Chapter 517: Art Dao Comprehension
Chapter 517: Art Dao Comprehension
At the main peak of the Great Dream Sect's Nine Depths,
When Li Hao and his companions returned, the place was already bustling with activity, teeming with people.
Elders and inner disciples from each depth had gathered on the main peak, eagerly awaiting the return of the disciples who had ventured out.
"They’re back!"
"Look, that must be the prodigy from the Sword Depth."
"Right, it’s him—Hao Tian from the Sword Depth. Seven years ago, he ranked in the top ten in the Ancient Immortal Realm and defeated an Imperial Clan Lord of the Immortal Lord Realm!"
"I never thought there could be someone even more formidable than our Spear Depth's Senior Brother Ye Chen. Has the Sword Depth finally bloomed after all these years?"
The elders and disciples from each depth were abuzz with discussion. They watched with excitement as Li Hao and his companions, bathed in the immortal light of the teleportation array, returned.
Although it had been seven years since they last saw Li Hao, the impression this young man had left on them was profound. He had risen to the top ten among the prodigies of the entire Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty, an incredible feat.
Moreover, Li Hao had defeated Chu Tianzheng, a True Immortal Realm cultivator, creating a legend of adversity that made him famous throughout the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty.
"Quite a scene."
Murmurs of excitement filled the air as Murong Qingwu, Gu Yan, and others surveyed the crowd.
Li Hao scanned the crowd and spotted Li Tiemu. He immediately flew over to him.
"Pretty good, right? I bet you made significant progress in the Origin Secret Realm over these seven years!"
Li Tiemu beamed as he saw Li Hao land. "Indeed."
Li Hao nodded. In the Origin Secret Realm, his immortal seal had ascended to the Nine Sequence Immortal Seal, yielding substantial gains. Additionally, he had comprehended the fifth level in all five arts and unexpectedly glimpsed the Imperial Dao from ten thousand years ago, significantly enhancing his combat prowess.
Li Hao wasn’t entirely sure how strong he had become, but he felt confident that if he faced Chu Tianzheng again, he could settle the matter with a single sword strike.
"Thanks to you, the Great Dream Sect is now a Heaven Two Sect in the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty!"
Li Tiemu smiled at Li Hao. "Although the Southern Domain Battle hasn’t started yet, your ranking and astonishing performance in the Ancient Immortal Realm have already prompted the Imperial Family to elevate our sect’s status. Once the Southern Domain Battle concludes, we’re certain to be named a Tianyi Sect, restoring our former glory!"
His eyes sparkled with excitement.
"An early promotion?"
Li Hao was somewhat surprised, but he didn’t feel too deeply about it. For him, even if the Great Dream Sect became a Tianyi Sect, it wouldn’t cause much of a stir in his heart. However, he knew that many of the sect’s old-timers, like Old Li, had been striving for this.
"All thanks to you. When you have time, visit the Sword Depth. The Abyss Lord said he would reward you properly upon your return."
Li Tiemu said, pride evident in his eyes.
"As a disciple of the Sword Depth, it’s just my duty", Li Hao replied.
Li Tiemu chuckled. "Don’t be modest. Not only you, but all of them have their rewards. Let’s see what the Great Dream Master has in store for you. By the way, how come you’re still at the ninth level of the True Immortal Realm? The Southern Domain Battle is coming up, and you should be able to reach the tenth level of perfection. If you’re short on immortal stones, I can provide them."
"I have enough immortal stones, but I haven’t had the time to cultivate. I can improve my realm in the coming months."
Li Hao explained.
Li Tiemu said, "The gap between the ninth and tenth levels is significant, almost doubling your strength. It surpasses the span of the first three to four levels of the True Immortal Realm. Once you reach the tenth level, in the True Immortal Realm division of the Southern Domain Battle, I doubt more than three people could best you."
"Really?"
Li Hao was somewhat surprised.
Li Tiemu was momentarily taken aback, then he let out a slightly exasperated sigh. "You call this a lot? This is a gathering of prodigies from all the major Holy Lands and numerous Forbidden Areas across the entire Southern Domain. The vast expanse of the Seven Ancient Immortal Dynasties is immense, and you are the first person to reach the True Immortal Realm in the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty. Whether the other six Immortal Dynasties have anyone who can match you is still unknown."
"Moreover, in that Heavenly Palace, there are always some demons and spirits that are absurdly powerful. If the Heavenly Palace's Supreme Sage were to send down their Personal Disciple, things would be unpredictable."
"Supreme Sage's Personal Disciple?"
Li Hao's eyes flickered. He knew that the Supreme Sage of the Heavenly Palace was an Immortal Emperor, and the value of an Immortal Emperor's Personal Disciple was immense, as he had felt it when he received the legacy.
"Right."
Li Tiemu nodded. "A thousand years ago, the Supreme Sage took in a Personal Disciple, a newborn baby. It was said that the child was brought from the Primordial True Realm, with an extremely mysterious bloodline. The child was born with a Heaven and Earth Dharma Image, and behind them stood an ancient Imperial Human Shadow..."
He sighed lightly. "Such a monster, unheard of. If they truly grow up, they will definitely be invincible within their realm."
Li Hao was somewhat stunned. Born with a Dharma Image?
That was almost too monstrous.
"Don't overthink it. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. With the Supreme Sage's guidance, even the youngest Personal Disciple of the Supreme Sage might already be at the Immortal Lord Realm. Unless they deliberately suppress their cultivation and comprehend the Nine Sequence Immortal Seal, they might still be in the True Immortal Realm."
Li Tiemu consoled Li Hao.
Li Hao's thoughts drifted, and he suddenly felt that there was always someone stronger out there.
At this moment, the prodigies from the other great abysses also returned to their respective abysses.
In the Sword Abyss, besides Li Hao, the old woman's disciple, Lin Mingrong, also performed quite well.
However, in terms of true strength, Li Hao was undoubtedly the first, and Gu Yan could be considered the second.
Although Li Hao and Gu Yan were the latest to join, their combat power was the strongest in the Sword Abyss.
"Ye Chen, how did you do? Did you pass the Chaos Secret Realm trial and advance to the Origin Secret Realm?"
In the Spear Abyss, an Elder anxiously asked the nearby Su Ye Chen.
In the Nine Depths of the Great Dream, besides the prodigies from the Sword Abyss, Su Ye Chen had the highest immortal stele ranking. Moreover, he was already at the Immortal Lord Realm, making him the only Immortal Lord Realm participant in the Nine Depths of the Great Dream.
"Master, don't worry. The Chaos Secret Realm trial wasn't difficult for me. I cultivated in the Origin Secret Realm for five years and gained a lot. Unfortunately, I didn't capture any space-time primordial essence, so I couldn't go to the space-time primordial city. I had to settle for cultivating in the Form Control City, but it was still very fruitful."
Su Ye Chen smiled and reassured his anxious Master, but his gaze couldn't help but drift toward the distance.
He had thought that breaking through his bottleneck and becoming the only Immortal Lord Realm participant in the sect would make him the center of attention, but unexpectedly, his shine was completely overshadowed by that young man.
"Five years, that's good."
The Elder of the Spear Abyss immediately relaxed. "This time, besides Hao Tian from the Sword Abyss, the most promising one is you. You must make good use of the remaining three months. If you need anything, just let me know, and don't let anything distract you from your cultivation."
"Understood."
Su Ye Chen nodded.
At this moment, as the cheers outside grew louder, the figure of the Great Dream Master appeared, a manifestation of their avatar, towering like a Dharma Image.
The Great Dream Master's gaze swept across the entire scene, their eyes calm and distant, exuding a sense of authority. However, when their eyes met Li Hao's, a hint of tenderness appeared in their gaze.
"There are only three months left. You have just returned from the secret realm, so make sure to settle down and focus. The sect will provide each of you with thirty thousand immortal stones to ensure that you can fully absorb and master the Great Dao you have comprehended."
Great Dream Master spoke in a soft, ethereal voice, her words drifting like wisps of mist. "If you can rank within the top thousand in the Southern Domain Battle, the sect will reward you with a top-tier Immortal Weapon. If you can ascend to the top hundred, you can become my Personal Disciple!"
Hearing her words, the crowd outside erupted in exclamations of surprise and envy.
Becoming Great Dream Master’s Personal Disciple meant having a chance to become the patriarch of the Nine Depths of the Great Dream!
What an invaluable opportunity.
However, ascending to the top hundred in the Southern Domain Battle, where prodigies abound, was a daunting challenge.
"Kid, you need to step up your game."
Li Tiemu telepathically told Li Hao.
Li Hao was silent. He wasn’t particularly interested in becoming Great Dream Master’s Personal Disciple, but the chance to discuss art with her would certainly pique his interest.
Great Dream Master finished her brief speech and then her figure dissipated, dismissing the gathered crowd.
With only three months left, time was of the essence, and Great Dream Master didn’t want to waste the precious time of Li Hao and the others.
"Come to my hall."
As Great Dream Master’s figure dissipated, her voice echoed in Li Hao’s mind.
Li Hao was surprised and looked around to make sure no one else had heard. He had a hunch and told Old Li:
"Great Dream Master wants me to go see her."
"Go ahead, just be polite."
Li Tiemu, who had clearly anticipated this, smiled and said.
Li Hao immediately left the Sword Abyss Disciples and followed the same route he had taken before, moving with ease.
Now, Li Hao was highly recognized in the Nine Depths of the Great Dream. As he walked, countless pairs of eyes followed him.
"What’s Junior Brother doing?"
Yue Xi asked, puzzled.
"Hao Tian ranked tenth on the Immortal Stele earlier, making him our sect’s hope. Great Dream Master probably wants to give him some guidance to ensure he doesn’t go astray. You two shouldn’t linger here; go and cultivate."
Li Tiemu said this without hesitation, smiling.
Yue Xi and Murong Qingwu’s eyes filled with envy, but they felt no jealousy. They understood that someone like Li Hao, a true prodigy, would excel even without guidance.
Moreover, Li Hao now bore the glory of the entire sect. Whether the Nine Depths of the Great Dream could gain renown in the Southern Domain Battle depended entirely on his performance.
"Let’s go, we should cultivate too."
Gu Yan, with a calm expression, said to the two girls and then headed toward Great Dream Master’s courtyard, which was the Holy Land of the Langya Painting Realm and the best place for cultivation in the Nine Depths of the Great Dream.
"Hmph."
On the other side, Su Ye Chen from the Spear Abyss saw Li Hao heading to Great Dream Master’s main hall and immediately knew she had telepathically called him. A shadow of gloom crossed his face. As the only Immortal Lord Realm participant, he had expected more attention from Great Dream Master.
However, thinking about Li Hao’s ranking on the Immortal Stele, the gloom in his eyes quickly faded. He said goodbye to his master and quickly made his way to the Langya Painting Realm.
In the depths of the Langya Painting Realm, inside the main hall.
"Do you have a strong mentor behind you?"
As Li Hao entered the main hall, Great Dream Master, dressed in a gentle blue robe, asked softly. She stood with her back to him, her face hidden.
Li Hao’s eyes flickered, but he didn’t hesitate, nodding. "Yes."
"To defeat an Immortal Lord Realm at the True Immortal Realm is nearly mythical. Without a powerful mentor, no matter how talented one’s bloodline, it would be impossible."
Great Dream Master turned, her side profile revealing her breathtaking beauty, and looked at Li Hao. "In this Southern Domain Battle, you have already become a thorn in many people’s sides. News about you has already spread to other Immortal Dynasties."
Li Hao was slightly taken aback but maintained his composure. "To wear the crown, one must bear its weight. Since I’ve gained fame, it’s only natural to bear the burden that comes with it."
Great Dream Master looked at him with a hint of surprise, then smiled and nodded. "It’s rare to see someone understand this. Fame can be a double-edged sword; if you can’t handle it, it becomes a burden."
"In these three months, don't go anywhere. Stay here in the Langya Painting Realm and cultivate. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. When the Southern Domain Battle begins, we will head to the Heavenly Palace together."
"Alright."
Li Hao nodded, agreeing readily. With only three months left, he had no intention of wandering around aimlessly.
Seeing Li Hao agree so readily, Great Dream Master was somewhat surprised. Earlier, Li Hao's insistence on going to the border made her feel that this young man was stubborn and hard to persuade. She had planned to do some convincing, given that geniuses often had a streak of arrogance, but she hadn't expected Li Hao to agree so easily.
"In these three months, I also hope to discuss the Art Dao with you. Would you be willing to share your insights?"
Li Hao asked.
"Art Dao?"
Great Dream Master was taken aback, frowning slightly. "While I do have a fondness for the Art Dao and use painting to enter the Dao, including the construction of this Langya Secret Realm, the Southern Domain Battle is approaching. Are you sure you want to spend your time on this?"
"Yes."
Li Hao smiled. "If you can use painting to enter the Dao, so can I."
Great Dream Master raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Is that so? This path is not an easy one. Can you truly use the Art Dao to cultivate?"
"Yes."
Li Hao nodded.
Great Dream Master's lips curled into a smile. "Then I must see for myself."
Li Hao said, "Before we delve into our discussion, could you send a message for me?"
"Send a message? To whom?"
Great Dream Master was puzzled.
"To the Demon Suppression Bureau."
"The Demon Suppression Bureau? What do you need to send them a message for?"
"I want them to send me some items."
Li Hao smiled, thinking that the ancient demon corpses in his Heavenly Earth Space were running low. As a spirit officer of the Demon Suppression Bureau, his direct superior was Celestial Master Gu Changming. He planned to ask Gu Changming for some ancient demon corpses to avoid the risks of hunting them himself.
"Send you items?"
Great Dream Master was confused and asked.
Li Hao only mentioned that he had a friend in the Demon Suppression Bureau. Great Dream Master didn't press further and agreed to help.
After sending the message to Gu Changming, Li Hao settled into a secret hall within the Langya Painting Realm.
Using time as his brush and Immortal Power to guide, he began painting the space-time primordial divine tree.
As the lush silver-gray divine leaves unfurled one by one, the outline of the space-time primordial divine tree's crown gradually emerged, and the surrounding void rippled with distorted and sharp spatial forces.
"You..."
Great Dream Master was stunned when she saw Li Hao's painting. She had been to the Origin Secret Realm and immediately recognized the space-time primordial divine tree.
But now, this divine tree was actually being painted by Li Hao?
At first glance, it was hard to tell if it was real or not. The Space Dao aura swirling around gave her the illusion that the space-time primordial divine tree had descended into the True World, standing before her.
After a long while...
With the final stroke, the space-time primordial divine tree was completed.
Li Hao's understanding of the Art Dao improved further, and his grasp of space seemed to become even more refined.
He was lost in thought for a moment before remembering that Great Dream Master was still there.
"Your spatial origin realm is at the fourth level, and so are your Water Dao and Earth Dao realms..."
Great Dream Master's eyes were filled with shock and a hint of complexity.
While Li Hao was painting, he naturally exuded Primordial Dao aura, allowing her to sense that this young man had cultivated three of the Nine Sequences to the fourth realm. This was simply extraordinary!
After all, Li Hao was still only at the True Immortal Realm. Such progress would be considered remarkable even among the Immortal Lord Realm, a talent that was rare and hard to come by in a thousand years.
"Senior, could you give me some guidance? Point out any areas where I might be lacking."
Li Hao said to Great Dream Master, his eyes sincere. From the Langya Painting Realm alone, he could tell that Great Dream Master's Art Dao was superior to his own, and he was now eager to learn.
Great Dream Master gazed at the space-time primordial divine tree, her expression no longer casual. At this moment, she believed that the young man before her, aside from herself, was also someone who used the Art Dao to Comprehend other Primordial Dao, and his Talent was terrifyingly strong!
(End of Chapter)
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