https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-447-Yanhuo-Clan-Nine-Depths-of-the-Great-Dream-Part-1-/13451758/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-448-Nine-Heart-Questions-Stirring-the-Waves-Part-1-/13451760/
Chapter 447: Yanhuo Clan, Nine Depths of the Great Dream (Part 2)
Chapter 447: Yanhuo Clan, Nine Depths of the Great Dream (Part 2)
Li Hao caught a whiff of alcohol and followed the scent to the mountain peak. There, he saw an elderly man in a silver-gray robe casually leaning against a greenwood tree, gazing at the cliff-like deep valley at the edge of the square.
The valley was shrouded in mist, constantly changing.
The old man took a sip of wine, the aroma spreading, then sealed the bottle. He then held up a large pipe in his left hand, took two puffs, and exhaled a cloud of smoke that drifted toward the cliff-like deep valley.
It seemed that the mist there was all formed by his exhales.
Li Hao watched for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly, then showed a hint of surprise.
He stepped forward to the edge of the mountain peak and strained his eyes to look. Finally, he confirmed that there were invisible Hidden Threads in the mist. These threads, like Laws, gathered and dispersed unpredictably, as if attracting something.
"Senior, are you Fishing?"
Li Hao lowered his head to look at the old man, then felt it was impolite and squatted down.
The old man puffed on his pipe, the smoke enveloping his face, making his expression indistinct. His voice was like an icicle hanging from the eaves, naturally cold, but his tone was relatively calm as he said:
"You can tell?"
Li Hao smiled and sat down, saying, "A little."
"Is that so?"
The old man turned his head, his gaze falling on Li Hao’s face. Li Hao felt that the old man was seriously examining him, from head to toe, from his hair to his eyes, even the fine pores on his face.
"Being in the lake, holding a rod does not make one a fisher."
The old man turned his head away, no longer looking at Li Hao. His eyes were calm like a deep lake as he said, "There are nine Dragon Sparrows here. See if you can catch one."
"Dragon Sparrows?"
Li Hao was surprised and asked curiously, "What cultivation level and strength do they have?"
"Afraid?"
"The fisher never fears."
Li Hao’s face instantly turned serious. A fisher only fears that the prey is not big enough, never the act of casting the line.
Without hesitation, he pointed his hand, and Immortal Power condensed into threads, infused with primordial true meaning, flying into the mist.
He used Hidden Threads to probe the mist, searching for traces of the Dragon Sparrows the old man had mentioned. However, the mist seemed extremely calm, with no sign of movement or disturbance.
Li Hao’s eyes showed suspicion. Could the old man be lying?
He glanced at the old man, sensing that he was indeed Fishing, which suggested he wasn’t lying.
He didn’t think more about it. Patience was the key in Fishing.
He sat cross-legged, quietly Fishing, silently sensing the changes in the mist.
Suddenly, the old man’s wrist twitched, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Mine is already hooked."
As he spoke, the Hidden Threads he had released, which were initially loose, suddenly tightened, extending deep into the mist, beyond Li Hao’s perception.
Suddenly, it seemed like a massive creature was stirring, sending a terrifying wave of energy.
Li Hao sensed the change in the mist, his face changing as he focused his gaze. He felt a sense of encouragement for the old man, even though he wasn’t the one reeling in the prey.
Soon, the mist suddenly dispersed, and a black dot flew out.
Li Hao had expected a creature thousands of feet long, but what was reeled in was a figure only a few meters long, with golden scales like feathers, a body like a sparrow, a fine tail like a dragon, claws, and a dragon’s head, radiating divine might and aura.
The old man raised his hand, and a Heavenly Earth Space enveloped the creature, drawing it in without causing much disturbance.
But Li Hao could sense that the Dragon Sparrow possessed an extremely powerful force, capable of easily killing an ordinary True Immortal.
"Mine is already hooked, but it seems yours will take some time."
The old man put away the Dragon Sparrow, glanced at Li Hao, and chuckled.
Li Hao said, "I just arrived."
"Yes, you just arrived, but I’ve been here for a long time."
The elder nodded in agreement, patting Li Hao on the shoulder. "Your Fishing Skill is quite strong, I can see."
"I know a bit", Li Hao replied modestly.
The elder chuckled, took a puff of his pipe, and exhaled. "You continue fishing. I'll head back; it's been a bit too noisy lately, making it hard to get a good night's sleep."
With that, he slowly got up, his back hunched, and shuffled away with his wine flask in hand. Only then did Li Hao notice that the elder had a slight limp.
As the elder walked away, Li Hao's thoughts remained on his fishing. He bid him farewell and turned back to focus on his task.
Meanwhile, Li Hao's Projection remained in the square, where Feng Boping and the others arrived one by one.
Most of them had been tested on the Heart-Questioning Tower and found to have Heaven-grade Dao Hearts. Only Lin Qingying had reached the level of five resounding rings.
The resonance still lingered around her, and whenever it was activated, everyone could hear it.
"We can't match her; it seems we are indeed getting old", Feng Boping and the others said with a wry smile.
The Sword Master also eyed Lin Qingying, clearly surprised that this young girl from the sect had a Dao Heart that surpassed his own.
Everyone else had been tested, but only Lin Qingying had reached the five-ringing level, making her the highest in Dao Mind Realm among them.
Feeling the gazes of the others, Lin Qingying blushed. She had previously verified her Heaven-grade Dao Heart, which was supposed to have only four rings. But now, somehow, it had reached five rings.
She thought it might be because the five years of waiting had been so unbearable, causing her Dao Heart to transform.
"Your soul age is sufficient, and your Dao Heart has now met the requirements. You can go and Comprehend the Sword Intent. If you succeed, you will become a Disciple of one of the top sects in the True World", Li Hao's Projection told Lin Qingying.
Lin Qingying asked, "What about you?"
"I am also Comprehending", Li Hao's Projection replied.
Lin Qingying felt relieved. She didn't ask about Li Hao's Dao Heart, knowing in her heart that if she could achieve it, Li Hao could too. This young man always shone brightly and remained out of reach in her eyes.
Lin Qingying made her way to the towering Sword Tower in the sky to Comprehend the Sword Intent.
A figure emerged from the giant sword to check Lin Qingying's Dao Heart. Upon hearing the five rings and verifying her soul age, which was less than a thousand years, he was satisfied.
Although Lin Qingying was only a Semi-Saint, her cultivation level and Dao Heart were exceptional.
"Look, someone is going to Comprehend the Sword Intent!"
"A five-ringing Dao Heart, and that young girl is only a Semi-Saint."
"A mere Semi-Saint's Dao Heart surpasses our True Immortal level?"
Many people looked up with envious eyes.
In the void, Lin Qingying saw the area around the giant sword, where only two others were present besides herself.
At that moment, the two were focused on the Sword Intent floating in the void and did not get distracted by her arrival.
"Once you Comprehend this Sword Intent, you will succeed", the young man in true treasure silver armor smiled.
Lin Qingying had seen the Sword Intent before, but from below, there was a barrier to Comprehension. Here, it felt as though she could touch it, clearly sensing the various fluctuations it emitted.
She took a deep breath, sat cross-legged, and began to Comprehend it earnestly.
She wanted to catch up to Li Hao's pace.
In her body, at the site where her broken sword embryo had once been, a new, ethereal sword embryo had formed. Within it, a faint sword shadow now flickered like a star.
...
"My Dao Heart is not sufficient; I need to Comprehend my Dao Heart."
The Sword Master, seeing Lin Qingying Comprehend the Sword Intent, turned his gaze away and bid Li Hao's Projection a temporary farewell before leaving.
Li Hao's Projection continued to wander around the square with Old Feng and the others.
Besides the Sword Tower of Ten Thousand Mountains, many other sects were also recruiting disciples here.
These included the Dizong Sect and the Heavenly Sect, which had more lenient requirements.
Soon, Chiguang and Lin Shuhai found sects that suited them.
"The True World is vast; it's time for us to part ways", Wen Sheng said. He and his disciples, including Lin Shuhai, planned to join the Tiansi Sect, which used poetry and books to defeat enemies, fitting their lineage well.
Li Hao wanted to persuade them, but seeing their determination, he knew further words would be futile.
Besides, the cultivation techniques he practiced couldn't provide them with the necessary resources for cultivation.
"Having walked this path together, we will surely meet again. The True World is vast; let us each carve out our own paths."
Feng Boping bid farewell to Wen Sheng.
One was a man of literary gallantry, exuding righteous qi, while the other was a Thief Saint, notorious for his deeds. Despite their different backgrounds, the years they spent together in Hao Tian had fostered a mutual respect and admiration.
The others also realized that each had their own path to follow. Their talents varied, and they could only hope to meet again in the future.
Chiguang and Zhantan, among others, joined the Dizong Sect, where the requirements were relatively lenient. Given their exceptional talents, they were considered top prodigies in All Heavens and had the potential to ascend to Inner Disciple status.
As time passed, the number of people around Li Hao's projection dwindled. Li Hao saw that Old Feng had found a suitable sect for himself, the Muzong Sect, a fourth-tier Heavenly Sect known for stealing treasures from forbidden areas and reselling them. Although it didn't focus on combat, it had extensive connections and considerable influence within the Heavenly Sects.
"The old man won't be a burden to you anymore. I'll be waiting for you to stand at the peak of the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Tower, and then I'll come to seek you out."
Feng Boping smiled at Li Hao, though his eyes betrayed a deep sense of reluctance.
Li Hao could see that Old Feng didn't truly want to join the Muzong Sect. He was trying to sever his ties and remove any burden from Li Hao.
"I'll be waiting for you."
Li Hao didn't try to persuade him to stay, only spoke with a firm resolve.
Feng Boping smiled in relief and bid Li Hao farewell.
Several days passed.
A cry of surprise echoed through the square.
Someone had just emerged from the eighth level of the Heart-Questioning Tower, soaring through the clouds.
"Heavens, look!"
"I just felt the Heart-Questioning Tower tremble. It's said that only an Eternal Dao Heart can elicit such a reaction."
"The Heart-Questioning Tower was damaged during the Emperor Fall War. It's rumored to be an Imperial Forbidden Immortal Artifact capable of verifying a Heavenly Emperor's Dao Heart!"
"Who is that, and which sect will she join?"
Hundreds of thousands of True Immortal prodigies from all over the True World looked up, their eyes fixed on the misty clouds. A tall woman with jet-black hair descended gracefully. Her figure was larger than most, yet her posture was elegant and graceful, her beauty grand and refined.
"That seems to be someone from the Yanhuo Clan!"
"Them?"
"Legend has it that the Yanhuo Clan's presence always brings disaster and chaos. No one dares to marry into or from their clan. I didn't expect them to appear here."
"A clan that once pursued the Emperor, no wonder they have such a Dao Heart."
The square buzzed with excitement and various speculations. Many of the elders sighed, while some of the young prodigies frowned, their admiring gazes turning wary.
On the mountain peak, Li Hao's True Self sat, still fishing for the Dragon Sparrow in the mist.
Hearing the cheers, he couldn't help but glance over. Seeing the beautiful and refined woman fly toward the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Tower, he turned his gaze back to his fishing.
"Hmph, a harbinger of disaster."
Beside him, the old man with the pipe sneered, his eyes mocking the murmurs of the crowd.
Li Hao glanced at him in surprise. The old man had been coming to fish every day, but he hadn't caught a Dragon Sparrow and spoke very little.
"If you keep being so indecisive, you'll never catch it."
Feeling Li Hao's gaze, the old man grunted, his expression cold.
Among the many elders Li Hao had met, this one was the most difficult to approach.
He smiled and said, "Fishing is about following the flow; there's no need to force it."
"Is that your excuse for lazing around?" the old man sneered.
Li Hao didn't back down, replying calmly, "Aren't you doing the same?"
The old man was taken aback by this retort, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at Li Hao. Seeing Li Hao's calm smile, he squinted, took a puff of his pipe, and said coolly:
"Fish well, with your heart."
He emphasized the word "heart" before flicking open his wine gourd and taking a swig.
Soon, a rustling sound came from the grass outside the mountain. A figure, breathing heavily, climbed up, sniffed the air, and, smelling the wine, hurried over to where the old man and the young man were sitting under the tree.
"Good wine... Wait?!"
The man, noticing Li Hao fishing nearby, instantly widened his eyes. He then rolled up his sleeves and grabbed Li Hao's robe, saying, "You little brat, I finally caught you!"
Li Hao recognized the man as the old fellow who had been mooching off him at the tavern earlier. He patted the man's hand and calmly said, "Don't wrinkle my clothes."
The old man was about to act tough, but suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. A strange feeling made him instinctively release Li Hao's robe.
He glanced at the old man smoking opium beside him, sizing him up, and a look of surprise flashed in his eyes.
He didn't shout anymore but instead sat down, though his gaze towards Li Hao was still tinged with resentment.
"You're the first to trick this old man in all these years."
"I invited you to drink, and you made me pay. How is that tricking you?" Li Hao countered.
The old man nearly fumed with anger.
He didn't argue further but instead looked at the limping old man's wine gourd, his eyes gleaming with desire. He chuckled, "Can I have a sip of that wine?"
The limping old man glanced at him sideways, ignoring him, and continued smoking.
Seeing his reaction, the old man felt embarrassed and sighed, somewhat self-pityingly, "I never thought that my past as an Imperial Bloodline would reduce me to begging for a drink."
He sneaked a glance at the limping old man, who seemed not to hear and continued drinking.
The old man's eyes showed disappointment; it looked like he wouldn't get a sip of that wine.
He sighed, then turned to Li Hao, "Kid, you're here to find a master, right? Why are you still loitering around? Has no one taken you in? If not, I can reluctantly take you in. My Great Dream Nine Abyss Sect was the Tianyi Sect ten thousand years ago, what do you think?
He looked at Li Hao with interest.
Hearing "Nine Depths of the Great Dream", Li Hao was slightly taken aback.
He immediately thought of his Sword Technique, Divine Guide.
This was the Sword Art of the Nine Depths of the Great Dream.
In the Tianyang Pseudo-realm, Li Hao had asked Elder Wang about it during a break from chess. The Nine Depths of the Great Dream was a force established by the Heavenly Calamity Immortal Emperor's bloodline in the past.
"Nine Depths of the Great Dream..."
Li Hao sized up the old man with a wine-soaked nose, his eyes filled with contemplation.
"Well?"
The old man urged.
Li Hao thought for a moment and asked, "Can I bring someone else into the sect?"
"Who?"
The old man, slightly annoyed, said, "Do you think the Nine Depths of the Great Dream is just any place? It's a huge honor to be accepted, and you want to bring someone else in? Ten thousand years ago, the Great Dream Nine Abyss Sect was the Tianyi Sect. Do you understand what that means?"
Li Hao replied, "If you don't want to, that's fine."
"You little brat."
The old man's eyes flashed with anger. If he hadn't seen the immortal light in Li Hao's Physical Body, indicating an extraordinary Immortal Body, he wouldn't have been so polite.
"Fine, I'll make an exception for you."
He gritted his teeth and said.
Li Hao was a bit surprised, "You're agreeing to my condition without even testing me?"
"Of course, there will be a test. The Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Tower requires a five-ringing dao heart. The Nine Depths of the Great Dream requires a six-ringing dao heart. If you can make it ring six times, you can enter. Additionally, I'll teach you the Divine Guide. If you can comprehend it within seven days, then you'll be qualified to become a disciple. I can also make an exception for one more person, even if they're a waste of space."
The old man immediately said, crossing his arms and looking proud.
Li Hao was speechless, feeling that if he hadn't brought it up, the old man might not have had so many conditions.
"So, are you confident?"
The old man looked at Li Hao scornfully, but his provocation was too basic.
Being a descendant of an Immortal Emperor, if Li Hao had to choose between the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Tower and the Nine Depths of the Great Dream, he would naturally lean towards the latter.
He nodded slightly and said, "No problem."
"Alright, then go to the Heart-Questioning Tower. I'll see how you fare. Hehe, those guys are indeed as I expected, not daring to take in the Yanhuo Clan. I'll go over there first."
The old man said, his gaze shifting to the distance with a smug smile.
Li Hao followed his gaze and saw a beautiful woman with flowing black hair standing outside the giant sword of the Ten Thousand Mountains Sword Tower, her expression cold.
(End of Chapter)
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