https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-448-Nine-Heart-Questions-Stirring-the-Waves-Part-1-/13451760/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-449-Yan-Chu-Immortal-Dynasty-Sword-Abyss/13451762/
Chapter 448: Nine Heart Questions, Stirring the Waves (Part 2)
Chapter 448: Nine Heart Questions, Stirring the Waves (Part 2)
Seeing the tension between them, the other sects were taken aback. Many of them had already retreated, knowing they couldn't compete.
Cui Yuesheng's face darkened, and he said, "For such a prodigy, what resources do you have to cultivate him? Our Wanshan Sword Tower has nine levels of the Sword Tower, and our Sword Dao cultivation techniques are among the best in the Southern Domain. It is a holy land for sword cultivators. The Nine Depths of the Great Dream has a wide range of teachings, but don't waste talent."
"Stop talking nonsense. When the Nine Depths of the Great Dream was the Tianyi Sect, you hadn't even built your tower yet!"
The old man was determined. Although this would offend the Wanshan Sword Tower and likely lead to future problems, he had to take the risk for such a prodigy. The Nine Depths of the Great Dream was desperately short of talented individuals.
"Hmph, what's the point of always bringing up the past? In the present, you are just the Tiansi Sect."
Cui Yuesheng sneered.
Li Hao, hearing their arguments, was speechless. He hadn't expected the old man with the red nose to have been deceiving him earlier. However, the old man's claim that the Nine Depths of the Great Dream was the Tianyi Sect ten thousand years ago wasn't entirely false, as he was referring to the past and not the present.
This guy... Li Hao felt a bit helpless. First, he had been freeloading, and now he was dodging the real issues. He didn't seem very reliable.
But the old man was a descendant of the Heavenly Calamity Immortal Emperor, and his lineage had some connection to Li Hao.
"There's no need to argue further."
Li Hao spoke up, having made his decision. He didn't want the Nine Depths of the Great Dream to offend the Wanshan Sword Tower too harshly. He said to Cui Yuesheng, "I had already promised this senior. A gentleman does not break his word. I hope you understand."
Cui Yuesheng's face changed.
The old man with the red nose was taken aback but then burst into laughter, though he was inwardly surprised.
A gentleman who doesn't break his word, but you made me pay the bill earlier... You're not much of a gentleman!
He didn't believe Li Hao's words and was a bit puzzled. After his lies were exposed by Cui Yuesheng, he was somewhat embarrassed and angry, but Li Hao didn't seem to mind.
The Tianyi Sect and the Tiansi Sect... There was still a significant gap between them.
"Young man, don't let a moment of impulse ruin your future. The Nine Depths of the Great Dream is no longer as glorious as it once was. Don't listen to his boasting."
Cui Yuesheng looked at Li Hao earnestly.
The old man with the red nose angrily retorted, "The foundation of the Nine Depths of the Great Dream is beyond your imagination."
Li Hao bowed to Cui Yuesheng and said, "Thank you, Senior. My decision is made."
Seeing Li Hao's firm resolve, Cui Yuesheng's expression flickered, and he finally glared at the old man with the red nose before turning and leaving.
The old man's face was filled with joy, and he seemed quite pleased. Once the others had dispersed, he said to Li Hao, "Good eye, young man. But I wasn't lying when I said the foundation of the Nine Depths of the Great Dream is beyond their imagination!"
Li Hao shook his head with a smile. This old man had no credibility left in his eyes, and he didn't bother to delve into it further. After all, the cultivation gap between sects didn't have much impact on him.
Beside him, Yue Xi gazed at Li Hao. She hadn't spoken a word the entire time. Cui Yuesheng had fiercely competed for Li Hao, arguing with the old man with a red nose until they were both flushed. She felt a chill in her heart. Although she was at the Eighth Resonance, the gap between her and the Ninth Resonance wasn't significant. Yet, she had offered herself up, only to be rejected by the Wanshan Sword Tower.
Her resolve grew stronger, vowing to make the Wanshan Sword Tower bitterly regret their decision in the future.
"Let's head back to the sect."
The old man with the red nose was elated, thrilled to have gained two prodigies on this trip. Although one of them was from the Yanhuo Clan, the current Nine Depths of the Great Dream had nothing to fear. Besides, he had ways to suppress the negative effects of their constitution.
Li Hao said, "Wait, I have friends I need to see."
The old man with the red nose slapped his forehead, remembering the promise he had made to Li Hao. He laughed, "Sure, I'll wait for you."
With Li Hao's Dao Heart Talent, even if he brought a few more friends, the old man wouldn't mind. They would just be a few more Outer Sect Disciples, and they would still have to earn their cultivation resources within the sect.
Li Hao temporarily parted ways with the old man and headed for the square, where he found Lin Sheng and the others.
"Congratulations, Lord."
Lin Sheng and the others saw Li Hao land, drawing countless gazes. They smiled and congratulated him.
Li Hao smiled and said, "You are my Immortal Guards, but I won't restrict you. Go find other sects if you find them suitable. It will add to our strength, and you can also continue to follow me."
The five of them exchanged glances. Flower Sage and You Saint Path said, "We had considered this. With your strength, we can't protect you, and we might even need your protection. It would be better for us to join other forces, gather power, and prepare for the future."
Li Hao nodded.
Now that he had inherited the Immortal Emperor's legacy and become a Formal Disciple, he might become a Personal Disciple in the future and carry on the Immortal Emperor's legacy. He needed to restore the Immortal Emperor's glory, and there would inevitably be challenges. He needed to plan ahead and gather strength.
"Since that's the case, we'll also join other sects", Chen Baoyu and Dong Dao said.
Lin Sheng, however, looked at Li Hao and said, "I just learned that the Nine Depths of the Great Dream has a spear lineage. I can join them for cultivation."
Earlier, when the old man with the red nose and Cui Yuesheng had argued over Li Hao, their voices carried, and most people on the square had heard them. After all, most of those present were at the saint level, and their Divine Sense could cover the entire square.
Li Hao nodded, not objecting.
"I have Supreme Immortal Techniques. Each of you will receive one. You must study them diligently and master them. They will help you reach the pinnacle of the True Immortal Realm."
Li Hao had recorded six Supreme Immortal Techniques in the Heavenly Calamity Imperial Hall. The Imperial Hall had not explicitly forbidden him from teaching others, as those Ten Supreme Immortal Techniques were not exclusive to the Heavenly Calamity Immortal Emperor but were widely known in the True World and also recorded by other major sects.
Hearing Li Hao's words, the five of them exchanged glances, all feeling elated.
Li Hao used his Divine Sense to transmit the techniques, choosing them based on their cultivation paths. If the techniques didn't match their paths, he would teach them the 'Zi Jin' and 'Wan Ying' Immortal Techniques, which anyone could cultivate but required mastery of the corresponding Great Dao.
Mastering a Supreme Immortal Technique would allow them to excel in the True Immortal Realm.
Among these, there was the Spear Path Immortal Technique 'Thunder Roar,' which required mastery of the Thunder Origin. The Thunder Origin was one of the more difficult origins to master outside of the Nine Sequences, but it was extremely powerful in both attack and destruction.
Lin Sheng's real name was Lin Yufeng. Upon receiving the Thunder Roar Immortal Technique, he was deeply moved, sensing the terrifying power of this technique.
After transmitting the techniques to each of them, Li Hao brought Lin Yufeng back and introduced him to the old man with the red nose.
The old man with a red nose glanced at Lin Yufeng and casually asked, "How many Dao Heart rings?"
"Four rings."
Lin Yufeng felt a bit embarrassed.
Seeing his discomfort, the old man did not press further. After all, Lin Yufeng had entered through Li Hao's back door, and he did not want to delve into it. He turned to Li Hao and said, "Can we go back now?"
"Wait a bit longer."
Li Hao looked at Lin Qingying, who was still closed-eyed, comprehending.
The old man sighed, "How long?"
"I don't know, but it won't be long."
The old man rolled his eyes but could not do much. This young man was now a hot commodity, and he did not want to drive him away before taking him back to the sect. Cui Yuesheng was always eyeing him, so he had no choice but to follow Li Hao's lead.
Li Hao told Lin Yufeng to follow the old man with the red nose while he returned to the small hill.
Before parting ways, he had secretly passed on his ten Immortal Techniques to Old Feng and the Sword Master, among others. Each received two techniques. Li Hao did not give more because these supreme Immortal Techniques were difficult to understand, and unlike himself, they did not possess the Dao of Space, making their cultivation particularly challenging. Mastering even one would be enough for great achievements.
"Nine Depths of the Great Dream is not far from here."
Li Hao had just sat down to fish when the old man with the limp spoke calmly, "If you have time, you can come and sit here often."
Li Hao was surprised and nodded, "That sounds good. I'll come often until I catch a Dragon Sparrow."
The old man's lips curled slightly, as if he was smiling, but the meaning behind his smile was hard to discern. His expression returned to its usual calm, and he took a long drag from his pipe, the smoke obscuring his face.
"Once they all leave, it will be peaceful here, unlike now."
"Sometimes, a bit of noise is good."
Li Hao said.
"You are young, but I am old and don't like noise."
The old man shook the wine gourd in his hand, "Do you like wine?"
"I like drinking companions."
"Ha ha..."
The old man laughed, a rare occurrence, and threw the wine gourd to Li Hao, "Then I'll give it to you."
Li Hao was taken aback. Over the past few days, the old man had seemed neither warm nor cold, not someone easy to approach.
However, he did not refuse, taking the wine gourd and shaking it, "It doesn't seem to have much left."
"..."
The old man fell silent again.
A few days later.
Lin Qingying opened her eyes. The enlightenment in her heart made her focus her mind on that one sword stroke the moment she opened her eyes. She raised her hand and slashed through the air.
Using her finger as a sword, she cut a faint ripple in the void.
Cui Yuesheng's eyes swept over the giant sword, his gaze sharpening. The sword mark not only indicated that the little girl had mastered the Wanshan Sword Technique but also seemed to contain a faint trace of the Chaotic Void Sword Intent.
Though extremely subtle, he had held a sword for many years and should not have been mistaken.
Could it be... His eyes flickered with a hint of unexpected joy.
He had lost that nine-ring monster, but this little girl might make up for it.
"Good, you are qualified."
A woman flew over, her cold, frosty face softening into a smile that melted like ice and snow when she looked at Lin Qingying.
Lin Qingying came to her senses, feeling a weight lifted from her heart. She immediately turned her head to look around.
At that moment, Li Hao, who had been fishing on the small hill, had already reeled in his line and rushed over upon her awakening.
"Hao Tian."
Lin Qingying's eyes lit up with joy.
Seeing the two of them so close, Cui Yuesheng's heart skipped a beat.
Li Hao smiled, "Do you want to become a disciple at Wanshan Sword Tower, or do you want to come with me?"
"Come with you."
Lin Qingying was taken aback, but without hesitation, she said so.
Cui Yuesheng's face darkened, and he cleared his throat, speaking to Li Hao in a stern voice, "Young man, you will become a disciple at Nine Depths of the Great Dream. Although I don't know why, you must have heard some news by now. The resources for cultivating disciples at Wanshan Sword Tower far surpass those at Nine Depths of the Great Dream!"
Li Hao did not respond, which was why he had asked Lin Qingying.
"Do you have another sect?" Lin Qingying asked.
Li Hao nodded and said, "But as he said, if you become a disciple here, it might be better for you."
If she followed him to Nine Depths of the Great Dream, he could provide her with the supreme immortal technique inheritance, but he could not offer much else.
Lin Qingying understood and shook her head, "Wherever you go, I will go."
Hearing this, Cui Yuesheng's face changed, and he instantly grasped the relationship between the two. He whispered, "Little girl, the sect he will join is Tiansi Sect, while Wanshan Sword Tower is part of Tianyi Sect. The difference is significant. I see a connection with you. If you become a disciple here, I can apply for a Sword Seal for you, allowing you to directly cultivate at Emperor Sword Mountain!"
"Cultivation is a long journey. Instead of following in others' footsteps, it's better to catch up to them, don't you think?"
Hearing his gentle persuasion, Lin Qingying's heart stirred slightly.
However, she did not change her mind. Instead, she gazed at Li Hao and asked, "What do you think?"
Li Hao pondered for a moment. He could see that Cui Yuesheng seemed to care deeply for Lin Qingying. After some thought, he said, "For your own sake, the Wanshan Sword Tower would be more suitable for you."
"What about for your sake?"
Lin Qingying suddenly followed up.
Li Hao was taken aback. Seeing her intense gaze, he fell silent for a moment before saying, "Come to the Nine Depths of the Great Dream."
Hearing this, Lin Qingying's face slowly broke into a smile, her lips curving upward until her entire face radiated with joy.
She softly telepathed, "Then I'll go to the Wanshan Sword Tower. With your talent, you will surely reach the pinnacle in the Nine Depths of the Great Dream. If I can comprehend any secret techniques there, I'll secretly pass them on to you."
She spoke gently, her eyes filled with tenderness.
Li Hao, however, remained silent, not daring to respond.
"Little girl..."
Cui Yuesheng, seeing the affectionate exchange between the two, feared the girl might act on impulse and wanted to dissuade her.
But Lin Qingying turned to him and said, "I will join the Wanshan Sword Tower."
Cui Yuesheng was taken aback but immediately breathed a sigh of relief, smiling, "Good, the Wanshan Sword Tower will certainly cultivate you well!"
Seeing her make her choice, Li Hao nodded slightly and gazed at her. "Take care of yourself", he said.
Then, he took one of the three willow leaves left by Elder Wang and handed it to her.
Lin Qingying looked at the willow leaf in confusion, sensing that it was some kind of divine treasure.
"It can save your life in a crisis", Li Hao telepathed.
Cui Yuesheng, upon seeing the willow leaf, his eyes deepened, feeling the powerful aura emanating from it. He looked at the young man with a serious expression, realizing that this young man must have an extraordinary background, given such a treasure.
However, since Li Hao had achieved nine resonances in his Dao Heart, he might indeed be from an Imperial Clan.
Li Hao bid farewell to Lin Qingying and found the wine-nosed old man, who was eager to take him back to the sect, fearing that Cui Yuesheng might sway him.
Li Hao didn't linger any longer. He found Old Feng, who was still in the Tiansi Sect, and handed him the second willow leaf.
Then, Li Hao went to the small hill and said goodbye to the crippled old man.
"Let's go, let's go."
The wine-nosed old man urged, not daring to stay, fearing that these newly recruited disciples might be lured away by other forces.
Although he wanted to continue looking for more talented individuals, he was already extremely satisfied with having recruited Li Hao and Yue Xi.
Lin Yufeng followed Li Hao, maintaining the respect of an Immortal Guard despite both of them now being Heavenly Sect Disciples bound for the Nine Depths of the Great Dream.
Yue Xi looked at Li Hao. His higher Dao Heart resonance meant his Dao Will was stronger and his ambitions greater. On the way to leave with the wine-nosed old man, she asked:
"What realm are you in? Do you want to spar in Sword Dao?"
Li Hao was somewhat lost in thought, still pondering over Lin Qingying and Old Feng. Hearing the woman's words, he snapped back to reality and shook his head.
"There's nothing to spar about."
"Hmm?"
Yue Xi's eyes flashed with a hint of defiance and coldness. "You look down on me?"
Li Hao, seeing the defiance in her eyes, was taken aback and somewhat speechless, so he shook his head.
"It's just a bit dull and boring, that's all. If you want to practice sword skills, there are plenty of senior brothers and sisters who can spar with you."
"Dull and boring?"
Yue Xi, upon hearing Li Hao's words, was instantly incredulous.
As a sword cultivator, to call sparring in Sword Dao dull and boring?
After all, most sword cultivators, whether practicing swords or knives, were passionate about sparring, as it could lead to faster improvement. Even meeting a well-matched opponent was considered a fortunate event, often celebrated with a drink.
The wine-nosed old man, sitting on the wine gourd in front, heard this and couldn't help but turn back to look at Li Hao with a dubious expression. He hadn't tested Li Hao's talent in Sword Dao before, but now, these words made him feel somewhat unreliable.
(End of Chapter)
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