Chapter 426: Reaching the Summit, Freedom in the Heavens
After becoming acquainted with Hua Sheng and You Sheng, the two saints learned that Li Hao was a member of the Hua You Society.
"Zhan Tan… That little girl, I remember her. So, she's the one who recruited you? She has quite the eye," Hua Sheng said with a soft laugh, the butterfly ornament on his head appearing to flutter gently.
"To think those young ones are still around—it's truly fortunate. If they remain diligent in their cultivation, they might last a long time. Cultivation is a contest, and with contests come defeats…"
You Sheng's gaze held a nostalgic glimmer as she glanced toward the towering celestial palace in the distance. Letting out a faint sigh, she said, "Back then, seeing the heavens sealed, we became disillusioned and ceased cultivating, pretending to see through the nature of cultivation. Yet here, glimpsing the heavens beyond the heavens, we find ourselves striving like everyone else, fighting for the Celestial Emperor's legacy. So-called detachment… was nothing but a lack of sufficient temptation to move us."
Her words carried a hint of melancholy.
Li Hao smiled and said, "There's no need to force detachment. Follow your heart. If you desire something, then embrace that desire. There's no need to act as though you don't want it."
You Sheng turned her gaze toward Li Hao, her eyes brightening. A faint smile appeared on her snow-like, delicate features. "You're right. Otherwise… it would just be pretending."
The three exchanged glances and laughed together.
"From what Wang Lao said, your Dao Heart is Eternal, and you caused the Heaven and Earth Bell to chime nine times. It's hard to imagine what kind of Dao Heart you must possess. Your talent surely surpasses ours. If you become the Celestial Emperor's registered disciple, perhaps you can take us to the True Realm to see it for ourselves," Hua Sheng said earnestly, his gaze sincere and full of hope.
You Sheng also held great expectations for the prodigious newcomer. Initially, his arrival had made them feel competitive urgency, but now, knowing his identity, they felt a sense of ease.
Before Li Hao could respond, another saint nearby said gravely, "Mu Sheng is challenging again!"
Hua Sheng and You Sheng immediately looked over. The snowy-haired Mu Sheng, who had been seated on a meditation mat ahead, slowly stood up. Though his face wasn't visible, his steady posture exuded a solemn aura.
After a brief pause, he moved toward the front of the training ground.
At the forefront of the training ground, beyond the massive Heaven and Earth Bell, stood a steep black tower.
Mu Sheng flew toward the black tower. Its doors opened automatically, and he stepped inside.
"Looks like Mu Sheng was affected by something," someone remarked.
"Of course, who wouldn't be? My spear techniques feel all jumbled just thinking about it."
"I wonder if Mu Sheng can break his previous record and hold out a little longer this time."
Other saints slightly opened their eyes to watch, their gazes fixed on the black tower. Many occasionally glanced toward Li Hao, unable to suppress the waves of emotion stirred by his arrival. The Nine Chimes of Heaven and Earth had caused an unprecedented upheaval in their hearts.
"They're really paying attention to you," You Sheng teased with a slight smile, her gaze circling Li Hao. She, too, couldn't deny her curiosity about this dazzlingly talented youth.
Li Hao gave a faint, helpless smile but said nothing.
At this moment, Hua Sheng flicked his fingers, conjuring a burning incense stick that emitted a thin wisp of smoke.
"What's that?" Li Hao asked.
"To time Mu Sheng's attempt and see if he can set a new record," Hua Sheng replied.
Li Hao nodded in understanding and quietly waited.
When the incense had burned two-thirds of the way, the black tower's doors opened. The snowy-haired Mu Sheng emerged, his expression dark. He silently returned to the training ground.
"Shorter than last time," Hua Sheng remarked, glancing at the incense before extinguishing it with a snap of his fingers. A faint smile played on his lips as he added, "Looks like your arrival has unsettled many people."
Li Hao could only smile wryly in response.
The others also noticed and shook their heads slightly. After giving Li Hao another glance, they closed their eyes and resumed meditating.
"You shouldn't mind them too much. Good luck. We won't distract you anymore," You Sheng said encouragingly.
Li Hao nodded slightly. As Hua Sheng and You Sheng returned to their practice, he took out his drawing board and began his own cultivation.
"What's this?" You Sheng asked curiously, noticing Li Hao's actions. She was momentarily puzzled before realizing what he was doing.
Li Hao smiled and replied, "Just a way to relax."
"…"
You Sheng was momentarily speechless but refrained from commenting. "When you're done, let me see. I've always had an appreciation for this art."
Li Hao nodded.
Once Hua Sheng and You Sheng immersed themselves in their respective practices, Li Hao focused on his painting.
Having reached the Tenth Layer in Painting Path, his art was imbued with profound heavenly power and traces of the Grand Dao. As he moved his brush, he realized that sketching the saints around him might inadvertently disturb their cultivation—a potential affront.
Instead of drawing figures, he decided to capture landscapes.
His gaze fell on the Heaven and Earth Bell ahead. With a flicker of inspiration, he began to paint.
Li Hao wielded his brush with swift and fluid movements on the drawing board, ink spreading to gather immense energy from heaven and earth. With each stroke, the Dao was drawn in, condensing into the traces left by his brush.
With just a few strokes, the Dao began to converge, and the outline of a great bell faintly emerged.
As the Heaven and Earth Bell took shape on the paper, it exuded an extraordinary resonance. Li Hao's focus deepened, immersing himself entirely in the painting. The bell on his canvas became increasingly vivid, filled with spirit. Suddenly, a chime rang out, echoing in his mind, accompanied by a surge of boundless energy emanating from the paper. This force pierced directly into his consciousness, sending three successive bell chimes reverberating in his soul.
Each chime tempered and strengthened Li Hao's primordial spirit, sharpening it further.
Unfortunately, his current body, made of Nine-Tier Mixed-Origin Divine Blood, was like an indestructible divine armor—permanently fixed and unable to improve. Otherwise, even his physical form might have undergone transformation.
"Hmm?"
Nearby, Hua Sheng and You Sheng opened their eyes. Other saints also turned their gazes toward Li Hao.
While immersed in their cultivation, they had suddenly heard resonating bell chimes, initially assuming someone was testing the Heaven and Earth Bell again. Upon opening their eyes, however, they realized that the bell's aura was emanating from someone nearby. When they turned their heads, they saw Li Hao seated on a meditation mat, wielding a brush. At the tip of his brush, countless strands of the Dao's essence gracefully flowed.
The Dao swirled and gathered around the young man. In front of him, the illusory image of the Heaven and Earth Bell hovered in mid-air, like a projection brought to life.
"What is this?"
The crowd was astonished. Was he... painting?
"He..."
You Sheng's eyes widened with a trace of surprise. She quickly discerned that Li Hao was employing painting as a medium for Dao comprehension. This wasn't mere artistic interest—it was possibly a fully realized Dao.
In front of the house, Wang Lao gently fanned himself while reclining in his rocking chair. Observing the commotion near the meditation mat, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. Then, a faint smile curved his lips. This little fellow was full of surprises. Claiming mastery of swordsmanship, yet now revealing a formidable talent in painting as well.
Meanwhile, Li Hao continued to paint without pause. As he worked, the Dao gathered, and the Heaven and Earth Bell on his canvas radiated dazzling light.
Suddenly, the Heaven and Earth Bell at the forefront of the training ground also began to shine brilliantly, reflecting the glow of the painted bell.
The sight left everyone stunned.
The Heaven and Earth Bell, typically dormant except when tested for Dao Heart, now responded to the aura of Li Hao's painting. Such was the power of his art!
"To sanctify through painting? Should we call him the Painting Saint now?"
"No kidding. The Wandering Dao contains painting among its arts, which proves this path exists in the True Realm."
"He's even sanctified through the Dao. His comprehension is astonishing. This newcomer is truly monstrous."
The crowd fixed their gaze on Li Hao with growing seriousness. Their respect deepened, but so did the pressure in their hearts.
Previously, they had viewed Mu Sheng and Ming Sheng as the frontrunners. Those two had been far ahead, but their progress was visible and therefore felt achievable. However, Li Hao's arrival shattered that confidence, making him a force they couldn't ignore.
As the ethereal glow of the Heaven and Earth Bell faded, Li Hao's painting came to a halt. Unbeknownst to him, his eyes had closed, and his mind had entered a state of profound contemplation.
The act of painting had allowed him to glimpse a fragment of celestial truth.
Simultaneously, he became aware of his limitations in painting, recognizing areas for improvement. Identifying weaknesses was a significant step forward. Being unable to perceive flaws would have signified a genuine bottleneck in his progression.
"Painting… resemblance in form, resemblance in spirit, yet neither constitutes truth. What, then, is the true essence?"
"The essence of celestial truth…"
"What defines the Celestial Dao…"
Countless thoughts intertwined in his mind, fluctuating between moments of clarity and perplexing elusiveness. His desire to grasp these fleeting insights grew more urgent.
After a long while, Li Hao slowly opened his eyes to see a notification appear before him. His experience in painting had surged by over ten million points, filling one-fifth of his current progress bar.
Li Hao was shocked. This was the highest single gain in painting experience he had ever achieved.
Previously, even painting a saintly figure had only yielded three hundred thousand experience points.
Now, it was over ten million!
Moreover, his current painting at the Tenth Stage held a much higher value compared to lower levels, such as the Eighth or Ninth.
The Heaven and Earth Bell before him was not merely a celestial treasure—it likely existed on an extraordinary level.
Still, progressing from the Tenth to the Eleventh Stage in painting required an immense amount of experience. When he had spent twelve years on the Ancient Path preparing divine dishes, he had only just reached perfection. Here, however, his painting had skyrocketed in progress.
"I didn't expect you to sanctify yourself through painting. Remarkable," came You Sheng's voice.
Li Hao turned to see her watching him. He smiled lightly. It was true—during the Heavenly Supreme Prodigy Tournament, he had used his own blood as ink and the heavens as his canvas to break through to the Tenth Stage, sanctifying himself through painting in one fell swoop.
"It seems you'll pass the first trial very soon," Hua Sheng remarked, his tone tinged with admiration. He could see that Li Hao's talent was exceptional.
The two saints exchanged a few words with Li Hao before retreating to their cultivation, unwilling to fall too far behind.
Li Hao, too, refocused, determined to close the gap.
Li Hao carefully put away the painting of the Heaven and Earth Bell he had just completed. He realized this was no longer a simple painting; it had become a Dao weapon with some of the Heaven and Earth Bell's powers.
If one used it to test their Dao Heart, it could even measure the levels of Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow Dao Hearts.
However, for a higher-level Dao Heart like the Chaos Dao Heart, it seemed unable to bear the strain.
This realization made it clear to Li Hao that his skills in painting were still insufficient.
Without delay, Li Hao began a new painting, using the surrounding heavens and earth as his canvas. The energies of the world gathered at his command to form his ink, and the Dao itself served as his brush.
With a few effortless strokes, his depiction of the second Heaven and Earth Bell began to take shape.
As he painted, the chime of a bell resounded—not only in Li Hao's heart but also in the minds of those around him.
Some of the saints opened their eyes. Seeing Li Hao completely engrossed in his work, they understood it wasn't intentional but rather a natural effect of his cultivation. They calmly established their own domains around themselves to block out the influence.
Soon, the second Heaven and Earth Bell was complete. Li Hao felt a hint of comprehension, though it wasn't as pronounced as the insight he gained from the first painting.
This time, the bell resounded four times as well, but the lingering echo of the fourth chime was noticeably longer.
Li Hao moved on to paint a third, then a fourth Heaven and Earth Bell. Each completed painting further honed his understanding of painting and the Dao.
Within two days, Li Hao had completed seven paintings. His experience in the path of painting had reached its peak.
However, while experience came quickly, enlightenment did not.
By the end, Li Hao found that his earlier clarity had diminished. He realized that he had reached a point where continued repetition would no longer yield progress. What he needed now was a breakthrough—something unexpected to spark inspiration.
Setting down his brush, Li Hao rose from his meditation mat and began wandering around the area.
Wang Lao, noticing Li Hao's movement, called him over and gave him some advice on places he could and couldn't explore.
The available area wasn't vast. The distant Celestial Emperor's Hall was off-limits until the trials were completed. The steps leading up to the Tianyang Hall could only be set foot upon by those who had reached the True Immortal Realm. Otherwise, the celestial might of the Imperial Hall would instantly crush any intruder, destroying even their Saint Dao.
Feeling somewhat idle, Li Hao asked, "Senior, don't you ever get bored staying here all the time?"
"Bored?"
Wang Lao chuckled. "When you've seen all the splendor the world has to offer, you'll crave a quiet place where you can simply sit in peace, doing nothing, thinking of nothing. At that point, you'll find joy in tranquility."
Li Hao couldn't yet grasp the feeling Wang Lao described. There were still so many places he wanted to visit, so many sights to see, so many people to meet.
"Compared to my old companions, I'd say I'm the luckiest."
Wang Lao spoke softly, a fleeting sadness flashing in his eyes before it was replaced by a smile. "Your soul's lifespan is short—barely a century. It's natural to feel restless. Most others who come here have stayed for an incredibly long time."
Li Hao nodded thoughtfully, his gaze falling on the nearby fields. A sudden idea came to him, and he asked, "Senior, why don't you teach me how to farm?"
"Farm?"
Wang Lao was momentarily stunned. Seeing the earnest glint in Li Hao's eyes, he burst out laughing. "Aren't you going to focus on cultivation? You mentioned choosing Sword Dao for the Wandering Dao Immortal Technique, but you've spent the past few days focused on painting. You haven't even touched the Yan Luo Immortal Technique yet."
"No rush. Cultivation isn't like climbing a mountain. Once you reach the summit, the heavens await."
Li Hao grinned.
Wang Lao, unfamiliar with the saying, pondered it for a moment and found some merit in it.
Still, while the sentiment might hold true for ordinary cultivation, celestial techniques were different. Without exceptional talent, understanding them required relentless effort. Breakthroughs came only through gradual refinement and persistence.
"There are two kinds of people in this world," Wang Lao said. "The first can see the endpoint before even taking a step—those are geniuses. The second can only see their own feet, yet they persevere, journeying tirelessly until that faint light at their toes leads them to the endpoint. These are the diligent ones."
Pausing for emphasis, he added, "Everyone who reaches this place was once a genius. But before celestial techniques, they can only see that faint light. Without the courage and determination for a long journey, they'll falter halfway. Those are the third kind—neither gifted nor hardworking, merely failures left to rot along the way."
Li Hao caught the undertone of caution in Wang Lao's words and responded with a smile. "But there's also a fourth kind of person—those who stay where they are, uninterested in moving forward."
Wang Lao blinked, momentarily stunned by Li Hao's answer. The bright smile on the young man's face carried a clarity and brightness that left him momentarily dazed.
He suddenly recalled Li Hao's Dao Heart—a perfect harmony of intent and action, a unity surpassing even the Saint Dao.
Understanding dawned on Wang Lao, and he laughed. "Do these fourth kinds of people turn their starting point into their endpoint?"
"A so-called endpoint is merely a point we set for ourselves. For some, it's crossing a river. For others, it's climbing a mountain. My endpoint? It's standing right here, quietly watching others run toward the sunset."
Li Hao chuckled as he spoke.