Chapter 436: Fourth Level Space Origin
The Way of Chess perceives heaven and earth as a game, with the sun, moon, and stars as its pieces.
Vast and boundless, space encompasses the myriad things of creation.
What is space?
It is seemingly empty yet not empty, seemingly existent yet not existent, seemingly non-existent yet not non-existent.
It is both emptiness and non-emptiness in totality.
Li Hao suddenly experienced a profound enlightenment, like a thunderclap to the mind, causing his thoughts to buzz.
His tenth level chess mastery had already transcended the mundane, yet he was still unable to defeat Old Wang. When Old Wang played seriously, his chess moves became unpredictable and miraculous. He could seemingly turn defeat into victory with a divine move, always perceiving positions and flaws that Li Hao could not see.
At this moment, Li Hao felt a sense of dawning comprehension.
The space he could perceive was different from what Old Wang saw, and this was the reason for his defeats.
"Old Wang, one more game."
Li Hao invited him.
Old Wang was taken aback, then chuckled wryly, about to offer a word of persuasion, but he saw Li Hao's solemn expression, his gaze fixed on the chessboard, his eyes gleaming with an unprecedented light. The words he was about to speak he swallowed back down.
Then he nodded slightly and said, "This game, I will be serious."
After speaking, he and Li Hao simultaneously reached for pieces, choosing black and white to determine who would go first.
Subsequently, Li Hao wholeheartedly immersed himself in placing the stones and setting up the board.
"Hmm?"
Seeing Li Hao's move, Old Wang's expression instantly changed, revealing a hint of surprise.
This placement was ingenious and tricky, leaving him ample room for maneuver and retreat, far more flexible than before. This kid, his chess skills had suddenly improved so much in a short time?
Moreover, it seemed he had just gained some kind of enlightenment… but they were clearly just discussing cultivation matters.
Old Wang felt a touch of speechlessness in his heart. To gain insight into the Way of Chess from cultivation? How much love for chess must one have to make such an association?
A pang of guilt suddenly arose in his heart. He wondered if pushing Li Hao like this was the right thing to do. But when he thought of the True World, and the opportunity he had to leave, and the countless benefits a formal disciple would bring, he suppressed these distracting thoughts.
"Old Wang, it's your turn."
Li Hao said.
Old Wang snapped back to reality, glanced at Li Hao's piece, and then made his move.
But as soon as he placed the piece, he let out a soft "Huh?" of surprise, his face subtly changing.
He realized that Li Hao's last move was not as simple as it seemed, concealing a deeply hidden path.
And when Li Hao saw Old Wang's move, his eyes instantly brightened, a smile playing on his lips as he quickly placed his piece.
Old Wang's expression changed. One misstep, and he was targeted by Li Hao.
However, he did not give up and concede defeat. He quickly maneuvered and countered. Based on his previous experience playing against Li Hao, as long as he became serious now, he still had a chance to win.
Yet, as he maneuvered, Li Hao relentlessly pressed forward, the hidden spatial aspect of his moves completely sealing off Old Wang's paths.
On the chessboard, only two winding dragon-like paths of stones remained, already determining the outcome.
Old Wang felt his throat somewhat dry, staring at the chessboard, his expression shifting continuously. All his moves were precisely anticipated and stifled by Li Hao before they could even take shape. This made him realize that the overall situation was lost.
One wrong move, and the whole game is lost!
"You've won."
Old Wang withdrew his fingertips from the piece, his expression complex, and spoke to Li Hao.
His gaze remained fixed on the chessboard, as if still searching for a possibility of victory, but in the end, he slowly raised his head, looking at the young man before him.
His expression seemed to hold a mix of relief and regret, and a heartfelt appreciation and admiration.
As Old Wang conceded defeat, Li Hao saw a massive amount of chess experience points leap out in front of him, tens of millions.
At the same time, his Way of Chess broke through the tenth level.
[Congratulations, you have comprehended the True Heart of Chess Origin.]
The Way of Chess has advanced to the eleventh level!
Accompanying the advancement of the Way of Chess, Li Hao's mind suddenly resonated with the sound of a great bell.
Immediately following, countless vast Dao concepts descended like snowflakes, pouring into his mind.
His consciousness seemed to arrive in a constantly swirling world, surrounded by the low whispers of the Great Sound of Heaven and Earth. Ethereal figures resembling immortals and deities were dancing and practicing true techniques.
He vaguely felt the spaces around him shatter and reassemble, saw himself transforming into something infinitely small. Within a tiny grain of sand, there was actually a majestic and grand divine dynasty, with countless residents living within.
The Way of Chess contains the Great Dao of Space Origin.
Li Hao understood something.
When this inheritance, like an illusion, dissipated, the chessboard reappeared before Li Hao's eyes, along with Old Wang's figure.
At the same time, Li Hao saw a new attribute appear on his panel.
[Way of Chess: Eleventh Level (Space Origin Third Level)]
[Heart State: True Heart of Origin (1)]
Through the Myriad Daos Record, Li Hao knew that all Dao Origins had ten levels of mastery.
But to comprehend the highest tenth level, only Immortal Emperors were capable of it.
The Virtual Saints and Virtual Ancestors that Li Hao had encountered previously, who used space as their Saintly Dao, could only be considered entry-level to Space Origin. They hadn't even reached the first level of Space Origin.
Reaching the first level of Space Origin meant one could use the True Heart of Space Origin to condense an Immortal Seal and become a True Immortal.
And the third level of Origin mastery was something that even some Immortal Sovereigns had not achieved, and it was an incredibly rare existence even among True Immortals across all realms.
Comprehending Space Origin through the Way of Chess brought Li Hao some pleasant surprise. At the same time, he faintly sensed that the numerous artistic skill attributes that his panel could record seemed to have hidden profound meanings.
"Still need to comprehend Time Origin."
Li Hao's eyes flickered.
His gaze swept across the other artistic skills on the panel.
Fishing, Sculpting, Painting, Cooking, Music, Poetry and Books.
"Cooking… perhaps it can allow me to sense the Fire Dao Origin…"
Li Hao's eyes slightly glimmered. He had already mastered the tenth level of the Way of Cooking, controlling the Chaos Divine Flame which could roast even the body of an ancient demon into a delicacy. If he could take another step forward with the Chaos Divine Flame, it would be Fire Dao Origin.
"Painting… brush and ink…"
"Fishing…"
Li Hao's gaze slightly focused, landing on his Painting skill, which had also reached the tenth level.
The Way of Painting, controlling brush and ink, if he used heaven and earth as the canvas, and the Great Dao as the brush, then the mountains and rivers were all landscapes painted.
The highest excellence is like water.
The Dao Scripture emerged in Li Hao's mind, and a sense of enlightenment immediately arose in his heart.
He suddenly stood up, quickly turning and running towards the meditation cushion.
Old Wang was taken aback, it was the first time he had seen Li Hao so actively rushing towards the cushion. A feeling of tenderness and emotion arose in his heart.
But soon, he saw the boy run to the cushion, choose an empty Enlightenment Cushion and sit down. Then he raised his hand and condensed a canvas in mid-air.
Afterward, using his finger as a brush and the Great Dao as ink, he freely splashed across the canvas.
Old Wang: "..."
He had long known that besides the Way of Chess, Li Hao also possessed extremely deep attainments in painting.
Old Wang had noticed when Li Hao was sketching the Heaven and Earth Bell in front of the cushion earlier.
But he hadn't expected that the other party's enthusiasm for painting was no less than his enthusiasm for chess.
He should be cultivating now… Old Wang smiled wryly in his heart. But he didn't urge Li Hao. If Li Hao truly didn't want to work hard, he wouldn't force him. After all, even the enticement of being a formal disciple was not enough to move Li Hao, and forcing him further might not yield satisfactory cultivation results.
At this moment, Li Hao's mind was completely immersed in painting.
The Heaven and Earth Bell leaped onto the canvas, suspended in mid-air. The canvas slowly disappeared, leaving only the Bell.
It looked like a projection refracted from the Heaven and Earth Bell.
But it radiated the aura of the Great Dao, seemingly capable of vibrating at any moment, emitting a sound that could shake heaven and earth.
"Not enough…"
Li Hao's gaze fixed, he casually dispersed it, and then painted again.
Previously, on the second floor of the True Venerable Tower, he had comprehended a deeper level of meaning in emptiness and reality while in a desperate situation.
Emptiness to the extreme, becomes void. Void to the extreme, becomes reality!
Reality to the extreme, is Earth Origin, capable of bearing all things.
Li Hao was like a madman, his fingers constantly painting in the void.
His fingertips contained the supremely soft Great Dao, stretching like ink, leaving black traces in the void, which were actually tiny rifts torn open in space by his finger.
Soon, the second Heaven and Earth Bell painting was completed.
But it still lacked the essence of emptiness.
Li Hao raised his hand and dispersed it, continuing to paint the third, fourth…
Not enough, still not enough!
Li Hao's eyes faintly carried a hint of madness, he had long forgotten which painting he was on.
Until the most ideal painting in his mind appeared, Li Hao stopped his hand. In an instant, the world seemed to become peaceful.
Li Hao stared blankly, then burst into mad laughter.
Perfect.
At this moment, from his current perspective, this painting was perfect.
A large amount of painting experience points suddenly leaped out before his eyes.
Li Hao came back to his senses and immediately saw that his Way of Painting had also advanced to the eleventh level.
The bottleneck where experience points had been full was now broken through.
[Congratulations, you have comprehended the True Heart of Painting Origin.]
The Way of Painting has advanced to the eleventh level!
At the same time, the same enlightenment as before with the Way of Chess poured into his mind, falling like countless snowflakes, enveloping Li Hao.
He once again arrived in that enlightenment-like journey, countless figures dancing and practicing true techniques for him.
After a long time, when Li Hao regained his senses, he saw the changes in the attributes on his panel.
[Way of Painting: Eleventh Level (Water Origin Second Level) (Earth Origin Second Level) (Space Origin Fourth Level)]
[Heart State: True Heart of Origin (2)]
Li Hao was stunned, somewhat shocked and astonished. But the Great Dao inheritance in his mind would not deceive him. At this moment, he had a deeper understanding of both Water Origin and Earth Origin, far beyond what he had before.
But what shocked Li Hao even more was that Space Origin had actually reached the fourth level!
This was something only Immortal Sovereigns could comprehend.
Li Hao looked at the previous Way of Chess.
He found that the Space Origin Third Level behind it had also become Fourth Level.
It seemed that the two were interconnected, not additive, otherwise it would be too outrageous.
Li Hao withdrew his gaze from the panel attributes, carefully sensing the enlightenment he had just experienced, as well as the inherited Dao concepts.
The Way of Painting contained two levels of Water Origin, two levels of Earth Origin, and one level of Space Origin.
Paintings also needed a sense of space, and blank space.
Li Hao closed his eyes, silently comprehending and absorbing.
At this time, the other Saints on the meditation cushions opened their eyes wide, staring at Li Hao, all startled by Li Hao's madness just now.
Just now, when Li Hao was painting so absorbed, he hadn't noticed the surrounding situation at all. When his last painting was completed, it vibrated the Great Dao Origin, causing the other Saints in cultivation to be awakened, Dao barriers could not even block the impact here.
When they saw the Heaven and Earth Bell suspended in mid-air, they were somewhat dazed.
No matter how they looked at it, this Heaven and Earth Bell did not seem fake. But they knew that there could never be a second Heaven and Earth Bell here.
Moreover, this Heaven and Earth Bell didn't even seem to be painted by Li Hao, but a real object, and even, usable!
"Haotian, he…"
"This is what he painted? Unbelievable, what level of painting skill is this?"
"Too exaggerated. Haotian isn't even cultivating yet? Still focusing on painting? If he spent this effort on cultivation, wouldn't he have already won the Immortal Emperor's Dao lineage?"
Everyone was shocked by this Heaven and Earth Bell. Compared to Li Hao's previous paintings, they had only felt amazed. But this Heaven and Earth Bell now seemed like a real artifact!
At this moment, Old Wang, from a distance, had come here at some unknown time.
He gazed at the Heaven and Earth Bell painted by Li Hao. After a long while, his eyes slightly narrowed. Then, he turned his head to look at the young man sitting cross-legged on the Enlightenment Cushion with his eyes closed, a very complex expression in his eyes.
With the previous Way of Chess, Li Hao had not yet shown the power of Space Origin, but the painting now clearly showed traces of Water Origin, Earth Origin, and Space Origin, impossible to conceal.
One painting, actually using these three Dao realms, was undeniably an extremely terrifying extravagance.
At this moment, Li Hao slowly opened his eyes, and immediately heard the voices of discussion around him.
He raised his head and looked, seeing the Heaven and Earth Bell floating quietly, a satisfied expression appearing in his eyes.
Hearing the surrounding people's exclamations, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve up slightly. This feeling made him happier than defeating a hundred Saints in a row.
If people said his realm was profound and his combat power was top-notch, he would just smile slightly. But if they said his painting was perfect and his painting skills were exquisite, then it would be difficult for him to suppress the smile on his lips.
"It's just a crude work, everyone. Who is willing to try it and use this bell to verify their Dao Heart?"
Li Hao opened his mouth, saying with a slight smile.
Although it was self-deprecating, everyone could see the smugness in the young man's eyes, and they were all momentarily speechless.
However, Li Hao's words made them react, somewhat doubtful. What did this mean, could this painted bell verify their Dao Heart?
"I'll try."
Soon, someone stood up, it was Saint Luo.
He was somewhat eager to try. Regardless of whether it was real or not, trying would reveal the truth.
Could a painted Heaven and Earth Bell really possess the same effects as a real Heaven and Earth Bell?
Under everyone's gaze, Saint Luo came to the Heaven and Earth Bell painted by Li Hao, and then began to verify his Dao Heart.
The power of the Great Dao around suddenly drew and gathered towards the bell. Then, a loud sound that shook heaven and earth boomed from beneath the bell!
Everyone's hearts trembled, and shock appeared in their eyes.
Especially among the crowd, several Saints were skilled in artifact forging, and they were even more shocked beyond words at this moment.
At this time, the Heaven and Earth Bell continued to ring.
Two rings, three rings, four rings…
The Heaven and Earth Bell rang four times, a Heaven-grade Dao Heart!
Saint Luo had only achieved an Earth-grade Dao Heart when he first arrived here, but it had already undergone a Dao Heart transformation.
As the lingering sound echoed and dissipated, everyone couldn't help but look at Li Hao, speechless in shock.
They should know that the Heaven and Earth Bell was a treasure left behind by an Immortal Emperor, of unknown grade, but definitely not an ordinary object. Li Hao could actually paint it, and it even possessed the same effect. Wasn't this ten or even a hundred times faster than artifact forging?!
Moreover, forging artifacts required searching for materials, but this painting was completed in a single stroke.
Li Hao saw that the Heaven and Earth Bell was faintly becoming more illusory, knowing that it would dissipate after being used a few more times.
Furthermore, the Heaven and Earth Bell he painted only had less than one-tenth of the effect of the real Heaven and Earth Bell, only able to ring four times. If he were to verify his Dao Heart, it would dissipate on the spot.
But this was already enough.
Li Hao smiled at Old Wang, seeing Old Wang's complex gaze filled with deep meaning, he immediately guessed that the other party might have seen traces of Great Dao Origin through the painting. He wasn't surprised, in fact, he was in a great mood at the moment, preparing to play a few more warm-up games with Old Wang, and then start condensing the Nine-Petaled Immortal Seal!
(End of chapter)