Chapter 453: The Body of the Ancestral Immortal
Within the passage, the towering Imperial Sword Mountain loomed before the gathered disciples.
Beyond this great mountain stretched endless emerald plains, dotted with rolling hills of varying heights. At this moment, the disciples stood in small groups, each perched atop different hills, gazing toward the towering mountain with eyes filled with determination.
Li Hao, Yue Xi, and Gu Yan entered in succession, landing atop a lone hill.
"I'll go first."
Yue Xi only glanced briefly at the towering peak before speaking. Then, she cast a quick look past Li Hao, toward Gu Yan who stood beside him.
However, Gu Yan showed no reaction, not even sparing her a glance.
Yue Xi's eyes flickered slightly, then without another word, she turned and soared toward the mountain without looking back.
Li Hao scanned the area, taking in the scenery. He noticed that after a brief pause, many disciples rushed toward Imperial Sword Mountain with fierce urgency.
As he casually observed, he noticed that the junior disciple beside him, Gu Yan, remained standing motionless.
"You're not going?"
Li Hao asked in mild surprise.
"There's no point in rushing alongside others. If success comes too easily, then it's meaningless."
Gu Yan replied with an indifferent tone.
Li Hao was stunned for a moment before chuckling softly.
Tch, this is the arrogance of a true prodigy.
But… does this kid realize that talking like this in the outside world is a sure way to get beaten up?
"Well, then I'll go first."
With that, Li Hao flew toward the mountain, following the wave of disciples surging toward Imperial Sword Mountain.
As he left, Gu Yan remained unfazed, his expression as still as a calm lake.
Yet, his gaze was fixed on the peak of the mountain, as if he could sense a presence watching him from above.
Li Hao soon reached the first level of the mountain.
A barrier of immortal energy enveloped the entrance, making the landscape beyond appear as a blurry silhouette of mountains and rivers.
Passing through the barrier, he was struck with an intuitive realization—
A voice resonated within him, explaining that to clear the first trial, he needed to reach the central zone, where a portal leading to the second level awaited.
Before him lay a vast, seemingly endless world.
He floated above a dense forest, his spiritual sense detecting only two intense battles nearby.
Li Hao was slightly shocked.
From the outside, Imperial Sword Mountain seemed no larger than a grand city, yet inside, it contained an entire boundless realm.
"This is the power of Spatial Dao Origin…"
His eyes flickered as he studied the terrain, immediately sensing the exceptional nature of this place.
Through a subtle force guiding him, he was able to vaguely determine the location of the central zone.
However, instead of rushing ahead, Li Hao veered toward one of the battle sites.
He had never seen the Spirit Clan before.
Soon, he arrived at the scene of the battle.
A young woman in crimson sleeves was engaged in a fierce struggle against four Spirit Clan warriors.
Li Hao studied them curiously.
At first glance, they looked almost identical to humans.
However, their hair was pure silver, and their eyes were transparent, resembling beings carved from ice and snow. Their energy felt ethereal and elusive, and their control over immortal energy was incredibly light and refined.
At this moment, the crimson-sleeved woman was fighting desperately.
She repeatedly used "Immortal's Guidance", yet her sword technique was incomplete, making it difficult for her to carve a clear path forward.
Li Hao made no attempt to hide his presence, and the young woman immediately noticed him.
Upon seeing his Heaven Academy disciple robe, her eyes lit up with relief.
"Senior brother! Help me!"
She cried out desperately.
The four Spirit Clan warriors also noticed Li Hao.
One of them, a silver-haired youth, immediately broke away from the group and charged toward Li Hao—
Clearly intending to neutralize him before he could intervene.
Li Hao watched for a moment, observing their combat style.
He noticed that Spirit Clan warriors were far more fluid and nimble than humans.
However, they were also extremely cautious, reluctant to engage in head-on power struggles.
If they were willing to force their way through, they could have easily overwhelmed the woman, since she was only at the True Immortal Third Realm.
The silver-haired youth shot toward Li Hao at lightning speed.
"You want to save her? You'll have to—"
Mid-sentence, he flicked his wrist—
A blade of shimmering blue light shaped like a butterfly shot toward Li Hao.
However, before he could even finish speaking—
BOOM!
Li Hao simply flicked his finger, unleashing a sharp sword aura that instantly shattered the blue light.
The same instant—
His sword aura pierced through the youth's shoulder—forcing him to stagger backward.
Then—
Li Hao took a single step forward.
A wave of spatial energy erupted around him, sending the remaining three Spirit Clan warriors flying backward.
Seeing this—
The four Spirit Clan warriors exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock.
With a single casual movement, this mysterious disciple had forced them all back—
And he hadn't even unleashed his full immortal energy.
Only some other type of power had been used.
More importantly—
They recognized his Heaven Academy disciple robe.
This meant he was likely a personal disciple of a great elder—a monster among geniuses.
They instantly decided—
This was not a fight they could win.
Without hesitation, they turned and retreated swiftly.
Their task was to eliminate weaker disciples—not to fight against those beyond their capability.
And Li Hao was clearly not someone they could handle at this stage.
Thus, they withdrew without a moment of hesitation.
With the Spirit Clan warriors gone, the crimson-sleeved woman finally caught her breath.
She had also seen how effortlessly Li Hao had repelled them.
And yet, she had sensed no overpowering surge of immortal energy—
Only a completely different force at work.
"Thank you, senior brother! You saved me!"
The young woman wiped the sweat from her brow and approached him, her face beaming with relief and joy.
"I'm Hu Hongyao! May I ask for senior brother's name? I'd like to repay you in the future!"
Li Hao glanced at her.
Her expression was bright and full of energy, carrying a natural sense of innocence and warmth.
He smiled faintly.
"Just call me Hao Tian."
"And don't worry about it—it was nothing more than a flick of the wrist."
"But—"
"You're from Earth Academy, aren't you?"
"This trial might be too difficult for you."
"I'd advise you to withdraw now."
Hu Hongyao didn't take offense at Li Hao's words. Instead, she nodded and said, "Mhm! I actually just came here to train, to use this place as a testing ground. If I can observe some of the senior brothers' battles, I might gain significant improvements. After all, we are all part of the same sect…"
As she spoke, a slight blush crept onto her cheeks.
Li Hao was momentarily surprised, then couldn't help but laugh. It was rare to encounter someone this straightforward.
"Then be careful."
Hu Hongyao nodded repeatedly, her head bobbing like a pecking chick. Then, she blinked her star-like eyes at him and said,
"Senior Brother Hao Tian, my hometown is Muxin County. There, we have delicious Mud Doll Fruit, and every year in August and September, the Zi He Bai Luo Flowers bloom beautifully. When the time comes, I'll bring some for you."
Li Hao chuckled and said, "For saving your life, shouldn't you be giving me an immortal pill instead?"
Hu Hongyao froze for a moment. Then, her face turned completely red, and she hurriedly said, "I thought that as a Heaven Academy disciple, you wouldn't lack cultivation resources… but if you want, I do have ten Bodhi Immortal Pills, and some immortal stones… Let me count how many I have…"
As she spoke, she really began opening her spatial storage to retrieve the items.
Sensing the spatial fluctuations, Li Hao saw that she was seriously about to hand them over and quickly waved his hand to stop her.
"I was just joking. I prefer delicious food—just bring me something good to eat."
"Oh! So Senior Brother Hao Tian is a foodie too?"
Hu Hongyao's eyes lit up as if she had found a kindred spirit. She quickly added, "Then I'll find some for you! I also know a few small taverns that serve amazing dishes."
Li Hao laughed again and said, "Alright, you go on ahead. Take advantage of the crowd while you can."
Hu Hongyao suddenly remembered her original purpose, slapped her forehead, then nodded quickly. She bowed to Li Hao three times before finally waving goodbye.
After she left, Li Hao leisurely flew off in another direction.
After traveling several thousand miles, he suddenly sensed three Spirit Clan auras in a canyon.
He spread his divine sense and saw a flat stone platform within the canyon. Three Spirit Clan figures sat around a chessboard.
An elderly Spirit Clan man was playing against a middle-aged Spirit Clan man, while a young Spirit Clan girl sat beside them, serving tea.
Li Hao was somewhat surprised—he hadn't expected the Spirit Clan to play chess too.
Intrigued, he moved closer.
Inside the canyon, the elderly Spirit Clan man seemed to sense something. He glanced toward the void and sighed.
"We didn't go looking for trouble with these kids, yet one of them has come looking for us."
The middle-aged Spirit Clan player placed a piece on the board and asked, "Master, we were ordered to guard these disciples. Isn't it a problem that we're just sitting here and ignoring them?"
"Can't you see the chaos outside? The real test is up there. We're just the entry-level challenge."
The elderly Spirit Clan man spoke calmly, then turned to the young girl and said,
"Go drive that boy away. He's disturbing our game."
The Spirit Clan girl nodded slightly and disappeared on the spot.
However, Li Hao had already sensed everything.
His fourth-level mastery of the Spatial Dao Origin allowed him to perceive every fluctuation of movement.
To him, her Voidstep Blink was as slow as a crawling turtle.
If he wanted to, he could alter the trajectory of her teleportation, sending her somewhere completely random—or even directly into the path of his attacks, catching her off guard.
But Li Hao wasn't interested in fighting the girl. Instead, his eyes were fixed on the chessboard.
With just a single glance, he felt as though his mind was trapped in a web.
The intricate layout and the brilliant strategy of the game completely captivated him.
His breathing even became slightly irregular.
At that moment, the Spirit Clan girl appeared before him.
"Stop! This is not a place for you. Leave now, or face the consequences."
Her icy blue eyes locked onto Li Hao. The space around her rippled like water, and an immense immortal force surged from her body.
She was at the True Immortal Fifth Realm.
But beyond that, her eyes turned a brilliant blue, and the space around her twisted like a vortex.
Whoosh!
She extended a finger, and the vortex expanded, sending a sharp wave of energy straight at Li Hao.
However—
Li Hao didn't even acknowledge the attack.
He simply continued walking forward, eyes still fixed on the chessboard.
Seeing him completely ignoring her attack, the Spirit Clan girl's face darkened.
Her expression grew cold, and a trace of irritation flickered in her eyes.
She had initially intended to go easy on him, just to scare him away.
But since this human was asking for death—
She would no longer hold back.
BOOM!
Her spatial vortex attack slammed directly into Li Hao's chest.
However—
At that moment—
A radiant glow burst forth from his body.
His Ancestral Immortal Physique activated automatically, releasing an immortal aura that shattered the vortex energy into nothingness.
The attack that could seriously injure even a True Immortal Seventh Realm cultivator had no effect on him whatsoever.
It was nothing more than a minor itch.
Li Hao finally looked up and noticed the stunned expression on the Spirit Clan girl's face.
With a calm demeanor, he clasped his hands together and said,
"Miss, I have no intention of causing trouble. I only wish to watch the chess game."
The Spirit Clan girl didn't respond.
Her mind was still reeling from shock.
She and her master had been imprisoned in this domain, and their cultivation had been restricted to the True Immortal Fifth Realm.
But even so—
Her previous attack was lethal.
Even a True Immortal Seventh Realm expert would have been gravely injured.
Yet, this human youth had blocked it effortlessly.
Without even using his immortal power.
With just his physical body.
Not a single scratch.
At this moment, the elderly Spirit Clan man finally looked over.
Hearing Li Hao's words, a hint of surprise flashed across his eyes.
Then, his lips curled into a slight smile.
"Oh? Young man, you understand chess?"
Li Hao turned toward him, smoothly sidestepping the Spirit Clan girl.
His mastery of the Spatial Dao Origin, combined with his Voidstep Blink, allowed him to move at a speed far beyond standard teleportation techniques.
His movement was so fluid and seamless—
That it left no trace behind.
"I know a little. Apologies for the disturbance, please continue."
Li Hao clasped his hands and bowed, his attitude exceptionally humble.
The two Spirit Clan members exchanged glances, slightly surprised that A'Ling had been unable to stop this human youth.
Moreover, they recognized the robe he wore—it was the Heaven Academy disciple uniform from Sword Abyss, the sect's top division.
A prodigy?
Both of them smiled with interest. It was rare to see such an unusual human genius.
"Alright, then. Watch as you like."
The elder of the Spirit Clan did not say more and resumed his game.
Li Hao, meanwhile, focused intently, waiting for a moment when the elder placed a piece. Then, he asked:
"Pardon me, but where did Senior place his first move?"
"Oh?"
The Spirit Clan elder looked at him with curiosity before pointing at a spot on the board.
"And you?"
Li Hao turned to the middle-aged Spirit Clan member.
The man quickly understood what Li Hao was attempting and smiled, pointing to his own first move.
Li Hao studied the board, and within his mind, countless variations of chess strategies unfolded, reconstructing the entire match from the opening move.
The two Spirit Clan members exchanged glances again, realizing that Li Hao was attempting to replay the entire game in his mind.
This required incredible chess mastery.
Still, they weren't worried about him launching an attack.
Even if this human was a True Immortal Ninth Realm sword prodigy, they could easily suppress him if necessary.
After all, they controlled who passed the First Trial.
The only ones who had already crossed this floor were those monstrous beings of the Immortal Lord Realm, whom they couldn't stop anyway.
As the game resumed, Li Hao stood aside and observed, while A'Ling, the Spirit Clan girl who had previously blocked him, had already returned.
Seeing Li Hao still standing there, completely ignoring her and fully focused on the game, she glared at him hatefully.
Then, she turned to the Spirit Clan elder and said,
"Master, I was too weak to stop him."
"Hmm, it's fine."
The elder responded absentmindedly, his full attention still on the chessboard.
A'Ling glanced at the human youth, who remained utterly unbothered.
This entire scene—three Spirit Clan members and a human genius gathered together to play chess—felt ridiculous to her.
All the other disciples were racing toward the central zone, either avoiding her kind to preserve strength or crushing them quickly to clear the way.
But this fool had deliberately walked into the most dangerous spot—only to stretch his neck out and watch a chess match…
The entire situation felt absurd.
Time passed.
A gentle wind brushed over the stone cliffs.
The intense game finally concluded.
As the final piece was placed, Li Hao's eyes gleamed with admiration.
He had once thought that Grandmaster Wang's chess mastery was unparalleled.
Yet, here, he had encountered two others who could match Grandmaster Wang move for move.
And since both players were evenly matched, the fierce battle of wits had left him exhilarated.
"Brilliant game!"
Li Hao couldn't help but praise them.
The Spirit Clan elder, victorious in this round, wore a satisfied smile, savoring his win.
Hearing Li Hao's words, he turned his gaze toward him and smiled playfully.
"Oh? You actually understood the match?"
He wasn't asking if Li Hao could tell who won—he was asking if Li Hao truly understood every strategic nuance.
Li Hao smiled faintly. "Barely."
"Oh?"
The elder's interest deepened. He picked up six stones—five black, one white—and pointed at a section of the board.
"If I had played this piece here instead, do you think I would still have had a chance to win?"
Li Hao's eyes locked onto the board.
In his mind, countless strategies flowed like a raging river, analyzing every possible variation.
After a brief silence, he spoke:
"You'd only have a tiny sliver of hope. If you placed the piece here, you would have to outmaneuver the Dragon's Bite, seize the opponent's central stones, and force a path to survival."
"But if he noticed early and sealed the Dragon's Bite, then you'd have no hope at all. To counter this, you'd need to set up two decoy moves here and here, to bait your opponent into a premature reaction."
As soon as he finished speaking—
The elder and the middle-aged Spirit Clan member both froze in shock.
This human youth…
Actually understood chess.
And not just at an amateur level—his analysis was precise and advanced.
"Interesting. Interesting!"
The elder chuckled, his eyes flashing with excitement.
He waved to his disciple and said,
"Stand up. I want to play a match with this young man."
The middle-aged Spirit Clan member hesitated for a moment, then asked in confusion,
"Master, but he is… human…"
"So what?"
The elder shook his head and said,
"Ten thousand years ago, the Spirit Clan and the Human Clan were allies."
Then, as if remembering something, he sighed deeply.
"In chess, there are no racial boundaries. Young man, come, let's play."
He gestured for his disciple to step aside, leaving a seat open for Li Hao.
Li Hao did not hesitate. He had already felt an itch to play just from watching the match earlier.
Both of these Spirit Clan experts had chess skills at the twelfth level, on par with Grandmaster Wang. If he could defeat them, or at least challenge them, he might be able to touch the threshold of the Twelfth-Level Chess Dao Insight.
"A'Ling, how did you lose?"
The middle-aged Spirit Clan member got up with some reluctance and moved aside. As he saw Li Hao and his master preparing for the match, he turned to A'Ling and asked.
"His immortal body is terrifying."
A'Ling glanced at Li Hao and whispered, "My current attacks can't even break his defense."
The middle-aged man was stunned. Even I've been suppressed to the True Immortal Fifth Realm, he thought. Although his Dao comprehension was stronger than A'Ling's, if she couldn't even harm Li Hao, then could he really suppress him?
"But… he's only True Immortal Third Realm…"
He looked at Li Hao. Earlier, when his Ancestral Immortal Body had been passively activated, his immortal power had leaked out, exposing his true cultivation realm despite the concealment of his Myriad Aspects Attribute.
A'Ling remained silent, offering no further comment.
Meanwhile, on the chessboard, Li Hao had fully immersed himself, locked in a battle of wits with the Spirit Clan elder.
At the same time, thousands of miles away, numerous Sword Abyss disciples were engaged in fierce battles against the Spirit Clan, fighting to reach the central zone.
On the Second Trial, fifty True Immortal Sixth Realm demonic beasts awaited them.
These bloodthirsty, savage creatures quickly overwhelmed many Sword Abyss disciples who had barely made it past the First Trial, forcing them to withdraw.
Meanwhile, even higher up, some exceptional figures were already ascending.
At the very summit of the Empire Sword Mountain, several figures arrived.
As soon as they set foot on the peak, they saw that the mountaintop was shockingly simple—just a small straw hut.
Outside the hut, a stone mound stood, with a sword plunged upside down into it.
A single tea table sat outside the house, where a figure clad in white robes quietly sipped tea.
His hair was streaked with black and white, as if carrying the weight of endless years, yet still radiating an undying vitality.
As soon as Ji Qingxuan, the leading disciple, saw him, he immediately bowed deeply and said:
"Disciple greets the Abyss Master!"
This middle-aged man before them was none other than Yun Wumian, the Master of Sword Abyss.
The three disciples accompanying Ji Qingxuan also hurriedly bowed in salute.
"Good. Come and have some tea."
Yun Wumian's expression remained indifferent, his voice ethereal yet deep, resonating like flowing mist. He motioned for the four of them to sit.
The group was slightly startled, but they obediently took their seats and sipped tea.
"I heard from Elder Li that you slayed seven Ancient Demon commanders at the border. Not bad."
Yun Wumian's calm gaze fell upon Ji Qingxuan as he offered his evaluation.
To receive a simple "Not bad" from Yun Wumian was already an immense recognition.
Ji Qingxuan set his teacup down, rose slightly, and respectfully said,
"Abyss Master flatters me. My sword is still unpolished. I hope that by comprehending the Empire Sword here, I can refine it further."
Yun Wumian gave a slight nod before shifting his serene gaze outward, peering into the sea of clouds beyond the Empire Sword Mountain.
At the same time, his senses swept across the entire mountain, observing the countless disciples climbing upward.
The entire Empire Sword Mountain was within his Sovereign Immortal Domain—with but a single thought, he could see all and know all within it.
As he scanned through the trials, his gaze briefly lingered on a few notable figures fighting their way up the Fifth and Sixth Levels.
His mist-like eyes carried a trace of appreciation.
As time passed, more and more disciples failed their trials and were ejected from the mountain, appearing on the surrounding hills outside.
Some were tending to injuries, while others sat down to meditate and reflect.
On one of these hills, Gu Yan, clad in his black sword robes, quietly watched as the First Trial gradually settled.
Seeing no more disciples emerging, he knew that the inside had stabilized.
At that moment, he took a step forward and flew toward the Empire Sword Mountain.
From the mountaintop, Yun Wumian also took notice—his gaze settling on that proud youth.
A faint curve formed at the corner of his lips.
A natural-born Sword Immortal physique…
Elder Li bringing back such a rare treasure was truly no easy feat.
As Yun Wumian focused on Gu Yan, his awareness extended across the First Trial.
By now, most disciples had already left. Many of the Spirit Clan guards had gathered near the central zone, meaning the challenge would be even more difficult.
At the same time, his vision landed on an unexpected location—far from the central battlefield, tucked away in a remote canyon, he spotted a group of figures.
"Oh?"
As he took in the scene, a rare flicker of surprise appeared in Yun Wumian's eyes.