Chapter 347: Only Me, Supreme!
Inside the grand Buddha hall, the air was filled with an icy atmosphere, frost blossoms lightly drifting around.
Bian Ruxue slowly opened her eyes. Her clear, bright gaze was as cold as a snow-capped mountain, devoid of any emotion or color.
She had just achieved enlightenment, cutting off all feelings and emotions, severing the connection with the shadow from her childhood.
Although she had once said she would pursue her sword path and that, as long as the other party was willing to marry her, she would still be willing, she had made it clear that bearing children and living a married life would have to wait until her sword path was perfected.
Even though she had chosen the sword path, she had always felt a sense of guilt towards that figure from her past.
But now, that buried guilt and longing had been severed as well.
She understood that if she didn't sever these ties, she would never reach the peak.
The other party had once told her to climb to the summit, to witness the true pinnacle of the sword path, and then return to tell him how dazzling it was.
She had shared that sentiment, but now, even that thought had been cut away.
Her heart was now frozen in the Way, and once it thawed, her enlightenment of the emotionless sword path could be realized.
Indeed, her enlightenment had shifted her sword path from its former icy nature.
The essence of ice and snow is to freeze and shatter. All living beings have emotions, but ice and snow are devoid of feelings. They bury everything, suppress spring, and make all things tremble in the cold.
Her sword path now mirrored this.
At this moment, her gaze was calm and indifferent. Reflecting on the Sun and Moon Sword Path of the Holy Son of Haoyue, she couldn't help but feel that it was "nothing special."
The sun and moon may illuminate all things, but all things can also be severed, shattered by her emotionless sword.
She even felt that her master, the Sword Saint, was not perfect. While the Sword of All Beings was powerful, it too had flaws. All beings have emotions, and with emotions come cracks, and those cracks were the trajectory of her sword — the space where light would penetrate, the path where her sword would extend!
"Hm?"
The Sword Saint sensed that Bian Ruxue had awakened, but he also keenly noticed that her enlightenment had brought about some change that even he could not fully perceive.
However, enlightenment is a mysterious thing. Some people may live their lives in mediocrity, only to suddenly experience enlightenment one day, touching upon the divine and transforming completely.
"Thank you, Master, for protecting me."
Bian Ruxue assessed her surroundings, realizing she was now floating above the Buddha hall. Previously, she remembered she had been defeated and returned to the lower ranks, and had achieved enlightenment there. It seemed that her master had shielded her from interference.
She nodded slightly in thanks, though her gaze remained calm.
While she now practiced the emotionless sword path, she still recognized her debts and would repay them in her own time and way.
The Sword Saint shook his head slightly, gazing at her for a moment before saying no more.
The Literary Sage glanced at the young girl, noticing that her enlightenment had propelled her to the top tier of geniuses. However, it was too late for her to participate in this Supreme Genius Battle.
He withdrew his gaze, glancing at the Buddha Lord. After congratulating the Sword Saint, the Buddha Lord's eyes remained serene, watching the arena like an immovable Buddha.
This tacitly allowed the Buddhist semi-saint to take action and suppress the young man.
The Literary Sage sighed inwardly. A genius like Li Hao, though arrogant, was still within reason. Who in their youth wasn't spirited? Without ambition, could one even call themselves young? Especially since he had been wronged, falsely accused of being a demonic cultivator — it was only natural for him to be angry. If he feared the authority of saints and acted submissively, it would cloud his heart, making it impossible for him to achieve greatness.
On the battle platform, Jue Ming radiated with pure, golden Buddhist light.
His golden body manifesting a solemn and upright Rohan, he gazed down at Li Hao.
Raising his hand, a protective formation sealed the platform.
Seeing this, everyone below tensed. They knew the Buddhist semi-saint was about to take action and personally suppress Li Hao.
"What are you doing?!"
"Stop!"
"A semi-saint from the Buddhist sect, are you really going to bully someone younger? Shameless!"
"He's the strongest genius of Canglan Realm, just claimed the highest honor, and now you want to suppress him? Do you not feel any shame?!"
From below the stage, Zhan Tan, Night Ancestor, and others roared in anger.
They hadn't expected the Buddhist semi-saint to really move against Li Hao, and they were furious that the Buddha Lord had done nothing to stop it. In any other small world, a genius who claimed the top spot would be seen as a prodigy and a hero, representing their world in the battle among the heavens, carrying an immense responsibility and honor.
But here, right after winning first place, they were already preparing to suppress him. It was infuriating.
As they spoke up in defense of Li Hao, they unleashed their own semi-saint auras. Among the millions of spectators, they shone like stars, standing out conspicuously.
Seeing four or five semi-saints speaking up for Li Hao, the crowd was stunned, turning their attention to them.
"So many semi-saints!"
"All of them are speaking up for Li Hao?"
"This Li Hao must have powerful connections to have so many semi-saints defend him."
"Or maybe these semi-saints don't even know him but are speaking up on principle? That Buddhist semi-saint does seem to be going too far; this is clearly bullying the younger generation!"
"Exactly! And the Buddhist son hasn't even admitted defeat yet; being beaten up is completely fair."
"What kind of mentality do you all have? How can you defend a demonic cultivator? No matter how strong he is, to humiliate a Buddhist son who has struggled all his life to suppress his inner demon is cruel!"
"That's right! And let's not forget, that Buddhist son is a saint's reincarnation. He's being beaten up like this? That's disrespectful!"
The discussions spread, not only below the platform but throughout the entire Canglan Realm.
Earlier, when Jue Ming had declared his intent to teach Li Hao a lesson, accusing him of disrespecting saintly authority, it hadn't seemed so wrong. But now, with multiple semi-saints speaking up for Li Hao, people began to realize the injustice.
No matter if Li Hao practiced demonic cultivation, he was still the strongest genius of Canglan Realm! As the most powerful talent among the great kingdoms and three sacred lands, in his moment of glory, he was being suppressed by his own world's semi-saints. Wasn't that also a form of humiliation?
Hearing the heated debates from the crowd, many Buddhist disciples joined in, angrily denouncing and defending their positions.
Li Hao, hearing the voices speaking up for him, even hearing Zhan Tan's cold questioning tone, glanced in her direction. He saw the usually smiling, beautiful face now cold with rare anger, and felt a warmth rise in his heart.
Besides Zhan Tan, he saw Night Ancestor, Qing Ancestor, and the other three semi-saints from the Flower Tour Association speaking up for him as well.
A smile crept across his face.
In a life filled with battles, meeting a few true friends was indeed a blessing.
"You're still smiling. This is the Buddhist Holy Land, no one can save you here!"
Jue Ming, seeing the smile on Li Hao's face, grew cold with fury. His golden body manifest raised a massive palm, crashing down toward Li Hao.
In the center of his palm was the six-character mantra, "Om Mani Padme Hum," radiating with burning golden light, as if it could extinguish everything.
Li Hao withdrew his gaze from the crowd, looking up at the massive palm that threatened to envelop the entire platform. A cold glint appeared in his eyes.
Zhan Tan, Qing Ancestor, and the others turned pale and shouted in anger.
Countless others held their breath at the sight, as the semi-saint's blow was aimed at crushing the peerless young man.
But in that moment, a blinding, dark light burst forth. The sword in Li Hao's hand gleamed with overwhelming sword intent, as if black flames roared along its edge.
He looked up, his eyes cold as he raised his sword and slashed!
It was a strike filled with defiance and rage.
In the Eternal Domain, all of his sword intents converged, and the myriad paths of swordsmanship he had comprehended fused into one — only me!
The world seemed to darken, with neither sun nor moon, as the ultimate slash erupted.
Boom! The world shook violently, filled with intertwining light and shadows, and countless sword intents surged forth.
Finally, all the phenomena condensed into a single dark yet radiant sword light, cutting through everything!
Boom! The golden palm shattered. The six-character mantra broke apart, and the towering sword intent surged, tearing the void and even slicing through time for an instant!
"How is this possible?!"
Jue Ming's pupils contracted as shock filled his eyes. The embryonic form of his saintly path, imbued with the will of a saint, had been sliced open by this sword?!
What kind of magnificent sword was this!?
The golden body behind Jue Ming was also severed, and the formation protecting the platform was torn apart.
"This sword path…"
Bian Ruxue, who had just awakened from her enlightenment, witnessed the scene, her previously calm eyes narrowing in shock.
In that one sword strike, she seemed to see the condensed forms of countless sword paths, all compressed into that single strike.
One sword, and heaven and earth held only its radiance.
Only me, supreme!
As she stood in shock, her mind quivering, Jue Ming on the platform was the first to bear the brunt. His Buddha palm had been cleaved apart by the full force of Li Hao's Eternal Domain, and even his own hand had been slashed, with all five fingers severed!
Blood splattered, and the overwhelming sword pressure forced Jue Ming to stagger back several steps. The once heated debate below the platform immediately fell into a stunned silence.
A single sword defeats a semi-saint!
This was beyond defying the heavens!
Throughout the entire Canglan Realm, countless people watched the scene displayed in the clouds, frozen in shock.
This sight was beyond their imagination, surpassing the limits of their understanding — for someone at the Dao Seeking level to defeat a semi-saint!
Though a semi-saint was not a full saint, it still bore the name of "saint." Once their incense power was complete, they would ascend to true sainthood!
Even as their eyes stung from the brightness of the scene, the spectators strained to keep watching the platform, not wanting to miss a moment.
Below, Lin Qingying, Zhan Tan, and others who had been so worried were now utterly dumbfounded, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed. A moment ago, they were concerned for Li Hao's safety, yet now it was clear that he had single-handedly fought off a semi-saint.
Even though Li Hao had already shown terrifying strength by defeating the Buddhist Son, no one had imagined he could contend with a semi-saint. After all, Li Hao had no access to saintly powers. This outcome could only mean that Li Hao had accumulated an extraordinary depth of power—power that was monstrously abnormal, allowing him to force a shift from quantity to quality.
"He hasn't even used his Heaven and Earth Aspect yet."
A voice from below suddenly stammered, as if realizing something terrifying, causing the speaker to tremble in disbelief.
That statement echoed in the minds of many onlookers, sending chills down their spines. If this was Li Hao's power without his third extreme realm, then how much strength was he still holding back?
"This… this is absurd!"
"Who is this Li Hao? From which sect or faction does he come? Whose direct disciple could he possibly be?"
"With this level of strength, Li Hao could definitely secure a spot in the top ten of the Heavenly Battle!"
"If not first place, then the top ten is certainly guaranteed!"
The atmosphere boiled with excitement. Talk of the Heavenly Battle filled the air, with many realizing that if Li Hao fought on behalf of Canglan Realm, the entire realm could rise in prominence.
"Li Hao… Li Hao?!"
Bian Ruxue heard the endless chants of his name from the crowd and felt her heart skip a beat. The memory of a young boy, striding out of the General's Mansion on a snowy day, flickered in her mind. The name "Li Hao" echoed in her head, bringing with it a torrent of emotions.
Could it be the same person? Was the Li Hao who had left the General's Mansion—casting aside one of the most prestigious surnames in the world—the same Li Hao now standing here, dominating the battlefield?
The more she observed, the more certain she felt that the two shared some resemblance, though the aura was vastly different.
But how could that be?
Her heart raced. The memory of the figure from her past stirred up an intense desire to reconnect, even if just for a moment of confirmation.
"You!"
Jue Ming was fuming, glaring at Li Hao with a mixture of fury and disbelief. Although he hadn't used his full strength, he had put in 90% of his power, yet Li Hao had defeated him with one sword strike. Was this the true strength Li Hao had been concealing all along?
"Looks like my so-called demonic nature is too strong for even a semi-saint to suppress," Li Hao said coolly, as he casually held his sword.
His words were laced with sarcasm, mocking Jue Ming's earlier claims. He had anticipated this confrontation from the start, and now it was unfolding exactly as he had expected.
Hearing Li Hao's taunts, Jue Ming's face turned livid. He wanted to strike again, but he knew the risk. He had already been publicly humiliated; another failure would not only disgrace him but also severely tarnish the reputation of the Buddhist sect.
Was Li Hao's power born from demonic arts? It hardly mattered anymore. If a mere Dao Seeking cultivator could defeat a semi-saint, then how could anyone continue to claim that demonic cultivation was inferior?
Jue Ming was seething, but inwardly, he hesitated, weighing his options.
Li Hao could see the conflict in Jue Ming's eyes and sneered, "What's the matter? Not going to continue your lesson? Your precious Buddhist Son is still sleeping beneath my foot."
Li Hao hadn't removed his foot from the head of the unconscious Shuangsheng Buddha Son. If anything, he had pressed harder during the battle, nearly shattering the skull beneath him.
At his remark, several in the crowd couldn't help but stifle laughter.
Sleeping? The Buddha Son wasn't just sleeping—he had been so thoroughly beaten that he had no energy left to even groan in pain.
Jue Ming's face twisted in anger, and many of the Buddhist disciples turned red with frustration. The once-revered Shuangsheng Buddha Son was now reduced to a humiliated figure, trodden underfoot by Li Hao, his dignity shattered.
"You come from the mortal realm, don't you?" Jue Ming's voice was sharp and cold, laced with a thinly veiled threat. "You may be powerful now, but you've already offended the saint of Void Holy Land. Today you act arrogantly, but tomorrow you'll fall."
Li Hao's eyes narrowed. He hadn't expected Jue Ming to mention his past encounters with the Void Saint so openly.
"What do you mean by that, Jue Ming Half-Saint?"
"Mortal realm? Li Hao is from the mortal realm?"
"Did he offend a saint from the Void Holy Land? What's that about? This 'Li Hao' must have some hidden past."
Many spectators were stunned. While they knew Li Hao had fought under the alias "Qing Feng," they hadn't expected his background to be so steeped in conflict with one of the holy lands.
Jue Ming's words sent shockwaves through the crowd.
"Does this mean that Li Hao is actually the same person involved in that legendary incident from ten years ago?"
Jue Ming saw the mounting confusion in the crowd and continued, his voice cold and imposing, "This so-called genius comes from the mortal realm. Ten years ago, during the recruitment of young talents from the mortal realm, the saint of Void Holy Land saw through his malicious heart and personally intervened to eliminate him. However, out of compassion, the saint spared his life—clearly a mistake, as this demon now stands before us."
The crowd was shocked. Zhan Tan and Qing Ancestor's faces darkened, realizing exactly what Jue Ming was doing. He was twisting the truth, framing the incident to defame Li Hao.
Everyone was caught off guard by this revelation, including Lin Qingying, who stared in stunned silence. She had never known why she had found Li Hao grievously injured and unconscious back then, but now she understood—he had survived an encounter with a saint.
"A mortal realm genius…"
"Could this be the same person from that incident ten years ago? I remember hearing something about a young genius from the mortal realm who angered a saint…"
"I think it was because two different holy lands wanted to recruit him, and it ended with the Void Saint making a move."
The whispers spread quickly through the crowd. More and more people recalled the tale of the genius from ten years ago.
Jue Ming's words weighed heavily on the audience. The tone of his voice, carrying the authority of a semi-saint, painted a damning picture of Li Hao.
The once-secret incident from a decade ago had resurfaced, casting a shadow over Li Hao's achievements.
Many stared at Li Hao, their minds filled with conflicting emotions. Could it really be true? Had this mortal-born prodigy truly provoked a saint and lived to tell the tale?
Even Lin Qingying, who had spent so much time with Li Hao, was reeling from this new understanding. So that was why she had found him half-dead… he had escaped from the hands of a saint!
"I remember hearing about this—ten years ago, a mortal genius offended a saint…"
"Yes! I heard he was struck down by the Void Saint."
"So this is the same person? He came from the mortal realm and somehow survived an encounter with a saint?!"
The revelation rippled through the crowd like wildfire.
Li Hao's face remained icy. He understood that Jue Ming was trying to use his past conflict with the Void Saint to publicly discredit him. Once a saint intervenes, few dare to question the righteousness of their actions.
Indeed, in the eyes of many, if a saint acts against someone, that person must have been in the wrong. How could a mere mortal challenge a saint's judgment?
"This mortal realm genius… he defeated the Buddhist Son, a reincarnated saint, and now even the semi-saint can't suppress him."
"This is just insane! How could someone from the mortal realm become this powerful?"
As the crowd buzzed with incredulity, Jue Ming sneered, confident that his words had struck a chord. But inwardly, he hesitated. Though he had avoided further combat with Li Hao for now, the fear instilled by that sword strike still lingered.