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Chapter 397: The Calamity of Ancient Demons, Sovereign of the Ten Realms!
🕑 Added 2024-12-02 07:20:15 +0000 UTC"Thank you, senior, for your kindness."
Li Hao could sense that the middle-aged warrior bore no malice. If he did, with the overwhelming aura emanating from him, killing Li Hao would be as easy as lifting a finger.
This realization allowed Li Hao to relax somewhat. He found a rock nearby and sat down. "Senior, could you tell me more? What happened in the False Realm of Emperor Calamity and the wars here? Why did the Immortals and Gods disappear? Did they all come here to join the battle?"
The middle-aged warrior observed Li Hao's calm demeanor, his lack of fear or hesitation, and found himself increasingly pleased. Just as he was about to speak, his gaze suddenly sharpened, and the calm in his eyes turned into a razor-sharp intensity.
In that fleeting moment, the overwhelming sharpness in the warrior's aura caused Li Hao's previously relaxed body to tense up once again. A chilling wave of dread surged through him, making his blood run cold.
However, Li Hao quickly realized that the warrior's killing intent wasn't directed at him.
At the same time, the malevolent energy in the surrounding atmosphere intensified dramatically. Li Hao felt a sharp, piercing wail reverberate in his mind, stirring up a surge of bloodlust and aggression within him. His emotions grew increasingly volatile.
"What's happening?"
Li Hao's heart tightened with alarm as he scanned his surroundings. Yet his divine sense could only extend about ten miles, far too limited to detect any immediate threat.
If something attacked at this range, it would be upon him in an instant.
Li Hao immediately entered his Transcendent State, merging his body with the surrounding world.
This time, however, he noticed a stark difference in his Transcendent State compared to before.
In this supreme state, his consciousness expanded outward, mingling with the energy of the realm. Yet, instead of flowing seamlessly, it felt as if an overwhelming flood of power was trying to submerge and consume his awareness.
"The Transcendent State cannot be sustained here for long!"
Li Hao realized that attempting to remain in this state as he had in the past would risk his consciousness being swallowed and dissolving into the vastness of this realm—an experience that reminded him of when he first began comprehending the Transcendent State.
Still, the strength Li Hao could command in this realm was far greater than before, amplified several times over.
As his divine sense extended farther, Li Hao suddenly heard the middle-aged warrior's voice, cold and commanding:
"It's coming. Hide inside the war chariot. Do not come out. Creatures like you, with fresh blood and flesh, are their favorite prey."
The warrior's tone brooked no argument. His demeanor transformed entirely, radiating a chilling, combative aura. The atmosphere around him condensed with the suffocating energy of a warrior hardened by endless battles—a presence like that of an unrivaled god of war.
Li Hao snapped out of his daze and extended his divine sense outward to a range of forty to fifty miles. He sensed violent winds surging in the distance and the rapid approach of a massive entity.
Not daring to delay, Li Hao followed the warrior's instructions and quickly hid within the bronze war chariot.
Once inside, Li Hao was startled to find the interior far larger than it appeared on the outside. The space inside was vast, like an expansive plaza capable of accommodating an entire palace.
However, the floor was meticulously lined with neatly stacked bones. In front of each pile of remains, small gravestones carved from stone bore engraved names.
"This must be his doing," Li Hao speculated about the warrior.
Ignoring the details of the chariot's interior for now, Li Hao focused his consciousness outward.
He saw the middle-aged warrior take a single step forward, his ancient sword spinning in his grip. With a practiced motion, he formed a gleaming arc of sword energy, positioning himself in front of the chariot. His movements were simple, fluid, and imbued with a profound harmony that resonated with the essence of the Dao itself.
Li Hao's gaze followed the warrior's line of sight. In the distance, the mist parted to reveal a colossal and grotesque demonic creature resembling a monstrous bat. Its dark red veins, like writhing worms, pulsated along the membranous skin of its wings. Its body was bare, devoid of fur, with dragon-like claws and a tail akin to a massive serpent, covered in sharp spikes.
The sight of this creature filled Li Hao with suffocating dread.
This being exuded a power far surpassing that of Yuan Zu and other Saints, a primal and feral force that radiated malevolence.
At last, Li Hao understood the source of the malevolent energy suffusing the air. This monstrous demon was its origin.
"Hmph!"
The middle-aged warrior's gaze turned icy as he looked upon the demon, a hint of bloodthirst flickering in his expression.
Without a word, the warrior moved like a flash of lightning. His sword slashed out with unparalleled speed, the arc of the blade cutting through the air with devastating precision.
The simplicity of his movements belied their overwhelming power. Each motion seemed to align with the fundamental essence of existence, achieving an elegance that bordered on perfection.
Boom!
The sword's trajectory seemed to accelerate abruptly, transcending time itself. The instant the blade was swung, it had already struck its target.
A gaping wound tore through the demon's abdomen, sending torrents of inky black blood spraying out. The creature let out a thunderous roar of rage, exhaling a cloud of dense, black mist that sought to engulf the warrior.
Yet before the mist could envelop him, it was split apart by a single stroke of the warrior's blade. He then closed the distance, engaging the beast in relentless close combat.
"Such mastery of swordsmanship!"
Li Hao was captivated by the warrior's techniques. While he couldn't entirely comprehend the footwork, the swordsmanship itself was terrifyingly pure, the epitome of the Dao of the Sword.
"This surpasses the Ten Levels of Swordsmanship… it must be beyond!"
Li Hao's awe deepened as he witnessed the incredible force unleashed in the battle. Even the residual waves of energy radiating from the clash felt dangerous enough to injure him if they reached his position, despite his defenses.
"That black mist…"
Li Hao noticed that merely observing the battle was causing a stinging pain in his eyes, as though his retinas were being scorched. He felt sharp discomfort, as if a corrosive force had seeped into his body.
To his horror, he realized that faint black veins had begun to appear in his eyes, suggesting some form of contamination or mutation.
"What kind of attack is this?"
Li Hao shut his eyes quickly, but the pain persisted. He felt as though even gouging out his eyes and regenerating them wouldn't rid him of the agony.
"Don't stare at it. That's the beast's strongest weapon—an attack that directly affects the soul," the middle-aged warrior's voice resounded in Li Hao's mind.
Suddenly, a streak of sword light appeared in Li Hao's consciousness. The light sliced through the darkness, alleviating the searing pain almost instantly.
When Li Hao opened his eyes again, he only glanced briefly at the ongoing battle. The warrior and the demon were locked in fierce combat, surrounded by the swirling black mist. Yet the mist couldn't close in on the warrior, as the sword energy radiating from him shredded it to pieces.
Li Hao dared not stare too long, choosing instead to steal occasional glances. Each glimpse only deepened his awe.
Though Li Hao had slain Hun Tian and reached the combat strength of a Saint, the battle before him revealed a realm far beyond his comprehension. This was the domain of Immortals and Gods, and he wasn't even qualified to observe it closely.
As the earth-shaking clash continued, the warrior began to gain the upper hand. His strikes left deep, unhealing gashes across the demon's massive body, causing blood to gush forth like rivers. The demon's furious shrieks filled the air, resonating with a wild and violent rage.
Just as Li Hao observed the tide of battle turning, a sudden sense of danger gripped his heart.
"Be careful! A swarm of Tier-Three Ancient Demons is approaching!"
The middle-aged warrior's voice sounded sharply in Li Hao's mind.
Li Hao's expression shifted as he quickly scanned his surroundings. In the distance, seven or eight massive, grotesque figures loomed. Resembling bat-like creatures hundreds of feet in size, their forms were deformed and twisted. Some had mangled wings, while others bore broken limbs, as though they were corrupted by some malevolent force.
The seven or eight third-tier Ancient Demons were of the same species as the one battling the middle-aged warrior, but they were significantly smaller and less powerful.
Li Hao examined them carefully, his heart sinking. These third-tier Ancient Demons, as described by the middle-aged warrior, each carried an implicit Sacred Domain around their bodies. Their auras were comparable to those of Hun Tian and Long Sheng, beings at the peak of Sainthood.
As these seven or eight Ancient Demons arrived at the battlefield, their gazes shifted briefly toward the warrior's battle with their leader before scanning the surroundings. Soon, their attention locked onto the bronze war chariot.
Inside the chariot, Li Hao could feel their gaze, as if their sightlines connected directly with his. Both sides had sensed each other's presence.
"Damn it, it looks like they're coming for me."
Li Hao's expression darkened. He gripped the sharp fragmented blade tightly, ready to fight at a moment's notice.
With a whistling roar, the Ancient Demons rushed toward the bronze war chariot. However, before they could strike, the sword energy hovering outside the war chariot erupted suddenly.
The sword energy crackled with the sound of thunder, slicing through the air with blinding speed. It tore through the bodies of three Ancient Demons in an instant.
The pierced Ancient Demons dissolved like melting ice, their bodies dissipating into nothingness, and their auras vanished completely.
The remaining Ancient Demons hesitated, visibly shaken. They glanced warily at the distant middle-aged warrior, seeing that he was still entangled with their leader and unable to divert his attention. Gaining confidence, they surged toward the war chariot once more.
Before they could reach it, Li Hao felt the oppressive force of several Sacred Domains pressing down on him. Alongside this came an overwhelming stench of blood and decay, saturating the air.
His face turned grim. He realized that staying holed up in the chariot would only make him a sitting duck, cornered like a fish in a barrel.
"Don't come out. These third-tier Ancient Demons are no match for the Immortal Array protecting the chariot."
The middle-aged warrior's voice echoed sharply in Li Hao's mind.
Even amidst his fierce battle, the warrior had been keeping an eye on Li Hao's situation. Hearing this, Li Hao hesitated, his heart swelling with gratitude.
At that moment, the Sacred Domains of the Ancient Demons slammed into the chariot, but the carved beast designs on its surface suddenly came to life. With a resonant growl, a light array enveloped the chariot, shielding it from the Sacred Domains.
The growls of the animated beasts unsettled the Ancient Demons, causing them to pull back briefly. However, they soon resumed their attack, clawing at the chariot and focusing their energy on wearing down the light array.
Li Hao could sense that the light array contained power far beyond the Sacred Dao, though it seemed weakened and diminished. While it might not break under the Ancient Demons' assault, it was still steadily being consumed.
Glancing toward the middle-aged warrior's battle, Li Hao saw that the thousand-foot-long Ancient Demon was riddled with wounds. Yet, the injuries only seemed to make it more ferocious, while the warrior remained composed, methodically suppressing it.
A fierce wind suddenly whipped through the air as the Ancient Demons outside summoned storms of lightning and sand, encircling the war chariot in a bid to overturn it. However, some invisible force inherent to the battlefield prevented them from succeeding.
"Let's see how you handle this!"
Li Hao decided he couldn't sit idly any longer. Brandishing the fragmented blade, he burst out of the chariot, aiming a strike at the nearest Ancient Demon.
Caught off guard, the Ancient Demon didn't expect Li Hao to attack. The razor-sharp blade pierced through its body instantly.
However, to Li Hao's dismay, the gaping wound began to regenerate almost immediately, the torn flesh knitting itself back together in the blink of an eye.
Unlike the middle-aged warrior, Li Hao's attacks couldn't inflict permanent damage.
Even so, Li Hao remained undeterred. He guided the fragmented blade with his divine sense, allowing it to dart rapidly between the Ancient Demons, slicing through their bodies repeatedly.
Boom!
One of the Ancient Demons roared in anger, slamming its Sacred Domain against the blade.
Li Hao's divine sense trembled from the impact, and his head buzzed with pain, but he gritted his teeth and persevered. He activated his unique attributes, Fei Duan (Flying Segment) and Zang Gong (Hidden Bow), enhancing the blade's attack range and making its movements harder to predict.
Li Hao had discovered earlier that his unique attributes still worked effectively against beings at the Saint level.
These Ancient Demons, while fearsome, didn't possess the overwhelming presence of the leader fighting the warrior. Their strength was closer to that of ordinary Saints.
"Kill!"
Perched atop the bronze war chariot, Li Hao focused entirely on wielding the fragmented blade, sending it slicing through the Ancient Demons.
The blade's unparalleled sharpness allowed it to pierce their bodies effortlessly. However, because it lacked supplementary powers, the wounds it inflicted healed almost instantly. For the Ancient Demons, who could regenerate endlessly, these injuries were barely more than inconveniences.
Realizing this, they stopped dodging the blade altogether and instead concentrated their efforts on battering the war chariot's light array.
Meanwhile, Li Hao continued to manipulate the blade with precision, deliberately varying its strikes to target different parts of the Ancient Demons' bodies. He cut through their heads, gouged out their eyes, and slashed at their chests, wings, and tails, all while embedding the blade within their flesh.
The Ancient Demons only registered pain from these attacks but didn't consider them a significant threat. They remained focused on destroying the light array, convinced that once it failed, Li Hao would be easy prey.
From within the chariot, Li Hao's control of the blade grew increasingly swift and meticulous. His gaze sharpened, and his focus deepened. He resembled a master butcher at his cutting block, studying every fiber and joint of his "ingredients."
Each strike was deliberate, as though he were committing the intricate structure of the Ancient Demons' anatomy to memory.
As time passed, the mental image of an Ancient Demon's complete physiology—its bones, muscles, and tendons—began to take form in Li Hao's mind.
When the image was fully realized, a brilliant light flashed in his eyes.
The Ancient Demons attacking the chariot seemed to sense a shift. An inexplicable unease began to ripple through their bodies.
"Dissection!"
Li Hao's voice was low but resolute.
The fragmented blade spun with incredible speed, moving like a skipping stone across the surface of water. It traced a seamless arc, skimming past the skull of one Ancient Demon with surgical precision. In an instant, its flesh and bones separated cleanly, leaving the creature a lifeless corpse.
In less than a heartbeat, the Ancient Demon's body collapsed in a heap. Its internal organs were pulverized, its bones dismantled, and its flesh shredded.
However, for an Ancient Demon, such a state didn't equate to true death. Its divine soul still lingered, detached from its destroyed body.
The soul began drifting back toward the dismembered remains, attempting to reassemble them. But before it could succeed, Li Hao's divine sense surged forward, wielding the blade like an ethereal weapon, and slashed toward the soul.
Simultaneously, he extended a hand to seize the remains of the demon's body.
"Roar!"
The Ancient Demon's soul let out a piercing wail, sensing imminent destruction. The other demons, realizing the danger, immediately enveloped the corpse in their Sacred Domains, blocking Li Hao's attempt to claim it.
Li Hao frowned as his attempt to retrieve the body was thwarted. He shifted his focus to the severed soul, intending to annihilate it completely.
The Ancient Demon's soul responded by emitting a dark, malevolent light. The instant Li Hao's divine sense made contact, searing pain shot through him. The light carried an intense corrosive force, as if it were melting his very soul.
"What kind of attack is this?!"
Li Hao's expression shifted dramatically as he hastily recalled his divine soul, now significantly weakened and injured in just a brief exchange.
"Be cautious. These Ancient Demons specialize in devouring souls. Their attacks are devastating against divine consciousness," the middle-aged warrior's voice echoed in Li Hao's mind. Though it carried a tone of warning, there was also a hint of admiration.
"Hold your ground. I'll finish this fight soon!"
Hearing this, Li Hao cast a glance toward the warrior and saw the massive Ancient Demon already retreating under relentless assault. The warrior was in pursuit, pressuring his opponent mercilessly.
Li Hao exhaled deeply, momentarily relieved. He decided against using his divine soul again and instead focused on wielding the fragmented blade, directing it to slash at the remaining Ancient Demons.
The Ancient Demon he had previously struck took advantage of the reprieve. Its divine soul quickly merged back into its body, healing the wounds and restoring its vitality. From a corpse, it became an active threat once more.
Li Hao gritted his teeth, driving the fragmented blade to target other Ancient Demons. In an instant, the blade moved with surgical precision, severing the life force of another, reducing it to a lifeless corpse.
This forced the divine soul of the second Ancient Demon to leave its body. The other demons quickly enveloped the corpse in their Sacred Domains, protecting it while the soul attempted to return and revive the body.
Seeing this, Li Hao adjusted his strategy. The fragmented blade repeatedly struck, killing their physical forms over and over, forcing them into a defensive posture rather than allowing them to attack the bronze war chariot.
Despite their power, which rivaled the Saint level, and their coordination in protecting each other, these Ancient Demons couldn't withstand the blade's relentless assault. The fragmented blade, swift and sharp, turned their attempts to recover into chaos.
If Li Hao had been facing a single opponent, he might have had a chance to kill it outright. But against this coordinated group, true victory seemed nearly impossible. However, Li Hao wasn't in a rush. His goal was simple: stall them long enough for the middle-aged warrior to return.
As the fragmented blade danced and sliced with increasing speed, the Ancient Demons began to realize the threat they faced. The sharp blade moved so seamlessly that it seemed unstoppable. The demons, unable to predict or evade its strikes effectively, were slowly being pushed into a desperate situation.
Moments later, the Ancient Demons seemed to sense something. They suddenly stopped their attacks and collectively turned their gaze in one direction. Almost immediately, panic overtook them, and they fled at full speed in the opposite direction.
"Too late to run now," the middle-aged warrior's voice thundered from above, no longer transmitted through divine sense but resonating directly in the air.
A sword shadow streaked across the sky, piercing through the body of a fleeing Ancient Demon. The demon shattered into black mist and disappeared into nothingness.
The warrior's figure emerged from the distance, stepping effortlessly through the air as he approached the battlefield. With a casual swing of his sword, a blinding sword beam slashed horizontally through the remaining demons, severing them in a dazzling display of power.
The sword beam's terrifying energy obliterated the Ancient Demons on contact. Their shrieks echoed briefly before their bodies crumbled into black mist, vanishing entirely.
The middle-aged warrior cast a glance at the scene, his lips curling into a cold smirk. He sheathed his sword and descended to the bronze war chariot.
"These creatures are cunning, but also stupid. They just keep coming to their deaths."
His voice carried a hint of contempt as he seemed to speak to himself. Then, turning his gaze toward Li Hao, who was perched on the chariot, his eyes softened slightly with a faint smile.
"What kind of technique was that? You managed to kill their bodies repeatedly in such a short time. Did you already figure out their anatomy?"
Seeing the warrior return, Li Hao relaxed slightly. He chuckled and replied, "I'm just a cook by trade. No matter how strange these creatures are, in my eyes, they're nothing more than ingredients. And working with ingredients requires understanding their structure and each part. It's a pity I didn't get the chance to cook and taste them properly."
The warrior was momentarily stunned by Li Hao's response. After a few seconds, he let out an uncharacteristic laugh and said, "You're quite a peculiar one."
He casually drove his sword into the ground and wiped the blood from his armor, his gaze shifting to the fragmented blade in Li Hao's hand. "Let me take a look at that."
Li Hao handed it over without hesitation.
The warrior examined the blade carefully, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied its sharp edge. After a moment, he remarked, "A fragment of a top-tier Dao weapon, nearly on the verge of becoming an Immortal Artifact. A shame."
He tossed the blade back to Li Hao and surveyed the surroundings. "It's a pity. The battle back then was too brutal. Most of the weapons here were damaged at their core. They couldn't withstand the erosion of time and are now useless. Otherwise, you could've collected several Immortal Artifacts along the way."
Recalling the broken weapons he had seen by the corpses earlier, Li Hao couldn't help but sigh at the lost glory of these once-powerful artifacts.
The warrior's casual comment confirmed Li Hao's suspicions. This fragmented blade was indeed a Nine Tribulation Dao weapon, explaining its unmatched sharpness.
Li Hao mused to himself, "A Nine Tribulation Dao weapon… Crafting one requires over five thousand supreme materials from heaven and earth…"
Even if he plundered every resource in the Domain of Saints, there was no guarantee he could gather enough materials. Creating such a weapon was nearly impossible, even with the combined strength of an entire world.
"You've got guts, I'll give you that. Taking the initiative to attack and alleviating some of the pressure on the war chariot's defenses," the warrior commented, his expression softening slightly. His previously rigid demeanor was becoming more natural with the growing conversation.
"Senior, were you fighting these Ancient Demons during the war back then?" Li Hao asked.
The warrior nodded, his expression darkening. "These creatures devour souls. When the Cycle of Reincarnation collapsed, they escaped through the cracks and wreaked havoc across the True Realm. Their emergence is one of the main reasons for the realm's decline."
Li Hao felt a chill run through him. "Senior, is this True Realm the so-called Immortal Realm?"
"Immortal Realm? We never called it that. This is the True Realm—the original world where everything began," the warrior replied, sitting down by the war chariot's wheel and cleaning his sword.
"The world you came from is a Pseudo-Realm, created by an Immortal Emperor. Think of it as the emperor's Dao Domain," he explained, his voice tinged with both nostalgia and sorrow.
"When the Ancient Demons struck, the great sects of the True Realm fought valiantly on the front lines. The Immortal Emperor sheltered his descendants and disciples in the Pseudo-Realm while he went to confront the Demon Lords…"
"The Immortal Emperor fell, and the Pseudo-Realm sealed itself, preserving a final spark of hope."
The warrior's voice trailed off as he gazed into the distance. Memories of a time long past seemed to weigh heavily on him.
Li Hao stood frozen, the warrior's words painting a vivid picture in his mind: a cataclysmic battlefield of Immortals and Ancient Demons, drenched in blood and sacrifice.
"So this… this is why the Immortal Path vanished. I see…" Li Hao muttered, piecing together the fragmented history.
The Immortal Path was sealed, not lost. The Immortals hadn't disappeared—they had marched to war in the True Realm, where many fell to protect their world from annihilation.
This revelation shattered his expectations. He had imagined the Immortal Path leading to a flourishing world of infinite possibilities. Instead, he found a land scarred by devastation, its glory long buried beneath the ashes of war.
"Senior, how could these Ancient Demons overrun the True Realm? Wasn't there any warning before they emerged?" Li Hao asked, his mind racing with questions.
"The collapse of the Cycle of Reincarnation was sudden and catastrophic. No one saw it coming," the warrior replied, shaking his head. "Now that you understand the state of the True Realm, do you still wish to stay? Return to the Pseudo-Realm while you still can. The Xuan Pin Gate may have a crack, but it can still hold against the Ancient Demons—unless one of their leaders personally breaches it."
Li Hao gave a wry smile and said, "Senior, I was indeed forced here while being pursued. They're probably still guarding the gate on the other side."
The middle-aged warrior paused, then rubbed his head with an embarrassed look. "I seem to be getting a bit muddled. I've forgotten half of what I just said."
With a sigh, he added, "It's a pity I can't cross the Xuan Pin Gate, or it would compromise the seal. Otherwise, I'd have accompanied you for a trip."
He glanced at the sword in his hand, shaking his head slightly. It was his only weapon. If he had a second one, he might have lent it to Li Hao to help him fight back against his pursuers.
"Well, in that case, it seems you'll have to stay here and wait to die with me," he said with a smile, though it was neither bitter nor self-deprecating. Instead, it was a serene smile, as if he had accepted his fate long ago.
"When the day comes that I die in battle, you can take this sword with you—if you're still alive, that is. With this blade in hand, no one in the Pseudo-Realm would be able to stand against you."
Hum!
The sword in his hand let out a faint hum, as if voicing its own opinion.
The middle-aged warrior was momentarily taken aback before chuckling. "Stubborn as always. If I die, staying here won't do you any good. If one of us can survive, that's already a blessing."
The sword hummed again, trembling faintly as if in protest. The warrior sighed, patting it gently. "Alright, alright, I won't bring it up anymore."
Li Hao glanced at the sword, understanding that it was an Immortal Weapon. Yet he felt no greed. This blade had accompanied the warrior through countless years of battle, and the bond between them was deep—something that could not be measured in value.
"Senior, are you the only one left here? Why don't you leave this place?" Li Hao asked.
The middle-aged warrior shook his head slightly. "As far as I can tell, I'm the only one left. Leave…? I'd like to leave too, but this ancient road is sealed. Further ahead, there are still many Ancient Demons roaming around. With my current strength, I can't fight my way out."
Li Hao turned to look into the distance, but even with his Transcendent Immortal State, his vision could only extend a hundred miles or so. Beyond that, it was shrouded in mystery.
"Are there no other paths to take?" he asked, though he realized the futility of the question almost immediately. If another path existed, the warrior would have surely taken it by now.
The warrior shook his head again. "No other paths remain. The only road left for me is to stand guard for Heavenly Catastrophe Immortal Emperor, to spill the last drop of my blood for him, and to hold this Xuan Pin Gate for as long as I can."
Li Hao fell silent.
He hadn't expected that, after finally traversing the so-called Immortal Path, he would find it blocked once more.
"If that's the case, then I'll keep you company, Senior," Li Hao said, jumping down from the war chariot and taking a seat nearby. With a smile, he added, "At least with two of us here, we can chat to pass the time."
The middle-aged warrior was taken aback. He had thought Li Hao would fall into despair upon hearing the bleak situation. Yet here he was, smiling as if it were nothing.
He could see clearly that Li Hao's demeanor wasn't forced; this young man was genuinely free-spirited.
"You've got quite an open mind," the warrior said with a faint laugh.
"Being pessimistic won't change anything. Might as well find some joy in a sad situation. At least it'll improve your mood," Li Hao quipped.
The warrior gave it some thought and then nodded seriously. "You're right."
"Senior, do these Ancient Demons come here randomly, or is there a pattern to their appearances? Since they know you're here, why haven't they swarmed this place already?" Li Hao asked, curiosity evident in his tone.
The warrior sneered. "I've been marked by one of them. To it, I'm its prey. Until it's dead, the others won't interfere. They've already divided me up as their food."
"It's that Ancient Demon from earlier, isn't it?"
"Exactly. That one is a First-Tier Ancient Demon, equivalent to a True Immortal. Coupled with the innate soul-devouring talents of the Ancient Demon race, even ordinary True Immortals struggle to stand against it."
The warrior's gaze grew distant as he continued, "And on this road, there are at least a dozen more of those First-Tier Ancient Demons further out. Where they gather, there's always a chance that an Ancient Demon leader might be present…"
His expression darkened momentarily before regaining its calm. "So here I remain, waiting to die. The demon you saw earlier? I could kill it, but another would simply take its place. Before it, I already killed seven others. In my current state, I can't kill many more. So I keep it alive to block the others."
Li Hao understood now. By keeping that Ancient Demon alive, the warrior had effectively created a bottleneck, preventing a greater horde of demons from swarming the area.
He asked a few more questions about the Ancient Demons and learned about their power hierarchy from the warrior:
Third-Tier Ancient Demons were the weakest but still equivalent to Perfected Saints, comparable to someone like Long Sheng.
Second-Tier Ancient Demons were at the boundary between Saint-level and True Immortal-level power.
First-Tier Ancient Demons were full-fledged True Immortal-tier threats, with a terrifying advantage in soul-devouring abilities.
"The weakest ones already rival Saints. Their base level is ridiculously high," Li Hao muttered.
Even races as powerful as the Dragon Clan and Ancient Phoenixes weren't this absurdly strong.
"These Ancient Demons don't belong to the natural order of the heavens and realms. They come from the Cycle of Reincarnation itself. Not only are they inherently powerful, but their growth rate is astonishing. That's why they brought catastrophe to the True Realm," the warrior explained, shaking his head as if unwilling to elaborate further.
His body slowly began to wither, his blood and flesh retracting into his bones. "To preserve strength, I usually maintain a skeletal state. Don't be alarmed."
Before Li Hao's eyes, the warrior's flesh dried up, leaving behind the familiar figure of white bones from earlier.
Li Hao nodded, glancing at the battlefield. The Third-Tier Ancient Demons the warrior had just slain had vanished entirely, leaving no corpses. He sighed internally at the missed opportunity.
"Senior, next time, if more demons come, could you leave one intact?" Li Hao asked.
The warrior raised a bony brow. "Why? Feeling guilty? Soft-hearted?"
"I'm just hungry," Li Hao replied with a straight face. "Didn't I mention? I'm a chef."
"…"
The warrior's hollow eye sockets stared at him for a long moment before he finally said, "You're less than a hundred years old, yet you've reached this level of power. And you're telling me you're a chef?"
"Cultivation was just a side job," Li Hao said sheepishly.
In truth, he had never taken cultivation seriously, save for moments of meditating on the Sixth Extreme Realm. Perhaps it was this carefree attitude that allowed him to comprehend the Sixth Extreme with such ease.
The middle-aged warrior fell silent for a moment before finally nodding. "Alright, if I get the chance next time, I'll leave one intact for you. I just hope you don't disappoint me."
"Thank you, Senior. I promise it won't disappoint," Li Hao said with a grin.
The warrior didn't reply further. He leaned back against the wheel of the chariot to rest, his posture calm and steady.
Seeing this, Li Hao chose not to disturb him. He moved a bit away and began releasing faint fishing lines of energy, spreading them across the surrounding area. These lines would form a detection net to monitor the movement of Ancient Demons and serve as an early warning system.
Although the warrior appeared to be resting, he wasn't completely asleep. His senses were partially active, observing Li Hao's every action. When he saw the intricate energy lines being laid out, with their highly refined and subtle nature, a flicker of intrigue flashed through his mind.
Had the cultivation system of the Pseudo-Realm evolved into something this unique over countless eras?
After finishing his setup, Li Hao opened his panel, glancing around to ensure the warrior wasn't reacting or capable of seeing it. Confirming his privacy, he took a closer look at his progress.
Defeating Hun Tian Shengren and achieving Culinary Dao mastery to the Tenfold Stage had earned him an Enlightenment Core and Skill Points. However, he already had a decent reserve of skill points; his main challenge now lay in advancing his mental state and comprehension.
"Earlier, I used the Enlightenment Core for the Flesh Dao, achieving physical sanctification. Now, should I focus on the Control Dao, or the Sword Dao?" Li Hao pondered while staring at the panel, his gaze alternating between the Ninefold Control Dao and Ninefold Sword Dao.
Improving Control Dao would enhance his spiritual power, artifact manipulation, divine sense, and soul-related abilities. On the other hand, improving the Sword Dao would directly bolster his combat effectiveness.
Initially, Li Hao had planned to use the second Enlightenment Core for the Sword Dao, to refine his swordsmanship further. However, being in the dangerous and unpredictable Heavenly Ancient Road, where Ancient Demons could appear at any moment, he hesitated.
He recalled the unique characteristics of the Ancient Demons during his recent battle. Despite his peak-level spiritual cultivation, his Primordial Spirit had still been injured by their abilities.
"If my Primordial Spirit becomes stronger and my artifact control improves, I can manipulate the Fragment Blade at higher speeds. Even if I'm surrounded by over a dozen Third-Tier Ancient Demons, I could swiftly neutralize their physical forms, leaving them scrambling to defend themselves instead of attacking me."
Li Hao's eyes sparkled with determination.
After careful consideration, he chose to prioritize the Control Dao. Once his fishing and chess techniques reached the Tenfold Stage in the future, he could revisit the Sword Dao then.
Although the Sword Dao would increase his offensive potential, he lacked a proper weapon for now. Even if his swordsmanship improved, it wouldn't guarantee an instant kill against Ancient Demons. As long as they could regenerate, his efforts would be in vain.
Moreover, the Tenfold Sword Dao would only place him at the threshold of Dao Sacrificial Sanctification, a significant but not game-changing leap.
Having made up his mind, Li Hao didn't delay further.
With a thought, he embedded the Enlightenment Core obtained from his Culinary Dao success into the Control Dao.
Congratulations! Your Control Dao has advanced to the Tenfold Stage!
The notification appeared before him.
Simultaneously, Li Hao felt a torrent of information flooding into his mind. His perception of the world transformed as if his surroundings had undergone a seismic shift.
Countless colors appeared, then vanished. The previously blurry gray fog in the area became sharply defined, almost as if he could see its individual threads.
His extended divine sense rapidly expanded, leaping from a range of ten miles to dozens of miles, and then to over a hundred miles, continuing to grow further.
Within his mind, insights into the Tenfold Control Dao reshaped his very being. His body underwent a natural and instinctive transformation. Above him, low rumbling noises suddenly resounded, accompanied by waves of tribulation energy descending.
Dark clouds formed amidst the gray haze, dispersing it with force.
"Hmm?"
The middle-aged warrior, leaning against the chariot, was startled by the sudden phenomenon. His hollow sockets filled with freshly grown eyes of flesh and blood, which gazed in disbelief at the tribulation clouds gathering above.
"A Saint Tribulation?"
He turned his attention toward Li Hao, who sat cross-legged in the distance. The warrior was visibly surprised. He could clearly tell that Li Hao had already reached the Saint Realm, integrating Dao Sacrificial, Incense, and Extreme powers.
That Extreme Path was particularly secretive, yet somehow it had spread within the Pseudo-Realm.
However, despite already having mastered three paths of sainthood, Li Hao was now summoning a Saint Tribulation?
The warrior squinted at the subtleties of the clouds, quickly realizing that this wasn't an ordinary tribulation. His gaze sharpened. "It's a Dao Sacrificial Tribulation! Could it be that… you've mastered a second path of Dao Sacrificial?"
Shock filled his eyes. Throughout countless years, he had seen countless prodigies, including those born with Innate Immortal Bones, cultivated within the elite True Realm sects. Yet, even among such rarities, achieving two Dao Sacrificial paths within a single lifespan was almost unheard of.
A soul with a lifespan of less than one sixty-year cycle was now grasping two Dao Sacrificial paths.
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