sword Master and the others also arrived at the ancient hall. Now that Li Hao was dead, they wished to fight for the myriad beings and contribute their part.

But when they arrived, the Saints had already left.

However, before departing, the Saints had left a message in the ancient hall, informing them that they had followed the Immortals and Gods to the True World.

Seeing this message and the empty ancient hall, Sword Master and the others felt somewhat lost.

The Immortal God reinforcements that Li Hao had spoken of had truly arrived, but they were too late.

And the Saints of the myriad worlds had just quietly left, abandoning all their foundations here to follow the Immortals and Gods.

Sword Master and the others could understand the Saints' obsession and urgency. Having lived for countless years and enjoyed everything, the only thing that could move the Saints' hearts was the legendary realm of Immortals and Gods, which was even the sole driving force for many Saints to continue their cultivation and strive for progress.

"We're too late."

Fox Master gazed at the gap in the Immortal Gate, her eyes flickering, and said with a hint of melancholy.

Sword Master knew of her close relationship with Li Hao, smiled calmly, and said, "Do you regret it? Not coming sooner, otherwise you could have gone with them."

Fox Master was silent, then slightly shook her head, saying, "Going or not going, it's not a big deal. There will always be opportunities in the future. We haven't become Supreme Saints yet, and the True World is full of ancient demons, it's also very dangerous. It's better to be comfortable here."

"What you say does sound a bit like his personality."

Sword Master said softly.

Fox Master paused slightly, her eyes even more dimmed, and whispered, "This world is truly unfair. Those troublemakers didn't help at all, yet now they have hope of becoming Immortals and Gods, while he, who never coveted or sought anything along the way, ultimately gave everything and died. What kind of beings stand on that path to Immortals and Gods?"

"People all seek fame, whether it's family bloodline inheritance, or having children, it's all to have someone worship them after death, to not let their name be forgotten."

"Establishing merit and building a career, grand ambitions and great plans, it's also for fame, to spread their name far and wide, and be admired by the world."

"Enlightenment and becoming a Saint, transcendence of the Saintly Path, is still for fame, to leave a name for a thousand generations, accumulate more incense offerings, and have disciples all over the world."

Sword Master said softly, "But Saints or Immortals and Gods, in this world, in this place, I believe even after ten thousand ages, no one will forget him. Although he didn't seek fame, his name will eternally spread throughout the myriad worlds, passed down for countless generations!"

Fox Master was silent. The island masters of the other Immortal Islands had flickering eyes. Having cultivated to this point, even Saints found it hard to escape the temptation of 'fame.'

"But remember… what use is it to him?"

A trace of sorrow appeared in Fox Master's eyes. Many memories of the little white fox in the human world flooded her mind – lying in the young man's arms, watching a whole winter of snow.

While other boys of the same age were diligently cultivating, only seeking to establish merit and achieve fame.

Sword Master was slightly silent. What use was posthumous fame? He couldn't answer. Perhaps there was an answer in his heart, but he knew that young man also saw it that way, yet he always hoped for something good.

"Since Immortals and Gods have come here, and we haven't seen any ancient demons invade for so long, it seems the ancient demons outside the Immortal Gate have been dealt with. At least we can breathe a sigh of relief."

Fox Master withdrew her thoughts, revealed a smile, and said softly.

Sword Master nodded. Seeing blooming flowers in a desperate situation was a kind of uninhibited spirit.

"I'll go take a look at Hao Heavenly Lord's physical body."

Sword Master said, then glanced at the Immortal Gate, "If ancient demons invade again, we won't be able to stop them. I suggest relocating the Immortal God ruins in the Divine Sun, but don't move them too far from the Divine Sun. Perhaps we'll need to seek refuge."

Fox Master nodded slightly, "I'll go too. I'll leave my tail fluff here. If ancient demons come, it will be detected immediately."

"It's a pity that only Saints can traverse into this place. I'll dispatch Semi-Saints from the Sword Ancestor Holy Land to be stationed outside the ancient hall year-round."

Sword Master said.

Once arrangements were made here, they went to the Tianyuan Small World together.

Here, the physical body of the True Immortal realm ancient demon and Li Hao's physical body were both preserved, guarded by dozens of Semi-Saints from the previous alliance.

Feng Boping had already arrived, finding Li Hao's physical body. He saw that Li Hao's physical body radiated extremely strong pressure, and without the control of the Yuan Shen, the pressure on the physical body was unrestrained, like a deity with closed eyes in slumber. The body had perfect proportions, as if meticulously sculpted by the world's top artisans.

Dozens of Semi-Saints guarded around Li Hao's physical body, looking at it with reverence in their eyes.

Feng Boping gazed at this physical body's stunning and peerless appearance, but the sadness in his eyes deepened. He cursed "damn heavens" in his heart. It was said that heaven envies talent, but this envy was too cruel. How could the heavens bear it?

He waved his hand, telling the surrounding guarding Semi-Saints to withdraw. He wanted to be alone with Li Hao, to quietly chat like old friends.

He took out a pot of wine brewed in his Heaven and Earth space, poured a cup for Li Hao, and poured one for himself. As the aroma of wine diffused, he smiled and began to speak, as if to himself.

"…This is your favorite wine. You brat, you started drinking when you were only thirteen or fourteen, even in the General's Residence with its strict atmosphere, truly astonishing…"

"Remember that black dragon who went wild? Last time I asked you, you said you didn't remember. You brat, I clearly saw your eyelid twitch. You definitely remembered it very well, probably even counted every scale on that black dragon…"

Saying this, he looked at Li Hao beside him, only to see the latter still standing there with closed eyes and no reaction. He smiled, but his eyes were already moist.

"Later I'll go to the human world again and find that black dragon for you…"

"When… when will I be able to eat your grilled fish again…"

...

Besides Feng Boping, people arrived one after another: Li Yuanzhao, Li Wushuang, Li Pingan, Lin Qingying, Ji Xuanshen, and others, including Hao Yue Holy Son and Chi Guang, who had fought against Li Hao before. They all came here, looking at that statue-like figure with complex expressions.

At this moment, Li Hao's physical body was extremely large, in the state of Dharma, Heaven, and Earth.

Without the restraint and internalization of the Yuan Shen, the physical body returned to its cultivated state, emitting terrifying divine power fluctuations from within.

"Brother Hao…"

Li Yuanzhao's eyes blurred. Beside him, his wife Xia silently stood.

Since coming to these myriad worlds, Xia had felt a significant change in her husband for the first time, vastly different from before, as if resurrected from decadence. Although he looked worried all day long, something had changed.

Li Yuanzhao had been decadent before, ever since Li Hao's departure. One day, he suddenly learned that the reason he had lost both parents since childhood was that his father had died on the battlefield, and his mother had died in difficult childbirth while giving birth to him.

He had known this for a long time and had always felt guilt and self-reproach, feeling that he had killed his own mother. But later he learned that when his mother gave birth to him, someone had leaked the news of his father's death on the battlefield to his mother, which caused her emotional agitation, leading to difficult childbirth and death.

And that person was Liu Yuerong, who had already been imprisoned in the dungeon by Li Hao. After he learned the truth, he personally drowned her in the dungeon. For this, he bore the crime, but he did not use the power of the General's Residence to evade or cover it up, simply quietly enduring everything. Since then, his whole mentality had changed. He spent his days getting drunk, indifferent to everything.

Li Wushuang and her younger brother Li Yun and younger sister Li Zhining also stood on the periphery of the plaza, silently gazing.

Now her younger siblings were all generals of the General's Residence who could stand on their own, having entered the Three Immortalities Realm, not far from the Four Establishments Realm. They were all Li Hao's childhood playmates back then. Now, they all had their own marriages, established families and careers. In contrast, Li Hao, the most dazzling of them, was still alone, and now, separated by life and death.

Perhaps this was the heavens' punishment for geniuses – the more dazzling, the more fleeting.

"In the Tan Palace, in the Residence, in Dayu… every trace of his path left behind legends. It's the same in these myriad worlds. He truly is… the first person to truly impress me."

Li Yun said softly. In childhood, he regarded Li Hao as a formidable rival, until he was once caught by Li Hao and severely spanked dozens of times on his buttocks, and he retracted this budding idea.

Now, those past days, even the pain on his buttocks seemed nostalgic and warm, but they could never return.

...

Forbidden Ground, outside the Dual-Seam Demon Valley.

Some Semi-Saints voluntarily guarded here. Many people came to worship in the void, endlessly. Among them were some royals of divine dynasties, who, with lower cultivation levels and unable to traverse the void, also rode royal dragon carriages, coming here only to personally bow and worship.

This Forbidden Ground, once terrifying and notorious, had now become bustling, like a scenic spot.

However, no one dared to rashly step into that Forbidden Ground.

Within the Forbidden Ground, the Dual-Seam Demon Valley remained as still as eternity, extremely tranquil.

Deep within the rifts, it was pitch-black, bottomless, swallowing all light, including laws.

Falling, falling.

Time rewinds to when Li Hao and the True Immortal realm ancient demon fell into the Dual-Seam Demon Valley.

Li Hao felt his body continuously falling. Waves of cold and sinister power enveloped his Yuan Shen. His Yuan Shen actually felt cold, with a sensation of gradually being frozen.

Li Hao was shocked in his heart. Was this the number one Forbidden Ground of the myriad worlds?

Here, there was no power of heaven and earth, like a place of deathly stillness. His Yuan Shen was also unable to move, restricted by the rules here, he could only keep falling.

In front of him, the True Immortal realm ancient demon was the same, but in its eyes were anger and fear. It cast a gaze at Li Hao that seemed to split its eyes, feeling desperate that as a True Immortal, it was actually forced into such a situation by a Saint level.

But even with its anger, under the suppression of the immortal laws here, it could not move. This was also the reason for its fear, not knowing where it would fall to. Moreover, the power here was gradually eroding the Yuan Shen's power, constantly intensifying. Would the Yuan Shen simply fall like this until annihilation?

While Li Hao and the ancient demon's Yuan Shen were staring at each other, suddenly, Li Hao felt his body seem to pass through a thin film-like barrier. Immediately after, blinding light suddenly appeared in the darkness before his eyes.

The surrounding cold and sinister power receded like a tide. After a second or two, Li Hao's Yuan Shen adapted and saw, apart from the Yuan Shen of the True Immortal realm ancient demon, a magnificent palace that seemed to reach the sky, radiating infinite, brilliant, and misty light, standing before him.

In front of the palace were only steps, perhaps tens of millions of layers, countless.

Li Hao was a little dazed. Where was this?

At this moment, the Yuan Shen of the True Immortal realm ancient demon also regained its senses, looking at everything in front of it in shock. It immediately sensed that there was extremely dense immortal power here, so dense that it was unbelievable. Immortal laws drifted everywhere in the void, powers that only Immortal Lords could capture and master!

It suddenly had a sense of enlightenment, followed by excitement and ecstasy.

Its purpose in coming to this world was to find the Immortal Emperor's treasure. And the towering giant palace in front of it, so majestic that even it wanted to prostrate itself in worship, seemed to be the Immortal Emperor's palace!

This was the Immortal Emperor's treasure it was looking for. This world actually had it!

The intense excitement even made it feel an impulse to hug Li Hao and kiss him at this moment. But thinking of Li Hao, it suddenly sobered up, its expression instantly changing.

Although it was in the True Immortal realm, its Yuan Shen power was not much stronger than Li Hao's, which was why it was dragged here by Li Hao.

However, if it desperately erupted, it still had a chance to kill this Saint level.

It turned around, looked at Li Hao with cold and sinister eyes, and was about to attack. But suddenly, a vast and overwhelming aura suddenly enveloped from below.

It was as if there was a giant palm on the ground, suddenly extending, grabbing towards the void, and then clenching tightly.

Compared to that earth-shattering and boundless might, being in the True Immortal realm, it was now like a bug flying in mid-air.

With a "poof" sound, the Yuan Shen of the True Immortal realm ancient demon was suddenly squeezed, and then, without even a scream or resentment, it instantly annihilated!

From the void, it completely and utterly vanished.

Li Hao couldn't even sense any trace of this ancient demon's Yuan Shen ever existing.

He was stunned, then his whole body trembled, feeling a chilling fear.

He looked towards that power, only to find that he had previously been focused on the towering giant palace in front of him, drawn by it. But on the flat ground outside this giant palace, there was a patch of green grass.

On the clearing, there was a thatched cottage, surrounded by seven or eight acres of fertile land.

In front of the thatched cottage, an old man stood before an empty rocking armchair, as if he had just risen. His face was kind, but his eyes were cold and stern, gazing over here.

Besides this old man, Li Hao also noticed that in the clearing not far from the thatched cottage, there were dozens of prayer mats, and on more than a dozen of them, there were figures sitting.

And the auras of these figures were all Saints.

Li Hao was stunned. The depths of the Dual-Seam Demon Valley Forbidden Ground were actually like this, and there were so many Saints?

As Li Hao lowered his head to assess the situation, the cold sternness in the old man's eyes slowly faded. Noticing Li Hao's gaze, a smile appeared on his face, and he raised his hand, beckoning Li Hao to come over.

(End of Chapter)