Chapter 435: Nine Sequences
Chapter 435: Nine Sequences
Li Hao was taken aback, feeling both surprised and a bit startled.
Although he knew that comprehending Artistic Skills to the 1st Rank would allow him to reach the True Immortal Realm, he was unsure if the Nine Flower Immortal Seal would follow the same path.
Challenging the second level of the True Venerable Tower was just the second step of the trial, and the difficulty of the third step was unimaginable.
"Thank you, Senior."
Li Hao said gratefully.
The projection, or rather, the tower soul of the True Venerable Tower, waved his hand indifferently, as if speaking to himself:
"Has Wang Shanhe already imparted the Heaven's Will Ancestral Scripture to you? Do you know what 'shun' means and what 'tian' means?"
Li Hao shook his head honestly.
"Remember this: shun is time, tian is space!"
A sharp glint flashed in the tower soul's eyes as he gazed at Li Hao, then his expression returned to its usual calm. "When you reach a bottleneck in comprehension, you will understand. I'll send you out now. If you need to challenge again, you can come back at any time. If you want a sparring partner, I can provide you with projections from the first and second levels to help you train."
Li Hao's heart trembled slightly as the words echoed in his mind.
Shun is time, tian is space?
The Ancestral Scripture of Time and Space?
He immediately understood that these words were a significant hint for comprehending the Heaven's Will Ancestral Scripture.
With a casual wave of his hand, the tower soul sent Li Hao back to the True Venerable Tower.
The surroundings were dark and dim, but a beam of light opened behind him, revealing the tower door.
"Go."
The tower soul's voice echoed, deeper and more resonant than before, as if it came from a distant time and space.
Li Hao was momentarily dazed, then slowly walked out of the True Venerable Tower.
Outside the tower, on the distant zabuton.
The crowd saw Li Hao's figure appear and began to whisper among themselves.
Compared to the last time, Li Hao had spent slightly less time inside this time.
Although he had passed the second level, he didn't have to endure the constant pulling and fighting in the Netherwasteland Extreme Realm as he did on the first level, so the battle ended more quickly.
"It took him half an incense stick less than last time. It seems that two years of neglect have made him regress."
"Or perhaps his mindset was disturbed, with other thoughts distracting him during the battle, making it less pure."
"Most likely."
In the crowd, Flower Sage and Wander Sage's faces changed slightly, looking at Li Hao with concern, thinking about hinting to him when he came over.
Meanwhile, Bright Sage and Pastoral Sage, seated at the front of the zabuton, exchanged glances, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.
Hearing the whispers around him, Pastoral Sage felt a flush of embarrassment. Could Li Hao have been affected by his challenge, disturbing his mindset?
How could that be? No one else knew that the young man had already passed the first level of the True Venerable Tower's trial, and this time, he was challenging the second level!
The shorter time was understandable, given that the difficulty of the second level was twice as high. Being able to hold on for two incense sticks was already quite remarkable.
A gentle breeze blew, and Elder Wang, who had been standing in front of a distant house, suddenly appeared before the zabuton. His eyes fixed on the True Venerable Tower, and a moment later, they narrowed slightly, revealing a hint of astonishment.
Even with his vast experience, such an occurrence was rare.
During the True Worldpeak era, only a few personal disciples of the great monsters had displayed such extraordinary talent, but now, the young man who often competed with him on the chessboard had also reached this level?
In just five short years, he had challenged the True Venerable Tower twice and passed the second level...
Elder Wang felt he had underestimated the young man's talent.
His body trembled slightly, like a withered old man shivering in the cold wind, but no one could see the excitement in his heart.
Bright Sage and Pastoral Sage, who were seated at the front of the zabuton, noticed Elder Wang's arrival and were taken aback. Their faces changed, and an unbelievable thought crossed their minds.
At this moment, Li Hao had already reached Zabuton.
Seeing several pairs of eyes staring intently at him, including those of Bright Sage and two others, he smiled slightly and then looked toward Flower Sage and Wander Sage. Seeing their worried expressions, he was taken aback.
"Hao Tian..."
Flower Sage had just sent a telepathic message to Li Hao, intending to persuade him, when Lin Sheng suddenly stood up and spoke to Li Hao:
"Being able to last this long on the second level during your first challenge, it seems the Immortal Emperor's Legacy is destined for you."
As soon as these words were spoken, Zabuton fell into silence.
Flower Sage, who had been sending a telepathic message, froze, then looked at Li Hao with astonishment.
Wander Sage also wore a look of disbelief, her imperial princess-like face full of incredulity.
The other Sages were stunned, momentarily unable to react to Lin Sheng's words.
After a few seconds, a chorus of surprised exclamations broke out.
"Second level? What second level?"
"The True Venerable Tower has a second level?"
"What level is this second level? I've never heard of it."
The crowd became agitated, discussing the matter heatedly. They soon noticed Elder Wang above them and looked at him in confusion, waiting for an explanation.
Amidst the cacophony of surprised exclamations, Elder Wang had already composed himself. A kind smile appeared on his face, and his eyes seemed to focus only on Li Hao. He softly repeated "good" three times, then said:
"Follow me."
Li Hao nodded and then looked at Flower Sage, sending a telepathic message: "You were looking for me just now?"
Flower Sage was taken aback for a moment before she couldn't help but ask, "Is what Lin Sheng said true?"
"Yes."
Li Hao nodded. Seeing that she was still in a daze and not responding, he followed Elder Wang.
As Elder Wang and Li Hao headed to the house, the crowd on Zabuton immediately swarmed Lin Sheng with questions. Soon, they learned from Lin Sheng that Li Hao had already passed the first level of the True Venerable Tower during his previous challenge. They also learned that the True Venerable Tower had three levels, corresponding to Personal Disciple, Formal Disciple, and Registered Disciple.
They had been striving for tens of thousands of years, only to find that they had only experienced the registered disciple trial.
After hearing this, the crowd on Zabuton fell into a deathly silence.
"Elder Wang said he wouldn't give anyone special treatment, so why is it different for him?"
After a while, a Sage spoke softly.
Flower Sage and Wander Sage looked over to see an elderly Sage with a long beard, his face dark and gloomy.
Lin Sheng glanced at him and said, "Who said that passing is special treatment? Can't it be due to his own abilities?"
"But it was only a short three years..."
The Sage frowned, staring at him without fear.
Lin Sheng smiled coldly and said, "So what if it's three years? True prodigies break conventions. You all consider yourselves prodigies, but who among you wasn't once a prodigy? Prodigies have their differences, and with nine resonances of Heaven and Earth, he has already broken the norms. What's there to complain about?"
He had already seen Li Hao's potential and believed that the Immortal Emperor's Legacy would most likely fall into his hands. Therefore, he wanted to establish a connection with Li Hao early on, leaving himself a way out and abandoning thoughts of competing with him.
Now, he loudly defended Li Hao, and his voice could be heard even at the house.
Hearing about the nine resonances of Heaven and Earth, the elderly Sage with the long beard was momentarily speechless and fell silent.
The other Sages also recalled Li Hao's impressive arrival and remained silent.
At the house, Elder Wang led Li Hao back. Hearing Lin Sheng's voice, Elder Wang, without turning his head, chuckled and said, "It seems those young ones are jealous of you again."
Li Hao shook his head and smiled, not taking it to heart.
Elder Wang habitually sat in his usual spot. When he turned around and saw Li Hao's calm expression, unaffected by the situation, his mood improved. He sized up Li Hao, sighed with a mix of emotions, and said:
"Don’t blame them; you really gave me a scare this time."
Hearing this, Li Hao asked, "You already know I passed the second level?"
"The Venerable Spirit has informed me of your situation."
Elder Wang said with a smile, his eyes filled with admiration and affection. "While I thought you might have had a sudden enlightenment to break through the first level of the True Venerable Tower, I never expected you to break through the second level as well. The difficulty isn’t just a simple fivefold increase. You should know, in the past, at least a million people could pass the first level of the True Venerable Tower, but only a few thousand managed to pass the second level."
"Some people even quickly defeated the projections on the first level but were stopped at the second level, never managing to cross it."
As he spoke, his eyes were full of both reflection and joy.
When Li Hao only passed the first level, he hadn’t dared to think about the second level. But now, Li Hao had given him a tremendous surprise.
"However..."
Thinking about the third trial, Elder Wang’s smile gradually faded, and his expression became complex.
For an official disciple, the trial must be the Nine Flower Immortal Seal, which must be completed within ten thousand years. This is far more difficult than the Three Flower Immortal Seal!
The Three Flower Immortal Seal, once you thoroughly understand a cultivation technique, you can grasp one flower immortal seal, the most common type of True Immortal.
Next, the two-flower immortal seal is considered a prodigy in medium and small sects.
The Three Flower Immortal Seal, in many top-tier forces, is the mark of a monster to be heavily cultivated.
"The Nine Flower Immortal Seal requires comprehending nine great Dao origins. Since you cultivate the sword, reaching the ultimate level of sword cultivation counts as one."
"Soul Spirit, also known as Yudao, counts as the second one!"
Elder Wang gazed intently at Li Hao. "But these are only two. You need to comprehend seven more!"
Li Hao’s expression changed, and he immediately felt the difficulty of the Nine Flower Immortal Seal.
If he only counted his Yudao and Flesh Dao improvements, that would only be a two-flower immortal seal.
"That’s just a two-flower immortal seal?"
"Great Dao exists in countless forms, but comprehending nine to their origin level within ten thousand years is incredibly difficult."
Elder Wang looked deeply at Li Hao. "While I’d like to help you, I can’t betray the Immortal Emperor’s expectations. This is something you must handle yourself. If you haven’t completed the Nine Flower Immortal Seal after ten thousand years..."
He paused, then whispered, "I will break the rules and help you comprehend the Nine Flower Immortal Seal. But by then, even if you manage to form it, you won’t be able to become the Immortal Emperor’s official disciple. Still, at least you will possess the power of the Nine Flower Immortal Seal, and I can rest easier knowing you’re prepared for the outside world."
Li Hao was taken aback, looking up at Elder Wang. He saw only warmth in the elder’s eyes, clearly indicating that breaking the rules would come at a cost.
But this old man seemed prepared to make that sacrifice.
Li Hao shook his head slightly, took a deep breath, and said, "I’ll give it a try first!"
Seeing the determination in Li Hao’s eyes, a look of obsession similar to that of a chess player, Elder Wang’s gaze softened. He spoke gently:
"Great Dao exists in countless forms, but the Immortal Emperors of the past have recorded them in the Compendium of Ten Thousand Dao, which collects the great Dao from all realms. Take a look at it. See which great Dao you’ve encountered and have some understanding of, and you can delve deeper into exploring them."
He flipped his palm and handed Li Hao an ancient book with a black cover and golden letters.
He could tell that Li Haosoul was too young. Even though Talentmonsters have a profound understanding of their areas of focus, the breadth of their knowledge was still lacking.
The Nine Flower Immortal Seal required nine types of Great Daoprimordial true meanings.
Li Hao did not refuse or show any false modesty. He took the ancient scroll with both hands and began to read it.
One by one, Ancient Characters shimmered and burst into his eyes, golden and radiant.
Then, an ancient resonance of Heaven and Earth echoed in his mind.
Fate... Space-Time... Five Elements... Shape and Control...
Various Great Dao poured into his mind. The Great Dao collected in this scroll was classified into different levels, with Fate at the top, Space-Time as the king, and Five Elements as the generals...
The Five Elements were Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.
Shape and Control referred to the Dao of Form and the Dao of Control.
Based on the descriptions, the Dao of Form was his own Flesh Dao.
All things have form, and the Physical Body is the essence of all shapes.
Fate was unique, while the other nine combined formed the Nine Sequences!
Mastering one of these and condensing it into an immortal seal would make one a same realm prodigy. Mastering two would make one invincible in the same realm!
Li Hao suddenly recalled what the Tower Soul had said.
Following the flow of time, Heaven is space.
Could the Heaven's Will Ancestral Scripture contain the profound principles of Space-Time Great Dao?
Li Hao's eyes flickered. If that were the case, it wouldn't be surprising that mastering the Heaven's Will Ancestral Realm could dominate the same realm.
Apart from the Nine Sequences Great Dao, the others, such as the Spear Path and Sword Dao, were common Great Dao.
"If that's the case, to comprehend the Heaven's Will Ancestral Scripture, merely advancing my Flesh Dao and Yudao to the 1st Rank might not be enough."
Li Hao's eyes showed deep contemplation. These cultivation techniques had corresponding Great Dao insights, and Yudao and Flesh Dao corresponded to the insights of Form and Control in the Nine Sequences.
However, in his Panel, there seemed to be no attributes related to Time and Space Dao.
Could it be that this time, he couldn't enhance himself through points and could only rely on his own comprehension?
Li Hao's eyes flickered.
Elder Wang sat quietly. Seeing Li Hao lost in thought, he remained silent. He couldn't give Li Hao any teachings, not even hints; Li Hao had to figure it out on his own.
After a long while, Li Hao's furrowed brows gradually relaxed. He looked at Elder Wang and said:
"Elder Wang, where is the Chess Board?"
"Hmm?"
Elder Wang was slightly taken aback, a hint of bitterness in his eyes. "You really aren't tempted?"
Li Hao shook his head slightly, raising his head to look at him. "Even for the sake of my senior, I will strive. Besides, I want to go out!"
Elder Wang was moved by the young man's clear gaze. He turned to look at the distant medicinal fields, swaying in the wind. "Then..."
"I want to see the Chess Board."
Li Hao said.
Although Elder Wang didn't understand Li Hao's intent, he didn't refuse and waved his sleeve to produce the Chess Board.
Li Hao gazed at the Chess Board, with its intersecting lines and 361 squares. The number was neither too many nor too few. Despite its small size, which he could easily shatter with a palm, it contained a vast Heaven and Earth within the Chess Game.
When a move was made, the player would be deeply immersed, and the Chess Board would seem as vast as the boundless Heaven and Earth.
Li Hao's gaze intensified. The Chess Board seemed to expand before his eyes, growing larger and larger until it enveloped him. He felt as if he had become a piece on the board, standing within it.
Li Hao suddenly had a moment of clarity.
Within the Chess Board lay endless space.
(End of Chapter)
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