Chapter 337: The Sacred Land of the Cultural Ancestor, The Eighth Extreme Realm
After the battle ended, Li Hao did not rest. He quickly contacted Zhantan through the Flower Tour Order to discuss painting.
"Are you not going into seclusion?"
Zhantan was somewhat surprised. She didn't expect Li Hao to be so eager to seek her out for a discussion on painting right after the battle. It felt as if the battle of the celestial prodigies had hindered Li Hao's painting instead. Which was primary and which was secondary?
Finding you is my seclusion... Li Hao thought.
If he could master the Painting Dao to the tenth stage, he would be able to establish himself as a saint. This was his most urgent desire at the moment.
Besides the Painting Dao, he also had aspirations in the Culinary Dao, which was also at the ninth stage, and both had the potential to break through to the tenth stage.
Reaching the tenth stage required comprehending the state of mind, but before that, he needed to quickly fill his experience bar.
"Qingfeng is truly carefree. It seems he doesn't care about the fame and fortune of the Supreme Celestial Prodigy battle at all."
Night Ancestor sighed.
"Qingjiu, I'm talking about you. Learn from Qingfeng. Hey, don't you all have the character 'Qing' in your names?"
Qingzu suddenly realized this point.
A virtual shadow stirred; it was Qingjiu. He had heard from Zhantan that Li Hao had taken first place in the Wanderer's Battle, but that was merely a preliminary round. The real competition for the prodigies would be in the upcoming battle for the quota.
"I can't match that kind of leisure."
Qingjiu said with a bitter smile.
He had been in seclusion recently and had received news that several outstanding individuals were causing him some pressure.
Although he claimed to not care, he had only been cultivating for less than a hundred years, and the fire in his heart had not yet extinguished.
"This Qingjiu fellow, boasting about his exceptional skills in the Chess Dao, yet he hasn't played a single game with me since coming to the Flower Tour Conference. He's been secretly going into seclusion all day."
Night Ancestor shook his head, having seen through the inner fire within Qingjiu. However, he did not blame or look down on him. After all, at their age, they had been even more reckless than Qingjiu, focusing solely on cultivation and disregarding everything else, even fighting for fame and fortune, seizing treasures, and killing rampantly. Now, they had all experienced the fleeting nature of such glory.
"Don't blame Qingjiu too much. With his strength, if he puts in a little effort, he could easily break into the top ten of the Supreme Celestial Prodigy battle. It's normal for him to want to push himself. If it were too far out of reach, Qingjiu would probably be casual about it."
The young virtual figure spoke; he was also a Half-Saint named Huo Ancestor.
Hearing Huo Ancestor's words, Qingjiu looked at him gratefully and said, "Huo Ancestor understands me. Right now, I feel like I'm being held up. The Sacred Land and my master have great expectations of me. According to the information I've received, there are indeed only a few that I need to be wary of. If I make a little effort, breaking into the top ten is promising."
"Your ambition is not just the top ten, is it?"
Night Ancestor saw through his hidden intentions and chuckled.
Qingjiu felt exposed and replied awkwardly, "Old Night, don't tease me. If I can make it into the top ten, I'll be burning incense in gratitude."
"Don't play coy."
Night Ancestor snorted lightly. "That game of chess you promised me ten years ago, when will you come to play?"
"I'll definitely come next time!" Qingjiu immediately promised.
Zhantan said to Li Hao, "Are you really coming?"
"Yes," Li Hao nodded.
"Good, then I'll send someone to pick you up tomorrow. I actually watched your Wanderer's Battle as well," Zhantan said with a light smile.
Li Hao was somewhat surprised and thought for a moment before replying, "Alright."
Qingjiu looked at Li Hao enviously and said, "Qingfeng is still leisurely. But I've heard that the Dual Born Son from the Canglan Realm is quite tricky. You need to be cautious if you encounter him. That guy is also a contender for the top ten this time, and all the factions are keeping an eye on him."
"Yes, thank you for the reminder," Li Hao smiled.
After chatting for a while, Li Hao withdrew from the Flower Tour Conference and began carving in seclusion in the courtyard.
The next day, Gui Qinxue arrived at Li Hao's courtyard with news from the Canghai Divine Dynasty.
"The incense has increased from ten cities to fifteen cities?"
Li Hao was surprised to hear Gui Qinxue's words but quickly thought it was likely due to the battle.
This would shorten the time needed to become a saint by another twenty years, meaning it would only take 240 years now.
If he secured first place in the Supreme Celestial Prodigy battle, the incense could lead to immediate sainthood, and all the accumulated incense would become the power of the saint realm, only increasing in abundance.
After Gui Qinxue bowed to Li Hao and took her leave, not long after, a flower palanquin rushed in. A beautiful young woman in a pink floral dress gracefully stepped down, gently knocking on the courtyard door and calling out in a voice as clear as a yellow oriole:
"Yueying, under the orders of Ancestor Zhantan, has come to escort Young Master Qingfeng."
Li Hao's consciousness swept over, and he saw the graceful woman outside, whose aura rivaled that of noble ladies and even princesses. He replied, "Please wait for me a moment."
The woman outside respectfully acknowledged and stood quietly outside the door with her hands at her sides.
Li Hao continued with his carving, and soon finished a statue resembling Yao Ancestor.
He placed the carved statue on a stand in the courtyard, where many other statues were displayed.
Li Hao stood up and brushed off the wood shavings from his clothes. Suddenly, he remembered something, raised his hand, and opened the space, calling out, "Xiyang, come out."
A crimson light flew out from within and transformed into a girl in a red dress.
"What rich heavenly and earthly energy!"
As soon as Xiyang emerged, she felt the energy of this sacred place, which was far beyond what the mortal world could compare.
Li Hao smiled and said, "Have you been cramped up? Let's go; we have an appointment to attend."
"I'm fine. From Young Master's spatial realm, I could still glimpse the outside."
Xi Yan said with a smile, not asking Li Hao what appointment he was going to, and transformed into a red light that coiled around Li Hao's wrist, becoming a crimson vine.
Previously, in the Sword Ancestor's Sacred Land, Li Hao was unfamiliar with the area and didn't dare to release Xi Yan, only allowing her to observe from within the spatial realm. The Sword Ancestor's Sacred Land was primarily inhabited by sword cultivators who advocated exterminating demons and were quite hostile towards them.
Although in the lands of the saints, humans and demons coexisted, not all humans accepted demons. Some human sacred lands were even allies with demons, while others were sworn enemies.
Upon reaching outside the courtyard, Li Hao saw the woman in front of the flower sedan and said, "Let's go."
Yue Ying secretly observed this young master, knowing he was the genius ranked first in the Battle of Loose Immortals. Yesterday, she had accompanied Elder Tan to watch the fight and had seen Li Hao's impressive swordplay.
She respectfully invited Li Hao onto the flower sedan and immediately instructed the dragon demon pulling the sedan to return.
The flower sedan soared into the air, rising smoothly like willow catkins in the wind, incredibly graceful.
As they passed through mountains and rivers, Xi Yan extended a vine-like red tendril from Li Hao's wrist, looking around.
Soon, they left the area of the Ritual Path Mountain and crossed out of the territory of the Canghai Divine Dynasty, passing through the domains of several other divine dynasties, ultimately arriving at a sacred land.
In this sacred land, morning mist shrouded the area, filled with a surging aura.
As soon as they arrived, Li Hao heard a series of scholarly chants, as if reciting ancient scriptures.
He focused his gaze and saw several courtyard-like academies throughout the sacred land, where disciples sat and recited. Oddly, with their chanting, images of dragons and phoenixes appeared above the academies. In other places, battle scenes manifested, with soldiers engaged in fierce combat.
Li Hao's eyes widened in surprise as he faintly recognized the location.
"Is this the Sacred Land of the Literary Ancestor?" Li Hao asked Yue Ying, who was seated at the front of the flower sedan.
Yue Ying's gaze returned from Li Hao's wrist to Xi Yan, smiling obediently, and replied, "Yes, Young Master Qingfeng, it is."
Li Hao's eyes flickered. So, Elder Zhandan is an elder of the Sacred Land of the Literary Ancestor? It made sense; a half-saint would either be an elder or a devotee of a divine dynasty. Moreover, Zhandan was one of the vice presidents of the Flower Appreciation Society, holding a distinguished status, likely among the highest-ranking elders in the Literary Ancestor's Sacred Land.
"What are they doing?" Li Hao asked, looking at the strange phenomena above the academies, curiosity evident in his eyes.
Yue Ying smiled and explained, "They are cultivating. This is the cultivation method of our Sacred Land of the Literary Ancestor. The Literary Saint uses the principles of heaven and earth as texts, and books as the way. Our fighting style is different from that of the Sword Ancestor and Blade Sovereign; they rely on weapons like swords and blades for combat, while we use the reading of sage texts to craft poetry and kill with words!"
Li Hao understood. He had long heard that each saint in the Thirty-Three Realms claimed their own path and had their unique cultivation systems, totaling several dozen.
For example, in Buddhism, discussing scriptures is considered cultivation.
The Sword Saint focuses on sword techniques.
The Literary Ancestor fights with poetry and literature.
He had also heard of a saint of strategy, who uses cunning plans as their attack, with their methods being elusive.
The saints compete not only in strength but also in discussing the orthodox paths. Only by cultivating to the level of a true saint can one claim orthodoxy. Even so, conflicts among true saints do not result in a clear hierarchy; their sacred paths are incompatible.
Li Hao thought of his own path of poetry, music, chess, and painting. If he invested energy, he could use them for killing. Yet, he usually preferred his sword, considering chess and painting as leisure pursuits.
His fishing method had long been capable of catching dragon species; even in the Four Standings realm, he could hook a slender-mouth dragon. Although his fishing was only at the sixth stage now, with his current strength, he could catch dragon demons at the Dao Law level.
If his fishing method reached the ninth or even tenth stage, he couldn't imagine whether saints would also take the bait.
The flower sedan sped toward a towering mountain, surrounded by tranquility. Once they landed at the mountain peak, Li Hao noticed a few disciples in the academy reciting sage texts.
Above them, however, shadows of weapons and tiger demons clashed.
"Serving as a lackey for the tiger!"
One person softly recited, and the tiger demon transformed into human form, powerful and fierce, lunging toward the opponent.
Another person, speaking rapidly, narrated a story of a hunter hunting a mountain tiger, and suddenly arrows flew through the air, piercing the tiger demon like meteors.
Li Hao found it interesting; the combat seemed to have an element of verbal manifestation. If one were to spar with such techniques at a low level, it would be akin to touching upon the traces of the Dao Law realm early on. This unique cultivation system explained why it could stand apart.
Each saint's cultivation possesses irreplaceable strengths, leading to mutual debates. If a replacement could emerge, it would signify a clear flaw in the sacred path, making it vulnerable to attack.
"Saints do not die; the great path does not perish," essentially implies the indelibility of the great path's power. Once a saint integrates their spiritual power with their body, they become one with the path.
Thus, saints are nearly impossible to kill unless their sacred hearts are shattered, causing their great path to collapse.
"Hm? Is that you?"
While Li Hao observed, a young man next to him, holding a folding fan, sensed a familiar aura and turned to look at Li Hao, suddenly displaying a hint of surprise.
He blinked vigorously, confirming he wasn't mistaken, and abruptly stood up.
Feeling the gaze, Li Hao looked back in confusion.
The young man with the folding fan quickly approached Li Hao, examining him from top to bottom, astonished, and asked, "How did you come to our Tian Tan Peak?"
Seeing this, Yue Ying immediately bowed and said, "I greet Young Master Qingshu."
Qingshu? Li Hao inquired, "Does Young Master Song know me?"
"I am Zhao," Zhao Qingshu's face darkened slightly, and he turned to Yue Ying. "Why is he here?"
Yue Ying respectfully replied, "To report to the Holy Son, it was Elder Zhandan's invitation, to discuss painting with Young Master Qingfeng."
"Discuss painting?"
Zhao Qingshu was taken aback, and immediately thought of his master, who had a deep love for painting, with unparalleled skill in it.
Thinking back to Li Hao's performance in the previous Battle of Loose Immortals, where he took time to paint even during the battle, Zhao Qingshu suspected that this was why his master had taken notice of him.
"You just took first place, and you're not going into seclusion? Although you defeated Chiguang, you shouldn't underestimate the other holy sons," Zhao Qingshu remarked to Li Hao.
After Li Hao's clash with Chiguang in the Battle of Loose Immortals, news had spread. Even Senior Brother Shuhai had gone into seclusion, yet Li Hao, instead of retreating for further training, was leisurely accepting invitations to discuss painting.
"You're right," Li Hao nodded.
Zhao Qingshu: "..."
Since it was his master's invitation, Zhao Qingshu had no further comment. Moreover, considering his own strength, he couldn't exactly act haughty in front of Li Hao. That one sword from Li Hao during the battle had left him feeling immense pressure. If they faced each other, he would likely have no choice but to admit defeat.
Li Hao continued following Yue Ying to meet Elder Zhandan. Once he left, a few of the disciples who had been sparring earlier approached, one of them curiously asked, "Senior Brother Qingshu, who was that?"
"The first in the Battle of Loose Immortals."
Zhao Qingshu watched the departing figure, exhaling deeply. Although there was some frustration in his heart, it was more of resignation.
With the strength of that sword, Li Hao indeed had the right to be proud. While others were in seclusion, here he was, leisurely wandering about… Hmph, just wait until he encounters the Twin Buddha Sons, then he'll have something to cry about!
In the rear courtyard of Tian Tan Peak.
Zhandan had already sensed Li Hao's presence. When Li Hao entered the courtyard, she greeted him with a gentle smile, "You're here."
Previously, in the conceptual realm during the Flower Appreciation Society, she had only seen his shadow in shades of gray. Now, seeing him in person, Li Hao could finally observe Zhandan's appearance. She looked to be about twenty-six or twenty-seven, like an ethereal fairy, yet she exuded an aura of nobility. Though her demeanor was calm, there was a regal air about her that was not to be violated.
Her shadow in the conceptual realm had resembled that of an imperial daughter, but now that he saw her in person, there was an added sense of loneliness and detachment.
Li Hao's eyes flashed with surprise. The last time he had felt such a stunning presence was when he met Yaozu. However, Yaozu embodied solitude and otherworldliness, as though she were separated from the mortal realm. Zhandan, on the other hand, carried more of a royal aura.
"Do you prefer painting landscapes, or dragons and beasts?" Zhandan asked.
Li Hao came back to his senses, noticing that the courtyard was already prepared with easels and scrolls. He felt a sense of comfort and smiled, "I paint everything."
"Oh?"
Zhandan's interest was piqued. Though many were fond of painting, they each had their preferences. Zhandan herself favored painting dragons, beasts, and creatures—particularly those with strange and unusual appearances.
"Then today, let's paint a Draconic Specter Beast."
Zhandan raised her hand, opening a spatial realm, and pulled out a half-dead, monstrous dragon.
This dragon demon had a grotesque appearance, seemingly deformed, with fine scales, numerous reverse scales, eagle-like claws, and a tail covered in sharp quills resembling those of a porcupine.
"Let's paint this beast and see who can capture its might, shall we?" Zhandan suggested.
Li Hao nodded. Capturing might was easy, as it was merely a technique of the seventh level in painting, but capturing the intent was far more difficult. After a close observation, he had already discerned the origin and cultivation of the dragon demon.
Without further discussion, Li Hao approached the drawing board Zhandan had prepared for him. Both of them grew focused as they began painting.
Yue Ying stood to the side, curiously watching.
The courtyard was serene, with sunlight filtering through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground like fragments of gold.
Time passed quietly, with only the occasional sound of ink being ground.
An hour later, the two of them put down their brushes. Li Hao rested his brush and glanced at the dragon demon in his painting. Though the creature still lay there, half-dead without any apparent might, its eyes showed a hidden ferocity, and its aura was restrained, as if it could unleash a life-threatening attack at any moment.
At first glance, it seemed like a sickly dragon, but upon a closer look, it sent chills down one's spine.
On the other side, Zhandan had also finished her painting. Her dragon demon, in a pose similar to the real one, exuded a fierce majesty, as though it could roar and leap from the canvas at any moment.
Zhandan had painted with great detail and was quite satisfied. After putting down her brush, she stretched slightly, her graceful curves on full display, and a faint fragrance wafted through the air.
She stood up, took a look at her own painting, smiled, and then walked over to Li Hao's drawing board to see that he had finished as well.
She gave it a glance and was a little surprised. The dragon demon in his painting was almost a perfect likeness of the real one, but this level of skill was merely basic in the art of painting.
With Li Hao's painting abilities, it shouldn't have been so simple. She looked closer, and suddenly felt a sharp aura, as if a dragon's killing intent roared in her mind. Her expression changed, and she instinctively took half a step back.
The real dragon demon before her was merely at the Dao Law realm, and posed no threat to her whatsoever. Yet, the dragon in Li Hao's painting sent a shiver down her spine, frightening her enough to retreat.
Zhandan regained her composure, astonished. She examined the painting more closely and became increasingly aware that Li Hao's work was far deeper than it seemed. It was not merely simple brush strokes, but the embodiment of an entire force!
This force was hidden within the dragon demon, embedded in its intent, and its intent was hidden within the Dao.
The more Zhandan looked, the more alarmed she became. She suddenly realized that Li Hao's painting skills far surpassed her own. The paintings he had created in the imperial palace before had seemed casual, not reflecting his true level of mastery in the art of painting.
Is this the true mastery of painting in the Dao?
Zhandan couldn't help but feel a sense of awe, letting out a long sigh as she said to Li Hao, "Your painting skills, even if I practice for another ten years, I would still be far inferior."
Li Hao asked, "How long have you been practicing?"
"Three hundred years."
Zhandan's face turned slightly red. After speaking, she put away the dragon demon and casually dispersed the foul wind in the courtyard. She then asked Li Hao, "You must be tired from the journey. Do you want to eat something?"
"What do you have? That dragon demon from earlier looked like it might taste good. How about some grilled dragon claws?" Li Hao asked.
Zhandan suddenly remembered Li Hao mentioning earlier that he also enjoyed cooking, and she couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, then I must try your cooking and see if it measures up to Bai Zu's standards."
Li Hao laughed heartily. After Zhandan brought out the dragon demon from earlier and removed its claws, Li Hao began cleaning the scales and preparing the meat.
It wasn't long before the aroma spread across the mountaintop.
In the front yard, several disciples who were reciting scriptures suddenly noticed something and took a deep breath.
"What's that smell?"
"It smells so good! Is it time to eat?"
Following the scent, they realized it was coming from their master's courtyard and didn't dare disturb her.
Inside the courtyard, Li Hao had finished cutting up the dragon meat, and he and Zhandan began tasting it.
The peaceful moment made Li Hao reminisce about the tranquil days back at the small courtyard in Tianmen Pass.
"Hmm..."
Zhandan, who originally had little interest in the heavily scented dragon meat, found that after being cooked by Li Hao, it exuded an irresistible fragrance. She took a small bite, and her eyebrows lifted in delight. "Your cooking skills might even surpass Bai Zu's."
"You've had his cooking before?"
"Yes, his food is also exquisite and left me wanting more. But ever since he realized I was craving it, he stopped cooking for me! Hmph!"
At this, Zhandan gave a little huff in frustration.
Li Hao couldn't help but glance at her a couple of times. Despite her noble and dignified air, she had a certain charm that naturally drew attention.
Zhandan noticed her own slight slip in demeanor and quickly resumed eating, asking, "You're not even 30 years old, yet you know how to do everything. How did you manage to cultivate like this?"
Li Hao smiled. If you had my cheat, you'd know too.
After they finished eating, Zhandan showed Li Hao her previous paintings, her attitude humble as she sought his guidance.
Li Hao didn't hold back, pointing out the flaws in her artwork.
He soon realized that in the process of giving pointers, he also gained some experience.
Every time he identified an issue, he received a prompt indicating an increase in painting Dao experience, though it was only in increments of a few hundred to a thousand points at a time. It wasn't a large amount, but it added up to a significant gain.
As they conversed, Zhandan, a half-saint of the Sacred Land of the Literary Ancestor, seemed more like a student, following Li Hao closely and asking questions. Li Hao answered each one with profound insights into the art of painting, giving Zhandan the sensation of her meridians opening up and her horizons expanding.
"So that's it! My focus on complexity was too much. Great complexity returns to simplicity—what a brilliant phrase!"
Li Hao quoted a line from the Daoist scriptures, earning him over ten thousand experience points. The phrase struck Zhandan deeply, shaking her sea of consciousness. The enlightenment she gained from this in painting seemed to even affect her progression toward the Saint Dao.
As a half-saint, Zhandan had already begun to glimpse the Saint Dao and had established her own path. If she could perfect it and gather enough spiritual fire, she could light three incense sticks and become a true saint on the spot!
"Complexity and simplicity should both follow the flow of the situation. Forcing it is not the way," Li Hao added.
Zhandan's eyes sparkled as she gazed at Li Hao. The more they talked, the more she realized that Li Hao's state of mind was far beyond hers, even as a half-saint.
It was hard to believe that he was less than 30 years old. If someone told her that he was the reincarnation of a true saint and had already awakened part of his memories, she might actually believe it.
But she knew if that were true, he wouldn't be wasting time here with her—he'd already be on his own path, returning to his true self.
Li Hao ended up staying on Tian Tan Peak, spending his days painting and discussing the art with Zhandan. She also showed him some famous paintings, three of which could be stored in his system panel. When Li Hao asked for them, Zhandan readily agreed.
However, Li Hao didn't rush to store them. Once stored, the original paintings would burn up and disappear, which seemed like a shame.
In addition, Li Hao painted over a dozen scrolls for Zhandan, earning nearly sixty thousand experience in painting Dao! This surprised Li Hao. While other half-saints typically gave him around fifty thousand experience points, Zhandan exceeded that by ten thousand, meaning that in a confrontation with other half-saints, Zhandan would likely be overwhelming.
No wonder she could become the vice president of the Flower Appreciation Society—she was one of the top among her peers.
During this time, Zhao Qingshu came to seek guidance from Zhandan about cultivation, but Zhandan casually brushed him off. When Zhao Qingshu saw his master chatting and laughing with Li Hao, he felt a strange discomfort and quietly went into seclusion instead.
In terms of painting, Zhandan was completely won over by Li Hao. Aside from discussing painting, Zhandan also took the opportunity to ask Li Hao about future battles.
The more admiration she had for him, the more she felt that Li Hao would go far. Although the immortal path had been severed, with Li Hao's talent, becoming a saint wouldn't be difficult. It would be a pity if he let his potential go to waste.
"If you need anything, just let me know. You've given me so much guidance that my painting skills have improved significantly, though I'm still nowhere near your level."
Zhandan said to Li Hao.
Li Hao, hearing this, didn't hesitate. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I don't really lack much, but I am short on cultivation techniques. Do you have any resources for that?"
"Cultivation techniques?"
Zhandan was momentarily surprised. Most prodigies didn't lack cultivation techniques, as they would usually refine and improve their own techniques over time.
With a gentle smile, she said, "That's a small matter. Just tell me what kind of technique you're looking for. Although the techniques from the Sacred Land of the Literary Ancestor are a bit unconventional, I can still find something suitable for you. You can choose whatever you like."
Li Hao's eyes brightened slightly—as expected, this vice president of the Flower Appreciation Society had far-reaching connections, much more extensive than his own. Plus, having cultivated for so long, it was no surprise that acquiring cultivation techniques wasn't difficult for her.
"Then I'll thank you in advance. The more techniques, the better. I want to gather the strengths of all the schools," Li Hao said.
Zhandan raised an eyebrow. What Li Hao said sounded simple, but it was a path as difficult as ascending to the heavens. She knew of a certain Sword Saint who practiced the sword path of all beings. Before succeeding, his journey was extremely arduous, but after succeeding, he became unimaginably powerful.
When it came to matters of cultivation, Zhandan didn't offer any advice to Li Hao. After all, those who reached this level all had their own path.
"It's a small matter. I have access to the archives of ten divine dynasties, and I can open their cultivation technique repositories for you to choose from," Zhandan said, her eyes brimming with generosity.
Li Hao was slightly taken aback and then burst into laughter. "That's fantastic."
As he said this, he suddenly recalled the techniques of the Sacred Land of the Literary Ancestor that Zhandan had mentioned.
He himself practiced the path of poetry and literature. Perhaps the techniques from the Sacred Land of the Literary Ancestor could provide him with valuable experience for his poetry path.
For Li Hao, the poetry path was one of the hardest to improve. He could only gain bits of experience by reciting famous works from his previous life.
"If possible, may I also take a look at the sacred texts of the Sacred Land of the Literary Ancestor?" Li Hao asked, feeling that his request might be a bit bold.
Zhandan raised an eyebrow and smiled. "You want to learn the techniques of the Sacred Land of the Literary Ancestor as well? But you're already practicing the sword path, and the literary path is another kind of saint path. These are two entirely different systems and are hard to balance. Even if you manage to balance them, it won't add much to your power. In the end, it's always the blade that kills the enemy. No matter how thick the back of the blade is, it's useless."
Li Hao nodded. He understood the reasoning. He simply wanted to accumulate experience for his poetry path.
"If you want to take a look, I'll take you there. But without a literary heart, I suspect that you'll find it boring before you even finish one book," Zhandan said with a laugh.
Li Hao asked, "Will that cause you any trouble?"
"Aside from the inherited classics personally passed down by the Literary Saint, which I can't let you see, everything else is no problem," Zhandan replied.
Li Hao didn't ask for more. He nodded with a smile, making a mental note of this favor.
Zhandan was efficient. That very night, she sent out orders, and by the next day, she informed Li Hao that if he wanted to look at cultivation techniques, he could visit the divine dynasties anytime.
Li Hao thought about it and decided that improving his Dao Domain was the most urgent task for now.
So, under Yue Ying's guidance, Li Hao arrived at one of the divine dynasties that Zhandan had arranged.
These divine dynasties had previously witnessed Li Hao's prowess in the Battle of the Talents and treated him with great respect. They knew he was a devotee of the Canghai Divine Dynasty, so they couldn't recruit him, but forming a good relationship with him was still a good thing. And since Zhandan had made the request, they couldn't refuse.
As Li Hao chatted with Yue Ying, he learned that Zhandan was originally from one of the upper three realms of the Thirty-Three Realms, the princess of a supreme divine dynasty. No wonder her demeanor was so noble, carrying the majesty of an empress.
As he toured the divine dynasties and browsed through their cultivation techniques, Li Hao's collection of techniques grew larger and larger.
After visiting all ten divine dynasties, Li Hao returned to Tian Tan Peak with Yue Ying. He greeted Zhandan and then secluded himself in the residence she had arranged for him.
The techniques he had recorded on his system panel began to be continuously refined and transformed, as he cultivated them into Dao Domains.
Li Hao's number of Dao Domains quickly increased from 220 and kept rising...
As time passed, layer upon layer of Dao Domains accumulated, reaching 280... 300... 330...
By the time he finished cultivating the techniques of the ninth divine dynasty, his Dao Domain had already reached 358 layers!
Li Hao continued cultivating the techniques of the tenth divine dynasty, and his Dao Domain quickly grew again.
With a buzzing sound, when his Dao Domain reached 360 layers, Li Hao suddenly felt his sea of consciousness tremble. The density of Dao Domains around him seemed to have reached a critical point. As they overlapped, the gravitational pull of their fields began to merge!
The many Dao intents within his Dao Domain seemed to form a perfect cycle, undergoing a metamorphosis.
A surge of chaotic information flooded Li Hao's consciousness, and it felt as though his body was merging with his Dao Domain. It was as if he were touching the skin of heaven and earth.
He could clearly feel the wind passing through, grains of sand peeling off quietly, and space itself trembling like flowing water. Furthermore, Li Hao sensed a terrifying force—one that seemed to be time itself!
Li Hao could distinctly sense every change within his Dao Domain. It seemed as though, with just a single thought, he could freeze space, halting its tremors.
And that force of time—something that seemed irreversible—also felt like it could slow down, becoming less unstoppable.