https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-536-The-Acceptance-of-Mountain-of-Inquiry/13460770/
Chapter 535: A Game at the Foot of the Mountain
Chapter 535: A Game at the Foot of the Mountain
"That's the Mountain of Inquiry!"
"Supreme Sage once comprehended the Heavenly Emperor Dao Heart there. Such a sacred place is actually being used as a trial ground for these young prodigies."
Across the Southern Domain, countless people gazed at the Mountain of Inquiry, which was reflected in the sky, and discussed it heatedly.
"This Mountain of Inquiry will reflect your Dao Realm Avatars. The more Great Dao you comprehend, the more and stronger Avatars will be reflected!"
"Either surpass your own Dao Realm, or bypass them and charge towards the summit with all your might."
Beside Li Hao, Great Dream Master whispered to Li Hao and the others.
In the distance, Yin Jingcheng and Meng Huaiyue both nodded, but their gazes were fixed on Li Hao.
Just now, Li Hao had secured the ninth place on the True Immortal Realm Dao Fire List, bringing glory to the sect once again. In contrast, they had only managed to obtain one or two Dao Fires in the Immortal Lord Realm group, performing rather ordinarily.
Although they had the ability to hunt more Dao Fires, doing so would increase their risks, making it easier to encounter ancient demons at the seventh or eighth level of the Immortal Lord Realm. If they were to be killed and forced to reincarnate, it would be embarrassing.
"Right."
Li Hao and the others nodded.
"I wonder what level of Dao Heart Realm is required to pass."
Spear Abyss Disciple Su Ye Chen asked.
He was also one of the three Immortal Lord Disciples in the sect. His performance was on par with Yin Jingcheng and the other two personal disciples of the patriarch, without revealing too much of his true strength. After all, the real competition would be in the subsequent Disciple trials, and exposing too many techniques beforehand would be disadvantageous.
"It should be at least a Chaos Dao Heart."
Great Dream Master whispered.
Although a typical True Immortal Realm cultivator reaching a heaven-grade Dao Heart is considered qualified, a Chaos Dao Heart often corresponds to the tenth level of the Immortal Lord Realm.
However, the Southern Domain prodigies are evaluated based on their future potential. The Dao Heart reflects the path ahead, and if one cannot even reach a Chaos Dao Heart, it means they will find it extremely difficult to advance to the tenth level of the Immortal Lord Realm.
Although the Dao Heart can be further enhanced and enlightened in the future, the True Immortal Realm is the foundation of an Immortal Deity. The Dao Heart's talent can be sufficiently reflected at this stage.
Hearing Great Dream Master's words, Yin Jingcheng's eyes flickered slightly. His Dao Heart was a Chaos Dao Heart, but it wasn't at the top level.
However, he was at the Immortal Lord Realm. If he couldn't pass, many others would likely be blocked as well.
Thinking of this, he felt a bit relieved and glanced at Li Hao. Master had said that Li Hao's Dao Heart was quite high, and he was curious to see just how high it was.
"Hao Tian, this challenge shouldn't be difficult for you, but be careful with the Dao Realm Avatars and don't be careless."
Li Tiemu also spoke, offering Li Hao some advice.
At the same time, he worried about favoring one over the others and gave a few words of caution to Gu Yan, Yue Xi, and the rest.
They all nodded.
The elders from the other abysses were also instructing their own disciples.
Yue Xi looked at Li Hao. She vaguely remembered that when they both started as beginners, Li Hao had caused nine resounding vibrations in the Floating Pagoda of Heart Inquiry, indicating a higher Dao Heart Realm than hers.
"The second trial has only a thousand spots."
The Celestial Guard Commander now surveyed the disciples from all the realms, his gaze calm, and said, "You must at least reach the Heart-forgetting Hall at the halfway point of the mountain to pass!"
"What if more than a thousand people climb up?" someone asked.
The previous Fire Rankings incident left many people at a disadvantage, so now they were being more cautious and asking more questions in advance.
The Celestial Guard Commander said, "If there are too many, we'll eliminate participants based on the order they arrive, or... those who reach the summit of the Mountain of Inquiry will directly earn the qualification to advance, regardless of their ranking."
Everyone exchanged glances and looked at the summit of the Mountain of Inquiry.
"I heard that to reach the summit, one must have an Eternal Dao Heart!"
"An Eternal Dao Heart is on par with the Dao Heart of an Immortal King Realm. Even the words of an immortal king cannot shake its resolve!"
"We must push ourselves to the limit!"
Many people began subtly adjusting, restoring their state from the secret realm.
Earlier, when they stepped out of the secret realm, they had already started recovering. After all, they were all prodigies, and the Immortal Power here was abundant and rich, allowing the energy expended in the secret realm to be quickly restored, including any injuries they had sustained.
"Now, climb the mountain!"
The Celestial Guard Commander waved his hand and said, "The second trial will last for three days. Everyone, make the most of your time!"
As his hand fell, the barrier surrounding the Mountain of Inquiry suddenly dissipated.
In an instant, numerous figures dashed forward.
Swish, swish, swish!
One after another, they readied themselves, shooting off like arrows released from a bow, flying toward the Mountain of Inquiry.
"Let's go!"
Li Hao didn't hesitate, calling out to Yue Xi and Gu Yan, and quickly sprinted forward.
"Follow me!"
Yin Jingcheng loudly declared, taking on the role of the leader of the Nine Depths of the Great Dream, and called out to the disciples of each depth to follow him.
His figure moved, and he condensed an Immortal Path in the air, stepping on it to gain a speed boost, allowing him to teleport continuously.
However, when they reached the base of the Mountain of Inquiry, an irresistible power pressed down, restricting all those who were flying or teleporting. They suddenly felt like birds with broken wings, falling from the sky and landing on the ground.
Those who reacted quickly landed gracefully, while others tumbled down in a disheveled manner. Fortunately, their physiques were strong, and no one was injured.
"The Mountain of Inquiry, it seems, must be climbed step by step, with no shortcuts!"
The Celestial Guard Commander's voice rang out, and those who had fallen in a disheveled manner inwardly cursed, wondering why he hadn't said this earlier.
Looking up, they saw that the Heavenly Palace disciples, as if they had anticipated this, had already landed gracefully and were calmly climbing the mountain steps.
Li Hao and his group didn't start quickly. Seeing the people in front of them fall, they had time to react and also landed.
"Hmm? What's that?"
"Dao Realm Avatar!"
Suddenly, Li Hao and his group saw that those who had climbed to the Mountain of Inquiry first, standing on the steps, had phantoms emerge from their bodies, attacking them.
In an instant, chaos erupted in front of them. All the disciples climbing the mountain encountered their own Dao Realm Avatars, which attacked them.
Some were caught off guard and injured by their Dao Realm Avatars, while others easily defeated their avatars and continued climbing, quickly pulling ahead.
"This is the Dao Realm Avatar?"
Li Hao observed the chaotic battlefield ahead, filled with curiosity.
"Let's go, don't pay attention to them. The Dao Realm Avatars at the base of the mountain are the weakest. Quickly deal with them!"
Yin Jingcheng called out from the side and charged forward.
The disciples of each depth turned to look at Li Hao, as if waiting for his command.
Yin Jingcheng, who had already flown a few dozen feet ahead, sensed this with his divine sense and his face turned red with anger. He was an Immortal Lord Realm and a personal disciple of the patriarch, yet these people were not following him but waiting for that boy's lead?!
Beside him, Meng Huaiyue also noticed this and felt surprised. It wasn't like this before. Something must have happened after the secret realm trial that they were unaware of.
However, with the Mountain of Inquiry trial starting immediately, she didn't have time to ask her Master.
"Let's go."
Li Hao, unhurried, spoke up when he saw everyone preparing to follow him.
He led the group to the foot of the mountain, which was extremely majestic. Despite the numerous disciples gathered there, there were still spots where they could start their climb.
Ahead, disciples from other sects were battling their Dao Realm Avatars. Li Hao immediately unleashed his Eternal Dao Domain, enveloping all the sect disciples within it and shielding them from the stray attacks of the ongoing battles, forming a safe barrier.
"Hmm?"
At this moment, Li Hao noticed that the attacks from other disciples' Dao Realm Avatars were passing through his Dao Domain without being blocked.
"Go, don't worry about them!"
In front, Yin Jingcheng, seeing this, had a dark, grim expression. Without looking back, he sped ahead at full speed.
Meng Huaiyue glanced at the disciples within Li Hao's Dao Domain, his eyes flickering slightly. In the end, he didn't linger and quickly followed his senior brother Yin Jingcheng up the steps.
Soon, they encountered their own Dao Realm Avatars.
As Yin Jingcheng had said, the Dao Realm Avatars at the base of the mountain were not strong. The two of them swiftly suppressed them and then rushed up the mountain.
"In this situation, if one is strong enough, could they resolve other people's Dao Domain Incarnations and escort them up directly?"
At this point, Lin Qingying, who was following Li Hao, asked curiously.
Li Hao glanced around and saw that the disciples were all battling their own Dao Realm Avatars. Some were trying to help each other, but their Immortal Techniques were ineffective.
His eyes widened in realization as he said, "This Dao Domain Incarnation can only be influenced by the individual. Attacks from others will be ineffective and ignored!"
"I see."
Yue Xi narrowed her eyes. "So it seems we can only rely on ourselves."
"Hao Tian, you go ahead. Don't worry about us; you're the sect's hope."
At this moment, Gu Yan said to Li Hao.
The others, hearing this, all looked at Li Hao and immediately chimed in:
"That's right, Junior Brother Hao Tian, you go ahead. Don't miss out on the spots."
"Since we have to rely on ourselves, we will do the same. This is the Southern Domain Prodigy Great Battle; we can't be a burden."
"Junior Brother Hao Tian, the favor you did us in the secret realm is already beyond repayment. This time, we'll rely on ourselves!"
The others spoke up one by one.
Li Hao wasn't concerned and said, "It's fine; a little time doesn't matter. I'll help you fend off attacks from others. Go ahead."
"Junior Brother Hao Tian..."
Someone tried to persuade him.
Li Hao raised his hand to cut them off, "Hurry up, don't be so sentimental."
Seeing Li Hao's determination, the group stopped being overly polite and humble. After all, the time spent arguing was enough to cover a significant distance.
As they began their climb, their Dao Realm Avatars soon appeared within Li Hao's Dao Domain, each starting to battle their own Dao Realm Avatars.
Li Hao felt the many Dao Realm Avatars manifesting within his Dao Domain, and he was somewhat surprised. He could finely control everything within the Eternal Dao Domain, but the sudden appearance of these Dao Realm Avatars had no prior warning or sound, as if they truly appeared out of nowhere.
"What kind of power is this?"
Li Hao couldn't help but wonder. He had already mastered the Nine Sequences, which contained the fundamental principles of all things in the world. However, this power seemed to transcend the Nine Sequences.
Or perhaps, his understanding of the great Dao Realm of the Nine Sequences was still too shallow, preventing him from sensing it?
While Li Hao pondered, Yue Xi and Gu Yan, among others, also launched their attacks.
They acted decisively, unleashing their full power, and quickly resolved their Dao Realm Avatars.
"Hao Tian, Junior Brother, we……"
Yue Xi dealt with his own Dao Realm Avatar and turned to look at Li Hao, his eyes filled with complexity.
Li Hao, however, smiled freely and said, "Don't overthink it, go on."
Hearing this, Yue Xi didn't linger any longer and turned to quickly climb the mountain.
The others, after dealing with their own Dao Realm Avatars, also bid farewell to Li Hao and quickly rushed out.
Once most of the disciples from the Dao Domain had left, the base of the mountain became much quieter. The disciples from other Immortal Dynasties also quickly climbed up, for the Dao Realm Avatars at the foot of the mountain were the weakest. If one couldn't even pass this stage, they wouldn't have the qualifications to participate in the Southern Domain Battle.
No one would fall at the foot of the mountain; it was just a matter of time.
After waiting for all the disciples from the Dao Domain to leave, Li Hao also stepped onto the stairs.
He was curious about what his own Dao Domain Incarnation would be like.
The other Dao Domain Incarnations that had manifested earlier, some holding swords, others holding spears, represented the Great Dao of their respective origins. However, Li Hao believed that their comprehension of the Great Dao was not limited to one form. The Dao Realm Avatars seemed to display a single, pure aspect of the Great Dao.
What would his Nine Sequences Great Dao reflect?
As Li Hao pondered this, a phantom coalesced beside him, transforming into a Dao Realm Avatar that shared his exact facial features.
However, the avatar was like a shadow, its body ethereal.
The Dao Realm Avatar he manifested looked quite ordinary, emitting no strong aura of Immortal Power.
Suddenly, the avatar raised its hand, and a shadow-like power condensed into a Chess Board in its ethereal palm.
Li Hao was slightly taken aback, immediately sensing the Great Dao Aura emitted by the Dao Realm Avatar—it was Chess Dao!
"Do you want to play a game of chess with me?"
Li Hao couldn't help but laugh. He had played against himself in his childhood, but now it seemed to be a true battle of wits against himself.
He raised his hand, gesturing for the avatar to choose a spot.
The Dao Realm Avatar simply sat down beside the stairs.
Seeing this, Li Hao didn't fuss and sat down on the stairs as well.
The Dao Realm Avatar raised its hand, and two Chess Boxes appeared in the air, filled with Go Stones. However, the power it used seemed ethereal and shadowy, and the Go Stones in the Chess Boxes were not black and white but one deep black and the other light gray.
This light gray would have to do as the white stones.
Li Hao smiled and grabbed a handful of stones to determine who would play white.
As the Go Stones landed on the Chess Board, he found himself with the white stones, which were the light gray ones.
The game quickly began.
Li Hao immediately noticed that the avatar's style of play was very similar to his own.
"So, this is how my chess style appears to my opponents……"
Li Hao felt as if he were looking at himself from another perspective, seeing himself more clearly and gaining a deeper understanding of himself.
Stepping out of oneself to see oneself truly.
Li Hao suddenly realized the true significance and purpose of the Mountain of Inquiry.
The scene on the mountain caught the attention of countless people throughout the Southern Domain. Earlier, the True Immortal Realm and Immortal Lord Realm were divided into two groups, with most people focusing on the Immortal Lord secret realm. However, now that both groups were on the Mountain of Inquiry, the entire Southern Domain's attention was focused on this mountain.
"What is that young man doing?"
"Playing chess? His Dao Realm Avatar is Chess Dao. This is a joke, right?"
"If I remember correctly, his soul age was measured at 96 years, and he cultivated to the True Immortal Realm in such a short time. He's actually proficient in Chess Dao?!"
Countless people were dumbfounded, whispering in shock.
(End of Chapter)
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