Chapter 442: The Battle Heaven Clan
The sudden voice shattered the tense atmosphere above the Sacred Land like a sheet of ice breaking apart.
Feng Bo Ping, the Sword Master, and the others froze for a moment, then abruptly turned their heads to look at Li Hao.
When they saw his figure, they were momentarily stunned, as if the years had vanished in an instant. It felt like an illusion, a mirage. All sound seemed to fade away, leaving only a buzzing in their minds.
On the other side, the three True Immortals also stiffened and turned their gazes toward Li Hao.
When they saw him clearly, they were momentarily taken aback. That face—the same one they had been arguing over, intending to claim as their own—was now right before them.
But now, the aura emanating from his body was that of a True Immortal. Though only at the first level of the True Immortal realm, he had already crossed that vital threshold.
At the same time, they noticed the elderly man standing beside Li Hao. He looked simple and unassuming, like an ordinary farmer. However, the three True Immortals couldn't discern his cultivation level and faintly felt an overwhelming sense of danger emanating from him.
"You're not dead?"
The silver-armored young man's face changed slightly. When they first arrived here to recruit disciples, they had secretly investigated this world and even captured a few Dao Realm cultivators and a half-Saint from the Sacred Land. Through soul searches, they had learned much about the circumstances of this realm.
They knew that the owner of this body had perished in the Forbidden Zone, his soul extinguished, utterly beyond salvation.
They had also attempted to probe the Forbidden Zone but stopped short when they sensed the danger emanating from its Immortal Dao laws—a warning too grave to ignore.
For something that even they, as True Immortals, felt was perilous, how could a Saint-level figure have survived? Yet now, he stood before them, alive and well.
"That's… a Mixed-Origin Divine Blood body?"
The middle-aged True Immortal in the center, his eyes dark with flickering light, saw through the nature of Li Hao's physical form, and his expression immediately changed.
"What do you want me to agree to?"
Li Hao ignored their reactions, his gaze cold as he repeated the question, locking onto the cold and elegant woman in the colorful dress.
Feeling the sharpness of his gaze, the woman's expression shifted, a mix of shock and anger rising in her. This was only a first-level True Immortal, yet his aura carried such oppressive force?
At the same time, Li Hao's questioning struck a chord of fury within her.
"Since you've returned, let's drop the matter. We'll take our leave," the middle-aged True Immortal suddenly said before the woman could respond.
As he spoke, he bowed slightly, then gestured for his two companions to follow him away.
His abrupt reaction left the colorful-dressed woman and the silver-armored youth startled.
"Did I say you could leave?"
Li Hao's icy gaze and resolute words carried the weight of nails being driven into stone. As his Immortal Dao pressure continued to mount, the middle-aged True Immortal found himself halting mid-step.
"It was just a misunderstanding. Surely there's no need to press the matter further?" the middle-aged True Immortal said, frowning as his eyes darted toward Wang Shan He.
What he truly feared was the unassuming old man standing beside Li Hao.
Li Hao didn't respond but instead turned to look at Feng Bo Ping, the Sword Master, and the others.
By now, they had snapped out of their shock. Even those on the ground, such as Lin Qingying and Chi Guang, regained their mobility. The moment Li Hao appeared, the oppressive aura of the three True Immortals had been lifted, allowing everyone in the Sacred Land to finally catch their breath.
"Li Hao!"
In an instant, cries of joy erupted.
That familiar figure, that unforgettable face, was deeply etched into the hearts of everyone present.
Whoosh.
Feng Bo Ping practically teleported to Li Hao's side, his fist landing firmly on Li Hao's shoulder before pulling him into a fierce embrace. It was as if this gesture was the only way to confirm that everything was real and not a dream.
"You're alive! I knew you weren't dead!" The old man's voice was a mix of laughter and sobs.
Mi Tian Saint also approached. Seeing Feng Bo Ping's reaction, his eyes flickered with a hint of sorrow.
In Feng Bo Ping, he seemed to see a reflection of his younger self—a version of himself that he had failed to become.
Such pure, genuine emotion—if only he had been capable of it back then. Perhaps the years of estrangement and regret could have been avoided.
Even though their animosity had been resolved, broken bonds could never be fully mended. They could never return to how things had been.
Feeling the warmth of Feng Bo Ping's embrace, Li Hao's blood seemed to surge within him. From the time he had walked out of the General's Mansion, to standing at Tianmen Pass, to this moment in the Heavens—through the Buddhist Sacred Land and all that followed—Feng Bo Ping had been by his side, sharing the journey.
Despite his name, Feng Bo Ping had never lived a peaceful life.
A torrent of emotions surged through Li Hao—guilt, gratitude, joy, and an overwhelming sense of relief.
He patted Feng Bo Ping's shoulder lightly, the icy sharpness in his gaze dissipating. With a relaxed smile, he teased:
"You knew I wouldn't die, so why were you crying so hard?"
"Damn brat! Who was crying? The wind just blew some dust into my eyes!" Feng Bo Ping grumbled, punching Li Hao in the chest. But against Li Hao's physical strength, it felt as gentle as a feather.
"It's good that you're back. That's all that matters," the Sword Master said. His normally composed eyes revealed a rare glimpse of joy and excitement, though he maintained his restraint. Yet Li Hao noticed the faint tremor in the hand gripping his sword.
This was the same hand that had never wavered, even in the face of death. But now, it shook ever so slightly.
Li Hao's eyes were filled with complex emotions, as if he suddenly realized just how much he carried, how much he had to bear.
"Let me handle this first, and then we'll catch up properly," Li Hao said, taking a deep breath. His tone was steady, but his gaze had already turned ice-cold as it swept over the crowd. He had just noticed the injuries on Mi Tian Saint that refused to heal, with strands of immortal energy preventing the wounds from closing.
It was clear these injuries were caused by the three True Immortals standing before him.
Hearing Li Hao's words, the middle-aged True Immortal's expression shifted slightly. The woman in the colorful dress frowned, a hint of anger flashing in her eyes. However, seeing the reaction of the steward beside her, she suppressed her frustration, realizing something might be amiss.
"This is just a small misunderstanding. Your friend hasn't suffered any serious harm. Take these one hundred immortal stones as our apology," the middle-aged True Immortal said as he pulled a small pouch from his sleeve and tossed it toward Li Hao.
Li Hao didn't move, letting the pouch arc through the air and fall to the ground.
The middle-aged True Immortal's gaze darkened. His tone grew colder as he said, "We are from the Xuan Zhan Sect. I am Zuo Chunqiu, a steward of the sect."
Revealing his identity was a sign that he was making his final concession.
Li Hao's expression remained unchanged as he sneered, "A sect steward who is merely at the True Immortal realm? It seems your sect is nothing special."
Zuo Chunqiu's face grew cold as he retorted, "Such arrogance! Xuan Zhan Sect is a fourth-tier sect in the Southern Region of the True Realm. Our sect master is a Celestial Sovereign. The difference between realms means that a Celestial Sovereign could crush a True Immortal like an ant!"
Li Hao turned to Wang Shan He and asked, "Is that true?"
Wang Shan He, understanding Li Hao's intentions, nodded seriously. "Yes, I've crushed Celestial Sovereigns before. It is indeed as easy as crushing an ant."
Zuo Chunqiu and his companions were stunned, their gazes snapping to Wang Shan He. The tone of this old man's words left them utterly shocked.
Li Hao nodded slightly, and without another word, he erupted into action. Immortal energy surged, and the fierce Chaowu Immortal Sword appeared in his hand.
Kill!
Li Hao's intent flowed into the sword. The sword spirit of Chaowu instantly understood his will and responded without hesitation. In a flash, it radiated dazzling sword light and shot forward like a bolt of lightning.
"You dare attack?!"
"That's no ordinary True Treasure-grade weapon!"
The three True Immortals were shocked by Li Hao's sudden assault. The sword's unleashed pressure made their hearts tremble. This was no mere True Immortal weapon; it was clearly far beyond their level.
"Run!"
Zuo Chunqiu reacted the fastest. He immediately summoned two talismans and deployed two immortal weapons—one resembling a mirror that reflected light, the other a spinning teapot-shaped object.
As he activated the weapons, he shouted for his companions to retreat. At the same time, he pushed the silver-armored youth forward while pulling the colorful-dressed woman away with him.
The silver-armored youth, caught off guard, stumbled forward. His face filled with shock as he brushed past Zuo Chunqiu. Seeing the cold resolve and ruthless glint in Zuo Chunqiu's eyes, the youth's expression twisted into one of fear and fury.
"Zuo Chunqiu, you bastard!" he roared, his silver armor flaring with radiant light.
The colorful-dressed woman was similarly stunned by Zuo Chunqiu's actions, but in the brief moment she was being pulled away, she quickly understood. The shock in her eyes faded as she gritted her teeth and summoned her own immortal weapon to aid their escape.
A moment that seemed drawn-out was, in truth, but a fraction of a second. It all unfolded as Li Hao launched his attack.
Boom!
The silver-armored youth's blazing silver light was abruptly extinguished, as if cut in half. The Chaowu Immortal Sword pierced through his True Immortal body, slicing it apart along with his primordial spirit. The wounds were irreparable, and his life force rapidly drained away.
Even as the sword destroyed him, it flashed forward like lightning, closing the distance to Zuo Chunqiu and the colorful-dressed woman.
The silver-armored youth's desperate burst of power failed to buy them even an instant of time.
"This… this is an immortal weapon, one only a Celestial Sovereign can control!" Zuo Chunqiu's pupils contracted as he finally recognized the sword's terrifying grade. However, by then, it was far too late.
Despair filled Zuo Chunqiu's eyes as he let out a desperate roar, abruptly shoving the colorful-dressed woman in front of him as a shield. He shouted loudly, "She's a descendant of the Zhan Tian Clan! If she dies here, all of your heavens will suffer unimaginable consequences…"
Before he could finish, the Chaowu Immortal Sword flickered and, in an instant, bypassed the woman. A flash of cold light swept past her throat and curved mid-air, severing Zuo Chunqiu's neck cleanly. His words were silenced forever.
The immortal domain laws infused in the Chaowu Sword obliterated Zuo Chunqiu's internal energy completely, preventing even the regenerative powers of divine blood from functioning.
"You…" Zuo Chunqiu's eyes widened in terror. As his head began to slip off his neck, he desperately held it in place with his hands. He didn't die instantly, but his primordial spirit and body had been severed simultaneously, rendering him a shadow of his former self with only 30% of his strength remaining.
"Don't kill me! I'll compensate you—one hundred thousand, no, a million immortal stones! I—"
Before he could finish, the Chaowu Immortal Sword, following Li Hao's unspoken command, pierced through his head and obliterated his body. His life force was shredded completely.
From the moment the silver-armored youth was bisected to Zuo Chunqiu being reduced to dust, barely a breath had passed.
Now, only the colorful-dressed woman remained, standing dazed and motionless amidst the aftermath.
The sacred grounds fell into absolute silence.
Everyone present was utterly stunned by the scene before them.
Moments ago, they had been overwhelmed with joy at Li Hao's return. For a brief moment, they had even forgotten about the threat of the three True Immortals. But as Li Hao erupted into action, their apprehension returned in full force. While Li Hao had ascended to the True Immortal realm, his opponents were seasoned powerhouses from the True Realm. Moreover, there were three of them, one of whom was a particularly strong True Immortal!
Yet before they could even voice their fears, the battle had already concluded.
The three True Immortals who had been domineeringly oppressing the sacred grounds mere moments earlier were annihilated in the blink of an eye, not even given the chance to flee.
In just five years, the young man had returned as a True Immortal—and, as always, he seemed to stand invincible among his peers.
Everyone felt as though they were in a dream.
The most shocked of all, however, was the colorful-dressed woman. She could hardly comprehend how Zuo Chunqiu had been killed so quickly. Before she could even muster anger or hatred for being used as a human shield, Zuo Chunqiu had perished right before her eyes.
Staring at the young man's calm, indifferent gaze, the woman's body trembled uncontrollably. Never had she thought that, in this pseudo-world where Saint-level cultivators reigned supreme, she—a True Immortal—might actually face death.
"I… I am from the Zhan Tian Clan. If you kill me, your heavens will face catastrophe. My clan's powerhouses will surely come for vengeance. But today's events can end here. I can swear on my immortal seal to forget everything that happened!"
She quickly tried to regain her composure, forcing herself to speak steadily despite her trembling voice.
She feared the young man might kill her on impulse, just as he had her companions.
"Zhan Tian Clan?" Li Hao raised an eyebrow and glanced at Wang Shan He. If he were alone, he wouldn't have bothered listening to her. He would've simply ended it. But now, burdened with the responsibility of the heavens, he had to think carefully.
Wang Shan He seemed to reminisce as he explained in a calm voice, "Ten thousand years ago, the Zhan Tian Clan followed Emperor Huang Zhan, renowned for their bravery in battle. Their clan members are born with a Battle Body and Battle Heart, allowing them to cultivate at extraordinary speeds. Their Battle Body, once triggered in the Enlightened Realm, enables them to enter a berserk state, amplifying their combat strength several times over—up to tenfold."
He paused, his gaze landing on the colorful-dressed woman. His expression was like that of a senior addressing a child, but his eyes were devoid of warmth. He continued, "However, Emperor Huang Zhan fell long ago. The Zhan Tian Clan is nothing more than his former followers. Even if this woman were a direct descendant of the emperor's bloodline, she is still far beneath your current status."
His voice was light, yet to the woman, it crashed down like a thunderous avalanche.
She stood frozen, staring at this seemingly unremarkable old man. Her heart pounded wildly as the sheer weight of his words settled in. He spoke of the Zhan Tian Clan's ancient secrets as though they were common knowledge. What's more, he spoke of events that occurred ten thousand years ago—a time even her grandfather couldn't have witnessed.
"If I kill her, is there a way for the Zhan Tian Clan to find out?" Li Hao asked.
Wang Shan He nodded slightly, then chuckled. "The Zhan Tian Clan has a shared Primordial Spirit Domain. Within this domain, every clan member's soul leaves an imprint. If someone dies, the imprint vanishes but retains the final moments of their memory before death. Killing a member of the Zhan Tian Clan recklessly will undoubtedly invite pursuit. However, this domain isn't foolproof. For instance…"
He raised his hand slightly, and the sky seemed to darken. The darkness wasn't natural but emanated from behind him, spreading like ink across the horizon. It encircled the colorful-dressed woman in an instant.
"In my Immortal Kingdom, their domain doesn't work. Unless someone of equal realm intervenes, her death will remain a mystery."
Wang Shan He's voice remained light, almost playful.
The colorful-dressed woman's expression froze. Her lips trembled as though she wanted to plead for her life, but the words wouldn't come.
Condensing an Immortal Kingdom… This old man is an Immortal King!