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Chapter 341: Realm Stone Reflection, The Battle for a Spot
🕑 Added 2024-09-24 07:01:31 +0000 UTCSeeing the opponent's laws dissolve, Li Hao narrowed his eyes slightly.
This was his first time facing a Half-Saint, and he hadn't expected the power of his Eternal Domain to exceed his imagination. Just the presence of his domain was enough to suppress the opponent's techniques.
"What kind of domain is this?!"
The Half-Saint demon spider was visibly stunned, more shocked than Li Hao. The demon's magic was a technique it had mastered since childhood, refined over the years to become a top-tier divine power, even reaching the level of the Dao Enlightenment Realm. Now, paired with its nascent saintly will, its power was ten times that of a normal Dao Law Realm cultivator. And yet, its technique was effortlessly shattered?
Boom!
Li Hao wasted no time. He moved swiftly, his Heavenly Meridian surging as he stepped forward. With a soft motion of his hand, a delicate stream of sword energy instantly slashed out.
The sword energy, like an ethereal ray of light, cut through the Half-Saint demon spider's chest and abdomen, ripping open a massive wound from the inside out.
"Snatch!"
Li Hao raised his hand, tracing an invisible thread, locking onto the position of the Spirit Pearl, and quickly retrieved it.
The Half-Saint demon spider was infuriated by Li Hao's lightning-fast strike. In a fit of rage, golden threads emerged from the air above its head, intertwining into a dense web that enveloped the entire area.
Its many purple demonic eyes flashed with a vicious light, and it roared, "You think you can escape, top-tier genius?!"
The ground surged up, creating barriers around Li Hao, enclosing the surroundings like a ball of entangled vines.
Having obtained the Spirit Pearl, Li Hao had no intention of engaging further. But seeing the demon spider sealing his retreat, he abruptly halted and turned around.
"Let me unravel your domain and uncover its secrets!"
The Half-Saint demon spider's expression twisted with malice as it approached Li Hao.
But Li Hao's eyes suddenly sharpened, a cold, cutting light flashing through them.
Surrounded by his Eternal Domain, immune to harm, Li Hao raised his hand. For the first time, he unleashed the full force of his swordsmanship against this Half-Saint demon.
Sole Sovereign, Cut!
The very space around them seemed to fracture, layers splitting apart!
A dark fissure tore through the scene, as if slicing the Floating Life Demon Domain in two, dividing the heavens and the earth!
The Half-Saint demon spider's body split apart with it, severed cleanly in half. Its saintly will, meant to protect it, shattered as countless sword intents—be they Sun and Moon, Supreme Softness, or Five Elements—converged into one ultimate, piercing blade!
Blood sprayed from the demon's many severed limbs, its body torn asunder. A panicked primordial spirit fled from the wreckage, looking in sheer terror at the young man before it.
The cold, sharp gaze of the boy was like staring into the void of death itself!
For the first time, the Half-Saint demon spider felt the shadow of death envelop it. The boy surrounded by that terrifying domain made it feel as though he stood above it, completely untouchable.
How is this possible?!
It trembled, staring at Li Hao in disbelief.
Li Hao's gaze remained icy. Just as he was about to strike again, he noticed a Buddhist Seal inside the demon's body, engraved on its demon core, radiating pure Buddhist Light and carrying the faint aura of a saint.
His eyes narrowed, coldly glancing at the demon. "Cultivation is difficult. Don't seek your own death!"
With that, he retracted his domain and turned to leave.
The vine-like cage that had risen from the ground to trap him disintegrated with a single sword strike, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. Li Hao strode away, leaving the demon spider in shock.
The primordial spirit of the Half-Saint demon spider watched the young man's retreating figure, its pupils contracting slightly, but it made no move to stop him.
"What... What kind of monster is this?"
It muttered to itself, its voice trembling.
Very soon, large amounts of demonic energy began to surround its body, and the wounds started to heal. The sword intent lingering around the gashes disappeared as the youth turned and left. It knew that this was a sign of mercy—the young man had spared its life.
As a Half-Saint, the fact that it had almost been killed by a Dao Law Realm cultivator was utterly shocking.
"Is he the reincarnation of a Saint? Fine, fine… Let that bald monk's disciple suffer a harsh defeat…"
The Half-Saint demon spider looked in the direction the youth had left, its eyes gleaming with a deep and thoughtful light as it watched him vanish in an instant.
...
In front of the void crack on the battle stage, Li Hao stepped out, holding the silver Spirit Pearl in his hand.
With a casual wave, he suspended the Spirit Pearl in mid-air before turning back and returning to his seat at the Divine Dynasty's section.
At that moment, the Buddhist judge announced Li Hao's time:
"2 minutes and 38 seconds!"
Hearing this, there were several exclamations from the audience. However, compared to the earlier performances of Chi Guang and Lin Shuhai, it seemed less impressive.
Chi Guang, who had been silently counting Li Hao's time since he entered, had already begun smirking when the time surpassed his own 1 minute and 47 seconds. Still, when Li Hao emerged after about two and a half minutes, a hint of surprise flashed in his mind.
The Half-Saint demon spider was not an easy opponent. Chi Guang's strategy was to injure the demon spider quickly, which suited his style—he hated being on the defensive. However, injuring a Half-Saint was no simple task. He had expended a significant amount of true energy to deliver a swift wound and take the Spirit Pearl.
"Not bad, only 40 seconds behind."
When Li Hao returned, Chi Guang gave him a slight nod, feeling that this result was roughly in line with his expectations—perhaps a few seconds slower than anticipated, but still within the range he had predicted for Li Hao.
Li Hao didn't respond to Chi Guang's words. Instead, he simply focused on calming the energy fluctuations within his body.
At that moment, Li Hao noticed a gaze fixed on him, accompanied by an uncomfortable feeling. Following the gaze, he saw the Dual-Pupil Buddha Child, who had been seemingly indifferent earlier, now staring directly at him. Around the Buddha Child, a faint aura of demonic energy hovered. His expression remained calm, but there was a subtle, mysterious smile on his face—both saintly and eerie at the same time.
Li Hao raised an eyebrow and checked himself, finding nothing out of the ordinary.
Could it be that the Buddha Child knew what happened inside the Floating Life Demon Domain?
If that were the case… Li Hao glanced toward the three Saints but saw that their expressions remained unchanged, as though they had noticed nothing.
If the Dual-Pupil Buddha Child could perceive something, then the Saints would undoubtedly be able to as well.
Li Hao looked toward Zhan Tan and saw her smiling at him, showing no unusual reaction.
Clearly, a Half-Saint couldn't detect much, and as for the Saints, their thoughts were too deep to discern.
No matter how powerful the Dual-Pupil Buddha Child was, he couldn't be stronger than a Half-Saint… Li Hao thought to himself. He then picked up his brush and sketchpad, starting to draw a portrait of the Dual-Pupil Buddha Child to see what painting-related experience he could gain.
Hmm?
Chi Guang noticed Li Hao picking up his brush again. Instead of feeling ashamed for having fallen behind in the rankings, Li Hao was still casually painting. Chi Guang frowned slightly.
"Fourth place—this Qing Feng is ranked fourth!"
"He's just a bit behind the Bright Moon Saint, but the difference isn't huge."
"This performance is pretty much what I expected. Apart from Chi Guang, the dark horse who shone the brightest, the ranking of the others closely aligns with their reputations."
"Being just slightly behind the strongest of the Holy Lands' Holy Sons is still extremely impressive."
"This Qing Feng is definitely someone who will represent Canglan Realm in the upcoming battle."
Many people glanced repeatedly at Li Hao, surprised to see him calmly painting. He seemed to be holding back, his demeanor relaxed and unbothered.
"Qing Feng is no simple person. When the real battle begins, we might finally see who's truly the strongest!"
"Still, the final showdown will likely come down to Chi Guang and the Dual-Pupil Buddha Child."
Even though Lin Shuhai also remained an enigma, most people still felt that the Dual-Pupil Buddha Child was the most mysterious and terrifying figure.
Li Hao continued painting quietly. The ink flowed across the canvas, and by the time two more contestants emerged after more than ten minutes, Li Hao's painting was complete.
Painting experience gained: 42,000!
Li Hao paused in surprise, momentarily stunned by the amount of experience gained.
The Dual-Pupil Buddha Child actually gave him 42,000 experience points!
That amount was comparable to what he gained from painting Emperor Canghai, a Half-Saint!
This meant that the Dual-Pupil Buddha Child's true strength was likely only slightly below that of a Half-Saint!
Li Hao's eyes narrowed as he cast another glance at the Buddha Child. Then, turning toward Chi Guang, he recalled that his earlier painting of him had yielded 35,000 experience points. Whether Chi Guang had improved since then was unknown, but his behavior suggested some sort of breakthrough.
Li Hao put away the painting, feeling slightly relieved, though he was still curious. He glanced again at the Dual-Pupil Buddha Child, who had returned to his trance-like state, the earlier smile seeming like an illusion.
Li Hao's gaze flickered as he gave one last look before picking up his brush again, now starting to paint Lin Shuhai.
On the battle stage, the remaining five contestants finished their trials.
Most of their times exceeded 15 minutes, and the top 20 contest came to an end.
Li Hao completed the painting of Lin Shuhai, gaining 37,000 experience—slightly more than what he had received from painting Chi Guang.
Surprised, Li Hao glanced at the refined scholar-like figure of Lin Shuhai. Noticing Li Hao's gaze, Lin Shuhai returned the look with a calm smile.
Li Hao nodded and stowed his painting. At this point, the Buddhist judge stepped forward and began listing the times of all the participants.
The eliminated contestants had already seen their times fall outside the top 20 and wore expressions of despair.
"I almost got eliminated!"
Zhao Qingshu saw the rankings and felt a sense of lingering fear. He had been right on the edge of elimination and was dangerously close to being ousted.
Fortunately, there were still two or three people ranked below him.
"I didn't expect there to be only five contestants who finished in under five minutes. There's quite a gap!"
"Only six contestants finished under ten minutes. I wonder if anyone was holding back?"
The crowd below the stage was abuzz with speculation and discussion.
At this moment, the Thousand-Generations Buddha slowly raised his hand, causing the void crack to close. Above, the clouds parted, revealing the scene within the Floating Life Demon Domain.
Li Hao gazed at the projected image in the clouds, seeing the previously defeated Half-Saint spider demon lying on the ground, looking dispirited and yawning.
Sensing the projection's gaze, the Half-Saint spider demon squinted its dozens of purple eyes, seemingly sneering.
Li Hao's eyes flickered. The Buddha Sovereign could casually project an image of the Floating Life Demon Domain, so it wouldn't be surprising if he had witnessed Li Hao's previous battle.
However, as long as Li Hao refrained from using his Transcendent Realm, it shouldn't be an issue. Future battles would inevitably force him to reveal some of his abilities, which wasn't a significant concern.
The Half-Saint spider demon had tried to probe how Li Hao's divine blood absorbed the slaughtering grievances. Thinking of this, Li Hao looked toward the Buddha Sovereign. According to the spider demon's words, could the Buddha Sovereign have also reached the Unified Force Realm?
If that were the case, the Buddha Sovereign's physical body might have become that of the Divine Clan.
But in the lands of the Saints, the Divine Clan was considered a Demonic Clan. The Buddha Sovereign likely knew the truth but hadn't revealed it...
Li Hao's gaze grew contemplative.
At this moment, the Buddha Sovereign spoke, "This is a Half-Saint demon captured and brought here for redemption. It was assigned to guard the spirit orbs, serving as a test for the challengers."
His face was serene, and he spoke with a gentle, reassuring smile, "Those who managed to take the spirit orb from it are already the heroes of their generation. Even if some have failed today, don't let it trouble you. With diligent cultivation, the future still holds the promise of surpassing the mundane and becoming a saint."
Hearing the Buddha Sovereign's comforting words, the defeated young geniuses, who had previously looked dejected, visibly regained some color.
There is always someone stronger. The defeat had been a harsh blow, but the Buddha Sovereign's kind words made many of them develop a favorable impression of the Buddhist sect.
Meanwhile, the spectators were left astounded. They hadn't expected that the forty contestants had to snatch the spirit orb from a Half-Saint demon. No wonder it had been so difficult!
"Next, the Realm Stone will reflect the top ten battle. Those who have advanced, are you ready?"
The Buddha Sovereign looked at the participants. Though his gaze didn't focus on anyone in particular, all twenty of those who had advanced, including Li Hao, felt as though the Buddha Sovereign's eyes were on them, warm and compassionate, like the care of an elder.
With the Buddha Sovereign's command, several Bodhisattvas stepped forward. Around the battlefield, massive stones as black as night rose from the earth, radiating divine light and connecting to each other.
These were Realm Stones, and their divine light stretched into the sky, reflecting the distant Realm Stone Formation of the Canglan Realm. In an instant, the sky above was filled with clouds, projecting the grand scene of the Buddhist Sacred Mountain.
Throughout the kingdoms and great cities of the Canglan Realm, people could witness this majestic spectacle.
Towering Buddhist temples stood solemnly, while millions of onlookers, including princes, lords, and heirs of noble families, filled the scene.
Most awe-inspiring were the images of the three Saints standing tall, along with the upright postures of the many young geniuses. This sight made the entire Canglan Realm erupt in excitement!
"That's the Buddha Sovereign, Thousand-Generations Buddha Sovereign, rumored to have endured the sufferings of a thousand lifetimes and comprehended the entirety of the world!"
"And that's the Literary Sage, the ultimate saint in the hearts of scholars like us!"
"There's the Sword Saint, the pinnacle every swordsman strives to reach!"
"So many people! Are these the top geniuses of our Canglan Realm? I thought I was already exceptional, having reached the Three Undying Stages by the age of twenty-five, but compared to these monstrous talents, I'm still so far behind!"
"I heard that some of the Holy Maidens are under thirty and have already reached the Dao Law Realm, mastering numerous Extreme Realms and divine abilities, the very peak of their level!"
"And that Dual-Pupil Buddha Child, I heard he's not even twenty yet. But he's something else entirely. When he was born, his body was shrouded in both Buddhist light and demonic energy. By the age of three, he had reached the peak of the Unified Force Realm, and by ten, he had already attained the Three Undying Stages!"
"That's the reincarnation of a Saint. I heard he's the reincarnation of an ancient Buddha from the Buddhist sect. He's beyond comparison."
The discussions were endless. Many heirs of royal families who couldn't attend the Buddhist Sacred Mountain had no choice but to look up at the sky in awe.
The grand scene reflected in the clouds, like the presence of gods and Buddhas from beyond, ignited their passion.
At the summit of the Buddhist Sacred Mountain, Li Hao and the others also witnessed this scene. The Realm Stones had been activated, and now the real battle for supremacy among the young geniuses was about to begin!
This battle, if performed brilliantly, could instantly attract countless believers. After establishing temples later, it would bring an immense amount of incense offerings, greatly speeding up the process of becoming a saint.
Lighting three sticks of incense is only the first step to sainthood. The more incense offerings accumulated in the future, the better. The more incense there is, the stronger one's power becomes. For those walking the path of sainthood through incense, aside from their own saintly path, their main strength comes from the power of incense.
"It's finally starting."
Chi Guang's eyes glimmered with intense battle spirit. The other geniuses also displayed eagerness, while those who had been eliminated looked dejected, some showing unwillingness and envy. After all, just stepping onto the stage would be witnessed by millions across the Canglan Realm, securing eternal fame!
At this moment, following the Buddha Sovereign's command, Li Hao and the others ascended to the stage, standing in a row of twenty, each with a distinct aura.
Out of the top twenty, the Buddhist sect had eight representatives, having only eliminated two. The Literary Sage's Holy Land had five, the Sword Saint's Holy Land had four, and the remaining three were scattered cultivators: Li Hao, Chi Guang, and Su Yun.
Seeing that the Buddhist sect had only lost two contestants, many were astonished by the strong foundation of the sect in this generation.
As everyone's identification badges flew into the air, under the gaze of the three Saints, they were enveloped in the glow of the great Dao, swirling like a hurricane before shooting out pairs of badges.
Everyone quickly looked at their own badges to find their opponent.
Li Hao saw that his opponent was a young Arhat from the Buddhist sect.
The opponent looked back at Li Hao with a calm smile, neither joyful nor sorrowful.
Li Hao gave a slight nod and turned to follow the others off the stage.
Although he had clashed with the Buddhist sect in the mortal world, technically, it was only Li Hao who had a grudge against the Buddha Lord. The Buddhist sect in the land of the Saints was a different matter altogether, and Li Hao had no intention of carrying the past hatred over. Every matter should be judged independently.
As the battle stage cleared, it was left to the first pair of contestants.
Li Hao noticed that the first fight was between Lin Qingying and a Buddhist sect's Holy Son.
As the battle began, both revealed their extreme realms, with numerous phenomena appearing. The entire stage was filled with wild energy. Lin Qingying displayed her Ultimate Gentle Sword Intent, with sword energy sharp as ice shards crossing and interweaving. However, the Buddhist Holy Son was equally formidable, summoning a Buddha statue that seemed blessed by golden light, radiating powerful energy.
Li Hao observed that a cluster of sword energy was brewing within Lin Qingying, filling the void left by her lost Dao Fetus.
Her combat power had not diminished much compared to her fight with Haoyue Holy Son. Instead, she seemed to have gained new insights into the Void Sword Dao.
As the battle concluded, Lin Qingying emerged victorious.
The defeated Buddhist Holy Son looked somewhat disappointed but quickly composed himself. He greeted Lin Qingying with a Buddhist salutation before stepping down from the stage.
Lin Qingying sheathed her sword and looked toward Li Hao, her ethereal and elegant face showing a rare smile.
That smile, reflected in the clouds, lit up the eyes of countless young noblemen watching from cities across the Canglan Realm.
"Who is that fairy? She's so beautiful!"
"She's from the Sword Saint's Holy Land? I'm going to the Sword Saint's Holy Land tomorrow! From now on, I abandon the blade and take up the sword!"
Countless people were stirred, chanting Lin Qingying's name. The grandeur of her first battle spread her fame throughout Canglan.
Li Hao returned her smile, feeling genuinely happy for her.
After Lin Qingying stepped down, Chi Guang was up next.
His opponent was Zhao Qingshu from the Literary Sage's Holy Land.
When Zhao Qingshu saw his opponent, his face turned pale as he cursed his bad luck. However, he remembered that Li Hao had defeated Chi Guang, and on this sacred mountain, Li Hao was close to his master. If Zhao Qingshu were to concede too easily against his opponent's previous defeat, it would be too disgraceful!
So, he chose to fight!
…And lost.
Zhao Qingshu lost quickly. Chi Guang had no intention of showing mercy. With just a fire-based divine ability, Zhao Qingshu was engulfed in heart flames. The jealousy and frustration in his heart burned like wildfire, so fiercely that even Chi Guang was slightly surprised.
However, despite the loss, Zhao Qingshu still unleashed his Sea of Books divine ability. A magnificent display of knife and sword lights filled the air, only to be swiftly incinerated, leaving the audience sighing in regret.
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