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Chapter 357: The Second Ultimate Boundary
🕑 Added 2024-10-11 04:50:52 +0000 UTCThe flash of insight that struck Li Hao was unrelated to his Painting Dao or recent comprehension but rather pertained to the concept of Qi Veins.
Previously, when he condensed Qi Veins, they floated outside his body, consuming vast amounts of energy, and during battle, they were easily severed, rendering all previous efforts useless.
The Qi Veins were like rootless duckweed, drifting outside the body. But what if he could find a foundation for these veins?
Li Hao gazed at the starlit sky. No matter how he moved, the starlight fell evenly across his body unless blocked by an obstacle.
"If the Qi Veins could be like this starlight, illuminating and connecting to my body..." Li Hao's eyes gleamed as he murmured to himself.
His idea was bold and somewhat shocking—what if he could connect the Qi Veins to the stars themselves, using them as an anchor? What power would this bring?
The more Li Hao pondered, the brighter his eyes became. It seemed impossible, but breaking limits required thinking beyond the conventional.
He calmed his mind and began to carefully sense the stars above.
However, the stars were too far away. Though his sensory powers were incredibly strong, allowing his Divine Sense to extend 15 li and reach the pinnacle, he still could not touch the stars.
With a swoosh, his Primordial Spirit shot out from the top of his head, flying towards the stars in the sky.
When the Primordial Spirit left the body, it had a limited range. If it ventured too far and severed the connection with the body, it would become a wandering spirit, and even if it found the body again, it would suffer severe damage.
But the Primordial Spirit was different. It could withstand the burning of the scorching sun, freeing itself from the body for a short time.
At this moment, the Primordial Spirit sped directly toward a star high above.
As it drew closer, Li Hao felt the penetrating starlight. If his soul had not already transformed into a Primordial Spirit, resistant to the sun's burning rays, the starlight would have severely harmed his Primordial Spirit.
However, instead of harm, the starlight became a source of energy for the Primordial Spirit, allowing it to fly higher and higher.
As the star, once the size of a silver disc, gradually filled the Primordial Spirit's vision, its vastness became overwhelming, and the Primordial Spirit was forced to stop.
It had no choice but to halt. Continuing forward, it encountered a barrier, like a thick wall, far sturdier than the barriers of the Minor Worlds.
Li Hao paused, recalling certain legends—could this be the Heavenly Veil?
Beyond the Heavenly Veil lay the stars, untouchable.
Li Hao directed his Primordial Spirit to try breaking through the veil.
Gathering its power, the Primordial Spirit formed a sword and slashed fiercely at the veil, hoping to tear a hole in it.
The brilliant sword light struck the Heavenly Veil but dissipated like a puff of dust.
Li Hao was stunned. The Heavenly Veil was not only solid but also contained some kind of power that nullified laws and dispersed all Daos!
Refusing to give up, Li Hao unleashed his Only My Sword Dao, slashing once more.
With a boom, the veil trembled slightly, but the sword energy still evaporated like smoke, leaving no trace of damage.
Li Hao's heart trembled, and he smiled bitterly. Even his most powerful attack could not harm the Heavenly Veil.
"Is this idea just a delusion?" Li Hao's eyes flickered as his Primordial Spirit stood near the Heavenly Veil, staring at the stars beyond, unable to sense anything. All his perceptions were blocked by the veil.
After a moment, a thought struck him: if his Primordial Spirit could not reach the stars, the starlight still shone down—there must be something that even the Heavenly Veil could not block!
Li Hao's eyes lit up, and he recalled his Primordial Spirit. His eyes now gleamed with a brilliant silver light.
Transformation into an Immortal!
Li Hao intended to merge with the heavens and earth through this transformation to feel the stars above.
As the silver light blossomed, his black hair transformed into gleaming silver strands, his entire being emanating an ancient, celestial aura.
Silver threads fluttered, and the power of the world gathered around him, timeless and unchanging.
King Green Deer, filled with resentment and murderous thoughts, was suddenly alarmed by the surge of power radiating from Li Hao's back. His heart leaped in fear as he sensed the strange phenomenon enveloping Li Hao.
At this moment, the power seemed to draw upon the vast forces of the heavens, rivaling even the might of the Eternal Dao Domain.
"If he didn't use his full strength before..." King Green Deer was terrified. Since childhood, he had rarely lost a fight. He considered himself nearly invincible beneath the saints, but this youth before him shattered his understanding yet again.
As the power of the heavens flowed through him, Li Hao fully entered his Immortal Transformation.
His entire being pulsed with destructive force, as though capable of leveling mountains and rivers. Even his drifting hair seemed to carry the power to sweep through forests. Yet, this mighty force was contained, as Li Hao focused his mind on the heavens.
His vision shifted, revealing countless strands of energy floating like snowflakes through the world. Gazing upwards, he saw beams of starlight intersecting in straight, brilliant lines, glowing like divine radiance.
His consciousness soared upward, reaching the Heavenly Veil. This time, however, he felt no resistance. His spirit passed through the veil with ease, emerging on the other side.
Immediately, a bitter cold engulfed him, as though he were submerged in a frigid ocean, poised to be swallowed and destroyed.
Li Hao's heart trembled. He quickly withdrew his consciousness, remaining close to the veil but venturing no further.
Even so, he felt as though he stood on the edge of an abyss.
At last, Li Hao saw the stars for what they truly were and sensed their existence.
What he saw left him wide-eyed and stunned—the stars were not planets as he had believed in his previous life, but… paintings!
That's right, the silver-disc stars above were painted!
They contained a terrifying amount of Dao Laws, as though billions of Laws had been compressed into them.
These were not real stars; they were star paintings, created by Dao Laws!
Li Hao was shaken, lost in astonishment.
Although this world differed from his previous life, and its cosmic structure was unique, his understanding of basic truths told him that real stars were not like this. These Dao-formed constructs seemed artificial!
Could it be that all these stars were created by someone?
Li Hao couldn't even begin to fathom the existence capable of such a feat.
He stood in awe for a long time before regaining his composure. This was not a question he needed to ponder right now.
The stars, built from Dao Laws, shone brightly, their light piercing through the veil and illuminating the world below.
Focusing on the Dao Laws within the starlight, Li Hao marveled at their sharpness and power, akin to grand paths of the Dao. If his Qi Veins could be like these beams of starlight, he needn't worry about them being severed in battle.
Immersed in thought, he wrapped his consciousness in the power of the heavens and submerged it in the starlight's Dao Laws.
Bathed in the Dao Laws of starlight, Li Hao observed the intricate weavings of these laws, their structure too marvelous to comprehend, compressing into brilliant starlight.
Li Hao floated in this sea of Laws, carefully studying their flow and function.
In the human realm, he had heard that saints could hide themselves within a single drop of water or a flower, disappearing without a trace.
Now, Li Hao truly understood this concept.
Even a single beam of starlight contained thousands of Dao Laws.
Staring at these mesmerizing Laws, Li Hao was utterly absorbed.
Time seemed to slip away unnoticed.
King Green Deer remained frozen in place, trembling as he sensed the overwhelming aura radiating from Li Hao, like an ancient divine mountain pressing down on him. He dared not move. Though his mind had been in turmoil, it had now quieted, leaving him in a state of complex emotions.
Suddenly, he felt Li Hao's body tremble slightly.
The vast power around him suddenly intensified, growing even more terrifying.
At the same time, King Green Deer felt as though a divine light illuminated the space around him, akin to the legendary scene of a saint's enlightenment.
An enlightenment so profound that the heavens sent divine light to mark it.
Although there were no golden lotuses sprouting from the ground, the light from above made it clear: another breakthrough had occurred.
He had gained further insight?!
King Green Deer's emotions were a tumultuous mix of awe and jealousy.
Since his rise to power, he had never felt jealousy toward anyone. It was always others who envied him. Yet now, he found himself jealous once more.
Li Hao opened his eyes, his gaze filled with the hidden glow of starlight. He looked up at the silver-disc star above. Within the beams of starlight, he had discerned the Dao Laws.
At this moment, a Qi Vein condensed, connecting with the Dao Laws in the starlight.
In an instant, this vein seemed to be drawn by the starlight, linking with the distant star!
As it connected with the star's Dao Laws, the once fragile vein, like a flowing ribbon, became sharp and rigid, as though it could pierce through heaven and earth.
The energy needed to sustain this vein no longer came from Li Hao but was drawn from the star itself!
Now, he only needed a small amount of energy to maintain the vein. The rest was supported by the star's pull, like an invisible field merging the Qi Vein with the starlight, anchoring it in the star. It was impossible to sever!
Even if it were cut, it could instantly reform, like light itself.
Furthermore, this Qi Vein, fused with the star's Dao Laws and hidden within the starlight, was invisible to others.
With the successful formation of this vein, Li Hao's eyes shone with excitement and joy. His earlier concept of Qi Veins had actually worked!
Using the stars as anchors—a once unimaginable idea—had become a reality!
Though it was only one Qi Vein, the path had been opened!
Li Hao's eyes sparkled with exhilaration as he gazed up at the countless stars, each one like a precious gem waiting to be claimed.
Without stopping, he followed the same method, using his Immortal Transformation to locate a second star. Once again, his consciousness passed beyond the Heavenly Veil, studying the Dao Laws within the star.
The Dao Laws of the second star were similar to the first, and comprehension came much faster this time.
Before long, he had condensed a second Qi Vein, linking it to the starlight.
As the second vein solidified, the power within Li Hao surged even further.
He continued, condensing a third, fourth vein... More and more Qi Veins took form, connecting to the stars.
Li Hao realized that cultivating the Ultimate Boundary was a hundred, even a thousand times more challenging than reaching the Extremity!
The Extremity was merely pushing one's cultivation method to the limit. But the Ultimate Boundary required immense wisdom to refine a realm to its final, perfected form.
"I didn't expect that the path of the Second Ultimate Boundary would be like this…" Li Hao murmured. He also recognized how each Extremity was interconnected and influenced the cultivation of the Ultimate Boundary.
Without Immortal Transformation, even if he had conceived the idea of Qi Veins, he would have eventually abandoned it.
After all, without breaking through the Heavenly Veil, he couldn't sense the stars' Dao Laws. Only by merging with heaven and earth in his Immortal Transformation could he pass through the veil.
Without the Sixth Extremity, he could never cultivate the Second Ultimate Boundary!
Time flew by.
Li Hao continued his cultivation on the mountain peak.
Before he knew it, three months had passed.
The first Qi Vein had taken Li Hao five days to condense. But as he became familiar with the process of studying the Dao Laws within the stars, his speed increased. Each Qi Vein now took only two or three hours to complete.
Even so, after three months, Li Hao had only condensed 368 Qi Veins!
Each vein connected to 368 stars!
Li Hao also noticed that, aside from the first star he had studied, all the other stars appeared to be paintings as well, composed of condensed Dao Laws, not actual spheres.
"These two stars of the sun and moon can condense two large Qi Veins!" Li Hao raised his head, gazing at the sun and moon hanging in the sky, their Dao Laws alternating, one bright, one dark, constantly shifting.
Li Hao did not stop. He continued to comprehend.
When his Immortal Transformation reached the sun's radiant light beyond the Heavenly Veil, Li Hao felt a scorching sensation.
Thankfully, his Primordial Spirit had been refined, allowing him to resist much of the sun's Dao Laws.
To his surprise, the sun was not a painted star but an actual sphere, perfectly round and red, burning with fiery light like a true sun!
However, it still contained condensed Dao Laws and a supreme Fire Dao. This Fire Dao was far more profound than the one he had witnessed in Chiguang's techniques.
Li Hao pressed himself against the Heavenly Veil, focusing on the sun's Dao Laws.
Another half month passed. Li Hao finally grasped the subtle rhythm of the sun's Dao Laws, and a massive Qi Vein took shape within him, merging into the sun's light.
However, as soon as this Qi Vein fused with the sun, it was struck by a vast force, shattering instantly.
Li Hao froze, then felt a bit dumbfounded. The reason for the shattering was that the Qi Vein wasn't large enough.
Immediately, he condensed a Qi Vein one hundred times larger than the others and once again merged it with the sun's Dao Laws. This time, it held.
As the sun's scorching energy flowed into him, Li Hao's entire body radiated with intense heat. Moreover, the complex Fire Dao seeped into the Qi Vein, infusing his inner energy with pure firepower—indestructible and ever-burning.
After comprehending the sun, Li Hao turned his attention to the moon.
The moon, too, was a massive sphere, emitting a chilling light.
Li Hao immersed himself in its study, and after more than ten days, another grand Qi Vein of pure yin energy formed.
By this time, nearly four months had passed.
Li Hao had condensed a total of 370 Qi Veins, including the two grand Qi Veins of sun and moon.
Li Hao knew this was far from the limit; he could form even more Qi Veins and grow even stronger!
But that would take time.
Li Hao asked Hong Yue how long he had been cultivating.
Over the past four months, Hong Yue had watched as Li Hao bathed in celestial phenomena, seemingly in a meditative state, occasionally releasing waves of terrifying energy that left her in awe.
When Li Hao asked, she quickly answered.
During Li Hao's cultivation, she had been keeping track of the time for him.
Throughout this period, Li Hao had taken some ingredients from his Heaven and Earth Space for her to prepare, ensuring she wouldn't go hungry.
After all, at the Fifteen Li Realm, she still couldn't fast for long periods.
Hearing that her estimate matched his, Li Hao nodded. Glancing at the stars above, he thought that if he hadn't come to the All-Heavens Battlefield and seen these stars up close, he never would have conceived of this idea.
The stars seemed endless. Li Hao wondered if his Qi Veins could be as infinite as the stars.
So far, he hadn't encountered a bottleneck or sensed a limit.
"The Second Ultimate Boundary, like the Heaven and Earth Veins, draws upon the power of the world, forming the foundation of many Extremities. This Second Ultimate Boundary must be similar."
Li Hao's eyes sparkled. It was said that even a skilled cook couldn't make a meal without ingredients. Without sufficient power, no amount of Extremities or Ultimate Boundaries could amount to anything.
With about a month left until the Supreme Prodigy Battle, Li Hao felt the surging power within him. He wasn't sure if he could face a saint yet.
But he knew that relying on brute strength alone might not be enough. Unless he could truly cultivate the Second Ultimate Boundary to its pinnacle, he would still be lacking.
Yet condensing the Qi Veins required time. In the remaining month, Li Hao planned to try something else.
Currently, his Saint Path Seed had already sprouted.
He had one foot in the Half-Saint Realm.
Earlier, at the Buddhist Sacred Land, during his debate with the Buddha Sovereign, a seed had been planted in his heart.
But Li Hao sensed that this seed could give rise to several different paths, including the Path of All Living Beings.
This was the path of the Sword Saint.
The Sword Saint saw living beings as different, some high, some low, and appreciated the differences. This was the embryonic form of the Path of All Living Beings.
But Li Hao didn't want to follow this path. Although it aligned with his principles, it only scratched the surface of his true intentions.
Li Hao's eyes glimmered. Only by condensing the embryonic form of his Saint Path could he truly have the qualifications to face a saint. Otherwise, he wouldn't even have a seat at the table.
After all, a saint only needed to summon their Saint Path to easily obliterate his countless techniques.
The saying "one trick can defeat all" held true for the Saint Path. As soon as a saint revealed their Saint Path, it could shake the very core of one's being, causing their Great Dao to collapse.
At the Hearing Dao Realm, one could only glimpse the Dao of Heaven and Earth, without having a path of their own.
When facing someone who had condensed their own path, relying solely on the Dao of Heaven and Earth would result in swift defeat—unless one's strength was boundless, and they could overwhelm their opponent through sheer force.
Li Hao's thoughts churned. Comprehending the embryonic form of a Saint Path required opportunity. It wasn't something that could be achieved overnight, nor could the System assist him. He had to rely on himself.
However, before fully understanding his Saint Path, there was another opportunity that the System might be able to assist with, and it could provide a significant boost.
This opportunity was something Li Hao had heard about at the Flower Viewing Banquet.
Thinking of this, Li Hao decided not to linger here condensing Qi Veins. With only a little more than a month left, even if he continued cultivating, he could only form a hundred or so more Qi Veins. While this would greatly enhance his strength, it wouldn't result in a qualitative transformation beyond the 370 Qi Veins he had already condensed.
Li Hao suppressed his energy and reverted from the Immortal Transformation state.
One by one, the silver strands of his hair fell, turning black once more. The ancient, otherworldly aura surrounding him receded.
Li Hao opened his eyes, the glow within them reflecting the vast sea of stars, deep and unfathomable, making it difficult for anyone to meet his gaze.
"You can go now."
Li Hao stood up and addressed King Green Deer, who had served as his seat for four months.
King Green Deer's body had long since gone numb. The sudden retraction of the immense pressure from his back jolted him from his thoughts. Hearing Li Hao's words, he leaped to his feet.
After sitting for so long, his muscles were stiff, and he almost strained his back. His whole body ached.
These past four months had been anything but easy. He had endured the weight of a mountain on his back, constantly under immense pressure. Had it been anyone else, they would have collapsed long ago.
"You're letting me go?" King Green Deer asked suspiciously, unsure why Li Hao, after humiliating him so thoroughly, would just release him.
"You don't want to?" Li Hao responded indifferently.
King Green Deer's mouth twitched. How could he not want to? His face darkened as he replied, "Even if you let me go today, I will settle this debt with you."
"As you wish." Li Hao's tone was cold. Though he had thoroughly humiliated King Green Deer, releasing him now would only make an enemy of the man himself. Killing him, however, would likely provoke the wrath of his master.
At present, Li Hao wasn't keen on provoking a saint.
Seeing Li Hao's casual demeanor, King Green Deer's anger flared up, but then he recalled the past few months. His expression grew more complicated.
He knew that Li Hao was not releasing him out of fear of his saintly master. Li Hao simply did not care about him.
Being looked down upon... but King Green Deer felt powerless.
No one knew better than him how terrifying the youth before him had become over the past few months.
Each day, the pressure emanating from Li Hao had grown stronger. Never before had King Green Deer seen anyone cultivate at such an exaggerated pace, with their strength increasing by leaps and bounds.
In truth, every few hours, Li Hao's aura had strengthened noticeably. His progress in cultivation seemed even easier than eating and drinking, which was terrifying!
"Beneath the saints, I'm no match for you. But when I become a saint, I will challenge you again to a duel!" King Green Deer took a deep breath, casting a solemn look at Li Hao. Then, fearing a change of heart, he quickly vanished into the void, escaping from the mountain peak.
Li Hao chuckled at the sight of King Green Deer fleeing, paying him no further mind.
"Let's go. It's time for us to head back." Li Hao turned to Hong Yue and said, "You've worked hard during this time."
"It's my honor to accompany you, Young Master," Hong Yue replied quickly, her eyes brimming with admiration.
She had witnessed King Green Deer's awe-inspiring presence at the Heavenly Stele and how the top elites of the various sacred lands treated him with great reverence. Yet Li Hao had sat on his back for four months, utterly humiliating him. It was astounding.
Li Hao didn't dwell on formalities. He activated his Transmitter and sent a message to Lin Baichuan and the others.
A moment later, he received their response: they had already returned to the Heaven-Stealing Sacred Land.
Earlier, they had tried to contact Li Hao when they left, but he had been too engrossed in cultivation to notice.
Unable to locate him, they had no choice but to leave without him.
Considering Li Hao's strength, they had no reason to worry about him in the All-Heavens Battlefield.
Realizing they had already departed, Li Hao decided to return as well, bringing Hong Yue along.
As they passed the Heavenly Stele, Li Hao noticed that the crowd gathered outside had thinned considerably, with only a few scattered figures remaining.
Clearly, the previous excitement had died down after several months.
With the Supreme Prodigy Battle drawing near, many were now making their final preparations.
Gazing at the two blood-red characters etched atop the Heavenly Stele, Li Hao smiled. This journey to the All-Heavens Battlefield had been immensely rewarding. He had not only found the path to the Second Ultimate Boundary but had also discovered the red Dao Sounding Bell in his mind, which continued to resonate, helping him nearly reach enlightenment and greatly aiding his cultivation.
However, Li Hao noticed that with each resonance, the red glow of the bell dimmed slightly. It likely wasn't an endless source of power.
Along the way, they encountered some Void Fiends. Sensing Li Hao's presence, the fiends quickly avoided him.
Before the All-Heavens Battlefield opened, these fiends had learned that those who ventured here were the elites among humans. They wisely chose not to engage.
Upon returning to the Separation Valley, Li Hao sent a message to Feng Lao, and soon, a rift in the void opened.
Li Hao and Hong Yue stepped through and returned.
In the Heaven-Stealing Sacred Land:
"You're finally back. I was worried you'd stay out there until the Supreme Prodigy Battle started," Feng Boping said with a sigh of relief. While Li Hao was strong enough to roam freely in the All-Heavens Battlefield, there were still dangers. The area above was rife with fissures, and powerful Void Fiends roamed there, preying on even half-saints.
When Li Hao heard this, his expression changed slightly. "Did the Mixed Heavens Sacred Land come looking for trouble?"
Feng Boping laughed lightly. "Trouble? I'm not afraid of that. Worst-case scenario, I'll just stay here in the sacred land."
Though his words were casual, his gaze sharpened as he looked at Li Hao. "So, what happened to King Green Deer? You didn't really kill him, did you?"
"No, I let him go," Li Hao replied.
Feng Boping sighed in relief. "That's good. As long as he's alive, the Mixed Heavens Saint can't pin anything on us. After all, it was just a squabble between juniors. As a saint, he wouldn't lower himself to intervene."
Li Hao nodded in agreement.
"I heard you made a name for yourself on the Heavenly Stele. You always manage to make a big splash!" Feng Boping said with a wide grin.
When he first heard the news, he had been shocked. But after remembering Li Hao's extraordinary talent, which had been evident even back in the human realm, he realized that even amidst a sea of monsters in the All-Heavens Battlefield, Li Hao's brilliance couldn't be hidden.
Li Hao felt a little embarrassed. His intention had not been to stir up trouble.
However, the benefits of having his name immortalized in blood on the Heavenly Stele brought him much joy.
"Were you out hunting Void Fiends all these months? Their bodies contain Void Essence, a key ingredient in forging Tribulation Emperor Weapons. Collecting some would be a good idea."
Feng Boping remarked casually.
Tribulation Emperor Weapons were born of the heavens and earth, and Void Essence was an exceptionally pure form of energy found within the Void Fiends, essentially serving as food for these weapons.
"No, I didn't hunt. I was just cultivating and had a bit of an epiphany," Li Hao said.
Although Void Essence could nourish Tribulation Emperor Weapons, it was akin to a bowl of rice. One would need a massive amount to see any results.
As a result, few chose to hunt the fiends, especially since most elites didn't even possess the embryos of Tribulation Emperor Weapons, let alone the means to cultivate them.
Feng Boping nodded in understanding and didn't press the matter. "There's only about a month left. The Buddhist Sacred Land and Void Saints will definitely try something. I plan to ask Liar Heaven Saint to help me guard you."
His connection to Li Hao was no secret, so he knew the Buddhist Sacred Land and Void Saints would target him as well. To counter this, he intended to call on Liar Heaven Saint.
"Liar Heaven Saint?" Li Hao was surprised. "I thought she was your enemy?"
"Enemy?" Feng Boping looked puzzled. "Who told you that?"
"You're the only two sacred lands in the Minor World. I assumed you didn't get along…"
Feng Boping chuckled. "We might not like each other, but we're not enemies. She… well, she's not the greatest person, but she's reliable when it counts."
Li Hao stared at him, confused. "Didn't you once say to never trust Liar Heaven Saint?"
"..."
Feng Boping was speechless for a moment, then finally said, "It depends on the situation. I've dealt with her long enough to know how she operates. We've made an agreement. Trust me; I'll take care of it."
Seeing Feng Lao's arrangements, Li Hao nodded, though he sighed inwardly. Feng Lao had gone to great lengths to protect him, possibly owing a significant favor in return.
Realizing this, Li Hao set aside his thoughts of rest and addressed Feng Lao directly, "There's one more thing I'll need your help with."
"Don't be polite with me. Just say it," Feng Boping replied gruffly.
"I'd like to go to Wangyue Cliff."
"Wangyue Cliff?" Feng Boping raised an eyebrow, then immediately understood, smiling. "You know about that place? Well, since you're a sword cultivator, you should definitely go."
At Wangyue Cliff, there was a stone wall. Sealed within it was a sword shadow known as The Immortal's Guidance.
Many swordsmen had come to observe it, but few had succeeded in gaining insight. Even the Sword Saint had failed to comprehend it, elevating the sword shadow to legendary status among the world's swordsmen.
"However, the Buddhist Sacred Land and Void Saints might anticipate this move. I'll talk to Liar Heaven Saint and have her accompany us," Feng Boping said, his eyes gleaming.
Li Hao nodded.
Feng Boping left, returning shortly with Liar Heaven Saint by his side.
"So, you've made a name for yourself across the heavens, leaving your blood-red mark on the stele. Impressive indeed," Liar Heaven Saint said with a light laugh upon seeing Li Hao.
Li Hao realized that his name on the Heavenly Stele had drawn the attention of many saints.
If it had been anything else, the saints might not have cared. They had witnessed countless geniuses rise and fall. But the blood-red mark on the Heavenly Stele was something even saints struggled to achieve, forcing them to take notice of this young man.
"You flatter me, senior," Li Hao replied humbly.
Liar Heaven Saint chuckled. "I hear you plan to visit Wangyue Cliff. There's only a little over a month left. You might not have enough time."
"We'll see. With only a month left, there's not much else I can do," Feng Boping said.
Li Hao nodded, offering no further explanation.
In truth, whether or not he could record the sword shadow at Wangyue Cliff would be clear after one look.
If not, he would spend the remaining time refining the embryonic form of his Saint Path.
"If that's the case, then time is short. Let's go," Liar Heaven Saint said coolly.
The three were decisive by nature. Without further delay, they left the Heaven-Stealing Sacred Land, heading to the Lanxiang World in the middle layer.
With two saints at his side, they swiftly traversed the barriers between worlds, moving at lightning speed. In just a few hours, they arrived at Wangyue Cliff.
Wangyue Cliff stood tall and imposing, with a steep cliff at its edge and the ocean's waves crashing below. At the top of the cliff sat a Daoist temple, its walls adorned with plaques bearing the names of numerous divine kingdoms and sacred lands.
Anyone who wished to study at Wangyue Cliff had to pay a fee.
Ever since the sword shadow at Wangyue Cliff had gained renown, swordsmen from all over the world had flocked to it, and it had become a famous landmark. The major powers of the Lanxiang World had joined forces to control access to the area.
The fees collected were distributed among the various factions. Outsiders had no choice but to pay, as they didn't want to provoke the local powers over such a small matter.
The fees were exorbitant, but Feng Boping casually paid for both himself and Li Hao.
However, only two fees were paid. Liar Heaven Saint didn't pay, claiming to be a saintess from a sacred land, and therefore entitled to free entry.
The ruse worked.
"You really are a thief, saving even the smallest amount," Liar Heaven Saint remarked as she watched Feng Boping hand over the money.
Feng Boping chuckled. "It's their money, so it's only right I give it back. Such worldly things are meant to circulate."
He had taken their money and paid it back to them without spending a single coin of his own.
Li Hao watched the two saints with mixed feelings. Despite their status, one deceived and the other stole, yet they had all gained free entry.
"Never neglect small thefts," Feng Boping said with a smile, reading Li Hao's thoughts.
"And never shy away from small lies," Liar Heaven Saint added serenely, as though she could read his mind as well.
Li Hao: "..."
Climbing the stone steps to the top of Wangyue Cliff, they finally reached the enormous stone wall.
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