https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-420-A-Sword-That-Illuminates-All-Heavens-the-Demon-Slaying-Sword-Part-2-/13451663/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-422-Crimson-Tassel-Immortal-Lord/13451675/
Chapter 421: Li Hao's Downfall
Chapter 421: Li Hao’s Downfall (Request for Monthly Votes)
The process was so swift that the True Immortal ancient demon didn't even have time to react. It was only when its Soul Spirit suddenly separated from its Physical Body that it realized, in horror, that its Physical Body had been instantly killed!
Just a saint-level cultivator, and he could instantly kill a True Immortal!
Although it was merely the Physical Body, it was still an incredible feat.
The massive, grotesque Physical Body hung in the air, about to plummet. The True Immortal ancient demon's Soul Spirit reacted quickly, rushing toward the Physical Body to reunite, hoping to reawaken and heal it.
But Li Hao's Soul Spirit was already waiting nearby.
Kill.
Li Hao's Soul Spirit transformed into a sharp, sword-like form, slicing out at breakneck speed, faster even than the broken immortal sword. The divine meridians within his Soul Spirit burned, bursting with brilliant golden light, like a flying sword engulfed in golden flames!
Roar!
The True Immortal ancient demon sensed the threat and grew enraged. It immediately understood Li Hao's plan: to kill its Physical Body and then use his Soul Spirit to slaughter its Soul Spirit!
How ironic!
It, a True Immortal, was being outmaneuvered by a mere saint-level cultivator!
In an instant, the True Immortal ancient demon's Soul Spirit was enveloped in a thick black mist, rising rapidly like fireworks. A dark moon appeared behind its Soul Spirit, charging directly toward Li Hao's Soul Spirit.
In terms of Soul Spirit, it was a True Immortal. Even Human Race True Immortals of the same realm wouldn't dare to clash Soul Spirits with it, let alone a saint-level cultivator, who was practically courting death!
However, it could sense that Li Hao's Soul Spirit was extremely threatening, far beyond what a saint-level cultivator should be capable of, even surpassing the average True Immortal. Thus, this instant clash was almost a full-power eruption.
Annihilation power erupted from the dark moon, colliding with the brilliant golden light in the void.
"Slash!"
The moment of impact drew the attention of all the heavens, making the hearts of countless onlookers skip a beat.
Boom!
Li Hao's Soul Spirit pierced through the True Immortal ancient demon's Soul Spirit!
But as it pierced through, Li Hao felt as if he was traversing a forest of blades and swords, his entire being racked with excruciating pain, like being flayed alive. His Soul Spirit was covered in scars, its light dimming, and the divine meridian power burned out in an instant.
The True Immortal ancient demon's Soul Spirit was torn apart, emitting a pained howl. It never expected to be defeated in a Soul Spirit confrontation, especially as a member of the ancient demon race, born from the Cycle, to lose in the realm of souls.
Dense black mist poured from the torn areas of its Soul Spirit, like blood, sealing the wounds.
Li Hao, of course, wouldn't give it such an opportunity. Enduring the intense pain, he swiftly counterattacked, his Soul Spirit transforming into a sword as it slashed out once more.
The True Immortal ancient demon was shocked and enraged, suddenly unleashing its immortal realm.
A domain enveloped the area, filled with countless ghostly black shadows that emitted piercing screams.
At the same time, the annihilation power from the dark moon enveloped the area once more.
Li Hao's speed was too fast. With his transcendent divine bone and divine soul, combined with the speed of the Tenth Rank Sword Dao and the enhancements from the Flying Segment and other tomes, he moved like a streak of light, instantly slicing through the immortal realm.
However, even as his Soul Spirit darted through the immortal realm, it couldn't escape the annihilation power of the dark moon. The skin-peeling pain spread through his Soul Spirit, nearly causing him to lose control and scream in agony.
If an ordinary Soul Spirit were to touch this annihilation power, it would instantly dim and be on the verge of shattering.
"Die! Die! Die!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In the void, Li Hao, like a madman, endured the soul-searing pain that was a thousand times worse than being flayed and dismembered, repeatedly charging and slashing at the True Immortal ancient demon's Soul Spirit.
He traded his own injuries for his enemy’s, each attack leaving him severely wounded. But he was determined to fight to the death.
In just a few breaths, they clashed over a dozen times. Li Hao's madness transformed the True Immortal ancient demon's anger into shock, and eventually, it even considered retreating.
The Human Race soul spirit before it was terrifyingly strong, not the least bit weaker than itself. Li Hao was clearly determined to die, while it, as a True Immortal, had come here to seek the Immortal Emperor's legacy and the hope of Ascension to a position of supreme power. How could it afford to die in a futile battle with such a trash?
Swoosh!
The ancient demon's soul spirit, slashed to pieces, instantly transformed into black mist and rushed toward its physical body.
It wanted to return to its physical body, use a secret art, and thoroughly subdue Li Hao, preventing him from having another chance to destroy its physical form.
“No escape!”
Li Hao saw through the ancient demon's plan. The intense pain from his own wounds made his eyes bloodshot. He suddenly unleashed Object Control Power, enveloping the ancient demon's physical body just as its soul spirit was about to return.
Then,
Li Hao summoned all his strength and hurled the ancient demon’s physical body into the Forbidden Area!
Whoosh!
The thousand-zhang-tall ancient demon's physical body, as massive as a mountain, flew straight into the Double Crevice Demon Valley of the Forbidden Area.
As soon as it entered the range of the Double Crevice Demon Valley, it accelerated and shot toward the twin fissures.
Seeing this, the True Immortal ancient demon was momentarily stunned, its mind reeling. Its eyes widened in rage, and it let out a furious roar, chasing after its physical body.
But as it approached the Double Crevice Demon Valley, it felt a foreboding sense and was forced to stop.
It watched helplessly as its physical body fell into the two dark fissures and vanished.
At the same time, Li Hao's soul spirit was already in hot pursuit.
The True Immortal ancient demon’s body surged with overwhelming demonic qi, its unprecedented fury making it seethe with anger!
Roar!
Its soul spirit burned, just like Li Hao, consuming its soul spirit’s essence power. The might of its soul spirit suddenly surged, and the power of the dark moon’s rotation increased several times over.
Li Hao’s face paled, and he tried to stop, but it was too late. He hastily tore open a Ruins Rift and fled into the void.
As soon as his body emerged from the rift, the True Immortal ancient demon’s soul spirit also teleported over. It could trace the Return to the Abyss through the Immortal Power fluctuations, and its soul spirit transformed into black mist, enveloping Li Hao’s soul spirit.
The black mist was like a strong acid, corroding Li Hao’s soul spirit.
Li Hao knew that in this situation, he was being swallowed by the ancient demon’s soul spirit!
“Nine Depths of the Great Dream, Divine Guide!”
Li Hao used his soul spirit as a sword and suddenly performed the opening move of the Immortal Dao Sword Techniques.
The opening move was the introductory form of this sword technique, a test to determine one’s Sword Dao talent.
Whether one had Sword Dao talent could be discerned from the introductory form.
And Li Hao, at the Tenth Rank of Sword Dao, had previously touched upon the shadow of the source realm. Now, he thoroughly grasped the source realm.
The source was the essence of the sword.
Pang!
His soul spirit, like a sword, gently sliced forward. It seemed light and effortless, yet it felt as if he was handling a heavy weight with ease.
The sword edge, like a finger of a celestial being, pointed forward, and nothing could obstruct it.
His soul spirit pierced through the black mist, and with the burning divine meridian, it tore apart the True Immortal ancient demon’s soul spirit once again.
“Impossible!”
The True Immortal ancient demon was so shocked that it lost its voice. Just a saint level, and he had managed to perform pure Immortal Dao Sword Techniques and touch the essence. How could this be possible?
Sword Intent as he wished, Li Hao emerged from the black mist and once again used Sword Dao to drive his Soul Spirit, adding a terrifying aura.
Bang! Bang!
The Soul Spirits of the True Immortal ancient demons were torn apart one after another, and the burning black mist was also split apart. Under Li Hao's relentless Soul Spirit assault, they were forced to retreat step by step.
Roar!
The True Immortal ancient demon let out an angry roar, utterly bewildered by what was happening.
During the ancient Emperor's Fall Campaign, it had never encountered such terrifying monsters. The brilliant True Immortal geniuses were mostly protected by various factions, treated like sparks of hope. The few it had encountered, who were forced to participate in the battlefield, were extremely formidable, surpassing ancient demons of the same realm.
But those were True Immortals. The one before him was just a mere saint-level!
"Die!"
Li Hao pushed his Soul Spirit to the Ultimate, merging his Sole Self Sword Dao, and delivered a world-splitting strike that illuminated all of the heavens.
The dazzling golden Sword Light illuminated the dim void, as well as the entire expanse of the heavens.
In the distance, the Demon-Slaying Legion members, who had been hiding nearby, watched this scene in stunned silence, their hearts racing.
Under the Boundary Stone Projection, countless residents from all the realms and cities watched this spectacle. The golden Sword Light lingered in their eyes, like a golden bolt of lightning splitting the void.
The black mist was torn apart, and the Soul Spirit of the True Immortal ancient demon shattered.
The Soul Spirit, emanating overwhelming malevolence, rapidly withered and contracted, as if about to dissipate.
Feeling this change, the thousands of Semi-Saints clenched their fists in excitement, their hearts pounding like drums, filled with a sense of boiling excitement.
Did they win?
The Heavenly Venerated Hao won!
When the ancient demon's physical body was flung into the Double Crevice Demon Valley Forbidden Area, they had almost cheered out loud. Now, seeing the ancient demon's Soul Spirit rapidly wither and its terrifying aura dissipate, they felt a mix of joy and relief, almost to the point of tears.
Li Hao, seeing this, also let out a silent sigh of relief. He had won this battle!
But just then, the Soul Spirit of the True Immortal ancient demon, which was on the verge of disappearing, suddenly stopped disintegrating.
In this pause, the Soul Spirit's aura rapidly expanded and grew stronger, displaying an even more terrifying presence than before.
Li Hao was stunned, his smile freezing on his face.
From the black mist, strands of silver light suddenly emerged, like veins, reassembling the ancient demon's Soul Spirit.
Soon, the ancient demon's Soul Spirit returned to its original form, and silver light began to gather on its head, forming a spiral-like silver mark, resembling an eye or a seal!
Li Hao's pupils constricted. This was an immortal seal!
Nangong Jian had once said that the greatest difference between a True Immortal and a saint-level being was the immortal seal. The immortal seal was the core of a True Immortal.
Whoosh!
The True Immortal ancient demon's figure suddenly charged forward, closing the distance in an instant. The dark moon's rotational power layered upon itself, shattering Li Hao's Soul Spirit layer by layer.
But fortunately, his Soul Spirit had already condensed Divine Bones, which provided support. Under the erosion of the rotational power, he quickly broke free, though it came at a great cost.
The True Immortal ancient demon stared at Li Hao with icy eyes. Being forced into such dire straits was something it had not anticipated, but it was, after all, a True Immortal realm existence. It had attained immortality in the True World, and its immortal seal was condensed from Immortal Dao Power. Only Immortal Dao Power could destroy it, and a saint-level being, even one like Li Hao who had accumulated Immortal Power, would have that power transform into Heaven and Earth Power once unleashed.
Without an immortal body, one cannot become an immortal, and thus cannot control Immortal Power. This is why a Saint-level cultivator can never kill a True Immortal, no matter what.
A single realm's difference is like the gap between Heaven and Earth, an unbridgeable distance!
Li Hao knew about the existence of the immortal seal, but he never expected that the seal would be bound to the Soul Spirit rather than the Physical Body.
When Nangong Jian slew the True Immortal ancient demons, Li Hao didn't observe this situation, likely because the Power Nangong Jian used was Immortal Dao Power, which had already destroyed the immortal seal and the Soul Spirit in the attack.
Nangong Jian didn't elaborate on this matter, probably not anticipating that Li Hao would face a True Immortal ancient demon at the Saint level, and nearly win!
Swoosh!
The True Immortal ancient demon charged at Li Hao again.
Li Hao didn't dodge. Though he had a vast army and countless people behind him, none could fight by his side. He had nowhere to retreat.
Kill!
He gritted his teeth and charged forward again.
In an instant, Li Hao unleashed his full power and managed to sever the True Immortal ancient demon's Soul Spirit once more.
Under the influence of the immortal seal, the ancient demon's Soul Spirit Power didn't seem to have enhanced much, but it quickly healed and restored itself.
Li Hao's face darkened, and he focused his gaze on the immortal seal.
He burned another divine meridian and attacked.
Bang!
It felt like he had slammed into a rock, nearly shattering himself.
The backlash from the ancient demon's Soul Spirit thrust him into danger, forcing him to turn and flee to stabilize the battle again.
"Without breaking the immortal seal, I can't kill it!"
"To break the immortal seal, I need Immortal Power, or an Immortal Artifact. Even a damaged Immortal Artifact would work, but it lacks the Immortal Power and only retains its sharpness!"
Li Hao repeatedly struck, splitting the True Immortal ancient demon's Soul Spirit, but it would quickly heal, seemingly endless.
A sense of despair crept into Li Hao's heart. How could it be so difficult?
Previously, the lack of an Immortal Artifact meant the blade wasn't sharp enough to split the ancient demon's Physical Body, forcing him to flee in a sorry state.
Now, at the Tenth Rank of the Sword Dao, he could instantly slay the ancient demon's Physical Body, but he couldn't break the immortal seal!
True Immortal... True Immortal... Why is it so hard to kill?!
With each burning of a divine meridian, Li Hao's Soul Spirit would weaken slightly. His figure flickered as he distanced himself from the True Immortal ancient demon.
His face was grim. If he couldn't kill the demon, continuing to burn his divine meridians would leave his Soul Spirit Power insufficient to continue the battle.
Cultivating divine meridians was extremely difficult. Even absorbing Sun Essence on the divine yang, it would take about ten years to condense a single divine meridian.
In this battle, burning five divine meridians at a time was equivalent to fifty years.
If not for the ancient demon's flesh and blood cooking, he wouldn't have been able to condense his Divine Bones and so many divine meridians in just twelve years.
Flee?
Feeling helpless, Li Hao's mood darkened.
But his peripheral vision caught the vast, endless ranks of the Human Race's alliance army behind him.
Among them were strong individuals from other races, all tense and worried, watching him.
Should he run again?
Li Hao's expression shifted, his fists clenching. Even they had the courage to fight to the death. If his death could save All Heavens, it might be worth it.
He had been given a life that was already in ruins, even losing his surname. Among the transmigrants, he was probably the most destitute.
What more did he have to hold back?
Old Feng, Qianqian, Yuanzhao, Mother... Li Hao bit his lip until it bled, clenching his fists tightly.
His eyes turned cold, locking onto the True Immortal ancient demon.
The True Immortal ancient demon stared back at Li Hao with an equally chilling gaze. This was the strongest Human Race monster it had ever encountered, but the gap between the saint level and True Immortal was insurmountable. No matter how bizarre and unbelievable the monster was, it couldn't bridge that gap. This was the realm of the Immortal Deity!
For countless ages in the Ten Thousand Heavens, no Immortal Deity had been born, precisely because the gap between True Immortal and saint level was too vast!
"Die!"
Li Hao suddenly erupted, once again burning his divine meridians. His Soul Spirit Power surged to the ultimate level, and the Sword Dao merged within him. In an instant, he closed the distance and delivered a powerful strike.
With a loud crack, the True Immortal ancient demon's Soul Spirit shattered, but the rotational force it unleashed caused Li Hao's Soul Spirit to feel as if it were being flayed layer by layer. He saw the demon's Soul Spirit beginning to coalesce and immediately transformed his Soul Spirit into a massive palm, grasping the demon and hurtling toward the Double Crevice Demon Valley!
The True Immortal ancient demon sensed Li Hao's intent and was shocked. Was he mad? Was he really going to take it down with him?
Such a monster, willing to die?
It roared and struggled furiously, but the distance to the Double Crevice Demon Valley grew shorter. Just as it was about to enter, it burned its Soul Spirit and broke free from Li Hao's grasp.
Seeing it about to escape, Li Hao suddenly erupted again. Three chains inside his body snapped!
He had broken three Shackles, the second calamity of the saint three calamities: the earth calamity!
The earth calamity, once triggered, would place one in an extremely dangerous environment. In the wilderness, this would mean encountering an unknown and perilous Forbidden Area.
Sages typically faced the earth calamity in the absolute safety of a Holy Land or the Imperial Capital of a Divine Dynasty.
Even then, various unexpected disasters could still strike, such as meteors falling from the sky or the earth suddenly shaking and fracturing.
Earlier, when Li Hao had slain the Supreme Sage, he had already passed through the human calamity.
Now, he was breaking the Sacrificial Dao earth calamity, the incense earth calamity, and the extreme earth calamity, the three earth calamities of the Saint Path, all at once!
As the chains snapped, there was a moment of silence in the void.
Some supreme power seemed to influence the area, and suddenly, the suction force at the Double Crevice Demon Valley intensified!
Originally confined to the valley's entrance, it now expanded to its edges. Li Hao knew that if the Double Crevice Demon Valley was damaged or stimulated, its Forbidden Area would expand.
At this moment, under the influence of the Three Holy Sites' calamities, the Double Crevice Demon Valley changed, as if stimulated. Its range suddenly extended, instantly engulfing the True Immortal ancient demon that had just broken free from Li Hao's grasp.
The True Immortal ancient demon stared at Li Hao in shock, realizing that he had just broken free from the Saint Path Shackles inside his body.
Earth calamity?
It understood what Li Hao was doing, but it was almost driven to madness. This was a saint-level calamity, and the Human Race was using it as a means to kill the enemy?
Could one face calamity in such a manner?
The simultaneous facing of the Three Calamities had a tremendous impact. The suction force from the Double Crevice Demon Valley enveloped Li Hao, who instantly transformed into a beam of Sword Light, charging at the True Immortal ancient demon.
In his frenzied, all-out strike, the True Immortal ancient demon's Soul Spirit shattered once more. With its Soul Spirit fractured, its power weakened temporarily, causing the suction force to instantly pull its split body into the Double Crevice Demon Valley.
The True Immortal ancient demon let out an angry roar, tinged with a hint of fear, as it desperately tried to break free. However, the suction force of the Double Crevice Demon Valley only grew stronger, and it was like a person drowning in quicksand, struggling to climb out but sinking deeper with each effort.
Li Hao faced a similar predicament. The intense suction seemed to lock onto him, and while he managed to cleave through the ancient demon, he was also injured by the ancient demon's revolving power. This brief injury made him vulnerable to the valley's suction, pulling him in like a kite tethered to a string.
Roar!
Suddenly, an enraged bellow echoed through the air. The True Immortal ancient demon ignited its Soul Spirit and slowly, with great difficulty, tried to push its way out.
Li Hao's expression changed. He hadn't expected the demon to still have the strength to resist.
After a moment of hesitation, he gritted his teeth, transformed into a Sharp Sword, and struck the ancient demon's Soul Spirit with all his might.
Boom!
The True Immortal ancient demon's Soul Spirit was torn apart, and in that moment of weakened power, it was dragged into the Double Crevice Demon Valley.
Li Hao, exerting all his strength in the slash, found himself pulled in as well by the valley's suction. He plummeted into the endless Abyss, following closely behind the ancient demon.
Li Hao activated his Eternal Dao Domain and unleashed several waves of Sword Qi into the Double Crevice Demon Valley, hoping to sever or at least weaken the suction force. However, his efforts were futile, like stones thrown into the sea, leaving no trace.
In an instant, he and the True Immortal ancient demon fell one after the other, disappearing into the void.
"Heavenly Venerated Hao!"
"This, they, I..."
"They've been swallowed by the Forbidden Area!"
The members of the Demon-Slaying Legion watched in shock, their voices faltering.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye, and before they could react, they saw Li Hao push the ancient demon into the Forbidden Area, only to fall in himself!
The entire void quickly fell silent, as if the world had paused.
Everyone stared in stunned silence, their minds reeling from the scene.
Under the Boundary Stone Projection, countless residents of the myriad cities across All Heavens witnessed this moment, and they were left speechless.
The Sage, the renowned prodigy, the shining star of All Heavens, had chosen to sacrifice himself, sealing his fate alongside the ancient demon in the Forbidden Area!
The young man, who had so many possibilities ahead of him, had met his premature end!
Everyone was deeply moved, his courage in the face of death stirring their emotions, filling them with sorrow and grief.
At that moment, All Heavens fell silent.
In the long silence, countless members of the Demon-Slaying Legion watched the Double Crevice Demon Valley, their eyes filled with hope, but the sight of a figure emerging from it seemed nothing more than a wishful fantasy.
"Heavenly Venerated Hao... he and the ancient demon perished together!"
"I heard that was a True Immortal ancient demon, a true Immortal Deity. Heavenly Venerated Hao..."
"He sacrificed himself for us, saving All Heavens."
The expressions of the crowd were complex. The most promising candidate to become an Immortal Deity in All Heavens had fallen.
"Heavenly Venerated Hao's cultivation hasn't even reached sixty years, right?"
"My great-great-grandson is older than he is."
Ancestor Mu and the other Semi-Saints looked on with sorrow. By seniority, it was not their place to risk their lives in such a manner.
But it was this young man who had saved them, allowing them to continue living.
"Soul Spirit fallen, it seems he truly is gone. Heavenly Venerated Hao's physical body is still here."
"But there is no Soul Spirit within his physical body. The battle was too perilous. Though I couldn't see everything clearly, I could sense that Heavenly Venerated Hao fought to his limit. He left no trace of his Divine Soul within his body."
Several figures flew out and approached Li Hao's physical body in the void, confirming that it contained no Divine Soul fluctuations.
(End of Chapter)
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