https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-544-The-Imperial-Platform-Struggle/13474284/
Chapter 543: The Bottleneck Gap, the Fishing Ground!
Chapter 543: The Bottleneck Gap, the Fishing Ground!
The expanse of the Heavenly Palace rivals that of a thousand immortal cities, vast and boundless.
Li Hao knew that finding the Lying Heaven Sage here wouldn’t be easy. If he could locate Red Tassel, perhaps she could help him gather information.
Red Tassel had also reached the summit of the Mountain of Inquiry, but the trials were filled with so many events that they never had a chance to interact.
Now that the trials were over, the disciples of the various Immortal Dynasties were under strict watch. Venturing out to meet someone might easily cause misunderstandings.
After all, the Southern Domain Battle was just around the corner. Each Immortal Dynasty would be keeping a close eye on their disciples to prevent them from being harmed by other forces and falling out of the great battle prematurely.
"Those Primordial Sage and Divine Sovereign are also within the Heavenly Palace’s territory. I wonder if they know I’m here."
Li Hao’s eyes flickered. Back in the Tian Yang Pseudo World, they had both feigned death, forcing him to fight the True Immortal Ancient Demons alone, nearly leading to his downfall. He had never forgotten that debt.
However, the upcoming great battle was the priority now.
Li Hao shook his head and left the courtyard. Just as he stepped out, the voice of the Great Dream Master echoed in his ear:
"Where are you going?"
"Just wandering around."
Li Hao replied.
"Now that you’ve become famous in the Southern Domain, be careful when you go out. There are only three days left."
The Great Dream Master’s tone carried a note of concern.
"Sitting around in the courtyard is no fun either."
Li Hao understood the Great Dream Master’s worry. He felt a bit helpless and considered returning.
But after a brief silence, the Great Dream Master said, "Under the watchful eyes of the Supreme Sage in the Heavenly Palace, there shouldn’t be much trouble. Here, take this immortal treasure. It can alter your aura. If you encounter danger, crush this signet, and I’ll appear by your side instantly."
As she spoke, the Great Dream Master appeared before Li Hao and handed him two items.
One was a small, golden cap, no larger than a thumb.
The other was a multicolored signet, radiating pure Immortal Power.
Li Hao thanked her and promised to return it later.
The Great Dream Master shook her head, saying nothing more, only advising him to be careful.
Li Hao accepted the golden cap, binding it to himself. The cap instantly transformed into a golden flowing light robe, enveloping his body and completely masking his aura.
Li Hao’s eyes flickered as he activated his Omni Attributes. He also employed various cultivation techniques for concealing his aura. With all these layers of protection, Li Hao was confident that unless an Immortal King Realm expert conducted a close inspection, no one would detect him.
Moreover, whether an Immortal King Realm expert could see through his Omni Attributes disguise was still unknown to Li Hao.
Currently, he was at the fourth level of the Water Origin Dao, which greatly aided in stealth and disguise.
The Spatial Origin was also beneficial in this regard.
After making all the necessary preparations, Li Hao set out, leaving the courtyard protected by the great array. He walked out into the vast territory of the Heavenly Palace.
The expansive continent stretched before him. Li Hao felt a sense of connection and turned his gaze to the distant north, where he could faintly see a mountain peak with a hazy golden light. That was the direction of the Mountain of Inquiry.
Unrestrained, Li Hao felt a sense of freedom as he continued his journey.
Soon, he arrived at one of the cities within the Heavenly Palace’s territory.
The city was bustling with activity. The people on the streets were dressed in fine silks and brocades, appearing to be of great wealth and nobility. Everywhere, there was an air of grandeur and prestige.
Li Hao descended and walked through the crowd, noticing many small stalls along the road, emitting enticing aromas. He immediately went to buy some snacks, walking and eating as he went.
On his way, Li Hao overheard people discussing the previous two trials and speculating about who would come out on top in the upcoming Southern Domain Battle.
Additionally, there were sects in the city, some of which had prodigies who had been eliminated in the first round of the trials. These prodigies were now meditating in the training grounds in front of their sects, waiting for the Southern Domain Battle to begin. Many people gathered around to watch.
Although they had been eliminated from the trials, they were still considered top prodigies in the city, earning the admiration of many.
Li Hao visited several local taverns, indulging in food and drink, and carried away some local specialties before continuing his exploration.
In just a day and a night, Li Hao had already toured seven or eight cities, getting a feel for the local customs and culture of the Heavenly Palace region.
The next day, as Li Hao was preparing to head back, he passed by a rural area and suddenly noticed an old man fishing from a cliff by a lake.
Li Hao was a bit surprised. He turned and drifted over, seeing that the old man’s fish basket was empty, while the fishing rod beside him was made of gold, looking incredibly valuable.
He couldn’t help but find it amusing, landed, and glanced at the lake in front of the fishing rod. He didn’t use his divine sense to penetrate the lake bottom, as that would defeat the purpose of fishing. However, from the surface ripples, water flow, and the surrounding temperature, he knew this wasn’t an ideal spot for fishing.
However, even if the spot wasn’t the best, skilled fishing could still yield results. But judging by the old man’s appearance, he seemed to be fishing more out of a leisurely attitude, without much effort.
“Old man, any luck?”
Li Hao asked knowingly, with a playful tone.
The old man sensed the movement, turned his head, and saw Li Hao’s unfamiliar face. He grunted, “Where did you come from, young whelp?”
But he added, “I just got here.”
Li Hao chuckled inwardly and didn’t call him out. He took out some delicious food he had picked up while touring the cities and offered a piece of fried pork to the old man, saying, “Hungry? Try this?”
“Hmm?”
The old man was somewhat surprised by Li Hao’s offer, clearly not expecting this young man to be so bold. He wanted to refuse, as fishermen don’t like being disturbed, but the aroma of the fried pork was irresistible. He thought for a moment and accepted it, saying, “Little guy, where are you from? Your accent and appearance don’t match this area.”
“I came here for the Southern Domain Battle with my master,” Li Hao replied casually.
The old man nodded, not pressing further. He pulled out a wine flask from his Heavenly Earth Space, thought for a moment, and asked Li Hao, “Got a cup?”
“Sure.”
Li Hao smiled and took out a small glass cup from his Heavenly Earth Space.
The old man opened the wine flask, filled Li Hao’s cup, and then took a drink himself.
“You provide the meat, I provide the wine. It’s even,” he said.
Li Hao didn’t mind. The rich aroma of the wine in his cup immediately surprised him; this was undoubtedly an extremely rare vintage.
He took a sip and felt a surge of intense Immortal Power flooding his body, burning and refining his internal organs.
Li Hao was startled and focused, feeling the Immortal Power that had been at a bottleneck in his body become less abundant but much purer and more condensed.
Previously, it was like a mist, but now it felt like dense cotton.
Li Hao was intrigued and couldn’t help but scrutinize the old man, sensing only the aura of the True Immortal Realm. However, someone who regularly drank such extraordinary wine couldn’t possibly be just a True Immortal. Even by drinking, one could reach the Immortal King Realm.
There was no doubt that the old man was using some secret art to conceal his true cultivation.
Li Hao understood but didn’t expose him. After all, he had his own disguises, and this evened things out.
“Great wine!” he exclaimed, savoring it.
The old man’s lips curled into a smile, and he glanced at Li Hao with a hint of smugness, as if to say, “Of course.”
“This fried pork from South City is also excellent. It’s made by Old Man Zheng, whose skills have been passed down for three hundred years. It’s one of the few things in South City that I find truly delicious. You have good taste,” the old man said.
Li Hao was surprised that the old man knew where the fried pork came from.
“Great minds think alike!” Li Hao couldn’t help but laugh.
The old man raised an eyebrow, squinting at Li Hao, sensing that this young man was indeed unusual.
He didn’t say anything more, just continued eating and drinking while keeping an eye on his fishing line.
“Old man, you won’t catch any fish like that. Your hook isn’t even touching the bottom; it’s floating in the water, too obvious.”
Li Hao couldn’t help but remind him, seeing that he was wasting his time.
The old man didn’t turn around, just replied calmly, “Who says it won’t work?”
Li Hao was frustrated, feeling that the old man might be highly cultivated, but his fishing skills were questionable.
Just as he was thinking this, the old man suddenly flicked his wrist, and ripples appeared on the water’s surface.
Li Hao’s expression changed, surprised by what he saw.
He had misjudged.
In the next moment, a golden dragon carp was pulled out, clearly at the True Immortal Realm, but only at the fifth level. It struggled against a powerful law of power, unable to break free.
“Spare me, please, honored senior.”
The dragon carp tried to reveal its ferocious true form but was struck by the old man’s gaze, feeling as if it had been hit by lightning, losing all strength.
The old man casually removed the hook and tossed the carp into the fish basket. Inside, it thrashed but couldn’t escape the barrier that sealed it, only able to struggle and beg for mercy.
The Elder casually covered the fish basket, muffling the sounds inside, and said to Li Hao:
"You see, they took the bait, didn't they?"
As he spoke, a hint of calmness shone in his eyes, but Li Hao could clearly sense his delight.
Li Hao forced a bitter smile. Even he could make mistakes sometimes. He wasn't sure whether to say the Dragon Carp was too stupid or if the Elder's Qi Channeling was too powerful.
"Amazing."
He sighed deeply, filled with admiration.
The Elder casually remarked, "From your appearance, it seems you know a thing or two about fishing. Why don't you give it a try?"
Li Hao, intrigued by the challenge, had no reason to refuse. He immediately released his Immortal Power, which flowed like silk threads into the lake.
Li Hao had already observed the lake's location and conditions. With his level of fishing, he should have hooked something quickly.
Time passed quietly. The plate of oil-sautéed meat was finished, and Li Hao had drained his cup of wine. His Immortal Power became even more refined and dense, with a faint sign of coagulating into threads.
However, despite the changes within him, Li Hao's mind was focused on fishing. He was surprised to find that he hadn't hooked anything for a long time.
He considered using his Divine Sense to investigate the bottom of the lake. Could it be that there was only one Dragon Carp in the entire lake?
But he ultimately held back.
He couldn't believe that his fishing skills would fail him.
Yet, as time went by, the Elder reeled in another Tiger Shrimp, while Li Hao still had nothing to show for his efforts.
"What's going on?"
Li Hao's face showed his surprise and a sense of shock.
Could the Elder have legendary beginner's luck?
"Young man, you're becoming restless. That's a great taboo in fishing", the Elder said with a smile.
Li Hao snapped back to reality, realizing his thoughts were in disarray. He immediately calmed himself down. This time, he used his Spatial Origin Power and Time Essence to extend the line into the lake, searching for prey.
But his search was in vain. The lake seemed completely empty.
Just as Li Hao thought the only two prey in the lake had already been caught, the Elder reeled in a Blackwater Catfish.
Li Hao fell silent.
At this moment, if he still didn't realize something was amiss, he would be incredibly dull.
But Li Hao couldn't pinpoint the problem.
He gazed at the lake's surface, observing carefully, but found nothing unusual.
As time passed, the stars shifted, and night fell. The starlight scattered across the lake, creating a dappled pattern.
The Elder picked up his fishing rod and casually dumped the three catches back into the lake.
"It's getting late. My old wife is waiting for me to have dinner."
The Elder stood up, patted his aching back, and said.
Li Hao came to his senses and realized he had come up empty-handed. He felt a bit resentful. It was his first time fishing, and he had been completely outmatched, losing in a bizarre way.
"I'll fish a bit longer."
As an Air Force veteran, Li Hao stubbornly declared.
The Elder chuckled, "Young man, you have the fishing skills, but do you know why you haven't caught anything?"
"Why?"
Li Hao couldn't help but ask.
"Because, this is my fishing ground."
The Elder smiled and then shouldered his fishing rod, turning to leave down the mountain.
Li Hao watched the Elder's figure disappear into the forest, his mind buzzing like a thunderstorm. He sat there in a daze.
"...Fishing ground."
Li Hao's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. That phrase was like a Great Dao Thunder, and what Li Hao heard was far from what an ordinary person would understand. Instead, countless rays of Spirit Light erupted and combined to form a single word: Domain.
Suddenly, Li Hao felt a moment of enlightenment.
No wonder, no wonder he hadn't caught anything. This place was the Elder's domain!
Everything he perceived was concealed and distorted by the Immortal Dao Law within the domain. That's why he saw the lake bottom as empty, while the Elder could hook one fish after another.
"Domain..."
Li Hao murmured, savoring the word.
His fishing skills had reached the eleventh-level bottleneck, allowing him to hook the first rank of the eon through the mist and space. But these things were like drifting sands; he had only tied them together.
True fishing meant creating a unique fishing ground of his own!
Li Hao felt that his Fishing Art had broken through a half-bottle neck and was now on the right path.
However, how to create his own fishing ground was not something that could be explained in a few words.
Li Hao sat on the cliff's edge, lost in thought.
The light and shadows shifted, the stars faded, the moon set, and the sun rose.
At the mountain's peak, the young man remained in silent meditation.
Until a hoarse voice sounded behind Li Hao, "Still here?"
Li Hao snapped to attention and turned to see the Elder from the previous day walking out of the forest with his fishing rod.
He came to his senses and a smile of joy spread across his face. "Senior, you're here."
The Elder saw the Spirit Light in Li Hao's eyes and felt a surge of surprise. Just by mentioning it, this child had actually comprehended it?
(End of Chapter)
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