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Chapter 376: Half of the Dao Scripture Suppresses the Heavens
🕑 Added 2024-11-07 10:15:52 +0000 UTC"This is sheer madness!"
The Hunyuan Saint berated, "You've just become a Saint, yet you're so reckless. Do you really think Saints cannot die? If you seek death, I will personally fulfill your wish!" As he spoke, a terrifying aura erupted from him. Above the Dao Field, the sky seemed to roil like ink, as if the sharpness of his words had pierced through the heavens.
Next to him, the Fa Saint's eyes flickered, glancing at him without any further reaction. Rarely did he refrain from commenting on Li Hao. Although he didn't favor Li Hao and found his actions arrogant, Li Hao hadn't violated any laws.
Moreover, everyone knew about the deep feud between Li Hao and the Buddhist Sect, as well as the Void Sacred Land. Settling matters in the Dao Field was reasonable. Besides, he was curious to see where Li Hao's confidence came from. Could it be that the Yuan Ancestor was backing him?
If that were the case, many things would become interesting. He cast a glance at the Yuan Ancestor but noticed a look of surprise in the elder's eyes, which made him wonder if he was overthinking things.
"Haotian, have you thought this through?"
At this moment, the Yi Saint also spoke. Her voice was soft and gentle, like a flowing spring.
Although she was asking Li Hao, the Saintly aura in her words easily blocked the overwhelming pressure of the Hunyuan Saint, ensuring that Li Hao wasn't affected.
Li Hao glanced at the Hunyuan Saint, their gazes clashing, both filled with anger. Though Li Hao hid his killing intent deep within, he knew that the Hunyuan Saint's seemingly furious gaze also concealed murderous intent. Both concealed their true emotions, but Li Hao understood that he and the Hunyuan Saint were destined to clash, though today wasn't that day.
"Even if I wanted to step back, some wouldn't allow it. If the Hunyuan Saint can convince them not to challenge me, then I'll withdraw my words!" Li Hao smirked inwardly. The Hunyuan Saint's pretense of protecting him was laughable—let him deal with the stress of the Buddhist Sect and the Void Sacred Land.
Upon hearing Li Hao's words, the Hunyuan Saint's expression softened slightly, and he turned to look at the Buddha Sovereign and the Void Saint.
The Buddha Sovereign and Void Saint hadn't expected Li Hao to show signs of retreat. They were confused. Could this be a strategic retreat? If Li Hao had the protection of the Supreme Ancestor and they couldn't challenge him during the Dao Debate, they'd never get another chance to kill him.
"Hunyuan Supreme Saint, this child has insulted my Buddhist Sect, I must debate with him!"
Before the Hunyuan Saint could speak, the Buddha Sovereign declared his stance.
Though the Hunyuan Saint was powerful, he couldn't control everything, especially with other Supreme Saints present.
"You are a Three Calamities Saint, yet you seek to debate with a newly ascended Saint? That's too much of a bully!"
The Hunyuan Saint's face darkened as he spoke, still trying to shield Li Hao, though inwardly seething at the trouble Li Hao had caused, forcing him to clean up the mess.
"Haotian may be a new Saint, but he clearly doesn't regard us elders in high esteem."
The Buddha Sovereign's calm words were intended to incite resentment toward Li Hao, hoping to turn the other Saints against him.
However, the other Three Calamities Saints merely glanced at him with some displeasure. They weren't fools—everyone knew of the grudge between Li Hao and the Buddhist Sect. It was obvious that the Buddha Sovereign was trying to drag them into his fight, which was crossing a line.
"Exactly, he's far too arrogant, disrespecting the heavens. If we don't teach him a lesson today, no one will be able to control him in the future!"
The Void Saint chimed in.
The Hunyuan Saint, enraged, said, "Even if you wish to debate with him, sending just one representative should suffice. Why must you all take part? Are you planning to gang up on a new Saint and crush his Saintly Dao?"
He directly called out the intentions of the Buddhist Sect and the Void Sacred Land, but the Buddha Sovereign and the others remained calm, showing no signs of being affected.
"Since Haotian Zun came to the Dao Field, he must be prepared for a Dao Debate. If so, let us debate freely, and there's no need for the Hunyuan Saint to intervene," said the Qingdeng Buddha, looking directly at the Hunyuan Saint.
The Hunyuan Saint's expression darkened. Qingdeng Buddha wasn't wrong. Li Hao had clearly prepared for this encounter, but the Hunyuan Saint hadn't expected Li Hao's approach to be so reckless—it was almost suicidal. Could it be that someone had leaked the plan to him, and he knew the Hunyuan Saint would protect him?
The Hunyuan Saint glanced at the Yi Saint, but she simply gazed at the scene, her expression unreadable. His eyes grew colder.
"Hmph, very well, do as you wish!"
The Hunyuan Saint suddenly stopped trying to intervene, his face cold.
Seeing him back down, the Qingdeng Buddha and the Buddha Sovereign exchanged a look of relief before quickly scanning the other Supreme Saints to ensure no further complications would arise. But the other Supreme Saints merely watched Li Hao in silence, not saying a word.
The Yi Saint glanced at the Hunyuan Saint. Their gazes met, and the Hunyuan Saint flashed a cold smile at her. She frowned slightly, then turned to look at Li Hao, noticing that his expression hadn't changed even after the Hunyuan Saint's retreat. Instead, he remained calm and composed. Her frown deepened, but she said nothing.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is his debate!"
At that moment, Huang Tianji, standing on the Dao Field, suddenly spoke. His expression was extremely displeased. While the others debated, they seemed to have forgotten about him, the one who had originally challenged Li Hao. Everyone appeared to assume he would lose to Li Hao. How could that be?
The Buddha Sovereign's face changed slightly as he looked at his old friend.
He could tell that Huang Tianji was truly enraged, and a message rang in his mind from him:
"I don't care about that thing anymore. I will kill him myself, through the Dao Debate, no matter what!"
Huang Tianji cultivated the Royal Dao, born a king with the world revolving around him. He had always been the center of attention, never facing such humiliation or being so blatantly disregarded.
"Brother Huang…"
The Buddha Sovereign hesitated, seeing this as the perfect opportunity to kill Li Hao.
"Do you think I'm weaker than him?!"
Huang Tianji's fury escalated, glaring at the Buddha Sovereign with fiery eyes.
The Buddha Sovereign felt bitter. He didn't believe Huang Tianji would lose, but Li Hao was too strange and overly confident. He didn't want to take any chances, even if there was only a one-in-a-million possibility of failure.
"Come up here!"
Huang Tianji glared at Li Hao, his voice filled with regal authority, making others instinctively feel the urge to obey.
Li Hao glanced at him indifferently, then said coldly, "I've already said, your Saintly Dao is but a small path, unworthy. You alone are not enough!"
"Do I need to drag you up here myself?"
Huang Tianji's face turned icy, his eyes brimming with killing intent.
Li Hao noticed the Fa Saint's lips parting as if he was about to speak. He shook his head in mild annoyance. The Fa Saint was truly meddlesome, so Li Hao decided to end this back-and-forth. He leaped onto the Dao Field.
Seeing Li Hao finally step onto the field, Huang Tianji's eyes filled with murderous rage. His Saintly Dao erupted as he roared:
"The mountains, rivers, sun, and moon—all are formed from dust. A king gathers the power of the heavens and earth. The Royal Dao is the Heavenly Dao—it is the sun and moon, it is the heavens and earth!"
As he spoke, his Saintly Dao surged like a dragon's spine, pressuring Li Hao.
Li Hao's hair fluttered in the wind, but his expression remained calm. He clasped his hands behind his back, his voice serene.
"Dust that forms a mountain is no longer dust. A king gathers all things, but in doing so, deprives them of their essence. Gathering all into one is the path of defeat."
"When all things are gathered, they inevitably compete, striving for dominance, seeking to become the central force."
"Where there is competition, there is defeat. Walking this path will only lead to ruin in the end."
As he spoke, he dissected the core of the Royal Dao, reducing it to a mere contest for supremacy.
Huang Tianji's furious expression faltered, his face revealing shock. He stared at the young man before him. Li Hao was clearly not as simple as he had assumed. He was not merely an arrogant warrior but someone with deep insight.
"Only by not competing can one remain unrivaled in the world."
Li Hao spoke slowly, and as he did, his Saintly Dao manifested behind him. A mere glimmer of his Saintly Dao shone forth like a brilliant silver sword, cutting through Huang Tianji's Royal Dao.
In an instant, the dragon-spine-like Saintly Dao was severed in two, its core shattered!
At that moment, a multitude of Dao scriptures danced before Li Hao's eyes, his mastery of the written word soaring.
Huang Tianji grunted, spitting blood as his body staggered backward, his face pale with shock and disbelief.
"Not competing means no defeat… No defeat means invincibility…"
As this declaration echoed across the sky, the Royal Dao crumbled.
Above, the heavens thundered like a temple bell at dawn, shocking everyone as if they were struck by lightning, causing goosebumps to rise all over their bodies.
This single phrase had triggered the resonance of the Dao, indicating that it had touched the very source of the Dao!
"To not compete… is to truly compete…"
The Yuan Ancestor muttered, his eyes trembling as he looked once more at the young man on the Dao Field. His gaze grew solemn. Such a declaration of Dao had reached the core of the Dao's essence, even causing his own heart to waver. Though he had cultivated for many years and understood the origin of all things, he had never distilled the Dao as simply as Li Hao had.
"Without competition… how can one be a king?"
Huang Tianji coughed up blood, his Saintly Dao rapidly deteriorating. Fear filled his eyes as he gazed at Li Hao. His Saintly Dao was collapsing, and all the Dao he had gathered was fleeing his body. His cultivation plummeted, and he was no longer a Saint.
Now a withered old man, his hair turned gray in an instant. His once majestic imperial robes lost their luster, and he stood there like an old man lost to time.
"Huang Tian…"
The Buddha Sovereign's face turned ashen as he watched the scene unfold, fury and shock filling his heart. Li Hao had shattered Huang Tianji's Saintly Dao with just a single phrase!
And Li Hao had not even fully revealed his own Saintly Dao—its mere presence had already been enough to devastate the opponent!
The Qingdeng Buddha furrowed his brows, his gaze darkening as he stared at Li Hao.
The Hunyuan Saint, while astonished, felt a sense of relief. No wonder this kid had the confidence to challenge so many Saints. His Saintly Dao had advanced to such a level.
Deep within his eyes, a hint of murderous intent flickered. If Li Hao had already grown this powerful after passing the human tribulation, what would he become after overcoming the heavenly tribulation? He would only become even more formidable.
Yet, the Hunyuan Saint realized that by that time, he might not be able to control Li Hao. It would be better to kill him now, before it was too late.
His gaze grew contemplative as he considered this.
"How did you comprehend such a profound Dao…?"
On the Dao Field, Huang Tianji, now a frail old man, looked at Li Hao with despair.
He had fallen from sainthood, his Saintly Dao destroyed. All the Dao he had accumulated had left him, and his cultivation had collapsed to the point where he could no longer be considered a Saint.
Yet in his heart, he saw a glimmer of hope in Li Hao's Saintly Dao. He wanted to follow that path, to pursue it.
This was the terror of the Dao Debate—once one's Dao was shattered, there was a possibility of becoming enslaved by another, becoming their disciple or follower.
"The heavens and earth are my teachers. Everything has long taught us, but you failed to see it."
Li Hao's voice was calm as he replied.
Huang Tianji's eyes filled with sorrow, and he turned away, descending from the Dao Field like a desolate old man.
The Buddha Sovereign glanced at him. His Saintly Dao had been shattered, and it was impossible for him to ascend to sainthood again unless he cultivated an entirely new Dao. The Royal Dao was forever out of his reach.
To walk a new Dao would be to start from the beginning, just like anyone else. At best, he would have slightly superior aptitude. The Buddha Sovereign withdrew his gaze, his attention now fixed on Li Hao, filled with fear and murderous intent.
"Should we proceed?"
The Buddha Sovereign's voice echoed in the minds of his allies.
The Qingdeng Buddha's eyes remained locked on Li Hao for a long moment before he finally spoke, "His Dao merely countered the Royal Dao, which is why he shattered Huang Tianji's Dao. His Dao does not conflict with ours. The Buddhist Sect seeks harmony with the world, and in such a debate, he will surely lose!"
Hearing this, the Buddha Sovereign calmed down and nodded.
Li Hao had indeed frightened them, but after further thought, it made sense. How could a mere half-year-old Saint truly possess such terrifying power that even Three Calamities Saints would be easily defeated? Not even a Supreme Saint could manage that!
On the other side, the Void Saint and the Qingdeng Buddha exchanged glances. The Qingdeng Buddha rose and said, "Let this humble monk debate with Haotian Zun on the topic of non-competition."
Li Hao sneered. It seemed they could no longer sit still.
But he knew that he had taken some risks earlier and had already stirred up the nest. Now it was time to reel them in.
"Is it just you? The rest of you can come up too. I am invincible by not competing!"
Li Hao declared.
Seeing Li Hao's arrogant posture, the Buddha Sovereign laughed coldly. Did Li Hao think he could intimidate them with the momentum from earlier? Ridiculous!
"In that case, we shall grant your wish," the Buddha Sovereign said with a compassionate expression, as if indulging Li Hao's request.
Li Hao sneered, ignoring the Buddha Sovereign's hypocritical facade. The heavens were flawed, and he fully understood why the Buddha Sovereign had become so despicable.
Aside from the Buddha Sovereign, other Saints seated on the meditation mats slowly began to stand.
"Haotian Zun looks down on us, so I'll go up and debate with him."
"I, of the War Dao, would also like to debate with Haotian Zun on how non-competition can lead to invincibility."
"My Spear Dao, the king of all weapons, is naturally regal without competition. I too will challenge Haotian Zun's non-competition Dao."
As several Saints rose, the others looked on, recognizing them as close allies of the Buddhist Sect and the Void Sacred Land. They hadn't expected them to go to such lengths just to kill this newly ascended Saint.
Feng Boping's face changed, anger and shock evident as he took a step forward.
But Li Hao transmitted a message to him: "Feng Lao, don't worry. However many come today, they will all die!"
Hearing Li Hao's chilling words, Feng Boping's words caught in his throat, and he looked at Li Hao in astonishment.
Li Hao had already withdrawn his gaze, now coldly watching as the Saints ascended to the Dao Field.
The Buddha Sovereign and the Twin-faced Buddha both ascended as well. The Qingdeng Buddha and the Void Saint followed last, their expressions calm.
Now, there were thirteen Saints on the Dao Field, including the Buddha Sovereign and the Void Sacred Land's representatives.
With Li Hao included, there were fourteen in total.
This array of power left many of the onlookers, including other Saints, feeling tense. Their gazes frequently shifted to the Supreme Saints, but the higher-ranking figures showed no signs of intervening.
Meanwhile, the Half-Saints outside the Dao Field were too shocked to speak. Some of the older Half-Saints, who had participated in several Saintly Dao Debates before, had never seen one so intense.
"Non-competition…"
Among the crowd, Huang Tianji watched the scene unfold, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and madness. He stared at Li Hao, desperate to see how this non-competition Dao could possibly triumph over the Buddha Sect, the War Dao Saint, and the other Saints. After all, the other Saints' Daos weren't inherently countered by non-competition.
"For the first time since the Dao Debates began, we are seeing so many Saints challenging a single individual. This is unfair to Haotian. If his Saintly Dao is broken, do not take it further!"
At this moment, the Yuan Ancestor spoke, his expression solemn.
His rare seriousness prompted nods from the Buddha Sovereign, Void Saint, and others, though inwardly they breathed a sigh of relief.
The Yuan Ancestor's words indicated that he would not intervene and seemed to accept that Li Hao's Saintly Dao would be shattered, reducing him from Saint to Half-Saint.
They knew what the Yuan Ancestor meant: breaking Haotian's Saintly Dao was enough; his life must be spared.
The reason was clear to all of them. In two and a half years, the Ancient Hall would open, and they would need this prodigy who had mastered the Sixth Extreme Realm as their key to explore the path of immortals and gods.
Moreover, without his Saintly Dao, he would be easier to control. He wouldn't even have the leverage to negotiate.
Once they had used Li Hao, they could decide his fate without interference.
"Rest assured, I'll spare your life—I won't kill you!"
A voice echoed in Li Hao's mind. It was the Twin-faced Buddha, his tone icy as he glared at Li Hao.
Li Hao glanced at him, his eyes filled with disdain. "You've already fallen into demonic ways, even losing your original intent. What right do you have to stand before me?"
As he spoke, his voice was filled with overwhelming confidence and dominance.
The Twin-faced Buddha's expression shifted, then twisted with fury as he glared at Li Hao. "You destroyed me!"
"You destroyed yourself!"
Li Hao snorted, no longer paying him any mind.
His gaze swept over the Dao Field. Thirteen Saints surrounded him, all exuding powerful Saintly Dao auras. They were all Three Calamities Saints!
Clearly, after witnessing Li Hao break Huang Tianji's Dao with a single phrase, none of the lesser Saints dared to ascend the Dao Field. Even though Li Hao was alone, none of them wanted to risk becoming collateral damage if Li Hao lashed out in desperation.
"In that case, let the Dao Debate begin!"
The Yuan Ancestor spoke no further, only casting a deep, regretful glance at Li Hao.
The Hunyuan Saint glanced at the Yuan Ancestor, surprised that he truly had no intention of intervening. His brows furrowed in displeasure.
Though Li Hao's life would be spared, the Hunyuan Saint knew that this had rendered Li Hao useless as a source of nourishment. Unless he took Li Hao under his wing and cultivated him anew, it was uncertain whether Li Hao would ever walk the same path again.
As the Yuan Ancestor's words fell, the Saints surrounding Li Hao revealed their full auras, each emanating their unique Saintly Dao.
Thirteen beams of light shot up into the sky, as countless streams of Dao energy gathered in the Dao Field, clouds swirling overhead.
"All things are born into struggle. Even in the womb, they fight. The War Dao is the supreme Dao of the heavens, reaching the pinnacle of battle!"
The War Saint, a towering figure, stood amidst the Dao Field, where countless flashes of blades and shadows of weapons crisscrossed.
He was the War Saint, and for him, all things were weapons, each one capable of fighting. He had cultivated countless secret techniques, mastering them all, making him one of the most versatile Saints in existence.
His Saintly Dao manifested as a massive battle axe, which he swung down fiercely at Li Hao.
Li Hao looked up at the descending battle axe. A sword light surged from his Saintly Dao, effortlessly deflecting the blow.
The War Saint's expression shifted, surprised to find that Li Hao's Saintly Dao countered his own.
"You all have your Saintly Daos—the War Dao, the Buddhist Dao, the Void Dao, the Spear Dao..."
Standing in the center of the Dao Field, Li Hao surveyed the Saints around him. His cold gaze sharpened, and an intense light began to shine in his eyes.
"But I ask you all, what is Dao?!"
His voice rang out suddenly, booming like thunder, shaking the Dao Field.
The Buddha Sovereign and the other Saints felt their expressions falter, their minds momentarily shaken. What is Dao?
Before they could gather their thoughts, Li Hao's Saintly Dao slowly extended outward, manifesting as a brilliant silver light, resembling a supreme scripture, yet its brilliance was too dazzling to make out clearly.
As the Saintly Dao revealed itself, even the Supreme Saints watching from the outside couldn't help but widen their eyes slightly.
"Dao that can be spoken is not the true Dao!"
Li Hao's words resounded like a massive bell tolling through the heavens. His question wasn't merely posed to the Saints—it was a challenge to the entire universe.
At this moment, he was giving the Saints, and the entire universe, an answer.
"The name that can be named is not the eternal name!"
As Li Hao's voice echoed, the face of the Name Saint subtly shifted. He felt a strange stirring in the core of his Saintly Dao.
"The reversal of opposites is the movement of the Dao!"
With Li Hao's third statement, an aura of supreme Dao filled the skies. It was as if the veil of the ultimate truth had been lifted, exposing the essence of the Dao to the world.
Not only were the Buddha Sovereign, the Qingdeng Buddha, and the other Saints on the Dao Field affected, but even the Saints beyond the Dao Field were stunned, gazing toward the heavens.
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