https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-332-Casual-Victory-Canglan-Elder-Second-Update-at-8-PM-/13450513/
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Chapter 333: Imperial Hall Confrontation
Chapter 333: Imperial Hall Confrontation (Seeking Monthly Votes)
Li Hao's proposal was accepted by the Canghai Divine Dynasty.
Shortly after, a Divine Dynasty Prince came to respectfully invite Li Hao to the Canghai Divine Dynasty's Imperial Hall, where he would need to leave a blood mark on the Divine Dynasty's Imperial Dragon Seal to become a Divine Dynasty Elder.
When the Divine Dynasty was in trouble, the Imperial Dragon Seal could be activated to summon the Elders. If an Elder refused to act, they would suffer a backlash from the Imperial Dragon Seal, damaging their cultivation.
If an Elder was unavailable, they could still contribute by sending an Incarnation through the Imperial Dragon Seal to participate in the battle, effectively lending their strength.
In short, the Imperial Dragon Seal was a form of binding contract.
Li Hao understood that every gain came with a loss. Taking someone's wealth meant taking on their troubles, and this was true for Incense as well.
In the Sage Realm, Incense was not only a source of power but also functioned like currency in the mortal world. This was why it was extremely difficult to snatch Incense from a Sage.
It was akin to robbing a wealthy person, a matter of life and death.
Ji Dao Mountain was not far from the Canghai Divine Dynasty's Imperial Capital. Li Hao was accompanied by three others, two men and a woman. One of the men was tall and wore a Crimson Divine Robe, which shimmered with a radiant glow. He held a Lava-Cast Spear and had a haughty gaze, accompanied by the Canghai Divine Dynasty's Crown Prince.
The other man and woman were both young-looking. The woman had silver eyes, reminding Li Hao of Hao Yue Holy Son's unique eyes.
Clearly, those who received an invitation from the Divine Dynasty were no ordinary individuals.
The Imperial City of the Canghai Divine Dynasty was grand and vast, spanning ten thousand miles. The Imperial Hall was majestic, with towering dragon pillars adorned with the totems of the Canghai.
Led by Crown Prince Gui Haifeng, the group arrived at the Imperial Hall and met the Divine Dynasty's emperor.
Emperor Canghai sat on his dragon throne, his face narrow and exuding an aura of authority. He appeared to be in his sixties, with only a few strands of white hair at his temples.
He was known to be a Semi-Saint Realm existence, with one foot already beyond the Dao Art, though he had yet to form his own Saint Path. He had an extremely long lifespan, with thousands of consorts and hundreds of children, many of whom were Talent Monsters and Dao Law Realm powerhouses, carrying his bloodline.
In the Imperial Court, the atmosphere was magnificent, with Civil and Military Officials lining the sides, all gazing at the four new Canghai Divine Dynasty Elders.
They needed to remember the faces of these new Elders to warn their family members to avoid inadvertently offending them in the future.
Those who had served in the Divine Dynasty for a long time knew that their family members must be cautious, or they could easily bring disaster upon the family.
"Four prodigies, all outstanding individuals, now becoming Elders of the Canghai Divine Dynasty. As long as the Canghai Dynasty stands, you will be honored as Elders, receiving praise and glory!"
Emperor Canghai smiled and spoke to Li Hao and the other three.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Emperor Canghai took out the Imperial Dragon Seal and had Li Hao and the others leave their blood marks.
Once the blood marks were made, Emperor Canghai formally granted them their titles in the Imperial Hall, bestowing them with Elder Waist Badges. Within the Canghai Divine Dynasty, they would rank just below the emperor, enjoying Divine Rank privileges. They could even command up to ten thousand troops, and they would receive stipends, though the gold and silver stipends were merely symbolic.
Afterward, Emperor Canghai led the four to the Inner Hall, where only he and the accompanying Crown Prince were present, to discuss the matter of Incense.
"I have agreed to all your previous requests. Today, master craftsmen will come to measure you for your Golden Statues. From now on, temples and Golden Statues will be built for you throughout the Divine Dynasty. I will have the commander responsible for spreading your heroic deeds and good names throughout the city."
Emperor Canghai smiled and said, "The better your achievements and the more legendary your deeds, the more Incense you will receive. It may even spread beyond your city, reaching other places."
Incenseelders, apart from building temples and casting Golden Statues to spread their good names, can also attract Incense spontaneously if their fame and deeds are widely known and celebrated.
Therefore, Incense is hard to obtain. Ordinary people tend to worship the strongest Sages. To shift their faith to oneself, one must employ many means.
Li Hao, in the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, had a prominent reputation. Thus, once the Jiang Family finished collecting their Incense and stopped using the Array to reverse the flow in the state city where the Five Divine General Manors were located, the remaining scattered Incense would quickly transfer to him, effortlessly.
Seeing that the emperor had everything prepared, Li Hao nodded, with no objections.
"Your Majesty, when will Princess Yunji and I be married?"
The young man in the red robe, holding a molten Divine Spear, asked calmly.
"The wedding date is up to you", Emperor Canghai smiled.
"Then I will hold the wedding immediately after I secure the first place in this battle. After that, I will have to face the Three Great Holy Lands, and I won't have the time."
The red-robed youth said.
His words made the man and woman beside him frown slightly. His confident demeanor, as if it were a given, made them uncomfortable.
"Is first place that easy to secure?"
The young man in the purple robe, with cold eyes, said calmly. He sought the first place in this battle as well. If he couldn't even become the top Wanderer, how could he compete with the Prodigyholy Sons of the Three Great Holy Lands and secure a spot for the Canglan World expedition?
"Hmm?"
The red-robed youth glanced at him, his eyes turning cold, and a killing aura emanated from him.
"Do you have an objection?"
The purple-robed youth narrowed his eyes and said, "Not really, I just fear that some people might talk too much and end up biting their tongues!"
As he spoke, he looked at Emperor Canghai and bowed slightly, saying, "Your Majesty, is marrying Princess Yunji also a condition for becoming an Elder? If so, since I don't have a princess to admire, could you add two more cities' worth of Incense?"
Emperor Canghai was momentarily stumped. Given the other party's strength, offering five cities' worth of Incense was what he considered a fair price. If he offered more, it would be less cost-effective.
Unless the other party had hidden skills that hadn't been fully revealed yet, he couldn't make a definitive statement now.
While Emperor Canghai was considering, the red-robed youth beside him smiled lightly. Then, he suddenly emitted a dense Crimson Flame, as if to set the Imperial Hall ablaze.
"Your Majesty has granted me twelve cities' worth of Incense and Princess Yunji because I deserve it and am worthy!"
He turned to face the purple-robed youth, his eyes blazing like golden flames. "Who are you to question me and try to bargain with me?"
The purple-robed youth's face darkened. The words were quite insulting, and his expression turned completely grim, with a hint of shock in his eyes.
Twelve cities' worth of Incense?
He had assumed it would be the same as his, five cities' worth of Incense!
"Your Majesty, he has twelve cities' worth of Incense?"
Beside him, the exquisitely beautiful woman in cloud-like attire, her eyes widening with surprise, furrowed her brow and asked Emperor Canghai.
Emperor Canghai knew he couldn't hide this fact. After all, Incenseelders were a tangible reality, and a simple investigation would reveal the truth. He nodded slightly and said, "That's correct. Elder Chiguang has opened the Fifth Ultimate Realm and possesses remarkable Fire Elemental Skills, so he has twelve cities' worth of Incense."
"Fifth Ultimate Realm?"
Hearing Emperor Canghai's words, the purple-robed youth and the woman in the cloud-like attire's eyes narrowed. Those who could master the Fifth Ultimate Realm were at least at the level of Holy Landholy Sons.
"Is that enough to earn twelve cities' worth of Incense? Then I must have asked for too little!"
The purple-robed youth's eyes showed dissatisfaction and a hint of anger.
He had only been offered five cities, less than half of what the other had received.
"You're not worth more than five cities. I'd say even those five cities should have been given to me."
Chiguang's eyes were cold and disdainful, not even considering the other person a worthy opponent.
The purple-robed youth's aura erupted, his hair turning golden instantly as he released his Divine Power Ultimate Realm. His eyes filled with killing intent, he said, "Then let's see. If I defeat you, your twelve cities' worth of Incense will be mine, and you won't get to marry Princess Yunji. Go marry a stray dog instead!"
Li Hao was somewhat surprised. He had assumed that all the incense would be from the Ten Cities, but it turned out there were differences.
On second thought, it seemed reasonable. After all, it was impossible for everyone to be at the same level.
However, if he calculated it this way, getting only ten city incense seemed a bit unfair. He lacked the skills to bargain effectively.
At this moment, seeing the two about to engage, Li Hao glanced at Emperor Canghai, but the latter made no move to stop them. Clearly, interfering would shift the blame onto him, and it was more fitting for martial artists to resolve their issues in a martial way.
Li Hao didn't say anything more and slowly stepped back.
The woman in the cloud robe noticed Li Hao's movement, her eyebrows slightly raised, and she looked at him before quietly retreating to the side.
Whether from the Five Cities or the Twelve Cities, she also wanted to see if these two, who were either above or below her, were worth it.
"Looking for death!"
Seeing the other side insult him, Chiguang's eyes suddenly erupted with divine flames. His figure flickered, and he vanished through Netherwast Teleportation.
The youth in the purple robe also instantly teleported, both having mastered the Netherwasteland Extreme Realm. With a loud boom, the void trembled, and a sea of fire spread out, threatening to engulf the Imperial Hall.
But Emperor Canghai merely raised his hand, and an array condensed around them, isolating the flames and preventing even the heat from escaping.
"Purple Supreme Heavenly Subtlety!"
The youth in the purple robe roared, emitting a thick purple aura. Behind him, a vague figure of an ancient emperor appeared, its outline radiating the aura of supporting heaven and earth, exuding a breathtaking pressure.
He then struck out, the blurry figure behind him mirroring his movement, aiming to suppress Chiguang with a single palm.
Chiguang, however, glanced up, a sneer in his eyes. His divine flames suddenly turned golden, as if capable of burning everything. The youth in the purple robe's clothes and even his hair were set ablaze.
A golden pattern appeared on Chiguang's forehead, and he whispered, "Flame Apex Skill, Supreme Heart Flame!"
As he spoke, the surrounding laws condensed, and a surge of fiery light shot up. At the same time, the youth in the purple robe was enveloped in flames, emitting a piercing scream.
This scene made Li Hao and the woman in the cloud robe both look grave. A trace of shock appeared in the woman's eyes. When Emperor Canghai had mentioned the other side's divine powers, she hadn't taken it seriously, but she hadn't expected him to be so strong!
This was a top-tier divine power, cultivated to an extremely high level. Even just this divine power was hard to defend against.
Li Hao watched the youth in the purple robe, who was now engulfed in golden flames. The flames originated from his heart, igniting a heart fire that was incredibly difficult to guard against.
Divine powers were the killing techniques mastered by those in the Dao Law Realm. This divine power had already touched the essence of entering the Dao, and it was no less formidable than the divine power of Hao Yue, the Holy Son.
As the flames burned his body, the youth in the purple robe hurriedly used Netherwast Teleportation, but the flames followed, unable to be extinguished.
He let out a pain-filled roar, his body enveloped in purple light. The majestic figure behind him held him, and the purple light erupted, taking a long time to finally extinguish the flames.
Throughout this process, Chiguang didn't make another move, just watching coldly.
When the flames finally died down, the youth in the purple robe was covered in burns and cracks, looking pitiful.
His expression turned incredibly ugly. Realizing that a woman was watching, he quickly took out a set of magical robes from his Heavenly Earth Space and put them on. His body was covered in burn marks, but the humiliation and anger in his heart were even more unbearable than the physical pain.
"If it weren't for our shared elder, I would kill you like a chicken!"
Chiguang's eyes were cold, and he showed no mercy in his words.
The youth in the purple robe's face darkened, but he didn't respond. Although the words were harsh and filled him with hatred, he knew that saying more would only bring more humiliation.
Emperor Canghai raised his hand, releasing a divine power that transformed into a hazy green light, enveloping the youth in the purple robe. Soon, his injuries began to heal, and the burns on his body disappeared.
"You two will represent our Canghai Divine Dynasty in the competition. Don't let this strain your relationship. The incense promised to the four of you is only temporary and can change. The stronger you perform in the Supreme Young Hero Battle, the more incense you will receive."
Emperor Canghai smiled and said:
"If you can represent Canglan World in the competition, you will be renowned throughout the Thirty-Three Realms, and you will naturally receive more Incense. I will also give you an additional ten cities' worth of Incense."
Upon hearing his words, Chiguang's expression remained calm. "To defeat the Holy Sons of the Three Great Holy Lands and secure one of the ten spots, it might be as difficult as climbing to the heavens for some. For me, the concern is that they should be worried about me."
If he had said this earlier, the young man in purple would have certainly sneered, but now he remained silent. The brief exchange had already made him realize the gap between them.
He possessed a trace of ancient imperial blood, making him a prodigy among the young generation. He had stood out in his sect and family, but in the Prodigy Battle, which gathered talents from dozens of dynasties, he was merely one of the outstanding ones, not the top.
The woman in the cloud robe glanced at Chiguang but said nothing. She had no confidence in countering his Fire Elemental Skill.
Li Hao glanced at Emperor Canghai, pondering for a moment before remaining silent. The Incense would be given based on their performance. Once he demonstrated his true strength, he believed the emperor would increase his share without needing to ask.
In the world of Martial Artists, strength was the only true voice.
This was even more evident in the Land of Sages.
"Then what about him? Is he also a five-city Incense holder?"
The young man in purple suddenly looked at Li Hao. He had a feeling that he might be the one with the least Incense.
Wouldn't that mean he was the weakest here?
"He has ten cities' worth of Incense."
Emperor Canghai smiled. "Clear Wind Elder's Sword Technique Enlightenment in the Ultimate Realm has yet to be fully demonstrated. Perhaps the Incense given to him is a bit less, but if Clear Wind Elder can represent Canglan World in the competition, I will consider increasing it."
"Ten cities?"
The young man in purple's face changed upon hearing Emperor Canghai's words. It was twice what he had.
The woman in the cloud robe also narrowed her eyes, looking at Li Hao. Sword Technique Enlightenment? These were Sword Techniques of the Semi-Saint Level. Even if he was lax in the Ultimate Realm, it was still extremely formidable.
Just this Sword Technique alone was enough to make others wary.
Chiguang raised an eyebrow and glanced at Li Hao. An Entering the Dao-level technique was something even he did not possess. His Fire Elemental Skill only touched the edge of Dao Resonance and had not yet reached the Entering the Dao level.
The Prodigy Battle was limited to those under a hundred years old. Being able to reach the Entering the Dao level in less than a century, even with a focus on technique, made one an extremely talented prodigy.
Given the recent exchange with Chiguang, the young man in purple no longer doubted Li Hao. An Entering the Dao-level Sword Technique was enough to earn respect.
Once everyone was in agreement, a master craftsman soon arrived to measure and sketch the outlines of the participants.
While the sketches were being made, Li Hao became interested and took the brush from the chief artist's assistant, drawing the others as well.
Apart from drawing the other three, Li Hao mainly focused on Emperor Canghai.
Being a Semi-Saint Realm existence, the Painting Experience he provided was substantial.
As the drawings were completed, Li Hao noticed that the Painting Experience provided by the woman in the cloud robe was more than that of the young man in purple. It seemed she had received more cities' worth of Incense.
The woman in the cloud robe provided nearly twenty thousand Painting Experience points.
The young man in purple had around fifteen thousand.
Chiguang, however, provided a staggering thirty-five thousand Painting Experience points, nearly twice that of the woman in the cloud robe, indicating that he had more hidden strength.
With his Art Dao improving, Li Hao found that the Painting Experience seemed to be compressed. Previously, drawing a Fourth Establishment Realm figure would yield over ten thousand experience points, but now, drawing the same realm only provided a few thousand points.
(End of Chapter)
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