Chapter 367: The Display of Immortal Power, Shocking the Heavens
As the Path of All Beings merged with the Only Me Sword Path, the sword became even sharper, capable of cutting down all living beings!
Though it was only the manifestation of Li Hao's embryonic Saintly Dao, it was still a genuine Saintly Dao prototype, containing the power of the Saintly Dao!
This sword strike came out in an instant, illuminating the heavens and tearing apart the force of heavenly law that surrounded Li Hao, carrying with it countless dazzling phenomena. Like a comet of unparalleled brilliance, it slashed towards Qiu Tianlü's Saintly Embryo.
Qiu Tianlü's eyes narrowed as he raised his brush again and slashed down.
Countless laws wove together, contracting like a spider's web, transforming into a sharp force, aimed at suppressing Li Hao's sword light.
The two forces clashed, seemingly splitting the battlefield in half, with endless ripples of Dao resonating outwards.
The spectators were left spellbound. This was far beyond the clash of two or three entry-level techniques. It was the collision of dozens, hundreds, even thousands of Daoist wills!
This was a power gap of a different order altogether. The Saint from Yuan Zu Sacred Land, who was presiding over the event, showed a slight change in expression as he seriously reinforced the formation. Without his intervention, the protective formation might have been torn apart by this nearly Saint-level attack.
Amidst the violent tremors, the chaotic and shattered Daoist intents scattered like fragmented clouds drifting before the eyes of the audience.
When the tremors and fluctuations gradually subsided, the onlookers saw that Qiu Tianlü's Saintly Embryo had been split open, cleaved in two from the chest, as if struck by an enormous axe. The embryonic Saintly form tilted to either side, unable to heal, breaking apart completely!
In this exchange, Li Hao had gained the upper hand.
Within the Saintly Embryo, Qiu Tianlü's chest bled profusely. The breaking of the Saintly Embryo had inflicted a several-fold backlash from the sword's residual force, causing his body to be torn apart. However, with his seventh extreme realm and the ability of rebirth from a drop of blood, his shattered body quickly healed.
But the cohesive power of his Saintly Embryo had been entirely shattered.
"You..."
Qiu Tianlü was momentarily stunned. His Saintly Dao power had been broken?!
This was the manifestation of his previous life's Saintly power, true Saintly power. His own Saintly Dao prototype was already at the semi-Saint level, capable of suppressing the heavens. Combined with his previous life's power, no matter how monstrous an opponent, they should have been suppressed. This was the absolute limit of what could be achieved within the Dao Law realm!
And yet, all of it had been obliterated by a single sword strike!
"Since strength rules all, let me use my strength to oppress you once!"
Li Hao's Heavenly Meridians quickly drew in the power of heaven and earth. This victory had been influenced by his mastery of the ultimate realm. His body's toughness allowed his Dharma Aspect to carry far greater and stronger power.
The gap between their Daoist intents and Saintly Dao prototypes was not vast.
However, the gap here referred to the disparity between Qiu Tianlü and Li Hao.
The prototype of the Heavenly Law could not compare to the Path of All Beings, which was the core sword path of the Sword Saint.
Li Hao's Only Me Sword Path contained 360 different Dao principles, representing the entire cosmos. Combined with his Dharma Aspect, it suppressed the Saintly power projected from Qiu Tianlü's past life.
That power, after all, was not the presence of a true Saint!
As Li Hao's aura surged again, his gaze grew colder. Since Qiu Tianlü had acted with the intent to force him into submission to the laws of the Fa Family, it was only fitting that Li Hao repay him in kind!
Boom!
The Dharma Aspect took a step forward, channeling the power of the Abyss into itself.
This consumption was hundreds of times more than using the Abyss for his own teleportation, but Li Hao could afford it. If he used the power of the Celestial Meridian, it would be insignificant, and he could easily employ it at will.
As the Dharma Aspect reached Qiu Tianlü in an instant, the sword light in its hand slashed down again, right at him.
Qiu Tianlü, snapping back to his senses, looked up, his pupils constricting.
In that instant, he felt death closing in.
He, the reincarnation of a Saint, having unlocked his past Saintly power and reached the pinnacle beneath Saints, was now being pushed to the brink of death?!
"Are you trying to kill me? Are you trying to break the rules?!"
Qiu Tianlü roared in anger, his eyes filled with fury and disbelief at Li Hao's audacity to break the rules of this competition.
Seeing his opponent still clinging to such rage at this critical moment, Li Hao found it amusing. Yet he suddenly lost the interest to argue with someone so rigid. Without a word, he simply swung his sword down heavily!
Boom!
The sword light swept through Qiu Tianlü's Saintly Embryo, completely shredding it to pieces, dissolving it like smoke.
The once cohesive power had completely disintegrated.
With the dissolution of the Saintly Embryo, Li Hao's Eternal Dao Domain expanded fully!
Once his Dao Domain reached the Eternal extreme realm, the energy required to maintain it diminished drastically. Li Hao needed only to expend a fraction of his power to sustain it. As a result, the Eternal Dao Domain became one of his most potent yet least draining techniques.
As the Dao Domain suppressed everything, countless sword shadows appeared, piercing through Qiu Tianlü's body, riddling him with wounds!
Before this competition, Li Hao had already disabled the lethal attributes of his techniques. Otherwise, a fatal misstep could trigger a lethal blow, violating the rules.
If he had been intent on killing Qiu Tianlü, not even the Saints watching from above would have been able to intervene in time to save him. The lethality of his techniques was so peculiar that even the Saints might not have detected it quickly enough to prevent his death.
As Qiu Tianlü's body disintegrated, he relied on his blood-rebirth ability to reform again.
But just as he regained form, he was shattered once more, caught in an endless cycle of life and death within Li Hao's Dao Domain.
This spectacle left countless onlookers from the Heavenly Yuan Realm in stunned silence.
This top-tier prodigy under the tutelage of a Supreme Saint, the reincarnation of a Saint displaying unimaginable power, was now trapped in Li Hao's Dao Domain like a moth in a lantern, unable to break free.
Li Hao no longer needed to draw his sword. He withdrew Gongming, allowing his Dao Domain to repeatedly crush Qiu Tianlü, denying him any opportunity to summon his Heavenly Meridians or Saintly Embryo.
Li Hao understood that though the ability of blood-rebirth was formidable, overextending it would still lead to death.
Sure enough, after tens, then hundreds of cycles of destruction and rebirth, Qiu Tianlü's regenerative speed noticeably slowed.
At this point, the energy in his blood had been greatly depleted.
Outside the battlefield, the crowd, which had been shocked into silence, remained hushed.
The once heavily favored champion contender now struggled miserably under the pressure of the sword shadows in Li Hao's Dao Domain.
In the waiting area, the other Saintly sons and daughters were left dumbfounded, watching as the young man standing within his Dharma Aspect, with his hands behind his back, exuded an air of unmatched dominance, like a god descending upon the world.
Below the stage, countless Fa Family disciples finally snapped back to reality, angrily shouting.
"Stop!"
"Are you trying to kill him?!"
"You've already won, why continue humiliating him like this?!"
"If you dare kill Saint Son Qiu Tianlü, you will die for it!"
Many were yelling in fury, some even making threats.
But their voices did not reach Li Hao, who remained indifferent as he looked down at the figure repeatedly crumbling and reforming in his Dao Domain. When Qiu Tianlü's regeneration finally slowed to a crawl, Li Hao halted the sword shadows.
Then, his Dharma Aspect raised its foot and stomped down.
Boom!
Qiu Tianlü's body was crushed under Li Hao's Dharma Aspect, pinned to the ground, unable to move.
"Since strength rules all, is what I've done to you considered humiliation?"
Li Hao stood within his Dharma Aspect, his gaze cold as he questioned Qiu Tianlü.
Hearing this, Qiu Tianlü's eyes reddened, filled with blood.
But these intense emotions clashed with his Saintly Dao. Upon achieving Saintly Dao, even one's own self must abide by the laws of their own Dao. To violate one's heart would create cracks in the Saintly Dao, even causing it to dissipate.
At this moment, his Saintly Dao was beginning to fracture.
The humiliation, the rage, the overwhelming desire to kill—all these emotions made him want to disregard everything and slaughter his opponent.
But this went against the very nature of "law."
Law was discipline, restraint. Yet he had always been the one commanding others to show restraint and abide by the law. Now, being humiliated in front of so many people, the laws he upheld in his heart were failing to suppress the overwhelming desire to go berserk.
Though his face was contorted with fury, his struggle was in vain. His physical form had been drained too much, and he was
no longer a match for Li Hao. He didn't even have the opportunity to summon his Saintly Embryo again.
"Answer me!"
Li Hao's voice was cold as he looked down at the figure beneath the foot of his Dharma Aspect.
Qiu Tianlü clenched his teeth, the sound of his jaw grinding was audible. He had always been meticulous about cleanliness, treating both his body and mind as pure and untainted. Before every battle, even before every meal, he would burn incense and cleanse himself. But now, he was reduced to struggling in the mud.
Humiliation, disgrace. Yet the true fury within him was not caused by the gazes of others but by Li Hao's relentless humiliation, forcing him to lower his head. But if he admitted defeat, he would betray his own Saintly Dao!
"I… admit defeat!"
Through gritted teeth, nearly choking on his words, Qiu Tianlü uttered those three words, like blood dripping from his mouth.
Li Hao raised his eyebrows slightly, his gaze sharpening as a cold smile appeared on his face. He had expected Qiu Tianlü to be a man of principle, but now it seemed the man lacked the backbone he had imagined.
Li Hao knew that once Qiu Tianlü admitted defeat, if he continued to crush him, it would only make himself look bad. The Saints of the Fa Family would undoubtedly intervene and take this chance to teach him a lesson, as they would not tolerate any further humiliation of their prized disciple.
With that in mind, Li Hao withdrew his Dharma Aspect's foot, releasing the pressure on Qiu Tianlü, and coldly remarked,
"If you expect others to follow the rules, then you must first adhere to them yourself. If you had truly accepted your own defeat, I might have respected you. But now, you've only made me look down on you."
In the arena, a Saint of the Fa Family, who had been itching to intervene, finally relaxed as he saw Li Hao release Qiu Tianlü. His face turned cold—if Li Hao had pressed further, he would have taught the boy a lesson, for Qiu Tianlü was the pride of the Fa Family. Being beaten down like this would also tarnish the family's reputation.
Qiu Tianlü, hearing Li Hao's words, felt his eyes redden as rage boiled within him. He glared at Li Hao with bloodshot eyes and said with fury,
"When I become a Saint, I will seek you out to discuss the Dao!"
The "Dao Discussion" of Saints was a mandatory process, a confrontation between their paths and philosophies. It was clear that Qiu Tianlü intended to challenge Li Hao once he attained the Saintly realm, using that as an opportunity to heal the cracks in his Saintly Dao and to defeat Li Hao.
For Qiu Tianlü, it wasn't Li Hao's Saintly Dao prototype that defeated him—after all, that was based on the Sword Saint's Dao, something he had witnessed before and knew how to counter. What truly crushed him was Li Hao's terrifying physical power. "Might makes right" had been vividly demonstrated in this battle.
Hearing Qiu Tianlü's words, Li Hao gave a faint smirk. If he managed to attain the Saintly realm, Qiu Tianlü wouldn't even stand a chance.
"Defeated today, and you will be defeated again in the future. As long as I, Li Hao, exist, you will always be beneath me!"
Li Hao's voice echoed across the battlefield.
He knew that by saying this, he had undoubtedly made an enemy out of the Fa Family's Sacred Land. But he had no choice. From the start, they had come looking for trouble like madmen. Since he couldn't avoid it, he might as well go all in. If they were enemies, so be it.
Qiu Tianlü's face flushed as if Li Hao's words had slapped him across the face. Humiliated once again, he felt an even greater fury surging through him.
But no matter what he said now, it would only be seen as further shame.
He glared at Li Hao with a venomous look, as if he wanted to devour him, but without saying another word, he turned and left the stage.
Li Hao's words, however, sparked an uproar among the audience.
"That was so bold!"
"What arrogance! Even against the reincarnation of a Saint, he shows no hesitation!"
The crowd was buzzing with excitement. Countless people who witnessed this through the celestial projection could feel their blood boiling. Especially among the younger generation of cultivators, Li Hao had become a symbol of inspiration, a godlike figure. He stood tall, unyielding even against a reincarnated Saint.
"Who cares if they're a reincarnated Saint? They still got crushed!"
"A loss is a loss, no excuses. If he can defeat you today, he will always be able to suppress you. Such dominance!"
"Li Hao might really be invincible!"
Some began to speculate,
"Could Li Hao actually be the reincarnation of a Supreme Saint? How else could he be this strong?"
"That's impossible. Didn't you see the Saintly Dao prototype he used? It's the Path of All Beings, the same one the Sword Saint follows. The Sword Saint isn't a Supreme Saint. No Supreme Saint would lower themselves to study the Path of All Beings."
"Exactly. A Supreme Saint would aim for something much higher, not a lower-level Dao."
Countless debates erupted, but those in the audience were left in awe of Li Hao's immense talent.
In the waiting area, Xiao Tianyu watched as Qiu Tianlü returned with a dark expression. His brow furrowed deeply. Initially, he had considered Qiu Tianlü a worthy rival, someone as strong as himself. The power Qiu Tianlü displayed was on par with his own. And yet, Qiu Tianlü had lost.
Xiao Tianyu's master had once said that Li Hao had a mysterious sixth extreme realm that he had yet to fully reveal!
That mysterious realm, one that even the Supreme Saints had not achieved, was said to hold unimaginable power. No one knew exactly what it was, but if Li Hao were to use it, Qiu Tianlü would have been defeated even more quickly and more thoroughly.
Realizing this, Xiao Tianyu silently admitted that he too might lose to Li Hao.
Even if he were to fight Qiu Tianlü, the best he could hope for would be a narrow victory. After all, Qiu Tianlü had indeed reached the pinnacle beneath Saints.
As Xiao Tianyu sat in contemplation, other Saintly sons and daughters were shaken.
Though the battle between Qiu Tianlü and Li Hao had little to do with them, it had completely shattered their pride as prodigies.
In comparison to these two, the gap between them was immense, almost insurmountable.
If Qiu Tianlü had been just a reincarnated Saint, they might have accepted it. But Li Hao's power was equally astounding, beyond anything they had imagined.
"This guy..."
Qingjiu chuckled bitterly. He had hoped to break into the top ten, feeling a sense of pride and confidence. But now, this newcomer from the Huayou Guild had crushed not only his expectations but everyone else's hopes of victory as well.
"He's using the sword style of my master..."
Hao Yue Shengzi, whose vision had been obscured by the Void Sword Path, felt a chill run down his spine. He recognized the sword techniques Li Hao had used. It was the same sword path as his master's!
His expression turned incredibly complex.
As the victory was announced, Li Hao stepped down from the stage and returned to the waiting area. All eyes seemed to automatically follow him, every gaze drawn to his presence.
Already accustomed to the attention, Li Hao calmly took his seat and smiled reassuringly at Lin Qingying and his other acquaintances, signaling that there was no need to worry.
"At this point, it's hard not to believe he's a reincarnated Saint..."
In the sky above, Lieshan Shengzi muttered to himself, astounded by Li Hao's overwhelming strength.
Feng Boping, on the other hand, chuckled softly and said,
"And he hasn't even shown his full power yet."
"Huh?"
Lieshan Shengzi looked at him in surprise.
Thinking back to the events in the mortal realm, Feng Boping's mind conjured up images of grilled skewers and that final moment atop the Buddhist sacred mountain when Li Hao had been driven to the extreme. A gentle smile appeared on his face as he said,
"It's a power akin to the Saintly Dao, yet transcending it. His sixth extreme realm is no weaker than his Eternal Dao Domain."
"That strong?"
Lieshan Shengzi's eyes flashed with astonishment.
While some understood that the sixth extreme realm was incomprehensibly difficult to achieve, the fact that it matched the strength of Li Hao's Eternal Dao Domain spoke volumes.
As Li Hao and Qiu Tianlü's match came to an end, the event fell into a brief lull. It wasn't until a few minutes later that the next round of battles resumed.
However, compared to the earlier earth-shattering clash, the subsequent rounds lacked the same level of excitement, even though Dao-level techniques were still being used. There was less applause and cheering from the crowd.
At this moment, many spectators were already eagerly anticipating Li Hao's next fight in the fifth round, wondering if he would face another supreme opponent from the sects and perhaps deliver another thrilling battle.
When the fifth round came, it seemed Li Hao's luck had turned. He was matched against a Saintly son from the Central Nine Realms.
When the opposing Saintly son saw that his opponent was Li Hao, he was momentarily stunned before letting out a bitter laugh.
Behind him, the disciples who had come to support him from his sacred land groaned in dismay.
Before the match even began, and before Li Hao could step onto the stage, his opponent had already admitted defeat.
Li Hao, who had just risen to his feet, paused for a moment in surprise before sitting back down.
With the fifth round over swiftly, the sixth round soon arrived, and Li Hao encountered a familiar face.
"Well, I didn't expect us to meet here,"
Qingjiu remarked with a wry smile. Initially, he had hoped to face off against Li Hao in the preliminary rounds, expecting to defeat the Huayou Guild newcomer.
However, after witnessing Li Hao's devastating performance, all he could do now was smile bitterly.
Li Hao grinned and said,
"Shall we have a simple spar?"
Qingjiu returned the smile and replied,
"Sure!"
The match began, with Qingjiu immediately releasing his extreme realm and charging at Li Hao, who responded by deploying his Eternal Dao Domain.
Sword shadows appeared within the domain, layered with countless laws. Qingjiu was instantly overwhelmed, unable to move.
"..."
Qingjiu could only stand there, speechless. Was this what Li Hao called a "simple spar"? He hadn't even touched Li Hao, and the battle was already over.
However, given Li Hao's previously displayed power, this was indeed "holding back."
With a wry smile, Qingjiu retracted his power and conceded defeat.
By the time the seventh round arrived, Li Hao expected another easy match. But when the matchups were announced, the crowd erupted in gasps.
Li Hao looked up and saw that his opponent was none other than another disciple of a Supreme Saint—Xiao Tianyu!
"Yuan Zu's personal disciple!"
"Li Hao is up against Xiao Tianyu now? What kind of luck is this?"
"These are the two strongest contenders for the championship, and Li Hao is running into them before the final battle. This is crazy!"
"Are we witnessing the finals already? What will even be left for the final match? Will everyone just concede?"
"Exactly! If they fight now and one of them loses, there's no point in facing each other again in the final round unless it's a very close match."
"Does this mean we're about to have the strangest final match in the history of the Supreme Heavenly Prodigy Tournament?"
As murmurs of shock and speculation spread through the crowd, Xiao Tianyu, standing in the waiting area, couldn't help but glance at his opponent. Finally, the fateful matchup had arrived.
He turned to look at Li Hao and remembered the fierce clash from the earlier rounds. His hand clenched slightly, an indication of the tension he felt.
"He's on his way to the top ten, defeating every Supreme Saint disciple along the way. How many has it been already?"
Lin Zhuo remarked to Yan Qingchuan through a transmission.
Yan Qingchuan shook his head slightly. After witnessing the battle between Li Hao and Qiu Tianlü, he had been left utterly convinced of Li Hao's strength. There was no resentment left from his own loss to Li Hao.
"A figure like him emerging from the heavens is a rare sight. I'm excited to see what happens when he becomes a Saint. Who knows what kind of storm he'll create,"
Lin Zhuo said wistfully.
Yan Qingchuan glanced over at the silent, meditating group of monks from the Buddhist sect. Unlike the other sects that were buzzing with excitement, the Buddhist disciples were quietly chanting, their shaved heads forming a sea of shining bald pates.
"I heard he comes from the mortal realm, but who knows where his true master lies. Do you believe he doesn't have a master backing him?"
Yan Qingchuan asked.
Lin Zhuo paused, realizing the implication of Yan Qingchuan's words.
"Once he takes the top spot and becomes a Saint, he'll likely return to his master. We'll find out then."
"Although Xiao Tianyu is strong, I doubt he'll be a match for Li Hao. If Qiu Tianlü represents the pinnacle beneath Saints, then Li Hao is half a step beyond that limit,"
Yan Qingchuan said softly, clearly placing his bets on Li Hao.
His opinion was shaped by his acknowledgment of the sheer force Li Hao had shown in previous battles.
Lin Zhuo nodded slightly, sharing the same belief.
As the two conversed quietly, the seventh round began.
First, other competitors took to the stage. Li Hao watched as Ji Xuanshen and Lin Qingying both faced their opponents, but they were quickly defeated by Tian Wuji and the Saint Son of the Azure Deer Clan. Their foundations simply weren't strong enough to match up.
After a few more rounds of combat, the much-anticipated clash between Li Hao and Xiao Tianyu finally arrived.
Before the previous competitors had even left the stage, the crowd began to grow impatient, occasionally breaking out into boos and jeers. When the two Saint sons finished their duel, their expressions turned awkward, realizing the audience's lack of interest. But like everyone else, they, too, were excited to witness the battle between Li Hao and Xiao Tianyu.
Under the guidance of the Saint from Yuan Zu Sacred Land, the arena was restored to its original state, and the announcement was made for Li Hao and Xiao Tianyu to take the stage.
Li Hao rose from his seat and soared toward the stage, followed closely by Xiao Tianyu.
Once the two opponents were on the battlefield, the formation sealed them inside.
Looking at Xiao Tianyu, Li Hao observed that his opponent's features were refined, with a calm and peaceful aura surrounding him.
"You didn't use your full power against Qiu Tianlü, did you?"
Xiao Tianyu's first words upon stepping onto the stage were directed at Li Hao, his tone calm and soft.
As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd immediately fell silent for a moment, before erupting into gasps of surprise and exclamations.
"What does he mean? Li Hao didn't go all out against Qiu Tianlü?!"
"How is that possible? That battle was already so intense, with Li Hao using his Dao Domain, Dharma Aspect, and sword arts to their fullest. Did he really still have more power left?"
"Unless it's some trump card that he didn't need to use yet, this could be very true."
In contrast to the crowd's shock, the disciples of the Fa Family all looked grim, their expressions turning sour.
Xiao Tianyu's comment was like adding salt to Qiu Tianlü's wounds.
Qiu Tianlü, who had been brooding in the waiting area, stiffened momentarily before his expression turned even darker. He had heard some rumors about Li Hao, but now everything was starting to click.
Li Hao, realizing what Xiao Tianyu was referring to, understood immediately. It was clear that Xiao Tianyu was talking about his Immortal Ascension extreme realm, and perhaps even his second terminal realm power—abilities that Li Hao had never revealed to anyone outside of Feng Lao.
"Yes,"
Li Hao replied with a simple nod.
The crowd exploded once again.
That fierce battle, and yet Li Hao had been holding back?
Xiao Tianyu remained unfazed by the reaction. He had expected this and simply took a deep breath before continuing,
"I may not be able to defeat you, especially considering the power you've already displayed, but I would still like to witness your true strength. Could I experience your sixth extreme realm?"
There was no battle lust in Xiao Tianyu's eyes, only a quiet hope, a respectful request.
Hearing his words, countless spectators were reminded of the rumors surrounding Li Hao—the mortal who possessed the legendary sixth extreme realm!
Of course! Li Hao had a mysterious extreme realm, one that no one had seen yet!
Li Hao furrowed his brow slightly. In this fight, he hadn't intended to reveal his Immortal Ascension extreme realm.
After all, there was no need. His Eternal Dao Domain, Dharma Aspect, and sword techniques were more than enough to deal with his opponents up to this point.
The sixth extreme realm was something no one had forced him to use yet.
"If you are willing, I will request my master to grant you a rare treasure from the heavens in exchange,"
Xiao Tianyu transmitted his voice to Li Hao.
Li Hao saw the sincerity in his opponent's eyes, thought it over, and finally said,
"Very well, as you wish."
Hearing this, Xiao Tianyu let out a small breath of relief, a smile briefly appearing on his face before his expression returned to seriousness.
"In that case, I will show you my full strength as well, in return."
His words were not a threat but a sign of respect.
The dialogue between the two reached the crowd, and immediately, countless eyes sparkled with anticipation.
The legendary sixth extreme realm was about to be revealed?
Many of the older generation knew the real purpose of the Supreme Heavenly Prodigy Tournament hosted by the Saints of the heavens. It was to push the young geniuses to strive for the highest realms, especially hoping to uncover someone who had mastered the sixth extreme realm.
And this year, it seemed that such a person had finally appeared!
Many of the Saints who had come to oversee the tournament, protect their disciples, and observe, now turned their attention to Li Hao with great interest.
For them, seeing the sixth extreme realm, something even the Supreme Saints had failed to attain, was a significant event.
"The sixth extreme realm…"
"After so many tournaments, is it finally going to be revealed here?"
"Will this be the last Heavenly Prodigy Tournament?"
"If the sixth extreme realm really emerges this time, perhaps they won't need to hold another tournament again."
Some people even began to speculate whether this could be the final Prodigy Tournament, and a sense of nostalgia and reluctance washed over them.
However, as the protective formation sealed the battlefield and Li Hao and Xiao Tianyu's auras surged, these thoughts were temporarily cast aside.
Li Hao released his extreme realm, his Heavenly Meridians materializing behind him, followed by the manifestation of his Eternal Dao Domain.
Since he was about to use his Immortal Ascension extreme realm, there was no need to summon his Dharma Aspect. His power would be more than sufficient.
With the Heavenly Meridians and Eternal Dao Domain both activated, phenomena of Dao began to appear around Li Hao's body, swirling with countless laws and energies.
Xiao Tianyu, not to be outdone, began manifesting his extreme realm as well, a divine spear appearing in his hand, its shaft brimming with peculiar Daoist power.
Behind him, his Dharma Aspect materialized, and Xiao Tianyu merged with it, causing his power to overshadow Li Hao's.
In the hands of his Dharma Aspect, a giant divine spear materialized, glowing with mysterious Daoist energy.
As Li Hao observed the Dao energy on Xiao Tianyu's spear, he noticed that it was similar to his Immortal's Guiding Hand technique.
Xiao Tianyu had also grasped a technique akin to the Immortal's Guiding Hand, though he had only scratched the surface of its profound mysteries.
Even so, it was still terrifyingly powerful, capable of wounding a Saint's Dao, and utterly devastating to a Saintly Dao prototype.
If Xiao Tianyu had faced Qiu Tianlü, even with the latter's Saintly power from his previous life, it would have been pierced through by the spear's ethereal power!
With just one glance, Li Hao could tell that Xiao Tianyu was even stronger than Qiu Tianlü!
However, Xiao Tianyu didn't immediately attack. He had prepared his ultimate move for his battle against Qiu Tianlü, but now he was using it against Li Hao. Still, he wasn't confident that even this would be enough to win. Everything depended on Li Hao's mysterious sixth extreme realm—how strong was it really?
If it were just a life-preserving technique like blood-rebirth, Xiao Tianyu believed he still had a chance.
"Let me witness it!"
Xiao Tianyu shouted.
Li Hao did not hesitate. As Xiao Tianyu merged with his Dharma Aspect, Li Hao began channeling his Immortal Ascension extreme realm.
In an instant, the heavens seemed to rumble.
Suddenly, a torrent of heavenly energy surged toward Li Hao, as if the entire world's energy was being funneled into his Heavenly Meridians!
This energy was swiftly absorbed by Li Hao's body, channeled through his Heavenly Meridians.
The sight left countless spectators stunned. Absorbing such a massive amount of energy—wouldn't his body explode?
At the same time, Li Hao's aura surged explosively, as though a slumbering god had been unleashed.
His hair flew wildly, and from the roots, it began to change color, transforming into a brilliant silver.
With his silver hair fluttering, Li Hao's flesh and blood underwent a constant cycle of destruction and regeneration, eventually stabilizing at an incomprehensible level.
Immortal Ascension, in its most extreme form!
In that instant, Li Hao's body seemed to merge with the heavens themselves, becoming the sole and most radiant existence in the world!
At that moment, the eyes of every Saint present locked onto the figure of the young man on the battlefield.
His dazzling silver hair and his godlike physique exuded an aura that seemed to have been nurtured by the heavens themselves.
This… this was the power of the sixth extreme realm?
"It's like… he's become the master of heaven and earth!"
"What kind of power is this?"
"Is he a god?"
Outside the battlefield, countless jaws dropped in awe, their gazes fixed on the spectacle before them.
The power radiating from Li Hao's silver-haired form shook the void itself, visibly pulsing through the atmosphere.
Everyone could sense the terrifying power contained within that young body!
That body alone seemed as powerful as a Dharma Aspect!
If Li Hao were to summon his Dharma Aspect and merge with it… it was unimaginable what kind of earth-shattering force that would create!
Facing this overwhelming sight, Xiao Tianyu, standing within his Dharma Aspect, was momentarily dazed. Then his pupils slowly contracted.
For some reason, he suddenly felt as though he were standing in front of the stone tablet on which his master's teachings were etched. Before him, the young man now seemed akin to the godlike figure depicted on the stone, descending upon the world!
That ethereal, transcendent, and awe-inspiring presence… it was too similar, too unique. Even among millions, this light would stand out as the brightest star!
This… this was the aura of an immortal!
In the waiting area, Qiu Tianlü, whose expression had been clouded with gloom, now had his pupils shrink. His eyes reflected the silver-haired figure of Li Hao, each strand of that hair shining with its own radiance.
His heart pounded wildly, his mind filled with shock and disbelief. This… this was Li Hao's true power?
Qiu Tianlü could feel every muscle in his body tighten and tremble, each pore exuding a deep sense of pain. Rage, despair, and unwillingness coursed through him.
At that moment, he finally understood why Li Hao had the audacity to confront Saints in the Dao Law realm, why he dared to challenge them in debate.
Li Hao had already surpassed the Dao Law realm by far…
"The aura of an immortal…"
A Saint murmured, their eyes filled with thought.
At the summit of the sacred mountain, Yuan Zu's eyes flickered as he pondered something unknown.
Meanwhile, the Sword Master's gaze shifted slightly. That ethereal feeling, combined with an effortless freedom, reminded him of the scene when Li Hao had been fishing. There was a trace of realization in his eyes.
So, this was the sixth extreme realm?
The sixth extreme realm required a specific mindset. And now, he understood Li Hao's mindset.
Suddenly, he grasped why none of the Supreme Saints had ever been able to cultivate the sixth extreme realm.
It was because this extreme realm didn't need to be cultivated!
It was innate. It was natural. It required no cultivation at all.
In that instant, the Sword Master felt a sense of enlightenment.
However, despite this realization, he knew that cultivating the sixth extreme realm would require him to reincarnate. In this life, his Saintly Dao stood as a towering mountain in his heart, something immovable. The Saintly Dao, while his source of power, was also a shackle, demanding his every thought and action follow the principles he had upheld for countless years.
But this mindset clashed with the nature of the sixth extreme realm.
As the Supreme Saints pondered this revelation, on the battlefield, Xiao Tianyu had already snapped back to reality.
His blood surged, his eyes clearing of their previous daze. The figure from the stone tablet now stood before him, a real entity.
Was he really about to fight such an existence?
A surge of endless fighting spirit filled Xiao Tianyu, and he couldn't help but laugh heartily, shouting,
"Thank you, Brother Hao! I will remember this forever!"
With a loud roar, Xiao Tianyu lifted the massive divine spear within his Dharma Aspect's hand, swinging it with the force of a collapsing mountain towards Li Hao.
The spear carried a mysterious and ethereal power, sweeping forward to suppress everything in its path.
But in front of this towering Dharma Aspect and colossal spear, Li Hao's figure seemed like a mere speck of light. Yet this speck of light condensed all the brilliance of the world, so bright it couldn't be ignored.
Sensing Xiao Tianyu's soaring battle intent, Li Hao smiled.
As the colossal spear came crashing down, he shot upwards, unleashing his Immortal Ascension power without restraint.
Boom!!
The forces of heaven and earth converged upon him, and his Eternal Dao Domain was instantly magnified to an unimaginable level. Space itself seemed to freeze!
As the divine spear entered the domain, its speed visibly decreased, as if countless forces were pulling at it. By the time it reached the center of the Dao Domain, where Li Hao stood, it was as if it had nearly come to a complete stop.
At that moment, Li Hao surged forward and unleashed a powerful punch.
Heaven and earth's energy gathered around him, and though it was only half of the invincible Fist Path, the sixth form, the terrifying power it unleashed was overwhelming.
It must be remembered that the energy in the Heavenly Saint Domain was far denser than that of the mortal realm, and the Heavenly Yuan Realm was the most energy-rich region within it.
As a result, the same Immortal Ascension technique in the Heavenly Yuan Realm gave Li Hao access to a hundred times more energy than when used in the mortal realm!
With just one punch, it felt as though the heavens were crumbling, and the divine spear trembled violently before shattering into pieces.
In the next instant, Li Hao raised his hand, summoning a massive fist shadow that descended from the sky, crashing down upon Xiao Tianyu.
Xiao Tianyu's pupils shrank, but his eyes shone with a brilliant light as he roared and charged upward with his Dharma Aspect, unleashing all of his power in a desperate strike at the fist shadow.
Though his Dharma Aspect was larger than the fist, those watching couldn't shake the feeling that Xiao Tianyu was like a moth rushing into a flame.
Then came a thunderous impact.
Xiao Tianyu's Dharma Aspect shattered, and his body was sent flying from the wreckage, crashing heavily onto the battlefield.
The entire battlefield trembled, and even the sacred mountain seemed to quiver slightly.