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Chapter 394: Devouring the Chaos Sage
🕑 Added 2024-11-26 04:50:00 +0000 UTCThrough his mastery of Cooking Dao, Li Hao's understanding of "ingredients" had expanded exponentially.
Although the Emperor Weapon battle blade before him could technically be used as an ingredient, Li Hao had no intention of burning or cooking it. Instead, he channeled the Chaos Divine Fire, directing its full intensity toward the Sage of Chaos. In an instant, the Sage's lifeless corpse ignited, and the fire began refining and cooking the fats, bones, and blood within.
"What are you doing?!"
The Sage of Chaos's primordial spirit watched in horror as his physical body was engulfed by the roaring flames. The fire, rising from the earth and sky, evoked a primal fear within him—a terror that reminded him of ancient times when great wildfires would send beasts fleeing for their lives.
Li Hao remained silent, concentrating fully on the task. His Celestial Star Veins channeled immense power, causing the Chaos Divine Fire to burn even brighter.
Sensing an existential threat, the Sage of Chaos let out a furious roar, his primordial spirit rushing to reconnect with his burning body.
As soon as his spirit merged with the body, sensation returned. The excruciating pain of the fire consuming his flesh flooded his consciousness.
His body's natural regenerative powers activated upon reconnection. Even amidst the flames of the Chaos Divine Fire, the body began regenerating at a slow but steady pace. Enraged, the Sage slapped at the flames with his enormous hands, but it was futile.
The Chaos Divine Fire, born from the tiniest particles of existence, was omnipresent and impossible to extinguish. Under Li Hao's control, it unleashed its terrifying might.
The aroma of roasting flesh filled the air, tempting Li Hao's senses. The scent was so tantalizing that his mouth watered, his appetite surging uncontrollably.
However, the Sage's struggles disrupted the flames, making it clear that burning him alive to completion was unrealistic.
"Still not fast enough…"
Li Hao's gaze sharpened. His primordial spirit surged, commanding the fragment to strike once again.
With his recent breakthroughs in Cooking Dao, Li Hao had gained insights into various techniques for ingredient preparation, including slicing and marination. The fragment, under his enhanced control, now moved with unparalleled precision and speed.
In a single instant, a gleaming arc of light shot out like a crescent moon, severing every joint in the Sage's body and fully separating his primordial spirit from his physical form.
At the same time, the Chaos Divine Fire flared up again, intensifying its destructive cooking process.
"What is this fire? Do you think you can burn me to death?!"
The Sage of Chaos was both enraged and terrified. A rare fear crept into his gaze as he stared at Li Hao. For the first time in eons, he felt the shadow of death looming over him, emanating from this insignificant human.
The situation was spiraling out of his control. He knew he couldn't let Li Hao destroy his body completely—if he did, he might truly die at the hands of this "mere one-tribulation fool."
Desperate, the Sage forced his primordial spirit to reconnect with his body, only for the fragment to slash through again, cutting the connection before it could solidify.
The fragment danced like a streak of lightning, hovering between the Sage's spirit and his body. Its sharpness wasn't limited to cutting flesh—it could sever the very essence of the primordial spirit itself.
"You!"
The Sage howled in rage. No matter how many times he tried to reconnect, the fragment thwarted him at every turn. Meanwhile, he could only watch as his body continued to burn and shrink under the relentless flames.
The fragrant aroma of cooked flesh grew stronger, wafting around the Sage's body. Even the sacred Dao essence embedded in his body began to dissipate as visible tendrils of mist, swirling and merging with the fragrant smoke.
His once-proud body, sanctified and tempered through endless tribulations, was breaking down under the relentless cooking process.
Li Hao observed this transformation and knew the body had reached the perfect "tender" stage, making it ideal for absorption.
Without hesitation, he continued wielding the fragment to block the Sage's attempts to reconnect while diving straight toward the burning body.
The Chaos Divine Fire shifted as Li Hao approached, making room for him to seize chunks of the Sage's body. Li Hao began tearing into the flesh with his hands and teeth, devouring it with gusto.
The Sage's body was as valuable as the rarest treasures of heaven and earth. Even the most legendary spiritual herbs and divine fruits couldn't compare to the essence contained within his bones, blood, and flesh.
Li Hao, still in his Law of Heaven and Earth form, used his massive size to rip apart the Sage's body and consume it directly.
"You… you've gone mad!"
The Sage's primordial spirit stared in disbelief, his eyes wide as saucers. Li Hao, the prey he had been chasing, was now eating him as if he were nothing more than a meal.
The Sage had pursued Li Hao, intending to make him into a nutrient-rich "meat pill." Now, the roles were reversed, and it was his body being devoured!
"Since we share the same origins—your sanctified flesh nourishes you, and consuming me would have strengthened you. Why shouldn't I do the same?"
Li Hao spoke coldly between bites, his primordial spirit faintly visible above his massive form, gazing indifferently at the Sage.
The Sage's spirit trembled with rage, his fury boundless.
"I'd rather my body be destroyed than become your sustenance! I am a Supreme Saint! I rose to power from the chaos of the primordial era, enduring countless tribulations to reach the apex of the demon world. And now… now you dare to eat me like some beast?! Unforgivable!"
The Sage roared, his primordial spirit exploding with terrifying power.
"Ninefold Primordial Split!"
With a deafening roar, the Sage activated a secret technique. His primordial spirit divided into nine parts, each amplifying the power of the others. The overlapping resonance caused his spirit's energy to surge dramatically.
His ninefold primordial spirits charged at his burning body from different angles, attempting to reclaim it.
Li Hao's eyes narrowed. This was clearly a highly advanced primordial spirit technique capable of enhancing the spirit's strength.
He commanded the fragment to intercept the spirits, and the fragment's sharpness cut through them effortlessly. However, even when sliced apart, each fragment of the Sage's primordial spirit took on an independent form, converging toward the burning body.
Realizing the urgency, Li Hao wrapped his arms around the Sage's body and dragged it away while invoking the Eternal Dao Domain to shield himself.
With the Chaos Divine Fire still burning and his fragment intercepting the spirits, Li Hao buried his face in the Sage's flesh, consuming as much as he could as quickly as possible.
With every bite, he felt an incredible surge of energy coursing through his body. It was as if he had quenched an insatiable hunger with the most nourishing elixir. His body became stronger, his Dao Domain grew more potent, and his physical vitality surged to new heights.
"Stop this!"
The Sage screamed in fury. One of his spirit fragments bypassed the fragment's defense and broke into Li Hao's Dao Domain, managing to merge with the remnants of his burning body.
The body began to regenerate rapidly as the spirit took control.
Li Hao's eyes flashed coldly. He didn't hesitate. Baring his teeth, he bit down hard on the area where the spirit had fused with the body.
"You dare?!"
The Sage's primordial spirit retaliated, manifesting as a blade of spiritual energy aimed at severing Li Hao's own spirit.
Li Hao's primordial spirit retreated into his Celestial Sovereign Will, which instantly reacted. The Sage's blade clashed against the overwhelming force of the Celestial Will.
For a brief moment, the Sage felt as though he had been cast into an infinite void, dwarfed by an all-encompassing divine presence that gazed down at him from every direction.
"What is this...?"
Huntian Saint was momentarily dazed.
Li Hao seized the opportunity to envelop this trace of Huntian Saint's primordial spirit with his own, rapidly refining it while devouring the torn flesh.
Due to the connection with the primordial spirit, the pain transmitted through the physical body wasn't merely a sensation carried by nerves. It was a torment that extended into the spiritual realm, a thousand times worse than being flayed alive. This pain was inseparable and unavoidable—a tearing agony of flesh, sacred power, and the primordial spirit being devoured simultaneously.
The Huntian Saint let out a bloodcurdling scream, struggling desperately, but under Li Hao's relentless gnawing, his cries soon faded.
Other traces of the primordial spirit still charged toward Li Hao in pursuit.
Li Hao paid no heed, focusing entirely on his frenzied feast.
After consuming a trace of the Huntian Saint's primordial spirit, Li Hao felt a slight enhancement in his own.
A flicker of thought crossed his mind—if he could push his primordial spirit beyond the current limit, he might reach the final stage of the Spirit Wandering Boundary!
However, he could only sense a minor improvement. The bottleneck of breaking through the ultimate limit seemed as challenging as ever.
As more of Huntian Saint's body was consumed, his remaining physical form diminished rapidly. Under the relentless assault of the Chaos Divine Flame, the disintegration of his flesh accelerated. Even the residual Dao energy dissipated, only to be devoured by Li Hao in turn.
These scattered fragments of the Dao fused seamlessly with Li Hao's body. The process was akin to consuming the saint's complete form, but much easier to assimilate.
"So tender and pliable... Even if another saint were to eat this, it would likely grant them significant bodily enhancement—perhaps even sanctification of the flesh!"
Li Hao mused silently.
With his relentless absorption, only a tenth of Huntian Saint's body remained.
At this point, Li Hao exuded a terrifying aura. His momentum surpassed that of Huntian Saint at his peak. Waves of searing heat radiated from his body, accompanied by a mist of energy that unmistakably manifested the presence of the Great Dao.
Li Hao's Dao bones and divine blood were continuously strengthened and refined.
Although Li Hao had previously achieved sanctification of the flesh, it was merely the result of overcoming one tribulation. Now, the enhancement he experienced far surpassed the benefits of even overcoming three tribulations.
The sacred power within his flesh grew increasingly potent, emanating a unique fragrance. The Great Dao encircled his body, and each pore seemed to deepen infinitely, emanating boundless strength and majesty.
Abruptly, Li Hao halted his movements. His sharp gaze locked onto Huntian Saint, who was still pursuing him. He noticed that one fragment of the primordial spirit had fallen behind in the chase and was now stealthily retreating in another direction.
Clearly, although Huntian Saint had exhibited extreme anger earlier, he had still reserved an escape route. His fury hadn't clouded his judgment entirely.
Li Hao smirked coldly and raised his hand, feeling as if he could crush the void itself.
"Suppress!"
As his hand clenched tightly, a black vortex appeared in his palm. The space around it shattered, and the immense gravitational force distorted the surrounding void.
The traces of Huntian Saint's primordial spirit that were still charging toward him stared in shock and anger. Their gaze was filled with fury and despair.
He had truly been consumed by Li Hao, reduced to nothing more than a stepping stone.
With a resounding crack, several traces of the primordial spirit exploded. Without a physical body to anchor them, these remnants of the spirit lost many of their powerful techniques and were no match for Li Hao.
If Li Hao hadn't reached the limit of his own primordial spirit, Huntian Saint could have wielded his primordial spirit like a blade, directly obliterating Li Hao's soul and usurping his body. But Li Hao's primordial spirit was no weaker than Huntian Saint's and was further protected by the will of the Heavenly Lord, making it indestructible.
"The Origin Patriarch knows of you. He will kill you for this!" Huntian Saint roared in rage.
Li Hao extinguished the remaining fragments of the primordial spirit one by one. His gaze then shifted to the fragment that had desperately fled earlier. With a sneer, he stepped forward, utilizing the void-shifting technique to pursue at incredible speed.
The fleeing fragment's expression turned pale, but without looking back, it continued to flee frantically.
At this moment, nothing else mattered. The fragment's only goal was to locate Long Saint or another saint and reveal Li Hao's secret of cultivating the threefold sanctification.
As long as this information reached the ears of the other supreme saints, the fragment was certain that even if the Divine Immortal Path were to reemerge, the saints would unite to eliminate Li Hao, forcing him to follow the path of the Divine King.
After all, achieving sanctification in three forms was tied to the ultimate boundary of sainthood—a mythical concept.
There were rumors that upon reaching the Enlightened Boundary of the extreme realm, there was no further progression. Any stage beyond was thought to be non-existent.
Thus, the concept of a saint's ultimate boundary remained a legend. The practice of uniting three forms into one had never been successfully achieved, and the speculation had never been proven.
But now, Huntian Saint was certain that the ultimate boundary for saints existed. The path of uniting three forms into one was indeed the path to that boundary. Otherwise, there was no way a single-tribulation saint like Li Hao could rival him, let alone overpower him!
"Too bad—you'll never get the chance!"
Li Hao's icy voice echoed. At the same time, Huntian Saint suddenly felt the sharp edge of a blade closing in from behind.
His pupils constricted in horror as he turned to see Li Hao. Despite the vast distance between them, the blade seemed to arrive instantaneously. Even for a primordial spirit, this speed exceeded its limits.
Unless Li Hao had some secret technique to extend the range of his control over weapons, the extension was too extreme to fathom.
Moreover, the fragment was utterly unaware of the incoming shard until it was too late.
Boom!
As shock paralyzed the fragment, a subtle yet terrifying power manifested before it.
Huntian Saint's fragment panicked and attempted to dodge, but it was too late.
It was a thread—a nearly invisible thread.
Swish!
The thread sliced through Huntian Saint's primordial spirit. At the same moment, the shard drew closer and swept across it, shattering the fragment into pieces.
The shattered fragments scattered in every direction, attempting to escape.
But Li Hao capitalized on the opportunity, drawing closer. His Dao Domain expanded, enveloping all the fragments.
Under the eternal Dao Domain's suppression, the shattered fragments froze in place. With a wave of Li Hao's hand, they all converged toward him.
Without hesitation, Li Hao released his own primordial spirit to absorb the fragments entirely.
The furious roars and anguished cries of Huntian Saint echoed in his ears but quickly faded.
After surveying his surroundings to ensure nothing had been overlooked, Li Hao's gaze turned to the remaining portions of Huntian Saint's body.
This place was fraught with peril. Li Hao didn't waste time savoring his victory. He swiftly refined and absorbed the saint's body.
Once the remaining flesh was consumed, Li Hao finally felt at ease. He carefully scanned his surroundings one more time to confirm there were no loose ends before retracting his power. The supreme energy he had unleashed gradually faded.
"Huntian Saint should be dead now..."
Li Hao's eyes flickered. Recalling his previous encounter with Xing Saint, he couldn't be entirely certain if Huntian Saint had any secret treasures to leave behind a spark of life.
Nonetheless, there was no doubt that the Huntian Saint here had been thoroughly destroyed. He was dead—utterly and irreversibly!
"His body, his primordial spirit... Even if a spark remains, it would be so weak as to pose no threat."
Li Hao's gaze sharpened. After leaving the ancient hall, he planned to seek out Elder Feng for a divination to confirm whether Huntian Saint had left behind a spark of life.
If he had, it was likely the saint would try to spread knowledge of Li Hao's cultivation methods, drawing a host of trouble to him.
"But if my strength advances further, not even the Origin Patriarch would intimidate me. At that point, the spread of this information wouldn't matter. Just like the Origin Patriarch's Seven Tribulations Emperor Weapon, which is coveted by all but untouchable..."
"The Divine King was besieged by the saints because he incited their greed without the power to deter them. If one possesses strength that deters the heavens, even their greed becomes irrelevant."
Li Hao pondered silently.
For those who walk the path of strength and brilliance, scrutiny and envious intentions from countless beings are inevitable. It was a fact of life.
His eyes swept across the battlefield. The destruction from their clash had obliterated two ancient mountains.
The traces of battle left here would not fade quickly. He had to leave as soon as possible and erase his aura.
Turning, Li Hao headed toward the teleportation array from earlier. Only Long Saint remained there, posing no threat to him now.
As he journeyed, Li Hao felt his body transforming constantly. His flesh and blood seemed to divide and shed layers, unleashing waves of immense power.
His sanctified body became increasingly refined, reaching a state of perfection.
Li Hao didn't rush. Instead, he leisurely traversed the air.
A slow walk after a feast aids digestion.
The massive body of Huntian Saint
that Li Hao had devoured had thoroughly infused him with sacred energy. Every ounce of Huntian Saint's Saint Dao essence and vitality had been absorbed, leaving behind only a profound and unmatched transformation in Li Hao's body.
"This... is the Ultimate Strength Dao."
Li Hao felt the distinct energy of Huntian Saint's Saint Dao coursing within him. The Ultimate Strength Dao was the essence of raw, unparalleled power, capable of amplifying physical strength to its absolute peak.
As someone who had already achieved sanctification through the body, Li Hao inherently surpassed other saints in physical power. With the addition of the Ultimate Strength Dao, his strength now soared to another level entirely. He realized that even in a direct clash of pure power against a supreme saint, he would no longer be at a disadvantage.
Meanwhile, as his body underwent continual refinement, it also grew stronger. Li Hao tested his transformation by taking out a token from his storage ring. With a quick swipe against the back of his hand, he found that the sharp edge couldn't even pierce his skin. It was as though the blade were scraping against impenetrable steel.
Even when applying considerable force, the token could only leave a faint white mark on his flesh, evidence of his physical resilience having advanced significantly.
Li Hao then withdrew a Five-Tribulation Emperor Weapon, a blade once imbued with extraordinary might. As he gripped the hilt, he could sense its lingering consciousness, though its attitude toward him had shifted dramatically. Having witnessed Huntian Saint's devouring at the hands of Li Hao and experiencing the oppressive power of the Chaos Divine Flame, the weapon now behaved submissively, emanating a faint sense of deference.
Though it had the potential to be reshaped into an entirely new form, Li Hao did not intend to replace his current weapon with this one. Instead, he tested its sharpness on his newly sanctified body. The edge of the blade managed to draw a thin line of blood, proving that even his significantly strengthened body wasn't entirely immune to weapons of this caliber. Still, this blade, despite its sharpness, stopped upon reaching his bones. The weapon clearly lacked the strength of a Six-Tribulation Emperor Weapon.
Li Hao retracted his hand and considered the significance of his physical transformation. Saints across the heavens, even those who had overcome multiple tribulations, rarely possessed emperor weapons of such caliber. The scarcity of resources and treasures ensured that the strongest artifacts remained concentrated in the hands of supreme saints or ancient powers. This inequality was akin to how the rarest riches of the mortal world were monopolized by the elite few.
"Other than Supreme Saints, even other saints wouldn't be able to harm me in the slightest, no matter how they attacked…"
Li Hao's eyes flickered with thought. Although he viewed Supreme Saints as his ultimate goal, he was still only a One-Tribulation Saint. To achieve this level of strength was already terrifying.
Li Hao picked up the shard again, fiddling with it between his fingers as he observed it closely.
Earlier, he hadn't had time to examine it carefully. Now he noticed the shard's surface gleamed with a terrifying brilliance, and even the blade's edge was spotless, impervious to the slightest speck of dust.
He lightly slid it across his arm, and it sliced through as easily as if cutting tofu.
Li Hao couldn't help but marvel. It was no wonder the Huntian Saint had fallen here. Even a Saint whose body was sanctified couldn't stand against such a terrifying weapon.
Li Hao stored the battle blade for now, intending to dismantle it later and feed it to his Gong Ming, the trusted tool he used to strengthen his abilities.
This blade had been with Huntian Saint for a long time, so it likely carried lingering will or attachments. Destroying it would be the safest option.
"A warrior must have complete trust in their weapon," Li Hao muttered.
He carefully hid the shard in his sleeve. For now, this was the most powerful weapon in his possession.
As he journeyed back, the blood and flesh of Huntian Saint's demon body continued to be slowly digested within him. Li Hao estimated that once fully assimilated, it would likely elevate his body to an even higher level.
He crossed one ancient mountain after another, finally returning to the location of the teleportation array from earlier.
This was a hall, though it was now dilapidated and covered in dust. Behind the hall lay a small bamboo courtyard. Within the courtyard was a well, and by the well stood a figure radiating a crimson glow.
Sensing Li Hao's approach, the figure turned around—it was none other than Long Saint.
However, Long Saint looked strange. His expression was twisted with pain, as though suppressing something. His bloodshot eyes glinted with cruelty and madness.
When Long Saint saw Li Hao, the ferocity in his gaze wavered, replaced with a momentary shock.
Clearly, he hadn't expected Li Hao to return alive, especially after Huntian Saint had personally pursued him.
Long Saint had known the Huntian Saint's intent—to kill Li Hao and refine his body into a Flesh Pill, a legendary artifact that would allow him to ascend to the Flesh God Realm. Reaching that stage would make him comparable to the Origin Patriarch or the Divine King.
Long Saint hadn't interfered in Huntian Saint's pursuit, partly out of old camaraderie, and partly because he had discovered something within the ancient hall. Before he could investigate further, Li Hao had inexplicably appeared, derailing his plans.
Huntian Saint's pursuit of Li Hao had presented an opportunity for Long Saint to explore the hall without interruption—a mutually beneficial situation.
"You… actually survived? And even escaped Huntian?" Long Saint's voice was filled with disbelief as he stared at Li Hao.
This seemed impossible. Could Li Hao's movement technique have achieved enlightenment?
Aside from that, Long Saint couldn't fathom how Li Hao had evaded Huntian Saint's pursuit.
Li Hao, of course, had no intention of explaining. As Long Saint hesitated in shock, Li Hao struck, his shard flashing out instantly.
In a place like this ancient hall, life-and-death struggles were inevitable. Regardless of opportunities or circumstances, even if Li Hao had been merciful, others wouldn't hesitate to harbor murderous intent. The only way to survive was to act first.
Mercy was merely foolishness—offering one's life to another's blade.
Slash!
In an instant, the shard passed through Long Saint's head, cleaving it open.
Although Long Saint was the Dragon Clan's supreme leader, one of the most powerful dragon beings in existence, his body wasn't sanctified like Huntian Saint's. As such, it was slightly less durable.
The shard met no resistance as it pierced his skull, causing blood and flesh to explode outward.
The next moment, however, Long Saint's body erupted with dragon scales, and a head composed of his primordial spirit emerged from the shattered neck. He growled in fury:
"What kind of weapon is this?"
Long Saint was stunned. Other than Huntian Saint, his physical defenses were unmatched across the heavens. Yet, this weapon had pierced through him effortlessly, as though his body were made of paper. He could feel its horrifying sharpness, capable of dismantling him completely.
Fortunately, the shard lacked tribulation energy. Such a sharp weapon was at least on par with a Seven-Tribulation Emperor Weapon, but it didn't emit the oppressive tribulation energy that would have caused his entire body to explode upon impact.
Li Hao didn't respond. Instead, he controlled the shard, launching successive attacks.
Having recently cooked Huntian Saint, Li Hao's culinary techniques had broken past the bottleneck of the ninth stage, reaching the tenth stage. The experience gained from refining Huntian Saint's body had been immense. When Li Hao checked, he discovered he had earned a staggering two million experience points.
The maximum experience needed to master the tenth stage was ten million.
In other words, cooking and refining four more Supreme Saint-level "ingredients" would allow him to reach the peak of his culinary mastery.
To Li Hao, Long Saint was now a tantalizing two million experience points in plain sight.
Li Hao wondered—after maxing out the tenth stage of culinary mastery, what heights could he reach? Could it lead to the legendary realms of the Divine or Immortal Gods?
If so… the thought alone filled him with boundless motivation.
Buzz!
Long Saint's Dragon Emperor Dao Domain unfolded. Within it, the sound of tens of thousands of dragon roars filled the air, shaking heaven and earth.
The deafening roars carried an unparalleled majesty, as though the master of the world were declaring his wrath.
Since ancient times, the dragon race had been among the most powerful beings in existence.
Li Hao felt his heart tremble. His blood seemed to flow faster, and an involuntary shiver ran through him. A primal urge to kneel and submit surged within him—a testament to the overwhelming influence of Long Saint's Dao.
Li Hao immediately entered a Transformation State, merging his consciousness with the heavens and earth.
The oppressive force swept through him like a breeze, unable to find purchase or exert its weight.
Taking advantage of this, Li Hao directed the shard in a series of swift strikes, aiming to sever Long Saint's body from his primordial spirit—just as he had done with Huntian Saint.
However, Li Hao was unfamiliar with Long Saint's physical structure. His ability to land the killing blow on Huntian Saint had been the result of repeated attacks and accumulated experience.
"Such a commotion... damn it!"
Li Hao's expression darkened as the shard rapidly sliced through Long Saint's body. Piece by piece, it carved into him like a scalpel, following the contours of his bones and tracing the pathways of his meridians.
Long Saint was even more alarmed. He tried to defend himself, but his Dragon Emperor Dao Domain was completely ineffective against the shard. Even when he turned his hardest scales to shield himself, they could only slightly mitigate the damage.
His proud dragon bones, normally as resilient as divine steel, crumbled like mud under the shard's assault.
"You're still alive… Could it be..."
As Long Saint regenerated his flesh and dodged frantically, his gaze filled with disbelief.
The thought struck him—Huntian Saint had gone after Li Hao, but now Li Hao had returned, wielding this terrifying weapon. It was hard not to conclude that Huntian Saint had fallen to Li Hao!
But that was Huntian—a Supreme Saint! Even the Origin Patriarch couldn't easily kill him. How could Li Hao have managed it?
Slash, slash, slash!
The shard relentlessly tore into Long Saint's flesh. Despite his regenerative abilities, Li Hao's repeated attacks allowed him to grow increasingly familiar with Long Saint's physical structure.
Terrified and enraged, Long Saint suddenly stopped fighting back and bolted toward the well in the courtyard.
The well appeared small, like an ordinary household water source. However, its inner walls concealed a vast, open passage.
As Long Saint dove into the well, his true form as the Dragon Clan's supreme leader was revealed—a body spanning dozens of miles, like a mountain range coiling through the sky. His colossal dragon eyes alone were as large as imperial palaces, exuding an aura of overwhelming dominance.
Long Saint plunged into the well's depths, submerging himself in a pool of crimson blood.
The blood churned violently as his massive body entered, sending waves soaring tens of thousands of feet high.
When Li Hao reached the well, he saw Long Saint's enormous form writhing in the blood. Waves of malevolent, bloodthirsty energy radiated from him, causing Li Hao's skin to crawl.
"What kind of blood is that?"
Li Hao was startled. In the broken hall, the well in the courtyard was filled with blood, and it seemed to possess an eerie, otherworldly power.
He observed Long Saint's body as it bathed in the blood. The gaps between his dragon scales glowed with an ominous crimson light, making him appear even more savage. His once-proud dragon eyes turned blood-red, their ferocious gleam sharper and more terrifying than ever.
Li Hao prepared to control the shard and test the changes in Long Saint, but suddenly, he felt a faint disturbance in the surrounding air.
His expression shifted slightly—someone was approaching quickly, and stealthily.
That presence was one Li Hao knew well. It was Yuan Zu, the Origin Patriarch.
The thought of Yuan Zu immediately brought to mind the Patriarch's Seven-Tribulation Emperor Weapon, a weapon forged by absorbing over a thousand heavenly treasures. Its power was incomparably fearsome and capable of commanding the heavens.
Even more troubling, Yuan Zu himself was in the Divine Incense Realm, far beyond the likes of Huntian Saint. Compared to Yuan Zu, Huntian's strength was insignificant.
Li Hao's expression grew grim. If Yuan Zu arrived and Long Saint revealed what had transpired here, the sharp minds of Supreme Saints like Yuan Zu would quickly deduce the truth of Huntian Saint's death.
Li Hao's gaze swept across the area, seeking an escape route. His eyes landed on the small courtyard, where a stone sculpture stood silently amidst the bamboo grove.
The sculpture depicted the ancient hall's master, their likeness carefully preserved. What drew Li Hao's attention, however, was the faint pulse of energy emanating from the sculpture.
This energy was subtle and weak but carried a sense of familiarity. Li Hao immediately connected it to the trace of Celestial Qi he had absorbed into his body earlier—it was the same essence.
Boom!
Just then, Long Saint surged from the blood-filled well, his massive body coiling skyward.
Though the courtyard seemed no larger than a modest human residence, Long Saint's colossal form, spanning dozens of miles, dominated the sky. His overwhelming presence generated violent gusts of wind, yet the courtyard itself remained untouched, shielded by an unseen force.
Long Saint's transformation was complete. His scales shimmered with a crimson hue, and a horrifying bloodthirsty aura radiated from him in waves. His blood-red eyes burned with intense hostility as they locked onto Li Hao.
"Run!"
Li Hao made a quick decision. He didn't hesitate or engage in further combat but turned to flee the courtyard.
Yet before he could fully retreat, he paused in his tracks. From the ancient mountain path he had used earlier, another presence was approaching.
This new aura was both subtle and scorching, like a concealed inferno. It was the Shen Wang, the Divine King.
Li Hao's expression darkened further. Both Yuan Zu and Shen Wang were converging on this location, making escape increasingly difficult.
"This is getting out of hand," he muttered.
Meanwhile, Long Saint roared and unleashed a torrent of Blood Flames from his massive maw. The crimson firestorm swept across the courtyard, engulfing everything in its path.
Within this sea of flames, Li Hao observed something strange. The bamboo leaves of the courtyard's grove curled slightly at the edges but did not burn to ash. The surrounding walls of the ancient hall shimmered faintly with a silver-gray light, blocking the flames' destructive heat and leaving the structure unharmed.
Despite this, Li Hao could feel the flames' insidious effects. They carried a suffocating bloodthirsty aura, a violent and maddening emotion that surged into his mind.
The intensity of this malevolent energy was overwhelming. It felt as though his skull was being forcibly cracked open, and the malicious emotions were being shoved into the empty spaces. Nausea churned in his stomach, and his head throbbed with an unbearable pressure.
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