Chapter 460: My Sword Dao Alone, Sever!

"Which sect's disciple are you?"

The young woman in the starry-moon dress narrowed her eyes as she asked.

With such a cultivation realm, to arrive here so quickly, unless the latter possessed an unimaginable cultivation technique capable of concealing and disguising their aura, feigning the illusion of a True Immortal Realm third level, they must be an exceptionally rare prodigy.

Furthermore, being able to traverse the perilous Ninth Desolate Region and also conceal their aura only made them even more terrifying.

"Which sect's disciple are you?"

Li Hao countered with a question instead of answering.

When inquiring about someone else's background, one should at least introduce oneself first; this was the code of conduct in the martial world.

"Star Constellation Palace, Xing Lan."

The young woman noticed a hint of competitiveness in Li Hao's words but didn't mind. She openly stated her identity.

She believed that even if she didn't say it, those competitors she was wary of would recognize her upon sight, and the imperial family even more so. Their information on these heavenly geniuses from major sects was likely exhaustive.

As for those who didn't recognize her, they were all beneath her notice. Letting them know her identity was inconsequential.

"Star Constellation Palace…"

Li Hao's eyes flickered slightly. So, it was one of the five great Heavenly Sects of Yan Chu, no wonder she could arrive at the Tenth Desolate Region so quickly. She was likely a top-tier prodigy within her sect.

"Great Dream Nine Abyss, Hao Tian."

Li Hao also announced his name.

"Hao Tian…"

Xing Lan sized Li Hao up, then nodded faintly. "I'll remember you."

With that, she didn't linger. Her figure suddenly transformed into a streak of starlight, soaring away like a meteor.

Li Hao was somewhat baffled. He hadn't done anything to her; why would she remember him?

However, she didn't seem to harbor any malice. He pondered for a moment, then decided not to dwell on it and also teleported forward quickly.

In this Tenth Desolate Region, the oppressive force was extremely strong. Li Hao needed to unleash the power of his limit and mobilize the might of his Ancestral Immortal physique to move freely.

As he was traversing, chaotic forces suddenly assailed him without warning from ahead.

Boom!

A sharp ice锥 [ice cone] shot out from the flickering lightning in the void.

The ice锥 whistled past, freezing the void. Even space seemed to warp slightly.

Li Hao sensed the spatial distortions and anticipated it in advance, dodging at full speed, narrowly avoiding it.

"This is a primitive immortal technique?"

Li Hao looked back. The ice錐 had vanished in a flash, leaving no trace.

But in that brief moment of narrowly passing by, Li Hao felt the power of water origin contained within the ice錐, along with the origin power of space. These two origin powers were actually fused together. Although extremely crude, it suddenly opened up a new train of thought for him.

Li Hao didn't stop and continued forward.

Before long, the origin of the Great Dao once again condensed, transforming into ghostly black shadows that shrieked and rushed towards Li Hao.

The sound waves were ear-piercing, directly penetrating the soul. But Li Hao's primordial spirit had broken through its limit. Although it had yet to touch the final realm of 'True God,' the divine bones within his primordial spirit shone brightly, resisting the sound waves that could shatter primordial spirits.

"This Tenth Desolate Region… even if that Ancestral Dragon came, it would be instantly killed…"

Li Hao's eyes narrowed slightly. This Tenth Desolate Region was truly the limit that a True Immortal Realm could reach, indeed quite formidable.

He enveloped his divine sense within a thousand meters radius around him, and with the Eternal Dao Domain deployed, he teleported forward rapidly.

His space origin was at the fourth level. Despite the extreme chaos here, he could sense movements within a dozen kilometers around him through spatial fluctuations.

The previous ice錐, including the subsequent attacks of Great Dao origins, all gave him time to react.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Li Hao's figure rapidly teleported and traversed, soon avoiding one dangerous attack after another, and arrived at the fog wall of the Tenth Desolate Region.

Here, Li Hao saw four figures.

Besides the starry-skirted girl Xing Lan from before, there were also three tall and imposing members of the imperial family.

However, in contrast to Xing Lan's effortless and untainted appearance, the three members of the imperial family all had some minor injuries. Some of their robes were scorched black, and some had disheveled hair, clearly having clashed with the Great Dao origins and primitive immortal techniques here.

Seeing Li Hao appear, Xing Lan's eyes fixed on him. When she saw that Li Hao's clothes were completely intact, without any sign of disarray, the solemn expression in her eyes deepened slightly.

But all of this was quickly concealed. A faint and elegant smile appeared on her captivating and ethereal face as she said, "You really did come."

Li Hao asked in surprise, "Were you waiting for me here?"

"I wanted to see if you could still hold on in the Tenth Desolate Region."

Xing Lan didn't mince words. She was indeed waiting for Li Hao. If he couldn't survive in the Tenth Desolate Region, then there was no need to pay him any further attention.

Although reaching the Tenth Desolate Region at the True Immortal Realm third level was already impressive enough, now was the time when everyone started at the same point. Only those who reached the finish line were the winners.

"Then it seems I haven't disappointed you."

Hearing this, Li Hao couldn't help but chuckle.

The three members of the imperial family all glanced sideways at Li Hao. They all knew Xing Lan, but this kid… where did he come from?

When they saw Li Hao's cultivation level and his relaxed demeanor, their expressions became somewhat solemn and unpleasant. True Immortal Realm third level? How was that possible? Such a cultivation realm could also come here?!

In the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty, they, the imperial family, enjoyed the best cultivation resources and treatment. With equal talent, they should inevitably be stronger than those disciples from Heavenly Sects, but… right now, they were actually in the same desolate region as this True Immortal Realm third level kid. This was somewhat embarrassing and a slap in the face.

This could only mean that the difference in their aptitude was vast.

"Which sect are you from?"

One of the young imperial princes asked Li Hao. His brows carried the long-standing superiority and condescension inherent in the imperial family. Seemingly an inquiry, it felt more like an interrogation.

Li Hao was taken aback. He glanced at them, but ignored them.

"You!"

Seeing Li Hao's disregard, the imperial prince's face instantly turned ugly. Coldly, he said, "Do you know who I am? Seeing this imperial prince and not kneeling, do you know your offense?!"

"You're an imperial prince, not the crown prince."

Li Hao said speechlessly.

The young imperial prince was almost driven to rage by Li Hao's words. Gnashing his teeth, he said, "Good, very good. Do you think just because you don't say, I won't be able to find out about you once I get out?"

Li Hao's eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of killing intent flashed in his eyes, but it quickly subsided and disappeared.

This was the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty's secret realm. There must be powerful imperial family members monitoring the situation inside. Even if he secretly assassinated him here, it might not escape the eyes of some powerful members of the imperial family.

He turned around, too lazy to bother with this brainless prince.

However, the trace of killing intent in his eyes just now was keenly captured by Xing Lan. A hint of surprise arose in her heart. This young man dared to harbor killing intent even when facing the Yan Chu imperial family. His courage was rather audacious.

However, in her eyes, a hint of appreciation emerged instead. Seeing that the imperial prince was about to say more, she calmly said:

"The three of you, Xing Lan will take her leave first. Those who can reach the Tenth Desolate Region are all prodigies from various sects. We may encounter each other again in the future. It's best not to forge enmity over trivial matters."

Hearing Xing Lan's advice, the expressions of the three imperial family members shifted slightly. This imperial prince certainly understood this point in his heart. If he had aspirations for the crown prince position, this would be an excellent opportunity to cultivate connections. But he also understood how fierce the competition within the imperial family was. With those prodigies present, they had no chance whatsoever.

Being able to secure a prince title for life was already a decent fallback.

If his network of connections became too wide, it might invite disaster instead. He sneered,

"You prodigies from sects are truly getting cocky. Daring to speak to this imperial prince like this. So what if you soar high? A single imperial edict can still make you bow your heads and serve!"

Hearing these words, Xing Lan slightly raised an eyebrow, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes. Too lazy to waste more words, she said to Li Hao,

"Ahead is the Eleventh Desolate Region. The danger there is incomparable to this place. I'll take my leave first. We will meet again!"

As she spoke, her immortal power surged abruptly, revealing the power of an Immortal Lord Realm expert. With a wave of her hand, starlight shimmered, and a moon-shaped streak flew out, tearing apart the fog wall. Then, she calmly passed through.

Inside the fog wall, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, flames raged, as perilous as hell.

Astonishment surfaced in Li Hao's eyes. This young woman was actually in the Immortal Lord Realm?

Earlier, she had concealed her aura, so Li Hao hadn't discerned it.

As Xing Lan stepped into the Eleventh Desolate Region, her rank on the identity ranking quickly climbed to 16th place.

In the clouds above the desolate regions.

Chu Xiangtian and over a dozen other members of the imperial family were overlooking the changes on the black immortal stele below.

When they saw Xing Lan's rank climb to sixteenth place, smiles appeared on their faces.

"Xing Lan has surpassed younger brother Han Yu. It seems she has entered the Eleventh Desolate Region."

"With her Immortal Lord Realm second level cultivation, it's normal for her to step into the Eleventh Desolate Region. I wonder how long she can last in the Twelfth Desolate Region."

"Compared to her, it's that No. 996 rank that's slowing down in its climbing speed. It seems he's approaching his bottleneck."

"As far as I know, among those prodigies from sects who reached the Immortal Lord Realm within three thousand years of soul lifespan, none match this rank. He should be in the True Immortal Realm."

They chatted and discussed, with a gleam in their eyes, wanting to win over and recruit that No. 996, taking him as a favored retainer.

At the same time, within the Tenth Desolate Region.

Rumble~~!

Not long after Xing Lan left, thunder suddenly roared around them. Immediately afterward, a giant lightning whip, hundreds of meters in diameter, coiled and formed from the void not far away. The lightning light contained firelight, and the two origin powers intertwined, creating extremely terrifying destructive power through friction. Then, it swept horizontally towards the group.

The three members of the imperial family all paled, hastily using their movement techniques to dodge with all their might.

Li Hao's figure swayed, following a spatial rift, and silently遁走 [dùnzǒu – to flee stealthily] several kilometers away in the instant the lightning whip swept over.

Before he left, he saw one of the princes grazed by the lightning whip. A golden immortal fire shield suddenly emerged from his robes, enveloping him, but his body was still flung away.

"These imperial family members all have treasures…"

Li Hao's eyes flickered. For these imperial family members, making a name for themselves in the Southern Domain might not be as important as showing their faces before that Yan Chu Emperor.

He didn't think too much about it. When the Southern Domain Tournament arrived, many rule-breaking treasures would inevitably be prohibited. Otherwise, the so-called competition of geniuses would turn into a competition of treasures.

After all, these prodigies all had top-tier forces backing them, pulling out some top-tier immortal weapons, even Domain artifacts, wouldn't be a problem.

At that time, it would inevitably still come down to true skill.

Swoosh!

Several kilometers away, the surrounding space was chaotic. He was probably already very far from those princes.

Li Hao didn't linger here. That Third Prince Chu Xiangtian had said that passing through the Tenth Desolate Region would directly grant them a spot.

The fog wall in front of him was the biggest obstacle.

Just now, when Xing Lan cleaved open the fog wall, Li Hao sensed the danger within. He didn't belittle it, his expression solemn.

The power within his body slowly surged, and layer after layer of limit-breaking and final realm powers gradually unfolded.

Divine Blood Final Realm, All-Heaven Star Meridian Final Realm!

Primordial Spirit Fusion, Heaven and Earth Dharma Body Fusion!

Law Manifestation Heaven and Earth True Body!

As Li Hao's power revealed and adjusted, waves of thick and intense aura steadily rose from within him.

His Ancestral Immortal physique was also emitting terrifying power at this moment. The All-Heaven Star Meridian was actually drawing in the power of stars from outside, through the desolate region.

But Li Hao could feel that it wasn't as unrestrained as outside. The stellar energy reflected in was greatly reduced and hindered. The chaotic Great Dao and distorted space within this desolate region shattered this power, and in the end, only one-tenth reached his body!

For Li Hao, who was accustomed to squandering power, he now had to learn to conserve energy.

Immortalization!

Li Hao became one with Heaven and Earth, his power climbing another notch.

At the same time, the power of the Saint Minor Extremity Realm's Heavenly Dao prototype was also brewing within Li Hao.

As the shadow of the Heavenly Dao origin prototype emerged, the chaotic Great Dao origins around Li Hao instantly weakened significantly, as if intentionally avoiding Li Hao.

At this point, Li Hao was already radiating extremely strong power, but this power still wasn't enough to make him feel confident in breaking through the fog wall before him.

After all, this was a fog wall separating the True Immortal Realm tenth level and the Immortal Lord Realm. He must possess means exceeding the True Immortal Realm tenth level to break through it!

…

While Li Hao was accumulating power, on a certain hill deep within the Ancient Immortal Realm.

Two figures sat facing each other, a chessboard before them.

The two playing chess had vastly different temperaments. One was an old man with white hair and beard, elegant temperament, wearing simple gray robes, a wooden hairpin in his hair, appearing like a detached immortal from the mortal world.

The other was a middle-aged man in magnificent golden armor. His eyes were sharp, his temperament as deep and vast as an abyss, exuding a raging bloody aura. Beneath him was just a bluestone, yet he sat with the domineering ferocity of someone standing atop a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

The phenomena behind them were also different. One was elegant and gentle, like a spring day with blooming flowers in an immortal realm.

The other was permeated with scarlet, like a hell with countless ghosts wailing.

If Chu Xiangtian and the other princes in the high sky saw these two, they would hurriedly come to pay respects, because these two were figures within the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty whom only the Emperor could mobilize. Their status even surpassed the imperial bloodline. Even princes would have to bow their heads in awe before them!

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, the white-haired old man paused his withered hand that was about to place a chess piece, and turned his head to look. His gaze seemed to travel through tens of thousands of miles, seeing a certain desolate region.

There, a young man's figure was gathering strength, accumulating power.

"All-Heaven Star Meridian Final Realm…"

"Heavenly Dao nascent form… Where did this seedling come from?"

As he muttered to himself, the middle-aged general beside him also turned his head and fixed his gaze. But his gaze was extremely sharp, as if directly piercing through the void, like two golden pillars of light shooting out.

"Hmm? Only True Immortal Realm third level, and he's actually trying to break through the fog wall of the Tenth Desolate Region?"

The middle-aged general raised an eyebrow. Such courage, even the fiercest general in the army might not dare to do it.

But what caught his attention was that the other party had actually cultivated two types of Final Realm mastery, and even refined a Heavenly Dao nascent form. This was a good seedling even in the Immortal Lord Realm, let alone appearing in a True Immortal Realm cultivator.

"Interesting, I didn't expect such a seedling to appear this time. Compared to that Emperor's Meridian and Chaotic Immortal Maiden, this young man only has the phenomena of his own bloodline."

A smile played on the white-haired old man's lips. The two of them, having nothing to do in their leisure time, came here to supervise these princes, to prevent them from causing trouble and secretly manipulating things. They didn't expect to see something unexpectedly interesting.

"Good seedling, I want this kid. After the Southern Domain Tournament ends, I'll have him join the Chu Immortal Army, and I will personally command and lead him. In a thousand years, he will surely be another fierce general who shakes all directions!"

The golden-armored middle-aged man's eyes shone with light, and he decided on the spot to take Li Hao under his command.

For these sect disciples, being able to enter the Chu Immortal Army and become a Yan Chu fierce general, their status would even surpass that of the Sect Master of Heavenly Unity Sect. It was a rare and hard-to-come-by opportunity!

The white-haired old man smiled without speaking, saying, "The battlefield is too dangerous. I think he's more suitable for the National Surveillance Academy. I'll take him as a disciple and teach him how to stabilize the country and assist the Emperor."

"Hmph, without danger to ignite him, how can there be true warriors? You…"

The golden-armored middle-aged man obviously didn't agree, and was about to retort when suddenly, with a snap, the white-haired old man's chess piece fell, and he smiled, "Your turn."

The golden-armored middle-aged man glared, carefully examined the chessboard for a moment, and angrily said, "You're cheating."

The white-haired old man smiled without speaking, and glanced at the distant place, saying, "Although that young man has no prominent bloodline, his origins are not simple. His means of controlling immortal power remind me of some old friends…"

"Hmm?"

The golden-armored middle-aged man was slightly stunned, turning his head to fix his gaze and look over.

At this moment, in the Tenth Desolate Region.

Li Hao had already picked up the sword in his hand. He didn't use 梼杌 [Táowù - a mythical creature], but only used the True Treasure sword issued to 天院 [Tiānyuàn - Heavenly Courtyard] disciples.

In his opinion, this sword was already sufficient.

Many limit-breaking and final realm powers were activated. Except for the Nine-Petal Immortal Seal, which he hadn't yet used, Li Hao had already displayed his power to the extreme.

Ancestral Immortal physique, including the Heaven-Following Ancestral Scripture's Battle Heaven Control Technique!

This Battle Heaven Control Technique required mastering the Control Path at the eleventh stage to wield. Its strength was not at all inferior to the Ancestral Immortal physique.

Its exquisiteness in controlling immortal power was far beyond what other Control Techniques could compare to. Li Hao's immortal power condensed into lines. With his current Control Path, he could condense at most nine lines!

Nine lines of immortal power converged into one force and then tightened. Each additional line of immortal power tightened doubled the power. With nine lines of immortal power condensed, the instantly爆发 [bàofā – erupt, burst forth] immortal power, coupled with Li Hao's own True Immortal Realm third level and many limit-breaking powers, instantly broke through the immortal power that a True Immortal Realm tenth level perfect completion could unleash.

One sword, Azure Sky!

Sever!!

Li Hao abruptly swung his sword. The space before him seemed to be cleaved open. Immortal power slanted down. In an instant, the sword's edge, compressed to the extreme, cleaved open the fog wall.

Although it wasn't as understated as Xing Lan, Li Hao's cultivation was only at the True Immortal Realm third level!

As the fog wall tore apart, the lightning and thunder of Great Dao origins, as well as the crimson firelight and freezing ice, simultaneously revealed themselves, swarming towards Li Hao.

Li Hao's expression shifted again, and the sword light in his hand reversed its direction. My Sword Dao Alone, Break!

With a boom, the void tore apart like a fault line. My Sword Dao Alone—all within my sight shall be severed!

The many Great Dao origins shattered. Li Hao's figure took one step forward, and then traversed across!

Using True Immortal Realm third level cultivation, breaking through the Tenth Desolate Region, crossing over into the Eleventh Desolate Region that only Immortal Lord Realm experts could set foot in!

(End of chapter)