Chapter 358: Immortal Sword Dao, Shadow of the Ultimate Sword
In front of the stone wall, numerous meditation mats were laid out, with many swordsmen seated, deep in contemplation. These swordsmen either carried their swords on their backs or had their swords plunged into the ground beside them. The variety of swords was astonishing—there were broad swords, slender swords, curved swords, and more. Some swords lacked scabbards, wrapped in cloth, while others were adorned with gemstones and pearls, displaying opulent grandeur.
As the saying goes, the sword reflects its wielder. Li Hao scanned the surroundings before focusing on the stone wall, and his eyes narrowed.
The surface of the wall was as smooth as jade, and embedded within it was a crescent-shaped sword shadow.
The sword shadow was slanted, resembling a moonbeam frozen in place by some mysterious power within the stone.
With a single glance, Li Hao could tell that this shadow was left by someone as they swung their sword, the remnant light of their blade captured in the wall.
In his mind, Li Hao could almost picture the stance of the one who had wielded the sword, as well as their calm, confident smile.
But as soon as he touched upon the essence of the sword wielder's spirit, an ominous feeling surged through him, like he was about to encounter something extremely dangerous. A wave of warning signals flashed through his mind.
Li Hao quickly reined in his thoughts, narrowing his focus solely on the sword shadow.
His swordsmanship had already entered the Dao, placing him at the pinnacle of swordsmen across the heavens. Even Sword Saints had only achieved the "entering the Dao" level, without reaching true transcendence.
As he stared at the sword shadow, he quickly noticed some peculiarities.
This sword shadow contained a profound, indescribable aura. It wasn't merely tied to the Dao; it felt as though it had existed within the stone wall since time immemorial, a natural part of the world, birthed by the heavens themselves rather than by human hands.
The swordsmanship connected directly to the roots of the Dao, to the very source of the Sword Dao.
Li Hao's gaze flickered, as if he was on the verge of understanding something significant.
At that moment, a notification from the System appeared before his eyes.
"You have grasped the basics. Do you wish to record it?"
The panel's prompt startled him slightly.
Li Hao's eyes brightened. As expected, it could be recorded.
When it came to understanding the Saint Path or Ultimate Realm, the System was of no assistance, but for observing sword techniques, merely grasping the basics was enough to allow the System to record it.
"Record it!"
As soon as Li Hao confirmed, a new sword technique appeared within the System.
[Immortal Sword Technique: Nine Abyss Dream Sword · Immortal's Guidance (Intent)]
As the attributes of the sword technique surfaced, a stream of information flowed into Li Hao's sea of consciousness. Although the knowledge wasn't overwhelming, it was as though a hazy, divine figure appeared in his mind, silently demonstrating and imparting a certain sword intent.
At the same time, Li Hao became aware of the three levels of mastery above True State and Transcendence.
Intent, Ultimate, Origin!
With Li Hao's current level of mastery in the Sword Dao, he could only barely comprehend the "Intent" of this sword technique.
What shocked Li Hao the most was the grade of this sword technique—it was classified as an Immortal Sword Technique!
Did the Immortal Gods of legend truly exist?
Li Hao couldn't help but recall the stars painted across the heavens. Those were most likely the handiwork of immortals.
He stood there, silently digesting and absorbing the insights from the System.
Noticing something unusual, Feng Boping and Liar Heaven Saint stopped in their tracks. Seeing Li Hao standing with his eyes closed, entirely isolated from the outside world, surrounded by Dao energy and deep in contemplation, they exchanged glances, their eyes filled with astonishment.
The sword shadow at Wangyue Cliff was renowned throughout the heavens. Even the Sword Saints had been unable to comprehend the extraordinary sword technique, which had become proof of the existence of Immortals and Gods.
But now, Li Hao had only just arrived and was already gaining insight into the ancient sword shadow?
Liar Heaven Saint was stunned. She had encountered countless prodigies, but none as exaggerated as this. She glanced at Feng Boping with a look that seemed to say, What kind of monster did you meet in the human realm?
Feng Boping caught her glance and responded with a helpless smile. He hadn't expected Li Hao to be this exceptional either, but it made sense why his name was engraved at the peak of the heavens.
One could only get used to it... Feng Boping signaled to Liar Heaven Saint before scanning their surroundings, standing guard to ensure Li Hao wasn't disturbed.
After absorbing all the information from the System, Li Hao slowly opened his eyes. The brilliant sword technique was now fully etched in his mind. It was a technique of unprecedented beauty and splendor, one that embodied the pinnacle of the Sword Dao.
To comprehend this sword, it wasn't just about mastering the Sword Dao; one had to grasp the essence of "Immortal Intent."
Immortal Intent was elusive, hard to find, and even harder to comprehend.
Li Hao's gaze flickered. This sword was merely a casual strike, yet it encompassed countless variations of the Sword Dao, reaching a near-perfect extreme!
As he looked again at the stone wall, he noticed the sword shadow beginning to fade. As the shadow thinned, a faint silhouette appeared behind it.
The silhouette resembled an ancient, upright figure who seemed to glance in Li Hao's direction with a soft exclamation.
No one else could hear the sound—it echoed directly in Li Hao's mind, causing his consciousness to tremble. He then heard a faint laugh, as if someone had spoken, but the words were unclear, like an illusion.
By the time Li Hao came back to his senses, exclamations filled the air around the stone wall.
"The sword shadow—where did it go?!"
"It's fading! It's about to disappear!"
"What's happening? How could this be?!"
The swordsmen meditating before the stone wall were all shocked, their voices full of disbelief.
Liar Heaven Saint and Feng Boping also noticed that the sword shadow was rapidly fading, and within moments, it vanished entirely.
Without the sword shadow, cracks began to form on the stone wall, and its once-pristine surface lost its luster.
Boom!
Within just a few breaths, the cracks expanded rapidly, and the stone wall shattered into pieces, crumbling into dust that scattered like flowing sand.
Everyone at the scene was left speechless.
The sword shadow had vanished, and the stone wall had disintegrated—not into mere rubble, but into powder.
The wall that had stood for countless years seemed to have been sustained solely by the presence of the sword shadow. Now that the sword shadow was gone, the accumulated weathering and erosion had caused it to collapse instantly.
Feng Boping and Liar Heaven Saint exchanged a glance, both instinctively looking at Li Hao.
There was no doubt that this strange occurrence was inextricably linked to him.
"Let's go."
Feng Boping said nothing more and quickly led Li Hao away.
Not long after they left, several powerful figures arrived at Wangyue Cliff to investigate the situation.
The news spread quickly, shocking the entire Lanxiang World. Saints from the major sacred lands emerged to discern the cause.
There were many witnesses, and the sword shadow had been infused with immense power, making it impossible to easily destroy. After the saints intervened and used their calculations, they concluded the reason.
Someone had comprehended the sword shadow, causing the sword's intent to dissipate.
When this news was made public, it caused an uproar among swordsmen across the world.
The sword shadow of Wangyue Cliff had been comprehended!
This news spread rapidly, and one of the first to hear it was the Sword Ancestor Sacred Land in the Canglan World.
Upon hearing that someone had comprehended the sword shadow, the Sword Saint, who was meditating in his courtyard, froze for a moment before closing his eyes. After a brief pause, he opened them again, his gaze now solemn.
For centuries, he had visited Wangyue Cliff every hundred years to meditate on that sword shadow, but despite years of effort, he had never been able to touch its essence.
He had clearly sensed that the sword shadow belonged to a higher plane, and if he could comprehend it, it would allow him to transcend and enter an unimaginable realm.
At that point, he could once again use his sword to sanctify himself, and his strength would soar.
But now, someone had comprehended the sword shadow, and it had disappeared.
Moreover, when the Sword Saint recalled the sword shadow, he realized it was becoming hazy, as if he were gradually forgetting it.
For a saint, whose memory was flawless, to struggle to recall something so vividly was unheard of!
Each time he tried to remember the sword shadow, it grew fainter, becoming less distinct.
This change sent a chill down the Sword Saint's spine. Such a sword technique, such methods—it was difficult to imagine the level this sword technique had reached!
It was as if this was not something that should exist in the world. Once it was set free, no one would know or control it!
But now, someone had comprehended this sword shadow, this mysterious power.
After years of meditation and cultivation, even the Sword Saint felt a flicker of jealousy
deep within his heart, but he quickly suppressed it.
"Could it be him?"
The Sword Saint's eyes flickered as his figure suddenly blurred and disappeared from his courtyard.
When he reappeared, he stood at the edge of Sword Cliff before the Sword Tower.
There, the Sword Master was seated, but he wasn't fishing. Instead, he gazed at the endless waterfall, seemingly studying the splashes of the water as they cascaded down.
"Senior brother, was it you?"
The Sword Saint quietly asked from behind him.
The Sword Master didn't turn around, his eyes still fixed on the waterfall. "You're talking about the matter at Wangyue Cliff? That sword shadow does not align with my Sword Dao."
The Sword Saint fell silent. He understood. The most challenging aspect of comprehending that sword shadow wasn't just deciphering its profound sword technique, but also resonating with the sword intent embedded within it.
Only by aligning one's own Sword Intent with that ethereal sword intent could one break through the barrier and comprehend the sword shadow.
But both of them had their own Sword Dao and Sword Intent, making it nearly impossible to resonate with that foreign intent.
The sword intent was elusive, difficult to chase, and even harder to grasp.
"There are thousands of swordsmen in the world. Sooner or later, someone with fate will come along. No matter who it is, we will find out soon enough,"
the Sword Master said calmly.
The Sword Saint remained silent for a while before disappearing from the cliff, returning to his own courtyard.
The Sword Master was right. Whoever had comprehended the sword shadow would soon make a name for themselves.
Upon returning to his courtyard, the Sword Saint was greeted by two figures rushing over—it was Bian Ruoxue and Holy Son Haoyue.
Both of them were the Sword Saint's direct disciples. Holy Son Haoyue hastily asked,
"Master, I heard the sword shadow at Wangyue Cliff was comprehended. Was it you, Master?"
The Sword Saint glanced at his disciples, feeling a slight discomfort at their words. He replied,
"I haven't been to Wangyue Cliff in quite some time."
Holy Son Haoyue was stunned, then asked,
"Could it have been Sword Master Uncle?"
"No, it wasn't him either,"
the Sword Saint shook his head.
Holy Son Haoyue and Bian Ruoxue exchanged glances, their expressions changing. If neither of the two Sword Saints had comprehended the sword shadow, then who could it be?
A fleeting thought passed through their minds, but they quickly dismissed it.
It couldn't be him. No matter how talented he was, he was only in the Dao Realm. If even saints couldn't comprehend the sword shadow, how could someone at the Dao Realm do it?
"Could it be a sword expert from another sacred land?"
Holy Son Haoyue's eyes flickered. Though Sword Ancestor Sacred Land was renowned as the holy ground for sword practitioners, not every swordmaster hailed from their sect. Other sacred lands also housed many powerful swordsmen.
"That sword shadow, though it appeared simple, contained profound mysteries of the highest order. It's truly astonishing that someone was able to comprehend it…"
Bian Ruoxue murmured. She and Holy Son Haoyue had both been brought to Wangyue Cliff to meditate on the sword shadow, but neither of them had gained anything. To them, the sword shadow was like a bright moon, visible but untouchable—seemingly within reach, yet impossibly distant.
The Sword Saint's mood soured as he recalled the sword shadow. The disappearance of the sword shadow was a significant loss to him. He hadn't anticipated that after someone comprehended it, the shadow would vanish entirely, even fading from his own memory.
In a calm tone, he said,
"Haoyue, the Supreme Heaven's Pride Battle is coming up. Spar more with your junior sister. Now that your junior sister has achieved Sword Dao enlightenment, she may not be far behind you in strength. It's unfortunate that she missed the qualifications to participate, but she can still serve as your training partner."
Holy Son Haoyue came back to his senses and nodded respectfully.
"As for that sword shadow, there's no need to dwell on it. We will encounter it again someday,"
the Sword Saint continued, not wanting his disciples to be distracted.
Holy Son Haoyue nodded in agreement and turned to Bian Ruoxue. Since Bian Ruoxue had recently achieved Sword Dao enlightenment, her strength was now only slightly weaker than his. However, he possessed the Sun and Moon Divine Eyes, a pair of natural divine eyes.
"Junior sister, shall we?"
Holy Son Haoyue asked.
Bian Ruoxue nodded slightly. While there had been a significant gap between her and Holy Son Haoyue in the past, she had recently achieved enlightenment, allowing her to close the gap. Sparring with her senior brother would also help her hone her Sword Dao.
That ultimate sword technique she sought—it felt as though she was getting closer and closer to it...
It seemed like it was just within reach!
...
While the Sword Ancestor Sacred Land and swordsmen across the world buzzed with excitement, other sacred lands also received the news. Although surprised, they weren't as deeply affected.
Meanwhile, Li Hao, under the guidance of Feng Boping, had already returned to Dao Heaven Sacred Land, without encountering any ambushes from the Buddhist sect.
Once they safely returned to the sacred land, Liar Heaven Saint gave Li Hao a deep look and once again extended an invitation for him to visit Liar Heaven Sacred Land sometime before departing.
After she left, Feng Boping sighed in relief, his face showing a relaxed smile as he said,
"Looks like we avoided any trouble this time. The Buddhist sect and Void Saint didn't detect our movements. We have Liar Heaven Saint to thank for deceiving the heavens and hiding our tracks."
Li Hao was taken aback, realizing only now that their smooth journey had been aided by Liar Heaven Saint.
"You really know how to stir things up, don't you? No matter where you go, you can't help but shine,"
Feng Boping teased Li Hao with a chuckle.
Li Hao could only offer a wry smile. He hadn't expected that after comprehending the sword shadow, the stone wall would collapse and the sword shadow would vanish.
His plan had been to quietly comprehend the technique, record it, and then slip away unnoticed, leaving nothing out of place.
But who could have predicted...
"Feng Lao, I've made some progress recently and would like to test it. Could you spare some time for a duel?"
Li Hao asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement. That Immortal's Guidance sword technique, with its unparalleled elegance, had ignited a burning desire within him to wield it in battle.
Feng Boping smiled. He understood Li Hao's eagerness, knowing that after comprehending such a world-shaking sword technique, it was natural to want to try it out. Chuckling, he replied,
"Of course I have time. At this point, no one except for a Saint could be a match for you."
Even half-Saints had been subdued by Li Hao's Eternal Domain. As far as Feng Boping was concerned, Li Hao was already unmatched below the Saint level.
Li Hao's increasing strength filled Feng Boping with joy. The stronger Li Hao grew, the more pleased Feng Boping became.
Without further ado, Feng Boping led Li Hao to a secluded area within Dao Heaven Sacred Land, preparing for their sparring match.
Once there, Feng Boping unleashed his Saint Path power, casting a protective barrier around the area.
After Feng Boping finished setting up, Li Hao nodded and said,
"Feng Lao, please take this seriously. I don't want to accidentally hurt you."
Feng Boping blinked, surprised by Li Hao's serious tone. Then he let out a laugh.
Though Li Hao was indeed close to being invincible below the Saint level, the gap between a half-Saint and a Saint was like heaven and earth. No matter how monstrous a half-Saint might be, defeating a Saint was still a tall order.
Nevertheless, the fame of the Wangyue Cliff sword shadow preceded it, so Feng Boping didn't let his guard down. He nodded solemnly.
"Don't worry. Do your best."
Seeing Feng Boping's response, Li Hao didn't hold back. Drawing his blackened Gongming Sword from the Heaven and Earth Space, his gaze grew profound, and his entire body began to exude a faintly transcendent aura.
It was an ancient, ethereal aura, as if it belonged to an immortal deity.
Without hesitation, Li Hao unleashed his full power.
From his divine strength to his Four Limits Realm, layer upon layer of ultimate realms materialized around him. He then entered his Immortal Transformation state, manifesting the Eternal Domain.
As Feng Boping witnessed the astonishing power radiating from Li Hao, his expression grew serious.
Li Hao now stood with long silver hair flowing, encased in the aura of his Eternal Domain. The sword energy swirling around him was terrifying and undeniable, forcing even a Saint like Feng Boping to treat him with caution.
Even though Feng Boping was a Saint, he couldn't help but feel a sense of danger from Li Hao. If Li Hao had still been in the Dao Realm, Feng Boping suspected he might not have been able to withstand even a single strike.
"It seems you've truly reached the pinnacle below Saints,"
Feng Boping remarked softly, his eyes filled with admiration and excitement.
"Feng Lao, I'm coming now,"
Li Hao said seriously.
Lifting his sword, the Eternal Domain enveloped him, amplifying his power. Then, the magnificent sword technique he had learned from the stone wall burst into motion.
Like a brilliant flash of lightning, Li Hao's silver hair fluttered in the wind, and with the poise of a celestial being, he casually swung his sword forward.
In that instant, as the sword light streaked forward, Feng Boping's expression shifted dramatically. His heart skipped a beat, for the sheer perfection of this sword strike made it seem utterly unstoppable.
He quickly activated his Saint Path, attempting to steal and convert the power of the sword strike, an ability that had always served him well.
But to his shock, he found his Saint Path blocked. The sword light severed his connection to the Saint Path!
The essence of the Immortal Intent could not be stolen. All Feng Boping could do was watch as the sword light pierced through his Saint Path and surged toward him.
Boom!
A muffled sound echoed as Feng Boping unleashed several powerful palm strikes in quick succession.
As the Saint of Thieves, his palm strikes were unparalleled, yet each one vanished in the face of the sword light.
Suddenly, a dull thud rang out. Feng Boping stumbled back slightly, glancing down at his palm, only to find a small hole pierced through his hand.
His face shifted in shock as he stared at Li Hao.
Li Hao, on the other hand, quickly retracted his sword, his face slightly pale. That one sword strike had drained all his strength.
He hadn't even utilized his Qi Veins, but the sheer power of the sword had already left him in awe.
What's more, he hadn't even unleashed the full force of the attack. He had held back out of concern that Feng Lao might not be prepared.
It was only because Li Hao understood just how terrifying this sword technique was that he had exercised such restraint.
Seeing the small hole in Feng Lao's hand that had yet to heal, Li Hao's face tightened, and he hurried over.
"Feng Lao, are you alright?"
"No harm done,"
Feng Boping waved his hand. The hole in his palm was slowly healing as he used his power to suppress the lingering force of the sword strike, accelerating the healing process.
"To think you could injure me like this. Is this the sword technique from the stone wall? It can even sever a Saint's Path..."
Feng Boping looked at Li Hao with a mixture of admiration and complexity in his eyes.
"You've already reached the level where you can injure a Saint."
Even though he hadn't used his full power, Feng Boping had clearly seen the terrifying potential in Li Hao's abilities.
A Saint's greatest strength was their Saint Path, but that sword technique had severed even his Saint Path.
Li Hao, too, realized that his current strength far exceeded his expectations. What's more, he hadn't even activated his Second Ultimate Realm yet.
He had named this Second Ultimate Realm the Heavenly Star Veins.
With the power of the stars as his veins, once activated, his energy would replenish rapidly, and his strength would surge to unimaginable levels.
However, his Second Ultimate Realm was still far from reaching its full potential.
For now, the energy gathered by his Heaven and Earth Veins was just barely enough to sustain the consumption of this sword technique. Without the Second Ultimate Realm, each sword strike left him vulnerable for a few moments of weakness—a dangerous situation in life-or-death battles.
If he could kill his opponent in one strike, it would be fine. Otherwise, those moments of weakness would be enough to get him killed several hundred times over.
"Beneath the level of Saints, I cannot think of anyone who could stand against you. The Supreme Heaven's Pride Battle—you are destined to take first place!"
Feng Boping's expression grew serious.
"This is a battle we must participate in. If the Buddhist sect or the Void Saint tries to interfere, Liar Heaven Saint and I will handle it. You need only focus on winning the competition. Once you've claimed first place and received the incense fire blessing, you'll ascend to sainthood and no longer have anything to fear."
Even the most recently ascended Saints had a certain level of protection. With both Feng Boping and Liar Heaven Saint shielding him, Li Hao's chances of survival would drastically increase.
Li Hao remained silent for a moment, aware of the tremendous pressure this would place on Feng Lao.
If he missed this opportunity for the incense fire blessing, it would take another one or two centuries of painstaking cultivation to gather enough incense fire to ascend to sainthood.
Alternatively, he could take the Path of Sacrifice to become a saint, but with the Red Bell of Dao Sound, he might not need to wait too long.
As thoughts of the Red Bell filled his mind, Li Hao's eyes brightened with determination.
The bell could still be rung. If he could reach the tenth level of mastery in the art of painting before the competition, achieving sainthood through the Path of Sacrifice would no longer be out of reach.
With that in mind, Li Hao nodded to Feng Lao and expressed his intention to enter closed-door training. Without further delay, he quickly returned to his courtyard.
Once back in his courtyard, Li Hao began activating the Red Bell of Dao Sound.
As the bell resonated, waves of enlightenment surged into his mind.
Li Hao focused his thoughts entirely on his mastery of painting, allowing the profound insights to wash over him and deepen his understanding.
However, with each chime of the bell, its once-vibrant red color grew fainter.
Time continued to pass.
Though the events at Wangyue Cliff had caused a stir across the Thirty-Three Heavens, they gradually faded from memory after a few days. Only the swordsmen continued to discuss it, while the other sacred lands were focused on the impending Supreme Heaven's Pride Battle.
This battle would gather the most extraordinary geniuses from across the heavens. Sacred lands were preparing, with their participants undergoing final stages of closed-door cultivation.
"I've heard that someone left their name in the Heavenly Battlefield. I went to check it out. The name was 'Hao Tian!'"
"What an audacious name! To dare call oneself Hao Tian!"
"The Heavenly Monument reveals one's true origins. Is his surname really Hao? I've never heard of such a surname. Could he be the first of his lineage?"
"Most likely an orphan. The Heavenly Monument reflects one's true inner name. Whatever he truly believes his name to be, that's what will appear."
"I heard that this Hao Tian claimed first place in the Canglan World competition, even defeating a genius who had mastered six ultimate realms!"
"Six ultimate realms? You must be joking. Someone like that would have a chance at ranking in the top ten across the heavens. How could such a small world produce two such prodigies?"
Various sacred lands buzzed with discussions, while a sense of growing tension swept across the heavens as the Supreme Heaven's Pride Battle approached.