https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-483-Intense-Ancient-Immortal-Realm/13451890/
Chapter 482: Three Years Have Passed (6K)
Chapter 482: Three Years Have Passed (6K)
In the Great Dreamwar camp, within the halls where the Sword Abyssa lineage resided, Ji Qingxuan, Wei Hongye, and others looked at the three newly arrived junior siblings with surprise.
"You say Hao Tian has been here all along? We haven't met him at all."
Wei Hongye couldn't help but say.
When they first saw the three, they were all taken aback, not expecting them to venture into this dangerous border region. However, upon seeing their cultivation realms, the lowest being Yue Xi, who had advanced from the Third Tier True Immortal to the Sixth Tier True Immortal within a year, they were even more surprised.
Murmong Qingwu had the highest realm, having reached the Tenth Tier True Immortal, the same as Wei Hongye and Lu Wuchen.
Surprisingly, the youngest among them, Gu Yan, had the fastest realm progression, now at the Seventh Tier True Immortal, surpassing Yue Xi.
Perhaps the Natural Sword Immortal Constitution of the Ancient Immortal lineage had brought significant changes to Gu Yan. Previously, he was like a sword hidden in its sheath, not showing his true sharpness. Now, the sword was half-drawn, and even when he was extremely restrained, a cold light still radiated from him.
"Didn't meet him? How is that possible? Could he have gone to the wrong place, or ..."
Murmong Qingwu was puzzled, her face full of doubt. She had been looking forward to seeing Hao Tian, the most mysterious junior sibling, and observing his changes over the year.
"Master asked the Dream Lord, and he confirmed Hao Tian did come here. Unless he was lying."
Yue Xi frowned, a hint of disappointment in her eyes. Her greatest anticipation in coming here was to see Li Hao and gauge whether the gap between them had narrowed over the year.
Since the blow of the Ancient Immortal Realm ranking on the Immortal Stele, she had been cultivating frenziedly, striving to improve, and had undergone significant changes.
"You say he came here a year ago?"
Ji Qingxuan's eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced at the silent Lu Wuchen. They exchanged a look, and Lu Wuchen's expression darkened as he said in a low voice:
"A year ago, during the ancient demon attack, it seemed like a minor skirmish, but it was actually a well-planned disaster, almost reaching the level of a Heaven-level Catastrophe!"
Ji Qingxuan said gravely, "If he arrived just as the battle began, he might not have had time to join the sect and was sent directly to the battlefield. And now..."
Now that the war was over, and Hao Tian still hadn't reported to the sect, there was only one possibility: he had fallen in that battle.
Hearing their conversation, Wei Hongye's face changed, a mix of shock and heartache.
Although they weren't particularly close to the young man, given that he had only recently joined the sect, the loss of such a talented individual on the ancient demon battlefield was deeply regrettable.
"Campaign? Fallen?"
Gu Yan's eyes flashed, a sharp, cold light emanating from them. He immediately asked, "What campaign are you talking about?"
Lu Wuchen glanced at him, understanding the feelings of this junior sibling who, like himself, was usually silent. He said:
"Here on the border, when ancient demons invade, the Immortal War Signal sounds, divided into four levels: Evil Level, Disaster Level, Heaven Level, and the highest, Moe Level!"
"Evil Level invasions occur frequently within a century, while a Heaven-level Catastrophe is a once-in-a-thousand-years event. A Moe-level Catastrophe would cause a nationwide uproar, and even neighboring Immortal Dynasties would send reinforcements, including the Heavenly Palace."
Gu Yan and the others were stunned, their faces turning grim.
A Heaven-level Catastrophe, which happens once every thousand years, was encountered by that person?
"If he hadn't joined the sect and was alone on the battlefield, with only newly acquainted war camp members for support, his fate would have been..."
Ji Qingxuan shook his head slightly, his eyes filled with regret. Then he thought of something and asked:
"How did you fare in the trial at Yan Chu Immortal Capital? Did you all ascend?"
Yue Xi and Gu Yan were still in a daze, unable to shake off the news that the young man might be dead.
Murmong Qingwu, who had been a senior disciple longer and held great admiration for the Eldest Senior Brother, quickly responded:
"This time, the trial was in the Ancient Immortal Realm. We were all a bit short of the mark. Master said that among us, only Hao Tian passed."
"Ancient Immortal Realm?"
Ji Qingxuan's face changed slightly, clearly aware of the power of the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty's Ancient Immortal Realm. Murong Qingwu's words also left him somewhat stunned.
"Only he passed?"
Wei Hongye was taken aback, her eyes involuntarily recalling the young man's face. Among the four, Gu Yan, who appeared to have the strongest innate talent, had performed worse than the young man on Emperor Sword Mountain.
To her, the young man was extremely mysterious. While she could see through Gu Yan to some extent, the young man remained completely inscrutable.
She hadn't expected that he had hidden his abilities so deeply. Even Murong Qingwu hadn't passed the trial, yet the young man had.
"Since he passed the trial, why would Master let him come to this battlefield to cause trouble, and without any escort?"
Ji Qingxuan regained his composure and frowned.
Murong Qingwu gave a slight bitter smile, unsure how to respond.
"Don't be too pessimistic. Perhaps he changed his mind and went somewhere else. We'll send people to search the city. You three are here to cultivate, and we'll arrange for some of the strongest warriors in the army to spar with you day and night. Be prepared."
Lu Wuchen said to the three.
The three nodded slightly. Yue Xi bit her lip and said, "Senior Brother, is there any other way to confirm if he's alive or dead? Should we seek the Dream Lord?"
"Yes, I'll send a message to Master to have him contact the Dream Lord", Lu Wuchen replied.
Murong Qingwu sighed in relief. "Since he passed the trial, it concerns the sect's honor. The Dream Lord will definitely lend a hand."
Hearing this, the others nodded, aware of how important the Southern Domain Battle was to the sect.
Ji Qingxuan said, "Don't worry too much. Focus on your cultivation. Coming to this border for training is a good thing. Life-and-death battles can unleash your potential. While realm advancement is crucial, combat power is even more important. I know some skilled warriors in the army, and I'll have them show you the combat style of the military."
"Thank you, Eldest Senior Brother."
The three thanked him in unison, but apart from Murong Qingwu, Yue Xi and Gu Yan were not very enthusiastic.
Without confirming Li Hao's fate, they felt a sense of emptiness.
"Let's go. I'll take you to familiarize yourselves with the place."
Wei Hongye, catching Ji Qingxuan's eye, understood and called the three to leave.
"Heaven envies talent, but I hope that young junior brother is safe."
After the three left with Wei Hongye, Lu Wuchen sighed, watching their backs.
Ji Qingxuan shook his head slightly. "A genius who doesn't survive to the end doesn't count as a true genius. Otherwise, over the countless ages of this True World, such geniuses would be as numerous as the stars in the sky."
Lu Wuchen knew that Ji Qingxuan had only met the young man once and wasn't very familiar with him, so he didn't feel it deeply. He said, "I can't see through that young man, but I feel he has even more potential than Gu Yan."
"Perhaps."
Ji Qingxuan nodded. On Emperor Sword Mountain, he had observed the realms of these new junior brothers and sisters. The young man being the only one among the four to pass the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty's trial and defeat a same-realm Natural Sword Immortal Constitution was enough to show that he had something very special.
"Let's not talk about it anymore. Now we can only see if these three can make any breakthroughs within two years. We don't want them to be unable to even take the stage at the Southern Domain Battle."
He shook his head and sighed. "Even if they can take the stage, if they push themselves too hard, they'll just be ordinary participants at the Southern Domain Battle, not memorable. This time, we might have to pin our hopes on the other few abysses. I've heard that the Spear Abyss lineage has a monster. I wonder if he can lead our Nine Depths of the Great Dream to the position of Tianyi Sect."
Hearing this, Lu Wuchen couldn't help but look at the location of the Spear Abyss, lost in thought.
As the second senior brother, he didn't bear the same weight of the sect's honor as Ji Qingxuan. He saw the Sword Abyss as his home.
Ji Qingxuan, however, had a broader perspective, capable of encompassing the entire Nine Depths of the Great Dream.
...
...
In the Water Moon Hall.
The entire courtyard was part of the Water Moon Secret Realm. Li Hao was eating demon meat in a pavilion by the arched bridge, watching a girl practice her sword techniques outside the pavilion.
Gu Xingwan, dressed in pale yellow attire, was focused and her sword movements were light and graceful, like a butterfly flitting among flowers. Unfortunately, her sword edge lacked the sharpness to sever heaven and earth, instead carrying a gentle and continuous power. This seemed to be influenced by her mastery of the water element, subtly incorporating the force of water’s essence into her attacks.
Swoosh!
Gu Xingwan's Immortal Power suddenly surged, and the continuous Sword Momentum abruptly converged into a single point, like an unending wave of Power gathering at one spot. It erupted suddenly, creating a terrifying impact.
The Sword Momentum slashed out, dispersing the clouds and fog, and even the leaves on the surrounding trees seemed to sway.
Gu Xingwan looked at the power of the sword with great satisfaction, then turned her head to the pavilion. She saw the young man eating with relish and couldn't help frowning, her lips pouting slightly. She said, "Grandfather asked you to come here today to practice swordsmanship with me and give me pointers. Why are you just focused on eating?"
"Eating doesn't affect anything", Li Hao argued, but he had to swallow the meat in his mouth and stopped reaching for another bite.
"Hmph, then tell me, how was that sword strike I just made? How long will it take me to catch up to you?"
Gu Xingwan huffed lightly, but her eyes revealed a hint of anticipation as she looked at Li Hao, as if waiting for his approval.
"Catch up to me?" Li Hao was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head. "That depends on your Channeling Qi. As for your sword strike, I'd say it was barely satisfactory."
"Hmm."
Gu Xingwan hadn't expected such an evaluation. Her cheeks flushed red, and even her ears turned bright. She felt a mix of anger, frustration, and a bit of hurt. "Is it really that bad?"
Seeing her expression, Li Hao realized he might have been too blunt. He cleared his throat and said, "Actually, it's not that bad. The problem is that you're using the consciousness of the Water Dao Origin in your Sword Art, which interferes with it."
"If you had comprehended the Metal Dao Origin, such interference would be much less significant."
"What do you mean?"
Gu Xingwan was puzzled.
Li Hao stood up and came to her side, taking the sword from her hand. "Watch closely, I'll only demonstrate once."
Gu Xingwan looked at the young man. He seemed casual, holding a piece of sizzling, fragrant meat in one hand and her sword in the other, as if he wasn't really teaching her. But she was used to it and still became serious.
"Qing Tian is about cutting through everything, including the sky itself, with pure Sword Intent. That's why this Immortal Technique requires a high Sword Dao Realm to comprehend."
Li Hao raised his hand, and his eyes became sharply focused as he swung the sword. His gaze turned from relaxed to intensely sharp in an instant, like a flash of cold lightning. The Sword Qi cut through the air, distorting the void as if nothing could stand in its way!
This time, Li Hao moved more slowly, guiding Gu Xingwan step by step.
Gu Xingwan stood there in a daze. After a long moment, she came back to her senses and saw Li Hao already back in the pavilion, her sword planted in the ground in front of her.
She stood there for a moment, then picked up the sword. Seeing the young man in the pavilion, who was already focused on eating again, she didn't say anything. Instead, she lowered her head and stared at the sword's edge for a moment. Then she closed her eyes, and her Immortal Power gradually built up, boiling within her, reaching its peak in an instant. She slashed out with the sword.
The Sword Momentum was like a rainbow, slicing through the sky, as if it could split the secret realm apart.
Li Hao looked up and nodded slightly. Her Insight was good; she had grasped a lot from just one demonstration.
"Very good", he praised.
Gu Xingwan saw the power of the sword strike and her eyes lit up with joy. It was indeed much stronger than before.
"I understand. I shouldn't use the sword to build momentum; instead, I should build it within my body and let the sword erupt only at the moment of the strike", Gu Xingwan said. She had been using the Power of the Water Dao Origin, but instead of letting the Sword Momentum flow continuously, she had accumulated it within her body using Immortal Power.
"It's a clever technique", Li Hao commented.
Gu Xingwan smiled and glanced at the young man. Seeing him smiling at her, she blushed and turned away.
Today's lesson had been more valuable than years of hard practice and contemplation. She had learned a great deal.
"Thank you", she said softly, her voice barely audible.
"It's nothing", Li Hao replied casually. He then stood up and said, "Keep practicing. I'll go find your grandfather."
Gu Xingwan's eyes filled with disappointment as she saw Li Hao leave without a backward glance. She bit her lip slightly.
In the Water Moon Hall.
Li Hao saw Gu Changming in meditation, with stars orbiting in the void in front of him, forming a miniature starfield.
"You're here."
Gu Changming seemed to have sensed Li Hao's presence and smiled. "That child has been a bit of a handful for you."
Clearly, he had noticed what was happening in the courtyard.
"It's nothing", Li Hao replied casually.
"Regarding the Spirit Officer position, since you are a special case, there are many relationships to smooth over. It's been registered now. Here is your Demon Subduing Spirit Official Token, this is the Spirit Official Immortal Slaying Robe, and this is the Divine Ash Demon Subduing Sword!"
Gu Changming raised his hand, and a variety of items appeared before Li Hao.
The Demon Subduing Spirit Official Token glowed with a silver light, much like a military command, containing Li Hao's spirit officer identity information, making it impossible to forge.
The Immortal Slashing Robe was adorned with intricate designs, featuring wide sleeves and a long coat, radiating a silvery-white aura. It was an Immortal Weapon, imbued with the Immortal Dao Law, capable of withstanding attacks from Lower Rank Immortal Lord Realm cultivators.
The Divine Ash Demon Subduing Sword was also an Immortal Weapon, a standard issue for spirit officers. As a lower-ranked spirit officer, Li Hao was equipped with a lower-tier version of the Divine Ash Demon Subduing Sword.
These Immortal Weapons were uniformly cast by the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty, with the hilt designed to resemble the heads of ancient demons biting together.
"This set of gear, once you wear it within the Yan Chu territory, will ensure that any county or town will cooperate fully with your law enforcement."
Gu Changming said.
Li Hao nodded. He had an Immortal Weapon inheritance, so he wasn't lacking in this aspect.
Taowu was a top-tier Immortal Weapon, far surpassing the Divine Ash Demon Subduing Sword. However, since it had recognized him as its master, its Immortal Power was synchronized with his, requiring him to channel his own Immortal Power to unleash its full might. Currently, at the Third Tier True Immortal level, his Immortal Power was drained, and he couldn't even bring out half of Taowu's power.
Although the Heavenly Stars Pulse continuously replenished his Immortal Power, his own capacity was too low.
"It's time to cultivate. I just happen to have spirit stones."
Li Hao thought to himself.
Cooking ancient demon meat mainly enhanced the Soul Spirit, with little effect on cultivation. In the Water Moon Secret Realm, Immortal Power was abundant. If he cultivated with spirit stones, advancing his realm would not be difficult.
"Currently, you are in Qing River Fallen City. I've told the bureau that you are accompanying me to slay demons, so you don't need to report back to the Demon Suppression Bureau for now. You can focus on cultivation. After the Southern Domain Battle ends, or when you get tired of staying here, you can consider reporting in."
Gu Changming smiled and said, "As per your request, I've arranged for a quiet assignment, but you should still make an appearance occasionally."
"Thank you, Elder Gu."
Li Hao smiled.
"Go ahead, let me know if you need anything."
"Alright."
Li Hao got up and bid farewell, then returned to his courtyard, settling down to cultivate in his residence.
Now that he was living long-term in the Water Moon Secret Realm, the Immortal Power here was rich. Even without deliberate cultivation, his cultivation would gradually improve, making conditions much better than at the Wildfire Camp.
Since he had climbed the Immortal Technique Ranking, word had spread, and he often received visitors at the Wildfire Camp, which was both overwhelming and annoying. Li Hao had come here mainly for peace and quiet.
Li Hao entered his residence and used his Divine Sense to access the token. Inside, there was an Immortal Merit Exchange Treasure Vault where he could exchange Immortal Merits for various treasures from the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty's treasury.
Even if he spent all his Immortal Merits, the record would still remain.
Li Hao didn't plan to spend his Immortal Merits. The many precious herbs and Immortal Pills inside didn't interest him, and he already had Taowu, so he didn't need another Immortal Weapon.
Without hesitation, he exchanged 100,000 Immortal Merits for 100,000 spirit stones.
One Immortal Merit for one spirit stone was undoubtedly a bit extravagant, and many people preferred to save their Immortal Merits to exchange for other precious items like Immortal Pills and herbs. However, for Li Hao, convenience was the priority.
"When I have time, I'll go to the Imperial Hall and exchange those three Ious."
Li Hao thought to himself.
Each of those three Ious was worth a million spirit stones, and he wondered if the guild that issued them had gone bankrupt.
Spirit stones were precious, and even with his current spirit officer status, his monthly stipend was only 100 spirit stones.
And for an ordinary True Immortal Realm cultivator to serve as a guard for the Immortal Clan Noble Families, earning four or five immortal stones a month is already considered excellent treatment.
Ten thousand immortal stones would be enough for Li Hao to cultivate to the eighth or ninth level of the True Immortal Realm.
He had just finished eating demon meat and now casually unleashed his Dao Domain, layering space and altering the flow of time. Even if Gu Changming were to try to probe his movements within the Dao Domain, Li Hao would be aware.
Li Hao began to refine the immortal stones, transforming them into a surging Immortal Power that enveloped him, and then he started absorbing and refining it.
Whenever his stomach growled, he would immediately stop and start cooking ancient demon flesh and blood.
After eating, he would cultivate, and when his stomach growled again, he would eat once more.
This cycle continued, and time passed. Li Hao did not leave his courtyard, spending his days buried in his own space.
Time flew by.
Life at the border was relatively monotonous, day after day, filled with either war or waiting for war.
Now that the battle against the ancient demons had just ended, many soldiers were either cultivating or training in the military camps.
Bang!
In one of the military camps, Gu Yan's figure was sent flying backward, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with fierce determination. He wanted to get up and fight again, but the soldier opposite him waved his hand and said:
"You were emitting killing intent. Don't take it too seriously. If we continued, I might have hurt you."
Gu Yan's expression changed, and his anger dissipated. He stood up, paused for a moment, and then bowed, saying, "Thank you for the lesson."
"Lesson? I just took advantage of a weak prodigy. It was quite amusing."
The middle-aged warrior laughed heartily, not hiding his thoughts.
Beside him, Ji Qingxuan and Lu Wuchen watched silently. Ji Qingxuan nodded to the soldier and said, "Let's have a drink later."
"Sure thing."
The soldier waved and turned to leave.
Ji Qingxuan approached Gu Yan and said, "His realm is one level higher than yours. If he truly erupted, you might not be able to match him. Unless you have some special trump card I don't know about, but those can only be used once. Do you understand?"
Gu Yan looked at this Eldest Senior Brother. The height difference made him have to look up, and he disliked looking up to others. He glanced up once and then turned his head away, saying, "I understand."
"Good to know. Go back and digest it. You've been here for a year, and although you haven't won much, your progress is very evident."
Ji Qingxuan said.
Gu Yan clenched his fist, nodded, and then turned to leave.
"Even though you haven't fought the ancient demons, these military experts are all veterans who have fought and survived battles against them. Sparring with them is as challenging as fighting the ancient demons."
Wei Hongye said to Murong Qingwu and Yue Xi beside him.
The two women nodded slightly. They could feel the strength of these military experts. Their attacks were sharp and different from those outside. The speed, subtlety, and explosive power of their Immortal Techniques far exceeded those outside.
A year of training had significantly improved them.
"Don't slack off. Cultivate well. Master said the Dream Master has divined that Hao Tian's life light is still present and he hasn't met with any mishap. He might just not be here. Now that you are both training hard here, you might surpass him in a year."
Wei Hongye smiled and said to the two women, "You might even meet him then."
Hearing this, the two women exchanged a glance, their eyes brightening.
"It's a pity we didn't encounter the ancient demons. I was quite eager to see them."
Murong Qingwu said.
Wei Hongye laughed and said, "There will be other opportunities. If you get bored, I can take you to the ancient demon arena. It's filled with ancient demons captured on the battlefield, used to entertain the soldiers and prevent them from becoming too lax. I'll take you there when I have the time."
"Alright."
The two women quickly agreed.
Time flew by.
Before they knew it, nearly three years had passed since Li Hao arrived at Qing River Fallen City.
Apart from that initial battle, the ancient demons hadn't invaded again during these three years. This was somewhat routine for the soldiers in the fallen city, as the scale of that disaster-level invasion was so large that the ancient demons needed some time to regroup.
In the True World, a thousand years could pass in the blink of an eye, and three years were insignificant.
But for the prodigies from various sects participating in the Southern Domain Battle, these three years felt like a long time, with each day filled with intense training.
"It's the last month. We should set out for the Immortal Capital soon."
In the courtyard of the Water Moon Hall, Gu Xingwan sheathed her sword and said to Li Hao.
(End of Chapter)
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