Chapter 330: Acquired Dao Seed, A Wanderer's Challenge
The arrival of the Swordmaster astonished all the disciples present.
The Swordmaster was extremely mysterious, residing in the Sword Tower for many years. Most disciples never had the chance to meet him when they visited the Sword Tower to choose manuals. They had only heard his name but rarely saw his appearance.
At this moment, the Swordmaster's voice was clear and indifferent, each word striking like water droplets falling onto stone, echoing in everyone's ears.
"Twenty-eight years old?"
"A disciple of the Supreme Saint's sect?!"
As soon as they comprehended the Swordmaster's words, the once noisy discussions quieted down again.
All the disciples below the platform were in shock, doubting what they had just heard. The young man on the platform was only twenty-eight years old?!
He had cultivated for less than thirty years, yet his swordsmanship surpassed the Holy Son of Haoyue. And without even displaying his peak strength, he defeated him purely through swordsmanship.
What kind of monstrous talent was this?!
Bian Ruxue, Qiu Wuhen, and others were also stunned. Qiu Wuhen's eyes widened slightly. Today, seeing his usual fishing companion reveal himself as a peerless swordsman was already shocking enough. But to learn that the other was younger than him?
How could this be possible?
He often encountered Li Hao while fishing. With such swordsmanship at this age, besides practicing day and night, he could think of no other possibility.
Yet the other always seemed so relaxed.
"Twenty-eight years old, only one year older than the Holy Maiden Xue'er?"
"But his swordsmanship has already entered the Dao. It is already extremely difficult to reach the Dao Comprehension Realm by twenty-eight, not to mention understanding such swordsmanship."
"Even with a Dao Heart and Dao Body, achieving such swift comprehension shouldn't be possible, right?"
Numerous Holy Sons and Holy Maidens were visibly shocked. Swordsmanship like this, if cultivated over a century, would be acceptable. But achieving it in just twenty-eight years seemed too exaggerated.
Bian Ruxue was also stunned. Aside from her childhood, this was the first time she had encountered someone of her age with such monstrous talent. Yet the other party's strength was far beyond her reach. She knew she couldn't withstand that sword strike; it was close to the one sword she had always been pursuing.
On the high platform, several semi-saint elders were moved. The Swordmaster would not lie. He must have measured the other party with the Bone Reflection Mirror, but the fact that Li Hao was of such a young age genuinely surprised them.
The Sword Saint glanced at the Swordmaster, understanding his meaning.
He slightly narrowed his eyes, a contemplative look in them. Forming a good relationship wasn't out of the question.
However, such a monstrous individual being hunted by a Saint and ending up here indicated that the situation was likely quite complex.
"Since he is a disciple of the Supreme Saint's sect, today's sparring between you two shall end here. If there is further interest in the future, settle it during the Supreme Heaven's Chosen Battle, where you may go all out."
The Sword Saint spoke, defining the clash between the Holy Son of Haoyue and Li Hao as sparring. This was also to restore the reputation of the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land. Otherwise, if Haoyue had fought with all his strength and still been easily defeated by Li Hao, many disciples of the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land would be left in despair.
Upon hearing his master's words, the dazed expression of the Holy Son of Haoyue cleared up, a complex look flashing in his eyes.
He knew full well what his master was trying to do, but at this moment, he felt suffocated.
If Li Hao had been a few hundred years old, it wouldn't have mattered if he lost, as he'd eventually surpass today's standard by the time he reached that age.
But in this battle, he had already given almost everything, yet still lost—utterly. And the other party was even younger than him.
To have his master lie for him made him feel both ashamed and humiliated.
Li Hao understood the Sword Saint's intentions and naturally wouldn't expose him. Otherwise, it would be too harsh a blow.
After all, this was their territory, and he had no choice but to bow his head.
Beside him, Lin Qingying was bewildered. She never expected that the person she had casually picked up was actually a disciple of the Supreme Saint. It was like picking up a piece of scrap, only to discover it was a piece of gold.
With the Sword Saint's words, the drama finally came to an end.
All the disciples returned to their senses, their expressions varied.
Whether the Holy Son of Haoyue had fought with his full strength or not, no one knew, but his Heaven and Earth Dharma form had been displayed, at least a significant part of it, and yet he was still defeated. This alone demonstrated how terrifying Li Hao was.
Such a person would undoubtedly shine brightly in the future.
In the floating seats, the alchemists such as Lin Shanhai were in an uproar.
"Qingfeng is actually a disciple of the Supreme Saint? How did he master such a technique for purifying medicinal herbs?"
"Is he a swordsman or an alchemist?"
"Old Lin, didn't you say his ancestors were alchemists? And you were so sure of it."
Zhao Yingzhen and the others were equally stunned by Li Hao's display of strength. At this moment, they turned to Lin Shanhai, teasing him.
Lin Shanhai was speechless. How was he supposed to know?
But when he thought back, every time he had asked Li Hao, that rascal would simply smile without answering, neither confirming nor denying.
What a crafty kid!
Lin Shanhai smiled bitterly. He had lived most of his life, only to be tricked by a brat.
Still, seeing Li Hao stand up for Lin Qingying this time, his heart was touched.
"At your age, you'll probably participate in the Supreme Heaven's Chosen Battle. I'll find you again for a rematch then!"
The Holy Son of Haoyue looked at Li Hao, his gaze dark, and transmitted these words. After speaking, he turned and left without looking back. This battle had deeply shaken him, and he was determined to train even harder in the coming days to break through.
Li Hao, hearing these words, didn't take them to heart. He turned to Lin Qingying. His involvement in this battle was both to vent her frustration and to help her rebuild her sword intent.
Sparring among disciples was common, and losing only meant one's skills were lacking. There was no need to be upset about it.
It was only because the other party had maliciously taken advantage of the situation to cause harm that he had acted in anger.
"Your sword."
Li Hao handed the Qingfeng sword back to Lin Qingying and said, "If you want to learn that sword technique, I'll draw it for you later."
Now that everything was out in the open, he saw no need to hide anything and spoke frankly.
Hearing this, Lin Qingying returned to her senses. She looked at the Qingfeng sword, which had just unleashed such terrifying power, then raised her gaze to Li Hao's face. She bit her lip slightly and said:
"So, when you criticized my form earlier, that was just an excuse?"
Li Hao suddenly recalled how he had pointed out her arms, waist, and other areas, and couldn't help but laugh awkwardly. "Not entirely. I did consider aesthetic principles as well."
Lin Qingying bit her lip and stared at him without speaking. Her eyes, however, seemed to speak for themselves, as if asking, Do you really think I believe you?
Li Hao coughed lightly, glancing toward her abdomen, where the injury had already healed. However, while the external wound had healed, the powerful Dao energy within was no longer detectable.
He whispered, "Can your Dao Seed still be healed?"
At the mention of the Dao Seed, Lin Qingying's gaze darkened, and she shook her head slightly. "The Dao Seed is an innate gift. Once destroyed, it cannot be healed."
Li Hao raised his head to look at the Swordmaster, who had already joined the Sword Saint and the elders. His eyes flickered with thought. If he asked the Swordmaster for help, he wondered if the other would be willing and able to help Lin Qingying restore her Dao Seed.
While he pondered, the Swordmaster also looked at him and waved him over. "Come here."
Li Hao was slightly startled, feeling as though the Swordmaster had seen through his thoughts. He immediately said to Lin Qingying, "Let's go and see if the Swordmaster can help."
Upon hearing the mention of the Swordmaster, a glimmer of hope appeared in Lin Qingying's eyes. She nodded and followed Li Hao to stand before the Sword Saint, the Swordmaster, and the other elders.
"Greetings, Swordmaster, Sword Saint, and elders."
Li Hao cupped his hands in salute.
Lin Qingying also bowed her head in respect.
The Swordmaster looked at Lin Qingying, his smile fading slightly, and sighed. He glanced at the Sword Saint but remained silent.
Although he hadn't been watching the battle closely, as a Saint, he could perceive the truth of the situation with just a few clues.
He sighed, having seen how the Sword Saint had tacitly allowed things to happen. There was no point in speaking further, as he understood the other all too well.
"Swordmaster, senior, Qingying's Dao Seed has been destroyed. Is there any way you could help her restore it?" Li Hao asked, his eyes filled with hope.
The Swordmaster shook his head slightly and said, "A Dao Seed is an innate gift. Even those of us at this level cannot help restore it. Unless you can find the Dao Heaven Vine, which can nourish and recreate a Dao Seed, but that item is extremely rare. Only one disciple of the Supreme Saint has it, and they rarely share it with outsiders, not even for a Saint's favor."
Li Hao was momentarily stunned, and Lin Qingying's face turned pale.
"Senior, who is that Supreme Saint?" Li Hao couldn't help but ask again.
The Swordmaster sighed, seeing that Li Hao was unwilling to give up. "He is the Origin Saint, one of the earliest Saints in the Holy Lands. He has nurtured countless disciples, three of whom have already attained sainthood. He is now focused on other matters and is very difficult to meet."
Three of his disciples became Saints?
Li Hao's eyes widened in astonishment. This was the strength of a Supreme Saint?
Lin Qingying tugged on his sleeve and shook her head slightly. "It's not worth the effort. Even without a Dao Seed, I can still cultivate."
Li Hao glanced at her and knew that seeking out the Origin Saint, whom he had never met, for the Dao Heaven Vine was a long shot. Even a Saint's favor wouldn't help, let alone his own.
"The Dao Seed may be irreparable, but I have a technique for condensing Dao power. Once mastered, it can create additional Dao power within the body. Although it cannot compare to a Dao Seed, it is still stronger than what most people have," the Sword Saint said to Lin Qingying.
Lin Qingying's eyes dimmed. She had heard of such techniques before, but they were no match for a Dao Seed.
However, without a Dao Seed, she had no choice but to settle for second best.
Li Hao's eyes flickered as he looked at Lin Qingying's abdomen. It was now empty, but with his current understanding of swordsmanship, if the Dao Seed could not be restored, it might be better to leave it empty.
However, he planned to discuss this with Lin Qingying later.
The Swordmaster turned to Li Hao and said, "I called you over because they want to hear your thoughts."
The Sword Saint's gaze also shifted to Li Hao, scrutinizing him. "With your age and talent, you will participate in this year's Supreme Heaven's Chosen Battle, won't you?"
Li Hao had heard about the battle from Lin Shanhai before. It was a contest among many talented individuals from the Thirty-Three Worlds. The competition at the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land was merely for selecting candidates to represent the Holy Land. However, becoming the top Heaven's Chosen in the Thirty-Three Worlds could lead to receiving the incense required for sainthood!
Such a grand reward naturally attracted countless participants.
Li Hao had the incense of the Great Yu Kingdom to support him, but he needed to stay in the Holy Lands for three hundred years, or three thousand years if he stayed in the mortal world, to accumulate enough incense to become a Saint.
Although Li Hao had other paths, such as becoming a Saint through ritual offerings, after obtaining the incense of the Great Yu Kingdom, he became curious about the possibility of pursuing all three paths to sainthood.
Currently, his Tongli Realm had reached its peak, and his divine power had transformed into pure divine blood. Not only could he attain sainthood through ritual offerings, but he could also follow the path of Extreme Dao sainthood as Ying Xiaoxiao had suggested!
Uniting all three paths might lead to the most complete form of sainthood.
Among these three paths, the easiest one for others—becoming a Saint through incense—was the most troublesome for Li Hao.
After all, incense required real accumulation over time.
However, achieving sainthood through Extreme Dao was relatively simpler. All he needed was enough disaster to purify souls and slay enough enemies.
"I will participate," Li Hao replied to the Sword Saint.
The Sword Saint nodded slightly and said, "If you weren't a disciple of the Supreme Saint, I would have considered taking you as my disciple to represent the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land in the battle. But since you already have a sect, you cannot represent us. If you don't plan on returning to your original sect, there is only one other option."
"A wanderer?" Li Hao asked.
The Sword Saint nodded slightly. "Correct. In this Supreme Heaven's Chosen Battle, only ten individuals from each of the Thirty-Three Worlds will participate. That means only ten people will represent our Canglan World!"
"Aside from the three Holy Lands, the remaining spots will be taken by the major dynasties and the top forces within those dynasties. Some individuals may not have joined a Holy Land, but if their talent is monstrous, they will still have the opportunity to participate. However, the selection process is no easier than that of the Holy Lands."
Li Hao nodded slightly, having heard Lin Shanhai mention this before.
The three Holy Lands would each select ten candidates. Along with ten chosen from the various dynasties and forces, a total of forty would enter a chaotic battle, with ten victors representing Canglan World.
"With the selection battle of the Thirty-Three Worlds about to begin in three months, the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land has already chosen its ten participants. Next, we will compete with the Literary Ancestor's Holy Land and the Buddhist Holy Land. If you wish to participate, you will need to head to one of the nearby dynasties, enter their competition, and secure a spot in the top ten to qualify for the main event," the Sword Saint explained.
The three Holy Lands of Canglan World were the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land, the Literary Ancestor's Holy Land, and the Buddhist Holy Land.
Of these, the Buddhist Holy Land was the most powerful.
Li Hao nodded. This was the path he had intended to take.
Earlier, several major forces had extended invitations to him, thanks to his identity as the Qingfeng Alchemist. Using one of their names, he could easily participate in the competition and secure a place in the top ten.
However, the final battle of the Supreme Heaven's Chosen would be fought under the watchful eyes of the Supreme Saint, attracting the attention of many Saints. It was highly likely that the False Saint would also be watching.
By the time he reached that stage, he needed to attain sainthood through ritual offerings in advance.
If he could reach the final battle and win first place, he would receive the incense, which would be the ideal outcome.
As a result, his schedule in the coming days would be extremely tight.
If he reached the final battle but had not yet attained sainthood through ritual offerings, he would have no choice but to forfeit, as the False Saint would surely target him again, and this time the attack would be even more ruthless.
The previous attempt was just a doppelgänger; next time, it might be the False Saint's true form personally coming to kill him.
Thinking of all this, a murderous intent surged in Li Hao's heart, though he suppressed it and kept it hidden.
"Although your talent is extraordinary and your swordsmanship has entered the Dao, do not underestimate the intensity of the Heaven's Chosen Battle. The competition is far more fierce than you might imagine. Our Sword Ancestor's Holy Land views this as a training opportunity for our participants. In previous battles, the top ten are usually Saints reincarnated. Some have reincarnated five or six times and possess unimaginable methods," the Sword Saint warned Li Hao earnestly.
Li Hao's eyes flickered. Was the Holy Son of Haoyue only participating in the Heaven's Chosen Battle to gain experience?
Considering the Holy Son's strength, Li Hao nodded slightly to himself. If someone like Haoyue could hope to reach the top ten, then it should be quite easy for him to take first place.
After finishing his warning, the Sword Saint stopped speaking. According to the rules, the second and third place battles would now begin. Since Lin Qingying's Dao Seed had been destroyed, she directly forfeited, bringing the Sword Deity Battle to a close.
The Sword Saint stepped forward and awarded his disciple with the incense of a kingdom, the prize for first place in the Sword Deity Battle.
However, this amount of incense was not enough to reach sainthood, only enough to condense a single stick of incense within the body.
Even so, it was an extremely generous reward, saving hundreds of years of accumulation.
In addition to the incense, there were other treasures and divine pills as rewards.
Lin Qingying also received a reward, though third place's prize was noticeably inferior.
After the ceremony ended, the Sword Saint left, and the Swordmaster stayed to chat with Li Hao.
"You really aren't afraid of causing trouble, are you? This is the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land, and you defeated Haoyue so easily in front of everyone. You realize that's a slap to our faces, right?"
The Swordmaster transmitted a message to Li Hao, laughing and scolding him.
Li Hao was surprised by his attitude. Seeing that the Swordmaster wasn't angry, he couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you mad, senior?"
"A loss is a loss. If his skills weren't up to par, what's there to be mad about? He destroyed that girl's Dao Seed and used her to sever his own attachments. Being defeated by you is merely karma."
The Swordmaster said with a smile.
Li Hao smiled wryly. The Swordmaster had certainly seen through everything.
"Come visit me when you have time. But the dynasties of Canglan World are already selecting their participants for the Heaven's Chosen Battle. I suppose you won't have much time to sit with me. You need to go and secure a spot quickly, or you'll miss the competition," the Swordmaster said with a hint of regret.
In the short term, it seemed Li Hao wouldn't have time to accompany him for fishing.
While the two chatted, on the other side, Lin Qingying quietly observed the youth talking and laughing with the Swordmaster. A trace of envy flashed in her eyes—not envy of Li Hao's connection with the Swordmaster, but rather envy of his carefree and open demeanor.
Aside from getting angry on her behalf today, she had never seen the young man display any gloominess.
"Did he guide your swordsmanship?"
Bian Ruxue stood next to Lin Qingying, her gaze briefly resting on Li Hao before turning away. She calmly said, "It is truly a blessing to find someone to practice swords with."
Lin Qingying's eyes flickered slightly, her heartbeat quickening just a bit. She thought back to the times she had practiced swordplay in the courtyard while he sat nearby, sipping tea and chatting. In the past, it hadn't meant much to her; aside from swordsmanship, she had regarded everything else as mere background.
But now, that background seemed to be taking root in her heart.
Her lips curled up slightly, and she glanced at the Holy Maiden beside her. "Don't you have anyone to practice swords with? Your master is the Sword Saint."
A fleeting look of thought appeared in Bian Ruxue's eyes, but it quickly faded. There had once been someone who practiced swords with her as a child, but over time, that person had stopped keeping up with her.
She had tried looking back, but there was no longer anyone there.
With the battle concluded, the Swordmaster finished his conversation with Li Hao and left. Li Hao followed Lin Qingying back to the Alchemy Institute.
Upon returning to the quiet courtyard, Li Hao said to Lin Qingying, "The destruction of your Dao Seed might not be entirely a bad thing."
"?"
Lin Qingying looked at him, puzzled.
Li Hao explained, "Your original Dao Seed was a Yin Dao Seed, perfectly suited to your previous level of sword intent. However, if your sword intent can advance further, you could condense an Acquired Dao Seed—a Dao Seed of Sword Intent!"
"A Dao Seed of Sword Intent?"
Lin Qingying was astonished. She had never heard of such a thing.
Li Hao's idea was a sudden inspiration, purely derived from his understanding of swordsmanship.
"Softness to the extreme is emptiness!"
"Something from nothing, invincibility through emptiness!"
Li Hao continued, "Once you comprehend 'emptiness,' you will be able to form an Acquired Dao Seed."
"Emptiness?"
Lin Qingying was still confused, but the concept seemed to trigger a spark of insight in her mind.
Emptiness? Softness to the extreme becomes emptiness.
If it was truly emptiness, then her original Yin Dao Seed had become a hindrance.
Having no Dao Seed yet still possessing a Dao Seed—what was missing was emptiness!
Suddenly, Lin Qingying seemed to have a realization, understanding Li Hao's thought process. Her eyes widened as she looked at him, shock written all over her face.
How had he come up with such an idea?
If she could truly master it, her combat strength would be ten times, even dozens of times stronger than before!
Seeing her expression, Li Hao knew she had already grasped the concept. He was relieved. If she could truly comprehend it, she would undoubtedly undergo a transformation and become even more powerful.
Lin Shanhai returned shortly after. After exchanging pleasantries with the alchemists who had come to congratulate him, he saw Li Hao and Lin Qingying together, but this time he didn't try to separate them. Instead, he smiled warmly.
He didn't know that Lin Qingying's Dao Seed had been destroyed, only that she had lost badly, and that Li Hao had stood up for her.
Li Hao and Lin Qingying, on the other hand, were very much in sync. They didn't plan to tell him about the Dao Seed, as there was no need to add to his worries. It wouldn't change anything.
Li Hao stayed at the Alchemy Institute for another two days, gathering his belongings before heading to Sword Cliff to bid farewell to the Swordmaster.
Upon learning that Li Hao was heading to a dynasty to secure a spot in the Heaven's Chosen Battle, the Swordmaster didn't try to stop him. He simply told him to hurry back and visit when he had the chance.
Li Hao agreed readily.
As Li Hao left, the Swordmaster let out a sigh.
He knew that after this departure, it would be a long time before they met again.
The Supreme Heaven's Chosen Battle would not be easy. Li Hao would need to devote himself entirely to preparation. If he managed to win first place and became a Saint, it was hard to say if he would retain this carefree and humble attitude.
Becoming a Saint involved not only a change in realm but also a profound transformation in one's character and mindset. Often, those who became Saints underwent a complete change, as if they had become different people.
A Saint's perspective on the world was entirely different from that of someone below the Saint realm. Some things were even reversed. Seeing things from this new vantage point naturally led to many changes in thought.
"You little fish... I've fished you enough to know you by heart. There's no excitement anymore. In honor of the time you've kept me company, I won't kill you. You're all free to go."
The Swordmaster sat by the Sword Cliff, speaking softly.
His voice echoed down to the base of the cliff. In the dragon pool below, the swimming dragon demons paused, startled, and looked up at the figure on the cliff.
The Swordmaster was actually letting them go? They were both surprised and delighted, yet also felt an unexpected sense of reluctance.
"Swordmaster, we are willing to stay by your side and listen to the Dao."
Ao Jie leaped into the air and hurriedly spoke to the Swordmaster.
The Swordmaster chuckled and said, "I'm going to visit some old friends. I won't have time to keep you company. You lot are too easy to catch. Just don't be so foolish when you're out in the world."
Ao Jie nearly coughed up blood. Wasn't it because you're so skilled? Who could outsmart you at fishing?
He grumbled in his heart but didn't dare show it. Instead, he said eagerly, "But we've grown used to living here."
"Go, go. If you keep pestering me, I'll skin you alive." The Swordmaster said, sounding annoyed.
Ao Jie jumped in fright and quickly dove back into the dragon pool.
The group of dragon demons whispered among themselves for a moment before they all took to the sky, bowing in unison toward the Swordmaster.
Then they transformed into streaks of golden light and flew off in all directions outside the Holy Mountain.
"We're free!"
"With our cultivation, we should be able to challenge the Holy Sons of the Dragon Clan, right?"
"Challenge? If anyone dares mess with me, I'll eat them!"
"Hurry, hurry! The Supreme Heaven's Chosen Battle is about to start. Even the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land is selecting participants. We can't fall behind."
One by one, the dragon demons released their pent-up energy as they soared through the sky. For them, being caught and brought here by the Swordmaster had been both a disaster and an opportunity, as they had made tremendous progress in cultivation over the past century.
In the Holy Lands, the relationship between demons and humans was not one of mortal enemies. In the Thirty-Three Worlds, some small worlds were entirely populated by demons, with humans being the minority, struggling to survive.
Among the demons, there were also many Saints. In this place where all races flourished, the dragon and phoenix clans both had Holy Sons and Holy Daughters. The age limits for their participation were calculated based on their respective lifespans. Some demons were thousands of years old, but when converted to human years, they were only a few decades old.
"The dragon demons under Sword Cliff…"
As Qiu Wuhen approached the Sword Cliff with his fishing rod, he saw the dragons flying into the sky.
He paused briefly but quickly understood what had happened. Without the Swordmaster's permission, those dragon demons would never have dared to leave.
Qiu Wuhen reached the Sword Cliff, where he found the Swordmaster staring off at the waterfall, lost in thought.
After inquiring, he learned that the Swordmaster was going to visit his old friends.
He also found out that Li Hao was leaving the Holy Land to participate in the selection battle.
Hearing about Li Hao's whereabouts, Qiu Wuhen's eyes flickered. He suddenly abandoned the idea of returning to seclusion and thought about watching the other fight.
In his earlier clash with the Holy Son of Haoyue, Li Hao hadn't even displayed his peak strength. Qiu Wuhen was curious to see the extent of Li Hao's true power.
In Canglan World, there were forty or fifty dynasties and over a hundred first-rate forces.
Without connections or influence, one could still participate in the competition even from a small sect, but they would have to pass through multiple rounds of selection.
The selection process had already begun long before the Sword Deity Battle.
As for the major forces within the dynasties, they skipped the earlier rounds of selection, conducting their own internal competitions similar to the Holy Lands. The selected disciples would then face off against each other.
The site of these battles was located at the Dao Sacrifice Mountain within the largest dynasty in Canglan World—the Sea Dynasty.
Li Hao used his connections from his identity as the Qingfeng Alchemist to secure an entry slot from one of the top factions. After bidding temporary farewells to Lin Qingying and Lin Shanhai, he took the map of the Canghai Divine Dynasty and headed towards the Dao Sacrifice Mountain.
As he drew closer, he encountered many disciples from various sects and schools along the way, all flocking to this grand event like a bustling marketplace.
While passing through a forest, Li Hao heard sounds of a battle. When he extended his divine sense to investigate, he saw seven or eight cultivators at the Three Immortality level being slaughtered by a man in white. After finishing them off, the man swiftly looted their belongings and hurried away.
In places with large gatherings, disputes and trouble were inevitable. Naturally, Li Hao had no intention of meddling in such matters.
He was about to leave when he noticed wisps of black qi drifting from the bodies of the slain.
This immediately reminded him of the path of Extreme Dao Sainthood, which involved purifying slaughter and resentment.
His mind stirred. He teleported to the site, raised his hand, and drew the black qi towards him, manipulating it with the divine blood within his body.
As the black qi was absorbed into his hand, it quickly condensed into a slightly thicker wisp in his dantian.
Li Hao vaguely sensed that within this black qi lay traces of slaughter and agonized screams. However, under the radiant light emitted by his divine blood, the vengeful cries were purified, leaving behind nothing but pure slaughter intent.
Li Hao gained some insight.
If incense represented the power of belief, then Extreme Dao represented the power of destruction.
What would happen if these two opposing forces merged, and combined with the path of Ritual Dao Sainthood? He was curious about the outcome.
Sensing someone approaching, Li Hao wasted no time. He teleported away swiftly.
After traveling several hundred miles, Li Hao resumed flying at a normal pace.
A faint smile appeared on his lips. He was purifying resentment, but it felt somewhat sneaky, like a thief. It was no wonder Ying Xiaoxiao was labeled as part of the demon race. Those of the divine race would often arrive to purify calamities, but over time, they ended up being perceived as harbingers of disaster, much like crows. Initially symbols of auspiciousness, they had come to be seen as ill omens.
When Li Hao finally arrived at Dao Sacrifice Mountain, the place was already teeming with people.
He scanned the crowd with his divine sense and quickly located some familiar faces from his earlier connections. When they discovered that Li Hao was the Qingfeng Alchemist, they were surprised, but after seeing the token he had been given, they promptly escorted him to a reserved seat.
Dao Sacrifice Mountain was vast, capable of accommodating over a million people, yet there was no noise-reduction formation in place, so the atmosphere was quite chaotic.
"Qingfeng Alchemist, here is your competition number. The preliminary selection from the smaller sects has already concluded. Now, it's time for the top ten thousand to be chosen. From there, a hundred will be selected, and finally, the top ten will battle it out in the finals!"
The middle-aged man who spoke was Zhao Xiulin, an elder of the Zhenyuan Sect, at the Dao Law realm. He had heard about Li Hao's performance in the Sword Deity Battle and was extremely courteous towards him now.
Being both an alchemist and a peerless swordsman, with the backing of the Supreme Saint's sect, Li Hao was a person that Zhenyuan Sect would go out of their way to befriend.
"Ranked among the top ten thousand is the best position my Zhenyuan Sect could secure for you," Zhao Xiulin said with a smile.
"It's more than enough, thank you."
Li Hao nodded. "As for alchemy matters, you can coordinate with Master Shanhai later."
"Many thanks, Qingfeng Alchemist." Zhao Xiulin was overjoyed and immediately expressed his gratitude.
With his entry number in hand, Li Hao quietly waited outside the arena. The noise was overwhelming as ten stages hosted simultaneous matches.
Aside from the various sects who had come to observe and compete, there were also quite a few royal family members from the dynasties present, easily recognizable by their luxurious robes.
Compared to the Holy Land selections, this event was a bit more chaotic. However, the battles on stage were far more diverse, with contestants using all kinds of techniques—poison, whips, and more.
As Li Hao sat and watched the matches unfold, in another part of the crowd, a group of refined individuals were seated together.
"Qingyi, these people are barely worth watching. Why bother participating yourself? If your father finds out, he'll accuse you of bullying them."
A young man wearing a white jade hat and fanning himself spoke with a wry smile.
The girl beside him appeared playful and mischievous, but her eyes sparkled with wisdom. She replied, "Senior brother, you shouldn't underestimate these people. Some may have missed their chance to join a Holy Land early on, but their potential can still bloom later, producing geniuses."
"You could have just come to watch, but you insisted on competing. You've already secured a spot to represent our Holy Land. If you steal another slot here, it'll cause unrest among the dynasties and sects."
The young man sighed. This was the real reason for his concern.
The girl grinned and said, "I'm just here for fun. When it gets to the top hundred, I'll throw the match. Besides, I'm not even using my real appearance. No one will recognize me."
The others around her sighed in relief. They had been genuinely worried that this little troublemaker would compete against the rogue cultivators for a spot, which would have reflected poorly on the Literary Ancestor's Holy Land.
"Number 2678 versus 9527. Both contestants, please step onto the stage."
At this moment, a match ended on one of the stages, and a referee announced the next fight with a voice imbued with the power of law, loud enough to drown out the crowd's chatter.
The young man with the fan smiled. "It's your turn. Don't go too hard on him."
"Don't worry. I won't even use our sect's techniques."
Li Qingyi responded with a playful, carefree expression.
"Your opponent looks young. Don't shatter his Dao heart," another young man commented, seeing the youth already standing on the stage.