Chapter 582: Haotian True Lord
"But you're already…"
Li Hao's heart was filled with sorrow. His voice was hoarse, only thinking she was comforting him.
Ying Xiaoxiao could see what Li Hao was thinking, and her eyes grew even gentler. The delicate skin beneath her eyelids slowly broke apart into powder, sparkling motes of light rising in reverse, vanishing into the air.
"This life, this reincarnation that walked with you from the mortal world to here, is my favorite of all."
Ying Xiaoxiao spoke softly, "Do you remember what I said when we first met?"
Scenes of their first encounter floated through Li Hao's mind, at that roadside tea stall, the girl like a breeze in summer, stepping out from behind the stand, looking at him with calm confidence:
"My name is Ying Xiaoxiao. 'Ying' as in fate, 'Xiaoxiao' as in carefree."
What he thought was just a lighthearted joke at the time now felt like fate's proof.
Born for today's calamity, revolving in samsara and time.
"Then how can I see you again?"
Li Hao wanted to hold her, but didn't dare touch, afraid she'd disappear even faster.
"Northern Domain, Su Family… that's where my second life is. But that body died by disaster, and that lifetime has yet to awaken…"
Ying Xiaoxiao's voice was gentle and weak, her eyes full of tenderness and contentment.
Northern Domain, Su Family… Li Hao pressed those two names into his memory, anxiously asking, "If I go to the Su Family, will I find you? What's the name?"
"You'll know… when you go."
Ying Xiaoxiao whispered, her gaze shifting, then said softly, "…Can you draw a picture for me?"
Li Hao's heart shook, his eyes reddening. "Yes!"
"Right now?"
"Right now!"
He raised his hand, immortal Power gathering at his fingertips. Looking at her form, which was slowly dissolving, even her eyes turning to flecks of light, his heart ached with pain.
But he still gritted his teeth and painted with all his strength.
He didn't paint her in this broken moment, but reversed through time and painted her radiant and alive.
He painted her first stepping out from the tea stall, the fluttering hem of her dress in the summer breeze.
He painted her descending, that seven-colored, dazzling, peerless form.
In the void, clouds swirled and time turned, the shadow in his memories grew more and more vivid before his eyes, as if leaping from the years, standing before him.
And the girl's eyes—her last bit of pupils—slowly faded, her gentle voice lingering:
"I knew… your painting would be the best…"
Her voice faded away, her flying hair and divine sense quickly collapsing and vanishing.
Her forehead remained, but as her gaze disappeared, it too broke apart like ash.
"Promise me, live on…"
Her divine sense echoed on the wind, scattering like light.
Li Hao stood frozen, dazed, as the last of her light and shadow vanished. Time itself seemed to fall silent.
The world felt hollow, everything around him lost its radiance, turning dim and ruined.
Only he stood in the black tower's dark divine glow, like a wooden stake rooted there for a thousand years.
For a long, long time, the boy's fist slowly clenched, golden divine blood oozing from his palm, dripping down.
That painting drifting in the air, that blue-clad girl standing in the void, her eyes lowered, looking at him with tenderness, as if watching from another time.
Waves of aura beyond the True Immortal Realm radiated from all his pores, starlight meridians glowing behind him. This time they stretched wider than ever before, like a web spreading across the sky.
His aura climbed ever higher. In a flash, he broke through that bottleneck, a power belonging to the Immortal Lord Realm erupted from his entire body, a complete transformation.
[Art Dao: Twelfth Stage]
[Art Heart: The True Meaning of the Art Dao]
Add point, Body Dao.
Body at the Twelfth Stage, comprehending the True Meaning of the Body Dao!
What is true meaning?
Real and unreal, true and false, all things are extensions of the Great Dao. The Earth Dao can form mountains and rivers, a grain of sand, a rock, a whole mountain.
The Water Dao is dew, streams, deep seas, and abyss.
The True Meaning of the Art Dao isn't about color or ornament, or mere technique or beauty, but presenting that purest source from within the years themselves.
It's not something that can be reached by technique, nor by embellishment—it pierces right into the soul!
As Immortal Lord aura poured out, Li Hao's whole body transformed. The Dao Source Immortal Seal on his forehead gave off a terrifying sword cry.
In the void, immortal Dao Laws gathered like chains, the Ninefold Great Dao forming nine thick silver locks, and the sword Dao chain formed a sword scar, piercing the void and coiling around Li Hao.
Seeing this, Old Han's eyes flickered, but there was no smile in them—only sighs and heartache.
Outside, the Da Meng Clan all looked delighted, surprised that Li Hao actually broke through to Immortal Lord at this critical moment!
By contrast, the Wind Spirit Clan and Hidden Sea Clan were stunned, their faces turning ugly.
They never expected this boy would cause such a storm—an incomplete imperial weapon crossing time and space to save his life, and the Dao Source Immortal Emperor from the Primordial True Realm appearing in person to claim him.
This youth hadn't even been taken to the Primordial True Realm yet, and already a Great Emperor from that realm personally appeared in the True Realm to take him as a disciple. Even those Supreme's personal disciples had never received such a favor.
"He's become an Immortal Lord…"
"A hundred-year Immortal Lord, isn't that a record? The youngest Immortal Lord in history, right?"
On the mountains, as the Supreme's imperial might faded, and the Dao Source Immortal Emperor withdrew his power, those figures who had been prostrated on the summit could finally look up and watch the marvels in the sky.
They saw the boy under the black tower's light transform and rise in cultivation, a sight that shocked them.
"Immortal Lord…"
Gui Lingyue's eyes were complicated. She hadn't expected the Southern Domain's war to end with that youth rising to the Immortal Lord Realm. If they were to fight again, she wouldn't even be able to withstand a single finger of his.
Not far off, Shen Wuji saw this too, but to him, breaking through a realm was not difficult. If he hadn't wanted to solidify his foundation, he would have already reached Immortal Lord.
"Good, well done!"
Shen Wuji muttered to himself, his eyes bright. Though he'd been thoroughly defeated by the boy before, seeing him improve now, he actually felt excited, hoping to face him again at their peaks, and hoping the boy would seize this chance to escape.
Everyone watched as the youth's cultivation climbed. With his talent, breaking through the True Immortal Realm's shackle was nothing surprising.
They glanced toward the other imperial aura in the clouds, wondering how today's strife would end.
The Supreme saw Li Hao's change and his eyes remained calm, unchanged.
True Immortal, Immortal Lord—it made no difference to him. In his eyes, they were all dust, not even ants. Only Immortal Kings barely counted as ants—something to be crushed with a single move.
As his aura slowly settled, Li Hao's eyes landed on the painting. There was no joy or sorrow in them, just a deep calm like an endless abyss, as if happiness and pain had nothing to do with him anymore.
He lifted his hand and carefully put away the painting, as if holding the girl's delicate hand.
That girl still looked gently at him, her eyes showing a bit of shy happiness.
After putting away the painting, Li Hao looked up outside the black tower. The moment he broke through to Immortal Lord, he already sensed everything happening outside.
"Child, come with me to the Primordial True Realm and join me as my disciple."
Dao Yuan Xian Di's voice echoed in his mind, calm with a touch of kindness.
Li Hao's lips moved. He stayed silent for a moment before saying, "Thank you, Great Emperor, for saving my life. I want to go somewhere first."
"Where?"
"Northern Domain."
Dao Yuan Xian Di looked at him, his eyes flashing with traces of the Dao and the lines of fate.
He nodded slightly and said, "Then I'll wait for you in the Primordial True Realm."
As he finished, a beam of light flew from his fingertip, entering Li Hao's body.
"This is a domain seal of the Primordial True Realm. Whenever you activate it, you can come to the Primordial True Realm anytime."
Li Hao felt a vortex-like power spiral inside him—soft, mysterious, and impossible to fully see through.
"This is a Xuan Gui Yuan Shell. It can hide your aura, cut off your fate, and keep you safe! If the Yuan Shell breaks, I'll appear. Even though the Heavenly Emperor promised not to hunt you down, don't linger in the Southern Domain."
Hearing this heartfelt advice, Li Hao looked at the silver, frosty treasure flying toward him and fell silent again.
He accepted the treasure, looked up at Dao Yuan Xian Di, and saw that his face was stunning yet gentle. His deep eyes held ages of time and a touch of kindness.
Li Hao gripped the treasure, then slowly knelt down and bowed his head three times in midair.
"This kindness, I'll remember forever!"
Dao Yuan Xian Di didn't stop him, letting Li Hao finish the three bows before nodding. Then, with a wave of his hand, a straight path tore open in the void, stretching to a distant place.
"Go."
Dao Yuan Xian Di spoke softly.
Li Hao glanced at the road, then turned to the place where the girl had faded away.
He stared deeply, then shifted his eyes to Han Laotou, standing before him. "Senior, come with me."
Han Laotou saw what Li Hao meant and shook his head. "No need. Dao Yuan Xian Di wants you as a disciple. He promised me the Heavenly Emperor won't harm me. The same goes for your sect friends. Don't worry."
Li Hao turned to the Da Meng Clan, then glanced at Da Meng Jiu Yuan and the familiar faces there.
Yue Xi and Gu Yan also looked over, their eyes full of worry.
Li Hao looked away to the green-robed figure on the edge of Wan Shan Sword Tower. Their gazes met, pain flashed in Li Hao's eyes, and he turned away.
He knew that now, he wasn't strong enough to protect anyone.
"Haotian…"
High above, Wang Shanhe had broken free from the Immortal Guard Commander's domain. He looked at Li Hao, pain showing on his old face.
He knew that if Dao Yuan Xian Di hadn't stepped in, Li Hao would've died.
Tian Yang Xian Di's only disciple in this age, unbelievably talented, yet he couldn't protect him.
The great battle back then was too cruel and cost too much. If those two imperial weapons still existed, Li Hao wouldn't have suffered today's humiliation.
Li Hao looked at Wang Lao, then at Dao Yuan Xian Di, and bowed deeply. "Senior, can you protect my friends' lives?"
Dao Yuan Xian Di's expression was calm. "You don't need to worry. With me here, even the Supreme won't trouble them."
Hearing this, Li Hao relaxed and bowed again.
His eyes swept over the other contestants, the Southern Domain, the mountain peak, then withdrew as he followed the path Dao Yuan Xian Di opened.
In the Southern Domain, there was still Feng Lao and others, but Li Hao knew that staying with them would only drag them down.
Now, he walked alone, empty and light, leaving the Southern Domain like he left the Divine General's Mansion back then.
At that time, Feng Lao was with him.
Now, only the gentle gaze in his heart stayed with him, the reason he was heading out again.
Countless eyes, from all the domains, sects, and clans of the Southern Domain, watched the young man.
He had shaken up the entire battle, forced two Great Emperors and a half-step Emperor to appear, became Immortal Lord in desperate straits, and survived today. Everyone knew they'd hear his name again.
Just as he was a genius in the True Immortal Realm, what would he become in the Immortal Lord Realm?
"Master, looks like things didn't go as you wished this time…"
On a lonely peak, the old fisherman watched the end with a faint smile.
By the edge of the clouds, Jian Xin and Ming Yue watched as the boy walked quietly by. Neither expected the Dao Yuan Xian Di of the Primordial True Realm would appear for Li Hao.
They'd gone to the Primordial True Realm hoping to become disciples of the three Great Emperors, but that youth was the first to gain the chance.
"A hundred-year promise…"
Ming Yue bit her lip. She suddenly felt a strong sense of urgency. If he entered the Primordial True Realm, she had no confidence in that century-long duel.
But to admit defeat now—never.
As a Supreme's disciple, she started ahead of him by several hundred years of soul age. She would never give up.
On the ground, Chu Tianhuang and others looked complicated as they watched Li Hao's figure, not knowing where he was headed.
With Dao Yuan Xian Di stepping in, it was certain he'd enter the Primordial True Realm.
Maybe they'd meet again there.
"He survived. He really survived…"
Chu Yueli stared blankly at the figure, then her face filled with joy.
He wasn't dead. If their engagement happened, with his status, she'd gain a high place in the royal family.
But where was he going now?
She looked confused. He didn't seem to be leaving with Dao Yuan Xian Di.
Walking along the road to the deep starry sky, Li Hao suddenly stopped and glanced at a figure near the path.
That figure stood with a special aura, noble and untouchable, with a star above his head shining from the distant sky.
Emperor Clan—Di Jiming.
Li Hao's gaze met his, and Di Jiming's face went cold. He clenched his fists.
He hadn't killed Li Hao today. That made him angry, especially since that girl had beaten him as an equal—something he couldn't accept.