https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-536-The-Acceptance-of-Mountain-of-Inquiry/13460770/
Chapter 537: Ascension (7K)
Chapter 537: Ascension (7K)
"No matter how high his talent, it's useless if he doesn't have enough time. Unless he can reach the summit!"
"There's still a pavilion ahead, and everyone else has already started their final sprint, but he hasn't even made it there yet!"
People from the Southern Domain's various Immortal Dynasties were discussing the situation, some feeling anxious for Li Hao. It would be a great pity if such a prodigy were to be eliminated in the second trial.
At that moment, in the Inquiry Mountain pavilion, Li Hao gazed at the spot where the painting had disappeared. After a moment of contemplation, he slightly bowed.
Since the Inquiry Mountain had shown favor, putting away the painting was a form of acknowledgment.
A good painting brings joy that surpasses even a delicious meal.
After bowing in farewell, Li Hao left the pavilion and continued his ascent up the Inquiry Mountain.
The steps seemed endless, but Li Hao encountered no one along the way. The path ahead was empty, and from the mountain's waist, he could faintly hear intense rumbling, suggesting that everyone had gathered there.
As Li Hao climbed, at the waist of the mountain, in front of the Heart-forgetting Hall.
Hundreds of figures had gathered, all having entered the Heart-forgetting Hall and secured their qualification for the second trial's ascension.
Some of them continued their climb toward the summit, striving for a higher position.
Others stood outside the Heart-forgetting Hall, looking back at the path they had taken and the others still struggling along it.
"Hmph, Master said that young man has an extremely high Dao Heart and great potential. Why hasn't he shown up yet?"
"Many True Immortal Realm cultivators from other sects have also arrived."
At the entrance of the Heart-forgetting Hall, Yin Jingcheng gazed at the path behind, seeing only the disciples of other heavenly sects engaging in battles with Dao Realm Avatars, but not the annoying figure he was looking for.
Beside him, Meng Huaiyue frowned. She didn't particularly dislike Li Hao, nor did she have much affection for him. As a member of the Great Dream Clan, she understood her Master's thoughts. Compared to the others, that young man had a higher chance of bringing glory to the sect. If he were eliminated here, it would be a laughing matter.
As they watched, more disciples of the Nine Depths of the Great Dream arrived and entered the Heart-forgetting Hall.
The crowd in front of the Heart-forgetting Hall grew larger.
"Are you all disciples of the Sword Abyss?"
Meng Huaiyue's gaze swept over a few people rushing toward them. She recognized them as the ones who had previously been with Li Hao, also disciples of the Sword Abyss.
"Um."
Yue Xi looked at the girl, recognizing her as the personal disciple of the Great Dream Master and one of the three Immortal Lord Realm disciples in the sect.
Gu Yan glanced at her, then returned his gaze to the path they had taken, waiting for that figure to appear.
"You've all arrived, so why hasn't Hao Tian come yet?"
Meng Huaiyue couldn't help but ask.
In her view, Li Hao was the leader among the True Immortal Realm cultivators in the sect, and there was no reason for him to lag behind the others.
"Earlier at the foot of the mountain, he told us to go ahead to avoid being caught in the attacks of the Dao Realm Avatars. He stayed behind to cover us."
Yue Xi explained, then looked back down the path, her eyes filled with worry and anxiety. There were more people around than they had expected, and if Li Hao arrived too late, he might be eliminated.
"What is he doing? Could it be that his Ascension Heart is too low, and he's being influenced by the Inquiry Mountain, unable to move forward?"
Yin Jingcheng frowned and said with a cold snort.
Gu Yan glanced at him, said nothing, and continued to look down the path.
Beside them, Lin Mingrong and the other Sword Abyss disciples' faces changed slightly. Though they were unhappy, they didn't say anything, restrained by the fact that he was a personal disciple of the patriarch and an Immortal Lord Realm cultivator.
As time passed, more disciples arrived at the Heart-forgetting Hall.
"There are only a few dozen spots left. If he doesn't come soon, he'll be eliminated."
Yin Jingcheng said with a cold laugh.
Meng Huaiyue frowned deeply. If that young man were to be eliminated, it would undoubtedly be a significant blow to Master.
She could see that Master had high hopes for that young man, even more so than for her and her senior brother.
"Perhaps he'll be here soon."
She whispered softly.
Yue Xi and Lin Mingrong's faces were already showing signs of anxiety. Gu Yan, who was usually calm and aloof, now quietly clenched his hand in his sleeve, his eyes becoming extremely serious as he stared intently at the corner of the hill, hoping to see that familiar figure appear in the next moment.
However, people were climbing up from time to time, but none of them were the familiar face they were waiting for.
While everyone was anxiously waiting, outside the Mountain of Inquiry, the Great Dream Master and Li Tiemu were also looking worried. They watched Li Hao's movements while mentally counting the number of people entering the Heart-forgetting Hall, knowing that there were only a few dozen spots left.
At that moment, in the last Dao Pavilion, people were constantly defeating their Dao Realm Avatars and rushing toward the final Heart-forgetting Hall, securing their Ascension.
On the mountain path, Li Hao moved like a clear wind, climbing the steps. As he approached the hillside, he saw some other disciples along the way. Some were even kneeling on the steps, their eyes tightly closed, as if in worship.
Li Hao was surprised but did not disturb them, passing by and continuing forward.
Before long, the number of people in front of him gradually increased, and he saw a pavilion.
Hundreds of figures gathered here, battling their Dao Realm Avatars.
Beside them, many others were kneeling on the ground, their eyes closed, just like the people he had encountered halfway up the mountain.
Li Hao was curious, but he suppressed his questions and came to the open space outside the pavilion.
At that moment, a Dao Realm Avatar immediately condensed next to him.
The dark Dao Realm Avatar appeared, with the same outline and appearance as Li Hao.
Outside the Mountain of Inquiry, countless people were eagerly watching Li Hao's Dao Realm Avatar.
"Could it be another Chess Dao Incarnation this time?"
"There are only a few spots left. If he keeps delaying, he'll miss out!"
"If he gets another Chess Dao Incarnation, the next game will definitely be beyond the thousandth place."
Many people were tense for Li Hao.
At that moment, Li Hao's Dao Realm Avatar also revealed the aura of the Primordial Dao.
A intense and scorching heat emanated from the Dao Realm Avatar. Li Hao's eyes flickered, and he immediately understood that this was one of the Nine Sequences, the Fire Dao Incarnation.
After so long, finally, a combat Dao Realm Avatar had appeared.
"Please."
The Dao Realm Avatar treated Li Hao with great courtesy, bowing and gesturing for him to proceed. Then, it erupted with intense flames, turning the surrounding area red as if they were in a fiery domain.
The intense heat made the other True Immortal Realm cultivators nearby look over, surprised. They immediately recognized that Li Hao's Dao Realm Avatar was one of the Nine Sequences.
"It's the Fire Dao Incarnation!"
"One of the Nine Sequences? It looks like there will be a fierce battle. I wonder how long it will take him to resolve it."
"Earlier, someone revealed a Space Dao Realm Avatar and fought for a long time before resolving it."
Seeing Li Hao's Dao Realm Avatar, many people felt a sense of relief.
A combat Dao Realm Avatar, with Li Hao's performance in the True Immortal Realm, would at least be faster than playing a game of chess or painting a picture.
"Quickly, resolve it!"
Li Tiemu clenched his fist for Li Hao, calling out anxiously.
At that moment, the flames around the Dao Realm Avatar suddenly condensed, forming a scorching flame vortex that spun toward Li Hao, trying to ensnare him.
The temperature in the vortex continued to rise, and with each rotation, it created rapid friction, as if it could burn away the Great Dao itself.
Li Hao's expression remained calm. This Fire Dao Incarnation's Fire Dao was still a bit short of the Third Level, let alone the Fourth Level Realm.
He raised his hand, and a golden flame shot out.
Whoosh!
The golden flame tore through the air, slightly distorting the space, and pierced through the flame vortex. The golden light directly extinguished the circle of flames!
Fire extinguished fire!
This scene made countless people widen their eyes, finding it incredible.
Then, golden sparks surged toward the Fire Dao Incarnation, reaching it in an instant due to the spatial origin, landing on the Fire Dao Incarnation's chest.
The Fire Dao Incarnation's entire body was instantly engulfed in flames, but its face showed no signs of pain or struggle. Instead, it remained extremely calm, allowing the golden flames to consume it.
"You win."
It said calmly, and then its body was burned away, dissipating before Li Hao's eyes.
The outcome was decided in an instant.
Countless people watching couldn't help but cheer.
No one expected Li Hao to defeat the Dao Realm Avatar so quickly. If he had maintained this speed from the beginning, he would have already reached the Heart-forgetting Hall.
"So strong, that was a Dao Realm Avatar near the mountain's waist, and he suppressed it with just a gesture!"
"This is the power of the ninth on the Dao Fire List. So strong, just like those who were the first to reach the Heart-forgetting Hall, defeating their opponents instantly!"
"Unfortunately, he might be running out of time."
"The spots are almost gone!"
Many people were on the edge of their seats, their eyes glued to the Heart-forgetting Hall.
The available spots were dwindling...
After defeating the Fire Dao Incarnation, Li Hao didn't linger and quickly rushed toward the mountain's waist.
He soon passed through layers of steps and came to a flat open area. At the end stood a majestic and ancient palace.
Many figures gathered there, and as Li Hao's gaze swept over, he immediately recognized familiar faces. Gu Yan and Yue Xi had already arrived, as well as several other familiar disciples from the Nine Depths of the Great Dream, all standing outside the palace with anxious expressions.
At that moment, dozens of figures were sprinting rapidly in front of Li Hao.
"Hao Tian, it's Hao Tian!"
Outside the palace, Yue Xi, with her keen eyes, spotted Li Hao at the mountain path's bend and immediately jumped up in excitement.
Beside her, Gu Yan also noticed him first but didn't speak, his eyes lighting up with joy as he took an involuntary step forward, wanting to greet him.
"He's here!"
Lin Mingrong and the other disciples of the Nine Depths of the Great Dream were also excited.
Yin Jingcheng and Meng Huaiyue were somewhat surprised, quickly spotting the rapidly approaching Li Hao.
"Hmph, just barely made it."
Yin Jingcheng narrowed his eyes and coldly snorted.
Meng Huaiyue smiled and said to Yue Xi beside her, "Quick, call him to hurry up, or he might miss the spots."
Yue Xi came to her senses and urgently waved at Li Hao, calling out, "Hao Tian, come quickly, hurry!"
At the same time, other disciples from the Immortal Dynasties and Heavenly Sects were also calling out to their own disciples.
"Come quickly, hurry!"
"The spots are almost gone!"
"There are only a few left, hurry!"
The crowd in front of the palace was shouting loudly.
Hearing these words, those running felt a jolt of urgency and immediately pushed themselves to sprint even faster.
However, on these steps, flying and teleportation were restricted, and they could only rely on Body Movement Techniques. Each step they climbed, a special power would seep into their minds. If their Dao Heart was unstable, they would be plagued by illusions and fall into a daze.
But those who could sprint this far almost all had a Chaos-grade Dao Heart, and no one stopped.
Li Hao, hearing Yue Xi's call, also increased his speed.
Just then, a voice came from behind him.
"Big Brother, can you let me pass? I can't miss this opportunity!"
A slightly tearful female voice sounded.
Li Hao turned to see a girl in a green dress running toward him, her face full of panic, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Li Hao was taken aback. Before he could make a decision, the girl pleaded, "If I don't make it, my entire clan will suffer. Please, I beg you."
Li Hao's steps paused at the mention of her entire clan.
In that brief moment, the girl had caught up to him and said gratefully, "Thank you!"
As she spoke, her Body Movement Technique changed, and she surpassed Li Hao, then caught up to a young man ahead of her.
But just before reaching the Heart-forgetting Hall, her hair suddenly shot out like black vines, wrapping around the young man's waist. She then forcefully pulled him, switching positions, and used the momentum to leap into the Heart-forgetting Hall.
The young man, dragged back, felt furious and followed Li Hao into the Heart-forgetting Hall, shouting, "Do you want to die?"
The girl in the green dress, no longer piteous, crossed her arms over her chest and sneered, "There's no rule against it. You just failed to guard yourself."
"Is that so? Then let me see what you're made of!"
The young man, enraged, unfolded his Dao Domain and was about to attack.
But then, the Celestial Guard Commander's voice echoed from within the Heart-forgetting Hall, "The Mountain of Inquiry forbids duels."
The young man looked up into the void, suppressing his fiery anger, and demanded, "What about what she just did?"
"She didn't cause you any harm, so it doesn't count."
The Celestial Guard Commander shook his head, his gaze falling on Li Hao and the others who had just arrived at the Heart-forgetting Hall. He said calmly, "She was the last one to make it to the thousandth position. The rest have lost their Ascension qualifications, unless you can climb to the summit."
Hearing this, the young man was stunned, as if cold water had been poured over his head, making his blood run cold.
Li Hao was somewhat surprised and glanced at the girl in the green dress.
The girl in the green dress, her eyes wide open, felt a mix of fear and joy, patting her chest.
Then, she noticed Li Hao's gaze and raised her chin slightly, giving him a sweet smile, "Little brother, I'm sorry, but I really needed this opportunity. You're young and talented, so you'll have plenty of chances in the future."
The change in her tone made Li Hao want to laugh, but he wasn't angry; he found it amusing.
Seeing that Li Hao wasn't angry, the girl in the green dress was somewhat surprised. If Li Hao hadn't paused to wait for the young man, the last spot would have been either his or Li Hao's, and she would have missed out on this opportunity.
Even if she had used her trick to surpass Li Hao, she couldn't have used it again on someone else, as they would certainly have been on guard.
"Was what you said about your entire clan true or false?"
Li Hao asked.
The girl in the green dress was taken aback, not expecting Li Hao to still care about that rather than being trapped in the despair of being eliminated.
"That's none of your business."
Her expression tightened, unwilling to discuss it further.
Li Hao nodded, not pressing the issue, and said, "If it's true, then congratulations. If it's not, I hope it is."
Seeing Li Hao's calm demeanor, the girl in the green dress's expression changed. She stared at him, saying, "Do you want to get back at me?"
"Get back at you?"
Li Hao shook his head and smiled, "Not really, not really."
Seeing Li Hao's indifference, the girl in the green dress felt a strange sensation in her chest, as if something was pressing down on her, as if she didn't even exist in his eyes, and he wouldn't even get angry at her.
While she was silent, the young man beside her let out an angry roar, "She was the last one, so I'm eliminated?!"
"This, this is unfair!"
He couldn't help but shout in anger.
The Celestial Guard Commander gave him a cold glance and said, "If you're not skilled enough, be quiet. You're not a baby who needs to be indulged in everything."
"But, but she cheated! It was clearly my turn first!"
The young man, his eyes red, gritted his teeth and glared at the girl in the green dress with venom.
The girl in the green dress felt a chill at his gaze but then felt a sense of relief, thinking this was a normal reaction.
On the contrary, the young man with the youngest soul age, who was too calm, was harder to read.
"Immature."
The Celestial Guard Commander shook his head slightly, ignoring him, and turned to the dozens of people who had just arrived at the Heart-forgetting Hall, saying, "You've lost your chance, but if you want to advance, you must reach the summit."
The dozens of people looked at each other, their faces grim.
Reach the summit? They had no confidence, especially since they were already behind others after this sprint.
"Hao Tian."
At this moment, Gu Yan and Yue Xi, among others, also arrived beside Li Hao, their expressions complex and grim.
No one had expected Li Hao to lose his spot, and by such a small margin.
"Is that all you've got?"
Yin Jingcheng, with a cold sneer, said to Li Hao, "You claimed the ninth spot on the Dao Fire List and were so impressive in the True Immortal Realm, yet you've fallen behind others. It's laughable!"
Meng Huaiyue also looked at Li Hao with confusion and disappointment.
Li Hao glanced at Yin Jingcheng but ignored him.
Seeing that Li Hao ignored him, Yin Jingcheng felt a surge of anger. However, Li Hao’s glance seemed to carry a certain intimidation. Yin Jingcheng sensed that if he continued to mock, Li Hao might take action. So, he just coldly snorted, a mocking smile on his face, but didn’t say anything more.
"Hao Tian, you were almost caught."
Yue Xi looked at Li Hao anxiously, then turned her gaze to the girl in the green dress, gritting her teeth. "You used such despicable tricks, exploiting my junior brother’s sympathy. It’s shameful!"
"Warfare knows no bounds, and this is a lesson for him."
The girl in the green dress raised an eyebrow and sneered.
Gu Yan gave the girl a cold look. "I hope you don’t run into me in the upcoming great battle."
"Hmph, what if I do? Do you think you can win me?"
The girl in the green dress laughed coldly. "If I hadn’t been delayed on the way, do you really think I would have arrived so late?"
At this moment, other disciples from her sect gathered around her.
"Do you want to bully us with numbers? If you can’t run fast enough, who else can you blame?"
A young man snorted, standing in front of the girl in the green dress to protect her.
Gu Yan’s face turned cold, but before he could speak, Li Hao held him back. He rather liked this cold exterior but warm-hearted junior brother.
"There’s nothing to say. They have a point, and there’s no point blaming them."
Li Hao said with a smile.
Seeing Li Hao so relaxed, Gu Yan’s expression changed slightly. "But you—"
"It’s fine."
Li Hao shook his head. He believed he could ascend and had the ability to ensure his own safety. That’s why he had been kind just now.
If he didn’t have the ability to ensure his own safety, it wouldn’t be kindness, but foolishness.
There’s a difference between the two.
For him, it was just a deception, and it didn’t affect him.
If it were genuine, it would have been a kind act.
"Hmph, your junior brother is quite reasonable. Though he hasn’t lived long, he understands a lot."
The young man couldn’t help but sneer when he heard Li Hao’s words.
Li Hao gave him a calm glance, then his gaze shifted to the girl in the green dress behind the young man. He quickly looked back at Gu Yan and the others. "You’ve all made it through. Make sure to perform well in the great battle."
Yue Xi and the other disciples of the Great Dream Nine Abysses looked grim, feeling deeply guilty and sad.
If Li Hao hadn’t escorted them at the foot of the mountain, they wouldn’t be lagging behind by just two positions now.
"I’ll avenge you in the great battle."
Yue Xi gritted her teeth.
Li Hao laughed. Seeing the others still looking upset, he said, "Don’t overthink it. I’ll ascend and secure a spot."
"Ascend?"
Everyone was stunned and looked at Li Hao.
"Are you going to ascend?" Gu Yan’s eyes flickered. Seeing Li Hao’s calm and relaxed demeanor, his heart raced.
Yue Xi suddenly remembered how Li Hao had caused the Nine Resonances of Heaven and Earth in the Floating Pagoda of Heart Inquiry, which was a level of the Eternal Dao Heart, and not a low one, but a middle one!
Perhaps Li Hao really could ascend!
Thinking of this, she became excited.
"Are you going to ascend?"
Yin Jingcheng raised an eyebrow when he heard Li Hao’s words. "You arrived so late. Are you sure you can ascend? That requires at least an Eternal Dao Heart!"
Li Hao ignored him and waved to the others. "I’m going ahead. Don’t worry."
Seeing Li Hao’s confident and relaxed demeanor, the discomfort in their hearts dissipated, and they started to cheer him on.
The girl in the green dress and her fellow disciples were stunned by Li Hao’s words, then they couldn’t help but sneer.
They all knew that Li Hao’s soul age was less than a hundred. At such a young age, reaching a Chaos-grade Dao Heart was already extremely frightening. Could he really have an Eternal Dao Heart?
Even if he did have an Eternal Dao Heart, it didn’t guarantee he could ascend. After all, the Dao Realm Avatars along the way would gradually become stronger, and the final one would be as powerful as himself, and he would need to defeat it!
"Such a young age, don’t talk big. Ascending isn’t that easy. You’re already lagging behind here, let alone ascending."
The young man sneered.
"If you really can ascend, then I’ll congratulate you."
The girl in the green dress smiled, her eyes filled with amusement.
The others laughed, thinking Li Hao was just struggling in desperation.
"Leaving."
Li Hao ignored their taunts, waved to Gu Yan and the others, and turned to leave the Heart-forgetting Hall, continuing his journey up the mountain’s steps.
"Hmph, what an arrogant guy."
Yin Jingcheng couldn't help but feel angry and snort when Li Hao ignored him.
Meng Huaiyue watched Li Hao leave, her eyes flickering slightly. "Senior Brother, perhaps he really has the ability to ascend."
"Huh?"
Seeing that Little Junior Sister was taking the other side, Yin Jingcheng's expression changed.
"You think he has that kind of ability? If he really did, why would he fall behind everyone else and come here now!"
Yin Jingcheng's face was extremely displeased. Master had a good opinion of Li Hao, and now Little Junior Sister was actually speaking up for him.
Meng Huaiyue shook her head slightly, gazing in the direction Li Hao had left. "I don't know why he came so late, but look at his expression. Throughout this entire ordeal, he remained calm and composed. It seems like he doesn't even consider those people, or even us, as serious competition. His Dao Heart... might really be beyond the Chaos-grade Dao Heart level!"
Yin Jingcheng was taken aback. Recalling Li Hao's various actions, his expression changed slightly.
"I'll give it a try too."
Beside them, Yue Xi said to Gu Yan, then immediately followed after Li Hao.
"I'll go too."
Gu Yan came to his senses and immediately followed as well.
Seeing this, the others also joined in, even though they might not be able to reach the summit, they could at least try.
Since they were already within the quota, there was no need to stay in the Heart-forgetting Hall waiting. They could attempt to ascend.
As they all left, the disciples from other sects did the same. They had been waiting for their fellow disciples to arrive, but now that the quota was filled, staying here was pointless.
Soon, the hundreds of people in the Heart-forgetting Hall all left, heading to challenge the summit.
"Let's go, let's try it out."
The young man beside the girl in the green dress said, leading the other disciples from their sect forward.
As they left the Heart-forgetting Hall in a large group, outside the Mountain of Inquiry, countless people were discussing the events intensely.
Some were debating whether the girl in the green dress had violated the rules, while others were speculating whether Li Hao could climb to the summit and secure a spot in the great battle.
"That child is truly kind."
Empress Yuanzun sat high in the air, looking down at the Mountain of Inquiry, her eyes softening slightly.
"Seeing that child's performance, I fear he really has an Eternal Dao Heart. In that case, as long as he can defeat his Dao Realm Avatar, reaching the summit won't be difficult!"
Emperor Jiang nodded in approval.
"Unfazed by praise or blame, and not resentful when wronged. That's rare indeed."
Emperor Tianzhao also nodded, praising the young man's Dao Heart level, which was clearly extremely high, likely an Eternal Dao Heart.
With a mind focused on eternity, the fleeting beauty of the present is but a passing cloud, not worth taking seriously.
"I didn't expect him to have such a Dao Heart at such a young age. It's truly extraordinary. Emperor Chu, can you let this child join our Chijiang Immortal Dynasty? I would like to take him as my disciple, and I am willing to offer you a hundred cities in exchange!"
Beside them, the Empress of the Chijiang Immortal Dynasty said to Emperor Chu. Her eyes were sharp and captivating, capable of charming all beings and captivating the world.
Emperor Chu was slightly surprised but smiled. "This child is my daughter Yan Chu's husband. I have already betrothed my beloved daughter to him. If you are willing to let my son-in-law be your personal disciple, that might be acceptable."
The Empress of the Chijiang Immortal Dynasty raised an eyebrow and spat, "How dirty!"
Emperor Chu couldn't help but laugh, secretly admiring the clever move he had made earlier.
The other emperors, seeing this, also put away their thoughts. If the Empress of the Chijiang Immortal Dynasty couldn't get him with a hundred cities, it would have to be a thousand.
But that would require more negotiation.
They quietly observed the Mountain of Inquiry, saying nothing more.
On the ground, the various Immortal Dynasties and Heavenly Sects also began to discuss Li Hao's elimination.
After all, being ninth on the Dao Fire List and being eliminated in the second round was quite a disappointment if it became a final result.
But with the situation as it was, they could only see if the young man truly had the ability to reach the summit.
(End of Chapter)
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