Chapter 490: Wrath
Chapter 490: Wrath
The Dharma Images joined forces, and the surrounding Immortal Power billowed like a silver-white wave, spreading and surging in all directions.
Amid the billowing Immortal Power, ancient and intricate immortal patterns emerged, followed by what seemed to be a secret array opening up in the void.
In the outer regions of the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty, the barriers of the nine thousand immortal cities suddenly lit up, and the power buried within each city surged into the barriers. Starlight shone from the sky, illuminating a majestic obelisk at the center of one city.
The obelisk absorbed the starlight, and as if drawn by some unseen force, it was enveloped in lightning that shot skyward, dispersing the clouds. It connected with the Ancient Immortal Realm within the Imperial City, spanning billions of miles of territory.
The outline of the Ancient Immortal Realm was reflected in the clouds above the nine thousand immortal cities.
The figures of the prodigies from various sects of the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty were gradually revealed in the reflected clouds.
At this moment, the prodigies standing in the Ancient Immortal Realm were in the spotlight, visible to countless onlookers.
Twenty thousand prodigies, carefully selected from various sects, all looked up. In the steam of immortal clouds above the thirty-six elders of the National Supervisory Academy, the outlines of the immortal cities were faintly visible.
Ultimately, the image that was fixed there was that of a majestic imperial palace.
This was the ancient capital palace of the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty, where the emperor resided, overseeing the nine thousand immortal cities and vast territories.
The image of the imperial palace was broadcast across the nine thousand immortal cities, and everyone looked up in awe. Many generals knelt in reverence, and countless commoners showed devout and fearful expressions. The heads of numerous noble families, who usually looked down upon the common people, also bowed before the majestic projection of the imperial palace, like quails and ants with drooping heads.
"That is the imperial palace where the Yan Chu emperor resides. Only those in the King Realm can ascend to pay homage..."
In the Ancient Immortal Realm, the elders and disciples of various sects showed awe and admiration in their eyes, all wishing to step into that imperial hall. However, they knew that without reaching the King Realm, they would never have the chance to set foot there.
And how difficult it was to cultivate to the King Realm! Each step in the Immortal Lord Realm was a significant leap, with ten levels and immense gaps between them, each a formidable bottleneck.
"At this moment, all of the great Yan Chu realm know of you!"
Chu Xiangtian glanced at the projection of the imperial palace, knowing that the array behind it had already broadcast the scene of the Ancient Immortal Realm to the nine thousand immortal cities.
He lowered his gaze and looked at Li Hao and the other ten, then raised his hand again, invoking the Immortal Dao Law to act on the black immortal stele.
The immortal stele trembled, and golden light rippled over it. Zhang Xuan Yu, who was ranked eleventh, was illuminated by the golden light. His expression was extremely cold, and his gaze shifted from the imperial palace back to the young man on the immortal terrace, before he leaped forward.
Soon, he landed quietly beside Li Hao.
"Did you break the thirteenth wasteland?"
As soon as he landed on the immortal terrace, Zhang Xuan Yu's eyes were cold as he stared at Li Hao and asked.
If the young man were in the second level of the Immortal Lord Realm, matching his own, he would have accepted his loss, even if reluctantly.
But the young man before him was only in the True Immortal Realm, which he found hard to accept.
"No."
Li Hao glanced at him and immediately recognized him as the "former ten" mentioned by Old Li. Given the unmasked hostility in the other's eyes, Li Hao had no interest in further conversation.
"No? Then how long did you stay in the twelfth wasteland?"
Zhang Xuan Yu couldn't help but speak sharply.
Li Hao raised an eyebrow slightly and said, "Do I need to tell you?"
"You!"
Zhang Xuan Yu's face changed. As an Immortal Lord, no True Immortal had ever dared to speak to him like this.
The gap between True Immortal and Immortal Lord Realm was enormous. If a True Immortal merely converts their power into pure Immortal Power, an Immortal Lord has already grasped the Immortal Dao Law, which renders all the saint path laws controlled by a True Immortal ineffective.
It's like a person without any law power facing someone who controls law power, and the latter's Immortal Power is even more concentrated. It's almost impossible to contend!
But Li Hao was an exception. He had mastered the fourth level of Spatial Dao Essence, a level that only Immortal Lords could reach. Even among the Nine Sequences, most Immortal Lord prodigies might not have grasped it, and even if they had, they wouldn't have reached the fourth level.
Moreover, Li Hao's mastery of other Nine Sequences essences was at the second or third level, which was almost unheard of among True Immortals.
Seeing that this young man was no longer paying attention to him, Zhang Xuan Yu's face turned grim, as if his belongings had been snatched away, and when he asked for an explanation, he was slapped in the face.
If it weren't for the presence of Chu Xiangtian and the various sects of Yan Chu below, including the countless Yan Chu citizens watching from the Nine Thousand Immortal Cities, he wouldn't have let it go so easily.
"I hope that by the time of the Southern Domain Battle, you'll still have the nerve to talk like this!"
Zhang Xuan Yu gritted his teeth and said to Li Hao in a low voice.
Li Hao's eyes turned cold. Though he was usually easygoing and indifferent to everything, it didn't mean others could overstep their bounds.
They weren't master and servant; not answering every question didn't make him stubborn.
"Don't pick a fight with me."
Li Hao didn't hold back, staring coldly at the other man.
Zhang Xuan Yu's face changed. Concerned about his reputation, he didn't dare make a scene, but this young man was bolder, speaking more directly.
He glared at Li Hao, his fists clenched, but ultimately held back to avoid tarnishing his sect's image.
Seeing that the other man was silent, Li Hao didn't bother with him anymore.
However, their conversation, though subtle, was heard by the other nine people on the Immortal Terrace. Some of them glanced over, their lips curling into mocking smiles, clearly enjoying the spectacle.
"Using the sect's Immortal Weapon foundation to get here isn't something to be proud of; there will be a price to pay."
The Imperial Princess, who had spoken earlier, said this with a disdainful smile. She spoke slowly, her gaze not on Li Hao but straight ahead, as if talking to the air, which made the insult even more cutting.
Li Hao's eyes narrowed slightly, but he ignored it.
Xing Lan, however, frowned slightly. Having accompanied this young man during his time as a 1st Rank, she knew his skills and demeanor in slaying ancient demons were genuine. Even with the help of Immortal Weapon power, he wouldn't rely on it much. Based on his own abilities, she felt he could at least rank in the top ten.
In the True Immortal Realm, she hadn't seen anyone more capable than this young man.
Whoosh!
At that moment, the Immortal Stela glowed again, a beam of Golden Light shooting out and enveloping a young man from the Imperial Clan.
This young man had a dark gaze, his eyes fixed on the figure of the young man on the Immortal Terrace. He leaped up with a tremendous aura and landed on the Immortal Terrace.
Once he stood firm, he didn't wait for the thirteenth person to step forward. Instead, he turned to Li Hao and said:
"Boy, a mere True Immortal Realm, daring to stand above us Immortal Lords. I don't care if you're following the sect's orders to bring glory to it or to yourself. Get down from here, back to where you belong!"
His eyes were cold and commanding, as if his words were not to be questioned, and they were filled with icy disdain.
His voice wasn't as concealed as Zhang Xuan Yu's. In an instant, not only did everyone on the Immortal Terrace hear him, but the Elders and stronger disciples from the various sects below also heard his words.
For those at the True Immortal Realm, the sound of insects crawling a thousand miles away can be sensed, let alone the sound of normal conversation.
When Zhang Xuan Yu heard the words of the Imperial Clan Prince, he couldn't help but be stunned, his eyes brightening slightly. A smile crept onto his lips as he looked at Li Hao with a mocking expression.
He dared not make a fuss, having too many concerns, but the Imperial Clan Prince didn't seem to have as many qualms.
Those who break the rules will always face consequences!
"Tianzheng, don't cause trouble!"
Chu Xiangtian's face darkened slightly as he hissed in a low voice.
Chu Tianzheng, hearing his Third Brother's words, did not change his expression. Instead, he bowed and said, "Third Brother, our clan treats others with kindness, but we shouldn't allow some people to break the rules. At the Southern Domain Battle, no one is allowed to use Immortal Weapons or immortal herbs as aids. The competition should be based on true skill. If he does this, how can other geniuses be convinced?"
Chu Xiangtian's expression changed, his eyes narrowing as he considered how to handle this sudden situation.
Chu Tianzheng's words spread quickly, and the disciples of various sects below were taken aback, exchanging glances. Soon, some of them showed understanding.
"Is that guy using an Immortal Weapon to reach tenth place? No wonder, I thought it was impossible for a True Immortal to reach tenth."
"Exactly, the Immortal Lord Realm behind him is ranked in the twenties. How could he surpass an Immortal Lord?"
"Are you kidding? A True Immortal surpassing an Immortal Lord? That's the newest cold joke in sixty years."
"If that young man is from the Nine Depths of the Great Dream Sect, I've heard they've been eyeing the Tianyi Sect's position. They're really going all out this time, but their methods are a bit dishonorable. They might gain fame now, but at the Southern Domain Battle, with the tenth place title, he could be defeated in one move. That would be truly embarrassing."
"The Nine Depths of the Great Dream Sect's plan is probably just to gain fame. As for the Southern Domain Battle, they probably haven't even thought about it. The Tiansi Sect's foundation is far from capable of standing out in the Southern Domain Battle."
"That's true, but they have indeed gained fame this time."
Disciples from various sects, including those from the Dizong Sect, began to discuss, their eyes flicking toward the Nine Depths of the Great Dream Sect's members. Scorn and disdain filled their gazes.
Hearing these comments, Li Tiemu and Zhou Qingyun's faces changed. Li Tiemu's face turned bright red with anger, his eyes almost bulging out. His blood seemed to boil, and he wanted to shout in rebuke, but he knew that would only invite more ridicule. At this moment, he clenched his fists tightly, his teeth grinding together.
"These bastards, they don't understand the real situation, yet they spout nonsense!"
"When the group starts mocking, they join in, thinking they're being righteous!"
"Hao Tian's strength in the True Immortal Realm, I admire him! These people... they're all trash!"
In the crowd, Gu Yan's eyes turned cold, his icy gaze sweeping over the other sects, especially those who were mocking. He glared back at them fiercely.
Zhou Qingyun and the old woman also looked grim, their disciples feeling stifled and angry as they glared around.
The elders of the other abysses, however, had varying expressions. One elder from the Spear Abyss sent a telepathic message to Li Tiemu:
"Old Li, did your disciple use an Immortal Weapon to climb to that position?"
Li Tiemu's face changed upon receiving the telepathic message. His tightly clenched fist paused, and he wanted to angrily retaliate. But suddenly, the words stuck in his throat, and he couldn't bring himself to speak.
Is that true?
He himself didn't know.
On Emperor Sword Mountain, the young man's performance was unexpected, but tenth place on the immortal stele... he suddenly felt a cold splash of water on his head.
No matter how strong a True Immortal is, it's almost impossible to match an Immortal Lord. This is almost a rule of thumb.
But occasionally, there are miracles that break this rule. However, did he really not use any external power at all?
He couldn't guarantee that.
However, he quickly replied through Telepathy, "Elder Sun, even if Hao Tian uses an Immortal Weapon, there are no Rule Restrictions in the Ancient Immortal Realm. How is that a foul play?"
The Telepathy-using Elder's expression changed slightly, his eyes flickering for a moment before he nodded and Telepathed back, "At this moment, we need to stand united against outsiders. The Imperial Clan indeed has no such regulations."
Li Tiemu gritted his teeth and said, "Exactly, do other sect disciples not use some underhanded tricks? I don’t believe it!"
As they conversed, Murong Qingwu and Yue Xi beside them looked worriedly at the immortal terrace.
At that moment, Chu Tianzheng on the immortal terrace glared coldly at Li Hao, his eyes filled with a domineering presence. He said,
"Will you step down on your own, or do I have to force you?"
Li Hao hadn't expected to become the focus of everyone's attention so quickly. For someone who disliked attention, this made him extremely uncomfortable.
Before he could speak, Xing Lan, who was standing in fifth place, suddenly said,
"Prince Tianzheng, the Imperial Clan has no rule against using Immortal Weapons. There's no need to make someone so uncomfortable in such a setting."
Chu Tianzheng raised his head and glanced at Xing Lan, his gaze landing on her flawless face. The coldness in his eyes diminished somewhat, and he said coldly,
"It's his own fault. If he had only managed to reach the thirtieth place, no one would have cared. He could have just blended in, but he shouldn't have been so ostentatious and over the top!"
Xing Lan frowned and said, "As a Prince, this is not the grace you should show."
"Someone from a sect has no right to lecture us, the people of the Imperial Clan, on such matters."
At this, a young man from the Imperial Clan, standing beside Xing Lan in fourth place, spoke calmly. His eyes held a scornful and condescending look, unaffected by Xing Lan's extraordinary beauty. His eyes were filled only with the coldness of power and authority.
Xing Lan's expression changed slightly, a hint of anger flashing in her eyes.
The Imperial Princess standing in seventh place also glanced at Xing Lan indifferently and said,
"That's right. The Imperial Clan is already being quite lenient. Otherwise, it wouldn't just be words, but actions!"
Xing Lan's face turned somewhat unpleasant, and she was about to speak when Li Hao interrupted, saying,
"There's no need to say more."
Hearing Li Hao's words, Xing Lan stopped herself. She looked at the young man, her eyes filled with a complex mix of regret and disappointment.
She felt that this young man had resigned himself to his fate, bowing to the authority of the Imperial Clan. This made her admiration and good feelings towards him diminish significantly.
But she also knew that it was a rational and correct choice.
As she looked at him with regret, she noticed that the young man had turned to look at her and smiled.
The handsome and dashing young man's smile, with his rosy lips and white teeth, was like the warm sunlight of a March day, making her feel a bit dazed, as brilliant as the golden light filtering through leaves.
As Xing Lan was momentarily stunned, Li Hao had already turned back, took a step forward, and looked at Chu Tianzheng, saying,
"I don't like to argue. You're in the Immortal Lord Realm, right? Show your skills. If you can make me move even a step, I'll step down voluntarily."
His voice was neither loud nor soft, just clear and cold, echoing calmly on the immortal terrace and reaching the ears of the elders and disciples of various sects below.
Chu Tianzheng was stunned, as was Zhang Xuan Yu standing beside him, who looked at Li Hao with a look of shock.
Xing Lan felt as if a stone had dropped into her heart, causing a slight tremor. Her eyes widened as she gazed at the young man.
His serene face and deep, calm eyes showed no trace of arrogance or anger.
The immortal terrace fell into a brief silence, but soon, Chu Tianzheng regained his composure and was almost amused.
"Truly skilled, I see. It looks like your sect has given you quite a bit of confidence. Are you challenging me?"
Li Hao's eyes gradually turned cold, and he said, "The one stirring up trouble is you. I'm challenging you. You don’t have the qualifications to be my opponent!"
(End of Chapter)
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