Chapter 489: Making a Name for Oneself

As Chu Xiangtian's words faded, the black ancient immortal monument suddenly trembled slightly. Immediately afterward, at the very top of the monument, the golden number "One" at the head of the sequence instantly transformed into a beam of dazzling golden light, illuminating the crowd below.

The beam landed, piercing through to the frontmost area of the royal family's territory, and settled upon an old man with a wizened face and hunched figure.

The old man was clad in a golden swallow-dragon imperial robe. Within a radius of several dozen feet around him, no other royal family members dared to approach.

Now, bathed in the golden light, the old man's expression remained utterly serene as he slowly soared towards the ancient immortal platform.

"Is that Chu Tianhuang, the one ranked first?"

"To think he'd have such an aged appearance! With his power, maintaining a youthful, even boyish, appearance would be effortless, wouldn't it?"

"You know nothing. He's already transcended the pursuit of mere appearances."

"You're wrong. I heard he's cultivating an extremely special technique. This appearance might actually be more in line with his Dao heart."

"Is this the Great Yan Chu's number one prodigy? I heard he's only a little over two thousand five hundred in soul age, yet he's already leagues ahead of everyone else in the Desolate Domain."

"I haven't seen him at all for so long."

Disciples from various sects all looked up, gazing at the old man enveloped in golden light, astonishment in their eyes.

Before seeing him in person, everyone had heard of the number one name and it was like thunder in their ears. They had imagined a peerless and dashing young figure, never expecting such an aged appearance.

However, a soul age of just over two thousand years was definitely considered young and tender. If he wished, he could easily revert to a child-like appearance at any time.

Following the first beam of golden light, the golden number "Two" on the immortal monument also transformed into a thick beam of golden light, shooting towards another location.

That location was where the Bamboo Rain Pavilion sect was situated. Within their sect, an elder had erected a Dao domain, encompassing all disciples to prevent their conversations from being eavesdropped.

Yet, at this moment, the golden light shone upon the Dao domain and directly pierced through it, enveloping a white-clad youth who looked like snow.

The youth wore a sword at his waist, with a face like jade, sword-like eyebrows reaching his temples, so handsome he was hard to distinguish as male or female. His lips were red and vibrant, his complexion pale white. The soil beneath his feet was scorched crimson red, yet he gave off an icy cold feeling, as if from a frozen cavern.

"That's Boya Xuejian, rumored to be a Chaos creature, without father or mother, an incredibly terrifying prodigy!"

"If not for Chu Tianhuang, he would utterly overshadow the entire Yan Chu royal family. Truly terrifying!"

"A Chaos creature… there's no comparison, no comparison."

"Even ancient imperial bloodlines can't compare, let alone our mortal bodies."

The crowd murmured in discussion, solemnity in their eyes.

Within the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Pavilion, all disciples couldn't help but turn their gazes towards a snow-clothed young figure.

Tian Hongyi.

This was their Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Pavilion's chief disciple, renowned like thunder. At this moment, he was ranked sixth!

Soon, the golden beam would illuminate this senior brother, making him known throughout the world.

"I want to see exactly who that tenth person is!"

Unnoticed by anyone, Zhang Xuanyu's face was grim as he stared intently at the immortal monument, wanting to see where the golden light of the tenth rank would shine.

At this moment, as Boya Xuejian also ascended to the immortal platform, the golden number "Three" in the sequence also shone, revealing a royal family member. He was dignified and imposing, middle-aged in appearance, but his eyes radiated authority like thunder.

Following him were fourth, fifth…

Accompanied by the golden light shining forth, cheers erupted from within the Star Constellation Pavilion.

The golden light for the fifth rank landed upon Xing Lan. Her exquisitely beautiful and graceful figure seemed to lose weight, floating into the air.

Lowering her head to exchange glances with her master and familiar senior and junior siblings within the sect, Xing Lan's expression was calm as she gracefully flew towards the immortal platform.

"That Xing Lan, I heard she was nurtured from an ancient tree within the Chaos Stars, a naturally born Dao body, also an incredibly terrifying prodigy."

"In terms of background, she's not too far behind that Boya Xuejian."

"I wonder which level of the Desolate Domain they've all reached."

"Being able to cultivate to the Immortal Lord Realm within three thousand years of soul age, they are all undoubtedly top-tier prodigies. My distant cousin is forty thousand years old in soul age and hasn't even broken through that threshold yet."

Disciples from various sects all revealed looks of yearning in their eyes. Most of them had cultivated to the tenth level of the True Immortal Realm, but there were differences in the foundations of each realm between them, resulting in significant disparities in combat power.

And the gap between the tenth level of the True Immortal Realm and the Immortal Lord Realm, seemingly just a single threshold, could stop millions of people.

As the golden light continued to shine, this time it shot towards the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Pavilion's location.

Countless gazes followed, focusing there, watching as Tian Hongyi, dressed in white as snow, rose into the air, carrying the glory of the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Pavilion, and ascended the immortal platform.

"I heard the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Pavilion has two prodigies this time. Besides Tian Hongyi, Zhang Xuanyu, ranked eleventh, is also a terrifying prodigy. He was originally in the top ten, but unfortunately got squeezed out."

"The foundation of the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Pavilion is truly strong, to be able to nurture two geniuses of this level."

"Of course, all the sword cultivators of the entire Yan Chu are concentrated in the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Pavilion. Although other sects have sword techniques, how can they compare to the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Pavilion?"

"The Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Pavilion is the sacred land of sword cultivators!"

The crowd discussed, and some sword cultivators from other sects couldn't help but reveal a yearning look in their eyes, filled with longing.

Li Tiemu and Zhou Qingyun and others, upon hearing these words, immediately had a slight change in their expressions. No one mentioned the Sword Abyss of the Great Dream Nine Abyss. Compared to the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Pavilion, the Sword Abyss was just a branch of the Great Dream Nine Abyss, and even inferior to the Spear Abyss in terms of foundation, seemingly forgotten and ignored by people.

"Our Sword Abyss also possesses Emperor Sword Intent. Our Sword Abyss Ancestor once received guidance from an Immortal Emperor, but unfortunately, no one knows anymore."

Li Tiemu's eyes revealed a sigh, and also resentment.

"Ten thousand years is too long, too much has been forgotten and obscured. No matter how much we proclaim it, no one believes it." Zhou Qingyun shook his head.

The old woman, hearing their laments, couldn't help but slightly roll her eyes, then her gaze softened as she looked at Li Hao, saying:

"What can be obscured are merely the noisy clamors. When superficiality is washed away and time settles, what ultimately remains are the real things. Hasn't our Sword Abyss also produced a prodigy? Not a Chaos creature, nor an imperial blood descendant, yet he can still break into the top ten!"

Hearing her words, everyone in the Sword Abyss turned to look at Li Hao, their gazes complex.

At this very moment, they truly felt how significant it was for this youth to take the tenth rank for the sect.

Perhaps still not comparable to that Tian Hongyi, but that tenth rank was enough to issue a shout to the people of the entire Yan Chu, telling them that besides the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Pavilion, there are still top-tier sword cultivators in the world, and there are still sects capable of nurturing top-tier sword cultivators!

Gu Yan slightly clenched his fist. As a descendant of the ancient immortal lineage, with a natural sword immortal body, he should have been the ultimate prodigy in sword Dao, and he should have been the one to bear this responsibility.

Although he had come to cultivate in the Great Dream Nine Abyss and didn't yet have deep feelings for this sect, at this moment, seeing someone else shoulder this responsibility, he felt a bit of an unpleasant taste in his mouth.

Was he too weak? Or was he not working hard enough?

Foundation, background, he was top-tier in both. Could it be that his comprehension was insufficient?

His fists tightened even further.

At this moment, amidst the clamor, Tian Hongyi of the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Pavilion also ascended the magnificent immortal platform. Immediately following him was the seventh rank, another royal family member.

Bathed in golden light, it turned out to be a royal princess with an enchanting figure, carrying the imperial princess's majesty that suppressed all beneath the heavens and an innate nobility in her bones. She swept her gaze across the various sects, then calmly soared onto the immortal platform.

Then came the eighth, ninth… respectively from the other two of the five Great Heavenly Unity Sects, the Tide Sect and the Phantom Sea Gate.

Among the top ten, besides the top prodigies from the five Great Heavenly Unity Sects, the remaining four were all from the royal family, sufficient to demonstrate the strength and profound foundation of the Yan Chu royal bloodline.

"It's your turn!"

"Let me see just who it is!"

As the Phantom Sea Gate disciple ranked ninth flew onto the immortal platform, Zhang Xuanyu's gaze suddenly locked onto the identity of the tenth rank.

Golden light shone, the people on the battle stage immortal platform seemed to have a great wind blowing around them, ruffling their hair and robes. They also quietly looked down at the scene outside the platform.

They saw the golden light for the tenth rank on the immortal monument suddenly shoot out like lightning, traversing the vast distance, drawing an arc, and falling into a location in the center of the crowd.

This location was precisely where the Great Dream Nine Abyss was situated.

The golden light penetrated the Dao domain barrier erected by Li Tiemu, enveloping Li Hao.

The golden light seemed to coat the youth's entire body in a layer of dazzling gold leaf, as radiant and brilliant as a deity.

Standing beside Li Hao, Yue Xi and Gu Yan and others couldn't help but be forced back several steps by the imposing power emanating from the golden light. Others also scattered slightly.

Li Hao felt the ranking token at his waist slightly heat up, knowing it was the token's guidance that allowed the immortal monument to lock onto him.

"Hmm?"

"That is… the Great Dream Nine Abyss? A Heavenly Fourth-tier Sect?!"

From within the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Pavilion, Zhang Xuanyu's pupils suddenly shot out beams of shocked light, staring at the youth enveloped in golden light.

When he sensed the aura emanating from the youth, his shocked eyes widened again, his pupils nearly splitting apart, his face filled with utter astonishment.

A Heavenly Fourth-tier sect… it would be one thing for a phoenix to be born from a chicken coop, but that phoenix is actually only in the True Immortal Realm?!

"It's him?"

It wasn't just Zhang Xuanyu who was shocked. Cui Yuesheng, one of the elders of the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Pavilion, similarly narrowed his eyes, looking at the youth in golden light in disbelief.

He had a very deep impression of the youth's appearance.

Nine echoes of the Heart-Questioning Bell, top-tier Dao heart. Three or four years ago, he was only just entering the True Immortal Realm, yet three years ago, he was able to come here representing the Great Dream Nine Abyss to participate in the war.

Now, this person actually rushed to the tenth rank on the immortal monument?!

His mouth hung slightly open, as if he had swallowed a goose egg, in utter disbelief.

Suddenly thinking of something, he turned his head to look at Zhang Xuanyu behind him, seeing the other's appearance of being stunned and lost, he then recovered a little, but his face was still filled with disbelief.

In just three or four short years, this person actually suppressed a prodigy like Zhang Xuanyu, and moreover, he was in the True Immortal Realm!

"It's him?!"

On the other side, from within the Phantom Sea Gate, Huo Xiaoqi stared blankly at the beam of golden light.

He never would have thought that the figure in the golden light would actually be that youth!

He had really come here, and moreover, that ranking within the top ten, he was also the only True Immortal Realm cultivator in the top ten!

If only considering True Immortal Realm combat power, wouldn't this person be considered the number one of the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty?!

"Qi Ling, what's wrong?"

Beside him, Huo Xiaoqi's master asked in confusion, "Do you know that person?"

Huo Xiaoqi snapped back to his senses. His real name was Huo Qiling.

"No, nothing."

Huo Qiling hastily shook his head, but in his heart, the Immortal Ranking from the border region surfaced, and his heart suddenly churned with tumultuous waves.

No one knew that this youth, in the border region, was also the renowned Insect Two on the Immortal Merit Ranking!

"He's from the Great Dream Nine Abyss, so he's from the Great Dream Nine Abyss… Then the Great Dream Nine Abyss this time, wouldn't it be…"

Huo Qiling's eyes were dazed. He suddenly felt that the格局 (格局 - general structure or pattern) of the five Great Heavenly Unity Sects, which had persisted for tens of thousands of years, might undergo a major change after this Southern Domain Battle!

Whoosh!

Bathed in golden light, Li Hao flew to the ancient immortal platform.

Landing on the platform, Li Hao looked at the people around him. When he saw a pair of beautiful eyes widened, looking at him with an unbelievable gaze, he responded with a smile.

And the owner of these beautiful eyes was precisely Xing Lan.

She stared blankly at Li Hao. Her expression, which had always been calm and collected, was now somewhat unable to maintain its composure.

This kid? Tenth rank?

Fragments of her memories from the border region—fighting and killing, escorting him—instantly surfaced in her mind. Her gaze flickered, and finally, she revealed a look of daze and then understanding.

No wonder he dared to venture into the border region in the True Immortal Realm third level. Three years ago, he had already rushed into the 19th rank, he must have broken through the tenth Desolate Domain.

This guy… Xing Lan came back to her senses. Besides complexity in her eyes, suddenly there was a sense of being deceived and some slight anger, and she slightly glared at him.

Li Hao saw the change in her eyes, immediately feeling somewhat inexplicable, only offering a helpless smile.

"True Immortal Realm."

At this moment, a slightly questioning voice rang out.

It was the noble royal princess who was ranked seventh earlier, looking at Li Hao with a hint of haughtiness.

Her gaze revealed indifference, coldness, and an innate air of superiority. Looking down slightly, she said:

"Not even reaching the True Immortal Realm completion stage. Did you rely on your own ability to rush to tenth rank?"

Others also turned their gazes, including Chu Tianhuang, the old man who had ascended first, and Boya Xuejian beside him. The former had a calm expression, turning his head to look over, while the latter looked purely curious, his eyes clear, seemingly just purely curious.

"More or less."

Li Hao swept his gaze over their expressions, casually replying to the royal princess, then no longer looked at her.

The royal princess slightly raised her eyebrows, a sneer appearing at the corner of her mouth, but she didn't say anything more.

No matter how he managed to get here, when the Southern Domain Battle arrived, everything would be revealed.

As Li Hao ascended the platform, the tremors on the immortal monument suddenly quieted down.

Chu Xiangtian's gaze also fell on Li Hao. He also hadn't expected that the identity sequence that had astonished them earlier would actually be from a Heavenly Fourth-tier sect, and moreover, a True Immortal Realm cultivator!

Three years ago, this person had used a rushing speed comparable to the Immortal Lord Realm to break into the tenth Desolate Domain. Was this something a True Immortal Realm cultivator could accomplish?

As for hiding his cultivation… he couldn't see anything on Li Hao. He was in the Immortal Lord Realm completion stage. If the other person could hide and disguise himself under his nose, that would be even more terrifying!

"Open!"

Chu Xiangtian didn't say anything, but raised his hand and pointed.

In an instant, figures in black robes of the State Surveillance Bureau came flying from afar.

They gathered in the sky above the platform, a total of thirty-six people, dispersing and standing in a circle.

As the immortal power in their bodies surged, their Heaven and Earth Dharma forms emerged behind them, majestic like deities, standing tall between heaven and earth.

(End of chapter)