Chapter 313: Betrayal, the Pinnacle of Unity
The divine intent emanated an air of detachment, as if imparting profound teachings to all beneath it. It loomed high above, gazing down upon the mortal realm with an air of supreme authority.
However, a strand of the Heavenly Venerate's will stood above even this, its indifferent and ruthless aura looking down upon all living beings with absolute dominance.
"Hm?"
A faint sense of surprise seemed to emanate from the divine intent.
Suddenly, the Heavenly Venerate's will descended with overwhelming force, severing the divine intent that spanned millions of miles!
As the divine intent faded, only a surging power remained in the space.
Once again, Li Hao's newly condensed body was torn apart by the chaotic forces, shattering into countless fragments.
But soon, he regenerated once more from a single drop of blood. As long as a single drop remained, he could not die—this was the power of the Triple Immortal Realm.
Seizing the opportunity presented by the severed divine intent, Li Hao swiftly gathered himself and entered the Extreme Fairy State. Then, he fled at full speed toward the distance.
However, the surrounding chaotic space made it impossible to discern directions. Even with the heightened perception of the Extreme Fairy State, Li Hao felt like he was adrift in a river, unable to find a shore. The space around him seemed to shift and change constantly.
The gate to the fairyland, which had been right before him earlier, now seemed inaccessible, separated by layers of spatial barriers.
Li Hao's heart was filled with both surprise and anger as he frantically activated various body-refining techniques.
When he had been summoned by Chu Jiuyue earlier, he had indeed entered the Enlightenment Realm, but he had not yet completed his cultivation. His power had not fully transformed, and there were still many body-refining techniques he had not mastered to temper his physical body.
At this moment, with the surging power of the heavens, Li Hao abruptly began to cultivate the Primordial Dao Body.
Vast power coursed through his body, and this incomplete art was now propelled to the Dao level by Li Hao's insights. It allowed him to cultivate the Supreme Dao Body, briefly incarnating the Dao itself, becoming imperceptible, undetectable, and immune to harm or destruction!
As he cultivated this art, Li Hao's flesh and blood were also refined and enhanced, and his physical strength gradually increased.
He concealed his presence with the Supreme Dao Body while searching for an escape route in this chaotic space.
However, before long, a will suddenly enveloped him—it was the same divine intent that had been severed earlier.
But this time, in addition to its indifferent nature, there was a clear hint of anger in its emotions.
It was unimaginable that its own Saint's will had been severed! Moreover, the Dao thought that had cut off his will was vast and boundless, seemingly not the will of an individual, but the collective might of the entire sky pressing down upon him.
This was a power that even it could not comprehend.
As the divine intent descended, it quickly captured Li Hao's trail through its understanding of the Void Dao.
Despite Li Hao's extreme concealment and incarnation of the Dao, he had still been detected.
If it had been the will of another Saint, they might not have been able to perceive it.
To actually incarnate the Dao and cultivate such profound Dao power…this one truly deserves death!
A loud bang reverberated as a vast power swept through the area, once again aiming to annihilate Li Hao.
Li Hao, realizing he had been detected, felt both startled and furious. He couldn't believe that the Saint was still unwilling to let him go.
Roaring with anger, he condensed his will into the Heavenly Venerate's will and slashed out at the incoming attack.
"Whose will is this?!"
The divine intent was abruptly severed once more, and it seemed genuinely enraged. Without the guidance of the divine intent, the power followed the original anchor point and soon affected Li Hao's body.
Li Hao quickly activated the Supreme Dao Body, becoming one with the Dao and howling like the wind. Even in this form, his body was still cleaved apart.
The Dao could not be obliterated, but it could be divided, just as Li Hao had previously slain six existences at the Dao Fa realm. With sufficient oppressive power, the Dao could be parted like a flowing stream. This was not considered annihilation, even if it was shattered into countless pieces with no connection to each other; they would not disappear.
Li Hao hurriedly regenerated his body once more and entered the Extreme Fairy State, using his heightened perception to search for an escape route in the chaotic space.
If he stayed here, he would eventually be found.
However, before Li Hao could catch his breath, the severed divine intent suddenly coalesced once again.
And this time, it was not just the divine intent; there was also a vague figure in the void—a projection of the Saint's true body.
"Hmph!"
A cold huff sounded, and the vague figure abruptly raised its hand. This time, the killing intent was even stronger, and the surrounding void seemed to tighten like a noose. Countless chaotic void blades, like hurricanes, swept toward Li Hao.
Li Hao's eyes widened in anger as he brandished the Merit Dao Sword and slashed out violently.
The sword energy rippled like a mighty river, shaking the chaotic void. However, it was overwhelmed by the opposing chaotic power, which pressed down relentlessly.
Li Hao quickly condensed a strand of Heavenly Venerate's will and slashed at the projection.
But this time, the vague figure was prepared. It raised its hand, and the power around it isolated it, creating layers of space that delayed the descent of the Heavenly Venerate's will.
However, the Heavenly Venerate's will seemed to transcend space and time, and despite these obstacles, it still accurately suppressed the figure.
The vague figure trembled and was about to dissipate, but the divine intent supporting it was pinned down, and this time, it did not dissipate immediately. With the support of the void projection, it endured.
Nevertheless, Li Hao's actions had thoroughly enraged it.
Countless violent vortices surged in the void, rushing toward Li Hao to devour him.
Li Hao felt like he was in the midst of a vast ocean, and the other party was the master of this void sea, capable of commanding the winds and waves and controlling all.
"Shatter!"
Li Hao roared with eyes wild, his determination soaring to the heavens. Having endured countless tribulations, he was not about to perish here.
In the face of this divine might, he shed no tears, and against the countless demons beyond the pass, he had shed no blood. Yet, at this moment, his will erupted, his spiritual power and control over the world surging to their absolute limits.
Boom!
He channeled the power of the void, cleaving through the surrounding vortices with all his might.
The vortices tore apart, but in the next instant, more violent void storms swept towards him, an endless onslaught.
Even a mere wisp of a Saint's will, manifested as an avatar, possessed strength and skill far surpassing that of the Dao Fa realm by dozens of times!
Puh!
Li Hao's physical body was torn asunder, his flesh and blood rent by the void's power, unable to withstand the assault. His body lay in pieces.
Even though he had transformed into the Dao and merged with the world, this void power could still cleave through the very heavens and earth themselves—such was the might of a Saint's attack!
Li Hao desperately cycled through various Dao-level body-refining techniques, attempting to resist the corrosive power, but his body was still torn to shreds.
His blood and bones were scattered, and intense pain coursed through his consciousness. Yet, at this moment, his consciousness was dominated by that wisp of Heavenly Venerate's will, suppressing all else, including his own suffering.
Mustering his remaining strength, he gathered the remnants of his body, regenerating from a single drop of blood.
However, at that moment, the vague avatar sensed Li Hao's intention. Having witnessed Li Hao's survival tactics twice before, the avatar suddenly raised a hand. The void rippled like a boiling cauldron, and countless razor-sharp void blades tore through Li Hao's scattered remains.
His blood, scattered far and wide, was obliterated without a trace.
Li Hao's consciousness trembled with shock and fear. The Saint intended to annihilate every last shred of his flesh and blood, erasing him from existence!
Although he could regenerate from a single drop of blood, if he had none left, death was inevitable!
Since his encounter in the Abyss, Li Hao had never found himself in such a dire situation, and this was merely a Saint's avatar.
He had thought that the difference between the Enlightenment Realm and the Saint realm was but a single realm apart. But now, Li Hao felt like there was an insurmountable gulf between them. In the face of a Saint, all else was but insignificant ants; even the Enlightenment Realm was but a slightly larger ant, devoid of any real power to resist.
From within his battered body, Li Hao suddenly unleashed his Dao Domain, a forty-nine-fold domain that instantly expanded like an absolute territory.
However, in the next moment, this domain was infiltrated and gradually shredded by the unstoppable void power. The ultimate laws contained within the void, refined to their pinnacle, sliced through the domain as if it were a thick book, slowly tearing it open!
"Hm?"
A hint of surprise surfaced in the vague avatar's Saintly intent, evidently caught off guard by Li Hao's plethora of techniques. Forty-nine-fold Dao Domain—that was a bit excessive.
With such diligence, if he had focused his energy on cultivating his realm, he might have even had a chance to walk the path of the Sacrificial Dao.
Boom!
More void power surged forward, engulfing Li Hao.
He watched helplessly as his Dao Domain was invaded and torn apart, unable to stop the onslaught. At this point, he had only one last trump card left.
His consciousness rushed into his sea of consciousness, activating the Saint's imprint!
Buzz! The silver-gray imprint seemed to unfold within his sea of consciousness, releasing a profound and vast aura.
Li Hao's impression of the Saint who had bestowed this imprint was deeply etched in his mind—a figure seated in a divine realm, surrounded by divine mist and encircled by the Dao, untouched by mortal dust.
Now, he could only seek aid from that Saint.
He had hesitated to activate this imprint earlier because he wanted to rely on his own strength as much as possible and avoid further indebtedness. But now, he had no other choice.
"Hm?"
As Li Hao's body emanated the Saint's aura, the vague avatar frowned slightly and intensified its attacks, aiming to swiftly eradicate Li Hao.
However, as the imprint was activated, the hazy aura enveloped Li Hao's body, shielding him from a portion of the assault.
At the same time, a blurry figure appeared before Li Hao's eyes—it was the Saint who had granted him the imprint.
"Save me," Li Hao pleaded urgently.
The Saint noticed Li Hao and seemed surprised. "You're not dead yet?"
"What?" Li Hao froze, feeling as if his brain had just been struck by lightning. He stared at the Saint, bewildered by his words.
The figure seemed to be separated by endless void, its features blurred and indistinct, yet its voice carried clearly.
"You..." Li Hao felt his mind growing chaotic, unsure what to make of the Saint's words.
However, the Saint paid him no further heed and instead turned his attention to the distant Void Saint's avatar, a hint of curiosity in his eyes as he quickly assessed the situation. "You're being hunted? Well, that's convenient. I had intended to take you under my wing and slowly cripple your cultivation, but now it seems that won't be necessary."
"Yang Saint?" The Void Saint's avatar recognized the figure that Li Hao had summoned.
Saints lived long lives, and it was evident that they knew each other.
"Void Saint, what grudge could you possibly hold against this insignificant junior to incite your killing intent? Do you have some enmity with the Ji family?" The figure addressed as the Yang Saint asked curiously, his words also serving to probe the Void Saint's intentions.
And upon hearing the other party's words, Li Hao felt a chill run from the top of his head to his toes, suddenly becoming clear-headed.
However, what followed was a surge of shock and fury.
Everything was too abrupt. Previously, he hadn't detected even a hint of this, thinking that he held a trump card in hand.
But now, it seemed that the offer of apprenticeship was just a facade?
Moreover, from the sound of it, the Saint before him seemed to have a grudge against the Ji family?
Could it be that the imprint was meant to kill him?!
"So he's of the Ji family bloodline, I see..." The Void Saint's incarnation understood upon hearing the other party's words, and the hostility in his eyes lessened significantly.
He knew that this Yang Saint had a significant grudge against the founder of the Ji family. Later, when the Yang Saint perished, he reincarnated and severed his ties with his past life, even beyond the calculations of other Saints. Unless his reincarnation awakened his past life's memories and re-cultivated to the Saint realm, there would be no way to uncover his identity.
"Since that's the case, I can take care of this brat. I assume you won't stand in my way, Yang Saint?"
The Void Saint's incarnation said calmly.
"Of course not. On the contrary, you're doing me a favor. Even if you don't make a move, I would have taken care of him myself. This is no longer the territory of the Ji family, nor is it the mortal realm. Killing him here won't alert the Ji family."
The Yang Saint's incarnation replied with interest: "I'm just curious as to how this junior managed to offend you."
"He injured my saintly son. He deserves death."
The Void Saint's incarnation gave a terse response.
He did not disclose that this was the Ji family's Extreme Dao Tablet test, nor that the young man before them had reached the Seventh Extreme. If this news were to spread, it would shake the entire Saints' Land. Although he knew that the news had been witnessed by the Primordial Saint Land and the Celestial Phoenix Saint Land, and thus couldn't be hidden, he intended to eradicate Li Hao before the news could spread, reducing everything to nothing.
A dazzling talent that surprises the world may be talked about for a while, but eventually, it will fade away like smoke and be buried in the dust of time.
If he were to reveal this information now, there was no guarantee that things wouldn't take an unexpected turn, giving rise to other ideas.
"I see."
Upon hearing this, the Yang Saint didn't think further into it. Aside from this, he couldn't fathom how Li Hao could have offended a Saint.
"Then, I'll leave it to you."
As the Yang Saint turned to leave, he glanced at Li Hao and seemed to smile faintly. "You were going to ask me for help? Didn't you ever consider why I was the first to appear after the Ji family's Extreme Dao Tablet test? Would you consider someone who frequently loiters outside your home to be a neighbor or an enemy?"
"Hmph... The Ji family, I will make sure they never rise again!"
He coldly smiled as his figure gradually dissipated before Li Hao's eyes, without a care in the world about whether Li Hao would survive.
After all, with the personal involvement of a Saint's incarnation, even a genius like Li Hao stood no chance.
Seeing the other party dissipate without making a move against him, Li Hao felt a mix of shock and anger, along with a slight relief.
He had thought that he was calling for reinforcements, but it had almost turned out to be a dead end!
Saint... Saint... Li Hao clenched his fists, his anger indescribable.
During their conversation, he had quietly healed his body and also come to understand the sinister intentions behind the imprint.
The other party was an enemy of the Ji family's founder, keeping a close eye on the family. The Extreme Dao Tablet test was the best way to showcase a genius's talent, and if a true monster were to be born in the Ji family, it would surely catch this Saint's attention. By then, under the pretext of apprenticeship, he would be luring his prey into a trap!
It was all a conspiracy, a scheme devised by a Saint, who chose not to exterminate the Ji family but instead doomed them to a fate worse than death, with no hope of advancement unless this Saint perished!
In the face of a Saint, one could only bow their heads in submission, thinking they had a future when, in reality, they were living a hopeless life.
At this moment, Li Hao felt a twinge of relief that he had too many things he wanted to do and hadn't been hasty earlier. If he had rashly activated this imprint and sought apprenticeship, things would have turned out differently.
Given his previous situation in the mortal realm, the other party would have surely taken him in first, only to lead him astray and cripple his cultivation, or directly kill him.
There was nothing more satisfying and reassuring than keeping your enemy's offspring under your watch, having them work for you.
How insidious and venomous! Li Hao also realized that Saints were not without desires; their ambitions were simply beyond imagination!
However, thinking about this now was useless. His gaze fell upon the Void Saint's incarnation, his eyes filled with anger that turned heavy and slightly ferocious.
"That was your last resort, I assume. Now, die."
The Void Saint spoke indifferently, as if pronouncing Li Hao's death sentence.
He didn't beat around the bush; as his words fell, the power of the surrounding void surged like boiling water, transforming into countless sharp blades that squeezed towards Li Hao, unstoppable.
Li Hao's eyes blazed with anger and killing intent. At this point, he could only bet everything on creating an opportunity for himself.
But did he really have such an opportunity?
Li Hao didn't know, but he knew that he couldn't just die like this.
"Saints, if I don't die, I swear I'll crush your Saint Lands and tear your heads off!"
Li Hao's eyes turned red, and he roared with rage. His body-refining techniques rapidly activated, his bones creaking as his flesh and blood power condensed and increased.
His physical strength gradually approached a million jin, and although it couldn't compare to the power of the heavens and the earth that he could now wield, his pure physical strength enhanced his body in various ways, greatly impacting his ability to manipulate and endure heavenly power.
Boom! !
Li Hao roared and swung his sword, his arms reddened with blood, quickly mobilizing the power of the world and slashing out fiercely.
The sword energy arched like a rainbow, instantly shattering two vortices, then tearing straight through.
But at the same time, countless more void vortices attacked, slashing his body and leaving gaping wounds.
Behind Li Hao, a series of afterimages appeared, the result of various body-refining techniques. His bones twitched and transformed, his fleshly power increased, and his self-healing abilities enhanced. Yet, these void blades were too sharp to be stopped, and even with the forty-nine-fold enhancement of his Dao Domain, he could only slow their assault.
"Void Extinction Palm!"
Seeing Li Hao stubbornly persisting, the Void Saint's incarnation narrowed his eyes, and his hand suddenly rose. The surrounding void power converged, transforming into a black hole-like palm that crushed towards Li Hao.
The Dao Domain touched the void palm and quickly collapsed, ground to pieces.
Li Hao angrily swung his sword, but the vast power of the world that he mobilized was swallowed and absorbed upon touching the void palm; he couldn't even slow its advance.
Li Hao glared, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets. His meridians ruptured, and he roared as he pushed his body to its limits!
Boom! !
He swung his sword with all his might, his blood and flesh contracting and tightening. Numerous body-refining techniques rapidly cycled, causing his body to undergo a rapid transformation.
Dazzling sword light slashed out, colliding with the void palm.
The void trembled, and the laws became chaotic. Countless blades cut and sliced at Li Hao's body.
Meanwhile, even more powerful blades surged from the surrounding void, showing no signs of stopping or being hindered by Li Hao's previous attack.
His body was torn apart, wounds appearing one after another.
Li Hao's flesh twitched and convulsed as it healed. His physical strength gradually approached the million-jin mark, and although it couldn't compare to the power of the heavens and earth that he could now wield, his pure physical strength enhanced his body in various ways, greatly impacting his ability to manipulate and endure heavenly power.