Chapter 439: The Pinnacle of Supreme Immortal Techniques
Li Hao was momentarily stunned. He had assumed the time fragments he was seeing were demonstrations of the ten supreme immortal techniques Wang Lao had mentioned. However, it turned out they were projections of the past lives of the Celestial Emperor's personal disciples.
"Who are you?" Li Hao asked the ancient voice.
"Just a fragment of a soul. Insignificant," the aged voice replied. "The Celestial Emperor's three personal disciples have faced tragedy. One's soul heart has withered, leading to complete demise. The other two fell during the great calamity but did not perish entirely. Their soul hearts remain intact, though scattered. It's uncertain whether they've reincarnated or if their souls have splintered and escaped separately. You must find them and bring them back."
After a brief pause, the voice continued, "Once you find them, you will qualify to compete with them for the true inheritance of the Celestial Emperor's Dao Lineage. If you're worried about being outmatched, you'll need to pass the trials to earn the status of a personal disciple. This demands immense talent. Alternatively, finding them has no such requirement, even if your soul lifespan exceeds ten thousand years."
Li Hao nodded. The implications were clear: only a personal disciple could inherit the true Dao Lineage of the Celestial Emperor. The remnants of the Emperor's followers desperately hoped for a new personal disciple to restore the glory of the Dao Lineage.
For those whose soul lifespan surpassed ten thousand years and lost their eligibility to become personal disciples, this offered an alternative path.
However, ten thousand years felt unbearably long to Li Hao.
"This is the second one, Tianyou Divine Maiden, Shi Miao," the ancient voice said as a new fragment unfolded before Li Hao.
The projection revealed a vast plain teeming with countless monstrous beasts and deities. The land was filled to capacity, a sea of shadowy forms including dragons, phoenixes, and countless others. Amid this overwhelming horde stood a solitary figure—a young maiden.
She moved gracefully, her radiant presence like a jewel amid chaos. With her hands clasped behind her back, she walked calmly through the masses of beasts and demons, unhurried and undisturbed.
The surrounding creatures were utterly immobilized, as if frozen in time. Their bodies, fur, and even the flames emanating from them became as still as a painted scene.
When the maiden left their midst, the frozen beasts and demons abruptly regained motion, frantically looking around for her, but she was already gone.
"Shi Miao was born from chaos and mastered the Dao of Time upon birth. By the time she became the Celestial Emperor's disciple, her mastery of the Dao of Time had reached nearly the tenth level, with the potential to become an Empress of Time!"
The aged voice trembled with a mix of awe and reverence. "Among the top prodigies of the myriad races in the True Realm, Divine Maiden Shi Miao was unrivaled, a peerless talent among her peers. The Celestial Emperor had great hopes for her. Tragically, she was too young, and the calamity came too soon. She followed the Celestial Emperor to the battlefield and never returned."
The voice sighed heavily.
For someone as extraordinary as Shi Miao, time was the one thing she needed most.
Li Hao, meanwhile, was fixated on the projection. The voice became a faint buzz in his ears as his attention was entirely consumed by the image of the maiden.
Her face was breathtaking, a beauty that could upend kingdoms. Her serene expression radiated calmness, as though nothing could perturb her—neither monstrous hordes nor the collapse of mountains and skies.
Yet her face seemed familiar.
Shi Miao, the Divine Maiden… one of the Celestial Emperor's personal disciples… could it be her?
Li Hao's thoughts whirled. That face, though more composed, was identical to Ying Xiaoxiao's.
However, Ying Xiaoxiao's gaze was softer, while Shi Miao's eyes were tranquil, as if she had seen the rise and fall of countless mountains, unshaken by any storm.
"You said the personal disciples' soul hearts remain unbroken and that they may have reincarnated?" Li Hao asked suddenly.
The aged voice noticed his tone and replied, "Yes. Do you know the whereabouts of Divine Maiden Shi Miao?"
Li Hao didn't answer immediately, instead gazing at the projection. He was now almost certain—seven or eight parts convinced—that Ying Xiaoxiao was the reincarnation of Shi Miao.
After all, how could two people share such identical appearances by mere coincidence?
"Do these reincarnated personal disciples exhibit any specific traits, like extraordinary talent for cultivation?" Li Hao asked again.
The aged voice replied, "It's hard to say. The battle was devastating, and though their soul hearts remain, they may have sealed their memories and powers to evade the ancient demons' pursuit or bide their time. Alternatively, only fragments of their true souls might have entered reincarnation, reduced to their most basic essence."
"To confirm their identities, I'll give you a soul heart projection for each of them. If you encounter someone suspected of being their reincarnation, let them merge with the projection. If they are truly the reincarnated disciple, the projection will integrate with their soul, unlocking their memories."
As the voice spoke, two lights—one blue and one multicolored—appeared before Li Hao.
Both lights were faint, with thin strands intertwining and radiating a faint soul presence.
Li Hao reached out and absorbed the two soul heart projections into his own soul.
"Don't worry about competition or conflict. If you find them, they will likely be grateful and may even voluntarily step aside from competing with you," the voice reassured him.
Li Hao understood the implied concern: he might eliminate them to secure the inheritance for himself. However, since becoming a personal disciple was a prerequisite for obtaining the Dao Lineage, killing them would only cut off his own path forward.
"I understand," Li Hao replied.
The aged voice fell silent, and the time fragments in the void dissipated.
Moments later, ten glowing spheres appeared before Li Hao, each radiating immense power.
"These are the ten supreme immortal techniques. Mastering just one in the True Immortal Realm grants the power to defeat ten thousand foes of the same rank."
The ancient voice spoke, "You may lightly touch each sphere with your primordial spirit and select the one you feel most confident in mastering. Once chosen, you will receive the complete technique, but you will not be able to change it. As a formal disciple, you can only select one technique. Personal disciples, however, have the talent and capacity to master all of them within a mere thousand years."
"For formal disciples, mastering even one of these techniques may take thousands of years. Attempting to learn more could hinder your overall cultivation. However, if you encounter a bottleneck in your cultivation, you can exchange accumulated celestial merits to learn additional techniques later."
The voice added, "To earn celestial merits, you will need to seek Li Huang. She oversees these matters. The Celestial Emperor left imperial edicts to reward celestial merits for slaying ancient demons. These rules should still be in effect."
Li Hao nodded. He extended his primordial spirit, gently touching each glowing sphere one by one.
Each contact brought a rush of ethereal Dao sounds, and before his eyes, a peerless figure would appear, demonstrating the essence of an unparalleled immortal technique. However, the demonstrations only showed the general outline of each technique.
Suddenly, a notification popped up in his mind:
[Immortal Technique: "Azure Sky" grasped at the foundational level. Would you like to record it?]
Li Hao paused briefly, his eyes lighting up with excitement. "This can be recorded on the system?" Without hesitation, he silently responded, "Record."
A new entry appeared on his panel:
[Supreme Immortal Technique: Azure Sky (Entry Level)]
[Advancement Requirement: Sword Dao Origin Level 3]
This was a sword-based supreme technique, and mastering it required a deeper understanding of the Sword Dao Origin.
Although he was only at the entry level, the influx of insights into the technique's foundational essence immediately revealed its immense power. It was far superior to his current skill, "Immortal's Path."
Li Hao quietly absorbed these insights and withdrew his primordial spirit from the sphere. He then moved to the next glowing sphere.
[Immortal Technique: "Forbidden Violet" grasped at the foundational level. Would you like to record it?]
Without hesitation, Li Hao recorded it, and once again, his panel updated with new insights and information. A deluge of profound knowledge surged into his mind.
[You have practiced "Forbidden Violet" to the proficient level.]
[You have practiced "Forbidden Violet" to the perfect level.]
[You have practiced "Forbidden Violet" to the pinnacle level.]
The technique, "Forbidden Violet," required a mastery of the Space Origin. It was a terrifying skill that could seal an opponent's abilities, rendering them defenseless.
Li Hao's existing understanding of the Space Origin at the fourth level allowed him to bring this supreme technique to its pinnacle. He marveled at its power—it completely nullified his opponent's combat capabilities, turning them into a lamb at the mercy of a hunter.
He wondered whether achieving the fifth level in Space Origin would unlock further enhancements to the technique. Would it evolve into an even higher form, or was the pinnacle already its ultimate state?
As Li Hao immersed himself in absorbing the knowledge, the ancient voice remained silent, allowing him to concentrate. In its eyes, this extended period of deliberation was entirely normal. After all, the ten supreme immortal techniques were precious treasures, and choosing one required careful thought.
After fully assimilating the insights of "Forbidden Violet," Li Hao opened his eyes and approached the third glowing sphere.
[Immortal Technique: "Thousand Shadows" grasped at the foundational level. Would you like to record it?]
Li Hao responded with another silent "Record." His primordial spirit continued to explore, recording technique after technique.
By the time he finished, Li Hao had successfully recorded six out of the ten supreme immortal techniques. The remaining four were beyond his current understanding of the corresponding Dao Origins, making it impossible to comprehend even their basics.
Still, he was not disappointed. Each of the six techniques he had recorded possessed overwhelming power. If he could bring them all to the pinnacle level like "Forbidden Violet," the disparity between him and ordinary True Immortal cultivators would be immeasurable.
Among the ten techniques, two were based on the Space Origin, and another two revolved around the Time Origin. These two Daos, being among the Nine Sequences, were inherently the strongest and most mysterious Origins in existence. Mastering any of them would grant unimaginable abilities.
Li Hao ultimately decided to focus on "Forbidden Violet." Attempting to choose a technique he could not yet record would be futile. Instead, it would be better to focus on refining his swordsmanship or honing his painting skills.
After he finalized his selection, the ancient voice summoned the chosen light sphere. The glowing orb shattered, and an overwhelming torrent of knowledge poured into Li Hao's mind. The seal on the technique was lifted, allowing him to absorb its entirety.
Because Li Hao had already mastered "Forbidden Violet" to its pinnacle level, this influx of knowledge served only as a refresher. He quickly integrated it.
The ancient voice spoke gently, "Cultivate well, and do not disappoint our expectations." With those words, Li Hao was sent out of the inheritance stone.
"How did it go?" asked Wang Lao immediately as Li Hao emerged, his concern evident in his gaze.
"I chose the 'Forbidden Violet' Immortal Technique. It aligns well with my comprehension of the Space Origin," Li Hao replied.
Wang Lao nodded knowingly. "I suspected you'd choose that one. Among the ten supreme immortal techniques, 'Forbidden Violet' and 'Descent' both rely solely on the Space Origin. Given your level of comprehension in the Space Origin, either of these would be the quickest for you to master to perfection—or even beyond."
Li Hao smiled faintly. He had already brought both techniques to their pinnacle.
The Descent technique allowed him to leave spatial marks and return instantly to any place he had set foot before, enabling him to cross billions of miles in an instant. It far surpassed ordinary teleportation techniques in its power. No wonder this singular ability could qualify as a supreme immortal technique. In battle, it was a nearly unbeatable method for escape.
"Descent is for escape, and Forbidden Violet is for attack. Seems you prefer offense, just as you do in chess," Wang Lao said with a laugh.
Li Hao chuckled. "If I can guard my territory, why would I need to take risks with an offensive strategy?"
Wang Lao understood the metaphor, laughing heartily. "Come now, it's time to see Li Huang so she can grant you the mark of inheritance. From this day forth, you'll officially be a disciple of the Celestial Emperor."
With that, Wang Lao guided Li Hao out of the rift.
As they stepped back onto the massive imperial platform at the end of the endless stairs, the breathtaking figure of Li Huang stood serenely, awaiting their arrival.
Li Hao, now clad in the Extreme Thunder Celestial Armor and wielding the ferocious Tao Wu Celestial Sword, cut an imposing figure. Lightning crackled around him, and an aura of bloodlust radiated from his body, making him look like a young god of war.
"Li Huang, Hao Tian has inherited the legacy. Please grant him the mark," Wang Lao said, bowing respectfully.
Li Huang's expression remained calm and ageless. Her tranquil gaze rested on Li Hao for a moment before she spoke softly, "Come forward."
Li Hao stepped forward as instructed.
Li Huang raised a slender finger, as delicate as white jade, and gently tapped the air. Instantly, Li Hao felt a searing energy burrow into his forehead, etching itself into his primordial spirit as a mark.
"From this moment, you are an official disciple of the Celestial Emperor. The Emperor's rules are strict; you must adhere to them. Do not oppress the weak, do not conspire with the ancient demons…" Her voice carried a chilling edge as she listed the rules, each one imprinting itself into Li Hao's mind along with the mark.
As Li Hao combed through these rules in his consciousness, he noticed something interesting: there was no mention of refraining from killing innocents. Apparently, in the True Realm, where battles for resources and opportunities were unrelenting, killing was a necessity on the path to ascension.
The rules were strict but left room for interpretation. They only prohibited dishonorable conduct, not survival-driven actions. For example, "do not oppress the weak" focused on oppression, not killing.
You could take life, but you couldn't disgrace it.
"When you leave, I will depart from this place. You do not need to know my whereabouts. If you ever wish to return, you can use the imperial mark to re-enter this place," Li Huang said calmly. "You are now an official disciple, but you must strive to become a personal disciple if you wish to inherit the full legacy of the Celestial Emperor. When that time comes, I will stand by your side to aid you."
Li Hao nodded.
"There are two personal disciples whose soul cores remain intact. Lan Bo should have told you about them. Finding them and restoring them will benefit you far more than destroying them. Do not make the wrong choice," Li Huang added.
Li Hao sighed inwardly. It seemed both Li Huang and Wang Lao shared the same concern—that he might eliminate potential competitors.
"I won't," he replied earnestly, though he felt no need to elaborate further.
Li Huang nodded slightly before turning her gaze to Wang Lao.
Wang Lao's expression grew somber. With a heavy heart, he bowed deeply to her and said, "Li Huang, this is my farewell."
"Do not forget, you too were someone the Emperor valued greatly," Li Huang said softly, her tone unusually gentle.
Wang Lao's body trembled slightly, and his eyes grew moist. He understood the weight of her words. He chose not to respond, only bowing once more before turning to leave.
Seeing this, Li Hao also bowed respectfully to Li Huang and took his leave.
As they descended the platform, Li Hao felt a pang of emotion. His thoughts turned to Feng Lao, Jian Zhu, Ren Qianqian, and the others. How were they faring now? And what of Ying Xiaoxiao? If she was indeed the reincarnation of Shen Miao, the personal disciple, her return might change everything.
Five years had passed. What had become of the myriad realms during his time away?
When Li Hao and Wang Lao returned to the meditation platform, Ming Sheng, Lin Sheng, and the others eagerly awaited them, their eyes filled with anticipation.
Seeing them, Wang Lao smiled and said to Li Hao, "As an official disciple, you now have the privilege to select celestial guards. These guards will serve you and be granted access to celestial guard cultivation techniques. You are allotted ten positions. Would you like to choose from among them?"
Li Hao was not surprised. During the granting of his mark, Li Huang had already informed him of this privilege.